Hong Kong: HK, UAE sign investment pact

Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates today signed an Investment Promotion & Protection Agreement (IPPA).

The pact will enhance investors' confidence, expand investment flows and further strengthen economic and trade ties between the two places.

Under Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance of the UAE Younis Haji Al Khoori signed the agreement in Dubai.

Under the agreement, the two governments will provide investors of the other side with fair, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment of their investments, compensation in the event of expropriation of investments and the right to free transfers abroad of investments and returns.

An IPPA enables investors of the two parties to enjoy corresponding protection of their investments in the host economies, and thus enhance investors confidence in making investments overseas," Mr Chan said.

"Hong Kong has been making dedicated efforts to expand its network of IPPAs in order to enhance two-way investment flows and boost our economy."

The current-term Government has signed two similar agreements with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Australia.

This story has been published on: 2019-06-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.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PM Bakhtadze talks about the economic partnership at the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership Conference

By Natalia Kochiashvili

During the 3rd Annual US-Georgia Strategic Partnership Conference hosted by US Peace Institute in Washington DC Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze said that the US has stood with Georgia since the countrys independence.The USGeorgia Strategic Partnership is today at an all-time high level. The partnership has broadened and deepened both geopolitically and economically, stated Bakhtadze.PM expressed his commitment to strengthening and deepening the US-Georgia strategic and military partnership by expanding economic ties between the two nations.My message is clear: Georgia is open for business, and we welcome our American friends to seize the opportunities that abound in Georgia and our region. We want more investments, more trade, and more of the US in Georgia, Bakhtadze addressed the audience.He thanked the White House and Congress for recognizing Georgias more immediate security needs by providing more security cooperation to safeguard our peace and stability. PM Bakhtadze also welcomed the US strong support for Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity.In the past year, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation continued to expand its investments in Georgia, including for financing critical infrastructure and associated infrastructure on the coast of the Black Sea, PM Bakhtadze said.He added that these projects promise to transform Georgia into a regional, economic and transport hub offering the shortest route between Europe and Asia for high-value cargoes, connecting markets of several billion consumers while opening landlocked nations of at least 120 million more.The head of the government talked about Georgias leading positions in various directions, as well as the possibilities offered by the country to investors. He also thanked the United States Private Foreign Investment Corporation (OPIC) for expanding capital investments.Today Georgia is on the third place with the small number of tax rates, on the 7th place in economic liberties, and 8th place in terms of ease of burden of state regulation. As you know, we are in 6th place according to the simplicity of doing business. Georgia has been established as a free market economy in terms of democratic governance and the rule of law.PM stated that Georgia seeks to be a full participant and member of the global market; countrys strategy becomes a regional hub for international business, logistics, tourism, education, and innovations.Bakhtadze emphasized that Georgia is committed to an expansive economic vision based on a 3 part strategy, saying: We will leverage our geography, natural advantages and stewardship to sustain economic growth averaging 5 percent, which is two times higher than in our neighborhood. We seek to be not just a regional hub, but a crossroad linking Asia and Europe. We will strive to become the gold standard in ease of doing business and legal transparency. Investment flows to an opportunity where the barriers are lowest. Our successful assault on corruption is also well-known.Relevantly, on June 13, the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) has published the information regarding external merchandise trade in Georgia in January-May 2019. According to Geostat foreign trade turnover in Georgia (without undeclared trade) amounted to 4 959.0 million US dollars, which is 1.0 percent higher than the previous year.In the reporting period, the value of Georgian exports increased by 14.2% to $1.46 billion, while the value of imports decreased by 3.6% to $3.49 billion for 2018, said Geostat.Exports amounted to 466.8 million US dollars (14.2 percent more) and imports 3 492.3 million USD (3.6 percent less).The negative trade balance was $ 2. 02 billion in January-May, 2019, and 40.8 percent of the foreign trade turnover.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LERNA  Two of the most recognizable figures from the Civil War delivered a piece of history Sunday and made sure the ones who saw it had it in perspective.

Portrayers of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant had a profound visual effect during the two days of the Civil War Weekend event at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site.

Curt Fields appearance marked the first time Grant was part of a Civil War event at the Site. Fields used his presence as Grant to urge that history not be forgotten.

Take jealous care of it, for if you dont, it will go away, the Collierville, Tenn., resident said during Sundays activities.

George Buss, a resident of Freeport whos portrayed Lincoln during other local events over the years, carried a similar theme.

Copying Lincolns habit of storing papers in his stovepipe hat, Buss produced a copy of the Gettysburg Address and read it to Sundays audience.

By hearing the words in our time, we continue to remember the sacrifice, he said.

Just as Buss height and other features made him a natural as Lincoln, Fields stature and whiskers made for an accurate resemblance to Grant.

As he noted, Sundays appearance of both also made for an usual sight, as the two men were never photographed together.

Sundays activities included a troop review that Fields conducted on horseback, something visitors learned was also unusual.

Members of the 5th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry re-enactment group also took part in the sites event. Member Blake Sponsel told the visitors that most re-enactments that include a Grant portrayer dont show him riding.

Some of the events activities also took place on Saturday and the rainy weather didnt seem to hold down the crowd size much, historic site Manager Matthew Mittelstaedt said.

A Civil War ball Saturday evening started inside the sites visitors center but later moved outside as first planned, he said. The ball went longer than scheduled and was well attended, he added.

Fields attended the ball and also addressed an audience in the visitors center on Sunday. During those, his theme was the Grant who conducted a troop muster in Mattoon in 1861.

Both he and Buss said they appreciated visitors reactions to their appearances.

I love the looks on their faces when they see us, Fields said.

Buss said children always appreciate the portrayals. If that gets them one step closer to history, weve done our job, he said.

GALLERY: CIVIL WAR WEEKEND

Contact Dave Fopay at (217) 238-6858. Follow him on Twitter: @FopayDave

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Is it possible to deal with hate speech through Legislation?

By Inga Kakulia

The talks regarding the law regulating hate speech will be reopened as soon as possible, Said the Chairperson of the Parliament Irakli Kobakhidze.The discussion around hate speech and its regulations have been a topic of concern in the Georgian society as well as the Parliament for a while.The Chairperson of the Parliament suggested reviving the talks as soon as possible and working on finding the balance between free speech and allowing hate speech.Extensive research was done in 2017 by the Media Development Fund (MDF) about the hate speech in Georgia. The study showed that the total of 1,926 discriminatory comments was detected during the monitoring period (1 January 2017  31 December 2017) in the media. The largest share of these comments accounted for xenophobia (49,1%), which was followed by homophobia (38%), discrimination on the ground of religion (7.3%), hate speech on various grounds (4.5%), racism (1%) and one instance of discrimination on the ground of geographic location (0.1%).Compared to the previous year, the increase was observed in almost all types of discrimination; however, the sharpest increase was seen in xenophobic comments that were mainly caused by the rise of anti-migrant attitudes (275). Such comments are also reflected in the category of religious discrimination (35), which adds up to the total of 310 comments against migrants; this increase in 2017 may be attributed to the stepped-up activity of ultra-nationalist groups and an anti-migrant campaign.But a distinguished aspect of this problem is the rise of hate speech during the election campaigns and the period before elections.The problem of hate speech is a very relevant topic, and we will have a discussion regarding this issue during the election period, said Kobakhidze while speaking with journalists after the meeting regarding the election issues.The topic was brought up by the Chairman of the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC), Kakha Bekauri. Bekauri mentioned that hate speech is currently self-regulated in the Georgian Legislation, which does not correspond to European Legislation. According to him the GNCC had prepared the relevant draft law and submitted it to the Parliament in December 2018, although it has not yet been transformed into an initiative.The very difficult task of balancing free speech and the regulations on hate crime is hard to achieve. As The Chairman said in his comment, hate crime is a part of free speech, but the task at hand is to find the balance between one's desire to use hate speech and the freedom to speak ones mind.This Legislation has already been initiated and is being discussed in the leading committee. The talks on this topic have been suspended for months. It is unclear why. The Chairman says he will do his best to accelerate the process.The Minister of Justice, Tea Tsulukiani, who also attended the meeting, mentioned that the election process if ridden with emotions, that sometimes manifest in hate speech. Tsulukiani highlighted that hate speech is noticeably more frequent when the electoral candidate is a woman. She said that regulations are crucial for creating the red lines to protect the personal space of individuals.As mentioned in the MDF report on Hate Speech, Georgian Legislation does not criminalize hate speech except for those cases, when it creates a threat of immediate, irreversible, and apparent violence. Program restrictions concerning hate speech are imposed only on broadcast media. According to Article 56.3 of the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting, Broadcasting of programs intended to abuse or discriminate against any person or group on the basis of disability, ethnic origin, religion, opinion, gender, sexual orientation or on the basis of any other feature or status, or which are intended to highlight this feature or status, are prohibited, except when it is necessary due to the content of a program and when it is targeted to illustrate the existing hatred.Standards restricting hate speech are also set out in the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters, the Code of Conduct of the Georgian Public Broadcaster and the Charter of Journalistic Ethics. The Code of Conduct for Broadcasters has been adopted by the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) as a normative act. According to the code, self-regulatory mechanism (commission and an appeal body) has been created in the broadcasters since 2009 to deal with violations. According to the CoE report, the effectiveness of the self-regulatory mechanisms is hampered by the different definition of affected party among different broadcasters when NGOs and representative of the certain groups are deprived of the right to complain.The hate crime has been universal. Recently weve seen a resurgence of people through social media, the news, and online publications talking about the importance of protecting freedom of speech. For these people, the regulations on hate speech violate their fundamental right to express themselves freely, and the essential point of discussion for them is the logistics of these regulations. What exactly constitutes a hate speech? What if people start using it for personal gains? All these concerns are valid and reasonable. Maybe more telling is the group of people behind both sides of this topic and what their ultimate goals are within this discussion. The topic of hate speech during the elections or outside of elections remains vital to contemporary discourse. As promised by the Chairmen of the Parliament, the talks on this topic will soon be revived, and well see precisely where the Georgian government stands regarding the topic.Soybean planting can happen later, but a June 9 planting loses farmers roughly 24% of their harvest and a June 14 planting loses them 30%.

Deciding when, what and whether to plant has been like putting together a moving puzzle for Fuchs and farmers across the Midwest whove had to juggle planting schedules to account for the wet ground, change the type of seed they plant and calculate the effects of market prices, insurance penalties and weather risk later this summer.

Were going to need to have some things go in our favor, Fuchs said. We could still have a decent crop.

Fuchs had to switch out his typical seed for seed with an earlier maturity date, and in his job selling seed for Pioneer, hes been helping farmers farther south switch out their seed for seed with earlier maturity dates. Seed thats usually planted in west central Minnesota has been planted in southern Minnesota, and seed typically targeted for southern Minnesota has been planted in Iowa and Illinois.The man accused of killing two people in Douglas in March has died, according to a Department of Correctional Services news release.

At 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, staff members at the Lincoln Correctional Center found 36-year-old Brindar Jangir unresponsive in his cell after an apparent suicide attempt.

Staff began CPR and called for emergency responders, but Jangir was pronounced dead at 3:05 a.m., according to the news release.

The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating the death, and a grand jury will also conduct an investigation, as is the case whenever an individual dies in custody in Nebraska.

Jangir had been held at LCC on a safekeeping agreement with the Otoe County Sheriff's Office since May 10.

Jangir was arrested in March near San Diego as he tried to reenter the United States from Mexico. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the March 23 shotgun deaths in Douglas of 56-year-old Randal Grimes and 51-year-old Annette Grimes.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7214 or eclopton@journalstar.com.

Love 10 Funny 26 Wow 5 Sad 3 Angry 9Its history as it was happening, she said. It was a new lifestyle. All they knew was they were working hard and building others, but maybe they didnt realize what the company would become.

The Penney business model in the early days was to open a store, then use the profits from that store to open another. Penney, the store manager and another investor became partners in the new store. Eventually, Penney became known as The Man With a Thousand Partners.

Penney didnt hire just clerks, Jackson said. He hired men with career potential. Men who could lead others.

The four brothers came from humble beginnings. Their father, Lars Malmsten, was a Swedish immigrant who came to America in 1869. He soon went into the dry goods business with a another Swedish immigrant from the same hometown, Andrew Morell, opening one of the first businesses in Oakland.

Lars later became involved in politics and became Burt County Clerk in 1886.

Although all four brothers profited handsomely through their association with Penney, perhaps the most successful was Carl.1869: Gen. E.A. Carr remarked that the Pawnee scouts were "lazy and shiftless, but I hope to make use of their Indian qualities."

1879: Lincoln and Northwestern Railroad bonds were approved by Platte County residents by a large majority. The bonds were said to ensure the building of a line from Lincoln to Columbus.

1889: Catholic Bishop Thomas Bonacum bought property at 11th and South streets for $20,000 as the site for St. Elizabeth Hospital but quickly withdrew his request for city support after the Lincoln Ministerial Association sent a resolution to the City Council protesting use of public funds for it.

1899: A committee was organized in Lincoln to arrange for the homecoming of the 1st Nebraska Regiment from the Philippines.

1909: The closing of saloons in Lincoln was said to be sending a good many extra dollars into the cash registers of Capitol Beach - then outside the city - and local theaters.

1919: The old Lincoln City Auditorium at 300 S. 13th St. was for sale to the highest bidder.***

Last Tuesday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy met privately with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and indicated he wouldn't oppose Democratic plans to enact the first congressional pay raise in 10 years. They agreed, Politico reported, that they would make sure their respective campaign arms would not attack each other over the pay raise.

A day later, the National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm of House Republicans, issued a press release attacking Democrats for the pay raise, saying "these socialist elitists" want "middle-class taxpayers to give them a $4,500 pay raise!"

It's unclear whether McCarthy was dishonorable or just incompetent, but in any case, how can you negotiate with such a man? Eventually, the NRCC retracted its press release, but the damage was done. The pay raise -- needed to help less affluent people run for Congress -- was pulled from consideration.

***

Trump strode onto the South Lawn at noon Tuesday, not far from where the friendship tree once stood. He had some thoughts to offer reporters before taking off for Iowa, where he would give a campaign speech.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.Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, questioning Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, made the same point as Hawley: "The predicate for Section 230 immunity under the CDA is that you're a neutral public forum."

What they're saying: Facebook can be a message board with no responsibility for the messages tacked onto it. Or it can take an active role in shaping content, in which case it assumes legal responsibility for that content.

Those who fear government regulation in this area (and not just conservatives) have pushed back against Hawley and Cruz. They point out that the law also gives the companies immunity for actions they take against obscene, harassing or otherwise objectionable material, even if that material falls under the First Amendment.

We can split the difference on the question of what the law assumes. The CDA does not require companies to be neutral about the political content of messages they host in order to have immunity. It was, in fact, written to encourage them to police obscenity, which is why it's called the Communications Decency Act.With several states approving measures allowing for industrial hemp cultivation following its approval in the 2018 farm bill, the time to act is now. A prolonged limbo provides no benefit, except to perhaps those who have opposed industrial hemp owing to old misconceptions linking it to marijuana.

(Again, an important disclaimer: Though both are varieties of the cannabis plant, industrial hemp is not recreational marijuana and contains negligible amounts  less than 0.3% or less, by law  of the compound responsible for the high.)

Even before record storms and flooding this spring, Nebraskas farmers have been hindered for years by low commodity prices that drove farm incomes to less than half of what they were in 2013, among other factors beyond their control. If they want to plant hemp, rather than corn or soybeans, and take a crack at boosting their bottom line, we support their efforts.Call it what you want -- global warming, climate change, extreme weather events.

Growing up in the Midwest, weve always been used to changing weather conditions. Like they say, If you dont like the weather in Nebraska, just wait a minute.

The weather we can mostly predict. But who really knows for sure what will happen with the climate?

According to Donald Trump, it was a fabulous lie concocted by the Chinese. Now I dont much like lies or liars. When a liar tells a lie long enough, even the liar starts to believe it's true.

When Trump decided to pull out of the Paris Climate Accords. he said It was in the best interest of America. Being a conservative-minded American, I guess I was always taught to err on the side of caution, lest there be consequences that I might come to regret.

So I felt a certain obligation to investigate the matter further, and, lo and behold, nearly all the world's climate scientists stated the opposite of the president.Chiles President Sebastian Pinera highlighted the close relations between his country and Morocco underscoring the potential to further expand bilateral ties.

Pinera who received Moroccos foreign minister Nasser Bourita in Santiago highlighted the prospects for strengthening economic cooperation and trade, said a statement of the Chilean presidency.

The visit was also a chance to invite morocco to COP25 as the North African kingdom hosted COP22 marking its continental leadership in climate action.

In this respect, Chile commended the efforts undertaken by Morocco under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, citing the actions spearheaded by the Monarch in favor of promoting the values of inter-religious dialogue, peace, tolerance and coexistence, said a joint statement by the foreign ministries of the two countries.

The statement recalls the visit by Pope Francis to Rabat which highlighted Moroccos standing as a model in Africa and the Muslim world.

The two countries reiterated their attachment to international law and agreed to maintain dialogue on issues of common concern within international organizations.

On the Sahara issue, Chile reaffirmed its position in support of Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty as well as its autonomy initiative.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  The LGBT Center of Southeastern Wisconsin is advocating for the City of Racine to ban conversion therapy, a practice widely condemned by professional medical and psychological organizations that attempts to change an individuals sexual orientation or gender identity.

This comes a week after state legislators proposed a similar statewide ban as part of a package of bills and resolutions called the Equality Agenda that was announced on June 4.

Executive Director Barb Farrar and the centers board president, Carl Hubbard, presented a draft of an ordinance at Thursdays meeting of the Affirmative Action and Human Rights Commission.

The city recently changed its procedures so individuals or organizations alone cannot submit legislation to the council unless they have 250 signatures or it's sponsored by an alderman. Alderman Mary Land of the 11th District, who chairs the commission, said she would take up the recommendation and work with city staff to draft an ordinance. Land plans to bring it back to the Commission, which would then send it to the City Council.

Farrar also presented 10 steps to increase LGBT Pride visibility in the city, including hanging rainbow flags, coloring rainbow crosswalks as well as public art projects.

Protecting the youth

Hubbard, who is also a member of the AAHRC, said that LGBT youth are the most at risk of being forced into conversion therapy, which is why the LGBT Center is requesting that the city ban the practice.

Theres mountains of evidence that (conversion therapy) doesnt work, Hubbard told the commission. What it does work to do is damage those individuals mentally, psychologically in terms of their own self-esteem and in no few number of cases it leads to suicide or depression.

Another name for conversion therapy is reparative therapy, that suggests theres something that needs to be repaired, which I disagree with, said Hubbard.

The draft ordinance, called the Youth Mental Health Protection Ordinance, defines conversion therapy as any practices or treatments that seek to change an individuals sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expression or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.

It does not include counseling that seeks to assist people undergoing gender transition or that provides acceptance, support and understanding of a person or facilitates a persons coping, social support and identity exploration and development.

Conversion therapy has been condemned by organizations such as the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Counseling Association and more. Licensed counselors who are found to be administering conversion therapy risk having their license revoked.

However, Hubbard clarified that he was not referring to any religious counseling but that the ban would only apply to such practices in a clinical setting.

Practiced in Racine

Hubbard said conversion therapy is practiced in the Racine and Kenosha area.

Nikki Michele, who grew up and still lives in Racine, told the commission she and many of her friends were submitted to conversion therapy in their youth, to great personal harm. Now she is the mother of a 9-year-old transgender boy who she said she wants to protect from an abhorrent practice.

Forty-one percent of transgender teenagers attempt suicide at some point in their life and I would ask for the committee here to draw a line in the sand for people that are like my children who perhaps are not in as healthy a family as my child so that they know that the grown-ups in charge know that (conversion therapy) is harmful and not OK, said Michele.

Hubbard said conversion therapy practitioners are often unlicensed, which others on the commission pointed out means they do not have a license to lose if they are caught.

Members of the commission noted that the draft ordinance did not clarify what the consequences would be for violating the ban. Land said shed address that as she works with city staff to draft an ordinance.

One man, A.B. Herron, who has spoken against LGBT issues previously, spoke against the ban on religious grounds.

Alderman John Tate II from the 3rd District responded to Herrons comments with frustration.

We have a lot of challenges in Racine and, not be religious or anything, but the Bible talks about loving your neighbor  all of them, said Tate. Domestic violence is prevalent in our community  dont see these folks. Gun violence is prevalent in our community  dont see these folks. But let somebody (LBGT) say Id like some equality, Id like some fairness and suddenly out of woodwork we see these folks. And Im just tired of it.

Milwaukee, Cudahy, Madison and Eau Claire have passed ordinances banning conversion therapy. According to the Human Rights Campaign, 16 states (not including Wisconsin), the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico regulate the practice, particularly on young people.

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.RACINE  The city was home to numerous dairies from the 1890s through the early 1970s, but people born after 1973 never got a chance to taste fresh milk, butter and ice cream from local companies such as O.C. Stearns and Appleblossom Farm Dairy.

Local historian Jim Mercier wants to serve up a hearty helping of the bygone days of Racines dairy industry. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Tuesday, he is set to host an open house at his Spirit of the Racine Entrepreneur exhibit at the Racine Business Center arts and business incubator, 1405 16th St.

Mercier will be on hand to answer any questions and display some of his extensive collection of local dairy memorabilia: Already set up in the exhibit is a table with milk bottles from all 42 dairies that bore the Racine name in addition to various advertising pieces from some of the local companies.

As far as I know, I have every single known milk bottle thats out there from Racine, he said. Im sure theres going to be some I dont even know about, dont have yet.

Some of Merciers bottles may have been from outside of the city limits but still had the Racine moniker, he said, but he does not collect any that say they are from Union Grove or Burlington. He said he has acquired most of the bottles simply by placing ads in The Journal Times asking for people to contact him if they had a rare local milk bottle.

Big names

The largest local dairy was Progressive Dairy, which operated from 1912-73, Mercier said, when brothers W. Allen and Joseph Gifford  of Gifford School fame  opened a farm in the Franksville neighborhood in Caledonia. Ten years later, they built a new facility at 1214 Lathrop Ave., where DAcquisto Motors is now located.

The years following World War II through the mid-1960s marked the height of Racines dairy industry, Mercier said, with five or six large operations dominating the citys dairy economy. But as farms in Illinois grew, they began providing grocery stores with dairy at a far lower price than local businesses could provide.

Milk machines installed by the out-of-state dairies further undercut local business, and Racines companies simply could not compete, he said. Progressive Dairy was the last one to close.

Other big names included Cloverleaf, Mt. Pleasant, Belle City, Studeys, Harmony, and Mari Gold.

June is National Dairy Month, so Mercier said it was as good a time as any to share his knowledge of the local industry  and Racine is in Americas Dairyland, after all.

The open house is free. The exhibit is located on the second floor of the Business Center, south of Chez Bobs Cafe. Free parking is available on 16th Street, Ann Street and Junction Avenue.

Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0

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.Since day one, Ive said I would work with anyone to get results for southeast Wisconsin and the American people. Five months into my first term in office, that motive hasnt changed.

If you look past the partisan headlines, cable television and social media, productive and meaningful work is happening in Congress.

Human trafficking is an issue that transcends politics. Its also not just a faraway crime, this is an issue that impacts every neighborhood, every state and every country. Right here in Racine County, law enforcement officials are working day in and day out to combat this epidemic.

Human trafficking has been reported in every Wisconsin county. Victims of human trafficking are girls, boys, men and women of all nationalities, ages and backgrounds. This crisis requires support from Republicans and Democrats, from every corner of our country.

Thats why I teamed up with Representative Madeleine Dean, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, to combat human trafficking. Ive introduced the Exposing the Financing of Human Trafficking Act. Along with Representative Dean, we have 31 cosponsors, Republicans and Democrats from across the nation, whove joined our efforts.

Representative Dean and I sit on the Financial Services Committee. We see firsthand how human traffickers and other criminals abuse the financial system to further their illegal activities. We understand that American financial institutions play an important role in preventing illicit finance. The United States requires institutions to partner with regulators and law enforcement to report suspicious activity. Countries that receive U.S. foreign aid must be held to similarly high standards.

While our bill may be a simple change, it will have a global impact on how countries combat human trafficking. With the advancements in technology, traffickers have even greater access to financial services and other resources to commit these crimes.

Right now, countries that receive U.S. aid have no responsibility to report their efforts to prevent money laundering from human trafficking. This bill holds countries accountable.

My bill will not only strengthen our efforts to combat human traffickers use of our domestic financial system, it will also encourage other countries to cut off traffickers from the global financial system.

Following the money will give countries the ability to see where these crimes begin and where theyre going. Over 500,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year. More than 14,000 women, children and men are trafficked into the United States.

Fighting human trafficking requires a multifaceted approach.

Thats why awareness campaigns, school counselors, teachers and law enforcement are a vital part of this effort. Local, state, federal and international partners must work together to take this crisis head-on.

This legislation is just one piece of the puzzle to combat human trafficking. Our work isnt done. As we continue gaining support for our bill, I will work with my colleagues and our community to build upon these efforts.

Bryan Steil, R-Wis., represents the Wisconsin 1st Congressional District.

Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0Monday, June 10- Friday, June 14

This list is not comprehensive. Municipalities are listed as they appear on the criminal complaint. Suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. To see mugshots of the accused, visit www.journaltimes.com/gallery. Additional information about the complaints can be found at: journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts.

Michael Ajayi, 900 block of La Salle St., Racine, possession of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance.

Thomas D. Anderson, 1500 block of Villa St., Racine, possession of THC.

Phiaje K. Bailey, Mount Pleasant, felony retail theft (intentionally take between $500 and $5,000).

Justicia OLottie Balogun, Union Grove, mail fraud, felony personal identity theft.

Andrai A. Barrios, Waterford, felony retail theft (intentionally taking between $500 and $5,000).

Dayleen M. Bergsrud, 600 block of 10th St., Racine, disorderly conduct.

Deandre D. Berryhill, 2000 block of West Blvd., Racine, armed robbery. felony bail jumping.

Jeremiah L. Carver, Waterford, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, operate motor vehicle while revoked, obstructing an officer.

Brittani R. Devaughn, 1200 block of Cherry St., Racine, disorderly conduct.

John Ollie Dundy, Milwaukee, misdemeanor bail jumping.

Dustin W. Eckberg, 700 block of South Marquette St., Racine, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, obstructing an officer, operate motor vehicle while revoked, operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration.

Deshawn D. Ellison, 1000 block of Main St., Racine, possession of a firearm by adjudicated delinquent, carrying a concealed weapon.

Arturo Estrada, 500 block of North Memorial Drive, Racine, possession of cocaine, operating without a license.

Dartavious Lashawn Fields (a.k.a. Cheeseburger), 4500 block of Olive St., Racine, felony bail jumping, disorderly conduct.

Cetes R. Golden, 800 block of Valerie Court, Racine, misdemeanor battery, disorderly conduct, misdemeanor theft.

Alejandro Gonzales, 5700 block of 36th Ave., Kenosha, attempting to flee or elude an officer.

Mary J. Gray, 1000 block of South Memorial Drive, Racine, felony personal identity theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, misdemeanor bail jumping.

Charles C. Griffin IV, 1500 block of Flett Ave., Racine, disorderly conduct.

Robert L. Griffin (a.k.a. Keantre Banks, Lil Rob Griffin, Little Rob, Lil Lee Rob), possession with intent to deliver cocaine (between 15 and 40 grams), possession with intent to deliver narcotics, maintaining a drug trafficking place, felony bail jumping.

Marcus C. Haynes, 1200 block of Wisconsin Ave., Racine, felony bail jumping, misdemeanor bail jumping, criminal trespass, resisting an officer.

Jamison Hiler, 900 block of Hamilton St., Racine, obstructing an officer.

Frederick D. Hill, 4900 block of 42nd Ave., Kenosha, felony bail jumping.

Jerome J. Jackson, 1200 block of Franklin St., Racine, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct.

Jessica Lynn Joers, Wind Lake, misdemeanor battery, disorderly conduct, felony bail jumping.

Leonardo David Juarez Guzman, 1100 block of Hamilton St., Racine, second degree recklessly endangering safety, obstructing an officer, operate motor vehicle while revoked, felony bail jumping.

George E. Kramer, 1400 block of Washington Ave., Racine, misdemeanor theft.

Melissa M. Kristzonas, 3100 block of Barbara Drive, Racine, misdemeanor battery, disorderly conduct.

Holly A. Krueger, 1100 block of Albert St., Racine, obstructing an officer.

Stephen H. Kusters, 1400 block of Douglas Ave., Racine, misdemeanor battery, disorderly conduct, misdemeanor intimidation of a victim, misdemeanor bail jumping.

Lucas J. Martin, Mount Pleasant, misdemeanor battery, disorderly conduct.

Deon McClain, 500 block of Randolph St., Racine, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct.

Ismael Antonio Medina, 1600 block of Douglas Ave., Racine, misdemeanor battery, disorderly conduct.

Lea Shawnta Mitchell, Milwaukee, operate motor vehicle while revoked.

Alberto Valentine Montoya, 4900 block of Regal Court, Racine, operating while intoxicated causing injury, hit and run, operating with prohibited alcohol concentration causing injury, possession of THC.

Jose L. Mora, 800 block of St. Patrick St., Racine, maintaining a drug trafficking place, manufacture/deliver THC (greater than or equal to 200 grams), misdemeanor bail jumping.

Jemell T. Morrison, 1200 block of Center St., Racine, possession of THC, misdemeanor battery, disorderly conduct.

Cyrus D. Noyes, Franksville, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of THC, misdemeanor bail jumping.

Tristan J. Opahle, 2000 block of North Main St., hit and run, misdemeanor bail jumping.

Orianna Ann Perry, Racine, possession of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Lauren D. Peterson, Baraboo, burglary of a building or dwelling, strangulation and suffocation, substantial battery, disorderly conduct.

Daishon D. Pinson, 6500 block of San Marino Drive, Racine, disorderly conduct, armed robbery.

Selena M. Rodriguez, Mount Pleasant, felony retail theft (intentionally take between $500 and $5,000).

Matthew J. Rondone, 1400 block of Maria St., Racine, felony retail theft (intentionally take between $500 and $5,000), felony bail jumping, misdemeanor bail jumping.

Angel E. Sanchez-Morales, 2300 block of Victoria Drive, Racine, possession of cocaine, possession of THC.

Charita P. Scott, Milwaukee, fraud against a financial institution (between $10,000 and $100,000).

Sierra L. Seamandel, Sturtevant, operating without a license, felony bail jumping.

Arnold R. Silva, 1500 block of Carlisle Ave., Racine, misconduct in public office, misdemeanor theft.

Arthur Szwed, 2900 block of Durand Ave., Racine, disorderly conduct, resisting an officer, disorderly conduct.

Betty J. Turner, 1700 block of 39th St., Kenosha, theft, unauthorized use of an entitys identifying information or documents, computer crimes (modify data).

Jordyn D. Turner, Mount Pleasant, attempting to flee or elude an officer, obstructing an officer, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of THC, possession with intent to delivery cocaine (between one and five grams), possession with intent to deliver/distribute/manufacture THC (greater than or equal to 200 grams), possession of narcotic drugs, maintaining a drug trafficking place, alter identity marks, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Philip A. Waldbauer (a.k.a. Philly Blunt, Eddie Vedder, Pil Da Pigeon, Wheelbarrow Waldbauer, Phillistine Waldbauer), Burlington, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jamiel L. Wheeler, 1900 block of Grand Ave., Racine, disorderly conduct, misdemeanor bail jumping.

Alvin K. Williams, Milwaukee, assault by prisoners, disorderly conduct.

Jacob Wisniewski, Burlington, physical abuse of child, disorderly conduct.

Christian T. Wojtecki, 10000 Caddy Lane, Caledonia, disorderly conduct.

Frank E. Zitka Jr., 1400 block of Autumn Drive, Racine, burglary of a building or dwelling, strangulation and suffocation, substantial battery, disorderly conduct.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0La Crescent got a new restaurant last week, with the opening of the Swing Bridge Pub.

Meanwhile, the Fat Porcupine noodle bar is expected to open by this fall in downtown La Crosse.

Bill and Tammy Schmitz opened their new Swing Bridge Pub on Tuesday in Suite 200 at 595 Veterans Parkway, in the same new building that also houses the La Crescent Area Event Center.

Its across the street from the TimeOut Tavern, which the Schmitzes opened in 2014. But the menu is much different.

Bill Schmitz said he thinks some of the most popular items on the Swing Bridge Pubs dinner menu will include steak sliders, pretzel sticks served with homemade smoked cheddar beer cheese and stone-ground mustard, avocado chicken salad, tequila lime chicken, walleye and steak Oscar. The menu also includes salads and homemade soups,

The lunch menu includes a salad bar, soups and several kinds of sandwiches  such as ham or turkey melt, chicken and fish  and chicken quesadillas.

Its a unique menu, Schmitz said.

The pub is named after the historic Swing Bridge between La Crosse and La Crescent, and also offers beer, wine and cocktails. We have a focus on Minnesota craft beers, Schmitz said.

Swing Bridge Pub is open from 11 a.m. until close Tuesday through Sunday and is closed on Monday, Schmitz said. He and his wife plan to hold a grand opening later in June. Austin Wieser is the pubs general manager.

For more information, call 507-895-1110 or visit www.swingbridgepub.com or Facebook.

Lighthouse Hospitality LLC has applied to the city for a conditional-use permit for its planned Fat Porcupine noodle bar at 127 S. Fourth St. in downtown La Crosse.

If the permit is approved by the La Crosse Common Council at its July 11 meeting, Lighthouse then could apply to the city for a beer and liquor license.

Fat Porcupine would be a 55-seat noodle bar, Lighthouse officials said in a letter to the common council.

Our kitchen will largely be based around a six-item ramen menu, as well as a charcoal grilled section, and some lighter, more shareable appetizers and elevated Asian-inspired bar food, the letter said. Our bar will mainly serve inventive cocktails and also feature a limited beer, wine and cider menu.

Brie Roland of Lighthouse told me last week that she, her husband Dustin Thompson (who will be the chef) and two friends will operate the Fat Porcupine. It mainly will serve a variety of noodle soups  mostly ramen soups  as well as meats and vegetables that will be grilled on a Japanese charcoal grill, she said.

Well be focusing on local produce and local meat as much as we can, Roland said. Plans are to open the noodle bar by fall, in part of a former Rocky Rococo Pizza and Pasta location.

Next door to the La Crescent Area Event Center and Swing Bridge Pub, the new Best Western PLUS hotel at 509 N. Chestnut St. opened on May 31.

The hotel has 61 guest rooms, including 12 suites, said Sheila Connors, its general manager. It offers a complimentary breakfast, free wireless internet service and an indoor saline pool. All rooms have microwaves and refrigerators, Connors said.

The new La Crescent hotel also has a meeting room that can seat up to 30 people.

For more information, call 507-895-1001 or visit www.LaCrescentHotel.com.

Greg Stangl and Amy Baker have opened Its a Dogs World at 3220 S. Kinney Coulee Road in Onalaska.

The business opened in January with dog boarding and grooming, and dog day care began in February, Stangle said. Dog training became available last week. And the business soon will sell food, treats and toys for dogs.

Stangle said the kennels at the business have elevated beds, night lights and music. Down the road, well probably be putting TVs in the kennel suites, he said.

Stangle said he and Baker started the business because there was a need for it in the area. Its been going very strong, he said.

For more information, call 608-519-1414 or visit www.itsadogsworldwi.com or Facebook.

Joy and Jesse Butterfield will hold a Grand Open House event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 25 at their Canvas Nail & Art Studio, at its new location at 301 Main St. in downtown Onalaska.

The nail and art studio opened May 1 at its new location, which is twice as large as the previous one at 816 Second Ave. S. in Onalaska, where the studio began in 2015. With more space, the studio has much more art on display than before, and Joy is creating her art in the studio rather than at home.

Ive been doing nails for 20 years, said Joy, who had worked at other nail salons before opening her own business. And Ive been creating art all of my life.

Besides nail services, Canvas sells Jesses wood art and Joys artwork, such as journals and canvas artwork. I do a lot of canvas art, much of it in 3D, Joy said.

Everything in here is either repurposed by me, or original art made by me, except for the wood art that her husband makes, she said.

The studios nail services are by appointment.

Studio hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. For more information, call 608-385-4678 or visit www.canvasstudiolax.com or the studios Facebook page.

Steve Cahalan can be reached at stevecahalan.reporter@gmail.com or 608-791-8441.

Love 7 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1Wisconsin families have faced far too much uncertainty when it comes to their health coverage. Thousands of Wisconsinites have come up to me, written letters, or called my office to express concern about the rising cost of health care. One common-sense solution to lower health care costs and increase access is for our state to finally accept federal funding by expanding BadgerCare.

Ensuring that all Wisconsinites receive quality health care is one of my top priorities. Thats why last week, I joined Gov. Tony Evers for a town hall meeting at UW-Stevens Point to discuss BadgerCare expansion. I heard from many who are facing rising health care costs and are concerned about their families coverage. No Wisconsinite should have to worry about if they will be able to access the care they need.

Under BadgerCare expansion, over 80,000 additional Wisconsinites would be covered, saving taxpayers $190 million per year. Wisconsin is one of only 14 states that has not accepted federal Medicaid expansion, costing the state $1.1 billion since 2014 and making it harder for Wisconsins most vulnerable  including our children, seniors, and people living with a disability  to receive health care. Unfortunately, our state legislature is saying that it will continue to reject federal funding for this crucial program.

Republicans and Democrats need to work together to provide certainty to families, veterans, children and seniors so that they have access to affordable health care. We need to recognize what works in health care, fix what doesnt, and lower health care costs.

To that end, Im working across the aisle with my colleagues in the state to find solutions and will continue to fight to ensure all Wisconsinites have access to quality care.

Democrat Ron Kind, La Crosse, represents Wisconsins 3rd Congressional District.

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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The prevalence of suicide among veterans nationwide is distressing, occurring at a rate of 30.1%, nearly 13 points higher than the non-veteran rate of 17.5%.

The numbers among Wisconsinites are even more troubling, with veteran suicides at a rate of 35.3% versus 18.5% for civilians, according to 2016 data from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense and National Center for Health Statistics. In total that year, 132 Wisconsin-based veterans took their lives, over two thirds by firearms.

On Saturday morning, about 750 individuals gathered to draw attention to the devastating issue, departing from the Onalaska American Legion for the 2.2 mile YMCA Walk With Warriors event, the distance representative of the estimated 22 veterans who die by suicide each day.

This gives us an opportunity to talk about mental health in the community, said Houser YMCA wellness director Christopher Matt. Were letting veterans know providers are there for them, the community is there for them.

Matt, who served in the Army from 2000 to 2010, co-founded the walk five years ago with fellow members of the YMCA Veteran Committee, the group having lost military friends to suicide. The first year a team of 30 took on 22 miles, carrying heavy rucksacks on their backs to represent the struggle and spread awareness, completing the lengthy trek again the next year.

The support was overwhelming, with families hoping to get involved but unable to take on the daunting distance with children in tow. When the Walk With Warriors was converted to 2.2 miles the third year, attendance skyrocketed, with the 2018 event drawing more than 650 participants, an estimated 100 of them veterans.

Providers from Gundersen and Mayo Clinic Health Systems, the La Crosse Vet Center, the Tomah VA Medical Center and both branches of the YMCA staffed resource tables onsite, wearing shirts printed with Lets Talk to encourage a dialogue and help arrange for needed care or services.

We at the Y understand we all have mental health and this one of these ways we can raise that awareness, said Sarah Johnson, mental health director for the YMCA. Mental health is how we think, how we feel, how we act, and what were doing here is providing an opportunity to think about how we care for ourselves and how we care for each...I want to be keenly aware that this is us, that mental health is not somewhere out there, its not someone else  mental health impacts every single one of us...Were here not just to walk but to connect with each other.

Jeremiah Nagel and Joe Hess, both 18 and enlisted in the Marine Corp, chose to dress in fatigues and strap on 60-pound rucksacks for the walk, honoring those who founded Walk With Warriors as well as family members and community members who have served.

Its to show respect and thank them for their service, Nagel said.

For Hess, mental health and PTSD among retired and current military members is of great concern, the future Marine noting, Its a real issue and the military kind of sweeps it under the carpet. Its a real possibility and if you need help you should be able to get it.

Second-year Walk With Warriors participant Abigail Chandler, 17, of West Salem has seen the pain of PTSD, her own father, a Master Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corp, continuing to suffer from the disorder.

Ive been there to try to pull him out of it. I might not know what hes going through, but I know I will be there for him, Chandler said.

Having lived on base, Chandler says the serious impact that serving in the military has on mental health is evident. A comrade of her fathers and close friend of the family took her life in 2012 as a result of PTSD.

It was really awful, Chandler said, clutching a miniature American flag. Even now Im still getting choked up about it. I cant understand what (those who serve) are going through, but supporting them in this walk means a lot to me.

For more information on mental health resources, call the VA River Valley Integrated Health Center at 608-787-6411, visit www.tomah.va.gov or contact Sarah Johnson at 608-782-9622, ext. 267.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@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.Salvador withdrew its recognition of the Algerian-backed Polisario separatist entity putting another nail in the coffin of the separatists in Latin America while voicing support for Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara.

El Salvador has decided, as of today (Saturday, June 15) to no longer recognize the separatist entity RASD, announced the new Salvadoran President, Nayib Bukele, who affirmed his countrys support for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco

From this day, El Salvador breaks diplomatic relations with the Polisario Front and no longer recognizes the RASD, announced the new President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, on his tweeter account.

President Nayib Bukeles announcement was confirmed by a joint statement signed by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Salvadoran counterpart, Alexandra Hill Tinoco.

The government of Salvador informs the kingdom of Morocco that it has decided to withdraw its recognition of SADR (Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, ndlr) and to sever all ties with this entity, said the Salvadorian government in a joint statement co-signed by visiting Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita and his Salvadorian counterpart Alexandra Hill Tinoco.

This decision will be communicated to the UN and to regional bodies, the statement adds.

Salvador also underscored support for Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty and welcomed the Kingdoms autonomy initiative as the sole basis to reach a solution to the regional dispute.

Earlier this month, on the new Presidents inauguration, Salvadors foreign ministry announced that it will review its stance on the Sahara issue as part of an upgrade of its foreign policy with a new democratic leadership at the helm of the country. Thats done!

The Polisario front, which by the past used ideological rhetoric to delude South American leaders, is now on the demise in Latin America where only failing states and authoritarian regime such as Maduros Venezuela and Cuba are still attached to defending separatism.

The Polisario has been dealt severe blows in South America recently after Paraguay joined the rank of democratic countries that back Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara.

A series of similar stands were expressed by other Latin American states, including Surinam, Uruguay and Peru which came to terms with viewing the Polisario as a totalitarian organization fed by an ideological anachronism peculiar to the Cold War era.

Over the last two years, some 46 countries have withdrawn their recognition of the SADR entity out of 80 that previously recognized it in a Cold War context.

Furthermore, as a relic of the cold war, the Polisario remains obedient and dependent financially and diplomatically on its paymaster, Algeria, which uses it to achieve regional hegemony to the detriment of regional stability.

As an Algerian invention, the Polisario has benefited from Algiers oil mantra to buy support notably in Africa where the separatist entity was admitted as a member of the Organization of African Unity in 1984 leading to Moroccos withdrawal. But Moroccos triumphal return to the African Union was preceded with a motion submitted by 28 states asking the AU to freeze the Polisarios membership.

Support for Moroccos territorial integrity is a course that is set to continue as more countries in the African Union see the Polisarios membership as an aberration in contradiction with international law because the Polisario is not a state and lacks state attributes. These include two-thirds of AU countries including African heavy-weights such as Nigeria and Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, Morocco is expanding its influence in the continent through active engagement along a solidarity based African policy yielding projects that address Africas pressing issues of economic and human development.Americas long-awaited, albeit unofficial, addendum to special counsel Robert Muellers official report arrived unexpectedly on our news screens last week.

It was the extensive, in-person interview with President Donald Trump about Russias interference in the 2016 election that Mueller had needed  yet never actually got or even insisted upon having. But ABC News George Stephanopoulos got it done. Bigtime.

In two days of interviewing Trump, Stephanopoulos asked the president many specific questions that Mueller never got to ask, and pressed him with some significant follow-ups.

The Qs & As produced some troubling presidential responses that may now be news to Mueller, but could have made his final report complete  if he had pressed with his famous determination to make them happen in time for his final report.

Heres some of what our special counsel never got to hear, but we finally did:

Stephanopoulos asked: What would Trump do if a foreign national wanted to give him some information about a political opponent? Trump said he might take the info  and might or might not ever inform the FBI, as FBI Director Christopher Wray recently testified to Congress a candidate should do. Trump kept dismissing this as mere oppo research that all candidates collect on opponents.

I think you might want to listen; there isnt anything wrong with listening, said Trump. If somebody called from a country, Norway, We have information on your opponent, oh, I think Id want to hear it.

Stephanopoulos followed up: Did Trump really think such foreign interference was OK in American politics? Its not an interference, they have information  I think Id take it, the president replied. If I thought there was something wrong, Id go maybe to the FBI, if I thought there was something wrong.

At that point Trump questioned his questioner: Youre a congressman, someone comes up and says, I have information on your opponent, do you call the FBI?

If its coming from Russia, you do, Stephanopoulos answered. He added: The FBI director says thats what you have to do.

The FBI director is wrong, Trump said firmly.

The backstory here is key: Stephanopoulos had begun by reminding Trump that his son, Donald Jr., was on Capitol Hill at that moment, to testify at a hearing into his now infamous Trump Tower meeting (attended by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and others) with a Russian lawyer who wanted to pass along some dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Muellers report stated that a middleman had emailed Don Jr. that the Crown prosecutor of Russia ...offered to provide the Trump Campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia as part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump. Muellers report added: Trump Jr. immediately responded that if its what you say I love it. The Russian lawyer never provided evidence supporting her claim that Clinton and other Democrats got Russian money. And all of that Kremlin-scented intrigue has nothing to do with what U.S. politicos call oppo research.

So the presidents attempted diversion into a hypothetical yarn involving, maybe, Norway had nothing to do with the reality that his son, when told Russias Crown prosecutor wanted to dish dirt on Hillary, had said I love it  and scheduled the meeting. After detailing scores of contacts between Trump associates and Russia, Mueller concluded there was insufficient evidence that a conspiracy had occurred.

But after ABC News video of their Trump interview aired, Washington plunged into its traditional partisan patter.

Democrats noted it is a crime for a government official to receive anything of value from a foreign government (apparently including oppo research). Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy began tap dancing on quicksand, yet again, insisting they saw nothing amiss.

But every now and then, a true patriot can be found  even in our nations capital. And clearly MSNBC found one in former U.S. attorney Greg Brower, a lifelong Republican who was nominated for that post by President George W. Bush, and is experienced in FBI and U.S. intelligence matters.

Now a Washington-based attorney, Brower warned that a U.S. presidents willingness to accept info from foreign government has signaled other governments that they may be able to interfere with, maybe successfully manipulate, Americas election campaigns.

This really presents a flashing green light to our adversaries who are interested in interfering in our democracy, Brower said. This reality is presenting a significant national security problem.

Martin Schram, an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, is a veteran Washington journalist, author and TV documentary executive. Readers may send him email at martin.schram@gmail.com.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0This is fine. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Some Democratic presidential candidates say that Americas economic system is badly broken and in need of sweeping, structural change. Others say that the existing order is fundamentally sound, even if it could use a few modest renovations. The former are widely portrayed as ideologues or extremists, the latter as moderates.

And its certainly true that Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are ideologically extreme, if our baseline is the median member of Congress or the median policy agenda pursued by recent American presidents. But its not clear why these would be the appropriate metrics.

After all, we do not equate calls for sweeping change (whether from recent precedent or from current consensus) with extremism in all circumstances. When young people in an Islamist autocracy take to the streets demanding basic civil rights, we do not regard them as radicals, or the regimes apologists as moderates. Our assessment of the dissenters ideological character does not hinge on how far their values depart from those of the status quo order  but rather on how far that status quo departs from our consensus values.

Thus, whether it is truly extreme or moderate to demand sweeping changes to American capitalism depends on the degree to which the existing system aligns with common-sense views of what a just or rational economic system should look like.

Happily, the Federal Reserve just released some data that makes the state of this alignment easier to gauge. In its new Distributive Financial Accounts data series, the central bank offers a granular picture of how American capitalism has been distributing the gains of economic growth over the past three decades. Matt Bruenig of the Peoples Policy Project took the Feds data and calculated how much the respective net worth of Americas top one percent and its bottom 50 percent has changed since 1989.

He found that Americas superrich have grown about $21 trillion richer since Taylor Swift was born, while those in the bottom half of the wealth distribution have grown $900 billion poorer.

Notably, this measure of wealth includes liabilities, such as student debt. And it does not include consumer goods, such as computers or refrigerators, as economists do not conventionally view such products as wealth assets. But if one did include the Feds data on the distribution of consumer goods, the wealth gap between the top one percent and bottom 50 would actually be even larger.

So, is an economic system that distributes its benefits in this manner consistent with Americans common-sense views of economic justice? If not, would incremental changes be sufficient to bring it into alignment with the median Americans values? Or would more sweeping measures be required?

Put differently: Does the average American believe that, over the past three decades, our nations richest one percent have contributed roughly $22 trillion more to our collective well-being than the poorest 50 percent have? Does she think that the tens of millions of working-class people who spent the past 30 years cooking other Americans dinner, cleaning their toilets, caring for their children, harvesting their crops, ringing up their groceries  and performing the countless other poorly remunerated forms of labor that our society demands  collectively produced an infinitesimal fraction of the value that Americas corporate lawyers, hedge-fund managers, venture capitalists, specialist physicians, heirs and heiresses, and other high-paid professionals did?

Survey data (and common sense) says otherwise. In 2011, Michael Norton of Harvard Business School and Dan Ariely of Duke University published a study on Americans views of how wealth was distributed in their society, and how they felt it should be distributed. They found that, in the average Americans ideal world, the richest 20 percent would own 32 percent of national wealth. In reality, the top quintile owned 84 percent as of 2011. And that share has grown in the intervening years. Today, the one percent alone commands roughly 40 percent of all Americas wealth.

Chart: Slate This image comes courtesy of Slate

Given all this, any politician who insists that American capitalism is already great is clearly a far-right extremist whose indifference to inequality puts him or her wildly out of step with ordinary people. But is it the case that Warren and Sanders would take things too far in the other direction?

Not remotely. I do not have the relevant data or skills to project precisely how the full implementation of either candidates agenda would influence Americas wealth distribution. But neither candidate is calling for a series of reforms that would place the United States far outside the Western European norm. In fact, both Warren and Sanders have cribbed their signature policies from European nations. As the 2018 World Inequality Report demonstrated, policy choices do matter  and income inequality is much lower in Western Europe than it is in the U.S.

But even Scandinavias social democracies feature far more inequitable distributions of wealth than Americans think to be fair, according to Ariely and Nortons survey. Whats more, it will take a lot of redistribution just to prevent Americas current wealth gap from growing even larger. The fundamental challenge in combating inequality is that wealth begets more wealth. Those who can afford to invest in bonds get to collect annual interest payments; those who invest in stocks or real estate typically see their capital assets annually appreciate. Thus, most years, our nations collective capital stock directs loads of passive income to Americas wealthiest citizens. As Voxs Matt Yglesias observes, much of the explosion in wealth inequality that the Fed documents can be attributed to the fact that the one percent began 1989 owning a wildly disproportionate share of corporate equities and private businesses. The passive income generated by these assets would have allowed the one percent to pull away from everyone else, even in the absence of soaring wage inequality.

Nothing short of progressively redistributing ownership of capital assets could bring our nations wealth distribution into alignment with its values. For the moment, neither Warren nor Sanders has released a detailed plan for doing that on a large scale. Their current platforms would be less likely to significantly reduce wealth inequality than to merely slow its growth.

Perhaps we should adopt redistributive policies and institutions that are common throughout Western Europe, so as to prevent the one percents share of national wealth from rising too far above 40 percent sounds like an extreme proposition to you. But the alternative  or at least the alternatives implications for wealth inequality  would strike the average American as far more radical.Americans are getting older, and family size is getting smaller. That means the United States will have less working adults in the future.

By 2030, twenty percent of U.S. residents will be 66 years of age or older. That compares to 13 percent in 2010, and just under 10 percent in 1970.

The aging population could be a concern if Americans expect to have an expanding population, says David Kelly. He is with the investment company J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

If you're investing in things like the housing industry or the auto industry and you need an ever-growing population, then you have to adjust to a world in which the U.S. population is growing more slowly, he said.

Different studies show that an aging population cuts into economic growth, and older workers who stay on the job are often less productive than younger ones.

But as Americans are aging, last year the birth rate nationwide dropped to its lowest level in 32 years. Less than 3.8 million babies were born in 2018, which is two percent less than the year before. Taken as a whole, the population grew only six-tenths of one percent in 2018, compared to 1.2 percent growth in the 1990s.

Kelly said the low birth rate is not necessarily bad news. Looking beyond economics, a growing world population could do more damage to Earths environment. He said that U.S. policy makers should plan for dealing with a smaller workforce.

We really should adapt to a world of slow population growth because it's clearly happening to us, he said.

What will replace human workers? Like others, Kelly expects the lack of workers to fuel the growth of robotics and artificial intelligence. He said that Americans need to prepare for the U.S. economic growth to slow a little in the future.

Another way to fix the shrinking workforce is to add more legal immigrants. Immigrants usually arrive in the United States when they are of working age.

But this is not an easy solution, because the U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump continue to disagree over how to deal with immigration issues.

The U.S. economy can easily make changes to deal with the slower population growth, Kelly said. But he worries that politics could get in the way of solutions.

The real question is a political question, he notes, because it seems even as our population matures in years, it seems that our political system gets less mature in terms of thought process.

Im Anne Ball.

Dora Mekouar wrote this story for VOA News. Anne Ball it for VOA Learning English.

Do you live in a country where the population is aging, or growing? Write to us in the comments section below!

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

resident  n. someone who lives in a city, town or area for a period of time

adjust  v. to change something in a minor way so it works better

beyond  adv. on the father side; in addition

workforce  n. the group of people who work for an organization or business

artificial intelligence  n. an area of computer science that deals with giving machines the ability to seem like they have human intelligence

mature  adj. having or showing the mental and emotional qualities of an adultBy the year 2020, some two billion people in the world will be using English, or learning to use it.

Digital English language learning products and services are worth about $2.5 billion dollars a year.

That estimate comes from the British Council, an international cultural and educational program based in Britain.

The increasing demand for English has led many people to explore careers in teaching the language. Being a native speaker is not necessary to teach English. In fact, some experts say that being a non-native speaker can be very useful when teaching English.

Today, we speak with one of those experts. Her name is Babi Kruchin. She is a certified teacher trainer for the Certificate of Language Teaching to Adults, or CELTA from the University of Cambridge/Royal Society of Arts.

Babi Kruchin holds a Masters Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, or TESOL from Hunter College in New York City. She has been teaching at the American Language Program at Columbia University since 1999.

VOA Learning English spoke to her by telephone recently. Our interview has been shorted for the purposes of this program.

JR: How did you get into your teaching career?

BABI KRUCHIN: So,I got into my field by accident. I was actually an art student in Brazil, and when I started college, the school where I had studied ESL as an after school program invited me to teach small kids. And, I started teaching small kids, and I enjoyed it

JR: Where was the school?

BABI KRUCHIN: That school is called Lollipop, and its in Porto Alegre, Brazil  where Im from.

JR: How did you get from teaching at that school to teaching at Columbia University?

BABI KRUCHIN: So I taught at that school, then I transferred my major from art to languages. And then, I went - I wanted to live in an English speaking country, so I lived in the UK for a year where I did my CELTA training, which is a certificate program. Then I came back to Brazil, I continued teaching at a bigger school called Britannia, and then I started training teachers. I went from being a teacher to a teacher trainer in Brazil and I was training through the CELTA program. And then I moved to the U.S. and I decided to do a masters in TESOL. And then my career kind of took off - I taught at many different programs in New York as an adjunct professor until I got a full-time position at Columbia.

JR: What skills do you need for your profession, aside from English language skills?

BABI KRUCHIN: So, I think first and foremost, yes, interpersonal communication skills. Because teaching is all about teaching other people. And a great awareness of who my students are at many levels, like at the personal level, at an academic level, at a critical thinking skills level So, there is a lot of student awareness that goes hand in hand with teaching. So, in other words, there is the content and the person who is right in front of you, and you are addressing the person.

And then thinking of myself, I have to have great organizational skills, to organize materials, and the classes and the student assignments, so on and so forth. So I think if somebody wanted to go into teaching they would have to think about being organized, having interpersonal skills, to some degree, public speaking, because if you have a fear of speaking in front of other people, I wouldnt recommend that career, because you are in front of a classroom and addressing them

Some leadership skills because you do have to tell students what to do and how to go about doing tasks  and a great deal of creativity, I think, to create interesting lessons

JR: How do you recommend that people develop their teaching skills? Is there a good resource for developing these skills?

BABI KRUCHIN: A resource is always feedback from colleagues having peer observations or developmental observations. In other words, the idea that it is never ready, you are never done, you never know it all

And also, keeping at the back of my mind that professional development is important, so attending conferences and reading in the field, and trying out new things. So, being aware of what's new. And I think a great deal of reflective thinking. I think with teaching, one needs to evaluate what happened. Sometimes at the beginning of your career, it's good to discipline ones self and do it more rigorously  thats write a reflective feedback of the lesson I've just taught. But then as you become more experienced, I think it's also very important to look back and say 'Was this a good class? Was this a good semester? What worked? What needs to be improved?'

JR: What recommendations do you have for those who are thinking of entering the teaching profession?

BABI KRUCHIN: I think the first question is: do you really want to be a teacher? I have somebody I know who thought they wanted to become a teacher, and when they actually went into the field, they realized the amount of work it is. It's a tremendous amount of work. So I think one needs to be aware of that  that you need to like it. Because if you dont like it, it's not something you can just jump through the hoops.

And the other thing I think people need to be aware of is that in terms of compensation, teaching is a profession that is not very well paid, but also to think about how rewarding it is to meet people from different cultures and to know that you learn all the time from your students.

JR: What recommendations do you have for English learners who would like to pursue a career in teaching English?

BABI KRUCHIN: Right, I would say that being a non-native speaker teacher of English as a second language is an asset. Because, like your students, you have gone through the process of learning the language. You are better equipped to understand what they are going through. Whereas if English is your first language, you may not empathize with what it is like to learn a second language. If you think not being a native speaker of English is an obstacle, you're wrong, because it is actually something that gives you another set of skills.

JR: Is there something that you would like to add with respect to becoming a teacher?

BABI KRUCHIN: No, I would say it's a very rewarding field because it is intellectually stimulating, and you are involved with other people, and you can use your creativity. I think those would be my final words.

JR: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us! Have a pleasant day.

BABI KRUCHIN: Ok, thanks. Nice talking to you, Bye!

JR: Yeah, good to talking to you too.

I'm John Russell.

John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

digital  adj. of or related to electronic technology

certify  v. to officially recognize; to confirm

masters degree  n. a recognition given to a student by a college or university usually after completion of a graduate-level study program

interview  n. a meeting or discussion between two people, usually for information

kid  n. a child

transfer  v. to move from one place to another

adjunct  adj. added to a teaching staff for only a short time or in a lower position than other staff

interpersonal  adj. relating to or involving relations between people; existing or happening between people

awareness  n. knowledge of a fact or situation

academic  adj. related to or involving education

colleague  n. someone with whom one works in a business

peer  n. a person who belongs to the same age group or social group as someone else

evaluate  v. to judge the value or condition of (someone or something) in a careful and thoughtful way

compensation  n. payment given for doing a job

reward  v. to make a gift of something (to someone) in recognition for their services

asset  n. a valuable person or thing

empathize v. to have the same feelings as another person : to feel empathy for someone  often + with

obstacle  n. a barrier

Finding the Right Program

Any good English training program should contain activities that address key language skill areas: reading, writing, speaking, listening, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, comprehension and interactions.

The program should also include information on classroom management and some kind of teacher preparation training.

Many American states require completion of a teacher preparation program in addition to a bachelor's or master's degree.

English Certifications and Degrees

There are a variety of certification and degree programs for teaching English. Only you can know which program would be correct for you. English teaching programs at colleges and universities often have the following terms:

ESL (English as a Second Language)

TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages)

Teaching English Language Learners (ELL)

Common certifications include CELTA,TESOL, and TEFL.

Different employers may require different qualifications. In some cases, undergraduate or graduate coursework in addition to a separate certification may be required.

Source: ESLTeacherEdu.OrgA messaging service said that it was hit by a powerful cyberattack from China as a huge protest took place in Hong Kong.

The attack on the application called Telegram slowed messages, but did not take or destroy user information. It happened as thousands of protestors surrounded Hong Kong government headquarters on Wednesday. They were protesting legislation that would permit people from Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China to stand trial. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to break up the demonstration. As a result, The Hong Kong government delayed the debate over the bill.

On Thursday, Telegram chief Pavel Durov tweeted that most of the attackers had IP addresses from China.

Historically, all state actor-sized (attacks) we experienced coincided in time with protests in Hong Kong, Durov said.

Activists in both Hong Kong and mainland China often use Telegram to organize protests. They believe its special security measures will permit them to escape government surveillance of Chinese social media apps, such as WeChat. WeChat users reported this week that photos of the protests could not be seen.

Apps like Telegram offer more privacy and independence. Telegram is blocked in mainland China, but users can use it with special software. Websites like Facebook and The New York Times also are blocked.

Telegram says that messages sent on its system cannot be unlocked by third parties. We can ensure that no single government can intrude on peoples privacy and freedom of expression, Telegram says on its website.

Telegram said that the latest attack was the result of many millions of false requests which stop (the servers) from processing legitimate requests.

The company said later Wednesday that its system had returned to normal.

The protest in Hong Kong forced the legislature to close Wednesday and Thursday, delaying debate on the bill.

Those against the legislation say it would hurt freedom and destroy Hong Kongs legal independence. Hong Kongs Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, said the legislation is necessary. She added that it would ensure that human rights are protected.

Hong Kong is a semi-independent Chinese territory. It enjoys greater freedoms than mainland China because of a one country, two systems agreement. A former British colony, Britain returned Hong Kong to China in 1997 after the agreement was reached.

People who live in Hong Kong can freely use the Internet and take part in public protests.

The U.S. government has blamed Chinese computer experts for illegally taking information and trade secrets. Officials are negotiating some of these issues in the current trade talks between the U.S. and China. Also, defense department officials told a congressional committee this month that China is becoming better at cyberattacks.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang was asked about Thursdays attack on Telegram during a news conference. Geng said he did not know about the case but that China always opposes any form of cyberattack.

China is also a victim of cyberattacks, Geng said.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

encrypt  v. to change (information) from one form to another especially to hide its meaning

app  n. a computer program that performs a special function

rubber  n. a strong substance that stretches and that is made out of chemicals or from the juice of a tropical tree

coincide  v. happens at the same time

software  n. the programs that run on a computer and perform certain functions

intrude  v. to come or go into a place where you are not wanted or welcomeOutside the Hotel Bossert. Photo: Sarah Blesener for New York Magazine

From the outside, the Hotel Bossert on Brooklyn Heightss tree-lined Montague Street looks to be deserted. At night, its windows are mostly dark. Inside, the grand marble-and-tile lobby is empty apart from a lone security guard listening to the radio at a foldout table. Schmooze your way past him, take the elevator up a few floors, and pad down empty hallways lined with new carpeting and peer into the pristinely made up rooms, furnished with flat-screen TVs, mid-century-style sofas, and king-size beds with crisp white sheets, and that assumption will hold. But make your way up to the tenth floor of this 14-story historic hotel and you may encounter the smell of something frying, the clatter of silverware, and the squawk of a bird.

Follow the sounds and youll reach the apartment of 88-year-old Daisy Diamontopulos and her daughter, Elana, two of just five rent-stabilized tenants living in the otherwise empty, freshly renovated boutique hotel.

When I visited earlier this year, the pair turned out to be genial hosts, despite being in the middle of both dinner and the evening news. Daisy, a retired health-insurance worker, originally moved to the Bossert in 1967 with her husband. She pays about $700 a month for the two-bedroom apartment she shares with Elana, a high-school science teacher, and Adam, their electric-green talking Amazon parrot. (Adam has lived at the hotel since the 70s, when Elana was just 4, making him almost 50.) The walls of their apartment are heavy with framed family photos; icons of Jesus, Mary & Co.; and ceramic Acropolis souvenir plates. Adams cage is by a window that has breathtaking views of New Jersey, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and lower Manhattan.

The Bossert was originally built in 1909 by a Williamsburg-based lumber magnate as a state-of-the-art accommodation for both transient and permanent guests. Back then, a brochure tempted would-be residents with promises of celebrity neighbors, proximity to Brooklyns steamships, double-filtered drinking water, and even an on-site nail salon. One of its biggest draws was its maritime-themed rooftop restaurant that resembled a two-tiered promenade deck of a ship, with 360-degree views of Brooklyn and Manhattan. They used to call the hotel the Waldorf-Astoria of Brooklyn, Elana informed me, taking out her phone to scroll through black-and-white photos from the Bosserts golden age. The Dodgers hung out there, and when they beat the Yankees and won the World Series in 1955, they celebrated by drinking beer and singing to their manager under chandeliers in the Bosserts lobby.

Daisy Diamantopoulos and her pet parrot inside of their apartment in the Hotel Bossert. Photo: Sarah Blesener for New York Magazine

As with Brooklyns other grand hotel  the famed Hotel St. George  when the borough deteriorated in the 60s, so did the Bossert. The rooftop restaurant closed, and the hotel started catering to single-room-occupancy tenants. It was, Elana explains, very in and out. Sailors used to come and stay here when the naval yard was more active. Local kids would sneak into the seedy lobby bar and drink with down-and-out residents. According to neighborhood gossip, in the early 80s a teenage girl passed out in the snow after a night there (rumor was that she was drugged). But Daisy remembers the hotels less illustrious days fondly. The manager was almost like a god, he was the nicest man, and we had characters here  ladies from Spain would all congregate in the lobby. It was glamorous. Id never lived in a hotel before, she says. We even had housekeepers who changed their uniform three times a day.

By the time the Jehovahs Witnesses added Bossert to their expansive portfolio of Brooklyn real estate in the 1980s, the Bossert was in a state of disrepair. The religious group, which at one point owned about $1 billion worth of property in the area, including its world headquarters near the Brooklyn Bridge, intended to use the building to house headquarters staff. It turned out to be a good steward of the property: refortifying the deteriorated window frames with handcrafted mahogany, replacing 2,500 square feet of marble with Italian stone, and casting new plaster for the ceiling, which the group had hand-painted. (The Jehovahs Witnesses earned at least two preservation awards for its efforts.) The group also promised not to evict any of the 180, mostly elderly, remaining tenants. It did, however, install a loudspeaker to deliver religious messages throughout the building. By the end of the 80s, only 50 original tenants were left. In 2010, the Bossert was a hotel again  though one extremely popular with Jehovahs Witnesses, who were allowed to check in for a few nights free.

I loved my Jehovahs Witnesses! Daisy says. They brought a real sense of community to the hotel.

In the beginning, they wanted to make you one of them, and we were like: See all the crosses all over the apartment? says Elana. We are Roman Catholic, lets each stick to our own religion and get along. After that, they took us in like family, and we took them in, too. Daisy regularly hosted parties for her Evangelical neighbors, and once when she had to be rushed to the hospital, the manager got one of his female staff to chaperone her. When I got there, she was patiently sitting there with my mother by the X-ray machine, recalls Elana.

They liked their apartment much better back then, too. We had the best rubberized floor. It was perfect. You could mop it, you could sweep it; the Jehovahs did that special for us before they left, says Elana. Daisy agrees. We had beautiful stuff like copper in the bathrooms. Every three years, they would come and knock on my door and say, Mrs. Diamontopulos, its time to paint. What color do you want?

Photo: Sarah Blesener for New York Magazine

In 2012, as part of their larger retreat from Brooklyn real estate, the Jehovahs sold the Bossert to David Bistricer and Joseph Chetrit for $81 million. The new owners immediately announced plans to turn the building into a 280-room boutique hotel. According to Elana, the new owners offered them $30,000 to give up their apartment, but despite the looming renovations, they refused to budge. We would have left, but where do you go? What can you afford? says Elana. Sometimes I panicked  me displaced, okay, fine, I can live in a box, but what am I going to do with my mom?

Three others chose to stay put with Elana and Daisy: An elderly man lives below them on the eighth floor, and underneath him is Julian Cheung, who moved there as a student in 1981, when he had just arrived in New York from Hong Kong. The last holdout, Monica Grier, lives upstairs, on the 11th floor. After giving me a tour of the various views from the empty rooms on the tenth floor, Elana took me to meet her neighbor, whom shes known since she was a kid.

A 91-year-old English expat, Monica had moved to the Bossert in the 1950s with her husband, a judge advocate for the U.S. Army, and their baby son. A friend recommended it as a good place for families. Monica also considered leaving when the hotel was sold, she says. Its a difficult move. My son and daughter-in-law are over in Manhattan, and thats very expensive, so I said, No. This is my home. Ill sit here and see what happens, and then if its really hopeless, Ill do something.

During the renovations, the owners moved the five holdouts (and Adam the parrot) to larger apartments on the 13th floor, where they stayed for about three years. Oh, that was an apartment, we had two bathrooms! says Daisy. Elana liked that it was easier to check on her elderly neighbors when they lived closer to each other. We were all together while the banging and tearing apart was going on. It was nice and cozy. They also had the company of the construction crew, who they agree were mostly well behaved, aside from occasional horseplay or wafts of marijuana smoke. At times Monica did worry they might secretly stay overnight in the empty rooms. They were a bit of a rough lot, she says.

When Daisy and Elana returned to their apartment, they were disappointed to find the walls had been rearranged. They are still angry about the new layout, which they say took from the living areas to make a larger bathroom. I cried when I came back. It was ugly and smaller and there was no room for all of our stuff  They told me that the fridge was going in the living room  I said, How can I open my bed out with that in there? Do you want me to put my feet in it? says Daisy, who sleeps on the living rooms foldout couch at night. They rearranged their furniture and moved dressers and shoe racks from the bedroom into the bathroom, which was too big for their liking. (Daisy: You could skate in it! There were tiles all over the place. Thats when I said to Elana, What are we going to do, live in it?) They paid for new sliding cupboard doors to save space.

The front lobby (left) and outside the Hotel Bossert after dusk. As the hotel is under renovation, only a few tenant lights remain on while the rest of the building is dark. Photo: Sarah Blesener for New York Magazine. The front lobby (left) and outside the Hotel Bossert after dusk. As the hotel is under renovation, only a few tenant lights remain on while the rest o... more The front lobby (left) and outside the Hotel Bossert after dusk. As the hotel is under renovation, only a few tenant lights remain on while the rest of the building is dark. Photo: Sarah Blesener for New York Magazine.

Because the building was a construction site for so long, the tenants have had to sacrifice some basic amenities like apartment buzzers, a front-door key (when Monica wants to get the security guards attention, she taps on the window with her wedding ring), phone lines, and cable. Both Daisy and Monicas children have given them cell phones, which they hang from pouches on their walkers. I told them that I need a house phone for my mother; shes not in tune with this cell phone. She has to worry about charging it, and she holds it so tight she accidentally turns the volume off, says Elana. (Monica also has a poor relationship with her flip phone: I hate this thing with a deadly hatred.)

Monica admits that in recent years, living at the Bossert has been a bit of an adventure. Just after the sale, the new owners left a hole in the roof and it rained. That was quite an exciting night. It flooded my bathroom  I emptied a few buckets myself, then I realized, I have to get help.

And yet things have mostly worked out well for Monica, who says the new owners have treated her carefully. Her only complaint is that the hot water is haphazard, but she loves her fancy bathroom  she even has lights above the bathtub. You can light yourself up! Tres sexy, right? she says while giving me a tour.

All three women insist they feel safe  that security guard keeps watch in the lobby, the front door is bolted shut, and occasionally someone patrols the hallways. Still, life inside an empty hotel can get lonely, admits Elana, who sometimes creeps around at night turning off lights to save power and closing doors to the empty rooms to keep out any unauthorized guests: We are like the people left behind  Im not saying its miserable, but nobody seems to understand. Youre interacting with the world out there where time keeps moving  but in here, everything is freeze-framed. I suppose what it comes down to is when you are renters, you have to take what you can get.

Monica agrees that it was a bit spooky alone on the 11th floor, but shes comforted knowing that the other tenants are out there, even if they arent immediately next door. You feel their presence, she says. And any jitters are nothing on the 60s and 70s, when shed hear women scream from the rooms next door and approaching the building could be treacherous. I was more frightened back then than I am now, she says.

After construction delays, as well as difficulty securing a management team and a recent split between the new owners (this spring, Chetrit bought out Bistricer), the Bossert is set to open in September, according to general manager Aliya Huey. Huey says the holdout tenants are as much a part of the hotels history as its diamond brickwork and lions-head keystones: We embraced them. They are a part of the hotel. Elana is adamant that, like all the other changes over the years, when the Bossert does finally open to paying guests, shell adapt. We will live around them, she says. They will live around us.Welcome Guest! You Are Here:Matthew Abels law firm bank account was shut down twice. He had to temporarily change the name of his Detroit firm from Cannabis Counsel to the generic Rivertown, PLC.

John Sinclair, a radical poet and national symbol of marijuana injustice, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1969 after passing two joints to an undercover narcotics officer.

Sinclairs arrest and sentencing generated a public outcry by local residents and celebrities  even inspiring a John Lennon song named after him. In 1972, the Michigan Supreme Court ordered Sinclairs release, in part by finding Michigan had violated the state constitution by irrationally classifying marijuana as a hard drug.

And over 200,000 people  most of them African American  were arrested between 2007 and 2016 because of marijuana.

These are some of the stories of Michigans pot prohibition era.

Cannabis limbo in Michigan

On Dec. 6, 2018, that era officially ended. Michigan became the first among its Midwestern neighbors to legalize recreational marijuana use. Proposal 1, a statewide ballot initiative propelled forward by signatures of some 360,000 Michiganders, passed with 56% of voters checking the yes box. Illinois also is moving toward full legalization in 2020.

While marijuana prohibition in Michigan is over, limbo has arrived.

Tom Ivacko, a researcher on all things policy-related in Michigan, described 2019 as a haze as officials scrapped one process for regulating marijuana and are implementing a new one before recreational cannabis hits the streets legally, probably in 2020.

The double entendre is an apt descriptor: unclear or obscure, with limited visibility for what lies ahead.

Proposal 1 allots 2019 to figure out the regulations that will govern an industry that is projected to bring in $134.5 million a year in taxes by 2023.

Despite legalizing medical marijuana 10 years ago, Michigan has not yet figured out how to successfully regulate it, said Ivacko, associate director of the University of Michigans Center for Local, State and Urban Policy (CLOSUP).

Ivacko called the existing regulation of medical marijuana complicated and confusing. He credited newly elected Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, with abolishing the existing medical marijuana licensing board and creating a new marijuana regulatory agency that will handle both recreational and medical cannabis in Michigan.

So while the mess on the medical side is still playing out ... it appears things are now at least heading in the right direction, he said.

Because of Proposal 1, marijuana use, both recreational and medicinal, is currently legal for users age 21 and older in Michigan. Possession of 2.5 ounces of marijuana and growing up to 12 marijuana plants in a single residence is also permitted.

While recreational sales are temporarily illegal, gifting marijuana is not  a loophole that entrepreneurs have been quick to capitalize on.

A couple opened a bookstore BlazeMichigan, with locations in Whitmore Lake and Coldwater, where they sell books and gift marijuana. One book bundle buys you two used books for $65 with four edibles for free. A college student, Marc Bernard, opened Smokes Chocolate in his apartment in Ann Arbor, selling chocolates that come with a free side of marijuana. No sale of marijuana, no law broken.

Local control rules

A central feature of Proposal 1 is that municipalities have the choice to opt out of allowing marijuana retail stores to set up shop in their jurisdictions next year. Cities have an incentive to opt in, though: Only those municipalities that opt in are eligible for a cut of the state revenue from marijuana sales.

But even in municipalities where voters favored legalization, this has not translated into those communities opting in.

After doing a little bit of digging into the data from CLOSUP, Ivacko says he was surprised at how many jurisdictions opted out where voters approved the proposal.

In January, he calculated that of the jurisdictions that had opted out, about half were within municipalities where the majority of citizens had voted to approve legalization. As of mid-March, nearly 300 municipalities had opted out of allowing recreational marijuana sales, according to WXYZ, the ABC news affiliate in Detroit.

Because marijuana use and sales continue to be banned federally, he said the lack of consistency could place local law enforcement in a difficult position.

If a chief of police or county sheriff feels its important to follow federal law, and a county administrator or a city mayor feels its important to follow state law, well, thats a tough place to be for public officials, Ivacko said. And so, opting out, you know, is a way to avoid those kinds of challenges.

Nationwide, 33 states plus the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana; recreational marijuana use is or will be legal in 11 states plus D.C., and 24 have decriminalized or reduced consequences for minor possession.

Fears lead to opting out

Matthew Abel offers a few explanations for why a municipality might opt out. Abel, founder of the Cannabis Counsel law group in Detroit, is the states top legalization advocate, serving leadership roles in several pro-marijuana organizations. He has been using cannabis himself for over 45 years, with one arrest for possession.

Supporting marijuana legalization broadly and supporting sales in your community or neighborhood are different questions, he said.

Just because they (residents) voted for legalization, doesnt mean they support stores, he said. Maybe they just want personal freedom, and you know, we want people to not get busted for it, but that doesnt mean that we want people to be able to sell.

Another possibility, he said, is that municipalities may want to opt out temporarily while they wait to see how it plays out elsewhere. City officials from Royal Oak, Livonia and Houghton have been quoted in the media using the same phrase  wild west  to describe the impending legalization.

Abel believes this cautionary tactic is unnecessary based on other states experiences.

Well the statistics are showing from states like Colorado that access to cannabis, not just having it legal, but having dispensaries where people can go and purchase the product makes the community more vibrant economically, he said. Theres less domestic violence, less driving under the influence of alcohol, fewer overdoses and deaths from opiates.

Added Abel: Its an opportunity to do a lot of good work all at the same time.

A town that opted in

A few communities over from Matthew Abels law office is a blue-collar city that has opted in.

Mayor Brian Hartwell of Madison Heights said his towns vote of support starts from a very compassionate place.

One-third of the 30,000 residents of his city are current or retired union auto workers, the mayor said, many with bodies worn down from years of factory work. We have to be one of the hardest working places in America, Hartwell said.

A lot of these workers, including many retirees, are marijuana patients who would benefit from having local access to their medicine, he said.

Our workers  if their doctors say they can derive relief from medical marijuana  I do not judge the doctors or the patients, Hartwell said.

Madison Heights plans to award permits for 14 medical marijuana businesses to open in the citys industrial districts.

A 200-point scoring system is being used to choose the businesses from among the dozens and dozens of applications he is expecting. The largest number of points are awarded to the applicant that proposes the largest financial investment in Madison Heights, he said.

The citys goal is to take the 14 ugliest, most derelict industrial sites in our city and turn them into dispensaries, Hartwell said. He mentioned a particularly dilapidated site that he hopes will be converted.

There is a bowling alley that has been closed in Madison Heights for many years. A tree has fallen on it, the roof has caved in, its, like, the most dangerous site in the city, Hartwell said. And its not even worth $10. However, its zoned industrial. So, overnight, theres become a bidding war in the millions of dollars for this disgusting, dangerous piece of land.

The site has long been a menace to the city. Back in 2011, the FBI busted a prostitution ring being run from the private party rooms of Fairlanes Bowl.

The intent of Madison Heights approach is to provide physical and economic rehabilitation to medical marijuana patients  and the city.

Voters, officials differ on support

Two-thirds of Madison Heights voters favored recreational marijuana. The City Council opted in, approving marijuana dispensaries, by a 4-3 vote. According to Hartwell, one of the four council members who voted yes had been waffling on legalization for years, but ultimately came around after seeing the communitys vote in favor.

Its a very clear mandate, Hartwell said. It cant get any clearer that that, the voters saying, We read this, and we want this. If Im surely a representative, then I must  I must  accept recreational marijuana as soon as the state regulations are issued.

But there remains a gap between elected officials and public will when it comes to marijuana in Michigan.

In spring of 2018, just a few months before Proposal 1 passed in Michigan, aCLOSUP survey revealed that just 21% of local officials favored recreational legalization. Yet 61% of Michigan residents told the survey they planned to vote yes to a legalization initiative  a huge mismatch.

Echoes in Wisconsin

A similar struggle is underway in Wisconsin, where 59% of residents say they support broad legalization of marijuana.

Gov. Tony Evers has proposed legalizing medical marijuana, decriminalizing possession of small amounts of cannabis and expungement of past marijuana convictions. The Democratic governor also has said he would support a popular referendum on recreational marijuana. But Republican leaders who control the Legislature have said they oppose legalizing recreational marijuana, and they are split on medical marijuana.

Voters in Wisconsin cannot place binding measures on the ballot, so legalization advocates here lack a clear way of compelling lawmakers to act.

One of the Legislatures top marijuana advocates, Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, has introduced a bill calling for full legalization. It includes opt-out measures for municipalities.

These provisions are important to local governments and many advocates, as they allow for local control and decision-making rather than an absolute mandate from the state, she said.Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required!

Stay logged in to skip the surveys.TWIN FALLS  You cant stay in business 100 years if you cant adapt.

Bob Brown should know. His familys business, Claude Browns Home Furnishings has been in business for 100 years. And they have no plans of quitting.

Dozens of loyal customers, friends and family celebrated the establishments milestone June 7.

If youre not changing, youre running the longest going out of business sale in history, Brown said.

Brown recalled the stories his father and grandfather told him about the early days of Claude Browns. At first, furniture wasnt the stores bread and butter. Back in 1919, Claude Brown, who was a Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints stake president, opened a music store across the street from the business current Main Avenue location.

When we were carrying pianos around we said, Why didnt sell anvils? Brown chuckled.

The business shifted with the times. The advent of electricity was a gamechanger. Brown said his grandfather used to sell refrigerators and washers by following new power lines and knocking on the doors of those who had electricity.

Claude Browns has always been a family affair. Five generations of the family have worked at the store in one capacity or another.

Not many businesses stay together for 100 years, said Brown, shedding a tear. Not many make it through three generations.

Brown and his father typically vacationed together.

Its a blessing that Ive been able to work with my father my whole life, he said.

Doug Brown, Bob Browns father, grew up in the store and raised his son in it. Hell turn 99 in November.

I think (my father, Claude Brown) would have been very surprised, Doug Brown said of the store hitting the century mark.

Twin Falls historian Dr. Jim Gentry said that Claude Browns endurance is a rarity.

I think thats really impressive and reflects a lot of personal loyalty, no doubt, Gentry said. It shows commitment.

Bob Brown hopes that his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren keep the business going.

Lets see if we can make it another 100.

Twin Falls loyal

Claude Browns isnt the only local store to celebrate a centennial.

Brizee Heating and Air Conditioning has been around for 110 years. Owner Dan Brizee is the fourth guy at the tiller, and has worked at the business for nearly four decades. During his time hes seen the company grow from seven to 32 employees.

According to Brizee, theres no real trick to his business success.

I think its being honest with our customers, he said.

These days, Independent Meat sells its products not only in the Magic Valley, but also overseas. But the business has humble roots, opening in Twin Falls back in 1904.

Our role for the first 50 years was basically serving the local livestock industry, Independent Meat CEO Patrick Florence said.

The company serves Idaho and the West, as well as Mexico and several countries in Asia. Today Independent Meat employs 250 people and operates four local processing plants.

Amalgamated Sugar got its start in Ogden, UT, in 1897, but has been in Twin Falls for 103 years. The company had a foothold in Southern Idaho as far back as 1912. Now Amalgamateds processing facility in Paul is the largest sugar beet plant in the world.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, Mass.  Tufts University recently announced the dean's list for the spring 2019 semester.

Local students earning honors on the dean's list include Maya Scandinaro, a freshman, of Sun Valley and Olivia Wentzell, a junior, of Hailey.

Dean's list honors at the university require a semester grade point average of 3.4 or greater.

Tufts University has campuses in Boston, Medford/Somerville and Grafton, Massachusetts, and in Talloires, France.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Volunteers  Idaho Home Health and Hospice is looking for volunteers who are willing to donate their time, to bring compassion, support and dignity to loving patients and their families. Volunteers can choose to read, sit with patients or write letters and help with a patients legacy. Volunteers can assist with crafts, office tasks and support community events. Volunteers can provide bereavement and help to appreciate and celebrate veterans. Information: Diana Lerh, 208-734-4061 or Diana.Lerh@LHCgroup.com.

Volunteers  The donation of your time will have an impact on the life of one of the clients served by Interlink Volunteer Caregivers that live in the area. As a volunteer, you choose how much time to share. The biggest need for volunteers is with Transportation Services for medical appointments, treatments and pharmacy pick up. IVC reimburses mileage monthly. Information: interlinkidaho@gmail.com or 208-733-6333.

Volunteers  Hospice Visions Inc. is looking for volunteers to spend an hour or two a week visiting and sharing time with patients and their families. Volunteers are also needed to help with crafts and activities with patients at assisted living centers. Hospice Visions is also looking for men and women to serve as Veteran-to-Veteran volunteers for veteran patients. All ages of veterans from all branches of service are welcome to join the volunteer forces as part of the We Honor Veterans program. Information: Nora Wells, volunteer coordinator at Hospice Visions, 208-735-0121 or nwells@hospicevisions.org.

Volunteers  Horizon Home Health and Hospice is looking for volunteers to join their team to provide quality compassionate care to patients through the following activities: companionship, socialization, respite, and support for patients and families. Information: Shannon Jensen, 208-233-2279 or shannon.jensen@horizonhh.com.

Volunteers  Pomerelle Place Senior Living in Burley is looking for volunteers to play bingo, games and cards with the residents and complete crafts. Information: Carla Thompson, 208-677-8212.

Volunteers  The Twin Falls County Historical Society is seeking volunteers for various programs and general support. Volunteers are needed to clean or work on docent projects and fundraising. No minimum amount of hours, commitment is flexible. Fill out an application at the Twin Falls County Historical Museum, 21337 U.S 30, open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Information: 208-736-4675.

Volunteers  The Jerome County Historical Society is looking for volunteers to help at the Depot Museum, 212 E. First St., Jerome, and also to help during the summer at the Idaho Farm and Ranch Museum, 520 S. 450 E., Jerome, near the U.S. 93 and Interstate 84 junction. The Depot Museum is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (closed holidays). Information: 208-324-5641.

Volunteers  St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center is in need of volunteers for a variety of positions from shuttle drivers to gift shop volunteers. Volunteers will have opportunities to meet new people and learn new experiences and challenges. The medical center is looking for friendly individuals with an interest in voluntary services offered to patients, visitors, employees and guests. Information: Kim Patterson, 208-814-0861 or kimpa@slhs.org, or visit the Volunteer Services Office on the lower level of St. Lukes Magic Valley, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls. Applications are available at the Front Information Desk at the hospital.

Volunteers  The Twin Falls Senior Centers Crazy Quilters ladies group is looking for volunteers to put finishing touches on quilts. The group meets from 9 a.m. to noon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All quilt-project proceeds are donated to the senior center. Information: 208-734-5084.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0TWIN FALLS  Three local students will attend the University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences thanks to scholarship support from Chobani. The students will pursue varied careers as the next generation of Idaho dairy professionals.

The first cohort of Chobani Scholars enrolled at the university for fall 2019 include the following:

Raquel Dimond of Jerome, a graduate of Valley High School in Hazleton, plans to study animal and veterinary science with a business option. Her goal is to become a veterinarian and return to serve animals in the Magic Valley. A shortage of veterinarians in Idaho makes maintaining animal health a challenge, and Idaho industries rely on healthy animals to produce quality products. The dairy industry affects every single person, from the milk in cereal to the cheese on pizza, Dimond said in a statement.

of Jerome, a graduate of Valley High School in Hazleton, plans to study animal and veterinary science with a business option. Her goal is to become a veterinarian and return to serve animals in the Magic Valley. A shortage of veterinarians in Idaho makes maintaining animal health a challenge, and Idaho industries rely on healthy animals to produce quality products. The dairy industry affects every single person, from the milk in cereal to the cheese on pizza, Dimond said in a statement. Kaitlin Mirkin of Jerome, a graduate of Jerome High School, plans to study animal and veterinary science with a pre-veterinary option. A fourth-generation dairy farmer, her goals for attending college include learning about modern farming, milking, nutrient management and bio-security techniques  knowledge she can bring back to the industry.

of Jerome, a graduate of Jerome High School, plans to study animal and veterinary science with a pre-veterinary option. A fourth-generation dairy farmer, her goals for attending college include learning about modern farming, milking, nutrient management and bio-security techniques  knowledge she can bring back to the industry. Avelardo Vargas of Rupert, a graduate of Minico High School, plans to study agricultural systems management and agribusiness. Born in Rupert to parents who immigrated from Mexico in 1999, he began working summers taking care of calves at Idaho Acres Dairy where his father worked, then began milking full-time at Whitesides Dairy at age 16. Vargas helped support his family after his father died in April 2018, while earning a 3.9 GPA in high school. The scholarship will help him pursue a college degree with the goal to eventually operate his own dairy.

The Chobani Scholars program was established at the University of Idaho in 2018 and funds four $20,000 scholarships annually. The scholarships are for Idaho students with family connections to dairy farming who intend to pursue a career in the industry. A pipeline of well-educated graduates, armed with future-forward skills and modern farm management capabilities, is necessary for protecting the dairy industrys important agricultural legacy and ensuring its future success.

In addition to the scholarship, the Chobani Scholars will also have an opportunity to intern with Chobani during their college careers.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0By Dr. S. Chandrasekharan





This summer, Nepal is seen to be witnessing protests on various issues all of the Governments own making.





The first was the Media Council Bill which is still attracting a large number of protests. There has been no attempt by the government to explain the Governments stand. (We have a paper on this)





Then came the advertisement in the Public Service Commission calling for filling up of vacancies of over 9161 local government posts- a responsibility over which the centre has no moral jurisdiction when the States are mandated to do so under the Constitution. This is being done without even ensuring proper quota under the reservation scheme. No doubt the States and particularly the Madhesi groups are up in arms.





Then there is the Guthi Samsthan bill by which the Government wants to nationalize the Guthi properties and bring them all under a National Commission- a project the Government had been planning since last November. There was no hurry to take over the Guthi functions done by private institutions under proper checks and there have been no complaints of misappropriation or misuse. Guthis are socio-economic Institutions to fulfill religious, public and cultural functions. Yet the the Government was in a hurry to upset the powerful Newar Community of the valley who allege that it is a direct assault on their cultural heritage!,





Then there is the controversial NHRC bill as well as the Transitional Justice Bill. It looks that the government is in no hurry to deal with the transitional justice and the members of Commission are yet to be appointed! Despite repeated calls, the Chand group has refused to come to the negotiating table. Recently there was a scare that the group was planning a major attack near Solakhumbu!





The current situation was aptly described by the Editor of the Kathmandu Metro,





Siddhi B. Ranjitkar and it is worth quoting- The current Cabinet Ministers had been very successful to provoke the common folks into protests rather than doing some beneficial work.





This is very true.





Where was the hurry to begin this so called clean-up of the Guthis? Why were the water cannons used against peaceful demonstrators in Kathmandu?





One Hari Sharma, a political analyst has given three reasons for the spate of protests this summer.





One was the failure of the Government in not fulfilling the expectations of the people. Second was the Electoral arrogance of the ruling party which thinks that with a two third majority it can do whatever it likes. And third, is the absence of any dialogue between the Government and the civil society.





On the last one, more than anything else it is the style of working of PM Oli that is irritating many other leaders and of course the weak and helpless opposition. He is said to be sarcastic and acerbic and does not make any effort to reach out to the civil society. It is no wonder that the cabinet ministers also do the same.





Added to this is the failure of the only opposition Party, the Nepali Congress to make any meaningful impact on the Government. By going through the media, one is not sure what the stand of the Nepali Congress is on the contentious issues mentioned earlier. Do they have an opinion at all? One is not sure!





One issue that is going to become a major point of confrontation is the Federal- Provincial Relations. The recent decision of the Federal Government directing the Public Service Commission to fill up the vacancies of the local governments in the provinces without provision for reserved seats is a direct violation of the spirit of federalism. This is being done when Province number 2 had already written to the Public Service Commission not to go ahead with the recruitment as it is their responsibility and not that of the federal Government. Province number 5 has already passed a law for the formation of a Public Service Commission for such recruitment.





The Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Hari Bahadur Chuman, a member from the Ruling Party openly said that the Central Government is the biggest hurdle towards implementation of federalism. He urged the Centre to do everything to protect the system achieved after a long struggle and sacrifice.





The two parties from the Terai are also said to be opposed to the recruitment but the Government is said to be bent upon doing the recruitment. It is sheer arrogance of the Federal Goverbment and nothing else!





The root problem appears to be that PM Oli and his former UML Colleagues are yet to reconcile themselves with a federal system where the powers are shared. It is their mindset that the provincial and local Governments are not separate entities but part of the federal system that is causing all the problems!





There are also differences within the UML and the Maoist components of the now merged Nepal Communist Party. It is said that way back in 2016 itself, Oli had admitted that he had accepted federalism and inclusiveness at Dahals insistence. This was confirmed by Dahal that he had dragged Oli and his party colleagues to federalism and republicanism.





If this is true, one can now understand the reluctance of Oli in truly implementing the federal character of the Constitution. While every attempt will be made by Oli to at least delay the implementation of the system, there will be repercussions not only from within his own party ranks but also from the Madhesi parties.





A two third majority alone will not be enough to solve the problems being created willfully by Oli and his cabinet colleagues.





Nepal should now brace for a series of protests both in the valley and outside thanks due to the incompetence of the leaders.



TWIN FALLS  The Twin Falls High School Alumni Association will host a reunion for those who graduated from Twin Falls High School 50 or more years ago.

The reunion will include a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. July 19 at the Canyon Crest Dining and Event Center, 330 Canyon Crest Drive, Twin Falls, and a brunch from 9 to 11 a.m. July 20, also at Canyon Crest.

The cost will be $40 per alumnus and $35 for guests.

For more information, contact Helen Schaff at 208-733-2552 or Camille Cox at 208-733-5227.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0BOISE  Every week a small group, including attorneys, retired police investigators and DNA experts, meets in Boise.

Their mission? Free wrongfully convicted prisoners in Idaho.

Since its founding at Boise State University in 2005, the Idaho Innocence Project has helped free two people, Sarah Pearce and Chris Tapp. Last month, Idaho Falls police said they solved a 23-year-old cold case with the help of Idaho Innocence Project scientists, who helped extract and identify the DNA that led to Brian L. Dripps being charged in the rape and murder of Angie Dodge  a crime investigators initially pinned on Tapp.

Led by Boise State biology and criminal justice professor Greg Hampikian, the group is working on five Idaho cases, but Hampikian would not provide details out of fear he could jeopardize the investigations.

We are really not ready to comment on any current Idaho cases that have not been resolved, he said. I can tell you that three of five Idaho cases we are working on are women.

In addition to his Idaho Innocence Project work, Hampikian independently works on national and international cold cases and wrongful conviction cases, including the well-known Amanda Knox case in Italy.

Hampikian said he has helped free more than 20 wrongfully convicted prisoners. In seven of those cases, the DNA work was done in Hampikians Boise State lab.

We work on cases from all over the world out of this lab, he said.

But the work is not easy  Idaho Innocence Project worked for more than 10 years on the Tapp case  and it is not cheap.

The cost of getting someone who is innocent out of prison can cost between $300,000 and $750,000, Hampikian said. It is very hard work.

And right now the group doing this hard work is doing it for free.

Our work at the Idaho Innocence Project is currently all pro bono, Hampikian said. That makes it hard for us to provide all the help we would like to.

A way to help the innocent

Founded in 1992 in New York, The Innocence Project is a national organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.

Since then, a nationwide network of innocence projects has developed. The Innocence Network comprises about 50 independent state and regional organizations, including Idaho Innocence Project.

To date, 365 people in 37 states have been exonerated by DNA testing, including 20 who served time on death row, according to The Innocence Project, which worked on about half of those cases.

In addition to DNA testing, other wrongful conviction cases involve flawed science, shoddy police work or faulty eyewitnesses or confessions.

In the two successful Idaho Innocent Project cases, Sarah Pearce and Chris Tapp, neither has been officially exonerated, but both were released early from prison.

Pearce was released from prison in 2014 after serving nearly 12 years on a life sentence.

She was one of five people convicted in a June 2000 attack on Linda LeBrane in Canyon County. Pearce insisted from the beginning that she is innocent, a case of mistaken identity. The Idaho Innocence Project took up her cause. A post-conviction relief case filed in 2008 raised numerous questions about the identification of Pearce as the female attacker. Under a deal reached with prosecutors and Idaho Innocence Project, her sentence was amended to time served and she was released with five years probation.

Tapp was released from prison in March 2017 after serving 20 years on an up-to-life sentence.

An Idaho Falls jury in May 1998 convicted Tapp of aiding and abetting in Angie Dodges rape and killing, even though his DNA did not match the DNA found at the crime scene. He was sentenced to life with a minimum of 20 years for the charge of aiding the murder and a minimum of 10 years for aiding the rape. He would be eligible for parole in 2027. Tapp maintained he was innocent and that his confession was coerced.

In October 2007, Tapp, who had been in prison for 10 years, sent a letter to the Idaho Innocence Project, which agreed to take on the case. Idaho Innocence Project, Tapps attorney John Thomas, Dodges mother and others persevered. Ten years later, Tapp was released early from prison. Last month, Idaho Falls police announced they had finally arrested the suspect to whom the crime scene DNA matched, Brian L. Dripps of Caldwell. The Bonneville County prosecuting attorney and Idaho Falls police have not announced what will happen to Tapps guilty conviction, which is still on his record.

Some of the Innocence Project cases in other states Hampikian recently worked on include these:

Georgia: In January, a judge ordered a new trial for death row inmate Johnny Lee Gates, who has spent 41 years in prison for murder. The judge ruled new DNA tests may exonerate Gates.

Montana: Fred Lawrence and Paul Jenkins were freed in April 2018 after serving 23 years on life sentences for robbery, kidnapping and homicide. DNA on items from the crime scene belongs to another man, who is already in prison on two unrelated murders.

Indiana: Darryl Pinkins and Roosevelt Glenn were released from prison in 2016 after serving nearly 25 years on a 1989 rape conviction after new DNA technology cleared them.

Idahos exoneration, post-conviction challenges

Idaho has its challenges when it comes to post-conviction relief and exoneration. The Gem State is one of several lacking a law requiring biological evidence in a murder investigation be stored.

We have no evidence preservation law for murder, Hampikian said, but we do for rape.

While retaining evidence in a murder case may be standard practice with Idaho law enforcement agencies, it is not codified in state law, which can lead to inconsistent practices across the state.

Idaho also does not have a law requiring police interrogations be recorded. About half of the states require interrogations be recorded, along with federal law enforcement agencies. Last month, the Oklahoma and Nevada legislatures passed laws requiring recording of interrogations.

Idaho is one of 15 states that does not offer compensation to anyone imprisoned on a wrongful conviction.

For example, DNA testing cleared Charles Fain, who was released after spending 18 years on Idahos death row for the murder and sexual assault of a 9-year-old Nampa girl in 1982.

He got a jacket and a pair of pants on his way out, that was it, Hampikian said. As an exoneree, Fain was not eligible for the training and benefits given to parolees.

This month, the Nevada Legislature passed a bill that provides compensation of up to $100,000 per year for those who spent 20 or more years imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.

A few simple changes to state law could help prevent, or rectify, wrongful convictions, Hampikian said, but if you think overturning a murder conviction is hard, try getting a new law passed.

It just takes a tremendous amount of work to get the Legislature to change something, he said.

No federal money due to bureaucracy

In 2016, Idaho Innocence Project received a $630,000 Department of Justice grant to conduct post-conviction DNA testing on Idaho cases.

But Hampikian soon discovered it could not spend any of the money on Idaho cases. Why? Blame a standardized federal form.

For the grant money to be used for DNA testing in any state, the states chief legal officer must sign a one-page form certifying that the state provides post-conviction DNA testing in murder and forcible rape cases and that it preserves biological evidence in those cases.

Since Idaho law only requires evidence preservation in forcible rape and not murder cases, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said he could not sign the federally required form certifying that the states DNA testing and collection practices comply with federal requirements.

Additionally, Wasden explained that he does not have jurisdiction over the state crime lab, Idaho State Police, county sheriffs offices or city police departments, so he cannot compel these law enforcement agencies to take reasonable measures to collect and preserve biological evidence in murder and forcible rape cases. Only state law can do that.

Basically, for Idaho Innocence Project to get the grant, Wasden said he would have to commit perjury by signing the federal form.

Not wanting to lose the grant, Hampikian partnered with Innocence Project organizations in Montana, Georgia and Illinois  states whose laws comply with the grants requirements and whose attorneys general signed the form. Hampikian uses the grant money to do DNA testing and lab work for those three states, but the money cannot be used for Idaho cases.

To ensure there is no commingling of Idaho work with work for other states, Hampikian created the Idaho Forensic Justice Project, which does the lab work under the grant. Idaho Innocence Project volunteers do not work on out-of-state cases.

Until state law or the federal form is changed, Hampikian said Idaho cannot receive that federal grant money, which is why the Idaho Innocence Project has to get by on donations and volunteers. In addition to volunteer attorneys, Idaho Innocence Project also needs investigators, paralegals and grant writers. Updates, donation and volunteer information can be found online at innocenceproject.boisestate.edu.

We are not paying staff right now. Any funds are used for travel and testing, Hampikian said. But we have a dedicated team of people.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0TWIN FALLS  Can your child bring a knife to school?

Short answer: No.

Its a very strong stance, and we dont take it lightly, said Eva Craner, spokeswoman for the Twin Falls School District.

But in south-central Idaho, its fairly common to carry a pocket knife, and a child may forget to take it out of their pocket or backpack.

And while the school punishment is clear, the legal consequences can murky, depending on the type of knife.

The topic came up earlier this week when the Twin Falls Police Department responded Oct. 9 to two unrelated reports of students bringing a knife to school at Vera C. OLeary Middle School and South Hills Middle School.

No threats were made at either school, Lt. Terry Thueson said.

Criminal charges will be filed against both students under a federal code, he said, likely a misdemeanor offenses.

So far this school year, Twin Falls police have received 17 reports of weapons on school campuses, Thueson said. Of those, eight resulted in arrest reports.

At least eight of the incidents involved a knife or box cutter, he said; one was a stun gun.

Deadly or dangerous weapons, including firearms, arent allowed at schools. Thats outlined in school district policies, state law and the federal Gun-Free Schools Act.

Its against the law to bring a knife to school with a blade of any length. And under the law, the student must be expelled from school.

But its not against the law to bring a pocket knife with a blade less than 2  inches long. Its considered a weapon, but not deemed dangerous or deadly under the law, Craner said.

Students, though, could still face school disciplinary action.

Knives are common weapons to be brought to school, Craner said. We really need parents to talk with their kids about why they cant bring knives to school.

On Oct. 9 at OLeary Middle School, a student had a box cutter and another student saw it, Thueson said. The student with the knife took it out during class, dropped it, got scared and left it on the floor.

The student who brought the knife admitted he had it and knew he wasnt supposed to bring it to school, Thueson said. The student, he said, found it in his pocket after leaving home for school.

At South Hills Middle School, employees saw security camera footage of a child passing a long, shiny object back and forth with peers.

The school principal asked the student about it, Thueson said, and the student admitted bringing a knife to school.

A deadly or dangerous weapon is a weapon, device, instrument, substance, or material that is used for or capable of, causing serious bodily injury or death, according to Twin Falls School District policy.

Any student who brings a deadly or dangerous weapon will be expelled  a requirement under state and federal law.

Our policy isnt just something we made up, Craner said. If we dont follow those rules, we would be breaking a federal law.

When a student is expelled, the school board decides on the length of how long the student will be gone.

A lot of times, people will think theyll be out of school forever, Craner said. Thats not really the case.

A students expulsion typically ranges from one day to a year. Schools and the district have a little bit of flexibility to take into account the surrounding circumstances, Craner said.

In the meantime, students receive their coursework to ensure they dont fall behind in their classes.

School security is a hot topic nationwide, with many schools moving to control building access points and take measures such as installing new high-definition security cameras.

In May 2016 in Twin Falls, three students were arrested after what police called an accidental discharge of a handgun in a classroom at Robert Stuart Middle School. No one was injured.

As a result of the incident, school officials boosted security measures, including prohibiting students from bringing backpacks for the rest of that school year.

The big takeaway: Dont bring weapons to school. Its important for children to check their backpack and pockets before leaving home, Craner said.

Its a matter of school safety, she said. We dont know what their intentions are until something happens. Better safe than sorry, really.

Love 10 Funny 19 Wow 14 Sad 26 Angry 110On June 7, 2019 Elmer Lawrence Lowry, father, grandfather and friend left this world for his forever home, where he will be joined with his wife Joy Laurena 3/21/06; three children, Tacy Glen 1/5/99, Deborah Dee 1/26/19, Billy Ray 2/6/19 and son-in-law Tony Madalena 5/27/14.

Survived by son Larry Gene and Lisa Lowry; daughter Carlene Madalena; seven grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren; eight great-great grandchildren; one sister Patty (Bob) Goble.

Dad was raised in Wendell by two loving parents Earl & Margery Lowry. Dad grew up with two brothers Marvin and Manfred and two sisters Patty and Dorothy. Dad was the baby of the family.

Dads passion was training Hinny mules, the first one was trained for rodeo clown acts. Dad could be found in the evening hours riding with the family.

Dad spent most of his working days employed with Ambrose Distributing/Montana Express Trucking. He worked on refrigeration units and was often asked to do fiberglass repairs on wrecked trucks. Dad retired fifteen years ago from Montana Express Trucking. For his devotion to his trade he was given the name of King of Kool.

Dads presence will be greatly missed! A huge thank you from the Lowry family to a very special care provider  Ms. Edith Cabral.

Per dads request there will be no service.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of White Mortuary Chapel by the Park.RUPERTKalvin Winfield Miller was born September 19, 1951 to Winfield Miller and Minnie VanCampen Miller in Missoula, Montana. He spent his early years in the beautiful mountainous region of western Montana in the small town of Plains. He enjoyed fishing and hunting with his father, as well as accompanying him to the woods and being part of the logging crew. He continued working as a logger in Montana and later as a dry land farmer with his father in Garrison, North Dakota. After his father passed away when Kalvin was just 21, he attended Montana State University where he met Pamella Grant, who introduced him to the Truth as it is in Jesus. He accepted the Truth and professed to walk with God. Kalvin and Pamella were married on November 22, 1975.

After graduating from MSU in 1976 with a degree in Agricultural Economics, Kalvin and Pam moved to Rupert, Idaho to begin farming with Pams family. He spent his working years on the farm growing his business, raising black Angus cattle on his KM Angus Ranch, and enjoying the agricultural lifestyle. Kalvin was a soft-spoken, gentle, and caring man you could count on to help you at any time. A man of few words, Kalvin spoke through the life that he lived. He loved to be amongst people he cared for the most, as he had since his days of logging with his father.

Kalvin suffered a heart attack on February 16, 2019, and on June 12, 2019, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his close family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Winfield and Minnie Miller. He is survived by his wife, Pamella and her parents, Doug and Clarice Grant; his son, Kenyon (Julie) Miller of Middleton, Idaho, and their children, Korbin, Weston, and Jaxon; his son, Ryan (Malia) Miller of Declo, Idaho, and their children, Kamea and Kenzi; his daughter, Suzanne (Shane) Kleppen of Plentywood, Montana, and their children, Kalia, Kinley, and Adrie; his sister, Karen (Ron) Coleman of White Sulphur Springs, Montana, and their children, Jim, Robert and Gabriel and their families; his sister, Lana (Curt) Carney of Athol, Idaho, and their children, Tara, Aislinn, and Rylan and their families; and a host of Friends.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at the Rupert Stake Center, located at 324 E. 18th St., in Rupert. Burial will follow at the Rupert Cemetery. The family expresses their sincere appreciation for the use of the Rupert Stake Center and the congregations hospitality. Friends and family may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 17, 2019 at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Tuesday preceding the funeral at the Rupert Stake Center.

Kalvins life, light, and faith in God are an encouragement and example to all, and he will surely be missed.BOISE  Dawn Whitson, who does breakfast service at a local hotel, gets up at 3:30 a.m. each day so she can be at work on time.

She cant set an alarm because that would be disruptive to others sleeping at Interfaith Sanctuary, a homeless shelter. So a staff member rouses her each morning.

Shed love to jump in the shower before work, but showering at the shelter is available only at night before bed  and capped at 10 minutes. Thats to help ensure that everyone can get cleaned up before lights out at 9 p.m.

Whitson doesnt have a car, and public buses arent running when she heads to work.

The route that I take is very well-lit, said Whitson, 46.

Shes making $11 an hour and said shes happy to have a job where she feels respected and supported. Shes saving up for a car because she knows that she and her 19-year-old son, who also lives at the shelter, cant afford rent in Boise.

Some businesses wont hire homeless people, and those that will dont necessarily advertise it. Two local employers who recently began hiring guests at Interfaith Sanctuary declined to be interviewed for this story.

Jodi Peterson, executive director at Interfaith, said the stigma of homelessness makes it even harder for people to work their way back to independence.

The assumption is all homeless people must be bad and have committed terrible offenses to wind up where they are, she said. This is so far from the truth, but they worry about the effect of clients knowing that employees are homeless. Fears and suspicion arise when having this information.

Peterson estimates that about 25% of the 164 people who stay at Interfaith have jobs. The Rev. Bill Roscoe, director of Boise Rescue Mission, said about 30% of the men who stay there have full-time jobs, and another 10 percent regularly pick up day jobs.

Homeless with 4 kids

Paul Juntila, 39, and his wife, Jessica, 33, sleep in separate bunk beds that are side-by-side in a corner of one of the family rooms at Interfaith. They have a blended family with six children, but two live with other family members.

Their four children, who range in age from 6 months to 12 years, sleep above them and in baby cribs at the foot of their bunks.

Two other families are staying in the bare-basics room, which has no carpet or decorations. Peterson said the main reason for the Spartan decor is to prevent places that could be infested by bedbugs.

The other families in that room are a single mom with four children, a single dad with one child, and a couple with two children.

So there are 11 children in all, from four different families. The Juntila family members have been at the shelter for 14 months.

Theres days where it feels like, you know, theres a light at the end of the tunnel, and then theres setbacks when that light gets very, very smaller, Paul Juntila said. Its like, OK, Im going to regroup and try to figure this out again.

He tore the labrum in his shoulder while moving equipment on a job about 18 months ago in the Seattle area, and said now hes in pain all the time. He and his family moved to the Boise area because they were having trouble paying their $1,700-a-month rent and because his father was being treated for cancer at the Boise VA Medical Center.

The surgery he needs to fix his shoulder will be covered by workers compensation. Thats scheduled for June 18. Recovery is four to six weeks, and hell have to wear a sling.

In the meantime, hes working full time for the city of Boise, doing park maintenance at Morris Hill Cemetery.

Juntila got the job on his own, not through a work program that the city set up with the shelter a few years ago. That seasonal program with the city has proved to be a success: A dozen people from Interfaith are currently working for the parks department. Those jobs pay $9.25 an hour, above the states minimum wage of $7.25.

After he recovers from shoulder surgery, Juntila is hoping to get back to doing construction work. He used to have a commercial drivers license and would like to drive a truck again, working as close to home as possible.

While hes at work during the week, Jessica, who has a seizure disorder, cares for their three youngest children: Raylan, 4, Jaxson, 18 months, and William, 6 months, at Interfaith. Their 12-year-old, Sofia, is a sixth grader at Garfield Elementary. The family receives a variety of support services at the shelter, and the kids attend preschool there.

The crush of debt

In late 2017, the shelter began allowing families with children to stay inside during the day on weekdays, but on Saturdays and Sundays everyone has to be out of the building by 8 a.m. Thats because the shelter doesnt have the funds to staff the building on the weekends. Peterson said she is trying to raise the $30,000 needed annually to cover that.

So the Juntila family typically does laundry, runs errands and hangs out in the park. One of the familys biggest assets is a vehicle: a 2005 Ford Excursion.

Paul Juntila is earning $11 an hour and said hes saved about $400 for an apartment. The familys debt is about $8,000.

Theres other people that are here who have a lot more (debt) than that, he said.

Those numbers sound almost insurmountable. Fortunately, a charitable group has offered some help: $1,500 toward the familys last portion of their $8,000 of debt or $1,500 toward a housing deposit.

Juntila, who is out the door for work as early as 5:30 a.m. five days a week, said there are many days when hes tired and mentally exhausted. Hes hopeful that his family can find a three-bedroom apartment in the Treasure Valley for $800 to $900 before the end of the year.

Theyre working with Our Path Home, or CATCH, a local public-private partnership that helps homeless families get into stable, safe housing. Theyre on a list of families waiting and have been told it will be three to six months before housing is available.

Trying to work your way out of the hole of being homeless is extremely hard. he said. Just because somebody is homeless doesnt mean theyre the person begging for money for alcohol or drugs. There are people who have jobs who are homeless who are trying to help provide for their families. You would never know, if you had met me (working) at the cemetery, that Im a homeless person.

Challenges to getting back to work

Most job applications require applicants to list a home address. Many Boiseans who are homeless get their mail at the Corpus Christi House day shelter, which is next door to Interfaith.

Local hiring managers are familiar with the day shelters address.

Theyre outed by just having that address on their ID, said Luther Pugh, case manager supervisor and employment specialist at Interfaith.

One employer the shelter worked with previously expressed very general concerns about potential hires.

They kind of tiptoed around, Pugh said. One of the reasons they gave us for some of our guests not qualifying was due to their appearance.

If theyre going to meet with us about a partnering or agreement, they do make a point to say, We expect them to be dressed and ready, and we expect them to be on time,  Pugh continued. We say, Of course. 

Aaron Littleton, maintenance supervisor at InteFrame Components, said the Nampa truss manufacturing business needs workers and is willing to give people a second chance. Theyve been working with the Boise Rescue Mission to identify potential job candidates.

We treat everyone the same, Littleton said. It doesnt matter if theyre on work release or homeless.

Littleton, a U.S. Marine who has done international humanitarian work, said he became more sensitive to the many challenges faced by the homeless in his own community last year after he found out that one of the employees at InteFrame was living in his truck.

I listened to his story of what it was like to get bounced out of parking lots every couple of hours. He could not get a good nights sleep, Littleton said. He used his first paycheck to get a hotel room, so he could sleep.

He said he saw an almost immediate change in the way the man looked after getting just a couple of nights of rest. That employee now has his own side business.

2-person lawn maintenance business

Theres usually more than one reason that families end up homeless. Some of the most common reasons are loss of a job, mounting debt, health issues, and addiction to alcohol and/or drugs.

Boise native Kelly Clausen, 35, said she got debilitating carpal tunnel syndrome and was unable to work until she had surgery. She got behind on her bills.

There were also serious issues in the house where she and her fiance, Salvador Jimenez, 51, lived. Clausen said someone at the house was sexually abusing one of her two daughters, who are 12 and 10. The family didnt have enough saved for a place of their own, so they moved into the shelter in December. In January, Clausen was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

For the past four years, the couple have run their own business: Sal & Kellys Lawn Maintenance. They go where the work is, and sometimes thats in Nampa or Caldwell. Theyre usually out the door at 7 a.m., drop off the girls at schools on the west side of the city, and start work about 9:30 a.m.

The most difficult thing is ensuring that their girls get fed before bed. Theyre often too late for the free dinner thats offered at the shelter at 5 p.m. They are not usually back from work until about 6 or 7 p.m.

We stop at a gas station or whatever place that can take our food stamps, and we buy sandwiches, cold-cut sandwiches, Clausen said. Theres no kitchen at the shelter where they can prepare to-go meals, or any meals.

They make themselves available to customers six days a week. Sunday is a family day, though they do make exceptions when in dire need of money. On Sundays, they take their girls fishing and go to local parks.

They get new clients through word-of-mouth, recommendations, the NextDoor app and a Facebook page. They do residential yard care: grass mowing, tree trimming and hardscape installation.

Were an honest family. We love working family-based, she said. We like to give satisfaction to our customers.

They have two vehicles: a 2007 GMC Sierra, which has all their equipment. They lock the smaller, expensive tools, like the blower, in the cab of the truck at night.

Their other vehicle is a passenger car. Its stuffed with almost everything else that they own. Thats where their black-and-white dog, Petey Panda, sleeps at night.

Clausen said they have about $3,000 of debt, and she estimates that they need to save about $3,000 to be able to move out of the shelter. Theyve got about $500 saved so far.

Clausen and Jimenz expect to be at Interfaith at least three more months, depending on what they are able to work out with their credit counselor. Theyve had unexpected setbacks, including losing some of their lawn equipment in a storage unit fire; they did not have any insurance.

And the wet weather this year  now the second-wettest on record  hasnt helped.

Yesterday and today, weve been doing catch up with our clients, Clausen said Tuesday, noting that if youd like to hire them, they can be reached at 208-807-8159.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Congratulations on that nice pay raise you got last year, a 7% hike  wow!

Seven percent might not sound all that big, but after 40 years of stagnant wages, even a small uptick can help cover some of your old credit card bills or get an upgrade on your 10-year-old pickup.

Oh, wait ... You say you didnt get 7%? Oops, my mistake. It was the CEOs of corporate giants who reported to the Associated Press that they enjoyed a median jump of 7% last year. And as their paychecks were already king-size, that uptick amounted to an extra $800,000 in their take-home, for a median yearly income of $12 million each. Bear in mind that median means half of the corporate bosses grabbed more than 7%. For example, David Zaslav, honcho of the Discovery television network, had a 207% boost in pay, raising his total take in 2018 to $130 million.

These lavish payouts to top-floor bosses  combined with a miserliness toward rank-and-file employees who actually produce the corporate wealth  is creating an untenable income disparity in corporate America, stretching inequality in our Land of Egalitarianism to the snapping point. The pay gap between aloof CEOs and typical employees nearly doubled last year at a range of corporate giants, from PayPal to CVS Pharmacy, and it tripled at Discovery. APs recent survey of 340 major corporations found that compensation inequality is now so extreme that a middle-wage employee would have to work 158 years to make as much as his or her chief executive was given last year alone. This separation is widening at warp speed, propelled by the boundless greed and narcissism of so-called leaders like Zaslav. To amass as much pay as he pocketed in 2018, a typical Discovery employee would have to work 989 years.

When you hear corporate chieftains and such corporate cheerleaders as Donald Trump gloat that our economy is booming, ask yourself: A boom for whom?

We have a president who mistakes price for value. Thus, to measure Americas economic health is simple for him: Just check the price of corporate stocks and any fool can see that hes the best president ever at running the economy. After all, since hes been in office, Wall Street has been whizzing! Unfortunately, though, its whizzing on you and me.

Wall Street is an inequality machine. It encourages top executives to jack up their own wealth by artificially inflating their corporations stock prices. Then it rewards executives who offshore jobs, cut wages, monopolize markets, bust unions, gouge consumers and dodge taxes. Far from reining in Wall Streets destructive plutocratic power, Trump has juiced it up with new tax advantages for big investors and the removal of rules to restrain banker scams.

Meanwhile, the guy who pretended in his campaign to be a champion for Americas workers has been a one-man working-class wrecking crew, systematically destroying employee rights and protections against the abuses of corporate bosses. On everything from overtime pay and minimum wage to workplace safety and the right to form a union, Trump & Company has sided with corporate interests over working stiffs, essentially saying to workers: Youre on your own. Adios, chumps.

So, the economic boom that he so vaingloriously talks about is actually the sound of the middle class crashing. That thunderous boom-boom-boom represents millions of Americans whore living paycheck to paycheck, who have little to no savings and inadequate health coverage, who cant afford the rip-off drug prices Big Pharma is being allowed to charge, whore sinking in debt. And all theyre getting from Trump are his vapid political rallies, shouting MAGA  Make America Great Again.

Inequality doesnt just happen; its caused by the deliberate actions of power elites. Far from reducing inequality, Trump has intentionally escalated the corporate war on working-class Americans. Under his regime, nearly half of all new income today is going to the wealthiest 1%.

For Americas CEOs, my gift is a beautifully boxed, brand-new set of corporate ethics. Its called the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Populist author, public speaker and radio commentator Jim Hightower writes The Hightower Lowdown, a monthly newsletter chronicling the ongoing fights by Americas ordinary people against rule by plutocratic elites. Sign up at HightowerLowdown.org.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1This commencement season, Im profiling a few extraordinary students who graduated from New York Citys Hunter College. Hunter began almost 150 years ago as a teaching college for women. It was already ahead of its time, admitting African American and Jewish students. (And it admits men now, too).

Todays grads show us the young people now ahead of our own time, like Safia Mahjebin.

Safia came to Brooklyn from Bangladesh when she was three and grew up in a conservative Bengali community. All her life, her parents talked about marrying her off, but her independent spirit was already evident at age 10 when she would skip school just to explore the city by subway.

By the time she was 16, her parents were encouraging her to get married. Once she started college, commuting from home, they escalated from encouraging to abusing her for being a bad daughter and not accepting a husband. Life at home became unbearable, so Safia started staying at Hunter till 2 or 3 in the morning. The cleaning crew took note, and when the dean of students learned Safia was too terrified to go home, the school found her a dorm room.

But it still wasnt easy. Cut off from her family, Safia was working three jobs and attending school full time. The school stepped in again and, learning of her passion for social justice, helped arrange an internship for her at Sanctuary for Families, a nonprofit working to end gender violence. It was only there that Safia learned there were other people trying to fight exactly what she had escaped  the unwilling marriage of young girls.

Shockingly, in New York state, people as young as 14 could still get legally married. Fourteen? thought Safia. That almost certainly meant those kids parents were forcing them.

Safia started giving speeches about the reality of forced marriage. These went viral on YouTube. She campaigned in the state capital, Albany. And now you can see her in the back of photos with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo where, thanks in great part to Safias campaigning, he is signing a bill raising New Yorks minimum age of marriage to 17.

Safias incredible activism along with her academic achievements earned her a prestigious Truman Scholarship  an award of $30,000 for graduate studies given to only 59 scholar-activists in the U.S. in 2018. The prize money will help Safia as she goes on to get a joint law degree and Ph.D. in Islamic studies, which she will use to make sure no other girls  or boys  are ever forced to marry against their will.

But wait! Theres more! Its a second happily-ever-after ending. During this tumultuous time, Safia found real love and did get married  to a man of her choice.

Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow, founder of Free-Range Kids and author of Has the World Gone Skenazy? To learn more about Lenore Skenazy (lskenazy@yahoo.com) and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Seven out of 10 voters rate their health insurance coverage and the medical care they receive as good or excellent. Despite that, only 34% give our nations health care system positive reviews. Not surprisingly, therefore, health care reform has consistently been a top voter concern election after election.

Broadly speaking, voters have two concerns. Defensively, they want to make sure that Congress doesnt make a bad situation worse. Thats why 78% of voters want any reform to specifically provide protection for people with preexisting conditions. Beyond that, however, voters want more control over their own health care decisions. And in practical terms, that means they need more choices. Seventy-four percent would like the option of buying into the health insurance plan offered government employees.

On a broader basis, 65% think health insurance companies should be required to offer a variety of health insurance options. Those options would include more expensive plans with comprehensive coverage and less expensive plans that cover only basic health care needs.

The desire for choice is also highlighted by the strong opposition to banning private insurance companies and requiring everybody to get their medical coverage through the federal government. Eighty-two percent oppose that provision in Sen. Bernie Sanders Medicare for All plan.

This desire for both protection and choice was highlighted in a ScottRasmussen.com survey exploring what voters consider to be junk insurance.

Not surprisingly, 76% believe health insurance that fails to pay for its promised coverage is junk. Just about any product or service that fails to deliver as promised ranks pretty low in the world of consumer choice.

Perhaps more interesting are five other forms of health insurance that most voters see as junk:

 Seventy-two percent believe the term junk insurance applies to health insurance with so much red tape that people have to wait a long time for surgery. Just 14% disagree.

 Sixty-nine percent believe health insurance that forces people to pay for coverage of medical procedures they dont need is junk. Only 18% disagree.

 Sixty-eight percent believe junk is the appropriate description for health insurance that places a limit on care for items such as cancer treatments. Nineteen percent disagree.

 Sixty-two percent consider health insurance that wont let you choose your own doctor to be junk insurance. Only 23% disagree.

 A bare majority  51%  think junk is the right description for health insurance that requires young people to subsidize the premiums of older people.

Highlighting a gap between the political world and the rest of the nation, just 41% believe health insurance with low premiums that covers only major medical expenses and emergencies is junk. On that point, 38% disagree.

Just 28% think health insurance that is expensive but covers virtually every medical emergency should be considered junk. Most (52%) disagree. This makes clear that voters dont have a problem with expensive health insurance; they just dont like the idea of being forced to buy it.

Put it all together and the twin pillars of successful health care reform are pretty clear. First, do no harm. Second, empower Americans to make their own health care choices.

Scott Rasmussen is a Senior Fellow for the Study of Self-Governance at The Kings College in New York City. He is also an Editor-at-Large at Ballotpedia, the Encyclopedia of American Politics.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WASHINGTON  Trade secret: We in the news media often hate the media, too.

I had such a moment Tuesday at the Peter G. Peterson Foundations annual summit when CNN senior congressional respondent Manu Raju interviewed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The topic was supposed to be fiscal sustainability  a Washington phrase for curbing spending and slowing the growth of the $22 trillion debt.

Deficit spending affects every American in the pocketbook. The federal debt is an IOU that amounts to $49,000 for every man, woman and child in America. Still, Raju barely touched on the subject.

The CNN reporter began with a question about President Donald Trumps remarks from Normandy, where world leaders had gathered to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Trump  reacting to a Politico report that Pelosi told her caucus she wanted to see Trump in prison  told Fox News Laura Ingraham that Pelosi was a nasty, vindictive horrible person and a disgrace.

What bothers me is that were talking about that instead of how to reduce the national debt, Pelosi responded, as she criticized Trump for being overly political while overseas.

Raju followed up with a question wondering how Pelosi can work with someone who insults her. I just consider the source, Pelosi countered.

Heres the short version of Rajus other questions: Do you think Trump should be in prison? Why arent you for impeachment? Would you support impeachment if the majority of Democrats supported impeachment? You believe he committed crimes in office, right? So isnt it your obligation to pursue impeachment?

When Raju asked about Trumps threat to impose tariffs on Mexico, Pelosi offered that she would have declined to come to the event if she had been invited to discuss Trump. The audience clapped in approval.

Around minute 18, Raju asked: Right now, the debt is like $22 trillion. How come dealing with the national debt in a serious way is not a bigger priority with this Congress?

It was an odd question coming from someone who didnt think the debt was important enough to address in the first half of a talk that was supposed to be about the federal governments unsustainable spending trajectory.

Pelosi faulted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed by the GOP Congress and signed by Trump in December 2017, for adding $2 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years. Indeed, the Congressional Budget Office predicted the measure would increase the projected deficit by $1.9 trillion through 2028.

When Raju asked Pelosi if she supports Medicare for All and the New Green Deal  the latest fashion in left-leaning policy  Pelosi responded, Everything is on the table to be reviewed, but what I do support is pay as you-go. Pelosi did not offer exactly how she would pay for those massively expensive programs. But at least there were two spending questions in the half-hour debate.

Otherwise, there were so many things not to like  the obsession with Trump, a clear bias against the president and the usual lack of self-knowledge about exactly how off the mark this approach appears to the news-consuming public.

And there was the cheesy pursuit of a sound bite to make news on the story of the day, which is always Trump. And the big revelation? As CNN hyped it, Pelosi: Impeachment is not off the table  as if that is news to anybody in America.

It was frustrating to watch because the summit provided an opportunity for follow-up questions  an opportunity unavailable to reporters during White House pool sprays and departure gatherings, where the best one can do is shout a question that reaches Trumps ears and awakens his fancy.

Also at the summit, CNBCs Eamon Javers managed to squeeze hot news topics into a meaty half-hour exchange with acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. Since Trump took the oath of office, the national debt rose from $19.9 trillion to more than $22 trillion. The 2019 deficit is on track to exceed $1 trillion.

Prompted by Javers, Mulvaney admitted he did not know whether the administration could get the annual deficit below $1 trillion while Trump is in office.

It was a chilling admission about out-of-control spending that will haunt the taxpaying public for years to come.

Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7391. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter.

Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7391. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Kathmandu, Nepal, June 16, 2019: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has claimed that his visit to Europe became highly productive.





Talking to the media persons at VVIP lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) upon his arrival on Sunday, the Prime Minister said that his recent visit to Europe remained highly productive.





We have clearly raised the issues about our policies, necessities and aspirations in every forum in a relevant way, which is also praised from the international community, Prime Minister Oli said.





Prime Minister led Nepali delegates have returned home today after participating in the Centenary Session of International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva and visit of other countries like UK and France.





In a different note, Prime Minister Oli also hinted to withdraw the most controversial Guthi Bill that ha sparked widespread protest from parliament to streets.



The Jadyn Fred Foundation is sponsoring a blood drive for Troy Ross from noon to 6:30 p.m. June 27, at Zootown Church, 3623 Brooks St.

Troy Ross is a 4-year-old boy from Great Falls, that is battling a rare autoimmune disease that attacks his lungs. Seven cities across Montana have joined in the drive.

To schedule a time, visit redcrossblood.org and search sponsor code "troystrong" or call 406-868-0231.

The Jadyn Fred Foundation was established May 25, 2001, in honor of Jadyn Fred who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 3. The Foundation provide financial support to families in need of a higher level of medical care for their child.

***

The Missoula County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is looking for volunteers. CERT provides basic training in basic first aid, light search and rescue, disaster psychology and more. The training is free and you earn a certification. CERT works directly with the Department of Emergency Services and CERT personnel can do basic tasks so that higher trained emergency responders can be free to do what they were trained for.

CERT is open to anyone 18 and over in Missoula County and the Bitterroot Valley.

If interested in volunteering, you can contact CERT through Facebook-Missoula County CERT, via email at certmissoula@gmail.com or call the Coordinator, Tim Jacobs at 406-671-7234.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WEST RIVERSIDE  Keith Allen Lerback, 1941-2019, passed away quietly at his home on Eighth Street in West Riverside, on May 5, 2019, surrounded by family and close friends. He was born in Britton, South Dakota, as the second son of Loretta and Ole Lerback on Oct. 15, 1941. Three years later in 1944, the Lerback family moved to East Missoula. Keiths love of the mountains in western Montana and the great outdoors was evident by the many adventures he enjoyed throughout his entire life.

At the age of 18 he met the love of his life, Marian Sikel, and they were married on Sept. 28, 1960. Keiths devotion to Marian was unequaled as he began this challenging new adventure, as a family man, which lasted 58 years. His brother-in-law Glen Smith fondly remembers also at this time, Keith, along with his new wife, wanted to serve in the United States Navy to ensure a safe and secure society in order to start his new family. But being a peaceful man, he was glad with a bucket in tow for the not so calm sea to serve on a Navy Minesweeper ship. After serving his time he then could build his home and family, practicing his new found faith as one of Jehovahs Witnesses. Keith is survived by his wife Marian and daughters Corinna (Greg) and Melinda (Mike) as well as his grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Sharon (Max) and a brother Greg (Francine).

Keith chose to earn a living working in Montanas timber industry, becoming skilled in all aspects of timber harvesting.

Soon after the arrival of his two daughters, he once again made himself available to helping his friends and neighbors during times of crisis. He studied for and became a fireman and registered EMT, serving his community for the next 34 years. He started in the East Missoula Volunteer Fire Department before moving into the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department and finished his career with Missoula Rural Fire Department in Piltzville.

Keith eventually retired from community service but his devotion to the welfare of his family was always a top priority for him. Later in life Keiths love of outdoor activities grew stronger, even though his beloved mountains seemed to grow taller and more rugged. The elusive elk herds became increasingly difficult to hunt, so Keiths desires for continued outdoor adventures inspired him to become a skilled fisherman. Seeking out and catching the many species of fish, native to Montana, was high on his list of outdoor activities. He loved to share his many fishing adventures and bountiful catches with his friends and family, as well as all of us, who loved to hear a great fishing story, told by a lifelong friend, avid outdoorsman and devoted family man.

We would like to thank all of our family and friends for all of the love and support that you gave to Keiths family and you know who you are. Especially those in his last days. Thanks to Glen the Hooligan and Keiths baby sister Sharon and his baby brother for making this memorial possible.

Keiths memorial will be held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses at 1115 South Reserve St. on July 20th at 2 p.m.As the school year winds down and we look forward to the promise of summer, renewal and beautiful Montana weather, we want to share a few reflections with you about our shared values.

We value a community that respects and genuinely cares for one another. We value a community that celebrates diversity and the cultural and social strengths it infuses into our lives. We value a community that can engage in civil discourse, and even disagree, without being disagreeable.

In recent weeks we have seen too many instances of hate propagated around our schools and our community through the use of language and symbols that marginalize or demean others. We state this together, emphatically as leaders and members of our community: We never condone hateful or threatening speech or actions.

Hate will never be welcome in Missoula County, period. Each of our organizations works diligently and proudly to protect our fellow humans from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, economic or social conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender nonconformity, or actual or potential marital or parental status.

Our schools educate and our elected officials represent the people of our community  in all of our shared diversity. Together, it is our goal to ensure that our schools and our public spaces welcome all, regardless of status. We value and celebrate every member of our community.

We join together to reiterate that each of our organizations has clear response protocols to hate speech and hateful action. Every time actions of hate occur, all of us act immediately to investigate, seek appropriate discipline, and re-teach students and adults alike about living together with respect. We dont simply tolerate one another; we defend each others right and desire to represent one of the many threads in the fabric of our community.

Our community possesses the courage to rebuke hateful speech and actions. Were all what makes this place our home.

Mark Thane, Superintendent, Missoula County Public Schools John Engen, Mayor, City of Missoula Josh Slotnick, Missoula County Commissioner Cola Rowley, Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier, Missoula County Commissioner

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Click any reaction to login. Love 4 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The International Covellite Film Festival gears up this week with a whole new lineup, along with industry workshops, Q&As with filmmakers, and even a fashion show showcasing Covellite apparel and looks made from repurposed materials.

The festival will feature around 150 narrative features, documentaries, and short films from throughout the U.S. and world. And thats not to mention the after parties and concerts the festival will showcase throughout the week.

The festival will also host a screenwriting competition 2 p.m., Sunday at the Knights of Columbus.

Two of the entrants, Vincent Rannazzisi and James Chapman, will present their pilot for Richest Hill on Earth, which depicts the saga between the Butte Copper Kings.

New to the festival this year will be an increased utilization of jukebox locations, where festivalgoers can watch films on demand after their initial screenings. Don Andrews, executive director of the festival, said some of the films will only be available on-demand.

Perhaps the most notable difference to this years festival is the date.

The festival has traditionally run in September, but festival organizers decided to move the festival to the third week of June, drastically cutting their time to prepare and raise money.

According to Andrews, its been an exercise in how to get little sleep. Its like we changed our birthday, he said.

Despite the headaches involved, both he and Programming Director Brian Boyd believe changing the date will be healthy for the festival in the long run.

There are some differences and some growing pains but at the same time I think it will be a lot more sustainable, said Boyd.

They noted that the September date made traveling difficult for filmmakers because of winter weather conditions. September is also between two big events in the industrythe Toronto International Film Festival and The Emmyswhich meant many filmmakers had prior engagements.

Last but not least, the two festival organizers hope the summer date will entice filmmakers to stick around for a bit and explore the state.

And you never know, they might get inspired by the scenery.

With the help of volunteers, Boyd has been able to concentrate the entirety of his energy on programming this year.

But what will also be new for Boyd in the months ahead is his tax bracket: Boyd and Covellite Artistic Director Kristin Smith got engaged over the holidays.

She said yes, said Boyd.

Covellite 2019 marks Smiths second year serving as the festivals artistic director.

Originally from the Hamilton and Missoula areas, Smith has a background in fashion, event planning and costume design. She made her way to Butte in 2016 to work on the set of Brown, where she and Boyd began cultivating a relationship. She eventually decided to stay in Butte, becoming the festivals artistic director.

Smith designed the apparel for both the 2019 and 2018 seasons.

This year, shes included a few upcycled items that incorporate unused t-shirts and other items from previous iterations of the festival. Shes turned old Covellite T-shirts into swag bags and skirts and has also created new designs by using previous years logos as appliques.

Saturday night Smith will host a fashion show to showcase Covellite apparel and garments made from repurposed materials. The event, dubbed the 4th Annual Covellite Ball, takes place 10:30 p.m. in the Copper Bowl ballroom of the Finlen Hotel and includes music by Danny Felix and his brass band.

As in previous years, the festival will also showcase several Montana films.

Zulu Summer of course will make a showingat 6 p.m., Saturday at the Covellite Theatrealong with Saving the Burg: a Story of Love, Sweat and Beers, which screens 1 p.m., Friday, also at the Covellite.

Directed by Philipsburg-resident and award-winning filmmaker Jim Jenner, the film tells the story of how residents collaborated to revitalize the former mining town and bring it back from an economic brink.

All it takes is faith and vision, Boyd said of Philipsburgs revitalization story.

Other Montana films include, among others, Monster Gold, Precious Metal and a film by recent Butte High School graduate Clint Connors. The film, called The Puppet Master, is part of the festivals student showcase and will be available on demand.

The festivals opener this year is the feature-length documentary Flint: The Poisoning of an American City, which depicts the lead crisis in Flint, Michigan.

The film is directed by David Barnhart and edited by Covellite alumnus Scott Lansing.

Lots of filmmakers and journalists have tackled the subject, but Boyd said what makes this film unique is the filmmakers three-dimensional approach.

It takes it beyond the news cycle. It takes it too the people, said Boyd.

We always like the underdog films that stand up and say something, Andrews added.

Flint, screens at 8 p.m., Wednesday at the Covellite Theatre during an opening-night reception.

As for Smith, she says Andrews and Boyd are some of the craziest guys shes ever met for starting a festival from scratch in Butte, America.

I think how theyve brought this thing to the community and have been building it is invaluable. And Im excited to be apart of it, she said.

I think its going to keep getting better every year, she added.

For more info on show times and other films, visit covellitefilmfest.org.Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE).Montana lost more than 37,000 cattle in the deadly winter of the 2018, mostly in plains counties where snow piled deep and stayed late, according to federal data.

The recently published reports of the losses covered by the federal Livestock Indemnity Program show 37,352 reported deaths. Half the deaths were in six counties located in a belt of Montana where a blanket of snow 20 to 30 inches deep stretched nearly 300 miles west to east across the Hi-Line from Cut Bank to Glasgow and diagonally down to Billings, where the snow depth remained at 20 to 30 inches for 225 miles east to Ekalaka.

The program paid out $11.1 million for the 2018 losses in Montana, more than four times the amount paid out for in-state losses in the previous four years combined, according to the U.S. Farm Service Agency.

Still not calculated are losses from the winter just ended, which delivered historically cold temperatures in February and March 2019.

Ranchers and the FSA acknowledge that the 37,000 deaths dont represent all the weather-related deaths from 2018, but rather only those that qualified for livestock loss compensation. LIP, as the indemnity program is known, is tooled for livestock deaths related to a particular weather event. Its a round-hole program that doesnt accommodate square-peg circumstances like months of deep snow or multiple weeks of subzero temperatures, which Montana experienced in 2019.

I would say that number is very much on the low end, said Jay Bodner, of the Montana Stockgrowers Association. We did hear from producers frustrated not only last year, but this year with verification process. At the end of the day, you have to wade through all that process and documentation and some people dont submit.

The Livestock Indemnity program works well when a brief weather event of three days results in animal deaths. For example, in 2013, a South Dakota blizzard killed more than 70,000 cattle. The losses occurred in a matter of days. Its the incident Montana ranchers most often cite when describing their struggles with LIP. Its hard to point to a particular three-day period that killed cattle in a winter when the snow fell for months and didnt let up.

During the first four months of 2018, Montana was deep in snow. Ranchers who cautiously scheduled calving in April were caught off guard by snow that was still deep and still posed the threat of chronic sickness and death to newborn animals. Adult livestock that suffered through more months of deep snow were exhausted. And hay supplies were short after months in which the ground never melted clear.

At Molly Masters place near Busby, the only clear places cattle had to stand were the ones where ranchers cut through snow. Keeping those spaces open became an all-day, everyday job as winds drifted the openings shut again and more snow fell.

The snow started in mid-December and it just kept snowing, and it kept snowing and kept snowing, Masters said. The snow was easily three feet, if not taller, depending on the drifts.

The hay that Masters thought would last until the range opened up again didnt. In this region of southeast Montana, not far from the Wyoming border, some cows aborted from stress. Some didnt want their calves.

Busby is in Big Horn County, which had 4,416 losses reported to the Farm Service Agency. Those werent the worst county losses reported. Blaine County, some 270 miles to the north, had 4,420 reported deaths. Fergus and Petroleum counties in Central Montana had 4,570 deaths combined. Phillips County had 2,743 deaths that qualified for LIP.

It was telling later in 2018 when the heiferettes still suffering the stress of Busbys brutal winter were tough to fertilize, said Masters, who is the Big Horn County Extension Agent. The damage from the deep snows of 2018 kept showing up at livestock auctions, where slaughter cattle were scarce, and bank accounts where ranching deposits were smaller.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture responded to the difficulties that ranchers had with LIP in 2018 by giving more discretion to state-level Farm Service Agents. Earlier this month, FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce announced he would leave it up to FSA county committees to decide what qualified as an adverse weather event. The conditions still have to be extreme, abnormal and damaging.

Both Montana Sens. Jon Tester, a Democrat, and Steve Daines, a Republican, have written Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue about changing LIP to meet Montanas extreme weather challenges. Groups like the Montana Farm Bureau Federation have lobbied hard for reform since the winter of 2018.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Guy Baker has been having trouble sleeping lately. The 19-year Missoula Police detective assigned to the missing persons case of Jermain Charlo wrestles with the unfamiliar feeling that he's been unable to put all the puzzle pieces together and resolve the case.

He's especially haunted by the video that independently verifies the last time Charlo was seen in public. The footage comes from a surveillance camera in the alley overlooking the back door of the Badlander bar on Ryman Street in downtown Missoula.

In the images recorded around midnight on June 15, 2018, Charlo is seen heading down that alley toward Higgins, not in distress but just like any other untroubled 23-year-old enjoying a summer night in downtown Missoula.

"There's nights when I'm looking at the fan, trying to fall asleep, wondering and thinking about Jermain," he said. "Yes, I never met her, but it feels like I know her and that's why it's kind of chilling seeing that video because she thought it was just another night, another day in her life and tomorrow would come and, you know, she didn't know."

Sunday marks the one-year mark since Charlo, a Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal member, vanished. Community members and organizations have joined law enforcement agencies in the effort to uncover what happened to her; lawmakers, propelled by stories in the same vein, have put the state's money into new resources for missing persons investigations; family members have almost become public figures as they continue to ring the bell to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, a group disproportionately affected by those crimes.

Baker does know more now about the days leading up to Charlo's disappearance on Father's Day weekend. She was preparing to go to work for the U.S. Forest Service as a wildland firefighter the following week. She was trying to sort things out with the custody of her children while also enjoying a relationship with a new boyfriend.

"There weren't really any complexities," Baker said. "It's interesting as an investigator because we all have a routine: We wake up, brush your teeth, get dressed, whatever. But every day we wake up we assume we'll go to bed that night. You're seeing video of her just before she disappears and she doesn't know that, you know, something bad or sinister is just around the corner."

***

Valenda Morigeau, Charlo's aunt, started feeling especially unnerved in the following days when Charlo's social media accounts had basically gone dark. At 23, Charlo was a frequent presence on social media. Without having heard from her, or being able to reach her, Morigeau and family blitzed Charlo's social media accounts for friends who might know something.

As that terrible feeling started to creep into the space left in Charlo's absence, all Morigeau, 34, could do was try to stay calm.

"It was a lot of Facebooking," Morigeau said. "You're hoping for the best but trying to prepare yourself for the worst."

She first phoned the Missoula Police Department a few days into the first week of her niece's disappearance, but said she never got a call back after that first contact. So she drove the 50 miles down to Missoula and filled out a hard copy of a missing persons report.

"I understand why families get frustrated," she said, talking about those who have criticized law enforcement responses to missing persons reports, particularly when they come from reservations.

But while she can empathize with those critics, Morigeau counts herself lucky Baker is on the case. And the friction rubs both ways; while the case is based in Missoula, many leads and interviews take Baker to the Flathead Indian Reservation, where he works in concert with tribal police in his search, but has to gain the trust of tribal members.

"I think there's a reluctance to talk to law enforcement on the reservation and there's maybe some mistrust of non-reservation law enforcement such as myself," he said. "But as we make those contacts in many situations we've earned their trust. I make sure to tell them, 'This is not my reservation, this is yours but I'm committed to being 50 miles from where I work to try to help find a resolution to this case, find justice for the family and hold accountable whoever is responsible for what happened to Jermain.'"

Since Baker was assigned the case shortly after it was filed, Morigeau said he has been "very dedicated" and "very honest."

"We've never been left in the dark with him," she said.

That means Morigeau is well aware of the dozens of search warrants executed, leads that went nowhere, 50 or so individuals interviewed and thousands of hours spent on this case to produce a couple of working theories, but no Charlo.

It's still hard, she said, carrying on searching while still holding onto hope that Charlo is alive.

"But if we give up, then you're pretty much giving up on her and we have to remain hopeful," Morigeau said. "Wherever she is we don't want her to give up and she has to know that we're out there looking for her and we won't stop."

***

As the search for Charlo unfolded, cases like hers gained ever-more attention. During the past few years, activists, elected officials and the media have paid greater attention to missing persons cases involving Native people. Insufficient information-sharing, jurisdictional gaps among law enforcement agencies, and indifference from police have all been faulted for these disappearances.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are better equipped than many other tribes to address these issues, said tribal policy analyst Jami Pluff. The Flathead Tribal Police have access to the National Criminal Information Center database, meaning that missing persons cases here reach a national audience.

And the Flathead Indian Reservation is the only one in Montana covered by Public Law 280. That means tribal police share jurisdiction with local police, rather than having to rely on the Bureau of Indian Affairs and FBI.

During the search for Charlo, Pluff said tribal police have had an excellent working relationship with Detective Bakers team. We are extremely lucky, Pluff said.

Charlos disappearance nonetheless prompted the tribes to make improvements. It started in October, Pluff said, when Charlos family came to Tribal Council seeking financial help for the search.

That was when council said, Well, we dont just want to give money. How can we help in this broader issue so we dont have another Jermain down the road?

Within a few months, the tribes had established a working group on the issue. Pluff has led the effort. Theres a lot of things that weve done already, she said.

In the past few months, theyve circulated a response protocol for tribal members to follow when someone goes missing, and hosted a conference on the issue in Polson. It featured Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne researcher who has been building a database of Native missing persons cases, along with other leaders on the issue. Law enforcement also trained employees of the tribally owned KwaTaqNuk Resort and Gray Wolf Casino to spot signs of sex trafficking.

One bill passed by this years Legislature, the Looping in Native Communities Act, created the Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force to work on the issue. It includes representatives from state agencies, Montanas seven reservations and the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe, which has state but not federal recognition. The task force had its first meeting in Helena last week, and is currently focused on improving communication between law enforcement agencies.

And tribal members, she said, are more vigilant than ever. I do really believe that it is making people more aware about safety measures."

Their awareness paid off in April, when five teenage girls ran away  allegedly because of a social media challenge. Their parents quickly alerted one another and police, and the girls were found in a matter of hours.

Pluff plans to focus on youth outreach and runaways in the months ahead. I think that social services in that area needs to find out how do we engage these kids, so that is part of it as well.

She said the tribes are also working to create an anonymous tip line. One of the things that was told to us  was that sometimes people are fearful or dont want to talk to the police, but they have information.

Pluff thinks thats true in Jermains case. I think somebody knows something, and whats it going to take for them to come forward?"

Last month, the Tribal Council recently increased the reward money for information on Charlo from $1,000 to $10,000 in hopes that amount will spur someone to question their loyalties and share information on Charlo's disappearance.

But back in Missoula, 50 miles away from the Flathead reservation, Baker still has trouble sleeping.

Those with information on Charlo's whereabouts should contact Missoula Police Detective Guy Baker at 406-396-3217.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0We look forward to the tenure of Les Cook, Montana Tech's new chancellor.

The institution is definitely at a crossroads. With enrollment persistently down (admittedly reflecting the cyclical nature of the industries it serves, particularly oil and gas) we await his vision for growing a university still getting used to the fit and feel of its new "special focus" designation.

We believe that the decisions made in the last year of Chancellor Don Blackketter's tenure to downgrade the status of both health care informatics and professional and technical communication programs  both of which are areas of study both thriving at other institutions and producing in-demand professionals  should be quickly reexamined before valuable faculty and resources are eliminated.

We understand that curricula and programs need hard-eyed analysis in today's competitive university environment, particularly in view of Tech's revised mission. But just as we said at the time, we believe the new chancellor should be able to make the key decisions that reshape the institution he will lead.

Make no mistake: Cook inherits a university that has achieved much in recent years, including performing groundbreaking research, completing several key bricks-and-mortar projects and providing world-class instruction.

We applaud many of Montana Tech's initiatives and approaches  none more than the school's purposeful actions to recruit more Butte students, particularly those from families in which higher education has not been the norm. With the help of the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation and Montana Resources, the "Be the First" campaign has already awarded transformational scholarships to several such local students with more to come.

Welcome, Chancellor Cook, to the Mining City and its revered university.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0"We still respect the country," she said.

Williams-Blegen and McCoy, both African-American women, grew up in Muscatine, and have family roots in the community. Relatives of Williams-Blegen worked with Alexander Clark in the 1800s, she said. Clark's daughter Susan challenged the segregated school system in Muscatine, leading to integration in Iowa schools before Brown v. Board of Education.

In the event program, Williams-Blegen wrote, "The accomplishments of the black culture have often gone hidden. Exposing those hidden talents and achievements can show how one history is connected to another."

She presented a history of influential people from Muscatine, many of them family members, and the Underground Railroad stop at what is now the New Jerusalem Full Gospel Church. As president of the Quad-Cities African-American Museum Project, Williams-Blegen said she is collecting more local information to tell a fuller history of the area.South African banks are at battling to find qualified IT professionals and are competing with each other over a dwindling supply of skilled workers, according to a report in the Sunday Times.

Standard Bank, Absa, Nedbank, and FNB all said that it was becoming increasingly difficult to find skilled IT workers to aid in their digital migration efforts.

The banks have implemented a number of new hiring tactics to try and attract skilled South Africans, including speed-dating events where a large number of candidates undergo quick interviews in an effort to hire qualified IT professionals quickly.

It can still take months to hire these employees however, and banks are finding themselves paying much higher salaries to outbid the competition for skilled workers.

Standard Bank CIO Alpheus Mangale told the Sunday Times that it faced a major shortage of cloud engineers to maintain its online systems.

When banks do find these skilled workers, they can expect to pay these employees up to 30% more to retain them, he said.

Absa, FNB, and Nedbank also stated that they are paying a premium to hire skilled IT workers due to the country-wide shortage.

WeThinkCode co-founder Yossi Hasson said the global shortage of qualified IT candidates is exacerbated in South Africa by problems in public education, a lack of Internet access, and emigration.

Emigration and skills shortage

Qualified professionals are leaving South Africa in droves, citing the ongoing problems of crime, economic uncertainty, and political problems as reasons for their emigration.

This has become increasingly apparent in emigration statistics, and for every skilled worker coming to South Africa, eight are leaving.

MyBroadbands 2019 IT Salary Survey reflects the same issue as the one outlined by local banks, revealing that 46% of IT professionals in South Africa are planning to leave permanently or work abroad in the near future.

Tech talent marketplace OfferZen recently told MyBroadband that there was a significant demand for skilled IT workers, with companies offering additional benefits and opportunities to candidates in an effort to fill positions.

Tech professionals tend to have the luxury of taking their pick, OfferZen said.

Now read: Big challenges for blockchain use by retail banksThe SABC is facing a serious financial crisis which forced it to make a difficult decision at the end of May  pay salaries or pay municipal bills.

This is according to a Sunday Times report, which said the state broadcaster opted to pay salaries, meaning it now owes the City of Johannesburg more than R13.5 million.

This decision did not solve its financial problems, and SABC board chair Bongumusa Makhathini told the Sunday Times that the broadcaster is not sure if it will be able to pay salaries this month.

Apart from its municipal bills, the SABC owes Sentech R317 million and MultiChoice division SuperSport R208 million.

Total blackout warning

Due to its financial problems, the SABC has also stopped maintaining its infrastructure and Makhathini warned that a communication blackout is imminent.

This followed a similar warning by SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe who said in May that the public broadcaster was in danger of experiencing a total broadcasting blackout due to its crippling debt and lack of relief funding.

Mxakwe said the SABC is not able to pay its creditors and while the companys application for a R6.8-billion bailout was approved, the funds have not yet arrived.

This means that if it is unable to secure sufficient funding, the SABC will be forced to cut its national broadcast due to the inability to continue operations.

We never had a blackout before, but if the funding doesnt come soon the possibility of a blackout is imminent, Mxakwe said.

No serious cost-cutting

To cut costs and make itself sustainable, the SABC previously planned to retrench up to 981 permanent employees and 1,200 of its 2,400 freelancers.

However, political pressure forced the broadcaster to abandon the mass retrenchment process it outlined late last year.

This decision followed a number of engagements between the SABC, its employees, and various stakeholders.

The SABC acknowledged that it needs to review its increase in costs and conduct a thorough skills audit.

The outcome of this audit, the SABC said, will provide it with a more defined structure and plan for the future.

This will ensure that the SABC meets its strategic objective of operating optimally and competitively in a digitised environment, said the SABC.

Now read: The SABC is on the brink of a total blackoutThe demand from South African consumers for gadgets and hardware is increasing across multiple sectors, according to technology distribution company Syntech.

Syntech is the official distributor for a number of tech products in South Africa, including a range of gaming brands such as Antec, Redragon, and Crucial, networking brands, and surveillance and security hardware.

The company is the distribution channel for a range of gadgets, PC components, systems, and other hardware locally, giving them a unique insight into the South African consumer technology market.

MyBroadband spoke to Syntech co-founder Ryan Martyn and managing director Craig Nowitz about the popularity and growth of hardware in South Africa.

Smart homes and PC hardware

I think that there has been considerable growth and interest from consumers in smart home appliances, Martyn told MyBroadband.

The uptake in interest is largely driven by consumer desire to automate mundane day-to-day tasks at the home or office.

He said that products like smart vacuum cleaners, smart lighting, and voice-controlled appliances are becoming increasingly popular in South Africa.

Consumers are incredibly busy, and smart home appliances enable them to take advantage of the time they do have available to do more of the things they love.

Martyn added that the PC gaming category in particular comprises of mostly enthusiasts, but this does not mean there is no growth in this sector.

The PC gaming category is largely dominated by enthusiasts, and there is certainly some growth still to be found amongst enthusiasts, he said.

Were also seeing that gaming as a whole is becoming more and more accessible to communities who wouldnt necessarily consider themselves gamers.

Smarter consumers with a taste for RGB

Martyn also said that South African tech consumers are becoming more informed when it comes to making purchases.

These days there are so many more influencers, digital reviews, and access to really great quantified information, he said. This means consumers are now making more informed decisions, which is great for the market.

This is also driving prices down because the value the market would previously have delivered is not difficult to communicate, he said.

When it comes to South African gamers, Nowitz told MyBroadband that the demand for peripherals and hardware with RGB lighting has become truly impressive.

On the gaming side, were still seeing a massive demand for RGB lighting, Nowitz said. Everything from your desk, mouse pad, chair, power supply, to your memory is integrating RGB to facilitate this demand.

We fully expect that RGB is going to become the standard in gaming peripherals and hardware.Last month, Napa Valley College awarded nearly 1,500 degrees and certificates to more than 700 students at our annual commencement ceremony. The youngest graduate was 18 years old and the oldest was 67.

This fall, well be welcoming a new group of students. Some will be from the graduating classes of our local high schools, and we will be very pleased to see them continue their education at the college. But we hope they will be joined by others who come from another segment of the community, Napas senior population.

Older students are rarely discussed in the same terms as younger ones. Instead of setting off on a journey to seek a better life or obtaining education or training for a better job or career, they are sometimes characterized as less intellectually active, less engaged, set in their ways and unable to adapt.

But as our students show, that is far from the truth.

Community colleges offer the opportunity for seniors to gain skills or knowledge, earn credits for a degree or just learn something new.

As the college president, I see up close and personal the many proven benefits to going back to school as an older person. According to the Association for Psychological Science, aging adults who get out of their comfort zone, engage in difficult tasks and learn new skills increase cognitive vitality. Its quite simple: learning new skills keeps an aging mind sharp. And the American ideal is alive and well, thank you. Self-determination, independence and self-worth still reside in the hearts of our citizens and residents. Maintain these characteristics and the spirit stays young, even in an aging body.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, our states senior population is entering a period of rapid growth. By 2030, as the last of the baby boomer generation reaches retirement age, the states over-65 population will grow by four million people; nationwide, one in five Americans will be in this age group. And the very elderly  centenarians are one of the fastest-growing groups.

Much attention is paid to addressing some of the problems associated issues of aging  like medical research and treatments, new laws and protections from elder abuse and training for adult children and caregivers of seniors. However, there is less focus on ways individuals can slow down their own aging process and extend their vitality well into their later years, even though there are proven methods of doing so.

The key is to maintain self-determination, independence and self-worth well into your later years. And Napa Valley College can help.

If you are among this population, consider what attending classes at Napa Valley College can do for you. Did you graduate from a college, just take a few classes or never have the opportunity? Now is your chance to advance your education. Are there skills and experiences you wish you had acquired when you were younger? Have you ever dreamt about learning to play the piano or speak another language? Would you like to try your hand at building and flying drones, creating art, taking better photographs, painting or making ceramics? What about singing, acting, dancing, writing a best seller, dissecting a cat, traveling to Spain, opening a new small business, preparing fine cuisine, making wine or getting your body back into the best shape of your life?

Its never too late to try something new. You can achieve any and all of these by surrounding yourself with engaging people who are seeking the same things.

This fall, were offering up terrific classes for older students to consider. And beyond that, I am encouraging Napa Valley senior citizens to enroll in the college to earn a certificate or associates degree. The proven benefits of education, aside from the knowledge, skills and training you will receive, include relevant, meaningful engagement that can increase those qualities of self-determination, independence and self-worth that keep us all young in spirit.

Napa Valley College is committed to making lifelong learning accessible to everyone in our community, including our older population.

Napa Valley College recently hosted the fourth annual Elder Abuse Awareness Symposium presented by Napa County Alliance for Senior Education (NCASE) and NVC, in honor of Elder Abuse Awareness Month. The symposium was held to raise awareness about some of the darker sides of aging  those older adults who experience elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation.

We hope few in our community suffer from those societal ills. We all need to be aware of the problem and help prevent it. At Napa Valley College, we are committed to doing our part to support our senior citizens by providing a means of staying connected, intellectually active and independent for years to come.

Dr. Ronald Kraft is the superintendent/president of Napa Valley College. Visit napavalley.edu to learn more. You can listen to the Elder Abuse Awareness Symposium here: http://napabroadcasting.com/napa-valley-college-elder-abuse-awareness-symposium/Napa Countys proposed, carbon-cutting climate action plan is back with a new twist  install solar panels on all new or modified commercial rooftops in unincorporated areas.

A possible rooftop solar requirement for new commercial development is included in the recently released environmental impact report for the climate action plan. Its listed as the environmentally superior alternative.

More solar panels generating electricity for local businesses would mean less greenhouse gas emissions, the report said. Nor did the report see any downsides to the idea, whether aesthetic or otherwise.

Solar panels on new homes is another issue, one that the climate action plan doesnt address. But then, it doesnt need to. The state is already requiring new California homes built after 2020 be solar-powered.

On Wednesday, a revised Napa County climate action plan and environmental impact report will go before the Planning Commission not for approval, but for public comments. The meeting is at 9 a.m. in the county administration building, 1195 Third St. in Napa.

There is strong consensus that global climate change is occurring; seasons are shifting, average temperatures are increasing, precipitation levels are changing and sea levels are rising, the proposed plan said.

Napa Countys response is dozens of proposed steps to cut greenhouse gas emissions. These steps would affect only the unincorporated area that county government has jurisdiction over, not the cities.

Requiring new water heaters at homes be powered by electricity or alternative energy, supporting the use of farm equipment powered by electricity or alternative fuels and increasing participation in Marin Clean Energys 100-percent renewable option are among the ideas.

The county has worked on its latest attempt to complete a climate action plan since 2015, with various versions issued. The end  passage by the Board of Supervisorscould finally be in sight.

Were tentatively looking at the end of the year, Planning, Building and Environmental Services Director David Morrison said.

One potential variable is the proposal that a regional Napa County climate action approach be created, he said. Then the county and its cities would work together on strategies to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The county Board of Supervisors and Napa City Council will at their separate meetings on Tuesday discuss the issue. The results could be a working group with the other local cities to develop shared greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and standards.

Meanwhile, the county continues crafting its own plan.

Some community members have called on the county to place a moratorium on new wineries and new vineyards. That would gain time to study how much greenhouse gas emissions are generated by Napa County global wine distribution and tourists traveling to Napa County wineries from beyond the region.

But the draft environmental report rejects the idea of tracking trans-regional greenhouse gas emissions. This conclusion is backed by the Governors Office of Planning and Research, which the county consulted on this issue, it said.

A growth moratorium for further climate action plan work would delay implementing the countys greenhouse gas emission strategies, the report said.

The proposed climate action plan does more than suggest ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also sets reduction targets based on state standards for 2020, 2030 and 2070, using 2014 emissions as the baseline.

Napa Countys target for 2020 is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2 percent. The plan envisions topping that goal with a 12-percent cut, largely due to statewide carbon-cutting steps.

The proposals in the countys climate action plan would have more time to kick in by 2030. The county envisions meeting the targeted 40-percent reduction by that year, with a 42-percent cut predicted.

But the county would have to go beyond the climate action plan to meet the targeted 77-percent reduction by 2050, given the plan predicts only a 43-percent cut by then. The plan questions whether a local government can meet this target based on local actions alone.

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.I should be dead.

Napa County resident Edward Tcheleshev doesnt mince words when discussing his battle with addiction. He graduated at the top of his class at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and went on to work for a Fortune 500 company, but no one knew he was addicted to opioids.

Tcheleshev shared his story during the Napa Opioid Safety Coalitions town hall meeting on Saturday morning at Napas CrossWalk Community Church. He told a crowd of nearly 150 attendees how a star student-athlete devolved into an opioid addict, and he explained how he was able to hide his personal struggles from the people most important in his life.

It was like I had two lives, Tcheleshev said. I had one part of me trying to hide this (addiction) and the other side trying to support it. I was in about a $10,000 a month habit.

For Tcheleshev, his introduction to opioids started innocently enough. He was prescribed the narcotic Percocet to relieve pain from an injury he suffered on the school rowing team in college. However, the pills not only took his pain away, but also created a sense of euphoria that helped lessen the stresses of everyday life. He sought prescriptions from multiple doctors to maintain his habit, and eventually turned to heroin because it was cheaper.

Today, Tcheleshev is three years sober and has found a new appreciation for his life and family. He practices yoga and describes himself as an outspoken advocate for mental health and people in addiction recovery.

Napa Opioid Safety Coalitions town hall was designed to create community awareness and a dialogue about the opioid epidemic in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 130 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Thats nearly 50,000 people each year, and Napa County residents are not strangers to opioid abuse. According to the California Department of Public Health, there were 4 deaths caused by opioid overdose in 2017, as well as 13 emergency room visits and 19 hospitalizations in Napa County.

Dr. Ninad Athale, a family physician and addiction specialist at OLE Health in Napa County, said the dangers of opioids have been known for hundreds of years. Opioids are drugs that with a chemical compound resembling opium, an organic substance used to reduce pain. Opioids, such as OxyContin and Vicodin, are commonly prescribed by doctors to treat pain. Its when people do not adhere to their doctors instructions, either taking a larger dose or using the drug longer than directed, an addiction can develop.

During his presentation at the town hall meeting, Athale showed an image of a front page of the Washington Post in 1920. The headline across the top of the newspaper was about opioid drug abuse.

Athale said the opioid epidemic has surged in the past 40 years because there are more opioid drugs that doctors can prescribe to help clients deal with and manage pain. He said part of resolving the opioid epidemic is to educate the medical community and help patients find non-addictive methods for dealing with pain that isnt the result of cancer or an end-of-life condition.

Napa County Health Officer and Public Health Director Dr. Karen Relucio said events such as Saturdays town hall are important because it raises awareness and helps residents understand the dangers that may be lurking in their medicine cabinets.

She advocated for safe storage methods for prescription opioids and showcased products, such as pill bottles with combination locks to prevent people from getting into pill bottles who arent supposed to, including children and house guests. Tcheleshev said he used to take pills out of prescription bottles he found in medicine cabinets while visiting friends homes.

Relucio suggested keeping prescription drugs in a locked safe instead of leaving them exposed in the home.

Safe drug disposal is also an important part of fighting the opioid crisis, according to Napa County Sheriffs Department Lt. Rick Greenberg, who heads up the countys narcotics division at the Napa Special Investigation Bureau. He said the county collected 1,500 pounds of medications during the countys Drug Take Back Day in 2018. The annual event is traditionally held on the last Saturday of October, but Greenberg said residents can bring their prescription and over-the-counter medication to the Sheriffs office for disposal during regular office hours throughout the year.

Following the presentations, the crowd was divided into groups to learn about naloxone, a drug that can treat narcotic overdoses in an emergency. Pharmaceutical students from Touro University California, led by instructor and pharmacist Dr. Mohamed Jalloh, explained how to use the drug Narcan, a nasal spray form of naloxone, on a person who appears unconscious as result of an opioid overdose. Attendees were each given a box of Narcan to take home, but Dr. Jalloh said he hopes no one needs to use it.

The event also included a resource fair featuring local agencies who offer health services as well as additional recovery services.

Napa County Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht, a member of the Napa Opioid Safety Coalition, said the coalition hopes to host more events like this to bring the opioid epidemic to the forefront of peoples minds. He said sharing personal stories is a way to help people understand how widespread the opioid problem is. The more people talk about it, the sooner a solution can be found, he said.

This is about communication. You know Ive got five kids, and one of them got involved with drugs and alcohol, he said. It was driving us crazy. We were pulling our hair out trying to help her stay out of that, and eventually I gathered the family around, and we got her into a 28-day program. That started her on a good path, and now its been a good path for 15 years.

Wagenknecht said what was most surprising is that as he shared his familys situation, he learned that his brother and his nephew had also struggled with drug addiction and had gone through recovery programs.

Im hearing this, and I thought darn, I love both of these people. I would have wanted to have been a part of their recovery. There needs to be communication. And that was just within one family. We have the whole community, and we need to be better about communication. (The opioid crisis in Napa County) is a hidden secret, and we cant solve it if it remains hidden. Weve got to get it out in the open and deal with it.  We need to let the sunshine in. We need to let everyone know whats going on.

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.Black men occupy a disproportionate share of prison cells in the U.S. sakhorn/Shutterstock.com

June 19 marks Juneteenth, a celebration of the de facto end of slavery in the United States.

For hundreds of thousands of African-Americans stuck in pretrial detention  accused but not convicted of a crime, and unable to leave because of bail  that promise remains unfulfilled. And coming immediately after Fathers Day, its also a reminder of the loss associated with the forced separation of families.

On a very personal level, I know how this separation feels. Every Fathers Day since 2011, Ive been reminded of the unexpected death of my dad at the age of 48. But also on a professional level, as a criminologist who has been researching mass incarceration for the past decade, I understand the disproportionate impact its had on African-Americans, destabilizing black families in the process.

Blacks behind bars

Juneteenth is a celebration of African-Americans triumph over slavery and access to freedom in the U.S., which occurred in Galveston, Texas, in June of 1865, over two and a half years after President Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation.

While Juneteenth is a momentous day in U.S. history, it is important to appreciate that the civil rights and liberties promised to African-Americans have yet to be fully realized. As legal scholar Michelle Alexander forcefully explains, this is a consequence of Jim Crow laws and the proliferation of incarceration that began in the 1970s, including the increase of people placed in pretrial detention and other criminal justice policies.

There are 2.3 million people currently incarcerated in American prisons and jails  including those not convicted of any crime. Black people comprise 40 percent of them, even though they represent just 13 percent of the U.S. population.

Rainmaker Photo/MediaPunch/IPX

Not yet guilty but not free

More troubling is the number of incarcerated individuals currently held in jail for crimes of which they have not yet been convicted.

In March, the Prison Policy Initiative, a nonpartisan think tank that focuses on mass incarceration, reported that over a half million citizens are languishing in pretrial detention. And like most criminal justice outcomes, the burden of this disproportionately falls on minorities, especially black men and women.

In local jails alone, over 300,000 people are awaiting trial for property, drug or public order crimes. And again, these disproportionately black defendants are confined and separated from their families, friends and jobs simply because they lack the means to post cash bail  the only reason they cant get out.

Toll on families

It should be no surprise, then, that 1 in 9 black children now has a parent behind bars, compared with the national rate of 1 in 28.

Being the partner of an incarcerated individual is another often stressful experience that also falls disproportionately on black citizens, particularly women.

Some good news

The good news is that such injustices are receiving growing attention nationwide.

Just City, a nonprofit organization working to reduce the harms of the criminal justice system, recently campaigned to raise funds and promote awareness of its Memphis Community Bail Fund project for Fathers Day  in part because nearly half a million of the black men behind bars are dads.

The aim of the project is to provide both financial and legal support for defendants lacking resources to independently secure their pretrial release, with the goal of the recent campaign being the release of jailed fathers so that they could be with their kids for the holiday.

Bail funds similar to Just Citys have proliferated throughout the U.S.

On one hand, the multiplication of these organizations is encouraging and reason for optimism. On the other, their growth is another reminder that many of the freedoms celebrated on Juneteenth remain unrealized.

A long road continues

In cities like Detroit, where 1 in 7 adult males is under some form of correctional control in some communities, it is a monumental task to make sense of the short- and long-term impacts of incarceration for black families.

Children suffer. Parents struggle. Relationships deteriorate. And as a result, so too do so many African-American communities. Lost wages matter to families, but they also matter to communities. The lower tax base that results makes it more difficult for struggling public institutions, like schools, to progress. And with such a large share of individuals removed from some communities due to incarceration, and branded as felons upon their release, these communities lose potential voters and the political capital they carry. They are too often disenfranchised and stripped of their full power and potential.

Juneteenth celebrates the freedom of black Americans and the long, hard road they were forced to traverse to gain that freedom. But as criminologists like me have maintained time and again, the U.S. criminal justice system remains biased, albeit implicitly, against them.

___

Matthew Larson, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Wayne State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.Fire has been an uneasy companion for humans for as long as we have existed.

Control of fire has allowed us to slip the normal bonds of nature, offering a defense against hungry predators and allowing us to shape elements such as iron into tools. Some paleontologists even think that our ability to cook food may have paved the way for the explosion in the human brain size. Cooking allows us to consume new and interesting foods and also boosts the nutrient value to provide extra fuel for our calorie-hungry brains.

But fire is also a historic menace. Residents of ancient villages and cities lived in fear of fire, started by candles, lamps, cooking fires and natural sources.

Its not for nothing that the phrase Nero fiddled while Rome burned has become a universal expression for indifference or incompetence by our leaders. One evening in July of the year 64 AD, fire broke out somewhere in a commercial district near the famous Circus Maximus. Unlike the Rome of today, most buildings then were made of wood, so the flames raced unchecked through the city.

The fire burned for nine days and ancient sources say up to two thirds of the city was scorched, with something like 60,000 structures destroyed.

Emperor Nero, already unpopular, was widely blamed for the ineffective effort to battle the flames. Some conspiracy-minded Romans even blamed him for starting the fire, though the details of how and why varied.

In 1666, much of the medieval city of London was destroyed by a fire that appeared to have started in a bakery. It burned for four days and consumed more than 13,000 structures, including St. Pauls Cathedral, and left most of the citys residents homeless.

Fire nearly wiped out the first English settlement in the New World before construction was even complete, when a blaze destroyed most of the buildings at Jamestown in 1608.

Modern firefighting organizations didnt start appearing until the 18th and 19th century. Ben Franklin famously organized a fire company in Philadelphia in 1736, but there were no paid firefighters in America until nearly the Civil War.

There were some fire companies in Europe before Franklins organization, but the first recorded fire department run by a city was in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1834.

Even in an era of professional firefighters, cities remained vulnerable. Chicago burned in 1871, when a blaze broke out on a dry, windy night in October and quickly spread to destroy more than 17,000 buildings, despite the efforts of the citys well-organized fire department.

And in 1906, it was uncontrolled fire that did most of the damage to the city of San Francisco following the famous earthquake.

But still, by the 20th century, people in well-developed countries had become accustomed to the idea that they could sleep safe at night because the fire department was standing by to stop flames.

Driving through St. Helena this last weekend, however, made me reflect on how quickly that comforting illusion has evaporated.

On the first really hot, dry day of the year, smoke was billowing up from behind the hills in the east and streaming down over the city, creating that smelly brown-gray haze that we have become depressingly accustomed to. Two fires were burning in that direction  a smallish one in Pope Valley and a much larger one in Yolo County.

Fortunately, neither fire amounted to anything close to the mega-fires of recent summers, but it brought back all those bad memories. It was a reminder that for those of us in the fire-prone West, despite the skills and bravery of our professional fire departments, we have a lot more in common with those fire-fearing residents of Rome than we are comfortable admitting to ourselves.

You can reach Sean Scully at 256-2246 or sscully@napanews.com.

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.The main idea of the Civil Contract Party is the impact of an individual on the reality. This is what board member of the political party, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said during the 5th Congress of the Civil Contract Party.

The first main idea is the impact of an individual on the reality and the relationship between the behavior of the individual and the behavior of the community. This was the formula that became a cornerstone and led to the revolution in Armenia, Pashinyan said.

According to him, for years, he had noticed an interesting phenomenon in Armenia  negatively perceived figures would immediately get indulgence when they became members of the opposition.

For many years, negatively perceived government officials in Armenia would always be in the focus of the press and the public and were sometimes hated, but would get indulgence after becoming members of the opposition. Those who were guilty and were hated by the press would become innocent and beloved a couple of months later, Pashinyan said.

Touching upon his political partys ideology, Pashinyan stated the following: In the political sense, our political party is not liberal, centrist or social-democrat. Our party is a civil party. This means that we dont have ideological standards and are forming a new ideology that is based on four major pillars, including statehood, citizenry, national identity and individuality. Our political party is misunderstood. We are often referred to as liberals or centrists, but this is a misunderstanding. We are a political party that has rejected isms since there are no more rigid ideologies in the modern world, the Prime Minister said.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Independent intelligence experts say the video provides no proof whatsoever of Iran's alleged responsibility for the attacks, a charge Iran denies reports Newsweek.

The Trump administration tightens economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic, Tehran has ample reason to carry out such hard-to-trace terrorism against tankers, if only to raise the price of the dwindling amount of oil Iran is selling these days. But amid the rising tensions in the Middle East, these experts say, there are numerous other players in the region with compelling motivations to carry out such attacks.

"One has to keep asking the question, well, if it isn't Iran, who the hell is it?" Anthony Cordesman, a strategic analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Newsweek. "You come up with the possibility that ISIS carried out the attack as trigger to turn two enemies  the United States and Iran  against each other. Or you're watching Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates create an incident that they can then use to increase the pressure on Iran."

Ayham Kamel, the head of Middle East analysis for the Eurasia Group, an international risk analysis consultancy, said recent attacks by Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels on Saudi oil installations are now threatening the kingdom's core security concerns.

"The Saudis are alarmed," Kamel told a conference call Friday. "Their response is going to be to try to pressure the U.S. into action."

Others have pointed to the possibility that Thursday's attacks, as well as the attacks on four tankers in the same waters a month ago, were so-called "false-flag" operations carried out by Israel, another arch foe of Iran, to make Iran appear responsible. And some observers have even suggested the attacks may have been directed by hawkish members of the Trump administration as a pretext to launch military operations against Iran.When we used to say that were preparing to make political changes in Armenia without violence, we were accused of being sold, conformists and many other things. This is what board member of the Civil Contract Party, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said during the political partys congress today.

This is a major issue for us. People in Armenia have traditionally had doubts over a working style without the use of violence. When we used to say that were preparing to make political changes in Armenia without violence, we were accused of being sold, conformists and many other things. We have had debates over this and have been in political conflicts, but now the debate is over because the revolution of love and solidarity and the non-violent, velvet revolution won in Armenia, he said.

According to Pashinyan, there are people in Armenia who are trying to revive the subculture of violence that reigned in the country for nearly 25 years.

Some people are trying to revive the culture of violence, viewing our courtesy as a weakness, but the public has the right to protect itself from violence, and law-enforcement bodies, the Criminal Code and independent courts must become the tool for protection, he emphasized.

Pashinyan added that happiness and welfare of a human being and national unity hinged on laws and rights are impossible in an atmosphere of violence and that this is also a major point in the Civil Contract Partys political platform.The plan to change elevator economics has already been submitted to the government. This is what member of the Civil Contract Party, Mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marutyan told journalists at the congress of the political party today.

The ministries and others have to state their opinions because the government has to ask for a loan, not the communities, and yes, the elevators will be renovated through a loan, he said.

Marutyan highlighted the fact that elevators had become a problem in municipal economy back in the Soviet era. The elevators in Armenia were designed to last for 25 years, and now people ask Yerevan Municipality why the elevators havent been changed and tell us that we havent fulfilled our promise, but we gave a promise for the next five years, he said.The suspicious moves against oil tankers in Sea of Oman go along with the US economic sanctions on Iran, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Sunday, reports Mehr.

In a Parliament session on Sunday, Speaker Ali Larijani said the Thursday oil tankers incident in the Sea of Oman has all the markings of being carried out by the US after the country failed to achieve any results with their economic sanctions on Iran.

The funny part of the story is Pompeos remarks in which he has advised Iran to use diplomacy in response to diplomatic moves. Hes really a fine one to talk, Larijani said. He went on to note that there is nothing diplomatic in the US policy of maximum pressure, and its economic terrorism against Iran. Mr. Pompeo! Is violating commitments and waging an economic war against Iran a diplomatic move?Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan doesnt welcome the fact that the Ambassador of Russia to Armenia had a meeting with second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan. This is what Mirzoyan told journalists today.

The ambassador of any country can meet with representatives of the political spectrum, but the allegations against Robert Kocharyan dont make him a pure politician. In other words, I dont view Robert Kocharyan as a political figure and as a representative of the political field, he said.

When asked if Robert Kocharyans good ties with the President of the Russian Federation can have an impact on the trial over Kocharyans case, the parliamentary speaker said the following: The relations of the president of any country, the leadership of our country or the relations with anyone can never have an impact on an allegation or fair trial or impartial verdict.

According to Mirzoyan, the Russian government, as well as the governments of other countries respect Armenias sovereignty and wont allow themselves to set conditions.The requested page is currently unavailable on this server.

Back to [RTHK News Homepage](Recasts, adds questioning of ex-PM Ouyahia)

By Hamid Ould Ahmed

ALGIERS, June 16 (Reuters) - Two former powerful Algerian officials and a prominent businessmen were questioned in courts on Sunday, state TV said, over accusations of corruption in the ruling elite under ex-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Protesters and the army drove Bouteflika to resign on April 2 after two decades in power, but pressure has continued for the departure and prosecution of senior figures around him.

Among a plethora of ongoing cases, former finance minister Karim Djoudi appeared before the Supreme Court on Sunday, while former prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia was in another Algiers court, both over corruption accusations, state TV said.

Mourad Eulmi, head of the Algerian family-owned firm SOVAC which runs an assembly plant with Germanys Volkswagen AG , was also questioned in the same court as Ouyahia.

State TV gave no more details and there was no immediate statement from the men or lawyers representing them.

The army is now the main player in Algerian politics and its chief of staff Ahmed Gaed Salah has urged the judiciary to speed up the prosecution of people suspected of corruption.

The court cases have not dampened the zeal of protesters pushing for radical change and a clean break with those who have governed since independence from France in 1962.

Djoudi served as finance minister under Ouyahia from June 2007 to May 2014 when he resigned on health grounds, before being named Bouteflika's adviser for the past two years.

Bouteflika's youngest brother, Said, and two former intelligence chiefs are in custody accused of harming the armys authority and plotting against state authority.

Other prominent businessmen have also been detained at a prison in Algiers over corruption allegations.

Protesters are now seeking the departure of interim President Abdelkader Bensalah and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, whom they view as part of the establishment.

Authorities have postponed a presidential election previously planned for July 4, citing a lack of candidates.

No new date has been set for the vote. (Reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed Editing by Keith Weir and Andrew Cawthorne)* Paris Airshow runs June 17-23

* Deals seen down on sister event in Farnborough last year

* UTC-Raytheon merger plans add to uncertainty in sector (Adds Lufthansa profit warning, Boeing CEO quotes)

By Eric M. Johnson, Andrea Shalal and Tim Hepher

PARIS, June 16 (Reuters) - Safety concerns, trade wars and growing security tensions in the Gulf are dampening spirits at the world's largest planemakers as they arrive at this week's Paris Airshow with little to celebrate despite bulging order books.

The aerospace industry's marquee event is a chance to take the pulse of the $150-billion-a-year commercial aircraft industry, which many analysts believe is entering a slowdown due to global pressures from trade tensions to flagging economies, highlighted by a profit warning from Lufthansa late on Sunday.

Humbled by the grounding of its 737 MAX in the wake of two fatal crashes, U.S. planemaker Boeing will be looking to reassure customers and suppliers about the plane's future and allay criticism of its handling of the months-long crisis.

"This is a defining moment for Boeing. It's given us pause. We are very reflective and we're going to learn," Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg pledged on Sunday.

The grounding of the latest version of the world's most-sold jet over safety concerns has rattled suppliers and fazed rival Airbus, which is avoiding the traditional baiting of Boeing while remaining distracted by its own corruption probe.

Aerospace executives on both sides of the Atlantic are concerned about the impact of the crisis on public confidence in air travel and the risk of a backlash that could drive a wedge between regulators and undermine the plane certification system.

Airlines that rushed to buy the fuel-efficient MAX are taking a hit to profits since having to cancel thousands of flights following the worldwide grounding in March.

Even the planned launch of a new longer-range version of the successful A320neo jet family from Airbus, the A321XLR, is unlikely to dispel the industry's uncertainty, analysts said.

Story continues

The planemaker is hoping to launch the plane with up to 200 orders with the support of at least one major U.S. buyer such as American Airlines but faces a last-minute scramble to win deals.

"Boeing's MAX crisis isn't the most ominous dark cloud, since it can be solved, but traffic numbers are genuinely scary," said Teal Group aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia.

"If March and April are a sign of things to come, we're looking at broader industry demand and capacity problems."

"Net orders might be the lowest in years," Aboulafia added.

Others dismiss fears of a downturn, citing the growth of the middle class in Asia and the need for airlines to buy new planes to meet environmental targets.

"The only solution that the industry has is the newest most fuel-efficient aircraft," John Plueger, Chief Executive of Air Lease Corp, told Reuters. "So that replacement cycle is going to continue."

"We're talking to so many airlines who still want more aircraft, and there's really been no lessening of those discussions," he said.

GULF TENSIONS

Boeing is delaying decisions on the launch of a possible new aircraft, the mid-sized NMA, to give full attention to the 737 MAX and last-minute engine trouble on the forthcoming 777X, industry sources said.

But it could unveil a number of deals favouring widebody jets where it has the upper hand against Airbus, including at least a dozen 787 aircraft for Korean Air Lines and some demand for 777 freighters. Airbus is meanwhile set to confirm an order for A330neo jets from Virgin Atlantic.

"We'll have some orders flow. We anticipate some widebody orders that you'll be hearing about through the week. But that's not our focus for the show," Muilenburg told reporters.

Robert Stallard of Vertical Research Partners expects roughly 800 aircraft orders at the show, but noted it can be hard to tell which are truly new, firm business or old orders, or switched models. That compares with some 959 orders and commitments at the Farnborough Airshow last year.

Some analysts pegged the likely total closer to 400.

Although slowing, a multi-year boom in airline orders is still trickling down to suppliers such as engine makers. French-American CFM International is set to announce a record order by units for over 600 engines from India's IndiGo.

The June 17-23 show is not only about jetliner deals, but also a magnet for many of the world's arms buyers who come to preview the latest military equipment, from anti-aircraft missiles to hotly sought cyber war-fighting capabilities.

French President Emmanuel Macron will open the show by unveiling a mock-up of a proposed new fighter as France and Germany sign a deal for its development.

Industry insiders will also weigh the merits and potential fallout of United Technologies Corp's planned $121 billion tie-up with defence contractor Raytheon Co.

The deal would potentially upend the aerospace sector, creating a conglomerate spanning commercial aviation and defence and putting pressure on major suppliers such as Honeywell and General Electric.

Air show delegates are also watching a face-off between the United States and Iran in the Gulf. The United States blames Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in a vital shipping route that have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region.

In another political row with implications for arms firms attending the show, the United States has threatened to cancel Turkey's participation in the Lockheed F-35 fighter jet programme over Ankara's purchase of a Russian radar system.

Watching the show attentively is China, whose own aerospace ambitions are growing at a time when U.S.-China trade tensions are rising ahead of a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this month. (Additional reporting by Cyril Altmeyerhenzien, Laurence Frost, Alistair Smout; Editing by Mark Potter and Sonya Hepinstall)Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Becoming windy with isolated thunderstorms developing. Low 41F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph, becoming NNW and increasing to 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Becoming windy with isolated thunderstorms developing. Low 41F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph, becoming NNW and increasing to 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.* Climate activists postpone planned drone action on June 18

* New plan aims to allay public fears over safety

* UK's new climate target puts aviation emissions in spotlight

* Movement divided over use of drones at airports (Adds details of new plan, background)

By Matthew Green

LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) - Climate activism group Extinction Rebellion has postponed until later this year a plan to shut down Britain's Heathrow Airport using drones and published on Sunday more details of the protest action in a bid to allay public safety fears.

Last month aviation authorities went on the alert when the activists pledged to paralyse Europe's busiest airport intermittently in June and July to highlight the damage that a planned third runway would cause to Earth's climate. The protest had been due to start on June 18.

"Extinction Rebellion will not be carrying out any actions at Heathrow Airport in June or July this year," the group said in a statement. "The Heathrow Airport authorities will therefore not have to pause any summer flights."

Heathrow Airport responded to the group's announcement by repeating its previous warning that any use of drones near the airport would be a "reckless action" that could endanger lives.

"We are working with the authorities to address any threat of protests which could disrupt the airport," the airport authorities said. "We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively  not commit serious criminal offences."

Initial proposals to use drones floated last month caused a backlash among some supporters who feared a furore over safety concerns would eclipse the group's broader message over the need to take radical action to tackle the climate crisis.

That earlier draft of the plan had stated that there was 'no chance' of flying drones while planes were in the air since the movement would inform the authorities of their plans well in advance, forcing the airport to ground all flights.

Story continues

On Sunday, the group provided a more detailed plan that said protests would take place within an exclusion zone in a 5km radius around the airport, use only lightweight drones flown below head height, and avoid flightpaths. The notice period for any drone action would be at least two months.

"Creating any risk to aircraft or threatening any such risk must be avoided," a legal brief by the group said.

Larch Maxey, part of a team who coordinates Extinction Rebellion actions, said the plan to shut down Heathrow was aimed at pushing for the systemic change needed to cut Britain's emissions as quickly as possible.

"Our aim is to cause economic disruption to cause system change while minimising disruptions to the passengers and recognise that 75 percent of all flights are taken by 15 percent of people," Maxey told Reuters.

The group did not give a new date for a new drone action beyond saying it would happen this year. Thousands of flights were grounded at Gatwick Airport outside London in December when drones were spotted near the perimeter. Extinction Rebellion was not involved in that incident.

Extinction Rebellion has pushed the climate crisis up the political agenda, with more than 1,000 volunteers willingly arrested over 11 days of peaceful London protests in April that forced parliament to declare a symbolic 'climate emergency'.

Aviation emissions have come under fresh scrutiny since the British government adopted a new legally binding commitment last week to cut the country's carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 - a first among the world's biggest economies.

Building a third runway would make that goal harder to reach, according to scientists, who project that Earth's climate system is fast heading towards irreversible tipping points. (Reporting by Matthew Green Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)(Adds Grenblatt saying peace plan may be presented in November, Katz comment)

JERUSALEM, June 16 (Reuters) - Israelis will attend a U.S-led conference in Bahrain next week on proposals for the Palestinian economy as part of a coming peace plan, Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday.

The United States has billed the gathering as a workshop to boost the Palestinian economy as part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump's administration to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A source briefed on the event told Reuters Israel would send a business delegation but no government officials to the June 25-26 workshop, which is being boycotted by the Palestinian leadership.

"Israel will be at the Bahrain conference and all the coordinations will be made," Katz told Israeli Channel 13 News in New York.

On Twitter, Katz later added that Israel's representation had yet to be decided and that the country's high-tech and innovation capabilities could greatly benefit development in the region.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what level of representation Israel was expected to have at the conference.

U.S. officials have said they are inviting economy and finance ministers, as well as business leaders, to Bahrain to discuss investment in the Palestinian territories.

Palestinian leaders have spurned the conference, alleging pro-Israeli bias from Washington.

The Palestinians say the still unpublished U.S. peace plan falls short of their goal of statehood. They blame a halt in U.S. aid and Israeli restrictions for an economic crisis in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

A White House official said on Tuesday that Egypt, Jordan and Morocco planned to attend the conference.

Egypt and Jordan's participation is considered particularly important because they have historically been major players in Middle East peace efforts and are the only Arab states that have peace treaties with Israel.

Story continues

One of the sources briefed on the event told Reuters that U.S. and Bahrain had deliberated over whether a non-official Israeli presence was preferable to a government-level delegation, given that Israel currently has a caretaker government in place, pending a September election.

A second source said Israel would be sending a private business delegation.

Trump's plan faces delays due to political upheaval in Israel, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a government last month and must fight a second election this year, set for Sept. 17.

Trump's Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt said the unveiling of the peace plan may be delayed until November, when a new Israeli government is expected to be in place.

"Had the election not been called again perhaps we would have released it during the summer," Greenblatt said at a Jerusalem Post Conference in New York on Sunday.

"If we wanted to wait until a new government is formed we really do have to wait until potentially as late as November 6 but we'll decide that after Bahrain," said Greenblatt.

(Reporting by Dan Williams and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Steve Holland in Washington; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne/Mark Potter/Jane Merriman)(Adds Trump tweet)

By Rami Amichay

BERUCHIM, Golan Heights, June 16 (Reuters) - Israel approved in principle on Sunday a new community named after U.S. President Donald Trump on a contested frontier zone with Syria - but construction looked likely to lag given Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political stumbles.

The "Trump Heights" project is intended to cement ties after Trump broke with other world powers to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the plateau in March.

At a special cabinet session in Beruchim, a sparse clutch of homes just 12 km (7.5 miles) from the Golan Heights armistice line with Syria, Netanyahu unveiled a sign labelled "Trump Heights" in English and Hebrew.

The sign was decorated with the Israeli and U.S. flags and planted on a patch of synthetic grass.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in a 1967 war and later annexed and settled it - moves not accepted by most world powers, who deem it to be occupied Syrian territory.

Ongoing hostilities between Israel and Syria, and internal Syrian fighting that drew Iranian-backed auxiliaries to back Damascus and deploy near the Golan, helped Netanyahu make his case for Trump to recognise the Israeli claim of sovereignty.

Trump similarly delighted Israelis - while appalling other world powers - by recognising Jerusalem as their capital and withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

"Trump is a great friend of Israel," Netanyahu said.

"He has torn the mask off this hypocrisy which doesn't recognise the obvious."

"Thank you PM @Netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor!" Trump said on Twitter.

"DUMMY RESOLUTION"

Israeli authorities hope a revamping of Beruchim, home to an ageing immigrant community from the former Soviet Union, to "Trump Heights" might bring an influx of residents, and Netanyahu called the day historic.

But a June 12 memorandum from his office showed the plan was far from implementation: it lacks earmarked funds as well as final approval for its precise location and name.

Story continues

"In this (cabinet) resolution, it is proposed that the name of the community, if it is founded, be 'Trump Heights'," said the memorandum, signed by a deputy legal counsellor, Yael Cohen.

The hesitancy was in part due to the fact that Netanyahu heads a caretaker government, having failed to form a coalition after an inconclusive national election in April. The conservative four-term premier must now contest a Sept. 17 re-run vote.

Netanyahu's centre-left rivals ridiculed Sunday's ceremony.

"Whoever reads the small print on the 'historic' resolution understands that it is a dummy-resolution," tweeted Zvi Hauser, an ex-Netanyahu cabinet secretary now with an opposition party.

The political upheaval appears to have put a spanner in the works of a long-awaited U.S. proposal for Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Trump advisers had predicted the plan would be made public this month, but officials now say that is unlikely to happen until after the September election. (Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)* Imamoglu narrowly won March vote, authorities annulled contest

* First televised debate of its kind since AK Party came to power

* Opinion polls put Imamoglu up to several percentage points ahead (Adds quotes, background)

By Daren Butler

ISTANBUL, June 16 (Reuters) - Istanbul's mayoral candidates argued over the election they contested in March and their policy plans in a rare televised debate on Sunday, a week before a re-run vote seen as a test of Turkish democracy and President Tayyip Erdogan's AK party.

In the first debate of its kind in Turkey in nearly two decades, AKP candidate Binali Yildirim faced the opposition's Ekrem Imamoglu, who won the initial vote in March but was ousted from city hall when the result was annulled in May.

Yildirim, a former prime minister, narrowly lost the contest in what was one of the biggest election setbacks for Erdogan since the AKP first came to power in 2002. His party also lost control of the capital Ankara.

But in a decision last month that raised new questions over Turkey's institutional independence, the High Election Board scheduled the re-run on June 23 after a series of AKP complaints that the initial vote was marred by irregularities.

"Strange thing happened when your votes were counted," Yildirim said on Sunday, describing the March contest. "Votes were stolen," he said, without naming any culprit.

"Who stole votes for God's sake?" responded Imamoglu, of the Republican People's Party (CHP), saying the election board had made no such allegation in its decision to annul the vote.

"We are conducting a struggle for democracy," Imamoglu said during heated exchanges. "It is a struggle for Istanbul, for normalisation, for a clean administration free of arrogance."

The three-hour event, which ranged from Turkey's economic troubles and the large numbers of migrants in Istanbul to the shortage of green spaces in the city of 15 million, was broadcast on all major channels. Large screens were also set up in the streets.

Story continues

CHANGE IN CAMPAIGN STRATEGY

The country's last prominent televised debate between political leaders was in October 2002, when Erdogan faced then-CHP chairman Deniz Baykal a week before the parliamentary election that marked the AKP's breakthrough.

The party's campaign for this month's contest is vastly different from the lead-up to the March 31 vote when Erdogan delivered tough nationalist messages at mass rallies each day. This time he is keeping a low profile.

In a speech on Sunday, he questioned why foreign media were so interested in "just a mayor being elected", stressing that the city council was dominated by his AK Party.

Opinion polls have consistently shown Imamoglu leading, in some cases by several percentage points.

The rebooted AKP campaign has focused on Yildirim and a more conciliatory tone as it seeks to win over voters who have deserted the party and its nationalist MHP party allies.

Erdogan launched his own political career as Istanbul mayor before leading the AK Party to power. The AKP and its Islamist predecessors had controlled Istanbul and Ankara for 25 years before March's electoral defeats.

The election is being closely watched in financial markets, with the political uncertainty weighing on the lira, which was hit by a crisis last year and is still under pressure due to Turkey's fraying ties with the United States.

Final results from the March election showed the CHP's Imamoglu earning 48.80% of votes, while Yildirim had 48.55%.

(Reporting by Daren Butler; Editing by Jonathan Spicer, John Stonestreet and Sonya Hepinstall)(Updates with appearance of National Guard in southern border)

By Roberto Ramirez

TAPACHULA, Mexico, June 16 (Reuters) - Mexican officials detained nearly 800 undocumented migrants on Saturday, the government said, in one of the biggest swoops against illegal immigration in recent months, as members of the National Guard began patrolling the southern border.

Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM) said in a statement late on Saturday that 791 foreign nationals were found in four trucks stopped in the eastern state of Veracruz, confirming earlier reports about a mass detention.

The apprehension came as Mexico steps up efforts to reduce a surge of migrants toward the U.S. border under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who vowed to hit Mexican goods with tariffs if Mexico does not do more to stem illegal immigration.

As part of those efforts, Mexico has pledged to deploy 6,000 National Guard members along its border with Guatemala.

Although there have been few signs of that deployment so far, a Reuters reporter near the border in Tapachula this weekend saw a handful of security officials wearing National Guard insignia and spoke to others in military outfits who said they were part of the guard.

Mexico made a deal on June 7 with the United States to avert the tariffs, setting the clock ticking on a 45-day period for the Mexican government to make palpable progress in reducing the numbers of people trying to cross the U.S. border illegally.

There has been a jump in apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border this year, angering Trump, who has made reducing illegal immigration one of his signature policy pledges.

Most of those caught attempting to enter the United States are people fleeing poverty and violence in three troubled Central American nations, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Mexico's decision to tighten its border and respond to Trump's threats has caused tensions within the government, and on Friday, the head of the INM, Tonatiuh Guillen, resigned.

He was replaced by Francisco Garduno, who had previously served as the head of Mexico's prison system. (Reporting by by Roberto Ramirez in Tapachula and Dave Graham in Mexico City Editing by Nick Zieminski and Sonya Hepinstall)(Adds key comments, context)

RIYADH, June 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's crown prince blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and called on the international community to take a "decisive stand" but said in an interview published on Sunday that the kingdom does not want a war in the region.

Attacks on two oil tankers on Thursday, which the United States also blamed on Iran, have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region. Iran has denied any role in the strikes south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route and major transit route for oil.

The explosions that damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous occurred while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran trying to help ease rising tensions between the United States and Iran.

"The Iranian regime did not respect the Japanese prime minister's visit to Tehran and while he was there replied to his efforts by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese," Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was quoted as saying in an interview with the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

"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," he said.

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. (Reporting By Marwa Rashad and Ali Abdelaty, writing by Stephen Kalin; editing by Diane Craft)(Adds details, background)

RIYADH, June 16 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's crown prince said on Sunday that the government will finalise privatisation deals worth 2 billion riyals ($533 million) before the end of this year, according to an interview with the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

The privatisation drive is part of Vision 2030, a package of reforms led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that is intended to wean the economy off oil and create jobs for young Saudis.

The expected deals will be in sectors that include rain silos, medical and shipping services.

The government will next year offer privatisation projects in the education sector with investments worth around 1 billion riyals, according to the interview.

The government's aim to attract investment into everything from education to sports, a cornerstone of its effort to trim dependence on oil revenues, has been mired by some holdups and fallout from the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Riyadh had previously set a goal of aiming to generate 35 billion to 40 billion riyals ($9.3 billion to $10.0 billion) of non-oil state revenues from its privatisation program by 2020. Some of that money would come from asset sales, while the rest would come from public-private partnerships.

But that drive has had some false-starts. The most high-profile was the shelving of proposals to float shares in oil giant Aramco.

The crown prince, known as MbS, said the government remains committed to Aramco IPO, expecting it to take place between 2020 and early 2021.

He added that recent Aramco acquisition of a majority stake in petrochemical giant SABIC would help its growth potentials and profitability amid usual oil market volatility.

He said the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund (PIF) is playing a major role in the economic diversification process and that its assets has doubled in two years to 1 trillion riyals.

(Reporting by Marwa Rashad; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Diane Craft)* Ex-president charged with graft linked to gifts, FX

* Is his first public appearance since ousted in April

* Was charged in May with involvement in killings (Adds deputy military council head)

By Khalid Abdelaziz

KHARTOUM, June 16 (Reuters) - Sudan's ex-president Omar al-Bashir was charged with corruption-related offences on Sunday, as he appeared in public for the first time since he was overthrown and detained in April.

Looking much the same as prior to his removal by the military, he was driven to the prosecutor's office in Khartoum.

He was charged with illicit possession of foreign currency and accepting gifts in an unofficial manner, prosecutor Alaa al-Din Abdallah told media, adding that Bashir would be given the chance to respond to the accusations.

His trial will be a test of how serious the country's transitional military council is about trying to erase the legacy of his autocratic 30-year rule, marked by widespread violence, economic collapse and the secession of South Sudan.

Bashir was charged last month with incitement and involvement in the killing of protesters, and prosecutors also want him questioned over suspected money laundering and terrorism financing.

Sudan's chief prosecutor said on Saturday that 41 former officials from Bashir's administration were being investigated for suspected graft.

POLITICAL PARALYSIS

The military overthrew and detained Bashir on April 11 after 16 weeks of street protests against his rule.

But despite his ouster, Sudan remains paralysed by a political standoff between a transitional military council and a coalition of protesters and opposition parties demanding a civilian-led administration during a planned transition to democracy.

Talks on a power-sharing deal have collapsed, and tensions soared on June 3 when security forces stormed a protest camp in Khartoum being maintained as a way to press military rulers to hand over power.

Protesters put the number of dead from the incursion at 128, and the health ministry at 61.

Story continues

Military investigators on Saturday said that government officers of various ranks were found to have been responsible for the dispersal of the camp without approval.

Addressing supporters at the presidential palace, the deputy head of the military council said on Sunday it was ready to accept nominees for top government positions proposed by the coalition.

"We are actually not in dispute and we are partners in this glorious revolution," General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo said. "They say a technocratic government and we are ready".

(Reporting by Eltayeb Siddig; Writing by Yousef Saba and Sami Aboudi Editing by John Stonestreet)(Adds Cavusoglu comments, background)

By Daren Butler

ISTANBUL, June 16 (Reuters) - A Turkish observation post in Syria's Idlib region was attacked with mortar fire and shelling from an area controlled by Syrian government forces, causing damage but no casualties, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry said its forces immediately retaliated with heavy weapons and it made representations to Moscow over the incident, the second attack of its kind within a week.

"It is impossible for us to tolerate the regime's harassment targeting our soldiers. We will put them in their place," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a televised speech in the southern Turkish province of Hatay, bordering Syria.

The ministry did not specify when the shelling occurred, but said the attack was launched from what it named the Tall Bazan area and it was assessed to be deliberate.

Russia, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's civil war, and Turkey, long a backer of rebels, co-sponsored a de-escalation agreement for the area that has been in place since last year.

But the deal has faltered in recent months, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee. Idlib is the last remaining bastion for anti-government rebels after eight years of civil war.

Cavusoglu said the latest "aggression" was contrary to the Idlib agreement which Turkey signed with Russia.

"It is the responsibility of Iran and Russia, with which we have worked in close cooperation on Syria, to halt the regime," he added.

On Thursday Russia and Syria gave sharply conflicting accounts of a previous attack on a different Turkish outpost.

Turkey blamed Syrian government forces for that earlier attack but Moscow said it was carried out by Assad's rebel enemies. Russia said on Wednesday that a full ceasefire had been put in place in the area, but Turkey denied this.

The latest incidents highlighted the erosion of the de-escalation deal, agreed last year to shield Idlib from a government assault.

Story continues

The region is home to hundreds of thousands of people who fled other parts of Syria as government forces advanced through the country since Moscow joined the war on the side of Assad in 2015, tipping the conflict in his favour.

Since April, government forces have increased their shelling and bombing of the area, killing scores of people.

The rebels say the government action is part of a campaign for an assault that would breach the de-escalation agreement. The government and its Russian allies say the action is in response to rebel violations, including the presence of fighters in a demilitarised zone. (Reporting by Daren Butler Editing by Andrew Heavens and Jane Merriman)(Adds Pompeo on military force, Senator Cotton quotes)

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - The United States does not want to go to war with Iran but will take every action necessary, including diplomacy, to guarantee safe navigation through vital shipping lanes in the Middle East, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.

U.S.-Iran tensions are high following accusations by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump that Tehran carried out attacks last Thursday on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, a vital oil shipping route. Iran has denied having any role.

"We don't want war. We've done what we can to deter this," Pompeo said in an interview with 'Fox News Sunday', adding: "The Iranians should understand very clearly that we will continue to take actions that deter Iran from engaging in this kind of behavior."

Pompeo, a former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, also defended the administration's conclusion that Iran was behind the attack, saying there was other evidence beyond video footage released last week. "The intelligence community has lots of data, lots of evidence. The world will come to see much of it."

Saudi Arabia on Saturday joined the United States in blaming Iran for the attacks and called for the international community to take swift action to secure Gulf energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz is a major transit route for oil from Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude exporter, and other Gulf producers.

Pompeo said the United States would take "all actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise" to guarantee safe passage through vital shipping lanes, without providing further details. The secretary of state said the U.S. was discussing a possible international response, saying he had made a number of calls to foreign officials on Saturday regarding the attacks.

He cited China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia as countries that rely heavily on freedom of navigation through the straits. "I'm confident that when they see the risk, the risk of their own economies and their own people and outrageous behavior of the Islamic Republic of Iran, they will join us in this."

Story continues

The United States is already embroiled in a standoff with Iran over its nuclear program, and has blamed the Middle Eastern country and its surrogates for other acts of aggression in recent months including previous attacks on oil tankers in May and the targeting of U.S. drones in Yemen.

In a separate television interview with CBS' "Face the Nation," Pompeo left open the possibility of U.S. military action in the region but declined to discuss what form that might take.

Some conservative congressional Republicans on Sunday called on the Trump administration to take a tough stance.

Senator Tom Cotton, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees, told CBS: "Unprovoked attacks on commercial shipping warrant a retaliatory military strike" that he said Trump already is authorized to launch under U.S. law.

Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House of Representatives Republican, said the White House had been briefing Congress on Iran. "We don't want to see it escalate to where it is a military operation," he told NBC's "Meet the Press," adding: "But we have to stand up to Iran."

However, Democratic Representative Adam Schiff, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, cast doubt on America's ability to rally the international community to protect shipping lanes and impose sanctions, saying it had alienated its allies. He said the evidence pointing to Iran being behind Thursday's attacks was "compelling."

"The problem is that we are struggling, even in the midst of this solid evidence, to persuade our allies to join us in any kind of a response and it shows just how isolated the United States has become," he told CBS' "Face the Nation."

(Reporting by Richard Cowan and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Michelle Price)CHARLESTON, S.C.  Four Democratic presidential contenders discussed ways to address the economic problems that plague black Americans during a Saturday presidential forum here, the first state where nonwhite voters will have a key opportunity to shape the race for the Democratic Partys presidential nomination in 2020.

All four candidates at the event  South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke; and Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey  talked up the need to increase access to capital for minority business owners, as well as other recommendations aimed at tackling the persistent wealth gap between white and black Americans, such as student loan forgiveness and affordable housing.

But while all the contenders received good marks for their comments on stage, Warrens performance appeared to have made the biggest impression, earning the senator from Massachusetts a large standing ovation.

She came out gunning for fire and made a connection with the audience that I didnt expect. Its so bizarre because when you see her on TV, [you see] the quick little snippets, but  sweet God. I thought she was marvelous, said Joy Vandervort-Cobb, an African-American teacher at the College of Charleston.

Warren opened her remarks at the forum with a tribute to the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, which occurred four years ago this weekend. She said the American dream remained out of reach for black Americans and touted her plans to cancel student debt for many young people and fund historically black colleges and universities. The senator also plugged her newest proposal, one aimed at boosting minority entrepreneurs by offering federal grants to aid the launch of new businesses.

She then turned directly to the audience and launched into her campaign windup, citing her familys financial struggles as she was growing up in Oklahoma.

Story continues

Its about building an America where not just those who are born in privilege can succeed, Warren said, explaining her proposed ultra-millionaire tax on the richest Americans.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was the only candidate who drew a standing ovation at a presidential forum in Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday. (Photo: Sean Rayford via Getty Images)

During his time on stage, ORourke touted his newly announced plan to increase procurement by the federal government of goods and services from minority-owned businesses. The Texas Democrat said more needed to be done to build affordable housing across the country, and he urged white Americans to have more awareness and knowledge about the real story of black Americans, adding that those kidnapped from Africa literally built the wealth of this country.

I think when we know the full American story, everyones going to be able to fully participate in this countrys success, ORourke said, citing his discussion a day earlier with citizens of the Gullah Geechee Nation, a unique West African culture in coastal South Carolina and Georgia.

Buttigieg also talked up changing the way the federal government procures resources to benefit minority-owned businesses, citing his Douglass Plan for Black America, which is named for abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The Democrat said it was important to empower people to live in integrated, economically and racially, integrated neighborhoods, but he disagreed with other candidates on the issue of broad student loan cancellations.

I just dont believe that all of us, especially low-income people, should be paying to cover the very last dollar, even for the child of a billionaire, going to a college, he said.

Asked later about his outreach to black voters and the relative lack of black voters at many of his campaign events, Buttigieg told reporters his campaign was working to step up outreach to activists and leaders in the African-American community.

We know its going to take extra work from us because Im not from a community of color and also was not famous when this process began, so weve got frankly an issue of a lot of people feeling like they dont know us, he said. Weve got a long way to go just in terms of name recognition. Were working very energetically, very actively in order to invite more people, especially black voters, into this campaign, into the process, and were beginning to see results.

Booker, the last candidate to speak who also got a standing ovation, described his experiences living in a low-income community in Newark, New Jersey, where he previously served as mayor. He pitched his legislation to create a baby bonds program, one that would give lower-income kids a sizable nest egg (nearly $50,000 in some cases) by the age of 18 that they could use for wealth-building purchases, like a down payment on a house or college tuition. And he stressed the need for more affordable housing.

If you are going to start singing the song Home of the Brave, we have to make sure working Americans have a home and a roof over their head and for their children, he said.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) spoke about his "baby bonds" program during Saturday's forum. (Photo: Sean Rayford via Getty Images)

Before the event, several candidates joined workers from McDonalds who were demanding that the company allow its workers to unionize. Others held discussions on criminal justice and economic issues for black Americans.

South Carolina is the fourth primary state on the nominating calendar, after Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. Over 60 percent of Democrats there are African American  making the Palmetto State a crucial early battleground. Nearly the entire field  23 candidates  will return to the state next weekend for an event hosted by House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.).

Still, former Vice President Joe Biden is threatening to pull away in the state, as he holds a commanding lead among likely Democratic voters in South Carolina  46 percent, according to a Post and Courier poll conducted last month. Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and California Sen. Kamala Harris ranked second and third, respectively.

African-American attendees who listened to candidates give remarks from the stage on Saturday left the forum more informed but not yet ready to commit to a particular horse.

Rose Nance, an engineer at Boeing, which has a plant in South Carolina, said she was impressed with ORourkes policy positions. She also liked Buttigiegs willingness to be open to change his policies based on conversations with voters.

Edward Bryant III, the president of the NAACPs North Charleston branch, said he liked what he heard.

I thought ORourke did a very good job explaining the history of black America, Bryant said, adding that the former congressman was one of the first candidates I have ever seen to start before slavery.

Angela Thompson, who works for a telecommunications company in Rock Hill, South Carolina, called Warren very relatable and personable, crediting her and Booker for their policy chops. But she said she felt Buttigieg was a little young.

But Warren, in particular, was cited by those in the audience as someone worth a longer look.

She was very good. Shes been consistent. Shes always talked about paying off school loans. Thats generational wealth. Because when black people come out of school, we cant get jobs. So you just owe money, said Sonya Fordham, a school teacher in Charleston.

Chiemeka Egwu, a flight attendant from South Carolina, also credited Warren for her policy proposals.

She had more concrete ideas with where the moneys coming from to back it up. You gotta show where the moneys coming from, Egwu said.

Related Coverage

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Here Are The Lineups For The First Democratic Debates

Valerie Jarrett Defends Biden On Hyde: It Was Good He Was Willing To Change

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.A Secret Service agent stands onstage before a Democratic presidential debate in Charleston, S.C., Jan. 17, 2016. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg)

Welcome to 2020 Vision, the Yahoo News column covering the presidential race. Reminder: There are 234 days until the Iowa caucuses and 507 days until the 2020 presidential election.

On Thursday, the Democratic National Committee named the 20 participants for the first debates of the 2020 primary, set to occur in Miami the nights of June 26 and 27. The DNC had laid out criteria in January for qualifying: At least 1 percent in three approved polls (either national or of early states) and/or 65,000 donors, with candidates who hit both marks securing a spot.

There has been some criticism that the rules were flawed. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton failed to make the cut while entrepreneur Andrew Yang and spiritualist author Marianne Williamson did, but campaigns have known the rules for most of the year. In March, Yahoo News reported on the efforts of Yang and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg  at the time considered a dark horse, now generally placing in the top five of most polls  to reach 65,000 donors.

We set forth the rules early, Tom Perez, the party chairman, said this week. We communicated them clearly to everybody. We got no objections when we communicated the rules of participation.

Heres the full list of candidates who qualified, with those who hit both the polling and fundraising marks in bold. Those not in bold qualified via polling:

Night One

Courtesy of NBC News

Sen. Cory Booker, New Jersey

Former Housing Secretary Julian Castro

Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York City

Former Rep. John Delaney, Maryland

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Hawaii

Gov. Jay Inslee, Washington

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota

Former Rep. Beto ORourke, Texas

Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts

Night Two

Courtesy of NBC News

Sen. Michael Bennet, Colorado

Former Vice President Joe Biden

Mayor Pete Buttigieg, South Bend, Ind.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, New York

Sen. Kamala Harris, California

Former Gov. John Hickenlooper, Colorado

Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vermont

Rep. Eric Swalwell of California

Author Marianne Williamson

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang

While the DNC said its intention was to split up the groups evenly so there wasnt a so-called varsity and junior varsity debate, the nights ended up lopsided, with Warren on one night and the rest of the current favorites  Biden, Buttigieg, Harris and Sanders  on another.

Story continues

Candidates who failed to qualify for Junes debates will still have a chance to make it for the follow-up, July 30 and 31 in Detroit. After that, the qualifications get tougher for the third set of debates in September: Have 130,000 donors by the end of August and hit 2 percent in four approved polls.

The June debates will air on NBC News, MSNBC and Telemundo. Considering the debates will be 120 minutes each, split among 10 candidates, minus time for commercials and questions, candidates will need to plan for limited time to make their mark in a crowded field.

Pete Buttigieg makes his way Wednesday to a rally near the White House protesting President Trumps policies. (Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AP)

Trump surveys the 2020 field

In an interview with his favorite morning television show Friday, President Trump gave his latest assessment of the 2020 Democratic presidential field  replete with insults both new and old.

Everybody knows Joe [Biden] doesnt have it, Trump said on Fox & Friends. Now I see that Pocahontas [Trumps disparaging nickname for Elizabeth Warren] is doing better. I would love to run against her, frankly. I see that Bernie Sanders is not doing well at all. I dont see the other ones [winning the Democratic nomination]. I really dont see it. They talk about Kamala. I dont see Kamala. I don't see  I think its probably between the three of them [Biden, Warren and Sanders]. Mayor Pete [Buttigieg], I dont see at all. I think thats a joke.

While Trump may mock his would-be opponents, a Quinnipiac University poll released this week found all five leading him among voters nationally:

 Biden (53 percent); Trump (40 percent)

 Sanders (51 percent); Trump (42 percent)

 Harris (49 percent); Trump (41 percent)

 Warren (49 percent); Trump (42 percent)

 Buttigieg (47 percent); Trump (42 percent)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks during a town hall in Oakland in May. (Photo: Stephen Lam/Reuters)

Trump isn't afraid of Warren. But he should be.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, whose presidential campaign almost self-destructed before it began over her clumsy use of DNA testing in a pointless argument about whether she is descended from Native Americans, has picked herself up in the race for the 2020 Democratic nomination. Yahoo News Jerry Adler explains why her rise should scare Trump:

Warren is a tenacious campaigner but an inexperienced candidate who got rattled by Donald Trumps Pocahontas gibes; she has a compelling personal narrative as a child of the working class who rose to Harvard and the U.S. Senate, but she cant seem to sell it convincingly to voters; her attempts to project homeyness come off as forced and self-conscious. She has risen by her own tenacity, a detailed and coherent set of policy ideas, and her uncanny ability to persuasively explain and defend them to voters.

And that would seem to make her a natural as a candidate to challenge the most policy-ignorant, belligerent and verbally incoherent president in American history.

[...]

Theres a characteristic Democratic fatalism in the conviction that the country wont vote for a female president, barely a decade after it elected a black man with an exotic name and background. If Barack Obama had lost the election, we would be hearing from Democrats who say they like Cory Booker but are supporting someone else because, you know, 2008. Warrens persistent climb in the polls after having been written off at the start is the best response to that kind of argument. But for her and all the women running this year, 2008 should be the discussion-ending answer to the assertion that the American people will never elect an X president, where X is some category other than white man.

Warren may have other obstacles to overcome, such as her asserted lack of likability, which is an occupational hazard faced by many female candidates, caught between the need to come across as a plausible leader of the free world and the rule that women shouldnt discomfit male voters by appearing too smart or assertive. But I call BS on that idea, which ought to have disappeared along with red-tipped Marlboros that dont show lipstick smudges. Smart and assertive is Warrens brand. If shes going to win, it will be on those qualities.

Beto ORourke participates in the Capital City Pride Fun Run 5K in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday. (Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP)

Beto says hes unfazed by sinking poll numbers

Beto ORourke is currently polling at just 2 percent in Iowa, well behind former Vice President Biden (24 percent), Sen. Bernie Sanders (16 percent), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (15 percent) and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Buttigieg (14 percent).

But the former Texas congressman told Yahoo News that hes not too concerned.

There is a lot of time before the Iowa caucuses. Weve never been guided by a poll before,  ORourke said Saturday at the opening of his Cedar Rapids field office. If you were to look at the Texas Senate race, the first couple of months after we were in [the primary], no poll was going to say that we were going to win. When I first ran for Congress in 2012, against an incumbent and against some very long odds no poll at any point said that we were going to win. And yet we did. And if I am lucky enough to to be the nominee and then to become the president of the United States, no poll will guide the decisions that I make.

He added: Im going to continue to meet with people to show up to listen, to learn to include as many people as I can, not just into our campaign, but into our democracy at this defining moment of truth for the country.

Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., holds a town hall meeting in Grand Rapids in May. (Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

House primaries heat up

While the presidential race has understandably sucked up most of the oxygen in the primary room, there will be 469 federal legislative races next year in the House and Senate. Two House races, one on each side of the aisle, stood out this week as interesting.

Rep. Justin Amash, of Michigans Third District in the western section of the lower peninsula, has become a Republican target after voicing support for an impeachment inquiry into Trump. State Rep. Jim Lower has already announced his intention to challenge Amash in the primary, and a poll released this week showed the incumbent trailing. Donald Trump Jr. retweeted the result along with the implication hed be on the trail in support of Lower, writing, See you soon Justin... I hear Michigan is beautiful during primary season.

Amash then retweeted the presidents son with if its what you say I love it especially later in the summer, a reference to the email Trump Jr. sent setting up a meeting with a representative of the Russian government at Trump Tower in June 2016.

On the Democratic side, the progressive group that backed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs insurgent campaign has found a challenger for Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas moderate in the states 28th District. The Justice Democrats have selected Jessica Cisneros, a 26-year-old immigration and human rights attorney, to take on Cuellar. Cisneros is off to a strong start in her fundraising, as the Justice Democrats said Friday that she raised $80,000 on the first day of her campaign.

Attempts to unseat incumbents are generally long shots, but if Cisneros gets the support of some of the sitting Justice Democrats  Ocasio-Cortez, but also Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan  she could get national attention for her challenge. For their part, establishment Democrats have attempted to protect incumbents, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announcing earlier this year it would blackball any consultants that work with primary challengers.

if it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer https://t.co/KmtA2khvLs  Justin Amash (@justinamash) June 13, 2019

How old is too old to be president?

If current polling is an indication, voters in 2020 may be choosing between the oldest pair of candidates in an American presidential election. Yahoo News Mike Bebernes breaks down the looming debate over age:

President Trump is 73. His leading challengers thus far on the Democratic side, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, would be 78 and 79 respectively, at the start of their first term. Elizabeth Warren will be 71 on Inauguration Day. Each of the four would be the oldest president ever at the end of a potential second term.

At the same time, the Democratic field features some of the youngest candidates to mount a serious presidential campaign. At 37, Mayor Pete Buttigieg would be the youngest president ever, if elected. The Constitution requires a president to be over age 35, but theres no age limit for the position.

But the possibility that the next president will be over 70 has raised concerns on multiple fronts. Some worry that someone of advanced age would struggle to physically manage the rigors of the job. Others raise the possibility of the president experiencing mental decline while in office.

Outside of fitness for the position, some also question how effectively a president from the baby-boomer generation would represent voters who increasingly come from younger generations. One Democratic consultant called the issue the 78-year-old elephant in the room.

That view is countered by those who say candidates should be judged individually for their ability to meet the challenges of the presidency. The grueling campaign schedule and large number of debates will give each person the opportunity to prove their vigor, they argue. Others contend that to assume an older person will suffer from Alzheimers disease or dementia is to resort to ageism.

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a town hall meeting in Ottumwa, Iowa, on Tuesday. (Photo: Matthew Putney/AP)

Verbatim

If you dont hear what it is, you dont know what it is.

 President Trump, on Fox & Friends, attempting to clarify his stunning admission that he would accept damaging information against his political rivals from foreign governments without necessarily alerting the FBI

I would support impeachment proceedings beginning now.

 Sen. Amy Klobuchar, on CNN, after President Trump said he would listen if a foreign power offered dirt on a 2020 political rival

We must recognize that in the 21st century, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, economic rights are human rights. And that is what I mean by democratic socialism.

 Sen. Bernie Sanders in a speech this week on the label disparaged by conservatives and at least one Democratic hopeful

Democrats must say loudly and clearly that we are not socialists. If we do not, we will be helping to reelect the worst president in this nations history.

 Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, in Washington, D.C., responding to Sanderss embrace of democratic socialism

Of course I could.

 Anita Hill, on NBC, when asked whether she could conceive of casting a ballot for former Vice President Joe Biden

We have our own Jackie O today. Its called Melania.

 President Trump, on Fox & Friends, when asked to defend his decision to change the iconic Air Force One paint job devised under former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Read more original 2020 coverage from Yahoo News:Gold Cash Gold | Photo: Jane Z./Yelp

Looking to satisfy your appetite for French fare?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top French spots around Detroit, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to satisfy your cravings.

1. Gold Cash Gold

PHOTO: RITA G./YELP

Topping the list is Gold Cash Gold. Located at 2100 Michigan Ave. in Millenium Village, the cocktail bar, French and traditional American spot is the highest-rated French restaurant in Detroit, boasting four stars out of 466 reviews on Yelp.

2. Le Detroit Macaron

Photo: JANE Z./Yelp

Next up is Le Detroit Macaron, situated at 2756 Evaline St. With five stars out of 14 reviews on Yelp, the spot to score macarons has proven to be a local favorite.

3. Balkan House

PHOTO: BALKAN HOUSE/YELP

Balkan House, located at 3028 Caniff St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the creperie, modern European and Mediterranean spot 4.5 stars out of 15 reviews.

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.Photo: Kith + Kin/Yelp

Interested in checking out the newest businesses to open in Philadelphia? From a French bistro to a children's play space, read on for the newest spots to open their doors recently.

Bistro La Bete

Photo: Melissa P./Yelp

Stop by 1703 S. Ninth St. in East Passyunk and you'll find Bistro La Bete, a new French spot. So far, it's been well-received: it's got a five-star rating out of seven reviews on Yelp.

"(Bistro La Bete) is an old-school French BYOB in the heart of South Philly," according to the business's Facebook page.

This spot comes from the owners of The Gables Bed and Breakfast Philadelphia in collaboration with executive chef Michael O"Halloran, according to its website. On the menu, look for crispy fried rainbow trout or green vegetable gazpacho.

Stina

Photo: Jonathan M./Yelp

Stroll past 1705 Snyder Ave. in Newbold and you'll find Stina, a new Mediterranean spot, offering pizza and more.

Owner and chef Bobby Saritsoglou called this spot a "love letter to my wife," according to Philly Metro. The husband and wife restauranteurs offer a menu featuring specialty wood-fired pizza, pasta and Italian hoagie sandwiches.

Kith + Kin

Photo: kith + kin/Yelp

Wander over to 3060 W. Jefferson St., Suite K in Brewerytown and you'll find Kith + Kin, a venues and event space and kids activity spot.

This spot, which was founded by duo Eden Coffey and Jess Jones, offers a children's play space, educational courses and support groups that foster "connection, growth and empowerment," according to its website.

Along with a cafe and lounge, look for workshops centered on breastfeeding, child development and postpartum mental health.

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.Scientists have discovered the perfectly preserved head of an Ice Age-era wolf that died at least 40,000 years ago in eastern Siberia, reports say.

Researchers found the wolfs head back in August 2018 in the Arctic region of Yakutia, with the Siberian regions permafrost preserving the animals brain, tongue, tissues and fur, according to the Associated Press.

The animal lived alongside the mammoths, and both species became extinct at the same time, according to Valery Plotnikov, a researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences, the AP reported.

Scientists concluded the wolfs head belonged to an adult, which would have been roughly 25 percent bigger than their contemporary counterparts that exist today.

The remains were discovered last year by locals who were searching the area for mammoth ivory, CNN reported. However, scientists only recently revealed the discovery and its significance amongst researchers.

RELATED: Whos Your Mommy? Why A Screech Owl Helped a Wood Duck Hatch and Raise Her Duckling

Plotnikov and fellow researchers hailed the discovery as a scientific milestone, as scientists have never found wolf skulls complete with fur and tissues.

This is the first time the head of an ancient wolf has been found whose soft tissue has been preserved after 40,000 years, a grown wolf, Albert Protopopov, director of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Sakha, told CNN.

The Ice Age-era wolfs head, with its perfectly intact brain, is being further examined and investigated.Tacos Selene | Photo: Carly P./Yelp

Looking for a mouthwatering Mexican meal near you?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Mexican restaurants around Aurora, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture when cravings strike.

1. Tacos Selene

Photo: mary p./Yelp

Topping the list is Tacos Selene. Located at 15343 E. Sixth Ave., Suite A, in Laredo Highline, the Mexican spot is the highest-rated budget-friendly Mexican restaurant in Aurora, boasting 4.5 stars out of 318 reviews on Yelp.

Menu items include burritos, tortas and quesadillas.

2. Tacos La Morenita

Photo: ann p./Yelp

Next up is Meadow Wood's Tacos La Morenita, situated at 15493 E. Hampden Ave. With 4.5 stars out of 200 reviews on Yelp, the Mexican spot has proved to be a local favorite for those looking for a low-priced option.

On its menu you'll find tacos, sopes and green chili nachos.

3. Taqueria Corona

Photo: taqueria corona/Yelp

Village East's Taqueria Corona, located at 2222 S. Havana St., Unit I, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the inexpensive Mexican spot 4.5 stars out of 51 reviews.

On the menu you'll find carne asada, gorditas and quesadillas.

4. Takero Mucho

Photo: lydia o./Yelp

Takero Mucho, a Mexican spot in Village East, is another budget-friendly go-to, with four stars out of 119 Yelp reviews. Head over to 12028 E. Mississippi Ave. to see for yourself.

Menu items include tamales, pupusas and tortas.

5. Sabor Mexican Grill

Photo: chance h./Yelp

Over in City Center North, check out Sabor Mexican Grill, which has earned four stars out of 105 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Mexican, breakfast and brunch and Tex-Mex spot by heading over to 14301 E. Cedar Ave.

On the menu you'll find huevos rancheros, fajitas and flautas.

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.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 ...Pete Alonso's mammoth three-run homer fueled a five-run first inning Saturday night for the New York Mets, who hung on for an eventful 8-7 win over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

The Mets snapped a two-game losing streak but might have lost winning pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who exited with none out in the seventh due to a right hamstring strain.

The Cardinals lost for the second time in six games.

Alonso's homer off Michael Wacha (4-3) bounced off the facing along the third deck in left field at Citi Field.

J.D. Davis collected a career-high four hits, including a solo homer in the second, and finished a triple shy of the cycle for the Mets, who received RBIs in the first from Wilson Ramos (double) and Carlos Gomez (sacrifice fly). New York added pivotal insurance runs in the sixth via an RBI single by Michael Conforto and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Todd Frazier.

The Cardinals scored once apiece in the first (Dexter Fowler homer), third (Marcell Ozuna RBI single) and fifth (Fowler sacrifice fly) before scoring three times in the seventh and threatening in the eighth.

In the seventh, Syndergaard gave up a leadoff single to Yairo Munoz before leaving during an at-bat against Jose Martinez, who finished off his walk against Robert Gsellman. Matt Carpenter followed with an RBI double, after which Fowler delivered a run-scoring single and Paul DeJong lofted a sacrifice fly. Ozuna then lined into an inning-ending double play.

Syndergaard (5-4) allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out five.

The Cardinals loaded the bases in the eighth against Seth Lugo, who escaped the jam by striking out Carpenter. Edwin Diaz barely earned his 15th save in the ninth, when he gave up a two-out RBI single to Yadier Molina. Kolten Wong followed with a bloop double to right, but Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil whirled and threw home to get pitcher Jack Flaherty, who was pinch-running for Molina, for the final out.

Story continues

Kolten Wong had two of six stolen bases by the Cardinals.

Wacha allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out four in four innings.

Home plate umpire Brian O'Nora left in the third inning, when he ran off the field in obvious discomfort shortly after taking a foul ball off his groin. O'Nora was replaced by first base umpire Chad Whitson.

--Field Level MediaCountry

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe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 11 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 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 Angels' 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 hit another two-strike pitch over the fence in left-center field with one out in the fourth for a 4-0 lead. Morton had allowed four home runs all season before Saturday.

--Field Level MediaHouston (AFP) - Moon rocks look rather nondescript -- they are often gray in color -- but for NASA planetary scientist Samuel Lawrence, they are the "most precious materials on Earth."

What is certain is that the lunar samples first gathered by Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong nearly 50 years ago have helped transform our understanding of the cosmos.

Apollo astronauts collected 842 pounds (382 kilograms) of rocks and soil during their six missions to the Moon between 1969 and 1972 and brought it all back to Earth.

"The Moon is the Rosetta Stone of the solar system," Lawrence, who works at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, said in an interview with AFP. "It's the cornerstone of planetary science."

"People don't fully appreciate just how important studying the Apollo samples was for understanding the solar system and the universe around us," he said.

"Many of the discoveries that we've made in planetary science, not just on the Moon, but on Mercury, on Mars, on some of the asteroids, directly relate to some of the results that we obtained during the Apollo missions."

Studying Apollo rocks has given scientists an understanding of how the Moon was created, roughly at the same time as Earth some 4.3 to 4.4 billion years ago.

Debris spent the next several hundred million years coalescing in Earth orbit into the Moon we have today, explained Lawrence.

"We learned that the interior structure of the Moon is like the Earth," he said. "It has a crust, it has a mantle and it has a core."

And while life evolved on Earth, "the Moon is lifeless," he said.

- New discoveries -

Several moon rocks are on display at the Johnson Space Center, where they attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

President Richard Nixon also gave moon rocks from Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 to all of the nations of the world -- 135, at the time -- as a token of US goodwill.

Story continues

But most of the moon rocks are kept at NASA's Lunar Sample Laboratory in Houston. Another cache of samples is stored at White Sands, New Mexico.

"They're kept in sealed sample containers in a secure vault that's capable of surviving hurricanes and many other natural disasters," Lawrence said.

Lunar samples are being handed out this year to scientists around the country for further study to mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.

"We're very careful," Lawrence said. "These are the most precious materials on Earth and they go through a rigorous process when scientists request a sample."

And while the samples have been in NASA hands for five decades, new discoveries are still being made.

"The rocks haven't changed but our ability to analyze them has in terms of laboratory equipment," Lawrence said.

Among the recent discoveries? Evidence of water.

"We're not talking about lots of water," Lawrence said. "But it's there and we didn't really appreciate it during the Apollo era."

Lawrence said he is excited about the possibility of sending astronauts back to the Moon, a goal President Donald Trump has set for 2024.

"The (Apollo) astronauts only directly explored an area that's roughly the size of a large suburban shopping mall," Lawrence said. "There's a lot of places on the Moon that we haven't yet explored."

"Six missions to the Moon transformed our understanding of the universe," he said. "Imagine what happens when we're going there for weeks or months at a time. It's going to be pretty spectacular."A trip to Costco to pick up steak and lobsters for Father's Day turned into mayhem for Nikki Tate and scores of other shoppers when shots rang out, leaving one dead and two injured inside the store in Corona, California.

Tate said she was by the meat section Friday when she heard about six or seven shots. She dropped to the ground and crawled toward her daughter, who was at the other end. They huddled until they and more than 100 others were able to escape.

Inside, Kenneth French, 32, of Riverside lay dead next to two of his relatives, who remain in critical condition.

French was shot after he attacked an off-duty Corona police officer who was holding his child, according to the Corona Police Department. The officer, whose name is being withheld, suffered minor injuries and was released; his child was not injured.

Corona is an inland Southern California suburb about 50 east of downtown Los Angeles. Police have opened an investigation.

Not surprisingly, the sounds of shots ringing out inside the cavernous bulk-shopping store caused shoppers to panic. Many stampeded for the doors, and others dived for safety amid the aisles stocked with food and household items.

Witnesses said they saw a man with a Mohawk haircut arguing with someone near a freezer section when shots thundered at least six times.

Shrieks from inside the store were heard on video recorded by shopper Tate, who had her daughter in tow.

I saw people and heard shots and my first thought was, Jesus, is this another mass shooting? she said. I didnt know if this was a random thing or a domestic thing or if this was a mass shooting. Everything was happening so fast, I just wanted to get me and my kid to safety.

In the video, her daughter says, Mommy, we need to go.

Christina Colis told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that she was in the produce area when she heard six to seven shots and hid with other shoppers in a refrigerated produce room. She said her mother saw people injured on the floor.

Story continues

I thought maybe someone dropped a bottle of wine, but then I kept hearing shots, Will Lungo told the Press-Enterprise newspaper. An employee came in and helped us out through the emergency exit.

Witnesses told KCAL-TV that shoppers and employees rushed to the exits. The station reported that more than 100 people were outside the store at one point. Left behind inside the store were purses, cellphones and backpacks from panicked shoppers, Corona police said.

The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Saturday that it was launching its own investigation into the shooting.

Lt. Jeff Edwards of the Corona Police Department told reporters just after the incident that police believed the shooting resulted from a dispute of some kind.

"From my understanding, from some people we talked to, there was apparently an argument inside," Edwards said.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Is this another mass shooting?' Panic at Corona, Calif., Costco as off-duty cop kills manNew Delhi (AFP) - India on Sunday imposed higher tariffs on 28 items imported from the US, in retaliation to Washington's recent withdrawal of trade privileges for New Delhi.

The increased duties apply to products including almonds, apples and walnuts, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs said.

India would "implement the imposition of retaliatory duties on 28 specified goods originating in or exported from (the) USA", it said in a notification.

The list initially included 29 goods but artemia, a kind of shrimp, has been removed from the list.

India is the number two market of California almonds and Washington apples.

The trade tensions come despite efforts from Washington to boost ties with India as a counterweight to China, and assertions made by both US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about their good relationship.

The stage for the row was set last year after Washington refused to exempt India from higher steel and aluminium tariffs, in keeping with Trump's decision to act against countries with which it has a large trade deficit.

India responded by saying it would raise import taxes on a slew of US goods.

But it delayed raising tariffs several times, hoping for negotiation to tackle the sticky trade issue.

However Trump's decision this month to strip New Delhi of its preferential trade status appears to have prompted the latest Indian move.

According to the new tariffs, import duty on walnut has been hiked to 120 percent from 30 percent and on chickpeas and lentils it has been raised to 70 percent from 30 percent currently.

The trade row is likely to be taken up when Trump and Modi meet at the G20 summit on June 28-29 in Osaka.

It is also likely to figure during talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who is set to visit India later this month.

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.BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)  A massive blackout left tens of millions of people without electricity in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay on Sunday in what the Argentine president called an "unprecedented" failure in the countries' power grid.

Authorities were working frantically to restore power, and by the evening electricity had returned to 98 percent of Argentina, according to state news agency Telam. Power also had been restored to most of Uruguay's 3 million people as well as to people in neighboring Paraguay.

On Sunday morning, Argentine voters were forced to cast ballots by the light of cellphones in gubernatorial elections. Public transportation was halted, shops closed and patients dependent on home medical equipment were urged to go to hospitals with generators.

"This is an unprecedented case that will be investigated thoroughly," Argentine President Mauricio Macri said on Twitter.

Argentina's power grid is generally known for being in a state of disrepair, with substations and cables that were insufficiently upgraded as power rates remained largely frozen for years.

The country's energy secretary said the blackout occurred at about 7 a.m. local time when a key Argentine interconnection system collapsed. By mid-afternoon nearly half of Argentina's 44 million people were still in the dark.

The Argentine energy company Edesur said on Twitter that the failure originated at an electricity transmission point between the power stations at the country's Yacyreta dam and Salto Grande in the country's northeast.

But why it occurred was still unknown.

An Argentine independent energy expert said that systemic operational and design errors played a role in the power grid's collapse.

"A localized failure like the one that occurred should be isolated by the same system," said Raul Bertero, president of the Center for the Study of Energy Regulatory Activity in Argentina. "The problem is known and technology and studies (exist) to avoid it."

Story continues

Energy Secretary Gustavo Lopetegui said workers were working to restore electricity nationwide by the end of the day.

"This is an extraordinary event that should have never happened," he told a news conference. "It's very serious."

Uruguay's energy company UTE said the failure in the Argentine system cut power to all of Uruguay for hours and blamed the collapse on a "flaw in the Argentine network."

In Paraguay, power in rural communities in the south, near the border with Argentina and Uruguay, was also cut. The country's National Energy Administration said service was restored by afternoon by redirecting energy from the Itaipu hydroelectric plant the country shares with neighboring Brazil.

In Argentina, only the southernmost province of Tierra del Fuego was unaffected by the outage because it is not connected to the main power grid.

Brazilian and Chilean officials said their countries had not been affected.

Many residents of Argentina and Uruguay said the size of the outage was unprecedented.

"I was just on my way to eat with a friend, but we had to cancel everything. There's no subway, nothing is working," said Lucas Acosta, a 24-year-old Buenos Aires resident. "What's worse, today is Father's Day. I've just talked to a neighbor and he told me his sons won't be able to meet him."

"I've never seen something like this," said Silvio Ubermann, a taxi driver in the Argentine capital. "Never such a large blackout in the whole country."

Several Argentine provinces had elections for governor on Sunday, which proceeded with voters using their phone screens and built-in flashlights to illuminate their ballots.

"This is the biggest blackout in history, I don't remember anything like this in Uruguay," said Valentina Gimenez, a resident of the capital, Montevideo. She said her biggest concern was that electricity be restored in time to watch the national team play in the Copa America football tournament Sunday evening.

Since taking office, Argentine President Macri has said that gradual austerity measures were needed to revive the country's struggling economy. He has cut red tape and tried to reduce the government's budget deficit by ordering job cuts and reducing utility subsidies, which he maintained was necessary to recuperate lost revenue due to years-long mismanagement of the electricity sector.

According to the Argentine Institute for Social Development, an average family in Argentina still pays 20 times less for electricity than similar households in neighboring countries.

The subsidies were a key part of the electricity policy of President Nestor Kirchner's 2003-2007 administration and the presidency of Kirchner's wife and successor, Cristina Fernandez in 2007-2015. Fernandez is now running for vice president in October elections.

______

Associated Press writers Patricia Luna in Santiago, Chile, and Natalie Schachar in Mexico City contributed to this report.DHAKA, June 16 (Reuters) - Bangladeshi authorities arrested a senior policeman on Sunday accused of sharing on social media the recording of an official complaint of sexual harassment made by a teenage girl who was later allegedly burned to death.

Moazzem Hossain, who is suspended from duty, had been in hiding since late May, when the Cyber Tribunal court warrant was issued against him over sharing the complaint by Nusrat Jahan.

A police spokesman said he had been arrested after a tip-off and "will be soon produced to the court", where he will face charges of violating digital security laws.

In a case that sparked public outrage and mass protests, madrasa student Jahan was allegedly burned to death in April after she refused to withdraw an allegation of sexual harassment against the institution's principal.

According to a charge sheet against 16 people accused of involvement in the case, Jahan died in hospital after students poured kerosene over her and set her on fire at the instruction of the principal. He is one of those accused.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met Jahan's family and assured that her killers would be punished.

Jahan registered her complaint at a police station in the south eastern town of Noakhali, which Hossain was then in charge of. He allegedly recorded her deposition and shared it on social media.

(Reporting By Serajul Quadir; editing by John Stonestreet)A senior Bangladesh police officer has been arrested for failing to properly investigate allegations made by a teenage girl, who was later burned to death, that she had been sexually harassed by a teacher, officials said.

The killing of Nusrat Jahan Rafi in April sparked protests across the South Asian nation, with the prime minister promising to prosecute all those involved.

At least 16 people -- including the teacher -- have been charged in connection with the killing and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Rafi was lured to the rooftop of an Islamic seminary she attended where her attackers asked her to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint filed with police against the head teacher.

When she refused, she was doused in kerosene and set on fire. She died five days later, her death highlighted an alarming rise in sexual harassment cases in Bangladesh.

An investigation by authorities later found Moazzem Hossain, the police chief of the town where Rafi was killed, had not properly dealt with the complaint the teenager made.

Bangladesh police spokesman Sohel Rana confirmed in a text message to AFP that Hossain had been arrested.

He and two other inspectors have been suspended by the police department.

Rafi went to the police in late March to make allegations of sexual harassment against the head teacher. A leaked video showed Hossain registering her complaint, but dismissing it as "not a big deal".

Hossain was accused of illegally filming the video, which was later circulated on social media platforms. He went into hiding after a court issued a warrant for his arrest.

At least five people -- including three of Rafi's classmates -- tied her up with a scarf before setting her on fire. The plan was to pass the incident off as a case of suicide.

Rafi suffered burns to 80 percent of her body and died in hospital on April 10.

She recorded a video before her death, repeating her allegations against the teacher.The wife of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been ordered to pay 55,000 shekels (12,000) for using state funds to order hundreds of takeaway meals.

Sara Netanyahu avoided a prison sentence after agreeing a plea deal with prosecutors to settle allegations she fraudulently obtained around 80,000 in restaurant catering.

Under the agreement, the fraud charge was dropped and she pleaded guilty to the lesser criminal offence of intentionally exploiting another person's mishandling of state money for her own benefit.

Ms Netanyahu, 60, smiled as she appeared in court on Sunday before the judge ratified the deal.

"Do you understand what you admitted to?" the judge asked.

"Yes, I do," she replied.

Israel's YNet website published a photograph of what it said was a note from her husband, who was not in the court. "We will get through this, too. Be strong!!", it said.

Prosecutors defended the plea deal by citing Mrs Netanyahu's clean record, the public humiliation she has suffered as a result of the case and the time that has passed - up to nine years - since the crimes were committed.

Ms Netanyahu will pay the state 45,000 shekels (9,900) in reimbursement and a 10,000 shekel (2,200) fine.

A government employee charged along with Netanyahu also reached an agreement with the prosecution and was fined 10,000 shekels.

Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated PressWashington (AFP) - 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 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 place, will be among 10 candidates on the same stage on the second night.

They will be joined by Pete Buttigieg, the South Bend, Indiana mayor 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 who has struggled to maintain momentum.

That leaves liberal Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is polling in third place and whose star has risen in recent weeks, as the clear headliner on the first night.

Her primary rivals on stage will be former congressman Beto O'Rourke, who earned a national spotlight during his run for the Senate last year in Texas, and Senator Cory Booker, who along with Harris is one of two African-Americans in the race.

Once the schedule was made public, Twitter lit up with posts by candidates including Warren, who said she was "looking forward" to the opportunity to "discuss my plans for big, structural change in this country."India's central bank isn't part of a reported government proposal to ban cryptocurrencies in the country. | Source: Shutterstock

By CCN Markets: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has denied knowledge of a proposed bill which would see Bitcoin and crypto ownership in India made entirely illegal. Reports surfaced last week that lawmakers in India were working on legislation that could carry a 10-year prison sentence for anyone caught holding cryptocurrency.

Amid these reports, the RBI has responded to a Right to Information request filed on June 4 by a lawyer specializing in blockchain matters. The bank states that it was not in communication with governmental agencies during the legislative process and had not received a copy of the bill.

Newsflash: Indias Insane Anti-Crypto Bill Proposes 10-Yr Prison Sentence for Bitcoin Adopters: Report https://t.co/RPYSjcY9c1  CCN Markets (@CCNMarkets) June 7, 2019

Bitcoin and blockchain regulation in India has had a rocky ride with threats of bans being interspersed with different governmental initiatives, as well as a regulatory sandbox from the RBI.

Although the RBI denies knowledge or involvement in the bill, it does not necessitate that the reports are untrue. However, it is worth noting the high level of participation from the RBI in previous crypto matters.

Harsh anti-crypto bill

The proposed bill outlines harsh punishment for those involved in any way with cryptocurrencies. The Banning of Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, says offenders would be subject to non-bailable sentences, according to the draft bill sourced by BloombergQuint.

It also adds that the degree of punishment would be appropriate to the users cryptocurrency portfolio. The harsh nature continues when the bill states fines levied by the courts would be three times as much as the profit the individual made from crypto in the first place.

Read the full story on CCN.com.Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Sunday that his company made a "mistake" by failing to communicate the problems it was having with software aboard its 737 Max aircraft.

Speaking to reporters in Paris ahead of the Paris Air Show, Muilenburg said that Boeing's communications on the matter were "not consistent" and that the approach was "unacceptable."

The statement is the most direct apology yet by the Seattle-based airplane manufacturing giant, which came under intense scrutiny by regulators after two 737 Max aircraft accidents. A Lion Air crash in October in Indonesia claimed 189 lives, and an Ethiopian Airlines crash in March in Africa killed 157.

The Federal Aviation Administration has faulted Boeing for not telling regulators for more than a year that a safety indicator in the Max cockpit didn't work.

Pilots are angry the company didn't tell them about the new software that has been implicated in the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

More: On autopilot: 'Pilots are losing their basic flying skills,' some fear after Boeing 737 Max crashes

While flight data from both crashes seemed to suggest similar patterns  namely, radical changes in altitudes and speeds and the suggestion that the crew was battling inputs from onboard computers  Boeing and FAA officials were slow to respond. Many countries immediately grounded 737 Max aircraft; the U.S. followed suit later.

But as Boeing officials started digging into details of both accidents, it became clear that flaws in the aircraft's computer systems had been directly responsible.

Students from Hama elementary school, who walked an hour and a half from their school in the surrounding area to pay their respects, stand next to floral tributes at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south-east of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia Friday, March 15, 2019. Analysis of the flight recorders has begun in France, the airline said Friday, while in Ethiopia officials started taking DNA samples from victims' family members to assist in identifying remains. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene) ORG XMIT: NAI112

In early April, Muilenburg posted a video on Twitter in which he said he was "sorry for the lives lost" and that the company was "relentlessly focused on safety to ensure tragedies like this never happen again."

Muilenburg added that it was "apparent that in both flights, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, known as MCAS, activated in response to erroneous angle of attack information."

Story continues

More: Boeing says 737 Max software is fixed, now it's up to the FAA

Data showed that Ethiopian Airlines crew performed all procedures recommended by the aerospace giant but failed to gain control of the doomed aircraft.

About a week later, on April 11, Muilenburg said Boeing engineers had taken 96 test flights  a total of 159 hours of flight time  to make sure the changes in the jetliner's automatic anti-stalling system were effective.

Muilenburg also said he has been on a worldwide tour to let airline officials know about the improvements being made to 737 Max aircraft. Two-thirds of the twin-engine model's more than 50 customers have attended simulator sessions to see how the improvements work firsthand, he said.

More: Amid scrutiny over 737 Max, Boeing to replace 900 inspectors. And union is not happy

He said the accidents underscored the need for continuous improvement at the aerospace giant.

"Lives literally depend on the work we do," Muilenburg said at a forum sponsored by the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. "We're humbled and we're learning."

Contributing: Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boeing CEO calls handling of 737 Max crashes a 'mistake,' vows improvements* Paris Airshow runs from June 17-23

* Deals seen down on sister event in Farnborough last year

* UTC-Raytheon merger plans add to uncertainty in sector

By Eric M. Johnson, Andrea Shalal and Tim Hepher

PARIS, June 16 (Reuters) - Safety concerns, trade wars and growing security tensions in the Gulf are dampening spirits at the world's largest planemakers as they arrive at this week's Paris Airshow with little to celebrate despite bulging order books.

The aerospace industry's marquee event is a chance to take the pulse of the $150 billion a year commercial aircraft industry, which many analysts believe is entering a slowdown due to global pressures from trade tensions to flagging economies.

Humbled by the grounding of its 737 MAX in the wake of two fatal crashes, U.S. planemaker Boeing will be looking to reassure customers and suppliers about the plane's future and allay criticism of its handling of the months-long crisis.

The grounding of the latest version of the world's most-sold jet has rattled suppliers and even fazed rival Airbus, with the European company avoiding the traditional baiting of Boeing, while remaining distracted by its own corruption probe.

Aerospace executives on both sides of the Atlantic are concerned about the impact of the crisis on public confidence in air travel and the risk of a backlash that could drive a wedge between regulators and undermine the plane certification system.

Airlines that rushed to buy the fuel-efficient, longer-range MAX are taking a hit to profits since having to cancel thousands of flights following the worldwide grounding in March.

Even the planned launch of a new longer-range version of the successful A320neo jet family from Airbus, the A321XLR, is unlikely to lift the industry's uncertainty, analysts said.

"Boeing's MAX crisis isn't the most ominous dark cloud, since it can be solved, but traffic numbers are genuinely scary," said Teal Group aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Story continues

"If March and April are a sign of things to come, we're looking at broader industry demand and capacity problems."

"Net orders might be the lowest in years," Aboulafia added.

Others dismiss fears of a downturn, citing the growth of the middle class in Asia and the need for airlines to buy new planes to meet environmental targets.

Airbus and Boeing are both looking at steps to make their aircraft more fuel efficient and reduce their carbon footprint amid a growing environmental protest movement in Europe.

"The only solution that the industry has is the newest most fuel-efficient aircraft," John Plueger, Chief Executive of Air Lease Corp, told Reuters. "So that replacement cycle is going to continue."

"We're talking to so many airlines who still want more aircraft, and there's really been no lessening of those discussions," he said.

GULF TENSIONS

Boeing is delaying key decisions on the launch of a possible new aircraft, the mid-sized NMA, to give full attention to the 737 MAX and last-minute engine trouble on the forthcoming 777X, industry sources said.

But it could unveil a number of deals favouring widebody jets where it has the upper hand against Airbus, including at least a dozen 787 aircraft for Korean Air Lines.

Robert Stallard of Vertical Research Partners expects roughly 800 aircraft orders at the show, but noted it can be hard to tell which are truly new, firm business or old orders, or switched models. That compares with some 959 orders and commitments at the Farnborough Airshow last year.

Some analysts pegged the likely total closer to 400.

Although slowing, a multi-year boom in airline orders is still generating business for suppliers such as engine makers. French-American CFM International is set to announce a record order by units for over 600 engines from India's IndiGo.

The June 17-23 show is not only about jetliner deals, but also a magnet for many of the world's arms buyers who come to preview the latest war-fighting equipment, from anti-aircraft missiles to hotly-sought cyber war-fighting capabilities.

France and Germany will unveil a mock-up of a proposed new fighter jet and sign a framework agreement for its development which includes drones.

Industry insiders will also weigh the merits and potential fallout of United Technologies Corp's planned $121 billion tie-up with defence contractor Raytheon Co.

The deal, expected to close in the first half of 2020, would potentially upend the aerospace sector, creating a conglomerate spanning commercial aviation and defence procurement and putting pressure on several major suppliers such as Honeywell and General Electric.

Air show delegates are also watching a face-off between the United States and Iran in the Gulf. The United States blames Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in a vital shipping route that have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region.

In another political row with implications for arms firms attending the show, the United States has threatened to cancel Turkey's participation in the Lockheed F-35 fighter jet programme over Ankara's purchase of a Russian radar system.

Watching the show attentively is China, whose own aerospace ambitions are growing at a time when U.S.-China trade tensions are rising ahead of a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this month. (Additional reporting by Cyril Altmeyerhenzien, Laurence Frost, Alistair Smout; Editing by Mark Potter)By Dado Ruvic

BIHAC, Bosnia (Reuters) - Several hundred Bosnians protested on Sunday against an influx of migrants in the western border town of Bihac, warning of security and health risks from thousands sleeping rough.

Bosnia, spared the big migrant wave of 2015, is now seeing an influx of people trying to reach wealthier nations via neighboring Croatia, a European Union member.

About 25,000 people from Asia and North Africa entered the Balkan country from Serbia and Montenegro last year, and about 9,000 have arrived this year.

Around 6,000 are in Bihac and Velika Kladusa, two towns bordering Croatia, but only about 3,500 have been sheltered in four transit centers there.

Others sleep in parks and abandoned buildings.

"I came here to express dissatisfaction with the situation politicians have brought upon both us and migrants," said Maja Tabakovic, 35, at the peaceful rally in the main square.

"The whole town is feeling insecure."

Town authorities have long called on Bosnia's national government to lift the burden from the border area and accommodate migrants elsewhere.

But a government has not been formed eight months after a general election and state institutions in charge of migration and asylum issues are operating in a care-taking capacity.

Also, the Serb-dominated Serb Republic, an autonomous region that makes up Bosnia along with a federation of Croat and Muslim cantons, has refused to accept any migrants on its territory.

On Friday, Bihac police raided several private houses in which nearly 300 migrants were accommodated and moved them to tents on a former garbage dump outside the town.

U.N. agencies have warned authorities against the relocation, saying the site was inadequate and located close to areas with landmines from Bosnia's war in the 1990s.

"There are no sanitary facilities available on the site and no access to running water or electricity. Under these circumstances, locating migrants and refugees there is not acceptable," the agencies said in a joint statement.

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However, an additional 200 people were moved over the weekend to the Vucjak site, where the local Red Cross has supplied tents, water tanks and meals.

The migrants, in footage on regional television station, complained about poor conditions at the site, showing snakes they had found in surrounding bushes.

"We are not against the migrants but we want them to be taken care of," said Husnija Midzic, one of the Bihac protesters. "I fear robberies and problems caused by migrants. We are in fear all the time, watching our homes, ourselves."

(Writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - The head of Brazil's powerful state development bank quit Sunday a day after far-right President Jair Bolsonaro threatened to sack him, fueling a political crisis engulfing the government.

BNDES president Joaquim Levy, a Chicago-educated economist and former finance minister in the left-wing government of ex-president Dilma Rousseff, submitted his resignation to Economy Minister Paulo Guedes after Bolsonaro said he had a "price on his head."

Levy's sudden departure follows a tumultuous week for a government less than six months into its term, in which Bolsonaro fired his third minister, retired general Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz, who had clashed with Bolsonaro's sons, and then sacked the head of Brazil's postal service.

Justice Minister Sergio Moro also has faced calls for his resignation after an investigative website published leaked documents showing he collaborated with anticorruption prosecutors to keep leftist icon Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva out of the 2018 presidential race, which he was expected to win.

On Saturday, Bolsonaro once again defended Moro against allegations of wrongdoing, but added he did not have "100 percent" confidence in the former judge, who is seen by many Brazilians as a hero and is a key member of Bolsonaro's cabinet.

Moro handed Lula his first conviction in 2017, ending both his hopes of contesting the election and decades of center-left rule in Brazil.

Bolsonaro had threatened on Saturday to dismiss Levy, who had served as treasury secretary under Lula, over the appointment of an official to BNDES who has links to the left-wing Workers' Party.

"Government is like this, it can't have suspicious people" in important positions, Bolsonaro told reporters.

"I told him (Levy) to dismiss this guy (Marcos Barbosa Pinto) on Monday or I would fire him, without going through Paulo Guedes."

Levy was appointed by Guedes, who is spearheading the government's economic reform agenda, including an overhaul of Brazil's bloated retirement system that has met with strong resistance from trade unions and a hostile Congress.

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A general strike called by unions on Friday paralyzed public transport in many cities as thousands of protesters took to the streets against the pension proposal and the government's planned education spending cuts.

A pared-back draft of the pension reform presented to Congress on Thursday -- which reduces expected savings from 1.2 trillion reais ($300 billion) in 10 years to around 900 billion reais -- sparked an angry exchange between Guedes and Rodrigo Maia, speaker of the lower house of Congress with whom the Bolsonaro government's relations were already frayed.

Guedes, who has threatened to resign if the bill is not passed or is watered down too much, said lawmakers were threatening to "abort" the pension reform and had shown "there was no commitment to future generations."

Maia fired back that the government was a "crisis factory."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."

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."

Mr Johnson has claimed it is "perfectly realistic" to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement to allow the UK to leave the EU in October.

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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."Tehran (AFP) - Britain's ambassador to Iran on Sunday denied he was summoned by the Iranian foreign ministry after London accused Tehran of "almost certainly" being responsible for tanker attacks in the Gulf.

"Interesting. And news to me," ambassador Rob Macaire said in a tweet a day after the Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement that it had summoned the envoy over his government's accusations.

"I asked for an urgent meeting with the Foreign Ministry yesterday and it was granted. No 'summons'. Of course if formally summoned I would always respond, as would all Ambassadors," Macaire wrote.

Iran's foreign ministry said the head of its European affairs Mahmoud Barimani met Macaire on Saturday and "strongly protested against the unacceptable and anti-Iranian positions of the British government".

On Friday, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said London had concluded Iran was "almost certainly" responsible for Thursday's tanker attacks.

He was echoing remarks by US President Donald Trump who said Thursday's attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman had Iran "written all over it".

Iran has denied any involvement in the twin attacks.

It dismissed Hunt's accusations as "false" and chided London for its "blind and precipitous alignment" with US views, according to the foreign ministry.

The latest incident comes as ties between Tehran and London have been strained in recent months, namely over the fate of a British-Iranian mother jailed in Iran on sedition charges.

London has repeatedly called for the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was arrested in April 2016 as she was leaving Iran after taking their infant daughter to visit her family.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is serving a five-year sentence for allegedly trying to topple the Iranian government, has begun a hunger strike in protest at her detention, her husband said on Saturday.

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She previously went on hunger strike in January.

Richard Ratcliffe urged the Iranian authorities to immediately release his wife and to allow the British embassy to check on her health, and also asked they grant him a visa to visit her.

On Saturday he also stood outside Iran's London embassy and said he would maintain his own hunger strike and vigil for as long as his wife refused food.Isabella Brazier Jones says she was held for 24 hours, deported and banned from entering the US for ten years after US immigration officials found a two-year-old text about cocaine on her phone (Picture: SWNS)

A British tourist claims she was held by US immigration officials for 24 hours then deported and banned from entering the country over a two-year-old text about cocaine found on her phone.

Isabella Brazier-Jones, 28, said she was on a trip of a lifetime to Los Angeles with her best friend when the nightmare happened.

She said the pair had spent 3,500 on flights, accommodation and car rental on a holiday that involved a month in LA and a month in New York.

But she claimed when they flew to Los Angeles on March 12, immigration officials pulled her into a back room, confiscated her belongings and scoured her phone  finding a message sent in 2017 that referred to cocaine.

"They told me that there was a message on my phone referring to cocaine, she said. They asked if I had taken cocaine and I said yes."

Isabella, pictured with her sister, had flown to America for a holiday of a lifetime with her best friend Olivia (Picture: SWNS)

Isabella claims she was escorted onto a plane back to the UK by two armed officers just 31 hours after she landed on American soil and has been banned from returning to the US for ten years.

She said both she and Olivia had quit their jobs for the trip and obtained Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) permits, which allow travellers to stay in the US for up to 90 days without requiring VISAs.

READ MORE

US military claims Iran tried to 'shoot down drone' observing attacks on oil tankers

But she claims immigration officials at passport control became suspicious of her travel plans and both she and Olivia were taken to Secondary Inspection where they were questioned on their plans and how they were planning to finance them.

While Olivia was told she was free to enter the US, Isabella said her phone, suitcase and passport were confiscated and she was taken to a deportation centre.

Isabella says officials found a message on her phone from two years ago that referred to cocaine (Picture: SWNS)

She said: As soon as you enter that room, you are not allowed anything - no food, no phone calls.

I was held in a group cell with four other women. If you have any queries you are told to shut up and sit down.

I was with a Lithuanian woman, two Mexican ladies and a Turkish lady.

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The room was divided in the middle and it was women on one side and men on the other.

She claims she went through eight interrogations in a windowless room and her belongings were searched.

She said officials told her theyd found text messages referring to drug use, from two years ago and she admitted trying cocaine in 2017.

Because I admitted to taking cocaine they charged me with possession of drugs and deported me.

She added: I am concerned that natural human empathy has been lost as officials follow Trumps directions.

I really want to open peoples eyes.

This treatment is applied to Mexicans and Muslims but its also becoming a mass situation.

I think they took against me because I was a posh, white blonde girl.

I lost 3,500 that I spent on flights, insurance, accommodation, renting a car, doing up my flat to rent it out.

"I think Michael Gove will have no problem going to the US in the future. As long as you are in a position of power, you can get around any law."

Representatives at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Dept of Homeland Security, the British Consulate in Los Angeles and Norwegian Airlines all declined to comment on her case.

---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK---The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option.Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said that if elected, he would leave the Justice Department to operate independently of the White House during any potential criminal investigations into President Donald Trump.

"Nobody is above the law and prosecution decisions should have nothing to do with politics and should come from the DOJ itself, not from the Oval Office," Buttigieg told CNN's Jake Tapper in a preview of an interview to be aired Sunday.

Buttigieg's remark comes in contrast with his Democratic rival Sen. Kamala Harris of California, who said if she was elected the Justice Department would have "no choice" but to charge Trump with obstruction of justice if he were to finish his term without being impeached. Harris, a former California attorney general, told NPR that former special counsel Robert Mueller had essentially set the stage for criminal charges against Trump, and only a Justice Department policy barring prosecuting sitting presidents got in the way.

Harris, along with a chorus of other candidates from Sen. Elizabeth Warren to former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, has called for Trump's impeachment. Buttigieg has also advocated for impeachment inquiries, but focuses more on beating Trump in 2020.

Buttigieg has also called for criminal inquiries into Trump if he finishes his term in 2021 without impeachment, but the South Bend, Ind., mayor did not go so far as to dictate what the conclusion of those inquiries would be. He also told The Atlantic that he would be hesitant to order his attorney general to directly pursue charges against Trump.

"I would want any credible allegation of criminal behavior to be investigated to the fullest, Buttigieg told The Atlantic on Wednesday.

Trump has also recently come under fire for telling ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that if a foreign agent were to offer him dirt on an opponent, he would hear it out. Buttigieg told CBS' Margaret Brennan in an interview segment published Saturday that any American who receives foreign election help should "just call the FBI".

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"And by the way, this isn't hypothetical. This isn't theoretical," Buttigieg said, referring to Russian offers of opposition information to members of Trump's inner circle in 2016.

Speaking with Tapper, Buttigieg specified that that criminal investigation would be conducted by an independent Justice Department without micromanaging presidential oversight.

"The prosecutorial process should have nothing to do with politics," Buttigieg said. "The less this has to do with the president, the better."

Washington (AFP) - Democratic hopeful Pete Buttigieg said on Father's Day Sunday that he and his husband Chasten might start a family in the White House if he is elected president.

"I don't see why not," said Buttigieg, the first openly gay candidate for the highest US office, when asked about the possibility on CNN's "State of the Union."

"I think it wouldn't be the first time that children have arrived to a first couple. But, obviously, that's a conversation I had better have with Chasten before I go into it too much on television."

Buttigieg and his husband Chasten, a junior high school teacher, were celebrating the first anniversary of their marriage on Sunday.

The mayor of South Bend, Indiana since 2012, Buttigieg came out as gay four years ago and announced his engagement to Chasten Glezman in December 2017.

They married June 16, 2018 in a private ceremony in South Bend.

He has said he would like a family, but his run for the presidency had put that on hold.

A Harvard graduate and Rhodes Scholar, the 37-year-old Buttigieg was virtually unknown when he entered the race for the Democratic nomination.

But he has since emerged as one of the most closely watched candidates in an unusually large field, placing fifth in a new CBS poll of battleground states.

A Fox News poll showed him with a one point lead over US President Donald Trump if the elections were held today.

jm/bbkWASHINGTON (AP)  Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg (BOO'-tuh-juhj) wants to start a family with his husband, Chasten, and says that could happen if he's in the White House.

"I don't see why not," the South Bend, Indiana, mayor says in a Father's Day television interview that also marked his one-year wedding anniversary.

He tells CNN's "State of the Union" that "it wouldn't be the first time that children have arrived to a first couple, but obviously that's a conversation I had better have with Chasten before I go into it too much on television.

Buttigieg is seeking to become the first openly gay presidential nominee from a major political party.SAN FRANCISCO  A routine traffic stop goes dangerously awry when a police officers body camera uses its built-in facial recognition software to misidentify a motorist as a convicted felon.

Guns are drawn. Nerves fray. At best, lawsuits are launched. At worst, tragedy strikes.

That imaginary scenario is what some California lawmakers are trying to avoid by supporting Assembly Bill 1215, the Body Camera Accountability Act, which would ban the use of facial recognition software in police body cams  a national first if it passes a Senate vote this summer and is signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

State law enforcement officials here do not now employ the technology to scan those in the line of sight of officers. But some police officials oppose the bill on the grounds that a valuable tool could be lost.

The tug of war over high-tech surveillance methods comes in the wake of this tech hubs City Council banning all forms of facial recognition software last month. Oakland and Berkeley council members are considering similar bans.

Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide

Californias AB 1215 reflects growing concerns nationwide about the darker side of tech  when the same software that allows iPhone X users to unlock their devices with a glance could wrongfully finger you as a criminal or keep tabs on you for Big Brother.

Theres been an increased focus on privacy issues generally by state legislatures this year, says Pam Greenberg of the National Council of State Legislatures.

Lawmakers in Massachusetts, New York and Washington are considering bills that scrutinize and curtail the use of biometric and facial recognition systems on grounds that the still flawed technology presents an Orwellian threat to civil liberties.

New York debates biometrics: Public school district in New York starts using facial recognition to stop mass shootings

Congress also is weighing in. After hearings on the technology on May 22 and June 4, a bipartisan U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee unanimously agreed to push for a nationwide facial recognition ban while more legal and regulatory guidance was sought.

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Even if this tech were to one day work flawlessly, do we want to live in a society where the government knows who you are, where youre going, the expression on your face? says Matt Cagle, tech and civil liberties attorney with the ACLU of Northern California.

Consider also that the history of surveillance is one of it being turned against the most vulnerable communities, Cagle adds.

San Francisco City Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who was instrumental in the citys ban, says no possible benefit of facial recognition systems outweighs its demonstrable harms, and the fact that we have seen this spread to other cities and to congressional hearings so rapidly is evidence of the emerging consensus around that fact.

'Rolling surveillance cameras'

Assembly member Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), sponsor of AB 1215, sees fundamental freedoms being encroached if police use acial recognition tech.

If you turn on facial recognition, you have rolling surveillance cameras, he says. And I dont think anyone in America wants to be watched 24/7.

Whats more, AB 1215 supporters say facial recognition would undermine the very reason body cams were introduced in the wake of police shootings, which is to build trust with community members through accountability.

Adding facial recognition is a perversion of the purpose of body cams, says Harlan Yu, executive director of Upturn, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group promoting justice in technology. And it doesnt help that this software often has a harder time differentiating faces when it comes to people of color.

While acknowledging that the tech is still in its infancy, some police officials say a wholesale ban is premature.

Facial recognition could be a valuable tool for us, helping identify felons or even abducted children, says Detective Lou Turriaga, director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents 10,000 officers.

I understand trying to seek a balance between civil liberties and law enforcement, but a wholesale ban doesnt help us protect anybody, he says. Why remove that tool from law enforcement? It just doesnt make sense.

Amazon says no to police on scan tech: Amazon shareholders reject banning sale of facial recognition software to law enforcement

Also opposed to AB 1215 as written is the California Police Chiefs Association, although the organization declined to specify why.

Two police department have made waves recently by testing facial recognition software in limited ways.

In Florida, the Orlando Police Department remains in a test phase of Amazons Rekognition software, and the technology is not being used for investigative or public purpose, says Sgt. Eduardo Bernal, the departments public information officer.

And in Washington County, Oregon, the sheriffs department uses its facial recognition software to compare photos of people suspected of crimes with a database of jail booking photos. The department does not use the tech for live or mass surveillance.

We are beyond the piloting phase, but continue to make sure were using the technology as responsibly as possible, and weve made small tweaks to our practices over time, says public information officer Deputy Brian van Kleef of the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Careful use of facial recognition is admirable, but it doesnt prevent such accumulated data from being hacked by a third party, says the ACLUs Cagle.

With just a few lines of code and a connection to those cameras, you could potentially turn all that against the community, he says.

'Not ready for prime time'

Of greater concern to some privacy watchdogs is what Assemblymember Ting calls the not ready for prime time nature of facial recognition tech.

While an iPhone Xs camera works well repeatedly scanning the same face for the same topographical features in order to unlock the smartphone, thats different from asking the technology to match a real face with a two-dimensional photo.

In this Oct. 31, 2018, file photo, a man, who declined to be identified, has his face painted to represent efforts to defeat facial recognition during a protest at Amazon headquarters over the company's facial recognition system, "Rekognition," in Seattle. San Francisco is on track to become the first U.S. city to ban the use of facial recognition by police and other city agencies.

Last year, the ACLU conducted an experiment in which it used Rekognition software to compare photos of current members of Congress with 25,000 mugshots. The result was that 28 congressional members were falsely flagged as criminals.

There are a growing number of examples that both laud and damn facial recognition software.

On the one hand, Google Photos once labeled two African-Americans as gorillas. On the other, law enforcement used the tech last year to identify the perpetrator in the shooting deaths of five at the Capital Gazette in Maryland, and in India, about 3,000 missing children were identified in four days using the software.

iPhone maker ups privacy concerns: Apple targets privacy in upcoming iOS

If there is one cautionary tale that surfaces repeatedly in discussions of this technology, it is the case of Chinas zealous policing through an array of cameras equipped with facial recognition software of the Uighurs, a largely Muslim minority in the western part of the country.

This all is a lot bigger than police body cams, its cameras in buildings and on streets, in drones, were reaching a critical mass now and havent been paying attention, says Brian Hofer, chairman of the City of Oaklands privacy commission, which is pushing council members to adopt a ban.

Theres something visceral about facial recognition, something creepy, he says. We have seen the horrors of using the system to target a population, as in China, and yet we have this ridiculous belief surveillance will be used in a friendly manner.

Problems with accuracy

Many privacy advocates note that Microsofts president, Brad Smith, recently cast doubt on the state of facial recognition tech, which his company develops.

The Redmond, Washington, company declined to sell its tech to an unnamed California police agency, which wanted to use it to scan faces via cameras in cars and on officers.

We said this technology is not your answer, Smith said at a Stanford conference in Northern California on artificial intelligence in April, noting that the software largely was trained on mostly white and male photos.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology facial recognition researcher Joy Buolamwini on Feb. 13, 2019, at the school, in Cambridge, Mass. Her research has uncovered racial and gender bias in facial analysis tools sold by companies such as Amazon that have a hard time recognizing certain faces, especially darker-skinned women. Buolamwini holds a white mask she had to use so that software could detect her face.

Researcher Joy Buolamwini of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology echoed as much after her experiments earlier this year showed that the technology had particular difficulties accurately identifying women of color.

And last summer, Rick Smith, CEO of body camera manufacturer Axon, said he wasnt ready to make the tech available for body cameras because the accuracy thresholds arent where they need to be.

Such concerns from technologists themselves give many privacy advocates pause, warning that if actions arent taken by lawmakers on a city, state or national level soon, it could be too late.

Which is why tackling the issue now is crucial, says Robin Feldman, director of the Institute for Innovation Law at University of California-Hastings College of the Law.

Police body cams touch on information integrity in two ways, she says. One, if I use the tech, can I trust the information I am getting? And two, when the tech uses my information, can I trust what happens to it? And in both cases here, its problematic.

Feldman says humans always have a tendency to romanticize the benevolent and magical powers of technology, at our own peril.

The great computer in the sky is not foolproof, she says. I dont think its possible to put the tech genie back in the bottle. Which is why when it comes to facial recognition software, we need sound policies right now over how it is used.

Follow USA TODAY national correspondent @marcodellacava

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California could become first to limit facial recognition technology; police aren't happyBy Andrea Shalal

PARIS (Reuters) - The Canadian government's contracting arm is backing a proposed new satellite system that will use big data analytics to provide commercially available data about the Earth and its orbit amid growing concerns about the risks posed by space debris.

Support from the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) will allow Canadian startup NorthStar Earth and Space to negotiate initial service agreements with the United States, Britain and other countries, NorthStar CEO Stewart Bain said. The deal with CCC will be signed on Monday at the Paris Airshow.

Bain cited strong international interest in the project given increasing levels of activity in space, and mounting concerns about the dangers posed to satellites by some 600,000 estimated pieces of debris floating in the Earth's orbit.

The United States and other governments already collect such data, but demand for near real-time information that is commercially available is growing rapidly, with experts forecasting a "new space" economy worth over $1 trillion a year.

"This agreement puts us in a strong position to work with the United States, the UK and other countries to deliver our services," Bain told Reuters, noting the government of Canada and Quebec had each already invested $13 million to date.

Private investors in the project include Telesystem Space Inc. of Montreal, the majority shareholder, and the Space Alliance of Europe, which was formed by Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space, a joint partnership formed by France's Thales and Italy's Leonardo.

NorthStar's proposed system calls for the 2021 launch of a new constellation of small satellites that will use an array of hyperspectral, infrared and optical sensors to continuously monitor and analyze the Earth's ecosystems and orbit.

The company said its system would use big data analytics and artificial intelligence to make sense of the huge amount of information and accurately predict potential collisions with debris and other objects in space, while helping to validate and improve the performance of existing surveillance systems.

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U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who will attend this week's Paris Airshow, said last week he was encouraging all space-faring nations to work together on common issues such as space debris that could stifle the commercialization of space.

"Partnerships are important in a world where there are alternative views about the future of space," he said.

Anti-satellite tests conducted by China in 2007, and most recently, India in March, have raised questioned about the long-term sustainability of operations in space that are essential to a huge range of activities, including banking and GPS services.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Potter)By David Ljunggren and Nia Williams

OTTAWA/CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Canada looks set to approve a hotly-debated plan to expand an oil pipeline this week, people familiar with the process told Reuters, but the move is unlikely to help Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rebuild flagging support ahead of an October election.

The Liberal government last year took the unprecedented step of buying the Trans Mountain pipeline from Kinder Morgan Canada for C$4.5 billion ($3.4 billion) to ensure the expansion went ahead to help solve crude transportation bottlenecks.

If completed, the expansion would nearly triple capacity on the pipeline that runs from the western crude-rich province of Alberta to British Columbia's Pacific coast. But it has faced increasing protests from environmental activists and aboriginal groups.

Trudeau - who came to power promising to improve Canada's environmental record - faces a difficult decision. If he approves it, he could anger environmentalists and local residents who fear the impact of the project.

If he rejects it, he risks further alienating an energy lobby that has accused him of wanting to wreck their industry as he has pressed ahead with plans to strengthen the environmental assessments of major new energy projects at a time of low prices.

He has said the expansion will proceed if the conditions are right. His cabinet is set to take a final decision on Tuesday and Finance Minister Bill Morneau is due to address a business audience in the Albertan energy capital of Calgary on Wednesday.

Two federal government insiders with knowledge of the situation said there was little doubt Ottawa would give the green light.

"I am expecting an approval. Anything else would pose serious questions about what we are doing on the energy file," said one of the sources, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.

A senior Alberta government source also said approval was expected. "It's the least this government can do to approve this pipeline," said the source.

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However, a senior federal government source insisted no decision had yet been taken and noted Ottawa had the power to push back the announcement.

The office of the Prime Minister declined to comment.

The cabinet will need to consider whether the project has done enough to win over aboriginal support. An original expansion plan approved by the Liberals in 2016 was overturned by a court which ruled the government had not adequately consulted indigenous groups. Ottawa says it has ramped up talks with aboriginal communities.

Wood Mackenzie analyst Mark Oberstoetter said it was more than 50% likely that the government would move forward with Trans Mountain, given that a rejection "would be a hard story to tell your taxpayer base."

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has forecast total investment in Canada's oil and natural gas industry will fall by about 10% to C$37 billion in 2019 from 2018, underscoring how Canada has struggled to recover from the 2014/15 global oil price crash.

But even if it is approved, construction may not start any time soon, given the resistance by environmental and aboriginal groups.

And an approval would do little to revive Liberal fortunes in Alberta, where the party looks set to lose all three of its parliamentary seats in October's vote.

At the same time, it could also enrage voters in British Columbia, where there are greater concerns about the potential impact of expansion and where the Liberals have 17 legislators.

Significantly, many of those seats are in the Lower Mainland and connected to coastline that could be affected by the project, said Kathryn Harrison, political science professor at University of British Columbia.

"There are significant risks for the Liberals in British Columbia," she said.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren and Nia Williams, additional reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)Paris (AFP) - "Do you ever lie to your friends?," Jam asks, popping up in a private message box at the bottom of your screen.

If it seems like a personal question, don't worry -- Jam isn't a person, but a chatbot, eager for a bubbly conversation about the news, environment, pop culture and more.

This particular cryptic query leads to Jam telling the story of Romain Gary, a French author who deceived the literary world by writing under a pseudonym.

Jam is one of a new generation of sophisticated chatbots that mimic how real people write in messages and on social media to inform their readers, rather than the traditional dry question-and-answer format.

The French "chatbot media" startup launched three years ago and now has exchanges with 150,000 people every day, most of them young.

Jam communicates via Facebook Messenger and adopts a talkative, casual tone, like a friend telling an anecdote, peppering its banter with plenty of smiley-face emojis, pop-culture gifs and links to viral content.

It chats about the news -- particularly click-friendly, shareable stories -- or asks about broad subjects, such as your favourite band.

Once you settle on a subject, it offers up information -- for example if you're discussing a movie it will link to the trailer.

You can type in responses, but it works best if you simply click on one of several possible automatic answers, which of course include your own appropriately cool emojis.

"Given the possibilities of this technology, the 'bot' must lead the conversation, not the other way around, otherwise it gets limited very quickly," says Jam co-founder Marjolaine Grondin.

- Old-school media gets chatty -

She is hoping to find a successful business model in news as traditional media outlets struggle with the transition to online, with internet giants siphoning off advertising revenue.

Chatbots have come a long away since embarrassing blunders committed by Tay, a Microsoft chatbot launched in 2016 and quickly grounded after being gamed by some internet users to post racist and misogynous tweets and to praise Adolf Hitler.

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Jam has been turning a profit since September, carrying out surveys for brands keen to access the anonymous data of its young database.

Old-school news organisations, meanwhile, are also experimenting with chatbots as a different way to connect with and inform their audiences.

Grant Heinrich, the bot development producer for BBC News Labs, said they recently used a chatbot to give a five-day crash course covering Brexit.

"We had a high completion rate with a very small amount to do each day, it didn't waste your time, didn't try to be super cute," he said.

"We've seen markedly better results for bots that ask the audience their opinion rather than getting the audience to ask questions," he said, giving the example of a question that asked whether the reader thought 15, 20 or 30 percent of people are alcoholic.

He added that readers who accessed the BBC's daily newsletter via the chatbot clicked on links about 12 times more than those who received it by email.

- 'I wanted the bot to be proud of me' -

Emily Withrow, the director of the bot studio at the business news website Quartz, says that the main mistake many media organisations make is thinking of chatbots as a way to attract a new audience to their existing website, rather than as "its own medium".

"It requires its own style of writing, so we have a dedicated team of writers and editors who produce this content just for our bot and app every day, we're not taking news articles and putting it in the bot, (or vice and versa)," she says.

"What we would like to do is use machine learning to get smarter about patterns and content that we don't even necessarily know about and to better deliver content to users without them having to put in a lot of effort."

Withrow says Quartz has stopped experimenting with Amazon's digital assistant Alexa because people didn't want to listen to robotic voices -- it seems, for the moment at least, that it's easier to communicate in a believably human manner via text.

She noted that users of chatbots appeared "willing to open themselves to technology, to form a relationship and feelings about something that they know is not human."

"People say 'I know it's silly, I know it's not actually a person, but I wanted the bot to feel proud of me, I'm really looking forward to talking to it'."Photo: iStock

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.

Fortunately, there are plenty of relatively inexpensive flights between Raleigh and San Juan on travel site Skyscanner.

Heres a list of flights, hotels, restaurants and local attractions in San Juan to get you started. (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 Raleigh and San Juan are if you leave on Sept. 4 and return from Puerto Rico on Sept. 11. Frontier Airlines currently has tickets for $157, roundtrip.

There are also deals to be had in August. If you fly out of Raleigh on Aug. 28 and return from San Juan on Aug. 31, Frontier Airlines can get you there and back for $228 roundtrip.

Top San Juan hotels

To plan your stay, here are some of San Juans top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do 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.

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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.

Featured San Juan restaurants

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, San Juan has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

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.

Acapulco Taqueria Mexicana (2021 Calle Loiza)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Another popular dining destination is the Acapulco Taqueria Mexicana, with five stars from six reviews.

"I started out with the fried cheese and it was delicious! The tacos are to die for, too," wrote Dani.

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.

Featured San Juan attractions

Not sure what to do in San Juan, besides eat and drink? Here are two top 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.Luckie's Thai-Asian Cuisine | Photo: Nicole Q./Yelp

Looking to uncover all that Rita Ranch has to offer? Get to know this Tucson neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a taco joint to a bike shop.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Rita Ranch, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Papa Locos Tacos and Burgers

Photo: Douglas R./Yelp

Topping the list is Mexican spot Papa Locos Tacos and Burgers, which offers Mexican cuisine, burgers and more. Located at 8201 S. Rita Road, it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 202 reviews on Yelp.

Owners Robert Christian and Leticia Ramirez told the Arizona Daily Star, "'We didnt just want to be a Mexican place that offered a burger. We wanted to offer amazing specialty burgers that are equally as awesome as the Mexican food.'" Mexican dishes include burritos, tacos and nachos.

2. Saing Thai Cuisine

Photo: JAcky C./Yelp

Next up is Thai spot Saing Thai Cuisine, situated at 9136 E. Valencia Road. With four stars out of 289 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

The menu includes traditional Thai favorites like curry, fresh spring rolls, pad Thai, fried rice and more.

3. Luckie's Thai-Asian Cuisine

Photo: Mike M./Yelp

Thai and Chinese spot Luckie's Thai-Asian Cuisine is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 8110 S. Houghton Road, four stars out of 153 reviews.

On the menu, expect to find both Thai and Chinese cuisines like stir fry, curry, fried rice, chop suey, chow mein and more.

4. Ben's Bikes

Check out Ben's Bikes, which has earned four stars out of 19 reviews on Yelp. You can find the bike shop and bike repair and maintenance spot at 7431 S. Houghton Road.

Owner Ben Chandler has been a competitive cyclist for decades and has brought his experiences to his shop, according to the website. Ben's Bikes also holds special events like monthly full moon group rides.

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.Photo: Founding Farmers/Yelp

Visiting Foggy Bottom, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Washington neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Greek restaurant to a comedy club.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Foggy Bottom, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Founding Farmers

Photo: founding farmers/Yelp

Topping the list is traditional American and breakfast and brunch spot Founding Farmers, which offers coffee, tea and more. Located at 1924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (between H and 19th streets), it's the most popular business in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 12,673 reviews on Yelp. Conde Nast Traveler named it one of the 10 best brunch places in Washington, D.C.

2. DC Improv

Photo: erin y./Yelp

Next up is comedy club DC Improv, situated at 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW (between Desales and M streets). With four stars out of 331 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. Menu items include taco salad, barbecue pork sliders and steak tacos.

3. Blue Duck Tavern

Photo: mengjia y./Yelp

Cocktail bar, New American and breakfast and brunch spot Blue Duck Tavern is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1201 24th St. NW (between I Street and New Hampshire Avenue), four stars out of 2,273 reviews. The restaurant also has a Michelin star.

4. Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar

Photo: pisco y nazca ceviche gastrobar/Yelp

Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar, a gastropub, cocktail bar and Peruvian spot, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 399 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1823 L St. NW (between 18th and 19th streets) to see for yourself. It also has two locations in Florida.

The eatery offers Peruvian-style chicken and rice, Peruvian seafood soup and more of what the chefs describe as modern Peruvian cuisine.

5. Greek Deli & Catering

Photo: wing c./Yelp

Check out Greek Deli & Catering, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 500 reviews on Yelp. You can find the deli and Greek and breakfast and brunch spot at 1120 19th St. NW. Among its menu items are baked moussaka, gyros and omelets.

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.Lord of the Wings | Photo: Pat G./Yelp

Visiting Anderson, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Stockton neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a jeweler to an Indian restaurant.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Anderson, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Leo's Jewelers

Photo: Rachel F./Yelp

Topping the list is jewelry repair and watch repair spot Leo's Jewelers, which offers jewelry and more. The spot also offers expert jewelry repair. Located at 6360 Pacific Ave., Suite 5, it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting five stars out of 65 reviews on Yelp.

2. Caps Pizza And Tap House

Photo: Caps Pizza and Tap House/Yelp

Next up is pub Caps Pizza and Tap House, situated at 7628 Pacific Ave. Serving signature pizzas and microbrews, the spot is receiving positive attention. With 4.5 stars out of 96 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

3. Royal Siam

Photo: sonya E./Yelp

Thai spot Royal Siam is another top choice. With dishes such as red curry and specialties like trio-mango (a medley of chicken, shrimp and fish), this spot has proven to be a local favorite. Yelpers give the business, located at 6124 Pacific Ave., four stars out of 328 reviews.

4. Lord of the Wings

Photo: Dale N./Yelp

Lord of the Wings, a food truck that offers chicken wings and more, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to spot. With 4.5 stars out of 74 Yelp reviews, this truck is developing a local fan base. Head over to 6436 Pacific Ave. to see for yourself. The eatery serves up chicken wings in a variety of flavors, including bacon, lemon pepper, spicy strawberry and more.

5. Royal Indian Cuisine and Banquet

Photo: Gina A./Yelp

And then there's Royal Indian Cuisine and Banquet, a local favorite with four stars out of 104 reviews. Stop by 7610 Pacific Ave., Suite B1 to hit up the Indian spot next time you're in the neighborhood. The spot serves up traditional Indian dishes like paneer pakora, chicken vindaloo and shrimp korma.

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.Leon's Frozen Custard | Photo: Nancy G./Yelp

Visiting Southgate, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Milwaukee neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from an ice cream and frozen yogurt shop to a cheesesteak joint.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Southgate, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Leon's Frozen Custard

Photo: Goku U./Yelp

Topping the list is Leon's Frozen Custard, a spot to score ice cream, frozen yogurt and more. Located at 3131 S. 27th St., it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 369 reviews on Yelp.

This shop features drive-in vibes and custard flavors like butter pecan, raspberry, strawberry, cinnamon, mint and maple. You can also head to this spot for late night eats, like the Spanish beef burger.

2. Mazos Hamburgers

Photo: RICK R./Yelp

Next up is breakfast and lunch spot Mazos Hamburgers, which offers burgers and more, situated at 3146 S. 27th St. With four stars out of 127 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

Images of 50s icons like Dean Martin and Nat King Cole adorn the walls alongside vintage ads for automobile companies including Desoto and Studebaker, reports On Milwaukee. Try the Burger Supreme with bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and dressing or the patty melt with double Swiss cheese on grilled rye.

3. Ned's Pizza

Photo: Drew P./Yelp

Ned's Pizza, a spot to score pizza and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 3246 S. 27th St., four stars out of 105 reviews.

This spot has been a Milwaukee staple for more than 30 years, serving its famous thin crust pizza since 1969, according to its website. Expect casual dining in a friendly, old-world atmosphere and toppings that include sausage, pepperoni, chicken and jalapeno peppers.

4. Royal India Restaurant

Photo: Preeti K./Yelp

Royal India Restaurant, an Indian buffet spot, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 92 Yelp reviews. Head over to 3400 S. 27th St. to see for yourself.

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When chef Paramjit Kaur took over the restaurant in 2017, she redecorated the space, added a delivery service and included cocktails on the menu, reports the Journal Sentinel. Notable items include the channa bhatura (chickpeas in masala curry chicken), the butter lamb and the haryali chicken with mint and cilantro.

5. Charleys Philly Steaks

Photo: Charleys Philly Steaks/Yelp

Last but not least, check out Charleys Philly Steaks, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 15 reviews on Yelp. You can find the spot, which offers cheesesteaks and more, at 3272 S. 27th St.

The restaurant, famous for its eponymous Philly cheesesteaks, also serves up deli sandwiches, chicken strips and salads.

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.Jessica Biel has one son and Im sure hes really nice. Im sure he has great teeth and, thanks to also inheriting half of Justin Timberlakes genes, can probably moonwalk and maintain an angelic falsetto.

However, my children are never playing with him.

Not, as you might imagine, because Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake are super-wealthy celebrities who live thousands of miles away from my semi-detached provincial home, but  should the unlikely occasion arise  because Jessica Biel has finally outed herself as an anti-vaxxer and, I dont want my kids catching anything.

Actually, Biel has specifically said shes not an anti-vaxxer.

This is after she lent her considerable celebrity weight to oppose a pro-vaccine California state bill, then  possibly in reaction to public criticism  distanced herself from the anti-vaxx movement, announcing she wasnt against vaccinations, but wanted families to make educated medical decisions for their children.

So, is Biel an anti-vaxxer or isnt she? Well, lets look at the facts.

1. Biels own son is unvaccinated.

2. The bill shes opposing, SB 276, intends to stop families claiming medical exemptions to vaccines without sign-off from a state-approved doctor.

3. According to someone in her meeting with the California State Assembly, she called vaccines dangerous and ineffective.

Whether Jessica Biel identifies as pro-vaxx, anti-vaxx, or Schrodingers Anti-Vaxxer  somehow both pro-and anti-vaxx simultaneously  shes dangerous. Because, like Jim Carrey, Jenny McCarthy and Donald Trump, shes using her wide-reaching platform to advocate against vaccinating children. Which, according to leading medical experts, is actually damaging on a global scale.

Cases of measles in unvaccinated children are rising across the world. I have small children, and every couple of weeks I see new measles notices in schools, nurseries, and GP surgeries. The UK saw a 400 per cent rise in measles reports between 2017 and 2018. Meanwhile, UK vaccination rates are now well below (87.2 per cent) the figure deemed sufficient by the World Health Organisation to protect a population against disease (95 per cent).

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The World Health Organisation lists vaccine hesitancy as a major health threat to humanity. Blaming vaccination deniers, the NHS is considering making vaccinations compulsory for primary school-aged children. And, following a recent study that suggests measles outbreaks could double in the next few years, scientists have laid the blame solidly with misleading campaigns claiming vaccinations are dangerous.

And this is what celebrities like Biel are claiming  that vaccines contain harmful toxins, and cause autism, and that natural immunity is the healthier choice. This may sound reasonable to anyone who may not have all the facts but (quite understandably) probably doesnt want to risk getting mercury poisoning from an injection their kid doesnt even need.

That there is zero evidence to support their claims (natural immunity, outside of the maternal immunity that protects babies up to four-months-old, doesnt really even exist) almosts adds fuel to believers fires of fervour. Mention research and they rant about conspiracies and big pharma. And all the actual science around herd immunity and how it protects us from disease  which is how more vaccinations provide better protection for all  gets lost in the noise.

It seems it is stupidity, and the availability of this stupidity, that is making our kids ill.

The thing is, its making anti-vaxxers kids ill, too. Of the increased cases of measles in the UK, most of them were among unvaccinated children. And many required hospital treatment.

By lobbying against Californias vaccine bill, Jessica Biel is risking her own familys health. As Leah Russin from Vaccinate California (one of the bills sponsors) pointed out to The Daily Beast, the bill wont actually prevent children who need medical exemptions from getting them:

In fact, the people who truly need medical exemptions desperately need everyone else to be vaccinated. Medical advice should be coming from medical professionals. A Hollywood celebrity [...] should not have credibility on an issue about how to regulate the medical profession.

This is why I dont want my kids to play with her kid. Not because they might catch measles  my kids are vaccinated  because they might catch stupidity. And theres quite enough of that going around as it is.BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese authorities have launched an investigation into FedEx Corp over parcels delivered to the wrong addresses, China's official Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.

The report did not give details about the deliveries in question.

FedEx did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Xinhua previously reported that China would investigate whether FedEx damaged the legal rights and interests of its clients after Huawei Technologies Co Ltd said this month the U.S. company diverted parcels destined for the Chinese firm's addresses in Asia to the United States.

FedEx said the packages were "misrouted in error".

The inquiry comes amid worsening trade relations between China and the United States, which saw the two governments slap new tit-for-tat tariffs on each other's goods last month.

Washington also last month put Huawei on a blacklist that effectively blocks U.S. firms from doing business with the Shenzhen-based telecoms equipment maker.

(Reporting by Lusha Zhang and Se Young Lee; Additional Reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Mark Potter)Chinese state media remained largely silent as an estimated two million Hong Kong people took to the streets Sunday to protest an extradition bill, with social platforms scrubbed clean of any pictures or mentions of the rally.

Hong Kong's government has been rocked in recent days by massive demonstrations -- and some violence -- which forced the city's embattled Chief Executive Carrie Lam to indefinitely suspend passage of the bill.

Early Monday, China's official Xinhua news agency issued a four-paragraph report noting suspension of the measure, "having regard to the strong and different views in society".

Xinhua said Lam had apologized to the people and pledged to make improvements in serving them after "deficiencies" in the Hong Kong government's work "led to substantial controversies and disputes in society."

The report made no mention of Sunday's protest in which crowds choked the streets of the financial hub, calling for Lam's resignation.

Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe place for business.

Except for a short opinion piece in the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily, Chinese state media -- which has drummed up support for the bill in recent weeks -- remained mum Sunday after Lam's climbdown.

China's state broadcaster, CCTV, avoided the subject in its main news bulletins throughout the day.

The proposed law that would allow extraditions to the mainland was "supported by mainstream public opinion in Hong Kong", the People's Daily article said.

- Opposing 'intervention of external forces' -

"The general public is looking forward to blocking legal loopholes to prevent Hong Kong becoming a haven for sinners," it added.

China has blamed the protests on what it says is a small group of organisers who are colluding with Western governments.

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The People's Daily echoed the oft-repeated government line that "it resolutely opposes the intervention of external forces in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs".

It also supported the option chosen by pro-Beijing Lam to put the bill on the backburner, saying it was an opportunity to "further listen to opinions".

Searches on China's Twitter-like microblogging site Weibo for "Hong Kong protests" only yielded official Chinese foreign ministry statements. The ministry has called such rallies "riots" or "behaviour that undermines Hong Kong's peace and stability".

There were no photos of black-clad protesters walking with banners critical of the bill, or people leaving flowers at the site where a young man fell to his death protesting the law.

Videos of police using pepper spray and rubber bullets on protesters -- which had left Hong Kong public seething -- were also absent from Chinese social media.

Websites such as Twitter and Facebook -- accessible in semi-autonomous Hong Kong -- are blocked on the mainland.

Beijing was already on edge this month as it tightened security and stepped up online censorship to ensure that the 30th anniversary of the brutal June 4 Tiananmen Square crackdown would go by quietly.By Josh Smith and Joyce Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) - A decade after leaving her family behind to flee North Korea, the defector was overwhelmed with excitement when she spoke to her 22-year-old son on the phone for the first time in May after he too escaped into China.

While speaking to him again on the phone days later, however, she listened in horror as the safe house where her son and four other North Korean escapees were hiding was raided by Chinese authorities.

"I heard voices, someone saying 'shut up' in Chinese," said the woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect her son's safety. "Then the line was cut off, and I heard later he was caught."

The woman, now living in South Korea, said she heard rumors her son is being held in a Chinese prison near the North Korean border, but has had no official news of his whereabouts.

At least 30 North Korean escapees have been rounded up in a string of raids across China since mid-April, according to family members and activist groups.

It is not clear whether this is part of a larger crackdown by China, but activists say the raids have disrupted parts of the informal network of brokers, charities, and middlemen who have been dubbed the North Korean "Underground Railroad".

"The crackdown is severe," said Y. H. Kim, chairman of the North Korea Refugees Human Rights Association of Korea.

Most worrisome for activists is that the arrests largely occurred away from the North Korean border  an area dubbed the "red zone" where most escapees get caught - and included rare raids on at least two safe houses.

"Raiding a house? I've only seen two or three times," said Kim, who left North Korea in 1988 and has acted as a middleman for the past 15 years, connecting donors with brokers who help defectors.

"You get caught on the way, you get caught moving. But getting caught at a home, you can count on one hand."

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The increase in arrests is likely driven by multiple factors, including deteriorating economic conditions in North Korea and China's concern about the potential for a big influx of refugees, said Kim Seung-eun, a pastor at Seoul's Caleb Mission Church, which helps defectors escape.

"In the past, up to half a million North Korean defectors came to China," Kim said, citing the period in the 1990s when famine struck North Korea. "A lot of these arrests have to do with China wanting to prevent this again."

DIVIDED FAMILIES

Kim Jeong-cheol already lost his brother trying to escape from North Korea, and now fears his sister will meet a similar fate after she was caught by Chinese authorities.

"My elder brother was caught in 2005, and he went to a political prison and was executed in North Korea," Kim told Reuters. "That's why my sister will surely die if she goes back there. What sin is it for a man to leave because he's hungry and about to die?"

Reuters was unable to verify the fate of Kim's brother or sister. Calls to the North Korean embassy in Beijing were not answered.

Activist groups and lawyers seeking to help the families say there is no sign China has deported the recently arrested North Koreans yet, and their status is unknown.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, which does not typically acknowledge arrests of individual North Korean escapees, said it had no information about the raids or status of detainees.

"We do not know about the situation to which you are referring," the ministry said in a statement when asked by Reuters.

North Koreans who enter China illegally because of economic reasons are not refugees, it added.

"They use illegal channels to enter China, breaking Chinese law and damaging order for Chinas entry and exit management," the ministry said. "For North Koreans who illegally enter the country, China handles them under the principled stance of domestic and international law and humanitarianism."

South Korea's government said it tries to ensure North Korean defectors can reach their desired destinations safely and swiftly without being forcibly sent back to the North, but declined to provide details, citing defectors' safety and diplomatic relations.

When another woman - who also asked to be unnamed for her family's safety - escaped from North Korea eight years ago, she promised her sister and mother she would work to bring them out later.

In January, however, her mother died of cancer, she said.

On her death bed, her mother wrote a message on her palm pleading for her remaining daughter to escape North Korea.

"It will haunt me for the rest of my life that I didn't keep my promise," said woman, who now lives in South Korea.

Her 27-year-old sister was in a group of four defectors who made it all the way to Nanning, near the border with Vietnam, before being caught.

"When you get there, you think you're almost home free," she said. "You think you're safe."

INCREASE IN ARRESTS

There are no hard statistics on how many North Koreans try to leave their country, but South Korea, where most defectors try to go, says the number safely arriving in the South dropped after Kim Jong Un came to power in 2011.

In 2018 about 1,137 North Korean defectors entered South Korea, compared to 2,706 in 2011.

Observers say the drop is partly because of increased security and crackdowns in both North Korea and China.

Over the past year, more cameras and updated guard posts have been seen at the border, said Kang Dong-wan, who heads an official North Korean defector resettlement organization in South Korea and often travels to the border between China and North Korea.

"Kim Jong Un's policy itself is tightening its grip on defection," he said. "Such changes led to stronger crackdowns in China as well."

Under President Xi Jinping, China has also cracked down on a variety of other activities, including illicit drugs, which are sometimes smuggled by the same people who transport escapees, said one activist who asked not to be named due to the sensitive work.

North Koreans who enter China illegally face numerous threats, including from the criminal networks they often have to turn to for help.

Tens of thousands of women and girls trying to flee North Korea have been pressed into prostitution, forced marriage, or cybersex operations in China, according to a report last month by the non-profit Korea Future Initiative.

"SMASH UP NETWORKS"

An activist at another organization that helps spirit defectors out of North Korea said so far its network had not been affected, but they were concerned about networks being targeted and safe houses being raided.

"That is a bit of a different level, more targeted and acting on intelligence that they may have been sitting on to smash up networks," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect the organization's work.

Y. H. Kim, of the Refugees Human Rights Association, said the raids raised concerns that Chinese authorities had infiltrated some smuggling networks, possibly with the aid of North Korean intelligence agents.

"I don't know about other organizations, but no one is moving in our organization right now," he said. "Because everyone who moves is caught."

(Reporting by Josh Smith and Joyce Lee. Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing and David Brunnstrom in Washington. Editing by Lincoln Feast.)Disclaimer: The interview was edited and condensed for publication

Mt. Gox crypto exchange is well remembered  but mostly for a bad reason. The year of 2011 marked the biggest heist in terms of the amount of crypto stolen, an eye-watering figure of 850,000 bitcoins (BTC), worth around $473 million at that time. Four years on and only 200,000 BTC of that were recovered.

Most creditors still dont know if or when they will ultimately get their funds back. Apparently, we may not see a conclusion any time soon, as Mt. Gox.s trustee continues its standoff against the United States-based company CoinLab in court.

Meanwhile, recent reports that Mark Karpeles is working for Japanese company Tristan Technologies as its chief technology officer have unsettled the community, with many believing that Karpeles is now back in the crypto game. To clarify these rumors and to find out the details regarding Mt. Gox settlements, Cointelegraph spoke with the man himself, Mark Karpeles.

Media reports and rumors

Alex Cohen: First of all, let's talk about recent reports that claimed you recently joined a brand new blockchain firm, Tristan Tech, as a CTO. You then took to the press to clarify that those reports were not accurate. Can you clarify all of this, please?

Mark Karpeles: This is not particularly a new role; I have been doing this since 2016. Tristan Technologies is a very small company. We have probably, I think, four employees, with two engineers, including myself.

So, it's a very small entity and we're working toward creating IT services  but nothing blockchain-related at this point, at least.

There are different reasons for why I work here. One of the reasons was that, at the time, I didn't really have a choice anyway, considering I was just out on bail. And as such, it was not easy to find a job.

Also, I think Tristan Technology is a company that is very interesting on one specific point, which is that the director of the company is also my lawyer, who dealt with the criminal case in Japan..

Story continues

I have an opportunity to work on things that most IT companies cannot do, because either it's too complex or its about things people don't even know is possible.

AC: So, just to clarify, do you have any plans to work in or with crypto, or do something blockchain-related right now?

MK: Well, of course, there are probably things I can still do in crypto. But I don't think it's the right timing, right now. It will depend on how things evolve in the future.

In the meantime, it is important to express and share what I have seen during my years at Mt. Gox and after that, and there is a book Ive published in Japan that contains a lot of explanation  like what happened at Mt. Gox, what the status of cryptocurrency is, what has been done so far, and what needs to be done as soon as possible to make sure that crypto evolves and become something for the future.

Overall, Karpeles has not ruled out returning to the crypto and blockchain industry at some point in the future, after overcoming the most pressing obstacles:

MK: I don't know when, it will not depend on me alone. It will also depend on the industry itself. Right now, I still have one trial ongoing in Japan.

The original charges include embezzlement and breach of trust, for which I have been judged innocent. But there's only one thing remaining, to which I'm appealing.

So, its going to take some time, I believe. But I'm going to fight until the end to prove my innocence on this.

Legal battles continue on all fronts

The original charges against Karpeles were filed in 2015 on the grounds of breach of trust and embezzlement. He was eventually found guilty of record tampering and handed a 2 -year suspended jail sentence, which he is now appealing.

AC: How long do you think it will take until we see a conclusion to all the court cases?

MK: There are different legal processes going on at the same time in different places in the world.

I believe it's going to be years until everything Mt. Gox clears out of the courts  maybe more, so it could be even 10 years, I don't know. But I believe the thing most people are waiting for right now, really, is a bankruptcy itself. If we can just find a solution for creditors, I believe it would be much better for people than just waiting forever.

Actual progress right now depends on one specific creditor, which is a company called CoinLab. They are a firm that Mt. Gox at one point tried to work with to handle customers in the U.S. because of regulations. It was not really possible to do from Japan.

Read more on this: A Guilty Verdict, Impatient Creditors and a Resurrecting Movement: Mt. Gox Saga Continues

As it turned out, CoinLab didn't get the right licencing, and they didn't do things that were expected of them, so the agreement couldn't move forward and CoinLab tried to sue Mt. Gox. We countersued CoinLab in the U.S.

In the meantime, Mt. Gox went into bankruptcy, so the lawsuit became a claim. So earlier, CoinLab filed a claim with Mt. Gox. But, with the recent petitions, they had a new $16 billion claim, which is completely preventing everything moving forward.

AC: During and after your trial, several media outlets reported that you have vast wealth stored in crypto. Is that true?

MK: Well, I wish that was true because I wouldn't have to work. So, no, I don't have any kind of crypto.

During the Mt. Gox bankruptcy, I was pushed to bankruptcy myself. I was detained for almost a year, during which time all my belongings were seized by the trustee fund. When I came out on bail in 2016, I came out with absolutely nothing.

The only thing remaining was a genuine distrust and simply the impossibility to get any kind of job  which, compared to this, actually I would say that I accomplished quite a bit, getting back on my feet. But I'm still far from done, I believe.

But still, if I had billions in crypto, it would have been so much easier for me. I did manage to finally create a bank account, but most banks would just say no, seeing my name. So, it's been a while to find the bank that would let me even just create an account. I'm definitely not going to get any credit cards anytime soon.

When could Mt. Gox creditors get their money back?

AC: What of the amount that the creditors would be paid back? There were conflicting reports in the media, so is there a specific number?

MK: Well, I would say it's confirmed because the only reason for it to get changed would be in case CoinLab gets a different amount approved, which is very unlikely, as far as I know.

I do not think the amount is going to be any lower than what it was going to be during the bankruptcy. It should also include cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and bitcoin cash. But the case is that, I guess, it could take years.

For this, there are two parts: The trustee fund has actually secured more than $500 million worth of cash by selling bitcoins during the bankruptcy, and it has more than 100,000 bitcoin cash, which can be distributed too.

So, the only thing that remains would be to clear the CoinLab charges and then submit an original plan to the court. which would then outline a concrete road to implement the plan. So really, CoinLab is a big stopping block to moving forward. Basically CoinLab has made a claim that is clearly outrageous. I mean, $16 billion is, by any kind of total, too much. And very clearly, it's only there to delay the process in order to be in a better position when negotiating some kind of a settlement.

But quite clearly, the only way CoinLab would get any kind of money is if the trustee of the court approves a settlement  because the claim, as I know, has no merit.

In February 2019, U.S.-based bitcoin business incubator CoinLab upped its initial court claim against Mt. Gox from $75 million dollars to $16 billion. The original filing against the bitcoin exchange, which took place in 2013, implicated Mt. Gox of breaching a contract regarding the servicing of customers in the U.S.

Mark also shared his expectations regarding the outcome of the case against CoinLab:

MK: For the case, if it goes to the end, CoinLab will definitely lose and will not be awarded anything. I believe the trustee has a very good chance against CoinLab, as long as the case gets properly fought.

But the thing is, CoinLab is not fighting to win but to cause delays, because they know there is a big pressure on the trustee to clear everything as soon as possible, which is not an option as long as CoinLab is there.

Questions from readers

Ahead of the interview, Cointelegraph has asked the community to send in questions through social platforms. Here are several of them:

Does Brock Pierce have any right to the Mt. Gox URL?

MK: I do not believe Brock has the rights, as of today, for the URL or Mt. Gox itself. Of course, if he wants to take Mt. Gox, surely he can make an approach to the trustee, and the trustee would review it, discuss and decide whether it's a good thing or not. But I do not believe  at this point, anyway  that this kind of thing will happen. Brock Pierce actually made two attempts at reviving Mt. Gox.

He came to Japan, so I met him in this office right here, actually, and we talked a little bit about different things. Basically, it didn't seem like he had a solid plan to bring recoveries to creditors or to make things move faster. He seemed set on the idea of issuing a new coin. So, based on what I've seen, I'm not sure it would have benefited everyone equally.

Does Mark have any regrets about getting involved in the crypto world? And if he could go back in time and change anything what would that be?

MK: Well, I would say my main regret was to accept Mt. Gox instead of just creating a new exchange.

At the time, I didn't have the overall experience I have today. When Jed [i.e., Jed McCaleb, the founder of Mt. Gox] came to me and offered me Mt. Gox  asking for money  I didn't, at the time, find it suspicious. So no, with the experience I have today, I would never do those kinds of things.

Mt. Gox creditors are still waiting

AC: Do you still have any altercations with Mt. Gox creditors?

MK: I do have a lot of contact with many creators. I'm helping many people to try to go through all the process, which is in Japanese. Of course, I'm trying to do anything I can to help people, because today, I cannot do much more than that  although I'm making sure the bankruptcy process has anything it needs from me and trying to make it possible for creditors to contact me.

AC: In terms public perception, people were and still are quite suspicious of you. Do you think this notion toward you has softened over time.

MK: Being judged innocent of charges is actually a big stamp of approval from a Japanese court, based on the police investigation. So, I believe it's actually helped restore a lot of trust and a lot of belief in people for me.

But, there's still one case remaining, which I'm still fighting. Even if I am proven truly innocent, some people would just say that the court is not being fair or something. But actually, that would be an uphill battle, because Japan tends to have a very high conviction rate.

Justifying that I am innocent of the charges, the prosecution didn't decide to appeal this. Something that I didn't expect to happen. I believe this really means something.

Related Articles: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 we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (HKG:1).

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, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.

We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.'

View our latest analysis for CK Hutchison Holdings

CK Hutchison Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Group Co-MD & Executive Director Kin Ning Fok for HK$141m worth of shares, at about HK$405 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than HK$75.10 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares is very important. 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.

In the last twelve months insiders paid HK$199m for 1.1m shares purchased. CK Hutchison Holdings may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. The average buy price was around HK$176. I'd consider this a positive as it suggests insiders see value at around the current price. 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!

Story continues

SEHK:1 Recent Insider Trading, June 16th 2019

CK Hutchison Holdings is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insiders at CK Hutchison Holdings Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen significant insider buying at CK Hutchison Holdings. Overall, three insiders shelled out HK$199m for shares in the company -- and none sold. This makes one think the business has some good points.

Insider Ownership

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. CK Hutchison Holdings insiders own about HK$84b worth of shares (which is 29% of the company). This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About CK Hutchison Holdings Insiders?

The recent insider purchases are heartening. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest CK Hutchison Holdings insiders are well aligned, and quite possibly think the share price is too low. That's what I like to see! 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.

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.LONDON (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)Guatemala City (AFP) - Corruption-weary Guatemalans are set to elect a new president Sunday after a tumultuous campaign that saw two leading candidates barred from taking part and the top electoral crimes prosecutor forced to flee the country, fearing for his life.

Gang violence, poverty and streams of US-bound migrants have dominated campaigning in Central America's most populous country, where a crowded field of 19 candidates is vying to succeed outgoing president Jimmy Morales.

The country's top anti-corruption campaigner, former attorney general Thelma Aldana, is not among them. She was expected to poll strongly, but was barred from running last month over allegations of irregularities dating from when she was a barnstorming public prosecutor.

Sandra Torres, a 63-year-old businesswoman and former First Lady, heads into the election as favorite, having built a clear opinion poll lead over second placed Alejandro Giammattei, also 63.

Torres -- candidate for the center-left Unity of Hope (UNE) -- has over 22 percent of voter preferences in the latest polls, while Giammettei, a doctor running for the conservative Vamos party, trails with just over 11 percent.

However, neither is seen as likely to poll strongly enough Sunday to avoid a runoff round on August 11.

Analysts believe Torres, a polarizing figure since her years as the Central American country's First Lady, would struggle in a second round, given Giammettei's ability to unify the conservative vote against her.

Three other candidates are vying for third place, with indigenous woman Thelma Cabrera building momentum in the closing stages of the campaign.

Guatemala's electorate of eight million is also voting in congressional and municipal elections on Sunday. Torres' UNE is expected to poll strongly but fall short of a majority in the deeply fractured 160-seat congress.

The ex-wife of late president Alvaro Colom, in power from 2008-2012, Torres has pledged health and education reforms as well as jobs to stem the flow of migration to the US. She has vowed to oppose abortion and same-sex marriage.

Story continues

Giammattei has vowed to bring back the death penalty to help crush violent gangs, fight poverty to stop migration and end "disgusting" corruption.

Monitors from the Organization of American States (OAS), led by former Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis, are supervising the polls.

All police leave has been cancelled and around 40,000 police have been put on alert, while the military has been mobilized to guard key buildings and jails.

Authorities have expressed concern about possible outbreaks of violence in at least 55 municipalities.

Guatemala has one of the world's highest homicide rates: official statistics put the rate at 22.4 murders per 100,000 people at the end of 2018.

Around half the killings are blamed on drug trafficking and extortion operations carried out by powerful gangs.

- Presidents and moguls -

Morales, a former TV comedian who won power in 2015 -- beating Torres in the run-off -- is obliged to step down under Guatemala's one-term rules.

His predecessor Otto Perez is in jail for corruption and he himself faces a corruption inquiry into illegal campaign funding.

That was instigated by Aldana and the UN-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) that has put former presidents, ministers and business moguls in jail.

Aldana -- who fled to the United States after receiving death threats -- told AFP her exclusion was orchestrated by those she put in prison and their allies, who saw her as a "hindrance".

Also barred from running was Zury Rios, daughter of late dictator Efrain Rios Montt, under constitutional rules that prevent his relatives from seeking the presidency.

And this week, as polling stations were being prepared across the country, Oscar Schaad, the electoral court's top prosecutor, said he had been forced to flee the country, citing threats to him and his family.

Some polls place Roberto Arzu, son of the late former president Alvaro Arzu (1996-2000), in third place.

Tough-talking Arzu warned criminal gangs he would leave no stone unturned in a quest to hunt them down if he is elected. Then he would give them a choice, he said: "surrender or die right there."In this article:

Courteney Cox has celebrated her 55th birthday [Image: Getty]

They became an iconic trio when they starred on Friends for almost a decade.

Now, Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow have delighted fans of the hit sitcom, which aired from 1994 to 2004, by reuniting for a smiling snap.

The occasion was to celebrate the 55th birthday of the Monica Geller actress.

She shared a selfie of herself with 50-year-old Jennifer, who played Rachel Green, and Lisa, who played Phoebe Buffay, to Instagram.

READ MORE: Courtney Coxs daughter wears her red carpet dress from 21 years ago

Captioning the sweet image, Courteney - who has a 15-year-old daughter Coco with ex-husband David Arquette - wrote: How lucky am I to celebrate my birthday with these two??? I love you girls. So much.

Lisa, 55, was quick to reply: LOVE you girls! Happy happy Court.

Selma Blair and Poppy Delevingne were among other celebrities to wish the Cougar Town star a happy birthday.

Her 2.3m followers were delighted by the impromptu reunion of the shows three female leads.

READ MORE: Jennifer Aniston, 50, defies her years in a tight leather mini dress on red carpet

The snap has been liked 896k times, and fans revealed their amazement at how little the women had aged.

One person wrote: My heart just exploded.

Another commented: After all these years they're still good friends.

A third shared: Aww they are still Besties.

READ MORE: Jennifer Aniston, 50, rocks jaw-dropping bikini look for Harper's Bazaar cover

In another post, Courteney paid tribute to her boyfriend Johnny McDaid.

Captioning a pic of the couple, she wrote: My all year birthday gift! I miss you J xx

The Snow Patrol guitarist - with whom she broke off her engagement in 2015 before reuniting - is based in London.

Many fans said they hoped a show reunion is on the cards.

Story continues

Last month marked 15 years since the final episode of the show first aired.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Style UK:Photo: His Place Eatery/Yelp

Craving barbecue?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top barbecue spots in Indianapolis, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to fulfill your urges.

1. His Place Eatery

Photo: His Place eatery/Yelp

Topping the list is His Place Eatery. Located at 6916 E. 30th St. on the east side of Indianapolis, the Southern and soul food spot is the highest-rated barbecue restaurant in the city, boasting 4.5 stars out of 237 reviews on Yelp.

On the menu, look for Memphis pulled pork, smoked ribs and sliced beef brisket, along with sides such as bourbon creamed corn and candied yams. Or opt for a signature meal like the red velvet waffles with fried chicken.

2. Hank's Smoked Briskets

Photo: Nancy L./Yelp

Next up is Hank's Smoked Briskets, situated at 3736 Martin Luther King Drive. With 4.5 stars out of 170 reviews on Yelp, the spot to score barbecue has proven to be a local favorite.

The menu features pulled pork, smoked brisket, sausage links and corned beef.

3. Fat Dan's Deli

Photo: James N./Yelp

Fat Dan's Deli, an eatery that offers barbecue and chicken wings in Meridian-Kessler, is another go-to, with four stars out of 352 Yelp reviews. Head over to 5410 N. College Ave. to try it for yourself.

This is one of three locations in the Indianapolis area, offering everything from appetizers like Dirty Tots (tots, smoked pork, cheese sauce and Dan's hot sauce) to burgers and barbecue, including smoked wings, brisket and ribs.

4. Repeal Restaurant

Photo: Faith B./Yelp

Downtown, check out Repeal Restaurant, which has earned four stars out of 286 reviews on Yelp. You can find the bar and New American spot, which offers barbecue and more, at 630 Virginia Ave. at Fletcher Place.

Stop by for craft cocktails, appetizers or weekend brunch. If you're craving barbecue, there's slow-roasted and smoked brisket, barbecue shrimp and pulled pork.

5. Squealers Award Winning Barbeque

Photo: Juan G./Yelp

Finally, there's Squealers Award Winning Barbeque, a Park 100 favorite with four stars out of 232 reviews. Stop by 5515 W. 86th St. to hit up the spot to score barbecue and more next time you're in the mood. It has a second location in Mooresville.

Squealers features favorites like barbecue nachos, Texas-style brisket, St. Louis ribs and smoked turkey.

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.Prague (AFP) - Star banjo player Ned Luberecki sits back in an armchair at a Prague music hall, contemplates the instrument he's holding, then gently begins strumming.

"I'm still waiting on a name for it. I've just decided she's a 'she'. But it should be a Czech name," the American musician says of his six-month-old handmade banjo, crafted in a tiny village tucked away on a Czech mountain range.

Luberecki, who was named the 2018 Banjo Player of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), is one of several renowned artists of the country and western style music to play banjos and mandolins made by Rosta Capek.

The Czech craftsman supplies instruments to the likes of 15-time Grammy winner Ricky Skaggs and Grammy nominee Doyle Lawson, both American bluegrass stalwarts.

Chasing away Flatt and Scruggs, his dog and cat named after the famous bluegrass duo formed in its early days in the 1940s, the 51-year-old Capek says he is living his dream.

"When Ricky Skaggs, a star of stars and an absolutely fabulous musician for many people, buys an instrument from you, it's fantastic," Capek told AFP, at his workshop in Chouzava, a village about 30 kilometres (19 miles) south of Prague.

- American and illicit -

Bluegrass was everywhere as Capek was growing up in a small flat in Prague -- he would listen on tape to the sounds and songs of Bill Monroe, the originator of the musical style.

His father founded and managed ex-Czechoslovakia's first and only women's bluegrass group, in which Capek's mother played banjo.

"I was sure I wouldn't be a professional musician. I saw my parents rarely, they had 260 concerts a year.

"But my love for musical instruments led me to study at a violin making school," he said.

Capek made his first banjo in 1985 when the country was still under communist rule.

He copied his mother's Gibson, one of only two five-string banjos in the country, where all things American were strictly banned.

Story continues

"Mum got the Gibson from a factory where she played a show with her band," Capek said.

"Someone brought it there as a sample from the States but they thought it was lousy and that they could make a better one themselves," Capek added with a chuckle.

- Czech, please! -

Communist rule played a major role in the development of the local bluegrass scene and the music's popularity.

Over time, Czechoslovak bluegrass evolved from the country's "tramp" movement that saw hundreds pack up and leave cities to roam the countryside at weekends between the two world wars.

Live music became the obvious pastime for long evenings by the campfire.

The slightly more liberal 1960s gave rise to full-blown bluegrass bands with names such as the Greenhorns or Rangers.

"The communists wouldn't allow them to sing in English so they wrote Czech lyrics for bluegrass and country standards," said Petr Brandejs, head of the Czech Bluegrass Association.

Sung in Czech, songs like "Jesse James", "Orange Blossom Special" or "Folsom Prison Blues" soon found their way into the improvised and spontaneous jam sessions still beloved of many Czechs.

After the 1968 crackdown on the Prague Spring movement by Soviet-led armies, authorities forced bands with English names to change them to Czech ones if they wanted to perform.

They did and the music lived on.

"People went to the woods to be free even during communism. And when they played this American music there, they were even more free and they also showed opposition to the regime," Brandejs told AFP.

- Bluegrass wedding -

Capek sold his first mandolin in the United States in 1995.

"The first one paid my air ticket so I was happy, but I still had a long way to go," said the man, who now makes about a dozen mandolins and up to 50 banjos a year.

He cites patience, accuracy and a willingness to study other makers' instruments as key to his craft.

"When we go to America now, we're confident. We know we have top-quality instruments that the stars like to play," he said.

Last year was special for Capek: he married his longtime assistant at a "bluegrass wedding," his best man being the dobro player Rob Ickes, a 15-time IBMA Award winner.

Then in September, Luberecki -- who has two custom-made Capek banjos -- won his award.

"He won it with my banjo. It's the biggest reward I ever got," said Capek, who also organises bluegrass concerts in Prague.Dubai (AFP) - A Japanese tanker, attacked in the Gulf in an incident that sparked a new standoff between Washington and Tehran, "arrived safely" Sunday at an anchorage off the UAE, its management said.

The Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday when it and the Norwegian-operated Front Altair were rocked by explosions.

The US and Saudi Arabia have accused Iran of responsibility.

"Kokuka Courageous has arrived safely at the designated anchorage at Sharjah", an emirate neighbouring Dubai, the vessel's Singapore-based BSM Ship Management said in a statement Sunday.

The crew, who remained on board, were "safe and well", it said, adding that a damage assessment and preparations for transferring the ship's cargo would start "once the port authorities have completed their standard security checks and formalities."

BSM Ship Management had said earlier Kokuka Courageous was heading towards an anchorage on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, facing the Gulf of Oman.

The other ship, the Front Altair, has left Iran's territorial waters, multiple sources said Saturday.

It was "heading toward the Fujairah-Khor Fakkan area in the United Arab Emirates", the ports chief of Iran's southern province of Hormozgan told the semi-official news agency ISNA.

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.

The US military on Friday released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an "unexploded limpet mine" from the Japanese vessel.

Tehran has vehemently denied any involvement.

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.Dubai (AFP) - Two damaged tankers arrived safely Sunday at locations off the Emirati coast after they were rocked by explosions in Gulf waters, in an incident Saudi Arabia blamed on its regional arch-rival Iran.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday when it came under attack along with the Norwegian-operated Front Altair -- the second assault in a month in the strategic shipping lane.

US President Donald Trump has said the operation had Iran "written all over it" -- rejecting Tehran's vehement denial -- and Washington's key Gulf ally Saudi Arabia has also lashed out against Tehran.

In his first public comments since the attacks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in remarks published Sunday that he would not hesitate to tackle any threats to the oil-rich kingdom.

"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 told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

He said Iran had responded to a visit to Tehran by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese".

Abe had been on an unprecedented visit to the Iranian capital in a bid to defuse tensions between Washington and the Islamic republic when the attacks took place.

The US military on Friday released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an "unexploded limpet mine" from the Japanese vessel.

On Sunday, it said Iran had unsuccessfully tried to shoot down a US drone on a surveillance mission following the attack on the Kokuka Courageous.

The vessel's Singapore-based BSM Ship Management said in a statement Sunday that it had "arrived safely at the designated anchorage" and that its crew were "safe and well".

- Vital waterway -

The other ship, the Front Altair, was under safe tow by tug boats towards an area off the coast of the eastern Emirati port of Fujairah.

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"First inspections are under way and no hot spots have been identified following the fire," while all crew members were in Dubai, the vessel's owners said in a statement Sunday.

Russia on Sunday warned against making "baseless accusations" over the attacks.

"Such incidents can undermine the foundations of the world economy," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov.

Thursday's attacks took place southeast of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor connecting the energy-rich states of the Middle East to the global market.

Iran, which is struggling with crippling US sanctions, has repeatedly warned in the past that it could block the strait in a relatively low-tech, high-impact countermeasure to any attack by the United States.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday vowed the US would ensure the strait remains open, without detailing what options Washington is considering to protect shipping.

"What you should assume is we are going to guarantee freedom of navigation throughout the strait," he said in a Fox News television interview.

Earlier Sunday, Iran's parliament speaker said that Washington could have been behind the "suspicious" tanker attacks, the official news agency IRNA reported.

The attacks "seem to complement the economic sanctions against Iran, considering that (the US) has not achieved any results from them", he told lawmakers.

- 'Iran and its proxies' -

The Saudi crown prince also accused "Iran and its proxies" over May 12 attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off the UAE port of Fujairah.

Attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels have further fuelled tensions in the region.

On Friday, the kingdom intercepted five drones launched by the Huthi rebels, a Riyadh-led coalition said, in a second assault on an airport in the country's southwest in two days.

The drones targeted Abha airport, where a rebel missile on Wednesday left 26 civilians wounded, and the nearby city of Khamis Mushait, which houses a major airbase, the coalition said.

A Yemeni rebel drone targeting Abha was also intercepted Saturday, but it caused no casualties or damage.

The US military said in its statement Sunday that one of its drones was shot down over Yemen by Huthi rebels on June 6.

The rebels, who have faced persistent coalition bombing since March 2015 that has exacted a heavy civilian death toll, have stepped up attacks across the border in recent weeks.

Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia would "not accept the presence of militias on its borders".

Riyadh has repeatedly accused Tehran of arming the rebels with sophisticated weapons, a charge the Islamic republic denies.Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Concord New Energy Group Limited (HKG:182), which is in the renewable energy business, and is based in Hong Kong, received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the SEHK over the last few months, increasing to HK$0.42 at one point, and dropping to the lows of HK$0.34. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Concord New Energy Group's current trading price of HK$0.36 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Concord New Energy Groups outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

Check out our latest analysis for Concord New Energy Group

Is Concord New Energy Group still cheap?

The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to my relative valuation model. In this instance, Ive used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stocks cash flows. I find that Concord New Energy Groups ratio of 5.5x is trading slightly below its industry peers ratio of 9.63x, which means if you buy Concord New Energy Group today, youd be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe Concord New Energy Group should be trading in this range, then there isnt much room for the share price grow beyond where its currently trading. In addition to this, it seems like Concord New Energy Groups share price is quite stable, which could mean there may be less chances to buy low in the future now that its fairly valued. This is because the stock is less volatile than the wider market given its low beta.

Can we expect growth from Concord New Energy Group?

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SEHK:182 Past and Future Earnings, June 16th 2019

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so lets also take a look at the company's future expectations. With profit expected to grow by 94% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Concord New Energy Group. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? 182s optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at 182? Will you have enough conviction to buy should the price fluctuate below the true value?

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on 182, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the optimistic forecast is encouraging for 182, which means its worth further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters  the fundamentals  before you make a decision on Concord New Energy Group. You can find everything you need to know about Concord New Energy Group in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Concord New Energy Group, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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.Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

If you own shares in CTS Corporation (NYSE:CTS) then it's worth thinking about how it contributes to the volatility of your portfolio, overall. In finance, Beta is a measure of volatility. Modern finance theory considers volatility to be a measure of risk, and there are two main types of price volatility. First, we have company specific volatility, which is the price gyrations of an individual stock. Holding at least 8 stocks can reduce this kind of risk across a portfolio. The second sort is caused by the natural volatility of markets, overall. For example, certain macroeconomic events will impact (virtually) all stocks on the market.

Some stocks mimic the volatility of the market quite closely, while others demonstrate muted, exagerrated or uncorrelated price movements. Beta can be a useful tool to understand how much a stock is influenced by market risk (volatility). However, Warren Buffett said 'volatility is far from synonymous with risk' in his 2014 letter to investors. So, while useful, beta is not the only metric to consider. To use beta as an investor, you must first understand that the overall market has a beta of one. A stock with a beta greater than one is more sensitive to broader market movements than a stock with a beta of less than one.

See our latest analysis for CTS

What does CTS's beta value mean to investors?

Looking at the last five years, CTS has a beta of 1.33. The fact that this is well above 1 indicates that its share price movements have shown sensitivity to overall market volatility. Based on this history, investors should be aware that CTS are likely to rise strongly in times of greed, but sell off in times of fear. Beta is worth considering, but it's also important to consider whether CTS is growing earnings and revenue. You can take a look for yourself, below.

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NYSE:CTS Income Statement, June 16th 2019

Could CTS's size cause it to be more volatile?

With a market capitalisation of US$904m, CTS is a small cap stock. However, it is big enough to catch the attention of professional investors. It's not particularly surprising that it has a higher beta than the overall market. That's because it takes less money to influence the share price of a smaller company, than a bigger company.

What this means for you:

Since CTS tends to moves up when the market is going up, and down when it's going down, potential investors may wish to reflect on the overall market, when considering the stock. In order to fully understand whether CTS is a good investment for you, we also need to consider important company-specific fundamentals such as CTSs financial health and performance track record. I highly recommend you dive deeper by considering the following:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for CTSs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for CTSs outlook. Past Track Record: Has CTS been consistently performing well irrespective of the ups and downs in the market? Go into more detail in the past performance analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of CTS's historicals for more clarity. Other Interesting Stocks: It's worth checking to see how CTS measures up against other companies on valuation. You could start with this free list of prospective options.

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.Nesconset (United States) (AFP) - Michael Kidd, now 84 years old, fought in the Korean War. His young German shepherd Millie helps calm him down when things start to swirl, usually at night.

Harry Stolberg -- a 42-year-old former Marine who served in Bosnia, Liberia and Nigeria -- has a chocolate Labrador named Rocky who wakes him up from his troubled dreams.

And 31-year-old Phil Davanzo -- who carried the bodies of fallen comrades during a hostage rescue operation that went wrong off Somalia in 2011 -- hopes his Rottweiler puppy will soon be trained to support him during his panic attacks.

The three US veterans, who all live on New York's Long Island, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have sought solace through pet therapy -- namely, a loyal dog to keep them company.

The shelter animals are either trained or being trained to help them through difficult times by Paws of War, an association funded entirely by private donations that then provides the service dogs free of charge.

The group will also train a veteran's dog if he or she already has one.

"The biggest thing is he wakes me up from nightmares," Stolberg says of three-year-old Rocky.

"He can open the door, come in my room, turn on the lights, take my blinders off me... and lick my hands so I wake up."

Rocky, whose 18 months of training were completed six months ago, also helps Stolberg navigate large crowds, which can be triggering.

"If I can't move, he will get me out of that crowd -- he will pick up on that. He will walk around me and look at it and if I don't respond, he will walk away from the crowd with me hooked up to him," he says.

Paws of War -- their acronym is a play on POW, used to signify prisoners of war -- has been active since 2014.

More than 100 dogs have been trained so far, and the therapeutic results for their masters have been significant.

- Off the meds -

Kidd, who suffers from severe PTSD, has been able to reduce his intake of medication thanks to Millie.

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At night when things are tough, "she will come over to me, she will put her paw on my shoulder, on my chest, and just give me a big slobber," says Kidd, whose father was in Normandy on D-Day.

"That's just saying, 'I am here for you.'"

Stolberg used to need sleeping pills to get through the night, but not anymore, thanks to Rocky.

"Sleeping was my biggest problem. (...) Now I only have a nightmare once or twice a month, instead of every day," he explains.

"A lot of that is also because I know that when I go to sleep, he is in the room -- he is going to wake me up no matter what."

- 'Quite a process' -

It takes 18 to 24 months to teach dogs what to do when a troubled veteran sends distress signals, according to Rebecca Stromski, a senior trainer for Paws of War whose husband served in Afghanistan and Kuwait.

"It's quite a process actually, creating a mutual respect and a connection between the service dude and the service dog," she says.

"Once the foundations are in place and the dog starts feeling if things are going well or not for the veterans, they start to do certain motions when the guys are fidgeting," Stromski explains.

"I can start and cue that behavior and use that as an alert."

In the face of seemingly interminable wars for US military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq, deployments which began in 2001, veterans are experiencing PTSD symptoms on a regular basis.

Paws of War has more requests for service animals than it can fulfill, with 50 veterans on the waiting list, according to the group's co-founder Dori Scofield.

- Both ends of the leash -

After running an animal shelter for 30 years, Scofield launched Paws of War after being contacted by veterans returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Those soldiers had become attached to dogs they had found in those countries, but were unable to bring them back home.

Through word of mouth recommendations, the association quickly became a top meeting place for the 75,000-strong veteran community on Long Island, one of the biggest in the United States.

"We get applications every day -- we can't keep up," Scofield says. "I can't train enough dogs fast enough."

She has opened satellite offices in Florida and in northern New York state. She has also launched a free mobile veterinary clinic where veterans can bring their companion animals.

Dogs who might have ended up put to sleep in shelters now have homes, and veterans are rediscovering "a reason to get up every day, get moving, get out," Scofield says.

"It has been just so awesome, helping both ends of the leash."Donald Trump has hit out at Sadiq Khan over the latest stabbings in London

Donald Trump has branded London Mayor Sadiq Khan "a disaster" in the wake of the latest wave of violence in the city, which saw three men killed in separate attacks in less than 24 hours.

Two teenagers were murdered within minutes of each other in different parts of the capital on Friday, while a man was stabbed to death on Saturday afternoon.

The US President retweeted a post by Katie Hopkins about the violence, adding: LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!

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

Hopkins had shared news articles about the incidents with the words: 20 hours in Stab-City UPDATE 2 stabbed to death 1 shot dead Three stabbed - but not dead. Wandsworth & Tower Hamlets This is Khan's Londonistan."

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.

READ MORE

Woman who suffered 13 miscarriages in ten years finally has 'miracle' baby

Hours later, a man in his 30s was killed in Tower Hamlets, east London and three men were also stabbed in a separate attack in Clapham.

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.

He is a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London! https://t.co/l3qcUS17jh  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2019

Mr Trump didnt leave it at one tweet, later commenting on a post that said: Khan is the reason I dont feel like visiting London anytime soon.

Story continues

He shared the tweet, adding: He is a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London!

A spokesman for Sadiq Khan said: "Sadiq is focusing on supporting London's communities and 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."

Absolutely awful to see @realDonaldTrump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor. @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. https://t.co/Se3fgWDXUZ  Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 15, 2019

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also weighed in on the clash, condemning both Donald Trump and Katie Hopkins.

He tweeted: Absolutely awful to see @realDonaldTrump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor.

@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."

It is not the first time the US president and Mayor of London have clashed.

Mr Trump branded Mr Khan a "stone cold loser" in a two-part tweet as he touched down for his state visit to Britain on June 3.

The Labour mayor then accused the president of "playground behaviour" and claimed he was a "poster boy" for the far-right.Ankara (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said Turkey would not back down from gas exploration in Cyprus after southern European leaders urged Ankara to stop.

"We continue and will continue to search in those areas that are ours," Erdogan said during a televised speech in Istanbul.

"Someone has given an order. They will apparently arrest our boats' personnel. You will come off badly if you do so," Erdogan warned, after Cyprus reportedly issued arrests warrants for crew members of Turkey's drilling ship, Fatih, last week.

After a summit of the southern European Union countries in Valletta, the seven nations issued a joint declaration on Friday, expressing "serious concern over actual or potential drilling activities within Cyprus' exclusive economic zone".

They urged the EU to keep an eye on the issue "and, in case Turkey does not cease its illegal activities, to consider appropriate measures in full solidarity with Cyprus".

The Turkish foreign ministry on Saturday said the declaration was "biased" and contrary to international law, accusing the European Union of siding with EU members Cyprus and Greece.

The discovery of huge gas reserves in the Mediterranean has fuelled the race to tap underwater resources.

The island is divided between the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and the northern third under Turkish military control since 1974, formed after Ankara's troops occupied the area in response to a coup sponsored by the Greek military junta.

Turkey considers the area in the Mediterranean to be part of its continental shelf and granted exploration licences to Turkish Petroleum in 2009 and 2012.

Last month Brussels and the United States urged Turkey to reconsider plans to start exploratory drilling off the island.

Erdogan on Sunday also hit out at French President Emmanuel Macron over his support for Cyprus.

Macron said on Friday the EU would "not show weakness on this matter".

Story continues

"What business does France have here?" Erdogan said. "Turkey is a guarantor power in Cyprus. Greece and the UK are guarantor powers as well. What are you?

"Are you making such statements for Total? Show you have the power of attorney. So it means you have left the presidency and have now begun work as a lawyer," he quipped.

Energy giants Total of France and Italy's ENI are heavily involved in exploring for oil and gas off Cyprus as well as ExxonMobil.Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned UK Ambassador to Iran Rob Macaire to elaborate on UK Foreign Secretary's recent remarks accusing Iran regarding oil tankers' accident in the Sea of Oman, Trend reports citing IRNA.

In the wake of the recent allegation made by UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and blind following of the US as regard accusing Iran of being involved in recent accident to oil tankers in Sea of Oman, the managing director of Iran Foreign Ministry for Europe affairs Mahmoud Barimani severely complained against UK governments anti-Iran positions.

Iranian diplomat added that during the Thursday closed session of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), no one except the UK followed the US.

Even many prestigious international media rejected claims made by the US and the UK based on shipping company and the sailors, he noted.

After seriously condemning the baseless allegations and filing Irans complaint, Barimani urged the UK to elaborate on the issue and to correct the position.

He reiterated that the popular reactions against the UK are the result of such approaches to support the US officials unfounded claims in various issues.

He also reminded the UK government of taking realistic positions and compatible with Irans policies and also the importance of revising the current approach.Photo: iStock

While New Orleans is known year-round as a melting pot of music, food and culture, the Crescent City raises the bar each Fourth of July weekend with the annual Essence Festival, the "party with a purpose."

Spread over a main stage and four "superlounges," the Essence Festival is the largest celebration of African American culture and music in the United States. Marking its 25th anniversary this year, the festival features a conversation with former first lady Michelle Obama, and headline music acts including Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Nas and Pharrell Williams.

Events are scattered across the city, so the Essence Festival also offers a chance to take in the sights and sounds of New Orleans. The festival runs July 4-7.

Whether youre ready to book your trip now or just wondering what it would cost, take a look at these forthcoming flights between Austin and New Orleans, which we pulled from travel site Skyscanner.

We've also included popular hotels, restaurants and attractions in New Orleans to showcase the range of local amenities that travelers will find there. (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 New Orleans flights

The cheapest flights between Austin and New Orleans are if you leave on July 5 and return from Louisiana on July 7. Spirit Airlines currently has tickets for $208, roundtrip.

Top New Orleans accommodations

Regarding where to stay, here are some of New Orleanss top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction.

The Hotel Monteleone (214 Royal St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Hotel Monteleone. The hotel has a 4.7-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $179.

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The Hotel Monteleone stands in the French Quarter within four blocks of Jackson Square, the Canal Street Shops, Harrah's New Orleans Casino, Cafe du Monde and lively Bourbon Street. Dining options include Le Cafe, serving buffet-style breakfasts and cooked-to-order selections.

The Columns Hotel (3811 St. Charles Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, there's The Columns Hotel, which has rooms for $100/night. It overlooks St. Charles Avenue, and you can watch the famous streetcar go by  or ride it to the French Quarter.

The Hampton Inn & Suites Convention Center (1201 Convention Center Blvd.)

A third option is The Hampton Inn & Suites Convention Center. The 4.6-star hotel has rooms for $99/night. It's just across from the Ernest Morial Convention Center, the site of many Essence Festival events.

Local restaurant picks

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New Orleans has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Cafe Du Monde (800 Decatur St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Let's start with the essentials: where to get beignets. For a popular option, check out Cafe Du Monde, which has an average of 4.6 stars out of 407 reviews on Skyscanner. This 24/7 French cafe (only closed on Christmas and during hurricanes) serves its patrons a mean cup of dark-roasted chicory coffee. Complement your cup of Joe with one of its famous beignets, gratuitously topped with powdered sugar and occasionally filled with fruit.

Commander's Palace (1403 Washington Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for a local favorite restaurant pick, head to Commander's Palace, with 4.8 stars from 93 reviews.

"I cannot recommend this famous restaurant enough," wrote reviewer Michelle. "There is a dress code and reservations are highly recommended."

Jacques-Imo's Cafe (8324 Oak St.)

Also worth considering is Jacques-Imo's Cafe, which is known for its eclectic mix of Creole and Cajun specialties.

"One of the busiest and smallest cafes in town because the food is wonderful and plentiful," wrote Cindee. "This is a neighborhood restaurant that is warm and friendly."

Lilette (3637 Magazine St.)

Finally, there's Lilette.

"Chef and owner John Harris dream restaurant, dubbed by Travel and Leisure magazine as 'the sexiest dining room in New Orleans' features a menu that boasts such items as bone marrow toast, marinated anchovies and passion fruit butter Alaskan crab cakes," wrote reviewer Justin.

Featured local attractions

Not sure what to do in New Orleans, besides eat and drink? Here are a couple of recommendations, provided by Skyscanner.

The French Quarter (501 Basin St., New Orleans)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The French Quarter, which is the heart of New Orleans as far as tourist attractions go. The iconic Bourbon and Royal streets run parallel here, offering a rambunctious nightlife at the former and unique boutiques at the latter. The waterfront features the New Orleans Aquarium, the legendary Cafe Du Monde and views of Algiers.

"The place for nightlife, social scene and overall fun," wrote visitor Kay. "When in New Orleans, go to the French Quarter. The French Quarter is always full of life and good vibes."

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 (1427 Washington Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, consider checking out Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.

"It's an interesting place to get a glimpse of the macabre side of New Orleans," wrote visitor Morgan. "It's free and there is no tour guide needed."

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.Click here to read the full article.

Congratulations are in order for these celebrity dads celebrating their first Fathers Day in 2019. From a British royal family member to a fan-favorite Bravo host, 2019 hasnt been in short in famous men who became fathers. With Fathers Day a couple days away, we thought we would look back on the 10 celebrity men who became a part of the daddy club in the past year.

No matter their sexual orientation, age or relationship status, were sure these guys will be excellent dads to their newborns. Whether their babies have powerhouse moms like Amy Schumer or Hilary Duff or theyre navigating parenthood alone, these celebrity dads have proven that they know what theyre doing in the short time theyve been parents. From a royal heir to a Bachelor baby, there have been so many new celebrity dads to swoon over.

Related stories

Andy Cohen Shares His List of New-Dad Essentials & Espresso Is Included

Everywhere Dads Can Score Free Food on Father's Day

EXCLUSIVE: Mario Lopez on His New Baby, A.C. Slater as a Dad & Playdates with Tiffani Thiessen

So before you go out and wish the fathers in your life a happy Fathers Day, brush up on the celebrity men who became dads this year. And with even more exciting celebrities expecting babies next year, Fathers Day 2020 is sure to be equally as exciting. But for now, lets focus on and cheers to the new celebrity dads of 2019 whose kids we cant wait to watch grow up.

Prince Harry

Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, welcomed their first child, a son named Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, on May 6, 2019, who will be seventh in line for the throne. We are pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their firstborn child in the early morning on May 6th, 2019, the couple wrote on Instagram. Their Royal Highnesses son weighs 7lbs. 3oz.

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Andy Cohen

The Bravo host became a single dad on February 5, 2019 after he welcomed his son, Benjamin Allen Cohen, via surrogate. WOW! This is my son, Benjamin Allen Cohen, he wrote. He is 9 lbs 2 ounces !! 20 inches !! Born at 6:35 pm, PT. He is named after my grandfather Ben Allen. Im in love. And speechless. And eternally grateful to an incredible surrogate. And Im a dad. Wow, the Watch What Happens Live host wrote on Instagram.

Arie Luyendyk Jr.

Luyendyk Jr. became a first-time father with his wife (and Bachelor runner-up) Lauren Burnham on May 29 when the newlyweds welcomed their daughter Alessi Ren Luyendyk. We have a BEAUTIFUL baby girl 6 lbs, 13 Oz. 20cm Long, Luyendyk wrote on his Instagram story. Mommy and baby are doing great, we are so incredibly happy.

Harry Shum Jr.

Shum Jr. and his wife Shelby Rabara became parents in March when they announced that they had welcomed a baby daughter named Zia. Shum Jr. revealed the news with a photo of his baby with the Elton John lyric: How wonderful life is, now youre in the world.

Chris Fischer

The celebrity chef and his wife Amy Schumer became first-time parents on May 5, 2019 when they welcomed their son, Gene Attell Fischer. Schumer has been open about suffering from hyperemesis throughout her pregnancy and has talked about it with her husband on her Netflix special, Growing.

Danny Fujikawa

The director became a first-time dad in October 3, 2018 when he and his girlfriend Kate Hudson welcomed their daughter, Rani Rose. Rani joins Hudsons two sons from previous relationships, Ryder Robinson and Bingham Hawn Bellamy. A week before Fathers Day, Hudson took to Instagram with a tribute to her boyfriend and the father of Rani. She wrote, This man has given me the most beautiful gifts life can give and the depth of gratitude I feel for the day he was born is beyond any measured spoken word or post.

Matthew Koma

The musician welcomed his first child, a daughter named Banks Violet Bair, in October 2018 with fiance, Hilary Duff. The baby girl will join Duffs son Luca Cruz from her previous marriage to Mike Comrie. Being a dad is the best, Koma wrote in a recent Instagram.

Patrick J. Adams

Adams and his wife, Troian Bellisario, became new parents in October 2018 when they welcomed their baby daughter. After the birth of their child, Bellisario took to Instagram with a sweet note for the father of her baby. I cannot express how grateful I am. To the people who have protected us and kept our growing family safe and respected our privacy. To our tribe for expanding with grace and exponential amounts of love, she wrote.. To my @halfadams for being so supportive during every moment of my pregnancy and her birth. And to whatever incredible force of fate that brought this baby girl into our lives.

James Matthews

Meghan and Harry arent the only ones who welcomed a royal baby in the past year. Matthews, the husband of Kate Middletons sister Pippa Middleton, became a first-time dad in October 2018 when the couple welcomed a baby daughter, who weighed 8 lbs and 9 oz. at the time of her birth.

Everyone is delighted and mother and baby are doing well, her representative told People. Kensington Palace said in an official statement: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are thrilled for Pippa and James.

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Tehran (AFP) - Former Tehran mayor and prominent reformist Mohammad Ali Najafi will stand trial next month on charges of murdering his wife, the government-run Iran newspaper said Sunday.

Najafi, 67, turned himself in and confessed to shooting his second wife Mitra Ostad on May 28 at their home in northern Tehran, according to Iranian media.

"On July 1, the first trial session of Mohammad Ali Najafi, former Tehran mayor, will be held at Tehran's Criminal Court," the Iran daily reported.

A veteran politician, Najafi has previously served as President Hassan Rouhani's economic advisor and education minister.

He was elected as mayor of the capital Tehran in August 2017, but resigned the following April after facing criticism from conservatives for attending a dance performance by schoolgirls.

There has been detailed coverage by state media of the case, a rarity in a country where scandals related to politicians are rarely highlighted on television.

Najafi married Ostad without divorcing his first wife, unusual in Iran where polygamy is legal but socially frowned upon.

There have been calls by ultra-conservatives for Najafi to be tried swiftly and without favouritism from the judiciary, with some claiming the case shows reformists' "moral bankruptcy".

Reformists, meanwhile, have criticised the conservative-dominated television of bias in their coverage and weaponising the case for political ends.

If convicted, Najafi could face the death penalty.Berlin (AFP) - The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party lost its bid to capture its first mayor's office in the country in a bellwether election on Sunday ahead of three key regional polls.

In a run-off ballot in Goerlitz, Octavian Ursu, 51, a Romanian-born classical musician from Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right CDU party, drew 55.1 percent of the vote against 44.9 for the AfD's Sebastian Wippel, 36, an ex-policeman.

The contest for Goerlitz's city hall was seen as a litmus test for three upcoming state elections in the ex-communist east, with the future of Merkel's fragile right-left coalition potentially on the line.

The AfD made strong gains in Goerlitz's economically struggling Saxony state in May's European elections and hopes to beat Merkel's CDU party in the upcoming regional poll.

With a population of 55,000, Goerlitz on the Polish border boasts a quaint historic town centre that has turned the town into a tourist magnet and attracted top Hollywood directors.

Goerlitz has served as a location for films such as "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Inglourious Basterds", "Around the World in 80 Days" and "The Reader". But many of its young citizens have turned their backs on the town due to a lack of job opportunities.

Wippel had won the first round three weeks ago with 36.4 percent against Ursu's 30.3 percent.

However, Ursu had since attracted the support of the two smaller parties that were out of the race -- one of them the Greens, who came third with 27.9 percent last time.

- 'Hate and hostility' -

The CDU's Saxony state premier, Michael Kretschmer, who hails from Goerlitz, had urged voters to reject the AfD, arguing that "many people underestimate how radical the party is".

The anti-immigration, anti-Muslim AfD -- already represented in Germany's parliament and all 16 regional assemblies -- is polling as the strongest party in Saxony as well as Brandenburg state.

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Both of those regions will go to the polls on September 1, followed by another eastern state, Thuringia, on October 27.

The AfD's parliamentary group leader in Berlin, Alice Weidel, said the neck-and-neck result in Goerlitz in the face of strong opposition marked an "enormous success" for her party.

"He nearly managed to become the first AfD mayor: Sebastian Wippel won an unbelievable 44.9 percent of the vote -- it could hardly have been closer," she tweeted.

Goerlitz, a major trading hub in the Middle Ages, was spared damage by Allied bombing during World War II, preserving its cobblestone lanes and Baroque architecture.

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall almost 30 years ago, hundreds of millions of euros in German and EU funds have been poured into renovating the pretty old town on the Neisse river.

Despite its expensive facelift, Goerlitz long struggled to attract tenants for its renovated buildings, where many shops have "for sale" signs in the windows.

Leading filmmakers and authors also called on the people of "Goerliwood" -- as the town is also known in Germany -- to shun political extremists or risk isolation.

"Don't give in to hate and hostility, conflict and exclusion," read a petition signed by actor Daniel Bruehl ("Goodbye Lenin") and British director Stephen Daldry.Father's Day, held annually in June, typically sees children shower their dads with presents, cards and hand-made gifts - A Paul Mansfield Photography 2015

Father's Day, the official calendar date to honour our wonderful dads and celebrate fatherhood, is just around the corner.

Recognised each June, the day sees children around the world present their dads with cards and gifts as a thank you for all they do.

But when did the first observance of Father's Day take place and who helped establish the annual celebration of paternal figures?

From the history behind the celebration, to the more recent commercialisation, here is everything you need to know about Father's Day.

When is Father's Day 2019?

Fathers Day is held every year on the third Sunday of June; this year Fathers Day falls on Sunday, June 16 in the UK.

Typically, fathers are showered with cards and presents on Fathers Day, with some families celebrating together by going on days out.

Younger children also tend to make handmade gifts for their fathers at school and extracurricular clubs, including drawings, paintings or cards.

As society and family structures have changed, some people now celebrate their stepfathers on Fathers Day. In recent years there have been calls for a Stepfather's Day, however no such day has been officially discussed or introduced.

Father's Day falls on June 16 this year Credit: E+

The history of Father's Day

The first events in recognition of fatherhood took place in the US and followed Anna Jarvis' first celebration of Mother's Day in 1908, as well as the earlier observations of Mothering Sunday in the UK.

Grace Golden Clayton, from Fairmont, West Virginia, was the woman behind the first event to celebrate fathers in 1908. Just over a year prior to this event, the Monongah Mining Disaster took place in December 1907, with the explosion killing 361 men. Of these fatalities, 250 were fathers.

In honour of the one thousand children who lost their fathers, Clayton encouraged her pastor, Rev. Robert Thomas Webb, to hold a service at the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South. Clayton missed her own father terribly, after he passed away in 1896, so she chose to honour the lives lost on July 5, 1908, the closest date to his birthday.

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While Clayton was responsible for the first recognition of fatherhood and the paternal bond, her work didn't directly encourage the creation of Father's Day. The memorial service was never promoted outside the town of Fairmont and the service was overshadowed by the significant Independence Day celebrations held a day beforehand.

Yet the idea was also picked up on in the following year, when Sonora Smart Dodd started her quest to honour fathers in the same way as mothers.

Dodd, born in Arkansas in 1882, was one of six children and at the age of seven, she moved to Washington with her family.

When she was 16 years old, her mother, Ellen Victoria Cheek Smart, died after giving birth to her sixth child, leaving her father, William Jackson Smart, a farmer and Civil War veteran, as a single parent.

After listening to a Mother's Day sermon at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church in 1909, Dodd felt that fathers deserved equal recognition. With the local YMCA and the Ministerial Association of Spokane, Dodd began a campaign to have the day officially recognised.

The first such 'Fathers Day' was held at the YMCA in Spokane on June 19, 1910, with a number of towns and cities across America later following suit.

Support for Fathers Day quickly increased throughout the US and in 1924 President Calvin Coolidge pressured state governments to mark the celebration.

President Lyndon Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honouring fathers in 1966, making the third Sunday in June Fathers Day. Six years later President Richard Nixon signed it into law, establishing the day as a national holiday  though in the UK it does not enjoy this status.

The move came after a campaign by a number of public figures, including Senator Margaret Chase Smith, who in 1957 wrote to Congress: Either we honour both our parents, mother and father, or let us desist from honouring either one.

But to single out just one of our two parents and omit the other is the most grievous insult imaginable.

Dodd's message later spread to other countries across the globe and it is thought that Britain began celebrating Father's Day after World War II.

Today, the celebration of fathers has become an important commercial event for high street shops and online retailers, with promotions for the best gifts and cards appearing in the build up to the day each year.

Fathers Day around the world

While in the UK fathers can expect, at best, breakfast in bed and handmade card and, at worst, the day to be completely ignored, elsewhere the festival is done a little differently.

In Germany, Fathers Day is called Vatertag with it also being referred to as Mannertag, which means mens day. The celebration falls on the Thursday 40 days after Easter. In certain regions it is traditional for groups of men to go into the woods with a wagon of beer, wines and meats. Heavy drinking is common and, according to official statistics, traffic-related accidents spike on this day.

In Australia, Fathers Day falls on the first Sunday of September, which is their first Sunday of Spring, while in Croatia, they observe Roman Catholic tradition and celebrate fathers on March 19, Saint Josephs Day.

In China, Fathers Day used to be celebrated on August 8 as the Chinese for eight is ba, while a colloquial word for father is ba-ba  so the eighth day of the eighth month sounds similar to daddy. The day has since been moved to the third Sunday of June, in line with the UK and US.

In France, the day was introduced in 1949 for commercial reasons by lighter manufacturer Flaminaire. Inspired by the US' day of celebration, they created a new advert with the slogan 'Nos papas nous l'ont dit, pour la fete des peres, ils desirent tous un Flaminaire' ('Our fathers told us, for father's day, they all want a Flaminaire'). Three years later an official decree was made to recognise the day.

Most countries celebrate Fathers Day on the third Sunday in June including the UK, USA, Mexico, Ireland, France, Greece, China and Japan.

However not all countries celebrate it then. In Brazil, Fathers Day falls on the second Sunday of August and this day was chosen in honour of Saint Joachim, the patron saint of fathers. According to Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox traditions, Joachim was the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Father's Day tales and traditions

Some pagans suggest that Father's Day is closely linked to the Pagan Sun worship, because the sun is thought to be the father of the universe and the celebration of dads falls closely to the summer solstice.

Roses are the official flower of Father's Day, with people previously wearing them to church on this date. While this tradition is rarely seen today, sons and daughters used to wear either a red rose in admiration of a living father or a white rose in memory of a deceased father.

Sonora Smart Dodd, the founder of Father's Day, selected this flower and it is said that during the early celebrations, she handed out roses to home-bound fathers, while on a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city.

Father's Day gifts and presents

From cutesy cards, socks and ties to luxurious watches and fantastic car experiences, Britons present their paternal figures with an array of unique gifts on Father's Day.

But, demand for the perfect Father's Day present has led to the increasing commercialisation of the day, with retailers competing to offer the best gifts and consumers heading to their high street shops and online retailers.

According to MuchNeeded, Father's Day is a popular shopping day in both the UK and US, with 75 per cent of men expected to celebrate the occasion this year.

While Britons and Americans spend a significant amount on Father's Day each year, on average it only accounts for half the spending around Mother's Day.

Is it Father's Day, Fathers' Day or Fathers Day?

Ah, the age old question. The answer? Many say Father's Day is the correct version. Mother's Day (which has the apostrophe before the 's') set the precedent while Father's Day was still gaining popularity. Anna Jarvis trademarked the term 'Mother's Day'  with the apostrophe before the 's'  in 1912, saying the word should 'be a singular possessive, for each family to honour its own mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world'.

President Woodrow Wilson used this spelling when he formalised Mother's Day in 1914; this means the correct version of the word is spelled with the apostrophe before the 's'. Father's Day has followed suit, with cards on both sides of the pond including the apostrophe in the same place.* Dozens of North Korean escapees detained in China

* Deteriorating economy leading to more refugees - aid groups

* Safe houses far away from border targeted in rare raids

* China says N.Koreans who enter illegally will face law enforcement

By Josh Smith and Joyce Lee

SEOUL, June 17 (Reuters) - A decade after leaving her family behind to flee North Korea, the defector was overwhelmed with excitement when she spoke to her 22-year-old son on the phone for the first time in May after he too escaped into China.

While speaking to him again on the phone days later, however, she listened in horror as the safe house where her son and four other North Korean escapees were hiding was raided by Chinese authorities.

"I heard voices, someone saying 'shut up' in Chinese," said the woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect her son's safety. "Then the line was cut off, and I heard later he was caught."

The woman, now living in South Korea, said she heard rumours her son is being held in a Chinese prison near the North Korean border, but has had no official news of his whereabouts.

At least 30 North Korean escapees have been rounded up in a string of raids across China since mid-April, according to family members and activist groups.

It is not clear whether this is part of a larger crackdown by China, but activists say the raids have disrupted parts of the informal network of brokers, charities, and middlemen who have been dubbed the North Korean "Underground Railroad".

"The crackdown is severe," said Y. H. Kim, chairman of the North Korea Refugees Human Rights Association of Korea.

Most worrisome for activists is that the arrests largely occurred away from the North Korean border  an area dubbed the "red zone" where most escapees get caught - and included rare raids on at least two safe houses.

"Raiding a house? I've only seen two or three times," said Kim, who left North Korea in 1988 and has acted as a middleman for the past 15 years, connecting donors with brokers who help defectors.

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"You get caught on the way, you get caught moving. But getting caught at a home, you can count on one hand."

The increase in arrests is likely driven by multiple factors, including deteriorating economic conditions in North Korea and China's concern about the potential for a big influx of refugees, said Kim Seung-eun, a pastor at Seoul's Caleb Mission Church, which helps defectors escape.

"In the past, up to half a million North Korean defectors came to China," Kim said, citing the period in the 1990s when famine struck North Korea. "A lot of these arrests have to do with China wanting to prevent this again."

DIVIDED FAMILIES

Kim Jeong-cheol already lost his brother trying to escape from North Korea, and now fears his sister will meet a similar fate after she was caught by Chinese authorities.

"My elder brother was caught in 2005, and he went to a political prison and was executed in North Korea," Kim told Reuters. "That's why my sister will surely die if she goes back there. What sin is it for a man to leave because he's hungry and about to die?"

Reuters was unable to verify the fate of Kim's brother or sister. Calls to the North Korean embassy in Beijing were not answered.

Activist groups and lawyers seeking to help the families say there is no sign China has deported the recently arrested North Koreans yet, and their status is unknown.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, which does not typically acknowledge arrests of individual North Korean escapees, said it had no information about the raids or status of detainees.

"We do not know about the situation to which you are referring," the ministry said in a statement when asked by Reuters.

North Koreans who enter China illegally because of economic reasons are not refugees, it added.

"They use illegal channels to enter China, breaking Chinese law and damaging order for Chinas entry and exit management," the ministry said. "For North Koreans who illegally enter the country, China handles them under the principled stance of domestic and international law and humanitarianism."

South Korea's government said it tries to ensure North Korean defectors can reach their desired destinations safely and swiftly without being forcibly sent back to the North, but declined to provide details, citing defectors' safety and diplomatic relations.

When another woman - who also asked to be unnamed for her family's safety - escaped from North Korea eight years ago, she promised her sister and mother she would work to bring them out later.

In January, however, her mother died of cancer, she said.

On her death bed, her mother wrote a message on her palm pleading for her remaining daughter to escape North Korea.

"It will haunt me for the rest of my life that I didn't keep my promise," said woman, who now lives in South Korea.

Her 27-year-old sister was in a group of four defectors who made it all the way to Nanning, near the border with Vietnam, before being caught.

"When you get there, you think you're almost home free," she said. "You think you're safe."

INCREASE IN ARRESTS

There are no hard statistics on how many North Koreans try to leave their country, but South Korea, where most defectors try to go, says the number safely arriving in the South dropped after Kim Jong Un came to power in 2011.

In 2018 about 1,137 North Korean defectors entered South Korea, compared to 2,706 in 2011.

Observers say the drop is partly because of increased security and crackdowns in both North Korea and China.

Over the past year, more cameras and updated guard posts have been seen at the border, said Kang Dong-wan, who heads an official North Korean defector resettlement organisation in South Korea and often travels to the border between China and North Korea.

"Kim Jong Un's policy itself is tightening its grip on defection," he said. "Such changes led to stronger crackdowns in China as well."

Under President Xi Jinping, China has also cracked down on a variety of other activities, including illicit drugs, which are sometimes smuggled by the same people who transport escapees, said one activist who asked not to be named due to the sensitive work.

North Koreans who enter China illegally face numerous threats, including from the criminal networks they often have to turn to for help.

Tens of thousands of women and girls trying to flee North Korea have been pressed into prostitution, forced marriage, or cybersex operations in China, according to a report last month by the non-profit Korea Future Initiative.

"SMASH UP NETWORKS"

An activist at another organisation that helps spirit defectors out of North Korea said so far its network had not been affected, but they were concerned about networks being targeted and safe houses being raided.

"That is a bit of a different level, more targeted and acting on intelligence that they may have been sitting on to smash up networks," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect the organisation's work.

Y. H. Kim, of the Refugees Human Rights Association, said the raids raised concerns that Chinese authorities had infiltrated some smuggling networks, possibly with the aid of North Korean intelligence agents.

"I don't know about other organisations, but no one is moving in our organisation right now," he said. "Because everyone who moves is caught." (Reporting by Josh Smith and Joyce Lee. Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing and David Brunnstrom in Washington. Editing by Lincoln Feast.)Bouquets of white flowers, written tributes and origami cranes piled up Sunday outside a high-end Hong Kong shopping mall, where a young man plunged to his death protesting against a controversial extradition bill.

The man had hung a banner off the roof of Pacific Place, which overlooks the site of violent clashes this week between police and demonstrators angry at a proposed law that would allow people to be sent to mainland China.

A video circulating on social media shows the man falling from rooftop scaffolding as firefighters tried to grab him on Saturday evening.

They clutch at his clothes and he slips through their hands, missing a jump raft that had been inflated on the ground below.

He had unfurled a banner saying: "Entirely withdraw China extradition bill. We were not rioting. Release students and the injured".

Thousands of mourners, mostly young people dressed in black, joined enormous queues along busy roads to leave tributes and pay their respects, some crying and bowing as they offered sticks of incense.

Next to a large pile of white flowers were hundreds of hand-written messages and gifts, including a bottle of single malt whiskey and a white hard hat with the word "hero" written across it.

"The flowers are white for purity and so we can show our respect for the dead. When I get there, I will offer these and say a prayer for him," said 18-year-old Travis.

"He walked a bloody road, I admire his energy, I admire his bravery," said a man named Yung, aged 26.

Signs reading "Help Hong Kong. No extradition to China. RIP" have been posted at the site.

- More energy -

Protesters attending Sunday's rally against the divisive bill were urged to bring a flower to leave as the march passes the site, and student groups announced plans for a candlelit vigil in the evening.

"I think it will give us more energy to come on the streets today," said another mourner standing in long queues on the busy road, giving his name as Lau.

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"Now its no longer as simple as someone being hurt or bleeding, its someone who lost their life because of this resistance," said a man who gave his name as Hubert.

"No one wanted to see this happen. Im sure (Hong Kong chief executive) Carrie Lam didnt want to see this happen, but as Hong Kongs highest official she should not avoid peoples appeals."

Sean Lam, a florist from Kowloon district, said he bought multiple boxes of flowers from the wholesalers in the morning to distribute for free to anyone who wanted to lay a bouquet

"It's just so sad what happened," he told AFP.

Protesters were planning to hold a candlelight vigil for the man at 9:00 pm (1400 GMT) outside the mall.

The proposed extradition bill -- and the fear that it threatens Hong Kong's way of life, freedom of speech and rule of law -- has provoked some of the worst politically motivated violence in the city for decades, with nearly 80 protesters and police hurt and eleven people arrested.

Many of those queuing up to pay tribute said they were going on to join the planned rally through the city to show their opposition to the bill. Organisers said more than one million people turned out to last week's event.

Police said the dead man, surnamed Leung, was 35-years-old.

They said they are treating the incident as suicide, adding that a note was found at the scene.Saudi Arabia has awarded 110 contracts worth more than SR4.3 billion ($1.2 billion) to several local companies mainly for building a good road infrastructure in the kingdom, said a report.



Transport Minister Nabeel Al Amoudi attended a signing ceremony in Riyadh for operation, maintenance and cleaning contracts for roads throughout the kingdom for the period 2019-2022, reported Arab News.



"These 110 contracts cater to the needs of each region and are aimed at promoting road safety and maintenance," stated Al Amoudi.



The ministry has developed and upgraded contracts, and established performance indicators to meet the Saudi leaderships expectations, he added.By Stephen Nellis and Alexandra Alper

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - Huawei's American chip suppliers, including Qualcomm and Intel, are quietly pressing the U.S. government to ease its ban on sales to the Chinese tech giant, even as Huawei itself avoids typical government lobbying, people familiar with the situation said.

Executives from top U.S. chipmakers Intel and Xilinx Inc attended a meeting in late May with the Commerce Department to discuss a response to Huawei's placement on the black list, one person said.

The ban bars U.S. suppliers from selling to Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment company, without special approval, because of what the government said were national security issues.

Qualcomm has also pressed the Commerce Department over the issue, four people said.

Chip makers argue that Huawei units selling products such as smartphones and computer servers use commonly available parts and are unlikely to present the same security concerns as the Chinese technology firm's 5G networking gear, according to three people.

"This isn't about helping Huawei. It's about preventing harm to American companies," one of the people said.

Out of $70 billion that Huawei spent buying components in 2018, some $11 billion went to U.S. firms including Qualcomm, Intel and Micron Technology Inc.

Qualcomm, for example, wants to be able to continue shipping chips to Huawei for common devices like phones and smart watches, a person familiar with the company's situation said.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), a trade group, acknowledged it arranged consultations with the U.S. government on behalf of the companies to help them comply and brief officials on the impact of the ban on the companies.

"For technologies that do not relate to national security, it seems they shouldn't fall within the scope of the order. And we have conveyed this perspective to government," said Jimmy Goodrich, vice president of global policy at SIA.

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The ban came soon after the breakdown of talks to end the months-long trade spat between China and the United States, spurred by U.S. allegations of Chinese corporate espionage, intellectual property theft and forced technology transfer.

Google, which sells hardware, software and technical services to Huawei, has also advocated so it can keep selling to the company, Huawei Chairman Liang Hua told reporters in China earlier this month.

The online search company, a unit of Alphabet Inc, said in a statement that it works with Commerce to ensure it is in compliance with the new rules.

A Commerce Department representative said the agency "routinely responds to inquiries from companies regarding the scope of regulatory requirements," adding that the conversations do not "influence law enforcement actions."

Intel, Xilinx and Qualcomm declined to comment. Huawei did not respond to a request for comment.

In an interview in Mexico, Andrew Williamson, vice president of Huawei's public affairs, said the company had not asked anyone specifically to lobby on its behalf.

"They're doing it by their own desire because, for many of them, Huawei is one of their major customers," he said, adding that chipmakers knew that cutting Huawei off could have "catastrophic" consequences for them.

China watchers say U.S. suppliers are essentially trying to thread the needle - not wanting to be seen as aiding an alleged spy, thief and sanctions violator, but fearful of losing a good client and encouraging it to develop supplies elsewhere.

NO ONE LISTENING

Huawei itself, which is also a top smartphone maker, has done very little traditional lobbying in Washington on the matter, but has considered sending a letter to the Commerce Department, two people familiar with Huawei's thinking said.

"We simply have no channel of communication," Liang told reporters earlier this month.

A month after being blacklisted, Huawei has not spoken to the United States government about the matter, two people said.

Huawei had been cutting back its lobbying efforts even before the ban. Last year, it laid off five employees at its Washington office, including its vice president of external affairs, and slashed lobbying expenditures, Reuters reported.

Still, Huawei has put up a vigorous legal fight and unleashed a public relations campaign to defend itself against the U.S. government's allegations. It ran a full-page ad in major U.S. newspapers in February following a string of interviews with Huawei Chief Executive Ren Zhengfei aimed at softening its dark image in the West.

Huawei's response underscores its recognition of its waning influence with the Trump administration, which has launched a global campaign against the company, analysts said.

"Huawei is at a loss over what they should do next," said Jim Lewis, a cyber expert with Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It is in a really bad position in the U.S. Nobody is looking out to do Huawei a favor."

Even so, the ban has had real repercussions.

Broadcom, which has not been lobbying the Commerce Department, sent a shockwave through the global chipmaking industry when it forecast that the U.S.-China trade tensions and the Huawei ban would knock $2 billion off its sales this year.

The Commerce Department did make a concession just days after the ban was put in place, announcing on May 20 that it would offer a temporary general license allowing Huawei to purchase U.S. goods so it can help existing customers maintain the reliability of networks and equipment. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Chris Sanders and Leslie Adler)BAMAKO (Reuters) - Allied French and Malian forces killed 20 militants in an operation in a part of northern Mali where Islamic State operates, a spokesman for the West African nation's military said on Sunday.

The operation in the district of Akabar, a remote part of a game reserve near the border with Niger and not far from the Malian city of Menaka, was continuing, army spokesman Colonel Diarran Kone said by telephone.

"But I can tell you that 20 terrorists have been neutralized," he said.

Mali has become increasingly engulfed in violence since a Tuareg uprising in 2012 was hijacked by Islamist militants, prompting France to intervene to push them back the following year.

Several jihadist factions and allied criminal gangs have regrouped and set up operations in parts of Mali, from where they have launched attacks across the Sahel.

They also now have a significant presence in swathes of neighbor Burkina Faso, and in some remote parts of Niger.

Despite the deployment of 4,500 French troops meant to contain the violence in the Sahel, it has steadily worsened, and the Islamists have succeeded in triggering an ethnic conflict.

Attackers believed to belong to the Fulani ethnic group raided the ethnic Dogon village of Sobane Da last Sunday and Monday, killing 35 people, according to the government, although a local authority maintains the real figure is 95 deaths. A bigger massacre by Dogon hunters in March left 150 dead.

Malians have become increasingly frustrated by the failure of the authorities to end regular attacks by jihadist groups with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State, as well as increasing tit-for-tat ethnic killing between Fulani and Dogon villagers.

(Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Keith Weir)LYON, France, June 16 (Reuters) - French soldiers opened fire on Sunday at a man threatening them with a knife in Lyon, police said.

The assailant, who was in front of the Desgenettes military hospital in the eastern city, was wounded in the leg.

Police sources said an investigation was underway, but it was not clear who the attacker was or what his motive may have been. He was taken to hospital, but not in a life-threatening condition. (Reporting by Catherine Lagrange, additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry in Paris; Writing by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)Tokyo (AFP) - The Group of 20 major economies said they agreed a deal to reduce plastic waste that is choking the seas at a meeting in Japan on Sunday.

Under the agreement, G20 member countries committed to reducing plastic waste but gave little detail on how that would be done. They added that the steps would be voluntary and progress would be reported once a year, according to local media.

The Japanese government hopes to hold the first meeting in November, said newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun.

"It is great that we were able to make rules for all, including emerging and developing countries," Japanese environment minister Yoshiaki Harada said after the two-day meeting of the G20 environment and energy ministers' meeting.

Plastic pollution has become a global concern, particularly after bans imposed by China and other countries on the import of plastic waste from overseas.

Many countries, including Japan, have seen their waste pile up as a consequence.

Microplastics -- tiny pieces of degraded waste -- have attracted particular attention.

They absorb harmful chemicals, accumulating inside fish, birds and other animals, and are difficult to collect once in the water.

The framework agreed at the meeting in the central mountain resort of Karuizawa would be the first to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean involving not only rich nations but emerging economies as well.

- 'Legally binding' rules needed -

The deal would be "the first step" to tackling plastic waste, Hiroaki Odachi of Greenpeace Japan said in a statement.

"However, it is insufficient to rely on countries' voluntary actions" to resolve the crisis, he said.

Only an estimated nine percent of plastics ever produced are recycled and campaigners say the only long-term solution to the plastic waste crisis is for companies to make less and consumers to use less.

"G20 countries should clearly announce that they will prioritise reducing generation of single-use plastics" along with recycling and reusing materials, Odachi said.

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"Legally binding international rules with clear timelines and goals" are needed, similar to those in the Paris Agreement on climate, he added.

The 2015 Paris agreement commits signatories to efforts to cap global warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit).

Japan will demand businesses charge for plastic shopping bags next year to help reduce waste, said Japanese industry minister Hiroshige Seko on Saturday.

Many countries in the world already charge for single-use bags or ban them outright.By Martin Schlicht

GOERLITZ, Germany (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives on Sunday won a run-off vote for mayor in a small town in the east of the country, beating the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party.

The vote in Goerlitz, a town with cobbled streets that has become a favorite location for Hollywood film directors, is seen as a pointer for German state elections on Sept. 1 in both Saxony and in the neighboring state of Brandenburg.

The victory of Christian Democrat (CDU) Octavian Ursu in Goerlitz is gives some respite to Merkel, whose national coalition with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) was shaken by heavy losses in European Parliament elections in May.

AfD candidate Sebastian Wippel came out ahead of Ursu in the first round and the CDU had to rely on support from other parties in the runoff to win in the town of 56,000 near the Polish border. Ursu won the runoff with just over 55%.

"It was not a vote for Mr. Ursu but more a vote against the AfD candidate, against me," said Wippel. "The CDU had to rely on support from many groups including from the far-left extremists without whom they would not have made it. Looking ahead to the Saxony state election, we are in a good position."

Ursu said his victory showed that most residents in Goerlitz were in favor of keeping the town open to foreigners.

"I am happy that a majority has chosen to vote for me, but in the end it is not about two candidates but the orientation of this town to the outside world and that we remain an open society and do not isolate ourselves," he said.

The AfD is running neck-and-neck with the CDU in Saxony and is forecast to come first in Brandenburg where the SPD has won all of the last six elections there since German reunification in 1990.

Defeats for the SPD in Brandenburg and the CDU in Saxony would pile more pressure on the coalition partners to rethink their alliance that followed the 2017 election, where the AfD entered the national parliament for the first time.

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The Brandenburg and Saxony votes take place several weeks before the SPD and conservatives hold a midterm review of their partnership.

The SPD, which rules Brandenburg with the hard-left Die Linke, is expected to see support fall by more than a third in the eastern state, polls show.

The AfD has been attracting SPD and CDU voters in Brandenburg and Saxony partly by campaigning on a platform that opposes the government's plan to phase out coal, a vital industry in both states, especially in Brandenburg.

The coalition partners are also losing support to the Green party, which is appealing to voters disillusioned with the ruling coalition and concerned about climate change. The Greens are the most popular party in Germany, overtaking Merkel's conservatives.

(Writing by Joseph Nasr. Editing by Jane Merriman)There is a great risk of a drift towards war in the middle east, Jeremy Hunt has warned after a series of attacks on oil tankers.

The foreign secretary said the government was almost certain that Iran was behind last weeks attacks on two oil ships in Gulf of Oman after an assessment by British intelligence services.

Tehran has denied it was responsible and Mr Hunt claimed the US wanted the dispute to end in negotiations.

Asked if war was possible on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, Mr Hunt said: This is the great risk ... Both sides in this dispute think that the other side wouldnt want a war. We are urging all sides to de-escalate.

He added: Having spoken to President Trump, I am absolutely clear that for America they want this to end in negotiations.

He added he UK had done our "own intelligence assessment and the phrase we used is almost certain ... We dont believe anyone else could have done this.

Mr Hunt said he wanted to see Iran stop its destabilising activities in Lebanon through Hezbollah, in Yemen where they are firing missiles into Saudi Arabia, on the Gulf as we have seen  that is the long-term solution.

Iranian authorities meanwhile, said they were preparing to reduce its commitments under the 2015 international nuclear pact, which the US withdrew from last year.

Irans Atomic Energy Organisation ... will announce preparatory steps that have been taken to further decrease Tehran's commitments under the deal, a state news agency reported.

Iran summoned the British ambassador to Tehran after the UK blamed it for the attacks on oil tankers, the semi-official Students News Agency ISNA reported, a claim denied by the British government.

Rob Macaire said his request for a meeting was granted and rejected reports that he was ordered by Iranian officials to explain Britain's position.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has warned against blaming Iran for oil tanker attacks without credible evidence and claimed the governments rhetoric risked escalating conflict with Tehran.

Story continues

Mr Hunt described that response as pathetic and predictable  From Salisbury to the Middle East, why can he never bring himself to back British allies, British intelligence or British interests?

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

The foreign secretary  one of six remaining Conservative candidates to replace Theresa May at No. 10  also claimed he was the alternative to frontrunner Boris Johnson.

Mr Hunt said he would attempt to win a new Brexit deal from the EU, claiming leaders in the bloc were willing to renegotiate the package.

He said: The difference between me and Boris, is that I would try for a deal. I am not going to create a set of circumstances that makes it all but impossible to get a deal because I think we should be offering the country some better choices.

The candidate said it could still be done by the deadline of 31 October, but added that it would be a mistake to commit to leaving the EU by that date.

I am not committing to a 31 October hard-stop at any costs. If you do make that guarantee and you go with the wrong approach, then you are committing us to nothing other than a hard Brexit, a no-deal Brexit, he said.By Adriana Barrera and Sofia Menchu

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Center-left candidate Sandra Torres took an early lead in Guatemala's presidential election on Sunday but was well short of an outright majority and will likely face a major test from a conservative challenger in a run-off.

Preliminary results from the electoral tribunal gave former first lady Torres 24.20% of the vote, followed by conservative Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei with 15.20%, based on returns from 29% of polling stations.

Nineteen candidates took part in the election that is all but certain to be decided in a second round of voting between the top two contenders on Aug. 11.

The next president will face the daunting challenge of curbing drug gang violence that has ravaged the country and helped spur illegal immigration to the United States, stoking tensions with President Donald Trump.

Torres, of the center-left UNE party, has led the race to succeed President Jimmy Morales, a conservative former television host whose term has been blighted by accusations of corruption made by U.N.-backed investigators.

Nevertheless, Torres also has high negative ratings and may struggle to win a direct run-off if supporters of the many right-of-center candidates unite against her.

In third place with 12.42% was Edmond Mulet, a former U.N. official whose conservative candidacy gained traction in recent weeks.

Torres, who wants to send troops into the streets to fight drug gangs, and use welfare programs to tackle poverty, extended a hand to Guatemala's business elite when voting on Sunday.

"We have to sort out our problems here, and part of the reason for the migration is the lack of jobs, the gap in wages between the United States and here," she said. "We need to work with the business community to revive the economy."

Rampant violence and widespread discontent over corruption and impunity in the country of 17 million have prompted more and more Guatemalans to flee for the United States.

Story continues

The surge of departures has undermined Trump's pledge to curb illegal immigration, and the U.S. president has responded by threatening to cut U.S. aid to Central America.

That prospect has caused alarm in Guatemala, where the legacy of the bloody 1960-1996 civil war still casts a long shadow over the country's development.

COALITION PROSPECTS

Rain fell on Guatemala City during Sunday's vote and results suggested there was considerable discontent among the electorate about the choice of candidates on offer. More than 12% of votes cast were blank or spoiled ballots, the early count showed.

Consultancy Eurasia Group said on Friday that Torres would struggle to win a run-off, given her high negative ratings and the ability of her likely opponent to unify conservative voters and secure support from the country's powerful elites.

Morales, who is barred by law from seeking re-election, took office in 2016 vowing to root out corruption after his predecessor was brought down by a probe led by the U.N.-backed International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).

Instead, Morales himself became a target of a CICIG probe into allegations of campaign finance wrongdoing and was subject to impeachment proceedings in 2017.

He survived the attempt to oust him, and then engaged in a bitter dispute with the CICIG before finally terminating its mandate, effective from September.

None of the top contenders has unequivocally backed the CICIG, with Torres saying she would consider holding a referendum on whether it should remain in Guatemala.

Fernando Escalante, 41, an industrial design adviser, said the next president must continue the fight against corruption.

"I fear all the progress we've made could be lost, but maybe it's time for us Guatemalans to take on the task," he said.

Questions of legitimacy have dogged the 2019 contest since two of the front-runners were forced out, including Thelma Aldana, a former attorney general who tried to impeach Morales with the CICIG. The government accused Aldana of corruption, leading to her exclusion last month.

(Reporting by Sofia Menchu and Adriana Barrera; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Nick Zieminski and Peter Cooney)The Optimist | Photo: Melissa W./Yelp

Spending time in Home Park? Get to know this Atlanta neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a much-loved pizzeria to some of the city's top fine-dining destinations.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Home Park, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Antico Pizza

Photo: nikita d./Yelp

Topping the list is Antico Pizza, a spot to score pizza and more. Located at 1093 Hemphill Ave. NW, it's the most popular business in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 2,915 reviews on Yelp.

The cornerstone of owner Giovanni di Palma's Little Italia restaurant and bar complex, Antico has become one of Atlanta's favorites. Atlanta magazine has rated it one of the 50 best restaurants in the city and fans praise its BYOB policy and its pizzas' crispy-but-tender crust.

2. Eight Sushi Lounge

Photo: Eight SUshi Lounge/Yelp

Next up is sushi bar, lounge and Japanese spot Eight Sushi Lounge, situated at 930 Howell Mill Road NW, Suite B. With 4.5 stars out of 670 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

From the garlic-buttered escolar to the the golden eyes snapper in jalapeno sauce, the sushi and sashimi is imaginative. And the menu also offers wagyu beef, lobster ramen, salads and a selection of craft cocktails.

3. Upbeet

Photo: esther p./Yelp

Upbeet, which offers salads and juice and smoothies, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1071 Howell Mill Road, Suite A, 4.5 stars out of 485 reviews.

Upbeet promises on its website that its ingredients are either organic, local or non-GMO. Though there are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, chicken, steak, tuna poke and steelhead trout are also available.

4. Marcel

Photo: loretta C./Yelp

Marcel, a steakhouse, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 451 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1170 Howell Mill Road to see for yourself.

Part of the Ford Fry restaurant empire, Marcel is an unabashedly old-school brasserie. Its menu offers plenty of splurging options, including a 42-ounce Porterhouse for three, and the hours extend until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Story continues

5. The Optimist

Photo: sean g./Yelp

Check out The Optimist, which has earned four stars out of 1,432 reviews on Yelp. You can find the cocktail bar and music venue, which offers seafood and more, at 914 Howell Mill Road.

There's a long list of oysters from both Northern and Southern waters and crudos of swordfish, salmon, scallops and tuna. Lobster rolls are another feature.

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.Houston (AFP) - US President Richard Nixon gave moon rocks collected by Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 astronauts to 135 countries around the world and the 50 US states as a token of American goodwill.

While some hold pride of place in museums and scientific institutions, many others are unaccounted for -- they have either gone missing, were stolen or even destroyed over the decades.

The list below recounts the stories of some of the missing moon rocks and others that were lost and later found.

It is compiled from research done by Joseph Gutheinz Jr, a retired NASA special agent known as the "Moon Rock Hunter," his students, and collectSPACE, a website which specializes in space history.

- Afghanistan -

Both the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 moon rocks presented to perpetually war-wracked Afghanistan have vanished.

- Cyprus -

One of the moon rocks destined for Cyprus was never delivered due to the July 1974 Turkish invasion of the island and the assassination of the US ambassador the following month.

It was given to NASA years later by the son of a US diplomat but has not been handed over to Cyprus.

- Honduras -

Honduras's Apollo 17 moon rock was recovered by Gutheinz and Bob Cregger, a US Postal Service agent, in a 1998 undercover sting operation baptized "Operation Lunar Eclipse."

It had been sold to a Florida businessman, Alan Rosen, for $50,000 by a Honduran army colonel. Rosen tried to sell the rock to Gutheinz for $5 million. It was seized and eventually returned to Honduras.

- Ireland -

Ireland's Apollo 11 moon rock was on display in Dublin's Dunsink Observatory, which was destroyed in a 1977 fire.

Debris from the observatory -- including the moon rock -- ended up in the Finglas landfill.

- Libya -

The Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 moon rocks given to then Libyan leader Colonel Moamer Kadhafi have vanished.

- Malta -

Malta's Apollo 17 moon rock was stolen from a museum in May 2004. It has not been found.

- Nicaragua -

Story continues

Nicaragua's Apollo 17 moon rock was allegedly sold to someone in the Middle East for $5-10 million.

Its Apollo 11 moon rock ended up with a Las Vegas casino owner, who displayed it for a time in his Moon Rock Cafe.

Bob Stupak's estate turned it over to NASA when he died. It has since been returned to Nicaragua.

- Romania -

Romania's Apollo 11 moon rock is on display in a museum in Bucharest.

Romania's Apollo 17 moon rock is believed to have been sold by the estate of former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, who was executed along with his wife, Elena, on Christmas Day 1989.

- Spain -

Spain's Apollo 17 moon rock is on display in Madrid's Naval Museum after being donated by the family of Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, who was assassinated by the Basque separatist group ETA in 1973.

Spain's Apollo 11 moon rock is missing and is believed to be in the hands of the family of former dictator Francisco Franco.Hub71, a global tech hub driven by Mubadala Investment Company in collaboration with Microsoft, SoftBank Vision Fund and Abu Dhabi Global Market, has announced a new partnership with MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab.



MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab is part of a global network of chapters dedicated to promoting and enriching the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Arab region.



Hub71 is a flagship initiative of the Ghadan 21 programme established to accelerate the existing economic agenda and Abu Dhabi's economy, as well as to create an environment where entrepreneurs can thrive.



With the joint mission of supporting entrepreneurs to go global, this partnership is part of a bigger movement across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), said a statement from the organisation.



According to a recent MAGNiTT report there was a 222 per cent increase in Mena-based startup investments between 2015 and 2018. And with a record 404 deals taking place across the Arab world in 2018, the key enterprise indicators points to further growth and opportunity.



MAGNiTTs report also demonstrated that 35 per cent of all startups in the Arab world have HQs in the UAE. As these startups mature, Hub71 will work closely with MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab to find startups who are ready for global growth, offering unprecedented access to global markets, capital and flexible regulatory policies in the UAE.



Mahmoud Adi, head of Hub71, said: This is a special time to be a startup in the region. But while getting a business off the ground is a major accomplishment, its even harder to find pathways to scale that enterprise.



With our unique combination of access to capital, local and global networks and major technology and business partners coupled with an attractive regulatory environment, we can make that next step easier, he said.



Our partnership with MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab demonstrates our commitment to the regions exceptional talent and will further enable us to be a global launchpad for innovation, he added.



Hala Fadel, chair at MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab, said: Since our start in 2005, we have contributed to shifting the mindset of thousands of Arabs towards entrepreneurship and innovation.



We want to partner with Hub71 to leverage our network of alumni to bring to Abu Dhabi new tech entrepreneurs who will benefit from both our networks to expand and grow global tech startups, Fadel added.



Hub71 is a global ecosystem, through the support of the Abu Dhabi government and global partners to create an optimal environment to help startups and entrepreneurs develop, scale and build transformational businesses.



Hub71 is the destination of choice for tech companies, startups and investors looking to capitalise on growth opportunities in one of the worlds fastest growing economies, it stated.  TradeArabia News ServiceHong Kong protesters who packed streets Sunday remained defiant, rejecting a government apology for the handling of an extradition bill that has prompted outrage and fears of Beijing's expanding control over the former British colony.

Pro-democracy activists say they will press on with a general strike Monday.

A statement, which was credited to an unidentified government spokesman, said unspecified deficiencies in the governments work had led to substantial controversies and disputes in society, causing disappointment and grief among the people.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam apologized to the people of Hong Kong for this and pledged to adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements in serving the public.

The apology came 24 hours after Lam announced her decision to suspend legislation that would allow some suspects to be sent for trial in mainland China, a move critics see as a ploy to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy.

Lam's announcement failed to appease protesters, who are calling for a total withdrawal of the bill as well as Lam's resignation.

Our demands are simple. Carrie Lam must leave office, the extradition law must be withdrawn, and the police must apologize for using extreme violence against their own people, bank worker John Chow said as he marched with a group of his friends. And we will continue.

Nearly 2 million protesters participated in Sundays march, according to organizers. The demonstration echoed one a week earlier that brought as many as 1 million people out to express their concern over Hong Kong's relations with mainland China. The marchers seemed to be less concerned with hiding their identities compared to demonstrations Wednesday when participants expressed worries over possible retribution from authorities.

Many believe Hong Kongs legal autonomy has been significantly diminished despite Beijings insistence that it is still honoring its promise  dubbed one country, two systems  that the territory can retain its own social, legal and political system for 50 years after China absorbed Hong Kong in a 1997 handover.

Story continues

Lam says the extradition legislation is needed to uphold justice and protect Hong Kong from becoming a haven for fugitives. The proposed bill would allow criminal suspect transfers to include Taiwan, Macau and mainland China.

Protesters march on the streets against an extradition bill in Hong Kong on Sunday.

So far, China has been excluded from Hong Kongs extradition agreements because of concerns over its judicial independence and human rights record.

"Theres always been a sense in Hong Kong that the mainland system would disrupt the Hong Kong system as we know it," Michael C. Davis, a former professor at the University of Hong Kong, told USA TODAY. "Its not just autonomy, but its the very identity of Hong Kong people. They dont want to become just another Chinese city. Theyre an international city."

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 businessman are among moves in recent years that have unnerved many in the city of 7 million.

Protesters are also concerned with the way police have responded to them: Officers have used tear gas, rubber bullets and other aggressive measures when demonstrators stormed barricades outside the city governments headquarters.

The protests over the weekend saw one casualty, a man dubbed the Raincoat Martyr, according to the South China Morning Post. He fell to his death Saturday evening after hanging a banner that read in part, Make Love, No Shoot and No Extradition to China.

The man missed a big cushion set up to capture him after clinging for a time to scaffolding outside a shopping mall and was declared dead at a nearby hospital.

"Im devastated. Everybody here is using their own voice, however small that may be, to say to the government: Withdraw, dont just pause, the bill, Miss Cheung, a 62-year-old translator, told the South China Morning Post after placing flowers outside the mall.

Activists have scheduled a general strike Monday despite Lams decision to suspend work on the legislation. Some labor unions, teachers associations and other groups were planning boycotts of work and classes.

We encourage all the public to carry on the campaign, said Bonny Leung, a leader of the pro-democracy group Civil Human Rights Front.

After Lam announced she was suspending the legislation to avoid more violence, Chinese government officials issued multiple statements backing that decision. Lam, however, made clear she was not withdrawing it.

She has sidestepped questions over whether she should quit and also defended how the police dealt with last weeks clashes with demonstrators.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hong Kong government apologizes for extradition bill, but defiant crowds pressing onAbout two million protesters choked Hong Kong's streets in a powerful rebuke of a reviled extradition law, organisers said Sunday, piling pressure on the city's embattled pro-Beijing leader who apologised for causing "conflict" but refused to step down.

The show of force saw vast crowds marching for hours in tropical heat, calling for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam, who was forced to suspend the bill as public anger mounted.

Throngs of largely black-clad protesters snaked their way for miles through the streets to the city's parliament -- with the organisers' estimate for the crowd size doubling an already record-breaking demonstration the previous Sunday in the city of 7.3 million.

The estimate has not been independently verified but if confirmed it would be the largest demonstration in Hong Kong's history.

Hong Kong's biggest protest to date was a massive rally in support of Tiananmen protesters in May 1989, before Beijing's deadly crackdown, which sources at the time put at roughly 1.5 million strong.

Police, who historically give far lower estimates for political protests, said 338,000 people turned out at the demonstration's "peak" Sunday.

Thousands were camping out overnight to continue the protest, including outside the legislature, with the police seemingly ceding the streets to the jubilant masses.

Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe business hub.

Lam's office put out a statement late Sunday admitting that shortcomings in how her administration handled the law had "led to a lot of conflict and disputes" and "disappointed and distressed many citizens".

It came a day after she announced she would postpone the law indefinitely.

But it fell well short of protester demands that she resign, shelve the bill permanently and apologise for police using tear gas and rubber bullets earlier in the week.

Story continues

The Civil Human Rights Front, which is organising the rallies, said Hong Kongers would protest and strike on Monday "until their voices are heard".

- Anger at police -

The international finance hub was rocked Wednesday by the worst political violence in decades as protesters were dispersed by baton-wielding riot police.

Many accused the police of using excessive force, and anger was further fanned by authorities calling the largely young protesters "rioters".

Nearly 80 people were injured in the unrest -- including 22 police officers -- with both sides showing a willingness to escalate action and reaction to levels unseen in the usually stable business hub.

Police said they had no choice but to use force to meet violent protesters who besieged their lines outside the city's parliament.

But critics -- including legal and rights groups -- say officers used the violent actions of a tiny group of protesters as an excuse to unleash a sweeping crackdown on the predominantly young, peaceful crowd.

One man died Saturday when he fell from a building where he had been holding an hours-long anti-extradition protest.

He had unfurled a banner on scaffolding attached to an upscale mall, but fell when rescuers tried to haul him in. Police said they suspected the 35-year-old was suicidal.

Throughout the day, demonstrators queued for hours to leave flowers and tributes where he fell.

- Battling for the city's soul -

The extradition furore is just the latest chapter in what many see as a battle for the soul of Hong Kong.

For the last decade the city has been convulsed by political turbulence between pro-Beijing authorities and opponents who fear an increasingly assertive China is stamping on the city's unique freedoms and culture enjoyed since the handover from Britain in 1997.

Opposition to the extradition bill has united an unusually wide cross-section of Hong Kong, from influential legal and business bodies to religious leaders.

Lam's decision to ignore those warnings and press ahead with the bill even after last weekend's massive rally placed her administration under pressure from both opponents and allies.

Advisers and pro-establishment lawmakers urged her to delay the bill after Wednesday's violence, while Beijing began to distance itself from her administration.

Her climbdown is a rare example of the city's unelected leaders caving-in to demonstrations -- something more recent administrations have been increasingly unwilling to do.

Two months of protests in 2014 calling for the right to directly elect Hong Kong's leader won no concessions from Beijing, and key figures from that movement are now in jail.

One of that movement's most prominent leaders, 22-year-old activist Joshua Wong, is due to be released from prison on Monday morning, his party said late Sunday.

It was not clear whether his early release was a gesture from the authorities or merely typical procedure under provisions for good behaviour.

- 'She has lost the public' -

"Her response is purely a PR strategy," 20-year-old protester Vivian Liu told AFP after Lam's statement. "And to define our protests as a riot is totally inappropriate."

"Personally I think she can no longer govern Hong Kong, she has lost the public," added Dave Wong, a 38-year-old protester who works in finance.

In mainland China, the internet was scrubbed clean of references to the massive rally, with entries for Hong Kong on search engines and social media platforms showing no sign of the demonstration.

The latest protest did not, however, go unnoticed in Washington, where Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said President Donald Trump would discuss the events with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the G20 summit later this month.

"We are watching the people of Hong Kong speak about the things they value," Pompeo said.The moment the 25-year-old protester got home from demonstrations that turned violent  tear gas still stinging her eyes  she knew what she had to do: delete all of her Chinese phone apps.

WeChat was gone. So was Alipay and the shopping app Taobao. She then installed a virtual private network on her smartphone to use with the secure messaging app Telegram in an attempt to stay hidden from cyber-monitors.

Im just doing anything to stay ahead of police surveillance and hide her identity, said the protester.

She asked to be referred only by her first name, Alexa, to avoid drawing the attention of authorities amid the most serious groundswell against Chinese-directed rule in Hong Kong since 2014.

Protests that expanded over the past week against a bill allowing extraditions to mainland China were marked by something unprecedented: a coordinated effort by demonstrators to leave no trace for authorities and their enhanced tracking systems.

Protesters used only secure digital messaging apps such as Telegram, and otherwise went completely analogue in their movements: buying single ride subway tickets instead of prepaid stored value cards, forgoing credit cards and mobile payments in favour of cash, and taking no selfies or photos of the chaos.

They wore face masks to obscure themselves from CCTV and in fear of facial recognition software, and bought fresh pay-as-you-go SIM cards.

And, unlike the pro-democracy movement in 2014, the latest demonstrations also have remained intentionally leaderless in another attempt to frustrate police, who have used tear gas and rubber bullets against the crowds.

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam announced the postponement of the extradition bill, saying she hoped to return peace to the streets of the city, last week.

But the measure was not fully withdrawn and Ms Lam still expressed support.

Protesters, meanwhile, have again taken to the streets for another major show of defiance.

Amid the chaos, Hong Kong has offered a picture of what it looks like to stage mass civil disobedience in the age of the surveillance state.

Story continues

The Chinese government will do a lot of things to try to monitor their own people, said Bonnie Leung, a leader of the Hong Kong-based Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF).

Ms Leung cited media coverage of Chinese use of artificial intelligence to track individuals and its social credit score system.

We believe that could happen to Hong Kong, too, she said.

The core of the protests is over the belief that Beijing  which was handed back control of the former British colony more than 20 years ago  is increasingly stripping Hong Kong of its cherished freedoms and autonomy.

But the identity-masking efforts by the protesters also reflects deep suspicions that lines between China and Hong Kong no longer exist  including close cooperation between Hong Kong police and their mainland counterparts who have among the most advanced and intrusive surveillance systems.

It is the fundamental reason people are protesting in the first place, said Antony Dapiran, who wrote a book on protest culture in Hong Kong.

They dont trust Beijing, they dont trust their authorities and the legal system, and they dont like the blurring of lines between Beijing and Hong Kong.

For many who had taken to the streets over the past week, the fight was a familiar one.

In 2014, protesters occupied Hong Kongs main arteries for 79 days demanding full universal suffrage in the territory.

Prominent student leaders and activists marshalled up support night after night in mini cities that had been set up on Hong Kongs thoroughfares, until they were eventually cleared out by police.

Today, all of the most prominent leaders of that movement  Joshua Wong, only a teenager at the time of the protests, legal scholar Benny Tai and Chan Kin-man, a sociology professor  are in jail.

The masses gathered around government buildings this week were without clear leaders.

Demonstrators shared protest tips and security measures with people they had met just hours before to avoid a similar fate. Meet-ups were primarily planned on Telegram, which became the top trending app on the iPhone app store in Hong Kong in the days leading up to the protest.

Information on personal safety was passed around on Telegram channels and group chats, said Caden, a 21-year-old Hong Kong student in Indiana who returned home early to participate.

He was among an estimated one million people marching on 7 June to begin the protest movement.

On the groups, Caden received a barrage of advice which included changing your username on Telegram so it sounds nothing like your actual name, changing your phone number associated with app and using SIM cards without a contract.

We are much more cautious now for sure than in 2014. Back then, it was still kind of rare for the police to arrest people through social media, Caden said, declining to give his full name for fear of retribution. All of this is definitely new for most people there.

Alexa noticed messages on Facebook, used by an older generation of Hong Kongers, warning people to mask their digital footprints and go cashless.

People keep telling each other not to take pictures during the protest, and only to take wide shots without peoples faces on them, she said.

It marked a huge change in sentiment for her, someone who had been attending peaceful demonstrations in Hong Kong with her family for years.

Wed always take pictures and upload them to Facebook and so on, it would tell people you are there at the scene, she said.

But by now, everyone [has] equated the bill to cracking down on the Hong Kong legal system. We are all afraid that it wont exist anymore.

Hours before Wednesdays occupation of Hong Kong roads, Hong Kong police arrested Ivan Ip, a coordinator of a Telegram group with thousands of people, in his home. He is currently out on bail.

Telegram also reported a massive cyber-attack, which the company said likely originated from China and were timed with the protest.

Samantha Hoffman, a fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institutes Cyber Centre, said data collection methods used in China have specifically been designed to intimidate people from taking part in demonstrations.

She described the strategy as killing the root before the weed can grow.

Its a form of pre-emptive security, she said

Still, researchers say it has been difficult to figure out the extent to which Hong Kong Police Force cooperates with the mainland on surveillance technology and tools.

The Hong Kong force says it sends around 150 officials every year for ideological and practical training at elite mainland police academies.

A larger number also receive regular training in hand-to-hand combat, interrogation skills, criminal investigation and gun use, according to news releases from the Chinese government.

And when a high speed rail link opened connecting Beijing to Hong Kong, Chinese police were allowed to enforce mainland laws in the rail terminus. The rail link opened last year, marking the first time mainland police were allowed to patrol Hong Kong as part of joint immigration checks.

Maya Wang, a senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch, said there is very little transparency about the cooperation between Hong Kong police and mainland authorities.

Wang also noted that Hong Kong is moving ahead with plans for more smart city initiatives  with little clarity on which companies would be assisting them in that task.

People are concerned that their electronic traces can be collected and monitored as the city becomes more digitised, she said.

What about the Chinese companies that are assisting or involved with the collection of data in Hong Kong? Would they be passing that data back?

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 like pepper spray and also to avoid potential facial recognition or other surveillance software.

I do not think this is overly cautious. If we read books by George Orwell and we read histories about Communist Parties, of course this is not overly cautious, said Ms Leung of CHRF.

If I was not some sort of leader or coordinator of the Civil Human Rights Front, I may wear a face mask as well, she added. I can totally understand why people would want to hide their identities.

 The Washington PostTens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Hong Kong to demand the territorys leader Carrie Lam steps down, a day after she suspended a controversial extradition bill.

Protest organisers said they hoped more than a million people turn up for Sundays rally, as the crowds marched from Victoria Park towards the downtown district where government headquarters are located.

Dressed in black, pro-democracy demonstrators shouting withdraw and resign carried banners demanding the government scrap the proposed legislation that could send people to mainland China to face trial.

Ms Lam, Hong Kongs Beijing-backed chief executive announced that the extradition bill would be indefinitely delayed on Saturday. Opponents said the bill's suspension was not enough and now want Ms Lam to go.

Our demands are simple. Carrie Lam must leave office, the extradition law must be withdrawn and the police must apologise for using extreme violence against their own people, said one protester John Chow.

The rally follows the death of a man who fell from construction scaffolding on Saturday as he unfurled a banner denouncing Hong Kongs extradition bill, local media reported.

The Hong Kong protests have been the largest in the city since crowds came out against the bloody suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations centred around Beijings Tiananmen Square in June 1989.

Officials said 72 people were admitted to hospitals from a protest last week, which saw police fire rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters.

Some banks, including HSBC, were also forced to shut branches.

I wasnt going to come today, but when I saw what happened on Wednesday, Hong Kong people getting wrecked, that really hurt. So I decided to come down, said protester Matt Chan on Sunday.

Ms Lam had argued that 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.

Story continues

Critics have accused the government of threatening Hong Kongs rule of law and its international reputation as a financial hub by proposing the changes to extradition with China.

Some Hong Kong tycoons have reportedly started moving personal wealth offshore.

Protesters line the streets demanding Hong Kong's leaders withdraw the extradition bill (REUTERS)

The apparent climb-down by Ms Lam was one of the most significant political turnarounds by the Hong Kong government since Britain returned the territory to China in 1997, and it threw her leadership leadership.

Investor David Webb, in a newsletter, said if Ms Lam was a stock he would recommend shorting her with a target price of zero.

Call it the Carrie trade. She has irrevocably lost the publics trust, Mr Webb said. Her minders in Beijing, while expressing public support for now, have clearly lined her up for the chop by distancing themselves from the proposal in recent days.

Chinas Communist Party mouthpiece, the Peoples Daily newspaper, said in a commentary that central authorities expressed firm support for Ms Lam.

Hong Kong has been governed under a one country, two systems agreement since its return to Beijing in 1997, allowing freedoms not enjoyed on mainland China but not a fully democratic vote.

The citys independent legal system was guaranteed under laws governing Hong Kongs return from British to Chinese rule, and is seen by business and diplomatic communities as its strong remaining asset amid encroachments from Beijing.

Additional reporting by agenciesFor more than a millennium, a quiet but mighty lifesource has drawn people to a region in Japan that straddles the modern-day Osaka and Kyoto prefectures. Here, at the base of Mount Tennozan and at the confluence of three rivers, mineral water flows with such purity that it was recorded in an ancient collection of Japanese poetry during the Nara period, some 1,200 years ago.

Centuries later, celebrated tea master Sen no Rikyu chose the area and its water source, or Minase, to build his teahouse. At the beginning of the 20th century, the waters lore attracted a young entrepreneur named Shinjiro Torii to the small town of Shimamoto. Perhaps this fabled water could be the wellspring hed been searching for, the missing component in his latest endeavor and the one closest to his heart: developing a whisky delicate enough to please the Japanese palate.

And thus, Japanese whisky was born.

But what makes a whisky Japanese? To figure that out, and to learn how Shinjiro Toriis Suntory Spirits has become a legend in itself, Fortune ventured to where the fabled Minase waters flow to visit the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, the first commercial whisky distillery Japan ever saw.

A whisky wellspring

Nearly 100 years after Shinjiro selected Shimamoto as the site of his first distillery, Suntory Holdings Limited is a consumer product giant, reporting more than $23 billion in revenue last year from a range of food, beverage (beer, wine, and spirits), and even health and wellness goods. (In 2014, Suntory announced a $16 billion takeover of Beam Inc., which includes Jim Beam and Makers Mark, becoming one of the top five largest liquor distributors in the world.)

But water is still at the core of Suntorys mission, and whiskyparticularly the Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Hibiki labelsits celebrated hallmark. Such is their popularity that the bottles can be tricky to track down, and not just in Western markets. Even Suntory distilleries limit the number of bottles released each morning in their own souvenir shops.

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Bottles of Yamazaki whiskies at the distillery in Japan. | Courtesy of House of Suntory

In total, there are three distilleries in the whisky segment of the Suntory Spirits empire, and while Yamazaki is the most famous, each has its own character. At Hakushu, an idyllic mountain distillery a few hours outside of Tokyo, water carried down from the Japanese Alps thats naturally far softer than Scotch distilleries complements the eponymous whiskys characteristic smokiness. Chita, set against the backdrop of the Aichi Prefectures coast, is the only to distill grain whiskies. Yamazaki, however, is Suntorys flagship distillery, built in 1923 to use the same legendary water source noted throughout history. But because Japan had no commercial whisky distillery before Yamazaki, Shinjiro had a unique opportunityhe got to decide what Japanese whisky would be.

Distilling the idea

Shinjiro was born at an auspicious time in Japans history, shortly after the samurai era came to a close and when the country was eager to join the global conversation. After working in shops as a boy, he opened his own import store in 1899. But Torii Shoten, Shinjiros small wine store in Osaka, was merely a study to advance his true ambition of producing on Japanese soil the very styles of wines and spirits he imported. It took nearly a decade, but in 1907 he released Akadama Port Wine (still in production today as Akadama Sweet Wine), the popularity of which funded construction of Yamazaki Distillery.

Though Shinjiro is widely regarded as the father of Japanese whisky, the founder of competitor Nikka Whisky also claims the title. Shinjiro had enlisted the help of Masataka Taketsuru, a young man who studied whisky in Scotland, for Suntorys first whisky attempt, which failed gloriously. Released in 1929, the Shirofuda (or White Label) whisky and its bold smokiness was too forward too fast for a population that favored subtler flavors. As Suntory global brand ambassador and former master distiller Mike Miyamoto explains, its the equivalent of visiting Japan for the first time and sitting down to a truly authentic Japanese mealit would be simply too foreign to enjoy. The pair parted ways, and Masataka founded Nikka Whisky shortly thereafter.

Whisky fermenting inside the Yamazaki distillery. | Courtesy of House of Suntory

After that, it took some time for Shinjiro to land on a method and recipe that Japanese drinkers could embrace. But in 1937, Suntory Whisky (also known as Kakubin, so called for its square bottle) did just that. The secret formula? Japanese craftsmanship.

Crafting an experience

The Danish have hygge, that untranslatable feeling of coziness, but the Japanese have monozukuri. A nuanced term and relatively new to Japans lexicon, monozukuri refers to manufacturing and production, but with a commitment to craftsmanship and continued improvement and an emphasis on the act of making. In a way, the word blends Japans tradition of ritual and practice with its evolving industry.

In essence, thats what informs Suntorys practice. The companys heart beats philosophy, employing balance and harmony in the whisky-making while drawing upon intrinsic Japanese values, including reverence for nature. While Suntory had the benefit of defining Japanese whisky to a degree, its blenders didnt have the access to variety that Scottish producers did. Yamazaki had to produce its own library of distinctive whiskies in order to create complex commercial spirits, evidence of which is on display in the museum at Yamazaki Distillery, with thousands of bottled whisky expressions spanning decades lining the walls from floor to ceiling.

Every whisky that goes to market, including the single malts, benefits from precise blending orchestrated by Suntorys lineage of master and chief blenders. The rich, complex profile of Hibiki Japanese Harmony, for instance, represents all three distilleries in five primary component parts: Yamazakis American white oak, sherry, and mizunara (or Japanese oak) malt casks, plus Hakushus smoky malt and Chitas grain whisky. The Yamazaki 12-year, on the other hand, is made solely of malt whiskies from the Yamazaki distillery, namely those aged in white oak, sherry, and mizunara casks.

A flight tasting of different Yamazaki whisky at the distillery. | Courtesy of House of Suntory

Basically, its the flavor equivalent of painting a sun by mixing together the hues yourself as opposed to using a premade orange watercolor panthe dimensional complexity is tangible.

You can taste it for yourself at the Yamazaki Distillery, which is open to the public and easy to access, just a short subway ride from both Osaka and Kyoto and a 10-minute walk from Yamazaki Station. Theres no cost to wander the grounds and explore its museum and extensive whisky library, but a reservation is required. You can also sip your way through specialty and hard-to-find pours available for purchase at the tasting counter. It costs about $10 U.S. for a guided tour (tasting included) through the production facilities, a highlight of which is learning about the tricky mizunara barrels, which are handmade by Suntorys own coopers. But take note: Tours often fill up weeks in advance, so plan accordinglyby which we mean start in the on-site souvenir shop to score those limited-release bottles, bound to sell out by lunchtime.

A continuing culture

The House of Suntory is more than its partsmore than whisky or sweet wine, more than sakura-infused gin and canned coffee, more than the varied products of one mans vision. Because even though Suntory is known as the founding house of Japanese whisky, whats not as widely recognized is that Shinjiro, by way of his company, is responsible for bringing Western bar culture to the East, introducing not only products but also ideas previously foreign but now deeply ingrained in Japanese culture.

The first nude advertising poster in Japans history was a promotion for Akadama Port Wine in 1922 (and went on to win first prize at an international poster competition in Germany). In 1931, Suntory hosted the countrys first cocktail competition. The post-war era saw Torys Barswatering holes named for Torys whisky that served basic cocktails featuring Suntory spiritspopping up across Japan. By 1960, Suntory had introduced its first highball in a can, now a staple of social drinking.

Today, bars in Japan and beyond carry Suntory highball machines, which are partially responsible for egging on the latest highball revival. Part refrigerator and part tap, the machine pours a perfect whisky-soda highball every time, low in alcohol content but highly refreshing. The U.S. got its first highball machine not long after the 2016 launch of Toki, the first of Suntorys whiskies to be available in the States before Japan, and the buzz it has created keeps growing.

In many ways, Shinjros no-longer-modest venture has come full circle, from importing Western goods and trends to nearly being sucked dry by Western demand, continuously finding ways to keep everyones glass half full.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

Move over rose, hard seltzer is the new drink of summer

The wine country tasting room is dead. But long live wine country

Know what to look for to find a great rose

The 6 most interesting new whiskies you should be drinking right now

Listen to our new audio briefing, Fortune 500 Daily

Follow Fortune on Flipboard to stay up-to-date on the latest news and analysis.By Ulf Laessing

TRIPOLI, June 16 (Reuters) - Libya's internationally recognised Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj said on Sunday he was not prepared to sit down with eastern commander Khalifa Haftar to negotiate an end to the two-month offensive against Tripoli.

His comments to Reuters suggest low prospects for a ceasefire soon in the battle for Libya's coastal capital, where Serraj and his administration are based.

In the latest turmoil since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) force has been unable to take Tripoli despite fighting that has caused havoc in southern suburbs and displaced tens of thousands of people.

"I will not sit down again with this person because what he has done in past years shows he won't be a partner in the political process," the 59-year-old Serraj said in an interview at his wood-panelled office in central Tripoli.

The longest-serving in a succession of Tripoli-based prime ministers since 2011, Serraj has met Haftar, a 75-year-old former general in Gaddafi's army, six times in the past few years.

The last meeting was in February in Abu Dhabi as foreign powers sought to broker a power-sharing deal between the rival eastern and western administrations.

"He was only trying to gain time," Serraj said, pointing out that his rival had sent planes to bomb Tripoli.

Serraj struck a defiant tone, saying his troops, from armed groups in western cities, would continue to fend off Haftar, whom he views as a would-be dictator like Gaddafi.

"Our primary military goal is to defend Tripoli," he said. "In the coming days there will be positive news ... progress," he said, without giving further details.

Calls from abroad for a ceasefire have fallen on deaf ears, particularly given diplomatic divisions over Libya.

OIL VULNERABILITY

Egypt and the United Arab Emirates back Haftar and have armed him since 2014 as a perceived bastion against Islamists, according to U.N reports. Haftar depicts himself as the man to reunite Libya and combat jihadists.

Story continues

Most Western countries work with Serraj and Turkey recently sent him arms. France and other countries have proposed an unconditional ceasefire - without putting real pressure on Haftar - which would allow his troops to stay in western Libya.

But Serraj's camp has rejected that. "You cannot ask the person defending himself to cease fire," he said.

In Sunday's interview, he backed a U.N. blueprint for a national conference to prepare for elections by year-end.

"Libyans should meet to overcome this (current) struggle for power," Serraj said.

The prime minister said he was concerned the OPEC member's oil facilities could become embroiled in the conflict.

Libya produces around 1.25 million barrels a day, the Tripoli-based economy minister told Reuters last week.

"For us, it is very important that oil production continues," he said. "But there are dangers coming from the other side which has turned ports into military positions."

State oil firm NOC has repeatedly warned its facilities could become dragged into the conflict. Last week, state oil firm NOC accused an LNA commander of arriving with 80 soldiers at the eastern oil port of Ras Lanuf.

The LNA controls all major oilfields and most ports.

Serraj said his forces would avoid attacking any oil facilities even if the LNA was stationed there.

The war was hurting Libya's development and basic services as funding had to be diverted to equip troops and treat the wounded, he said. "There could be a (national power) blackout anytime," he said.

As well as threatening to disrupt oil supplies, there are fears the conflict will increase migration across the Mediterranean to Europe and encourage jihadists to exploit the chaos. (Reporting by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)* Eastern troops fighting for two months to take Tripoli

* Premier Serraj rejects talks with rival commander Haftar

* International powers divided over Libya (Adds U.N., east Libyan officials)

By Ulf Laessing

TRIPOLI, June 16 (Reuters) - Libya's internationally recognised Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj said on Sunday he was not prepared to sit down with eastern commander Khalifa Haftar to negotiate an end to the two-month offensive against Tripoli.

His comments to Reuters suggest low prospects for a ceasefire soon in the battle for Libya's coastal capital, where Serraj and his administration are based.

In the latest turmoil since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) force has been unable to take Tripoli despite fighting that has caused havoc in southern suburbs and displaced tens of thousands of people.

"I will not sit down again with this person because what he has done in past years shows he won't be a partner in the political process," the 59-year-old Serraj said in an interview at his wood-panelled office in central Tripoli.

The longest-serving in a succession of Tripoli-based prime ministers since 2011, Serraj has met Haftar, a 75-year-old former general in Gaddafi's army, six times in the past few years.

The last meeting was in February in Abu Dhabi as foreign powers sought to broker a power-sharing deal between the rival eastern and western administrations.

"He was only trying to gain time," Serraj said, pointing out that his rival had sent planes to bomb Tripoli.

"PROGRESS" COMING

Serraj struck a defiant tone, saying his troops, from armed groups in western cities, would continue to fend off Haftar, whom he views as a would-be dictator like Gaddafi.

"Our primary military goal is to defend Tripoli," he said. "In the coming days there will be positive news ... progress," he said, without giving further details.

Calls from abroad for a ceasefire have fallen on deaf ears, particularly given diplomatic divisions over Libya.

Story continues

Egypt and the United Arab Emirates back Haftar and have armed him since 2014 as a perceived bastion against Islamists, according to U.N reports. Haftar depicts himself as the man to reunite Libya and combat jihadists.

Most Western countries work with Serraj and Turkey recently sent him arms. France and other countries have proposed an unconditional ceasefire - without putting real pressure on Haftar - which would allow his troops to stay in western Libya.

But Serraj's camp has rejected that. "You cannot ask the person defending himself to cease fire," he said.

He also earlier on Sunday proposed a national conference to prepare for elections by year-end. "Libyans should meet to overcome this struggle for power," Serraj said.

The United Nations - which had proposed its own such forum just before the war - and the European Union welcomed the idea. But eastern lawmakers allied to Haftar predictably rejected it.

OIL VULNERABILITY

The prime minister said he was concerned the OPEC member's oil facilities could become embroiled in the conflict.

Libya produces around 1.25 million barrels a day, the Tripoli-based economy minister told Reuters last week.

"For us, it is very important that oil production continues," he said. "But there are dangers coming from the other side which has turned ports into military positions."

State oil firm NOC has repeatedly warned its facilities could become dragged into the conflict. Last week, state oil firm NOC accused an LNA commander of arriving with 80 soldiers at the eastern oil port of Ras Lanuf.

The LNA controls all major oilfields and most ports.

Serraj said his forces would avoid attacking any oil facilities even if the LNA was stationed there.

The war was hurting Libya's development and basic services as funding had to be diverted to equip troops and treat the wounded, he said. "There could be a (national power) blackout anytime," he said.

As well as threatening to disrupt oil supplies, there are fears the conflict will increase migration across the Mediterranean to Europe and encourage jihadists to exploit the chaos. (Reporting by Ulf Laessing; Additional reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel in Brussels Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)GENEVA, June 16 (Reuters) - Irans government has no plans to remove Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh from his post, a government spokesman said on Sunday, according to the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA).

A senior Iranian lawmaker said last month he was gathering signatures in parliament to support a motion to oust Zanganeh for his inability to counter U.S. sanctions on Irans oil sales.

Hedayatollah Khademi said last month he still needed to gather enough signatures to move the motion forward. Similar attempts against Zanganeh have failed in recent years.

There is no change in the governments work programme. Zanganeh has always been active and is one of the key ministers of the government, spokesman Ali Rabiei said. Zanganehs name has always been mentioned for impeachment but I hope Zanganeh continues his role in the government. Zanganehs role at this time is important and parliamentarians have to help.

The United States reimposed sanctions in November on exports of Iranian oil after U.S. President Donald Trump last year unilaterally pulled out of the 2015 accord between Iran and six world powers to curb Tehrans nuclear programme. (Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Mark Potter)Tehran (AFP) - Iran's parliament speaker hinted Sunday that Washington could be behind the "suspicious" tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman to pile pressure on Tehran, official news agency IRNA reported.

"The suspicious actions against the tankers... seem to complement the economic sanctions against Iran considering that (the US) has not achieved any results from them," Ali Larijani told MPs.

He backed his claim by saying there had been a precedent "during World War II, when Americans targeted their own ships near Japan to create an excuse for hostility".

A non-belligerent state at the beginning of World War II, the US went to war after Japan's surprise attack on the American Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii on the morning of December 7, 1941.

A Japanese-owned tanker, the Kokuka Courageous, and a Norwegian-operated one, the Front Altair, were attacked on Thursday and left ablaze as they were passing through the Gulf of Oman

Washington accused Tehran of being behind the attacks, that took place at the same time that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran for talks aimed at defusing tensions between Iran and the United States.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed the US claim as "baseless" and said Washington had "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran -- (without) a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence".

Iran has been locked in a bitter standoff with the United States since Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May last year.

Washington has since reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions on Tehran -- targeting crucial parts of Iran's economy, especially the banking and oil sectors -- and launched a military buildup in the Gulf.Motorcity, the sole distributor of Chery vehicles in Bahrain, was recognised with the Outstanding Market Development Award for 2018 at the Chery 2019 Annual Conference of Global Dealers, which was held recently in Ningbo, China.



The conference comprised several activities including a visit to Auto Shanghai 2019, the Ningbo Zhoushan Port, test drives of new Chery vehicles, theme meetings, product and digital marketing seminars, an Exeed dealer-attracting roadshow and a tour of the city of Ningbo, said a company statement.



In 2018, Motorcity launched the Tiggo7 and successfully executed a series of marketing and sales activities which contributed to its overall impressive market performance. The companys 2018 sales volumes for Chery cars in Bahrain increased over 200 per cent compared to 2017, it added.



Waleed Kanoo, chairman, Motorcity, said: Our company and Chery have cooperated for 14 years since the brand was established in 2005, growing from strength to strength together and gaining the trust of the Bahrain market.



Our company was created to serve the needs of the local market with our strategically chosen brands and award winning aftersales service. This award once again solidifies that passion to serve the market and build trust with our global brands, he added.  TradeArabia News ServiceBy Rami Amichay

BERUCHIM, Golan Heights (Reuters) - Israel approved in principle on Sunday a new community named after U.S. President Donald Trump on a contested frontier zone with Syria - but construction looked likely to lag given Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political stumbles.

The "Trump Heights" project is intended to cement ties after Trump broke with other world powers to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the plateau in March.

At a special cabinet session in Beruchim, a sparse clutch of homes just 12 km (7.5 miles) from the Golan Heights armistice line with Syria, Netanyahu unveiled a sign labeled "Trump Heights" in English and Hebrew.

The sign was decorated with the Israeli and U.S. flags and planted on a patch of synthetic grass.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in a 1967 war and later annexed and settled it - moves not accepted by most world powers, who deem it to be occupied Syrian territory.

Ongoing hostilities between Israel and Syria, and internal Syrian fighting that drew Iranian-backed auxiliaries to back Damascus and deploy near the Golan, helped Netanyahu make his case for Trump to recognize the Israeli claim of sovereignty.

Trump similarly delighted Israelis - while appalling other world powers - by recognizing Jerusalem as their capital and withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

"Trump is a great friend of Israel," Netanyahu said.

"He has torn the mask off this hypocrisy which doesn't recognize the obvious."

"Thank you PM @Netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor!" Trump said on Twitter.

"DUMMY RESOLUTION"

Israeli authorities hope a revamping of Beruchim, home to an aging immigrant community from the former Soviet Union, to "Trump Heights" might bring an influx of residents, and Netanyahu called the day historic.

But a June 12 memorandum from his office showed the plan was far from implementation: it lacks earmarked funds as well as final approval for its precise location and name.

Story continues

"In this (cabinet) resolution, it is proposed that the name of the community, if it is founded, be 'Trump Heights'," said the memorandum, signed by a deputy legal counselor, Yael Cohen.

The hesitancy was in part due to the fact that Netanyahu heads a caretaker government, having failed to form a coalition after an inconclusive national election in April. The conservative four-term premier must now contest a Sept. 17 re-run vote.

Netanyahu's center-left rivals ridiculed Sunday's ceremony.

"Whoever reads the small print on the 'historic' resolution understands that it is a dummy-resolution," tweeted Zvi Hauser, an ex-Netanyahu cabinet secretary now with an opposition party.

The political upheaval appears to have put a spanner in the works of a long-awaited U.S. proposal for Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Trump advisers had predicted the plan would be made public this month, but officials now say that is unlikely to happen until after the September election.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)Golan Heights (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday inaugurated a new settlement in the Golan Heights, named after the country's "great friend" US President Donald Trump.

Netanyahu unveiled a "Trump Heights" sign, featuring an Israeli and a US flag, to mark the site of the new settlement.

"Thank you PM @netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor!" Trump tweeted.

The ceremony comes after the US president in late March recognised Israeli sovereignty over the part of the strategic plateau it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Israel annexed the area in a move never recognised by the international community.

"The Golan is Israeli and will remain so always", Netanyahu declared.

Trump is "a very great friend of Israel who has taken a decision that has never before been taken", he added.

Surrounding a large table, Israel's cabinet met under a tent in the north of the Golan to name the planned settlement, in the presence of US ambassador to Israel David Friedman.

Outside the tent, a sign bearing the name of the settlement was unveiled shortly after an announcement to local officials.

The naming "is an extraordinary gesture", Friedman said.

Construction of the settlement is planned in an area currently occupied by four settler families.

- 'Commitment' to Israel -

It is to be built on the site of a former kibbutz, first established in 1984.

The inauguration of the new settlement will "drive development of the Golan Heights", Netanyahu added, promising the government would invest in building homes and roads, as well as education and tourism facilities.

Vladimir Pelopzerkovski, a resident of one of the mobile homes, said he spoke to the Israeli premier and told him he hoped such promises would be kept.

But "I am not convinced that these promises will bring true change", the 75-year-old told AFP.

Some 23,000 Druze -- an Arab Muslim minority also present in Syria and Lebanon -- live in the occupied and annexed portion of the Golan, while 25,000 Israeli settlers have arrived there since 1967.

Story continues

Netanyahu also said Trump had proven "once again his commitment to the security and the future of Israel", recalling that the US president transferred the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018.

Trump's embassy decision broke with decades of international consensus not to recognise the city as the capital of Israel, which took over mainly Palestinian east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War and later annexed it.

Israel considers the entire city its capital, but the Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.Jerusalem (AFP) - An Israeli court Sunday convicted the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fraudulently using state funds for meals, under a plea bargain which dropped more severe charges.

While the ruling cut short a high-profile trial, the Netanyahu family's legal woes are far from over: the veteran premier himself faces possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the coming months.

In a deal approved by judge Avital Chen at Jerusalem magistrates' court, Sara Netanyahu was found guilty of using the errors of government accounting staff to bypass spending restrictions.

She was fined 10,000 shekels ($2,800) and ordered to reimburse the state a further 45,000 shekels.

Although her husband is a millionaire she asked for payment to be deferred and the judge allowed her to pay in monthly instalments beginning in September.

"The deal reached between the sides is worthy and appropriately reflects the deeds and their severity on the criminal level," Chen said in his ruling.

The 60-year-old, a high-profile presence at her husband's side throughout his long tenure in office, was initially charged in June 2018 with fraud and breach of trust for paying $100,000 (85,000 euros) for meals from well-known Jerusalem businesses.

She had done so while falsely declaring there was no cook available at the premier's official residence.

The amended indictment, approved Sunday, dropped the graft charges, replacing them with "obtaining a benefit by deliberately exploiting the mistake of another person".

"Despite the fact that cooks were employed at the residence the accused instructed staff at the residence, as a matter of normal practice, to order prepared meals from restaurants for herself, her family and visitors."

The tiny courtroom at the Jerusalem magistrates' court was packed with journalists.

"As in every plea bargain, each side makes concessions, sometimes hard concessions," prosecutor Erez Padan said.

Story continues

"It is right and proper for the public interest to bring this case to an end."

- 'Made of steel' -

Netanyahu's attorney Yossi Cohen told the court his client had already been heavily punished by the media.

"Four years of ugly leaks and denigrations" constituted "inhuman punishment", he said.

"No other person could have withstood this, this lady is made of steel," Cohen added.

Husband Benjamin Netanyahu dubbed the case "surrealist" in a video posted online.

"I am telling you, if this wasn't a matter concerning my wife, there would never have been an investigation," the prime minister said.

Sara Netanyahu has a reputation for finding legal loopholes to receive state funding for her household's relatively high expenses.

"On a number of occasions she instructed that restaurant chefs be brought in to cook for guests at the residence, all in deliberate exploitation of the bookkeepers' mistakes," the amended charge sheet said.

The caterers included an Italian restaurant, a Middle Eastern grill joint and a Sushi house.

The prosecution attorneys put a positive face on what was generally considered a good outcome for Sara Netanyahu Sunday.

"The significance of this ruling is that a person with access to public funds, as senior as they may be, cannot use them as their own," Padan's co-counsel Jenny Avni told reporters outside the courtroom.

"Taking significant amounts of public funds over several years, in violation of the rules and procedures, is a criminal offence carrying with it a conviction and a real financial penalty."

Sara Netanyahu is also being sued by a former cleaner who claims the premier's wife mistreated her.

In 2016 a court awarded some $47,000 in damages to a former housekeeper who accused her of repeated workplace abuse in a similar case.

Separately, Benjamin Netanyahu is facing possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the months ahead.

Two people wearing t-shirts with the message "crime minister" were barred from entering the court for his wife's hearing on Sunday.

He is reportedly seeking legislation that would result in him being granted immunity.

Netanyahu was unable to form a coalition following an April general election, and Israel is now gearing up for September polls.Bangkok (AFP) - An Italian who allegedly posed as Hollywood superstar George Clooney to sell clothes online has been arrested with his wife in Thailand after years on the run, police said Sunday.

Francesco Galdelli, 58, and Vanja Goffi, 45, were arrested Saturday at a house on the outskirts Pattaya after an operation between Thai and Italian authorities, officials said.

"During interrogation, Francesco confessed to claiming to be George Clooney and opening a clothes business to trick people into sending money," a statement from Thailand's Crime Suppression Division said.

The couple is also wanted in Italy for multiple scams including selling fake Rolex watches online, the statement said. They sometimes mocked their victims by sending packets of salt instead of the timepieces.

Their crimes led them to be dubbed the Italian 'Bonnie and Clyde' after the notorious American bank robbers of the Great Depression era.

Footage from a police drone showed the pair -- wanted on an Interpol red notice since 2013 -- carrying a bag as they were taken into custody.

They were nabbed after police surrounded their luxury compound in a stakeout using electronic surveillance and a drone, Italian police said in a statement.

The case against the pair stretches back several years after Clooney told a Milan court that the pair -- and another accomplice -- had fraudulently used his name to promote a fashion range.

Pattaya, the Thai town they were found holed up, is infamous as a hideout for gangsters and criminals from across the world.

"They stayed in Thailand since 2014 and never left," police said, adding a court will charge them under local immigration laws before extradition proceedings begin.

burs-apj/fox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" 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.

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

"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.

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"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."

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

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.

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 Hunt has said he would serve Boris Johnson "loyally" if the Tory leadership frontrunner becomes Prime Minister.

The Foreign Secretary came a distant second to Mr Johnson in the first ballot of the leadership battle, but has described himself as an "insurgent" in the race to Number 10.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr show today, Mr Hunt billed himself as the alternative to Mr Johnson.

But he said he would serve in Mr Johnson's government if he becomes the new Conservative leader.

He also ruled out helping to bring down a Conservative government that pursued a no deal Brexit.

Rory Stewart, another leadership contender who also appeared on the BBC show on Sunday morning, firmly ruled out serving in Mr Johnson's cabinet.

Boris Johnson has been backed by Esther McVey (REUTERS)

Mr Hunt said: "If Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister I will serve him loyally."

Despite Mr Hunt's pledge, he stepped up his attack on Mr Johnson's Brexit stance, suggesting he had laid of promises that are "impossible to get".

He said: "What Boris is offering, a hard stop at any cost on October 31, means that he is effectively committing the country to no-deal or an election.

"The difference between me and Boris, is that I would try for a deal.

"I am not going to create a set of circumstances that makes it all but impossible to get a deal because I think we should be offering the country some better choices."

He also said Britain is "almost certain" Iran was behind attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, adding that London did not believe anyone else could have done it.

He said: "We have done our own intelligence assessment and the phrase we used is almost certain ... We don't believe anyone else could have done this."

"We are urging all sides to de-escalate."

His appearance on the BBC show came ahead of the first televised TV debate on Channel 4, being held on Sunday evening.

Mr Johnson is the only remaining candidate who will not appear on the debate.

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Mr Hunt will appear alongside Mr Stewart, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab and Sajid Javid.

Mr Johnson secured 114 votes in Thursday's ballots, 71 votes ahead of Mr Hunt, who received 43.

With fresh backing from former rival Esther McVey , he goes into the second week of the campaign the clear favourite to succeed Theresa May.

However, none of the five other remaining candidates has shown any sign they are ready to withdraw to give him a clear run.London (AFP) - Boris Johnson's Brexit strategy would collapse under scrutiny, one of his rivals to become Britain's prime minister said ahead of the first televised debate Sunday -- which the front-runner is skipping.

Five of the six rivals seeking the leadership of the governing Conservative Party were to go head to head in a 90-minute broadcast from 1730 GMT, with Johnson set to be given an empty podium.

The former foreign secretary has come under fire from his rivals for giving few interviews and public appearances and for avoiding the Channel 4 TV debate.

Ex-London mayor Johnson claims direct bickering between them will be counter-productive.

The contenders have different strategies on how to deliver Brexit. Britain is due to leave the European Union on the twice-postponed deadline of October 31.

Rival Rory Stewart said Johnson's plans for Brexit would come "off the rails" once subject to detailed examination.

"How is Boris going to deliver Brexit? He keeps saying 'I am going to deliver it'. 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," he told BBC television.

Conservative MPs whittle the contenders down to two through successive rounds of voting next week from Tuesday, before the 160,000 grassroots party members pick the winner in a postal ballot.

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 Raab got 27, interior minister Sajid Javid got 23 and International Development Secretary 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.

The survivors will face a BBC television debate later Tuesday, which Johnson will attend.

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- 'Sabotage': Raab -

Raab said the centre-right Conservatives would be unable to win a general election if they do not take Britain out of the EU by the deadline.

"The Tory Party will be toast unless we are out by the end of October. The Conservatives cannot win an election unless we have delivered Brexit," he told Sky News television.

Three years on from the referendum on the UK's EU membership, Raab said lawmakers opposed to Britain leaving the bloc were trying to block Brexit from ever taking place.

"What is really scandalous here is the way that people are trying to sabotage the will of the people," he said.

"We gave people a decision. Now parliament is trying to steal it back away from them."

Meanwhile, Hunt said Johnson was effectively committing to taking Britain out of the EU without a divorce deal, by insisting the UK must leave by the deadline.

He said he believed he could negotiate a new deal.

"It's not impossible to do it before October 31 but it will be difficult," Hunt told BBC television.

"If there is no prospect of getting a deal that can get through parliament on October 31, then I would be prepared to leave without a deal, because, in the end, the democratic risk of no Brexit is far worse than the risk of no deal."

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.What you should know about the 1939 law Kellyanne Conway is accused of violating originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

President Donald Trump rushed to the defense of one of his top political advisers on Friday, after a federal watchdog accused White House counselor Kellyanne Conway of violating a law that bars some government employees of engaging in political activity while acting in their official capacities.

In an unprecedented move, the Office of Special Counsel described Conway as a "repeat offender" of the Hatch Act and recommended she be removed from federal service.

(MORE: Kellyanne Conway found to have twice violated law banning use of office for political ends)

"It looks to me like theyre trying to take away her right of free speech," Trump said in an interview with Fox and Friends Friday. "No, Im not going to fire her.

(MORE: Trump: 'Not going to fire' Kellyanne Conway despite finding she made illegal political statements)

It's not the first time a Trump Administration official has been found to have run afoul of the 1939 law, but the most recent dramatic feud has left many with questions as to what exactly the Hatch Act is, whether it conflicts with First Amendment rights to free speech, and why those close to the president are able to allegedly violate it with no apparent consequences.

What is the Hatch Act?

The Hatch Act was originally passed in 1939 following allegations that employees of a New Deal agency dubbed the Works Progress Administration had used their official positions to benefit the Democratic Party. The act sought to outlaw bribery and coercion of voters by public officials and placed restrictions on federal employees from engaging in certain political activities.

It has been significantly amended in the decades since, and has withstood several challenges in front of the Supreme Court regarding concerns it overly restricts employees' free speech rights.

Under the current version of the law, federal employees in the executive branch are prohibited from using their official positions "for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election," according to the OSC. In past decades, the Hatch Act has been in the headlines in cases where top officials in the Trump, Obama and Bush administrations have been found to have advocated for a particular party or candidate while acting or being identified by their official titles.

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The law generally doesn't prohibit employees from acts such as placing campaign slogans or signage on their personal property, or expressing their political opinions at work as long as that isn't done for the express purpose of engaging in campaign-related activity on behalf of a particular candidate or cause.

Federal employees deemed "further restricted employees" are held to different standards under the act, however, and generally face more stringent conditions regarding their abilities to engage in political activity like attending campaign events or conventions, or handing out fliers at polling places, for instance.

PHOTO: White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway talks with reporters outside the White House in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Can you be punished for violating the Hatch Act?

Yes. According to the OSC, all civilian employees serving in the executive branch of government -- with the exception of the President and Vice President, are subject to scrutiny under the Hatch Act.

Federal employees found in violation of the Hatch Act by the independent Merit Systems Protection Board can face punishment such as removal from federal service, a point reinforced in Special Counsel Henry Kerner's letter to Trump regarding Conway's alleged violations.

"If Ms. Conway were any other federal employee, her multiple violations of the law would almost certainly result in removal from her federal position by the Merit Systems Protection Board," said Kerner, who previously served under former Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz on the House Oversight Committee and was appointed to the position by Trump in 2017. "Ms. Conway's violations, if left unpunished, send a message to all federal employees that they need not abide by the Hatch Act's restrictions."

However, presidential appointees who are a part of the Executive Office of the President aren't subject to the same accountability as other executive branch employees and can't be punished or removed in the same fashion as the rest of the executive branch workforce.

(MORE: White House social media director reprimanded over political tweet)

In the case of close advisers to the president, as in Conway's case, or even Cabinet officials, the final determination on how to handle Hatch Act violations is left in the hands of the President.

President Barack Obama similarly didn't discipline his former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in 2012 when she was found in violation of the Hatch Act, or his HUD Secretary Julian Castro, who was found in violation of the Hatch Act for a 2016 interview in which he praised Hillary Clinton.

However, both of those officials released statements apologizing following the OSC's investigations -- while Conway has remained defiant and not apologized or even acknowledged her alleged violations, according to the OSC.

What is Kellyanne Conway accused of doing?

In his 17-page report to the president, Kerner chronicles what he describes as multiple blatant violations of the Hatch Act by Conway in TV appearances and activity on her Twitter account, @KellyannePolls.

The report followed a separate determination by the OSC in March of 2018 that Conway had violated the act when she advocated against Alabama Democratic Sen. Doug Jones' candidacy in his race against Republican Roy Moore.

But that report did not sway Conway from changing her tune in multiple TV interviews this year, in which she attacked other Democratic candidates including Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Beto O'Rourke and former Vice President Joe Biden.

One of the political tweets from Conway flagged by the OSC displayed a collection of pictures showing the faces of several female Democratic senators watching the president's State of the Union Speech, that was captioned with "He's got this. #2020I'mWithHim."

"By engaging in political activity while speaking in her official capacity, Ms. Conway used her official authority or influence for the purpose of affecting the result of an election in violation of the Hatch Act," the OSC report reads. "The sheer number of occurrences underscores the egregious nature of her violations."

Kerner notes that Conway was recently confronted by a reporter in one instance where she engaged in political speech, to which Conway shot back sarcastically, "Let me know when the jail sentence starts."

Isn't Conway just engaging in First Amendment-protected speech?

President Trump is far from the first person to question whether the Hatch Act puts a muzzle on what most Americans would consider First Amendment-protected speech.

In his letter responding to Kerner's report on Conway, White House counsel Pat Cipollone argued the "OSC's overbroad and unsupported interpretation of the Hatch Act risks violating Ms. Conway's First Amendment rights and chills the free speech of all government employees."

But proponents of the law argue that it does a public service in separating the official functions of the U.S. government from the partisan battles seen in elections.

For instance, a majority opinion issued in a Supreme Court challenge to the Hatch Act in 1947 upheld the law on the basis that political activity could disrupt the very ability for government agencies to function, saying free speech had to be weighed against the requirements of orderly administration of administrative personnel."

Separately, advocates argue that allowing federal employees to mix their official duties with political advocacy risks corruption, and officials being able to wield their government titles in a way that elevates their voice over the common citizen.

That thinking appears to be reflected in Kerner's report, in which he admonishes Conway as a "repeat offender," and makes the case that if she isn't subject to discipline it could diminish the OSC's ability to enforce the act entirely.

"Ms. Conway's conduct undermines public confidence in the Executive branch and compromises the civil service system that the Hatch Act was intended to protect," Kerner wrote.Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Could Asiaray Media Group Limited (HKG:1993) 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. 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.

With a 1.3% yield and a four-year payment history, investors probably think Asiaray Media Group looks like a reliable dividend stock. A 1.3% yield is not inspiring, but the longer payment history has some appeal. The company also bought back stock during the year, equivalent to approximately 1.3% of the company's market capitalisation at the time. There are a few simple ways to reduce the risks of buying Asiaray Media Group for its dividend, and we'll go through these below.

Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis

SEHK:1993 Historical Dividend Yield, June 16th 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, Asiaray Media Group paid out 28% of its profit as dividends. This is a middling range that strikes a nice balance between paying dividends to shareholders, and retaining enough earnings to invest in future growth. Plus, there is room to increase the payout ratio over time.

In addition to comparing dividends against profits, we should inspect whether the company generated enough cash to pay its dividend. Asiaray Media Group paid out 66% of its cash flow as dividends last year, which is within a reasonable range for the average corporation. It's positive to see that Asiaray Media Group's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

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Remember, you can always get a snapshot of Asiaray Media Group'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. Asiaray Media Group has been paying a dividend for the past four years. It has only been paying dividends for a few short years, and the dividend has already been cut at least once. This is one income stream we're not ready to live on. During the past four-year period, the first annual payment was HK$0.065 in 2015, compared to HK$0.039 last year. This works out to a decline of approximately 40% over that time.

We struggle to make a case for buying Asiaray Media Group for its dividend, given that payments have shrunk over the past four years.

Dividend Growth Potential

Given that dividend payments have been shrinking like a glacier in a warming world, we need to check if there are some bright spots on the horizon. Over the past five years, it looks as though Asiaray Media Group's EPS have declined at around 19% a year. If earnings continue to decline, the dividend may come under pressure. Every investor should make an assessment of whether the company is taking steps to stabilise the situation.

Conclusion

When we look at a dividend stock, we need to form a judgement on whether the dividend will grow, if the company is able to maintain it in a wide range of economic circumstances, and if the dividend payout is sustainable. Asiaray Media Group's dividend payout ratios are within normal bounds, although we note its cash flow is not as strong as the income statement would suggest. Earnings per share are down, and Asiaray Media Group's dividend has been cut at least once in the past, which is disappointing. While we're not hugely bearish on it, overall we think there are potentially better dividend stocks than Asiaray Media Group out there.

Now, if you want to look closer, it would be worth checking out our free research on Asiaray Media Group management tenure, salary, and performance.

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.Young Hong Kongers who marshalled the fight against a police force that was armed with tear gas and rubber bullets have spoken of how they were pushed into embracing more confrontational tactics by the failure of years of peaceful protests.

In a series of interviews with AFP, the young men and women -- most of them university students on leafy campuses -- said they had become disillusioned with marches and civil disobedience failing to sway the city's largely unelected pro-Beijing leadership.

And with key leaders of earlier pro-democracy movements now languishing in jail, they have switched to small, leaderless cells in a bid to evade capture.

Hong Kong witnessed unprecedented scenes on Wednesday as youngsters clashed with riot police outside parliament to stop lawmakers debating a hugely unpopular bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland.

One of those on the front lines, 18-year-old student Sharon, said the moment she felt peaceful rallies no longer worked came three days earlier.

That day a record crowd -- organisers say more than a million -- marched peacefully through the streets of the international finance hub calling for the bill to be scrapped.

But shortly before midnight, Sharon's phone lit up with a statement from the government saying the bill would go ahead.

"I suddenly had this realisation that even though one million people marched, there wouldn't be an impact," she said, asking -- like the other students -- not to be identified.

"This time people realised peaceful protests don't really work," she added.

For people like Sharon, it was time to switch tactics in a city where democracy activists have held huge annual marches since 2003 but made limited progress.

- Goggles and sanitary pads -

Andrew, 22, said he and a group of seven friends had gone to Wednesday's protests prepared for police tear gas and pepper spray.

They brought equipment like goggles, gloves and cling film -- to protect their arms from tear gas burns -- and sanitary pads to staunch any bleeding.

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But he described their actions as organic and spontaneous, with small groups of trusted friends acting together within a larger mass, without taking directions from any centralised leadership.

"No one is going to announce that I must use force or stand on the front line," he said.

He said the decision to charge police and try to reach parliament happened without anyone making any order.

"It might not be up to you to choose," he explained as he described the crowd dynamic that day.

"It could be because of the passion of the crowds or what police officers have done (to make you very angry)."

Those tactics contrast with 2014 when similar crowds of young people took over key intersections in Hong Kong for more than two months calling for the right to elect the city's leader.

Apart from occasional clashes with police, the so-called "Umbrella Movement" protests were peaceful and orderly and had key leaders.

But it failed to win any concessions and many of the movement's figures -- like student leader Joshua Wong and academic Benny Tai -- are currently in jail.

"We choose this option because what we've done so far isn't enough to make the government feel the people's anger and discontent towards this bill. That's why we are choosing to charge," Andrew said, admitting it would be easier to coordinate if they had leaders but that few would want to take that risk.

- Police on defence -

Police have since labelled the protest a riot with a senior superintendent usually involved in organised crime investigations calling those involved "organised, premeditated, prepared, radical and violent people".

The city's police chief has defended his officers, saying potentially deadly projectiles like bricks and metal poles were being thrown.

He has received the backing of the city's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam, who also called demonstrators rioters and refused to apologise for the clearances, even as she suspended the bill on Saturday saying she had misjudged the public mood.

In recent days police and Lam have faced a growing backlash over accusations officers used excessive force against the crowds.

Rights activists and influential legal groups have called the response disproportionate, videos of the most violent police beatings have gone viral and parents have rallied holding signs reading: "Don't shoot our kids."

Chris, a protester who went into battle on Wednesday with the phone number of a lawyer written on his stomach in case of arrest, said he believes there has been a sea-change among Hong Kong's often conservative public.

"Those who had been a bit squeamish or resistant to more radical acts in Hong Kong society are starting to slowly accept them," he said.

Andrew, who said he was beaten by police batons, agreed.

"People wearing suits and professional types, they would come over to the supply stations set up further back and ask what we needed," he recalled.

He believes peaceful and forceful tactics can co-exist, recalling how Christians held hours-long hymn sessions and security guards in upscale malls helped protesters shelter from the tear gas.

- 'Feared pain, not arrest'-

The possibility of jail and arrest has weighed on the protesters as they study for degrees.

But Leung, a student who said she'd been to all previous protests in recent years, said she felt her generation had "nothing to lose" at this point.

"I'd cast my worries aside. At the scene, I feared pain more than arrest," she recalled.

For Andrew, his fear of arrest or a hit to future job prospects is eclipsed by what the extradition law would mean for Hong Kongers.

"Even if I chose comfort and became a banker, when this law is passed, I'd still be under threat," he said. "If you think about it realistically, you're just waiting to be attacked."International management consulting firm Oliver Wyman has released a report titled The Experience Revolution which analyses seven global trends that will continue to shape the tourism industry and have a ripple effect across the Mena region.



Oliver Wyman outlines ways industry stakeholders can leverage new opportunities to meet the growing demands of today and tomorrows global traveller by leveraging these trends.



According to the global consultancy firm, the following key trends will have the greatest impact:



 Rise of the Asian middle class  The most significant increase in demand for tourism will come from Asia: of the more than 2.4 billion people who are projected to join the global middle class from 2015 to 2030, 90 per cent of them will be Asian. By 2030, 30 per cent of international travellers will be Asian.

 Digitalisation  With the new generation of tech-savvy travellers, emergence of new technologies and the rise of a connected generation of travellers, digitalisation has become even more crucial.

 Sharing economy  The past few years have witnessed an increase in online travel transactions. In 2015, 30 per cent of the market value of the top 30 digital companies came from collaborative platforms like Airbnb, Uber, or HomeAway. As such, stakeholders need to adapt and further leverage programs that offer such unique options for travellers.

 Responsible tourism  With a scarcity of resources on the rise, an increased pace of climate change, and the rapid extinction of many species, overpopulation and the impact of human activities on the planet is becoming a concern. With the number of tourists only set to increase, stakeholders have adopted various strategies to combat irresponsible tourism such as limiting the number of visitors, limiting access to sites under certain condition. In addition, many travel and hotel companies have also committed to reducing wastage and developing technologies to support sustainability.

 Solo travel  Some 50 per cent of all those who travel on holiday go solo at least once a year, and that trend is expected to grow, driven mainly by women travellers and adventure seekers. According to Hostelworld, the worlds leading hostel-focused online booking platform, solo travel bookings increased by 42 per cent between 2015 and 2017. During the same period, solo bookings by women grew 45 per cent vs. 40 per cent for men.

 Personalisation  Todays travellers value tailor-made experiences based on personal preferences and past behaviours. According to an Epsilon study, 64 per cent of consumers said a personalised customer service was more important than speed of service, and 94 per cent of consumers would be more likely to do business with travel and leisure companies if they offered personalised experiences.

 Experience over product  One of the most significant shifts among tourists has been the movement away from product towards experience paradigm. Travellers are increasingly looking for authentic, cultural, one-of-a-kind experiences.



While the UAE has put the Gulf region on the map for global tourism, the ongoing broad region of development in other countries, notably Saudi Arabia, will bring a range of innovation and experience into the market. Trends such as digitalisation and responsible tourism are unique state-of-the-art concepts, transforming the entire hospitality industry globally and regionally. Phenomena such as IoT will enable the potential of the region and drive economic growth for local governments to support these developments, said Matthieu De Clercq, partner, Public Sector, Oliver Wyman. - TradeArabia News ServiceA look at what's happening around the majors today:

MAKING A NAME

Cuban rookie Yordan Alvarez is off to a smashing start for the injury-depleted Houston Astros, becoming just one of four players in major league history to hit four home runs in his first five games.

The 21-year-old is 8 for 17 so far. He's driven in eight runs, scored eight times and also drawn six walks.

Alvarez hit an upper-deck drive at Minute Maid Park on Saturday and joined Trevor Story, who hit six homers for Colorado in 2016, Yasiel Puig (Dodgers, 2013) and Mike Jacobs (Mets, 2005) for big starts.

Alvarez and the Astros take on Toronto.

VOYAGING MARINER

The Yankees are expected to say when Edwin Encarnacion will join them after getting the slugger in a late-night trade from Seattle.

The 36-year-old Encarnacion leads the AL with 21 home runs. He has averaged 37 homers and 109 RBIs in his last seven seasons. The first baseman/designated hitter is a three-time All-Star who moved from Cleveland to Seattle last December in a three-team trade that included Tampa Bay.

CHECK THEM

Braves starter Sean Newcomb was forced to leave Saturday night's start against Philadelphia after being hit in the back of the head by a line drive off the bat of J.T. Realmuto. Newcomb walked off the field under his own power in Atlanta, escorted by two trainers. The ball was clocked at 102 mph and caromed off Newcomb's head and sailed into the netting behind the Phillies' dugout on the third base side. Realmuto covered his mouth with both hands as he ran to first base on what went as a ground-rule double. ... Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard exited his start on Saturday night after reaching for his right hamstring following a pitch. He quickly walked off the field with a bit of a limp in the seventh inning against St. Louis.

WANT HIM?

Cody Allen is available after the Los Angeles Angels designated the veteran reliever for assignment.

Allen was cut Saturday, a day after giving up four runs while getting only two outs at Tampa Bay. He is 0-2 with a 6.26 ERA and four saves in four chances, and was sidelined earlier this season with a back strain.

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The 30-year-old Allen was signed to a one-year, $8.5 million contract in January after seven seasons with the Cleveland Indians.

BREAKING EVEN

The Angels (35-36) look to reach the .500 mark for the first time since April 15 when rookie Griffin Canning faces Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field. Los Angeles has had five previous chances to get back to the break-even mark and lost each time. Canning (2-2) is one of four pitchers in American League history to have five-or-more strikeouts in each of his first eight major league starts.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports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.Less than two weeks ago, a Staten Island woman traveled to the Dominican Republic to celebrate her 53rd birthday. Now, her son is planning her funeral.

Leyla Cox is the fifth American to die this year in a string of mysterious fatalities in the tourist destination nation as authorities search for answers.

Cox arrived on the island on June 5 and was discovered dead in her hotel room on June 10, SILive.com reported.

Her only son, 25-year-old William Cox, told the outlet he is overwhelmed and confused and in shock.

William Cox said U.S. Embassy officials told him the cause of death was a heart attack, but he and his family suspect there could be more to the story.

I have a right to be suspicious, he added.

On June 11, the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo said in a statement that it is actively working with the Government of the Dominican Republic and the private sector at the highest levels to ensure that U.S. citizens are safe and feel safe while in the Dominican Republic.

Since June 2018, at least six other U.S. citizens have died at hotels on the island, prompting the FBI to investigate.

Prior to Coxs death, the most recent incident occurred at Bahia Principe La Romana, a resort where a Maryland couple was found unresponsive in their room on May 30 after missing checkout time. Dominican police said they suffered pulmonary edema and respiratory failure.

Five days before, a Pennsylvania woman vacationing with her husband died just 60 miles west at Bahia Principes Bouganville hotel shortly after she had a drink from the minibar in their room. Officials said the causes of death were an enlarged heart, pulmonary edema and internal hemorrhaging.

In April, a California man died in Punta Canas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. He, too, had a drink from his rooms minibar, his niece told Fox News.

In July 2018, a Maryland man vacationing at the same hotel with his wife and son took a nap one afternoon after feeling ill, The Washington Post reported. Later that night, his wife said he was covered in sweat and exuding a strong odor. By the time a doctor arrived, he was already dead.

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In June 2018, a Pennsylvania woman died at the Bahia Principe resort in Punta Cana. She, like others, had taken a drink from the minibar.

In a statement released June 7, Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts said that inaccurate and false information has been spread or circulated of by various media, digital platforms and social networks and vowed to cooperate completely with the authorities.

According to the embassys most recent statement, federal authorities in the U.S. will assist with a probe of the deaths, though it may be a month before new information is available.

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 embassy said. We ask everyone to be patient while these investigations run their course.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Lord Alan Sugar attends a tribute lunch for Graham Norton hosted by The Lady Taverners at the Dorchester Hotel, London. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/PA Images via Getty Images)

Alan Sugar has publicly backed Boris Johnson to be the next Prime Minister, just months after saying he should be imprisoned for telling lies during the 2016 Brexit campaign.

In an interview with the Press Association, Lord Sugar said: "I think that Boris will get the job and from my point of view I will be pleased with that, because I'm thinking beyond Brexit and to the next election and I think Boris is actually quite liked by the population.

Read more: The Apprentice star Lord Alan Sugar defends the show in wake of aftercare debate

Sugar went on to say he backs Johnson as he is the best chance of stopping Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn becoming PM.

He added: "And while the population should not vote for a person they like, they should vote for the policies, the reality is they don't. They vote for someone who they like. And Boris has got a good chance because he's a likeable chap and from my point of view, anybody who can stop Corbyn being elected, I would back them."

Boris Johnson during the launch of his campaign to become leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party and Prime Minister at the Royal Academy of Engineering in central London. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images)

The Apprentice star then took to social media to offer his support to the Conservative candidate. He tweeted: I seriously back @BorisJohnson to be the new PM. The public like him and he will have a good chance of winning the general election in 2021 if not before. Any one who can stop @jeremycorbyn from becoming PM has my backing.

I seriously back @BorisJohnson to be the new PM . The public like him and he will have a good chance of winning the general election in 2021 if not before. Any one who can stop @jeremycorbyn from becoming PM has my backing .  Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) June 14, 2019

Despite this public support, the former Labour peer has not always been a BoJo fan. He told the House of Lords in October 2018: "It is my belief that a large section of the British public were misled in forming their decision to vote to leave.

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"Misleading shareholders has resulted in prosecution and imprisonment.

Boris Johnson listens as Michael Gove, a fellow Brexit supporter, speaks during a press conference in central London on June 24, 2016. (Photo credit STEFAN ROUSSEAU/AFP/Getty Images)

"Applying the public company principle, it would follow that those people who will be responsible for putting this country into five to 10 years of post-Brexit turmoil based on lies - such as Boris Johnson and Michael Gove for the 350 million lie on the red bus - should be imprisoned, or at least prosecuted."

Read more: Lord Sugar says he will leave the country if Jeremy Corbyn becomes Prime Minister

He added at the time: "I was fuming that somebody did not ask Boris Johnson to put his hand on his heart, look down the lens and tell the British public that the 350 million was a truthful statement.

"One thing is for sure: I know that, in my forceful manner, I would have made him admit that he was lying.

"Who knows, perhaps that could have swung the vote."

When questioned about his complete turnaround on Twitter, Lord Sugar again reiterated his main priority was to keep Corbyn from the top spot.

He tweeted: "Yes you are right but I am endorsing him for ONE reason only and that is to stop Jeremy Corbyn getting into power in 2021. Sometimes you have to decide what is important to ME."

Yes you are right but I am endorsing him for ONE reason only and that is to stop @jeremycorbyn getting into power in 2021. Sometimes you have to decide what is important to ME https://t.co/Tz0i6owWg7  Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) June 14, 2019

Sugar has previously said he would leave the UK if Corbyn was to become Prime Minister.Some two million protesters choked Hong Kong's streets in a powerful rebuke of a reviled extradition law, organisers said Sunday, piling pressure on the city's embattled pro-Beijing leader who apologised for causing "conflict" but refused to step down.

The historic show of force saw vast crowds marching for hours in tropical heat, calling for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam, who was forced to suspend the bill as public anger mounted.

Throngs of largely black-clad protesters snaked their way for miles through the streets to the city's parliament -- with the organisers' estimate for the crowd size doubling an already record-breaking demonstration last Sunday.

Police, who historically give far lower estimates for political protests, said 338,000 people turned out at its "peak".

As night fell the huge crowds had once more taken over multiple major thoroughfares, including outside the legislature, with the police seemingly ceding the streets to the jubilant masses.

Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe business hub.

Lam's office put out a statement late Sunday admitting that shortcomings in how her administration handled the law had "led to a lot of conflict and disputes" and "disappointed and distressed many citizens".

It came a day after she announced she would postpone the law indefinitely.

But it fell well short of protester demands that she resign, shelve the bill permanently and apologise for police using tear gas and rubber bullets earlier in the week.

The Civil Human Rights Front, which is organising the huge rallies, said Hong Kongers would protest and strike on Monday "until their voices are heard".

- Anger at police -

The international finance hub was rocked Wednesday by the worst political violence in decades as protesters were dispersed by baton-wielding riot police.

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Many accused the police of using excessive force, and anger was further fanned by authorities calling the largely young protesters "rioters".

Nearly 80 people were injured in the unrest -- including 22 police officers -- with both sides showing a willingness to escalate action and reaction to levels unseen in the usually stable business hub.

One man died Saturday when he fell from a building where he had been holding an hours-long anti-extradition protest.

He had unfurled a banner on scaffolding attached to an upscale mall, but fell when rescuers tried to haul him in. Police said they suspected the 35-year-old was suicidal.

Throughout the day, demonstrators queued for hours to leave flowers and tributes where he fell.

- 'Restore calm to the community' -

The extradition furore is just the latest chapter in what many see as a battle for the soul of Hong Kong.

For the last decade the city has been convulsed by political turbulence between pro-Beijing authorities and opponents who fear an increasingly assertive China is stamping on the city's unique freedoms and culture enjoyed since the handover in 1997.

Opposition to the extradition bill has united an unusually wide cross-section of Hong Kong, from influential legal and business bodies to religious leaders.

Lam's decision to ignore those warnings and press ahead with the bill even after last weekend's massive rally placed her administration under pressure from both opponents and allies.

Advisers and pro-establishment lawmakers urged her to delay the bill after Wednesday's violence, while Beijing began to distance itself from her administration.

Her climbdown is a rare example of the city's unelected leaders caving-in to demonstrations -- something more recent administrations have been increasingly unwilling to do.

Two months of protests in 2014 calling for the right to directly elect Hong Kong's leader won no concessions from Beijing, and key figures from that movement are now in jail.

One of that movement's most prominent leaders, 22-year-old activist Joshua Wong, is due to be released from prison on Monday morning, his party said late Sunday.

It was not clear whether his early release was a gesture from the authorities or merely typical procedure under provisions for good behaviour.

- 'She has lost the public' -

Estimates of Sunday's crowd size will not be available until later Sunday, but the last marchers to leave the rally's starting point at a public park left some six hours after it started.

"Her response is purely a PR strategy," 20-year-old protester Vivian Liu told AFP after Lam's statement. "And to define our protests as a riot is totally inappropriate."

"Personally I think she can no longer govern Hong Kong, she has lost the public," added Dave Wong, a 38-year-old protester who works in finance.

In mainland China, the internet was scrubbed clean of references to the massive rally, with entries for Hong Kong on search engines and social media platforms showing no sign of the demonstration.

Police said they had no choice but to use force Wednesday to meet violent protesters who besieged their lines outside the city's parliament.

But critics -- including legal and rights groups -- say officers used the violent actions of a tiny group of protesters as an excuse to unleash a sweeping crackdown on the predominantly young, peaceful crowd.LONDON (AP)  Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex have released a photograph of their 6-week-old son Archie for Father's Day.

The sepia-toned photo, posted Sunday on the royal couple's Instagram feed, shows the baby cradled in Harry's arms and clutching his father's finger.

The post is captioned: "Happy Father's Day! And wishing a very special first Father's Day to The Duke of Sussex."

The couple posted a picture of the baby's feet when Mother's Day was celebrated in the United States last month to mark Meghan's first as a mom.

The baby hadn't yet been born when the U.K. had its Mother's Day this year.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born on May 6 and is seventh in line to the British throne.Soda Bun Thai Food | Photo: Muay N./Yelp

Craving Southeast Asian food?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Southeast Asian restaurants around Mesa, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fill the bill.

1. Soda Bun Thai Food

Photo: chris h./Yelp

Topping the list is Soda Bun Thai Food. Located at 2740 S. Alma School Road, Suite 5 in Dobson Ranch, the Thai spot is the highest-rated affordable Southeast Asian restaurant in Mesa, boasting 4.5 stars out of 261 reviews on Yelp.

On the menu, expect to see soup, salad, curries, noodle dishes, wok platters, fried rice and chef specials like the volcano fish (breaded fish in Thai savory sauce with bell peppers, sweet onions and topped with basil) and the swimming angel (white fish, eggplant, bell peppers and green beans in a green curry sauce over steamed rice noodles).

2. At My Place Cafe

Photo: fiona shane i./Yelp

Next up is At My Place Cafe, situated at 2121 W. Guadalupe Road, Suite 8. With 4.5 stars out of 189 reviews on Yelp, the Filipino spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an affordable option.

The menu, which changes weekly, features items such as kare (oxtail, tripe and vegetables in a peanut sauce), a crispy pork pata and the bicol express (pork cooked in coconut milk).

3. Mekong Sandwiches

Photo: irena t./Yelp

Mekong Sandwiches, located at 66 S. Dobson Road, Suite 101, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the low-priced Vietnamese spot 4.5 stars out of 190 reviews.

On the menu, look for banh mi sandwiches like the Italian sandwich (pepperoni, salami, ham and provolone cheese) and the roast beef and cheddar sandwich with horseradish sauce. All sandwiches are served with pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, onion and soy sauce.

View the menu here.

4. Saigon Jade Restaurant

Photo: saigon jade restaurant/Yelp

Saigon Jade Restaurant, a Vietnamese spot that offers soup, sandwiches and more, is another much-loved, inexpensive go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 83 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1316 S. Longmore St., Suite 101 to see for yourself.

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In addition to Vietnamese coffee, Thai tea and fruit smoothies, you'll find Vietnamese pho, salad and rice dishes alongside signature dishes such as crab Vietnamese udon (noodle, crab meat, shrimp and pork crab pie garnished with fried and green onions and cilantro) as well as the special stuffed pancake (steam rice paper, jicama, wood ear, ground shrimp and pork topped with mint, cucumber, bean sprout and special fried onion).

5. Pho Number One

Photo: aaron c./Yelp

Over in Dobson Ranch, check out Pho Number One, which has earned four stars out of 190 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Vietnamese and Thai spot by heading over to 1955 W. Baseline Road, Suite 114.

Try the grilled chicken, pork, beef or shrimp vermicelli bowls, which all include lettuce, mint, cilantro, carrots, cucumbers, green onions and peanuts; or opt for the pad kee mau (choice of shrimp, pork, chicken or tofu with wide rice noodles, eggs, onions, mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, bamboo shoots, baby corn and pan-fried tomato).

View the full menu here.

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.Coatzacoalcos (Mexico) (AFP) - A total of 791 Central American migrants, including 368 children under the age of eight, have been detained in the Mexican state of Veracruz, officials said Sunday.

The detentions of the migrants, who were being transported hidden in four trailers, were carried out at two points, the National Migration Institute said in a statement.

While the total age breakdown of the migrants remains unclear, a source speaking on condition of anonymity earlier on Sunday told AFP 270 of the migrants are six or seven years old, and 98 are aged zero to five.

The detained included 413 Guatemalans, 330 Hondurans and 39 Salvadorans, the source said.

Another source said that six alleged human traffickers had been captured.

Veracruz is one of the most violent regions of Mexico. Drug trafficking routes to the United States pass through it, and migrants passing through run the risk of being robbed, raped or kidnapped.

The detentions come during a 45-day period for Mexico to take steps to curb migration, part of an agreement reached with the United States earlier this month to head off tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.

Trump has warned that the tariffs will still be on the table if the United States deems Mexico's progress insufficient after 45 days.The Midfield Terminal Building (MTB), Abu Dhabis new international airport, will become the first airport terminal in the region to benefit from ultra-high speed connectivity, delivered by the Etisalats 5G network.



The deployment is based on C-Band, a first-of-its-kind in 5G digital indoor technology delivering gigabit per second download speeds. This achievement has been enabled by efficient collaboration and co-ordination between Etisalat and Abu Dhabi Airports to deliver the 5G network at the MTB before its official opening.



Bryan Thompson, chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with Etisalat to incorporate state-of-the-art 5G connectivity at our Midfield Terminal Building. We value our customers first and foremost, and access to fast cellular service is a crucial factor that makes a big difference for travellers from around the world. Technology is at the heart of our digital transformation strategy and providing our customers with enhanced connectively services at the Midfield Terminal Building is in line with our vision of becoming the worlds leading airports group.



Saeed Al Zarouni, senior vice president, Mobile Network, Etisalat, said: We are very glad to activate 5G in Abu Dhabis new international airport. I want to extend my gratitude to all the teams involved from Etisalat and Abu Dhabi Airports in making this 5G deployment a success, which will set a benchmark by providing a platform to enable new futuristic use cases and digital transformation for all customers. Etisalat is working closely with smartphone brands to launch their devices on our 5G network as well as in the Mena region. Our aim is to Drive the Digital Future to empower societies that will bring digital capabilities and benefits across the region.



Etisalat is targeting to provide 5G coverage at all prestigious, iconic and high data usage locations in 2019. By collaborating with major smartphone brands, Etisalats 5G service will be launched by the second quarter this year, it said in a statement.



This will enable customers to enjoy and experience 5G across UAE. Etisalat is aggressively expanding its 5G footprint in the country with the installation of 1,000 mobile sites underway by end of 2019. This will take customers to new levels of experience enjoying advanced use cases such as smart machine control, smart security, 4K uninterrupted videos, holograms, AR/VR and online interactive cloud gaming.



The introduction of Etisalats 5G digital indoor active systems at the MTB will bring new business opportunities for B2C segments as they can use location-based capabilities of the 5G indoor digital system to share information and updates on their products and services. - TradeArabia News ServiceMEXICO CITY, June 16 (Reuters) - Mexican officials detained nearly 800 undocumented migrants in eastern Mexico in four trucks on Saturday, the government said, in one of the biggest swoops against illegal immigration in recent months.

Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM) said in a statement late on Saturday that 791 foreign nationals were found in the trucks stopped in the eastern state of Veracruz, confirming earlier reports about a mass detention.

The apprehension came as Mexico steps up efforts to reduce a surge of migrants toward the U.S. border under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has vowed to hit Mexican goods with tariffs if Mexico does not stem illegal immigration.

Mexico made a deal on June 7 with the United States to avert the tariffs, setting the clock ticking on a 45-day period for the Mexican government to make palpable progress in reducing the numbers of people trying to cross the U.S. border illegally.

There has been a jump in apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border this year, angering Trump, who has made reducing illegal immigration one of his signature policy pledges.

Most of those caught attempting to enter the United States are people fleeing poverty and violence in three troubled Central American nations, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Mexico's decision to tighten its border and respond to Trump's threats has caused tensions within the government, and on Friday, the head of the INM, Tonatiuh Guillen, resigned.

He was replaced by Francisco Garduno, who had previously served as the head of Mexico's prison system. (Writing by Dave Graham Editing by Nick Zieminski)Photo: Kapuna Cafe/Yelp

Curious where Las Vegas's insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.

We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which restaurants have been getting outsized attention this month.

To find out who made the list, we looked at Las Vegas businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.

Read on to see which spots are extra cool this summer.

The Sandy Crab

photo: the Sandy Crab/yelp

Open since February, this spot to score seafood, fish and chips and more is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp.

Citywide, seafood spots saw a median 1.5 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but The Sandy Crab saw a 19.4 percent increase, maintaining a sound 4.5-star rating throughout.

It's not the only trending outlier in the seafood category: Bajamar Seafood & Tacos has seen an 8.8 percent increase in reviews.

Located at 6475 W. Charleston Blvd. in Buffalo, The Sandy Crab menu includes crab legs, mini crab cakes with coleslaw, buffalo shrimp and calamari.

Eureka! Discover American Craft

Photo: RYO HANALEI Z./Yelp

Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about downtown Las Vegas's Eureka! Discover American Craft, the popular cocktail bar and traditional American and breakfast and brunch spot is a hot topic, according to Yelp review data.

While businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp saw a median 2.6 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Eureka! Discover American Craft bagged a 7 percent increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a strong 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.3 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.

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Open at 520 E. Fremont St. since February, Eureka! Discover American Craft offers such specialties as the bone marrow burger, 8 oz. skirt steak and chicken tacos.

Kapuna Cafe

Photo: kapuna cafe/Yelp

North Cheyenne's Kapuna Cafe is also making waves. After undergoing minor renovations and updates in March at 3231 N. Decatur Blvd., Suite 122, the Hawaiian, breakfast and brunch and Asian fusion spot has seen a 9 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.4 percent for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Kapuna Cafe's review count increased by more than 160 percent.

Kapuna Cafe specialties include mochi pancakes with coconut syrup, garlic shrimp with rice and kalua guava barbecue sliders. Over the past month, it's maintained a strong 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.

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.Houston (AFP) - After Neil Armstrong took a "giant leap for mankind" on the Moon nearly 50 years ago and collected rocks and soil along the way, Richard Nixon presented lunar souvenirs to every nation -- 135, at the time.

Dozens of the "goodwill" moon rocks -- some only the size of a grain of rice, others as big as a marble -- have since gone missing, and Joseph Gutheinz Jr is on a mission to find them.

The 63-year-old retired NASA special agent is the "Moon Rock Hunter."

"Some people go rock hunting," Gutheinz said in an interview with AFP at his law office in a Houston suburb decorated with awards from NASA and the US military. "I go Apollo-era rock hunting."

Gutheinz's quixotic quest to track down missing moon fragments intersects with the coups, wars, assassinations and other political turmoil of the past half-century.

"The Libyan moon rocks? Gone," Gutheinz said. "Afghanistan's? Gone."

The journey features a colorful cast of characters -- from a Texas billionaire and a Honduran army colonel to a Las Vegas casino mogul, not to mention the late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco and the Ceausescus of Romania.

Gutheinz, who teaches college courses in addition to practicing law, retrieved one moon rock himself through an undercover sting operation. His criminal justice students have located 78 others as class assignments.

Beginning with Apollo 11, which landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969, and ending with Apollo 17, in December 1972, US astronauts collected 842 pounds (382 kilograms) of rocks and lunar soil.

Moon rocks collected by Apollo 11 and 17 were given to every country and the 50 US states.

Encased in clear Lucite, they were affixed to a wooden plaque that featured a miniature flag of the recipient nation, which had been flown to the Moon.

Some have been stolen, ending up in the hands of private collectors who paid millions of dollars to own a tiny piece of Earth's satellite.

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Others have simply been lost or destroyed.

- 'Operation Lunar Eclipse' -

Gutheinz, a former US Army helicopter pilot and intelligence officer, is determined to restore the missing rocks to their rightful owners.

"These were gifts," he said. "We didn't give them to individuals.

"I wanted to make sure that we took these pieces of history and we gave them back to the people."

Gutheinz became involved with moon rocks while working as a special agent for NASA, where he ferreted out corruption among contractors by day and studied for a law degree at night.

"After the Apollo 11 landing, con artists were going door-to-door selling bogus moon rocks to the hopeful and the unsuspecting," he said. "I didn't like that."

In 1998, Gutheinz launched a sting operation, "Operation Lunar Eclipse," aimed at nabbing fraudsters.

Gutheinz and Bob Cregger, a US Postal Service agent, adopted false personas and created a fictitious company, John's Estate Sales.

"We went after the con artists," Gutheinz said. "What we found was the real thing."

They put an ad in USA Today saying "Moon Rocks Wanted" and were contacted within weeks by a man named Alan Rosen, who offered to sell them an authentic moon rock for $5 million.

After federal agencies declined to put up the money, Gutheinz secured $5 million from Texas billionaire and one-time presidential candidate Ross Perot.

Rosen handed over the moon rock in a Miami bank vault, where it was impounded by a US Customs agent posing as a bank officer.

"It was not until we actually seized the moon rock that we learned it was the Honduras Apollo 17 moon rock," said Gutheinz, whose desk features a replica of it mounted on a plaque.

"There was a military coup in Honduras," he said. "And the dictator that came in gifted the moon rock to one of his colonels to say thank you."

The Honduran colonel had originally demanded $1 million but Rosen ended up buying it for $50,000, said Gutheinz, who retired from NASA in 2000 to set up shop as an attorney.

The moon rock was eventually returned to Honduras after a years-long court case.

- 'I'm going to find it' -

A stolen moon rock given to another Central American nation -- Nicaragua -- also underwent a circuitous journey.

The country's Apollo 11 fragment ended up with a Las Vegas casino mogul named Bob Stupak, who bought it from a Baptist missionary who had obtained it in Costa Rica.

Stupak displayed it for a time in his Moon Rock Cafe but when the casino owner died, Gutheinz was contacted by his lawyer, who asked him what he should do with the moon rock.

"Give it to NASA with the promise that they'll return it to Nicaragua," Gutheinz said he told him. "And that's exactly what they did."

While the Honduran and Nicaraguan moon rocks ended up going home, dozens of others remain unaccounted for.

Spain's Apollo 11 moon rock is believed to be in the hands of the family of the late Spanish dictator Franco.

"The story is that one of Franco's grandchildren tried to sell the Apollo 11 moon rock in Switzerland and that was blocked by Interpol," Gutheinz said.

One of Romania's two moon rocks also is missing.

"After the Ceausescus, Nicolae and Elena, were executed on Christmas Day 1989, the estate of this horrible communist dictator sold it to some capitalist," Gutheinz said.

"It's out there somewhere and someday I'm going to go find it."

Gutheinz is pretty sure he knows where Ireland's Apollo 11 moon rock is, but it's unlikely to be recovered any time soon.

It was housed in the Dunsink Observatory in Dublin when a fire erupted in 1977, and the debris ended up in a landfill.

Fortune hunters have been known to go "looking for their pot of gold" there ever since, Gutheinz said.Moscow (AFP) - The Kremlin on Sunday warned against "baseless accusations" over last week's attacks in the Gulf of Oman on two oil tankers, blamed by Washington and Riyadh on Iran.

"Such incidents can undermine the foundations of the world economy. That's why it's hardly possible to accept baseless accusations in this situation," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov.

"We always urge a sober appraisal of the situation and to wait for more or less convincing evidence to appear," Peskov said on Russian television, extracts of which were published by the RIA Novosti news agency.

A Japanese and a Norwegian oil tanker were targeted in attacks on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The official Iranian news agency IRNA said the attacks took place within 30 nautical miles of Iran's coastline.

Iran rejected US accusations it was to blame, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeting that the US had "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence".

Saudi Arabia, Iran's arch-rival in the region and the world's top oil exporter, joined Washington in accusing Tehran of the attacks, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman saying he "won't hesitate" to tackle any threats to the kingdom.

For his part the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali Larijani, hinted Sunday that Washington could be behind the "suspicious" tanker attacks in order to pile pressure on Tehran, IRNA reported.

Moscow "severely" condemned the attacks, he said, warning against drawing "hasty conclusions".WASHINGTON  Most Americans say the White House should comply with subpoenas for witnesses and documents issued by congressional committees investigating President Donald Trump and his administration. By nearly 2-1, they want to hear former special counsel Robert Mueller testify publicly about his inquiry into the 2016 election.

A new USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll finds those views aren't simply partisan: Four in 10 Republicans say it's important to them that Mueller testify, and three in 10 Republicans say the White House should stop arguing that some officials and former officials should defy the congressional subpoenas. Democrats and independents overwhelmingly agree.

"Everybody should be equal as far as things like that go," says Edna Wilcock, 72, a political independent and retired pediatric nurse from Sequim, Washington, who was called in the poll. "You should testify; you should have to, and you shouldn't be able to choose who testifies and who doesn't."

The White House and Congress are heading toward a showdown over Congress' subpoena powers. The House voted along party lines last week to authorize committees to go to court to enforce them. The Judiciary Committee has been poised to sue Attorney General William Barr and former White House counsel Don McGahn for refusing to comply with subpoenas involving allegations that Trump tried to obstruct Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference, among other issues.

Subpoena battle: Congress and White House fight over subpoenas for former aides

Since taking control of the House in January, Democrats have issued more than two dozen subpoenas targeting the Trump administration. Last week, a House panel voted to hold Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt for defying subpoenas for documents about why a citizenship question was added to the 2020 census.

On this battle, Trump is at odds with public opinion. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed say the White House should comply with the congressional subpoenas. Thirty-seven percent say the White House should continue to argue the case that it's not necessary for officials and former officials to comply.

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"His response to everything seems to just be deny, distract and fight," Billy Mack, 33, a Democrat from Allentown, Pennsylvania, says. The stay-at-home father of 15-month-old twins calls it "the duty of the Congress to act."

Don Lindsey, 81, a retiree from Oklahoma City, says the president's critics in Congress are "just wasting their time." A Democrat who speaks highly of the president, Lindsey says, "There's more things that they can be doing up there to help this country get along."

Americans want to hear more from Mueller, another brewing issue. Last week, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said his panel was having "conversations" about Mueller's testimony, which he said would take place before the end of the summer.

In the survey, four in 10 say hearing Mueller testify is "very important" to them and two in 10 call it "somewhat important." Thirty-seven percent say it is not particularly important or not at all important.

The poll of 1,000 registered voters, taken Tuesday through Saturday, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Americans show broad support for investigating Trump but a more limited appetite for impeaching him.

By nearly 2-1, 61%-32%, those surveyed say they don't think the House of Representatives should seriously consider impeaching the president. Support for impeachment ticked up from the USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll taken in March, when 28% endorsed the idea.

That increase was most pronounced among Democrats. Fifty-nine percent of Democrats support impeachment, up 6 percentage points from the poll in March; 29 percent oppose it, down 5 points. Republicans oppose it by 9-1.

Youve got a voting public that values our system of checks and balances," says David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. "They dont want Trump impeached, but they dont want him and his administration to ignore congressional subpoenas either. It is important to a clear majority of voters that Bob Mueller testify publicly before Congress about his investigation into the 2016 election.

In response to another question, 21% say the House should impeach Trump; 31% say it should investigate but not impeach him; 42% say Congress should drop its investigations.

There is a more narrow divide over whether the House will seriously consider impeachment: 48% predict it won't; 43% predict it will.

"I'm just confused by it not being more straightforward when it seems like Robert Mueller handed Congress a document that said, 'It is your job now' to do this thing," says Amy Angel, 59, a Democrat from Fairfax, Virginia, in the D.C. suburbs. She says the House "probably should" impeach Trump, although she expresses faith in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has counseled caution.

"I think Nancy Pelosi is very, very smart and assume she's very savvy," the stay-at-home mother of five says, "and I just would really like to know what she's doing."

More: Nancy Pelosi tries to tamp down impeachment pressure, calling it 'divisive'

Pelosi has expressed doubts about whether most Americans understand what an impeachment vote would do. "Do you know that most people think that impeachment means you're out of office?" she said this month. "They think that you get impeached, you're gone."

The poll doesn't bear out that assertion: Half of those surveyed say, accurately, that if the House voted to impeach the president, the Senate would then hold a trial and decide whether to remove him from office. Twenty-three percent say, incorrectly, that the matter would be referred to the Supreme Court. Nine percent say incorrectly that the House impeachment vote would remove Trump from office.

Seventeen percent aren't sure what would happen.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Most Americans want Trump to comply with House subpoenas. But impeach him? Not so fastHeavy rain didn't dampen the spirits of the St. Louis Blues or their fans Saturday as a crowd estimated in the hundreds of thousands turned out to see the 2019 Stanley Cup champions parade through downtown.

It was the first Stanley Cup title in franchise history for the Blues, who began play in 1967. St. Louis defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Game 7 on Wednesday night. The city of St. Louis hadn't celebrated a major title since the Cardinals won the 2011 World Series.

Fans began showing up hours before the parade, which traveled down Market Street to the Gateway Arch for a rally.

Ryan O'Reilly, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoff MVP, carried the Cup along Market Street, and let fans gets their hands on the trophy. "It still hasn't sunk in yet," he said. "I can't believe we won a Stanley Cup."

--The Los Angeles Kings bought out the final two years of defenseman Dion Phaneuf's contract, 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.

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.

--The Philadelphia Flyers placed defenseman Andrew MacDonald on unconditional waivers, ending his six-season tenure with the team.

MacDonald, 32, appeared in 47 games with the Flyers last season. He had nine assists, 18 penalty minutes and a minus-5 rating while averaging 16:24 of ice time.

MacDonald was set to earn $5 million next season in the final year of a six-year, $30 million deal that he inked in 2014.

--The Chicago Blackhawks acquired defenseman Olli Maatta from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Dominik Kahun and a 2019 fifth-round draft pick.

Maatta, 24, had one goal and 13 assists in 60 games last season, his sixth with the Penguins. He has three years remaining on a six-year, $24.5 million contract he signed in February 2016.

Kahun scored 13 goals and 24 assists as a rookie with the Blackhawks last season. The 23-year-old is entering the final year of his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent at the end of next season.

--Field Level MediaThe crackpot president of the United States of America has so snarled up the gangplank to truth these past 29 months that no matter how much evidence he and his crew produce to prove that the Iranians have been trying to blow up oil tankers in the Gulf  or not quite blow them up  the pictures have a kind of mesmeric quality about them.

Donald Trumps 2017 inauguration photos were edited to prove that there were more supporters on the Washington Mall than actually went there. And now his administration, anxious to prove that the Iranians are attacking oil tankers, releases video footage of Iranians actually removing a limpet mine from the hull of a Japanese vessel.

Well that proves it then, doesnt it? Those pesky Iranians cant even bomb their targets professionally  so they go back later to retrieve a mine because it probably says Made in Iran on the explosives.

Because that would give them away, wouldnt it? Then it emerges that the tanker crew believe they were attacked with airborne munitions  and mines dont fly. The crew on another bombed ship suggest a torpedo. And on the basis of this, Washington is now building a consensus among its allies for the decisive response which Trumps Saudi chums are demanding against Iran in revenge for these and earlier non-lethal attacks off the Emirates.

And our own beloved foreign secretary, ever mindful that he needs a majority of the partys most faithful 120,000 votes to make him the next Tory Ayatollah, is confident that those wretched Iranians were behind the mining attacks. Presumably the hojatoleslam  for so Jeremy Hunt must remain unless he becomes the Supreme Leader  also believed the doctored pictures of the crowds welcoming Trumps presidency on the National Mall in Washington.

Personally, I suspect the Iranians have been up to their old mining tricks in the Gulf, first practiced in 1988 on the supertankers which the US Navy was escorting up to Kuwait at the end of the Iran-Iraq war  when it turned out that the American warships had to hide behind the tankers in case they, too, got mined. On that occasion, the Americans actually found a crew of Iranians rolling mines off a clapped-out old landing vessel. They captured the Iranians sailors and even gave them the option of political asylum in the Land of the Free. Foolish chaps, they all declined the offer.

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Besides, if Hezbollah successfully fired an Iranian-supplied sea-to-sea missile at an Israeli naval gunboat off Lebanon in 2006  which they did, setting the ship alight and killing several of the Israeli crew  I doubt if Tehran has many scruples about teaching the Houthis how to use drones for rocket attacks on Saudi Arabia.

When US munitions  dropped by the Saudis and the United Arab Emirates  are blowing up Houthi rebels, schools, hospitals, wedding parties, etc, in Yemen  why should it be surprising if the Houthis use Iranian munitions to try to blow up Saudi airports? With a little more training, the Houthis might even reach the technical prowess of their Saudi and Emirati enemies by also firing rockets at schools, hospitals and wedding parties, etc, in Saudi Arabia.

Theres also a Suez feel about all this. When the ever more exasperated Anthony Eden plunged with the French and Israelis into the Suez fiasco in 1956, Eisenhower had to send Dulles to London to rein in the British prime minister. Eden had himself become a bit bananas, claiming that Nasser, whose country he was planning to invade, was the Mussolini of the Nile. Dulless instructions were to tell Eden: Whoa, Boy! For months afterwards, Eden was still lying to the Commons, insisting that the whole shambles had NOT been hatched up with the Israelis  which it had  his false denial of the plot actually believed by most of the Tory party at the time and probably by a majority of Brits.

I guess thats why I find something profoundly odd about the whole US-Iranian conflict-to-be. A couple of days ago, back in Beirut after a long road journey across Lebanon, I forced myself to read through the past months of news reports on the coming war between the US and Iran  even though I believe, and continue to feel certain, that this impending Armageddon is a figment of the Trump-Bolton-Pompeo imagination. And of the imagination of the American media  which is fearful that Trump might go to war but, given its rousing headlines let alone its reports, even more frightened that he might not go to war.

Perhaps its the sheer exhaustion of reading through the volumes of mendacity from the White House on Trumps support for the Middle Easts vicious Arab dictators and head-choppers  and corpse-chopper-uppers  that Id almost convinced myself that it was the deceitful, lying, belligerent Iranians who reneged on the solemn nuclear deal, falsely claiming that Washington had not honoured the agreement.

But then, of course, I remembered that it was the deceitful, lying, belligerent Americans who reneged on the solemn nuclear deal, falsely claiming that Tehran had not honoured the agreement.

But thats life in Trumpworld right now.

The Iranians, who have always understood the west much better than the west has ever understood the Iranians, know very well how to deny a drone here and a limpet mine there while ever more diligently tugging another feather or two out of the American eagle. The Iranians are no innocents.

There are no good guys in this story. And sure, if Iran tries to close the Straits of Hormuz, America can react with that concensus-built decisive response called for by the Saudis and underwritten by Hojatoleslam Hunt. But Iran is not quite that stupid. Why should the Islamic Republic fight the Americans when it was the US which humbled its principal post-revolution enemies: the Taliban and then Saddam and then Isis? The Iranians were  or should have been  extremely grateful.

In the real world, of course, there should be a military alliance between the US and Iran. But Washington no longer moves through any known orbit. If you want to understand the Trump-Bolton Middle East policy right now, I guess all you can do is visit patients in any mental hospital and theyll fill you in.

Russia and China, however, do live on planet Earth. They probably saw the photos of Trumps diminished supporters on the Washington Mall and drew their own conclusions. So stand by to hear Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping, albeit doubtful allies of Tehran, hollering out to Trump: Whoa Boy!Noel Gallagher performing live onstage, playing Epiphone Sheraton Union Jack guitar at Maine Road, (Photo by Patrick Ford/Redferns)

Noel Gallagher has said voting to leave the EU was nonsensical but trying to overturn Brexit is fascism and those doing it should go to North Korea.

In a blistering, expletive-laden interview with the Manchester Evening News, the former Oasis guitarist called Nigel Farage an unremarkable little man, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn a f***ing captain fishy craggy old f***ing donkey who talks pipe-smoking communist nonsense.

Gallagher said: Theres only one f***ing thing worse that a fool who voted for Brexit. Thats the rise of the c***s trying to get the vote overturned.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds performs on stage on May 1, 2019 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Roberto Panucci/Corbis via Getty Images)

You take part in a democratic process - if you dont like the outcome, go to North Korea I sat the day of Brexit and thought: I cant be arsed going to the polling station, who the f**k would vote to leave Europe? Its a nonsensical f***ing idea. And you wake up the next day and think: F***ing hell, s***.

But the thing that is taking place after that is frankly a disgrace. Its a disgrace when you see people trying to get that vote overturned. Because thats fascism. Straight up. Pure and simple. Flying in the face of democracy, no matter what, because you dont like what f***ing happened.

Read more: Noel Gallagher unimpressed at American bands headlining festivals

The 52-year-old went on to lament his decision not to vote in the referendum, saying he never thought the UK would vote to leave the EU.

He said: None of us like it. But there it is, its happened. I get really f***ing cross at myself for not voting, as Im sure a lot of people didnt vote. They didnt because they were thinking no ones going to vote to leave, its a ridiculous idea. But now, I would defend the rights of people who voted to leave, it has to f***ing go through.

Gallagher also believes there should not be a second referendum saying: What happens then? What happens then if everyone votes to remain? Do we have a best of three? Or what happens if it comes back and its a bigger majority to leave, what happens then?

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Its really sad f***ing times. But the thing I think about it is, when we eventually do leave, itll be f***ed up for a bit, right, then itll just get back to normal.

Gallagher famously backed Tony Blair in 1997, when Britpop ruled the charts and New Labour was billed Cool Britannia. But the High Flying Birds frontman now has no f***ing time for them anymore.

Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) meets Oasis star Noel Gallagher at a reception held at 10 Downing Street. (Photo by Rebecca Naden - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)

He said: They talk pipe-smoking communist nonsense, do you know what I mean?...

The two extremes are the Labour Party dont respect people who are aspirational, and the Conservative Party dont protect the vulnerable. But somewhere in the middle is where New Labour danced, and they kind of had it f***ing right, and then 9/11 happened, and here we are.

Read more: Liam Gallagher claims Noel banned use of Oasis songs in new documentary

Gallagher went on to criticise former UKIP founder, and current Brexit Party leader, Nigel Farage, saying: And this unremarkable little man, Farage, this unremarkable little f***ing man, from nowhere, appears out of nowhere seemingly and has like somehow fucking tapped into something that none of us were aware of.

Maybe thats our fault. We live in London, right  you might as well be in another country. Because everything is ran from down there. They dont realise whats going on in other parts of the country.Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin reaffirmed a stance against protectionism at a meeting of a Eurasian body, presenting a united front on trade ahead of an encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Group of 20 summit. Nikkei sia Review reports in its article China and Russia blast protectionism ahead of G-20 summit that while they may both oppose Trump's "America first" approach to trade and foreign policy, Beijing and Moscow are struggling to find a balance between their own interests in Central Asia as China extends its influence over former Soviet nations.

"Coordination is needed for free trade and a just order," Xi said at the two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which began on Friday in Kyrgyzstan's capital of Bishkek. He indirectly condemned Trump for threatening additional tariffs against China.

Leaders of the eight-member organization, which is led by Moscow and Beijing, issued a statement Friday calling for greater cooperation "to prevent any protectionist actions in international and regional trade." They also voiced concern over missile defenses in certain countries, in an apparent swipe against the U.S.

Putin slammed the U.S. for withdrawing from the multilateral nuclear deal signed with Iran in 2015. The move "is not only destabilizing the region, but also can undermine the nuclear nonproliferation regime," he said in a speech.

Trump has expressed his interest in meeting both Xi and Putin at the sidelines of the upcoming G-20 summit in Osaka. By striking similar tones on the global order, Xi and Putin appeared to seek greater leverage in bargaining with the U.S. president.

Still, tensions are bubbling under the surface as China increases its influence over former Soviet nations in Central Asia through its Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, which seeks to build roads, ports and other connections across Eurasia.

So far, the duo have tried to strike a balance by focusing on different areas under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: China on economic matters, and Russia on security. But Moscow has strong concerns over Beijing's overtures toward a region it has long considered its backyard.

The key lies in the balance between the Belt and Road and Russia's own cross-border initiative, the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes former Soviet countries like Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Xi and Putin signed an agreement in 2015 to align the two frameworks. But projects based on the agreement have made little headway, according to independent Russian media reports.

In a speech in Russia last week, Xi said China will link its efforts to the "Greater Eurasian Partnership" proposed by Putin and called on Moscow to play an active role in the Belt and Road initiative. His remarks were seen as an attempt to ease Russian concerns before they flare up.

Some Central Asian countries worry that China's presence could undermine their independence. Protests broke out in Kyrgyzstan early this year calling for limits on Chinese immigration and labor. A China-backed railway project in Kazakhstan was canceled due to a lack of funds.

Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan also receive financial assistance from China to build up their infrastructure, pushing them deeper into debt. Xi is visiting both countries over the weekend to shore up goodwill.

Also in attendance at the meeting was Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whose country was blamed by the U.S. for an attack on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman Thursday -- a claim that Tehran denies, said American sanctions against his country "impede normal trade transactions."The most important role that God has gifted me in life is that of being a father. Nothing can prepare you for the sheer rush of love and joy that comes with the privilege of being a parent.

There is also nothing that prepares new parents for the sudden and extreme change in schedules and finances that comes with starting a family. And for far too many new parents across our nation, the sad reality is that they are forced to take on new debt or fall onto welfare programs just to pay for their basic living costs after having a child. New mothers feel pressured to return to work too soon after giving birth, and new fathers are often unable to take time off to spend those critical first few weeks with their child.

You cannot have a strong country without strong communities, and its impossible to have strong communities without strong families. Our current economic policies have left young, working families behind, even as our marriage and childbirth rates are falling. To address the problems facing families in the 21st century, we must realign our economic policies in support of American families.

That is why I, along with Senator Mitt Romney (R., Utah) and Representatives Ann Wagner (R., Mo.) and Dan Crenshaw (R., Texas), introduced the New Parents Act, which would provide a voluntary option for paid family leave. The bill would ensure an economic safety net that new parents could take advantage of, by allowing them to pull forward from their future Social Security benefits. No new taxes. No new mandates. No new regulations. Completely optional.

But what really sets my bill apart is that it gives new parents much-needed flexibility in how they choose to use their paid leave. It would be available to working and stay-at-home moms and dads alike, allowing them to create a paid-leave plan that works best for their household. Most important, at a time when just over one in ten workers receives paid family leave from their employers, my bill gives millions of new parents the ability to take paid leave that they otherwise would never have.

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Nothing is more critical for the future health and long-term prosperity of our nation than investing in families. Families are the pillars of our communities and our nation. Often, fathers are left out of the conversation when we talk about the modern American family. Traditionally, mothers are viewed as the primary caregiver. For some families, its still that way today.

Recently, fathers have begun to be included in discussions about paid family leave. As a father of four, I know the importance of having flexibility in those first few months. I would take on the late-night feedings when our children were newborns. When I had to take the long trip to Tallahassee while serving in the Florida legislature, Jeanette would stay at home with our kids. We were also blessed to be surrounded by family, who readily stepped in when we needed them.

Today, many middle-class families in America do not have the luxury of one parents being able to stay at home. The flexibility my bill offers ensures that parents can continue working full-time or part-time, using the extra funds to pay for child-care expenses. No one should be economically penalized for choosing to start a family. No parents should have to go into debt to give their child proper care in those critical first few months.

As millions around the country celebrate Fathers Day, I urge my colleagues, who know that being a parent is the greatest job we will ever have, to support my New Parents Act and join my effort to pass a national paid-family-leave program.

More from National ReviewThe suspension of the draft law to allow extradition from Hong Kong to the rest of China is a triumph for democracy and human rights. It is a significant victory for people power, and a welcome check on the reach of Chinese totalitarianism.

Carrie Lam, Hong Kongs chief executive, said the explanation and communication of the bill had not been adequate, and announced that her government would pause and think.

The decision to de-escalate the confrontation with the people of Hong Kong, who had taken to the streets in unprecedented numbers, was presumably taken in Beijing. A spokesperson for the Chinese central government said it expresses its support, respect and understanding for the decision.

This is not the end of the tension between the 7m population of Hong Kong and the Chinese government, but it is a hopeful sign that there are limits to Beijings willingness to undermine the rule of law in the special region. It suggests that the doctrine of one country, two systems, set out by Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese leader, in the 1980s, still means something.

This is not because the Chinese government respects human rights, the rule of law or even pluralism. The desperate plight of the Uighur Muslims in western China is testament to that. The Deng doctrine is simple pragmatism writ large. But it is encouraging that the balance of advantage, from Beijings point of view, still lies in preserving Hong Kongs special status.

The citys wealth and its place in the global financial system gives the Chinese government a powerful incentive to abide by some of the most important terms of the 1997 handover from the UK. But what todays decision also shows is that Beijing has no wish to suppress by force the legitimate demands of the Hong Kong people.

In this, the UK governments policy of keeping a low profile is probably justified. There are many people in Hong Kong who demand that the UK assert itself more forcefully as a guarantor of the citys freedoms, and angrily condemn its cowardice in failing to oppose Beijings encroachment more strenuously.

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But they should understand that Dengs policy might just as well be called one country, two world views. For the Chinese leadership, any assertiveness by the former colonial power, with its ignoble history of the opium wars, would be seen as a challenge to Chinese sovereignty, and could be counter-productive.

As this week has shown, the better guarantors of the rights of the people of Hong Kong are the people themselves. Their prosperity and their willingness to protest, peacefully, is what has seen off the latest attempt to weaken their rights.Photo: Sixty Vines/Yelp

Craving some New American grub?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best New American spots around Plano, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fulfill your urges.

1. Sixty Vines

Photo: Sixty Vines/Yelp

Topping the list is Sixty Vines. Located at 3701 Dallas Parkway, the wine bar and New American bistro, which serves pizza, wine and more, is the most popular New American restaurant in Plano, boasting 4.5 stars out of 1,012 reviews on Yelp.

2. The Biscuit Bar

Photo: Karina S./Yelp

Next up is The Biscuit Bar, situated at 5880 TX-121, Suite 102B. With 4.5 stars out of 679 reviews on Yelp, the bar, breakfast, brunch and New American eatery has proven to be a local favorite.

3. Whiskey Cake

Photo: Whiskey Cake/Yelp

Whiskey Cake, located at 3601 Dallas Parkway, is another prime choice, with Yelpers giving the New American, breakfast and brunch restaurant four stars out of 2,735 reviews.

4. Haywire

Haywire, a New American spot that specializes in breakfast, brunch and traditional American fare, is another go-to, with four stars out of 730 Yelp reviews. Head over to 5901 Winthrop St., Suite 110, to see for yourself.

5. Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar

Photo: Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar/Yelp

Lastly, scope out Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, which has earned four stars out of 755 reviews on Yelp. You can find the New American outlet, which offers comfort food, sandwiches and burgers, at 8401 Preston Road.

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.Washington (AFP) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed Sunday that the US will guarantee free passage through the vital Strait of Hormuz, as he accused Iran of recent attacks on oil tankers and the downing of a US drone.

Pompeo confirmed in an interview with CBS that a US MQ-9 "Reaper" drone was shot down June 6 with a missile fired from Yemen "that we assess had Iranian assistance."

Pompeo would not be drawn on what options the US is considering to protect shipping -- or to punish Iran -- in the wake of Thursday's attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, but reiterated that President Donald Trump is not seeking war with Iran.

"What you should assume is we are going to guarantee freedom of navigation throughout the strait," he said in an interview on "Fox News Sunday."

Iran has denied the US charges as "baseless" and said they were made without "a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence."

A third of the world's seaborne oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel bordered to the north by Iran that links the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

"This is an international challenge, important to the entire globe. The United States is going to make sure that we take all the actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise, that achieve that outcome," Pompeo said.

- Rising tensions -

The rising tensions have raised fears of an outbreak of hostilities in the tinderbox region.

"We don't want a war. We've done what we can to deter this," Pompeo said. "The Iranians should understand very clearly that we will continue to take actions that deter Iran from engaging in this ... kind of behavior."

The secretary would not lay out US evidence for Iran's involvement in the Gulf of Oman explosions, but insisted: "It's unmistakable what happened here.

"These were attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran on commercial shipping, on the freedom of navigation, with the clear intent to deny transit through the strait."

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The Pentagon had previously released a video showing what it said was an Iranian boat that pulled up alongside one of the stricken tankers and removed a limpet mine attached to its hull.

Some allies, skeptical of US intentions, have said they wanted to see more evidence before reaching a conclusion.

"I will concede that there are countries that wish this would just go away," Pompeo said.

He expressed confidence that "as we continue to develop the fact pattern, countries around the world will not only accept the basic facts, which I think are indisputable, but will come to understand that this is an important mission for the world."

Adam Schiff, head of the House Intelligence Committee and a leading Democratic critic of the administration, said the evidence of Iranian involvement "is very strong and compelling."

"And in fact, I think this was a Class-A screw-up by Iran to insert a mine on the ship," he said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

"It didn't detonate, they had to go back and retrieve it. I can imagine there are some Iranian heads rolling from that botched operation," he said.

The administration's struggle to persuade its allies, however, "shows just how isolated the United States has become," he added.Franco Origlia/Getty

ROMEThere are few scandals in the sordid history of the American Catholic church more painful than the saga of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, a high-ranking prince of the church who fell from grace amid a slew of lies and cover-ups.

McCarrick was forced to resign and later defrocked after credible allegations that he sexually abused a boy from the age of 11 until the young man was 29, starting long before the Boston Spotlight probe and Pennsylvania Grand Jury report came to define priests behaving badly.

It was well known in certain Catholic circles that the cardinal liked to entertain six or more seminarians in his five-bedroom New Jersey beach house with the assumption that the odd man out would share his bed.

Unlike in Boston and Pennsylvania, where the local dioceses were easy to blame for bad management, McCarrick was a man of the popes, which makes him an easy target for those who oppose the direction of the church. Both John Paul II and Francis relied on him as a chief fundraiser and were, it seems, willing to look beyond the rumors. McCarricks fall from grace shook the very foundations of the Roman Curia.

While McCarricks sins and crimes are by now established, there is still mystery surrounding what his bossesboth Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis knew and, perhaps more importantly, when they knew it. But there is even more mystery why those who are so ardently against Francis see him as their poster priest of bad behavior.

Enter Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a traditional conservative Italian cleric supported by American Cardinal Raymond Burke and Francis-foe Steve Bannonboth of whom have been vocal critics of Francis policies on everything from immigration to gay Catholics and who have embraced the McCarrick fiasco as a way to pin all the church's problems on this pope.

Bannon, whose own dreams to open an alt-right Catholic institution run by the Burke-sponsored Dignitatis Humanae Institute in Italy recently were thwarted, told The Daily Beast that Vigano was heroic and that Francis was the enemy.

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Francis is a big problem for the church and his liberals will ultimately destroy it, Bannon said. His open border policy on immigration wont help, either.

It is little wonder that Matteo Salvini, the hard-line far-right Bannon protege is also a Pope Francis hater, even bragging last week that he has never asked for an audience with the pontiff.

Vigano was the apostolic nuncio, or ambassador, to the United States from 2011 to 2016. He was a harsh foe of Francis long before he was elected as pope in 2013 and one of the first to speak out when he was coronated. He was the one who set up the ill-conceived handshake with same-sex marriage opponent Kim Davis on Franciss first visit to America. He was also the one who penned a lengthy testimonial last July in which he claimed that Francis knew all about McCarricks illegal behavior but covered it up. And for that, suggested Vigano, the pope ought to do the church a favor and resign. A month later, Vigano had gone into self-imposed exile.

The Plot to Bring Down Pope Francis

This week, he surfaced again, this time on the pages of The Washington Post whose reporters interviewed him from his still-undisclosed location through a series of emails. The fruit of that labor is an 8,000-word tome that doubles down on the allegations against the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

The signs I see are truly ominous, Vigano wrote. Not only is Pope Francis doing close to nothing to punish those who have committed abuse, he is doing absolutely nothing to expose and bring to justice those who have, for decades, facilitated and covered up the abusers.

Vigano calls the popes February summit on abuse a farce, blaming the Vaticans gay mafia for the real crimes of clerical sex abuse. An especially serious problem is that the summit focused exclusively on the abuse of minors, he wrote, acknowledging that yes, those crimes are truly horrific. Indeed, if the problem of homosexuality in the priesthood were honestly acknowledged and properly addressed, the problem of sexual abuse would be far less severe.

McCarrick, he has long asserted, should have been made an example of years ago as an abuser who indiscriminately abused both young boys and adults. Vigano believes that Francis knew that and chose to elevate the American cardinal, who was a skilled diplomat who helped him broker a deal with China over its underground church. McCarricks degradation from office was, as far as it goes, a just punishment, but there is no legitimate reason why it was not exacted more than five years earlier, and after a proper trial with a judicial procedure, Vigano wrote in the Post. Those with authority to act [i.e. Pope Francis] knew everything they needed to know by June of 2013.

Viganos return comes at a time when battle lines have never been so clear between the more liberal faction of the church that supports Francis and the traditional conservatives who support the likes of Burke and Vigano.

Even the timing of the release of a harsh Vatican document against what it calls gender theorynothing more than a confused concept of freedom in the realm of feelings and wantsis curious. A Vatican insider confided to The Daily Beast that the timing, during the height of Pride month, was meant to push the pope into a corner, either in defending the document or defending transgender people. In the end, he did neither.

That Vigano finally gave permission to The Washington Post to publish its scoop after weeks of negotiations (Vigano's letters are dated May 2), is another example of the systematic criticism meant to embarrass the pontiff. We are in a truly dark moment for the universal Church: The Supreme Pontiff is now blatantly lying to the whole world to cover up his wicked deeds! Vigano claims. But the truth will eventually come out, about McCarrick and all the other coverups, as it already has in the case of Cardinal [Donald] Wuerl, who also knew nothing and had a lapse of memory.

Wuerl, another American cardinal from Francis inner circle who, like McCarrick, brought millions in donations from wealthy American Catholics to Rome, is the disgraced head of the powerful Washington, D.C., diocese. Francis was forced under pressure to accept his resignation last October after Vigano claimed he knew and covered up for McCarrick with the help of both Francis and John Paul II of McCarricks crimes proved too credible to ignore.

To those against the pope, Wuerl and McCarrick are emblematic in what is fast becoming a troubling legacy for the popular pope many thought could do no wrong after he was elected. For those who support this pope, they are just ammunition used against the most liberal pope in modern history. Either Vigano is the pawn or the errant clerics are in what is fast becoming a schism that may soon be hard to close.

Pope Francis needs to reconcile himself with God, and the entire Church, since he covered up for McCarrick, refuses to admit it, and is now covering up for several other people, charges Vigano. I pray for his conversion every day. Nothing would make me happier than for Pope Francis to acknowledge and end the cover-ups, and to confirm his brothers in the faith.

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.Iran is keen to expand relations with Turkey in all fields, particularly in economic and trade sectors, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Tajikistan's capital of Dushanbe on Saturday, Press TV reports. "Iran and Turkey have taken valuable steps to expand and deepen relations in recent years and this trend should be accelerated in proportion to enormous capacities and opportunities," the Iranian president said.

Iran and Turkey have agreed to step up their economic cooperation with the aim of reaching a $30-billion target set for their annual trade, voicing concern over the re-imposition by the US of unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic, a move which they say could affect the entire region's economy. The Iranian president also hailed "effective, successful and important" cooperation between Tehran and Ankara on regional issues and said, "Bilateral and trilateral cooperation, including with Russia, on regional issues, the Astana [peace] process, the fight against terrorism and Syria's stability are very important and in line with promoting peace and stability in the region."

At the end of the first day of the 12th round of Astana talks on April 25, Russian presidents special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev said Iran, Russia, and Turkey, the three guarantor states of a ceasefire regime in Syria, are clearly determined to continue their fight against terrorism in the Arab country. The talks dealt with the situation in Syria in general, and in the northwestern region of Idlib in particular where the terrorist organization of Jabhat al-Nusra controls the majority of the area, Lavrentiev said.

The Turkish president, for his part, hailed growing relations between Tehran and Ankara and said his country attaches importance to further expansion of ties. Turkey is determined to enhance its relations with Iran in all fields, Erdogan said. Enhanced ties with neighbors, Iran's foreign policy priority: Rouhani

The Iranian president said the expansion of relations with neighboring and friendly countries, particularly Qatar, is among main priorities of the Islamic Republic's foreign policy. "Stability and security of regional countries are intertwined," Rouhani said in a meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the CICA conference.

"Bilateral and multilateral consultation and more cooperation are the only ways to reduce differences and solve regional problems," he added, expressing Iran's readiness to play a role in this regard. The Iranian president stressed the importance of forging unity and integrity in the Muslim world and said Tehran and Doha can make joint efforts to achieve this goal.

Cordial relations between the two countries are beneficial to regional nations, he added and urged both sides to make use of great potential to further boost economic relations to serve the two nations' interests.

The Qatari emir, for his part, said dialog, collective cooperation and political approaches are the only solutions to regional conflicts. Al Thani added that Qatar is keen to expand all-out ties with Iran.Massive protests shut down the streets around Hong Kongs government offices Sunday to demand that the citys leader step down, and a controversial extradition bill be withdrawn, a day after the government suspended the measure in response to snowballing unrest.

The size of the demonstration  organizers estimate some 2 million people attended, making it likely the largest in living memory  forced the citys top official, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, to issue an apology.

The Chief Executive acknowledges that her government work has been unsatisfactory, leading to confusion and conflict in society, and leading to disappointment and heartbreak, read an official statement issued in Chinese.

The Chief Executive would like to apologize to the citys citizens and is open to receiving criticism [on how to] further improve and provide better services for the broader society.

Neither the apology nor the debacle over the bill will mollify her opponents. Jimmy Sham, convenor of protest organizer the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), told reporters Sunday morning that demonstrators would not step down until the bill was dropped entirely.

Lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan said that demonstrators were also demanding that Lam take back her characterization of the bills opponents as rioters.

A minutes silence was meanwhile held Sunday for a 35-year-old man, who plunged to his death from scaffolding on the side of a shopping mall late Saturday after unfurling a banner denouncing the extradition legislation. The mans surname was given by local media as Leung. During his hours-long standoff with police negotiators he wore a raincoat on which were scrawled the words, Carrie Lam is killing Hong Kong.

Protesters hailed him as a martyr on social media and many on Sunday carried white flowers to commemorate him. Well-wishers formed long queues, more than a kilometer long, to leave floral tributes outside the Pacific Place mall, where floral bouquets and origami tributes were piled high and memorial services were held. I hope these words will help carry him into the next life, said a 75-year-old woman named Luk, who was reading Buddhist prayers aloud.

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A 22-year-old music student from Hong Kong University named Shing played a bamboo flute as the crowd fell silent and some sobbed. Carrie Lam is a murderer, he said afterward.

Elsewhere, florists were overwhelmed by demand; one began handing out white flowers free of charge to passersby. Groups also began distributing white ribbons.

Near to where the spot where Leung had fallen to his death, a man put up a sign denouncing Lam as a murderer Chief Executive to cheers from passing protesters.

Im wearing a white flower to mourn the death of the protester at Pacific Place yesterday and also because I want to show my anger and frustration over the government refusing to listen to our voice said 16-year-old student Vincent Leung. He said he and his friends were on strike from school and would continue striking until the extradition bill was scrapped. The Hong Kong government and police are destroying the city, he said. We cannot stay silent.

The government has not really listened to the people, our voice has not been heard, said bank worker Dickson Tsui, 30, who was waiting to place a bouquet on the pavement outside Pacific Place.

I feel so sad about our government. Someone had to die to tell the government how Hongkongers feel, added 13-year-old student Yolanda Lam.

Makeshift memorials to Leung were also set up outside Hong Kongs legislature, where activists handed out voter registration forms. Pro-Beijing politicians are fearful that voters will punish them in forthcoming municipal elections for their support of the extradition bill.

A political crisis has spiraled over the last week into a showdown between the semi-autonomous citys administration and its pro-democracy movement, which fears an erosion of freedoms under an ever-encroaching China.

Mass demonstrations in recent days have galvanized a broad cross-section of society, infuriated by a proposal to amend laws to allow suspects, for the first time, to be transferred to the mainland for trial. The government says the amendments are necessary to keep Hong Kong from becoming a haven for fugitives, but critics of the proposed legislation say Beijing will use it to apprehend political opponents and dissidents.

Read More: Hong Kong Was My Refuge, Now Its Freedom Is at Stake

The citys subway stations were packed Sunday with black-clad demonstrators heading to Victoria Park, the traditional staging ground for protests. One subway station near the park was so overcrowded it had to be shut down. At other stations, protesters were waved through the turnstiles without having to pay, and escalators were switched off, to accommodate the massive numbers.

Huge crowds gathered in Victoria Park from 2:30 p.m. and marched from there on the Central Government Offices (CGO) in the Admiralty neighborhood three kilometers away, with the head of the march reaching Admiralty just before 5:00 p.m. The district is also home to the headquarters of the People Liberations Army and the legislature. Many marchers chanted the hymn Sing Hallelujah to the Lord, which has been adopted as the unofficial anthem of the protests.

The tail of the march did not leave Victoria Park until around 6:30 p.m., local media said.

At subway exits, demonstrators handed out signs that read The students didnt riot and demanded that police be held to account for what they saw as a heavy-handed response to earlier demonstrations. Many protesters carried umbrellasnot only as protection from Sundays scorching sun but as shields against police pepper spray and symbols of the 2014 Umbrella Revolution.

One group of protesters carried a banner that read A tiny spark can burn a whole field. Others held banners that repeated the words on the dead mans raincoat: Carrie Lam is killing Hong Kong. Some held photos of an injured schoolteacher they say was shot by police rubber bullets on Wednesday.

As marchers reached the Central Government Offices, a large banner reading You cant silence us was unfurled from a footbridge over the procession. There were massed chants of Withdraw! Withdraw! from the crowd. By 8:00 p.m. the roads around the government headquarters and legislature were completely occupied.

Pat Lee, 44, a stay at home mom, said that if the extradition bill passes There will be no future for Hong Kong. It would utterly change the city.

Marchers were scathing of Beijings insinuation the protests were the result of foreign meddling. As long as we do something against the Beijing agenda, theyre going to say it is foreign influence, said a protester, who identified herself as Ms. Lee and said she worked in finance. As if other countries can push a million people out on the streets like this.

The Associated Press reported that demonstrators had briefly unfurled a large banner Sunday reading Fight for Hong Kong from the summit of Lion Rocka distinctively shaped, 495-meter hill on the Kowloon peninsula that is symbolic of the city.

Meanwhile, one of the Hong Kongs top news outlets, Apple Daily, said Sunday morning that it had been hit by a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. The news comes two days after messaging service Telegram, which is heavily used by Hong Kong protesters, reported a powerful DDoS attack that it said largely originated from within China.

For generations of Hongkongers, who view themselves as culturally distinct from mainland Chinese, the extradition bill is a serious threat to the citys cherished freedoms. They are facing off against a Beijing-backed leader who does not want to be seen bowing to democratic opposition, and who is supported by an authoritarian superpower that has crushed all forms of dissent at home with widespread censorship, internment of religious minorities in concentration camps, and the arbitrary detention of political activists, journalists and lawyers.

Read More: Hong Kong Is on the Frontlines of a Global Battle for Freedom

The breadth of opposition to the bill is remarkable. The business community, the legal sector and foreign governments have all spoken out against it. Even sex shops have voiced their support for Hong Kong autonomy. Teenage students, professionals, and families alike turned out for a march exactly a week ago, where protesters similarly called for the scrapping of the bill and Lams resignation as they choked the citys main streets.

Organizers claimed over a million people were in attendance at the earlier marcha huge turnout in a city of seven millionbut many participants said Sundays march appeared even bigger, citing the greater number of impromptu road closures needed to accommodate spillovers from the main protest.

Earlier in the week, a protest outside the citys legislature forced the postponement of discussion of the bill. The protests turned violent, with the police deploying tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Eighty-one people were injured in the clashes.

Rallies in support of the Hong Kong protests have been held as far afield as Sydney and Northern California. Hundreds also demonstrated in Taipei Sunday in solidarity with Hong Kong.

The citys protesters have vowed to continue their campaign until their demands are met. The first protest did not achieve what it set out to do, said Anne Liu, 51. So people will of course come out this second time and a third, fourth, and fifth time, or however long it takes to get this bill withdrawn.

With reporting by Kamakshi Ayyar, Laignee Barron, Abhishyant Kidangoor and Feliz Solomon / Hong KongATLANTA (AP)  Music artist T.I. is lending his voice to a project involving the late Martin Luther King Jr.'s home church in Atlanta.

Ebenezer Baptist Church plans a three-day conference at the historic church in Atlanta to address mass incarcerations.

The Rev. Raphael Warnock said in a statement that the End Mass Incarceration Conference will run Monday through Wednesday at the church.

Warnock said goals of the conference include helping communities to fight the rise of the prison industrial complex in the United States and systems that unfairly imprison people of color.

Ebenezer said T.I. will be participating in helping to bail out of jail dozens of poor and working-class citizens in the Atlanta area.The first Indian grey wolf to be seen in Bangladesh in eight decades has been beaten to death by farmers after preying on their livestock, wildlife experts said Sunday.

The grey wolf was last seen in Bangladesh in 1949, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Locals in a town near the Sundarbans -- the world's biggest mangrove forest that straddles India and Bangladesh -- captured and killed the wolf because it had attacked their livestock.

"With the images we confirmed that the animal is an Indian grey wolf," Y.V Jhala of the Wildlife Institute of India told AFP.

There are still about 3,000 of the animals in India, some in captivity, but they disappeared from their habitat in north and northwest Bangladesh in the 1940s, he said.

Anwarul Islam, a zoologist at Dhaka University, collected DNA samples from the animal as his team looks for signs of more Indian grey wolves in the region.

"It's sad it was beaten to death. We need to conduct further investigations to find whether it travelled in a pack," said Islam.

The wolf was killed in early June but was only identified when photos of its corpse were sent to experts.

A host of animals -- including the striped hyena, swamp deer and black buck -- have disappeared from Bangladesh over in recent decades.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. 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 Royal Mail plc (LON:RMG).

What Is Insider Buying?

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, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

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 Royal Mail

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Royal Mail

Group CEO & Director Rico Back made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for UK415k worth of shares at a price of UK2.08 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being UK2.00). Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares is very important. 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 528k shares for a total of UK1.2m. While Royal Mail insiders bought shares last year, they didn't sell. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

Story continues

LSE:RMG Recent Insider Trading, June 16th 2019

Royal Mail is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insiders at Royal Mail Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last quarter, Royal Mail insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. We can see that Rico Back paid UK913k for shares in the company. No-one sold. This makes one think the business has some good points.

Does Royal Mail Boast High Insider Ownership?

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. From looking at our data, insiders own UK2.5m worth of Royal Mail stock, about 0.1% of the company. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Royal Mail Insiders?

The recent insider purchase is heartening. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. On this analysis the only slight negative we see is the fairly low (overall) insider ownership; their transactions suggest that they are quite positive on Royal Mail stock. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Royal Mail, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

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.Olli Maatta is headed to Chicago. (Getty)

Forced to try to out-score their defensive inefficiencies last season, the Chicago Blackhawks seem focused on shoring things up on the back end.

Chicago acquired defenseman Olli Maatta from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday evening for forward Dominik Kahun and a fifth-round puck in next weekends draft. Surely this was a move completed with the Blackhawks second-from-the-bottom finish in goals against last season in mind.

Maatta left a little bit to be desired in what was a somewhat mediocre season by his standards. Limited to just one goal and 14 points, Maatta also featured some of the worst underlying data of his six-year career to go along with underwhelming totals.

Still, while not spectacular and lacking some foot speed, Maatta is an undeniably serviceable defender locked into a cost-controlled contract. Hell earn just a shade over $4 million for the next three seasons, which will help the Blackhawks in their continued efforts to navigate under the pressures of the salary cap.

For now, the move leaves Pittsburgh thin on the blue line  even when trading from a surplus. It leaves Brian Dumoulin, Jack Johnson and the unsigned Marcus Pettersson as the remaining left-shot defenders on the Penguins roster.

Kahun had an encouraging rookie season for the Blackhawks. He scored 13 goals and totalled 37 points, contributing 1.9 points per 60 minutes at even strength with the first of three seasons priced at less than $1 million.

Its worth pointing out that Alex DeBrincat and Jonathan Toews were Kahuns most common linemates, which will have certainly influenced the encouraging start to his career. But as long as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel remain spread across three lines, the same sort of opportunity awaits Kahun in Pittsburgh.

More NHL coverage on Yahoo SportsThe New York Yankees' lineup could be on the cusp of becoming a modern-day Murderers' Row.

Manager Aaron Boone said Sunday that Giancarlo Stanton will return from the injured list and play on Tuesday, adding that newly acquired slugger Edwin Encarnacion will be active Monday night when the Yankees host the Tampa Bay Rays, per ESPN's Coley Harvey.

Encarnacion will become the team's primary designated hitter and Stanton will return to the outfield. Outfielder Aaron Judge also is close to a return from the IL, likely making veteran Brett Gardner the odd man out.

"Encarnacion, Stanton and Judge, that's three elite power hitters plugged into our lineup," Boone told reporters, per ESPN. "Hopefully it's something that over time creates a big-time advantage for us."

Last season, the three combined to hit 97 home runs and drive in 274 in 407 games.

Encarnacion is leading the American League with 21 home runs.

Stanton has been sidelined since March 31 with multiple injuries, including a calf ailment, and Judge has played in just 20 games because of a strained oblique.

--Field Level MediaIt seems, a mass rally of Moldovas new government supports planned for Sunday will be symbolic, rather than of practical meaning. After a week of resistance, the Democratic Party that ruled last years and its oligarch leader, Vlad Plakhotnyuk, obviously realized the futility of their undertaking and began to lose ground to the election winners - the Socialist Party and the pro-European bloc ACUM that announced the creation of a majority and government alliance in parliament (see VK Moldova becomes stormy). New Moldovan Foreign Minister Nikolai Popescu already made his first visit to in Paris.

Popescu's trip to France was an additional confirmation that the West recognized the new Moldovan government. Official representatives of a number of states acknowledged this a week ago when the socialists and ACUM announced the creation of a majority in the parliament in the presence of specially invited foreign diplomats. Russia has also recognized the new government - during the growing confrontation with the former government Moscow offered Moldovan President Igor Dodon any kind of help.

Obviously, the support of various political centers competing with each other, but managed to find common ground on the Moldovan issue, changed the situation. Plus, the readiness of the population to arrange a mass rally in support of the new government on Sunday. Plus, the tacit support of the army that declared neutrality and non-interference in internal political processes. Plus, on June 14, the mayors of Moldovan cities came to the parliament thus demonstrating loyalty to the new Maia Sandus cabinet.

Under such pressure, the democratic government headed by Prime Minister Pavel Filip, who by the decision of the Constitutional Court became the acting president, fell. The decision to resign was made at a meeting of the political council of the Democratic Party with the wording of subordination ... to the decree of the current President Igor Dodon, who, as mentioned above, was dismissed by the Constitutional Court. However, it seems that today no one wants to pay attention to such nonsense. The main thing - the country is done with a dangerous diarchy.

Vlad Plahotniuc fled from Moldova. Whether to Odessa or somewhere to Turkey ... The relevant rumors have been circulating in Chisinau since yesterday. Nobody had exact information. The media shared this information, but with so many reservations that it became clear there is either no reliable data or journalists, under external pressure, are forced to beat around the bush.

The Democratic Party ended the arisen uncertainty by declaring that Plakhotnyuk had really left the republic, but only for a few days to visit his family. And then the dam overflowed. Immediately there were messages about the departure not only of Plakhotnyuk, but also other prominent representatives of the Democratic Party, and even another oligarch - Ilan Shor, suspect on a sensational case of a withdrawal of one billion euros from local banks. The media clarify that they escaped on private jets.

Commenting on the situation, Dodon expressed regret that the new authorities still have no opportunity to take control of the airport, prevent the departure and bring to justice those who need to be brought to justice. But if necessary, we will definitely find them, the president assured.

Prime Minister Maia Sandu, in her turn, urged the country's population not to abandon the planned rally in support of the new authorities, despite the changed situation, so that there is no doubt that Moldovan people is fed up with oligarchs and people really want changes.

Recall that last Sunday, the Constitutional Court of Moldova declared invalid the creation of a parliamentary majority by the Socialist Party and the ACUM bloc in favor of the informal ruler of the country, Vlad Plakhotniuk. The decision was made due to the expiration of the time determined by the Constitution to create a majority after the parliamentary elections. The same day, the Constitutional Court announced the suspension of the powers of the current President, Igor Dodon, and appointment of the Acting President Prime Minister Pavel Filip. The new government responded by defying these decisions and was blocked in the parliament building by supporters of the Democratic Party. Chisinau has already begun to discuss the issue of holding new early parliamentary elections when a number of European countries announced the recognition of the government of the socialists and the ACUM bloc. The process of recognition of the new authorities became irreversible, despite the resistance of Plahotniuc and his Democratic Party. A number of experts attributed his stubbornness to the fact that the oligarch is wanted in several countries on charges of committing various crimes, and, after surrounding at homeland, he simply has nowhere to go - he is expected to be imprisoned everywhere, and not for a short time. However, internal and external pressure appeared to be stronger.

Recall that the parliamentary elections in Moldova took place on February 24. 101 mandates were distributed as follows: 35 for the socialists, 30 for the Democrats and 26 for the ACUM. None of these forces could form the government alone.

However, it is naive, perhaps, to assume that the political crisis in Moldova with the removal of the Democratic Party from power has ended. More likely is that a new one will start soon. After all, the Socialists and ACUM united not because of any particular sympathy to each other. The creation of the alliance was a forced step precisely for the sake of the removal of Plakhotniuk and his party. And the distribution of forces in the branches of power is not in favor of the coordinated work in the future. Thus, in the parliament headed by socialist Zinaida Grecianii, the positions of the Socialist Party which has the reputation of being pro-Russian are strong, and in the government headed by Maia Sandu - the pro-European bloc ACUM. With this in mind, the question of expanding the powers of President Igor Dodon, the nominee from the Socialist Party, remains open.

Will Moldovan politicians risk making constitutional changes in order to avoid future political crises in power that have been raging in the country almost from the very first day of independence at the price of possible personal losses in the present? The question is rather a rhetorical one.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 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.

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.

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 US domestic news briefs.

Illinois farmers give up on planting after floods, throw party instead

The Happy Spot was a little depressed. Dozens of corn farmers and those who sell them seed, chemicals and equipment gathered on Thursday at the restaurant in Deer Grove, Illinois, after heavy rains caused unprecedented delays in planting this year and contributed to record floods across the central United States.

New York police divers search Hudson River for missing swimmer

New York City police scuba divers searched the Hudson River on Saturday for a retired North Carolina professor who went missing while participating in a swim competition, officials said. Police began the search on Friday, soon after a witness reported Charles van der Horst, 67, went under the water during the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim, said New York City Police Department spokesman Ahmed Nasser.

Trump administration owes D.C. government $7 million for inauguration: Washington Post

The Trump administration and Congress still owe the District of Columbia government $7 million for expenses related to the 2017 presidential inauguration, the Washington Post reported on Friday, raising questions about who will foot the bill for the president's planned July 4 speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Citing city and federal financial records, the Washington Post reported that the DC government has had to dip into a special fund dedicated to city security costs to protect against terrorist threats and for hosting large demonstrations, foreign dignitary visits and other non-routine events.

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.

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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.

Tires blow on United jet during Newark airport landing, no injuries

Tires on a United Airlines jet blew out as it landed at New Jersey's Newark airport on Saturday, causing flight delays but injuring none of the 166 passengers on board, officials said. United flight 627 became disabled on the runway after it "experienced multiple flat tires" upon landing at 1 p.m. from Denver, the airline said in a statement. Passengers were safely taken off and paramedics were on the scene as a precaution, it said.

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..

Four Democratic 2020 candidates court South Carolina's black voters

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.

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 US domestic news briefs.

New York police divers search Hudson River for missing swimmer

New York City police scuba divers searched the Hudson River on Saturday for a retired North Carolina professor who went missing while participating in a swim competition, officials said. Police began the search on Friday, soon after a witness reported Charles van der Horst, 67, went under the water during the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim, said New York City Police Department spokesman Ahmed Nasser.

Trump administration owes D.C. government $7 million for inauguration: Washington Post

The Trump administration and Congress still owe the District of Columbia government $7 million for expenses related to the 2017 presidential inauguration, the Washington Post reported on Friday, raising questions about who will foot the bill for the president's planned July 4 speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Citing city and federal financial records, the Washington Post reported that the DC government has had to dip into a special fund dedicated to city security costs to protect against terrorist threats and for hosting large demonstrations, foreign dignitary visits and other non-routine events.

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.

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Tires blow on United jet during Newark airport landing, no injuries

Tires on a United Airlines jet blew out as it landed at New Jersey's Newark airport on Saturday, causing flight delays but injuring none of the 166 passengers on board, officials said. United flight 627 became disabled on the runway after it "experienced multiple flat tires" upon landing at 1 p.m. from Denver, the airline said in a statement. Passengers were safely taken off and paramedics were on the scene as a precaution, it said.

Democratic contenders Biden, Sanders to face off in Miami debates

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.

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..

Four Democratic 2020 candidates court South Carolina's black voters

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.

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.

Tens of thousands expected to rally to demand Hong Kong leader steps down

Tens of thousands are expected to take to the streets on Sunday to demand Hong Kong's leader steps down, a day after she suspended an extradition bill and expressed "deep sorrow and regret" that recent events had stirred "controversies." Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Saturday indefinitely delayed the bill that could send people to mainland China to face trial, in a dramatic reversal after mass and sometimes violent protests to demand the law be scrapped.

Algeria ex-PM Ouyahia appears in court in second alleged corruption case: state TV

Algerian former prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia appeared in a court in Algiers on Sunday to be questioned over alleged corruption involving the partner in Algeria of Germanys Volkswagen, state TV said. This is the second time Ouyahia has been questioned since the Supreme Court last week ordered his detention as part of another investigation into alleged corruption.

Deadline looms for agreement on Swiss-EU ties

Swiss ties with the European Union, its biggest trading partner, face a critical test this week as Brussels decides whether the two sides have made enough progress on a stalled draft treaty to head off punitive measures set to start at the end of June. After more than four years of negotiations produced a draft text in November, the Swiss government this month tentatively endorsed the accord but said it needed clarifications on three areas -- protecting Swiss wages, regulating state aid, and spelling out citizens' rights -- before it could sign off.

Iran to scale back nuclear deal commitments: Tasnim

Iran will announce further moves on Monday to scale back compliance with an international nuclear pact that the United States abandoned last year, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday. "Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation tomorrow at the Arak heavy water site will announce preparatory steps that have been taken to further decrease Tehran's commitments under the deal," Tasnim said, without citing sources.

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Blast-hit tankers to be assessed off UAE coast

The two oil tankers crippled in attacks in the Gulf of Oman last week that Washington and Riyadh have blamed on Iran are being assessed off the coast off the United Arab Emirates before their cargos are unloaded, the ships' operators said on Sunday. Damage assessment on Japan's Kokuka Courageous and preparation for ship-to-ship transfer of its methanol cargo would start after authorities in Sharjah, one of the UAE's seven emirates, complete security checks, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement said.

French, Malian forces kill 20 militants in operation: Mali army

Allied French and Malian forces killed 20 militants in an operation in a part of northern Mali where Islamic State operates, a spokesman for the West African nation's military said on Sunday. The operation in the district of Akabar, a remote part of a game reserve near the border with Niger and not far from the Malian city of Menaka, was continuing, army spokesman Colonel Diarran Kone said by telephone.

Taking aim at Johnson, British PM hopefuls make Brexit case

Several hopefuls vying to replace British Prime Minister Theresa May turned their fire on favorite Boris Johnson on Sunday, questioning his pledge to leave the European Union by the end of October no matter what. With former London mayor and foreign minister Johnson keeping a low profile, the other candidates have targeted the air waves to try to present their cases to lead the governing Conservative Party. But the question always returns to "Boris".

Guatemala to elect president amid tensions over violence, migration

Guatemalans on Sunday will vote for a new president, who will face the challenge of curbing drug gang violence that has convulsed the country and helped spur illegal immigration to the United States, fueling tensions with President Donald Trump. Nineteen candidates will compete in the election, which is expected to yield no outright winner, forcing the top two vote getters to face off in a second round on Aug. 11.

Extinction Rebellion delays drone protest at Britain's Heathrow until after summer

Climate activism group Extinction Rebellion has postponed until later this year a plan to shut down Britain's Heathrow Airport using drones and published on Sunday more details of the protest action in a bid to allay public safety fears. Last month aviation authorities went on the alert when the activists pledged to paralyze Europe's busiest airport intermittently in June and July to highlight the damage that a planned third runway would cause to Earth's climate. The protest had been due to start on June 18.

Netanyahu's wife admits criminal wrongdoing in meals catering case

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus wife, Sara, appeared in court on Sunday to admit criminal wrongdoing over the misuse of state funds to order catered meals, in a plea bargain carrying no jail time. Under the agreement, a fraud charge was reduced to a lesser offense and she will pay the state 45,000 shekels ($12,490) in reimbursement and a 10,000 shekel ($2,775) fine.Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

UK's Esther McVey to back Boris Johnson in leadership bid: Telegraph

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.

Amanda Knox breaks down in Italy as she relives murder trial

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.

Venezuela's Guaido calls for probe into funds for military defectors

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.

Saudi seeks oil supply protection as U.S and Iran face off

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 program, has blamed Tehran.

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Exclusive: Saudis say Shi'ite man arrested as juvenile will not be executed

A young man from Saudi Arabia's minority Shi'ite Muslim community who was arrested at the age of 13 will not be executed and could be released by 2022, a Saudi official told Reuters on Saturday following reports of his pending execution. Murtaja Qureiris, who was detained in September 2014, has received an initial 12-year prison sentence with time served since his arrest and four years suspended for his young age, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The sentence is subject to appeal.

Brusque to bruised: Hong Kong's Lam caves to pressure on extradition bill

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.

For U.S.-bound Central American migrants, better to stay in Mexico than be sent home

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.

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.

Trump calls London mayor a 'disaster' after a spate of killings

U.S. President Donald Trump once again criticized 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.

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.Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Rio de Janeiro's far-right governor Wilson Witzel has advocated using a "missile" to blow up criminals in one of the Brazilian city's most violent slums.

Witzel, who presided over a record number of police killings in the first three months of his term, said Friday that Rio residents were living in a "state of terrorism," in comments broadcast by RJTV.

"If it were authorized by the United Nations, in other parts of the world, we'd have authorization to send a missile there to blow up those people," Witzel said, referring to the City of God favela, which earned worldwide notoriety with the hit 2002 film of the same name.

Witzel's widely quoted remarks came after an intense gunfight between police and gangsters in the stricken favela on Wednesday that killed at least one person, the news website G1 reported.

"Our police don't want to kill, but we don't want to see scenes like those we saw in the City of God," Witzel said at the event in Nova Iguacu municipality near Rio.

Renata Souza, president of the Rio legislative assembly's human rights commission, condemned Witzel's remarks, saying they "revealed an authoritarian and violent mentality," the daily Folha de Sao Paulo reported.

They show his "prejudice and contempt for the lives of the poor who live in the favelas," she said.

Witzel was elected in large part due to his support for the tough anti-crime policy of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who also came to power in January.

A record 434 people were killed during "police interventions" in the first three months of this year -- a 17.9 percent increase from the same period in 2018, official figures show.

That is the highest quarterly figure in the 21 years since the state Institute for Public Safety began keeping records of police-related killings.

In late March, Witzel told O Globo newspaper that police were now using snipers to take out suspects from long distances.

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"The order is clear: if someone is carrying an assault rifle, they have to be neutralized in lethal fashion immediately," Witzel said.

He sparked further outcry last month after posting a video on Twitter of himself in a police helicopter as officers fired toward a favela below.

Pro-gun Bolsonaro last month signed a decree allowing millions of Brazilians to carry loaded weapons in public, which has triggered legal and political challenges.

A Senate committee voted last week in favor of overturning the order. The full Senate is expected to vote on the decision Tuesday.Four members of the Rochdale abuse gang have still not been deported - a decade after the scandal

Victims of the Rochdale grooming scandal have been failed again after it emerged that four men convicted in the case are still in the town years on.

Shabir Ahmed, 66, Qari Abdul Rauf, 50, Abdul Aziz, 48 and Adil Khan, 49, were members of a gang who preyed on vulnerable girls as young as 12 for two years from 2008.

They were among nine men convicted in 2012 of a catalogue of serious sex offences and as the only ones to have dual UK-Pakistani citizenship, were at risk of being deported back to Pakistan.

But despite that, but none of the four appear to have been deported or be facing deportation.

Members of the gang were convicted of a catalogue of sex offences in 2012 (Picture: PA)

Ahmed - known as Daddy - is still serving a 22-year jail term for rape, but locals say Rauf is back living at his home address in Rochdale and Aziz has also been seen in the town. Khan's exact whereabouts are not known.

According to locals, one woman who was abused wet herself and ran into a shop after spotting her attacker in the town centre recently and another victim bumped into her abuser in a nightclub.

READ MORE

Donald Trump brands Sadiq Khan a 'disaster' after violence in London

The Home Office will not say whether a decision has been made to deport any of the four and a spokeswoman said they do not routinely comment on individual cases.

Maggie Oliver, the detective who resigned from Greater Manchester Police and turned whistleblower over the botched Rochdale inquiry, said: The process most of these girls have been through has led them to expect very, very little from the authorities.

"They expect nothing and are not disappointed. They have been failed again and again and again.

"They do see some of these men around Rochdale on a fairly regular basis. It is really distressing for them, there's nothing that the girls can do. It's actually disgraceful."

Members of the gang are still spotted around Rochdale by their victims, locals say (Picture: AP Photo/Jon Super)

In 2016, when home secretary, Theresa May ruled it would be "conducive to the public good" to deprive the four of the right to remain in the UK, sparking a lengthy legal battle as they appealed, finally losing a Court of Appeal ruling in July last year.

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Eight judges, including the Master of the Rolls Lord Justice Sales, have now heard their case and upheld rulings all four should lose UK citizenship rights.

Lawyers said it is probable the four will invoke the European Convention on Human Rights to argue their right to a family life would be impinged if they were removed from the UK.

Ms Oliver said: "Once you commit these horrific offences your human rights should come second.

"It makes me really angry and it's really upsetting whey you think what they have done that they even have any rights."

Billy Howarth, founder of Parents Against Grooming UK in Rochdale, said: "We demand an explanation as to why they have not been deported.

"That was one of the promises, that these men would be removed from the country so they would not have to set eyes on them again.

"People are going mad over it, especially the people who live on the same streets with them."

Nazir Afzal, the lawyer credited with pursuing the groomers, overturning an earlier decision not to prosecute, said: "I am concerned that despite the efforts that have been made to ensure they are no longer a threat to women and girls in this country, that they remain in this country and the process continues and is prolonged."

Former taxi driver Aziz regularly took his young victim to different flats around Rochdale, where she was plied with cannabis and vodka and coerced into sex with men who paid him cash.

Jailed for nine years in May 2012, he was released in December 2015 after serving three years and seven months.

Rauf, a father-of-five, trafficked a 15-year-old girl for sex, driving her to secluded areas to have sex with her in his taxi and ferry her to a flat in Rochdale where he and others had sex with her.

He was jailed for six years and released in November 2014 after serving two years and six months of his sentence.

Khan got a girl 13-year-old pregnant but denied he was the father then met another girl, 15, and trafficked her to others. He was sentenced to eight years, released in 2016 and was last known to be living in Manchester.

A spokeswoman for current Home Secretary, Rochdale-born Sajid Javid, has been approached for comment.Iran has protested to the UK's ambassador in Tehran after being accused of involvement in attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, BBC reports.

Iran has denied being behind Thursday's explosions in the key shipping route.

But UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has backed the US assessment, saying Iran is "almost certainly" responsible.San Francisco residents could soon receive free mental health care and substance use disorder treatment under a proposed universal mental health care system aiming to be the first of its kind in the country.

Hillary Ronen and Matt Haney, elected officials on the citys Board of Supervisors, will officially introduce their plan during Tuesdays board meeting. The plan, which is called Mental Health SF, would include a 24/7 treatment center for any city resident in need of help, whether thats counseling for anxiety or emergency care to treat a psychotic episode.

(Mental Health SF) serves everyone from people who are insured but cant get an appointment for a month or two  all the way to people that are living on the streets in crisis, Ronen said.

According to a 2016 survey by the San Francisco Health Improvement Partnership, 23 percent of all San Francisco residents struggle with their emotional health. The issue was especially pronounced among lower-income residents, who were 2.5 times more inclined to report serious psychological distress compared to their wealthier counterparts.

In this March 1, 2016, file photo, San Francisco police officers wait while homeless people collect their belongings in San Francisco. San Francisco supervisors are considering legislation Tuesday, June 4, 2019, allowing the city to force mentally ill drug addicts into housing and treatment for up to a year.

As a result, demand for mental health care services in the city is high. But Ronen said many residents, regardless of socioeconomic status, have trouble finding a therapist. The San Francisco Department of Public Health reports about 2,000 beds in its current system, leaving some residents with severe mental illness to live on the streets every day.

Ronen represents Supervisorial District 9. Her constituency skirts Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, site of the citys only psychiatric emergency room.

Every single day in our neighborhood, we see people that are leaving the emergency room. They still have their hospital bracelet on, sometimes their gown, and are clearly in a daze, clearly mentally ill  and have been released right onto the streets to fight for themselves, Ronen said. You cant watch this every single day and not feel that the system is in shambles.

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A national crisis of care

San Franciscos situation reflects a growing crisis of mental health care nationwide.

According to a study published last December by independent nonprofit FAIR Health, use of private insurance to cover mental health and substance use disorder treatment rose 320 percent nationally from 2007 to 2017. Private claims for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder all increased by 65 percent or more, individually.

Another report from the American Psychological Association found that there are just 33.9 licensed psychologists for every 100,000 Americans.

The increased demand has challenged the capacity of the existing system, says Mark McGovern, a professor and researcher of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University in California.

Its hard for people who need and who want care to get it in a timely fashion, McGovern said. Theres lots of delay and waitlists, even for people who have cash or who have good insurance.

Coverage for behavioral health services expanded with Congress passing two major legislative acts around a decade ago. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 ensured the same coverage for mental health services as for medical operations. Later, the passing of the Affordable Care Act under President Barack Obama denoted behavioral health as an essential health benefit, meaning that coverage was required.

However, despite federal law, financial barriers to care have persisted. A 2018 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 44.6 percent of adults with prevalence of any mental illness and 52.5 percent of adults with signs of severe mental illness did not receive mental health care services because they could not afford the cost of care.

McGovern said the implementation of these laws often varies depending on a patients state of residence.

In some places, it seems that behavioral health benefits are equivalent to general physical benefits, McGovern said. In other places, theyre carved out and things are reimbursed at a lower rate.

So  is it a crisis? McGovern said. I think it could be, and certainly for people who need care that cant find it.

We need bold & visionary changes to our broken system. We can't stand seeing so many people suffer in dazed & desperate misery on our streets and know that many of our neighbors are also quietly suffering alone at home. Allowing the status quo to continue is immoral & dangerous.  Hillary Ronen (@HillaryRonen) May 28, 2019

Coordinated mental health care

San Francisco currently budgets $370 million a year toward mental health care and substance use disorder treatment, investing in more than 300 different programs.

Ronen said these programs don't communicate enough about the patients they share.

Nobody talks to each other across the programs, Ronen said. Oftentimes, people with severe mental illness or substance use illness might go to one program; it could or could not work for them. And then theyre forcefully taken to another program. But nobodys connecting across these programs to talk about whats working, whats not for this individual.

To account for this, Ronen and Haneys proposal is based around the idea of coordinated care.

The treatment center will include an office space where social workers and case managers work together to monitor past and present patients, Ronen said. Every patient will receive a personal treatment plan, which will be shared between the citys different existing programs.

Well also make sure providers across different programs are communicating with one another, Ronen said. So, when we learn that one type of intervention doesnt work for someone, we dont have to repeat it 500 times.

The plan also includes an expansion of current services, such as residential treatment programs.

Ronen said the project would be funded mainly by state health care money, but shes also proposing a tax on the citys CEOs. The Excessive CEO Salary Tax, as its being called, would place a surcharge on businesses whose CEOs earn more than 100 times the same companys typical worker.

The plan would also receive some funding from an IPO tax proposed by fellow Supervisor Gordon Mar, which would raise the stock-based compensation tax on companies when workers cash in their shares.

Some have criticized the two taxes as unstable forms of funding.

Rufus Jeffris is head of communications for the Bay Area Council, a nonprofit that advocates for policies that benefit a strong local economy. Jeffris cautioned city leaders against relying on sources of revenue for public programs that he said could change yearly.

The city has definitely directed a lot of funding toward mental health services and should be congratulated for that. But we would like to see  rather than adding new taxes and taking volatile and risky taxes on higher income or IPO and CEO income  looking at other ways the city can partner and collaborate with other cities in the region to improve how these services are delivered, Jeffris said.

Overwhelmed treatment center

Six of eleven supervisors must back Mental Health SF to advance it. Ordinances must be considered twice by the board and then signed by the mayor. If signed, the proposal would be brought before voters as a ballot measure this November.

Mayor London Breed did not attend last weeks press conference where Ronen and Haney announced the legislation, nor did any members of the city department of health, radio station KQED reported. Ronen said the mayor has yet to take a position, but her presence at the press conference would have been very rare.

Jennifer Esteen, an employee of the department of health who works in psychiatric services, supports the proposal. Before her current job, Esteen worked for five years in the psychiatric emergency room at San Francisco General. In that time, she said the facility rarely had a sufficient number of beds. When that happens, Esteen said, patients in crisis must go to a regular emergency room, which is not equipped to handle people with psychiatric crises.

Esteen now works for the transitions division, helping mentally ill patients transition through levels of care.

My hope is that, if this proposal passes, there will be more people like me doing this work and there will be more resources, Esteen said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: San Francisco proposes nations first universal mental health care systemLove her or hate her, Sarah Sanders has undoubtedly earned the distinction of helping change how Americans view the role of White House press secretary, at times replacing political spin with outright partisan combat to a degree seldom seen before.

After announcing her imminent departure on Thursday in a tweet, President Trump praised Sanders at a White House event as a warrior. Sanders herself said with a laugh that she would try not to get emotional because crying can make us look weak.

That battle-ready stance defined Sanderss tenure, giving the president a tough press secretary whose fealty to her boss seemed to outweigh her commitment to the truth.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

While a Google search for the words Sarah Sanders lies yields enough YouTube footage and articles to keep one busy for more than a single summer, some events stand out.

Here are the top five falsehoods.

March 5, 2017: Sanders appeared on ABCs This Week, where she was asked about Trumps claim that former President Barack Obama had ordered then-candidate Trumps phones to be wiretapped.

Everybody acts like President Trump is the one that came up with this idea, Sanders said, adding that there are multiple news outlets that reported the claim.

While Sanders and her defenders can point to articles in right-wing media outlets to justify the claim that Trump wasnt the only person to believe this conspiracy theory, multiple fact checks of the underlying allegation about Obama ordering that Trumps phones be wiretapped have shown it to be false.

May 10, 2017: After Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, Sanders read a written statement in which she assured reporters in the White House Briefing Room that the rank and file of the FBI had lost confidence in their director.

Look, weve heard from countless members of the FBI that say very different things, Sanders added, when pressed by reporters.

Sanders hugs President Trump after announcing she will be leaving her position. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

When questioned under oath by special counsel Robert Muellers team about this assertion, however, Sanders made clear that there was no basis for having made it. Her testimony is detailed in the Mueller report:

Story continues

Following the press conference, Sanders spoke to the President, who told her she did a good job and did not point out any inaccuracies in her comments. Sanders told this Office that her reference to hearing from countless members of the FBI was a slip of the tongue. She also recalled that her statement in a separate press interview that rank-and-file FBI agents had lost confidence in Comey was a comment she made in the heat of the moment that was not founded on anything.

Aug. 1, 2017: As reporting by the New York Times and the Washington Post made clear that Donald Trump Jr. had offered a false accounting of the Trump campaigns June 9, 2016, meeting in New York with Russian officials, Sanders assured reporters that the president had not personally dictated a misleading statement.

He certainly didnt dictate, but he, like I said, he weighed in and offered his suggestion, like any father would do, Sanders said.

Trump, however, was involved with crafting a statement asserting that the meeting was to discuss an adoption program. In fact, as emails revealed, the presidents son had agreed to the meeting with the hope of obtaining political dirt on Trumps presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton.

March 7, 2018: During a White House briefing, Sanders claimed that Trump had no knowledge of a $130,000 hush money payment made on his behalf to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

Ive had conversations with the president about this, Sanders told reporters. There was no knowledge of any payments from the president, and hes denied all allegations.

Sanders added,This was information the president didnt know at the time and eventually learned.

Checks signed by the president and presented to Congress by Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen, as well as statements made by Trumps current lawyer Rudy Giuliani, contradict Sanderss claims.

Jan. 4, 2019: Having abandoned the Briefing Room in favor of appearances on Fox News, Sanders asserted on Fox & Friends that last year alone, there were nearly 4,000 known or suspected terrorists arrested along the U.S.-Mexico border.

After she repeated that claim on Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace noted that the State Department had found no evidence of terrorists crossing the border with Mexico.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, herself under fire for multiple violations of the Hatch Act, corrected that statement a day later.

That was an unfortunate misstatement, and everybody makes mistakes, all of us, Conway told Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Arabia remains committed to selling shares in national oil conglomerate Aramco through an initial public offering but only at the right time, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said.

"We are committed to the IPO of Saudi Aramco based on appropriate conditions and at the right time," Prince Mohammed told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in an interview published on Sunday.

He reiterated his earlier expectations that the IPO of Saudi Aramco "will take place in (late) 2020 or the start of 2021," almost two years later than expected.

Saudi Arabia plans to sell up to five percent of the world's largest energy firm and hopes to raise up to $100 billion.

Prince Mohammed said it was still premature to announce where the IPO will be held, adding that many requirements for the sale to go through had been successfully completed.

Riyadh has taken a number of key procedures in preparation for the IPO including issuing a law for hydrocarbons tax, appointing a new board for Aramco and allowing an independent auditing of the kingdom's oil reserves, the crown prince said.

Aramco has also opened its accounts books for the first time to international ratings agencies, declared the size of its profits and transformed into a public shareholding company, he said.

The IPO -- expected to be the world's largest stock sale -- forms the cornerstone of a reform programme envisaged by Prince Mohammed to wean the Saudi economy off its reliance on oil.Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accused arch-rival Iran of attacks on oil tankers in a vital Gulf shipping channel, adding he "won't hesitate" to tackle any threats to the kingdom, according to an interview published on Sunday.

Two tankers were struck by explosions on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman, the second attack in a month in the strategic shipping lane amid a tense US-Iran standoff, sparking fears of a regional conflagration and sending oil prices soaring.

"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," Prince Mohammed told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, in his first public comments since the attacks.

"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."

The prince also accused "Iran and its proxies" over May 12 attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah.

Thursday's attack on 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 -- came around the time Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Iranian leaders in Tehran.

US President Donald Trump has said the twin attacks had Iran "written all over it", rejecting Tehran's vehement denial.

Saudi Arabia, a close US ally, is a bitter regional rival of 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.

The UAE's Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday 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.

Story continues

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.

The UAE's Sheikh Abdullah, whose country is bitterly opposed to Iranian influence in the region, called 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".

- Vessels head to port -

The Japanese tanker's Tokyo-based operator Kokuka confirmed Saturday the stricken vessel was heading to port in the UAE.

"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.RIYADH, June 16 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's crown prince said on Sunday that the government will finalise privatisation deals worth 2 billion riyals ($533 million) before the end of this year, according to an interview with the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

The government will next year offer privatisation projects in the education sector with investments worth around 1 billion riyals, according to the interview.

The privatisation drive is part of Vision 2030, a package of reforms led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that is intended to wean the economy off oil and create jobs for young Saudis.

The prince said the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund (PIF) is playing a major role in the economic diversification process and that its assets has doubled in two years to 1 trillion riyals. (Reporting by Marwa Rashad; Editing by Daniel Wallis)Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince has vowed the kingdom will deal with any threats to its interests after joining the US to blame Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

Mohamed bin Salman, making his first public statement since the incident last week, also called on the international community to take a decisive stand amid increasing tensions in the region.

Iran has denied any role in the attacks, which came a month after similar blasts crippled two Saudi vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

The Crown Prince suggested the most recent incident was timed to coincide with Shinzo Abes visit to Tehran to mediate between the US and Iran, in an interview with Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al Awsat.

The Iranian regime did not respect the Japanese prime ministers visit to Tehran and while he was there replied to his efforts by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese, he was quoted as saying. 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.

Saudi Arabia has also accused Iran of arming and training Houthi rebels who seized control of Yemen in late 2015 and have claimed responsibility for recent attacks on a Saudi airport and oil pipeline. The kingdom is leading the military intervention to restore the previous government.

The problem is in Tehran and not anywhere else, the prince added. Iran is always the party thats escalating in the region, carrying out terrorist attacks and criminal attacks either directly or through its militias. The choice before Iran is clear. Do you want to be a normal state with a constructive role in the international community or do you want to be a rogue state?

The US military released a video that it claimed proved Irans Revolutionary Guards were behind the explosions that damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous.

Story continues

It added to mounting suspicions among intelligence experts that Iran launched the attack as a warning to Washington and others attempting to pressure it over its nuclear programme and support for militant groups throughout the Middle East.

The US has tightened sanctions on Iran since Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal last year and wants to drive down Iranian oil exports, the mainstay of its economy.

Iran has accused the US of waging an economic war and threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz through which passes a fifth of the oil consumed globally.

Oil prices have climbed 3.4 per cent since last week's attacks and insurance costs for ships sailing through the Middle East have jumped by at least 10 per cent.

Donald Trump said he was open to holding talks with Iran but declared that any move to close the Strait of Hormuz would not last long.

The US has also accused Iran of firing a surface-to-air missile at a US drone near the Front Altair tanker. The missile did not hit the drone, according to officials.

When asked if more military forces would be sent to the area, acting US defence secretary Patrick Shanahan said they were planning various contingencies but added that the focus was on building an international consensus.

The UK has backed the US position, with foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt saying that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran.

However Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Britain should not act without credible evidence.

Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated PressRiyadh (AFP) - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has warned against "exploiting" the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi for political gains, in what appeared to be a veiled attack on Turkey.

Turkey's ties with Saudi Arabia have come under strain since the brutal murder last October of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which tarnished the international reputation of the crown prince.

Turkish officials were the first to report the murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found.

"The death of Jamal Khashoggi is a very painful crime," Prince Mohammed told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in an interview published Sunday.

"Any party exploiting the case politically should stop doing so, and present evidence to the (Saudi) court, which will contribute in achieving justice," he added, without directly naming Turkey.

The prince, however, added that he wants strong relations with "all Islamic countries including Turkey".

The CIA has reportedly said the murder was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler and heir to the Arab world's most powerful throne.

Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation.

Saudi prosecutors have absolved the prince and said around two dozen people implicated in the murder are in custody, with death penalties sought against five men.

Khashoggi, a US resident, had written critically of Prince Mohammed and was killed in what Riyadh described as a rogue operation.

Prince Mohammed said the kingdom was committed to "full justice and accountability" in the case, as he faces international pressure to punish the culprits.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.Yahoo Lifestyle is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page.

Ironing is a thing of the past. With a steamer, you can get the same results, without the fuss. (Photo: Getty Images)

If theres one fashion gadget I swear by, its my trusty $22 Amazon garment steamer.

A few years ago, I was heading on a big trip and in dire need of a packable steamer to bring with me abroad. Ive never been into ironing and the fuss associated with it. My old steamer ended up getting fried in the power socket during a trip to London, so dual voltage was a requirement when I was searching for a replacement.

With my luck, I stumbled upon the Conair Travel Smart Dual-Voltage Garment Steamer and life has never been the same. It features a compact, collapsible handle and averages 10 minutes of steam time  the perfect amount for one garment. And thanks to its dual voltage capacity, all you need is an adapter plug to bring abroad. Bye, bye converter!

The Conair Travel Smart 450 Watt Dual Voltage Garment Steamer is compact, can be used during travels abroad and features 10-minute steam time. (Photo: Amazon)

If youve never used a steamer before, get ready, because this small gadget changed my life and it will change yours too.

All you have to do is fill it up with water, plug in, and watch the steam flow out within a minute. Hang anything you need to be steamed, whether its a dress, skirt, shirt, or coat  and it will steam it all. Just hold the steamer upright and run it up and down in a vertical motion on all the areas you need to get rid of wrinkles. Within seconds you should see those creases disappear before your eyes. Magic!

Smooth out those wrinkles with Conairs Travel Smart Garment Steamer. (Photo: Amazon)

I recently brought my fashion must-have to France while visiting for a friends wedding. A group of us rented a house through Airbnb in the middle of the countryside and there was no iron (or ironing board) in sight when we arrived.

Unfortunately, no one in the group of 5 thought to pack a steamer. I, on the other hand, brought mine and came to the rescue, becoming the hero of the group. One by one, each person used my steamer to smooth out the wrinkles from their silky dresses, dress shirts, suit jackets and trousers. Mind you, this was one hour before we had to leave for the wedding. None of my friends had ever used a steamer before but they all learned to maneuver it almost instantly.

Story continues

The Conair Travel Smart 450 Watt Dual Voltage Garment Steamer features a detachable bristle and lint brush, too. (Photo: Amazon)

Long gone are the days needed to lug out your large ironing board and heat up your clunky iron.

Steamers are compact, sleek and small. They hardly take up any surface area, but the power they pack is a mighty punch. I love my steamer because it takes up as much space in my luggage as a small clutch or pair of flats. It doesnt spit out water either, which I know other models are prone to do.

It makes traveling a breeze and worry-free when deciding what clothes to pack. At home, it fits neatly in the corner of my bedroom and I can easily pull it out in the morning, fill up and start steaming any garment that needs a touch-up.

Need more convincing? You can scroll through this items hundreds of reviews. Heres one highlight I pulled from one reviewer:

I bought this for my husband, as he often has to dress up for work more than I do. He would often use this instead of ironing, because it was less of a production than dragging out the ironing board, heating up the iron. Plus it was too easy to ruin clothes ironing. Not so with this travel steamer. I almost bought him an additional home steamer, but it turned out he didnt need one since this one, though travel sized, has turned out to be powerful enough. He will often do a few dress shirts and pants at a time. Hes been pretty happy with it. I highly recommend it!

Shop it: Conair Travel Smart Garment Steamer, $22 (was $23), amazon.com

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

Read More from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.

Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoos newsletter.The incident with the attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman may undermine global economy, and convincing evidence is needed in order to avoid unfounded accusations, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, TASS reports.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iranian authorities for the attacks on the oil tankers, noting that this assessment was based on intelligence and the analysis on the weapons allegedly used in the attack.

"Such incidents can indeed shatter the basis of global economy and thats why unfounded accusations can be hardly taken into account," Peskov said in an interview with the program "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" on the Rossiya-1 TV channel.

"Its absurd to refer to any secret data in this case," he stressed, noting that Russia insists on giving a sober assessment about this situation and waiting for "convincing data."BRUSSELS, June 16 (Reuters) - The EU's second most senior diplomat affirmed the bloc's support for the nuclear deal between world powers with Iran, including via the use of a new payment system for barter-based trade designed to circumvent U.S. sanctions.

Helga Schmid, the secretary general of European Union external action service, visited Tehran last week. She helped negotiate the deal in 2015.

Its status has been precarious since President Donald Trump pulled the United States out last year and toughened its sanctions regime against Tehran.

The European Union's foreign service said that, in Tehran, Schmid had reiterated the bloc's commitment to the deal, which has been "delivering on its primary goal ... to ensure that Iran does not acquire material or equipment to develop a nuclear weapon."

She had also discussed "EU efforts ... to enable the continuation of legitimate trade with Iran," including working to put into operation the Instex payment channel set up by France, Britain and Germany to facilitate non-dollar trade. (Reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel; editing by John Stonestreet)The 360 is a feature designed to show you diverse perspectives on the days top stories.

(Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: AP, Getty Images)

Speed read

What's happening: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey last week signed a bill into law that will require criminals found guilty of some sex crimes against children to undergo chemical castration before they are granted parole.

Chemical castration involves using medication to lower a person's hormone levels and limit their libido. Unlike surgical castration, it is reversible and does not affect a patient's fertility. Under Alabama's new law, inmates would begin taking the medication a month before being paroled and continue receiving treatment once they're free. Stopping treatment without the state's permission would be a felony.

Several other states have similar laws, although it is optional rather than mandatory in some cases.

Why there's debate: Advocates for chemical castration believe it's an effective way of protecting children from known sexual predators. "If they're going to mark these children for life, they need to be marked for life," said Rep. Steve Hurst, who introduced the bill in the Alabama House of Representatives.

Opponents of the bill say the procedure is barbaric and may violate the Constitution's clause regarding cruel and unusual punishment. There are also concerns about the precedent set by a law that establishes government-mandated medical treatment, especially given the potential side effects. Others argue that changing someone's hormones does not address the true causes behind pedophilia.

What's next: Alabama's new law will probably face a legal challenge on constitutional grounds in the near future, after an individual felon has been ordered by a judge to undergo the procedure.

Perspectives

Ethical concerns are trumped by the need to protect children.

"When evil lurks and innocence is threatened, the right course of action is always to stand on the side of innocence. When a childs been brutalized and traumatized by a sick-minded adult, its not the adult who deserves the top consideration."  Cheryl K. Chumley, Washington Times

Story continues

Chemical castration does not address the root causes of sexual violence.

"In the same way that removing the hands of a bread thief could theoretically help prevent future crimes, rendering a persons genitals less virile makes certain acts less feasible. But unlike other therapeutic approaches, chemical castration (or surgical castration, for that matter) does not address the antisocial instincts that often underlie such crimes."  James Hamblin, The Atlantic

One sex offender weighs in on the law.

"As far as the castration, they should do it. For some of those serious guys, that should be done but that kind of abuse is in their mind not in their body."  Michael Weaver to WPMI-NBC News

Chemical castration is more effective when used as part of rehabilitation rather than punishment.

"There are several U.S. states and a number of countries in Europe that use chemical castration for sex offenders but usually it is presented as being used for rehabilitation purposes. ... I think if we start using interventions like this there is a high risk we will abuse them and use it in cases where they are extremely harmful."  Medical ethics expert Thomas Douglas to Insider

The treatment will only be effective with some offenders.

"There are multiple reasons for engaging in sexual offenses, only one of which is pedophilic interest. [In some cases] lowering their testosterone is not going to solve the problem.  Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Renee Sorrentino to Vox.

The bill relies on unsound medical science and ignores psychological factors.

"There is a need for a meaningful collaboration between legislative bodies and the scientific-medical communities in order to establish public policies and treatment protocols that can better ensure community safety. In conjunction with that effort, it should be appreciated that people who are sexually attracted to children need and deserve access to appropriate mental health treatment."  Dr. Fred Berlin, The Hill

The bill uses hatred of pedophiles to give the government power it shouldn't have.

"On one hand, screw those monsters, etc. etc. etc. On the other, this is very clearly a human rights violation, and what will begin as a way to punish people who have carried out horrific crimes could one day be expanded to just about any group."  Media Matters editor Parker Malloy, Twitter

Read more 360s:Artena, Italy is approximately 25 miles from Rome. Despite their proximity to each other, Artena is a much sleepier, old-world village, not encumbered by Romes foot traffic or consumerism. The beauty of Artena is in its organic simplicity, and its rebellion against the capricious whims of technology that have influenced city planning and development everywhere else. Its streets are narrow, walkable, and not perfectly paved with cement or painted with traffic signs. And, similarly to Rome, its inspiring.

Artena is human-centered, Stefano Serafini says. Serafini is a director of the International Society of Biourbanism, a group headquartered in Artena that focuses on our urban environments as an organism, and, through research, aims to realize optimal environmental enhancements for cities based on human needs. What that looks like in practice is at the heart of the Biourbanism Summer School, a week-long event I will attend and report on next month. I wont be the only foreigner in attendance  the school is attracting a diverse group of writers, architects, artists, politicians, economists, and citizens from across the world. Serafini describes the variety of attendees each year as a unique and different symphony.

The teachers and participants at the school will bring their expertise to Artena, the small town that serves as both a forum for discussion about building cities that satiate the human spirit and an example of how such cities are developed. Serafini tells me that hosting the event in Artena is fundamental to the school, because the town has retained a character that we cant find in many other places in the world:

It is a real common space, and one can feel it by passing through it, not to mention by inhabiting it. This experience is a fundamental part of the school and thats why all participants will live here for the whole week. . . . Its beauty is not decorative or aesthetic. Its beauty has a meaning. Contemporary built places very often lack meaning and thus real beauty, because our modern lives often lack purpose. And yet we all long for something we often do not even have words for. So Artena can help us uttering or building words we cannot find anywhere else in our world.

Story continues

While communication at the school will primarily be in Italian and English, perhaps the most important language is the unspoken one of the built environment  the one Artena will use to speak with attendees. This theme of language is central to the school, and more generally, architecture, Serafini insists. Post-modernity, with its severe geometry, unnatural dimensions, and alienating scale has stripped us of local vernacular and rootedness:

Post-modernity tends to corrode such a meaning-bearing entity, it tends to hollow it, and to substitute it with mere signs, to substitute semantics with syntax. Instead of communicating (i.e. instead of sharing our being), we rather transmit inputs, we command to each other, in other words, we fight for power. Look at what happens in social media. Look at what happens in conflict zones. It is the same logic of transmission/control vs communication/listening. Design as well can be conflictual and imperialistic or listening and communicative.

While Ill be attending in a professional capacity as a journalist, Ill also be attending as an American in search of a solution to the problems many of our cities face today. The addition of bike lanes is a sign that many cities across the country are realizing the harmful effects of urban planning that only accommodates vehicles. Our health, mentally and physically, is a casualty of the urban-design crisis. So is our sense of local belonging in urban environments that often alienate us from our own neighbors, stripped as they are of public squares and walkable streets.

These concerns about identity and interaction cross nationalities, as many of the teachers at the school demonstrate.

Syrian architect Marwa al-Sabouni is one such teacher. Coming from a conflict zone, al-Sabouni will describe the extent to which architecture can influence culture and social fabric  her book, The Battle for Home: The Vision of a Young Architect in Syria, details the unraveling of Syrian cities in the war that ravaged the country. The core of the school will surround Sabouni, Italian architect Sergio Los, Finnish architect Marco Casagrande. Other participants include Fabio Rampelli, the vice president of the Italian parliament, Zana Kibar, a Kurdish movie director and journalist, and Melek Aksoy, a Turkish fashion expert and historian. The kaleidoscope of attendees is, much like the location, intended to emphasize the holistic approach necessary for humane architectural change.

I expect this summer school to be one that reminds me, as someone who has grown resigned to American cities designed with seemingly little thought to the human desire for identity and attachment, that solutions exist. They exist in places such as Artena, rebuilt in the 15th century, which rebels against the hegemony of the car and its demands on our cities, encouraging those who walk through the streets to unburden themselves of the modern worlds baggage.

The school wants to open our eyes on what really matters, Serafini says. Which in architecture means knowing what is right and what is wrong when designing a place for ourselves, our human fellows, and other creatures, and the common environment.

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!

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Or for St Barbara:

28% = AU$204m  AU$729m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.)

It's easy to understand the 'net profit' part of that equation, but 'shareholders' equity' requires further explanation. It is all earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets.

What Does ROE Signify?

ROE measures a company's profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. 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 being equal, a high ROE is better than a low one. Clearly, then, one can use ROE to compare different companies.

Does St Barbara Have A Good Return On Equity?

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. As you can see in the graphic below, St Barbara has a higher ROE than the average (14%) in the Metals and Mining industry.

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ASX:SBM Past Revenue and Net Income, June 16th 2019

That is a good sign. In my book, a high ROE almost always warrants a closer look. One data point to check is if insiders have bought shares recently.

How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity?

Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used.

St Barbara's Debt And Its 28% ROE

Shareholders will be pleased to learn that St Barbara has not one iota of net debt! Its high ROE indicates the business is high quality, but the fact that this was achieved without leverage is veritably impressive. After all, when a company has a strong balance sheet, it can often find ways to invest in growth, even if it takes some time.

In Summary

Return on equity is one way we can compare the business quality of different companies. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. 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 I think it may be worth checking this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

Of course St Barbara 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.Ahead of a visit by German lawmakers to Russia, one of them, Gregor Gysi from the left-wing party Die Linke, has accused Angela Merkel of failing to steer relations between the two countries out of the impasse in which theyve been mired for years, Sputnik reports.

The number 2 in the Bundestags German-Russian group, Gregor Gysi, from Die Linke has told Sputnik that lifting tit-for-tat sanctions would help to solve international conflicts.

The sanctions, imposed by the West, further aggravated the situation [in relations with Russia]. Russia responded with sanctions, too. That is why lifting them bilaterally would be a condition for renewing active dynamics in the dialogue between Germany and Russia, Gysi stated, noting this demands that the German government take a corresponding stance.

According to Gysi, the countrys leadership has to stop being used by the Trump administration, something that applies to summits as well as the implementation of already agreed upon projects, such as the gas pipeline venture Nord Stream 2.

"This obliges Germany and Russia to take up responsibility for developing international relations, which should take interests of the other side into account if they want to achieve success, the left-wing politician stated.

At the same time, he criticised Chancellor Angela Merkel and her government, saying that Russia and Germany are cooperating at a level which is lower than they need or are capable of achieving. According to Gysi, Merkels cabinet does too little to steer relations out of the deadlock, in which they have been over many years.

Instead of focusing on German and European interests towards Russia, the federal government is more actively following the US administrations lead, which counts on generating an arms race and geostrategic deterrence policy towards Russia, Gysi said, noting that peace and security in Europe and the world as a whole cannot be achieved without Russia or in confrontation with it.

Gysi along with other German lawmakers is set to visit Russia within the next few days to discuss bilateral relations with Russian MPs and regional authorities.By James Pomfret and Farah Master

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam apologized to its people on Sunday as an estimated 1 million-plus black-clad protesters insisted that she resign over her handling of a bill that would allow citizens to be sent to mainland China for trial.

Organizers said almost 2 million turned out on Sunday to demand that chief executive Lam step down in what is becoming the most significant challenge to Chinas relationship with the territory since it was handed back by Britain 22 years ago.

Sunday's demonstration came in spite of Lam indefinitely delaying - though not withdrawing - the bill on Saturday in a dramatic climbdown that threw into question her ability to continue to lead the city.

On Sunday, she apologized for the way the government had handled the draft law, which had been scheduled for debate last Wednesday, but gave no further insight into its fate.

Organizers pressed ahead with the protest to demand the bill's full withdrawal, as well as to mark their anger at the way police handled a demonstration against it on Wednesday, when more than 70 people were injured by rubber bullets and tear gas.

Some of Sunday's marchers held signs saying, "Do not shoot, we are HongKonger."

Police said the demonstration reached 338,000 at its peak. Organizers and police have routinely produced vastly different estimates at recent demonstrations.

Organizers estimated a protest the week before drew 1 million while police said 240,000.

"Its much bigger today. Many more people," said one protester who gave her name as Ms Wong. "I came today because of what happened on Wednesday, with the police violence."

Loud cheers rang out when activists called through loud hailers for Lam's resignation and the cry "step down" echoed through the streets.

"(An) apology is not enough," said demonstrator Victor Li, 19.

'SHORTING' CARRIE LAM

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The protests have plunged Hong Kong into political crisis, heaping pressure on Lam's administration and her official backers in Beijing.

Critics say the planned extradition law could threaten Hong Kong's rule of law and its international reputation as an Asian financial hub. Some Hong Kong tycoons have already started moving personal wealth offshore.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said President Trump would raise the issue of Hong Kong human rights at a potential meeting with president Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Japan this month.

In a blog post published on Sunday, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan sought to play down the impact of the protests.

"Even if the external environment continues to be unclear and the social atmosphere is tense recently, overall Hong Kong's economic and financial markets are still operating in a stable and orderly manner," he wrote.

Activist investor David Webb, in a newsletter on Sunday, said if Lam was a stock he would recommend shorting her with a target price of zero.

"Call it the Carrie trade. She has irrevocably lost the public's trust," Webb said. "Her minders in Beijing, while expressing public support for now, have clearly lined her up for the chop."

In another indication of a possible shift of mood in the Chinese capital, a leader of the pro-democracy "Occupy" demonstrations that galvanized Hong Kong in 2014 appeared set to be released from jail.

Joshua Wong's pro-democracy Demosisto movement said he would be freed on Monday.

Chinese censors have been working hard to erase or block news of the latest series of protests -the largest since crowds demonstrated against the bloody suppression of pro-democracy activists in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square in June 1989 - amid concerns that any large public rallies could inspire demonstrations on the mainland.

Pompeo said in an interview with "Fox News Sunday" he was sure the protests would be among the issues that Trump and Xi will discuss.

"We're watching the people of Hong Kong speak about the things they value, and we'll see what Lam's decision is in the coming days and weeks, Pompeo said.

Last week U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation that would require the U.S. government to certify Hong Kong's autonomy from China each year in order to continue the special treatment the city gets under the U.S. Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992.

ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS

The city's independent legal system was guaranteed under laws governing Hong Kong's return from British to Chinese rule and is seen by business and diplomatic communities as its strongest asset.

Hong Kong has been governed under a "one country, two systems" formula since then, allowing freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China but not a fully democratic vote.

Many accuse Beijing of extensive meddling, including obstruction of democratic reforms, interference with elections and of being behind the disappearance of five Hong Kong-based booksellers, starting in 2015, who specialized in works critical of Chinese leaders.

Asked repeatedly on Saturday if she would step down, Lam avoided answering directly and appealed to the public to "give us another chance."

Her reversal was hailed by business groups including the American Chamber of Commerce, which had spoken out strongly against the bill, and overseas governments.

The UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter: "Well done HK Government for heeding concerns of the brave citizens who have stood up for their human rights".

In the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own, about 5,000 people rallied outside the parliament building in Taipei with banners saying, "No China extradition law" and "Taiwan supports Hong Kong."

Some of the protesters in Hong Kong also waved Taiwan flags.

China's top newspaper, the People's Daily, on Sunday condemned "anti-China lackeys" of foreign forces in Hong Kong.

Lam had argued that the extradition law was necessary to prevent criminals hiding in Hong Kong and that human rights would be protected by the city's courts which would decide on any extradition on a case-by-case basis.

Critics, including leading lawyers and rights groups, have noted China's justice system is controlled by the Communist Party, and say it is marked by torture and forced confessions, arbitrary detention and poor access to lawyers.

(Reporting by Alun John, Jessie Pang, James Pomfret, John Ruwitch, Marius Zaharia, Anne Marie Roantree, Felix Tam, Twinnie Siu, Clare Jim, Noah Sin, Farah Master; Additional reporting by by Richard Cowan in Washington, Ben Blanchard in Beijing and Fabian Hamacher in Taipei; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree and Jennifer Hughes; Editing by Michael Perry and John Stonestreet)Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Saturday accused The New York Times of "a virtual act of treason," after it reported the US is stepping up digital incursions into Russia's electric power grid.

Current and former government officials have described the classified deployment of American computer code inside Russia's power grid and other targets, the Times reported.

The action is intended partly as a warning but also to leave the US poised to conduct cyberstrikes in the event of a major conflict between the US and Russia, the newspaper said.

Trump tweeted that the accusations were "NOT TRUE," calling the media "corrupt" and repeating accusations that journalists are "the enemy of the people."

"Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia," he wrote.

"This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country."

The Times report came after an investigation by US special counsel Robert Mueller of alleged hacking by Russia's GRU intelligence agency and social media manipulation by Russia's Internet Research Agency to benefit Trump's election campaign.

Mueller detailed a disturbing number of contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia ahead of the 2016 poll.

Trump claimed the report cleared him of wrongdoing. On the question of obstruction of justice, the report did not conclude Trump committed a crime, but Mueller wrote that "it also does not exonerate him."

In its Saturday report, the Times described "broad hesitation to go into detail with Mr Trump about operations against Russia for concern over his reaction -- and the possibility that he might countermand it or discuss it with foreign officials."

The Times also cited National Security Council officials as saying they had no security concerns about the newspaper's reporting on the digital incursions, perhaps indicating that some of the intrusions were meant to be noticed by the Russians.

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The New York Times, Washington Post and other publications have issued numerous investigative reports into Trump and his administration, with probes also under way by Congressional committees.

In February the publisher of the Times, A.G. Sulzberger, said Trump's attacks on the press were "reckless" and "dangerous" and threatened to encourage violence against journalists.

"America's founders believed that a free press was essential to democracy because it is the foundation of an informed, engaged citizenry," he said in a statement.A teenager left trapped underneath her car for seven hours after crashing down a mountainside was rescued after her mother used the Find My Friends app to find her.

Catrina Cramer Alexander said she used the feature on her mobile phone when her 17-year-old daughter, Macy Smith, uncharacteristically missed a curfew and didnt respond to texts or calls.

"The lack of response was out of character for her," Ms Alexander told North Carolinas TV channel WFMY.

When she looked on the app it showed her daughter had been in the same location for far too long, she said.

"I can't explain watching the GPS on my phone with my dot for my phone getting close to hers and then suddenly seeing the tire tracks," Ms Alexander said.

She found Macy pinned underneath her car down a 25-foot embankment in Pilot Mountain.

I will never forget the sound of my family calling out my name when they found me, Macy said in a Facebook post. I hydroplaned at 4.00pm and ran in between two trees down an embankment, flipped my car three times, and landed in my back seat with my arm pinned in between the car and the ground.

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 Macy to hospital. The 17-year-old said she fractured her neck and suffered severe nerve damage in her left arm.

We are celebrating every minute and every milestone, Macy said.Photo: iStock

While New Orleans is known year-round as a melting pot of music, food and culture, the Crescent City raises the bar each Fourth of July weekend with the annual Essence Festival, the "party with a purpose."

Spread over a main stage and four "superlounges," the Essence Festival is the largest celebration of African American culture and music in the United States. Marking its 25th anniversary this year, the festival features a conversation with former first lady Michelle Obama, and headline music acts including Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Nas and Pharrell Williams.

Events are scattered across the city, so the Essence Festival also offers a chance to take in the sights and sounds of New Orleans. The festival runs July 4-7.

Thankfully, there are plenty of regular, relatively-inexpensive flights between El Paso and New Orleans. We pulled from travel site Skyscanner to provide you with a short list of flights and hotels handpicked for the occasion. (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.

Flight deals to New Orleans

The cheapest flights between El Paso and New Orleans are if you leave on July 5 and return from Louisiana on July 7. Southwest Airlines currently has tickets for $491, roundtrip.

Top New Orleans accommodations

To plan your stay, here are some of New Orleanss top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Hotel Monteleone (214 Royal St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Hotel Monteleone. The hotel has a 4.7-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $179.

The Hotel Monteleone stands in the French Quarter within four blocks of Jackson Square, the Canal Street Shops, Harrah's New Orleans Casino, Cafe du Monde and lively Bourbon Street.

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The Columns Hotel (3811 St. Charles Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, there's The Columns Hotel. Rooms are currently set at $100/night. It overlooks St. Charles Avenue, and you can watch the famous streetcar go by  or ride it to the French Quarter.

The Hampton Inn & Suites Convention Center (1201 Convention Center Blvd.)

A third option is The Hampton Inn & Suites Convention Center. The 4.6-star hotel has rooms for $99/night. It's just across from the Ernest Morial Convention Center, the site of many Essence Festival events.

Featured New Orleans food and drink

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, New Orleans has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

Cafe Du Monde (800 Decatur St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Let's start with the essentials: where to get beignets. For a popular option, check out Cafe Du Monde, which has an average of 4.6 stars out of 407 reviews on Skyscanner. This 24/7 French cafe (only closed on Christmas and during hurricanes) serves its patrons a mean cup of dark-roasted chicory coffee. Complement your cup of Joe with one of its famous beignets, gratuitously topped with powdered sugar and occasionally filled with fruit.

Commander's Palace (1403 Washington Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of New Orleans's most popular restaurants is Commander's Palace, with 4.8 stars from 93 reviews.

"I cannot recommend this famous restaurant enough," wrote reviewer Michelle. "There is a dress code and reservations are highly recommended."

Jacques-Imo's Cafe (8324 Oak St.)

Also worth considering is Jacques-Imo's Cafe, which is known for its eclectic mix of Creole and Cajun specialties.

"One of the busiest and smallest cafes in town because the food is wonderful and plentiful," wrote Cindee. "This is a neighborhood restaurant that is warm and friendly."

Lilette (3637 Magazine St.)

Finally, there's Lilette.

"Chef and owner John Harris dream restaurant, dubbed by Travel and Leisure magazine as 'the sexiest dining room in New Orleans' features a menu that boasts such items as bone marrow toast, marinated anchovies and passion fruit butter Alaskan crab cakes," wrote reviewer Justin.

What to see and do in New Orleans

New Orleans is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are a couple of popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

The French Quarter (501 Basin St., New Orleans)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is The French Quarter, which is the heart of New Orleans as far as tourist attractions go. The iconic Bourbon and Royal Streets run parallel here, offering a rambunctious nightlife at the former and unique boutiques at the latter. The waterfront features the New Orleans Aquarium, the legendary Cafe Du Monde and views of Algiers.

"The place for nightlife, social scene and overall fun," wrote visitor Kay. "When in New Orleans, go to the French Quarter. The French Quarter is always full of life and good vibes."

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 (1427 Washington Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Lastly, spend some time at Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.

"It's an interesting place to get a glimpse of the macabre side of New Orleans, " wrote visitor Morgan. "It's free and there is no tour guide needed."

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.Estiatorio Milos | Photo: Go B./Yelp

Curious where New York City's in-the-know crowd is eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.

We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which eateries have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.

To find out who made the list, we looked at New York City businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.

Read on to see which spots are on a hot streak, right now.

Mexicue

Photo: mike m./Yelp

The Upper East Side's Mexicue is also making waves. Open at 1429 Third Ave. (between 80th and 81st streets), the Mexican breakfast and brunch spot has seen a 23.9 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.1 percent for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Mexicue's review count increased by more than 420 percent.

Mexicue offers a cornbread French toast with cinnamon butter and seasonal fruit, breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs and bacon and a breakfast bowl with eggs, brown rice, black beans and avocado. Over the past month, it's maintained a superior 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.

Posh Pop Bakeshop

Photo: posh pop bakeshop/Yelp

Greenwich Village's Posh Pop Bakeshop is the city's buzziest bakery by the numbers.

The bakery, patisserie and cake shop, which opened at 192 Bleecker St. (between Avenue Of The Americas and Downing Street) in February of 2019, increased its new review count by 36.1 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.5 percent for the Yelp category "Bakeries."

Posh Pop Bakeshop offers gluten-free cakes, cookies, cake pops and cheesecakes. Try the red velvet cookie stuffed with Nutella or the peanut butter fudge cake.

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Estiatorio Milos

Photo: heather m./Yelp

Chelsea's Estiatorio Milos is currently on the upswing in the seafood category on Yelp.

While businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp saw a median 2.2 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, this Greek and Mediterranean spot increased its new reviews by 45.7 percent  with its Yelp rating improving from 3.5 stars to four stars.

Open for business at 20 Hudson Yards since 2019, the business offers a raw bar with clams and oysters, as well as seafood entrees featuring lobster, tuna, salmon and more.

Marie's 2

Photo: kelley l./Yelp

This Italian spot, which offers pizza and salads, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp.

Citywide, businesses tagged "Italian" saw a median 2 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Marie's 2 saw a 24.4 percent increase, with a slight upward trend from a four-star rating a month ago to 4.5 stars today. It gained 0.7 times more reviews than expected based on past performance, significantly outperforming the previous month.

Located at 5 Hyatt St. in St. George, Marie's 2 offers garlic cheese sticks served with a marinara sauce, salmon bruschetta with goat cheese, pizzas, calzones, pastas and more.

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.LONDON (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)President Donald Trumps reelection machine is setting its sights on a new target, one it had left for dead just a few months ago: Elizabeth Warren.

With the Massachusetts senator rising in polls and driving a populist message that threatens to cut into the presidents blue-collar base, the Trump campaign is training its firepower on Warren with an eye toward blunting her momentum.

Trump aides and their allies at the Republican National Committee, who initially believed their money and manpower were better focused elsewhere, are digging up opposition research, deploying camera-wielding trackers, and preparing to brand Warren as a liberal extremist. The reassessment of Warren, confirmed in conversations with more than a half-dozen Trump advisers, reflects the volatility of the massive Democratic primary and how the reelection campaign is reacting to it.

The Trump team  including the president himself  had been focused almost exclusively on Joe Biden to this point. But Warrens rise now has them thinking she could pose a serious threat in a general election. Warrens disciplined style, populist-infused speeches, and perceived ability to win over suburban female voters, Trump advisers concede, has raised concerns.

Campaign pollster John McLaughlin has sounded the alarm internally, stressing that Warrens attacks on Trump threaten to undercut his support from the working-class voters who propelled him to the presidency.

Although our own early published polls and internal polls discounted Elizabeth Warren, her recent momentum in May and June in national and early caucus and primary states into a strong second place to a flat Joe Biden is a cause for our campaigns attention, McLaughlin wrote in a text message to POLITICO.

Sen. Warrens attacks on President Trumps policies need to be rebutted, McLaughlin added. We cant just allow her to continue to attack the President in key states like Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and elsewhere.

Story continues

Biden will still receive a significant share of the campaign's attention. But Trump aides say they're less certain that he'll be their eventual opponent.

The reelection campaign first began taking note of Warrens momentum several weeks ago, when polling showed her gaining substantially on Biden and Sanders. They were startled earlier this month when Tucker Carlson, a host on Trump-friendly Fox News, used the opening monologue of his show to heap praise on the liberal senator.

Warrens populist economic agenda, Carlson said, sounds like Donald Trump at his best.

Other pro-Trump Republican groups are paying closer attention to Warren, too. The GOP oppo research shop America Rising has placed Warren in its top tier of Democratic candidates and will prioritize putting trackers on her campaign events. The RNC, meanwhile, recently sent out a news release drawing attention to a radio interview in which Warren was pressed on her past claims of Native American ancestry.

But Trump aides are planning a barrage that extends well beyond the heritage issue, which has been the focus of Trump's mockery and broadsides. Theyre preparing to dig into her past as a professor and try to pick apart her laundry list of policy proposals.

Theres no question that Elizabeth Warren is on the move, has momentum and could well end up as our opponent, said Tim Murtaugh, a Trump 2020 spokesman. We have to make sure voters know about her proposals for government takeover of health care, free health care for illegal immigrants, radical environmental restrictions, and increased taxes  all proposals that will devastate this country.

A Warren spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Warren is enjoying a renaissance after a painful campaign rollout. Trump attacked her mercilessly after she released a DNA test that attempted to put the controversy over her blood lines to rest only to reveal shes between 1/64th and 1/1,024th Native American.

During an appearance at his Mar-a-Lago resort in March, the president lamented to donors that he knocked Warren out of the race too early and that he should have saved his jabs for later. During a late April rally in Wisconsin, the president said Warren was finished.

In the weeks that followed, though, the anti-Wall Street crusader engineered a turnaround with a litany of policy plans, a nonstop campaign schedule and a hard-charging populist message.

In the most recent national poll, from Quinnipiac University, Warren was at 15 percent, only slightly behind Sanders for second place. And in polls released this week of California and Nevada  two key states that vote in late February and early March, respectively  Warren leapfrogged Sanders, running behind only Biden.

The latest view inside the Trump campaign is that Warren has a more coherent message and a more passionate liberal following than Biden, whose support they see as soft. Her politics are where the Democratic party has moved, said Trump campaign adviser Raj Shah. Shes primed to pick up more support as Bernie fades and Biden erodes.

Biden and his supporters, however, are confident the Democratic electorate is more centrist than prognosticators think.

Not everyone agrees that going after Warren is the right move. Some Trump aides contend that her liberal positions would make her an easier general election opponent and that they should hold off on attacking her. Others, however, argue that guessing a particular candidate's level of electability is impossible and that the Democratic nominee  no matter who it is  needs to be defined well before next years convention.

Trump himself appears to recognize Warrens newfound strength.

Now I see that Pocahontas is doing better, the president said during a Friday morning appearance on Fox News, using his favorite nickname for the Massachusetts senator. I would love to run against her frankly.

Donald Trump has praised his warrior of a press secretary, as the search begins for a replacement to Sarah Sanders.

The president announced this week that Ms Sanders, a combative spokesperson who declined to deny Mr Trumps claim the media was the enemy of the people, would be stepping down at the end of the month.

Almost as soon as it was announced Ms Sanders, 36, would be leaving, speculation turned to who would replace her, in what has traditionally been one of the highest-profile jobs in the administration. There was also speculation, partly encouraged by Mr Trump, that Ms Sanders would seek to become governor of her home state of Arkansas.

On Friday, Mr Trump was asked about possible replacements.

I know a lot of people that want it and theyre a lot of great people and sometimes you have so many that it makes it more difficult, he said, praising Ms Sanders as a warrior.

He was asked about first lady Melania Trumps spokesperson Stephanie Grisham, and former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, who asked to be referred to by his nickname The Mooch, who recently said he would not turn the job down if he were to be offered it again.

Well, I like Anthony and hes been very nice and all, but I think he should stay where he is right now, Mr Trump said. But Anthony really is a good guy, Stephanie is terrific. We have a lot of great people, we have a lot of good people to choose from.

Ms Grisham has been part of the Trump communications operation since the presidential campaign began, one of just a handful of his original team, which also includes Dan Scavino, Stephen Miller and Kellyanne Conway.

Reuters said according to a confidant of the president, Mr Trump has four leading candidates under consideration.

In addition to Ms Grisham, these were deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley, former state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, and outgoing treasury department spokesman Tony Sayegh.

Story continues

Ms Gidley, a long-time Republican operative, is currently Ms Sanders principal deputy.

Ms Nauert has been talked about in the past as a candidate for the press secretary position. She had been a potential pick for the position of US ambassador to the United Nations when Nikki Haley stepped down, but withdrew from consideration.

Mr Sayegh has been the well-regarded spokesman for treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and has been talked about in the past for a White House communications position, Reuters said.

Mr Trump told Fox News: Sometimes you have so many that it makes it more difficult. But we have some great  But Sarah was fantastic, and she is fantastic. Shes going to have a tremendous future.She has been a warrior, in a sense.WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump would raise the issue of Hong Kong human rights with China's President Xi Jinping at a potential meeting of the two leaders at the G20 summit in Japan this month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.

"I'm sure this will be among the issues that they discuss," Pompeo said in an interview with "Fox News Sunday."

(Reporting by Michelle Price)A full-fledged meeting between the Russian and US Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, in the framework of the G20 summit in Japans Osaka may be prepared by the leaders teams even on the eve of this event, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday, TASS reports.

Speaking in an interview with the program "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" on the Rossiya-1 TV channel, Peskov noted that if the two presidents meet "on the go" they wont manage to discuss the whole range of issues on the bilateral agenda.

"This [the meetings organization] may happen even on the eve of the G20s beginning," Peskov said.

In comment on Trumps earlier statement on his readiness to meet with the Chinese and Russian sides and other countries at the G20 summit, Peskov said the US leader probably meant brief meetings. "They wont manage [to discuss] the amount of issues, which they need to discuss and what is indeed on the agenda," he noted.

Putin and Trump were expected to meet on the sidelines of the previous Group of Twenty summit, in Argentina last December, but the US president cancelled it literally a day before the agreed date. Following this move, the Russian side said it was ready for dialogue with the United States but on conditions that such a contact was initiated by Washington.

Earlier this week, Kremlin Aide Yuri Ushakov told journalists that the idea of a possible Putin-Trump meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit was up in the air, as "after outlining this idea, the US side has not yet specified it."

At a meeting with President Putin in Sochi on May 14, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo spoke about potential readiness to organize such a meeting. However, no official US request has been ever issued.

The Group of Twenty summit will be held in Osaka, Japan, on June 27-28.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump would raise the issue of Hong Kong human rights with China's President Xi Jinping at a potential meeting of the two leaders at the G20 summit in Japan this month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.

"I'm sure this will be among the issues that they discuss," Pompeo said in an interview with "Fox News Sunday."

(Reporting by Michelle Price)Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump will discuss the mass protests in Hong Kong with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the upcoming G20 summit, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday.

"I think we'll get the opportunity to see President Xi in just a couple weeks now at the G20 summit. I'm sure this will be among the issues that they discuss," Pompeo said in an interview with "Fox News Sunday."

"We see what's happening, what's unfolding in Hong Kong. We are watching the people of Hong Kong speak about the things they value," Pompeo added.

Trump said last week he hoped the protesters -- who have taken to the streets to denounce a controversial extradition law -- would "work it out" with China, while stopping short of condemning the legislation which has now been suspended.

Pompeo insisted "the president has always been a vigorous defender of human rights" and said Trump's imposition of widespread tariffs on Chinese goods as part of a trade dispute showed his willingness to confront Beijing.

"For an awfully long time under Republican, Democrat presidents, we allowed China to take advantage of us on trade and in other ways. President Trump has pushed back very strongly against them."

This year's G20 summit will be held in the Japanese city of Osaka from June 28-29.According to a leaked poll, Mr Trump was down 16 points in Pennsylvania, a key swing state

Donald Trump has instructed close advisers to play down internal White House polling that showed him losing heavily to Joe Biden in key industrial "rust belt" states ahead of the 2020 election.

According to a leaked 17-state poll, conducted by the president's pollster Tony Fabrizio, Mr Trump was down 16 points in Pennsylvania, and 10 points in Wisconsin, both of which he won narrowly in 2016.

Mr Trump was also trailing Mr Biden by seven points in Florida, which he won in 2016, and was only two points ahead in the traditionally Republican state of Texas.

As Washington was gripped by its first bout of 2020 poll fever White House officials said their own initial research no longer carried any weight.

In a statement Brad Parscale, Mr Trump's campaign manager, said the polling was "ancient," having been conducted in March.

That was before the release of the Mueller report, which found no collusion between the campaign and Russia, and prior to Democrat candidates revealing their "far-left policy message," he said.

Mr Parscale added: "Since then we have seen huge swings in the presidents favour across the 17 states we have polled."

However, public polls released this week also showed what even Republican strategists described as "warning signs". The first national poll of the campaign by Quinnipiac University showed Mr Trump trailing by 13 points in a hypothetical race against Mr Biden, should he become the Democrat presidential nominee.

Joe Biden thinks he has the credentials to win back voters in the Rust Belt states Credit: Bloomberg

Mr Trump was also down nine points to Bernie Sanders, eight to Kamala Harris, and seven to Elizabeth Warren. Pete Buttigieg and Cory Booker both led the president by five points.

"Its a long 17 months to election day but Joe Biden is ahead by landslide proportions," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac poll. A separate Morning Consult national poll showed Mr Biden with a similar 11 point lead over Mr Trump.

In the rust belt state of Michigan a local poll also showed Mr Biden 11 points ahead. A University of Texas survey showed Mr Biden beating Mr Trump by four points in that state. And other polls showed Mr Trump trailing Mr Biden in Arizona and Iowa, which the president won easily in 2016.

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"If your Donald Trump's advisers you have to be concerned," said Larry Sabato, professor of politics at the University of Virginia. "This is a golden economy at the moment, it will never get better, and there may be some deterioration in it next year. If you're not winning in a golden economy that's a worry.

"All these recent polls have varying degrees of bad news for Trump, but it's early. Trump fears Biden because Biden makes most sense for the Democrats. But we also don't know whether Biden will throw it with a series of gaffes."

Sources briefed on the Trump polling from March say he was also down in Michigan, NV, MN (where his campaign had made overtures) and, more significantly, Georgia. Campaign has issued new statement from @TonyFabrizioGOP saying this data was "worst-case scenario" turnout model.  Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 14, 2019

Prof Sabato said recent polls in key states could "absolutely" be wrong, adding: "After 2016 I'll never believe the polls in Wisconsin again." If Mr Biden is ahead in the "rust belt" states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, it opens up the possibility Mr Trump could take a different path to the White House in 2020.

That would mean winning other states where he came close in 2016, including New Mexico, Nevada, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Colorado, and Maine.

Campaign staff have already been dispatched to Nevada and New Hampshire, which a Republican has not won for two decades.

And Mike Pence, the vice president, has already been sent repeatedly to the southern state of Virginia, which Mr Trump lost by only five points to Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Mrs Clinton had an advantage then because her running mate was the Virginia senator Tim Kaine. Among the good news for Mr Trump in his private polling has been a rise in support among Hispanic voters in New Mexico and Nevada.

The president said polls showing him losing were "phony". He said there were "polls that we have that nobody saw" and "there's no way Biden beats me in Texas."

Nate Silver, the prominent election statistician, indicated much could change over time. He said: "Empirically, the margin of error on general election polls conducted this far out is around 25 points."President Trump appeared to be obsessed with the Mueller report during his wide-ranging interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos, insisting that he read the special counsels report while repeatedly claiming it says there was no collusion despite Robert Mueller stating specifically that no determination was reached on the concept of collusion.

While speaking to Stephanopoulos in the back of the presidents limousine, the president was asked what his pitch to swing voters on the fence would be, prompting Trump to quickly pivot to the Russia investigation, which he called a phony witch hunt.

Mueller comes outtheres no collusion, the president declared. And essentially a ruling that no obstruction. And they keep going with it. You know what? People are angry about it.

The ABC News host pushed back, stating that he didnt think thats what Mueller found, causing Trump to repeat his no collusion mantra while adding that the probe didn't find anything having to do with obstruction because they made a ruling based on his findings and they said no obstruction.

They didnt examine collusion, Stephanopoulos countered. He laid out evidence of obstruction.

The two then went back and forth over the issue of collusion, leading to Stephanopulous bluntly asking the president if hed actually read the report.

Uh, yes I did, and you should read it, too, Trump huffed as Stephanopoulos revealed he read every word of the report. The president reacted by cutting off Stephanopoulos and swiftly leaving the limo.

The This Week anchor noted that Trump kept coming back to the Mueller report unprompted, such as when he angrily lashed out at unfavorable 2020 polling. Asked by Stephanopoulos why it bothered him so much, Trump claimed it was because of his inherent honesty.

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Because its untrueI like the truth, the president, who has told over 10,000 lies while in office, said. You know, I'm actually a very honest guy. If I thought they were correct, I wouldnt be complaining at all. I understand that. Its like the witch hunt that goes on. No collusion with Russia, there was no collusion.

Stephanopoulos, again, attempted to point out that the report did not say there was no collusion, to no avail.

Elsewhere in the interview, Stephanopoulos pressed Trump on his refusal to sit down for an interview with the special counsel under oath, asking why he only provided written answers to Mueller.

Because they were looking to get us for lies, for slight misstatements, Trump replied. I looked at what happened to people, and it was very unfair. Very, very unfair. Very unfair.

Stephanopoulos, meanwhile, noted that even in his written responses, Trump didnt answer on the subject of obstruction, wondering aloud if the president was concerned about being prosecuted once he leaves office. After claiming he answered a lotta questions, Trump took issue with the anchor for stating that he didnt address obstruction.

Look, George, you're being a little wise guy, okay, which is, you know, typical for you, Trump sneered before falling back to his familiar no collusion retort.

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.Zarzis (Tunisia) (AFP) - The Tunisian trawler radioed in for help as it passed the migrant boat in distress out at sea. But with the packed craft still adrift two days later, captain Chamseddine Bourassine took direct action.

Fishermen from the North African country are spending more and more time pulling in stranded migrants after a sharp decline in humanitarian and European naval patrols along the stretch of water between war-wracked Libya and Italy.

Bourassine, his crew and three other fishing boats ferried the 69 migrants back to shore on May 11, five days after their boat pushed off from Zuwara on the western Libyan coast.

"The area where we fish is a crossing point" between Zuwara and the Italian island of Lampedusa, said Badreddine Mecherek, a Tunisian fisherman from Zarzis near the border with Libya.

Fisherman from Zarzis have saved the lives of hundreds of migrants in recent years, and as the number of boats leaving western Libya for Europe spikes with the return of calmer summer seas, they will probably have to save even more.

"First we warn the authorities, but in the end we end up saving them ourselves," Mecherek grumbled as he tinkered with his rusting sardine boat.

European countries in the northern Mediterranean are trying to stem the number of migrants landing on their shores, and the Tunisian navy with its limited resources only rescues boats inside the country's territorial waters.

Since May 31, Tunisia itself has barred 75 migrants from coming ashore after they were saved in international waters by a Tunisian-Egyptian tug boat.

Contacted multiple times by AFP, Tunisian authorities have refused to comment.

- 'Angel' -

"Everyone has disengaged" from the issue, said Mecherek, adding it was hampering his work.

Fishermen who run across migrants on their second day out at sea are at least able to have done a day's work, he added, "but if we find them on the first night, we have to go back".

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"It's very complicated to finish the job with people on board."

The complexity of the rescues grows when fishermen find migrants adrift closer to Italy.

When Bourassine and his crew last year tugged a boat towards Lampedusa which was adrift without a motor, they were jailed in Sicily for four weeks for helping the migrants. It took months to recover their boat.

Humanitarian boats and those of the European Union's "Operation Sophia" anti-piracy force had scooped up most stranded migrants in recent years, but rescue operations dropped in 2019.

"Now most often we are the first to arrive... if we aren't there, the migrants die," Mecherek said.

On May 10, a Tunisian trawler just barely saved the lives of 16 migrants after they had spent eight hours in the water. Sixty others drowned before the ship arrived.

Survivor Ahmed Sijur said the boat's appearance at dawn was like that of "an angel".

"I was loosing hope myself, but God sent us the fishermen to save us," the 30-year-old from Bangladesh said.

- 'Police of the sea' -

Mecherek is more worried than proud.

"We don't want to see all these corpses anymore. We want to catch fish, not people," he said, adding his crew was growing uneasy.

"I have 20 seamen on board asking, 'Who will feed our families?'" he added.

"But local fishermen will never let people die at sea."

For Tunisian Red Crescent official Mongi Slim, the fishermen "are practically the police of the sea", adding that many migrants say large ships won't stop to help.

Under pressure to catch their quota during a short annual season, big tuna boats out of Zarzis often call the coast guard instead of stopping themselves to help.

"We report the migrants, but we can't bring them back to shore... We only have a few weeks to fish," said one crew member.

For Chamseddine, the summer months look difficult.

"With fighting having resumed in Libya, traffickers are free to work again.... There's a risk of many shipwrecks."ISTANBUL, June 16 (Reuters) - A Turkish observation post in Syria's Idlib region was attacked with mortar fire and shelling from an area controlled by Syrian government forces, causing damage but no casualties, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry said its forces immediately retaliated with heavy weapons and it made representations to Moscow over the incident. It did not specify when the shelling occurred, but said the attack was launched from what it named the Tall Bazan area and it was assessed to be deliberate.

(Reporting by Daren Butler Editing by Andrew Heavens)Libreville (AFP) - Security forces in Central African Republic beat and detained two journalists working for French news wire Agence France-Presse (AFP) covering a banned opposition protest in the capital Bangui, the reporters said Sunday.

Charles Bouessel, 28, and Florent Vergnes, 30, said they were held for more than six hours and questioned three times on Saturday after having been manhandled by members of the Central Office for the Suppression of Banditry (OCRB).

The pair also had their equipment confiscated and a camera smashed up.

AFP condemned the incident as "unjustifiable police violence".

"The protest was going well, the (police) let us film and clearly saw that we were not part of the rally," Bouessel said Sunday.

"Then the protesters were quickly dispersed. Trucks carrying OCRB members arrived and we heard live bullets being fired", he added.

The reporters said they were prevented from leaving the area despite telling the security forces that they were accredited journalists allowed to work in CAR.

The OCRB "seemed furious that we were filming the scene and charged at us," Bouessel said.

"One of them grabbed my camera and smashed it on the ground. I put my hands up in the air but received a first slap to the head. My backpack was snatched from me and thrown to the ground. When I asked to get them back... I received more punches."

- 'Grabbed by the throat' -

Vergnes, meanwhile, said he was "grabbed by the throat", slapped and "pistol-whipped in the back with a Kalashnikov".

Security forces also seized his bag, camera and mobile phone during the arrest.

"I had a nosebleed and my back and jaw hurt," he said, adding he saw a doctor in Bangui on Sunday.

AFP Director for Africa Boris Bachorz said the reporters had done nothing wrong.

"Charles Bouessel and Florent Vergnes did nothing but their work, for which they were duly accredited by the Central African Republic authorities, when they were arrested and beaten by members of the police before being detained for hours," Bachorz said in a statement.

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"We ask the CAR authorities for assurances that these two journalists, like all their colleagues in Central African Republic, can continue to carry out their work without having to fear for their physical wellbeing."

Bachorz added that AFP would formally seek those assurances from CAR authorities on Monday.

Justice Minister Flavien Mbata said the two journalists had been arrested because they were present at a protest banned by the police.

"We demanded yesterday that they be released, which has happened," Mbata told AFP, adding further steps would be determined "once we have all the details".

Paris-based media rights campaigners Reporters Without Borders (RSF) denounced the treatment of the journalists.

"This bad treatment must not go unpunished," it said on its Twitter account.

The CAR is ranked 145th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2019 World Press Freedom Index, after dropping 33 places.It's an old-fashioned Romeo and Juliet tale of star-crossed lovers, or perhaps a love story where sparks flew a little too intensely.

Two kookaburras in a suburb of Australia were caught making love on a power line Wednesday afternoon until their untimely demise, which resulted in a power outage for around 1,000 homes.

An eyewitness saw a pair of the birds making love on the top of a pole until sparks literally flew, resulting in two large flashes and loud bangs.

When electricians for Australian power company Western Power got on the scene, they saw the two kookaburras dead on the ground below the power lines. It was caused by the female partner extending her wings in the midst of their mating, resulting in the wings touching separated power lines.

More: Bald eagles mated on camera in California and now they have an egg

"This action caused sparks to fly between the two birds as they acted as conductors for electricity between the separated lines," said Western Power spokesperson Paul Entwistle. It triggered an automatic emergency shutdown of the electrical network, resulting in the outage.

Power was restored about an hour later. Unfortunately, the birds did not survive their "amorous avian adventure" and died on impact.

"The two feathered fornicators were laid to rest in a private ceremony attended by Western Power staff later that evening," added Entwistle.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Two lovemaking kookaburra birds caused a power outage in AustraliaWASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - Houthi rebels in Yemen recently shot down a U.S. government-operated drone with assistance from Iran, the U.S. military said in a statement on Sunday.

Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a spokesman for the U.S. Central Command, said the altitude at which the MQ-9 drone was shot down on June 6 marked "an improvement over previous Houthi capability," a fact that led the military to conclude the rebel group had help from Iran.

Brown also noted that on June 13, Iran separately tried to shoot down yet another U.S. drone over the Gulf of Oman in an effort to disrupt surveillance of Iran's attack on Kokuka Courageous, one of two oil tankers attacked on Thursday.

U.S. officials have blamed Tehran for those attacks, raising fears about a potential confrontation between the United States and Iran. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch Editing by Nick Zieminski)Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has accused archrival Iran of attacks on oil tankersin the Gulf of Oman, adding he "won't hesitate" to tackle any threats to the kingdom.

Two tankers were struck by explosions on Thursday, the second attack in a month in the strategic shipping lane amid a tense United States-Iran standoff, prompting fears of a regional conflagration and sending oil prices soaring.

"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," MBS told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in an interview published on Sunday, Al Jazeera reports.By Stephen Nellis and Alexandra Alper

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Huawei's American chip suppliers, including Qualcomm and Intel, are quietly pressing the U.S. government to ease its ban on sales to the Chinese tech giant, even as Huawei itself avoids typical government lobbying, people familiar with the situation said.

Executives from top U.S. chipmakers Intel and Xilinx Inc attended a meeting in late May with the Commerce Department to discuss a response to Huawei's placement on the black list, one person said.

The ban bars U.S. suppliers from selling to Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment company, without special approval, because of what the government said were national security issues.

Qualcomm has also pressed the Commerce Department over the issue, four people said.

Chip makers argue that Huawei units selling products such as smartphones and computer servers use commonly available parts and are unlikely to present the same security concerns as the Chinese technology firm's 5G networking gear, according to three people.

"This isn't about helping Huawei. It's about preventing harm to American companies," one of the people said.

Out of $70 billion that Huawei spent buying components in 2018, some $11 billion went to U.S. firms including Qualcomm, Intel and Micron Technology Inc.

Qualcomm, for example, wants to be able to continue shipping chips to Huawei for common devices like phones and smart watches, a person familiar with the company's situation said.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), a trade group, acknowledged it arranged consultations with the U.S. government on behalf of the companies to help them comply and brief officials on the impact of the ban on the companies.

"For technologies that do not relate to national security, it seems they shouldn't fall within the scope of the order. And we have conveyed this perspective to government," said Jimmy Goodrich, vice president of global policy at SIA.

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The ban came soon after the breakdown of talks to end the months-long trade spat between China and the United States, spurred by U.S. allegations of Chinese corporate espionage, intellectual property theft and forced technology transfer.

Google, which sells hardware, software and technical services to Huawei, has also advocated so it can keep selling to the company, Huawei Chairman Liang Hua told reporters in China earlier this month.

The online search company, a unit of Alphabet Inc, said in a statement that it works with Commerce to ensure it is in compliance with the new rules.

A Commerce Department representative said the agency "routinely responds to inquiries from companies regarding the scope of regulatory requirements," adding that the conversations do not "influence law enforcement actions."

Intel, Xilinx and Qualcomm declined to comment. Huawei did not respond to a request for comment.

In an interview in Mexico, Andrew Williamson, vice president of Huawei's public affairs, said the company had not asked anyone specifically to lobby on its behalf.

"They're doing it by their own desire because, for many of them, Huawei is one of their major customers," he said, adding that chipmakers knew that cutting Huawei off could have "catastrophic" consequences for them.

China watchers say U.S. suppliers are essentially trying to thread the needle - not wanting to be seen as aiding an alleged spy, thief and sanctions violator, but fearful of losing a good client and encouraging it to develop supplies elsewhere.

NO ONE LISTENING

Huawei itself, which is also a top smartphone maker, has done very little traditional lobbying in Washington on the matter, but has considered sending a letter to the Commerce Department, two people familiar with Huawei's thinking said.

"We simply have no channel of communication," Liang told reporters earlier this month.

A month after being blacklisted, Huawei has not spoken to the United States government about the matter, two people said.

Huawei had been cutting back its lobbying efforts even before the ban. Last year, it laid off five employees at its Washington office, including its vice president of external affairs, and slashed lobbying expenditures, Reuters reported.

Still, Huawei has put up a vigorous legal fight and unleashed a public relations campaign to defend itself against the U.S. government's allegations. It ran a full-page ad in major U.S. newspapers in February following a string of interviews with Huawei Chief Executive Ren Zhengfei aimed at softening its dark image in the West.

Huawei's response underscores its recognition of its waning influence with the Trump administration, which has launched a global campaign against the company, analysts said.

"Huawei is at a loss over what they should do next," said Jim Lewis, a cyber expert with Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It is in a really bad position in the U.S. Nobody is looking out to do Huawei a favor."

Even so, the ban has had real repercussions.

Broadcom, which has not been lobbying the Commerce Department, sent a shockwave through the global chipmaking industry when it forecast that the U.S.-China trade tensions and the Huawei ban would knock $2 billion off its sales this year.

The Commerce Department did make a concession just days after the ban was put in place, announcing on May 20 that it would offer a temporary general license allowing Huawei to purchase U.S. goods so it can help existing customers maintain the reliability of networks and equipment.

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Chris Sanders and Leslie Adler)WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - While it is "unmistakable" that Iran was responsible for the attacks on two tankers last week, the United States does not want to go to war with Tehran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.

In an interview with "Fox News Sunday", Pompeo said, "President Trump has done everything he can to avoid war. We don't want war." But he added that Washington will guarantee free navigation through vital shipping areas. "The United States is going make sure that we take all the actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise that achieve that outcome."

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)By Andrea Shalal

PARIS, June 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy expects additional U.S. and international orders for the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in coming months, which should extend production by two years to late 2025, a senior U.S. Navy official told Reuters.

Navy Captain Tony Rossi, programme manager for the P-8 and its predecessor, the P-3, said the Navy was hoping to finalise the order book for the programme soon to be able to "effectively and efficiently close out the production."

He said the programme could see about 21 additional orders from the U.S. Navy on top of 117 aircraft already funded, plus roughly the same number from other countries, although he declined to name potential new buyers.

The P-8, based on Boeing's 737-800 airframe, conducts anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and shipping interdiction, and also carries electronic support measures, torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and other weapons.

It is already operated by the U.S. Navy, Australia and India, and has been ordered by Britain, Norway, New Zealand and South Korea.

Rossi said he was urging potential buyers to place their orders soon.

"The message is clear. The time is now to make sure that production continues to get those orders filled," he said. "I'm upbeat. I think there'll likely be additional U.S. orders and additional FMS (foreign military sales) quantities in the next six to nine months."

Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis for the Virginia-based Teal Group, said other potential buyers included Singapore and Canada. The transatlantic NATO alliance was also considering ordering the aircraft, according to sources familiar with the programme.

"The market is somewhat thinner than expected, but they'll get more orders. The production line will probably wind up running into the late 2020s," Aboulafia said.

Boeing builds about 1.5 P-8 aircraft a month, but could slow production to extend the line, which is now slated to end in mid- to late-2023, and allow additional international customers to join the programme, Rossi said.

He said demand for broad-area maritime patrol was rising given sharp increases in Russian submarine activity, and the capabilities of those vessels. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Potter)LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) - Boris Johnson, the front-runner to replace Prime Minister Theresa May, pledged on Sunday to "end the digital divide" in Britain with the rollout of full fibre broadband by 2025.

Using his column in the Telegraph newspaper, Johnson, who was criticised for missing the first television debate on Sunday with the other contenders for Conservative Party leader, said he would speed up the rollout of full fibre broadband.

"The government has just set a new target for the 100 per cent roll-out of full fibre broadband  by 2033! ... As a deadline, that is laughably unambitious," he wrote.

"Let's say goodbye to the UK's manana approach to broadband and unleash full fibre for all by 2025." (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Peter Cooney)LONDON (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)Passengers on Delta Air Lines' Flight 500 from Indianapolis to Paris made an unexpected visit to Detroit on Thursday after an "unruly passenger" caused the plane to divert.

The disturbance occurred 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 refused 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.

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 on 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.

Contributing: Adrienne Jordan, USA TODAY

Follow Andrew Clark on Twitter: @Clarky_Tweets. Follow Crystal Hill on Twitter: @crysnhill

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Unruly passenger hits flight attendant, then pukes during Delta flight to ParisJerusalem (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy hinted Sunday at a further delay until early November to the unveiling of a White House peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"I think the logic would still dictate that if we wanted to wait until a new (Israeli) government is formed, we really do have to wait until potentially as late as November 6," Jason Greenblatt said in a Jerusalem Post interview.

The Trump administration had already delayed its presentation of the plan until after Israel's April 9 elections, but those polls failed to yield a government and a new election is slated for September 17.

A new government will potentially come into office in early November, following the selection of a potential premier and negotiations to form a coalition.

"It's no secret that the Israeli elections have certainly put a new thought into our head," Greenblatt said, in a video of the New York interview published online.

"Had the elections not been called again, perhaps we would have released" details of the deal during the summer, he said.

Greenblatt recalled that the Trump administration had already delayed presentation of the deal until after the holy month of Ramadan, which ended in early June.

The Trump administration is organising a conference later this month in Bahrain on the economic aspects of the peace plan.

The Palestinian leadership is boycotting the conference and has cut ties with Washington, over the Trump administration's perceived pro-Israel bias.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.

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.

Story continues

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.

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.

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.US looks to build 'international consensus' around tanker attacks, says Iran interfered with the damaged ships originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

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."

(MORE: Pompeo blames Iran for attack on 2 tankers in Gulf of Oman, US details evidence)

"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.

PHOTO: Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan speaks to reporters before his meeting with his Portuguese counterpart Joao Gomes Cravinho at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2019. (Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty Images)

"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."

MORE: Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei said he rejects Trump's offer to talk

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.

PHOTO: This handout powerpoint slide provided by U.S. Central Command damage shows an explosion and a likely limpet mine can be seen on the hull of the civilian vessel M/V Kokuka Courageous in the Gulf of Oman, June 13, 2019. (Ho/US Navy via AFP/Getty Images)

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."

Story continues

MORE: US refutes Iranian claim, says missiles put on small boats were for covert attacks

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.

PHOTO: An oil tanker is on fire in the sea of Oman, June 13, 2019. (ISNA/AP)

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.This visit is actually an indication of the strategic importance we have attributed to Asia, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists accompanying him in a plane during his return from Tajikistan where he attended the 5th Summit of the Heads of State of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), adding that Turkey was working hard to develop good relations in all regions, Daily Sabah reports.

President Erdogan addressed world leaders during the summit and conducted separate bilateral meetings with various heads of states, including the presidents of Tajikistan, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, and Afghanistan.

"The relations we have established with one country or region are never against each other or (out of spite to) third countries," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey will "continue to strengthen these relations in the same way."

"We will try to develop relations in the west, east, north, and south," he said.

Stressing the importance of peace, stability, and cooperation in the world, Erdogan noted that the world cannot ignore the ongoing war in Syria nor some 4 million Syrian refugees.

Erdogan said he also drew attention to the regional and global impacts of the Syrian war and Turkey's political efforts to solve the problem during the summit.

"It is clear that unilateral approaches cannot produce a solution for peace and stability in the world today. I have seen that the leaders of the other countries participating in the summit have expressed this view strongly, like myself," Erdogan said.Before the mass street protests, the tear gas and the clashes with police, before the government went all out for legislation that could threaten Hong Kongs special status in China, and then abruptly backed down, a pregnant young woman went on a romantic getaway to Taiwan.

Poon Hiu-wing, 20, never returned to Hong Kong from that Valentines Day trip last year, but her boyfriend, Chan Tong-kai, 19, did.

He would later tell Hong Kong police that he had strangled her, stuffed her body in a suitcase and dumped it in a thicket of bushes near a subway station in Taipei.

It was just a local crime story at first, the details dribbling out in the tabloid press: a selfie of the couple on Facebook, grainy security camera footage, the circumstances of their last argument.

Then this past February, nearly a year after Chans arrest, the Hong Kong government cited the case to propose legislation that would allow the city to transfer criminal suspects to Taiwan and other places with which it lacks an extradition treaty  including mainland China.

Seizing on the sensational crime as Exhibit A in a rushed campaign to push through the measure, Hong Kongs chief executive, Carrie Lam, and her superiors in the Chinese leadership seemed confident they had a winning strategy.

As it turned out, they badly underestimated public fear and suspicion of Beijings encroachment on this semiautonomous former British colony.

The gambit provoked one of Hong Kongs largest protests in decades while also revitalising the territorys beleaguered pro-democracy opposition.

In a rare retreat for President Xi Jinpings hard-line government, Ms Lam finally yielded to the pressure on Saturday, suspending her push for the legislation while resisting demands to withdraw it completely and resign.

From the start, critics labelled the extradition plan a Trojan horse that would allow Beijing to target political dissidents and others in Hong Kong who ran afoul of party officials.

Story continues

As popular outrage spread, Ms Lam and her allies stuck to the script, arguing that Hong Kong needed the bill to bring Chan to justice  even after the authorities in Taiwan made clear that was not true.

Taiwanese officials said as early as May that they would not seek Chans extradition under the proposed legislation.

Their objection echoed that of the people of Hong Kong: the courts and security forces in mainland China, all controlled by the ruling Communist Party, could not be trusted.

Ms Lams repeated invocation of the Poon familys grief was seen as just political opportunism at its worst, said Dennis Kwok, an opposition lawmaker.

A Grisly Crime

Ms Poon had enrolled in a school that offered cooking and beautician classes. Chan was studying business. They met in July 2017 while working part time at a shop.

Before the couple set off for Taiwan last year, she gushed on Facebook: He said I am his first and last girlfriend.

They spent Valentines Day together in Taipei, Taiwans capital, but two days later had a fight that stretched into the early morning.

Ms Poon had bought a pink suitcase at one of Taipeis famed night markets, and they argued about how their luggage should be packed, Chan would later tell investigators, according to The South China Morning Post.

Then, according to the account he provided the police, Ms Poon revealed that an ex-boyfriend was the father of the child she was pregnant with, and showed Chan a video of her having sex with another man.

In a rage, Chan hit her head against a wall, struggled with her on the floor of their hotel room for about 10 minutes and strangled her, he said. He stuffed her body into a suitcase and went to sleep.

When Ms Poon failed to return home, her father started a frantic search.

Chan told him the couple had had an argument and went our separate ways, according to Taiwan News. The police in Hong Kong questioned Chan, and he told them the same.

But then authorities in Taiwan pulled surveillance footage that showed Chan struggling to drag a pink suitcase out of their hotel.

Police detectives in Hong Kong questioned him again. This time, he confessed and disclosed the location of her body, a field near the Zhuwei train station on the northern outskirts of Taipei. The police found it that night.

But the Hong Kong police could not charge Chan with murder for a crime committed in Taiwan.

Instead, he was held and eventually convicted on money laundering charges for using Ms Poons credit cards after her death.

In April, a court in Hong Kong sentenced him to 29 months in prison. With time served while awaiting trial and good behaviour, he could be released as soon as October.

An autopsy indicated Ms Poon had been four to five months pregnant.

Trojan Horse or Justice?

Violent crime is relatively rare in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the case received extensive coverage by local news outlets when Chan was first arrested.

Some reports noted it might be difficult to prosecute him on murder charges because of international red tape, but for months, there was no sign the case would be at the centre of an international dispute.

Then, in December, prosecutors in Taiwan obtained an arrest warrant for Chan.

The government said it had reached out three times to authorities in Hong Kong to discuss how he might be extradited.

All three requests went unanswered, according to Chiu Chui-cheng, a deputy minister of Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council, the agency responsible for policy towards China.

There were two interrelated problems: China does not recognise the government of Taiwan, which it considers part of its territory. And Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, does not have an extradition agreement with Taiwan.

Two months later, just before the anniversary of Ms Poons killing, Ms Lam made her move.

Her government submitted papers to Hong Kongs Legislative Council that cited the killing in proposing legislation that would allow extraditions on a case-by-case basis to jurisdictions with which Hong Kong lacks a formal extradition agreement.

The plan covered Taiwan  but also mainland China. And that was a big deal.

Hong Kong had never allowed extraditions to mainland China  a safeguard agreed upon when Britain returned the territory and Beijing promised it a high degree of autonomy.

This safeguard prohibits extradition to any part of China, which complicates any deal with Taiwan because of Beijings claim of sovereignty over the democratic, self-governing island.

And yet Ms Lam sought to sidestep the legislatures regular committee process and put the proposal on a fast track with an unusually short 20-day public review.

Opposition built steadily. Thousands attended a protest against the measure in March, and in April, tens of thousands rallied against it outside the Legislative Council. Lawmakers arguing about the bill scuffled in the legislature; one was carried out on a stretcher.

Ms Lam, a career servant who was installed by Beijing in 2017, assured the public that the legislation would not apply to political crimes.

But even within her insular council of advisers  like herself, unelected  there was unease. The territorys top finance officials, for example, were dismayed when they learned the bill would also allow Beijing to begin requesting freezes on assets in Hong Kong.

Then in May, Taiwan dramatically undercut Ms Lams argument by declaring it would not seek Chans extradition even if the bill passed.

Without the removal of threats to the personal safety of nationals going to or living in Hong Kong caused by being extradited to mainland China, said Mr Chiu, the deputy minister, we will not agree to the case-by-case transfer proposed by the Hong Kong authorities.

It Is The Right Thing to Do

Ms Lam has said she decided to pursue the extradition law herself, without prodding from Xi or other Chinese leaders.

But Chinas propaganda outlets took a hard line against the protesters, accusing them of conspiring with Chinas enemies abroad, and several senior Communist Party officials in Beijing endorsed the legislation.

That helped transform the debate into a broader fight over the erosion of civil liberties under Chinese rule  and Hong Kongs future as a global financial centre.

For five years, since the failure of the Umbrella Movement demanding free elections, Hong Kongs pro-democracy opposition had been on the defensive.

But the extradition bill gave it a chance to rally the public against something easy to understand: the possibility of being arrested and sent to mainland China.

On Friday, Ms Lam quietly travelled across the border to the mainland city of Shenzhen, where she consulted with senior Chinese officials.

Some had flown in from Beijing, and a few of the partys top experts on Hong Kong were there, too. President Xi was out of the country, celebrating his birthday with President Vladimir Putin of Russia at a regional summit in Tajikistan.

There was a consensus: given the publics reaction, Ms Lam should delay the legislation indefinitely.

Announcing the decision on Saturday, she raised Chans case again in defending the measure but finally acknowledged that Taiwans position meant there was no rush to pass it.

We will adopt the most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements, she said.

Ms Lams argument failed to resonate, in part because many believe Hong Kong can find a way to ensure Chan faces trial without opening the door to extraditions to the mainland.

China and Taiwan have for years sent criminal suspects to each other, for example, even though they do not formally recognise each other, and some lawmakers believe Hong Kong should establish a similar arrangement with Taiwan.

Doing so with Taiwan and not mainland China, however, would be politically challenging.

Julian Ku, a law professor at Hofstra University, said it would mean acknowledging that Taiwans courts are more trustworthy and fair to criminal defendants than Chinas are.

While this is undoubtedly true by almost every measurement, it would be really embarrassing for the Hong Kong government to admit that truth, he said.

The New York TimesPutnam County Court Judge James Reitz died Friday after suffering a heart attack on the bench, officials said.

Reitz, 57, suffered a heart attack Friday morning, and court officers performed CPR and used an automatic electronic defibrillator to resuscitate him, said Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the state court system.

Court officers accompanied Reitz as he was taken by ambulance to a hospital.

"Unfortunately, he passed away shortly upon arrival there," Chalfen said.

Putnam County Court Judge James Reitz is sworn in at the Putnam County Courthouse on Dec. 31, 2018.

Reitz, a Mahopac resident, had served as a Putnam County Court judge since 2007, according to New York State Unified Court System records. He was also an acting justice with the state Supreme Court.

Former New York state senator Terrence Murphy told CNN he worked with Reitz often on Reitz's drug court program.

"He ran the best drug court in New York state," Murphy said. "He literally saved people's lives. He's an iconic person and will be sorely missed."

Reitz worked as a lawyer in private practice from 1991 to 2006, including serving as a Carmel town justice between 1996 and 2006, according to state records.

The Reitz family, through a statement from their lawyer, asked that people refrain from visiting the home while additional family members are contacted.

Twitter: @MattSpillane

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New York judge dies after having a heart attack on the benchEmail To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required.

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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.Slave owners: my property my choice. If I want to flog, kill and destroy my slaves its my right. Black people are not humans



Modern day abortionists: my body my choice. If I want to let a doctor dismember, suction and kill my baby its my right. Babies in wombs are not humans.  Danny Gokey (@dannygokey) June 15, 2019

Its CRAZY to think that in this day & age people argue that an unborn baby is not human. How did Hitler convince his armies that Jews werent human & killed so many-How were so many convinced that African Americans werent human & enslaved & killed them? How is this even a thing  Danny Gokey (@dannygokey) May 17, 2019

You saw who you created me to be before I became me! Before Id ever seen the light of day, the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in your book.

Psalms 139:16 pic.twitter.com/wOWrxICaN5  Danny Gokey (@dannygokey) March 28, 2019

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Proverbs 31:8-9 NLT #thoughtsonabortion #abortion  Danny Gokey (@dannygokey) January 28, 2019

How are people ok with this!!??  The deception that empowered slavery is the exact deception that leads babies to slaughter without a voice. Same lie different set of ears.

Retweet and like if you agree!#BlackHistoryMonth https://t.co/qcPG2HAURp  Danny Gokey (@dannygokey) February 14, 2019

This womans right has killed tens of millions of women in the womb. The same political party which fought to keep slavery a right is the same party who fights to keep abortion a right which in turn has killed countless woman & African Americans. God open our eyes https://t.co/fEhqAV1Fhp  Danny Gokey (@dannygokey) January 17, 2019

Danny Gokey, best known as the 3rd place finisher in Season 8 of American Idol, has been sharing some...opinions...on Twitter. He recently compared having an abortion to being a slave owner. This isn't the first time he has shared such opinions. In the past, he has brought in comparisons to Hilter, has advocated for adoption, and believes that abortion is "empowered slavery." He is currently gearing up for his tour, "The Hope Encounter." More Tweets...Albertas oil and gas industry has had a very, very rough year. With a major pipeline infrastructure deficit and major delays and setbacks for all new pipeline projects, with no end in sight in the near future, Canadas once-prosperous oil sands are hurting. Canada has the reserves and they have the demand--they just have no way to get their oil to market, with their limited amount of pipelines already running at full capacity and storage tanks filled to bursting.

Because of the resulting oil and gas glut, Canada has been forced to sell off their oil at a major discount, costing Canadian producers a whopping $20 billion in lost profits last year, according to calculations by conservative think tank the Fraser Institute. The Albertan government has made efforts to ease the pain, including imposing temporary caps on production. These caps were extremely successful in the short term, but are ultimately unsustainable. Ultimately, the only fix for Canadas pipeline bottleneck is more pipelines. Simple as that.

Unfortunately, it will be a long time before any major pipeline projects come to fruition in Canada thanks to major litigation issues and other hurdles causing endless delays on projects like the Keystone XL pipeline and the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Critics of the Alberta governments decision to impose production caps as a temporary stop-gap pointed out that the move could have negative impacts on Canadas oil industry in the long run and ultimately discourage investment in a sector that has government-imposed limitations for growth. Now, half a year later, the Alberta Energy Regulator, a government agency established in 2012 under oil-rich Albertas Responsible Energy Development Act, is forecasting that the provinces spending on oil and gas is going to plummet this year.

The Alberta Energy Regulator has released a report this week predicting that oil and gas capital spending will hit its lowest mark since 2009 later this year, saying in its annual reserves outlook that Industry sentiment remains pessimistic because of lack of market access. As Calgarys JWN reports, the combined expected outlay of $24.6 billion in 2019 is less than either the spend for conventional oil and gas or oilsands at peak in 2014, when the total reached $60.6 billion ($33.9 billion oilsands, $26.7 conventional). Related: Climate Change Could Trigger Global Financial Crisis

It seems as if those decrying Albertas caps on production as investment-killers may not have been hyperbolic but were actually the right. In fact, the Alberta Energy Regulators report goes on to say that continued infrastructure constraints along with production restrictions on oil from the Government of Alberta's mandated curtailment rules has caused producers to delay their capital spending programs, or even shift them outside of Alberta.

The decrease in spending is going to be significant, reaching a low of C$10.9 billion, a level of spending not seen since 2005 according to the Alberta Energy Regulator, which goes on to say in their report that the decrease is expected to be mainly because of lower spending in the mining sector as projects get completed and brought on-stream, such as Suncor Energy's Fort Hills and Canadian Natural Resources Limited's Horizon Phase 3 projects.

On the bright side, the Regulator says that spending will likely not remain at this extremely low level after this year, with total upstream capital spending increasing to $26.5 billion in 2020 and then to $29.6 billion in 2021, but these numbers are still relatively low in comparison with investment levels over the last ten years.

No matter how the Alberta government addresses the pipeline shortage in the short term, nothing is going to solve the Canadian oil industrys flow woes except for more infrastructure as soon as possible. In the meantime, its looking like the only lucrative sector in Canadas oil industry this year is in storage, as the glut continues to grow along with the timelines for the nations stalled pipeline projects.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:The second apparent attack on oil tankers in the Middle East in a month rekindled tensions in the region and had the oil market forget, at least for a day, the increasingly gloomy outlook on global oil demand growth.

Oil prices jumped on Thursday when news of the suspected tanker attacks broke, due to the geopolitically stocked fear of supply disruptions.

However, the latest incidents near the worlds most important oil flow chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, could have a lasting impact on the price of oil as ship owners, marine brokers, insurers, and reinsurers are already lifting premiums for insuring tankers passing through the region and are charging higher freight rates for shipping oil out of the Middle East.

On Thursday, two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman, just outside the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the open seas. The daily flows of oil through the Strait of Hormuz accounts for around 30 percent of all seaborne-traded crude oil and other liquids.

Source: EIA

Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Suspicious doesnt begin to describe what likely transpired this morning, referring to the attacks.

The United States blamed Iran. Related: Tanker Strikes Spell Doomsday Scenario For OPEC

It is the assessment of the U.S. government that Iran is responsible for todays attacks in the Gulf of Oman. These attacks are a threat to international peace and security, a blatant assault on the freedom of navigation, and an unacceptable escalation of tension by Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

The escalation of tension follows last months incidents with four oil tankers near the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and a drone attack on a key onshore oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. After the attacks in May, the Joint War Committee of Lloyds Market Associationwhich includes underwriting representatives from both the Lloyds and the International Underwriting Association (IUA) of Londonraised the security-risk status of several areas in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waterways. This expanded list of areas of perceived enhanced risk is the highest security risk in the region since the Iraq war in 2005.

Since the attacks in May, insurance premiums have already increased by 5 percent to 15 percent, ship owners told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, noting that shipping rates and premiums are bound to increase further after the latest attacks.

These higher rates are likely to seep through the crude oil prices.

DNK, the Norwegian Shipowners Mutual War Risks Insurance Association that had insured one of the tankers attacked on Thursday, will be raising its war risk insurance, a person familiar with the issue told Bloomberg.

Another insurer, Hellenic War Risks, said that Although full details of the incidents are yet to be confirmed, there does appear to be a greatly increased threat to ships trading in the region. It is likely that Additional Premium rates will increase with immediate effect and the Association is in discussions with its reinsurers to assist in it continuing to be able to provide Members with the best possible terms.

INTERTANKO, the tanker association representing most of the worlds independent oil tanker fleet, condemned in the strongest possible way such acts which threaten not only innocent human life but the fragile environment of the region and global trade as a whole.

INTERTANKO chairman Paolo dAmico, said that looking longer term, We need to remember that some 30% of the worlds crude oil passes through the Straits. If the waters are becoming unsafe, the supply to the entire Western world could be at risk.

Jakob P. Larsen, head of Maritime Security at the worlds biggest international shipping association BIMCO, said: 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.

Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, president of the Sweden-based World Maritime University, warned that the latest attacks would have significant consequences for the shipping industry as they affect the costs of operation and oil tanker capacity.

It also has implications for insurance, the crew and additional protective measures needed to keep ships moving, Doumbia-Henry told Al Jazeera.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:Growing U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply could find its perfect demand match in Chinas soaring LNG demand and imports. If it werent for the U.S.-China trade war, that is. I

Just a year ago, American LNG exports to the fastest-growing demand market, China, were rising and on track for further growth for years to come. Then the trade war began, China slapped a 10-percent tariff on American LNG, and U.S. gas exports to the Chinese market began flowing in fits and starts.

A trade deal between the worlds two largest economies would make America the single largest LNG supplier of China by 2025, Morgan Stanley said in a report cited by Bloomberg. Moreover, if trade hostilities end, the U.S. could cut its trade deficit with China by US$17 billion a year thanks to LNG exports. China will also win from a trade dealit could save US$1.8 billion on its annual energy import bill.

Morgan Stanleys base case scenario is that the U.S. and China will reach a deal on trade this year. Should this be the case, American LNG will account for 21 percent of all Chinese imports of the super-chilled fuel by 2025, compared to just 5 percent in case of a no-deal.

If theres a trade deal, the U.S. will be the top supplier of LNG to China with a 21-percent share, ahead of Russia with 18 percent, Australia with 14 percent, and Qatar with 6 percent, according to Morgan Stanley estimates.

However, in a no-deal scenario, Russia, Australia, and Qatar would all outstrip America in Chinas LNG imports, with Russia becoming the single top supplier with 27 percent, followed by Australia with 17 percent and Qatar with 8 percent, while the U.S. would sit at just 5 percent.

A U.S.-China trade deal will also give more certainty to American LNG developers to approve and invest in new export projects to meet the surging demand in China.

Right now, in a no-deal situation and with American LNG coming at a 25-percent tariff in China as of this month, theres growing uncertainty among U.S. LNG developers because China is shunning American gas and is staying away from signing long-term contracts or investing in U.S. LNG projects.

This wasnt the case before the trade war began last summer.

Between the start of the first U.S. LNG exports to the world in February 2016 and end-December 2018, China was the third-largest buyer of American LNG behind South Korea and Mexico, with a total of 62 cargoes accounting for 10.7 percent of all U.S. LNG exports, U.S. Department of Energy data shows.

This year in March and April, no LNG cargoes have gone to China, according to Refinitiv Eikon shipping data cited by Reuters.

Currently, the 25-percent tariff on Chinese imports of American LNG takes US LNG firmly off the table, Gavin Thompson, Vice Chairman, Energy  Asia Pacific at Wood Mackenzie, wrote this week. Related: OPECs Struggle To Avoid $40 Oil

Chinese buyers like the flexibility of US LNG and an opportunity to build Henry Hub into their portfolios to keep them competitive as the domestic gas market opens. For US projects, China is all about scale, a promised land. But without progress on trade talks, this just isnt going to happen, Thompson says, wondering if LNG could be the olive branch in the trade dispute.

China and the US dont compete strategically on LNG; they complement one another. The combination of rising Chinese demand and US supply should be a win-win, WoodMacs Thompson noted.

LNG trade could be a win-win scenario for both the U.S. and China, if only they reach a trade deal soon, analysts concur.

The prospects of such a deal, however, have become increasingly difficult to predict. Just two months ago, a deal appeared to have been all but signed. But the talks collapsed in early May, intensifying fears that the global economy will significantly slow down in the face of an ugly and protracted trade dispute.

I think that well end up making a deal with China. We have a very good relationship, although its a little bit testy right now, as you would expect, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could discuss the trade war at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28 and 29, but expectations are low for any meaningful outcome from a possible bilateral meeting.

Still, a trade deal would be a win-win for U.S. LNG exports and for Chinese LNG imports, and for reducing Americas trade deficit with China.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:Dar es Salaam (Dar) is the former capital as well as the most populous city in Tanzania. Its a major city and commercial port on the Indian Ocean coast, grew from a fishing village.

East African countries plan to increase spending dramatically on infrastructure projects in budgets to be released Thursday.

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi will unveil plans to fund the building of more roads, railways and power plants, as well as expand services such as health care and education, for the year starting July 1. In most cases, this will raise budget gaps as a percentage of gross domestic product, and increase borrowing requirements.

There is a risk of rising fiscal deficits coming from the fact that many have ambitious revenue targets they may fail to meet, said Tony Watima, a Nairobi-based independent economist.

More Expenditure

Spending will probably climb about 10% in Kenya in the next fiscal year, 17% in Uganda and 11% in Rwanda, while it will be broadly flat in Tanzania, the nations respective governments have said in forecasts.

Mixed Fortunes

Kenya and Tanzania see fiscal gaps narrowing, Uganda and Rwanda's to widen.

While the governments forecast that revenue will increase by double digits next year, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania all have plans to approach the debt markets to help raise the funds to finance their deficits. In Kenyas case, the nation will borrow about 607 billion shillings ($6 billion) locally and internationally in 2019-20, according to Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich.

More Funds

Government revenue will increase in double digits across East Africa

GDP in East Africa will probably expand 5.9% in 2019 and 6.1% in 2020, according to the African Development Bank, making it the fastest-growing region on the continent. Economic expansion in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi will average a combined 5.5% for the next two to three years, Citigroup Inc. Chief Economist for Africa David Cowan said Wednesday.

Infrastructure Boost

Kenya is implementing its so-called Big Four agenda, which will see the regions largest economy hand over no less than 500,000 houses to first-time homeowners by June 2022, and develop more manufacturing, food production and health care to create jobs in a nation where unemployment is a sticking electoral issue. The projects will cost 405 billion shillings ($4 billion) in the coming year, budget estimates show.

If approved by lawmakers, about 7.5% of Tanzanias 33.1 trillion-shilling ($14 billion) budget will go toward building a standard-gauge railway line that will link the East African nations commercial city of Dar es Salaam with the town of Mwanza along Lake Victoria, through the capital, Dodoma. The country is due this month to start building the 2,115-megawatt Rufiji hydropower project.

The International Monetary Fund in April said that Tanzanias economy is being harmed by the unpredictable and interventionist policies of President John Magufulis government. It said this in a report whose release the East African country has blocked.

The Magufuli administration hasnt done a good job in enticing investors to enter the country, and erratic policy making will in fact continue to have the opposite effect, said Jacques Nel, the chief economist for southern and eastern Africa at NKC African Economics.Nigerias 2019 general elections won by President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress werent transparent and were marred by violence and harassment of voters, the European Union observer mission said.

The elections became increasingly marred by violence and intimidation, with the role of the security agencies becoming more contentious as the process progressed,  the EU observers said Saturday in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, in their final report on the Feb. 23 and March 2 votes. This damaged the integrity of the electoral process and may deter future participation.

The elections gave Buhari, 76, a second four-year term with 56% of the vote, while Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President and candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, came second with 41%. The ruling party also won a majority of parliamentary seats.

At least 58 people, including election officials, were killed in voting-related violence, according to the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, a coalition of civic groups that monitored the vote.

Abubakar and the opposition PDP have filed a court petition challenging the presidential election outcome, arguing he wouldve won but for rigged voting in Buharis favor.Weed and religion dont go together, I thought.

However, a Leafly article by Natan Ponieman suggested otherwise. Moderation seems to be the key to the enjoyment of non-medical cannabis in the Christian tradition, he wrote.

In an exclusive conversation, Ponieman explained that, when you look at it from a historical perspective, there is nothing in the basis of Christianity against medicine. Jesus himself was (and still is for many, today) a healer.

The default relationship one would normally trace between the big churches and prohibitionism has more to do with their historical role as political agents, than it has to do with any directive derived from their core value system.

A few months after my conversation with Shavo, and Poniemans article came out, I met Joy Smith, a grandmother who went from preaching the Lords word as a Christian minister, to preaching the benefits of pure CBD as a hemp entrepreneur.

It seemed that, step-by-step, cannabis and Christianity were getting closer.

The Queens Cannabis

Despite these small advancements, nothing (not even a big cloud of white smoke coming out of the Vatican) could have prepared me for the surprise I woke up to last weekend: the Church of England, the mother of the international Anglican Communion, led by Queen Elizabeth II, will be changing its investment funds rules to allow for investments in medical cannabis, which is now legal in the U.K. under certain circumstances  although actual access remains pretty limited.

The fund in question, the Church Commissioners for England fund, currently manages about 8.3 billion ($10.5 billion) in assets  although the Financial Times reported assets of $16 billion, based on this report. As a closed fund, no new contributions are accepted; the fund currently destines all of its profits to financing the Churchs ongoing expenses.

According to the Financial Times, Edward Mason, head of responsible investment for the Church Commissioners fund, said the organization makes a clear distinction between medical cannabis and adult-use cannabis, supporting only proper medicinal purposes at the time.

Adding to these comments, a spokesperson for the fund told ABC News they will hold medicinal cannabis to the same standards as other traditional pharmaceuticals, only investing in properly licensed companies with products regulated for medicinal use.

This does not mean that cannabis companies with small stakes in recreational plays will not be considered for investment. The threshold, however, was set at 10 percent of total revenue.

Ethical Investing Now Includes Cannabis

Its all about investing in ethical businesses, The Church Commissioners Annual Report 2018 explains. In fact, its focus to be a leader in ethical and responsible investment showed excellent results, says Andrew Brown, Secretary to the Church Commissioners.

Our approach involves ethical exclusions; incorporation of environmental, social and governance issues; action on climate change risks and opportunities; engagement and voting; and impact monitoring and impact investments, the report further elaborates.

Commenting on the issue, Saul Kaye, founder and CEO of Israel-based iCAN and internationally-focused cannabis events company CannaTech, said exclusively, Having the Church of England open up about cannabis is a great move that lends credence to the whole industry and helps to break the stigma around medicinal cannabis.

Boris Blatnik, CEO of Switzerland-based KannaSwiss, added, The support of the Church of England of plant derived medicine is a further endorsement to the growing amount of evidence to the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis.

But Ponieman disagrees. For him, whats happening here has nothing to do with the Church of England loosening up, or becoming stoner-friendly. Ultimately, what this event reflects is the change in perception our society is having around medical cannabis, he ended.

Culled from Forbes.com

Written by Javier Hasse

Disclaimer:

As an editorial policy, Breaking Times neither oppose nor endorse any opinion and contribution expressed by our writers and contributors. Contributions are strictly that of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Breaking Times.

Op-Ed Contribution:

Our platform is for you. Want to submit an Op-Ed? If yes, kindly send your article and short biography to youreport@thebreakingtimes.comGovernor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State has been told to take charge as the governor of the state and stop the incessant harassment and abuse of the wife and children of the former governor of the State, Rochas Okorocha.

Okorocha, who issued the warning in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo on Friday, June 14, 2019, said Governor Ihedioha should call the Secretary to The State Government, Uche Onyeaguocha and his thugs to order and stop them from their harassment and abuse of the wife and children.

Ihedioha was reminded that Chief Ikedi Ohakim never harassed or abused the children and wife of Achike Udenwa he succeeded as governor. Rochas Okorocha for one day, never harassed or abused the wife and children of Chief Ohakim who he succeeded also as governor.

The statement partly reads: Thugs believed to be working for the secretary to the State Government, Chief Onyeaguocha invaded a mechanic workshop around the Orji flyover and took away a vehicle undergoing repair and owned by the daughter of the former governor, Uloma Nwosu nee Okorocha.Controversial Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye has mocked the newly elected Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who he called a mace thief.

Mr. Omo-Agege, who merged Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, is still enmeshed in an allegation of aiding the invasion of the Senate chamber in 2018.

Omo-Agege was alleged to have led thugs to the chamber to steal the mace last year. Police say they found the mace at the Abuja City Gate a day after it was stolen.

Dino Melaye who mocked and called Senator Omo-Agege a mace thief, shared a funny photo which had a funny description that matched his claim.

See his post below:Slovakia environmental lawyer, Zuzana Caputova, was on Saturday sworn in as the first EU member 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 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.

ALSO READ: Kogi guber: No one can push me out of APC  Yahaya Bello

Analysts called her inaugural speech surprisingly mild, given her past criticism of the government.

The new presidents 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.

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 Slovakias 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.

AFP

Post Views: 40The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Nigeria on Saturday denied existence of any server belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission used to collate the 2019 general elections.

Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had claimed that an INEC server was used to transmit results of the 23 February presidential election and at the election tribunal, has obtained an order to examine the server.

INEC in its counter-affidavit at the tribunal dismissed the existence of any server, saying that results were manually collated across the country.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja on the EU EOMs report, the Deputy Chief Observer for the EU, Hannah Roberts said the mission knew nothing about INEC server that was allegedly used to transmit results of the 2019 general elections.

The EU had to rely on INECs explanation in result transmission, she said.

Maria Arena, EU Chief Observer had earlier presented a final report with recommendations for electoral reforms.

She said the EU EOM had 91 observers on ground for the Presidential and National Assembly elections across Nigeria.

ALSO READ: Buhari And State Of The Nation: The Miyetti Allah Dole As Tragedy Of Self-Deceit

Arena added that 73 observers were deployed for the Governorship and State House of Assembly election while only 20 observers were used for the supplementary elections.

Following its observation mission, she said the EU EOM had 30 recommendations on how to improve future electoral processes in Nigeria.

The EU report prioritised seven recommendations of the 30, one of which was that Nigeria should strengthen INEC procedures for the collation of results to improve integrity and confidence in electoral outcomes.

Another recommendation was that electoral tribunals cover pre-election cases in order to improve access to remedy and to avoid petitions being taken to different courts at the same time.

However, Festus Keyamo, spokesman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, who addressed newsmen afterwards, faulted the EU EOM for not coming to a conclusion in its report.

If you observed certain anomalies, they could not have been more than 500 or 1000 polling units and if you do observe anomalies in those polling units, how does that substantially affect results coming from 120,000 polling units?

So it is not enough for you discuss the anomalies.They must discuss the overall results coming from the entire country and whether it did reflect the wishes of the people. This is what we want to know because they have problems in the US elections, there are problems in the EU and even UK elections.

For Christ sake, we need a detailed analysis to come to a definitive conclusion about the overall result of the election, he said

Post Views: 117The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kaduna state chapter has threatens to drag the Kaduna state government to court over the religious bill recently passed by the former State House of Assembly.

Recall that the controversial religious preaching regulation law, 1984 was passed on June 7th, 2019, three years after the bill faced criticism from different religious bodies and individuals.

The bill, which purpose is to regulate religious preaching in Kaduna State with a view of promoting religious harmony and peaceful co-existence amongst the residents of the state, was brought to the House since 2016.

Speaking on Saturday, the Kaduna state Chairman of CAN, Reverend John Joseph Hayab, said the body is going to contest the legality of bill which was hurriedly signed passed by the former lawmakers.

He added that Christians in the state would not accept the religious bill passed by the State House of Assembly, even if Governor Nasir El-Rufai assents on it.

According to the Christian body, the bill, which the former lawmakers endorsed before the House of Assembly was dissolved, is a breach of the fundamental rights of all Christians in the state which the constitution guaranteed, and its being studied for immediate legal action in the court of law.

ALSO READ: Group accuses el-Rufai of abolishing vigils, Christmas, Easter, New Years Eve observance by Christians

I, as the chairman of CAN in the state or any official, was not invited for any preliminary hearing by the State House of Assembly on the bill that the House hurriedly passed before it was resolved. And even the Interfaith Council which they claimed would regulates the activities of Churches and Mosques in the state, most of the members dont understand what Christianity is, let alone regulating our religion.

They cannot regulate both private and public evangelism of Christians. What is the essence of Christianity if we cannot evangelise both privately and publicly? The law cannot work. We will not accept it, he said.

Besides, Hayab added, I was in America when the news of the Assembly endorsing the bill was announced. Now that I am back, we are going to challenge the unlawful bill that the people of Kaduna rejected.

He argued, Even if the Governor assent to the bill, we will challenge its legality. We will not accept anything that would trample on our fundamental rights to worship and evangelise. We will go to court and challenge it.

And for the sake of religious harmony, the government of Kaduna should avoid anything that will bring disharmony in the state. We have had enough controversies and issues of insecurity. Government should not overheat the polity again.

Post Views: 92The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has disclosed its willingness to severely deal with the smugglers of the items on the list of prohibited import, which are indiscriminately found not only in the Nigerian markets, but on every nook and cranny of the country.

These economic saboteurs, our correspondent learnt, would face the long arm of the law as the apex bank tightens the noose around the culprits.

A highly placed source at the CBN who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the issue confided in our correspondent that the CBN is at the concluding stage of investigation and would soon name and shame the culprits.

The Nation recalls that the CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele had recently announced that the bank had blocked the accounts of some smugglers sabotaging Nigerias economy in the textile, rice and palm oil industry.

According to the source, The CBN governor is very furious about the continued activities of the economy saboteurs. Smuggling and dumping had sabotaged economic policies of this county for so long.

Emefiele had earlier stated that these illicit activities perpetrators are the worst enemies of the Nigerian economy, adding that the bank would not relent until the major actors are brought to book.

According to him, In due course, we will come up with the names of those identified but we want to be sure that we have come up with something that is credible and that you cannot deny. At this stage, we have already blocked the accounts of some in the textile, rice and palm oil industries.

Read Also: CBN injects $210m into forex market

We are investigating those accounts and as information becomes clearer and as we can clearly say they have committed the offence, we will go to the next round which is to forbid any Nigerian banks from opening any account with them. Nigeria is very good at making brilliant economic policies, but we have identified smugglers and dumpers as those who sabotage these policies and we will deal with them. In our strategy, we will not bother ourselves because there is an agency of government responsible for border control.

It could be recalled that the Federal Government recently announced the discontinuation of forex provision for importers of textile materials in the country, which automatically makes it a criminal offence for the importers to access forex from government approved agencies and sources.

The policy is expected to revive the Cotton, Garment and Textile sector, as the old way of providing Forex for importers by government is not improving the standard of the textile sector, neither is the duty on textile effective to stop the increase in importation.

CBN boss further disclosed that the policy aims at repositioning the sector for job creation and economic growth, adding that the old approach contributed to the closure of about 180 textile mills in the country.

Nigerias dependence on textile importation led to the shut-down of many textile companies which, in turn, caused retrenchment in the textile industry, Emefiele emphasised.

He regretted that Nigerians are still in the act of importing palm oil, rice, corn and other farm produce.

He warns that the already troubled economy would not regain stamina if these economic saboteurs are not stopped.

He stressed that the efforts of the government through Anchor Borrowers Fund is already yielding results, adding that these economic detractors should not scuttle the progress made so far.

Emefiele lamented that continued indulgence in such activity would not only impoverish the country but would also keep making the teaming youths jobless, while creating jobs for other countries.

According to him, the apex bank would continue to support local cotton farmers through the ABP to enable them meet the needs of the local textile industry.A popular Instagram influencer, Tunde Ednut has shared the story of a rich lady who is seeking a Nigerian lover. She presently works in an oil company abroad and she is ready to help her partner financially.

Several people have been going crazy about the perks of the relationship. The post attracted vast comments on Instagram.

Read the full gist below:Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, has commended Kola Abiola, the son of the late MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the Jun 12 1993 election, for exposing former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and other June 12 opportunists.

George said this during an interview with a correspondent on the telephone while reacting to Kolas allegations that after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, Tinubu approached the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, and begged him for a commissioner appointment in Lagos State.

According to Kola, it was after Tinubu had lost out that he decided to join hands with the National Democratic Coalition to fight for the actualisation of the June 12 mandate.

George, who is also a former military administrator, hailed Kola for stating the facts even as he lamented that many opportunists were seeking to twist history.

He said, It is true that Tinubu went to beg for a commissioner position. He was in the Villa and Gen. Oladipo Diya is a witness. He (Tinubu) said he wanted to be a deputy to a military administrator and when all that didnt work, he went into his activism.

The PDP chieftain hailed Kola for deciding to make a documentary of the June 12 saga.

George said Kola must not be victimised for saying the truth since, as the first son of MKO, he was an insider.

He said, Most of what Kola said is true. He spoke from the heart and he was trying to set the records straight in the face of the many narratives. He had been looking for who would help to recognise the June 12 saga so that his father wouldnt have died in vain.

In the course of this, he had bottled up so much. He went through a lot, having lost his mother and family businesses during the struggle. So, he was setting the records straight so that people would not rewrite history.

The PDP chieftain, however, said Nigeria had yet to learn from the June 12 saga.

He said the lessons of June 12 go beyond declaring a holiday or immortalising MKO.

George said, Now, June 12 has been adopted as a national holiday but have we learnt any serious lesson from it? Have we done anything to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated?

Yes, people are pontificating and trying to use it as a political tool but believe we have not learnt anything.

The PDP chieftain said Nigerians were more united during the June 12 struggle than today and argued that more emphasis should be placed on uniting the nation through the legacy of June 12.

Attempts to speak with Tinubus media aide, Tunde Rahman, proved abortive as he neither returned calls nor responded to a text message on Saturday.President Muhammadu Buhari has approved N208 billion as part of the 2019 intervention through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for infrastructural and teacher development in public tertiary institutions.

This amount approved by the government is a far cry from the N1.1 trillion the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is asking for to fund the university system and halt the decay in infrastructure and equipment in public universities.

President Buhari, who disclosed this at the 23rd convocation of the University of Abuja on Saturday, said the intervention was part of his administrations effort to address the deficiencies in all the segments of our educational system.The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday morning refuted the claim that he was planning to protest against the Muhammadu Buhari government and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

His rebuttal was contained in a tweet he posted on Twitter.

He was reacting to a quote credited to a PDP Youth Group which said: My Server Results Are Authentic and if judges frustrate the Justice we will take over the street. I will lead all Nigerians in a massive protest that mankind have never witness before.

Responding: Atiku said: The quote purportedly attributed to me with respect to INEC Server, an issue currently before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal is fake and the handiwork of mischief makers.

At the last tribunal hearing, INEC denied having a server where results of the February 23 presidential election were uploaded.

ALSO READ: Atikus case suffers setback as EU backs INEC on Server

Atiku and the PDP had through their lawyers led by Levy Uzoukwu, SAN, asked the Tribunal to compel the electoral umpire to grant them access to the server and smart card readers.

However, INECs lawyer, Yunus Ustaz Usman (SAN) in a counter affidavit asked the court to dismiss the application.

They are asking us to bring something we dont have, he said.

Usman further called the Tribunals attention to its judgment on March 6 granting PDP access to inspect only election materials without the server.

President Muhammadu Buharis lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, Lateef Fagnemi, SAN, both told the Tribunal to dismiss the application for failing to disclose the existence of the server.EGGCELSIOR Poultry Farms Inc. (EPFI) recently signed a partnership with the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) last December 2018.

The event was held at the EPFIs corporate Office on 5000 President Magsaysaysay St. in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City.

EPFI company president Alvin Hing and directors Paul Holaysan and Valiant Ngo were present as signatories. Vice president Noelito Marcos and relationship manager James Pepito Jr. signed on behalf of BPI.

The company held its groundbreaking ceremony in its 11-hectare farm in Barangay Capio-an, Argao, Cebu last year. Inside the complex, 21 buildings will rise.

The poultry farm will be one of the most innovative and modern layer farms in the Philippines, the company said.

The project is committed to the advancement of agricultural technology in the country by establishing the latest state-of-the-art facilities.

EPFI aims to provide quality food to Cebuanos and its neighboring regions.

EPFI officials said their project will not only uplift the agricultural industry but also provide job opportunities as it adheres to sustainable and environmental compliant operations.

We would like to be part of uplifting the lives of the Filipino people, Hing said. (S)Hong Kong police threatened, bullied and snubbed in public backlash against forces handling of extradition bill protests

Hong Kong police have been publicly scolded, rejected by other departments and given the cold shoulder in restaurants, as well as subjected to bullying and intimidation online, over the notorious extradition bill, a union has said.

In a letter to members of Junior Police Officers Association, obtained by the Post, its chairman Lam Chi-wai paid tribute to the forces efforts in dealing with protesters, despite the risk of injury, but added they were now being smeared as part of a backlash.

Since the June 12 riot, the police are facing huge pressure, said Lam, adding even officers families were having to endure abuse.

We are silently facing rioters pointing fingers, humiliation, attacks and their endless quest for revenge.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets over two consecutive Sundays to oppose the extradition bill and Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngors decision on Saturday to only put the planned amendments to Fugitive Offenders Ordinance on hold.

They demanded she retracted the plan altogether and have denounced what they called the polices heavy-handed approach to the protests last week.

Opponents rejected the bill, which would allow fugitives to be sent from Hong Kong to jurisdictions which do not already have extradition agreements with the city, such as mainland China. They fear the bill, once passed, would lead to unfair prosecution.

Thousands of Hongkongers who demonstrated in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide over the last two Sundays joined the outcry against police tactics.

During last weeks clashes, which the police called a riot, at least 80 people were hurt, including 22 officers.

Lam, of the association, bemoaned so many people blindly believing the version of events put forward by protesters, some of whom he said were throwing bricks at officers and attacking them with steel bars.

He added that rank-and-file members of the force, who are among the 170,000 civil servants in Hong Kong, were loyal to the government and politically neutral.

Story continues

About 5,000 out of the total of 30,000 officers were mobilised to maintain order at Wednesdaysprotest.

We lamented lies flying around that the police dispersed bare-handed students, he said.

During Wednesdays clashes in Admiralty, where the government headquarters and Legislative Council are located, the police fired 150 rounds of tear gas  nearly double the number directed at crowds on the first day of the Occupy demonstrations in 2014  as well as about 20 beanbag rounds and several rounds of rubber bullets.

Union boss Lam helped arrange the tear gas on Wednesday, prompting many parents to come out for todays march in condemnation of the polices handling of mostly young protesters.

International student Jennifer Lau Cheuk-ying, 25, took part in the Adelaide march not only to demand Lam stepped down and apologised for the extradition bill drama, but to denounce the polices treatment of demonstrators.

We condemn the police for being exceptionally heavy-handed on protesters, she told the Post.

Lau also demanded the police retract the classification of Wednesdays protest as a riot.

Lam, of the association, could not be reached for further comment.

This article Hong Kong police threatened, bullied and snubbed in public backlash against forces handling of extradition bill protests first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.WITH the thriving homegrown businesses in Cebu, integrated e-payment provider PayMaya launched its digital financial services to boost the marketability of companies not only to locals but also to tourists.

Mario Lazaro, director and head of PayMaya Business, said their company provides opportunities to both sellers and consumers to transact in a cashless system that highlights security and accessibility in the payment ecosystem.

We are not only promoting prepaid wallets to the consumers but were also enabling merchants to accept payments, Lazaro said.

As the island continues its thrust on tourism with top international markets like Koreans, Chinese and Japanese, among others, Lazaro said their system would suit the way these nationalities manage their financial transactions.

For the international tourists, they have global standards like Visa, Mastercard, WeChat and Alipay. The only way that you can accept payments is when you come up with a solution that will equalize the experience, whether youre a small merchant, a medium one or a big one, he said.

Lazaro said this payment experience lies on QR codes and contactless card payment.

All our solutions have those. When you deploy a solution terminal to the merchant, that solution can accept both QR payments and Visa or Mastercard for contactless one. Were confident in saying that our One by PayMaya device is the only machine in the Philippines that does that, he said.

The all-in-one device is an Android-based tool that comes with a host of connectivity options, which includes WiFi and mobile internet that allows merchants to offer a variety of payment ways.

Lazano said their team also distributed free QR kits to small and medium enterprises to keep them on track when it comes to digital and cashless payments.

The kit has a QR code and a cellphone where the seller will receive the payment from a customer through PayMaya in real-time.

By offering cashless payment options to Cebuanos, we allow merchants to reach out to more consumers and help them participate in the growing digital economy of the country, he said.

PayMaya has partnered with merchants like Bos Coffee, Zubuchon, Gaisano Brothers Merchandising, Cebu Belmont, Allegiant Regional Care Hospital, Maayo Medical Clinic, RDAK Global Motors, Lite Shipping, Motor Ace Philippines and Honda Motor World. (JOB)Credit: CC0 Public Domain

After Neil Armstrong took a "giant leap for mankind" on the Moon nearly 50 years ago and collected rocks and soil along the way, Richard Nixon presented lunar souvenirs to every nation135, at the time.

Dozens of the "goodwill" moon rockssome only the size of a grain of rice, others as big as a marblehave since gone missing, and Joseph Gutheinz Jr is on a mission to find them.

The 63-year-old retired NASA special agent is the "Moon Rock Hunter."

"Some people go rock hunting," Gutheinz said in an interview with AFP at his law office in a Houston suburb decorated with awards from NASA and the US military. "I go Apollo-era rock hunting."

Gutheinz's quixotic quest to track down missing moon fragments intersects with the coups, wars, assassinations and other political turmoil of the past half-century.

"The Libyan moon rocks? Gone," Gutheinz said. "Afghanistan's? Gone."

The journey features a colorful cast of charactersfrom a Texas billionaire and a Honduran army colonel to a Las Vegas casino mogul, not to mention the late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco and the Ceausescus of Romania.

Gutheinz, who teaches college courses in addition to practicing law, retrieved one moon rock himself through an undercover sting operation. His criminal justice students have located 78 others as class assignments.

Beginning with Apollo 11, which landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969, and ending with Apollo 17, in December 1972, US astronauts collected 842 pounds (382 kilograms) of rocks and lunar soil.

Moon rocks collected by Apollo 11 and 17 were given to every country and the 50 US states.

Encased in clear Lucite, they were affixed to a wooden plaque that featured a miniature flag of the recipient nation, which had been flown to the Moon.

Some have been stolen, ending up in the hands of private collectors who paid millions of dollars to own a tiny piece of Earth's satellite.

Others have simply been lost or destroyed.

'Operation Lunar Eclipse'

Gutheinz, a former US Army helicopter pilot and intelligence officer, is determined to restore the missing rocks to their rightful owners.

"These were gifts," he said. "We didn't give them to individuals.

"I wanted to make sure that we took these pieces of history and we gave them back to the people."

Gutheinz became involved with moon rocks while working as a special agent for NASA, where he ferreted out corruption among contractors by day and studied for a law degree at night.

"After the Apollo 11 landing, con artists were going door-to-door selling bogus moon rocks to the hopeful and the unsuspecting," he said. "I didn't like that."

In 1998, Gutheinz launched a sting operation, "Operation Lunar Eclipse," aimed at nabbing fraudsters.

Gutheinz and Bob Cregger, a US Postal Service agent, adopted false personas and created a fictitious company, John's Estate Sales.

"We went after the con artists," Gutheinz said. "What we found was the real thing."

They put an ad in U.S. Today saying "Moon Rocks Wanted" and were contacted within weeks by a man named Alan Rosen, who offered to sell them an authentic moon rock for $5 million.

After federal agencies declined to put up the money, Gutheinz secured $5 million from Texas billionaire and one-time presidential candidate Ross Perot.

Rosen handed over the moon rock in a Miami bank vault, where it was impounded by a US Customs agent posing as a bank officer.

"It was not until we actually seized the moon rock that we learned it was the Honduras Apollo 17 moon rock," said Gutheinz, whose desk features a replica of it mounted on a plaque.

"There was a military coup in Honduras," he said. "And the dictator that came in gifted the moon rock to one of his colonels to say thank you."

The Honduran colonel had originally demanded $1 million but Rosen ended up buying it for $50,000, said Gutheinz, who retired from NASA in 2000 to set up shop as an attorney.

The moon rock was eventually returned to Honduras after a years-long court case.

'I'm going to find it'

A stolen moon rock given to another Central American nationNicaraguaalso underwent a circuitous journey.

The country's Apollo 11 fragment ended up with a Las Vegas casino mogul named Bob Stupak, who bought it from a Baptist missionary who had obtained it in Costa Rica.

Stupak displayed it for a time in his Moon Rock Cafe but when the casino owner died, Gutheinz was contacted by his lawyer, who asked him what he should do with the moon rock.

"Give it to NASA with the promise that they'll return it to Nicaragua," Gutheinz said he told him. "And that's exactly what they did."

While the Honduran and Nicaraguan moon rocks ended up going home, dozens of others remain unaccounted for.

Spain's Apollo 11 moon rock is believed to be in the hands of the family of the late Spanish dictator Franco.

"The story is that one of Franco's grandchildren tried to sell the Apollo 11 moon rock in Switzerland and that was blocked by Interpol," Gutheinz said.

One of Romania's two moon rocks also is missing.

"After the Ceausescus, Nicolae and Elena, were executed on Christmas Day 1989, the estate of this horrible communist dictator sold it to some capitalist," Gutheinz said.

"It's out there somewhere and someday I'm going to go find it."

Gutheinz is pretty sure he knows where Ireland's Apollo 11 moon rock is, but it's unlikely to be recovered any time soon.

It was housed in the Dunsink Observatory in Dublin when a fire erupted in 1977, and the debris ended up in a landfill.

Fortune hunters have been known to go "looking for their pot of gold" there ever since, Gutheinz said.

Explore further What happened to the Apollo goodwill moon rocks?

 2019 AFP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 CentenWoman sentenced in drug case

QUEENSBURY  A New York City woman who was arrested last October for her role in a crack cocaine sale ring in Queensbury has been sentenced to jail and probation.

Elena S. Boistean, 29, pleaded guilty in February in Warren County Court to criminal possession of a controlled substance for her arrest last fall by the Warren County Sheriffs Office.

Warren County Judge John Hall sentenced her to 6 months in Warren County Jail and 5 years on probation and also faces deportation to her native Romania after her sentence is done.

An Albany man who was arrested with her, Giorgio A. White, 31, pleaded guilty two two felonies and was sentenced to 6 years in state prison.

Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2Editor:

I first met Jim LaFarr in 1991 when he was an applicant for a patrol officer with the Warren County Sheriffs Department. He was young, bright, and full of enthusiasm. He had met all of our requirements, so I hired him. As with all new officers, you teach them, you observe their conduct and watch them grow into the job. As time passed, we in leadership positions realized Jim had this special ability to be compassionate while firm in enforcing our laws. He was very effective handling calls and his caseload.

Jim rose through the ranks becoming major, third in command at the department, serving under three different sheriffs for the past 27 years. Not only has Jim served our county for many years in law enforcement, he served our country both in the U.S. Army and Air Force, a true patriot.

Jim has chosen Terry Comeau, another Sheriffs Department veteran, to be undersheriff if elected. Terry, like Jim, had that special spark that has carried him through his career. Terry was part of a special Federal Drug Task Force for several years. His hard work and dedication has made our community much safer.

Upon retiring as sheriff, I was appointed as commissioner of the State Commission of Corrections where I saw firsthand how every county Sheriffs Department functioned and operated. The county jails, including Warren County, are run by the sheriffs in New York with a few exceptions. After 41 years of service, I can tell you jails are difficult to manage. They are the forgotten burden of being sheriff.

Both Jim and Terry have worked their whole careers within the environment of the Sheriffs Department with a shared responsibility of corrections in house, giving both a unique insight of jail management issues.

Compassionate leadership benefits all.

Fred Lamy, Retired Warren County Sheriff and Commissioner of State Commission of Corrections, Warrensburg

Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 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She helped compile a Des Moines Register/Mediacom/CNN Iowa Poll that showed support divided among Iowa Democratic presidential candidates at 24 percent for Joe Biden, 16 percent for Bernie Sanders, 15 percent for Elizabeth Warren and 14 percent for Buttigieg.

We had a finding that about two in three say its more important to them to have a candidate with a strong chance to defeat Donald Trump more than that they share their stands on particular issues. So that says electability, Selzer said the poll found.

But poll respondents were given a set of seven candidate traits to rank and integrity came in first, followed by intelligence, leadership and electability, she noted.

They want to win, but ... their preferred arsenal is integrity and intelligence, and that may be what Pete Buttigieg sort of is exuding in a way that other candidates could emulate perhaps and in a way that is getting some traction there. Selzer added.

Buttigieg enhanced his Iowa stock with appearances last Friday at a Matthew Shepard Scholarship awards ceremony honoring the Wyoming college student who was beaten to death in 1998 for being gay, as well as giving opening remarks at last weekends Pride Fest in Des Moines.Although 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 usually employs 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 really was no story.The underlying issue is equity and it is not limited to the P25 Radio Project. Two pending lawsuits brought against Scott County over rural, residential road maintenance raise the same question. In those cases, the County is defending its decision not to commit taxpayers across the county to subsidize road maintenance in newly developed residential neighborhoods outside city limits. And, the issue is complicated by a decades-old precedent of doing exactly that. So, no wonder housing developers are crying "foul" at the change.

Putting these specific examples to one side, we need to recognize that all these concerns are the inevitable result of "layered" government; that is, cities, counties, school districts and other taxing authorities all operating independently. And it begs the question: Is it time for the people of Scott County to consider some form of consolidated government?

Today, there are about 35 city-county government models across the country. No two are exactly alike. Nor should they be. Local government should reflect the individuality of the community it serves. And so it is with these communities. Some are very large, like the City and County of San Francisco with a population approaching 1,000,000. But, others are quite small. The City and County of Broomfield, Colorado, is home to about 70,000 souls.We realize that our flood protection efforts also must do more than just shield the downtown. What happens in one place has an impact on areas that are down river. To that end, we hope Mayor Frank Klipsch works quickly to appoint the task force hes promised before downtown planning efforts get too far along.

The task force should include broad swaths of the community, along with federal agencies and non-governmental organizations that can offer expertise.

We've said it before: The Flood of 2019 has convinced us we need to do more than we have in the past to protect our riverfront, public infrastructure, residents and businesses.

We take the railroad at its word that it intends to be a partner. Marquis was right in saying the impact to the riverfront this year went beyond just the railroad's actions. The river has left a lot of damage, too. But the floodwaters will recede; we see no sign that the railroad tracks will be lowered. Indeed, the railroad has said this is permanent.

We want this to be a happy partnership. But we also believe, if the outcome isnt sufficient, our elected leaders must be ready to stand up for the people they represent, for the riverfront we cherish.After months of deliberation and planning, General Dwight Eisenhower was briefed by his top military advisors on the looming weather, the heavy tides, and the small window of time for execution. With a few minutes of contemplation, he gave his renowned answer that set the end of World War II into motion: Okaywell go. He then addressed his troops directly saying, You are about to embark on the Great Crusade The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.

What followed was the largest invasion by air, land, and sea in history. This solemn morning is forever etched into our history as D-Day.

On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 American, British, and French soldiers crossed the English Channel and thrust themselves onto the northern shores of France. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers charged into the dense, smoke-covered cliffs with enemy artillery raining down upon them.

At an enormous cost and against frightening odds, Allied forces scaled to the tops of Normandys cliffs, and the Greatest Generation began the liberation of a continent. Less than a year later, the Second World War was over and freedom prevailed.

Recently, Nebraskans stood with nations around the world in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

I had the distinct privilege of joining President Trump, French President Macron, and a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators at Normandy American Cemetery in France to honor heroes on the historic occasion of the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.

We gathered at what President Trump described as freedoms alter to pay tribute to members of the Greatest Generation from Nebraska and throughout our nation who took their duty as their fate on that day of triumph.

It was the honor of a lifetime to visit Normandy alongside over 150 of our nations veterans and honor our service members who fought against tyranny and genocide. I am proud of my fathers service in World War II, as well as two of my uncles who received Bronze Star citations for their service in the European Theater.

Nothing can prepare you for these sacred grounds of the Normandy American Cemetery. For me, I was moved by its peacefulness, and I was humbled by the overwhelming respect and gratitude felt by all for those heroes. With the sound of blue waves falling on the shoreline, the chaos of war has been replaced by rows of pristine, white marble crosses. The cemetery contains the graves of more than 9,000 Americans who gave their last full measure of devotion on D-Day. Nearby, the Wall of the Missing memorializes over one thousand soldiers who are still known only to God.

As President George W. Bush noted on the 60th Anniversary of D-Day, amidst the canteens, diaries, and helmets found on the coast were Bibles. Our boys had carried in their pockets the book that brought into the world this message: Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. In turn, the men who took the cliffs on D-Day defined this message for generations of service members that followed.

May we never forget their incredible courage and the preciousness of human freedom. And may we continue to protect these lasting values that still unite us today.

God Bless the United States of America.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Since everyone seems to be looking for revenue to fix streets, schools, bridges, highways, teachers' wages, its time to look at legalizing marijuana. Colorado has netted more than $1 billion dollars in revenue in just 5 years. Once again the medicinal benefits are there that far outweigh the bad that the older generation cant accept.

Since, as conservative columnist Marc Thiessen asserted, "Trump's Mexico Strategy Worked," then I assume there is no longer a "crisis" on the border and therefore no need for Trump's beloved wall.

I think the head of Game, Fish & Parks needs to explain his position on ecosystems where it concerns Kristi Noem's program for teaching our kids to torture small animals that eat ticks and other problematic pests. Did he just support a program that may upset a natural balance?

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Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Rural governors hate it when federal lawmakers use incentives to force their hands. Think of Obamacare and the early generous federal funding that enticed Heartland states to expand Medicaid. Gov. Kristi Noem once objected strongly to that sort of meddling.

"I can understand why governors aren't rushing into this (Obamacare)," then-U.S. Rep. Noem said in 2012. "As a former state legislator, I am well aware of how the federal government's promises to states don't always pan out." Each governor and legislature should make a decision based on what's best for their state, she said.

Therefore, its strange to now see the South Dakota Governors Office of Economic Development taking an Obamacare approach to incentivizing (some would say pressuring) county commissioners to approve concentrated animal feeding operations, known as CAFOs.

On May 15, GOED laid out a plan in which counties can get as much as $200,000 in state tax refunds for each large CAFO they approve. Refunds would be proportional to project size. For cash-starved rural counties dealing with flooded roads, its a carrot that cannot be fully ignored. Critics decry the move as state extortion. It certainly is a heavy finger on the scale as commissioners weigh the pros and cons of each proposed CAFO.

The pros of CAFOs are largely economic. When properly managed, located and monitored, CAFOs provide low-cost meat, milk, and eggs due to increased efficiencies. They can enhance local economies  increase spending on feed and local materials  and boost employment, thereby raising tax revenues for things like roads.

The cons are environmental, related to the tremendous amounts of manure produced. CAFO manure comes rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, and can contain E. coli, growth hormones, antibiotics, chemicals and heavy metals. Its the quantity and the threat to water that mostly concerns people. Large farms can produce more waste than some U.S. cities but lack similar sanitary waste treatment requirements, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Its not possible to fully outline the CAFO debate here. Arguments extend to family vs. factory farms, efficiencies of scale vs. environmental stewardship. Its probably best to look at the circumstances of each proposed CAFO individually, as county boards must do under rules for conditional use permits, a part of county zoning laws.

Thats why we object to GOEDs approach to advance every proposed CAFO by adjusting the rules for state economic development incentives. GOEDs initiative permits the developers of livestock projects to sign over their tax rebates to county governments that approve conditional use permits. Developers make arrangements to sign over the funds prior to the public hearing required of the permits, betting it will improve their odds when commissioners vote.

Using incentives, the state attempts to overcome the sometimes legitimate concerns of neighboring landowners, who object typically to smell, insects, contaminated water, falling land values and other potential CAFO negatives. The incentives also burden commissioners who deny permits with defending their decision to pass up free money.

Joe Fiala, community development director for GOED, defended the program. We want local control to continue without any changes. We are not inserting ourselves in those local-control questions, Fiala said.

Since when is dangling a large carrot before a voting body and presenting a large spanking stick not inserting yourself in local questions?

When GOED presented details of its initiative to the Pennington County Commission last month, Commissioner Gary Drewes said he didnt think the enticement of sales-tax revenue would unduly influence county officials. Weve got to make a decision when somebody brings a project forward, and were not going to base that total decision on whether or not the project will generate tax dollars, Drewes said.

We agree that county commissioners respect their roles and value input from local constituents, but the question isnt whether commissioners will base their total decision on a financial kickback but whether it should have any bearing at all.

Money will influence the tipping point, especially for desperate rural counties. Money tipped the scale for some Republican states considering Obamacare. How will this be any different?

Permits for individual CAFOs should be decisions left to local boards on behalf of local citizens without regard for what the state  which lacks any grasp of local circumstances  thinks is best. Or as Gov. Noem might have said in 2012: Each county commission should make decisions based on what's best for their county  period.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Paul Casper of Lake Preston is the 2019 Governors Ag Ambassador Award recipient. He will be recognized at the annual Governors Agricultural Summit in Sioux Falls July 11.

Paul Casper embodies hard work, honesty, and humility, Gov. Kristi Noem said in a news release. Pauls visionary leadership has increased processing opportunities for farmers and communities across South Dakota. He is one of our states strongest agricultural ambassadors, and Im proud to recognize him with this well-deserved award.

Paul has worked diligently and optimistically to advance agriculture in our state, Secretary of Agriculture Kim Vanneman added. He has dedicated much of his life to finding solutions that will improve life for South Dakotas producers, as well as others across our state, nation, and world.

Casper grew up on his family farm, where he farms today with his son, Drew. Over the years, he has been a key player in South Dakotas soybean industry. He was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the South Dakota Soybean Processors Cooperative, the first soybean processing cooperative in South Dakota. He also served as the president of the South Dakota Soybean Association and lobbied both the South Dakota legislature and the U.S. Congress on behalf of agriculture.

Casper has worked diligently to help protect South Dakotas natural resources, including serving on the River Basin Natural Resource District Oversight Advisory Task Force.

This is the ninth year a Governors Ag Ambassador has been recognized. Past recipients were Roger Schiebe, Lake Area Technical Institute, Michelle Rook, Bob Thaler, Brad Greenway, Mike Held, Jim Woster and Dan Gee.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Over the years, Ive written more than 700 columns for the Rapid City Journal. And Im pretty sure Ray Hillenbrand had a favorite.

It was the one where I admitted that I was wrong about Main Street Square.

I liked that column, he said to me once when we stopped to chat on Main Street across from the square. And you really were wrong, too.

I really was.

Not illogically so, however. There was pretty good reason for skepticism about the Main Street Square project.

Who really believed, after all, that a downtown ice-skating rink in the winter and interactive fountains and a grassy concert venue in the summer, all surrounded by shops and original sculptures and hosting a variety of movies and fairs and festivals, could succeed?

Ray Hillenbrand, for one. And he was the one who really mattered.

There have been some stutter steps, of course, with the square. Some businesses didnt work out. Some adjustments were needed. Some financial assistance has been required.

But it turned out to be a great idea. I had to admit it one winter night as I looked out from a second-story window of the Rapid City Journal down at the clean, well-lighted place across the street. It was packed with people and color and energy, as skaters spun and slid and shuffled across the ice.

That led to my column, which led to Rays I-told-you-so smile that day on the sidewalk.

I thought of that smile Tuesday morning during Rays funeral mass at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. The lead celebrant was Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, a close friend of Rays who some years back served as bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City.

Chaput had joined the Hillenbrand family for Rays last days, his final hours, on the campus of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. From his hospital bed, Ray gave the archbishop a three-page, single-spaced, typed letter to the community. It offers guidance on how we should move forward without one of our most generous, influential leaders.

And Ray was a leader, even though he avoided the spotlight and worked his community magic as anonymously as possible, quietly putting his money where his heart was. Beyond Main Street Square, he sent millions of dollars into our community through smartly targeted donations to charitable causes and essential services.

Working on a vital project or indispensable initiative? You might have received an envelope mailed unceremoniously with a check inside. Maybe it was for thousands, or tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Maybe there was a simple note: Use this for good in our community.

To the very end, Ray Hillenbrand was working for that good. In the letter read by Chaput, Ray said a communitys heart is its attractions and facilities, but its soul is its people.

Who they are, what they stand for, how they care for one another, he wrote.

Through that caring, Ray became the foundation of the One Heart campus for the homeless and the non-profits that serve them. One Heart is being developed next to the countys existing Care Campus, which Ray also helped with a hefty check or two.

In his letter, Ray offered three key principles for us to follow in making Rapid City the most caring community of its size in the nation.

1) All lives have equal value. 2) We take care of our own. 3) We help people in need to create a sense of self worth and build healthy, productive lives.

Its a lot to ask of a community, but Ray had faith in us. And Im not going to doubt that faith again.

Kevin Woster writes a blog and offers radio commentary for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He can be reached by emailing kevinwoster@rushmore.com.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Wild horses and burros are coming to Hamilton next week and the government will pay you $1,000 to take one home with you.

To qualify for the Bureau of Land Managements new adoption incentive program, people have to show they have enough space and stout enough fences to keep the animals safe. Once their application is approved, adopters will get $500 within 60 days of the adoption date and another $500 about one year later when the owner receives a title for the animal.

The Bureau of Land Management is currently conducting a series of satellite adoption events across the state.

Hamiltons event will be the largest, with about 100 wild horses and burros, said BLMs Montana and Dakotas wild horse program lead Jerrie Bertola.

Last year was the first time in six years that the BLM has offered horses and burros for adoption at satellite events in Montana. There will be similar events at Kalispell, Lewistown and Livingston this summer and one in Glendive in September.

The horses offered for adoption at Hamilton will come from Oregon and California. The burros will be brought in from Utah.

There are currently about 50,000 horses and burros in holding pens awaiting adoption. Over the last few years, the numbers of people interested in taking in the animals has been declining.

A horse housed in a holding pen costs the government about $2,000 a year. The cost of managing the free-ranging herds and those held in pens is estimated at nearly $50 million annually.

As of March 1, 2018, there were an estimated 81,890 wild horses and burros on public land, which is more than triple the number the land can support along with other legally mandated uses, according to a BLM release.

The incentive program was established to encourage qualified people to adopt one or more of the animals.

We understand that adopting a wild horse or burro represents a commitment, said BLM Deputy Director of Programs and Policy Brian Steed. The incentive is designed to help with the adopters initial training and humane care. I encourage anyone who has considered adopting a wild horse or burro to join the thousands of owners who have provided good homes to more than 245,000 wild horses or burros since 1971.

To qualify for the program, people need to have 400-square-foot piece of ground surrounded by a 6-foot-tall fence for horses that have not been trained. The fence needs to be 4-feet tall for burros. If there are any trained horses available for adoption or animals younger than 18 months, a 5-foot-high fence will do.

While BLM officials dont make an inspection before the animals go to their new home, Bertola said compliance inspections happen throughout the year.

The horses that will be available for adoption in Hamilton range in age from yearlings to about 7. Burros are yearlings to age 13.

People who attend the adoption event at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds in Hamilton can either go online and get an application or fill one out after they arrive.

We encourage people to bring their horse trailers with them so they can take them home, Bertola said.

The BLM started its adoption tour in Minot, North Dakota. Of the 40 animals taken to the event, 34 were placed.

The Hamilton wild horse and burro adoption event will get underway at 8 a.m. Thursday, June 20, and end at noon Sunday, June 23. On all days but the last, the horses can be viewed between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event also features two Mustang Matt Clinics on Friday and Saturday that run between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

There is a $25 adoption/sale fee for untrained animals.

For more information, people can call 406-647-3477 or email Bertola at jbertola@blm.gov.

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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.For decades, Montanans have sought a path towards resolving the management of more than a half-million acres of public lands designated as wilderness study areas (WSAs). These are places so special that Congress set them aside in 1977 until it had time to decide what their fate should be. The fate of some of these WSAs has been resolved, others not.

On June 26, a legislative committee will begin examining what to do with Montanas WSAs as a result of a study resolution passed by the 2019 Montana Legislature. Some of our states most beloved public lands are at stake.

Two years ago, despite significant public opposition, the Legislature passed a partisan resolution calling on Congress to remove all existing protections for several remaining WSAs across the state, which would open these areas to industrial development. Senator Daines quickly jumped on board and, with virtually no public outreach or stakeholder involvement, introduced top-down legislation unilaterally stripping away protections for places like the Sapphire Mountains, Big Snowies, and West Pioneers.

As Montanans learned that Daines was proposing to open their favorite hunting, fishing and hiking spots to mining and drilling, the response was predictably swift. Within a few months, thousands of Montanans called Daines office, submitted op-eds and letters-to-the-editor, and signed an open letter calling for a much different approach to resolving our WSAs.

A public opinion poll found that only 11% of Montanans supported Daines bill. The legislation died without receiving a single vote.

As the opposition to Daines bill showed, Montanans want a much different approach, one that brings people together and seeks a middle ground. So, the Legislature weighed in again, establishing a committee to study WSAs in Montana managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The committee will hear from stakeholders, public agencies and the public, then report its findings and conclusions to the entire Legislature in September 2020.

This new approach is laudable. The Legislature is attempting to provide a forum that brings Montanans together to develop a permanent solution to WSA management, a solution that the public and key stakeholders can support.

Of course, the Montana Legislature is the wrong body to conduct such a study. It has no more say on federal land management than any other Montanans do. Only Congress can make decisions regarding our WSAs, which means that any resolution proposed by the state Legislature will need to gain the support of Montanas entire Congressional delegation  something thats within reach.

For the committee to have any chance of gaining the support of Montanans and our Congressional delegation, we believe that it needs to:

 Begin with a commitment to finding true, bipartisan solutions.

 Include all interests that have a stake in public lands, including those that the legislators disagree with.

 Seek a publicly supported middle ground.

 Offer recommendations for our WSAs that reflect that public lands are the backbone of Montanas outdoor heritage, source of clean drinking water and critical habitat for fish and wildlife.

Finally, the committee needs to recognize the history of collaborative dialogue in Montana, as well as local efforts that seek compromise. For the past decade, Montanans of all stripes have worked together to find solutions for public land management challenges. Collaborative groups such as the Kootenai Forest Stakeholders Coalition and Gallatin Forest Partnership are forging proposals that work for a wide range of stakeholders and deserve the Legislatures recognition and support.

Politics is the art of working together, seeking compromise, and proposing win-win solutions. The new legislative committee has the opportunity to help find a path forward on Montanas treasured public lands. We hope the legislature is up to the task. We know Montanans are.

- Barb Cestero is senior regional representative at The Wilderness Society. Tracy Stone-Manning is associate vice president for public lands at the National Wildlife Federation. Kayje Booker is policy and advocacy director at Montana Wilderness Association. Dave Chadwick is executive director of Montana Wildlife Federation.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2Underlying the one-year anniversary in mid-August of the signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea is one of the greatest oil industry swindles in recent years. When representatives of the five Caspian littoral states meet on the 11th and 12th of August, Iran intends to seek some redress from Russia on Moscows manoeuvring last August. The Islamic Republic believes that it was robbed of its historical rights in the Caspian, conned out of a US$50 billion per year income, and left without Russias support against the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions.

Little of any apparent consequence was decided last August when the five Caspian littoral states  Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan  signed the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea. The limited publicity that surrounded the signing stated only that the agreement stipulated that relations between the littoral states would be based on the broad principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality among members, and the non-use of threat of force.

It refrained from specifically going into details about share allocations in the Caspian Sea resource and talked only vaguely about giving the area a special legal status. However, a senior oil and gas industry source who works closely with Irans Petroleum Ministry told OilPrice.com that there was a secret second part to the deal that has proven explosive for the perennially fractious relations between the Caspian states.

At stake is the massive Caspian Sea hydrocarbons resources prize that has been fought over since the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 resulted in three additional partners  Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan - to the original partnership of Russia and Iran. Prior to the fracturing of the USSR into its constituent independent states, Iran and the USSR had struck the original agreement in 1921 to split all fishing rights in the Caspian area 50-50. This was amended in 1924 to include any and all resources recovered, meaning in practical terms that all hydrocarbons resources would be shared equally between Russia and Iran. Iran should have said back then that Russia should have shared its Caspian stake with the three former USSR states, but it [Iran] was content to wait for the official legal dispute to be settled, underlined the Iran source. Related: Trade War Pushes Ultra-Rich Back Into Cash

At stake is the allocation of revenues from the wider Caspian basins area, including both onshore and offshore fields, that is conservatively estimated to have around 48 billion barrels of oil and 292 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas in proved and probable reserves. Around 41 percent of total Caspian crude oil and lease condensate and 36 percent of natural gas exists in the offshore fields, with an additional 35 percent of oil and 45 percent of gas estimated to lie onshore within 100 miles of the coast, particularly in Russias North Caucasus region.

The remaining 12 billion barrels of oil and 56 Tcf of natural gas are believed to be variously located further onshore in the large Caspian Sea basins, mostly in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. The area accounts for an average of 17 percent of the total oil production of the five littoral states that share its resources, on average totalling 2.5-2.9 million barrels per day (mbpd).

Before the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea agreement was signed last August, oil output targets for each country were set three months in advance, with all revenues paid into a central Caspian oil account, which was then split in equal proportions of 20 percent between the five littoral states, said the Iran source. The revenues, at least prior to the re-imposition of sanctions against Iran by the U.S. late last year, usually comprised 95 percent U.S. dollars and Euros, but with some local currencies in the mix.

Against this backdrop, the legal designation of the Caspian as either a sea or a lake would have far-reaching repercussions on the assignment of revenues from it. If it was designated a sea then coastal countries would apply the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982), in which event each littoral state would receive a territorial sea up to 12 nautical miles, an exclusive economic zone up to nautical 200 miles, and a continental shelf. In practice, this would mean that countries such as Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan would have exclusive access to offshore assets that Iran would not be able to access.

If it was designated a lake  and this was the informal designation before the August agreement  then the countries could use the international law concerning border lakes to set boundaries, by which each country effectively possesses 20 percent of the sea floor and surface of the Caspian.

In the preparations for the signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea last August, Iran had engaged lawyers to challenge the established 20 percent share that each littoral state had informally agreed upon, based on the fact that Russia should have used its own original 50 percent share to make good stakes for its former USSR states.

Iran was confident at that point that Russia would show some flexibility as, after the U.S. pulled out of the nuclear deal last May, Moscow immediately made a deal with Iran that would effectively have given it control of all of Irans oil and gas resources. Specifically, the deal was that Russia would hand Iran US$50 billion every year for at least five years. This would cover all of Irans estimated US$150 billion of costs to bring all of its key oil and gas fields up to Western standard, with US$100 billion left over for the build-out of other key sectors of its economy.

Russia also pledged to veto all attempts in the United Nations Security Council [UNSC] to have sanctions against Iran increased or to have the terms of the original nuclear deal re-drawn to include further sanctionable actions such as missile testing or not allowing snap inspections of all military facilities, which it could do as it is as one of just five Permanent Members on the UNSC, said the Iran source.

In exchange for this, Iran, in addition to giving Russia preference in the oil and gas sector, was also to tighten its military co-operation with Russia, including buying Russias S-400 missile defence system, allowing Russia to expand its number of listening posts in Iran and doubling the number of senior ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officers that are seconded in Moscow for ongoing training, to between 120 and 130. Related: Why Gold Still Beats Bitcoin

The catch for Iran was that, under the terms of the agreement, there was no clause that allowed Iran to impose any penalties on any Russian developer firm for slow progress on any field for the next 10 years. The Russians, though, during this entire 10-year period, would still have the right to dictate exactly how much oil was produced from each field, when it was sold, to whom it was sold, and for how much it was sold. Russia also had the right to be able to buy all of the oil  or gas  being produced from fields that their companies were supposedly developing at 55-72 percent of its open market value for the next 10 years.

The Iranians naively thought this meant that they had entered into a genuine two-way partnership with Russia but Russia didnt see it that way, the Iran source said. In the Russian way of seeing things, once it had secured Iran in this deal, effectively making it a client state, it had no reason to honour any other of its previous obligations, he added. The situation was also worsened for Iran by the fact that Russia had its own problems with U.S. sanctions and didnt want to make things worse by siding so thoroughly with Iran, he highlighted.

Given these considerations, and the fact that Russia wanted to strengthen its relations with the previous USSR states, Moscow was the prime mover in having the Caspian designated as a sea, not a lake. This was on the basis that because Russia had opened up the channel from the Volga River into the Caspian to prevent the levels dropping, the Caspian no longer conformed to the legal definition of a lake, which is that it is a localised water deposit standing independent of any river that serves to feed it.

This meant, effectively, that Russia could divide up the shares as it saw fit, and the way it saw fit was to benefit its existing ally, Kazakhstan, which was assigned a 28.9 percent share, and its wished-for ally, Azerbaijan, which secured a 21 percent stake, while Russia saw a slight increase, to 21 percent, while Turkmenistans share goes down to 17.225 percent, as it is seen as a softer touch by Russia, and Irans share goes down to just 11.875 percent, said the Iran source. This switch from 50 percent to just over 11 percent means that Iran will lose at least US$3.2 trillion in revenues from the disputed and lost value of energy products going forward, concluded the Iran source.

By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com:It may have been Louis Vuitton who put the final nail in the coffin of traditional fashion when he hired designer Virgil Abloh as artistic director last year--a move that officially redefined luxury from the perspective of the street. But ultimately, the street itself revolutionized fashion--even if the original intention was to be anti-fashion, or at least, anti-establishment fashion.

And Abloh himself is the pop culture icon who has led this fashion revolution in many ways. After all, he started out screen-printing shirts on the south side of Chicago.

He wants clothes to actually speak, and Louis Vuitton mens wear is his megaphone.

Streetwear isnt only knocking at the door of traditional fashion, its disrupting it entirely. It knows how to tell a story and keep consumers on tenterhooks--and ready and willing to pay a high price for more.

The consumers are in charge now. Theyre setting the trends rather than being led by the high-end fashion regime. In a way, its the democratization of fashion, even if the street has become wildly expensive.

Its not a niche anymore--thats for sure.

According to VogueBusiness, streetwear fashion is churning out billion-dollar brands, with much more to come.

The Business of the Street

Supreme is perhaps the  supreme example of what has happened to streetwear in recent years.

What started in 1994 as a skateboarding shop in SoHo, Manhattan, is now a billion-dollar brand. Related: Can Meditation Make A Business More Profitable?

They keep their buyers on edge by having a lot product but making it difficult to come by. The tease consumers by only dropping a certain volume of product on the market for high prices. And they drive up the anxiety of being able to get it, essentially creating demand that knows no bounds, and no limit to what people will pay.

(Click to enlarge)

Thanks to fashion influencers and designers such as Alize Demange, Kanye West and Virgil Abloh, streetwear has not only become a global trend--its has become a luxury itself, with sweatshirts going for hundreds and even thousands of dollars and containing nothing but a simple logo.

Abloh himself is behind one of the biggest high-end streetwear brands on the market: Off-White, which has 5.4 million followers on instagrams and a net worth of $3 million dollars. Its a simple logo, a simple design, and a hefty price tag.

Last November, Kanye collaborated with Adidas to create the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 sneaker, which sold out in less than a minute.

And the Drop is the key to the marketing scheme. Adidas and Nike are credited with coming up with the idea in the 1980s when they started dropping limited-edition sneakers in brick-and-mortar stores to create hype around the release.

For streetwear shoppers, the drop is a thrill, and the thrill promises soaring demand. The high-fashionistas of streetwear dont go shopping, they wait for drops.

Not A Passing Fad

Perhaps more than anything, the rise of streetwear and its ability to transform the fashion industry and create billion-dollar brands is an expression of the American Dream that has faded over the decades. But at the same time, it seems confused philosophically: by design it is for the proletariat; by price, its for the bourgeoisie.

But that doesnt seem to matter. Its a voice thats made its way into high fashion, and its not going anywhere.

As VogueBusiness notes, Investors are circling brands poised to match Supremes billion-dollar valuation. Possible targets include Noah and Palace, which offer their own takes on the aesthetic made popular by Supreme.

By Istria Alic for SafeHaven.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.comHAVE A QUESTION? This weekly column produced by Marian Cancer Care invites you to submit your questions to Your Cancer Answers at the following email address: mariancancercare@dignityhealth.orgEducation Reporter

Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe.Nick Penniman (Twitter: @Nick_Penniman) is CEO of Issue One, a political reform group that unites Republicans Democrats, and independents in the movement to fix the broken political system. He is also the co-author of "Nation on the Take" (Bloomsbury Press, 2016).When Kenyan university graduate Santana Muthoni decided to pursue a masters degree, she had her eyes on far horizons.

Muthoni, 24, accepted a scholarship to study China-Africa relations at Beijings elite Peking University.

The experience gave her a first-hand  although sometimes very unpleasant  experience of China, a country playing a growing role in the continent and the rest of the world as Beijing extends its economic and strategic reach.

I ended up learning lots on Chinas economy, politics, foreign policymaking and society that has allowed me to have a balanced and more informed view on China, she said.

Muthoni finished her masters last year and has since moved back to Kenya, launching into a career in China-Africa relations and consulting for the numerous Chinese and African companies based in Nairobi.

Companies and individuals are on the lookout for people to help them figure out China and how to do business, she said.

Muthoni is one of thousands of students from less-developed countries along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative flocking to China, lured by full scholarships, brighter career prospects and the chance to gain valuable insight into how Chinese businesses work. But along the way, many come up against cultural and social divides which show that Chinese society still has a way to go when it comes to welcoming other cultures.

The belt and road is Beijings signature infrastructure drive to revive trade along ancient Silk Road routes through Asia to Africa, Europe and beyond.

Africa is a key part of the initiative and, to promote ties with the continent, Chinese authorities have offered thousands of scholarships to interested students. As a result, the number of African students in China has soared more than 40-fold in 15 years, from just 1,793 in 2003 to 81,562 in 2018, according to Chinese government figures.

Altogether there were nearly half a million international students in China last year, and of those three-quarters came from Asia and Africa. In contrast, the United States  which has not signed up for the initiative  accounted for just 7 per cent of the total, according to the Ministry of Education.

Story continues

About 63,000 of the students last year were on government scholarships  a 55 per cent increase from 2014  while the rest were self-funded.

The scholarships are often generous, and include free accommodation and subsidies from the central government, as well as from local authorities and the education institutions themselves.

Supral Raj Joshi is a Nepali student enrolled in a fully funded masters programme in international relations at Peking University. He receives 3,000 yuan (US$430) per month from the central government to cover his living costs.

There is so much funding available. You dont even have to pay tuition and you also get a stipend, he said.

Joshi said he spoke Chinese and got along well enough in the country, sometimes being mistaken for a local. At the diplomatic level relations between his country and China were positive, he said, but things could be different on the ground.

Nepal is super, super positive towards China because China presents itself as an alternative to Nepals [trade] dependence on India, Joshi said.

However, right now a lot of Chinese businessmen have moved to Nepal, there is some negativity towards that. For example, in this touristy part of Kathmandu there are a lot of Chinese businesses, hotels, restaurants  the locals feel like there is a takeover happening.

Vietnamese student Trang Vu is also working towards her masters degree in international relations at Peking University. She headed to China looking for a much needed change after studying in Europe for five years. For Vu, it was a chance to challenge some of the stereotypes of Chinese in her country and satisfy a long-held interest in China.

Being a Vietnamese, born and bred in Hanoi, saying that you like Chinese culture is a tricky thing, Vu said, citing the legacy of conflict between Vietnam and China.

I have been passionate about China since I was small. I grew up watching Chinese TV series of various kinds. But I was surrounded by anti-China discourse, at home and at school.

She said that when she was younger, her parents would warn her not to get lost in case she was kidnapped by a Chinese man to be his wife, and her family mourned when a distant cousin married a Chinese man.

Vu said she had not experienced much prejudice in China since, in her words, she looked Chinese and spoke Chinese, but sometimes encountered people with ignorant assumptions about her home country.

When someone found out that I am originally from Vietnam she asked me whether I came to China to find a husband, she said.

Muthoni, the student from Kenya, felt the sting of prejudice when she went on a trip to Suzhou.

At a museum in the scenic riverside town, she saw a child who excitedly pointed at her and said, Mama, mama, a foreigner [waiguoren]! But the mother replied: Ha ha, shes not a foreigner, shes a black person [heiren].

The incident stuck in her mind and was an unwelcome reminder of how differently locals saw her to white foreigners.

At that point I knew what these things meant but I couldnt express myself very well in Chinese, she said.

There have also been frictions between Chinese and international students.

Last year, local students at a vocational college in Wuxi, in the eastern province of Jiangsu, claimed they were forced to move out of their dormitories into lower quality accommodation to make room for international students. The case prompted complaints online of other allegations of preferential treatment  such as perceived lower entry thresholds for international students to the countrys most competitive universities  as well as racist comments about African students in particular.

Lauren Ila Misiaszek, an American professor of comparative education at Beijing Normal University, said part of the answer to overcoming some of these misconceptions and frictions was to see beyond the exotic, have a diverse faculty and offer culturally sensitive student counselling services.

Many foreign colleagues here feel like this is an exciting space to give higher education opportunities that are affordable for students who are not able to afford the US or UK, she said.

I would really like to see us move away from country nights where we look at clothing and food to more deeper engagement  I do think thats the future  to move away from exoticising the Chinese, exoticising the [students] countries of origin.

Adam Ni, a China researcher at Macquarie University in Sydney, said a serious educational diplomacy effort was crucial for China to realise its global ambitions, especially when increasing numbers of Chinese immigrants to belt and road countries had been met with scepticism from locals.

Empires are not built on trade alone, he said. These students will take back cultural understanding, connections and other benefits that will potentially help bilateral relations.

More from South China Morning Post:

This article From Africa and across Asia, students follow the belt and road map to an education at Chinese universities first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.Sim Tze Tzin advised consumers to avoid consuming piglets as a precaution and to eliminate demand for black market suppliers.  Picture by Azneal Ishak

GEORGE TOWN, June 17  Malaysia has adequate pork and pig product supplies to meet local demand, Sim Tze Tzin said amid concern that an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak may disrupt availability.

The agriculture and agro-based industries deputy minister also said locally available pork and pig products were safe for consumption, but cautioned against piglets as these were commonly sourced from Vietnam due to limited production here.

Sim pointed out that Malaysia has banned imports of pig and pig products from countries affected by the ASF, including Vietnam.

Yet, we still see roasted piglets are being served in Chinese restaurants, so there are now concerns about illegal smuggling in of pigs and pig products into the country, he told Malay Mail when contacted.

He advised consumers to avoid consuming piglets as a precaution and to eliminate demand for black market suppliers.

Sims ministry has also launched border control operations to stop these activities.

We are working with Customs, Maqis and the border security agency to tighten our borders and to stop illegal smuggling of pigs and pig products into our country, he said, referring to the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services.

Currently, seaports and the Thailand border are under heavy monitoring for smuggling attempts.

The ministry and the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) are also on high alert to prevent the spread of ASF to Malaysian pig farms, but Sim expressed concern that not all agencies may be aware of the urgency and threat to the biosecurity of pig farms here.

None has yet been arrested for smuggling pigs into Malaysia, but Sim said vigilance was still critical.

Even passengers coming from ASF affected countries will have their hand luggage checked to ensure that they do not bring in inadvertently bring in contaminated pig products from their home countries, he added.

On the home front, the deputy minister said the DVS and his ministry have also been educating local pig farmers on how to increase biosecurity in their farms.

Story continues

The recommended measures include securing their farm fencing to prevent wild animals from encroaching and ensuring the feed given to the pigs are from known and safe sources.

They must not feed the pigs with products of unknown sources, such as food wastes which is very dangerous and can compromise the biosecurity of the farms, he said.

He said pig farmers were also advised not to visit other farms in countries with ASF as they could inadvertently bring back contaminated items that could then spread to their farms here.

Pig farmers must be responsible in protecting their farms by adhering to set guidelines, Sim stressed before urging farmers to immediately inform the authorities if they detect any signs of ASF infection.

This was so these could be quickly quarantined to try and reduce the risk of further outbreak.

As long as the pig farmers cooperate with us, we are safe from ASF but we must always be on high alert to prevent it, he said.

Sim also assured the public that the ASF was non-communicable to humans and there was no need for health concerns.

Malaysia banned the import of pork and pig products from China, Poland, Belgium, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia as a precautionary measure against a regional outbreak of the ASF.

According to the Federation of Livestock Farmers Association Malaysia (FLFAM), the ban will not affect the prices of local pork supplies.

FLFAM pig unit acting chairman David Lee said pork prices may have risen in affected countries, but remained between RM6.80 and RM7.80 per kilogramme here on average.

He said there are over 500 pig farms in the country that provided sufficient supply for Malaysian consumers.

About 93 per cent of our pork in the country are locally supplied, so imported pork only makes up a small portion, he told the Malay Mail when contacted.

He said pig farmers are also working closely with Sims ministry and DVS to prevent any ASF infections here.

DVS and the ministry have been holding regular awareness sessions with local pig farmers, so that we know what to do to prevent the infection, he said, adding that all farmers have been cooperating with the authorities.

The FLFAM is also organising a talk later this month on the ASF, which he said all pig farmers will attend.

According to recent reports, the ASF has spread around the Asian region despite the culling of millions of pigs in China and Vietnam. Outbreaks have been reported in Cambodia, Hong Kong, Mongolia, and North Korea.

Thailand is now on red alert and there are fears of outbreaks in Myanmar, the Philippines and Laos.

Related Articles Chinese state media urges retribution after UBS economists insult China inflation hits highest level in 15 months N.Korea increases measures to prevent spread of African swine feverThree days after Hong Kongs biggest protest march since the 1997 handover, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor remained unmoved.

The lady is not for turning was a line that came to the minds of many who know her, evoking the steely utterance of the late British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in the face of resistance.

Lam gave an interview on Wednesday morning, taped at 8.30am at Government House, where she insisted she was pressing ahead with her controversial extradition bill.

Such was her defiance, even though hundreds of thousands had marched against the highly unpopular bill on Sunday and tens of thousands more were about to surround the Legislative Council that very morning.

Police in riot gear were already being mobilised at daybreak and protesters who had gathered overnight at Tamar Park were steadily organising to block roads leading to Legco.

Yet Lam maintained then she had a clear conscience in pushing through the bill, which would allow the transfer of criminal suspects to jurisdictions the city has no extradition deal with, including mainland China. The publics anger over the bill was focused on the lack of confidence in fair trials on the mainland and the threat of political persecution.

The interview was later aired at about 5.30pm, timing that in hindsight appeared ill-advised, as violent clashes had by then broken out that afternoon between police and protesters near Legco.

That same evening, the government news service released another video, well after 8pm, where Lam slammed the many who took part in the chaos.

Many people didnt pay attention to the fact that by then she did not say if she would insist on resuming the second reading of the bill, a source told the Post. The clashes did make her pause, he said.

She started to ponder if there would be serious injuries or even deaths if the government continued to press ahead with the bill in the legislature. The potential risk to the stability of Hong Kong would be too big to gamble.

Story continues

After a day of consulting her aides, Lam came around to accepting she could not barge ahead. At her press conference, Lam said she met many people over the course of Thursday and Friday.

All of them urged her to give a pause to the legislative process, the source said.

They discussed then the suspension of the bill.

The source neither confirmed nor denied whether Lam met Han Zheng, the Politburo Standing Committee member who oversees Hong Kong affairs, before arriving at her decision.

But another source said Han was monitoring the citys situation in the southern mainland city of Shenzhen this weekend and did meet Lam well before Saturday.

Lam was at pains during her press briefing to say she alone made the decision to suspend the bill and the central government supported her move.

But the fact is the chief executive had a lot of work to do after making up her mind, including getting approval from the central government, the first source said.

It was about 9pm on Friday when Lam called a high-level meeting with her ministers, including Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah and Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu.

The chief executive informed the ministers of the decision not to push through the bill and discussed the way forward on the issue, including the arrangements on Saturday, the meeting with the pro-government lawmakers and the press conference, the source said.

It is understood that the key ministers still supported Lam in the need to amend the existing law to plug legal loopholes that enabled fugitives to reside in the city with impunity.

This was why they decided to signal to the local and international community and that the bill would be suspended rather than cancelled, as it would otherwise put their own credibility at risk.

But the government admitted the suspension of the bill was effectively tantamount to withdrawal because it would be very difficult to revive it, the government source said.

In 2003, with the ill-fated national security legislation to enact Article 23 of the Basic Law, the government first deferred the second reading on July 7, with the draft bill eventually withdrawn in September.

If the government does not reintroduce the extradition bill by July next year, it will lapse.

Lau Siu-kai, vice-chairman of the semi-official think tank The Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, believed Beijing had actually called on Lam to change her stance on the bill.

National security is at stake in this issue. The Hong Kong government couldnt have made the decision without the approval of the central government, he said.

Tian Feilong, associate professor at Beihang Universitys Law School in Beijing, believed the central government hoped to avoid further violence and bloodshed on streets by agreeing to suspend the bill.

The central government wants to de-escalate from the current confrontation between Hong Kong police and protesters, he said.

Another factor, he added, was that the central government did not want the distraction over the issue when it had bigger concerns to sort out, such as the trade and tech wars with the United States.

The central government, which is tied in the trade war with the United States, doesnt want to pay a heavy price in its handling of the controversy over the extradition bill, he said.

Political commentator and University of Hong Kong academic Max Wong Wai-lun believed Beijing wanted to ease the tensions in Hong Kong ahead of the widely anticipated meeting between presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28-29.

The two leaders are expected to discuss how to settle the protracted trade war during their talks.

If the confrontation over the extradition bill in Hong Kong drags on, it would become one of the thorny issues during the meeting between the two leaders, Wong said. Beijing wants to decouple the troubles in Hong Kong from the Xi-Trump talks.

Wong added that the lingering controversy over the extradition bill had been used as political capital by Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen in her campaign for a second term.

The Hong Kong government at first said the extradition bill was to help seek justice for the murder of a girl allegedly killed by her boyfriend Chan Tong-kai in Taiwan. Chan, a Hongkonger, returned to the city and escaped arrest. He has since been jailed locally on related money-laundering charges, but could be out by October.

But the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan said it had no intention of extraditing him, even if the bill were passed. Tsai won her partys nomination late last week to be its presidential candidate.

The government source admitted the administration had alienated many in Hong Kong, especially young people. We have a mountain to climb to mend fences with various sectors in the community in the days ahead, he said.

Lau criticised the Hong Kong governments handling of the controversy and said Lam would find governing difficult in the coming years given the broken trust between her and the people.

Tian said the Hong Kong government might have had good intentions with the bill but lacked the political acuity to pull it off.

The Hong Kong government handled the controversy poorly, such as only allowing a 20-day consultation on such a crucial issue, he said.

Wong expected the opposition camp in Hong Kong to step up the momentum in calling on Lam to resign. But Beijing will certainly back Lam at all costs, he said.

Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said the central government will have a new assessment of the capability of a Hong Kong government headed by [Lam].

But he believed Lam unlikely to resign and the central government reluctant to let her.

Her successor is not ready, he said.

Analysts said the other certainty was that even though the lady turned, Lam was all but assured of being only a one-term chief executive.

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This article Will Beijing still support Carrie Lam after Hong Kong extradition bill debacle? first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.China has surpassed Russia as a maritime power, boosted by years of joint drills between the two navies, according to military analysts.

Such exercises had helped China to become a relatively advanced naval power, and Russia was watching on warily as Beijing continued a push to modernise its military, they said.

Assessing 10 joint exercises carried out by the Chinese and Russian navies since 2012  when Xi Jinping took power  the German Institute for International and Security Affairs said they aimed to send a geopolitical message.

The drills were conducted within their territorial waters as well as in the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, and the Baltic Sea, according to the German institutes report, Partnership on the High Seas, released this month. It concluded that Beijing had overtaken Moscow in claiming a leading role as a great maritime power.

Communist rivals during the cold war, Beijing and Moscow are now hailing a new era in bilateral ties  counterbalancing worsening relations with Washington  and their militaries are also stepping up cooperation. Last month, the Chinese and Russian navies held their first joint live-fire air defence exercise at sea, involving two surface combatants.

Its true that China has overtaken Russia, especially when one considers Beijing having put in so much effort in developing a holistic, comprehensive array of maritime power, which goes beyond equipment to include the broader marine economy, ports and shipping, shipbuilding and so on, said Collin Koh, a military expert from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

He said Russia had played a key role in helping China to develop its naval capabilities, as the joint military drills serve as training for best practice in the PLA Navys blue-water capacity-building.

Bilateral ties between Beijing and Moscow were upgraded after Xis three-day visit to Moscow at the start of the month, soon after Russian counterpart Vladimir Putins trip to China in late April. On both occasions, the two leaders voiced support for each other and for key projects including Chinas Belt and Road Initiative.

Story continues

But on the defence front, ties are becoming more uneven, with China making advances after pouring big money into its military and innovation sectors.

Between 2015 and 2021, Chinas total military outlays are projected to increase by 55 per cent  from US$167.9 billion to US$260.8 billion, according to a report last year by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Over the same period, the navys share of that budget is expected to jump 82 per cent, from US$31.4 billion to US$57.1 billion, the report said.

That increased funding has already seen China produce some of the worlds most advanced weaponry which has, in some cases, surpassed that of the United States, a report on Chinas military power released in January by the Defence Intelligence Agency said.

In addition, the Peoples Liberation Army Navy now has more warships than the US Navy, meaning China has the biggest naval fleet in the world, according to Washington-based think tank the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

At 300 warship hulls, the PLAN is the largest navy in the world, counting aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, submarines and amphibious assault ships, the think tank said.

Timothy Heath, a senior defence researcher at the Rand Corporation, said while Russia might lament its decline in power, it had accepted the reality that the country had become Chinas little brother.

Moscow defers to Beijing on a growing number of issues, such as increasing Chinese influence in Central Asia and Chinese leadership in international organisations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Heath said, referring to the regional economic and security bloc.

Meanwhile, Chinas navy had benefited from joint drills with Russia, learning how to overcome shortcomings such as mobilising across different regions and coordinating warships, according to Zhou Chenming, a military analyst in Beijing.

But these are different times for China and it needs to go further at sea to safeguard its international interests. That means its ships need to have more powerful and better navigation and strike capabilities, and these are things China cannot learn from Russia, Zhou said.

Chinas northern neighbour could face a dilemma as the countrys military power grows, according to Koh. Moscow would view Chinas maritime ambitions with some wariness, but Russia would still want to keep China close by as a partner to resist the West, especially following the Ukraine crisis in 2013, he said.

But Koh added that China could still learn from Russia in undersea warfare, the only area where it was ahead of the PLA Navy now.

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This article China has overtaken Russia as a maritime power, boosted by joint naval drills first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.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)Michael Kidd, now 84 years old, fought in the Korean War. His young German shepherd Millie helps calm him down when things start to swirl, usually at night. Harry Stolberg -- a 42-year-old former Marine who served in Bosnia, Liberia and Nigeria -- has a chocolate Labrador named Rocky who wakes him up from his troubled dreams. And 31-year-old Phil Davanzo -- who carried the bodies of fallen comrades during a hostage rescue operation that went wrong off Somalia in 2011 -- hopes his Rottweiler puppy will soon be trained to support him during his panic attacks. The three US veterans, who all live on New York's Long Island, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have sought solace through pet therapy -- namely, a loyal dog to keep them company. The shelter animals are either trained or being trained to help them through difficult times by Paws of War, an association funded entirely by private donations that then provides the service dogs free of charge. The group will also train a veteran's dog if he or she already has one. "The biggest thing is he wakes me up from nightmares," Stolberg says of three-year-old Rocky. "He can open the door, come in my room, turn on the lights, take my blinders off me... and lick my hands so I wake up." Rocky, whose 18 months of training were completed six months ago, also helps Stolberg navigate large crowds, which can be triggering. "If I can't move, he will get me out of that crowd -- he will pick up on that. He will walk around me and look at it and if I don't respond, he will walk away from the crowd with me hooked up to him," he says. Paws of War -- their acronym is a play on POW, used to signify prisoners of war -- has been active since 2014. More than 100 dogs have been trained so far, and the therapeutic results for their masters have been significant. - Off the meds - Kidd, who suffers from severe PTSD, has been able to reduce his intake of medication thanks to Millie. At night when things are tough, "she will come over to me, she will put her paw on my shoulder, on my chest, and just give me a big slobber," says Kidd, whose father was in Normandy on D-Day. "That's just saying, 'I am here for you.'" Stolberg used to need sleeping pills to get through the night, but not anymore, thanks to Rocky. "Sleeping was my biggest problem. (...) Now I only have a nightmare once or twice a month, instead of every day," he explains. "A lot of that is also because I know that when I go to sleep, he is in the room -- he is going to wake me up no matter what." - 'Quite a process' - It takes 18 to 24 months to teach dogs what to do when a troubled veteran sends distress signals, according to Rebecca Stromski, a senior trainer for Paws of War whose husband served in Afghanistan and Kuwait. "It's quite a process actually, creating a mutual respect and a connection between the service dude and the service dog," she says. "Once the foundations are in place and the dog starts feeling if things are going well or not for the veterans, they start to do certain motions when the guys are fidgeting," Stromski explains. "I can start and cue that behavior and use that as an alert." In the face of seemingly interminable wars for US military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq, deployments which began in 2001, veterans are experiencing PTSD symptoms on a regular basis. Paws of War has more requests for service animals than it can fulfill, with 50 veterans on the waiting list, according to the group's co-founder Dori Scofield. - Both ends of the leash - After running an animal shelter for 30 years, Scofield launched Paws of War after being contacted by veterans returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Those soldiers had become attached to dogs they had found in those countries, but were unable to bring them back home. Through word of mouth recommendations, the association quickly became a top meeting place for the 75,000-strong veteran community on Long Island, one of the biggest in the United States. "We get applications every day -- we can't keep up," Scofield says. "I can't train enough dogs fast enough." She has opened satellite offices in Florida and in northern New York state. She has also launched a free mobile veterinary clinic where veterans can bring their companion animals. Dogs who might have ended up put to sleep in shelters now have homes, and veterans are rediscovering "a reason to get up every day, get moving, get out," Scofield says. "It has been just so awesome, helping both ends of the leash."The Human Resources Ministry has proposed introducing three days paternity leave for fathers working in the private sector, to be funded by employers.  Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16  The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) urged the government to have the Social Security Organisation (Socso) or the Employment Insurance System (EIS) instead to fund a proposed three-day paternity leave in the private sector.

MEF executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan said the three-day paternity leave, which the Human Resources Ministry is proposing to be funded by employers, will cost companies RM157.2 million, or RM52.4 million a day.

The payment should be from Socso or Employment Insurance System where both employers and employees contribute to Socso and EIS, Shamsuddin told Malay Mail.

He said that any increase in legislated maternity leaves in the private sector from the current 60 days to 98 days as proposed by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress should also be borne by Socso or EIS.

Human Resources Deputy Minister Datuk Mahfuz Omar had told Malay Mail that employers, not Socso, should fund the ministrys proposed three-day paternity leave that is currently awaiting Cabinet approval. Civil servants in Malaysia already get seven days paternity leave.

Five other countries in Asean legislate paternity leave in the private sector, most of which are borne by social security schemes or government.

Singapore provides two weeks paternity leave for fathers of children who are Singaporean citizens, with fathers also able to share another four weeks of their wives 16-week maternity leave. The parental leave is funded by the government.

Myanmar provides 15 days paternity leave, funded by the countrys social security board scheme unless the employee is not a contributor to the scheme, in which case it will be borne by the employer.

The Philippines provides up to 14 days paternity leave, comprising seven days funded by the employer and another seven days that can be taken from a mothers 105 days maternity leave that is funded by their Social Security System.

Vietnam provides at least five days paternity leave, funded by the countrys social insurance fund.

Indonesia provides two days paternity leave in the private sector, funded by the employer, and one month for civil servants.

Related Articles Good news for dads as Putrajaya moots three-day paternity leave in private sector Amend the Employment Act to ensure rights for parents  Womens Aid Organisation Graduates starting salaries have risen since 2010, says MEFTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said Turkey would not back down from gas exploration in Cyprus after southern European leaders urged Ankara to stop. "We continue and will continue to search in those areas that are ours," Erdogan said during a televised speech in Istanbul. "Someone has given an order. They will apparently arrest our boats' personnel. You will come off badly if you do so," Erdogan warned, after Cyprus reportedly issued arrests warrants for crew members of Turkey's drilling ship, Fatih, last week. After a summit of the southern European Union countries in Valletta, the seven nations issued a joint declaration on Friday, expressing "serious concern over actual or potential drilling activities within Cyprus' exclusive economic zone". They urged the EU to keep an eye on the issue "and, in case Turkey does not cease its illegal activities, to consider appropriate measures in full solidarity with Cyprus". The Turkish foreign ministry on Saturday said the declaration was "biased" and contrary to international law, accusing the European Union of siding with EU members Cyprus and Greece. The discovery of huge gas reserves in the Mediterranean has fuelled the race to tap underwater resources. The island is divided between the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and the northern third under Turkish military control since 1974, formed after Ankara's troops occupied the area in response to a coup sponsored by the Greek military junta. Turkey considers the area in the Mediterranean to be part of its continental shelf and granted exploration licences to Turkish Petroleum in 2009 and 2012. Last month Brussels and the United States urged Turkey to reconsider plans to start exploratory drilling off the island. Erdogan on Sunday also hit out at French President Emmanuel Macron over his support for Cyprus. Macron said on Friday the EU would "not show weakness on this matter". "What business does France have here?" Erdogan said. "Turkey is a guarantor power in Cyprus. Greece and the UK are guarantor powers as well. What are you? "Are you making such statements for Total? Show you have the power of attorney. So it means you have left the presidency and have now begun work as a lawyer," he quipped. Energy giants Total of France and Italy's ENI are heavily involved in exploring for oil and gas off Cyprus as well as ExxonMobil.An oil tanker is seen after it was attacked at the Gulf of Oman

DUBAI (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)Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday inaugurated a new settlement in the Golan Heights, named after the country's "great friend" US President Donald Trump. Netanyahu unveiled a "Trump Heights" sign, featuring an Israeli and a US flag, to mark the site of the new settlement. "Thank you PM @netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor!" Trump tweeted. The ceremony comes after the US president in late March recognised Israeli sovereignty over the part of the strategic plateau it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel annexed the area in a move never recognised by the international community. "The Golan is Israeli and will remain so always", Netanyahu declared. Trump is "a very great friend of Israel who has taken a decision that has never before been taken", he added. Surrounding a large table, Israel's cabinet met under a tent in the north of the Golan to name the planned settlement, in the presence of US ambassador to Israel David Friedman. Outside the tent, a sign bearing the name of the settlement was unveiled shortly after an announcement to local officials. The naming "is an extraordinary gesture", Friedman said. Construction of the settlement is planned in an area currently occupied by four settler families. - 'Commitment' to Israel - It is to be built on the site of a former kibbutz, first established in 1984. The inauguration of the new settlement will "drive development of the Golan Heights", Netanyahu added, promising the government would invest in building homes and roads, as well as education and tourism facilities. Vladimir Pelopzerkovski, a resident of one of the mobile homes, said he spoke to the Israeli premier and told him he hoped such promises would be kept. But "I am not convinced that these promises will bring true change", the 75-year-old told AFP. Some 23,000 Druze -- an Arab Muslim minority also present in Syria and Lebanon -- live in the occupied and annexed portion of the Golan, while 25,000 Israeli settlers have arrived there since 1967. Netanyahu also said Trump had proven "once again his commitment to the security and the future of Israel", recalling that the US president transferred the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018. Trump's embassy decision broke with decades of international consensus not to recognise the city as the capital of Israel, which took over mainly Palestinian east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War and later annexed it. Israel considers the entire city its capital, but the Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.Lim admitted that the sex video implicating a Pakatan Harapan minister is the greatest challenge facing the administration since the 14th general election.  Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16  Veteran DAP lawmaker Lim Kit Siang today urged fellow MPs to focus on issues that matter such as the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) instead of being distracted by the Haziq Aziz sex video scandal during the Parliamentary sitting next month.

The Iskandar Puteri MP admitted that the sex video implicating a Pakatan Harapan (PH) minister is the greatest challenge facing the administration since the 14th general election and the coalition must continue forging a New Malaysia rather than being derailed from its intentions.

Are we going to allow the July Parliament session to follow the Opposition dictates to be obsessed with the Haziq sex video or can PH MPs turn it into the most historic Parliamentary session of the government where we begin to deliver the promises of a new Malaysia which had inspired Malaysians to bring about the historic peaceful and democratic change on May 9, 2018?

Instead of the July 2019 meeting of Parliament being known as a Haziq sex video session, I would like to see it be known as the IPCMC Parliament, said Lim in a statement today.

He pointed out that for the first time in decades, Malaysia has an inspector-general of police (IGP) who is willing to commit himself to make the force corruption-free.

He added that the IPCMC Bill should be made public for feedback at least one week before it is debated in Parliament.

Lim also said IGP Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador has asked for time for the police to investigate whether the sex video is authentic or not.

Malaysians must trust the police under a new inspector-general of police to carry out its duties independently, fairly and in a trustworthy manner to investigate the Haziq sex videos and the masterminds behind Haziq although they might have doubts about the role of the police under previous IGPs.

This is why I advocate that the important principle must be re-established that no one in Malaysia is above the law, whether the prime minister, Cabinet minister, attorney general, inspector-general of police or other high officers of the state, he added.

Related Articles Ancaman? Apa alasan kami buat, Anwar ulas video lucah Dr Wan Azizah expresses sympathy for Azmins family Haziq sangat ceria disiasat polis, kata peguamElectricity services have been restored to all of Argentina and Uruguay following a massive blackout that left around 48 million people without power on Sunday, authorities said. The cut, which began just after 7:00 am, also caused short, localized losses of power in Paraguay, but didn't impact Tierra del Fuego in Argentina's extreme south because the region is not part of the national system. The episode was the first time a power cut had affected the majority of Argentina, with a population of more than 44 million, and the entirety of Uruguay, which has 3.4 million inhabitants. "These are failures that occur (even) with diligence. The amazing thing is the chain of events that took place to cause the total disconnection," Argentina's Energy Ministry Gustavo Lopetegui told a press conference. He said the outage took place "automatically to protect the system." "We don't have any more information right now on how it occurred. We're not ruling out any possibility, but a cyber attack is not among the main alternatives being considered." - Hospitals, clinics on generators - Argentina's energy secretariat had earlier said the "interconnection system" had "collapsed," producing "a massive power cut" for which its generators had been unable to compensate, but that the causes had not been determined. Sources from the official energy agency of Paraguay, which borders Argentina to the northeast, told AFP that cuts there had been "momentary." A spokesperson for RGE, the biggest energy distributor in Brazil's southern Rio Grande do Sul state that borders both Argentina and Uruguay, said they'd had no reports of cuts. Earlier in the day, power had returned to some sectors of Buenos Aires but the metro and trains were still halted. Public hospitals and private clinics were running on generators. "The only inconvenience is the elevators. We only have one working, but all services are operating without problems," said an employee at the Fernandez Hospital. - 'This killed us' - It is Father's Day in Argentina and some restaurants were expecting many customers. "This killed us," Luciano Ferreira, the owner of a popular restaurant in the Boedo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, told AFP. The restaurant had been fully booked and Ferreira had been expecting to make two or three times as much money as on a normal day. Some people shared messages on WhatsApp with advice on how to prepare for a lengthy outage, such as collecting water. In the interior plains region of Junin, residents stocked up on drinking water sold in supermarkets. "Fortunately, we had two buckets on the patio that were filled with rain water. We've gone back to the Stone Age," Eduardo Gralatto told AFP. In Cordoba, Argentina's second city, people headed to bakeries looking to buy supplies for the traditional Father's Day barbecue. "We decided to open because we need to work, but early on we lost seven or eight tables of customers because we couldn't prepare coffee or bake bread," Carlos Arce, the owner of a bakery, told AFP. Argentines also went to the polls in several provinces on Sunday to elect governors, with some local media reporting voters cast ballots by candlelight. In Montevideo, some restaurants in the downtown area had power back by 11:00 am (1400 GMT). More than an hour after the blackout, UTE said its system was being brought back "from zero." Argentina and Uruguay have a common power grid centered on the bi-national Salto Grande dam, 450 kilometers (280 miles) north of Buenos Aires.A total of 791 Central American migrants, including 368 children under the age of eight, have been detained in the Mexican state of Veracruz, officials said Sunday. The detentions of the migrants, who were being transported hidden in four trailers, were carried out at two points, the National Migration Institute said in a statement. While the total age breakdown of the migrants remains unclear, a source speaking on condition of anonymity earlier on Sunday told AFP 270 of the migrants are six or seven years old, and 98 are aged zero to five. The detained included 413 Guatemalans, 330 Hondurans and 39 Salvadorans, the source said. Another source said that six alleged human traffickers had been captured. Veracruz is one of the most violent regions of Mexico. Drug trafficking routes to the United States pass through it, and migrants passing through run the risk of being robbed, raped or kidnapped. The detentions come during a 45-day period for Mexico to take steps to curb migration, part of an agreement reached with the United States earlier this month to head off tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump. Trump has warned that the tariffs will still be on the table if the United States deems Mexico's progress insufficient after 45 days.From the Zen capital of LA to the Champs Elysees comes the calming voice of a British Buddhist monk-turned entrepreneur, introducing American-style online mindfulness to the stressed-out French. "Relax your muscles, breathe," Andy Puddicombe, the bronzed co-founder of the app Headspace, intones by videoconference to a roomful of participants gathered on Paris's ultra-chic shopping artery. The Englishman and his French team are hoping to replicate the US success of Headspace with a French-language version, in a market where New Age philosophies from the "Anglo-Saxon" world are often viewed askance. Its path has been helped by the success of French mindfulness app PetitBambou, which launched in 2015 -- five years after Headspace -- and claims more than three million users in France for its free and paid platforms. Both apps use guided meditations for an array of situations -- from coping with bereavement to just getting through a difficult day at work -- with support from online counsellors, funky animations and videos. In France as in the United States, Britain and elsewhere, companies have been signing up to subscriptions for their employees. PetitBambou says it has secured "hundreds of licenses" from companies such as Deloitte and railways group SNCF and that it has nothing to fear from Headspace, which along with rival Calm has come to dominate the US market. In a Paris studio, working on voice recordings for the app, PetitBambou co-founder Benjamin Blasco said his company was in any case aiming for the long haul. - 'Mental health unicorn' - "We broke even three years ago. We will not sacrifice anything on the altar of marketing," Blasco told AFP. "We do not try at all costs to keep people in the app," he said, but to solicit a two-way exchange and tailor therapy to the user's needs. "Meditation is not a miracle tool, rather a mental hygiene: what's essential is regular practice," Blasco added. Investors are certainly buying in to the concept. Calm -- which like Headspace was co-founded by a British emigre to California, Michael Acton Smith -- raised $88 million from a fundraising round in February. That gave it a valuation of $1bn, which Smith noted made Calm the first "mental health unicorn". "Unicorns" are start-up companies with a billion-plus valuation. But like Headspace, Calm has its sights set further afield. In Britain it has enlisted actor and TV presenter Stephen Fry to record bedtime stories for use on a popular feature that helps users get to sleep. "America is only 4.5 percent of the total global population, so there are a lot of other people that can enjoy the product and help the company grow," Smith told CNBC after the investment round. According to figures from Marketdata, the US mindfulness market as a whole including the dozens of apps on offer topped $1 billion in 2017, and should double that by 2022. Helped by the growth in apps, a survey by the National Center for Health Statistics found 14 percent of Americans had meditated in 2017, a threefold increase in five years. - Lose that phone - Headspace alone says it has 50 million users worldwide, and has raised $75 million from investors in total, despite marketing a product that preaches "digital detox". The paradox is not lost on Richard Pierson, the company's other British co-founder. "Although there is the irony that the phone is probably causing us a lot of our stress, our hope is that by using Headspace, you'll be able to teach yourself the techniques that you need to learn in order to be able to use your phone in a more mindful way," he said at the Paris launch. Many of the techniques in mindfulness apps are rooted in Buddhism and have long been familiar to practitioners in Asia. But what, if any, science underpins the apps? Boosters got new backing with a US scientific study released in late April that looked at the effects of an experimental mindfulness app aimed at smokers. The app helped many participants cut their smoking or give up altogether, by helping to rewire impulses in the brain linked to addiction. The world of mindfulness "has become a business, but there is an ethical dimension", commented Dominique Steiler, a professor at the Grenoble Ecole de Management who specialises in the "well-being" economy. Apps "are a good way to get started", but users should be encouraged ultimately to sever the smartphone cord and meditate alone, he said.The Kremlin on Sunday warned against "baseless accusations" over last week's attacks in the Gulf of Oman on two oil tankers, blamed by Washington and Riyadh on Iran. "Such incidents can undermine the foundations of the world economy. That's why it's hardly possible to accept baseless accusations in this situation," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov. "We always urge a sober appraisal of the situation and to wait for more or less convincing evidence to appear," Peskov said on Russian television, extracts of which were published by the RIA Novosti news agency. A Japanese and a Norwegian oil tanker were targeted in attacks on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks. The official Iranian news agency IRNA said the attacks took place within 30 nautical miles of Iran's coastline. Iran rejected US accusations it was to blame, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeting that the US had "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence". Saudi Arabia, Iran's arch-rival in the region and the world's top oil exporter, joined Washington in accusing Tehran of the attacks, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman saying he "won't hesitate" to tackle any threats to the kingdom. For his part the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali Larijani, hinted Sunday that Washington could be behind the "suspicious" tanker attacks in order to pile pressure on Tehran, IRNA reported. Moscow "severely" condemned the attacks, he said, warning against drawing "hasty conclusions".Surekha A. Yadav

JUNE 16  Facebook  well, social media in general  has proved itself to be a powerful tool in the world of politics.

Weve seen revolutions and elections deeply influenced by social media campaigns and powerful politicians like Donald Trump have been able to use social media platforms to speak directly to supporters and the people at large, bypassing traditional media.

Of course, in Singapore and Malaysia, we see politicians of all stripes regularly taking to social media for all sorts of reasons  though obviously self-promotion is the priority.

Personally, Ive long been a fan of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongs Facebook page.

The team behind the page have struck a strong balance between current information and content that make the prime minister seem human and approachable.

But recently the team made something of a blunder.

In a condolence message posted on Facebook following the death of former Thai Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda on May 26, PM Lee praised ex-PM Prem for resisting the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in the late 1970s.

This post led to immediate condemnation from the governments of Vietnam and Cambodia.

Because the invasion mentioned in the post effectively ended the disastrous rule of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. It also set in motion the events that would lead to current Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen taking power.

Not surprisingly Hun Sen issued a statement condemning Lees choice of words.

The Cambodian PM went on to say that Lees statement reflects Singapores position then in support of the genocidal regime and the wish for its return to Cambodia.

The Vietnamese foreign ministry also issued a missive criticising the comment.

Rebukes from our neighbours and partners shouldnt be taken lightly; the point is that Facebook posts can have consequences and that history is a matter of perspective.

Factually PM Lee is right: Vietnam did indeed invade Cambodia in the late 70s.

Story continues

Now whether their primary aim was liberation or extending their own influence is open for debate but the end result was the end of a terrible regime in Cambodia.

Remember this was a time of Soviet, US and Chinese blocs all competing for influence and things were a bit murky from every perspective.

The simple reality though is that there was probably no need to bring all this up in a condolence message.

In fact, beyond points of Cold War history, PM Lees message raised a few other troubling questions.

By condemning Vietnams 1970s/80s involvement in Cambodia, the PM was effectively restating Singapore and Aseans long-standing policy of non-interference.

Basically, regardless of circumstances, Asean members should not interfere in each others domestic business  but is this really a sound policy?

Having seen Asean sit by largely idle as Myanmar worked to exterminate the Rohingyas, you have to ask if its the right path.

PM Lees message also reminded the region of Singapores traditional alignment towards the US as the US was a staunch opponent of Vietnams activity in Cambodia and a strong ally of Thai PM Prem.

Again, in a changing world and region, is that the stance we continue to hold... to be closer to the US than any other major power?

Lots of questions from a single FB post. In future, I suggest the social media team stick to something simple like, Sorry for your loss.

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.

Related Articles Cambodias Hun Sen says Singapore supported genocide Chinese defence minister calls on Singapore PM Lee, visits naval base Thailands unmatched powerbroker Prem Tinsulanonda dies aged 98The Human Resources Ministry has proposed introducing three days paternity leave for fathers working in the private sector, to be funded by employers.  AFP pic

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16  In conjunction with Fathers Day today, a public petition was launched by rights group Womens Aid Organisation (WAO) for Putrajaya to introduce seven days of paternity leave in Malaysia, as what is currently allocated for civil servants.

The petition on Change.org was launched on Friday, and will continue until the group receives a commitment from the government.

WAO advocacy manager Yu Ren Chung told Malay Mail the petition was launched to create more awareness and to highlight the issue with the government and the public, following the effort by the Federal administration to amend the Employment Act 1955.

The [Human Resources] ministry has proposed to amend the Employment Act and we definitely welcome effort and thank ministry for it. But we would like to push further and say we could do better.

In conjunction with Fathers Day, WAO is promoting the allocation for introduction for paid paternity leave in the private sector in the country, Yu said when contacted today.

At present, there are no legal provisions on paternity leave for the private sector area.

The government had proposed to introduce a three-day leave for fathers to be included in the labour law.

Three days is not enough for father. The reason we are proposing or would like to see it to be seven days is because fathers want to play a role in childbirth, said Yu, adding that many who have signed and commented on the petition were men.

Fathers want to play a role and want to support their wife in being part of the process as well as to bond with their new born baby.

Looking at gender equality and gender roles, we want to move away from the idea that childcare and childbirth is solely the responsibility of mothers.

The petition has as of 8pm yesterday reached over 1,700 signatures.

It stated several studies had shown children with involved fathers have better social, emotional and cognitive development, and perform better in school.

Related Articles Employer refuses to fund paternity leave, claims would cost RM157m Good news for dads as Putrajaya moots three-day paternity leave in private sector Amend the Employment Act to ensure rights for parents  Womens Aid OrganisationA high-security psychiatric hospital in southwest China has promised to improve its screening procedures after four of its residents managed to trick guards into letting them leave the premises, according to a local newspaper report.

The quartet, none of whom were identified, from the Nanchong Mental Health Centre in Sichuan province spent several days in the community last month before being rounded up and returned to the secure unit, West China Metropolis Daily reported on Saturday.

The four were able to make their escape after finding out that cleaners at the facility hid a key to the one of the internal security doors on a window sill.

In the early hours of May 19, the patients changed out of their uniforms and into regular clothing, unlocked the door and headed for the hospitals main exit. Once there they were challenged by security guards but managed to fool them by pretending to be two visiting relatives taking the other two out for a home visit, the report said.

The guards became suspicious only after one of them remembered seeing the visiting relatives wearing hospital issue slippers. They then conducted a room by room check and the headcount came up four short.

Once in the community, three of the patients made their way to the neighbouring city of Chongqing, while the fourth took shelter at the home of his sister in Nanchong

The report did not say how long they were away but said all four were rounded up and returned following a manhunt involving police and hospital staff.

Two security guards were subsequently fired for their failure to prevent the breakout, while an unspecified number of doctors and nurses were facing punishment for negligence, the report said, without elaborating.

The health centre is designed as high-security facility that operates prison-style lockdowns and has an electronic entry control system, it said.

To prevent causing alarm in the local community, news of the incident was kept under wraps until all of the patients had been returned to the hospital, the report quoted police as saying.

Story continues

More from South China Morning Post:

This article Security guards at Chinese psychiatric hospital sacked after four patients make audacious escape first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.Datuk Noor Kamarul admitted that TM has been left far behind by its competitors as it failed to use the right strategy at the right time.  Picture by Mukhriz Hazim

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16  TM has recently appointed Datuk Noor Kamarul Anuar Nuruddin as their managing director and group CEO. In an exclusive interview with NST, the former CTO from Celcom had shared his plans to turn the large telecommunications company around.

In the first quarter of 2019, TM had shown a net profit of RM308.3 million which was a result of its cost-cutting exercise, however, the CEO admits that this wont be sustainable in the long run. He shared that revenue was still down and his goal is to grow back revenue and bring it back to the glory days as soon as possible.

It was mentioned that the problem with TM was its failure to extend connectivity coverage with the right medium while keeping internet signal strong and seamless for consumers. He added that TM had always limited its options when building connectivity and they been focusing only on one medium to roll out coverage. As a result, they failed to make returns of investment when they realised that the cost was higher than revenue.

He admitted that TM has been left far behind by its competitors as it failed to use the right strategy at the right time. By the time they implemented its strategy, the competitors were already far ahead. In the interview, he gave an example where Celcom has 10,000 sites while TM has only around 4,000 sites for coverage.

Moving forward, Noor Kamarul shared that TM will focus on three winning strategies  providing quality products, competitive tariff/prices and good customer service. This new direction will require TM to change its mindset of how it worked in the past.

One of the biggest plans is to explore all mediums to build connectivity which includes both wireless (4G, 5G, satellite, microwave) and wired connectivity (copper and fibre) that can provide sufficient bandwidth depending on the area density and cost. He hoped this will increase Malaysias internet coverage at the right cost while having a stable connection.

Story continues

A few months ago, TM had announced its TDD-LTE Massive MIMO roll out in Puchong which was seen as an alternative connection for places without fibre. It is similar to Unifis home wireless broadband solution and it offered 60GB of LTE data for RM79/month with speeds of up to 30Mbps.

The CEO also talked about providing customers with personalised services and giving content that customers want. He didnt share further details about content but this could indicate a revival of Unifi TV.

For those on legacy connections, Noor Kamarul also said that TM will address the Streamyx issue and TMs mobile business which isnt making money. In July last year, TM had identified 340,000 Streamyx customers that are residing in Unifi covered areas and are eligible to receive a free upgrade to Unifi. Yesterday, it was reported that 266,000 Streamyx customers have made the switch while 226,000 customers that are outside of Unifi areas have received their 2X speed upgrade. It is estimated that 500,000 Streamyx customers are left without any upgrade option and TM had previously called upon the government for a discussion with the objective of finding a solution.

Among the new strategies for TM will include reviewing contracts with its partners and vendors to see whether they were in its favour, as well as looking into other leakages in the company that are hurting their revenue.

TM share prices had jumped above the RM3.00 mark after reports that a new CEO will be named very soon. Shares of TM closed at RM3.80 on Friday, giving it a market capitalisation of RM14.28 billion.  SoyaCincau

Related Articles TM confirms visit by MACC TM confirms Noor Kamarul as CEO Ex-Celcom exec marked as favourite for TMs CEO seatBy Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States does not want to go to war with Iran but will take every action necessary, including diplomacy, to guarantee safe navigation through vital shipping lanes in the Middle East, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.

U.S.-Iran tensions are high following accusations by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump that Tehran carried out attacks last Thursday on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, a vital oil shipping route. Iran has denied having any role.

"We don't want war. We've done what we can to deter this," Pompeo said in an interview with 'Fox News Sunday', adding: "The Iranians should understand very clearly that we will continue to take actions that deter Iran from engaging in this kind of behavior."

Pompeo, a former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, also defended the administration's conclusion that Iran was behind the attack, saying there was other evidence beyond video footage released last week. "The intelligence community has lots of data, lots of evidence. The world will come to see much of it."

Saudi Arabia on Saturday joined the United States in blaming Iran for the attacks and called for the international community to take swift action to secure Gulf energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz is a major transit route for oil from Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude exporter, and other Gulf producers.

Pompeo said the United States would take "all actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise" to guarantee safe passage through vital shipping lanes, without providing further details. The secretary of state said the U.S. was discussing a possible international response, saying he had made a number of calls to foreign officials on Saturday regarding the attacks.

He cited China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia as countries that rely heavily on freedom of navigation through the straits. "I'm confident that when they see the risk, the risk of their own economies and their own people and outrageous behavior of the Islamic Republic of Iran, they will join us in this."

Story continues

The United States is already embroiled in a standoff with Iran over its nuclear program, and has blamed the Middle Eastern country and its surrogates for other acts of aggression in recent months including previous attacks on oil tankers in May and the targeting of U.S. drones in Yemen.

In a separate television interview with CBS' "Face the Nation," Pompeo left open the possibility of U.S. military action in the region but declined to discuss what form that might take.

Some conservative congressional Republicans on Sunday called on the Trump administration to take a tough stance.

Senator Tom Cotton, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees, told CBS: "Unprovoked attacks on commercial shipping warrant a retaliatory military strike" that he said Trump already is authorized to launch under U.S. law.

Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House of Representatives Republican, said the White House had been briefing Congress on Iran. "We don't want to see it escalate to where it is a military operation," he told NBC's "Meet the Press," adding: "But we have to stand up to Iran."

However, Democratic Representative Adam Schiff, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, cast doubt on America's ability to rally the international community to protect shipping lanes and impose sanctions, saying it had alienated its allies. He said the evidence pointing to Iran being behind Thursday's attacks was "compelling."

"The problem is that we are struggling, even in the midst of this solid evidence, to persuade our allies to join us in any kind of a response and it shows just how isolated the United States has become," he told CBS' "Face the Nation."

(Reporting by Richard Cowan and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Michelle Price)* Bill suspension follows violent protests in city

* HK leader Carrie Lam says will restart consultation on bill

* Another protest march scheduled for Sunday

* Chinese govt supports Lam, condemns violence

By John Ruwitch and Clare Jim

HONG KONG, June 15 (Reuters) - 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.

Around a million people marched through Hong Kong last Sunday to oppose the bill, according to organisers of the protest, the largest in the city since crowds came out against the bloody suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations centred around Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.

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.

In her first public appearance or comments since Wednesday, she said there was no deadline, effectively suspending the process indefinitely.

Political opponents called for the bill to be scrapped completely. Protest organisers said they would go ahead with another rally on Sunday to demand Lam step down.

The about-face was one of the most significant political turnarounds under public pressure by the Hong Kong government since Britain returned the territory to China in 1997, and it threw into question Lam's ability to continue to lead the city.

Story continues

It also potentially alleviated an unwanted headache for the leadership in Beijing, which is grappling with a slowing economy and an all-consuming trade war with the United States.

Asked repeatedly if she would step down, Lam avoided directly answering and appealed to the public to "give us another chance". She said she had been a civil servant for decades and still had work she wanted to do.

She added that 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".

'GREAT CARE'

The extradition bill deliberations started in February and Lam had pushed to have it passed by July.

But the protests changed the equation. Cracks began to appear on Friday in the support base for the bill with several pro-Beijing politicians and a senior adviser to Lam saying discussion of the bill should be postponed for the time being.

Sing Tao newspaper reported on Saturday that China's top official overseeing Hong Kong policy, Vice Premier Han Zheng, met Lam in Shenzhen in recent days.

Lam declined to confirm whether or not the meeting had happened, but took ownership for the decision to suspend the bill and said she had support from the central government.

Steve Tsang, a political scientist at SOAS in London, said Beijing had most likely ordered Lam to postpone the bill.

"They would have indicated to Carrie...that this just has to end. She didn't understand what she was doing," he said.

"I think Carrie Lam's days are numbered...Beijing cannot afford to sack her right away, because that would be an indication of weakness."

The Chinese government office in charge of Hong Kong affairs expressed "support, respect and understanding" of Lam's decision to suspend the bill.

In a statement via the state news agency Xinhua, a spokesman said the central government "fully affirmed" the work of Lam and the Hong Kong government and would continue "to firmly support" her. Beijing "strongly condemns" the violence during the protests and supports the Hong Kong police, the statement said.

Pro-democracy politicians, responding to Lam's announcement, said a suspension was not enough.

"Carrie Lam has lost all credibility among Hong Kong people. She must step down," said Claudia Mo, a legislator and member of the pan-democratic camp, which has opposed the bill.

A spokesman said the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong welcomed Lam's decision and urged "great care and taking into account the views of the local and international community should the Hong Kong government pursue any amendments to its extradition laws, particularly as they relate to mainland China".

WITHDRAWAL 'WRONG'

Beyond the public outcry, the extradition bill had spooked some of Hong Kong's tycoons into starting to move their personal wealth offshore, according to financial advisers, bankers and lawyers familiar with the details.

And senior police officers have said Lam's refusal to heed public opinion was sowing resentment in the force, which was already battered by accusations of police brutality during the 2014 pro-democracy "Umbrella" civil disobedience movement.

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 city's court which would decide on the extraditions on a case-by-case basis.

Critics, including leading lawyers and rights groups, note China's justice system is controlled by the Communist Party, and say it is marked by torture and forced confessions, arbitrary detention and poor access to lawyers.

China says it respects rule of law.

Hong Kong is governed by China under a "one country, two systems" deal that guarantees it special autonomy, including freedom of assembly, free press and independent judiciary.

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.

The Chinese government has denied that it has overreached in Hong Kong. (Reporting by John Ruwitch, Clare Jim, Jessie Pang, James Pomfret, Joyce Zhou, Vimvam Tong, Anne Marie Roantree, Greg Torode and Twinnie Siu Writing by John Ruwitch Editing by Michael Perry and Christian Schmollinger)As you head into your fourth decade here on Earth, you're wiser, savvier, and likely equipped with more disposable income. So it's also likely that your travel tastes have grown up with you. While you might have opted for the nearest hostel when you were backpacking post-college, these days, the number of pillows on your bed and the option for a late check out is far more important.

And when you were in your late teens, you might have savored the ability to drink legally on the streets of Europe, whereas now, youd rather have a fine dining experience thats Michelin starapproved.

Thats why revisiting certain destinations youve already been too can offer a different perspective on travel. After all, theres a big difference between an all-inclusive in Cancun over spring break and the delightful luxury of a secluded spa resort in the Mayan forest.

Here, seven destinations around the world to experience with fresh eyes in your thirties.

Los Cabos, Mexico

Getty Images

As one of the most popular spring break destinations for high school and college-aged kids, Cancun is often one of the first places travelers will venture to sans parents. While cheap tequila and tacos are one way to detox from exams, the ongoing party scene (and imminent hangover) isnt quite as appealing for the 30-plus crowd. This time, head for the Pacific coast. In Los Cabos, youll find more upscale experiences, with high-class hotels and resorts, shops, and nightlife. Though it's arguably a bit more Americanized than other parts of Mexico, the exclusivity of this region feels much more sophisticated.

Where to Stay: Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, a stunning newcomer where all 128 guest rooms offer a panoramic view of the sea

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Jos Gouveia/EyeEm/Getty Images

Before you entered the so-called "real world," backpacking around Europe with your buddies was one of those once-in-a-lifetime trips youll never forget. For many backpackers, Amsterdam is a must-see, with its endless inexpensive hostels and street food along the canals, and the allure of the infamous Red Light District. You might not remember too much from your first foray in the Dutch capital, so your second trip might be more impactful. Now, you can take the time to really immerse yourself in the history of the citys 17th-century Golden Age, including the beauty of Van Gogh Museum, the somber history of the Anne Frank house, and the modern art of Stedelijk. For a fun experience with your travel partner, rent bikes and explore the city as locals do.

Story continues

Where to Stay: Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam, a 400-year-old establishment featuring a collection of 25 canal houses

Sydney and Bondi Beach, Australia

Ian Trower/Getty Images

Many professionals go through a period where theyre not quite ready to enter the workforce but also not financially stable enough to not earn some cash. Thats when some turn to work abroad programs that give them the opportunity to trade hours of clerking, cleaning, and so on, for free housing. One of the most popular countries for twenty-somethings to do this in is Australia. Here, you can work behind the desk at a hotel, tour folks around hotspots, or take on other odd jobs, all in exchange for a bed to rest your head in at night. Now that youre gainfully employed, you can experience this remarkable city through a different lens. With fun nightlife, incomparable brunch scene, waves made for surfing, and a plethora of friendly locals, having a bit more money to play with makes Australia's capital that much more exciting.

Where to Stay: QT Sydney and QT Bondi Beach, both contemporary stays with easy access to the city or to the shore





Krabi, Thailand

Jochen Schlenker/Getty Images

First-time visitors to Southeast Asia are often mesmerized by the aroma of the food markets, the traffic jam of tuk-tuks, the fire dancers on the beaches, and most of all, the budget-friendly cost of, well, everything. You can get by at $5-a-night hostels and live on $1 mango sticky rice. Even if you enjoyed Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the islands, say, a decade ago, pack your bug spray and venture back to the Andaman Sea. Known for its limestone cliffs, rainforest, and hundreds of islands, steer clear of the party-filled Phi Phi or Phuket and stay in Krabi instead. Here, you can lounge by the water, take a private long-tail boat ride, have a Thai massage (or four), and snorkel your way through captivating marine life.

Where to Stay: Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton property with a private beach, multiple restaurants, and the kind of romantic experience youve always dreamed of

Barcelona, Spain

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While the metropolitan hub of Barcelona isnt categorically inexpensive, with most cafes and restaurants offering tapas with every drink order, many twenty-somethings on a budget can get by on a steady stream of snacks. With a pretty beach and plenty of parks, wasting away a week in this city is easy to do. But now that your paycheck can fund a bit more sightseeing, make your way back to the charm of Catalonia. From standing in awe of the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell to dining at some of the best restaurants in the world, the history and mystique of Barcelona may feel even warmer than before.

Where to Stay: Margot House, a boutique, feels-like-home property across the street from Gaudi's Casa Batllo

New York, NY

Britta Knappmann/EyeEm/Getty Images

The New York City you made happen by crashing with a friend and subsisting solely on hot dog stands and $1 pizza slices is not quite the same New York you'll meet with a little more life experience (and spending money) under your belt. From dining at some of the buzziest restaurants in the world to taking in a Broadway show to actually using a credit card you can pay off at your next billing cycle on Fifth Avenue, New York looks a bit rosier when you have the income to back it up.

Where to Stay: The Times Square Edition, a just-opened oasis in the billboard-bordered center of ManhattanSIOUX CITY -- There was a time when Dallas-based Anthony Properties was primarily in the business of building movie theaters.

Perhaps it's surprising, then, that the developer was the driving force behind a new shopping center in Sioux City anchored by a Hobby Lobby and a Fleet Farm. A second phase of development is now underway at Sunnybrook Village with the construction of a new strip mall in front of Hobby Lobby.

Jordan Todd, Anthony Properities' assistant vice president of development, said the company first reached into Sioux City because of the former Carmike Cinemas movie theater.

"We were one of the preferred developers for Carmike (Cinemas), and you guys had a Carmike at your mall that was not in great shape, and so we were in the Sioux City market looking for a new site for Carmike," Todd said. "That's when we came across the opportunity south of Lowe's, and we just really liked that area. We contracted it with the intention of bringing a movie theater, but that was right around the time that Carmike was starting the process of being acquired by AMC."

AMC subsequently renovated the former Carmike theater at Southern Hills Mall. But Anthony Properties was still interested in Sunnybrook. The Sioux City market represented a number of firsts for the developer, which had built around 50 movie theaters nationwide but made only limited forays into retail.

"Nothing on the scale of Sioux City, so that's kind of, especially with Fleet Farm, we've never done anything that big," Todd said. "And the apartments, that was our first taste of doing apartments."

With a partner, Lincoln, Nebraska-based Perry Reid Properties, Anthony Properties developed The Summit at Sunnybrook Apartments, on the hill overlooking Sunnybrook Village. A second phase of apartment construction is under construction.

Anthony Properties also is building apartments in Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa.

At Sunnybrook Village, construction began this spring on the new strip mall. Todd said he expects the project to wrap up in the fall, with the first businesses opening by November.

When it's finished, it will have roughly 12,500 square feet of space for retailers or other businesses. There is enough space for up to six tenants, though Todd said if a business wanted more space, they could accommodate them by joining two spaces. Currently the endcap spaces each have 2,500 square feet, while interior spaces have between 1,600 and 1,800 square feet.

"We're remaining flexible, you know, a bigger user could come in and take multiple bays and that would just one space," he said. "The northern endcap will have an outdoor patio area, and it also has the ability to have a drive-thru on it. We have been in talks with some kind of food users for that northern endcap."

Anthony Properties has pitched the site to possible tenants for the spaces, and they've already signed one up -- but Todd was not authorized to name any names.

"They do not want me to disclose that at this time," he said. "We have one tenant right now signed up for our southern endcap, it's 2,500 square feet."

Todd was able to hint that the tenant will be "kind of a data, telecommunication business."

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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.SIOUX CITY -- Two of Sioux City's most historic residential neighborhoods will be featured on walking tours presented by the Sioux City Public Museum this summer.

The free, 75-minute walking tours will proceed at a leisurely pace along the half-mile areas as archive manager Tom Munson discusses the history, residents and architecture of the neighborhoods.

The Jackson Street walking tour will start at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with an optional tour of the Peirce Mansion from 6 - 7 p.m. Built by businessman John Peirce, the Victorian Era mansion was part of his extensive real estate development on Sioux City's north side.

At 7 p.m., July 9, a walking tour of Summit Street will begin at 7 p.m. form Call's Triangle, the small traffic island at 21st and Summit Streets. The northern stretch of Summit -- between 18th and 24th Streets -- was originally platted in the 1880s as part of Rose Hill. The neighborhood is a collection of single family homes and large apartments. The architectural diversity ranges from Prairie to Queen Anne Victorian as well as from Beaux Arts to Craftsman.

For more information on summer walking tours or any other program, call the museum or visit siouxcitymuseum.org.

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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.SIOUX CITY -- A pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle on Floyd Boulevard late Saturday night.

According to a press release from the Sioux City Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 1300 block of Floyd Boulevard for a vehicle versus pedestrian accident at around 11:26 p.m. Saturday.

The male pedestrian, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. A preliminary investigation indicates the driver, whose name also has not been released, was traveling northbound on Floyd and stuck the pedestrian in the roadway.

An investigation into the accident is ongoing, and charges have not been filed at this time.

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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.WASHINGTON -- When the president of the United States sides with a murderous dictator over our own CIA, you would think it would be big news. When that dictator is a communist who has threatened the United States with missile attacks, you would think leaders of the Republican Party might be at least a little agitated.

But Tuesday's news narrative was dominated by President Trump and Joe Biden's overlapping visits to Iowa, setting up the Cornfield Clash. So little else penetrated. As for Republicans, they long ago pawned their consciences and their integrity for tax cuts and judges. A dictator-loving president who has repeatedly attacked the FBI and the CIA hasn't bothered them up to now, so why would this latest outrage make any difference?

Before he hit the trail, Trump spoke to reporters outside the White House and once more waxed rhapsodic about his love affair with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He was smitten by a "beautiful letter" he got from his dear friend who happens to have much blood on his hands.

"I can't show you the letter, obviously," Trump said. Why "obviously"? We are a democratic republic where the citizens have a right to know, right? Oops, I forgot, Trump doesn't believe in that sort of thing.

He added that it "was a very personal, very warm, very nice letter." Ah, love! And as if he were eyeing North Korea for a new Trump resort, the president declared: "North Korea has tremendous potential, and he'll be there." Kim is "the one that feels that more than anybody," and underscoring just how wise the dear leader is, Trump concluded: "He totally gets it."

Then came the swipe at the CIA. Unprompted, Trump obliquely referred to The Wall Street Journal's report that Kim's half brother, Kim Jong Nam, who was murdered at the Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia in 2017, had been a CIA source. Trump seemed bent on assuring his autocrat friend that he would never, ever try to spy on him that way.

Here's what Trump said: "I saw the information about the CIA with respect to his brother, or half brother. And I would tell him" -- the "him" meaning Kim Jong Un -- "that would not happen under my auspices." Really? Trump prefers to fly blind?

It appears we are so dulled to Trump's daily disgraces that we're letting this one pass. The president of the United States is effectively scolding our intelligence services for doing their jobs. He's saying to an adversary: Don't worry, I've got your back. Our terrible agents won't trouble you again.

Not for the first time, we have to ask whether any allied foreign intelligence service can trust us with information -- and what risks a would-be informant will take on our behalf. Such a source might well ponder if Trump would send a "very personal, very warm" letter to one of his dictator friends outing our covert ally. And how much information can our CIA share with our commander in chief?

Inadvertently, Trump, who spent a lot of time during his White House encounter with reporters trashing Biden, brought home the former vice president's message of the day.

"The president," Biden said in Ottumwa, Iowa, "is literally an existential threat to America."

Anyone who has listened to Biden over the years knows of his deep affection for the word "literally." But he is, literally, right to use it with respect to our president. Trump's fondness for autocrats is not just a reflection of his deeply defective values. It leads him to behavior that is genuinely dangerous to the national security of the United States.

Biden had an excellent day on Tuesday. His criticisms of Trump were telling and clearly got into the president's head. Biden could build on this with some rethinking. He should consider why so many are skeptical of his claims that a Trump defeat will lead to an "epiphany" among Republicans who would instantly rediscover their moral compasses. Leaving aside how obstructionist Republicans were in the Obama-Biden years, their refusal to take Trump on even when he coddles a communist thug tells us a great deal about how lost the GOP is. Biden should not pretend that his collegial nature and history with some of these guys will overcome very bad habits developed over a generation.

In the meantime, our country deserves to know what is really going on between our president and the gangster he used to call "Little Rocket Man." Maybe someone at the CIA can tell us.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0With many Democrat presidential candidates praising socialism for our country, I'm wondering why migrants from Central America don't go to Venezuela where socialism is alive and well. Why would they want to travel to America where the evils of capitalism are alive and well?Get More Working Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcastsand much more. Sign up today. Join Slate Plus Subscribe to Working Copy this link and add it in your podcast app. copy link copied! For detailed instructions, see our Slate Plus podcasts page.

Listen to Working via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.

This week, Jordan returns to talk nerdy with Tim Crossley, partner and lead designer at Crossley Acoustics. Tims company designs and builds recording studios for the music, film, and (of course) podcasting industriesin fact, as it turns out, he built Slates own studio! Tim and Jordan get into all the detailed work and planning that goes into making a room sound good, from using acoustic modeling software to building and rebuilding custom resonators.

You can email us at working@slate.com.

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.YOUNGSTOWN, OhioIn 1984, Lewis Macklin stood up at a community meeting and argued that city officials should shut down his high school. It had been seven years since Black Mondaywhen Youngstown Sheet & Tube announced it was closing its largest factory, costing 5,000 people their jobs and setting off a chain of plant shutdowns that sent the citys population into free fall. Youngstown could no longer fill its schools, so one would have to close.

But the city did not want to shut down Macklins school, Wilson High, which was mostly white. Officials wanted to close the nearby black school instead. Macklin, who is black, recently told me the citys argument was,  Keep Wilson openif you close it down, the white community will move. Well take our children and well move.  That argument won. The city shut down the black school, South High, in 1993, and its students were sent to the districts remaining schools. White families continued to flee the south side anyway, and by 2016, students in the Youngstown School District were 15 percent white and 64 percent black.

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Like many buildings in Youngstown, South High School stands abandoneda stately, stone Beaux-Arts building whose afterlife as a charter school never stuck. The hedges are trimmed, but the flagpole is bare. For Macklin, now a reverend at a nearby Baptist church, the building is a reminder of how deindustrialization, and the response to it, hurt not just the city of Youngstown, but the citys black community in particular.

If youve heard about Youngstown lately, it is probably because the city has been held upover, and over, and over againas the locus of white working-class drift from the Democratic Party to Donald Trump. The epicenter of the Trump phenomenon, the public policy theorist Justin Gest called the city. It was here, the story goes, that Trump stoked white anxiety, pitched cures to roiling crowds, and brought white union workers into the GOPs column for the first time in decades, where they appear to be staying put. Democrats underperformed in the region during the blue wave in 2018, and Youngstown will be represented by a Republican in the Ohio state Senate for the first time in 60 years.

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Theres no boom in Youngstown, but blue-collar workers are sticking with Trump, the New York Times announced last month, in the latest of a series of Trump Country dispatches on the nations white working class. These heartland safaris exhibit a common media oversight: the compulsion to paint white, small-town manufacturing workers as the face of the working class, which is in reality mostly urban, racially diverse, and more likely to make burgers than automobiles.

In Youngstown, these stories exhibit another oversight: Youngstown is not white. In contrast to the largely white Mahoning Valley, for which it often serves as an unthinking stand-in, the city itself is 43 percent black and majority-minority. The mayor is black. In more than a dozen interviews in Youngstowns black community, I could not find anyone who knew a black Trump supporter, let alone was one. But not all of the people I talked to voted for Hillary Clinton, either.

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These heartland safaris exhibit a common media oversight: the compulsion to paint white, small-town manufacturing workers as the face of the working class.

The collapse of manufacturing in the Mahoning Valley may have provoked a white identity crisis that the national media cant get enough of, but the upheaval was more severe for black Americans. As Sherry Linkon and John Russo, onetime co-directors of the Center for Working-Class Studies at Youngstown State University, wrote in Steeltown U.S.A., their portrait of Youngstown after the fall: With less money saved, smaller pensions, and less valuable homes, black families, suffered disproportionately when the mills closed.

And they keep losing ground. In 1980, according to data provided by Jacob Whiton at the Brookings Institution, the median black family in the Youngstown area made 18 percent less than the median black family nationally; today that family underearns by 35 percent. In 2017, the median black household in the city of Youngstown, where most of the regions black population lives, makes $20,646little more than half the income of the median black family nationally.

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It has been a slow half-century since the crisis began. The citys longtime black residents remember what, in retrospect, look like the good times. On a recent morning, I sat in a bar called the Pit Stop with a group of older, black men who have been meeting for breakfast for more than a decade. Jacks Jury, they call themselves, after Jack Carter, a former Ohio Department of Transportation worker and the groups mischievous, raspy-voiced patriarch. There were two words I was told not to mention as we sipped coffee: work and Trump.

This used to be a white bar. Ten years ago, I couldnt walk in here, said Carl Bryant, a former TV newsman. The group is on its fifth location, after three previous meeting spots closed and one was sold.

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This is Youngstowns golden generation of black Americansmen who grew up here when wages were decent enough, the neighborhoods were (briefly) integrated, and the schools were good. Sylvester Patton worked at the General Motors plant in Lordstown in the late 60s, making Chevy Vegas, a car that no longer gets built, and served five terms in the state Legislature. Youngstown was good to me, he reminisced. But, like many Youngstown residents of his generation, hes watched his children move away in search of opportunity.

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Today, Youngstown is a city of 65,000 that has one hospital and barely one full-service supermarket. The unemployment rate for black workers here is triple what it is for whites. And the poverty rate in the city is 36 percenttwice as high as the county figure. For residents who remember the good years, theres a feeling of whiplash. A good job now pays $15 an hour. It used to be $30.

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Whatever went wrong for the white working class here went even worse for their black counterparts. Blacks were hurt by job sprawl that saw work opportunities move from the heart of town into distant suburbs, where housing racism kept black workers out. They were hurt by the racist legacy of the unions here, which left them with worse jobs than their white peers and made them more likely to be dismissed first when downsizing occurred. They were hurt by urban renewal and the wave of declining home values, public services, amenities, and school quality. They were stuck in the city as white flight hollowed out the neighborhoods. They were hurt by the whiteness of the county Democratic Party, which they say has shown little interest in the citys problems.

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The story of Tre Lewis, who lives in a modest, well-kept house with his family on the south side, is typical. Lewis was raised on the citys east side, where his father was a union metalworker for four decades at Falcon Foundry in Lowellville. He works at a cleaners. His daughter works at Wendys. If there was something to do in this town, this town would prosper, because theres a lot of loyal people here, a lot of good people, he said as we chatted in his front yard. But theres nothing to do. Theres no jobs here. The only jobs we had they just closed.

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He means Lordstown, the enormous GM plant 16 miles west of the city that General Motors closed in March. The saga of the Lordstown plant has obsessed Donald Trump, who had criticized GM for layoffs at the plant and boasted on Twitter of GREAT NEWS FOR OHIO when the company said it was in discussions to sell the 6-million-square-foot facility to a 99-person company called Workhorse. In July 2017, Trump held a campaign-style rally in downtown Youngstown that drew 7,000 people to the citys convention center. Dont sell your homes, he told the crowd, promising new jobs at the valleys abandoned plants.

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Talk like that was what swayed some white Democrats in Mahoning County, which includes Youngstown. In 2016, the number of registered Republicans here went from 14,663 before the GOP primary to 35,867 afterward. For the first time since 1972, the Democratic candidate failed to crack 50 percent. Trump deserves credit. But also important was the lack of turnout for Clinton. Trump improved on Mitt Romneys performance in the county by 11,000 votes. Clinton underperformed Obama by twice that margin.

Lewis was one of those people who did not vote for president, for the first time in his adult life. He has plenty to say about why he finds Donald Trump appalling: his comments about women, his deportation of a local Jordanian business owner, his petty feuds. But he found little to like in Hillary Clinton; he told me that he felt she was hiding something. Other black voters in Youngstown told me they didnt like her stance on trade or abortion, or remembered her superpredators speech, or her husbands crime and welfare bills.

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They need to give a sense of reality, not false hope, said Mayor Jamael Tito Brown, when we spoke on the phone about how the Democrats could counter Trumps appeal in the county. The reality is we have tough economic issues. But in a place like Youngstown, Ohio, we dont just want a campaign speech every 3 years. I asked the mayor which presidential candidates he liked, and he did not hesitate: Tim Ryan the local congressmen, who is currently polling at 0.5 percent. He understands what were going through.

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One evening, I popped into the end of a meeting of the local chapter of the NAACP at the invitation of Mike McNair, who runs the citys 80-year-old black newspaper, the Buckeye Review. We talked about racism in the labor market, the flight of the citys young, ambitious people of color, and the president.

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If women had had any idea that that man would walk womens rights as far back as he walked them, they would have stood in line for a week to vote for Hillary, regardless of what their feelings were for her politically, observed Monica Hoskins-Vann, an insurance agent and the vice president of the local chapter of the Links Inc., an organizing group for women of color.

The good news, said Kenneth Simon, the pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church on Hillman Street, is the Democratic Party should be able to run Bozo the Clown and win.

The bad news is that no one had voted in the citys recent primaries for local elected office. Turnout was about 10 percent. Helen Youngblood, a longtime leader of the AFSCME local, remembered talking to a friend about this: When I ask, Why cant we get these people out to vote?, the person says to me, Helen, when you get up in the morning and you dont know if your baby is going to have milk, then your priority of the day isnt getting out to vote.  Poverty, she reasoned, was crushing peoples will to participate in the political process.

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But several people I spoke to said there is also reason to blame Democrats, or as Sybil West called them when I paid a visit to her east side home on a recent afternoon, the wimpocrats. The party has been as absent here as Donald Trump is present, West told me, and the states GOP-led gerrymandering and poverty have further sapped peoples enthusiasm. Most people are feeling apathetical, she surmised, because theyre saying, Its not going to do any good. 

A local organizer who lives on the citys east side, West epitomizes her generation of black Youngstown: She grew up with white neighbors and friends. Her steelworker father told her brother hed kill him before he let him work in the mills, hoping hed rise to something better. She worked at General Electric in the city (closed) and then for 25 years in nearby Warren for General Electrics Ohio Lamp Plant (closed). Now, watching over her granddaughter on a summer afternoon, she considered the white cultural crisis in the Mahoning Valley.

It hurts them because theyre not used to cutting corners, she said as we sat in her kitchen, MSNBC humming from the living-room TV. Opioids, suicides, people cant figure out how to survive. Wemeaning, black Americanshave always had to live our lives on Plan A and Plan B. We may not have had much, but we learned how to plan. Were a race that was forced to live with less.When two fillies go into a race with a perfect record, odds are only one comes out with a perfect record. And the picture of perfection in the 2019 Fan Hanover Final is Treacherous Reign, who knocked off Warrawee Ubeaut in the final strides on the 2019 Pepsi North America Cup undercard.

Driver Dexter Dunn looked to place elim winner Treacherous Reign forwardly as Stonebridge Soul (Sylvain Filion) fired out for the front from post nine. Powerful Chris (Bob McClure) was also pointed to the top and cleared Stonebridge Soul to reach the opening stanza in :27. That lead was short-lived, however, as Treacherous Reign made her intentions known to drive on and then yield to favoured Warrawee Ubeaut (Yannick Gingras).

Warrawee Ubeaut fronted the field just before the :54.1 half, with pressure coming from Tall Drink Hanover (Andrew McCarthy). A third quarter was almost identical in tempo to the first two, clicked in 1:21.1. Warrawee Ubeaut put away Tall Drink Hanover but then faced the fresh threat of pocket-sitting Treacherous Reign. Those two warriors traded blows down the Mohawk stretch with neither willing to give up, and Powerful Chris snuck up the rail to make it a three-way dance. In deep stretch, Treacherous Reign poked her nose in front to trip the timer in a lifetime best 1:48.3.

Owned by Alagna Racing LLC of Manalapan, N.J., Big Als Stables of Woodbridge, Ont., Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Dana Parham of Boca Raton, Fl., Treacherous Reign (Captaintreacherous - Scandalous Hanover) is now perfect in four seasonal starts. The lion's share of the purse puts her lifetime earnings at $517,365.

Be sure to check out the recaps and replays from the stakes-loaded card of harness racing action at Woodbine Mohawk Park on 2019 Pepsi North America Cup night in our North America Cup Night News CentreTrainer Chris Beaver captured both of the $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes contests for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings on a blustery and rainy Saturday night, June 15 at Northfield Park.

Beaver harnessed 5-2 Never Say Uncle from post nine to take the first division in 1:56.1 with Brett Miller at the controls over a sloppy track. The bay son of Uncle Peter used come-from-behind tactics to notch his third lifetime victory, pushing his career earnings to $95,610.

Never Say Uncle was a full 4-1/2 lengths ahead of 9-1 rival Dylan The Great (Kurt Sugg) at the wire, while 14-1 Voyage To Paris (Kayne Kauffman) did well to be third.

Owned by Chris Beaver, Johanna Beaver, Michael Carter, and Mary McLoughlin, the homebred Never Say Uncle now has three wins, two seconds and three thirds in 13 career starts. He is the first foal out of the Glidemaster mare Travelin Dream, 3, 1:55.3f ($40,745), and was scratched from leg one of this series at Miami Valley on May 5.

In the second division, 10-1 longshot Otsego took advantage of a perfect steer by Aaron Merriman to prevail by a neck over 8-5 Yes (Ryan Stahl) in a career-best 1:55.3. The Dejarmbro gelding picked up his third lifetime win in 10 starts, upping his bankroll to $58,918 for owners Chris Beaver, Martin Yoder, Steven Zeehandelar and Vip Internet Stable. Chris Page guided 9-1 Wittyville to show honours.

Bred by Jonas Schlabach, Otsego was fifth to Wittyville in leg one of this series. He is the first foal out of the Conway Hall mare You And Me Baby.

(Ohio State Racing Commission)The Mark Austin Pacing Series kicks off on Sunday at Dresden Raceway, and it's expected to be a dog fight.

The four favourites in the first leg of the series, for non-winners of a race or $5,000, are Kid Genius, Township Willy, Denmark Seelster and Toxic Hanover. Those horses are spread throughout three different divisions but are destined to meet in the future.

Kid Genius is the morning line favourite in the eighth race. The four-year-old Shadow Play gelding is co-owned by Chris Cain and trainer Allan Steeves with Nick Steward at the controls. Kid Genius had a 1:57 wire-to-wire win two starts ago at Western Fair Raceway.

Leading driver Tyler Borth will be in the bike for Township Willy in the second division for owners Mark and Stanley Zipkin and trainer Rene Dion. The three- year-old Sportswriter colt stepped off his back half in :58 in his first start back last week at Georgian Downs, finishing third in 1:58.4.

Township Willy will be battling Denmark Seelster and Chris Johnston in the second division. Denmark Seelster is owned and trained by Jerry Sims. The three-year-old Big Jim gelding faded last start in Sarnia after being parked to three quarters in 1:26 but put in a gutsy performance the start before with a :57.3 back half at Western Fair for a third-place finish.

Toxic Hanover is the 7-5 favourite in the last division for owner/trainer Jack Darling and driver Tyler Borth. The three-year-old Somebeachsomewhere colt was beat by half a length in the Sharpes Series elimination in Hanover last week, with the mile timed in in 1:56.4 and his back half in :58.

Post Time for the Fathers Day extravaganza is set for 1:30 p.m. with a day full of free giveaways and draws. To view the entries for Sunday's card, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Dresden Raceway.

(with files from Dresden)Why do some parts of the world seem to defy efforts to achieve any degree of unity and peace? Not just for years or decades but for generations or as long as anyone can remember. The worst of these nations (like Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia) seem to actively avoid peace, prosperity and unity and finding solutions for their problems seems futile. But when you step back and take a closer look you find that all these countries have lots in common, aside from being failed states. All are largely Moslem and all have serious problems with governing themselves. This spotlights the fact that Moslems in general, and Arabs in particular, have developed a peculiar relationship with democracy in an attempt to cure these longstanding problems. The list of failed states grows longer if you include those who, on paper, maintain their unity but are chronically chaotic and unpleasant (or worse) to live in. These include Sudan (and the recently created South Sudan), Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, most African nations and, in the Americas, perpetually chaotic Haiti.

Many of the failed states were never unified nations with effective governments. Most African nations never existed as such in the past, but were created after a century or so of European colonial efforts that ended in the 1960s and 70s. The colonial powers leaving, usually willingly as they came to realize that these colonies were expensive to administer and would take a long time to develop prosperous enough economies to be self-sustaining. Unity was an even more difficult problem. When the Europeans left there were nearly a thousand different tribal/linguistic/cultural groups in sub-Saharan Africa. This plethora of cultural identities was the main reason there were few unified states, like ancient Ethiopia, in the region. There had been local kingdoms but they rarely lasted long because of the preference for kin-based government based on clans or tribes. Nations with borders were considered a novel, and alien, idea. But the colonial period showed it could work and since the 1960s several African states, like Botswana and the island state of Seychelles and Cape Verde, have remained unified, peaceful and prospering. Island states have an easier time of it in general and among those hundreds of separate cultures in Africa, there were many that absorbed the lessons of successful statehood their European colonizers offered. These were the groups that supplied many of the skilled workers, clerks and soldiers the colonials governments sought to recruit locally. But there were never enough of these bi-cultural locals to replace the colonial experts who tended to leave once independence was achieved. The Europeans were always considered outsiders no matter how much they absorbed the local culture and even married local women. Outsiders can overcome this. The Arab Moslem colonialists who preceded the Europeans by about a thousand years (coming overland from the north) made this acculturation process work but it takes centuries to complete. At that point, the Arabized Africans are often rejected by Africans and Arabs for not being African or Arab enough.

The failed Moslem states were another matter because they had a lot of cultural unity but forming effective (prosperous and stable) governments was another matter. Moslems tried and discarded socialist dictatorships (modeled on the Nazis, not the godless Bolsheviks) after World War II. There followed a democracy movement that grew after the 1960s as many more Moslems were able to migrate to the West. Because of that millions of Moslems have come to understand democracy from personal experience. They did this either by moving to the West or being visited by family or friends who had and were eager to explain this curious but seemingly successful form of government in great detail. As a result of this, opinion polls in Moslem countries have shown a growing approval of democracy, at least in theory. This was especially true in 2011 after the Arab Spring uprisings. But since 2011 that approval of democracy has dimmed a bit as Moslems unaccustomed to running a democracy found that doing so was not easy. A majority of Moslems still think democracy is the best form of government, but a quarter of Moslems also believe that democracy may be unsuitable for Moslem countries at this time. This disappoints and confuses many Moslems. They can see that democracy creates superior results where it has been established, but the process of getting democracy to work reliably is a lot harder and more difficult than many Moslems originally believed. This is largely because of some unique problems in Moslem states.

One of these intractable problems is opposition from some Islamic conservatives. This is made worse because many Arabs believe what Islamic terror groups preach; that the world should be ruled by an Islamic religious dictatorship and that this must be achieved by any means necessary. That includes using lethal force against non-Moslems and Moslems who dont agree. This sort of thinking has been popular with Islamic conservatives since Islam first appeared in the sixth century. Since then, it has periodically flared up into major outbreaks of religiously inspired violence that seriously damages the nation it occurs in.

Thats not the only problem. Arabs, in particular, sustain these outbursts with their fondness for paranoid fantasies and an exaggerated sense of persecution and entitlement. For example, most Arabs believe that the September 11, 2001 attacks were not carried out by Arabs, but were a CIA scam, to provide an excuse for the West to make war on Islam. Thats just the tip of the iceberg. U.S. troops in Iraq were amazed at the number of fantastical beliefs that were accepted as reality there. Currently, it is popular to believe that ISIL was created by Israel and the United States and that ISIL continues to survive because of continued support by Americans and Israelis.

Then there is the corruption and intense hatreds. Its a very volatile and unpredictable part of the world and always has been. This has resulted in Arab states failing to achieve the same prosperity and other social, economic and educational achievements found in the rest of the world. In the first decade of the 21st century, it became popular to call many of Moslem countries that were having trouble establishing democracy "failed states." This became the generic term for unstable countries that were prone to rebellion and civil disorder at the expense of everything else. What they all have in common is a lack of "civil society" (rule of, and respect for, law), and lots of corruption. The two sort of go together.

The best example of a failed state has long been Somalia, and that's largely because the concept of the "nation of Somalia" is a very recent (the 1960s) development. It never caught on. Same could be said for the Palestinians. Sudan is accused of being a failed state, but it isn't in the same league with Somalia. Sudan has had a central government of sorts, on and off, for thousands of years. Not so Somalia.

Another common problem in failed states is a large number of ethnic groups. This is a common curse throughout Africa, which is why the majority of the worst failed states are there. Europe and much of Asia have managed to get past tribalism, although that has not always resulted in a civil society. Tribalism has kept most African and many Arab nations from making much economic progress. The top failed states tend to be African, Moslem or both. Somalia is also unique in that it is one of those rare African nations that are not ethnically diverse. Instead, Somalia suffers from clan animosities and chronic warlordism.

There's a similar problem in the Middle East. For example, three current hot spots, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, have long been torn apart by tribal and religious animosities. Same with the Balkans and parts of India and Pakistan. Perhaps the most glaring example of a failed state caused by too much diversity is Papua New Guinea, on the eastern portion of the island of New Guinea (north of Australia). Papua New Guinea has over 800 languages (and even more tribes.) It has been in chaos, of one form or another, since becoming a nation 35 years ago. There is no Islam involved here as most of the locals are Christian or pagans.

No one has come up with a quick, or easy, solution for failed states. It's all a matter of effective local leadership, and that frequently fails to show up. There has been some success in helping good leaders develop, by assisting with installing a democracy. But just letting the people vote often leads to someone who looked like a good guy turning into a dictatorial "president for life." Haiti has, for two centuries, tried to develop a civil society, and for over a century has been using democracy in that effort. Has not worked, and prospects are bleak.

Iraq is still being keenly observed by the Arab world. It's one of only a few Arab states to have held free and (by local standards) fair elections lately. Iraq, however, is in the center of the Arab world, and its success, or failure, as a democracy, will determine how well democracy will fair in the region. Thus the current struggle with ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) takes on an added urgency.

The consensus so far is that the old reasons (outside interference) for the poor government in Arab states no longer apply. Since the 1950s, centuries of Turkish, and, more recently, a few decades of European rule, were to blame. Tiny Israel also got some blame. But it's become obvious that the Turks, Europeans and Israelis are not the cause. The problems are internal, and the search is on for workable solutions.

One exemplary leader can make a difference. Examples abound. Kemal Ataturk, more than any of his close followers and advisors, turned Turkey from a medieval monarchy into a functioning democracy. India also had a handful of strong leaders early on who achieved what many believed impossible and created the world's largest (over a billion people) democracy. Neither Turkey nor India are as efficient and prosperous as many older democracies. But compared to many of their neighbors, Turkey and India are beacons of hope in an otherwise dreary political landscape. Alas, they are the exception, not the rule, and this sorry state of affairs will continue for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, many Moslem leaders have absorbed all this and come up with their own solution. This has not been easy. For example, for years the kings of Saudi Arabia have been telling other Arab leaders that they are the problem. You can take that as a sign of progress. But real progress it ain't. Arab leaders are victims of their own success. Their rule is based on corruption and police state tactics. Think East Europe before 1989. The big difference is that, although the populations of East Europe then, and the Arab world now, were both fed up with their leaders and governments, the Arabs were not willing to make as painless a switch as the East Europeans did in the 1990s. That's because the East Europeans had two choices; communism or democracy. The Arabs have four; despotism, democracy, tribal factionalism or Islamic dictatorship.

In Iraq and Gaza, we see how Islamic radicals react to democracy. They call it un-Islamic and kill those who disagree with them. The Arabs have to deal with this, and in Iraq they are. In Gaza, they aren't. But the violence in Iraq has revealed another Arab problem. Even if you remove religion from the equation, not all Arabs are keen on democracy. In Iraq, the Sunni Arab minority believe it is their right (or responsibility) to run the country. This is a common pattern in Arab countries. One minority believes they are rulers by right, and that democracy is an abomination and un-Islamic (or at least inconvenient for the ruling minority). This is the pattern in nearly every Arab country.

Like South Africa, India and a lot of other places where "democracy won't work," it does. Not democracy like in the United States, or Europe, or anywhere else. Every democracy is different, just like every culture is different. Democracy is a messy, inefficient form of government, but compared to all the others, it tends to be preferred by most people.

Arabs, even Arab leaders, know they need democracy. They have tried everything else, and nothing else works. But democracy is strong medicine for Arabs, and many would rather just talk about it and go no further. That is the problem in the Arab world. Islamic terrorism is the result. The periodic outbreaks of Islamic radicalism have been around a lot longer than modern democracy and much more resistant to change.Longview City Councilman Mike Wallin doesnt shy away from confrontation.

He once publicly called for the city public works director to be fired over the citys water controversy.

He took to Facebook to sharply criticize the city traffic engineers job performance, which prompted him to leave the city.

He has openly called the City Public Works Department corrupt.

And his frequent requests for sidewalk repairs have led to accusations of cronyism, which he denies.

His detractors say his abrasive style has contributed to a strained relationship between the City Council and city staff and is driving away good, veteran employees.

But Wallin said he sees himself as a guardian for the taxpayers and ratepayers. His approach may ruffle feathers, but as a councilman he says its game on to make the city run as efficiently as possible.

Im different from some of these other politicians, Wallin said in an interview Tuesday. If people ask me questions or they want to know why something happened or why something works a certain way, Im going to answer it. I feel I owe it to the residents that Im as direct as possible with them.

However, four current and former city employees told The Daily News on the record that Wallins persistent questioning can feel like he doesnt trust them to do their jobs. Many others made similar complaints but did not want their names used.

Councils actions are frequently interpreted by staff that council doesnt trust staff to be doing the right thing, Public Works Director Jeff Cameron said Monday. That kind of attitude doesnt bode well for staff that are very dedicated to their job and are dedicated to looking out for the best interest of the city.

Retired Trans-Alta power-plant project manager John Melink told TDN that he decided to run against Wallin this fall because he heard from employees that Wallin was micromanaging them instead of letting the city manager direct staff.

I admit, Ive been pretty critical of staff, Wallin said. Weve had some disastrous decisions by council and by staff in the previous history, and we are inundated all the time by residents asking (us questions).

Wallin is adamant that he respects the chain of command  which requires him to file complaints through the City Managers Office  and dismissed the timing of the complaints as election-season dirty politics.

He speaks up when he sees problems, he said, and frequently posts these questions and critiques on his official Facebook page along with information about city business, events and policies. Social media is one way he can inform constituents, he said.

Facebook critiques

To some city officials, however, the posts can feel like personal attacks about their job performance.

Former Traffic Engineer Manuel Abarca said he left the city in March after Wallin criticized his job performance on Facebook and he heard that the council had threatened to cut his position.

I was hoping to finish out my career with the City of Longview. Im in my 50s and I planned probably to work there until I was in my 60s, maybe even 70s, if mentally I was all there, he said.

Then, ahead of a City Council meeting in January, Wallin posted on his Facebook page that We are thankful that now  after years on the job and the persistent urging by Council that he show up for work and perform some actual traffic improvements  traffic Engineer Abarca finally shows some interest in getting some improvements made.

When you see something like that, its a slap in the face and a kick in the stomach, Abarca said. Its not recognizing what we do and why we have to do it.

In February, Abarca said he started hearing coworkers openly talking about how the council wanted to cut his position, so he left. He now works as the Olympic Region Traffic Design Engineer for the state Department of Transportation.

The whole Southwest Washington area is pretty close-knit. People know each other, Abarca said. When you have a council that I consider out of control, people dont want to work for that agency.

Public-works employee exodus

In the past two years, 29 non-seasonal employees have resigned from the City of Longview, not including terminations or retirements, according to official records.

Longview Human Resources Director Chris Smith said the average annual turnover rate of Longview employees over the past decade is a little more than 6%. The national average employment turnover is 15%, he said.

About 12% of Longviews current employees have been with the city for 25 years or more, according to city records. And almost a quarter of the employees have been with the city for 20 years or more, Smith said.

While overall city turnover has remained fairly steady over the past decade, 11 of the people who left in the last two years had been in the Public Works Department  including engineers Amy Blain, Sam Barham and Tom Gorman and Engineering Manager Craig Bozarth, who was Camerons heir apparent as director. (Blain and Barham both left last summer but are still on the city payroll as temporary employees while they finish projects.) Blain, Bozarth and Barham all declined to comment or did not return phone calls.

Eleven resignations in two years may not seem like a lot, but Cameron said his department has historically had low turnover, with one or two resignations annually.

Thats one department that absolutely is under extreme scrutiny by our residents. More than anything else, people drink their water and have an issue with it, and people drive on our roads and have an issue with them, Wallin said.

From the beginning of Wallins tenure on the council in 2012, Cameron has become a lightning rod for the citys infrastructure frustrations. Shortly after Longview switched its water supply from the Cowlitz River to a groundwater supply at the Mint Farm Industrial Park in January 2013, Wallin posted to his Facebook page that Cameron should be fired. (Cameron oversaw an extensive analysis of water supply options the council used to make its decision.)

Wallin says he was outspoken against the decision when a previous council voted for the switch, which resulted in years of water quality problems and expensive fixes.

The Facebook post about Cameron appears to have been deleted, and Wallin said he didnt remember posting it, but multiple former and current city employees referenced the post in interviews.

I may have said something or posted something like that, Wallin acknowledged. Ive been very critical of Jeff Cameron  and very public about it. But Ive also supported him.

However, multiple former employees said the Facebook post upset them.

I was furious because if he could say that about Jeff, he could say that about any of us  myself or my staff, former Longview Utility Manager Jeff Coleman said in a recent interview.

Coleman was with the City of Longview for 21 years before he resigned in September 2017 over frustrations with the council. He now works for the City of Olympia as the drinking water operations supervisor.

After a more recent exchange in February, Wallin accused the Public Works Department of corrupting the bidding process for a contract to replace a box culvert along Beech Street. He pointedly questioned Camerons recommendation to reject the lowest bidder over contractor qualification rules that Cameron argued were standard procedure, but Wallin saw as favoritism. The council threw out all the bids and readvertised the project as a result.

On Facebook, Wallin wrote that the public works bidding process was unfairly corrupted and altered by public works staff. We dont know for what motivation or by who. ... The public trust has been violated. Again.

The city received complaints from the Lower Columbia Contractors Association over the bidding process, but Cameron maintains that the city didnt do anything out of the ordinary.

A councilmember who doesnt know the bidding process is accusing staff who does it routinely of corrupting the process, and I disagree with that vehemently, Cameron said in an interview last week.

The second time around, the city only received one bid for the project, which was almost $500,000 higher than the original bid. The council rejected all the bids again and temporarily abandoned the project.

The councils actions prompted contractor Advanced Excavating Specialists, after operating in Longview for a decade, to move to Kelso.

The councils ill-advised rejection of all the bids and rejection of the project over the long haul will cause us contracting difficulties, Cameron said. Agencies get reputations over how they are to work with. When we end up rejecting bids twice on a project, contractors know that.

An eye out for sidewalks

Wallins forceful style has also prompted whispers of cronyism among some of his detractors. He is known to be prolific in his reports of poor sidewalks throughout the city. One city employee said its a running joke that if a project gets moved up the priority list, it must be one of Wallins real estate properties.

But Wallin says he is indiscriminate about the sidewalk problems he reports, often personally inspecting a complaint and then walking the entire block to flag other locations.

Others have worried that Wallin frequently intervenes on behalf of Urban Saloon at 1202 Commerce Ave. because he is friends with the former owner, Shannon Bass. Wallin has sent many emails to city staff about her complaints regarding city permitting, according to records obtained by TDN.

I dont know if they are friends, but obviously she has an ear to Mike Wallin, Coleman said.

Wallin said he eats at Urban Saloon all the time with his family and always hears from Bass about how troublesome it is to work with the city, so he passes her complaints on to city staff.

Is Bass his close friend? Were friends on Facebook. Shes one of my 1,700 closest friends, or something, Wallin said. (Bass recently left Urban Saloon for new business ventures and could not be reached for comment.)

In his personal dealings with the city as a real estate broker, Wallin in 2018 left terse voice messages for Utility Systems Manager Brian Steveson and Utility Operations Manager Brian Rickman. When asked to perform water and sewer assessments on his property at 1140 11th Ave., Wallin was short, inflexible and disrespectful before abruptly hanging up, according to a report from Rickman obtained by TDN.

He acted as if we were singling him out, Steveson said in an email obtained by TDN. I feel he is using his position within the City to exempt himself from certain procedures.

But Wallin says there was poor communication from the city about what he needed to do as a private property owner.

Our residents should be treated like customers, and I was not treated like a customer, Wallin said.

Relationship between council and staff

Both Wallin and Human Resources Director Smith said the dissatisfaction of former employees surprised them.

I have no information that would corroborate any of this, Smith said of staff concerns.

And Wallin said the council has great relationships with the city manager and department heads.

But Coleman says the relationship between the council and staff has been deteriorating since former City Manager Bob Gregory stepped down in 2015.

(Gregory) was a standup guy and I know that he defended us, Coleman said. It really did change and get worse once he left.

When Gregory stepped down as city manager in 2015, the council replaced him with Dave Campbell, who had served as assistant city manager for a decade. Campbell resigned three years later after receiving low performance reviews from the council.

Finance Director Kurt Sacha was appointed to replace Campbell last year. Sacha has been with the city for more than four decades.

Im not going to say its Kurts fault. And its not Dave Campbells fault, Coleman said. When something happens with the city like whats happening now, it falls on the City Council.

Sacha told TDN that there have been times when employees told him that they felt like Wallin had overstepped his bounds. But he says there is a long-standing open-door policy between the council and staff to discuss issues and ask questions.

Theres a difference between ... having a conversation with staff and directing staff, he said. Therein lies the difference.

Mayor Don Jensen said he didnt think Wallin went too far in his criticism of city staff.

The citizens want us to not just sit on our hands but to ask those hard questions that they are sitting at home watching (the council meeting) or sitting in the audience saying thats what I was wondering too. Sometimes it may look like its pretty hard questions, but thats why were there, Jensen said.

The last time the city conducted a survey of employee satisfaction was in 2008, Smith said. Wallin said he liked the idea of conducting another survey but said he wished more people would talk to him directly about their concerns.

The reason these concerns are coming up now, Wallin said, is because the election season is ramping up.

Political race

His challenger, Melink, has never held public office but is married to Mary Jane Melink, who was Wallins colleague on the council until 2017 when she decided not to run again. She had served on the council 12 years. Melink said his wife had a good relationship with Wallin of mutual respect.

However, in Tuesdays interview Wallin called her a rubber stamper for council, and said her husband would be the same.

She brought us the disastrous decision on the water, he said. She never asked a tough question. She never spoke up for residents. We wont get anything different from him.

Melink called Wallins comments disappointing and uninformed, and said he was proud of his wifes service.

I got into this election to ensure that voters have a choice. As such its really about Councilman Wallins record and his actions as an elected official, he said.

Traffic Engineer Abarca said the relationship between the council and staff is important because the council sets the tone for how the city operates.

If people want status quo and want it to continue the way it is and continue to have people jump ship and not have people want to come to the city, then they should keep voting for people of the same mind. If they want a change, they need to voice their opinion at the ballot box, he said.

Wallin says the complaints are distractions and said hed rather have the political race focus on policies and the budget.

Its easy to fly under the radar and not get much done, but we are trying to improve our city and it does require that we speak up, Wallin said. It requires we have some changes.

The whole Southwest Washington area is pretty close-knit. People know each other. When you have a council that I consider out of control, people dont want to work for that agency.  Former city traffic engineer Manuel Abarca Its easy to fly under the radar and not get much done, but we are trying to improve our city and it does require that we speak up. It requires we have some changes.  Mike Wallin Councils actions are frequently interpreted by staff that council doesnt trust staff to be doing the right thing. That kind of attitude doesnt bode well ....  Jeff Cameron, public-works director

Love 7 Funny 7 Wow 4 Sad 0 Angry 17On a warm June afternoon, Jake Kunkle bounces his 8-month-old son Colton on his lap. His 4-year-old son Landon is a bolt of energy, running through their Seventh Avenue apartment in Longview while Kunkles fiancee, Nichole Davidson, has her niece and nephew over to visit. In the background, an episode of Pokemon fills in a rare quiet moment.

I wish I had that much energy without caffeine, Kunkle, 31, jokes as Landon bursts back into the room.

Its a quintessential domestic moment for Kunkle and Davidson, 26, a full-time student at LCC. But around this time two years ago, Kunkle was fighting to kick drug addiction and remain in his familys life.

Kunkle said he owes his transformation over the last three years to several factors, including the love of his family and his fiancee, who is herself in recovery from drug addiction. He credits the support from his counselors in the court and treatment systems, too. And Kunkle said he also owes his resurrection to fatherhood, which changed his perspective on family life.

I didnt get it before. I always thought, Im not hurting anybody but myself,  Kunkle said. I knew it wasnt really true then, but I was good at justifying and minimizing things  I held (my family) hostage. I didnt even understand the depth that it went, and I probably wont.

It was misery

Kunkle had been in trouble with the law since he was 20 and cant recall how many times hes been booked into jail.

His addiction to heroin and methamphetamine began while he attended Kelso High School. But Kunkle said the death of his father, who was also an addict, led to him to drop out of school. He said he was unable to cope with his feelings of loss and anger, and his pride and ego kept him from seeking help, Kunkle said.

It was misery, Kunkle said.

I was hopeless. I thought I was going to be a drug addict forever. I thought thats who I was and who I was supposed to be.  I thought there was no coming back from that. I didnt ever think I was going to amount to anything.

Several times he sobered up, got his drivers license reinstated and found work. But he inevitably relapsed, couldnt hold down a job and ended up back in jail. That cycle ran faster every time, Kunkle said.

It felt like my loved ones were expecting it, so it became easier to do each time, Kunkle said. I was used to disappointing people.

Then, three years ago, Kunkle was arrested by Longview police on suspicion of possessing a stolen car. He opted into the countys Drug Court program, which dismisses charges for selected defendants who admit to the crime and acknowledge their drug problem.

Most people take more than a year to graduate from drug court, and many who do stumble along the way. Kunkle was one of them: He went on the run and was arrested twice early on in the program, frustrated and embarrassed that he wasnt making more progress.

They want you to be honest with them, Kunkle said. I struggled with honesty when I first got clean.  My ego constantly got in the way.

Daddy, where are you?

In early 2017, Kunkle reconnected with Davidson. They had dated on-and-off for years but split because of Kunkles drug use, he said. Landons biological father was no longer in Davidsons life, so Kunkle fell in love with him and took over as his dad. (Kunkle now is in the process of legally adopting Landon.)

But around August that year, Kunkle relapsed again, running away from home and drug court.

I tried to push everybody I cared about away from me. ... And Id be gone for days at a time, and (Landon) would call me, and it would break my heart. Hed be like, Daddy, where are you? When are you coming home? And I didnt know how to deal with that.

Davidson is five years clean from her own addiction to heroin. She stood by Kunkle, she said, because she knew the struggles of addiction firsthand.

I told him that I loved him, Davidson said, (and) when he decided to come home and be clean, Id be here for him.

When he returned home around November of that year, Kunkle said he felt it was his last chance.

So he started taking treatment more seriously. He attended more 12-step addiction recovery meetings and acted on the suggestions his counselors gave him. Around that time, Davidson became pregnant with Colton, and Kunkle noticed he was becoming more comfortable talking about his bottled-up emotions with his counselors at Drug Court and Awakenings, a Kelso rehabilitation center, especially about his fathers death.

I was raised, men dont express their feelings. Were tough, Kunkle said. And thats not the case. Were human. And its OK to have feelings and emotions and express them.

When Colton was born, Kunkle was a nervous, blubbering wreck. Standing alongside his family as Davidson went into labor, it was the most emotionally overwhelming moment he had ever experienced.

Grateful for what I have

As the months passed, Kunkle started appreciating moments that he wouldnt pay attention to before, such as Landons birthday parties or a family visit to the Toutle river.

I remember Landon playing on the beach, Nichole knee-deep in water, and me just sitting there, feeling grateful for what I have.

Kunkle said he hasnt used drugs in a year and a half and has held down a job for the last 17 months. Hes currently a lead supervisor at Ecorrcrate, a Kalama-based shipping crate manufacturer. In August, he and Davidson are getting married, and he hopes to graduate from Drug Court that month, too.

Hes become a completely different person, Davidson said, more present and responsible and alive.

When youre on drugs, you may be there, but youre not there, Davidson said. Your body is there, but your mind is somewhere else.

Fatherhood opened Kunkles eyes to how much stress his own family faced because of his actions. Getting clean gave them their lives back too, he said. When he talks with his mom on the phone now, its about work and how his kids are doing, rather than whether Kunkle is hungry or has a place to sleep.

And hes grateful that neither of his sons are old enough to remember his past. Instead, theyll make memories at the park, fishing, and learning how to ride bikes.

I want to be there to teach them right and wrong, and that feelings are okay, and how to deal with them instead of keeping them bottled up like I was taught.

Love 37 Funny 8 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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 2019 graduates from Discovery High School received a roaring standing ovation from family and friends as they walked on stage for their graduation ceremony Saturday in the Lower Columbia College Rose Center.

The applause marked a momentous occasion for the group of 37 students, which included first-generation high school graduates, first-generation college attendees and students who said they never imagined themselves earning their diplomas.

Every single graduate here tonight has been through struggles, said Madalyn Ficek, the student speaker. This school was our second chance.

Discovery is Longview School Districts alternative high school. It caters to students who are credit deficient, have work schedules that conflict with their classes or face other obstacles that make attending a traditional high school difficult.

Senior Cara Davey said she started failing her classes at R.A. Long High School when she picked up a full-time job after her mother left the family. She switched to Discovery soon after because the school was okay with her taking online classes and coming into school around her work schedule, she said.

I almost dropped out  but my teachers at Discovery made me want to graduate, Davey said. She now plans to enroll at LCC in 2020 to earn a degree in elementary education, she said.

Senior Damian Perez said he also couldnt have graduated with Discoverys help.

I didnt feel 100% supported in the environment of my last school (before Discovery), Perez said. This school created so much time for me. .. The teachers will literally do anything they need to do to help you.

Discovery math teacher Valerie Dunaway is a perfect example, Perez said. She would stay late after class to go over 100 different ways ... to make sure Id get it, he said.

She did not give up on me, Perez said.

Next year Perez will study auto-mechanics at Clark College. Hes the first person in his family to seek higher education, he said.

During the graduation ceremony, Discovery staff honored five graduates who received local scholarships. Two of those awards provide a full-ride to the Stylemasters College of Hair Design in Longview.

College is also in the plan for Lucy Martinez, though its a new dream made real by her one-month journey at Discovery, she said.

The first in her family to earn her diploma, Martinez said she never thought shed actually finish high school. She took two years off of high school after moving to Mexico from South Carolina at the end of her junior year, and when she returned to re-enroll at her old high school, they told her she was too old to attend classes there, she said.

But then Martinez, 19, moved to Longview and got a call from Discovery, she said. The alternative school allowed her to enroll in classes, and she was able to complete the last four credits she needed for her diploma in just more than a month.

To me, this (graduation) is a really big thing, Martinez said. Im making my parents and myself proud.  I thought I wouldnt finish high school.

In his address to students, Discovery social studies teacher James Bryant commended the Class of 2019 for their drive, motivation and passion to do better for themselves.

You have shown everyone in this room that you have the right stuff, Bryant said. Nothing was handed to you. Even when the road ahead was dark, you pushed and pulled and triumphed.

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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.The U.S. Supreme Court this week declined to hear the latest appeal from a Canadian mining firm that has been blamed for contamination of the Upper Columbia River north of Kettle Falls.

Teck Metals, which owns a smelter in Trail, British Columbia, sought review of a 2018 order from the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordering them to pay more than $8 million in response costs to the Colville Confederated Tribes. The tribe had previously worked with the EPA and other environmental agencies to determine that millions of tons of contaminated heavy metal material had been released by the company into the river between 1930 and 1995, threatening fishing and recreation in Lake Roosevelt and the northern reaches of the river.

Some of the contamination from the smelter, as well as other industrial sites along the river, turned the sand along a beach north of Northport black from settled slag. Teck paid to remove 9,100 tons of sand from that beach in 2010.

The Supreme Court declined to hear the case in orders issued Monday in Washington, D.C. The Washington Ecology Department lauded the decision in a statement Friday, calling it a big win for tribes and the state.

A lawsuit was initially filed in 2004 seeking restitution and coverage of cleanup costs by Teck. The suit was filed in federal court in Eastern Washington, and one of the named plaintiffs was Joe Pakootas, a Colville Confederated tribe member later turned Democratic politician.

Weve filed many a suit, and theyve all been appealed, Pakootas said Friday.

While the courts have ruled Teck is responsible for the water contamination, in 2016 judges excused the firm from covering cleanup costs for air pollution from the smelters smokestacks wafting across the border.

Teck argued that it was outside the jurisdiction of U.S. courts and later that it should not be subject to private lawsuits because of diplomatic agreements between Canada and the United States. In a brief filed with the Supreme Court, the Canadian government argued allowing the order to stand would allow judgments of a court to supersede cleanup efforts negotiated between the two countries.

Through a combination of bilateral agreements, diplomatic consultations and treaty-based dispute resolution processes, Canada and the United States have worked in tandem to prevent and repair cross-border contamination for more than a century, the country wrote in its brief.

The tribes have spent millions in regulatory costs trying to determine the extent of the contamination caused by pollution, Pakootas said. The judgment will cover those costs, but the complicated question of what needs to be done to reduce the level of slag contamination in the lakes and riverbeds of the Upper Columbia will likely be decided in future litigation, he said.

The cleanup is going to be another issue, he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Of the thousands of bills Oregon lawmakers introduced this year, most have already been left for dead. A small share of the remaining proposals will win approval before lawmakers must adjourn in two weeks.

That puts a Portland developers proposal for a unique new property tax break for an old idea, still alive in the waning days of the legislative session, in exclusive company.

The plan would reward up to 500 Oregon homeowners who rent rooms to low- to moderate income people with property tax cuts as large as $8,000 a year, at a cost of up to $2.6 million a year in lost revenue for local governments. If House lawmakers approve the plan, Oregon would be the first state in the nation to offer such a tax break.

With the backing of Sen. Mark Hass of Beaverton, a powerful Democratic senator known for his expertise in tax policy, Senate Bill 1045 cruised quietly through the chamber last month, with unanimous support from both parties. In the House, Speaker Tina Kotek said this week she is intrigued by the home share concept and expects a committee to vote on the tax break soon.

Its the brainchild of Portland developer Homer Williams, who has cast himself as a business man with a heart of gold in recent years but achieved at best a mixed record of helping provide shelter. He formed Harbor of Hope, a controversial nonprofit focused on directing private sector dollars toward homelessness. This spring, state records show, Harbor of Hope spent at least $10,000 to hire two experienced lobbyists, who flanked Williams during testimony at a recent House committee hearing.

He argues that the tax break would save money in the long run by reducing homelessness. And he is promoting online home-sharing platform Silvernest as a partner, rather than nonprofits and local housing authorities, which he said wouldnt run a similar program as efficiently.

Providing a tax break to incentivize homeowners to rent out rooms at low cost would be a hell of a lot cheaper than what the city would spend if the person went homeless, Williams said in an interview.

Williams formed a relationship with Silvernest, whose platform targets baby boomer and older homeowners. It could leverage the new tax incentive to sign up customers in Oregon. As of Friday, Silvernest only had a couple home shares listed in the Portland area.

Williams and Denver-based Silvernest have a close relationship, though he said he is not involved financially with the business. CEO Wendi Burkhardt said she had become increasingly interested in expanding to the Portland market after early success in Colorado and Southern California showed that 70 percent of homeowners signed up not for companionship, which the company expected would be the primary motivator, but for additional income.

We are seeing a challenge in affordable housing across the country right now and we know that is one large reason folks are looking to do this, Burkhardt said.

Williams reached out to bring Silvernest together with OneApp Oregon, a locally created app designed to help renters find and apply to open units quickly and cheaply.

Williams then suggested the property tax exemption idea. The Silvernest CEO wrote in testimony to lawmakers that based on her companys demographic analysis of Oregon, this homesharing collaboration promises to achieve the goal of providing greater financial security to Oregon residences by providing additional income to homeowners and reduced housing costs for renters.

She said in an interview that she is already pointing other states to Oregon as an example. The effort to score a tax credit for home sharers wasnt designed as a marketing tool, she said, but it likely would spur people who hadnt considered home-sharing to consider the idea.

I would very much love for Oregon to lead the charge and see this become the norm and see other states adopt it, Burkhardt said.

The company stands to make $25 a month from each person who signs up for the tax exemption. It charges homeowners that ongoing fee to list rooms for rent, run background checks on potential tenants, recommend rental rates, match suitable housemates, offer rental agreement templates, collect rent and provide mediation services.

Under Senate Bill 1045, homeowners could reduce by up to $300,000 the assessed value of their home, which is used to calculate property taxes, if they rent out a room to someone earning up to 60 percent of the area median income. In Portland, that is currently $34,000 for a single person. Cities, counties and other local tax districts would decide whether to opt in to offer the tax break. In Portland, a $300,000 break on assessed value saves a homeowner up to $8,000.

Williams vision is that homeowners would sign up for Silvernest to list their property and use the platforms compatibility tools to find roommates who fit their lifestyle and values. There is no charge to potential renters to use the platform to learn about available rooms, but a renter would have to pay $30 a month to go through the background and compatibility tests that a homeowner might want or require before agreeing to a lease.

The plan has run into questions from liberal tax policy advocates, whove asked why an incentive is necessary when renting an extra room is already common and how governments could ensure the incentive would not be abused.

Home-sharing is already commonplace in Portland and across the country. But at least 60 cities and counties have formalized programs that facilitate it, especially for seniors, according to federal estimates.

San Mateo, California, is the best-known example. There, a nonprofit focused on housing seniors began the program in 1979. Lobbyist Ryan Fisher referenced San Mateo in his testimony as the inspiration and called it extremely successful. But Williams pitch goes far beyond that, because he said in an interview that San Mateos program is too small to be a template for Oregon.

San Mateos runs through a nonprofit that uses public and private dollars to help match renters who apply through the housing bureau with homeowners. The citys website promises participants only extra income, companionship and a sense of security.

Williams, though, told skeptical lawmakers that wouldnt be enough incentive in Portland.

To sell the idea, he leveraged his private sector contacts to build support in Salem. He said he enlisted powerful Portland lawyer and political donor Bob Stoll to make calls to his Democratic friends because Williams said he doesnt know much about the legislature.

I call him the puppeteer, Williams said.

Stoll did not respond to a call for comment.

Williams does not, however, have a broad base or many influential local elected officials backing him. He presented the idea to Portland Mayor Ted Wheelers office but did not receive support from Portland or the citys lobbying arm.

Multnomah County Chairwoman Deborah Kafoury also did not deploy formal support, but she offered provisional encouragement without committing to adopting the exemption, if passed.

The more tools we have to address the housing crisis, the better, Kafoury said. Cities and counties across the entire state are figuring out what works best for their community, and so for some jurisdictions this might make sense.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1WASHINGTON  President Trumps detractors are trying to play down the significance of the U.S.-Mexico immigration deal, saying it is largely comprised of actions that Mexico had already agreed to many months ago.

Nice try. If Mexico had truly agreed to implement many of these measures in December, then why had they not been implemented six months later? As even Mexican officials acknowledge, it was Trumps threat of tariffs that forced Mexicos hand. In announcing the deal, a relieved Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the most important thing is that they didnt apply tariffs and we didnt experience an economic slowdown. The fact is, Trump bucked Republicans on Capitol Hill and even many of his own advisers, and used the threat of tariffs to get Mexico to act  and it worked.

The measures Mexico has promised to avoid those tariffs include the deployment of 6,000 national guard forces at Mexicos largely unguarded border with Guatemala, which  according to Mexican negotiating documents  will be the first time in recent history that Mexico has decided to take operational control of its southern border as a priority.

Mexico also agreed to carry out thousands more arrests of illegal migrants each week and to remove the caps it imposed on the number of U.S. asylum seekers it would accept and hold inside Mexico. Until now, Mexico had been accepting a maximum of 300 people a day from the United States. Trump rightly said that was not good enough at a time when more than 4,600 migrants were apprehended crossing the border each day in May. Now there will be no limit, which means the United States can send back to Mexico most of the Central American families who cross the border to seek asylum. That will relieve the stress on our border agents, who have been overwhelmed by the unprecedented flow of families and unaccompanied minors  the vast majority of whom do not qualify for asylum.

Ultimately, the Trump administration wants Central American migrants to have to seek asylum in Mexico rather than the United States. The United States and Canada have a safe third country agreement under which those seeking asylum must make their claim in the country where they first arrive. If Mexico were designated a safe third country, those crossing its southern border would have to seek asylum and settle there. That would push the Central American migrants problem from our southern border to Mexicos southern border where it belongs. As Roger Noriega, a former U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States, pointed out during an interview for the American Enterprise Institutes new podcast (which I co-host), it would also put the human smugglers out of business. If Mexico is designated a safe third country, Noriega says, people will no longer be paying coyotes their life savings to get to the United States, because they are not going to pay that to get to Mexico.

Mexican officials convinced Trump to delay his demand for a safe third country agreement and give them 45 days to show that the other measures in the agreement will work. If they dont, foreign minister Ebrard understands that Mexico will either have to accept new asylum measures or face tariffs. If were successful, the number of people waiting for asylum in Mexico will decrease, he said. If we fail, and if we dont get the results, well, were not going to have solid arguments to propose a different path.

The president deserves credit for forcing a reluctant Mexican government to act. He was able to do so because the administration in Mexico City knew he was willing to pull the tariff trigger. It knew that Republicans on Capitol Hill would not overturn his action. And it knew that its country was vulnerable  because while tariffs would certainly have hurt the U.S. economy, they would devastate Mexicos, which contracted in the first quarter of 2019.

Everyone advised him not to do it, but Trump saw his leverage and he used it. If his critics in Congress had done their job by providing him with the emergency border funds he requested in May, and by fixing our asylum laws, he would not have been forced to do so. Mexico now has 90 days to show progress  and so does Congress. If members do not like the blunt instrument of tariffs, then they should give the president some alternatives. Otherwise, they will be unable to avoid blame if a trade war with Mexico ensues.

Marc Thiessens column appears by special arrangement with the Washington Post Writers Group.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 12Editors note: Todays editorials originally appeared in The Columbian. Editorial content from other publications and authors is provided to give readers a sampling of regional and national opinion and does not necessarily reflect positions endorsed by the Editorial Board of The Daily News.

Regardless of the eventual outcome of a case in front of the state Supreme Court, legislators must recognize that they work for the people of Washington.

Imagine, for a moment, if employees at a private company tried to keep their work-related emails secret from the boss. Or if they declined to reveal who they met with during a work-related lunch. Absurd, right? Yet that kind of subterfuge is exactly what lawmakers continue to foist upon the states citizens  the people who hire them and pay their salaries.

The latest salvo in this ongoing battle was delivered Tuesday during oral arguments in front of the Supreme Court. Lawyers for the Legislature insist that they are exempt from some segments of the state Public Records Act. They say that revisions to the law originally passed by voters in 1972 should allow legislators to keep some records from public scrutiny.

A media coalition has challenged that assertion, and in January 2018 a Thurston County Superior Court judge ruled that the offices of individual lawmakers are subject to the Public Records Act, but the Legislature, House and Senate are exempt from some provisions. That is what landed the issue in front of the Supreme Court this week, with a decision expected in several months.

Throughout the process, lawmakers have repeatedly ignored the fact that they work for the public.

Following the lower court ruling, they hastily passed a bill attempting to codify their exemptions. Ignoring established procedures for writing and vetting a bill, they incurred the ire of the public; media outlets throughout the state editorially urged Gov. Jay Inslee to veto the bill, and about 20,000 citizens contacted the governors office to echo that message. The governor did, indeed, veto the bill.

In the wake of that public outcry, a task force of legislators and media representatives was convened to find a solution. But legislation proposed this year failed to garner much support.

The bottom line is that lawmakers have failed to heed the previous court ruling or the will of the people, and they have failed to explain why they should operate under different rules than other government entities. Elected officials from school board members to county councilors are subject to the Public Records Act, yet legislators continue to use specious arguments that they should be partially exempt.

In response, we turn to the 1972 initiative passed by voters. Citizens, the law reads, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may maintain control over the instruments they have created.

That philosophy should be embraced by lawmakers; instead, their persistent opposition undermines the foundation of open and transparent government.

If legislators win a partial or complete victory in the Supreme Court, it will be a Pyrrhic one. Government secrecy is not something to be lauded or celebrated, nor is it something to be embraced. Lawmakers should put an end to this charade and pass legislation that ensures they are beholden to the same laws as other elected officials and that they comply with the will of the public.

As that public can attest, there is nothing so special about legislators that they should be exempt from the Public Records Act. And we should know; after all, we hire them and pay their salaries.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.15 hours ago

3 Knocked-Down Stocks That Are Likely to Get Off the Mat in 2022

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POCAHONTAS  Operating a dairy is hard work, but its work Frank Doll loves. He also loves sharing the farm experience with others.

Unless youre a 3,000-cow dairy, youre going to be out here all the time, said Doll, who milks about 180 cows on his Bond County farm. I still milk cows. I have a lot of employees, but theyre part time.

He feels fortunate to be able to tap into youth for his help. Besides his two sons  Blake and Logan  he gets plenty of help from others in the community.

We have an ample supply of high school kids to work, he said. I enjoy teaching them and letting them get some dairy experience. Its hard, dirty work, but one boy who just quit was here for seven years. Its good experience.

 I get to teach kids work ethic. Today, if you dont work at McDonalds, there arent too many other opportunities.

Doll has changed the milking schedule from two to three times daily, running cows through the parlor at 6 a.m., 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. He usually relies on high school and college students to do the weekend duties.

His grandfather  for whom he was named  started the farm in this southwestern Illinois county in the late 1930s. Like most farms of the era, it was highly diversified, including livestock, row crops and an orchard.

Dolls father, Homer, gradually sold off the hogs and chickens and began moving the farm toward a dairy. He expanded the herd from 20 to 80 cows over the years before shifting much of the responsibility to his son, who has expanded it further.

Homer Doll still works on the farm part time along with his grandsons. Blake attends a nearby community college, and Logan is in high school. Logan is pursuing an ag career, but isnt sure if he will want to join his father at the dairy.

If we bring another family member on board, were going to have to be a 300- to 400-cow dairy, Doll said. Thats a big investment.

He grows his own feed on 800 acres, 350 of which are planted in corn. The rest is divided between soybeans, wheat and alfalfa.

Usually about 100 to 120 acres of the corn is chopped for silage, with another 25,000 bushels to feed the cows, he said. Last year we had 10,000 bushels left over to sell. Thats unheard of usually. We had a fantastic crop last year.

The alfalfa is fed to all the animals, even growing heifers, though dry cows dont get much.

Quality hay makes quality milk, Doll said. Ninety percent of what they eat, we grow here. All get some alfalfa every day.

While many dairymen in the region are going high tech, such as installing robotic milkers, Doll isnt convinced that is the best route for him.

Some people love them, some dont like them. Im in between, he said. The robots are a lot of maintenance. Five, 10 or 15 years from now theyre completely outdated, and you have to start over.

He runs a 95-pound tank average and a 28,000-lb. rolling herd average, getting 11 to 12 gallons per cow daily. All his cows are Holsteins.

Though his production is good, he has had to ride low prices for a long time. He pointed out that Illinois dairy herd is shrinking.

Wisconsin is shedding dairies almost as bad, he said. But overall, milk production stays the same or goes up. Weve just gotten really good at making milk. The little guys get out, and the bigger buys make more milk. Its either get bigger or get out.

Genetics is the key around here. We genetically test each animal. Those that are below average I sell as beef.

As president of the board of the St. Louis Dairy Council and a board member of the cooperative Prairie Farms, he welcomes opportunities to educate the public about the industry. He is proud of the fact that he and other farmers often travel to schools of all sizes to spread the positive message of agriculture in general, and dairy in particular.

We educate, providing truths about dairy instead of all the nonsense, he said. We have to constantly. Theres always a new crop of kindergartners and first-graders. We do a pretty good job of hitting the small schools in Missouri and Illinois.

He and other dairymen participate in an Adopt-a-Calf program that involves 1,000 schools. They take a calf to schools on a regular basis so that the children can see them grow. It comes naturally, as Dolls wife, Pam, teaches at nearby Greenville High School.

Instead of them all coming to the farm, we take the farm to them, he said. I could do a tour every day if kids could get here, but I cant afford to do that.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0CARBONDALE  Southern Illinois can often be a place of tense convergence. The land between two rivers is cherished by many for a multitude of reasons.

Williamson County mine seeks permission to discharge water into Big Muddy River An application by the Pond Creek Mine, located in Williamson County about 14 miles south of the Rend Lake dam, to discharge waste water into t

Some, when looking at the hills, valleys, rivers and lakes, see a place of immeasurable beauty, grand enough to want to wrap their arms around it if they were big enough.

Others, while recognizing the beauty, see something else, too: a livelihood. Underneath these same hills, valleys, rivers and lakes lie seams of coal  for generations, the backbone of the Southern Illinois' economy. The mines may be shrinking, and with them, the number of miners making a living from coal. But, the job underground is in the DNA of this place and many of its people.

It's at this intersection where these two groups meet and often find themselves at odds. Currently, that tension centers around a proposal from Williamson Energy, which operates Pond Creek Mine in Williamson County for Foresight Energy, which is owned by Murray Energy Corp.

The application is to build a pipeline to pump millions of gallons of mine wastewater into the Big Muddy. The water would be pumped out of mine shafts as it seeps in, and this is necessary to keep miners safe, according to the companys proposal.

As previously reported in The Southern, the proposal from Williamson Energy was made to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and seeks permission to discharge between 2.5 million and 3.5 million gallons of high-chloride water per day into the river. A public comment period for the proposal ended in November. Residents are now waiting to learn whether the IDNR will grant the company's request.

The application states the water would be carried via a pipeline, about 12 miles in length, to a discharge area in Franklin County. The water to be discharged has elevated levels of chlorides and sulfates. The Illinois EPA stated in an email this past December, at the time The Southern's first story ran, that chloride and sulfate are toxic to aquatic organisms in amounts above accepted water quality standards.

According to plans proposed by the company, the water would be diluted before being pumped into the river, causing no notable ecological concerns.

Residents and property owners arent so sure.

Fear and frustration

Dave Freeman is afraid of a day when the fish wont bite.

High water covers a lot of Freemans beloved campsite that sits on the Big Muddy River near Zeigler. Its a sticky day in May, and the mosquitoes are thick  the water comes a third of the way up a nearby flagpole. Freeman said hes seen some monsters pulled out of this river, but knows a day might come when fishing lines come up empty.

Driving up to the property, Freeman points out that he mows the lane leading to the campsite as little as possible in order to leave habitat for rabbits and other critters. Hes spent most of his life on the river and in the woods. Pointing through the trees, he said he caught some of (his) first fish right there on a throw line.

Freeman said the proposal to pump high-chloride water into the Big Muddy gives him pause, though he said he didnt know all the details and didnt want to speak definitively about it. That said, he pointed out that the river has already seen more than one fish kill as the result of polluted tributaries.

You ought to see the livers in these fish, he said, indicating that they are abnormal, he suspects, because of pollution in the water.

Freeman said he is concerned about the news he heard that the nearby Pond Creek coal mine is planning on dumping wastewater into the Big Muddy. The high-chloride water, he said, would be bad for aquatic life up and down the river.

He would know; hes spent most of his life as an outdoorsman. He remembered a time when wastewater from the city of Herrin accidentally made its way into the Big Muddy about 30 years ago. It was one of the biggest fish kills Freeman can remember. He doesnt want to see that where he sends his grandkids to swim and fish.

Voice of The Southern: Say no to Pond Creek discharge request The Illinois Department of Natural Resources should deny the Pond Creek Mine request to discharge waste water into the Big Muddy River.

Local concern over the proposal by Williamson Energy to dump contaminated water into the Big Muddy came to a head last year when concerned citizens showed up to a public comment hearing in Benton held by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. In attendance were representatives from Williamson Energy, as well as state officials from IDNR.

Williamson County property owner Charles DuBose spoke during the meeting. DuBose is a retired geotechnical engineer and a licensed professional engineer and water well contractor, and he was concerned about the volume of high-chloride water the mine wants to pump into the river. He said at times it could be as high as 27 percent of the combined flow of the river.

Cade Bursell, of Murphysboro, also spoke, and explained that she owns about 35 acres of property through which Lewis Creek runs. Bursell noted that the Big Muddy often overflows its banks. She told the panel she was concerned those chlorides and other chemicals could back up into the creek that runs through her land.

Its really very unclear how much chloride and sulfate will be entering the river and what the long-term consequences of this action will be, Bursell said, according to a copy of the meetings transcript.

Joyce Blumenshine, a mining issues volunteer with the Illinois Sierra Club, spoke at the meeting, and raised concern that the pipelines input into the Big Muddy would be just below a gauging station where water contents are measured.

Is that by intention, so that this discharge of millions of gallons of water will be below the closest gauging station? she asked.

The comment period is required for large public decisions if the public or public officials request it. However, the late notice of the October meeting concerned some residents. Georgia De La Garza is a local environmental activist and said public notice of the meeting was put in a small local newspaper and did not get much attention.

After the public comment period, the questions presented during the hearing, which were not responded to that night, were bundled with other additional written comments and given to the decision-makers at the IDNR for consideration.

In December, an eight-page document detailed modifications that were needed to the application. These changes were made and turned in to the department in May, according to an email from Tim Schweizer of the IDNR.

A history of mistrust

As he waits to find out the departments decision on whether to allow the pipeline, DuBose has had considerable time to look at the damage the mining operation has had on his family home in rural Williamson County.

Down a long lane that cuts between a stand of whispering pine trees sits DuBoses family cabin. His parents built it in the late 1970s. The back porch overlooks a massive lake and is surrounded by miles of hiking trails.

It was the plan for his parents to retire there, but ultimately it just became a nice place to visit, something DuBose said he did a lot.

This description of the property is no longer entirely accurate, though. The house sits empty  DuBose said its no longer inhabitable because the cabins cinder block foundation is sliding. There are cracks several inches wide on multiple sides. The lake that was once a jewel of the property sits empty. Now, a small flat-bottom boat is tied off next to a pit of dirt and mud.

All this is the result of mine subsidence caused by Pond Creek, DuBose said. He said the mining company tried striking a deal with him about his property, but the two parties never came together to sign a contract. He said after reading the permit application for the mining operation, he realized the company had misrepresented the minimum depth of coal under his property up to about 200 feet.

DuBose said he testified in Springfield and the administrator of the hearing agreed with his assessment that the coal was much shallower than the company let on, but nothing would be done.

He said I didn't say it would make a difference, which was wrong, DuBose said in a May interview with The Southern.

But there was damage  because of fracturing as the coal was removed, the water level in the well on his familys property dropped by 55 feet, rendering it unusable, DuBose said.

DuBose said he has been fighting this for five years, and has become pretty embittered. He knows there was little he could do as far as the subsidence was concerned, but he at least wanted a level playing field in order to get the best deal he could. He said he just wanted the mining company to play by its own rules.

Freeman, too, said he takes issue with how mining companies often operate and how they look at the places they mine. He said he hopes mining companies start to look at the environment the way he does, but without hard facts and figures regarding Pond Creeks request, he hasnt been able to form a definitive opinion on that specific site.

DuBoses problems with his family property dont tie directly to the potential water pollution issue that he and so many others gathered to protest last year. However, he said it all adds to his distrust of the company and its word, leading him to further scrutinize claims that the pipeline would be safe.

Watching and waiting

Concern over the project goes beyond a few landowners and activists  at least one city leader is taking notice, too.

In a June 12 letter to the editor, Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens spoke out against the pipeline. In it, he said he sees both sides of the argument, but one has more weight in his eyes.

As the son, grandson and great-grandson of coal miners, I am keenly aware of mine worker safety issues. I want Pond Creek Mine to be able to operate in a way that provides jobs, powers our communities, and provides a safe environment for the workers, Stephens wrote.

At the same time, I have a responsibility as mayor to raise my voice when a proposal has the potential to harm my community.

Stephens said as he looks out over a Big Muddy River that has been at flood stage for weeks, he has to ask, why would I want even the cleanest additional water added to the Big Muddy? He asked if anyone could give him reasons to support the proposal.

Stephens deferred to the words of Teddy Roosevelt in explaining his decision to stand against the pipeline.

The Nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased; and not impaired in value.

The reasoning Stephens asked for in his letter are hard to come by. Short of the technical details in the proposal from Williamson Energy to the IDNR, there is little communication from the company to the public  the questions asked during the public forum last year were recorded, but not discussed openly.

Jason Witt, a representative with Murray Energy, who owns a controlling interest in Foresight Energy and Williamson Energy, declined to comment on a series of questions sent by The Southern.

Stephens also criticized the application that Foresight has put in to the IDNR, pointing to the company as a basis for concern. He noted the numerous revisions the IDNR has asked the company to make before it can make a definite ruling on the request.

I would assert that any business or organization that has to redo its homework in 24 different aspects wasnt operating in good faith when submitting its initial application, Stephens wrote in his letter. At minimum, it seems that when preparing their application Foresight Energy lacked foresight.

Time will likely be the only way to get answers for many of these questions.

 Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correctly identify Charles DuBose as a retired geotechnical engineer.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4TOLONO  There was a time when Beth Swigart didn't pay that much attention to West Nile virus and the annual warnings about mosquito bites.

That's changed since she got West Nile virus herself last fall and was ill for months.

The 55-year-old Tolono woman spent 23 days in the hospital, and she still has no memory of the first few days, she said.

She missed about three months of work. And even by the day after Thanksgiving  about a month after she was discharged from the hospital  she still lacked the stamina to go Black Friday shopping on foot and had to use a wheelchair.

"It was rough," she said about the ordeal. "But I feel very fortunate, because there are some cases I've heard of where people still aren't functioning right."

Swigart had one of the 176 human cases of West Nile virus in Illinois last year, two of which were in Champaign County. Statewide, 17 of the cases were fatal.

West Nile virus is spread by the bites of infected mosquitoes, and for most people, it doesn't become a serious illness.

About 20 percent of those bitten by infected mosquitoes develop some symptoms, and Swigart was among the 1 percent of people who develop serious neurological complications  in her case, encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain.

Swigart said she doesn't recall even being bitten by a mosquito last fall. The serious effects began Oct. 1, 2018, following some flu-like illness and rash on her arms and chest.

She had driven to Tuscola to take her dog to a regular grooming appointment, and she began feeling confused on the way home, she recalled. Her face had also turned a beet-red color.

When she got back to Tolono, she began driving around in circles in the parking lot of the Monical's Pizza restaurant she and her husband own, and somewhere on the way home, she'd also hit a utility pole  though she has no memory of that, she said.

Nor does she remember her husband taking her to Carle Foundation Hospital emergency room.

What she does recall is the crushing headache pain and nausea she had and learning there aren't any antiviral treatments for West Nile virus  just supportive care such as pain medicine and IV fluids.

"It just had to work its way out," she said.

Swigart also recalled being asked to sign papers in the hospital, and being unable to write her own name. She needed the help of a walker to get around, and she needed speech, occupational and physical therapies after she was discharged from the hospital to help with the cognitive and physical impacts of her illness.

Also a hair stylist, Swigart said she'd regained enough strength by the week before Christmas to see a few clients.

"By Christmas, I was doing better," she said.

She still becomes fatigued, though.

"They say it can take a year for it to be out of your system," she said. "It's quite an ordeal."

Weather conditions over the next couple of months will determine what kind of West Nile virus season it will be this year, according to Jeff Blackford, program coordinator with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. Hot, dry weather boosts West Nile activity, he said.

The public health district has set mosquito traps in and around Champaign-Urbana. The district tests the female Culex mosquitoes it collects for West Nile virus and keeps the public updated at its website.

The primary vector of West Nile virus, Culex mosquitoes typically rest during the daytime and wait until dusk to begin biting. They lay their eggs on still water, which is why experts also advise getting rid of all standing water sources around the house.

Since Swigart likes to be outdoors a lot, she's being more careful this year to guard against mosquito bites  for example, trying to avoid being outside after dusk.

She also urges others to protect themselves against West Nile virus infection.

"I just don't want to ever experience it again," she said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0To the Editor:

For me this is a very sad time in Carbondale. To quote Meredith Wilson and the "Music Man," "we got trouble right here in River City."

Carbondale has come a long way from the early railroad days when the Illinois Central owned the town. The university, despite its trouble, has grown into a first-rate research institution. SIH has established itself in the city (and region) and we are fast becoming the place to go for medical care. Arch McLeod and some colleagues gave birth to community theater (Stage Company) and enriched the community with creative endeavor. Ed Benyas has lifted the music scale in a bold venture to take classical music into everyone's back yard. The community arts program has gotten the push they needed and I think we can safely say the country music folks are more than pleased.

Heck, you can even go to the movie and take a nap if you don't like the show. We have climbed out of the dark ages.

And that's why I am sad. Beneath the surface, there is apparently a battle going on. The Stage Company, which renovated a portion of the old Varsity theater when the movie folks moved across town, may lose their home and access to the stage they created.

My personal hope is the whole thing can be resolved peacefully and the creative side of Carbondale will continue to flourish.

Yet the possibility the Stage Company will be forced to leave the Varsity gives me cold chills. I have the feeling that somehow the entire community needs to express its appreciation for the many years the Stage Company has served Carbondale and for the importance of a community wide balance in the arts.

Marvin Kleinau

Carbondale

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Hundreds of students who transfer from South Carolina technical colleges to Clemson University will soon be eligible for scholarships as part of a new program backed by nearly $5 million from the National Science Foundation.

The plan calls for more than 300 transfer students to receive $3 million in need-based scholarships over the five-year life of the grant, said Christopher Kitchens, the programs principal investigator and associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Clemson.

The scholarships will be open to students who plan to pursue Bachelor of Science degrees in engineering or computing in Clemson Universitys College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.

The rest of the funding will pay for an assortment of programs, many aimed at helping transfer students form a community to support each through some of higher educations most challenging majors. Researchers will also study the results of the program to learn what leads to success and share their findings with the nation.

Researchers are calling the program Student Pathways in Engineering and Computing for Transfers, or SPECTRA. To apply, go to clemson.edu/cecas/spectra.

The idea behind SPECTRA is to help recruit, retain and graduate transfer students as they begin to make up a bigger share of the Clemson student body, largely because starting at technical colleges can reduce higher education costs.

Some transfer students, though, may unknowingly be putting themselves at a disadvantage, Kitchens said.

For many, its due to financial restrictions, he said. Others just dont know how to make that transition from technical colleges to the university, and they get lost in the system. What this program provides are pathways for the students so they can see the roadmap that will help them along the way.

At stake is who will be eligible for some of the nations most lucrative jobs. Fourteen of the 20 bachelors degrees that led to the highest pay were in engineering and computer science, all with mid-career salaries at $117,000 or more, according to PayScales College Salary Report.

The application process for the scholarships are now open, paving the way for the first SPECTRA students to arrive at Clemson in the fall semester. Scholarship amounts will vary depending on students individual needs but are expected to range between about $5,000 and $10,000 per year.

For most students, the scholarships will cover costs at Clemson only. Students who start out at Trident Technical College in Charleston and Spartanburg Community College are also eligible for two years of scholarships before they transfer. Those scholarships will be worth up to $3,000.

Targeting Trident Technical College and Spartanburg Community College for additional scholarships will allow researchers to see what happens when they build a community of students and expose them to special programs before they transfer.

The colleges were chosen in part for their locations on opposite ends of the state and for demographics. Trident Technical College has the greatest number of students who are underrepresented in engineering and computing, while Spartanburg Community College leads in first-generation college students.

Also as part of SPECTRA, researchers will establish the Advisors for Communities of Engineers program. Ten Ph.D. students, who aspire to become educators, will be designated as ACE Fellows.

They will shadow a Clemson instructor in a freshman-level course and then help teach and mentor students at technical colleges. After two semesters, the graduate students will return to Clemson with the transfer students.

Even as SPECTRA is just getting started, researchers are laying plans to keep it going after the federal funding runs out. The hope is to continue providing $1 million per year in scholarships, with funding coming from industry, Kitchens said.

Mary Thornley, president of Trident Technical College, said that SPECTRA will open new opportunities for students.

This collaboration will provide students with new pathways to seamlessly transfer from Trident Technical College to Clemson University to pursue degrees in engineering and computing, she said. SPECTRA will help keep a college education within reach for those who may struggle with the cost or bureaucracy of transferring to a research university.

Henry Giles, president of Spartanburg Community College, said SPECTRA will help show students that they can achieve degrees in engineering and computing.

We are in full support of this collaboration, which will open new pathways for students, he said. SPECTRA will make college access easier and more affordable for students while they are at Spartanburg Community College and while they are at Clemson.

Gramopadhye, dean of the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, said that SPECTRA will help the college recruit and retain some of the South Carolina Technical College Systems top students.

SPECTRA will provide some of the crucial tools transfer students need for success, he said. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with the states technical colleges through this program so that we can work together to help students achieve their dreams.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0BAMBERG  The city of Bamberg has filled a vacancy in the police department, city council members were told at the June meeting.

Councilwoman Robin Chavis, who serves as police commissioner, said, We have been able to replace one officer. Hes certified, so we wont have to send him to the academy and he can go straight to work as of July 3. We are thankful for that, and he knows the town.

Police Chief James Smoak said, Its Mr. Steven Gunnells, and I have already spoke with the sheriffs department this morning. They are aware that he is coming on board with us, and we will be more than glad to have him. I have worked with him personally. I dont think we will be disappointed at all.

The department now has seven officers and needs to hire two more to be fully staffed.

Smoak reported on the cleanup in the wake of a recent fire downtown.

The building cleanup downtown is kind of at a standstill right now unfortunately. The cleanup that was supposed to begin this morning, not a whole lot was done, Smoak said.

Mayor Nancy Foster added, Mr. Leninski has hired someone to do the cleanup, but we have not seen a lot of activity.

On the subject of abandoned vehicles within the city limits, Smoak said that he has spoken with some tow truck drivers who already have city licenses who are willing to work with the police department on getting the vehicles removed.

Smoak recently spoke with Clyde Williams of the Municipal Association of South Carolina about us adjusting the use of force policy, which they have put into effect. The policy deals with mentally or endangered individuals.

Smoak also reported that as of July 1, a new law states that 17-year-old juveniles will no longer be considered adults in the courts. The change will add to the family court system, he said.

No one in law enforcement is in favor of this. This will most likely tie us up in courts more, Smoak said.

In other business:

 Fire Chief Timmie Taylor said there were 16 total calls in month of May. Eleven were inside the city limits, two were city EMS calls and three were county fire and alarms.

On Wednesday, June 19, the fire department will hold another smoke alarm blitz beginning at 9 a.m. Free smoke alarms will be distributed. Those on the list will be called in advance to make sure they will be at their homes.

 Councilman Leslie Hayes discussed the farmers market which is being held every Saturday between Burger King and the shopping center. Hayes also said that the Bamberg/Barnwell Emergency Medical Center has opened. Emergency services are 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and outpatient services are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hayes said the Chamber of Commerce is getting ready for their annual banquet.

The chamber asks if anyone knows of anyone with ties to Bamberg that could be recommended as a speaker, please contact them, he said.

 Councilwoman Bobbi Bunch said, We are getting ready for our annual Fourth of July Fest. I have a flyer for everyone. We have David Cooler playing. We are so excited to have him.

The schedule of events is as follows: music by David Cooler from 6 to 8:30 p.m.; vendors/kayak demos from 6 to 10 p.m.; fire truck spray down from 7 to 8 p.m.; Fourth of July Veterans Parade from 8:30 to 9 p.m., and a fireworks show from 9:15 to 9:45 p.m..

Bunch added, We are inviting all veterans, active military, any emergency personnel and anyone with flashing lights to participate in the parade. All types of decorations are more than welcome.

 Under new business, the first reading of Ordinance 19-1 to raise revenue and adopt a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, was approved. The budget totals $2,329,279.00, which is an increase of $79,691.00 over last year. However, there will be no millage increase, a cost of living raise is included and $19,788.00 will go in reserves.

 After closed executive session, Foster announced that the town will be selling a building downtown.

Contact the writer: ldhntr12@yahoo.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Dr. Dwaun J. Warmacks journey to Claflin University began in Detroit, Michigan, with stops in Mississippi, Florida and Missouri.

Claflins ninth president grew up, in an urban community to a single mom in the heart of Detroit, one of the toughest areas of the city, he said.

Hes a first-generation college kid from a low socioeconomic background.

And his life was forever changed by education.

On Monday, Claflin University announced that Warmack will follow Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, who is retiring as Claflins president after 25 years of leading the historically black university.

Warmack has served in various positions in higher education for the past two decades. Hes currently president of Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, Missouri.

But Warmack will not mention his titles and positions if hes asked to describe himself. He will simply tell you that, Dr. Dwaun Warmack is a servant leader who has a heart and passion for people.

He describes himself as a Christian and family man.

I shape everything that I do with regards to my core values and my character, my integrity and my family, Warmack said.

Warmack says he applies his core values to all aspects of his life.

My core values are about having strong integrity and strong character. Im unwilling to compromise my integrity. Im unwilling to compromise my character. Those are the two things that define me the most, he said.

He says the person you see serving as president is the same person you see at church and at home.

I am who I am. Ive become very clear about who I am and whose I am, and so Ive mastered becoming the best Dwaun Warmack that I can possibly be, he said.

Im unapologetic about that and my faith, and how I operate. Character and integrity are my guiding principles that I do everything in. Thats not just, like I said, work. Thats personally, professionally, socially. What you see in Dwaun Warmack is what you get, he said.

Warmack will officially become Claflins president on Aug. 1.

Transitioning anywhere is a new experience. But, my wife and daughter, were not new to this. My wife has been a true champion and supporter of me throughout my career, he said.

Warmack was focused on his job at Harris-Stowe when the call came about Claflin.

Were winning here at Harris-Stowe. Things are going exceptionally well. Weve overcome a lot of challenges in the early stages and phases, he said.

When I received the call from the search firm here at Claflin, I respectfully declined because that wasnt where I was in my career, in my life. Im not serial job searcher. I go where I know God will call me to go, Warmack said.

A few weeks later, I get a call from some folks in this profession who are of influence, and they said, Hey, you might want to have a conversation just with that firm, he said.

Warmack listened and later had a conversation with Claflins search firm.

We had some very candid conversations about what I was looking for, and they outlined to me what Claflin was looking for. And, within the context of that conversation, it seemed like a really good fit, he said.

Warmack said he began to do his homework on Claflin. He also learned more about Tisdale, whom he knew from a distance due to their profession.

I was impressed. I thought he had done an amazing job over 25 years of transforming the institution. As the search firm said to me, they think that I would be a good person to continue that legacy on, Warmack said.

Warmack brought the idea to his wife, LaKisha. It involved uprooting his family from a city with a population of over 12 million and bringing it to a city with a population under 20,000.

Warmack said he received a swift answer from his wife.

She said, No. Are you crazy?

Warmack waited a few days and approached his wife again.

He asked her, Would you do me a favor and fast with me for seven days and allow God to provide us clarity if this is where we want to be able to put our application in and explore this option?

So, we did a fast for seven days and we both got clarity that this could be a place that we could go and serve. And I told the firm that before I submit my application, I need to come on my own personal dime with my wife to be able to see, feel, touch Orangeburg, South Carolina, he said.

Warmack and his wife arrived in Orangeburg looking to survey the campus and city.

We went and asked for a tour. We actually said we have a kid that, stretched the truth a little bit, we said we had a family member that was thinking about coming to Claflin for school and we would love a tour, Warmack said. I never gave her my name, so she had no clue who I was. This was before I applied for the job.

No students were on campus at the time, so a person in the admissions office gave them a tour.

The experience was revealing.

The tour guide was a true ambassador for Claflin University, Warmack said. She spoke about her journey to Claflin and how it changed her life.

It was exciting for her to speak with that type of passion and commitment to an institution that touched her life, and it resonated with us in our core values, what we think an institution of higher education should do, Warmack said.

We were able to see the entire Claflin experience without anyone knowing who we were, he said.

The couple then left the campus and went to explore the city of Orangeburg.

We said, Lets go find a movie theatre, and we were really interested to learn that Orangeburg didnt have a movie theater. So we said Uh, oh. OK, cool weve got a night here, lets just go bowling. And we found there was no bowling alley, he said.

We had a good time, but it was clear on that ground, Warmack said.

After their visit, Warmack said he called the firm back and said he was willing to submit his application.

With 2/3 of the Warmack family on board with the move, the last third, Warmacks daughter Morgan, also had to be on board with the decision.

It was a challenge for her at first because she said Dad this is the only home Ive ever lived in and I can remember, and all of my friends are at my school, and Im only four hours away from my Gigi and Papa, so dad this is tough, Warmack said.

And so she cried very heavily, saying I dont want to leave everything that I know, he said.

Then she learned the family of one of her childhood friends moved to South Carolina.

The daughter is there, the same age, and they Facetimed and she was ready to pack her bags and move that day. So, shes excited now about the transition, he said.

With Warmacks family in support of the decision, he chose to accept the position at Claflin.

Warmack earned a bachelors degree in education and a masters degree in sociology from Delta State University.

He earned his doctorate in educational leadership with a specialization in higher education from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He has also completed post-doctoral work in educational leadership at the Harvard University School of Education.

Prior to his years at Harris-Stowe, Warmack served as the senior vice president of administration and student services at Bethune-Cookman University.

Warmack also served as associate dean of students at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, and held positions at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi.

 The second part of The T&Ds interview with Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack will appear in next Sundays edition.

Contact the writer: bharris@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5516.

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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.Bamberg Police

Department

A man was charged with breach of peace after allegedly causing a disturbance and threatening to burn down a womans home.

Units were dispatched on June 11 for a second time to a residence in reference to a possible assault and threats. When officers arrived, the complainant stated that a male subject threatened to burn her house down, and she did not feel safe. The subject denied the allegations when officers questioned him, but he alleged a group of people at the location had threatened him.

During questioning, the subject disobeyed officers and walked back up to the location yelling and cursing after he had been told to stay back. The subject resumed yelling after an officer informed him the complainant stated that she did not want him on the property.

At this point, the subject was arrested, transported to Bamberg County Detention Center and charged with breach of peace.

In other reports:

 Units were dispatched to Bamberg Job Corps on June 12 in reference to a male student in possession of marijuana. Due to student stating that he would run if the police came, Bamberg city police had a Bamberg county deputy assist on the call. Once on the scene, the officers located the student in the security office.

The security officer said the subject was suspected of smoking a marijuana joint outside of the boys dorm, where he heard other students talking him up. The officer then took possession of the joint and escorted the student to the security office. A Bamberg officer then placed the suspect under arrest and transported him to the detention center, where he was charged with simple possession of marijuana.

 On June 8, an officer was sitting in his patrol car in front of the post office when he observed a vehicle fail to come to a stop at a stop sign. The officer initiated a traffic stop, and the driver only produced an ID. Dispatch confirmed her drivers license was suspended. The female subject was arrested, transported and booked, and charged with first-offense driving under suspension.

 Units were dispatched to a local convenience store on June 7 in reference to a caller advising that a sister store was being held up by a man with a gun. While officers were en route, dispatch informed them of the suspects attire. An officer advised dispatch they had a visual on the suspect, and they recognized him due to previous incidents in which the officer had made contact with him.

The officer saw the suspect coming from across the street back to the stores parking lot, but he did not possess anything in his hands at that time. When the officer pulled into the parking lot, she observed the subject arguing with two different people. The subject reportedly became combative with the officer when she tried to speak to him and then walked away, heading toward another business.

A witness from inside another business informed the officer that he saw the subject with a gun, saw him walk into the woods behind his store and then return without the gun. At this point, the officer and an assisting officer searched the wooded area for a possible weapon. The search produced a rifle and a pistol.

A deputy was then called in to assist in the search for the suspect, who was located at another business. Dispatch advised the deputy of an active warrant on the suspect for the Bamberg Police Department in reference to an Oct. 7, 2017, incident. The deputy detained the subject until the city officers arrived. The subject was arrested, transported to jail and charged with pointing and presenting a firearm.

 An officer on patrol on June 7 observed a vehicle fail to yield the right of way to another vehicle because the lane in which he was traveling was ending. The suspects vehicle had to abruptly apply his brakes. He then merged behind the other vehicle and proceeded to follow it too closely. The vehicle then turned off of the main highway onto a side street, and the officer initiated a traffic stop.

The subject was traveling left of the center line, driving on the wrong side of the road. The officer stopped the vehicle and made contact with a male driver and a juvenile male passenger, The officer requested the drivers license and vehicle information. The driver produced a S.C. identification card, fumbled with paperwork, but did not produce a license. Dispatch advised the officer that the suspect did not have a S.C. drivers license. Due to the subjects mannerisms, slurred speech and glassed-over eyes, the officer asked him if he had had anything to alcoholic to drink. The driver admitted to consuming alcohol but refused to take any field sobriety tests.

The suspect placed under arrest and placed in the back of a patrol car. A female subject arrived on the scene and made contact with the officer, stating she was the suspects wife. She said that she would take the juvenile and the vehicle home.

The suspect was then transported to jail and charged with first-offense driving under the influence, child endangerment and driving without a license.

 A complainant contacted a Bamberg officer in reference to an item a woman sold him on June 3 that he thought was suspicious. The complainant said he saw the woman near a business and asked if she needed a ride. She accepted his offer. While the complainant was driving, the woman told him that she operated a business told him of some items she had for sale.

After the man purchased an item, he spoke with a man and his son who own the nearby business. The owners informed him that the woman did not have permission to sell anything from that business. The complainant met with the officer on June 5 to verify the location.

Then on June 6 while patrolling, another officer observed an open front door of a downtown business. Assistance arrived, the officers entered and contact with the woman. The original officer was notified, arrived on the scene and spoke with the woman about being in the building. She said she had permission, but a phone call to the owner disproved that. The woman was placed under arrest. She reportedly became loud, boisterous and began resisting.

She was transported to jail and charged with petit larceny, simple assault, trespass of real property and resisting arrest.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0North farmer Jeffrey Axson is thankful for the recent rain, but the blessed moisture is a little too late for early planted dryland corn.

"Some of it we may not harvest," Axson said. "We will know more in a week or two. Most of the dryland in the county and the area was pretty much too far gone. Most of the corn was pollinating and in the middle of the heat. The heat was just as bad as the dry weather."

Dryland corn was the hardest hit by last months heat and dry conditions. That weather was followed by a week of rain, which reduced but did not eliminate drought conditions. South Carolina says Bamberg, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties are at the lowest drought stage.

Axson planted about 250 acres of corn. About 50 acres is dryland.

His irrigated corn, however, has reaped the benefits of recent rains.

"It has helped us cut these irrigation systems off for a little while," he said. "The cooler temperatures have helped a lot, too."

Axson also planted about 650 acres of cotton. About 75 percent is irrigated.

"The dryland was starting to suffer from the hot, dry weather," he said. "It was not growing. The rains were very timely to help dryland cotton for sure. There was a lot of cotton in our area planted in dry dirt."

He planted 150 acres of peanuts. They were in a similar situation as cotton, with the recent rains helping the crop to emerge.

Axson said farmers now need a window of warm and dry weather in order to get in the field to place fertilizers and herbicides.

National Weather Service Meteorological Technician Doug Anderson said the Orangeburg Department of Public Utilities water plant measured 4.08 inches of rain from June 4 through June 12. Rain occurred each day of this period with the most falling on June 7 at 1.4 inches.

Rain totals from June 7-13 provided by Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network weather observers revealed 7.88 inches fell near Springfield; 6.15 inches near Ehrhardt; 4.52 inches near Santee, and 3.4 inches near Elloree.

"I am happy to see the rain," said Orangeburg County farmer Edwin Smoak. Smoak planted about 200 acres of corn -- all dryland - and mostly dryland cotton.

Smoak is keeping his fingers crossed that some of his dryland corn will be salvaged.

"I planted my corn a little bit late," he said. "It was doing better than most of what I had seen. It is hurting, there is no doubt about that."

The recent rains were just what the doctor ordered for his corn.

"I think the rains helped it," he said. "It brought it back out. I think I am going to make a crop, but I really don't know how much of one. I am not sure how bad it is hurt right now."

The rains also helped his cotton crop.

"Cotton looks good right now," he said. "The drought may have held it up a little bit, but it has plenty of time. It looks pretty good right now."

In Calhoun County, Cameron farmer Drake Perrow planted about 1,400 acres of cotton and about 700 acres of corn. About 20 percent of both crops were dryland.

Dry weather really didnt hurt the cotton, he said. "The heat hurt more than the dry weather because even in that dry time you could dig down an inch or two inches and you could find moisture. It created a good root system for us."

"The heat did more damage than anything because after 95 degrees, the plant just shuts down and starts protecting itself. It did not grow as it should," Perrow said.

The forecast for the area over the next two weeks is calling for average rainfall and above-normal temperatures. These conditions could worsen the drought status once again.

Area river levels have risen during the recent rains. The North Fork of the Edisto River in Orangeburg has seen its level increase from around 3 feet to nearly 7 feet since June 8. All area rivers are currently below flood stage.

Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551. Check out Zaleski on Twitter at @ZaleskiTD.

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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 South Carolina Department of Transportation has scheduled a public information meeting for Thursday, June 20, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Harleyville Elementary School, 1650 East Main St., Dorchester.

The meeting will have a drop-in format with displays for viewing, informational handouts, and comment forms.

The meeting provides an opportunity to review and discuss individually with representatives from SCDOT the proposed safety improvements on I-26 from milepost 169-193 in Berkeley and Dorchester counties. Another purpose of the meeting is to gather information from the public or any interested organization on historic or cultural resources in the area.

The project includes: improving the clear zone, installing low-tension cable guardrail and lengthening the existing guardrail. The project is tentatively scheduled to begin construction in early 2020 and last approximately 12-18 months.

This project is part of SCDOTs Strategic 10-year plan to improve the safety and condition of our states highways and bridges.

The purpose of the project is to improve the safety of this section of I-26 to help reduce the frequency and severity of crashes occurring at this location.

The location was selected for improvement through the Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program. HSIP uses a data-driven strategic approach to identify locations throughout the state with high crash rates or patterns and implements safety enhancements through infrastructure-related improvements.

The HSIP project selection requires an engineering study that includes an analysis of the crash data, an assessment of field conditions, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of all potential countermeasures to ensure maximum safety benefit is obtained for the amount of funds invested.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Contractors from across South Carolina are preparing their bids for making the first round of repairs to the town of Holly Hills wastewater system.

The repairs are intended to reduce the amount of storm water that gets into the sewer lines and flows to the wastewater treatment plant, where it undergoes an unnecessary  but expensive  treatment process.

The towns approach to the sewer problems began by hiring Alliance Consulting Engineers and Summit Engineering Group Inc. to identify the leakiest sites on the system.

Next, the town applied for and received at Rural Infrastructure Agency grant.

On May 30, prospective bidders gathered at the old railroad depot to learn about the scope of the first phase of repair work.

The work includes making a video inspection of gravity sewer mains; confirming the site conditions; installing inner lining on up to 1.500 linear feet of pipe; making 30 manhole repairs, two point repairs and approximately 50 service repairs, including clean-outs; and making pavement repairs associated with the rest of the repair work.

The town is using a Rural Infrastructure Agency grant and has a $319,000 budget for this work. Bids were opened at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 13.

The contract wont be awarded until the RIA reviews the contract documents and town council gives its approval. That could take perhaps a month. Then the winning bidder will have 120 days to substantially complete the work and 150 days to fully complete the work and close out the project.

Reducing the volume of storm water in the sewer system is important because it frees up capacity, both in the sewer pipes and at the treatment facility. Then that capacity can be allocated to new customers  such as a proposed new housing subdivision just north of town.

Alvin Fuller, senior project manager with Summit, said the sewer system repair work being put out for bid now is just a start. He said the Holly Hill sewer system needs a lot more work.

That will take a lot more money, but county council members have expressed an interest in helping Holly Hill get the work done, and state Sen. John W. Matthews Jr. said that he too is working to get money for Holly Hills wastewater infrastructure needs.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0NORTH  North Town Council approved first reading of the towns 2019-2020 operating budget at the May meeting, totaling $762,071.

The total was not announced during the meeting but was obtained from Mayor Patty Carson after the meeting was over. No other additional information was available, including a breakdown of the total into categories.

Carson said after the meeting, This is a reduction from last years budget.

She said a public hearing on the budget will be held before the next council meeting, but no date has yet been set.

Council approved first reading with Carson opposing.

Carson said, I opposed the budget because the tank fee is not equitable for all residents.

Others were not in agreement with other items voted on during the meeting.

Councilman Julius Jones abstained from voting on the schedule of fees for the town.

Councilwoman Jennifer Williams asked that the agreement with Aiken Electric Cooperative be tabled because she had not had time to look it over.

Jones made a motion to proceed with the vote on the agreement, and it was seconded and approved.

Carson made a motion on approving the agreement with Dominion Energy next. Jones seconded it, and it was approved.

Participation in the Lower Savannah Regional Home Consortium was also approved.

Carson next gave an update on Norths Veterans Memorial Park, which is being developed behind the town hall.

Landscaping will be completed in a couple of weeks, she said.

The black granite for the monument is coming from overseas. The final date for completion of Norths Veterans Memorial Park is a couple of months out.

However, veterans will be recognized before then, Carson said, with a free hot dog meal with chips and a drink thanks to a local restaurant during the Independence Day celebration 6 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at the North Town Square. The entire town and those in the surrounding areas are invited to attend, and an ice cream truck will be on hand with free ice cream for children.

Members of the North Police Department will be lighting fireworks at dark. Before then, there may be another patriotic display.

Carson said, I am working with the Charleston Air Force Base to have a flyover at 6 oclock that evening.

In other business:

 Williams gave an update on a potential economic development grant which he said would provide a tax break for the first seven years for businesses locating in the town. The town still has to get approved through an application process, she said, and officials are sending her literature on steps for approval.

 Jones said that new street signs are up in the majority of places for which council requested them.

Contact the writer: rbaxley37@gmail.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Visiting the areas in the Archdiocese of Camerino-San Severino Marche hit by a quake, Pope Francis comforted the faithful so that they can rebuild, starting from the fact that "God remembers us". He noted that that Three years have gone by and the risk is that, after the first emotional and media involvement, attention will fall and promises will be forgotten, increasing the frustration of those who see the area become increasingly depopulated. The Lord instead pushes us to remember, repair, rebuild, and to do so together, without ever forgetting those who suffer. Everyone can do some good, without waiting for others to start. The Pope also spoke about a new Blessed and made an appeal for the Persian Gulf.

Camerino (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis this morning celebrated Mass on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity in Cavour Square in Camerino (central Italy), a town hit a by a major earthquake in 2015. In his address, he said that "It takes more strength to repair than to build, to restart than to start, to reconcile than to get along.

A crowd of a few thousand people gathered in the square in front of a somber altar, still showing the wounds of the quake; around it, scaffolded buildings, secured windows, support beams.

The Pope left the Vatican at 7.50 am by helicopter. After he met with the authorities, he arrived in Camerino where he visited some temporary dwellings that seem to have become permanent, as reconstruction seems to be moving at a snails pace due to red tape. The situation, noted the local bishop Mgr Francesco Massara, has left people wondering.

In his homily, the Pope points to the strength from which to start again. "Whoever approaches God does not lose heart, [but] goes forward: restarts, retries, rebuilds". In fact, "In the uncertainty we feel without and within, the Lord gives us a certainty: He remembers us: ri-corda in Italian, that is, he returns with his heart to us, because He cares about us. And while down here too many things are quickly forgotten, God does not leave us in oblivion."

Turning to todays Gospel (John 16, 12-15), in which Jesus promises the Comforter, the Holy Father explained that "To free the heart from the past that returns, from negative memories that keep us prisoners, from regrets that paralyse, we need someone to help us carry the burdens we have inside. Today Jesus says that we cannot bear many things (Jn 16:12).

And what does he do in the face of our weakness? He does not take away the burdens, as we, who always seek quick and superficial solutions, would like. No, the Lord gives us the Holy Spirit. We need Him because he is the Comforter, the One who does not leave us alone under the burdens of life. He is the One who transforms our slave memory into free memory, the wounds of the past into memories of salvation . . . The Holy Spirit is the rebuilder of hope.

Hope. What hope is this? . . . It is hope that leaves peace and joy inside, regardless of what happens outside. It is hope that has strong roots, that no storm in life can uproot. It is hope, says Saint Paul today, that "does not disappoint" (Rom 5:5), that gives the strength to overcome all afflictions (see verses 2-3)."

At the end of the homily, Francis said: "I pray to the God who is close to elicit concrete gestures of closeness. Three years have gone by and the risk is that, after the first emotional and media involvement, attention will fall and promises will be forgotten, increasing the frustration of those who see the area become increasingly depopulated.

The Lord instead pushes us to remember, repair, rebuild, and to do so together, without ever forgetting those who suffer . . . Everyone can do some good, without waiting for others to start. Everyone can comfort someone, without waiting for their problems to be solved. What ever is man? This is your big dream, Lord, which you always remember. Make sure that we too may remember that we are in the world to give hope and closeness, because we are your children, God of all encouragement (2 Cor 1: 3)."

At the end of the Mass, before the Angelus, Francis mentioned yesterdays beatification of Edvige Carboni, in Pozzomaggiore (Sardinia). He described her as "a simple woman of the people who in her humble way embraced the Cross, bearing witness of faith and charity. He then asked those present to give the new Blessed a round of applause.

The pontiff went on to note that the world is celebrating United Nations World Refugee Day this week (20 June). "This day invites everyone to show solidarity with men, women and children fleeing wars, persecution and violations of fundamental rights, he said.

Finally, the Pope expressed concern about the rise in tensions in the Persian Gulf, after an attack against to Japanese-owned ships, which the United States blamed on Iran. Francis stressed that every problem or issue should be resolved through peaceful and diplomatic means.One of the more unfortunate effects of the Trump-Russia investigation -- and there have been many -- is the weakening of traditional standards of argument and proof in the public debate over allegations that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia to fix the 2016 election. (Just for the record: It didn't.)

In particular, angry disputes about the president have done terrible harm to the principle that an investigator, be it a journalist or a prosecutor, should meet at least some standard of proof before leveling an accusation.

Two examples: First is the so-called Steele dossier, the collection of wild allegations against Trump compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele on behalf of the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Steele's unfounded accusations -- that there was a yearslong "well-developed conspiracy" between Trump and Russia, that Trump accepted "a regular flow of intelligence from the Kremlin," and that Russian spies taped Trump watching prostitutes perform a kinky sex act in a Moscow hotel room in 2013 -- circulated throughout law enforcement and political circles starting in the summer of 2016. That just happened to be the time the Clinton campaign and some in the media began accusing Trump of "colluding" with Russia to gain an advantage in the election.

Top Clinton staff received updates on Steele's material. Then they accused Trump of collusion. FBI investigators, who also had the dossier, were trying to confirm it. They failed.

Without evidence to prove any of the dossier's most serious allegations, a new standard of proof emerged: The allegations were legitimate because they had not been proven untrue.

Leading figures in politics and journalism adopted the new standard. "Not a single revelation in the Steele dossier has been refuted," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "(I'm) aware of nothing in the Christopher Steele dossier that has been shown to be false," said Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe. "So far with this dossier, nothing yet has been proven untrue," said Chuck Todd, host of NBC's "Meet the Press."

The new Trump standard turned the old standard -- can an allegation be proven true? -- on its head.

It's not surprising that commentators, especially those with partisan motives, would adopt such a low standard. It was surprising when -- and this is example No. 2 -- Trump-Russia special counsel Robert Mueller upended the justice system's traditional norms by declaring that his investigation, while not accusing the president of committing a crime, also could not exonerate him.

"If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state," Mueller said in his 448-page report. "Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are unable to reach that judgment. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Mueller repeated the point in his recent public statement. "If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," he said. "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime."

It was a mind-blowing moment for some Justice Department veterans. Since when do prosecutors hand out certificates of exoneration to the people they investigate? (Answer: They don't.) Since when has "not exonerated" been an accepted legal outcome -- as in, "How does the jury find the defendant? We find him not exonerated." (Answer: Never.)

Mueller, like Feinstein and Tribe and Todd before him, changed widely accepted standards, casting the shadow of guilt on Trump without formally accusing him of wrongdoing. Except Mueller, unlike the senator, the law professor and the journalist, wielded the prosecutorial power of the United States. Given the length and thoroughness of his investigation, Mueller's no-exoneration verdict carried a lot of weight in the public debate. Except that it didn't mean anything, while at the same time it suggested to the public that the president had committed some unspecified offense.

Trump's critics often accuse him of violating the norms that make our society and government work. Yet in their discussion of the dossier, some of those critics violated essential norms of fairness and accuracy. And in Mueller's no-exoneration gambit, a storied figure in American law enforcement abandoned one of the most important standards of justice. The damage done could last a long time.

Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Let debate over the media begin

Some of the local newspaper media did a good job of covering the 30th anniversary of the Chinese government's massacre of the democracy demonstrators at Tiananmen Square. The Public Broadcast System also had a segment about it on the "News Hour" on June 4.

What was not surprising to me was the lack of coverage on ABC, CBS and NBC. I cannot remember in the recent past the three major networks saying anything negative about Communist China, concerning Tiananmen Square or anything else.

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair, in an interview on the PBS show, "Firing Line," recently said the UK and U.S. need a "big debate about the media." He went on to say that the media has become "fragmented and partisan."

Anyone who gets only broadcast news, not cable, knows this is true. The major networks and even PBS are clearly in the camp of the left. How often do you ever hear anything but criticism of President Donald Trump?

We know from the Mueller investigation that the Russians tried to influence the 2016 presidential election. I would like to see the same priority given to an investigation of Chinese penetration of the media. Let the debate begin.

The media should be required by law to give both sides of the political debate. Many of us remember the show "Crossfire," in which a liberal, Tom Braden, and a conservative, Pat Buchanan, debated the issues on a regular basis. You don't see that on broadcast TV nowadays.

When you hear the major networks and their surrogates bashing Trump for being against free speech, you have to wonder how they could believe you are stupid enough to swallow their garbage.

Free speech does not exist when a small group dominates the media with the sole objective of brainwashing weak-minded folks to accept their un-American views.

The trouble is most senators and congressmen are terrified of the media. And for the media to be broken up and diversified would bring an avalanche of criticism upon their heads and a quarantine of coverage. They will be exiled to the gulag of nonexistence and the networks' local media outlets in their home states will finish them off.

The founders' promise of free speech is dying. Someone once said, "I don't agree with a word you said, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Tony Blair is right that the media are fragmented and partisan. If you don't agree with them, they will try to destroy you.

That is America in 2019.

Gary H. Knight, Holly Hill

Speak out on Calhoun school tax dollars

Please attend the Calhoun County School Board Meeting on Monday, June 17, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. at Sandy Run K-8 School. Recent activity at Calhoun County High School has brought to my attention the need for Calhoun County citizens, taxpayers and voters to be more vigilant over the expenditure of our hard-earned tax dollars.

Voice your opinion during public participation to the elected board members. If you do not wish to speak, attend to show support for those who do speak.

Taxpayers and voters, we must speak out if we do not want our tax money to be used for anything other than education during school hours on school property. I believe that education can and should have elements of fun, but students should always be guided by school employees to make healthy choices.

Parents and employees cannot speak out because of fear of retaliation against their children and jobs. I have shared evidence with the school board about the act of a school employee trying to intimidate and bully me. Public education is an important part of building our community. We must be the voice for the children who want an education. Our children, parents, taxpayers, and voters deserve better than they are receiving.

Melody Inabinet Pedings, St. Matthews

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.Among Schengen Castle's historical treasures is a 13th century tower.

Schengen Castle appeared for the first time in historical writings in 1350. Changing hands a number of times, it was taken over by the industrialist Jean-Nicolas Zollamt.

Under Zollamt's ownership, a large section of the castle was demolished in 1812 to make way for the building one can see today - a construction which corresponds more to the definition of a mansion than a castle.

In 1939, the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Elisabeth settled in the castle, using it as a holiday and conference centre. Some 70 years later, the castle was converted to a hotel, which later closed in 2004.

Within the medieval walls, a 13th century tower still remains, which has been added to the list of historical monuments in the Grand Duchy. The castle is also known for being the site where the Schengen accords were signed, as well as having once hosted Victor Hugo.

The 5,000 m2 property and the surrounding 1.3 hectares of land have belonged to a Luxembourgish businessman since 2016.

ABOUT THE SERIES

In this popular series, RTL photographer Domingos Oliveira takes you to hidden places, lesser known locations and buildings with an interesting story.

1) The first instalment captured the last moment of the agricultural centre in Mersch.

2) We then visited Zenningen Zoo, which was closed in the early 80s.

3) Our third trip took us to Hesperange's eery swimming pool which now looks like the setting for an apocalyptic film.

4) The fourth photo series targeted the veritable ghost town "Cite Syrdall."

5) We also visited the iconic cinema Ariston in Esch, which opened in 1962 and closed in 2016. The cinema's history is an eventful one - from erotic films to youth theatre.

6) In the sixth instalment, we took a trip down memory lane and revisited pictures of Luxembourg City's former "centre Aldringen," an underground parking lot and cultural hub that gave way to Centre Hamilius.

7) The seventh gallery in the series took us to Luxembourg's former police museum.

8) And in the 8th instalment we got to take a look at a cemetery for old fire engines.

9) The 9th gallery visited the Lentilles Terres Rouges site in Esch.

10) The 10th instalment explored the old ArcelorMittal works in Esch and Schifflange.

11) The 11th photo series resulted in fantastic views of Birtrange Castle.

12) The 12th trip was the Deisermillen mill in Grevenmacher.

13) For the 13th instalment, we looked at the old Diekirch brewery.Luxembourg's central bank opened its doors to the general public this Saturday. Visitors were able to learn more about the BCL's duties and missions.

The Central Bank of Luxembourg (BCL) is still a relatively young institution that was founded 21 years ago, only one year before the Euro was adopted in the European Monetary Union.

Even though the central bank generally operates discretely, it nevertheless managed to be accepted and to gain popularity with Luxembourg's inhabitants. The only direct contact that the bank has with citizens is through collectors who purchase rare coins and other collector's items directly from BCL.

This changed on Saturday as it was open day at the bank's head office on Boulevard Royal. The general public had the opportunity to learn more about the BCL's functions.

Among other things, Luxembourg's Central Bank is responsible for the bank notes that circulate in the Grand Duchy. One of the bank's main missions in this context is for example to check the circulating banknotes and to replace the damaged ones. Banknotes of older series are withdrawn from circulation and destroyed. BCL currently boasts 400 employees.Two Baby Boomers and Two Very Spoiled Shelter Dogs Explore the U.S. in a very tiny Airstream.Monday support meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: 6:30 a.m., 917 N. Beech; 8:30 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 10 a.m., 328 E. A St.; noon, 500 S. Wolcott; 2 p.m, 917 N. Beech; 5:30 p.m., 328 E. A; 6 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 6 p.m., 456 S. Walnut; 7 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 8 p.m., 328 E. A. Douglas: 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: 307-351-1688.

Al-Anon: Noon, 701 S. Wolcott, St. Marks Church, enter at the back of the church across from parking lot.

Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 7 p.m., 302 E. 2nd, Methodist Church; 8 p.m., 4700 S. Poplar (church basement). Web site: http://www.urmrna.org.

Teen Addiction Anonymous: 3:30-4:30 p.m., Boys & Girls Club Teen Center. Info: 258-7439.

Adult Children of Alcoholics: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 12-24 Club, 500 S. Wolcott St., Suite 200.

Summer meals for kids

Natrona County School District will provide free summer lunches Monday through Friday for anyone 18 and younger at the following sites this summer:

Casper Recreation Center, 1801 E. 4th St., to August 23, 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Boys & Girls Club, 1701 E. K St., to August 23, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Boys & Girls Club Paradise Valley, 22 Magnolia, to August 23, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Boys & Girls Club Verda James, 701 Carriage Ln., to August 23, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Midwest School, 256 Lewis St., to August 23, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

YMCA Cottonwood, 1230 W. 15th, to August 30, 11 a.m. to noon.

Summer astronomy camp

Help your kids reach for the final frontier at the Casper Planetariums Summer Astronomy Camps. This summers lineup includes: June 17 to 21, 1 to 3 p.m.: Mission to the Moon for 9 & 10 year olds, $40; June 24 to 28, 1 to 3:30 p.m.: Rocket Science for ages 11 and up, $45; July 22 to 26, 1 to 2 p.m.: Sunbeams for 4 year olds, $30; July 29 to Aug. 2, 1 to 2 p.m., Moonbeans for 5 year olds, $30; August 5 to 9, 1 to 2 p.m.: Solar System Explorers for 6 year olds, $30.

Group sizes are small so every child gets personal attention. You can download a printable registration form at casperplanetarium.com (under Whats New) or stop by the Planetarium at 904 North Poplar. (Cash and checks welcome, no cards please.)

City splash pad, pools open

Marion Kreiner Splash Pad is open. With water cannons, dump buckets, overhead and ground sprayers, city staff anticipates the new splash pad to be an exciting addition to our community. Marion Kreiner Splash Pad normal operating hours are daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Marion Kreiner Swimming Pool hours are Monday through Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m.

Mike Sedar Aqua Parks hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

Washington Pools hours are Monday through Friday from noon to 1 p.m. for adult lap swimming and individual water exercise followed by 1 to 6 p.m. for open swimming. Open swim is on Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m. and the pool is closed on Sunday.

Paradise Valley Pools normal operating hours are Monday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m., Saturday 1 to 6 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. for open swim. Paradise Valley will have two lap swim lanes available all day for lap swimming and individual water exercise.

Make Galaxy Slime

The Natrona County Library will host a craft program for students in grades 4 to 6 at 2 p.m. Not only is galaxy slime a fun and colorful way to let kids explore color mixing and spark interest in astronomy, its the perfect way to celebrate The Librarys astronomy-inspired summer reading program. All supplies provided at no cost. Call 577-7323 for more information.

Rotary hears oil and gas

The Rotary Club of Casper is pleased to welcome Mark Watson, director of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission, as the speaker at its noon luncheon meeting at the Ramkota Hotel. Rotary Club members and their guests are invited. Watson will give an update on the current status of the local and national picture of the oil and gas industry as well as expectations for the state and the nation moving forward.

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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.AMMAN, JordanJohn Michael Jackson passed away at age 45 on June 8, 2019, in Amman, Jordan, where he worked for the State Department at the American Embassy.

Born in Casper, Wyoming, on October 5, 1973, John is the oldest son of John M. and Marva Ann (Tanner) Jackson. He attended Casper schools, graduating from Natrona County High School in 1992 and continuing at Casper College and the University of Wyoming in Casper.

Johns passion for computers started at a young age and, after selling computers and peripheral equipment for Radio Shack while still a teenager, he launched a long career in computer networking and security. After working for State of Wyoming at the Dept. of Employment, he worked for several years in the IT Department at the Wyoming Medical Center before initiating a career with the US State Department in March 2004, where he was sworn into the Foreign Service by Collin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State.

Johns first trip overseas was a three-week trip to Brazil with his brother, Ryan, where he met his future wife, Karin Cecilia Zech of Rio de Janeiro. They were married on July 6, 2002 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Three sons were born to this union: Ethan Haden (2006), Benjamin Michael (2010), and Robert Edward (2012). Spending time with his sons meant more than anything to John, and he treasured the special experiences they shared in the remote parts of the world where his State Department job took himincluding Rwanda, Paraguay, South Africa, Sudan, and Jordan.

Preceding him in death are three grandparents.

Besides his wife and sons, John is survived by both of his parents; a grandfather, Loyd Tanner of Casper; two brothers, Brandon Jackson of Casper, and Dr. Ryan Jackson, presently residing in Curacao; and a sister, Sarah Annena Langton (husband Ryan) of Layton, Utah.

With his kind heart and quick wit, John will be missed by many around the world.

The funeral service will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, June 20th at the Casper Stake Center (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) located at 3931 West 45th Street in Casper, Wyoming. Viewing will take place in the Relief Society Room between 9:00-9:30 am. Burial will take place at the Highland Park Cemetery immediately following the funeral service.POWELL  Less than two years ago, Cody Laboratories was home to 135 higher-paying jobs, planning a massive expansion and praised by local and state leaders as an example of how Wyoming could diversify its economy. But by the end of this summer, the pharmaceutical manufacturer will cease operations and close its doors.

Representatives from Philadelphia-based Lannett Company, which owns Cody Labs, broke the news to employees on Tuesday. Lannett officials said the dozens of workers will be laid off in three phases: at the end of June, in early August and late September. A handful of the 80 to 85 current employees may stay on longer to help wind down the operation, the economic development group Forward Cody was told.

In a statement, Lannett spokesman Robert Jaffe called the closure a difficult decision. He said all Cody employees are being offered a generous severance package and help with finding new jobs.

A few years ago, Lannett had seen Cody Labs and the profitable painkilling medications it made as being at the core of the companys future. However, that changed as Lannett began focusing on paying off its substantial debts  and as painkilling opioids fell out of favor. The rising number of overdose deaths involving the potentially dangerous narcotics have led public health officials and politicians across the country to declare an opioid crisis.

Lannett halted its planned expansion in Cody early last year, laid off 50 workers over the summer of 2018 and then announced in October that it was putting Cody Labs up for sale.

However, Jaffe said Lannett has been unable to find anyone interested in continuing to operate the business. He indicated that the buyers currently in the running to purchase Cody Labs are only interested in its assets. That prompted Tuesdays announcement that the facility is being decommissioned.

We tried to find buyers and, largely due to the opioid crisis, there are not buyers lining up for this business, Jaffe said of Cody Labs. So it wasnt for lack of trying, it was that the potential buyers at this particular point in time are interested in the assets; theyre not interested in the business. But we certainly tried very hard to sell it as a business.

Beyond being a blow to the local economy and the dozens of employees who will now have to find other jobs  perhaps in places outside of Cody  the closure is also a setback to efforts to diversify Wyomings economy.

Seeing it as a unique opportunity, the State of Wyoming provided a multi-million grant and had agreed to loan tens of millions of dollars to help Cody Labs grow. Forward Cody CEO James Klessens spent years lobbying elected officials on the businesss behalf and the Wyoming Legislature created a large loan program with Cody Labs specifically in mind.

Klessens soured on Lannett more recently, as the company abandoned its plans to expand in Cody and shared little information. However, he was still caught off-guard by last weeks announcement that the company would simply shut down.

Maybe we should have expected it a little more, but I think deep down you dont want to believe something like this can happen, he said Wednesday.

Klessens called the loss of jobs tragically sad. He noted the local people who put their energy, heart, soul and passion into building up the company now trying to figure out what to do with their lives.

As Lannett sought a buyer for Cody Labs over the past eight months, Klessens said he was assured that multiple buyers were looking at the business, but he wasnt offered details.

I [would] think they would be a better community partner than theyve been, but you know, its a good lesson for working with big corporations, I guess, Klessens said Tuesday, before learning of Lannetts plans.

He added that They promised the world and the stars  and our community and our organization put a lot on the line for these people, and theyre not giving that much regard right now.

Cody Labs was founded in 2000 by then-Cody resident Ric Asherman, with Lannett acquiring it in 2007.

Forward Cody later partnered with the company to pursue a $2.53 million grant from the State Loan and Investment Board to expand the business. The money helped construct a $3.7 million warehouse on Road 2AB.

Its a magnificent thing, its a magnificent story, because it provides [economic] diversity, then-Gov. Matt Mead at the warehouses June 2015 ribbon-cutting.

Speakers at the event also spoke of how the building might be just the first phase of a full-fledged drug manufacturing campus.

... with hope and the good Lord willing, in the next couple years, this dream will grow again, offered then-Cody Mayor Nancy Tia Brown.

At the time, Lannett was completing a fiscal year in which it recorded a gross profit of $306.4 million  and Fortune magazine named it the countrys fastest-growing company.

Hoping to grow further, Lannett made plans to capitalize on Cody Labs rare federal license that allows the company to import raw poppy straw  a strictly controlled substance that can be used to make a variety of painkilling opioids. With an aging American population that will likely seek medications for aches and pains, Lannett saw an opportunity and decided to pursue a $50.5 million expansion in Cody.

In 2017, the Wyoming State Loan and Investment approved a $23 million loan to boost the project. There were hopes that Cody Labs  already one of the largest employers in Park County  could one day surpass 200 employees.

But in early 2018, Lannett halted the expansion project and never accepted the state loan.

New CEO Tim Crew said he wanted to focus on paying down the hundreds of millions of dollars of debt that Lannett took on in an ill-fated 2015 acquisition.

The company later lost one of its biggest and most lucrative contracts, for a thyroid medication called levothyroxine, sending its stock price tumbling last summer. Lannett is also facing litigation, being one of numerous generic drug manufacturers that dozens of state attorneys general have accused of price-fixing; the U.S. Department of Justice has also investigated Lannetts pricing practices.

As for the pain medications made at Cody Labs, Crew noted last year that the market for opioids has shrunk and the regulatory environment has changed. In the face of more than 47,000 overdose deaths involving opioids each year, public health officials have been seeking to limit use of the drugs.

There are tragedies occurring across this country that must be addressed, Crew said last year. And we welcome and support all those initiatives that we think at the end of the day will reduce the use of these products as they get back down to an appropriate base.

Still, he said substantial opportunities remained for Cody Labs  and another company leader told state officials it was his strong belief the expansion would eventually move forward.

However, Crew announced in July that, instead of expanding and adding 57 jobs, Lannett would lay off 50 employees and shift production of some of the pharmaceutical products from Cody to Carmel, New York.

We remain committed to investing in Codys operations , Crew said at the time, but Lannett announced it was selling off the company a few months later. That was followed by Tuesdays announcement that the business is being shuttered.

While Cody Labs met its obligation to the state on the $2.35 million grant for the warehouse, its currently in the middle of a long-term lease with Forward Cody to use the property. Klessens said Cody Labs and Lannett are obligated to honor the lease, which calls for the company to pay a little more than $100,000 a year to the nonprofit economic development group for 16 more years. He noted that the leases favorable terms were based on Cody Labs creating jobs and generating economic activity, so there wont be any consideration afforded them for that.

While saying the state will be made whole for its investment in the 11,000 square foot warehouse, well have to scramble to figure out what to do with it after this, Klessens said. He added many details will be discussed in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Lannett officials have said they expect to finalize the sale of Cody Labs by the end of the month.

Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1LARAMIE (WNE)  Albany County District Court Judge Tori Kricken ruled this week that a juror in a Laramie civil case will be jailed indefinitely starting June 28 unless she completes 20 hours of community service and writes an essay about the importance of the American judicial system.

Lindsey Salisbury, a mental health counselor at Pathfinder Mental Health Professionals, was held in contempt of court after refusing to serve on a jury she was selected for last week.

On June 3, Salisbury was selected as a juror for a two-week trial regarding a major business dispute between Laramie energy company WellDog and former business partners in Australia.

After voir dire, Salisbury expressed some concern with the length of trial vis-a-vis her employment as a private mental health counselor, Kricken wrote in her contempt order.

However, when questioned, Ms. Salisbury expressed that there were other counselors available in her practice to assist with clients if necessary and, further, that there were alternatives available to any of her clients should a mental health emergency arise, Kricken wrote.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 3 Sad 2 Angry 1SALT LAKE CITY  Who is going to grow Utahs medical marijuana remains unknown as a July 1 license application deadline looms.

State officials leading the medical marijuana license process said this week they will not release the names of applicants right now but will likely make applicant information public as soon as licenses are awarded in mid-July.

Its the latest development in a high-stakes affair where local farmers and state officials wrestle with how to grow a new crop of cannabis in a heavily-regulated environment.

The popularity of medical pot is rising as more states legalize it, with politically conservative states such as Utah and Oklahoma among the most recent additions. There are now 33 states where medical marijuana is legal and at least 1.4 million people are patients nationwide, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.

Applications to grow Utahs medical pot opened on May 31. Utah will allow up to 10 growers, including out-of-state cultivators, to produce it for state consumption.

Some states shielded medical marijuana license applications from the public, including Illinois and Nevada. But several companies that lost bids for Nevada dispensary licenses last year filed lawsuits arguing the process wasnt transparent.

Utah wants to avoid similar legal quagmires. Assistant Attorney General Paul Tonks, who is helping coordinate medical marijuana license applications, said releasing applicants names once licenses are awarded will increase transparency.

Chris Hughes, the director of the states Division of Purchasing who is assisting Tonks with the license process, said releasing applicants names before licenses are awarded could negatively sway the process.

Knowing who their competition is could create undue influence or give potential growers an unfair advantage, said Hughes. We want to be as open and transparent as possible without creating issues.

Information that could impair the governments purchase of services or goods like medical pot is typically withheld until bidders are awarded, he added.

Farmers and marijuana advocates said they support the states decision.

Tom Paskett, the executive director of the Utah Cannabis Association, said releasing information during the process could do more harm than good. We dont want folks framing their bids based on other applicants, or the competition to start before cultivators even get their licenses, he said.

Others said knowing who other bidders are would be an unwelcome distraction.

If I knew how many big, out-of-state cultivators were also applying, it would psyche me out, said Lyle Christensen, a Utah farmer applying to grow medical pot.

Marijuana legalization has faced an uphill battle since residents voted in favor of legalizing pot in November.

Utah lawmakers crafted sweeping changes to the ballot measure shortly before Election Day under a compromise that secured the influential support of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and some marijuana advocates. The deal drew backlash from other advocates.

The revised law became effective in December. It bans many marijuana edibles, prevents people from growing marijuana if they live far from a dispensary and makes fewer medical conditions eligible for treatment with pot.

Two cannabis advocacy groups  Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education, or TRUCE, and the Epilepsy Association of Utah  responded by suing the state in December to block the compromise, arguing that it was unconstitutional to replace a law passed by voters, said Rocky Anderson, an attorney for the groups.

If successful, the lawsuit could change or delay the distribution of medical marijuana in Utah, said Anderson.

Marijuana dispensaries are set to open in Utah next year.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Editor:

The 6/13 NR article by Angus M. Thuermer Jr., WyoFile, via Wyoming News Exchange, reported that a Wyoming Game and Fish Department (G&F) regional supervisor said last week that the 32 member statewide study group (Statewide Study Group) newly appointed by Wyoming Game and Fish (G&F) Director Brian Nesvik to formulate a 2020 statewide Wyoming game management plan to specifically address Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) wont address disease-transmission at elk feedgrounds. Per Thuermer, feedgrounds are 22 Game and Fish winter elk feedgrounds, west of the Continental Divide.

Thuermer characterizes CWD as the always-fatal cervid disease, a cousin of mad cow disease and the degenerative Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease among humans.

Per the article, Brad Hovinga, Jackson regional G&F supervisor, stated to those present at a June 4 public meeting in Pinedale [d]ealing with the feedground issue could weigh down the statewide group.

Thuermer reported that [I]nstead, Game and Fish is considering forming a separate, more localized group that would address elk feedgrouds. That would occur after this statewide process Hovinga told those at the Pinedale meeting.

The law is clear; Wyoming elk, including those for which the feedgrounds were established, belong to the entire State of Wyoming and Thuermer reports Game and Fish has found CWD in deer in about 70 percent -- 91 of 129  of the states deer hunt areas.

Why then bar the Statewide Study Group from addressing the elk feedground issue? Why are only locals allowed to address the elk feedground issue for all Wyoming citzens, particularly if it impacts the spread of CWD which is already a nearly-statewide disease of horrible proportion?

Western Wyoming is generously represented in the Statewide Study Group. And, interestingly, werent there only about three of the 32 members of the Statewide Study Group appointed from the entire NE quarter of Wyoming?

Sounds like the G&F is already dictating results of the Statewide Study Groups proposed 2020 CWD game management plan by peremptorily limiting its scope. I thought from the outset this was going to happen. I just hoped it wouldnt be this substantial, political, blatant and early. Whats next?

BOB KLUS, Gillette

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0I was very heartened to see Rep. Tyler Lindholm, R-Sundance, step out and challenge Rep. Liz Cheney about never-ending actions of war across the globe. In our recent Sheridan event, Making Democracy Work, the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) Advocacy Team shared our efforts to lobby the Wyoming Congressional Delegation to reclaim their oversight over war declaration. We would like Rep. Cheney, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, to support H.R. 1274, a bill to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). A similar effort in an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Act is expected to be up for vote in the House during the month of June, so the momentum to repeal the AUMF is happening right now!Story: Folgers is a reformed, shy kitty who loves ear scratchies and warms up very quickly with treats. It took him a while to get used to humans, but when he realized that they were loving and kind, he blossomed. Folgers needs a quieter home, with a patient and understanding family, who will remember that he might take a little while to get comfortable.For now, however, the Guard cant speculate as to how far the contamination has spread, Givens wrote in an email to the Star.

Also, until a followup, more detailed remedial investigation is done, we cannot speculate as to the contaminations source, Givens said.

At this point, all we can definitively say is that the (investigation) has confirmed the presence of PFAS in groundwater due to historical use of AFFF, Givens said.

The recent Air Guard consultants report and an earlier one from 2016 identified eight buildings, concrete ramps, nozzle testing areas, hangars and a wash-rack area where PFAS compounds were or may have been used at the Guard base here.

The reports also identified five outfalls on the base from which the compounds could have been or were discharged into Airport Wash, a tributary to the Santa Cruz River.

The base is located on 94 acres, just adjacent to and northwest of Tucson International Airport. It was annexed into the city of Tucson last August.

Its 162nd Wing plays host to a squadron of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. Its mission is to provide education and training for F-16 crews, and provide air defense and homeland security.

Contact reporter Tony Davis at tdavis@tucson.com or 806-7746. On Twitter@tonydavis987

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.Arizona also receives $125 million per year in federal Child Care and Development Funds, which provide most of what it uses for its child-care programs.

Stricter provisions were added in 2014 to the federal funding Arizona and other states receive under the Child Care Development Block Grant Act.

As more health and safety requirements were added to the list of mandates for providers already burdened with low reimbursement rates, more started backing away.

These new reimbursement rates are a huge step toward helping all children access high-quality early childhood education, said Bill Berk, director of a local preschool called Outer Limits and board chairman for Child & Family Resources.

With the new revenue, he said, the base rates providers receive will cover about 60 to 75 percent of what it costs to offer care.

We will be reimbursed at significantly higher rates than what we have been reimbursed at, but still significantly lower than what it costs for quality child care, he said.Sampling meat for bacteria is probably not how a typical teenager would like to spend part of their summer.

But for 13 Arizona high school students in the SaferFoodCats summer program, this was exactly what they had in mind.

The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences hosted high school students from across Arizona this month for a 12-day summer camp where they were introduced to career pathways in food safety and worked in a food safety lab. This was the inaugural year for the SaferFoodCats program.

At the end of the camp, students presented their collaborative food-sampling projects, where they were tasked with sampling foods for bacteria and practicing techniques for testing the safety of the product.

The program had a lot of opportunities and explored a lot of things, both food science in the field and food science in the lab, said 16-year-old Arjoneel Dhar, a junior at Catalina Foothills High School here. Personally, I really liked the lab aspect of it and I really liked how much they taught us about lab techniques and how to do some really complicated things that college students have to learn.Local journalism is important  and producing it costs time and money.

To continue viewing content on tucson.com, please sign in with your existing account or subscribe.Agents built their case against Scott Warren around interviews with Ajo residents upset with the volunteers with the humanitarian aid group No More Deaths..OPINION: "Our goal is to make good on our commitment to transparency. But the only way we get from transparency to accountability is through the engagement of the citizenry of Pima County. We need you to engage us intellectually, to challenge us  with both honesty and seriousness  to come up with the best solutions to violence and injustices that our community faces," writes Pima County Attorney Laura Conover.Q: I recently bought round-trip tickets from Madison, Wisconsin, to Las Vegas on Frontier Airlines through Lookupfare.com. The tickets included checked bags for both of us. I have the printed itinerary that shows the baggage is included.

On the return flight from Las Vegas, Frontier made me pay $100 for the two bags. I cant get anywhere with either Frontier or Lookupfare.com. Im wondering what to do next. There must be some way to get my $100 back.  Lorine Lashock, Caledonia, Illinois

A: If Lookupfare.com sold you a ticket that included checked bags, then you shouldnt have to pay for the bags. Period.

So, why did you? I looked up your flight from Madison to Las Vegas and saw no checked bag included. You did the right thing by making a printout of the agreement; at least that got you to Sin City without having to pay $100.

By the way, these luggage fees are a little ridiculous. A decade ago, every airline ticket included at least one checked bag. Now, airlines are raking in billions of dollars in extra profit by charging extra  in some cases way too much  for the privilege of taking a bag or getting an assigned seat.In Vietnam, K is widely used as short for cancer, and K fighters look to those who persistently combat the disease for inspiration.

For years, many in Vietnam have considered a cancer diagnosis on par with a death sentence, but Dr. Pham Truong Giang hopes that by sharing his own personal battle with cancer, others will be inspired to fight back against the ruthless disease.

I was first diagnosed with cancer 16 years ago and the disease has spread to four different areas of my body since, the 64-year-old shared during an interview following an inspirational speech he gave at a conference in Da Nang.

In fact, Dr. Giangs battle with cancer has been such a roller coaster ride of heartwarming successes and nasty setbacks that his family and friends often joke that he has the Guinness World Record for Most Cancers.

Five diagnoses in 16 years

Dr. Giangs first run-in with cancer came in 2003, when he was 48 years old and working as a medic in the health unit at the Office of Education and Training, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City.

As a married man with two sons and a successful career, Dr. Giang felt as if his entire world was on the brink of collapse when doctors told him he had both intestine and colorectal cancers.

I was totally devastated, perhaps much like many other patients. But I was lucky to have a wonderful wife who helped me come up with a plan, he said.

We had so many things to figure out, like if we should tell our sons and how I would keep up with my job.

Just one week after his diagnosis, doctors operated on Dr. Giang.

In the end his stomach was fine, but he had to have half his colon removed.

Dr. Pham Truong Giang and his wife, who has helped him combat his multiple cancers for 16 years. Photo: Supplied

One surgery and nine chemotherapy sessions later, he was finally ready to embrace a new life.

He chose to retire early at age 49 and his wife quit her job as a nurse.

I wasnt able to pull myself together for a full month after the first operation. I was quite worried about what would happen to my life and my career, he said.

But he was not out of the woods yet.

A year later, an endoscopic scan revealed that Dr. Giang had developed a stomach ulcer that would cost him two-thirds of his stomach and nine more chemotherapy sessions.

A new blow struck six years later when he developed pelvic colon cancer and was prescribed eight chemotherapy sessions and again in 2015, when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and had to undergo seven chemotherapy sessions.

It was less horrifying the second time, but still really shocking. The fear was totally gone by the third operation, but the chemotherapy sessions still wore me out.

Most recently, in June 2018, he was told by doctors that he was having cancer recurrence in his colon.

Keeping calm and facing the devil

Nguyen Thi Bich Chau, a dermatologist and cancer patient, has been diagnosed twice with cancer.

I was told I had both thyroid and ovarian cancers, but luckily they were both detected in stage one. Still, the cancer cells could spread to other organs like what happened to Dr. Giang, she said.

But even with the odds stacked against her, Chau never lost hope.

Others were deeply concerned with my sickness, but I didnt have a problem with it. Facing it gave meaning to my life. Ive been in the surgery room eight times! she exclaimed.

Luong Ngoc Van Anh (center) wears a bright smile while fighting breast cancer. Photo: Salt Cancer Initiative

Luong Ngoc Van Anh, 43, had a much more difficult time accepting her breast cancer diagnosis two years ago while she was working at a social support unit for the mentally ill in Binh Phuoc Province, southern Vietnam.

It took me days to process, she said.

But being the single mother of a nine-year-old daughter, Anh had to put her best foot forward and stand up to the disease.

She has thrived until now.

But keeping her chin up does not mean chemotherapy and surgery have not taken their toll.

Its doesnt help to just put on a sad face. Instead I do a lot of research and participate in the cancer patient community. I often meet with people who have it much worse than I do, she explained.

Take Dr. Giang for example. Cancer appears to strike him every few years. To people like us, cancer just seems like an old friend.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Themed "Love," the third night of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival 2019 (DIFF 2019) was time for a first-time contender from Finland and an experienced contestant from Italy stood in the spotlight in the namesake central Vietnamese city on Saturday night.

Running from June to July, DIFF 2019 is the tenth edition of the competition having been held annually in Da Nang since 2008, with its opening night being organized on June 1.

The Finnish first-time contender JoHo Pyro Professional AB surprised the audience with an outstanding performance, which to many was evaluated as even more impressive than that of Parente Fireworks Group from Italy, who was crowned the champion in 2011 and 2012.

Entitled "Hero On the River," the Finnish pyrotechnic show told a tale about a hero named Lemminkainen.

In Finnish legend, Lemminkainen had to make a significant effort to conquer the terrifying Tuoni River in order to win the heart of a beautiful young lady.

The fireworks danced in the dark night to the background music which was a combination of rock, metal, and classical music, filling the audience with various emotions.

JoHo Pyro Professional AB impressed the viewers with low-range displays and fireworks being set off near the audiences location, both of which created a feeling of closeness to the admirers.

Having won over many hearts, the team is now considered a fierce competitor.

Here are some photos of JoHo Pyro Professional ABs performance:

Italy's Parente Fireworks Group brought to the festival a performance themed "A Journey of Emotions," featuring a harmonious combination of music and fireworks.

The Italian pyrotechnic team has already had over 110 years of experience in the fireworks display industry, with most of their gigs being large-scale ones at international festivals and events.

Sudden change in wind direction during the Italian team's performance resulted in a significant disadvantage for Parente Fireworks Group as smoke gathered around the fireworks, affecting the view of the spectators.

Here are some photos of Parente Fireworks Groups performance:

DIFF 2019, with the theme "Stories by The Rivers," features eight countries including Vietnam, Russia, Brazil, Belgium, Italy, China, the UK, and Finland.

The festival will involve five competition nights, held over five consecutive weekends, with five different themes: Origins, Buds of Life, Love, Burst of Colors, and Setting Sail.

The fest will run until July 6.

Every Saturday two teams from two different countries are going to perform.

On the commencing night of the festival on June 1, two teams from Vietnam and Russia performed, and on the second night on June 8, first-time contenders from Brazil and Belgium took the stage.

At last year's festival, Team Marterello from Italy was crowned the champion.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane had a meeting in the southern Vietnamese metropolis on Saturday to discuss the enhancement of cooperation between both sides.

Secretary and Governor of Vientiane Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune and his delegation were welcomed by Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan and Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong.

Both sides exchanged information on local socio-economic development and reviewed the implementation of the cooperation agreement signed between the two cities in 2017.

They focused on the development of ties in agriculture, education, and vocational training, and agreed on carrying our more effective cooperation programs to bring benefits to the people in both cities and countries in general.

Secretary Nhan believed that the meeting played a significant role as the two nations are preparing for 130th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh and 100th birthday of President Kaysone Phomvihane in 2020.

Secretary and Governor of Vientiane Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune at the meeting. Photo: V.Nam / Tuoi Tre

Governor Khoutphaythoune thanked his host for creating favorable conditions for the Party Committee and authorities of Vientiane to share experience in socio-economic development.

His visit was aimed at seeking collaboration in many fields, thus creating a driving force for the development of the two cities, the Laotian official continued.

Vientiane is planning on building a smart city, he said, hoping that leaders of Ho Chi Minh City will assist them in the process. Both sides agreed to facilitate all-level visits, step up finance-taxation projects, expand trade and investment promotion, and enhance joint work across agriculture and rural development. They vowed to direct local agencies and firms to share experience, boost their collaboration, and offer all possible support to Ho Chi Minh Citys District 5 and Vientianes Sikhottabong District to cement bilateral ties.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Here are todays leading news stories:

Politics

-- Vietnamese Deputy State President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh paid a visit to Dushanbe, Tajikistan on June 14 and 15 to attend the 5th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), at the invitation of President Emomali Rahmon.

-- A delegation of officials from Vientiane, Laos was welcomed by Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan on Saturday. Both sides discussed the exchange of experience in building a smart city during their meeting.

Society

-- A border guard officer in the southern province of Long An fatally shot one of his comrades and injured three others before committing suicide on Saturday afternoon. The officer was said to have been suffering depression for quite a long time.

-- It is expected to rain heavily in mountainous provinces in northern Vietnam from June 16 to 18, posing high risks of flashfloods and mudslides, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

-- Two people were killed and another remains missing after a boat carrying 15 family members capsized off Van Phong Bay in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa on Saturday morning.

-- Many passengers were infuriated as multiple flights operated by budget carrier Vietjet were delayed and canceled on Friday and Saturday, leaving them stranded at local airports for hours. A representative of the airline attributed the issue to the late arrival of new aircraft.

-- A 50-year-old man in the southern province of Binh Phuoc lost his life on Saturday after accidentally drinking herbicide that was contained in a used bottle of soda.

-- Police in the northern province of Hai Duong confirmed on Saturday they were probing the death of a 40-year-old theft suspect, who was said to commit suicide at the police station after turning himself in to officers on Friday.

Lifestyle

-- Team JoHo Pyro Professional AB from Polland and Team Parente Fireworks Group from Italy battled each other on Saturday night, the third showdown of the ongoing Da Nang International Firework Festival (DIFF 2019), which takes place in the namesake central Vietnamese city.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Your browser does not support the audio element.

The family of a woman who was fatally hit by a BMW car driver in Ho Chi Minh City last October has asked the court to exempt the driver from a jail term, so that she could continue earning money to complete the rest of her compensation.

The trial of Nguyen Thi Nga, a 47-year-old resident in District 12, is scheduled to begin at the Peoples Court in Binh Thanh District on Monday.

Nga is charged for violating traffic regulations after she crashed her BMW car into a group of motorcyclists stopping at a red light at the Hang Xanh intersection in the district on October 21, 2018.

Nguyen Thi Kim Phung, 38, was killed and five other people were injured in the crash.

A test later showed that Ngas breath alcohol content was 0.94 milligrams per liter, while the Vietnamese law states that car drivers must have a zero breath alcohol concentration.

Police officers initiated legal proceedings against the driver on October 24. She now faces three to ten years in prison.

According to a source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Phungs family has submitted a document to the Binh Thanh Peoples Court, asking for no prison time for Nga.

The defendant should be allowed to carry on with her business to be able to continue recompensing the victim's family, they said in the letter.

Ngas lawyer also refuted rumor that she is wealthy.

Her 80-year-old husband is battling cancer, while their child suffers from autism, the lawyer claimed, adding that Nga had had to borrow money to partially settle the consequences.

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 border guard shot one of his comrades to death and injured three others, including one local resident, before taking his own life in southern Vietnam on Saturday.

The shooting unfolded at around 4:35 pm at the border guard office of Binh Hiep Border Gate, located in Kien Tuong Town, Long An Province, Major General Nguyen Hoai Phuong, deputy commander of the Vietnam Border Defense Force in the southern part of the country, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper the same day.

The shooter, Second Lieutenant Ta Quang Dat, opened fire on other officers with his AK gun, Maj. Gen. Phuong added.

Two officers were injured and admitted to the hospital for emergency care.

An injured officer is shown being transferred to the Long An Province General Hospital for further treatment. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Dat then stood in front of the office and fired his gun at nearby houses, injuring a resident who lives about 200 meters away.

The fourth victim, Captain Vu Hao Hiep, who was deputy chief of the Binh Hiep border guard office, was still inside the office following the shooting.

Local authorities were unable to reach Captain Hiep because Dat was guarding the venue with his active weapon.

Officers from the Long An border guard unit had tried to convince Dat to put his gun down and turn himself in as they cordoned off the area.

A nearby house is damaged after being shot at. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

The effort went on in vain as Dat eventually committed suicide at around 8:00 pm the same day.

Officers then entered the venue and discovered that Captain Hiep had already succumbed to the serious wounds in his chest, stomach, and pelvis.

Dat had suffered from depression for quite a long time, Maj. Gen. Phuong said, adding that he had been receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Further investigation is ongoing.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Nickelodeons locally produced kids reality television series, Slime Cup, returns early next month.

Season 4 sees new hosts with Daniella Perkins and Owen Joyner (Knight Squad) and Aussie actress Miah Madden (Crash the Bash).

12 teams of kids, scouted at live talent auditions around Australia and New Zealand, will compete on slimy, inflatable obstacle courses.

Episodes one to three of Slime Cup sees all 12 teams tackle a SpongeBob SquarePants inspired course, as a nod to Nickelodeons nautical world underwater. Then in episodes four and five, the semi-finals, remaining teams find themselves up against hanging jellyfish and slippery Slime holes.

In the grand finale, premiering Monday 5th August, the fastest two teams go head to head in an epic challenge at Sea World on the Gold Coast for their chance to achieve glory as the official Slime Cup champions!

Season four features a brand new indoor arena with a layout guaranteed to have competitors dripping in Slime  a Nickelodeon rite of passage!

A sneak peek at this seasons teams:

Wollongong-based Bowtiful Besties Georgia and Harper love JoJo Siwa and superhero sibling Phoebe from Nickelodeons The Thundermans. Not afraid of a challenge, Harper loves surfing and competing at Nippers where she won age champion for the last two summers. Her cousin Georgias netball and dancing skills will come in handy for the obstacle courses.

All-boy team Pat & Bob, Daniel and James, are dedicated SpongeBob SquarePants fans. James claims to be the living embodiment of SpongeBob and the pair have ambitions to become comic makers, directly influenced by the love of their favourite television program. Their passion and shenanigans make them a team to watch.

The Thunder Fam are energetic siblings from Auckland, New Zealand who love to make each other laugh. Libee has hopes of becoming a TV star, while Nates dream is to represent his country as a professional rugby player for the All Blacks. The teams adorable plush mascots, a kiwi and a sheep, made the trip to Sydney with the Thunder Fam to cheer them on.

5.30pm Mondays from 1st July at 5.30pm on Nickelodeon.German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan attend a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin

COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged private housing investors on Friday to recognise their obligation to the public amid growing concern that spiralling rents in Germany's biggest cities are pricing out locals and choking off economic growth.

Speaking at a nationwide congress of German tenants, Merkel said "public-spirited" private investors had a crucial role to play in solving Germany's housing crisis, and that authorities should make sure to use all tools at their disposal to regulate landlords.

Thousands took to the streets of the German capital in April demanding the expropriation of more than 200,000 apartments sold off to big private landlords. Much of their ire was directed at companies like Deutsche Wohnen, Berlin's biggest landlord with more than 115,000 flats, and Vonovia.

"We need private investors who must also feel a sense of public spiritedness," she said. "There are questions over whether they have always have," she said without naming specific investors. "I'm not that happy about every development."

Building homes was the best answer to housing shortages, she said.

"It must remain attractive for a group of people who feel a sense of obligation to this country to invest in housing."

The issue is particularly sensitive in Germany, where rents have traditionally been relatively stable over many decades, leading to a culture where middle-class families live in rented homes throughout their lives.

Merkel did not address a proposal from Berlin's housing senator for a five-year rent freeze for all existing housing.

Activists in the capital announced on Friday that they had collected almost 80,000 signatures for their campaign to demand a city-wide referendum on expropriating the landlords.

(Reporting by Reuters Television; Writing by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Michelle Martin and Raissa Kasolowsky)ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) - OPEC and non-OPEC producers should raise oil production starting from the second half of the year to balance the market and keep prices at an acceptable level, Alexander Dyukov, the head of Russia's Gazprom Neft, said on Friday.

An oil price at $55-$65 per barrel is "acceptable" for Russian producers, he told reporters, adding that the company is ready to quickly restore its oil output, curbed by a global agreement.

His comments add to the pressure on the Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak, who said on Monday that he could not rule out a scenario in which oil prices could fall to $30 per barrel if the global oil deal was not extended.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other large oil producing countries led by Russia - known as OPEC+ - agreed to withhold their combined oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from Jan.1 and until the end of June.

Their next meeting is due to take place in Vienna at the end of June or early July. Saudi Arabia, the OPEC kingpin, has said that all the participants in the agreement except Russia have agreed to extend it until the end of this year.

"I think some quotas increase for the countries, involved in the OPEC+ agreement, would be acceptable," Dyukov said.

Gazprom Neft could restore production to 1 million tonnes annually, or 20,000 barrels per day, and add another 1 million tonnes by the end of the year.

Gazprom Neft, the oil business of gas giant Gazprom, is Russia's fastest-growing oil producer in terms of output.

Speaking at the annual general meeting earlier on Friday, Dyukov also said that the company plans to boost its dividend payout to 50% of net income in the medium term.

Dyukov said the company was interested in expanding in Iraq, where it is developing the Badra field, adding that it is looking at the Mansuriyah gas field near the Iranian border.

Iraq's government is expected to launch a tender to develop the field this year.

Story continues

Gazprom Neft said earlier this month that it would set up a joint venture with Shell to develop an oil field in Yamal peninsula, estimated to hold reserves of around 1.1 billion tonnes of oil.

Vadim Yakovlev, Gazprom Neft's first deputy CEO, said its initial investment is seen at 100 billion roubles, with plans to increase it.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Andrey Kuzmin)Ulster Unionist health spokesperson Roy Beggs linked the performance to increased demand caused by the ageing population.

Just over a third of the most urgent ambulance calls were responded to within time targets in Northern Ireland over the last year, figures show.

Increased demand caused by the ageing population may be responsible for the outrageous slippage, Ulster Unionist health spokesperson Roy Beggs said.

The official target is 72.5% of the most serious calls reached within eight minutes. The actual rate achieved in the past year was 37%.

While the true percentage of calls requiring such a speedy response may be much lower, the ambulance service plans to introduce major changes by 2021 and recruit hundreds of extra staff.

Mr Beggs said: I am extremely concerned that patients lives are being placed at risk as a result of the rapidly deteriorating response times of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS).

He obtained the statistics, characterised as a major breach of a target primarily put in place to protect patient safety.

The figure has been steadily falling for each of the past seven years and now lags far short of the overall 68% performance achieved in 2012/13, he added.

The East Antrim Stormont Assembly member stated: That is simply outrageous and falls far below the safe and sustainable standard that people should expect.

Whilst patients are suffering, its also completely unfair to be putting our paramedics in this situation.

Kevin McAdam, Unite the Unions regional officer for health members, said the reduced standard of service provision was due to health trusts being expected to make savings year-on-year.

This manifests itself in the ambulance service being understaffed, although the hardware is sitting there.

Given the low staffing numbers and the previous lack of an education route into a paramedic role, this leaves an under-resourced staff facing lots of overtime and excessive hours, which leads to increased pressures and as a consequence stress among the workforce leading to increases in sickness.

Story continues

Ultimately the service needs (to be) resourced to reflect the needs of the community.

Mr McAdam said changes in call handling and the latest workforce review may lead to improvements being identified, but unless and until the service had more resources he feared nothing would change for the better.

Mr Beggs added: The longer someone has to wait for assistance in a life-threatening emergency, the greater the risk there is of them coming to serious harm.

He said: It is outrageous therefore, that whilst the official target is that 72.5% should be responded to within eight minutes, over the last year across Northern Ireland only 37% of these urgent calls were met within this time.

With an ageing population the demands being placed on the ambulance service are constantly growing, the Ulster Unionist said.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service blamed the figures on the continuing high levels of demand.

It prioritises approximately 30% of calls received through the 999 system as Category A  immediately life-threatening.

But research across the UK, based on information collated following the arrival of a paramedic response, has shown that the true percentage of life threatening conditions is approximately 7%.

A system has been introduce to target the quickest response to patients who were sickest, bringing enormous benefit to patients with no detriment to others, the service said.

A review said around 330 extra staff were needed to support the new system.

The NIAS said it would be able to deliver full benefits of the change by 2021/22.Hundreds of items from Fatboy Slims collection of Smiley memorabilia are to form the centrepiece of the DJs art exhibition.

The musician, real name Norman Cook, has spent 40 years amassing a trove of pieces featuring the iconic symbol.

They include a Smiley toaster, cuff links, watches, shoes, scales, wristbands, clocks and jewellery.

A giant mural adorns the roof of his house while his only tattoo is a smiley face and cross bones  the unofficial logo of Fatboy Slim.

He has now curated an art exhibition, Smile High Club, paying tribute to the Smiley and its creator Harvey Ball.

Fatboy Slims Smiley collection captured by British photographic artist Mark Vessey (Mark Vessey/PA)

Speaking at his home near Brighton, Cook said: The first ever 12-inch single I bought was Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads in 1977.

That had a picture of a Smiley t-shirt. That was the first semi-ironic use of it  it was everything that punk rock wasnt.

That was the first time it struck me and I think that imprinted it on my head because it was the first 12-inch single that I had and I looked at it all the time.

Ceramicist Carrie Reichardt has created this Smiley artwork for the show (Carrie Reichardt/PA)

The Smiley was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1963  the same year as Cook, now 55, himself.

Artist Harvey Ball was commissioned by the State Mutual Life Assurance Company to make badges that would improve staff morale.

After the employees began wearing the Smiley pins, the symbol became increasingly popular and more versions were printed.

Over the years it has elevated from 200 badges made for an insurance company to this worldwide icon and this symbol of, what is for me, happiness, goofiness, stupidity and unconditional love, Cook said.

Cooks only tattoo is a smiley face and cross bones (Flora Thompson/PA)

He said the symbol has been rediscovered by every generation, including by artists such as Banksy in his Grin Reaper piece and in the Watchmen film.

Its a bit like the Hawaiian shirt  its never quite in fashion but it always comes round again, he said.

But he insisted todays most commonly used representation of a smiley face  the emoji  should not be classed as a Smiley.

Story continues

What I love is the classic Worcester Smiley which has certain dimensions, slightly off-centre, he said.

I dont recognise emojis as Smileys, theyre something completely different.

Cook with a Smiley shield by artist Jimmy Cauty (Flora Thompson/PA)

Cook had his Smiley tattoo in the late 1980s and began using a smiley face and cross bones as the logo for Fatboy Slim.

His exhibition follows collaborations with Portuguese artist Vhils, real name Alexandre Farto, who owns the Underdogs Gallery in Lisbon.

Those taking part include The London Police, Ron English, James Joyce, and Jimmy Cauty  half of The KLF who burnt 1 million in 1992.

Ive spent 30 years being a DJ or a musician or a producer and Im just like a kid in a sweet shop with this, Cook said.

Im a fan of art and Im a collector but now to be involved and working with artists  I feel like were collaborating.

I cant draw and Im colourblind, so I could never be an artist.

The centrepiece of the exhibition is his sprawling Smiley collection, which has been painstakingly transported to Lisbon.

This will sit opposite an image of the cabinet, which has been captured by British photographic artist Mark Vessey.

The only thing that isnt for sale in the exhibition is my Smiley collection, Cook said.

In it is everything from a motorcycle helmet to condoms, to a toaster, portable ashtrays, slippers, cuff links, lighters  basically anything you can stick a Smiley on.

Smile High Club will run at Underdogs Gallery in Lisbon from June 21 to July 21.Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has unveiled a new settlement in the Israel-controlled Golan Heights, named after US President Donald Trump.

Mr Netanyahus Cabinet convened in the tiny hamlet to inaugurate the settlement, named after Mr Trump in a gesture of appreciation for the presidents recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

The settlement, currently known as Bruchim, is over 30-years-old and has a population of 10 people.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, his wife Sara, centre right, United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, left, and his wife Tammy (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Israel is hoping the rebranded Ramat Trump, Hebrew for Trump Heights, will encourage residents to help expand it.

Its absolutely beautiful, said US Ambassador David Friedman, who attended Sundays ceremony.

Noting that Mr Trump celebrated his birthday on Friday, he said: I cant think of a more appropriate and a more beautiful birthday present.

United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and his wife Tammy attend the inauguration (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981.

Most of the international community considers the move illegal under international law.

But during a visit to Washington by Mr Netanyahu in March, just weeks before Israeli elections, Mr Trump signed an executive order recognising the strategic mountainous plateau as Israeli territory.

The decision, the latest in a series of diplomatic moves benefiting Israel, was widely applauded in Israel.

Few things are more important to the security of the state of Israel than permanent sovereignty over the Golan Heights, Mr Friedman said.

It is simply obvious, it is indisputable and beyond any reasonable debate.

Thank you PM @Netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor! https://t.co/OUcf6s98UX  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2019

After the Cabinet decision, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Friedman unveiled a sign trimmed in gold with the name Trump Heights and adorned with US and Israeli flags.

Story continues

Addressing the ceremony, Mr Netanyahu called Mr Trump a great friend of Israel and described the Golan, which overlooks northern Israel, as an important strategic asset.

The Golan Heights was and will always be an inseparable part of our country and homeland, he said.

Mr Trump later tweeted his approval, saying: Thank you PM @Netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor!

While Israel has encouraged and promoted settlement in the Golan, its remote location, several hours from the economic centre of Tel Aviv, has been an obstacle. The area is home to small agriculture and tourism sectors but otherwise has little industry.

The eight-year Syrian civil war, which at times has resulted in spillover fire into the Golan, could also present an obstacle to encouraging new residents.

Rosa Zhernakov, a resident of Bruchim since 1991, said the community was excited by Sundays decision.

We hope it will benefit the Golan Heights, she said, standing outside her bungalow on one of Bruchims few streets.

She said the revitalisation of the settlement would mean more security for residents from any possible return of the Golan Heights to Syria as part of a future peace treaty.

Syria has demanded a return of the strategic territory, which overlooks northern Israel, as part of any peace deal.

After the devastating civil war in Syria, the prospects of peace talks with Israel anytime soon seem extremely low.

Ramat Trump joins a handful of Israeli places named after American presidents, including a village for Harry S Truman, who first recognised the Jewish state, and George W Bush Plaza, a square the size of a modest living room in central Jerusalem.

Several bureaucratic obstacles will need to be overcome to develop the settlement. With Mr Netanyahu running for re-election in the second national election this year, it remains unclear whether he will be able to complete the task.

Zvi Hauser, an opposition lawmaker who formerly served as Mr Netanyahus Cabinet secretary, called Sundays ceremony a cheap PR stunt.

Theres no funding, no planning, no location, and theres no real binding decision, he said.The wife of Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been fined more than $15,000 (11,931) for misusing state funds.

Sara Netanyahu was sentenced by a Jerusalem magistrates court on Sunday after she agreed to a plea bargain that ended the years-long saga of just one of the high-profile corruption cases involving the prime ministers family.

The court ruling settled allegations that Mrs Netanyahu had misused some $100,000 (79,543) in state money on lavish meals.

She was indicted on charges of fraud and breach of trust last year after the state attorneys office accused her of running up large tabs at luxury restaurants while the official residence employed a full-time chef between 2010 and 2013.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara (Francois Mori/Pool/AP)

The settlement saw her admit to a more minor charge of intentionally exploiting the mistake of someone else, specifically by misleading officials who did not realise she already benefited from chefs on the government payroll.

Under the terms of the bargain, Mrs Netanyahu agreed to pay $2,800 (2,227) in fines and hand the remaining $12,500 (9,942) back to the state. The settlement also reduced the overspending charge to $50,000 (39,771).

The prime minister and his wife have a reputation for leading indulgent lives at public expense, which is out of touch with most Israelis.

Mrs Netanyahu, 60, in particular has been accused of excessive spending, using public money for her private, extravagant tastes and for abusive behaviour towards her personal staff.

These allegations earned her an image as the Israeli Imelda Marcos, the former Philippine first lady infamous for her collection of designer shoes.

In 2016, a court ruled Mrs Netanyahu mistreated a housecleaner and awarded the man $42,000 (33,408) in damages.

Other employees have accused her of abuse, charges the Netanyahus reject.

Another former housekeeper is currently suing Mrs Netanyahu for $63,000 (50,112) in damages over mistreatment and harassment.

Story continues

But Mrs Netanyahus lawyer, Yossi Cohen, portrayed his client as a victim, saying she had been put through hell for the past four years with a public shaming campaign that was due only to her public standing.

Sara Netanyahu is today paying a heavy and painful personal cost to put an end to this witch hunt, and I hope that indeed this is the end of the story, he said after the hearing.

Mr Netanyahu has stood by her, calling her a true hero and bemoaning how she had become a punching bag for their opponents.

But the prime minister himself remains the main focus of the familys repeated legal troubles.

He is facing an indictment on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, pending a hearing scheduled for early October.

He has pushed for a postponement and can still request an extension from the Supreme Court.

Mr Netanyahu is accused of accepting lavish gifts from billionaire friends and promising to promote advantageous legislation for a major newspaper in exchange for favourable coverage.

He vehemently denies wrongdoing, portraying himself as a victim of media-orchestrated persecution against him and his family in an attempt to oust him from power.Paris - Men in Black actress Tessa Thompson said she "appreciates the bravery" of her co-star Liam Neeson in facing up to his racist feelings in the past.

The African-American actress - who made her name playing civil rights activist Diane Nash in Selma - said she had been in contact with Neeson since he admitted harbouring thoughts about killing a random black man after a woman close to him was raped.

"I had many conversations via email with Liam," said Thompson, who plays new recruit Agent M opposite Chris Hemsworth in Men in Black: International.

"I realised that in speaking to the press sometimes there can be a huge chasm between what you intend and what your impact is," she said.

Thompson, who has also starred in Creed and the Marvel blockbusters Thor and Avengers, told AFP that she found Neeson, 67, "very responsive" to her concerns.

"I expressed to Liam the importance in my mind of clarifying his heart, because many people who do not have proximity to him would not understand it, and his words would have confused them and for many really hurt and alienated them," she added.

Neeson holds up a memory eraser used by MIB agents in the poster for the film, with social media wags saying that Hollywood executives probably wished it was real after the outcry he sparked in February while promoting the revenge thriller Cold Pursuit.

The Star Wars and Schindler's List star has been conspicuously absent for the publicity tour to launch the blockbuster.

'LESSON TO BE LEARNED'

A handful of fans demanded he be cut from the movie, as Kevin Spacey was from All The Money In The World after being hit by multiple sexual harassment claims.

However, Neeson has a major role in the film as High T, the head of MIB's London bureau charged with protecting the "Earth from the scum of the universe".

Thompson said she hoped lessons have been learned from Neeson's confession, with the Irish-born actor denying he was a racist and saying he was merely trying to "open up" about latent "racism and bigotry".

Story continues

"I appreciate his bravery in talking to something that happened in his past," the actress said during a promotional tour in Paris, where the film opens Wednesday.

"I don't feel a responsibility to speak for him," she added, "but it did allow a real conversation to happen and it was a teachable moment".

"I think we all need to be conscientious that our words can have a huge effect, particularly if we are in a position of power which celebrity gives you. I am glad he has taken the time to clarify them."

Thompson was guarded about her own reaction to Neeson's admission, admitting that she has "more to say than time allows...

"But I will acknowledge that because of his experiences (growing up in Northern Ireland) there are some cultural differences."

Neeson has frequently said that he was made to feel like a second-class citizen growing up a Catholic in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

While Whoopi Goldberg and Michelle Rodriguez have defended him, director Ava DuVernay -the first black woman director ever to be nominated for a best movie Oscar for Selma - was less forgiving.

"When people ask me what white privilege is. Imagine if this was Will Smith," she tweeted over a report of Neeson's comments, referring to the black superstar from the first three Men in Black films.

ALSO READ:

SOUTH AFRICAN EXCLUSIVE: Liam Neeson and the giant elephant in the room





Musician Nitin Sawhney said he changed his mind about accepting an honour because he wanted to pay tribute to his parents immigrant experience.

Sawhney was born in London to Indian parents and his work explores themes including multiculturalism and politics.

He has been critically lauded, being honoured with the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement award in 2017 and collaborating with artists such as Sir Paul McCartney.

Musician Nitin Sawhney appeared on Desert Island Discs and told host Lauren Laverne about being bullied as a child (BBC Radio 4/PA)

Sawhney turned down an OBE (Order Of The British Empire) in 2007, citing the war in Iraq as well as not being able to handle the idea of the word empire after my name.

However, his stance has softened and during an appearance on Desert Island Discs, Sawhney said his fathers death in 2013 was a factor in his accepting a CBE for services to music in the 2019 New Years Honours.

Sawhney explained his father had asked him to accept the OBE for his birthday, but he refused. However, he then received the offer of a CBE on what would have been his fathers birthday last year.

Sawhney said: Im into signs so I kind of thought, OK, Im going to take it because it feels like I should.

Nitin Sawhney was honoured with a CBE for services to music (Yui Mok/PA)

I took it also because of the time were in. I wanted to acknowledge my mum and dads immigrant experience. And thats what my dad said to me, we worked really hard and we came here to give you a better life.

And that OBE at the time would have symbolised that.

However, Sawhney, whose desert island discs include Ennio Morricones A Fistful Of Dollars theme from the hit Western film and Joni Mitchells Big Yellow Taxi, said he still has an issue with the word empire.

During an appearance on the long-running BBC Radio 4 programme, Sawhney told host Lauren Laverne about the racist bullying he experienced while going to school in Rochester, Kent, in the 1970s.

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He said: I dont think it was all bleak, I had some really good friends there. But I had a bad experience in that it was more about the time.

We had the National Front leafleting every day outside the school gates.

Being followed home by a guy in a van with a loud hailer shouting racist abuse at me was pretty crazy as well.

Sawhney, who studied law at Liverpool University before pursuing a career in music, said he was attacked physically and verbally on an almost daily basis as a child.

He added: There was part of me that has a bit of loathing for that person. I actually felt that that person was a bit weak and pathetic.

Its odd, isnt it, that that kind of mentality stays with you that you kind of feel a sense of shame about abuse of all kinds and trying to get past that is a real journey.

In some ways that negativity, that feeling of shame, actually drove quite a lot of my creativity at the time. I wanted to not feel that way.

The full interview will be broadcast on Desert Island Discs on Radio 4 at 11.15am on Sunday.Fallen Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir was seen Sunday in public for the first time since being ousted, as he was driven in an armed convoy to the prosecutor's office. The former strongman, who ruled his northeast African nation with an iron fist for three decades, was toppled on April 11 after weeks of protests against his reign.Dressed in a white traditional robe and turban, Bashir rode in a heavily-armed convoy from the notorious Kober prison in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to the prosecutors' office to face charges of alleged corruption.Prosecutor Alaeddin Dafallah told reporters after Bashir left the office that the ousted president had been informed that he was facing charges of "possessing foreign currency, corruption and receiving gifts illegally."Meanwhile, a top general from the country's new ruling military council vowed that those who carried out a deadly crackdown on an iconic protest site that left dozens dead earlier this month would face the death penalty."We are working hard to take those who did this to the gallows," Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy chief of the ruling military council said in a speech broadcast live on state television."Whoever committed any fault" will be held accountable, Dagalo added.>> Read more: Sudan suspension, African Unions bold move against strongmenThousands of protesters who had camped outside Khartoum's military headquarters for weeks were violently dispersed by armed men in military fatigues on June 3, according to witnesses.More than 100 people were killed that day in Khartoum, according to doctors linked to the protest movement, while the health ministry put the nationwide death toll at 61.'Regret' for crackdown Protesters and witnesses accuse the feared paramilitary group led by Dagalo, the Rapid Support Forces, of carrying out the assault on demonstrators.Demonstrators and US officials have called for an independent probe into the crackdown.On Thursday, military council spokesman General Shamseddine Kabbashi expressed "regret" over the crackdown.But the council insists it did not order the dispersal, saying it had actually planned to purge an area near the protest camp where people are said to sell drugs."The planning of the operation of Colombia (area) was done by military and security authorities," the council said in a statement late Saturday."We assure you that the council is keen to investigate minute by minute facts through its investigation committee.">> Read more: Can a former Janjaweed commander determine Sudans future?Brigadier Abderrahim Badreddine, spokesman for the investigative committee, told state television Saturday initial findings indicate that "officers and soldiers of different ranks and regular forces" had entered the sit-in without any orders from their superiors.As calls for an independent probe grew, Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit visited Khartoum on Sunday where the military council said he met its chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.Bashir had 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.When he imposed a state of emergency on February 22 in a bid to quell protests that erupted in December over the spiralling costs, Bashir issued a decree making it illegal to possess more than $5,000 in foreign currency.But in April, military council chief Burhan said more than $113 million worth of cash in three currencies had been seized from Bashir's residence after he was toppled.A team of police, army and security agents found seven million euros ($7.8 million), $350,000 and five billion Sudanese pounds ($105 million).(AFP)

Fallen Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir was seen Sunday in public for the first time since being ousted, as he was driven in an armed convoy to the prosecutor's office.

The former strongman, who ruled his northeast African nation with an iron fist for three decades, was toppled on April 11 after weeks of protests against his reign.

Dressed in a white traditional robe and turban, Bashir rode in a heavily-armed convoy from the notorious Kober prison in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to the prosecutors' office to face charges of alleged corruption.

Prosecutor Alaeddin Dafallah told reporters after Bashir left the office that the ousted president had been informed that he was facing charges of "possessing foreign currency, corruption and receiving gifts illegally."

Meanwhile, a top general from the country's new ruling military council vowed that those who carried out a deadly crackdown on an iconic protest site that left dozens dead earlier this month would face the death penalty.

"We are working hard to take those who did this to the gallows," Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy chief of the ruling military council said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

"Whoever committed any fault" will be held accountable, Dagalo added.

>> Read more: Sudan suspension, African Unions bold move against strongmen

Thousands of protesters who had camped outside Khartoum's military headquarters for weeks were violently dispersed by armed men in military fatigues on June 3, according to witnesses.

More than 100 people were killed that day in Khartoum, according to doctors linked to the protest movement, while the health ministry put the nationwide death toll at 61.

'Regret' for crackdown

Protesters and witnesses accuse the feared paramilitary group led by Dagalo, the Rapid Support Forces, of carrying out the assault on demonstrators.

Demonstrators and US officials have called for an independent probe into the crackdown.

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On Thursday, military council spokesman General Shamseddine Kabbashi expressed "regret" over the crackdown.

But the council insists it did not order the dispersal, saying it had actually planned to purge an area near the protest camp where people are said to sell drugs.

"The planning of the operation of Colombia (area) was done by military and security authorities," the council said in a statement late Saturday.

"We assure you that the council is keen to investigate minute by minute facts through its investigation committee."

>> Read more: Can a former Janjaweed commander determine Sudans future?

Brigadier Abderrahim Badreddine, spokesman for the investigative committee, told state television Saturday initial findings indicate that "officers and soldiers of different ranks and regular forces" had entered the sit-in without any orders from their superiors.

As calls for an independent probe grew, Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit visited Khartoum on Sunday where the military council said he met its chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Bashir had 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.

When he imposed a state of emergency on February 22 in a bid to quell protests that erupted in December over the spiralling costs, Bashir issued a decree making it illegal to possess more than $5,000 in foreign currency.

But in April, military council chief Burhan said more than $113 million worth of cash in three currencies had been seized from Bashir's residence after he was toppled.

A team of police, army and security agents found seven million euros ($7.8 million), $350,000 and five billion Sudanese pounds ($105 million).

(AFP)Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom is not seeking war in the region, but warned it will not hesitate to confront threats to its security.

His comments came just days after the US blamed Iran for suspected attacks on two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, denouncing what it called a campaign of escalating tensions in a region crucial to global energy supplies.

The US alleges Iran used limpet mines to target the 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.

The US blames Iran for the tanker attacks (AP Photo/ISNA)

Iran has rejected the US claim that it was responsible for Thursdays attacks, saying it stands ready to play an active and constructive role in ensuring the security of strategic maritime passages.

Iran has also been accused of being behind the May 12 attacks on four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Two of those vessels belonged to Saudi Arabia.

In his first public comments since the start of these incidents, the powerful Saudi prince, who is also defence minister and oversees all major levers of power in the country, said the attacks confirm the importance of our demands of the international community to take a decisive stance against Irans behaviour.

The kingdom does not seek war in the region, but we will not hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, sovereignty and vital interests, he said in an interview with the Arabic newspaper, Asharq al-Awsat.

He accused rival Iran of using militias to destabilise the region. He also touted US-Saudi relations as essential to achieving regional security and stability.

The problem is in Tehran and not anywhere else, he said. Iran is always the party thats escalating in the region, carrying out terrorist attacks and criminal attacks either directly or through its militias.

In recent days, Yemeni rebels known as Houthis claimed responsibility for a missile strike on a Saudi airport in the city of Abha that the kingdom said wounded 26 passengers. The Houthis also carried out a drone strike last month on a key Saudi oil pipeline.

Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of arming and training the rebels, which the kingdom has been at war against in Yemen since early 2015.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 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.

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.

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)The Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris hosted its first mass on Saturday evening, 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 on Catholic television channel KTO."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.Watch here a clip (in French) of the ceremony."The cathedral is born in the faith of our forefathers. It shows their confidence in the goodness of Christ, His love is stronger than hate," wrote the Archbishop in his homily."It's an event which each person feels deeply because we are still surrounded by bits of charcoal on the ground," said Christophe Rousselot, director of the Notre-Dame Foundation, speaking to France Info.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.(with AFP)

The Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris hosted its first mass on Saturday evening, 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 on Catholic television channel KTO.

"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.

Watch here a clip (in French) of the ceremony.

"The cathedral is born in the faith of our forefathers. It shows their confidence in the goodness of Christ, His love is stronger than hate," wrote the Archbishop in his homily.

"It's an event which each person feels deeply because we are still surrounded by bits of charcoal on the ground," said Christophe Rousselot, director of the Notre-Dame Foundation, speaking to France Info.

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.

(with AFP)MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  Police appealed for calm Thursday in a tense Memphis neighborhood where a rock-throwing crowd gathered after federal marshals fatally shot a black man who, authorities said, had rammed a police vehicle with a stolen car.

Thirty-six officers suffered minor injuries from flying rocks and bricks in the hours following the death of 20-year-old Brandon Webber, who was killed Wednesday evening after he exited the car holding some type of weapon, authorities said.

Webber had been wanted in a June 3 shooting that happened during a car theft about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Memphis in Hernando, Mississippi. The victim was shot five times and survived. The car was the one used to ram the police vehicle, according to DeSoto County, Mississippi, District Attorney John Champion, who spoke Thursday at a news conference.

Elected officials condemned the violence, and the police chief pleaded for patience while the shooting is investigated. But unanswered questions left many people angry as they recalled other police shootings around the country.

On Thursday evening, dozens  including Webber's father and other friends and relatives  gathered near the house where he was shot.

A couple of men spoke into megaphones and some motorists who drove by honked their horns and shouted messages of encouragement. There was a light police presence with a couple police cars parked at a nearby fire station that was damaged during Wednesday night's unrest.

Shortly after Wednesday's shooting, people began to gather in the area, and their numbers swelled as some livestreamed the scene on social media. Memphis police initially responded in street uniforms, then returned in riot gear as people began hurling rocks and bricks.

During the unrest, officers cordoned off several blocks in the Frayser neighborhood north of downtown and arrested three people. By 11 p.m., officers had used tear gas and most of the crowd dispersed, Police Director Michael Rallings said.

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Rallings implored residents to wait until the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, or TBI, finished its investigation. He appealed for people to refrain from violence and from spreading possible misinformation about the shooting.

"I need everyone to stay calm," Rallings said.

He later told WREG-TV that while peaceful protests are allowed, authorities would not tolerate further attacks on officers or any property damage or looting. Among steps designed to maintain public order and protect law enforcement, Rallings said, officers' days off have been canceled and they will ride in two-person cars as a precaution.

Separately, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said through a spokeswoman that the shooting would be fully investigated. Lee's press secretary, Laine Arnold, said the crowd's actions were "not representative of the community, but we stand firmly against acts of lawlessness that threaten the safety of our neighborhoods."

Webber's home was in a working-class neighborhood of north Memphis. By Thursday afternoon, the police presence was minimal, with two squad cars parked in front of a fire station. No uniformed officers were visible. About 20 people stood outside of Webber's one-story house, and others gathered nearby. One woman wept loudly and hugged a man as she cried.

The Rev. Andre E. Johnson said he was standing among the protesters when tear gas was released. He said he heard no police order to disperse.

People were upset because they initially did not know why the marshals sought to arrest Webber, said Johnson, who called him a beloved member of the community.

"The problem with it is they feel that police and the administration and city officials do not treat them as humans. That's what it really boils down to: You are not worthy of an explanation," said Johnson, speaking hours before the Mississippi prosecutor described the allegations against Webber.

TBI spokeswoman Keli McAlister said a fugitive task force went to a Frayser home to look for a suspect with felony warrants. She said marshals spotted the man getting into a car, which then rammed task force vehicles several times before the man got out with the weapon.

Marshals then opened fire, she said. McAlister did not say how many marshals fired or how many times the man was shot. The TBI identified the dead man as Webber.

Authorities provided no details about the type of weapon or the charges that drew the task force's interest. A criminal history for Webber released by the TBI listed two arrests, in April 2017 and April 2018, on charges including weapons possession, drug dealing and driving without a license.

The 2018 charges were not prosecuted, and the 2017 charges were dismissed, court records showed.

Webber's father, Sonny Webber, told The Associated Press by phone that his son leaves a 2-year-old boy and a young daughter, with another daughter on the way: "He would have had three children. Now he'll have a child that he won't get to meet."

The TBI is routinely called in to investigate police shootings around the state. TBI investigators typically deliver a report to the local district attorney, who then decides whether to pursue charges against officers involved.

At least two journalists also were hurt in Wednesday's violence.

Memphis-area police shootings in the past four years have prompted sporadic protests. Among them was Darrius Stewart, an unarmed 19-year-old who was fatally shot during a fight in 2015 with Connor Schilling, a white officer who was trying to arrest him on outstanding warrants.

A Shelby County district attorney recommended that Schilling be charged with voluntary manslaughter, but a grand jury refused to indict him.

____

Associated Press writers Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee, Rebecca Reynolds Yonker in Louisville, Kentucky, and researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.Rob Macaire said his request was granted and rejected reports that he was ordered by Iranian officials to explain Britain's position.

Britains ambassador to Iran sought an urgent meeting with the countrys Foreign Ministry after the UK broadly backed the US in blaming Tehran for attacks on oil tankers.

Rob Macaire said his request was granted and rejected reports that he was ordered by Iranian officials to explain Britains position.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the UKs own assessment of Thursdays events in the Gulf of Oman led British officials to conclude that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran.

However, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Britain should not act without credible evidence Iran was behind attacks on the two oil tankers, which dramatically heightened tensions in the region.

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

News website Iran Front Page said Mr Macaire had been summoned by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, whose Europe minister had reportedly expressed Tehrans strong protest to the British Governments unacceptable anti-Iran stances.

Mr Macaire tweeted in response: Interesting. And news to me. I asked for an urgent meeting with the Foreign Ministry yesterday and it was granted. No summons. Of course if formally summoned I would always respond, as would all Ambassadors.

On Sunday Saudi Arabia joined the US and UK in blaming Iran, with the countrys Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman saying Riyadh wont hesitate to tackle any threats.

Interesting. And news to me. I asked for an urgent meeting with the Foreign Ministry yesterday and it was granted. No summons. Of course if formally summoned I would always respond, as would all Ambassadors.  Rob Macaire (@HMATehran) June 16, 2019

Tehran has strongly denied being behind the attack, which Mr Hunt said built on a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region.

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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.

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.

Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the Governments rhetoric will only increase the threat of war.

Mr Hunt accused the Labour leader of virulent anti-Americanism.

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

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.The US military has accused Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops of trying to shoot down a US drone to disrupt surveillance during suspected attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

The US has accused Iran of trying to shoot down a US drone to prevent surveillance during suspected attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

A US Central Command spokesman said Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops had fired a modified surface-to-air missile to try to bring down a drone that had been observing the Front Altair and Kokuka Courageous tankers.

The international community has blamed Iran for attacks on the tankers, with the US military claiming that video footage shows Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops removing an unexploded mine from the Kokuka Courageous.

The US has claimed that footage shows Iranian troops removing a limpet mine from one of the tankers (Picture: AP)

Crew members from the Norwegian-owned Front Altair landed in Dubai on Saturday after two days in Iran.

The other tanker is now anchored off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

READ MORE

Donald Trump brands Sadiq Khan a 'disaster' after latest violence in London

Iran has rejected allegations, accusing the US of pursuing an "Iranophobic" campaign against it.

Tensions have been rising between the US and Iran - Donald Trump withdrew America from the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran reached with world powers and recently imposed a series of sanctions.

Irans leaders have repeatedly threatened to close the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil flows.

Four other oil tankers off Fujairah have suffered similar attacks in recent weeks, and Iranian-allied rebels from Yemen have hit US ally Saudi Arabia with drones and missiles.There's no denying that we love a good royal wedding (we probably don't need to tell you that if you're a regular reader of Who What Wear). While gawping at gorgeous dresses fit kings, queens, princes and princesses are totally our bag, sometimes we want to see something that's a little more, well, accessible when it comes to fashion from the monarchy.

Sure, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have it nailed for more casual looks from the British Royal Family, but there are so many other royals from around the world that are just as chic and have plenty of outfits that are worth copying.

Recently, we've spotted numerous European royals out and about at various summery events in ensembles that demand our attention. From Beatrice Casiraghi to Princess Sofia of Sweden to Queen Letizia of Spain, we've got some incredible looks that we think you should see. Whether that's a pair of gorgeously tailored trousers or wearing one of the biggest dress trends of the summer, keep scrolling to see our favourite looks from these royals and where to shop their style.

Style Notes: Beatrice Casiraghi is married to Pierre Casiraghi, who is the son of Caroline, Princess of Hanover. Journalist Beatrice is well known in her own right and recently was spotted at the Monaco Grand Prix wearing this gorgeous polka-dot dress and black strappy sandals. The addition of the fun, heart-shaped glasses gave it a youthful twist.

Mother of Pearl Velda Polka-Dot Silk-Satin Wrap Dress (695)

& Other Stories Strappy Heeled Sandals (69)

Saint Laurent Loulou Heart-Shaped Acetate Sunglasses (265)

Style Notes: Queen of Spain, Letizia, is known for her pared-back outfits. She's often spotted in block colours and rarely bold patterns. Here, she's opted for a full blue monochromatic outfit, which is a great option for a chic wedding guest outfit, no?

Bassike Organic Cotton-Jersey T-shirt (49)

Roksanda Hasani Cropped Striped Cady Wide-Leg Pants (695)

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Gianvito Rossi 70 Suede Pumps (480)

Style Notes: Princess Sofia of Sweden is another royal who knows that princesses don't just have to wear dresses. Her looks are regularly on the best-dressed royals lists and this recent ensemble is no exception. The pale blush trousers look great with a matching bag and the high-neck blouse make this outfit seem incredibly fresh.

H&M Tie-Detail Blouse (10)

The Row Elin Wool-Twill Wide-Leg Pants (575)

Zara Slingback Kitten (26)

Next up, seven "boring" fashion trends we can't get enough of in 2019.

Read More from Who What WearRisks and challenges must be identified during the digital transformation era to ensure that Viet Nam continues to grow and be prosperous, a new report has said.

The report Viet Nams Future Digital Economy towards 2030 and 2045 provides economic modelling for potential growth scenarios. Photo courtesy of CSIRO

The report, Viet Nams Future Digital Economy Towards 2030 and 2045, notes that much has already been done through the Governments policies on 4.0 Industry such as cybersecurity, energy and digital skills.

The report was issued by Australias Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Viet Nams Ministry of Science and Technology.

Dr Lucy Cameron, lead author of the report, said that Viet Nam, as one of the worlds fastest-growing economies, should carefully navigate a number of risks while undertaking digital transformation.

The CSIRO and Viet Nams Ministry of Science and Technology have proposed a list of possible actions to assist policymakers and leaders of industry.

Dr Vo Tri Thanh, chairman of the Viet Nam Committee at the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, said that political will was especially significant in carrying out digital transformation.

The country faces five main challenges in implementing such a transformation, according to Thanh.

The most crucial is Government leadership, which will decide whether 4.0 industry is actually put into place or is just an empty slogan.

Legal regulations often fail to keep up with the countrys rapid rate of digitalisation. For example, enforcement of written regulations is often weak.

The country also lacks a sufficient number of people who can play leading roles in the digital transformation process.

Though Vietnamese students often gain high academic achievements, creativity and innovation are not their strengths.

The lack of a strong ecosystem for innovation and start-up businesses is another issue, while digital infrastructure is still at a very low level in terms of data and transmission speeds.

Priorities

According to the report, the first priority for the government is to foster development of ICT networks and energy security.

Without infrastructure, the digital economy cannot exist. Security of the networks and activity on them are both essential.

In addition, improving digital skills will be the key to unlocking the productivity benefits of digital networks.

Industry 4.0 and national innovation policies will give momentum to the adoption of digital products and services, as well as prepare the country to shift to a high-income economy.

According to the report, Viet Nam may be able to specialise in technologies that will help it leapfrog to much higher levels of productivity.

Taxation and regulatory reform policies will also help attract investment in the digital economy, experts say.

To create a mature digital economy, careful consideration of regulatory reform is needed as new technologies and business models will challenge existing regulations.

Nguyen Duc Thanh, president of the Viet Nam Institute for Economic and Policy Research, said digital transformation would change the future of the country dramatically.

Along with the Internet and social media development, the Vietnamese population will become better informed and well-off, pushing the government toward better governance, he said.

Education is key to successful integration and digital transformation, he said. Traditional education could be changed by other forms such as online education, home schooling and self-education.

Launched in 2017, the report provides economic modelling for potential scenarios of growth for Viet Nams digital economy up to 2045.

It aims to serve as a strategic decision-making tool for leaders in government and businesses negotiating the new wave of digital innovation and the next phase of economic development.

The first report Viet Nam Today, which was released last year, examined the state of Viet Nams macro-economy and digital economy.

The present report, which was released last month, updates this research and examines the state of Viet Nams economy and digital economy in early 2019 with a main focus on the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

The report is part of the Viet Nams Future Digital Economy project, an innovative joint venture between Viet Nam and Australia.  VNSThe overall exports pattern of Vietnam portrays its similarities with export-led growth model of Mexico, which has turned itself into export production platforms for foreign multinationals, rather than developing own indigenous industrial capacity.

Inherent bottleneck in the export-led growth model and the pattern of Vietnams participation in the global value chain are considered two main threats to the sustainability of the countrys current growth model, according to Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR).

The overall exports pattern of Vietnam portrays the country is following the footsteps of export-led growth model of Mexico, said Nguyen Duc Thanh, VEPRs director, at the launch of its annual economic report.

According to the report, Mexico has turned itself into export production platforms for foreign multi-nationals by suppressing the wages, rather than developing own indigenous industrial capacity.

This export-led growth strategy is different from the one adopted by Germany or Japan or Asian Four Tiger countries or China, focusing on enhancing their own industrial capacity, Thanh added.

Thanh said the Mexico model was considered less successful so far, pointing to sluggish GDP growth, unchanged labor productivity, and negative total factor productivity growth.

VEPRs report suggested with the rising living standards, ultimately the comparative advantages of cheap labor force would vanish in the future, which means a wave of assembly jobs would flow out of Vietnam leaving masses of workers without jobs.

Additionally, the assembling platform strategy should be bonded with the strategy to develop own indigenous industrial capacity, and national technological base. These will help Vietnam to upgrade activities along value chains in forms of Product upgrading; Process upgrading; Functional upgrading; and/or Sectoral Upgrading so that it can switch Vietnam goals assembling agent to indigenous producer.

In 2015, global value chains participation rate of Vietnam is 56%, which is a significant jump in comparison to just 34% in 1995. However, increment comes from backward participation that shares 45 percentage points and the forward participation contributes only 11 percentage points.

Moreover, the contribution of forward participation has been weakening since 2000. In terms of position on the value chain, none of the industries are located in the upstream position (global value chain position indices of all industries are negative).

Only two industries including other transport and wholesale and retail trade have taken on the larger negative indices and are thus positioned downstream.

The rests of the industries including crucial industries for Vietnam such as textile and footwear, electronics and electric, automotive, among others, are positioned in the middle-stream on the value chain.

Challenges to realize Industry 4.0 potential

Adaptation of Industry 4.0 may increase Vietnams GDP by US$28.5 billion - US$62.1 billion (equivalent to 7 - 16% of the GDP) by 2030, while per capita income of Vietnam would also increase by an additional US$315 - US$640, according to the Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM).

However, the report said Vietnams growth depends heavily on its assembling based exports. Moreover, its increased global value chain participation is primarily due to multinational enterprises operating in country.

Under this circumstance, VEPR expressed concern over the realization of Industry 4.0 in Vietnam.

The greater automation in manufacturing process will shift the work from low skilled labor market to high skilled labor market, and also the integrated model of manufacturing process will ultimately move the manufacturing plants close to the customers markets, stated the report.

Vietnam is at risk if multinational corporations, which are now operating in Vietnam, will prefer to move out of the country for any or both of those purposes. Hence Vietnam must push for higher position in the global value chain ladder, VEPR researchers suggested.

Nevertheless, there are many reasons to believe that the existing multinational corporations may not prefer to shift their work out of Vietnam, including Vietnams strategic position in the East Asia; its interests and involvement in several deep Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) that if ratified may give tariff-free access to the key markets such as US and EU; and highly competitive in terms of labor costs, among others. Hanoitimes

Ngoc ThuyThe ongoing revision of Vietnams securities law is expected to remove restriction for foreign ownership limit at local companies.

Despite global uncertainties in the first five months of 2019, Vietnams stock market witnessed strong foreign cash inflows with overseas investors net purchases reaching VND9.03 trillion (US$388.7 million).

In May, which is usually considered an unlucky month for investors, foreign players bought in 450.5 million of local shares worth VND23.50 trillion (US$1.01 billion), while selling other 467 million worth VND19.5 trillion (US$839.46 million). Despite a net sale of 16.7 million shares, foreign investors recorded net buy value of VND4.01 trillion (US$172.61 million).

Notably, the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE) posted net purchase of foreign investors of VND3.79 trillion (US$163.14 million), representing a six-fold month-on-month increase.

As of present, net purchase of foreign investors in HoSE reached VND9.32 trillion (US$401.24 million), indicating a positive sign amid strong volatility in Vietnams stock market, which is on the declining trend recently.

The result marked a 9th consecutive month of foreign investors net purchase since last September, standing at VND21.2 trillion (US$912.7 million) in net value.

Stocks that received strong interests from foreign investors included those of Vingroup, Bao Viet Holdings, Petrolimex, and Vietnam Airlines, among others. In May, South Koreas conglomerate SK Group agreed to buy a 6.1% stake of Vietnams largest privately-run Vingroup for US$1 billion.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX), foreign investors reverted to a net sale of VND270 billion (US$11.6 million), accumulating a total of VND293 billion (US$12.61 million) in the five-month period.

Additionally, during the January  May period, 3,160 projects have had a record high of US$7.65 billion in capital contributed by foreign investors in local companies, an increase of 2.8-fold year-on-year and accounting for 45.7% of total registered capital.

Opportunities for foreign investors

The ongoing revision of Vietnams securities law is expected to remove restriction for foreign ownership limit at local companies, while currently only a handful of public companies opts for no cap in foreign ownership.



Nguyen Thi Viet Ha, member of board of directors at the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), said that out of the total 376 HoSE-listed companies, only 25 have no restriction on foreign ownership ratio, three with foreign ownership cap from 51  70%, 317 with 49%, eight with 30% and 23 with less than 51%.

Ha pointed to three reasons behind companies decision of not lifting foreign ownership limit (FOL) to 100%, including the difficulties in determining conditional business lines and complicated procedures.

Secondly, companies with 51% foreign holding would be considered foreign-invested companies, thus facing restriction for operation in accordance with the Law on Investment, especially in fields of healthcare and IT.

Thirdly, there remains preference among local companies to maintain major voting rights for domestic investors.

Dong A Securities in its report suggested the new securities law would present opportunities for greater integration of Vietnams stock market in the global market.

The countrys stock market is on track for possible reclassification by FTSE Russell in September, stated the report.

Hai YenThe country plans to need about US$480 billion for infrastructure investment by 2020, with additional projects in the pipeline including about 1,380 km of highway and around eleven power plants.

Transport projects in Vietnam will be more attractive to foreign investors if new supporting policies are applied as seen in the North-South expressway project.

According to Nguyen Danh Huy, head of the Ministry of Transports Public-Private Partnership (PPP) division, some 170 investors are interested in international bidding for the eastern cluster of the North-South expressway project. Of the total, 70 are foreign investors, who come from many countries, including the UK, Korea, Malaysia, Japan and China.

These are good signs showing the interest of investors to invest in the Vietnamese infrastructure sector, Huy said.

The attention of foreign investors to the countrys North-South expressway project has been rising after the government officially opens international bidding for the project this month, with many new supporting policies available to push the interests of investors.

The eastern cluster of the North-South expressway, costing VND118.7 trillion (US$5.16 billion), covers 11 sections. These include three state-invested sections connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City via key economic zones, industrial parks, border gates, and seaports. The state is contributing around VND55 trillion (US$2.39 billion) for the venture.

According to the Ministry of Transport, unlike other PPP projects in the sector, there are some advantages and supporting policies for financiers in the expressway scheme.

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Nhat said the government encourages domestic and foreign investors to join these sections, with committed favorable conditions for interested investors.

Notably, Nhat said, the country takes responsibility for project site clearance and commits to hand over cleared land to those who join the eight PPP sections.

Law revision underway

Vietnam has an ambitious master plan that aims at complete transformation of the nations sluggish infrastructural platforms, so as to attract investment and business, promote its industrial hubs and increase its GDP.

According to Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, the countrys socio-economic development strategy for the 2011-2020 period describes infrastructure development as one of the key tasks as well as one of three strategic breakthroughs needed to be achieved, focusing on transport and urban infrastructure.

The country plans to need about US$480 billion for infrastructure investment by 2020, with additional projects in the pipeline including about 1,380 km of highway and around eleven power plants; but the state budget can only meet one third of the actual financial needs.

Therefore, the mobilization of investment source from private sector into infrastructure development is a matter of great concern for the Vietnamese government, Dung said.

Meanwhile, experts said that the realization of the country's ambitious plan depends on how it sorts out issues of profitability and funding.

They said the attraction of Vietnams transport projects to foreign investors will be further improved if guarantee policies are approved. At present, the country is yet to guarantee minimum revenues for PPP projects.

According to Vaibhav Saxena, legal consultant at Vietnam International Law Firm, the long-term nature of large scale infrastructure projects, where returns on investment take far longer to realize than those in other sectors, is one of the reasons that make investors hesitate to take the risks involved in them.

Therefore, more favorable treatment for investors will speed up major infrastructure development projects, in turn making considerable headway in achieving national goals, Saxena said.

According to a representative from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the ministry is working on the draft law on PPP, in which government guarantees are lined up for discussion. The draft law on PPP will be available on the MPIs website in the upcoming days, and will seek feedbak from the business community. Hanoitimes

Anh HongAs its labor cost is equal and even higher than other countries, Vietnam will have to replace the cheap labor advantage for the skilled workforce advantage in the coming time to raise the competitiveness.

Vietnams low labor cost appeal to foreign investors is facing decline due to a rapid rise in minimum wages across the country, experts warned.

According to reports from global financial information services provider Fitch Group, Vietnam was among three countries in East and South East Asia that saw the largest year-on-year average minimum wage growth rates between 2015 and 2019 with 8.8 per cent, just behind Laos and China with of 14.6 per cent and 9.8 per cent, respectively.

The 2019 minimum wage in Vietnam also increased by an average of 5.3 per cent across the countrys four regions, of which Region 1 (covering the urban areas of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) saw the largest increase in the minimum wage - 5.9 per cent - to US$180.

Fitchs analysts forecast the average nominal minimum wage to continue rising across East and South East Asia, including Vietnam, over the short-to-medium term, underpinned by the regions transition into high-value manufacturing and service-based economies associated with higher labor costs, while moving away from agriculture and low-cost labor-intensive sectors, which generally have lower wages.

This, together with robust economic growth and the rising costs of living, risks exacerbating regional wealth inequality, thereby emboldening workers demands for higher minimum wages, Fitch analysts noted, adding authorities in some countries, including Vietnam, are succumbing to worker and union demands in order to prevent possible outbreaks of social unrest that could cause political instability.

Key to higher competitiveness

In fact, the availability of large pools of low-cost labor has positioned Vietnam as the premier hub for labor-intensive business operations, particularly in manufacturing. Many big foreign manufacturers, such as Samsung, LG, Intel, Nike and Adidas, have chosen Vietnam as their destination due to the countrys low labor costs.

Therefore, as its labor cost is equal and even higher than other countries, Vietnam will have to replace the cheap labor advantage for the skilled workforce advantage in the coming time to raise the competitiveness, experts said.

It is necessary to develop skilled human resources to reposition Vietnams competitive edge in attracting foreign investment, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vu Dai Thang said.

Nihad Ahmed, senior economist at global provider of economic analysis and forecasts Focus Economics, said that one of Vietnam's weaknesses is the lack of skilled workers, emphasizing that Vietnam is far behind China, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand in this field while developing a highly skilled workforce is critical to attracting FDI into value-added industries.

To remove the shortcoming, the Vietnamese government is formulating a new national FDI attraction strategy for 2018-2030, in which the development of skilled workforce will be one of the top priorities.

Wim Douw, senior private sector specialist of World Banks International Finance Corporation, also highlighted some proposals to serve as key inputs for the Vietnamese government to devise the new strategy. Among them, he suggested Vietnam should create and implement an integrated national skills development plan to accelerate the countrys transition from low skilled to highly qualified labor, which will facilitate technology transfer from foreign invested enterprises.

Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam Bruno Angelet also said that a human resources with high technical expertise are the important factor that European investors require.

Besides bringing in opportunities of jobs with high income and international standard working environment, a skilled workforce will help Vietnam learn governance skills and get technology transfer, Angelet said, adding however, this is a challenge for Vietnam's education system in meeting the demand for human resources. Hanoitimes

Anh HongThe countries with developed technologies such as Japan and the US, when seeking places for their long-term investments, consider possible destinations such as Vietnam, Indonesia and India very carefully.

The Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) reported the 4-year record high FDI in the first five months of the year with total registered capital of $16.74 billion by May 20, a sharp increase of 69 percent compared with the same period last year.

FIAs report showed that Hong Kong is leading foreign investors in Vietnam with $5.08 billion worth of registered capital, amounting to 30.4 percent of total FDI, while South Korea ranks second with $2.62 billion and Singapore third with $2.09 billion.

VEPR director Nguyen Duc Thanh attributes the record high investment to the direct impact from the US-China trade war which has caused a wave of investment relocation out of China.

The countries with developed technologies such as Japan and US dont think Vietnam is the No 1 destination. They highly appreciate Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, where the infrastructure is relatively good, or India with abundant labor force and English speaking workers. For these countries, Vietnam is just a candidate.

Meanwhile, Chinese investors highly appreciate Vietnam, which has cultural similarities and favorable geographical position.

Vietnam can take necessary measures to restrict the negative impact by selecting FDI projects thoroughly. Vietnam has the right to choose investors who can bring high quality projects, commit to long term investment and use advanced technologies.

Asked about the impacts of the US-China trade war on Vietnams economy, Thanh said Vietnam would get benefits in the long term. However, there will also be negative impacts if Vietnam receives investments which affect the environment and society.

However, Vietnam can take necessary measures to restrict the negative impact by selecting FDI projects thoroughly. Vietnam has the right to choose investors who can bring high quality projects, commit to long term investment and use advanced technologies.

Regarding the impact on trade, Thanh said it will be mixed. Vietnams exports may soar as Chinese goods become more expensive and Americans shift to use Vietnamese goods.

However, Vietnams exports to China, one of the most important markets, will be decreasing, because China will take action to protect its enterprises amid the decrease in exports to the US.

Statistics show that Vietnams export turnover to China has fallen considerably since Q4 2018.

A businessman in Hanoi also said the impact on investments are clearer than trade.

It is obvious that foreign investors, including Chinese, have begun heading for Vietnam, he said, citing an article in a Chinese newspaper which says the companies coming late will have to battle for Vietnamese workers.

Kim Chi

US-China trade war increases risk of trade deficit for Vietnam The US-China trade war and Chinese yuan devaluation have increased the risk of a widening trade gap, with more imports from China flowing to Vietnam.With ASEANs third largest population of over 94 million people yet the regions lowest urbanisation ratio of 36 per cent in 2018, Vietnam and its property market have the potential to surpass regional peers.

An optimistic outlook lays ahead for the Vietnamese economy thanks to high levels of FDI and suitable monetary policies, which could give a boost to the domestic property market.

Major cities snapshot

According to Savills Vietnam, the two main cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), are undergoing dynamic transformations and attracting high levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) and waves of new investment. Momentum in Vietnams residential market derives from the countrys golden demographics, ongoing structural changes and a positive economic outlook.

As the economic hubs of Vietnam, HCMC and Hanoi drive national fiscal growth as well as real estate performance. The two cities account for 17 per cent of the total inhabitants, whilst its urbanisation rates are the highest among ASEAN countries.

Strong population growth in urban areas has created robust demand for new projects whilst shrinking home occupancy and a surge in the number of single households supports new household formation. The majority of new supply comprises lower grade apartments, directly correlating with demographics and macro fundamentals.

Substantial sales increases occurred in both major cities between 2014 and 2018.

HCMC and Hanoi apartment markets. (Source: Savills Research & Consultancy)

In HCMC, transactions have risen 44 per cent per annum for the last five years, peaking in 2018 with over 49,000 sales.

The absorption rate recently hit its highest level for the last five years, topping out at 87 per cent. Growth is particularly evident in the affordable housing segment, or Grade C standard, which was the primary market driver from 2014 to 2018, accounting for 60 per cent of total transactions. With a lot of supply in the pipeline, this segment is expected to remain the market leader.

In 2018, home sales in Hanoi increased 20 per cent year on year. The mid-end segment, or Grade B standard, accounted for 61 per cent of total transactions. During the period 2014-18, Grade B represented 43-61 per cent of sales, whilst Grade C accounted for 31 per cent of the market, up 6 per cent on year. Grade A supplied 8 per cent due to a combination of high selling prices and limited new supply.

The performance of the high-end segment (Grade A) has improved over the last three years, attracting local and foreign investors with competitive pricing and appealing rental yields.

The increasing number of domestic High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWI) and a burgeoning middle class are proof of the potential for high-end, luxury property sales, whilst relaxed foreign ownership policies have attracted international purchasers.

In 2018, Hanoi and HCMC enjoyed a high level of demand from international buyers; the majority of Grade A projects quickly filled the pre-determined foreigner quota of 30 per cent during their launches.

Price trends

Purchasers in HCMC and Hanoi have a similar profile. Occupiers or end-users tend to dominate Grade C, whilst Grade B attracts upgraders and buy-to-let investors. The majority of Grade A buyers are long-term investors.

The large proportion of end-users reflects the healthy growth of the residential market. Currently, capital comes mostly from equity due to relatively high lending rates and low mortgage affordability; the government continues to control credit growth via multiple monetary policies.

In 2018, the average selling price in HCMC was US$1,600 per square meter, rising by 10 per cent on year over the last five years due to a price surge across all grades. Grade A experienced the highest price rise as it provided new supply with high development standards; Grade B and Grade C also grew, albeit at a slower pace.

Hanois average asking price in 2018 stood at US$1,300 per square meter, up slightly 1 per cent on year. Of note, Grade A saw the largest increase. Due to abundant Grade B supply, developers offered competitive prices in order to maintain sales.

Additionally, Grade C transactions grew due to the increased demand for affordable housing, with developers providing flexible payment terms, discounts and promotion programs to capture buyers interest.

An optimistic outlook lays ahead for the Vietnamese economy with high levels of FDI and suitable monetary policies, which helps ensure that growth in Vietnams property market will continue. Meanwhile, the supply in key cities is projected to increase in order to meet demand.

Until 2020, the majority of stock in HCMC will be Grade C while in Hanoi, Grade B is expected to dominate. VOVThe new policies will simplify procedures, explaining that instead of 95 laws and ordinances, investors only have to relate to two legal documents regulating planning.

This is a way to reduce administrative procedures and increase transparency and stability of the law.

The long-awaited new policies on planning, which feature many positive changes aiming towards market orientation, transparency and fair competition, will help dispel bottlenecks and ease performance of firms, especially foreign ones, in many sectors.



The Law on Planning and Decree No.37/2019/ND-CP on guiding its implementation, effective from this month, are important in light of amending the whole system of the countrys planning.

According to Vaibhav Saxena, lawyer at Vietnam International Law Firm, the new regulations have significant impacts on the Vietnamese business environment as they have improved the quality and efficiency of planning and adjusted current planning to market-based orientation and international integration.

Specifically, the planning of product development is removed, while creating a larger development space for cities and provinces, as well as businesses.

This means that the planning will be based on geographical zoning instead of the previous quota system. Thus, the government will provide far larger space for market dynamics to arrange projects.

In this light, the government will provide orientations and recommendations for the development of territorial planning and create development premises by developing infrastructure and protecting natural resources and the environment.

Meanwhile, cities, provinces, and businesses will have the competence to issue planning for the development of certain products to ensure efficiency and to meet their development demands.

According to Saxena, Decree 37 will contribute to solving the slowdown of hundreds of projects and other works, as well as removing problems in production and business activities across many sectors.

In addition, it will also increase the clarity and transparency of regulations and enhancing management effectiveness by simplifying procedures to shorten the timeline for granting approvals and permits besides boosting harmonization among levels of agencies, hence avoiding discrepancies during project appraisal.

With the application of the new decree, the cost of time and resources that enterprises endure is cut down, enabling enterprises to enhance efficiency and keeping pace with emerging business opportunities.

Equal treatment

According to Kent Wong, vice-chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnams Legal Sector Committee, when investing in Vietnam, foreign investors must pay attention to the current types of planning that directly affect the approval of projects.

The reform of the planning system aiming towards market orientation, transparency, and fair competition will give EU companies and other investors equal opportunities in accessing land and other economic resources, and bring in many benefits.

Wong said the new policies will simplify procedures, explaining that instead of 95 laws and ordinances, investors only have to relate to two legal documents regulating planning.

This is a way to reduce administrative procedures and increase transparency and stability of the law.

Besides, they will also help terminate some types of product planning, as well as some unusual types of planning such as planning of rice export traders, planning of tobacco business, and planning of tilapia.

The competent state agency will only formulate plans for infrastructure, resource use, and environmental protection.

The Law on Planning completely eliminates product planning, and will shift focus to a market-oriented economic approach.

The regulations will give foreign investors a vision for investment, Wong said, explaining according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, most of the current plans are only valid until 2020.

The government will soon adopt a strategy for the period of 2021-2030.

The Law on Planning and Decree 37 will act as an important legal background for building that upcoming strategy.

However, Wong noted, the Law on Planning and Decree 37 do not contain detailed guidelines on the scope, order, and procedures for formulation, appraisal, and approval of planning adjustments in the transition period.

Therefore, the adjustment and supplementation of the project to the previously approved planning face difficulties due to a lack of legal regulations. Hanoitimes

Anh HongVietnam`s population growth and rapid economic development drive up its people`s demand for water, which puts water resource at risk of being depleted, posing a big threat to sustainable development.

Vietnam is facing major challenges of water security while climate change is increasingly complicated, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha warned at the workshop titled "Vietnam: Towards a safe, clean and resilient water system" held in Hanoi recently.

The risk of water shortage exists

Addressing the workshop, Minister Ha stressed the dependence of Vietnam on foreign water sources when about 63% of the total flow into Vietnam comes from China, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Of the 208 rivers in Vietnam, up to 126 ones originate from other countries. 90% of the Mekong rivers flow and and over 50% of the Red rivers flow come from foreign countries.

As of 2018, the water volume of Vietnam is about 8,760 m3/person/year, lower than the national standard in view of the International Water Association, Ha cited.

He added that Vietnam is also one of the countries heavily affected by climate change. Due to its impacts, water in the dry season tends to decline, droughts become prolonged and more serious. Therefore, water resource issues currently remain as risk, which will be felt more clearly soon.

Due to diverse terrain conditions, each Vietnamese region suffers different levels and nature of impact, Ha said, adding that the impact of climate change on Vietnams northern mountainous region is severe due to prolonged droughts and concentrated rainfall with high intensity that leads to dangerous flash floods.

The south central region has the lowest rainfall in Vietnam, often with prolonged droughts. The region is also affected by sea level rise that causes saline intrusion and coastal erosion. Meanwhile, Vietnams southern region is prone to flooding and saline intrusion. Sea level rise as forecast for 2030 will put about 45% of the land area to be at risk of extreme salinity.

However, the common perception of most Vietnamese people is that the countrys water source is endless and many are still wasting water. "The risk of water shortage in Vietnam is not only a forecast but also a reality in many regions throughout the country," the minister stressed.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha also emphasized the challenges that Vietnam is facing in terms of water resource management. Population growth and rapid economic development drive up the demand for water, which puts water resource at risk of being depleted, posing a threat to sustainable development.

Meanwhile, a World Bank (WB) research identified that by 2035, water pollution could cost Vietnam about 3.5% of GDP each year, Ha cited.

Water resource is a key factor for Vietnams prosperity

Talking more about Ha's above-mentioned challenges, WB Country Director for Vietnam Ousmane Dione said that if Vietnam takes action early, it will ensure that water resource will continue to be a key factor to help Vietnam achieve prosperity.

Ousmane Dione noted that Vietnams development of its abundant water resources has been key to driving the countrys rapid growth. More than 7,500 dams store and divert water to thousands of irrigation schemes, making Vietnam one of the worlds richest rice baskets. Hydropower produces almost 40% of the nations electricity. The great majority of the population have access to safe water services. Today, Vietnam can recognize and be proud of these extraordinary successes.

But new challenges have also emerged. Challenges of a different nature from those the country has so successfully tackled during the past two decades. The challenges today are those of a maturing economy in a complex context of climate change. The challenges of securing gains, improving efficiency and productivity, consolidating institutions, improving human capital, upgrading the countrys infrastructure base, and adapting to the changing mother nature, the WB official added.

He cited that over 90% of water used nationwide is allocated to irrigation and aquaculture. From each cubic meter of water, Vietnam produces just US$2.37 of GDP against a global average of US$19.42, about eight times as much.

Ousmane Dione stressed that pollution is fouling surface and groundwater. Sewage, industrial effluents and solid waste are clogging watercourses. Some rivers - once clean - in and around major cities have turned into contaminated streams. It is estimated that at the end of 2018, centralized wastewater treatment plants are treating only about 71% of industrial wastewater from industrial zones. Only 46% of urban households have connections to drainage systems and only 12.5% of municipal wastewater is treated.

Those challenges are very real in the water sector and call for a renewed model of water resource management to adapt Vietnams ambitions to its economic prospects. This model must look toward a safe, clean and resilient water system to support the countrys aspirations to become a high-income economy, the country director stressed.

Minister Ha pledged that the WB officials recommendations will be used by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as a precious document to effectively promote water resource management, set plans for sustainable development in water resource, raise community awareness of effective and sustainable water use. Hanoitimes

Anh KietThe Mekong Delta loses 300 hectares of land each year because of river and coastline erosion, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

The total land area lost in the last 10 years has reached over 3,000 hectares, Tang Quoc Chinh from the Natural Calamities Control Department confirmed, adding that the landslides in the Mekong Delta are increasingly serious.

Chinh attributed the serious landslides to the many hydropower reservoirs on the Mekong, from China to Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia.

On the mainstream of Mekong, there are 19 reservoirs, of which seven in China have been built and one is under construction. In Laos, two are now being built, and another two are going to be built.

On the tributaries of the Mekong, a total of 142 reservoirs have been built, or are under construction, or planned.

Hydropower reservoirs will increase landslides in the Mekong Delta. These reservoirs prevent sediment from flowing downstream. Sediment has the effect of consolidating the delta and preventing erosion.

Hydropower reservoirs will increase landslides in the Mekong Delta. These reservoirs prevent sediment from flowing downstream. Sediment has the effect of consolidating the delta and preventing erosion.

Another reason behind the increasingly serious landslides is the overexploitation of sand in the upper course of the Mekong.

With the current sand exploitation and the rapid rise of reservoirs, the amount of sediment reaching the Mekong Delta is expected to decrease by 97 percent by 2040 compared with the years before 2007.

The decrease in sediment, plus the longstanding living habit of building houses on riverbanks, both increase the load on the banks, creating more serious landslides. Nearly 600 landslide spots have been found in the area, of which 59 are serious and need urgent treatment.

Besides landslides, the Mekong Delta is also suffering from serious subsidence. According to the Norwegian Institute of Geological Disaster, the Delta subsides 1-2 centimeters each year, and 3 centimeters in some places. The subsidence increases the risk of riverbank and coastal erosion.

A research team from Utrecht University in February 2019 warned that Mekong Delta is facing a crisis because of uncontrolled underground water exploitation, which leads to land subsidence especially in the context of rising sea waters.

The research team predicted that with the current subsidence level, the entire Mekong Delta will be under water by 2100.

According to Chinh, it is necessary to apply technological solutions to mitigate the sediment deposition at reservoirs. Building systems that help discharge sand downstream is important, but the solution hasnt helped much. It is also necessary to draw up a river correction plan, under which narrow river sections would be expanded to ensure large spaces for flood drainage.

Mai Chi

Vietnam's Mekong Delta takes action to prevent drowning incidents The Mekong Delta has the highest rate of drowning in the country, particularly in Dong Thap Province, where the number of deaths due to drowning is 10 times higher compared to that of dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease combined.Students have a long three-month summer holiday, but many parents still dont have a place where they can leave their children while they are at work.

The 2018-2019 academic year finished in late May. Students will return to school on August 20 to prepare for the new academic year opening on September 5.

Thanh Huong, an office worker in district 6, HCMC, said her daughter, a second grader, is staying with her grandmother who came from Tra Vinh province last week. However, the grandmother is leaving because she has fieldwork in the native village. She still has not found any solution for child care.

My colleagues sent their children to the countryside. But my daughter insists on staying in HCMC, she complained. I know there are some training courses on life skills and English organized by international schools. But I cannot afford the expensive courses.

Hoang Thuy Loan, a parent in Cau Giay district in Hanoi, said she promised to bring her son to a swimming class this summer, but she still cannot arrange time to do this.

The 2018-2019 academic year finished in late May. Students will return to school on August 20 to prepare for the new academic year opening on September 5.

I am free in the evening, but there is no evening class, she explained.

As a result, she has to take the boy to the office every day.

I dont want him to play games all the time. But I have no other choice. At least, when he plays games, I can be sure he is safe, she said.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, a colleague of Loan at the same office, also said that he just wants to be sure his children, a fifth and a second grader, stay safe in summer.

I know children want to play during summer break. But I would rather send them to English class than leave them somewhere which is out of my sight, he said.

He complained that in previous years, summer holiday lasted one month only and students would go back to school to attend extra classes from June 15. But the policy has changed.

In fact, even if parents can find classes to send children, they are still busy.

I have to take my kid to a music class in the morning and I have to leave the office to pick her up at 11 am, a parent complained on her Facebook.

The parent works as a freelance translator, so she has more free time than office workers. However, she still complains that she cannot have a reasonable working schedule.

Kim Chi

Children's books released for summer holiday New books for children published by the Kim ong Publishing House, a leading publisher for young readers, are now available in HCM City bookstores.The Eastern North-South expressway project includes 11 sub-projects with total length of 654km running through 13 provinces, of which three will be financed by state budget and eight under the PPP and BOT financing.

The Eastern North-South expressway sub-projects under the public-private partnership (PPP) format are scheduled for construction in April 2020, according to the Ministry of Transport (MoT).

With the current progress, site clearance process would fulfil 70% of its work volume by that time, stated the MoT in a report submitted to the National Assembly.

The Eastern North-South expressway project includes 11 sub-projects with total length of 654 kilometers running through 13 provinces and cities, of which three will be financed by state budget and eight under the PPP and build-operate-transfer (BOT) financing.

As of present, the MoT has approved project investment plans for the whole 11 projects and is working on technical designs and site clearance, all processes are scheduled to be completed in 2019, informed Vice Minister of Transport Nguyen Nhat at the investment promotion conference for the project held on May 17.

The 11 projects are estimated to cost a total of VND118 trillion (US$5.04 billion), of which VND55 trillion (US$2.35 billion) in state capital will be pumped into three public investment projects, and counterpart funds for the other eight projects.

According to the report, the MoT would open international biddings for the project. So far 24 domestic investors, six from China, two Japanese, one French and one South Korean have expressed interestin bidding.

Specifically, financial estimation and technical designs for two public investment projects are scheduled for completion in early June, and set for construction starting July. The MoT expected similar process for the eight PPP projects would be completed by the end of September.

In the preliminary qualification, a maximum of five investors with the highest score would be qualified for the bidding process.

Given Vietnams limited experience in international bidding, Deloitte and Ernst & Young were chosen for reviewing the financial structure of the project, drafting the bidding documents and contract forms.

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van the said Vietnam is on track to complete 1,500 kilometers of expressway. Including the Eastern North  South expressway project, Vietnam would have a total of 2,000 kilometers of expressway by 2020.

The minister said Vietnam would continue to build an additional 2,000  3,000 kilometers of expressway in the 2020  2025 period, while a number of research suggested the country would need at least 8,000 kilometers of expressway to support socio-economic development.

For the 2017  2020 period, the North-South expressway project is divided into 11 sub-projects, including section from Cao Bo (Nam Dinh province) to Bai Vot (Ha Tinh province); Cam Lo (Quang Tri) to La Son (Hue); Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) to Dau Giay (Dong Nai); My Thuan 2 bridge (Tien Giang and Vinh Long).

Three public investment projects are Cao Bo (Nam Dinh)  Mai Son (Ninh Binh), Cam Lo (Quang Tri)  La Son (Thua Thien - Hue), and My Thuan 2 bridge (Tien Giang  Vinh Long). Hanoitimes

Ngoc MaiProvided with beautiful landscapes, long beaches and rich cultural and marine resources, Binh Dinh Province is expected to transform into a key destination for both domestic and foreign visitors.

Provided with beautiful landscapes, long beaches and rich cultural and marine resources, Binh Dinh Province is expected to transform into a key destination for both domestic and foreign visitors. Photo vietnamnet

But like some other areas, the province's biggest hurdle in becoming more attractive to tourists is its lack of developed infrastructure.

Binh Dinhs tourism sector has been developing less than expected because the infrastructure and facilities are still limited and underdeveloped, said Nguyen Tien Dat, deputy director of tourism company Transviet.

The underdevelopment of infrastructure connecting different tourism sites has made it hard for visitors to come to the province, according to Ho Quoc Dung, chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee.

Provincial authorities and businesses had been focusing on building accommodations for tourists but construction had still not been able to keep pace with demand, Huynh Cao Nhat, director of the provincial Department of Tourism, said.

According to the two officials, the accommodation capacity, especially in quality four- and five-star hotels, has not matched the increase of the number of visitors to the province, particularly in the peak season (summer).

The province can only provide accommodation for 70-75 per cent of the total number of people who try to book rooms, so the remainder cannot come.

The lack of unique products and services is also a problem for the province, making tourists unwilling to stay longer and spend more.

The different areas of Binh Dinh Province are not connected by quality infrastructure, and there are not many traditional cultural activities for tourists to experience.

The problems faced by the tourism sector in Binh Dinh are also common in other provinces, holding back national development.

In 2018, Viet Nam received nearly 15.5 million international visitors, a yearly increase of 20 per cent, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). But that figure puts the nation behind Thailand (38 million), Malaysia (26 million), Singapore (18.5 million) and Indonesia (15.8 million).

The average amount spent by international tourists during their stays in Viet Nam was US$912 and the average per-day spending of foreign visitors was $96 with the average stay lasting 9.5 days.

The figures are lower than those recorded in neighbouring countries. Thailand recorded average total spending of $1,500 and $136 daily spending average.

Just 30-33 per cent of foreign visitors come back to Viet Nam, while the figure in Thailand is more than 60 per cent.

Bottlenecks

According to Hoang Nhan Chinh, head of the Tourism Advisory Board secretariat, four main challenges have hindered the development of Viet Nams tourism sector.

They are: complex administrative procedures for visas, low competitiveness and sustainability of tourism sites, underdeveloped infrastructure and facilities and ineffective promotion of the Vietnamese tourism to international markets.

The tourism sector is an inter-regional industry," Chinh told Vietnam News Agency. "But in Viet Nam, the connection between regions is not good enough.

We dont have an appropriate national policy to develop a sustainable tourism sector and we havent lured the attention of private companies to join the overhaul of the industry.

The Government needs to improve its management of the sector because the VNAT is now torn between the role of managing the sector and the role of organising tourism activities, he said.

Of the four challenges, visa-related issues are considered a top priority for Vietnamese Government agencies as specialists say resolving those issues may provide a serious boost to the number of international travellers to Viet Nam.

Nguyen Tien Dat, deputy director of Transviet, said Indonesia saw its free visas as the main driver of its tourism sector. In the last five years, its move to grant free visas to visitors from more than 160 countries and territories had helped the Southeast Asian country reach record growth of the number of foreign travellers.

There must be a more flexible visa management regime, said Nguyen Quoc Ky, chairman cum general director of Vietravel.

Foreign visitors can only stay in Viet Nam for maximum 15 days, then they have to exit the country and can only return 30 days later.

That is the biggest challenge if we want foreign travellers to stay longer in Viet Nam, Ky said.

Chinh said the Tourism Advisory Board conducted a survey that addressed visa issues and other key problems.

Thirty-five per cent of the respondents said the visa regulations limited the time they decided to spend in Viet Nam.

The Government should consider raising the maximum visa expiration to 30 days as done by other regional countries, he said.

We also need to remove the requirement that forces travellers to stay out of Viet Nam for 30 days after their visas expire before coming back.

And we have to make sure all information about visa regulations is posted online and is available to foreign travellers, Chinh said.

Customised and community-based

Beside changing visa regulations, there need to be customised products and services that meet the requirements of each international visitor, said Pham Ha, director of Luxury Travel Vietnam Co Ltd.

Other areas that need improvement are culture, cuisine, content and community benefits, he said, adding that they could help Viet Nam attract visitors willing to spend more for luxury services.

Local authorities must improve their management of local areas and raise awareness of environmental protection among both local people and visitors on environmental protection, said Dat from Transviet.

The Government must find ways to attract private companies to fund tourism development projects, Chinh said.  VNSUnityPoint clinic sets open house

WATERLOO  UnityPoint Clinic Therapy will host an open house at its new location in the North Crossing development from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday.

Physical, occupational, speech and massage therapy services relocated to the new facility at 2160 Logan Ave.

The open house will showcase a therapy gym, treatment rooms and other amenities in a retail location that offers up-front parking.

For more information, go to unitypoint.org/therapy or call 226-8560.

Main Street accredited

WAVERLY  The Waverly Chamber of Commerce/Main Street program has been designated as an accredited Main Street America program set by the National Main Street Center.

Waverlys Main Street programs performance is annually evaluated by Main Street Iowa and the Iowa Economic Development Authority, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization.

Veridian ranks 1st in report

WATERLOO  For the sixth consecutive quarter, Veridian Credit Union ranked first in the quarterly Return of the Member Report by Callahan & Associates, a credit union research and consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.

The report ranks all 5,451 U.S. credit unions according to a comprehensive scoring of value provided in savings, lending and product usage.

For more information, go to veridiancu.org or call (800) 235-3228.

MercyOne study shows impact

WATERLOO  A study by the Iowa Hospital Association reported MercyOne generates nearly 3,000 jobs in the Cedar Valley that add almost a quarter of a billion dollars to the local economy.

MercyOne employees in the Cedar Valley spend more than $87 million on retail sales and contribute more than $5 million in state sales tax revenue, according to the report.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WEST DES MOINES  West Des Moines police Saturday were investigating multiple deaths at an upscale West Des Moines home.

Multiple media reports from the Des Moines area said the bodies were found in a home in the 900 block of 65th Street. The dead included two adults and two minors. Police said they died of gunshot wounds.

Autopsies were to be performed before authorities released more information. Police identified the bodies as 44-year-old Chandrasekhar Sunkara, 41-year-old Lavanya Sunkara, a 15-year-old boy and a 10-year-old boy.

This tragedy will impact family, friends, co-workers, anyone that knew this family, Sgt. Dan Wade said in a news release. We are continuing to work through this investigation. We will follow through until we have answered as many questions as the evidence allows. We are confident, though, that there is no continuing threat to the community.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting in the investigation.

Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 4 Angry 0CEDAR FALLS  Cedar Falls School District residents will have fewer polling locations where they can cast ballots in the June 25 special election, but theyll be able to vote at any one of them.

Five vote centers, one in each Cedar Falls ward, will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and can be used by any eligible voters who reside in the district. They include:

St. John Lutheran Church, 715 College St. (upper level).

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4000 Hudson Road.

Church of Christ, 2727 W. Fourth St.

Cedar Heights Community Presbyterian Church, 2015 Rainbow Drive (lower level).

Trinity Bible Church, 125 Orchard Drive.

On the ballot will be a two-part referendum for a $69.9 million bond issue and the increased tax levy needed to repay the bonds. There will also be an election to fill the seat on the Board of Education left vacant when Eric Giddens stepped down. Alan Heisterkamp is the only person who filed for the position and will be listed on the ballot.

Karen Showalter, manager of the Black Hawk County elections office, said past school elections have included eight Cedar Falls precinct locations designated for voters based on where they live.

So, theres three locations that we are currently not using that were used in the past, she said. But the other five are the same as in the past elections.

We wanted one in each ward for geographical purposes, Showalter explained. In addition, I needed to make sure the indoor space was big enough to accommodate the expected flow of people and provide adequate parking.

Fewer polling places will cost less since there wont be as many election workers to pay or other site-specific expenses. Typically, there are four poll workers staffing each site.

Its a cost savings for the taxpayers since the taxpayers pay for the election, said Showalter, noting Cedar Falls Schools will be billed for all expenses. She estimated thats $3,600 were saving taxpayers by not having three polling locations open.

The trade-off is some people will be further from a polling place. Average drive time from a home to the polling place in each ward is three to four minutes, said Showalter. But if you live on the outskirts of Cedar Falls, its going to naturally be more time.

Voter centers were also used for a countywide election in 2013, but havent been seen in Cedar Falls since then. Showalter would like to make greater use of them in the future.

Ill just be interested in seeing how voters like this, she said. My hope is, as we continue to do this for specials, voters will understand this is how we do it.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly 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.WATERLOO  One Cedar Falls family is upset by Gov. Kim Reynolds recent veto of a bill expanding Iowas medical marijuana law.

Carrie Elsers daughter, Kylie Elser, has a neurological disorder called Rett syndrome and is chronically sick. Elser said expanded access to medical marijuana could help her daughter manage her pain. A recent high school graduate, Kylie Elser has spent 90 days in the hospital so far this year.

Its frustrating that the governor chooses to ignore what the representatives were hearing from their constituents and just decided to do something herself, said Carrie Elser. She said its also frustrating when someone who isnt a doctor and knowledgeable about the subject is limiting health-care options.

She deals with a lot of pain, Elser said of Kylie. Shes 18 and she has arthritis. She also deals with anxiety due to the medical stress she deals with daily.

The bill passed by the Legislature in May would have helped many Cedar Valley residents, said Rep. Bob Kressig, D-Waterloo.

On May 26, Reynolds announced she would veto the bill, which replaced the 3% cap on THC in medical marijuana products and instead limited the amount of cannabis a patient could be prescribed to 25 grams over 90 days.

Several Cedar Valley legislators are calling for a special session to override Reynolds veto. Kressig, Rep. Timi Brown-Powers, Rep. Ras Smith and Rep. Dave Williams have sent letters to push for the Legislature to meet for a vote to override the veto.

Carrie Elser says the law should be based on patient needs, not politics. She doesnt know if medical marijuana would make a difference for her daughter, who wants to avoid opioids because they can be addictive.

We were really hopeful this was going to go and this could be something that could really help us, Elser said. We were hoping that we could try (medical marijuana) and that could help instead of using ibuprofen all the time, she said. Its frustrating because these are conversations I would have with my doctor, and we would work together to make an informed decision. Not having that ability is frustrating.

Elser doesnt take using medical marijuana lightly, she said. Wed be very careful about what were doing.

Kressig has worked to change Iowas medical marijuana laws since 2014.

The people who helped formulate this bill are scientists, Kressig said. Prior to the 1970s almost all of our pharmaceuticals were plant based. Because of the war of drugs they went to these synthetics. What we have seen since is that there are harmful effects to the human body.

Over the last year Kressig worked with bipartisan support to make the bill a reality.

The governors last-minute veto was devastating to Iowans suffering from debilitating conditions like cancer, epilepsy and Parkinsons disease, who worked for years to pass this legislation, said Rep. John Forbes, D-Urbandale, a pharmacist, in a news release. But, because they lived in Iowa, some died without access to effective medicines. Enough is enough. The 96 members of the Iowa House and the 40 members of the Iowa Senate who voted to help these Iowans must stand up and defend their votes.

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, has called meeting to override the veto ill-advised.

The bill passed the House 96-3 and the Senate 40-7, drawing votes from both sides of the aisle.

Elser hopes legislators will come back into session to override the veto, but she understands it might not happen.

I know I have a really good ally in Bob Kressig, Elser said. Hes on top of it. I dont see him just giving up.

She hopes other legislators join Kressig.

This is my daughters life; shes not going to get a redo, Elser said. Every opportunity lost is thats a year of life gone that shes going to have less quality of life. (Legislators) might want to take more time to make the decision, but shes lost her childhood already.

Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 3DES MOINES  The 2020 campaign features an openly gay presidential candidate, but that doesnt mean South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is a lock among gay, lesbian and transgender Iowans who expect to attend the Democratic caucuses.

Troy Price, chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, says Buttigieg has generated a lot of interest. But issues that generate support among Iowas LGBTQ community go beyond equality to include health care, climate change, job creation, education and revitalizing rural Iowa.

No constituency group in this state moves in a monolithic fashion, he said. I think there will be wide support for all the candidates coming out of the LGBTQ community, but I will say that as a gay man I dont think anyone thought that we would, especially now, have a candidate in the top tier who is LGBTQ.

Buttigieg has made inroads with the LGBTQ community by being able to talk personally about his experiences since coming out. But his double-digit position in public opinion polls shows his support is rooted in a broader appeal.

Likewise, other Democrats have embraced diversity, inclusion, opportunity and equality by pledging to secure legal protection for members of the LGBTQ community and to roll back or reverse policies enacted by the Trump administration they see as discriminatory.

Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel, executive director of One Iowa, the states largest LGBTQ organization, said gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Iowans who make up an estimated 3.6 percent of the states population have become an influential group within the Democratic Party and sought-after constituents in the caucus process.

I anticipate a lot of excitement and a lot of engagement, said Hoffman-Zinnel. We are a very engaged group of people because many of us have been directly impacted by certain policies, and so I think that we show up at higher rates compared to the general public when it comes to things like voting and caucuses.

The fact nearly half of the 24-member Democratic Party presidential field  most in Iowa to speak at last Sundays Hall of Fame in Cedar Rapids  made appearances or spoke at the Capital City Pride Fest near the Iowa Capitol indicates the growing influence of the LGBTQ community, he noted.

I think it just goes to show how far weve come where the LGBTQ community is much more mainstream, and I think it also shows the power that our community has within the political party, Hoffman-Zinnel said.

Speaking on Iowa Public Televisions Iowa Press program last week, pollster Ann Selzer said a candidates sexual orientation did not seem to matter among likely caucusgoers.

She helped compile a Des Moines Register/Mediacom/CNN Iowa Poll that showed support divided among Iowa Democratic presidential candidates at 24 percent for Joe Biden, 16 percent for Bernie Sanders, 15 percent for Elizabeth Warren and 14 percent for Buttigieg.

We had a finding that about two in three say its more important to them to have a candidate with a strong chance to defeat Donald Trump more than that they share their stands on particular issues. So that says electability, Selzer said the poll found.

But poll respondents were given a set of seven candidate traits to rank and integrity came in first, followed by intelligence, leadership and electability, she noted.

They want to win, but ... their preferred arsenal is integrity and intelligence, and that may be what Pete Buttigieg sort of is exuding in a way that other candidates could emulate perhaps and in a way that is getting some traction there. Selzer added.

Buttigieg enhanced his Iowa stock with appearances June 7 at a Matthew Shepard Scholarship awards ceremony honoring the Wyoming college student who was beaten to death in 1998 for being gay, as well as giving opening remarks at last weekends Pride Fest in Des Moines.

I think hes definitely generated a lot of interest from the community because we have such a visible and qualified candidate who also happens to be an openly gay individual, so I think that definitely has drawn a lot of people. But I dont think we should assume that he has the entire community, said Hoffman-Zinnel.

I think there are many candidates who have been supportive of the LGBTQ community and I think there are going to be various reasons why people might gravitate toward other candidates, he added.

Other Democrats also generated some LGBTQ buzz, like when New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand served drinks at Des Moines oldest gay bar; won the endorsement of Kyla Paterson, the first transgender chair of the Stonewall Caucus of the Iowa Democratic Party; and announced that Vana Rosenberg, a drag queen she met at the Blazing Saddle bar, planned to caucus for her.

Former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke participated in a morning 5K Pride run and was among the candidates celebrating the 10th anniversary of Iowas landmark same-sex marriage court decision. He also spoke in support of the Equality Act, a bill to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity,

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker mingled with Iowans gathered at the Pride Fest food booths set up on East Village streets, and touted his LGBTQ bona fides by noting he raised a pride flag alongside the American flag at city hall when he was mayor of Newark, and stood up for marriage equality.

I declared that I wasnt going to marry anybody until everybody could get married, Booker told a participant who paused for a selfie with the senator.

Sally Pederson, a former Iowa lieutenant governor and Democratic activist, said there probably are a lot of gay and lesbian activists in Iowa who want to see Buttigieg do well, but do not necessarily believe he should be the nominee to face Trump in 2020.

I think hell be very popular and there will be a lot of excitement among that very activist group, but I dont think that necessarily means all of those people think hes the best candidate to lead the ticket, said Pederson. Hes sort of part of the mix.

Price  who introduced Buttigieg at the Hall of Fame by saying If he does get elected, he will beat me to my childhood dream of being the first openly gay president  said there is a lot of time until the Feb. 3 caucus day.

Candidates are doing what they should do  theyre trying to find ways to reach out to this community just like they would any other community and theyre trying to garner as much support as they can.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0OSAGE  The Osage City Council has approved the first reading of an ordinance that would allow noisy fireworks such as aerial shells be sold in certain areas of town.

However, shooting those fireworks within city limits without a permit, proof of insurance and a competent operator would still be prohibited.

In 2017 the state Legislature passed a bill legalizing the sale and use of consumer fireworks during specified dates and times.

Cities and counties still had the option to ban use of those fireworks.

At that time the Osage City Council chose to keep its current ordinance on fireworks, which prohibited both commercial sales and consumer use without a permit.

The new ordinance, which passed its first reading on June 3 and will have its second reading during the Monday City Council meeting, would allow first-class consumer fireworks to be sold within light industrial zoning areas.

First-class fireworks include aerial shell kits, missile-type rockets, Roman candles and bottle rockets.

City Attorney Brian McPhail said things that go boom are generally classified as first-class fireworks.

Sellers would need to be licensed.

However, in order to shoot these fireworks within the city limits, organizations or groups of individuals sponsoring the display would need to:

Apply for and receive a permit from the city.

Have a competent operator shoot the fireworks.

Provide evidence of insurance in the following amounts: personal injury, $250,000 per person; property damage, $50,000, and total exposure, $1 million.

The proposed ordinance also includes a clearer definition of second-class consumer fireworks  such as sparklers, smoke bombs and ground spinnerswhich can be used without a permit under certain conditions.

This section of the ordinance also states second-class fireworks can only be used June 1-July 8 and Dec. 10-Jan. 3.

Use is restricted to the hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the following exceptions:

July 4 and Saturdays and Sundays immediately preceding and following that date, when second-class fireworks can be used between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m.

On Dec. 31 beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1.

Saturdays and Sundays immediately preceding and following Dec. 31 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Individuals could only use second-class fireworks on property owned or leased by that person, or on the property of a person who has consented to their use.

When asked about enforcement of the ordinance, Police Chief Brian Wright said, It would have to be complaint-driven.

He noted the police department has never had a complaint about sparklers.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WATERLOO  A public hearing is scheduled Monday on the citys plans to buy the former Salvation Army Family Thrift Store.

Waterloo City Council members have been asked to acquire the nearly 12,000-square-foot building at 415 E. Seventh St. from The Salvation Army for $200,000 so it can be used for police vehicle and evidence storage.

The Salvation Army had been attempting to sell the building since closing the store last year and had listed it for $249,500.

The building, which is just a block from the police headquarters and City Hall, was built as an A & P Food Store and served as the Waterloo Senior Center from 1982 to 2006. The Salvation Army owned it since 2008.

Bond funds originally sold to construct a new police storage building near the Hazardous Materials Training Center on Newell Street will be used to buy the thrift store. Bids opened for the new building in 2017 were well over budget.

The deal also includes Waterloo donating three city-owned lots adjacent to The Salvation Armys main campus at 89 Franklin St. Officials with the nonprofit agency had been attempting to acquire those lots after the city demolished two blighted homes on them.

The city will grant title to the land to The Salvation Army and pay the estimated $10,000 in closing costs for the transaction.

Council members will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the council chambers on the second floor of City Hall. Other scheduled business includes:

The final reading of a site plan for Con-Trols planned 204,000-square-foot expansion at the Northeast Industrial Park, with will have access onto Newell Street.

The final reading of a site plan for Dollar Generals new store on the northeast corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Idaho Street.

A 4:35 p.m. work session to discuss current truck routes and embargoed roads in the city.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0CF Public Safety open house set

CEDAR FALLS  In celebration of the new Cedar Falls public safety building at 4600 S. Main St., the department will host an open house for the public from 4 to 7 p.m. June 24.

The event will include a ribbon cutting presented by Grow Cedar Valley at 4:15 p.m.

The new building was funded by a capital improvement savings account and will house both police and fire operations. It will feature improved office space, training room and better equipment access for the public safety team.

The location of the building will also help decrease response times for the department.

Weve got Greenhill Road that will allow us to quickly respond to several parts of the community, and we are also close to Highway 58, said Fire Chief John Bostwick.

The public is invited to tour the facility during the open house and learn more about how it will help improve security in Cedar Falls.

Together, with fire and police under one roof, we can increase the efficiency of the department and safety in our community, said Police Chief Jeff Olson.

Ridgeway-Prospect to close for repairs

WATERLOO  The busy crossing of Ridgeway Avenue and Prospect Boulevard is expected to shut down this week for a sanitary sewer main repair.

Construction contractors are scheduled to close the intersection Tuesday, weather permitting, to begin working on the project, which is expected to take two weeks.

A signed detour will be in place.

Westbound Ridgeway traffic will be directed south on Kimball Avenue, turning west on San Marnan Drive and back north on Ansborough Avenue. The detour is reversed for eastbound Ridgeway traffic.

A sign will be placed at West Fourth Street and Prospect advising the four-way stop intersection at Ridgeway and West Fourth is closed.

Cedar Falls holds picnic for veterans

CEDAR FALLS  A veterans cook-out will be held at Veteran Memorial Park in Cedar Falls starting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The evening picnic, put on by Kevin Dill, is for veterans who work during the day.

This is the first of several picnics held throughout the summer for veterans in Cedar Falls.

The picnic will continue through the summer and into the fall, depending on how man people come out.

All veterans are invited.

CF school bond opponents to meet

CEDAR FALLS  Citizens of Cedar Falls opposed to the upcoming Cedar Falls High School bond vote will hold a campaign meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Cedar Falls AMVETS Post 49.

An organizer, Cathy Pingel, said information about the cost of the bond vote to taxpayers will be present.

The event will be open to those who are intending to vote no at the June 25 vote.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1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.

Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The most important aspect of the University of Northern Iowa culture is our unwavering commitment to fostering student success.

Im proud to say we know our students as individuals and we do everything possible to support their ambitions. When it comes to progressing toward graduation, we work to remove the obstacles that can sometimes stand in their way.

Its what we refer to as making UNI accessible, and for us that means several things.

Making tuition and fees more affordable and reducing student debt. Earlier this year, the UNI administration  and a contingent of dedicated students  partnered to do something very few universities attempt: We wanted to become more affordable for our in-state students.

With this goal in mind, we worked with the Iowa Board of Regents to place a freeze on tuition and fees for the 2019-2020 academic year. This was made possible due to additional funding secured by our legislative partners, who listened to the compelling stories of our incredible students, students like Matt Johnson.

Johnson recently graduated with degrees in public administration and political science and was the director of Government Relations for the Northern Iowa Student Government. Having an accessible education for all UNI students is something he advocated for this legislative session, even though there would be no benefit to him, because he saw how important it is for students to have access to a high-quality education.

While the freeze on tuition and fees is a huge success for our students and families, knowing how to plan financially during college prepares them for even more success after graduation. UNIs financial literacy course Live Like a Student ensures our students will have the tools to set financial goals, create a budget, live within their means and plan for their future  all steps that help reduce debt and secure their financial future.

UNI is already a recognized national leader in reducing debt, and the lack of a tuition increase only enhances our states reputation for educational value.

Continuing our focus on a high-quality, accessible education. We are consistently recognized nationally for the high-quality education we provide our students and the incredible impact we make on the individuals, communities and businesses we serve.

Take, for instance, UNIs impact on advancing the states manufacturing sector. Were providing skilled graduates the training they need in cutting-edge technologies through our Additive Manufacturing Center and Metal Casting Center. These programs help meet the needs of the high-demand fields our growing state requires.

Another recent success story centers on our student entrepreneurs in the College of Business Administration, who are starting their own businesses with the help of the R.J. McElroy Student Business Incubator. This program is impacting not only the state of Iowa, but also how our students learn and grow as individuals and professionals.

Helping students graduate in four years or less. When students move through their degree programs at a consistent, full-time rate, they graduate in fewer semesters and, typically, spend less on their education and accrue less student debt.

Were having strong success. In fact, our four-year graduation rate is nearly 40% greater than the average of similar institutions. Its a point of pride for our institution  and for these graduates, who will move into the Iowa workforce and contribute to our economy at a faster rate.

A focus on high-quality education that is accessible and affordable only helps UNI build on our legacy as one of Iowas higher-education pillars. Were focused on the success of our students, and were proud to help them discover how theyll make a positive impact throughout their lives.

Mark A. Nook is the president of the University of Northern Iowa.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0On June 25, Cedar Falls voters will go to the polls to endorse or defeat a two-part referendum on a proposed $69.9 million bond issue for a new high school. Proposition A is a vote on the bond issue itself; Proposition B is a vote on the annual property tax levy. The referendum requires a supermajority to pass  60% approval.

This is the second time voters have voted on building the new high school. Let us hope its the final one.

There are many compelling reasons to vote yes now. Some of the most pressing:

A. The current building is falling down. Literally.

B. The current building cannot be secured. After renovations are completed on other Cedar Falls schools, the high school will be the only one in town that does not have a single secured access point. There is no way to keep our children safe there. Certainly, we can all agree this is not acceptable.

C. The existing high school will be over capacity this coming school year, in 2019-2020. Projected growth is more than 1,000 additional students in the community in the next 10 years. We would not run a business this way, nor our households. Imagine bringing home your new baby and sticking him in the broom closet because you hadnt bothered to prepare. We need to instigate our plan for the future now. It is already here.

D. There are severe limitations in accessibility for special needs students, those with disabilities and senior citizens attending events at the high school. This is not OK. Its not only not OK, it is in violation of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act passed in 1975, and the Americans with Disabilities Act approved in 1990.

E. There is no air conditioning in two-thirds of the building, and what is in place is slapdash. Remember, school starts in August and often ends in June. True, the alums had no air conditioning, and they survived. But if were running on that premise, lets toss our cellphones and go back to rotary dial landlines. Or, we could see how many students we can cram in the Little Red Schoolhouse and call it good.

Look at the coming bond vote as an investment. Because it is. A very real one. Home values appreciate when a community is progressive. Businesses want to locate in a vicinity that values education and supports it with municipal resources. Do not let this opportunity pass.

The time is now. Whether advocates of the new high school can weather yet another run trying to convince voters is doubtful. If we dont act, the problem might very well take care of itself. Those in the know will leave the area to find communities supportive of the educational facilities of their children. Do we want our community left behind?

Tours of the current high school have been taking place for months, and meetings addressing its various issues have been going on for years. Every citizen in Cedar Falls has had the chance to give feedback and to become involved.

If you have not attended any of these meetings or tours and you plan to vote no, instead schedule a day trip June 25 and check out progressive communities that have recently passed bond issues and invested in their schools. Hit Council Bluffs ($37 million, 2018), or Sioux Center ($24.9 million, 2019). And be sure to visit Iowa City, where they passed a $191.5-million bond issue in 2017.

Our Board of Education and proponents of the new high school have done their homework, plus every possible bit of extra credit work. They have addressed the concerns of the citizens and have found solutions. They have presented a thoughtful, measured and comprehensive plan. (Including the future planned uses for the Division Street high school.) Granted, a new high school doesnt solve every problem in education. But it does solve every problem with the old high school. And thats what were voting on.

Cedar Falls High School opened in 1954, 65 years old this year. Its been a long and glorious run. Time now to throw a grand retirement party.

And time, as well, to show our commitment to education and to the future of our children and of Cedar Falls by voting yes on June 25.

Amy Lockard is a parent in Cedar Falls.

Love 14 Funny 1 Wow 4 Sad 0 Angry 5Around Midland and around the world, loving and leading all people to deeper life in Jesus Christ.(TWH)  David Brooks, in his New York Times Op Ed, June 10,2019 The Age of Aquarius, All Over Again! was lazily inspired by a lengthy article by Tara Isabella Burton in The American Interest regarding The Rise of Progressive Occultism, adding his own rambling speculations to hers about the increasingly visible intersection and impact of resistance (left-wing) politics, astrology, mindfulness, wokeness and Witchcraft. Brooks acknowledges them as a responses to the major needs of the moment but fails to understand what those real needs are and how Witchcraft, in particular, has provided meaningful answers for much longer than a moment. Hes all over the map, dismissing it all as occultism in response to troubled times, which is why hes confused by the surprisingly normal political activism of Witches. Brooks doubts its possible to have tight community and also total autonomy, doubts that we can have something life-shaping because we have detached [our] spiritual practices from the larger narratives and cultures, doubts it is sustainable.

Its precisely the kind of privileged, patriarchal pontificating that makes women (and others) run naked and laughing into the woods when the moon if full.

Brooks, however, is right when he quotes Burton that: Wicca  is technically the fastest-growing religion in America. We public Witches, a brave few for many years, have known and asserted this growth rate since the early 90s (and the NY Times stated it in an article years back). The rapid and sustained growth reflects not just our rebellion against patriarchal institutions, the primary cause enumerated in these two attentiongrabbing pieces, but our advocacy for the positive, empowering and enlightening gifts of this rediscovered and recreated spirituality.

Witchcraft is not a dogmatic belief system. It is a spiritual practice, both personal and collective. No one is asked to believe in someone elses interpretation of the Divine because everyone can experience the Divine themselves  and not just in realms of spirit, but embodied by the natural world and by each of us. And that means by women, and those whose gender identification is non-binary, who have been excluded from sacred pursuits for millennia. A Witch means a wise one, someone who sees the Sacred and theres a Witch in all of us. There may even be one in David Brooks if we could get him out of his head and into the woods.

Contrary to Brooks assertion that the individualism of our spirituality negates a worldview or ethos, Witches know that while our paths are unique, we are all traveling in the same sacred landscape. It is our experience of an embodied divinity, of living in a sacred world, that calls us to activism, that inspires us to embody, protect and revere the innate divinity of Creation, to act in sacred ways because we live in and are part of a sacred world.

It is a profound ethos motivated not by rules and fear of punishment by a distant male God, but by the love and gratitude we feel with each breath we take, each sip of water we swallow, each bite of food that sustains our lives, all gifts of life from Mother Earth. We want to give back for all that we have been given.

That we are a spirituality of rebels is no surprise. Witchcraft was forced into near extinction  what we did to the Indigenous peoples of the world we did first to ourselves. And about this there is far more to say than Brooks or Burton begin to fathom. But the wisdom of our ancestors  and it was the wisdom of our ancestors as the linguistic roots of witch go back more than 5000 years to the Proto-Indo-European language  was the wisdom and practice of shamanism, a way to see the Sacred.

Shamanic practices are universal, healing the blindness that has led us to the brink of extinction and the destruction of the planet. But you dont have to be a Witch to rediscover the secret magic of Nature, revealed and so named most recently by biologists: All living things, when they are taking care of themselves  eating, procreating, recreating, even evacuating  simultaneously make the world in which they reside better for all LIFE.

It is a creed so divinely perfect that you dont have to believe in God, or Goddess, or practice Witchcraft to know that our old models of domination and exploitation are wrong. Regardless of tradition or religion, we are all children of Mother Earth and there is an embodied and universal wisdom waiting to be rediscovered. We have little time left to do so.

Witchcraft is the fastest growing spirituality in America. Pew Internet Research has finally confirmed it and it is making news. The movement nurtured with so much love for so long by so few has exploded into mainstream visibility and influence. Which requires those of us who have called ourselves Witches for many years and those who are just coming to it, to see, think and speak clearly about the true wisdom and ethos of Witches and Witchcraft and Mother Earth: We are part of a sacred world and so we are all called to live in a sacred way.

There is a reason we are here now. The world needs her Witches.

Phyllis Curott is a pioneering spiritual teacher and one of Americas first out Wiccan priestesses/Witches. As an attorney, she was engaged in groundbreaking cases establishing the legal rights of Witches, Wiccans and Pagans. Her four internationally best-selling books including Book of Shadows: A Modern Womans Journey into the Wisdom of Witchcraft have made Witchcraft accessible to the world and awakened an entire generation to this powerful practice. Phyllis has been widely profiled in the media, honored by Jane Magazine as One of the Ten Gutsiest Women of the Year, inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Collegium of Clergy and Scholars, and elected Vice Chair of the 2015 Parliament of the Worlds Religions. Phyllis was the first to integrate core shamanism into Witchcraft and founded of the Temple of Ara, one of the oldest Wiccan congregations in America.

The views and opinions expressed by our diverse panel of columnists and guest writers represent the many diverging perspectives held within the global Pagan, Heathen and polytheist communities, but do not necessarily reflect the views of The Wild Hunt Inc. or its management.Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times:

President Trump is now calling for expanding the death penalty so it would apply to drug dealers and those who kill police officers, with an expedited trial and quick execution. A majority of Americans (56 percent, according to Gallup) favor capital punishment, believing that it will deter offenders or save money and presuming that it will apply only to the vilest criminals and that mistakes are not a serious risk.

All these assumptions are wrong.

My interest in the death penalty arises partly from a mistake of my own. At the beginning of 2000, I spoke to Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project, who told me about a white man on death row in Texas, Cameron Todd Willingham, whom he believed to be innocent. I discussed with editors the possibility of doing a deep dive into the case but let myself be lured away by the sirens of that years Iowa caucuses instead. I never wrote about Willingham, and he was executed in 2004.

Subsequent evidence strongly suggests that not only was Willingham innocent but that no crime was even committed.

More here.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.Sandoval County Sheriffs Offices new recruit can search a vehicle faster than anyone else in the office, knows two languages and has a nose for evidence. He also loves to play fetch.

Belgian malinois K9 Hondo is the first working dog in the history of the sheriffs office. He has been acclimating to his new environment and getting to know his handler, Deputy Luke Osborn, since arriving in May.

Theres a need for him and hes an invaluable asset, Osborn said.

He expects Hondo to make a far-reaching difference for the community.

Sheriff (Jesse James) Casaus is really trying to lead our department into the 21st century, Osborn said.

Once certified to patrol, 2-year-old Hondo will find evidence, check for drugs in the field and at Sandoval County Detention Center, track and apprehend people and perform building searches.

Osborn said its safer to have a dog search a building than to put in a team of deputies, and people often comply with officers more readily with a working dog there, bringing about a peaceful resolution.

County spokeswoman Melissa Perez said Hondo creates efficiencies with his keen sense of smell.

It takes a whole lot longer for a human to search that vehicle than (it does) that nose, she said.

Faster searches mean more searches and more safety, Perez continued.

Because Hondo is trained to be protective, Osborn keeps his distance from people when hes handling the dog.

Osborn said wherever he sends Hondo, hell go, too.

I protect him as much as he protects me, Osborn said.

Another safety measure is technology in Osborns patrol truck that will alert him and open a window if the vehicle becomes too hot while Hondo is waiting in it.

Not only is he important to the department, hes important to me, Osborn said.  Hes my partner.

A native New Mexican, Osborn fulfilled his lifelong desire to become a law enforcement officer a year ago. He said he chose Sandoval County Sheriffs Office for its family atmosphere and rural surroundings.

Im an animal lover, definitely a dog person, he said.

The Connecticut-based nonprofit Hometown Foundation  wonderful people, Osborn said  donated Hondo. The county pays for his ongoing needs.

Osborn and Hondo are scheduled to start their six-week certification class with K9 Services of Edgewood in September and receive their certifications in early November. Then, they start patrol as a working team.

Now, when possible, Hondo rides along with Osborn, just getting used to the environment and spending time together.

Were still bonding; were still gaining respect for each other, Osborn said.

Hondo has shown the intelligence, energy and drive typical to his breed.

He lives to work, Osborn said.

They exercise and practice obedience daily. Hondo understands commands in English and Slovak, but Osborn prefers Slovak.

Its just easier to give him commands in a language only he and I would understand, Osborn said.

Osborn has appreciated advice and chances to observe canine teams from Rio Rancho Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office and Kevin Sheldahl of K9 Services. RRPD also provided an in-vehicle kennel it wasnt using.

Hondo lives at Osborns house. He eats eight cups of food every day to sustain his 95-pound body, 20-30 pounds bigger than the average malinois but still lean.

Im 6-2, so when he stands up and puts his paws on my shoulders, he looks me in the face, Osborn said.

He estimated that Hondo drinks about a gallon and a half of water a day.

Before drinking, he touches his toes to the top of the water. If its too low for his liking, Hondo looks at Osborn and waits for a refill.

Hondo will probably retire when hes 8 or 10 years old and become Osborns pet.

Were kind of bonded for his life, Osborn said.

To follow Hondo and Osborn through the certification process, visit the sheriffs office Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SCSheriffsOffice/. Perez said shed provide an update every other week.Need help deciding what books you want to read this summer? Heres a handful that might pique your interest.

 I Miss You When I Blink  Essays by Mary Laura Philpott. Taken together, these essays are more like a string of wickedly insightful, engaging remembrances that will make the reader think and at times smile. Philpott offers food for thought on growing up, work, identity, family relations and much more. Heres one snippet: I worry that my kids will inherit my worst traits, that theyll turn out too much like me, fixated on racing to the finish line with a perfect score. Youll want to read on. And on.

 City of Omens, A Search for the Missing Women of the Borderlands by Dan Werb. Juarez is apparently not the only northern Mexican border city suffering from the death of its female residents. Tijuana, Mexicos third-largest city, has its own social troubles. The author finds that over the past decade, Tijuanas murder rate has skyrocketed, with many of its victims women. He concludes that the murders are related to environmental poisons, drug overdoses and HIV transmissions, issues that have him searching for answers on the U.S. side of the border, just over the border wall in San Diego. Werb is an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of California-San Diego.

 Badge of Honor by Karen Glinski. Emerson is 11 years old, but hes growing up in a hurry in this novel for young readers. Hes helping his grandpa, Charlie Nakai, herd sheep on the Navajo reservation. Grandpa is bitten by a rattlesnake, and Emerson must drive him to the nearest hospital, in Shiprock. Emerson has other adventures. He encounters thieves who have stolen valuable Navajo jewelry and military medals. Emerson must stay safe but also help the police. This is the latest in Glinskis Emerson and Lucky series. Lucky is Emersons dachshund buddy. (Glinski, an Albuquerque resident, signs copies of Badge of Honor from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, June 23, at Treasure House Books & Gifts, 2012 S. Plaza NW, Old Town, and at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at Organic Books, 111 Carlisle SE.)

 Put on Your Owl Eyes  Open Your Senses & Discover Natures Secrets by Devin Franklin. The book encourages kids to learn about nature, whether theyre in the woods, a city park, a home backyard or an empty lot. Learning, the author suggests, comes by sitting quietly, watching and listening to the sounds of nature. Franklin is an official at Flying Deer Nature Center, a wilderness school and community.

 Nature, Culture & The Sacred  A Woman Listens for Leadership by Nina Simons. Enough of the old patriarchal system dividing people by gender. The book has won two Nautilus Book Awards. Simons, of Santa Fe, is co-founder of Bioneers.

 Buffalo Cactus and Other New Stories from the Southwest edited by D. Seth Norton and Brett Garcia Myhren. If the summer heat is making you drowsy and shortening your attention span, you may want to read short stories rather than full-length novels. In this collection are stories about the American Southwest by 20 authors, three of whose writings I had previously read and enjoyed; those three are Kirstin Valdez Quade, Jose Skinner and Alberto Alvaro Rios.

 Fixed and Free  Poetry Anthology 2018 edited by Billy Brown of Albuquerque. Like short stories, poems can be an accessible short form. This anthology is packed with verse  314 poems by 113 poets, all of whom have read their work at Fixed and Free-sponsored readings. This is the third Fixed and Free published anthology.Prev 1 of 6 Next

Poor New Mexico! So far from heaven, so close to Texas! attributed to Manuel Armijo, the last Mexican governor of the Mexican territory of Nuevo Mexico, ca 1841.

The photographs gleam with the rugged mystery of New Mexicos shadows and light in defiance of Manuel Armijo.

So Far From Heaven: Six New Mexican Photographers celebrates that beauty at Los Alamos Mesa Public Library with works by Kirk Gittings, David Halpern, Jan Paul Pietrzak, Don J. Usner, Wendy Young and Tony OBrien. All of them share teaching history with the late Santa Fe School of Art and Design.

Gov. Armijos poetic and prophetic words have echoed down the centuries. Given statistics placing New Mexico at or near the bottom of so many quality of life categories, it is not such a foreign idea that it exists in a valley from paradise.

But the state has served as a creative incubator for the arts from the time of the ancient petroglyphs.

The theme originated with Gittings mother, who grew up on a Texas farm.

She hated Texas, he said. She was a very progressive person and she hated all the racism and the narrow-mindedness.

Gittings grew up here and taught at the University of New Mexico. He also teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I had many opportunities to leave, but I chose to stay here, the Albuquerque photographer said.

His 2000 black and white print Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas captures the quirky monument to car culture.

Gittings summer job in Chicago sits at the genesis of Route 66. He always drives there.

Cadillac Ranch was one of those places Ive passed by many times, Gittings said. Its a wonderful oddity along Route 66.

To me, black and white is more essential than color, he added. It narrows down the tonalities to a much simpler, pared version of what we see.

Santa Fes Jan Paul Pietrzak creates prints of New Mexicos shrine-like buildings and ruins. They often fit within the palm of his hand.

Canoncito church, cross and door is a platinum print measuring just 2 inches by 7 inches.

To me, its a fascinating building, Pietrzak said. Ive been photographing it for 10 years.

Nuestra Senora de Luz Church was built in 1880 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

If you look at the gravestones, it was actually a cemetery for the Civil War, Pietrzak said. Some of the markers go back to 1863 and the Battle of Glorieta.

Pietrak moved to New Mexico after spending years teaching photography across southern Californias junior colleges. To see a print emerge from a shadowy negative still thrills him.

To me, its magic, he said. And the look on students faces when you take a piece of paper and expose it in chemistry  the look is like Wow! They would just be so amazed.

Tony OBrien turned his lens to Christ in the Desert Monastery after shooting the carnage of the war in Afghanistan for LIFE magazine.

I wanted a project on the contemplative life, the Santa Fe resident said. It was a time when I had been thrown in prison in Kabul. I was traveling with a rebel group and they sold me out.

At first, he paid multiple visits to the monastery for a few days or a week. Then he asked the abbott if he could stay.

I had my own cell, OBrien said. I was privy to everything. I wanted to get a sense of the life and I wanted the monks to get a sense of me. After six or seven months I wasnt a photographer anymore. I was just Tony.

The Long Walk shows a man trudging up a snow-swept slope toward the monastery.

Every day the monks come together seven times a day so they always remember they are part of a community, OBrien said. I believe this was for one of the psalms; they come together and sing the psalms back and forth.

A Quiet Moment captures a monk in contemplation against an adobe wall.

That was one of those moments before Mass, OBrien said. He was waiting to go inside.

The project changed OBriens photography as well as his life.

As a photojournalist, youre always chasing, he said. It was learning to keep it simple. And its OK to miss something, because something else will come along. It was one of the greatest gifts Ive been given.The approach of summer is accompanied, at least for me, with anticipation of Shakespeare on the Plaza, the festival of Shakespeare plays that the Vortex Theatre and the city of Albuquerque have been bringing to the public for the last several years at absolutely no cost. This summer is no exception, but it has moved from Civic Plaza to the New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park and is now called the New Mexico Shakespeare Festival, one of only a handful of totally free Shakespeare festivals in the country.

This year the festival is presenting the most famous love story of all time, Romeo and Juliet, as well as the sophisticated comedy, Loves Labours Lost. Everyone knows the story of Romeo and Juliet, but very few know Loves Labours Lost, which tells the story of the King of Navarre and his three friends, who renounce love and the company of women in order to devote themselves to an austere life of study and fasting. It takes little imagination to guess what happens. The Princess of France arrives with her three Ladies-in-Waiting and, of course, the men all fall madly in love, at first attempting to conceal their infatuation while hypocritically berating the others for breaking the oath that each of them has broken as well.

Director Shephard Sobel has done an especially nice job getting his actors to articulate both the sense and the musicality of the language, something you dont always get with so many young actors. He also uses the space well. The New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park has a raised stage, and we lose some of the intimacy of Civic Plaza, where actors and audience were on the same level. Occasionally Sobels actors descend the stage and communicate directly with the audience on the same plane, and this works very well. The movement is mostly fluid and open, although some of Berownes speeches are directed upstage to the character he is talking to for far too long. It is perfectly reasonable and dramatically preferable to speak to an upstage character while looking out toward the audience, only occasionally glancing back at the person you are talking to, so we can see the actors face and not his back.

I must confess that I loved Civic Plaza as the location for a festival of this sort, so centrally located and so brimming with life. But New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park compensates with other virtues (including much better parking), and the beautiful natural surroundings and Sandia Mountains landscape directly behind the stage is truly breathtaking. As I said, we lose some of the intimacy of the spatial arrangement of Civic Plaza, but the theater and auditorium are well-suited to a theater festival, and set designer Mary Rossman has beautifully adapted her stage design to the monuments of the Memorial itself. Shannon Schefflers costumes are light, nicely contemporary, and attractive.

The stone benches are not very comfortable, so bring a cushion. Alternatively, there is plenty of seating on the grass, so blankets or lawn chairs are a good idea.

The New Mexico Shakespeare Festival closes June 30. Performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. For schedule go to newmexicoshakespearefest.org. All shows are at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park in Albuquerque and are free.BOGOTA, Colombia  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 Defense 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 traveling 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.Prev 1 of 4 Next

Copyright  2019 Albuquerque Journal

Sticky, snacking fingers and big-dimpled cheeks circled around two chairs piled with childrens books at the Main Library in Albuquerque on Saturday morning. As the names of the two readers were announced, the crowd roared in support.

Bunnie Wells Cruse and Vanessa Patricks walked out from behind a curtain and sat in front of the crowd. Their hair was big, their costumes flashy, but their presence was even larger. Cruse and Patricks were dressed in drag.

The hourlong event was a spin on the librarys weekly summer story time program. The event listing on the librarys website said it would celebrate acceptance. Kids and families of all ages packed into the downstairs room wearing rainbow clothes and colorful flower leis to listen to Cruse and Patricks read aloud.

It is important for kids, at a young age, to know that it is OK for them to be who they are, Patricks said. Before going out and spreading negativity, go out and meet people and learn who they are. Were all human.

Dean Smith, the director of the public library system in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County, said the event was a response to requests from the community.

One of the goals of Drag Queen Storytime is to teach empathy, and with that hopefully help kids who are perceived differently  who feel excluded  and maybe other kids will not feel the need to bully kids who are perceived as different, Smith said.

He said the library is responsible for reflecting the community and its diversity.

About five minutes into the first story, a woman in the back of the room shouted at the drag queens to stop hurting our children. She was booed by the audience and escorted out of the building by security, walking past a small group of protesters gathered outside the library holding signs with such message as Leave kids alone! Drag queens go home.

We figured that because there would be drag queens, there would probably be protesters, said Dagney Hales, 23. She was standing with two other women outside the library, all dressed in bright and colorful costumes.

Hales said they just wanted to make kids feel welcome at the library and to support literacy, and support education about all kinds of people.

We want to help bring this out into the open to show people that drag queens arent going to eat your kids, theyre gonna help teach them to read and sing, and to dress how they feel comfortable, she said.

In between readings, Wells Cruse and Patricks brought kids to the front of the room to sing and dance to songs like If Youre Happy And You Know It and The Wheels on the Bus.

The singing was 3-year-old Becker Mitchells favorite part of the experience. He came to story time with his mom, Katrina Mitchell, who said she wanted to support tolerance and safety.

(They are) just like everyone else and this is nothing different, Mitchell said. Kids should know that this is how their friends are and that its just a variation of how people live their lives.

Because of the positive reaction, library staff said they will probably make Drag Queen Storytime a regular event.MINNEAPOLIS  Target stores in Minnesota and across the nation were effectively paralyzed for several hours Saturday when a system malfunction left frustrated customers unable to make purchases.

Displaying varying degrees of patience, Minnesotans making their weekend Target runs waited in long lines through the afternoon, many of them toting Fathers Day cards and gifts for Sunday celebrations, as cashiers painstakingly typed in bar code numbers because price scanners werent working. At many stores, abandoned carts full of merchandise jammed areas near the exits, left by customers whose time or tempers ran short.

A flood of complaints began flowing on social media platforms just before 1 p.m., with the Minneapolis-based retailer issuing no immediate explanation and later responding only that it was aware of the situation. A little more than three hours later, the company announced that the registers were back online and that checkout lines were moving again.

The temporary outage earlier today was the result of an internal technology issue that lasted for approximately two hours, said Target spokeswoman Katie Boylan. Our technology team worked quickly to identify and fix the issue, and we apologize for the inconvenience and frustration this caused for our guests.

The company emphasized that it wasnt hacked and said the problems affected only its stores, not target.com.

But even after Boylan issued her statement, customers at some stores, including the Edina Target, said they were still seeing problems. At 4:30 p.m., Kelley Clawson of Minneapolis was stuck in a self-checkout line at the Edina store with about a dozen other people.

These are crazy long lines, said Clawson, who was on what she thought would be a quick break from her nearby job. I didnt expect to take a half-hour in line.

The Edina store finally got back up to speed just before 5 p.m., customers said.

Boylan said later that the pace of problems and fixes varied across stores.

Technology fixes of this nature tend to roll out over nearly 1,900 stores at a gradual pace, she said. We saw different things across the country, different reports, different fixes  over time. Its hard to have specific sweeping answers about what exactly this looks like.

Boylan said the company has made an initial, but thorough review (and) can confirm that this was not a data breach or a security-related issue, and no guest information was compromised at any time.

The system failure during peak hours on Fathers Day weekend meant not only lost sales but a new blemish for a company that has tried customers understanding on other occasions in recent years.

In June 2014, Target blamed a defect with a network device for a problem with its point-of-sale systems. In that case, the problem happened on a Sunday evening and was resolved within hours.

In 2017, it agreed to pay $18.5 million to settle claims by 47 states and Washington, D.C., and end an investigation into a major data breach that happened in 2013. In that case, hackers accessed Targets gateway server through credentials stolen from a third-party vendor.

The website downdetector.com showed reports of Saturdays outage in major cities, including the Twin Cities, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, New York City and Baltimore. The reports began spiking around midday.

(EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM)

Danielle Wilsons Twitter post summed up the thoughts of many frustrated shoppers: Nothing like loading up your @Target cart on a SATURDAY for them to announce that ALL registers are down (an hour now) My veggies are melting apparently its a global issue. Is it the Apocalypse?!?!

At the downtown Minneapolis store, employees at the door told customers they were welcome to shop but warned them of long lines because of the checkout delays. Most shoppers looked patiently resigned as they waited to buy cards, pop, toothpaste and other items as the line of about 50 people inched forward.

I thought the self-checkout would be quick, but it doesnt look like it, said Margaret Wainwright of Minneapolis.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM)

Some stores, including Minneapolis and Richfields, were able to complete sales as employees manually worked through issues at the registers. Employees at the stores tried to placate shoppers with free Starbucks and popcorn.

At the downtown store, cashier Jodi Chu of Minneapolis was smiling, even though it was only her second day at Target and her first time working a cash register. Occasionally a product could be scanned successfully, but most attempts brought up error messages. For those, she had to enter prices, tax and other information manually.

I got really good training, Chu said.

Trevor Nelson of Lake Elmo, who works for a concert promoter that was presenting a show at the Armory on Saturday night, had been dispatched to buy bottles of juice and other refreshments requested by the band. Target, with its parking ramp and adjacent liquor store, had seemed a convenient place to get everything.

This is  this was  going to be the perfect stop, Nelson said, wondering if hed still get free parking in the ramp if he wasnt able to make the $20 minimum purchase.

About half an hour later, having inched his way 20 feet closer in line, Nelson heard that customers whod made it to the registers were getting parking passes as well as $5 gift cards.

Woo-hoo, he said with a touch of sarcasm. This is my lucky day.



(Staff writer Suzanne Ziegler contributed to this report.)



2019 Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

Visit the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) at www.startribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

-

PHOTO (for help with images, contact 312-222-4194):TARGET-REGISTERSBIRMINGHAM, Ala.  Planned Parenthood is building the stage for another possible fight over abortion in Alabama: a large womens clinic thats under construction despite the states passage of a near-total ban on abortions.

Located beside an interstate highway in downtown Birmingham, the 10,000-square-foot structure is now nothing but a steel frame and roof. Workers under the constant watch of security guards appear to be installing electrical wiring, plus heating and cooling units.

The new facility could be complete around November, which is the same time the new state law will take effect unless blocked by courts. Abortion critics vow to oppose the opening, but a spokeswoman for the womens health organization said neither the new law nor opponents were a factor in the project.

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 began in January and is continuing despite the Republican-controlled Legislatures passage of a law that would outlaw abortion in the state unless the mothers life is in peril. Lawmakers rejected exemptions for cases of rape and incest.

Groups including Planned Parenthood have sued to block the law, which supporters hope will become the vehicle that a conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court uses to gut the 1972 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

But no court hearing is set, so abortion opponents say they hope the opening will be blocked by some combination of the new law, public pressure, and a state agency.

Regardless of the law, abortion opponents aim to convince the Alabama Department of Public Health to deny a license for the facility, and theyve tried to convince construction contractors to refuse work on the building through phone calls and emails, said Rev. Terry Gensemer of Metro Birmingham Life Forum.

It was surprising when we found out that they were going to build this, said Gensemer. My question is after the bill passage, why are they continuing to be so aggressive when the possibility exists that they wont be able to be in business?

Alabama has a long history of passing laws to restrict abortion, and Luttrell said there was absolutely no slowdown due to the legislative session or the new law.

The only work delays so far may be linked to a rainy spring, she said, and Planned Parenthood is complying with all laws so there should be no reason we would not be granted a license.

The new clinic, which encompasses several thousand square feet, will be located on a lot that records show the organization purchased last year for $430,600. It would replace the current Planned Parenthood clinic in Birmingham, where opponents say abortions havent been performed regularly since 2017. Luttrell says the current clinic takes appointments for the procedure when it can find a doctor to perform abortions.

The nonprofit organizations clinic in Mobile is closed for renovations, Luttrell said. That leaves only three abortion clinics operating in the state in Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and Huntsville. None of those are operated by Planned Parenthood.

Luttrell said Planned Parenthood hopes courts block the new law by the time the new clinic is ready to open. Aside from abortion, it will offer birth control, cancer testing, and screening for sexually transmitted diseases, she said.

Its going to be a big, state-of-the-art facility with several exam rooms, offices. It will just be a new, beautiful building, said Luttrell.

But an opponent of the project, the Rev. Harry Reeder of the influential Briarwood Presbyterian Church in suburban Birmingham, said the clinic is designed to give false counsel to women that abortion is the best way to handle an unwanted pregnancy.

We still stand and we will kneel in prayer that this facility will not be built, Reeder during a news conference across the street from the construction site Thursday.At a rehearsal earlier this week, an ensemble of Santa Fe musicians started working on an orchestral arrangement for a huapango, traditional Mexican folk music and dance.

Later this summer, the small group of middle- and high-school students will travel to Icheon, South Korea, and perform the same tune with kids from around the world as part of the citys Global Sister Cities Youth Orchestra Festival.

The huapango is Santa Fes contribution to the event. Each of the participating cities is asked to supply a song that represents part of its local culture.

When the festival gets underway Aug. 2, all of the young musicians  having had time to practice the various selections in their home countries before they come to Korea  will play everything together as one large orchestra.

Icheon, in South Koreas Gyeonggi province, is one of Santa Fes international sister cities. For this first youth music festival, delegations from 10 of Icheons sister cities in China, Japan, France, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. were invited. In addition to Santa Fe, orchestras from other U.S. cities invited to the event include those from Paducah, Kentucky, and Fairfax County, Virginia.

It is not yet known how many of the other invited cities will participate, said Jeff Case, a member of the Santa Fe Sister Cities Committee.

Parts of the Santa Fe students upbeat song were starting to come together by the end of their run-through on Monday. But mastering it will take much more practice, said Lee Harvey, one of the students instructors and a strings orchestra teacher at the Santa Fe Waldorf School. She is co-instructing the orchestra with Carla Kountopes, a professional violinist and teacher with the Mandela International Magnet School, the New Mexico School for the Arts and Santa Fe Public Schools.

Harvey emphasized that while the Santa Fe players are putting in effort, they know that the other students across the globe are doing the same.

We  have been working and rehearsing to come together to create beautiful sounds with everybody else, she said. You can see this is the beginning of that journey. And thats what, I think, is the most important thing.

In all, 10 students from Mandela, NMSA and the Santa Fe Waldorf School will perform in the festival. Nine of the orchestra members will rehearse here throughout the summer and make the 16-hour trip from New Mexico. The tenth student, already in Asia with her mother for the summer, will join the group in Icheon. Harvey and a parent chaperone will accompany the kids.

Harvey likened the experience to an international music camp. Aside from the four days of joint rehearsal and the final performance, all the youth musicians will also stay in the same hotel.

Im looking forward to  playing with different people from around the world, because I think a big part of playing in an orchestra is learning how to get along and playing with your peers, Jacqueline Buenviaje, a 13-year-old violinist from the Mandela school, said of the trip.

Nathan Christensen, a 13-year-old cello player from the same school, agreed. He said hes largely excited about seeing how the musicians playing styles may differ by country.

Just to come together and play as a group, it might be different in a way, said Christensen.

Other students added that theyre excited for the cultural experiences, like trying the local cuisine and taking in the new scenery. For a majority of them, it will be their first time traveling internationally. And Icheon, they pointed out, is also famous for its rich history of ceramic art.

This is kind of the Korean Santa Fe, said Grace Maurice, the ensembles trombonist going into her freshman year at the Mandela school.

The other participating musicians include 11-year-old violinist Lilah Chang, 14-year-old cellist Solomon Ehlers, 14-year-old violinist Gabriel Boston-Friedman, 15-year-old violinist Lily Clark, 15-year-old viola player Rebecca Sciarretta, and 15-year-old Claire Christensen, also on viola.

Bringing a Mexican flair to South Korea

The ensemble is officially called the Santa Fe Sister Cities Youth Orchestra, though Harvey jokingly calls the ensemble the rogue musicians because the students come from several different schools. The mayor of Icheon extended the invitation to the Santa Fe Sister Cities committee in January to send a group of orchestra/string musicians. According to Harvey, from there, the committee was connected to Kountopes, who put out the call for interested students. Harvey was later tapped to do the same. There was no formal audition process, Harvey explained.

Its not about how well the students play. Its more about the passion for working with other musicians in different countries and being ambassadors of Santa Fe to those other countries, she said.

Ahead of the festival, local South Korean conductors will lead four days of rehearsals to work on the performance pieces.

Its going to raise their levels of playing, Harvey said. She explained that all the groups were instructed to provide a medium-level composition, and whats considered intermediate here may be completely different from another country.

The musicians from Limoges, France, chose a pavane by 20th-century French composer Maurice Ravel. The South Korea entrants will play Arirang, a traditional national folk song, and the ensemble from Paducah, Kentucky, selected An American Rhapsody by Richard Meyer.

Santa Fes huapango doesnt seem difficult at first, Harvey said, but the timing is challenging, even for adult musicians. It goes between 3/8 and 6/8 time signatures, sometimes with different instrument sections playing different time signatures at the same time.

Its like trying to fit a puzzle piece into something that wont fit, said 16-year-old bass player Lynette Gassner. Thats how the meter is.

Harvey also pointed out that the tune has stylistic elements that will likely be new for the other students at the festival, whether they are from the U.S. or not. In different parts of the piece, the violinists strum their strings with their fingers rather than use their bows. In another section, to simulate the sound of huapango dancers footwork, the cello players tap the wooden bases of their instruments.

Typically, in classical music, you never do that, said Harvey. So this is our selection creating excitement (and) the Mexican flair; its going to be very exciting.

The city of Icheon will pay for the groups lodging, food, transportation and tourist activities. To help pay for everyones airfare and potentially gifts to present to the local officials, the orchestra has raised nearly $10,000 of its $17,000 fundraising goal, Harvey said.

About $2,700 has come from an ongoing online crowdfunding campaign on Dollars4Teachers, Meow Wolf has committed $4,000 for airfare, and a recent fundraising dinner organized with the help of local Korean organizations yielded $3,000. The orchestra will also perform Saturday morning at Betterday Coffee.

The students have been active in the fundraising process. With city licenses in hand, some of the young musicians said they have been earning cash busking on the Plaza. One player has been working a part-time job ahead of the trip.

Theyre working their tails off making this happen, said Harvey. And thats  something that for me Im just so proud of.

If you go

WHAT: Performance by the New Mexico delegation to the Global Sister Cities Youth Festival in South Korea

WHEN: Saturday, 10 a.m.- noon

WHERE: Betterday Coffee, 905 W. AlamedaSanta Fe Public Schools hasnt undergone the kind of state government testing of sinks and water fountains that resulted in some negative findings at schools in Albuquerque.

But SFPS Superintendent Veronica Garcia said last week that, in the future, the voluntary program offered by the New Mexico Department of Health and the state Environment Department might be an option for testing Santa Fe schools drinking water for lead contamination.

Garcia said Santa Fe school officials hadnt known about the state program before.

Well contact them (the Department of Health) first thing tomorrow, Garcia said on Wednesday.

Because I was not aware of the program. So well definitely explore that.

This year, APS opted into the state program and water sources were tested for lead levels at 69 elementary schools constructed before 1990. Roughly 5% of the tests came back above the threshold established by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

All water fixtures with high levels were shut down. Albuquerque school officials have maintained that the levels have posed little health risk for students and that sinks with problem lead levels arent typically used for drinking.

But a teacher at APSs Bellehaven Elementary School, where sinks were found to have lead levels far in excess of federal standards, students regularly drank from at least one sink faucet, including by filling their own water bottles at the sink. The same teacher said the school staff had long been averse to drinking the schools water.

The state program started in 2017. According to a statement from Department of Health spokesperson David Morgan, the Environment Department and the Department of Health have previously sent informational emails about the testing to New Mexico principals and superintendents.

So far this year, the testing program has not been widely used. For testing in April-May, after school districts were contacted in March, only the Los Alamos district, Capitan Municipal Schools and a small private school in Albuquerque opted in, along with APS.

Morgan also said in his emailed statement that when the two state departments put out a call in June 2018, 22 school sites and one day care center  largely in the southern part of the state  participated in the testing.

Morgan said the state departments will contact schools again in August and September this year.

A statement Tuesday from Santa Fe school district spokesperson Jeff Gephart said SFPS has employed various strategies to keep our building systems and utilities updated and monitored for safety issues relating to air and water quality.

In recent years, we have preventively tested water at many of the district facilities, said the statement. We test water immediately when there is a concern about water quality brought to our attention. At no time have we found contaminants or questionable water quality in our facilities. We have implemented a comprehensive testing plan to ensure every district facility has regular water quality testing.

Garcia told the Journal that Santa Fe city government gives the school district reports on the citys water sources every two to three weeks.

She said SFPS also does periodic checks of school water quality, including testing for contaminants like lead, but that doesnt mean all of the districts approximately 70 facilities are checked at the same time or with the same volume of testing.

An older building, with pipes more susceptible to contamination from corrosion, could be monitored more frequently than a newer facility with more modern plumbing.

We want to get on a more systemized system of doing that, said Garcia.

She said the district has been in talks with its maintenance contractor about adding a hydrologist to its service plan to ensure regular water quality inspections. But if the state is offering similar services, it will pursue that option, as well, Garcia said.

According to the EPA, excess lead levels in childrens blood can result in significant health risks, including behavioral and learning problems, lower IQ and slowed growth.

Journal North reporter T.S. Last contributed to this report .As Chairman of the Otero County Board of Commissioners my heart is heavily burdened for my constituents as they struggle with the crisis on our nearby southern border. It is no accident that New Mexico is now the most dangerous state in the country for both property and violent crimes. Our border crisis has two related elements: narcotics and human impacts. They are two sharp edges of the same sword.

The human impact edge

New Mexico ranks last, or nearly last, in every measurement of life quality and we lead in every negative statistical category, including child hunger. Both drive home the cold hard fact that New Mexicos government is not taking care of its own people. Our politicians will sacrifice our citizens to virtue signal their concern for (undocumented) aliens.

Recently in New Mexico, city and county governments have made outrageous commitments of our tax dollars to support illegal border crossers. Examples include: Las Cruces at $500k, Albuquerque at $250k and most recently Deming at $1 million! Deming made its contribution out of its meager $11 million general fund. Deming would be well-advised to take care of its own destitute people and desperately inadequate infrastructure.

Bernalillo County has also allocated taxpayer money to support (undocumented) border crossers. The hypocrisy of Bernalillo Countys decision is that the money was allocated out of their behavioral health fund while Albuquerque has the nations fifth highest suicide rate and the small town of Espanola is No. 7 in the nation in cities with the worst drug problem.

Recently I received some nasty pushback for a comment I made that allocating these monies is like feeding pigeons in a parking lot. I obviously do not compare migrants to pigeons. My comment was more in relevance to what the outcome is. If you begin feeding pigeons in a parking lot pretty soon you have every pigeon in town showing up at feeding time. The difference between pigeons and people is when you run out of pigeon feed the pigeons will eventually go away. When it comes to people, history tells us that desperate times bring about desperate measures. When New Mexicos handouts stop, these people, who dont know the language nor our laws, will be in our streets. They will be desperate and they will be demanding.

The narcotics edge

The narcotics edge of this two-edged blade is a sharper and more dangerous edge. The migrant crisis is a smokescreen that the cartel craftily navigates behind, using these poor people to exhaust our border patrol resources. Recent data collected by the Otero County Sheriffs Department shows a huge uptick in drug seizures. For the month of February $3,500, March $23,000 and April $61,790!

Our secondary Border Patrol Security Checkpoints were closed on March 25 of this year due to a political assault led by U.S. Reps.(Xochitl Torres) Small, (Joaquin) Castro, (Jerry) Nadler and others. It was only a few days after a visit by this entourage to New Mexico that our Border Patrol checkpoints were shut down and their resources were reassigned from monitoring drug trafficking to processing border crossers.

The governor of New Mexico and New Mexicos U.S. representatives are willing to sacrifice our state and country in an attempt to keep our president from having a political victory on border security. Our elected leaders were put there to represent the American people, not the refugees and not the drug cartels. New Mexico is a failing state by any measure, and as this sword slices and chops away at our border states it will eventually find the heart of America. When that sword is driven into the heart of America then maybe the American people will wake up. I hope it will be in time.

New Mexico needs the strong and decisive leadership of our president like no other time before. Our state leaders are failing the people. Our governor has recently responded to Otero Countys declaration of a state of emergency as not being a state problem but a federal problem. The president can give hope to the patriots of New Mexico and inspire our badly served citizens to get rid of our pathetic and incompetent public officials. If things dont change,soon you wont be able to tell New Mexico from Old Mexico.

Please, President Trump, listen to our call and come to New Mexico. We need you now more than ever before. 

My heart is heavily burdened for my constituents as they struggle with the crisis on our nearby southern border. It is no accident that New Mexico is now the most dangerous state in the country for both property and violent crimes. Our border crisis has two related elements: narcotics and human impacts. They are two sharp edges of the same sword.

Human impact

New Mexico ranks last, or nearly last, in every measurement of life quality, and we lead in every negative statistical category, including child hunger. Both drive home the cold hard fact that New Mexicos government is not taking care of its own people. Our politicians will sacrifice our citizens to virtue signal their concern for illegal aliens.

Recently in New Mexico, city and county governments have made outrageous commitments of our tax dollars to support illegal border crossers. Examples include: Las Cruces at $500k, Albuquerque at $250k and most recently Deming at $1 million! Deming made its contribution out of its meager $11 million general fund. Deming would be well advised to take care of its own destitute people and desperately inadequate infrastructure.

Bernalillo County has also allocated taxpayer money to support illegal border crossers. The hypocrisy of Bernalillo Countys decision is that the money was allocated out of their behavioral health fund while Albuquerque has the nations fifth-highest suicide rate. And the small town of Espanola is No. 7 in the nation in cities with the worst drug problem.

Recently I received some nasty push-back for a comment I made that allocating these monies is like feeding pigeons in a parking lot. I obviously do not compare migrants to pigeons. My comment was more in relevance to what the outcome is. If you begin feeding pigeons in a parking lot, pretty soon you have every pigeon in town showing up at feeding time. The difference between pigeons and people is when you run out of pigeon feed the pigeons will eventually go away. When it comes to people, history tells us that desperate times bring about desperate measures. When New Mexicos handouts stop, these people, who dont know the language nor our laws, will be in our streets. They will be desperate, and they will be demanding.

Narcotics impact

The narcotics edge of this two- edged blade is a sharper and more dangerous edge. The migrant crisis is a smokescreen that the cartel craftily navigates behind, using these poor people to exhaust our Border Patrol resources. Recent data collected by the Otero County Sheriffs Department shows a huge uptick in drug seizures. For the month of February $3,500, March $23,000 and April $61,790!

Our secondary Border Patrol security checkpoints were closed on March 25 of this year due to a political assault led by U.S. Reps. (Xochitl Torres) Small, (Joaquin) Castro, (Jerrold) Nadler and others. It was only a few days after a visit by this entourage to New Mexico that our Border Patrol checkpoints were shut down and their resources were re-assigned from monitoring drug trafficking to processing border crossers.

NM needs leaders

The governor of New Mexico and New Mexicos U.S. representatives are willing to sacrifice our state and country in an attempt to keep our president from having a political victory on border security. Our elected leaders were put there to represent the American people, not the refugees and not the drug cartels. New Mexico is a failing state by any measure, and as this sword slices and chops away at our border states it will eventually find the heart of America. When that sword is driven into the heart of America, then maybe the American people will wake up. I hope it will be in time.

New Mexico needs the strong and decisive leadership of our president like no other time before. Our state leaders are failing the people. Our governor has recently responded to Otero Countys declaration of a state of emergency as not being a state problem but a federal problem. The president can give hope to the patriots of New Mexico and inspire our badly served citizens to get rid of our pathetic and incompetent public officials. If things dont change, soon you wont be able to tell New Mexico from Old Mexico.

(We need) President Trump (to) listen to our call and come to New Mexico. We need you now more than ever before. This month, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to protect Dreamers and Temporary Protected Status holders by passing the American Dream and Promise Act, which provides critical permanent legal protection to Dreamers, immigrant youth who entered the United States as children and know America as their only home. The bill offers young people who qualify permanent resident status on a conditional basis and a path to full lawful permanent residency and eventual citizenship. To receive the conditional status, the youth must, among other requirements, have entered the U.S. as a child, been continuously present in the United States for at least four years prior to enactment of the bill, meet certain admissibility and security requirements, and have obtained or be pursuing secondary education.

The American Promise Act of 2019 similarly offers essential protections to TPS and DED (Deferred Enforced Departure) holders who are living in a state of uncertainty and fear. The bill provides lawful permanent resident status for eligible individuals from countries designated for TPS or DED as of January 1, 2017, and who have been living in the U.S. for at least three years. Eligible individuals must also meet criminal and national security requirements for admissibility, including passing a background check. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration Chairman, Bishop Joe S. Vasquez of Austin, Texas, has voiced support for the bill numerous times. Dreamers, TPS and DED holders are our neighbors and an important part of our community. They have prayed with us in houses of worship, contributed to the U.S. economy, attended schools and colleges, and served in our military. The Catholic community stands in support of the people and families that will be helped by this legislation.

Now, hopefully, the U.S. Senate will do the same to promote and protect the dignity of immigrants and refugees.

While this federal legislation is desperately needed as a step to address our broken immigration system, we also need to respond to the migration of people seeking asylum. Asylum is an important form of international protection that can ensure the safety and well-being of individuals who have fled their homeland because of a well-founded fear of persecution due to their race, religion, national origin, political opinion or membership in a social group. We know well the plight of so many thousands of people seeking asylum at our southern border in the United States, most of whom are from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. They are fleeing increasing systemic violence and poverty and are seeking a better, safer life for themselves and their families. Many non-profits and faith-based groups have responded to the humanitarian need and are providing short-term respite care, hospitality and assistance as the families pass through various cities to meet with their sponsors.

Some have asked me, Why are we helping these people when there are so many in need here in New Mexico? It is true, New Mexico has high rates of poverty, homelessness, drug addiction and unemployment. Many need our assistance. However, assisting others is not a zero-sum game where one loses and the other gains. The zero-sum approach grows from a sense of scarcity. Yet, I believe this is a moment of trust in abundance.

It is truly who we are as New Mexicans, as Americans and as people of faith to assist those in need, even when we ourselves might be struggling. Winston Churchill said, All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope. We, too, in the midst of many demands, can give some and care for those in immediate need, if not just for their good, for ours.

The response to help may come in different forms from different levels: individuals, community organizations and faith groups, local and state governments and the federal government all need to respond in appropriate ways. The faith communities have done their best to respond by providing hospitality to the hundreds of asylum seekers who have traveled through Albuquerque on their way to their sponsors.

And at the same time, we also need to continue our advocacy for just and humane immigration policies that recognize the dignity and rights of those who migrate as well as those who are DACA, TPS or DED holders. The Catholic Church recognizes the inherent right of vulnerable individuals seeking refuge to access protection. While the Church affirms the right of sovereign nations to protect their borders, it also believes that right should be balanced and humane. In addition, the Church is concerned with the ability of asylum seekers to access legal and dignified work in order to meaningfully support themselves as they await decisions in their immigration cases. This is an important moment for all levels of our society to step up and respond.

Pope Francis began his address to the joint session of the U.S. Congress in 2015 by saying how good it was to be in the land of the free and the home of the brave. It seems to me that the brave thing to do during this time of crisis at our border is to help those who are struggling to be free from violence and deplorable living conditions. Freedom is meant to be shared, not hoarded.Remember the good old days, when elected officials at least acted as if they needed to listen to their constituents?

In Bernalillo County, it appears those days are past, at least as it relates to the sick-leave reform bill some county commissioners are trying to ram through.

The proposal, which would require businesses in the unincorporated parts of Bernalillo County to track and provide sick leave pay if they have two or more employees, was introduced May 14. Closely resembling a measure narrowly defeated by Albuquerque voters in 2017, it was greeted with concern by local business owners, many of whom planned to air their grievances at a public meeting last Monday. Contentious public comment sessions are nothing new in local government, and hearing those concerns could have provided valuable feedback to the commissioners.

Then the county cancelled the meeting.

According to a story in Tuesdays Journal, Commission Chairwoman and bill co-sponsor Maggie Hart Stebbins  who has exactly zero businesses in her urban district that would be affected by her plan  has blamed the last-minute plug-pulling on a shortage of agenda items and the absence of the county manager.

What a feeble excuse.

By avoiding public input and criticism, commissioners have managed to narrow the window for further public comment down to the day of the vote, June 25.

Its true there were two opportunities in May for public comment before the commission, including the day the measure was introduced. But Lynne Andersen, president of commercial real estate development association NAIOP, said she was blind-sided by the proposal when it was introduced. Andersen was part of a coalition that campaigned against the failed city ballot measure and said the day of the meeting she wasnt prepared to weigh in yet because she hadnt had time to analyze it. Since then, she has said members of that coalition have needed time to address the many issues covered in the eight-page document.

Members of the public can reach out personally to commissioners by calls, letters and emails. But its not the same as being able to stand up at a meeting and look elected officials in the eye while pleading your case.

The bottom line is the commission is moving far too fast. Any move to reform such an important issue as sick-leave requirements needs to be carefully considered, with potential effects on workers, employers and the community taken into account and weighed.

And ideally this issue should be returned to the voters to decide. They were the ones who determined the earlier version went too far.

Instead, quick passage by the county could ease the way for a similar ordinance to pass the City Council  an ordinance that would affect hundreds more businesses than the county ordinance. And suddenly, a proposal rejected by voters less than two years ago becomes the law of the land.

Leave proposal needed, but not this one

There are important reasons for broadening sick leave protections. Bernalillo County is home to many under-covered, low-income service-sector workers who shouldnt have to pick between taking care of themselves or a sick child and keeping their job. Regular full- and part-time workers deserve that protection, and a clause to allow sick leave for domestic violence makes perfect, and compassionate, sense.

But, apart from rushing this through, the Journal has serious concerns about the merits of this version of sick leave reform.

If passed, this measure will require even a two-person family businesses to keep records on sick leave. Larger companies would have to track sick leave year-to-year for seasonal employees  everyone from summer interns to people hired to wrap gifts during the holidays. And the law would allow workers to claim leave not just for themselves or members of their immediate family, but non-family members as well. Thats simply untenable for businesses operating on a shoestring

Ernie Cde Baca, who heads the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce  hardly an anti-workers rights organization  said 60% of members of his organization are businesses with 10 employees or fewer and could be hurt if this measure is pushed through.

Any time you take away flexibility and put mandates on these small businesses, its really difficult, he said in Tuesdays article. Hes right.

Its clear the city had nearly enough momentum in 2017 to get the Healthy Workforce Ordinance approved by voters. The county  and the city, which has a redux on the back burner  needs to get to the heart of the dissent, seek out small business owners input, and then present a version of this reform that protects employees and employers alike.

Unfortunately, commissioners seem determined to ram their version of the bill through, their constituents and voters opinions be damned. The countys modus operandi: If you cant hear the complaints, you dont have to do anything about them.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.Copyright  2019 Albuquerque Journal

Americas premiere spy agency is setting up shop at UNM.

Starting next school year, an active-duty CIA intelligence officer will be embedded on the University of New Mexicos campus. The officer will carry a teaching or research load comparable to his faculty colleagues and  to the extent possible  participate in the academic life of the university just like his colleagues, according to the contract between UNM and the Central Intelligence Agency.

A CIA officer will teach at UNM beginning this fall as part of the Agencys Visiting Intelligence Officers Program, said Chelsea Robinson, a spokeswoman for the CIA, which declined an interview for this story. This effort  along with CIAs Signature School Program  enables UNM students to learn firsthand about national security and career opportunities at CIA.

The new resident intelligence officer program is just the latest development in a decadeslong relationship between UNM and the CIA. In addition to a CIA employee soon joining the campus community, the UNM president recently decided to keep the school involved in an ongoing CIA recruiting program, according to copies of two Memoranda of Understanding agreements between UNM and the CIA.

The CIA has a history of hiring graduates of New Mexicos flagship university and, in 2016, UNM was the first school in the country to join the CIAs signature schools program, which formalizes a path for the agency to recruit students.

But the relationship, at times, has been contentious. And some UNM faculty contend the rekindled relationship between UNM and the CIA could jeopardize the safety and access of students and faculty who do research in South and Central America.

In 1988, UNM student protesters chanting Hey, hey, CIA, how many people did you kill today? rushed a recruitment presentation by the spy agency in the Student Union, prompting recruiters to cancel the event. CIA and American support for the rebel contras in Nicaragua was an ongoing controversy at the time. At one point in the late 1980s, UNM banned the agency from recruiting students on campus, though the ban was lifted after a short time, according to unclassified letters on the CIAs website.

Late last month, UNM President Garnett Stokes extended the existing MOU between UNM and the CIA to keep the college in the agencys signature schools program, in which the CIA pledges a broad range of recruitment activities at UNM. She signed the agreement despite concerns raised by some faculty members.

I talked to a lot of people and I realized that this MOU has opened up opportunities for our students to consider careers they wouldnt normally consider, Stokes said in a recent interview. By not signing the MOU we were going to lose those recruiters.

Restrictions

How common is it for universities to have such working relationships with the CIA? Thats not entirely clear.

Sometimes, either a college or the CIA has issued a news release announcing the recruiting arrangement. But there can be rules within the contract that can affect what can be said publicly.

In UNMs case, the contracts place restrictions on when and how the two entities can publicize or display the arrangement. UNM cant display the MOU pertaining to the resident intelligence officer in a public forum or on its website, for example. The Journal obtained the contracts through an Inspection of Public Records Act request.

I think this high visibility special program potentially puts students and faculty at risk when they conduct research abroad, especially in the developing world, said William Stanley, the director of the Latin American and Iberian Institute. The students are conducting independent, academic research that has nothing to do with the CIA.

Stanley said the fact there is a formal agreement  even if not posted on the website  raises the potential visibility of UNMs connection to the CIA.

But refusing to partner with the CIA could also have deep ramifications at UNM, said Emile Nakhleh, the director of UNMs Global and National Security Policy Institute.

By not signing the MOU, UNM might develop the reputation of being unfriendly to national security, he said. Which in turn might jeopardize research-based UNM MOUs with the national labs and other government and semi-government agencies.

Recruitment

In 2016, then-CIA Director John Brennan gave a speech on campus, announcing that UNM would be the first school in the agencys signature schools program.

UNM had, in part, two things the agency was looking for. One was its academics. The school does research in a wide variety of areas and has a national security program. The other is UNMs students, who come from many ethnic and cultural backgrounds and speak multiple languages.

The signature schools program creates a more permanent and ongoing recruiting effort on campus, as opposed to the CIA occasionally meeting with interested students during recruiting events.

UNM is so well situated to create the next generation of leaders in national security, said Nakhleh, who worked with the CIA before coming to UNM. The next generation (of national security leaders) has to reflect America. UNM with its diverse population, its first-rate academic programs, its proximity to the labs (in Albuquerque and Los Alamos). It is situated to uniquely produce the next generation of leaders in national security.

Nakhleh said its not just students from one field of study who stand to benefit from the recruiting program. The CIA, he said, will recruit students from all sorts of backgrounds. They want accountants, engineers, linguists, history and culture experts, medical doctors and others, he said. And over the years, he said, the CIA has hired dozens of UNM graduates who have gone on to careers in the intelligence community.

Our students for (national security) jobs have to compete against graduates from Georgetown, from (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), from Harvard, from Princeton, he said. This program enhances their competitive edge.

As for the resident intelligence officer, who starts at UNM next month, Nakhleh said that will only increase UNM students chances of landing a job in national security. And he said there is nothing clandestine about the program.

The CIA officer and former Lobo is named David Berg. He has a doctorate in justice studies from Arizona State University; a masters in criminal justice from Northern Arizona University; and a bachelors in criminology and psychology from UNM. He has been at the CIA since 2008, according to a biography provided by Nakhleh.

The plan is for him to teach undergraduate or graduate level courses in global and national security and also to advise students interested in careers in intelligence, Nakhleh said.

Hell have to comply with both the UNM faculty handbook and the policies and procedures set by the Central Intelligence Agency, which will pay his salary, according to the contract.

Nakhleh said that by being in the signature schools program, the CIA pledges to send more recruiters to UNMs campus, among other aspects of the agreement, than the agency would otherwise send to campus. And being in that program is what led to UNMs getting a resident intelligence officer on campus, he said. The officer will be on campus for two years, according to the contract.

Safety concerns

Stanley of UNMs Latin American and Iberian Institute said he and other faculty members shared their concerns about the formal arrangements in a meeting with Stokes about a month ago.

I have no objection to the CIA recruiting on campus. I hope they hire UNM students, Stanley said. Ive never understood a need for a signature school program.

Stanley said he has had students who have done work with people in parts of Peru affected by civil war. Others have gone to slums in Brazil for research on drug organizations and some scholars have examined demobilized combatants in post war situations.

How might that work be affected by the public nature of formal recruiting arrangements between UNM and the CIA? Many businesses and agencies recruit UNM students without formal contracts, he said.

Our students conduct research with populations that would be very suspicious of someone they thought might be a U.S. government agent of some kind, he said. From my point of view, UNM should be maintaining some distance from an organization that has a reputation for intervention in the region.

Stokes said prior to signing the agreement, she wanted to hear many points of view. The signature schools contract was originally signed in 2016 by former president Bob Frank, and the agreement that will bring Berg to campus in the fall was signed by former provost and acting president Chaouki Abdallah.

What I understood was that it had been signed without a lot of faculty input. So what I did was I held onto the MOU and I asked for some feedback on it, Stokes said. I heard from a lot of people inside and outside of the institution.

After listening to the feedback, she decided to extend the MOU.

Little publicity

If a lot of schools have contracts and agreements with the CIA similar to UNM, many of the schools are keeping the arrangements quiet.

Since UNM became the first signature school, very few have publicly identified themselves as such signature schools. Other than UNM, the CIA has only publicized signature schools partnerships at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Baruch College in New York City, according to CIA news releases.

CIA officers have taken visiting jobs at other universities, although its unclear how many. For example, Columbia University has a resident officer, according to its website, as does the University of Texas at Austin, according to a 2018 article in the student newspaper.

Stokes said she doesnt think that such arrangements are rare.

My understanding is that this has happened at other institutions, she said.U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich are seeking a hearing on the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act.

The two Democratic senators made the request in a letter to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee leadership. They want a forum for states, environmental groups and industry to discuss mining reform.

The bill would require companies to pay royalties for the first time for the ability to extract mineral resources such as gold, silver and copper from public lands, and would hold companies responsible for cleaning up abandoned mines, and seeks to prevent another toxic spill like the Gold King Mine disaster of 2015.

They said there is a long history of hardrock mining corporations operating on federal public lands in New Mexico. Currently, there are dozens of active mines either in operation or in the process of getting cleaned up on public lands in the state, in addition to new mines that are actively being considered, including one in the Santa Fe National Forest near recreational areas along the Pecos River.

Mining companies, both foreign and domestic, are governed today by a law that has changed little since the actual California Gold Rush that gave rise to the Act in the first place, wrote the senators. Today, this Civil War-era statute gives individuals and corporations the authority to extract minerals from public lands without owing anything in royalties to the federal government  unlike any other industry, including coal, oil, and gas.

They said Americas mining laws have remained relatively untouched since they were established by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. They call the system antiquated, which they said puts most public lands at constant risk of new mining, lets industry off the hook for toxic mine cleanup, and robs the American people of royalties from mining. Since 1872, mining companies have taken more than $300 billion worth of gold, silver, copper and other valuable minerals from our federal public lands without paying a cent in federal royalties to the American people, the senators said. The same companies have left the public with billions of dollars in cleanup costs at abandoned hardrock mines, which have polluted 40 percent of the headwaters of western watersheds, they said. The U.S. General Accounting Office estimated at least 161,000 abandoned mines in the western U.S. and Alaska, and at least 33,000 of those had degraded the environment.

The bill would introduce a new royalty rate of 5% to 8% that would put hardrock mining on the same level as other mining industries, fund cleanup of abandoned mines, require permits for non-casual mining operations on federal land, allow for the petition of the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw lands from mining, and require a review of areas that may be unsafe or inappropriate for mining.

EXPLOSIVES ON TRIBAL LAND: U.S. Rep Xochitl Torres Small, D-N.M., successfully added an amendment to the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act to improve the safety of New Mexicans living near unexploded ordnance, or commonly referred to as unused explosives, by requiring the Secretary of Defense to provide a report on the state of unexploded ordnance on American Indian reservations.

Many tribal lands in the United States were formerly used as test sites for explosive weapons, greatly affecting the safety and well-being of tribes now living on these lands, her office said. The report will provide greater detail about which reservations contain unexploded ordnance, current efforts to remove the explosives from these lands, estimated costs for finishing their removal and the feasibility of the Department of Defense of partnering with entities eligible for the Indian Incentive Program to remove unused explosives from native lands.

The hazardous materials left behind by unused explosives present both a safety risk to those living in Indian Country and an environmental risk to the land itself, Torres Small said. Its time to fairly compensate Native American sovereign governments that take on the work to protect their members and the surrounding communities.

Scott Turner: sturner@abqjournal.comA black elementary student endured months of racial harassment in New Mexico and was later called a snitch after he reported the verbal abuse to a teacher, according to a new federal lawsuit.

Court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque last week said the boy faced escalating race-based and physical harassment from January to April this year at Parkview Elementary School in Socorro, and that teachers did little or nothing to stop it.

According to the lawsuit, other students directed racial epithets at the boy, identified only by his initials, and made racist your mama jokes about the boys mother, who is also black. One student repeatedly called the boy a snitch after he reported an episode to a teacher. The same student later physically attacked the boy, the lawsuit alleged.

The victimized boys parents tried repeatedly to convince school officials to intervene, but the lawsuit said the abuse continued and that school officials made excuses, including blaming the boy for not reporting all the of alleged episodes.

The boy was eventually suspended from school and is being homeschooled, the lawsuit said. The suspension came after school officials said the boy removed a hat from a friends head and tackled him during a game but the boys parents believe he was suspended because they reported the alleged harassment, court documents said. The lawsuit does not say what grade the boy was in or how old he is.

This race-based harassment and bullying created a hostile education environment, the lawsuit said. Defendant Socorro Consolidated School District failed to address incidents of race-based harassment or had actual knowledge that any attempted remedial measures it took to address the race-based harassment were ineffective.

Socorro Consolidated Schools Superintendent Ron Hendrix said the district could not comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount in monetary damages and a judges order for the school district to adopt bullying prevention programs. The district has policies against bullying, according to its student handbook.The state Public Education Department is sporting a new emblem.

After seeking students submissions for a new logo in March, the PED chose a colorful hot-air balloon number.

According to the department, Emily Cai, a sophomore at Centennial High School in Las Cruces, designed the art, featuring an outline of New Mexico as the basket and a collage of classroom supplies as the balloon. Two kids contentedly ride along inside.

Emilys design was chosen by a PED committee from more than 100 student submissions.

This logo says it all! It is a symbol of the many aspects of schools, the role schools play in developing the whole child. A hot air balloon is not just an iconic cultural symbol for New Mexico, it symbolizes a hope, motivation and inspiration that is present in childhood and that is fostered in our NM schools, Education Secretary Karen Trujillo wrote in a statement.

The new look will stick around for the foreseeable future, says Chief of Staff Daniel Manzano.

It was announced at the Inspire Teacher conference in front of hundreds of teachers.

MEETING OF THE MINDS: And speaking of the conference, hundreds of teachers were in Albuquerque recently for the Inspire 2019 Journey to the Heart of Education conference, hosted by the PED.

Educators from across the state were at the Convention Center for two days at the end of May to hear keynote speakers such as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Education Secretary Trujillo and UCLA professor of education Pedro Noguera.

Lujan Grisham gave kudos to teachers and spoke about the most influential teachers in her life  one of whom allegedly made math fun.

Through breakout sessions and other learning opportunities, the conference aimed to spur networking and offer professional development and other resources for the educators.

TEACHER STUDENTS: Fifty teachers became the students last week while learning about financial literacy.

On June 6, teachers from across the state opted into the financial literacy program Financial Foundations: Enhancing Earning Capacity, which was hosted and co-taught by Fidelity Investments.

The Council for Economic Education also taught the training that took place at Fidelity Investments at Mesa del Sol.

Through the workshop, educators learned how to compare job offers, about career paths and other financial topics.

The idea is to give them fiscal tools to then pass on to their students once they get back to the classroom.

Shelby Perea: sperea@abqjournal.comCHICO, Calif. - Chico police arrested a man on for possession of a concealed firearm after they were investigating reports of multiple shots being fired across an apartment complex on Pomona Avenue at 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

On Friday police said they are looking for other suspects and more information about the shooting incident. Police said they found evidence of shots fired, but did not find any damage to buildings or people.

During the investigation police located a maroon vehicle near the intersection of Walnut St. and W. 3rd St. that had been observed leaving the area of the incident.

One suspect was pulled over in that vehicle about a mile away on 3rd St. and Walnut St.

Chico police ended up arresting 26-year-old John Taylor on firearms charges. Police said they located a 9mm handgun under the driver's seat of the vehicle.

Police are asking anyone with more information to contact them at (530) 897-4900.CHICO, Calif. - The Chico Police Department's street crimes unit is ramping up its effort to clean up the city's streets in the summer.

Seventeen offenders were arrested over the past week by the Chico Police Department Street Crimes D Unit. Several of the arrested offenders were wanted felons.

The arrests were made following two different methods. One was proactive law enforcement in the Bidwell Park/One-Mile Park area, as well as Main Street in downtown and the East Avenue/Esplanade corridor. The other was based on "focused surveillance," which means the unit searched for specific wanted persons.

The mission of the Street Crimes "D" Unit is to impact the street level crime that affects the quality of life in this community. Example of crimes that fit into the "D" unit's mission includes robbery, burglary, gun and drug offenses, bike and other types of theft. The Unit also works to keep public spaces safe in Chico.

Here are photos and descriptions of some of this week's arrests:

Jordan Tapp, 25, of Chico, was arrested on a parole violation. Tapp was arrested one-month prior for being a felon in possession of a firearm and was out on bail for that incident.

Michael Borden, 29, of Chico was arrested at the Esplanade and Lindo Channel for resisting arrest, drug possession and possession of burglary tools. He was also arrested for an outstanding felony warrant.

Michelle Johnston, 37, of Chico, was arrested for drug possession and violation of probation.

Rocky Shelton, 44, of Chico, was arrested in the One Mile Park area of Bidwell Park for drug possession and an outstanding warrant.CHICO, Calif. - Several people called in to the Chico Police Department on Saturday afternoon to report a person driving a vehicle on the wrong side of a roadway, saying there were collisions with four parked vehicles that occurred before the driver fled the scene. This happened in the area of 4th St. and Broadway on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at approximately 3:30 p.m.

The suspect's vehicle was last reported traveling southbound on Park Ave. Chico police found a similar vehicle in the area of W. 20th St. and Rhodes Terrace. The vehicle had front end damage consistent with being involved in a collision.

The driver, Dennis Dever, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, being involved in a hit-and-run traffic collision, providing a false name to a peace officer, violation of probation, and driving on a suspended driver's license.OROVILLE, Calif. - Saturday was the 9th Annual Olive Festival in Oroville.

Nancy Brower of the Butte County Historical Society said the day brings awareness of the history of the olive industry in the city of Oroville.

Brower said farmer Freda Ehmann is an Oroville native. She is credited for launching the California olive oil industry in the 1900's. Ehmann perfected the process of preserving the fruit, Brower said.

People were able to tour Ehmann's home, which still stands in Oroville.

Brower said, "The family sold it to the county at one point and the county used it for offices and added some pieces onto."

They didn't take very good care of it," she explained, "because when they moved out of it in the 1980s they thought it was going to be torn down for a parking lot."

Brower said there were a number in people in town who thought that was a disgrace.

Not only did history take a front seat for the event on Saturday, but people were able to taste olives and olive oil from local vendors.

There were also craft tents and boutiques for shopping. If you missed out this year, Brower said they will be back next year. The annual event is always held on the third Saturday in June.This book is a masterpiece and a must-read for anyone with concerns about the safety and efficacy of vaccines.



Stephanie Seneff, PhD, senior research scientist, MIT



Leave a comment and enter to win a copy. New from Skyhorse Publishing. Buy now!



Richard Moskowitz, MD, is a family physician who received his BA from Harvard, Phi Beta Kappa, his MD from New York University, and a US Steel Fellowship in Philosophy at the University of Colorado. He has been in private practice since 1967. After studying herbs, Japanese acupuncture, and other holistic modalities, he has specialized in homeopathic medicine since 1974, and has written four previous books and over a hundred articles on homeopathy, midwifery, natural healing, and the philosophy of medicine. He resides in Boston, Massachusetts.



An experienced family doctor reexamines the risks and benefits of vaccines and our public health policy.



Dr. Richard Moskowitz, a Harvard-educated family doctor with more than forty-five years of clinical experience treating children, examines vaccines and our current policy regarding them. His book Vaccines (Skyhorse Publishing hardcover; September 19, 2017; $27.99) offers an ensemble of observed facts, clinical and basic science research, news reports from the media, and actual cases from his practice, Dr. Moskowitz provides an overview of the subject in a respectful and thoughtfully reasoned manner.



He shows how vaccines, by their very nature, have a major downside that has largely been ignored and is built into their design, and explores how it is reckless to continue mandating them until their dangers are taken seriously, understood in a broader context, and assessed in a more careful and systematic fashion.



He also presents evidence that the risks of vaccination are compounded by the concerted efforts of pharmaceutical companies, the CDC, and the doctors who speak for them to keep them hidden. Writing with a sense of urgency, Dr. Moskowitz advocates for making vaccines optional, while the country seems to be moving in the opposite direction. He believes that parents should be able to exercise their moral and legal right to choose which treatments are appropriate for their children, and which diseases, if any, to vaccinate their children against. Above all, he hopes to promote a healthy debate and to encourage more of the rigorous scientific work that still needs to be done.







The older I get, and the more freedoms I see being taken away, I cant imagine what sort of world their kids are going to grow up in. Already across several states, young parents will not be allowed to parent as I have. One single woman who Id taught many years ago reached out to me when shed read that the CDCs MMR vaccine study was not accurate and was published with manipulated information. Not yet a parent, I could understand why she was distraught. Shes a young black woman. Always so upbeat and kind, I didnt want to scare her, but I had to make sure she knew the truth. I confirmed that what shed read, that the CDC lied to the public and misrepresented their autism findings in young black boys, was the truth. Would this information change anything for her and for her or her future children?

Now in her late-twenties, I think back to that class she was in, which was one of my first (and favorite!) classes, and wonder where she and some of her classmates are. Through the grapevine, Ive heard that she may be married. What a treat to know that my kids have matured and blossomed into adulthood! Ive kept in touch with a handful of other kids that Ive taught and am always so touched that they keep in contact with me. Several of them are parents now, and surely, other of my former students will follow in that role in the years to come. Like that flag of ours, Ive always been proud of the kids Ive been blessed to watch grow up.

Wherever we lived when I was a child, we had a flag. At one house, where we had a flagpole in our front yard, one of us kids had the job of raising the flag each morning. Some days it was a chore for me because I didnt give myself enough time to raise it as slowly or respectfully as I shouldve. But as a military brat, it truly was an honor to fly the flag. Years later, when I was off on my own, I learned about Flag Day, a day when Americans can take a moment to honor Old Glory and what it stands for. A proud American, Ive always looked forward to June 14 th .

Another young African-American single woman I know recently told me, I dont know if Ill ever want kids anymore. There are too many things to worry about these days  school shootings, modified food thats not even food, and the vaccine stuff? Why are they forcing them on people so much these days! I used to want a family, but I cant even think about bringing a child into this world right now. I was crushed. Both of these gals are strong, independent, amazingly beautiful women. They are natural care givers and have big hearts. Theyd make great parents! But the trend Im hearing from them, and one Im actually seeing in other young people I know, is that they are not willing to sacrifice their children to society.

They cant even entertain the thought of having kids any more.

I thought about that as I left an appointment earlier today. A young man and I spoke at length about how today is so different from when we were kids. Granted, he was about 20 years younger and lived a different childhood than I did, but he could appreciate how quickly times have changed. Already a parent himself, he shared that he has to be more vigilant as a young parent (than I ever had to) and that he has to work around more negative societal input (than I ever thought possible). Who needs that? Why cant we all just get along? Do whats right for you, and stay out of each others business He had a lot of wisdom, but he also carried a heavy burden thinking about his kids growing up years. His kids are so young, toohe has just a two-year old and a baby! He should be enjoying these next few years with them, not have to worry about what he can and cant do as their dad.

I want to escape to another time, another place, where life was simpler and when parental rights were respected.

Driving home, I saw some American flags as I went through town, but I didnt have that joyful feeling today that I used to feel seeing the stars and stripes every on June 14th for the last 2+ decades. Instead, I thought of those 2 young women and that young man I just met. All 3 have ties to New York. Oh, Diary, New York surprised me this week. Ive only ever witnessed genuine diversity and extreme individuality being celebrated there. In all my years, never have I ever seen it conform. But thats exactly what it did.

Our country fought hard for freedom, but elected officials are bending over backwards greedily taking away those existing freedoms.

New York State passed a law that will revoke religious freedom. That law, in turn, will revoke parents rights and will deny children access to their education. I had questions once I heard that news, but they were all rhetorical: Are they serious? Have they no shame? Whos driving this grotesquely pro-vaccine and undeniably anti-parent push? Of course, I could take a stab at answering those questions: They know what they are doing, they are boldly doing it right under our noses, and they have more than enough financial backing to keep going after other parents in other states.

What a sad day for those whove fought so bravely and whove lost so deeply.

Those 2 women whove questioned what is going on in the world today and that young dad who was uncertain about his kids future all understand that freedom comes with a price. It always has. But it should never come at the price of its own people.

Land of the free!

Home of the brave!

Long may she wave!

Upside down if she must.









When the flag is flown upside down, it signifies instances of extreme danger to life or property. Pharmaceutical companies and officials working alongside them may not be willing to share this, but, Diary, you and I know that all vaccines come with risk. We, and those pharma companies and our government, also know that vaccinations are considered unavoidably unsafe. The potential for liability-free pharmaceutical products to cause extreme danger to life is real. Officials dont care to state that publicly and wont stand behind those proven statements. Instead, theyre using everything in their power to fuel an intense vaccine mandate push as just happened in New York.

I look around and see that Im still right here in America, but Im living in a place that now has more restrictions than ever before.

Ill always be proud that I was born in the USA, but I am ashamed at how this country and many of its representatives are behaving lately. Its so completely un-American of them. The worst part is that they know it. People may be upset to see that American flag upside down here, especially at the end of National Flag Week, but flying it that way sends as clear a message as when its flown upright. If more states in our nation work as hard as New York did to take religious freedom away in order to mandate risky, unavoidably unsafe, liability-free vaccines as quickly as they did, we are in for some extremely dangerous times ahead. Mark my words, Diary, its going to get even worse before it can ever get better again.

Until next timexo, Cat

Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.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.https://www.aish.com/ci/s/The-Emperors-New-Clothes-and-the-Imposter-Syndrome.html

His clothing would be invisible to anyone who was unfit for his position.

What is the deeper meaning of Hans Christian Andersens The Emperors New Clothes?

Remember the story? There once was an emperor who was the victim of his own vanity. In particular, he was obsessed with his ornate and elaborate wardrobe. The emperor contracted two master tailors to make him a fabulous suit of clothes but the tailors were actually con men. They told the emperor that they were weaving his new outfit from a fabric that was so fine it would be invisible to anyone who was unfit for his position. The tailors pretended to make clothes from this miracle material, causing the emperor and the members of his court to lie, saying that they could see this wonderful suit.

When the emperors new clothes were finished, the tailors pretended to dress the monarch, who then paraded his new ensemble through the streets of his capital. The citizens, fearful of being revealed as unfit for their positions, all praised the emperors wondrous attire. Ultimately, a young child exclaimed, The emperor is naked! causing all the adults, royalty and citizen alike, to realize that theyve hoodwinked.

What is the message of this story? I dont think its about foolish adults and wise children. Nor is it really about gullibility or giving into a herd mentality. No, the characters in the story behaved as they did from fear of discovery as as unfit for their positions. The Emperors New Clothes is about the imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is a term that was coined in the 1970s by Georgia State University psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. The syndrome is a feeling experienced by successful people, causing them to feel like they dont deserve the success theyve achieved. People suffering from imposter syndrome attribute their accomplishments not to their own innate abilities but to luck or circumstances. They live with a constant fear of being found out as the frauds they believe themselves to be.

Imposter syndrome was originally assumed to be exclusive to women but subsequent research demonstrated that as many as 70% of all people  both men and women, from all social strata  experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers.

Heres a striking example of imposter syndrome in action: Olivia Cabanes 2013 book The Charisma Myth reports the results of a survey showing that more than two-thirds of incoming students at Stanford Business School believe they were only admitted because of an error of some kind on the part of the admissions committee. Another study revealed that nearly 75% of students at Harvard Business School feel the same way. The majority of students at two of Americas most prestigious schools dont believe they belong there, despite their long records of academic accomplishment!

Imposter syndrome isnt limited to professional or academic accomplishments; people can suffer from religious imposter syndrome as well. Converts can experience it. Baalei teshuvah (newly religious Jews) can experience it. People who show up in shul or at a Seder without knowing what to expect can experience it. Anyone who ever felt that they werent Jewish enough has experienced it.

It might be comforting to know that some of our greatest leaders also felt inadequate for the tasks they were charged with undertaking. Most famously, Moses argued with God that he was unfit to serve as His representative. Who am I to go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? he protested (Exodus 3:11).

This sentiment is not unique to Moses; it was echoed by others of our greatest prophets. Yirmiyahu protested his mission saying, I cant speak  Im a child! (Jeremiah 1:7) and Yeshaya objected I am a man of unclean lips! (Isaiah 6:5). Of course, we know that all of these prophets were supremely suited for their tasks.

Aaron suffered from imposter syndrome when he was appointed High Priest. As Rashi on Leviticus 9:7 explains, Aaron was afraid to approach the altar, considering himself unsuited for the responsibility. Yaakov might have felt a little imposter syndrome when he told God, I am not worthy of all the kindness and truth that You have shown Your servant (Genesis 32:11). While Saul was being named king, he was hiding among the luggage ( I Samuel, 10 ) and even after his coronation, he was still acting like a farmer. There are many such examples.

People who suffer from imposter syndrome are usually really just right for their roles. True imposters tend to vastly overestimate their own abilities.

The good news is that people who suffer from imposter syndrome are usually really just right for their roles. True imposters tend to vastly overestimate their own abilities in whats known as the Dunning-Kruger effect. If youd like examples of people who overestimated their own importance or skills, look no further than Balaam, who acted as if he could dictate terms to God (Numbers 22), and Korach, who couldnt accept that he wasnt better than Moses, who had been personally chosen for his job by God (Numbers 16). And let us not forget Haman, who couldnt conceive that anyone other than he might be deserving of honor (Esther 6:6).

While our examples of those who underestimated themselves tend to be from among our role models, and those who overestimated themselves are from our antagonists, in truth we are each capable of feeling both extremes. Regarding this, Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshischa said, A person should have two notes in his pocket, each to be read as needed. On one, for when he is feeling lowly or discouraged: The whole world was created for my sake (Sanhedrin 4:5). On the other, for when he is feeling conceited or self-important: I am nothing but dust and ashes (Genesis 18:27).

God knows what is right for us and He puts each of us where we need to be. He knew that Moses, Aaron and Saul were right for their jobs even when they werent so sure. Similarly, we need not be so concerned of people discovering that the emperor has no clothes. When we feel that way, let us remember that the whole world was created for my sake and we deserve our successes. If we swing too far in the other direction  thinking, Who should the king want to honor besides me?  thats the time to remind ourselves: I am nothing but dust and ashes.

The trick is remembering when to look at which note.

A version of this article originally appeared on ou.org.https://www.aish.com/ho/p/Sabotaging-the-German-V-2-Rocket.html

The heroic actions of 200 inmates at Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp is the subject of new film, Dirty Bomb.

The short film, Dirty Bomb reveals a relatively unknown story of resistance during the Holocaust.

Jewish slave laborers were brought to the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp, a satellite of Buchenwald, where they were forced to build the V-2 ballistic rocket, the brainchild of aerospace engineer Werner von Braun who was then working for the Nazis. Around 60,000 prisoners passed through the Mittelbau camps between August 1943 and March 1945. Two hundred Jewish inmates chose to sabotage the creation of the V-2 bomb.

According to historian Norman Davies, due to a curious oversight in the Treaty of Versailles which did not include rocketry in its list of weapons forbidden to Germany, von Braun was able to pursue his career in rocket technology in Germany. His pioneering work for the Nazis began at the German resort town of Peenemunde , where the worlds first liquid propellant rocket, the V-2 bomb, was initially developed.

Werner von Braun at Peenemunde Army Research Center

The creation of the V-2 bombs gave the Nazis the most powerful and sophisticated weaponry in the world. The V-2 contained both a powerful motor and an automatic guidance system that enabled the rocket to reach a height 50 miles above the earth while traveling up to 120 miles before striking its intended target. Several thousands of lives were lost when the bombs exploded in Britain, and it is estimated that 20,000 Jews lost their lives while constructing these V-2 bombs.

Werner von Braun would go on to have an illustrious career. He and over 1,600 other German engineers, technicians, and scientists were secretly moved to the United States after the war. While working for the United States Army, von Braun developed the intermediate-range ballistic missile program, and later developed rockets that launched Explorer 1- the United States first space satellite. Von Braun and his team were absorbed into NASA, where he served as director of the Space Flight program and became the chief architect of the Saturn heavy lift launch that used V-2 technology to send the Apollo space shuttle to the Moon.

Germans from Nordhausen burying the dead of Mittelbau-Dora

Following the Royal Air Forces attack on Peenemunde that bombed and seriously damaged the facility, production was halted and a new underground site was constructed by slave laborers at the Mittelbau-Dora Concentration Camp. Here, a new secret underground production facility would resume the work of assembling and storing the deadly V-2 bombs for the Nazis. The slave laborers at Dora Mittelbau were often selected from other camps and reassigned due to their special training, such as electrical or mechanical skills. Thousands of prisoners died while digging huge tunnels into the mountains as they constructed a large underground factory where the work of the former Peenemunde V-2 missile program continued. The prisoners lived almost exclusively underground, shut off from the world in unstable tunnels where they were deprived of fresh air and sunlight, starved, and the death toll was extraordinarily high. Dora Mittelbau is reported to have had a high mortality rate; of the 60,000 prisoners sent to Mittelbau, approximately one third died.

Underground factory

At the time of full missile production in 1944, Mittelbau-Dora was an independent concentration camp with a prisoner population of at least 12,000. A resistance took place amongst some of the prisoners at the camp who chose to tamper with the V-2 bombs that they were assembling-rendering them ineffective. The consequences of their decision insured death of these inmates who performed this sabotage as the bombs, like the inmates, were numbered. More than 200 prisoners were hanged for this sabotage. Doras resistance remained unknown to all but a few who lived through the horrors of the Dora Mittelbau camp, who were made to watch the public hangings of the saboteurs. Those who sacrificed themselves were left hanging and not buried, an attempt by the Nazis to frighten and dissuade other prisoners who were forced daily to walk between the rows of these hanged heroes.

According to Valerie McCaffrey, who wrote and directed the film Dirty Bomb, the idea to honor these unnamed heroes for their decision to sacrifice their lives originated from stories her uncle, who served in the Battle of the Bulge under General George Patton, shared with his family after the war. The American soldiers nicknamed these V-2 bombs dirty bomb because they failed to go the distance. They were aimed at England, but landed in Belgium, and many misfired altogether. I was so intrigued by the role of the prisoners who sabotaged the building of the missiles that I had to make the film.

The underground corridors of the factory, Mittelbau-Dora. Photo by Giovanni Carrieri

McCaffrey, an Armenian, explained how her family survived the Armenian genocide. I thought it was urgent to tell this story about the heroes-the prisoners of the camp. They sacrificed their lives, knowing they would be found out and the outcome it would generate. This is one of the stories that changed the world.

McCaffrey viewed this piece of history as a reversal story. Most times, the prisoners are the victims, but in this story, they are the heroes. The scope of this story is that they were responsible for saving lives, and quite possibly ending the war. Interestingly enough, the grandfather of one of the investors of this film was a Nazi.

The film stars Israeli native, Ido Samuel. I grew up hearing stories about the Holocaust and meeting survivors who came to our school in Israel to tell their stories. You grow up as a Jewish person in Israel with a sense of commitment to always tell these stories and never forget.

Former concentration camp inmate Pinhas Klein stands

next to the memorial in the grounds of Mittelbau-Dora.

When I heard the story that her uncle told her (McCaffrey) about the Jewish prisoners who sabotaged bombs in World War II and saved thousands of lives, I was surprised I never heard of it before and it wasnt known what those prisoners did. They sacrificed their own lives to save thousands that they did not know. Why were these prisoners willing to sacrifice their lives to sabotage the bombs? Samuel believes what the prisoners at Dora Mittelbau did was very simple. There was a Simon Wiesenthal quote that really stuck with me. For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing They gave their lives so evil couldnt succeed.

Photo Credit for graphic: Giovanni Carrieri. Visit his site at www.giovannicarrieri.comhttps://www.aish.com/jw/id/Digging-Deep-Roots-in-Israel.html

A Biblical archaeologist gives Israeli schoolchildren a chance to uncover a First Temple city, deepening their connection to Jewish history and Israel.

What could be better than finding treasure hidden in your backyard? When you discover that treasure once belonged to your family thousands of years ago. This is the experience seasoned archaeologist Professor Itzik Shai is intent on sharing with the next generation of Israelis, strengthening their sense of heritage and connection to their land and history.

After witnessing the impact on international volunteers who helped uncover the ancient city of Libnah, Shai, Associate professor of Archaeology at Ariel University, is now giving Israeli school children a slice of the magic.

Its about values and helping to deepen our childrens connection to the land, he told Aish.com. Its not just history, its our story. The idea is to allow Israeli children to reveal the Tanach (Bible) with their own hands.

Over the years, Shai has opened his dig to hundreds of interested volunteers from all over the world to help him sift through tons of rock, soil and rubble.

This is the cradle of civilization, he said. It is fascinating and very meaningful for people to actually feel they are touching the stories of the Bible.

In 2015, he found a willing partner in Orit Shnit, a veteran teacher at the Ort Zeev Boim School in nearby Kiryat Gat, who coordinates field trips for students to learn more about Israeli society and industry. The project is one of the most inspiring she has ever been a part of. I think to love a place makes such a difference to the way you live there, and this is all about the connection you develop there. A student who is tuned in with their past can create a future.

Since the summer of 2015, 15 to 20 students, mainly 13 and 14 year olds, are chosen to take part in the excavations, which last anywhere from a few days to a whole week. They are introduced to the team, given instructions, and then assigned tools and an area to work in.

By the end of the week its hard for them to leave. You can see they have formed a connection to a bigger sense of history.

Touching history

Two years ago, two students unearthed a wheel spike from a three thousand year old Judean plough. It was an incredible moment, Shnit says. One was shaking the sieve, while the other combed through the earth. There was a lot of excitement. They called Itzik over straight away and he explained what the object was.

On another occasion, two sisters uncovered the handles of a jug that was still completely intact  something very rare in a city that had been destroyed.

These are things the students will never forget. It gives them a really meaningful encounter with their own history which is just a few minutes drive from where they live.

The story of Libnah

The city of Libnah is listed in the book of Kings as a vanguard Judean fortress protecting the much larger Jewish city of Lachish from the adjacent Philistine capital, Gat  the birthplace of the giant Goliath  just a few kilometers away.

Prof. Itzik Shai

Today, located off the beaten track near Bet Shemesh, the Bible attributes the city as the birthplace of Hamutal, who entered royalty in 639 BCE when she married the celebrated young Judean King Josiah. Reigning for over 30 years amid a period where idolatry was rife, Josiah set about a bold program of education, returning the Jewish People to Torah values. He was killed in battle against an Egyptian attack aged just 39.

Although there have been previous attempts have been made to locate the city of Libnah, Shai says he is confident that this site is the lost Biblical city. You can never be 100% certain, Shai says, but the location, evidence of Jewish life, its size and manner of its conquest all add up.

His trove of finds includes ritual baths, the bones of kosher animals and a Hebrew inscription of the name of a Judean merchant printed on clay. One particularly poignant discovery is that of several miniature idols hidden within the remains of Jewish homes. Shai says, These are examples of the idolatrous culture which King Josiah had spent much of his reign trying to uproot.

Stone from Canaanite altar dating back 13 centuries found at the site

Clear signs of destruction also correspond with the Biblical description, which includes Libnah as one of the 46 Judean cities destroyed by the Assyrian King Sennacherib on route to lay siege to Jerusalem in 701 BCE.

Shai says, It is very meaningful to be playing a small role in helping a new generation of Israelis, the newest link in a chain that has returned to the Land of Israel, to uncover their connection to the ancient stories of the past in this way.SANAA, Yemen  As Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr, Yemens internally displaced persons (IDPs) were forced to live in the open in Sanaas largest IDP camp under difficult conditions and in the absence of the most basic necessities. The heavy rains that flooded the region in late May, including the capital Sanaa, increased their suffering.

Ali Yahya Mohammed told Al-Monitor that he was forced to leave his home in the city of Saada, northern Yemen, when the Saudi-led coalition launched its offensive in March 2015.

Mohammed arrived at the Dharwan camp, 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Sanaa, where the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) provided him with three tents and all due services, including money. But recently OCHA has had to reduce support to the IDPs in light of the growing number of people in the camp, thus affecting Mohammed, his wife and their 10 children who live in the tents that need ongoing maintenance and extra fabric to protect them from the heavy rains.

On May 31, the UNHCR Operational Update on Yemen reported there were 3.65 [million] displaced since March 2015 where more than 80% have been displaced more than a year with 1.28 million IDP returnees.

The International Organization for Migrations latest Displacement Tracking Matrix cited a total of 42,596 families who have been displaced between Jan. 1 and May 26 of this year.

Before the war, people would buy clothes and food ahead of the holy month of Ramadan to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, but poor Yemeni families have been struggling to buy necessities and those affected by the heavy rains have had additional worries. Mohammed was forced to search for fabric for his tents, instead of buying new clothes for his children.

When the rain hit, the water entered the tents and poured through the roofs on our heads, Mohammed recalled. My children caught a cold because we do not have enough clothes and blankets.

I use one tent as a kitchen and the other as a bedroom for my older sons, Mohammed said. The third tent not only serves as a bedroom for Mohammed, his wife and younger children, but also as a living room for the family. He said this tent was not damaged as much as the others, as he had bought extra fabric prior to the storms by saving up the money he got from selling plastic bottles, while his children were begging in a nearby market.

The other two tents, however, were damaged during the storm. I am hoping to save some money [from donations] to buy a new tent or [more] fabric [to fix the damaged tents], Mohammed added.

Belal Abdullah, a supervisor in the northern part of the Dharwan camp, told Al-Monitor that UNICEF offered 80,000 Yemeni riyals (around $320) to the camps administration about one year ago, when OCHA stopped providing aid. A company affiliated with UNHCR also provided food vouchers, but not all IDPs got them.

Al-Monitor spoke with the companys communication officer, who said the delay was due to investigations into the names of the beneficiaries. He did not provide further details as he is not allowed to speak to the media.

I need fabric for the tents, clothes, mattresses and food, Mohammed said as four of his children sat bedside him wearing worn out clothes. I did not buy [them] new outfits for Eid, he added.

Muslims are encouraged to donate clothes during Ramadan to those in need, an act known as zakat al-fitr, so those less well-off can celebrate Eid al-Fitr, too.

Mohammed said that an organization, which he did not name, had provided the IDPs with donated clothes and money in the past. But this year, no one reached out to them, except for one trader who gave Mohammed and others some money, while another man has been coming to the camp before sunset every day for the past three weeks to hand out bread to the camps residents.

In the past few days, a man has donated 5,000 Yemeni riyals [$20] to each family in the camp. I [used it] to purchase 10 liters of cooking gas, Mohammed said.

Abdullah Ali Saleh, from Marib governorate, received the same amount of money. He told Al-Monitor that he didn't know how to spend the money, and it wasnt enough to buy clothes for his eight children.

The financial situation of IDPs has further worsened since late last year, when the World Food Program (WFP) accused the Houthi rebels of stealing food aid and threatened to suspend its operations. The Houthis denied the accusations.

On May 20, the disagreement between WFP and the Houthis escalated and WFP threatened to suspend the aid if no progress is made on previous promises that the Houthis would facilitate the work of aid organizations.

This phased suspension of WFP operations will be taken as a last resort and we will do everything within our powers to ensure that the weakest and most vulnerable  especially children  do not suffer, WFP said in its latest statement.

Abdul Malek al-Ejri, a member of the Houthi delegation to the UN-led peace talks, said well-informed sources from the Yemeni presidency claim the dispute between WFP and the Houthis revolves around Houthi accusations that the world body is distributing spoiled food. The Houthis also rejected WFP requests to take the fingerprints of beneficiaries, as they fear WFP will share them with third parties.

On May 22, Ejri wrote on Twitter, No foreign party has the right to take the fingerprint of citizens nor share their personal data with the countries of aggression, in reference to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which regularly offer donations to UN groups.

Mohammed said that he has not received any food baskets from WFP nor from any other aid agency for a while now. Along with his son Bander, 11, Mohammed collects plastic bottles and sells a full bag of them for $1 in the nearby Dharwan market.

Two of Mohammed's neighbors told Al-Monitor that he has not received food aid from WFP since 2015, blaming leaders of the camp that they had deceived Mohammed when they had told him not to register when the registration committee from the National Authority for the Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management  which is in charge of registering IDPs to receive aid from WFP  visited the camp in 2015.

Omar Ismail, one of the neighbors, said the leader of the camp back then told Mohammed that he would receive a card from the committee to receive food. But he never received any aid and the local leaders stole the food. WFP distributes aid through local organizations, and not directly.

Abdullah confirmed that about 70 families out of 320 families who take shelter in the camp have not received any kind of food aid from WFP since 2015. We have demanded the organization [unnamed] to register them, and we even traveled to Sanaa and held a protest in front of the organizations building  but to no avail, Abdullah said.

Saleh urged WFP not to suspend its aid because many depend on it.

What did we do to deserve this. Our only sin is that we are poor looking for something to eat, Saleh said. If they [WFP] have a disagreement with senior officials, why should we become the victims?"Five Alabama Media Group journalists were recognized for their work in the 2019 Green Eyeshade Awards, which were announced on Saturday.

The awards, presented by the Society of Professional Journalists, recognize journalistic excellence in 11 states.

Anna Claire Vollers and Amy Yurkanin received first place in consumer reporting in the all dailies category for their stories on sexual misconduct by Alabama doctors.

JD Crowe received second place for editorial cartoons in the newspapers category for his editorial cartoons.

Kyle Whitmire received second place for serious commentary in the all dailies category for his work on political culture and corruption in Alabama.

Connor Sheets received third place in the large dailies category for his stories on Alabamas Beach House sheriff.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel claimed the top honor in the Green Eyeshade Awards for its reporting in the aftermath of the mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school last year.

The Green Eyeshade Awards were established in 1950. They recognize the work of journalists in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.

The competition includes print, television, radio, and online work. Journalists and journalism educators from outside the contest area judge the work.A 65-year-old man died Saturday in a two-vehicle crash in Clarke County near Jackson, the Grove Hill post of the Alabama State Troopers reported.

Timothy N. Flinn of Gainstown was killed when the 1998 Toyota 4 Runner he was driving collided with a 1998 Honda Civic. Flinn was pronounced dead on the scene. The wreck happened at 4:45 p.m.

Antonio N. Hunt, 29, who was driving the Honda, was injured and was taken to University Hospital in Mobile.

State troopers are investigating the wreck, which happened on Walker Springs Road, four miles southwest of Jackson.An Auburn man died early Sunday in a crash with a tractor-trailer on Interstate 85 in Macon County, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency reported.

James Wilson Nunn, 56, was killed when the 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee he was driving was struck by a 2000 Sterling tractor-trailer. Nunn was pronounced dead at the scene. The tractor-trailer driver was not injured. The crash happened at 12:07 a.m. near the 23-mile marker, about a mile north of Shorter, according to a news release from Corporal Jess Thornton of the Alex City Highway Patrol Post.

Alabama State Troopers are investigating.Each year for the past decade, fresh Census figures have shown the same thing over and over: Alabamas overall growth sat stagnant, while Baldwin County surged.

And no Baldwin institution has felt the impact like the countys school system, the states third largest by enrollment, where administrators have grappled with overcrowded classrooms and tight resources.

This past session of the Legislature, state Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Daphne, offered what he described as very vanilla solution. He introduced a bill suggesting that the Baldwin schools be participants in local planning and zoning matters.

Its been the single largest issue in the county, Elliott said. It was something we tried to get our hands around  and this is one of the first things out of the gate I proposed, and no one liked it. The school system loved it. But it was a non-starter with the mayors.

Indeed, in a unified show of force, the countys 14 mayors opposed SB250. Their reasons varied from concerns about overstepping existing state law to a uncertainty about what Elliott was setting out to accomplish.

Another common concern: That the Legislature was encroaching on city turf. Such worries surfaced often in 2019 as mayors eyed a host of bills dealing with issues ranging from online sales tax distributions to the regulation of plastic bags.

Every time we turned around this particular legislative session, it seemed there was a bill in place to take authority away from the city, which it already had, and put it into another government agency, said Spanish Fort Mayor Mike McMillan. All we want is local rule so we can handle ourselves.

Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said, We dont need the state of Alabama running our cities and making local decisions. We dont need to involve another outside entity in decision-making.

Mayoral opposition

The ill-fated SB250, dubbed the developers bill, was a Baldwin-only plan that would have required developers petitioning for a multi-family housing project of more than 100 units or a subdivision of more than 100 lots to provide the Baldwin County or Gulf Shores school superintendents with the following:

A copy of map or plat of the proposed subdivision.

Phases, units and lots of a proposed development.

Estimated number of school-age children.

Specifications and sizes of units or homes to be developed.

The superintendent, in turn, would have 30 days to comment on the developments impact to the schools via a letter written to either the city planning commission or county commission.

The commissions would then weigh the superintendents letter in its decision-making process. SB250 didnt mandate that commissions quash a project if the school superintendent objected.

Elliott said he believes the bill gave cities more, not less, authority to govern and oversee quality-of-life standards within their communities.

And to prevent overcrowding in our school systems, said Elliott. Who wouldnt want that?

The mayors, though, said the bill went too far. According to a May 9 letter, signed by all of the countys mayors, theyd had no involvement in the bills introduction, nor had they been consulted as the Senate considered it.

Also, according to Robertsdale Mayor Charles Murphy, there were concerns about legal consequences.

He said state law provides 30 days for a planning commission to approve or reject a project. A commission, he said, wouldnt have the power to table a housing development for additional 30 days in order to listen to a school systems objections.

If it wouldve passed, we would not have been able to meet the timeframes allowed by the state, said Murphy.

Murphy wondered why Elliott didnt seek the mayors opinions before filing the bill in early April.

Elliott was elected to the Senate seat representing much of Baldwin County in November, and the 2019 session was his first. Prior to that, he pointed out, he served on the Baldwin County Commission, where school crowding and rapid development were constantly at the forefront of discussion.

They were included in the conversation, Elliott said of the mayors, adding that a couple of the mayors supplied him with feedback.

Its a no-brainer that growth in Baldwin County is the single largest issue facing local leaders, he said. As a former local leader, I knew the importance of having the tools in dealing with growth issues. This was providing the tools for the local leaders.

Other mayors had their own reasons to oppose SB250. Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson argued that the county should seek the right to assess impact fees on developers to help fund municipal services and schools.

Impact fees have been an opportunity for our county to impose for a very long time, they just havent chosen to do so, said Wilson in an email. If the county imposed impact fees, it would only be charged in areas experiencing high growth, not the entire county. And in doing so, it would allow municipalities already imposing a fee in their corporate limits to include schools within its fee. Fairhope is one of these cities.

Elliott also said he felt most of the developers in Baldwin County were supportive of the bill.

But one of his longtime former colleagues on the Baldwin County Commission said there were plenty of doubts within the development community.

We want to be good partners, but the development community is not willing to give (the schools) approval authority, said Tucker Dorsey, who served on the Baldwin County Commission with Elliott until last year. Dorsey is also a real estate development executive in Baldwin County, who said he was not involved in any discussions with the mayors ahead of their submittal of the May 9 letter opposing SB250. Dorsey said improved communication between developers and schools would be a better approach.

Communication concerns

Alabama State Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Daphne, attends the Baldwin County Commission's organizational meeting on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, in Bay Minette, Ala. Elliott was the sponsor of SB250, which would have allowed schools to be included in the planning commission process whenever large developments surfaced. (file photo).

John Wilson, the CFO for the Baldwin County School System, agreed that better communication would serve all parties. If the school system gets blindsided by new subdivision projects, it can be placed in the position of having to redraw school zones, an undertaking that can be highly upsetting to families.

Hopefully, everyone will understand the situation we are in, said Wilson. We definitely do not like (rezoning). We hate it. Hopefully, with better communication and planning, we can come to a solution without displacing families.

Wilson said hes seen some improvements already and credited Elliotts bill for helping generate awareness about the situation.

There are some municipalities doing a much better job than others, he said. Its too early to tell if this bill has maybe prompted different parties to come to the table  I guess time will tell on that.

But there are some troubling signs, both Wilson and Elliott said. A new 360-lot subdivision in unincorporated Baldwin County was approved by a local planning group without the schools knowledge, Wilson said. The project will be built near a $20 million K-6 Belforest Elementary School set to open in fall 2020, but no one knew it was coming when the schools attendance zone was mapped out.

The county school system is overseeing construction projects throughout the county, and is mapping out where the growth will be occurring in order to prepare where the future students will go.

I used to sit in that (county commission) chair and get frustrated because we can deal with things on a projects lot-width-depth ratio, but we cant on whether there is enough capacity in our schools, Elliott said.

Elliotts bill was inspired by a 2017 dustup in Daphne in which Baldwin schools were startled to learn of the city planning commissions approval of a 900-lot subdivision along Alabama State Route 181.

Wilson was among the school administrators who showed up before the Daphne City Council that year and made a plea: Include us in the development talks.

None of us were aware of that development at all, said Wilson. We did an extensive amount of planning and  someone drops a 300-500 (home) neighborhood, and there is no communication. Its very frustrating on the school systems part and puts us in a difficult situation.A running gun battle between two suspects and Birmingham police on Interstate 20/59 left a man dead and his female friend wounded.

Birmingham police officers tried to conduct a traffic stop at 11:29 p.m. Saturday on Avenue I at 21st Street in Ensley. The driver refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued. Birmingham police spokesman Officer Rod Mauldin said it wasnt immediately clear if the male or female was driving.

The chase traveled along I-20/59 southbound, with one of the suspects firing at police and officers returning fire. A radio call of an officer needing all possible assistance was broadcast citywide, and officers from all four precincts, as well as Hueytown police, responded to the scene.

The driver exited the interstate on 19th Street in Hueytown, traveling along Hueytown Road. The chase then turned right onto Allison-Bonnett Memorial Parkway, where some kind of crash occurred.

Mauldin said shots were exchanged again, and both suspects struck. The male was pronounced dead on the scene by Hueytown Fire and Rescue Service. The female was taken to UAB Hospital. The extent of her injuries wasnt immediately known.

Family members of the male said the female - a longtime family friend - called them during the chase. His brother, sister and mother rushed to the scene.

Mauldin said an officer was also taken to the hospital with a knee injury.

The State Bureau of Investigation is taking over the scene, which is routine for all officer involved shootings.

The Saturday night shooting marks the third time in a week Birmingham police have been involved in shooting incidents.

On Sunday, June 9, a suspect in an armed robbery was shot by West Precinct officers. The holdup happened just before 8 p.m. at the Family Dollar on Tuscaloosa Avenue. Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith said officers investigating the robbery were able to get a description of the suspect.

A short time later, they found a man matching the suspects description at 13th Street and McMillan Avenue. The chief said a struggle erupted between the man and an officer, and the officer shot the suspect twice.

The suspect was taken to UAB Hospital. Smith said there was evidence at the shooting scene linking the wounded man to the Family Dollar robbery.

On Monday night, police exchanged gunfire with a suspect who was able to elude them, sparking an all-night manhunt in eastern Jefferson County. That incident began just before 10 p.m. on Georgia Road when officers spotted someone driving at a high rate of speed.

The officers tried to pull over the motorist, but he did not comply and the chase was on. It was during the portion of that pursuit that police said the suspect fired more than a dozen shots at the officers. No one was injured and the suspect was captured short before 9 a.m. the following day.ComebackTown is published by David Sher for a more prosperous greater Birmingham.

David Sher is past Chairman of Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), ONB (REV Birmingham), and City Action Partnership (CAP)

Lets turn Birmingham around. Click here to sign up for newsletter. Theres power in numbers. (Opt out at any time)

Im sick and tired of some people saying how bad Birmingham is.

I love our Birmingham region!

I constantly meet folks, who move here kicking and screaming, but later refuse out of state job opportunities and retire here.

Birmingham retains its small town values and has a strong sense of community.

Quality of Life

I recently had a chance conversation with a young man who Id never met.

He was born in Guam and his parents still live there.

Hes in the militarystationed in Birmingham.

Because of his military servicehes lived in a lot of great placeslike Hawaii.

He and his wife just had a baby.

When he leaves the military in eight years, he plans to make Birmingham home.

I asked, Why Birmingham? and he replied, The people here are the most generous and hospitable Ive ever met.

Birmingham transplants recognize the value of our citywhile we natives tend to take our blessings for granted.

When you need help

We hear stories about people falling down in the street in a big impersonal city and bystanders walking right over them.

That would never happen in Birmingham.

When you have a flat tire, are in an accident, or have some other misfortunecomplete strangers by the dozens come to your rescue.

Over my lifetime Ive found myself in difficult situations and have always been overwhelmed with the generosity and support of others. Its our small town Southern way.

Our generosity is legendary.

Our United Way is ranked 4th in the nation in number of donors who contribute $10,000 a year or more. Thats more donors than much larger cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Our United Way raises more than $38 million annually.

As a United Way employee told me, Our community is truly what we might call a brothers keepers community. We are not content to sit by and watch others fail.

When you are ill

My wife was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer in 2000. Shes doing fine now, but we believe she would not have survived if we didnt live in Birmingham.

The ONeal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB is the only National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer center in a four state area. I often hear stories of cancer patients who travel to one of the more well-known cancer centers only to be sent back to UAB for care.

And when my wife checked into Kirklin Clinic for chemo or other treatments, clerks were often surprised that she was from Birmingham since many patients travel hundreds of miles or more.

Ten medical specialties at UAB Hospital are ranked in the top 50 in the nation, according to the 2017-2018 Best Hospitals ranking from U.S. News & World Report. UAB topped several peer institutions, including Vanderbilt University, University of North Carolina and Emory University.

You dont want to get sickbut Birmingham is the place to be when you do.

Beautiful

Almost every day I drive down the mountain on Highway 31 from Vestavia Hills towards Homewood and Im awestruck by the magnificent scenery below.

Visitors and newcomers to Birmingham are universally surprised by Birminghams beautymountains and greeneryand the most dazzling autumns and springs.

Great place to raise a family

The Birmingham region has many great suburbs with excellent schools and an unequaled quality of life.

Some folks are going to point to the shortcomings of the Birmingham School Systemand that is a problem. But Birmingham City Schools have only about 23,000 students. This compares to poorly rated school systems in Nashville with 82,000 students or Jacksonville (Duval County Florida) with 128,000 students.

Many families in our region are able to give their children a high quality education without the added expense of a private school.

The 20 minute city

One of the biggest negatives to quality of life is to live in a city where you spend a disproportionate amount of time sitting and stewing in traffic.

We have family in Atlanta. We often travel to see them on weekends, a time when youd expect little traffic, but that is not always the case. The traffic can sometimes be suffocating.

Birmingham has the reputation of being a 20 minute city. You can get just about anywhere within 20 minutes.

Affordable

I live like a king in Birmingham! Thats what a friend told me who just moved here from California. He said he could live in a mansion compared to his previous small cramped house.

According to the Birmingham Business Alliance, Metropolitan Birmingham has leading public schools, nationally recognized museums and restaurants, all at a cost that is about 90 percent of the average national cost of living.

Many embarrassing rankings for Birmingham are nonsense

Birmingham seems to be near the top of some really nasty lists: high crime, oppressive poverty, and poor education.

But its unfair to compare the urban City of Birmingham excluding its wealthier suburbs like Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills to cities with one county/city government like Nashville, Jacksonville, or Louisville where the richer suburbs are included in the totals.

Birmingham compares very well when you match metropolitan Birmingham (not just the city) to other metropolitan areas.

Pay it forward

Recently I took my granddaughter through the drive through at Chick fil A in Hoover. The car in front ours paid for our meal. That is so typical Birmingham.

Quality of life

Generous and caring people

State of the art healthcare

Beautiful

Great place to raise a family

Easy to get around

Affordable

When you evaluate the attributes that really count, our Birmingham region may be the most livable in America.Xem them

...

Tin bai cuoi cung

Khong con du lieu e loadMore than two years on, many of Indias poor are still dealing with the effects of PM Narendra Modis financial reforms.

New Delhi, India  It was nearly midday on a recent morning, and Anil Pradhan was tending to his stall in what was once a busy vegetable market on the outskirts of Indias capital, New Delhi, wondering whether he should pack up for the day. He hadnt made a sale in hours.

The 55-year-old vendors small business survived Prime Minister Narendra Modis move to ban large denomination currency notes in 2016 and the imposition of a goods and services tax (GST) the following year. But he and his fellow traders are hardly thriving.

Ever since demonetisation, business has been so bad that half the vendors in the market have shut shop, Pradhan told Al Jazeera. This market hardly gets customer traffic after 11am these days. Having made money from this small business for the past 35 years, I may have to shut down, too.

Pradhan is one of the millions of people in India who work without a formal employment contract, making up the so-called informal economy. The International Labour Organization estimates that more than eight out of 10 people who are not employed in agriculture work in the informal economy.

Analysts say Modis financial reforms hit people in the informal sector  who are also among Indias poorest  particularly hard. Ironically, the poor were also among his main campaign targets in the countrys recent general elections, which his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won decisively.

Most commentators failed to notice that the BJP and the Indian bureaucracy almost flawlessly delivered on a number of initiatives that make the life of the poor and vulnerable better, Kunjal Gala, co-portfolio manager at Hermes Investment Management, said in a research note.

Some of those initiatives included universal access to bank accounts, the provision of cooking gas and sanitation facilities, and rural electrification programmes.

Supporters of demonetisation and the GST say the reforms are helping to reduce corruption and will benefit the economy in the long term.

No silver lining

But try telling that to businesspeople like Mujeeb Rahman, the 47-year-old owner of a plywood factory in the town of Perumbavoor in the southern state of Kerala, about 3,000km from New Delhi. He says he sees no silver lining on the horizon.

The small businesses here are in shambles and struggling to stay afloat, Rehman told Al Jazeera.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a second term after elections last month despite botched financial reforms [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]

The first blow was dealt by the demonetisation cash crunch that jolted the construction sector, the biggest customer for my business. But the death knell was driven by the Goods and Services Tax, which crippled all construction activities in the region. My revenue has halved over the past two years, and the foreseeable future looks hopeless, he said.

Modis government surprised India and the rest of the world on November 8, 2016, when it announced that 500-rupee ($7.2) and 1,000-rupee ($14.3) notes would no longer be legal tender. More than $206bn worth of cash was effectively removed from circulation, or about 86 percent of the total. Authorities eventually replaced the older notes with new ones, but their production and distribution were slow, resulting in a cash squeeze and chaos.

A more tax-compliant society

Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in a Facebook post on October 1, 2016 that The object of the scheme was to try and make India a more tax compliant society. Tax compliance leads to higher revenues, reduction of budget deficits and money collected is spent on infrastructure, social-sector and the rural areas. This benefits Indias poor.

But the governments latest budget projects that its deficit will increase both in actual monetary terms and as a percentage of the size of the Indian economy.

And just as Indians were recovering from demonetisation, the government implemented the GST in July 2017, something that Gautam Chikermane, an economist and vice president of the Observer Research Foundation, an economic think-tank, describes as the most ambitious but one of the most complex tax reforms in history.

Small businesses appear to have been adversely affected by the taxes in a disproportionate way.

According to a study by the Reserve Bank of India, the central bank, the introduction of the GST has resulted in higher operating costs for most small and medium-sized firms and the informal sector, including farm workers and mom-and-pop store owners. And this has prevented them from achieving their full potential.

A very large part of the informal sector depends on cash transactions for sustenance, said Mahesh Vyas, managing director of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), a research firm.

With demonetisation and the subsequent GST sucking out a very large amount of cash from the economy, almost everyone in the informal sector was severely harmed because the business was disrupted and the entire supply chain was derailed, Vyas told Al Jazeera.

He estimates that about 12 million people were immediately affected by the note ban, and that even after the introduction of the replacement notes, 3.3 million people permanently lost their livelihoods.

Vyas says small businesses were even more adversely affected by the GST.

According to the CMIE, 10 million people lost their jobs in 2018 out of a workforce of more than 400 million people nationwide.

Large-scale unemployment

Jimmy Pauli Malaikal, the owner of a Mumbai-based small-scale chemicals maker and an official of the Chamber of Small Industries Association, which represents more than 25,000 businesses across India, says Modis financial reforms have resulted in large-scale unemployment.

About 30 percent of the associations members have shut shop and almost every day on its message board, the association finds inserts from members seeking to either sell or rent out their businesses, he told Al Jazeera.

Indias unemployment rate stood at 3.5 percent or at 18.3 million as of 2017. After initially denying a leaked confidential report showing that unemployment was at a 45-year high of 6.1 percent between July 2017 and June 2018, the government confirmed the figure last month.

Internal migrants have suffered after demonetisation due to difficulties with remitting money home [File: Arko Datta/Reuters]

Another group that has been hurt by demonetisation is Indias internal migrant labour force. According to the Census of India 2011 report, 139 million people in the country leave their homes to find work elsewhere every year.

People such as Mohammed Ismail, a day labourer in southern Kerala who migrated from the northeastern state of Jharkhand, rely on the centuries-old money transfer system known as hawala. They hand cash to an operator who then instructs a similar operator in the recipients hometown to give the same amount of money to the beneficiary, minus charges. Such remittances take place outside the formal banking system, are illegal in India and rely heavily on trust.

Ismail says demonetisation has forced him to use the banks instead.

To send money home, I have to either take off from work and miss a days pay, or request someone else to deposit money in the bank, which is not easy, because banking hours conflict with my work hours, he told Al Jazeera.

Benoy Peter, executive director of the Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development, a non-profit organisation that advocates for migrant labourers, says demonetisation has deepened their financial exclusion woes.

Demonetisation has almost choked the hawala system of transferring money, and in the absence of easy access to after-hours and official money transfer systems, it has become almost impossible for a migrant labourer to transfer money back home in the rural interior, Peter said.

But some observers say the governments policies will pay off in the end.

The Observer Research Foundations Chikermane says most new policies with the exception of tax cuts are bound to hurt at least some people in the short term.

While no government in [the] future will ever attempt demonetisation because this episode has revealed that the political backlash could be severe, GST is one of the most complex laws the country has ever initiated. Consequently, it is impossible to evade taxes and, following the changes, the country is far better off now, he told Al Jazeera.Jenny fled the DRC and now runs an activist network from the UK, using free wifi at the library and 24-hour McDonalds.

To mark World Refugee Day on June 20, and Refugee Week in the UK from June 17 to 23, Al Jazeera is profiling five refugees who are based in England. This is Jennys story.

London, England  He needed a suit to wear to an important interview with a journalist but, as a homeless man, that was going to be a challenge  especially considering hes roughly the size of a phone box.

His name is Jenny Dakosta Van Mputu, he hails from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and hes currently seeking asylum in the UK.

The Salvation Army came to Jennys aid, and he arrived at the interview in a black suit and tie.

Jenny is homeless because the UK government cut off his funding some six years ago and has forbidden him to work. So he spends his days at the library using their internet, and evenings at the 24-hour McDonalds, using theirs.

From his precarious office spaces, he manages an activist network of 65 Congolese activists who pass along documentation of human rights abuses in his country.

By his side is his precious laptop, which he takes everywhere he goes and uses to document the abuses, collecting hundreds of photos of rapes, murders, and torture.

I collect all stories, testimony, evidence. Im going to introduce procedure to the International Court of Justice.

One of these videos showed an enemy of the state being disembowelled while still alive.

Jenny himself is no stranger to violence.

His father died when he was five and his mother became the sole breadwinner, feeding three sons and her extended family.

A devout Christian, she did not want to remarry, but according to Congolese custom, her husbands younger brother claimed his right to marry her.

I fought injustice like Nelson Mandela fought apartheid. I was born in a country under a dictator, the biggest dictator in the world. Jenny Dakosta Van Mputu, Congolese refugee

When Jennys mother refused, he beat her and cast her and the children out into the street. She did not survive. At 14, the boy took on the role of caring for his two younger brothers.

Jenny dropped out of school and began working in the market, using what little spare time he had to teach himself politics and law.

I was an afternoon activist with friends and politicians, to build a strategy, to change a country. That was my life. I fought injustice like Nelson Mandela fought apartheid. I was born in a country under a dictator, the biggest dictator in the world.

President Mobutu spent 32 years in power. No law, no constitution, no parliament, no government, nothing. I was young, but I read a lot. I saw the way occidental countries had freedom and people protest. I joined a political group, Movement for the Liberation of the Congo.

Congolese protest against President Kabilas refusal to step down from power in Kinshasa, DRC, on December 31, 2017. Security forces shot dead at least two men outside a church while dispersing demonstrators [File: John Bompengo/The Associated Press]

One of his friends was enrolled in law school and shared his notes with Jenny, whose dream was to become a defence lawyer.

There are more than one million people that went to prison for nothing, he said. And if you have money, you can kill someone, and nobody touch you.

In the DRC, political demonstrations have been met with violent responses from government forces. Protesters frequently attempt to escape but are not always successful. Jenny was arrested over 20 times.

After a rally against then-President Joseph Kabila in 2006, Jenny had to go into hiding as police searched for him door to door. His cohorts had been arrested, and he felt certain that if he was caught, his life would be in danger.

He sought assistance from a British Anglican priest he had known for years. The pastor agreed to help him escape by securing a false passport and buying a plane ticket.

The pastor recommended Belgium as a natural destination since Jenny spoke French, but he declined.

The DRC had been a Belgian colony and Jenny didnt trust their security to not be in cahoots with the government he was trying to escape.

As part of his autodidactic political education, Jenny had studied British politics and found that Congolese politics suffered by comparison.

On BBC News or Parliament TV, I see the prime minister asking the MPs questions. But in my country, for 20 years the president, prime minister, ministers  they dont give any answer how they run the country, nobody controls them. They just took everything, and people died.

Jenny arrived at Heathrow in 2006 with false papers and little else. He spoke no English and had no friends, no housing, and no money. But he had his life  more than he wouldve had if hed remained in Kinshasa for another week.

At the London airport, he told Border Control in French that he was an asylum seeker and they led him to a room where he waited for six hours for an interview.

After midnight, an officer came to him with an interpreter and the interrogation began.

He say to me, You speak French, why you not go to France? Why you not go to Belgium? Why you come in England? Why only our country? You guys, you come too much in our country. Only for food, for house, for benefits. Im going to send you back to the Congo.'

Jenny knew the ANR, the Congolese intelligence agency, would be waiting for him at the airport and would kill him straight away.

A devout Catholic, Jenny believes what happened next was divine intervention.

His interlocutor had to go to a meeting. The frightened asylum seeker waited hours and hours for his return, but instead, a kind female officer walked in who apologised for her colleagues behaviour, and  after 34 hours of stress  told Jenny he would be allowed to stay in the United Kingdom.

She issued him an ID and he was transported to Walsall, outside Birmingham, where he was placed in a shared house with three other African asylum seekers.

The process of receiving refugee status that would give Jenny legal standing to remain, and the right to work in the UK, had begun.

He immediately filed the papers supplied to him by the Home Office, complete with pictures, biometrics, and fingerprints.

He has been waiting for the verdict for 12 years.

Jenny Dakosta is an exceptional character with such an unbelievable burden for the deprived ones, relentlessly fighting for greater social justice despite his current challenging circumstances. Jean-Claude Kayumba, activist

In 2014, after eight years of waiting, a friend helped him write to then-Prime Minister David Cameron, who contacted the Home Office on Jennys behalf.

Al Jazeera has seen a document from the Home Office confirming receipt of Camerons letter, and that their records show additional submissions made by Jenny in February 2009. They assure the applicant that they will contact him if they require further information.

Since then, Jenny has waited an additional four and a half years for a verdict, something he finds unjust considering he is part of a legacy group that arrived before March 5, 2007, and was guaranteed refugee status.

In 2018, MP Imran Hussain also contacted the Home Office requesting an explanation for the lengthy delay in resolving Jennys case.

On September 25, 2018, the agency called him in for an interview. At last, he hoped, his wait had come to an end.

While preparing for his interview with the Home Office, he looked forward to being able to work at last and fulfil his dream of attending law school.

Hes proud that his 21-year-old son is studying law in the DRC. The boy was nine years old when his father escaped, and he hasnt seen him since.

But the Home Office denied Jennys last application and told him he must leave the UK in three months.

Exhausted and defeated, he waited to be deported. After five months, he contacted the agency to see what was happening; he told them he was ready to go voluntarily.

They said your country is not safe. We are not going to send you there. We wont let you go back.

At least on this much, everyone is in agreement.

His lawyer Joseph Baguley said: Jenny is very active in exposing human rights abuses in the DRC. It is our belief that his political activities in the UK would place him at real risk of persecution if he were returned to the DRC and so we will be arguing that he should be granted refugee status in the UK.

Yet while he has been denied permission to leave, Jenny has not been granted permission to remain.

He has a new appointment scheduled with the Home Office in Liverpool for July 30, which he hopes will end his 12 years of political limbo.

Jenny Dakosta is an exceptional character with such an unbelievable burden for the deprived ones, said his Congolese compatriot and fellow activist, Jean-Claude Kayumba, relentlessly fighting for greater social justice, despite his current challenging circumstances.Sudans internet blackout has gained global attention, but it is not unique. Shutdowns are on the rise around the world.

For almost a week, Sudan has been almost completely cut off from the internet. It started slowly, with a series of intermittent disruptions during months of protests against former President Omar al-Bashirs 30-year rule.

Al-Bashir was toppled in April, but the protests did not end and demonstrators began demanding that the Transitional Military Council (TMC) cede power to a civlian-led government.

On June 3, as security forces violently dispersed a protest camp in the capital, Khartoum, all mobile access to the internet was cut.

190603091106565

A week later, after reports of killings, rapes and other abuses began to emerge, landline access was also shut down, severing the flow of information from Sudan to the outside world.

The situation is alarming, but not unique.

As more and more people rely on the internet for everything from communication to banking, authorities around the world are increasingly switching it off.

Here, Al Jazeera explains how and why blackouts happen and the crippling effects they can have.

What is an internet blackout?

A blackout happens when a countrys access to the internet is completely cut, preventing people from getting online.

Cyberattacks or damage to the undersea cables that carry telecommunications signals can cause this to happen, but the most common reason is that authorities choose to turn off access.

Deliberate internet blackouts by authorities have been recorded as far back as 2005, but the practice became more widely-known after Egypts week-long government-imposed blackout during its 2011 uprising.

Why do authorities shut down the internet?

In countries where traditional media is tightly controlled, the free flow of information online can be seen as a threat to authorities.

Limiting or completely blocking access is one tool they can use to control both citizens and the narrative around an event.

180128202743672

Authorities use national security and public interest concerns to justify the blackouts, which often occur in times of panic or potential instability.

Social media was temporarily blocked in Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday bombings to prevent the spread of rumours, while internet access has been disrupted in a slew of African countries during recent elections in attempts to limit the influence of social media on the polls.

However, according to Alp Toker, executive director of Netblocks, an NGO monitoring internet censorship, these justifications can sometimes mask more sinister aims.

Weve seen that shutdowns are used to cover up incidents that are embarrassing. [They] are used to cover up violations of human rights, including alleged reports of killings, he said.

Critics of internet censorship also note the frequent overlap between blackouts and anti-government protests as evidence that blocks are being used to silence dissent and make it difficult for citizens to organise large protests.

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Authorities have also imposed blackouts during nation-wide exams in Iraq and Algeria, as well as Ethiopia, where the internet was blocked for four days this week.

In some cases, these have been justified as a necessary measure to prevent students from cheating, while in others, authorities simply did not acknowledge the blackout.

How is it done?

To disrupt the internet, authorities must order internet service providers (ISPs) to limit access for their subscribers.

Toker told Al Jazeera that while some ISPs  which are often state-owned  readily comply with these orders, others have reportedly been held at gunpoint and forced to switch off the internet.

These orders are often made in secret and carried out by ISPs on an individual basis, meaning companies can sometimes choose which kind of filter to apply.

Aside from a total blackout, content blocks and bandwidth throttling can be used to to limit internet access.

China regularly imposes blocks during anniversaries of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests [File: Andrew Wong/Reuters]

In a content block, access to certain websites or apps is cut. This is frequently used to shut down social media, but has also been applied to news sites and other sources of information like Wikipedia.

China recently tightened its online restrictions ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests in early June by blocking access to the sites of international news organisations including CNN and Reuters.

180603134803816

Bandwidth throttling is a more subtle approach, in which signals are made so weak and connections so low that the internet is effectively unusable.

People will generally blame their own connection, Toker said. Its quite difficult to take that leap and realise its also the rest of their street, its also their city, its their country. This means that throttling and partial restrictions on services can be used to cover up mass censorship.

Content blocks and bandwidth throttling often come before a total internet blackout.

Can people get around it?

The most popular way to bypass restrictions is with a virtual private network (VPN, which masks a users location, making it seem as though they are in another country and so evading blocks on specific sites.

Authorities can block VPNs but backlash from foreign diplomats and companies that use them means this rarely happens.

In a total blackout, however, accessing the internet is almost impossible.

What are the consequences of blackouts?

The fallout from an internet blackout can be catastrophic and far-reaching as peoples daily lives become ever more entwined with the online world.

Blackouts make it harder for protesters to organise rallies and voice dissent [File: AP Photo]

Political  The most obvious impacts are political. Stemming the flow of information in and out of a country can throw reports of atrocities into doubt, making it difficult to mobilise the international community.

In Sudan, the blackout has hampered efforts by rights groups and journalists to verify the death toll following the June 3 crackdown or subsequent reports of human rights abuses.

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Without access to social media, protesters cannot easily organise mass rallies or voice their dissent. However sometimes, blackouts can have the opposite effect and actually draw attention to the very issues they were put in place to smother.

In the case of Sudan, the countrys large diaspora took to social media to slam the blackout and support protesters. Their messages have been picked up by celebrities, including model Halima Aden, and international rights groups, putting the crisis in Sudan in the spotlight.

Economic  Internet blackouts can do severe damage to a countrys economy by limiting peoples access to banking and preventing businesses from contacting each other.

Dawit Bekele, Africa bureau director at the Internet Society, an NGO focused on internet policy, blackouts also deter much-needed investment.

170924070418130

Investors need the internet to come to a country, when they see that a government is shutting down the internet, they think twice before going there, he told Al Jazeera.

Netblocks estimated that the four-day shutdown in Ethiopia last week cost the country $17m, while a 2016 report by the Brookings Institution, a think-tank, said the global economy lost $2.4bn through internet shutdowns between 2015 and 2016.

Social  Disruption to the internet can wreak havoc on peoples daily lives and even be a matter of life and death.

Weve tracked cases where women have miscarried because the couldnt get to hospital on time during shutdowns, Toker said.

Weve spoken with people who have lost friends and family and they still arent able to get in touch because of the pandemonium these acts of censorship have caused.

Transportation is affected during a blackout, making it difficult for people to get to hospital [File: Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters]

Human Rights Watch reported this week that under the blackout, Sudanese people were unable to get updates about roadblocks or makeshift medical centres, putting lives at risk.

Bekele told Al Jazeera that, during an internet blackout in his own country, Ethiopia, he was unable to bring important medicine into the country for a friend because he could not make contact with him to find out the prescription.

Im sure there are thousands of these types of situations because today we depend on the internet for our daily lives, Bekele said.

Is there an end in sight?

Despite the damage they cause and a patchy success rate, internet blackouts show no signs of losing popularity.

The United Nations declared internet access a human right in 2016, but while the UN can send monitors to countries and raise awareness of internet restrictions, the body has little power to prevent authorities from imposing blackouts.

Last year, there were 188 shutdowns, according to Access Now, a monitoring group, up from 108 in 2017 and 75 in 2016.

It does seem theres a contagion, Toker said. Countries learn from each other and once they see that one neighbour gets away with it, countries try to do the same thing.EU joins warning call as Muslims, activists and politicians report rising arrests in Sri Lanka and police bullying.

Hasalaka, Sri Lanka  On May 17, police in central Sri Lanka arrested Abdul Raheem Mazahina, a soft-spoken 47-year-old grandmother, because of the pattern on her dress.

The dresss motifs look like ship wheels, but police told Mazahina, a Muslim, they were arresting her because the pattern resembled the dharmachakra, a Buddhist symbol.

Mazahina, who has asthma and hypertension, had worn the dress many times before and no one had taken notice.

If it was a dharmachakra, someone would have pointed it out to me, she said.

Sri Lankas Department of Buddhist Religious Affairs later told authorities that they were unable to determine whether the symbol on the dress was in fact a dharmachakra.

Police in Hasalaka  which lies 130km east of Sri Lankas capital Colombo  charged Mazahina under a hate speech law, as well as another law that prohibits insulting religions with the malicious intention of outraging religious feelings, said her lawyer Fathima Nushra Zarook.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told Al Jazeera Mazahina is one of 2,289 people  including 1,820 Muslims  who were arrested in connection to the Easter bombings or related incidents, though he confirmed that the charges against Mazahina only pertain to her dress.

Over 250 people died and 500 were wounded on April 21 in a coordinated series of bombings on churches and luxury hotels across the country. the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

While 1,655 of those arrested have been released on bail, 634 are still in custody, either because they have been remanded or they are under investigation, Gunasekara said.

Of the 423 who have been remanded, 358 are Muslims.

Banners outside Zion Church in Batticaloa, which was bombed, commemorating the victims who died during the Easter attacks [File: Lisa Fuller/Al Jazeera]

At the police station, the officer in charge made me remove my headscarf and put on the dress while other officers took photographs of me, Mazahina said, fighting back tears.

During the 17 days that she spent behind bars, guards repeatedly referred to Mazahina as a terrorist, she said.

On June 3, a magistrate court released Mazahina on bail, but she has to return to court in November. If convicted, she could face up to two years in prison.

EU deeply concerned

Three quarters of Sri Lankas population is Buddhist, while less than 10 percent are Muslim. Hindus and Christians make up the remainder of the population.

Mazahinas blood pressure increased while she was in prison and she has been ill since returning home. Her husband, Munaf, took leave from his job as a day labourer to care for her. As a result, the family has no source of income.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), a government body, has received several complaints regarding arbitrary arrests of Muslims, according to its chairperson Deepika Udugama.

We are deeply concerned and will write to the acting inspector general of police  with examples of such arrests and the recommendations, she said.

In a 2017 report, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions said it identified systemic problems within [Sri Lankas] criminal justice system which placed defendants at a high risk of arbitrary detention.

However, before the Easter attacks, arbitrary detentions targeted ethnic Tamils, who are Hindu and Christian.

Sri Lanka fought a 26-year-long civil war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who fought for an independent Tamil homeland.

When asked if police had any concerns about arbitrary arrests of Muslims, police spokesperson Gunasekara said: How can I say this? If anyone has an objection, they can complain to police headquarters or the HRCSL.

He claimed that the police headquarters had yet to receive any such complaints.

On Wednesday, the European Union issued a statement saying that they are deeply concerned by the political and religious pressure being directed at Sri Lankas Muslim community which is undermining peace and reconciliation in the country.

It is true that the perpetrators of the April 21 bombings were from our community, but from the first day onwards, the Muslim community have assisted the Tri-Forces in rooting out these individuals, yet we have also suffered immensely during this process. Rauff Hakeem, Muslim politician in Sri Lanka

Jezima (not her real name), 58, told Al Jazeera that police in Badulla district refused to let her file a complaint after her husband went missing in police custody.

Police asked Jezimas husband to report to a police station to explain why he had two passports.

Jezima said she was not concerned because there was a simple reason for the passports: one was expired and one was current.

But her husband never came back from the police station and police refused to give Jezima his whereabouts.

After searching for 12 days, Jezima sought help from HRCSL, which tracked her husband to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo.

The CID assured Jezima it would release her husband by June 3. But over a week later, he was yet to come home.

Al Jazeera also spoke to 20-year-old Aslam Rizwi, who had been detained for possessing a damaged SD memory card, and his neighbour 19-year-old Abdul Arees, who was arrested for having footage of the Easter bombings on his phone which he had received on a WhatsApp group.

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem, who resigned from his ministerial portfolio last week citing the governments failure to protect Muslims, said that they were being harassed and detained for trivial reasons.

It is true that the perpetrators of the April 21 bombings were from our community, but from the first day onwards, the Muslim community have assisted the Tri-Forces in rooting out these individuals, yet we have also suffered immensely during this process, he said.

The crackdown has been particularly severe in Kattankudy, the east coast hometown of the alleged mastermind of the Easter attacks, Zaharan Hashim.

Everyone is afraid. So many innocent people have been arrested, said a university lecturer in Kattankudy, who asked not to be named. People call the police on us if they think we look suspicious, he said.

Zion Church in Batticaloa was bombed during the April 21 Easter attacks and is close to the hometown of the alleged mastermind [Lisa Fuller/Al Jazeera]

The All Ceylon Jammiathul Ulema, an organisation advocating for Muslims civil rights in Sri Lanka, is testifying before the Parliament Select Committee, which is investigating the Easter attacks.

Mufti Rizvi, who leads the organisation, appealed to the committee to take immediate action on increasing reports of arbitrary detentions.

An elderly man was arrested for having a Quranic verse, a poor woman was arrested for wearing a dress which had the pattern of a ships wheel and a pregnant lady was arrested for wanting to vomit, he said. How can you expect de-radicalisation to happen in the country if this continues?Last month Al Jazeera Media Network suspended two journalists over a video that downplayed and misrepresented the Holocaust. The short clip, which was published by AJ+ Arabic, was taken down after the network said in a statement that it had contravened its editorial standards.

In an email to staff, Yaser Bishr, executive director of Al Jazeeras digital division, announced that there will be a mandatory bias and sensitivity training programme. Given the resurgence of anti-Semitism, it is indeed important to scrutinise coverage of the Jewish Holocaust and be vigilant.

In this sense, it is commendable that the Doha-based network has taken action. But when it comes to crimes committed by European powers, Al Jazeera is by far not the only one that should be undergoing sensitivity training.

Whether it is the transatlantic slave trade, the genocide of native populations in the Americas and Australia, or massacres of varying scales in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, mass atrocities committed by European imperialism and settler colonialism are regularly downplayed and misrepresented. And so are the crimes of other non-European imperial powers.

As racism, white supremacy and sectarianism are on the rise across the world, we indeed need to take care not only to give the Jewish Holocaust immediate and constant attention it needs, but also all other colossal calamities in world history committed in the name of the imagined superiority of one group of humans over the rest.

Can we feel the pain of others?

As it happens the incident with the AJ video coincided with a major Holocaust exhibition in New York at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. With more than 700 original items from Auschwitz and 400 photographs, it is the largest ever travelling exhibition about the Nazi death camps.

It is important to have such exhibitions to remind us of the horrors of the Holocaust and the dangers that racist ideologies pose to humanity. But when reflecting on this enormous tragedy, it is difficult to do so in historical isolation, especially from the other tragedy that followed after the end of World War II: the Nakba or the dispossession of the Palestinian people and the systematic theft of their homeland by European settler colonialists.

The Nakba, too, has been downplayed and misrepresented, time and again, in the mainstream media across the world. And beyond that, it is in fact the official policy of the state of Israel to systemically and consistently deny Palestinian suffering. In fact, the whole Israeli settler colony is built on the denial of the very existence of a Palestinian people, let alone their Nakba.

Should the Israelis then not go through sensitivity training as well, the way Al Jazeera has decided to do with its staff  both Arab and non-Arab? And what sort of sensitivity training would or could ever address or correct that catastrophe? Could the children of European Jews who escaped the Holocaust ever comprehend the pain and suffering of the Palestinians who were uprooted to make space for Zionist settlements?

In Regarding the Pain of Others (2003), American author and philosopher Susan Sontag reflects on how it is impossible for an image of other peoples suffering to convey the horror of the actual events. To make her point, she goes through a series of photographic representations of disasters, Francisco Goyas The Disasters of War, photographs of the American Civil War, the lynching of African-Americans in the South, the Nazi death camps, the Rwanda genocide, and the attacks in New York City on September 11, 2001.

Sontag rightly warns: No we should be taken for granted when the subject is looking at other peoples pain. That is, those who have never experienced the pain they are observing in an image or on the TV screen will never fully comprehend it; they will never be a we with the person living that pain.

Nevertheless, she argues, it is still important to display images of suffering to society. She writes: Who are the we at whom such shock-pictures are aimed? That we would include not just the sympathizers of a smallish nation or a stateless people fighting for its life, but  a far larger constituency  those only nominally concerned about some nasty war taking place in another country. The photographs are a means of making real (or more real) matters that the privileged and the merely safe might prefer to ignore.

In this sense, how can Jews in and outside Israel and Palestinians come together to form this we  to begin to see and sympathise with each others pain? An exhibition such as the one in New York could be a great opportunity to have the history of Jewish suffering, that of the Holocaust in particular, re-historicised so Palestinians too could feel the sustained course of their suffering documented and acknowledged.

But is such a curatorial politics even conceivable?

The Jew as the Arab

Indeed, there have been such attempts already. In a recently published volume, The Holocaust and the Nakba: A New Grammar of Trauma and History (2018), edited by Bashir Bashir and Amos Goldberg, a number of leading scholars and critical thinkers reflect on the differences and similarities of the two traumatic events. And it is precisely here where the Jew and the Palestinian can come together.

The point in this volume is not to assimilate these two collective horrors into each other. Rather, the point is the common emotive universe in which Jews and Palestinians can converse from the site of their collective traumas, addressing the suffering and pain of the other.

A cruel history has cast innocent Palestinians and innocent Jews against each other, a false hostile binary manufactured by a history of nasty European colonialism that has culminated and triumphed in the Zionist colonisation of Palestine.

But from the terror of that colonial cruelty two peoples, Jews and Palestinians, emerge as similar victims of the dastardly European racism against Jews and colonialism against Palestinians, a fact that squarely places Zionists not on the side of the Jews but on the side of European colonialists.

No amount of sensitivity training can ever replace the necessity of the Jew and the Arab to see each others history of suffering as their own: Close their eyes for one moment and imagine themselves in the shoes of the other.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.Ten days ago, the political lethargy which Russia had descended into since Vladimir Putin won another six years in power last year was unexpectedly disrupted. The arrest of a journalist triggered a chain of events that shook Russian society awake and pushed it to unprecedented action.

The story of shocking police transgressions and the mass mobilisation that they provoked is indeed worthy of a Hollywood political thriller production, but it also tells us something important about the state of affairs in Russia today.

The arrest

On June 6, investigative journalist Ivan Golunov, who works for the independent outlet Meduza, was arrested and accused of making and selling drugs. Photos were uploaded on the interior ministrys website showing bags containing an unknown substance and what appeared to be chemical lab equipment, which allegedly were found at his apartment.

The police said more drugs were found in the journalists backpack. He was facing between 10 and 20 years in prison.

Golunov and Meduza staff immediately denied the accusations and said the drugs had been planted on him. The evidence indeed appeared flimsy. A blood test showed that there were no drugs in his blood, while none of the suspicious bags used as evidence had his fingerprints on them and the police also refused to check his hands for traces of drugs. Even the photos published on the interior ministrys website turned out to have been taken at a different location and not Golunovs apartment.

The case and accusations were outrageous, even by Russian standards. It is true that Russian journalists face many dangers, especially outside Moscow and St Petersburg. There have been cases of intimidation, beatings and killings but never by an official authority. The arrest of Golunov was such a shock that it immediately topped the news agenda.

The public reaction

But just as the arrest was unprecedented, so was the reaction of Russian society. Almost immediately after the news spread, a huge queue formed in front of the central office of the Moscow police. People were lined up for their turn to stand in an individual picket line, the only form of protest that does not require prior permission from the authorities. The picketing continued overnight.

Then three of the biggest independent newspapers  Vedomosti, Kommersant and RBC  were published on June 10 with the same front page: We are all Ivan Golunov. There was so much noise about the arrest that it completely overshadowed the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, where Putin was trying to convince investors to put their money into Russia.

The outpouring of solidarity with Golunov was so strong that public figures who did not express enough support also faced a backlash. For example, a member of the presidential media pool, Andrei Kolesnikov, reportedly had to delete a Facebook post about the arrest after he received a barrage of critical comments from readers who found his words too cautious. Even people who would not normally engage in politics would discuss his arrest and change their avatars to messages in solidarity with Golunov.

Soon a planned protest was announced in downtown Moscow, to be held without permission from the authorities.

The authorities surrender

The reaction of the Kremlin towards the public outrage was equally unprecedented. The case threw state media into total confusion. Some propagandists supported the arrest, while others either backed Golunov outright or demanded that the messy case be sorted out and all evidence made public.

Then the unexpected happened: On June 11 Golunov was set free.

Russian authorities very rarely let anyone go under public pressure. On one of those rare occasions, opposition politician Alexei Navalny was released in 2013  after being sentenced to five years in prison  following a spontaneous demonstration the authorities feared could turn into mass unrest.

But this time, the authorities acted even more out of character. Golunov was not only released, he was also pronounced innocent, while the police officers involved in the planting of evidence were dismissed and, in fact, might themselves face a court case.

This basically meant that the state  for the first time in years  actually admitted to falsification of evidence in a politically motivated case.

Although the authorities clearly capitulated on Golunovs case, they were quick to get back to their feet. On June 12, thousands of people came out in protest without obtaining permission from the Moscow municipality. Perhaps even more people would have come out if it werent for Meduzas chief editors who called on people not to join the protest (some think this was part of the deal to release Golunov).

More than 400 people were arrested, including Navalny, who was accused of being the organiser of the illegal protest, although he wasnt; he now faces a criminal charge.

The release of Golunov does not appear to have settled things; people are still reeling from what happened. They have snapped out of their political apathy and are back on their guard.

What does all of this mean?

The main takeaway from what happened over the past 10 days has been that the fragmented and subdued civil society is perfectly capable of rising up and forming a united front, while the sidelined and suppressed independent media can actually have a massive impact on society and the authorities.

The victory in this unprecedented battle has not only put Golunov (who was little-known to the general public) and his work in the spotlight but has also demonstrated that investigative journalism in Russia is capable of putting pressure on the authorities and is very much needed and appreciated.

Here it is important to point out that this victory was made possible because the Kremlin had no intention of putting Meduzas journalist in jail. It has been alleged that two FSB officers were behind his arrest, both of whom Golunov had linked to shady dealings in Moscows funeral business.

The FSB is known to get involved in the fabrication of evidence but they had never done it in such a preposterous manner. It seems this time they crossed a red line and were made to understand that without the Kremlins approval, they are not to touch any public personality of such standing.

There are two important outcomes of this confrontation. First, the authorities will not dare repeat the fiasco by coming after a journalist with fabricated evidence any time soon and, second, civil society has been emboldened by the success of its pressure campaign.

The next test for Russian society will be the arrests of Navalny and his associate Leonid Volkov in connection with the solidarity protest for Golunov. Are Russians ready to defend the two activists the way they did Golunov? If the answer is yes, then the escalation against the authorities will continue; if it is no, then Russia will slip back into its political slumber.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.Iran accuses US of staging attacks on Gulf ships as Saudi Arabia, UK side with Washingtons claim Tehran is to blame.

Russia has warned against baseless accusations and a sober appraisal of evidence after Iran and the United States traded charges over the reported attacks on commercial tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

The mysterious incidents, which caused damage to two tankers last week, have ratcheted up already high tensions between Tehran and Washington, prompting fears of a regional conflagration and sending oil prices soaring.

The Russian appeal on Sunday came as Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom sided with Washingtons assessment that Iran was responsible for Thursdays incidents, which left one tanker ablaze and both adrift in the Gulf.

Britains stance, meanwhile, drew a diplomatic protest from Tehran, which vehemently denies the US claims.

Hitting back at Washington, Ali Larijani, the speaker of Irans parliament, suggested the US may have staged the tanker attacks because of the failure of its harsh sanctions on Tehran, according to the official IRNA news agency.

The US has reimposed and tightened punishing sanctions on Iran in the year since it exited an international accord that offered Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. US President Donald Trump said the maximum pressure campaign was aimed at forcing Iran to negotiate a new deal that also encompasses its ballistic missiles programme and addressed its support for regional armed groups.





But Larijani, speaking in the Iranian parliament, said it was comical that the US was urging Iran to turn to diplomacy after launching a full-scale economic war against the country.

We dont want war

Hours after Larijanis remarks, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was unmistakable that Iran was responsible for the suspected attacks. But Washington did not seek war with Tehran, he said.

In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Pompeo said there was other evidence beyond a video released by the US military, which it said purported to show Iranian soldiers removing an unexploded mine from one of the damaged tankers hours after the suspected attacks.

The intelligence community has lots of data, lots of evidence. The world will come to see much of it, said Pompeo.

We dont want war. Weve done what we can to deter this, he added, vowing to take all actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise, to guarantee safe navigation through vital shipping lanes in the Gulf.

Both Saudi Arabia and the UK also backed the US assessment.

Earlier on Sunday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) told the pan-Arab newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat that Iran deliberately attacked the ship and urged the international community to take a decisive stand.

190615165831404

He also accused Iran and its proxies of the May 12 attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah, and warned that he wont hesitate to tackle any threats to the kingdom.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt also said the responsibility for the reported attacks in the Gulf of Oman almost certainly lies with Iran.

We have done our own intelligence assessment. We have got videos of what happened. We have seen evidence. We dont believe anyone else could have done this, he told the BBC.

Calling for de-escalation, Hunt said he was absolutely clear that Washington wanted the situation to end in negotiations.

Hunts remarks drew a sharp rebuke from Iran, with a senior official slamming the diplomats anti-Iranian statement as unacceptable. Mahmoud Barimani, the managing director of Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, summoned the UKs Ambassador, Rob Macaire, to lodge a formal protest, according to IRNA.

Barimani told Macaire that Hunt had hastily and blindly repeated US allegations against Iran, and urged Britain to elaborate on the issue and to correct the position.

Hasty conclusions

As the accusations flew, Russia weighed in.

Such incidents can undermine the foundations of the world economy. Thats why its hardly possible to accept baseless accusations in this situation, said Dmitri Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin.

We always urge a sober appraisal of the situation and to wait for more or less convincing evidence to appear, he said on Russian television.





Moscow severely condemned the attacks, he said, warning against drawing hasty conclusions.

The United Nations, Germany, Qatar and others have called for an independent investigation to establish what happened.

Meanwhile, the two damaged tankers have arrived safely at locations off the UAE coast.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous had arrived safely at the designated anchorage, Singapore-based BSM Ship Management that manages the vessels said in a statement on Sunday. The ships crew were safe and well, it added.

The other ship, the Norwegian-owned Front Altair, was under safe tow by tug boats towards an area off the coast of the eastern Emirati port of Fujairah, the vessels owners said in a statement.

First inspections are under way and no hot spots have been identified following the fire, while all crew members were in Dubai, the statement added.

The UAEs Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday called on world powers to secure international navigation and access to energy.

Thursdays attacks took place southeast of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor connecting the energy-rich states of the Middle East to the global market.Algerias former finance minister Karim Djoudi has appeared before the Supreme Court to face questions about corruption accusations, state television has reported.

He has not been charged but joins a series of senior figures associated with former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to face investigations since protests broke out this year demanding the departure of the ruling elite and prosecution of former officials linked to Bouteflika.

State television gave no details on Djoudis case and his lawyer was not immediately available for comment.





His hearing on Sunday came days after the same court ordered the detention of ex-prime ministers Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal, as well as former trade minister Amara Benyounes for dissipation of public funds and awarding illegal privileges.

The army is now the main player in Algerian politics after Bouteflika stepped down two months ago and its chief of staff Ahmed Gaed Salah has urged the judiciary to speed up the prosecution of people suspected of involvement in corruption cases.

Djoudi served as finance minister under Ouyahia from June 2007 to May 2014 when he resigned on health grounds before being named Bouteflikas adviser for the past two years.

Continued demonstrations

The legal moves have not prevented further demonstrations by protesters pushing for radical change and a clean break with an elite who have governed the North African country since independence from France in 1962.

For the 17th straight week, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in the capital on Friday to demand the removal of the ruling elite.

190613140332860

Bouteflika stepped down on April 2 under pressure from the army and protests that erupted in February.

Bouteflikas youngest brother, Said, and two former intelligence chiefs have been placed in custody by a military judge for harming the armys authority and plotting against state authority.

Several prominent businessmen, some of them close to Bouetflika have been detained at a prison in Algiers over corruption allegations.

Protesters are now seeking the departure of interim President Abdelkader Bensalah and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, both seen as part of the establishment.

Authorities have postponed a presidential election previously planned for July 4, citing a lack of candidates.

Protesters rejected an offer from Bensalah to hold a dialogue with all parties after the postponement of the election.

No new date has been set for the vote.Ex-leader appears in public for the first time since being overthrown as prosecutor moves to begin his corruption trial.

Sudans former President Omar al-Bashir has appeared in public for the first time since his overthrow by the military following months of mass protests against his 30-year-long autocratic rule.

Dressed in a white robe and turban, the toppled leader was seen on Sunday as he was escorted under heavy guard from a maximum security prison in Sudans capital Khartoum to the prosecutors office.

There, prosecutors informed him he faced charges of possessing foreign currency and acquiring suspicious and illicit wealth, according to the official SUNA news agency.

He was given one week to raise objections, questioned on additional unspecified corruption charges, and taken back to Kobar prison.

If al-Bashir does not appeal, he could appear in court as early as next week, Sudans acting Chief Prosecutor Alwaleed Sayed Ahmed said on Saturday.

In Khartoum, the moves against the 75-year-old former president triggered derision and scepticism from critics who dismissed it as an attempt by Sudans new military rulers to deflect attention from a recent bloody crackdown on protesters, as well as its reluctance to cede power to a civilian-led transitional administration.





They also questioned the likelihood of al-Bashir receiving a fair trial in Sudan or being held accountable for the most egregious of charges against him.

The former leader, who came to power in a coup in 1989, is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity and genocide relating to abuses by Sudanese forces in the countrys Darfur region between 2003 and 2008.

Instead, al-Bashirs first trial looks set to be on charges of violating a decree he imposed in February as part of an effort to quell anti-government protests sparked by rising food prices and a currency crisis.

At the time, as protests gathered pace across the country, al-Bashir had imposed a state of emergency and made it illegal to carry more than $3,000 in foreign currency.

But shortly after he was overthrown on April 11, the Transitional Military Council (TMC), which replaced the former leader, said security forces had seized more than $113m worth in cash in three currencies from his residence.

If al-Bashir is found guilty of violating the emergency decree, he could face at least 10 years in prison.

In mourning

Prosecutors have also opened other criminal probes against al-Bashir, including on charges of money laundering, financing terrorism as well as ordering the killing of protesters  the latter is an offence that carries the death penalty in Sudan.

Although protesters had demanded al-Bashir be held accountable for alleged abuses during his tenure, the timing of the upcoming trial has left many suspicious.

Jalela Khamis Kuku, a human rights activist, said the TMC was trying to deflect attention from protesters call for accountability over the June 3 raid on a protest camp outside the military headquarters.

The sit-in began on April 6, days before al-Bashirs toppling and continued as protesters stuck to demands for civilian rule. But as talks over the composition of an interim body faltered, soldiers opened fire on the sit-in.

According to a Sudanese doctors group, more than 100 people were killed in the June 3 raid. Some of their bodies were disposed of in the Nile River, hundreds were wounded and dozens of women raped.

However, the Health Ministry put the death toll at 61.

The priority has to be for the lives lost because the whole country is mourning, Kuku said via phone from Khartoum.

Those who were responsible for killing protesters since December should be held accountable. Those who were responsible for the deaths of the protesters at the sit-in must be held accountable, the military council should name those who gave the orders, thats what we should focus on now.





The TMC initially denied trying to disperse the protest camp, but on Thursday admitted that it had ordered the removal of the protest camp. The violence occurred after some soldiers deviated from the plan, said Shams al-Din Kabashi, a TMC spokesman.

He acknowledged that violations happened without elaborating.

Not credible

Waleed Madibo, the founder of the think-tank Sudan Policy Forum, said the move against al-Bashir was also aimed at distracting the international community.

He added that al-Bashir was unlikely to receive a fair trial under the TMC.

The whole process is not independent and is not credible, he said. Omar al-Bashir is wanted by the ICC, so rather than taking him to court for having killed or influencing the killing of half a million human beings, youre taking him to court for having embezzled [tens of millions of dollars].

Meanwhile, al-Bashirs summons to the prosecutors office also came as Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy head of the TMC, appeared to walk back on previous agreements made with protest leaders on the structure of an interim government.

Our problem with the [protest alliance] is that they want to form an unelected parliament to eradicate us, he said, referring to an earlier deal in which the military and protesters agreed to a three-year transition period, governed by a civilian-led executive council and a civilian-led legislative body.

Were ready to form a technocratic government. But our problem is that the parliament will not be an elected one, he told supporters in Khartoum.

The general, who is commonly known as Hemeti, is also the commander of the feared paramilitary Rapid Support Force, which protesters accuse of being behind the violence at the sit-in.

Hemeti promised the death penalty for those involved in the attacks.

We are working hard to take those who did this to the gallows, said the general.Nusrat Jahan Rafi was allegedly killed after she refused to withdraw sexual assault complaint against her teacher.

Bangladeshi authorities have arrested a senior policeman accused of sharing on social media the recording of an official complaint of sexual harassment made by a teenage girl who was later burned to death.

Moazzem Hossain, who is suspended from duty, had been in hiding since late May, when the Cyber Tribunal court warrant was issued against him over sharing the complaint by Nusrat Jahan Rafi.

A police spokesman said on Sunday he had been arrested after a tip-off and will be soon produced to the court, where he will face charges of violating digital security laws.

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The killing of Rafi in April sparked protests across the South Asian nation, with the prime minister promising to prosecute all those involved.

At least 16 people  including the teacher  have been charged in connection with the killing and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Rafi was lured to the rooftop of an Islamic seminary she attended where her attackers asked her to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint filed with police against the head teacher.

When she refused, she was doused in kerosene and set on fire. Rafi suffered burns to 80 percent of her body and died five days later, her death highlighted an alarming rise in sexual harassment cases in Bangladesh.

She recorded a video before her death, repeating her allegations against the teacher.

An investigation by authorities later found Moazzem Hossain, the police chief of the town where Rafi was killed, had not properly dealt with the complaint the teenager made.

Rafi went to the police in late March to make allegations of sexual harassment against the head teacher. A leaked video showed Hossain registering her complaint, but dismissing it as not a big deal.

Hossain was accused of illegally filming the video, which was later circulated on social media platforms.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met Rafis family and assured that her killers would be punished.Turkeys president says the S-400 issue is settled after discussing it with Russia, Turkish broadcaster NTV reports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he expected Russian S-400 missile defence systems to start arriving in Turkey in the first half of July, broadcaster NTV reported on Sunday  a development set to fuel tensions with NATO ally Washington.

The S-400s are not compatible with NATOs systems and have been a growing source of discord between Turkey and the United States in recent months.

We discussed the S-400 subject with Russia. Indeed the S-400 issue is settled, Erdogan was cited as telling reporters on his plane returning from a visit to Tajikistan, where he attended a summit and met Russian President Vladimir Putin.

I think they will start to come in the first half of July, he added, giving a more specific forecast than he has in the past.

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US acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan this month outlined how Turkey would be pulled out of the F-35 fighter jet programme unless Ankara changed course on its plans to buy the missile systems.

Erdogan said he would discuss the issue with US President Donald Trump when they meet at this months G-20 summit.

When someone lower down says different things, then we immediately make contact with Mr Trump and try to solve issues with telephone diplomacy. Matters dont take long there, he said.

On Thursday, Erdogan vowed to seek answers on his countrys exclusion from F-35 project for reasons that have no rational or legitimate basis, adding that Turkey was not only a customer but also a programme partner in the F-35 project.

Speaking at a meeting of his AK Party members, Erdogan said: We will call to account in every platform Turkey being excluded from the F-35 programme for reasons without rationale or legitimacy.

We have so far paid $1.250bn, he said.Fathers Day is a celebration observed worldwide, but where did it start? Here is the story.

Fathers Day is being celebrated in many countries the world over on Sunday, recognising the contribution that fathers and father figures make to the lives of families and children.

But where does it come from and when is it celebrated in different parts of the world?

When is Fathers Day?

Fathers Day varies from country to country. In Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States it is celebrated on the third Sunday of June.

It is also observed on the same date in Qatar, Argentina, France, Greece, India, Ireland, Mexico, Pakistan, Singapore, and Venezuela.

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In Germany, Fathers Day is marked 40 days after Easter, while Australia and New Zealand celebrate it on the first day of September.

Russia continues the Soviet tradition of celebrating Mans Day on Defender of the Fatherland Day  February 23  which marks the first mass draft into the Red Army.

In Thailand, Fathers Day is on December 5  the birthday of late King Bhumibol, who is considered the father of the nation.

China celebrates Fathers Day on August 8  the eighth day of the eighth month  because the word for eight in Chinese is ba and the term for father is ba-ba.

Egypt, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Syria and the United Arab Emirates mark the celebration on June 21, coinciding with the summer solstice, while in Brazil fathers are honoured on the second Sunday of August, in honour of Saint Joachim, the patron saint of fathers.





What is the story behind Fathers Day?

The appreciation of fatherhood dates back to at least 1508, when historys first mention appeared in Southern European tradition.

In the US, Fathers Day was not celebrated outside Catholic traditions until the 20th century.

The date finds it origins when Sonora Smart Dodd, the daughter of American Civil War veteran William Jack Smart, was 16 years old and her father became a widower and was left to raise his children alone.

According to reports, in 1909, Dodd was listening to a Mothers Day sermon when she realised the need for a day to celebrate fathers, including her own.

Inspired, Dodd drew up a petition for the first Fathers Day, which she said should be celebrated on her fathers birthday in early June.

Dodd convinced several local church communities to participate, but they pushed the date to late June, giving them more time to prepare.

She continued her mission, determined to elevate Fathers Day to the status of a national holiday.

In 1970, the US Congress passed legislation on Fathers Days national status, and President Nixon signed the resolution into law two years later, recognising it nationally.

Today, the celebration has become an important commercial event with gift ideas and promotions showing up in shopping centres in the build-up to the day.

According to MuchNeeded, in the UK and the US, 75 percent of men are expected to celebrate the occasion this year.A top election official recently left the country due to threats of violence.

Guatemala City & Retalhuleu  Guatemalans began voting on Sunday morning in the countrys general election amid concerns of irregularities in recent days.

Nineteen candidates are in the race for president. Five others were barred from running during a chaotic campaign period. Voters are also electing all 160 legislators and hundreds of local officials.

National Unity of Hope party centrist candidate Sandra Torres leads the crowded field for president. A businesswoman and former first lady, she has focused her campaign on public investment and social programs.

Three right-wing candidates trail her in the polls: Vamos candidate Alejandro Giammattei, PAN-Podemos candidate Roberto Arzu, and Humanist party candidate Edmond Mulet.

Movement for the Liberation of the Peoples candidate Thelma Cabrera has been polling in fifth place. A social movement leader, she is one of three indigenous Maya presidential candidates.

If no single presidential candidate obtains an outright majority, as expected, the top two candidates will face off on August 11 in a presidential runoff election.

Irregularities

Over the past week, a series of reported irregularities have generated concerns. In a press conference on Saturday night, the countrys election tribunal condemned the circulation of misinformation, including reports of pre-marked falsified ballots.

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In a statement on Saturday, the election tribunal also noted reports of politicised distribution of funds and goods, both prohibited by election law. Jordan Rodas, Guatemalas human rights ombudsman, shares those concerns.

We are worried about the series of prior incidents that have occurred, especially reports concerning the use of state resources to distribute food and handouts from the ruling party, Rodas told Al Jazeera.

Two top officials with key roles in the election recently took leaves of absence. Neither the election tribunals citizen registry director nor the special prosecutor for election crimes are present on election day.

It is very serious that the prosecutor for election crimes Oscar Schaad, together with his family, has had to leave the country due to serious threats against his life and safety, said Rodas.

The human rights ombudsmans office is monitoring the election process around the country alongside the United Nations human rights agency. National and international observers, including an Organisation of American States mission, are also observing the election.

High poverty rate

Election issues have dominated the news for months. But nearly 60 percent of the countrys 17 million people live in poverty and not everyone has time to keep up with the details.

We dont follow the elections too much. We are just always working, Dimas Urias, a street sweeper in Guatemala City, told Al Jazeera.

We hope things change.

The vote may have concrete global implications. Guatemala is now the top country of origin of migrants and asylum seekers apprehended at the United States southern border.

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The issue of immigration has been largely absent from the election campaign, as the US continues to focus on a crackdown and enforcement instead of addressing root causes of the northbound exodus.

We have let Guatemala down, Christine Wade, a professor of Central American politics at Washington College in Maryland, told Al Jazeera.

Our policy has been antithetical to what we say we want to do, she said.

The leading candidates in Guatemalas elections are not focused on key drivers of migration, such as climate change and corruption, and neither is US foreign policy, said Wade.

A United Nations-backed anti-impunity commission, CICIG, has been working with Guatemalan prosecutors. Their efforts have yielded hundreds of arrests, including high-level government officials, but also a backlash.

President Jimmy Morales began taking action against CICIG after the body started investigating him for illegal campaign financing in his successful run for president in 2015. Last August, Morales announced he would not renew CICIGs mandate, effectively shutting down the commission as of this coming September.

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For years, the US was one of CICIGs biggest supporters and funders. But US support waned alongside that of Morales, a key US ally in the region.

We still dont seem to take seriously this issue of corruption, said Wade. Our failure to support CICIG has been a huge mistake.

Emilio Miranda has more immediate concerns. A truck driver from Sibana, a village 190 kilometres west of Guatemala City in the Retalhuleu department, Miranda is focused on the poor condition of local roads.

Our previous officials have done little. The roads are ruined, he told Al Jazeera.

We need progress, said Miranda. We will see if whoever is elected responds to the needs of the people.

Election results are expected on Sunday night. Winners in the presidential, congress and local races will take office in January 2020.Hong Kong, China  Thousands of Hong Kong residents are gathering on Sunday afternoon despite the city governments decision to suspend a controversial amendment to a law which, critics say, would see an erosion of the citys much vaunted autonomy.

The planned march comes just a day after Hong Kongs Chief Executive Carrie Lam made a stunning reversal by shelving the extradition bill indefinitely, only days after vowing to push ahead with it.

But the protesters want the controversial bill to be scrapped permanently and the city leaders resignation for pushing ahead with the law that has attracted one of the biggest protests in decades.

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Former legislative councillor and activist Lee Cheuk Yan told journalists that the now-dormant law can be revived by Carrie Lam at any time, adding that it was important to continue opposing the government on the issue, particularly after the violence and arrests of Wednesday.

We want the government to condemn this police violence. We dont want Hong Kong to be ruled by fear.

Protest organiser Bonnie Leung said that even though Beijing could never admit to backing down in the face of the massive demonstrations, it can sense that Lams government would cease to be an effective administration.

Today, when a lot of Hong Kong people come out, Beijing can (again) read this message.

Crowds are gathering at the citys Victoria Park, the site of its annual Tiananmen Massacre vigil, and the jumping-off point for a similar protest a week ago, which organisers say attracted over a million people. Police put that count at 240,000.

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Almost two hours before the march was scheduled to begin, hundreds of protesters, many wearing black, began to congregate on the parks concrete football pitches.

An events and marketing professional, identified by his first name Keith, told Al Jazeera that he was not satisfied with Lams decision to postpone the bill, and that he expected an even greater turnout than the march a week ago.

The 32-year-old said he didnt expect the violence that marred Wednesdays protests to affect the numbers of marchers. It may deter some people, but not many. This is too important.

Like many marchers who had convened early, he carried a small bunch of white flowers, which he said was a tribute to a protester who fell to his death outside a luxury mall in the business district of Admiralty on Saturday, shortly after Lams announcement.

A demonstrator holds a bunch of flowers in tribute to a man who died protesting against the bill on Saturday [Euan McKirdy/Al Jazeera]

Controversial law

If enacted, the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill, critics argue, would cede vital freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kongers, undermining the independence of Hong Kongs legal system and putting its citizens and foreign nationals at risk.





It would allow the government to send anyone accused of serious crime across the border to mainland China, where the justice system is widely perceived as opaque and politically motivated. It reportedly has conviction rates nearing 100 percent.

The contentious bill was scheduled for debate on Wednesday, but it was cancelled after the protesters surrounded the Legislative Council complex, with legislators unable to enter the chambers.

Those demonstrations turned ugly, with police in riot gear taking on protesters with tear gas, pepper spray, water cannon and batons. Several people were injured in the clashes, with some protesters reportedly arrested by police in hospital after the demonstrations were quashed.

Eroding freedoms

While the territory is part of China, following its return from British rule in 1997, it enjoys a high degree of autonomy from Beijing, thanks to the one country, two systems formula signed by the outgoing British administration and the new Chinese government.

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Article 4 of the Basic Law, the de-facto constitution that forms the basis of Hong Kongs autonomy, promises to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and of other persons in the Region in accordance with law.

Part of this autonomy comes in the form of its independent judiciary, which, critics of the proposed changes argue, would be eroded if Beijing had the right to request those accused of crimes in the mainland were turned over.

Beijing insists it was not instrumental in the former British territorys decision to change the law, but earlier in the week indicated that it is supportive of the amendment.Hundreds of thousands fill streets in march against extradition bill and call for it and chief executive to go.

Hong Kong  Hundreds of thousands of protesters have marched on Sunday in opposition to the government and a controversial bill, despite the citys leader, Carrie Lam, shelving the proposal indefinitely a day earlier.

Crowds filled Hong Kongs Victoria Park early on Sunday afternoon, filing into orderly zones to wait for their turn to embark on an almost four-kilometre route to Admiralty, a downtown business district.

Protesters were largely frustrated with the way the government and Lam, the chief executive, had handled the bill.

Lam has promised to widely consult the public about the bill before making any attempt to resurrect it

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Protest organisers say they have five demands: To have the bill dropped entirely; to release protesters arrested on Wednesday during and following clashes with police; to withdraw the characterisation of Wednesdays protesters as rioters; for the police who used violence to be held accountable and for Lam to step down.

Vehicles honked their horns in support as the first groups, largely black-shirted and peaceful, completed the march at the citys Central Government Offices (CGO) complex.

Tens of thousands had waited patiently for hours under blue skies and a baking hot sun as the crowds shuffled slowly out of the staging venue. The citys subway system was mobbed with crowds still looking to get to the start, hours after the first marchers had departed.

At the end of the route, many stopped by a makeshift memorial for a protester, surnamed Leung, who fell to his death on Saturday while hanging a protest banner outside a shopping centre not 500 metres from the CGO complex.

Marchers wore white ribbons and carried white flowers in his memory.

Protesters also paid their respects and took selfies next to the so-called Lennon Wall, a relic from the 2014 Occupy protests where thousands of messages of hope and solidarity had been left on colourful post-it notes along a stairwell on the side of a government building.

Almost five years later, new notes of encouragement about the current protests have appeared with the city again in political crisis.

About-face

Lam had completed a stunning turnaround on Saturday, announcing that the unpopular legislation, called the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill would be mothballed for an indefinite period of time.

That statement came days after she had vowed to push ahead to ratify the bill, despite huge public opposition.

Those marching on Sunday, however, were sceptical of the move, calling it a stalling ploy. Protest organiser Bonnie Leung told journalists that it was a tactic by the Hong Kong government to relieve pressure on the embattled chief executive.

Former legislator and pro-democracy activist Lee Cheuk-yan argued that the bill could be revived any time Carrie Lam wants.

One protester, a 32-year-old events planner who asked to be identified only by his English name, Keith, told Al Jazeera: Obviously were not happy with Carrie Lams decision. Otherwise we wouldnt be here.

The protesters ranged in age from schoolchildren to retirees.

One 14-year-old student, who asked to be named by only her English name Hermione, said that Hong Kongs autonomy is threatened by the law.

Hong Kong has one country, two systems, she said, referring to the distinct set of laws that the territory enjoys. If the extradition law exists, there is no division any more. Hong Kongers have already lost confidence in China. Hong Kong people are wary of China.

The protesters ranged in age from schoolchildren to retirees. [Euan McKirdy/Al Jazeera]

Controversial law

Critics argue that, if enacted, the bill would cede vital freedoms enjoyed by those living in the territory, undermining the independence of Hong Kongs legal system and putting citizens and foreign nationals at risk.

It would allow the government to send anyone accused of a serious crime across the border to mainland China, where the justice system is widely perceived as opaque and politically motivated. It reportedly has conviction rates nearing 100 percent.

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Opposition to the legislation was so great an estimated one million people demonstrated against it on May 9.

The contentious bill was scheduled for debate last Wednesday, but mass protests around the site of the citys Legislative Council complex left legislators unable to enter the building and the reading was cancelled.

Those demonstrations turned violent, with police in riot gear taking on protesters with tear gas, pepper spray, water cannon and batons in one of the worst incidents of violence seen in the territory since its return to Chinese sovereignty.

Several people were injured in the clashes, with some protesters reportedly arrested in hospital by police after the demonstrations were quashed.

While the territory is part of China following its return from British rule in 1997, it enjoys a high degree of autonomy from Beijing, thanks to an agreement signed by the outgoing British administration and the Chinese government.

Article 4 of the Basic Law, the de-facto constitution which forms the basis of Hong Kongs autonomy, promises to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and of other persons in the region in accordance with law.

Part of this autonomy comes in the form of Hong Kongs independent judiciary, which, critics of the proposed changes argue, would be eroded if Beijing had the right to request that those accused of crimes in the mainland be turned over.

Beijing insists it was not instrumental in the former British territorys decision to try to change the law, but earlier in the week indicated that it supported the amendment.The head of Libyas UN-recognised government has proposed holding nationwide elections to end the war in the North African country, as forces of the rival military commander Khalifa Haftar continue their two-month-long battle to take the capital, Tripoli.

Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj said he was proposing a Libyan congress aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the conflict.

The talks would draw up a roadmap for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held before the end of 2019, he said in Tripoli, the seat of his administration.

I present today a political initiative for a way out of crisis. First, an all-inclusive Libyan congress to be convened, with the coordination of the international players  whereby we pave the way for building the state on the rule of law and democracy, he said.

Second, during this congress an agreement will be reached on a future roadmap, where the constitutional foundation will be laid [for] presidential and legislative elections before the end of 2019.

Sarrajs Government of National Accord (GNA) holds the west, while Haftars self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) holds the east and much of the south of the country.





Haftar has presented himself as a strong hand who can restore stability in Libya, but his opponents view him as an aspiring autocrat and fear a return to one-man rule.

Sarraj did not say whether Haftar or his representatives would be included in his proposed talks.

All Libyans who call for a peaceful and democratic solution would take part and there would be no place for those who seek tyranny and dictatorship, he said, while calling on the United Nations to support the forum and to oversee elections.

The two sides last held talks in the United Arab Emirates in February.

There are fears that Haftars offensive on Tripoli could ignite a civil war on the scale of the violence after the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime ruler, Muammar Gaddafi. The LNA launched the campaign in early April, but counter-attacks by forces loyal to the GNA have resulted in a stalemate on the citys southern outskirts.

The UN mission to Libya in a brief statement welcomed Sarrajs initiative, describing it as a constructive proposal to advance the political process towards ending Libyas long state of conflict.

A spokesman for Haftar did not immediately answer phone calls and messages seeking comment.

Emad Badi, a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute, told Al Jazeera that Sarrajs initiative was unlikely to have a political or military impact.

There needs to be some sort of a domestic buy-in from the eastern side. Haftar is the sole interlocutor in the East. Without another interlocutor, this deal is non-implementable, he said, adding that the proposal may be a bid by Sarraj to show goodwill and that hes open to negotiations and power-sharing.

The battle for Tripoli has killed over 650 people, including combatants and civilians, according to the World Health Organization. More than 94,000 have been displaced by the fighting.

Sarraj also demanded an international probe into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity since Haftar launched his offensive.

The two camps have so far refused to negotiate a ceasefire.Despite the support of 20,000 UN and foreign troops, the president seems unable to bring the country together.

A vigil was held on Saturday in Malis capital Bamako following a series of deadly intercommunal attacks.

The International Criminal Court is investigating allegations of crimes against humanity and the president of Mali is under increasing pressure to deliver on his promise for peace.

Al Jazeeras Nicolas Haque reports from Bamako.The number of HIV cases in southern Pakistan has spiked, and children seem to be the most affected.

UN health teams are struggling to control an outbreak of HIV in southern Pakistans Sindh province; most of those infected are children.

Facing a lack of sufficient antiretroviral drugs, health authorities are concerned that if the HIV cases are left untreated, they could develop into Aids, which is far more difficult to treat.

Al Jazeeras Laura Burdon-Manley reports.Priests conduct the service in a side chapel of the damaged cathedral, unaffected by fire though structure is fragile.

Paris, France  He said he would settle for even four congregants. In the end, Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit received security approval to lead a mass service with 30 participants at Notre Dame cathedral on Saturday, the first since the devastating fire that broke out two months ago.

Its extraordinary to be able to hold this mass, Aupetit told Al Jazeera shortly after the service. [Notre Dame] may be damaged, but an injured person is still a personand so is the cathedral.

The mass, which marked the anniversary of the consecration of the 850-year-old cathedrals altar, was broadcast live by a Catholic television channel. It is normally celebrated every year on June 16.

Wearing white hard hats, congregants stood in the Chapel of the Virgin, located on the east side of the cathedral which was undamaged by the April 15 blaze. Still, evidence of the damage could be seen during the broadcast, including close-up shots of gaping holes in the vaulted ceiling.

The entire roof collapsed in the fire, along with the cathedrals famous spire.

About 15 of the congregants were priests, while other selected invitees included those working on the reconstruction.

Very emotional

[The ceremony] was very poignant, Jean-Louis Georgelin, the retired army general tasked with overseeing the cathedrals reconstruction, told Al Jazeera.





We could all feel the words [Monsignor Aupetit] was sayingit was very emotional.

Aupetit assured worshippers that the Notre Dame was still alive, adding a word of thanks to all those who have been moved by what has happened to this cathedral.

An astounding 850 million euros ($955m) worth of donations were pledged shortly after the fire. According to the French government, however, less than 10 percent of that money has been paid.

The majority of donations that have been processed are small ones from around 41,000 individuals. Larger donations, such as the 200 million euros ($224m) promised by French billionaire Bernard Arnault, are being received in small amounts as the construction carries on.

Around 150 people have been working to remove debris in order to stabilise the cathedrals structure. According to Frances Culture Minister Franck Riester, the cathedral was still in a fragile state. In an interview with a local French TV channel, Riester said that the vault could still collapse.

Pauline Touchon, a 35-year-old business student, visited Notre Dame on Saturday evening to catch a glimpse of the mass from afar [Rebecca Rosman/Al Jazeera]

French President Emmanuel Macron has set a goal to complete reconstruction within the next five years. While some architects have questioned the feasibility of such a timeline, those overseeing the reconstruction say they are sticking to that target.

We arent losing a single day, Jean-Louis Georgelin told Al Jazeera. We hope that in five years the cathedral will be reconstructed, and Im convinced that we will be able to meet this deadline without too much difficulty.

In the interim, Aupetit has expressed plans to hold services on the esplanade just outside the cathedral, though that area is still blocked off to the public.

The Paris diocese is waiting for approval from French authorities to reopen the space.

French parliamentarians are working on a bill to determine how the cathedrals restoration will be carried out. In May, the French Senate adopted a text stating Notre Dame must be rebuilt to look exactly how it did before the fire. The bill will go back to the National Assembly later this summer for final approval.

Like a renaissance

Spectators lined up around the fenced area outside the cathedral on Saturday evening, with some disappointed about not being able to attend the service.

Samar Hodroj, a teacher from Florida, was taking pictures in front of the cathedrals bell towers with her two young children on Saturday just as the mass started.

Theres so much rich history here, Hodroj told Al Jazeera. I think it was important to show my children Notre Dame, especially after the fire.

Pauline Touchon, a student in Paris, came because she heard the mass would be held close to the cathedral with an opportunity for public participation.

I think its always better to be able to participate hands-on as opposed to just watching it on television, Touchon told Al Jazeera. Still, she said she was happy to watch from afar, and felt positive about the reconstruction process.

You have to see the whole thing like a renaissance, Touchon said.

The cathedral is evolving, and this is just a part of the process.In a new trend in the US, some stores are no longer accepting cash. But what if you dont have a debit or credit card?

San Francisco has become the latest city in the United States to ban stores refusing payment in cash.

Shop owners say the shift to exclusively digital payments is good for business. But supporters of the new legislation say refusing cash is discriminatory.

Al Jazeeras Gabriel Elizondo reports from New York.Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says he wont hesitate to deal with threats to Saudi interests after tanker blasts.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has accused archrival Iran of attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, adding he wont hesitate to tackle any threats to the kingdom.

Two tankers were struck by explosions on Thursday, the second attack in a month in the strategic shipping lane amid a tense United States-Iran standoff, prompting fears of a regional conflagration and sending oil prices soaring.

We do not want a war in the region But we wont hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, our sovereignty, our territorial integrity and our vital interests, MBS told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in an interview published on Sunday.

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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, MBS added in his first public comment since the attacks.

Prince Mohammed also accused Iran and its proxies of the May 12 attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah.

Thursdays attack on the two tankers  Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous that was carrying highly flammable methanol when it was rocked by explosions and the Norwegian-operated Front Altair  came around the time Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting Iranian leaders in Tehran.

US President Donald Trump has said the twin attacks had Iran written all over it, rejecting Tehrans vehement denial.

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.

Search for evidence

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.

Speaking from Muscat, Al Jazeeras Mohamed Vall said that more investigations were being carried out about the attacks.

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The Americans have sent a team to board one of the two tankers that have been hit to collect more evidence.

Also, the foreign minister of the UAE has said his country has submitted more evidence to the Security Council  [which they say shows the incident] was state-sponsored. There wasnt a mention of Iran, but Saudi Arabia and the UAE have from day one supported the American version of events, Vall said.

Both sides have also continued to beat the drums of war.

The Americans say they are capable of waging a war and forcing Iran to stop sabotaging the waterways of the Gulf and disrupting oil supplies to the world.

Iranians, on the other hand, are saying they have done nothing wrong, but if forced to war, they are ready to defend themselves, said Vall.

Gulf response

UAEs Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday 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 oil prices soaring.

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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 US.

Doing so would disrupt oil tankers travelling out of the Gulf region to the Indian Ocean and global export routes.

The UAEs Sheikh Abdullah, whose country is bitterly opposed to Iranian influence in the region, called for a de-escalation of tensions.

We remain hopeful in attaining a broader framework for cooperation with Iran, he said at a summit in Bulgaria.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabias Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih called for a swift and decisive response to threats against energy supplies after Thursdays terrorist acts.

Vessels head to port

The Japanese tankers Tokyo-based operator Kokuka confirmed on Saturday the stricken vessel was heading to port in the UAE.

We still dont know if the tanker goes to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah as they are very close, said a spokesperson, referring to the 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.

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The other ship, the Front Altair, has left Irans territorial waters, multiple sources said on Saturday.

The ship is heading toward the Fujairah-Khor Fakkan area in the UAE, the head of ports for Irans southern province of Hormozgan told the semi-official news agency ISNA.

The tanker has left Irans territorial waters, he said, adding that it was being towed and sprayed with water to cool the hull.

A spokesperson 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.Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called on any party exploiting case to present evidence, in veiled attack on Turkey.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has warned against exploiting the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi for political gains, in what appeared to be a veiled attack on Turkey.

Turkeys ties with Saudi Arabia have come under strain since the brutal killing of Khashoggi last October in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which tarnished the reputation of MBS.

Turkish officials were the first to report the murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found.

The death of Jamal Khashoggi is a very painful crime, MBS told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in an interview published on Sunday.

He said those accused of carrying out the crime are government officials and the kingdom is seeking to achieve full justice and accountability, without getting distracted by positions taken by some for their own domestic considerations that are known to everyone.

Any party exploiting the case politically should stop doing so, and present evidence to the [Saudi] court, which will contribute in achieving justice, he added, without directly naming Turkey.

Prince Mohammed, however, added that he wants strong relations with all Islamic countries, including Turkey.

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The CIA has concluded Khashoggis murder was likely ordered by MBS, the de facto ruler and heir to the Arab worlds most powerful throne.

Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation.

Saudi prosecutors have absolved Prince Mohammed and said around two dozen people implicated in the murder are in custody, with death penalties sought against five men.

US President Donald Trump and members of his administration have declined to assign blame to MBS and instead emphasised the importance of the United States strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.

Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur conducting an independent inquiry into the killing, in March condemned what she called a lack of transparency in the legal proceedings and demanded an open trial.

The kingdom is grievously mistaken if it believes that these proceedings, as currently constituted, will satisfy the international community, she said.

Her report is expected to be released on Wednesday.

Khashoggi, a US resident, had written critically of MBS and was killed in what Riyadh described as a rogue operation.

MBS said the kingdom was committed to full justice and accountability in the case, as he faces international pressure to punish the culprits.Murtaja Qureiris reportedly faced execution for offences including participating in protests when he was 10 years old.

A young man from Saudi Arabias minority Shia Muslim community who was arrested at the age of 13 will not be executed and could be released by 2022, a Saudi official told Reuters news agency after reports of his pending execution.

Murtaja Qureiris, who was detained in September 2014, received an initial 12-year prison sentence with time served since his arrest and four years suspended for his young age, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The sentence is subject to appeal.

He will not be executed, the official added.

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. Nobody was hurt in that incident but the car caught fire.

Human rights violations

Rights groups including Amnesty International reported this month that the Saudi public prosecutor had sought the death penalty for Qureiris for the offences, some of which they said date back to when he was 10 years old.

The reports prompted a global outcry in support of the teenager.

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 womens rights activists who are still on trial.

Austrias 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 United Nations human rights chief said most of them were Shia who may not have had fair trials and at least three were minors when sentenced.

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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 the torture allegations and say they do not have political prisoners.

The Shia-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 Shia and has said some protests and attacks by Shia demonstrators were instigated by Riyadhs regional rival Iran, 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 attacks south of the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit route for oil.Villages have been destroyed in violence between the Lendu and Hema tribes and their militias this week.

Renewed fighting between ethnic groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 160 people.

Nearly 40 villages were destroyed and more than 100,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the eastern province of Ituri during the past week.

Al Jazeera gained exclusive access to one of the villages that was attacked. Raheela Mahomed reports.The army insists on having a bigger say in a transitional council, a condition rejected by civilian leaders.

A diplomatic flurry to build bridges between Sudans Transitional Military Council and protesters is facing many obstacles.

The army insists on having a bigger say in a proposed transitional council to form a government, a condition rejected by civilian leaders.

They say Sudans military has lost the trust of the people after its violent crackdown on demonstrators.

Al Jazeeras Hashem Ahelbarra reports.Turkey says its forces were attacked for the second time in three days on Sunday, and it has responded with heavy weapons.

Turkish and Syrian government forces have exchanged fire in Idlib province after what Turkey described as a deliberate attack on its soldiers.

At least 15 civilians were killed in the province on Saturday, as Russian and Syrian forces advanced.

Al Jazeeras Andrew Chappelle reports.Authorities scrambling to restore power in Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Paraguay after massive blackout.

Buenos Aires, Argentina  A massive power outage plunged tens of millions of people in Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Paraguay into the dark on Sunday, in what government officials called an extraordinary and unprecedented blackout, the cause of which is not yet known.

The blackout struck at 7:07am local time (10:07 GMT), triggered by what Argentine government officials called a failure in a coastal grid that serves a number of countries, and a total disconnection.

It paralysed transportation systems, closed shops, caused long queues at petrol stations, and delayed provincial elections in Argentina, forcing voters to cast ballots by flashlight or by the light of their mobile phones.

The lights went out as Blanca Brito was leaving her house to head to work at a hair salon in the capital, Buenos Aires.

At that hour, you couldnt see anything. The bus was travelling in slow motion because the driver was afraid he might hit someone. It was terrible, said Brito, a manicurist, standing in the dark in the Crema Rusa salon as she waited for clients to arrive.

Aida Suarez, her colleague who recently arrived from Venezuela, said her thoughts went to her home country. They are things that take you back, to live a little of what you have already lived, she said.

Extraordinary event

At the Parilla de Rolo restaurant in the capital, there was no power for the entire morning. But the lights came on around 1:30pm (16:30 GMT) and within an hour, hungry clients were streaming in amid the waft of meat on the grill.

Running the cash register, Adriana Rasgido sighed in relief. They had stocked up for Fathers Day, and bills had to be paid.

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Five years ago, there were power outages all the time. I went five days without power at home at one point. But never at work. This is the first time Ive seen anything like this, she said.

By midafternoon, nearly half of Argentina, with a population of 44 million people, was still without power.

This is an extraordinary event that should never have happened, Argentine Energy Secretary Gustavo Lopetegui told reporters at a press conference in Buenos Aires on Sunday afternoon. Its very serious. We cant leave the country without power from one moment to another.

Argentine power distributor Edesur said that the failure originated at an electricity transmission point between the Yacyreta and Salto Grande power stations, in the northeast part of Argentina.

Nothing ruled out

The government is not ruling anything out, including a cyberattack, although Lopetegui said it is not among the primary potential causes being considered.

Carlos Garcia Pereira, head of Transener, Argentinas largest power-transmission operator, said the failure in the system could be caused by something as simple as humidity during a day of heavy rainfall.

Lopetegui stressed that Argentinas power system is very robust and is generating more than it requires.

An investigation is under way to determine who is responsible, and if sanctions are necessary.

It is important to clarify that this total disconnection happens automatically. Its the computers that run the system that do it, when they detect imbalances that could cause major harm, and in milliseconds the system disconnects in order to protect itself, said Lopetegui.

There was no alert here, he added. There was no possibility for an alert here because its something that a human cant detect. There is no human intervention.

By 3:30pm (18:30 GMT) on Sunday, 56 percent of Argentina had its power restored, and most of Uruguay, with a population of 3.5 million, was back online. Uruguay officials blamed the blackout on flaws in Argentinas system.

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Every province in Argentina, except for the southern-most Tierra del Fuego, which is on its own system, was affected.

In Neuquen city in west Argentina, most businesses were closed and street lights were out on Sunday. But at the Alto Comahue mall, one of the few places that were open amid the blackout, the generators rumbled loudly, blowing warm air into the rainy, winter morning.

The mall was a popular location for a Fathers Day outing, and families camped out on benches and crowded the food court.

At a coffee shop, three young men hunched over laptops were making use of the internet.

We work for a digital platform, said Nicolas Doguoli, adding that they dont usually work at the mall.

Cecilia Nowell contributed from NeuquenIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has inaugurated a new illegal settlement in the occupied Golan Heights named after US President Donald Trump in a gesture of appreciation for the US leaders recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

Netanyahu on Sunday called Trump a great friend of Israel and described the Golan Heights, which overlooks northern Israel, as an important strategic asset.

The Golan Heights was and will always be an inseparable part of our country and homeland, he said.

The settlement will be called Ramat Trump, Hebrew for Trump Heights and is not exactly new. Currently known as Bruchim, it is over 30 years old and has a population of 10 people.

Thank you PM @netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor! Trump tweeted later on Sunday.

Israel is hoping the rebranded settlement will encourage a wave of residents to vastly expand it.

Its absolutely beautiful, said US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who attended Sundays ceremony.

Noting that Trump celebrated his birthday on Friday, he said: I cant think of a more appropriate and a more beautiful birthday present.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981. Most of the international community considers the move illegal under international law.

But during a visit to Washington by Netanyahu in March, just weeks before the Israeli elections, Trump changed decades of US policy by signing an executive order, officially recognising the strategic mountainous plateau as Israeli territory.





The decision, the latest in a series of US diplomatic moves benefitting Israel, was widely applauded there.

Few things are more important to the security of the state of Israel than permanent sovereignty over the Golan Heights, Friedman said.

It is simply obvious, it is indisputable and beyond any reasonable debate.

After a cabinet meeting at the site on Sunday, Netanyahu and Friedman unveiled a sign trimmed in gold with the name Trump Heights, adorned with US and Israeli flags.

Cheap PR stunt

Reporting from Jerusalem, Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett said opposition parties have been pointing out that Netanyahus transitional government, ahead of Septembers election, doesnt have the authority to enact a new settlement in the occupied Golan Heights.





But that hasnt stopped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hes taken his cabinet up there for what he called a festive cabinet meeting which was attended unusually by the US ambassador David Friedman, Fawcett said.

Following Sundays decision to inaugurate the community, developing the settlement still requires overcoming several additional bureaucratic obstacles.

With Netanyahu running for re-election in the second national election this year, it remains unclear whether he will be able to complete the task.

Zvi Hauser, an opposition legislator who formerly served as Netanyahus cabinet secretary, called Sundays ceremony a cheap PR stunt.

Theres no funding, no planning, no location, and theres no real binding decision, he said.

Developing Trump Heights will not be easy. Ringed by high yellow grass and landmines, it is located roughly 20km from the Syrian border and a half-hour-drive from the nearest Israeli town, Kiryat Shmona, a community of about 20,000 people near the Lebanese border.

According to Israeli figures, almost 50,000 people live in the occupied Golan Heights, including about 22,000 Jewish Israelis and nearly 25,000 Arab Druze residents.

While Israel has encouraged and promoted settlement in the Golan, its remote location, several hours from the economic centre of Tel Aviv, has been an obstacle.

The area is home to small agriculture and tourism sectors but otherwise has little industry.

Corruption charges

As Netanyahu unveiled the newly rebranded illegal settlement, his wife Sara on Sunday admitted to the misuse of public funds and asked a Jerusalem court to approve a plea bargain convicting her of fraud and breach of trust.

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Under the charges in an amended indictment, Sara Netanyahu would plead guilty to exploiting the mistake of another person and pay a fine along with compensation, but corruption charges against her would be dropped.

She was initially charged in June 2018 with fraud and breach of trust for allegedly misusing state funds to pay for catered meals costing $100,000, by falsely declaring there were no cooks available at the prime ministers official residence.

Separately, Prime Minister Netanyahu is facing possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the months ahead.

He is reportedly seeking legislation that would result in him being granted immunity.

Of course the bigger question now confronts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has three corruption cases of his own, Al Jazeeras Fawcett said.

He was unable to cement a coalition after the last election. Hes now  had the Israeli parliament call new elections for September 17.

All of the stuff that has been going on in the Golan today is very much part of his efforts to try to get re-elected and also appeal to his friend in the White House, Donald Trump.In the largely conservative nation, women can be sentenced to up to two years in prison for having an abortion.Robert Mueller's troublesome, unethical, and corrupt FBI career prior to his appointment as the special counsel on the Trump-Russia Collusion investigation deserves a serious vetting. I provide here two points of reference: a monograph by sitting congressman and former Texas State Court judge Louie Gohmert titled "Robert Mueller: Unmasked" and a book by Louisiana attorney and sitting Louisiana state senator John Milkovich titled Robert Mueller: Errand Boy for the New World Order.

Congressman Gohmert's 48-page monograph is a discussion of a "long and sordid history of illicitly targeting innocent people that is a stain upon the legacy of American jurisprudence. He lacks the judgment and credibility to lead the prosecution of anyone." Gohmert focuses on 18 examples, including:

Collusion with Boston mobster Whitey Bulger in criminality and framing innocent men for murder that resulted eventually in the release of innocent parties and 100 million dollars in compensation for for DOJ Boston Office misconduct.

The FBI with Mueller as director harassed and hounded Congressman Curt Weldon in revenge for criticizing FBI failures related to 9-11.

Dishonest prosecutions of Senator Ted Stevens.

Prosecutorial abuses in the anthrax murder investigations post 9-11, producing one suicide and one award of 6.8 million dollars to the other innocent target.

Mueller's unethical acceptance of the special prosecutor position when he was conflicted by his longtime personal and professional relationship with James Comey.

Mueller hired extremely partisan, biased, and conflicted attorneys for his special counsel team.

Mueller's investigation ignored that FISA applications evidence presented to justify warrants to surveil Trump associates were not verified and thus a fraud on the court and illegal.

Louisiana State Senator John Milkovich

Milkovich's book, Robert Mueller: Errand Boy for the New World Order (2018), recounts Robert Mueller's history of prosecutorial misconduct before his appointment as special counsel in the Trump matter.

Mr. Milkovich: "Mueller has left his imprint on some of the most notorious episodes of government wrongdoing of the last thirty years." Mr. Milkovich is and was assiduous in his research and provides almost 400 endnotes and more than 125 items of bibliography as reference sources for his 165-page self-published book. When I asked him about the tough calls, he pointed to the sources and compelling evidence.

Mueller misconduct and his position in the DOJ/FBI:

9-11-2001  FBI Director Failure of the FBI to investigate suspicious characters reported to the FBI in the fall of 2000 by Dr. David Graham, former Air Force officer and dentist friend of Mr. Milkovich, who suspected that the men were planning a terrorist attack on Barksdale Air Force Base, home for a Nuclear B52H Air Wing. Dr. Graham reported his concerns to the local FBI office and was "stunned and outraged" in September 2001 when he saw after 9-11 that two of the men were in the group of 9-11 terrorist hijackers. Dr. Graham protested to the FBI, was rebuffed, raised a political ruckus, threatened to write a book, and shortly thereafter was poisoned but survived with severe injuries and disability. During his treatment at two medical facilities, FBI agents appeared and encouraged physicians to let Dr. Graham die because they said he was mentally ill and suicidal. Boston Mob 1984  Asst. U.S. Attorney and Acting U.S. Attorney Boston Providing cover for the Whitey Bulger Winter Hill Boston gang that committed murders and, of course, other crimes. The FBI framed four men, who were convicted and incarcerated for murder. The FBI was found culpable, and more than $100 million was awarded in compensation to the injured parties. Pan Am 103 19882001  Chief of the Criminal Justice Division of the DOJ Was in charge of the investigation of the 1988 Pan Am 103 Lockerbie plane bombing killed 258 passengers and 11 on the ground. Army major Charles McKee, who headed a Middle East hostage rescue team, was returning to the U.S. on Pan Am 103 with evidence to expose CIA-sponsored criminal activity. After the plane was destroyed, Mr. Mueller supervised an army of FBI agents on the investigation, and finally, 12 years later, the case went to trial by a panel of Scottish judges. Two Libyans were tried for murder; Al Amin Fhima was found not guilty, and Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was found guilty, sentenced to 20 years. Many references by Mr. Milkovich provide a case that asserts that the FBI's incompetent investigation failed to bring to justice Ahmed Jibril, the terrorist who arranged to plant the bomb, and others, including CIA agents, who were complicit in the bombing order to eliminate Major McKee. BCCI 1991,92  Chief of the FBI Criminal Justice Division Mr. Mueller was actively and energetically involved in providing cover for the criminal malfeasance and perfidy by officials of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), cover-ups for black ops, money-laundering, and financing of international criminal activities. Mr. Mueller and the FBI interfered with the investigation by Manhattan district attorney Robert Morgenthau. Ruby Ridge 1992  Chief of the FBI Criminal Division The FBI tried to get Randy Weaver to be an undercover informant on separatist groups in Idaho, but he was not cooperative. Then federal agents (Marshals and what the FBI claimed to be a hostage rescue team) surrounded his isolated cabin in the mountains, and there was a 11-day siege, punctuated by a killing of Weaver's wife from cover while she stood on a porch holding a baby. In addition, the son was shot in the back with a machine gun, running from the gunfire. Mueller objected publicly to anyone who would criticize the FBI conduct. 9-11-2001  FBI Director Mueller was named FBI director one week before 9-11-2001, and his conduct and actions related to the catastrophe are another indication of his corrupt nature. Milkovich makes the case that not only did Mueller arrange to evacuate Saudis after 9-11, but he obstructed, covered up, and obfuscated what the FBI knew about the terrorist plot and Saudi involvement before the attacks. Anthrax Terror Post 9-11-2001  FBI Director when the post-9-11 anthrax mailings killed five and injured 14 others in the D.C. area shortly after 9-11, Mr. Mueller as FBI director was heavily involved in the investigations and accusations of two scientists who ended up innocent. Dr. Bruce Ivins committed suicide, and Steve Hatfill won an award of $5.8 million dollars when he sued the FBI for prosecutorial misconduct. Mr. Milkovich focuses on Ivins and does not discuss the Hatfill matter in his book.

Mueller said he had no regrets about the anthrax investigations even though the perps were never found and two men's lives were turned upside-down by FBI malfeasance and incompetent, abusive investigations. Mr. Milkovich details the incompetence and abuse in the Ivins investigations and indictment.

The last two chapters of Mr. Milkovich's book lay out the case for the danger of the expanded power and reach of the administrative and surveillance state and the effort led by Mueller and his prosecution gang to accomplish a coup d'etat.My friend Lynn Chu has boiled down the basis for a just, prosperous society:

It is very easy to spend other people's money, thus eliminating all of the vital discrimination about the devils in the details which are knowable only at the level of the individual. This is the main justification for the protection of individual liberty against autocracy other than the clarity of the moral imperative of human rights as the privileges and immunities of the individual in society.

When Great Britain turned over Hong Kong at the expiration of its lease, the Chinese government promised to leave its democratic institutions and law alone. Bit by bit, that promise has been eroded until recently China pressured the local authorities to agree to an extradition treaty that would allow them to extradite from the former colony and try in China anyone, even someone merely transiting through its airport.

Day after day the residents in the millions resisted, marching en masse through the streets, closing down schools and shops as employers allowed workers leave to work at home and demonstrate.

Some argued that the U.S. would have to intervene, but that doesnt immediately seem to be necessary, as the Chinese, obviously aware that more brutal crackdown efforts or even armed intervention would more seriously affect their interests. The local authorities -- clearly with Chinas acquiescence -- backed down, suspending the extradition law indefinitely:

@AFP VIDEO:  Hong Kong's embattled leader #CarrieLam says a divisive bill that would allow extraditions to China will be "suspended" in a major climbdown by her government after a week of unprecedented protests.

Indeed, by several accounts, faced with the threat of Chinese tyranny, capital has already been fleeing the colony for elsewhere. Physical security and rule of law matter. And an independent and fair judicial system.

One tycoon, who considers himself potentially politically exposed, has started shifting more than $100 million from a local Citibank account to a Citibank account in Singapore, according to an adviser involved in the transactions. Its started. Were hearing others are doing it, too, but no-one is going to go on parade that they are leaving, the adviser said. The fear is that the bar is coming right down on Beijings ability to get your assets in Hong Kong. Singapore is the favored destination. Hong Kong and Singapore compete fiercely to be considered Asias premier financial center. The riches held by Hong Kongs tycoons have until now made the city the larger base for private wealth, boasting 853 individuals worth more than $100 million -- just over double the number in Singapore -- according to a 2018 report from Credit Suisse. The extradition bill, which will cover Hong Kong residents and foreign and Chinese nationals living or traveling through the city, has sparked unusually broad concern it may threaten the rule of law that underpins Hong Kongs international financial status. [snip] This has been largely overlooked in the public debate but it is really a significant part of the proposed amendments, Young said. It may not have been overlooked, of course, by the tycoons and those giving them legal advice.

The people who took to the streets in protest surely understand what China and Democratic state legislatures like those in California, New York, and Illinois do not: Capital is attracted to and invested in those places where the laws are fair and protect people and property, and where government overreach and exorbitant taxes are in check.

Many Californians complain about high taxes, and some vote with their feet, moving to no tax states like Nevada, Texas, Washington or Florida. A recent report says that dozens of millionaires fled California after the 2012 tax increase. The report quotes a study noting that 138 high income Californians left the state. That may sound draining, although the researcher said that, We estimate that California lost 0.04 percent of its top earner population over the two years following the tax change. That's a tiny number, and California's high taxes have always motivated some moves. The 2012 tax change is now old news, and yet there is still talk about the huge impact. However, that may be especially true when taxpayers see their 2018 tax returns next year. California's Proposition 55 extended until 2030 the temporary 13.3% tax rate on Californias high-income earners, the highest tax rate in the nation. It hits only 1.5% of Californians, those with a single income filing of at least $263,000, or joint income of $526,000. But the new federal tax law that limits state and local tax deductions to $10,000 seems likely to dramatically change taxpayer attitudes, but will it also change their behavior? If you are writing a several hundred thousand dollar check to California and cannot deduct it on your federal taxes, won't it smart that much more?

Illinois is, if anything, in worse shape than California:

Illinois high tax burden raises the benefits to be gained from moving relative to staying, resulting in an exodus of families toward states with lower tax rates and more economic opportunity. A consequence of these outflows of labor and capital is that state tax revenues suffer as the tax base shrinks. This negative effect on tax collections exacerbates Illinois fiscal crisis. The problem in Illinois is that policymakers continue to introduce policies without taking into account the behavioral responses of individuals and businesses. In increasingly interconnected markets, the effects of policies in one state can have implications for the rest of the world. Globalization, reductions in institutional barriers to international investment and trade agreements have contributed to increased levels of worker and capital mobility across the U.S. and countries with large differences in tax climate. In the last 20 years, 57 corporations left the U.S. for more tax-friendly jurisdictions, according to Bloomberg, taking with them jobs and billions of dollars. According to the IRS migration data, Illinois income loss to foreign countries due to the movement of workers was $88 million from 2014-2015. However, Illinois lost a much larger share -- $3.4 billion -- to other states.

Tax policies like those of Illinois always have secondary effects on employment often overlooked by governments, analysts, and media:

The State of Illinois is losing jobs and suffering investment outflows because it has the highest tax rates in the country, while its debt levels are dangerously high, a consequence of decades of fiscally irresponsible left-wing policies favoring wealth redistribution over wealth generation. In recent months, Illinois saw a net capital outflow of almost $5 trln, while mass layoffs and businesses leaving the state put the regional economy at risk In July alone, Illinois businesses announced 1,482 mass layoffs; 816 of them are in the manufacturing sector. Illinois' jobless rate, currently at 4.7 percent, is higher than national average of 4.3 percent, and the local labor market dynamics are alarming. Many Chicago workers commute to their jobs from neighboring counties and cities, including Gary, Indiana. The five so-called collar counties which surround Cook County, home to Chicago, recently posted even greater job losses. In Will County, Illinois, two prominent employers cut 363 jobs in manufacturing, logistics, and retail. The reason is rising taxes. In July, Illinois passed an income tax increase from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent, while the state corporate tax rose to 7 percent from 5.25 percent. American taxpayers must also pay a federal income tax and Social Security tax, not to mention other smaller taxes, affecting the local residents purchasing power. Meanwhile, Illinois is barely afloat economically and fiscally due to its heavy debt burden. The state has roughly $15 bln in overdue bills, runs a $7-billion budget deficit, and has a stunning $250-billion burden of unfunded pension obligations.

But the state suffering the greatest impact from overtaxation is undoubtedly New York:

From 2010 to mid-2017, New York had a net outmigration of over 1 million people, more than any other state. No, they're not all rich. But many are. And recent changes in the deductibility of federal taxes certainly hasn't helped high-tax states like New York. The wealthy have choices that others don't. Last year, a study by Wallet Hub looked at states ranked by their total tax burden. New York came out on top. Our own report compared the Wallet Hub data with Census data from 2007 to 2016. New York lost 1.3 million citizens, more even than California, which lost just under a million, and Illinois. recent changes in the deductibility of federal taxes certainly hasn't helped high-tax states like New York. As we said, the wealthy have choices that others don't. One of those choices is to move if taxes become not merely burdensome, but punitive. That's what's happening in New York. By the way, we also compared the Wallet Hub data with the states that were gaining population, and lo and behold: Five low-tax states -- Texas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington  gained the most population. In short, high taxes drive people away; low taxes attract them. It's simple economics, yet so many Blue States don't get it.

The people who legislate higher and higher taxes might get it -- that they are encouraging out-migration of the most productive and their capital, and with that, jobs -- but they are apparently more concerned with using taxpayer funds to buy off tranches of hands-out voting blocs and donors. Short-term personal advantage outweighs greater concerns.

Nothing so clearly makes this point than Californias high-speed train to nowhere, where the contractors surely got paid but the taxpayers were out of pocket and the farmers whose land was seized are still uncompensated for their losses.

Theres a six-century-old fresco in Siena, Italy. On one side good government is portrayed as a happy place with smiling, well-fed families, commerce, construction and prosperity. On the other is bad government with starving people, destruction, disease, and misery. Kahn Academy has a detailed view of it and an explanation: Allegory and effect of good and bad government. Its interesting to note that the people of Siena, fearful of government corruption, limited council members to two-month terms.) The pathway to better government has been known for centuries. We stray from it at our peril.Is there nothing the left won't blame on Trump?

Lefty activist Walid Shaheed passed through a routine border checkpoint slightly inland from the actual border and panicked, concluding the first thing that came to his mind: That Trump turned America Nazi.

Bzzzzt! No. Turns out the border checkpoints have been in place for decades, a relic of a time when both right and left held the mainstream view that America needed borders.

The Right Scoop reports how it all went, spotting this tweet:

I just spent some time in South Texas. Our car was stopped a few times at checkpoints where border patrol asked whether or not we were US citizens.



People say its now a normalized part of life that makes many immigrants afraid of things like picking their kids up from school.  Waleed Shahid (@_waleedshahid) June 15, 2019

After that came the inevitable smackdown. This one was sweeter than most because assorted other lefties hastened to calm the leftist down, explaining that those border checkpoints predated Trump, and the Supreme Court upheld the Border Patrol's right to have the checkpoints and ask brief questions of travelers suspected of smuggling, back in 1976. Meanwhile, the checkpoints as they stand have been allowed since 1953.

Anyone who drives from San Diego to Los Angeles knows about the border checkpoint on Highway 5, out in the Pendleton badlands just before hitting San Clemente. Every little kid from San Diego knows about it because it's on the highway to Disneyland. My family used to make fun of it, actually, getting waved through and then always joking: 'Time to take off our wigs and let the dozen people we are smuggling back up from under the seat cushions, (snicker), we got away with it.'

The checkpoint was put into place decades ago, and probably wasn't all that effective, given that human and other kinds of smugglers knew about them and most would presumably know enough to go around them. Need proof of that? Well, it's the very area where the famous CalTrans cautionary illegal immigrant signs used to be, too, placed much later based on people sneaking around to avoid that checkpoint until too many Americans started making fun of it.

Bottom line: The lefty is so out of touch he's not even aware of the U.S. being in a border crisis since at least 1986, or earlier, actually, with illegal crossers and smugglers forcing the adaptation of border checkpoints, which, yes, kind of inconvenience everyone. I always wondered why they placed it above San Diego, as if San Diego wasn't entitled to some kind of protection, too. Well, according to one of the lefties cited by the Right Scoop, the idea was that the closer border area allows far more cross border traffic as locals on both sides of the border regularly go in and out. The Supreme Court decided years ago that the inland checkpoints beyond them were acceptable and this was how it was going to be.

And now the lefty's getting owned, as the Right Scoop shows, even by the more informed lefties.

Incredibly, it's not the first time a lefty has fallen into this trap and presumed that Trump has turned the border into a Nazi zone. Vox of all places had to correct the lefties about this last year, explaining that yes, the border checkpoints were put into place decades ago, back when there was a consensus about having borders. Even last year, there must have been many lefties panicking.

Maybe lefties ought to get out around the country more. Maybe they can see what's going on and ask some serious questions instead of jump to their panicked conclusions. A teachable moment, as they like to say.Dogma is defined as "a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true." Progressives pride themselves with the conceit that they are above baseless reliance on dogma. Dogma conjures up thoughts of religion  which, surveys tell us, progressive liberals detest. But is this true? Do progressives really reject dogma? I say no.

The diversity dogmas is help up by believers in progressive liberalism as an unalloyed, unmitigated, unquestioned good. More and more, this diversity ideal is becoming the core dogma held by schools, universities, corporations, government bodies, the media, the tech sector, and a host of other industries that make up the progressive liberal flock.

What is and is not diversity to progressive liberals? John Fonte defines it like so: "Diversity" does not mean ... traditional pluralism that is the result of differing interests, ideas, talents, and opportunities in a free society. Today 'diversity' means that society is divided into adversarial ethnic-racial, gender, and sexually orientated groups. There are the dominant oppressor groups (males, whites, Christians, heterosexuals, native-born English speakers) and the marginalized and oppressed victim groups (women, ethnic and linguistic minorities, LGBT, illegal immigrants)." The true definition, underneath the platitudes, is based on a Manichean reading of who is and isn't "diverse." A group made up entirely of the former is not diverse, while a group made up entirely of the latter is diverse  or at least is not subject to criticism in the same way.

If an organization or group is judged as "not diverse," two concordant principles follow  the lack of diversity definitionally is caused by discrimination, and it is the job of the state or corporation or entity to force said non-diverse group to become diverse. This process works out fairly simply. The diversity evangelists demand that an organization tabulate specific "diversity" criteria. Then they decide whether or not that organization is diverse. Typically, these statistics look at race, gender, and sexuality. But sometimes other "marginalized" groups such as non-English speakers, the disabled, religious groups, immigration status, and a host of other "protected" groups are counted.

Take what the Black Liberation Collective asked of the University of Toronto as an emblematic case. In December 2015, the university began collecting data to show the racial composition of the student body. Why would this group make this demand? To "reveal that Black students at U of T are underrepresented relative to their demographics in Canada  and that this will prove the existence of discrimination that can be rectified by demographic engineering." Similar efforts have been made here in the United States in countless government bodies and corporate human resources departments, schools, Hollywood, Wall Street, and so on.

This dogma falls apart under criticism. For example, does racial diversity include geographic breakdowns? Are women interchangeable whether they are from Appalachia or San Francisco or rural Texas or Los Angeles? Surely, blacks from the Dominican Republic, or the Bronx, or Montgomery, or Kansas City, or Minneapolis are not interchangeable? The diversity dogmatists cannot tell us, but instead tell us you're probably a racist or a sexist for raising these objections. Looking at survey data at the University of Toronto, George McKeown actually noted that the groups most underrepresented were "men, Indigenous peoples, and whites, relative to Canadian demographics at large." Only one of those groups are "protected" victim groups; diversity matters only when oppressor groups are dominant.

Belief in "diversity" is widely accepted with unquestioning zeal throughout many quarters of the United States  despite the apparent problems it brings. Writing for National Review, Victor Davis Hanson notes that "for some reason, contemporary America believes that it can reject its uniquely successful melting pot to embrace a historically dangerous and discredited salad-bowl separatism." For this supposition, Hanson has been called a "white nationalist" and a "racist" by various leftist groups. Yet they have nothing to say about the evidence he puts forth that undermines the idea that e pluribus without unum might not be such a good idea. Evidently, the bloodbaths that took place in the diverse (and long dead) Ottoman, Russian, Austrian, British, and Soviet empires are not admissible as evidence, as they so clearly indict the "diversity" project. To point out the modern messes that took place in Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan as diverse religious, linguistic, and ethnic groups tore those countries apart is to trespass on hallowed ground  or, rather, to question the diversity dogma is to pronounce blasphemy to progressive liberal ears.President Obama is living the life of a former king, vacationing these days at a palatial estate in the south of France. At what point has he made enough? Silly us for asking.

Daily Mail has a report with a lot of photographs:

Former US president Barack Obama and his family arrived in Avignon in the south of France for a week's holiday just days after they were pictured celebrating daughter Sasha's graduation from high school. The Obamas are reportedly staying at a luxurious 18th century farmhouse on Bathelasse island, near the Provencal city. Barack, 57, his wife Michelle, 55, and their two daughters Sasha, 18, and Malia, 20, will relax at the palatial Le Mas des Poiriers, rented at 55,000 euros for the week, according to a report by Le Parisien. The two former first daughters were seen out and about Saturday after jetting into the Provencal city on Friday. Security detail from the Gard regional police as well as the US Secret Service will surround the residence as the former first family visit the area. The property sits on 65 acres - providing seclusion and privacy for the Obamas during their stay.

Why the taxpayers should pay for this via the security guard details, as if the man can't afford any of his own after all the payoffs he's now collecting from speeches and book deals is rather a side issue.

The problem is that this comes as he's engaging in quite a few shenanigans on his own around Europe.

DCWhispers, a pretty reliable blog, reprinted an item stringing together all the Obama spottings around Europe with its leaders, all of whom are of the #NeverTrump ilk, calling it the activity of a "dictator in exile." Obama's met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He's also met with French President Emmanuel Macron. Funny, he's now staying in Macron's country now... And all of this comes as Obama has become increasingly implicated in the activities to overthrow President Trump from Deep State, a trail that's now being investigated by the Justice Department. And it comes as revelations roll out about Obama's former Secretary of State, John Kerry, as well as other prominent Democrats, such as Sen. Dianne Feinstein, meet with America's enemies such as Iran on the sly, advising them to hold on until they can retake power.

The DCWhispers writer raises even more questions:

Why is a former president, any former president, conducting policy discussions that might have foreign policy implications with the leaders of foreign governments without first clearing his contacts with the currently seated administration? That question is of even greater import in light of the diametrically opposed world views held by the current president and the former president. Is Obama using his relationships with foreign leaders to continue pushing for the expansion of globalism, the shadow governments foreign policy agenda?

If it's all true, this is indeed how many ex-dictators in exile act. And actually, it's never before been seen by former American presidents. It's clearly a kind of decadence borne of a lifestyle of an idle rich person -- using that idle time to plot a comeback. The south-of-France thang is a nice touch.

At a minimum, it's time to pull the plug on the taxpayer funding for the presidential lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-famous abroad. It's gone too far and now it's leading to trouble. Why should the Secret Service tag this guy at huge taxpayer expense wherever he goes? And why should he be allowed to use these resources to run a shadow government?

Image montage by Monica Showalter from public domain sourcesIn the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy joined his father, Henry Jones, Sr., on a quest to find the Holy Grail. Just like with Raiders of the Lost Ark, theyre in a race against forces aligned with Adolph Hitler. If you know the Indiana Jones movie series, you know its filled with many twists and turns, pitting good against evil, and of course, lots of booby traps to be avoided. According to the movie, legend had it that an ancient order of knights protected the cup, which was hidden in a cave. Henry Jones, Sr., had made the Grail his lifelong quest and had a notebook filled with research that would help lead them to the Grail. At one point or another, both sides get possession of the notebook, and in the end, those on both sides who survived the booby traps ended up in the room where the cup of Christ was hidden. This chamber was filled with many cups and chalices. Most of the cups were exquisite in their beauty and value. So, which of these cups was the cup Christ used at the Last Supper?





Indys evil competitor chose to go first. After all, he had the gun. He chooses one of the most ornate chalices, believing that this cup was fit for a king and worthy of a quest. The bad guy dips the cup in a font at the center of the chamber, and he takes a drink, believing the cup will endow the water with properties offering eternal life. As you might expect, this doesnt end well. The bad guy ends up as dust in the wind, and the knight says of him: He chose poorly.





If youve seen the film, you know that the bad guy shot Henry Jones, Sr. before he took the drink from the wrong cup. Although his father was dying, Indy concluded that a drink from the cup of Christ would heal his father. But which one of these many cups is the cup of Christ? Remembering Jesus origin as a carpenter, he picks up a rather plain, wooden cup. Theres nothing inherently valuable about it, but its the kind of cup a carpenter would use. The knight says to Indiana: You choose wisely.





Choosing wisely is a central theme of the book of Proverbs. Choices are posed, along with the consequences. It sometimes feels like youre reading a book telling you to eat this, not that. Faced with choices in life will you choose wisely?





The first nine chapters of Proverbs picture a father giving instructions to his sons so they can choose wisely as they navigate the world around them. Some choices will seem enticing, but they can lead to disaster. Remember that in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the wise choice was the humble cup of wood and not the ornate chalice. These are the words spoken by a father to sons at the beginning of the book of Proverbs: My son, heed the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the instruction of your mother; for they are a graceful wreath upon your head, a necklace about your throat ( The first nine chapters of Proverbs picture a father giving instructions to his sons so they can choose wisely as they navigate the world around them. Some choices will seem enticing, but they can lead to disaster. Remember that in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the wise choice was the humble cup of wood and not the ornate chalice. These are the words spoken by a father to sons at the beginning of the book of Proverbs: My son, heed the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the instruction of your mother; for they are a graceful wreath upon your head, a necklace about your throat ( Prov. 1:8-9 ). So, if you listen to your parents you will choose wisely. That would seem to be a good message for Fathers Day!





The reading from Proverbs 8 invites us to heed the words of Woman Wisdom, who stands at the gates of the city, calling out to the people, inviting them to choose wisely. In verse 7, she declares: My mouth utters truth; Wickedness is abhorrent to my lips (Prov. 8:7). You might remember Pontius Pilate asking Jesus: What is truth? Were still asking that question. Its an especially pertinent question in an age when no one is sure what is truth and what is an illusion. The message here, however, is that Wisdom utters only truth. So listen carefully.





The invitation of Woman Wisdom in Proverbs 8 is contrasted with that of the strange or loose woman of chapter 7, who represents Folly. She also stands at the corner, calling out to the young men who pass by. She speaks to them with smooth and seductive words. It might not surprise you to learn that this strange woman is a prostitute, who offers herself to the young men. Her offer is enticing and the undiscerning person will thoughtlessly follow her, like an ox going to the slaughter (Prov. 7:22 Tanakh). We have all heard the adage that if it sounds too good to be true, then its probably not true. When you get that email promising you a large amount of money from a Nigerian prince, you might want to ignore it, along with the email from a friend asking for help as they travel in a faraway land. The house of the strange woman is a highway to Sheol, leading down to Deaths inner chambers (Prov. 7:27 Tanakh).





Woman Wisdom also offers passers-by a compelling message, but if you follow her lead you will experience life rather than death. Her word of wisdom is this: O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it. (Prov. 8:5). Wisdoms words are righteous. Theyre more valuable than silver or gold and they lead to life. The choice is ours. Who will we follow?





Well have to forgive the author who wrote these poems for his patriarchal vision. The contrasting picture of choosing between two women is problematic, but in the context of its time, it makes sense.





We hear this voice of Woman Wisdom calling out to us in the context of Trinity Sunday. I realize that we Disciples struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity, which is why Ive We hear this voice of Woman Wisdom calling out to us in the context of Trinity Sunday. I realize that we Disciples struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity, which is why Ive written a little book that just came out , in which I lay out some reasons why Disciples might embrace the Trinity. But thats for a different time than this. We read it today because Wisdom is personified as a woman, and it seems as if Wisdom or Sophia has the potential to broaden our conversation about the nature of God. The problem with using Proverbs 8 for this purpose, is that it speaks of Woman Wisdom as the first act of Gods creation. In fact, the arch-heretic Arius pointed to this very passage as evidence that Jesus was only a created being and not divine. Nevertheless, it has proven intriguing to theologians reflecting on the Trinity.





So, while this passage might be problematic when it comes to the Trinity, it does say something valuable about the role Wisdom plays in the creation of all things. Were told she was created before anything else existed to be Gods companion. She was beside him as a master worker (vs. 30 NRSV). Or as the Tanakh, a Jewish translation, puts it: Wisdom was with Him as a confidant, A source of delight every day . . . (Prov. 8:22-23, 30 Tanakh). The Hebrew here can be translated in a variety of ways from master-worker to child. Whatever translation we choose, the message here is that God takes delight in Wisdom. But, not only is Wisdom a source of delight for God, but Wisdom rejoices before God every day, rejoicing in his inhabited world, and delighting in the human race.





The Common English Bible takes this a step further. Borrowing from an old Cyndi Lauper tune, we learn that Woman Wisdom just wanna have fun! So we hear the words of verses 30 and 31, as it reads in the Common English Bible:





I was beside him as a master of crafts.

I was having fun, smiling before him all the time,

frolicking with his inhabited earth and delighting in the human race.

Yes, Wisdom likes to have fun. Wisdom smiles before God and frolics with Gods inhabited world, taking delight in the human race. This word of wisdom is an important one. It reminds us that there is goodness in the created order and in the human race. Thats why its important to take care of Gods creation. Its why the climate change discussion is so important. Thats because God, together with Wisdom, rejoices and takes delight in all that is created.





There are differing voices calling out to us. Theyre seductive and enticing. They promise blessings. They often promise us glory and even a lot of fun, but the benefits are often short term and in the end, lead to destruction. The path of Wisdom is often portrayed as a sober and even joyless journey. But, according to Proverbs 8, this path leads to joy and Gods delight. So which path will you choose? The one that has short-term benefits but long-term destruction or the path that sometimes is a bit difficult at first but in the end leads to long term benefits? Wisdom stands before us and asks: will you choose wisely?





In the verses that follow our reading for today, we hear the father say to his sons:





Now children, listen to me:

Happy are those who keep to my ways!

Listen to instruction, and be wise; dont avoid it.





Preached by:

Dr. Robert D. Cornwall, Pastor

CentralWoodward Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Troy, Michigan

June 16, 2019

Trinity Sunday

(Prov. 8:30-31 CEB).(Vs. 32-33)This would appear to be good news! May we choose wisely.Iran's mullah regime is acting up again, this time torpedoing tankers in the Persian Gulf, and who should turn up to cast doubt on its behavior but former Obama administration Deputy National Security Advisor, Iran Deal negotiator, and creative writing major Ben Rhodes.

Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw was waiting for him, and it didn't end well for Rhodes.

In the wake of the Iran news, Rhodes put out four dubious tweets:

First, his pinned one with an article dating from May:

Trumps administration has made every effort to manufacture a crisis with Iran: https://t.co/y7g3ATGS1X  Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) May 17, 2019

Then these:

This definitely feels like the kind of incident where you'd want an international investigation to establish what happened. Huge risk of escalation. https://t.co/a2X18hNmmD  Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) June 13, 2019

There has been no Secretary of Defense for six months. Note the escalation with Iran in that period.  Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) June 15, 2019

This will get about 1/100th of the coverage that Trumps comments got in the US media. https://t.co/0ZzWFePc6O  Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) June 15, 2019

Crenshaw tweeted back and got him good:

So, do or dont believe the Intel community?



And youre not really a trusted source to weigh in on Iran...



You sold the public the falsehood of a moderating Iranian regime - using your media echo chamber (your words)- & ignoring the true danger Iran presents in the region. https://t.co/KriHBpOWtf  Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) June 14, 2019

Ive been watching for years as Iran moves weapons to proxies around the region, looking for opportunities to destabilize & wreak havoc, and then claim innocence. This is not new. And the Administration is right to strengthen our regional presence as a deterrence.  Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) June 14, 2019

Smackdown.

Crenshaw hits so many points as to what these Rhodes tweets are really about he came off as a pool player who rolled balls into all four holes with just one precise cue shot.

First, Rhodes's pinned tweet laid out his ongoing "narrative," spreading well into his media "echo chamber," that Trump is making up the whole problem with Iran, manufacturing a crisis.

The torpedo incident is a hard one to call a manufactured crisis...

But no matter. Rhodes wants to get the word out with the old and now-errant forecast that the U.S. is just makin' it up and the torpedos are firing themselves.

That would be consistent with the kind of articles that are running in the New Yorker, which has got to be creative writing major Rhodes' favorite magazine - a recent one put out this title in its SEO: "The U.S. Has a Long History of Provoking Wars. Could Iran Be Next?" The photo shows President Trump holding his arm up in what the New Yorker would like you to think is a sort of Nazi salute, the better to paint Trump as a warmonger worse than any of the others.

It's a strange reading of things, given that the Trump administration has actually been arguably too constrained about dealing with Iran (and Venezuela). Crenshaw points out that Trump is right to "strengthen our regional presence as a deterrence," which on the whole, is kind of mild, given what Iran just did, but O.K.

Far from being a warmonger as Rhodes is trying to drum out there, President Trump actually is a critic of the U.S.'s non-stop wars and nation-buildings from past administrations, and most certainly does not want some war with Iran (or even much nearer and equally vile and problematic Venezuela) at a time when he's trying to focus on an actual security crisis at the U.S. border.

Naturally, Rhodes seeks the calling of an international commission about what Iran did, as if the U.S. intelligence community -- the one that called out the Obama administration for censoring war reports -- couldn't possibly be trusted.

As Crenshaw points out: "So do or don't believe the intelligence community?" (Same intelligence community that has been caught waist deep in attempting to topple President Trump? Rhodes looks even more foolish).

Crenshaw also points out what this is really about - that Rhodes is the naive author of the Iran deal and his forking over of billions to the mullahs is exactly what has enabled them to have lots of money to buy torpedos. That's a credibility killer for Rhodes and makes him look like a boob. Rhodes sold a false "narrative" about Iran having a moderating regime, something the torpedo attack pretty well took out along with the burning ships.

It's an important takedown because Rhodes is trying to save his skin and "legacy" not respond to new events. Democrats these days are all trying to save the now-scuppered Iran deal, with John Kerry and Dianne Feinstein meeting with the mullahs and reassuring them that Trump will soon be over so pay no attention to anything he does, ultimately causing the problems we see now.

Now we have Crenshaw, firing his precision shots to end Rhodes's self-serving bid to preserve his continuous "narrative" that is falling apart fast.

Thanks, Dan.Is it any wonder that most American Jews who do not read any conservative news outlets are completely clueless about the perfidy of the Democrat Party and its leftist partners? At the Jewish Week, one learns that "Ilhan Omar is Joining [the] Newly Formed Black-Jewish Congressional Caucus." That is like saying that the fox has deigned to come to the chicken coop for a sit-down chat before consuming the hapless fowl.

The Black-Jewish Caucus is being convened by the American Jewish Committee (AJC). A little background on the AJC is in order. In 2013 Ronn Torossian revealed that

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) claims to be 'strictly non-partisan'  yet cannot be non-partisan when they continually support a failed peace process and a two-state solution. In 2004, the leadership of the AJC met with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's national security adviser, Jibril Rajoub, and the AJC leader, David Harris, publicly urged Israel to use the 'road map' to get to 'peace.'

More recently, Daniel Greenfield asserts that "[t]he American Jewish Congress, [is] a liberal group that, despite its name, represents Jews no more than any of the other alphabet soup non-profits with a J thrown in there [.]" His conclusion is that "the struggle between Jews and the anti-Jewish Left goes on."

According to the Jewish Week the newly formed caucus includes "Reps. Brenda Lawrence, D-Mich, Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., Will Hurd, R-Texas and John Lewis, D-Ga., a revered veteran of the 1960s civil rights movement." While Lewis was certainly active in the 1960s civil rights movement, it behooves the writer to shed light on Lewis' connections to the following:

In 1969, Lewis was listed as a sponsor of the GI Civil Liberties Defense Committee, an anti-U.S. military organization dominated by the Socialist Workers Party. In May 1973 Lewis was listed as a sponsor of . . . the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, a Communist Party USA front group that grew out of the movement to free the incarcerated Marxist revolutionary and Black Panther ally Angela Davis. In October 2008, Lewis accused Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, of promoting racism in their campaign against Democratic nominee Barack Obama. 'What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history,' Lewis said in a statement. 'Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.'

That Obama turned out to be good friends with known anti-Semites such as Edward Said, Rashid Khalidi and Linda Sarsour was simply ignored.

Right on cue, "the Minnesota Democrats spokesman, Jeremy Slevin, confirmed to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that [Omar] is planning to join the group." Yet, Minnesota is becoming ground zero for terrorist recruiting. In fact, "Federal data show people leave or attempt to leave Minneapolis in hopes to join Islamic terrorist networks abroad more than any other city in the U.S. So big is the problem that Minnesota U.S. attorney general Andrew Lugar said in 2015 that 'Minnesota has a terror recruiting problem.' So instead of sanctioning Omar for her raving anti-Semitism, the Jewish Congressional Democrats have decided to join her.

Actually, anti-Semitism is hardly a priority at this caucus since Omar is concerned about "the common threat of white nationalism faced by Muslim, Black and Jewish Americans." Omar and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, (D-Ill) have decided to confront the "white supremacy that threatens both Jews and Blacks." According to the Jewish Press, an orthodox, politically conservative-leaning paper, "Schakowsky "is among the most Progressive members of Congress and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus." She has called senior-editor-at-large for Breitbart News Joel Pollak a "Jewish, Orthodox Tea Party Republican."

As writer David Israel has sardonically asserted "So, all in all, a fine pick to represent U.S. Jewish politicians in a solidarity group with Congresswoman Omar, whose command of classic anti-Semitism is impressive for an east-African Muslim."

What is puzzling is that Zeldin is involved in this caucus. In the past he and Omar have butted heads in their tweets when Zeldin stated: "Those poor innocent ISIS fighters & Palestinian terrorists right? Give me a break! Thats a problem no matter your religion or gender Ilhan. Your anti-Semitic & anti-Israel hate is strong & wrong & those terrorists have US blood on their hands as well."

Omar responded with "Dont mind him, he is just waking up to the reality of having Muslim women as colleagues who know how to stand up to bullies! Its gonna be fun watching him lose his marbles."

Although there were hyperlinks in the Jewish News paper that alluded to Omar's anti-Semitism, would a reader be aware that Omar is a strong supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement which seeks to destroy Israel? Would the average reader of the Jewish News know that "[i]n February 2019, Omar was scheduled to speak at a Florida event sponsored by Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), the American branch of an international organization that has been designated as a terror financier by the governments of the United Arab Emirates and Israel?

Moreover, "[i]n March 2019 in Los Angeles, Omar was the keynote speaker at a Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) benefit event titled 'Advancing Justice, Empowering Valley Muslims.' Sharing the stage with Omar was CAIR-Florida executive director Hassan Shibly, who rejects the notion that Hezbollah and Hamas are terrorist organizations. At the same event, Omar said: 'CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognized that some people [the 9/11 terrorists] did something, and that all of us [Muslim civilians] were starting to lose access to our civil liberties.' (In fact, CAIR was founded in 1994, not 2001.)" The manipulation of facts is not surprising given that Omar's Congressional buddy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez maintains that "there's a lot of people more concerned about being precisely, factually, and semantically correct than about being morally right."

Omar has used anti-Semitic tropes about Jewish influence and money. In fact, the Jewish Press newspaper highlights that Omar has emphatically stated that "just to be clear, [her] endorsement of the caucus and willingness to unite our communities against the threats of White supremacy isn't an endorsement of Zeldin's bigotry."

Lastly, the article asserts that "[t]he American Jewish Committee said it hoped being part of the caucus 'will sensitize Rep. Omar to the importance, history and achievements of Black-Jewish relations in our country.'" In her best smarmy tone, Omar tweeted that 'my hope here is that Zeldin can learn and grow.'

Additionally, comes the most recent news that Ilhan Omar has most likely committed a remarkable number of felonies due to her fraudulent 2009-2017 marriage. Michelle Malkin has underscored this and pointedly asks if it is time to get the federal IRS officials involved.

As Valerie Sobel so eloquently stresses in her "Dear Jewish-American Leftists: It's Time for a Talk," Jews must come to understand that the Democrat Party does not serve the interests of American Jewry. A vote for a Democrat is a vote "for a party that morally equates Israel to terror groups and Islamic countries of horrendous human rights abuses." The Democrat Party is accepting of the anti-Semitism of Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. How can anyone support a party that does this? Abe Greenwald amplifies this when he writes:

Disease is reversible  rot isnt. Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib brought the disease of anti-Semitism into the upper echelons of the Democratic Party when they were elected in November. The party could have fought the disease. It chose instead to nurture it. And thats when the irreversible rot set in.

This caucus is a sham, a set-up and a feel-good exercise. Anyone who thinks otherwise is deluding himself. The fox is hungry and it will consume its prey.

Photo credit: Lorie Shaull

Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.comRecently, there has been renewed activism to eliminate the Electoral College. The argument over its need to exist seems to be almost perennial. I say almost, because it really gets made only when Democrats lose elections. The problem is that the arguments they make are specious and their premises fallacious, and senators who support this move undermine their own standing in the Senate.

If the Electoral College were to be abolished, either through Democrat collusion among certain states or a constitutional amendment (which would never happen), this would effectively put an end to federalism. There would no longer be a logical need for or a way to protect the interests of any state. The point of a state governor or legislature would seem archaic and a throwback to the founding. States themselves would be mere markings on the map, while large metropolitan areas would become the new centers of power, with a handful of mayors becoming the new American lords. These metropolitan areas would then likely compete for power and create coalitions, further dividing the USA into city-states like Italy of the 1700s.

Some have a problem understanding that we are not only not a democracy, but not really a republic, either...not for the people. Our republicanism rests with the idea of representing the states and the people. Treaties are approved by the states through their representatives in the Senate, for example. Presidents, who preside over the corporation or federation of states, are not elected by the people; they are elected by the states. The size of each state's population is part of the calculation, but it's the state that is electing the president, not the people at large.

"But that was then. Today, we are a democracy, and the people should speak louder than the states, and so the 'popular vote' should count more!" If we were to do just a bit of mind-bending and apply this across the board to all the nooks and crannies of our government, it would then certainly apply to the Senate, for it, too, doesn't represent the people as it is structured now. It represents the states. So, applying that same concept to the voting value of any one senator versus another, it seems that a senator from a large state like California or Texas would certainly have more to say about an issue than a senator from say, Vermont.

If we use the same argument that the vapid empty suits and would-be presidents use to press their case, we would want to be sure that the 100 senators' votes would represent the popular vote. I suggest the following.

If we take the USA's population to be about 324 million, we now have a basis for a little simple math. Let's begin with the value of one senator from the least populated state and use it as our basis for a single vote. The least populated state is Wyoming. It has about 580,000 people. Since there are two senators, we divide by two to get about 290,000 as the base count for one vote for a senator. So we would say each senator from Wyoming votes with the value of one vote in the Senate, which is also approximately the same for Vermont. Texas, on the other hand, has more than 28 million residents, so each of its senators would have the vote value of 49 times the value of a vote from Vermont or Wyoming. A vote by Ted Cruz, for example, would count 49 times that of Bernie Sanders. Each of N.C.'s senators, my state's Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, would cast about 18 votes each...or 18 times the vote value as Mr. Sanders and almost twice the vote value as Elizabeth Warren or Amy Klobuchar. Oh, wow...and both Dianne Feinstein's and Kamala Harris's votes would count 68 times as much as Mr. Bernie's one little ol' vote. Even Dick Durbin's vote would count 22 times as much as Bernie's and less than half as much as Ted Cruz's.

The point is simple. The Electoral College is a brilliant solution for protecting the rights of each state in the Senate while accounting for the differences in population in the House of Representatives. To abolish it, either literally or effectively through collusion, is to completely change not just the way we vote for the president, but the entire structure of the federal government of the United States of America.The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels.



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The short story is on a huge upwards trajectory, yet attitudes persist that collections cant be as successful as novels. To be fair, most of those prehistoric views emanate from London rather than Ireland or the US. After all, it was we Irish who exported the short story to the US in the first place, and its our biggest cultural legacy  next to the Irish bar, of course.  Irish TimesThomas Cunniffes excellent weblog Jazz History Online has managed to find the performance by Paul Desmond and his Canadian quartet originally broadcast in 1975 by the Canadian Broadcasting Company. That is good news for listeners who continue to follow the alto saxophonists career after the dissolution of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, in which he starred with Brubeck for seventeen years. Cunniffe also presents the complete interview of Desmond by the CBCs Mary Lou Finlay, with enthusiastic, nearly rhapsodic, commentary by her co-host Paul Soles. Previously, the interview has aired in the United States mostly in bits and pieces. To see all of the interview, the segment by Desmonds Toronto-based quartet, and Tom Cunniffes extensive backgrounder, click here.

Thanks to Thomas Cunniffe, Mary Lou Finlay and the CBC for sharing an important moment in jazz history.

Have a good weekend.Constable told the media that the state government should be dismissed because it has failed to maintain law and order.

Taking cognizance of the incident, the state Director General of Police issued dismissal orders for Yadav on charges of gross indiscipline.

Lucknow: A Provincial Armed Constabulary constable in Uttar Pradesh has been dismissed for seeking dismissal of Yogi Adityanath government.

Constable Munish Yadav wore a red cap symbolic of Samajwadi Party and his uniform and went to the office of District Collector carrying a placard which read Yogi Sarkar ko barkhast karo (Dismiss the Yogi government).

Yadav told the media that the state government should be dismissed because it has failed to maintain law and order. He said that his memorandum was addressed to the governor.

District Collector admitted to have been aware of the incident but said that he didnt meet the constable.

Yadav is presently posted in Noida and he belongs to Etawah.

Taking cognizance of the incident, the state Director General of Police issued dismissal orders for Yadav on charges of gross indiscipline.

Yadavs family said that he was mentally disturbed and pleaded innocence.The donor's cell and recipient's serum is then tested for compatibility(based on blood group) following which transfusion is performed.

Donor rights is something we tend to overlook. If a donor's blood tests positive for some infection, it is the blood bank's duty to notify him/her immediately.

Chennai: In December last year newspapers across the state carried headlines about HIV positive blood being transfused to a pregnant woman at a government hospital in Sattur, Virudhunagar. Three months after this shocking case of medical negligence came to light, reports of at least 9 maternity deaths due to the administration of 'lysed' blood have surfaced. These two incidents have not only created ripples in the medical fraternity but forced people to question the safety of blood transfusions in the state.

World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on June 14 every year and this year's theme is 'Safe blood for all'. How safe is donated blood?

Talking about the elaborate steps to be followed while donating blood, Dr N. Rajakumar, professor and head, department of transfusion medicine, Government Stanley medical college and hospital, says, When a volunteer walks in, s/he is first asked to fill up a form which provides us with crucial details. S/he then undergoes a test for haemoglobin estimation followed by a medical examination. If the haemoglobin count is 12.5 and above, the donor is eligible for donation. Following this, s/he is given pre-donation counselling and briefed by about the procedure and precautions be to taken before blood donation. After donating blood, s/he is once again given post donation counselling.

The donated blood then goes through extensive screening tests.

According to WHO guidelines, the blood should be screened for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and malaria. If the blood sample fails even one of these tests, it is discarded immediately.

The donor's cell and recipient's serum is then tested for compatibility(based on blood group) following which transfusion is performed.

Ideally, the collected blood should be separated into its components within six hours of collection.

Each component, however, comes with its own shelf life and storage criteria. While packed cells need to be stored at 2- 8 degree Celcius, platelets need to be stored at 22-24 degree Celsius and fresh frozen plasma should be blast frozen at -80-degree Celcius and de-freeze at -40-degree Celcius. With the government providing data logger system to the 89 blood government blood banks across the state, storage of collected blood and blood products has now become easy.

This chain of approved processes should be meticulously followed by all blood banks to prevent botches in blood transfusion.

Dr Ravindranath, Doctor's Society for Social Equality, says, The Tamil Nadu government is yet to take a stand on blood donation policy. Despite being a pioneer of healthcare in the nation, blood banks in the state are still short of advanced equipment. Talking about the various shortcomings in the state's blood banks, he says, Blood banks need to computerize and inter-connect immediately so that every blood bank knows the donor's donation history. Advanced equipment should be brought in for cross-matching recipients and donor's blood. Also, only permanent well-qualified staff and doctors should be employed at blood banks.

Donor rights is something we tend to overlook. If a donor's blood tests positive for some infection, it is the blood bank's duty to notify him/her immediately. Donor records should be duly maintained, he says adding that he hopes that government brings about effective blood donation policies soon.

The need for blood and blood products is universal. Transfusion of blood saves millions of lives every year. However, there is a marked difference in the level of access to safe blood and blood products across and within countries. This is the issue we need to be focussing on this World Blood Donor's Day.

Encouraging people to donate blood, Dr N.Rajakumar says, We usually face a shortage in blood donation during summer months. We request NGOs to organise donation camps during this period. Awareness campaigns about blood donation should be conducted in schools and colleges.IMA has demanded Central law for dealing with attacks on doctors.

In its statement, the IMA said effective implementation of the central law has to be ensured by incorporating suitable clauses. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Sunday said it will go ahead with its strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country in the wake of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal.

The announcement came a day after Union health minister Harsh Vardhan asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence.

The apex medical body, IMA, however, demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff, and in hospitals.

Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in a statement.

Exemplary punishment for perpetrators of violence should be a component of the central law and suitable amendments should be brought in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the IMA said.

The IMA said all non-essential services, including outdoor patient department (OPD) services, will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday.

Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said.

The medical body had 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.

It had also called for a countrywide strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.

On Saturday, Mr Vardhan, along with a letter to all chief ministers, also attached a copy of the Draft Act provided by the IMA  the Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017.

In its statement, the IMA said effective implementation of the central law has to be ensured by incorporating suitable clauses.

Nineteen states have already passed legislations in this regard and in 2016, an inter-ministerial committees recommendations document was signed by the IMA with the central government, the medical body said.

Hospitals should be declared as safe zones.Structured safety measures, including a three-layer security, CCTV cameras and restriction of entry of visitors should be well defined and enforced uniformly across the country in all sectors, it said.

Healthcare violence has its origin in high expectations, lack of infrastructure and inadequate human resources. Issues of medical profession involving doctor-patient relationship, effective communication regarding the nature of illness and professional counselling play a part as well.

The IMA expects the government of India to provide for each of these components, according to the statement. The situation in West Bengal is still grave.Yoga Day is an important annual event of the Indian government that is widely promoting yoga as a soft tool of diplomacy.

New Delhi: From attempting a Suryanamaskar outside their office at the United Nations to doing a head stand in the lap of Mount Everest, the Indian diplomatic corps across the world has got active to promote the International Day of Yoga (IDY) that marks its fifth anniversary on June 21.

Yoga Day is an important annual event of the Indian government that is widely promoting yoga as a soft tool of diplomacy. The world over, Indian diplomatic corps organise mega events in their respective place of postings to make yoga day a great success.

On Sunday, the Indian embassy organised a yoga event at Nepals Namche Bazaar  gateway of Mount Everest. This is for the first time, yoga was celebrated at the Base Camp of Mount Everest and Indias Bharat Sharma and other mountaineers created history by performing yoga at 17,600 feet with the mighty Mount Everest in the backdrop. Other foreign mountaineers, tourists and researchers also joined the event, along with local people and Indian ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri and embassy officials.

The main objective of Embassies add to Yoga Day push the programme was to highlight the importance of yoga in daily life and to bring peace and harmony across continents, nations and people, said an Indian embassy official.

Similar events took place in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, The Netherlands, Kenya, Laos and at the UN. The Indian embassy in China posted a photograph of a yoga session saying. China takes to #Yoga in a big way! Glimpses of the curtain raiser at Tianhe Tan Park in Guiyang.

In The Netherlands, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur joined the IDY events organised by the Indian embassy at Dam Square. In Colombo, Sri Lankan health minister Rajitha Senaratne and other dignitaries participated along with hundreds of enthusiasts to mark the IDY.

The Indian government through social media is promoting the IDY through animated videos series that feature Prime Minister Narendra Modi explaining yoga asanas. On Sunday, Mr Modi tweeted one of his animated videos explaining Bhujangasana and its benefits in backpain.

The concept of the Yoga Day was proposed by Mr Modi during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014.The feeling within the party is that there is a disconnect between the cadres and the top leadership of the party.

New Delhi: After the drubbing in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Congress leadership has decided to open its doors to its cadres. Insiders said, in a bid to ensure a direct communication with the party workers, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will meet them twice a week without prior appointments.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh is ready to hit the ground in the state, in order to strengthen the party organisation in time for the 2022 Assembly polls.

It emerged from the review meetings held after the Lok Sabha polls that there should be a greater coordination and communication between the leaders and the workers. For this, it has been decided that Priyanka Gandhi will meet the party workers at least twice a week, a Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity.

The frequency of her tours to Uttar Pradesh (UP) will also increase in the near future, he added.

The feeling within the party is that there is a disconnect between the cadres and the top leadership of the party. Often in the decision making of the party, either the suggestions of the cadres are ignored or they do not reach the leadership. Hence the mechanism is being put in place.

A few days back Ms Gandhi along with her mother Sonia Gandhi were in Rae Bareilly. Priyanka pulled up the party workers for failing to work for the Congress during the polls.

Many, even within the party, felt that such a public dressing down of the party workers was completely uncalled for.The NIA has now claimed that leaders like Asiya Andrabi of Duktaran-e-Milat was questioned about the educational expenses of her son in Malaysia.

The NIA has already asked the relevant authorities to provide details regarding certain bank accounts used by Andrabis son Mohammad bin Qasim while he was in the university.

New Delhi: Investigation from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into a case of terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir has revealed that majority of the hardline separatist leaders who received funds from abroad used them for personal gains ranging from getting properties to paying for foreign education of their children and relatives.

The investigating agency has already questioned a number of Hurriyat Conference leaders and others from different organisations during which they admitted to having received funds from Pakistan to further spread subversive activities in the Valley.

The NIA has now claimed that leaders like Asiya Andrabi of Duktaran-e-Milat was questioned about the educational expenses of her son in Malaysia. This money was arranged by Zahoor Watali, who was arrested in a terror funding case. Andrabi during questioning admitted to having collected funds and donations from foreign sources which was used by Duktaran-e-Milat to organise protests by Muslim women in the Valley. The NIA has already asked the relevant authorities to provide details regarding certain bank accounts used by Andrabis son Mohammad bin Qasim while he was in the university.

The NIA also questioned another hardline separatist leader, Shabbir Shah, about his hotel in Pahalgam, which is allegedly funded through funds received by him from Pakistan.Sudip Bandyopadhyay, who is the TMC's Parliamentary Party leader in the Lok Sabha, was also present in the meeting.

O'Brien also said that electoral reforms including the state funding of elections should be discussed by all parties.(Photo: ANI | Twitter)

New Delhi: In the backdrop of political violence and doctors' strike in West Bengal, the TMC on Sunday said the State governments should be allowed to carry out their duties without any intervention from the Centre.

"In a true federalism structure, stop interfering in states. The elected state governments must be allowed to run the states and institutions independently," TMC's Parliamentary Party leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien told reporters after the all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Sunday.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay, who is the TMC's Parliamentary Party leader in the Lok Sabha, was also present in the meeting.

The political temperature in West Bengal continues to be high ever since the BJP made deep inroads in the state after winning 18 seats and limiting TMC to 22 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Widespread violence involving the BJP and the TMC workers was witnessed during the Lok Sabha elections in the state, with both parties trading blame over the issue.

Meanwhile, the strike of junior and senior doctors from the past six 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 has crippled health services in the state.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has appealed to the agitating medical practitioners to resume their work immediately as the patients are suffering but in vain.

O'Brien also said that electoral reforms including the state funding of elections should be discussed by all parties. "All of them should agree at the earliest, including paper ballots," he said.

Talking about the scrutiny of Bills, he said: "We have told the government that in the last five years, 25 per cent of Bills were scrutinised by the Parliamentary Committees before these were passed."

"As much as 75 per cent of Bills were scrutinised in the first 60 years. In the 16th Lok Sabha, only 25 per cent underwent parliamentary scrutiny. So, we suggested that at least 75 per cent should be scrutinised by the Standing Committee," he said.

O'Brien also said that the Women's Reservation Bill should be passed in the first 10 days of the Budget Session of Parliament.

"Between 1977 and 2005, out of 10 Bills, two of them were Ordinances. But, in the last one year, there were four Ordinances out of 10 Bills. So I request the government to not use the Ordinance route. TMC feels that Ordinance should be used only for emergency," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting of the presidents of all political parties represented in Parliament on June 19 for interaction and exchange of ideas, said Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.

"Prime Minister Modi would also like to discuss important issues including one nation, one election and 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi," he told reporters.

To build team spirit in the Parliament, the Prime Minister has called a meeting of all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs on June 20, Joshi said.

A meeting of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders will take place in the Parliament later in the evening to discuss strategies for the upcoming session.

BJP Parliamentary Party executive committee meeting is also scheduled to be held today evening.

The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha has been convened from June 17 to July 26 during which the Union Budget will be presented by the new government on July 5.

On the first two days, new MPs will take the oath. The election for the Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha is scheduled to be held on June 19.The IMA, apex doctors body, has called for a nationwide strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.

Doctors of SMGS hospital wearing bandages on their heads protest in Jammu on Saturday to show solidarity with their counterparts in West Bengal. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: As the doctors continued their protest across the country in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Kolkata, union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Saturday asked states to enact law for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence in the wake of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal. The Centre, meanwhile, sought separate reports from the West Bengal government on the ongoing doctors' strike.

Along with a letter to all chief ministers, union health minister 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.

Dr Vardhan wrote the letter after the Indian Medical Association (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 IMA, apex doctors body, has called for a nationwide strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.

Dr Vardhan pointed 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," Union health minister wrote.

Representatives from the IMA and Delhi Medical Association (DMA) also called on Dr Vardhan on Saturday. Stressing further on the need for avoiding such incidents in future, Dr 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. Dr 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 incidents against women are going on regularly and increasing every day.

Lucknow: Alleging that jungle-raj was prevailing in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav met Governor Ram Naik on Saturday over states law and order and asked him to wake up the Yogi Adityanath government as he used to do during the Samajwadi Party 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 Samajwadi Party 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, Mr 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, Mr 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.CICA has always shown a strong commitment to combat terrorism and extremism and adopt a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism.

New Delhi: A day after India decided to retaliate by raising tariffs on 29 US products, 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 aluminium 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 Jaishankar 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.Keralas concern over its reported exclusion from the priority list of the national highway development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with chief minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan during a meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. Prime Minister Modi with Puducherry chief minister V. Narayanasamy. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on Saturday and expressed the states reservation on the privatisation of Thiruvananthapuram international airport.

This is for the first time that the Left leader was meeting Mr Modi after he assumed office for the second time following the BJP-led NDAs victory in the Lok Sabha polls. Mr Vijayan is in New Delhi 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.

Keralas 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).

Meanwhile, 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.

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, Mr 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, he added.The all-party meeting is to happen on June 19.

It is also to discuss the celebration of 75 years of India's independence in 2022, and 150 years of Mamata Gandhis birth anniversary. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting of presidents of all parties represented in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha on June 19 to discuss the issue of 'one nation, one election', Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said on Sunday.

The PM has called the meeting to also discuss the celebration of 75 years of India's independence in 2022, 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year and issues related to aspirational districts, Joshi said after an all-party meeting called by the government. He said the PM has also called a meeting of MPs to discuss these issues on June 20, he said.The Aayog also set up a high level committee on agriculture to suggest reforms aimed at benefitting farmers and reviving rural economy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the fifth meeting of the governing council of the Niti Aayog in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: PTI)

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 held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, 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, SabkaVishwas. This was the first meeting of the planning body after the BJP-led National Democ-ratic Alliance (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. Chandrashekhar Rao (Telangana). Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh who could attend the meeting due health reasons deputed his finance minister Manpreet Badal. Ms Banerjee had earlier said she would not attend the meeting saying Niti Aayog is a fruitless body as it has no financial powers.

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. He urged states that have not implemented the Central governments health insurance scheme to come on-board.

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. Puducherry chief minister V. Narayanasamy also echoed the demand for statehood.

Sources privy to developments said that the Prime Minister exhorted the chief ministers that just as 100-odd most backward districts across the country have been identified as aspirational districts by the Centre, states should identify 10 per cent to 20 per cent most backward blocks and develop them on the lines of the aspirational districts programme.

Referring to challenges posed by Naxal violence in aspirational districts, Mr Modi said violence will be dealt with firmly.

The governing council also discussed that chief ministers should take up the issue of water conservation on top priority and create awareness about it, just like the Centre has aggressively promoted the Swachchh Bharat Mission.

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.

Mr Modi said that the aim is to provide piped water to every rural home by 2024.

Underlining the need for structural reform in agriculture, the Prime Minister spoke of the significance 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.

Prior to Niti Aayogs governing council meeting, former prime minister Manmohan Singh earlier in the day briefed all the chief ministers of Congress and party-led coalition ruled states, where he expressed concerns over issues including growing unemployment, revival of the agriculture sector, and the need to bring naxal affected states under financial mainstream.

The chief ministers were directed to take up these issues during the governing council meeting.Party leader Sanjay Raut said, The temple will be constructed under Mr Modi and Mr Yogis leadership.

Ayodhya: On the eve of Uddhav Thackerays visit to Ayodhya, the Shiv Sena said on Saturday that Ram temple will be built under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Party leader Sanjay Raut said, The temple will be constructed under Mr Modi and Mr Yogis 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.

He said Mr Thackeray, who will be joined by 18 newly-elected party MPs, is fulfilling the promise he had 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.

Mr Thackeray, who will be reaching Ayodhya on Sunday morning, will offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple, address a press conference and leave later in the evening.

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 Mr Thackerays 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, Mr Raut said at a press conference.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited Ayodhya on 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 everybodys 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, Rams work has to be done and Rams work will get done.Sanjay Raut had said that Thackeray is fulfilling the promise he made in November that he would visit again after elections.

Thackeray, who reached here this morning along with his son Aditya, will first meet party MPs, who are here since Saturday evening, and then pay obeisance at the makeshift temple. (Photo: ANI)

Ayodhya: Government should bring an ordinance to construct Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday in Ayodhya, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the courage to do so and there would be no one to stop it.

Thackeray offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple along with his son Aditya and 18 newly-elected lawmakers of his party. The Shiv Sena has said the visit was to fulfil the promise Thackeray made last November to come to Ayodhya again after the elections.

"The case is in the court for many years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the courage. If government takes the decision, there is no one to stop it. Not only Shiv Sena, Hindus of the whole world are with this," Uddhav said, while addressing a press conference after his visit to the Ram Lalla (or infant Ram) temple.

"The government should bring an ordinance for construction of Ram temple. The issue concerns all Hindus and the temple has to be constructed at the earliest," he said, raising the slogan of "kanoon banao, mandir banao (formulate law and construct temple)".

Read | BJP won majority in polls for construction of Ram Temple: Shiv Sena

Maharashtra will be going to polls later this year and the visit is being seen as an attempt by the Shiv Sena to put pressure on ally BJP on the Ram temple issue. But Sena has maintained that Thackeray's visit should not be seen through the electoral lens.

"For us Ram temple is matter of faith and not politics," Thackeray said. The title suit over the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site is being heard by the Supreme Court.Congress Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and K. Suresh were also present at the meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay and defence minister Rajnath Singh, leaves after an all-party meeting in New Delhi on Sunday. (Photo: PRITAM BANDYOPADHYAY)

New Delhi: Chairing an all-party meeting on the eve of the first session of the new Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday invited heads of all parties to a meeting on June 19 to discuss the one nation, one election issue and other important matters.

Addressing his first all-party meeting after coming back to power, Mr Modi told the MPs that the first session of the new Lok Sabha should begin with fresh zeal and new thinking.

As the Prime Minister sought to drum up support for the key bills ahead of the Parliament session, Opposition parties sought discussions on issues like farmers distress, drought, unemployment, womens reservation bill and press freedom.

We had a fruitful all-party meeting today, the first one after the election results and before the start of the Monsoon Session. Thankful to the leaders for their valuable suggestions. We all agreed on the smooth running of Parliament so that we can fulfil peoples aspirations, the Prime Minister tweeted after the meeting.

Parliamentary affairs minister Prahlad Joshi told the media after the meeting that Mr Modi asked leaders of all parties to introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfil peoples aspirations as their representatives and the manner in which last two years of the 16th Lok Sabha were wasted.

In order to build esprit de corps, Mr Modi has invited chiefs of all parties who have an MP either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha for a meeting on June 19. The meeting has been called to discuss one nation, one election issue, celebrations of 75 years of Indias Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhis birth anniversary this year, Mr Joshi said.

The meet on June 19 would be followed by a dinner meeting with all MPs of both the Houses on June 20 where they can freely interact and exchange views with the government, he added.

Meanwhile, the Opposition which collectively faced a near rout in the recent general elections, demanded a discussion in Parliament on issues such as farmers distress, unemployment and drought.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that his party was not opposed to all bills which are in the interest of the people, adding that there should be a discussion on farmers distress, unemployment and drought.

He also called for early conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, currently under Presidents rule, asserting that if Lok Sabha polls can be held then why not state polls.

Congress Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and K. Suresh were also present at the meeting.

Trinamul Congress, which is the second largest Opposition block in Parliament, demanded that electoral reforms, including state funding of elections and paper ballots, should be discussed as also federalism and the issue of blatant use of ordinances.

TMC leader in Rajya Sabha Derek OBrien demanded that the Womens Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, be brought immediately in the session.

The first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha will be held from June 17 to July 26. The Lok Sabha will have 30 sittings and Rajya Sabha 27 sittings between June 17 to July 26.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present full-year Budget for the year ending March 2020 on July 5. It will be the first Budget of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in its second term.The interim budget for the year 2019-20 was presented by then finance minister Piyush Goyal on February 1.In its statement, the IMA said that effective implementation of the Central law has to be ensured by incorporating suitable clauses.

New Delhi: Healthcare services at several government and private hospitals in the national capital are likely to take a hit on Monday as scores of doctors have decided to boycott work for a day in support of their striking colleagues in West Bengal.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), which had given the strike call, said on Sunday that it will go ahead with the strike with the withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country. IMA members will also stage a dharna at its headquarters here.

Doctors at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital, RML Hospital as well as Delhi government facilities such as GTB Hospital, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital will not function on Monday.

The IMA said all outpatient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday. Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said.

The announcement came a day after Union health minister Harsh Vardhan asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence.

However, the apex medical body, IMA, demanded a comprehensive Central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff and at hospitals. Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in a statement.

Exemplary punishment for perpetrators of violence should be a component of the Central law and suitable amendments should be brought in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the IMA said.

The medical body had 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 its statement, the IMA said that effective implementation of the Central law has to be ensured by incorporating suitable clauses.

The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) and the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) also extended their support to the strike call.

Emergent Executive Committee Meeting convened today decided to support the call given by IMA for withdrawal of non-essential services on 17th June (Monday) for 24 hours (6am to 6am) to protest against violence against doctors and hospitals. All clinics, nursing homes, diagnostic centres and hospitals are requested to shut down routine services, a statement by DMA said.Listen to our podcast on the General Slocum Disaster:

The General Slocum Memorial Fountain is one of the sole reminders of one of New York Citys darkest days, and its not a very awe-inspiring memorial.

This is no dig at the custodians of Tompkins Square Park, where the memorial has been on display since 1906, nor at Bruno Louis Zimm, the fountains sculptor whose creation presents two children in idyllic profile, next to an engraving: They were Earths purest children, young and fair.

Its left side unveils its more tragic context: In memory of those who lost their lives in the disaster to the steamer General Slocum, June XV MCMIV.

The fountain, while charming and tranquil, is inadequate in expressing the grief and horror that filled New Yorkers on June 15, 1904, when, during a church-sponsored day trip headed for the Long Island Sound, the General Slocum steamboat caught fire and sank in the East River, killing more than a thousand passengers, mostly women and children.

This tragedy was the single deadliest event in New York City history until September 11, 2001.

This disaster virtually wiped out the German presence on the Lower East Sideentire families perished, many of whom had just gotten a foothold in New York a generation before. In a single morning the lights of Kleindeutschland, New Yorks Little Germany, permanently faded.

The boat had been chartered by St. Marks Evangelical Lutheran Church* for their yearly day trip excursion to the Long Island Sound. The East River was filled with excursion steamers such as the General Slocum and its sister ship the Grand Republic (a vessel with a doomed story of its own).

It was a chance for the congregation to briefly break out of the crowded Lower East Side to enjoy a day in the sun. Among the passengers was the Liebenow family, which consisted of parents and their three daughters, Anna, Helen, and Adella, along with several aunts and cousins.

A postcard featuring General Slocum from the Museum of the City of New York collection.

Courtesy MCNY

The Slocum left the pier shortly before 9 a.m. and began its slow crawl up the East River.

Captain William Van Schaick had been principally concerned that morning with one turbulent spot up the East River, a dangerous confluence of waters known as the Hell Gate. It had already sunk hundreds of vessels as far back as the seventeenth century. By 1904 it was still a dangerous pass, but on this day, the Hell Gate would not be the problem.

About 30 minutes into the voyage, a child noticed that a small fire had started in the lamp room below the main deck.

A crewman tried to stamp it out, throwing charcoal on it in an effort to contain it. But the flames only grew larger.

Crew members grabbed a firehoseonly to find it rotten to the point that it burst wide open. These were not men trained for emergency situations; once they realized the hoses were useless, they simply gave up.

from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Civilized behavior soon gave way to panic as the flames quickly spread through the lower levels of the steamer, fire jumping from passengers clothing to hair.

Families moved away from the flames only to find themselves pressed up against the boats railings as panicked crowds pushed forward in search of fresh air. Children lost hold of their parents, never to see them again.

Crowds surged toward the Slocums six lifeboats and attempted to hoist them down. But they wouldnt budgesomebody had wired them to the wall.

The life preservers, never properly inspected, were filled with rotten cork, and several exploded into dust. They were not only uselessthey were actually dangerous. Panicked parents strapped preservers to their children and tossed them overboard, only to watch in horror as they sank from sight.

Below deck, passengers were burned to deathhuddled in groups and trapped in corners. Smoke choked many, causing unconsciousness; many were trampled underfoot.

Some jumped into the violent waves. There was little hope that any of the children who jumped overboard could be saved, reported the New York Evening World. The current all along the course taken is on a section of the river where not even a strong swimmer can breast the currents. Scores of little ones were sucked in by the whirlpools in Hell Gate.

Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation

Crowds formed along the shores, and their attention was drawn by the billowing smoke, fire, and horrifying spectacle before them. The captain managed to steer the boat toward North Brother Island, where nurses, doctors, and even patients from the smallpox hospital ran to the water to rescue and attempt to revive those who had washed ashore.

Bodies on the shore of North Brother Island

The Slocum eventually floated out into the Long Island Sound, puffing clouds of cork dust into the air, while leaving a trail of tragedy in its wake.

Just after noon, the burning vessel sank, a single paddle box and a smokestack jutting out of the water.

By the final count, 1,021 people perished in the General Slocum disaster that day, making it the deadliest single event in the citys history up to that date. In the weeks following the disaster, the streets of Kleindeutschlandtodays East Villagewere filled with mourners, as the community attended funerals in the homes of those who had perished and held solemn processions through the streets.

A mass funeral through the streets of the Lower East Side  burial of the unidentified

New York Public Library

The Liebenow family was hit particularly hard. The entire Liebenow family died in the disasterall except baby Adella (pictured below), just six months old at the time of the tragedy.

Two years later, now only two-and-a-half years old, Adella was hoisted to a podium here in Tompkins Square Park. She stood before a community that hadnt yet fully recoveredwould they ever?as she tugged at a cloth to unveil the General Slocum Memorial Fountain.

NYHS

No, the fountain is not perfect. How could it be?

But why hasnt this tragedy been better memorialized? Its such an important event in the citys history, and yet so many dont know its whole story. There are a few theories about this, many having to do with the anti-German sentiment that cropped up a decade later at the beginning of World War I.

Or was it the social class of the victims that caused it to recede from memory? Adella, who died in 2004, 100 years after the disaster, believed that this might be the case. To a crowd at a 1999 commemoration of the tragedy, she said, The Titanic had a great many famous people on it. This was just a family picnic.

*St. Marks is located on East 6th Street, between First and Second Avenues, in the heart of New Yorks first and largest German neighborhood. A plaque honoring the victims hangs in front.

Theres also a monument to the victims at a cemetery in Middle Village, Queens

The above is an excerpt from our book The Bowery Boys Adventures In Old New York, now available at bookstores everywhere.

Listen to our podcast on the General Slocum Disaster here:In his second letter, governor asks CM to meet the doctors and assure to provide adequate security to them and also to look into their grievances.

Kolkata: Concerned over the stalemate at the government medical colleges and hospitals, governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Saturday wrote to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, advising her to ensure security to the agitating doctors immediately and to talk to them as well. This was his second letter written to her within a day. He also voiced his displeasure over his failed attempt to talk to her. Ms Banerjee later said that she had spoken to him on the crisis.

Press secretary to the governor Manab Bandyopadhyay stated that Mr Tripathi, in his second letter to the chief minister, advised 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 of 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.

The governor also expressed his sadness at her non-responsiveness to his efforts to talk to her and in the same letter he mentioned that he had written her a letter on Friday in which he had mentioned the grievances and demands of doctors and their willingness to resume their duties upon redressal of their grievances.

Mr Tripathi said, While assuring the associations that I will send their representations to the state government, who is the appropriate authority to look into their demands, I appealed to them to resume their duty. I had suggested in my letter to you to meet the doctors and assure to provide adequate security to them and also to look into their grievances. I understand that no meeting with agitating doctors has been held by the government till now.

He requested that he may be kept apprised of the actions taken in this regard. Informing about her government steps for the security at the hospitals, Ms Banerjee said in the evening at Nabanna, the state secretariat, I had a talk with the governor. The junior doctors can also talk to him. They can talk to anyone. There is no difference between me and the governor in this regard.The move comes close on the heels of the Trinamul supremos deadline of seven days to those who want to leave the party.

Kolkata: In what may come as another blow to chief minister Mamata Banerjees party Trinamul Congress, MLA of Noapara in North 24 Parganas Sunil Singh is all set to defect to the BJP. He flew to New Delhi on Sunday along with a dozen of Trinamul councillors of the Garulia municipality, of which he is also the chairman. Mr Singh may join the saffron party with the 12 councillors at the BJP headquarters on Monday.

The move comes close on the heels of the Trinamul supremos deadline of seven days to those who want to leave the party. Speculation has been rife about Mr Singh switching to the BJP after his brother-in-law Arjun Singh, who was earlier a Trinamul MLA of Bhatpara and chairman of the Bhatpara municipality, became a BJP MP of Barrackpore after contesting the Lok Sabha elections, quitting Ms Banerjees party.

The Garulia municipality has 21 councillors. Of them 19 are from the Trinamul. If the 12 of them join the BJP, the municipality would also come into the saffron fold with the BJP getting the majority after Bhatpara and Darjeeling civic bodies recently. Earlier, three MLAs  Subhrangshu Roy, Monirul Islam and Tusharkanti Bhattacharya  had switched to the saffron party from the Trinamul.

However, the induction programme by the BJP came to a halt recently after many senior leaders and workers within the party started questioning the joining of Mr Islam under the supervision of Mukul Roy due to grievances against him at the grassroots level.At present, there are 37 ministers including the chief minister, and Mr Fadnavis can accommodate another five.

A vacancy was created in 2018 when BJPs Pandurang Fundkar died, the then agriculture minister. Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil is now looking after the agriculture department.

Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is all set to expand Cabinet today at Raj Bhavan, said a senior government official. Mr Fadnavis is in New Delhi to discuss the probable names for the Cabinet expansion with the party high command. He first attended a Niti Ayog meeting in New Delhi and later met the party leadership, said a source in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Mr Fadnavis on Friday tweeted that he discussed with Uddhav Thackeray about the ministers to be inducted in the Cabinet from the Shiv Sena.

I met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshri and discussed in detail Cabinet expansion, Mr Fadnavis had tweeted late on Friday night.

According to sources, Mr Thackeray has refused the deputy chief ministers post for his party in order to avoid internal bickering. In the Cabinet expansion, while some new faces would be inducted, some of the current ministers would be dropped.

A senior cabinet minister, requesting anonymity, said that Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil from Ahmednagar, Jaydutt Kshirsagar from Beed, Dr Anil Bonde, who represents Morshi in Amravati district, Tanaji Sawant from Solapur, Avinash Mahatekar from Mumbai, Atul Moreshwar Save from Aurangabad, Sanjay Bhegade from Maval, Sanjay Kute from Jalgaon, Suresh Khade from Sangli and Ashok Uike from Yavatmal district are likely to be inducted into the cabinet.

Sources in the BJP also claimed that the Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar would also be inducted into the Fadnavis-led Cabinet.

The minister further said that housing minister Prakash Mehta, social justice minister Rajkumar Badole, tribal development minister Vishnu Sawra, minister of state for environment Pravin Pote-Patil, minister of state for social justice Dilip Kamble, would be shunted out from the Cabinet.

Speaking with the reporters in New Delhi, Mr Fadnavis has said, I have had one meeting (on cabinet expansion) and the final meeting will be held on Saturday night.

Officials said that the swearing-in ceremony will be held at 11 am today, a day before the monsoon session of the state legislature, the last session before Assembly polls later this year, commences.

At present, there are 37 ministers including the chief minister, and Mr Fadnavis can accommodate another five. A vacancy was created in 2018 when BJPs Pandurang Fundkar died, the then agriculture minister. Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil is now looking after the agriculture department.The saffron alliance has fulfilled promises made to Mr Vikhe-Patil and Jaydutt Kshirsagar, former Opposition leaders, during the Lok Sabha election.

Mumbai: Eight ministers and five ministers of state were administered the oath of office and secrecy at a swearing-in ceremony in Raj Bhavan by Maharashtra governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao.

While inducting new ministers into the Cabinet, Mr Fadnavis has maintained caste equations. Of the 13 leaders, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Ashish Shelar, Dr Tanaji Sawant, Sanjay alias Bala Bhegade belong to the Maratha community; Avinash Mahatekar and Dr Suresh Khade belong to the Dalit community; and one, Yogesh Sagar, belongs to the Gujarati community. Five ministers hail from the other backward classes (OBC) community: Dr Anil Bonde, Dr Sanjay Kute, and Dr Parinay Phuke (the Kunbi community), Atul Save (the Mali community) and Jaydutt Kshirsagar (the Teli community).

The saffron alliance has fulfilled promises made to Mr Vikhe-Patil and Jaydutt Kshirsagar, former Opposition leaders, during the Lok Sabha election. Mr Vikhe-Patil, who was the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has a stronghold in Ahmednagar district and some parts of north Maharashtra, while Beed district and Marathwada are bastions of Mr Kshirsagar, a former senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, who joined the Shiv Sena in May.

The induction of Mr Sagar, who was sworn in as minister of state, is into the Cabinet is being seen as a move to balance the Gujarati community's representation as the party had reportedly asked housing minister Prakash Mehta to step down.

For the first time, a leader from the Republic Party of India (Athawale), Mr Mahatekar, was inducted into the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena government as a minister of state. RPI (A) chief and Rajya Sabha member Ramdas Athawale is currently a minister of state in the NDA government at the Centre.

It is to be noted that Mr Vikhe-Patil, Mr Kshirsagar and Mr Mahatekar are presently not members of any House of the state legislature. They can hold ministerial charge for six months. As per the rules, all three will have to get elected in the state legislature within in next six months. But since the state polls are due in September-October, these ministers can stay on till the end of this Assembly's tenure.

Mr Khade, Mr Kute, Mr Bonde and Ashok Uike of the BJP and Tanaji Sawant of the Shiv Sena also took oath as cabinet ministers. Among them, Mr Sawant is the only Cabinet member who is a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) while the others are MLAs. Besides, Mr Sagar, Mr Bhegade, Mr Phuke, Mr Mahatekar and Mr Save were inducted as ministers of state. While Mr Phuke is an MLC, the others are members of the Lower House.

The political significance of the Maharashtra Cabinet expansion is to send a message across the parties about the chief minister and the BJP's strength in the state.BJP rebel Shatrughan Sinha, who joined the Congress shortly before the Lok Sabha elections, is said to be miffed with his new party.

The Bharatiya Janata Partys antipathy towards the minorities is well-known. Once the Modi government came to power at the Centre, it promptly did away with the old tradition of hosting official iftar parties though its Muslim leaders like Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain do hold elaborate Eid celebrations at their homes. Taking a cue from the Prime Minister, the Rashtrapati Bhavan also followed suit. It was, therefore, a surprise to spot National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav at an iftar party hosted last week by Moulana Mehmood Madani, general secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Not just that but Mr Doval was also seen in deep conversation with Congress treasurer Ahmed Patel. The two shared a meal as they were both seated at the same table. However, Mr Doval and Mr Patel said a firm no to photographs to all mobile-wielding guests who were keen to click them together. It is being assumed that Mr Doval and Mr Yadavs presence at the iftar party, hosted by a leading Muslim organisation, followed Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent outreach to minorities with his amended slogan, sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas.

BJP rebel Shatrughan Sinha, who joined the Congress shortly before the Lok Sabha elections, is said to be miffed with his new party. Apparently, Mr Sinha had sent word to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders that he would like to contest against PM Narendra Modi from the high-profile Varanasi seat. However, his request was turned down on the plea that the party was planning to field Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from this seat. As it happened, the party chickened out at the last minute and fielded political lightweight Ajay Rai. Congress insiders had then insisted that speculation about Ms Vadras candidature from Varanasi was a media creation. Mr Sinha, who has been campaigning actively against the BJP leadership for the past several years now, was instead asked to battle it out from his old seat Patna. He lost to the BJPs senior minister Ravi Shankar Prasad by a huge margin. Mr Sinhas supporters maintain that his defeat was not a surprise as Patna is a known BJP stronghold. But had he been pitted against the Prime Minister, Mr Sinha would have added spice to an otherwise one-sided contest. The move would have also enhanced the filmstar-turned-politicians stature and profile.

Ever since senior BJP leader and former minister Sushma Swaraj was excluded from the second Modi government, there has been a lot of speculation that she may be offered a gubernatorial position. The terms of several governors are coming to an end and it is expected that some of them may not get an extension while others could be moved to a different state. For instance, it is quite certain that E.S.L Narasimhan, governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, who was appointed by the previous UPA government, will be replaced. Ms Swaraj was mentioned as his successor and health minister Harsh Vardhan even congratulated her on her new assignment but the former external affairs minister quickly denied these reports. It is learned that Ms Swaraj may not be averse to a posting in Chandigarh as the next Punjab governor. This is the closest she can be to her hometown Ambala in neighboring Haryana where she did her schooling. Chandigarh too holds special memories for Ms Swaraj as she attended university here. The subsequent weeks will reveal if Ms Swaraj will be accommodated in a Raj Bhavan or ignored like senior leaders L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.

Congress leaders are baffled with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadras decision to release their photographs with Navjot Singh Sidhu who had recently visited Delhi to complain about how his wings had been clipped by his bete noire, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, in the latest Cabinet reshuffle. Congress insiders said this photograph was unnecessary as it sent out a message that the leadership is favourably inclined towards Mr Sidhu vis-a-vis Mr Singh. At a time when the Congress has only a couple of strong state leaders, it can ill-afford to thumb its nose at the Punjab CM especially since Mr Singh has delivered a reasonably good result for the party from his home state in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Not just that but Mr Singh has personally emerged far stronger after the poll result and there is talk that a large section in the partys Punjab unit has shifted loyalties from Rahul Gandhi to the chief minister since he can win them an election unlike the central leadership. This does not augur well for the Congress chief whose leadership has suffered a serious blow after the partys latest humiliating electoral defeat.A sensible policy would be to have talks on our terms and agenda at a time of our choosing.

Should India talk to Pakistan? The conventional view is that we should not as long as Pakistan continues to sponsor terrorism against India. This is the policy, it appears, that we are following now. Pakistan was not invited for Prime Minister Narendra Modis swearing-in ceremony on May 30. We have not responded to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans appeasing messages for the commencement of talks. Mr Modi did not accept Pakistan's offer to relax the no-fly zone over its territory for his journey to Bishkek. And, at the Shanghai Cooperation Summit (SCO) there, no meeting  formal or informal  took place between the two leaders.

Given Pakistan's verifiable complicity in the unabated terrorist attacks against India, especially the most recent Pulwama attack, our stern approach is correct. The message must go across firmly to Pakistan that talks and terrorism cannot go together. Pakistan must be hoping that  as so many times in the past  India will opt to forgive and forget, and move on towards the restoration of normalcy. Such a soft approach only emboldens Pakistan to continue with its finely tuned policy of explosive aggression followed by tactical appeasement. We need to short-circuit this deadly syndrome, and only a consistent hard line can hope to achieve that.

This being said, must the leaders of two neighbouring countries behave like petulant children who make a spectacle of their hostility even in company? At the SCO meet in Bishkek, Imran Khan and Narendra Modi did not even greet each other for the most part of the two-day summit (and only briefly exchanged pleasantries and shook hands at the end), while Russias Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping and a dozen other leaders from other countries looked on. While our policy on no structured talks or preplanned formal  or even informal  summit meetings may be right, do we have to stretch this to a lack of basic manners that is the protocol even between confirmed adversaries?

The significant point is that state craftsmanship is about deliberative policymaking, not tantrums. To talk or not to talk is a decision that has to be embedded in a strategic matrix, with all its short-term and long-term consequences factored in and anticipated. In this exercise, the only north star of policy formulation is the national interest. If the national interest is served by talks, we should talk. If it is not, we should not. But, a decision in this regard should be taken by a systemic, ruthless, unemotional analysis of the pros and cons of a decision either way.

To my understanding of Chanakyan politics, talks or no talks are not an end in themselves, but a means to an end. That end is the national interest. Chanakya himself preferred a mix of policy alternatives, famously summed up in his fourfold policy of sama, dama, danda, bheda  reconciliation, inducement, punishment and subversion. There is also a fifth  but lesser known  policy option called asana, which is the strategic art of deliberately sitting on the fence. Enlightened foreign policy means the art of picking one of the options from this bouquet of choices, or using several together as part of strategically meticulous planning. Our airstrike on Balakote was a very good example of danda. Our not responding to Pakistani overtures for talks is a continuation of that policy.

Can we continue the policy of danda forever? In some ways yes, if we continue to do a Balakote every time there is terrorist aggression on the scale of Pulwama from across the border. But by simplistically treating Pakistan as an untouchable in every circumstance and every occasion, are we reducing the efficacy of danda, besides giving Pakistan brownie points on the international stage as the country wanting to have better relations with India. The world is concerned about two nuclear weapons states being perpetually on a short fuse.

A sensible policy would be to have talks on our terms and agenda at a time of our choosing. The agenda should have terrorism at the very top of the list. This will convey to the world that India is amenable to better relations, albeit on conditions, which are  given Pakistan's verifiable record in sponsoring terrorism  eminently reasonable. If Pakistan chooses not to agree, so be it. Let us persist with this policy, so that Pakistan is left with no doubt that we mean business. But let us be ready that if Pakistan agrees to talks on our terms, the talks do not deviate, or get unintentionally amplified, to include other issues that are subsidiary to the primary one of terrorism.

At the same time, we should consider, at the appropriate time, the strategic utility of two-track diplomacy, or back-channel talks, with the right interlocutors in Pakistan. Such talks will have to be with the Deep State in that country, consisting of the Army and the ISI. Pakistans economy is in deep trouble. There are limitations to which a country that is sinking in debt can maintain or sustain permanent war-preparedness. The policy of sama should kick in with a planned outreach to those constituencies in Pakistan that benefit from a peace dividend. Simultaneously, concerted diplomatic effort to isolate Pakistan on the question of terrorism should continue, as indeed, Prime Minister Modi did in Bishkek.

What we dont need is adhocism or lack of strategic consistency, wherein one day our PM makes an unplanned halt in Lahore to wish the Pakistan PM on his birthday, and the next day doesnt even greet his successor. Chanakya taught us that emotionalism and strategic planning, and impulsiveness and long-term policy formulation, are like oil and water  they just do not mix. Meanwhile, I think we should rethink our current stance of not even exchanging greetings or making eye contact with Pakistani leaders at international gatherings. Diplomacy is about policy, not the truculence of schoolchildren. Illiterate hardliners may cheer, but there is something unedifying in this kind of behaviour between two neighbouring countries, whatever the problems between them. Diplomacy sanctions resoluteness, not a lack of essential social graces.A Norwegian and a Japanese cargo ship saw explosions in the Gulf of Oman.

Evidently, that the air-dash to Tehran last week by Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first by a Japanese leader to Iran in 40 years, to try to bring about an air of conciliation between the US and the Iran, has brought no results.

The trip proved futile because US President Donald Trump  after tearing up the multilateral agreement of great powers with Tehran to stop enriching uranium to weapons grade in the foreseeable future in return for lifting of economic sanctions  had nothing to offer except words that have no concrete meaning.

Much has happened since Mr Abes pointless visit. A Norwegian and a Japanese cargo ship saw explosions in the Gulf of Oman. Mr Trump has squarely blamed the Iranians for this, but the US has offered no proof to back its allegation that the Iranians used limpet mines to attack the ships. In contrast, the owner of the Japanese vessel has quoted his ship's crew to say that it was hit by flying objects, rather than by a torpedo or mine.

Is the US bent on using any pretext to start hostilities against Iran with which its Arab allies and close friend Israel are at odds? It has

assembled warships and soldiers in the area and seems to be looking for a trigger point.

The regional consequences of such a conflict can mess up geo-economics and geopolitics beyond the region, and hurt India, too. Washington must be made to see reason by other major powers and start serious talks. This should happen before the G-20 meeting in Japan later this month lest the Americans act before that.Rohingya, who belong to the Rakhine state in Myanmar, have been facing extreme persecution by authorities and majority Buddhists.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017. (Photo: ANI)

Dhaka: Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid on Saturday said the Rohingya crisis can destabilise the entire region if left unresolved.

Addressing the 5th Summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) at Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, Hamid stressed the importance of a peaceful resolution of the Rohingya crisis, Dhaka Tribune reported.

The President also sought support and cooperation from CICA partners so that the forcibly displaced inhabitants of the Rakhine state can return to their homeland with "safety, security and dignity".

"The world knows Bangladesh hosts 1.1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals. You must be aware of the evidence of genocide and gross violation of human rights, which has been termed a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing' and humanitarian catastrophe of unmanageable magnitude," he added.

"Asian security is vulnerable as irregular migration, drug trafficking, territorial claims, ethnic conflicts, separatism, economic problems and climate change are visible here. To address these crucial challenges, CICA needs to enhance its capacity through promoting the concept of indivisible security," the President was quoted as saying.

Rohingya, who belong to the Rakhine state in Myanmar, have been facing extreme persecution by authorities and majority Buddhists. It has further prompted their flight over the years, many on rickety boats that are mostly pushed back into the open sea by countries, especially Thailand and Myanmar.

Myanmar regards Rohingya as illegal migrants from the Indian subcontinent and has confined tens of thousands to sprawling camps in Rakhine since violence swept the area in 2012.

The unrest prompted thousands of minorities to flee Myanmar by sea. The exodus peaked in 2015 when an estimated 25,000 people crossed the Andaman Sea for Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, many drowning in unsafe and overloaded boats.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.

According to a UN report, titled "Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience," around 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were raped by Myanmar's army and police and over 115,000 Rohingya homes were burned down and 113,000 others vandalised.No money has been seen, according to Finot, as donors wait to see how the reconstruction plans progress and fight it out over contracts.

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. (Photo: AFP)

Paris: The billionaire French donors who publicly promised flashy donations totalling 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.Pricing starts at $35,695, and the 3500 Work Truck is $36,895 with the same specifications. Double and crew cab options are also available, along with trim levels such as the Custom, LT, LTZ, and High Country . At the other end of the spectrum, the crew cab 3500 is $63,895 at U.S. dealerships.Looking at the bigger picture, the Silverado HD for the 2020 model year isnt the cheapest heavy-duty pickup truck on the market. The F-Series Super Duty from Ford retails at $34,745, and the Ram 2500 HD will set you back $35,090 including destination charge.Every Silverado HD comes standard with a pushrod V8, a 6.0-liter engine that develops 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque. A significant difference compared to the 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of the previous generation, dont you think? For those who are more interested in towing, the 6.6-liter turbo diesel V8 engine from Duramax cranks out 445 horsepower and 910 pound-feet of torque.Fifth wheel towing capacity for the 2500 is 18,600 pounds, 500 more than before. Level up to the 3500, and youre looking at up to 35,500 pounds. Both the Silverado and Sierra are expected to arrive at dealerships on Monday, and every single one of them is manufactured in Michigan.The Flint Assembly Plant will receive upgrades worth $150 million this year to support Silverado and Sierra production, both light- and heavy-duty pickup trucks. The Flint team is up to the challenge to build world-class quality products to drive the growth, said Mark Reuss, president of General Motors.A commanding presence on the outside, the 2020 Silverado HD might do better as far as the interior is concerned. Ford and Ram are better in this regard, but GMC is no better considering the low-quality plastic trim that General Motors utilizes in pickup trucks.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.A migrant from Ethiopia relaxes on his bed at the Albergue Para Migrantes El Buen Samaritano as he waits to have his number on a waiting list that is months long to be called to have an initial interview with an United States asylum officer. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesBoeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg acknowledged on Sunday that the company made a "mistake" in its handling of a cockpit warning problem before a pair of 737 MAX jets killed 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia, the AP reports.

Driving the news: Muilenburg told reporters in Paris that Boeing failed to adequately inform regulators and airlines about a problem with the jets alert system that was meant to warn pilots if false readings were being fed into an autopilot function suspected of causing both crashes. He said the handling of that warning "was not consistent" and "unacceptable," as promised transparency as Boeing tries to get the model back in the air.

Context: The aircraft has been grounded worldwide amid a series of ongoing investigations into the cause of the crashes. Both crashes have been tied to an aircraft control system known as MCAS, which was designed to prevent the aircraft from stalling, or losing lift, in certain flight configurations. The repeated intervention of MCAS when a stall was not imminent is thought to have contributed to both crashes and resulted in the grounding of all 737 MAX jets.

The crashes, which were unprecedented for a modern airliner introduction into worldwide service, prompted the FAA, Justice Department, SEC and congressional committees to launch investigations into the aircraft's design, certification and operation.

What's next: Boeing is working on the software fixes, but it's still uncertain when the agency and countries who banned the aircraft will allow it to return to the skies.Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam has apologized for a controversial extradition bill that prompted hundreds of thousands of protesters to take the streets on Sunday and demand for her resignation.

"The Chief Executive acknowledges that her government work has been unsatisfactory, leading to confusion and conflict in society, and leading to disappointment and heartbreak. The Chief Executive would like to apologize to the citys citizens and is open to receiving criticism [on how to] further improve and provide better services for the broader society.

Why it matters: Lam indefinitely suspended the bill on Saturday after violent clashes between protestors and police this week, but refused to withdraw it completely. The move did little to quell what has become Hong Kong's worst political crisis in decades.

The big picture: Critics argue that the bill, which would allow people arrested in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China, could be used as a political ploy to arrest and try political activists who oppose the Chinese government. The bill has sparked broader concerns about the increase of Beijing's influence on the former British colony, which retained a high degree of autonomy after being returned to China in 1997, per the BBC.

Organizers say today's protest may be even bigger than last week's demonstrations over the bill itself, which drew more than 1 million people, Bloomberg reports.

In photos

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

Many protesters are concerned that Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam supported the bill. Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

Young families and elderly protesters are among those attending the rally, per Reuters. Photo: Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images

A sign making reference to police firing on protesters with rubber bullets on Wednesday. Photo: Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images

A placard (C) displaying an image of Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam. Photo: Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

Many protesters dress in black for the latest rally. Photo: Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

Protesters display placards during Sunday's march. Photo: Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

Thousands have rallied, despite clashes with police days earlier. Photo: Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images

Protesters arrive for the rally. Photo: Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images

A protester waves a British flag. Photo: Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

Protesters continue to rally despite the city's embattled leader suspending the bill. Photo: Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images

A protester holds up a placard ahead of a new rally. Photo: Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

A protester hands out posters before the rally. Photo: Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images

Hongkongers gather for another mass protest. Photo: Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images

The site where a man died unfurling a protest banner Saturday, per Reuters. Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

Go deeper: Hong Kong's people stand up to ChinaSaudi Arabia has joined the U.S., Israel and the United Kingdom in blaming Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week, the Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have ratcheted up once again after the threat of war seemed to have subsided in recent weeks, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo telling Fox News Sunday: "Weve taken a handful of actions to increase the opportunity to convince Iran that these actions arent in their best interest. And it appears to be Iran that wants to escalate this conflict."

Yes, but: Japan, which owns one of the tankers that was attacked, has cast doubt on U.S. intelligence that Pompeo said provides "unmistakable" evidence of Iran's culpability. The Japanese owner of the tanker said the crew believes they were hit by a "flying object," contradicting U.S. claims that it was a limpet mine that set off the explosion, the Post reports.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has also questioned the intelligence the U.S. has released, telling reporters: "The video is not enough. We can understand what is being shown, sure, but to make a final assessment, this is not enough for me."

What they're saying:Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman hosted a special ceremony Sunday to dedicate a new town in the Golan Heights called "Ramat Trump," or "Trump Heights" in English. The only problem is that for now, this is only a "paper town," meaning it does not yet exist and is not even in planning stages.

Why it matters: This is a public relations stunt meant for a domestic audience on the eve of the upcoming elections. It's also significant for foreign policy reasons, intended for a target audience of one  President Trump. Trump's recognition of the Golan Heights in March gave a dramatic boost to Netanyahu's election campaign. Netanyahu will need Trump's help again soon with the new September 17 elections looming.

Details: Netanyahu took the whole Israeli cabinet to the Golan Heights today and stated the cabinet will pass a resolution to establish the new town. But the cabinet resolution that passed actually said the government couldn't make a decision like that during an election period.

So what was actually decided is that the Ministry of Housing will start preliminary planning work. For now, there is not even a fund allocated to build the new town.

But what Netanyahu and his people did do was place a huge sign with the name of the new town in the spot the town might be located sometime in the future. Netanyahu and Ambassador Friedman unveiled the sign in front of the cameras and praised Trump.

It did the trick. Several hours later, Trump tweeted: "Thank you Prime Minister Netanyahu and the state of Israel for this great honor."

Go deeper: Countries around the world criticize Trump's Golan announcementPete Buttigieg told "Axios on HBO" that although he wasn't diagnosed with PTSD after returning from Afghanistan after a 7-month deployment in 2014, "there's a level of depression ... that I went through when I came back."

Why it matters: This is a new window into Buttigieg's unusual experience of serving as a 32-year-old, then returning to resume his job as mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

"Of course, it's the effect of having been exposed to danger," Buttigieg said during an interview at his campaign HQ in South Bend, Ind.

it's the effect of having been exposed to danger," Buttigieg said during an interview at his campaign HQ in South Bend, Ind. "I think, also, some moral pressure," he continued. "Any time, in any way, you are even remotely involved in killing, it takes something out of you, and it takes a lot of work to process that."

Buttigieg, who was an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve, noted that he "was not a special forces operator  I wasn't kicking down doors."

But he said the experience still "takes something out of you, and it takes a lot of work to process that."

Buttigieg told me the feeling lasted about a year, and that he never felt he needed medical treatment.Social conservatives say they've gotten more from President Trump than from any other president. And a lot of it will last.

The big picture: Activists and advocates are happy with Trumps policies. They are thrilled about his judicial confirmations. But what has really sent them over the moon, they say, is the way he talks about them and their issues  loudly, constantly and without reservation.

What theyre saying: If I could just pick one, I would pick Trump every time. I would pick Trump over any other president in terms of his energy and his commitment and his follow-through, said Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List.

Trump has overseen a hard push to the right on abortion, LGBTQ rights and religious accommodations. Some of that, you might expect from any Republican president  but Trump has repeatedly upped the ante, going further than even his supporters expected.

One big example: Moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to move to Jerusalem, which had been a talking point on the right for years.

Evangelical voters "are not only not disappointed that they backed Trump, they will likely back him and support him in even higher numbers in 2020," said Ralph Reed, the founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition.

Some advocates said they couldn't imagine Mitt Romney or John McCain going as far as Trump has.

Even George W. Bush doesnt measure up, some advocates said, even though he  unlike Trump  was personally a member of the religious right.

What Trump has done:

On abortion, Trump reinstated and expanded the so-called Mexico City policy, which says international organizations that receive U.S. funding cannot perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning."

He eased Obama-era rules designed to protect Planned Parenthoods funding.

His administration recently banned the use of fetal tissue in government-funded medical research.

On LGBTQ rights, Trump reversed the Obama administrations decision to let transgender troops serve in combat.

The White House is planning to roll back Obama-era rules that require adoption agencies receiving federal funding to serve same-sex parents.

The administration has changed a legal interpretation so that it would no longer be a violation of federal civil rights law for doctors to discriminate against transgender patients.

A similar reinterpretation also cleared away nondiscrimination rules for housing.

Whats next: Some of Trumps executive actions will likely only last as long as his administration. In many cases, he has reversed Obama-era policy decisions  some of which reversed Bush-era policy decisions, and which the next Democratic president could simply reverse again.

But Trumps ability to reshape the courts will help him build a longer-lasting legacy in other areas  especially abortion.

Bush replaced one moderate Supreme Court justice who had voted to uphold Roe v. Wade  Sandra Day OConnor.

But the true sea change didn't come until Trump replaced the last remaining swing justice, Anthony Kennedy, enshrining a solid conservative majority for years.

And the Senate has confirmed wave after wave of federal appeals judges, which will pull the courts to the right nationwide and shape the kinds of rulings that make it to the high court.

Thats the most transformational thing he could possibly do, and well be living with that for generations," Dannenfelser said.

Between the lines: Social conservatives supported Trump in 2016  they werent that worried about how he would govern. And they knew Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would prioritize judges.

But, partly because Trump wasnt a part of the community in his personal life, they werent necessarily expecting him to go all in for them. That part has been a surprise.

Dannenfelser noted that a big chunk of Trump's most recent State of the Union address was devoted to abortion, and praised the fervor with which he attacked Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam over an abortion bill in the state.

The bottom line: It's been a stellar record," Reed said.The White House's special envoy for Middle East Jason Greenblatt said Sunday at the Jerusalem Post Conference in New York that the Trump administration is leaning toward holding off on releasing the political part of its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan until November, when a new Israeli government is formed.

Why it matters: President Trump was frustrated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inability to form a coalition in May, which forced him to call a new election. Greenblatt admitted in his comments that the political developments in Israel torpedoed the White House's timetable for the peace plan.

Details: Greenblatt said the White House wanted to release the political part of the peace plan during the summer, "but the new elections have thrown us off." He stressed that there is no decision yet on when to publish the political part of the peace plan, but added it "would make sense" to wait until a new Israeli government is formed in November.

Greenblatt said the administration will still be able to push forward with the peace plan in November regardless of Trump's re-election campaign, which would already be in full swing by then. "It should not be an obstacle," Greenblatt said.

The White House envoy was also asked about U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman's interview with the New York Times, in which he said Israel having the right to retain some parts of the West Bank. Greenblatt said: "David spoke elegantly and I support what he said."By Trend

Azerbaijans main goal is to educate knowledgeable young people with a modern world outlook because the countrys brilliant future will be entrusted to young people, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva said in the statement to the participants of the high school graduation party Towards the Future, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Presidential press-service.

Dear graduates! Please accept my warm greetings and sincere congratulations on the occasion of your graduation! School years are the most memorable period in everyones life, she added.

During the 11 school years starting with mastering the alphabet, you discovered the secrets of science, Aliyeva said. Finally, today you bid farewell to your childhood and carefree school years.

Graduation causes rather conflicting feelings in every person, she stressed. Today you are parting company with the school you went to for many years and with your teachers and classmates. At the same time, starting from today, you are entering an independent life, a new and important stage that will determine your future.

Science is developing fast in the modern world, Aliyeva said. Every day we bear witness to important discoveries. All this opens up ample opportunities for you, young people. In-depth learning of modern science is the requirement of our time. It is now up to you to be active and courageous, to develop the knowledge gained by putting forward new ideas in various fields, and to implement them.

Regardless of the profession you chose, each of you must protect the independence of our state, the noble values inherent in our people, and make effort to further develop and strengthen Azerbaijan, she said. I am sure that from now on every decision and every step you take will be based on good intentions, nobility and justice.

Dear friends! Education forms the basis of progress and bright future of every nation, Aliyeva added. We are well aware of this simple truth, which is why major funds are being invested in the development of education. This represents one of the priorities of our state policy. Our main goal is to educate knowledgeable young people with a modern world outlook because our brilliant future will be entrusted to you.

In recent years, our country has covered a long road of development, she said. Our success is undeniable. However, new objectives still lie ahead. New horizons are opening up before us. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confidently leads us to a great future and on this path he relies on bright, educated, brave and patriotic youth such as yourselves. So let us together support the further prosperity and strengthening of our native Azerbaijan!

Let me once again congratulate you on your graduation day and wish you continued success in your education and activities, Aliyeva said. Let the roads ahead of you be open!

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzYARDLEY BOROUGH >> Yardley Borough Police report three DUI arrests on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. ARREST (DUI) >> At approximately 10:15 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31 an officer was enforcing speed at North Main and Irving when he observed a vehicle travelling south at 54 mph in a 25 mph zone. An on scene investigation resulted in probable...By Trend

The official representatives of the Armenian leadership have recently become to make more statements and take more actions, which openly characterize Armenias aggressive policy, spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva said.

Abdullayeva said that Armenia itself refutes the myth that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a conflict "between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh", Trend reports.

The Armenian defense minister personally rewards those who killed the Azerbaijani serviceman, she said. The Armenian defense ministers recent actions once again confirm the aggressive policy of this country. That is why the negotiations on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are conducted between the occupier - Armenia and the party whose territories were subjected to occupation - Azerbaijan.

We have always stressed and would like to reiterate that the main essence of the negotiations are the liberation of the Azerbaijani territories from the invading forces and the return of the internally displaced people to their houses, she said.

The main principles and elements of the discussions have been clarified in the OSCE Minsk Groups statement dated March 9, 2019, Abdullayeva said. Of course, negotiations must continue within the same framework and on the existing basis, and in particular, the efforts must be continued to prepare the people of both countries for peace, as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs propose."

As for the upcoming meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in Washington, first of all, the process is expected to be advanced through substantive negotiations at each meeting, she said.

"We hope that during the meeting in Washington, which is a continuation of the Moscow meeting, the parties will achieve more concrete results, Abdullayeva said. We also think that an end must be put to the uncertainty in the position of the Armenian leadership. Only a definite position, determination and political will can lead to the peaceful settlement of the conflict."

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.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

The US famous radio program "John Batchelor Show" has interviewed Azerbaijani ambassador to the US Elin Suleymanov, Trend reports.

Journalist John Batchelor said on the eve of his trip to Central Asia that Azerbaijan is a model of development for the countries of this region.

During the interview, Suleymanov stressed that Azerbaijan and the Central Asian countries have a common history and culture.

He also emphasized the importance of cooperation for the general development of the region.

Energy and transport projects in which Azerbaijan has been involved contribute to the development of all regional countries, he said. The beginning of using the experience of the ASAN Service in Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries testifies to its fruitfulness and importance of the exchange of experience in various spheres.

As for the holding of another annual meeting of the Central Asian and South Caucasian Group of the Rumsfeld Foundation (CAMCA) in Uzbekistan, the ambassador stressed the role of this organization in the development of relations between the public and private sectors.

During the interview, Batchelor stressed that Azerbaijan has been suffering for a long time from the conflict with Armenia, adding that on May 31, an Armenian sniper killed major of the Azerbaijani army Adil Omarov.

In turn, Suleymanov said that death is always a tragedy and along with the family of the killed major, the entire Azerbaijani people mourn.

He stressed the need for the Armenian side to stop such provocations, especially amid the current situation within the negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

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.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

Sudans chief prosecutor said on Saturday that ousted President Omar al-Bashir would be sent for trial soon on corruption charges related to his three decades in power, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Alwaleed Sayed Ahmed Mahmoud told a news conference the trial referral would be made after a one-week period for objections expires, adding that criminal cases have been opened against 41 other former officials accused of graft.

The prosecutors office said on Thursday that Bashir, who was ousted by the military in April following months of protests against his 30-year autocratic rule, had been charged with corruption after an investigation was completed.

The charges are related to laws on suspected illicit wealth and emergency orders, the office said, without giving more details.

Bashir had already been charged in May with incitement and involvement in the killing of protesters. Prosecutors also ordered his interrogation on suspicion of money laundering and terrorism financing.

Mahmoud also 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 center of the capital.

But the idea of dispersing the protesters was not discussed, he added.

The countrys military rulers said on Thursday they had thwarted several coup attempts and that some officers had been arrested over the deadly dispersal of protesters at a sit-in in Khartoum earlier this month.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

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.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

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.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

US President Donald Trump refuted reports of The New York Times newspaper about the increased number of US cyberattacks on Russia, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

"Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia. This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country ... [and] ALSO, NOT TRUE! Anything goes with our Corrupt News Media today. They will do, or say, whatever it takes, with not even the slightest thought of consequence! These are true cowards and without doubt, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!" Trump wrote on his Twitter page on late Saturday.

On Saturday, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed current and former government officials, that the United States was stepping up online attacks on the Russian power grid, demonstrating Trump's determination to use cyber tools more aggressively.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

Ankara and Baku will become twin cities, new mayor of Ankara Mansur Yavas said at a meeting with Azerbaijani ambassador to Turkey Khazar Ibrahim, Trend reports referring to the Turkish media.

It is an honour for me that an agreement will be signed during the period of my activity at this post, he said.

Yavas added that Turkey is always proud of Azerbaijans success.

"Wherever I see the flag of fraternal Azerbaijan, it makes me very happy," he said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzVideos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.Des gendarmes en patrouille, le 3 octobre 2018 a Buea, au Cameroun AFP/Archives/MARCO LONGARI

Reports say some four police officers have been killed after a local bomb exploded in Otu village, Manyu Division of the South West region.

The attack is said to have taken place between Friday June 14 and Saturday. Sources say Ambazonia fighters in the locality might have planted locally-made explosives to trap down the policemen. A police van that was on patrol is said to have exploded, killing the four officers while six others sustained serious injuries.

This is the first time armed separatists are using local bombs to attack soldiers of the military. The attack comes at a time when Senator Tabe Tando of Manyu Division, boasted over Cameroon Calling on state radio last Sunday, that more than 500 separatists in his community have contacted him to reassure them that their lives were not at risk, if they dropped their weapons.

According to many, the officers killed during the recent attack have little or inadequate experience on the field. The government is yet to comment on the attack. Separatists on their part, have not claimed responsibility yet.

Temga Gabriel, Kome Lewis, Djekai Guy, Dibwe Essoh were all confirmed dead, while Ondjaa Jean, Mballa Zambo, Moneye Ebanga, Monthe Eric, Owono Bokali are those who sustained serious injuries.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.Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley has backed Michael Gove for Tory leader and the next prime minister, it has been reported.

The Sunday Times reports the MP backed the environment secretary to succeed Theresa May.

Launching his campaign to be Conservative leader Mr Gove said he would lead talks to restore power sharing in Northern Ireland describing Karen Bradley as a "brilliant" secretary of state.

He was accused of being "out of touch" with the comments.

Mrs Bradley has come in for fierce criticism on several occasions since taking office in January 2018.

She admitted not knowing unionists didn't vote for nationalists and vice versa, caused outrage by saying security force killings in Northern Ireland were "not crimes" and instead military and police acted in a "dignified and appropriate way". She later apologised for the remarks.

And victims of historical institutional abuse accused the Mrs Bradley of using them as "blackmail" in order to get agreement in the talks process. Something she denied.

She was also criticised for refusing to engage with the Press.

Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill, on Sunday, said Mrs Bradley was "at best incompetent" and played no "fruitful role" in Northern Ireland society.

Expand Close Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt, Rory Stewart, Dominic Raab, Michael Gove and Sajid Javid, who are the six remaining Conservative leadership contenders. Secret ballots of Conservative party MPs will continue until just two contenders are left, before party members decide the new leader - and prime minister. PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt, Rory Stewart, Dominic Raab, Michael Gove and Sajid Javid, who are the six remaining Conservative leadership contenders. Secret ballots of Conservative party MPs will continue until just two contenders are left, before party members decide the new leader - and prime minister.

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It is understood Karen Bradley cast her vote in the first round contest by proxy as she was in Northern Ireland at the time of the poll. However, she had refused to state who she was backing.

Michael Gove was among the front runners in the race to Number 10 among the Tories until revelations about his drug taking emerged.

Boris Johnson is considered favourite with Jeremy Hunt a distant second. Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart are also among the contenders.L'un des bureaux de l'ambassade vandalise Facebook

A Swedish national, Ganye Kwah-Driscole, originally from Cameroon and who resides in West London, has been sentenced for two years imprisonment by the Kingston Crown Court in the United Kingdom.

47-year-old Ganye, was sentenced on Thursday June 13, 2019 after pleading guilty to five counts of encouraging terrorism. He was accused of posting a tweet about, "a big explosion" at an embassy on May 3, 2018 which officials considered a call for an attack on Cameroonian embassies abroad. Cameroonian embassies in France, Germany and Belgium were later attacked in January 27, 2019 by militants loyal to the Cameroon Renaissance Movement party, which organised a national and international protest against results of last presidential elections in Cameroon which they considered fraudulent.

Police Counter Terrorism Command officers in the UK subsequently went through thousands of his Facebook and Twitter posts, identifying further four messages that constituted terrorism offences, all relating to attacking embassies in Cameroon or calling for violence against the government of Cameroon.

He was arrested at his home on the 26th of June 2018, by counter terrorism detectives, on the suspicion of encouraging terrorism, contrary to section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006.

Some Anglophone separatists who are not happy about the decision taken on Driscole, have been warning others activists to take precautions while posting sensitive material over social media.

The messages from diehard separatists like Tapang Ivo, and Mark Bareta, amongst others have reduced on social media. No one knows why, but some say with the government has been trying to get most activists arrested abroad on counts of promoting terrorism in Cameroon. From every indication, Driscole used to be a Cameroonian, but had long naturalised as a Swedish.A man in his 20s has been beaten with pick axe handles in a paramilitary attack in the Green End area of Newtownabbey on Saturday night. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER

A man was beaten with pick axe handles in a "brutal" paramilitary style attack in Newtownabbey.

It happened in the Green End area of the Rathcoole estate just before midnight on Saturday.

Three men approached the victim as he walked along the street.

The victim, aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital with non-serious injuries, police said.

The man received suspected fractures to his hand and knee during the incident. He was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries," said Detective Chief Inspector Julie Mullan.

This was a brutal attack of a man in a residential area. Those involved do not represent the interests of the local community and contribute nothing to it. This is another example of how criminal groups seek to control communities through fear and violence.

Enquiries are ongoing and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident or who saw anything suspicious in the area to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference number 2183 15/06/19. Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.A man is fighting for his life in hospital after he was involved in a serious crash in Dungannon.

The crash happened on the Moy Road in the early hours of the morning.

At around 5am, a silver-coloured BMW X5 car struck a tree.

Police said the driver - aged in his 30s - was taken to hospital where his condition remains critical.

Police have appealed for information.Michelle O'Neill says real negotiations need to take place in the Northern Ireland talks. Pic BBC

Talks aimed at restoring the Northern Ireland devolved institutions are only "tinkering around the edges," and the real negotiations have not yet started, Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill has said.

DUP leader Arlene Foster said Sinn Fein could not continue to lay down their demands and "expect everyone to accede to them".

The latest process to break the deadlock which has seen Northern Ireland without a local government for two-and-a-half years begun at the beginning of May.

In the past fortnight Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said they have been engaged in a more "intensive" period with the window of opportunity narrowing.

Michelle O'Neill said they had yet to discuss the issues around restoring power sharing but the process had been constructive "to a point".

"But it hasn't actually crunched down on the issues we need to deal with in order to restore the institutions," she told the BBC Sunday Politics programme.

SFs idea of negotiation is to lay down demands & expect everyone else to accede to them.This needs to change so we can get agreement which repects all parts of our divided society.We continue to engage to find agreement.We need to build a cohesive NI, not one built on separation https://t.co/1xZV9y5ITx  Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) June 16, 2019

"The only way we are going to resolve issues is by dialogue, is by communicating with each other, about trying to find accommodation for each other. We are certainly up for that.

"We said that whenever the governments called this process that it probably was the most improbable of circumstances in terms of the backdrop - the leadership contest in Britain, the Brexit uncertainty, the fact we were in the midst of elections.

"That said we have applied ourselves, we have been there we have been trying to get a deal but the work to date has been constructive, cross-party wise it has been good.

"But it has been tinkering around the edges. It isn't about a real negotiation and that's what we need to have."

However, it does appear the DUP and Sinn Fein are keen to continue the talks on through the summer.

Ms O'Neill said she wanted the process to continue dismissing as speculation reports they were to break up. And at the beginning of the month in the Commons DUP MP Gavin Robinson suggested a deadline of August for the process in order to get a deal although, this was rebuffed by the secretary of state.

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"What we need to do is to get back to the Good Friday Agreement and the principle of mutual respect for each other," continued the MLA.

"It is about accommodation, how we work together, how we live together and how we govern together.

"We are always committed to delivering marriage equality. It goes right to the heart of the current political impasse. Whether it be marriage equality, identity rights, all the things need to be delivered.

"If you are going to have good government and a good society where everybody feels welcome and part of an inclusive society then you need to deliver those things.

"I don't think it is a good position to say we can deliver marriage equality, we have to deliver marriage equality and alongside an Irish language act and an anti-poverty strategy.

"All of the things that have been outstanding."

All the parties have been invited to a reception at Stormont House on Tuesday hosted by the secretary of state which, the invitation states, is an opportunity for "informal cross-party discussions".

Michelle O'Neill said her party would not be attending saying Karen Bradley had played no "fruitful role" in Northern Ireland society.

"At best she has been incompetent," she said.

On her party's recent poor election results she said there were many reasons singling out boundary changes as one and Sinn Fein had been progressing through a period of transition.

She said her leadership with Mary Lou McDonald was working out despite the poor electoral results.

"We fight back, we learn our lessons and we go back out to win our seats," she saidScene of the incident at Muckross Bay on the Boa Island Road in Kesh. Picture: Ronan McGrade/Pacemaker Press

Scene of the incident at Muckross Bay on the Boa Island Road in Kesh. Picture: Ronan McGrade/Pacemaker Press

A police commander has praised the actions of his own officers, other emergency responders and the local community for their help in the rescue of a woman who became trapped in her car when it plunged into a lake in Fermanagh.

Local DUP councillor Deborah Armstrong described it as a "very sad incident" which left the community stunned.

The woman, thought to be in her 50s, remains in a critical condition in hospital.

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She became trapped in her car when it plunged into the water at Muckross Pier on the Boa Island Road in Kesh at around 10.30pm on Saturday

Police, the Irish Coastguard, RNLI, fire service and the ambulance service all attended the scene.

The first two police officers on the scene, who had been passing at the time, jumped in the water and pulled the woman from the sinking car. A third entered the water to check there was no one else in the car.

A local farmer then helped pull the car from the water to ensure no one else was involved.

All three officers needed hospital treatment.

District commander Derek Beatty offered his "sincere thanks" to all those involved in the incident.

"To the members of the community who phoned police, informing them of this tragic incident," he said.

"To the brave officers who arrived quickly on the scene, removed their kit and dived into the water to search for the casualty.

"To the members of the community who also entered the water to help us in the rescue attempt.

"To the community members in the speed boat who also helped.

"To our colleagues in the ambulance service, who sped the casualty away to hospital.

"To the PSNI Duty Inspector who also arrived on scene and entered the water to help search for anyone else who may have been in the vehicle.

"To our colleagues in the SWAH Emergency Department who save lives every day.

"This was a team effort by the community and emergency services working together to protect people and prevent harm.

"And finally our thoughts are with the casualty, their family and friends at this terrible time.

"Thanks to one and all."

The area is a popular Fermanagh beauty spot.

UUP MLA Rosemary Barton also praised those involved wishing the woman a full recovery.The description of different murals was described as perpetuating sectarian myths.

A world-renowned travel guide has compared murals in unionist areas as comic-book like while those in the republican areas are "Sistine Chapel-lite".

The comparison was made in Fodor's Travel website and used by Singapore Airlines in their travel guide, the BBC reported.

On loyalist murals, the guide said they had taken on a "grimmer air".

"Typical subjects include wall-eyed paramilitaries perpetually standing firm against increasing liberalism, nationalism and all the other -isms Protestants see eroding their stern, Bible-driven way of life," the guide said.

Republican artwork, however, featured "themes of freedom from oppression, and a rising nationalist confidence that romantically and surreally mix and match images from the Book Of Kells, the Celtic mist mock-heroic posters of the Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick, assorted phoenixes rising from the ashes and revolutionaries clad in splendidly idiosyncratic sombreros and bandanas from ideological battlegrounds in Mexico and South America".

Fodor's said it would remove the content and Singapore Airlines which used the company's material has begun a review.

Professor Peter Shirlow, head of Irish Studies at Liverpool University, said he was shocked by the content.

"It is something which plays on many sectarian myths we have in our society," he said.

"It represented the Protestant community as humourless, it represented them as Bible bashers, against liberalism and it evoked an idea that on the other side there was humour, a capacity for art and also evoked the idea republican violence was something to be glorified and where it represented the unionist community, it is not.

"If it was the Catholic, nationalist, republican community [being lampooned] I would say the same thing. It is just ultimately wrong and gave an incredibly unfair representation of murals in the city.

He said there were issues which needed to be addressed in terms of tourism and how the story of Northern Ireland was told to visitors. He said he had been on tours of the city and heard a "glorification" of one side and a "complete disregard for the suffering and harm caused to another side".

"Thousands come to the city because of the murals," he said, "there has to be some way we measure and ensure balance."

Fodor's Travel said the content had been removed from its website and would be taken out of ebooks and from its print editions.

"Fodor's Travel is always listening to the feedback we receive about our content, and we take action when we're notified of content that is outdated, inaccurate, or insensitive by updating and/or removing that content," it said in a statement.

Singapore Airlines said the content was provided by Fodor's and it would review the matter.There were fears for jobs after a large blaze ripped through a Co Antrim business.

Fire broke out at the JP Corry building supply merchants on the A26 outside Ballymena on Sunday evening.

Video and pictures on social media showed flames engulfing the building.

Police were forced to close off both sides of the dual carriageway as firefighters battled the blaze right beside the Applegreen petrol station.

Witnesses said the building looks to be completely gutted.

The Fire Service said it was working with Northern Ireland Water, Northern Ireland Electricity and the Environment Agency at the scene.

It sent six pumping appliances, an aerial appliance, a water tanker, a welfare vehicle, and a command vehicle to the scene. Crews from Ballymena, Belfast, Dungiven, Antrim and Kilrea were sent to the scene.

JP Corry said no one was hurt and it was grateful to the emergency services.

We can confirm there has been a fire at our JP Corry Ballymena (Robert Guy) branch. Fortunately nobody has been hurt and... Posted by JP Corry on Sunday, June 16, 2019

Retail manager Andrew Lennox was on the dual carriageway at around 6.30pm when he noticed puffs of smoke as they approached the scene.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Fire at JP Corry's outside Ballymena. Pic Pacemaker Fire at JP Corry's outside Ballymena. Pic Pacemaker Fire at JP Corry's outside Ballymena. Pic Pacemaker Fire at JP Corry's outside Ballymena. Pic Pacemaker Fire at JP Corry's outside Ballymena. Pic Pacemaker Firefighters tackle a major fire at JP Corrys hardware store on the A26 five miles north of Ballymena, Sunday June 16, 2019. (Photo by Paul McErlane for the Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters tackle a major fire at JP Corrys hardware store on the A26 five miles north of Ballymena, Sunday June 16, 2019. (Photo by Paul McErlane for the Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters tackle a major fire at JP Corrys hardware store on the A26 five miles north of Ballymena, Sunday June 16, 2019. (Photo by Paul McErlane for the Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters tackle a major fire at JP Corrys hardware store on the A26 five miles north of Ballymena, Sunday June 16, 2019. (Photo by Paul McErlane for the Belfast Telegraph) / Facebook

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As road has been blocked off he has had to sit and wait while the emergency services tackle the blaze.

He spoke to the Belfast Telegraph from the scene: "It is well developed. The fire is rightly up and has spread to the entire building. The building is in three sections and it has covered them all.

"The fire service was on the scene not long after we had to stop at 6.30pm."

The 29-year-old was heading to his Cullybackey home when he got stopped at the scene.

"At first we thought it was the Applegreen" he continued.

"Hopefully they are able to bring it under control and no one is injured."

DUP MLA Mervyn Storey said it was "very sad" to hear of the fire at what he described as a "iconic landmark" on the A26.

"It has been there before there was a dual carriageway and this is devastating for the owners and all those employed," he said.

Mr Storey worked Agivey Bacon Plant (Lovell & Christmas Ulster Ltd) in Ballymoney which was destroyed in a fire in 1999.

"I know what it is like to watch and see a livelihood burn in front of you. The consequences from this could be felt for many years.

"Hopefully something can be salvaged."

TUV leader Jim Allister described the incident as a "big loss".

"Not just a business at stake but jobs," he tweeted.

The fire is ongoing and road diversions are in place at Drones Road roundabout and Fenagh Road.Gardai at the scene and inset Valerie and James Kilroy.

A man appeared in court on Sunday afternoon charged with the murder of his wife.

James Kilroy (46), with an address at Kilbree Lower, Westport, Co. Mayo, was brought before Judge Fiona Lydon at a special sitting of Castlebar District Court.

He has been in custody in connection with the death of his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, a 41-year-old mother-of-three.

The accused showed no emotion during the five-minute hearing.

Detective Sergeant Michael Doherty, told the hearing he arrested the accused at 11.45am this morning and at 12.45am he charged Kilroy with murder.

In reply to the charge, after caution, Det Sgt Doherty outlined, the accused made no reply.

Garda Inspector Denis Harrington applied for a remand in custody to Harristown (Castlerea Prison) court next Friday, June 21.

Gary Mulchrone, solicitor, said there were serious concerns about the mental health of the accused, concerns that had become apparent since his detention.

Mr Mulchrone said his client was in immediate need of medical attention and a psychiatric evaluation.

Remanding the accused in custody, Judge Lydon recommended the medical attention sought by Mr Mulchrone, as well as an independent psychiatric assessment in due course.

Expand Close James Kilroy / Facebook

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Free legal aid was also granted on the application of Mr Mulchrone.

A small group of relatives, as well as Reverend Val Rogers, Westport-based Church of Ireland Rector, were in court for the brief hearing.

Rev Rogers spoke briefly to the accused before he was led away by detectives following the hearing.

The murder victim sustained fatal wounds in the attack.Brothers (from left) Lachlan, 21, Ewan, 27, and Jamie MacLean, 25, from Edinburgh, try out their boat on Loch Lomond for the first time before they row 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in a charity challenge (Jane Barlow/PA)

Three brothers who plan to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic have launched their boat in Loch Lomond.

Lachlan, 21, Ewan, 27, and Jamie MacLean, 25, from Edinburgh, will take part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in December, rowing from the Canary Islands to the West Indies.

In doing so they will become the youngest team to ever take on the challenge, as well as the first team made of up brothers.

Having tested out their 28ft rowing boat on Loch Lomond during their official launch on Sunday, they now plan to row the distilleries of Scotlands west coast, collecting whisky to sell and raise money for charity.

It'll be a little bit more challenging in many respects actually than the Atlantic because you've got to navigate quite a complex coastlineEwan MacLean

Speaking to the Press Association at the launch event, Ewan said: From August 3-10 well be rowing all the way around the west coast including Arran, Islay and Jura, so well hit pretty much every single distillery from Talisker.

Through dad (Charles)s contacts in the whisky industry, theyre all very kindly donating a couple of bottles or a case or two.

At the end of the row dad will blend all of the whiskies together and theyll sit in a cask and well auction the whole lot off and all that money will go towards charity.

Itll be a great event because it will give us quite an interesting row, quite a technical row.

Itll be a little bit more challenging in many respects actually than the Atlantic because youve got to navigate quite a complex coastline.

But itll be a fantastic training experience for us, and a fantastic fundraiser.

Launch day.  Taking her out for a spin in Loch Lomond. #broaratlantic Posted by The MacLean Brothers on Sunday, June 16, 2019

In total, the brothers hope to raise 250,000 for their chosen charities through the gruelling ocean crossing, Children 1st and Feedback Madagascar.

The race is expected to last for more than a month and contestants expect to face 40ft high waves and the risk of capsizing.

It has been described as one of the worlds toughest rows and also means the boys will be away for Christmas and New Year with Ewan saying: Well be missing home on Christmas Day with our freeze-dried ration food.

He also admitted the idea originated from the youngest brother, Lachlan, but was on board as soon as he was involved in discussions with his siblings.

Expand Close Ewan, Lachlan and Jamie MacLean are raising money for charities Children 1st and Feedback Madagascar (Jane Barlow/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Ewan, Lachlan and Jamie MacLean are raising money for charities Children 1st and Feedback Madagascar (Jane Barlow/PA)

The eldest brother told PA: (Lachlan) was at university at the time and was telling Jamie about it.

Not knowing what time of year it was going to be they were like oh maybe we could do this over one of our long student summers or something like that. Then of course found out the race was December.

I got wind of the whole thing as the eldest brother and said theres absolutely no way you guys are doing this without me.

Weve always had that kind of taste for adventure since we were very young so it was right up all of our streets.

Since then its grown and grown, its been a really interesting campaign actually because theres a huge amount of organisation that has to go in.

Its been a real process getting to now and has evolved into quite a big project.US President Donald Trump arrives in Downing Street, London, during his state visit (Aaron Chown/PA)

Donald Trump has called Sadiq Khan a disaster in response to violence in London , where three men were killed in separate attacks.

Two teenagers were murdered within minutes of each other in different parts of the capital on Friday, while a man was stabbed to death on Saturday afternoon.

Retweeting a post by right-wing commentator Katie Hopkins about the killings, the president said the capital needed a new mayor ASAP.

Mr Trump tweeted: LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP.

Khan is a disaster  will only get worse!

The original post by Hopkins called the capital Stab-City and Khans Londonistan alongside two screenshots of BBC News articles detailing the violence.

She wrote: 20 hours in Stab-City UPDATE 2 stabbed to death 1 shot dead Three stabbed  but not dead. Wandsworth & Tower Hamlets This is Khans Londonistan.

Mr Trump later returned to Twitter, writing: He is a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London!

The president was responding to a Twitter user who said: Khan is the reason I dont feel like visiting London anytime soon.

While referring to the historic heart of the capital, which today serves as its financial and business centre, it is thought the president was talking about the Greater London area in his tweet.

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.

Absolutely awful to see @realDonaldTrump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor. @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. https://t.co/Se3fgWDXUZ  Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 15, 2019

A spokesman for the mayor said: Sadiq is focusing on supporting Londons communities and 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.

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.

Absolutely awful to see @realDonaldTrump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor. @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. https://t.co/Se3fgWDXUZ  Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 15, 2019

The US president and London mayor have clashed in the past, including on Mr Trumps state visit at the start of June.

Mr Trump branded the mayor a stone cold loser in a two-part tweet as he touched down in Britain on June 3.

Expand Close The London mayor has been critical of the president in the past (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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The Labour mayor then accused the president of playground behaviour and claimed he was a poster boy for the far-right.

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.Richard Ratcliffe outside the Iranian Embassy in London where he is on hunger strike in solidarity with his wife (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffes husband has admitted he resented Boris Johnsons handling of her case during his tenure as Foreign Secretary.

Richard Ratcliffe has joined his wife in staging a hunger strike against her detention in Iran over spying allegations, which she denies.

Speaking on Sunday outside the Iranian embassy in London, where he is holding his demonstration, Mr Ratcliffe said the goal is to amplify her message and provoke a response from Iran.

He reiterated criticism for Tory leadership frontrunner Mr Johnsons previous comments about the case.

Expand Close Boris Johnson is hoping to be the new Conservative leader and prime minister (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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He clearly made a mistake and clearly tried to correct it and made a promise that he wasnt able to deliver on, Mr Ratcliffe told the Andrew Marr Show.

At times Ive resented him for it and there are bits I did resent him for.

Mr Johnson said in 2017 that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was working in Tehran training journalists, comments used by Iran to allege she was engaged in propaganda against the regime.

Mr Ratcliffe added Mr Johnson probably got over-criticised for some things, under-criticised for some things.

The family will now push Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, another Tory leadership hopeful, for his wifes release, he said.

Expand Close Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is detained in Iran (Family Handout/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

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Mr Hunt has urged Iran to release Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and not drag her into its disagreements with Britain.

She started her new hunger strike in prison on Saturday and her husband said his job is to keep going as long as she goes if I can.

The couple have a five-year-old daughter, Gabriella, who has not been allowed to leave Iran following her mothers arrest in 2016 and is living with her grandparents.

We are both parents to Gabriella and obviously its important that this doesnt go to the bitter end, Mr Ratcliffe said.

The message from Nazanin of course is that enough is enough and I think she wanted to make it clear to the authorities in prison that this cant go on.

He admitted he does not believe the Iranian authorities will concede.

I had a chat with the Foreign Secretary yesterday, it felt like there were sort of mixed signals coming out of Iran, he said.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffes detention is now also against a backdrop of heightened tensions over an attack against two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

Theres always been a backdrop of things that are tough and youre right that the oil tanker seems to have escalated quite a lot, so were always worried, Mr Ratcliffe added.Scottish Secretary David Mundell has switched his support to Michael Gove (Jane Barlow/PA)

Scottish Secretary David Mundell is backing Michael Gove in the next round of the Conservative leadership contest.

Mr Mundell said the Environment Secretary has a strong track record of supporting Scottish interests.

Announcing his voting intention on Twitter, Mr Mundell wrote: I will be voting for Michael Gove in the next round of the Tory Leadership Contest.

Michaels track record in Government is of supporting Scottish interests and standing up for our United Kingdom.

I will be be voting for @michaelgove in the next round of #ToryLeadeshipContest Michaels track record in Government is of supporting Scottish interests and standing up for our United Kingdom  David Mundell MP (@DavidMundellDCT) June 16, 2019

Mr Mundell voted for Matt Hancock in the first ballot of leadership contenders earlier this week but the Health Secretary then withdrew from the race, after coming sixth.

The Scottish Secretarys announcement means he remains at odds with Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson over who should become party leader, and therefore Prime Minister.

Ms Davidson has already backed Home Secretary Sajid Javid in the leadership race.

Ms Davidson said Mr Javid, the son of a Pakistani bus driver, embodies the Conservative values of aspiration, education, opportunity, hard work and just reward.Britains ambassador to Iran sought an urgent meeting with the countrys Foreign Ministry after the UK broadly backed the US in blaming Tehran for attacks on oil tankers.

Rob Macaire said his request was granted and rejected reports that he was ordered by Iranian officials to explain Britains position.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the UKs own assessment of Thursdays events in the Gulf of Oman led British officials to conclude that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran.

However, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Britain should not act without credible evidence Iran was behind attacks on the two oil tankers, which dramatically heightened tensions in the region.

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

News website Iran Front Page said Mr Macaire had been summoned by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, whose Europe minister had reportedly expressed Tehrans strong protest to the British Governments unacceptable anti-Iran stances.

Mr Macaire tweeted in response: Interesting. And news to me. I asked for an urgent meeting with the Foreign Ministry yesterday and it was granted. No summons. Of course if formally summoned I would always respond, as would all Ambassadors.

On Sunday Saudi Arabia joined the US and UK in blaming Iran, with the countrys Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman saying Riyadh wont hesitate to tackle any threats.

Interesting. And news to me. I asked for an urgent meeting with the Foreign Ministry yesterday and it was granted. No summons. Of course if formally summoned I would always respond, as would all Ambassadors.  Rob Macaire (@RobMacaire) June 16, 2019

Tehran has strongly denied being behind the attack, which Mr Hunt said built on a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region.

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.

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.

Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the Governments rhetoric will only increase the threat of war.

Mr Hunt accused the Labour leader of virulent anti-Americanism.

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

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.Hong Kong residents are gathering for another protest over an unpopular extradition bill that has highlighted the territorys apprehension about relations with mainland China.

Meanwhile, a steady stream of mourners were stopping by a makeshift memorial to lay flowers and pray for a man who fell to his death on Saturday after hanging a protest banner.

The man slipped from the grasp of rescuers after clinging for a time to scaffolding outside a shopping centre. He missed a big cushion set up to capture him, and was declared dead at a nearby hospital.

The banner read Make Love, No Shoot and No Extradition to China.

Pro-democracy activists are calling for a general strike on Monday despite Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lams decision to suspend work on the legislation. Some labour unions, teachers associations and other groups are planning boycotts of work and classes.

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We encourage all the public to carry on the campaign, said Bonny Leung and other leaders of the pro-democracy Civil Human Rights Front.

Many opponents of the extradition legislation are urging Ms Lam to step down and want her to drop the legislation, which many fear would undermine freedoms enjoyed by the former British colony but not elsewhere in China.

The communist government in Beijing issued multiple statements backing Ms Lams decision, which she announced in a news conference on Saturday.

The battle over legislation has evolved into Hong Kongs toughest 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.

Marchers wearing black gathered at the citys Victoria Park ahead of the mid-afternoon protest. A week earlier up to a million rallied in protest, and demonstrations on Wednesday turned violent, with dozens injured as police fought back with tear gas, rubber bullets and other forceful measures.

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Ms Lam has said the extradition legislation is needed for 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 Kongs extradition agreements because of concerns over its judicial independence and human rights record.

Speaking to reporters after announcing her decision, Ms 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.Protesters gather at Victoria Peak to protest against the extradition bill in Hong Kong (Apple Daily via AP)

Tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents have jammed the citys streets in a march protesting the governments handling of a proposed extradition bill.

The crowds, walking slowly and shouting withdraw and resign, spilled into the streets from Victoria Park and began marching towards the Central district where the government headquarters is located.

The demonstrators carried banners demanding that chief executive Carrie Lam resign and drop the legislation completely instead of just suspending it as she announced on Saturday.

The march looks likely to match in scale one a week earlier that brought as many as a million out to express their concern over the former British colonys relations with mainland China.

Farther down the parade route, mourners lined up to pay their respects at a makeshift memorial for a man who fell to his death on Saturday after hanging a protest banner that read in part, Make Love, No Shoot and No Extradition to China.

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The man slipped from the grasp of rescuers after clinging for a time to scaffolding outside a shopping centre. He missed a big cushion set up to capture him, and was declared dead at a nearby hospital.

Pro-democracy activists are calling for a general strike on Monday despite Ms Lams decision to suspend work on the legislation. Some labour unions, teachers associations and other groups are planning boycotts of work and classes.

We encourage all the public to carry on the campaign, said Bonny Leung and other leaders of the pro-democracy Civil Human Rights Front.

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Many opponents of the extradition legislation are urging Ms Lam to step down and want her to drop the legislation, which many fear would undermine freedoms enjoyed by this former British colony but not elsewhere in China.

The communist government in Beijing issued multiple statements backing Ms Lams decision, which she announced in a news conference on Saturday.

The battle over legislation has evolved into Hong Kongs toughest 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.

Demonstrations on Wednesday turned violent, with dozens injured as police fought back with tear gas, rubber bullets and other forceful measures.

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Ms Lam has said the extradition legislation is needed for 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 Kongs extradition agreements because of concerns over its judicial independence and human rights record.

Ms Lam has sidestepped questions over whether she should quit and said she still plans to seek passage of the proposed amendment. She also defended how the police dealt with the clashes with demonstrators.

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.Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom will not hesitate to confront threats to its security and joined the US in accusing Iran of being behind the attacks on two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The US has blamed Iran for the suspected attacks on the vessels, denouncing what it called a campaign of escalating tensions.

The US alleges Iran used limpet mines to target the tankers, pointing to black-and-white footage it captured which American officials describe as Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops removing an unexploded mine from the Japanese-operated tanker Kokuka Courageous.

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The Japanese tankers crewmembers described flying objects as having targeted the vessel, seemingly contradicting the assertion that limpet mines were used.

In an interview with the Arabic-language newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, Prince Mohammed said Iran disrespected the visit to Tehran by the Japanese prime minister last week and responded to his diplomatic efforts to reduce regional tensions by attacking the two tankers.

But the crown prince offered no evidence to back up his allegation.

The kingdom does not seek war in the region, but we will not hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, sovereignty and vital interestsCrown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

The problem is in Tehran and not anywhere else, Prince Mohammed said.

Iran is always the party thats escalating in the region, carrying out terrorist attacks and criminal attacks either directly or through its militias.

Iran rejects accusations it was responsible for Thursdays attacks, saying it stands ready to play an active and constructive role in ensuring the security of maritime passages.

It said the massive US military presence in the region and US sanctions were the main sources of insecurity and instability in the Persian Gulf.

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In recent weeks, the US has sent an aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets to the region in what the military said was defensive posturing aimed at Iranian deterrence.

Tensions have escalated since the Trump administration re-imposed punishing economic sanctions on Tehran and its oil exports after unilaterally pulling the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which Americas European allies are struggling to salvage.

In similar recent attacks, four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates were apparently targeted in acts of sabotage, which US officials have blamed on Iran.

Two of those vessels belonged to Saudi Arabia.

Days later, Iranian-allied Yemeni rebels claimed they were behind a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline.

In his first public comments since the start of these incidents, the powerful Saudi prince, who is also defence minister and oversees all major levers of power in the country, said the attacks confirm the importance of our demands of the international community to take a decisive stance against Irans behaviour.

The kingdom does not seek war in the region, but we will not hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, sovereignty and vital interests, he said.

He also touted US-Saudi relations as essential to achieving regional security and stability.

Last month, an English-language Saudi newspaper close to the palace had called for the US to launch surgical strikes against Iran in retaliation for the earlier vessel and pipeline attacks.

Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of arming Yemeni rebels known as Houthis, who claimed responsibility for the pipeline attack and a subsequent missile strike on a Saudi airport that wounded 26 passengers.

Saudi Arabia has been at war against the Houthis in Yemen since early 2015.

The choice before Iran is clear. Do you want to be a normal state with a constructive role in the international community or do you want to be a rogue state? the crown prince was quoted as saying.

Thursdays apparent attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route for Arabian energy exports in Asia, forced the evacuation of all 44 sailors aboard the two vessels.

On Saturday, there were reports of the crew members of the Norwegian-owned oil tanker MT Front Altair arriving at Dubai International Airport, after spending two days in Iran.

The Front Altair, which caught fire after the apparent attack, limped into anchorage on Sunday off the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, near the port city of Khorfakkan.

Speaking on Fox News Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated his countrys official position.

He claimed that intelligence officials had lots of data, lots of evidence tying Iran to the attacks, though he did not provide any specifics.

Mr Pompeo called the alleged shipping attacks an international challenge, important to the entire globe.

He said Mr Trump was following an economic pressure campaign against Iran but we do not want war, adding that the unambiguous object of US actions was that Iran would not get nuclear weapons.Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom is not seeking war in the region, but warned it will not hesitate to confront threats to its security.

His comments came just days after the US blamed Iran for suspected attacks on two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, denouncing what it called a campaign of escalating tensions in a region crucial to global energy supplies.

The US alleges Iran used limpet mines to target the 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.

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Iran has rejected the US claim that it was responsible for Thursdays attacks, saying it stands ready to play an active and constructive role in ensuring the security of strategic maritime passages.

Iran has also been accused of being behind the May 12 attacks on four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Two of those vessels belonged to Saudi Arabia.

In his first public comments since the start of these incidents, the powerful Saudi prince, who is also defence minister and oversees all major levers of power in the country, said the attacks confirm the importance of our demands of the international community to take a decisive stance against Irans behaviour.

The kingdom does not seek war in the region, but we will not hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, sovereignty and vital interests, he said in an interview with the Arabic newspaper, Asharq al-Awsat.

The problem is in Tehran and not anywhere elseSaudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

He accused rival Iran of using militias to destabilise the region. He also touted US-Saudi relations as essential to achieving regional security and stability.

The problem is in Tehran and not anywhere else, he said. Iran is always the party thats escalating in the region, carrying out terrorist attacks and criminal attacks either directly or through its militias.

In recent days, Yemeni rebels known as Houthis claimed responsibility for a missile strike on a Saudi airport in the city of Abha that the kingdom said wounded 26 passengers. The Houthis also carried out a drone strike last month on a key Saudi oil pipeline.

Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of arming and training the rebels, which the kingdom has been at war against in Yemen since early 2015.Sudans deposed president Omar al-Bashir is escorted to a vehicle as he returns to prison (Mahmoud Hjaj/AP)

Sudans former president Omar al-Bashir has appeared in public for the first time since he was overthrown by the military.

The deposed leader has been held under arrest in the capital, Khartoum, since he was removed from power in April amid mass protests against his 30-year rule.

A judicial official with the prosecutors office said al-Bashir was being questioned over corruption accusations that included money laundering and the possession of large amounts of foreign currency without legal grounds.

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He said the probe partly related to millions of dollars worth of cash in US dollars, euro and Sudanese pounds that were found in al-Bashirs home a week after he was deposed.

A spokesman with the militarys media office confirmed that Sunday was the first time the former president had been taken out from his prison in Khartoum.

Al-Arabiya television footage showed al-Bashir wearing a traditional white robe and turban, as he was led to a Toyota Land Cruiser.

In May, al-Bashir was charged with involvement in killing protesters and incitement to kill protesters during the popular uprising that started in December, initially over the price rises of basic goods and a failing economy, but which later turned into calls for his removal.

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The military toppled him on April 11.

Al-Bashir is also wanted by the International Criminal Court over charges of war crimes and genocide linked to the Darfur conflict in the 2000s, but the military has said it would not extradite him to The Hague.

He was the only sitting head of state for whom an international arrest warrant has been issued.

Meanwhile, the deputy head of Sudans ruling military council said on Sunday that demands from protest leaders for the composition of a transitional legislative body might not be acceptable.

After removing al-Bashir from power, the military has been locked in a tense standoff with a protest movement over who should lead the countrys transition.

General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo told a gathering of pro-military supporters in the capital on Sunday that our problem is a non-elected legislative body which would root out all of us.

He said that a legislative body formed with a majority from protest movement leaders, who were demanding civilian rule, was a problem because it was not formed by elections.

This would suggest a reversal to previous deals between the military and protest leaders, which included a three-year transition period, a Cabinet appointed by the protest leaders, and a legislative body with a civilian majority.At #jobcrystal, we always look for the best companies, and the best candidates, which together make the best matches. Better than Tinder'Men in Black' & 'Shaft' Become Latest Summer Sequels to DisappointTORONTO - Prisoner isolation, declared unconstitutional 18 months ago, will remain legal for now after Canada's top court granted Ottawa's urgent request to allow the current law to stay in force for the time being.

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This article was published 16/6/2019 (930 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO - Prisoner isolation, declared unconstitutional 18 months ago, will remain legal for now after Canada's top court granted Ottawa's urgent request to allow the current law to stay in force for the time being.

The reprieve from the Supreme Court, pending a full hearing on the issue, sets aside a lower court order that would have made administrative segregation illegal after Monday.

The stay gives the Liberal government yet more time to enact a replacement regime aimed at fixing problems that prompted several courts to declare the current system a violation of the Constitution.

"It is disappointing that the attorney general is going to such lengths to perpetuate a practice that has been declared cruel and unusual," said Michael Rosenberg, lawyer for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, which successfully fought the law.

In its request to set aside the deadline the Ontario Court of Appeal set in April, the government warned that banning solitary confinement without a practical alternative in place would create a dangerous situation in prisons.

Supreme Court Justice Suzanne Cote agreed the government had solid preliminary arguments and granted the stay request on Friday until the legal situation can be thrashed out "on an expedited basis." That will be sometime after July 2.

Administrative segregation, authorized by the Correctional and Conditional Release Act, entails extreme isolation of inmates prison authorities deem a risk to themselves or others  when no reasonable option exists.

Experts say segregation can have mental-health consequences that become more severe the longer a prisoner is isolated.

In December 2017, Ontario Superior Court Justice Frank Marrocco declared parts of the act unconstitutional due to a lack of independent oversight of inmate placement in solitary. Ottawa did not appeal that ruling.

Marrocco also gave Ottawa a year to fix the problem but the government twice persuaded a reluctant Ontario Court of Appeal to allow it yet more time to remedy the situation through Bill C-83, currently before Parliament.

The government has steadfastly maintained the bill would address the court-identified problems by creating "structured intervention units" that would, among other things, give prisoners more meaningful contact with other people.

Legal and human-rights activists branded Bill C-83 as window dressing.

Last week, the Senate passed the bill with several changes designed to address the criticism. The government has since said it accepts some, rejects some and changed others. The Commons must now review those changes and then the Senate will take its own look, a spokeswoman for Independent Sen. Pierre Dalphond said Sunday.

Scott Bardsley, a spokesman for Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, disputed suggestions the bill preserves solitary confinement under a different name.

"C-83 allows for the separation of inmates when that's necessary for safety reasons, while providing programs, interventions, mental health care and meaningful human contact on a daily basis  all subject to binding external review," Bardsley said. "As the summer recess approaches, it is vital that Parliament be seized with the future of our correctional system "

The bill would also scrap disciplinary segregation. Punishment instead would involve a loss of privileges, a fine, or the performance of extra duties.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the Senate would look at the bill on Monday.OTTAWA - Most Canadians agree that the murders and disappearances of Indigenous women amount to genocide, a new poll suggests.

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This article was published 16/6/2019 (930 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA - Most Canadians agree that the murders and disappearances of Indigenous women amount to genocide, a new poll suggests.

But the Leger poll also suggests there's disagreement about when it occurred and who is responsible.

Fifty-three per cent of respondents agreed with the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, which last week concluded that the tragedy is part of an "ongoing genocide" that has been centuries in the making. Another 34 per cent disagreed.

But there was little consensus about what form that genocide took, with respondents citing everything from Europeans giving Indigenous People blankets infected with smallpox to the current-day scandal involving the forced sterilization of Indigenous women.

Among the top responses, 17 per cent blamed colonization and the loss of Indigenous lands to European settlers, 15 per cent blamed church-run residential schools and another 15 per cent pointed to the destruction of cultural identity and forced assimilation. Just three per cent blamed racism broadly.

As to who is responsible for the genocide, 32 per cent blamed Canada's British and French founders and 25 per cent blamed Catholic and Protestant churches. Another 21 per cent said all Canadians share responsibility for the injustice while just one per cent blamed government.

The poll of 1,528 Canadians who were randomly recruited from Leger's online panel was conducted from June 7 to 10 for the Association for Canadian Studies. Polling experts say online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not generate a random sample of the population.

Association president Jack Jedwab said the survey results suggest that the inquiry report has generated confusion about what genocide means and gives credence to those who've argued the report dilutes the grave meaning of the word.

"A lot of people seem to me in the poll confused, even if they acknowledged in the majority that, yes, there's some genocide that's occurred. But what the nature of it is, by whom it's been committed, what it means, is it residential schools, is it expropriation of lands ... it's turning the term 'genocide' into a bit of a catchall for a lot of Canadians," he said.

Jedwab's concern was underscored by another finding in the poll: 71 per cent said they're proud of Canada's history, including 53 per cent of those who strongly agreed with the finding that Indigenous women have been victims of genocide.

"There seems to be like some gap here, a disconnect in terms of how severe and serious the committing of a genocide is," he said.

Respondents were asked to describe in one sentence what they think of when they hear the term 'genocide.' About 30 per cent offered some variation on the idea of extermination or mass killing of a specific group of people. Four per cent mentioned the Holocaust, two per cent mentioned Rwanda, three per cent said mass death and one per cent cited wars. Two per cent referred specifically to the treatment of Indigenous Peoples, including missing and murdered Indigenous women.

The national inquiry issued a supplementary report explaining why commissioners felt justified in using the term 'genocide' to describe the accounts of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. It argued that the word can't be confined strictly to time-limited, state-sponsored mass murder of specific groups, such as Nazi Germany's extermination of six million Jews.

"It is time to call it as it is: Canadas past and current colonial policies, actions and inactions towards Indigenous Peoples is genocide," the report said.

"The insidious and gradual nature of the obliteration of Indigenous peoples, and the lack of a uniform national policy spearheaded by a totalitarian mastermind, differentiate colonial genocide from our traditional understanding of what constitutes a genocide.

"These distinguishing factors have, unfortunately, allowed the Canadian consciousness to dismiss Canada's colonial policies as racist and misconceived, rather than acknowledge them as explicitly genocidal and, even, ongoing."

The report has caused discomfort for federal political leaders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he accepted the report's findings but did not repeat the word "genocide." He later did specifically accept the genocide finding but then suggested it would have been more appropriate to refer to "cultural genocide" instead.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has said the disappearances and deaths of Indigenous women is a tragedy but "does not fall into that category of genocide."

There are potential legal consequences to accepting the use of the term genocide, which is a crime in international law. The Organization of American States has said it wants to create a panel to investigate the finding that Canada's Indigenous women have been the victims of genocide.A Donegal TD claims farmers were misled by the Government on an EU beef fund.

Charlie McConalogue is calling on the Agriculture Minister to clarify when he knew the European Commission's 50m beef fund depended on production reduction.

He said they were told before the Local and European elections the compensation package secured would be related to income and price losses incurred from an early Brexit.

However, Fianna Fail's Deputy McConologue said this is not the case and they have to reduce beef production instead.

He said: "Just a few short days before the elections, Minister Creed indicated that there was going to be funding forthcoming from Europe to help allay some of these income losses that farmers have experience.

"However, in recent days we have found out that the only funding likely to come from Europe is likely to associate with the reduction of beef production or at else restructuring."Gardai are appealing to the public for information as they search for a missing Dublin man.

Richard Adams, 41, Palmerstown Park, Dublin 6, was last seen yesterday morning around 10.30am.There is a blow for Fine Gael in the latest Sunday Times/ Behaviour & Attitudes June Poll.

It shows the popularity of the party has dropped by five points to 23%.

Fianna Fail's riding high with no change on 28%, Sinn Fein is on 12%, down 7%, the Greens are up six points to 11%, while Labour's risen by a point to 5%.

The Independent Alliance and the Social Democrats were both unchanged at 3% and 1% respectively.

Solidarity - People Before Profit stand at 2%, down one. Renua are placed at 1% - up one; and Aontu was also placed at 1% - up one.

Independents and others, the poll suggests, stand at 13% - up four.

900 eligible Irish voters took part in the survey, which was carried out from the May 31 to June 11.Sven-Goran Eriksson's decision to leave Lazio and commit himself to the England job surprised but pleased his right-hand man Tord Grip.

Eriksson quit the Italian champions, less than 48 hours after a 2-1 defeat by Napoli - the latest in a string of poor results.

But Grip, Eriksson's fellow Swede who is already working for the England camp after leaving the Rome club last year, says Lazio's loss is England's gain.

"There isn't a manger who hasn't experienced what 'Sven' is now going through," said Grip.

"In some ways it would have been nice for him to stay in Italy and have everything go well at Lazio. But at the same time it's great that he's now coming over here and we can work together. I've been a little lonely lately."

Grip added: "Sven-Goran Eriksson was not fired. He was very uncertain before Monday's meeting with the club's president. But then I didn't hear any more about it and I thought he had decided to stay at the club.

"But he recognised that it wasn't exactly working out to plan. It was a bit strange because training had gone really well since the Christmas break and the team had seemed really alert.

"But the loss to Napoli was a bit of a shock for him and it made his mind up. He hadn't expected the team to play so poorly. It was a real kick in the teeth for him.

"He left of his own free will. The president has always said that he would never sack him. It is entirely Sven's decision to leave. Now he's going to come to England which is good for me."

Grip believes that Eriksson will show up in this country before the weekend and they have already begun planning for the England team.Donald Trump has called Sadiq Khan "a disaster" in response to violence in London, where three men were killed in separate attacks in less than 24 hours.

Two teenagers were murdered within minutes of each other in different parts of the capital on Friday, while a man was stabbed to death on Saturday afternoon.

Retweeting a post by right-wing commentator Katie Hopkins about the killings, the president said the capital needed a new mayor "ASAP".

Mr Trump tweeted: "LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP.

"Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!"

The original post by Hopkins called the capital "Stab-City" and "Khan's Londonistan" alongside two screenshots of BBC News articles detailing the violence.

She wrote: "20 hours in Stab-City UPDATE 2 stabbed to death 1 shot dead Three stabbed - but not dead. Wandsworth & Tower Hamlets This is Khan's Londonistan."

Mr Trump later returned to Twitter, writing: "He is a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London!"

The president was responding to a Twitter user who said: "Khan is the reason I don't feel like visiting London anytime soon."

While referring to the historic heart of the capital, which today serves as its financial and business centre, it is thought the president was talking about the Greater London area in his tweet.

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."

Absolutely awful to see @realDonaldTrump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor. @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. https://t.co/Se3fgWDXUZ  Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 15, 2019

A spokesman for the mayor said: "Sadiq is focusing on supporting London's communities and 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 US president and London mayor have clashed in the past, including on Mr Trump's state visit at the start of June.

Mr Trump branded the mayor a "stone cold loser" in a two-part tweet as he touched down in Britain on June 3.

The Labour mayor then accused the president of "playground behaviour" and claimed he was a "poster boy" for the far-right.

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.

PAThe head of the digital industry's lobby group has warned that a large number of businesses could be damaged by regulations designed to curb the market power of Google and Facebook, as the competition watchdog prepares to release its final report into the digital platforms.

Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI) managing director Sunita Bose, in her first interview since taking the role in February, said when policymakers refer to digital platforms they usually only think of Google and Facebook. But many companies would not have the resources to comply with the stiffer regulation likely to be imposed on the US-based giants.

DIGI's members include Facebook, Google, Verizon Media, Twitter and Redbubble.

DIGI managing director Sunita Bose. Credit:Edwina Pickles

"We obviously need really clear rules for the internet that protects privacy, safety, the economic and social benefits of technology while also protecting competition and innovation," Ms Bose said.One of ANZ Bank's most senior leaders, the chief executive of its New Zealand business David Hisco, is leaving the bank after concerns he "mischaracterised" personal expenses including the use of corporate chauffeured cars and wine storage.

ANZ NZ chairman and former prime minister John Key on Monday announced Mr Hisco's departure, citing "health issues" and the board's concern over the expenses, which were worth tens of thousands of dollars and spanned nine years.

ANZ NZ chief David Hisco. Credit:Ben Rushton.

Mr Key said Mr Hisco was not paying the money back to ANZ because he was "adamant" he had the authority to spend it, and the bank's main concern was not the money itself. Rather, he said there had been a "lack of transparency" in how the expenses were recorded in the bank's books.

"David is adamant that he had authority for the expenditure that was undertaken. If he did have that authority it was oral in nature, so it's difficult to establish one way or the other," Mr Key told journalists.ABC managing director David Anderson has pushed back against a lengthy inquiry into press freedom, instead calling for a quick review of laws hindering journalists and whistleblowers after the Australian Federal Police raided the public broadcaster's offices.

Mr Anderson, who met with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose after the raids, said ABC staff were still worried following the police action, and the broadcaster would be pointing out issues in the legislation over the next few weeks.

ABC managing director David Anderson. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"I'm deeply concerned about the raids themselves and very worried about freedom of the press and ... what protection there is legislated not just for journalists but for whistleblowers [as well]," Mr Anderson said.

"I think there is a degree of concern that is completely understandable that sits across our journalists with regard to this," he said.Fast-food billionaire Jack Cowin has questioned the value of boards for some businesses, saying trusted advisers can be just as effective, leaving leaders to "make the decision yourself".

The Domino's chairman and Hungry Jack's executive chairman has extensive board experience but said he doesn't think they are always best for business.

"The most efficient way to run a business is as a benevolent dictator," said the former Fairfax Media board member.

Jack Cowin says the best way to run a business is as a benevolent dictatorship.

"It's by far the most efficient way to get things done," he told the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year conference in Monaco last week.Students are missing out on at least a year and as much as four years of schooling by the time they reach year 10, with attendance rates plummeting to as low as 60 per cent in some parts of NSW.

About 470 government schools have attendance rates below 90 per cent, the equivalent of missing one or more year of schooling by year 10, in what researchers say is a concerning downward trend that is affecting academic outcomes and future prospects of disadvantaged students.

Attendance has also been identified as a key concern by the NSW government and is among target areas that all public schools will focus on from next year, alongside wellbeing, equity, literacy and numeracy targets.

"For a student to achieve their educational best and boost their career and life options, ongoing attendance at school is essential," NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said.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.One of Hugo Weaving's finest performances on screen. A long overdue film about Australia's role in a decisive battle in the Vietnam War. And a Palme d'Or winner that joined a wall of films about capitalist excess and the breakdown of social order around the world.

A war photographer played by Hugo Weaving listens to an African choir in Hearts and Bones. Credit:Sydney Film Festival

The 66th Sydney Film Festival has finished with a flourish that has included more impressive new Australian films.

The most moving was director Ben Lawrence's Hearts and Bones which had Weaving as a traumatised war photographer who forms a bond with an equally damaged South Sudanese refugee.

Both face crises dating back to a Sudanese massacre in a thoughtful drama - infused with African choral music - that shows Lawrence has a similar feel for authentic moments and gripping performances as his acclaimed father, Lantana director Ray Lawrence.An abundance of treasures awaited Ed Kuepper fans at the Corner Hotel on Friday night. Support act Colonel Kramer (a nom de plume for Kuepper and the Aints! brass arranger Eamon Dilworth) gave the frontman a chance to showcase other material. Walking into the venue to a stripped-back version of the Laughing Clowns' Eternally Yours was a fine precursor to the rest of the evening.

It's been about a year since the Aints! (with a new incarnation exclamation mark) visited Melbourne to tour their first album, The Church of Simultaneous Existence, composed of Kuepper originals written in and around his tenure in the Saints. This gig marked the launch of five-track mini-LP 5-6-7-8-9, a shout-out to to the Saints classic 1977 EP 1-2-3-4, featuring alternate album tracks and reworked versions of Kuepper originals.

The Aints!: Paul Larsen, Ed Kuepper and Peter Oxley. Credit:secret service

Red Aces began proceedings with a blast of brass and tightly controlled drums before Kuepper's distinctive vocals kicked in, the opener to two sets crammed with songs both new and familiar  the Saints' Everything's Fine, the jaunty You Got The Answer and the more sombre You'll Always Walk Alone from the Aints!' first album, as well as Descending Into Blue from the band's inchoate second album.

After punctuating the set beautifully with trumpet, saxophone, French horn and trombone, the horns made a discreet departure to allow for an absolutely epic eight minutes of the hard-driving, all-out noisemongery of the Saints' Nights in Venice, showcasing the tightness of the four-piece that has gelled through touring more than was originally anticipated  Kuepper's seemingly effortless guitar mastery more than matched by Peter Oxley (Sunnyboys) on bass, drummer Paul Larsen Loughead (the Celibate Rifles, the New Christs) and pianist Alister Spence.

The second set focused on the 5-6-7-8-9 release  a lovely brass intro to Hang Jean Lee, an ode to the last woman hanged in Australia, Memories Are Made of This, The Laughing Clowns, and Future Illogical from the upcoming album, which resulted in some gentle ribbing from the Ed aficionados in the room to hurry up with the new release.Australian research has helped blow up one of the stickier domestic stereotypes (and ended the spousal dispute for the ages) in a paper that found, when it comes to household disarray, men are not "dirt blind".

By dirt, they mean general household dishevelment, or garden variety mess which, presumably back to the cave, men have been unfairly accused of having no ability to see. The stuff women, as many recent books and viral articles have espoused, continue to be unfairly expected to fix.

Men can spot a dirty, or clean, floor just as well as women. Credit:Songbird839

An international team of social and political sciences researchers, including Associate Professor Leah Ruppanner of Melbourne University, showed 624 men and women an image of an unkempt and dirty living room and kitchen  dishes everywhere, chaotic coffee table, throws thrown  to gauge their perception of messiness.

They tested a) the theory that "men are dirt-blind", so not bothered by a picture of mess and don't see it as an issue, and b) what conclusions the research subjects drew about the home's occupant when told it was either a woman's or a man's dwelling.One of Australias most significant art figures, Rodney Menzies, has finally outed himself as the buyer and seller of high-priced works by the likes of Auguste Rodin, Jean Arp and Jacques Lipchitz handled by his own auction house.

In an upcoming sale conducted by his Menzies Art Brands auction house, Mr Menzies has for the first time disclosed that 10 lots are in fact part of his private collection and that he purchased them all from his companys auctions over the past three years.

Rodney Menzies, one of Australia's most significant art figures. Credit:Paul Harris

Next weeks blockbuster sale features paintings by Howard Arkley, Ian Fairweather and Tim Storrier and sculptures by Arp and Rodin.

The disclosure could go some way to ending speculation about Mr Menzies earlier, contentious practice of selling works he owned or co-owned through his auction houses without disclosing a financial interest and then buying some works back and including them in his sales results.Victorias controversial Voluntary Assisted Dying Act will come into effect on Wednesday after a

marathon parliamentary battle in late 2017, followed by a year and a half of meticulous planning

by the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Under the act, terminally ill patients who meet the eligibility criteria will be permitted to access a

lethal substance that will allow them to end their lives. Where patients are unable to self-

administer the lethal medication, the substance may be administered by an authorised medical professional.

Voluntary assisted dying ... as Victoria's laws come into effect this week, other states need to consider the motivations for euthanasia and the value of palliative care. Credit:Jason South

Ostensibly this law is for patients experiencing unbearable pain and suffering at the end of life. It

will give terminally ill patients the choice of ending their lives rather than suffering.

Yet the statistics from overseas jurisdictions tell a more nuanced story. Requests for euthanasia

typically come from white patients who want to maintain a sense of control at the end of life, or

who feel that life has lost its meaning. Pain is a secondary consideration, if it is relevant at all.After Labor's March state election loss Michael Daley insisted he would run for the leadership again. He then pulled out of the race and departed for the backbench.

But is he back on the frontline as Labor tries to pick up the fight after a bad election loss?

Daley has begun to make appearances at NSW Labor's daily tactics meetings. He was there in the last sitting week at the beginning of the month.

Tactics are the reserve of the party's sharpest minds, with discussions usually open only to a small handful of the most senior frontbenchers.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 Brisbane primary school is set to reopen on Tuesday after a suspicious fire gutted one of the buildings and destroyed some students' books on Friday night.

Police said multiple intruder alarms were set off in the classrooms before emergency services were called to Upper Mount Gravatt State School about 7.15pm.

Images reveal the destruction of a building at Upper Mount Gravatt State School in Brisbane's south. Credit:Nine News Queensland

In a statement on Monday, the Department of Education said the school and after-hours care centre would remain closed on Monday, but was set to reopen the following day.

"The school and [after-school care] are on track to reopen on Tuesday thanks to the support of teams from the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Public Works, and an army of contractors," the DES statement said.A German woman will face court over a serious traffic crash involving two cars and a truck in north Queensland, which left a man dead and a woman critically injured.

The 53-year-old woman was the driver of one of the cars that collided with the truck on the Bruce Highway at Alligator Creek south of Townsville on June 10.

Senior police described the crash as the worst in the local area in 30 years Credit:Maya Fellows - WIN News Townsville

The driver of a silver sedan, a 62-year-old man, died at the scene, while his partner, a 66-year-old woman, suffered serious injuries and remained in a serious condition in Townsville Hospital.

The woman was travelling with her partner and two adult children and all four were treated for minor injuries.Twenty-three years ago, Caylie Jeffery found three bank books and four 5 notes hidden in the kitchen of her Milton home.

That discovery led to a quest to find the story behind a couple linked to a well-known Brisbane franchise, a much-loved biscuit brand and even a murder.

Under The Lino author Caylie Jeffrey has won the State Library of Queensland's John Oxley Library Community History Award. Credit:Stephanie Galletly

In 2017, the eager author turned to Old Brisbane Album's Facebook group for help and was welcomed by history buffs who joined the hunt for leads.

The project quickly transformed into a book, Under the Lino, which earned her the State Library of Queensland's John Oxley Library Community History Award this year.An expert panel has been appointed by the Andrews government to investigate why rural and regional students are lagging behind their city peers.

The announcement follows an investigation by The Age last week that revealed more than half of all regional and rural schools have recorded a slump in their VCE results over the past decade.

An expert panel will make recommendations to the state government on how to bridge the divide between country and city students. Credit:Cathryn Tremain

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino said while the achievement gap between rural and city students was a national problem, he wanted to take a lead in addressing the issue.

We are already doing a lot to boost results in regional and rural Victoria, but we now need to look at what more we can do and that is why this panel is so important, he said.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.A teenage girl has been left in a serious but stable condition in Perth Children's Hospital after being hit by a car in Cottesloe.

Police are investigating the incident, which took place about 4.25pm on Saturday.

It's believed a black Dodge Caliber sedan was travelling north on Stirling Highway and had just passed the Jarrad Street intersection when it crashed into the girl, who was walking across the road and was in the right hand lane.

Traffic Enforcement Group officers are calling for anyone who saw the crash, the girl, or the Dodge Caliber to contact police.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to make a report online at crimestopperswa.com.au.The uncapping of undergraduate university places enabled tens of thousands of people from poorer backgrounds to access higher education but it failed to boost opportunity for Indigenous and rural students and caused a spike in dropout rates, a major new study has found.

The report by the Productivity Commission on the demand-driven university system  introduced from 2010 and effectively ended by the government last year  has found the model achieved "mixed" outcomes in reducing educational inequity.

A major new report has found the demand-driven university funding system carried mixed results. Credit:Peter Braig

The study, which is the most comprehensive analysis yet of students that enrolled because of the demand-driven system, found that the school system needs to be improved to better prepare students for tertiary education and that universities need to lift their game in supporting students.

It also concludes higher education is not the best option for many people and that alternative paths, namely the jobs market and vocational education and training, must have their "weaknesses" addressed to make them more attractive.The United States has rejected more than 300 refugees under the Australia-US refugee deal, leaving the men in Australia's offshore processing centres on Manus Island and Nauru.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the target of resettling 1250 refugees was not going to be met, hampering the Coalition's goal of closing down the detention centres.

Delta compound at the Manus Island centre. Credit:AAP

"I don't think we'll get there," he said. "There's been over 300 that have been rejected by the United States for various reasons. They will make decisions about who they will bring under their migration program."

Mr Dutton said there were 95 people who have either withdrawn from consideration or rejected an offer, 295 who were in the pipeline for approval and 531 who had been re-settled.The NSW government fears it wont get a fair share of federal funding in the future even though it successfully campaigned for a no worse off guarantee in a recent overhaul of way the GST is split between the states.

NSW fought for the guarantee to be included in federal legislation after the Morrison government unveiled a new GST distribution scheme in October which includes a funding "floor" below which no state can fall.

NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, is still worried state coffers could suffer if the federal government attempts to offset the cost of a GST guarantee by reducing other state grants. Credit:James Brickwood

Treasury modelling to be published in Tuesdays state budget shows NSW would have been deprived of $720 million in GST over the next four years had the federal government not included the no worse off clause in legislation.

But NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, is still worried the state coffers could suffer if the federal government attempts to offset the cost of the guarantee by reducing other state grants.New Delhi: India's recent national election delivered a historic victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party, but also exposed the influence of money, power and questionable morality on the world's largest democracy.

Nearly 43 per cent of the new members of the lower house of Parliament that convenes Monday for the first time since the election won despite facing criminal charges. More than a quarter of those relate to rape, murder or attempted murder, according to a report by the civic group Association of Democratic Reforms.

Elected lawmaker Pragya Singh Thakur, in orange dress, who is awaiting trial in connection with a 2008 explosion in Malegaon in western India that killed seven people, greets other lawmakers at an alliance meeting to elect Narendra Modi as their leader in New Delhi, India. Credit:AP

The loophole that allows them to take office is that they have not been convicted - in part because the Indian legal system has a huge backlog of an estimated 30 million cases and trials often last decades. When asked about the charges against them, they invariably accuse a political rival of framing them.

Since such rivalries often lead to false accusations, the main political parties say it would be unfair to bar people from contesting elections unless they have been convicted by court.Modena: When Amanda Knox, the American whose murder trial had riveted the world, landed at Linate Airport in Milan on Thursday, she immediately engaged in a familiar and uneasy tango with the news media.

Straight-faced and stiff-lipped, Knox dodged flashbulbs as a coterie of bodyguards kept the press at bay. She had returned to Italy to speak about wrongful convictions in her first trip to the country since 2011, when an appeals court in Perugia acquitted her of the murder of her roommate, British student Meredith Kercher.

Amanda Knox gets emotional as she speaks at a Criminal Justice Festival at the University of Modena, Italy. Credit:AP

But even as Knox shunned reporters this past week, a videographer on her team was tracking her every move. And on Saturday, when Knox finally broke a self-imposed three-day silence at the Festival on Criminal Justice in Modena, in central Italy, she wept.

Knox told the packed audience that she was afraid "that I will be molested, derided, framed, that new accusations will be directed against me for telling my truth".Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams

Protesters gathered in Gerritsen Beach on June 6 to express outrage over the appearance of a drag queen at a reading event for children, which they said would be detrimental to the welfare of minors.

I was rather appalled by it simply because I really feel that it is not just a diversity issue but a morality issue, said James Bickle. Its especially bad because its an indoctrination of little children.

The event, which hosted Angel Elektra at the Gerritsen Beach library, was part of a citywide series to connect members of the LGBTQ community with New York City youth.

Drag Queen Story Hour captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity in childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models, read the events promotional material.

Readers shared their thoughts online:

A choice? Nobody who looks through the pictures in this article could come away thinking that gay is a choice. If you could choose to be gay, everyone would opt to look as gorgeous as Angel Elektra and no one would look like those bigots.

Mike from Williamsburg

Of course theres an idiot with a red MAGA hat, classic.

Henry Ford from Bay Ridge

Great piece! I drove to attend the counter-protest from Park Slope. I am 51 years old, straight, I have 4 kids. and was completely unnerved that the bigots would hold there protest on the 75th anniversary of D-Day, a day when thousands of men died for our freedom. Dont like the story hour? Dont go! Leave those who attend to do so in peace.

Susan from Park Slope

FYI, nobody is forcing anyone to attend that event. If you dont want your children to go to reading done by a drag queen, then simply dont. However, this doesnt mean that you have to deny others from going to that. For the record, there are plenty of events that I dont like, but you dont see me trying to get any of them cancelled or even denying others from going to them. Sometimes, those haters have to understand that respect is a two way street that go either way. Personally, I dont see any harm with a drag queen doing a reading at a library and sometimes it could have been because he was picked to do so hence no involvement with the LGBTQ movement.

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville

Anti-Semitism

New York City may be the safest big city in the America, according to the mayor and police commissioner  but it is not immune from the troubling wave of anti-Semitism across the country.

As anti-Semitic hate crimes remain on the rise, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the launch of the Office of the Prevention of Hate Crimes to put a cap on the number of attack and ultimately uphold the citys new status as the safest big city in America.

Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said the highest number of incidents were in precincts outside of Queens, but the Worlds Borough has had its share of hate crimes in recent months.

We definitely see some precincts spiking and taking a disproportionate share of those crimes [such as the 71st Precinct and 94th Precinct] in Brooklyn. We also see it on the Upper East Side in the 19th Precinct, Shea said. So, there are hotspots, if you will, where we see a disproportionate share but thats not to say that its confined solely to that. We see small instances spread throughout the city.

Readers were divided online:

My guess continues to be, that anti-Semitism is mostly originating from where it came from 40 or 50-years ago  at home. Parents are continually badmouthing Jews, as money-misers, Christ-killers, slumlords, etc. Children hear this and act upon it. Especially as teenagers, or young adults. Unlike others places, there is little evidence of anti-Jewish acts by Muslims, here in NYC. Or anti-Semitism by the hard left-wing. This includes, anti-Zionism. As for a connection to the Donald Trump presidency, its frustrating to try to prove. Hes a bit like the ten or twelve-year old, who influences others to seriously misbehave. Yet, nobody could pin-down him for the same BAD behavior. Whatever, hes definitely NOT without any guilt.SCR

from Realityville

Observant Jews know who our friends are. Just look at the voting maps from 2016 if you need proof. Leftists and Muslim extremists are our enemies in 2019 and we will destroy them from a position of strength.Chaim from Midwood

In France, the anti-Semitism is coming from the Muslim Immigrants, not from the ethnic French. In NY, It seems to be the brown and black kids who blame the Jews for gentrifying their neighborhoods. Blame the politicians and media for stirring the pot. The leftists want to lie and blame it on Trump and white supremacy but that is simply another bit of fake news by the lying, fascist DemonRats.LaQwerty Jones

from Gowanus

The problem is immigration from countries where anti-Semitism is rifeFelicio

Show me a tolerant muslim country where freedom is allowed including being openly gay.Keko

Postal apocalypse!

To the Editor,

Kudos to reader Ed Greenspan for calling attention to the often sorry state of our postal service. Several times a week my mail arrives in the later afternoon, or early evening. That would be fine if all I ever received was junk mail, but when theres a bill to pay, or a doctors report, or an urgent notice from my health insurance company, thats another matter entirely. Some things have to be dealt with immediately, but how can they be if the mail is frequently delivered after business hours?

And what about this; the other day a woman came to my door with a piece of mail addressed to my wife. It was a check, and this woman (who did not live nearby) had received it by mistake!

An acquaintance of mine, a retired letter carrier, explained to me recently that postal workers have so much to do every day that tardy deliveries are unavoidable, and that, now and then, the incorrectly delivered letter, or package can be expected as well. I understand that, I really do. But service is only getting worse.

Cant something be done to improve it?Stuart R. Brynien

Sheepshead Bay

Transit issues

To the Editor,

Critics of the shoddy bus service in Manhattan ought to look at the surface transit problems plaguing another part of the city: Southern Brooklyn.

I have spent many an hour waiting for the 3, which links the Sheepshead Bay/Marine Park area to Bensonhurst and beyond, on Avenue U; the 36, which originates on Nostrand Avenue and travels all the way to COney Island; and the 44, also on Nostrand Avenue, which heads deep into the heart of the borough.

The schedule information posted at each stop often means nothing, and even the real-time app on my phone isnt always accurate.

And, of course, the later the hour, the sketchier the service. After midnight, the 44 runs no more than twice an hour, if that.

The most egregious example of horrifically bad service that I can recal is one night, perhaps at 8 or 8:30 p.m.m across from the N train stop on Avenue U, I waited a full two-and-a-half hours for a 3 bus. Seven buses  I counted them  crawled by in the opposite direction, before one came rumbling along. Granted, it was a cold and icy night, only a few days after a snowstorm, but still  two-and-a-half hours?

And how to explain the wrongheaded decision to divide the 44 route into select and local service? Sure, the select bus will get me to my destination faster  though not always much faster  but thats only because it makes fewer stops, and the bus stop nearest to me isnt one of them. To catch that select bus, I have to bypass the stop that is practically right on my cirner and walk to the next one, cane and all, a couple of blocks away.

And  as if thats not enough  some buses are operated by inconsiderate drivers who see me flagging them down after they;ve pulled into a stop, completely ignore me, and head back into traffic.

Come to Brooklyn, all you city-dwellers, and see what disgracefully bad bus serbice is really like. You may never complain agin.

Stuart R. Brynien

Sheepshead BayThree months after Hitler came to power in Germany, the British ambassador in Berlin dispatched a prescient 5,000-word report to London. Having just read Mein Kampf, Sir Horace Rumbold correctly saw the book as Hitlers master plan for the conquest of Europe. To his superiors, Rumbold outlined how the German leader planned to pick off countries one by one, all the while promising that his latest victim would be his last. In Appeasement, Tim Bouverie notes that Rumbolds April 1933 dispatch caused a momentary stir in the Foreign Office. But the ambassadors warning, ...Dear Reader,

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Digital EditorHindustan Copper is focusing on re-opening its closed mines and expand existing ones in its quest to increase ore production five times from the current level of 4.1 million tonne (MT) by 2025. The company, which is also keen on bagging new mines, is expected to spend around Rs 6,000 crore in this endeavour.

The Miniratna company will be reopening the Rakha mine in Jharkhand during this financial year which was closed in 2002 owing to operational reasons. It will also start operations at the Chapri-Sidheswar mines in the same state. We intend to float the tender for bidders ...The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence from Monday during which the passage of the Union Budget and other key legislations such as triple talaq will be on top of the agenda for the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing an all-party meeting on Sunday, invited heads of all parties to a meeting on June 19 to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue and other important matters. Noting that there are many new faces in this Lok Sabha, Modi said the first session of the Lower House of Parliament should begin with "fresh zeal and new ...The distribution of the integrated goods and services tax (IGST) has become another point of dispute between Delhi and Puducherry, on the one hand, and the Centre, on the other. Delhi and Puducherry have for long been battling with the Centre for full statehood.

The two are at odds with the Centre over their pending IGST dues for the first year of the roll-out of the indirect tax in 2017-18 (FY18). In the upcoming GST Council meeting on June 21, they are likely to ask the Centre to pass on their share of the IGST collections, which were distributed in an ad hoc ...A team of secretaries will now vet major schemes before those are presented to the Prime Minister at Pragati (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) and other meetings. The cabinet secretary has made operational this sectoral approach for secretaries, which will be a regular feature of the government.

Each group will have a leader who will be expected to steer the schemes for implementation, cutting through the ministerial turf battles. We had developed such an approach in the last two years of the previous government, said an officer. But it has now ...Massive public protests taking place in Hong Kong over the past week are aimed at a new extradition law, known as the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, that would see accused criminals extradited to mainland China to face prosecution. Hongkongers feel the law could be used to legalise the kidnapping of people who express views, and act in ways, that are not popular with the Chinese government.

The same law could also be used to extradite tourists and visitors to China who are arrested on suspicion of having committed these crimes. Protesters want the bill scrapped. For now, debate of the ...As many as 13 new Bills and the annual Budget will be presented in the Assembly during the Monsoon session, beginning Monday, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here on Sunday.

"Thirteen new Bills will be tabled by the government in the during the Monsoon session. The Budget will also be presented. We are also ready to discuss any issues the opposition wants," he said while addressing the media persons.

The Monsoon session of Assembly will come to an end on July 2.

Fadnavis said his government is committed to providing farmers all the benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN) scheme.

"1.2 crore farmers will get the benefits of the PMKSN. The government is uploading the data of farmers in a speedy manner to ensure they get the benefit as quickly as possible," he said.

Talking about the ongoing drought relief works in the state and relief provided to farmers, he said: "Rs 4,700 crore has been given as drought assistance while Rs 3,300 crore has been disbursed as crop insurance by the government till date."

Maharastra currently is facing severe drought conditions with just 7 per cent of water left for consumption which has affected the lives of the people.

The opposition leaders have said that they would corner the government on the issues drought relief works in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)New Delhi (India), June 16 (ANI): With just a day left for the Budget Session of Parliament to begin, Congress party has yet to appoint its Leader in the Lok Sabha.

Earlier there were talks that Rahul Gandhi, who is reluctant to continue as Congress president after the party's drubbing the polls, will be taking charge of the grand old party's attack on the government in the lower House. With the party ruling out his discontinuation from his post, the speculations have died down creating further suspense on who would be the new leader.

With the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections of senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge's, who led Congress in the 16th Lok Sabha, the party is looking for a leader with excellent command over Hindi and English language, besides being loyal to the Gandhi family.

Sources in the party said former Union Ministers Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor, West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary and Kerala unit working president K Suresh are among the front runners for the job.

Chances run high for Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram MP), K Suresh (Mavelikkara) and Manish Tewari (Anandpur Sahib) since the Congress has secured most of the seats in Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, the states this leader hail from.

While Tharoor's impeccable English and a mild command over Hindi goes in his favour, his name in the Sunanda Pushkar case creates a hurdle in his path. K Suresh, another figure from Kerala, is a Dalit and a long-time party loyal but his inability to speak Hindi and poor English speaking skill is somewhere he lacks behind.

Manish Tewari is leading the race with his equal authority over Hindi and English and his image as an excellent spokesperson. "Tewari" title tagged to his name may also help him get the job. Tewari, a product of student politics, was made Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology during the second term of UPA rule.

Congress' top leadership was reportedly unhappy for some time after he refused to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections but he made a comeback as a spokesman.Meanwhile, Chaudhary and K Suresh have been instructed to attend the all-party meet on Sunday.

India's oldest party has to appoint leader and deputy leader of the party, main whip along with two other whips in the Lok Sabha in a period of 24 hours.

Congress has so far maintained that it will appoint the leader with time. The party faces an uphill task of balancing north-south mathematics in these appointments.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday chaired a meeting with Mos Health Aswini Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey here as Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has claimed 84 lives till now.

Doctors of Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) were also present in the meeting.

Earlier in the day, Harsh Vardhan met the patients and their families. He also reviewed public health measures for containment and management of AES.

Earlier, attendants of patients admitted to the government hospital SKMCH alleged that there were no doctors on call during the night.

"My daughter is in the ICU room of SKMCH. The death toll is increasing day by day. There were no doctors after 12 in the night and only nurses are here. There are four bodies inside ICU," Mohammad Aftab told ANI.

Another attendant, Sunil Ram said, "My four-year-old daughter was admitted to hospital on Saturday. She was declared dead today. There is no facility in SKMCH."

In the wake of the fatalities, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the children who died due to AES in Muzaffarpur. He also gave directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures to fight the disease.

Earlier, Pandey said the state government is doing its best to save the children.

"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," Pandey said.

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.

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.)Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita, who assumed office in state secretariat on Sunday, thanked state Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for keeping faith in a Dalit woman while handing over such a crucial responsibility.

Sucharita is the first woman minister from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community from Guntur district. Prathipadu Assembly constituency is an SC reserved constituency in the district, representing the state legislative assembly in India.

In recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, she defeated Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad.

Ahead of assuming the office, she offered prayers related to all religions. Sucharita has become the first woman Dalit Minister to join the cabinet of 24 ministers.

She assured that stern action will be taken on those who harass women, adding that necessary acts will be brought in this regard.

Asserting that ragging and harassment will be eradicated from the state, she said that steps will be taken so that the women can directly go and complain in any police station.

The Home Minister said, "A special toll-free number will be set up for woman safety."

She also said that weekly offs will be implemented for police persons and expressed readiness to form four battalions including women and tribals.

Sucharita observed that women constables are facing many problems due to lack of facilities and she would give priority to their welfare.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Warangal-based orthopaedic surgeon Dr P Sudhir Kumar was left stunned when a woman patient, who had come for a checkup, accused him of misbehaviour and created a scene at a hospital here earlier this week.

"A female patient came with the complaint of backache and body pains. I heard the patient's complaint, asked her to turn around and was about to examine her back when she pushed my hand away and started shouting. I was surprised by her reaction," said Dr Kumar while narrating his ordeal.

Alleging a conspiracy to defame the hospital, he said, "Even before I could react, one male patient who was in the room and two other from outside came and started shouting and abusing me. After some time, her husband along with others came and abused me. I told them I was only about to examine her and did not do anything wrong."

It took the doctor to call the police to tackle with the staged incident, as he calls it. He later went to the police station and "lodged a complaint against them for defaming and insulting."

"I took out the CCTV footage which clearly shows what I had done. As a senior practitioner working for 16 years in Warangal, if I am facing this kind of harassment how would others tackle situations like these? I have been made scapegoat and defamed in this incident as lots of videos and posts went viral on social media," he said.

The woman identified as Sandhya also lodged a complaint against the doctor for misbehaving with her. The police are verifying the claims of both parties.

Matwada police station Circle Inspector Jeevan Reddy said, "We have recovered the CCTV footage from the hospital and it looks like a false complaint was given against the doctor. We are collecting technical evidence in the case. If the complaint is proved to be false, the case will be against the doctor will be dissolved."

This comes at a time when doctors from various institutions across the country have been demanding security following the incident where two doctors were attacked over alleged negligence at a hospital in Kolkata.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)With four more deaths reported from Muzaffarpur due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), the death toll in the district mounted to 84 on Sunday afternoon, including one death during Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan's visit at the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) here.

"My 5-year-old daughter, Nisha, died due to Encephalitis fever. She was admitted to the hospital on Saturday," the mother of the deceased told reporters here.

Harsh Vardhan accompanied by Mos Health Ashwini Choubey met the patients and their families at the hospital. He reviewed public health measures for containment and management of AES.

Earlier, attendants of patients admitted to the government hospital SKMCH alleged that there were no doctors on call during the night.

"My daughter is in the ICU room of SKMCH. The death toll is increasing day by day. There were no doctors after 12 in the night and only nurses are here. There are four bodies inside ICU," Mohammad Aftab told ANI.

Another attendant, Sunil Ram said, "My four-year-old daughter was admitted to hospital on Saturday. She was declared dead today. There is no facility in SKMCH."

In the wake of the fatalities, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the children who died due to AES in Muzaffarpur. He also gave directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures to fight the disease.

Earlier, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey said the state government is doing its best to save the children.

"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," Pandey said.

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.

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.)Scorching heat claimed lives of at least 25 people in Aurangabad district of Bihar on Saturday.

Aurangabad civil surgeon Dr Surendra Prasad Singh confirmed that at least 25 people died due to heatwave in the district. He said that the toll could further rise as number of patients being admitted in the hospital with related cases was increasing.

Many people were undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the district. "All of them (dead) were suffering from high-temperature fever," said Singh

Chief minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the deaths due to heat and announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased. He also directed all district magistrates to take precautionary measures in the wake of severe heatwave condition in the state.

Meanwhile, Aurangabad Sub-division officer Pradeep Kumar and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Anoop Kumar reached the district hospital with the forces to tackle any with untoward incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Severe heatwave has claimed the lives of at least 37 people in Bihar, which is also grappling with an outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), particularly in Muzaffarpur district, where the death toll from the deadly disease on Sunday rose to 84.

Most heatwave deaths have been reported from Aurangabad, Gaya and Nawada with scorching heat claiming lives of at least 25 people in Aurangabad district on Saturday.

Confirming the deaths, Aurangabad civil surgeon Dr Surendra Prasad Singh said that the toll could further rise as the number of patients being admitted in the hospital with related cases was increasing.

Twelve people have died in Gaya so far of heat.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan who arrived in Patna on Sunday called the deaths in Gaya as "unfortunate". "It's very unfortunate that people have died due to heat stroke. I advise people to avoid moving out of the house till temperature reduces. Intense heat affects the brain and leads to various health issues."

Vardhan along with Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey met patients and their families at the government Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur.

Previously Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the deaths due to heat and announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased. He also directed all district magistrates to take precautionary measures in the wake of severe heatwave condition in the state.

The Bihar government on Saturday said all schools in the city will remain closed till June 19 in view of the prevailing weather condition.

According to the weather department, maximum temperatures were markedly above normal (5.1 degree Celsius or more) at many places over Bihar on Saturday. On Sunday Gaya (45.2 degrees Celsius) and Patna (45.8 degrees Celsius) were among the hottest places in the country according to private weather forecaster Skymet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament beginning Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged the leaders of all political parties to work cohesively with the government to realise the dream of 'New India' by 2022.

Addressing the floor leaders of all parties in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha here today, he said: "We expect all parties to cooperate with the Government in making a 'New India' by 2022 and achieve the true meaning of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.".

He said that we are for the people, and cannot win hearts by disrupting the functioning of the Parliament. "All parties must keep political differences aside and commit themselves to tirelessly working in the direction of the nation's progress."

Prime Minister Modi also welcomed newly elected MPs and expressed hope that fresh zeal and energy would be infused in the functioning of the Parliament.

"The government is always receptive to the issues raised by all political parties and is ready to discuss all issues of importance on the floor of both the Houses of Parliament," he said.

Briefing media persons after the all-party meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said: "To ensure that 17th Lok Sabha starts functioning on a positive note, Prime Minister Modi has invited the party presidents of all parties to the Parliament on June 19, and MPs of both the Houses on June 20 interaction and exchange of views with the government."

Joshi said that the Budget Session of Parliament will have 30 sittings spread over 40 days in the Lok Sabha and 27 sittings spread over 37 days in the Rajya Sabha.

Joshi said that the Session would mainly be devoted to oath-taking, the election of the Speaker, the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, Financial Business relating to the Union Budget for 2019-20.

However, time will also be provided for the transaction of essential legislative and non-legislative business during the Session, said the minister.

The Union Minister said that the Economic Survey would be presented on July 4 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while she will present the Union Budget for 2019- 20 on July 5.

According to Joshi, ten Ordinances have been promulgated during the inter-session period, which are to be replaced by the Acts of Parliament as these shall cease to operate at the expiry of six weeks from the reassembly of Parliament August 1.

"As many as 46 Bills have lapsed on the dissolution of 16th Lok Sabha, which were at various stages in both the Houses. Some of these important Bills are likely to be revived and brought before the Parliament," said Joshi.

The all-party meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and External Affairs V Muraleedharan and others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is mulling to adopt 'One Nation, One Election' policy which will be deliberated upon along with other issues during a meeting with the heads of all parties here on June 19.

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi has written to heads of political parties inviting them for the meeting, scheduled to take place at the Parliamentary Library Building here. During the meeting, the government will solicit the views of heads of political parties on the important issues impacting the country.

According to official sources, among five key issues listed for the meeting on June 19 include building a New India by 2022, when the country celebrates 75th Independence Day and 'One Country, One Election' policy.

In the all-party meeting here on Sunday, a day ahead of the beginning of the Budget session of Parliament in which crucial Bills are likely to be tabled, Prime Minister urged all leaders to keep political differences aside and not to disrupt the functioning of the Parliament.

"We are for the people. We cannot win hearts by disrupting the functioning of the Parliament. All parties must keep political differences aside and commit themselves to tirelessly work in the direction of the nation's progress," said Modi, who chaired the all-party meeting.

Modi also urged the leaders to introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfill the people's aspirations as their representatives or not. In the meeting, while the government put forth its legislative agenda, the Opposition parties raised other issues including the problems related to farmers and water supply.

The Budget Session, beginning Monday, would also see the tabling of many important Bills. Besides the Triple Talaq Bill, the other Bills, which are likely to be introduced in the Parliament, are the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers Cadre) Bill and Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019. The Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a Bill to allow voluntary use of Aadhaar as identity proof for opening bank accounts and procuring mobile phone connections.

A resolution seeking the extension of Proclamation issued by the President on December 19, 2018, under Article 356 of the Constitution of India in relation to the state of Jammu and Kashmir is also required to be approved by both the Houses of Parliament by July 2, 2019.

Ten Ordinances have been promulgated during the inter-session period, which are to be replaced by Acts of Parliament as these shall cease to operate at the expiration of six weeks from the reassembly of Parliament, that is, by August 1, 2019.

As many as 46 Bills have lapsed on the dissolution of 16th Lok Sabha which were at various stages in both the Houses. Some of these important Bills are likely to be revived and brought before Parliament.

Prime Minister Modi also exhorted all leaders to cooperate with the government and strive in the direction of making a New India by 2022 and achieve the true meaning of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.'

He also said that the government is always receptive to the issues raised by all political parties and is ready to discuss all issues of importance on the floor of both the Houses of Parliament.

"We had a fruitful all-party meeting today. The first one after the election results and before the start of the Monsoon Session. Thankful to the leaders for their valuable suggestions. We all agreed on the smooth running of Parliament so that we can fulfill people's aspirations," said PM Modi in a tweet.

Briefing media persons after the all-party meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said: "To ensure that 17th Lok Sabha starts functioning on a positive note, Prime Minister Modi has invited the party presidents of all parties to the Parliament on June 19, and MPs of both the Houses on June 20 interaction and exchange of views with the government."

The session will mainly be devoted to oath-taking, the election of the speaker, the motion of thanks on the President's address, financial business relating to union budget for 2019-20. However, time will also be provided for the transaction of essential legislative and non-legislative business during the Session.

The Economic Survey of India will be presented tabled in the House on July 4 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. She will present the Union Budget for 2019- 20 in the Lok Sabha on July 5 at 11 am.

Present in the meeting were also Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi and leader of BJP in the Rajya Sabha Thawar Chand Gehlot.

Other leaders who attended the meeting included V Vijayasai Reddy of YSRCP, Derek O'Brien of TMC, Farooq Abdullah of Conference, NCP's Supriya Sule, Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal (Sonelal), AAP's Sanjay Singh, and Jayadev Galla of TDP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Photo: Erin Trainer

Summerland Credit Union has donated a new pop-up tent to NeighbourLink, the first of several initiatives planned in 2019 to celebrate the credit union's 75th anniversary.

Since our inception, with the support of our members, Summerland Credit Union has been giving back to our community. Its one of our core values as an organization, said marketing coordinator Erin Trainer.

NeighbourLink does amazing work to connect people in need with available resources. They also host social events for seniors who might otherwise be isolated.

The organization says on their website that their goal is to "provide help to all the people of Summerland, without strings and without charge,"

The donated tent will be used at events around town in order to generate public awareness about the non-profit organization, as well as providing shade for their volunteers.

NeighbourLink wants to ensure that anyone who requires help knows we are there for them. With this generous donation from Summerland Credit Union, we will be able to have a presence in Summerland and create a welcoming place for people to learn more about our services, said NeighbourLink coordinator Mirjana Komljenovic.

Trainer says this donation is just one of many charitable actions planned this year from Summerland Credit Union.

We recently adopted a bold new mission statement, 'We Enrich Lives,' Trainer said. "Its our goal to not only provide superior financial services for our members, but also to enrich their lives, as well as those in our community.The Delhi Police have solved the chemical attack case and found that the victim's girlfriend was the one who threw chemical on his face on June 11 in Vikaspuri area of the capital.

"Police received the information from DDU Hospital in Police Station in Vikas Puri, that a 24-year-old man has been admitted with burns on his right side face, neck and chest. The police immediately rushed to the hospital. He was shifted to RML Hospital for further medical treatment," the police said.

The police said, "The victim informed the police that the attack took place in Vikaspuri when he was coming back from Alipur on a scooty. Someone hurled some hot substance on his face, causing burn injuries. He suspected the role of old friends of his girlfriend."

"The victim's girlfriend also sustained injuries in the attack. Initially, it was not clear what has been thrown on the victims. On the statement of the victim, a case was registered and an investigation was taken up," the police added.

The police further said, "During the initial interrogation behaviour of victim's girlfriend was found suspicious. Efforts were made to obtain CCTV footages of the area. Technical surveillance was mounted, but there was no lead."

"The complainant was counseled again and he informed that just before the incident, he was asked by his girlfriend to remove the helmet, as it was disturbing her. Moments after he removed his helmet, someone hurled some hot substance on his face. When the woman was interrogated several times she misled the police officials. However, on June 16 after several rounds of interrogation, she broke down and confessed her guilt," the police added.

The police said, "On interrogation, accused disclosed that she was in a relationship with the victim for the last 3 years. However, he was insisting on a breakup, whereas she was adamant on marrying him. She decided to throw some chemical on his face to leave him no other choice, except to marry her. She purchased a bottle of house cleaning chemical."

"On a fateful day, she carried the chemical in her purse in a plastic bottle and planned to throw it on the face of the victim. However, the victim was wearing a helmet, so she did not get a chance. Near Ganda Nallah in Vikas Puri, she asked him to remove the helmet, as the strap of the helmet was disturbing her. Moments after he removed the helmet, she hurled the chemical on his face," the police added.

During this incident, she also sustained minor burn injuries. She disclosed that she committed the offense as she wanted to marry the victim and she was confident that the victim will not have any suspicion on her."

The accused has been arrested and produced before the court. The opinion is being taken from doctors regarding the name and nature of the chemical.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) continues to claim lives in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, medical doctors have said that better health infrastructure could have helped contain the disease and save lives.

The death toll in Bihar, which is grappling under the deadly encephalitis, touched 84 till Sunday afternoon.

Randeep Guleria, Director at AIIMS told ANI, "Unfortunately, encephalitis is common in Bihar and many types of research are being done. Our aim is to get control over the deaths. There is a need to increase health infrastructure."

"AIIMS is ready to give support. The central government is also looking into it. Over the next few years, we will be able to control Japanese Encephalitis," he said.

President of Indian Medical Association, Doctor Ranjan Sharma said that the IMA should be roped in by the government to suggest remedies of Encephalitis, which usually breaks out in summers.

"Every year it is being said that everything has been done to contain it but it still occurs. It is not the doctors who can be blamed. Lack of infrastructure, basic cleanliness and various communities working have to come up in a big way," Sharma told ANI.

"The government has to take up IMA in a very active role in suggesting ways and remedies. Every answer does not lie with the government. It is the people who are subjected to ground realities," he said.

In the wake of the fatalities, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the children who died due to AES in Muzaffarpur. He also gave directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures to fight the disease.

Earlier, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey said the state government is doing its best to save the children.

"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," Pandey said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Kim Kardashian who used her celebrity status to free prisoners with minor charges has earned her immense respect.

Matthew Charles became the first prisoner to be freed under the First Step Act and sang praises for the 'KUWK' star, reports TMZ.

"She was instrumental in speaking with President Donald Trump on my behalf about granting me clemency. As the first step, they have allowed to set me free."

Not only Kardashian managed to free Charles but will also cover his rent for the next five years.

"Kim Kardashian stepped up again to my rent for five years. Overall she has been a tremendous play. Her celebrity status and voice is very necessary and has provided results."

Kardashian stole the limelight as she headed to the White House on Thursday to unveil her latest prison reform initiative.

The new reform will allow the captives to go for job interviews, in a bid to turn the inmates into productive citizens.

Kim also tweeted about the initiative on Thursday and wrote, "Since the passage of the First Step Act in December, I've been speaking with people coming home from prison and learning about the challenges they are facing."

Till date, Kardashian has managed to free 17 inmates under this reform. These inmates have been jailed for minor and non-violent drug offenses.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A meeting of presidents of all political parties having representation in parliament has been called by Union minister of Parliamentary affairs, Prahlad Joshi to discuss key issues of importance on Wednesday, June 19.

The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is aimed to ensure smooth functioning in the upcoming parliamentary session.

The meet is scheduled in the parliamentary library building and will solicit views of the various heads of political parties on important subjects impacting the country.

Among the five key issues listed include Building of a new India in the country's 75th independence and One country, One election.

A programme and commitments to celebrate to Mahatma 150 birth anniversary celebration, ways to increase parliament productivity and development of aspirational districts are other items on the agenda.

The first session of 17th Lok Sabha is scheduled to commence on Monday, June 17.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat on Sunday refuted a media report, claiming that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was misled by his own team and was made to believe that the party would be securing seats somewhere between 164 and 184 in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to ANI over the report, which has mentioned his name, Rawat said: "We make an estimated data during the election, which we share with our leader. During the Lok Sabha elections, we did the same. Unfortunately, it was proved wrong this time."

"However, only the BJP is happy after getting a thumping majority. People were seen as not happy with the BJP's victory. Only BJP supporters or workers were seen celebrating. Those BJP leaders who have won are still in a dilemma over their victory," he said.

According to a report by Sunday Guardian Live, Rahul's team was the reason itself for the party's massive defeat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

The report has claimed that Gandhi decided to step down from the post of Congress president, as he was misled by his own team and was made to believe that the Congress will be securing somewhere between 164 and 184 seats in the General Elections.

It has been claimed in the report that Gandhi is presently in England and will come back to India before his birthday on June 19.

Gandhi, who became the party president in 2017, offered to step down from his post at the CWC meeting on May 25, taking the moral responsibility for the Congress' dismal performance in the 17th General Elections.

However, his resignation offer was unanimously rejected by the CWC.

So far, several top leaders have met Gandhi and urged him to continue to lead the party.

The Congress won 52 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, which is just eight more than what the Congress won in 2014.

The Democratic Alliance on May 23 registered a massive victory in the elections, winning 352 seats to retain power at the Centre. The Bharatiya Janata Party alone won 303 seats, its highest ever tally.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Heatwave has claimed 56 lives in Bihar with 32 deaths being reported from Aurangabad, 7 from Nawada and 17 from Gaya, authorities said Sunday.

Confirming the deaths in Aurangabad, Civil Surgeon Dr Surendra Prasad Singh said that the toll could rise further as the number of patients being admitted in hospital with heatwave-related symptoms was increasing.

Nawada District Magistrate Kaushal Kumar said seven deaths have taken place in the region and 11 patients have been referred to Pawapuri Medical College.

Gaya-based ANM Medical College and Hospital Superintendent Dr Vijay Krishna Prasad said, "11 people have died due to the heatwave in the past two days whereas six patients were brought dead to the hospital. Forty-four people are being treated in the hospital."

He said, "The hospital administration has made necessary arrangements for the treatment of the patients. A sufficient number of beds have been made available. Manpower has also been augmented in the hospital. Medicines are available in required quantities."

According to Dr Krishna, most of the people admitted in the hospital are from Gaya district and the district administration has been apprised of the situation. "Some patients are from Chatra district in Jharkhand," he added.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who arrived in Patna on Sunday, called the deaths "unfortunate". "It's very unfortunate that people have died due to heat stroke. I advise people to avoid moving out of the house until the temperatures reduce. Intense heat affects the brain and leads to various health issues," he said.

Earlier, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the heatwave deaths and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased. He also directed all district magistrates to take precautionary measures in the wake of severe heatwave condition in the state.

All schools in Patna will remain closed till June 19 in view of the prevailing weather condition.

According to the weather department, maximum temperatures were markedly above normal (5.1 degree Celsius or more) at many places in Bihar on Saturday. On Sunday, Gaya (45.2 degrees Celsius) and Patna (45.8 degrees Celsius) were among the hottest places in the country, according to private weather forecaster Skymet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday attended an event celebrating International Day of Yoga at the Dam Square here.

The yoga event was organised by the Indian Embassy in the Netherlands.

Thakur is on a visit to the Netherlands and Germany to promote 'Rising Himachal Global Investors' Meet' slated to be held in the state later this year.

The International Day of Yoga will mark its fifth anniversary this year on June 21.

The concept of International Yoga Day was formally promoted in India by Narendra Modi during his first term as Prime Minister of the country.

PM Modi founded the Ministry of AYUSH which deals with natural methods of treatment including Yoga, Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha.

Union Minister of State for Ministry of AYUSH, Shripad Yesso Naik, had announced 'Yoga for the heart' as the theme for this year's Yoga Day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Thousands of protestors took to streets on Sunday demanding the permanent scrapping of the controversial bill that threatens to send criminal suspects to mainland China for prosecution, a day after the city government suspended it indefinitely.

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam made a stunning reversal on Saturday and halted the controversial amendment from becoming a law, only days after vowing to push ahead with it. But, in addition to the scrapping, the protestors also called for Lam's resignation for pushing ahead with the law, Al Jazeera reported.

Former Legislative Councillor and activist Lee Cheuk Yan told reporters that the now-dormant law "can be revived by Carrie Lam at any time", adding that it was important to continue opposing the government on the issue, particularly after the violence and arrests of Wednesday.

"We want the government to condemn this police violence. We don't want Hong Kong to be ruled by fear," the activist was quoted as saying.

Large numbers of protesters began to gather in the city's Victoria Park just after midday Sunday, donning black and wearing white ribbons on their chests.

Many of them carried bunches of white flowers to honour a man who died after falling from the terrace of a luxury mall in the business district of Admiralty on Saturday, shortly after Lam's announcement.

Lam, the top official in Hong Kong, on Saturday said that the passage of the bill would be suspended and a second reading due to take place this month cancelled. There is no timeline for discussions around the bill to resume, Lam said, and she indicated it likely will not pass this year, CNN reported.

But for the protesters, a suspension is not enough. They fear the bill could be used to extradite residents to mainland China for political or inadvertent business offences and are pushing for it to be shelved completely.

The crowd comprising mostly young men is expected to march from the city's Victoria Park through the downtown area to Tim Mei Avenue in Admiralty.

Sunday's protest follows violent clashes between police and protesters Wednesday, after tens of thousands of mostly young people surrounded the city's government headquarters, forcing legislators to postpone a debate on the bill.

Protest organizers are calling for authorities to drop charges against the 11 people arrested during protests Wednesday, amid widespread criticism of police tactics.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Indian Medical Association (IMA) will hold a nationwide protest on Monday against the beating of doctors in West Bengal, said Dr Ranjan Sharma, president of the doctors' body, on Sunday.

Dr Sharma said that they would also stress for the enactment of protection law for the doctors and amendment in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

"We need amendments in IPC and CrPC so that anybody who indulges in acts of violence against hospitals and doctors is taken to task as per the laws," said Dr Sharma while talking to ANI.

Terming the strike of doctors in West Bengal as the failure of the system, Sharma said: "All that was asked was a visit to the victim by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Is it too much? And if you did not meet, then why to insult them?"

Sharma said that there is a need for CCTV cameras and guards, who are actually concerned about the security of doctors.

"At NRS Hospital in Kolkata, there were cops on duty inside the emergency complex. Still, they did not act. Sensitising them and making them aware of the need of security of doctors is essential," he said.

Talking about deaths due to encephalitis in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, Sharma said: "The crisis has arisen due to lack of infrastructure and basic cleanliness.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)New Delhi [India], Jun 16 (ANI): The Indian Navy is benefitting from strategic logistics agreements signed by the NDA government with the US and France as its warships operating in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean Region are frequently getting fuel and other support for these countries' naval bases and warships in the area.

"Our warships operate as per our mission-based deployments in the Indian Ocean Region, Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf are far away from our shores. The strategic logistics agreements with the US and France are helping them get fuel and other support from them," senior Naval sources told ANI.

The recent example is the help provided to Indian warships deployed for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden where the pacts have enhanced their ease of operations.

"Earlier, the warships in Gulf of Aden used to go to the nearby ports for replenishing their fuel and other stocks on regular intervals. But after the agreement with the US, the warships take fuel from the American Navy oil tankers deployed in that region to meet their fuel requirements," the sources said.

Sources said that the US Navy also refuels and replenishes from the Indian Navy bases for which the payments are made later, but at the moment the Indian Navy seems to be the bigger beneficiary of the pact.

Likewise, the French naval bases Djibouti and the Reunion Islands near Mauritius have also helped the Indian Navy warships operate freely and far away from its shores.

Navy says the pacts have also helped the maritime force to fulfil its mandate of being the first responder and security provider in the Indian Ocean region as per the task given to it by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Apart from the anti-piracy missions, the Indian Navy ships have also been Mission Deployed for Operation 'GULFDEP' in the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf, and Operation 'MALDEP' in the Andaman Sea till the Malacca Strait.

Malacca Strait is the area from where the Chinese Navy vessels enter the Indian Ocean Region.

While India and France are strategic partners, in 2016, India signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) under which the two countries can refuel and replenish from each other's designated bases.

India has also signed the Communication Compatibility and Security Agreement in 2018 after which the Indian Navy is talking with the Americans on a common platform at the operational headquarters level also.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday summoned the British ambassador to Tehran, Rob Macaire, over UK's "unacceptable stance" on the attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week.

A statement issued by the UK Foreign Office on Saturday had accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of carrying out the attack on the oil tankers. The decision to summon Macaire was made following an assumption made by Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt that the IRGC was "almost certainly" behind the attack, reported Sputnik.

"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.

Friday's statement by the UK Foreign Office was an echo of the stance by the United States shortly after the incident, where it pinned the blame of the attack on the Islamic Republic. To back its claim, the US had even released a blurry video, which, the country believed, showed the boat crew of IRGC removing an exploded mine from one of the tankers shortly after the attack.

"The attack on two oil tankers on June 13 was one in a list of Iranian and Iranian-backed attacks over the last month. It was a clear threat to peace, security and freedom of navigation," US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo had said. "The US will defend its force, interests, partners and allies. We call upon all nations threatened to join us in that endeavour."

The allegation was immediately denounced by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. "The US had immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence."

Russia came to Iran's support and warned against "hasty conclusions" over the incident. "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.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was on Sunday convicted of misusing state funds and ordered to pay a fine of 10,000 shekels (around USD 2,800) by a magistrate's court in Jerusalem.She asked the court to approve a plea bargain convicting her of fraud and breach of trust.

Under the deal, 60-year-old Sara would reimburse the state 45,000 shekels (around USD 12,500), Al Jazeera reported quoting the justice ministry.

The indictment against Sara was filed in June last year, alleging that she ordered some USD 100,000 worth of catered meals, paid with public funds, by falsely declaring there were no cooks available at the prime minister's official residence.

"Indeed, the defendant misused public funds," said Judge Avital Chen from Jerusalem Magistrates' Court.

Under the charges in an amended indictment, Sara would plead guilty to exploiting the mistake of another person and pay a fine along with compensation, but corruption charges against her would be dropped.

During her conviction, the prime minister's wife told the court that she was aware of the charges. Her lawyer and a prosecutor asked Judge Chen to accept the plea deal signed earlier.

Sara signed the deal last week after she had been originally charged with aggravated fraud and breach of trust.

"As in every plea bargain, each side makes concessions, sometimes hard concessions. It is right and proper for the public interest to bring this case to an end," prosecutor Erez Padan said on Sunday.

"The prosecution is aware there is not a full correlation between the sum (agreed to be paid by Sara) and the criminal offence, however in the framework of the legal procedure, a full correlation is not obligatory," added Padan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)South American countries like Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay were left in a complete blackout on Sunday due to a "massive failure" in an electrical interconnection system, according to Edesur which is a Buenos Aires-based electricity distributor.

Quoting Edesur, CNN reported that parts of Chile and Brazil were also hit by the massive electricity outage.

While power has been partially restored in Uruguay, the company in its latest update removed the Latin American nation, along with Paraguay, from its latest list of affected countries. It is unclear as to how many residents have had their electricity restored in the two countries.

The "collapse" in its system occurred at around 7 am on Sunday morning, Edesur said in a statement.

In a tweet, the company confirmed that electricity has been restored to 7,00,000 customers in Buenos Aires' Caballito. "Standardization work is ongoing and could take all of Sunday," the company added.

"We prioritise the attention of electro-dependent users, but due to the seriousness of the failure in the Argentine electrical network we recommend attending a hospital if necessary," the company also tweeted, adding that the restoration of power to hospitals and health centres is being prioritised.

Citizens have claimed that it is nothing like anything they've ever seen before.

"The funny part is that we don't have electricity, but we have internet in our phones," Lucas Rodriguez from the Argentine capital told CNN.

Uruguay's National Administration of Power Plants and Electrical Transmissions has claimed that electricity has been restored to parts of western Uruguay, which border Argentina along with some southern regions like Montevideo.

The cause of the failure is being investigated. Edesur has launched an "emergency operational plan" to combat the situation.

Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay are home to around 55 million people, who are currently facing the blackout.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 60 demonstrators were arrested and many others manhandled by the police during a protest in Muzaffarabad city in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Sunday.

A large number of protesters had blocked the highway demanding immediate termination of hydropower projects that are underway on the Neelum and Jhelum rivers. Protestors argue that the hydropower projects would divert the water of river Jhelum, thus affecting the day-to-day lives of the city's residents.

The residents have been on a sit-in for over two months over the issue but the authorities have failed to listen to their demands.

Shops and businesses in the city were shut down on Sunday as a mark of protest against the police action on demonstrators.

Those detained by police include Afzal Sulahria, Shoukat Nawaz Mir, Kamran Baig, Basit Qurashi and, Lala Mustafa.

To denounce the police action on protesters in Muzaffarabad, the Kashmiri diaspora has announced a protest outside the Pakistan High Commission in London on June 18.

The projects that were supposed to bring prosperity, have adversely affected the lives of the common people, with many of them forced to migrate to other places in the country.

PoK residents have been suppressed for seven decades now. They are not just denied basic rights but are forced to lead their lives on terms dictated by Islamabad.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)North Korea's official news agency slammed the United States for its "deceptive" attitude towards Iran, according to reports in South Korean media on Sunday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that fresh sanctions were slapped on an Iranian firm by the United States, shortly after Washington offered to hold talks with Tehran with no preconditions.

The United States recently sanctioned the Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (PGPIC) -- Iran's largest petrochemical group -- accusing the organisation of providing support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) which was listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) by Washington in April.

Citing an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, KCNA also claimed that USA's offer of dialogue was not "genuine," according to Yonhap News Agency.

North Korea is currently stuck in an impasse with the United States, especially after the breakdown of the Vietnam Summit between the leaders of the two nations in February this year. The two countries were supposed to chart the way forward in the denuclearisation process and hold a joint press conference after the summit -- which did not happen as talks ended abruptly.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly failed to resolve their differences on sanctions waivers which led to the breakdown of talks. While North Korea asked for relief in sanctions in exchange for the denuclearisation steps undertaken by the reclusive state, the United States maintained its stance that sanctions waivers would only be given once complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is achieved.

Talks between the two states have been limited following the Vietnam Summit, with the US urging Pyongyang to resume dialogue. North Korea, on the other hand, has told US to drop its hardline stance and put forward a new proposal acceptable to the country's leadership.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Embassy of India in Kathmandu on Sunday organised a yoga event to celebrate the fifth International Day of Yoga at Nepal's Syangboche, just above Namche Bazaar, which is the gateway to Mount Everest.

Members from various women and youth groups of Solukhumbu district, including Khumjung and Khunde Drinking Water Management Committee, Khumjung and Khunde Women and Youth Groups, officers of Sagarmatha National Park, employees of Everest View Hotel and a large number of local people enthusiastically participated in the event along with Ambassador of India to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri and Embassy officers, an official statement from the Embassy said.

Many foreign tourists, mountaineers and researchers also joined the Yoga Day celebration event.

The main objective of the programme was to highlight the importance of yoga in daily life and to bring peace and harmony across the continents, nations and among people.

For the first time, yoga was also celebrated at the base camp of Mount Everest, the statement said.

At 17,600 feet above the sea level, summiteer Bharat Sharma from Gujarat along with other mountaineers created history by practising yoga at the base of the world's highest peak.

India and countries around the globe will celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21.

The concept of Yoga Day was formally promoted in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the first year of his tenure.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The opposition parties will take on the state government for the absence of drought relief works during the coming Monsoon Session of the Assembly, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dhananjay Munde said here on Sunday.

"The Monsoon Session begins on Monday and will continue till July 2. The opposition will target the state government on the absence of drought relief work in the state and the corruption cases which have taken place in the past five years," said Munde said at a joint press conference here.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar and other prominent opposition leaders were also present at the press conference here.

Munde also targeted Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray for his visit to Ayodhya and said the BJP ally was more interested in outside affairs than helping the people of the state.

"Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray went on a foreign trip without showing any concern over the difficulties being faced by the people. Their ministers have corruption charges against them. Prakash Mehta is an accused in a case but no action has been taken against him," Munde said.

Talking about the invite by the government for a tea party to be held later today, Munde said: "No opposition leader will go to the tea party of the government. At a time when the companies are going away from Maharashtra to Gujarat, we cannot be with them."

NCP leader Pawar also lashed out at the state government.

"This government is an expert in luring the opposition leaders. Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil was included in the state Cabinet today, while the people have got nothing," he said.

"Neither Muslims have got any reservations nor was this extended to the Dhangar community. The maximum number of farmer suicides has also been reported in the state. The government has no answer for all this," said Pawar.

The Maharashtra Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was expanded on Sunday with the induction of former Congressman and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, BJP's city unit chief Ashish Shelar and other leaders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday noted the efforts being undertaken by Indian missions across the in the run-up to the International Day of Yoga which will be celebrated on June 21.

"Across all continents, the #YogaDay2019 celebrations have begun with immense fervour. I urge you all to join the Yoga Day programmes in your respective nations and enrich the Yoga programmes with your participation," Modi tweeted.

Replying to most tweets put out by Indian missions in different parts of the regarding Yoga Day celebrations, the Prime Minister urged people to adopt a healthier lifestyle by taking to the discipline.

"Among the most beautiful aspects of Yoga is that it is easy to practice and convenient too. All you need is some empty space and a mat! People across all age groups can practice it. Glad that South Africa is marking #YogaDay2019 with enthusiasm," the leader tweeted.

"India and Indonesia enjoy long-standing civilisational ties. The fervour towards Yoga is heartening to note. Yoga is a passport to better health and a stronger mind. #YogaDay2019," he also stated.

"Paris is a city associated with culture and tradition. Happy to see Yoga find the place of pride and people practising Yoga near the iconic Eiffel Tower. #YogaDay2019," the leader further tweeted.

International Yoga Day was started after Modi, in 2104, suggested it in his speech at the UN General Assembly. The members of the Assembly chose June 21 to mark the day as it is the longest day of the year.

The Central government and other organisations mark this day each year with multiple events and guests from across the globe.

Gearing up for the festivities, the Prime Minister has been posting animated videos of himself in instructional yoga videos on Twitter. The latest video on June 16 shows Modi's animated avatar performing the Bhujangasana or the cobra pose.

He will be leading the main event of the fifth International Yoga Day in Ranchi, in which over 30,000 people are expected to participate.

Several Indian Embassies in countries like Russia, Nepal, France, amongst others, have already started festivities leading up to the International Day of Yoga on June 21.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In the run-up to International Day of Yoga 2019 on June 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday posted an instructional video of the yoga pose Bhujangasana, also called cobra pose.

In the 3D video posted on Twitter, the animated avatar of the Prime Minister, wearing an orange t-shirt and brown track pants, is stretching into the accurate position, while the voice-over details benefits and tips of the asana.

Prime Minister Modi has been consistent in promoting Yoga via the micro-blogging site.

A few days back, he had shared another animated video of himself performing the Ustrasana and urged people to learn the posture as it helps in strengthening the back, shoulders and improve flexibility.

International Yoga Day was started after Modi, in 2104, suggested it in his speech at the UN General Assembly. The members of the Assembly chose June 21 to mark the day as it is the longest day of the year.

The Central government and other organisations mark this day each year with multiple events and guests from across the globe.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Tanushree Dutta has slammed Mumbai police, for dismissing as "false" and "malicious", the sexual allegations charges levelled by her against Nana Patekar and claimed that the veteran actor had bribed the police into filing such a report.

The actor in a statement said, "The police were hand in hand with the accused right from day one."

"I want to ask how much money did Nana and his people pay the police to file such a report and call me a malicious liar," Dutta added.

Mumbai police had filed a 'B Summary' closure report, giving a clean chit to Nana Patekar, in connection with a 10-year-old harassment case, which allegedly took place on a film set.

A 'B Summary' report is filed when the police is unable to find evidence in support of the complaint filed and hence decides to discontinue the investigation.

In September 2018, Dutta had accused Patekar of misbehaving with her on the sets of 'Horn OK Please' during the shooting of a dance sequence, from which she eventually walked out. She went on to file an FIR against the 'Welcome' star who refuted all allegations.

The closure report by Oshiwara police station stated that Dutta filed a "false complaint with malicious intent" against Patekar and stated there was no mention of sexual misconduct in the complaints filed with Cine and TV Artists Association (CINTAA) as well as the TV Producers Associations.

However, Tanushree claimed otherwise.

"The Mumbai Police lied in its report to the court that my complaint with CINTAA did not have sexual harassment in it. They were given the copy of my handwritten 2008 complaint to CINTAA that clearly mentioned sexual harassment corroborating my 2018 FIR. In 2008 they had refused to even take my FIR and twisted and manipulated the complaint to protect the accused. CINTAA had issued a written apology for not addressing that complaint." the statement read.

The B summary report also suggested that all the 13 eyewitnesses examined by the police did not mention any incident of sexual harassment.

Tanushree, on the other hand, asserted that two witnesses, namely Janice Sequeira and Shyni Shetty, had given their testimony in her favour.

"The video of my car being attacked with my family on the same movie set also was submitted as evidence. And they had Janice Sequeira and Shyni Shetty giving witness testimony in my favour. What more proof does one need to prove harassment?? They produced bogus witnesses to corroborate with the accused and mislead the investigation," she stated.

The actor also claimed that despite repeated attempts, the police never gave any information about any progress in the investigation.

"This harassment incident took away my job, career, and livelihood and I had to start all over again in life in a new country. Because in India clearly justice, law, and order is for sale and criminals can buy themselves clean chit by spending crores on bribing law and judiciary whereas women who get harassed, abused and attacked and mob lynched in public get to be called false and malicious if they speak up and put forward a complaint," she wrote in the statement.

Referring to the whole incident as "corruption at its grossest level", the actor, mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the statement wrote, "Modi ji..what happened to a corruption free India?? Being born in a devout Hindu family maine toh suna tha ki Raam naam satya hai toh phir kyun is desh mein asatya aur adharm ki bar bar Vijay hoti rahi hai?? Jawab dijiye mujhe... (I have always heard that truth always wins, then why does falsehood and dishonesty triumph in this country? Answer me).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)American president Donald Trump admitted of being sceptical for the existence of UFOs (unidentified flying object), even after he was briefed on its sightings by Navy pilots.

During an interview, American television host, George Stephanopoulos asked president Trump regarding the reports of sighting a lot of UFOs.

"I was struck in the last few weeks, we're reading more and more reports of Navy pilots seeing lots and lots of UFOs. Have you been briefed on that? What do you make of it?" Stephanopoulos raised the issue.

To which Trump replied he do not particularly believe in what people are saying regarding seeing the UFOs. "I want them to think whatever they think. I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they're seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly," Trump replied.

On being asked if he knew if there was evidence of extraterrestrial life, Trump said, "I think our great pilots would know. And some of them see things a little bit different from the past. We're watching, and you'll be the first to know."

According to the New York Times, Navy strike pilots saw strange objects at hypersonic speed flying above 30,000 feet. Also, those objects had no visible engine or any exhaust fumes.

Following the matter, navy recently introduced a new protocol, under which the pilots have been updated with a guideline for how the pilots will report about the sighting unidentified aircraft.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The 'Pretty Little Liars' star Brant Daugherty exchanged vows with actress Kim Hidalgo on Saturday in Northern California.

"We're so excited to start this next chapter as husband and wife!" the newlyweds quoted by People as saying.

Daugherty and Hidalgo met on a dating app three years ago and fell in love.

Daugherty proposed Hidalgo last year on Valentine's Day during a trip to Europe. "The day I proposed was the most nervous I've ever been in my life!" recalled Daugherty.

Daugherty looked dapper in a bespoke suit by JB Clothiers while the bride chose to wear beaded, mermaid-style gown featuring a long train.

Hidalgo's bridesmaids included her sister, Daugherty's sister, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and Samantha Droke.

The newlyweds have a plan to go to Greece for their honeymoon.

"We're just looking forward to spending some time together," said Daugherty.

"Now it's official! Eventually, we want to have a family in a few years and just continue to create and love each other. We do great things together," added Hidalgo.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Indian Railways has withdrawn its proposal to providing massage services to passengers on board trains after local representatives expressed concerns that the plan may cause inconvenience, especially women travellers.

Western Railways had last week proposed head and foot massage services to passengers on trains originating from Indore. The proposal was made from the Ratlam division of Western Railway zone under New, Innovative Non-Fare Revenue Ideas Scheme (NINFRIS).

"A proposal of providing head and foot massage services on 29 trains had been put forward by Ratlam Division. Railway administration has rejected the proposal after respecting the views of the local representatives who had criticised it, saying there would be a paucity of space on trains and may inconvenience people, especially women," senior PRO of Ratlam Division Jitendra Kumar Jayant told ANI.

Outgoing Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan had reportedly written a letter to Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, raising questions over the proposal. She had said that the facility could pose a safety risk for women.

BJP MP from Indore Shankar Lalwani also reportedly shot off a letter to Goyal criticising the proposal and batted for provision of medical aid facilities on trains instead.

Jayant said that Western Railway will continue working to improve passenger amenities.On June 8, the Indian Railways had announced massage services for passengers on board running trains.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man named Pushpendra Singh was rescued from kidnappers by the police but it was later found that he had been allegedly sexually abusing a woman after befriending her and making her obscene video, said police on Sunday.

The police official Rajeev Khandelwal said, "A man named Pushpendra Singh befriended a woman after which he made an obscene video of hers in hotel Galaxy here. After making the video he used to blackmail her and thereby made physical relations with her. When the fiance of the woman got to know about this, he made a plan to teach Pushpendra a lesson."

"The fiance kidnapped Pushpendra and demanded Rs 3 lakh from his father. The father then informed about the kidnapping of his son to the police at Tadgarh police station," he added.

"The SP of Ajmer took the matter in his own hands and rescued Pushpendra from Hotel Khalsa and arrested two kidnappers from the spot," he said.

The police official said, "During the interrogation, the police got to know about the sexual exploitation of the woman by Pushpendra. The kidnappers told police that they took the step because they wanted to teach Pushpendra a lesson for sexually exploiting the woman."

"Police have begun an investigation and have registered a case against the accused. Police have also registered a case of kidnapping against the fiancee of the woman," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid on Saturday said the Rohingya crisis can destabilise the entire region if left unresolved.

Addressing the 5th Summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) at Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, Hamid stressed the importance of a peaceful resolution of the Rohingya crisis, Dhaka Tribune reported.

The President also sought support and cooperation from CICA partners so that the forcibly displaced inhabitants of the Rakhine state can return to their homeland with "safety, security and dignity".

"The knows Bangladesh hosts 1.1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals. You must be aware of the evidence of genocide and gross violation of human rights, which has been termed a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing' and humanitarian catastrophe of unmanageable magnitude," he added.

"Asian security is vulnerable as irregular migration, drug trafficking, territorial claims, ethnic conflicts, separatism, economic problems and climate change are visible here. To address these crucial challenges, CICA needs to enhance its capacity through promoting the concept of indivisible security," the President was quoted as saying.

Rohingya, who belong to the Rakhine state in Myanmar, have been facing extreme persecution by authorities and majority Buddhists. It has further prompted their flight over the years, many on rickety boats that are mostly pushed back into the open sea by countries, especially Thailand and Myanmar.

Myanmar regards Rohingya as illegal migrants from the Indian subcontinent and has confined tens of thousands to sprawling camps in Rakhine since violence swept the area in 2012.

The unrest prompted thousands of minorities to flee Myanmar by sea. The exodus peaked in 2015 when an estimated 25,000 people crossed the Andaman Sea for Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, many drowning in unsafe and overloaded boats.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.

According to a UN report, titled "Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience," around 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were raped by Myanmar's army and police and over 115,000 Rohingya homes were burned down and 113,000 others vandalised.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Central Bank of Russia's president Elvira Nabiullina on Sunday said that the bank was considering launching its own digital currency.

Nabiullina made the comments while speaking at a students conference in Skolkovo, according to TASS. She, however, added that the launch is not "immediately" implementable.

"Indeed, the Central Bank Digital Currency cannot be immediately implemented. However many central banks, including Russia's Central Bank, are studying such a possibility," she said.

"If national currency that works in the entire country is concerned, this does not refer to any private assets, and certainly this requires a technology that would ensure reliability and uninterrupted operations. These technologies should be mature including blockchain technologies," she added.

She also mused if the society is ready to give up on using cash during the conference.

"This will be more convenient, this is digital money for people, for citizens. Are we ready as a society to give up cash?" she asked.

"Some countries have really become almost cashless, but in many countries cash is still popular. This is not because people want to carry out certain dubious operations. People often appreciate their privacy and anonymity."

"Certainly, the circulation of non-anonymous digital currencies implies that a society should be ready for this," Nabiullina, who has previously served as Russian President Vladimir Putin's economic advisor, noted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)South Korea's agriculture ministry announced on Sunday that quarantine measures against African swine fever near the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) had been completed, after an outbreak of the fever was confirmed by Pyongyang on May 30.

The contagious animal disease comes at a time when North Korea is already grappling with an acute food shortage which is worsened by drought-like conditions and multiple sanctions against the country.

Disinfection at hog farms was undertaken by the South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs near the DMZ from June 5 to Friday, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The DMZ divides the Korean Peninsula in half, into North Korea and South Korea.

Blood tests of pigs from around 600 farms were negative for the fever, the ministry said while noting tests on 35 hog farms will be carried out additionally.

While humans are not susceptible to the disease, it is highly deadly for pigs and wild boars. A case of the disease was confirmed to the Organization for Animal Health by North Korea at a region bordering China last month.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Saudi Arabia has called for a rapid response to secure energy supplies in the Gulf region after tensions soared following an attack on two oil tankers in a vital oil shipping route last week.

Al Jazeera quoted Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, on Saturday, as saying, "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 US military released a video on Friday, saying it showed Iran's Revolutionary Guards were removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers, Kokuka Courageous, hours after the suspected attacks.

"Iran did do it and you know they did it because you saw the boat," US President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday.

"I guess one of the mines didn't explode and it's probably got essentially Iran written all over it," he added.

However, Tehran has denied any role in the incidents and called the accusations "ridiculous" and "dangerous".

"The international community must cooperate to secure international navigation and access to energy," Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was quoted as saying at a summit in Bulgaria.

Oil prices have climbed since 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.

Meanwhile, addressing a meeting of energy ministers from the G20 group of nations in Japan, the Saudi state media quoted Khalid as saying, "The Kingdom is committed to ensuring the stability of global oil markets."

Environment and energy ministers from G20 countries are meeting over the weekend in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa. Ministers will focus on energy security, low carbon energy sources, plastic waste, marine litter, and innovation in these areas.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Already reeling from the defection of 12 legislators to the TRS, Congress party received another jolt on Saturday when a legislator Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy hinted that he may join the BJP in the state.

Speaking to media persons, he openly lauded the BJP and criticised the Congress leadership. "The BJP has chances to pick up well in Telangana in the coming days. People of India have given mandate in favour of Modi for the second time, showing their confidence in his decision-making. The BJP has the strength to take some revolutionary decisions, as they have strong leadership. I highly doubt how much Congress can fight against Modi."

Raja Gopal, brother of Congress MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, however, said he does not have any plans to switch from Congress to BJP. "I have yet not taken any decision on the matter. I will take the decision only after holding consultation with the party workers," he said.

He alleged that 12 Congress legislators had left the party due to Congress' inefficient leadership.

"Congress leadership is in such a condition that it cannot even save its 12 MLAs. Even our MLAs who have won are leaving one by one. The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) and high command should have called and given them assurance, but nothing was done. This is the reason why the party is in such a bad condition today," Raja Gopal added.

Scoffing at Telangana Congress affairs in-charge RC Kuntia and TPCC President N Uttam Kumar Reddy for denying him permission to carry out Padayatra, he said: "The party suffered a lot due to the decisions made by Reddy and Kuntia. After Telangana Assembly elections, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee should have removed Uttam and Kuntia. Lack of coordination and faulty decision-making led Congress to such bad drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections."

The legislator further said that he complained about Reddy and Kuntia several times, but no one paid heed to it.

The TRS won nine seats, the BJP won four while the Congress won three seats in Telangana in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The NIA claimed that Masarat Alam, the so-called poster boy of stone-pelters and violent agitations in Kashmir valley has revealed during his custodial interrogation that Pakistan based agents route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to the separatist leaders including Syed Shah Gilani. He also revealed that there are rifts in the Hurriyat conference regarding the collection and use of funds.

NIA informed that the revelation is in continuation with a case registered in 2017 against terrorist and other separatist leaders in the State of Jammu and Kashmir for raising receiving and collecting funds for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. NIA has charge sheeted 13 accused including Hafiz Mohammad Saeed (leader of Jammat ud Dawah), Syed Salahuddin (head of proscribed organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen), 7 separatist leaders, 2 hawala conduits and some stone pelters.

In continuation of the investigation, the NIA arrested Yasin Malik, leader of proscribed organisation JKLF, Asiya Andrabi leader of proscribed organisation Duktaran-e-Milat, Separatist leader Shabir Shah of JKDFP and Masrat Alam of Muslim League. All the four accused were taken into police custody for custodial interrogation.

NIA informed that during interrogation Yasin Malik revealed that he was instrumental in bringing together the disparate factions of Hurriyat Conference and formed the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) which spearheaded the violent agitations in 2016 in Kashmir Valley.

It issued "Protest Calendars" leading to economic shut down for over four months and also caused death and injuries to civilians and security forces during the violent protests, claimed NIA.

According to NIA, Yasin Malik also admitted that the JRL and Hurriyat Conference Gilani Group collected funds from the business community as well as certain other sources and ensured that economic shutdown and violent protests continue to disrupt the daily life of common citizens in the valley.

"During interrogation, Asiya Andrabi admitted that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources and Duktaran-e-Milat had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley," read a press statement from NIA.

"During the custodial interrogation of Shabir Shah was confronted with evidence relating to the transfer of money by Pakistan based agents and representatives of APHC factions to parties affiliated to Hurriyat in J & K. He was also confronted about his investments in various hotels and businesses in Pahalgam, properties in Jammu, Srinagar and Anantnag. Evidence regarding many of his benami properties is being collected. He was confronted with some of his personal staff and associates who have provided vital information regarding the sources fundraising and investment details," claimed NIA.

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said the thunderstorm accompanied with hail and lightning (50-60 kmph) at isolated places are likely over Uttarakhand on Monday.

Besides, the forecasting agency also predicted that some isolated places of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, East Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Bihar are likely to witness lightning accompanied with gusty winds of 40-50 kmph tomorrow.

The organization has also predicted that states such as West Bengal, Sikkim and Gujarat (Saurashtra and Kutch) are likely to receive heavy rainfall on Monday.

"Heavy rainfall at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam & Meghalaya, Konkan & Goa, Coastal Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Uttarakhand," the IMD stated in its bulletin.

In the wake of the severe cyclone Vayu recurving again, strong wind speed of the 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph very likely to commence along & off Gujarat coast from the morning and gradually become squally winds speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph towards the afternoon. The sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough over rest parts of east-central Arabian Sea and rough to very rough along and off Gujarat coast.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the north Arabian Sea, the east-central Arabian Sea and along and off Gujarat coast for next few days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region Che Dalha, nicknamed Qizhala, has batted for international cooperation in the field of infrastructure, trade, culture, finance, and technology development in the region.

Addressing a high-profile forum in Tibet, attended by top local officials and international experts that took place Friday, "the Chairman sought for international cooperation in infrastructure, trade, culture, finance and technology," Xinhua agency has reported.

The Chairman also noted that Tibet will actively promote the building of the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network.

Around 70 overseas government officials, scholars, journalists, and top officials took part in the event that focused on the plans and new opportunities brought to Tibet by China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) worth billions of dollars.

The BRI is a development strategy adopted by the Chinese government to strengthen its global influence through reshaping infrastructure development and investments in countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Wang Yanzhong, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was quoted as saying that Tibet is an important region to seek cooperation with South Asian countries.

China hosted the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing in April.

"By jumping on the Silk Road bandwagon, Tibet is opening wider to the rest of the world," said Shen Bing, an expert on the regional economy at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research.

Xigaze, Tibet's second-largest city on the border, has excellent conditions to become a base for processing trade between China and South Asia, Shen said. It has six ports and 28 spots for the border trade.

"Xigaze has over 400,000 members of its workforce with an average of 10 years of education. It should play a stronger role in the opening up of the region," he added.

According to reports, Tibet's import and export trade was 4.8 billion yuan (about USD 693 million) in 2018. Enterprises in the region invested about USD 280 million in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)United States President Donald Trump has refuted the claims made by The New York Times that the US was ramping up cyber attacks on Russia's electric power grid as a sign of warning to the country's President Vladimir Putin.

In a couple of tweets on Saturday, Trump deemed the newspaper article "a virtual act of Treason" written without "the slightest thought of consequence".

"Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia. This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country," Trump wrote on Twitter.

"ALSO, NOT TRUE! Anything goes with our Corrupt News Media today. They will do, or say, whatever it takes, with not even the slightest thought of consequence! These are true cowards and without doubt, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!" He added.

The New York Times article claims that the US has placed a malware inside the Russian systems operating the nation's power grid so as to conduct cyber attacks, should a conflict arise between the two countries in the future.

The article adds that the US President himself has not been briefed about the details of the "implants" inside the Russian Grid, in fear that he might countermand the operation or discuss it with the foreign officials

"Two administration officials said they believed Mr. Trump had not been briefed in any detail about the steps to place "implants" -- software code that can be used for surveillance or attack -- inside the Russian grid," said the report.

"Pentagon and intelligence officials described broad hesitation to go into detail with Mr. Trump about operations against Russia for concern over his reaction -- and the possibility that he might countermand it or discuss it with foreign officials, as he did in 2017 when he mentioned a sensitive operation in Syria to the Russian foreign minister," it added.

Additionally, Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton had recently said that the US was now taking a broader view of the potential digital targets as part of an effort "to say to Russia, or anybody else that's engaged in cyberoperations against us, 'You will pay a price.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday at latter's residence here.

On Saturday, Adityanath had attended the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog in the capital. He had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi later.

In his first meeting with chief ministers after taking over as the Prime Minister for the second consecutive term, Modi had called for a collective fight against poverty, unemployment, corruption and violence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday paid a visit to the War Memorial and Police Memorial here and said that the sacrifice of the security personnel will continue to inspire generations.

His visit comes a day after Adityanath attended the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog in the capital. He had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi later.

Earlier today, he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the latter's residence here.

At the war memorial, Adityanath said, "The sacrifice of our soldiers will continue to inspire millions. This memorial is a symbol of their bravery."

The chief minister, while visiting the police memorial, said, "It commemorates all the personnel from various police forces who have lost their lives in the line of duty since 1947. Under the Narendra Modi government, India got its first National Police Museum in Delhi. I am glad that I could visit these memorials."

He is also scheduled to meet Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and some other ministers later in the day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Junior doctors of NRS Medical College on Sunday decided to hold a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to discuss the ongoing doctors' stir, and work out a solution in the matter.

Terming Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's press interview to be full of discrepancies, general body asked for a clarification on the same and asked her to confer about the matter in front of the media.

"We want an immediate end to this impasse by a discussion with the Chief Minister, which, to maintain transparency shouldn't be behind closed doors but open to the media coverage", a junior doctor said.

"We leave the decision to choose the venue of such discussion with our delegates to the Hon'ble CM but it should accommodate representatives of all medical colleges of West Bengal and the media" he further added.

Expressing their will to resume medical services in hospitals, a junior doctor said, "We want to join our duties as early as possible in the best interest of health care delivery to the common people, once all our demands are meant adequately and logically through the discussion".

Banerjee on Saturday evening accepted junior doctor's demands and promised to not invoke the stringent Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). She appealed to them to resume work immediately.

Terming the June 10 incident as "unfortunate", the TMC supremo said that her government did not arrest a single doctor.

This comes after doctor's strike entered the sixth day in NRS Medical College on Sunday leading to an uproar throughout the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)To ensure safety and security of a girl child in the state, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that soon 'Beti Bachao' committee will be formed in all the colonies of Bhopal and the campaign for the same will commence from Sunday.

He also informed the media that members of religious and social organizations will gather on Sunday in order to take part in the campaign.

"Members of religious, social organisations gathered together today. To ensure the safety of daughters, it was decided to form 'Beti Bachao' committee in all colonies of Bhopal, the campaign begins tomorrow (June 16). Leaders of various organisations will visit colonies tomorrow and form committees," he said while speaking to media in Bhopal on Saturday.

The former MP chief minister also had stated that the campaigners of 'Beti Bacho' will collectively take out a March on July 7 in Bhopal with an aim to provide protection to the girl child and will also demand 'hanged to the death penalty' for rapists.

"We will send one lakh postcards to Chief Justice of India urging him for the hand to death punishment for rapists," he added.

'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' (BBBP) was launched by the Prime Minister on January 22, 2015, at Panipat, Haryana. The BBBP addresses the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of women empowerment over a life-cycle continuum. It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development.

The NDA II government is trying to bring about a transformational shift in the way our society looks at the girl child.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said the Centre would set up a state-of-the-art research centre here within a year to deal with the menace of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES).

Referring to different theories doing rounds about the spread of AES, which has claimed 84 lives so far, Dr Vardhan said: "There is a need of a state-of-the-art research centre to tackle this challenge in Muzaffarpur which will work in collaboration with the ICMR and the WHO."

He said that the children who got admitted here have low blood sugar and sodium levels, and there is an electrolytic imbalance in their systems.

"In 2014, the Union Health Ministry discussed the reasons for this medical condition. There are questions as to whether this is because of toxic reasons due to litchi consumption," he said.

"Some doctors were of the opinion that heat and humidity may be the reason behind this. These reasons call for a state-of-the-art research centre," he added.

"When we got to know that this issue is Japanese encephalitis, we included this disease in the Universal Immunisation Programme. The Central government will help in the creation of a pediatric ICU. An exclusive pediatric ICU is the need of the hour. We will ensure that it is built by next June," he said.

The minister also said that a virology lab will be built in Muzaffarpur. "Recently, a virology laboratory has been created at AIIMS, Patna. We propose such labs at four to five places around Bihar including one in Muzaffarpur," he said.

Earlier Dr Vardhan chaired a meeting with MoS for Health Ashwani Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey here. Doctors of Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) were also present in the meeting.

Dr Vardhan also met the patients and their families. He also reviewed public health measures for the containment and management of AES.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the children, who died due to AES in Muzaffarpur.

AES 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 seventh round of peace talks between US negotiators and Taliban members will take place next week in Doha, sources said, adding that this time, the two sides are likely to agree on one or two of the four key issues under debate, the media reported.

The US forces withdrawal from Afghanistan, counter-terrorism assurances, a ceasefire and direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are the four key issues which have been under debate in the six rounds between US chief negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban members, TOLO News reported on saturday.

The informed sources said on Saturday that the Taliban will be given "a number of privileges" in this round of the talks.

The peace talks have been faced with many deadlocks over the past seven months since Khalilzad started his efforts on behalf of the US government. However, the last talks in May, Khalilzad said the talks are making "slow" but "steady" progress.

Khalilzad arrived in Kabul last week and since then he has held consultations with Afghan government leaders and members of the civil society.

The sources said that another meeting on Afghan peace will be held in Norway after the US-Taliban talks in Doha.

Khalilzad said in a tweet on Friday that Norway has a long-standing history in helping Afghanistan and great expertise in facilitating negotiations.

The US envoy said that intra-Afghan peace negotiations could benefit from Norway's support.

The Taliban's willingness and refusals on attending meetings on peace has created doubts among critics and some lawmakers, who say the group does not seem "interested in peace".

This comes as President Ashraf Ghani said at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan last week that breakthroughs in the peace process will take time.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would provide a loan of $3.4 billion to Pakistan for budgetary support, a Minister has confirmed.

The announcement was made by federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar at a press conference on Saturday, adding that an agreement had been reached between the ADB and the Finance Ministry in this regard, Dawn news reported on Sunday.

Of the total amount, $2.1 billion would be released within a year of the agreement, Bakhtiar said.

When asked to explain the terms of the loan, the Minister only said it was "on a concessional rate".

Later in the day, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh took to Twitter to confirm the development.

"The ADB will provide $3.4 billion in budgetary support," he said in his tweet.

"$2.2 billion will be released this fiscal year (FY), starting in the first quarter of FY 2019-20. This will help the reserve position and the external account."

Earlier this week, the Imran Khan-led government unveiled a 7,022 billion Pakistani rupees austerity budget for the fiscal year 2019-20, setting ambitious tax collection targets to stabilize a faltering economy, reports Geo News.

The government is seeking help to overcome a ballooning balance of payments crisis.

Last month, it reached an accord in principle with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a three-year, $6 billion bailout package aimed at shoring up its finances and strengthening a slowing economy.

The ADB financing would come on top of the IMF loan.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Artistes like Aparshakti Khurana, Darshan Raval, Akasa, Aastha Gill and Arjun Kanungo have joined forces for the celebration of World Music Day on June 21.

MTV Beats and Vh1 India in collaboration with Facebook are set to celebrate 24-hour live music. As part of it, over 40 artistes, including Prashant Khairwal, Tony Kakkar, Shahid Mallya, Tulsi Kumar, Su Real and Zaeden will get together.

Expressing his joy for this big day, Darshan said, "There is no better way to celebrate World Music Day than spreading my love for music through a live performance for the audience.

"I look forward to being a part of this phenomenal celebration alongside many talented artistes. Twenty-four hours of live music has never been done before and it is delightful to be a part of this a fabulous concept. May #LongLiveMusic."

Actor Aparshakti, who is receiving positive response for his debut song "Kudiye ni", is thrilled to be a part of this grand celebration. "Twenty-four hours of non-stop live music is first of a kind and a refreshing surprise for everyone surfing Facebook any hour of the day. There is no better way to pay tribute to this day than performing alongside such talented artistes," he said.

Zaeden is "super excited" to be performing his finest sets for the fans and is looking forward to taking the energy levels of viewers over the roof. "Music will reign as we take over the day celebrating our one true passion -- music," Zaeden said.

Expressing her excitement, Aastha said, "Non-stop live performances for World Music Day is the best way to express our gratitude and love for music. Sharing the stage with many great artistes of the industry is something I've always wanted to do."

--IANS

nn/pcj

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As the upcoming film "Article 15" is set to release on June 28, the makers of the movie are planning to screen the film in the rural parts of the country, where the caste-based social discrimination is still prevalent.

"...one of the reasons why we wanted to make the film is that we want to reach out to rural India, in places where the discrimination is still happening based on caste. If we make an art house film and travel to international film festivals, we will only reach to the audience who are already aware of the discrimination," lead actor Ayushmann Khurrana told media on Saturday.

"But we can bring a change in the thought process of people if we reach out to them," he added.

Director Anubhav Sinha said, "We are planning to host mobile screenings. Special screening of the film that everyone can get access to."

In the film Ayushmann is playing the role of a police officer, who visits a village for the investigation of the rape and murder of two dalit women.

Asked about how the intense character affected his mind, Ayushmann said, "Sir (Sinha) gave me a book to read on dalit literature and I was shooting Dream girl back then. Since I was in the middle of a comedy film shooting and the book was hard-hitting, I did not read it then."

"Rather I read the book during the shooting of our film. Honestly, I had sleepless nights after reading the book. Surely such things affect our mind."

The film features Isha Talwar, Sayani Gupta, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra among others.

--IANS

aru/vin

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Chinese government on Sunday said that it has reached a broad consensus on counter-terrorism with the UN following the controversial visit by a top ranking envoy to Xinjiang where an estimated 1 million ethnic Muslim Uyghurs are living in confinement.

The visit to Xinjiang by the Under Secretary of the UN counter-terrorism office, Vladimir Voronkov, has been strongly criticized by the US which, on Friday, called it "highly inappropriate in view of the unprecedented repression campaign underway in Xinjiang against the Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslims", reports Efe news.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday, that Voronkov visited Beijing and Xinjiang from June 13 to 15 and met with senior Chinese diplomats, including Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng.

According to the statement, both sides reached a broad consensus after exchanging views on the fight against terrorism as well as counter-terrorism cooperation between China and the UN.

It added that China and the world must take a united stand against terrorism and that Beijing supported the efforts of the UN's counter-terrorism office.

Prior to the visit, Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to express deep concern over Voronkov's visit given that Beijing "continues to paint its repressive campaign against Uyghurs and other Muslims as legitimate counterterrorism efforts when it is not," a State Department spokesperson said Friday.

"The UN's topmost counterterrorism official is putting at risk the U.N.'s reputation and credibility on counterterrorism and human rights by lending credence to these false claims," added the spokesperson.

Sullivan also stressed that it was necessary to ensure UN human rights officers to have unsupervised and free access to all camps and detainees in Xinjiang.

According to experts, exiles and organisations, in Xinjiang there are more than 1 million Uyghur-ethnic Muslims confined in indoctrination camps which Beijing defines as "re-education centres".

In these camps, authorities use not only the most advanced facial recognition technology, but also personal data analysis to monitor and follow up, according to Human Rights Watch.

Media have restricted access to the north-western region of China, and the US urged Beijing in March to allow UN officials such as high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, or the rapporteur on religious freedom, Ahmed Shaheed, to visit.

Washington has expressed concern over the fact that it was the UN counter terrorism officer who visited this closed-off region.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Veteran Congress leader from Vidarbha, Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar, will be the new Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, a senior party leader said here on Sunday.

He will replace former Congressman and Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, who switched over to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and was inducted into the Devendra Fadnavis ministry this morning.

"All Opposition parties have on Sunday submitted a formal letter to Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade, proposing Wadettiwar as the new Leader of Opposition," Congress Deputy Party Leader Naseem Khan told IANS.

After a meeting at the home of Leader of Opposition in Council, Dhananjay Munde of the Nationalist Congress Party, a delegation of opposition leaders including Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat, and from the NCP, PWP and other opposition parties, met Bagade to deliver the letter, he added.

The Congress had named Wadettiwar as Leader of Opposition two days back, and now he will be formally named to the key post.

A legislator from Brahmapuri, he has been rewarded with the coveted post - which enjoys a Cabinet Minister status - for saving the Congress from a total wipe-out in the state in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Appointed in-charge of Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts, he managed to rope in Shiv Sena's Warora legislator, Suresh Dhanorkar to the Congress fold, barely weeks before the elections.

Dhanorkar was given the Congress ticket for Chandrapur and emerged a giant-killer - defeating Bharatiya Janata Party's strongman and Union Minister Hansraj Ahir to help the party secure one Lok Sabha seat from the state.

Wadettiwar, 57, will be third Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly since 2014.

The post was first held by Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde briefly before the party joined the government in late 2014.

Later, the post went to Congress' Vikhe-Patil, till he left the party and now joined the government on Sunday.

The final session of Maharashtra Legislature begins here on Monday, before the state goes to elections within next four months.

The combined Opposition boycotted the customary assembly session-eve meeting hosted by Fadnavis, making it the third consecutive time in the past one year.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday told floor leaders of different political parties in the Parliament to keep political differences aside and not disrupt the functioning of the two Houses.

Addressing them ahead of Parliament's Budget session starting on Monday, Modi urged all political parties to work cohesively with the government for a smooth functioning of the House.

The Prime Minister welcomed the newly-elected MPs and expressed hope that fresh zeal and energy would be infused in the functioning of the Parliament.

Modi urged all leaders to introspect whether MPs were able to fulfil people's aspirations as their representatives.

"We are for the people... We cannot win hearts by disrupting the functioning of the Parliament. All parties must keep political differences aside and commit themselves to tirelessly work in the direction of nation's progress."

The Prime Minister said the government was always receptive to the issues raised by the political parties and was ready to discuss all matters of national importance on the floor of both the Houses.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that there was consensus across party lines to ensure a smooth functioning of Parliament sans disruptions and deadlocks.

Joshi said Modi had invited Presidents of all political parties with representation in Parliament on June 19 and MPs from both the Houses on June 20 to freely interact and exchange views with the government.

"This novel initiative would go a long way in building team spirit among all the parliamentarians which in turn would ensure smooth functioning of the Parliament in future," Joshi said.

In the Budget session, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha would have 30 and 27 sittings respectively between June 17 and July 26.

Giving details, Joshi said the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence on June 17 while the 249th session of the Rajya Sabha will begin on June 20.

The coming session will mainly be devoted to oath taking, election of the Speaker, motion of thanks on the President's address and financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2019-20.

Time will also be provided for the transaction of essential legislative and non-legislative business.

The resolution seeking extension of Article 356 in Jammu and Kashmir also needs to be approved by both the Houses by July 2.

The Economic Survey of India will be presented in Parliament on July 4 and the Union Budget for 2019-20 in the Lok Sabha at 11 a.m. on July 5.

Ten ordinances have been promulgated during the inter-session period which are to be replaced by Acts of Parliament as they shall cease to operate at the expiration of six weeks from the reassembly of Parliament by August 1.

Of the 46 Bills lapsed on the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha, some are likely to be revived and brought before Parliament.

While the government put forth its legislative agenda, the opposition parties met and raised other issues, including problems related to farmers and water availability.

After the meeting, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the party told the government to focus on issues related to farmers, drought and water availability and take immediate steps to control unemployment which had increased in the last five years.

"This is a war of ideology and it will continue. The Congress will work for the people, whether it remains in government or not."

Condemning the government's steps to create pressure on media, Azad said they raised issues on "freedom of expression and speech".

"We also raised the issue that the opposition must be allowed to speak on the Bills in Parliament. We will allow passing of those Bills which would benefit the people."

On behalf of the Trinamool Congress, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien raised the issues of electoral reforms, including state funding of elections and paper ballots, scrutiny of Bills, Women's Reservation Bill, federalism and ordinances.

The meeting was attended by Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Thawar Chand Gehlot, Arjun Ram Meghwal and V. Muraleedharan as well as other leaders.

Congress' Anand Sharma and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference and Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule were among the other leaders who attended 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.)Reeling under severe drought and delay in the onset of monsoon rains, Karnataka has sought Rs 1,500 crore from the Central government to fund relief works in the state, an official said on Sunday.

"Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday to release Rs 1,500 crore to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme for the various relief works underway in the 26 drought-hit districts across the state," the official told IANS here.

In his first interaction with Modi after he returned to power with a thumping majority for the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections, Kumaraswamy told the Prime Minister that the state government had submitted a report on the grim situation in 160 of the 196 local bodies across the southern state due to 45 per cent deficit rains last year and weak pre-monsoon showers this year.

"Our revenue department has also sent a report to the Union Home Ministry in March with a copy to the Prime Minister's Office, seeking financial aid (Rs 2,064 crore) to pay drought-hit farmers and rural folk reeling under last year's drought and weak pre-monsoon spell in the last three months," the official recalled.

In this context, the Chief Minister also brought to Modi's notice his Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and Congress coalition government's efforts to provide relief to thousands of farmers by waiving their crop loans and interest.

"The state is working on waiving Rs 12,830 of crop loans of 23 lakh farmers in the state, as part of the assurance the ruling allies gave in the pre-poll manifestoes ahead of the general elections," recalled the official in the Chief Minister's Office.

The Chief Minister also met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and urged her to clear pending grants to the state from the Centre.

"Kumaraswamy has also requested Sitharaman to hire only local candidates for the regional rural banks in the state for ease of doing business in the native language (Kannada) in the state," added the official.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Locals set a jeep driven by a Maharashtra-based driver on fire, after a father and son duo were killed in a head-on collision at the Siolim-Chopdem bridge on Sunday morning.

The deceased, who died on the spot, have been identified as Judas Fernandes and his son Joao, both residents of Chopdem village in North Goa, who were heading for Sunday church services.

According to police Inspector Navlesh Dessai, the incident occurred after a jeep bearing a Maharashtra registration, driven by one Shekhar Dube from Mumbai, switched lanes and slammed into the oncoming car being driven by Fernandes.

"We have conducted a panchanama. Since the accused has also incurred injuries, a formal FIR will be filed soon," the official said.

Angry locals, who had gathered at the accident site, set fire to the jeep soon after the collision.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan sharing intelligence inputs about a major terror strike in Kashmir is a good development but there is a need to be circumspect, former diplomats have said, noting that Islamabad is facing pressure from the US and organisations such as FATF to take concrete action against terror groups.

Former Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry Shashi U. Tripathi said it is a good development but it's too early to get euphoric.

"Let's not forget it was Masood Azhar's outfit that claimed responsibility for Pulwama. And we know that he enjoys the patronage of Pakistan army and intelligence," she said.

Tripathi said that Pakistan was under tremendous pressure and its economy is in a shambles.

"It is looking at the World Bank and IMF to save it from bankruptcy and it's on the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) grey list," she said, adding that the whole world is aware about its role as "a major hub of terrorism and its support to terrorist outfits operating from its soil."

"The veneer of fighting terrorism while actually nurturing it has been torn to shreds," she said.

The former diplomat, who has served as Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of India in Karachi, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it amply clear that terror and talks don't go together.

"He has been consistent in giving that signal. Pakistan knows that henceforth it will not be business as usual. So it will have to take concrete steps to dismantle terror training camps and apprehending terror bosses like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed to create an atmosphere of trust for talks to begin.

"Hitherto their measures have only been cosmetic. I think once that happens, PM Modi will reciprocate. After all we too want peace in our region for us to develop and ensure a better quality of life for our people," she said.

"The chances for peace in the region are brighter under Modi than they have ever been," she added.

Former Foreign Secretary Shashank said that the intelligence inputs about a terror strike may also have approval of the Pakistan Army.

"(Pakistan Prime Minister) Imran Khan is still not so strong. It has to be a decision by the (Pakistan) Army and ISI conveyed through Imran Khan. If that is being done, then the government will have to see (if there is) similar information from other sources also. And if they are doing so, it will be a starting point for something," he said, adding that remains to be seen if Pakistan changes its stance on support to cross-border terrorism.

He said if there are positive moves, it will lead to some kind of some kind of backchannel

Shashank said Pakistan is under pressure because of its internal dynamics and the IMF conditionalities are quite harsh on it.

Former Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood said Pakistan is keen on talks as it feels that no issue can be solved without it.

"Obviously they want talks and they are also under pressure from the US. The US has also issued statements that they need to do much more than they have done so far. So obviously with the US, they would like to demonstrate that they are doing more. With India they would like to put forward that they are trying to act in good faith and India should talk to them," he said.

"Pakistan is essentially saying that without having any kind of talks, we cannot resolve any issues between us," he added.

He said one has to go by the evidence on the ground to judge Pakistan's actions.

"They are under pressure both from the US. They are also under pressure in terms of FATF and they would like to be able to show that they are cooperating to the extent possible," he said.

An intelligence input about a major terror strike in Kashmir, reportedly shared by Pakistan, has prompted a high alert in the valley, a top security official said here on Sunday.

He said inputs were received about al-Qaeda's plan to carry out the attack in Awantipora area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district, either before or during the Amarnath Yatra beginning on July 1, to avenge the killing of Zakir Musa, chief of Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AGH), who was shot dead recently in an encounter with security forces.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome has expressed his gratitude to the Team Ineos fans, reassuring them that he is focusing on recovering well from an accident he recently suffered.

Froome took a hand off his handlebars to blow his nose when a gust of wind caught his front wheel, causing him to hit a wall at speed on Wednesday, fracturing his right femur bone, hip, an elbow and several ribs during a reconnaissance ride of a stage of the Criterium du Dauphine race, reports Efe news.

"Firstly, I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has sent their best wishes to me since the crash," Froome said late on Saturday, according to his team's website.

"This is obviously a tough time but I have taken a lot of strength from the support over the last three days. The outpouring of support has been really humbling and something I would never have expected," he added.

The 34-year-old Briton also thanked the Team Ineos doctor, Richard Usher, the emergency services and all those who provided him assistance.

"I know how lucky I am to be here today and how much I owe to all the paramedics and medical staff on the race," Froome stressed.

"Finally, I want to thank my wife Michelle and my family. They've been with me every step of the way and their love and support will motivate me to return as quickly as possible," he concluded.

Froome has been ruled out of this year's Tour de France, which starts on July 6.

Froome was crowned the winner of the 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 Tours, won the 2017 Vuelta a Espana title and clinched his first Giro d'Italia title in 2018, the first Briton to win the Italian road race.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Medical professionals in Goa has decided to join the Indian Medical Association's (IMA) call for a nationwide closure of non-essential medical services on June 17 to show solidarity with doctors in West Bengal and support the demand for a special legislation to make assault on doctors a non-bailable offence.

"We, IMA Goa doctors, are planning a silent protest from Azad Maidan to Old GMC complex here at 10 a.m. on Monday," IMA Goa spokesperson Dr. Shekhar Salkar said on Sunday.

"However, all doctors associated with the association in Goa will be available for emergencies," Salkar said.

On June 14, doctors at a top state government hospital, the Goa Medical College, and a private hospital had joined the nationwide protests in solidarity with the doctors at the state-run NRS Hospital in Kolkata, after a junior doctor was allegedly beaten up by the kin of a 75-year-old patient who died there on Monday night.

--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 Sunday stressed the need for research on Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) that has caused the deaths of 84 children so far in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district.

"There should be research to identify the disease that is still not identified and for that research facility should be developed in Muzaffarpur," Harsh Vardhan said after visiting the state-owned Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH).

Harsh Vardhan, accompanied by Union Minister of State for Health Ashwani Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey, visited Muzaffarpur where 84 children have died due to AES in the past fortnight.

Harsh Vardhan said all branches of the medical sector should work together to control the outbreak of the disease. "We should also work with international organisations to contain the dusease."

He said all children in the affected areas should be immunised and people should be sensitised about the disease.

Harsh Vardhan, who reviewed the situation, said the Central government has been assisting the state government to control the situation after outbreak of the AES.

"The Central government will provide all possible help including financial to the state to control the situation, provide proper treatment and develop infrastructure needed for it."

"It is shocking and painful that children are dying. I have felt the pain and grief of the parents," he said.

He said that a new 100-bed Intensive Care Unit will be set up in SKMCH within a year to provide proper treatment to patients with AES symptoms.

"A timeline has been decided to work to contain and control the disease", he said.

He said that biological laboratories in Muzaffarpur will be upgraded and new labs would be set up in the state including at AIIMS Patna.

Harsh Vardhan said hot weather with high humidity are also one of the main reasons for the outbreak of AES.

"I have discussed AES outbreak with doctors and health officials, taken an overall comprehensive view and directed them that such situations are not repeated," he said.

He said that he has personally seen all seriously-ill children undergoing treatment, met their parents, and discussed with them about their problems.

"I have also discussed about AES in Muzaffarpur with top health officials."

The situation is still alarming as two children undergoing treatment in SKMCH died during the visit of Harsh Vardhan.

"It is my appeal to people to take care of their children, do not allow them to go outside in scorching sun during hot summer. Ensure to give water to children and if they develop any symptoms akin to AES they should brought to the hospital immediately without delay."

However, unofficial deaths due the disease are said to be over 100 as some children died in villages before being admitted to hospital.

Meanwhile SKMCH and a private hospital in the city continue to receive fresh cases with symptoms akin to AES. The two hospitals are reverberating with the cries and wails of helpless parents as children continue to die of AES.

According to reports, two children died in Begusarai district and three died in East Champaran district 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.)Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday visited Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, where 81 children have died due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in the past fortnight.

Seven children died on Sunday, taking the total number of casualties due to AES to 81, health officials said. Seventy three children had died till Saturday night.

However, unofficial deaths due the disease are said to be over 100 as some children died in villages before being admitted to hospital.

Harsh Vardhan, accompanied by Union Minister of State for Health Ashwani Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey, visited the state-owned Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH).

"The Ministers are holding a closed-door review meeting with the doctors and health officials to take stock of the situation," a district health official said.

Meanwhile SKMCH and private Kejriwal Hospital in the city continue to recieve fresh cases with symptoms akin to AES. The two hospitals are reverberating with the cries and wailing of helpless parents as children continue to die of AES.

According to reports, two children died in Begusarai district and three died in East Champaran district 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.)Actor Harshvardhan Rane says he will start shooting for Bejoy Nambiar's directorial "Taish", a revenge drama, in London in July.

Talking about it, Harshvardhan said, "I am doing a film with Bejoy (Nambiar) Sir called 'Taish'. It's a story of revenge and rage and will be a different film for me."

Harshvardhan was interacting with the media at the grand finale of Miss India 2019, here on Saturday.

Stating that Bejoy and he had been trying to join hands since the last two and half years, Harshvardhan said, "We were supposed to do a remake of 'Agni Natchathiram', but that didn't happen. I am excited to work with him on our next film."

Harshvardhan has also been signed for ad filmmaker Lloyd Baptista and Mini Films' multi-series project, "K7 - The Story of Seven Immortals".

He said, "It's based on Indian mythology. It's a modern take on Hindu Chiranjeevis. We look for international stories to make films, but I think we have a stock of stories in our own country. I am excited about the film and feeling proud that I am working on an Indian story."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Chief Ministe Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday visited residence of An-32 crash victim, Flight Lt Ashish Tanwar, in Palwal to express his condolences to the bereaved family.

Tanwar is survived by his wife Sandhya, father Radhe Lal, mother Saroj and sister Anjula Tanwar.

The Chief Minister said the state government is with the Tanwar family in this hour of grief.

The Indian Air Force An-32, which flew from Assam's Jorhat to Arunachal Pradesh's Mechuka on June 3 with 8 crew men and 5 others on board, lost communication after about half an hour. The wreckage was only found on June 11 and on June 13, a rescue team, which reached the spot, announced all 13 people had died in the crash.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Severe heatwave left at least 45 people dead and more than 100 hospitalised in the past 24 hours in Bihar, officials said on Sunday. Deaths due to the heatwave were reported from Aurangabad, Gaya and Nawada districts.

Gaya and Patna recorded temperature above 45 degree Celsius on Saturday.

Aurangabad civil surgeon Dr Surendra Prasad Singh confirmed 27 deaths due to the heatwave till late Saturday night. "Dozens are being treated for it in different hospitals," he said.

Gaya District Magistrate Abhishek Singh confirmed 14 deaths, while another district official confirmed five deaths in Nawada. In both the districts, more than 60 people are being treated for heatwave.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over the deaths and announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the victims.

The government has also issued a heat alert in the wake of the rising death toll and advised people to take care while going outside during day time.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An intelligence input about a major terror strike in Kashmir, reportedly shared by Pakistan, has prompted a high alert in the valley, a top security official said here on Sunday.

The input talks about Al Qaeda's plan to carry out the attack in Awantipora area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district, either before or during the Amarnath Yatra beginning on July 1, to avenge the killing of Zakir Musa, chief of Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AGH), who was shot dead recently in an encounter with security forces, the official said.

"The input has been shared with all security forces engaged in counter insurgency operations in the state. A high alert has been sounded, although security is already on maximum alert because of the upcoming Amarnath Yatra," said the official on condition of anonymity.

The route taken by the pilgrims to Amarnath holy cave in the mountains passes through the Awantipora.

The input has been shared with the Army, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and the state police.

"About 450 additional companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) are being deployed for the overall security of the upcoming Amarnath Yatra. This is in addition to the already in place security grid engaged in anti-militancy operations," he said.

"The input says Al Qaeda is planning the attack to avenge the killing of Zakir Musa, chief of AGH, a proclaimed affiliate of the global terror network. There is no question of any lowering of guard even if the input hadn't been there," added the official.

On February 14, Pulwama district was witness to a ghastly terror attack on a CRPF convoy, in which 40 personnel were killed.

The attack had triggered military tensions between India and Pakistan.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In a coordinated operation between the armies of India and Myanmar, several camps of militant groups operating in some north-eastern states have been destroyed inside Myanmar's territory, defence sources said here on Sunday.

The militants were targeted in two phases of the operation which sources said is still continuing.

While the second phase is spread over 20 days starting from the middle of June, its first phase is learnt to have been conducted about three months ago against suspected Arakanese militant camps inside Indian territory.

The camps have been on the radar of security agencies. Militants apprehended by the Indian Army have all been handed over to local police forces.

The camps targeted include those belonging to NSCN-K, NDFB, ULFA-I and KLO.

A surgical strike was conducted in Myanmar against Naga insurgents in 2015 after they killed 18 soldiers in an ambush in Chandel area of Manipur.

Separatist groups in the northeast have also made efforts to come under a single banner in an apparent effort to forge linkages.

Like Bangladesh, Myanmar also has been cooperating with India in tackling the militant groups with camps on their soil. Both countries have borders of about 5,800 kms with India.

India is also working to improve connectivity with countries in the BIMSTEC region which includes both Bangladesh and Myanmar.

--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 expat drowned at the Jumeirah Beach in Dubai during an outing with his family, the media reported on Sunday.

On Saturday morning, John Preetam Paul, 40, had gone to take a dip when the tragedy happened, according to family and friends. His three children were also with him along with his sister and husband who were on a visit to Dubai, reports the Khaleej Times.

"The police has confirmed that the cause of the death was cardiac arrest,"Jijo Jalal, Paul's former boss told Khaleej Times.

Paul worked as a Sales Head for Gilli FM, a UAE-based radio station. He has been a UAE resident for more than 14 years.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Paul's wife said, the kids and the visiting family had gone to the beach early in the morning.

"Just before leaving, he ventured back into the sea to take a dip. The family noticed his body floating in the water within minutes after he left them on the shore.

"I still don't know how it happened. He is a very good swimmer," 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.)A Jammu and Kashmir Police officer, who was critically injured in a 'fidayeen' attack in Anantnag last week, succumbed at the AIIMS Delhi where he was flown to for treatment on Sunday, police said.

Five CRPF troopers and a Pakistani militant were killed when militants attacked a security forces party in K.P. Road area of Anantnag town on Wednesday.

Station House Officer, Anantnag, Arshad Khan was critically injured in that attack and initially treated at the army's 92 base hospital in Srinagar from where he was shifted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. He was airlifted to Delhi in an air ambulance on Sunday.

Anantnag police where Arshad Khan was posted said on its Twitter page: "Our braveheart inspector Arshad Khan who got injured as SHO Anantnag couldn't make it. May the departed soul rest in peace (Amen) @KashmirPolice."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Identifying the risk of recurrence of developmental disorder in future pregnancies

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

This story has been published on: 2019-06-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.Even as the government called an all-party meeting ahead of the Parliament session on Sunday and the BJP parliamentary party executive met, no meeting of opposition parties has been held so far to decide the floor strategy.

The Congress has also not named its leader in the Lok Sabha so far and it remains to be seen how the issue of offer of resignation by Congress President Rahul Gandhi is finally settled though the party has officially said that he "was, is and will be the Congress party chief".

Party leaders Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and K Suresh attended the all-party meeting convened by the government on Sunday giving rise to speculation that one of the two may be named the party leader in the Lok Sabha. However, names of party MPs Manish Tewari and Shashi Tharoor are also doing the rounds.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Presidents of all political parties with representation in Parliament on June 19 and it remains to be seen if Gandhi will go for the meeting.

--IANS

ps/vin

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Indian equity markets could come under pressure over the fresh tension between the US and India over trade as India retaliated with tariffs on 29 American products.

This decision followed the US ending India's $5.6 billion trade concessions under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme.

Last year, the US imposed duties on steel and aluminium from India following which a retaliation was deferred until now.

Several analysts have said investors sentiments would be impacted.

"Tariffs to the tune of $400-450 million from all bilateral trade of 142 billion dollar with the US -- this shows that the impact is insignificant," said Ajay Sahai is the Director General and CEO of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).

The US-China trade war has long troubled the global financial markets. The damage was such that the global growth took a beating, as noted the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"Local investors will be worried as to how US could react to this. However, FIIs will wait for any such move by the US before feeling the Indian market," Deepak Jasani of HDFC Securities told IANS.

"$400 million is not a big number, but 29 items consist of almonds, walnuts and apples which affect their farmers. This could trigger a response and which will not bode well for the Indian markets," Jasani added.

The Indian market, which is currently dealing with slowdown concerns, will not react well if the US announces fresh tariffs, several analysts said.

On Friday, Sensex slid and closed nearly 290 points lower after reports that the Indian government had decided to impose retaliatory tariffs. The fresh tension now adds to the slowdown concerns in the Indian markets.

"There is always a fear that tariffs can be levied on more products from either side. So from a sentiment perspective, some tension could be seen in the markets if retaliation is seen by the US," said Mayuresh Joshi of Angel Broking.

"It can hurnt the investor sentiments, but beyond that it is difficult to acertain as to what could be the impact on the capital markets. Investors will get into trouble if the additional tarriffs are applied," Joshi added.

Earlier, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a conference that Washington could reverse the decision of withdrawing trade concessions to India under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) if the situation permits.

Ross had said that "India is already the world's third-largest economy, yet it is only the US's 13th largest export market, due to overly restrictive market access barriers".

While "the US is India's largest export market, accounting for about 20 per cent of the total".

"There is a real imbalance... And it's an imbalance we must strive to counteract."

--IANS

ravi/sn/prs/ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Pakistan court has ordered the execution of a mentally ill convict on June 18, according to a human rights law firm.

In a statement released on Saturday, he firm, Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), has urged the government to halt the execution of 36-year-old Ghulam Abbas and conduct further evaluation, reports Dawn news.

Imprisoned in 2004, Abbas was sentenced to death on May 31, 2006, by a district and sessions court for stabbing a neighbour.

He has spent more than 13 years on death row.

A fresh mercy petition was filed requesting President Arif Alvi to grant him a reprieve.

In Saturday's statement, the JPP said: "Abbas's execution must be stayed and he should be transferred to a mental health facility to be comprehensively assessed."

Meanwhile, psychiatrist Malik Hussain Mubbashar, who has been appointed by the Supreme Court to assist the case as a mental health expert, said: "The medical examination records showed that jail authorities had treated him with strong anti-psychotic drugs."

Mubbashar said Abbas had a genetic pre-disposition to mental illness because of his family history of mental illness.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Health services in West Bengal remained partially disrupted and state-run hospitals wore a deserted look on Sunday morning as the doctors strike entered its sixth day.

Sunday being a holiday, the out-patient departments remained closed and the number of patients waiting outside hospitals or visiting the emergency wards was also low. The emergency services, however, functioned normally.

The striking doctors across hospitals were looking forward to a General Body meeting to be held at the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the protests.

The meeting, which will decide the next course of action, will also be attended by representatives of other hospitals participating in the strike.

According to informed sources, the protesting doctors are probably looking for a scope of discussion to end the stalemate.

On Friday night, the striking doctors rejected Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's proposal for talks at the state Secretariat, instead asking her to come down to NRS Hospital.

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi wrote to Banerjee advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the doctors and asking her to take them into confidence. She responded saying that the government was taking required action.

"The protest is not just about CCTV, armed security and iron gates. As a doctor, I know the difficulties faced by doctors due to lack of infrastructure at these hospitals," said Sayantan Bandopadhyay.

Bandopadhyay is relative of doctor Paribaha Mukherjee, who was attacked up by the kin of a 75-year-old patient who died, allegedly of medical negligence, at NRS Hospital late on Monday night.

The attack triggered off the strike by the doctors that has since brought medical services in the state to a standstill.

"I appeal the doctors to resume their work as I don't want innocent patients to die," said Mohammed Shabir, a relative of the deceased patient.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)There are fresh Intelligence warnings about Islamic radicals attempting to enter into India through the sea route off the coast of Kerala. Investigations into the horrendous terror attacks made on Easter Sunday congregations in and around Colombo, resulting in a huge loss of life and limb, are meanwhile unraveling the scale of foreign and domestic planning as well as resource mobilisation that had gone into that covert offensive. The Islamic radicals chose soft targets but gave a message loud and clear that they were set to take on their US-led adversaries outside of the two theatres of 'war on terror' - Syria and Afghanistan.

The Colombo blasts are linked with the geo-political scene of South Asia and India must now go deeply into all that could possibly threaten the future of peace on the Indian sub continent. A disquieting trend here is that the numerous groups of Islamic fundamentalists in the region that earlier existed in parallel with the radicals operating under the umbrella of Al-Qaeda or ISIS, are giving their silent endorsement to the latter's call for Jehad. There is no criticism of the radicals - who are Wahabis - from within the Muslim world beyond an occasional repeat of the parroted line that 'terrorists were not true Muslims'.

It is a matter of deep concern for India that there is a rapid rise of Salafism in the region, which in terms of extremism can match Wahabism. Salafism basically calls upon the Muslims to go back to the fundamentals of Islam that prevailed in the puritanic period of the Pious Caliphs and shun the 'unIslamic' practices that had developed under the influence of other religions. It is opposed to the tradition of Mazar and Dargah worship that Sufism had brought with it in some distant past. This is the transition that is now visible in Kashmir in particular.

As already mentioned, Salafism and Wahabism both represent the same degree of Islamic extremism except that the latter is staunchly anti-West as it carries the historical memory of the first Jehad of the modern period that some leading Ulema, including Abdul Wahab of Arabia, had launched in the Nineteenth Century to oppose the Western encroachment on the Muslim lands. These Ulema were the first to call for a return to the golden period of Islam and declare that the political decline of the Muslim world was due to the deviation of Muslims and their rulers from the true faith.

Islamic radicals of today are still motivated by that recall and consider the US-led West and their allies as their prime enemies. Saudi Arabia which earned the ire of radicals for its deep collaboration with the US, pursued the strategy of funding a pan-Islamic movement through the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) that promoted Salafism to compete with the Wahabi appeal of the revivalist radicals. Salafism derives from al-Salaf - the companions of the Prophet.

The 'war on terror' launched by the US following 9/11 underlined the divide in the Muslim world between these two streams of extremism - one differing from the other only on the issue of political opposition to the US-led West. The Islamic fundamentalists backed by the Saudis, who are on the right side of the US, advanced the line originally taken by the likes of Hasan al Banna of Egypt and his admirer Maulana Abul Ala Maudoodi on the Indian subcontinent that an Islamic State could live in 'competition not conflict' with the West. This did not, however, come in the way of Salafism pursuing the cause of puritanic Islam with full force. From the point of view of the democratic world, the thrust of extremism in the Muslim world is a problem of geo-political dimension - for India it represents an imminent threat.

The Sri Lanka blasts highlight the new reality that the Salafi outfits including Lashkar-e-Toiba as also Hizbul Mujahideen of Pakistan that is now subservient to LeT, had no inclination to go along with the US any more in the battle against the Islamic radicals represented by the Al-Qaeda-Taliban combine in Afghanistan and the ISIS in Syria and Iraq. This was primarily because the radicals or Wahabis did have a place on the Islamic spectrum that could not be disregarded. When President George Bush declared 'war on terror' he wanted the allies in the Muslim world to combat the radicals at home and heavily funded countries like Pakistan to encourage them to take to the path of democracy. Pakistan had to be coerced to join in. It took money but only pretended to be fighting the Al-Qaeda-Taliban combine - after all it was Pakistan that had installed the Taliban in Kabul to lead the Afghan Emirate in 1996.

Trouble had soon arisen at Kabul, however, as the Al-Qaeda-Taliban combine showed its anti-US fangs and invited retaliation from the West, which laid the run-up to 9/11. Pakistan's main focus, meanwhile, was on replication of Afghan Jehad in Kashmir for settling scores with India. It lost no time in sending in the Mujahideen belonging to outfits under its control such as LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad and HuM into the Valley. These, as mentioned earlier, had been funded by Saudi Arabia during the Afghan war and had no particular quarrel with the US. With this, a phase began in Kashmir when Salafi hardline would supplant the Sufi traditions of Kashmiriyat. A telling change in the atmospherics of the Valley saw the leaders of the two major fronts of Jamaat-e-Islami in Kashmir - Burhan Wani of HuM and Asiya Andrabi of Dukhtaran-e-Millat - taking orders directly from Hafiz Sayeed, the Pak-based supremo of the Lashkar-e-Toiba.

The Pentagon, on its part, continued to believe, however, that the Pak army was serious about putting down the Taliban-Al-Qaeda axis - as an ally in the 'war on terror' - and the US therefore ignored for long India's concerns on cross border terror in Kashmir. It is only under the regime of President Donald Trump that the duplicitous role of Pakistan was called out and in the process the distinction between 'good terrorists' and 'bad terrorists' abandoned for good -to India's great relief. As India under Narendra Modi's leadership decided to take Pakistan head on and isolate this rogue neighbour in the world community, the Pak army-ISI duo took to manoeuvring both Salafi extremists and the Wahabi radicals for destabilising India.

Pakistan's strategy of using extremists of all hues across the Islamic spectrum needs a deeper probe and analysis. This is a major security challenge for the Modi government in its second tenure. The collusion of Sri Lanka's National Tawheed Jamaat(NTJ) in the Colombo blasts that were owned by ISIS, is of significance for us. NTJ is an offspring of Sri Lanka Tawheed Jamaat(SLTJ) - a known Salafi fundamentalist organisation openly supporting the Jehad of ISIS. SLTJ had close organisational links with Tamil Nadu Tawheed Jamaat(TNTJ) - the two outfits hosting each other's leaders. The Pak High Commission in Colombo is known to have acted as a conduit between ISI and ISIS and also attempted to instigate Islamic militancy in South India. Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent(AQIS) headed by a former member of Darul Uloom Deoband operates out of Pakistan under the patronage of ISI. Pak ISI has had a hand in propping up ISIS flags in Kashmir Valley. Zakir Musa of South Kashmir, since eliminated by security forces, had transited from being a commander of Hizbul Mujahideen to becoming the head of Al-Qaeda in Kashmir. ISI is using Jaish-e-Mohammad, a friend of Taliban to raise Fidayeen against India - the Pulwama attack on the CRPF convoy was a suicide bomber operation of JeM. In Kerala many youth influenced by the Salafi preacher Dr Zakir Naik were reported to have proceeded to Syria to join in the ISIS battle. All of this has had the effect of making South Asia extremely vulnerable to faith-based radicalisation.

Buddhist-Muslim conflict in Myanmar and Sri Lanka has obviously fuelled a unity between the Wahabi radicals and other Islamic fundamentalists following Salafism. There is every likelihood of IS protagonists of Syria-Iraq region and the Al Qaeda-Taliban in the Pak Afghan belt working for the common mission of spreading to other parts of the Muslim world. Some ill-informed analysts earlier projected Al Qaeda and ISIS as political rivals - little knowing that in Islam, is rooted in faith and the belief that 'Quran is the best Constitution' runs through the Muslim psyche. South Asia represents the largest chunk of the Muslim world and it is particularly important for India to insulate the people here from the permeating radicalisation that turns the mind of even the educated and well to do people. Faith-based terror that Islamic radicals use in the name of Jehad targets the US-led West for historical and political reasons. However, Mujahideen of both Wahabi and Salafi streams also attack the Shiites for ideological opposition as well as the historical memory of the Kharijite revolt against Caliph Ali that provided the foundation for Sunnism. And, finally, these extremists take on the world of idolatrous people wherever they can. The destruction of Buddhist statues at Bamiyan by the Taliban is not a distant memory.

India is a democratic republic that uses two powerful instruments of secularism - development of all and protection of law for every citizen - and if we have to stand up to a hostile neighbour who was out to meddle into our domestic by playing the card of religion, we must haul up any organisations or individuals who tended to endorse this mischief of Pakistan in any manner of speaking. Tawheed or Unity of God is a welcome part of faith in Islam but if its exclusivism generates an acute 'rejectionist' outlook towards others then a democratic dispensation will have a problem.

India has no place for this form of extremism entering the arena of The bulk of all communities in India shares the common problem of livelihood and economic uplift. Law enforcement in general as well as the CEC in the context of elections in particular, must unleash their power in a fuller measure against those who in print or by word of mouth projected militant religion into politics. Social media scan should be stepped up to detect exposure to Islamic radicalism and outreach to parents expanded to help a timely correction of young minds trapped by it. The 2019 General Election saw the opposition indulging in the play of identity politics - its message clearly is that this will not work any more in India.

(The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau. The views expressed in this article are personal. The author can be reached at dichpa1939@gmail.com)

--IANS

pathak/am

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)There are rifts within the separatist Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley over collection and use of funds raised abroad, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Sunday.

A NIA statement quoted Muslim League leader Masrat Alam, the so-called poster boy of stone pelters in the Valley, as telling NIA officials that Pakistan-based agents routed the funds raised abroad to Jammu and Kashmir through hawala operators.

These were transferred to separatist leaders, including hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Shah Geelani, who advocates Jammu and Kashmir's merger with Pakistan.

"Masrat Alam also revealed that there are rifts in the Hurriyat Conference regarding collection and use of funds," the statement said.

Masrat Alam was arrested along with separatist leaders Shabir Shah and Asiya Andrabi as well as Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) head Yasin Malik in connection with the investigation into violence in the Kashmir Valley.

During his interrogation, the NIA said it confronted Shabir Shah with evidence about his investments in various hotels and businesses in Pahalgam as well as properties in Jammu, Srinagar and Anantnag.

He was also shown evidence related to transfer of money by Pakistan-based agents and representatives of Hurriyat, the statement said.

"He was confronted with some of his personal staff and associates who have provided vital information regarding the sources of fund raising and investment details."

Andrabi admitted that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources, and her organisation, the Duktaran-e-Millat, had been organising protests by Muslim women in the Valley, the NIA said.

"Andrabi was confronted regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onwards through foreign remittances made by Zahoor (Ahmad Shah) Watali," who the NIA described as one of the main hawala conduits who used to generate and receive funds from Pakistan and its intelligence.

The statement said that Yasin Malik revealed that he was instrumental in bringing together the disparate factions of the Hurriyat Conference to form the Joint Resistance Leadership to spearhead the violent protests in the Valley in 2016.

The NIA registered a case on May 20, 2017, against terrorists belonging to Jammat-ud-Dawah, Duktaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and other separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir for raising and collecting funds.

The NIA has charge sheeted 13 accused in this regard, including separatist leaders, hawala conduits and stone pelters.

--IANS

ak-rak/mr/bc

(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.)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, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer called Chatfield "a historic choice" for the Naval War College, Xinhua reported on Saturday.

"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 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.

--IANS

vin/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The striking doctors in West Bengal on Sunday decided to hold talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to immediately end the impasse but said there should be media coverage of the deliberations to avoid discrepancies.

"The last press interview by our honourable Chief Minister was full of discrepancies which had led to false propagation of the motive behind our protests and the response of the government to it. Hence it needs clarification," a representative of the protesting doctors of the NRS Medical College and Hospital said after a general body meeting on day six of the strike that has badly hit state-run health services.

The meeting was attended by representatives of other hospitals participating in the strike.

"We want immediate end to this impasse through discussions with the CM which, to maintain transparency, shouldn't be behind closed doors. The venue can be chosen by the CM, but that should be able to accommodate representatives of all medical colleges and the national media," he said.

"Doctors want to join duty as early as possible in the best interest of health care delivery to the common people once all our demands are met adequately and logically," the representative said.

"We are hopeful that our honourable Chief Minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems that our entire state is facing currently," he added.

Director of medical education Pradip Mitra, who attended the general body meeting, tried to mediate a middle path for the junior doctors and the government.

"The doctors had demanded two to five representatives from each medical college be present during their meeting with the Chief Minister. Even if a single delegate from each medical college attends the meeting the figure will be around fifteen and the final number will be decided by the CM," Mitra said.

Also, the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Priyank Kanoongo, who arrived in Kolkata on Saturday night, visited the paediatric wards of some state-run hospitals to assess the condition of patients.

"I found that children are not getting treatment and the situation is very pathetic. I will submit a report when I reach Delhi. Children's lives should be everyone's priority and no ego should come in between," Kanoongo said.

According to him, the cease-work and the disruption in the health care system should be solved through discussions without letting children suffer.

According to informed sources, the doctors and the Chief Minister would hold a meeting on Monday at the state secretariat. However, it is not clear if media coverage of the entire meeting will be allowed.

--IANS

bnd/ssp/kr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The striking doctors of West Bengal on Sunday decided to hold talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to immediately end the impasse but said there should be media coverage of the deliberations to avoid discrepancies.

"The last press interview by our honourable Chief Minister was full of discrepancies which had led to false propagation of the motive behind our protests and the response of the government to it. Hence it needs clarification," a representative of the protesting doctors of the NRS Medical College and Hospital told media after a General Body meeting on day six of the strike that has majorly hit state-run health services.

The meeting was attended by representatives of other hospitals participating in the strike.

"We want immediate end to this impasse through discussions with the CM which, to maintain transparency, shouldn't be behind closed doors. The venue can be chosen by the CM, but that should be able to accommodate representatives of all medical colleges and the national media," he said.

Doctors "want to join duty as early as possible in the best interest of health care delivery to the common people once all our demands are met adequately and logically", the representative said.

"We are hopeful that our honourable Chief Minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems that our entire state is facing currently," he added.

Senior doctors expected a solution after the meeting to end the stalemate.

"We are hoping to end the impasse as early as possible and resume normalcy in the state health care services," West Bengal Doctors Forum President Arjun Sengupta told IANS.

Earlier, the agitating doctors had insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the protests.

On Friday night, the striking doctors rejected a proposal from the Chief Minister for talks at the state secretariat Nabanna, and stuck to their demand that she would have to come down to the NRS Medical College and Hospital to listen to their grievances and apologise for having cast aspersions on them.

Health services in the state-run hospitals remained partially disrupted due to the "cease work" by junior doctors. There was mass resignations of doctors at various hospitals and the patients suffered without treatment as the protests reached its sixth day.

Protesting against the brutal attack on two junior doctors by the family members of a dead patient in 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 Tuesday.

--IANS

bnd/ssp/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The telecom tower industry has urged the Finance Ministry to allow accelerated depreciation rate of 65 per cent on batteries, 20 per cent funding through External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) for the working capital and inclusion of telecom towers in the priority sector for lending by banks.

The industry uses lithium ion batteries, which have an average life of 3-5 years. A higher depreciation rate for these batteries can help higher adoption of these batteries, which can decrease dependence on diesel for power back-up. Diesel adds to the higher cost of production for the tower companies.

Accelerated depreciation is a method whereby an asset loses book value at a faster rate than the traditional straight-line method. Generally, this method allows greater deductions in the earlier years of an asset and is used to minimise taxable income.

Apart from these key demands, the Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (TAIPA) in its submission to the Finance Ministry, said it wants inclusion of the telecom infrastructure service providers in Section 72A in the cases of mergers and amalgamations.

As tower industry is an inseparable part of telecom services, the specific inclusion will bring parity for the tower companies with telecom operators and other key industrial sectors. The benefit of Sec 72A was introduced to telecom operators in FY 2002-03 with a view to encouraging rapid consolidation and growth in the sector.

Before that, each telecom operator used to set up its own towers to cater to its own need for passive infrastructure (telecom towers, shelters, power back up) services. Accordingly, the concept of TISPs was not envisaged in FY 2002-03, when the benefit of Section 72A was extended to the telecom sector.

Section 72A of the Act allows accumulated losses of amalgamating company to be carried forward and set off in the hands of the amalgamated company.

Currently, the carry-forward of losses is limited to industrial undertakings or ships, hotels, aircraft or banks. The term "industrial undertaking" has been defined to include the companies which are engaged in the business of providing telecommunication services, whether basic or cellular, including radio paging, domestic satellite service, broadband network and internet services, said T.R. Dua, Director General, TAIPA.

There have been consolidations in the tower industry in recent times. India's telecom tower industry is expected to see further consolidation after the Bharti Infratel-Indus Towers merger.

The combined entity of Bharti Infratel Ltd -- the tower arm of Bharti Airtel, and Indus Towers, post their merger, will own more than 1,63,000 towers and will create the world's largest tower company outside China.

In the tower industry, if ATC seals the deal with Idea, then the former would operate over 78,000 tower sites in India. State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) owns 66,000 towers.

TAIPA also seeks to amend the definition of "plant and machinery". "Plant and machinery means apparatus, equipment, machinery fixed to earth by foundation including telecommunication tower and shelters, that are used for making outward supply and include the term 'telecommunication tower' for the purpose of Input Tax Credit," it said.

According to TAIPA, the tower industry is expecting to install around 25,000 towers in the coming FY with around Rs 1.25 lakh taxes paid on each. The current situation could result in increase in cost of providing the telecom service.

The Association rues that under the Central Goods and Services Act, 2017 (CGST Act), telecommunication towers have been specifically excluded from the definition of "plant and machinery" provided in the explanation to Section 17.

"Digital India, smart cities, providing e-governance services to the common man and other flagship programmes of the government depend entirely on the availability of critical telecom infrastructure and any tax/ levy on such nation building installations will ultimately increase the cost of the services to the end-consumer.

"Towers are the backbone of the telecommunication industry and any denial of this credit would substantially increase the cost of services to the common man," said TAIPA.

(Anjana Das can be contacted at anjana.d@ians.in)

--IANS

ana/sn/prs/rtp

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.Three civilians were injured as the Pakistani army violated the ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Sunday, police said.

The three, including two girls, were injured in Pakistani firing in Kirni, Qasba and Bandi Chechian areas of Poonch.

"The injured civilians have been shifted to hospital where attending doctors said they are out of danger," police said.

Indian and Pakistan troops traded heavy fire on the LoC in Poonch after the Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing on Indian positions, Defence Ministry spokesman, Lt Col. Devender Anand, said.

Pakistan army targeted Indian positions in Kirni, Qasba and Mendhar areas in Poonch and the Indian positions retaliated effectively, he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Trinamool Congress (TMC) here on Sunday demanded passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the upcoming parliamentary session and use of ballot papers in elections.

Speaking at an all-party meeting ahead of the Parliament session starting on Monday, the TMC asked the government to bring ordinances only in emergency situations.

TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien spoke about electoral reforms, raising the issue of state funding of polls and use of paper ballot in place of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The TMC demand came as it lost ground to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal. The TMC tally came down to 22 from 34 in 2014, while the BJP, which had two MPs from the state in 2014, won 18 Lok Sabha seats in this elections.

Stating that about 75 per cent of bills were sent to the parliamentary committees for scrutiny during 14th and 15th Lok Sabha, the West Bengal leaders said in the 16th Lok Sabha only 25 per cent bills were referred to House panels. It meant Parliament was bypassed, they added.

They demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill, ensuring a third of all seats to women in legislatures, should be passed in this session.

In the 16th Lok Sabha, about 35 per cent of the TMC members were women, while it's 41 per cent in the current House.

On federalism, the TMC leaders said the BJP-led central government was deliberately targeting states and this was unacceptable. They argued the ordinance should be used as an "emergency" tool in the spirit of the Constitution.

It was blatantly overused by the BJP government during the 16th Lok Sabha, they alleged.

--IANS

spk-ak/mr/pcj

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has requested the Centre to create new waterways between the state and Bangladesh to boost trade and tourism in the northeastern region, an official said on Sunday.

"If new waterways are created between Tripura and Bangladesh, the state would be the gateway for the entire northeastern region and adjoining areas. The proposed waterway project using the Gomati river must be expedited," the official said quoting Deb from the NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi on Saturday.

He said in order to boost tourism in the state, the Union Tourism Ministry might help construct ropeways connecting the historic "Matabari" Tripura Sundari Temple and Chhabimura, the mountain wall on the banks of Gomati famous for its rock sculptures.

Deb also demanded more financial support from the Centre's PSUs and autonomous bodies Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund for creation of new infrastructure in the northeast.

"The public sector companies and undertakings should be allowed to spend at least 10 per cent of their CSR funds in the northeastern states. This will help in early implementation of 'HIRA' (Highways, Inland Waterways, Railways and Airways), the grand initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The initiative would not only boost tourism but also many other sectors in the region," he added.

The Chief Minister also asked for amending of the existing aviation guidelines to facilitate private operators to increase flight frequency to the Northeast.

Asserting that Tripura was a flood-prone state, he also demanded an increase in the State Disaster Response Fund from the existing Rs 38 crore at present.

--IANS

sc/ksk/rtp

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at The New York Times and The Washington Post, as tensions between the White House and some of the nation's mainstream media continue to grow.

"A poll should be done on which is the more dishonest and deceitful newspaper, the Failing New York Times or the Amazon (lobbyist) Washington Post!" Xinhua quoted Trump as saying on Twitter on Sunday.

The US President called the newspapers "a disgrace" and "the Enemy of the People', rhetoric he has used frequently during his tenure in the White House.

Those attacks came a day after he claimed that The New York Times committed a "virtual act of treason" by reporting on the administration's digital attacks against Russia.

"Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia," Trump tweeted Saturday.

He dismissed the report as "not true," calling it "a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country."

The New York Times published a report on Saturday about the nation's efforts to penetrate Russia's power grid with cyber tools.

In a response to the president's criticism, The New York Times tweeted on Saturday that "accusing the press of treason is dangerous."

--IANS

vin/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In an age of illiberal democracy, it is worth noting that there are still methods by which civil society can exert pressure on powerful ruling establishments. There have been two recent examples of the dubious use of law to violate human rights. One comes from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and one from the Russian Federation.

Both have had, of a sort, a happy ending. Hong Kong has been wracked by protests for some weeks against a proposal by its government for a new law that would permit extradition to mainland China for Hong Kong residents. The government of Hong Kong, ...At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, held in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, Prime Minister reiterated Indias position regarding the importance of open and frictionless trade and the vital nature of the World Trade Organization (WTO). New Delhi has traditionally supported multilateral over plurilateral trading arrangements as the former are in Indias best interests. Speaking at the summit on Friday, Mr Modi hit out at unilateralism and trade protectionism, and said there was a need for a rules-based, anti-discriminatory and all-inclusive WTO-centred multilateral trading system, amid the raging trade war between the and China. Mr Modis stand is nothing new. At the in Davos last year, he had warned countries against closing their economies by saying the forces of protectionism were raising their heads against globalisation.

But Mr Modis government has to walk his talk, as India has not been setting a good example when it comes to support for freer trade. The last few years have seen a rise in protectionist impulses in New Delhi and recent Union Budgets featured tariff increases with the goal of protecting domestic industry. Many aspects of Indias industrial policy have been poorly designed and may violate rules. Japan has in fact just taken India to dispute settlement at the because of measures designed to promote the domestic manufacturing of mobile handsets. This is an unfortunate failure of trade diplomacy on New Delhis part  and, what is worse, it is one of many.

DC has also ended the privileges due to some Indian exports under the Generalised System of Preferences, which permitted duty-free access to the market. India has allowed the to turn it into a target, thanks to clumsy attempts to control the operation of multinational companies, including those in e-commerce and IT. A recent meeting in New Delhi of several trade ministers from developing countries revealed that there was little support for Indias desire to prevent discussion under the framework of a multilateral framework that would regulate international e-commerce. India is once again isolated.

This attitude of India towards global trade is unfortunate, given that the economy has a great deal to gain from integration with the world economy. It is only through being open to global supply chains that there are hopes of reviving exports, and thus creating sustainable and well-paying jobs. The US-China trade war should not be seen in isolation. It is part of an attempt to create a fairer framework for international trade that restrains the hidden subsidies in the Chinese economy, which have distorted the world trading system. This is also a matter of concern for India, and it should seek to help shape the new trading architecture instead of withdrawing from it. Efforts to promote domestic manufacture of electronic goods and solar panels are welcome, but they should be WTO-compliant so that India does not lose trade disputes. After all, India has to be part of the global value chain and integrate itself with the global economy. Exports from India have already suffered a great deal, remaining broadly flat for the past five years  while peer countries like and Vietnam have snapped up the opportunities offered by the flux in global trade. Several moves by the government have raised questions about whether India is still pursuing market-friendly reforms, or would prefer to return to the failed import substitution model of the past. Unless the new government and the commerce ministry now re-orient themselves towards a more open stance, India will miss the boat once again.One person was killed, while some others were attacked with rods and bamboos in continuing post-poll clashes in West Bengal, in two districts, police said.

Eight persons have been arrested in connection with the incidents that took place on Saturday, they said.

A TMC member of a block panchayat samiti of Khanakul in Hooghly district, Manoranjan Patra, was attacked when he was sitting outside the party office, resulting in his death, police said.

Three BJP supporters have been held for their alleged involvement in the crime, Superintendent of Police, Hooghly (Rural), Sukhendu Hira told newsmen.

The victim's brother, Sandip Patra said, "Attempts had also been made earlier to eliminate my brother and the police had been apprised of it."



Abhishek Banerjee, TMC MP and leader of the party's youth wing, visited the house of the deceased on Sunday and expressed condolence to the bereaved family members.

Banerjee claimed that BJP supporters, who were earlier with the CPI(M), had carried out the attack.

Asking the people to build a movement against the saffron party, he said, "There is nothing to fear. Criminals will be arrested."



Dismissing the allegation, local BJP leader Biman Ghosh said, the incident was a fallout of factional feud within the TMC, and no saffron party supporter or worker was involved in it.

In another incident, four wheelers were damaged and bikes torched when clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters in Nadia district.

BJP supporters allegedly attacked a group of TMC workers, including Kalyani Town president Arup Mukherjee, at Jogesh Colony area, when they were returning after meeting an injured party worker.

"About 40-50 BJP supporters attacked us with rods and bamboos. They even fired a few rounds, torched four bikes and damaged two four wheelers," Mukherjee said.

Meanwhile, Sukhdeb Sarkar, another local BJP leader said, "The TMC men wanted to terrorise the people, as many of them had joined the BJP. When the local people gave them a chase, the TMC supporters managed to flee, but left behind their bikes and cars. The mob then set them afire."



Alleging that the police had arrested five "innocent" persons, Sarkar demanded their release.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence from Monday during which the passage of the Union Budget and other key legislations such as triple talaq will be on top of the agenda for the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing an all-party meeting on the eve of the first session of the new Lok Sabha, invited heads of all parties to a meeting on June 19 to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue and other important matters.

Noting that there are many new faces in this Lok Sabha, Modi said the first session of the Lower House of Parliament should begin with "fresh zeal and new thinking".

At the all-party meeting, the Congress raised with the government issues of unemployment, farmers distress, drought, and press freedom, while also calling for early conduct of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

The opposition parties demanded discussion on all such issues in Parliament, with the Congress asserting that it is still a "fight of ideologies".

Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress lawmakers Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, K Suresh, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O'Brien were present at the meeting.

The BJP also held its parliamentary party meet here Sunday with Prime Minister Modi assuring Indians that his government will be at the forefront of facilitating legislation that manifests the spirit of "sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas".

A day before the first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha, a meeting of the NDA was also held here.

The government had promulgated as many as 10 ordinances for the session which ends on July 26 and will have 30 sittings.

The first two days of the session will be used for administering oath of office to all Lok Sabha MPs. The oath will be administered by protem speaker Virender Kumar. The speaker will be elected on June 19 and the next day the president will address a joint sitting of both Houses.

The budget will be introduced on July 5.

Among the bills that will be introduced, the one on triple talaq could be a contentious one between the government and the opposition.

Addressing the media after the all-party meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said the prime minister urged leaders of all parties to "introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfil people's aspirations as their representatives and the manner in which last two years of the 16th Lok Sabha were wasted".

An all-party meeting is a customary procedure before the beginning of every session of Parliament to ensure its smooth functioning.

Joshi said the government has requested all parties, especially the opposition, for their cooperation for the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament.

In order to build esprit de corps, Modi has invited presidents of all those parties who have an MP either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha for a meeting on June 19.

The meeting has been called to discuss "one nation, one election" issue, celebrations of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year, he said.

It will be followed by a dinner meeting with all MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on June 20 to freely interact and exchange views with the government, Joshi said, adding that these two novel initiatives would go a long way in building team spirit among all parliamentarians.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Authorities say a tourist has drowned in Switzerland's Lake Geneva after her boat capsized in a driving storm, and another was killed in nearby France after high winds brought down a tree on her campsite.

The Swiss site 20 Minuten reported Sunday the previous day's storm brought heavy rain, hail and wind gusts as high as 122 kph (75 mph).

Police say a tourist couple's boat capsized in Lake Geneva around 5 pm. Local media reported the man swam to another boat and fired off two flares, but by the time rescuers arrived they were unable to find the woman.

Her body was recovered later by divers.

About 50 kilometers (30 miles) to the south in France, a 51-year-old German woman was killed when a tree fell on her camper.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A total of 28 bills will be discussed in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature beginning Monday, which will be the last session ahead of the assembly elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here Sunday.

The chief minister also said the state government was in the process of uploading database of 1.2 crore farmers on the Union government's portal, which will be used for the "Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana" for disbursal of funds ahead of the kharif season.

"We plan to introduce 13 new bills in the monsoon session whereas 15 bills are already pending before the legislature-- 12 of them in the Legislative Assembly and three in the Legislative Council," Fadnavis told reporters.

The chief minister also rubbished the Opposition's allegation that his government's claim on development were "virtual" and didn't reflect on the ground.

"The Opposition is cut off from the ground. Because of their perception (that the government's functioning was virtual) they suffered such a humiliating defeat in the recently-held general elections," Fadnavis said.

Earlier in the day, senior leaders from the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party tore into claims made by the Fadnavis government over developmental works.

Hitting back, Fadnavis blamed the Opposition for "messing up" the Maratha quota issue when in power ahead of 2014.

"They messed up the Maratha reservation issue. We, however, implemented the quota effectively. There will be some provisions and schemes for the Dhangar community as well in this Budget session," Fadnavis said.

Members of the Dhangar or shepherd community have been demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the community members since long.

A full budget will be presented during the monsoon session on June 18, as the state government did not present it in the previous session in view of the general elections.

The assembly elections in the state are due in September-October this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Three Pakistani nationals were detained with gold worth over Rs 23 lakh from Munabao railway station near the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan's Barmer district, Customs officials said Sunday.

Five gold biscuits of 100 gram each, a gold bangle and three rings were seized from Kishor Kumar Maheshwari, Ramesh Patr and Kailash Mali on Saturday, they said.

The seized items weigh over 700 grams and are worth Rs 23,27,119, the officials said, adding that they were allegedly smuggling them into India from Pakistan.

They were passengers on the Thar-Link Express.

In another incident on Saturday, the Customs, during a routine check on a Pakistan- bound train, seized 300 suits and 200 scarfs worth Rs 1.50 lakh from a Pakistani national Ram Chandra.

The consignment was released after recovering a penalty of Rs 52,500 from Chandra, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Six people were arrested and a juvenile was apprehended in three separate incidents for allegedly stealing vehicles in the national capital, officials said Sunday.

Those arrested were identified Shaikul (27), a resident of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, Shokeen (23), a resident of Nuh in Haryana, Deepak (19), Akash (21), Deepak (19) and Akash (21), all residents of Govindpuri, and one juvenile was apprehended, they said.

Shaikul and Shokeen were arrested near Bijender Murti on Jaitpur Road on Thursday night, a senior police official said.

During interrogation, the two told police that they had stolen many two-wheelers from Badarpur, SaheenBagh and Kalindi Kunj areas, he said.

On Wednesday, police laid a trap at Khader Pulia near Agra canal road and arrested Danish and Attaul Rehman, both residents of JJ Colony in Delhi's Madanpur Khadre, and apprehended one juvenile, DCP (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said.

Deepak and Akash were arrested on Thursday while they were riding on a stolen bike in Govindpuri, he said.

Total 17 two-wheelers, one country-made pistol and two master keys were seized, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Eight members of a Greater Noida family on their way to the Taj Mahal were killed when their car rammed into a truck on Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district on Sunday, police said.

Five members of the family from Jewar in Gautam Budh Nagar district died on the spot when their car rammed into the truck moving ahead of it around 8.30 am in the Baldeo police station area, about 30 km from Mathura city.

Three others succumbed to injuries at a hospital, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Aditya Kumar Shukla said.

According to a police statement, the family was going to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal.

The police said the car was completely mangled and they had to use gas cutters to bring out the bodies.

The deceased have been identified as Neeraj (30), Anita (30), Vishnu (23), Taruna (21), Santoshi (19), Shalu (20), Anjali (11) and Gabbar (24), the police officer said.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem.

The truck driver fled with his vehicle from the spot after the accident, the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The world of glitz and glamour usually brings name, fame and money but things are not as hunky-dory as expected for actor and auto-rickshaw driver Laxmi Pandhe.

Life changed a bit for her after actor Boman Irani spotted her driving an auto at night on the streets of Mumbai, last month.

Posting a video clip of the encounter with her on social media, Boman shared the inspiring story of how Laxmi juggles two jobs -- acting in Marathi TV serials, films and driving an auto-rickshaw.

It made her famous. A lot of people talk to her now and also ask for a selfie, she says.

"I do text him (Boman) once in a while with a 'Good Morning' message. I have never asked him for work and I know I can get work if I talk to him or ask for it. But I haven't. In fact, I have never ever asked anyone to give me work. I rather follow a proper professional way to get work. I am happy and proud that I am a self-made person. I am content with my life and career," Laxmi told PTI in an interview.

She studied in a local municipal school up to class eight in suburban Mulund. As her parents were finding it difficult to make the ends meet, she dropped out of school. She was always passionate about acting but couldn't muster the courage of sharing it with her family until one of her family members saw her in a TV serial.

Laxmi shares, "I was interested in acting but my family did not like it. I was crazy about every aspect of cinema, I love dancing as well. I used to dance in our chawl functions, during Ganesh Chaturthi procession, etc."



Her first appearance was in 2013 Marathi film "Jai Maharashtra Dhaba Bhatinda" followed by smaller parts in popular Marathi crime TV serial "Lakshya", 2018 Marathi film "Mumbai Pune Mumbai 3" among others.

Recalling her entry into TV and films Laxmi says, "I had a passing shot in 'Jai Maharashtra Dhaba Bhatinda', which I had got through a coordinator. My first ever salary was Rs 250 and I was over the moon. Later, I saw that film in the theatre and I was very happy. Sadly, I couldn't share this happiness with my family."



She continued doing few more passing shots without the knowledge of her family until her outing in the hit crime show "Lakshya" was accidentally noticed by one of her brother-in-law.

"I was there for two-three different episodes in the show from a receptionist to a bar girl. When my brother-in-law informed my mother and three elder sisters about this I was very scared that they would yell at me. To my surprise they were all happy and proud," she adds.

Though she got a go-ahead from her family to follow her dreams the journey wasn't easy for Laxmi in the industry infamous for nepotism.

"I did some small roles here and there in some lesser known TV serials and films, till I got the role of a maid in this popular Marathi film 'Mumbai Pune Mumbai 3' and 'Project Marathwada', in which I played a farmer's wife. This film had Om Puri and Seema Biswas in the lead. I felt I would get more work in good films and will get prominent roles as well but that didn't happen."



Unable to bear the expenses of her family, Laxmi decided to take up other odd jobs like working with a beauty parlour and doing nursing job.

"I have always got roles through coordinators and I had to give them 50 per cent of what I earn from my acting assignments. We were not a financially stable family as my elder sister was diagnosed with cancer and my mother got retired from her government job, I had to contribute more money.

"I would take up acting work in between whenever something interesting came," says an emotional Laxmi.

As she wasn't happy with the odd jobs that she was doing, Laxmi decided to drive cab but due to financial reasons, she settled down to driving a three-wheeler (auto-rickshaw) instead.

She has been driving auto for a year and will continue to do so whenever she has no acting offers.

"I do not consider any job as big or small. I have done everything on my own be it acting or any other job. I am also happy that I did not succumb to some exciting offers in acting, where I was paid a lot of money but I had to compromise for it. For me, my self-respect is more important."



"Hard work is all I know," Laxmi signs off.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A day before the budget session, an all-party meeting convened by the government was held Sunday in which the opposition demanded that issues such as farm distress, unemployment and drought should be debated upon in Parliament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting, attended by representatives of all parties, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O'Brien.

The Prime Minister has called a meeting of chiefs of all parties having representatives in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on June 19 to discuss "one nation, one election" issue, celebration of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022, 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year and issues of "aspirational districts", Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said after the meeting.

He said the PM has also called a meeting of MPs to discuss the issues on June 20.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Azad said that all those bills which are in the interest of the people "we are not opposed to them".

There should be a discussion on farmers distress, unemployment and drought, he said.

He also called for early conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, currently under President's rule, asserting that if Lok Sabha polls can be held then why not state polls.

It appears that the Centre wants to run the state through the Governor's administration, he alleged.

Congress's Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and K Suresh were also present at the meeting.

TMC's O'Brien demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, be brought immediately in the session.

The first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha will be held from June 17 to July 26.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, along with his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, performed in Shanghai captivating the Chinese audience at his maiden concert in the country.

Held on Saturday, the concert was organised by Chaiti Arts Foundation, run by Indian expats in Shanghai in association with the Indian Consulate.

It was a night to remember, Khan, 73, said about the show.

"Memorable concert last evening in #Shanghai at Shanghai Centre Theatre #ChaitiArtsFestival," the veteran musician shared on Twitter alongside some photographs.

He also met Consulate General of India in Shanghai Anil Kumar Rai at the concert.

Speaking at the concert, Rai said, "The mesmerising performance by Ustad Amjad ji and his team at Chaiti Art Festival, Shanghai took us to the glorious cultural roots of South Asia and provided a great opportunity to the art lovers from China to understand civilisational connect with India."



The foundation said Khan struck a "positive chord" with the audience stating he felt at home.

"He emphasised that, of all the mediums of communication, music has the potential to connect all of humanity," it said in a press release.

Paintings of folk art Madhubani were also displayed at the concert.

Chaiti Arts Foundation facilitates exchange of dialogue between visiting Indian artistes and Chinese artistes allows for an understanding of history and application of ragas and wide range of instruments being used in Indian classical music, its organisers said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The armies of India and Myanmar carried out a three-week-long coordinated operation from May 16 in their respective border areas, targeting several militant groups operating in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam, defence sources said on Sunday.

The first phase of "Operation Sunrise" was conducted three months ago along the Indo-Myanmar border, during which a number of camps of north-east-based militant groups were busted.

Myanmar is one of the strategic neighbours of India and shares a 1,640-km border with a number of north-eastern states, including the militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.

India has been pushing for a deeper coordination between the armies of the two countries while guarding the border.

Sources said during "Operation Sunrise 2", the armies coordinated with each other to bust camps of militant outfits, including the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), the NSCN (Khaplang), the United Liberation Front of Assam (I) and the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB).

They said at least six dozen militants belonging to these groups were nabbed and several of their camps destroyed during the operation.

The sources said the two sides might launch the third phase of the operation, depending on intelligence inputs and the ground situation.

Besides the Indian Army, troops from the Assam Rifles were also part of the operation.

In June 2015, the Indian Army had carried out an operation against NSCN(K) militants in areas near the Indo-Myanmar border, days after militants killed 18 armymen in Manipur.

In the first phase of "Operation Sunrise", the Indian Army targeted members of the Arakan Army, an insurgent group in Myanmar, who were opposed to the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project.

The Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project is viewed as India's gateway to Southeast Asia.

India entered into a framework agreement with Myanmar in April, 2008 to facilitate the implementation of the project. On completion, the project will help connect the north-eastern state of Mizoram with the Sittwe Port in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

On the Indian side, work is on to extend the Aizawl-Saiha National Highway by 90 km to the international border at Zorinpui.

According to security agencies, there were over 50 camps of insurgent groups from the north-east in Myanmar till last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 21-year-old aspiring actor was booked here Sunday for allegedly faking his own abduction and demanding a ransom of Rs 6 lakh from his family to fuel his cinematic ambition, police said.

The man, identified as Vijay, is a native of Farrukhabad district in Uttar Pradesh and was staying at Bahlolpur in Noida, they said.

On Saturday night, the police received a complaint from Vijay's family. They alleged that Vijay was missing from their home in Bahlolpur under Phase 3 police station limits.

"Vijay's brother later received some pictures of the aspiring actor held hostage along with threat messages and a ransom demand of Rs 6 lakh for his release," a police spokesperson said.

An investigation was taken up and Vijay was found at the house of one of his friends in Noida Sector 24, the official said.

"During further probe, it emerged that Vijay himself had hatched his abduction plan in order to get money from his family," the spokesperson said.

"Vijay told the police that he wanted the money because he wished to go to Mumbai and become an actor. He said he wanted Rs 3 lakh for getting a role in a television serial and another Rs 3 lakh for personal expenses," the official said.

The man has been booked for concocting his fake abduction and misleading the police, police added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In his first presentation before the NITI Ayog, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said rainwater harvesting and conservation were his government's key thrust areas.

Sawant on Saturday attended the NITI Ayog's meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

He spoke about the Goa BJP-led government's "commitment towards water conservation by increasing the number of check dams and through other rainwater harvesting measures," the chief minister said in a statement issued here.

He also called for resolution of the Mahadayi river water dispute in the interest of the state, the release said.

Karnataka and Goa, the riparian states of Mahadayi (known as Mandovi in Goa), have been locked in a bitter battle over the sharing of water of the river, which originates at Belagavi in Karnataka.

This was Sawant's first presentation before the government's policy think-tank after he took charge of Goa's top post in March this year following the death of then chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

Last week, Sawant announced that the state will construct several check dams within a year and also use abandoned mining pits for rainwater harvesting.

After the NITI Ayog meeting, the government think- tank's official Twitter handle said, "Rainwater harvesting is a major focus area in Goa. The state has focused on the blue revolution and is in the process of formulating a community farming policy."



At the meeting, Sawant also stressed the need for early resumption of the state's mining operations, a key source of revenue to the government, which came to a standstill in March last year following a Supreme Court order which quashed 88 mining leases.

The BJP-led state government earlier requested the Centre to amend the existing mining laws so that the leases get extended.

Sawant also emphasised the need for timely completion of the Mopa international airport in North Goa district.

The Supreme Court earlier this year suspended the environmental clearance granted to the greenfield airport at Mopa and directed the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) to revisit the decision in view of its impact on ecology.

Following the court order, the project is likely to miss its deadline for completion of first phase by 2020, a state government official earlier said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Sunday lamented the 'political violence' in West Bengal and said calling those protesting against such killings as "outsiders" was wrong.

He said it is the responsibility of the government to act in the interest of the people and implement law and order through strict action.

Referring to the political killings in West Bengal, Bhagwat said the people who were killed may belong to a certain party, but calling those who protest against such killings as "outsiders" is wrong.

He was speaking at the concluding programme of the third year of 'Sangh Shiksha Varg' at Smriti Mandir in Reshimbagh here. A total of 828 trainees from across the country participated in the 25-day training which began on May 23.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has often blamed "outsiders" for causing trouble in the state.

"Whatever is happening in West Bengal should not happen. It is not happening in other states. If some goons and those with aggressive tendencies are resorting to this, the administration should step in to curb it. It is the duty of the state to implement law and order," Bhagwat said.

"Shall such a king be called a king? In the run-up to elections, some 'neta' (political leaders) tried to divide people while pretending to be working for national integration. But people of India have rejected such tendencies," he said.

"Killings are happening there. Those killed might belong to some party, and the assailants might belong to a party or maybe goons. But to say that outsiders have come to West Bengal and whether they want to live in the state, such language is used," he said.

In an apparent reference to Banerjee, the RSS chief said, the person (there) is not inexperienced who cannot understand that such things should not happen.

"That person is experienced, 'tapasvi' and has the experience to fight for justice. How can this possibility of losing chair shake one so much?," Bhagwat said.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader added



"election is a competition wherein somebody either supports or opposes somebody else".

"But after the polls, the country is one and will be one forever. Election is a competition and hence groups are formed," he said.

"However, if the winning group in its pride and the losing group due to its loss start indulging in undignified behaviour, then it is a loss for the country.

"Now, what is happening in Bengal? Does such a thing happen after elections? Are such things happenings in other states?" he said.

In an apparent reference to the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Bhagwat said people of the country have reposed faith in the present government for the promises fulfilled by them in the last five years, although some of them still need to fulfilled.

"The Sangh and the society are voters and not contestants. We put in our efforts for 100 per cent voting and we think our efforts are bearing fruits though it may not be 100 per cent," he said.

Bhagwat also opined that the people of the country are learning from every election and voting with maturity for the unity and progress of the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned Saturday there was a "great risk" of escalation in the Gulf, adding that Washington wanted the situation to end in negotiations.

A Japanese-owned tanker, the Kokuka Courageous, and a Norwegian-operated one, the Front Altair, were attacked on Thursday and left ablaze as they were passing through the Gulf of Oman.

Britain has concluded that responsibility "almost certainly" lies with Iran.

Asked on BBC television about the possibility of escalation, he said: "This is the great risk of the situation that we are in.

"Both sides in this dispute think that the other side wouldn't want a war. We are urging all sides to de-escalate.

"Having spoken to President Trump, I am absolutely clear that for America they want this to end in negotiations.

"Let's see Iran stop its destabilising activities in Lebanon through Hezbollah, in Yemen where they are firing missiles into Saudi Arabia, on the Gulf as we have seen.

That is the long-term solution."



The damaged Kokuka Courageous arrived Sunday at a UAE anchorage site as Saudi Arabia accused arch-rival Iran of being behind the attack.

US President Donald Trump has said the twin attacks had Iran "written all over it" -- rejecting Tehran's vehement denial.

Hunt defended his assertion that Iran was "almost certain" to blame for the attacks.

"We have done our own intelligence assessment. We have got videos of what happened. We have seen evidence. We don't believe anyone else could have done this,"



he said.

The owner of the Japanese vessel said Friday in Tokyo however that the crew saw a "flying object" prior to a second blast on board citing two apparent attacks.

He added he believed initial reports suggesting a torpedo was involved in the attack were incorrect as the damage was above the sea surface not below water, which would have suggested a torpedo.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Britain's ambassador to Iran on Sunday denied he was summoned by the Iranian foreign ministry after London accused Tehran of "almost certainly" being responsible for tanker attacks in the Gulf.

"Interesting. And to me," ambassador Rob Macaire said in a tweet a day after the Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement that it had summoned the envoy over his government's accusations.

"I asked for an urgent meeting with the Foreign Ministry yesterday and it was granted. No 'summons'. Of course if formally summoned I would always respond, as would all Ambassadors," Macaire wrote.

Iran's foreign ministry said the head of its European affairs Mahmoud Barimani met Macaire on Saturday and "strongly protested against the unacceptable and anti-Iranian positions of the British government".

On Friday, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said London had concluded Iran was "almost certainly" responsible for Thursday's tanker attacks.

He was echoing remarks by US President Donald Trump who said Thursday's attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman had Iran "written all over it".

Iran has denied any involvement in the twin attacks.

It dismissed Hunt's accusations as "false" and chided London for its "blind and precipitous alignment" with US views, according to the foreign ministry.

The latest incident comes as ties between Tehran and London have been strained in recent months, namely over the fate of a British-Iranian mother jailed in Iran on sedition charges.

London has repeatedly called for the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was arrested in April 2016 as she was leaving Iran after taking their infant daughter to visit her family.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is serving a five-year sentence for allegedly trying to topple the Iranian government, has begun a hunger strike in protest at her detention, her husband said on Saturday.

She previously went on hunger strike in January.

Richard Ratcliffe urged the Iranian authorities to immediately release his wife and to allow the British embassy to check on her health, and also asked they grant him a visa to visit her.

On Saturday he also stood outside Iran's London embassy and said he would maintain his own hunger strike and vigil for as long as his wife refused food.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan will get a loan of $3.4 billion from the for budgetary support, Prime Minister Imran Khan's adviser on finance has said as the cash-strapped country tries to overcome a ballooning balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple its

Of the total amount, $2.1 billion would be released within a year of the agreement between the and the finance ministry, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar was quoted as saying by Dawn.

The loan from the Philippines-headquartered global finance institution was "on a concessional rate", the minister said.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said on Twitter that the will provide $3.4 billion to Pakistan for budgetary support.

"$2.2 billion will be released this fiscal year (FY), starting in the first quarter of FY 2019-20. This will help the reserve position and the external account," he said in a tweet.

ADB's Director General Werner Leipach and its country director Xiaohong Yang called on Shaikh and discussed with him matters relating to ADB's upcoming operations in Pakistan, the finance ministry said in a statement.

"The director general (Leipach) briefed the adviser that in addition to strong project portfolio, the bank is also keen to provide balance of payments financing to support the government of Pakistan's structural reform agenda," according to the statement.

Pakistan seeks help to overcome a ballooning balance of payments crisis.

Last month, it reached an agreement in principle with the Monetary Fund (IMF) for a three-year, USD 6 billion bailout package aimed at shoring up its finances and strengthening a slowing

The financing would come on top of the IMF loan.

In April, three influential US lawmakers urged the Trump adminstration to oppose the proposed multi-billion bailout package being sought by Pakistan from the IMF arguing it could be used to repay the Chinese debt.

Chine is investing heavily in Pakistan under the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Launched in 2015, CPEC is a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking China's resource-rich Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistan's strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.The Indian Journalists' Association (IJA) in the UK has elected a new president and executive committee as part of a change of guard at the 72-year-old organisation representing UK-based journalists covering Indian affairs.

Senior BBC journalist Naresh Kaushik took charge as the IJA president after a long-overdue annual general meeting of the membership organisation in London on Friday.

"The association is meant for members and, if you all agree, we could focus on being there for the welfare of journalists more than raising funds and would attempt to revive the IJA to its past glory," said Kaushik, who will be supported by a team of journalists representing Indian organisations as well as UK-based publications focussed on South Asian affairs.

Kaushik replaced Ashis Ray, who had triggered controversy earlier this year by hosting a press conference of a US-based person making unsubstantiated allegations against the reliability of India's electronic voting machines (EVMs).

"To our astonishment, it turned out to be a press conference via Skype by a masked man, with nothing to back up his claims," read an open letter issued by a majority of the IJA membership in the wake of the controversial event in January.

"With Brexit and the forthcoming election in India there are many important debates to be had and issues to be investigated, but providing a platform for such serious and unsubstantiated claims merely sullies the discourse and adds to divisions," it noted.

The newly-elected leadership of the IJA, which was set up in May 1947 as a representative body for UK-based correspondents and journalists reporting on and covering India, also plans to oversee important changes to incorporate the use of technology in line with the needs of a 21st century journalist body.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)With one more child dying of suspected AES in Muzaffarpur on Sunday morning, the death toll of children in the district rose to 83 this month, even as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex-gratia of Rs four lakh each.

Kumar expressed grief over the children's death in Muzaffarpur and ordered payment of Rs four lakh as ex-gratia to the next of the kin of the deceased, an official release said.

He also directed the officials of the Health department and the district administration as well as doctors to take all possible measures to tackle the disease. The chief minister prayed for a speedy recovery of the children suffering from suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).

A press release issued by the Muzaffarpur district administration said till Sunday 9 am, 83 children had died at the state-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) and the Kejriwal Hospital, which was run by a trust.

According to the release, 69 children had died at the SKMCH, while 14 died at the Kejriwal Hospital due to suspected cases of AES.

Officials, however, maintained that a majority of the victims, most of whom were below 10 years of age, had fallen prey to hypoglycemia, a condition caused by a very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance.

Since June 1, 197 children were admitted to the SKMCH while 91 were taken to Kejriwal Hospital with suspected AES, but most of them were found to be victims of hypoglycemia.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan is scheduled to visit Muzaffarpur on Sunday to take stock of the situation. He will hold meetings with doctors and officials of both the central and state governments.

Vardhan is also scheduled to hold a review meeting with the officials of the Health and other departments concerned of the state government in Patna later in the day.

He will be accompanied by state Health Minister Mangal Pandey during his visit to Muzaffarpur.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, who is also the Bihar unit chief of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), visited the SKMCH on Saturday.

He expressed grief over the deaths and cancelled all the functions for welcoming him in view of the brain fever that has taken a heavy toll on children's lives.

Principal Secretary (Health) Sanjay Kumar had said a few days ago that the disease had affected 222 blocks in 12 districts, especially in Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sheohar and East Champaran.

A team of experts from the Centre visited Muzaffarpur on Wednesday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The commerce ministry's is considering an industry demand for setting up minimum benchmark prices for different grades of tea leaves, an official said.

Indian Tea Association (ITA) has demanded that the government should set up minimum benchmark prices for different grades of tea leaves to promote growth of the sector and push exports.

" and ITA is in discussions over the issue. The demand is reasonable," the official said.

According to the industry, implementation of the demand would help tea companies to deal with the cost-disparity problem, which is impacting the sector. The benchmark price is based on and previous months auction rates.

According to the proposal of the industry, various grades of tea should not be sold below certain prices set by the board. India exported tea worth Rs 5,132.37 crore in 2018 as against Rs 4,987.59 crore in 2017.

The main export markets for India are Iran, China, UAE, Pakistan and CIS countries like Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. saw a decline across the country during January this year at 13.96 million kg compared to 17.68 million kg in the corresponding period a year ago.

South India contributed to the entire produce of 13.96 million kg in January, comprising 7.81 million kg by big growers. The is functioning as a statutory body of the central government under the Ministry of Commerce. It is constituted of 31 members (including Chairman) drawn from Members of Parliament, producers, traders, brokers, consumers, and representatives of governments from the principal tea producing states, and trade unions. It is reconstituted every three years.Faced with a crisis of sorts after two-thirds of its 18 MLAs joined the ruling TRS, the Congress in Telangana might suffer a fresh setback with another party legislator hinting he might switch over to BJP.

Congress MLA from Munugode near Nalgonda, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy Sunday expressed disappointment over the current state of affairs in the party not only in Telangana but in the entire country.

The country would progress under the BJP, he said adding it was the alternative to counter the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) supremo and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Amid reports that he might join BJP, Reddy, an influential leader from Nalgonda district, said he would meet his supporters to take a decision on his future course.

Reacting to the overture, state BJP president K Laxman Sunday said not only Reddy, whoever wanted to strengthen the BJP and the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah would be welcomed.

He claimed many leaders, including MPs and MLAs, were approaching the BJP in the state and a list of those willing to join the party had already been sent to the national leadership, which will take a decision.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka described Reddy's remarks hailing BJP as his personal opinion and said the party high command would take a decision in the backdrop of the MLA's critical comments about the party.

"That is his personal opinion. If anybody thinks BJP will be the alternative, it's only a myth, he told reporters here.

Pleading ignorance about reported meeting between Reddy and BJP leader Ram Madhav, he, however, said some political realignment is happening in the state. I can't talk on that based on media reports.

Earlier, the Congress MLA alleged his party was not able to effectively take on the TRS.

"The Congress is in a difficult position, not only in Telangana, but the whole of India. The country will progress under BJP. The youth are with BJP.The party is the alternative to counter KCR (Chandrasekhar Rao)," Reddy told PTI.

The country's interests should also be kept in mind, he said adding he was not after any post.

Reddy claimed Congress did not have an effective leadership and was not able to take "right and timely decisions though people like him were fighting the TRS."



Targeting state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and AICC in charge of party affairs in Telangana R C Khuntia, he alleged they were not being able to provide effective leadership to fight TRS.

Laxmansaid the BJP national leadership was focusing on Telangana and whether it was Rajagopal Reddy or others they will be welcomed into the party.

Many leaders are approaching usThere are many people right from MLAs and MPs... it has been brought to the notice of high command and they will look into it and take a decision," he told reporters here.

Claiming that people were fed up with Congress, he said they feel BJP was the only viable alternative to the TRS.

Though the Congress won 19 seats in the last assembly elections, most of its MLAs had switched over to the TRS for their selfish motives and people have lost faith in them, he alleged.

"...we will take on TRS on their family rule, feudal rule and divisive We will fight anti-people policies of TRS, Laxman said.

The Congress MLA's move comes close on the heels of 12 of the 18 party MLAs broke away from the party and merged their group with the TRS, dealing a blow to the national party at a time when it has been facing dissidence in several state units following the Lok Sabha poll debacle.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Faced with a crisis of sorts after the merger of 12 of its MLAs with the ruling TRS, the Congress in Telangana might suffer a fresh setback with another party MLA hinting that he might switch over to BJP.

Congress MLA from Munugode near Nalgonda, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, expressed disappointment with the party affairs, alleging it was not able to effectively take on TRS.

"The Congress is in a difficult position,notonly in Telangana, but the whole of India. The country will progress under BJP.

The youth are with BJP. The party is the alternative to counter KCR (Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao),"he told PTI.

The country's interests should also be kept in mind, he said.

Reddy said Congress does not have an effective leadership and the party was not able to take "right and timely decisions" though people like him are fighting against TRS.

The MLA said he was not after any post.

He blamed state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and AICC in charge of party affairs in Telangana R C Khuntia for not being able to provide effective leadership to fight TRS.

Asked about reports that he might join BJP, Reddy said he would meet his supporters and activists to take a decision on the matter.

Rajagopal Reddy is aninfluential leader from Nalgonda district.

His elder brother VenkatReddy is the Congress Lok Sabha member from Bhongir.

If the MLA leaves the party, the Congress is expected to suffer a setback in Nalgonda district



Congress faced a crisis after 12 party MLAs merged with the TRS recently, bringing down the party's strength in the assembly to six.

If Rajagopal Reddy quits the party, Congress would be left with five MLAs, two less than AIMIM.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Public sector lender Corporation Bank plans to raise up to Rs 5,000 crore through issuance of fresh equity shares, debt instruments on private placement basis, rights issue or through QIP in the current fiscal.

The bank will seek approval from shareholders at its meeting scheduled for June 29 for raising of capital by issuance of fresh equity shares or by issuance of additional tier I or tier II capital as per Basel III guidelines, Corporation Bank said in its annual report 2018-19.

The bank said it will create such number of equity shares and/or debt instruments on a private placement/public issue for investors for an amount not exceeding Rs 5,000 crore in one or more tranches.

On the intent of the capital raise plan, Corporation Bank said it may require additional capital from the market to support the projected business requirements and at the same time maintain healthy CRAR, in line with capital raising plan and as per reform agenda undertaken.

Under Basel III norms, the bank is required to maintain total CRAR (Capital to Risk Adjusted Assets Ratio) of 10.875 per cent, it said in the report.

The lender had posted a net loss of Rs 6,332.98 crore in 2018-19 as against a net loss of Rs 4,053.94 crore in the previous year.

Total income too fell to Rs 17,494.70 crore compared to Rs 19,941.41 crore.

"Operating profit of the bank stood at Rs 3,894.47 crore during the year 2018-19. However, with increased provisioning on NPAs, the bank posted net loss of Rs 6,332.98 crore for the year 2018-19," said P V Bharathi, Managing Director & CEO of the bank.

During the fiscal, there were cash recovery and upgradation of NPAs of Rs 5,192.76 crore, up from Rs 4,508.76 crore in the previous financial year, the bank said in the report.

Due to loss, the board of directors of the bank has not recommended any dividend for 2018-19.

Bharathi said the severe pressure on asset quality during the year ended March 2019 was not an isolated case but was the part of overall industry phenomenon.

The bank said the focus will be on recovery of bad loans, emphasis on retail loan portfolio and will continue with rigorous efforts of credit monitoring and to arrest effectively the rising trend in slippages during coming years.

Its gross non-performing assets (NPAs) stood at 17.35 per cent of the gross advances at March-end, 2019 against 15.35 per cent a year ago.

Net NPA ratio too came down to 5.71 per cent from 11.74 per cent earlier.

Also, there were recoveries to the tune of Rs 706.88 crore in written-off accounts during the year, up from Rs 318.06 crore recovery a year ago.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A damaged Japanese tanker arrived Sunday at a UAE anchorage site after it was rocked by explosions in Gulf waters as Saudi Arabia accused arch-rival Iran of being behind the attack.

The Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday when it came under attack along with the Norwegian-operated Front Altair -- the second assault in a month in the strategic shipping lane.

US President Donald Trump has said the twin attacks had Iran "written all over it" -- rejecting Tehran's vehement denial -- and its key Gulf ally Saudi Arabia has also lashed out against Tehran.

In his first public comments since the attacks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in remarks published Sunday he "won't hesitate" to tackle any threats to the oil-rich kingdom.

"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 told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

"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." 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.

"Kokuka Courageous has arrived safely at the designated anchorage at Sharjah," the vessel's Singapore-based BSM Ship Management said in a statement Sunday.

The crew, who remained on board, were "safe and well", it said. A damage assessment and preparations for transferring the ship's cargo would start "once the port authorities have completed their standard security checks and formalities", it added.

The other ship, the Front Altair, has left Iran's territorial waters, multiple sources said Saturday.

It was "heading toward the Fujairah-Khor Fakkan area in the United Arab Emirates", the ports chief of Iran's southern province of Hormozgan told the semi-official agency ISNA.

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.

The UAE's Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday 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.

Thursday's attacks took place southeast of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor connecting the energy-rich states of the Middle East with markets in Asia, Europe, North America and elsewhere.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), 35 percent of the world's seaborne oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, which is struggling with crippling US sanctions, has repeatedly warned in the past that it could block the 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.

Iran's parliament speaker said Sunday Washington could be behind the "suspicious" tanker attacks, the official agency IRNA reported. "The suspicious actions against the tankers... seem to complement the economic sanctions against Iran considering that (the US) has not achieved any results from them," he told MPs.

The UN has called for an independent investigation.

The Saudi crown prince also accused "Iran and its proxies" over May 12 attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off the UAE port of Fujairah.

Attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels have further fuelled tensions in the region.

On Friday, the kingdom intercepted five drones launched by the Huthi rebels, a Riyadh-led coalition said, in a second assault on an airport in the country's southwest in two days. The drones targeted Abha airport, where a rebel missile on Wednesday left 26 civilians wounded, and the nearby city of Khamis Mushait, which houses a major airbase, the coalition said.

A Yemeni rebel drone targeting Abha was also intercepted Saturday but it caused no casualties or damage.

The rebels, who have faced persistent coalition bombing since March 2015 that has exacted a heavy civilian death toll, have stepped up missile and drone attacks across the border in recent weeks and warned that coalition airports were valid targets.

Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia will "not accept the presence of militias on its borders".

Riyadh has repeatedly accused Tehran of arming the rebels with sophisticated weapons, a charge the Islamic republic denies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two damaged tankers arrived safely Sunday to locations off the Emirati coast after they were rocked by explosions in Gulf waters, in an incident Saudi Arabia blamed on its regional arch-rival Iran.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday when it came under attack along with the Norwegian-operated Front Altair -- the second assault in a month in the strategic shipping lane.

US President Donald Trump has said the operation had Iran "written all over it" -- rejecting Tehran's vehement denial -- and its key Gulf ally Saudi Arabia has also lashed out against Tehran.

In his first public comments since the attacks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in remarks published Sunday that he would not hesitate to tackle any threats to the oil-rich kingdom.

"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 told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

He said Iran had responded to a visit to Tehran by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese".

Abe had been on an unprecedented visit to the Iranian capital in a bid to defuse tensions between Washington and the Islamic Republic when the attacks took place.

The US military on Friday released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an "unexploded limpet mine" from the Japanese vessel.

The crew of the Kokuka Courageous saw a "flying object" before a second blast on board, the operator's head said Friday.

The vessel's Singapore-based BSM Ship Management said in a statement Sunday that it had "arrived safely at the designated anchorage" and that its crew were "safe and well".

A damage assessment and preparations for transferring the ship's cargo would start once authorities had completed "security checks and formalities", it added.

The other ship, the Front Altair, was under safe tow by tug boats towards an area off the coast of the eastern Emirati port of Fujairah.

"First inspections are under way and no hot spots have been identified following the fire," the vessel's owners said in a statement Sunday.

It said all crew members were in Dubai, where they will "assist with the debrief to the owner's legal team and the appropriate authorities, before returning home".

The UAE's Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday 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.

Thursday's attacks took place southeast of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor connecting the energy-rich states of the Middle East with markets in Asia, Europe, North America and elsewhere.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), 35 per cent of the world's seaborne oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, which is struggling with crippling US sanctions, has repeatedly warned in the past that it could block the 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.

Iran's parliament speaker said Sunday that Washington could have been behind the "suspicious" tanker attacks, the official agency IRNA reported.

"The suspicious actions against the tankers... seem to complement the economic sanctions against Iran, considering that (the US) has not achieved any results from them," he told MPs.

Pope Francis said Sunday he was following "with concern" the growing tensions in the Gulf.

He appealed "to the international community to pursue every possible effort to promote dialogue and peace".

The Saudi crown prince also accused "Iran and its proxies" over May 12 attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off the UAE port of Fujairah.

Attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels have further fuelled tensions in the region.

On Friday, the kingdom intercepted five drones launched by the Huthi rebels, a Riyadh-led coalition said, in a second assault on an airport in the country's southwest in two days.

The drones targeted Abha airport, where a rebel missile on Wednesday left 26 civilians wounded, and the nearby city of Khamis Mushait, which houses a major airbase, the coalition said.

A Yemeni rebel drone targeting Abha was also intercepted Saturday, but it caused no casualties or damage.

The rebels, who have faced persistent coalition bombing since March 2015 that has exacted a heavy civilian death toll, have stepped up missile and drone attacks across the border in recent weeks and warned that coalition airports were valid targets.

Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia would "not accept the presence of militias on its borders".

Riyadh has repeatedly accused Tehran of arming the rebels with sophisticated weapons, a charge the Islamic republic denies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The BJP is planning to conduct multiple surveys for better selection of political issues and candidates for the Delhi Assembly polls due early next year, in the wake of its massive victory in the Lok Sabha election, senior leaders of the saffron party said on Sunday.

The ruling party was working on various fronts to ensure that it retained the whopping 55 per cent vote share it got in the national capital in the recent parliamentary election for a "comfortable" victory in the Assembly polls next year, a senior Delhi BJP leader said.

At a recent meeting of Delhi BJP leaders, the party's general secretary (organisation) Siddharthan said efforts should be made to retain the 55 per cent vote share in Delhi, he added.

Regular meetings of the party are being held in view of the speculation that the Delhi Assembly polls may be pre-poned to coincide with the state elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand in October-November.

"In view of the upcoming Assembly polls, three-phased surveys are planned for shortlisting constituency-specific issues, assessment of the AAP government (in Delhi) and the performance of its MLAs as well as to analyse the reach and popularity of our leaders for selecting suitable candidates," another top Delhi BJP leader said.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had trounced the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2015 Delhi Assembly polls, winning 67 of the 70 seats. Less than a year after his impressive performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the saffron party could manage to secure only three seats in the Delhi Assembly.

BJP leaders have high hopes of victory in next year's Delhi polls as the party got more votes than the Congress and the AAP in 65 of the 70 Assembly segments in the Lok Sabha election.

"It is a big opportunity for us as the BJP has been out of power in Delhi for over two decades. Not only the Modi magic is working, but the influence of AAP and its supremo Kejriwal is also on the decline," said the senior party leader.

He admitted that the selection of candidates will be crucial in view of the party's drubbing in the 2015 Delhi Assembly polls.

"We need to find out fresh faces with a strong ground presence. Assembly polls are different from the Lok Sabha election, which is dominated by national issues. In Assembly elections, local issues and the local leadership will be important," he said.

As a part the party's night-stay programme, office-bearers of the Delhi BJP, including its president Manoj Tiwari, will visit slum clusters and unauthorised colonies from the coming week to interact with the residents and get a first-hand view of their problems.

"Tiwari has already started the night-stay programme by visiting the Valmiki Basti in Wazirabad last month. Other office-bearers will also spend time in their respective constituencies in the coming days," the Delhi BJP leader said.

The AAP had registered its massive victory in the 2015 Delhi Assembly polls thanks to a strong support of the residents of slums and unauthorised colonies.

A large number of Purvanchalis, who account for around 35 per cent voters in the national capital and who had voted for the AAP in the previous Assembly election, live in such areas and their support will be crucial for victory in the coming polls, the senior Delhi BJP leader said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Delhi's Health Department has issued a show-cause notice to several registered nursing homes and medicare facilities in the city for not submitting fire safety certificates, official sources said Sunday.

In the notice, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has asked why an order of cancellation of registration should not be issued.

In the notice, dated June 6, the DGHS had mentioned the sequence of letters issued by it to the facilities here, asking them to submit a valid copy of a fire safety clearance certificate, and also mentioned the one received by the directorate from the Delhi Fire Services.

"Whereas, a letter... dated 2.8.2018 was issued by this Directorate (DGHS) directing therein to submit a copy of valid fire safety clearance certificate from Delhi Fire Service within one month of receipt of this letter," the notice read.

Another letter was issued by the DGHS on February 14 to summit the fire safety certificates as per the provisions laid down under the Delhi Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1953 and Rules framed thereunder from time to time, the sources said.

A letter was received from the chief fire officer, Directorate of Delhi Fire Service mentioning therein that hospitals and nursing homes fall under the category of institutional buildings, which having a height of more than 9 m or having a ground floor and two upper stories, including a mezzanine, are covered under the norms, the notice said.

"Fire and life safety requirements varies according to the year of construction or conversion of occupancy and accordingly, each individual case along with sanctioned building plans, including section/elevation of the premises... widths of exits duly marked with stipulated fire and life safety provisions as per NBC are required to be forwarded by thread concerned local authority or licence issuing agency before issue of licence for necessary scrutiny," the letter from the chief fire officer had read, as quoted in the notice.

The director general in the DGHS, further said in the notice, "Therefore, in exercise of powers conferred under... Delhi Nursing Home Registration Act, 1953... , hereby issue a notice to show cause within one calendar month from the date of receipt of this notice, as to why an order of cancellation of registration" should not be issued, since there is a violation of a section of the act.

The notice has been addressed to keepers, medical superintendents and directors of all registered nursing homes which have not submitted fire safety clearance certificates.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The DIPAM has raised objections to the list prepared by Niti Aayog for monetising assets of CPSEs, saying the stipulated procedure, including consultation with administrative ministries and other government departments, should be followed before finalising such lists.

Niti Aayog has given a list of around 50 assets, including land and building, of state-owned companies for sale to the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), a wing of the Finance Ministry which deals with disinvestment.

Following this, the DIPAM wrote to Niti Aayog saying that the government think tank should follow the procedure and mechanism for asset monetisation of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) as laid down in the March 8 office memorandum issued by it, sources said.

As per the memorandum, Niti Aayog has been tasked to recommend the assets for monetisation after consultation with a group comprising representatives of the administrative ministry, DIPAM, Department of Economic Affairs and Department of Public Enterprises.

While recommending the assets for monetisation, the consultative group has been mandated to consider various factors, including tentative value of assets, their strategic nature, location, and also situation analysis with respect to law and order. It would also look into whether the assets can be easily ring fenced, and also its revenue potential.

The sources said Niti Aayog is expected to redraft the list of assets for monetisation after following consultative process along with analysis, nature and value of the assets.

Unless the due process is followed, the list does not serve any purpose as the names of assets just keep piling up whereas the entire valuation and due diligence has to be done afresh by DIPAM, the sources said.

Niti Aayog was earlier tasked with drafting list of CPSEs which can go in for strategic sale. It has so far submitted list of over 35 companies, of which only about 4 companies have been actually sold.

The sources said that in absence of due diligence on the part of Niti Aayog, it would not be possible for the DIPAM to fast track the process of asset sale.

According to the guidelines for monetising assets, an inter-ministerial group (IMG), chaired by DIPAM Secretary, will identify the non-core assets of the CPSEs on its own and also on the basis of recommendations of the Niti Aayog. The final call, however, will be taken by the finance minister-headed panel.

Once the alternative mechanism, comprising the finance minister, road transport minister and the minister of concerned administrative ministry, approves the assets for monetisation, it should be completed within 12 months from the date of approval.

The amount raised through sale of non-core assets would form part of the disinvestment proceeds. The government has set a target of Rs 90,000 crore to be raised through CPSE disinvestment in the current financial year, up from the Rs 85,000 crore mopped up in the previous financial year.

In the current fiscal, the government has so far raised Rs 2,350.25 crore from disinvestment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The impasse at the state-run medical colleges and hospitals in West Bengal entered the sixth day on Sunday, even as the agitating doctors asserted that they were open to talks with the government, the venue for which would be decided by a governing body of medical practitioners.

Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Chief Minister visit the city's NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation.

After an internal meeting late on Saturday, the doctors, who had turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat, mellowed down and stated that they were ready to hold a dialogue in any form, but the venue of the meeting would be decided later.

"We will be deciding on our next step during a governing body meeting today. We are open to any dialogue as always. The venue for the meeting will be decided soon," a spokesperson of a joint forum of junior doctors told reporters here.

During a press conference at the state secretariat on Saturday, Banerjee urged the agitators to resume work and said her government had accepted all of their demands.

She also stressed that a group of doctors had met her and expressed their willingness to join duty, a claim vehemently refuted by the striking doctors.

During the meet, the chief minister emphasised that her government had not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to get the doctors to resume work.

"We have 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 after the agitators did not turn up for a meeting at 5 pm.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory, seeking a report on the ongoing stir and stating that it had received a number of representations from the medical fraternity from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the strike in West Bengal.

Bengal Governor K N Tripathi has written to Banerjee, advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the medicos and find out a solution to the impasse.

The chief minister said she had spoken to the governor and apprised him of the steps taken by her government to resolve the matter.

Doctors across the state called for a strike after two of their colleagues were brutally assaulted at the NRS Medical College and Hospital by the family members of a patient, who died on Monday night.

The services continue to remain affected in the emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch.

The Calcutta High Court had, on Friday, refused to pass any interim order on the strike by the junior doctors.

It had also asked the state government to persuade the doctors to resume work.Michael Kidd, now 84 years old, fought in the Korean War. His young German shepherd Millie helps calm him down when things start to swirl, usually at night.

Harry Stolberg -- a 42-year-old former Marine who served in Bosnia, Liberia and Nigeria -- has a chocolate Labrador named Rocky who wakes him up from his troubled dreams.

And 31-year-old Phil Davanzo -- who carried the bodies of fallen comrades during a hostage rescue operation that went wrong off Somalia in 2011 -- hopes his Rottweiler puppy will soon be trained to support him during his panic attacks.

The three US veterans, who all live on New York's Long Island, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have sought solace through pet therapy -- namely, a loyal dog to keep them company.

The shelter animals are either trained or being trained to help them through difficult times by Paws of War, an association funded entirely by private donations that then provides the service dogs free of charge.

The group will also train a veteran's dog if he or she already has one.

"The biggest thing is he wakes me up from nightmares," Stolberg says of three-year-old Rocky.

"He can open the door, come in my room, turn on the lights, take my blinders off me... and lick my hands so I wake up."



Rocky, whose 18 months of training were completed six months ago, also helps Stolberg navigate large crowds, which can be triggering.

"If I can't move, he will get me out of that crowd -- he will pick up on that. He will walk around me and look at it and if I don't respond, he will walk away from the crowd with me hooked up to him," he says.

Paws of War -- their acronym is a play on POW, used to signify prisoners of war -- has been active since 2014.

More than 100 dogs have been trained so far, and the therapeutic results for their masters have been significant.

Kidd, who suffers from severe PTSD, has been able to reduce his intake of medication thanks to Millie.

At night when things are tough, "she will come over to me, she will put her paw on my shoulder, on my chest, and just give me a big slobber," says Kidd, whose father was in Normandy on D-Day.

"That's just saying, 'I am here for you.'" Stolberg used to need sleeping pills to get through the night, but not anymore, thanks to Rocky.

"Sleeping was my biggest problem. (...) Now I only have a nightmare once or twice a month, instead of every day," he explains.

"A lot of that is also because I know that when I go to sleep, he is in the room -- he is going to wake me up no matter what."



It takes 18 to 24 months to teach dogs what to do when a troubled veteran sends distress signals, according to Rebecca Stromski, a senior trainer for Paws of War whose husband served in Afghanistan and Kuwait.

"It's quite a process actually, creating a mutual respect and a connection between the service dude and the service dog," she says.

"Once the foundations are in place and the dog starts feeling if things are going well or not for the veterans, they start to do certain motions when the guys are fidgeting," Stromski explains.

"I can start and cue that behaviour and use that as an alert."



In the face of seemingly interminable wars for US military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq, deployments which began in 2001, veterans are experiencing PTSD symptoms on a regular basis.

Paws of War has more requests for service animals than it can fulfill, with 50 veterans on the waiting list, according to the group's co-founder Dori Scofield.

After running an animal shelter for 30 years, Scofield launched Paws of War after being contacted by veterans returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Those soldiers had become attached to dogs they had found in those countries, but were unable to bring them back home.

Through word of mouth recommendations, the association quickly became a top meeting place for the 75,000-strong veteran community on Long Island, one of the biggest in the United States.

"We get applications every day -- we can't keep up," Scofield says.

"I can't train enough dogs fast enough."



She has opened satellite offices in Florida and in northern New York state. She has also launched a free mobile veterinary clinic where veterans can bring their companion animals.

Dogs who might have ended up put to sleep in shelters now have homes, and veterans are rediscovering "a reason to get up every day, get moving, get out," Scofield says.

"It has been just so awesome, helping both ends of the leash.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.): Puducherry government has directed the medical fraternity here not to resort to agitation scheduled Monday to protest against the attack on two doctors in Kolkata recently.

Director of Health and Family Welfare Services K V Raman in a press release Sunday said the members of the Indian Medical Association have been asked not to go on strike, as such conduct would be a violation of the conduct rules governing civil servants.

A dharna has been planned for an hour in front of the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Research Institute here on June 17 to protest against the attack of two doctors in NRS medical college and hospital in Kolkata recently.

The director said that the patient care should not be at stake.

He, however, said that the government was fully concerned about the safety of all doctors and also about prevalence of congenial atmosphere for proper practice of medical profession.

He said that the government was also pursuing steps for early tabling of an ordinance on the floor of the Assembly for protection of doctors and government hospitals and at the same time patient care should also not be at stake.

Doctors in the Union Territory are governed by the Central Civil Servants' Conduct rules.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Electoral bonds worth over Rs 5,800 crore were bought by donors to fund political parties between March 1, 2018 and May 10, 2019, a Right to Information reply has said.

Seventy-six per cent of these bonds, worth Rs 4,444.32 crore, were bought in the sale of last three tranches, which took place between March 1 and May 10 this year at the height of Lok Sabha campaigning and polls, the RTI reply furnished by the State Bank of India said.

As per the Union government's Electoral Bond Scheme 2018, only 29 branches of the State Bank of India (SBI) were authorised to issue and encash these bonds in ten phases.

The reply said people bought electoral bonds worth Rs 5851.41 crore between March 1, 2018 and May 10, 2019, of which those worth Rs 1,407.09 crore were purchased by anonymous donors in the first seven phases between March 1 last year and January 24 this year.

The RTI was filed by a Neemuch-based activist Chandrashekhar Goud.

The bonds are valued at Rs 1000, Rs 10,000, Rs one lakh, Rs 10 lakh and Rs one crore.

As per provisions of the scheme, electoral bonds may be received by political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and those which have secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last general of state elections.

The Supreme Court, which is hearing a petition against these bonds, in April this year directed all political parties to furnish receipts of funding received through electoral bonds and details of identity of donors in a sealed cover to the Election Commission.

The Centre contends electoral bonds are an attempt at bringing greater transparency, ensuring KYC compliance and keeping an audit trail in comparison to the earlier opaque system of cash donations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Huma Qureshi says it was liberating to headline a female-driven project with "Leila" as it is about time the trope of women being rescued by men on screen is done away with.

The actor features in the latest Netflix series "Leila", which follows her character Shalini in search of her daughter Leila whom she lost one tragic summer.

Shalini deals with various hardships in the course of her search, in a story of longing, faith and loss.

The actor wonders if Shalini was not a woman and was a man instead, would the representation on screen change.

"I don't know. That's the question you've to constantly keep asking... But for me, it was absolutely enriching. I think it's enough now, how long will you be rescued by the knight in shining armour? At what point can you start being the superhero in your own life?"



In an interview with PTI, the actor says there is inequality and repression of women "but where are our role models?"



"Where are people who look and talk like us but are yet (not represented cinematically)? We don't have enough of those. Hence, as an actor, as a woman it was liberating."Co-directed by Deepa Mehta, Shanker Raman and Pawan Kumar, "Leila" is based on Prayaag Akbar's book of the same name.

The 32-year-old actor says when the dystopian drama came her way, the series' universal story appealed to her.

"No matter which part of the world you're from, you'll find something to identify with. That got me excited...

"You are greedy as an actor and the greed is endless. You want to work with different people and learn from their experiences, you want to be a better actor and a better version of yourself. That's also what resonated with me."



To prepare for her character, Huma started out with Deepa, who helped her explore the journey of Shalini along with several workshops with all the actors.

"I used to do workshops back in the day in college during my theatre days but I hadn't done that in a while so it felt good to be connected. It felt like how I was when I was doing 'Gangs of Wasseypur'.

"That feeling of being raw, of not being afraid, not knowing what your angles are, what looks good on you and all of that. It really felt like that."



Beyond workshops, Huma would constantly talk to Deepa about her character to get her "emotional journey" right.

"When she (Deepa) is shooting, she's also an actor while obviously keeping in mind other departments. She demanded that from me and I loved that.

"All actors liked to be pushed because we are lazy or we tend to become lazy because it's hard what we do. We try and conserve our energy. It isn't a conscious thing but it just happens. But she really pushed me.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Beach sand mining ban on private players has resulted in loss of exports worth Rs 4,000 crore and Rs 5,000 crore in revenue, mining body FIMI has said, demanding rescinding the order.

In its latest report "Mining Matters for India", Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) said the ban has put a large number of jobs at stake.

"In the case of beach sand minerals (BSM), private sector has been debarred for mining, putting numerous jobs at stake and depriving the country of revenue to the extent of Rs 5,000 crore and exports of about Rs 4,000 crore annually," FIMI said in its latest report.

At present, only government companies are allowed to engage in beach sand mining after the Ministry of Mines vide a notification in February this year banned the private players.

"The Government should improve the regulatory mechanism and private sector should be continued to be allowed for mining of beach sand minerals and the Ministry of Mines notification...barring private sector should be rescinded," it said.

The report also highlights Fimi's demand for considering mining as an 'Independent Activity', and not as captive to any downstream metal industry such as steel, aluminium, etc.

"While mining is a business of volumes, captive mining limits the scale of mining, neglects mineral exploration limited to plant requirement, leads to selective mining and wastage of resources," the report said.

The private sector in future should be the main source of investment in reconnaissance, exploration and mining with right to seamless transition, transferability with security of tenure, it said adding, the government agencies such as GSI, MECL etc may continue to perform the exploration and surveys on regional basis and in areas where private investment is not forthcoming.

"The Government of India should create a level playing field for both private (captive and non-captive) and Government sector companies in terms of tenure of leases, area selection, etc," it added.

Much of the contribution made by the mining industry to ensure raw material security for India's sustainable growth has not received the due attention of the stake-holders and society at large, it said.

FIMI also demanded that the contribution of mining should be viewed in light of the multiplier effect it has across the entire economy and not just its monetary contribution to GDP.

The industry body is committed to contribute to the sustained growth of the mineral sector in a sustainable manner for economic growth, raw material security of the country and socio-economic development particularly in remote and tribal areas, it said, and urged the government to initiate steps to ensure its rightful position as a growth engine in the economy and unlock the full potential of the Indian mineral sector.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The is evaluating capital needs of state-owned banks, and likely to provide about Rs 30,000 crore in the upcoming Budget to help them meet minimum regulatory capital requirement in the current fiscal, sources said.

The first budget of Modi 2.0 government is scheduled to be presented on July 5 by on the backdrop of India's economy hitting 5-year low growth of 6.8 per cent in 2018-19.

In addition, the public sector banks would also require capital for the credit growth, which has just started picking up. Five weak banks under the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework of the RBI too need capital to maintain minimum regulatory capital ratios as per the Basel III norms.

Besides, if the government goes for another consolidation like of Baroda, the three-way merger would also require additional capital, the sources said.

It is to be noted that the government infused Rs 5,042 crore in BoB to enhance its capital base to meet additional expense due to amalgamation of and

In all the the government made record capital infusion of Rs 1,06,000 crore in the public sector banks last fiscal. It was enhanced from earlier provision of Rs 65,000 crore in December 2018.

As a result of capital infusion, five banks - Bank of India, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Bank of Maharashtra, and - came out of PCA. Following merger of with BoB, it also came out of weak bank category. Out of 11, only five are left under weak bank category of the Reserve

As far as their own resource mobilisation are concerned, sources said, they are unable to tap capital market because of their low share prices.

They are on sale of non-core assets which are not enough, the sources said, adding that PSBs would require capital infusion from the government this fiscal as well.

How much will come would depend on the government fiscal math that the Budget division of the will take a final call near Budget preparation, the sources noted.

Initial estimate indicates capital requirement of Rs 20,000-30,000 crore, provided banks are also able to raise funds on their own from the market both through asset and share sale, they added.

Many banks, including State and (BoB), have already got the board approval for capital raising as and when required.

For example, BoB plans to raise Rs 11,900 crore during the current fiscal through share sale, including Employee Share Purchase Scheme to shore up capital for meeting business expansion requirement.

The bank expects to garner Rs 1,500 crore from Employee Share Purchase Scheme (BoB-ESPS). ESPS will be within overall limit of capital plan 2019-20 of Rs 11,900 crore.The first batch of 31 pilgrims was flagged off for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Nathula Pass in Sikkim on Sunday.

K Jayakumar, the Additional Chief Secretary of Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, flagged off two buses carrying the pilgrims for the first climate acclimatization camp located at 15th Mile and 17th Mile enroute to Nathula.

Earlier in the day, the pilgrims, including 11 women, and two liaison officers, attended a briefing session at a hotel here, which was organized by the Sikkim government's Tourism and Civil Aviation Department.

Addressing the session, Jayakumar informed the pilgrims about the significance of the journey to the holy place.

"The central government and the Sikkim government have put in great effort for smooth conduct of the journey and there is nothing to be worried about," Jayakumar told the pilgrims.

The Commandant of the 48th Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), T S Mangang, briefed the pilgrims about the route chart to Kailash Mansarovar and the acclimatization schedules.

Mangang also urged the pilgrims to follow the directions of the liaison officers and adhere to the given timings.

He apprised them about the rules and regulations to be followed during their onward journey and advised everyone to remain mentally strong.

The pilgrims will stay at 15th Mile and 17th Mile for the first two days and at Sherathang for another two days for acclimatization before undergoing the final round of medical check up by the ITBP at Sherathang on June 19, a day before crossing the Indian territory at Nathula for onward journey towards Kailash Mansarovar on the following day.

The first batch of Kailash Mansarovar yatris will return to Gangtok on July 1 and leave for New Delhi by a commercial flight on July 2.

The second batch of Kailash Mansarovar-bound pilgrims will arrive at Sikkim on June 20, the Information and Public Relations Department (IPR) said in a release.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Five out of thirteen fish-laden trucks checked for formalin were sent back from the border by Goa authorities for lack of proper documentation, an official said Sunday.

The trucks were checked at Patradevi and Pollem borders in the north and south of the state late Saturday night, officials said.

"Three of five trucks at Patradevi and two out of eight trucks in Pollem were sent back because they did not have proper documentation. No formalin was found in any of the fish tested during the check," an official stated.

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said the checks were being conducted by the Quality Council of India assisted by state departments including Food and Drugs Administration.

An official said state Food Safety Commissioner Jyoti Sardesai was present at one of the checks on Saturday.

The state had seen a scare last year after suspicion that some of the fish imported here was laced with formalin, a potential cancer-causing chemical.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Nearly two decades after France phased out conscription for men, some 2,000 teenagers Sunday began trialling a new national service, a pet project of French President Emmanuel Macron.

For a fortnight, the 15- and 16-year-olds will leave home for training in first aid and other basic skills, followed later by another two weeks of volunteering.

Macron caused surprise on the campaign trail in 2017 by promising to introduce a month-long compulsory national service, saying he wanted to give girls and boys "a direct experience of military life".

The proposal got a cool response from the army, which baulked at the prospect of having to put millions of teens through their paces, prompting the government to come back with proposals for a compulsory civic service instead.

Some 2,000 youngsters were chosen out of 4,000 volunteers for the first part of the trial, which started Sunday at boarding schools, holiday villages and university campuses around the country.

Each volunteer will leave home for another region for the two weeks, during which time they will be required to wear navy uniforms and sing the "Marseillaise", France's national anthem, every morning.

Described as an "integration phase", the teens will be taught first aid, map reading, and other skills.

A second two-week phase, later this summer or during the coming school year, involves work on a "collective project", such as volunteering with a charity or local government.

Macron has billed the service as a way to develop patriotism and social cohesion in a country battling deep divisions between left and right, rich and poor, and religious and non-religious.

The programme, which will be written into the constitution, will be rolled out over the next seven years, targeting about 800,000 youngsters per year, eventually becoming compulsory.

France requires all citizens to participate in a one-day "Defence and Citizenship" course when they turn 18, which includes a presentation of the country's military forces and a French language test.

Macron is the first French president not to have been called up to serve, having come of age after the compulsory 10 months of military service for school-leaving men was abolished by ex-president Jacques Chirac in 1997, with the last conscripts discharged in 2001.

Macron has said his aim is to give young people "causes to defend and battles to fight in the social, environmental and cultural domains.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man and his son were killed while his wife was critically injured when a jeep hit their car on the Goa-Mumbai highway on Sunday morning, police said.

The accident took place around 7 am on Siolim-Chopdem bridge located on the highway when the family was returning to their native Morjim village in North Goa district after attending the Sunday Mass at a local church, Anjuna police station's inspector Navlesh Desai said.

The jeep, which was coming from the opposite direction, suddenly entered a wrong lane and hit the car, killing two of its occupants on the spot, he said.

The deceased are identified as Judas Fernandes and his son Joao Fernandes, he said.

The injured woman was admitted to the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital where her condition was reported to be critical, Desai said.

Some angry locals later blocked the bridge for over an hour while demanding arrest of the jeep driver. They also set ablaze the jeep, which had a Maharashtra registration number, Desai said.

The police managed to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control, he said.

The jeep driver, identified as Shekhar Dubey, hailing from Kalyan town in Maharashtra's Thane district, was later arrested and booked under relevant sections for rash and negligent driving, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The GST Council is likely to extend till November 30, 2020 the tenure of the National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA), which deals with customer complaints regarding not receiving tax cut benefits, at its next meeting on June 21, an official said.

The Council at its 35th meeting, the first under new Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is also likely to consider a proposal to set up one appellate tribunal for north-eastern states, and another one for all Union Territories.

Besides, the Council would discuss a proposal to levy Goods and Services Tax (GST) on extra-neutral alcohol (ENA), which is used for manufacturing alcoholic liquor for human consumption, the official added.

ENA a is derivative of sugarcane molasses (95 per cent high-purity ethyl alcohol) and is not an alcoholic liquor for human consumption but can be used as raw material or input, after processing and substantial dilution, in the production of whisky, gin, country liquor etc.

The Finance Ministry is of the view that NAA should be given an extension of one year till November 30, 2020 as the authority continues to receive complaints of profiteering by companies, the official told PTI.

The NAA is keen for a two-year extension, the official said, adding the final call will be taken by the GST Council in its meeting on June 21.

Earlier, the meeting was scheduled for June 20, but has now been postponed to June 21.

Soon after the GST was rolled out from July 1, 2017, the government had approved setting up of the NAA for two years to deal with complaints by consumers against companies for not passing on GST rate cut benefits.

The NAA came into existence on November 30, 2017, after its Chairman B N Sharma assumed charge. So far, the NAA has passed 67 orders in various cases.

The GST law provides for setting up of benches of appellate tribunal in all states. Although 18 states have got the approval to set up appellate benches, none of these states have operationalised them.

The GST Council in its June 21 meeting is likely to approve the proposals of Delhi, Odisha and Telangana to set up appellate tribunal benches.

The Council will also take a call on setting up a combined bench for all north-eastern states as well as one bench to deal with appeal cases in six Union Territories -- Chandigarh, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the official said.

With regard to bringing ENA under GST, states have divergent views on levying GST. Larger states like West Bengal, Rajasthan, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have been of the view that ENA should be out of GST.

States levy Value Added Tax (VAT) and Central Sales Tax (CST) on ENA and states will have to forgo the right to tax the product if it is brought under GST.

The GST Council had earlier sought the opinion of the Attorney General on legality of imposing GST on ENA. The AG had then opined that since ENA is not consumed directly by people, GST can be imposed on it.

Currently, potable alcohol is out of the ambit of GST and states are free to levy taxes on them.

Among other things, the GST Council will also consider issuance of e-invoice by entities with turnover of over Rs 50 crore for business-to-business (B2B) sales in a bid to curb GST evasion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Gujarat government will recruit over 10,000 police personnel in the state, a minister said on Sunday.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has cleared a proposal to this effect, Gujarat Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja said.

He was speaking after reviewing the passing-out-parade of the Lokrakshak Dal jawans at the Police Training School here.

"About 50,000 police personnel were recruited in the state over the last 10 years. But the Gujarat police department requires more personnel and CM Vijay Rupani has given his consent to a proposal for recruitment of over10,000 personnel," Jadeja said.

According to the minister, the efficiency and functioning of the state police department has gone up in the past several years due to the induction of educated personnel.

"Efforts are being made for accurate investigations and increasing rate of detection of crimes in the state, for which the police training schools are being equipped with modern weaponry and latest technology," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Gunmen have killed 34 people in Nigeria's northern Zamfara state where criminal gangs have been terrorising remote villages, police said Sunday.

Armed bandits on motorcycles stormed into neighbouring Tungar Kafau and Gidan Wawa villages in Shinkafi district late Friday and shot dead 34 people, state police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said in a statement.

"Normalcy has been restored in Tungar Kafau and Gidan Wawa... following attack by armed bandits... where 34 people were killed," Shehu said.

He said the victims of the attacks were buried on Saturday, adding police were on the trail of the killers.

Local residents put the death toll higher, at 35.

The bandits were said to have opened fire on farmers on their fields outside the villages and also pursued those who fled.

"The bandits killed 35 people in the attacks," said Lawwali Madattai, a resident.

Rural communities in Zamfara state have for years been terrorised by criminal gangs who raid villages, stealing cattle, kidnapping for ransom and burning homes after looting food supplies.

The bandits are known to hide in camps in Rugu forest which straddles Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states from where they launch attacks on communities in the area.

Last week, at least 40 people were killed and dozens injured in raids in eight remote villages in Niger state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Sunday announced establishment of 11 government hostels to provide accommodation to students from oppressed and deprived sections of society.

He also announced that the government will fill up posts reserved for members of Scheduled Castes.

Khattar said from July 1 the state government would organise tours for people belonging to Scheduled Castes to the birthplaces of Sant Kabir and Sant Ravidas in Varanasi and Maharshi Valmiki in Amritsar.

"For this, interested persons can get their registration done at the Deputy Commissioner's Office and they would be provided with second class rail tickets free of cost. For this, initially, 100 devotees each from every assembly constituency (total 90 constituencies) will be given opportunity every year.

"This way, 9,000 pilgrims will visit these places in a year. It will be on first come, first serve basis and a family will be given this benefit only once," he said.

He was speaking at the state-level function organised on the eve of birth anniversary of the 15th century poet Kabir in Jind.

15th century poet Kabir, interspersed his speech with his couplets.

He said the state government has been carrying out equitable development in the state.

"We have changed the system so that people do not have to visit government offices and more than 450 schemes and services have been made available online under one roof through Antyodaya Sewa Kendra, Saral Kendra or Atal Seva Kendra. About 32 lakh people have availed benefits of these scheme in the past two years," an official release quoted him as saying.

Finance Minister Abhimanyu and Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Kumar were present at the event.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 44 people have died in a blistering heatwave that hit three Bihar districts on Saturday, officials said on Sunday.

The officials at the Disaster Management Control Room said 22 people died in Aurangabad, 20 in Gaya and two in Nawada districts due to the heatwave.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over the deaths due to the "loo" winds and the heatstroke in the three districts and has announced a payment of Rs four lakh as ex-gratia to the next of kin of those killed, an official release said.

Stating that the government stood firmly with the affected families, Kumar ordered payment of Rs four lakh as ex-gratia from the state disaster relief fund to the next of kin of those killed due to the heatwave in the three districts.

He also directed the officials concerned to take necessary steps and measures in dealing with the blistering heat and loo.

The chief minister also asked the officials to provide all medical help to those affected by the heatstroke.

Major cities such as Patna, Gaya and Bhagalpur witnessed the heatwave on Saturday.

According to the Patna Meteorological Centre, the state capital registered a maximum temperature of 45.8 degrees Celsius on Saturday, the highest in June in the last 10 years, while Gaya and Bhagalpur recorded a high of 45.2 and 41.5 degrees Celsius respectively.

A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is 4.5 degrees Celsius above normal for two consecutive days, a MeT official said.

Saturday's maximum temperatures recorded in Patna, Gaya and Bhagalpur were 9.2 degrees, 7.6 degrees and 5.5 degrees Celsius above normal respectively.

The MeT department has forecast that the heatwave will continue in these three cities on Sunday too.

The state government on Saturday said all schools in Patna city will remain closed till June 19 in view of the prevailing conditions.

Patna District Magistrate (DM) Kumar Ravi said all government and private schools in the state capital will remain shut till June 19 due to a persisting heatwave-like condition for the past several days, an official release said.

This is the second time the district administration has extended the suspension of academic activities in schools due to the

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.)Terming as "unconstitutional" the Election Commission's decision to hold separate bypolls to two Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat, the state Congress Sunday accused the ruling BJP of pressurising the poll body so that it could win both the seats.

The opposition party also raised question marks over the impartiality of the EC and threatened to move the Supreme Court against it.

"Election to two vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat should be held together. But in order not to lose any of the two seats, the BJP has pressurised the Election Commission into holding the polls to the two seats separately, which is unconstitutional," Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda told reporters here Sunday.

"The notification is wrong, unconstitutional and raises questions over the impartiality of the Election Commission. We will move the Supreme Court against the notification," Chavda said.

The EC had Saturday said that bypolls to six Rajya Sabha seats, including two in Gujarat vacated by Union ministers Amit Shah and Smriti Irani, will be held on July 5.

The seats fell vacant after Shah won from Gandhinagar and Irani from Amethi Lok Sabha constituencies respectively.

Reacting to Chavda's accusations, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said by-elections to the Rajya Sabha seats are held separately, which is why the EC decided to issue separate notifications for the same.

He expressed confidence that both the seats will be won by the BJP.

"The system is such that by-election to Rajya Sabha seats is not held together, but separately. There will be separate notifications for the two seats, and we will certainly win both the seats as we have sufficient number (of votes)," Rupani said.

The EC had Saturday clarified that the vacancies for bypolls to all Houses, including the Rajya Sabha, are considered "separate vacancies" and separate notifications are issued and separate polls are held, though the schedule can be the same.

It had said that notifications for the bypolls will be issued on June 18.

The poll watchdog had cited two Delhi High Court rulings of 1994 and 2009 which had supported the system of holding separate bypolls in the same state under provisions of the Representation of the People Act.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)About two million protesters choked Hong Kong's streets in a powerful rebuke of a reviled extradition law, organisers said Sunday, piling pressure on the city's embattled pro-Beijing leader who apologised for causing "conflict" but refused to step down.

The show of force saw vast crowds marching for hours in tropical heat, calling for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam, who was forced to suspend the bill as public anger mounted.

Throngs of largely black-clad protesters snaked their way for miles through the streets to the city's parliament -- with the organisers' estimate for the crowd size doubling an already record-breaking demonstration the previous Sunday in the city of 7.3 million.

The estimate has not been independently verified but if confirmed it would be the largest demonstration in Hong Kong's history.

Hong Kong's biggest protest to date was a massive rally in support of Tiananmen protesters in May 1989, before Beijing's deadly crackdown, which sources at the time put at roughly 1.5 million strong.

Police, who historically give far lower estimates for political protests, said 338,000 people turned out at the demonstration's "peak" Sunday.

Thousands were camping out overnight to continue the protest, including outside the legislature, with the police seemingly ceding the streets to the jubilant masses.

Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe business hub.

Lam's office put out a statement late Sunday admitting that shortcomings in how her administration handled the law had "led to a lot of conflict and disputes" and "disappointed and distressed many citizens".

It came a day after she announced she would postpone the law indefinitely.

But it fell well short of protester demands that she resign, shelve the bill permanently and apologise for police using tear gas and rubber bullets earlier in the week.

The Civil Human Rights Front, which is organising the rallies, said Hong Kongers would protest and strike on Monday "until their voices are heard".

The international finance hub was rocked Wednesday by the worst political violence in decades as protesters were dispersed by baton-wielding riot police.

Many accused the police of using excessive force, and anger was further fanned by authorities calling the largely young protesters "rioters".

Nearly 80 people were injured in the unrest -- including 22 police officers -- with both sides showing a willingness to escalate action and reaction to levels unseen in the usually stable business hub.

Police said they had no choice but to use force to meet violent protesters who besieged their lines outside the city's parliament.

But critics -- including legal and rights groups -- say officers used the violent actions of a tiny group of protesters as an excuse to unleash a sweeping crackdown on the predominantly young, peaceful crowd.

One man died Saturday when he fell from a building where he had been holding an hours-long anti-extradition protest.

He had unfurled a banner on scaffolding attached to an upscale mall, but fell when rescuers tried to haul him in. Police said they suspected the 35-year-old was suicidal.

Throughout the day, demonstrators queued for hours to leave flowers and tributes where he fell.

The extradition furore is just the latest chapter in what many see as a battle for the soul of Hong Kong.

For the last decade the city has been convulsed by political turbulence between pro-Beijing authorities and opponents who fear an increasingly assertive China is stamping on the city's unique freedoms and culture enjoyed since the handover from Britain in 1997.

Opposition to the extradition bill has united an unusually wide cross-section of Hong Kong, from influential legal and business bodies to religious leaders.

Lam's decision to ignore those warnings and press ahead with the bill even after last weekend's massive rally placed her administration under pressure from both opponents and allies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Healthcare services at several government and private hospitals in the national capital are likely to take a hit on Monday as scores of doctors have decided to boycott work for a day in support of their striking colleagues in West Bengal.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had given the



June 17 strike call with the withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country. IMA members will also stage a dharna at its headquarters here.

Doctors at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital, RML Hospital as well as Delhi government facilities such as GTB Hospital, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital,Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital will not function on Monday.

The IMA said all outpatient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday.

Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said.

Junior doctors in West Bengal are on strike since June 11 after two of their colleagues were reportedly attacked and seriously injured by relatives of a patient who died at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

In a show of solidarity, medical practitioners across the country chose not to work, leaving patients in the lurch.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence.

The apex medical body, IMA, has demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff.

Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in a statement.

Exemplary punishment for perpetrators of violence should be a component of the central law and suitable amendments be brought in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the IMA said.

The medical body had launched a four-day nationwide protest from Friday and wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding enactment of the central law to check violence against healthcare workers.

A delegation of IMA, Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, United Resident and Doctors Association of India (URDA) and Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) met the Health Minister recently in this regard.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India had carried out one of its best evacuation operations from a war-like zone in 2006, when it brought back home around 2,300 people, including some from Sri Lanka and Nepal, who were caught in the Israel-Lebanon conflict, says a new book.

In Challenges of Governance: An Insider's View, former Cabinet Secretary B K Chaturvedi recalls his experiences as a top bureaucrat on issues of governance, coalition and handling emergencies, like the evacuation of Indian citizens from the simmering war zone 13 years ago.

It was a rescue operation designed to provide support to those persons, mostly Indian citizens, who were caught in the war-like zone of Lebanon-Israel, he says, noting that 12,000 Indians were living in Lebanon at the time.

Chaturvedi, who was overseeing the developments from New Delhi, recalls that tension was escalating in the region and travelling by road was becoming increasingly dangerous so the government opted for sea route to bring them to a port in Cyprus from where Air India planes would fly them to Delhi.

The Israelis started bombarding Lebanese positions, and there was a naval blockade of the Lebanese coast. With escalating tensions, the Indian embassy in Lebanon evacuated families of its staffers, as it was becoming a dangerous conflict zone and lives were in danger.

This evacuation was done via neighbouring Syria. The families travelled by road to Syria and then from its capital, Damascus, undertook an onward journey to India. But this was worrisome, for there were about 12,000 Indians living in Lebanon then, and many were scared for their lives. There were also a large number of residents from other South Asian countries, the US and Europe who wanted to be evacuated, he says.

On July 18, 2006, while discussing the situation with the foreign secretary and the chief of naval staff he said they were informed that several Indian ships were in the Mediterranean Sea region for naval exercises, and that they were returning and could be used for the Lebanon evacuation.

There were, however, several risks, for which we had to be adequately prepared. The decision had to be taken immediately, as our ships would be entering the Suez Canal any time, and once they did, their return would be time-consuming. Traffic was only one-way and the movement was strictly controlled by Egyptian port authorities. The width of the canal was small and did not permit any U-turns.

"Our ships were going to be involved in a humanitarian exercise and we were worried they might get caught in the crossfire between Israel and Lebanon, Chaturvedi adds.

Indian ships heard a lot of messages and communication chatter which made it clear that Israel was going to put a blockade on the Lebanese port, while several people who were to be evacuated lost their papers in disturbed conditions and had to be given temporary documents, he recalls.

Coordination was required with Cyprus authorities. Our High Commissioner in Cyprus and ambassador for Lebanon needed to be in close touch with the local authorities and the government of Israel. We needed an understanding so that the exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel could be temporarily stopped when the evacuation process was going on, Chaturvedi says in the book, brought out by Rupa Publications.

We worked out a plan so that those wishing to be evacuated could be helped by the Indian embassy and moved to Beirut. Ships of the Indian Navy were then to be used to evacuate them to Larnaca, the neighbouring port of Cyprus. Air India was then expected to bring them back to Delhi, he says, adding the prime minister was also briefed.

Further the Indian authorities needed to negotiate several issues despite previous formal communications to ensure the transit was smooth and seamless.

... This required constant liaison with the local authorities. This was important, as many of the people being evacuated from Lebanon did not have complete travel documents.

Immigration and security issues had to be sorted out. The problem was compounded as coordination with the Lebanese port authority was required and getting to them was a problem. Considering that more than 2,000 people were coming to board the ships, extensive arrangements were required for the journey, he says.

Chaturvedi recalls Air India did not operate from Cyprus then and special permission was sought for allotting parking bays to the a number of flights of the national career, while the Indian Ambassador to Cyprus Neelam Sabharwal was in touch with local authorities to enable a quick issue of visas to the Air India crew.

Also, since getting visas for so many people travelling via Cyprus was not acceptable to their government under the European Union (EU) system, a novel system of transit slips was evolved. This would enable a transfer of passengers straight from the naval ships to the Air India aircraft.

Our preparations paid off and the evacuation process went smoothly, and was well appreciated by both the NRIs and neighbouring Sri Lanka and Nepal, whose citizens were also brought home by the Air India flights. Nearly 2,300 individuals were evacuated. It indicated the effectiveness of our system in emergencies, he says.

Sabharwal, later recalled to me, India's evacuation operation via Cyprus was considered as best coordinated and most efficient by the government of Cyprus, foreign correspondents, diplomats and international organizations. In fact, it was described a role model for the EU and other nations to emulate', he writes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Doctors nationwide will strike work on Monday, escalating their protests for security after a doctor was assaulted in a government hospital in six days ago.

The (IMA) said emergency and casualty services will work during the strike but non-essential services, including OPD, will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday.

rejected Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan's suggestion that states consider enacting specific legislation for protecting medical professionals. It demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence against doctors and medical staff, and in hospitals.

Doctors fear for their safety in medical colleges and hospitals in a week after Paribaha Mukherjee, a resident doctor in a government medical college in Kolkata, was attacked, said.

Junior doctors in said on Sunday they were willing to meet Chief Minister in a "open" place of her choice.

"We are keen to end this impasse. We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors," said a spokesperson for the joint forum of junior doctors.

The state's doctors had till now insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of protests.

"We want to join our duties as early as possible in the best interests of the common people once all our demands are met with adequately and logically through a discussion.

"We are hopeful that the chief minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems," he said, adding that the strike would continue till a solution was worked out.

Junior doctors across the state are observing a strike in protest against an assault on two of their colleagues at the NRS, allegedly by the family members of a patient who died on Monday night.The ongoing between the US and offers an opportunity to for boosting exports of as many 350 products such as and granite to these countries, a study by the has said.

The identification of these products is part of a study carried out by the ministry which states that the ongoing tariff or customs duties war between the US and proves a big window of opportunity for enhancing India's exports to these two nations.

Both the US and are imposing heavy import duties on each other's products, which has triggered a kind of situation.

According to the study, as much 151 domestic products including diesel, X-ray tubes and certain have an outright advantage to displace US exports to China.

Similarly, 203 Indian goods like and graphite electrodes have the advantage to displace Chinese exports to the US.

It said that the specific products in which can potentially expand exports to China immediately based on its strengths and available market access in the neighbouring country and also those in which concerted efforts need to be made to acquire market access are being shared with the line ministries.

The ongoing may bring about a shift in the global trading patterns due to spillover effects and displacement of the bilaterally traded communities to other countries, it said.

The Indian products which can tap the Chinese market include copper ores, rubber, paper/paperboard, equipment for transmission voice/data in a wired network, tunes and pipes.

Similarly, domestic goods which can grab exports opportunities in the US market include industrial valves, vulcanised rubber, carbon or graphite electrodes and natural honey.

Increasing exports would help narrow the widening trade deficit with China, which stood at $50.12 billion during April-February 2018-19.

(FIEO) Ganesh Kumar Gupta said that the trade war between the US and China is benefitting India.

He has said that India's exports to the US went up by 11.2 per cent in 2018 and to China by 31.4 per cent in the same year.

Echoing the views, Ludhiana-based exporter and former FIEO S C Ralhan said enormous opportunities are there in the engineering and machinery sector in both the countries and "we have to tap that".

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister and his Israeli counterpart have used their "excellent" personal equation to deepen the bilateral ties which are moving in an "upward trajectory", India's Ambassador to Israel Pavan Kapoor has said.

Ties between India and Israel, into the 27th year now, strengthened with Modi's historic visit to the country in July 2017 during first term, Kapoor told PTI.

Stating that the relationship is moving in an "upward trajectory", the envoy said, "Modi and Netanyahu share an excellent equation and it is in their tenure that we have had Modi coming to Israel for the first time and Netanyahu visiting India".

Modi visited Israel in July 2017, the first visit by an Indian prime minister in 70 years.

During the historic visit, the personal chemistry and the warmth between Modi and Netanyahu, also known as Bibi, were apparent not only in their prepared remarks but also their repeated hugs. In their prepared speeches, both leaders described each other as, "my friend" and embraced each other three times. Ambassador Kapoor said that a lot of people from India and Israel are travelling to each other's countries for work and leisure and that has pushed tourism.

"I think what both (Modi and Netanyahu) have tried to do is to build this connection between the institutions so that the relationship grows in all sectors. They have expanded and deepened the relationship in several areas and it is bound to increase," Kapoor said.

He specifically singled out the post-conscription visits by Israelis to India as a special draw to find "solace".

"People of both countries are spending, experiencing each other's countries. A large number of Israeli people travel to India after their military service and they go and find solace (in India), they spend many months travelling and they have a good experience," he said.

Indian tourist arrivals to Israel has jumped to 70,000 last year from 12,000 earlier, he said.

"It is a Holy Land... we have a lot of pilgrimage tourist coming in for visit to Jerusalem," Kapoor said.

He said yoga, which originated in ancient India, is popular in Israel too.

"Yoga is very popular here. The popularity for yoga is huge, the number of yoga teachers per capita is highest in this country," he said.

Speaking about the cultural similarities, the envoy said that just like Indians, Jewish people have close ties with families and sit down for dinners Friday evening.

Talking about the presence of Indians in Israel, Kapoor said, "About 12,000 to 13,000 Indian nationals stay in Israel and bulk of them are in caregiving industry and help the elderly folks in Israel. Then we have about 25 to 30 Gujarati diamond merchant families who have been here for many years and they are doing good business".

There are also 550 Indian students pursuing doctoral and post-doctoral studies, Kapoor said, adding a few Indian corporates also have their offices in Israel. Israel and India established full diplomatic relations on January 29, 1992. However, even before that, Israel had a Consulate in Mumbai, operating since 1953.The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu on Sunday organised a yoga event to celebrate the fifth International Day of Yoga at Nepal's Thyangboche -- the gateway to Mount Everest.

The main objective of the programme was to highlight the importance of yoga in daily life and to bring peace and harmony across the nations and among people, a press statement issued by the Embassy said.

A large number of people, including Ambassador of India to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri, locals, members of various women and youth organisations, officers of the Sagarmatha National Park and foreign tourists, participated in the event, it said.

Also, for the first time, Yoga Day was celebrated at the base camp of the Mount Everest.

At 17,600 feet above the sea level, mountaineer Bharat Sharma from Gujarat along with other mountaineers created history by practising yoga at the base of the world's highest peak, the statement said.

International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on June 21 since its inception in 2015. The concept of the Yoga Day was proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) September 27, 2014.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 40-year-old Indian man has drowned after suffering a cardiac arrest at the popular Jumeirah beach in the UAE during an outing with his family, a media report said on Sunday.

John Preetam Paul, who hailed from Bengaluru, was with his three children and relatives when the incident happened on Saturday, the Khaleej Times reported.

He had gone to take a dip in the water to wash off sand from his body when the tragedy happened.

Paul's wife Eveline said that just before they were about to leave her husband ventured back into the sea.

"Just before leaving, he ventured back into the sea to take a dip. The family noticed his body floating in the water within minutes after he left them on the shore," she was quoted as saying by the paper.

"I still don't know how it happened. He is a very good swimmer," she added.

The police said that Paul suffered from an cardiac arrest while he was in the water.

"The police has confirmed that the cause of the death was cardiac arrest,"Jijo Jalal, Paul's former boss was quoted as saying by the paper.

Paul, who worked as a sales head for Gilli FM, a UAE-based radio station, was a resided in the country for more than 14 years.

Paul's body is now kept in a mortuary in Al Qusais.

His wife said the body will be repatriated on Sunday to his home city of Bengaluru, the report said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Iran's parliament speaker hinted Sunday that Washington could be behind the "suspicious" tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman to pile pressure on Tehran, official agency IRNA reported.

"The suspicious actions against the tankers... seem to complement the economic sanctions against Iran considering that (the US) has not achieved any results from them," Ali Larijani told MPs.

He backed his claim by saying there had been a precedent "during World War II, when Americans targeted their own ships near Japan to create an excuse for hostility".

A non-belligerent state at the beginning of World War II, the US went to war after Japan's surprise attack on the American Pearl Harbour base in Hawaii on the morning of December 7, 1941.

A Japanese-owned tanker, the Kokuka Courageous, and a Norwegian-operated one, the Front Altair, were attacked on Thursday and left ablaze as they were passing through the Gulf of Oman Washington accused Tehran of being behind the attacks, that took place at the same time that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran for talks aimed at defusing tensions between Iran and the United States.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed the US claim as "baseless" and said Washington had "immediately jumped to make allegations against



Iran -- (without) a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence".

Iran has been locked in a bitter standoff with the United States since Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May last year.

Washington has since reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions on Tehran -- targeting crucial parts of Iran's economy, especially the banking and oil sectors -- and launched a military buildup in the Gulf.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Taking aim at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar Sunday alleged that former Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil was inducted into the cabinet to ensure that he keeps mum on the "multi-crore Mumbai Development Plan scam" raised by him last year.

Vikhe Patil, a former Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly, was sworn in as a minister as Fadnavis expanded his Cabinet on the eve of the monsoon session of the state legislature.

Last year, Vikhe Patil had alleged that the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) had struck a deal of Rs 10,000 crore with some builders in lieu of introducing some favourable changes in the Mumbai DCPR-2034.

The CM had rubbished the allegations and threatened to file a defamation suit against Vikhe Patil, who was then in the Congress, if he fails to tender unconditional apology.

On Sunday, when Congress group leader in the Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, was speaking to reporters who asked him about Vikhe Patil's allegations, Ajit interjected.

"I suspect that Vikhe Patil was alloted a berth in the Fadnavis government so that he keep his mouth shut on the scam and not go deeper into it or approach court," the former deputy chief minister said.

Wadettiwar said the Opposition would raise the alleged scam on floor of the House.

"We are aware about these dealings and even know the hotels where they had taken place. We will not let this issue die down," said Wadettiwar.

Meanwhile, Ajit accused the government of luring leaders of other parties by promising them plum positions.

"Earlier Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde was the Leader of Opposition. He was later made minister. Similarly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil was the Leader of Opposition till yesterday, but now he also joined the government," the NCP leader said.

Ajit said leaders should remain loyal to their political parties.

"The tradition of vibrant Opposition seems being destroyed," he said.

Commenting about political defections, Ajit said some leaders who switch their loyalties have their own selfish agendas.

"Probably they want the government to not conduct any inquiry against them. Some of them want their institutions function without any problems or sometimes they simply don't want to be hounded by government agencies," Ajit said listing out probable causes behind defections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Sunday expressed grief over the demise of police officer Arshad Khan.

Khan, who was the SHO of Sadder Police Station in Anantnag, was injured in a militant attack on June 12. He was admitted to AIIMS in Delhi, where he succumbed to injuries on Sunday.

In his message, the governor paid rich tributes to Khan and described his demise as a big loss to the police department, an official spokesman said.

"We are all grateful to such brave hearts who are sacrificing their lives for security of the nation," the governor said.

Malik prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and expressed sympathy and solidarity with family members of the deceased, the spokesman said.

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also condoled Khan's death.

"Terrible Nothing seems to stop this endless cycle of violence. My condolences to his family," she wrote on Twitter.

State unit of the BJP paid rich tributes to the police officer. BJP state spokesperson Altaf Thakur said Khan was a brave heart who faced militancy from the front and took a bullet in his chest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Jammu and Kashmir Police inspector Arshad Ahmed Khan, who suffered injures in Wednesday's terrorist attack in Anantnag, died at the premier AIIMS here on Sunday, officials said.

Forty-year-old Khan was flown to Delhi earlier in the day after his condition deteriorated.

Five CRPF personnel were killed in the terror attack, in which a lone Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist targeted a patrol team of the paramilitary force.

Khan, the SHO of Saddar Police station in Anantnag, reached the site soon after.

The moment he stepped out of his official bulletproof vehicle, along with his service rifle, a barrage of bullets were fired by the terrorist. One ricocheted from the butt of his service rifle and hit his liver and duodenum, the officials said.

He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) this afternoon, but died soon after, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As the revered Amarnath Yatra commences on July 1, Kashmiri separatists Sunday asserted there was no threat to the annual pilgrimage and urged the pilgrims and tourists visiting the state not to pay heed to any "false propaganda".

They said people of the Valley will continue to retain and nourish the tradition of brotherhood and communal amity.

The separatists under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik said a few media channels were running a "smear campaign and propaganda" about threat to the Amarnath Yatra and pilgrims in the Valley.

"Kashmiri people have never compromised on their tradition of hospitality, even in the toughest and trying times, and always played a friendly host, whether to a tourist or an Amarnath pilgrim who came to Kashmir," the separatists said in a statement here.

"There is no threat to Amarnath Yatris from Kashmiris as reported by some mischievous media outlets from their cozy studios in New Delhi and these pilgrims are very much safe in the Valley," it said.

The separatists said the tourists and pilgrims visiting Kashmir can tell the "ground reality" and "expose" the sections of media who have adopted a "jingoistic approach" vis-a-vis Kashmir.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.): The Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) Sunday threatened to go on an indefinite strike against the state governments decision to enhance the retirement age of doctors in medical college hospitals from 58 to 65.

TJUDA chairperson P S Vijayender told PTI if the decision was not revoked they would launch the indefinite boycott of medical services and elective duties (out-patient and elective surgeries) from Monday.

Strike notices have been served in government hospitals across the state, he said.

If any government order or ordinance on age increase is issued we have no option but to go for an indefinite strike and legal action, the TJUDA members said in their representation.

According to Vijayender, the proposal to increase the retirement age of teacher-doctors would cause huge loss to the young unemployed specialist doctors aspiring to be recruited as assistant professors for the next 10 years.

The TJUDA leader said there has been no recruitment for the past 10 years and no time-bound promotions for the teaching staff.

TJUDA demanded the government to implement the regular calendar year for recruitment of assistant professors and career advancement scheme immediately wherein faculty can be re-designated as 'designate associate professor and designate professor and also to re-appoint professors upon retirement on contract basis in required departments.

Health Minister Eatala Rajender had Friday last said Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had approved the proposal to increase the retirement age.

TJUDA, which has been opposing the proposal, had submitted a memorandum to the health secretary last week.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Kaleswaram Lift Irrigation project, which would be inaugurated on June 21, is expected to supply water to 70 per cent of districts in Telangana to meet agriculture, drinking water and the industrial needs.

The Telangana government has decided to start pumping water from the next month, official sources said.

"Water from river Godavari at Medigadda, which is about 100 metres above sea-level, is lifted at six stages and supplied to Kondapochamma Sagar, which is at 618 metres height," an official release said.

"In other words, the water from Godavari River is being lifted at about half-a-km height. The pump houses are being constructed to lift 2 TMC of water every day this year," it said.

Preparations are on to lift three TMC of water from next year.

The Telangana government had entered into an agreement with the Maharashtra government on March 8, 2016, putting an end to differences that existed for decades over the issue, it added.

The agreement has paved way for the construction of Kaleswaram project at Medigadda.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao laid foundation stone at Kannepally for the Kaleswaram project on May 2, 2016.

Within a short span of three years, major components of the Kaleswaram project, including construction of barrages, pump houses have been completed.

The release further noted that the construction of the reservoirs was going ahead on a fast track.

It is estimated that for the lifting two TMC water from Kaleswaram, 4,992.47 MW power is required and arrangements are being made for the supply of adequate power.

"For the first time in the annals of country's history, the Telangana State Electricity organisations are using 139 MW pumps in the Kaleswaram project at package-8 Ramadugu. Nobody ever used such a capacity pumps in the country," the release said.

"To complete all the works on Kaleswaram project in a record time, works are going on 24 X 7. Under the projects, three barrages, 19 reservoirs, 20 lifts are constructed for the storage capacity of 141 TMC," it added.

The Telangana Chief Minister had gone to Mumbai last week and invited his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis for the inaugural ceremony.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy would also be invited for the event, a CMO release had said last week.

Meanwhile, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader M Bhatti Vikramarka alleged Sunday irregularities in implementation of Kaleswaram project.

Claiming that the project was originally initiated as B R Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella project when late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was Chief Minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh at a cost of Rs 38,000 crore, he said a sum of Rs 10,000 crore was spent during Congress regime.

However, the TRS government re-designed the project and increased the estimated cost to more than Rs one lakh crore, renaming it as Kaleswaram project, he said.

"Thus, crores of rupees of public money were misused," he alleged.

In an open letter to Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday, Vikramarka said if he attended the inauguration of Kaleswaram project it would "disappoint the soul of (his father) Rajasekhara Reddy."



Jagan Mohan Reddy's presence at the inauguration would also amount to making him indirectly responsible for "encouraging the conspiracies behind the re-designing of the project decided earlier," he claimed.

The Godavari rivers, originating at Nashik in Maharashtra, flows through Telangana before merging with the sea in Andhra Pradesh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The displaced Kashmir Pandits Sunday paid tributes to the three educationists killed by Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants in Gool belt of Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district in 1997.

The Daughters of Panun Kashmir (DoPK) organised the Gool 1997 martyrs' 'shradanjali divas' programme at Jammu.

Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Girdari Raina, who was the chief guest, in his speech, lauded the efforts made by the community and said "the sacrifices of the martyrs will never go waste as they remain pious and sacred".

He said the present political ecosystem is favourable for Kashmiri Pandits.

Raina said it was time "immoral" political structures like Articles 370, 35-A were scrapped.

State BJP spokesman Ashwani Chrungoo said the struggle of Kashmiri Pandits contributed in consolidating nationalist forces in the country.

He said Kashmiri Pandits have helped in the global narrative against terrorism.

Senior member of Daughters of Panun Kashmir Ritu Bakshi said she awaits the day Panun (homeland) Kashmir is established.

Ashok Raina, principal of a higher secondary school, along with two teachers were killed by HM terrorists in Gool in 1997.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The NIA has alleged that its probe into terror financing in Jammu and Kashmir has revealed that hardline separatist leaders received funds from abroad and utilised them for personal gains -- from amassing properties to paying for foreign education of their kin.

The agency has interrogated several top leaders of Hurriyat Conference and other organisations and claimed that they had confessed to receiving funds from Pakistan to fuel separatist sentiments among the people of Kashmir Valley.

In a statement issued Sunday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the firebrand leader of Duktaran-e-Milat, Asiya Andrabi, was grilled by it about the educational expenses of her son in Malaysia incurred by Zahoor Watali, who was arrested in a terror funding case.

"During interrogation, Asiya Andrabi admitted that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources and Duktaran-e-Milat had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley," it claimed.

The NIA has already approached the relevant authorities for providing evidence relating to certain bank accounts used by Asiya Andrabi's son Mohammad bin Qasim while he was in the university, it said.

Another hardline separatist leader, Shabbir Shah, had to face some tough time when he was confronted about his businesses, including a hotel in Pahalgam which is allegedly funded through foreign funds received by him from Pakistan, the statement said.

"During the custodial interrogation, Shabir Shah was confronted with evidence relating to transfer of money by Pakistan-based agents and representatives of APHC (All Parties Hurriyat Conference) factions to parties affiliated to Hurriyat in J and K. He was also confronted about his investments in various hotels and businesses in Pahalgam, properties in Jammu, Srinagar and Anantnag," the NIA said.

The NIA had registered a case in May, 2017 against terrorists belonging to Jammat ud Dawah, Duktaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and other separatist leaders in the state for raising, receiving and collecting funds to fuel separatist and terrorist activities and entering into a larger conspiracy for causing disruption in Kashmir Valley and for waging war against India.

The agency has so far charge-sheeted 13 accused, including leader of Jammat-ud Dawah Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, head of proscribed organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin, seven separatist leaders, two hawala conduits and some stone-pelters.

Watali is one of the main hawala conduits who used to generate and receive funds from Pakistan, ISI, UAE and had floated various shell companies to disguise foreign remittances for further transfer to separatist leaders and stone pelters in the valley, it said.

The agency said these funds were used to fuel unrest in the Kashmir valley and organise violent agitations and anti-India activities which resulted in large scale violence leading to numerous injuries and deaths of civilians and security forces.

Evidence relating to funding of these separatist elements through Pakistan and UAE-based businessman, ISI, High Commission of Pakistan in Delhi has been collected and presented to the NIA Special Court in the charge sheets, it said.

Watali's bail was rejected by the Supreme Court, on a plea by the NIA, as the apex court observed that the Delhi High Court has not appreciated the material which found favour with the designated court to record its opinion that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accusations are prima facie true.

The agency has arrested Yasin Malik, leader of proscribed organisation JKLF, Asiya Andrabi leader of proscribed organisation Duktaran-e-Milat, separatist leader Shabir Shah of JKDFP and Masrat Alam of Muslim League.

Malik told the agency that he was instrumental in bringing together the factions of Hurriyat Conference and formed the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) which spear headed the violent agitations in 2016 in Kashmir Valley by issuing "Protest Calendars" leading to economic shut down for over four months and also caused death and injuries to civilians and security forces during the violent protests.

Malik admitted that the JRL and Hurriyat Conference Gilani Group collected funds from business community as well as certain other sources and ensured that economic shut down and violent protests continue to disrupt the daily life of common citizens in the valley, the agency said.

"Evidence regarding many of Shah's benami properties is being collected. He was confronted with some of his personal staff and associates who have provided vital information regarding the sources fund raising and investment details," it alleged.

Masarat Alam, "the poster boy of stone pelters and violent agitations in Kashmir valley" has told investigators that Pakistan based agents route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to the separatist leaders including Syed Shah Gilani Chairman, the NIA said.

Alam has also revealed that there are rifts in the Hurriyat Conference regarding collection and use of fund, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The only acquittal in the Kathua rape-and-murder case came as the trial court set aside the statement of three prosecution witnesses who had claimed that Vishal Jangotra, the son of main culprit Sanji Ram, was in the area at the time of the crime.

District and sessions judge Tejwinder Singh relied on the statement of the landlady of Vishal that he was in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh where he was studying in a college.

According to the 432-page judgement delivered on June 10, the prosecution counsel relied on the three eyewitnesses who had claimed to have seen Vishal in Kathua on January 13 and 14 last year and forensic experts' opinion that writing samples of Vishal did not tally.

"The prosecution claims that as per the said report (handwritting), the questioned signatures do not tally with the standard items in general writing habits such as movement, skill and speed. The differences observed in writing are fundamental in nature," according to the verdict.

Vishal had presented his signature in the attendance sheet of his college to show that he was in Meerut, and not in Jammu and Kashmir as claimed by the prosecution.

The prosecution also submitted evidence of mobile operators to prove the fact that Vishal was very much present in Kathua on days when the crime against the eight-year-old nomadic girl were committed in Kathua.

While analysing the eyewitnesses of the prosecution, the court said it is of the opinion that these witnesses "are under some mistake relating to identity".

Commenting on an eyewitness, who had seen a TV report about absence of Vishal from Kathua and came running to crime branch officials where he claimed to have seen Vishal along with Parvesh, an accused sentenced to life.

The eyewitness, who belongs to nomadic tribe, identified Vishal and Parvesh in the court but the judge did not rely on his statement saying that he "never moved any complaint before any authority against the channel" or its staff.

"...As such oral evidence of these witnesses cannot be given preference over the documentary evidence on record having been led by defence of Vishal Jangotra."



Vishal was the only one among the seven accused to be acquitted by the court.

Three, including his father Sanji Ram who was the key conspirator, were given life sentences. Others were Parvesh Kumar and Deepak Khajuria. Three policemen have been sentenced to five years' jail for destruction of evidence.

Parvesh Kumar, who has been convicted, had said in his confessional statement that Vishal was present with him during the crime. The crime branch has been maintaining that Vishal had come to his village on January 13 and left again on January 14.

The court took into account a statement from Suman Sharma, the landlady of Vishal, who had said that he was present all along in Meerut where he is studying and also testified that he had attended his granddaughter's birthday celebration on January 16 last year.

Pointing out some elementary mistakes in the investigation, the court observed that Sub-inspector Urfan Wani categorically deposed that before arresting Vishal from Uttar Pradesh's Meeranpur, they had not enquired from his college or his examination centre whether he had regularly appeared for his examination that started from January 9, 2018.

Wani in his deposition also stated that he had recorded the statement of Vishal's landlady, Suman Sharma, in Urdu "... and he does not know whether Suman Sharma knew Urdu language or not," it observed.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Urdu is an official language used by the police to record statements of the accused as well as witnesses.

The court also raised the issue of the prosecution failing to question Inspector Kewal Kishore who had done most of the investigation regarding Vishal's alleged role in the crime.

"This court is of the opinion that all this goes to show there is a big lacuna in the prosecution case against Vishal Jangotra in this regard as prosecution failed to verify genuinely the plea of alibi raised by accused Vishal Jangotra at the first instance during the investigation of the case," it said in the detailed order.

The special court said the prosecution has failed to discharge its burden of leading convincing evidence to the effect that the evidence led by Vishal on his 'plea of alibi' is wrong or forged and fabricated.

A 15-page charge sheet filed in April last year said the eight-year-old girl was kidnapped on January 10 that year and was raped in captivity in a small village temple, exclusively manned by Ram, after keeping her sedated for four days. She was later bludgeoned to death, it said.

The day-to-day trial commenced in the first week of June last year at the district and sessions court in Pathankot in the neighbouring state of Punjab, about 100 km from Jammu and 30 km from Kathua, after the Supreme Court ordered on May 7, 2018 that the case be shifted out of J and K.

The apex court order came after lawyers in Kathua prevented Crime Branch officials from filing a charge sheet in the sensational case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Karnataka Health Minister Shivanand S Patil Sunday appealed to the doctors in the state to keep "symbolic" their protest to express solidarity with their West Bengal counterparts.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has given the call for the nationwide strike Monday with withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country in the wake of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal.

In a letter to Karnataka chapter of IMA, which was released to the media, Patil condemned the attack on doctors in West Bengal recently and made a fervent appeal to those in the private and government hospitals in the state not to put ordinary citizens in trouble.

"I fervently appeal to the government and private doctors to keep their agitation symbolic without putting patients in trouble.

The people of the state will also support you if you keep your agitation symbolic and I believe that you will not put the poor patients of the state in trouble," he said.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka IMA chapter president Annadani M Meti said its members would not take non-emergency cases on Monday.

"We will take only trauma, emergency and pregnancy cases Monday. This is as per the decision taken by the national body of the Indian Medical Association," Meti told PTI.

He demanded a stringent law to ensure protection of doctors from attacks.

Officials in the medical department said adequate measures have been taken to ensure that people were not inconvenienced in view of the nationwide protest called by the IMA Monday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Kerala Congress (M), a key partner of the Congress-led UDF, suffered a split Sunday with a faction in the party electing Rajya Sabha MP Jose K Mani, son of its founder late K M Mani, as the Chairman.

The development capped weeks-long infighting in the party between supporters of Jose Mani and working chairman P J Joseph following the demise of K M Mani in April this year.

Jose K Mani was elected as the chairman of the party by the leaders supporting him at a meeting of the State Committee members here convened by him.

Hours ahead of the meeting, the faction led by Joseph declared it as invalid and said it was against the party Constitution.

After the meeting, 'presiding officer' K Z Kunjeriya announced to the party workers that Jose K Mani has been "elected unanimously" as chairman.

Out of 437 state committee members of the party, as many as 325 attended the meeting, the faction leaders claimed.

The Kerala Congress which has a history of splits since its inception in 1964, has a strong base in the central Travancore belt, especially among Christians.

Expressing his gratitude to the party leaders for electing him as 'chairman', Jose K Mani said "K M Mani sir is with is in our forward journey. I will work hard to follow the path shown by him."



The party would function unitedly, he said in his speech in the presence of mediapersons.

According to leaders of the Joseph faction, there are a total of 437 members in the Kerala Congress (M)s jumbostate committee.

Senior leaders of the party, including former Rajya Sabha MP Joy Abraham, MLAs C F Thomas and Mons Joseph, did not attend the meeting, sources in the Joseph faction claimed.

Out of five MLAs of the Kerala Congress (M), only two -- attended the meeting.

Jose K Mani's followers said KC(M)'s Idukki MLA Roshy Augustine and Kanjirappally MLA N Jayaraj and lone Lok Sabha MP of the party, Thomas Chazhikadan, were the prominent leaders who attended the meeting.

Trouble had been brewing in the party following the demise of K M Mani.

Partys Organisational General Secretary Joy Abrahams letter to Chief Election Officer Teeka Ram Meena declaring Joseph asKC(M) chairman after the veteran's death had been opposed by the faction headed by Jose K Mani.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has emphasised the need to fast track communication programmes in the state, while seeking support from the Centre for structural reformation of the state's agriculture sector, an official release said.

Addressing the fifth governing council meet of NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, the chief minister presented the status of rail, road and air projects in the state.

He also underlined the roadmap for Arunachal's development, with special mention of rainwater harvesting and water management plans, the release said.

Speaking on the 'aspirational districts programme', Khandu briefed Niti Aayog on the achievements and challenges faced by the state in implementing it.

He also shed light on the enormous potential of the state in the fields of agriculture and allied sectors, tourism and hydro power, which, he insisted, if systematically harnessed would take the state to new heights.

The chief minister also sought the Centre's support in modernising the police force in the state, while participating in a discussion on security matters.

Stressing the need for a permanent bureaucracy, Khandu requested the policy think-tank to consider creating a separate IAS cadre for the state.

The pace of development gets affected as the state still functions under Union territory cadre, the CM said.

"Owing to Arunachal's vastness and diversities, the officers posted here need at least two to three years to understand the pulse of the state. By the time they know, they are transferred, hampering development," he reasoned.

Claiming that the state has been ignored when it came to distribution of foreign funds, Khandu requested Niti Aayog to device a mechanism to overcome this hurdle and compensate Arunachal Pradesh accordingly.

The CM also urged the Centre to relax the guidelines of its flagship programmes for Arunachal Pradesh.

"The tough and the inaccessible terrain in the state makes it difficult for agencies to implement the programmes as per guidelines," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union minister Krishan Pal Gurjar Sunday visited the Palwal residence of Flight Lieutenant Ashish Tanwar, who was among 13 killed in the AN-32 crash in Arunachal Pradesh, and offered condolences to his family.

Gurjar, who is the minister of state for social justice and empowerment , is an MP from Faridabad.

29-year-old Tanwar is survived by his wife Sandhya, father Radhe Lal, mother Saroj and, sister Anjula Tanwar.

While expressing his condolence, Khattar told the bereaved family that the state government is with them in this hour of grief.

"Ashish left a mark of his ability at a very young age. The sudden loss is difficult to compensate," an official statement here quoted him as saying.

The Indian Air Force had Thursday said that all 13 people on board the aircraft were dead.

Tanwar and his wife Sandhya, an air traffic control officer, were posted at same IAF station from where the plane took off. They had last visited his native village when he had come to cast his vote in Haryana on May 12 for the Lok Sabha elections.

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 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.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Arcelor Mittal South Africa (AMSA), a subsidiary of Lakshmi Mittal's global steel empire, is facing charges of contravening environmental pollution laws amid growing concern about the impact on the population of an entire town where the company runs its major operations.

AMSA's environmental manager Johan Hattingh has been summoned to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Regional Court on June 26 on the criminal charges of having violated the South African Air Quality Act.

Vanderbijlpark is a town established by the former state-owned steel enterprise Iscor, with almost its entire population now dependent on AMSA, established almost two decades ago after Mittal first helped bail out the ailing company and then took it over.

"The criminal investigation followed ongoing non-compliances detected at the Vanderbijlpark facility during an inspection undertaken by environmental management inspectors from the department and the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development," Albi Modise, the spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), was quoted as saying to daily Business Report.

Over the years the authorities have been monitoring compliance within the Ferro Alloy Iron and Steel sector. Three prior inspections had been undertaken at this facility - in November 2008, October 2012 and August 2014 - followed by a number of enforcement interventions, Modise said.

Modise claimed that AMSA had been given more than a decade to bring about the required changes for legal compliance.

The area was declared a priority in 2006 and is one of three priority areas identified nationally in terms of the National Environmental Management Air Quality Act due to concerns about elevated pollution, said Modise.

AMSA faces a fine of up to 15 million South African Rands or imprisonment for the responsible persons if found guilty.

AMSA has also come under pressure from community activists in Vanderbijlpark and surrounding areas who have alleged that the residents have been affected by not just air pollution, but also water and land pollution from the largest steel manufacturer in South Africa.

Michelle Koyama, an attorney at the Centre for Environmental Rights, accused DEA of not having acted against AMSA despite several local activist groups and NGO's having called for this over a number of years.

AMSA's land was found to be contaminated, and tar and tar remnants were found in and around AMSA Vanderbijlpark' s operations, Koyama told the daily.

In July 2007, the then Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism said it would act against AMSA if it did not effect changes within a reasonable time after a report from the Department detailed serious environmental legislation contraventions and non-compliance at ArcelorMittal's plant.

AMSA CEO at the time, Rick Reato, blamed the problems on legacy issues at the plant, but said that in the preceding two years, the company had spent around 460-million South African Rands on various environmental projects and had committed a further 1-billion Rands over the ensuing four years on green projects.Displaced from Chhattisgarh due to violence and excluded from all social security benefits, a number of tribals living miserable lives in neighbouring states are hopeful of a better future, thanks to a "lesser-used" provision in the Forest Rights Act.

Social activists claim thousands of tribals fled Chhattisgarh around 2004-05 due to Salwa Judum, a militia deployed as part of anti-Maoist operations in the state from 2005 to 2011.

"These tribals are living in deplorable conditions in forests of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, without any access to drinking water and electricity. They get lower wages. Most of them don't have ration cards or voter IDs and cannot prove their citizenship," social activist Raju Rana says.

"These states don't recognise them as tribals. They have no right over forest land and remain excluded from all social security benefits. On a number of occasions, police and forest officials have burnt their settlements to push them back to Chhattisgarh," he claims.

There are around 30,000 people living in 248 such settlements in the forests of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, close to the Chhattisgarh border, tribal rights activist Shubhranshu Chaudhary says.

Now, some of these people want to return to their state, pinning hopes on the new government in Chhattisgarh and a "lesser-used" provision in the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which recognizes people's right of settlement in forests and gives them a legal document of ownership of their traditional habitation, he says.

"Since their original villages are in the deep jungle, miles away from the main road, and Naxalism continues to be a threat there, these tribals will ask the government to consider their request for land under the FRA provision for 'in situ rehabilitation', wherein alternative land can be given against the one they were forced to leave before 2005," Chaudhary says.

Clause 3 (1) (m) of the Act states, "Right to in situ rehabilitation including alternative land in cases where the Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers have been illegally evicted or displaced from forest land of any description without receiving their legal entitlement to rehabilitation prior to the 13th day of December 2005."



Chaudhary claims the provision remains "untouched, as no claim for land titles has so far been made under it".

Facilitated by activists, over 300 such tribals, now living in Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, gathered in Sukma district on June 12 and 13 and filled up forms seeking land rights.

"We have so far filled around just 150 forms for 'in situ rehabilitation' of these tribals. It's a difficult exercise because most of the displaced tribals don't have proper documents," Rana says.

Suresh, 26, a tribal displaced from Bastar, says, "Many people who fled Chattisgarh are living in scattered settlements in Rangapuram panchayat in Telanaga. The Telangana government doesn't recognise us as Scheduled Tribes. We do not have any land there. There's no water or electricity... We make our ends meet doing manual labour."



Vattikosa, 30, who accompanied Suresh to the meeting in Sukma, says they had come with the hope that the government would give them land somewhere else against the land they were forced to leave before 2005.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs had earlier said it will ask the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to identify tribals who allegedly fled Chhattisgarh due to the Salwa Judum movement and settled there.

"We received a complaint on May 12 stating that a number of tribal families fled to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from Chhattisgarh due to Salwa Judum. We have to take all state governments on board and verify these cases," a senior official of the Tribal Affairs Ministry had said.

"Once the verification process is completed, we will sit together and decide the next course of action. We will have to see the stand the Chhattisgarh government takes... whether it acknowledges that these were families were displaced due to Salwa Judum," he had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 39-year-old farmer allegedly tried to commit suicide at an event in Buldhana district of Maharashtra where two state ministers were present, as he was upset over not getting a power connection, police said Sunday.

Ishwar Suprao Kharate, belonging to Vadoda village, on Saturday evening came to an agriculture exhibition being held in Malkapur taluka where Minister of State for Home Ranjeet Patil and district Guardian Minister Madan Yerawar were present, a police official said.

After Patil launched the exhibition, the farmer started shouting that his family had been trying to get an electricity connection for last 38 years, but in vain, the official from Malkapur police station said.

Kharate then allegedly consumed a poisonous substance at the premises following which the police caught hold of him, he said.

The farmer was rushed to the district hospital where is condition was reported to be out of danger, the official said, adding that a probe was underway into the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Maharashtra Haj Committee chairman Jamal Anwar Siddiqui Sunday said it has proposed construction of a residential facility at Mecca for the Haj pilgrims from Maharashtra.

Addressing reporters, he also demanded that the Central government slash the quota of private tour operators who take pilgrims on Haj.

Welcoming the Union government's 2018 decision to scrap subsidy for Haj pilgrims, Siddiqui said private airlines used to get benefitted by the subsidy given during the tenure of the erstwhile Congress government



"Scrapping of subsidy for Haj pilgrims is a good step by the Narendra Modi government. The then Congress government pretended that it was giving the subsidy to pilgrims, but it actually benefitted airlines," he said.

Responding to a query, Siddiqui said the committee has cracked the whip on private tour operators who fleece the Haj pilgrims.

"I appeal to the Central government to slash the quota of private tour operators," Siddiqui said.

He said the committee was trying to provide various amenities to the pilgrims and has proposed to construct 'Maharashtra House' at Mecca where pilgrims from Maharashtra can stay during Haj pilgrimage.

He said about two lakh pilgrims will perform Haj this year from India.

"While 1.40 lakh of the 2 lakh pilgrims will go through the Haj committee the rest will be flown by private tour operators. From Maharashtra, 14,000 pilgrims will embark on Haj. The Haj committee will soon start 'Umrah' (mini Haj)," Siddiqui said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress-NCP in Maharashtra Sunday decided to boycott the customary tea party organised by the BJP-Shiv Sena government on the eve of the Assembly's monsoon session, alleging the latter's claims of development were "virtual" and not on the ground.

Senior leaders from the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party addressed a press conference here Sunday and tore into claims by the Devendra Fadnavis government over developmental works.

Speaking at the interaction, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council and senior NCP leader, Dhananjay Munde, said the government's failed policies had led to the state facing its worst drought since 1972.

"During the Assembly session, we will demand that farmers be paid Rs 25,000 per care for sowing and cultivation. We will demand a complete loan and power bill waiver for farmers," he said.

"All the development under this government is only virtual, be it loan waivers, smart cities, reservation etc. Industries are shifting from Maharashtra to Gujarat," he alleged.

Munde said the removal of six ministers in Sunday's cabinet expansion proved that corruption allegations against them were correct.

He said removal was not enough, since the state government only has a four-month term from here on, and sought an FIR against Prakash Mehta, one of the ministers who quit Sunday, in what he claimed was a Rs 1200-crore FSI scam.

Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said the government had neglected government staff, farmers and deprived classes and said it worked for just a handful of people.

He said there was no BJP wave in the state, unlike the Lok Sabha polls, and predicted a rout for the Fadnavis government in the Assembly polls scheduled later this year.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said issues related to drought could not be solved sitting in "AC cabins" and claimed only 17 per cent farmers had received crop insurance while this number was 18 per cent in case of farm loan waiver.

He dubbed Maharashtra as the "hub of farmer suicides" and said the state government was responsible for this dubious tag.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two brothers were killed and their cousin was injured when a truck hit their motorcycle in Akola district of Maharashtra on Sunday morning, police said.

The mishap took place around 7 am when the three victims were going from Medashi village to a hospital in the nearby Patur town, a police official said.

The victims were speeding on a road which was slippery due to an oil spill sometime back. They suddenly saw a truck coming from the opposite direction but the two-wheeler rider apparently failed to apply brakes in time, he said.

As a result, the truck collided head-on with the motorcycle, killing two riders on the spot, the official said.

The deceased were identified as Sunil Chavan (28) and Manik Chavan (25), he said.

Their cousin brother, who was injured in the mishap, was admitted to a government hospital, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 23-year-old man was beaten to death in Rohini's Prem Nagar area, police said Sunday.

Police around 7 pm on Saturday received information that a thief has been caught at the Main Mubarak Pur Road in Prem Nagar and a team was sent to the spot, a senior police officer said.

It was found that a man was lying unconscious on the ground and there were injury marks on his body, police said, adding that he was taken to the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where he was declared brought dead.

The person, Amit, who had made the call to inform the police, alleged that last month, a mobile and a DVR of a CCTV camera were stolen from his shop, they said.

He said he had the CCTV footage on his mobilephone and the thief can be seen in it, police said, adding that Amit was also taken to the hospital.

On Saturday, the suspected thief along with one more person had come again to the shop and were peeping into it, they said.

Amit recognised him and he, along with his neighbours, caught both of them and beat them up, police said, adding that there were some more people who thrashed them.

The two persons were brought to the shop, but one of them managed to escape, they said.

When the person started feeling uneasiness, Amit called the police.He had detained the person hoping that someone from his family would come and he would get some money for the stolen articles.

A case under the relevant sections of the IPC has been registered, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)One person has been arrested from Nadia district of West Bengal for allegedly opening a fake account in the name of Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim on social media and posting objectionable comments, police said on Sunday.

Tarun Kumar Ghosh (40), a resident of Buichara Para in Nabadwip was apprehended on Saturday night from his residence for creating a fake profile of Hakim and spreading false information, a senior police officer said.

When produced at a city court on Sunday, Ghosh was sent to police custody till June 22, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man who had been arrested for



allegedly posting "fake news" on Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb's personal life was Sunday remanded in police custody for two days on charges of forging documents.

Anupam Paul, who had been on the run since April 26, was arrested by the crime branch of Tripura Police from New Delhi on Wednesday.

The police had registered an FIR against Paul for forgery, cheating and conspiracy after the April 25 Facebook post went viral on social media.

He was produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Sharmistha Mukherjee on Sunday who remanded him in police custody for two days.

Paul will again be produced before the court on Tuesday, Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Sadar, Dhruba Nath told reporters here.

The chief minister has described the post as a "deep rooted conspiracy" to tarnish his image.

"It is a baseless and motivated post which is in bad taste," Deb has said. The state BJP has demanded strict action against the guilty.

A journalist and a police constable were arrested on April 28 for sharing the Facebook post. Both of them are now out on bail, a police officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A25-year-oldman has been arrested from Bhiwnadi in Maharashtra for allegedly killing his 22-year-old wife on suspicion of her fidelity Sunday, police said.

According to police, the accused Sabealam Abdul Gafar Ansari stabbed Nazia during a heated exchange at their house earlier in the day.

The accused also attacked the mother of the deceased when she went to check on her, police said, adding that Nazia was taken to hospital where she was declared brought dead.

Nazia sustained at least six grievous injuries in the attack, a police official said.

Meanwhile, neighbours of Ansari overpowered him and handed him over to police, he said, adding that a case of murder has been registered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man was arrested from Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur city in connection with the killing of a Trinamool Congress worker in West Bengal on June 4, police said Sunday.

TMC worker Nirmal Kundu was shot dead by unidentified bike-borne persons in Nimta area of north Dum Dum municipality, part of North 24 Paraganas district and the area under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority.

The accused, Sudip Das, was nabbed by a team of the West Bengal Police's Crime Investigation Department (CID) on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday from the house of a relative of his friend in Chilhati village here, SHO of Sarkanda Police Station Santosh Jain said.

"The Kolkata Police got a tip-off about Das' presence in Sarkanda, following which they alerted us. A raid was carried out and he was nabbed," Jain added.

The Kolkata Police got Das' transit remand from a local court on Saturday and took him to West Bengal on Sunday for further investigation, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Agitating doctors in West Bengal softened their stand on Sunday, leaving it to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to decide the meeting venue with them, but insisted that it should be held in the presence of media and recorded.

The chief minister is learnt to have agreed to a meeting on Monday at an auditorium adjacent to the state secretariat.

"The chief minister has agreed for the meeting tomorrow. We have invited two representatives from each medical college and hospital," a state government source told PTI.

Banerjee, however, is not "comfortable" with their proposal of media presence inside the meeting venue, he said.

"The meeting could either be held at the auditorium or at the chief minister's office. We have passed on this message to the junior doctors," the source said.

Banerjee had on Saturday invited the agitators for closed-door talks, but the offer was turned down by them.

Talking to reporters after a two-and-half-hour-long meeting on Sunday of its governing body, a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors said, "We are keen to end this impasse. We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors."



The spokesperson said the venue should be spacious enough to accommodate representatives from all medical colleges and hospitals in the state.

Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation.

"We want to join our duties as early as possible in the best interests of the common people once all our demands are met with adequately and logically through a discussion.

"We are hopeful that the chief minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems," the spokesperson said, adding that the strike would continue till a solution was worked out.

Junior doctors across the state are observing a strike in protest against an assault on two of their colleagues at the NRS, allegedly by the family members of a patient who died on Monday night.

Services continued to remain affected for the sixth day on Sunday in emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Sunday said it will go ahead with the strike on June 17, withdrawing non-essential health services across the country in the wake of the assault on doctors in West Bengal.

The IMA said all outpatient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday.

Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had on Saturday asked states to consider enacting a specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence.

The IMA has demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Three civilians, including an 11-year-old girl, were injured when the Pakistan Army shelled villages and forward posts during ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district Sunday, officials said.

"At about 1930 hours Sunday, Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation starting with firing of small arms followed by shelling with mortars along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch Sector", a Defence spokesman said.

The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly, he said.

In the firing and shelling, Maryam Bi, the minor girl, was injured in Kanote forward village and Razia and porter Akbar were injured in Shahpur forward village, the officials said.

All the three have been hospitalized, they said.

Pakistan Rangers violated ceasefire on Tuesday, targeting border outposts at the International Border in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district, prompting the Border Security Force (BSF) to retaliate effectively.

An army jawan was also killed and three others were injured on Monday in mortar shelling and firing by the PakistanArmy along the LoC in Salotri forward area of Poonch district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As many as 12 people from Africa have been arrested here for overstaying, police said Sunday.

The foreigners had come to India on student, tourist and business visas and did not return despite expiry of their visas, the police said.

The 12 did not apply for extension of their visa and stayed in rented houses, they said.

The arrested wanted to lead a decent life here, the police quoted them as saying.

Also, it came to the light that none of them indulged in any crime in their country or in India, the police said.

Cases under Passport Act and Foreigners Act were registered against them, they added.

Early this month, 21 nationals from various African countries had been arrested on a similar charge.

They were detained following a special drive to identify those overstaying after expiry of their visas, the police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Madhya Pradesh seer's plan to take "samadhi" (entombment) on Sunday afternoon following a failed Lok Sabha poll prediction was thwarted by constant police vigil in Bhopal.

After his prediction of Congress leader Digvijay Singh's victory from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat fell flat, Baba Vairagyanand Giri had written, through a lawyer, to Bhopal collector Tarun Kumar Pithode to allow him to take samadhi at 2:11pm on Sunday.

Pithode had denied the absurd request and had asked police to ensure nothing untoward took place.

Giri had, during a yagna in support of Singh, made the samadhi promise while predicting that the latter would win from Bhopal.

Singh, a former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and multiple-time MP, was defeated by the BJP's Pragya Singh Thakur by a massive margin of over 3.64 lakh votes.

Giri, who returned from Kamakhya temple in Assam at 7:30am Sunday, could not venture out of his hotel premises due to the restraining presence of police, his advocate Majid Ali told PTI.

"I want to say publicly that the yagna failed. I respect the mandate of the people. I want to take samadhi as I could not pull off a victory for Digvijay Singh using yagna and other traditional means," Giri told reporters, claiming that he would "take samadhi for sure".

Incidentally, Giri, accused by his Niranjani Akhada of indulging in politics after predicting a win for Singh, was also expelled from the order.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man was shot dead by Naxals in Chattisgarh's Sukma district, around 500 kilometres from here, police said Sunday.

Madkam Nanda (28) was sleeping in his house in Bonkamadgu village late Saturday night when a group of Naxals raided the house and shot him multiple times, a Maraiguda police station official said.

The village is on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border and police teams have rushed to the site to apprehend the killers, he added.

"We are not sure of the motive behind the killing as the Naxals did not leave any pamphlet etc at the spot. A probe is underway," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Protesters torched a church overnight in the southern Niger city of Maradi after the arrest of a prominent imam who was subsequently freed Sunday, religious and security sources said.

Sheikh Rayadoune, the imam of the Zaria mosque in Maradi, was detained Saturday after criticising a proposed law on religious worship as "anti-Islam" a day earlier.

He has appealed to his supporters to end the unrest.

The group behind the church attack also burned the pastor's car, a church official said in a WhatsApp message to parishioners that was copied to AFP.

A local security source confirmed the incident in Maradi's working-class district of Zaria.

Witnesses said that late Saturday youths set up roadblocks and burned tyres in the streets of Niger's third largest city as of the imam's arrest spread.

A police source told AFP that Sheikh Rayadoune had been released Sunday afternoon, adding: "He has acknowledged his mistake and has apologised." Shortly before his release, the imam published a statement appealing for calm.

"All my supporters must stop burning things and making trouble in town: Islam does not recommend that, I have in no way been mistreated by police," the message said.

The imam said he had read a bad translation of the draft law, which had been transcribed from French into Hausa, Niger's main language. He added that he would rectify his position at Friday prayers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.): AIADMK in Puducherry Sunday charged the Congress government with lacking a long-term plan to protect the Union Territory against the drinking water crisis.

The party's legislature wing leader A Anbalagan told reporters here that though funds were procured from the European Union to desilt and rejuvenate lakes and water bodies, nothing had been done to ensure storage of rainwater.

He also alleged that the rainwater harvesting scheme was not implemented properly, resulting in Puducherry facing a water crisis



He said he was 'perplexed' to note that Chief Minister V Narayansamy,during his meeting with the Prime Minister in New Delhi Saturday, present a memorandum on the 'hackneyed' subjects of statehood for the UT,waiver of loans to the Centre and inclusion of Puducherry in the Central Finance Commission.

Several serious issues like steps to ensure water availability, reopening of defunct mills like AFT, Swadeshi and Bharathi Mills were hanging in the balance, which the CM failed to raise either in the memorandum or later in the Niti Aayog meeting, he said.

Anbalagan said the Smart City project was not taken up properly, though funds were released by the Centre and the French government.

He appealed to the Chief Minister to activate the government machinery and extend full cooperation to the Centre to develop Puducherry.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)50 Indian nationals have been issued notices in the past few weeks giving them one final opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details with the Indian authorities.

Swiss authorities are in process of sharing details of at least 50 Indian nationals having accounts in Switzerland-based banks, with regulatory and enforcement agencies in the two countries tightening their noose on individuals suspected to have amassed illicit wealth.

These individuals largely include businessmen associated with companies, including the dummy ones, in sectors ranging from real estate, financial services, technology and telecom to paints, home decoration, textiles, engineering goods, gems and jewellery.

Officials involved in the process of mutual administrative assistance between the two countries said.

has been striving hard for the past few years to shed a long-standing perception of it being a safe haven for black money, while the issue has been a politically sensitive one in as well.

When the first came to power in 2014, it had termed the crackdown on the black money, including those allegedly parked in Swiss banks, as a key focus area. Since then, the two countries have strengthened their framework for the exchange of information in cases of financial wrongdoings, including by signing the global automatic exchange of information framework.

The two countries have also strengthened their bilateral pact on this front and the economic considerations for boosting the bilateral economic ties have further helped increase the cooperation when it comes to bringing to book the people with dubious records, especially in amassing illicit wealth.

Citing the federal gazette notifications issued by the Swiss government to the concerned individuals, the officials said at least 50 Indian nationals have been issued notices in the past few weeks giving them one final opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details with the Indian authorities.

Some of these notices have followed after the preliminary appeals by the concerned clients of have already been rejected due to inadequate supporting facts and documents, leaving a limited chance of their further pleas getting heard, officials said.

They said the sharing of details of Indian clients of with dubious records, showing suspected illegalities in amassing of funds deposited there, has been a continuing process in the recent months.

While details of more than 100 Indians nationals have been shared in the past one year by the Swiss government with the Indian authorities, there is a high chance that a large majority of the cases currently under scrutiny would result in the administrative assistance being provided in the coming months, officials said.

Under the Swiss laws, foreign clients of are given an opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details within 30 days (only 10 days in some cases) after a country with a mutual assistance treaty, or party to the multilateral information exchange framework, seeks the details while giving sufficient proof of suspected financial wrongdoings.

While the Swiss government federal gazette notifications are made public when a foreign client is given an appeal opportunity, in some cases their full names are redacted due to some secrecy clauses and only a few details such as their initials, date of birth and the nationality are made public.

An analysis of such weekly notifications issued since the beginning of this year shows that Indian nationals have figured among these notices virtually every week, though full names have been redacted in a majority of the cases.

The full names that have been made public in recent weeks in the Swiss government federal gazette include Krishna Bhagwan Ramchand, Potluri Rajamohan Rao, Kalpesh Harshad Kinariwala, Kuldip Singh Dhingra, Bhaskaran Nalini, Lalitaben Chimanbhai Patel, Sanjay Dalmia, Pankaj Kumar Saraogi, Anil Bhardwaj, Tharani Renu Tikamdas, Mahesh Tikamdas Tharani, Savani Vijay Kanaiyalal, Bhaskaran Tharur, Kalpeshbhai Patel Mahendrabhai, Ajoy Kumar and Dinesh Kumar Himatsingka, Ratan Singh Chowdhury and Kathotia Rakesh Kumar.

However, there are many more cases where only initials have been disclosed for Indian nationals and these include NMA, MMA, PAS, RAS, ABKI, APS, ASBK, MLA, ADS, RPN, MCS, JNV, JD, AD, UG, YA, DM, SLS, UL, SS, RN, VL, UL, OPL, PM, PKK, BLS, SKN and JKJ.

Several of these persons and their companies are said to be based in Kolkata, Gujarat, Bengaluru, and

While a large number of Indians have been issued notices in recent weeks with stepping up its process to share details of such individuals, many more such notices are in the offing in coming weeks as has sought details about a large number of Indian clients of Swiss banks who are suspected to have indulged in illicit financial activities.

These include people whose names figured in the and lists, as also those being probed by the and the among other agencies.

While has always denied being a safe haven for black money, it has begun sharing details in recent years with several countries including after submission of evidence about financial and tax-related wrongdoings of the Swiss bank clients.

Besides, a new global framework of automatic information exchange is now in place, which Switzerland's State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) believes will increase transparency and prevent cross-border tax evasion.

(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 number of Injecting Drug Users (IDU) is on the rise in Tripura in spite of efforts by the state AIDS control society to control the menace, officials said.

The Injecting Drug Users are mostly concentrated in Kanchanpur and Damchera in North Tripura district and Dhalai district, the officials said.

According to latest statistic available with Tripura State Aids Control Society (TSACS), the number of drug users has gone up from 750 in 2018-19 to around 1000 till date.

The figure was 610 in 2017-18.

But the exact number of IDUs would more than the official figure as drug users often avoid the health workers due to social stigma, the Project Director of TSACS Dr PK Majumder said on Friday.

"We have succeeded to get some die hard IDUs out of drugs through Opioid Substitute Therapy (OST) but actual number would be much more than the official inputs," he said.

As many as 215 Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) have been fully cured over the past few years because of OST, he added.

Dr Majumder said "The number of IDUs are spreading to new areas like Kanchancherra, Sikaribari and Ambassa city in Dhalai district over the years. Earlier, the menace was concentrated only in Kanchanpur subdivision because of open border with Mizoram."



He said "We are using OSTs at Kanchanpur and Manu to give proper treatment to the drug users but turn-out is not so encouraging. But, still we are working on the mission to rescue the IDUs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India should observe October 15, the birth anniversary of former president A P J Abdul Kalam, as National Students Day, a BJP leader from Telangana has proposed to the government.

In a letter written to Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, BJP's former Rajya Sabha member Anand Bhaskar Rapolu said the United Nations has already declared this day as 'World Students Day'.

He said various educational institutions are already observing Kalam's birthday in their own way.

"I pray for your prompt expeditious initiative to declare October 15 as National Students Day and ensure to observe befittingly in all the educational institutions of all levels, so that as the Missile Man dreamt, you can utilise the day as the occasion to ignite the minds of our students," Rapolu said in the letter.

He added that Kalam's birthday should be observed with equal zeal like the nation observes other sensitising events such as June 21 as World Yoga Day and August 7 as National Handloom Day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)With the life being in top gear round the clock for corporate leaders, their love life often takes a beating, and experts are of the opinion that any conflict of interest must be kept in mind when indulging in workplace relationships.

The HR experts, on the other hand, feel that the power business couples, holding top corporate positions, often need to go extra mile to maintain their long distance relationships given the huge amount of travel and away-fromhome-hours involved in their professional life.

Whether it's couple CEOs living in different cities due to their work or a couple where one partner tastes greater success first, the power couples need to maintain a delicate balance between their work and family life.

Author Arvind Parashar, who has worked with corporates like Dell, Genpact and GE in senior leadership roles before he took to full-time writing, said love is perceived to diminish when you attain the CXO level in the corporate world, but that is not actually the case always and several CEOs or power couples tend to be particular about the holidays and destinations with their family or partners.

Parashar, who has just released the final part of his love trilogy, All You Need is Love, said love as a concept shall always remain relevant.

"What can change is the dedication that one can have towards it. Sometimes, we tend to get too mechanical in a professional world that the commitment required in love life takes a back seat. An effort is required to strike a work-life balance," he said.

Leading executive search firm Stellar Search's Founder and Chairperson Shailja Dutt said realistically it is difficult to deter office romances.

"In the current corporate environment, employees spend a larger part of their waking hours in office, and as a natural outcome of that often find romance, future life partners at their workplace, or via their work.

"At Stellar, in the past, we've had several employees who met whilst in the Company and subsequently married," she said.

Dutt, however, cautioned that it is very unhealthy for a couple to work in the same organisation, in the same department or even in departments that work very closely with each other, as there is always a looming threat of "conflict of interest".

"However, if you work in a large organization, where you're in different departments with no interconnection to each other, it is a seemingly better situation," she said.

Oshikka Lumb, an author and Founder at Markitiers, Event Mossaic and Vizz Plus, said the companies and their employees need to be cautious in cases of office romances.

"A lot of issues can arise if office colleagues start romancing.... Many a times due to any sort of argument or fight between them, the office environment and work may get get affected.

"This is the same reason why companies have a strict HR policies against love affairs at work, especially employees higher in the hierarchy," she said.

But still most couples meet at the workplace, have a long relationship and even end up marrying, Lumb said.

"So, if the couple is mature enough and not end up doing unethical activities at work place or exhibit their love during their stint at the workplace, the company is completely fine with it," she said.

On love life of CEOs and other top level executives, Parashar said personal lives are important to be kept going so that it doesn't impact their professional life.

"Like any other couple, they make that extra effort. Maybe more than a normal couple because they know when the busy hectic days take a toll, they need to make up for it. I have known a few of them closely and they are quite content with the love in their life," he said.

On what would be his advice to the companies in dealing with workplace relationships, Parashar said romance is a personal thing and bring it to the workplace and make an exhibition out of it is not the right thing.

"HR policies are around work ethics and therefore even if there is a couple in the workplace so long as it does not break policies, it is fine," he said.

Lumb said the corporate world is fast paced and cut-throat, leaving no time to even let your hair down.

"Romance does not stay like how it was in the beginning because we get too busy in striving for more success but that does not necessarily mean that love for your partner diminishes in any way.

"Measures should be taken to maintain a strict balance between work life and social life. Books on romance bring out a will to regain the spark in the love life as they are written in a way that will attract the mind of the reader towards doing something exciting and lively," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man was arrested for allegedly duping a person of over Rs 4 lakh using an e-wallet and a mobile banking application by fraudulently accessing her debit card details, police said Sunday.

The arrested accused was identified as Jitender, a resident of Brij Puri, they said.

According to a senior police officer, a complaint was received on June 2 wherein it was alleged that messages were received on her phone number regarding deduction of balance. A total of Rs 4,49,000 was deducted from the complainant's bank account, with the Yamuna Vihar branch, from April 20 to May 29.

Through the scrutiny of bank account statement of the complainant, Rs 14,000 were found to be transferred to an e-wallet, while Rs 4,30,000 were transferred to a bank account in Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, they said.

"Police zeroed in on the location of accused Jitender and subsequently nabbed him from Dayalpur area of Delhi," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) said.

One mobile phone and Rs 11,000 in cash were recovered from his possession while Rs 63,000 has been seized in alleged bank accounts, the DCP said.

During interrogation, Jitender disclosed that he came to know about the balance available in the complainant's bank account after reading an SMS in her mobile phone, the DCP said.

Thereafter, he fraudulently obtained details of debit card/CVV/OTP of the complainant and installed an e-wallet and mobile application of the bank, police said.

The accused then transferred Rs 14,000 to his e-wallet and Rs 4,30,000 in a bank account in Jaunpur branch and further transferred the remaining amount in two other bank accounts, the DCP said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)has failed to complete 25 of the 27 action points given by the terror financing watchdog to check funding to terrorist groups such as and JeM and frontal groups like Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

With this, multilateral lenders like the IMF, the and the EU may continue downgrading Pakistan, making its financial situation more precarious.

The Paris-headquartered Financial Action Task Force has asked to explain whether it has launched any investigation into the $ 7 million allocated to maintain schools, madrasas, clinics and ambulances originally operated by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and fronts Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

JuD and FIF are founded by terror mastermind

is responsible for a number of terrorist strikes in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft to Afghanistan in 1999.

Most recently, it attacked a CRPF bus in Pulwama in Feb this year, killing 40 soldiers.

is in deep trouble at the meeting beginning Sunday in Florida in the US, people aware of the development said.

"It has been unable to complete 25 of its 27 action points. It has one last chance, till its 15-month deadline ends in October 2019, when the Plenary will be held," one of them added.

In June 2018, Pakistan was placed in the 'Gray' list and given a 27-point action plan by FATF. This plan was reviewed at the last plenary in October 2018 and for the second time in February this year, when the country was again put into the 'Gray' list after India submitted new information about Pakistan-based terrorist groups.

The FATF continuing Pakistan in the 'Gray' list means its downgrading by IMF, World Bank, ADB, EU and also a reduction in risk rating by Moody's, S&P and Fitch.

This will add to the financial problems of Pakistan, which is seeking aid from all possible avenues.

In a bid to bluff the financial watchdog, Pakistani authorities have shown arrests of LeT, JeM, JuD and FiF cadres. But all were apprehended under its Maintenance of Public Order Act and not under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Under the MPO Act, authorities cannot hold a detainee beyond 60 days.

Pakistan has detained JeM founder and LeT founder mostly under the laws that provide for detention for apprehension of breach of peace; they have never been prosecuted under anti-terror laws.

The FATF implements UN designations, which do not warrant arrest. They ask only for freeze of funds, denial of access to weapons and travel embargo. The financial watchdog also wants nations to impose penalties that are proportionate and dissuasive.

The MPO Act is not seen as satisfying either of the two conditions. Therefore, none of these arrests will satisfy the FATF or the UN Designations Committee.

Pakistan has also seized several hundred properties of LeT, JuD, FiF and JeM, including schools and madrasas.

However, these properties are now being run by its provincial governments.

The Punjab provincial government has allocated $2 million (Pakistani Rs 30 crore or Indian Rs 14 crore) per annum for their upkeep. Similarly, other provinces have allocated $5 million.

The annual expense allocated by Pakistan totals $7 million (Pakistani Rs 105 or Indian Rs 49 crore).

The FATF has now asked Pakistan to explain whether there are any terror-funding investigations to unearth the sources and entities that funded these organisations with $7 million per annum for the past several years.

The FATF currently has 35 members and two regional organisations European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council.

In the last meeting of the FATF in Paris, the FATF said Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies, including by adequately demonstrating its proper understanding of the terror financing risks posed by the terrorist groups and conducting supervision on a risk-sensitive basis, demonstrating that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism violations and that these actions have an effect on AML/CFT compliance by financial institutions.

Pakistan, it said, should demonstrate that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services, demonstrating that authorities are identifying cash couriers and enforcing controls on illicit movement of currency and understanding the risk of cash couriers being used for terror financing (TF), improving inter-agency coordination including between provincial and federal authorities on combating TF risks besides others.Patients have been facing the heat of junior doctors' protest in West Bengal as services remain affected in state-run hospitals and colleges for the sixth day on Sunday.

At SSKM hospital in Kolkata, Raiganj-resident Samuel Haque, who was admitted with a cardiac problem, said he was uncertain about his treatment.

His brother said, "We came to Kolkata last Sunday when everything was normal and the outpatient department was functioning. We admitted him on an emergency basis, with doctors giving date on Tuesday for check-up, following which the date of surgery was to be decided."



But now no doctor is attending to Haque, he said.

Senior doctors say they don't have enough hands to conduct tests, he said.

"His condition is deteriorating. We cannot take him home because it is very difficult for my brother to travel long distance in trains. We will wait till Monday."



Services in emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many hospitals have been hit. The doctor's strike began after two of their colleagues were assaulted at the NRS Medical College and Hospital by family members of a patient, who died on Monday night.

They demand adequate security.

Hundreds of doctors have resigned en masse in support of their colleagues. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged the junior doctors to return to work and said her government had accepted their demands.

But the doctors have demanded a dialogue with the government before ending their stir.

The strike has caused immense trouble for patients.

Joydeb Roy, a resident of Barishat in North 24 Parganas district, was admitted to R G Kar hospital in Kolkata with an injured leg.

A relative said he was referred to a government hospital, where he had to undergo surgery to place a metallic plate in his leg on an emergency-basis. He is waiting for the surgery.

"The senior doctors are saying they need help of junior doctors to conduct the surgery. My husband is lying in the department (ward) waiting for treatment," Roy's wife said.

Junior doctors are the mainstay of any state-run college-hospital.

Mokhtar Hussain's family members are planning to return home in Basirhat. They have been waiting for two days at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital for treatment to resume for Hussain, a cancer patient.

"I am suffering from high fever for seven days. I cannot bear the pain. But there is no doctor to carry out check-up. The OPD has been shut for two days and I cannot go anywhere else as things are the same there as well. I don't know what to do. I cannot spend this much money to stay here in Kolkata. I will go back home," he said.

Family members of the four-year-old Romita Dhar, a thalassaemia patient, too face a similar dilemma.

When Dhar's family took her to Chittaranjan National Medical College and Hospital for check-up on Friday, they were told to come on Saturday.

"It is very difficult to travel with a child who is suffering from thalassaemia. I'll again come next week," her mother Arundhaty Roy said.

The patients admitted in government hospitals are also facing problems with pathological units not functioning as usual.

"We don't have much money to afford treatment at private hospitals. I appeal to the chief minister to find a solution to this problem.

"Why cannot our chief minister come for a meeting with the doctors... They (junior doctors) have been saying they will end the stir if she comes to the NRS hospital for a meeting," mother of Bastab Dasgupta, who suffers from neurological problem and is admitted at NRS Medical College and Hospital, said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chairing an all-party meeting on the eve of the first session of the new Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday invited heads of all parties to a meeting on June 19 to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue and other important matters.

Noting that there are many new faces in this Lok Sabha, Modi said the first session of the Lower House of Parliament should begin with "fresh zeal and new thinking".

Addressing the media after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said the prime minister urged leaders of all parties to "introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfil people's aspirations as their representatives and the manner in which last two years of the 16th Lok Sabha were wasted".

An all-party meeting is a customary procedure before the beginning of every session of Parliament to ensure its smooth functioning.

Joshi said that government has requested all parties, especially the opposition, for their cooperation for the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament.

In order to build esprit de corps, Modi has invited presidents of all those parties who have an MP either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha for a meeting on June 19.

The meeting has been called to discuss "one nation, one election" issue, celebrations of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year, he said.

It will be followed by a dinner meeting with all MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on June 20 to freely interact and exchange views with the government, Joshi said, adding that these two novel initiatives would go a long way in building team spirit among all parliamentarians.

At today's meeting, the opposition demanded discussion on issues such as farmers distress, unemployment and drought should be debated upon in Parliament.

After the meeting, Modi tweeted, "We had a fruitful all-party meeting today, the first one after the election results and before the start of the Monsoon Session. Thankful to the leaders for their valuable suggestions. We all agreed on the smooth running of Parliament so that we can fulfil people's aspirations."



Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Azad said that all those bills which are in the interest of the people "we are not opposed to them".

There should be a discussion on farmers distress, unemployment and drought, he said.

He also called for early conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, currently under President's rule, asserting that if Lok Sabha polls can be held then why not state polls.

It appears that the Centre wants to run the state through the Governor's administration, he alleged.

Congress's Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and K Suresh were also present at the meeting.

TMC's Derek O'Brien demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, be brought immediately in the session.

The first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha will be held from June 17 to July 26.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 34-year-old Delhi Police constable allegedly committed suicide Sunday after hanging himself in Kanjhawala area here, officials said.

The deceased constable was identified as Kulbir Singh, a resident of Kanjhawla, they said.

He was a constable (driver) posted at the Delhi Police Control Room (PCR).

According to a senior police officer, they received information regarding the incident from a hospital at around 11 am on Sunday.

Singh was rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead, they said.

During initial investigation, it was found that Singh hanged himself with a rope in a tin shed in a plot in Lal Dora here. The plot is away from his house, police said.

Rajinder Singh, the father of the constable, said Kulbir Singh was depressed from the past 15 days.

Kulbir Singh is survived by his wife and two children aged eight and 10, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is reaching out to wary foreign leaders to frame alleged Iranian attacks in a Middle East oil shipping route as a problem for the world at large, especially for Asian countries vitally dependent on that oil.

Pompeo, in a series of Sunday television interviews, emphasized the U.S. international outreach in the wake of what the US says were Iranian attacks Thursday on two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.

"I made a bunch of phone calls yesterday. I'll make a whole bunch more calls today. The world needs to unite," Pompeo said. He did not say what kind of action the Trump administration envisioned.

"We are going to work to build out a set of countries that have deep vested interest in keeping that strait open to help us do that," Pompeo said.

That echoed comments from acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan this past week when he said the US goal is to "build international consensus to this international problem."



Iran has denied being involved in the attacks and accused America of promoting an "Iranophobic" campaign against it.

Pressed on whether any new US military deployment to the region was possible, Pompeo said that "of course" remained among the options that President Donald Trump may consider to keep shipping safe through the narrow strait, a strategic choke point for oil shipments from the Middle East.

Trump last year withdrew the U.S. from an international agreement, signed in 2015 by President Barack Obama, to limit Iran's nuclear program. Trump has reinstated economic sanctions and recently ended waivers that allowed some countries to continue buying Iranian oil.

That has deprived Iran of oil income and has coincided with what U.S. officials said was a surge in intelligence pointing to Iranian preparations for attacks against U.S. forces and interests in the Gulf region.

The US has accelerated the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group to the region, sent four nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Qatar and bolstered its defenses in the region by deploying more Patriot air defense systems.

Some European allies have called for a careful investigation of responsibility, worried that Trump was escalating tensions with a country he has long called a top US enemy.

Pompeo stressed that the US gets relatively little of its energy supplies through the strait, which lies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says 16 per cent of US petroleum imports came from the Persian Gulf countries in 2018.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed Sunday that the US will guarantee free passage through the vital Strait of Hormuz, as he accused Iran of recent attacks on oil tankers and the downing of a US drone.

Pompeo confirmed in an interview with CBS that a US MQ-9 "Reaper" drone was shot down June 6 with a missile fired from Yemen "that we assess had Iranian assistance."



Pompeo would not be drawn on what options the US is considering to protect shipping -- or to punish Iran -- in the wake of Thursday's attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, but reiterated that President Donald Trump is not seeking war with Iran.

"What you should assume is we are going to guarantee freedom of navigation throughout the strait," he said in an interview on "Fox Sunday."



Iran has denied the US charges as "baseless" and said they were made without "a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence." A third of the world's seaborne oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel bordered to the north by Iran that links the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

"This is an international challenge, important to the entire globe. The United States is going to make sure that we take all the actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise, that achieve that outcome," Pompeo said.

The rising tensions have raised fears of an outbreak of hostilities in the tinderbox region.

"We don't want a war. We've done what we can to deter this," Pompeo said. "The Iranians should understand very clearly that we will continue to take actions that deter Iran from engaging in this ... kind of behaviour."



The secretary would not lay out US evidence for Iran's involvement in the Gulf of Oman explosions, but insisted: "It's unmistakable what happened here.

"These were attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran on commercial shipping, on the freedom of navigation, with the clear intent to deny transit through the strait."



The Pentagon had previously released a video showing what it said was an Iranian boat that pulled up alongside one of the stricken tankers and removed a limpet mine attached to its hull.

Some allies, skeptical of US intentions, have said they wanted to see more evidence before reaching a conclusion.

"I will concede that there are countries that wish this would just go away," Pompeo said.

He expressed confidence that "as we continue to develop the fact pattern, countries around the world will not only accept the basic facts, which I think are indisputable, but will come to understand that this is an important mission for the world."



Adam Schiff, head of the House Intelligence Committee and a leading Democratic critic of the administration, said the evidence of Iranian involvement "is very strong and compelling."



"And in fact, I think this was a Class-A screw-up by Iran to insert a mine on the ship," he said on CBS's "Face the Nation."



"It didn't detonate, they had to go back and retrieve it. I can imagine there are some Iranian heads rolling from that botched operation," he said. The administration's struggle to persuade its allies, however, "shows just how isolated the United States has become," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In the backdrop of the alleged financial fraud by an investment firm here, Senior Congress leader H K Patil Sunday urged the Karnataka government to formulate regulations under a law that enables confiscation of properties of fraudsters and returning it to investors in 180 days.

In a letter to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday, Patil gave a slew of suggestions to protect the interest of investors by returning their dues and initiate action against the culprits.

"The state government should immediately formulate regulations under the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Ordiance-2019, and enable confiscation of properties of frausters and returning the property to the investors in 180 days," he said.

The city-based IMA jewels had allegedly cheated a large number of investors after promising them impressive returns on their deposits.

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, owner of the firm went absconding after allegedly threatening to commit suicide in an audio clip.

He also demanded Kumaraswamy to constitute a competent authority under section 7 of the ordinance and appointment of officers and staff without any delay.

Advocating setting up of special courts for speedy trial in such cases, Patil said mere vigilance was not sufficient but initiating action under such regulations was also necessary.

Underscoring the necessity to instill confidence among people about the administration, Patil inisisted upon financial awareness among people.

Chief minister Kumaraswamy has not responded to the suggestions yet.

While BJP leaders including MLA Basanagouda Patil continued to demand a CBI inquiry into the case given that a few Muslim leaders' name surfaced, Karnataka forest minister Satish Jarkiholi ruled it out, saying the Special Task Force was competent enough to solve the case.

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.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal softened their stand on Sunday and asserted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was free to decide the venue of the meeting with them, but stressed that it should be held in open.

Banerjee had on Saturday invited the agitators for closed-door talks, but the offer was turned down by them.

Talking to the media after a two-and-half-hour-long meeting of their governing body, a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors said, "We are keen to end this impasse. We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors."



The spokesperson said the venue should be spacious enough to accommodate representatives from all medical colleges and hospitals in the state.

Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation.

"We want to join our duties as early as possible in the best interests of the common people once all our demands are met with adequately and logically through a discussion.

"We are hopeful that the chief minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems," he said, adding that the strike would continue till a solution was worked out.

Junior doctors across the state are observing a strike in protest against an assault on two of their colleagues at the NRS, allegedly by the family members of a patient who died on Monday night.

Services continued to remain affected for the sixth day on Sunday in the emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The BJP's State Working Committee in Rajasthan Sunday targeted the Ashok Gehlot government accusing it of betraying farmers, youths and every section of the society.

The committee passed a resolution on the issue of law and order, drinking water and electricity.

It said the Congress government has "betrayed" the farmers, youths and all sections of the society by not fulfilling its election promises. The committee said the people of the state were living in fear while it was not the case with criminals.

It expressed gratitude to the voters of the state for supporting the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP got 24 of the 25 seats in the state and one seat went to its alliance partner Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLTP).

The Working Committee thanked the voters of the state for their tremendous support for the Lok Sabha elections. The resolution stated that winning 25 seats in the state for the second consecutive time reflects that voters have expressed confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's thought of welfare of the poor, country's self respect and its security.

This was the first meeting of the party State Working Committee after the elections, in which the newly elected MPs and three Union ministers also joined.

In the meeting, state BJP president Madan Lal Saini, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and party's state in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna were present besides other state leaders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A court in Pakistan has issued a death warrant to a mentally unwell prisoner, paving the way for his execution on June18 amidst growing concern among human rights groups, a media report said on Sunday.

Ghulam Abbas, 36, a death row prisoner languishing in a jail for13 years, was sentenced to death in 2006 by a district and sessions court in Rawalpindi for stabbing one of his neighbours.

Abbas, who has clear symptoms of mental illness, was issued the death warrant by the session court in Rawalpindi, Dawn reported.

Following the death warrant, there have been calls from human rights organisations to halt the execution considering the mental illness of the prisoner.

Justice Projects Pakistan, an human rights law firm, said that Abbas' execution should be stayed and he should be transferred to a mental health facility.

Abbas' execution must be stayed and he should be transferred to a mental health facility to be comprehensively assessed, Sarah Belal from JPP was quoted as saying by the paper.

Malik Hussain Mubbashar, a psychiatrist appointed by the Supreme Court in the case, said the medical examination records showed that jail authorities had treated him with strong anti-psychotic drugs.

He said that Abbas had a genetic predisposition to mental illness because of his family history of mental illness.

It is imperative I be allowed to visit Abbas in jail to assess his mental health and physical condition. In my professional opinion, he should be shifted to the Centre for Mental Health, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, for proper care, he said.

A fresh mercy petition has been filed requesting the president to grant him a reprieve.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union-backedRobocon, a competition where students compete in the field of robotics, was held here Sunday.

While LD College of Engineering, Ahmedabad, won the ABU-Robocon 2019 national contest, the first runner up was Nirma University, Ahmedabad, and the second runner-up team was Gujarat Technical University, Ahmedabad.

The winning team will represent India at the international contest that will take place on August 25 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, a statement said.

Doordarshan will sponsor a team of three students and the faculty incharge for the event.

The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is the biggest broadcasting union in the world. Through its members' network, the ABU reaches 3 billion people across the Asia Pacific region and beyond. The ABU has 272 members in 76 countries in four continents.

ABU-Robocon is an initiative by ABU to give a platform to students of its member countries to share their innovative practices in the field of robotics.

Doordarshan as one of the leading members of ABU is spearheading this activity and has been organising Robocon for the last 10 years.

Supriya Sahu, the director general of Doordarshan who is also the vice-president of ABU, says that this robotic contest is one of the unique public service activities that brings engineering students on one platform.

The international platform helps them to innovate, create, exchange the innovation and build bridges both at national and international level.

This year, Doordarshan partnered with IIT Delhi to organise this contest.

Professor Subir Kumar Saha from IIT Delhi, the mentor and a vetern on robotics in India, said the format to conduct national contest was changed this year to keep a similarity with the style of the international event.

This year 26 teams with 651 students came to IIT Delhi to participate in this contest.

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO Prasar Bharati, applauded Doordarshan for this initiative and said the activity which it started in 2002 in India is one of the most meaningful public service initiatives.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accused rival Iran of twin attacks on oil tankers in a vital Gulf shipping channel, according to excerpts of an interview published early 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," he told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, referring to the attacks in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday.

Iran has denied any involvement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The heatwave conditions prevailing in most parts of the country has claimed at least 44 lives in Bihar in a day, even as rain brought down the mercury in some western and northern states on Sunday.

Rain and thunderstorm has been predicted on Monday in Uttar Pradesh, where sweltering heat continued unabated with Allahabad in the eastern part being the hottest at 45.3 degree Celsius, six notches above the normal.

Sultanpur, Varanasi and Basti in the state recorded 45 degrees Celsius, 44.2 degrees Celsius and 44 degrees Celsius respectively.

Blistering heatwave condition continued unabated in Bihar, where at least 44 people died on Saturday. The state government has ordered closure of schools till June 19.

According to officials, 22 people died in Aurangabad, 20 in Gaya and two in Nawada districts due to the heatwave. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over the deaths and announced an ex gratia of Rs four lakh for the next of kin of the victims.

In Delhi, traces of rain and strong wind reduced the daytime temperature which settled at 36.3 degrees Celsius, three notches below the normal. The weatherman has predicted overcast conditions and thunderstorm accompanied with light rains on Monday.

Parts of Rajasthan witnessed rain since Saturday, bringing respite from the sweltering conditions. The state capital recorded 9.2 mm of rains on Sunday, the meteorological department said.

Bhim in Rajsamand gauged 7 cm of rains followed by 4 cm in Tibi of Hanumangarh and 3 cm each in Chirawa, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Sangaria since Saturday.

Similarly, rainfall in Ahmedabad and rest Gujarat brought respite from the scorching heat. The maximum temperature in Ahmedabad hovered around 37 degree Celsius, the IMD said.

North Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch regions are likely to receive heavy rain on Monday under the inhluence of cyclone Vayu, the MeT department said.

On Sunday morning, the cyclone remained centred about 470 km west-southwest of Porbandar, 440 km southwest of Dwarka and 545 km southwest of Bhuj, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.

Monsoon is expected to advance further up north as Cyclone Vayu loses intensity paving the way for the wind system to move towards the Arabian Sea, the weatherman said Sunday.

By now, monsoon should have reached the central India, including parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, but it is yet to reach Maharashtra.

It still remains over Mangalore, Mysore, Cuddalore over the southern peninsula and Passighat, Agartala in the northeast, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The western coast - from Maharashtra to Gujarat - has been receiving rainfall due to the cyclone. Only coastal Karnataka and Kerala have received rains due to monsoon.

Monsoon is likely to set in in Telangana around June 20 and in Andhra Pradesh by June 18, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The public in Tamil Nadu has been advised not to expose themselves to direct sunlight between 11.00 am and 4.00 pm to avoid sunstroke, a Regional Meteorological Centre has said.

Chennai and its neighbouring areas and several other northern districts in Tamil Nadu have been reeling under heatwave-like conditions for the past several days with the mercury hovering over 41 degree Celsius.

The heatwave claimed at least 44 lives in three districts of Bihar on Saturday, officials said.

This year's heatwave has not even spared the Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu recorded a maximum temperature of 39.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the weatherman said.

The remained mainly dry in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday even as the maximum temperature fell by 3 to 4 degrees from normal, Shimla MeT Centre director Manmohan Singh said.

Some states experienced pleasant conditions with little to moderate rain.

Sirsa, Fatehabad, Mahendergarh in Haryana and Amritsar, Gurdaspur and a few other areas in Punjab received welcome showers.

According to meteorological department forecast, light to moderate rain is likely at a few places on June 16, 17 and 18 in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, four people, including two brothers, were killed in separate incidents of lightning strike during rain and thunderstorm in northern part of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Six people, including four women, were killed and five others injured in two separate accidents in Rajasthan, police said Sunday.

In Jaipur, three people were killed and two other injured when their car collided with a stationary trailer truck near Bilonchi village, which comes undre the jurisdiction of Harmada police station, they said.

The victims were on their way to Shahpura from Daulatpur to offer prayers at a temple when the accident took place.

The deceased were identified as Santosh Sharma (45), her daughter Puja Sharma (27) and Madhu Sharma (38), police said, adding that injured persons were rushed to a hospital.

In Sikar, three people were killed and as many injured when their car fell into a deep gorge in order to avoid collision with another vehicle coming from opposite direction, police said.

The accident took place on Saturday night when they were returning home in Churu district from Harshnath temple.

The deceased were identified as Jagdish Prasad Jat (45), his wife Manju Devi (42) and Amit Kumar Meghwal (27).

A case was registered against the driver of another vehicle and a probe was underway, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)With a recent spate of shooting incidents raising concern over law and order situation, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik has said two specialised units of the force are analysing cases of personal enmity that can lead to killings and attacks to develop a strategy to arrest such crimes.

"This is an area of concern and we are now working on (developing) a strategy," Patnaik told PTI. The Special Cell and the Crime Branch are on the job.

Last week, four incidents of shooting were reported within a span of 24 hours, in which five people were killed. Earlier, gun-wielding youths opened indiscriminate fire on a busy road in Dwarka Mor, triggering panic.

Last week's killings prompted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to urge Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and the Home Ministry to look into the law and order situation in the national capital.

Delhi Police comes under the Union Home Ministry.

Even though some of these incidents have been labelled as a fallout of gang rivalries, the police chief felt otherwise.

"The term 'gang' is used little loosely and the persons involved may not actually be part of gangs. Maybe they are settling personal enmity with each other for which they are using maybe firearms...this is an area of concern," he said.

He said the Deputy Commissioners of Police have been asked to work on a strategy to identify and analyse the cases where there is a probability of such enmity developing into a serious dispute.

"This would mean seeing that if a particular crime has taken place, who are the people involved in that, whether they themselves are ready to take it further.

"We have also asked our specialised units such as Crime Branch and Special Cell to work on these areas where you know serious types of enmity and dispute are there which may actually have the potential to lead to the formation of a criminal group," he said.

He said the specialised units are also working on catching hardened criminals.

There have been instances where gangs have targeted family members of their rival gang members. The top cop said the police provides security to family members if there is a threat.

"As far as family is concerned, as and when we have an apprehension or there is any complaint from them, we have a system of a quick threat assessment which is carried out. In appropriate cases we do give them security as well.

"Like if you realise, we had provided security to (gangster) Monu Dariyapur's wife after he was killed by Sonu Dariyapur since she was facing threats," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)"Stranger Things" breakout star Gaten Matarazzo has been roped in by Netflix to host a prank show.

The young actor will also serve as an executive producer on the show.

According to Deadline, the eight-episode show titled "Prank Encounters", is set to premiere later in 2019.

Netflix describes the series as a "terrifying and hilarious prank show" that takes two complete strangers who each think they are starting their first day at a new job until their paths cross and their part-time jobs turn into full-time nightmares.

Matarazzo essays the role of Dustin on "Stranger Things". The show's third season premieres on July 4 and is set in the summer of 1985. It will feature a terrifying new creature.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Sunday centred 97 kilometres north-east of Ohonua, on the Pacific island of Tonga, the US Geological Survey reported.

The quake hit at 0226 IST 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.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A top Sudanese general Sunday vowed to send to the "gallows" those who carried out a deadly crackdown on a Khartoum sit-in earlier this month that left dozens of protesters dead and hundreds wounded.

"We are working hard to take those who did this to the gallows," Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy chief of the ruling military council said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

"Whoever committed any fault" will be held accountable, Dagalo added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Super 30 founder Anand Kumar will share his experiences with the making of the movie that revolves round his pioneering initiative in helping students from deprived class crack IIT examination, at the famed Cambridge University later this month.

"It's hilarious moment for me as I had a dream of studying at Cambridge, but could not make it due to poor financial condition of the family," the acclaimed mathematician told PTI on Sunday.

He will speak at the UK-Asia summit organized at Cambridge University from June 24-28, 2019, dwelling on his inspiring two-decade long journey that worked as an inspiration of the film, starring Hrithik Roshan. The film is set to be released on July 12.

Kumar's brother Pranav Kumar, who looks after the entire management of Super 30, will accompany him.

Programme organizer senior scientist Shah Kamranur Rahman said that it was a sheer coincidence that in his young days, Anand, whose innovative Super 30 programme mentors students from the underprivileged sections of the society for admission in IITs, had a dream to study in the same Cambridge University he would speak at.

"He had also got admission, but the poor financial condition of his family after his father's sudden demise came in the way and his dream was shattered. However, this incident became a source of inspiration for him, which laid the foundation of Super 30 later on in 2002. So far, hundreds of students from poor families have successfully chased their dream from IIT to change the course of their lives," a Super 30 statement quoted him as saying.

Rahman said that people were really excited to hear Anand Kumar at the UK-Asia summit at Cambridge University. "It is great that he will have a lot to share, not just about the inspiring tales of his innovative programme, but also about the upcoming film. People will get to know how a simple man from a backward Indian state inspired the Bollywood to make a film on his remarkable endeavour," he added.

Earlier, also has had the opportunity to deliver lecture at famed institutions like MIT, Harvard and Stanford in USA, Tokyo University as well as Germany and Canada. He has also been featured by media across the globe viz. Time, Newsweek, New York Times, Monocle, Discovery, BBC, Japanese TV, French TV, NHK of Japan.

Super 30 has so far helped nearly 540 students from the underprivileged sections of the society successfully chase the IIT dream with unmatched passion. It has ushered in a silent social revolution through mainstreaming of children belonging to the underprivileged sections of the society by empowering them with year-long residential mentoring for admission to IITs.

This year too, 18 of its students have cracked Jee Advance to qualify for admission in different IITs.

Started in 2002, meritorious wards of rickshaw puller, farm labourer, housemaid and other deprived sections of society are provided free fooding lodging and to help them make big in life by clearing admission test for IIT.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Three alleged members of the Gala Ghotu Gang were arrested on charges of robbery in the national capital, police said Sunday.

The accused have been identified as Vakeel (32), a resident of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, Parvesh (26), a resident of Sonia Vihar here and Mithlesh (22), a native of Bihar, they said.

A policeman on patrolling duty near Lady Harding Medical College here on Saturday around 9.30 pm found a man shouting for help, they said.

"The man approached the officer and told him he was going to visit his ailing relative at Kalawati Hospital. When he reached Panchkuia Road, two persons got down from an auto rickshaw and robbed him of his mobile after choking him. The attackers fled towards Nehru Chowk," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Madhur Verma.

The officer took the complainant in another auto-rickshaw and intercepted the accused persons at Nehru chowk, he said.

Vakeel, the driver of the auto-rickshaw, was apprehended whereas the other two managed to escape along with the mobile phone, the DCP said.

During interrogation, Vakeel said the auto-rickshaw belongs to his relative.

The accused had robbed another man of his mobile phone in the same manner in Paharganj area, officials said.

Based on Vakeel's report, his associates were arrested from Ajmeri Gate area, they said, adding two mobile phones and one auto-rickshaw was recovered from their possession.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A tiny village in Goa, which is known for its scenic beaches and Portuguese-era structures, is attracting tourists for a different reason as it is visible only for a few days while remaining submerged under dam water for rest of the year.

Tourists and the original inhabitants of Curdi village come to visit the place in the month of May, when the water- level recedes, exposing the village and ruins of an old Lord Shiva temple to the outer world.

Locals host a traditional festival in the temple's remnants, much to the delight of domestic as well as foreign visitors.

Once the monsoon rains pick up, the low-lying village gets submerged, making those displaced sad again.

Nestled amid the Western Ghats in South Goa district, Curdi was once a flourishing village bustling with over 600 families.

However, its natives agreed to "sacrifice" their home in late 1970s when the then chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar announced construction of a dam on the Selaulim river flowing nearby, an old local resident told PTI.

As per official records, the dam construction started in 1976 and was completed in 2000.

Prakash Kurdikar (60), who was earlier a resident of Curdi, recalled that by 1986, the village started going under water.

"It was an emotional moment for the villagers who sacrificed their homes for the sake of Goa. It is the greatest sacrifice anyone can make," he said.

Its residents were rehabilitated in the nearby Vadden and Valkini villages.

State water resources department's executive engineer K K Ravindran said streams around the village have started getting filled up due to the pre-monsoon showers.

"If it rains properly for 10 days, then the village will be get submerged. It will be visible only after 11 months next year," he said.

This year, the monsoon has been delayed in Goa and the rains have started picking up now, he said.

"So, if it rains for next seven days, then by the end of this month, Curdi will disappear," Ravindran said, adding that the village is located five km away from the catchment area of Selaulim dam.

Locals claim that before getting submerged, the village turns into an island for a few hours and then slowly disappears under water.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US President Donald Trump further stirred up his ongoing feud with London Mayor Sadiq Khan by blaming him for a recent spate of stabbings and violence in the UK capital.

Trump and Khan have repeatedly clashed ever since the Pakistani-origin mayor questioned the red carpet being rolled out for the US President by Britain, most recently for a state visit hosted by Queen Elizabeth II earlier this month.

Khan has also likened Trump to "20th century fascists" for his divisive views on immigration, with Trump hitting back with social media messages about his "terrible job" as Mayor of London.

The US President's latest intervention on Twitter follows in the same vein, demanding that Khan should be replaced.

"London needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster will only get worse," he said, while retweeting a message that highlighted two stabbings and a shooting in London in the last few days.

"He is a national disgrace who is destroying the city of London," a follow-up message read.

Khan's spokesperson said the London Mayor's thoughts were with the victims' families and he "is not going to waste his time responding to this sort of tweet".

"Violent crime has no place in our city, and there's no higher priority for me than Londoners' safety," Khan said on Twitter.

His online feud with Trump dates back to just after Trump took office in 2016, when the Mayor called the President's proposed Muslim immigration ban "divisive and outrageous".

After the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed the 2017 London Bridge terrorist attack, Trump said Khan was guilty of "pathetic" behaviour and in July last year he claimed the Mayor had "done a very bad job on terrorism".

Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn attacked the US President's latest outburst, saying it was "absolutely awful to see Donald Trump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor".

He tweeted: "Sadiq Khan 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."



The Metropolitan Police said 14 people including several boys and a girl have been arrested in connection with the incidents of stabbing and shooting in Wandsworth, Plumstead and Clapham areas of London.

An 18-year-old man was stabbed to death on Friday afternoon in Wandsworth, south London, then minutes later a 19-year-old man was shot dead in Plumstead, south-east London.

A man in his 30s then died after he was stabbed in Tower Hamlets, east London, on Saturday afternoon. In the early hours of Saturday, two men were stabbed in Clapham and another was stabbed in Brixton.

"Sadiq is focusing on supporting London's communities and over-stretched emergency services. He has been in regular touch with senior Met police officers last night and throughout the day," said a spokesperson for the London Mayor.

The deaths over the past few days take the total number of murders in London in 2019 to 56.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US President Donald Trump will discuss the mass protests in Hong Kong with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the upcoming G20 summit in Japan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday.

"I think we'll get the opportunity to see President Xi in just a couple weeks now at the G20 summit. I'm sure this will be among the issues that they discuss," Pompeo said in an interview with Fox

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The UK-India Business Council has urged the Narendra Modi-led government to revisit FDI norms in the politically sensitive multi-brand retail segment to attract more investments by foreign companies who have largely shied away from the sector.

India permits foreign direct investment (FDI) in the multi-brand retail sector with a cap of 51 per cent ownership by overseas players.

However, the FDI policy also imposes several conditions on foreign players related to mandatory sourcing of goods from MSMEs and investment in back-end infrastructure.

So far, only one foreign player, UK-based Tesco, has received approval for opening stores under the multi-brand retail policy. The Congress-led UPA government had cleared the proposal.

"The initial announcements on multi-brand retail were a step in the right direction. Obviously, politically they were circumscribed by conditionalities and to be frank, we have not seen a huge number of companies, if any, in multi-brand retail particularly in the food sector," UKIBC Group CEO Richard Heald told PTI in an interview.

He said the local sourcing norms are acceptable but the significant requirement in terms of investment in logistics and back-end infrastructure may or may not suit the individual retailers.

"So we would like to see a revisiting of these FDI norms and also the conditionality that's wrapped around it, Heald said, adding that having more choice for consumers by encouraging foreign firms to invest in a developing economy like India will add benefits to the rural economy.

There remains on-ground opposition for FDI in multi-brand retail from local traders, who fear being thwarted by the deep pockets and increased competition from foreign players.

Meanwhile, FDI policy on food products retailing permits 100 per cent foreign direct investment under the approval route, including through e-commerce, in respect of food items manufactured and/or produced in India.

The UK-India Business Council (UKIBC) Group CEO believes India remains an extremely attractive investment destination despite the country's economic growth rate slowing to five-year low of 5.8 per cent during the January-March quarter of 2018-19.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed invoked Indian emperor Ashoka's message of harmonious relations between people of all religions as she underscored the importance of diversity and inclusion amid growing intolerance across the world.

She underscored the importance of pluralism at a time of attacks on places of worship and violence targeting minorities, refugees and anyone perceived to be different or "other".

"The tension between unity and pluralism, between the whole and its constituent parts, has been debated by thinkers and philosophers for thousands of years. Two millennia ago, the Indian emperor 'Ashoka the Great' called for harmonious relations between people of all religions and respect for each other's scriptures," Mohammed said in her remarks at the Global Centre for Pluralism in Lisbon on June 11.

Ashoka, also known as 'Ashoka the Great', was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty which who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from 268 BC to 232 BC.

There is still a long way to go before the world fulfils the promise of pluralism, she said.

The UN Deputy Secretary-General voiced concern over the growing intolerance and discrimination across countries, saying there is urgent need to fundamentally reorder the priorities and reorganise economic, political and social systems.

"We have created a world in which there is growing ethno-nationalism, intolerance, discrimination and violence targeting women, minorities, migrants, refugees and anyone perceived to be different or other," she said, adding civic space is shrinking; basic rights are under attack; activists and journalists are targeted; misinformation campaigns and hate speech spread like wildfire on social media.

"Hate is moving into the mainstream in many countries and regions liberal democracies and authoritarian states alike. Constitutions founded on pluralism and respect for difference are undermined as different groups and minorities are attacked," she said.

Mohammed also termed the "rising" attacks on places of worship as the "most egregious" example of lack of respect for each other and for the common humanity, citing the "horrific attacks" on mosques in New Zealand, churches in Sri Lanka and synagogues in the United States.

"Record numbers of people are on the move around the world, fleeing conflict, drought, poverty and lack of opportunity. At the same time, refugees and migrants are attacked both physically and rhetorically with false narratives that link them with terrorism and scapegoat them for many of society's ills," she said.

Mohammed also lamented that millions of women and girls face insecurity and violations of their human rights every day as violence is used to enforce patriarchy and gender inequality and police women's role in society.

"Excluding half our population not only affects our mothers, daughters and sisters; it affects every one of us and distorts our societies and economic systems," she said.

Mohammed stressed that there is need for a "fundamental reordering of our priorities and a reorganisation of our economic, political and social systems, if we are to reap the benefits of inclusion and save ourselves and our planet from further inhumanity and degradation".

She said that while the world's citizens may be living in troubled times, the is not all bad and there is plenty of evidence that global efforts work, and that further damage to societies and the planet can be prevented and reversed.

Calling for a collective global effort to defeat the winds of intolerance, she said that the need for regional and global institutions is now even more and the international community needed to make the radical shift needed to achieve the 2030 Development Agenda "a shift in mindsets away from accumulation by a few and exclusion of the many, to a paradigm based in interdependence with each other, and with our environment.

A shift in policy solutions that are based on mutual gains rather than zero-sum thinking, and from a definition of security that is based on an ever-increasing stock of weapons and stronger borders, to one based on resilient societies and mutual respect for each other and our planet".

She said that an emphasis in the 2030 agenda on inclusion and interdependence, as well as a moral obligation to the most vulnerable members of society through the principle of "leaving no one behind" offers a counterweight to the forces that are leading to increased polarisation, tribalism and social fragmentation.

"They are a conscious effort to build and replenish the world's democratic infrastructure, our relationship and obligation to each other and social capital," Mohammed added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan have been commended by the world body and local communities for their vital help in repairing roads and providing solar lamps to a hospital.

Indian military engineers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), along with peacekeepers from Bangladesh, China, Thailand and South Korea repaired over 2500 kilometers of roads to support economic growth in conflict-affected country, efforts that will go a long way in helping build a peaceful and prosperous future for the African country.

The peacekeepers spent six months working intensively levelling and grading roads as well as repairing supporting infrastructure, such as culverts and bridges.

They have focused on major routes from Juba to Bentiu (940km), Juba-Bor-Pibor (400km) and Malakal (200km), UNMISS said in a statement.

"I would like to thank the countries that have sent their engineers to serve the people of South Sudan. Their efforts are improving people's lives as well as the prospects of South Sudan securing a peaceful and more prosperous future," said David Shearer, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS.

Shearer said when South Sudan gained its independence, it inherited infrastructure that was in a dire state with only about 250 kilometers of sealed roads.

"War and weather have also taken a toll over the years, leaving many roads impassable in the rainy season. The efforts of our engineers to rehabilitate major supply routes will make a big difference to people's lives," Shearer said.

Outlining the advantages of improved infrastructure and basic amenities, he said that in many areas where roads have been improved, there has been a decrease in violence between groups and an increase in reconciliation and peace-building activities.

Significantly, improved road connectivity will enable humanitarian agencies to reach communities in need and save millions of dollars travelling by road rather than relying on transporting aid by air.

UNMISS will also be able to supply its bases and deploy peacekeepers to locations around the country more efficiently and effectively, Shearer said.

"Many families are also beginning to have the confidence to return to their homes as the security situation improves. Better roads will enable them to travel safely and more easily. Improved access will also encourage trade, create jobs and economic growth," Shearer said.

India is the second largest contributor of uniformed personnel to South Sudan. Nearly 2,400 Indian military and police peacekeepers currently serve in the country.

Additionally, the Indian Battalion in the mission is also garnering appreciation for providing solar lamps to the Bor State Hospital, the only functioning public health facility in the capital of Jonglei State in South Sudan.

The pitch-dark facility created difficulties for staff and employees to provide necessary medical services at the hospital.

The Indian battalion installed 16 mass-usage community solar panels in the hospital.

UNMISS said the lamps, whose purchase was funded by individual contributions from the Indian troops, are located at the emergency and critical care area, maternity, pediatric ward and logistics areas.

"I am very happy that today we have outdoor lights in this hospital. It makes our work safe and secure. It also ensures that people who engage in criminal activities around the hospital cannot do that again.

"Moving around in between wards and sections was risky and emergencies at night was like groping in the dark," said Abraham Lier, a worker at the hospital.

Jonglei Minister of Health Rachael Amuor Pach said Bor hospital environs will be better lit and staff and patients can conveniently move about with their critically needed services.

"It is very appropriate as it provides a solution to the problems which doctors here face when emergency cases happen at night," she said, adding that "several equipment, including lights at strategic locations in the hospital, were destroyed during and after the war in 2013".

Less than 1 per cent of South Sudan has access to electricity from the national grid.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday visited the families of the children suffering from suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) even as the death toll rose to 93 in the district.

Vardhan, his deputy Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey visited the SKMCH.

"I assure the people of the area, especially the affected families, that the government will extend all possible help and measures to the state government," the Union health minister told reporters here.

According to a release issued by the district administration on Sunday evening, 93 children have died so far at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) and the Kejriwal hospital in Muzaffarpur. Out of these, 76 children have died at SKMCH.

State government officials, however, maintained that majority of the victims had died due to hypoglycemia, a condition caused by very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance.

Acknowledging the paucity of paediatric ICU at SKMCH, he announced that the medical college will have a 100-bed paediatric ICU in a separate building that will be constructed within the same campus in a year.

A "state-of-the-art" research centre will also come up at Muzaffarpur, he said.

Attributing heat and humidity as a possible reason behind the disease, the minister said the Ministry of Earth Sciences would help formulate an action plan with the state government to deal with the situation.

The India Meteorological Department's observatory in Muzaffarpur will be also be upgraded, he said.

Vardhan asked health officials to expedite and complete the super-specialty block of the SKMCH, so that other departments of the facility could extend help and cooperation in tackling with the disease.

The minister said he met around 100 ailing children at the medical facility and their parents. "I went through each individual's case sheet," he said.

Seven children admitted at SKMCH and four in Kejriwal hospital were stated to be in serious condition, the release said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has already announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the next of the kin of the deceased.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Ltd has lost about $200 million in profits ever since its copper smelter plant in Tamil Nadu was shut more than a year back after police fired on protesters and killed 13 people, Group Chairman Anil Agarwal said.

Agarwal added that the stoppage of production at the Tuticorin plant of the firm's unit Sterlite led to the country having to import copper, spending precious foreign exchange.

"We have lost about $200 million in bottomline (profits)," he told PTI in an interview. "Forget about bottomline. How can you stop production and start importing? After all, what we did at Tuticorin was import substitution."



The Tamil Nadu government had in May last year ordered permanent shutdown of the copper smelter after bloody protests at the plant in Thoothukudi culminated in police opening fire on demonstrators.

wants the plant to be reopened, pointing to the economic pressures from the closure. As many as 20,000 direct and indirect jobs have been lost due to the shutting of the smelter and about 98,400 more were affected in the consumer or downstream industries.

"It is a bread and butter issue for Tuticorin," he said. "What happened (in police firing) was very unfortunate and our thoughts and sympathies are with the victims. But what is now happening is equally unfortunate."

The plant in the Thoothukudi district produced about 40 per cent of India's copper output. The company had announced a plan to expand capacity, leading to protests on concerns about pollution. Vedanta denies that the factory has been a polluter. He sought to draw a parallel between Tuticorin and Singur in West Bengal which was abandoned by Tata Motors in 2008 after protests over its Nano car factory.

"Nobody can (afford to) make another Singur," he said without elaborating.

In 2008, Tata Motors abandoned plans to build a factory to make the world's cheapest car after protests led by politicians over land acquisition. That pullout was said to have deterred many manufacturers from investing in new plants in the state.

Tamil Nadu, one of the most industrialised states in India, is home to factories of like Hyundai Motor and Caterpillar. But it has in recent months seen a decline in foreign investment, leading to concerns about job creation.

"I have been saying and will repeat again - the world does not want us to produce. World wants us to import," he said, adding the shutting down of Tuticorin plant has led to India importing copper.

Agarwal hoped that a solution will be found soon.

According to Vedanta Ltd's latest annual report, the Tuticorin copper smelter, operated by its Sterlite Copper business, ranks as one of the largest custom copper smelters in India. With a design capacity of 400,000 tonnes, the business held 33 per cent market share of the country's refined copper demand of around 675,000 tonnes in FY2018, it said.

The company challenged the closure order through an appeal before the (NGT), which in December 2018 ruled that the Tamil Nadu government's order was "nonsustainable" and "unjustified". However, in February 2019, the Supreme Court set aside the NGT's order on the grounds of maintainability and directed Vedanta to file a writ petition before the Madras High Court.

The company has filed a petition in the high court and "the matter is likely to come up after the summer vacation break," Agarwal said. Vedanta Ltd in its annual report for 2018-19 said: "India faced a crunch in the availability of refined copper due to Vedanta's Tuticorin smelter closure. Chinese smelter output increased by 4.2 per cent in 2018, despite the closure of some smelters for maintenance during Q4."

Refined copper consumption in India grew by 2.9 per cent in 2018 while demand in China, the largest consumer of copper, increased by 4.9 per cent, it said. Refined copper is predominantly used in manufacturing cables, transformers and motors as well as castings and alloy-based products.

"In the coming year, copper consumption in India and China is expected to increase by 11.8 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively. This rise is driven by population growth, urbanisation, the rise of the middle class and the evolution of electric vehicles (EVs)," it said.

On the supply side, there could be further disruptions in copper production due to the smelter upgrades in Chile following the introduction of new environmental regulations.

"Our ability to take advantage of these opportunities is largely dependent on the re-opening of our smelter at Tuticorin," it said.

Data from the International Copper Study Group showed refined output and demand growth estimates for 2019 indicating a market deficit of 280-kilo tonnes, it added.Amitav Ghosh, who just won the Jnanpith Award, says he really wants to pay attention to the ways things are changing across the world, including environmental changes, and write about these.

After presenting him the Jnanpith Award on Wednesday, former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi had said Ghosh should consider using his pen to warn Indians about the "inflammability of hatred among communities" in the country.

Gandhi had also urged 62-year-old Ghosh, who became the first English writer to be conferred with Jnanpith Award, to "save the India of Gautam Buddha and Vardhaman Mahavir from hate".

When asked whether he would consider these issues while writing his next book, Ghosh says right now, what is really needed - not just in India but around the globe - is paying attention to the world and to the ways things are changing, the ways in which the whole world is impacted by all the kind of environmental changes.

Those are the things I really want to pay attention to. Those are the things I really want to write about, he told PTI in an interview.

In 2016, he had come out with a non-fiction title The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable in which he examined the inability at the level of literature, history and politics to grasp the scale and violence of climate change.

And now his new book Gun Island talks of a world on the brink, of increasing displacement and unstoppable transition.

Ghosh says writers and publishers now face a challenge of finding ways to divert the attention of younger people to books.

We are now in a world where for younger people especially, consumption of and stories comes through the phone. In a way they are completely tied to the phone. We have to try and think how to make books part of their lives, he says.

According to him, people are forgetting that there is a very short attention span while interacting with a phone.

To read a book you need to concentrate for hours and hours while you can concentrate on a phone for very less time like 20-25 minutes. You could say that people are now forgetting in some ways how to read anything longer than two-three pages.

On his Jnanpith win, Ghosh says it is an extraordinary feeling.

When I heard about the award, I couldn't believe it. If you grow up within a kind of literary world, Jnanpith is something completely unique, something unto itself. I really never could have imagined that I would get it partly because I write in English and also you take for granted that this was not the kind of thing you would expect, he says.

He was in Colombo having lunch with his friends when he got the call informing him about his win.

I was so amazed that it could have knocked me down with a feather. It was a completely amazing and wonderful moment, he says.

Ghosh, a Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi awardee, has authored novels like "Shadow Lines", "The Glass Palace", "The Hungry Tide", and Ibis Trilogy -- "Sea of Poppies", "River of Smoke", "Flood of Fire".

In Gun Island, published by Penguin, Dinanath aka Deen, a dealer of rare books, is used to a quiet life spent indoors, but as his once-solid beliefs begin to shift, he is forced to set out on an extraordinary journey; one that takes him from India to Los Angeles and Venice via a tangled route through the memories and experiences of those he meets along the way.

There is Piya, a fellow Bengali-American who sets his journey in motion; Tipu, an entrepreneurial young man who opens Deen's eyes to the realities of growing up in today's world; Rafi, with his desperate attempt to help someone in need; and Cinta, an old friend who provides the missing link in the story they are all a part of. It is a journey which will upend everything he thought he knew about himself, about the Bengali legends of his childhood and about the world around him.

Gun Island is also a story of hope, of a man whose faith in the world and the future is restored by two remarkable women.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday visited the families of the children suffering from suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur and assured them of all possible help from the Centre.

According to a release issued by the district administration on Sunday, 84 children have died so far at the SKMCH and the Kejriwal hospital in Muzaffarpur. Out of 84, 70 children have died at the SKMCH.

Vardhan, his deputy Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey visited the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur.

"I assure the people of the area, especially the affected families, that the government will extend all possible help and measures to the state government," Vardhan told reporters here.

State government officials, however, maintained that majority of the victims had died due to hypoglycemia, a condition caused by very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance.

Vardhan met the families at the SKMCH and held a meeting with senior officials and doctors.

Attributing heat and humidity as a possible reason behind the disease, the minister said the Ministry of Earth Sciences would help formulate an action plan with the state government to deal with the situation.

The India Meteorological Department's observatory in Muzaffarpur will be also be upgraded, he said.

Vardhan asked health officials to expedite and complete the super specialty block of the SKMCH, so that other departments of the facility could extend help and cooperation in tackling with the disease.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the deaths and announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the next of the kin of the deceased, an official release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 19-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly hurling a "chemical substance' on her boyfriend in Vikaspuri area of West Delhi after he wanted to get out of their three-year-old relationship, police said Sunday.

Police said they were informed by the DDU hospital on Tuesday that the woman and her boyfriend were attacked by some unidentified persons with some "chemical substance".

The alleged attack occurred when the man was on a scooter with his girlfriend riding pillion. The man had burns on the right side of his face, neck and chest, while the woman had sustained minor burn injuries, police said.

Investigation revealed while riding the scooter, the woman had asked her boyfriend to remove the helmet as it was disturbing her, a police official said, adding when he removed his helmet, someone hurled a chemical substance on his face.

"The woman was questioned at length and she confessed about her involvement in the case," Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Monika Bhardwaj said.

The accused disclosed that enraged by her boyfriend's insistence on ending the three-year-old relationship she threw the chemical substance on his face during the ride, Bhardwaj said.

The officer said the woman had felt that after being defaced, the man would have no other option but to marry her and he would not have any suspicion on her.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Vedanta Ltd has lost about USD 200 million in profits ever since its copper smelter plant in Tamil Nadu was shut more than a year back after police fired on protesters and killed 13 people, Group Chairman Anil Agarwal said.

Agarwal added that the stoppage of production at the Tuticorin plant of the firm's unit Sterlite led to the country having to import copper, spending precious foreign exchange.

"We have lost about USD 200 million in bottomline (profits)," he told PTI in an interview. "Forget about bottomline. How can you stop production and start importing? After all, what we did at Tuticorin was import substitution."

The Tamil Nadu government had in May last year ordered permanent shutdown of the copper smelter after bloody protests at the plant in Thoothukudi culminated in police opening fire on demonstrators.

Vedanta wants the plant to be reopened, pointing to the economic pressures from the closure. As many as 20,000 direct and indirect jobs have been lost due to the shutting of the smelter and about 98,400 more were affected in the consumer or downstream industries.

"It is a bread and butter issue for Tuticorin," he said. "What happened (in police firing) was very unfortunate and our thoughts and sympathies are with the victims. But what is now happening is equally unfortunate."

The Vedanta plant in the Thoothukudi district produced about 40 per cent of India's copper output.

The company had announced a plan to expand capacity, leading to protests on concerns about pollution. Vedanta denies that the factory has been a polluter.

He sought to draw a parallel between Tuticorin and Singur in West Bengal which was abandoned by Tata MotorsNSE -1.91 % in 2008 after protests over its Nano car factory.

"Nobody can (afford to) make another Singur," he said without elaborating.

In 2008, Tata Motors abandoned plans to build a factory to make the world's cheapest car after protests led by politicians over land acquisition. That pullout was said to have deterred many manufacturers from investing in new plants in the state.

Tamil Nadu, one of the most industrialised states in India, is home to factories of companies like Hyundai Motor and Caterpillar. But it has in recent months seen a decline in foreign investment, leading to concerns about job creation.

"I have been saying and will repeat again - the world does not want us to produce. World wants us to import," he said, adding the shutting down of Tuticorin plant has led to India importing copper.

Agarwal hoped that a solution will be found soon.

According to Vedanta Ltd's latest annual report, the Tuticorin copper smelter, operated by its Sterlite Copper business, ranks as one of the largest custom copper smelters in India.

With a design capacity of 400,000 tonnes, the business held 33 per cent market share of the country's refined copper demand of around 675,000 tonnes in FY2018, it said.

The company challenged the closure order through an appeal before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which in December 2018 ruled that the Tamil Nadu government's order was "nonsustainable" and "unjustified".

However, in February 2019, the Supreme Court set aside the NGT's order on the grounds of maintainability and directed Vedanta to file a writ petition before the Madras High Court.

The company has filed a petition in the high court and "the matter is likely to come up after the summer vacation break," Agarwal said.

Vedanta Ltd in its annual report for 2018-19 said: "India faced a crunch in the availability of refined copper due to Vedanta's Tuticorin smelter closure. Chinese smelter output increased by 4.2 per cent in 2018, despite the closure of some smelters for maintenance during Q4."

Refined copper consumption in India grew by 2.9 per cent in 2018 while demand in China, the largest consumer of copper, increased by 4.9 per cent, it said.

Refined copper is predominantly used in manufacturing cables, transformers and motors as well as castings and alloy-based products.

"In the coming year, copper consumption in India and China is expected to increase by 11.8 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively. This rise is driven by population growth, urbanisation, the rise of the middle class and the evolution of electric vehicles (EVs)," it said.

On the supply side, there could be further disruptions in copper production due to the smelter upgrades in Chile following the introduction of new environmental regulations.

"Our ability to take advantage of these opportunities is largely dependent on the re-opening of our smelter at Tuticorin," it said.

Data from the International Copper Study Group showed refined output and demand growth estimates for 2019 indicating a market deficit of 280-kilo tonnes, it added.More central assistance to deal with farm sector distress and natural calamities, and compensation against loss of revenue on account of GST implementation beyond the five-year period were among the key demands raised by the states during the fifth Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog. Speaking at the meeting, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy made a strong pitch to grant special category status to the debt-ridden state and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be "gracious" in fulfilling the promise made in Parliament and also in the BJP's 2014 poll manifesto.

On the other hand, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regretted 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. In his inaugural remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that Niti Aayog has a key role to play in fulfilling the mantra of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, SabkaVishwas". He asked the states to work towards increasing the country's GDP and help it achieve the goal USD 5 trillion economy by 2024.

The meeting was 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 not attend the meeting due to health reasons deputed his finance minister Manpreet Badal for the meeting. 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.

Also Read: Goal to make India $5 trillion economy by 2024 challenging, but possible, says PM Modi

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur too was not able to participate as he was in Germany. Speaking at the meeting, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged the Aayog to rework the eligibility criteria for draught compensation in affected areas and reduce the crop damage limit from 33 per cent to 20 per cent. He also urged that the CRPF companies deployed in Naxal-hit Chandauli and Sonbhadra districts of the state should not be withdrawn and the Union Home Ministry should take back its order.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister stressed that the central forces were required to keep a check on Naxal activities. He also suggested that the loan facility under the Kisan Credit Card Scheme should be based on the crop, instead of land area. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has won the fifth consecutive term, batted for simultaneous elections and said frequent polls "vitiate development". He said the focus of the country as large as India should be on agriculture.

Mentioning how the recent cyclone 'Fani' had caused massive devastation to the public infrastructure, property and livelihoods in Odisha, Patnaik said natural calamity should be included as a criterion for according Special Category Status to Odisha. Sarbananda Sonowal, the Chief Minister of Assam sought enhanced assistance to the people affected by natural calamities like floods, which hit the state every year. He also raised key issues pertinent to the state's development and underlined the future roadmap for state and central government's partnership.

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, in his intervention, 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. 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," Kumaraswamy said.

Also Read: Pakistan's economy on a downward spiral; here's whyPrime Minister Narendra Modi has invited presidents of all parties represented in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha on June 19 to discuss the issue of 'one nation, one election', Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said on Sunday.

Briefing the media persons, Joshi reportedly said that the Prime Minister has called the meeting to also discuss the celebration of 75 years of India's independence in 2022, 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year and issues related to aspirational districts.

"To begin the newly constituted Lok Sabha on a positive note, Modi has invited party presidents of all political parties with representation in the Parliament, on 19th June, and MPs of both Houses, on 20th June, to freely interact and exchange views with the government. This novel initiative would go a long way to build team spirit among all Parliamentarians and in turn would ensure smooth functioning of Parliament in future," Joshi said.

Joshi said that government has requested all parties, especially the opposition, for their co-operation for the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament.

Also Read: Budget 2019: Govt likely to allocate Rs 30,000 crore to PSU banks

Earlier today, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the all party leaders meeting, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O'Brien, to discuss important issues to come up during Budget session of Parliament 2019, which will start from June 17.

Modi urged all leaders to introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfill peoples' aspirations as their representatives. He said, "We are for the people, we cannot win hearts by disrupting the functioning of the Parliament. All parties must keep political differences aside and commit themselves to tirelessly work in the direction of Nation's progress".

The PM exhorted all leaders to cooperate with the Government and strive in the direction of making a New India by 2022 and achieve the true meaning of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas'. Modi said that government is always receptive to the issues raised by all Political Parties and is ready to discuss all issues of national importance on the floor of both Houses of Parliament.

The first session of 17thLok Sabha will commence on June 17, 2019 and 249th session of Rajya Sabha on June 20, 2019. Subject to exigencies of government business, the session may conclude on July 26, 2019. The session will provide 30 sittings spread over 40 days in Lok Sabha and 27 sittings spread over 37 days sittings in the Rajya Sabha.

Edited by Chitranjan KumarPakistan will get a loan of USD 3.4 billion from the Asian Development Bank for budgetary support, Prime Minister Imran Khan's adviser on finance has said as the cash-strapped country tries to overcome a ballooning balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple its economy.

Of the total amount, USD 2.1 billion would be released within a year of the agreement between the ADB and the finance ministry, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar was quoted as saying by Dawn.

The loan from the Philippines-headquartered global finance institution was "on a concessional rate", the minister said.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said on Twitter that the ADB will provide USD 3.4 billion to Pakistan for budgetary support.

"USD 2.2 billion will be released this fiscal year (FY), starting in the first quarter of FY 2019-20. This will help the reserve position and the external account," he said in a tweet.

ADB's Director General Werner Leipach and its country director Xiaohong Yang called on Shaikh and discussed with him matters relating to ADB's upcoming operations in Pakistan, the finance ministry said in a statement.

"The director general (Leipach) briefed the adviser that in addition to strong project portfolio, the bank is also keen to provide balance of payments financing to support the government of Pakistan's structural reform agenda," according to the statement.

Pakistan seeks help to overcome a ballooning balance of payments crisis.

Last month, it reached an agreement in principle with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a three-year, USD 6 billion bailout package aimed at shoring up its finances and strengthening a slowing economy.

The ADB financing would come on top of the IMF loan.

In April, three influential US lawmakers urged the Trump adminstration to oppose the proposed multi-billion bailout package being sought by Pakistan from the IMF arguing it could be used to repay the Chinese debt.

Chine is investing heavily in Pakistan under the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Launched in 2015, CPEC is a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking China's resource-rich Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistan's strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.

Also read: ADB committed $3 billion in sovereign loans to India in 2018; highest since 1986

Also read: Pakistan to get $6 billion aid from IMF for over 3 yearsPakistan has failed to complete 25 of the 27 action points given by the international terror financing watchdog FATF to check funding to terrorist groups such as LeT and JeM and frontal groups like Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

With this, multilateral lenders like the IMF, the World Bank and the EU may continue downgrading Pakistan, making its financial situation more precarious.

The Paris-headquartered Financial Action Task Force has asked Pakistan to explain whether it has launched any investigation into the USD seven million allocated to maintain schools, madrasas, clinics and ambulances originally operated by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and LeT fronts Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

JuD and FIF are founded by terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

LeT is responsible for a number of terrorist strikes in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft to Afghanistan in 1999.

Most recently, it attacked a CRPF bus in Pulwama in Feb this year, killing 40 soldiers.

Pakistan is in deep trouble at the FATF meeting beginning Sunday in Florida in the US, people aware of the development said.

"It has been unable to complete 25 of its 27 action points. It has one last chance, till its 15-month deadline ends in October 2019, when the FATF Plenary will be held," one of them added.

In June 2018, Pakistan was placed in the 'Gray' list and given a 27-point action plan by FATF. This plan was reviewed at the last plenary in October 2018 and for the second time in February this year, when the country was again put into the 'Gray' list after India submitted new information about Pakistan-based terrorist groups.

The FATF continuing Pakistan in the 'Gray' list means its downgrading by IMF, World Bank, ADB, EU and also a reduction in risk rating by Moody's, S&P and Fitch.

This will add to the financial problems of Pakistan, which is seeking aid from all possible international avenues.

In a bid to bluff the financial watchdog, Pakistani authorities have shown arrests of LeT, JeM, JuD and FiF cadres. But all were apprehended under its Maintenance of Public Order Act and not under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Under the MPO Act, authorities cannot hold a detainee beyond 60 days.

Pakistan has detained JeM founder Masood Azhar and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed mostly under the laws that provide for detention for apprehension of breach of peace; they have never been prosecuted under anti-terror laws.

The FATF implements UN designations, which do not warrant arrest. They ask only for freeze of funds, denial of access to weapons and travel embargo. The financial watchdog also wants nations to impose penalties that are proportionate and dissuasive.

The MPO Act is not seen as satisfying either of the two conditions. Therefore, none of these arrests will satisfy the FATF or the UN Designations Committee.

Pakistan has also seized several hundred properties of LeT, JuD, FiF and JeM, including schools and madrasas.

However, these properties are now being run by its provincial governments.

The Punjab provincial government has allocated USD 2 million (Pakistani Rs 30 crore or Indian Rs 14 crore) per annum for their upkeep. Similarly, other provinces have allocated USD 5 million.

The annual expense allocated by Pakistan totals USD 7 million (Pakistani Rs 105 or Indian Rs 49 crore).

The FATF has now asked Pakistan to explain whether there are any terror-funding investigations to unearth the sources and entities that funded these organisations with USD 7 million per annum for the past several years.

The FATF currently has 35 members and two regional organisations European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council.

In the last meeting of the FATF in Paris, the FATF said Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies, including by adequately demonstrating its proper understanding of the terror financing risks posed by the terrorist groups and conducting supervision on a risk-sensitive basis, demonstrating that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism violations and that these actions have an effect on AML/CFT compliance by financial institutions.

Pakistan, it said, should demonstrate that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services, demonstrating that authorities are identifying cash couriers and enforcing controls on illicit movement of currency and understanding the risk of cash couriers being used for terror financing (TF), improving inter-agency coordination including between provincial and federal authorities on combating TF risks besides others.Modified On Jun 16, 2019 10:51 AM By Dhruv Attri for MG Hector 2019-2021

Heres the top priority news from the past week that you should brush up on

MG Hector Prices: The MG Hector has a lot riding on its shoulders as it has the job of introducing a new brand to Indian buyers. Its necessary that the British brand prices its first SUV, the Hector, competitively to help it stand toe to toe with some of the stalwarts like the Tata Harrier and Mahindra XUV500. So heres what we believe the pricing of the MG Hector could be like.

2020 Honda City: Honda has been testing the 2020 City in Thailand and it could make its India debut at the 2020 Auto Expo. It is likely to pack a petrol mild-hybrid like the Ciaz and a diesel CVT option like the Amaze. Heres all that you need to know about it.

Next-gen Hyundai i20: The Elite i20 was spotted testing on Indian roads recently but has now been fully profiled in international spy images. This particular prototype packs in some interesting elements such as a sunroof and a Sonata-like fascia.

Maruti Ertiga: A more premium version of the Ertiga is in the works, which could go on sale through the Nexa chain of Maruti Suzuki dealerships. It will obviously be priced at a premium over the standard Ertiga and will be a close match for the Mahindra Marazzo. Heres what else it could pack and the name it could bear.

Renault Duster Facelift: The Duster that took the onus of uplifting the Renault brand in India has been getting too long in the tooth now. While its still some time away from getting a new generation model, Renault has been working on a thorough facelift of the SUV in the meantime.Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.Photo: Canadian Armed Forces

A damaged aircraft was brought into Kelowna for repairs Friday  in the belly of another aircraft.

The partial de Havilland Canada CC-138 Twin Otter was brought to KF Aerospace in the body of a Canadian Forces C-17 transport plane.

The C-17 touched down at Kelowna International Airport Friday afternoon.

The Twin Otter suffered significant damage from an incident in the high north three months ago.

According to Aviation Safety Network, the plane was engaged in a military exercise about 140 kilometres north of Inuvik when it struck a snowdrift while landing on some sea ice.

The incident happened March 11.

Capt. Jen Halliwell with 1 Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg tells Castanet News the Defence Department ferried the wreck down to Inuvik while they assessed the best way to get the plane to Kelowna.

"This is the first time we've moved a Twin Otter in a C-17 like this," said Halliwell. "We had to look into that and see how we were going to do that. We had to get the packaging parts custom made to make sure they would fit into a C-17."

The size of the Twin Otter necessitated the plane be transported in stages.

After delivering the the first part of the plane Friday, the C-17 left Saturday morning and was to return either Saturday afternoon or Sunday with the rest of the aircraft.

KF Aerospace has been performing maintenance and repairs of Department of Defence planes for about 10 years.Flea Chambliss, who was a hale-and-hearty friend for my entire life, died at the age of 81 last week and, when the funeral is held at Lookout Mountains Church of the Good Shepherd this coming Tuesday (3:30 p.m.), you can bet some glorious stories will be told. After all, Flea was indeed a Chambliss  their family Bible proclaiming he was regally known as John Alexander Chambliss III  and in the way Southern families celebrate a bond of sorts, I was blessed to know Fleas father and grandfather equally well. Today it seems that families dont adore one another as they once did and it is tragic.

One day he was speaking to the Rotary Club, where the average age is deceased, and when he casually said, You know, Ive gotten to where I really enjoy pornography, which really lit the crowd up. My heavens above! Of course, Mr. Jac was only kidding, but at least two women refused to let their husbands attend any more of the torturous Thursday ordeals. Mr. Jac, who was Fleas dad, was cut from a rich and glorious cloth that made him not only one of the best attorneys in Chattanooga but also one of the biggest characters.One day he was speaking to the Rotary Club, where the average age is deceased, and when he casually said, You know, Ive gotten to where I really enjoy pornography, which really lit the crowd up. My heavens above! Of course, Mr. Jac was only kidding, but at least two women refused to let their husbands attend any more of the torturous Thursday ordeals.

When Mr. Jac died at the age of 99 in 2010, fellow attorney Bill Crutchfield wrote the beloved Andy Rooney to tell him  they were great pen pals for years and Rooney immediately wrote back, professing Jac Chambliss is the only best friend I have ever had but who I have never met. So, yes, I have adored the Chamblisses for as long as I have lived on this earth and that brings us to the man who built Reflection Riding and bequeathed it to our Nature Center. (This weekend a big news item was that some louts had stolen a bobcat from the Nature Center -- it was only about two days later did it dawn on me that no one had absconded with an earth-moving machine  but a sharp-clawed, hissing, and biting terror of a live bobcat and, no, there is no on-off switch.)

I first met Mr. John when I was maybe five years old. That would have placed him in his late 60s at the time. Hed come to our house to talk to my dad about a bunch of things  mostly history. Dad grew up in central Mississippi and, as quite a scholar, knew about all manner of things. I was sprawled out on the living room floor when Mr. John explained that in the Great Indian Removal of 1830, there was a certain group of Native Americans that dared not go. Instead, they stealthy hid in the mountains for years.

These Indians knew every tree, every creek, and every cave in the vicinity of Chattanooga. They knew there are huge water resources the whiteface could never find. But governments biggest failure was keeping the Indian Removal Act on the books until 1877. Between the start date and end, there was an even darker set of days in America  the Civil War. The United States was broke. And the Indians, hoping someday to use the water as a bargaining tool, never used it.

Historians confirm The Trail of Tears march was the most sadistic, the most inhumane, and the most nauseating event ever recorded within the borders of the United States. From Wikipedia: The Cherokee removal in 1838 (the last forced removal east of the Mississippi) was brought on by the discovery of gold near Dahlonega, Georgia in 1828, resulting in the Georgia Gold Rush.

Approximately 4,000-8,000 of the 16,543 relocated Cherokee perished along the way, the wife of Chattanoogas founder, Chief John Ross, one of them.

Remember, the Indians were brutally driven and Mr. John predicted that one day the white guys would pay dearly. With me clinging to every word, I couldnt begin to think of what the shattered and battered could lord over the haughty, and then Mr. John said one word: Water.

It is there for the taking. Tennessee government long ago worked a deal that gives Tennessee-American Water all they want for free. That precedent established, any amount of water that flows over Georgia land can be sucked up with some huge straw device and directing the water will be a snap. I am thinking a high-speed train from Atlanta to Chattanooga with a huge pipe within 10 yards on the rail line. We could have several pumping stations to hurry and guarantee continuous delivery 24 hours a day, seven day a week.

Today there are parts of Georgia clamoring for water. I think its going to be a fun story.Artwork exhibited at The Artists Eye: A Celebration of Nature is for sale, with a portion of the sale benefiting the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. The on-site gallery at First Christian Church-Disciples of Christ opened with an artists reception on May 16 and the show will be ending its run on June 30.

If there is something youve had your eye on, now is the time to make it your own, said Gail Rich, church member and owner of JUMPST/ART, the shows curator. Ms. Rich also said that future plans call for two annual exhibits at First Christian to benefit the Community Kitchen and other local charities.

Located at 650 McCallie Ave., across from UTC, all are welcome at First Christian Church: Seeking Gods Wholeness. Expanding the Table. Nurturing Justice.

Visit http://firstchristian-chat.com for more information or call 267-4506.As the star of the longest-running medical drama in TV history, Ellen Pompeo has a lot of experience up her sleeve. She reveals though, that the first ten years of Greys Anatomy were not great. In fact, behind the scenes, she says it was a disaster.

She decided if she were going to stay with the show, that things had to change for the better. Pompeo was on a mission to change the show and the way she felt about her acting career.

Greys Anatomy has been on the air for 15 years

Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey) in Greys Anatomy | Rick Rowell via Getty Images

Fans have followed along for well over a decade as Meredith Grey has loved and lost through the ups and downs of the popular medical drama. The series depicts the life of Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, who is the daughter of a highly regarded surgeon.

The series begins as she is accepted into the residency program at Seattle Grace Hospital. It continues to follow the lives of the surgical interns as they learn how to balance their work lives with their personal lives.

Ellen Pompeo was on a mission to save the show

Hey! Anyone having feelings over Variety piece. Its not worth getting yourself upset over not singling anyone out..as a show we all had a part to play in the environment me included..as many workplaces do..We changed that story. Thats the story we all have the power to change!  Ellen Pompeo (@EllenPompeo) June 8, 2019

Pompeo recently divulged information about the shows first 10 years, which shed light on the less than stellar atmosphere behind the scenes.

In a new segment for Variety called Actors on Actors, Ellen Pompeo discusses pay equality, and how she often did not get paid as much as her male counterparts on the show. She was trying to shed some light on some of the inequalities that women face both in Hollywood and in the workplace.

Pompeo also mentioned how the work environment was toxic on Greys Anatomy for the first 10 years of the show. Fans of the show took offense to Pompeos negative revelations and decided she must be talking about some of their favorite characters. Pompeo was forced to take to Twitter to explain.

Im aware how much love there is for this show and these charactersno one has more love than me..Ive dedicated half my life to it. The show has been a blessing for us all in different ways. The negative vibesnot healthy.

With the loss of the male lead, the show must go on

When Patrick Dempsey left the show in season 11 things could have gone downhill for the popular show. Dempsey played Meredith Greys love interest, and when his character died it left a pretty big hole in the cast.

Patrick Dempsey left the show in season 11, and the studio and network believed the show could not go on without the male lead, Ellen shared, So I had a mission to prove that it could.

This was her second mission. First, she wanted to change the culture and atmosphere faced by the cast behind the scenes. Second, she wanted to prove that the series was strong enough, and she was good enough, to continue without Dempsey.

This season, Greys is better than ever

As Greys Anatomy is about to air Season 16 and has already been approved for season 17, wed say that Ellen Pompeo achieved both of her missions goals. The series continues to be a long-running success, and she is able to work in a place where she can be proud of her accomplishments. Currently, the star is one of the highest paid actresses on television.

Ellen told Variety that things have only gone up after Season 10.

We had some big shifts in front of the camera, behind the camera. It became my goal to have an experience there that I could be happy and proud about, because we had so much turmoil for 10 years, she said.

As the lead actor in such a long-running show, Pompeo deserves to feel like she has made a positive impact on both the shows longevity and the culture surrounding it.Emmy Award-winning actress Niecy Nash has starred in numerous television shows and movies since the mid-90s. She is considered one of the most versatile active actresses in the business because of her incredible ability to play both serious and comedic roles. She currently leads the TNT comedy television series, Claws, as Desna Simms. What is Niecy Nashs net worth and how similar is she to her Claws character?



Niecy Nash | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

How did Niecy Nash become famous?



Carol Denise Nash, maiden name Ensley, was born February 23, 1970, in Compton, California. At 22-years-old, Nash married Don Nash, an ordained minister. The two share three children; Dia, Donielle, and Dominic. They divorced in 2007, and then she got re-married in 2011 to Jay Tucker.

When Nash was 23-years-old, her brother died in a school shooting. Therefore, Nashs mother founded M.A.V.I.S. or Mothers Against Violence in Schools. Nash is now the spokesperson of the organization.



She made her professional acting debut in the 1995 comedy, Boys on the Side at 25-years-old. Her first significant role came from playing Raineesha Williams and T.T. on Comedy Centrals Reno 911! from 2003 to 2009.

Nash also hosted Style Networks Clean House from 2003 until 2010. Additionally, she guest starred in The Bernie Mac Show, Monk, CSI, and Scream Queens as well as appeared in Dancing With the Stars Season 10.



Nash played another well-received role from 2013 to 2015 as Denise DiDi Ortley in the HBO comedy series, Getting On. In 2014, Nash starred in historical drama Selma, directed by Ava Duvernay. Nash recently teamed up with Duvernay again to play Delores Wise in the Netflix miniseries, When They See Us.



What is Niecy Nashs net worth?



After a few decades in the industry, Emmy-winning actress @NiecyNash has finally been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.



The second season of her hit series #Claws has been airing Sundays 9/8c on TNT. pic.twitter.com/VS0Owy87ow  Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 12, 2018

The Primetime Emmys nominated Niecy Nash twice for her work in Getting On, and she won one from Clean House. She also won a Gracie Allen Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Reno 911! Nash has gotten several other nominations and has won multiple awards. In 2018, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Niecy Nashs net worth is an estimated $4 million.



How is Niecy Nash a boss like her Claws character?



Claws is a drama television series that follows five diverse and talented manicurists who get caught up in bad situations with worse people. Nash plays leading lady Desna Simms, and the show has received five nominations and won two of them.



Niecy Nash and Desna Simms have redefined beauty in their own ways because they are not supermodel thin. She says she loves that about her character because real-life people can identify with Desna. Even though Nash is not single like Desna, Nash still connects with Desnas independent power. Just like Desna in Claws, who continually wants the best for her family and friends, she also helps others.



Been a boss, just takes people a minute to catch on #ClawsTNT pic.twitter.com/c2HBzK6xNn  Claws (@ClawsTNT) June 13, 2019

She says she has never gotten a job and not gotten someone else a job. Nash owns who she is, albeit differently then Desna; however, they still know what they want and what they want to do, and thats what makes them both bosses.

Watch Claws Sundays at 9 P.M. EST on TNT!Life changes when one becomes a parent. Thats especially true for George and Amal Clooney, who welcomed twins Ella and Alexander in June 2017. The couple  who married in Italy in 2014  agreed to change things about their lives once they became parents. Continue reading to learn what they changed.



The pact George and Amal Clooney made with each other when they had kids



When the couple learned they were expecting children, they made a pact with each other to take fewer risks.



We decided to be much more responsible, to avoid the danger, the Catch-22 actor told Paris Match, a French publication in Feb. 2017.



He went into more detail about specific places around the world theyll avoid. I wont go to South Sudan any more or the Congo, Amal will no longer go to Iraq and shell avoid places where she knows she isnt welcome.



Amal and George Clooney during the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 12, 2016, in Cannes, France. | Clemens Bilan/Getty Images

Amal is an accomplished lawyer who focuses on international law and human rights. Shes represented Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, and Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukranians former prime minister.



Clooney and his family have real security issues on a daily basis



Amal recently agreed to take on a case against ISIS. Shes fighting the terrorist group in court  a first for the group  on behalf of her client, Nadia Murad, a survivor of human trafficking.



The mother of two told Cynthia McFadden of NBC she and her husband talked about the case before she agreed to take it.



This is something I discussed with my husband before I would take on something like thisand we are aware of some of the risks involved, she said.



One of the risks involved is keeping their two-year-old twins safe.



George Clooney on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman | Netflix YouTube

We have real security issues on a daily basis, the Catch-22 actor said during a guest spot on the Hollywood Reporters Awards Chatter podcast.



We dont want our kids to be targets, so we have to pay attention, he added. The aforementioned security issues means some things are off limits. I have a beautiful wife and two beautiful kids[but] I miss being able to walk with our kids in Central Park, George added.

In another interview, George reiterated the security issues.

Everything changes when you have two kids on how you have to protect them. My wife is taking the first case against ISIS to court, so we have plenty of issues- real, proper security issues- that we have to deal with on a fairly daily basis. We dont want our kids to be targets, so we have to pay attention to that. But, you know, we also live our lives. We dont hide in corners.

How did George and Amal Clooney meet?

Amal  then Amal Alamuddin  met her future husband at a party he hosted at his home in Italy. George explained meeting Amal on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, David Lettermans Netflix series.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin arrive on September 29, 2014, at the Palazzo Ca Farsetti in Venice, for a civil ceremony to officialize their wedding. | PIERRE TEYSSOT/AFP/Getty Images

I got a call from my agent who called me and said, I met this woman whos coming over to your house who youre gonna marry. The funniest thing was my mom and dad were visiting, so my parents were there, and we just talked and we stayed up all night talking. Clooney told Letterman.

George also added that he chased her for many months, calling and writing those kinds of things.

Now, George and Amal are married with twins and split their time between England, the U.S., and Italy.

Is Kate Middleton jealous of Meghan Markle? While at first glance that sentence sounds like a segue into yet another article about the feuding duchesses, the reason why Middleton reportedly envies Markle is understandable, but nevertheless still surprising.

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton | Chris Jackson  WPA Pool/Getty Images

Markle has an ease with public appearances

Part of the role of being a member of the royal family is attendance at various engagements, something that might be daunting. Middleton, a palace insider told Us Weekly, isnt completely at ease in these situations while Markle has an easier time, perhaps because of her experience as an actress.

The insider noted: Kate still finds these huge public events overwhelming, adding, Shes always been naturally shy.

The source further noted, Truth be told, she envies sister-in-law Meghans ease in front of crowds.

Middleton does a remarkable job at appearances

Despite the envy over Markle having an easier time with appearances, Middleton seems to carry on quite well, with the source saying that she impresses everyone with her ability to paste a huge smile on her face.

The source added, She knows she has a responsibility to be front and center, given that one day these events will be in honor of her husband. Its something shell have to work at for the rest of her life.

To assist her in her future role, Queen Elizabeth II is reportedly helping with training her to be queen consort. A source noted: Shes really taken Kate under her wing, adding, The two of them will often spend hours discussing royal life and the future of the monarchy.

Royal expert Rebecca Long told Us Weekly, Kates been taking on new responsibilities little by little over the last few years, so it wont be a shock when the time comes. William and Kate are the favorite royals to take the crown in many generations, so the people of the UK are very excited about it.

Markle has had Hollywood training

Markle might just have had the best training for the job, as her uncle shared how her time in Hollywood prepared her well for her role in the royal family. Her uncle, Joseph Johnson, told the Daily Mail that she is a really wonderful person who is not afraid to be herself.

He added: She likes that attention, shes had the schooling, and then being in Hollywood, which is a good type of preparation, so she can handle that.

Its the kind of background that makes her well suited to be a duchess, as Johnson remarked, I have read that some of Harrys old girlfriends couldnt handle all the scrutiny. But from what I hear, from what Doria says about Meghan, she loves it.

Are Middleton and Markle still feuding?

Any reports of feuding between the two duchesses seemed to be quieted when Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton had a real moment of continuity at the Trooping the Colour ceremony to celebrate Queen Elizabeth IIs birthday, riding in the same carriage to Buckingham Palace together, along with Prince Harry and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

U.K. journalist Emma Forbes told PEOPLE that Everybody was smiling and looked happy, calling it a real moment of continuity.Kendall Jenner has a thriving career but is still often considered to be the member of the Kardashian family that is most left out. After all, she is the only member of the famous family without children. Not to mention, she has a strict policy about keeping her personal life under the radar.

In addition to the fame she has achieved from being on the family reality show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kendall Jenner has made a name for herself as a successful runway model.

Kendall Jenner | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

When was Kendall Jenner born?

Kendall Jenner was born in 1995 in Los Angeles, California. She was surrounded by a large, loving family, including parents Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner) and Kris Jenner, as well as a bevy of step-siblings.

When Keeping Up with the Kardashians aired in 2007, Jenner was only twelve years old. She has virtually spent her entire life in the spotlight, unlike her older siblings, Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe Kardashian, who spent their childhood and teenage years well away from the paparazzi spotlight.

When she was very young, Kendall Jenner knew that she wanted to pursue modeling as a career. Her look was slightly different from that of her sisters  while they are curvy, Jenner is tall and slender, which is very much the traditional model figure. While her family was supportive of her plans, she had a much harder time breaking into the industry than what one might anticipate.

How did Kendall Jenners family make modeling difficult for her?

View this post on Instagram throwback A post shared by Kendall (@kendalljenner) on May 19, 2019 at 9:20am PDT

In an interview that she gave in 2015, Jenner pointed out that having a famous last name meant that she had a difficult time booking modeling gigs when she was just getting started. She revealed that many doors were closed in her face and she was even laughed at when she went to audition for some jobs. She finally broke into the industry with the help of designers such as Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld.

Since her very first modeling gig in 2009, Jenner has gone on to shoot with some of the biggest brands in the world. She earned her wings and walked the runway with Victorias Secret, and has worked with Chanel, Fendi, Balmain, and Michael Kors. Jenner even received recognition as a pop culture phenomenon when she was honored with her very own wax figure at Madame Tussauds.

Jenner also pointed out that it was very hard work to jumpstart her modeling career. She credits her parents with passing on their impressive work ethic, but theres little doubt that Jenner has gone about things the right way.

Kendall Jenner has become a top model

Even if she had a tough time establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with in the modeling world, no one is laughing at Kendall Jenner now. Critics have pointed out that unlike some celebrity daughters who try to break into modeling and fashion, Jenner actually has what it takes to succeed. She has worked hard and her bank account has increased accordingly  these days, Jenner has a net worth of around $30 million.

Jenner is also very careful to stay away from drama. She isnt a regular presence on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and only makes occasional appearances on the show. Even more commendable, Jenner has managed to keep her personal life almost completely under wraps in the ten years that shes been a top model. While rumors have surfaced regarding relationships with Harry Styles and Ben Simmons over the years, Jenner stays tight-lipped about her dating life.

While Kendall Jenners younger sister Kylie Jenner might be worth more money overall, theres no doubt that the acclaimed model is living her best life  on her own terms.What is the greatest Paul McCartney song from his time in The Beatles? There are many to choose from, but one consensus pick has been Yesterday. Chuck Berry admired it, more than 3,000 musicians have covered it, and Paul himself said it was probably his best work.

When the band released it in 1965, it quickly became the most listened-to song of the year  and the year after, and so on until well into the 70s. By the end of the 20th century, it had become the third most-played song on American radio. Thats well beyond what wed call a smash hit.

It was a landmark song for The Beatles as well. For the first time, Paul played and sang on the record without his bandmates. Behind him, fans heard a string quartet arranged by Paul and producer George Martin.

For many years after the Beatles breakup, John Lennon acknowledged Yesterday as one of Pauls great classics, but the song became a source of annoyance for him as well. Because of the Lennon-McCartney tag on the credits, people thought he wrote it.

Everywhere John went, people played Yesterday and thanked him.

November 1963: John Lennon and Paul McCartney sit for photographers. | Fox Photos/Getty Images

Most casual Beatles fans probably saw Lennon-McCartney on their albums and figured Paul and John wrote the tunes together. In the early days, that was true with tracks like I Want to Hold Your Hand and She Loves You. But by the mid-60s, most songs were either by John or Paul.

Apparently, that wasnt widespread knowledge, as John spoke of how he couldnt eat dinner without someone coming up to him to play him Yesterday as a tribute to his great songwriting abilities. After years of this, it began to drive him up a wall.

I go to restaurants and the groups always play Yesterday,' he explained in his 1980 interviews in Playboy. Yoko and I even signed a guys violin in Spain after he played us Yesterday. He couldnt understand that I didnt write the song.

As usual, John had a great one-liner to sum up his annoyance with the situation. I guess [the musicians] couldnt have gone from table to table playing I Am The Walrus,' he said. He could have said the same about Come Together and numerous other classics he wrote.

It became a running joke for him and Yoko.

The Beatles perform All You Need Is Love on the first live satellite uplink performance broadcast to the world on June 25, 1967 in London. | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Johns story of he and Yoko signing someones violin after listening to another version Yesterday was not out of the ordinary. Howard Smith, a rock journalist and friend of the couples in the early 70s, told a story of it happening once while he was hanging out with John and Yoko.

John spotted this strolling guitar player, which used to be standard in Mexican restaurants, Smith recalled in a 2013 Mojo item. He turned to me and said, Howard, in five minutes that guitar player is gonna come in, stand next to me and play Yesterday. Sure enough, it wasnt even three minutes.

That night, John and his company were treated to what Smith described as a ridiculous, over-the-top version of Pauls song. Surely, it gave John no comfort to be able to predict the future in this way. It was the price he paid for being one half of the greatest songwriting duo in rock history.

Also see: The No. 1 Beatles Song John and Paul Recorded Without George or Ringo

Prince William and Kate Middleton have had a fairytale romance, despite persistent rumors about the status of their relationship. Over the past eight years, the couple has welcomed three children and developed an unbreakable relationship.

But what was life like before William fell in love with Kate? Was there any man that was able to steal her heart and was she ever close to marriage? Lets take a look back at Kate Middletons relationships and who she considers to be her first love.

When did Kate Middleton and Prince William meet?

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge | Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

When Prince William first met Kate Middleton, she was just a young student at the University of St. Andrews. The pair lived in the same dormitory when William first saw Kate in 2001. Though they met in 2001, they didnt start dating until 2003.

The couple quickly fell in love and soon became the subject of endless media obsession. At one point, the attention became overwhelming, to the point that it is said that the constant media attention contributed to Kate and Williams short breakup in 2007.

Though the breakup was hard on the couple, Kate later admitted that the time apart helped them learn more about themselves.

Kate and William announced their engagement in 2010 and on April 29, 2011, the couple exchanged their vows at Westminster Abbey. The wedding was the biggest event in England since Williams parents had said I do thirty years earlier.

Who was Kate Middletons first love?

Before Kate Middleton met Prince William, she didnt have to worry about a constant media circus picking apart her relationships. Not much is known about Kates previous relationships but we do know that she dated at least three other men before marrying Prince William.

Prior to meeting William, Kate dated law student Rupert Finch. The relationship didnt last long and the two ended things in less than a year.

Before Finch, there was Willem Marx, who was reportedly Kates first love. Marx was a fellow student at Marlborough College, which Kate attended before St. Andrews. The couple had a short relationship but remained friends after the breakup. Marx even got an invite to Prince William and Kates 2011 wedding. Marx is presently a reporter in London and has since married.

Kate also dated Henry Ropner during her 2007 break up with William. Ropner was reportedly a mutual friend of Kate and William, so that fact that they dated was particularly upsetting to William.

Kate didnt know how to act when she first met William

While Kates earlier relationships gave her a taste of love, nothing could prepare her for the journey she was about to embark on with Prince William. According to royal biographer Christopher Anderson, Kate didnt know what the proper etiquette was when meeting the future king.

Uncertain of how she should react, Kate did the first thing that seemed appropriate  she curtsied. The move was so unexpected that William actually spilled his drink all over himself. Kate later revealed that she was so embarrassed after that first meeting, recalling that she turned bright red and scuttled away.

Many people dont realize it, but that awkward meeting at St. Andrews was not the first time the couple had seen each other. William and Kate actually met several years before that embarrassing incident at St. Andrews. It turns out that the two had actually crossed paths way back in elementary school.

Kate attended St. Andrews Prep while William went to Ludgrove Prep. Kate couldnt help but notice when the young prince appeared at her school playing left back for the Colts. She never could have imagined that several years later the two would meet up again and become one of the worlds most famous couples.Southern Baptists hear sex abuse survivor stories, resolve to fix 'satanic' problem

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Susan Codone was 14 when her youth minister at a small Southern Baptist church just outside Birmingham, Alabama, began paying attention to her.

Soon, she found herself being asked one night at camp to help him in ministry because she was smart and more mature than others in her youth group. When she answered in the affirmative, he kissed her, leaving her extremely confused.

Over the next 18 months, she became a victim of continual sexual abuse.

What began with attention and flattery ended with threats and intimidation. He told her shed never be able to get married now, that she lost her salvation because of what she did, and that shes not going to have a future.

Codone had never spoken about the abuse she experienced until Monday during a panel on sexual abuse at the Southern Baptist Conventions annual meeting in Birmingham.

When she was 15, she finally decided to tell someone. She was too afraid to tell her parents so she decided to turn to the pastor of her church whom she trusted.

She drove to his home (she had just gotten her learners permit) and found him alone. When she revealed what happened and asked for help, her pastor responded: Youre a smart kid. Seems to me you couldve done something about this by now. I think you brought this on yourself.

He then pressed her for more information as she had not shared the details of how the youth minister had abused her. When she refused, he asked her to go in the back and show him what happened.

Thats when she knew she had landed in the presence of evil.

Her pastor fired the youth minister but then he picked up with me where my youth minister left off with me. She was sexually abused by the church pastor for the next four to six months.

Codone received a standing ovation in a room full of Southern Baptist pastors for her bravery in speaking out. Its been 35 years since the abuse. She noted that the youth minister who abused her was able to serve in various churches in Birmingham until his death in 2017.

That is 33 years of unimpeded ministry in this town, she lamented.

Her story is one of many that have been heard over the last year as Southern Baptists have sought to face and deal head-on with what has been called a horrific problem. Stephanie Davis also told her story later in the meeting of how her music minister abused her as a 15-year-old and how the church failed her.

Beth Moore, who heads Living Proof Ministries and has been outspoken about the issue of abuse, said on the panel that she felt relief that after so long, Southern Baptists are finally talking about it plainly and making real changes.

We do have some things happening right now that I have never seen happen, a hopeful Moore, a survivor of abuse, said.

Rachael Denhollander, a former gymnast who was the first to call out Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor, for sexual assault, made it clear on Monday that the survivor community is not out to throw stones at the church.

The survivor community loves the church, they love Jesus, they love the Gospel, she emphasized. Our desire is to see the church do this better so that it becomes the refuge it was intended to be.

The extent of the problem of sexual abuse and successive cover-ups within the SBC was exposed in a report earlier this year by The Houston Chronicle, which found over 700 victims of alleged sexual abuse by 380 Southern Baptist leaders and volunteers since 1998.

Moore recognized on Monday that there has been spiritual manipulation in SBC churches, where victims of abuse were told to stay silent because it could destroy the church or because of how it would affect the man of God.

Theres a disparity the way we value men and women, she noted.

Just before the panel, Moore spoke to some women who survived abuse. They said when they came forward, they were asked if they had been raped. If not, then they were told thank goodness, youll still be a virgin for your husband  as if their only value would be that they could give a future mate their virginity, Moore said.

The popular author and speaker called on Southern Baptists to acknowledge that their family is sick and needs help.

We will never get healthy if we cannot get honest, she stressed. We have a very, very serious problem because we have this built-in disesteem for women and its got to change. Weve got to get down to the root of it.

When the issue of complementarianism  the view that men and women equally bear the image of God but have distinct yet complementary roles (view held by Southern Baptists)  was brought up and whether it has contributed to the problem of abuse, Denhollander noted how little has been said from the pulpit to value women.

I think it is very telling that I have heard hundreds of sermons directed on the quiet and submissive spirit that a woman should have, she said. I have heard not one on how to value a womans voice. I have heard not one on the issue of sexual assault.

She continued: It mystifies me that all of the crazy things teenage boys do are justified as thats just the way boys are.  Youre going to beat each other up to a bloody pulp and when your mom says, What are you guys doing? Were guys, mom, thats how God made us.

But as soon as an issue comes along that needs to be fought for, all that masculinity disappears and the women are left on the front line with you telling them be quiet, submissive, fight your battles. Do it better brothers.

Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC, made it clear that both women and men are equally valued and needed in the church.

"Just as a child needs father and mother, the church certainly needs both fathers and mothers," he said. "Men need women, women need men.

"A Southern Baptist Convention that doesnt have a place for Beth Moore doesnt have a place for a lot of us because Beth wouldnt do everything the way I would do it, I wouldnt do everything the way that Beth does it. We love each other, we learn from each other and thats the way our churches are supposed to be."

He added, "In the moment that were in right now, to suggest that the problem that we have is that women are speaking too much seems crazy to me."

Beth Moore (not related) clarified during the panel that this is not a war between men and women. Rather, this is a war between men and women of God against the powers and principalities of darkness.

After listening to many abuse stories, Russell Moore said the one word that keeps coming up is satanic.

I think thats the right word and I do not mean that merely metaphorically because what else could it be but literally devilish to prey upon the vulnerable, to seek to kill and to destroy the psyches under ones care and to do so hiding under the name of Jesus Christ? he said Wednesday at the annual meeting. We have reached our age of accountability.

J. D. Greear, who was re-elected president of the SBC this week, said repeatedly throughout the conventions meeting that they have failed and called on all churches to repent.

We have failed by tolerating unbiblical views on grace and forgiveness that allowed an abuser a second chance to prey on the vulnerable, he said. Christian teachings on grace and forgiveness never mean covering up sin in ways that expose others to harm.

Calling the sex abuse crisis a Gospel issue, Greear posed, Why would survivors trust us to care for their souls if theyre not sure they can trust us to care for their wounds?

In a prayer of lament and repentance, Greear said, Father, forgive us of our negligence, our lovelessness, our fear, sometimes greed or pride or ignorance or selfishness, any other motive that has caused us to be silent or complacent or passive when we should have been vocal and active.

On Wednesday, SBC messengers passed a resolution condemning all forms of sexual abuse and affirming the need to defend abuse victims.

We affirm that sexual abuse is not only a sin to be disciplined in the context of the church, but also a crime to be prosecuted in the context of civil government, the resolution states.

The day before, they voted to amend the SBC constitution to expel churches that display a wanton disregard for sexual abuse. The amendment needs to be approved a second time at next years meeting.

Additionally, all SBC churches have been called on to receive training and become equipped on abuse awareness, prevention and care.Church Anywhere': Congregation brings worship services to schools, rehab centers and prisons

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An evangelical church in Indiana has launched campuses inside of prisons, a rehabilitation home, a youth shelter and even public schools to bring the Gospel to people who are not able or dont necessarily like to physically attend church services.

For the past three years, the 800-member, nondenominational First Capital Christian Church in Harrison County, Indiana has launched and rapidly expanded its online campus through its Church Anywhere initiative.

The idea of Church Anywhere is to empower church members to bring the Gospel and much-needed fellowship to isolated community pockets in Southern Indiana that are overlooked by the typical Sunday church worship structure.

Since First Capital launched its online campus three years ago, the congregation has subsequently launched 15 micro campuses in locations that include prisons, foster care centers, rehabilitation facilities, elementary schools, and homeless shelters.

In addition, church members launched their own micro-campus inside their own home after noticing that many of their neighbors were not leaving their homes on Sunday morning.

According to First Capital engagement pastor Tyler Sansom, over 29 first-time decisions for Christ have been made at the churchs micro campuses so far in 2019. That total is compared to the 49 decisions for Christ that were made across just 12 micro-campuses last year. In 2019, 13 baptisms were also conducted at the micro campuses.

We are passionate about empowering our people to go out and be the Church, which is why we call it Church Anywhere, Sansom told The Christian Post. It's empowered our volunteers basically to bring the church to whatever they're passionate about.

While services might vary slightly at the different campuses, they all mostly consist of the two worship songs and a 15-minute sermon, followed by 30 minutes of small group discussion time.

While the services are entirely volunteer-run, they are led by what the church calls volunteer campus pastors.

They'll have a leader who began to the pastor and then they'll bring along people with them to develop other leaders, Sansom detailed.

They go through training with us when they open their campus. And then they also go through a shadowing process where they shadow two or three of the other locations to see how they do it, he continued. So we don't want to just throw someone into the fire without making sure theyre ready.

The first places that First Capital volunteers brought a Church Anywhere campus to were local prisons.

Today, First Capital has campuses in four prisons: Floyd County, Harrison County, Branchville, and Madison.

At Branchville Correctional Facility, which houses about 1,500 inmates, First Capital has about 20 volunteers that travel an hour each week to put on the services there.

At Branchville, a former gang member has expressed his desire to start his own Church Anywhere service. So First Capital is preparing to launch a second service in Branchville run by the inmate. That service will be held once per month in addition to the weekly services led by the First Capital volunteers.

He's found testimony videos on YouTube from ex-gang members and things like that, Sansom said. And we're working with him to put those together with more heavy Christian rock music. And he seems to be the campus pastor for them.

Sansom said that First Capital also operates another micro campus at the Open Doors Youth Services center in New Albany, which houses about 20 kids who have not yet been placed in the foster care system. The church sends 10 volunteers to operate that church.

At a homeless shelter in Jeffersonville, First Capital runs a weekly service and partners with an organization called Exit Zero. Exit Zero provides those at the shelter with a post-service meal. The average attendance for the homeless shelter service, Sansom said, is about 40.

So at first, a lot of people would skip church and come for the meal, he said. And now we're averaging somewhere around like 50 to 70 homeless people that come just for the church, and they'll have like 100 for the meal.

During the school year, the church operates Church Anywhere campuses in the form of afterschool clubs that meet at Heth-Washington Elementary in Central, Indiana and North Harrison Elementary in Ramsey.

Sansom said that as many as 80 kids attend the mid-week afterschool services at North Harrison Elementary.

Some kids from our kid's ministry wrote letters to the principals saying that we would like to start a Church Anywhere club, Sansom explained. And so it's now an after-school program. We have curriculum and services that are designed specifically for them. We have a children's message with our youth band leading worship for it. And it's all done via video.

First Capital has also established a micro campus in a home located about 45 minutes away from its Corydon campus.

That was kind of the need that that family saw. They saw that none of their neighbors left on Sunday morning, Sansom said. So they're like, maybe if we did it on an afternoon, and we did a meal together and made it that kind of experience, that would do it. And it worked.

Sansom said that the point of a micro-campus within a neighborhood like that is to target people that dont have any interest in coming into a church building.

And they have become super tight. They consistently have them bringing guests with, it's really cool to see, Sansom said.

Sansom said that another Church Anywhere campus was set up in a rehabilitation center that takes care of about 20 people suffering from Huntingtons disease, a disease that breaks down nerve cells in the brain.

A person that goes to our church works there. And she couldn't make it on Sundays any longer because of her work schedule, Sansom said. So she just hooked her iPad up the TV and watched the service on a break. And then people started watching it. So that they reached out to us and said, Hey, we want to make this happen here.

With 16 micro campuses now, including the online campus, Sansom says that First Capital is open to partnering with anyone who has a desire to bring a micro campus into a community they are passionate about. Sansom said that it costs about $600 to launch a campus in a location that doesnt have any technology to carry the video feed of the services.

The sky's the limit, he stressed. I have no idea what the next stage is going to be.

Sansom explained that other churches have reached out inquire about starting their own programs similar to First Capitals Church Anywhere. One of those churches is the multisite Emmanuel Church based in Greenwood, Indiana.

This year, Emmanuel Church set up microsite campuses inside a local jail, a rehabilitation center, a local work-release facility and on the campus of Purdue University.In Cleveland, the only mistake is not visiting

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The days of Cleveland being known as the Mistake by the Lake are long gone.

Yes, the citys fortunes have ebbed and flowed along with the rest of the great Rust Belt cities. But this decline  more than 50% population loss since the 1950s  has created unique opportunities for redevelopment and growth, particularly in the core of downtown.

Public Square with the grand Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument, a late 19th century tribute to those who fought in the Civil War, reminded me of Londons Trafalgar Square because both squares serve as central gathering points for their respective cities. A couple blocks away is the Mall, which is basically Clevelands front lawn. The green spaces, separated into three sections, are perfect spots for an urban picnic or an afternoon of sunbathing.

Clevelands downtown faces toward Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes.

The waterfront isnt as unobstructed as Toronto or Chicago, but the views are impressive, especially from one of the many towers. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which was designed by the recently deceased architect I.M. Pei, has commanding views of both Lake Erie and the cityscape.

It is a completely different vibe in the Flats, a short walk or drive away from downtown.

Here you find the remnants of industrial Cleveland as the Cuyahoga River meanders under numerous bridges and past old mills and brick warehouses. Freighters still frequent these waters, though kayaks and boat clubs practicing their rowing seem more common today.

Many first-time visitors to Cleveland are struck by the rich heritage and culture. Like literally rich. This was where John D. Rockefeller  yes, that Rockefeller  made his fortune with Standard Oil before decamping to New York City.

Traces of the Gilded Age can still be found along Euclid Avenue.

Once known as Millionaires Row the grand mansions are gone, but the churches erected by those who once lived here remain. Among the most notable are Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and the now-former First United Methodist Church. Both edifices are similar as the exterior architecture is inspired by the Perpendicular Gothic style of the 14th and 15th centuries.

Another 10 minutes or so up Euclid Avenue in the University Circle neighborhood are the two institutions regularly ranked as among the best in their respective fields: The Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

While the clinic enjoys universal name recognition as a world-renowned medical institution the museum tends to surprise visitors. The art collection, which numbers more than 61,000 pieces, is truly impressive. The best part? Admission is free.

Not visiting Cleveland is a mistake. It makes for a perfect citycation this summer.

If you go

Cleveland is easily reachable by car. Of course, all the major airlines service Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

I stayed at the Marriott Downtown at Key Tower Hotel. You wont regret splurging for a high-floor room with views of Lake Erie. An alternative is the Hilton, which opened three years ago. Both are within walking distance of pretty much everything you will see or do.

Be sure to also check the Cleveland Orchestras schedule. You might get lucky and catch a performance. When I visited they were accompanying a live playing of the movie An American in Paris.

For people watching visit West Side Market on a Saturday morning, when locals frequent old school butchers, bakers and other food purveyors.

It would be remiss of me if I didnt mention A Christmas Story House, literally the house from the 1983 cult classic movie of the same name. The shrine-cum-museum is located across the street from Rowley Inn, an old-school tavern.

Spires and Crosses, a weekly travel column exclusive to The Christian Post, covers old churches, history and heritage, architecture, culture and art. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter and Instagram.David Daleiden fined $195K amid court battle over censored Planned Parenthood footage

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The undercover journalist who in 2015 exposed Planned Parenthood's baby body parts selling operation is fighting a nearly $200,000 fine amid an ongoing court battle.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to hear an appeal from David Daleiden of the Center for Medical Progress last week, an appeal of a $195,000 imposed on him for using video footage which supposedly violated a gag order imposed by a lower court judge.

The federal judge presiding over related civil lawsuits, District Judge William Orrick, had held that criminal defense counsels use of the videos violated a gag order he imposed in one of the federal civil actions. Daleiden and his defense counsel appealed, arguing that Orrick had improperly imposed a criminal contempt penalty without granting the accused due process and that the federal civil injunction should not apply to Daleidens state criminal proceeding, according to a statement from the Thomas More Society, which is representing Daleiden.

Daleiden's attorneys have long argued that Orrick cannot be an impartial jurist  and previously sought to disqualify him  in this case because he helped found a Planned Parenthood clinic in San Francisco several years ago. Orrick's wife is an abortion activist.

Daleiden noted Wednesday that although he was cleared of similar charges in a separate court fight in Texas, Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Federation continue to pursue two federal lawsuits in California, which included the gag order forbidding him from publishing undercover video footage that he recorded of the abortion giant's top-level employees.

"These videos prove that the conversations were NOT 'confidential' and the recordings were made to gather evidence of violent criminality in the abortion industry," he asserted.

Daleiden also accused Planned Parenthood, the federal judge and then-Attorney General Kamala Harris, who's now a U.S. senator from California and candidate for president, of concocting a "bogus legal scheme" against him and conspiring to fine him $195,000.

Because the federal appellate court refused the appeal of the fine, the fine presently stands, for which he is now raising funds.

It is a travesty that Mr. Daleidens accusers can use the video footage at the heart of these cases against him  both in court and in the court of public opinion  but Mr. Daleidens legal team cannot use the same footage in his defense, even in his own court filings, without fear of an entirely different tribunal imposing punitive fines, said Sarah Pitlyk, Thomas More Society special counsel, in a statement to The Daily Wire last week.

Holding Mr. Daleiden and his defense counsel in contempt under these circumstances flies in the face of the Sixth Amendment and fundamental principles of fairness. This is not how the criminal justice system is supposed to work.

Last week, the Trump administration ended the federal governments practice of using tissue from aborted babies for medical research.

In a June 7 Washington Examiner opinion piece, Daleiden noted that the NIH spent $115 million on fetal experimentation last year, highlighting the work of one such NIH research grantee Dr. Jorg C. Gerlach of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Gerlach has published on a technique to harvest fresh livers from intact babies delivered alive in late-term abortions at a gestational age of 18 to 22 weeks.

"Gerlachs liver-harvesting 'protocol' is used for experimental stem cell transplants according to 'current Good Manufacturing Practice,' or cGMP, guidelines developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, another arm of HHS," Daleiden explained.

Since 2011, Gerlachs fetal liver experiments at UPMC have reportedly received at least $2 million in federal grants.

"[H]is works exploitation of born-alive infants raises serious questions about whether HHS violated its own authorizing statutes in previous administrations. The same federal law that permits HHS to fund fetal tissue research forbids any involvement in live fetal experimentation except to save the life of the baby," Daleiden said.

In December of 2017, the federal government formally opened an investigation into Planned Parenthood; the Department of Justice wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee requesting copies of their reports detailing their findings about the transactions between the abortion group and biotech companies that procure fetal body parts.Religious freedom concerns raised as trial over aid to illegal immigrants ends in hung jury

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A federal jury in Arizona failed to convict a Christian volunteer who faced the possibility of 20 years in prison after providing humanitarian aid to unauthorized immigrants.

U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins issued a mistrial Tuesday after a hung 12-person jury could not decide whether to convict 36-year-old aid volunteer Scott Warren on three charges.

Warren was charged in January 2018 with one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants (punishable by up to 10 years in prison) and two counts of harboring illegal immigrants.

According to No More Deaths, a ministry of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tuscon that Warren served with, the jury was split with eight in favor of acquitting the defendant and four against such a move. The jury was dismissed by Collins after they indicated that more time in deliberation would not help.

Collins scheduled a conference on July 2 to hear whether the prosecution will proceed with a retrial in Warrens case.

Scott Warren remains innocent, both as a legal and as a factual matter, because the jury could not unanimously conclude otherwise, Warrens lawyer Greg Kuykendall said in a statement. The government put on its best case and 12 jurors could not agree with that case. We remain fully devoted in our commitment to defend Scotts lifelong devotion to providing humanitarian aid.

Prosecutors argued during the trial that the two migrants that Warren was charged with helping were in good health and were not in need of medical care when they showed up to a migrant aid location known as The Barn located in the town of Ajo about 30 miles from the border.

According to Tucson.com, prosecutor Anna Wright claimed that humanitarian aid was a cover story. She also contended that Warren was the hub of a human-smuggling ring that also involved a man who ran a migrant shelter just across the border in Sonoyta, Mexico.

Warren was accused of conspiring to help Kristian Perez-Villanueva from El Salvador and Jose Sacaria-Goday of Honduras cross the border illegally and help them get to Phoenix.

The prosecution also claims that Warrens goal was to thwart the Border Patrol at every possible turn in order to help illegal border crossings.

Agents reportedly testified that they saw Warren giving directions to the immigrant men. But Warren explained in court that he was simply telling the men how to get to a highway if they got injured or lost.

Warren also testified that he did not know that the two migrant men would be at the Barn when he arrived. Warren maintains that he followed the protocols put in place by No More Deaths to provide medical assessment, shelter and humanitarian needs.

Over 137,000 people have put their support behind an online petition calling for federal prosecutors to drop the charges against Warren.

Law professors who specialize in religious freedom law  led by Columbia Universitys Katherine Franke  filed an amicus brief in support of Warren explaining why the court should have considered Warrens motion to dismiss the case under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

This case represents one of the first instances in which a court has had to adjudicate the application of RFRA as a defense to a criminal prosecution under federal immigration law, specifically which prohibits harboring and is a criminal law of general application, the brief notes.

Given that the issues involved  the enforcement of federal immigration law and the fundamental right to religious liberty  are significant, and that the case presents a question of first impression, it is imperative that the court structure its ruling on the RFRA motion to dismiss in a way that will provide clear guidance to the parties here and to other parties and courts in the future.

The brief argues that since a wide range of religious institutions run homeless shelters, soup kitchens and other charitable services that provide basic needs to people who may be undocumented, it is particularly important that this court provide clear guidance on this matter.

Properly understood, a key element of Dr. Warrens sincerely held religious beliefs included a commitment to help others in distress to the point of being a duty or compulsion to provide them aid even though there was a risk of violating federal law, the brief points out. This is precisely the kind of Catch-22 situation that RFRAs notion of substantial burden was intended to capture.

However, Collins rejected motions from Kukendall to dismiss the charges. The Washington Post reports that Kuykendall failed to convince the court that the prosecution would violate Warrens religious freedom rights by blocking him from adhering to Christian principles that compel him to provide emergency aid to fellow human beings in need.

The New York Times reports that volunteers have trekked through the Arizona desert for over 15 years to place water jugs, food and other humanitarian supplies in spots where migrants can come to receive the aid.

But in April 2017, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memo encouraging federal prosecutors to consider prosecuting any case involving the unlawful transportation or harboring of aliens.

In a statement following the trial, Warren criticized the Trump administration over policies that target undocumented people, refugees, and their families. Warren also claimed that since his arrest in January 2018, there have been at least 88 bodies recovered in the Arizona desert.

Today it remains as necessary as ever for local residents and humanitarian aid volunteers to stand in solidarity with migrants and refugees, Warren said. And we must also stand for our families, friends, and neighbors  and the very land itself  most threatened by the militarization of our borderland communities.

In addition to Warren, other No More Death volunteers have faced punishment for their actions in providing aid to migrants.

As the Arizona Republic reports, a federal judge convicted four volunteers in January of the misdemeanor crime of entering a wildlife refuge without a permit in order to drop off food and water for immigrants. The volunteers were given 15 months of probation and ordered to pay $150 fines.

In February, four more No More Deaths volunteers pled guilty and agreed to pay $280 in fines for entering a wildlife refuge to help refugees.Teen Vogue tells pregnant 16-y-o how to get an abortion behind parents' backs

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Teen Vogue is giving pregnant teenagers advice on how they can get abortions without their pro-life parents ever knowing about it. In the advice column, the author degrades pro-life activists as hypocrites "who stand outside clinics holding signs adorned with Bible verses and pictures of fetuses but get abortions when it suits them.

In a June 6 advice column, Nona Willis Aronowitz published a letter from a pregnant teen who wants to get an abortion without informing her pro-life parents.

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to get an abortion without my parents' permission, but I'm really scared to tell them because they are both against abortion, wrote the teen.

In response, Aronowitz said she could only imagine how overwhelming it might feel to announce an actual pregnancy, much less a desire to get an abortion ... especially to parents who are against it, and especially during a time in American history when the bodily autonomy of people with uteruses is under serious threat.

The advice columnist told the girl that she had nothing to be ashamed of in being pregnant because accidents happen, adding: its only logical that if teens are mature enough to become parents, they are mature enough to decide whether or not they want to give birth.

Having access to abortion should be your right, regardless of your parents beliefs, she declared.

The columnist lamented that unfortunately the laws of many American states do not agree with her, and advised the teen that if she did not live in one of the states that permits minors to get abortions without parental consent, to consider telling her parents.

Many pro-life advocates, Aronowitz claimed, have either gotten abortions or have helped their own daughters undergo such a procedure.

One thing Ive learned while researching and reporting on these issues is that supposedly anti-abortion Americans often get abortions, she wrote.

They often help their children procure abortions. You know those activists who stand outside clinics holding signs adorned with Bible verses and pictures of fetuses? Even they sometimes get abortions.

As evidence, she quoted an Alabama abortionist who claimed to have performed the procedure on some of the very people who protest abortions.



Aronowitz then advised the girl to consider a judicial bypass procedure, a legal option in 36 states that would let you get an abortion without parental approval, should her parents react with violence or anger.

She suggested that a clinic would help the girl go through the legal procedure and also provided a link to a pro-abortion legal advice group as well as a link to groups that claim to help pay for women's abortions.

The advice columnist argued that many women have undergone abortions, adding: everybody loves someone whos had an abortion. Including you.

Teen Vogue, which claims its goal is to educate, enlighten and empower our audience to create a more inclusive environment, recently published an op-ed called "Why Sex is Real Work."

In it, author Tlaleng Mofokeng compared the experiences of prostituted people with her own profession as a doctor.

"I do not believe it is right or just that people who exchange sexual services for money are criminalized and I am not for what I do, she said. Is a medical degree really the right measure of who is deserving of dignity, autonomy, safety in the work place, fair trade and freedom of employment? No. This should not be so. Those who engage in sex work deserve those things, too."

She went on to argue that criminalizing prostitution harmfully impacts women and trans-identified males who call themselves women, and therefore, "sex worker rights" constitute a feminist and women's rights issue.

In July 2017, the magazine received much criticism after it published a "What You Need to Know" advice column on anal sex written by Gigi Engle. The column provided detailed instructions to teen girls and LGBT youth about anal sex.

In response Activist Mommy Elizabeth Johnston publicly burned a copy of the magazine and asserted that "Teen Vogue magazine must be pulled from all store shelves" and that it is "a danger to children."

Evangelist Franklin Graham, the son of the late Billy Graham, called upon parents and grandparents to avoid the publication and not to allow this kind of trash [to] be pawned off on our children.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Where are the fathers? A generation ago, the Supreme Court defied the God of heaven and declared legal the murder of our babiesand our fathers were silent. When the Ten Commandments were declared to be poison to our childrens mindsour pastors were silent. When the courts and culture continue to attack Gods model for family by redefining marriage and human sexuality, why is there such continuing silence?

At the American Pastors Network, we believe that Gods judgment on our nation is in part because fathers and pastors a generation ago refused to oppose evil and actively resist tyranny. The question is, what will our pastors and we as fathers do now? As Mordecai said to Esther of old, if we are silent now, evil will prevail, and freedom will be lost.

Fathers Days a good time to consider Gods expectation for fathers. As a father of six and grandfather to 14, Ive thought much about my role and the fact that fathers create our childrens first image of God. Men, are we demonstrating that God is faithful, loving, patient and kind? Is our discipline consistent and just? Are our children learning Gods protection and provision of needs? Does our love for our wives model Christs love for the Church? Do we teach the fear of God in our home by living in the fear of God ourselves? Do we focus on character building in our children to live and think like Christ so His character and nature will be seen through them? Imagine the impact in our homes and our culture if we did.

Fathers hold the key to our families and nation. In Deuteronomy Chapter 6, God told fathers to teach our children five things.

1. We must lead our children to faith in the LORD, because He is the only God.

2. We must lead our children to a fervor for the Lord by loving Him with all their heart, soul and mind.

3. We must lead our children to fear the LORD because that is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.

4. We must lead our children to a familiarity of the LORD by learning of Him daily and diligently.

5. And, then when God blessesas He willwe must lead our children not to forget the LORD and what Hes done.

If we as fathers would teach our children these things, our homes would be healed, families restored and the nation united. The more we men emulate Godthe heavenly Fatherthe better the husband and father well be. As our fatherhood model, God is the Wise Father. Hes the Great Counselor and Comforterjust, kind, merciful and patient. Hes the Instructor, Guide, Protector and Shield. He firmly disciplines but does so in love. He loves so much, He gave His sonthe perfect sacrificeto save our souls. Hes the humble servant, yet the greatest leader. Hes the modelin every wayof what an earthly father should be.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

On the evening of June 17, 2015, 21-year old Dylann Roof walked into Charlestons Mother Emanuel church. There, he found a group of the faithful about to begin a Bible study in the basement of the South Carolina church. They welcomed him and invited him to join them. He sat down. He listened and spoke. At the end of the hour, the participants began to pray. At that point, the young man opened fire in what became one of the countrys deadliest mass shootings at a place of worship. In the end, nine of those who had gathered that night to reflect on the Word of God lay dead. Only three survived.

The police caught Roof the following day. He was unrepentant. He hoped his evil act in targeting one of the countrys oldest black churches would ignite a race war. He was wrong.

A new film, "Emanuel: The Untold Story of the Victims and Survivors of the Charleston Church Shooting," tells what came next as survivors lived out Christs hard teaching (Matthew 18:22), to forgive the sins of our brothers seventy-seven times. Its a story of true Christian forgiveness  a story that can help all of us who struggle to multiply our capacity to forgive.

This beautifully filmed documentary begins with important history lessons on Charleston and American race relations. The city was the premiere slave port and hosted a fair share of activity and activism during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church  known tenderly as Mother Emanuel  was founded in 1816 as an anti-slavery church. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the church in 1962 and urged its black congregation to register to vote.

Emanuel also captures the evil hatred of white supremacy that consumed Roof. Video of him prior to his attack, security camera footage of his casually entering and leaving the church that fateful evening, his arrest by police and questioning by investigators is, to say the least, haunting.

But the film does much more than contextualize the massacre and provide a post-incident recap. It captures the movement of the Holy Spirit in the survivors of the Charleston shooting  those who survived the shooting and family members of those who did not  as well as the men and women who came to console the survivors.

When Roof first appeared in court by video conference for a bond hearing after his arrest, the judge offered shooting survivors and relatives of the victims the chance to speak to the assailant directly. Only just beginning to mourn their losses, they told Roof that they were praying for his soul.

And that they forgave him.

Something came over me, said the adult daughter of one of the slain, explaining her words of forgiveness at the bail hearing. Another young man later admitted surprise after he told Roof, We already forgive you.

Getting beyond the gravity of the offense committed at Mother Emanuel and looking past the empty, unrepentant eyes of Dylann Roof to a land of grace and forgiveness  well, it all seems so impossible. It probably is for anyone acting alone. Oh, but God works in mysterious ways, remarked President Obama in his powerful eulogy of Mother Emanuels pastor, the Reverend Clementa Pinckney. Rather than allow hatred to inhabit their hearts, the survivors and relatives of Roofs victims were open to the Holy Spirit. You can see the effect of the Spirit on their faces as they were interviewed. And the impossible became possible.

Forgiveness  a great act of love, a great act of release  was a salve to their sorrow. Such amazing grace  God-given to anyone willing to receive it  made forgiveness abundant in Charleston, allowing the survivors and relatives of the Mother Emanuel Nine to forgive. Not just once, but 77 times or more.

Emanuel will show nationwide in theaters for only two days, June 17 and 19. Dont miss it. It is the unusual summer movie that all will be the better for seeing.

Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is Legal Advisor for The Catholic Association Foundation.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

When Tina* discovered she was pregnant, her mom demanded she have an abortion.

But Tinas boyfriend, Kent*, wanted to give his unplanned child the love of a father  something that he never knew. Kent called Care Nets Pregnancy Decision Line for advice  and with his wholehearted support Tina decided to keep their baby. For Tina, Kents unswerving commitment to her and their baby was the assurance she needed to make a life-affirming choice.

According to Care Nets national study on abortion, the father is the single most influential factor in a womans decision to abort or keep their baby.

As we celebrate Fathers Day on Sunday, June 16, I believe that men, and fathers like Kent, have a pivotal role to play in creating a culture of life in America  and especially a culture that embraces the abundant life that Jesus talks about in the Gospel of John (John 10:10). Thats why Care Net is not just pro-life  were ProAbundant Life! We envision a culture where women and men faced with pregnancy decisions are transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ and empowered to choose not just life for their unborn children but also abundant life for their families.

You see, some in our nation holds certain core values that contribute to what has become known as an abortion culture. The question is, how do we nurture life-affirming values in our society and reduce the demand for abortion?

Proponents of abortion often rely on isolation, enmity (between the sexes, among families, and between the classes) and detachment. These values, if you will, are given friendly names that have the appearance of virtues. Isolation is framed as independence. Enmity is framed as social consciousness. Detachment is framed as freedom..

But these values are not virtues. Instead, they cause women and men facing tough pregnancy decisions to think that abortion is their only choice. But its not.

The fall-out from Americas abortion culture is destroying lives; not only the lives of the one million babies aborted every year, but also the lives of their mothers and their fathers.

Men experience emotional devastation, guilt, and aftershocks from the abortion of their child  a story vividly told in the groundbreaking book, Fatherhood Aborted (download a free digital copy here). But the path to forgiveness and healing is found in a vital relationship with Christ, the Life Giver, and genuine Christian community. As Christians, we are called to act and think differently than the culture. Rather than isolation, enmity, and detachment, we are called to cultivate relationships, unity, authenticity, and intimacy.

When women and men are unified in their relationship with God and each other, focus on one anothers needs, and share true intimacy, they are much less likely to choose abortion.

Thats certainly true in my own personal experience. When I was an undergraduate at Princeton University, I got my girlfriend pregnant. Against the advice of many people  including the college nurse that administered the pregnancy test  we moved forward with our plan to get married and have our baby. Yvette (now my wife of 37 years) was told: This will ruin your life. However, Yvette graduated from Princeton  after we had our second baby, I should add  and went on to become an accomplished medical doctor as well as a terrific wife and mother.

I know that my positive encouragement and engagement contributed to the life-affirming outcome in our unplanned pregnancy. Now, every Fathers Day, I feel tremendous gratitude towards God for giving me the grace to be the kind of man and father Yvette and my unborn child needed.

My experience has given me a heart for fathers. And I often consider what the Pro Abundant Life movement can do to better engage men in solving the abortion crisis. In my own life, I have found success by mentoring other men. When men with experience in marriage and fatherhood step into the lives of younger men, real transformation happens. As Christians, we have a name for this: discipleship. (our cultures enormous need for discipleship  particularly men discipling other men  is a primary reason Care Net created the Making Life Disciples program to equip church memberswomen and mento offer compassion, hope, help and discipleship to those at risk for abortion).

So as we celebrate Fathers Day, think about the men in your life who need mentors, especially if they are facing a difficult pregnancy decision or are new fathers, and the men in your life who could be mentors to others. Facilitate and nurture these relationships, and our nation will see more involved fathers, better marriages, and fewer abortions. Then, and only then, can a Pro Abundant Life culture flourish.

*Names changed to protect client confidentiality.

Roland C. Warren is president and CEO of Care Net (www.care-net.org). He grew up in a single-parent home, was the first member of his family to attend college, and graduated from Princeton University. Roland worked 20 years in the corporate world (IBM, Pepsi, and Goldman Sachs) and served 11 years as president of the National Fatherhood Initiative before joining Care Net in 2012. Care Net is a Christian organization with 1,100 affiliated life-affirming pregnancy centers across America, promoting a Pro Abundant Life vision.Why Indians choose to follow Jesus despite opposition

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet assembled on May 30 to take their oath of office, nobody expected that a relatively unknown minister sworn in at the end of the ceremony would steal the show.

Applause broke from the audience when Pratap Sarangi walked onto the stage. Earlier that day a picture of him leaving the austere hut where he lives went viral, drawing praise for his modest lifestyle.

But Sarangi's spot in the limelight also resurfaced a controversial issue in India: religious conversions.

Sarangi was the leader of Bajrang Dal, an extremist Hindu militant organization that was accused of the 1999 murders of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons in Odisha. An official investigation didn't cast blame on any particular group, and though over a dozen people were convicted and given life sentences, all but one were eventually released. Dara Singh, who presumably led the mob who attacked the Staines, was sentenced to death but had his sentence commuted to life in prison.

Sarangi has denied involvement in the crime and distanced himself from Singh, whom he says was not part of Bajrang Dal. But he has not shied from accusing Christians of converting Indians by force or fraudulent methods, most recently characterizing conversions as asking for sex in exchange for a favor.

Since 1999, attacks against Christians in India have sharply increased, particularly in the north. Last year, Open Doors, which ranks global levels of persecution, included India for the first time ever in the top 10 nations where Christians are persecuted.

As was the case with the murder of the Staines, much of the violence is incited by extremists who for decades have spread the propaganda Sarangi preaches, that Christians convert people by offering humanitarian aid or by using threats of physical force. This propaganda is behind anti-conversion laws in several states across India. The laws are purportedly aimed at protecting vulnerable people from false conversions but practically designed to curtail religious freedom to Christians and other minorities.

Yet lost in this narrative is the reality that those who spread these accusations do not understand how Christian conversions actually work. They also conveniently ignore the stories of eminent Indians who have decided to follow Jesus exclusively and out of personal conviction.

Pandita Ramabai, a highly revered figure in the history of women's emancipation in India, is one such example. Born into an upper-caste family, she was extremely gifted with languages, becoming the first Hindu woman to be recognized as a scholar of Sanskrit and single-handedly translating the Bible into her mother tongue Marathi, a language spoken by over 80 million people. Her advocacy for women's rights to education was recognized in a commemorative stamp in 1989.

Narayan Vaman Tilak, a gifted poet who also spoke Marathi, also had a spiritual encounter with Jesus that led him and eventually his wife to believe in Jesus' gospel. He was a relative of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, one of the fathers of India's independence. An established poet of his time, Narayan worked on developing an indigenous expression of the Christian faith.

Scholars believe even Jotiba Phule, pioneer of the movement to abolish untouchability and cofounder with his wife of the first Indian-run school for women, possibly had some faith in Jesus. This is because of his writings on the "Baliraja"  the mythical king who sacrificed himself for the sake of his people. He called Jesus the Baliraja II. It's also evident Phule was moved by the Bible's message of liberation for the oppressed, who in India's context are all those oppressed by the caste system. He criticized the British government for removing the study of the Bible in schools.

Phule influenced B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution and arch nemesis of untouchability against Dalits. In fact, it's because of Ambedkar's constitution that all Indians can enjoy the freedom of speech and religion, including the right to propagate one's faith. To this day, many Indians consider Ambedkar the father of religious freedom, as he converted to Buddhism before affirmative action benefits were accorded to Dalit converts.

The legacy of colonialism has understandably left a bad taste in the mouth of many Indians. The British, like other colonizers, at times tried to impose their religious beliefs, though a general glance at history clearly shows they were far more interested in exploiting India economically than spreading a religion. But to assume Indian Christians follow a foreign religion would be incorrect and ahistorical.

Christians have lived in India for over 2,000 years, way before the British reached our shores. According to church tradition, the Apostle Thomas carried the gospel to South India around the mid-1st century AD, where it's believed he was later martyred and buried.

Today's Indian Christians trace their history back to Thomas and see themselves as native to India as any other religious groups. There is no contradiction between following Jesus and loving one's country. In fact, the New Testament commands Christians to be good, peaceful and law-abiding citizens, who seek the good of their communities.

But beyond having native ties to India, Christians understand they cannot convert people, even if they tried. The New Testament is clear on this: people follow Jesus by personal choice and often because of profound spiritual encounters. "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit," Jesus once said, explaining how conversion  or spiritual birth  is the work of God. We do not call the shots here: Christians cannot force people to encounter Jesus, neither can they force them not to encounter him.

Additionally, this type of conversion is not simply a change in a person's social religious identification. As Anand Mahadevan, a prominent Indian journalist who was born into a Brahmin family and turned to Jesus, wrote, "My conversion was not a change of religion; it was a change of heart." People willfully follow Jesus because in him they find a compelling message of love, forgiveness, peace and justice that transforms them internally.

As Prime Minister Modi and his cabinet take the reins of a new government, they must prioritize protecting the constitutional rights of all citizens. Local governments, too, must find ways to counter propaganda spread against Christians and hold accountable those who perpetrate hate crimes against religious minorities.

But most important, Indians need to realize there is no reason to fear their countrymen who follow Jesus Christ. They certainly need not fear Christians will try to make India a Christian nation. Jesus did not call his followers to create a Christian state. That's not what the Kingdom of God is about. Jesus called them to live just and righteous lives in the reality of his resurrection and the hope of his return. And even while they may be a minority, he called them to be a force for good  or as the New Testament says, salt and light  in the world and in the nation they live in.

Most Rev. Joseph D'Souza is a Christian theologian, author and human and civil rights activist. He is the founder of Dignity Freedom Network, an organization that advocates for and delivers humanitarian aid to the marginalized and outcastes of South Asia. He is archbishop of the Anglican Good Shepherd Church of India and serves as the president of the All India Christian Council.Government urged to support Bill that would end 'postcode lottery' in palliative care

A Christian advocacy group is calling on the Government to support a change in the law so that more than 100,000 adults and children every year do not miss out on vital end of life care.

Baroness Finley's Access to Palliatve Care Bill passed the second reading in the House of Lords on Friday. It wants the law to be changed so that clinical commissioning groups in England have a duty to ensure that the people in their area have access to palliative care services.

Speaking in the Lords, Baroness Finlay, a former doctor, said it was "just plain wrong" that the present system was "adversely affecting" those of black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as older people and those in more deprived areas.

She said that with hospitals "breaking under the current strains", moving more people into quality palliative care would free up around 75m for hospital services.

"Where people are cared for and die is influenced by local options. Good-quality community-based palliative care increases the chance of death at home, but that is not always possible or desirable, so appropriate and high-quality palliative care must be available in all settings," she said.

Baroness Brinton spoke in support of the Bill, saying that the current system subjected people to a "postcode lottery" where the provision could range greatly depending on where they lived.

"This is not a minor difference in care," she said.

She said many children and adults were the "victims of poor management decisions by financiers and of lack of communication" between the NHS, agencies, and charities.

"The Bill comes at a very appropriate time: the conditions many people are facing are dire," she said.

"Patients and their families cannot be faced with misunderstanding and having to fight their way through a maze of extraordinary decisions about what is social care and what is palliative care and whether it is provided by [cancer care charity] Marie Curie or a helper coming to the home. The Bill maps out a way forward."

CARE said the Bill was an "important piece of legislation" that would go a long way to making sure people nearing the end of their lives would have access to quality palliative care.

The Christian lobby group's senior policy Chris Buttenshaw said that although the UK is a world leader in the provision of palliative care, there was a "significant problem" when it came to accessing "good quality" care.

"There are more than 100,000 adults and children across England who are currently missing out because of gaps in provision and the quality of care provided varies greatly across the country, despite the best efforts of those who work tirelessly to care for those near the end of their lives," he said.

"We want people nearing the end of their lives to be cared for and supported, to be loved and treated with dignity and respect until the natural end of their lives.

"Palliative care isn't a silver bullet but in a holistic way, through management of pain and other symptoms, and provision of psychological, social and spiritual support, the goal of palliative care is to achieve the best quality of life for patients and their families.

"Good palliative care, and even the awareness that good palliative care is available, helps to alleviate many of the drivers and fears that might lead someone towards wanting to bring their life to a close before its natural end and helps people to live out their final days with dignity and security."Salmon has become the guinea pig of the seas when it comes to using technology to supplement falling fish populations. Now it's moved onto land - and into the laboratory.

The fatty orange fish was the second-most-consumed seafood in the U.S. in 2017, after shrimp, and per capita consumption increased 11%, to 2.41 pounds per person, from the prior year, according to the National Fisheries Institute, an industry group. Globally, demand for salmon has skyrocketed, along with that for all fish, fueling overfishing and threatening supply. Industrial-scale salmon farming, once seen as a solution, has its own problems. Massive stocks of smaller fish are depleted to feed farmed salmon, and parasites flourish in salmon pens where farmers use pesticides, contributing to pollution and ecosystem destruction. Sea lice have infested farms in Norway and Scotland in recent years, and a deadly algal bloom killed salmon in Chile, a top farmed-salmon producer. Farmed fish sometimes escape, too, contaminating nearby wild salmon.

With rising incomes in developing nations driving demand, fish and seafood now account for almost a fifth of the animal protein people consume. Unsurprisingly, the need for a solution to this less-than-virtuous circle has become evident to a growing number of entrepreneurs and startups.

The move toward environmentally conscious salmon farming is already underway.

Maynard, Massachusetts-based AquaBounty Technologies is hoping its genetically modified "AquAdvantage" version of Atlantic salmon, which it says grows twice as fast, will soon appear in the shopping carts of the environmentally aware. The company says on its website that its product is raised in "land-based production systems" that eliminate the various risks farmed salmon pose to wild fish, humans and the environment.

"The need and the desire for more farm-raised salmon is growing, and imports are growing, too," said Janice Schreiber, a commodity researcher at Urner Barry. "The market is looking for consistency, and that's where some of these newer lines come in."

But the next chapter of fish production, beyond even land-based farming, is already being written - by scientists. San Francisco-based Wild Type is hoping that, as with the rise of meat substitutes (and their arrival on Wall Street), lab-grown fish won't be far behind.

Or, for that matter, lab-grown sushi.

On a recent Sunday evening in Portland, Oregon, a group of Wild Type employees, investors, chefs, local restaurant owners and friends gathered at Olympia Oyster Bar for the first full-scale service of the company's product, straight from the lab. Chefs Maylin Chavez, Kyle Christy and Rose Ha each served a pair of dishes designed to highlight the novel product.

The chef's imaginations were constrained by the reality of working with a still-in-development food. Wild Type can produce only small pieces of salmon, which become too flaky if heated above 212 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, all the preparations were either raw or cooked in natural acids, such as citrus juice. (The company says it plans to have a version of the product that can withstand heat in the coming months.)

Highlights of the meal included a perfectly balanced ceviche with avocado, cucumber, katsuobushi, ginger and cilantro; a crudo of cold-smoked salmon with hazelnut butter, lemon, shiso and arugula; and a classic spicy salmon roll.

The Wild Type product absorbed the cold smoking particularly well, an attribute the company plans to leverage as it launches the product commercially. One of the first items will be "smoked salmon," since it's something "people are comfortable with," explained Wild Type co-founder Justin Kolbeck. "We want to start with something that is familiar. We don't want people to find it strange."

The tasting culminated in a sample of the raw product itself. Served in a canning tin, the Wild Type salmon appeared a bit dull, lacking some of the vibrant color of wild coho. While the texture closely approximated wild fish, the taste, however, was lacking. It wasn't unpleasant or unfamiliar. Just faint.

The company hopes to eventually produce full slabs of lab-grown salmon at a competitive retail cost of $7 to $8 per pound. But it has a long way to go. Kolbeck estimated that the spicy salmon roll served at this test dinner cost $200 to produce."The dream vision is the cleanest, purest, freshest salmon, without contaminants or antibiotics, for a price lower than farmed Atlantic salmon," he said.A Precinct 4 deputy constable was injured in a crash with a suspected drunk driver early Sunday in north Houston.

The deputy was conducting a traffic stop at 1 a.m. Sunday near Sam Houston Parkway and T.C. Jester when he was struck from behind by Reese Pompey, according to Harris County Constable Mark Herman.

Investigator Chuck Cornelius with Harris County D.A. said that the deputy was inside his patrol car at the time when he hit by the other car.

"As he was hit, his vehicle was pushed into the vehicle he had stopped for a traffic violation," Cornelius said.

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The impact of the crash was enough to push both the patrol vehicle and the vehicle the deputy had pulled over more than 50 feet. The officer was trapped inside the vehicle due to the impact, but was safely removed and taken to Houston Northwest Medical Center with head, neck and back injuries. The officer was hospitalized and released early Sunday morning.

Constable deputies secured a warrant for the driver's blood, and the results showed Pompey's alcohol levels were three times the legal limit, said the constable's office. Pompey was charged with intoxication assault on a peace officer, a first degree felony.

This is a developing story.Texas Childrens Pavilion for Women, a facility for womens health and high-risk obstetrical and fetal care, was recently designated as a level IV maternal care facility, the highest level of care available. The designation followed a rigorous site visit conducted by the EMS/Trauma Systems Office of the Texas Department of State Health Services.

A level IV maternal care facility provides comprehensive care for pregnant and postpartum patients, from those with low-risk conditions up to and including the most complex medical, surgical and/or obstetrical conditions that present a high-risk of maternal morbidity or mortality.

This designation certifies that we offer the highest level of care for the most complex obstetric patients, Dr. Christina Davidson, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and chief quality officer at Texas Childrens Pavilion for Women, said. It speaks to the expertise of our clinical teams and the processes we have in place to ensure high-quality care and the positive outcomes we strive for.

With the overall goal of reducing infant and maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States, the designation comes as the result of legislation passed in 2013 requiring Texas to establish and implement neonatal and maternal level of care designations by March 1, 2018. The intent of the legislation is to ensure both neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and maternal care facilities have the resources and expertise to provide high-quality, specialized patient care that leads to the best outcomes for mothers and babies.

The NICU at Texas Childrens Hospital, the nations largest, housing 173 beds, was the first in Texas to be designated as a level IV NICU in April 2017.

Texas is one of the first states requiring maternal care facilities undergo a site visit to verify the level of care provided to patients meets the Maternal Levels of Care classifications as defined in the Texas Administrative Code. Completing the designation process is a requirement to receive Medicaid reimbursement for obstetrical care by Aug. 31, 2020.

This designation is the fruit of the work we perform daily. It is recognition by the Department of State Health Services of Texas Childrens commitment and investment to maternal health, Dr. Nan Ybarra, director of nursing for inpatient services at Texas Childrens Pavilion for Women, said. With over 6,200 deliveries annually, we are committed to serving women in our community and partnering with community hospitals to strengthen their maternal care processes and programs  our singular goal is to improve outcomes for pregnant women across Texas and beyond.

Texas Childrens announced in January it opened one of the nations few intensive care units dedicated solely to obstetrical critical care. It is the only four-bed maternal ICU in the country staffed 24/7 by both pulmonary critical care and maternal-fetal care teams embedded in a hospitals labor and delivery unit. This maternal ICU offers a specialized, private space for high-risk expectant and postpartum mothers with conditions such as sepsis, peripartum bleeding, placenta accreta, maternal heart disease and other serious conditions.

The hospital also has a nationally known placenta accreta spectrum program, where a team of experts provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for women with this potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication that occurs in approximately 1 in 1,000 to 2,000 pregnancies.

Additionally, in 2017, Texas Childrens obstetrics service partnered with the hospitals Kangaroo Crew to create the Maternal Transport Service, further bolstering its reputation as a primary referral site for patients with high-risk pregnancies. The team, consisting of a Kangaroo Crew nurse, labor and delivery nurse, respiratory therapist, and EMT, can provide specialty care to mothers while enroute to the Pavilion for Women, helping the hospitals community partners transport their sickest patients for the most optimal outcomes for mothers and babies.

Its crucial for women, especially those experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, to be educated about the level of obstetrical care available in the facility in which they plan to deliver, Dr. Michael Belfort, obstetrician/gynecologist-in-chief at Texas Childrens Pavilion for Women, said.Fort Bend County Commissioners unanimously approved on June 11 an engineering agreement to proceed with the design of right-turn lanes on Cinco Ranch Boulevard at SH 99.

The agreement for professional engineering services is between the county and TEDSI Infrastructure Group Inc. of Houston in an amount not to exceed $152,157.24 with funds from Fort Bend County Assistance District 1.

Prior to the vote, Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers said, Yesterday we were able to negotiate an agreement with (Cinco Ranch) MUD 12, which covers Cinco Ranch/LaCenterra. Theyve agreed to fund about 90 percent of the cost of this project.

Were getting a little bit extra money from another taxing entity. Obviously, they benefit from this project significantly. Its a good partnership between us. We look forward to more of these.

In a June 13 interview, Meyers said the estimated total project cost is $700,000 for both turn lanes.

Work is already under way on design and we'll be on an expedited timeline to get these new turn lanes built within a year, said Meyers in his Facebook post.

Meyers said two funding options exist through the MUD. If design starts within the year, the district will contribute $500,000. If construction starts within the year (before June 30, 2020) , the MUD contribution increases to $600,000, he said.

A MUD 12 representative couldnt be reached for comment at presstime.

Meyers said, I certainly appreciate MUD 12s cooperation in this. I look forward to a very beneficial relationship between the county and MUD 12.

According to the engineering agreement, the final design is expected to be completed in 28 weeks. Meyers said work has already started on the design. The biggest issue is possibly acquiring the right of way, said the commissioner. Needed is a 10-foot strip to widen Cinco Ranch Boulevard on the east side of the Grand Parkway or the right turn lane going north.

Cinco Ranch Boulevard is a four-lane divided concrete curb and gutter road. The project will provide dedicated right-turn lanes from Cinco Ranch Boulevard to SH eastbound to southbound and westbound to northbound.

The agreement also includes lengthening the existing left turn lanes to allow the stacking of more vehicles at the intersection. The purpose of these turn-lane improvements is to decrease congestion and reduce delay, according to the agreement.

Meyers said the right-turn lanes are totally a county project. The county needs the approval and authorization to connect to SH 99 feeder road from the Texas Department of Transportation, but Meyers said its not a major issue.

karen.zurawski@chron.comCheryl and Eric Golbow of Katy will celebrate the traditions of Fathers Day with their family, but the holiday is extra special this year.

Eric, who just turned 60, nearly died when in January he experienced an electrical storm, a disorder in the heart rhythm that causes an uncontrolled, irregular heartbeat.

Im very lucky, said Eric. Most people die.

The survival rate for people who experience an electrical storm is 3 percent, adds Cheryl. It (Fathers Day) will mean more, she said. Well appreciate it more.

The weeks since the Jan. 17 lunch with his brother, Jeff, at a restaurant havent been easy. He collapsed 20 minutes after lunch started, and his brother and a friend administered CPR until an ambulance took him to the hospital. He spent 21 days in the Intensive Care Unit.

I dont remember anything, said Eric.

That was followed by a month in a long-term acute care facility. When he was admitted as a patient to the hospital, he could not sit up, talk or eat on his own. He now receives outpatient physical, speech and occupational therapy three days a week at Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital-Katy. He talks, feeds himself  though hes lost more than 20 pounds since January  and walks increasingly longer distances with a walker. Hes even working one day a week at the family business Golbows Garage, dispatching wreckers.

One of the best things about Eric is he had such a strong family support system, said physical therapist Ed Leung. Whether its Cheryl or another family member to help him and keep pushing him. I think a lot of patients that dont have that a lot of times may not progress as quickly or as far.

See, Im not mean, said Cheryl. I just get aw, come on Cheryl. I can tell when hes too tired to do it. He rests.

That family includes Golbows Garage, which Eric and his brother run.

All my wrecker drivers came up here and led me home, said Eric. Cheryl added that they escorted him from the Rehab Hospital all the way to the shop.

All the wreckers with their lights on, she said. It was amazing.

Eric said, It was a big surprise.

It was neat, adds Cheryl. That moment was captured by their daughter Kristen Renee Withers who posted photos on her Facebook page and excitedly wrote on March 29: Today will forever be one of the best days of my life. My father, Eric Golbow, is coming home!!! Visit https://tinyurl.com/y5dnrzwj for the video and photos.

The garage has more than 30 employees. Cheryl shared a story from her daughter who said that on Erics first day back dispatching, all the guys wanted to talk to him on the radio. He works four to five hours. It gives me back a little normalcy and thats good, said Eric.

The girls go up to him an ask him about work, said Cheryl. Do this or that? He says, No, do it this way.

His speech therapist has Eric work with walkie talkies.

Rehab can be really hard, continued Leung. Youre trying to push a person as hard as you can while safely so they can get as well as they can.

Leung said that Erics stamina has improved from his initial evaluation. During a one month re-evaluation, he was walking twice as far as the previous month.

Said Cheryl, He works hard here and at home, too. While at the Rehab Hospital, he has Leung. At home, he has Cheryl. Im like Ed at home, said Cheryl as she talked about all sorts of homemade therapies Eric has. The only thing he doesnt do at home is treadmill, she added.

When we got here, Cheryl said, Eric barely was able to speak, feed himself or do anything by himself. He could barely sit up by himself. He could barely even swallow.

Look where he is now, she said.

I died twice, said Eric. You did, said Cheryl. Im still here, said Eric.

Leung said, I think it helps to have a patient like Eric. He has a great sense of humor and his family support system is huge. What happened to Eric, so many people die. Hes lucky hes alive. I think taking that into consideration, its easy to get down and frustrated. How come Im not farther than I am. With family support he keeps going.

The most difficult part for Eric now is not being able to do what I know I was capable of doing. Im getting better, but its such a slow process.

I appreciate the small things in life. Im very lucky. Most people dont make it. I would like to return to tow truck driving. I would like to. Well see.

When he gets frustrated, he and Cheryl talk about it. I tell him youre getting better. Every day youre one day closer to getting better, she said.

Both Eric and Cheryl praise the therapists who have and continue to work with him. Occupational therapist Rachele Minor worked with Eric when he was hospitalized and sees him on an outpatient basis now. Occupational therapy  in general for everybody that we see  we address illness and injury and how it directly affects somebodys daily life.

For Eric as an inpatient, the focus was how the hospital setting affected his life, she said. Now he applies what he learned as an inpatient, and Minor looks at filling in other needs such as strengthening his range of motion. Functional use of his arms is extremely important because you need those arms to get dressed, for example, she said. Activities we take for granted, we take down to components in order to raise those skills, said Minor. Pain in the shoulders is a new issue, she continued, which she thinks is a result of how he uses the walker.

Getting from point A to point B is physical therapy, said Minor. What you do when you arrive is occupational therapy.

Eric is so motivated; theres no issue with him doing his exercises, continued Minor. Hes greatly improved but still needs areas of help at home.

Married 34 years, Cheryl and Eric Golbow have two daughters, Erin and Kristen, and sons-in-law, Tony and Bert, and three grandchildren: Mackenzie, 13; T.J., 9; and Bert, 2.

It was pretty much love at first sight, said Cheryl remembering when she first met Eric. My little sister set us up. She was dating his little brother.

On their first date they went out to eat and then dancing at Midnight Rodeo, when it was located on Gessner and Long Point. I did like to dance, said Eric. Hes a good dancer, adds his wife.

In addition to country music, Eric said, I like rock n roll, too. Music accompanies his therapy at home. His favorite song?  Dont Stop Believin  by Journey.

Its been with my family a long time, said Eric of the song. We played it at my daughters weddings  both of them.

While Eric doesnt call himself an athlete, he said, I was very active. Very. What I look forward to is doing fishing and riding my motorcycle. He rides with his brother-in-law and they take the back roads west toward Bellville.

On Fathers Day, the family meal likely will include jalapeno hush puppies, a favorite of Erics, but he notes the occasion includes two other fathers so he wont monopolize the menu. Theres an outside chance, too, that there might be some playing of some Mexican Train dominoes.

Eric being sick has changed Cheryl, too. Ive become a lot more responsible and more patient and selfless, she said.

karen.zurawski@chron.com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.

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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.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.WASHINGTON - Less than a week after she left Georgetown University for summer break, Anna Landre clicked on an email and realized everything she had worked for was about to slip away.

The 20-year-old rising junior has spinal muscular atrophy type 2 and relies on paid aides to help her with basic tasks, from getting dressed to going to the bathroom.

The email that day came from her lawyer and informed her that her aide services were about to get cut.

"I just started crying," Landre told me. "I was sitting at my kitchen counter. I don't know what I was doing, but I just sat there and cried."

In her mind, she saw one domino slam into another: Without enough help from her aides, she wouldn't be able to return to Georgetown, which meant she would have to move back home to New Jersey, which meant her mother would have to quit her job to take care of her, which meant her family would have to buy a smaller house, which meant her little brother might have to change schools.

"And that is what would happen to me because I have a family that supports me and that would always want to take care of me, no matter the cost to them," she said. "Imagine if I didn't have that. I would be looking at going in a nursing home at 20 years old."

A few months ago, she thought her legal fight with her state's Medicaid program was behind her, at least for the year. Her future seemed promising: She was a regular columnist for the school's newspaper, she was serving as an advisory neighborhood commissioner and she was thinking about a career in politics.

Then that email came and, just like that, she no longer knew if she could continue doing any of those things.

Just like that, she went from thinking about what job she wanted in the future to not knowing whether an aide would be there to help her shower in the days ahead.

What happened to Landre after she received that email - and which she plans to talk about at a news conference on Monday - reveals just how messed up our nation's health-care system is, especially for those who depend on it most. Her situation is outrageous but not isolated.

"As a disabled woman & wheelchair user, I've been fending off my insurance company's cuts for years," Landre tweeted May 28, the day she saw the email. "Today, they finally got a judge to side with them - and now I can't go back to college next semester. The American healthcare system has just, quite literally, ruined my future."

That tweet was shared nearly 12,000 times and drew comments from people who spoke of their own struggles getting services:

"I'm actually fighting that same battle here in Iowa."

"This happened to my mom and I. They just ran us in circles until we both collapsed."

"They have 'doctors' review my brother's case each year and proceed to tell us he gets too much physical therapy (2 times). He has cerebral palsy and his current schedule is the bare minimum recommended by his actual doctor."

Sylvia Colt-Lacayo empathized with Landre's situation from the other side of the country. The 18-year-old was recently accepted to Stanford University, and shortly after she found out, she started a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising enough money to pay for the aide services she would need to attend the school.

"There's this misconception that even I was under - that I'm disabled and that sucks but the American health-care system will support me and help me live an independent, normal life," she said. "The health-care system will only support disabled people enough for them to survive, not thrive."

Like Landre, Colt-Lacayo uses a motorized wheelchair to get around and needs an aide to remain with her throughout the night and to help her with physical tasks during the day. By her calculations, while at college, if she can go six hours without using the bathroom, she needs an aide for at least 18 hours a day, or 126 hours a week. She said she was approved through California's Medicaid program for 38 hours a week.

"I just happened to come out of the womb disabled," Colt-Lacayo said. "That means I will live my entire life depending on other people, and yeah, that sucks. But I'm a human being, and I deserve to move out. I deserve to go to college. I deserve to live a normal, healthy life."

Landre said she thought her case was settled in February, when a judge ruled that her insurance company's attempt to reduce her aide services from 16 hours a day to 10 hours a day was "arbitrary" and that she "is completely dependent on others for her day-to-day living."

But in the email from her lawyer, which came at the end of May, Landre learned that the New Jersey Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, which administers the state's Medicaid, had rejected the judge's decision and sided with the insurance company.

Since then, Landre said she has faced some difficult decisions.

After her tweet gained attention, people suggested she start a GoFundMe page. She said she considered it but decided against it for practical and moral reasons. The practical: She would probably not raise enough to get her through college, and what money she did raise could cause the state to further reduce her services.

"And morally, a GoFundMe is not going to do anything for anyone else," she said. "I want actual systemic reform because this can't keep happening."

She decided, instead, to push back by speaking up. She has had interviews with several media outlets and contacted lawmakers to discuss ways the system could improve.

During that time, she said, New Jersey officials reached out to offer a settlement agreement that would allow her to keep her current level of services until she graduates from Georgetown. She said she felt torn. A part of her wanted to pursue the case in court, with the hope of setting some legal precedent, but she said her attorney and other disabled activists persuaded her to take the offer so she could continue fighting for others.

On Friday, the settlement was finalized.

On Monday, Landre plans to stand with several local lawmakers at a news conference and present the framework for new legislation. Medicaid differs by state, and Landre said her hope is that if New Jersey makes changes, other places and people will notice.

"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."

And just like that, with her aide services secure, she is once again focused on the future.Late at night on Aug. 15, 1998, a source called me from the White House residence. He wanted me to know that President Bill Clinton had decided to tell a federal grand jury that he had an "inappropriate relationship" with Monica Lewinsky. After months of denials, Clinton would come clean. "He has crossed the Rubicon," the source said.

I filed the story for the Associated Press - and watched as the chattering class rushed to misjudgment.

Many expected a cadre of Democratic lawmakers to traipse down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House and urge Clinton to resign. After all, that's how Republicans put Richard Nixon's presidency out of its misery in 1974, two years after The Washington Post's Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein first exposed White House ties to the Watergate burglary.

But history did not repeat itself in 1998. Clinton turned his looming impeachment into an indictment of the hyperpartisan Republican Congress, Democrats picked up five House seats in the midterm elections, the president was acquitted by the Senate five weeks after the House impeached him, and his approval rating spiked at 73 percent. It was a Republican who took the biggest fall: A few days after the midterm debacle, House Speaker Newt Gingrich announced his resignation from Congress.

Politicians and pundits are always fighting the last war. The Nixon scandal conditioned people to assume Democrats would torpedo Clinton's presidency. The Clinton scandal causes Democrats to fear backlash if they impeach President Donald Trump.

Until recently, you could have put me in that camp. When special counsel Robert Mueller III's report documented Trump's efforts to obstruct the investigation into Russian subversion of the 2016 election, my revulsion was matched only by a sick sense of hopelessness.

Trump should be held accountable, but impeachment would backfire on Democrats, right?

Then, in an interview Wednesday with ABC News, Trump said there would be nothing wrong with accepting damaging information about an election opponent from a foreign government. "They have information - I think I'd take it," the president said, essentially encouraging foreign adversaries to help him win re-election.

This is a dangerous and unacceptable precedent: Unless Democrats and Republicans in Congress impeach Trump, every future president has grounds to ask foreign adversaries to launch covert operations against his or her political rivals in the United States.

But impeachment would backfire on Democrats, right?

Not if they do it right. The more I reflect on the Clinton impeachment, the more I realize he didn't survive because Republicans overreached. He survived because he made sure his public-facing focus was always on the lives and concerns of voters. He compartmentalized the impeachment drama inside a team of lawyers, pollsters and communications specialists - and had them weaponize the case against him.

Nicknamed the "Masters of Disaster," this blunt-force team leaked unfavorable information about the GOP investigators. They spun every negative story about Clinton into an argument that Republicans were power-hungry prudes. They even leaked the most damaging evidence against Clinton, funneling it to sympathetic reporters who published their stories late Friday evenings and at other times that minimized impact.

Their mission was to control the impeachment narrative behind the scenes while Clinton and the rest of his White House team persuaded voters that he was working his butt off for them.

Compartmentalize and weaponize. That's the lesson congressional Democrats should take from 1998.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., should form a House select committee that assumes ownership of all Trump investigations. She should hire the best pollsters, lawyers and communicators to help the savviest Democrats investigate and prosecute the case against the president. They could start, and maybe end, with the obstruction case outlined by Mueller.

Like the Senate select committee that investigated Watergate, Pelosi's posse could go about their business professionally and ruthlessly. Her "Masters of Disaster" could paint a simple and compelling portrait of corruption while the rest of the party, including its presidential candidates, relentlessly focuses on voters' concerns - passing and promoting legislation aimed at health care, income inequality and reforming the political process. They could shine a harsh light on Trump loyalists in Congress, casting them as power-hungry partisans.

Pelosi can poach Clinton's strategy because Trump can't. The president's narcissism makes him constitutionally unable to focus on anything but himself. He can't put the people first because he's always jumping the line.

Trump is better suited for the Gingrich role - a blustery ball of pique and petulance - and is vulnerable to Pelosi's psych game. Her go-to retort, "I pray for the president of the United States," is Clinton-level concern trolling.

Heeding the right lessons of 1998, a Trump impeachment would ensure that no future president considers him a proper precedent. While the Senate would almost certainly acquit, history would not.

- - -

Fournier, a former White House reporter and Washington bureau chief for the Associated Press, is president of the strategic communications firm Truscott Rossman based in Detroit.WASHINGTON  My father died with a smile on his face. But, of course, he would.

A few days earlier, as his wife, my sister and I gathered around his bed in the intensive-care unit, I said, Ill bet hes thinking right now, I wish these broads would go away and leave me alone.

Immediately, his face creased into his Hollywood smile and he chuckled as though he were wide awake  and I had hit the mark. I always knew what he was thinking.

We had a shared sense of humor through years of joyful and grievous times. Im not sure how humor gets passed from one generation to the next. Is it genetic or learned, or both? Whatever the explanation, all three of us kids got it from our father to varying degrees. Since this is my column, Ill say that mine is most like his, but his was like no one elses.

He wasnt so much a joker as he was a sly wit who could crack up a room with a barely perceptible adjustment to his expression. Once he, my then-boyfriend Galahad, and I were having dinner at the kitchen table when the boyfriends knife began making scraping sounds against his plate. Just as I glanced sidewise toward the source of this skin-crawling affront, I caught my fathers eye and we both exploded in laughter  not only at the persistent scraping but at the convergence of our mutual observation.

Poor Galahad. He looked up from his plate without a clue, and Popsie and I both said, aw, it was nothing. And it was nothing. But it was a deal-breaker for unspoken reasons. Galahad had missed the beat, and there was no quicker path to an exit in our house. My family and I often remarked that it would be difficult for most anyone to wander disarmed into our den of relentless humor. Without a quick mind and a ready draw, you were toast.

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.

These kitchen rituals evolved over time and changed as we matured. But at the heart of our familial routines was the tragedy of our mothers death. Her heart stopped after just 31 years, a legacy of rheumatic fever, leaving my brother, 6, and me, 3, to invent a motherless life with her widower, also 31. (My sister came later.) When life deals you an early blow, the choice is clear: You either drown in sorrow or crack a joke. If we were heartbroken and lost, we kept our suffering to ourselves. The main stage of home life demanded our complicity in the greatest comedy of all.

Whats it all about, Popsie? Id ask him. Wordlessly, wearing an expression that said, Its a joke, hed point toward the heavens and the author of all things. As frequently rehearsed, Id smile, reckoning he was probably right but remembering other times when wed walk by the lake at sunset. How could anybody see that and think there is no God? hed ask.

Complicated doesnt begin to describe my enigmatic father, a lawyer who was sometimes the gentlest and kindest man Id ever known. He could talk to anyone and make him or her his instant friend. He was also the toughest, most demanding disciplinarian, as well as the wisest, smartest, most articulate person Ive yet encountered. At 14, he won the Illinois state oratorical contest, which I mention as a marker for his expectations.

Chores, yes; TV, no. The only exemption from physical labor was reading a book. He organized neighborhood games, helped us build treehouses and dig bunkers. He stressed good sportsmanship, humility and resilience, and he forbade pouting, self-pity or laments of boredom  even when we had to watch Meet the Press and Firing Line.

Not one to submit to groupthink (his doormat said Go Away) or Hallmark-inspired special days, my father didnt care much for Fathers Day, public displays of affection or sentimentality. But, again, this is my column, so thanks for the laughs, Popsie.

kathleenparker@washpost.comBRUNSWICK, Ohio -- A half-century. Sounds like forever when you say it, but when youve lived it and have come back to your class reunion, those 50 years seem to have flown.

Thats what members of the Brunswick High School Class of 1969 found when a group of them gathered to tour the high school from which they graduated. Its a far different place than they remember.

Principal Keith Merrill and Lee Ann Petry, assistant principal, greeted the alumni at the center entrance -- which didnt exist in 1969. Both Merrill and Petry are alumni of Brunswick, so they were eager to help the 69ers learn about how much their alma mater has changed.

The class was the second to graduate from the new high school -- what is now known as the West House. Merrill explained where walls and offices and classrooms would have been back then, while showing the technological advances being used in todays rooms.

He explained that the East House of the high school was built in the late 1970s and the buildings were joined together -- the Center -- in 1981. About 2,300 students are enrolled now. This years graduating class was 644, while the class of 1969 -- considered one of the largest at the time -- had about 250.

The grads seemed very interested in how students can now attend high school and college at the same time, and that they all have laptops that they carry with them all the time.

When they visited the gymnasium, they lined up along the wall to watch a girls volleyball practice. When the current students heard who the guests were, they gave them a round of applause.

The reunion continued that evening at the Brunswick Eagles Club, with everyone hoping they could get together more often even though they live all around the United States.

Read more news from the Brunswick Sun.INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Independence city officials have appointed former city employee Gus Katsas as interim finance director.

Former finance director John Veres, CPA, announced his plans to resign in February. Veres was quoted in the citys administrative update as saying he would be accepting a new position as the finance director for Macedonia.

He agreed to continue to work with Independence after beginning his new position to help ensure a smooth transition. Since that time, Mayor Anthony Togliatti has assumed the responsibilities of the finance director.

Togliatti explained that he was authorized by City Council members to sign documents relevant to city finances during this period. He went on to say that city officials decided to appoint an interim director because the city will be undertaking some transactions that require direct separation from the mayor and will need a full-fledged finance director.

Katsas served as the citys purchasing coordinator within the finance department from 2014 to 2018.

Council members voted on legislation to appoint Katsas as the interim director at the June City Council meeting. The resolution was unanimously approved, and Katsas will be in office until the November general election.

The (position) would be vacant for such a short period that we didnt want to disrupt (operations). Bringing back a retired member was the smoothest transaction, Togliatti said.

Katsas retired last year from the City of Independence. Before that, he became familiar with the public sector budget process as a member of the finance department for the Cleveland Metroparks. Katsas has also worked as a treasurer in for-profit sectors since the early 2000s.

He explained that he was contacted by the mayor and asked if he would return as the interim director.

Im knowledgeable of the citys finances and budgeting. (There are) very talented and qualified people in the finance department now bringing me up to speed, said Katsas.

Upcoming projects within the city that will need a second signature aside from just the mayors include construction projects, road work and paying off bonds that were used toward the community center. Katsas said that only having the mayors signature on projects of this size and cost would be improper.

After the November 2018 elections, Issue 39 was passed for the City of Independence, in which a person appointed to the position of finance director must run for election if they are appointed prior to a general election occurring at least 120 days from the initial appointment.

When speaking with the mayor, Katsas asked if he and the City Council members had considered asking a person who had filed with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to take on the position. Katsas said the mayor believed that appointing someone who had already filed to run for finance director in the fall would provide them with an unfair advantage.

According to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections website, two finance director candidates have pulled a petition to be on the ballot. The first is current City Council member Patricia Wisnieski, and the second is Independence resident Chris Zamborsky. These two candidates must obtain 100 signatures of registered voters for their names to appear on the November ballot.

Read more news from the Parma Sun Post.CANAL FULTON, Ohio  A police officer in the Stark County city of Canal Fulton was injured Saturday evening while he responded to a home on Waterside Avenue for a welfare check.

The incident happened about 6:15 p.m., according to a post on the Canal Fulton police departments Facebook page.

Officers arrived at the home on Waterside Avenue to check on a 39-year-old man who had been threatening to harm himself and others, police said.

Police tried to talk with the man, identified as Gabriel Mayberry, but he refused to come outside, police said.

According to the Facebook post, when officers continued their efforts to speak with Mayberry, Mayberry fired one gunshot through the houses front door. One of the officers, Sgt. Josh Barabasch, was hit in the foot by a projectile from the gunshot."

Once the gunshot was fired, police officers waited for SWAT officers to arrive at the scene. After several hours and more attempts to contact Mayberry, SWAT officers entered the home and found Mayberry dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Barabasch, the injured officer, was treated and released from a local hospital. He is expected to fully recover.

The Canal Fulton police department also extended its sympathies to Mayberrys family in the Facebook post.

If youd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.CLEVELAND, Ohio  Cleveland police have released more details from a fatal shooting early Saturday on the citys East Side.

The shooting happened about 3:45 a.m. Saturday outside Quality Car Care, an auto repair shop at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and London Road in the citys Euclid-Green neighborhood, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said.

The 32-year-old man who died and three others were inside the shop drinking and playing music, Ciaccia said. An argument broke out amongst the partiers, and the group took the fight outside.

Another group of men arrived and joined the fight, leading to gunshots, Ciaccia said.

The 32-year-old man was the only person hit by the gunfire, Ciaccia said. He was taken to University Hospitals, where he was pronounced dead.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office will publicly release the mans identity once his family has been notified.

No arrests have been made in the shooting, Ciaccia said. The investigation continues.

If youd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.CLEVELAND, Ohio  A delivery driver for a pizza shop in Cleveland Heights was shot to death early Sunday on the citys East Side, Cleveland police say.

The shooting happened just around midnight Sunday on the 11800 block of Durant Avenue, just west of Forest Hills Park, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said.

Cleveland police found the victim, a 28-year-old man, inside a vehicle that had crashed into two parked cars. First responders provided first aid to the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, Ciaccia said.

Investigators soon learned that the man - identified as Daniel A. Scott, of Cleveland - was a pizza delivery driver for a Papa Johns pizza location in Cleveland Heights, Ciaccia said. The man was parked outside a home on Durant Avenue when two men in a red vehicle pulled up, got out and both fired into the victims car.

The shooters then drove away from the scene, Ciaccia said.

No arrests have been made in connection with the fatal shooting. The investigation continues, Ciaccia said.

Papa Johns provided comment to cleveland.com Sunday evening, stating,

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident involving one of our valued delivery drivers. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement officials as their investigation continues. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and team members.

If youd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.LORAIN, Ohio  A 16-year-old boy is dead following an early morning shooting, police say.

Officers responded about 4:30 a.m. to the 3000 block of Vine Avenue, about one block north of Lincoln Park, according to a news release from Lorain police.

Police found a 16-year-old boy with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, the release states.

Investigators soon learned that the boy was shot after an argument took place at a nearby house party, police said.

The teens identity has not been released.

Lorain police did not provide any additional details regarding the shooting Sunday morning. Anyone with information that could help police is asked to call Lorain police at 440-204-2100.

This post will be updated if more details are released Sunday.

If youd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.CLEVELAND, Ohio  A former flight attendant for United Airlines, New Jersey native Olivia Stanard has traveled to Cleveland many times.

Shes seen the city during bad times and good, from the bleak 1970s through today. It definitely doesnt look the same, said Stanard, now a pastor in Newark. Its gone through a wonderful transformation.

Stanards work no longer brings her to Cleveland. But her sister does.

Andrea Lyons, director of marketing for the United Way of Greater Cleveland, relocated to Northeast Ohio 14 years ago with her husband and two daughters.

Lyons recent invitation to Stanard to come visit arrived with an extra incentive  an all-expenses paid trip, courtesy of Destination Cleveland. The occasion: Destination Clevelands inaugural Visit Me in CLE weekend June 21-23, an event designed to showcase the city to residents out-of-town friends and family.

The event includes special events, tours of the city, discounts at attractions, restaurants, retailers and more.

Kristen Jantonio, a spokeswoman for Destination Cleveland, said the weekend was planned for the first few days of summer, when numerous special events and activities already are taking place, including Burning River Fest, Cuyahoga 50, the Asian Lantern Festival, Cleveland History Days, Night Market and other local gatherings.

Destination Cleveland will set up a temporary information booth/welcome party at Public Square to help visitors create itineraries and answer questions. The booth, open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 22 and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 23, will feature live music, free food and games, plus a Cleveland gift for out-of-towners.

The event is a follow-up to Be a Tourist in Your Hometown, organized by Destination Cleveland in March, designed to reacquaint Northeast Ohio residents with beloved, long-standing attractions as well as with newer destinations and activities. More than 1,000 Northeast Ohioans participated.

Read more: Tourist in her hometown: Destination Cleveland event encourages writers, others to explore the city

David Gilbert, CEO of Destination Cleveland, said both events are the product of research that shows would-be travelers rely heavily on recommendations from friends and family when making decisions about where to travel.

Destination Cleveland has invested heavily in recent years in helping to turn around locals attitudes about their hometown. Recent research shows that the percentage of Clevelanders who would recommend the city as a place to visit has increased steadily.

This is about engaging the public to create excitement among our own residents, he said. Its a building block in a long-term strategy of continuing to engage and activate locals in advancing the travel and tourism industry.

Destination Cleveland has set a goal of welcoming 20 million visitors in 2020, up from 15.6 million in 2012 and 18.5 million in 2017, the most recent figure available.

Given that this is the first Visit Me event, organizers arent sure how many participants to expect. The hashtag #VisitMeInCLE has been used nearly 10,000 times on Instagram, Twitter and other sites. More than 2,500 Visit Me postcards were sent out, with messages including Greetings from that place you never visit and You owe me a beer in Cleveland.

Destination Cleveland also awarded eight free trips to Cleveland, partnering with local hotels, restaurants, attractions and airlines.

Andrea Lyons, left, invited big sister Olivia Stanard to visit her in Cleveland this month. (Courtesy Andrea Lyons)

Among the winners: Andrea Lyons, of Cleveland Heights.

Her prize package included airline tickets, overnight accommodations at the Aloft Cleveland Downtown, tickets to Burning River Fest and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, gift cards to Greenhouse Tavern and Mitchells Ice Cream.

To enter the contest, Lyons had to tag someone on Instagram whom she wanted to come visit her in Cleveland. Her older sister was the obvious choice.

I dont get to see her nearly enough, said Lyons. And Stanard, already a fan of Cleveland, is more than happy to make a return trip.

Visit Me in CLE: If you go

Heres a partial list of activities taking place during Visit Me in CLE weekend, June 21-23:

Burning River Fest

Cleveland Indians vs. Detroit Tigers

Cleveland Yoga Fest

2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Cuyahoga 50

Night Market Cleveland

Asian Lantern Festival at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland History Days

Walking tours of downtown, tours of Severance Hall, Playhouse Square tours and more.

And a partial list of discounts available:

$2 off admission to the Childrens Museum of Cleveland

$5 off a National Park Scenic excursion aboard the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

Buy-one ticket, get-one free from Cleveland Bike Tours

$5 off admission to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium for out-of-state visitors

Great Lakes Science Center is free on June 23, part of Cuyahoga 50

10% off food orders at Great Lakes Brewing Company.

Additional discounts added daily.

More information: visitmeincle.com, or stop by Destination Clevelands welcome party at Public Square, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 22 and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 23.So how is Russias interference in our governance different than the United States planting military bases all over the world? How is it different than the concerted effort to stir discontent within the European Union by Steve Bannon, President Donald Trumps longtime advisor? How is it different than Trump declaring that Great Britains health program should be on the negotiating table?

Once alliances are destroyed, divide and conquer. We can bully the weak into submission.

Constance Frederickson,

BereaCLEVELAND -- Cleveland Councilman Mike Polensek said his ears perked up when he overheard a food caterer arguing with an organizer of a Glenville street rally last September. The caterer had arrived with a truck full of food for people gathered on Kirby Avenue for an announcement of a proposed hemp manufacturing facility, which promised to soon employ hundreds of local residents.

Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish was present to observe the proceedings. So were various members of Cleveland City Council, Cuyahoga County Council, and a smattering of prominent African-American pastors, some of whom took the microphone to talk about a re-emerging Glenville.

North Coast Natural Solutions, a newly formed manufacturing company, said it would produce a number of environmentally friendly products using hemp stalk, and in the process, create 650 jobs with noteworthy benefits such as daycare and employee transportation. The announcement was arguably the best employment news to hit the hard-pressed Eastside neighborhood in decades.

However, it wasnt the grand speeches made from a stage rolled out onto the street for the occasion that continued to ring in Polenseks ears after the event ended. It was a matter-of-fact statement by a guy in the white food truck that stuck with him.

Polensek said he overheard the food vendor tell one of the rally organizers: Were not taking any food out of this truck until we get paid.

The food threat appears to have been an omen.

North Coast Natural Solutions has recently been accused of failing to pay its employees. Last month, employees of the startup hemp company filed a federal lawsuit against Tierney Ty Williams and his company, claiming they had not been issued checks for training or work performed. When checks were belatedly provided, there was insufficient funding to cover them, according to the lawsuit.

Now, a pointed question is being asked about North Coast Natural Solutions and Williams. Namely, why wasnt there more vetting of Williams and his grandiose dream? It makes one wonder just how desperate for economic development local officials have become when they dont perform any minimal vetting of would-be entrepreneurs.

How was this ambitious Cleveland native, with prior felony convictions for burglary and felonious assault, able to quickly muster support as a businessman who had a big dream of relocating from Washington D.C. and being a part of his hometown redevelopment?

The short answers seem relatively simple: He was not asking for public financing. It also helped that he had access to influential people. Although Williams has not publicly shared the identify of his investors, last year he told community leaders that he had $46 million in committed investor funding. However, given his recent troubles making payroll, some initial supporters are questioning the overall stability of his fledgling company.

When I first met with Williams, he told me he had $46 million in private investment to make his dream a reality. All he needed was some space to grow his company, Polensek told me Friday.

I had an old decaying building in the ward that was nothing but a magnet for crime and illegal dumping. When I saw Reverend Caviness and Tri-C were already on board with his vision, I decided to write a letter to the county land bank. Im thinking this thing is gold. What did we have to lose? 

The councilmans letter vouching for Williams appears to have greatly assisted the transfer of the four-story Kirby Avenue building to Williams this past August. Possession of the abandoned building, which Polensek said Williams got for a song and a dance, allowed Williams to confidently claim that his company would be up and running on the site by June of 2019.

That hasnt happened. Not even close. The company is currently working out of a temporary location on Woodland Avenue with a fraction of the projected workforce until renovations on the Kirby Avenue location are complete. However, the employee lawsuit claiming a failure to pay wages shows how fragile Williams vision may have been.

Now, the Glenville neighborhood is left trying to determine whether it pinned its hopes on a hemp pipe dream. E. T. Caviness, one of Clevelands most notable pastors of the past century, is also left feeling particularly bruised due to his early and unbridled support of Williams.

Caviness, 91, a former city councilman who has served as senior pastor of Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church for more than 50 years, has known Williams, 54, since he was a young child. Williams parents were both eulogized at Caviness church.

Caviness connection to the would-be-entrepreneur is as personal as his long connection to the city of Cleveland and the Glenville neighborhood. That is why he is troubled by reports that the company isnt paying its employees.

My heart has always been in Glenville. Ive stayed in this community because I love this community, said Caviness, who has watched his congregation dwindle from 3,500 people to just about 600 remaining faithful.

Glenville has fallen on very hard times, and we need ambitious dreamers, visionaries, and hard workers. I was trying to help this young man because I embraced his idea of bringing back good jobs to the neighborhood. I knew his family. He comes from a very respected family, said Caviness.

Im aware some people lent their support to this project because I was vouching for it. Maybe the young man was in over his head. I dont know. Time will tell. Heres the bottom line: I want to see this community succeed. And, I will do anything in my power to help people succeed who are willing to do the hard work to rebuild a neighborhood, added Caviness.

In a brief conversation Friday afternoon, Williams told me he had been advised by his lawyer not to talk about the company given the pending lawsuit. However, he did add that he remains pro-Glenville and stands behind the project, which he still believes will succeed.

Polensek did offer this insightful take when I asked if he believed the hemp project would succeed:

Perhaps he (Williams) isnt the one to help bring back this hard-hit neighborhood, but Ill tell you what: If someone else comes along with a solid hemp business proposal to bring jobs back to Glenville using their own investment money, Id probably still jump on the idea like a jack rabbit in heat.

Thats the point. Hope springs eternal.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For decades, the Cuyahoga River was an open sewer.

Virginia Avenis first view of the river was with Frank Samsel, who spent years on his boat, the Putzfrau, cleaning the Cuyahoga.

We were told not to even put our fingers in the water, said Aveni, who tackled cleaning up the river when the Cuyahoga Remedial Action Plan began in 1988. It was a complete gel almost of petrochemicals. The sheen and the thickness of the river it was totally jammed with downfall from upstream. Every kind of litter you can imagine, it was in the river.

See all of cleveland.coms Cuyahoga50 coverage.

The river caught fire periodically through the first half of the 20th century, until the final fire in 1969.

Cleveland residents had already overwhelmingly passed a $100 million bond initiative to fund the Cuyahogas cleanup. But Mayor Carl Stokes drew attention to the fire, and it caught the nations horror in Time magazine. In 1970, the U.S. EPA was formed, and in 1972, the federal Clean Water Act was passed.

Now were celebrating a success story: 50 years of environmental reinvigoration of our river, and consequently Lake Erie. Fifty years of grassroots clean-ups and federal enforcement, nonprofit work and city focus.

The Cuyahoga is one of 12 American Heritage Rivers nationwide. It was named River of the Year for 2019, and the state is preparing to designate it as an official Ohio Water Trail.

This is our chance to show the nation who we are and how far weve come, said Peter Bode, at West Creek Conservancy, who has organized the Xtinguish Torchfest. More than 300 organizations have joined the party, which lasts all year.

See the scope of the journey, by the numbers:

0: Number of pollution-sensitive fish found by the Northeast Ohio Sewer District during electrofishing in the 1990s.

5: Number of men killed in a 1912 fire on the Cuyahoga River, which also caused $1 million in damage.

9: Total number of fish (not species of fish) total found in the lower Cuyahoga during biological fish assessment in 1960s.

13 (At least): Number of times a fire was documented on the Cuyahoga River.

14: Bridges freighters pass under, carrying ore from the Port of Cleveland Bulk Terminal to ArcellorMittal steel plant

37: Number of tributaries to the Cuyahoga River

50: Number of open sewers emptying into the river in 1905

60: Species of fish now in the Cuyahoga River

62: Percent of the fish found in recent electrofishing surveys that cannot live in polluted waters

100: Miles of the Cuyahoga River

813: Square miles in the Cuyahoga River watershed, over six counties

For more Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie news, follow RocktheLake on Facebook.Guest columnist Hannah Halbert is project director at Policy Matters Ohio.

Everyone who works full-time, regardless of their ZIP code or skin color, should earn enough to support themselves and their family. In Ohio, too many jobs pay too little for families to make ends meet.

Six of Ohios 10 most common jobs pay so little that a single breadwinner with two children, working full-time, year-round, would still need and likely qualify for food assistance. That means they earn less than 130 percent of the federal poverty level -- bringing home less than $27,000 a year.

This is unfortunately true for Greater Cleveland, too, where six of the 10 most common jobs pay less than $25,000 a year. This includes retail workers, food service workers, cashiers, waiters and waitresses, janitors and stock clerks. Only one -- registered nurse -- pays more than $35,000.

Ohioans are working. Unemployment is low. Yet, real wages and poverty have seen little improvement over the last decade since the recession. In fact, poverty in the city of Cleveland has grown since 2000 from 26 percent to 35 percent.

Many point to a skill gap or a lack of marketable skills to explain why so many are struggling while good jobs are going unfilled. But according to the Northeast Ohio in-demand jobs profile published by OhioMeansJobs.com, the 10 largest in-demand occupations by openings account for only 8,070 jobs -- nearly half of which pay less than $15 an hour.

The summary includes a list of in-demand, well-paid occupations that are attached to apprenticeships. Iron and steel workers top that list with a typical hourly wage of $29.

A separate report on the region shows an expected 13 openings per year for these workers. Nursing assistants with a typical hourly wage of $13.60 expect 1,021 annual openings.

Too many jobs simply pay too little.

Our state can do better by working people. Over the past two decades, policymakers have allowed supports for working people to erode. In 2000, only four of the 10 largest occupations paid so little that a family of three couldnt make it without help -- not great, but better than the most recent data.

Workers created record wealth last year, but most of that growth has been captured at the top. Todays minimum wage is worth 28 percent less than it was in 1968. Raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2023 would help 2 million Ohio workers.

In 1975, 61 percent of salaried workers could count on overtime protections. Today, only 8 percent of such workers nationwide and 7.8 percent in Ohio can do the same. Increasing the overtime threshold to $47,476 -- the amount proposed by Department of Labor during the Obama administration from its current $23,660 -- would cover 28.7 percent of salaried Ohioans.

The state legislature can choose to enact these reforms and bring some balance back to our economy so everyone has the chance to thrive.

Education and training typically lead to better pay and shorter periods of unemployment. Its important for our state to make investments in these systems, but the data shows that there are not enough so-called good jobs to go around.

When we reduce our workforce problems to a lack of training, were placing the onus on working people and letting policymakers and corporations off the hook. We decide the kind of economy we want to have. It is shaped by policy. Lets push for policies that support working Ohioans.

Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts, and stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using Notification Settings (in blue) just below.

Readers are invited to submit Opinion page essays on topics of regional or general interest. Send your 500-word essay for consideration to Ann Norman at anorman@cleveland.com. Essays must include a brief bio and headshot of the writer. Essays rebutting todays topics are also welcome.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jon Sadlier, 40, admits that he wouldnt go to the doctor if his workplace wellness program didnt require it.

A year ago, one of those mandatory exams discovered that Sadlier, Cleveland-based Oswald Companies vice president of sales, had high cholesterol. After a year, he had lowered his cholesterol numbers, which earned him a $75 per month price reduction on his employer-provided health insurance.. Oswald is an insurance brokerage and risk management company.

Most companies with more than 200 employees offer some kind of workplace wellness program, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. These programs are meant to save companies money on health care costs, because healthy employees require fewer doctor visits and hospital stays. Employees who sign up are usually rewarded with a gift card or a discount on what they pay towards health insurance.

Some wellness plans address financial and emotional well-being and stress reduction.

But critics worry that sensitive medical information  or their answers to questions about alcohol use and moods  could be exposed in a data breach or be misused. More than half of large employers with a wellness program asked employees to submit blood for a biometric screening, according to a 2015 report.

AARP, the advocacy group for older Americans, won a 2016 lawsuit that argued that these programs violated laws protecting workers medical information.

In addition, these programs may not be effective in improving health. A study recently published in JAMA found no significant reduction in employees health care costs, or improvement in health measures like blood pressure or sugar levels.

Cincinnati-based health and wellness consultant Maggie Gough agrees that most workplace wellness programs dont work because they dont lead to behavior changes.

A sense of autonomy is essential to lasting behavior change, but its the boss, not participants, who decide on which statistics will be gathered and what the outcome goals will be. They determine what wellness is going to look like, Gough said.

Many companies find that despite offering workers incentives to join wellness programs, over time participation levels drop. (Employees) dont have a good internal reason to do it, Gough said.

When John Fasola joined Oswald several years ago, he noticed right away that Oswald helps its employees stay motivated to meet their health goals. Healthy snacks, along with a few treats, are available in the companys onsite markets. Fruit baskets are delivered to each floor every week, and folks have to move fast to get a choice piece.

You dont see cans of Coke on peoples desks. You see people walking around with water, said Fasola, director of group benefits department, who declined to give his age.

Oswalds voluntary wellness program evaluates members based on their blood pressure, waist circumference (measures fat surrounding major organs), HDL cholesterol, triglycerides (fat in the blood) and blood glucose. The data is collected during the employees annual visit to his or her family doctor.

In a follow-up email, Oswald said its employee-owners are healthier and more productive due to the workplace wellness program. The company said it outperforms

national averages for cost savings related to health care. More than 80% of employees and spouses participate in preventive screenings each year.

The Cleveland Clinic has also seen benefits from its workplace wellness program. About 30,000 of the Clinics 50,000 employees are enrolled in the wellness program, which has saved the hospital system as much as $800 million over the nine years it has been in place, said Dr. Paul Terpeluk, medical director of Employee Health Services at the Clinic.

In 2008, the Cleveland Clinic began its wellness program that allowed employees

who meet their targets in all six health metrics to reduce their premiums by $1,000 or more. People who are in good health can still reduce their insurance premium by staying active, tracking sleep, joining a gym or maintaining other healthy habits.

The Clinics wellness program looks at blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, asthma, obesity as measured by BMI and smoking. The Clinics insurance plan collects the data and shares it with nurse case managers. These nurses help employees set and meet goals, such as losing 10% of their excess weight in a year or reducing blood sugar levels.

If a persons goal is to lose 20 pounds, but at the end of year he or she has only lost 10, that person earns a partial premium rebate, Terpeluk said.

The wellness program has become part of the Clinics culture. People really want to take care of themselves, he said.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Making things, and making them well, makes for winners in Northeast Ohio.

Its no secret to manufacturers Clampco Products, HEXPOL Compounding, Great Lakes Cheese Co. and numerous other area companies listed as Northeast Ohio Top Workplace winners who are in the business of making things.

Great Lakes Cheese supplies cheese across the United States. It has eight plants in five states, including one in Hiram. The Portage County facility, which covers about 340,000 square feet, is in the middle of the companys production process, as it packages about 1 million pounds of cheese a day.

Senior machine operator Lynn Felberg explains how, like at many successful companies, camaraderie among its people helps Great Lakes Cheese flourish.

- Employees at Great Lakes Cheese, in Hiram Ohio, move loads of Swiss cheese. Courtesy of Great Lakes CheeseCourtesy of Great Lakes Cheese

Even though we are now at 750 employees in Hiram, there still is a family-like feeling among us, she says. I am grateful to have developed meaningful long-term relationships with many of my co-workers.

The owners share in that relationship through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan. They have seen how hard work pays off, and wanted to share in the wealth of the companys growth and profits.

We find the best people, give them the resources they need, and trust them to take it from there, said Dan Zagzebski, president and CEO of Great Lakes Cheese. What we see are co-workers caring about each other and working together to meet the needs of our customers. At the end of the day, we celebrate a job well-done as a family.

At Clampco, theres a different sense of pride.

A lot of our products end up with an original equipment manufacturer or after-market type customers, says Clampco Human Resources Manager Jason Venner. Our employees know that the products they make end up on equipment that does something useful.

Our employees know that piece of equipment will improve a function, and our people feel good to know theyre doing something to help people.

Clampco, located in Wadsworth, manufactures various stainless steel clamps, serving commercial and industrial companies internationally, ranging from the automotive industry to the waste-water treatment arena.

Venners parents, James and Linda Venner, founded Clampco in 1971. The company remains family-owned, and James and Linda still work for it part-time.

Another winner, HEXPOL, is a Swedish company with worldwide locations, including Burton, Middlefield and Mogadore in Northeast Ohio. It develops and produces polymer compounds.

HEXPOL (employees) take pride in their work with attention to detail, and also in striving to be the best at their work to provide our customers with superior products and services, HEXPOL Director of Operations/North Region Jerry Saxion said.

This pride improves morale, creates a strong team and energizes the work environment, Saxion said.CLEVELAND, Ohio  Many of us have done it: Called off as sick when we were really just sick of working, burned out, overstressed.

In human resources parlance, its called a mental health day, though many workers probably dont actually call it that, at least not to their supervisors.

Amy Sullivan wishes that they would. Taking days off for mental health is as important as taking days off for physical health.

If you have the flu, you stay home, said Sullivan, director of behavioral medicine at the Mellen Center for MS Treatment and Research at the Cleveland Clinic. Why wouldnt you do the same for your mental health?

We all have mental health needs. Its a pillar of our overall health, she added.

Companies are becoming more attuned to the mental health needs of their employees, thanks to an evolving understanding of the importance of mental health issues throughout the United States, said Sonya Weiland, a human resources consultant in Strongsville.

Most companies dont officially offer days off specifically for mental health care, but many support the practice unofficially, she said. Trends toward more-general, less-specific days off (paid time off, personal days) tend to support mental health wellness, she said.

Expectations are changing, said Weiland, the president of WeilandWorks Consulting. Youve got to go with that trend or youre not going to be an employer of choice.

The Cleveland Clinic is one local employer that addresses it head on, at least for a portion of its employees. Two years ago, the hospital system allotted every clinic physician a wellness day off to use however he or she wants.

The new benefit was added specifically to address physician burnout, said Sullivan. (Physicians, she noted, are not allotted sick days like other clinic employees.) Were recognizing that burnout has become something significant that we need to address.

Eventually, Sullivan would like all Clinic employees to get a day off to promote overall wellness.

I dont think it matters what kind of work you do, she said. This is a national epidemic where people are feeling more stress. When the mind isnt healthy, the body cant be healthy either.

Hyland Software is another local company with policies that unofficially support mental health wellness and mental health days.

In addition to offering PTO - paid-time off that can be taken for any reason - the company gives workers the option of taking an additional 12 flex days off, said Carly Pullar, Hylands team lead in employee engagement.

Employees have to plan for these days by working four 10-hour days in a week to earn a Friday off, for example. But these flex days offer employees an additional way to take time off for any reason: medical appointments, to spend time with family, run errands, whatever.

These flex days started as a summer-time perk, but were so popular that they were extended year-round, said Pullar.

In addition, the Hyland campus in Westlake has a behavioral therapist on site two days a week. While not free, the therapist is covered by company insurance. The therapist also leads complimentary monthly lunch-time sessions on a variety of topics, including anxiety, depression or grief and trauma.

Weiland said large companies are more likely to have formal policies addressing the mental health needs of workers. Smaller companies, on the other hand, have the ability to be more flexible, based on individual employee needs.

Businesses, overall, are becoming more responsive to the mental-health needs of their employees, she said, as the importance of mental-health wellness becomes more mainstream.

Call it a mental health day, call it a wellness day  or just call it a day off, she said. Whatever they want to call it, they should get it because they earned it, said Weiland.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Of the mid-size or small companies on this years Top Workplaces list of finalists, only six have been finalists in the annual recognition nine or 10 times.

Reminger Co. LPA is one of them.

The Cleveland-based law firm, founded in 1958, has 185 employees in Cleveland, Akron and Sandusky. It has about 200 more employees in other offices in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

Yet the company strives to maintain a close-knit feel where everyone feels valued and comfortable with their daytime family.

Reminger has placed in the top three for the mid-sized Top Workplaces for each of the last five years, including last year and two other years at No. 1. It ranked No. 2 this year.

How do they do it?

I wish I could give out a magic potion when people ask about this, said Stephen Walters, the firms managing partner. Employees learn you care about them . . . We work at it very hard. Its not an easy thing.

Maintaining that closeness is more challenging with employees spread out hundreds of miles apart. Our asset is our people, Walters said. A lawyer in Evansville, Indiana, is just as important as one here.

The firms loyalty to employees is demonstrated in ways big and small. On the big-deal side, the firm makes a point to grow people from within, said Diane Giorgi, director of human resource and law firm administration. The longest-serving employee started 36 years ago at age 18 as a file clerk and is now the manager of the accounting department. The firms IT director also started at age 18 as a trainee nearly two decades ago. The assistant IT director started as a mail clerk 10 years ago.

Thats what is so great about it here, Giorgi said. If you work hard, you can grow in 10 different ways.

Among other cool perks at Reminger, the firm:

Has a generous profit-sharing program.

Gives employees Friday afternoons off from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

Honors an employee-of-the-year each year with an all-expenses-paid trip away for the whole family.

Holds parties and get-togethers throughout the year for employees and their families.

Gives out gift cards for merit recognition.

Recognizes employees birthdays and throws them wedding showers and baby showers.

We really celebrate each other, Giorgi said.

A third of Remingers employees have been with the company for 20 years or more. Half have tenure of 10 years or more. Most of the newer employees are because of the firms growth.

Weve had so many people whove been here so many years, Giorgi said.

Walters said he and Giorgi make a point to regularly visit all of the offices, meeting one-on-one with employees and catching up as a group at evening dinners.

Caring about people is caring about people, Walters said.CLEVELAND, Ohio  Companies have happy employees when they grasp a simple fact: Yes, brand matters, but employees content in their work matter just as much.

They make the brand work.

There are many reasons our employees see Southwest General as a good place to work, says Judy Berry, employee relations representative at Southwest General Health Center. However, it is our employees that are the key to our organizational success and performance.

Our employees make a difference in the lives of the people in whom they interact with daily. We position ourselves in the marketplace as an employer that provides more than just a job. We provide a family. The number one comment we hear time and time again from our employees is, You are not just a number at Southwest General. People know about you. People care about you.

Southwest General, which partners with University Hospitals, dots Cuyahoga County with several locations. The Southwest General Main Campus is a 354-bed hospital in Middleburg Heights.

Southwest General is among a Decade of Winners. They are companies that have been named among The Plain Dealers Top Workplaces in each of the 10 years in which Northeast Ohio employers have been honored for their employee relations.

Gardiner, Hyland Software, Lubrizol Corp. and Playhouse Square are among the numerous other 10-time winners.

They all put a premium on how they treat their employees. At Gardiner, a service company parts center in Solon, with offices in Uniontown and Maumee, management refers to employees as associates.

Akilah Williams, sales associate at Hyland, works in the marketing department, connecting with prospective clients and delivering active sales opportunities.Courtesy of Hyland

All of our executive leaders have an open-door policy and truly care about the people working here, says Daniel Babic, Gardiner director of marketing and client partnerships.

When decisions are made, the first two criteria considered are the long-term best interests for our associates and our clients. Everything about our culture starts with the idea that were a family-oriented company even as weve grown.

Lubrizol is headquartered in Wickliffe, with locations in Cleveland and Painesville. The specialty chemicals provider recognizes that employee contentment translates into commercial success.

It is essential for us to be a positive and enjoyable workplace, says Lubrizols director of culture and inclusion, Cheree Aspelin. Not only is it an advantage to attract and retain top talent, but it is also a competitive advantage because employees who are engaged and empowered produce the best outcomes.

Most companies popular with their employees create moments to bond. Hyland Software, an international provider of information management software based in Westlake, tries to foster a home away from home environment, says Kathleen Vegh, senior manager of employee experience.

We offer on-site benefits such as full-service diners, a day care, and fitness and nutrition classes, she explained. We host fun events like Field Day and Outdoor Movie Night, and we empower our employees to give back to our communities through volunteer time off and charitable donations.

We genuinely like the people we work with. Its the hardworking, smart and innovative people we work with every day who make this place home.

Playhouse Square, the venerable performing arts center in downtown Cleveland, has nearly 100 years of experience in employee relations to bank on.

If you ask almost any employee, the number one reason Playhouse Square is a great place to work is because of the people, says Director of Human Resources Kim Scott. Our employees feel they are part of something meaningful, working for an organization so important to Clevelands history and future.

When employees feel appreciated, and can be proud of where they work and enjoy coming here, it shows and helps to create an exceptional guest experience, from those who have direct contact with our guests to those who are behind the scenes in so many ways, Scott says.CLEVELAND, Ohio - Energage has once again ranked the top places to work in Northeast Ohio.

This year, there are 28 first-time winners and nine companies that have won each year since The Plain Dealer launched the competition 10 years ago.

Based on employee nominations and surveys, this years list includes 150 companies in three divisions: small businesses, medium businesses and large businesses, based on number of employees. That means 74,994 Northeast Ohio employees received surveys and 46,915 responded.

For the second year, Progressive is the No. 1 top large company. The top large companies were selected out of participants with 500 or more employees in the region. The Mayfield-based insurance company has 35,833 employees nationwide, with 10,804 in Northeast Ohio.

Progressive, in its survey, said that giving back to communities is connected to the companys core values.

As an example, in 2018, Progressive again hosted one of its most significant community engagement programs, the Keys to Progress program.

Every November, we host this one-day vehicle giveaway event for veterans at various Progressive offices and authorized vehicle repair facility locations across the United States. Counting this year, we will have donated more than 600 vehicles to veterans and veteran organizations since 2013, reads a comment on Progressives survey. We see the need in our communities to provide transportation support to military men and women facing tough circumstances in life  from difficult personal and family health needs to excessive rent burdens, unemployment and homelessness. The Keys to Progress program is one way we put that into action and give back to people whove given so much for our country.

Progressive, which was founded in 1937, has ranked among the top large companies all 10 years of the competition.

Once a company is nominated, the employers themselves  not The Plain Dealer or Energage  decide whether to participate. Energage encourages employers to survey all employees, but large employers can choose to randomly sample their Northeast Ohio employees, according to the firm.

Since The Plain Dealer first identified employers most lauded by their workers 10 years ago, the list of winners has continued to grow. The winners range from manufacturers, technology companies and marketing firms to professional service firms, banks, hospitals and schools.

Quicken Loans is the No. 1 midsize company, taking the rein from Reminger law firm, which had placed first the past three years in this size category. Quicken Loans was founded in 1985 and has 417 employees. The mortgage lending company has made the Top Workplaces list for the past nine years.

Digital Print Solutions, founded in 2009, takes away the No. 1 spot from Ancora this year in the small companies category. The business-services company has 37 employees in Northeast Ohio and is a fairly new addition to the winners list, having ranked the past two years.

DPS believes in giving back to the community and recently participated in the Medina Special Olympics softball tournament.

DPS has an amazing family atmosphere that makes coming to work every day so easy. We are very involved in our employees and the community, reads a comment on its survey response.AURORA, Ohio  Valley Christian Academy in Aurora is more than a school  its an extended family drawn to the academys quiet, caring atmosphere and emphasis on faith.

These attributes helped the independent school win second place in the 2019 Top Workplaces small-company category. It ranked fourth in 2018.

Teachers say they feel supported as professionals, and that the school encourages a work-life balance. When someone suffers a death in the family or has health challenges, everyone else rallies for them.

We pray for one another, said academy eighth grade English teacher and middle school Principal Sarah Telepak. Honestly, this is a fantastic place to work.

The 40-year-old school has 166 students in prekindergarten to eighth grade, 20 full- and part-time teachers and 22 full- and part-time staff and administration employees. Tuition is $6,400 a year.

Its a Top Workplace because every employee is focused on helping students to be successful and part of a team, said Dale Moncrief, academy administrator.

Christian faith and the Bible are at the center of every lesson. Students, teachers and staff pray together during morning devotions. It bonds us together so we have a strong sense of teamwork, Moncrief said. We have a sense of strong community here. Not everybody gets to go to work and have that.

Each grade level takes on a different service project each year, and the projects are bigger as the kids get older. First graders deliver potted marigolds to neighbors who live near the school; eighth graders work with the homeless in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

On a recent spring morning, younger students tossed balls over a volleyball net in gym class, while older students learned grammar. The teachers contented vibe encourages students to enjoy learning.

I like making new friends, and learning about God, and having amazing teachers who help you learn more than you need to, said fourth grader Lylee Lazaro, 10, who lives in Bainbridge.

Her classmate Luke Jewell, 10, thinks his teachers are nice. If you mess up, they always go to help you, said Luke, who also lives in Bainbridge.

Some teachers, like fourth grade teacher Alison Haggerty, are former Valley Christian Academy students who returned to the school to teach.

I always wanted to come back and teach here, because I had such a good experience, Haggerty said.

Fifth grade teacher Lisa Stewart tried working corporate jobs, but she hated the competitive atmosphere. She began volunteering at Valley Christian Academy when her children attended the school, then began teaching there.

Its not competitive. Everyone encourages each other to do their best, Stewart said.

VCA is the best place to work.by Cait Bladt

While the first Democratic primaries are months away, many voters are already declaring their support for specific candidates. In an early June 2019 Ipsos/Reuters poll, only 10% of registered Democrats surveyed said they werent sure who they would support in the primary. Many candidates are just making their platforms knownElizabeth Warren has maintained a steady stream of policy announcements since she entered the race, while front-runner Joe Biden is racing to define his beliefssome say voters cant make an informed decision yet. Do you know who youre voting for?

The Democratic candidatesexcept front-runner Joe Bidenmade a recent trek to Iowa to talk to a gathering of prominent party leaders. In advance of the event, the Des Moines Register, CNN and Mediacom teamed up to do a poll of state voters. Per Politico:

The poll, headed by pollster Ann Selzer, is a closely watched barometer of the states politics. Conducted June 2-5, the poll surveyed 600 Iowa Democrats likely to take part in the 2020 caucuses. The poll had an overall margin of error of 4 percent. Selzer told the Des Moines Register that the polling shows a higher than usual early commitment to caucusing in the state. Were starting to see the people who are planning to caucus start to solidify. Theres a lot more commitment than we normally see this early. And some of these candidates whove been under the radar start to surface and compete with Joe Biden, Selzer said.

The New York Times explains, however, that recent elections show voters are less likely to stick with their original chosen candidate than in years past.

Its not just that the front-runners have fared poorly in recent cycles. Its that they face new and stronger kinds of challenges  underpinned by political and technological changes that arent going anywhere anytime soon. Today there are media-driven boom-bust candidates, who come from nowhere to earn a shot at a lasting role in the race. The trend reflects the rise of cable news and the internet, which have changed the way voters consume information about the campaign. More candidates are drawn into the field, because theyll have more chances to succeed. One example is Pete Buttigieg, the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Ind. On Sunday night, he got an opportunity that hasnt existed in every primary cycle: a nationally televised town hall on CNN. His performance was well received, and pundits seemed newly bullish on his chance of being a player in the race. Twitter was still abuzz the next morning. This kind of opportunity for early attention simply didnt exist before cable news and the internet, particularly for long-shot candidates with few traditional qualifications and virtually no support in the polls.

With so long to go before any ballots are cast, myriad candidates could still rise and fall in popularity.

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say.Going on a summer vacation this year? You're in good company.

Almost 100 million Americans, or 4 in 10 U.S. adults, will take a family trip in 2019, according to AAA. That's up slightly from last year. Meanwhile, financial website Bankrate.com found in a March 2019 survey of 2,577 adults that 52% are planning a summer holiday this year.

So just about half of us, more or less, are hitting the road  literally or figuratively  in the next three months. Where are we headed and how will we get there? For the most part, somewhere we can drive to, according to findings from both AAA and vacation rental management company Vacasa.

The recent Summer Travel Trends report from Portland, Oregon-based Vacasa found that most travelers surveyed are vacationing within the U.S., with 33% traveling cross-country, 28% exploring their own region and 22% staying within the borders of their home state. (Vacasa, which operates in 30 U.S. states and 16 countries, teamed with public relations firm Allison+Partners in April 2019 to survey 1,017 Americans over age 18.)

More from Invest In You:

Kids and money: here's how much Americans are spending on an allowance

Remote jobs are exploding and salaries can top $100,000

More than 41 million Americans will hit the road on July 4th weekend, sparking a big summer trend

To that point, 64% overall will drive on their summer vacation, including 53% of Gen Z vacationers (about age 22 and younger) and 76% of people age 74 and older, Vacasa found. That basically jibes with AAA findings, which indicate road trips are among Americans' top plans (53%) for summer getaways.

The top five routes this year for summertime road trips are, according to AAA member routing data: Las Vegas to national parks in Nevada, Arizona and Utah; the northern California and southern Oregon coasts; northern New England; North Carolina's Blue Ridge Parkway; and the Black Hills region of South Dakota.

And 6 of the top 10 most popular destinations among Vacasa customers  Kissimmee, Florida; Miami; New Orleans; Portland, Oregon; San Diego; and Seattle  are also located in the driveable "lower 48" contiguous U.S. states. (Honolulu  a flight or two away for most  joined by Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and Milan and Rome in Italy, rounded out the list.)

Vacasa also crafted a list of 10 comparable and (often) nearby alternative "hidden gems" that may be less crowded and more affordable. Examples include Bend, Oregon, instead of Portland; Davenport, Florida, in place of Kissimmee; and Savannah, Georgia, as an alternative to New Orleans.One lucky person will travel across America testing barbecue this summer  and get paid $10,000 to do it.

Reynolds Wrap is looking for a "chief grilling officer" to help find the best barbecue in America. Not only will the winning applicant be paid five figures, they can bring a friend, and Reynolds Wrap is also picking up the tab for the travel, accommodations and food, for an additional $10,000 value, according to the company.

During the trip, the winner will share tips, grilling techniques and photos on the Reynolds Kitchen website and social channels.The summer travel season is almost here. This year, millions of Americans are expected to take some sort of getaway, with two-thirds of leisure travelers planning a trip in the coming months. With the average price per vacation expected to be $2,523, you may want to add one more item to your packing list: travel insurance. "When it comes to the financial loss because you can't go on the trip, are you willing to take the risk or aren't you?" said Spencer Houldin, president of Ericson Insurance Advisors in Washington Depot, Connecticut. That's one of the main questions you need to ask yourself before buying travel insurance, he said. More from Invest in You:

Learning to budget is first step to financial security

The top reasons Americans freak out about money

A look at America's biggest money regrets Travel insurance will reimburse you should an unforeseen event happen before or during your trip. That can include medical expenses, having to cancel your plans, lost baggage or even flight delays. You may also want to consider insurance if you are traveling out of the country or are concerned about a medical condition that could flare up that may not be covered by your existing health plan, Houldin said. There's no shortage of choices  and costs  when it comes to coverage. On average, prices range from about 4% to 10% of a trip's total cost, said Steven Benna, content director at SquareMouth, a travel insurance comparison site. "The main factors are overall trip cost, age of travelers and length of the trip," he said.

Check your current coverage

According SquareMouth, 31% of claims this year were for medical reasons  the most of any category and more common than cancellation. Before buying more insurance, look at what coverage you may have through your current policy. If you're traveling to another U.S. city or overseas, you may have to pay out of pocket and wait to be reimbursed by your plan. You may also have a big deductible and be charged for out-of-network services. That means if the sauerbraten you ate Germany doesn't sit well, you could be out thousands of dollars initially should you need urgent medical attention. A comprehensive travel insurance policy may cover medical expenses as well as medical evacuations so that you can receive care at a facility of your choosing.

PhotoAlto/Thierry Foulon | Brand X Pictures | Getty Images

Your auto insurance may also cover rental cars, but perhaps only in the U.S. and Canada. If you travel abroad, you may want to buy a separate policy from the rental car company. Even then, be aware that if you have an accident, you may need to pay for the damages up front before being reimbursed.

Know what your credit card covers

Using a travel credit card to book trips is a popular option because of the rewards they offer, as well as the extra travel protection. Some cards may provide many of the same benefits of buying a separate policy, including coverage for trip delays, lost bags or, in some cases, having to cancel the trip entirely. "But you really have to read the fine print because there are very special restrictions when it comes to this coverage, and each credit card is different," said Jason Hargraves, managing editor of InsuranceQuotes.com. "One card may cover you for one amount and another may cover you for another."

Pay close attention to the exclusions section in the contract. It will outline specifically what is not covered. That's the No. 1 key to all of this  otherwise, having that policy means nothing. Spencer Houldin president of Ericson Insurance Advisors

TripSavvy recently named the Chase Sapphire Reserve card as its top card for travel insurance. As long as a vacation was purchased on a Sapphire Reserve card, users can get up to $10,000 in nonrefundable expenses back if they need to cancel their trip. As an added bonus, immediate family members are eligible for benefits  even if the cardholder is not traveling with them. Keep in mind that this card does have a hefty $450 annual fee.

Pick the right plan

If your credit card doesn't offer travel insurance perks, you need to decide how much money you're willing to lose should something go wrong, and weigh that against the upfront cost of buying an insurance plan. If you're going overseas, or traveling during a time when natural disasters tend to occur, such as hurricane season, spending a few hundred dollars for peace of mind may be the way to go.

FluxFactory | E+ | Getty Images

When comparing different policies, look at the exclusions section for what is not covered. For example, if you have a preexisting medical condition, you may be ineligible for some health expenses even if you buy a plan. "Pay close attention to the exclusions section in the contract," Houldin said. "It will outline specifically what is not covered. "That's the No. 1 key to all of this  otherwise, having that policy means nothing."

Buy when you bookApple CEO Tim Cook warned that Silicon Valley companies needed to take responsibility for the "chaos" they create in a speech Sunday at Stanford University.

Although Cook did not mention companies by name, his commencement speech in Silicon Valley's backyard mentioned data breaches, privacy violations, and even made reference to Theranos, a disgraced startup.

"Lately it seems this industry is becoming better known for a less noble innovation  the belief you can claim credit without accepting responsibility," Cook said. "We see it every day now with every data breach, every privacy violation, every blind eye turned to hate speech, fake news poisoning out national conversation, the false miracles in exchange for a single drop of your blood."

He continued: "It feels a bit crazy that anyone should have to say this, but if you built a chaos factory, you can't dodge responsibility for the chaos."

It's the latest in a series of speeches from Cook in which he has has discussed his views on data security while criticizing Google, Facebook, and other technology companies for their approach to user data and privacy, usually without naming those companies. Apple advertises privacy as a key iPhone feature and recently released a privacy-focused sign-on feature that competes with Google and Facebook.

Cook told the new Stanford graduates that digital surveillance threatened innovation and would have "stopped Silicon Valley before it got started."

"If we accept as normal and unavoidable that everything in our lives can be aggregated, sold and even leaked in the event of a hack, then we lose so much more than data. We lose the freedom to be human," Cook said in the commencement speech.

The rest of the speech touched on themes including how to leave a legacy and advice to the students on how to follow their own paths.

In January, Cook called for a Federal Trade Commission "clearinghouse" that would enable people to track and delete the personal data held by companies.

Watch the full speech:Democratic presidential candidate, former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden arrives for a campaign kickoff rally, May 18, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Democratic presidential candidates approach their first televised debates in a scramble for the 2020 nomination, with former Vice President Joe Biden a vulnerable front-runner, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows.

In the survey, 66% of Democratic primary voters say they'd be enthusiastic or comfortable about Biden as their nominee to take on President Trump in the 2020 election. Just 32% express reservations.

Both assessments reflect modest erosion for Biden since March, when 73% were enthusiastic or comfortable and 25% expressed reservations. Debates in Miami on June 26-27, sponsored by NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo, will give 19 rivals a chance to further soften Biden's support.

The former vice president's standing is "very solid," said Bill McInturff, the Republican pollster who conducts the NBC/WSJ survey with Democratic counterpart Peter Hart. But he added, "Biden's numbers don't look like those of a prohibitive front-runner."

The survey reflecting a similar softening of support for Sen. Bernie Sanders, the self-described Democratic socialist from Vermont. Fully 43% of Democratic primary voters express reservations about him, up from 36% in March, while 56% are enthusiastic or comfortable, down from 62% in March.

One Democrat making significant progress during that time is Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who has earned positive reviews for offering detailed plans designed to improve economic opportunities for average families. Now, 64% say they'd be enthusiastic or comfortable about her, up from 57% in March, compared to 27% with reservations, down from 33% in March.

At the same time, many in the crowded Democratic field remain unknown to national audiences. For example, more than seven in 10 Democrats say they don't known enough to assess Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington or Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado. That gives both men a chance to make first impressions on the debate stage.

Current assessments of the candidates "are going to change," pollster Hart cautioned. "They're fluid."

One factor with the potential to influence the Democratic debate is rising support for impeachment proceedings against President Trump. Though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has held off so far, the share of Democrats who want to move toward impeachment has grown to 48% from 30% in April after release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

Support for impeachment proceedings has also ticked up among independents, from 19% to 22%, and Republicans, from 3% to 6%. Overall, 51% say Congress should either begin impeachment hearings now or keep investigating and decide later, while 48% say Trump should be allowed to complete his term.

At the same time, approval of Trump's performance as president has ticked down to 44% of Americans from 46% in late April. A 53% majority disapproves, up from 51%.

In an ominous sign for his re-election prospects, fully 62% express reservations about Trump winning a second term. Just 23% describe themselves as enthusiastic about the president in 2020, while 52% call themselves "very uncomfortable" with his candidacy.

The telephone survey of 1,000 adults was conducted June 8-11, It carries a margin for error of 3.1% points.Puddles are seen in farm fields as heavy rains caused unprecedented delays in U.S. corn planting this spring, near Sheffield, Illinois, U.S., June 13, 2019. Picture taken June 13, 2019. Tom Polansek | REUTERS

The Happy Spot was a little depressed. Dozens of corn farmers and those who sell them seed, chemicals and equipment gathered on Thursday at the restaurant in Deer Grove, Illinois, after heavy rains caused unprecedented delays in planting this year and contributed to record floods across the central United States. The storms have left millions of acres unseeded in the $51 billion U.S. corn market and put crops that were planted late at a greater risk for damage from severe weather during the growing season. Together, the problems heap more pain on a farm sector that has suffered from years of low crop prices and a U.S.-China trade war that is slowing agricultural exports. Forecasts for even more rain sent U.S. corn futures to a five-year high on Friday, though fewer farmers will benefit from soaring prices because of the planting disruptions. James McCune, a farmer from Mineral, Illinois, was unable to plant 85% of his intended corn acres and wanted to commiserate with his fellow farmers by hosting the "Prevent Plant Party" at The Happy Spot. He invited them to swap stories while tucking in to fried chicken and a keg of beer in Deer Grove, a village of about 50 people located 120 miles west of Chicago. "Everybody's so down in the dumps," McCune said.

A sign at The Happy Spot restaurant in Deer Grove, Illinois, U.S., June 13, 2019. Picture taken June 13, 2019. Tom Polansek | Reuters

McCune returned his unused corn seed to a local dealer for Pioneer, a part of Corteva Inc, after planting just 900 acres of corn out of the 6,000 acres he intended to put in the ground. Bureau County, Illinois, where McCune lives, has the fourth-highest risk of all U.S. counties for corn acres to go unplanted this year because of rains, behind three counties in Nebraska, according to Gro Intelligence. Nationwide, farmers are expected to harvest the smallest corn crop in four years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency last week reduced its planting estimate by 3.2% from May and its yield estimate by 5.7%. Farmers think more cuts are likely as the late-planted crop could face damage from hot summer weather and an autumn frost. "An early frost will turn this world upside down," Rock Katschnig, a farmer from Prophetstown, Illinois, said at the party.

Phone quits ringing

Planting problems mean that growers need less seed and herbicides than expected, which is bad news for salesmen like Greg McKnight of Barman Seed in Woodhull, Illinois. McKnight, who attended the party, said farmers returned Golden Harvest corn seed, made by ChemChina's Syngenta. They are either seeking refunds on herbicides or asking Barman to hold their chemicals in storage until next year, he said. McKnight also sells used 18-wheeler trucks to farmers to haul grain. He thinks financial uncertainty linked to the crop problems will slice his sales in half this year. "Since all this rain began, it's like shutting the light switch off," McKnight said. "My phone has quit ringing on sales."

Corn farmer James McCune, who organised the "Prevent Plant Party", sits at The Happy Spot restaurant in Deer Grove, Illinois, U.S., June 13, 2019. Picture taken June 13, 2019. Tom Polansek | REUTERS

The U.S. government announced a $16 billion aid package to help farmers hurt by reduced sales to China  but only those who manage to plant a crop are eligible for payments. U.S. President Donald Trump also recently signed a $19 billion disaster relief bill that included more than $3 billion for expenses related to losses of crops, including those prevented from planting, according to the office of Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa. Grassley said he added an amendment in the bill to include grains that are stored on farms in an indemnity program, after bins holding corn burst during floods in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. Floods that delayed seed shipments contributed to a 28% slump in quarterly profit for Corteva's former parent company, DowDuPont.

Grain elevators, equipment dealersIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a ceremony to unveil a sign for a new community named after U.S. President Donald Trump, in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights June 16, 2019.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday sent President Donald Trump a token of his gratitude for supporting Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, in the form of a "new community" in the disputed territory named after the U.S. leader.

The settlement  to be known as "Trump Heights"  sits within the Golan Heights, which had been occupied for decades by Israel but was not seen as Israeli territory by the U.S. until last March, when Trump officially recognized Israel's annexation of the region.

American ambassador to Israel David Friedman attended a "festive meeting" Sunday where the new town was inaugurated by the Israeli government, according to Netanyahu's official Twitter account.

PM of Israel TWEET

"It's a great recognition of the president's courageous decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," Friedman said. The ambassador also referred to the naming ceremony as a "birthday present" to Trump, who turned 73 on Friday.

A large sign emblazoned in gold letters with the name of the community, written in English and in Hebrew below the national flags of the U.S. and Israel, was also unveiled at the ceremony.

"Thank you PM @Netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor!" Trump tweeted Sunday afternoon.

Trump TWEET

Trump and Netanyahu have forged a close bond and have regularly lavished praise on each other's leadership. At the event Sunday, Netanyahu again celebrated Trump's support for policies that benefited Israel's agenda, including leaving the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal and moving a U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since the Arab-Israeli War of 1967, and had passed a law applying its government to the area 1981  a move that was opposed by much of the international community at the time.

Trump's full-throated endorsement of Israel's claim to the Golan Heights came in the middle of Netanyahu's re-election bid, which he won. After his election to a record fifth term, Netanyahu said he would push to name a new area in the Golan Heights after Trump.

Trump's action was rejected by other Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.Richard Kelly is Head of Politics at Manchester Grammar School and author of Conservative Party Conferences: The Hidden System.

Studies of the Conservative Party provide two cliches about its internal organisation. The first is that, though they have greater autonomy than their Labour counterparts, Tory leaders are much more likely to be dumped by their party. As Robert McKenzie wrote, in his seminal analysis of British Political Parties: The Conservative leader leads, and the party follows, until the party refuses to follow at which point the leader ceases to be leader.

The second cliche is that, when faced with a discredited leader, it is Tory MPs who are the partys callous assassins, particularly the men in grey suits from the 1922 Committee. By contrast, Tory constituency members are seen as the leaders diehard troops  simple souls, as Lord Kilmuir once called them, embodying his claim that loyalty was the partys secret weapon. The survival of these cliches owes much to the dethronement of Margaret Thatcher in 1990 and, to a lesser extent, Ted Heath in 1975. But were also referenced ahead of yesterdays National Convention.

However, when we take a longer look at the partys history, and specifically the ousting of its leaders, two alternative notions arise. The first is that the marginalisation of Conservative activists is not a perennial feature. The second is that the sternest, and most decisive, critique of Tory leaders has often come from Tory volunteers rather than Tory MPs. In both respects, it is useful to compare May with two other Tory leaders who threatened the partys survival: Arthur Balfour and Austen Chamberlain.

Balfours accession to the leadership and premiership in 1902 was not simply a case of Bobs your uncle (a reference to Balfour being the nephew of previous Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury). It had more to do with Balfours track record  a decent if unspectacular decade as Leader of the Commons  and the fact no-one could be bothered to challenge him (the refusal of Balfours charismatic rival, Joseph Chamberlain, being especially significant).

But it soon became clear that Balfour was ill-suited to the top job. By the start of 1903, he was routinely accused of indecision and vagueness over the key issue dividing his party: free trade or tariff reform. Yet, instead of acting to end the impasse, Conservative MPs seemed paralysed by it. For the next two years, Balfour was left to practise endless triangulations of the free trade/ tariff reform dispute, redolent of Mays own attempt to placate both Leavers and Remainers.

Frustrated by the obtuseness of Balfours policy, and by the failure of their MPs to improve it, Tory activists took matters into their own hands at the party conference of 1903. Even though he once said he would prefer the advice of his valet to that of a Tory conference, Balfour was forced to acknowledge a resolution that strongly favoured tariff reform, and which expressed dismay at the drift in our governments position.

Yet the drift continued. At the 1904 and 1905 conferences, Conservative volunteers again protested, only for this to be followed by more inertia among Tory MPs. Eventually, Balfours government collapsed and the Tories were annihilated at the 1906 general election.

Following her general election disaster in 2017, many were surprised that Conservative MPs excused Mays decision not to resign. But such conceit and complacency were not unprecedented. Following the Liberal landslide of 1906, in which the Tories lost 250 seats, Balfour briskly announced he would carry on as leader and duly did so  Tory MPs proving too gutless or witless to organise a vote of no-confidence. Despite protests at the Conservative conferences of 1906 to 1909, the party stayed rudderless and predictably lost twice in the general elections of 1910.

By 1911, however, Tory volunteers had learnt a lesson which their current successors might recognise: when faced with a calamitously stubborn leader, do not expect timely deliverance from Conservative MPs. Aided by the maverick backbencher Leo Maxse, a Balfour Must Go campaign was launched ahead of the partys 1911 conference. Aware that angry activists were a tougher gig than supine MPs, Balfour at last resigned, just days before the conference started.

A decade later, grass-oot members were again obliged to save the party from destructive leadership. Between 1921 and 1922, Austen Chamberlain led a party increasingly unhappy with the post-war, Lib-Con coalition led by Lloyd-George. Yet, alarmed by the rising Labour Party, Chamberlain wanted the Tories to extend the coalition and formally merge with their Liberal partners. Rather like Mays talks with Labour, this proved the final straw for Conservative volunteers.

When recalling the fall of Austen Chamberlain, it is the famous Carlton Club meeting of October 1922, involving just Conservative MPs, that gets all the attention. Indeed, when discussing the fall of Tory leaders generally, this gathering is usually cited as the definitive example of ruthless Tory MPs dropping the pilot. But the reality was more complicated.

At the Carlton Club meeting, Tory MPs certainly voted against Chamberlains plan to fight the next general election as a coalition, and within three hours Chamberlain had resigned. Yet, prior to the meeting, most of them had been agnostic about Chamberlains coalition-ism, and only rebelled at the Carlton because of intense, mounting pressure from their constituency parties.

The day before the Carlton Club meeting, the voluntary partys Executive Committee had summoned an emergency conference to discuss the coalitions future, its fear being that the Carlton gathering would be a sectional meeting, that would not represent the views of the party as a whole. Chastened by the prospect of a grassroots eruption, plus news of the Newport by-election (won by a rogue, anti-coalition Tory), MPs at the Carlton Club finally acted. A few weeks later, a liberated Tory Party won the 1922 general election.

The background to the Carlton coup finds echoes in Theresa Mays own departure. On the one hand, her fate was sealed by a meeting with the 1922 Committee executive on 16 May, and hastened a week later by further complaints from Tory ministers and MPs  all of which conforms to the textbook view of how Tory leaders fall. Yet these developments only occurred after a grass-roots petition in April  tabled by 70 constituency chairmen and calling on the PM to consider her position  and ahead of an incendiary National Convention in June, one which threatened to lambast not just May but all those MPs who allowed her to continue. Once again, it took a mutinous rank and file to rouse an enervated parliamentary party.

Mindful of Balfour, Chamberlain and May, McKenzies British Political Parties needs a bit of revision. So in terms of power in the Tory party, try this for size: The Tory leader leads, and the party follows, until the party refuses to follow at which point Tory MPs dither, until grass-root members boot them into action and save the party from extinction.60%

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This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-04-17, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.FAIRFIELD  As a state trooper and three others recover from a three-vehicle crash early Sunday morning, police are asking drivers to be aware of their surroundings, especially when emergency vehicles parked on the side of the highway.

The trooper, Gregory Sawicki, 29, had stopped to help a driver whose car that was broken down on the median of Interstate 95 when a third vehicle veered into the left shoulder and struck the parked cruiser, state police said.

The 2017 Ford Taurus cruiser was then pushed into the back of car that had broken down, trapping Sawicki and the driver of the third vehicle, according to state police. The Fairfield Fire Department extricated the trooper and the driver.

The crash occurred around 2:30 a.m. Sunday about a quarter mile south of Exit 22 on I-95, state police said. The section between between Exits 21 and 22 were closed for about five hours afterward, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Sawicki was sent to Bridgeport Hospital for serious, but not life-threatening injuries, state police. The driver of the third car, Joseph Buzzanca, 32, went to St. Vincents Medical Center for minor injuries, according to state police.

The driver of the disabled car, Carmen Cisneros, 25, of Woodbridge, Va., and her passenger, Jose Martin Guerrero, 22, of Bronx, N.Y. went to St. Vincents for minor injuries, state police said.

We asked that you keep all involved parties in your thoughts and we hope to use this as a reminder to all drivers to be aware of your surroundings. Obey all traffic law but most importantly slow down and move over when you see any emergency vehicle parked on the side of the road. It could be the difference between life and death.

There were more than 680 comments on the accident posted on the state polices Facebook page.

Many said it was an example of distracted driving.

Thank the Lord that all involved will be alright, Betty Archer-Johnston said. People need to pay more attention when they are driving. Too many distractions today. This could have easily been so much worse and very heartbreaking. Sending prayers and blessings to Trooper Sawicki and his family. And well wishes to others involved.

Lots of people here thanks the Lord for this trooper making it out of this, when the people you need to be thanking are the engineers at Ford Motor Company for building a vehicle that was able to withstand a high speed rear end impact. Thank you to all the scientist and engineers out there keeping us safe!, posted Lars Edenn III.

Prayers out to those hurt! I work the towing industry about 2 weeks ago I was doing a tire change and I was almost hit by a semi truck. I had my lights on and there was a cop behind with his lights on. I lost a coworker to this back in February. Until these slow down move over laws are actually enforced its gonna continue to get worse. I get it wont stop it totally but it needs to get better, said Ian Sage.

Any witnesses to the accident are asked to contact Troop G at (203) 696-2500.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, a video shown at his trial revealed Friday.

Raniere, 58, also dictated curriculum in NXIVM teachings that women have reported an "unexpected experience of freedom, which occurs during rape."

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 trial of Raniere in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn.

The alleged self-help guru faces allegations that include an accusation he had a sex with a 15-year-old Mexican girl and kept pornographic images of her in a townhouse in Halfmoon, New York.

Earlier Friday, Judge Nicholas Garaufis scheduled closing arguments for Monday.

Raniere pontificated about child sexual abuse as he spoke to supporters in a Skype-type exchange. The man known as "Vanguard" appeared adamant as he explained to supporters that many people who "scream abuse" do not understand what they are speaking about.

"So they abuse abuse," an unshaven Raniere, clad in a black jacket, told devotees, including actress Allison Mack, a top member of his secret "master/slave" club within the purported self-help organization.

Related: Actress Catherine Oxenberg's fight to save her daughter from NXIVM

Raniere suggested some children are "adult-like" and are mentally capable of experiencing sex with adults. He noted the age of consent varies from country to country and state to state.

"What's abuse in one area is not abuse in another," Raniere said.

"Some little children are perfectly happy with that (experience)," Raniere said. "It's more society that abuses them than the parent."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Moira Penza also played a video of NXIVM President Nancy Salzman speaking at a meeting. 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 read.

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.ANSONIA  One man is in critical condition and another in stable condition after two early morning shootings in the city, according to police officials on Saturday.

Ansonia police were called shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday for a complaint of a dispute and possible gunfire in the area of 232 Main St., said Lt. Patrick Lynch in a news release. The address is home to 232 On Main Latin & Soul Food Restaurant.

Mayor David Cassetti said in a statement later Saturday night that he will be meeting with police and building officials to close 232 Main St. until further notice, after news of the shootings.

While officers responded to the area of the restaurant, police got a separate complaint of shots fired and someone hit by gunfire in the area of High Street and Lester Street.

The shootings happened within half a mile of each other. Lynch said investigators have not yet determined whether the two shootings are connected.

Cassetti said police believe the shootings were isolated incidents.

Please know that we are all continuing to work together to do everything we can to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents, Cassetti said.

On Lester Street, officers found that numerous shots had been fired, several of which hit an occupied home and wounded a 27-year-old man. Officers found several shell casings on the street. Lynch said the 27-year-old was shot in the shoulder. He was transported to an area hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.

Soon after, Derby police called Ansonia police about a shooting victim who turned up at Griffin Hospitals emergency room. Lynch said the victim, a 40-year-old Ansonia man, was the one who was shot on Main Street.

He was shot once in the upper torso and was transferred to an area hospital for further treatment where he was reported to be in critical condition, Lynch said. He said evidence from this shooting was collected by officers at 232 Main St.

Detectives continue to investigate both shootings.

I want to reassure our residents that Chief (Andrew) Cota and the Ansonia Police Department are doing everything they can to investigate and bring a swift resolution to the recent shootings that occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning, Cassetti said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Ansonia police at 203-735-1885 or submit tips online at www.tip411.com/people/sign_in .

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com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.TORRINGTON  The former Torrington superintendent of schools is one of six people up for the position of interim superintendent of Bridgeport schools.

Denise Clemons, a Bridgeport native who served as schools chief in Torrington for about a year and a half, is vying for the interim superintendent job in Bridgeport.

The other candidates up for the position in Bridgeport are Mike Testani, the districts director of adult education; Wayne Alexander, an assistant principal at Read School; Christian Upright, a Central High School special education teacher; Johnathan Brice, an associate superintendent in Maryland; and Portia Bonner, a former East Haven Schools superintendent.

Clemons, a graduate of Harding High School in Bridgeport, rose to the position of assistant superintendent in Bridgeport before she left in 2012.

She previously served as the superintendent of the Gardner, Mass., schools, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in Groton, the assistant superintendent of secondary education in Bridgeport, and as an English teacher in New Haven, according to the Torrington Board of Education.

The search for an interim superintendent in Bridgeport came on the heels of the announcement that current Bridgeport Superintendent of Schools Aresta Johnson would step down in July.

Clemons told the Bridgeport Board of Education that she wants to bridge the gap left in Johnsons impending departure.

She told BOE members her focus, should she get the Bridgeport job, would be on children, not adults, following concerns by BOE members about allegations made against Clemons by some staff during her time in Torrington.

Clemons, who had been on vacation since May 10, resigned from her job in Torrington on June 1, 2018. She started as superintendent in January 2017.

The resignation came after a special BOE meeting was planned that night with Possible Action Concerning the Employment of the Superintendent of Schools as an agenda item. A petition of no confidence in Clemons circulated after allegations about the districts special education program.

Former Torrington Middle School Principal Valerie Bruneau sued Clemons and the board in a lawsuit filed in early January 2018, claiming she was fired in retaliation for raising concerns about the number of paraprofessionals assigned to the school and noting that students were not receiving mandated services.

Clemons and Director of Student Services LeTanya Lawrence directed Bruneau to reassign other school paraprofessionals on multiple occasions to address the compliance issues, according to the complaint  which would exacerbate or create the districts noncompliance with the law, Bruneau said.

Despite her continuous reporting to Clemons and Lawrence  regarding the Districts mismanagement, illegal practices, and its failure to provide special education services to disabled students  nothing changed, said attorneys representing Bruneau in the lawsuit.

Court documents show the lawsuit was transferred to federal court in early January 2018.

This story includes previous reporting by staff writer Ben Lambert.Ask anyone in politics to describe Sen. Tom Cotton's foreign policy, and the first word you hear is likely to be "hawkish." Yet despite this well-deserved reputation, the Arkansas Republican has managed to surprise interviewers twice in recent weeks with just how welcoming he is of conflict.

On Sunday's "Face the Nation," Cotton followed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who forcefully argued that evidence proves Iran was behind Thursday's attacks on two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. It should be noted that other countries such as Germany and Japan do not believe that the evidence released so far proves that Iran was behind the attacks. But overconfident predictions about intelligence have never backfired on the United States, aside from that one war about supposed weapons of mass destruction that dragged on for years with hundreds of thousands of deaths. Regardless, when host Margaret Brennan asked whether the president had the authority to strike Iran, Pompeo thankfully dismissed the idea, saying, "I don't want to get into hypotheticals."

Cotton took a different view:

"Iran for 40 years has engaged in this kind of attacks, going back to the 1980s. In fact, Ronald Reagan had to re-flag a lot of vessels going through the Persian Gulf and ultimately take military action against Iran in 1988. These unprovoked attacks on commercial shipping warrant a retaliatory military strike."

Taken aback, Brennan asked, "Are you - you're comparing the tanker war in the '80s to now, and saying that that's the kind of military response you want to see?" Cotton affirmed the comparison and his preferred response. He left out that the U.S. action under Reagan came after several years and hundreds of attacks on tankers by both sides of the Iran-Iraq War. The current situation is far calmer, yet Cotton is champing at the bit for another U.S. strike on a Middle Eastern country.

The other surprise ties into Sunday's, because it shows us Cotton's worrying answer to the obvious follow-up question: If Iran isn't deterred, what next? In May, Cotton appeared on PBS's "Firing Line," where host Margaret Hoover asked him, "Could we win a war with Iran?" Cotton answered "yes" with a speed that seemed to surprise Hoover: "That didn't take you a second," she replied. And it was here that things got alarming: "Two strikes," said Cotton, "the first strike and the last strike," would be enough to win.

This is, to put it mildly, delusional. Cotton, who served in Iraq, surely knows that tens of thousands of troops were insufficient to "win" that war. Iran is more than three times larger than and about twice as populous as Iraq. Even the military plans ordered up by hard-liners such as national security adviser John Bolton envision as many as 120,000 troops deployed to the region. Nothing in U.S. history suggests that "two strikes" would be enough or that any military intervention in the region would be anything other than a foolish return to a quagmire. Oddly, even Cotton has admitted several times, including on Sunday, that the most recent major U.S. intervention in Libya was unwise. Then again, he has said the United States should have replaced that intervention with one in Syria - a perfect balance of remaining thoroughly pro-intervention without endorsing a Democrat-initiated policy.

Iran policy is a rare instance where the president - though he has certainly helped create the current crisis - is not among the most irresponsible people influencing his administration's policy. Even President Trump, who believes that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is his friend, surely is smart enough to know that another Mideast war would be a bad idea.

But Trump faces plenty of pressure to remain as antagonistic as possible toward Iran from Republicans both inside and outside the White House - not to mention countries such as Saudi Arabia that would gain from a U.S. conflict with Iran. In a better timeline, younger Republican politicians, having internalized the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention many other U.S. interventions overseas, would be encouraging the president's caution. Instead, we are stuck with Cotton and other young Republican senators such as Ben Sasse, Neb., who are all too happy with bellicosity toward Iran. So much for a country learning from its mistakes.Frank Lyford looks back on his decision to leave the the Heaven's Gate cult, whose members were all found dead wearing matching Nike sneakers in a 1997 mass suicideCHRIS HARRISPEOPLEJune 14, 2019He didnt know what it was or where it was coming from, but it was a feeling Frank Lyford knew he couldnt just ignore.A somewhat foreign sensation, it struck towards the end of the summer of 1993, and, because of it, Lyford walked away from the Heavens Gate cult after 18 years of devotion  leaving behind the woman he loved.It was this deep, gut-felt misgiving of remaining in the group, remaining in the cult, Lyford  who defected from the alien-obsessed religious sect when he was 39  recounts ahead of the next episode of People Magazine Investigates: Cults, which airs on Investigation Discovery on Monday, June 17, at 9 p.m. ET.I couldnt express it at the time and I didnt know what my life would look like  what itd be like adjusting to life outside of the group  I just knew I couldnt remain in the cult anymore.Two days later, Lyford  back under his parents Canadian roof, but still under the spell of Marshall Applewhite, Heavens Gates wild-eyed leader  received a call from Erika Ernst, who he still refers to as the love of my life.She pleaded with him to return; he asked her to leave. The call ended, much like Erikas life would little more than three years later.Ernst and 37 other brainwashed followers of Heavens Gate methodically died by suicide over three days in late March of 1997  their bodies discovered inside a Rancho Santa Fe, California, monastery after someone called police with an anonymous tip.Also dead in the compound was Applewhite, whod systematically convinced the group theyd need to free their mortal souls in order to board a spaceship that was trailing behind the Hale-Bopp comet, bound for a distant, androgynous alien planet called The Next Level.Dressed in black track suits with matching Nike sneakers and plastic bags over their heads, all had willfully ingested apple sauce laced with barbiturates, which was then washed down with vodka. Hidden beneath purple shrouds, all had a small amount of cash and their I.D.s in their pockets.News of the suicides rocked Lyfords world.I knew it was the same group I was a part of, so it was a very emotional time for me, from the standpoint of feeling the loss of all of my friends who I had been with for 18 years, Lyford tells PEOPLE.Now, at 65, with 20 years of introspection under his belt and the benefit of hindsight, Lyford wishes hed pushed Ernst harder to leave.The cover of People Magazine's April 14, 1997, issue focusing on the Heaven's Gate cult mass suicideIf I were back on that call with her right now, I would be more emphatic about her leaving, Lyford explains, noting hed share with her some of the knowledge hes acquired since the cults demise.We all have a connection to the divine within us, we all have that radio transmitter built in  we dont need anyone to translate that for us, Lyford says. That was the big mistake that we all made, in my mind  it was believing we needed someone else to tell us what our best path should be.People Magazine Investigates: Cults airs on Investigation Discovery on Monday, June 17, at 9 p.m. ET.Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao, Vietnamese member of the ILC (Photo: VNA)



The six-week general assembly, starting on April 29th, considered a number of contemporary issues of the international law, including the crimes against the mankind and the environment protection in armed conflicts. ILC members also discussed long-term agenda and operation mode of the organisation as well as prepared topics for discussion for the subsequent years.

Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao, Vietnamese member of the ILC, took an active part in the activities of the organisation, proposing the building of the provisions of the international law on the basis of respect to independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries, human rights and sustainable development. His ideas on the contents and legal techniques to perfect the draft conclusion and principles of the ILC were noted.

Thao is the first representative of Vietnam elected as a member of the ILC for the 2017-2017 tenure during a vote at the General Assembly of the United Nations in November 2016. The ILC includes 34 members elected by the UN General Assembly and plays an important role in the development of the international law./.Rachel Bernstein, LMFT has been working with victims of cults and emotional abusers for 27 years. Given the right set of circumstances, it's all too easy for anyone to fall prey to sociopaths and manipulators.





"I wanted to start a show that gives survivors a chance to tell their stories and for experts to teach us what they know. My goal for IndoctriNation is to empower our listeners to protect themselves and those they love from predators, toxic personalities, and destructive organizations".





New episodes every Wednesday.

To Err Is Human, To Forgive Divine w/ Chanon Bloch - S3E13pt2

"This episode, titled after the Alexander Pope quote, is a small component to a deeply thought out response from Chanon Bloch and Rachel. After receiving large amounts of both positive and negative comments, the two respond to the backlash of their first episode (link below) by pointing out that this is precisely how a majority can continue to remain indoctrinated.

Using South Africa's apartheid as his personal example, Chanon opened up a few weeks ago and challenged listeners to examine their own biases and behavior. Challenging thoughts by nature are not easy to accept, and are easily confused as a threat. He believes indoctrinated prejudice is a force that must be conquered in order to fully hold ourselves accountable; breaking and ending biased views instead of allowing them to manifest a new form."





Polyamory Problem-Solving w/ Eve Rickert - S3E14pt2

Problematic Polyamory w/ Eve Rickert - S3E14pt1

National Racism and Fear w/ Chanon Bloch - S3E13

If Hubbard Didn't Write It, It's Not True w/ Joey Chait - S3E12pt2

Crossing the Bridge w/ Joey Chait, ex-Scientologist - S3E12pt1

Charisma over Content w/ Ron Burks, The Gold Coast Covenant Church - S3E11pt2

Accepting Your Deception - Ron Burks & Gold Coast Covenant Church - S3E11pt1

ONE YEAR Call-In Anniversary Show - S3E10

Faced Away From the Family - Phil & Willie Jones' Billboard - S3E9

A Hamster Wheel of Self-Help w/Matthew Remski - S3E8pt2

Wounds Are A Kind Of Ink. w/ Matthew Remski - S3E8pt1

Admit You're Wrong, Then We'll Get Along w/ Dan Shaw - S3E7pt2

Emotional Vampires - Narcissists and Cult Leaders in Relationships w/ Dan Shaw - S3E7pt1

I Was Best Friends with the Messiah's Children w/ Lisa Kohn - S3E6

Some Kind Of Magic Path To Healing w/ Jolie Holland - S3E5pt2

"If It's Not Witness Brand Truth, It's Garbage" w/ Jolie Holland - S3E5pt1

All Basic Human Privilege Was Taken From Us w/ Nick Gaglia - S3E4pt2

If You Leave, You're Going To Die w/ Nick Gaglia - S3E4pt1

A Well Oiled Machine of Manipulation w/ Kim & David Atkins - S3E3pt2

It's God's Will That Our Girlfriends Should Become His w/ Kim & David Atkins - S3E3pt1

There Was Never Really Any Love w/ Donna Andersen - S3E2

A Bond That Was Life-Saving w/ Cynthia Lilley and Cathryn Mazer - S3E1pt2

Whisked Away By The Moonies w/ Cynthia Lilley and Cathryn Mazer - S3E1pt1

A Matter of Conscience w/ Wesley David Ringel S2E14

Welcome To Your New Family w/ Karen - S2E13

Guilt & Shame & Love & Fear w/ Dr. Janja Lalich - S2E12pt2

The Cookie Cutter Messiah School w/ Dr. Janja Lalich - S2E12pt1

I Have To Ask You Before I Talk To My Son? w/ Daniel O'Brien - S2E11

To The Finish Line w/ Nathan Rich - S2E9pt4

What Kept Me Going w/ Nathan Rich - S2E9pt3

You Can't Just Open Up A Brain & Wash It w/ Eileen Barker, Officer of the British Empire - S2E10

The One Billion Year Contract w/ Nathan Rich - S2E9pt2

Third Generation Scientology w/ Nathan Rich - S2E9pt1

Mind Control, Hypnosis, & Undue Influence w/ Professor Alan Scheflin - S2E8

They're Trying to Deprogram You! w/ Robert & Alexandra Menna - S2E7pt2

Denying Your Intuition w/ Robert & Alexandra Menna - S2E7pt1

The Mind Puppets of the Ascended Master w/ Joe Szimhart - S2E6

Maybe Jesus Isn't Coming Back Next Tuesday w/ Andie Redwine - S2E5

Escape From NXIVM w/ Catherine Oxenberg - S2E4

The Commune Kid w/ Dhyana Levey - S2E3

The Shroud of Turin In My Toast w/ Yuval Laor - S2E2pt2

Fervor & Awe w/ Dr. Yuval Laor - S2E2pt1

Home Invasion - S2E1

Scientology's Belly Of The Beast w/ Tony Ortega - S1E15

The Ripple Effect w/ Hoyt Richards - S1E14

The Preventative Approach w/ Jon Atack - S1E13pt2

Hovering Over The Room w/ Jon Atack - S1E13pt1

Gangs and Families w/ Adrian Reveles - S1E12

An "Inherently Flawed, Bad Woman"? w/ Rebecca Leon - S1E11

God's Bride w/ Rachel Neverdal - S1E10

I Met My Cult Leader At the Beach w/ Hoyt Richards - S1E9pt1

The Scientology Truman Show w/ Tory "Magoo" Christman - S1E8

The Hidden World of Jehovah's Witnesses w/ Tony DuShane - S1E7

Narcissistic Seduction and Manipulation w/ Donna Andersen & Sophie - S1E6

For the Love Of Maharishi: Trapped in Nirvana w/ Pat Ryan - S1E5pt2

For the Love Of Maharishi: Learning to Fly w/ Joe Kelly - S1E5pt1

Prisoner of the Mind w/ Chris Shelton - S1E4

The Euphoria of Belief w/ James Underdown - S1E3

The Secret Family History of L. Ron Hubbard w/ Jamie DeWolf - S1E2

Life After Jonestown w/ Patricia Ryan - S1E1

https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth has become a byword for female manipulation, with all the negative connotations that entails.

And although it's been almost 400 years since The Bard dreamt up her character, the notion of a woman's transforming influence is very real and very current.

Lady Macbeth Syndrome is in full swing. There she is, egging her somewhat flaky and indecisive man on to achieve great things at any cost.

Last week, my fellow Mail group columnist Sarah Vine wrote a powerful defence of her husband Michael Gove in the wake of his cocaine admission.

She used her column to position her man as a speaker of truth, at the same time acknowledging that, should he make it to No 10, she will no doubt be painted as a pernicious schemer, 'a Lady Macbeth figure'.

Fashion guru: Boris Johnson's new look is expected to be attributed to Carrie Symonds

The next day we saw that master of obfuscation, Boris Johnson, scrubbed up like a newly minted coin. Gone from the stage at the launch of his leadership bid was the brilliantly bumbling, haystack-haired Bozo of past days and instead there was a lean, mean, killing machine  well, up to a point  a transformation attributed to his new girlfriend, Carrie Symonds.

Similarly, Prince Harry is seen as having undergone a revamp by Meghan, exchanging his laddish carousing and old party crowd for sober good works. Cherchez la femme has never been more pertinent.

Of course, such is our society's inbuilt misogyny that this kind of female influence is often regarded as a dark force; infantilising and malevolent, the soft power of pillow talk leaching way beyond superficial things like haircuts into key appointments and big decisions as old allegiances are tossed heartlessly on to the scrapheap. 'It's just like John and Yoko' has become a catchphrase for losing your chum to the thrall of his controlling lover.

But the truth is that many men, and often strong and successful men, seem to like being taken in hand and urged on with steely determination that allows no turning back. In some cases maybe they can't believe their luck at nabbing a total babe in the first place. Surely some part of Jeremy Clarkson's keenness to head off on a healthy, weight-losing sabbatical was to do with wanting to hang on to the gorgeous, clean-living Lisa Hogan.

Change in lifestyle: Jeremy Clarkson made radical changes in a bid to keep Lisa Hogan

And even some of power-hungry Boris's willingness to be made over can probably be attributed to his wanting to fulfil the ambitions and wishes of his new love, taking the pragmatic view: happy wife, happy life. Though the Macbeths let us not forget, came to a very sticky end.

Our jet lacked just one thing  a crew!

Delayed flights are not news, so when easyJet stranded us for seven-and-a-half hours in Palma last week, we just thought it frustratingly par for the course. But given that this kind of thing happens all the time, why do airlines find it necessary to adopt the Soviet Politburo approach: tell the proles nothing; information is dangerous.

When we eventually boarded the aircraft at 3am, the pilot came into the cabin to apologise. He blithely revealed the astonishing reason for the delay was that there was no crew to fly the plane. No, he didn't know why this was the case. No, he didn't know why we were told nothing at all as we waited.

Maybe crews will soon become another chargeable extra on 'budget' flights, like hold luggage and speedy boarding.

An office where dogs have security passes

Office advice: The Amazon boss Jeff Bezos is getting advice on improving working conditions for staff

Amazon's Jeff Bezos has been getting tips on office management from fashion entrepreneur Brunello Cucinelli, who encourages long lunches, rooms with a view and short working hours at his headquarters in Perugia.

This must be great news for the oompah-loompas who man the jail-like Amazon warehouses. How office life is changing.

Mary Portas now allows her retail consultancy team to take as much holiday and maternity leave as they wish, while huge breakout areas to loll around on a sofa with a coffee are s tandard kit in any new office.

The other day I visited a massive advertising agency in Central London and, for the first time, envied young people starting out on their office life.

Not only was the open-plan floor bright and spacious, with a rooftop canteen offering subsidised food, but all the staff were allowed to bring their dogs in every day, each pooch equipped with their own security pass collar, so they can whisk in and out of the entry gates as casually as their owners.

The grubby truth about 'woke washing'

Forget money-laundering  the new cleansing phrase is 'woke washing'. This great term is a brilliant call-out for businesses that think they can just smear a smidgeon of politically correct behaviour on the surface so they look all virtuous and modern, while all the dirty stuff simply carries on beneath the surface just as it always did.

A 'Leonardo' that floats all our boats

Whether or not the Salvator Mundi is currently residing on the wall of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's super-yacht as has been reported, the painting's claim to fame is now assured. Not only is it the world's most expensive work of art, but such has been the furore over its authenticity (is it really a Leonardo?) and whereabouts since it was bought at auction last year, that Mona Lisa-sized crowds are guaranteed should it ever go on public display.

Eve isn't killing me second time around

SO... I'm liking Killing Eve this time around. But not loving it. Although there is already talk of a third series, I wonder whether its appeal is sustainable long-term.

Now that we understand the girl-crush obsession between the two leads and know what to expect from Villanelle and Eve, it's lost the element of surprise that made it outstanding  unlike such multi-season blockbusters as Mad Men and The Crown, where familiarity with the characters serves to only makes us want to know more.

The man I'll always avoid on Father's Day

Father's Day rolls around and, not for the first time, looking at the suggested gifts on offer, I wondered whose father the stores have in mind? A domino-playing, sockless, whisky-drinking guy with a taste for books of bad jokes, and Panama hats.

Never met him, and rather hope I never will.After the victim pointed Johnson out to officers on the street, Johnson ran away, leading officers on a foot chase, authorities said. As he ran, Johnson sprayed bear repellent toward the officers, Marshall said. One officer who caught up with Johnson was punched twice and struck in the head with the can of repellent, authorities said.The BBC has just signed its own death certificate by saying it will make many over-75s start paying for their licences again. This is a pity for many reasons. I think the licence fee will just become impossible to collect, and once that happens the BBC will be swept aside by subscription services that charge only those who wish to pay for them.

But the thing that annoys me about it most is that the Corporation will be destroyed by its lavish spending of public money, which isnt really that bad, when it ought to be destroyed by its betrayal of the public it serves, which is a horrible disgrace.

Not only does it daily break its solemn promise to be fair and unbiased. It has, since the 1960s, sought to spread its anti-gospel of bad language and sexual revolution, and its dislike of traditional Britain.

Some years ago I had two elderly neighbours who were part of the backbone of the country, much like the people who will now have to pay their licence fees. Pictured, pensioners gathered outside the BBCs Quay House to protest

Some years ago I had two elderly neighbours who were part of the backbone of the country, much like the people who will now have to pay their licence fees. He had worked long hours all his life in the manufacturing industry and lived on a modest pension in the house he had paid for in sweat and worry. She had raised a large brood of successful men and women and was now an active grandmother.

They were churchgoing Christians, patient, tolerant, honest, patriotic, generous and kind. Their conversation was free of crude words. Having grown up in the lost Britain which existed before the 1960s, they were shocked, in a way it is no longer possible to be, by violence and dishonesty. Heaven knows what they would have made of a Tory Cabinet Minister confessing to snorting cocaine.

Yet they appeared to regard the BBC with a sort of reverence. They believed its news bulletins. They assumed that, if it had chosen to broadcast something, it must be fit for human consumption. And so they watched, and listened to, its increasingly coarse and propagandist output, and put up with it.

Of course, this is some time ago now and things werent nearly as bad as they are today. But I (a 1960s veteran who lacked so many of the virtues they possessed) was shocked by what they endured.

In some strange way the magic charm of the initials BBC prevented them from experiencing the outrage they would have felt if a person on the street or in a shop had treated them as the Corporation did.

Britain is full of this sort of thing. A useless police force that trades on a reputation it gained 50 years ago, political parties which have hijacked the honourable names of bodies which died long ago, just for example.

And yet people still take them at face value. I sense that this is now coming to an end very fast, and there will be a terrible reckoning when everyone realises just how badly they have been fooled.

A 'fake' row that could plunge us in to war

One day the letters OPCW could be as well-known as the initials WMD. And for similar reasons. Everyone now knows there were no Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, and the war we fought there was a disastrous crime. But lots of people were fooled. In the modern world the only way to get a democracy into a war is to deceive kind, gentle people into thinking they are acting against an outrage. Sometimes these outrages are faked. Now it may be happening again.

In a strange, toadstool-shaped building in The Hague, a huge row is raging which could one day decide whether the world goes to war or stays at peace. The building is the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The row, as far as we can find out through rival leaks, is between some technical experts who doubt that Syrias tyrant, Bashar Assad, in fact used poison gas in April 2018, and others who believe that he did use such gas at that time.

The OPCWs political chiefs seem to want very badly to believe that he did. This would suit several of the governments that pay for its existence.

The OPCW is under constant political pressure. Most famously, the current US National Security Adviser, John Bolton, is accused of having openly demanded the resignation of the OPCWs former chief Jose Bustani in 2002 because they disagreed about Iraq. Mr Bustani declined to go quietly. According to the New Yorker magazine, Mr Bolton  then an Under-Secretary of State  told the Brazilian diplomat: We know you have two sons in New York. We know your daughter is in London. We know where your wife is. Mr Bolton denies this, but Mr Bustani stands by it. Soon afterwards American pressure forced Mr Bustani out anyway.

Now, as I wrote here almost a month ago, the OPCW is in turmoil again. A leaked document shows at least one of its expert employees had grave doubts about Assads responsibility for the alleged gas attack in Douma in 2018 (I believe there are other dissidents who dare not speak out publicly yet). It casts doubt on the legality of a joint US, British and French missile attack on Syria  supposedly in retaliation for this gas attack. Western newspapers and broadcasters, apart from The Mail on Sunday and the Independent, have only just begun to cover this. The French news agency AFP finally noticed it on Thursday.

The BBC, to its lasting shame, has yet to touch it, even though the OPCWs chief, Fernando Arias, confirmed it on a public stage to the BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner on June 6, in Bratislava of all places. It is all very well being wise after the event over WMD.

This time, could we try to be wise before the event? Public scrutiny of what is happening at the OPCW is vital, now.

If you were having an election for the leader of a thing called the Conservative Party, wouldnt it be quite a good idea to have at least one candidate who was an actual conservative? Yet there is not one.

If I were still fool enough to be a supporter or member of this dire, clapped-out organisation, I could not find any reason to vote for any of those placed before us. Many who will vote for Al Johnson know so little of him that they even think he is called Boris which, as I tirelessly point out, is a stage name adopted to make him seem more cuddly and amusing than he is. The real Al Johnson was on display at his press conference  dull, constrained by ambition into meaningless slogans and the jokey avoidance of questions.

He is disappointingly different from the stage comedian so many think they love. As it happens, I have always quite liked him, but I wouldnt ask him to look after my cat for a weekend, let alone put him in charge of a medium-sized nuclear power.

Our lawless nation needs real US police

My experience of American police forces is that they still have a lot of the features ours have lost. Many are small and local so they take care to serve the public rather than themselves. Theyre unlikely to arrest you if you defend your home against burglars. In New York City they have made serious efforts to enforce small laws, on the correct theory that if you do that, the bad people are deterred and the big laws are obeyed.

So what a treat it could have been to have a TV drama about a US police chief trying to bring such methods back to a lawless English town. Instead, we get Wild Bill, a silly, pointless farce starring and wasting that fine actor, Rob Lowe, pictured in the show, centre left.

Such a missed opportunity.

Instead, we get Wild Bill, a silly, pointless farce starring and wasting that fine actor, Rob Lowe, pictured in the show

The alleged comedienne Jo Brand should not be prosecuted or investigated by the police for her crass remarks about battery acid. But she should be asked, persistently, on a public stage, to say out loud what she would have done to, and said about, a Right-wing person who had said anything equally moronic.

If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens click here.A couple with a love for all things retro and collectable have built what might be the funkiest B&B in Australia.

Janine and Mark Moar own and operate the Old Garage and Barossa Retro B&B - a two-home property they've lovingly filled with their incredible collection for the past eight years.

The unique residence - which originally featured on Channel 7's Instant Hotel, a series which has also streamed on Netflix - is located in Nuriootpa, South Australia - a stone's throw from the region's vineyards.

The home's interior - which comes with a Happy Day's-style diner - is a passion project, one that celebrates the Moars' abiding appreciation for vintage ranging from the 1950s through to the 80s.

This retro-themed bed and breakfast in the Barossa Valley, South Australia comes with its own Happy Day's-inspired diner (pictured)

Mark and Janine Moar (pictured left and right) bought the two-property home in 2011 and started renovating shortly after

From the outside, this property in the Barossa Valley looks like an ordinary brick and tile Australian home (pictured)

Guests who come to visit have the choice of staying in either the Barossa Old Garage or the main house.

The Old Garage, a space that comes with two-bedrooms and two bathrooms, was the first renovation project the couple took on after buying the property in 2011.

While the couple's extensive collection of memorabilia spans a number of decades up to the 1980s, it was decided the garage would be decked out using pieces from the 50s.

The Old Garage features an open plan living and dining area which is home to the couple's extensive collection from the 1950s

The diner was the brainchild of Mr Moar who revealed while the pair hadn't been to the US, he knew 'it had to have red/white/black and chrome - just like the 50s'.

'I would sit down on my computer every night and research diners and American cafes until I could convince a builder to come on board with our ideas that I had collected from researching,' Mr Moar said.

'We then themed the bedrooms with the 50s in mind but with all the mod cons.'

In a bid to create something that made guests feel as if they'd 'stepped on to a Happy Days set', the diner comes with a popcorn machine, pinball and coke machine and there's also a record player and records to set the mood.

Those who love a blast from the past will no doubt get a kick out of staying in a room dedicated to the movie star Marilyn Monroe

Another room in the Old Garage comes with a rock'n'roll theme, one that includes an electric guitar emblazoned across a bedspread (pictured)

The main bathroom has a huge therapeutic spa, which fits two adults comfortably (pictured)

The master bedroom in this space is one entirely dedicated to the screen goddess Marilyn Monroe.

A second bedroom is more for the rock'n'roll devotee with a bright red bed base and bed head covered with a guitar-emblazoned quilt.

A pop art print, also featuring a guitar, hangs on the main wall.

The Old Garage also features a lavish bathroom, one that comes with a therapeutic spa and a roll-in shower which has been designed to accommodate those wheelchairs.

The main home functions as the Barossa Retro BnB and distinguishes itself from the Old Garage by being decorated in furnishings from the 1970s and 80s

The main home, which functions as the Barossa Retro BnB, has also been decked out in retro furnishings although to distinguish it from the garage, it takes inspiration from the 70s and 80s.

'This property is decorated in orange, purple and lime green but no mission brown, thank goodness!' Said Mr Moar.

Every decor item has been carefully selected to create a vibe that's perfect for those who love all things kitsch.

A dining room features wallpaper in an eye-catching pattern, a wooden table surrounded by vibrant vinyl chairs in purple and a shag-pile rug in burnt orange.

The living room not only features some incredible retro furnishings, the pair commissioned wallpaper commemorating the death of Elvis Presley

The master bedroom of the home is decorated in a slightly more demure manner, however, retro touches have been added such as a velvet patchwork couch (pictured)

The lounge, also decorated in a retro-style, comes with wallpaper designed by the pair that celebrates their love of Elvis Presley.

This section of the home features four bedrooms which have all decorated in a retro style.

One room comes with some seriously psychedelic wallpaper; another is pop-art themed.

Groovy Baby! This bedroom features some seriously psychedelic wallpaper along with a purple duvet cover, orange curtains and a green light shade

The master bedroom is slightly more demure, however, in keeping with the home's quirky style it comes with quirky velvet patchwork couch.

Although the Moars have hosted people from all over the world, thanks to their exposure on TV, they reveal it's now time to sell up and move on.

'We still receive emails everyday from people telling us that we have nailed the American Diner and that they all want to come and stay,' said Mrs Moar.

Time to move on: The Moar's say they've loved hosting people from all over the world but it's time to move on before they become burnt out

Buyers with a love for all things retro and vintage will be thrilled to know the home comes complete with Mr Moar's extensive collection.

The couple said while they have love renovating their home and running the bed and breakfast for the past eight years, they don't want to 'burn out'.

'We have "Not left the building" as yet and still love what we do, but the time is right,' said Mrs Moar.

For more information about the sale of this property, please visit Realestate.com.auNetflix subscribers have shared the hilarious blunders they have spotted on the video streaming service.

Viewers from around the world were left chuckling after spotting film titles mixed-up with the wrong descriptions.

The result was E.T. being advertised as a film about a 'lady terrorist' and family friendly Shrek the Musical given a scary twist with a tagline referencing demons.

The best examples were shared on a gallery compiled by Go Social.co.

A gallery compiled by Go Social features Netflix glitches, including Eighties family friendly film E.T. (pictured) being described as a story about terrorism

One user of the subscription service was surprised to find Nineties crime comedy Bad Boys, starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith, described as a romance film

Another Netflix viewer was shocked by a description for Shrek the Musical, stating it deals with a child's 'demonic destiny'

A man hoping to find a movie aimed at children, urged Netflix to correct the description of The Rugrats Movie claiming it features rape and murder

One person took to Twitter to share the excitement of possibly watching The Walking Dead with the comedic cast of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Another Netflix subscriber claimed they kept getting the same film description regardless of the film or genre

A Twitter user who was hoping to watch kid's series Clifford the Big Red Dog, was told it educates on divorce, dating and sex after 45

Another joked that Netflix was being 'woke' by swapping the description of Police Academy with Making A Murderer

One person was amused to spot Eighties horror The Shining, described as a comedy about loveScott Bond cherished the everyday tasks of helping his wife of 28 years, Andrea, shower and get dressed.

The 46-year-old knows that's what he signed on for as her husband and father to her four young children, but more than that, it was his new role as caretaker in the last few years of her life.

While he couldn't take the cancer-fighting medicine for her, or have the painful surgeries, he could still help her thread an arm through her t-shirt.

He could still wait all day in a hospital room, her hand in his, and be told some of her 100 tumours had shrunk, or grown, or were inoperable.

And he did. Right up until the day his 43-year-old bride died in 2018, two years later than doctors had predicted.

Scroll down for video

Scott and Mackenzie, 15, Oscar, 13, Preston, 10, and Archie, seven, surrounded by their mother Andrea, who found out she had just three months to live after being diagnosed with melanoma

'I remember speaking at Andrea's funeral and saying that her pain ended the day she passed... and that was the day mine and the kids pain started,' Scott told Femail.

Seven years ago Andrea noticed a spot on her vulva - of all places, Scott said - that once checked over was found to be a melanoma.

'It was cut out. We were told everything was fine, she was all clear and if the melanoma cancer did return it would likely be in the same spot,' Scott said.

Andrea started having regular skin checks, first each month, then twice a year and annually.

She had different moles removed as a precaution but there were no signs that the cancer had returned. Then, five years later she woke up with a severe pain in her side

How can you detect a melanoma? The ABCDE rule can be used to help tell a normal mole from one that could be melanoma. Asymmetry: One-half of the mole does not match the other. Border irregularity: The edges of the mole are ragged or notched. Colour: The colour over the mole is not the same. There may be differing shades of tan, brown, or black and sometimes patches of red, blue, or white. Diameter: The mole is wider than 6 mm (about 1/4 inch). Evolving: The mole is changing in size, shape, or color. The most important sign of melanoma is a change in size, shape, or colour of a mole. Still not all melanomas fit the ABCDE rule. Source: Cancer.org Advertisement

She had different moles removed as a precaution but there were no signs that the cancer had returned. Then, five years later she woke up with a severe pain in her side.

'The assumption was that it was a gall bladder issue but within a few days we found out it was a melanoma in her liver,' Scott said.

A full body scan revealed that tumours had spread to her brain, spleen, spine, legs, hips and lungs.

'That was... the day. The day we found out it was terminal. They gave her three months to live,' he said.

A spokesperson at the Melanoma Institute Australia, the clinic Andrea was treated at, told Femail that is why early detection of your primary, or first, melanoma is so important.

'Once you get a melanoma, even if you get it cut out, it can spread cells through the lymphatic system or bloodstream and they have the potential to lodge somewhere else,' they said.

In the two years and three months she lived from her diagnosis Andrea renewed her wedding vows with Scott, watched her eldest son become School Captain of his year group, and her youngest start kindergarten

'If you catch the melanoma very quickly you might be able to remove it before those cells spread.'

This spreading of cells is the likely cause of Andrea's terminal metastatic melanoma but there were a range of ways her doctor, Professor Georgina Long, could help extend her life.

However, there were no guarantees and 'a list as long as your arm' of side effects.

Andrea experienced most of them, Scott said, but she was always up to trial a new drug or test, hoping that it would give the institute new learnings for future patients.

In the two years and three months she lived from her diagnosis Andrea renewed her wedding vows with Scott, watched her eldest son become School Captain of his year group, and her youngest start kindergarten.

'We had a lot of family holidays during those two years but they had a different spin on them... because we didn't know how long we had left,' Scott said, pictured at their vow renewal

What is metastatic melanoma Once it spreads, or metastasises, the disease is known as metastatic melanoma. This type of melanoma may typically occur during stage III or stage IV. Common sites for metastases include the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, bones and brain. Melanoma tumours that have metastasised to other parts of the body are still considered melanoma. For example, melanoma found in the lungs is called metastatic melanoma of the lung or melanoma with lung metastases. Source: Cancer Center Advertisement

It was an 'emotional roller coaster' of finding new tumours, watching others disappear, and sadly, Scott said they started to believe they might just beat it.

'When you're given three months and you get two years you start to live in hope,' he said.

'But no matter what time frame you're given it's never enough. Nothing prepares you for the moment the love of your life stops breathing.'

Scott and Mackenzie, 15, Oscar, 13, Preston, 10, and Archie, seven, have beautiful memories from those two years - and all of the ones that came before.

'The thing I miss most is having a cup of tea and just talking to her on the couch,' Scott said.

'We had a lot of family holidays during those two years but they had a different spin on them... because we didn't know how long we had left.

The thing I miss most is having a cup of tea and just talking to her on the couch

'So while it was great to have those two years, I had a beautiful 28 years with Andrea that I'll remember too.'

As they have a strong Christian faith, the family know 'they will see Andrea again' but they're raising awareness about melanomas so another family doesn't lose their mum.

'I have no doubt they will find a cure. From day one Andrea wasn't just a number to the Melanoma Institute, she was Andrea,' Scott said.

'They just need our support.'

Scott is bravely sharing Andrea's story in support of the Melanoma Institute Australia's tax appeal, to donate now to help save the lives of people like Andrea, visit the website.A woman has revealed her overwhelming joy after discovering she was pregnant with triplets - despite suffering from a rare condition that meant her womb was split in two.

Jemma Sheppard, 33, from Newport, believed the rare condition, which meant her uterus was divided into two cavities, would make it difficult for her to carry one child.

So she and husband, Anton, 32, were stunned when doctors told them they were having triplets - with all three babies squashing up into one side.

Cradling six-month old daughters Elevyn and Areya and son Rome, Jemma, who works in finance said: 'Anton and I would have been thrilled with just one baby - but to have such a beautiful family in one go is just amazing.

Jemma Sheppard, 33, from Newport, and her husband Anton, 32, thought they may never be able to have children. They were amazed when they became pregnant with triplets (l-r Areya,Rome and Elevyn)

Instant family! The triplet babies Elevyn,Rome and Areya were born on 20 December 2018

The triplets are already developing different characteristics. Pictured: Rome being cheeky chappie, serious Elevyn who loves having cuddles, and sweet-natured Areya

'The chances of me conceiving and carrying one child was so small. Every time I look at our babies I pinch myself. It's just a dream come true.'

The couple, from Newport, wed in September 2015 but had already started trying for a baby.

When they didn't conceive after a year their GP referred them for tests.

'Hormone tests revealed I had polycystic ovaries so I wasn't ovulating properly,' she says, 'and also that my rather than being the usual pear shape, my uterus was heart shaped.'

Jemma said it was 'a dream come true' to have welcomed the triplets, after being told her chances of concieving were 'so small' (pictured with her husband Anton)

The couple dreamed of having a family together, but suffered several early miscarriages and feared it would never happen

The incredible nine week scan, which reveals the three babies inside one of the cavities in Jemma's womb

The couple were amazed when they found out Jemma was pregnant, and were even more astonished when doctors told her it was triplets (pictured at 30 weeks)

A heart-shaped uterus, also known as an arched womb, can range from mild where there is just a small dimple at the top to a full double uterus.

Women with the rare condition - also known as a bicornuate uterus or arched uterus - are more likely to miscarry or give birth prematurely.

Jemma said: 'While I could take drugs to help me ovulate, my uterus shape was very pronounced and there was no treatment. It felt devastating news.'

Two months later - and having been prescribed drugs to help her ovulate, she got pregnant but sadly at seven weeks the baby died.

Jemma says the end of her pregnancy was uncomfortable as she got 'so large' that she had to be pushed in a wheelchair (pictured at 33 weeks)

The three babies were all inside one of the cavities in Jemma's rare heart shaped uterus

Five months later she had another miscarriage at six weeks, followed by another early miscarriage.

When a further six months passed without a pregnancy the couple decided to seek private fertility treatment, using Itrauterine insemination (IUI).

Jemma explained: 'My ovulation was tracked by ultrasound and just before I was due to produce eggs, Anton's sperm was injected into my womb.

'Although doctors said there were three follicles - so potentially three eggs - we were told there was only around fifteen per cent chance of a pregnancy with one baby. So we didn't get our hopes up.'

Jemma pictured shortly before the birth of her triplets. She described the last weeks of her pregnancy as 'uncomfortable'

Jemma and Anton welcomed the babies at Cardiff's University Hospital Wales on 20th December by C-section

However, they were thrilled when two weeks later a pregnancy test proved positive and amazed when a scan revealed three babies.

'I could hardly believe it when the sonographer said there were two heads - and then Anton said he could see three,' says Jemma, 'we were also told it would be quite likely one baby might not survive.

Then is common for women with a heart shaped uterus to have a premature birth, so Anton and I prepared ourselves for the worst.'

Despite all the odds her triplets thrived.

Rome, Areya and Elevyn described in adorable matching coats at the hospital shortly after they were born

The tiny triplets, Elevyn, Rome and Areya, at 13 days old, with delighted new mother Jemma, who feared she would never have children

Anton and Jemma were amazed by how 'heavy and healthy' the babies were after they were born

The parents called the babies the 'best Christmas present' they could imagine, having welcomed the triplets five days earlier

What is a bicornuate uterus? A bicornuate womb is heart-shaped. Women with a bicornuate womb have no extra difficulties with conception or in early pregnancy, but there is a slightly higher risk of miscarriage and preterm birth. It can also affect the way the baby lies in later pregnancy so a Caesarean birth might be recommended. It typically doesn't require treatment, but can be corrected with surgery, which is more likely to be recommended for women who have suffered recurrent miscarriages. Source: Tommy's charity Advertisement

Jemma explained: 'I got so large and uncomfortable that while the babies were healthy, towards the end I was in a wheelchair.'

They were finally born at Cardiff's university Hospital wales on 20th December at 35 weeks by c-section.

Elevyn was born first weighing 5Ib 7oz, followed by Rome 4Ib 11oz and Areya, 3Ib 5oz.

Jemma said: 'We were all stunned by how heavy and healthy they were with only Areya needing a couple of days in the neonatal unit as she was quite tiny.'

Three weeks later the Sheppards took their family home.

Anton, a carpenter, said: 'They are adorable. Elevyn loves having cuddles, Areya is really smiley and Rome is a proper little character.'

And Jemma added: 'We can't wait to tell them about their amazing start in my heart- shaped womb. They truly were born with love.'

Elevyn (l) was born first weighing 5Ib 7oz, followed by Rome (r), 4Ib 11oz, and Areya (centre), 3Ib 5oz

The new parents say that each of their children has their own distinct character, with (l-r) 'cuddly' Elevyn, 'character' Rome and smiley AreyaAn Australian relationship mentor has revealed the seven ways to tell if your partner is lying.

According to psychologist Yvonne Allen, the founder of Yvonne Allen and Associates, good relationships involve hard work and plenty of communication, otherwise doubts about your partner can cause major issues.

'Relationships should be open, truthful and honest. When distrust starts to creep in, it can start to destroy the bond between a couple,' Yvonne said.

'Unfortunately mistrust all too often fosters suspicion, insecurity, anger and resentment. It can also change our usual way of behaving, prompting us to question everything, to interrogate and demand evidence. This can also end up in arguments that cause distance and potentially destroy the relationship.'

'Relationships should be open, truthful and honest. When distrust starts to creep in, it can start to destroy the bond between a couple,' Yvonne said

While texting, social media posts and emailing may be good for updates and light-hearted engagement, Yvonne considers them to be limited when it comes to important two-way communication.

From her point of view, talking with each other face to face is the ideal for a couple to have honest and open discussions.

So how do you know if your partner isn't being honest with you?

'In my experience of working with couples, I believe there are seven tell-tale signs to watch out for,' she said.

According to psychologist Yvonne Allen good relationships involve hard work and plenty of communication

Avoidance of talking face to face about issues

'If your partner starts to use excuses or distractions to avoid talking with you face to face about issues you want to discuss, this may potentially be a "red flag",' Yvonne said.

'While they may be good at managing the situation, if they keep giving you the run around, then it is likely something isn't right.'

Gut feeling

Yvonne said that often you feel in your gut that something isn't right and this is something to pay attention to.

'Our stomach is our second brain and it is pretty good at letting us know when things don't add up. Our intuition is often reliable and we should listen to it,' she said.

'If your gut is telling you something isn't right in your relationship, then act on it.'

Body language doesn't match up with their words

You don't have to be body language expert to realise when body language does not match what the person is saying.

Yvonne said there are some obvious signs that someone isn't being honest or forthcoming, such as nervousness, fidgeting and nervous tics.

This tends to suggest the person is feeling uncomfortable or may be avoiding the truth.

Yvonne said here are some obvious signs that someone isn't being honest or forthcoming, such as nervousness, fidgeting and nervous tics

What body language should you look out for?  If they change their head position quickly it could indicate that they're lying  Standing very still can indicate that they're readying themselves for confrontation  Someone covering their mouth can reveal that they don't want to deal with an issue or answer a question  If they instinctively cover vulnerable body parts what is being said may hit a nerve Advertisement

Being really vague

'If your partner talks about things in a vague way, glosses over things, or seems to lack detail, then this is also a sign that something isn't right,' she said.

'Someone who is being honest is usually happy to talk openly and provide detail, even without having to think about it.'

Too much detail

On the opposite side, when someone offers far too much detail when asked a question this is a troubling sign as it could mean they have prepared the answer in advance.

Detail is important but when it is provided in an overloaded completely unnatural way, this is concerning.

Movements and work patterns change

'If your partner's movements or work patterns change for no obvious reason, this may also be a sign that something is going on,' she said.

'While changes are not always concerning, when these are combined with other signs this can be troubling.'

Uncontactable at times

'If your partner has always been easy to reach and then they start to become uncontactable this is a warning sign. Calls that go unanswered and texts that are not returned are all signs that the person doesn't want to engage while they are doing something else.'

Communication is the key. 'Talking to each other face to face is really important and essential for a good, healthy, long lasting relationship,' Yvonne added.

'It doesn't matter how well you know each other or how much you love each other, communicate clearly to avoid any misunderstandings that may cause hurt, resentment, anger or suspicion. If you suspect your partner isn't telling you the truth, tell them why you don't and let them know your concerns.'An Australian mother has revealed the realities of what her body looks like after having four kids.

Mel Watts, who is a blogger at The Modern Mumma, shared a photo of her stomach to Instagram to normalise post-pregnancy bodies.

'I get so angry and fired up when I see people writing about bouncing back post baby,' the 32-year-old captioned the Instagram photo.

'You'll never ever ever be the same body or mind after you've had a baby. It's gone. Just like your ability to stay up all night and feel fresh the next day.'

Mel Watts, who blogs at The Modern Mumma , shared a photo of her stomach to Instagram to normalise post-pregnancy bodies

She said that although she would like the body she had before children to return, as well as well as her '16 year old jugs', she knew it wasn't going to happen.

Mel said that society sets women up for failure as they are made to feel like they need to 'bounce back'.

'Sheesh I'd love my husband to bounce back post birth too, but he ain't and no one is telling him he should,' the mother-of-four said.

'The reality is that'll he'll never be the same either. We either bare the scars on the outside or feel the changes on the inside.'

'I get so angry and fired up when I see people writing about bouncing back post baby,' she captioned the photo

She said that although she would like the body she had before children back, as well as well as her '16 year old jugs', she knew it wasn't going to happen

She said that giving birth makes you a different person, which is something that should be celebrated.

'Embrace what the heck you have, if you don't like it, fix it. With the right mindset you could love the person you are right now, and if someone's telling you differently - do you really need that?

'It takes time to like you, but once you do you'll see that you aren't actually that bad.

'And in my case you'll realise your sense of humour and stunning set of abs will get you the tribe of friends you deserve - including being my own friend!'

'Sheesh I'd love my husband to bounce back post birth too, but he ain't and no one is telling him he should,' the mother-of-four said

Her followers shared their support for her post in the comments, with many revealing how much Mel inspires them.

'I wish I could love myself like this. I can't even look at myself naked in a mirror after five kids, I damn sure couldn't take a pic,' one woman said.

'You're who I want to be when I grow up (I will be 40 in October). Keep it up, lady! You're doing life right!'

'Setting the bar right for what's normal,' said another.A risque red bikini with an uncomfortable looking black buckle is being mocked online for its inability to hold in the female chest.

The $16 top from ASOS, which ships to Australia, has a barely there ambience to it, using two thin straps and a precarious clip to keep it in place.

But it would seem shoppers are most shocked about the lack of fabric provided, with many saying it would hardly shelter their nipples from the public.

A risque red bikini with an uncomfortable looking black buckle is being mocked online for its inability to hold in the female chest

'When you pick up the luggage straps instead of your bra because it's dark,' one person wrote online about the two piece.

'Well at least it's breastfeeding friendly,' another said.

A third added: 'When you're half asleep or drunk and put your bra on back to front'.

Dubbed the 'In The Style Buckle Micro Bikini Top', ASOS has branded it a 'confidence booster' for women that allows them to 'express themselves through fashion'.

The $16 top from ASOS, which ships to Australia, has a barely there ambience to it, using two thin straps and a precarious clip to keep it in place

It's made out of polyester and elastane giving it the unique ability to stretch around the owner's curves.

However, most strangely, the website cautions users from wearing it in the ocean, despite it being a bikini.

'This is for poolside posing, not swimming. Don't get it wet,' the caution read.

The 'underboob' trend it relates to is nothing new, as it has been circulating on Instagram since last summer

It's a cheeky way to show a little bit more of what you've got, with Australian models like Natyse Sechan (pictured) and Gabriella Epstein firm favourites of the look

The 'underboob' trend it relates to is nothing new, as it has been circulating on Instagram since last summer.

It's a cheeky way to show a little bit more of what you've got, with Australian models like Natyse Sechan and Gabriella Epstein firm favourites of the look.

But it's not ideal for swimming and can come undone when you jump over a wave.An expert has revealed how you can easily heal a variety of skin concerns.

Australian cosmetic physician Dr Phoebe Jones said thanks to technological advances and scientific research we now know how to treat skincare conditions like rosacea and pigmentation.

'The even better news is that we are seeing the way in which treatments at home and at the clinic can complement each other for optimal results in addressing some of the most common skincare problems affecting Australians,' she said.

Dr Phoebe Jones has shared expert tips for treating six common skincare woes at home and at the clinic.

Dr Phoebe Jones shares expert tips for treating six common skincare woes at home and at the clinic

Pigmentation

Skin pigmentation occurs when dark spots appear on the body, often on the face, neck and decolletage.

Dr Jones said that for many people it can be a result of excessive UV exposure or imbalanced hormones.

At home

'When it comes to pigmentation, there is no better form of protection than sunscreen,' she said.

'This requires strict SPF application every single day, even if you spend most of the day in the office.'

She said that reapplying at lunch time is key and recommends over the counter ingredients that brighten, such as niacinamide, kojic acid, liquorice root extract, retinol and 2 per cent hydroquinone.

'When it comes to pigmentation, there is no better form of protection than sunscreen,' she said

At the physicians

'Diagnosis is important to determine what treatment plan is suitable,' she said.

Pigmentation as a result of sun damage compared to pigmentation due to melasma need to be treated accordingly as one course of action can be more aggressive than the other.

'For gradual improvement, I recommend laser facials for both conditions,' Dr Jones said.

'Alternatively, for more rapid improvement of the sun damaged skin, I recommend some more intense treatments to resurface the skin, such as with a C02 laser, and other lasers that can specifically target sun spots.'

Pigmentation as a result of sun damage compared to pigmentation due to melasma need to be treated accordingly as one course of action can be more aggressive than the other

Rosacea

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that presents itself as a reddish like appearance on the skin usually on the cheeks, chin and forehead.

At home

'Using water-based lotions and makeup, rather than oil-based ones is great for rosacea sufferers. Also, if you suffer from acne rosacea, I'd suggest using a non-comedogenic sunscreen,' Dr Jones said.

'Avoiding triggers such as alcohol, temperature extremes, spicy foods, hot showers and sun exposure will reduce rosacea breakouts, otherwise lookout for over the counter topical ingredients that reduce redness and inflammation like niacinamide and azelaic acid.'

At the physicians

'As well as a variety of prescription medications, vascular lasers can be used to reduce redness and broken capillaries on the face,' she said.

Large pores

'Enlarged pores are caused by excessive oil production in our bodies, and although there are many reason why this may occur, it usually comes down to genetics,' she said.

At home

'In order to remove dead skin cells and prevent the build-up of excess sebum, a topical salicylic acid should be applied after washing the face with a product containing an AHA or BHA,' explains Dr Jones. 'Non-comedogenic creams and makeup are your friends,' she adds.

At the physicians

'Further treatments include lasers to improve collagen stimulation. My favourites are the laser genesis and C02 fractionally ablative lasers,' Dr Jones said.

'Enlarged pores are caused by excessive oil production in our bodies, and although there are many reason why this may occur, it usually comes down to genetics,' she said

Double chin

'Submental fat that forms beneath our chin is what has come to be known as the double chin. Genetics, weight gain and loosening skin can all be blamed for this happening,' she said.

At home

Unfortunately some people will always have a double chin even if they lose weight, however, Dr Jones discovered a little tip from non-other than Rihanna in a Vogue makeup tutorial.

'Rihanna started contouring her double chin, as well as, her jawline with a bit of bronzer  which is quite clever for a mild double chin,' she said.

At the physicians

'For a mild to moderate double chin, I recommend deoxycolic acid injections. This is quick and straightforward,' Dr Jones said.

'Deoxycolic acid is found naturally in our small intestines and helps to dissolve the fat found in our food. When injected into fatty areas it breaks down the adipocytes, which are fat cells, releasing the fat, which is then absorbed and excreted by the body.

'I generally advise two treatments of this. For those with a more severe double chin, sub mental liposculpture is a better option as it can be dealt with in one session.'

'For a mild to moderate double chin, I recommend deoxycolic acid injections. This is quick and straightforward,' Dr Jones said

Premature ageing

While there is a natural ageing process, factors like the environment and certain lifestyle choices can speed up the ageing process of our bodies.

Premature ageing impacts our skin's levels of thinness and dryness and causes fine lines to appear.

At home

Dr Jones advises there are two must have items: sunscreen and prescription tretinoin 0.05 per cent.

'Sunscreen with good UVA coverage will prevent damage to the collagen and resulting elasticity, while tretinoin is a vitamin A derivative that functions to increase cell turnover and stimulate the production of collagen,' she said.

At the physicians

'Think triple R-Lift. Rejuvenate: this can be done through various lasers and skin boosters,' she said.

'Relax: anti-wrinkle injections will improve and prevent dynamic wrinkles. Restore: to replace the volume that has been lost with age, fillers can be used with biostimulators or the patient's own fat.

And finally, lift: using dissolvable threads. This is a great, minimally-invasive procedure to achieve a more lifted and youthful face.'

Poikolderma of civatte

This condition presents itself as mottled red/brown discoloration and chicken-skin like texture on the neck and chest.

At home

'Use broad spectrum 50+ sunscreen every day and to cover your neck and chest where possible,' Dr Jones said.

'Avoid spraying perfume on your neck or chest as it is a photosensitiser and can worsen the condition.

'Use lightening creams such as hydroquinone to fade brown discolouration, niacinamide to reduce the redness and vitamin A derivatives and AHAs to stimulate collagen.'

At the physicians

The neck and chest are a lot trickier than the face as the skin is much thinner and has significantly less sebaceous glands,' she said.

'I therefore like to use a combination of different lasers to reduce pigmentation, reduce redness and stimulate collagen.'A woman who is barmy about vegan sausage rolls has made it her mission to eat her favourite calorific snack in every Greggs in the country.

Mairead Sheehan, 26, from Salisbury, fell in love with the non-meat based treat when they were launched by the bakery chain earlier this year.

The vegetarian started her sausage roll binge when she visited Newcastle-upon-Tyne in September and couldn't believe how many Greggs branches were on every street.

And after snapping pictures with her favourite snack outside every one of them, she realised her pals found it hilarious - and even set up an Instagram page to post the evidence.

'The plan now is to go to every Greggs in the country,' Mairead said. 'My favourite from Greggs is definitely the vegan sausage roll- I love them.'

Mairead Sheehan, 26, from Salisbury, vowed to visit every Greggs in the UK after she fell in love with their vegan sausage rolls (pictured in front of Greggs in Newcastle upon Tyne)

Mairead, who's been vegetarian all her life, said she was 'in heaven' the day she tasted a vegan sausage roll at Greggs for the first time (pictured with her friend Yaz in Greggs in Beaconfield)

The young woman has already visited 50 Gregg shops around the country but wants to visit them all. Pictured: Holding two vegan sausage rolls in front of a Greggs shop in Newcastle

Now, Mairead has hundreds of people commenting on the snaps - and she's made it her mission to visit every single one of the chain's 1,764 bakeries.

'I started posting the pictures on Instagram and my friends thought it was hilarious - then strangers started commenting,' she explained.

'I've been to more than 50 stores so far, but I'm planning to add a lot more to my total by visiting some big cities and going on multiple Greggs visits in one day.

Mairead has been a vegetarian her whole life and has never eaten meat. Her parents are vegetarian, so she was brought up like it and chose to continue being veggie.

What started as a joke with friends turned into an Instagram sensation when Mairead shared pictures of herself online. Pictured in front of Greggs in Beaconsfield

There are 1,764 Greggs bakeries in the UK and Mairead (pictured with a vegan sausage roll) wants to visit them all

The 26-year-old (in front of Greggs Kentish Town) has made an art of taking pictures in front of Greggs bakeries

Speaking of the moment Greggs brought out the Vegan Sausage roll, she explained:

'I was in heaven. There are all sorts of places that do vegetarian junk food but for me it's always been a novelty - my friends were getting a sausage roll when hungover and I couldn't do that.'

She added: 'I was always quite jealous because it's so quick and easy and it's only 1- being a vegetarian is so much more expensive, you have to find alternatives and different places to eat.'

Mairead recalls going on holiday and having to eat only nachos and pizza for two weeks.

'So vegan sausage roll and cloudy lemonade is my go-to at Greggs, it's my combo,' she said.

Vegetarian Mairead (pictured of front of Greggs in Kingston) said she was always jealous of her friends when they bought a sausage roll at Greggs

Mairead said her favourite is in Salisbury, near where she lives - and admitted it had become her 'hangover spot' (pictured)

When she first tried a Greggs vegan sausage roll in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Mairead's mind was blown

Mairead was visiting Newcastle for the weekend in September last year, when she realised she was in the 'Greggs capital'.

She then started taking photos in front of every Greggs she walked past - and visited each one for a snack.

'I was blown away by how many Greggs there were in Newcastle - then I started looking into it and found out the original Greggs is from here and that's how it started,' she said,

'I took the first picture and then I couldn't believe how many there are so I took a picture in front of all of them.'

Discussing her favourite of the bakeries, she continued: 'My favourite one is a Greggs in Salisbury, close to where I live, there is a bench outside - it's my hangover spot when I go home.'

'My friends think it's probably the most hilarious thing I've ever done in my life. But now I'm on a mission.'

The Greggs enthusiast realised that Newcastle was the Greggs capital of the country and discovered the first bakery was from there, which kick-started her mission of visiting every branch in the country

Mairead said her friends thought this was the most hilarious thing she's ever done (pictured in front of a Greggs in Newcastle upon Tyne)

Mairead won't rest until she's visited every single Greggs in the country, and has already visited 50 of them since September. Pictured in WimbledonTyler Bernicky wasnt much of a cook, but he loved eating whatever his mother would make, after David moved to Japan and relinquished the cooking duties, he said. Sometimes, Tyler would call him and ask for help on how to make something. David insisted people know how to at least cook rice properly, regardless of any other culinary skills, so thats something Tyler often sought his big brothers help with, he said.Advertisement

The Queen brightened up an otherwise miserable afternoon as she attended the Cartier Queen's Polo Cup final in Windsor today.

Her majesty, 93, opted for a hot pink coat and matching hat complete with rose detail as she made her way to the prestigious event.

But she wasn't the only Queen to make an appearance as Jenna Coleman, who played Queen Victoria in the hit ITV series of the same name, was also in attendance.

The Queen appeared to glare over at the on screen Victoria with a disapproving glance as they shared the lower part of the Royal box - the Queen did not ascend the stairs to the upper section of the viewing box.

The queen appears to give a glaring glance at actress Jenna Coleman, who played Victoria in the hit ITV series

From the lower part of the royal box the Queen watched over the prestigious Cartier Queen's Cup Final at Windsor Great Park, Egham, Surrey, today

The actress, 33, smiled back at the Queen and looked stunned in a glittering floral midi dress as she was joined by Poldark star, Eleanor Tomlinson, 27.

Underneath the coat which protected her from the rainy day, Queen Elizabeth opted for a skirt in a different shade of pink.

She accessorised with her faithful black handbag and shoes and wore a sleek pair of white gloves.

Meanwhile, Jenna looked stylish in the lilac gown, which featured three-quarter sleeves and a modest side split on the skirt.

She paired her sequined gown with pale pink open-back heels, and opted to wear her brunette locks tied back in a loose ponytail.

All the flowers: Victoria actress (pictured right in the ITV drama series) Jenna Coleman (pictured left), 33, stunned in a glittering floral midi dress as she arrived at the prestigious event earlier today

Later in the day polo player Nicolas Pieres, Number 3 from the winning team Scone, was seen to break royal protocol as he embraced the queen with an arm around the back.

As the Queen presented the winner with a Cartier bag containing his prize, Mr Pieres looked away to pose for a photo with his hand at the top of the Queen's back.

The Argentinian polo player was ushered to move away from The Queen by a man standing by, who appears to hold out his arm to stop the player from moving too close.

Cartier Queens Cup Polo at Smirths Lawn. The Queen presents a prize to Number 3, Nicolas Pieres, from Scone, the winning team puts his arm around the queen

Nicolas Pieres looks distracted as he receives a Cartier prize from the queen, a man behind appears to hold out his arm to stop the player from moving too close

All in the details: The Queen wore a lovely hot pink coat with a matching hat and accessorised with white gloves, a black bag and black shoes

Battle of the Queens! Jenna wore a sweet smile as she sat just metres away from the Monarch, who also sported a small grin as she watched the prestigious event

Beaming! The monarch was all smiles as she spoke to various people at the star-studded occasion on Sunday in Windsor Great Park, Egham, Surrey

Pretty in pink: The Queen (pictured) attended the Cartier Queen's Cup final in Windsor, the polo competition takes place every year between May and June

And, never one to forgo the glamour, the Doctor Who star donned a flawless face of makeup finished off with a dusty rose lip.

Eleanor Tomlison put on a leggy display in an elegant black skirt, which featured a daring thigh-split on her right side.

The actress, who is also known for her role as Princess Isabelle in Jack the Giant Slayer, paired her midi skirt with a high-neck, capped sleeve blouse.

And the beauty opted for open toe, knee high stiletto heeled boots for the hotly-anticipated conclusion of the polo tournament.

The Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging star wore her auburn locks in loose waves, tucked back behind her ears, and completed her look with delicate silver hoop earrings.

Eleanor was joined at the event by television presenter Maya Jama, who wore a dark grey, flared leather skirt and a simple white blouse.

Meanwhile, other royals were also in attendance - including the daughter of the Duke of Rutland Lady Eliza Manners, 21, who was accompanied by her sisters Violet, 25 and Alice, 24.

They were seen rubbing elbows with Laurent Feniou, the current Managing Director at Cartier. The socialites looked lovely as they made their way to the Polo Cup in Windsor, showing off three distinct look.

The event, which takes place in Windsor every year from May or June.

It was first established in 1960 and is named after Elizabeth II herself. The Queen gave out the first silver cut at the tournament on that year.

It is one of the most anticipated polo-related event of the year.

Gorgeous: Jenna Coleman, 33, stunned in a glittering floral midi dress on Sunday as she joined Poldark star Eleanor Tomlinson at the Cartier Queen's Cup final in Windsor

Glam: Jenna wore statement gold earrings and a matching ring set for the star-studded event, while keeping her luscious locks off her face

Stylish: The Victoria star looked stylish in the lilac gown, which featured three-quarter sleeves and a modest side split on the skirt

Friends: Actresses Jenna Coleman (pictured left) and Eleanor Tomlinson (pictured right) beamed as they posed for the camera at the prestigious occasion

Chic: Eleanor Tomlinson, 27, put on a leggy display in an elegant black skirt, which featured a daring thigh-split on her right side

Elegant: The actress, who is also known for her role as Princess Isabelle in Jack the Giant Slayer, paired her midi skirt with a high-neck, capped sleeve blouse

Wrapped up: The Poldark actress (pictured left, with Laurent Feniou) combated the colder weather with a chic long-sleeved coat, featuring a cinched waist detail

All smiles: The auburn beauty grins as she smooths her hair in the grandstand at Windsor, seemingly enjoying her day out alongside royalty

Family affair: The grinning 27-year-old was joined by her brother Ross, who is also an actor, at the star-studded event in Windsor on Sunday

Pals: The Jack the Giant Slayer star affectionately embraces British jockey and former track cyclist Victoria Pendleton at the Windsor Great Park, Egham event

Girl power: Lady Eliza Manners, Lady Alice Manners and Lady Violet Manners (pictured left to right) attend Cartier Queen's Cup Polo

Looking good: Lady Eliza Manners, Laurent Feniou, Lady Violet Manners and Lady Alice Manners pose up a storm together at the Cartier Queen's Cup event

Working it: Lady Alice Manners looked sensational in a green dress with a billowing white blouse sported underneath at the star-studded event

Glam: Joining the event was television presenter Maya Jama, who wore a dark grey, flared leather skirt by Rebecca Vallance, teamed with a simple white blouse

Model behaviour: Maya, 24, completed her glamorous look with nude, woven heels and opted to tie her lovely locks in a side braid, while wearing gold accessories

Floral: Actress Kelly Eastwood looked sensational as she opted for a floral kimono and lilac, patent leather boots, along with a chic pair of nude sunglasses

Star: Model Amber Le Bon (pictured left), 29, also attended the event in a nude and black patterned dress, while Jodie Kidd (pictured right) was also in attendance in a gorgeous gold silk dress with a daring split in the centre of the skirt

Dapper: Poldark star Josh Whitehouse looked suave in a light suit and black Vans at the event while posing up a storm with a dashing cream coat

Suave: Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick donned a dashing blue and white pinstripe suit for the star-studded occasion, teaming it with a beaming grin

Working all those angles: Victoria Pendleton, 38, wore a bold, diamond print blouse paired with a flowing skirt and a matching black handbag

Dressed to impress: Victoria looked effortlessly glamorous as she trialled out her sunglasses to match her sophisticated ensemble and black manicure

Stylish: French actress Morgane Polanski showcased her style credentials by adding a pop of colour to this black suit, with glamorous red shoes and a matching bag

Colourful: Lady Violet Manners opted for a vibrant dress full of contrasting colours to ensure all eyes were on her during the star-studded occasionPhyllis Taylor, 40, is the creative director of ethical fashion brand Sika, which she founded in 2005. Her clothes combine traditional African prints with modern cuts and are made sustainably in Ghana. She lives in London with her partner and six-year-old daughter.

My mother is a seamstress and taught me to sew. Id chop up clothes and make outfits to go clubbing in. After studying pattern-cutting at the London College of Fashion, I worked two part-time jobs in marketing and in a shop.

It was 2004, and I often wore African prints  my parents are Ghanaian  but used the traditional fabric in edgier designs. People always asked where my clothes were from, and eventually I thought: I should start my own label.

Phyllis Taylor (pictured), 40, from London, was inspired to launch ethical fashion brand Sika, after receiving positive feedback to the clothes she would make for herself

I had confidence in my designs, but solo, I couldnt produce enough stock. Every summer, when I visited Ghana, Id see tailors and seamstresses at work  garment workers there can cut patterns free-hand, so why not source the fabric and have the designs handmade in Ghana?

It was a brilliant way to showcase their talent to a new market. That was my light bulb moment. I quit my marketing job and went to Ghana to make my first collection using savings. I was in my 20s and didnt appreciate the risk. Now I think, Wow, that was bold! A year later, Sika launched.

I started with a website and a stall at Spitalfields Market, then went out with my samples, cold-calling intimidating boutiques. I must have tried 50 shops; I got so many knockbacks, but some orders, too.

Sika was one of the first brands to experiment with African prints and people loved it. Three years later, I left my department store job to work full-time on the label, opening a shop in Greenwich.

Chic: Strawberry batik dress, 189, sikadesigns.co.uk

That year, I won an Ethical Fashion Forum award. It was great to be recognised for creating sustainable employment  paying workers fairly is at the heart of the brand.

By 2011, Sika had appeared in Vogue Italia and Id moved to a bigger shop. Then, in 2014, I collaborated with Asos on a collection. It was a huge achievement, but I was stretched in too many directions and bogged down in logistics. High Street retail was getting tougher, so I decided to go online-only.

It was scary, but the right call. Business is booming and its given me the time and financial freedom to expand into childrens clothes and menswear. I design from home, then visit our Ghana factory every four weeks. We have a big following in the UK, U.S. and France: people who like print love our designs.The ancient art has had a modern makeover, garnering millions of fans  including the Duchess of Sussex. And the benefits can be life-changing

Hows your handwriting these days? When we barely pick up a Biro to jot down a shopping list (why bother when you can tap it out just as speedily on your phone?), youd be forgiven if your penmanship is a bit below par. But for devotees of modern calligraphy, or lettering as its often known, the art of beautiful handwriting is alive and well.

Unlike the trend for adult colouring books (hands up if you have one abandoned on a shelf at home), it takes dedication to master the flowing strokes of modern calligraphy

More relaxed and freestyle than traditional calligraphy, youll spot the artful loops, flicks and flourishes on everything from wedding invitations to the specials board at your local gastro pub. The art form has enjoyed a resurgence in recent months, too. A combination of the Meghan effect  national retail chain Hobbycraft reported an incredible 40 per cent spike in calligraphy kit sales last year when it was revealed that the Duchess of Sussex enjoyed the pastime  and a proliferation of modern calligraphy accounts on Instagram, sharing gorgeous, intricate lettering (which are often combined with motivational quotes), has inspired more and more of us to pick up a pen.

Unlike the trend for adult colouring books (hands up if you have one abandoned on a shelf at home), it takes dedication to master the flowing strokes of modern calligraphy. But thats all part of the joy of it for these five women  who each credit calligraphy with enhancing their lives in very different ways.

Jessica Mickleburgh, 24

It has been transformative for my mental health

Jessica Mickleburgh, 24, is a mental health advocate and budding calligraphy artist. She lives in Devon

I have borderline personality disorder (BPD), which means my moods can be very unstable. I can go from manic to horrendously depressed within a day  Im up and down like a rollercoaster. Its as if my emotions are 10,000 times stronger than other peoples.

Three years ago a combination of mental and physical health problems forced me to leave my job as a healthcare assistant. Stuck at home, I needed something other than cuddling my cats to keep myself occupied. As I was scrolling through Facebook, a calligraphy video popped up, which I thought looked fun.

I didnt have a desk or money to buy workbooks  I just had a pack of Crayola pens  so I taught myself from online videos. Instantly, my days were fuller. Calligraphy gave me something to focus on, which felt really good. Eventually, I saved up and bought more materials; as I practised it got easier.

I now have an Instagram account, @thebpdletterer, where I share my calligraphy progress and discuss my mental health issues. Initially, I wouldnt post any of my efforts unless they were perfect, but then I saw the hashtag #postitanyway, which encourages you to share your work, even if youve spelt something wrong or you dont like the way one of the letters looks. It doesnt matter: it just shows that you are human and not a robot.

One of Jessicas watercolour designs incorporating her lettering skills

The courses worth signing up for  Quill London, run by Lucy Edmonds, Islington, London, quilllondon.com  Calligraphy workshops through Olive and Reid, nationwide, oliveandreid.com/events  Alice Gabb, London, alicegabb.com/workshops  Meticulous Ink, Bath and the Southwest, meticulousink.com/pages/workshop  Kirsten Burke, Chichester, kirstenburke.co.uk/workshops Advertisement

Whenever I post about my BPD alongside my work, people message and comment, thanking me for being so open about it. Ive made some very close friends through @thebpdletterer  I even met one of them in Canada.

Ive now got a desk and I practise daily for up to five hours. My plan is to turn calligraphy into some kind of business. Its early stages, but Id like to create prints and stickers about mental health. Im also getting married and Im already designing our save the date cards.

I wouldnt be in such a strong place mentally if it werent for calligraphy. Whenever I do it, Im in this creative space in my head; nothing has control over me there, my mental health doesnt control my calligraphy. Its very freeing, just to sit down, put everything out of my mind and focus on a single word.

Follow Jessica at @thebpdletterer

Jennie Guiney, 44

Its a distraction from family stress

Jennie Guiney, 44, a full-time mum, is married with two children aged 11 and 13, and lives in Wiltshire

Lettering is an extremely mindful hobby. You cant do it if your brains going 200 miles an hour; you need to concentrate. For me, its a brilliant distraction from stress. I have two children and I homeschool my 13-year-old son, who is on the autistic spectrum. He is high-functioning but struggles with anxiety, which can be challenging and sometimes dominates family life. Add teenage hormones into the mix and there are occasional meltdowns.

I got into calligraphy three years ago after watching a particularly hypnotic video on Instagram of someone brush-lettering [using a brush pen to create thick and thin strokes]. The benefits have been amazing. Unlike, say, going to the gym, its something I can do in my home with my children around. Downtime is incredibly important and this is something just for me. Its a massive sanity-saver. Im very much in the moment when Im doing calligraphy and it leaves me much more relaxed. If I dont do it regularly, I get antsy, so I squeeze some practice in as much as possible.

It has unlocked a creative side of me. Ever since I got a D in GCSE art, Ive said to myself, Youre not an artist. Thats how it was for the past 30 years, but then I found this outlet and rediscovered my creativity. Modern calligraphy is great if, like me, you havent got the patience for all the strict rules of traditional calligraphy.

Since I started, Ive accumulated a lot of supplies and have completely taken over my husbands study with all my inks and pens. If I spot a stationery shop when were out, my kids always groan, because I have to go in and try out all the pens.

'Since I started, Ive accumulated a lot of supplies and have completely taken over my husbands study with all my inks and pens'

I like to experiment with different media; Im hand-lettering stones with little quotes at the moment and leaving them in places for people to find. Its part of a movement called art abandonment. I always put my Instagram handle on the back of the stone. Someone found one Id left on holiday in Devon and tracked me down online. Its nice to spread a little bit of joy.

The loveliest thing thats come from my calligraphy is that it has encouraged my son to nurture his own artistic side. Hes very good at drawing, and hes learnt to turn to it when hes feeling stressed. So my hobby hasnt just benefited me, its helped him, too. I say hobby, but its so much more than a casual activity you might pick up and drop: for me its a total obsession. It brings me so much pleasure.

Follow Jennie at @_theleftyscribe_

Our favourite Instagram calligraphers Fact-box text FROM LEFT: @seblester: Worth 1m followers. @tjcalligraphy: 135k followers. @the_md_writes: 32.2k followers FROM LEFT: @a_laise_stationery: 5.2k followers. @thedailycalligraphy: 73.4k followers. Advertisement

Ruth Tisdall, 37

I live with chronic pain and need an escape

Ruth Tisdall, 37, a nurse, is married and lives in Manchester

Two years ago I was diagnosed with chronic pain syndrome. I get a lot of pain in my hip. The cause is unknown, but doctors explain that its like hearing the alarm bells that tell your brain there is pain, even though there isnt a trigger. Im in pain most days. Sometimes it flares up and gets worse, but I manage to work part-time as a nurse.

I read that being creative can be helpful for managing chronic pain. Its not fully understood why, but I thought Id explore it.

Im limited in what I can do, so any hobby really has to work for me. I find calligraphy extremely meditative and relaxing. It feels as though its blocking the pain signals slightly; I think its because each individual stroke of the pen is very absorbing, so my attention is shifted away from the constant pain.

There are more complex forms of calligraphy, but I keep it simple: I just have my brush pen and a piece of paper so that I can do it on the train, on my break at work or in a meeting  whenever I need some relief. Ideally, I would practise calligraphy daily but it can be hard for me to sustain one physical position for any length of time.

On my Instagram bio I have the hashtag #progressnotperfection. It can be intimidating when you first start calligraphy and it doesnt look how you hoped  sometimes you can feel like throwing your pen across the room  but its about persevering. It took about six months to get my lettering to look how I wanted it. I was determined to master it. You can find free worksheets online, print them off and trace over the letters; that was helpful for me, because your hand learns the movements.

It can be hard as an adult to find the confidence to try something new, but modern calligraphy is something anyone can do. I have a large collection of pens  150 and counting; my husband buys me them as presents  but you only need one to get started.

Follow Ruth at @ruthelizabeth_journals

Lucy Davies, 35

This is what gets me through the night feeds

Lucy Davies, 35, a lettering artist, is married with a baby son and lives in Hampshire

I had my son Jasper ten weeks ago. I teach modern calligraphy workshops, but since going on maternity leave Ive been enjoying calligraphy as a hobby again. I had to stop working a couple of months before Jasper was born, as I had a very big bump. I do a lot of hand-lettering for clients [see below], including on big chalkboards for weddings and restaurants, so it ended up being physically impossible.

Now that Im creating things for myself, there isnt the pressure of meeting a brief. I find it really therapeutic as I can go with what Im feeling.

I do a lot of calligraphy on my iPad; theres an app called Procreate that you can use with an Apple Pencil. With the iPad I can practise anywhere, even while Im feeding Jasper, or have one hand rocking his bed and the other drawing. It also means that if Im shattered and my works not great, Im not wasting paper.

Sometimes Jasper will be in the sling while Im at my desk with my pens, doodling and drawing. Ive got lots of my work pinned to the wall and hes quite happy gazing at all the shapes.

'Now that Im creating things for myself, there isnt the pressure of meeting a brief. I find it really therapeutic as I can go with what Im feeling'

Im not able to practise every day  having a newborn is a little crazy and theres no routine  but its nice to be able to snatch moments for myself. So if hes napping and Ive got a couple of hours, the housework can wait.

As an artist, I think its important to me to keep up my practice; I dont want to lose that part of me. It would be easy to say, Oh well, I dont have time to do that now because I have a baby, but I want to be able to do something that I love just for me.

Through my Instagram account, Ive found a great community of calligraphers. When I posted a picture of Jasper for the first time, I had stacks of messages from my followers. And it turns out a lot of them are mums with young babies, too, so through that Ive got a new motherhood gang who I can turn to when I have questions.

When I go back to work, my plan is for Jasper to be my little sidekick in my studio for a few years. Maybe I can even train him up. Hes going to have the best handwriting at school, thats for sure.

Follow Lucy at @littleoldgoose

Lucy Edmonds, 35

Discovering calligraphy upgraded my career

Lucy Edmonds, 35, founder of the Quill London stationery brand, is married with a six-week-old daughter and lives in London

Falling in love with calligraphy was entirely accidental but it has changed my life. I founded my stationery company Quill London back in 2012, however it was a couple of years before I spotted this beautiful writing all over Pinterest and learned its name: modern calligraphy. It was big in America but not really a thing over here. I thought my stationery-loving customers would enjoy it, so I recruited a professional calligrapher and hosted one of the first modern calligraphy workshops in London.

There was a crazy level of interest: 4,000 people were on the waiting list. I think that millennials, in particular, wanted to get off their screens and do something more analogue. At the same time there was an explosion in the experience economy, with people wanting to spend their money on doing things rather than simply buying stuff. I was lucky that my workshops tapped into both of those trends.

As for my own calligraphy skills, I was learning along with our early customers. I didnt plan to become a professional calligrapher but I got hooked. Most of us are used to instant gratification, so its refreshing to have to put the hours in to learn something new.

Now calligraphy is a huge part of my business and has opened up exciting projects, from teaching workshops in Japan to working with fashion brands such as Gucci and Net-A-Porter. I create invitations, place-cards, menus, large-scale signs  Ive even made stationery for celebrity weddings, although Im not allowed to say whose.

'I didnt plan to become a professional calligrapher but I got hooked'

My pinch-me moment was being asked to write a how-to book [see right]. Three publishers had spotted the calligraphy trend and all wanted me to write it  that was completely bonkers.

The success of my calligraphy work has meant I was able to open a permanent shop-studio in Islington, North London, and I now have a team of five people. We have an exciting mix of commissions, and teach private and public workshops. Its a big trend, thanks to social media and the Duchess of Sussex  shes definitely brought some good PR to the world of modern calligraphy.

Follow Lucy at @quilllondon

Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle

How Meghan made her mark

The Duchess of Sussex picked up the hobby during handwriting classes at school and went on to use it to support her early acting career, where her clients reportedly included Dolce & Gabbana. Id sit there with a little white tube sock on my hand so no hand oils got on the card, trying to pay my bills while auditioning, she said. Im glad that in the land of no one seeming to appreciate a handwritten note any more that I can try to keep that alive.

Im glad that in the land of no one seeming to appreciate a handwritten note any more that I can try to keep that aliveListed companies in the UK will become the first foreign firms to sell shares in China

Listed companies in the UK will become the first foreign firms to sell shares in China today.

The London-Shanghai Stock Connect will allow British companies to raise funds in Shanghai, and vice versa.

More than 250 of 1,500 firms listed in Shanghai may be eligible to take part in Stock Connect. It is estimated there will be 13trillion in assets under management in China by 2030, up from 2.1trillion in 2016.

Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer said: 'London is a global financial centre like no other and today's launch is a strong vote of confidence in the UK market.'Britain's three best-known fund managers raked in as much as 105 million between them last year, sparking concerns the industry is out of control.

Terry Smith and Nick Train  who are seen as stars able to produce huge returns for investors  together pocketed up to 81.2 million.

And Neil Woodford, who was similarly adored before a meltdown which saw his flagship fund shut to withdrawals earlier this month, is entitled to a 23.7 million dividend.

Nick Train (left) and Terry Smith (right) - who are seen as stars able to produce huge returns for investors  together pocketed up to 81.2m

Critics said the huge pay-outs are a sign that managers' payments are divorced from reality  meaning it no longer matters if they make money for their customers or not.

Luke Hildyard, of the High Pay Centre campaign group, said: 'This is totally unseemly, regardless of whether these investment managers are making money.

'These people are charged with looking after our retirement savings on behalf of pension funds. You would expect regulators to be taking a much closer look at this.'

Woodford Investment Management paid a bumper dividend of 36.5 million for the year to March 2018 to Woodford and his chief executive Craig Newman.

This suggests Woodford, 59, was in line for 23.7 million from his 65 per cent stake in the business. It is understood he used some of this cash for a wage, reinvested some and donated the rest to charity.

His flagship Equity Income fund has lagged behind rivals as a series of bets on small and risky firms come up short.

Savers fled for the exits this year, forcing Woodford to freeze the funds so he can sell enough stock to give them their money back.

Woodford's rivals Smith and Train have delivered far higher returns for their investors  but pocketed eye-watering sums of cash.

Smith's popular firm Fundsmith earned him up to 62.4 million, making him one of the top earners in global finance.

Woodford Investment Management paid a bumper dividend of 36.5m for the year to March 2018 to Woodford and his chief executive Craig Newman

The manager's equity fund would have turned 1,000 invested at its launch in 2010 into 4,520 today.

Meanwhile, the best-paid director at Lindsell Train Ltd  thought to be Train, 60, or his 59-year-old co-founder Michael Lindsell  was handed 8.2 million in wages and a bumper dividend of 10.6 million.

Train's flagship Lindsell Train Investment Trust would have turned 1,000 invested when it launched in 2001 into 20,500 now. But campaigners said the amount they earn is still unjustified.

James Daley, of Fairer Finance, said: 'Just because you're trading in billions of pounds doesn't mean you need a percentage of that as a cut.'Selah Schneiter, 10, of Glenwood Springs, Colorado made history Wednesday by scaling the 'Nose' route of the El Capitan summit in central California's Yosemite National Park

A 10-year-old girl became the youngest person to climb the 3,000 ft. 'Nose' route of the notorious El Capitan summit in central California's Yosemite National Park on Wednesday.

Selah Schneiter of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, spent five days scaling the rock face - where more than two dozen climbers have died.

The 55 lb. girl was joined on the 31-pitch climb by her veteran rock-climbing dad, Mike Schneiter, and his friend, Mark Regier

'I can't believe I just did that', she said after her amazing ascent in a video obtained by ABC 30.

'I want pizza,' Selah added, according to Outside Online. 'Ive been dreaming about it forever.'

Scroll down for video

Selah's dad, Mike Schneiter (pictured), and his friend, Mark Regier, accompanied her on her summit

It took Selah's group five days to climb the 31 pitch, 3,000 ft. route on El Capitan in Yosemite

Selah is the youngest person on record to navigate the Nose route on El Capitan

Selah's ascent came just days after the one year anniversary of the deaths of two veteran climbers who fell from El Capitan on June 2, 2018

Conquering El Capitan is not for the faint of heart.

Selah's ascent comes days after the one year anniversary of the deaths of two best friends and veteran climbing partners who fell from the perilous summit.

On June 2, 2018, Tim Klein, 42, of Palmdale, California, and Jason Wells, 46, of Boulder, Colorado, plummeted an estimated 1,000 feet from the face of the rock formation.

Investigators said the men were scaling El Capitan's Salathe Wall with limited gear on what experts described as the easiest section of a route called 'Freeblast,' which both men had navigated several times before.

Climber Jordan Cannon, who witnessed the fatal accident, recalled hearing Wells scream as he slipped and fell from the cliff side moments before Klein, who was tethered to his partner, was yanked off the steep, granite surface.

'It was very traumatic,' Cannon told the San Francisco Chronicle after the incident.

Since 1905, at least 31 climbers have died on El Capitan, including 23 who actually fell to their deaths, according to 'Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite' author Charles 'Butch' Farabee.

Tim Klein, 42, of Palmdale, California, and Jason Wells, 46, of Boulder, Colorado, perished after plummeting 1,000 feet from the face of rock formation in 2018

The dangers of rock climbing are nothing new for Selah, whose entire family - including her mom, Joy, and Selah's three younger siblings - seems to be obsessed with the outdoor sport.

Selah herself has been latching onto cliff sides, with the help and guidance of her experienced parents, almost since the day she was born.

Her dad, a certified climbing instructor who has owned Glenwood Climbing Guides since 2011, posted pictures of Selah taking on her first boulder when she was just three days old in April 2009.

A picture of three-day-old Selah 'climbing' to her first rock formation in April 2009

A 2011 picture of Selah, 18 months, on a rock surface in Redstone, Colorado

A February 2011 photo of Selah, 22 months, at Colorado National Monument

The Schneiter family, including mom Joy (left) and dad, Mike (center) poses for a picture after scaling the 14,036 ft. Mt. Sherman in Colorado in 2016

Other photos over the years show Selah learning to climb in Redstone, California, her native Glennwood Springs and Colorado National Park.

'We did this climb for us; it was her energy and her idea,' Mike told Alpinist of his daughter's latest conquest, a climbing journey he has completed twice before.

'If anything, I'd been trying to talk her out of it. I think El Cap has been so much a part of our story as a family that she's wanted to do it for a long time.'

Being suspended in the air thousands of feet above the ground for days isn't something Selah takes lightly, even though it seems to be in her blood.

'I was scared just sometimes,' she said after the climb, according to Outside Online. 'I thought it was really fun.'For over 15 years patients had complained about the New South Wales ears, nose and throat specialist Roland von Marburg - who has been dubbed 'Dr Fail'

A surgeon has been banned from practising medicine after over a decade of complaints.

For over 15 years patients had complained about the New South Wales ears, nose and throat specialist Roland von Marburg - who has been dubbed 'Dr Fail'.

Some patients reported almost losing their hearing after several operations, while another suffered paralysis of half his face  which now droops.

A young girl underwent a number of ear operations even though it was later discovered there was no chance of her condition improving, The Herald Sun reported.

Von Marburg's trail of complications has been well-documented.

He was reprimanded by the Victorian Medical Board in 2003 over his failures in Trevor Ewert and son Cameron's case, where the pair were left needing skin grafts by specialists in Melbourne following an operation to have their ears pinned back.

He was reprimanded by the Victorian Medical Board in 2003 over his failures in Trevor Ewert and his son Cameron's (pictured) case, where the pair were left needing skin grafts by specialists in Melbourne following an operation to have their ears pinned back

That time he was not suspended and no conditions were placed on his practice.

However, he was suspended for four weeks in 2008 over his addiction to painkillers.

His addiction to pethidine  a painkiller he had been self-prescribing  saw him banned from prescribing, possessing, supplying, administering and dispensing drugs of addiction.

Von Marburg was required to undergo random drug tests. He was also required to have a psychiatric review twice a year.

It was later discovered that from 2012 to 2016, von Marburg had been prescribing codeine and sleeping tablet temazepam to some patients, however, he later acknowledged most if it had been for himself, according the The Herald Sun.

Despite the numerous complaints, he had been allowed to continue operating.

Von Marburg (pictured centre) had been prescribing codeine and sleeping tablet temazepam to some patients, however, he later acknowledged most if it had been for himself

However, NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal has finally removed his medical licence after he was found to have 18 proven instances of 'clinical incompetence'.

He can apply to re-register after eight years.

During a two-week hearing in May, the tribunal was told how von Marburg had covered his tracks by changing patient records, undertaken surgery when it had been required and made false medicare claims.

The tribunal labelled his medical malpractice 'egregious conduct'.

His lawyers argued the protection orders were unnecessary as he had stopped praitising in 2017 and had no intention of resuming.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Von Marburg for comment.Fears are growing for an ultra-Christian Sydney DJ who has been missing for five days.

Simon Semaan,44, went was last seen at his father's home in Auburn on Wednesday.

The alarm was raised when the father-of-five missed Bible studies on Thursday evening - which he always attends even if he is sick.

Father-of-five Simon Semaan,44 (pictured) has been missing since Wednesday, sparking concerns for his welfare

Mr Semaan, who is also known as DJ Fresh among western Sydney music lovers, contacted his family on Saturday after he saw the news of his disappearance on social media.

He called them and said he was okay and 'needed some space.'

A NSW Police spokesperson said they were aware of the latest development but said they would continue to treat Mr Semaan as a missing person.

'Mr Semaan is yet to report to us,' the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Semaan reportedly sent a strange message to his friend Ace Abousleiman (pictured on left) on Wednesday, a day before he went missing

Mr Semaan reportedly sent a strange message to his friend Ace Abousleiman on Wednesday, a day before he went missing.

'Hey little bro, I hope you enjoyed your holidays and that you're good. I'll see you when I see you,' Mr Abousleiman told 10Daily.

Mr Semaan was last seen leaving his father's place on Dudley Street in Auburn in his blue Mercedes C250, with NSW registration SIM 250.

He is described as 175cm to 180cm tall, medium build, Middle Eastern appearance, brown hair, unshaven, and brown eyes.A teenager has been shot in the arm while on a hotel balcony in Surfers Paradise.

Police believe the shot came from a neighbouring unit in the complex, on the corner of Cavill Ave and the Gold Coast Highway.

Officers were called to the unit complex at about 10.45pm on Saturday night after reports of the gunshot.

Officers were called to the Gold Coast unit complex at about 10.45pm on Saturday night after reports of the gunshot

The 18-year-old was hit in the upper arm and taken to Gold Coast University Hospital for treatment in a stable condition.

Police response teams could be seen rushing into the scene on Saturday night.

Officers are still hunting for the gunman.A young Prince Harry was reportedly drop-jaw 'obsessed' with Jennifer Aniston after seeing her naked body splashed on the front of GQ magazine.

The then 24-year-old royal began texting the Friends actress and even described her as 'princess material', according to a new book.

The writer claims that Aniston's racy 2009 photo shoot where she stripped off everything but a tie blew Harry away.

A young Prince Harry was reportedly drop-jaw 'obsessed' with Jennifer Aniston after seeing her naked body splashed on the front of GQ magazine

The then 24-year-old royal began texting the Friends actress and even described her as 'princess material', according to a new book

But although the future Duke of Sussex sought to pursue the Golden Globe-winning Hollywood star, she reportedly shied away from a date because of the 16-year age gap.

Ian Halperin, author of an upcoming book about Aniston, writes: 'He told a close friend his favourite actress was Jen and got her number. He texted her and sent emojis,' according to the Sunday Mirror.

'One source told me Jen was aware of Harry's crush but didn't want to lead him on because of the age difference.'

Aniston, 50, starred in Friends as charachter Rachel Green from the show's inception in 1994 until it ended a decade later.

Coincidentally, the part Harry's wife Meghan Markle played in Suits was also called Rachel.

But although the future Duke of Sussex (pictured with current wife Meghan Markle) sought to pursue the Golden Globe-winning Hollywood star, she reportedly shied away from a date because of the 16-year age gap

Aniston, 50, starred in Friends as charachter Rachel Green from the show's inception in 1994 until it ended a decade later

And Princess Diana, Harry's mother, is thought to be one of Anniston's most important role models, Halperin claims.

In 2009 when the Prince first developed an interest in Anniston, she was not thought to have been romantically linked to anyone.

It had been four years since she split with her first husband, fellow Hollywood star Brad Pitt.

In 2015 she once again tied the knot, this time with American actor and producer Justin Theroux, but the couple divorced two years later.Around 1 a.m., the 27-year-old was struck in the head by a bullet while she was a passenger of a vehicle traveling in the 2600 block of South St. Louis, according to Chicago police.Donald Trump resumed his war of words with Sadiq Khan last night, accusing the London Mayor of being a 'disaster' after three murders and three stabbings in the capital in the space of 24 hours.

Mr Trump wrote on Twitter: 'London needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster  will only get worse!' A spokesman for Mr Khan said: 'Sadiq's thoughts are with the victims' families. He is not going to waste his time responding to this sort of tweet.'

Mr Trump's tweet came after 24 hours of mayhem which Mr Khan said left him 'sickened'.

An 18-year-old man was stabbed to death in Tooting, South London, on Friday afternoon, before a 19-year-old man was shot dead in Plumstead, South East London, 12 minutes later.

There was a triple stabbing in Clapham at 3.22am yesterday before officers in Tower Hamlets, East London, found a man in his 30s stabbed to death outside a block of flats at 2.30pm.

War of words: US President Donald Trump brands Khan 'a disaster' following a spate of murders and stabbings in London

The bloodshed brought the number of murders in London this year to 59.

Before Mr Trump's tweet, Mr Khan said: 'Our overstretched police are working around the clock to keep Londoners safe. They need our support to end this scourge of violence.'

The President and Mayor have repeatedly clashed on social media.

Ahead of his visit to the UK this month, Mr Trump tweeted that Mr Khan was a 'stone-cold loser who should focus on crime in London' in response to the Mayor accusing him of using 'fascist' language. Mr Trump has previously challenged Mr Khan to an IQ test and accused him of having 'done a very bad job on terrorism' after the London Bridge atrocity.

Figures last month revealed that five young people are attacked with a knife every day in the capital and Mr Khan warned it could take a 'decade' to turn back the tide of violent crime.

The Met Police said last night: 'Bearing down on violent crime on the streets of London continues to be a top priority.' Ten arrests have been made after the murders in Tooting and Plumstead.A beauty entrepreneur who created a multi-million dollar business with her sister was allegedly a mid level drug dealer in a sophisticated peddling syndicate.

Kimberley Treacy founded The Lip Lab along with her younger sister Courtney in 2015. The duo opened 14 stores across Australia selling cruelty free beauty products.

The 29-year-old has now been charged with commercial drug supply offences after her western Sydney home was raided in connection to a supply syndicate in the south west Sydney region.

Strike Force Algid conducted a four-year investigation into the supply of ice and cocaine in the area, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Kimberley Treacy (left) founded The Lip Lab along with her younger sister Courtney (right) in 2015. The duo opened 14 stores across Australia selling cruelty free beauty products

The 29-year-old has now been charged with commercial drug supply offences after her western Sydney home was raided in connection to a supply syndicate in the south west Sydney region

While executing a search warrant of her Wilton home in 2016, specialist officers from NSW Police Dog Squad were assisted by detectives from Cambelltown and Camden as well as the South West Region Enforcement Squad to search nearby bushland.

During the search, police found a blue Aldi freezer bag concealed under a rock holding $133,970 in cash, 1.05kg of ice and 3.8kg of cocaine.

Police allege the DNA on the bag was consistent with Treacy.

Just a year prior, an initial search of her home saw police seize $10,000 cash which had been hidden in a kitchen range hood.

Police allege Treacy is a 'significant' mid level dealer but that her de facto partner Shannon Macauley, 37, masterminded the syndicate

In July 2017, police executed another warrant at Kimberley Treacy's home.

There they found $71,050 cash stuffed in a bag in a downstairs playroom and another $79,950 in a Christmas present.

Police allege Treacy is a 'significant' mid level dealer but that her de facto partner Shannon Macauley, 37, masterminded the syndicate.

The duo were each charged with three counts of prohibited drug supply and two counts of deal with the property proceeds of crime equal to or greater than $100,000.

Treacy was able to post a $30,000 bail surety and currently reports to Narellan Police Station seven days a week

Campbelltown City Police Area Command crime manager Detective Inspector Greg Inger said his team works hard to identify people who are involved in high level drug supply.

'We like to target mid- to high-level drug offenders and as part of that we identified these two [Kimberley Treacy and Macauley] as allegedly being involved in the supply of a large amount of drugs.

'We look at all opportunities to identify people on the higher end as it has a significant flow-on effect down the chain.'

Treacy was able to post a $30,000 bail surety and currently reports to Narellan Police Station seven days a week.

Daily Mail Australia in no way suggests Treacy's younger sister and The Lip Lab business partner, Courtney, had any involvement in the alleged drug proceedings.A massive 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands the Pacific Ocean sparking a tsunami warning.

New Zealand's Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management issued a beach warning, telling locals to expect unusually strong, hazardous currents and unpredictable surges near the shore.

The quake struck at about 9am (AEST) near the Kermadec Islands region - about midway between Auckland and Tonga.

Preliminary investigations suggested New Zealand may avoid the tsunami, but Kiwi's are urged to take care near the foreshore.

The NZ Civil Defence redacted their initial warning shortly after with a statement on Twitter reading: 'Based on current information, the initial assessment is that the earthquake is unlikely to have caused a tsunami that will pose a threat to NZ.'

A tsunami warning may be in place for parts of the Pacific after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands region

The severity of currents and surges in tide may be unpredictable in the coming hours.

If a tsunami did hit New Zealand, it was predicted to arrive within two hours of the initial quake.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii issued a statement warning a tsunami threat exists more urgently for parts of the Pacific located closer to where the earthquake took place.

Based on preliminary investigations, coastlines within a 300km radius of the epicenter could be threatened.

Concerned locals have been encouraged to keep updated by checking in with the website www.civildefence.govt.nz and Twitter @NZCivilDefence.

There is no current threat to Australia.The mastermind of the London Bridge terror cell Khuram Butt (pictured above) repeatedly communicated with a 33-year-old man from East London in the hours before the deadly rampage

The mastermind of the London Bridge terror cell repeatedly communicated with a 33-year-old man from East London in the hours before the deadly rampage, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Irfan Saeed, who lives in a council flat in Newham, was in contact with killer Khuram Butt, 27, by phone and text message in the five hours before the knife-wielding gang of fanatics went on a murder spree that left eight people dead.

Evidence submitted to the inquest into the attack on June 3, 2017, details how Butt called Saeed just after 5pm, shortly after hiring the van that carried him, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Yousef Zaghba, 22, into Central London. Butt also sent a text to Saeed at about the same time.

Saeed texted the terrorist back and then called him unsuccessfully at least six times between 5.10pm and before the rampage began at about 10pm.

Two days after the atrocity  in which the three killers were shot dead by police  Saeed contacted the administrator of a secret WhatsApp group of which both he and Butt were members to request all the content be deleted because police were making arrests in Newham.

The WhatsApp group was called ILMA  meaning knowledge in Arabic  and was used to share extremist material.

The inquest at the Old Bailey was told how Saeed was among 22 people arrested in connection with the London Bridge rampage.

None was charged but a file on Saeed was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service because detectives suspected he knew about the attack before it was launched, yet did nothing to stop it  an offence that carries a sentence of up to five years.

Saeed, who could not be contacted for comment, has denied any wrongdoing. The inquest continues.A police hunt has commenced for a man who stabbed an elderly pensioner at a local pub.

The 85-year-old man was taken to hospital in a critical condition after he was stabbed on Saturday at the Camelia Grove Hotel in Alexandria, Sydney.

The alleged attacker, who police believe knew the victim, fled the scene.

The 85-year-old man was taken to hospital in a critical condition after he was stabed on Saturday at the Camelia Grove Hotel in Alexandria, Sydney (pictured)

Emergency services were called just before 3pm on Saturday to the pub on Henderson street.

The attacker stabbed the man with a steak knife in the chest.

Officers from the Redfern Police Area Command were called to the scene.

An investigation was launched to identify and locate the man.

Police are urging anyone with information to come forward.Standing shoulder-to-shoulder in Londons Regents Park, eight men stand in prayer behind a black flag used by groups including Islamic State.

The men were caught on camera for The Jihadis Next Door, a Channel 4 documentary that was aired in 2016 and which lifted the lid on the scale of Islamic fanaticism in Britain.

The event was organised by Al-Muhajiroun, a group led by the hate preacher Anjem Choudary which had been banned by the Government in 2006.

The prayers were led by Mohammed Shamsuddin, 42, a hate preacher who has claimed benefits for much of his life and who was effectively Choudarys deputy.

Today, The Mail on Sunday can reveal the identities of all eight men and the lives of hate-filled extremism they went on to lead.

From left to right, they are named for the first time as Shakil Chapra (one), Murat Kocchat (two), Abdul Muquith (three), Khuram Butt (four), Emmanuel Kelly Asamoah (five), Adinan Abdulatif (six), Taha Hussain (seven) and Ricardo McFarlane (eight)

1) Shakil Chapra

A former part-time bus driver who spouts hatred on YouTube using the name Abu Haleema.

He was stripped of his passport in 2014 over fears he wanted to join IS in Syria and was quizzed by police about his association with a British schoolboy later jailed for life for encouraging a man in Australia to carry out an atrocity.

2) Murat Kocchat

An extremist thought to be of Turkish-Kurdish origin. He has been photographed attending Al-Muhajiroun rallies and was caught on camera in the Channel 4 documentary listening closely to Shamsuddin sermon.

3) Abdul Muquith

Using the name Abu Sayfillaah, Muquith posts lectures on YouTube in which he says Muslims must never mingle or live with non-Muslims. It is understood his face was obscured in the documentary because he was then under police investigation.

4) Khuram Butt

The mastermind of the London Bridge terror attack in June 2017 that left eight people dead. The married father of two was described as a heavyweight member of Al-Muhajiroun.

5) Emmanuel Kelly Asamoah

A regular at Al-Muhajiroun rallies, Asamoah was photographed at a 2014 demonstration outside the Indian High Commission in London with extremists including Siddhartha Dhar, who fled to Syria in 2014.

6) Adinan Abdulatif

An extremist from Barking, East London, Abdulatif was involved in credit card fraud with Butt in the months before the London Bridge atrocity. He later pleaded guilty to fraud.

7) Taha Hussain

The 21-year-old from Slough, Berkshire, was jailed for four-and-a-half years in 2017 for making a video outside Windsor Castle in which he pledged to kill non-believers.

8) Ricardo McFarlane

A veteran Al-Muhajiroun preacher, the 32-year-old convert was arrested in 2012 for leading Sharia patrols in East London to impose Islamic law on the streets. He was sentenced to 26 weeks for his role in intimidating people.

Revealed: How London Bridge terror ringleader made mystery calls with a man, 33, in the hours before rampage

The mastermind of the London Bridge terror cell Khuram Butt (pictured above) repeatedly communicated with a 33-year-old man from East London in the hours before the deadly rampage

The mastermind of the London Bridge terror cell repeatedly communicated with a 33-year-old man from East London in the hours before the deadly rampage, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Irfan Saeed, who lives in a council flat in Newham, was in contact with killer Khuram Butt, 27, by phone and text message in the five hours before the knife-wielding gang of fanatics went on a murder spree that left eight people dead.

Evidence submitted to the inquest into the attack on June 3, 2017, details how Butt called Saeed just after 5pm, shortly after hiring the van that carried him, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Yousef Zaghba, 22, into Central London. Butt also sent a text to Saeed at about the same time.

Saeed texted the terrorist back and then called him unsuccessfully at least six times between 5.10pm and before the rampage began at about 10pm.

Two days after the atrocity  in which the three killers were shot dead by police  Saeed contacted the administrator of a secret WhatsApp group of which both he and Butt were members to request all the content be deleted because police were making arrests in Newham.

The WhatsApp group was called ILMA  meaning knowledge in Arabic  and was used to share extremist material.

The WhatsApp group was called ILMA  meaning knowledge in Arabic  and was used to share extremist material. The inquest at the Old Bailey was told how Saeed was among 22 people arrested in connection with the London Bridge rampage [File photo]

The inquest at the Old Bailey was told how Saeed was among 22 people arrested in connection with the London Bridge rampage.

None was charged but a file on Saeed was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service because detectives suspected he knew about the attack before it was launched, yet did nothing to stop it  an offence that carries a sentence of up to five years.

Saeed, who could not be contacted for comment, has denied any wrongdoing. The inquest continues.Jeremy Corbyn was last night branded a risk to Britains national security after accusing the Government of trying to stir up conflict in the Gulf.

The hard-Left Labour leader suggested there was no credible evidence that Iran was responsible for the attacks on two oil tankers, which have dramatically heightened tensions in the region.

But Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt backed US claims that the Tehran regime was almost certainly behind Thursdays incident, a view supported by video footage released by Washington.

The hard-Left Labour leader suggested there was no credible evidence that Iran was responsible for the attacks on two oil tankers, which have dramatically heightened tensions in the region

The Foreign Office said no other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible, and that there was a recent precedent for attacks by Iran against oil tankers.

The view echoes the assessment of the US, which has firmly blamed Iran for the damage done to the Kokuka Courageous and Front Altair vessels  a claim Tehran denies.

But the peacenik opposition leader took to social media on Friday evening and declared: Britain should act to ease tensions in the Gulf, not fuel a military escalation that began with US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt backed US claims that the Tehran regime was almost certainly behind Thursdays incident, a view supported by video footage released by Washington

Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the Governments rhetoric will only increase the threat of war.

His comments were branded as pathetic and predictable by Mr Hunt.

Leading a chorus of condemnation from all six of the Conservative leadership contenders, he said: Why can he never bring himself to back British allies, British intelligence or British interests? We actually have video evidence that shows what the Iranians have been doing.

For Jeremy Corbyn, its all Americas fault. And this is the same man, by the way, who refused to condemn Vladimir Putin after the Salisbury Novichok attacks.

Boris Johnson said the comments set new records for bad judgment by seeming to take the side against our number-one ally, the United States of America, in favour of the Iran Revolutionary Guard of Tehran. Is that the kinda guy we want in Downing Street? Absolutely not.

The view echoes the assessment of the US, which has firmly blamed Iran for the damage done to the Kokuka Courageous and Front Altair vessels  a claim Tehran denies

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

Michael Gove added that Mr Corbyn is not fit to be trusted with our national security, while Home Secretary Sajid Javid blasted: Why is Jeremy Corbyn never on the side of the country he seeks to lead?

Claiming Mr Corbyn himself was a security risk to Britain, Mr Javid added: Never mind whether hes qualified to be PM of our great country  based on his past associations alone, Corbyn wouldnt even qualify for a Home Office building pass.

Dominic Raab said: Yet again Jeremy Corbyn allows his anti-American prejudice to skew his moral compass, and Rory Stewart added: Jeremy Corbyn is wrong.

Last night one Labour MP blamed Mr Corbyns paid performances on Iranian state television before he became party leader as clouding his judgment.

They told The Mail on Sunday: Corbyn has been paid by the Iranian government to appear on their state propaganda channel. Jewish MPs are being wrongly accused of being in the pay of Israel and he is literally in the pay of Iran.

Mr Corbyn has previously defended receiving 20,000 to appear on Irans Press TV as recently as 2012.Saudi Arabia's crown prince blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers off the region's coast as he called for a 'decisive stand' to be made.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said his kingdom does not want a war in the region but 'will not hesitate to deal with threats to its people', according to Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

The attacks, which saw two oil tankers targeted on Thursday, have raised fears of confrontation in Iran after the US also blamed the region.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said his kingdom does not want a war in the region but 'will not hesitate to deal with threats to its people', according to the Saudi owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. Pictured at a Arab summit at al-Safa Royal Palace in Mecca

The US have also claimed Iranians fired a missile at a US drone in the area hours before the attack but missed, an official told CNN.

The tankers were attacked in strikes south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route and major transit route for oil.

Explosions damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran.

He had been trying to help ease rising tensions between the US and Iran.

'The Iranian regime did not respect the Japanese prime minister's visit to Tehran and while he was there replied to his efforts by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese,' Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the Saudi-owned newspaper.

Explosions damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran

'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,' he added.

Tehran and Washington have both said they have no interest in war - but this has done little to assuage concerns the arch foes could stumble in to conflict.

In comments published early on Sunday, the Crown Prince also said the kingdom's strategic relations with the United States would not be affected by 'media campaigns or some stances published by US 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.The victims of a notorious Rochdale grooming gang have been 'failed again' after it emerged four men have still not been deported a decade after preying on girls as young as 12.

Shabir Ahmed, 66, Qari Abdul Rauf, 50, Abdul Aziz, 48 and Adil Khan, 49, were among nine men convicted in 2012 of a catalogue of serious sex offences against vulnerable victims in Rochdale.

As the only groomers to have dual UK-Pakistani citizenship, they were at risk of being deported back to Pakistan - but none of the four appear to have been deported or be facing deportation.

Shabir Ahmed, left, and Adil Khan were among nine men to have been convicted of grooming girls in Rochdale in 2012. Along with Abdul Aziz and Qari Abdul Rauf, they were the only members of the gang to have dual British and Pakistani citizenship which means they could be deported by authorities given the serious nature of their crimes

Abdul Aziz and Qari Abdul Rauf, pictured, also have dual citizenship. The Home Office refused to comment whether deportation proceedings were active against any of the four men

Ahmed, known as 'Daddy' in the gang, is still serving a 22-year jail term for rape but Rauf is back living at his home address in Rochdale and Aziz has also been seen in the town, locals say.

Khan's exact whereabouts are not known.

One woman who was abused wet herself and ran into a shop after spotting her attacker in the town centre recently, according to locals, and another victim bumped into her abuser in a nightclub only last week.

The Home Office will not say whether a decision has been made to deport any of the four.

A spokeswoman said: 'We do not routinely comment on individual cases.'

Maggie Oliver, the detective who resigned from Greater Manchester Police and turned whistle-blower over the botched Rochdale inquiry, said: 'It doesn't surprise me they won't be straight with their answers after all this time because they don't want a public backlash.

'Ultimately the truth does have a way of coming out. The process most of these girls have been through has led them to expect very, very little from the authorities.

'They expect nothing and are not disappointed. They have been failed again and again and again.

'They do see some of these men around Rochdale on a fairly regular basis.

'It is really distressing for them, there's nothing that the girls can do. It's actually disgraceful.'

In 2016, then-home secretary Theresa May ruled it would be 'conducive to the public good' to deprive the four of the right to remain in the UK.

They then fought, and lost, a long legal battle against deprivation of UK citizenship, losing a final Court of Appeal ruling in July last year.

Eight judges, including the Master of the Rolls Lord Justice Sales, have now heard their case and upheld rulings all four should lose UK citizenship rights.

It has been heard across a series of hearings spanning three years, for most of which the four were legally aided.

Theresa May, who was Home Secretary when the men were jailed said the four dual citizens should be deported

At a previous hearing, judges noted the decision to strip an individual of UK citizenship, called a deprivation order, does not automatically lead to deportation order.

They said it was 'reasonable to assume', however, that a deprivation order is a prelude to a deportation.

Lawyers said it is probable the four will invoke the European Convention on Human Rights to argue their right to a family life would be impinged if they were removed from the UK.

Ms Oliver added: 'Once you commit these horrific offences your human rights should come second.

'It makes me really angry and it's really upsetting whey you think what they have done that they even have any rights.'

Former taxi driver Aziz, a father-of-three, regularly took his young victim to different flats around Rochdale, where she was plied with cannabis and vodka and coerced into sex with men who paid him cash.

Referred to as 'The Master' by the gang, he played a 'leading role' in the grooming.

Jailed for nine years in May 2012, he was released in December 2015 after serving three years and seven months.

Rauf, a father-of-five, trafficked a 15-year-old girl for sex, driving her to secluded areas to have sex with her in his taxi and ferry her to a flat in Rochdale where he and others had sex with her.

He was jailed for six years and released in November 2014 after serving two years and six months of his sentence.

A neighbour told the Press Association he has a night-time driving job.

Khan got a girl, 13, pregnant but denied he was the father then met another girl, 15, and trafficked her to others using violence when she complained.

He was sentenced to eight years, released in 2016 and was last known to be living in Manchester.

For two years from early 2008, girls as young as 12 were plied with alcohol and drugs and gang-raped in rooms above takeaway shops and ferried to different flats in taxis where cash was paid to use the girls.

Police said as many as 47 girls were groomed.

Nazir Afzal, the lawyer credited with pursuing the groomers, overturning an earlier decision not to prosecute, said: 'I am concerned that despite the efforts that have been made to ensure they are no longer a threat to women and girls in this country, that they remain in this country and the process continues and is prolonged.'

Billy Howarth, founder of Parents Against Grooming UK in Rochdale, said: 'We demand an explanation as to why they have not been deported.

'That was one of the promises, that these men would be removed from the country so they would not have to set eyes on them again.

'People are going mad over it, especially the people who live on the same streets with them.'

A spokeswoman for current Home Secretary, Rochdale-born Sajid Javid, has been approached for comment.

A staff member at the office for Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd said no-one was available for comment.Two Illinois sisters decided to donate their kidneys 24 hours apart to total strangers after their own father passed away in need of a kidney transplant.

Bethany and Hannah Goralski, 25 and 24-years-old, both underwent their surgeries in March 2019 at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Their father, Mark Goralski, passed away in September 2018 from kidney failure as a result of his long battle with Crohn's disease.

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Bethany and Hannah Goralski, 25 and 24-years-old, both underwent their surgeries in March 2019 at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago

Their father, Mark Goralski (center), passed away in September 2018 from kidney failure as a result of his long battle with Crohn's disease

Mark had already undergone a transplant in 2011 - thanks to his son Josh - but when seeing if he could withstand another, Bethany said that doctors 'told us at the time he wasn't healthy enough for a transplant.'

Bethany had been prepared to give her kidney to her father before the news from the doctors.

And following their father's death, Hannah called the hospital to arrange their anonymous appointments.

'You are just in a lull and a loss and you're thinking about what am I going to do to stop thinking about this person,' Hannah Goralski said to Good Morning America.

Following their father's death, Hannah called the hospital to arrange their anonymous appointments

'My dad was always giving, he was always helping others. And I thought what a great way to honor him.'

'Knowing a lot of people who have been affected by organ transplant, it felt selfish to keep my kidney.'

Bethany added: 'I hope he would be really proud. We just want to make sure two less families had to go through what we went through.'

Both women hope their story will encourage other young people to become organ donors.

Mark (center left) had already undergone a transplant in 2011 - thanks to his son Josh (center) - but when seeing if he could withstand another, Bethany (right) said that doctors 'told us at the time he wasn't healthy enough for a transplant'

'I would tell them to do it, I don't regret it one bit,' Bethany said. 'We're young and healthy, so my recovery was only about 10 days.'

Her sister added that 'the age I did it was very ideal.'

'I've never had any major health issues,' Hannah said. 'I've only ever had my wisdom teeth removed so this was my first surgery ... I felt like I bounced back very quickly.'

Hannah noted that while there are 'definitely risks for women like preeclampsia ... all women are at risk for that anyway.'

Hannah said that if her that her father 'was in this position, I think he would have done the exact same thing, he was always helping others'

'I thought why wait, if someone's dying now and I can help them now, hopefully by then when I'm older I'll look back and say, 'I'm glad I didn't wait.

But the 24-year-old shared that it 'definitely feels amazing,' being able to help someone's life.

'I am definitely in my prayers every night and thinking about the people that received my kidney,' she said. 'And thinking about the possible chain that this started.'

She continued that if her father 'was in this position, I think he would have done the exact same thing, he was always helping others.'

'I know he would be proud,' she said.Electric shared scooters arrived in Chicago on June 15, 2019, after months of planning by the city. The four-month pilot program spread 10 scooter companies throughout 50 square miles on the West, Northwest and Southwest sides of the city.

(Chicago Tribune)The Government may have to pay out hundreds of millions of pounds in unclaimed benefits as a result of the row over scrapping free TV licences for pensioners.

Under the new rule, only over-75s who receive Pension Credit will be eligible for a free licence from next year.

Publicity over the BBC's controversial decision has led to a surge in enquiries from concerned elderly people seeking advice on how to claim the credit so they obtain a free licence.

Charity Age UK has revealed it has been 'inundated' with calls.

The latest Government figures show 650,000 Britons aged 75 and over are eligible for Pension Credit but are not claiming it  about 1.6 billion in 2016-17.

Controversial: The BBC decision to limit the licence fee has proved to be controversial

An increase in Pension Credit claims would also have a knock-on effect for the BBC, as fewer people would be liable to pay for a TV licence.

The Corporation said on Monday that it would strip 3.7 million pensioners of their free licences.

Director-General Tony Hall announced the move, calling it a 'difficult' decision but one that was 'fairest to the poorest'.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: 'Ever since the BBC announced its decision to means-test the free TV licence from June 2020, we have been inundated with phone calls, emails and petition sign ups'

Currently, over-75s are exempt from the 154.50-a-year charge  amounting to 4.6 million households. From June next year, the BBC will give free TV licences only to those over-75s who are on Pension Credit  a benefit currently claimed by 900,000 people.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: 'Ever since the BBC announced its decision to means-test the free TV licence from June 2020, we have been inundated with phone calls, emails and petition sign ups, to the extent that our IT has sometimes struggled to cope.

'While it's true that every new successful Pension Credit claim will increase the BBC and the Government's bills, we fear hundreds of thousands of older people on low incomes will still miss out.'

Last night, an Age UK petition against the proposal reached half a million signatures.

Consumer campaigner Martin Lewis said: 'Pension Credit is a poorly claimed benefit  let's see this as a clarion call to improve take-up.'

Helen Morrissey, of insurer Royal London, says: 'The coverage of the BBC's decision may well prompt a spike in pension credit enquiries.

Ricky Tomlinson (fourth left) joins protesters outside BBC Media City in Salford, Greater Manchester, at the broadcaster's decision to axe free TV licences for 3.7 million pensioners

'Pension credit is there to help the poorest, and not claiming means they are missing out on valuable top-ups to their income, as well as a host of other benefits, such as discounts on utilities, cold weather payments and free dental care.'

The Department for Work and Pensions used to shoulder the bill for free licences. However, as part of a deal struck in 2015, the then chancellor George Osborne offloaded the responsibility on to the BBC.

How can you claim Pension Credit (and get a free television licence) The decision to end free television licences for all over-75s will have alerted many to the existence of Pension Credit. But what is it, whos eligible and how can you claim it? The benefit, intended as an add to the state pension for those who need it, comes in two parts. Guarantee Credit tops up weekly income to 167.25 for single people and 255.25 for couples, and is available to pensioners whose income is below these amounts. Savings Credit is available only to those who reached retirement age before April 2016 and who have also made some provision in the way of savings for their retirement. The maximum amounts are 13.72 a week for a single person and 15.35 for couples, but the more savings you have, the less youll get. The fastest way to claim is by calling 0800 99 1234, providing your National Insurance number, your income, investments and savings. Claims can be backdated for up to three months and you can apply up to four months before reaching state pension age. Advertisement

By doing so, the Government saddled the broadcaster with a potential bill of 745 million in 2021, rising to more than 1 billion by 2029.

Meanwhile, the BBC has been accused of timing its announcement last Monday in the hope of pressuring candidates for the Conservative leadership to reverse Osborne's decision. The BBC denies the claim.

However insiders at Age UK said that although it had been expecting a decision in June, the charity was only given two hours' notice of the BBC's announcement.

A Government source said the announcement 'was a little earlier than anticipated' and 'Ministers were not given very much notice.'

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen  who has long campaigned to decriminalise non-payment of the licence fee  last night said that the timing of the BBC's announcement 'was clearly an issue'.

'Effectively the BBC is holding a gun to the Government's head and we don't give in to that,' he added. 'I think the BBC thought it was a good day to bury news.

'We have effectively no Prime Minister at the moment and effectively no policy on this issue.

'The BBC are trying to blame the Conservative Government for the loss of the 750 million a year they are going to take from the pockets of the over-75s when it's clearly the BBC reneging on the agreement of charter renewal.'

Mr Bridgen said that the BBC had been only too happy to accept the additional responsibility at the time of the agreement.

A BBC spokesman said: 'This is untrue. In our consultation document in November we said we aimed to make a decision by June 2019, and that is exactly what we have done, so to suggest the timing is related to leadership issues is complete rubbish.

'An announcement in June was widely expected by the media who have followed the issue and as the Board made its decision last week, the responsible thing to do was to make that public, and to give both us and those people affected a full year to prepare for these changes.'Their heads protected by safety helmets in case of falling debris, the Archbishop of Paris and a priest celebrate mass at Notre-Dame in the first service since the devastating fire that shocked the world two months ago.

Dispensing with his mitre, Archbishop Michel Aupetit presided over the service with 30 other clerics and officials, the maximum number allowed under current conditions.

The mass took place in a chapel behind the choir, an area that construction experts consider to be safe.

Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit dons a hardhat instead of the traditional mitre as other members of clergy stand in cassocks and construction helmets to worship in Saturday's mass - the first since the inferno swept through the church two months ago

Last week, Frances Culture Minister, Franck Riester, said the 850-year-old cathedral  one of the countrys most famous landmarks  remains in a fragile state.

The annual Dedication Mass commemorated Notre-Dames consecration as a place of worship. Mr Aupetit said: This cathedral is a place of worship, it is its very own and unique purpose.

One French priest called the service true happiness, full of hope.

Father Pierre Vivares, another priest who attended the service, said after the mass: 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.

The cathedral seen today where construction work continues to try and rebuild the decimated roof - members of the reconstruction team have been invited to worship at tonight's mass

He added: Today its a small but a true victory against the disaster we have had.

In April the world watched in horror as fire engulfed the majestic cathedral.

The blaze is feared to have been started accidentally in the scaffolding that had been erected for renovation work on the cathedrals spire.

President Emmanuel Macron pledged to rebuild Notre-Dame within the next five years, and donation pledges of 757 million were made within days by wealthy French philanthropists and companies.

However, last week, Mr Riester, revealed that only ten per cent of the money pledged has been paid so far.A British backpacker was forced to flee after her boss threatened to rape while she was working in a hostel to get her second year working holiday visa.

Frances Fairs said that as soon as she arrived at the hostel in regional Victoria, she knew it wasn't going to be easy.

The place was filthy - the stained mattresses were riddled with bed bugs and there were holes in the walls.

But Ms Fairs needed to complete 88 days working in the area to be able to stay in Australia for a second year.

During the first few weeks living and working at the hostel her boss became increasingly inappropriate and started making unwanted sexual advances.

British backpacker Frances Fairs fled in fear from a hostel in regional Victoria after her boss threatened to rape her

Ms Fairs felt uncomfortable, but she hadn't been paid yet, so she stayed.

She worked tirelessly washing sheets and cleaning the rooms for the guests who, like her, were completing the visa requirement to stay in the country.

But then, days before Christmas, Ms Fairs was forced to flee, fearing for her safety.

'He called me into his office and was like 'right, here is the deal; you either sleep with me and my girlfriend or I rape you, pick one?' she told ABC.

She got a taxi to the train station but didn't have enough to cover her ticket.

After explaining what had happened to the driver, he let her board for free.

'He said ''that is absolutely fine, you just go to the train station. Let them know that I have let you on for free, they will sort you out with the money, but I will make sure you get there safely''.

'It was like he had seen it before,' she said.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung died in the bathroom of her hostel room where she ran to escape her killer

Mia Ayliffe-Chung was brutally stabbed to death in August 2016 by a French backpacker at a hostel in Home Hill (hostel room pictured)

There are fears that incidents similar to Ms Fairs' will become more common once the working visa is extended.

From July 1, under the 417 visa, working holiday makers can stay a third year by completing additional time doing farm work.

Rosie Ayliffe has been urging for more regulation after he daughter Mia was killed three-months into her trip in Australia.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung was stabbed to death in August 2016 by a French backpacker at a hostel in Home Hill, south of Townsville in Queensland's north-east.

Mrs Ayliffe said the Federal Government needs to ensure that every hostel was safe and that working holiday visa holders were not at risk being exploited.

Department of Home Affairs told Daily Mail Australia the Australian Government was committed to ensuring migrant workers are protected from exploitation on abuse, regardless of their citizenship or visa status.

It said working holiday-makers working anywhere in Australia were entitled to the same basic rights and protections as Australian citizens and permanent residents.

'Employers who engage in criminal conduct against temporary residents are subject to the full force of Australian criminal law.

'Tackling foreign worker exploitation and the exploitation of Australias migration system are operational priorities for the Australian Border Force (ABF).

'The ABF works closely with partner agencies targeting foreign worker exploitation by applying the full spectrum of enforcement measures, ranging from education, compliance and monitoring activities through to criminal prosecution.'The father of a 17-year-old girl who was attacked by a shark off the North Carolina coast earlier this month 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 near his daughter, Paige, 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.

Winter dove in and grabbed his daughter, pulling a shark up out of the water along with her at Fort Macon State Park.

'It was a big shark ... I immediately just started to hit it,' he said at a press conference Friday. 'I don't know how many times I punched it, but I hit it with everything I could and it let go.'

Charlie Winter describes how he grabbed his daughter Paige, 17, by her upper body to get her loose from a shark's grip during a press conference, Friday in Greenville, North Carolina

Winters added his daughter had been attempting to pry open shark's mouth with her hands

Then the former paramedic ran for shore, applying pressure on his daughter's badly injured leg with a by-passer's belt after the shark chased him 'at arm's length,' he said.

In the struggle, Winter added that his daughter had been attempting to pry open the shark's mouth with her hands.

Afterward, the Havelock Fire Rescue firefighter 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. 'I dont think Ive ever told any of my children "I love you" so many times. I wanted her to know I loved her.'

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.

The student at New Bern High School will be fitted with a prosthetic limb and will have to learn how to walk again.

Father Charlie Winter said he heard teenagers swimming around shout, 'Paige! Shark! Get her!'

Father saw only a five-foot trail of pink blood in the water at Atlantic Beach, dove in and grabbed his daughter, pulling shark up with her

The dad said he fought off the 'big shark' by hitting what was one of two he saw in the water

Winter said he saw two sharks in the water just after the attack, but doesn't know what types of sharks they were.

'Things just seemed to happen in a very odd way or else shed be gone,' Charlie Winter said. "What is somebody hadnt been walking by with a belt? What if East Care wasnt available because they were on another call? What if, what if, what if, what if, what if.'

Attacks like this are rare, according to Eric Toschlog, chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Vidant Medical Center. He was one of the doctors who treated Paige.

'I have not seen a wound of this severity, ever,' Toschlog said, adding that there are usually only two or three attacks off North Carolina every year.

According to the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida in Gainesville, a research organization that tracks shark bite reports worldwide, there were a total of 32 unprovoked shark attacks in the United States in 2018, making up 48 percent of the worldwide total. The number was down from 53 attacks in 2017.

Despite her injuries, doctors said Paige is in good spirits and should complete physical therapy and rehabilitation within six to 12 months.

Former paramedic ran for shore, applying pressure on daughter's injured leg while the shark chased him 'at arm's length'

Winters said his 'tough' daughter tried to pry open the shark's mouth with her hands

It was likely a bull shark attack, based on tooth markings found on her bones

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.

Calling herself the 'same old Paigey' she will have to learn to write again noe her pinky and ring fingers are gone.

'I think I can transform this into something good for me, and good for sharks, and good for the environment, Paige said as she revealed shes received support from other survivors of shark attacks.

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.

Last year, North Carolina had three confirmed shark attacks, according to the International Shark Attack File.

'Im not a hero, Im a dad,' Charlie Winter said. He added about her daughter: 'She lost her leg, not her spirit.'

The teenager's left leg and two fingers on her left hand were amputated after the shark attack

Paige should complete physical therapy and rehabilitation within six to 12 monthsDozens of members of a Jimmy Buffet fan club from Oklahoma reportedly fell ill during a trip in April to the Dominican Republic - where at least seven American tourists have died under mysterious circumstances.

One of the Buffet fans, Dana Flowers, says he got so sick that he lost 14 pounds and was unable to leave his room at the Hotel Riu Palace Macao in Punta Cana.

Flowers, a local travel agent from Oklahoma City, traveled to Punta Cana as part of the Central Oklahoma Parrothead Association, a group of Buffet fanatics from the Tulsa and Oklahoma City region.

Four or five days we were having a good time but then by the middle of the week people were beginning to get sick, he told KFOR-TV.

Dana Flowers, a travel agent from Oklahoma City, says he and a large group of fellow Jimmy Buffet fans got sick during a vacation to the Dominican Republic in April

Flowers traveled to Punta Cana with the Central Oklahoma Parrothead Association, a group of Buffet fanatics from the Tulsa and Oklahoma City region

The group stayed at the Hotel Riu Palaca Macao in Punta Cana (seen in the above stock image)

Out of those 114 people, 47 got sick there.

Flowers said another member of their entourage died after going to another hotel.

At the time, however, nobody knew that it was the beginning of a rash of strange incidents involving American tourists.

"We had no idea when we were there that all this was going on," Flowers said.

He said that local doctors believed it might be a parasite. Although Flowers tested negative for salmonella, others in the group tested positive.

He believes that people in the group got sick either from something they drank at the swim-up pool bar or from swimming in the pool.

Flowers says hes just thankful that nobody died.

I will not be going back to the Dominican any time soon, he said.

Flowers' story is similar to the one told by a newlywed couple.

The bride and groom say that earlier this month they 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.

According to Flowers, 47 of the 114 people in his travel group got sick during the vacation

Flowers said he was so sick that he lost 14 pounds and was unable to leave his room

Flowers believes that guests got sick either from drinks at the swim-up pool bar or by swimming in the pool

He said that local doctors believed it might be a parasite. Although Flowers tested negative for salmonella, others in the group tested positive

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 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.

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

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.'

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.

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

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 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.

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 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 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.

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

'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.'

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.

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

'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.

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.

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 2019: Dozens of people traveling with a Jimmy Buffet fan group from Oklahoma falls ill at the Hotel Riu Palace Macao in Punta Cana. 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

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.President Trump was in a Twitter frenzy on Saturday, denying reports that the United States has increased cyber attacks on Russia.

Donald Trump was furious at reports that the Pentagon maneuvered around him to carry out the attacks on Russia in fear he would cancel the operation or engage with talks with Vladimir Putin.

'Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia,' Trump said in the Saturday tweet thread.

Donald Trump took to his Twitter to deny that the United States was engaged in cyber attacks on Russia

'Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia,' Trump said in the tweet

'This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country...ALSO, NOT TRUE!

Trump continued with a tirade on the 'Corrupt News Media' of today.

He added: 'They will do, or say, whatever it takes, with not even the slightest thought of consequence! These are true cowards and without doubt, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!'

The charged commentary comes after the NYT released a report that included three months of interviews with both former and current government officials.

He added: 'This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country...ALSO, NOT TRUE!'

His fury appears to come from fear of missing out. The New York Times reported that a new provision added to the military authorization bill that passed last summer allows for 'clandestine military activity' to be authorized without presidential approval (Trump's motorcade on Saturday)

While giving specifics on 'American computer code inside Russias grid,' the publication also reported that two administration officials believed that Trump hadn't been briefed on the on the 'implants.'

'Pentagon and intelligence officials described broad hesitation to go into detail with Mr. Trump about operations against Russia for concern over his reaction  and the possibility that he might countermand it or discuss it with foreign officials, as he did in 2017 when he mentioned a sensitive operation in Syria to the Russian foreign minister,' the New York Times reported.

Under a new provision added to the military authorization bill that passed last summer, 'clandestine military activity' can be authorized by the defense secretary without special presidential approval.

Many see the new add on as a way to check Trump in some of his more friendlier dealings, especially given his close relationship with Vladimir Putin.

Last summer, Trump issued a new authorities to the United States Cyber Command. The Cyber Command is a wing under the Pentagon which focuses on the military's online operations.

General Paul Nakasone, commander of Cyber Command, now has the power to conduct offensive operations without the presidential approval.Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says he doesn't know whether any of the murderers and rapists he warned would come to Australia under refugee medical evacuation laws have in fact come.

Mr Dutton said just over 30 asylum seekers have been transported from Manus Island and Nauru to Australia under the laws that passed parliament in February against the government's wishes.

None of them have gone to Christmas Island, where the government reopened a detention centre at a cost of $185 million to cope with the anticipated high number of asylum seekers claiming illness to get to Australia under the new law.

Home Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) says just over 30 asylum seekers have been transported from Manus Island and Nauru to Australia under the laws that passed parliament in February against the government's wishes

Amid debate around the legislation in February, Mr Dutton released advice from security agencies the laws would allow people in the centres accused of serious crimes to come to Australia for medical treatment.

But asked on Sunday whether any of these people had come, he said: 'I don't know the answer to that question in terms of the concerns that we have about individuals.'

The government intends to scrap the medivac law soon after the new parliament convenes in July, and Mr Dutton said he understood Labor was now open to supporting that repeal or a winding back of its provisions.

None of them have gone to Christmas Island, where the government reopened a detention centre with much fanfare and a $185 million price tag to cope with the flood of sick asylum seekers it asserted would arrive. (stock image of Phosphate Hill Detention Centre on Christmas Island, July 2012)

Mr Dutton also indicated the deal with the United States to resettle up to 1250 refugees has nearly played out.

He said 531 people had left Nauru and Manus Island to make new homes in the US and a further 295 were approved to go and were waiting on travel arrangements.

Another 95 people had either pulled out of the Americans' 'extreme vetting' process or turned down resettlement offers.

The government intends to scrap the medevac law soon after the new parliament convenes in July, and Mr Dutton said he understood Labor was now open to supporting that repeal or a winding back of its provisions (pictured North West Point Detention Centre on Christmas Island)

'If we can get those 95 across the line, then we get closer to zero (people left on Manus and Nauru),' Mr Dutton said.

'I don't think we'll get to the 1250 because there's been ... over 300 that have been rejected by the United States for various reasons.'

When the deal was struck between then leaders Malcolm Turnbull and Barack Obama, it was understood Australia would offer a quid pro quo by taking some asylum seekers from the US, expected to come from camps in Costa Rica.

Mr Turnbull later told US President Donald Trump that under the deal, 'We are taking people from the previous administration that they were very keen on getting out of the United States... We will take anyone that you want us to take.'

Mr Dutton also indicated the deal with the United States to resettle up to 1250 refugees has nearly played out. He said 531 people had left Nauru and Manus Island to make new homes in the US and a further 295 were approved to go and were waiting on travel arrangements (pictured US President Donald Trump)

Australia has settled two Rwandan men accused of murder who were in legal limbo in the US, although the government insists they passed stringent security checks.

But on Sunday Mr Dutton denied Australia was taking anyone from the US in exchange.

'Under the arrangement that we had with the United States ... there were people coming from Nauru and Manus to the United States, and not people coming this way,' he said.

'We don't have plans to bring any others from America at this stage.'

However, he did say Australia was having discussions with the US and United Nations about 'cases that might be very hard, intractable in some circumstances' as a participant in the global migration model, but he insisted this was separate to the refugee settlement deal.New York college professor, Ari Nagel  also known as The Sperminator  has made his 50th semen donation.

The 43-year-old picked Kaienja Garrick as the mother to his latest child  who has already been named Kaidee.

Mother-to-be Kaienja, 18, is currently homeless and stays at East River Family Center in East Harlem.

The little girl due July 12 will be the 15th baby he has helped conceive in just one year and he deposited his contribution shortly after they met at Manhattan Beach last fall after she found his services online.

'I will never forget the day I conceive you you,' Garrick posted on Facebook on Mother's Day last month about the day Nagel left his donation in a cup.

Ari Nagel  also known as The Sperminator  has made his 50th semen donation. He is pictured with mother-to-be Kaienja Garrick (center right), her partner Decontee Slobert (left) and her seven-year-old sister (right)

Garrick said about her daughter Kaidee - due July 12 - 'I will never forget the day I conceive you you'. Nagel deposited his sperm into a cup shortly after meeting her on Manhattan Beach, New York last year

CUNY math professor Nagel, 43, already has 48 children from mothers around the world

City University of New York math professor Nagel's brood currently adds up to 48 - and he famously donates sperm for free.

Garrick - who is in a same-sex relationship - was inspired to get pregnant because she practically raised her seven-year-old sister before moving out of her mother's Jamaica, Queens home due to arguments, she says.

She searched online to avoid paying out big money to conceive.

'May not be here yet but just know both of your mothers' love you and we just can't wait to meet you kaidee see you soon my princess & happy mother's Day to all the amazing mothers aunts grandmothers nieces cousins or however you are considered a mother,' Garrick added in a Facebook post.

She and her girlfriend Decontee Slobert are getting ready for the arrival by asking people to buy items from a baby registry that add up to more than $2,000.

Her Georgia-based father Keron Garrick helped plan a baby shower in May where Nagel was present and gifted her a Google reading device.

Some of Nagel's other mothers attended the shower but Garrick arrived late and didn't get to meet them all.

Kaidee Aria Slobert will be raised in an apartment after Garrick and her homeless partner get a voucher for accommodation

The teenagers attended prom on Friday as 'pregnant mommies' and Nagel thinks they'll make great parents

The homeless parents-to-be are asking people for gifts that amount to around $2,000

'They were great and I'm so grateful,' she told the New York Post about the encounter, adding that she'll get her child to inquire about the backgrounds of potential dates because Nagel 'has so many kids, you don't know who the siblings could be'.

'Thank you so much ari if it wasn't for you there would be no kaidee,' the expectant teen posted on Facebook alongside images of gift unwrapping and a cake featuring the baby scan.

Garrick and her partner  who lives at another shelter with her mother and brother - attended her prom as 'pregnant mommies' Friday but Nagel had no idea how old the A. Philip Randolph Campus High School student was when he said yes to fathering her child, nor did he care.

'I never asked her age  I try to help whoever asks. I think Kai is more mature than I was at her age after everything she has been through,' he told the New York Post.

He added about her living situation: 'I think it's a nice shelter. It's probably nicer than my apartment.'

Garrick  who will receive her high school diploma through the Department of Education's Pathways to Graduation program this month - and her unemployed partner plan on getting an apartment voucher through a case worker.

Nagel's other co-parents attended Garrick baby shower last month but she didn't meet them all as she was late

Nagel said: 'Although I struggle financially, I feel rich with joy and love and am so blessed to be a part of so many wonderful families'

Nagel said: 'It would be crazy if I was raising them on my own, but there are over 50 amazing, loving moms that are doing a great job raising the children'

While Slobert isn't at school at the moment, she intends to finish high school one day and get work as an engineer.

The Sperminator thinks she'll make a great parent but Garrick's own mother disapproves of the move.

Garrick added she doesn't intend on asking for child support like some of Nagel's other co-parents have.

Just as well  Nagel hinted he may not have the funds to provide what she needs.

'Although I struggle financially, I feel rich with joy and love and am so blessed to be a part of so many wonderful families,' Nagel told the Post. 'It would be crazy if I was raising them on my own, but there are over 50 amazing, loving moms that are doing a great job raising the children.'

Nagel's dating profiles state that he is a 6ft 3in Jewish man with a graduate degree who never smokes but sometimes drinks alcohol and works out.

The Leo who lives in Brooklyn asks: 'Are you ready to make love your greatest aim? I want to meet someone who will experience the joy of falling in love with me and then you will get it back in abundance.'

Nagel's dating profiles state that he is a 6ft 3in Jewish man with a graduate degree who never smokes but sometimes drinks alcohol and works out

The Leo who lives in Brooklyn asks: 'Are you ready to make love your greatest aim? I want to meet someone who will experience the joy of falling in love with me and then you will get it back in abundance'Rain, hail and storms are forecast across Australia's east coast in the coming days while northern parts of the nation continue to swelter through 30C winter days.

Sydneysiders have been warned to brace for 25mm of rain within hours on Sunday afternoon, with the wet weather set to continue well into Monday.

Meanwhile, Queenslanders woke up this morning to a city covered in thick, grey fog and light showers, which are also expected to continue into early next week.

Both Sydney and Brisbane have been warned to expect thunderstorms on Sunday evening, with the possibility of hail in Sydney.

Rain, hail and storms are forecast across Australia's east coast in the coming days while northern parts of the nation continue to swelter through 30C winter days

Both Sydney and Brisbane have been warned to expect thunderstorms on Sunday evening, with the possibility of hail in Sydney

Sydneysiders have been warned to brace for 25mm of rain within hours on Sunday afternoon, with the wet weather set to continue well into Monday

By Monday night the cold front is expected to travel south to greet Melburnians.

The city can expected showers and storms by Tuesday, with the potential for hail in the morning and afternoon in southern suburbs.

Hobart is also expected to receive the full brunt of the cold front by Tuesday, with a 95 per cent chance of rain, hail and storms predicted.

While the winter chill lashes the east coast of Australia, residents in Darwin in the Northern Territory are still sweltering through weather in excess of 30C.

Temperatures for the week ahead range from 30C to 32C with clear skies.

At present, there is a zero per cent chance of rain in the state this week.

Queenslanders woke up this morning to a city covered in thick, grey fog and light showers, which are also expected to continue into early next week

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Elli Blandford told Daily Mail Australia that the weather for NSW is average for this time of yea

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Elli Blandford told Daily Mail Australia that the weather for NSW is average for this time of year.

'Being winter, it isn't particularly unusual to get periods of rainfall throughout the week.

'In Sydney today and tomorrow we've got a trough sitting just offshore, which is generating those showers at the moment.

In the last 24 hours, Cronulla has experienced 44mm of rainfall.

'By Tuesday it is expected to head out to the Tasman Sea.'

The western parts of NSW are expected to miss out on any of the much needed rain that Sydney will see over the coming days.

But by Tuesday a 'very weak front may move through the very south of the state near the Victorian border,' Ms Blandford said.

If so, it may bring with it some light shower activity.

Queenslanders woke up this morning to a city covered in thick, grey fog and light showers, which are also expected to continue into early next week

'Being winter, it isn't particularly unusual to get periods of rainfall throughout the week,' BoM forecaster Elli Blandford saidA woman is in custody after allegedly trying to mow down her ex-boyfriend with her car before crashing into a house.

The man, known only as Duke, narrowly missed injury after the car veered towards him at the property in Grazing Avenue, in Morphett, in Adelaide's south on Sunday morning at around 5am.

Police arrested the woman after she fled the scene and later confirmed the crash was not a random accident.

Duke, who has two children with the woman aged seven and nine, said he was forced to jump out of the way of the car.

'I don't understand it,' he told The Advertiser.

The woman allegedly tried to run over her ex-boyfriend on Grazing Avenue (pictured) in Adelaide's south

Duke said he had been visiting a friend at the property.

'I'm happy my kids weren't in the car so that's all I'm happy about,' he said.

Two people were reportedly asleep when the car plowed into the bedroom.

Neighbours also heard the commotion and said there was a series of loud bangs.

'We just heard the car  going back and forth, I think, and screeching and crashing and banging,' one neighbour said.

The woman, from Huntfield Heights, received numerous charges including acts to endanger life, property damage and other traffic offences.

The suspect is expected to have bail denied.

The 36-year-old will appear in Christies Beach Magistrates Court on Monday.Were past leaders just better at getting things done or would social medias influence have diminished them too? They were certainly flawed. President Lyndon B. Johnsons best efforts failed in Vietnam; John F. Kennedy had the Bay of Pigs incident; Ronald Reagan stumbled through the Iran-Contra affair.Rachel Dolezal, the race faker and former NAACP leader who was discovered to actually be white, has revealed that she is bisexual.

Dolezal - who legally changed her name to Nkechi Diallo in 2016 - took to her social media to share that 'it still matters to stay visible' even though she was in 'no rush' to be in a relationship.

'My first kiss was with a girl when I was 18,' she said in the post. 'I am bisexual. Just because I have been married (briefly) to a man or have had children by male partners does not mean I am not bi.'

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Rachel Dolezal took to her social media to share that she was bisexual and that 'it still matters to stay visible' even though she was in 'no rush' to be in a relationship

Dolezal appeared to be doing a supportive rallying call for bisexuality, telling readers not to 'ignore or delegitimize the B In LGBTQI'

The 41-year-old added that her bisexuality also didn't make her any less monogamous or 'into threesomes' before describing that she actively sought deeper connections with her partners.

The former civil rights activist continued: 'Ive always been attracted to a certain vibe and the body parts present matter less to me than the heart, soul, compatibility & chemistry.

Dolezal appeared to be doing a supportive rallying call for bisexuality, telling readers not to 'ignore or delegitimize the B In LGBTQI.'

'So, although Ive been single & celibate for 4 years and dont plan to change that any time soon (my life is too complicated & stressful), this is my lil Pride support post to say press on and keep being you to the bi community,' Dolezal added.

Dolezal, onetime president of the NAACP's Spokane chapter, made international headlines in 2015 when her white parents outed her as pretending to be a black woman (pictured in 2017)

Dolezal, onetime president of the NAACP's Spokane chapter, made international headlines in 2015 when her white parents outed her as pretending to be a black woman.

The controversial 'civil rights activist' would later argue that she was 'transracial' - equating her experience to that of being transgender.

She was subsequently dismissed from her position as an Instructor in Africana Studies at Eastern Washington University and has struggled to find work ever since.

Dolezal has even had to resort to doing hair in her own home to make ends meet.

In May 2018, Dolezal was charged with was charged with theft by welfare fraud, perjury and false verification for public assistance.

Court documents alleged that she illegally received $8,747 in food assistance and $100 in child care assistance from August 2015 through November 2017.

Dolezal settled in a Washington court in April, agreeing to pay an undisclosed restitution and complete 120 hours of community service.Iran missed a hit on a US drone watching over the site of the attacked tankers in the Gulf of Oman by 'approximately one kilometer', U.S. Central Command has said.

The MQ-9 had observed the Norwegian Front Altair on fire  which 23 mariners were later rescued from  and a spokesperson said it was likely an attempt to intercept the observation from the incident on Thursday.

'According to our assessment, a modified Iranian SA-7 surface-to-air missile attempted to shoot down a U.S. MQ-9, at 6:45 a.m. local time, June 13, over the Gulf of Oman, to disrupt surveillance of the IRGC attack on the M/T Kokuka Courageous,' CENTCOM's Lt. Col. Earl Brown told ABC News on Saturday.

'The SA-7 was ineffective and its closest point of approach to the MQ-9 was approximately one kilometer. Subsequent analysis indicates that this was a likely attempt to shoot down or otherwise disrupt the MQ-9 surveillance of the IRGC attack on the M/T Kokuka Courageous.'

Iran missed a hit on a US drone watching over site of attacked Gulf of Oman tankers. This undated handout photo provided by the U.S. Air Force shows a MQ-9 Reaper

The MQ-9 had observed the Norwegian Front Altair on fire with 23 mariners on board Thursday

Spokesperson said it was an attempt to intercept observation from Kokuka Courageous attack

The United States has accused the Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of placing mines on the hulls of the Courageous but one did not detonate.

This week video was shared claiming to be IRGC heading back to retrieve the mine that did not go off.

Iran has denied any involvement.

On Saturday the men on board the Front Altair were finally on their way home after being flown to the United Arab Emirates.

A handout photo made available by the US Navy shows sailors aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) rendering aid to the crew of the M/V Kokuka Courageous at sea in the Gulf of Oman

They 'departed Iran, from Bandar Abbas airport, and landed at Dubai International Airport at 1830 CET this afternoon', a Saturday statement said.

A Frontline spokesman said 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 traveling on Sunday.

Dubai ship later rescued international workers but Iran took them into custody. Some mariners from the MT Front Altair looks out the window of a bus after leaving Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday

Crew members of the MT Front Altair are pictured on Saturday night after their Iran Air flight from Bandar Abbas, Iran

It was two days after they were rescued by Hyundai Dubai after the Front Altair caught fire, sending a thick cloud of black smoke visible even by satellite from space.

Iran demanded they be put in their custody.

The order was reportedly denied when the ship's master contacted the Seoul shipping company's headquarters but the master felt he had to oblige to the Iranian men on small boats.

A picture obtained by AFP from the Iranian news agency Tasnim on June 14, 2019 shows what they say are some of the crew of the oil tankers which were targeted in suspected attacks in the Gulf of Oman, after they were reportedly rescued by the Iranian navy

The ships were struck in the same strategic sea lane where four oil vessels were sabotaged last month in attacks Washington blamed on Tehran

It wasn't the first attempt to shoot down a US MQ-9, according to CENTCOM.

Brown stated that another drone over Yemen was successfully targeted by a Houthi SA-6 surface to air missile on June 6.

'The altitude of the engagement indicated an improvement over previous Houthi capability, which we assess was enabled by Iranian assistance,' Brown told ABC News.

The attacks left two tankers in flames, bumping up oil prices and further raising regional tensions triggered by a bitter US-Iran standoff.

The ships were struck in the same strategic sea lane where four oil vessels were sabotaged last month in attacks Washington blamed on Tehran.The teenager who was shot in the arm on a Surfers Paradise balcony had been may have he was targeted for 'playing music too loudly', according to reports.

Hayden Miller, from Coomera, Gold Coast, was standing on a balcony at a hotel located on the corner of Cavill Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway at around 10.45pm on Saturday, when he was shot.

Mr Miller had been celebrating his birthday when an argument about noise broke out between hotel guests and resulted in the 'random' shooting, police said.

Hayden Miller (pictured) from Coomera was shot while he was standing on a hotel balcony on the corner of Cavill Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway around 10.45pm on Saturday

The college student was hit in the upper arm and taken to Gold Coast University Hospital for treatment.

He remains in a stable condition hospital with his mother at his bedside, The Courier Mail reported.

Police, who have labelled the attack as a 'random', believe the shot came from a neighbouring unit in the complex.

A spokesperson for Queensland Police said an investigation into the exact circumstances surrounding the attack were ongoing.

Mr Miller (pictured) had been celebrating the milestone occasion when an argument about noise broke out between hotel guests it's understood

Officers were called to the Gold Coast unit complex at about 10.45pm on Saturday night after reports of the gunshot

'Early indications appear that there may have been loud music playing from the apartment and this happened as result,' the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added initial findings suggested the shooter had not been known to the teenager.

Following reports of a shooting, the surrounding area was placed into lock-down for a number of hours.

The Gold Coast Highway was fully reopened around 2.55am on Sunday.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.

Online jail records did not indicate whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Michael Whyte (left), 58, of Thornton, Colorado was arrested at his home on Thursday for the 1987 killing of Darlene Krashoc (right), 20

Video courtesy of KDVR

Krashoc's body was found behind a Colorado Springs restaurant on March 17, 1987.

Authorities said she was beaten, raped and strangled to death with a coat hanger and leather straps.

Krashoc's autopsy indicated her body may have been thrown from a moving vehicle.

Authorities said she was beaten, raped and strangled to death with a coat hanger and leather straps

Investigators said she had 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.

Investigators said they believe her body had been moved to a spot behind the restaurant, but they did not say where she was killed.

Authorities said they re-opened the investigation twice before, in 2004 and 2011, and found male DNA on several pieces of evidence.

The Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory re-analyzed 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.

The Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory re-analyzed 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 revealed that after identifying Whyte as a possible suspect earlier this year they began tracking him and recovered his DNA from a soft drinks cup he had been using at a fast food restaurant.

They then tested this DNA with evidence they had recovered after reopening the investigation in 2004 and 2011.Belgian teenager Theo Hayez was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey's bar on May 31

The devastated family of a Belgian backpacker who disappeared more than two weeks ago are still holding out hope he'll be found safe.

Theo Hayez was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey's bar in Byron Bay at about 11pm on May 31.

The 18-year-old was looking forward to returning home to start his university course studying maths and science following and eight month trip around Australia.

Instead, he disappeared just 24 hours into his Byron visit.

His mother, Vinciane Delforge, told a French broadcaster in Belgium she is holding out hope her son is safe and well, but said his disappearance is entirely out of character.

'We would love to believe that he met a girl and had a fling... and that's why there's no sign of life,' Ms Delforge said.

The 18-year-old was looking forward to returning home to start his university course studying maths and science following and eight month trip around Australia

'But that just isn't him, that's not his style.'

She said her son was a 'meticulous planner' who had thoroughly researched his gap year to Australia in the months prior to leaving his home town.

'He is a conscientious, organised, responsible and attentive boy,' she said.

Mr Hayez booked his flights and accommodation well in advance, mapping out his route across Australia and left little to chance.

His mother, Vinciane Delforge, told a French broadcaster in Belgium she is holding out hope her son is safe and well, but said his disappearance is entirely out of character

Locals have joined SES and surf lifesaver groups, police dogs, drones and officers from the Byron and Tweed stations to scour acres of swamp, beach and bushland for the missing teen.

Byron - known for its hippy, laidback lifestyle and celebrity appeal - is used to people floating in and out of the area but locals believe this case is different.

Long term Byron Bay resident Nicoletta Revis told The Age in her 20 years living in the area she had 'never seen anything like this'.

'This is totally different, this is totally next-level different and I haven't experienced this before,' she said.

'People always show up in Byron.'

Dozens of locals have offered to support Mr Hayez' devastated family who have been offered free food and accommodation.

CCTV footage shows Mr Hayez allegedly walking away from the Cheeky Monkey (pictured) and checking his phone just before midnight on May 31

The Byron landscape provides its own challenges in the search, with its dense, swamp-like bushland and waterways.

Beaches stretch for kilometres at a time and are often surrounded by long, marshy grass.

CCTV footage shows Mr Hayez walking away from Cheeky Monkey's and checking his phone just before midnight on May 31.

He appeared to be heading towards the Wake Up! hostel north of town, where his passport and belongings were later found untouched.

The 18-year-old had been travelling with his cousin Lisa Hayez, who said there is no way he would have wanted to disappear.

'We're sure like 100 per cent sure that his goal was to go back to the hostel to sleep,' Ms Hayez said.

Mr Hayez (left, on night he disappeared, and right, with cousin) left his passport and belongings at his hostel

Mr Hayez's godfather Jean-Phillipe Pector (left with Mr Hayez's cousin Lisa) said it was completely out of character for the 18-year-old to not make contact with his family and friends

His godfather agreed, saying the teenager did not take drugs and would never have put himself in dangerous situations.

Byron Bay Command Superintendent Dave Roptell said police are 'not ruling out anything at the moment', and has urged anyone with information to come forward.

'It's baffling on two points from an investigation point of view, because we don't know what's happened - I feel for the family,' Supt Roptell said.

Mr Hayez hasn't used his mobile phone or made any financial transactions since he was last seen, prompting 'grave concerns' for his welfare, a NSW Police spokeswoman said.

A GoFundMe page set up to help Mr Hayez' family come to Australia and assist in the search efforts has currently raised more than $60,000.

The traveller appeared to be heading towards the Wake Up! hostel (pictured) north of town, where his passport and belongings were later found untouchedFormer Sydney photographer Andrew Quilty was invited as a nominee to attend the annual World Press Photo Foundation awards ceremony in Amsterdam in April

A celebrated Australian war photographer has been banned from a glitzy awards ceremony amid allegations of 'inappropriate behaviour'.

Former Sydney photographer Andrew Quilty was invited as a nominee to attend the annual World Press Photo Foundation awards ceremony in Amsterdam in April.

While Mr Quilty won third place in this years' contest in the Spot News, Stories category for his coverage in Kabul, he was uninvited days before the event.

His flights and accommodation were cancelled by the foundation over alleged reports of 'inappropriate behaviour'.

However, the exact allegations against the Gold Walkley Award-winner have not been divulged.

Mr Quilty won third place in this years' contest in the Spot News, Stories category for his coverage in Kabul, he was uninvited days before the event (Pictured: Quilty captured the moment after a truck laden with explosives was detonated at the entrance to Green Village, Kabul)

In a statement to Columbia Journalism Review, Lars Boering, managing director of the World Press Photo Foundation said: 'The World Press Photo Foundation believes visual journalism needs its community to be united against discrimination and harassment.

'Our protocol is that when we learn from reliable sources that someone associated with us has allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior we take action.

'Because of our protocol, we called him on 2 April to say he was not welcome at our Awards Show and Festival. We canceled his invitation to the Awards Show, the Festival, and his flight and accommodation.'

Mr Quilty has denied any wrongdoing, and has enlisted the help of defamation lawyer Rebekah Giles and barrister Sue Chrysanthou to help clear his name.

Former Sydney photographer Andrew Quilty has denied any wrongdoing, and has enlisted the help of defamation lawyer Rebekah Giles and barrister Sue Chrysanthou to help clear his name

'I am aware of recent media publications and statements regarding allegations of inappropriate conduct made against me,' he said via his lawyers.

'I would like to be clear that I still have not been made aware of the substance of any accusations nor the identity of the accuser.'

He told the Daily Telegraph he had contacted multiple people in the hope of being given the opportunity to respond to the allegations against him and to be involved in any investigations.

'It is now apparent, that I am not being afforded procedural fairness into any ongoing investigations that concern my personal and professional reputation and I have now retained lawyers and taken the first steps towards legal action against the relevant parties.'

Mr Quilty has been covering conflicts in Afghanistan. He captured the moments after an ambulance bomb explodes in Kabul in January last year.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Quilty and the World Press Photo Foundation for comment.President Trump on Sunday praised Florida's Republican governor signing into a law a bill that cracks down on 'sanctuary cities' for undocumented immigrants and requires the state's law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

The president tweeted: 'Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just signed Bill banning Sanctuary Cities in State, & forcing all law enforcement agencies to cooperate with Federal Immigration authorities.

'Bill prohibits local Govt from enacting Sanctuary policies that protect undocumented immigrants.

President Trump (left) on Sunday praised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (right), a fellow Republican, for signing a bill into law that bans sanctuary cities in his state

The president tweeted: 'Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just signed Bill banning Sanctuary Cities in State, & forcing all law enforcement agencies to cooperate with Federal Immigration authorities'

'More and more states want to do this but their governors and leaders dont have the courage to do so,' Trump wrote

'More and more states want to do this but their governors and leaders dont have the courage to do so.

'The politics will soon mandate, however, because people from California, & all over the land, are demanding that Sanctuary Cities be GONE.

'No illegals, Drugs or Trafficking!'

All law enforcement agencies in Florida will have to cooperate with federal immigration authorities under a bill signed by DeSantis on Friday during a ceremony that often felt like a campaign rally for him and Trump.

The bill prohibits local governments from enacting 'sanctuary' polices that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation.

It will require law enforcement to honor US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers for undocumented immigrants who are arrested or convicted of a crime.

It exempts crime victims and witnesses.

'Sanctuary cities basically create law-free zones where people can come to our state illegally and our country illegally, commit criminal offenses and then just walk right out the door and continue to do it,' DeSantis said.

'In Florida, that will not happen.'

The bill was signed in the Okaloosa County Commission's meeting room with an overflow crowd dotted with red 'Make America Great Again' hats.

Okaloosa, in the western Panhandle, is one of the state's most conservative counties.

The crowd cheered wildly in support of the bill and equally as loud at the mention of Trump.

Trump, who has made illegal immigration a top priority, helped DeSantis win the GOP primary last year and campaigned for DeSantis in the general election.

Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, another close Trump ally and who campaigned across the state for DeSantis, also spoke at the ceremony.

'It felt more like a political rally than an actual bill signing,' said Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who watched the event on her cellphone.

She questioned why it was held in Okaloosa, which doesn't have a large immigrant population.

'It seemed more like, "I want politically supportive people in the room," versus an environment where advocates would be protesting outside, advocates would be inside protesting, immigrant communities would be heard.'

DeSantis also introduced Kiyan Michael of Jacksonville, whose son Brandon was struck and killed by a driver who had been deported twice and illegally returned to the country again.

'We're blessed to have the best president, we believe, since Ronald Reagan,' she said as the crowd roared.

'Sanctuary cities basically create law-free zones where people can come to our state illegally and our country illegally, commit criminal offenses and then just walk right out the door and continue to do it,' DeSantis said

'Our fight is not over. Our immigration laws have to be reformed, they have to be changed, so you all don't become us.'

The bill caused protests among immigrants and their advocates at the Capitol when it was before the Legislature.

They feared it would encourage law enforcement profiling, force people to be deported for minor offenses like traffic infractions, and discourage crime victims and witnesses from coming forward.

Opponents also argued that holding people based on an immigration detainer was unconstitutional.

They also pointed out that Florida doesn't have any sanctuary cities.

Critics said the bill was politically motivated.

Republican Sen. Joe Gruters, who also chairs the Republican Party of Florida, sponsored the bill and repeatedly argued it was simply about following the rule of law.

At the bill signing, he said the bill was about 'making sure we protect American citizens from the very bad, criminal illegal aliens that are here committing the worst crimes imaginable.

'This is not about illegal aliens who are here trying to provide for their families.'

Eskamani said the bill will affect immigrants far beyond those who commit violent crimes, and said comments like the one Gruters made could increase anti-immigrant resentment and possibly spur hate crimes.

'When you perpetuate this type of rhetoric, when you escalate situations for political banter, people will get hurt. They'll get caught in the crossfire, quite literally,' she said.A former detective who investigated one of Australia's most infamous cult leaders has revealed why she was never convicted.

Anne Hamilton-Byrne who ran a cult known as The Family in the 1970s and 80s died on Thursday never seeing the inside of a prison cell despite claims of child abuse.

She along with her husband raised children on a rural Victorian property that they had obtained through adoption scams and cult followers handing their own children over.

'Unfortunately, we couldn't really bring the evidence to the court,' former detective Lex De Man told Weekend Today.

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Hamilton-Byrne spent her final years leaving in a Melbourne nursing home with dementia

She gathered young boys and girls and raised them as her own in the 1970s and 1980s

'There were a number of reasons for that. In the case of the allegations of the administration of LSD to children we didn't have the drugs so we couldn't physically present that.'

He also said there were concerns a trial would further damage the children's mental health after so many years being held in the cult.

'The children were held in captivity. They were ill-treated and beaten and there heads were put into water when they misbehaved,' he said.

Anne Hamilton-Byrne died on Thursday night aged 98, following a 12 year battle with dementia.

She ran the cult in central Victoria from the early 1970s until 1987, when two children managed to escape and alert police.

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.

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

'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.'

Identically dressed, the children were allegedly bashed, starved and injected with LSD by Hamilton-Byrne and other cult leaders

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.

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.

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.

Survivor Ben Shenton has expressed his relief over the death of the notorious cult leader

Anne Hamilton-Byrne (pictured) convinced herself and up to 500 followers she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

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.

'I loved them in their little smocks and jeans and the long hair and ribbons. It was beautiful - it was lovely to see.'

Anne Hamilton-Byrne and her husband Bill (left) with a teen who was brought up in the cult

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.'

Anne Hamilton-Byrne as Evelyn Edwards in Sale in rural Victoria in 1921

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.

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.

Former Lake Eildon children give harrowing descriptions of their traumatic ordeal in the upcoming film.

They open up about being forced to take drugs and recall violent physical and sexual assaults.

In 2009, The Family founder Anne Hamilton-Byrne mistreating the children at the property

Holding back tears, Ben Shenton relived the moment he witnessed Hamilton-Byrne's 'favourite daughter' being beaten to a pulp.

'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.

Asked in a 2017 documentary why she imprisoned 28 children over two decades, Hamilton Byrne (pictured right) responded: 'I love children'

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, 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The grief-stricken father of a woman murdered by her millionaire racehorse breeder husband says his daughter would've wanted him to help other domestic abuse victims.

In September 2009 Helen Meads was shot through the throat by her husband Greg Meads at the home they shared together in Matamata on New Zealand's North Island - just days after she summoned the courage to tell him she was ending their 12-year marriage.

Meads, who subjected Ms Meads to years of mental and physical abuse, was sentenced to a minimum of 11 years behind bars in March 2011 for the callous killing of his wife.

Ms Meads' (pictured left) father David White (pictured centre) has since dedicated his life to trying to stop other women from the same brutal and premature death as his daughter

Ms Meads' father David White has since dedicated his life to trying to stop other women from suffering the same brutal and premature death as his daughter, Stuff.co.nz reported.

The 75-year-old, who has spent seven years publicly retelling the tragic tale of his daughter's death in a bid to combat domestic violence, says Ms Meads would have wanted him to help other women.

'If you had known Helen you would understand that if I had done nothing she probably would have come down and given me a kick in the bum and said "come on there's another Helen out there, do something about it",' Mr White told the publication.

'And she's right, there are so many families like mine, who don't recognise what family harm is and certainly don't see the ripples after the violence of it all.

In September 2009 Helen Meads (pictured) was shot through the throat by her husband Greg Meads at the home they shared together in Matamata

Mr White (pictured centre right) said the best way to deal with the issue was to speak and help people in the community

'The biggest killer in this country is our own silence. We just don't talk and we certainly don't listen,' he said.

Mr White, who has has spoken at about 130 events, said the best way to deal with the issue of domestic abuse was to speak out and help people within the community.

He said his own talks had been 'powerful' because he done it off 'his own bat' and had spoken on his own behalf.

Mr White has been approached by strangers in need of help since he started speaking about his daughter's story.

Mr White said his own talks had been 'powerful' because he had just done it off 'his own bat' and he had spoken on his own behalf (Ms Meads pictured)

He said while he travelled round for various talks he was approached by one woman who gave him a hug and told him he'd helped her daughter.

Strangers also sent letters to his home addressed to: 'Helen Mead's Dad, Matamata,' asking for help.

He'd also spoken with prisoners who had had 'lightbulb' moments and had promised to change their ways after hearing him speak.

Although Mr White, who has tried to retire four times previously, plans to give up work he says there's still so much he want to do.

He said 'top of the list' was to write a sequel to a family historical book he had written a few years ago.Advertisement

A huge artwork which hopes to highlight the plight of refugees has been unveiled on the lawn under the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The 1,970ft graffiti Beyond Walls, by artist Saype, real name Guillaume Legros, shows a line of clasped hands and is painted on the grass of the Champ de Mars.

The stunning biodegradable work is best viewed from the top of the Eiffel Tower and serves as a tribute to the charity SOS Mediterranee.

A 1,970ft painting of a chain of interlocked hands has been unveiled on the Champ de Mars lawn under the Eiffel Tower in Paris

The stunning image has been painted directly on to the grass and will dissolve into the soil after only a few days and pedestrians will walk over it

The humanitarian organisation works to rescue migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean Sea.

An average of six refugees died every day last year trying to cross the sea, according to the UN.

The artwork is designed to dissolve into the soil and people will walk over it at the popular tourist hotspot.

The image is best viewed from up high on the Eiffel Tower (pictured) and makes little sense to passersby on the ground

The artwork has been carried out by graffiti artist Guillaume Legros who goes by the name Saype. He will carry out similar projects in 20 cities around the world including London

The image is a tribute to the charity SOS Mediterrannee which rescues refugees at risk of drowning when they attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea

The hands are taken from photographs of real people but Saype does not know who they belong to after he took around 2,000 photographs of hands at an SOS Mediterrannee gala night

It was inaugurated yesterday by the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and it marks the start of a three-year project in which Saype will display similar pieces in cities around the world including London, Berlin and Nairobi.

The 30-year-old is the first artist who has ever been allowed to work on the hallowed turf beneath the Eiffel Tower, according to The Guardian.

He said the image is a 'symbol of togetherness at a time when people are more and more turning in on themselves'.

The image is deliberately ambiguous and has been interpreted as either a rescue attempt or a clasp of friendship

The 30-year-old is the first artist who has ever been allowed to work on the hallowed turf of the Champ de Mars beneath the Eiffel Tower

The project took more than 1,300 litres of paint and many weeks to create and is designed to disappear within days

His grandparents were French Resistance fighters under the Vichy Regime, inspiring him to create work which challenges barriers and conflict.

He said: 'Right now, it seems like we've all got short memories, that we're living in a kind of negative, prewar atmosphere with economic crisis and people putting up barriers.'

The origin of the hands in the painting is unknown and the image is deliberately ambiguous, representing a rescue or friendship.

The project took more than 1,300 litres of paint and many weeks to create, and will disappear within days.

Saype's grandparents were French Resistance fighters under the Vichy Regime, inspiring him to create work which challenges barriers and conflictMatthias Wolfgang Baden, 58, pleaded guilty to procuring a child for sex and engaging in sexual activity with a child under 16, among other offences, last year

A convicted paedophile who used Skype to carry out an online relationship with two Filipino girls under the age of eight, has been jailed for more than seven years.

Matthias Wolfgang Baden, 58, pleaded guilty to procuring a child for sex and engaging in sexual activity with a child under 16, among other offences, last year.

The Sydney tradesman was arrested during a months-long investigation by Queensland Police, Australian Federal Police and Philippine National Police in 2016.

Investigators found the man's photo during a raid at a Cebu home, where two girls, who were aged two and seven when the 'relationship' began, lived.

Baden, an electrical engineer, travelled to the Philippines in 2010 and stayed at the home, after meeting them through his job, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

From then on, he continued communication with the family online.

Baden had reportedly paid the two girls' mum $26,000 for the illicit arrangement.

During their video chat and online correspondence, Baden referred to himself as 'some old man in love with little girls', the publication reported.

Baden was sentenced to a non-parole period of seven years and four months in Campbelltown District Court.

It was also revealed Baden had a previous child sex abuse conviction in 1992, after he was found guilty of having sex with his 13-year-old step-daughter.

The girls' mother was found guilty of recruiting and offering a minor to a 'foreign customer' for sexual exploitation.

She was sentenced to 20 years in prison last July.



A Brazilian mother and her lesbian lover are accused of ripping off her nine-year-old son's penis before beheading him because he reminded her of her dad.

Rosana Candido, 27, and Kacyla Pessoa, 28, also allegedly sewed a fake female sex organ onto the body because he 'wanted to be a girl' before scraping the boy's skin off his face.

They also tried to gouge out his eyes using a knife after mother Candido stabbed her son Rhuan a dozen times.

The child was killed and mutilated at their home in Samambaia, about 20 miles from the capital Brasilia.

The mother ran away with the boy after her father, who lives in Acre, near Peru, lost custody five years ago.

A Brazilian mother and her lesbian lover are accused of ripping off her nine-year-old son's penis before beheading him because he reminded her of her dad

They then allegedly sewed a fake female sex organ onto the boy's body because he 'wanted to be a girl'. The child was killed and mutilated at their home in Samambaia, 20 miles from the capital Brasilia

After committing the grizzly murder, and stabbing him a dozen times, the pair reportedly botched the attempt to hide the body.

They bungled burning some of him on a barbecue, so stuffed some of his remains in a suitcase and dumped them in a sewer, according to police.

Other body parts were hidden in two backpacks at the couple's home.

They have both confessed to the killing and face homicide, torture and concealing a corpse charges.

The two women are said to have told investigators they used 'rudimentary tools' because Rhuan 'wanted to become a girl'.

Rosana Candido, 27, (pictured) is accused of murdering her child with lesbian lover Kacyla Pessoa, 28, and then trying to conceal the body by dumping part of it in the sewer

Local reports say: 'After removing his penis, the women said they sewed an improvised version of the female organ onto the mutilated area.'

Candido reportedly claimed the lad was a 'burden' and a hindrance to her relationship with Pessoa.

She also 'felt hatred and no love' for him because he reminded her of father, who allegedly abused her.

Rhuan's dad, who lives in Acre, is said to have told officers that Candido ran away with the boy five years ago when he lost custody

She then went to live with Pessoa and her daughter, who, now aged nine, has been put into care.

Police chief Guilherme Melo said that the cruelty of the crime had shocked hardened investigators.

'She killed her son, quartered, decapitated, plucked the skin and tried to get rid of the body. It was a very terrible case,' he told O Tempo.Boris Johnson has put the Tories in an election war footing - as a poll today found voters believe he can win back Eurosceptics and defeat Corbyn.

The leadership favourite fuelled rumours of an early ballot by telling a hustings event he would 'get Brexit done and get ready for an election'.

The dramatic vow yesterday came as a survey found 47 per cent of the public think he can see off Labour and Nigel Farage - while just 22 per cent think he would lose.

His ratings are way ahead of other leadership contenders such as Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove.

However, in a worrying sign for Mr Johnson's supporters, nearly six in 10 said he was not the kind of man they would buy a used car from.

The scale of the challenge he faces was also underlined with the YouGov research showing that overall the Brexit Party is still leading on 24 per cent - three points ahead of both the Conservatives and Labour.

If replicated at a general election the finding would likely put Mr Farage in No10, although the ratings for the Lib Dems and other parties have yet to be published.

Mr Farage told MailOnline today: 'It would appear that Mr Johnson wants a head to head fight. If that's what he wants, he's going to get it.'

Mr Johnson goes into the second week of the Tory campaign the red-hot favourite to succeed Theresa May, having racked up support from 114 MPs in the first ballot - more than his next three rivals combined.

A YouGov poll found 47 per cent of the public think Boris Johnson can defeat Labour and Nigel Farage - while just 22 per cent think he would lose

Mr Johnson fuelled rumours of an early ballot by telling a hustings event he would 'get Brexit done and get ready for an election. He is pictured arriving at the event in London yesterday

Theresa May (pictured at church in Maidenhead with husband Philip today) is said to have backed Rory Stewart in the first round of the Tory leadership battle

However, the other candidates are insisting they will not be withdrawing to give him a clear run.

In another day of frantic manoeuvring with the keys to Downing Street and the future of the country at stake:

Mr Johnson is facing a backlash after making clear he will snub a Channel 4 debate between Tory leadership candidates tonight - although he will take part in a BBC show on Tuesday;

Former chancellor Ken Clarke said he was ready to vote no confidence in any 'idiot' who made a bid to take the UK out of the EU without approval from Parliament;

Allies of Theresa May have suggested once she quits No10 she will join forces with pro-Remain ministers such as Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd to avoid No Deal;

Senior Eurosceptics insisted the Conservatives would be 'over' and they would defect to the Brexit Party unless the leadership front runner follows through on his vow to leave by Halloween;

Tory rival Dominic Raab hit out at would-be PMs who are going 'weak at the knees' about pushing through Brexit - warning the party will be 'toast' unless it happens by October;

Nigel Farage sought to exploit Tory splits by warning Mr Johnson 'will not deliver on his promises', adding: 'Tory defectors would be welcome in the Brexit Party'.

Mr Johnson is facing mounting criticism over his reluctance to face media scrutiny amid concerns among his aides he could throw away his seemingly unassailable lead.

He has snubbed the first television debate being staged tonight by Channel 4 - with the broadcaster saying they will 'empty chair' him.

But Mr Johnson has indicated he will participate in a BBC debate on Tuesday when the number of contenders will have been further whittled down.

Asked in the youGov poll for the Sunday Times which of the Tory hopefuls could win an election, Mr Johnson scored considerably ahead of Jeremy Hunt, his successor at the Foreign Office.

Just 15 per cent thought he could win, with Sajid Javid on 14 per cent.

Mr Gove was even further back on 12 per cent and Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart were on 8 per cent.

Mr Johnson also topped the ranking on who would do handle Brexit best.

Some 27 per cent said he would do a good job, Mr Raab and Mr Hunt rated at 10 per cent and Mr Gove and Mr Javid 9 per cent.

But Johnson is also seen as the most divisive contender, with just 22 per cent believing he can unite the nation - against 48 per cent who say he would divide it.

Asked in the youGov poll for the Sunday Times which of the Tory hopefuls could win an election, Mr Johnson scored considerably ahead of Jeremy Hunt (pictured left arriving for the BBC's Andrew Marr show today). Rory Stewart (pictured right at the BBC studios today) is the main candidate for the Remain wing

Just 13 per cent said they would buy a used car from the former foreign secretary, while 59 per cent said they would not.

Mr Hunt, who was a distant second in the first round, insisted 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 told The Mail on Sunday.

'I am in it to win it because we have to give the country better choices given the crisis that we're in now.'

Mr Gove - who came back from disclosures over his past cocaine use to finish third - described himself as the 'Chumbawamba candidate', a reference to the band's hit Tubthumping, with the lyric 'I get knocked down but I get up again'.

Nevertheless, the Environment Secretary sought to extend an olive branch to Mr Johnson after scuppering his last leadership bid in 2016, saying he would be happy to serve under him if he succeeded this time.

'I would absolutely work with Boris in any way that he wanted to work with me. No question. It is a different time requiring a different approach,' he told The Sunday Times.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid also said he believed he could make it through to challenge Mr Johnson in the final ballot, despite having only finished fifth the first-round vote of MPs.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured at the Tory hustings yesterday) said he believed he could make it through to challenge Mr Johnson in the final ballot, despite having only finished fifth the first-round vote of MPs

'It's now almost certain that Boris will go through the MP rounds and has a lot of support with party members,' he tweeted.

'But I'm also sensing a growing appetite for a robust final round.

'I believe the best contest would be a positive debate between two change candidates. I have the background, experience and vision to give people a proper choice.'

Mr Johnson's position received a further boost with the support of Esther McVey, who was eliminated from the contest after finishing last in the first ballot.

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph she said: '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.'

Meanwhile, there was growing alarm among pro-European Tories at the prospect Mr Johnson takes Britain out of the EU on October 31, even if he has been unable to secure a new deal with Brussels.

Veteran former chancellor Ken Clarke said that in those circumstances he would vote to bring down the Government.

'If some idiot was sailing into a No Deal Brexit I'd decide politics had finally gone mad and vote against it,' he told The Observer.

Mrs May's allies told the Mail on Sunday she has privately vowed to thwart any attempt by Mr Johnson to take the UK out of the EU without a deal.

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 says she will 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'.

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Two Australian women have signed a lucrative deal with upmarket department store David Jones after launching a boutique swimwear label last year.

Best friends Kay Howitt and Lynne Tramonte had forged a very successful career working in the swimwear industry, but last year decided to launch their very own label Monte & Lou.

Co-founder and creative director Ms Howitt told news.com.au the pair had worked for some of the biggest brands, before several retailers asked her to go it alone.

Two Australian women and best friends have signed a lucrative deal with upmarket department store David Jones after launching boutique swimwear label Monte & Lou

Ms Howitt said one of the reasons why their swimwear brand has already turned over a million dollars in sales is the garments' exclusive 'quick drying technology'.

'Our luxurious exclusive printed and plain fabrics are lightweight and engineered to provide a garment that not only feels beautiful against your skin but is also quick to dry which means no more sitting in a soggy swimsuit,' Ms Howitt said.

She said all of the garments in the range are fully lined with an exclusive smooth-to-touch nylon elastane fabric, which not only feels great but also sculpts the body.

Ms Tramonte said Kay and herself had been friends and worked together in the industry for such a long time it only made sense that they started a business.

Over the years, the pair have worked for some of the nation's biggest swimwear brands, including Seafolly and Megan Gale's Isola.

'Retailers we worked with were asking Kay to come up with her own brand, so it really started from there and from us being friends and having the skills to be able to do it. We had so much experience we were able to hit the ground running,' Ms Tramonte said.

Ms Howitt said one of the reasons why their swimwear brand has already turned over a million dollars in sales is the garments' exclusive 'quick drying technology'

Monte & Lou has already raked in close to a million dollars, but the new partnership is expected to double its turnover to nearly $600,000 come October.

Ms Howitt, a breast cancer survivor, said her experience provided her insight into how crucial it is to create garments that make women feel good about themselves.

She reflected on how selecting swimwear - among other garments - can be especially difficult as a result of the life changes that happen.

Her first-hand experience ultimately helped her overcome design flaws and hurdles so she could create the perfect garment to help women enjoy their life, she said.

Ms Tramonte said the pair had always hoped to stock their swimwear in a high-end department store like David Jones and the deal is going to be a 'game changer'.

Kay Howitt (right) and Lynne Tramonte had forged a very successful career, working in the swimwear industry, but last year decided to launch their very own label Monte & Lou

She said the 'iconic Australian department store' was always part of their strategy but they never could have imagined how quickly it would happen.

While Monte & Lou have already raked in close to a million dollars, the new partnership is expected to double its turnover for the three key months of August, September and October to nearly $600,000.

'We want to take the Aussie holiday lifestyle to the world,' Ms Howitt said.

Monte & Lou will launch its range in 15 national David Jones stores from July 31.Advertisement

Hong Kong protest figurehead Joshua Wong was freed from jail a month early on Monday and immediately called for the resignation of leader Carrie Lam over a controversial extradition bill.

Mr Wong, who led pro-democracy protests in 2014, vowed to join fresh demonstrations which saw two million people rally Sunday against the new law which would increase Beijing's control over the autonomous territory.

'I will join to fight against this evil law,' Mr Wong said, before adding: 'I believe this is the time for her, Carrie Lam the liar, to step down.'

On Saturday, Ms Lam suspended work on the bill, which would allow some suspects to be sent for trial in mainland China.

Scroll down for video.

Joshua Wong, 22, a student activist who became the face of the 2014 pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong, was released from jail a month early on Monday amid fresh demonstrations against a controversial extradition bill

Mr Wong gave a speech to waiting journalists in which he vowed to join the new demonstrations and immediately called for Carrie Lam, Hong Kong's leader, to resign

Branding Ms Lam a 'liar', Mr Wong called on countries around the world to support activists in Hong Kong who he said 'face prosecution and also physical assault from the police force'

Ms Lam on Saturday suspended her efforts to force passage of the bill, which would allow for easier extradition of accused criminals to mainland China to face prosecution there, amid mass demonstrations

An estimated 2million people took to the streets in Hong Kong on Sunday, with a handful camping out overnight close to the Legislative Council, where they remained on Monday morning (pictured)

In a statement, Demosisto - the party he co-founded - said the activist, now 22, would be released from Lai Chi Kok Correctional Institute at 10.30am. He was greeted by more than 10 members of the party when he was released

Joshua Wong, who was just released from jail, walks past flower tributes at a makeshift memorial site for a protester who fell to his death while hanging banners against a controversial extradition law

Floral tributes have been laid as a makeshift memorial to the protester who died falling from the roof of a shopping centre while trying to unveil a banner calling for the end of the extradition bill and the release of prisoners

The protester who died is seen climbing on the outside of a building shortly before he fell to his death

Mr Wong was released from prison early Monday and gave a short speech to journalists, before going to the Hong Kong Legislative Council building (pictured) where he held a rally

Mr Wong uses two microphones to speak to protesters on Monday, after they had called for his early release from prison

Protesters cheer as they listen to a speech by pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong

Many demonstrators spent the night sleeping outside the Legislative Council building following mass demonstrations on Sunday which saw up to 2million people on the streets

Protesters rest on a road having spent all night on the streets as they demand a controversial extradition bill be dropped

The move did not appease Hong Kong residents angered over the plan who see it as one of many steps chipping away at Hong Kong's freedoms and legal autonomy.

Following a mass-march on Sunday, a handful of mostly-young protesters remained Monday, blocking a street near the city's waterfront outside Lam's office and chanting for her to give up the proposed legislation.

Hong Kong's extradition laws Hong Kong currently has extradition agreements with 19 foreign countries - including the UK, US and Australia - but not with China. The proposed law change would allow extradition to all countries where Hong Kong does not already have a formal treaty in place, including China by default. While courts would oversee each request on a case-by-case basis, the ultimate authority to grant or deny a request would rest with Hong Kong's chief executive - currently Carrie Lam. Since the chief executive is accountable by law to Beijing, many fear that they would have little option but to approve Chinese requests. Protesters say this would allow Beijing to seize anyone it likes who sets foot in the territory, from permanent residents to foreigners passing through. Advertisement

Protesters blocked some roads well into Monday morning, but gradually yielded to police requests to reopen roads, moving to areas near the city's government headquarters.

Lam announced that work on the bill would be suspended after large protests last week, but the legislation has touched a nerve not easily soothed in a city anxious over the increasingly authoritarian Communist rule of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

'We are very angry that Carrie Lam has not responded to the demands of all the protesters, but now is the time to talk about strategy,' Lee Cheuk-yan, a former legislator and activist, said.

'Talk about strategy is about how to make the whole struggle into a long-term struggle and not a day struggle.

'So if Carrie Lam does not respond to the demands by the protesters, people will come back and the struggle will continue.'

Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe business hub, and so they want it scrapped entirely.

Wong serves as secretary-general of pro-democracy party Demosisto, having previously founded student activist group Scholarism which led the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement.

In 2017, he was jailed alongside two other pro-democracy activists for their role in the demonstrations.

Protests have seen many thousands of those on the streets holding umbrellas, which demonstrators used in 2014 to dispel police pepper spray and have since become a symbol of passive resistance.

Demonstrators gather near the Legislative Council as they continue to protest against the unpopular extradition bill today

A member of Hong Kong's Executive Council says the city's leader plans to apologise again over her handling of the bill

Activists (pictured resting early on Monday) fear the new bill will expand China's control over Hong Kong, which has been an autonomous territory since Britain ended its rule over the region in 1997

The protests, which has lasted for more than a week, is the largest demonstration in the history of the former British colony

A woman with a mask gathers with others near the Legislative Council. Protesters want the bill to be abandoned completely

Protesters sleep on a highway in Hong Kong after a demonstration against the now-suspended extradition bill

Police arrive to negotiate with protesters to clear a road in Hong Kong early Monday morning following the demonstration

A woman holds a union flag as protesters camped out overnight along a main road near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong

vProtesters sleep on a road as they rally against a controversial extradition bill in Hong Kong early on Monday

People protesting against the extradition bill, hold placards as they rest outside the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong

People walk past a bridge opposite the Legislative Council building which has become a focal point for protesters and has been covered in messages and posters

Protesters are calling for the extradition bill to be dropped and for Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to step down

Protesters take part in a rally to demand a complete withdrawal of an extradition bill in Hong Kong, China

Protest organisers estimated that nearly two million of the city's seven million-strong population turned out, while police said 338,000 people were counted on the designated protest route during the march's 'peak period'

Protesters sit on a road outside the Legislative Council building during a rally demanding a complete withdrawal of an extradition bill in Hong Kong, China

Protesters rest outside the Legislative Council building during a rally demanding a complete withdrawal of an extradition bill in Hong Kong, China

Protesters gather into the night against an unpopular extradition bill in Hong Kong. Protest organisers estimated that nearly two million of the city's seven million-strong population turned out, while police said 338,000 people were counted on the designated protest route during the march's 'peak period'

These women knelt at the scene and appeared to be in tears as they made their own tributes to the fallen protester

After night had fallen, dozens more flowers had appeared near where the man fell at the Pacific Place shopping centre in the Admiralty district. Above: a little boy clutches an enormous bouquet of flowers as he prepares to lay it with the hundreds which are already there

Protesters light candles in honour of a man who died after falling from a scaffolding at the Pacific Place complex while protesting, during a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill

Protesters perform during a protest against the now-suspended extradition bill on June 16, 2019 in Hong Kong, China

Demonstrators stepped up their demands for Lam to resign Sunday after a man died a day earlier in a fall after unveiling a banner on the roof of a shopping mall.

The 35-year-old man - whose surname was given as Leung - had hung a banner off the roof of Pacific Place shopping mall, in the Admiralty district, which overlooks the site of violent clashes last week between police and demonstrators.

The man had stood for hours atop construction scaffolding beside a sign that said 'Make love No shoot! No Extradition to China'.

A video circulating on social media shows the man abruptly climbing over the scaffolding before falling as firefighters tried to grab him on Saturday evening.

They clutched his clothes and he slips through their hands, missing a jump raft that had been inflated on the ground below. Police are treating the case as suicide.

A 35-year-old man, identified as Leung, is seen protesting with a banner hung off the roof of Pacific Place shopping mall in the Admiralty district on Saturday. The building overlooks the site of violent clashes last week between police and demonstrators

An inflatable mattress is placed beneath the man as he stands beside a sign 'Make love No shoot! No Extradition to China'

The man, who was wearing a yellow raincoat, falls from the building after abruptly climbing over the scaffolding. Firefighters clutched his clothes but he slipped through their hands, missing the jump raft that had been inflated on the ground below

Hundreds of thousands of people flooded Hong Kong in a rally against the controversial bill, which would have allowed people to be sent to mainland china for trial

Yesterday, the chief executive of the Hong Government, Carrie Lam, suspended the bill following the protests which have wracked the region. Above: Protesters hold posters with 'Stop Killing Us' written on them earlier today

Protesters, dressed mostly in black, marched in Hong Kong today, just a day after government chief executive Carrie Lam suspended the controversial extradition bill

The show of defiance from the people of Hong Kong saw hundreds of thousands remain on the streets even as night fell

He had unfurled a banner saying: 'Entirely withdraw China extradition bill. We were not rioting. Release students and the injured'.

Thousands of mourners, mostly young people dressed in black, joined enormous queues along busy roads to leave tributes and pay their respects, some crying and bowing as they offered sticks of incense.

Next to a large pile of white flowers were hundreds of hand-written messages, lines of gifts laid out in offering including a bottle of single malt whiskey, and a white hard hat with the word 'hero' written across it.

'The flowers are white for purity and so we can show our respect for the dead. When I get there, I will offer these and say a prayer for him,' said 18-year-old Travis.

Above: Three protesters stand next to a poster demanding 'No China Extradition'. Its message was echoed by thousands of other similar placards which were seen across the city

Organisers' hopes of another mammoth turnout rally today to keep pressure on Ms Lam proved to be correct as hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets

An hour before the march was due to start subway stations were filled with dense crowds of black-clad protesters making their way to the start. Above: Protesters hold white flowers and hold posters, including one (right), mocked up in Game of Thrones style, dubbing Hong Kong's leaders as a 'Gang of Tyranny'

Last week's violent clashes had seen police fire rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray at protesters. Above: Thousands of protesters carrying umbrellas take to a sporting area today

'He walked a bloody road, I admire his energy, I admire his bravery,' said a man called Yung, aged 26.

Signs reading 'Help Hong Kong. No extradition to China. RIP' have been posted at the site.

Protest organizers said almost 2 million people turned out on Sunday to demand that Lam resign, in what is becoming the most significant challenge to China's relationship with the territory since it was handed back by Britain 22 years ago.

The mass rally, which police said drew 338,000 participants, forced Lam to apologize over her plans to push through the extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainland China to face trial.

On Monday, protest organizers said they wanted Lam to withdraw the bill, release arrested students, drop the official description of Wednesday's rally as a riot, and step down.

Hong Kong opposition politicians echoed marchers' calls for both Lam and the proposed law to go.

'Her government cannot be an effective government, and will have much, much, much difficulties to carry on,' veteran Democratic Party legislator James To told government-funded broadcaster RTHK.

'I believe the central people's government will accept her resignation.'

However, the official China Daily said Beijing's leaders would continue to back Lam, as it lashed out at foreign 'meddling' in the crisis.

Critics of the proposed extradition bill fear the Beijing-backed extradition law will tangle people up in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe business hub. Above: Tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents, mostly clad in black, jammed the city's streets and unfurled an enormous white banner

The conflict is one of the toughest tests of the territory's special status since China took control in a 1997 handover. Above: Protesters carry the banner through the streets

In amazing scenes in Hong Kong today hundreds of thousands of protesters shouted slogans as they marched through the centre of Hong Kong

China's support for Lam will 'not waver, not in the face of street violence nor the ill-intentioned interventions of foreign governments,' the newspaper said in an editorial.

While Lam delayed the bill, it has yet to be completely shelved.

'We cannot accept her apology, it doesn't remove all our threats,' said social worker Brian Chau, one of several hundred protesters who stayed overnight in the Admiralty district around the government headquarters and legislature.

Some demonstrators cleared rubbish left after the vast, but peaceful, march while others sang 'Hallelujah', a gospel song that has become the unofficial anthem of protesters against Lam.

The headquarters will stay closed on Monday, the government said. A group of uniformed police stood by without riot gear, in contrast to their appearance during recent skirmishes with protesters.

The proposed extradition bill - and the fear that it threatens Hong Kong's way of life, freedom of speech and rule of law - has provoked some of the worst politically-motivated violence in the city for decades, with nearly 80 protesters and police hurt and eleven people arrested.

The city has been rocked by the worst worst political violence since its 1997 handover from Britain to China and Ms Lam's concession of a suspension of the bill was rejected by protest leaders

Suspending the bill has done little to defuse simmering public anger and protest organisers have called for a city-wide strike on Monday alongside today's rally

The proposed extradition bill - and the fear that it threatens Hong Kong's way of life, freedom of speech and rule of law - has provoked some of the worst politically-motivated violence in the city for decades. Above: Umbrella-carrying protesters today

Ms Lam said in a press conference that she took the decision to suspend the bill in response to widespread public unhappiness over the measure, which would enable authorities to send some suspects to stand trial in mainland China

Many of those queuing up to pay tribute said they were going on to join the planned rally through the city to show their opposition to the bill.

Organisers said more than one million people turned out to last week's event.

Police said the man's death incident was suicide, adding that a note was found at the scene.

Today, hundreds of thousands of protesters, mostly clad in black, jammed the city's streets, with many of them carrying banners demanding that Ms Lam step down.

This woman waved a Union Jack and had smaller ones sticking out of her bag as she took part in today's protests

Opposition to the bill united an unusually wide cross-section of Hong Kong, from influential legal and business bodies to religious leaders, as well as Western nations. Above: Protesters in the territory today

Protesters carry posters demanding, 'Stop Killing Us' as they bravely march through Hong Kong today

An hour before today's march was due to start subway stations were filled with dense crowds of black-clad protesters making their way to the start and large crowds have packed areas of the city already

The city has been rocked by its worst political violence since its 1997 handover to China, the worst of which was last Wednesday

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. Above: Protesters carry banners today demanding there is no extradition to China

Walking slowly and shouting 'withdraw' and 'resign,' the crowd filled a wide thoroughfare and side streets paralleling the waterfront of Victoria Harbor.

Ms Lam's decision to suspend the legislation failed to mollify critics of the measure who see it as one of many steps chipping away at Hong Kong's freedoms and legal autonomy.

'Our demands are simple. Carrie Lam must leave office, the extradition law must be withdrawn and the police must apologize for using extreme violence against their own people,' bank worker John Chow said as he marched with a group of his friends. 'And we will continue.'

The man who fell from the Pacific Place mall was hailed as a 'martyr' by fellow protesters. Above: Mourners gather to lay flowers and pay their respects near to where the man landed

He had unfurled a banner reading: 'Entirely withdraw China extradition bill. We were not rioting. Release students and the injured'. Above: Flowers pile up outside the Pacific Place Mall in the Admiralty district

Emergency workers had tried to cushion the man's fall with an inflatable but failed to catch him. Above: A woman pays her respects to the fallen man

Earlier in the day, mourners laid flowers, said prayers and left written tributes near to the shopping centre

Chinese state media on Monday remained silent on the protests, with social platforms scrubbed clean of any pictures of mentions of the rally.

A short opinion piece in the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily said that the proposed law was 'supported by mainstream public opinion in Hong Kong'.

'The general public is looking forward to blocking legal loopholes to prevent Hong Kong becoming a haven for sinners,' it added.

China's state broadcaster, CCTV, avoided the subject in its main news bulletins throughout the day.

The unprecedented protests are continuing to see hundreds of thousands of people march through the territory today

Lam stopped short of committing to permanently scrapping the proposal yesterday and the concession was swiftly rejected by protest leaders

Protesters said that Lam's suspension meant it could be 'revived' at any time she wanted and they are instead demanding that it is entirely scrapped

Lam's initial decision to ignore the record-breaking turnout and press ahead with tabling the bill for debate in the legislature on Wednesday had triggered last week's protests.

Opposition to the bill united an unusually wide cross-section of Hong Kong, from influential legal and business bodies to religious leaders, as well as Western nations.

An hour before today's march was due to start subway stations were filled with dense crowds of black-clad protesters making their way to the start.

Jimmy Sham, from the main protest group the Civil Human Rights Front, likened Lam's offer to listen to protester's opinions to a 'knife' that had been plunged into the city

This afternoon, protesters are set to march from a park on the main island to the city's parliament. Above: A man holds a poster demanding 'No China Extradition', while a fellow protester's poster says, 'Taiwan with Hong Kong'

'We remain an enclave of human rights and civil liberties at the footsteps of a country whose leadership do not share our values or beliefs,' lawmaker Dennis Kwok told local broadcaster RTHK ahead of today's rally. Above: A large group of protesters hold posters calling for the extradition bill to be scrapped

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 city 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 yesterday and the concession was swiftly rejected by protest leaders, who called on her to resign, permanently shelve the bill and apologise for police tactics.

The Chinese government said suspending the bill was a good decision to 'listen more widely to the views of the community and restore calm to the community as soon as possible'

Critics were angry that Lam missed repeated opportunities to apologise for what many saw as heavy-handed police tactics last week. Continued unrest has seen hundreds of thousands of protesters take to the streets again today

Critics of the Hong Kong government said police used the actions of a tiny minority of violent protesters as an excuse to unleash a sweeping crackdown on what they said were predominantly young, peaceful protesters

'The extradition bill being suspended only means it can be revived anytime Carrie Lam wants,' said activist Lee Cheuk-yan.

Suspending the bill has done little to defuse simmering public anger and protest organisers have called for a city-wide strike Monday as well as Sunday's rally.

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.

Many of the protesters were seen walking slowly and shouting 'withdraw' and 'resign' as they marched through vast areas of Hong Kong. Above: Protesters hold a banner with a message which translates as, 'Say no to police gangs, protect our students'

Ms Lam's decision to suspend the legislation failed to mollify critics of the measure who see it as one of many steps chipping away at Hong Kong's freedoms and legal autonomy. Above: Protesters pack a street in Hong Kong

'Carrie Lam's speech yesterday in no way calmed down public anger,' he said.

A huge banner hanging from the city's Lion Rock mountain on Sunday read 'Defend Hong Kong'.

'We remain an enclave of human rights and civil liberties at the footsteps of a country whose leadership do not share our values or beliefs,' lawmaker Dennis Kwok told local broadcaster RTHK ahead of Sunday's rally.

Lam had been increasingly isolated in her support for the bill, with even pro-Beijing lawmakers distancing themselves from the extradition proposals in recent days.

'Our demands are simple. Carrie Lam must leave office, the extradition law must be withdrawn and the police must apologize for using extreme violence against their own people,' bank worker John Chow said as he marched with a group of his friends. Above: A photo of a Hong Kong Street shows the scale of the protesters with thousands of people packing every inch of road

The Chinese government said suspending the bill was a good decision to 'listen more widely to the views of the community and restore calm to the community as soon as possible'.

Critics were also angry that Lam missed repeated opportunities to apologise for what many saw as heavy-handed police tactics.

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.

'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.

The Chinese government said suspending the bill was a good decision to 'listen more widely to the views of the community and restore calm to the community as soon as possible'. Above: police block off a road as protesters pack behind their cordon

One protester carries a cardboard poster asking, 'Do you hear the people sing', while others hold one which says, 'We are with Hong Kong' and 'Not Alone'

This woman holds a photo of what appears to show police firing projectiles at protesters. Protest leaders want those arrested for rioting last week to be released

'They will keep the heat on and ride the momentum.'

Protest leaders have called for police to drop charges against anyone arrested for rioting and other offences linked to Wednesday's clashes.

Activist Lee said opponents feared reprisals by the government and wanted assurances 'that our Hong Kong people, our protesters, are not being harassed and politically prosecuted by this government.'

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.ON MEGHAN'S SIDE

THE BFF: Jessica Mulroney

Widely thought of as Meghan's BFF - and unofficial stylist - Jessica Mulroney is a clear front-runner, although her US location means she'd be a godparent from afar.

The stylist, a mother-of-three married to Canadian TV host Ben Mulroney, is so close to the Duchess that her four-year-old daughter, Ivy, was a flower girl at the royal wedding.

Her seven-year-old brothers John and Brian had the honour of being page boys.

The 39-year-old, who divides her time between Toronto and New York, where she works for Good Morning America as a fashion contributor, even has photos of the royal wedding in her home, with the stylish black-and-white snaps revealed in a video she posted last year.

Among those closest to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who could be named godparents of their first child, is Meghan's best friend and unofficial stylist Jessica Mulroney (pictured)

THE STYLIST FRIEND: Misha Nonoo

Despite being predominately based in New York, fashion designer Misha has maintained a close friendship with the Duchess.

She was the creative mind behind the t-shirt the Duchess of Sussex wore for her first public outing with the Prince at the Invictus Games in Toronto in September 2017, and was at one point thought to be the matchmaker behind their royal romance.

The pair also go way back; prior to joining the royal family Meghan enjoyed regular holidays with Misha and her best male friend Markus Anderson.

Misha Nonoo (pictured on holiday with Benita Litt and Meghan) has maintained her close friendship with Meghan since she married Prince Harry, despite being predominately based in New York

THE MOTHER OF MEGHAN'S GODCHILDREN: Benita Litt

If Meghan decides a reciprocal godparenting arrangement might be best, then she may well look to the mother of her own godchildren.

Benita Litt, mother to Remi and Rylan Litt, was spotted close to Meghan's mother Doria at the royal wedding with the pair clearly delighted to be representing the Duchess's side of the family.

A former entertainment lawyer, high-flying Benita has previously been on holiday with the royal - and if you needed any further proof of their solid friendship, the pair also spent Christmas 2016 together.

Benita Litt (pictured left at the Royal wedding with Meghan's mother Doria) is the mother of Meghan's godchildren Remi and Rylan Litt

THE UNIVERSITY PAL: Lindsay Roth

Keeper of some of the Duchess' oldest secrets, Lindsay Roth is a fellow alumni from Northwestern University in Illinois, where the pair bonded in an English literature class studying Toni Morrison's works.

Now a successful TV producer and author, Lindsay has already bestowed a role on Meghan, choosing her to serve as her maid of honour at her wedding in 2016.

Lindsay Roth (pictured with Meghan) is one of her oldest friends and a fellow alumni from Meghan's time spent studying literature at Northwestern

THE FAMOUS FRIEND: Serena Williams

Tennis icon Serena Williams has remained close friends with Meghan since the pair first met in 2010 at the Super Bowl in Miami, Florida.

Meghan previously wrote about their friendship on her lifestyle blog, The Tig, saying the pair had found an instant affection.

'We hit it off immediately,' she said. 'Taking pictures, laughing through the flag football game we were both playing in, and chatting not about tennis or acting, but about all the good old fashioned girly stuff.'

The sportswoman, 37, was one of the pals involved in organising her baby shower in New York - and admitted that she'd pulled out all the stops to make it perfect for her pal.

She told Business of Fashion: 'Planning something like that takes a lot of effort. I'm a perfectionist, so I'm like, 'Let's make it perfect'.'

Serena was a guest at St George's Chapel Windsor when Meghan married Prince Harry last May, and was one of the close friends invited to their more 'intimate' evening do for 200 friends.

Serena (pictured with Meghan backstage at a fashion debut) was one of the Duchess's close friends involved in the process of organising her New York baby shower

AMAL CLOONEY

Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, 41, and her husband George, 57, were in attendance at Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding.

The mother of twins, who developed a friendship with the duchess during her transition to London, are connected through celebrity hair stylist Miguel Perez.

According to Elle, Meghan has been relying on Amal's advice for coping with being in the public eye.

Amal and her husband are part of the well-heeled set of Berkshire-based celebrities who live close to Harry and Meghan's new home at Frogmore Cottage.

Their sprawling home is just a 30-minute drive from Windsor and the couples are said to socialise regularly.

Harry and Meghan also spent a few days with the Clooneys at their 18th century Villa Oleandra in Lake Como in August 2018, relaxing by the pool and playing basketball.

Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, 41, seen with George in March, attended Harry and Meghan's wedding. Amal was also in attendance of the Duchess's New York baby shower

THE MUTUAL FRIEND: Violet von Westenholz

Violet von Westenholz, 33, is the daughter of former Olympic skier Baron Piers von Westenholz, who is a close personal friend of Harry's father, the Prince of Wales.

She was also a childhood friend of Harry's and met with Meghan while working as a press relations director for Ralph Lauren.

She was seen chatting with Meghan at Wimbeldon just days before her blind date with Prince Harry in July 2016, prompting speculation that she had set the couple up.

However, it's since been revealed that the royal matchmaker was designer Misha Nonoo.

Chums: Violet met Meghan through her PR job at Ralph Lauren (pictured at The Polo Ralph Lauren VIP Suite at the 2016 Wimbledon Championships)

THE LA CONFIDANTE: Heather Dorak

Meghan's close friend Heather Dorak was not at her baby shower - presumably because she had given birth to her own child only days earlier.

The duchess developed a close friendship with Heather during the time she spent attending her Pilates classes when she was an actress in LA.

Meghan has often gushed about being inspired by Heather who was a guest at her wedding to Harry.

Meghan's close friend Heather Dorak (pictured) developed a close friendship with the duchess during the time she spent attending her Pilates classes as an actress in LA

On Harry's side

THE SECOND FATHER: Mark Dyer

Mark Dyer has been noted as a 'second father' to Prince Harry throughout his upbringing and a mentor alongside the royal's former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke.

Cheltenham College educated Dyer, known as Marko to friends, became a steadying big brother figure to the princes in the mid-Nineties when he worked as an equerry to the Prince of Wales for 18 months.

Prince Charles appointed Dyer to keep an eye on his sons, and he was brought in as a male counterpart to former royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke.

During the first half term after Diana's death, when the boys would have been with their mother, Prince Charles was committed to a five day visit to Africa.

He took Harry along and while the Prince carried out engagements, Harry went off on safari in Botswana, organised by Mark.

From then on he was a key guiding figure as Harry and William tried to come to terms with the loss of their mother.

After his spell as an employee to the Prince ended he remained a mentor to Harry.

In 2009 Mark founded the management company MDM Bars and Pubs and runs two pubs The Sand's End and The Brown Cow, in south-west London which both became haunts of Prince Harry.

Mark's six-year-old son Jasper, who is Prince Harry's godson, was chosen as a page boy for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding.

Mark Dyer (pictured with Harry) has been described as a 'second father' to Prince Harry following his mother Princess Diana's death

THE FAMILY MEMBER: Mike and Zara Tindall

Harry has shared a close bond with his cousin Zara Tindall since childhood.

Back when Zara had a tongue piercing and Harry was known for his wild nights out, the pair were known as the 'fun' royal rebels.

However, their friendship has endured now they are both settled down and in their 30s.

Indeed, it's Harry who is said to be responsible for Zara's happy marriage to Mike Tindall after introducing the pair at Manly Wharf Hotel in Sydney in 2003, during the Rugby World Cup.

Zara and Mike chose Prince Harry to be godfather to their second daughter, Lena, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended her christening in March at St Nicholas Church in Cherington, Gloucestershire.

Harry is godfather to Lena Tindall, the younger daughter of his cousin Zara and Mike Tindall (pictured at the Copper Box)

THE FATHER OF HARRY'S GODCHILD: Jake Warren

Jake Warren and his wife Zoe attended the couple's wedding, and their daughter Zalie - who is one of Prince Harry's godchildren - was chosen to be a flower girl.

The godson of Princess Diana, Jake grew up alongside Prince Harry and has often been spotted with him at events including Ascot.

The Warren family are closely connected to the royals through horse-racing. Jake's father John Warren is the Queen's racing manager.

The father-and-son team run Highclere Stud in Newbury together.

Jake Warren and his wife Zoe had their daughter Zali, who is one of Prince Harry's godchildren, attended their wedding (Harry and Jake pictured together at Royal Ascot in 2014)

THE CLOSE MATE: Nicholas Van Cutsem

Major Nicholas van Cutsem, a major with the Household Cavalry's Life Guards, has been a friend of Harry and William's since childhood.

He had an important role in the 2011 wedding when he escorted William and Kate along the procession route in London in a 1902 State Landau after their wedding at Westminster Abbey.

The Duke of Sussex chose three-year-old Florence, the daughter of Nicholas and his wife Alice Van Cutsem, as a flower girl for his wedding to Meghan.

Prince Harry, who has known Nicholas and Alice for several years, is Florence's godfather.

The Duke of Sussex chose three-year-old Florence, the daughter of Nicholas and Alice Van Cutsem (pictured in 2009), as a flower girl for his wedding to Meghan

THE BELOVED FORMER NANNY: Tiggy Pettifer

Tiggy Pettifer - better known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke - was famously Harry and William's long-term nanny in their formative years.

A constant by the princes' side while they were growing up, Tiggy has remained close to both the royals over the years, and met Meghan before they married.

The Duke of Sussex is godfather to Tiggy's son Tom Pettifer, who was pictured with Tiggy at the royal wedding.

The Duke of Sussex is godfather to his former nanny's son Tom Pettifer (pictured with Tiggy). His mother Tiggy Pettifer who was a personal assistant to Prince Harry throughout his childhood

THE PREP SCHOOL FRIEND: Charlie Van Straubenzee

Charlie Van Straubenzee became a close friend to Prince Harry and Prince William during their time at Ludgrove Prep School in Berkshire, and was chosen to be an usher at Harry's wedding.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended Charlie's wedding in Surrey just months after their own ceremony.

The Windsors and van Straubenzees have known each other since they were at Prep school together and are close friends.

Charlie's older brother Thomas is Princess Charlotte's godfather.

Harry has visited the family home in Cornwall almost every summer since he was a child.

Charlie Van Straubenzee (pictured with his wife Daisy) became a close friend of Prince Harry and Prince William during their time at Ludgrove Prep School in Berkshire

THE SPEECH WRITER: Tom Inskip

Tom 'Skippy' Inskip and sister Victoria  'Tor' to her friends  have known Princes William and Harry since childhood. The Inskips were regulars at Club H, the 'nightclub' William and Harry set up in the basement of Highgrove.

Tom attended Eton with Harry and co-owns a race horse with him called Usain Colt.

He later became known for being by Harry's side whenever he got into scrapes, such as his infamous trip to Las Vegas in 2012, when the prince was photographed naked during a game of 'strip billiards'.

But he's been leading a more settled life since marrying flame-haired literary agent the Hon Lara Hughes-Young in Jamaica in 2017.

Harry and Meghan flew to Jamaica to attend Tom's wedding, where the Prince was an usher.

Tom was a guest at the royal wedding in May 2018, and reportedly helped Prince William write a speech.A survivor of the 7/7 terror attacks that killed 52 people and injured 700 has told the father of one suicide bomber that she forgives his son.

Lisa French, 44, sat opposite Mahmood Hussain and said she 'felt sorry' for suicide bomber Hasib Hussain who blew up the bus she was on.

The 18-year-old's bomb killed 13 people on the number 30 bus on July 7, 2005.

Lisa French, 44, sat opposite Mahmood Hussain and said she 'felt sorry' for bus suicide bomber Hasib Hussain. The pair hugged as they met in Leeds

During an interview with the Mirror , she told Mahmood: 'Even though he tried to kill me, over the years I have come to realise I have forgiven your son for what he did to me'

And Ms French even said she noticed him as he boarded the bus at Tavistock Square in London on her morning commute.

She thought he seemed polite for taking off his rucksack as he stepped on to the packed bus.

Hasib Hussain detonated a bomb on the Number 30 bus in Tavistock Square, London

During an interview with the Mirror, she told Mahmood: 'Even though he tried to kill me, over the years I have come to realise I have forgiven your son for what he did to me.'

She told Mahmood she had wanted to meet with him so he knew that at least one person who was on the bus didn't blame his family.

She added: 'I feel sorry for your son and how desperate he must have felt that day to do what he did.'

Mahmood, 64, said: 'My heart is broken. I just walk around like a skeleton. There is no place for terrorism in this country, the best country on Earth.'

He told Ms French how he would have broken his son's legs to stop him from going to London if he had known what he was planning.

The bomb he set off killed 13 people. His bomb was the fourth of the morning on July 7, 2005. Pictured is Hasib Hussain (top row, centre)

Three other bombs were set off on London Underground trains within 50 seconds of each other at 8.49am

During morning rush hour on July 7, 2005, three bombs were detonated on London Underground trains at 8.49am within 50 seconds of each other.

Mohammad Sidique Khan, 30, killed six after he set off his bomb at leaving Edgware Road Tube station.

Shehzad Tanweer, 22, then detonated his bomb between Liverpool Street and Aldgate, killing six.

Germaine Lindsay, 19, then blew up a train between Kings Cross and Russell Square, killing 26.

Later that morning at 9.47am Hasib detonated a fourth bomb on the number 30 bus.

The bombings were Britain's deadliest terror attack since the Lockerbie bombing in 1988.

Ms French was left with perforated eardrums, broken teeth, cuts and bruises and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mohammad Sidique Khan, 30, killed six after he set off his bomb at leaving Edgware Road Tube station

Shehzad Tanweer, 22, then detonated his bomb between Liverpool Street and Aldgate, killing six. Pictured is CCTV footage of Hasib Hussain arriving at King's Cross station on the morning of the 7/7 bombings

Later that morning at 9.47am Hasib detonated a fourth bomb on the number 30 bus. Pictured is CCTV footage of Hasib Hussain arriving at King's Cross station on the morning of the 7/7 bombings

Ms French was left with perforated eardrums, broken teeth, cuts and bruises and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Hasib Hussain (right)

Left to right: 7/7 bombers, Hasib Hussain, Shehzad Tanweer, Jermaine Lindsay and Mohammad Sidique Khan, which were shown at the inquest into the bombings

Mahmood believes that Hasib (pictured in CCTV footage at Luton station on the morning of the bombings) was radicalised by preachers spreading hate in Leeds

Mahmood told her how his wife has not 'smiled or laughed' for the last 14 years and she now works as an interpreter for the NHS in seven hospitals because she wants to help people.

He spoke of how Hasib was well-educated, had studied business and was engaged to marry a woman from Pakistan.

But he believes that Hasib was radicalised by preachers spreading hate in Leeds.

During his meeting with Ms French, in Leeds, he said how he had visited London to see the memorials for the victims of the 7/7 attacks.

He said he had been to King's Cross station to see the plaque as well as the 'blood wall' at the British Medical Association.

He said: 'I had to touch it as I needed to face that as some of my sons blood is there as well. Both me and my wife, we felt we had to do that.'

Mahmood has released a book in which he describes his feelings after finding out his son had been involved in the attacks.

He said: 'I wanted to say something, I dont want to hurt anyone.

'I want the public to read this and leave it to them to decide. Instead of preaching hate I want to preach love.'

My Son, the 7/7 Suicide Bomber: A Fathers Anguish, is available on Amazon books.

Proceeds go to Victim Support.Tory Brexiteers have warned Boris Johnson they will quit if he reneges on his solemn vow to take Britain out of the EU by Halloween.

Senior Eurosceptics insisted the Conservatives would be 'over' and they would defect to the Brexit Party unless the leadership front runner follows through.

Mr Johnson is the runaway favourite to take over from Theresa May after promising Brexit will happen by October 31 - with or without a deal.

Mr Johnson's main rivals have warned it is not possible to force No Deal through parliament, and there is not enough time to overhaul the package thrashed out with Brussels.

Mr Johnson fuelled rumours of an early ballot by telling a hustings event he would 'get Brexit done and get ready for an election. He is pictured arriving at the event in London yesterday

Theresa May (pictured at church in Maidenhead with husband Philip today) is said to have backed Rory Stewart in the first round of the Tory leadership battle

Dominic Raab - the othe Brexiteer left in the contest - warned on Sky News today that the Tories will be finished unless the UK is out of the EU by the October 31

He raised eyebrows on Friday by suggesting that there was no question of extending the deadline 'at this stage'.

However, a YouGov poll today underlined the threat from Nigel Farage's fledgling party, which topped European elections last month.

Raab slams 'weak' Tory hopefuls for refusing to force Brexit Dominic Raab today warned the Tories will be finished unless the UK is out of the EU by the October 31. The Brexiteer delivered the stark message as he condemned leadership hopefuls who were going 'weak at the knees' when confronted by EU intransigence. 'The Tory Party will be toast unless we are out by the end of October. The Conservatives cannot win an election unless we have delivered Brexit,' he told Sky News's Ridge On Sunday programme. Mr Raab, who has said he would leave with or without a deal, defended his refusal to rule out suspending Parliament in order to ensure it could not block Brexit. 'What is really scandalous here is the way that people are trying to sabotage the will of the people and break their promises left, right and centre to get us out of the EU,' he said. '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. 'All those candidates that are going weak at the knees and saying 'I'm not sure about this and that', they are sending a message to the EU that they can take us for a ride. We have had three years of that. It is time to get this done.' Advertisement

The Brexit Party was ahead on 24 per cent - three points ahead of both the Tories and Labour,

In a stark message to Mr Johnson, a former minister told the Sunday Express: 'Boris has been told straight. We have backed him but he has got to keep his word. We have to leave on October 31 or it is over.

'The donors will be gone, the members will be gone and MPs will go. We will have no choice, it will have to be the Brexit Party.

'We have had promises from a Theresa May Government and been let down, we cannot be let down by a Boris Johnson Government. If we are, it is over.'

At Tory hustings in London yesterday, Mr Johnson promised to 'take away the oxygen' from Mr Farage's new outfit.

'I have experience of sucking away the oxygen of Ukip and Nigel Farage, they wouldn't even stand against me the second time I stood in London. We can push them back in their box,' he said.

He also fuelled rumours of an early ballot by telling a hustings event he would 'get Brexit done and get ready for an election'.

Meanwhile, Dominic Raab - the other Brexiteer left in the contest - has warned the party will be finished unless the UK is out of the EU by the October 31.

'The Tory Party will be toast unless we are out by the end of October. The Conservatives cannot win an election unless we have delivered Brexit,' he told Sky News's Ridge On Sunday programme.

Mr Raab, who has said he would leave with or without a deal, defended his refusal to rule out suspending Parliament in order to ensure it could not block Brexit.

'What is really scandalous here is the way that people are trying to sabotage the will of the people and break their promises left, right and centre to get us out of the EU,' he said.

A YouGov poll today underlined the threat from the Brexit Party, which topped European elections last month. Nigel Farage is pictured delivering a list of demands to No10 last week

'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.

'All those candidates that are going weak at the knees and saying 'I'm not sure about this and that', they are sending a message to the EU that they can take us for a ride. We have had three years of that. It is time to get this done.

'We gave people a decision. Now Parliament is trying to steal it back away from them. When people voted, they voted to leave.'

The manoeuvring came as a survey found 47 per cent of the public think he can defeat Labour and Nigel Farage - while just 22 per cent think he would lose.

His ratings are way ahead of other leadership contenders such as Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove.

However, in a worrying sign for Mr Johnson's supporters, nearly six in 10 said he was not the kind of man they would buy a used car from.

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

Mr Johnson goes into the second week of the Tory campaign the red-hot favourite to succeed Theresa May, having racked up support from 114 MPs in the first ballot - more than his next three rivals combined.A Royal Navy sailor was left pregnant after being raped by a soldier who had spiked her drink, it is claimed.

The woman gave birth to a girl after being allegedly attacked by an army private at a military barracks in Gibraltar.

The 42-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was given a 'shot' of what she thought was rum.

A Royal Navy sailor was left pregnant after allegedly being raped by a soldier who had spiked her drink while at an overseas military base (stock photo)

She then says that she passed out and was raped.

She remained silent about the alleged crime and gave birth in 2013, but later brought the rape to Naval chiefs' attention after being asked who the father was by a doctor.

But when she reported the incident she was 'made to feel like a criminal' by superiors and quit the military just two months before being eligible for her pension.

No charges were ever brought.

The former servicewoman has now been given the green light to sue the government and could be in line for a damages payout.

The women, who has not been named, claims that she fell pregnant following the alleged assault at a military barracks in Gibraltar (pictured, stock photo). She gave birth to a girl in 2013

'I didn't think anybody would believe me that this man had raped me and then I found out I was pregnant as a result,' she said.

'I just wanted to move on and keep what happened to myself, but then the attack started affecting me psychologically and I went to see the doctor.

'She asked me who the father was and it all came flooding out that I had been raped.

'When I told my superiors in the Navy they acted like I was making it up so I didn't have to go back to sea.

'I thought that they would help me, but they made me feel like a criminal.'

No action was taken against the soldier - known as TS - because prosecutors ruled the alleged attack which happened overseas was not covered by English law.

Military officers also opted against charging the private or referring it to the area's police because he argued the pair had consensual sex.

The woman, who joined the Navy in 2003, did not report the alleged 2012 sex attack until after her daughter's birth because of 'previous negative experiences' dealing with military chiefs.

She has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress.

The woman added: 'All I want is some kind of justice.

'The fact is that this man is still in the armed forces whereas I had to leave because of what he did to me.

'I felt suicidal and helpless, but I have managed to get through it for my little girl.'

Lawyers believe that the 'close connection' between her alleged attacker and the Army means that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is potentially liable.

Solicitor Chun Wong, at London law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, said: 'My client's case is that she had a drink spiked, was raped and was then treated like a criminal rather than a victim by her superiors.

'To add insult to injury the MoD argued that they were not liable for the actions of a soldier whilst he was subject to military rules and discipline on the base.'

The MoD originally succeeded in getting the case struck out at the High Court but the decision has now been overturned on appeal, now paving the way for a trial.

Mr Wong added: 'We will now seek to get her justice for what she has suffered.

'I hope that this will also give other servicemen and women courage to come forward and report rape and sexual assault that they have experienced in the armed forces.'

The MoD said it would not comment while litigation was ongoing.Samantha Murphy has been left homeless after her faulty Samsung washing machine blew up inside of her laundry

A mother-of-six has been left homeless after her faulty Samsung washing machine blew up inside of her laundry.

Samantha Murphy turned on the washing machine, which she said she was unaware had been recalled in 2013, before she left her rental home in the New South Wales Hunter Region on Saturday morning.

Ten minutes later she returned and found the machine had exploded and destroyed her laundry.

Firefighters who extinguished the fire told her the washing machine was one of six models that had been recalled in 2013.

She took to Facebook to urge others to check their washing machines.

'Please check that your Samsung wasn't one of these ones that were recalled, as I was unaware that my one was until the firefighters told me,' she wrote in a post, according to Yahoo Australia.

The mother-of-six had no idea her washing machine was one of six Samsung top loader models that had been recalled in 2013

Shocking images posted online captured Ms Murphy's laundry, completely blackened in soot with a melted hole where the machine once stood.

Ms Murphy's sister has set up a Go Fund Me page to help the family get back on their feet.

'This fire has left her family homeless and with nothing. Unfortunately my sister did not have contents insurance on her home as she spends all her money on food and necessities for her family,' she wrote.

'Any help to get this young family back on their feet again would be incredibly appreciated, and if you are an owner of a Samsung washing machine, please consult the Samsung website and check if your model has been recalled, otherwise you could potentially be left with nothing, just like my sister and her family.'

Samsung told Daily Mail Australia they were concerned about what happened to Ms Murphy.

'We are deeply concerned to hear about an apparent incident in Aberdare, NSW, allegedly involving a washing machine that is subject to a recall that was announced in April 2013,' they said in a statement.

Ms Murphy did not have contents insurance on her rental home (pictured: exploded machine)

DO YOU OWN A FAULTY WASHING MACHINE? Samsung has recalled the following top loader washing machine models: - SW80SPWIP/XSA - SW65V9WIP/XSA - WA85GWGIP/XSA - SW70SPWIP/XSA - WA85GWWIP/XSA - SW75V9WIP/XSA Every Samsung machine has a sticker on the back left or centre back showing the model Visit https://www.samsung.com/au/washingmachinerecall/ for a full refund or replacement As of February 2019, there are still over 14,000 models yet to be returned Advertisement

'Samsung initiated a voluntary recall on six models of top loader washing machines in April 2013. While we have identified and resolved more than 91 per cent of the impacted top loaders, we continue to work to find every possible unit,' the spokesperson said.

The company said they had since been in contact with Ms Murphy and had offered her with temporary accommodation and emergency funds.

Those with a top loader from Samsung are urged to check their model details, and are entitled to a replacement or refund if the product falls within the recall.

The models in question were responsible for 200 incidents and were voluntarily recalled by Samsung.

The latest product recall update in February 2019 revealed over 130,000 of the 144,451 impacted machines have been returned.

The spokesperson said: 'Samsung continues to undertake proactive outbound communications in an effort to make customers aware of the recall so we can locate and resolve the remaining units.'

This means there are still an estimated 11,757 potential 'ticking time bombs' still in circulation across Australia.

The latest product recall update in February 2019 revealed over 130,000 of the 144,451 impacted machines have been returnedOne of the oldest steam engines in the world has been winched over the rooftops of Whitstable today as it returned to the town 189 years after it first arrived.

The Invicta steam engine was lifted into the Whitstable Community Museum and Gallery from its current home in Canterbury.

The ninth oldest surviving locomotive hauled its first train on the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway in 1830 and remained in active service until 1839.

The historic Invicta locomotive has been taken to a new home at the Whitstable Community Museum today. The steam engine, which was in service in 1830, was the first to operate a regular timetabled passenger service

The locomotive has played a significant part in rail history and is the longest-preserved steam engine after it was taken out of service in 1839. It was the first locomotive on the Canterbury-Whitstable line which was known as the Crab and Winkle

The six-tonne engine was lifted above the rooftops of Whitstable as it moved from seven miles away in Canterbury to its new home. The relocation cost 70,000 and took months of planning

The steam engine played a significant role in locomotive history, being the first in the world to haul a regular timetabled passenger service and the first to be actively restored.

Invicta, the first steam engine to operate in the South-East, was built by Robert Stephenson and Company in Newcastle and was the first steam-powered passenger service on the colloquially-known Crab and Winkle Line.

The line on the Kent coast, which opened in 1825, is one of the oldest in Britain and is believed to be the first to transport passengers in steam-hauled trains.

The six-tonne locomotive will be on permanent display at the museum and a 70,000 plan was in place to ensure its safe arrival, according to Kent Online.

The High Street of Whitstable was closed today as the six-tonne locomotive was lifted into its new home where it will be open to the public from July 18. The Invicta's chimney and smokebox were dismantled for the relocation

A stationary beam engine, one of the few remaining stationary winding engines in the world, was also lifted into the museum and will be on display alongside the famous Invicta.

The locomotive's name comes from the motto of the flag of Kent and means undefeated in Latin.

It is believed to have been designed by Robert Stephenson, the only son of George, 'the Father of Railways', who was a pioneer of the Industrial Revolution.

The historic steam engine marked the end of the first phase of locomotive development as the more successful Stephenson's Rocket became the blueprint

Invicta hauled passengers on the opening day of the Crab and Winkle Line in 1830 (pictured) and Robert Stephenson, the son of pioneer George and the designer of the locomotive, was in attendance. Isambard Kingdom Brunel later visited the line to test on the incline for his proposal for a tunnel on the Great Western Railway

Invicta has many similarities to the Stephenson's Rocket that became famous after winning the Rainhill Trials held by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway and was also completed in 1829 in the same Newcastle factory.

Both of the historic engines have inclined cylinders on the sides of the boiler but Invicta was the first with coupling rods to drive the rear wheels.

It was built for 635 and hauled the first train of the Crab and Winkle Line into Whitstable Harbour Station.

A stationary beam engine, one of the few remaining stationary winding engines in the world, was also lifted into the museum today

Invicta has many similarities to the Stephenson's Rocket that became famous after winning the Rainhill Trials held by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. The two locomotives were built in the same year in the same factory in Newcastle

Invicta was the only locomotive used on the line at the time and Robert Stephenson was in attendance on the opening day, and was guest of honour at a dinner held in Canterbury.

It was taken out of service in 1839 as stationary engines were preferred for the line, and Invicta became the first locomotive to be preserved.

The relocation from the Canterbury Heritage Museum to the Whitstable Community Museum will see the temporary removal of the windows and doors of its current home seven miles away.

Invicta was built for 635 but was taken out of service in 1839 in favour of more powerful stationary engines which could manage the steep inclines of the Crab and Winkle line

The locomotive's name comes from the motto of the flag of Kent and means undefeated in Latin

Invicta's chimney and smokebox were also dismantled and Whitstable's high street was closed off as it was lifted by a crane over the roof of the museum.

Brian Hitcham, chair of the museum trust, said: 'June 16 will be a day of great celebration in Whitstable.

'Not only by the team of 70 volunteers who run the museum and who have worked tirelessly over the last few years in their efforts to make this happen, but also by the people of Whitstable who have shown their support and offered encouragement throughout.'

The official launch and celebration will take place on July 18.A teenage girl was left stunned after a rogue kangaroo burst through the wall of her bedroom and trashed her belongings before her father was forced to shoo it out the front door with a broom.

Sarah said she had been out for dinner with her family on Saturday evening when they arrived home to uncover the bizarre and incredibly Australian scenario.

The 16-year-old said her father, who had noticed the gaping hole in her bedroom wall from the outside of the farmhouse, suggested she get a shotgun when they realised an uninvited kangaroo was still in her bedroom.

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A woman was left stunned after a rogue kangaroo burst through the wall of her bedroom (Kangaroo hole pictured)

'My dad first shouted at me to get the shotgun but I refused, so he scared it out into the kitchen with a broom, and managed to force it out the front door,' Sarah wrote on Reddit.

'It was bleeding, probably cut itself on my now smashed mirror, but otherwise seemed fine. Hopefully it won't come back for more.

'It left blood, piss and sh** on my floor, walls and bed. It smashed my full length mirror and made a gaping hole in my wall.'

Sarah has since shared images which depict the aftermath of the kangaroo's visit to social media site Reddit, alongside the caption: 'A massive kangaroo bust through my wall and f****ed up my room'.

The woman said she had been out for dinner with her family on Saturday evening when they arrived home to uncover the bizarre and incredibly Aussie scenario (File picture)

Another image shows the remnants of blood and animal faeces littered across the bedroom floor

One picture shows a huge kangaroo-shaped hole in the side of her bedroom wall, while another shows the remnants of blood and animal faeces littered across the floor.

A third image shows more animal blood smeared up the sides of her walls, while a forth shows her belongings scattered across the floor.

However the user was forced to fend off skeptic comments which questioned how sturdy her wall had been if the kangaroo had been able to jump through it.

'No, my walls are not made of paper. They are not thick, but they're fibro cement. We can't afford anything better,' she said.

A third image shared on social media showed more animal blood smeared up the sides of the bedroom walls

It's unclear how the blood ended up on the bedroom walls but the woman said she thought the kangaroo had cut himself on her mirror

She also reasoned the kangaroo could have jumped through the wall as a result of an adverse reaction to being cornered outside by two of the family's dogs.

Social media users were left baffled by what had happened but noted it would only ever happen in Australia.

'That is the most Australian thing I've ever seen written,' one wrote.

Another questioned: 'Why does every animal in Australia want to kill you?'

'The MOST Australian post,' one simply said.

'This is one of the most Australian thing[s] I've seen,' another said.Saudi Arabia's crown prince has warned against 'exploiting' the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi - which he is suspected of ordering - in what appeared to be an attack on Turkey.

Mohammed bin Salman called Khashoggi's death a 'painful crime', once again distancing himself from the killing which has tarnished his reputation abroad.

'Any party exploiting the case politically should stop doing so, and present evidence to the (Saudi) court, which will contribute in achieving justice,' he said.

He did not specify Turkey, but Ankara has been leading international pressure on Riyadh over the death and has demanded to know the whereabouts of Khashoggi's body, which has yet to be found.

Khashoggi, who had written critically of the prince, was murdered and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October last year.

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, pictured on a trip to India earlier this year, has again distanced himself from the killing of Jamal Khashoggi

Prince Mohammed said the kingdom was committed to 'full justice and accountability' in the case.

The prince, however, added that he wants strong relations with 'all Islamic countries including Turkey'.

Riyadh's ever-changing explanations for the death led to worldwide suspicion that the prince was behind the operation.

Saudi Arabia initially denied any knowledge of what happened, insisting for weeks that Khashoggi had walked out of the consulate alive.

The journalist had last been seen entering the Saudi consulate on October 2 to obtain paperwork for marriage procedures

After finally acknowledging that Khashoggi had died in the building, Saudi officials claimed he had died accidentally during a brawl.

Jamal Khashoggi (pictured in Switzerland in 2011), who had written critically of the prince, was murdered and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October last year

Changing tack again, the Saudis then admitted the journalist was murdered, charged 11 people but denied that the prince had been involved.

However, reports have suggested that Prince Mohammed was linked to the hit squad which killed Khashoggi and had issued threats against him in the past.

America has alleged that his right-hand man Saud al-Qahtani 'was part of the planning and execution of the operation' to kill Khashoggi.

The killing strained Saudi Arabia's relations with the West and led to some demands for Europe and the U.S. to cut arms exports to the Gulf kingdom.

But U.S. President Donald Trump - who called Saudi Arabia's explanation credible - and French leader Emmanuel Macron both rejected the idea of cancelling weapons deals.

The prince's latest comments also come amid spiralling tensions in the Middle East after two Gulf tankers were hit with explosions on Thursday in the second apparent attack in weeks.

Prince Mohammed's latest comments come at a strained time in Middle East politics after apparent attacks on two Gulf tankers (one of which is pictured burning) on Thursday

The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have blamed Iran for attacking the tankers, whose crews were forced to evacuate.

A grainy video released by American military purports to show an Iranian patrol boat crew retrieving an unexploded limpet mine from one of the ships.

Prince Mohammed warned that Riyadh 'won't hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, our sovereignty, our territorial integrity and our vital interests' in the wake of the blasts.

Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih called for a 'swift and decisive' response to threats against energy supplies after Thursday's 'terrorist acts'.

Washington has dispatched the destroyer USS Mason to the scene to shore up its military presence there.

Iran has denied involvement, accusing the U.S. of 'Iranophobia' and trying to 'sabotage diplomacy'.This is the disturbing moment a hit-and-run driver ploughs into a young biker and drags him 50 yards up the road after stopped at a red light.

Jason Pieterse, 22, suffered a damaged jaw and bruising all over his body after being left for dead on the side of the road fifty yards from the point of impact when he was hit in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Paramedics who raced to the scene on Zastron Street last Sunday were warned they may be dealing with a corpse but found Mr Pieterse unconscious and rushed him to intensive care in the nearby Pelenomi Hospital.

He was put into an induced coma over fears that he had severe swelling to his brain - but four days later he was up again, although he said his badly bruised jaw made it difficult to talk comfortably.

Jason Pieterse, 22, suffered a damaged jaw and bruising all over his body and needed ear stitches after being left for dead on the side of the road

As police hunt the driver who mowed him down, Mr Pieterse has spoken of his miraculous survival but has no memory of what happened after he stopped at the red light

A doctor at the hospital who saw the video said: 'There was an angel riding pillion with him on that bike that night - there is no other explanation.'

As police hunt the driver who mowed him down, Mr Pieterse has spoken of his miraculous survival but has no memory of what happened after he stopped at the red light.

He said: 'I am so so grateful that I'm alive but I don't remember anything that happened and have been told some one crashed into me but I am alright and just have a sore jaw and a lot of bruising all over my body.

'I can get up and walk to my wheelchair and have been wheeling myself around as I get better.

'I would like thank all the doctors and nurses who helped me and everyone who has supported me. My bike is a write off but I am ok. There are many who have not been as lucky as I have and who are not here today'.

Mechanic Mr Pieterse's ordeal started when he stopped at the well lit crossroads waiting for the light to turn green.

In the video the headlights of a speeding station wagon can be seen lighting him up from behind as it approaches at speed and it ploughs straight into the rear of his motorcycle.

Mr Pieterse's bike smashes to pieces on impact and his open faced helmet is snapped off his head as he flies high through the air before landing some 30 feet away from where he was hit.

Mechanic Mr Pieterse's ordeal started when he stopped at the well lit crossroads waiting for the light to turn green

Jason was dragged 50 yards up the road but the badly injured biker survived the crash and was rushed to the Pelonomi Hospital where doctors in the intensive care unit were waiting for him.

Surgeons feared the worst when he was brought in but incredibly he had no broken bones or internal injuries except for an abnormal swelling to the brain which has been dealt with and since subsided.

Police spokesperson Constable Wendy Nkabi said the motorist at the wheel of the white station wagon fled the scene before police arrived - and is wanted for questioning.

She said he will face charges of at least reckless and negligent driving after the incident and revealed that other CCTV cameras are being checked for more footage of the crash.

Surgeons feared the worst when he was brought in but incredibly he had no broken bones or internal injuries except for an abnormal swelling to the brain which has been dealt with and since subsided

The biker's father Johan said that the family began phoning round police stations when he failed to return home as expected and traced him to a hospital where staff said he was being operated on.

Mr Pieterse told TimesLIVE after seeing the video for the first time: 'When you are a father and someone does that to your child.... well you have absolutely no idea how I am feeling at this moment.

'We can't thank the Lord enough that Jason is alive and we just want to say a big thank you to our friends, family and strangers for the support and prayers and the police and everyone at the hospital.'

Free State Health spokesperson Mondi Mvambi said that the motorcyclist is now in a stable condition and is recovering in a High Care Unit on the Trauma Ward in hospital in Bloemfontein.Advertisement

Piers Morgan told Amanda Knox that she should 'shut up' out of respect for Meredith Kercher's family as she revealed she is still terrified of being re-arrested over the British student's murder.

The U.S. 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.

While there, she appeared at a criminal justice festival where she told attendees she 'still fears more charges' despite being cleared of Meredith's murder by an Italian supreme court back in 2015.

But Piers criticized Ms Knox for her actions, tweeting: 'Out of respect for Meredith Kercher's poor family, Amanda Knox should stop her self-pitying "all about me" victim tour - and shut up.'

Although he chose not to tag Ms Knox, she replied to his tweet, saying: 'Says the guy who's begged me to be on his show multiple times, and I've turned him down every time.'

He hit back: 'I think we all know why you might wish to avoid interviews with British TV journalists, especially those like me who once worked with Merediths father. Mine would start with this question: your lies sent an innocent man Patrick Lumumba to jail, so what else did you lie about?'

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Piers Morgan told Amanda Knox, pictured being held by her mother, Edda Mellas, at the Criminal Justice Festival in Italy, she should stop her '"all-about me" victim tour' out of respect for Meredith Kercher's family. It is her first return to the country since she was cleared of murdering Meredith Kercher at their rented house in Perugia in 2007

Ms Knox hit back after his comments, saying Piers had 'begged' her to come on his show 'multiple times'. But Piers claimed she was avoiding interviews with British journalists

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

At the conference on Saturday, Ms Knox told the crowd: '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.

'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.

In her podcast, The Truth About True Crime, Ms Knox also spoke about her ordeal. While discussing Jens Soering, a man who falsely confessed to killing two people out of love, she talked about her own confessions.

She said: 'Jens knowingly and willingly falsely confessed to killing Nancy and Derek Haysom. My own false statements were coerced, authored by the police themselves and were the result of an abusive illegal interrogation that wasnt recorded.'

Ms Knox also spoke about her fiance, Chris, saying: Romantic love hits me that way when I think about my fiance Chris. It feels deep, and primary, like my need for water.

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'The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox has said there is 'no place in politics or comedy for violent language' after comedian Jo Brand's controversial joke about throwing acid rather than milkshakes at politicians.

Speaking on the third anniversary of her sister's death, Kim Leadbetter said violent rhetoric 'isn't helpful' and called on politicians, journalists and comedians to 'take responsibility' for their language.

She said she thought British political discourse had become more fraught and more uncivil in the three years since her sister's killing, at the height of the referendum campaign.

Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sky about Ms Brand's joke, Ms Leadbetter said: 'I don't think there is a place in politics, or sometimes in comedy, for the use of violent language.

'No-one wants to stop comedians doing their job, no-one wants to stop politicians doing their job.

'But I think if you have a public role, - and indeed if you don't have a public role - we have to all take responsibility for the language we use and the things that we say.'

She went on: 'The way that politics is at the moment, I wouldn't have thought there was a shortage of material for comedians. So I don't think using such violent rhetoric is helpful.'

She added that she acknowledged it was 'a tricky one', asking rhetorically: 'Who sets the moral compass of the nation?'

MP Jo Cox was shot dead by far right terrorist Tommy Mair, 55, outside a West Yorkshire library, just days before the EU referendum in June 2016

Kim and Jo together. Today Ms Leadbetter said there was 'nothing wrong with robust debate' but called on politicians and commentators to treat each other with respect and civility

Jo Cox's sister Kim Leadbetter said this morning that there should be 'no place in politics or comedy for violent language'

But, she said: 'If you had a conversation with anybody who has been the victim of an acid attack, or has had a family member who's been attacked in such a horrific way, they certainly wouldn't find it funny.'

MP Jo Cox - a mother of two children aged five and three at the time - was shot dead by far right terrorist Tommy Mair, 55, outside a West Yorkshire library, aged just 41, just days before the EU referendum in June 2016.

Today her sister said things briefly 'felt different' after the killing.

She said: 'There was a time MPs and politicians said "we have to do things differently" after Jo's murder, but I think it's fair to say that since that times, things have just got progressively worse.'

She said she thought there was 'absolutely nothing wrong with robust debate and passionate discussion' but insisted people should treat each other with 'respect and civility' saying she thought 'we have lost sight of that a little bit in recent times'.

Jo Cox's sister Kim Leadbetter also told Sophy Ridge on Sky that the family would be paying tribute to the murdered MP with a game of rugby league in her native Batley in West Yorkshire today.

Pictured: Nigel Farage in Newcastle on May 20, when an activist threw milkshake on him

Jo Brand pulled out of an Alzheimers Society event following controversy over her joke about throwing battery acid over 'unpleasant' politicians.

The 61-year-old comic was due to attend the event, with Buzz Bingo, in London on Saturday, but a spokesman for the charity said her 'schedule had changed'.

The announcement came after she apologised last night for the gag calling it 'crass and ill-judged' - but insisted she still didn't think it was 'a mistake'.

Brand said 'sorry' to an audience in Henley, Oxfordshire as it emerged police will examine the remarks following an allegation of 'incitement to violence.'

Brand sparked outrage after she said on Radio 4 show Heresy that yobs who doused politicians like Farage with milkshakes were 'pathetic' and added: 'Why bother with a milkshake when you could get some battery acid?'

The backlash against her grew as victims of acid attacks called her comments 'vile' and 'inhumane' and demanded she was arrested.

The BBC has since removed the episode from its iPlayer and released an updated statement in the wake of the outrage after they defied calls to sack her.

The police have confirmed she will not face any further action.Tory leadership rivals let rip at Boris Johnson today for snubbing the first TV debate - as he faces being empty chaired.

Other hopefuls slammed the front runner for his 'submarine' campaign strategy, with Rory Stewart jibing that no-one 'knows what he believes'.

His nearest challenger Jeremy Hunt also made a pitch for support from the Tory Remain wing, saying 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.

The battle for the keys to No10 is turning nasty as contenders desperately struggle to overhaul Mr Johnson's commanding lead. They are scrambling to pick up votes from those already eliminated - with Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who had 20 supporters, yet to decide who to back.

Mr Johnson was criticised yesterday for bustling 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 five have agreed to take part in the Channel 4 show this evening - but Mr Johnson has made clear he will stay away.

The broadcaster has said it will 'empty chair' him if he does not turn up.

But Mr Johnson has suggested he will only join in a BBC showdown on Tuesday, after the next round of voting by MPs.

A clearly infuriated Rory Stewart stepped up his attack on former foreign secretary Boris Johnson on the BBC's Andrew Marr show this morning

Mr Johnson fuelled rumours of an early ballot by telling a hustings event he would 'get Brexit done and get ready for an election. He is pictured arriving at the event in London yesterday

His nearest challenger Jeremy Hunt also made a pitch today for support from the Tory Remain wing, saying he would exhaust all options before contemplating No Deal

Dominic Raab - the othe Brexiteer left in the contest - warned on Sky News today that the Tories will be finished unless the UK is out of the EU by the October 31

As the Tory leadership combat moved into a frenetic new phase:

Mr Johnson is facing a backlash after making clear he will snub a Channel 4 debate between Tory leadership candidates tonight - although he will take part in a BBC show on Tuesday;

Former chancellor Ken Clarke said he was ready to vote no confidence in any 'idiot' who made a bid to take the UK out of the EU without approval from Parliament;

Allies of Theresa May have suggested once she quits No10 she will join forces with pro-Remain ministers such as Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd to avoid No Deal;

Senior Eurosceptics insisted the Conservatives would be 'over' and they would defect to the Brexit Party unless the leadership front runner follows through on his vow to leave by Halloween;

Tory rival Dominic Raab hit out at would-be PMs who are going 'weak at the knees' about pushing through Brexit - warning the party will be 'toast' unless it happens by October;

Nigel Farage sought to exploit Tory splits by warning Mr Johnson 'will not deliver on his promises', adding: 'Tory defectors would be welcome in the Brexit Party'.

A clearly infuriated Mr Stewart stepped up his attack on the former foreign secretary on the Marr Show this morning.

Raab slams 'weak' Tory hopefuls for refusing to force Brexit Dominic Raab today warned the Tories will be finished unless the UK is out of the EU by the October 31. The Brexiteer delivered the stark message as he condemned leadership hopefuls who were going 'weak at the knees' when confronted by EU intransigence. 'The Tory Party will be toast unless we are out by the end of October. The Conservatives cannot win an election unless we have delivered Brexit,' he told Sky News's Ridge On Sunday programme. Mr Raab, who has said he would leave with or without a deal, defended his refusal to rule out suspending Parliament in order to ensure it could not block Brexit. 'What is really scandalous here is the way that people are trying to sabotage the will of the people and break their promises left, right and centre to get us out of the EU,' he said. '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. 'All those candidates that are going weak at the knees and saying 'I'm not sure about this and that', they are sending a message to the EU that they can take us for a ride. We have had three years of that. It is time to get this done.' Advertisement

'How is Boris going to deliver Brexit? How?' the Aid Secretary said.

'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.

'We want to know what he believes. We want him to sit at this debate tonight and tell us.'

Mr Stewart also tried to drawn a line under confusion over whether he would serve in the Cabinet if Mr Johnson becomes leader.

'I wouldn't serve in a Boris Cabinet,' he said.

Mr Johnson has put the Tories in an election war footing - as a poll today found voters believe he can win back Eurosceptics and defeat Corbyn.

The leadership favourite fuelled rumours of an early ballot by telling a hustings event he would 'get Brexit done and get ready for an election'.

The dramatic vow yesterday came as a survey found 47 per cent of the public think he can see off Labour and Nigel Farage - while just 22 per cent think he would lose.

His ratings are way ahead of other leadership contenders such as Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove.

However, in a worrying sign for Mr Johnson's supporters, nearly six in 10 said he was not the kind of man they would buy a used car from.

The scale of the challenge he faces was also underlined with the YouGov research showing that overall the Brexit Party is still leading on 24 per cent - three points ahead of both the Conservatives and Labour.

Theresa May (pictured at church in Maidenhead with husband Philip today) is said to have backed Rory Stewart in the first round of the Tory leadership battle

Asked in the youGov poll for the Sunday Times which of the Tory hopefuls could win an election, Mr Johnson scored considerably ahead of Jeremy Hunt (pictured left arriving for the BBC's Andrew Marr show today). Rory Stewart (pictured right at the BBC studios today) is the main candidate for the Remain wing

If replicated at a general election the finding would likely put Mr Farage in No10, although the ratings for the Lib Dems and other parties have yet to be published.

Mr Farage told MailOnline today: 'It would appear that Mr Johnson wants a head to head fight. If that's what he wants, he's going to get it.'

Mr Hunt has said he believes it is possible to negotiate a new deal with the EU that would do away with the need for an Irish border backstop.

Husband of mother imprisoned in Iran says he 'resented' Boris Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband has admitted he 'resented' Boris Johnson's handling of her case during his tenure as Foreign Secretary. Richard Ratcliffe has joined his wife in staging a hunger strike against her detention in Iran over spying allegations, which she denies. Speaking on Sunday outside the Iranian embassy in London, where he is holding his demonstration, Mr Ratcliffe said the goal is to 'amplify her message' and provoke a response from Iran. He reiterated criticism for Tory leadership frontrunner Mr Johnson's previous comments about the case. 'He clearly made a mistake and clearly tried to correct it and made a promise that he wasn't able to deliver on,' Mr Ratcliffe told the Andrew Marr Show. 'At times I've resented him for it and there are bits I did resent him for.' Mr Johnson said in 2017 that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was working in Tehran training journalists, comments used by Iran to allege she was engaged in 'propaganda against the regime'. Advertisement

'When you talk to European leaders as I do they want to solve this problem,' he told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show.

'They say that if they were approached by a British prime minister, someone they were willing to deal with, who had ideas how to solve the Northern Irish border, they would be willing to re-negotiate the package.

'They are prepared to look at whether you could get much more detail onto the future relationship - potentially that could be legally-binding, let's see - so that you don't need a backstop.

'I would never pretend that this is going to be easy but nor is it impossible.' Mr Hunt said it could even be done by the deadline of October 31, but added that it would be a mistake to commit to leaving the EU by that date.

'I am not committing to an October 31 hard-stop at any costs. If you do make that guarantee and you go with the wrong approach, then you are committing us to nothing other than a hard Brexit, a no-deal Brexit,' he said.

Mr Johnson goes into the second week of the Tory campaign the red-hot favourite to succeed Theresa May, having racked up support from 114 MPs in the first ballot - more than his next three rivals combined.

Mr Johnson's position received a further boost with the support of Esther McVey, who was eliminated from the contest after finishing last in the first ballot.

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph she said: '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.'

Meanwhile, there was growing alarm among pro-European Tories at the prospect Mr Johnson takes Britain out of the EU on October 31, even if he has been unable to secure a new deal with Brussels.

Veteran former chancellor Ken Clarke said that in those circumstances he would vote to bring down the Government.

'If some idiot was sailing into a No Deal Brexit I'd decide politics had finally gone mad and vote against it,' he told The Observer.

Mrs May's allies told the Mail on Sunday she has privately vowed to thwart any attempt by Mr Johnson to take the UK out of the EU without a deal.

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 says she will 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'.

A YouGov poll found 47 per cent of the public think Boris Johnson can defeat Labour and Nigel Farage - while just 22 per cent think he would lose

What happens next? 'Stop Boris' Tory leadership hopefuls now locked in a battle for second place to make it onto the final ballot paper The field of Tory leadership challengers has been whittled down to six after three candidates were ousted at the first ballot of MPs on Thursday and Matt Hancock opted to withdraw on Friday. Those still standing now have two days in which to persuade more of their Conservative colleagues to back their bids before the second round of voting takes place on Tuesday. At this point the race is entirely about momentum. Boris Johnson has cemented his status as the prohibitive favourite after he secured 114 votes - enough to effectively guarantee he is one of the final two candidates. But for the remaining five candidates, it is all still to play for. Four Tory leadership challengers are now out of the race for Number 10. Esther McVey, Andrea Leadsom and Mark Harper were eliminated in the first round of voting while Matt Hancock has chosen to withdraw from the race What happens on Tuesday? Tory MPs will vote for the second time in what is likely to be a make or break moment in the race to succeed Theresa May. There will be six candidates to choose from but only Mr Johnson will have any certainty about making it to the next stage. Anyone not named Mr Johnson will now have the same goal: To finish in second place and make it onto the final ballot paper alongside Mr Johnson. Jeremy Hunt came second in Thursday's vote with the support of 43 of his colleagues. But none of the other remaining candidates are too far behind and all of them will be hopeful of hoovering up at least some of the MPs who backed the four candidates who are no longer in the race. They will need at least 33 votes to progress to the third vote but if all of the six candidates manage to get past that threshold, whoever has the fewest votes will be eliminated. The Foreign Secretary came second in the first round of voting and will now be hoping to persuade Tory MPs that he is the candidate capable of challenging Boris Johnson What happens after the second round of voting on Tuesday? It is the job of Tory MPs to cut the list of candidates to two and after Tuesday's vote there will then follow further ballots on Wednesday and, if necessary, on Thursday, until the chosen pair remain. The number of further ballots needed will be determined by whether trailing candidates opt to withdraw from the contest. What happens once there are two candidates left? Conservative Party members will be asked to choose who they want to be their next leader. The final two will have to face 16 leadership hustings events across the nation with the first due to be held in Birmingham on June 22 and the last one taking place in London in the week starting July 15. Ballot papers are expected to sent out to members between July 6-8. The overall winner of the contest is due to be announced in the week of July 22. Who could the MPs who supported the four eliminated candidates now back? Dominic Raab, who finished fourth with 27 votes, will be hopeful of securing the support of many of the MPs who backed Esther McVey and Andrea Leadsom. Both have advocated a similarly hardline approach to Brexit as Mr Raab but Mr Johnson will also have his eye on winning over a lot of their backers with his own pledge to deliver Brexit on October 31. The 10 MPs who backed Mark Harper, a candidate with a softer approach to Brexit, will be targeted by the likes of Mr Hunt and Sajid Javid. Mr Javid will also be hopeful of securing the support of the 20 MPs who backed Mr Hancock. Boris Johnson is now the prohibitive favourite to succeed Theresa May after securing the support of 114 Tory MPs in the first round of voting So does Boris have it sewn up? Previous Tory leadership contests have shown that the person who leads the race at the start of the process does not always finish in first. Leadership campaigns are also volatile and it is distinctly possible that an unforeseen event in the coming weeks could radically shake up the battle for Number 10. Mr Johnson is in pole position but there is still plenty of time for that to change. Advertisement

'I'm the Chumbawumba candidate!' Gove claims he CAN revive flagging Tory leader bid despite cocaine admission saying he 'gets knocked down but gets up again'

Michael Gove has styled himself the 'Chumbawamba candidate' for the Tory leadership, referencing the anarchist band's 1997 hit which repeats the lyrics: 'I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down.'

The Environment Secretary certainly got knocked down last week, following his admission last Saturday - ahead of a revelation in a forthcoming biography serialised in the Mail - that he took cocaine on several occasions as a journalist in his 30s. The admission, and subsequent howls of hypocrisy, led to many discounting the prominent Leave campaigner as a potential 'stop Boris' candidate.

But his robust showing of 37 votes in Thursday's first-round ballot for his party leadership - hopelessly behind Johnson but within striking distance of Jeremy Hunt in second place - suggests the combative Scot has, at least, 'got up again'.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove outside his house in West London this morning

Mr Gove has insisted his campaign remains viable - that he is 'the Chumbawamba candidate'

He told the Sunday Times: 'At the beginning of last week people said I was going backwards. We put on votes in the course of the week  I'm well placed now.'

He said he had been told: 'Michael, you are the "Comeback Kid". You are the Chumbawamba candidate. You get knocked down, but you get up again.'

Mr Gove, who was spotted outside his home holding newspapers, has also today picked up endorsements from two further cabinet ministers: Northern Ireland secretary, Karen Bradley, and the Scottish secretary, David Mundell.

In the interview he set out his plans for housing reform, calling for a national housing fund created by issuing Brexit bonds, and the use of 'citizens' juries' to ensure good design codes.

He pointed to his record at Education, Justice, and now Environment - where he has led a crusade against single-use plastics - as evidence of his ability to make things happen even in usually sclerotic departments, saying: 'Two years on, I would say that Defra has been the most pro-active, energetic, policy-rich department in the government.'

His newfound zeal for the housebuilding programme could be a pitch for the Communities Secretary job in a Johnson government, which will need to offer bold popular policies on housing.

Boris Johnson is the runaway leader in the race but - assuming his campaign does not implode - any one of the other five candidates could still join him on the ballot of party members

Mr Gove found himself in third place after the first round of MP's voting on Thursday

But Mr Gove continued to criticise Johnson's vow to leave the EU on October 31 with or without a deal, saying: 'If we are 95 per cent of the way there, and it just requires a few more days and weeks, I think it would be a mistake to say, "That's it."

'It would be like if you ordered a new kitchen and you had the fridge and the dishwasher in and you hadn't had the hob fitted and you say, "You said it was all going to be in by Friday, the hob's not here, let's rip it all out." '

But he insisted he 'would absolutely work with Boris in any way that he wanted to work with me' - a noteworthy softening of his position after insisting in 2016 his former ally was not up to the top job.

Mr Gove, who was adopted as an infant, also told the paper he was considering contacting his birth mother for the first time, after his biographer shared her details with him.Yesterday marked 100 years since British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown completed the world's first transatlantic flight - but the anniversary passed with little notice in Britain.

The two airmen battled heavy snow, blinding fog and mechanical failures to make the trip from Canada to Ireland, landing in a bog on June 15, 1919 and collecting a 10,000 Daily Mail aviation prize from Winston Churchill.

To mark the anniversary in Canada, two pilots took to the skies in St John's, where Alcock and Brown took off a century ago, for a commemorative flight boarded by 50 guests including politicians and historians.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the Irish Air Corps carried out a flypast while a street parade took place in Clifden close to where the two pilots crash landed.

But in Britain, celebrations were limited to a special postbox near Heathrow Airport, a small RAF exhibition in Swansea and a handful of local events.

Yesterday marked 100 years since British aviators John Alcock (right) and Arthur Whitten Brown (left) completed the world's first transatlantic flight

The Vickers Vimy plane in which which Sir John Alcock and Sir Arthur Whitten Brown made the world's first direct, non-stop transatlantic crossing

Last month Alcock's nephew Tony Alcock, himself a former RAF pilot, said it was 'so disappointing' that more was not being done.

'We have been trying, but we can't get people interested,' he said.

The achievement of Alcock and Brown in 1919 has been compared to mankind's first landing on the Moon in 1969, an anniversary which also passes this year.

There is a UK Government-backed project to share memories of Apollo 11 - an American achievement - but no sign of a similar effort for Alcock and Brown.

Earlier commemorations were more substantial.

The 50th anniversary in 1969 saw a commemorative set of stamps and a replica air race, while 10 years later an RAF plane made the crossing in less than six hours to mark the occasion.

Captain Alcock, then aged 26, and navigator Brown, 32, took off in the early afternoon of June 14 that year from St John's, one of the easternmost points of North America.

In Britain, 100th anniversary celebrations have been limited to a special postbox installed near Heathrow Airport (pictured) and a handful of small exhibitions and events

Actors recreate the Alcock and Brown flight Derrygimlagh, Ireland, yesterday as part of the Irish 100th anniversary celebrations which included a military flypast

The Irish Defence Forces carry out a flypast to mark the occasion yesterday as people watch on in County Galway where the aviators crash landed in 1919

Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown are pictured taking a meal in Newfoundland a few minutes before the start of their first non stop Atlantic flight

The North Atlantic had already been conquered by air, but never in one go.

Just weeks earlier three US Navy Curtiss flying boats had set out from New York state to make the trip with stopovers in Newfoundland, the Azores, Portugal and England.

Alcock and Brown's Vickers Vimy biplane, a modified World War I bomber, was weighed down by 1,056 gallons of fuel and only just able to clear the trees, lurching in gusts of wind.

'Several times I held my breath, from fear that our undercarriage would hit a roof or a tree-top,' Brown recalled in 'Flying the Atlantic in Sixteen Hours' (1920).

Once airborne, the Royal Air Force aviators turned eastwards for Ireland, heading into the night.

The two pilots wore electrically heated clothing, overalls, fur gloves and fur-lined helmets, and heavy fog meant they flew blind for much of the trip, unable to get their bearings.

Two young RAF officers, Captain John Alcock (right) and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown (left) made the first non-stop trans-atlantic flight on 14 June 1919

Winston Churchill (left) is pictured with Captain John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown as he hands them their 10,000 cheque

The Science Museum, which owns the original record-breaking Vickers Vimy aircraft, is doing nothing

The plane was tossed about by the wind, rising and plunging, at times just metres (feet) above the water, Alcock recounted afterwards.

'I believe we looped the loop and by accident we did a deep spiral. It was very alarming. We had no sense of the horizon,' Alcock said.

Ice and hail jammed some of the instruments and threatened to freeze the motors and Brown had to chip off ice with a knife.

When solid ground finally appeared, Alcock spotted what seemed a good field for a landing near Clifden in County Galway but it turned out to be a bog - into which the plane crash landed on June 15.

'The wheels sank axle deep in the field. The Vimy toppled over on her nose,' he said. The plane was damaged but the two pioneers emerged unscathed.

Photograph depicting the arrival of John Alcock and Sir Arthur Whitten Brown in Ireland

Transport, Lester's Field, St, John's, Newfoundland, 14th June 1919, Spectators watch as Arthur Whitten Brown & John Alcock prepare their aircraft

Cover of a menu for a luncheon sponsored by the Daily Mail newspaper to commemorate the first non-stop transatlantic flight

It would be another eight years before anyone else matched the two men's feat, until the American Charles Lindbergh did so in 1927.

They collected their Daily Mail reward - one of many aviation prizes handed out by the newspaper in the early 20th century - from Winston Churchill who was Secretary of State for War at the time.

Lord Northcliffe, owner of the Daily Mail, had offered 10,000, or 1million in today's money, to the first person to fly the Atlantic non-stop.

Within days the two pilots were knighted by King George V at Windsor.

However Alcock would die just six months after his feat, when his plane crashed near Rouen, France. Brown died in 1948.Chernobyl star Alex Ferns revealed that his family were personally affected by the nuclear disaster which is believed to have killed thousands.

Ferns believes that his uncle, Robert Stephenson, 47, died from cancer caused by rain that had been 'poisoned' with radiation from the nuclear disaster.

He said Mr Stephenson told family and friends that he believed Chernobyl was the cause of his cancer after he was forced to carry on working in the rain by his boss.

Alex Ferns (pictured playing Andrei Glukhov) believes that his uncle, Robert Stephenson, 47, died from cancer caused by rain that had been 'poisoned' with radiation from the nuclear disaster

He said Mr Stephenson told family and friends that he believed Chernobyl was the cause of his cancer after he was forced to carry on working in the rain by his boss

Mr Stephenson worked for the Scottish Water Board in the Killearn area in Scotland in 1986, when a health warning was issued advising people to avoid drinking rain water when radiation was discovered.

In an interview with the Daily Record, Ferns said: 'My uncle and his colleagues were out working in the rain in the Killearn area in Scotland and asked to come in but were told by their gaffer to stay outside and to carry on working. They carried on.'

Ferns added that all of the men working with his uncle died from cancer before they were 50.

Radiation levels in Scotland peaked on May 7, 1986, when milk was found to have 225 becquerels per litre.

The normal range is 0.4.

Mr Stephenson (pictured) worked for the Scottish Water Board in the Killearn area in Scotland in 1986, when a health warning was issued advising people to avoid drinking rain water when radiation was discovered

Radiation levels in Scotland peaked on May 7 when milk was found to have 225 becquerels per litre

The nuclear reactor core (pictured) at Chernobyl exploded on April 26, 1986, during a safety test

Ferns added that all of the men working with his uncle died from cancer before they were 50

Ferns added: 'Whether the Chernobyl rain is what gave him the cancer, they don't know 100 per cent but the family are convinced it had something to do with it.

The five-part hit TV series is the highest rated programmed by viewers on IMDb.

And Ferns has been praised for the 'performance of a lifetime' which he revealed was based on his father.

The no nonsense head of a group of miners, Andrei Glukhov (played by Ferns) is first introduced to viewers as he makes a joke at the expense of the communist government they were living under.

Ferns said: 'I was basically playing my dad. My approach was that I don't take any s*** from anyone and that all came from my dad.

Ferns, who won critical acclaim for his performance in Chernobyl, was previously known for his role in Eastenders as abusive husband Trevor who was injured and initially presumed dead when his wife, Little Mo, hit him with an iron

'He taught me not to take any s*** from so-called higher-ups. That comes through in Glukhov.'

The Chernobyl disaster happened on April 26, 1986, when a nuclear reactor core exploded in the Ukrainian town of Pripyat during a safety test.

While the exact death toll remains unknown, the official Soviet Union figure that has remained unchanged since 1989 is 31.

Other estimates range between 4,000-100,000.

Ferns said: 'There's a lot of politics around it. But what we do show is that, at the end of the day, it is the workers who get f***ed over.'Michael Gove has styled himself the 'Chumbawamba candidate' for the Tory leadership, referencing the anarchist band's 1997 hit which repeats the lyrics: 'I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down.'

The Environment Secretary certainly got knocked down last week, following his admission last Saturday - ahead of a revelation in a forthcoming biography serialised in the Mail - that he took cocaine on several occasions as a journalist in his 30s. The admission, and subsequent howls of hypocrisy, led to many discounting the prominent Leave campaigner as a potential 'stop Boris' candidate.

But his robust showing of 37 votes in Thursday's first-round ballot for his party leadership - hopelessly behind Johnson but within striking distance of Jeremy Hunt in second place - suggests the combative Scot has, at least, 'got up again'.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove outside his house in West London this morning

Mr Gove has insisted his campaign remains viable - that he is 'the Chumbawamba candidate'

He told the Sunday Times: 'At the beginning of last week people said I was going backwards. We put on votes in the course of the week  I'm well placed now.'

He said he had been told: 'Michael, you are the "Comeback Kid". You are the Chumbawamba candidate. You get knocked down, but you get up again.'

Mr Gove, who was spotted outside his home holding newspapers, has also today picked up endorsements from two further cabinet ministers: Northern Ireland secretary, Karen Bradley, and the Scottish secretary, David Mundell.

In the interview he set out his plans for housing reform, calling for a national housing fund created by issuing Brexit bonds, and the use of 'citizens' juries' to ensure good design codes.

He pointed to his record at Education, Justice, and now Environment - where he has led a crusade against single-use plastics - as evidence of his ability to make things happen even in usually sclerotic departments, saying: 'Two years on, I would say that Defra has been the most pro-active, energetic, policy-rich department in the government.'

His newfound zeal for the housebuilding programme could be a pitch for the Communities Secretary job in a Johnson government, which will need to offer bold popular policies on housing.

Boris Johnson is the runaway leader in the race but - assuming his campaign does not implode - any one of the other five candidates could still join him on the ballot of party members

Mr Gove found himself in third place after the first round of MP's voting on Thursday

But Mr Gove continued to criticise Johnson's vow to leave the EU on October 31 with or without a deal, saying: 'If we are 95 per cent of the way there, and it just requires a few more days and weeks, I think it would be a mistake to say, "That's it."

'It would be like if you ordered a new kitchen and you had the fridge and the dishwasher in and you hadn't had the hob fitted and you say, "You said it was all going to be in by Friday, the hob's not here, let's rip it all out." '

But he insisted he 'would absolutely work with Boris in any way that he wanted to work with me' - a noteworthy softening of his position after insisting in 2016 his former ally was not up to the top job.

Mr Gove, who was adopted as an infant, also told the paper he was considering contacting his birth mother for the first time, after his biographer shared her details with him.President Xi Jinping addresses the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, June 15, 2019. [Photo/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.A former air force cadet who tried to rape his drunk friend while she was asleep in his bed won't spend a single day behind bars.

Aiden Hernandez-Edgar, 23, pleaded guilty in Darwin's Supreme Court to attempting to rape the woman who he had been friends with for 'a number of years'.

The court heard the pair had enjoyed a night of drinking at a Darwin club before returning to Hernandez-Edgar's unit in the early hours of the morning.

Aiden Hernandez-Edgar, 23, pleaded guilty in Darwin's Supreme Court to attempting to rape the woman who he had been friends with for 'a number of years'

The pair fell asleep in his bed, but Hernandez-Edgar woke up and took off her underwear before taking photos of her genitalia and trying to have sex with her.

The woman woke up and screamed 'What are you doing? This is rape', according to NT News.

The court heard Hernandez-Edgar asked the woman 'is this rape?' before apologising as she left his unit to report the disturbing incident to police.

Justice Graham Hiley said the crime was 'very much at the lower level of seriousness' and handed the 23-year-old a suspended six-month jail sentence.

Justice Hiley took into account the former air force cadet's spotless criminal record, noting the conviction would seriously damage his chances of becoming a pilot.

'Your barrister told me that you mistakenly believed, or at least hoped, that when you were engaging in this activity that particular morning, you were hoping that that might lead to consensual sex between the two of you,' he said.

'But as we know, it certainly did not result in that. Rather, it resulted in her waking up, protesting very quickly and you consequently finding yourself in court charged with this offence.'Thousands of Australians could have been charged extra for overweight luggage when their baggage was actually within the limit, a new report has claimed.

Qantas' analog scales are increasing the weight of hand luggage by up to 30 per cent, recent tests have reportedly revealed.

If the findings are correct, passengers flying with the flagship airline could have been handed a $90 excess charge for the wrongly inflated luggage weight.

A piece of hand luggage - known to weight 7kg - weighed as 9kg on one of Qantas' analog scale and 7.7kg on another, The Herald Sun reported.

Scroll down for video

Qantas' analog scales are increasing the weight of hand luggage by up to 30 per cent, recent tests have revealed (File picture)

However, out of all 45 scales subjected to the same test, all digital scales were found to be functioning correctly.

The claims comes as the country's flagship airline confirmed it was 'replacing' the analog versions of the scales with digital devices.

A spokesperson for Qantas told Daily Mail Australia the airline was 'gradually replacing analog scales with digital scales at major ports'.

It's not clear as to why the transition is being made.

'If a passenger is unsure of the weight of their bag they can ask staff to have their bag weighed at a check in counter,' the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for Qantas said the airline was 'gradually replacing analog scales with digital scales at our major ports' (File picture)

The recent checks were sparked after a number of customers complained their carry-on bags had been over-weighed.

Some passengers said they had weighed their luggage at home in order to ensure it was within the restrictions - only to be told otherwise when they arrived at the airport.

A&D Australasia national sales manager Brian Johnston said the difference in weight could occur because bathroom scales don't always measure small amounts correctly.

Mr Johnston, who works for the company that supplies and checks portable scales used by Jetstar, advised the best way to get the most accurate reading from a bathroom scale.

He said a person should first stand on the scales and measure their own weight, and then stand on the scales again while holding their hand luggage.

'That is the most accurate way of doing it with a bathroom scale,' he said.Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband has said he 'resented' Boris Johnson's handling of her case during his time as Foreign Secretary.

Richard Ratcliffe, who has joined his wife in staging a hunger strike against her detention in Iran over spying charges, said that the Tory leadership frontrunner also made a promise 'that he wasn't able to deliver on'.

Iran has repeatedly refused to release Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe from its notorious Evin prison since she was detained in 2016.

The former Foreign Secretary said in 2017 that the dual British-Iranian national was in Tehran to train journalists, comments used by Iran to allege she was engaged in 'propaganda against the regime'.

British-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (pictured with daughter Gabriela) jailed in Iran on spying charges has began a new hunger strike. Speaking on the Andrew Marr show, her husband said he 'resented' Boris Johnson's handling of her case when he was Foreign Secretary

Richard Ratcliffe (pictured outside the Iranian embassy) also added that Mr Johnson 'made promises that he wasn't able to deliver on'

Speaking on Sunday outside the Iranian embassy in London, where he is holding his demonstration, Mr Ratcliffe told the Andrew Marr Show that Boris Johnson 'clearly made a mistake and clearly tried to correct it and made a promise that he wasn't able to deliver on'.

'At times I've resented him for it and there are bits I did resent him for.'

Mr Ratcliffe added Mr Johnson 'probably got over-criticised for some things, under-criticised for some things'.

The family will now 'push' Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, another Tory leadership hopeful, for his wife's release, he said.

Mr Hunt has urged Iran to release Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and not 'drag her into' its disagreements with Britain.

In March this year, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) granted Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protect, but Tehran has refused to acknowledge her dual nationality

In March this year he granted her diplomatic protection, but Iran has refused to acknowledge her dual citizenship.

The couple have started the hunger strike together, which coincides with their daughter's fifth birthday, to put pressure on both governments.

'We are both parents to Gabriella and obviously it's important that this doesn't go to the bitter end,' Mr Ratcliffe said.

'The message from Nazanin of course is that enough is enough and I think she wanted to make it clear to the authorities in prison that this can't go on.'

He admitted he does not believe the Iranian authorities will concede soon.

'I had a chat with the Foreign Secretary yesterday, it felt like there were sort of mixed signals coming out of Iran,' he said.

The couple have a five-year-old daughter, Gabriella, who has not been allowed to leave Iran following her mother's arrest and is living with her grandparents.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's detention is now also against a backdrop of heightened tensions over an attack against two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

'There's always been a backdrop of things that are tough and you're right that the oil tanker seems to have escalated quite a lot, so we're always worried,' Mr Ratcliffe added.

The couple launched the hunger strike yesterday after Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe told an Iranian judiciary that she has stopped taking food in protest of her 'unfair imprisonmnet'.

Richard Ratcliffe (pictured protesting outside the Iranian Embassy in London) said his wife informed the Iranian judiciary she has stopped taking food in protest of her 'unfair imprisonment'

Mr Ratcliffe said he would join his charity worker wife for the duration of her protest and not eat (only drink water) while in London.

'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.

'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.'

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'

Speaking outside the Iranian embassy yesterday, he added: '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.'

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.

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.

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.'Jeremy Corbyn has defended his Labour colleague Sadiq Khan against the latest angry criticism from Donald Trump, after the President reignited his long-running feud with the London Mayor last night.

The Labour leader said it was 'absolutely awful' for Trump to use the latest wave of London violence - in which three people were killed in separate attacks in 24 hours - to take aim at Mr Khan.

Mr Corbyn accused the President, who had called Mr Khan a 'national disgrace', of 'trying to divide at a time we need to come together'.

The Trump-Khan row dates back to 2015 but has intensified again in recent weeks against the background of Mr Trump's state visit to Britain.

Jeremy Corbyn (pictured left) has defended his Labour colleague Sadiq Khan against the latest angry criticism from Donald Trump (pictured right)

Last night the U.S. President retweeted Katie Hopkins, who had criticised Mr Khan over the London violence, and added his own comment: 'London needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!'

In a further tweet he called Mr Khan a 'national disgrace who is destroying the city of London'.

Coming to his party colleague's defence, Labour leader Mr Corbyn said: 'Absolutely awful to see Donald Trump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor.

'Sadiq Khan 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.'

Mr Corbyn's Labour predecessor Ed Miliband went further, saying: 'What is it about Sadiq Khan and what he stands for that leads the President of the United States to be tweeting rubbish about him?

Donald Trump called Mr Khan (pictured), with whom he has been quarrelling since before either man was elected to their current job, a 'disaster' and a 'disgrace'

'Oh yes, Trumps a racist bigot, who tried to ban Muslims from America and hates anyone who stands up to him.'

A spokesman for Mr Khan downplayed the Trump feud, saying the Mayor 'is not going to waste his time responding to this sort of tweet'.

It came 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.

Two teenagers have been charged over the 18-year-old's murder while another four were released under investigation.

Mr Khan and Mr Trump have been feuding since before either of them was elected to their current jobs.

The business mogul had called for Muslims to be banned from entering the U.S. and claimed that parts of London were 'so radicalised the police are afraid for their lives'.

Mr Khan fired back, saying the Republican 'doesn't have a clue about London' and calling him 'divisive and dangerous'.

Police officers at the scene in Tower Hamlets, East London after a man suffered stab injuries yesterday afternoon and was pronounced dead at the scene

After a series of spats in the four years since - and Mr Khan's decision to allow a 'baby blimp' mocking the U.S. President to fly in Parliament square - the row erupted furiously again when Mr Trump visited Britain earlier this month.

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'.

The Labour politician had compared the rhetoric of Mr Trump and other populist leaders to that of fascists in the 20th century.

Mr Khan also did not attend the state banquet during Mr Trump's visit - a change from 2011, when then-London mayor Boris Johnson attended the banquet during Barack Obama's trip.

Ken Livingstone, who was London mayor when George W. Bush visited in 2003 in the only other presidential state visit to Britain, said said on the eve of the trip that Mr Bush was the 'greatest threat to life on this planet'.Dumped Wallabies star Israel Folau has taken aim at transgender children and gays in his latest church sermon.

The 30-year-old said allowing children to undergo a sex change was giving in to the 'devil' during an explosive sermon at The Truth of Jesus Christ Church in Kenthurst in Sydney's north-west on Sunday.

He said the government was allowing children, 'basically 16 years old or younger', to go through treatment despite 'not even knowing what they are doing'.

The sermon comes weeks after Rugby Australia terminated his $4 million contract for a post on his Instagram which said unrepentant homosexuals would go to hell.

The 30-year-old (left with wife Maria) said allowing children to undergo a sex change was 'what the devil is trying to do' at The Truth of Jesus Christ Church

'You see in today's youths and everything, they are allowing young kids in primary school to be able to have the permission to change their gender if they want to by taking away the permission of their parents,' Folau said at the pulpit of his church.

'Now they are trying to take control as a government to make those decisions for young kids who are basically 16 years old or younger, they don't even know what they are doing.

'This is what the devil is trying to do, to instill into the government, into this world, into society, and it is slowly happening.'

The sermon was partly in response to an event in Melbourne Folau had recently attended where a person spoke about gender fluidity.

He went on to tell the congregation that born-again Christians should be bold enough to 'profess' Jesus Christ in their workplace without fear of persecution.

'True believers in Christ, are we going to follow through and profess him wherever we go,' he said.

'Are we too scared because we might be cast out by our workplace or cast out of somewhere because we're not liked or loved by those around us and don't believe the same thing we do?

'You might be the only born-again Christian in that workplace, you might feel a bit awkward with your co-workers because they are in the world and you're not.

'We should feel blessed  because God has called us.'

He said the government was allowing children, 'basically 16 years old or younger', to go through treatment but 'don't even know what they are doing'

'This is what the devil is trying to do, to instill into the government, into this world, into society, and it is slowly happening,' he said

Folau has lodged an unfair dismissal claim against Rugby Australia and will seek up to $10million in damages arguing his contract was unlawfully terminated because of his religion.

The Fair Work Commission and Folau's legal team have ruled to resolve the case on June 28 or else the dispute will lead to a hearing.

On Easter Sunday, Folau also gave a sermon at his church a week after his controversial Instagram post caused outrage.

'At some stage, each and every one of us will face our own fiery furnace, and some of us may have already faced that,' he said.

He mentioned figures in the Bible who stood up for their beliefs.

'In your workforce, if they're telling you something that will compromise your faith, this is a test of faith in which you're going to be put in a challenge, ''What are you going to do?'',

'With these guys, they were challenged and it was a matter of life and death, physical death. But they understood their treasures were stored up in heaven, not here on earth.'

46,000 people signed a #IStandWithIzzy petition, organised by the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), after he was sacked.

The ACL gifted Folau a book with the names of his supporters written inside.A Belgian backpacker who was held hostage by a Gumtree rapist on a South Australian farm has revealed how her attacker lured her into a pig shed and coaxed her into lying face down.

Davine Arckens, 26, spoke of her terrifying ordeal for the first time in an emotional interview with 60 Minutes.

The avid traveller was hoping to meet her visa requirements while visiting Australia and had posted an advertisement seeking short-term work in February 2017.

Davine (pictured right during her rescue) has spoken about how she escaped the violent Gumtree rapist who kept her hostage in a South Australian farm

The images were shown to the court before Bristow was found guilty of six charges, including aggravated kidnapping, indecent assault and rape (pictured is the couch)

After receiving a response from a man offering jobs to backpackers, Davine thought her prayers had been answered - but in reality, her nightmare was just beginning.

Under a phony name of 'Max', 54-year-old Gene Bristow offered her employment on a pig farm, claiming he was part of a network of farms hiring foreigners.

'He spoke about another French girl who was recently going to another farm, so that made me feel a bit more reassured, like, "okay, there are other people doing this job just like me"', Davine said.

Bristow arranged to pick her up at a bus station before going on a drawn-out, two-hour drive to their destination to make her believe she was travelling to a remote area.

When they finally arrived at the property in Meningie, located 150km southeast of Adelaide, Bristow would continue his charade for a little bit longer, showing Davine around the farm.

'We got to the shed and he was still explaining, "this is where you raise the calves, this is where you will feed them'", she said.

'I didn't expect anything to happen.'

Gene Charles Bristow lured a 24-year-old backpacker to his hobby farm in Meningie under false pretenses in February 2017

Bristow (pictured during a police search before his arrest) had taken her phone, but left her luggage holding her laptop in the shed with her

Bristow confiscated her phone but forgot to take her bag which, unbeknownst to him, contained her laptop, and she was able to contact fellow backpacker and friend Echo Wang

She then revealed how her attacker was able to get her in a vulnerable position by requesting to examine her for signs of drug use.

'He wanted to make sure I wasn't doing any of the drugs, because he told me he had problems before. He wanted to look for needle marks', Davine said.

Bristow instructed her to lie down so that he could check her feet, legs, arms and other body parts.

'He was really looking at my feet for a while, then suddenly he just got on my back and that was it', she said.

From there, a struggle ensued between the two before Bristow pulled out a gun, later revealed to be fake.

'He put something against my back and said it was a gun. I thought it was over.

'So then I gave up because I thought if I keep struggling he would just shoot me. So, I stopped.'

Bristow then chained her up by one leg and one arm, and sexually abused her.

He instructed her to be nude at all times and threatened to kill her if she tried to escape.

Bristow confiscated her phone but forgot to take her backpack which contained her laptop.

After he left the shed, Davine found discarded hooks in the pig shed which she was able to use to break free from the chains.

The horrific scene where a Belgian backpacker was held captive with shackles and raped by a farmer who lured her with the promise of work (pictured)

Bristow, 54, had lured the young woman to the property (pictured) with the promise of farm work when he kidnapped her and kept her captive before raping her repeatedly

She powered up her laptop and using a portable Wi-Fi USB, immediately began sending distress signals to family, her friend, fellow backpacker Echo Wang, as well as South Australia Police.

'I crossed with 2 ferries.

'Don't know where I am.

'I got chains loose.

'Please call police,' her frantic messages to Ms Wang read.

Davine didn't know her exact location but was able to tell police she was picked up by a man in a red ute at Murray Bridge.

From there, police were able to track her location.

Davine said she was initially surprised her plan worked but knew she had to be calculated in her next move.

So instead of attempting a daring escape, she chained herself back up so as to not alert her captor and trusted that authorities would come to her rescue.

Bristow released Davine the following day after police swarmed the area in search of the missing backpacker.

He was found guilty by a jury in March of one count of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault, and one count of attempted rape.

Davine previously told the court she was certain she would die.

Bristow used a toy gun (pictured) to contain the backpacker while he shackled her to the bed in the run down pig shed on his family's farm

'I was feeling terrible and I would think about my family a lot. I thought I wouldn't see them again. (I thought) I was going to die there,' she said.

Further evidence, which was not included in the trial, revealed the farmer had conducted internet searches for Rohypnol, commonly known as a date-rape drug, and Tasers just four weeks before he abducted Davina.

He also reportedly searched on eBay for handcuffs, shackles, and a toy gun prior to the assault.

Authorities never found drugs or Tasers but prosecutors argued the searches proved the attack was premeditated.More than 30 Oxford academics have blasted Stonewall for pushing 'tendentious and antiscientific claims' in the trans awareness training it gives to universities.

The group have taken issue with compulsory training that includes statements such as 'gender is how people interpret and view themselves' and expressed this in a letter, reports the Sunday Times.

It calls for universities to sever links with the LGBT charity unless it says it 'fully supports academic freedom of thought'.

Academics are also being told to not invite transphobic speakers who do not accept 'that trans people are the gender they say they are'.

They fear the new rules could see staff lose their jobs, and that they overrule freedom of speech.

More than 30 leading Oxford academics have blasted the LGBT charity Stonewall for pushing 'tendentious and antiscientific claims' in the trans awareness training it gives to universities. Pictured: Oxford University

Modern history professor Selina Todd told the Sunday Times: '[This] is really pushing an agenda which is dogmatic and completely overruling freedom of speech... I am very scared that academics will start to lose their jobs.

'I feel uncomfortable. I've told my employer that I feel vulnerable and I've had students say they feel intimidated by what's going on at this campus.'

Oxford and Cambridge spent 55,000 between them on LGBT training so staff are better equipped to help students who may be struggling.

According to a NUS LGBTQ+ report from 2014, just 20 per cent of trans students feel completely safe on campus.

One in three trans students said they had experienced bullying or harassment - while 51 per cent have seriously considered dropping out of their course.

Transitioning can also disrupt trans students' time at university, with one in seven having to take time out.

To make this period easier, some colleges at Oxford have a gender expression fund for students who need to buy items such as 'chest binders, concealing underwear and breast forms'.

The group have taken issue with compulsory training that includes statements such as 'gender is how people interpret and view themselves' and expressed this in a letter. Pictured: Oxford university

A spokesperson for Oxford University told the Sunday Times: 'The university is committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse environment where students, staff and visitors, of all backgrounds feel protected, valued and respected.

'The university also prioritises protecting academic freedom.'

A Stonewall spokesperson said: 'Through our Diversity Champions programme we work with a network of organisations across the UK and around the world who are committed to equality, supporting them to create inclusive and accepting environments for their staff and service users.

'Our work with universities is absolutely vital because we know LGBT staff and students still experience discrimination on a daily basis, almost one in five LGBT staff (18 per cent) have been the target of negative comments from colleagues because they're LGBT, while two in five LGBT students (42 per cent) have hidden their identity at university for fear of discrimination.

'Stonewall also works with schools to help them tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying and deliver an LGBT-inclusive curriculum. It's vital we work together to build a world where all LGBT people are accepted without exception.'A rape allegation against Pippa Middleton's father-in-law has been dropped by police because they 'can't prosecute him'.

David Matthews, 75, was accused of raping a British woman, now in her 60s, in Sheffield in the 1980s.

But South Yorkshire Police have now told the father of Pippa Middleton's husband James and Made In Chelsea star Spencer they have dropped their inquiries, according to The Sun.

Police have dropped their investigation into David Matthews (right), Pippa Middleton's father-in-law, after he was accused of raping a woman in Sheffield in the 1980s

The multi-millionnaire businessman still faces a separate investigation by French police after he was accused of grooming and raping a teenager

His accuser is said to be 'disappointed' in the decision taken by the police.

A source said: 'She is very upset. Police have been very supportive but have told her they can't prosecute him.'

The multi-millionaire businessman, who is also the father of Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews, still faces a separate rape probe in France after he was accused of forcing himself on a teenage girl in the late 1990s.

He was arrested 14 months ago in Paris and is still under investigation for allegedly grooming and assaulting a 15-year-old on a French Caribbean island in 1998 and raping her in Paris a year later.

The business tycoon, who denies the allegations is also the father of Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews

Mr Matthews, pictured with Pippa and his grandson, is accused of grooming and assaulting a 15-year-old on a French Caribbean island in 1998 and raping her in Paris a year later

One of the offences is alleged to have taken place on the French Caribbean island of St Barts, where Matthews owns the 500-a-night Eden Rock hotel.

His accuser reportedly told police: 'Afterwards I felt like I was to blame. I developed feelings of self-loathing and felt worthless.'

The offence of 'rape of a minor by a person with authority over his victim', carries a maximum 15-year sentence in France.

Mr Matthews, who denies the allegations, was a keen motor racer before he suffered a serious crash at Silverstone in 1973 and he turned to building a second-hand car empire.

MailOnline has contacted South Yorkshire Police for comment.The two friends of Snapchat crash driver Shania McNeill who filmed her before she died have revealed why they posed for selfies in hospital just hours after the crash.

In an exclusive interview with Sunday Night, passengers Hazel Wildman and Faeda Hunter spoke candidly about how the 'horrifying' night has torn apart their lives.

Ms McNeill, 21, was killed when she crashed her pink Suzuki head-on into a Nissan Micra while driving from a party in Sydney's west just before 1.15am on April 28.

Scroll down for video

In an exclusive interview with Sunday Night , passengers Hazel Wildman (right) and Faeda Hunter (left) spoke candidly about how the 'horrifying' night has torn apart their lives

The two friends of Snapchat crash driver Shania McNeill, 21 (pictured) who filmed her before she died have revealed why they posed for selfies in hospital just hours after the crash

The 21-year-old, along with her passengers Ms Wildman and Ms Hunter, had been drinking at a club in Richmond, west of Sydney, earlier that night.

One of the last videos of Ms McNeill posted on Snapchat showed her driving erratically across double lines and playing chicken with oncoming traffic.

The outrage sparked by the Snapchat videos among police and the public erupted into international headlines when Ms Wildman posted a selfie from the hospital hours after the crash.

She was bloodied and wide-eyed, looking into the camera, and Ms Hunter was in the background on a hospital bed. Both were in neck braces.

On Sunday, the women claimed they weren't aware Ms McNeill had died when the picture was posted online.

When asked why she posted the selfie, Ms Wildman said she had messages already coming through on her phone, with people wondering what's going on.

'We just put it (the photo) out there to say we're all good, we're okay, I thought Shania was still with us at that time,' she said.

The outrage sparked by the videos among police and the public erupted into international headlines when Ms Wildman (pictured) posted a selfie from the hospital after the crash

The pair said they didn't realise their 21-year-old friend had died at the scene of the crash and thought she had come to hospital in another ambulance.

'She looked like she was just sleeping. And happy sleeping. She looked all beautiful on the outside. She had two scratches on her. That's all she had,' Ms Wildman said.

The three, all aged in their early 20s, left at 12.30am on April 28 and were heading to a friend's home, Seven Network reported on Sunday.

Ms Hunter, in the front passenger seat, was filming Ms McNeill as they drove the small Suzuki through Sydney's north west.

When asked why she posted the selfie, Ms Wildman (pictured) said she had messages already coming through on her phone, with people wondering what's going on

Ms Hunter (right) and Ms Wildman (left) said they did not see Ms McNeill take drugs but they knew she was drinking before the crash

'We were encouraging her for a while... then it started to get scary,' Ms Hunter said.

Ms McNeill was driving erratically and her two friends claimed they couldn't get her to stop.

'It was very reckless driving... stupid,' Ms Wildman said.

Dennis Sales and Ken Morrow, musicians who had played at a Riverstone RSL club that night, were on their way home after the gig when Ms McNeill's car smashed into them head-on at Berkshire Park after 1am.

'No time to react,' Mr Morrow said.

'Instant lights out for us.'

The two friends of Snapchat crash driver Shania McNeill (pictured) who filmed her playing chicken with oncoming traffic before she crashed and died have broken their silence

Ms Hunter (left) and Ms Wildman (right) received backlash for posting a selfie in hospital, hours after their friend died

Ms Wildman was left with a badly broken ankle while Ms Hunter had stopped breathing and had a fractured spine.

They survived but Ms McNeill died from internal injuries.

'I remember seeing all of it, it was horrifying, horrible,' Ms Wildman said.

Mr Sales had a broken back, shoulder, ribs, ruptured spleen and had his heart shifted by the force of the impact. He was in a coma for days.

While Ms McNeil was killed in the incident her two passengers, Faeda Hunter and Hazel Wildman - and the two occupants of the other car were all injured

Mr Morrow, who had been driving, had a shattered wrist and needed surgery.

Toxicology tests would later reveal Ms McNeill had MDMA, cannabis and alcohol in her system, Seven Network said.

Ms Hunter and Ms Wildman said they did not see Ms McNeill take drugs but they knew she was drinking before the crash.

The two women said they want to apologise for the 'reckless act' to Mr Morrow and Mr Sales.

'From the bottom of our hearts we're terribly sorry,' Ms Wildman said.

The two men said they weren't seeking to lay blame on Ms McNeill's family, and recognise their grief following the 'senseless' stunt.The Los Angeles Police Department said they are gathering evidence and video footage for an investigation into an off-duty officer who shot and killed a 'mentally disabled' man authorities say attacked him inside a Costco in Southern California.

Kenneth French, 32, was killed and his parents were critically injured when the off-duty LAPD officer shot them on Friday night inside the Costco Wholesale warehouse store in Corona.

Police said the officer, who hasn't been named, fired his gun at French following an altercation that witnesses say took place near the freezer section. The shooting also injured French's parents who remain hospitalized in critical condition.

Authorities say the officer was carrying his child and that he retaliated after French attacked him.

The Los Angeles Police Department announced Sunday evening that they are investigating an off-duty officer's actions after he shot dead Kenneth French (right, with his parents), 32, inside a Costco store in Corona

Authorities remained tight-lipped Sunday, not responding to requests for comment about what provoked the Friday night confrontation and whether anyone but the officer was armed.

Police said on Saturday that the officer opened fire after French, of Riverside, 'assaulted' him 'without provocation' as the officer held his young child.

Bullets struck French and two of his family members, according to police. The officer was the only person who fired shots in the store, police said.

Rick Shureih, French's cousin, told The Press-Enterprise that he was a 'gentle giant' who was mentally disabled.

French was 'non-violent, non-aggressive, non-verbal,' his cousin said, and 'he has to be pretty much monitored'.

Police said the officer, who hasn't been named, fired his gun at French (above) following an altercation that witnesses say took place near the freezer section

'He's not the kind to trade words, so I don't believe that a verbal confrontation happened,' Shureih said.

Shureih also identified the other two victims as French's parents, Russell and Paola French, and said they remained in an intensive care unit Sunday. Authorities have not released their names.

The officer was treated and released at a nearby hospital and the officer's child was not injured.

Police said the off-duty officer was the only one who fired shots in the store.

French's family is seeking an attorney, Shureih said, and declined to give specifics about his mental condition.

The LAPD will continue its internal probe as Corona police and the Riverside County district attorney's office conduct a separate investigation into the shooting. The LAPD said Sunday it had no further information.

Corona police and the district attorney's office did not respond to requests for comment Sunday.

Los Angeles Police Commission President Steve Soboroff said Sunday it is Chief Michel Moore's decision whether to put the officer on leave, but it remained unclear if that happened.

The department's policies allow off-duty officers to carry concealed weapons as long as they are authorized for on-duty use, according to the LAPD manual.

Joseph Giacalone, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a retired New York City Police Department sergeant, said it's justifiable to use deadly force even in a crowded store if the attacker has a weapon.

Police said on Saturday that the officer opened fire after French, of Riverside, 'assaulted' him 'without provocation' as the officer held his young child in Costco (pictured)

French was killed and his parents were injured. His parents remain in critical condition after being struck by gunfire

The shooting prompted a stampede of frightened shoppers to flee the store east of Los Angeles and seek cover inside

'If the guy pulled out a pocketknife and approaches him, game over,' Giacalone said Sunday.

Police have not said if French had any weapons or if the officer identified himself as police before firing.

French's cousin penned a Facebook post on Sunday saying the family were unfairly being painted as suspects.

'My cousin Kenneth was killed and his parents, my aunt and uncle were also both shot and are in ICU. Do they look intimidating to you? Did he really have to shoot them all?' Rick Shureih wrote.

'I'm posting this picture because the stories on social media have made them out to be the suspects, and the off duty cop the victim.

'This is a family that was unarmed and was just grocery shopping. Truth will come out! I'm sure this was a misunderstanding that got escalated for no reason!'

The shooting 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 in the freezer section when shots rang out at least six times.

Corona police Lt Jeff Edwards said the man involved in the argument was the one who was killed.

Shoppers and employees have since described terror and chaos when the shots rang out.

Police said purses, cellphones and backpacks were left inside the store as panicked shoppers fled

Heavily armed police officers exit the Costco following a shooting inside the wholesale warehouse in Corona on Friday night

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'.

She dropped to the ground and crawled toward her daughter who was at the other end. They huddled until they were able to escape through a side door.

'I saw people and heard shots and my first thought was 'Jesus, is this another mass shooting?'' she said.

'I didn't know if this was a random thing or a domestic thing or if this was a mass shooting. Everything was happening so fast, I just wanted to get me and my kid to safety.'

In the video, her daughter says: 'Mommy, we need to go.'

Meanwhile, Christina Colis told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that she was in the produce area when she heard six to seven shots and hid with other shoppers in a refrigerated produce room.

She said her mother saw people injured on the floor.

'I thought maybe someone dropped a bottle of wine, but then I kept hearing shots,' shopper Will Lungo told the Press-Enterprise newspaper.

'An employee came in and helped us out through the emergency exit.'

Witnesses told KCAL-TV that shoppers and employees rushed to the exits.

The station reported that more than 100 people were outside the store at one point.

Police said purses, cellphones and backpacks were left inside the store as panicked shoppers fled.Taylor Swift has been hit with backlash following the release of her pro-LGBTQ single, as detractors accuse the 'corporate' pop star of jumping on the 'queer bandwagon' to make profit.

The track, titled 'You Need To Calm Down', was released last week to mark Pride Month, and its lyrics positively reference gay activist organization, GLAAD.

The song additionally hits out at anti-LGBTQ sentiment, with the lines: 'Control your urges to scream about all the people you hate/ Because shade never made anybody less gay'.

While fans have been quick to praise Swift for being an 'ally' to the gay community, others are blasting the 29-year-old for what they believe is a cynical exploitation of queer culture.

Swift has been the subject of ire on social media, with hundreds of Twitter users hitting out at the new single.

'Taylor Swift has never been all loud for the LGBTQIA+ community before and now suddenly she's doing this? Another celebrity jumping on the Queer bandwagon and trying to capitalize off it', one blasted.

Music fans are blasting Taylor Swift for her new Pride-themed anthem 'You Need To Calm Down', claiming she is safely jumping on the 'queer bandwagon' to make profits

Critics have blasted Swift and her new single on social media

Another added: 'Swift jumped on the bandwagon of commercializing Pride only when it was safe to do so. Where was she five years ago? Ten? No Taylor Swift fan owns an album by an LGBT artist or even knows what GLAAD is'.

Others accused Swift of trying to make a 'corporate' cash grab, like the many brands who use Pride-themed promotions in order to sell their products.

'I see Taylor Swift is trying to get that corporate Pride campaign money,' one user theorized.

'Taylor Swift's new single is the corporate rainbow logo of the music world. I cannot,' another stated.

Last week, Swift surprised fans by performing her hit 'Shake It Off' at the Stonewall Inn, the New York gay bar widely regarded as the birthplace of the current gay rights movement.

Her performance came just weeks before the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, in which queer patrons clashed with police officers, setting off widespread protests.

Swift (with event co-host Jesse Tyler Ferguson) performed at the Stonewall Inn last week

One user claimed that her appearance at the iconic gay venue felt 'exploitative'

Several social media users were less-than-impressed that Swift, who identifies as straight, would take to the stage at the venue.

'Taylor Swift's performance at Stonewall felt so exploitative it made me sick. [Drag queen] Marsha P. Johnson is turning in her grave & raising her middle finger. There are so many other artists who are fighting for the community: don't let these corporate-made exploits represent you. Wake up,' one person urged.

However, Swift was joined by openly gay actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson at Stonewall, and he praised the pop star for bringing attention to the issue of gay rights.

'Thank you for everything you do for the LGBTQ community. We love you,' he wrote to Swift on social media.

Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson thanked Swift for the work she does for the LGBTQ community

GLAAD says it has received an influx of donations following Swift's referencing of their organization in the new song

Meanwhile, since the single's debut last Thursday, GLAAD told NBC News that they have received an 'influx' of donations.

The organization's director 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 'we're thrilled to see Taylor standing with the LGBTQ community to promote inclusivity, equality, and acceptance this Pride month.'

Meanwhile on June 1, 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.

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 to the Tennessee Equality Project, which seeks to fight a series of anti-LGBTQ bills in her home state.President Donald Trump ridiculed nationwide protests that called for his impeachment, claiming the effort as organized by the 'radical left' and resulted in a puny turnout.

'Yesterday was the Radical Left Democrats big Impeachment day,' Trump posted to Twitter on Sunday morning. 'They worked so hard to make it something really big and special but had one problem - almost nobody showed up.'

On Saturday, activists took to the street to put pressure on Congress to commence impeachment proceedings against the president.

Even though several protests popped up across the country, it appeared the main locations for the demonstrations were California and New York City.

President Donald Trump mocked 'Impeachment Day' protests that popped ip across the country Saturday, making fun of the low turnout

Trump claimed in a set of tweets Sunday that Democratic voters feel impeachment is a distraction and would prefer for their representatives in Congress to focus on the issues

'Almost nobody showed up,' Trump claimed of the protests. He has maintained that Special Council Robert Mueller's report fully exonerates him from obstruction and collusion

A page on left-wing group MoveOn's website, titled '#ImpeachTrump: Act to Defend Democracy' called for a national day of action to call on Democrats in Congress to begin taking steps toward impeachment.

'Donald Trump's abuses of our communities and country demand action from Congress, which has the responsibility and authority to hold Trump accountable,' the webpage reads. 'The next crucial step is an inquiry into whether to draft articles of impeachment.'

Trump quoted Fox News and host Jedediah Bila in a pair of tweets Sunday morning that claimed the turnout for the protests were low because Democrats want to hear their representatives in Congress focus on issues.

'"The Media admits low turnout for anti-Trump rallies." @FoxNews "All around the Country people are saying enough. Democrat voters want to hear the politicians talking about issues. This is a huge distraction and will only help Donald Trump get elected." @JedediahBila,' Trump tweeted.

''Greatest President since Ronald Reagan" said a counter-protester. LehighValleyLive,' he quoted a Trump-supporter at one of the rallies.

One protest in Portland, Oregon drew a crowd of about 200 widely dispersed demonstrators

Some of the more attended protests occurred in California and New York City (pictured)

The MoveOn webpage for the impeachment rallies tracked more than 130 demonstrations across the country on Saturday. Some included participation from politicians.

One in Portland, Oregon drew a crowd of about 200 protesters and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who represents the district that includes Portland in the House, spoke at the rally. He said Special Council Robert Mueller's report did not exonerate Trump and an impeachment inquiry will give people the information they want and deserve.

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers have called for Trump's impeachment following the conclusion of Muller's Russia report.

Although it found Trump had not conspired with the Kremlin to influence the 2016 elections, it did outline 10 'episodes' of potential obstruction of justice.

This, Democrats say, is enough to bring about impeachment proceedings against Trump for obstructing an ongoing federal investigation.Advertisement

Pope Francis donned a white firefighters safety helmet during his visit to a damaged cathedral in a town struck by catastrophic earthquakes in 2016.

Francis was giving encouragement to people in Camerino, central Italy, who are still struggling three years after the devastating events.

The town was so badly shaken that people are still not allowed into the town centre, as work continues to stabilise buildings.

The earthquakes, which hit 6.2 on the Richter scale, killed 300 people and left multiple buildings in ruins.

Pope Francis was given a white firefighter's safety helmet while he visited the central Italian town Camerino which was devastated by earthquakes in 2016

His visit was designed to give encouragement to the people of the damaged town, who are still struggling three years after the catastrophic earthquakes

The town was so badly shaken that people are still not allowed into the town centre, as work continues to stabilise buildings

Francis left flowers at a statue of the Virgin Mary which was damaged in the earthquakes and is still missing its arms and head

The earthquakes, which hit 6.2 on the Richter scale, killed 300 people and left multiple buildings in complete ruins

People from Camerino were forced to evacuate when the earthquakes struck and have been struggling to rebuild their lives ever since

The earthquakes were the strongest to have hit Italy for 30 years, apart from the ones in L'Aquila in 2009 which killed 308 people and injured a further 1,500

Francis conducted a mass for the people of the town and spoke about the nature of hope. He said: 'The hope of the Spirit is a long-lasting one because it is based on God's fidelity'

He went on to add that this hope was a confirmation that humans are not alone and that, according to St Paul, it 'does not disappoint'

According to Vatican News, Francis said: 'The risk is that, after the first emotional and media involvement, attention falls and promises are forgotten. The Lord instead pushes us to remember, repair, rebuild, and to do so together, without ever forgetting those who suffer'

The Pope ended his service by saying: 'I came here today to be close to you. To pray with you to the God who remembers, the God of hope, the God who is close to us. So that what is unstable on earth will not shake the certainty that we hold within us'

In Camerino, in the Marche Region of central Italy, an entire building on the corner of a street was left in ruins after the earthquake in 2016

Evacuated people spent the night in a bus hangar used as a temporary shelter, in Camerino, Marche Region

Before he entered the cathedral, a firefighter's safety helmet was placed over Francis' skullcap.

Inside the cathedral, he was surrounded by firefighters and clergymen also wearing helmets.

He placed flowers at a statue of the Virgin Mary, which was damaged in the earthquake. The statue's head and arms are still missing.

The earthquakes were the biggest to hit Italy in 30 years, after the ones that happened in L'Aquila in 2009 that killed 308 people and injured a further 1,500.

According to Vatican News, Francis conducted a mass for the people of the town and spoke about the nature of hope.

He said: 'The hope of the Spirit is a long-lasting one because it is based on God's fidelity.'

He went on to add that this hope was a confirmation that humans are not alone and that, according to St Paul, it 'does not disappoint'.

He added: 'The risk is that, after the first emotional and media involvement, attention falls and promises are forgotten.

'The Lord instead pushes us to remember, repair, rebuild, and to do so together, without ever forgetting those who suffer.'

The image of Francis wearing a helmet mirrored the scene in Paris on Saturday of churchmen, including the archbishop of Paris, wearing hard hats as they celebrated the first Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral since a fire ravaged its spire on April 15

The Archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit, led the first mass at the cathedral for two months since the fire engulfed the building

All members of the clergy as well as the Archbishop had to wear hardhats while they carried out the momentous occasion

The Pope ended his service by saying: 'I came here today to be close to you.

'To pray with you to the God who remembers, the God of hope, the God who is close to us.

'So that what is unstable on earth will not shake the certainty that we hold within us.'

The image of Francis wearing a helmet mirrored the scene in Paris yesterday of churchmen, including the archbishop of Paris, wearing hard hats as they celebrated the first Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral since a fire ravaged the landmark and toppled its spire on April 15.

Saturday's mass at the Gothic building was led by archbishop Michel Aupetit amid reduced attendance for security reasons.

Around 30 congregants, including priests, canons and a number of workers taking part in the church's reconstruction, were admitted.

The world watched in horror as the blaze tore through Notre Dame on April 15, plunging France into national mourning over the loss of priceless works of art and its 600-year-old architecture.

Around 30 congregants, including priests, canons and a number of workers taking part in the church's reconstruction, were admitted. The world watched in horror as the blaze tore through Notre Dame on April 15, plunging France into national mourning over the loss of priceless works of art and its 600-year-old architecture

Worshippers were not authorised in the cathedral but watched the mass on a Catholic TV station that is broadcasting the service. 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 Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit, leads the first mass in a side chapel (left) and a clergyman wearing a hard hat, gives an interview prior to entering (right)

A man holds his smartphone aloft as a live feed of the mass is beamed out around the world, as more worshippers could not be admitted for security reasons

'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,' Father Pierre Vivares told The Associated Press outside the cathedral. 'Today it's a small but a true victory against the disaster we have had'President Donald Trump called for a poll to be conducted on whether the New York Times or Washington Post are a bigger 'disgrace' to the U.S.

The president, who claims 'phony' polls have been circulated by the 'fake news' to discredit his successes as president, wants to find out which mainstream media outlet is more the 'enemy of the people.'

'A poll should be done on which is the more dishonest and deceitful newspaper, the Failing New York Times or the Amazon (lobbyist) Washington Post!' Trump tweeted as a flurry of new polls were released Sunday morning.

'They are both a disgrace to our Country, the Enemy of the People, but I just can't seem to figure out which is worse?' he continued in the pair of tweets.

President Donald Trump says he can't figure out whether the New York Times or Washington Post is more 'deceitful'

In a pair of tweets Sunday morning he said he wanted a poll conducted on which newspaper was more 'fake news'

Trump, who is more than halfway through his term, said after he leaves the White House  which he claims will be after a second term  both the Times and Post will go out of business.

'The good news is that at the end of 6 years, after America has been made GREAT again and I leave the beautiful White House (do you think the people would demand that I stay longer? KEEP AMERICA GREAT), both of these horrible papers will quickly go out of business & be forever gone!' he concluded.

Trump has issued attacks on the Times, Post and several other outlets since campaigning for 2016. He claims such media companies are 'dishonest,' 'fake' and even an 'enemy' to the public.

The president has also issued personal attacks on journalists, especially those covering him in the White House.

The president also claimed that after he leaves office  which he said would be after two terms  the Times and Post would both go out of business and stay shuttered 'forever'

He even temporarily seized CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials after a clash during the president's remarks following the 2018 midterm elections.

On Sunday morning, several polls unfavorable to the president were published  one with former Vice President Joe Biden leading Trump by 10 percentage points and another indicating support for impeachment is growing among Democrats.

One poll Trump usually trusts is Rasmussen Reports, which tracks the president's approval rating and has shown him as high as 53 per cent following the release of Special Council Robert Mueller's Russia report.

Trump has claimed the Russia report and booming economy are grounds for a high approval rating, and laments polls that show otherwise are 'fake.'Dramatic helicopter footage has captured the moment four people were winched to safety from an inflatable boat after they were forced to abandon their sinking yacht.

The crew on board the 14-metre yacht 'Squander' sent out a series of distress signals online after being battered by rough seas across the Pacific Ocean.

They had set out on June 9 from New Zealand's Bay of Islands, but ran into trouble and turned around before their mast rig failed.

After four days in horrific conditions, they sent off a final mayday message online and a distress signal before jumping onto a life raft and hoping to be rescued.

'Cannot make headway to the west. Compromised jury rig can only sail on starboard tack and this is limited. Options narrowing,' their last message online read.

'Will run out of diesel and can only sail to the east. Options commercial tow or initiate distress call. Fourth day battling headwinds.'

Rescue Coordination Centre NZ (RCCNZ) began monitoring the boat when it was forced to turn back to New Zealand.

Two Auckland Westpac Rescue helicopters had to make the recovery of the four sailors due to the two-metre waves.

Dramatic footage showed the moment four yacht crew members are rescued after they were forced to abandon their sinking ship that began to fail four days ago. Every day they sent updates on the ship's progress

Chief paramedic Karl Taylor told the New Zealand Herald it was challenging to rescue the two men and two women in the life raft.

'It was a little bit challenging just getting them out of the life raft but it certainly helped that they were well prepared,' he said.

'They were still fit and able.'

He said the group were happy to be rescued but once on-shore again the reality that they had lost the boat they'd owned since 2012 set in.

The Squander crew had a distress beacon, a HF radio, a VF radio and a satellite phone.

The 14-metre ship initially hit strong headwinds on June 12 and on June 13 their mast rig failedAdvertisement

Cambridge students poked fun at the Brexit battle bus during the 'Suicide Sunday' cardboard boat race as they celebrate the end of exams.

Witty undergraduates painted their cardboard creation red and wrote 'we send the EU 350mil, let's fund out NHS' and 'boat leave' on the side. Another boat was labelled 'daddy's yacht'.

The students spent the morning making their rafts with cardboard, glue and Gaffa tape, then clambered inside and attempted to float them down the river.

Around 2,000 undergraduates lined the historic Backs in the city centre to watch 20 teams cause chaos in the 10th year of the unusual race.

Cambridge students poked fun at the Brexit battle bus during the 'Suicide Sunday' cardboard boat race, painting their creation red and writing 'boat leave' on the front

Another student labelled their boat 'daddy's yacht'. Around 2,000 undergraduates lined the historic Backs in the city centre to watch 20 teams cause chaos in the 10th year of the unusual race

The students spent the morning making their rafts with cardboard, glue and Gaffa tape, then clambered inside and attempted to float them down the river

This creative bunch even created a makeshift battering ram on the front of their boat, while their captain donned a cardboard hat

The Brexit battle boat quickly disintegrated, sending its sailors into the River Cam for a cold dip earlier today

Many students downed wine, beer and shots before the race and struggled to stay on board their flimsy rafts, with many capsizing before the finishing line, while others jumped into the water for fun.

Crowds of spectators clapped and cheered along the busy course, which ran from Jesus Green to Magdalene Bridge.

Earlier in the day thousands of students attended 'Suicide Sunday' parties around the city to celebrate the end of their exams.

The Sunday immediately after the end of the summer term at Cambridge is known as Suicide Sunday. By this date, most students have finished exams but most of the results have not been published, so it is traditionally a period of nerves and suspense.

Next week many of the students will attend the lavish May Ball parties at the university colleges.

Many students downed wine, beer and shots before the race and struggled to stay on board their flimsy rafts, with many capsizing before the finishing line, while others jumped into the water for fun

Crowds of spectators clapped and cheered along the busy course, which ran from Jesus Green to Magdalene Bridge

Earlier in the day thousands of students attended 'Suicide Sunday' parties around the city to celebrate the end of their exams

The Sunday immediately after the end of the summer term at Cambridge is known as Suicide Sunday

By this date, most students have finished exams but most of the results have not been published, so it is traditionally a period of nerves and suspenseA glamorous Instagram model was forced to hand over $2,500 in cash to police even after claiming she had received the money from her 'sugar daddy'.

Kate Szepanowski, 24, was pulled over in Bondi Junction in Sydney around 1am last December after police initially believed she had been driving under the influence.

Szepanowski told officers she had just finished having dinner with a friend and was experiencing trouble with her hire car, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Glam: Instagram model Kate Szepanowski was pulled over in Bondi Junction, Sydney last December

The 24-year-old was found with $2,500 in cash which she claimed came from her sugar daddy

When she was asked to provide identification, they spotted the large wad of money in her purse - leading them to suspect she had been involved in a drug deal, court documents claim.

In their statement before the court, police alleged the social media influencer was 'fiddling' with the car's console and seemed like she was trying to hide something.

Police also spotted two mobile phones inside the car, but Szepanoswki denied the second phone belonged to her, claiming someone had left it in the vehicle before she hired it.

Police alleged the Brisbane woman told them various 'stories' before finally claiming the money was given to her by her sugar daddy.

Upon searching her car, they allegedly found white powder residue in a clear plastic bag as well as a Xanax tablet without a prescription.

Police administered both drug and alcohol tests, which came back negative.

Szepanoswki claimed she had multiple 'clients' across NSW and Victoria and had been travelling between the two states, according to the statement.

Szepanowski was fined $350 for possession of Xanax and other unlawfully obtained goods

She also offered to prove where the money came from with phone records, but was unable to unlock her phone.

Szepanowski's cash was seized and she was ordered to appear at Downing Centre Court, but failed to show up this week.

She was fined $350 for possession of Xanax and other unlawfully obtained goods.

In a now-deleted Instagram post to her 45,000+ followers, Szepanowski claimed the allegations were not true.

Daily Mail Australia reached out to Szepanoswki for comment.A 28-year-old father who got his entire right arm torn off by a train has undergone pioneering surgery to have it reattached.

Ahmedabad Gujarat had been waiting to board a late night service when he suddenly slipped and fell into a gap between the train and the platform.

The Father-of-three, then saw the train carriage run over and slice off his right arm in Mumbai, west India.

Gujarat, who is also from the area, was rushed to hospital while his friends carried the unattached arm in a plastic bag.

The severed arm of a 28-year-old father who lost the limb after he fell between the train and the platform in Mumbai, India

Pictured above is the stump where the arm was attached to. The father-of-three was rushed to hospital with his chopped off arm in a plastic bag

He was admitted to the plastic surgery unit last month where doctors carried out a seven-hour operation to reattach the limb.

After the successful operation, Gujarat then underwent several skin grafting surgeries for the remaining raw areas.

Consultant Dr Nitin Ghag said: 'Any amputation and amputations of upper extremities, in particular, have a major impact on patients' lives, as loss of function can not affect his daily life but also hinder social interactions and capacity for work.

'As major amputations occur frequently with high-energy trauma, accompanied by various and occasionally life-threatening injuries, it is important to primarily address those injuries to save the patient's life.

'The decision between salvaging or amputating a limb must be made rapidly.'

The severed right arm of the man after he fell between the train and the platform. The limb has now been re-attached after doctors carried out pioneering new surgeryActress and comedian Tiffany Haddish has canceled her upcoming Atlanta performance because of Georgia's new restrictive abortion law.

The Girls Trip star sent a statement to ticket holders on Saturday saying she cannot 'in good faith' perform in Georgia unless it withdraws the so-called heartbeat kill.

Haddish had been scheduled to perform on June 22 at the Fox Theatre.

The tour date is still listed on her website but the link to purchase tickets has been disabled.

Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish sent a statement to ticket holders on Saturday saying she cannot 'in good faith' perform in Georgia unless it withdraws the so-called heartbeat kill

The controversial new law would ban abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks before many women know they are pregnant.

Unless the law is blocked in court, it is set to go into effect in 2020.

The ACLU has already said the group will mount a legal challenge.

It comes as major Hollywood studios have said they may reevaluate filming in Georgia if the law goes into effect and Ariana Grande donated proceeds from her sold out Atlanta concert to Planned Parenthood.

The popstar gave the organization $250,000 just one month after the fetal heartbeat law was passed.

A string of company executives and Hollywood players have threatened to pull investments in states enacting new laws that limit abortion rights.

Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger said last month it would be 'very difficult' to keep filming in Georgia if a law banning abortion went into effect.

Haddish had been scheduled to perform on June 22 at the Fox Theatre. The tour date is still listed on her website but the link to purchase tickets has been disabled

Haddish, above with her Secret Life of Pets costar Kevin Hart, canceled her upcoming Atlanta performance because of Georgia's new restrictive abortion law

A number of Hollywood players followed suit with Netflix saying it would 'rethink' its investment in Georgia.

WarnerMedia - which includes HBO, Turner, and Warner Bros. - and NBCUniversal vowed to monitor the situation.

Georgia's film and TV industry generated $9.5 billion in 2018 and has been used as the location for Marvel mega-hits such as Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame, thanks to state offered tax credits attracting major Hollywood studios.

Some 455 productions were shot in Georgia last year.

More than 180 technology, media and fashion executives also signed an open letter last week on abortion rights arguing that conservative efforts to restrict comprehensive reproductive care would be bad for business.

Leading businesses including Bloomberg, Ben & Jerry's and The Body Shop put their name to the letter, which called on the private sector to 'stand up for reproductive healthcare'.

The letter argued that reducing access to abortion 'threatens the health, independence and economic stability of our employees and customers'.

Responding to the recent drive against abortion, the CEOs say the crackdown is simply 'bad for business'.

Nine states, including Alabama, Georgia and Missouri have passed abortion laws this year that all but ban the procedure.

The legislation tests the 1973 'Roe v Wade' Supreme Court ruling asserting a woman's constitution right to privacy in health matters that includes abortion.

The governor of Georgia signed into law a ban on abortion from the moment a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Alabama, Missouri and other states have also recently adopted bans on abortion, in the hope that conservative justices appointed by President Trump would reverse the longstanding legal precedent.

An Alabama law set to take effect in November would make performing an abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony. The only exception would be when the woman's health is at serious risk and would not include rape and incest.

In Missouri, lawmakers made the procedure illegal from eight weeks of pregnancy and did not make exceptions for rape or incest.

Pro-choice activists fear that the Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade and allow total bans on abortion.

Ariana Grande donated proceeds from her sold out Atlanta concert to Planned ParenthoodDefence Minister Tobias Ellwood has warned Britain 'will protect its assets in the Gulf' after last week's attacks on two oil tankers.

Speaking on Sky TV's Sophy Ridge on Sunday, he blamed Iran's 'negative influence' for causing 'extra tensions' across the Middle East and said the row with the United States over a controversial nuclear deal was no excuse for military action.

Mr Ellwood warned: 'I don't think Iran should be under any doubt that we will be determined to protect our assets and our interests in the region.'

He added: 'I understand the frustrations over the nuclear deal but that does not give licence to start attacking ships in the Straits of Hormuz.'

His comments come as it was revealed that 100 British Royal Marines from 42 Commando, based near Plymouth, will form a rapid reaction force, Special Purpose Task Group 19 in the Gulf.

Tobias Ellwood said Sunday Britain would be protecting its assets in the Gulf after the recent oil tanker attacks

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt admitted there is a 'great risk' of another war in the Gulf following attacks on oil tankers that have been blamed on Iran.

A Japanese-owned tanker, the Kokuka Courageous, and a Norwegian-operated one, the Front Altair, were attacked on Thursday and left ablaze as they were passing through the Gulf of Oman.

Britain has concluded that responsibility 'almost certainly' lies with Iran and while today the MoD played down reports that Royal Marines were being sent to the region to protect British warships, the government made clear action would be taken if necessary.

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 said the two attacks had Iran 'written all over it'

Iran has faced international condemnation for last Thursday's attack on two oil tankers, despite claiming to have had nothing to do with them.

And Jeremy Hunt warned today that there was a 'great risk' of escalation in the Gulf, adding that Washington wanted the situation to end in negotiations.

Asked about escalation, he said: 'This is the great risk of the situation that we are in.

'Both sides in this dispute think that the other side wouldn't want a war. We are urging all sides to de-escalate.

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, he said: 'Having spoken to President Trump I am absolutely clear that for America they want this to end in negotiations that see Iran stop its destabilising activities.'

'Let's see Iran stop its destabilising activities in Lebanon through Hezbollah, in Yemen where they are firing missiles into Saudi Arabia, on the Gulf as we have seen. That is the long-term solution.'

The attack on the tanker left it ablaze and adrift while sailors were quickly evacuated

Jeremy Hunt, pictured talking to Andrew Marr this morning, said he was 'absolutely clear' American wants to end the stand-off peaceably

Yesterday military sources told the Times that 100 British Royal Marines will form a rapid reaction force in the Gulf.





It is understood they will operate from ships patrolling the region from Britain's new naval base in Bahrain, and use speedboats and helicopters to protect warships and UK merchant navy vessels.

But the MoD denied the deployment, which they said constituted just 30 commandos on a training exercise, was linked to rising 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.

The damaged Kokuka Courageous arrived Sunday at a UAE anchorage site as Saudi Arabia accused arch-rival Iran of being behind the attack.

US President Donald Trump has said the twin attacks had Iran 'written all over it' - rejecting Tehran's vehement denial.

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

Hunt defended his assertion that Iran was 'almost certain' to blame for the attacks.

'We have done our own intelligence assessment. We have got videos of what happened. We have seen evidence. We don't believe anyone else could have done this,' he said.

The owner of the Japanese vessel said Friday in Tokyo however that the crew saw a 'flying object' prior to a second blast on board citing two apparent attacks.

He added he believed initial reports suggesting a torpedo was involved in the attack were incorrect as the damage was above the sea surface not below water, which would have suggested a torpedo.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have increased dramatically since Donald Trump took office.

Meanwhile, today the two damaged tankers arrived safely to locations off the Emirati coast.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday when it came under attack along with the Norwegian-operated Front Altair - the second assault in a month in the strategic shipping lane.

US President Donald Trump has said the operation had Iran 'written all over it' - rejecting Tehran's vehement denial - and its key Gulf ally Saudi Arabia has also lashed out against Tehran.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) met in Tehran on Thursday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who on Friday condemned the attack but didn't say who he blamed for it

In his first public comments since the attacks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in remarks published Sunday that he would not hesitate to tackle any threats to the oil-rich kingdom.

'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 told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

He said Iran had responded to a visit to Tehran by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe 'by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese'.

Abe had been on an unprecedented visit to the Iranian capital in a bid to defuse tensions between Washington and the Islamic Republic when the attacks took place.

The US military on Friday released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an 'unexploded limpet mine' from the Japanese vessel.

The crew of the Kokuka Courageous saw a 'flying object' before a second blast on board, the operator's head said Friday.

The vessel's Singapore-based BSM Ship Management said in a statement today that it had 'arrived safely at the designated anchorage' and that its crew were 'safe and well'.

A damage assessment and preparations for transferring the ship's cargo would start once authorities had completed 'security checks and formalities', it added.

The other ship, the Front Altair, was under safe tow by tug boats towards an area off the coast of the eastern Emirati port of Fujairah.

'First inspections are under way and no hot spots have been identified following the fire,' the vessel's owners said in a statement today.

It said all crew members were in Dubai, where they will 'assist with the debrief to the owner's legal team and the appropriate authorities, before returning home'.

The UAE's Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday 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.

Thursday's attacks took place southeast of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor connecting the energy-rich states of the Middle East with markets in Asia, Europe, North America and elsewhere.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), 35 percent of the world's seaborne oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, which is struggling with crippling US sanctions, has repeatedly warned in the past that it could block the 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.

Iran's parliament speaker said Sunday that Washington could have been behind the 'suspicious' tanker attacks, the official news agency IRNA reported.

'The suspicious actions against the tankers... seem to complement the economic sanctions against Iran, considering that (the US) has not achieved any results from them,' he told MPs.

Pope Francis said Sunday he was following 'with concern' the growing tensions in the Gulf.

He appealed 'to the international community to pursue every possible effort to promote dialogue and peace'.

Timeline: Escalation in the Gulf region May 5: The U.S. says it is sending the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group and a bomber task force to the Middle East because of a 'credible threat' from Iran. Since then Washington has announced the dispatch to the region of an amphibious assault ship, a Patriot missile battery and an extra 1,500 troops. May 8: Iran vows to enrich its uranium stockpile closer to weapons-grade levels starting July 7 if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its nuclear deal. The U.S. responds by imposing fresh sanctions on Iran's steel and mining sectors. Smoke pours from the Norwegian-owned oil tanker on Thursday after it was hit by an explosion near the UAE and Iran in an apparent attack which has put the Middle East on high alert May 12: Two Saudi oil tankers and two other ships are damaged in mysterious 'sabotage attacks' off the coast of Fujairah, part of the United Arab Emirates. Washington believes Iran is to blame for the attacks, but Tehran denies involvement. May 14: Yemen's pro-Iranian Huthi rebels carry out drone attacks near Riyadh, shutting down a key Saudi oil pipeline. Two days later Saudi-led coalition air strikes hit the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa. The next day the U.S. orders all non-emergency diplomats to leave Iraq, due to an 'imminent' threat from Iranian-linked Iraqi militias. May 19: Trump warns that if Iran attacks American interests 'that will be the official end of Iran'. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the 'genocidal taunts' of U.S. Trump will not 'end Iran'. May 27: Trump says the U.S. is 'not looking for regime change' in Iran. May 30: Saudi Arabia - which accuses Iran of being behind the acts of sabotage and the drone attack in May - gets the backing of Arab leaders in its standoff with Tehran at summits organised by Riyadh. Iran accuses Riyadh of 'sowing division'. Inferno: A fire rages on board the oil tanker MT Front Altair after it was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, in what has been described as a torpedo attack June 6: The UAE says a multinational investigation into the sabotage attacks point to the likelihood a state was behind them, without incriminating Iran. June 12: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives in Tehran in a bid to mediate between Washington and Tehran. A Yemeni rebel missile attack on an airport at Abha, in southwestern Saudi Arabia, wounds 26 civilians. The Saudis accuse Iran of supplying the weapon. June 13: Two tankers, Norwegian and Japanese, are hit by explosions in apparent attacks in the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. Fifth Fleet says that it received two separate distress calls from the tankers in a 'reported attack'. Foreign Minister Zarif says the tanker 'attacks' as Abe visits are 'suspicious'. Mr Abe meets Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who tells him: 'I don't consider Trump as a person worthy of exchanging messages with. I have no response for him and will not answer him.' Advertisement

Mike Pompeo doubles down on claim that intelligence community agrees Iran is to blame for attack on oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday morning that the intelligence community agrees Iran is to blame for the attack on oil tanker ships in the Gulf of Oman this week.

'I wouldn't have said it if the intelligence community hadn't become convinced that this was the case,' Pompeo told CBS on Face the Nation Sunday morning, following speculation that there was not enough proof that Iran was responsible for the attack.

'I will concede there are countries that just wish this would go away, and they want to act in a way that is counterfactual,' Pompeo added in reference to the German Foreign Minister saying the video was not enough proof.

The secretary said that there is no disputing Iran is acting in a way to deny other countries the right to use the international waterway.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo doubled-down that the intelligence community is confident Iran is behind the attack on two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf on Thursday

'No one disputes that this is the Islamic Republic of Iran taking these actions to deny this international waterway and the freedom of navigation that is a fundamental right of every country to travel through that,' he continued.

Pompeo came out on Thursday and said the U.S. believes Iran was responsible for attacks that damaged two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf. American forces also found an unexploded mine on one of the damaged vessels.

A fireball erupted on the Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair after a suspected torpedo attack caused three explosions, forcing the crew to abandon ship.

Sailors on the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous also had to flee after it was hit by another explosion, in a pair of apparent attacks which left the Middle East on high alert.

'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,' Pompeo told reporters at the State Department.

'This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to executive 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 that everyone agrees this is an action by Iran to deny other nation's use of the international waterway in the Gulf of Oman

Britain has urged 'extreme caution' amid spiralling tensions in the region, weeks after Saudi tankers were attacked in a mysterious act of sabotage off the UAE coast which Washington believes was the work of Iran.

Warning that the Gulf's waters are 'becoming unsafe', tanker industry chief Paolo d'Amico said that 'the oil supply to the entire Western world could be at risk' - as 30 per cent of the world's crude oil passes through the area.

Tehran has said it is 'suspicious' about the timing of the explosions during a visit by Japan's leader Shinzo Abe but Washington has again pointed the finger at Iran.

In the aftermath of the attacks U.S. authorities said Iran was 'highly likely' to have caused the explosions - amid fears that repeated attacks on ships could put the West's oil supply under threat.

Pompeo later said at a news conference in Washington that the attacks on the ships are part of a 'campaign' of 'escalating tension' by Iran and a threat to international peace and security.

He said the United States will defend its forces and interests in the region but gave no specifics about any plans and he took no questions from the media.

In the early hours of this morning, two vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz towards the Indian Ocean caught fire.

What happened to the two tankers in the Gulf of Oman? Panama-registered tanker Kokuka Courageous was damaged in a 'suspected attack' that breached the hull above the water line. The ship was attacked twice in three hours before all the crew were evacuated, the firm said. All of its crew are reported safe with one minor injury. There was an engine room fire on the tanker, which was carrying methanol from Saudi Arabia to Singapore. A second ship, the Front Altair, was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'. Its Norwegian owner said it was still afloat, denying Iranian claims it had sunk. The Aframax-class tanker was loaded with 75,000 tonnes of naphtha. It was travelling from Ruwais, United Arab Emirates, to Taiwan, according to trade sources. All 44 sailors from the two ships have been rescued by Iranian search and rescue teams, Tehran's Islamic Republic News Agency. The Bahrain-based U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet said it was assisting after receiving distress calls. Oil prices surged by four per cent on the news. Advertisement

The ships were struck in the same strategic sea lane where four oil vessels were sabotaged last month in attacks Washington blamed on Tehran.

The USS Bainbridge, which had been deployed to the area to offer assistance, reported that crew members saw an unexploded limpet mine on the side of one of the attacked ships.

Magnetic limpet mines are suspected of being used in the May 12 attacks on four tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

After an investigation the UAE concluded that a 'state actor' was the most likely culprit with chemical analysis of the debris recovered supposedly revealing that it was 'it was highly likely that limpet mines' were used.

Today a U.S. national security official told CBS News that it was 'highly likely Iran caused these attacks', when asked about the recent incidents.

In an official response the U.S. ambassador to the UN called the explosions 'unacceptable' while the White House said President Trump has been briefed and American ally Saudi Arabia called it a 'major escalation'.

Iran said the attacks aroused suspicion because they came as Japanese leader Shinzo Abe met the Islamic Republic's supreme leader today in an effort to defuse the crisis.

'Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning,' said Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif.

Tokyo also revealed that the two tankers had been carrying 'Japan-related cargo'.

Mr Abe had warned yesterday that the tense Middle East standoff, which has seen furious exchanges between America and Iran, could lead to an 'accidental' war.

His talks with Iran's supreme leader appeared to take a wrong turn today as the Ayatollah said Tehran would 'never repeat' negotiations with the U.S. However, Abe said Khamenei assured him that Iran has no intention to produce, possess or use nuclear arms.

Tonight President Trump tweeted in response to the Japanese PM's visit that the U.S. was not 'ready' to make a deal with Iran.

He wrote: '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!'

Meanwhile Russia said it was too early to say who was behind the explosions.

There was also some dispute over who had rescued the 44 sailors, as Iran initially claimed to have taken them to safety but the Japanese owner of Kokuka said the ship's crew were rescued by a Dutch vessel, then taken to a U.S. warship.

As the political reprisals began, dramatic pictures emerged of the fireball which erupted on the MT Front Altair on Thursday morning.

'I wouldn't have said it if the intelligence community hadn't become convinced that this was the case,' Pompeo told Face the Nation on Sunday morning

The Altair had been loaded at a port in the Gulf with a petroleum product known as naphtha, and was on its way to the Far East.

The Altair's cargo was worth more than $30million, according to estimates from trade sources.

Meanwhile, a shipping broker said the Kokuka, which flies under Panama's flag, had suffered an explosion after an 'outside attack' which may have involved a magnetic mine.

The company operating the ship, which was heading to Singapore, said the attack had caused 'damage to the ship's hull starboard side.'

The Kokuka's 21 crew were picked up by the nearby Vessel Coastal Ace, leaving the tanker adrift and empty after an engine room fire.

One of the crew members was slightly injured in the incident and received first aid on board the Coastal Ace, while the Kokuka's methanol cargo is said to be intact.

Iran said its search and rescue teams had picked up the 44 sailors from the two ships and taken them to the port of Jask, although the U.S. disputes this.

Commander Joshua Frey, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, said his command was 'aware' of a reported incident in the area.

The fleet received one distress call at 6.12am local time and another one at 7am and the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge offered assistance.

Norway has advised its ships to 'stay well clear of Iranian waters until further notice'.

The Taiwanese oil refiner which chartered the Marshall Islands-flagged Altair said the ship was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'.

The Marshall Islands are an 'associated state' of the U.S.

Reports said the Front Altair, travelling from Qatar to Taiwan, had suffered three explosions and caught fire after a 'surface attack'.

Iranian news agency IRNA claimed that the ship had sunk, but its Norwegian owner Frontline insisted it was still afloat.

Its crew of 23 were picked up by nearby vessel Hyundai Dubai. The crew was made up of 11 Russians, one Georgian and 11 Filipinos, International Tanker Management said.Nancy Bucciarelli, 66, was charged with animal cruelty on Friday in relation to the death of her Golden Retriever, Bailey

A New Hampshire woman has been arrested after she allegedly pushed her Golden Retriever into a lake and watched him drown.

Nancy Bucciarelli, 66, was charged Friday with animal cruelty pertaining to the horrific incident which occurred on June 8.

Police say Bucciarelli was with her 11-year-old dog, Bailey, at Naticook Lake when she launched him off a dock into three feet of water.

The incident was witnessed by several bystanders, who claim that the woman watched as the elderly canine struggled to swim.

He eventually drowned in the shallow water.

Officers were called to the scene, and recovered Bailey's body, before theorizing that Bucciarelli had indeed pushed the pooch into the lake.

'It is a sad story. It's unconscionable to think what this defendant is charged with,'Merrimack police Chief Denise Roy told WMUR9.

Bucciarelli is pictured with Bailey in a photo shared to Facebook in December 2014

Witnesses allege Bucciarelli pushed Bailey off this dock at Naticook Lake in New Hampshire

'The witnesses actually are the ones who jumped into the water to find the dog under the water and pull the dog out. They made every attempt to revive the dog, but unfortunately the dog did die'.

Bucciarelli's Facebook page features several photos of Bailey appearing loved and well cared for.

One image, shared in December 2014, shows Bucciarelli with her arms around the Golden Retriever.

However, the accused has now been inundated with hateful comments on her Facebook page.

Bucciarelli's Facebook page features several photos of Bailey appearing loved and well cared for

Chief Roy pleaded with the public not to join in on the cyber attacks against Bucciarelli.

'She's charged with a horrific crime; however, this doesn't help. This actually feeds into it and makes it worse, and it really stops the process from happening effectively,' Roy stated.

Bucciaelli is due to appear in court on June 27.By 7pm Argentina's energy department said 77 per cent of customers had had their power restored

Electricity services have been restored to more than 70 percent of Argentina and Uruguay following a massive blackout that left around 48 million people without power on Sunday, authorities said.

At around 7pm local time, Argentina's Energy Ministry Gustavo Lopetegui said services had been restored to 77 per cent of customers in the country. There are still outages in multiple provinces, while Tierra del Fuego, in the country's extreme south, was spared because it is not part of the national system.

In neighboring Uruguay, the state power company UTE said power had returned to at least 88 percent of the country.

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A woman is pictured using candles to light her home in Uruguay's capital city of Montevideo. Power company UTE said the country's outage was due to a 'fault in the Argentine network'

Constitucion railway station in Buenos Aires sits in darkness during a massive energy blackout that affected both Argentina and neighbouring Uruguay following a network 'fault'

Downtown Buenos Aires was remarkably quiet as dozens of shops closed and transport came to a halt. City streets with lit only by cloudy skies as none of the shops had any power

The cut, which happened just after 7am, also affected Paraguay, which reported short, localized losses of power.

It was the first time a power cut had affected the entirety of both Argentina, with a population of more than 44 million, and Uruguay, which has 3.4 million inhabitants.

'These are failures that occur (even) with diligence. The amazing thing is the chain of events that took place to cause the total disconnection,' Lopetegui told a press conference.

A homeless mother and her child sit at the entrance of a closed cafe in Argentina on Sunday. Large cities across both countries were paralyzed as shops closed and public transportation was ground to a halt

He said the outage took place 'automatically to protect the system.'

'We don't have any more information right now on how it occurred. We're not ruling out any possibility, but a cyber attack is not among the main alternatives being considered.'

Argentina's energy secretariat said the 'interconnection system' had 'collapsed,' producing 'a massive power cut' for which its generators had been unable to compensate, but that the causes had not been determined.

Sources from the official energy agency of Paraguay, which borders Argentina to the northeast, said that cuts there had been 'momentary.'

A subway employee stands in the closed entrance of the Buenos Aires's subway on Sunday. It was unclear how many people had been affected by the blackout

A greengrocer in Argentina remains open to sell his produce that is relatively unaffected by the outage, although a customer appears to struggle in the low light

A butchers in the same South American country has to light up meat for customers. Some businesses were concerned that the outage would spoil refrigerated produce

A spokesperson for RGE, the biggest energy distributor in Brazil's southern Rio Grande do Sul state that borders both Argentina and Uruguay, said they'd had no reports of cuts.

Earlier in the day, power had returned to some sectors of Buenos Aires but the metro and trains were still halted.

Public hospitals and private clinics were running on generators.

'The only inconvenience is the elevators. We only have one working, but all services are operating without problems,' said an employee at the Fernandez Hospital.

A man carrying a child walk through the dimly lit hall of the Constitucion railway station in Buenos Aires as the country's network was being brought back 'from zero'

People walk past The Colon Theater, which is closed to visitors during a massive energy blackout. A sign on the gate reads: 'The guided tours are suspended due to lack of electricity (translated from Spanish)

People walk past a closed pharmacy near to the Obelisk in central Buenos Aires, Argentina during the blackout

It is Father's Day in Argentina and some restaurants were expecting many customers.

'This killed us,' said Luciano Ferreira, the owner of a popular restaurant in the Boedo neighborhood of Buenos Aires.

The restaurant had been fully booked and Ferreira had been expecting to make two or three times as much money as a normal day.

Some people shared messages on WhatsApp with advice on how to prepare for a lengthy outage, such as collecting water.

The price board at a gas station that is powered electronically stands still without power

People wait at a bus stop outside the Retiro train station, Buenos Aires as it remained closed due to a power cut that affected the whole city

A man rides his bicycle at a closed gas station in downtown Buenos Aires. It is not known how many people have been affected by the outages but the countries' combined population is 45 million

In the interior plains region of Junin, residents stocked up on drinking water sold in supermarkets.

'Fortunately, we had two buckets on the patio that were filled with rain water. We've gone back to the Stone Age,' said Eduardo Gralatto.

In Cordoba, Argentina's second city, people headed to bakeries looking to buy supplies for the traditional Father's Day barbecue.

'We decided to open because we need to work, but early on we lost seven or eight tables of customers because we couldn't prepare coffee or bake bread,' said Carlos Arce, the owner of a bakery.

Tourists standing in their darkened room prepare to go out during the power cut in Montevideo, Uruguay earlier today

Argentines also went to the polls in several provinces on Sunday to elect governors, with some local media reporting voters cast ballots by candle light.

In Montevideo, some restaurants in the downtown area had power back by 11am local time.

More than an hour after the blackout, UTE said its system was being brought back 'from zero.'

Argentina and Uruguay have a common power grid centered on the bi-national Salto Grande dam, 450km (280 miles) north of Buenos Aires.Qantas will announce two new non-stop flight routes from Brisbane to San Francisco and Chicago in a major tourism boost for Queensland.

Tickets for the new routes are expected to go on sale within the next few weeks with the first set of flights departing early in 2020.

The new routes will be flown by Qantas' Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, the airline confirmed on Monday.

America is already one of Queensland's top target market but there are expected to be more than 360,000 US visitors a year by 2027.

Qantas will today announce direct flights from Brisbane to San Francisco (pictured) and Chicago in the United States

The route to Chicago (pictured) - known as the 'Windy City' - would open up more connections through American Airline's 500 flights a day to 143 destinations

'The launch of the 787 flights from Brisbane to Chicago and San Francisco would be a win for customers and tourism,' said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.

The new route will be the first direct link between Chicago from anywhere in Australia and was expected to take just under 20 hours.

The route to Chicago - known as the 'Windy City' - would open up more connections through American Airline's 500 flights a day to 143 destinations.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new routes 'would pump more than $150million into the Queensland economy over the next three years'..

'As the world's largest economy, the US offers enormous potential,' she said.

Qantas' Dreamliner currently runs services from Brisbane to Los Angeles, which connects to New York.

Mr Joyce is waiting the full approval from the US Department of Transportation for a fresh deal between Qantas and American Airlines.Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday morning that the intelligence community agrees Iran is to blame for the attack on oil tanker ships in the Gulf of Oman this week.

'I wouldn't have said it if the intelligence community hadn't become convinced that this was the case,' Pompeo told CBS on Face the Nation Sunday morning, following speculation that there was not enough proof that Iran was responsible for the attack.

'I will concede there are countries that just wish this would go away, and they want to act in a way that is counterfactual,' Pompeo added in reference to the German Foreign Minister saying the video was not enough proof.

The secretary said that there is no disputing Iran is acting in a way to deny other countries the right to use the international waterway.

He said that 'The United States is considering a full range of options. We have briefed the President a couple of times, we'll continue to keep him updated.'

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo doubled-down that the intelligence community is confident Iran is behind the attack on two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf on Thursday

'I wouldn't have said it if the intelligence community hadn't become convinced that this was the case,' Pompeo told Face the Nation on Sunday morning

'No one disputes that this is the Islamic Republic of Iran taking these actions to deny this international waterway and the freedom of navigation that is a fundamental right of every country to travel through that,' he continued.

Pompeo came out on Thursday and said the U.S. believes Iran was responsible for attacks that damaged two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf. American forces also found an unexploded mine on one of the damaged vessels.

A fireball erupted on the Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair after a suspected torpedo attack caused three explosions, forcing the crew to abandon ship.

Sailors on the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous also had to flee after it was hit by another explosion, in a pair of apparent attacks which left the Middle East on high alert.

'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,' Pompeo told reporters at the State Department.

'This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to executive 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.'

Britain has urged 'extreme caution' amid spiralling tensions in the region, weeks after Saudi tankers were attacked in a mysterious act of sabotage off the UAE coast which Washington believes was the work of Iran.

Warning that the Gulf's waters are 'becoming unsafe', tanker industry chief Paolo d'Amico said that 'the oil supply to the entire Western world could be at risk' - as 30 per cent of the world's crude oil passes through the area.

Tehran has said it is 'suspicious' about the timing of the explosions during a visit by Japan's leader Shinzo Abe but Washington has again pointed the finger at Iran.

Pompeo said that everyone agrees this is an action by Iran to deny other nation's use of the international waterway in the Gulf of Oman

Inferno: A fire rages on board the oil tanker MT Front Altair after it was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman today, in what has been described as a torpedo attack

Smoke pours from the Norwegian-owned oil tanker on Thursday after it was hit by an explosion near the UAE and Iran in an apparent attack which has put the Middle East on high alert

One of the oil tankers burns in the Gulf of Oman today following an apparent attack on the two vessels, just four weeks after similar acts of sabotage against Saudi ships renewed tensions in the Middle East

A map showing the approximate location of the two ships which were seemingly attacked in the Gulf of Oman today in the latest Middle East flashpoint

In the aftermath of the attacks U.S. authorities said Iran was 'highly likely' to have caused the explosions - amid fears that repeated attacks on ships could put the West's oil supply under threat.

Pompeo later said at a news conference in Washington that the attacks on the ships are part of a 'campaign' of 'escalating tension' by Iran and a threat to international peace and security.

He said the United States will defend its forces and interests in the region but gave no specifics about any plans and he took no questions from the media.

In the early hours of this morning, two vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz towards the Indian Ocean caught fire.

What happened to the two tankers in the Gulf of Oman? Panama-registered tanker Kokuka Courageous was damaged in a 'suspected attack' that breached the hull above the water line. The ship was attacked twice in three hours before all the crew were evacuated, the firm said. All of its crew are reported safe with one minor injury. There was an engine room fire on the tanker, which was carrying methanol from Saudi Arabia to Singapore. A second ship, the Front Altair, was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'. Its Norwegian owner said it was still afloat, denying Iranian claims it had sunk. The Aframax-class tanker was loaded with 75,000 tonnes of naphtha. It was travelling from Ruwais, United Arab Emirates, to Taiwan, according to trade sources. All 44 sailors from the two ships have been rescued by Iranian search and rescue teams, Tehran's Islamic Republic News Agency. The Bahrain-based U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet said it was assisting after receiving distress calls. Oil prices surged by four per cent on the news. Advertisement

The ships were struck in the same strategic sea lane where four oil vessels were sabotaged last month in attacks Washington blamed on Tehran.

The USS Bainbridge, which had been deployed to the area to offer assistance, reported that crew members saw an unexploded limpet mine on the side of one of the attacked ships.

Magnetic limpet mines are suspected of being used in the May 12 attacks on four tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

After an investigation the UAE concluded that a 'state actor' was the most likely culprit with chemical analysis of the debris recovered supposedly revealing that it was 'it was highly likely that limpet mines' were used.

Today a U.S. national security official told CBS News that it was 'highly likely Iran caused these attacks', when asked about the recent incidents.

In an official response the U.S. ambassador to the UN called the explosions 'unacceptable' while the White House said President Trump has been briefed and American ally Saudi Arabia called it a 'major escalation'.

Iran said the attacks aroused suspicion because they came as Japanese leader Shinzo Abe met the Islamic Republic's supreme leader today in an effort to defuse the crisis.

'Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning,' said Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif.

Tokyo also revealed that the two tankers had been carrying 'Japan-related cargo'.

Mr Abe had warned yesterday that the tense Middle East standoff, which has seen furious exchanges between America and Iran, could lead to an 'accidental' war.

His talks with Iran's supreme leader appeared to take a wrong turn today as the Ayatollah said Tehran would 'never repeat' negotiations with the U.S. However, Abe said Khamenei assured him that Iran has no intention to produce, possess or use nuclear arms.

Tonight President Trump tweeted in response to the Japanese PM's visit that the U.S. was not 'ready' to make a deal with Iran.

He wrote: '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!'

Meanwhile Russia said it was too early to say who was behind the explosions.

There was also some dispute over who had rescued the 44 sailors, as Iran initially claimed to have taken them to safety but the Japanese owner of Kokuka said the ship's crew were rescued by a Dutch vessel, then taken to a U.S. warship.

As the political reprisals began, dramatic pictures emerged of the fireball which erupted on the MT Front Altair on Thursday morning.

Pompeo told reporters at the State Department that the U.S. assessment was based on 'intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to executive the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area' could have done it

This satellite image shows the view from above as a fireball erupts from one of the oil tankers in an apparent attack today

Another overhead view shows a billowing cloud of smoke over the water after what was described as a torpedo attack

One of the tankers burns at sea in a pair of blasts which Iran has called 'suspicious' because the Japanese PM is visiting today

The two ships affected FRONT ALTAIR Sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands, an 'associated state' of the US. Owned by Norwegian firm Frontline and operated by Dubai-based firm International Tanker Management. Was travelling from the UAE to Taiwan to deliver 75,000 tonnes of naphtha, a petrochemical product, to the East Asian country. Chartered for this journey by Taiwanese refiner CPC Corp. All 23 crew members are safe after being rescued by the Hyundai Dubai. Frontline say the ship is still afloat, rejecting Iran's claims it had sunk. KOKUKA COURAGEOUS Sails under the flag of Panama. Owned by Japanese firm and Kokuka Sangyo Ltd and operated by BSM Ship Management. Was travelling from Saudi Arabia to Singapore carrying 25,000 tonnes of methanol. All 21 sailors were rescued, with one suffering minor injuries. BSM say the ship is in no danger of sinking. Advertisement

The Altair had been loaded at a port in the Gulf with a petroleum product known as naphtha, and was on its way to the Far East.

The Altair's cargo was worth more than $30million, according to estimates from trade sources.

Meanwhile, a shipping broker said the Kokuka, which flies under Panama's flag, had suffered an explosion after an 'outside attack' which may have involved a magnetic mine.

The company operating the ship, which was heading to Singapore, said the attack had caused 'damage to the ship's hull starboard side.'

The Kokuka's 21 crew were picked up by the nearby Vessel Coastal Ace, leaving the tanker adrift and empty after an engine room fire.

One of the crew members was slightly injured in the incident and received first aid on board the Coastal Ace, while the Kokuka's methanol cargo is said to be intact.

Iran said its search and rescue teams had picked up the 44 sailors from the two ships and taken them to the port of Jask, although the U.S. disputes this.

Commander Joshua Frey, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, said his command was 'aware' of a reported incident in the area.

The fleet received one distress call at 6.12am local time and another one at 7am and the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge offered assistance.

Norway has advised its ships to 'stay well clear of Iranian waters until further notice'.

The Taiwanese oil refiner which chartered the Marshall Islands-flagged Altair said the ship was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'.

The Marshall Islands are an 'associated state' of the U.S.

Reports said the Front Altair, travelling from Qatar to Taiwan, had suffered three explosions and caught fire after a 'surface attack'.

Iranian news agency IRNA claimed that the ship had sunk, but its Norwegian owner Frontline insisted it was still afloat.

Its crew of 23 were picked up by nearby vessel Hyundai Dubai. The crew was made up of 11 Russians, one Georgian and 11 Filipinos, International Tanker Management said.

This picture released by Iran's state broadcaster showed one of the oil tankers on fire in the Gulf of Oman today after a suspected attack

Another image released by Iran showed smoke pouring from one of the ships, which were said to have been targeted by torpedoes and magnetic mines

Dramatic pictures revealed the fireball which erupted on an oil tanker after it was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman

This diagram shows the movement of the two ships, travelling from left to right with their courses charted in green, before reaching the points (in red) where they were hit by explosions

This picture purports to show the stricken Front Altair on fire after it was attacked in the Gulf of Oman today. The photo was said to be taken from a nearby vessel

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy, put out the first alert this morning.

The UK Government later said: 'We are deeply concerned by reports of explosions and fires on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. We are in contact with local authorities and partners in the region.'

Britain is prepared to assist in any rescue effort or investigation over the 'completely unacceptable' suspected attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, Downing Street has said.

The co-ordinates offered for the incident by the UK group put it some 25 miles off the Iranian coastline.

A tanker owners' association said the attacks appeared to be 'well-planned and coordinated'.

The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko) told CNN that both ships were both hit 'at or below the waterline, in close proximity to the engine room while underway'.

Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko said there had been 'Japan-related' cargo on board the vessels. Japan, a U.S. ally, is was big importer of Iranian oil until Washington ratcheted up sanctions.

Meanwhile Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov cautioned against blaming Iran.

'Lately we have been seeing a strengthening campaign of political, psychological and military pressure on Iran. We wouldn't want the events that have just happened, which are tragic and shook the world oil market, to be used speculatively to further aggravate the situation in an anti-Iranian sense,' he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the world cannot afford a major confrontation in the Persian Gulf region.

Speaking to the security council today he demanded that 'facts must be established' and said: 'I strongly condemn any attack against civilian vessels'.

The European Union called for 'maximum restraint' to avoid a regional escalation.

Benchmark Brent crude oil spiked four per cent in trading following the reported attack to more than 62 dollars a barrel, according to early market figures.

High tensions in the Middle East, and belligerent rhetoric from Washington and Tehran, have sparked fears that any sudden movement could escalate into a war.

One shipping broker said the Kokuka Courageous (file photo), one of the ships apparently attacked in the Middle East today, may have been targeted with a magnetic mine

The Taiwanese oil refiner which chartered the Front Altair (file photo) said the ship was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'

The oil tanker explosions came as Japanese leader Shinzo Abe (left) met Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, in Tehran today

Two oil tankers are said to have been targeted with explosions today just weeks after four vessels were attacked in the Middle East (pictured, one of the tankers damaged in last month's acts of sabotage)

Norwegian oil tanker Andrea Victory, one of the four boats damaged in the Gulf, is pictured with a large dent in its stern last month

What does it mean for a ship to sail under a country's flag? Although the two ships hit by explosions today are owned by Norwegian and Japanese firms, they are registered in the Marshall Islands and Panama. Those two nations have more ships registered to them than any other. If a ship is registered in a country - also known as sailing under that country's flag - it is covered by the maritime laws of that nation. A ship can only fly one flag at a time - but its owners are free to change its registration. As a result, some owners seek a so-called 'flag of convenience' which they believe will offer benefits. Panama has often attracted attention in that role. Foreign ship owners pay no income taxes in Panama and have access to cheap labour there. Panama also advertises its 'fast and easy' registration system - saying that the process can be completed in just eight hours. In addition, it boasts that there is no requirement for an owner to be Panamanian. Similarly, offshore firms pay no tax in the Marshall Islands. As a result, according to Maritime Intelligence, Panama has the largest ship register in the world, with the Marshall Islands second in the 2018 list. Liberia, Hong Kong and Singapore, Malta, the Bahamas, China, Greece and Japan completed the top 10. Advertisement

Last month the U.S. deployed B-52 bombers and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to shore up its military presence in the region.

The apparent attack today will send tensions spiralling further as Japan's prime minister visits Iran in a bid to calm the situation.

On Wednesday, after talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Shinzo Abe warned that any 'accidental conflict' that could be sparked amid the heightened US-Iran tensions must be avoided.

But his talks with Iran faced a setback today as the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tehran would 'in no way repeat' negotiations with the U.S.

The Ayatollah said today that U.S. 'couldn't do anything' to stop his country developing nuclear weapons.

He also took aim at Donald Trump and said he did not believe the U.S. President's offer of 'honest negotiations'.

Mr Abe is the first sitting Japanese prime minister to visit Tehran since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Last month Houthi forces claimed responsibility for sabotaging Saudi oil tankers in the Gulf of Yemen.

Saudi and UAE officials were tight-lipped about the extent of the damage but pictures showed at least one tanker with a hole in its hull.

The mysterious sabotage sent tensions soaring in the Middle East as the U.S. blamed Iran and its allies for the attack - which divers said appeared to be the work of magnetic explosives.

Matters worsened after two pumping stations on a major Saudi oil pipeline were attacked by explosive-laden drones, halting the flow of crude along it.

Last month the U.S. deployed B-52 bombers and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (pictured in the Arabian Sea on June 1) to shore up its military presence in the region

Japan's leader Shinzo Abe (left) speaks at a press conference with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani (right) in Tehran yesterday. Mr Abe warned of an 'accidental conflict' in the region

Timeline: Escalation in the Gulf region May 5: The U.S. says it is sending the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group and a bomber task force to the Middle East because of a 'credible threat' from Iran. Since then Washington has announced the dispatch to the region of an amphibious assault ship, a Patriot missile battery and an extra 1,500 troops. May 8: Iran vows to enrich its uranium stockpile closer to weapons-grade levels starting July 7 if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its nuclear deal. The U.S. responds by imposing fresh sanctions on Iran's steel and mining sectors. May 12: Two Saudi oil tankers and two other ships are damaged in mysterious 'sabotage attacks' off the coast of Fujairah, part of the United Arab Emirates. Washington believes Iran is to blame for the attacks, but Tehran denies involvement. May 14: Yemen's pro-Iranian Huthi rebels carry out drone attacks near Riyadh, shutting down a key Saudi oil pipeline. Two days later Saudi-led coalition air strikes hit the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa. The next day the U.S. orders all non-emergency diplomats to leave Iraq, due to an 'imminent' threat from Iranian-linked Iraqi militias. May 19: Trump warns that if Iran attacks American interests 'that will be the official end of Iran'. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the 'genocidal taunts' of U.S. Trump will not 'end Iran'. May 27: Trump says the U.S. is 'not looking for regime change' in Iran. May 30: Saudi Arabia - which accuses Iran of being behind the acts of sabotage and the drone attack in May - gets the backing of Arab leaders in its standoff with Tehran at summits organised by Riyadh. Iran accuses Riyadh of 'sowing division'. June 6: The UAE says a multinational investigation into the sabotage attacks point to the likelihood a state was behind them, without incriminating Iran. June 12: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives in Tehran in a bid to mediate between Washington and Tehran. A Yemeni rebel missile attack on an airport at Abha, in southwestern Saudi Arabia, wounds 26 civilians. The Saudis accuse Iran of supplying the weapon. June 13: Two tankers, Norwegian and Japanese, are hit by explosions in apparent attacks in the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. Fifth Fleet says that it received two separate distress calls from the tankers in a 'reported attack'. Foreign Minister Zarif says the tanker 'attacks' as Abe visits are 'suspicious'. Mr Abe meets Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who tells him: 'I don't consider Trump as a person worthy of exchanging messages with. I have no response for him and will not answer him.' Advertisement

The incidents sparked fears of a Gulf war breaking out 'by accident' with the U.S. and Iranian militaries on high alert amid high tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Mr Abe's warning yesterday also came just hours after Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels attacked a Saudi airport, wounding 26 people.

The Saudi-led coalition which is fighting the Houthis in Yemen immediately pointed the blame at Iran, saying Tehran had equipped the rebel group with 'advanced weapons'.

Saudi officials said the attack 'proves this terrorist militia's acquisition of new special weapons' [and] the continuation of the Iranian regime's support and practice of cross-border terrorism.'

A rebel TV network acknowledged the attack and said Houthi forces had fired a cruise missile.

The latest crisis erupted after Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani threatened to abandon the 2015 nuclear deal with the West, which is faltering already after Donald Trump pulled out of it last year.

Tehran has demanded that the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia help Iran to dodge U.S. sanctions, which were restored last year when Donald Trump quit the pact.

Speaking last month Rouhani said Iran would ramp up nuclear enrichment if such help did not materialise.

But the White House condemned what it called Iran's attempted 'nuclear blackmail of Europe' and warned: 'Expect more sanctions soon. Very soon.'

The threat also sparked a backlash from Israel, where Benjamin Netanyahu warned he would 'not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons'.

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said Iranian mines were almost certainly behind the May 12 attacks, but declined to provide evidence.

The UAE said last week that initial findings of a five-nation investigation indicated a state was likely behind the attacks, but added there was no evidence yet of Iranian involvement.

Donald Trump's White House has not ruled out military action against Iran, although both sides insist they do not want a war.

A week after the May 12 attacks, President Trump warned that if Iran attacks American interests 'that will be the official end of Iran'.

Zarif retorted that 'genocidal taunts' would not 'end Iran'.

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said there 'won't be any war' while U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. 'fundamentally does not seek any war'.

The 2015 deal, which then-President Barack Obama helped to negotiate, saw sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme.

After the U.S. withdrew from the accord it restored crippling sanctions on Iran, exacerbating a severe economic crisis.

European powers have tried to find ways to blunt the impact of new U.S. sanctions, in the hope of persuading Tehran to continue to abide by the deal.

However, their efforts have largely failed, with all major European companies abandoning plans to do business with Iran for fear of U.S. punishment.

Rouhani slammed European countries for seeing the U.S. as the world's 'sheriff' and said this keeps them from making 'firm decisions for their own national interests.'

Under terms of the deal, Iran can keep a stockpile of no more than 300kg of low-enriched uranium, compared with 10,000kg of higher-enriched uranium it once had.

Washington has effectively ordered countries around the world to stop buying any Iranian oil or face sanctions of their own.

The government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (left) previously warned Donald Trump (right) that its military is 'fully ready for any eventuality' in the Middle East amid spiralling tensions between the two nations

The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain (where three of its ships are moored in this picture), said it had received distress signals from the two oil tankers today

The scene at Abha airport in Saudi Arabia in the early hours of Wednesday as emergency services respond to a rocket attack claimed by Houthi rebelsIowa authorities have identified the four family members who were found shot dead in their home over the weekend.

Relatives found the bodies of 44-year-old Lavanya Sunkara, 41-year-old Chandrasekhar Sunkara, and two boys aged 15 and 10 years old inside their home in West Des Moines on Saturday morning.

Autopsies are being performed to determine the cause of death.

No suspects have been publicly identified in the mysterious killings as of Monday morning but police say there is no continuing threat to the community.

Authorities identified the victims as 44-year-old Lavanya Sunkara (left) , 41-year-old Chandrasekhar Sunkara (right), and two boys aged 15 and 10 years

Two boys, ages 15 and 10 years old were also found in the home. Autopsies were being performed to determine the cause of death

Real estate records indicate the family had owned the home (pictured) since March

Real estate records indicate the family had owned the home since March.

West Des Moines police Sgt Dan Wade said there was no threat to the community and that investigators were trying to determine exactly what happened.

Wade said authorities responded to a 911 call that was received around 10am on Saturday regarding an 'unknown problem'.

Authorities were then dispatched to the residence at 935 65th St, between Ashworth Road and Aspen Drive.

Police said the relatives who discovered the bodies - also two adults and two children - had been staying with the family as guests.

West Des Moines police and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are investigating.

'This tragedy will impact family, friends, co-workers, anyone that knew this family,' Wade said. 'We are continuing to work through this investigation. We will follow through until we have answered as many questions as the evidence allows.

'We are confident, though, that there is no continuing threat to the community.'

The Iowa Department of Public Safety said Chandrasekhar worked for the department's information technology unit for 11 years.

He was not a sworn officer.A South African mother was put through a 'living nightmare' by a rapist who held a gun to her children's head to force her into sex.

Nicky, 45, was raped in front of her children by 32-year-old Sebenzile Simane - who also sexually molested his victim's daughter after shooting his way into the farm house.

Simane, who also tied the family up and stole their money, was handed two life sentences and a total of 173 years in prison after he was found guilty of the string of violent crimes in South Africa's Eastern Cape.

Nicky and her husband Heine, a 44-year-old farmer, who are choosing to tell their story, have been forced out of their farm house and say that farmers in the country face an ongoing threat of violence.

Nicky, second from right, pictured with her husband Heine (second from left) and her three children, was the victim of a horrific ordeal at her farm house in South Africa's Eastern Cape

Describing her ordeal, Nicky revealed how:

Her attacker shot her in the bottom as she shielded her children from his bullets

Simane threatened to 'shoot off' her 15-year-old son's feet unless he raped his mother

The gunman laid Nicky's daughter down beside her and undressed her and tried to rape her

He only agreed not to rape the 13-year-old girl if she watched him rape her mother instead.

Simane raped the mother twice and only spared her a third rape as she had lost too much blood to have sex.

The white-washed 1.3million farmhouse - set in nearly 1,000 acres of land - had belonged to the family for a century and Nicky's two sons, aged nine and 15, and her 13-year-old daughter had been brought up there.

But Simane apparently felt he had been wronged by Nicky's farmer husband and came seeking deadly revenge on the family.

The family home was so remote that their nearest neighbour was a mile away and did not hear the gunshots at the home.

After surviving the horrific ordeal the family is now planning to move to Australia to set up a new farm there.

Campaign group AfriForum says that Afrikaner and European farmers are under daily attack in the country.

Sebenzile Simane, pictured has been given two life sentences for the string of violent crimes in March last year

Describing what happened on March 23, 2018, Nicky said a stream of bullets came blasting through the patio door, narrowly missing her 15-year-old son's head.

Nicky said: 'With the bullets smashing through the windows I can only describe our feeling as being hunted like wild animals.

He shot his way through a sliding patio door to get in. 'What followed I can only describe as four hours of pure hell  just sick torture and depravity,' Nicky said.

'He held the gun to my nine-year-old son's head and threatened to shoot him unless I complied.

'I told my little one to be quiet or else this man would kill us. All I saw were his silent tears rolling down his little cheeks for the next four hours. The sight of that will be with me forever.

'He tied us all up with fencing wire so tight that our hands lost their circulation and turned grey.

'He shouted at my children that he was there to kill their father and that he would chop him up in front of them. He said that when he came through the door they would watch him butchered.

'He then repeatedly threatened to shoot my eldest son's feet off if he didn't obey him and then ordered him to rape me. I had never heard such a sick thing before and was totally mortified.

'All I could do was beg him not to make my son do that. He just kept pointing the gun at my son's feet and saying he would shoot them unless he raped his mum in front of his brother and sister.

The white-washed 1.3million farmhouse (pictured) - set in nearly 1,000 acres of land - had belonged to the family for a century

'I begged and pleaded with him not to do this and to take me to another room and take me instead.'

Explaining what happened next, she said: 'He grabbed me and forced me to my bedroom and raped me there. There was blood everywhere as I had already been badly shot. I could do nothing as my hands were tied behind my back.

'He then brought my 13-year-old daughter to the bedroom, undressed her and attempted to rape her. He was sexually molesting her and all I could do was beg for mercy and to take me again.

'So instead of raping her he forced my beautiful innocent daughter to watch as he raped me again.

'I cannot describe the anger this man displayed toward us and I knew as he raped me that if my children had any chance of survival I had to get this man away from them and the farm house.

'You don't care about yourself - you just don't want your children to die and you do all you can.'

Describing how she finally shook the man off, she said: 'He had tried to start our car outside but couldn't get it going so in a bid to buy my family time I told him to take my bank cards and pin numbers and to let me drive him to town to the ATM.

'He tied up my children even tighter even though their hands were already grey from no circulation.

Bullet holes are seen in a door at the family home, showing how rapist Sebenzile Simane shot his way into the property

'I drove into town and got him my maximum 4,000 rand [225] which was just before midnight so he told me to drive to a quiet spot until after midnight when the ATM would allow him to use the card again.

'He undid my seat belt and told me to recline the seat so he could rape me again but I was so weak from the loss of blood I told him that if he raped again I would almost certainly bleed to death.

'I told him it was 12.04am and that the ATM would give him another 4,000 rand and to please just take my cards and take his money and let me drive to hospital where I could get help.

'Once he was out of our VW transporter I hit the accelerator and drove back to the farm and found the children had freed themselves and called a neighbour and that help had reached them.

'I hugged my brave and petrified children but despite what had happened to us all and the emotional and physical torture he had put us through we were all alive and that was the important thing,

'For us as parents the saddest part of this is that we can never give our children their innocence back. That creature took it. The children and I will never be able to live on that farm again.'

The mother and her children now live in the city, where their husband visits them at weekends.

Simane, pictured, threatened to shoot his victim's nine-year-old son dead if she did not comply

He is living there alone until the property is sold and keeps a loaded shotgun at his side.

Nicky said: 'My family and I had no choice in what happened to us that night, we do however have the choice not to let it define us, we choose to live and will be eternally grateful to have survived that night.

'It could have been so different and we have our demons but are just trying to rebuild but we will not let that creature destroy us and it will take time but we will move on and lead good lives.

'Lastly, I would appeal to each and every South African to remember the words of Nelson Mandela: 'We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference'.

AfriForum said that so far this year 22 farmers have been murdered and 195 farms have been attacked and over recent years between 55 and 75 farmers are brutally killed each year.

Many of the attacks involve horrific torture including farmers being burned with hot irons, boiling water poured over their head and body, the use of power tools and gang rape before murder.

The remoteness of the family home is seen in this image - the family's nearest neighbour was a mile away and did not hear the gunshots at the home

The South African government insists the chief motive is robbery and that it is not a specific attack on whites or farmers but that they are vulnerable and easy targets due to their remoteness.

AfriForum spokesman Ian Cameron said: 'In Nicky's case she was lucky as were her children to have survived the farm attack but will have to live with the lasting trauma after a four-hour ordeal and the psychological torture.

'Imagine the fear of knowing that your three children are constantly in danger and are made to watch as you are repeatedly raped after having already been shot and bleeding heavily.'

Judge Olav Ronaasen, passing sentence at the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth branded Simane, 32, as 'cruel and barbaric' and a 'predator who targeted a woman and her children'.

He was given two life sentences plus 137 years after being found guilty of 17 offences including two of rape, 4 of attempted murder, attempted rape and compelling a child to watch a sex act.

Eastern Cape Police Commissoner Liziwe Ntshinga said: 'Dedication and a thorough investigation contributed to making sure this heartless criminal was removed from society for a very long time.

'This case must serve as a strong deterrent to perpetrators of such crimes as the South African Police regards the safety and security of the farming community as a priority.'An Indian stuntman who entered the Ganges river while tied up with steel chains and rope is missing after a failed trick.

Chanchal Lahiri, known by his stage name 'Jadugar Mandrake' (Wizard Mandrake), was lowered into the river by crane as family members, media and police watched from the banks.

Before his trick he said: 'If I can free myself it will be magic, if I cannot it will be tragic.'

Chanchal Lahiri, known by his stage name 'Jadugar Mandrake' (Wizard Mandrake), was lowered into the river by crane as family members, media and police watched from the banks. Pictured is Lahiri being lowered into the Hooghly river in 2002 during a similar stunt

Before attempting his trick today he said: 'If I can free myself it will be magic, if I cannot it will be tragic.'

Lahiri has attempted similar tricks in the past but was labelled a fraud when onlookers claimed they could see his escape door on a metal cage in 2013

But the 40-year-old failed to emerge from the water, triggering a frantic search by authorities.

'We are still searching,' a family member told AFP.

Lahiri earlier said he had successfully pulled off a similar stunt 21 years ago at the same venue.

'I was inside a bullet proof glass box tied with chain and locks and dropped down from Howrah bridge. Then I came out within 29 seconds,' he told AFP.

But the 40-year-old failed to emerge from the water, triggering a frantic search by authorities and his family have confirmed they are still looking for him. Pictured is Lahiri being lowered into the Hooghly river in a glass cage box bolted with 36 locks

When Lahiri tried the stunt at the river in 2013, he was assaulted by onlookers who saw through his escape from a locked cage via a door that was clearly visible

He admitted it would be tough to free himself this time.

When Lahiri tried the stunt at the river in 2013, he was assaulted by onlookers who saw through his escape from a locked cage via a door that was clearly visible.

He claimed he would be lowered 30 feet underwater in a locked steel cage that he would escape from.

Although he did resurface in six seconds, the crowd of thousands of fans claimed they could easily tell how he had got out of the cage.

Lahiri was mobbed by the crowd and had his wig pulled while he was being pushed around.An Italian man who allegedly posed as George Clooney to sell clothes online has been arrested with his wife in Thailand after years on the run.

Francesco Galdelli, 58, and Vanja Goffi, 45, were arrested Saturday at a house on the outskirts Pattaya after an operation between Thai and Italian authorities, officials said.

'During interrogation, Francesco confessed to claiming to be George Clooney and opening a clothes business to trick people into sending money,' a statement from Thailand's Crime Suppression Division said.

Italian national Francesco Galdelli is taken into custody by Thai police after being arrested on charges he posed as actor George Clooney to sell clothes online

Their crimes led them to be dubbed the Italian 'Bonnie and Clyde' after the notorious American bank robbers of the Great Depression era (pictured: Francesco Galdelli after he was arrested on the outskirts of Pattaya)

The couple is also wanted in Italy for multiple scams including selling fake Rolex watches online, the statement said. They were said to have sometimes mocked their victims by sending packets of salt instead of the timepieces.

Their crimes led them to be dubbed the Italian 'Bonnie and Clyde' after the notorious American bank robbers of the Great Depression era.

Footage from a police drone showed the pair - wanted on an Interpol red notice since 2013 - carrying a bag as they were taken into custody.

They were nabbed after police surrounded their luxury compound in a stakeout using electronic surveillance and a drone, Italian police said in a statement.

They were nabbed after police surrounded their luxury compound in a stakeout using electronic surveillance and a drone, Italian police said in a statement

The case against the pair stretches back several years after Clooney (picture) told a Milan court that the pair - and another accomplice - had fraudulently used his name to promote a fashion range

The case against the pair stretches back several years after Clooney told a Milan court that the pair - and another accomplice - had fraudulently used his name to promote a fashion range.

Pattaya, the Thai town they were found holed up, is infamous as a hideout for gangsters and criminals from across the world.

'They stayed in Thailand since 2014 and never left,' police said, adding a court will charge them under local immigration laws before extradition proceedings begin.A professional MMA fighter whose leg was severed in a gruesome car accident last year is suing the California Department of Transportation for failing to properly mark the rail he crashed into.

Chris Bonilla narrowly avoided having his leg amputated after the crash on the 10 freeway in West Covina last November.

The former Muay Thai champion says he was stopping on the side of the road for an unspecified reason when he careened into a rail that he claims was not properly marked.

His leg was severed and clavicle broken when his Volkswagen was ripped open on impact.

Professional MMA fighter Chris Bonilla is suing the California Department of Transportation after his leg was severed in a gruesome car accident he claims was caused by poor signage

Bonilla claims that CDOT failed to provide signage that could have prevented his accident on November 10, 2018

Doctors managed to reattach Bonilla's leg, but he will likely face lifelong mobility issues and could be forced to amputate the leg in the future.

His lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from CDOT, alleging that the agency failed to provide signage to prevent such an accident from occurring.

Bonilla's attorney told TMZ that his client is doing better after surgery but his leg is in 'bad shape'.

Bonilla's Volkswagen is pictured after the horror crash that left him with a severed leg and a broken clavicle. The fighter says he was stopping on the side of the road for an unspecified reason when he careened into a rail that he claims was not properly marked

Bonilla almost had to have his leg amputated after the horror crash in West Covina last year

The fighter has been documenting his recovery on his blog 'All Heart No Hype'.

Last week he posted an update which said: 'As you know November 10 I was involved in a terrible accident but most don't know the full extent of it. I've suffered everyday since then to keep this leg.

'I could have amputated and pretty much been back to a semi-normal life but that's the easy way out. I was told by my Dr's that most wouldn't have made it out of the accident, let alone make it this far with my leg.

'Well if you know me, I'm definitely not most people. I was born a fighter and no matter the outcome, I'm fighting every day to keep it. I have another appointment next week & if all goes well after the next two surgeries I should have a new knee and have made another huge leap towards my recovery.

'I could never get through this without the amazing support system that I have. an amazing woman by my side, my beautiful child & the best mom a guy could ask for. It's easy to feel bad for yourself but humble yourself & remember everyday you wake up healthy is a blessing. That's something I honestly took for granted every f***ing day.'

Doctors managed to reattach Bonilla's leg for the time being, but the fighter will likely face lifelong mobility issues and could be forced to amputate the leg in the futureFormer Vice President Joe Biden is still the most likely Democrat to beat President Donald Trump in a hypothetical matchup.

Biden is leading the president by 10 percentage points, according to a new Fox News Poll released Sunday morning, which is outside of the margin of error.

In the national poll, Biden earned 49 per cent support from registered voters compared to Trumps 39 per cent. Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was the only other Democratic candidate that would beat Trump outside the margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is leading President Donald Trump by 10 percentage points in a new Fox News Poll

Biden earned 49 per cent support from registered voters compared to Trump's 39 per cent

Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is the only other candidate, of the 24 running, that won in a head-to-head matchup against Trump outside the margin of error

Among the 1,001 voters surveyed, 49 per cent said they support Sanders, nine percentage points ahead of Trumps 40 per cent, which is only one percentage difference than Bidens lead of the president.

Earlier this year, Biden had a much larger lead among the 23 other Democrats running in the partys primary race for 2020. His lead has slowly shrunk as other candidates gained more prominence and take up more of the vote in polls.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg also beat the president in head-to-head matchups, but all of them won within the margin of error.

Warren has a two-point edge over Trump 43 per cent to 41 per cent. Harris and Butgigieg both are up by one point, 42-41 and 41-40 respectively.

None of the other candidates beat Trump in the poll.

In another poll released Sunday morning, Sens. Kamala Harris (left) and Elizabeth Warren (right) beat out Sanders among Democratic voters even though he usually secures second place behind Biden

At this same point in the 2016 election cycle, Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton was ahead of Trump by 17 points.

Another poll released Sunday morning from CBS News shows that Biden is still holding his lead among the crowded Democratic field of candidates.

Among the 16,624 registered voters surveyed from 18 early primary and caucus states, 55 per cent say they favor Biden to be the Democratic nominee.

This poll yielded a more rare result of Sanders falling out of the No. 2 position, which he usually holds solid, to fourth place.

Warren earned 49 per cent support and 45 per cent support Harris, while the more progressive candidate Sanders earned 43 per cent support.The families of the London Bridge victims last night demanded answers over delays by paramedics that may have led to their loved ones deaths.

Relatives are furious that ambulance staff took up to three hours to reach victims of the atrocity as they lay dying near the steps of Southwark Cathedral.

The inquest into the terror attack in June 2017 has heard astonishing details of how police officers and members of the public were forced to treat victims with teatowels because paramedics were delayed.

The reason for the delay has never been fully explained, but tomorrow ambulance bosses will be questioned over the failure to treat patients quickly after the attack ended at 10.16pm.

Four of the eight killed were left bleeding in Green Dragon Court. Two were carried to ambulances to be treated but two were not seen by a paramedic until after 1am.

A graphic showing the timeline of the events surrounding the London Bridge terror attacks

Eight people were killed in the terrorist in incident and three of the assailants were shot dead by police. People fleeing from the incident (pictured)

One of those carried to paramedics was French chef Sebastien Belanger, 36, who had a real possibility of surviving had he received prompt treatment, according to pathologist Dr Benjamin Swift.

Mr Belangers brother Julien told the Mail the family want to know why paramedics did not immediately rush to the aid of the four victims in the courtyard.

The Old Bailey inquest has heard ambulance crews waited at rendezvous points 150 yards away from Green Dragon Court  the focal point of the attack.

Mr Belanger, 39, said: Some people said hospitalising Sebastien quickly would have perhaps helped save him. My mother is focussing on the lack of help from some paramedics. We have asked questions [to the emergency services], and they never wanted to answer them.

He also wants to know why desperate radio messages by police officers for medical help did not seem to elicit a response.

The men, were among four who died near the courtyard of the Boro Bistro restaurant after the terror attack (pictured, people at London Bridge, in June 2017)

Another who died in the courtyard was British entrepreneur James McMullan. His family gasped at the inquest when PC Stephen Attwood said Mr McMullan, 32, was alive when he reached him and could have been saved with swift medical intervention.

Police officers decided to carry Mr McMullan towards an ambulance when no paramedics arrived.

Former PM David Cameron's 999 warning David Cameron told the ambulance service they were not taking enough risks to rescue victims of a terrorist attack in an exercise before the 2012 Olympics, it emerged last night. The drill  organised by a cabinet security committee  was designed to see how teams would respond in the event of an atrocity, like that at London Bridge. London ambulance chiefs said they had enlarged the area they were not prepared to enter as a result of lessons learned from the July 7 bombings in 2005, according to a source at the exercise. The then prime minister was said to be very angry the size of the hot zone, where an attack was likely, had been increased. Camerons view was paramedics should understand they might be more at risk than a member of the public and they should be trained to deal with these kind of attacks, said the source. He considered the idea of back-up being miles away a disgrace. Mr Cameron was told one of the issues the ambulance service faced was it did not have enough anti-ballistic vests. Advertisement

More than 20 ambulances were despatched minutes after three terrorists mowed down pedestrians with a van and then attacked dozens of others with 12in ceramic kitchen knives on June 3, 2017.

But they were told to wait at various rendezvous points away from the carnage. By then the terrorists had been shot dead by police.

Paramedic Keir Rutherford has admitted looking over railings into the courtyard at 10.30pm but left with two colleagues  Gary Edwards and Jake Carlson  when he could not see anyone.

The Old Bailey inquest has heard Mr Edwards and Mr Carlson were specifically trained to work in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack and were equipped with ballistic vests, helmets and goggles.

But they decided the situation was too dangerous and instead evacuated the walking wounded across the bridge to the north side of the Thames.

Paramedic Gail Collison had also been given protective equipment to work in areas of high risk. But she admitted she treated her first patient at 1.07am - three hours after the attack unfolded.

This patient was Alexandre Pigeard, who was already dead. Her second patient was nurse Kirsty Boden, who had also died.

The families of the four victims who died in the courtyard that night are being represented by Gareth Patterson QC, an expert in the field of terrorism.

Mr Patterson said the ambulance crews showed a remarkable lack of urgency given the desperate need for paramedics.

The inquest continues.Vasily Mangoshvili strangled Tatiana Mukhorotova before setting her body on fire and dumping it in a well in Alexeyevskoye village, Russia

A 31-year-old married man who strangled his mother-of-three lover, 24, before dumping her body in a well shaft has been jailed for nine years.

Vasily Mangoshvili strangled Tatiana Mukhorotova before setting her body on fire and dumping it in a well in the village of Alexeyevskoye in Russia.

The couple began arguing after he invited her to his home to have sex while his wife was absent, according to court reports.

The mother of a five-year-old son and two daughters, aged three and eight months, demanded he leave his wife for her.

The widow is believed to have threatened to tell the man's wife about their affair if he refused.

This led to a 'furious argument' before she was beaten and then strangled to death.

'When the woman stopped fighting back, he threw her body into a well, covered it with crushed rock and concrete,' said a local report in Stavropol region.

He set the corpse on fire before disposing of it in the well, according to another report.

The unnamed mother said Tatiana had been in close contact with the local man on a Russian social media site called Odnoklassniki. Pictured, Mangoshvili

The couple began arguing after Mangoshvili invited Tatiana (pictured) to his home to have sex while his wife was absent, according to court reports

Mangoshvili's lover is believed to have threatened to tell the man's wife (pictured on their wedding day) about their affair if he refused to end his marriage

Her body was found after her mother alerted police that she had not returned after a date with her online 'pen-pal'.

The unnamed mother said Tatiana had been in close contact with a local man on a Russian social media site called Odnoklassniki.

'He rang her and asked her to come to his place,' she said. 'This is where he beat her up.

'She had fractures and there were signs of asphyxia. After that he set her body on fire.'

He dumped the corpse in the well shaft and covered her body in wet concrete.

Pictured, a crime re-enactment. Mangoshvili dumped the corpse in the well shaft and covered her body in wet concrete

Tatiana was found after her mother alerted police that she had not returned after a date with her online 'pen-pal'

Tatiana Mukhorotova's body was found at the bottom of a well in a village in Russia after she was killed by her lover

Tatiana's grieving mother notified police of her absence after she did not come home from her date with her online 'pen-pal'

The grieving mother said her daughter had no hair or eyebrows when her body was taken from the well and the concrete removed.

'I couldn't believe it was her,' she said. 'I don't know why he tortured my daughter like this.'

Her mobile was found next to her body in the well shaft.

A local report said: 'The woman had threatened she would tell his wife about (their relationship), after that they had an argument.

Re-creating the murder police shine a light down at the hole where Tatiana's body was found

The unnamed grieving mother said her daughter had no hair or eyebrows when her body was removed from the well, and the concrete removed. Pictured, Mangoshvili

Tatiana (pictured) was murdered in October last year and a court has now convicted Mangoshvili

'The man grabbed her throat and started strangling her.'

Tatiana was murdered in October last year and a court has now convicted Mangoshvili. He was sent to a strict-regime jail for nine years.

In handcuffs he showed police the crime scene and confessed to killing the young mother, and hiding her body.

Tatiana, pictured, had three young children and was a widow. It is unknown how her husband died

Mangoshvili with his wife, who has not been named. He killed his lover Tatiana after she threatened to tell his wife about their affair

Mangoshvili admitted killing his 24-year-old lover Tatiana when questioned by police and has now been jailed for nine years

On their wedding day: Mangoshvili refused to leave his wife when his lover Tatiana asked him to

Police search a house where Tatiana was murdered. Mangoshvili told police where he had put her bodyA mob of 100 youths pelted police with bottles as they investigated a robbery during a weekend of violence in London that left three dead.

Four officers were hurt when the gang leapt on police responding to a robbery alert at a bus station by Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, east London on Saturday.

Amid chaotic scenes, passengers fled screaming in terror and one woman was injured when she fell down stairs.

Officers came under attack from the 'hostile' crowd armed with weapons including a large hunting knife.

The crowd threw bottles and missiles at police outside the bus station, near Westfield shopping centre

Three people were arrested on suspicion of robbery and possession of an offensive weapon following the rampage, which broke out at 8pm as a crowd of revellers were leaving a nearby event.

The incident came on a weekend of violence in the capital, with three people killed among a total of six stabbings and one shooting in just 24 hours.

Scotland Yard said more officers had been deployed in the capital following the incidents.

Those killed included Cheyon Evans, 18, who was stabbed on an estate in Tooting, south-west London at 4.42pm on Friday. Witnesses said the construction student at Lambeth College was knifed up to 17 times by a gang of teenagers.

Two suspects  aged 17 and 18  were later charged with the teenager's murder.

Mr Evans's sister Charice wrote on social media: 'You knew how much I loved you, my best friend, my right hand, my everything.

Officers came under attack from the 'hostile' crowd armed with weapons including a large hunting knife

'Words can't even explain how heartbroken I am. The fact that I'll never see you, hug you or hear your voice again kills me.'

Just 12 minutes after his killing, Eniola Aluko was shot dead in a car park in Plumstead, south-east London, during an unrelated attack.

The 19-year-old is said to have been blasted several times in the neck and chest.

Officers later arrested four men aged 16 to 18 and a 17-year-old girl on suspicion of murder.

Then, at 2pm on Saturday, a man in his thirties was stabbed to death in a field next to a children's nursery in Tower Hamlets, east London.

A 33-year-old man and a 28-year-old man have now been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection to the incident.

There were also several injuries in the capital following attacks over the weekend.

At 3.30pm on Saturday, officers were called to Edmonton Green in north London after a man in his forties was knifed in the chest.

He was taken to hospital, where his condition was said to be critical but stable last night.

Three men were also stabbed in a separate attacks in Clapham and Brixton, south-west London, on Saturday morning.

Police arrested a total of 11 people following the violence.

Matthew Twist, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said: 'Our thoughts are with all the victims' families and friends who are facing the most devastating tragedy imaginable.

'We made a significant number of arrests in relation to the various incidents and officers are undertaking further activities, following up additional investigative leads to ensure that we achieve justice for the families of those affected by violence in the last few days.'

It comes on another weekend on violence in the capital, with three people killed in just 24 hours.

An 18-year-old student and a 19-year-old man were shot and stabbed to death within 12 minutes of each other in separate attacks in London.

A number of police cars can be seen in the clip, they are thought to be responding to

Cheyon Evans (left), 18, was stabbed to death in Tooting, south west London, on Friday. Just 12 minutes after Cheyon was attacked, Eniola Aluko (right), 19, was shot to death in Plumstead, south east London

LONDON'S MURDERS IN 2019 Where the 59 murders in the capital so far this year have been committed Jan 1: Charlotte Huggins, 32, Camberwell

Jan 1: Tudor Simionov, 33, Mayfair

Jan 4: Simbiso Aretha Moula, 39, Rainham

Jan 6: Sarah Ashraf, 35, Isle of Dogs

Jan 7: Jayden Moody, 14, Waltham Forest

Jan 11: Asma Begum, 31, Canning Town

Jan 27: Kamil Malysz, 34, Acton

Jan 29: Nedim Bilgin, 17, Islington

Feb 4: Carl Thorpe, 46, Highgate

Feb 5: Lejean Richards, 19, Battersea

Feb 10: Dennis Anderson, 39, East Dulwich

Feb 18: Bright Akinlele, 22, Camden

Feb 19: Brian Wieland, 69, Chingford

Feb 21: Glendon Spence, 23, Brixton

Feb 22: Kamali Gabbidon-Lynck, 19, Wood Green

Feb 25: David Lopez-Fernandez, 38, Tower Hamlets

Feb 26: Che Morrison, 20, Ilford

Mar 1: Jodie Chesney, 17, Harold Hill

Mar 2: Elize Linda Stevens, 50, Hendon

Mar 2: Jolia Bogdan, 3 months, Croydon

Mar 3: Unnamed man, 37, Soho

Mar 6: Laureline Garcia-Bertaux, 34, Kew

Mar 6: David Martinez, 26, Leyton

Mar 7: Antoinette Donnegan, 52, Battersea

Mar 7: Ayub Hassan, 17, West Kensington

Mar 16: Nathaniel Armstrong, 29, Fulham

Mar 22: Abdirashid Mohamoud, 17, Isleworth

Mar 24: Ravi Katharkamar, 54, Pinner

Mar 27: Ramane Richard Wiggan, 25, West Norwood

Mar 28: Zahir Visiter, 25, Regents Park

Mar 29: Gavin Garraway, 40, Clapham

Apr 1: Calvin Bungisa, 22, Kentish Town

Apr 2: Hubert Hall, 60, Walthamstow

Apr 7: Annabelle Lancaster, 22, Enfield

Apr 8: Noore Bashir Salad, 22, Manor Park

Apr 16: Gopinath Kasivisuwanathan, 27, Wembley

Apr 17: Steven Brown, 47, Stoke Newington

Apr 23: Meshak Williams, 21, Harlesden

Apr 26: Mihrican Mustafa, 38, Canning Town

Apr 26: Henriett Szucs, 34, Canning Town

Apr 26: Amy Parsons, 35, Whitechapel

Apr 26: Joshua White, 29, Hackney

May 1: Tashaun Aird, 15, Hackney

May 5: Constantin Sin, 51, Leytonstone

May 5: Junior Urugbezi-Edwards, 18, Southwark

May 11: Erik San-Filippo, 23, Islington

May 16: Barrington Davis, 54, Lewisham

May 23: Vladimir Koudriavtsev, 69, Kensington

May 23: Tatiana Koudriavtsev, 68, Kensington

May 25: Iderval da Silva, 46, Battersea

May 26: Alimuz Zaman, 23, Tower Hamlets

May 28: Ismaila Ceesay, 33, Forest Gate

May 30: Steven Kennedy, 61, Plaistow Park

May 30: Graham Howe, 52, Harrow

June 1: Baris Kucuk, 33, Haringey

June 4: Adrian Murphy, 43, Battersea

June 14: Unnamed boy, Wandsworth

June 14: Unnamed boy, Plumstead

June 15: Unnamed man, Tower Hamlets

Scotland Yard increased patrols after 11 people were arrested, following three fatal incidents.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matthew Twist, said: 'Firstly, our thoughts are with all the victims' families and friends who are facing the most devastating tragedy imaginable this weekend and indeed to their wider communities.

'We made a significant number of arrests in relation to the three incidents and officers are undertaking further activities, following up additional investigative leads to ensure that we achieve justice for the families of those affected by violence in the last few days.

'We have increased the coverage of the Violent Crime Task Force in targeted areas across London this weekend and officers from across the boroughs, supported by colleagues from specialist units, will continue to undertake high-visibility patrols which will remain in place today and into the start of the week.

'We have been using a number of operational tactics in targeted locations, to prevent further violence and to provide reassurance to the communities in those areas.

'The circumstances, causes and motives for any homicide or serious violence incident are different and unique, and require different investigative strategies and approaches.

'But we are taking a service-wide response and all officers right across London continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who bring violence to our communities.

'The public also play a huge role in helping to both prevent and detect crime.

I urge anyone who has information about an incident, or about someone they suspect to be carrying a weapon to get in touch. Information doesn't just help detect crime but vitally can help prevent crime from taking place. Information from communities can help save lives.

'We understand people are nervous about anonymity but I want to reassure the public that any information provided to police is treated in the strictest confidence.

However, if you don't want to speak to the police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. It's 100% anonymous. They never ask your name or trace your call or I.P address.'

Boy, 15, is stabbed in the FACE in brutal north London street fight in weekend of mayhem that saw two other teens murdered in the capital

by Terri-Ann Williams

A teenager has been stabbed in the face following a fight outside a tube station in London.

Police were called to the Tufnell Park area of London following reports of a fight in progress, in a weekend of mayhem that has already seen two other teenagers murdered in the city.

Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended the incident at Brecknock Road at around 4.20pm and found the 15-year-old with a stab wound to the face.

Officers and the London Ambulance service pictured outside Tufnell Park Station earlier this afternoon

An officer was pictured running across the street following the incident in which 15-year-old was stabbed

Officers were seen outside the station after the boy was taken to hospital with a stab wound to the face

The boy, who has not yet been named has been taken to a north London hospital, where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

A 25-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of GBH and is currently in police custody.

Police said enquiries are continuing into the incident and that Dartmouth Park Hill has been temporarily closed.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting 5270 /16, Tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anoymously on 0800 555 111.

It comes as an 18-year-old student and a 19-year-old man were shot and stabbed to death within 12 minutes of each other in separate attacks in London as the city's murder toll rose to 59 this year.

Pictured: Teenagers, 18 and 19, shot and stabbed to death within 12 minutes of each other on the streets of London as the city's murder toll rises to 59 this year

by Darren Boyle

An 18-year-old student and a 19-year-old man were shot and stabbed to death within 12 minutes of each other in separate attacks in London as the city's murder toll rose to 59 this year.

Cheyon Evans, 18, was stabbed to death in Tooting, south west London, at 4.42pm on Friday.

Witnesses told the Times that he was set upon by a gang of teenagers and was stabbed up to 17 times.

Just 12 minutes after Cheyon was attacked, Eniola Aluko, 19, was shot to death in Plumstead, south east London.

Cheyon Evans (left), 18, was stabbed to death in Tooting, south west London, on Friday. Just 12 minutes after Cheyon was attacked, Eniola Aluko (right), 19, was shot to death in Plumstead, south east London

Medical equipment was photographed yesterday at the scene of the attack on Cheyon Evans in Deeside Road, Wandsworth, where police continue to investigate

Police have arrested six men, aged between 16 and 19, on suspicion of murder in the wake of the shocking daylight attack in Tooting

Police and forensics officers at the scene in Tower Hamlets, east London, after a man suffered stab injuries on Saturday afternoon and was pronounced dead

Scotland Yard arrested five people in connection with the shooting, including four men aged between 16 and 18 and a 17-year-old girl.

The police have also charged Mohammed Nadir Dafallah, 18, and a 17-year-old boy with murder after the stabbing of Cheyon.

They will appear in custody at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Monday June 17.

Scotland Yard said four other people - aged between 16 and 19 years old - have been released under investigation.

Some 11 people have been arrested following several violent incidents, which saw two teenagers killed within minutes each other on Friday.

A witness told the Sun of the stabbing: 'I haven't seen that much blood in my life. I kept trying to tell him 'stay with me'.

'Then he just passed away in front of me.'

A man in his 30s died after being stabbed just before 2pm on Saturday in Poplar, east London.

Three men were also found stabbed and slashed in Clapham around 3am on Saturday, but managed to escape with their lives.

The condition of two of the men is unknown, but a third man has been reported as having non-life threatening injuries.

Police have arrested four people over the stabbing in Tower Hamlets, three men aged 17, 16 and 16, and a 17-year-old girl

Flowers were left at the scene of Cheyon's stabbing on Saturday morning following the murder

Crime officers were seen searching for evidence in Plumstead, south east London, following the fatal shooting on Friday

An air ambulance in attendance after a man in his 30s was stabbed in Tower Hamlets, east London. He died 40 minutes after being attacked

A man in his 40s was stabbed and critically injured in an attack in Edmonton, north London, at 3.30pm on Saturday. The victim was taken to hospital where he is being treated for his injuries

Three men and a woman have been arrested in connection with Friday's Plumstead murder

Some 90 minutes after the attack in Poplar, a man in his 40s was stabbed in the chest in Edmonton, north London.

Murdered schoolboy's father says young people 'have not learned their lessons' The father of murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor has said young people still have not learned lessons from his son's death. Speaking at a conference in central London on gun and knife crime, Mr Taylor said: 'Young people have taken life as if it's something to play with'. 'In our work in the past 15 years at the Damilola Taylor Trust, we have found that the problem that underpins the continuous surge in knife crime in the city of London is based on issues around family neglect. Damilola Taylor was found bleeding to death in a stairwell near his home in Peckham, south London, in 2000 'The family issue has often contributed to young people being neglected from home as a result of a dysfunctional home. 'Secondly, part of the discussion that has been emphasised here is that the problem starts in schools as a result of the schools not understanding the background of these children.' He also criticised Boris Johnson during his time as London Mayor. 'Boris Johnson at City Hall, he did his best and what he didn't understand, how to deal with the black community. 'He didn't know the difference between African and Caribbean, he didn't understand what is called the postcode community. He was asking, 'What is the postcode?' - because he wasn't on the ground. Damilola was found bleeding to death in a stairwell near his home in Peckham, south London, after being stabbed in the leg with a broken beer bottle by a gang of youths in 2000. Advertisement

The victim suffered a single stab wound to the chest and was airlifted to hospital where he is in a critical but stable condition.

The incident happened at 3.30pm in North Square, Edmonton, north London. So far there have not been any arrests.

Friday's murders were the 57th and 58th to hit the capital since 43-year-old Adrian Murphy was stabbed in a block of flats in Battersea 11 days ago.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been criticised for failing to get London's knife crime under control.

The city already looks set to meet last year's record, where 132 people were killed in 2018.

It exceeded the count for the year before in early November 2018.

Police said that eight males, aged between 16 and 19, have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the Wandsworth stabbing and Plumstead shooting.

Two boys aged 16 and a 17-year-old boy were arrested following the Plumstead shooting alongside a 17-year-old girl.

They were taken to separate police stations for questioning.

In the early hours of this morning an additional four men were arrested in relation to the Clapham stabbing.

Two were taken into custody for violent disorder while one was arrested for carrying a bladed instrument and a fourth for possession of a taser.

Police have been trying to notify both murder victims' next of kin. A post mortem will be carried out in each case.

Mr Khan has been under pressure to get attacks under control as the capital heads for another record year of deaths on its streets.

During his state visit, Donald Trump criticised Khan's handling of the situation.

Lashing out after the Mayor wrote a piece in The Guardian accusing the US President of using the tactics of a 20th century fascist, Trump said Khan should 'focus on crime in London, not me'.

He also said: 'Khan reminds me very much of our very dumb and incompetent Mayor of New York City, de Blasio, who has also done a terrible job - only half his height.'

Speaking about the Wandsworth attack, superintendent Richard Smith said the events are a 'stark reminder' that carrying a knife can 'easily result in the taking of someone's life'.

'A young man died in the most tragic of circumstances and our thoughts remain with his family', he said.

'Officers will be patrolling the area throughout the weekend and are available to speak to residents if they have any concerns.'

Appealing for information in relation to the Plumstead attack, detective inspector John Marriot said: 'The shooting took place not far from Plumstead railway station and I would urge anyone who was commuting to or from this station to speak with us.

Officers pictured at the scene where three men were stabbed on Bedford road, Clapham, at 3.22am on Saturday morning during another night of bloodshed in the capital

Four men were arrested in relation to the Clapham stabbing - two for violent disorder, one after being accused of carrying a bladed instrument and another for possession of a taser

A teenage boy was stabbed to death in Deeside Road, Wandsworth at 4.42pm on Friday. A second teenage boy was shot dead at 4.54pm in a car park on Hartville Road, Plumstead. On Saturday, three men were stabbed in the early hours of the morning, while a man was murdered at 2pm in Poplar. A man in his 40s was stabbed in the chest 90 minutes later in Edmonton

Forensic teams examine evidence at the stabbing scene in Deeside road, Wandsworth

A police tent near the scene in Deeside road, Wandsworth, after Cheyon was fatally stabbed on Friday evening

Just 12 minutes after the fatal stabbing a teenage boy was shot dead in a car park in Hartville Road, Plumstead, shortly before 5pm

'It was also sunny at the time and a number of people would have been enjoying the weather in the area of Plumstead gardens; I need you to come forward.'

A Met spokesman said: 'Police were called to Deeside Road, SW17 at 1642hrs on Friday, June 14 following reports of a stabbing. Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and found a male, believed to be aged in his late teens in a critical condition.

'He died at the scene a short while later.

'A crime scene remains in place and police are appealing for anyone with information on what happened to call them urgently on 101 quoting CAD reference 5877/14June.'

Detectives confirmed they are following a number of leads.

Scotland Yard warned local residents in Wandsworth and Plumstead that they will see a heavy police presence as a result of both crimes.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan released a statement condemning the murders.

He said: 'I am sickened to hear that two young lives have been ended within minutes of each other in Wandsworth and Greenwich.

A large crime scene has been established around the scene of yesterday's fatal shooting

Forensic officers worked through the night at the scene of Friday's fatal stabbing on Deeside Road, Wandsworth

The Metropolitan police have warned that there will be a large police presence in the area following the attack

Six men were arrested by officers in connection to the stabbing in Wandsworth on Friday

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, pictured yesterday at a service of remembrance for Grenfell, condemned the murders and called on anyone with information on the killings to contact police or Crimestoppers immediately

'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, either on 101 or anonymously, through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.'

Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan said the 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.

'Sending love to the Tooting family tonight - this is heartbreaking.'A 46-year-old man has been charged with the murder of his wife while her three children were in the house.

James Kilroy was charged with the murder of Valerie French Kilroy, 41, after her body was found at the back of their house in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland, following an attack at the home.

Officers rushed to the home to find the three sons, age five, and twins, aged two, after a man volunteered information to them - the children were unharmed.

Valerie French Kilroy, 41, mother-of-three, died from fatal wounds following an attack by her husband at their home in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland

Appearing at a special sitting of Castlebar district court this afternoon before Judge Fiona Lydon, James Kilroy of Kilbree Lower, Westport, Co Mayo was charged with the murder of Valerie French Kilroy after a five-minute hearing.

Detective Sergeant Michael Doherty told the hearing that the accused Mr Kilroy had been arrested at 11.45 that morning - he was charged with murder just an hour later.

James Kilroy (pictured) was charged with the murder of Valerie French Kilroy, 41, after her body was found at the back of their house in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland, following an attack at the home.

The murder is believed to have taken place between June 13 and 14, with Mrs French Kilroy's body taken to Mayo University Hospital on June 15 for a postmortem.

Accused Mr Kilroy made no reply to the charge and is reported to have shown no emotion during the short hearing.

Mr Kilroy will be remanded in custody until an appearance at Harristown District Court next Friday, June 21 - despite his solicitor Gary Mulchrone's concerns over the state of his mental health.

Mr Mulchrone called for a psychiatric evaluation be carried out, telling hearing how the accused had seen a GP twice during his detention, and had been assessed in hospital following the murder.

Judge Lydon agreed to the medical attention sought by Mr Mulchrone for Mr Kilroy as well as an psychiatric assessment.

Legal aid was also granted for Mr Kilroy by the judge.

Valerie French Kilroy, originally from Cork, is believed to have moved from North Mayo with her family to Kilbree around two years ago.

Tributes left at the home described the mother as 'truly kind, loving and beautiful', reports The Mirror.

Gardai forensics working at the scene of the murder of Valerie Kilroy in Westport, County Mayo

Officers rushed to the home to find the three sons, age five, and twins, aged two, after a man volunteered information to them - the children were unharmed

Valerie French Kilroy, 41, worked as a occupational therapist for the HSE, helping those with mental health problemsBoris Johnson stayed at home with not one but two takeaway dinners as his rivals slugged it out during a Channel 4 debate over who would be the next Prime Minister of the UK.

Rivals berated him for not being 'arsed' to take part in the first Tory leader TV debate last night before turning on each other over Brexit.

As contenders took hits at each other, Boris relaxed and ordered takeaways from Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

The revelation comes as social media users claimed that Boris had actually managed to win the debate by staying away.

The front runner was humiliatingly 'empty chaired' in the showdown on Channel 4, with presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy taunting that there was still time for him to 'get a taxi' to the studios.

The other hopefuls slammed Mr Johnson - who was thought to have been holed up in London -for his 'submarine' campaign strategy, with Jeremy Hunt demanding to know: 'Where is Boris?'

Boris stayed at home during the debate but food from both Deliveroo (left) and Uber Eats (right) turned up at his south London pad yesterday evening

Boris Johnson (pictured above) was absent from the Channel 4 debate last night which saw other hopefuls battle it out

The centre podium was left empty as Boris failed to show up to the debate with many social media users claiming he won anyway

He added: 'If his team won't let him out to debate with five pretty friendly colleagues how is he going to do with 27 states?'

However, despite other MPs questioning his attendance, many thought he was right to stay away.

One twitter user said: 'Boris Johnson won by not taking part in the whole dodgy debate'.

While another chimed in: 'Boris decided not to participate in this debate and he still won it hands down.'

This is while @tipperssimon said: 'Boris has won this Channel 4 debate by not turning up'.

Northumbrian said: '@BorisJohnson won by not taking part in the whole dodgy debate'

@TippersSimon said: Boris has won this channel 4 debate by not turning up

This is while Frank said: 'Boris decided not to participate in this debate and he still won it hands down'

Others said that the empty chair which had been meant for Boris had actually won the contest

This is while Ben Bamber said: 'Boris won the debate. And he wasn't even there'

Supporters of the other candidates also delivered a withering verdict on social media, with veteran MP Nicholas Soames saying the former foreign secretary 'couldn't be arsed to turn up'.

But the would-be MPs then took a series of brutal potshots at one another, with Rory Stewart raging about 'macho posturing', Sajid Javid saying Dominic Raab was 'trashing democracy', and Mr Raab retorting that his colleagues would 'buckle' to the EU.

There was however, a rare moment of agreement when Guru-Murthy tried to provide Mr Javid by saying he had not been 'big' enough to be invited to Donald Trump's state dinner. The Home Secretary was a surprising omission from the guest list at the opulent Buckingham Palace event earlier this month, although No10 has insisted the White House had nothing to do with the decision.

Michael Gove waded in to say: 'He doesn't need an American president for any one of us to recognise that he is an amazing guy.'

Mr Javid dismissed the jibe, saying he was used to being an 'outsider' and had no idea why he was left off the invite list. 'Life goes on,' he shrugged.

The other five candidates - Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart - all turned up for the TV debate tonight

Presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy jibed that there was still time for Boris Johnson to 'get a taxi from North London' to the studios for the Channel 4 Tory leadership debate tonight

Mr Johnson fuelled rumours of an early ballot by telling a hustings event he would 'get Brexit done and get ready for an election. He is pictured arriving at the event in London yesterday

Tory MP Nicholas Soames tweeted during the programme that Mr Johnson 'couldn't be arsed' to take part

The battle for the keys to No10 is turning nasty as contenders desperately struggle to overhaul Mr Johnson's commanding lead. They are scrambling to pick up votes from those already eliminated - with Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who had 20 supporters, yet to decide who to back.

Mr Johnson was criticised yesterday for bustling 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.

Although Mr Johnson snubbed the 90-minute Channel 4 programme tonight, he has suggested he will join a BBC showdown on Tuesday, after the next round of voting by MPs.

The audience on the debate this evening was made up of 'floating voters' willing to choose the Tories at an election.

The rivals crossed swords early on in the debate, with Aid Secretary Rory Stewart accusing his Brexiteer colleagues of 'macho' posturing and demanding to know how they planned to take the UK out of the EU by the end of October without approval from parliament.

Dominic Raab shot back that he had resigned from the Cabinet 'on principle' and politicians had to keep their word. 'I'm the only one who can be trusted to get us out by the end of October,' he said, repeating his vow to suspend the Commons if necessary to stop it blocking No Deal.

Tory MPs trade bruising blows online as TV debate rages Tory MPs traded blows online tonight as the TV leadership debate raged. Veteran Nicholas Soames delivered an extraordinary swipe at Boris Johnson - tweeting that he 'couldn't be arsed' to turn up. 'The big Question is about Character and suitability to be PM,' Sir Nicholas, who is supporting Rory Stewart, said. Brexit minister James Cleverly, who is backing Mr Johnson, complained that the programme was 'geared up to encourage leadership candidates to knock chunks out of each other'. 'That's not how this campaign should be conducted,' he said. 'It's probably good for Channel 4's viewing figures but I'm astonished that so many candidates are playing along.' Advertisement

Meanwhile, Michael Gove - whose campaign has been hit by his admission of cocaine use - painted himself as the true Brexiteer in the contest. 'I put everything on the line, friendships and family, to deliver it,' he said.

He accused the other hopefuls of 'defeatism' saying he would find a way to secure a majority in Parliament.

But Mr Raab swiped that he would 'buckle' to the EU. 'You would buckle because you have shown you would take another extension,' he said.

Mr Hunt, who came a distant second behind Mr Johnson in the first MP ballot last week, tried to burnish his credentials by launching a stinging attack on Jeremy Corbyn, saying it was of paramount importance to stop him taking power.

Meanwhile, all four of them turned on Mr Raab over his suggestion that Parliament could be prorogued if MPs tried to block Brexit from happening by Halloween.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'You don't deliver on democracy by trashing our democracy... we are not selecting a dictator.'

But Mr Raab said pledging to leave on October 31 at all costs was 'the only way we give ourselves a shot at a deal'.

'I don't think it is likely but it is not illegal,' he said.

'The moment that we telegraph to the EU we are not willing to walk away at the end of October we take away our best shot of a deal.'

Mr Stewart said shutting down parliament was 'undemocratic' and 'deeply disturbing' and would not work.

'Parliament is not a building. parliament is our democratic representatives and they will meet regardless of what the prime minister wants,' he said to applause from the studio audience.

Mr Stewart was the only one of the five who said they would be willing to talk to Nigel Farage about how to secure Brexit. He insisted Mr Farage was the 'man that led the Leave campaign' in the 2016 referendum.

But a clearly infuriated Mr Gove retorted: 'Nigel Farage is not the face of Brexit.'

Mr Hunt said Mr Farage's 'first choice' was Brexit on basic World Trade organisation terms, and that should not be the Tory position.

Mr Javid said: 'You don't beat the Brexit Party by becoming the Brexit Party.'

Aid Secretary Rory Stewart (right) accused his Brexiteer colleagues of 'macho' posturing. Dominic Raab (left) shot back that he had resigned from the Cabinet 'on principle' and politicians had to keep their word

Michael Gove - whose campaign has been hit by his admission of cocaine use - painted himself as the true Brexiteer in the contest. 'I put everything on the line, friendships and family, to deliver it,' he said

In another day of machinations and dealmaking in the Tory leadership contest:

Former chancellor Ken Clarke said he was ready to vote no confidence in any 'idiot' who made a bid to take the UK out of the EU without approval from Parliament;

Allies of Theresa May have suggested once she quits No10 she will join forces with pro-Remain ministers such as Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd to avoid No Deal;

Senior Eurosceptics insisted the Conservatives would be 'over' and they would defect to the Brexit Party unless the leadership front runner follows through on his vow to leave by Halloween;

Dominic Raab hit out at would-be PMs who are going 'weak at the knees' about pushing through Brexit - warning the party will be 'toast' unless it happens by October;

Nigel Farage sought to exploit Tory splits by warning Mr Johnson 'will not deliver on his promises', adding: 'Tory defectors would be welcome in the Brexit Party'.

A clearly infuriated Mr Stewart stepped up his attack on the former foreign secretary on the Marr Show this morning.

'How is Boris going to deliver Brexit? How?' the Aid Secretary said.

'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.

'We want to know what he believes. We want him to sit at this debate tonight and tell us.'

Mr Stewart also tried to drawn a line under confusion over whether he would serve in the Cabinet if Mr Johnson becomes leader.

'I wouldn't serve in a Boris Cabinet,' he said.

Mr Johnson has put the Tories in an election war footing - as a poll today found voters believe he can win back Eurosceptics and defeat Corbyn.

The leadership favourite fuelled rumours of an early ballot by telling a hustings event he would 'get Brexit done and get ready for an election'.

The dramatic vow yesterday came as a survey found 47 per cent of the public think he can see off Labour and Nigel Farage - while just 22 per cent think he would lose.

His ratings are way ahead of other leadership contenders such as Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove.

However, in a worrying sign for Mr Johnson's supporters, nearly six in 10 said he was not the kind of man they would buy a used car from.

The scale of the challenge he faces was also underlined with the YouGov research showing that overall the Brexit Party is still leading on 24 per cent - three points ahead of both the Conservatives and Labour.

A YouGov poll found 47 per cent of the public think Boris Johnson can defeat Labour and Nigel Farage - while just 22 per cent think he would lose

Theresa May (pictured at church in Maidenhead with husband Philip today) is said to have backed Rory Stewart in the first round of the Tory leadership battle

If replicated at a general election the finding would likely put Mr Farage in No10, although the ratings for the Lib Dems and other parties have yet to be published.

Mr Farage told MailOnline today: 'It would appear that Mr Johnson wants a head to head fight. If that's what he wants, he's going to get it.'

Mr Hunt has said he believes it is possible to negotiate a new deal with the EU that would do away with the need for an Irish border backstop.

Husband of mother imprisoned in Iran says he 'resented' Boris Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband has admitted he 'resented' Boris Johnson's handling of her case during his tenure as Foreign Secretary. Richard Ratcliffe has joined his wife in staging a hunger strike against her detention in Iran over spying allegations, which she denies. Speaking on Sunday outside the Iranian embassy in London, where he is holding his demonstration, Mr Ratcliffe said the goal is to 'amplify her message' and provoke a response from Iran. He reiterated criticism for Tory leadership frontrunner Mr Johnson's previous comments about the case. 'He clearly made a mistake and clearly tried to correct it and made a promise that he wasn't able to deliver on,' Mr Ratcliffe told the Andrew Marr Show. 'At times I've resented him for it and there are bits I did resent him for.' Mr Johnson said in 2017 that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was working in Tehran training journalists, comments used by Iran to allege she was engaged in 'propaganda against the regime'. Advertisement

'When you talk to European leaders as I do they want to solve this problem,' he told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show.

'They say that if they were approached by a British prime minister, someone they were willing to deal with, who had ideas how to solve the Northern Irish border, they would be willing to re-negotiate the package.

'They are prepared to look at whether you could get much more detail onto the future relationship - potentially that could be legally-binding, let's see - so that you don't need a backstop.

'I would never pretend that this is going to be easy but nor is it impossible.' Mr Hunt said it could even be done by the deadline of October 31, but added that it would be a mistake to commit to leaving the EU by that date.

'I am not committing to an October 31 hard-stop at any costs. If you do make that guarantee and you go with the wrong approach, then you are committing us to nothing other than a hard Brexit, a no-deal Brexit,' he said.

Mr Johnson goes into the second week of the Tory campaign the red-hot favourite to succeed Theresa May, having racked up support from 114 MPs in the first ballot - more than his next three rivals combined.

Mr Johnson's position received a further boost with the support of Esther McVey, who was eliminated from the contest after finishing last in the first ballot.

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph she said: '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.'

Meanwhile, there was growing alarm among pro-European Tories at the prospect Mr Johnson takes Britain out of the EU on October 31, even if he has been unable to secure a new deal with Brussels.

Veteran former chancellor Ken Clarke said that in those circumstances he would vote to bring down the Government.

'If some idiot was sailing into a No Deal Brexit I'd decide politics had finally gone mad and vote against it,' he told The Observer.

Mrs May's allies told the Mail on Sunday she has privately vowed to thwart any attempt by Mr Johnson to take the UK out of the EU without a deal.

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 says she will 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'.

What happens next? 'Stop Boris' Tory leadership hopefuls now locked in a battle for second place to make it onto the final ballot paper The field of Tory leadership challengers has been whittled down to six after three candidates were ousted at the first ballot of MPs on Thursday and Matt Hancock opted to withdraw on Friday. Those still standing now have two days in which to persuade more of their Conservative colleagues to back their bids before the second round of voting takes place on Tuesday. At this point the race is entirely about momentum. Boris Johnson has cemented his status as the prohibitive favourite after he secured 114 votes - enough to effectively guarantee he is one of the final two candidates. But for the remaining five candidates, it is all still to play for. Four Tory leadership challengers are now out of the race for Number 10. Esther McVey, Andrea Leadsom and Mark Harper were eliminated in the first round of voting while Matt Hancock has chosen to withdraw from the race What happens on Tuesday? Tory MPs will vote for the second time in what is likely to be a make or break moment in the race to succeed Theresa May. There will be six candidates to choose from but only Mr Johnson will have any certainty about making it to the next stage. Anyone not named Mr Johnson will now have the same goal: To finish in second place and make it onto the final ballot paper alongside Mr Johnson. Jeremy Hunt came second in Thursday's vote with the support of 43 of his colleagues. But none of the other remaining candidates are too far behind and all of them will be hopeful of hoovering up at least some of the MPs who backed the four candidates who are no longer in the race. They will need at least 33 votes to progress to the third vote but if all of the six candidates manage to get past that threshold, whoever has the fewest votes will be eliminated. The Foreign Secretary came second in the first round of voting and will now be hoping to persuade Tory MPs that he is the candidate capable of challenging Boris Johnson What happens after the second round of voting on Tuesday? It is the job of Tory MPs to cut the list of candidates to two and after Tuesday's vote there will then follow further ballots on Wednesday and, if necessary, on Thursday, until the chosen pair remain. The number of further ballots needed will be determined by whether trailing candidates opt to withdraw from the contest. What happens once there are two candidates left? Conservative Party members will be asked to choose who they want to be their next leader. The final two will have to face 16 leadership hustings events across the nation with the first due to be held in Birmingham on June 22 and the last one taking place in London in the week starting July 15. Ballot papers are expected to sent out to members between July 6-8. The overall winner of the contest is due to be announced in the week of July 22. Who could the MPs who supported the four eliminated candidates now back? Dominic Raab, who finished fourth with 27 votes, will be hopeful of securing the support of many of the MPs who backed Esther McVey and Andrea Leadsom. Both have advocated a similarly hardline approach to Brexit as Mr Raab but Mr Johnson will also have his eye on winning over a lot of their backers with his own pledge to deliver Brexit on October 31. The 10 MPs who backed Mark Harper, a candidate with a softer approach to Brexit, will be targeted by the likes of Mr Hunt and Sajid Javid. Mr Javid will also be hopeful of securing the support of the 20 MPs who backed Mr Hancock. Boris Johnson is now the prohibitive favourite to succeed Theresa May after securing the support of 114 Tory MPs in the first round of voting So does Boris have it sewn up? Previous Tory leadership contests have shown that the person who leads the race at the start of the process does not always finish in first. Leadership campaigns are also volatile and it is distinctly possible that an unforeseen event in the coming weeks could radically shake up the battle for Number 10. Mr Johnson is in pole position but there is still plenty of time for that to change. Advertisement

'I'm the Chumbawumba candidate!' Gove claims he CAN revive flagging Tory leader bid despite cocaine admission saying he 'gets knocked down but gets up again'

Michael Gove has styled himself the 'Chumbawamba candidate' for the Tory leadership, referencing the anarchist band's 1997 hit which repeats the lyrics: 'I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down.'

The Environment Secretary certainly got knocked down last week, following his admission last Saturday - ahead of a revelation in a forthcoming biography serialised in the Mail - that he took cocaine on several occasions as a journalist in his 30s. The admission, and subsequent howls of hypocrisy, led to many discounting the prominent Leave campaigner as a potential 'stop Boris' candidate.

But his robust showing of 37 votes in Thursday's first-round ballot for his party leadership - hopelessly behind Johnson but within striking distance of Jeremy Hunt in second place - suggests the combative Scot has, at least, 'got up again'.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove outside his house in West London this morning

Mr Gove has insisted his campaign remains viable - that he is 'the Chumbawamba candidate'

He told the Sunday Times: 'At the beginning of last week people said I was going backwards. We put on votes in the course of the week  I'm well placed now.'

He said he had been told: 'Michael, you are the 'Comeback Kid'. You are the Chumbawamba candidate. You get knocked down, but you get up again.'

Mr Gove, who was spotted outside his home holding newspapers, has also today picked up endorsements from two further cabinet ministers: Northern Ireland secretary, Karen Bradley, and the Scottish secretary, David Mundell.

In the interview he set out his plans for housing reform, calling for a national housing fund created by issuing Brexit bonds, and the use of 'citizens' juries' to ensure good design codes.

He pointed to his record at Education, Justice, and now Environment - where he has led a crusade against single-use plastics - as evidence of his ability to make things happen even in usually sclerotic departments, saying: 'Two years on, I would say that Defra has been the most pro-active, energetic, policy-rich department in the government.'

His newfound zeal for the housebuilding programme could be a pitch for the Communities Secretary job in a Johnson government, which will need to offer bold popular policies on housing.

Boris Johnson is the runaway leader in the race but - assuming his campaign does not implode - any one of the other five candidates could still join him on the ballot of party members

Mr Gove found himself in third place after the first round of MP's voting on Thursday

But Mr Gove continued to criticise Johnson's vow to leave the EU on October 31 with or without a deal, saying: 'If we are 95 per cent of the way there, and it just requires a few more days and weeks, I think it would be a mistake to say, 'That's it.'

'It would be like if you ordered a new kitchen and you had the fridge and the dishwasher in and you hadn't had the hob fitted and you say, 'You said it was all going to be in by Friday, the hob's not here, let's rip it all out.' '

But he insisted he 'would absolutely work with Boris in any way that he wanted to work with me' - a noteworthy softening of his position after insisting in 2016 his former ally was not up to the top job.

Mr Gove, who was adopted as an infant, also told the paper he was considering contacting his birth mother for the first time, after his biographer shared her details with him.Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has unveiled a new settlement in the Israel-controlled Golan Heights, named after US President Donald Trump.

Mr Netanyahu's Cabinet convened in the tiny hamlet to inaugurate the settlement, named after Mr Trump in a gesture of appreciation for the president's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

The settlement, currently known as Bruchim, is over 30-years-old and has a population of 10 people.

Netanyahu and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman attend a ceremony to unveil a sign for a new community named after U.S. President Donald Trump

Israel is hoping the rebranded 'Ramat Trump', Hebrew for 'Trump Heights', will encourage residents to help expand it.

'It's absolutely beautiful,' said US Ambassador David Friedman, who attended Sunday's ceremony.

Noting that Mr Trump celebrated his birthday on Friday, he said: 'I can't think of a more appropriate and a more beautiful birthday present.'

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981.

Most of the international community considers the move illegal under international law.

But during a visit to Washington by Mr Netanyahu in March, just weeks before Israeli elections, Mr Trump signed an executive order recognising the strategic mountainous plateau as Israeli territory.

The decision, the latest in a series of diplomatic moves benefiting Israel, was widely applauded in Israel.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, his wife Sara, centre right, United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, left, and his wife Tammy

'Few things are more important to the security of the state of Israel than permanent sovereignty over the Golan Heights,' Mr Friedman said.

'It is simply obvious, it is indisputable and beyond any reasonable debate.'

After the Cabinet decision, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Friedman unveiled a sign trimmed in gold with the name 'Trump Heights' and adorned with US and Israeli flags.

Addressing the ceremony, Mr Netanyahu called Mr Trump a 'great friend' of Israel and described the Golan, which overlooks northern Israel, as an important strategic asset.

'The Golan Heights was and will always be an inseparable part of our country and homeland,' he said.

While Israel has encouraged and promoted settlement in the Golan, its remote location, several hours from the economic centre of Tel Aviv, has been an obstacle. The area is home to small agriculture and tourism sectors but otherwise has little industry.

The eight-year Syrian civil war, which at times has resulted in spillover fire into the Golan, could also present an obstacle to encouraging new residents.

United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and his wife Tammy attend the inauguration

Rosa Zhernakov, a resident of Bruchim since 1991, said the community was excited by Sunday's decision.

'We hope it will benefit the Golan Heights,' she said, standing outside her bungalow on one of Bruchim's few streets.

She said the revitalisation of the settlement would mean 'more security' for residents from any possible return of the Golan Heights to Syria as part of a future peace treaty.

Syria has demanded a return of the strategic territory, which overlooks northern Israel, as part of any peace deal.

After the devastating civil war in Syria, the prospects of peace talks with Israel anytime soon seem extremely low.

Ramat Trump joins a handful of Israeli places named after American presidents, including a village for Harry S Truman, who first recognised the Jewish state, and George W Bush Plaza, a square the size of a modest living room in central Jerusalem.

Several bureaucratic obstacles will need to be overcome to develop the settlement. With Mr Netanyahu running for re-election in the second national election this year, it remains unclear whether he will be able to complete the task.

Zvi Hauser, an opposition lawmaker who formerly served as Mr Netanyahu's Cabinet secretary, called Sunday's ceremony a cheap PR stunt.

'There's no funding, no planning, no location, and there's no real binding decision,' he said.Hundreds of thousands of commuters, race-goers and music fans face misery as a five-day rail strike starts tomorrow.

The Rail and Maritime Union (RMT) action will disrupt services run by South Western Railway, one of Britains busiest commuter services, and hit Royal Ascot, one of the most popular race meetings of the year.

The train guard strike is set to continue until Saturday, when Royal Ascot finishes.

The RMT, whose members are mostly guards, is protesting against the decision by rail operators to make drivers open and close the doors on new trains. A file photo is used above for illustrative purposes only [File photo]

Rail bosses also accused the RMT of cynically targeting events such as the Hampton Court Palace Music Festival and a Metallica concert at Twickenham, as well as commuters at Waterloo.

The RMT, whose members are mostly guards, is protesting against the decision by rail operators to make drivers open and close the doors on new trains.

General secretary Mick Cash said South Western had failed to bolt down an agreement that matches our expectations.

But South Western said the strike was driven by internal RMT politics.Nine in ten cannabis users and growers in some areas of England are being let off without a criminal charge, a Mail investigation reveals.

Despite a string of warnings over the drugs harmful long-term effects, many are getting away with a simple telling-off.

Figures show the proportion of users who are charged for possession of cannabis has fallen sharply.

Across England, an average of just 22 per cent of possession offences led to a criminal charge last year  down from 27 per cent in 2017.

Figures show the proportion of users who are charged for possession of cannabis has fallen sharply (file image)

But in Devon and Cornwall, only 14 per cent of cases led to a charge, while in Leicestershire it was 13 per cent and in Surrey just 12 per cent.

The remainder either escaped with a caution or a fine, an official warning or community resolution such as attending an educational workshop, or they had their case dropped altogether.

Separate figures for cannabis cultivation  a more serious crime than possession  show that some forces are also charging as few as one in ten offenders.

Last night, anti-drug campaigners said the figures showed the drug was being unofficially legalised by police chiefs, and branded the approach as an encouragement to break the law.

The news comes after Northamptonshire Police revealed on Friday that officers had found a cannabis factory in what used to be a Gala Bingo hall that could have produced drugs worth about 2.8 million each year.

Cannabis has been linked to depression, suicidal thoughts and psychosis, which causes hallucinations. Many fear it acts as a gateway to harder drugs, too.

Only last month the head of the NHS, Simon Stevens, said Britain risked making a big mistake by relaxing the laws on cannabis.

Despite the warnings, some police chiefs are actively calling for the drug to be legalised, while others have urged officers to be even more lenient with offenders. Home Office figures on cannabis possession show that in Northamptonshire  where the cannabis factory was discovered  just 18 per cent of offences led to a formal charge in 2018. In North Yorkshire, the rate was just 14 per cent.

Only last month the head of the NHS, Simon Stevens, said Britain risked making a big mistake by relaxing the laws on cannabis (file image)

In Hampshire, Staffordshire and West Yorkshire, more than half of possession crimes in 2018 led to a community resolution. Usually this involves officers confiscating the substance and giving individuals a telling-off. Avon and Somerset Police have half-day education workshops for first-time offenders.

In March, the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Dave Thompson, revealed how officers were even avoiding issuing warnings for cannabis offences, so as not to criminalise young people.

Additional data from 20 police forces in England, obtained using Freedom of Information laws, reveal that just 22 per cent of cannabis production crimes in 2018 led to a charge  down from 32 per cent the previous year.

West Yorkshire Police said only 10 per cent of cases led to a charge. In Durham, the rate is 11 per cent.

The dangers of 'skunk' Cannabis has been linked to depression, suicidal thoughts and psychosis, which causes hallucinations and delusional thoughts. A major Lancet study in March found that use of skunk  high-strength cannabis  increased the risk of psychosis by five-fold. Oxford University research the previous month showed that teenagers who smoked the substance were a third more likely to develop depression. NHS figures obtained by the Mail revealed that nine-year-old children had been treated in hospital for harms caused by cannabis. They were among 3,400 under-19s admitted last year with mental and behavioural disorders directly related to the substance. Cannabis is also believed to be a gateway drug to heroin, cocaine and LSD. Advertisement

David Green, director of the think-tank Civitas, said: These figures provide even stronger evidence that the police have unofficially legalised cannabis in many parts of the country. Many police leaders want to legalise cannabis. Some are openly in favour of changing the law, while others turn a blind eye.

The tragedy is that they are doing so at a time when doctors are increasingly worried about the impact on the mental health of cannabis users, and especially our young people. Modern forms of cannabis, such as skunk, are at least twice as potent as varieties that were available in the 1970s.

Mary Brett, of charity Cannabis Skunk Sense, said: Theres a law there and its the polices job to enforce it. Its counter-productive and kids know they will be let off with a caution or a warning.

David Raynes, of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, added: Its just stupid and irresponsible  an encouragement to break the law.

But Norman Lamb, health spokesman for the Lib Dems, said it was wrong to give users a criminal conviction, adding that an increasing number of police chiefs recognise that our outdated drug laws do far more harm than good.

The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said forces were having to prioritise resources in the face of government cuts.

Spokesman Simon Kempton said: There has been a shift away from prioritising people in possession of cannabis in some force areas.

David Raynes, of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, added: Its just stupid and irresponsible  an encouragement to break the law (file image)

Assistant Chief Constable Jason Harwin, the lead for drugs at the National Police Chiefs Council, said: The law provides a range of options for dealing with those found in possession of cannabis that have to be proportionate to the individual circumstances.

Charging is one outcome and police officers can use professional judgment to make use of others.

The Home Office said: Possession of cannabis is a criminal offence and cultivation an even more serious offence. How police choose to pursue investigations is an operational decision for chief constables, but we are clear that we expect them to enforce the law.The CEO of Boeing has admitted the company made a 'mistake' in handling a problematic cockpit warning system in its 737 Max jets before two crashes of the plane killed 346 people.

Chief executive Dennis Muilenburg promised transparency as the U.S. aircraft maker tries to get the grounded model back in flight.

Muilenburg told reporters in Paris on Sunday that Boeing's communication with regulators, customers and the public 'was not consistent' and that is wasn't acceptable.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has faulted Boeing for not telling regulators for more than year that a safety indicator in the Max cockpit didn't work.

Boeing Chief executive Dennis Muilenburg admitted on Sunday that the company made a mistake in handling the warning system in its 737 Max jets

Pilots are angry the company didn't tell them about the new software that's been implicated in the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

'We clearly had a mistake in the implementation of the alert,' Muilenburg said.

He expressed confidence that the Boeing 737 Max would be cleared to fly again later this year. The model has been grounded worldwide for three months, and regulators need to approve Boeing's long-awaited fix to the software.

Muilenburg called the crashes of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines jets a 'defining moment' for Boeing, but said he thinks the result will be a 'better and stronger company'.

Speaking ahead of the Paris Air Show, Muilenburg said Boeing is facing the event with 'humility' and focused on rebuilding trust.

He forecast a limited number of orders at the Paris show, the first major air show since the crashes, but said it was important to attend to talk to customers and others in the industry.

Muilenburg also announced that Boeing is raising its long-term forecast for global plane demand, notably amid sustained growth in Asia.

Safety concerns, trade wars and growing security tensions in the Gulf are dampening spirits at the world's largest planemakers as they arrive at this week's Paris Airshow with little to celebrate despite bulging order books.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has faulted Boeing for not telling regulators for more than year that a safety indicator in the Max cockpit didn't work

The aerospace industry's marquee event is a chance to take the pulse of the $150 billion a year commercial aircraft industry, which many analysts believe is entering a slowdown due to global pressures from trade tensions to flagging economies.

Humbled by the grounding of its 737 MAX in the wake of two fatal crashes, U.S. planemaker Boeing will be looking to reassure customers and suppliers about the plane's future and allay criticism of its handling of the months-long crisis.

The grounding of the latest version of the world's most-sold jet has rattled suppliers and even fazed rival Airbus, with the European company avoiding the traditional baiting of Boeing, while remaining distracted by its own corruption probe.

Aerospace executives on both sides of the Atlantic are concerned about the impact of the crisis on public confidence in air travel and the risk of a backlash that could drive a wedge between regulators and undermine the plane certification system.

Airlines that rushed to buy the fuel-efficient, longer-range MAX are taking a hit to profits since having to cancel thousands of flights following the worldwide grounding in March.

Even the planned launch of a new longer-range version of the successful A320neo jet family from Airbus, the A321XLR, is unlikely to lift the industry's uncertainty, analysts said.

Pilots are angry the company didn't tell them about the new software that's been implicated in the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people

'Boeing's MAX crisis isn't the most ominous dark cloud, since it can be solved, but traffic numbers are genuinely scary,' said Teal Group aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia.

'If March and April are a sign of things to come, we're looking at broader industry demand and capacity problems.'

'Net orders might be the lowest in years,' Aboulafia added.

Others dismiss fears of a downturn, citing the growth of the middle class in Asia and the need for airlines to buy new planes to meet environmental targets.

Airbus and Boeing are both looking at steps to make their aircraft more fuel efficient and reduce their carbon footprint amid a growing environmental protest movement in Europe.

'The only solution that the industry has is the newest most fuel-efficient aircraft,' John Plueger, Chief Executive of Air Lease Corp, told Reuters. 'So that replacement cycle is going to continue.'

'We're talking to so many airlines who still want more aircraft, and there's really been no lessening of those discussions,' he said.A Pennsylvania father's Facebook post has gone viral after he gave out free 'dad hugs' at the Pittsburgh Pride parade and comforted strangers rejected by their families for their sexual orientation.

Howie Dittman, 44, headed to the Pride parade with a group of friends wearing 'free dad hugs' and 'free mom hugs' shirts on June 9, opening up his arms to strangers and offering a comforting embrace.

He took to the social network to detail how he gave out 'hundreds of hugs' and while most were joyful, 'way too many' fell into his arms with heartbreaking stories.

'He was kicked out at 19 when his parents found out. They haven't spoken to him since. He cried on my shoulder. Sobbed. Squeezed me with everything he had. I felt a tiny bit of that pain that he carries with him every minute of every day. He was abandoned because of who he loves,' he shared.

Pennsylvania father Howie Dittman, 44, has gone viral for giving out free 'dad hugs' at the Pittsburgh Pride parade and comforting strangers rejected by their families for their sexual orientation. Pictured above at the June 9 parade hugging strangers

Dittman was inspired by his friend Dena Hays (pictured together) who attended the Pride parade with Free Mom Hugs, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ equality

He opened up about eye-opening experience on Facebook sharing stories about some of the heartbroken strangers he comforted

'And on June 9th, 2019, he was participating in a celebration of love when he was brought to his emotional knees by a shirt that said "FREE DAD HUGS" on a complete stranger,' he added.

He opened up about another woman who fell into Dittman's arms with tears in her eyes.

'She stood in front of me and looked up at me, with a look of sadness and helplessness that I'll never forget. She hugged me with everything she had. And I hugged her back. She held on for so long, melting into me, and thanked me endlessly. And I can't stop thinking about her. What she must be going thru with her family...,' he said.

'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 added.

He shared the story of a man kicked out of his home at he age of 19 because his parents found out he was gay and a girl who approached him in tears. He said he hopes his work will make parents realize the trauma and emotional pain they put their children through when they reject them

'It was incredibly powerful and humbling to be a part of those moments,' Dittman said on the event. Dittman pictured hugging a stranger

His post has racked up more than 363,000 likes and over 261,000 shares.

Speaking on his good deed, the Karns City man says that he and his peers left with a 'deeper understanding of the abyss if pain' those rejected by their families feel.

'It was incredibly powerful and humbling to be a part of those moments,' he said to Fox35.

Dittman is hoping his work will teach parents to think twice about their children and rejecting them on account of who they love.

Recalling the high emotions of the Pride parade to his wife he said, 'It was amazing, and Im really pissed off. Im not okay with this.'

'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,' Dittman said. He is pictured above on social media

'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?' he added to People Magazine.

Dittman runs the volunteer group Helping Butler County and is dedicated to helping his community.

He said he was inspired to attend the Pride Parade after Denna Hays, the founder of the Butler County Alliance for Children RSVP'ed to a Facebook event called Free Mom Hugs chapter page.

'It sounded like a great way to put a smile on peoples' faces, and I did have a suspicion that dads, in general, aren't likely as accepting of individuals in the LGBTQ lifestyle as a mom would be,' Dittman said to Parents.com.

So far he's given out over 700 hugs and doesn't plan to stop any time soon.The New York Police Department has been given 30 days to release all 48 minutes of bodycam footage that captured the fatal 2017 shooting of a man inside his Bronx apartment.

Judge W. Franc Perry made the ruling in the New York State Supreme Court on Thursday, saying that all footage should be made public in the name of 'transparency'.

Miguel Richards, 31, was shot 16 times by NYPD officers on September 6 2017 before he died. Eight cops were reported to be on the scene at the time.

In making the ruling, Judge Perry effectively sided with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, who sued the NYPD for release of the bodycam footage.

A judge has ordered the NYPD to release all 48 minutes of bodycam footage which shows the fatal shooting of Miguel Richards in September 2017.

Police released a 16 minute compilation clip of the bodycam footage shortly after Richards' death. However, it wasn't enough to satisfy the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, who sued the NYPD for release of the entire video

Perry claimed that the 'stated objective of the BWC [Body Worn Camera] pilot program is to promote transparency, accountability and public trust-building.'

The BWC pilot program was announced in 2015, 'as part of President Obama's proposal to invest $75 million over three years to purchase 50,000 body-worn cameras for law enforcement agencies'.

On September 14 2017, a week after the fatal shooting of Richards, police released a 16-minute compilation video that showed the slaying.

It showed part of a tense, hour-long standoff between the man and the officers.

Police had been called to Richard's Bronx studio apartment after his landlord reported he hadn't seen him for a few days and requested a welfare check.

The compilation video shows an officer shining a flashlight on Richards as he kneels on his bed wearing dark glasses and holding a knife. He never speaks.

In these September 6 photos provided by the New York City Police Department, a fake gun and a knife are laying on the floor of a crime scene in The Bronx where 31-year-old Miguel Richards was shot dead by police

'Put your hand up, dude, and drop the knife,' one officer says. 'I don't want to shoot you. Put your hand up and drop that knife.'

At one point, an officer tells Richards: 'Put that knife on the floor or this isn't going to end well for you.'

About 15 minutes in, the officers notice that Richards has a gun behind his back - which later turned out to be a toy.

'I don't want to shoot you if you have a fake gun in your hand. Is that a real gun?' one officer asks. 'Drop that gun to the floor. And drop that knife.'

Richards' father accused police of shooting his son (pictured in a shot from the bodycam footage) in cold blood

A third officer appears with a stun gun while Richards stands behind his bed.

Richards pointed his fake gun with a laser pointer at the officers.

The third officer asks his two colleagues: 'Wanna take him down now?'

'Yeah,' they reply and fire both the stun gun and their weapons.

The actual moment Richards is struck is obscured by the hands of the officer with the stun gun.

Chief of Department Carlos Gomez said officers asked Richards a total of 50 times to drop the weapons.

Richards' father, 61-year-old Belvett Richards, has said he believed officers killed his son in cold blood.

The NYPD now has until mid-July to release the entire footage.A man has been arrested over the disappearance of a woman who vanished eight months ago.

Police picked up the 44-year-old man in Bendigo, central Victoria, on Friday after Shae Francis, 35, went missing in October last year.

Ms Francis was last seen visiting a family member at Hervey Bay Hospital, on the Queensland south coast, in October, but her disappearance was not reported to police until March.

Police picked up the 44-year-old man in Bendigo, central Victoria, on Friday after Shae Francis, 35, (pictured) went missing in October

Local police teamed up with the Homicide Investigation Unit to track down the missing woman and police ramped up the investigation in May, making a a public appeal to find Ms Francis.

Victoria police arrested the 44-year-old man the following month.

Detectives will seek to extradite the man to Queensland on the charges of manslaughter, interfering with a corpse and stealing.

He is expected to front Bendigo Magistrates Court on Monday.

Meanwhile, authorities are continuing to appeal for information about Ms Francis' disappearance.

The 35-year-old woman has been described as Caucasian, around 160cm tall with a slim build, blonde hair and blue eyes.Yaqun Lu, 41, is a Chinese citizen, but gave cops and address in Huntsville, Michigan. She was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida on Saturday for allegedly stomping on a nest of sea turtle eggs

A Chinese woman was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida on Saturday for allegedly stomping on a nest of sea turtle eggs.

Yaqun Lu, 41, was charged with marine turtle or egg molestation or harassment after the incident.

Witnesses and Miami Beach police officers said they saw Lu 'jabbing at the sea turtle nest' with a wooden stake and 'stomping all over the nest with her bare feet.'

'Thankfully, it appears the eggs were not damaged,' Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez told the Miami Herald.

Lu gave officials her listed address in Hudsonville, Michigan.

Three species of sea turtles - the Loggerhead, Green and Leatherback - commonly nest on Miami beaches from April through November, according to the Florida Fish and Widlife Conservation Commission.

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Witnesses and officers reported seeing Lu poking a sea turtles nest with a stick and stomping on it with her bare feet

Three species of sea turtles - the Loggerhead, Green and Leatherback - commonly nest on Miami beaches from April through November

Authorities had cordoned off the nesting area in the beach's 500 block with a double perimeter of wooden stakes encircled with yellow tape and marked the area with a 'Do Not Disturb' sign.

Florida law and the US Endangered Species Act of 1973 makes it a felony to hurt or harass sea turtles or their eggs.

Authorities notified the Chinese consulate in Houston about Lu's alleged crime. She was released from jail after paying 10 percent of a $75,000 bond, court records show.

A court order was issued barring Lu from returning to the turtle nesting area on Miami Beach. She's scheduled to be arraigned at 9am on July 15.Theresa May is understood to be planning to present her three-year plan to Cabinet as part of a bid to shore up her legacy

Theresa May has been accused of trying to tie Boris Johnson's hands as she seeks to push through a 27billion funding pledge for education.

She is understood to be planning to present her three-year plan to Cabinet as soon as tomorrow as part of a bid to shore up her legacy.

Government sources said she 'is still Prime Minister' and 'education is very high on her list of priorities'.

However, the move is being resisted by the Treasury amid claims it would be 'immoral' to limit the ability of Mrs May's successor to deliver on their own pledges.

One Cabinet minister said the Prime Minister was attempting to 'stitch up' a deal with the Treasury and then 'bounce' ministers into signing it off ahead of a public announcement.

'It really has to be a decision for the next person,' said a Whitehall figure.

'It is just not moral for the PM to make this commitment.'

Mrs May's proposed boost for education amounts to about 7billion a year on resources, including staff, and 2billion per year on capital expenditure, such as books and building repairs.

It would not require legislation and is the biggest of the 'legacy projects' she is trying to secure before leaving No10.

It follows a separate funding increase for the NHS last year.President Donald Trump has reportedly planned to fire his own pollsters after it was revealed he's trailing Joe Biden in polls.

POTUS had denied he was behind the former Vice President, who is a hopeful for the Democratic candidacy in the 2020 election, in an interview to be televised in full Sunday on ABC.

But further information obtained by NBC News showed the Republican leader fell short in 11 states in a March poll from his re-election campaign.

The news station reports that Trump believes his own campaign workers were behind the leak.

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President Donald Trump has reportedly planned to fire his own pollsters after it was revealed he's trailing Joe Biden in polls. Trump believes his people leaked the information

POTUS lacked in Virginia by 17 points, Minnesota by 14 points, Maine by 15 points and in Michigan by 13 points

A source close to his re-election campaign didn't elaborate on who exactly they were cutting ties with.

Trump's pollsters found that between March 13 and March 28, POTUS lacked in Virginia by 17 points, Minnesota by 14 points, Maine by 15 points and in Michigan by 13 points.

It was noted that in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Florida, Biden's 10-13 point leads fall outside of the margins of error. Trump found narrows leads against Hillary Clinton in those states during his election campaign played an important role in his ultimate victory.

In Iowa, Trump was behind by 7 points, North Carolina 8 points and Ohio by 1 point. He had carried the three states during his 2016 election campaign.

Biden was up by six points in Georgia.

In Texas, Trump only had the lead by two points. The state has not seen a Democratic winner since 1976 when Jimmy Carter was president.

In Iowa, Trump was behind by 7 points, North Carolina 8 points and Ohio by 1 point. He had carried the three states during his 2016 election campaign

In Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Florida, Biden's 10-13 point leads fall outside margins of error

In Texas, Trump only had the lead by two points. The state has not seen a Democratic winner since 1976 when Jimmy Carter was president

When Trump was asked about Biden  the most promising Democrat campaigning for president  during his ABC News interview, he claimed they were 'fake polls'.

Trump has said his team had done 'great internal polling' before it was reported he was to cut ties with his pollsters.

The US leader said in his chat: 'We are winning in every single state that we've polled. We're winning in Texas very big. We're winning in Ohio very big. We're winning in Florida very big.'

On Saturday his campaign pollster claimed the data as 'incomplete and misleading'.

Tony Fabrizio claimed it represented a 'worst-case scenario in the most unfavorable turnout model possible.'

Speaking about a 'more likely turnout model patterned after 2016', he said Trump was leading a 'competitive' race with a defined Democratic candidate.

Trump told George Stephanopoulos in an interview airing Sunday that poll results were 'fake'

Trump's campaign manager said the numbers from two-and-a-half to three months ago were old.

'These leaked numbers are ancient, in campaign terms, from months-old polling that began in March before two major events had occurred: the release of the summary of the Mueller report exonerating the President, and the beginning of the Democrat candidates defining themselves with their far-left policy message,' Brad Parscale said.

Parscale claimed pollsters found 'huge swings in the President's favor across the 17 states we have polled, based on the policies espoused by the Democrats,' including a 'plan to provide free health care to illegal immigrants'. He said it had resulted in an 18-point swing toward President Trump.

Parscale added in a statement on Saturday: 'All news about the President's polling is completely false. The President's new polling is extraordinary and his numbers have never been better.'Bullies allegedly orchestrated Cassidy Trevan's gang rape when she was just 13

The mother of a teenager who took her own life after she was sexually assaulted and relentlessly tormented by school bullies said a part of her died with her only child.

Cassidy Trevan was just 15 when she took her own life in 2015, two years after bullies at her Melbourne school allegedly organised for her to be gang raped aged just 13.

Her mother Linda Trevan has spent the past four years campaigning for justice for her daughter.

The 53-year-old told Woman's Day it has been an uphill battle for her, and confessed she had turned to alcohol for comfort in the early days.

'For a short while, I became an alcoholic,' Ms Trevan said.

Cassidy was allegedly lured to a home by two girls from her school who - after bullying her incessantly - told her they wanted to be her friend.

When she arrived, she was reportedly greeted by a group of older boys who also attended their school, who gang-raped the teen.

'She told me every single horrific thing they did to her and made her do... She was a sweet innocent child. She had a boyfriend but hadn't even kissed him. She was terrified and froze as they abused her,' Ms Trevan said.

Her mother Linda Trevan has spent the last four years campaigning for justice for her daughter

In the years to follow, Cassidy was tormented by her peers and by strangers online.

She penned two letters, one of which Ms Trevan only recently found when she built up the strength to clear out Cassidy's bedroom.

The letters detailed her own inner turmoil and belief she would 'never escape' the bullies and her own anxiety.

'Day by day she slipped away before my eyes. They day she died, I died too.'

The second letter detailed the abuse she received by schoolyard bullies, who she claimed continued their relentless attacks well after she changed schools and moved houses to escape them.

Linda now runs a Facebook page called Bullying Killed My Daughter Cassidy Trevan , where she shares her daughter's story and fights bullying

Cassidy (pictured) addressed her school's poor response to bullying after her and her mother reported the alleged rape to them

She started the letter by saying she was 'doing this to be left alone.'

'I get people I've never met contacting me on Facebook calling me a sl*t. I've moved schools, I've moved house and I'm still being bullied,' the letter reads.

'I was raped. Just last night after one-and-a-half years I still have nightmares over what happened.'

Victoria Police previously confirmed its Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team had spoken with Cassidy at least 20 times.

But Cassidy never filed an official statement to police, as she feared her bullies' retaliation.

Cassidy penned a letter in the days prior to her death sharing her torment in the years after the alleged attack (pictured)

A second letter has now been found, detailing the abuse she received by schoolyard bullies (pictured)

Ms Trevan said one of her daughter's bullies has since apologised to her in a hesitant, roundabout way.

She said she doubts Cassidy will ever get the justice she deserves, but hopes the other people involved - who would now be in their late teens and early 20's - come forward and make a statement.

Linda now runs a Facebook page called Bullying Killed My Daughter Cassidy Trevan, where she shares her daughter's story and fights bullying.

If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800, SANE Helpline 1800 18 72 63 or Beyond blue 1300 22 4636.One man is dead and another in hospital after they were hit by a car while wrestling in the middle of a road.

The two 25-year-old men were allegedly grappling in an intersection in Elanora on the Gold Coast at about 9pm on Sunday night.

One of the men died at the scene.

The two 25-year-old men were allegedly grappling in an intersection in Elanora on the Gold Coast at about 9pm on Sunday night

The other was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital in a serious condition.

The 33-year-old driver was the only person in the car at the time and was not injured in the accident.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Policelink on 131 444.Homicide police from Sydney have flown to Byron Bay to help find Theo Hayez.

The Belgian backpacker, 18, has been missing for 17 days since leaving the Cheeky Monkey's bar at about 11pm on May 31.

His father had arrived in Australia and was expected to give a statement on Monday.

Murder police from Sydney have flown to Byron Bay to help find Theo Hayez (pictured)

Mr Hayez was travelling on an eight-month gap year with his cousin Lisa Hayez and was due to return home a week after he vanished.

He was reported missing by staff from the WakeUp! Backpacker hostel after he failed to retrieve his passport and belongings from his room.

His phone used the WhatsApp messaging service in the early morning hours of June 1 - but had not been active since.

On Sunday Miss Hayez posted an appeal on Facebook, asking if anyone knew who he last contacted.

She wrote: 'Unfortunately it takes ages to WhatsApp to give any information to the police so if you could share this post so someone who knows someone who works for WhatsApp could help us to get these informations ASAP!'

Mr Hayez's mother, Vinciane Delforge, told a French broadcaster in Belgium she was holding out hope her son was safe and well - but said his disappearance was entirely out of character.

'We would love to believe that he met a girl and had a fling... and that's why there's no sign of life,' Ms Delforge said.

The 18-year-old was looking forward to returning home to start his university course studying maths and science following and eight month trip around Australia

'But that just isn't him, that's not his style.'

She said her son was a 'meticulous planner' who had thoroughly researched his gap year to Australia in the months prior to leaving his home town.

'He is a conscientious, organised, responsible and attentive boy,' she said.

Mr Hayez booked his flights and accommodation well in advance, mapping out his route across Australia and left little to chance.

His mother, Vinciane Delforge, told a French broadcaster in Belgium she is holding out hope her son is safe and well, but said his disappearance is entirely out of character

Locals have joined SES and surf lifesaver groups, police dogs, drones and officers from the Byron Bay and Tweed Heads stations to scour acres of swamp, beach and bushland for the missing teen.

Byron Bay - known for its hippy, laidback lifestyle and celebrity appeal - is used to people floating in and out of the area but locals believe this case is different.

Long term Byron Bay resident Nicoletta Revis told The Age in her 20 years living in the area she had 'never seen anything like this'.

'This is totally different, this is totally next-level different and I haven't experienced this before,' she said.

'People always show up in Byron.'

Dozens of locals have offered to support Mr Hayez' devastated family who have been offered free food and accommodation.

CCTV footage shows Mr Hayez allegedly walking away from the Cheeky Monkey (pictured) and checking his phone just before midnight on May 31

The Byron landscape provides its own challenges in the search, with its dense, swamp-like bushland and waterways.

Beaches stretch for kilometres at a time and are often surrounded by long, marshy grass.

CCTV footage shows Mr Hayez walking away from Cheeky Monkey's and checking his phone just before midnight on May 31.

He appeared to be heading towards the Wake Up! hostel north of town, where his passport and belongings were later found untouched.

Lisa Hayez said there is no way he would have wanted to disappear.

'We're sure like 100 per cent sure that his goal was to go back to the hostel to sleep,' Ms Hayez said.

Mr Hayez (left, on night he disappeared, and right, with cousin) left his passport and belongings at his hostel

Mr Hayez's godfather Jean-Phillipe Pector (left with Mr Hayez's cousin Lisa) said it was completely out of character for the 18-year-old to not make contact with his family and friends

His godfather agreed, saying the teenager did not take drugs and would never have put himself in dangerous situations.

Byron Bay Command Superintendent Dave Roptell said police are 'not ruling out anything at the moment', and has urged anyone with information to come forward.

'It's baffling on two points from an investigation point of view, because we don't know what's happened - I feel for the family,' Supt Roptell said.

Mr Hayez hasn't made any financial transactions since he was last seen, prompting 'grave concerns' for his welfare, a NSW Police spokeswoman said.

A GoFundMe page set up to help Mr Hayez' family come to Australia and assist in the search efforts has currently raised more than $60,000.

The traveller appeared to be heading towards the Wake Up! hostel (pictured) north of town, where his passport and belongings were later found untouchedHer fingers were saved by surgeons at Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital

Australian news presenter Emma Alberici was rushed to hospital after getting her fingers stuck in a blender while trying to cleaning it

Television presenter Emma Alberici was rushed to hospital after getting her fingers stuck in a stick blender while attempting to clean it while it was still plugged in.

The ABC journalist underwent surgery at Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital on Sunday after the kitchen mishap.

Following her operation, Ms Alberici shared on Twitter that she had definitely learned her lesson.

'Advice: Don't put fingers in stick blender blade to wash it while it's still plugged in to the power,' Ms Alberici tweeted.

'Fingers survived thanks to the incredible work of surgeon & team at Prince of Wales Hospital.

'Forever grateful we live in a country so blessed with world class medical treatment.'

The ABC journalist underwent surgery at Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital on Sunday following the kitchen mishap

She also posted pictures showing off her bandaged hand and an image of the stick blender.

Social media users flooded her page wishing her a speedy recovery.

'Solid advice. Sounds horrendous... get well soon,' one person said.

'Ouuccchhh!!! Here's hoping for a super swift recovery. Glad you're doing well,' another person said.

And while most social media users sent messages wishing her well, some were not as generous. '

'That is something I would definitely have kept to myself,' one person said.Were going to keep looking for ways to improve our team, not just the defense, but Im not setting that aside either, Bowman said Sunday during a conference call with reporters. Its still early in the process here, so as far as whos going to be in our lineup on the opening night, thats a long ways off and thats not really the focus of the discussions we have right now.It's the kind of cracking inventiveness that Wallace and Gromit would applaud  watery waste from making Wensleydale cheese is to be used to keep thousands of homes warm.

When milk is turned into cheese the curd is separated from the whey, with the latter then normally thrown away.

But under a new arrangement, the Wensleydale Creamery in the Yorkshire Dales will supply thousands of gallons of whey every year to the Leeming Biogas plant, near Northallerton.

The Wensleydale Creamery in the Yorkshire Dales will supply thousands of gallons of whey every year to the Leeming Biogas plant, near Northallerton

There, the unwanted by-product will be converted into methane, using a process called anaerobic digestion, in which billions of bacteria break down the waste. Fittingly, this is exactly what happens in a cows stomach.

The plant has the capacity to provide enough gas to heat 4,000 homes.

Although the biogas will create carbon dioxide when it is burnt in home boilers, there is an overall benefit.

This is because when whey or other liquid waste is dumped as landfill, it slowly releases methane into the atmosphere  which is itself a greenhouse gas. Harnessing the methane also avoids having to burn fossil fuel gas.

David Hartley, of the Wenselydale Creamery, told The Observer: The whole process of converting local milk to premium cheese and then deriving environmental and economic benefit from the natural by-products is an essential part of our business plan as a proud rural business.

The whey residue left after the digestion process will be spread on fields to act as a soil improver.

Wensleydale  the favourite cheese of inventor Wallace and his dog Gromit  has been made in the area for almost 900 years.

However, its pioneers were Cistercian monks from the Roquefort region of France.Advertisement

Do you know where you want your ashes scattered?

I havent decided yet, but Ive just been to a contender  the winelands around Franschhoek in South Africa.

Its a staggeringly dramatic landscape, with vineyards blanketing the valley and rugged mountains rising up at the edges. Like Burgundy meets the Land That Time Forgot.

This is the view that greeted Ted on his first morning at Mont Rochelle in Franschhoek

Mont Rochelle is a hillside vineyard hotel on 39 hectares of land thats part of Sir Richard Bransons Virgin Limited Edition collection. Pictured is the hotel's rather lovely swimming pool

The views from Mont Rochelle just never get dull, so it's a 10 out of 10 for location

Lingering over breakfast on the terrace (pictured) is one of the top activities at Mont Rochelle

We were afforded a wonderful panorama of this most arresting environment at Mont Rochelle, a hillside vineyard hotel on 39 hectares of land overlooking Franschhoek thats part of Sir Richard Bransons Virgin Limited Edition collection.

On the first morning, I stepped onto the dewy grass outside our room just as the sun edged its way over the mesmerising block of cliff-style mountains opposite, illuminating rolls of clouds pouring over the edges... and I was smitten.

Franschhoek itself is also somewhat splendid  it's the food and wine capital of South Africa, crammed with restaurants of renown.

Its cute, too. Easily small enough to fully explore on foot and peppered with winsome wooden houses and boutique-y shops and art galleries.

So its a 10 out of 10 for Mont Rochelles location, then.

Ted feasted on a very good tasting menu in the main Mont Rochelle restaurant, Miko (pictured)

Rates at Mont Rochelle start from ZAR 5,000 per room (270/$340). It has 26 bedrooms

And the same mark for the greeting, courtesy of ever-beaming staff member Peter, who exclaimed welcome to your home when we disembarked from our hire car and excitedly brought us inside, straight to a brace of chilled white wines in the bar.

Our bedroom  one of 26 - was superb, too. A Cabernet Suite with a rather brilliant layout.

A king-size bed faces full-width glass doors and that stupendous vista I mentioned and behind it lies an open-plan en-suite, which features a rain shower on raised decking.

And because the two areas are separated by a chest-height divider it means you can take a shower and gaze at the landscape at the same time.

Ted's room is a Cabernet Suite (pictured). He is impressed with the design, which allows guests to take in the view while having a shower

Once dressed, I also enjoyed gawping at the geology while swinging on the hanging egg chair on the terrace.

Thats about as much energy as I ever expended at Mont Rochelle  life there moves to a mellow rhythm.

We flopped by the wonderful outdoor pool, lingered over hearty breakfasts on the terrace, feasted on a very good tasting menu in the restaurant, Miko, and quaffed wine.

Mont Rochelle makes its own, of course, and gets some critical acclaim (in the Platters wine guide, for instance). I can certainly vouch for the sauvignon blanc.

Franschhoek (pictured) is the food and wine capital of South Africa, crammed with restaurants of renown

But the hotel stumbles at the last hurdle to five-star-rating-dom.

For me, its decor is a just a tad too off-the-shelf' in feel, and the loo by the main restaurant was bland and functional, like a cheap chain hotel toilet.

What was I expecting? Maybe an ornate mirror and/or a quirky sink design. Something bespoke.

And we were disappointed by the cheap wine glasses. And shocked. Given that its a vineyard hotel and that Virgin has good links with Queen Elizabeths London vintner, Berry Bros, which supplies Virgin Atlantics business class wines.

Sir Richard, give Riedel a call and get some proper stemware in. Show that wine some love, for goodness sake.

Still, we didnt want to leave.

The magical sunset Ted enjoyed from the lawn at Roca restaurant on his very last night

TRAVEL FACTS Ted was hosted by the South African tourist board and Virgin Limited Edition. Rates at Mont Rochelle start from ZAR 5,000 per room (270/$340), per night based on two adults sharing a Shiraz room. Rates include daily breakfast, local taxes, complimentary selection of drinks and snacks from the minibar, a complimentary transfer service between Mont Rochelle and Franschhoek, as well as one complimentary wine tasting session per guest. For bookings call 0800 056 343, email enquiries@virginlimitededition.co.za and visit www.virginlimitededition.com/en/mont-rochelle for more on Mont Rochelle. Rating: Rating key: one star  poor; two stars  ok; three stars  good; four stars  very good; five stars - exceptional. For more on South Africa and all it has to offer visit www.southafrica.net. And for more on some brilliant local experts - including great white shark, wine and graffiti specialists - you can meet up with while you're there, check out southafrica.net/meetyoursouthafrica. Advertisement

And Franschhoek and its enticing eateries were partly responsible for the inertia.

We had a last night I would happily repeat every day for years.

The chirpy hotel manager booked us into a vineyard restaurant called Roca on the opposite side of the valley for our last-night meal, but we were handed laminated menus and there were multi-coloured lights in the dining room, not good omens for a quality meal.

So we opted to eat elsewhere, but not before drinking two very nice glasses of rose and standing on the lawn by Rocas vineyard totally mesmerised by the sunset.

The last rays of the day caressed the mountainsides as we sighed deep sighs.

It was just magical.

Then we jumped in a taxi and headed to a newish restaurant in town called Protege, which was a smash hit.

We had the tasting menu of dreams with a great pinot noir.

The next morning Peter was there to wave us off, as cheery as ever.

Virgin should find a way of bottling his joie de vivre.

And I should find a way of returning, preferably not in an urn.

Update: After this review went live, MailOnline Travel learned that the glassware at Mont Rochelle has been upgraded.Few things beat an outdoor swim under a clear blue sky and, while the UK can't guarantee sunshine, there's no need to fly abroad for the perfect pool.

By the time schools break up there will be more than 125 outdoor pools to dive into (with many open all year).

Here are ten of the UK's loveliest lidos to try this summer.

1. The Long Pool

Jesus Green Lido in Cambridge measures 90 metres long and 14 metres wide

Even Olympic pools look small compared to Jesus Green Lido in Cambridge. Built in 1923, it's an incredible 90 metres long and 14 metres wide. It's unheated, so only attracts crowds on super-hot days. When it's quiet at all other times, it's perfect for serious swimmers tackling the longest lanes in the country. better.org.uk

2. The Pool For Divers

Health-and-safety issues have seen diving boards disappear in recent years. But there are still three to try at Faversham pool in Kent  including a five-metre top board. The pool's great for children, with a lazy river and lots of shallow areas. But serious swimmers can normally get in some lengths as most sessions have some 33-metre lanes roped off from the crowds. favershampools.com

3. The 'Green' Pool

At the Chagford pool in Devon, the water comes from the local river and is warmed by air-source heat pumps and solar panels. The 33-metre pool was dug by hand in 1933 and is surrounded by trees and fields. Volunteers add lovely extras like a second-hand book sale, and you can get tea and home-made cake at the poolside kiosk. chagfordpool.co.uk

4. Pool With A Campsite

Cumbria punches above its weight for outdoor pools  it has five. Lazonby Pool in Penrith is the one to pick if you want an old-fashioned holiday. It has a camping ground next door (campers share showers with swimmers) and a river runs by it to add to its rural charm. lazonbypool.co.uk

5. The Big City Pool

Popular: Charlton Lido near Greenwich is one that attracts swimmers whatever the weather

London has a large number of outdoor pools, many with big sun decks so they get crowded on hot days. Charlton Lido near Greenwich is one that attracts swimmers whatever the weather. It's one of the country's few Olympic-size pools. It's heated and open all year. better.org.uk

6. The Rocky Pool

Head to Ilfracombe in Devon for something different: you get from the ticket desk to the pool by walking through a Victorian tunnel. When you arrive, the Tunnels Beaches pool is equally unique. Forget rectangular shapes in regulation blue. The tidal pool was hewn out of the rocks in 1823 and is rough underfoot. tunnelsbeaches.co.uk

7. The Architectural Pool

Gourock Pool in Scotland is heated and set so close to the Clyde that you can hear waves crash as you swim

The refurbished Gourock Pool in Renfrewshire, Scotland, is a must-visit for fans of 1920s architecture. The white walls and iron handrails mirror the sweeping curves of ocean liners from the golden age of travel. It's heated, and set so close to the Clyde that you can hear waves crash as you swim. inverclydeleisure.com

8. The Last Welsh Pool

Wales has seen many lidos close in recent decades, so swimmers are keen to support Lido Ponty, the last remaining example in Pontypridd. Community groups have helped refurbish the heated pool and keep its period features intact. On hot days you have to book online to guarantee entry. lidoponty.co.uk

9. The Salty Pool

Saline tang: The salty, 40-metre heated pool at Droitwich Spa

Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire is a 'brine town', set on so much salt that its natural waters could rival those of the Dead Sea. The local water in the 40-metre lido is heated and diluted, so it won't taste too salty when you dive in. wychavonleisure.co.uk

10. The Musical Pool

If there's one thing beats swimming under a bright sun, it's swimming under the stars, especially if a band is playing. That's the promise at Hathersage pool in Derbyshire, where there are night-time swims with music from the Victorian bandstand. The heated pool is open all year. hathersageswimmingpool.co.ukEvery week our Holiday Hero Neil Simpson takes an in-depth look at an important holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you don't have to. This week, he comes up with a four-step plan for taking your pet on holiday abroad.

There's good news for the nation's pets  a record number of owners say they plan to take their animals away with them this summer.

If you want to follow suit, here's how to give your four-legged friend a holiday to remember...

The paperwork

Channel hopping: A dog and owners prepare to head to France via the Eurotunnel

Pets need passports like everyone else when travelling abroad. Search 'pet passports' at gov.uk for official advice on how dogs, cats  and even ferrets  can get them. Dogs, for example, need to be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and treated against tapeworm to get their paws on the document.

Insurance isn't compulsory but it's important if you want to avoid high vets' fees abroad  and to cover the costs of returning your pet's body home if the worst happens overseas. If you have pet insurance at home, check if it covers you abroad (most policies don't). With insurers such as Saga, you can get annual travel cover for an extra 11.84 per pet.

The kit

Gone are the days when pets travelled in cardboard boxes on the back seat of the car. Today, high street and online pet shops have an array of carry-on bags, crates and more. Website petspyjamas.com sells a 44.99 'weekender backpack' with collapsible bowls, pockets for treats and up to five cups of dog food, while travellingwithpets.co.uk has a 174.95 ramp to help older animals get in and out of the boot.

The journey

British Airways allows pets to travel in the hold on some flights, while specialists such as airpets.com can help if you're travelling long distance

Pets rarely earn air miles as few airlines allow them in the cabin. Portugal's Tap is an exception  find out more at flytap.com. British Airways allows pets to travel in the hold on some flights (and Emirates actually allows falcons in the cabin on some routes), while specialists such as airpets.com can help if you're travelling long distance with more mainstream animals.

Eurostar won't take pets but you can take them on Eurotunnel as long as they remain in your vehicle. Ferry companies are more pet-friendly. P&O lets drivers take pets to France and back for 22 each way (you can't take pets as a foot passenger). On longer routes, such as Newcastle to Amsterdam with DFDS, you can book a pet-friendly cabin (it's got vinyl floors rather than carpets, just in case of accidents).

The hotel

A pet at the Trigony House Hotel where every dog gets a free sausage at breakfast

Wherever you go on holiday, you'll find hotels are increasingly pet-friendly. The boutique travel club mrandmrssmith.com lets you filter searches for pet-friendly hotels across Europe. A French favourite is the art-filled Domaine de Fontenille, an 18-room chateau in Provence where well-behaved dogs can stay for 18 a day and receive a dog bowl, cushion and the run of the hotel's extensive grounds.

Scotland gives an equally warm welcome to four-legged guests. Check in to the Trigony House Hotel near Dumfries, and for 9.50 a night extra, dogs are given a box of gourmet treats, a dog bed, bowl and towel. There are outdoor showers if it's muddy and dog reiki is available so they won't miss out while you're in the spa. Better still, every dog gets a free sausage at breakfast (trigonyhotel.co.uk).He found love with Tori May, 40, in November following his split from The Bachelorette's Sam Frost in 2016.

But Sasha Mielczarek appears to have recently split from the busty blonde, after they recently unfollowed each other on Instagram.

Sasha, 33, last appeared on Tori's page on February 8 after she shared a gushing tribute to him.

Over? Sasha Mielczarek appeas to have split from girlfriend Tori May (pictured together)

Split rumours: The pair no longer follow each other on Instagram, which has fuelled breakup speculation

'Come here you,' she wrote in the loving tribute to Sasha alongside a love heart emoji as they embraced and looked longingly into each other's eyes.

Almost two weeks earlier, the two looked a picture of happiness as they held each other lovingly while knelt on a beach in Byron Bay.

Tori showed off her ample assets in a yellow bikini top, while Sasha's ripped rig was on full display in a pair of board shorts.

Sasha's last post with Tori was on January 3 when he shared a smiling waterside snap of the pair.

'A little ray of sunshine and a pork chop with his shirt undone,' he wrote as he showed his bare chest.

On Saturday, the Gold Coast Bulletin published the headline 'former Bachelor Sasha Mielczarek is moving to the Gold Coast single'.

Smitten: In February, Tori shared a gushing tribute to her beau with a loved-up photo (pictured)

Couple: Sasha appeared to have found love again with his new girlfriend Tori May when he posted in November saying 'I feel extremely grateful to have such an amazing, caring and compassionate lady in my life' (photo pictured)

Couple: Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Sasha Mielczarek and Tori May for comment (pictured in January)

Article: On Saturday, the Gold Coast Bulletin published the headline 'former Bachelor Sasha Mielczarek is moving to the Gold Coast single'

A sign? The story is still visible on Google, along with a preview of the first line but the article is no longer accessible

The article appeared to confirm Sasha and Tori's split but has since been removed.

The preview reads 'the man best known for finding love on The Bachelorette is single again and preparing for a move to the Gold Coast'.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Sasha and Tori for comment.

Double date: In June last year, they enjoyed a double date with Kris Smith and his partner Sarah Boulazeris (right)

Sasha first rose to national stardom as winner of Sam Frost's season of The Bachelorette in 2015.

Sasha and Sam dated for 18 months before calling it quits in December 2016.

In May 2017, he told The Daily Telegraph their breakup left him 'absolutely heartbroken'.She played Fiona Gallagher on Showtime's Shameless for nine seasons.

And Emmy Rossum certainly had nothing to be ashamed of as she looked sartorially on point on Saturday.

The 32-year-old actress looked stunning in a stylish striped double-breasted blazer, as she was spotted at Los Angeles International Airport.

Well dressed: Emmy Rossum looked sartorially on point on Saturday

With an elegance most can only aspire to post flight, the Day After Tomorrow star looked fresh and fashionable as she teamed it with dark blue jeans.

She added black sneakers and a cream tote bag with her belongings.

The star covered her eyes with dark glasses and her tousled dark locks were in an updo.

Sartorially blessed: The 32-year-old actress looked stunning in a stylish striped double-breasted blazer, as she was spotted at Los Angeles International Airport

Luckily she had someone on hand to assist with her luggage, as she appeared to have at least three suitcases as they left the concourse.

Emmy was without husband Sam Esmail, to whom she has been married since 2017.

She tied the knot with the Mr Robot creator after two years of dating.

Got outfits? Luckily she had someone on hand to assist with her luggage, as she appeared to have at least three suitcases as they left the concourse

The USA Network show is slated to end after its upcoming fourth season, and Esmail already has new work ahead of him alongside his wife.

He and Emmy are working on a mini-series based on Gary Baum's The Hollywood Reporter expose of 1980s kitsch icon Angelyne - she of the massive platinum blonde hairdo and trademark pink Corvette.

Emmy, who just left her lead role on Showtime's Shameless after nine seasons, will play Angelyne and Sam will write the show, according to The Hollywood Reporter.They strutted down the runway once again in sparkly statement pieces for Versace's show.

And Bella and Gigi Hadid were getting ready to celebrate as they left the star-studded venue after walking the glamorous catwalk for Versace Fashion Week Men's show in Milan, Italy, on Saturday.

Bella, 22, looked phenomenal as she left in the same bold animal print co-ord that she arrived in, while sister Gigi, 24, left the show looking chic in a matching tailored suit.

Stylish: Bella, 22, and Gigi Hadid, 24, were ready to celebrate as they left the star-studded venue after walking the catwalk for Versace Fashion Week Men's show in Milan on Saturday

Bella paired the animal-print set, which featured silver buckles on the straps, with square toe patent leather boots.

And the model donned a pair of quirky, cat eye sunglasses linked with a gold chain around her neck and wore her brunette locks in a sleek straight style.

Bella was spotted leaving the event with her older sister Gigi, 24, who opted for a burgundy two-piece suit with high waisted trousers and a matching tailored blazer.

The older sister also kept her slicked back Versace fashion show hairstyle, but kept her look smart with a turtle-neck fitted top and striking black belt.

Chic: Bella looked phenomenal as she left in the same bold animal print co-ord that she arrived in, while sister Gigi, left the show looking chic in a matching tailored suit

Party time : Since leaving the show, Gigi has been spotted at the Isabel Marant after party, celebrating Milan Men's Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2020

The model sisters were joined by Stella Maxwell and Irina Shayk at the show, which took place at Milan's Fashion Week Mens.

Since leaving the show, Gigi has been spotted at the Isabel Marant after party, celebrating Milan Men's Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2020.

Last week, the duo were in full glam mode when they stormed the catwalk for LUISAVIAROMA in eye-catching ensembles.

It's been a busy few months for the catwalk darlings, as the duo have attended the likes of the Oscars, global fashion weeks and the CFDA Fashion Awards.

Sister act: Bella was spotted leaving the event with her older sister Gigi, who opted for a burgundy two-piece suit with high waisted trousers and a matching tailored blazer

Meanwhile their reality star mom - Yolanda Hadid - is currently enjoying a break on the beach in Tahiti.

The Hadid matriarch is very close to her daughters - so much so that in 2017 she bought a farm in Pennsylvania to be closer to her girls when they work in Manhattan.

The Dutch beauty, 55, is also mother to son Anwar Hadid, 19, with the youngest Hadid sibling also branching into the family business of modelling.

Fashion Week: The model sisters were joined by Stella Maxwell and Irina Shayk at the show, which took place at Milan's Fashion Week Mens

Runway queens: It's been a busy few months for the catwalk darlings, as the duo have attended the likes of the Oscars, global fashion weeks and the CFDA Fashion Awards

The men's Versace show also saw fellow models Stella Maxwell and Irina Shayk stun on the coveted runway.

Victoria's Secret Angel, Stella, 29, cut a striking figure as she flaunted her model prowess in a very quirky ensemble during the presentation.

Meanwhile, newly single Irina Shayk, 33, turned up the heat in a slinky, leopard print mini dress.

After party: (Gigi posed for snaps with Isabel Marant at her after party) The Versace collection was the brainchild of Donatella Versace, who made an appearance at the end of the show

Time to celebrate: (Gigi laughed with Isabel Marant) Several models at the Versace show sported androgynous looks with smart, tailored ensembles in shades of grey, blue and black

Friendly chat: (Gigi chatted with Isabel Marant) A more quirky style was seen in an array of outfits which saw a plethora of colours, patterns and materials

The sizzling show featured an array of eye-catching looks, which were part of the new Spring/Summer 2020 collection.

Several models sported androgynous looks with smart, tailored ensembles in shades of grey, blue and black.

While a more quirky style was seen in an array of outfits which saw a plethora of colours, patterns and materials.

Versace show: The sizzling show featured an array of eye-catching looks, which were part of the new Spring/Summer 2020 collection

The collection was the brainchild of renowned designer Donatella Versace, who made a glamorous appearance at the end of the show.

Donatella caught the eye in a bright, canary yellow shirt and brown and yellow zebra print flared trousers.

The fashionista looked delighted with the show as she smiled and waved to the audience after the success of her show.Mining magnate Gina Rinehart, 65, is releasing her first-ever cook book in Sydney on Monday morning.

And the guest list for the official launch reportedly includes few eyebrow-raising names, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

Married at First Sight Star Cyrelle Paule, 30, is rumoured to be attending with her Love Island Australia star boyfriend, Eden Dally, 26, 'to provide some glitz' to the event.

From MAFS' Cyrell Paule and Tziporah Malkah to Alan Jones and Bronwyn Bishop: Gina Rinehart's (pictured) surprising guest list revealed ahead of book launch. Pictured in April

2GB radio broadcaster, Alan Jones, will reportedly speak at the book's official launch.

Politician Bronwyn Bishop and I'm a Celebrity's Tziporah Malkah are also expected to attend.

Gina's book, Things We Love, contains her family's favourite dishes and she shares family secrets and traditions.

Guest list: Married at First Sight Star Cyrelle Paule, 30, is rumoured to be attending with her Love Island Australia star boyfriend, Eden Dally, 26, 'to provide some glitz' to the event

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, Hancock Prospecting manager, James Radford, revealed Gina's book was originally launched last year in a private release.

'The first launch was a private release of the book to celebrate National Agriculture Day last November. This second launch is to celebrate the public availability of the book through wilkinsonpublishing.com.au and booktopia.com.au and book stores nationally.' he said.

Gina reportedly chartered a yacht for the affair, and donated extravagant gifts, such as private time with Madonna and a week on an 86m super yacht cruising the Mediterranean to raise money for drought hit farmers.

Famous face: I'm a Celebrity's Tziporah Malkah (left) is also expected to attend the event. Pictured in 2018

Ready for a cyclone! Alan Jones with be in attendance at the Thing We Love book launch, a recipe book by containing dishes beloved by the Rinehart family.

In Things we Love, Gina takes her readers on a nostalgic journey with her accounts of growing up on a remote outback cattle station with her parents.

The book features several dishes by Gina's late mother, Hope Margaret Nicholas.

Rinehart writes in the book: 'Her roast beef recipe was one well immersed in beef fat dripping, adding, 'But absolutely delicious, and so were the tender roast vegetables, totally immersed in that dripping, and best I've tasted.'

The Hancock and Kidman Pastoral Properties' rank as two of the world's largest producers of prime beef.

Gina's father, mining magnate Lang Hancock, married Hope Margaret Nicholas in 1947, and had one daughter - Gina.

Lang and Hope remained married for 35 years, until she passed away in 1983 at the age of 66.Her female-led action series has just been renewed for a second season.

And Jessica Alba looked nothing short of sensational as she attended the 59th Monte Carlo TV Festival in Monaco on Saturday.

The Sin City star, 38, was joined by a host of famous faces at the event including fellow actress Denise Richards, 48.

Glamour: Jessica Alba, 38, looked nothing short of sensational as she attended the 59th Monte Carlo TV Festival in Monaco on Saturday

Jessica cut a glamorous figure at the bash, donning a bright orange dress with a v-neckline and puffed sleeves.

Coming complete with a belt and a pleated detail at the end, the actress also sported a pair of diamond earrings while she styled her brunette locks into loose waves.

Denise sported a red sleeveless dress with an a-symmetric finish while she added height to her frame with a pair of silver heels.

Jessica stars in the show L.A's Finest along with Gabrielle Union, who she walked the red carpet with at the festival.

Beauty: The Sin City star was joined by a host of famous faces at the event including fellow actress Denise Richards, 48

Stunning: Jessica cut a glamorous figure at the bash, donning a bright orange dress with a v-neckline and puffed sleeves

Outfit: Denise sported a red sleeveless dress with an a-symmetric finish while she added height to her frame with a pair of silver heels

Career: Known for roles in films like Wild Things and The World Is Not Enough, Denise has most recently starred in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Gabrielle looked in high spirits at the event where she wore a light green mini-dress with a floral print and a high-waisted ribbon bow-style belt.

Drawing attention to her look with large purple heels, the America's Got Talent judge completed her outfit with a dark green handbag.

Also among the guests at this year's TV Festival were Will & Grace star Eric McCormack who looked dapper in a grey striped blazer and light blue shirt which he paired with navy chinos.

Elegant: Jessica also sported a pair of diamond earrings while she styled her brunette locks into loose waves

Fashion: Gabrielle Union looked in high spirits at the event where she wore a light green mini-dress with a floral print and a high-waisted ribbon bow-style belt

Show: The actresses star alongside each another in the police procedural series L.A's Finest

Red carpet: Jessica sported pink eyeshadow and added height to her frame with red heels

Meanwhile, British actor Alan Cumming cut a stylish figure in a grey, white and blue horizontal striped blazer and matching trousers.

L.A's Finest is a police drama that follows two LAPD detectives (played by Gabrielle and Jessica) and serves as an off-shoot of the Bad Boys franchise.

The show marks Jessica's return to acting after she took a break from the industry to focus on her consumer goods company - The Honest Company.

Dapper: Will & Grace star Eric McCormack wore a grey striped blazer with navy trousers while Alan Cumming donned a grey white and blue striped suit

Speaking after her return on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon the actress said: 'I got to a point with the business where I was like I miss acting.'

She added: 'I have always wanted to be an action hero. I wanted to be Bruce Willis in Die Hard, I didn't want to be the girl getting saved.

'I wanted to be the one doing the action and the comedy and this is the first time I have ever read two women of colour that are starring in an action genre and it's really cool.'

Romance: The 100 actress Lindsey Morgan arrived to the festival with her boyfriend who she shared a kiss with on the red carpet

Star: Lindsey wore a white dress with an a-symmetric finish and light pink heels

Co-stars: Playfully sporting a sailor's hat, she was also joined on the red carpet by her The 100 co-star Richard Harmon

Glamorous: Shohreh Aghdashloo looked sensational in a black and grey gown with a sheer upper half and a striped detail

Back in action: L.A's Finest marks Jessica's return to acting after she took a break from the industry to focus on her consumer goods company - The Honest Company

Role: Gabrielle stars as Syd Burnett, an ex-DEA agent transferred to LAPD detective

Part: Jessica plays Nancy McKenna, a working step mom who is Syd's new partner in the LAPD

Comeback: Speaking after her return on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jessica said: 'I got to a point with the business where I was like I miss acting'

She added: 'I have always wanted to be an action hero. I wanted to be Bruce Willis in Die Hard, I didn't want to be the girl getting saved'

Following the TV drama's 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.

'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.'

Jessica married film producer Cash Warren, whom she first crossed paths with while filming Fantastic Four, in Los Angeles in 2008 and shares three children, Honor, 10, Haven, seven, and 18-month-old Hayes, with him.

Success: Following the TV drama's renewal, Katherine Pope, head of Spectrum Originals, said: 'We're thrilled has resonated with our subscribers in such a major wayShe is on the lookout for love after signing up for the latest series of Celebs Go Dating, five months after her split from Wes Nelson.

And Megan Barton Hanson looked worse for wear as she exited Ilford's Faces night club following a club appearance in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Love Island star, 25, struggled to keep her eyes open as she was lent a helping hand by a male companion on her drunken departure from the celebrity hot spot.

Oh dear: Megan Barton Hanson looked worse for wear as she exited Ilford's Faces night club following a club appearance in the early hours of Sunday morning

Earlier that evening, she was keen to show off her golden toned pins as she arrived at the venue.

The reality star put on a busty display in a tight black bodycon dress which flaunted a hint of underboob.

Megan looked sensational in an eye-catching black mini dress which showcased her golden legs and accentuated her enviable curves.

Bleary-eyed: The Love Island star, 25, was lent a helping hand by a male companion on her drunken departure from the celebrity hot spot

Wild night: The former stripper struggled to keep her eyes open during her booze-filled outing

Raucous: She appeared to engage in a lively conversation as she ended her night

Struggling: The TV star, who is set to appear on E4's Celebs Go Dating in the coming weeks, gazed at the floor as she strolled along the streets of the English town

Megan finished off her night out ensemble with a chunky gold necklace and contrasting lime-coloured nails.

The reality starlet tottered into the club and made a statement in sparkly stilettos, while accessorising her outfit with an embellished silver handbag.



Megan opted for a full face of makeup with dramatic eyelashes and pink eyeshadow. She also wore a nude glossy lipstick to highlight her plump pout.

Bold display: She showcased her ample assets in a black cutaway dress, teamed with sparkly stilettos emblazoned with Cardi B's phrase 'OKURRR'

Kooky: The glamour model pulled a strange facial expression as she held onto her pal's arm

Having fun: The TV personality couldn't contain her laughter as she grinned at her group of friends

Megan's night out comes after the reality star has been busy filming scenes for her appearance on Celebs Go Dating.

It has been reported the former exotic dancer is set to come face-to-face with her ex Wes, 21, on camera, with him allegedly also signing up to the dating agency.

The pair, who split after just six months together, are rumoured to be gearing up for a dramatic reunion at 'matchmaking events'.

Standing out from the crowd: Contrasting her dark ensemble, Megan sported neon green acrylic nails

Partying till the morning: The busty star wrapped her right arm around her friend's shoulder as she headed home

Off she goes: She wore her honey-blonde locks in a sleek and straight style

Megan is joining the likes of Lauren Goodger, Blue's Lee Ryan and Geordie Shore's Nathan Henry on the show, which sees them getting dating tips from experts Anna Williamson and Paul Carrick Brunson.

In a show first, relationship expert Anna revealed that Megan, who recently came out as bisexual, will date men and women on the show.

'If someone asks who are we to deny them,' Anna, who helps contestants find love on the show, explained to the Mirror.

In the spotlight: The Essex beauty rose to fame as a contestant on 2018's edition of Love Island

Home time: The Maxim star held onto forehead as she made her way to her next destination

What's going on here? At one point, Megan appeared to engage in a tense conversation

Cigarette break: She ended her night by puffing on a cigarette

Screen time: Megan looked pensive as she was engrossed by her mobile phone

Megan, who rose to fame after appearing on last year's Love Island, also recently revealed that she wants to have a Love Island threesome with current stars Anna Vakili and Tommy Fury.

She stunned fans with a lewd comment about Tommy as she watched his arrival in the villa, gushing he made her 'get so MF horny'.

In her column for the The Sun, the stunning blonde said the boxer, 20, was 'her cup of tea,' and she wouldn't mind a steamy encounter with the hunk, and pharmacist Anna, 28.

Glamorous: Earlier that evening, she was keen to show off her golden toned pins as she arrived at the venue

Underboob: The reality star put on a busty display in a tight black bodycon dress which flaunted a hint of underboob

She said: 'Although Amy and Curtis are my early winners for the series, I have to admit that Tommy is much more my cup of tea when it comes to looks - in fact, I quite fancy a threesome with him and Anna!

'I wasn't that keen on any of the boys to start with but when he walked in I was like ''Hold tight, hello'' - he is lovely.

'When I first saw the line-up I thought that Anna was absolutely beautiful, a curvy and stunning girl, but I do also have a bit of a thing for Lucie with her little phrases, I love her.'

A few too many: The Essex bombshell appeared slightly bleary-eyed as she posed for photographers outside the popular celeb haunt

Looking for love: Megan's night out comes after the reality star has been busy filming scenes for her appearance on Celebs Go DatingRight now hes pitching extremely well, Epstein said of Alzolay, who struck out nine and walked none in six innings of a 7-2 victory Friday night at Fresno. His curve has been as good as Ive ever seen in his last four or five starts. Hes getting a ton of swings and misses with it. Hes throwing very well with his fastball up in the (strike) zone. His changeup has come on, too.Married At First Sight star Cyrell Paule was nicknamed 'Cyclone Cyrell' due to her outrageous antics on the Channel Nine reality show.

And on Saturday, the 30-year-old lived up to the name while enjoying a wild night out as special guest at Playground Nightclub in Wagga Wagga, NSW.

The fiery bride was seen signing her autograph on bare breasts, as fellow guests flashed their lingerie and downed shots at the bogan bash.

Wild! Cyrell Paule (pictured) enjoyed a wild night out at a bogan bash in Wagga Wagga on Saturday

Taking to Instagram, Cyrell appeared to be the life of the party as the reality star shared a clip of hard-partying guests lifting up their tops.

The Sydney-based TV star was only too happy to autograph the chests of the fun-loving ladies, who appeared to be in awe of Cyrell.

In one clip, Cyrell was surrounded by a bunch of young women queuing up to meet their idol.

Wild! In one clip, Cyrell was surrounded by a bunch of young women queuing up to meet their idol

Sign here: Cyrell happily signed one woman's cleavage at the boozy bash

Cyrell looked to be in high spirits as she laughed and danced amongst drunken screams from fans.

The star later defended signing breasts in a post on Instagram

'For any smarta**es, those are called boobs ...Part of a woman's BEAUTIFUL body and we'll do what we want with them,' she wrote.

Racy: The star later defended signing breasts in a post on Instagram 'For any smarta**es, those are called boobs ...Part of a woman's BEAUTIFUL body and we'll do what we want with them,' she wrote

Party girl! Cyrell put on an animated display as excited guests tried to get selfies

In another clip, Cyrell panned over the gathered crowd of revelers who were clearly in high spirits as they stomped to Queen's anthem: 'We will rock you.'

'Wagga going off,' Cyrell wrote. Elsewhere, the starlet was pictured behind the turntables dancing at the nightclub's DJ stand.

The appearance comes after Cyrell was assaulted at a cafe in Shoal Bay last week.

Going off: Cyrell panned over the crowd party-goers, who appeared to be having a great time as the venue played Queen anthem We Will Rock You

Last Sunday, footage showed Cyrell being choked by a woman inside the Pelican Cafe in what she claims was an 'unprovoked and racially-motivated' attack after she was allegedly called a 'black monkey'.

Cyrell and Eden initially claimed it was an employee of Pelican Cafe who assaulted Cyrell - but the cafe's owner recently clarified that the woman is a regular customer and not a staffer.

Police are said to be investigating the incident.She spent the first two years of her marriage alone while he was in prison.

But on Saturday, model Samantha Harris, 28, enjoyed some quality time with her husband Luke, 33.

Taking to Instagram, the Indigenous model shared a photo of the couple cuddling up in a rare selfie.

Still going strong: Samantha Harris and husband Luke hunt cuddled up in a rare selfie shared to Instagram on Saturday

'Oh I love you Mr Hunt!, Sam captioned the snap, with the hashtag '#iloveyou'.

The lovebirds, who celebrated their fifth-year wedding anniversary in March, are notoriously private.

Samantha recently revealed to POPSUGAR Australia people often leave 'horrible' comments on her Instagram post

'There are a lot of people, with a lot of opinions, and some of them aren't very nice,' she said.

Together again! After spending the first two years of their marriage apart, couple Luke Hunt, 30 and stunenr Samantha Harris are making up for lost time!

'I've had some horrible things come my way, but I just take it with a grain of salt. It does hurt my feelings, but I'd rather them be saying it to me than a young girl that hasn't had as much life experience and can handle it.'

The couple have had a rough past couple of years after their involvement in a 2012 fatal car crash, which killed another driver.

Luke was driving above the speed limit and changing lanes, when their Commodore crashed into a Hyundai Lantra in Narraweena, on the Northern Beaches of Sydney.

Nasty: In an interview with POPSUGAR Australia on Wednesday, Samantha confessed people often leave 'horrible' comments for her online, 'I've had some horrible things come my way, but I just take it with a grain of salt. It does hurt my feelings, but I'd rather them be saying it to me than a young girl that hasn't had as much life experience and can handle it,' she said.

The crash caused the death of 78-year-old grandfather Kenneth Lay, and, as a result of the incident, Luke was sentenced to two years in prison.

Sam secretly married Luke in 2014, two months before he began serving his prison sentence for his involvement in the crash.

News that the couple had married wasn't revealed until April 2016, after her husband had finished serving his prison term.

The lovebirds chose not to make an announcement at the time out of respect for Kenneth Lay's family.Lady Gaga won over the critics and fans alike with her Oscar-winning performance in Bradley Cooper's 2018 remake of A Star Is Born.

But according to Liza Minnelli, her mother Judy Garland, who played the same female lead role 64-years earlier, would not have been sold on the movie initially.

'She would have laughed,' Minelli, 73, recently confessed to Entertainment Tonight.

First reaction: Liza Minelli says her mom, Judy Garland, might not have been sold on the 2018 A Star Is Born remake with Lady Gaga, but would have come around and 'gotten into it'

'And then she would have gotten into it,' she added, seemingly more accepting of the film's casting.

'I can hear her saying, ok, let's go! Great to the end!'

There have now been four renditions of A Star is Born throughout the years  in 1937, 1954, 1976, and 2018.

Garland starred alongside James Mason in the first remake, for which she was nominated for the Academy Award For Best Actress.

The 1954 version has been so revered that in 2000 it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library Of Congress as being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.'

Smash hit: Lady Gaga won the Oscar for Best Original Song with Shallow, whom she sang with co-star and director Bradley Cooper

Garland, who died in 1969 at the age of 47, did not win the Oscar for her portrayal.

As for Gaga, she went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song with Shallow, whom she sang with Cooper.

The 1978 remake of the film starred Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.

Acclaimed version: Minelli's mother, Judy Garland, was nominated for a Best Actress nomination for her role in the 1954 remake of A Star Is Born

Garland is set to have her life's story graced on the silver screen in the upcoming biopic, Judy, starring Renee Zellweger in the role of the Wizard Of Oz actress.

When asked about the film, Minelli praised Zellweger as a 'wonderful actress', and then offered some concerns for Rupert Goold-directed feature.

'I just hope they don't do what they always do. That's all I've got to say.'

The film will follow the late stars life as she she arrives in London for a run of sell-out concerts a year before her accidental barbiturate overdose.

It will open in theaters in the US on September 27 and in the UK on October 4.She has four new films in the can and currently in some phase of post-production.

So it doesn't come to any surprise that Elle Fanning has been enjoying a little down time in between projects.

On Saturday, the actress was spotted doing some afternoon shopping with her boyfriend Max Minghella in the trendy Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Down time: Elle Fanning enjoyed an afternoon of shopping with her beau Max Minghella in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon

The 21-year-old younger sister of Dakota Fanning looked summer ready in a bright sleeveless yellow dress as she and her beau casually walked down the bustling street.

At times they were playfully flirty with each other, holding hands, and even sharing a kiss.

The much-needed R&R was well received from the looks of the big beaming smile on the Maleficent star's face.

Summer ready: Fanning, 21, wore a bright sleeveless yellow dress and pink Outdoor Voices x Teva sandals

Helping to show off her toned figured, Fanning's bold number was cinched in at the waist with a matching tie-belt, but maintained a loose feel in the bottom portion.

She matched it with a pair of pink Outdoor Voices x Teva sandals and wore her blonde tresses long and flowing well past her shoulders with a part in the middle.

The British-born Minghella, 33, kept it casual dressed in off-blue pants, grey t-shirt and white sneakers.

He added a pair of dark sunglasses on this sunny Southern California day.

Getting real with her fans: The Maleficent star shared a photo on Instagram Saturday, highlighting her eczema breakout on her left shoulder

The actor, who is the son of late director Anthony Minghella, currently stars in the Hulu drama series The handmaid's Tale.

His resume also includes roles in Bee season (2005), Syriana (2005), Art School Confidential (2006), The Social Network (2010) and The Internship (2013).

Fanning is poised to have four film releases in 2019: the romantic drama All The Bright Places; Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil alongside Angelia Jolie; Woody Allen's A Rainy Day In New York, which had its 2018 premiere halted due to controversy regarding Allen and the Me Too movement; and the drama Molly, which also stars Javier Barden.

The Georgia native had just returned to Los Angeles after going on holiday in Mexico last week.

In demand: The actress, who just returned from a holiday in Mexico days ago, is poised to have four new films released in 2019



She became Australia's most hated woman after her controversial 'affair' with Dean Wells on Married At First Sight last year.

And after even receiving death threats from cruel trolls online, it seems that Davina Rankin has finally found her happy ever after.

The 27-year-old former TV star is now pregnant with her first child with partner Jaxon Manuel, with Daily Mail Australia taking a look at her incredible transformation.

What a transformation! A look at how former Married At First Sight star Davina Rankin transformed herself from Australia's most hated woman to finding her happy ever after

Davina made headlines last year when she appeared on season five of Married At First Sight.

After 'marrying' Ryan Gallagher on the controversial show, the former Zoo model caused a stir when she had an 'affair' with 'married' co-star, Dean Wells.

She was soon dubbed a 'villain' by the public and even received death threats.

Controversial: Davina made headlines last year when she appeared on season five of Married At First Sight. The former Zoo model caused a stir when she had an 'affair' with 'married' co-star, Dean Wells (pictured)

In March last year, the brunette beauty told the ABC that viewers of the show would flood her social media accounts with 'every slander word you can imagine.'

The online backlash began after Davina and Dean made a secret pact to leave their respective spouses - Ryan and Tracey Jewel - for each other.

But their affair ended in tears after Dean had second thoughts and chose to return to his wife Tracey. Davina and Ryan later both voted to leave the experiment.

Trolled: In March last year, the brunette beauty told the ABC that viewers of the show would flood her social media accounts with 'every slander word you can imagine' and had death threats

Davina told the ABC she found it 'crazy people believe so much'.

'They genuinely believe I had an affair on my husband. This was a guy I'd only known for a week, we're not boyfriend and girlfriend, let alone husband and wife,' she said.

Davina also claimed that people had actually threatened to 'punch' her if they saw her in the street.

The former Zoo model said that it was other women who were the most 'cruel'.

Former flame: Davina is pictured with 'ex-husband' Ryan Gallagher on their wedding day

Admitting she 'barely got out of this alive', Davina confessed she felt 'betrayed' by the show.

'They were looking for a specific person to fill my character's role,' she said. 'They already knew what they wanted from my character before they even met me.'

However it seems that Davina has finally found true happiness, being 18 weeks pregnant with her first child with boyfriend Jaxon Manuel.

The pair confirmed their romance in April last year.

Just last month, the pair announced they're expecting their first child together.

Her happy ever after! However it seems that Davina has finally found true happiness, being 18 weeks pregnant with her first child with boyfriend Jaxon Manuel (pictured)

'I'll tell you it's been a long three months keeping quiet for Jaxon and I, but we are so happy to finally be able to yell our exciting news from the rooftops,' Davina wrote online at the time.

She added: 'Our hearts are overflowing with love.'

On Saturday, the stunner shared a sweet snap of herself and Jaxon while cradling her bump and wearing a bright orange dress.

It seems her fans are thrilled, with one writing: 'You look amazing mumma.'

Another wrote: 'You look incredible babe.'

Over the moon! Just last month, the pair announced they're expecting their first child together

In her corner: On Saturday, the stunner shared a sweet snap of herself and Jaxon while cradling her bump and wearing a bright orange dress. It seems her fans are thrilled, with one writing: 'You look amazing mumma'Channel Seven's House Rules is no stranger to loss and tragedy.

But on Sunday night's episode, homeowner Graeme McPake and partner Mary sobbed as they spoke of how a fire gutted their Campbelltown home in November last year.

Fronting the teams, who will renovate their home this week, Graeme spoke of the heartbreaking loss, with living arrangements now splitting-up his young family.

Breaking down: House Rules home owner Graeme (R) and Mary (L) were left homeless after a fire ravaged their Campbelltown home in November last year. The family suffered again after heartless thieves broke into their home soon after. Pictured: Here with Johanna Griggs

Explaining his dire circumstances, Graeme said he had painstakingly renovated the house for the past three years for his four children.

Graeme has two older daughters Lily, 7, and Sky, 9, from a previous relationship, along with two children with Mary: Cole, 2, and Jade, 1.

'When we first moved in I had nothing. I was really pushed to the edge [financially]' Graeme said, breaking down in tears in front of the team.

'[It took about two to three years] to get the house where it was, I put a lot into it. Everyone was happy, I felt like a successful husband and father.'

Devastated: 'We lost all our possessions. Anything we didn't lose in the fire we lost to water damage, anything we didn't lose to water damage, we lost to exposure,' Graeme said

Graeme went on to speak about how the fire ripped through the home's top floor after a light transformer malfunctioned in the roof while no one was home.

'We lost all our possessions. Anything we didn't lose in the fire we lost to water damage, anything we didn't lose to water damage, we lost to exposure,' he said.

He went on to say he didn't have insurance on the house, meaning he couldn't afford a rebuild: 'I knew at that point my changes of recovery were slim to none.'

'I knew at that point my changes of recovery were slim to none': Graeme went on to explain that he wasn't insured with devastating snaps of the fire damage. Pictured: Mary

'You try to do the best you can. It's the expense of the insurance I thought': Graeme said rising family costs meant he couldn't afford insurance. Picture: Pictured: Mary

'You try to do the best you can. It's the expense of the insurance,' Graeme added, with Mary going on to say it was made out of reach due to family costs.

He continued: 'You weigh up the odds and think, 'what are the chances?' Well the chances really struck us. We paid the price.'

Three weeks after the fire, the home was targeted by heartless thieves who ripped ultrasound scans of the couple's daughter.

Emotional: 'Whatever we had remaining the thieves had come in and taken,' Graeme (pictured) said, with the contestants on House Rules

'Whatever we had remaining the thieves had come in and taken,' Graeme said, with the contestants becoming clearly emotional upon hearing the story.

The contestants were then sent into notable gasps after Mary explained her ultrasound scans for her daughter had been ripped in half.

Explaining how the family is 'displaced' at the moment, Graeme said: 'the two elder girls are with their mum through the week (so they can go to school).'

Cramped: Graeme explained that he was now living in his partner Mary's parents house, while his two other children were living with their mother

'We've got the two youngest ones and we are all staying in one room over at Mary's parents house.'

He finished: 'It's disrupted everything. It's pulled us all apart,' he said, adding that his older girls have missed his youngest daughter's first steps.

'We've missed Christmas. We've missed birthdays. All these little things that we have had planned. So bringing this house back together will bring us back together.'

House Rules continues on Channel Seven on Monday, 7.30pm.They appeared on the cover of The Sunday Times Magazine in April, in a joint interview about their on-screen partnership and off-screen friendship.

But, despite the humorous photo shoot that accompanied the article on April 7, Phillip Schofield is said to have been left seething since the piece went to print, after graphic designers chose to superimpose a crown onto Holly Willougby's head in the picture, splashing the words 'Queen Holly' underneath the image of the two of them.

The article's sub-heading evidently rubbed salt into this wound, as it read: 'How Holly Willoughby eclipsed Phillip Schofield and became Britain's hottest TV star.'

Usurped? Phillip Schofield is said to have been left seething after a crown was superimposed onto Holly Willougby's head on the front cover of their joint Sunday Times Magazine interview in April

According to The Sun, Phillip, 57, has been stewing over this for the past two months, even letting it get in the way of the The Morning Live event that he and Holly, 38, co-hosted in mid-May.

'To say there has been a bit of tension is an understatement,' a source told the publication. 'When the magazine dropped, Phillip was fuming that Holly had a crayon crown airbrushed on to her head while he was crown-less and pictured grumpily looking on in her shadow.

'Phillip was pretty peeved, to say the least  not with Holly but with how he had been usurped. For her part, Holly was also quite mortified and felt terrible. ITV, who set up the interview, kicked off and his team promptly received a letter of apology to smooth things over.

'Tensions spilled out into the Birmingham live event when Phillip was grumbling about it. It quickly became the talk of the set. Phillip basically stuck his neck on the line for Holly and got her the job on This Morning back in the day. Understandably, the whole thing was a bit galling.'

Defiant: Rumours aside, Holly was quick to take to Instagram on Sunday to honour Father's Day with a touching post to her pal

MailOnline has approached reps for the pair for comment.

Rumours aside, Holly was quick to take to Instagram on Sunday to honour Father's Day with a touching post to her pal.

'Talking of important men in my life on Fathers Day. Heres another one. My partner on the telly and one of my best friends in the world... love you @schofe,' she gushed alongside a snap of the pair sharing a joke together.

He replied, 'Awwww thank you bestie. Love you too,' before adding, referring to her husband: 'Happy Fathers Day to Dan.'

Chin chin! If tensions have been high, as this source suggests, viewers of the pair's daytime magazine show would never know it

Down the hatch! Just last week they were up to their usual tricks on This Morning, seen testing an array of flavoured spirits and getting merrier as the show went on

If tensions have been high, as this source suggests, viewers of the pair's daytime magazine show would never know it.

Just last week they were up to their usual tricks on This Morning, seen testing an array of flavoured spirits and getting merrier as the show went on.

Even before the segment began, Holly enjoyed a hilarious jig as she eagerly awaited testing the selection of spirits, before proceeding to try all manner of delicious beverages.

And despite trying the vast selection of drinks, one stood out from the rest, as Holly squealed with delight after trying a pineapple-spiced rum, before grabbing the bottle and screaming: 'That's one for the dressing room.'

Phil also seemed to enjoy the rum, saying it was 'too smooth' as he sipped it from a glass.

Yummy: The pair tested a range of delicious spirits during the hilarious segment, which left Holly dancing with excitement even before they had began

Yummy! At one point Holly joked she wanted to steal one of the bottles of rum 'for the dressing room,' while Phil said that it was 'too smooth'

The pair grew more and more giddy as the segment went on with Phil jokingly collapsing to the ground as they closed out the show, leaving Holly in fits of giggles.

Holly and Phil are no stranger to a boozy display on This Morning, as they famously presented the show in 2016, wearing the same clothes from a raucous night of celebrations at the National Television Awards.

The display also came just a day after Holly was left in hysterics when Lisa Snowdon accidentally invented the word 'electronicals.'

Going down! The duo grew more and more giddy as the segment went on with Phil jokingly collapsing to the ground as they closed out the show

Funny: Holly once again broke into fits of giggles as Phil ended the show in comedic style

Happy: Of course Phil and Holly are no stranger to boozy display on the show, as they famously hosted This Morning in 2016 after a raucous night at the National Television Awards

Try one: The duo were trying all kinds of strong flavoured spirits ahead of the summer season, and some left them grinning with delight

As Lisa went through each compartment of the case, she pointed out a netted bag where she said: 'That's good for all your electronicals.'

Phil quizzed: 'Electronicals?' which led Holly to squeal as she burst into a fit of giggles.

Lisa joked: 'Electronicals, I dont know what I am talking about there,' while Holly doubled over in hysterics as she laughed out loud and was unable to lift her head after hearing the word.

This Morning airs weekdays at 10:30am on ITV.She recently revealed she feels 'confident' with her natural B-cup chest after undergoing breast implant removal surgery.

And Charlotte Crosby appeared in great spirits as she joined boyfriend Joshua Ritchie for a yacht ride in Ibiza, Spain, on Saturday afternoon.

The former Geordie Shore star, 29, stood out from the crowd as she slipped into a hot pink one-piece, which highlighted her lean legs and slender waistline.

Fun in the sun: Charlotte Crosby appeared in great spirits as she joined boyfriend Joshua Ritchie for a yacht ride in Ibiza, Spain, on Saturday afternoon

The TV personality's high-rise swimsuit flashed a hint of her intricate flower tattoo on her right thigh, while it's low-scoop neckline complemented her new bust.

Catching the eye with her bold outfit, the reality star contrasted her look with a loose-fitting neon green shirt, which matched her manicure of the same shade.

The reality star opted for comfort in the footwear department as she strolled along the streets of Spain in a pair of black buckle sandals, before going barefoot for the Yacht Watersports experience.

Vibrant display: The former Geordie Shore star, 29, stood out from the crowd as she slipped into a hot pink one-piece, which highlighted her lean legs and slender waistline

Tatted babe: The TV personality's high-rise swimsuit flashed a hint of her intricate flower inking on her right thigh

Standing out: Catching the eye with her bold outfit, the reality star contrasted her look with a loose-fitting neon green shirt, which matched her manicure of the same shade

All abord: Charlotte and Love Island's Joshua, 25, joined their pals on the yacht

With her shoulder-length tresses styled into loosely-tousled waves, Charlotte displayed her natural tanned complexion with minimal make-up.

Meanwhile, Love Island's Josh, 25, sported a pale blue T-shirt and crown print shorts, before going shirtless on the watercraft.

Charlotte recently declared that she feels 'confident and normal' again after having her breast implants removed recently due to health concerns.

Cosy: The reality star opted for comfort in the footwear department as she strolled along the streets of Spain in a pair of black buckle sandals

What happened? Fellow Just Tattoo of Us presenter Joshua appeared surprised by something a pal said during their break

Focused: The CBB star appeared pensive as she was engrossed by her mobile phone

The stunner told New! Magazine earlier this month: 'I'm feeling great. It feels amazing. I just feel, like, normal again. 'I feel so much more [confident].'

She went on to state she wishes she had never gone down the rabbit hole that is plastic surgery.

She said: 'It's definitely changed my outlook. You shouldn't change things about yourself that you're happy with just to try to fit in. I was perfectly happy with the size of my boobs before I got them done...

'I got swept away by the pressure to make myself look perfect. I really wish I'd never gone down that route.'

Less is more: She styled her shoulder-length tresses into loosely-tousled waves for her casual outing

Sporty: Ex On The Beach star Josh, 25, donned a pale blue T-shirt and crown print shorts

Full relaxation mode: Charlotte went barefoot for the Yacht Watersports experience

Sweet: The couple, who have been dating for over a year, put on a loved-up display as Charlotte stroked her beau's back

The blonde went under the knife for a breast reduction because she had been experiencing pains in her breast.

She feared her life was in danger because she wasn't able to check her breast underneath the implant.

The television personality must wait until her wounds have fully healed to have a breast scan to rule out anything sinister.

Time off their schedules: The pair tapped into full relaxation mode as they rested on the boat

In a happy place: Charlotte recently declared that she feels 'confident and normal' again after having her breast implants removed recently due to health concerns

Details: The blonde went under the knife for a breast reduction because she had been experiencing pains in her breast

Ripped: Joshua displayed his washboard abs and toned upper body as he went shirtless on the watercraft

But she insisted that she is finally happy with her natural B cup boobs and revealed her boyfriend Josh 'loves' them.

She recently told The Sun: 'I am finally back to myself. I prefer my natural body. I was crazy to ever get those implants in. I am back to my natural normal boobs.

'I think having the implants out has made me realise that when I look back I was perfect without them. I have accepted who I am.'Horrified viewers reportedly 'walked out' of a screening of The Nightingale at the Sydney Film Festival last week.

News Corp claimed that the majority of the audience at The Ritz in Randwick felt the historical drama went too far with its graphic rape scenes, and left within the first 20 minutes.

However the film's director Jennifer Kent has come out in defence, telling Daily Mail Australia that she remains 'enormously proud'.

'I remain enormously proud': Director Jennifer Kent (pictured) has defended her film The Nightingale, after some viewers were horrified by graphic rape scenes and violence towards babies and children

'While The Nightingale contains historically accurate depictions of colonial violence and racism towards our indigenous people, the film is not 'about violence',' Jennifer said in a statement.

'It's about the need for love, compassion and kindness in dark times. Both Aisling Franciosi (the lead star) and myself have been personally contacted by more than a few victims of sexual violence after screenings.

'(They are) grateful for the film's honesty (and) have drawn comfort from its themes.'

Jennifer continued: 'I do not believe this would be happening if the film was at all gratuitous or exploitative.

Jennifer told Daily Mail Australia: '(The film is) about the need for love, compassion and kindness in dark times'

'We've made this film in collaboration with Tasmanian Aboriginal elders, and they feel it's an honest and necessary depiction of their history, and a story that needs to be told. I remain enormously proud of the film.'

Set in 1825, The Nightingale follows 21-year-old Irish convict Clare - played by Aisling Franciosi - who seeks revenge after violence is committed against her family.

During the opening 20 minutes of the film, Clare is graphically gang raped by a number of men.

And some in the shocked audience could not contain their rage, with one woman screaming: 'She's already been raped, we don't need to see it again,' according to News.com.au.

Further scenes showed extreme violence inflicted on babies and young children, as well as zoomed-in footage of rape and torture.

Some reviewers have criticised the brutal footage, with Johnny Oleksinski saying it 'will make you nauseous'.

Extreme cinema: Some viewers reportedly 'walked out' of a screening of The Nightingale at the Sydney Film Festival last week. Pictured: Aisling Franciosi

He wrote in the New York Post: 'Vacuum-packing a non-stop supply of rapes, deaths and beatings into more than two hours is needlessly punishing and comes at the expense of character and story.

'Constantly having to shield your eyes from horrible imagery - as the Sundance audience was - would seem to defy the whole point of watching a movie.'

'Kent subjects us to a disturbing frequency of rape scenes to the extent that it soon stops feeling like a jolt of brutal honesty and quickly becomes indulgent.'

He added: 'If we weren't aware of the historical atrocities committed by British soldiers across the colonies already, we certainly are by the fourth rape scene. What, then, of the fifth or the sixth?'

While the scenes prompted some people to walk out of the Sydney Film Festival premiere, others found it to be compelling viewing.

Historical drama: Set in 1825, The Nightingale follows 21-year-old Irish convict Clare (Aisling Franciosi), who seeks revenge after violence is committed against her family

'The Nightingale is essential Australian viewing,' one person wrote on Twitter. 'Breathless. Jennifer Kent is one of our great filmmakers.'

Another tweeted: 'The Nightingale is beautiful but brutal. Some nail-biting scenes, some had me shielding my eyes, and there was even room for comic relief. It's not for everyone, but it's a necessary film.'

In an interview with First Showing earlier this year, director Jennifer Kent revealed that production of the film was not easy.

'It really pushed me to my absolute limits as a human being. Anyone who was on that set will tell you,' she said.

Jennifer also took care to make sure the cast were coping with the psychological toll of filming such brutal scenes.

If you or someone you know is in a domestic violence situation, you can call 1800 Respect on 1800 737 732 or the Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63Earlier this month it was revealed Pia Miller unfollowed her fiance Tyson Mullane on Instagram following their rumoured split two months ago.

And on Sunday, the former Home And Away seemed to be feeling inspired as she penned an uplifting letter to herself over the weekend.

In a post shared to her Instagram story on Saturday, the 35-year-old vowed to make herself 'so proud' as she visited the monumental Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

Scroll down for video

'I am going to make you so proud': Pia Miller (pictured) pens uplifting letter to herself after unfollowing her fiance Tyson Mullane on Instagram...amid reports he 'moved out of their Sydney home after ending their engagement'

'To myself,' the Chilean-born starlet wrote in the recipient section of the letter.

'I am going to make you so proud,' Pia added in the message section of the letter.

Pia appears to have found the perfect healing balm following her rumoured split from Tyson - time out in the sun in Europe.

Fresh start: In a post shared to Instagram on Sunday, the 35-year-old vowed to make herself 'so proud' as she visited the Acropolis in Athens, Greece

It's over? Pia (left) and Tyson Mullane (right) have unfollowed each other on Instagram, two months after reportedly ending their engagement

The brunette stunner, who is currently holidaying in Greece, has shared a series of sizzling bikini-clad snaps from her Grecian jaunt on Instagram in recent weeks.

Posing on a pier in front of a serene water-side town, she flaunted her flawless visage as she stared wistfully into the camera with her chestnut-hued mane billowing in the wind.

Earlier this month news broke that Pia and her film producer fiance Tyson had unfollowed each other on Instagram.

Thank u, next! Pia revealed her flawless visage and a glimpse of cleavage in sultry holiday selfie after unfollowing her fiance Tyson on Instagram

Going solo! Pia recently jetted off to Greece alone and is yet to publicly address her rumoured break-up

Plunging in! Pia has been sharing bikini-clad photos to Instagram recently

The couple, who once featured regularly on each other's Instagram accounts, have not shared photos of themselves together for several months.

Pia last shared a photo of her fiance in September 2018. Meanwhile, Tyson last tagged the model in a photo back in 2017.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Pia Miller and Tyson Mullane for comment.

Last photo: The couple were last pictured together on Instagram in September 2018

In April, The Daily Telegraph reported that the couple had 'amicably' ended their 18-month engagement and Tyson had moved out of their Sydney home.

The mother-of-two has also been spotted without her engagement ring on multiple occasions in recent months.

Pia and Tyson first began dating in 2015, before publicly announcing their romance on Valentine's Day in 2016.

They got engaged 18 months later, in November 2017.Back when Lee was first ordained as a priest, he served from 1976-79 as an associate pastor at St. Christopher Catholic Church in Midlothian. He has since been assigned to churches in Oak Park and across Chicago. He has been pastor at Mount Carmel since July 2013.She has returned to the music industry and has even enlisted the support of her friend Kim Kardashian West.

And Paris Hilton ensured all eyes were on her as she arrived for the release party of her new club track Best Friend's Ass at sbe's Nightingale in West Hollywood, California, on Saturday.

The heiress, 38, slipped into a halterneck gold dress which boasted a plunging neckline and cinched in at the waist as she arrived for the lavish event.

Back in business: Paris Hilton ensured all eyes were on her as she arrived for the release party of her new club track Best Friend's Ass at sbe's Nightingale in West Hollywood, California, on Saturday

The Simple Life star oozed radiance and glamour as she walked through the crowds in her dazzling gown.

Letting her blonde locks cascade down her shoulders, Paris paired her dress with a pair of gold glittery heels and a matching gold handbag.

The socialite sheltered her eyes with a pair of large framed sunglasses and also donned a gold choker around her neck.

She completed her look with a translucent glove embellished with gold sequins and a statement ring.

Gold: The heiress slipped into a halterneck gold dress which boasted a plunging neckline and cinched in at the waist

Looking good: The reality star oozed radiance and glamour as she walked through the crowds in her dazzling gown

Lavish: Letting her blonde locks cascade down her shoulders, Paris paired her dress with a pair of gold glittery heels and a matching gold handbag

Speaking about her new single, which features Kim Kardashian West in the music video, to Sirius XM, Paris said: 'It's inspired by boss babes who roll the night and have fun and just get away from f**k boys. It's more fun to stare at your best friends ass basically.

'So it's a fun thing, making fun of social media and clubbing and guys who are just annoying.'

Paris' sighting comes less than two weeks after her former friend and current feud-mate Lindsay Lohan responded to being called 'beyond,' 'lame' and 'embarrassing' by the reality.

Earlier this month, Lindsay, 32, posted a throwback photo with Paris' sister Nicky - then another with Paris herself taken in 2005.

Alongside the photo with Paris, Lindsay wrote: '#beyond friends are true. Love @parishilton congratulations on your new song!'

Glamorous: The socialite sheltered her eyes with a pair of large framed sunglasses and also donned a gold choker around her neck

On an episode of Watch What Happens Live this month, Andy Cohen asked Paris to 'say three nice things about Lindsay Lohan.'

'She's...beyond,' said Paris haltingly after a long pause, and then eventually added: '....lame and embarrassing.'

Near the end of last year, Paris went on Andy's SiriusXM radio show and shared her thoughts on her friendship with the Mean Girls star.

'Back in the day we were friends' said Paris, before adding 'is just, like, one of those people I just don't really trust.'They were last seen paying a visit to rural Killarney in the Republic of Ireland.

But Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander were in rather more tropical surroundings as they soaked up the sun in Capri on Saturday.

The married couple relaxed in the stern of a small boat as they cruised across the Mediterranean during a rare public appearance in Italys Bay of Naples.

Goo times: They were last seen paying a visit to rural Killarney in the Republic of Ireland, but Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander were in rather more tropical surroundings as they soaked up the sun in Capri on Saturday

Michael, 42, looked relaxed in a grey T-shirt and shorts as he climbed aboard their modest boat, his features partially hidden by a pair of heavily tinted sunglasses.

Meanwhile Alicia, 30, was bang on-trend in a white T-shirt teamed with matching high-slung slacks.

Alicia and Michael made their public debut on the red carpet of the Golden Globe Awards in 2016 after meeting on the set of their film, The Light Between Two Oceans.

Low key: Michael looked relaxed in a grey T-shirt and shorts as he climbed aboard their modest boat (L), while Alicia opted for a white T-shirt and matching high-slung trousers (R)

Very nice: Michael sat back and admired the view as they cruised around the Idyllic Italian island

Things went from strength to strength and the pair went on to tie the knot in a romantic ceremony in Ibiza in 2017, with film director Steve McQueen among those on the guest list.

They have since relocated to Lisbon together, of which the actress told Elle: 'When I met my husband three and a half years ago, he had mentioned hed been to Lisbon and loved it, and I knew friends who were moving out there.

'And that was a time when I was just starting to feel really at home in London. But after Brexit I think I was like, "Meh, you know what, I want to stay in Europe."'

Cosy: Alicia and husband Michael made a rare cosy public appearance as they stepped out in Killarney, Ireland on Thursday

Meanwhile, Alicia has recently been busy filming for the movie Green Knight in Ireland.

The film, directed by David Lowery, stars Dev Patel as Sir Gawain - a knight of King Arthur's Round Table who accepts a challenge to behead the mysterious Green Knight.

It is based on a 14th century Middle English poem and is one of the most well known of the Arthurian stories. Erin Kellyman, Ralph Ineson and Barry Keoghan are also set to feature in the film.She's officially quit her job as a legal assistant to become a full time Instagram influencer following her stint on Married At First Sight earlier this year.

And it appears MAFS 'villain' Ines Basic is taking full advantage of her newfound Instagram-fame as she enjoyed a big night out in Melbourne with friends on Sunday.

The Bosnian-born beauty, 29, was seen flashing her new set of blinding porcelain veneers as she posed alongside a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne.

Something to smile about! MAFS' Ines Basic (left) flashed her blinding porcelain veneers as she enjoyed a big night out in Melbourne with friends on Sunday

The aspiring social media sensation, who boasts 161,000 Instagram followers, certainly dressed to impress for her appearance at Morris Jones Restaurant, Cocktail & Wine Bar.

The former reality television star showed off her toned arms and trim physique in a slinky cowl neck white satin dress while she held a glass of the French bubbles.

Ines appeared to thoroughly enjoy letting loose with her pals on the night as watermarks were present on the mid-section of her dress.

Perks: The MAFS 'villain' appears to be taking full advantage of her newfound Instagram-fame as she enjoyed a big night out in Melbourne with friends on Sunday

Dressed to impress: The former reality television star showed off her toned arms and trim physique in a slinky cowl neck white satin dress while she held a glass of the French bubbles

Late last week, Ines revealed she never has to work again thanks to her newfound Insta-fame.

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,' she continued.

'Instagram is huge, the power of Instagram is so massive... I just want to work for myself.'

Thrills and spills: Ines appeared to thoroughly enjoy letting loose with her pals on the night as watermarks were present on the mid-section of her dress

'I will probably never have to go back to a 9-5 job': Late last week, Ines (centre) revealed she never has to work again thanks to her newfound Insta-fame

Despite becoming one of Australia's most hated TV personalities earlier this year, Ines was able to walk away from MAFS with 161,000 loyal Instagram followers.

She regularly flogs products to her followers, spruiking everything from face creams and clothing to double-sided breast tape.

Ines has also indulged in a number of cosmetic procedures since finding fame, and she has no plans to slow down any time soon.

In an Instagram Q&A last month, Ines revealed that she's getting a boob job soon, along with more unspecified work.

Social media sensation: Despite becoming one of Australia's most hated TV personalities earlier this year, Ines was able to walk away from MAFS with 161,000 Instagram followers

'Will I be getting more work done?' she said. 'Yeah. I will be getting a lot! I'm getting my ti**ies, I'm getting a lot of s**t.'

In early May, she got a new set of porcelain veneers from celebrity dentist Dr. Dee.

Before that, Ines admitted to getting lip fillers and Botox, in addition to her regular spray tans.

Ines, a former legal assistant from Queensland, rose to fame as the 'villain' on Married At First Sight earlier this year.She shocked fans when she announced her departure from the MTV reality series, only to be pictured filming for the raucous show a few days later.

And Chloe Ferry ensured all eyes were on her as she was pictured on the set of Geordie Shore at Illegitimate Nightclub in Newcastle on Saturday evening.

Joined by her co-stars, including on/off beau Sam Gowland, the TV personality, 23, narrowly avoided a wardrobe malfunction as she slipped into a perilously plunging blue minidress, which showcased her ample cleavage.

Busy bee: Chloe Ferry ensured all eyes were on her as she was pictured on the set of Geordie Shore at Illegitimate Nightclub in Newcastle on Saturday evening

The reality star's bustier ensemble featured a sweetheart neckline and highlighted her surgically-enhanced curves.

Upping the style ante, the 2017 CBB contestant boosted her frame in a pair of pointed perspex heels, which flashed a hint of her hot pink pedicure.

The blonde bombshell maintained her glamorous display as she styled her tresses into a sleek and straight fashion, and opted for a full face of matte make-up.

Nailing the sexy librarian look, Chloe accessorised her appearance with a pair of square-framed reading glasses.

Ooh-la-la: Joined by her co-stars, including on/off beau Sam Gowland, the reality star narrowly avoided a wardrobe malfunction as she slipped into a perilously plunging blue minidress

Busty babe: Chloe made sure she wasn't flashing too much skin as she took a look her ample cleavage

In good company: She was joined by her co-stars, including on/off beau Sam Gowland

Her appearance for filming comes as a shock after she announced she had quit the show last week, amid rumours that her ex-boyfriend Sam, 23, had slept with a Love Island star days after their break-up.

A source told The Sun: 'Chloe has totally forgiven Sam and is giving him a second chance, it's been tough but he's begged for her back and she thinks they can make a go of it.

'She never really quit the show and just said that because she was feeling stressed and was under a lot of pressure, Chloe will be back filming with Sam next week.'

Standing tall: Upping the style ante, the 2017 CBB contestant boosted her frame in a pair of pointed perspex heels, which flashed a hint of her hot pink pedicure

Finishing touches: She opted for heavily-applied matte foundation, nude lipstick and false lashes

Sultry: Nailing the sexy librarian look, Chloe accessorised her appearance with a pair of square-framed reading glasses

Veteran and newcomer: Chloe appeared in great spirits as she joined new castmember Tahlia Chung

The insider added: 'The pressures of the show will be a tough test for her and him but if they can get through that, it would be a good sign for their future.'

Last week, Chloe, who has been part of Geordie Shore for four years, announced she'd quit. 'No I am not going back this series sorry x,' the blonde beauty claimed after a die-hard quizzed her on Twitter about her return to the next series.

The TV star and her ex Sam was also seen arriving at the nightclub with a separate group of pals, which included stars Nathan Henry, Tahlia Chung, James Tindale, Abbie Holborn, Beau Brennan and Bethany Kershaw.

Chloe joined the programme for the 10th series in 2015 while Sam joined after his appearance on Love Island back in 2017.

In good company: As well as Tahlia, Chloe also posed for a snap with Bethan Kershaw, Abbie Holborn and Natalie Phillips

Here comes the boys: James Tindale, Nathan Henry, Beau Brennon and Sam were also in attendance

Legs for days: Abbie, 21, showcased her lean pins in a leather playsuit, teamed with a sheer top

Patterns galore: Darlington native Nathan, 28, looked suave in striped trousers as he took a break from filming Celebs Go Dating

Working it: Beauty therapist Bethan, 24, displayed her abs in a sporty co-ord for her night out

Mere hours after their split it was reported Sam partied with a girl in his hotel room.

Sam reportedly invited pretty brunette Holly McConnell, 18, back to his hotel room in Walsall after meeting her outside a club Birmingham.

In a short video clip obtained by The Sun, Sam can be seen opening the door to his hotel room in his boxer shorts, with his unmistakable Chloe leg tattoo on display.

The allegation came shortly after claims emerged that Sam had romped with a Love Island beauty just a few days after Chloe ended their romance.

Letting loose: Bartender Tahlia, 21, stunned in leather shorts and an orange bodysuit as she showcased her wild dancing moves on set

Original castmember James, 28, has returned to the series following his departure in 2015

Out in full force: Civil engineer Beau, 25, looked dapper in an all-black ensemble, while barber Natalie, 28, stood out in a checked jacket and monochrome trainers by ConverseKarl Stefanovic underwent a hair transplant while on a six-week break from the Today show several years ago, according to his former colleague Richard Reid.

And the 44-year-old journalist may have invested in a follow-up procedure recently, if a rather telling photo taken on Saturday night is anything to go by.

Karl displayed several tell-tale signs of a fresh hair transplant at a charity fundraiser on the Sunshine Coast, including noticeably thicker locks and a suspiciously straight hairline.

 Slide me  Hmm! Karl Stefanovic displayed thicker, darker hair and a straighter hairline at a charity gala in Queensland over the weekend, sparking rumours he may have undergone a hair transplant. Slide right to see what Karl looks like now, and slide left to see him in May 2015

A close inspection of Karl's hair, in particular the top and front, reveals that it looks thicker and darker than usual.

Older photos of the Channel Nine star show him with visible thinning at the front, however this is no longer discernible.

The most interesting feature is the hairline itself, which is unnaturally straight. This is considered one of the hallmarks of a hair transplant.

Changes: Karl had a natural-looking, uneven hairline in his early thirties (left, in 2007). He now has an unnaturally straight hairline, which is considered a tell-tale sign of a hair transplant

Photos of Karl dating back to the late 2000s show that he once had a natural-looking, uneven hairline in his early thirties.

But somehow his hairline has straightened itself out over the past few years, leading to speculation he may have gone under the knife.

Furthermore, Karl's once-visible widow's peak has been replaced with a more box-shaped hairline.

Re-growing hair? Karl's once-visible widow's peak has been replaced with a more box-shaped hairline. Pictured left on October 16, 2008 in Sydney

While Karl has never admitted to having a hair transplant, he is understood to be on friendly terms with Dr Jennifer Martinick, who describes herself 'as one of the worlds leading hair restoration physicians'.

Two years ago, he was pictured with Dr Martinick at an event at Crown Perth. It's unclear if Karl was ever one of her patients.

Earlier this year, showbusiness reporter Richard Reid said that Karl took a six-week break from the Today show to have a hair transplant back in the day.

Specialist: While Karl has never admitted to having a hair transplant, he is understood to be on friendly terms with Dr Jennifer Martinick (left), who describes herself 'as one of the worlds leading hair restoration physicians'. Pictured at an event at Crown Perth two years ago

While a contestant on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, the U.S. journalist recalled the moment he discovered Karl's hair loss.

'So I go into the hair room, and this guy looks up and he's kind of balding... it was Karl Stefanovic without his spray-on hair!' he told his campmates.

'He has spray-on hair?' Gogglebox star Angie Kent replied in shock.

'Yep! And then he went away and got hair plugs. He had one of those six-week vacations and came back with [makes gesture for hair plugs],' Richard responded.

'And he still used the spray-on until it filled in.'

Bombshell: Earlier this year, showbusiness reporter Richard Reid (pictured) said that Karl took a six-week break from the Today show to have a hair transplant back in the day

In 2017, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Karl underwent a 'subtle hair transplant' because he was feeling the 'pressure' to look younger.

The publication claimed he had the procedure a few years prior to cover thinning at the front and top.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Karl Stefanovic's representatives for comment.They celebrated their wedding in a stunning three-day ceremony in Morocco this April.

And newlyweds Idris and Sabrina Elba appeared smitten with each other as they prepared to jet off the party island of Ibiza on Sunday following a romantic getaway.

The Luther actor, 46, appeared in high spirits as he and new wife Sabrina, 29, exchanged a kiss and locked hands before preparing to fly back home.

Newlyweds: Idris, 46, and Sabrina Elba, 29, appeared smitten with each other as they prepared to jet off the party island of Ibiza on Sunday following a romantic getaway

Idris paired his pastel green T-shirt with khaki shorts and black trainers as he walked through the airport with Sabrina.

Sweeping her raven locks back into a bun, the former Miss Vancouver also opted for a casual ensemble in loose fitting ankle-length black trousers and a black sweater that featured white writing on the front.

During their break away, Idris was also spotted baring his chiselled abs after emerging on the balcony of his hotel room with a white towel wrapped around his waist.

Earlier this month it was revealed that the couple would grace the cover of British Vogue's Bridal Issue in July and offer a glimpse of their idyllic wedding at Morocco's Ksar Char Bagh hotel in front of 150 guests.

A kiss: The Luther actor appeared in high spirits as he and new wife Sabrina exchanged a kiss and locked hands before preparing to fly back home

Chiselled: During their break away, Idris was also spotted baring his chiselled abs after emerging on the balcony of his hotel room

Speaking about his decision to marry former beauty queen Sabrina Idris said: 'We've been literally inseparable since we met. Inseparable.

'You know, I'm 47 this year, been married and lived a full life before I even met Sabrina. It wasn't something that I wanted to do, get married again. But'

He added: 'Sabrina has deepened friendships with people I've known longer than [her], nurturing the best side of me to make me connect to my friends more.'

The British actor met Sabrina on the set of The Mountain Between Us in 2017 before going on to make his first red carpet appearance with her at the Toronto International Film Festival later that year.

Happy couple: The British actor met Sabrina on the set of The Mountain Between Us in 2017

Idris was previously married to Hanne Norgaard, with whom he shares daughter Isan, 17, and Sonya Nicole Hamlin.

The actor also shares a five-year-old son with his ex Naiyana Garth.

In February, Idris decided to pop the question to Sabrina ahead of a screening of his film Yardie at Rio cinema, Dalston.

Rio Cinema later confirmed the proposal on its Twitter account, writing: 'Another riocinema first! Still 5 days to Valentines Day but Idris Elba went down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend live on stage this morning before a preview of his film.'

Speaking about the early days of their relationship to People Magazine Idris said: 'Falling in love while making a movie about falling in love is pretty special.'She's been maintaining with her work duties while her boyfriend Iain Stirling narrates ITV2 dating series Love Island in Majorca.

And Laura Whitmore kept up with her presenting schedule as she was pictured entering the BBC Radio 5 Studios in London , England, on Sunday morning.

And

The Irish host, 34, showcased her edgy style sense as she stepped out in a khaki green distressed jacket, embellished with a huge Guns N' Roses logo.

Busy bee: Laura Whitmore kept up with her presenting schedule as she was pictured entering the BBC Radio 5 Studios in London, England, on Sunday morning

Accentuating her lean legs, the former MTV News presenter sported a pair of off-black skinny jeans, tied in with zipped ankle boots.

The Strictly star took a walk on the wild side with her choice of accessories as she toted an animal print handbag, which carried a personalised Love Island water bottle.

Laura dressed her tresses into loose waves while her beauty was enhanced with light strokes of foundation and vampy red lipstick.

Standing tall: Accentuating her lean legs, the former MTV News presenter sported a pair of off-black skinny jeans, tied in with zipped ankle boots

Solo: The Strictly star is without boyfriend Iain Stirling while he narrates the latest series of Love Island in Majorca, but her suitcase suggested she may well be paying him a flying visit

The presenter is currently without boyfriend Iain, 31, while he films the latest series of Love Island in Majorca, but her suitcase suggested she may well be paying the Scottish comedian a flying visit.

In March last year, Iain 'happily' admitted that he was punching above his weight by developing a romance with the blonde beauty.

Speaking on the Chris Ramsey Show, host Chris said: 'People tell you, and I do not agree with this and I hate it when people say this to blokes, people tell you youre punching above your weight, and I dont like that.

'One, youre a good looking lad. I find it underhanded. I find it snide. Its basically someone going, Id f*** your girlfriend, and I dont like it. I dont like it at all. And I dont think youre punching above your weight. I think youre a beautiful man.

A present from Iain? Laura took a walk on the wild side with her choice of accessories as she toted an animal print handbag, which carried a personalised Love Island water bottle

But the comedian admitted he was unfazed by the comments, because he agrees with them.

'I dont mind it, because it just means Ive done better haven't I?' he said. 'I've got someone who's like me, but much, much better. And Lauras got someone whos like her, but much worse.

'I think Ive done quite well out of it, but Im dead happy because she's lovely and stuff.'Lisa Wilkinson was left red-faced and momentarily speechless on Sunday's The Project.

Co-host Tommy Little, 34, joined the show live via satellite from London, and was seen riding naked on a bike with his manhood censored.

After failing to comprehend what a passer-by meant by saying, 'He's a grower, not a shower,' the comedian quipped: 'I think it means I've got a small c**k, Lis.'

'I'm done!' The VERY X-rated remark on The Sunday Project that had co-host Lisa Wilkinson (pictured with Waleed Aly) speechless

Sunday's episode of The Project saw Tommy joining the show from London, having attended the final show of the Spice Girls' UK tour.

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The outspoken lad also shared footage of himself riding naked on a bike in London, with fellow riders.

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While his manhood was censored, Tommy recalled how a woman on the street had commented: 'One woman, she was heckling from the side, yelled, "He's a grower, not a shower!"

'I'm not quite sure what that means,' responded Lisa, to which Tommy quipped: 'I think it means I've got a small c**k, Lis.'

Manhood: Tommy Little (pictured), 34, joined the show via live satellite from London, and recalled how a passer-by had commented on his manhood: 'He's a grower, not a shower!'

Lisa was mortified by her own gaffe, burying her head in her hands on live TV.

Eventually regaining her composure, she told her fellow co-hosts: 'I'm done!'

'How good's live TV? I know Tommy Little well, why did I do that? Next time, stop me before I kill again.'

Tommy flew to London to attend the final show of the Spice Girls' UK tour with co-host Carrie Bickmore.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Tommy shared a photo of the pair in the crowd at Wembley Stadium.

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In his trademark humour, he wrote in the caption: 'Thanks so much for coming out to see us tonight Wembley! (P.s Spice Girls are touring Australia early next year, you heard it here).'She recently starred as Ann Deever in an adaptation of Arthur Miller's All My Sons.

And Jenna Coleman stunned in glittering floral co-ords as she leads the stars at the Cartier Queen's Cup final in Windsor on Sunday.

The Victoria star, 33, looked stylish in the lilac skirt and blouse, which featured three-quarter sleeves and a modest side split.

Gorgeous: Jenna Coleman, 33, stunned in glittering floral co-ords on Sunday as she joined Poldark star Eleanor Tomlinson at the Cartier Queen's Cup final in Windsor

Stylish: The Victoria star looked stylish in the lilac skirt and blouse, which featured three-quarter sleeves and a modest side split

She paired her sequined co-ord with pale pink open-back heels, and opted to wear her brunette locks tied back in a loose ponytail.

And, never one to forgo the glamour, the Doctor Who star donned a flawless face of makeup finished off with a dusty rose lip.

Eleanor, 27, put on a leggy display in an elegant black skirt, which featured a daring thigh-split on her right side.

Glam: Jenna wore statement gold earrings and a matching ring set for the star-studded event

Chic: Eleanor Tomlinson, 27, put on a leggy display in an elegant black skirt, which featured a daring thigh-split on her right side

Guests: Eleanor and Jenna each enjoyed a glass of white wine as they sat beside each other at the star-studded event

Sophisticated: The Doctor Who star donned a pair of gold framed sunglasses as she watched the polo

Stars: Jenna was joined by Leomie Anderson, Neelam Gill and Ed Westwick for the royal occasion

The actress, who is also known for her role as Princess Isabelle in Jack the Giant Slayer, paired her midi skirt with a high-neck, capped sleeve blouse.

And the beauty opted for open toe, knee high stiletto heeled boots for the hotly-anticipated conclusion of the polo tournament.

The Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging star wore her auburn locks in loose waves, tucked back behind her ears, and completed her look with delicate silver hoop earrings.

Eleanor was joined at the event by television presenter Maya Jama, who wore a dark grey, flared leather skirt and a simple white blouse.

Elegant: The actress, who is also known for her role as Princess Isabelle in Jack the Giant Slayer, paired her midi skirt with a high-neck, capped sleeve blouse

Bold: The beauty opted for grey open toe, knee high stiletto heeled boots for the hotly-anticipated conclusion of the polo tournament (Pictured with Laurent Feniou)

Chic: Eleanor later threw on an elegant navy coat with tan arm panels as the night drew closer

Delicate: The Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging star wore her auburn locks in loose waves, tucked back behind her ears, and completed her look with delicate silver hoop earrings

Grin: The auburn beauty grins as she smooths her hair in the grandstand at Windsor

Family affair: Eleanor was joined by her brother Ross, who is also an actor, at the event

Royal arrival: Queen Elizabeth II arrived at The Cartier Queen's Cup Final 2019 in a vibrant pink coat and a matching floral hat

The beauty, 24, completed her look with nude, woven heels and opted to tie her hair in a side braid.

Model Amber Le Bon, 29, actress Anna Brewster, 33, and Eleanor's Poldark co-star Josh Whitehouse, 29, were also spotted arriving at the tournament.

Jenna's glamorous appearance comes after she insisted she and boyfriend Tom Hughes never take their characters from Victoria home with them.

Glam: Eleanor was joined at the event by television presenter Maya Jama, who wore a dark grey, flared leather skirt and a simple white blouse

Model behaviour: Maya, 24, completed her look with nude, woven heels and opted to tie her hair in a side braid

Star: Model Amber Le Bon, 29, also attended the event in a nude and black patterned dress

Silk: Jodie Kidd was also in attendance in a gorgeous gold silk dress with a daring split in the centre of the skirt

Floral: Actress Kelly Eastwood opted for a floral kimono and lilac, patent leather boots

The actress stars as Queen Victoria in the series while Tom, 32, plays her other half Prince Albert. It was a case of life imitating art for the pair who began dating in 2016 after they met on set.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Jenna said: 'No, I definitely do not go home and play Queen Victoria, I want to make that clear.

'But I really enjoy the company of her, if that makes sense. There's a lovely familiarity, and getting to know them as a couple has been a real joy.'

Dramatic: Actress Anna Brewster, 33, cut a dramatic figure in an elegant, all black ensemble with a hat by Awon Golding

Pose: Jenna's glamorous appearance comes after she insisted she and boyfriend Tom Hughes never take their characters from Victoria home with them (Pictured, Emily Beecham wearing Ana Sekularac)

Stunning: Emily donned a pair of tinted, round lens sunglasses as she posed ahead of the event

Suave: Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick donned a blue and white pinstripe suit for the occasion

Quizzed whether Tom keeps up his German accent around the house, Jenna looked horrified and exclaimed, 'No... No, no.'

Jenna also revealed she often worked 14-hour days on the set of Victoria and struggled to find time to exercise.

However, she regularly does yoga and is conscious of her health after she became ill while filming the first series.

Lace look: Author Jasmine Hemsley wore a beautiful white lace gown with cape detailing around the shoulders

Bold: Victoria Pendleton, 38, wore a bold, diamond print blouse paired with a flowing skirt

Pals: The Jack the Giant Slayer star embraces Victoria at the Windsor Great Park, Egham eventBen Lyall and his girlfriend of just one year, Christie Cassar entered The Super Switch to put their relationship to the test by swapping partners.

Now questions are being raised as to whether the former Bachelorette star, 35, is on the show for love or fame after he revealed he signed up for the experiment so Christie, 28, could 'experience a reality dating series'.

Ben, who appeared on Georgia Love's season of the Channel 10 dating franchise back in 2016 told Now To Love this month: 'I just wanted her to also experience it.'

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For love or fame? The Bachelorette's Ben Lyall (left) revealed he signed up for The Super Switch so his girlfriend Christie Cassar (right) could 'experience a reality dating series'

'It was like an amazing emotional journey. It was so surreal and you know it was like an exciting time - doing media and just the production and everything,' he added.

The very short duration of the pair's romance - just a year - has also raised eyebrows.

A spokesperson for Channel Seven told The Daily Telegraph on Monday Ben and Christie's short-term relationship was not a concern in the casting process.

'I wanted her to experience reality TV!' Ben, who appeared on Georgia Love's season of the Channel 10 dating franchise in 2016, told Now To Love this month: 'I just wanted her to also experience it'. The very short duration of the pair's romance - just a year - also raised eyebrows

The property developer appears to be thoroughly enjoying his time back in the spotlight as he's already been involved in several risque scenes on the show.

During last week's premiere, Ben was seen modelling kinky underwear for his girlfriend in a bizarre and cringe-worthy scene.

Ben almost suffered an X-rated wardrobe malfunction while dressing up in revealing fetish undies for his horrified girlfriend, Christie.

Look away! The property developer appears to be thoroughly enjoying his time back in the spotlight as he's already been involved in several risque scenes on the show

Cheeky! During last week's premiere, Ben was seen modelling kinky underwear for his girlfriend in a bizarre and cringe-worthy scene

The items he wore included a black leather jockstrap that ties up at the front, a Borat-inspired mankini with a pompom on the crotch, and a 'bulge pouch' G-string that revealed his hairless nether-regions.

Instead of being embarrassed by his outrageous display, the 34-year-old looked more than happy to flaunt his muscular physique.

Christie was less impressed, shrieking: 'No! Get it off, you creep!'

Horrified: Christie was less impressed, shrieking: 'No! Get it off, you creep!'

The following day, Channel Seven released even more footage of the raunchy moment that was presumably too hot for TV.

Christie and Ben have swapped partners with engaged couple Olga Tori and Tyler Franko, who hail from Canada.

The Super Switch, which is a supersized version of Seven Year Switch, sees troubled couples putting their relationships to the test by swapping partners.President Donald Trump said he will not work with the Democrats until they stop investigating him. When former President Bill Clinton was in office, some lawmakers called on him to be impeached but he continued to work and passed several bills. The country also had a surplus budget during that time. Trump is putting his personal feelings over his job when his job is to be president of this country.He is reprising his role as Sheriff Woody in the fourth instalment of the beloved Toy Story franchise.

And Tom Hanks, 62, lived up the his Hollywood leading man status as he arrived in style to the European premiere of Toy Story 4 in London on Sunday afternoon.

The star spoke exclusively to MailOnline on the red carpet about the series' new addition, Keanu Reeves  confessing that while he thought his casting as Duke Caboom was 'the greatest idea ever' he never actually got a change to hang out with him due to the 'lonely filming process.'

Hollywood icon: Tom Hanks, 62, spoke exclusively to MailOnline as he arrived in style to the European premiere of Toy Story 4 in London on Sunday afternoon

Speaking to MailOnline at the event, Tom said: 'We never get to see each other when he make these movies.

'The first time I was told Keanu was going to be in it, I was told there was this new character called Duke Caboom and I just thought 'That's the greatest idea I've ever heard'.'

He went on to reveal the film's actors 'don't meet each other until the movie comes out', and admitted voice acting can be 'a very lonely process'.

'Greatest idea': Tom said it was the 'greatest idea he had heard' when he discovered Keanu Reeves, 54, would be appearing as Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4 (Pictured at the LA premiere)

Process: Tom told MailOnline the film's actors 'don't meet each other until the movie comes out', and admitted voice acting can be 'a very lonely process'

Speaking out: Tom said: 'It's a very lonely process. The recording process takes about five hours because you have to get to these emotional places on microphone'

Brief encounters: The actor added: 'You stumble out of the session the next person coming into the session might be Tim Allen and you have about five minutes of 'How's it going?''

Tom said: 'It's a very lonely process. The recording process takes about five hours because you have to get to these emotional places on microphone.

'Then when that's done you stumble out of the session the next person coming into the session might be Tony Hale or Tim Allen and you have about five minutes of 'How's it going?'

'But you don't really get to see what they've done until the movie is finished.'

Meanwhile, the director of Toy Story, Josh Cooley, couldn't resist gushing about about Tom.

Stylish: The Saving Private Ryan star looked effortlessly stylish in a faded blue PAIGE jacket and black skinny jeans as he greeted fans at the star-studded event

Adoring fans: Tom, who has voiced Toy Story's leading character Sheriff Woody since 1995, completed his look with a pair of clear frame, tinted glasses

He enthused exclusively to MailOnline: 'He is as nice, gracious and normal as you'd hope we would be.'

Speaking about Tom gelling with Keanu, Josh explained: 'It was so fun to watch. They don't really record together but it's fun to see them all hang out at these events. If they had a show together, I'd watch that!'

The film - which will be released in the UK and US on June 21 - stars the voices of Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear and Christina Hendricks as Gabby Gabby, as well as Joan Cusack, Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, and the late Don Rickles.

When Andy (Jack McGraw), all grown-up and going to college, handed his toys to a little girl named Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) in Toy Story 3, it was deemed the perfect end to the series, which kicked off in 1995, followed by films in 1999 and 2010.

The new film picks up where the last one left off, with Woody, Buzz and their old friends in the hands of Bonnie. But there's a new toy to contend with, Forky (Tony Hale), a 'spork' made by Bonnie with pipe cleaners for arms.

You've got a friend: The Forrest Gump star was later seen embracing an actor in costume as his character, Woody

Double take: The film - which will be released in the UK and US on June 21 - also stars the voices of Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear and Christina Hendricks as Gabby Gabby

Understandably, Forky's undergoing an identity crisis: he's not a toy  he's a fork and a spoon combined. While he considers himself a disposable utensil, to Bonnie he's a plaything.

Meanwhile, there's the small matter of tracking down Woody's lost love Bo-Peep, who in between Toy Story 2 and 3 has been sold and is found in an antiques shop fending off a horde of ventriloquist dummies.

This triggers the road trip buddy movie, with Pixar describing the film as a 'standalone' that is half adventure, half love story.Bella Thorne was spotted Sunday arriving at Los Angeles International Airport.

The actress and author was recently in New York promoting her new collection of poems The Life of a Wannabe Mogul: Mental Disarray.

She went for a cozy yet opulent travel style, sporting a white hoody and matching sweatpants with a pink cross-body Chanel bag.

Jetsetter: Bella Thorne was spotted Sunday arriving at Los Angeles International Airport

Thorne, 21, pulled her hood over her head and checked her phone as she left the terminal.

Just yesterday, the Assassination Nation actress took to Twitter with her own nude photos.

She posted the images in response to a hacker she claimed was threatening to leak them.

She wrote with the images: 'F*ck you and the power you think you have over me. I'm gonna write about this in my next book.'

Bookish: The actress and author was recently in New York promoting her new collection of poems The Life of a Wannabe Mogul: Mental Disarray

Travel style: She went for a cozy yet opulent travel style, sporting a white hoody and matching sweatpants with a pink cross-body Chanel bag

She also posted a statement via a Notes app screenshot: 'For too long, I let a man take advantage of me over and over, and I'm f*cking sick of it.'

Thorne recently revealed that her rapper ex-boyfriend Mod Sun, 32, won't return her passport, which has caused some hiccups in her career.

She said on SiriusXM's Jenny McCarthy Show: 'I just recently missed this big work opportunity I had because of this passport situation.'

Leaked: Just yesterday, the Assassination Nation actress took to Twitter with her own nude photos after she claimed a hacker threatened to leak them

But Sun claims he has been nothing but cooperative and that he was in Florida when she tried to get her passport back at the last minute from his house in Los Angeles.

He told TMZ: 'She called me two months after we broke up and said, "Hey, I think I left my passport at your house. I think it's there. I need it in two hours. I'm going to Paris, France."'

The couple went through a messy breakup in April after dating for over a year.

Grounded: Thorne recently revealed that her rapper ex-boyfriend Mod Sun, 32, won't return her passport, which has caused some hiccups in her careerShe recently turned heads in a black lace gown as she led the stars at the glittering Bulgari event in Capri on Friday.

And Uma Thurman enjoyed some down time this week as she holidayed in Ischia, Italy with her son Levon and pals.

The actress, 49, was seen enjoying a boat ride to the volcanic island, before stopping off for a spot of lunch and shopping.

Italian getaway: Uma Thurman enjoyed some down time this week as she holidayed in Ischia, Italy with her son Levon and pals

The Kill Bill star was clearly loving her day out as she was spotted beaming away as she perched upon the side of the boat.

Uma, clad in a black swimsuit and a navy towel, had evidently just enjoyed a dip in the island's mineral-rich waters.

Her honey tresses were left saturated as they hung down her back, with the star appearing happy and care-free on the boat.

After drying off, Uma later changed into a fresh set off clothes as she made her way around the stunning island.

Down time: The actress, 49, was seen enjoying a boat ride to the volcanic island, before stopping off for a spot of lunch and shopping

Time for a dip: Uma, clad in a black swimsuit and a navy towel, had evidently just enjoyed a dip in the island's mineral-rich waters

Happy: The Kill Bill star was clearly loving her day out as she was spotted beaming away as she perched upon the side of the boat

The Pulp Fiction actress dressed casually in a white top which featured a pretty laser-cut pattern.

She teamed this with a pair of blue jeans and brown sandals, and added a red scarf and trendy shades to her look.

Adding to her laid back attire, Uma scraped her hair in a messy bun and appeared to go make-up free for the excursion.

The Hollywood star looked relaxed and happy as she enjoyed some quality time with her 17-year-old son, whom she shares with ex-husband Ethan Hawke, and their pals.

Time to go: After drying off, Uma later changed into a fresh set off clothes as she made her way around the stunning island

Out and about: Uma looked care-free as she listened to some music on the luxurry boat

Let's go: The My Super Ex-Girlfriend actress gathered her things as she disembarked from the vessel

All dried off: The Pulp Fiction actress dressed casually in a white top which featured a pretty laser-cut pattern

Helping hand: The Hollywood star was helped by a lifeguard as she got off the boat to go an explore the stunning Italian island

Fashion: She teamed this with a pair of blue jeans and brown sandals, and added a red scarf and trendy shades to her look

The former couple also share daughter Maya, 20.

Uma was later seen tucking into a bowl of pasta before hitting the shops.

Having ditched the jeans for a pair of tan shorts, she was then spotted trying on some hats at a local store.

Uma was previously married to French financier Arpad Busson, and the pair welcomed daughter Luna in 2012 before their split in April 2014.

The Kill Bill star was also married to Gary Oldman for two years back in 1990, and actor Ethan in 1998.

Low-key: Adding to her laid back attire, Uma scraped her hair in a messy bun and appeared to go make-up free for the excursion

Italian feast: Uma was later seen tucking into a bowl of pasta before hitting the shops

Should I get it? Having ditched the jeans for a pair of tan shorts, she was then spotted trying on some hats at a local store

Mother and son: The Hollywood star looked relaxed and happy as she enjoyed some quality time with her 17-year-old son, whom she shares with ex-husband Ethan Hawke, and their palsBella Hadid was spotted Sunday arriving at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York.

The young supermodel has recently been in Italy, walking in several fashion shows.

She seemed to master the art of travel style in slouchy camouflage thermal that looked both cute and cozy.

Hello New York: Bella Hadid was spotted Sunday arriving at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York

The look came together with a pair of fitted black pants, slightly flared over a pair of pointed black heels.

She completed the ensemble with some gold hoop earrings, a thin pair of black sunglasses with red lenses and a chic black leather duffel.

This weekend, Bella, 22, hit the runway for Versace at Milan Men's Fashion Week with sister Gigi, 24.

Bella rocked a sparkling black jacket and pants on the runway, completed with matching pointed black stilettos, a black bra and a black thong with signature gold Versace detailing that matched her jewelry.

Model life: The young supermodel has recently been in Italy, walking in several fashion shows

Camo chic: She seemed to master the art of travel style in slouchy camouflage thermal that looked both cute and cozy

Legs for days: The look came together with a pair of fitted black pants, slightly flared over a pair of pointed black heels

Accessorizing: She completed the ensemble with some gold hoop earrings, a thin pair of black sunglasses with red lenses and a chic black leather duffel

Gigi hit the catwalk in a belted black leather duster over a blue dress shirt and black necktie, completing the look with a pair of glossy black stilettos and a slicked-back do that showed off some silver earrings.

The supermodel sisters also walked Thursday night in Florence for CR Runway x LuisaViaRoma.

The show marked the first runway for CR Fashion Book founder and editor Carine Roitfeld, as she teamed up with Italian retailer LuisaViaRoma for their 90th anniversary.

Channeling Donatella: This weekend, Bella, 22, hit the runway for Versace at Milan Men's Fashion Week with sister Gigi, 24

Versace on the floor: Bella rocked a sparkling black jacket and pants on the runway, completed with matching pointed black stilettos, a black bra and a black thong. Gigi hit the catwalk in a belted black leather duster over a blue dress shirt and black necktie

Bella stood out in all black, wearing an eccentric teardrop-shaped hat that channeled Cruella de Vil, with a patent leather turtleneck, gloves and thigh high stiletto boots reaching all the way under her skirted power suit.

She walked alongside Irina Shayk, 33, and Joan Smalls, 30, both of whom also sported unique all black looks.

Gigi opened the show in a vintage look inspired by the late Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld, wearing a white vest with exaggerated lapels over a black necktie and white collar with no shirt.

Sister bonding: The supermodel sisters also walked Thursday night in Florence for CR Runway x LuisaViaRoma

Black and white: Gigi opened the show in a vintage look inspired by the late Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld. Bella stood out in all black, wearing an eccentric teardrop-shaped hat that channeled Cruella de VilJasmine Yarbrough has spoken for the first time about how she met her husband Karl Stefanovic at a party in Sydney almost three years ago.

The 35-year-old shoe designer told Vogue Brides that she bumped into the Channel Nine star, 44, at the event while visiting family and friends in late 2016.

She had come back to Australia after spending seven years living in New York and Los Angeles without making a single trip home.

How Karl and Jasmine REALLY met: Mrs Stefanovic reveals the moment she first locked eyes with her future husband - but she thought they would 'just be good friends'. Pictured on May 30, 2019 in Sydney

Jasmine didn't expect to fall in love during what was supposed to be a brief holiday, but meeting Karl - who was then newly separated - changed all that.

'Karl and I had met through friends over the Christmas period when I was back from Los Angeles visiting family in 2016,' she said.

'When we first met, I thought he was going to be such a good friend, because we just laughed all the time. He had me in fits of laughter all day!'

Chance meeting: Jasmine, 35, told Vogue Brides that she bumped into Karl, 44, at a party in Sydney while visiting family in late 2016. She had come back to Australia to visit family and friends, after spending seven years living in the U.S. without making a single trip home

'He's the funnier one in the relationship, that's for sure. He's so quick-witted,' the Mara & Mine co-founder added.

Karl eventually proposed to Jasmine a year after they were first introduced, popping the question while holidaying together on a private island in Fiji.

The couple married on December 8, 2018 at the five-star One&Only Palmilla Resort in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.

How romantic! Karl eventually proposed to Jasmine a year after they were first introduced, popping the question while holidaying together on a private island in Fiji

Both Karl and Jasmine maintain they first met in December 2016 at a party in Sydney, five months after he separated from his first wife Cassandra Thorburn.

The former Today show host shares three children with Cassandra: sons Jackson, 19, and River, 12, and daughter Ava, 13.

Daily Mail Australia understands Karl and Jasmine are currently trying for a baby, after he underwent two vasectomy reversal surgeries in the past six months.

Wedding of the year! The couple married on December 8, 2018 at the five-star One&Only Palmilla Resort in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. Pictured on their wedding dayHis ex girlfriend Irina Shayk is in Milan walking the runways of fashion week.

And so Bradley Cooper got to indulge in some daddy-daughter time with his little girl Lea De Seine, on Father's Day on Sunday.

The 44-year-old actor was spotted boarding a private jet in Los Angeles carrying Lea, two, in his arms.

Father's Day trip: Bradley Cooper is seen carrying daughter Lea De Seine, two into a private jet in Los Angeles on Sunday

Single dad: It's not known where the 44-year-old actor was heading but he seemed to have packed light for the journey

It's not known where they were headed but the tot looked very much at ease ahead of the journey.

Bradley wore beige slacks and blue varsity-style jacket and toted with him a couple of small carry-on bags.

It was a cloudy day in Southern California so the American Hustle star made sure to dress his little girl in a warm hooded sweater.

Earlier this month, it was revealed Irina and Bradley, who share daughter Lea, had split up after four years ago.

Precious cargo: The Hangover star was seen carefully lifting the tot out of an SUV

Going solo: Bradley split with Lea's mom Irina Shayk earlier this month after weeks of rumors

A source has told People the pair 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.

'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.'

The model 'just adores' her toddler, the source continued.

Taking off: It's not known where they were headed but the tot looked very much at ease ahead of the journey

Though they had been together for years and even had a child together, Irina reportedly longed for a stronger commitment from Bradley.

'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.'

It has been claimed that the couple's daughter was the only factor keeping Irina and the screen star together.

Fierce: Irina walked the Versace fashion show at Milan Men's Fashion Week on Friday

'Because of their daughter, they keep trying. Things are not good. Neither one is happy. The relationship is hanging by a thread,' a source for Page Six said days before news of the split.

Professionally, Bradley is set to replace Leonardo DiCaprio for the Nightmare Alley remake.

He has been offered the role for the Guillermo Del Toro directed film as the Titanic star, 44, did not 'close the deal', according to THR.

The original starred Tyrone Power and Joan Blondell in 1947.

The story follows the rise and fall of a sleazy carnival barker who partners with a female psychiatrist for a routine. If he signs on, Cooper will play the barker, Stan Carlisle.She's only been single for a matter of months, but Home And Away star Pia Miller hasn't wasted any time moving on from fiance Tyson Mullane.

The 35-year-old has sparked rumours she's secretly dating Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts, 41, following a series of conspicuously flirtatious social media exchanges between the pair.

While neither Pia nor Matthias have confirmed their relationship status, the couple all but confirmed their romance on Instagram earlier this month after the Chilean actress shared a bikini snap of herself holidaying on the Greek island of Kastellorizo.

She's moved on! Pia Miller, 35, (left) is 'secretly dating hunky Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts', 41, (right) and are said to be enjoying a romantic holiday in Greece together

'Coming soooooonnnnn,' Matthias cooed in a comment underneath the sun-soaked photo of Pia, which she had intriguingly captioned with the words: 'I do'.

Meanwhile, mother-of-two Pia left a series of sparkle emojis on a black-and-white headshot uploaded to Matthias' page, to which her rumoured flame responded, 'agapi mou' - a Greek phrase translating to 'my love'.

Matthias, who is known for his role in the Academy Award-winning film The Danish Girl, also bares a strong resemblance to Pia's ex Tyson thanks to his defined jawline and rugged facial features.

Hot new couple? The pair are said to be enjoying a secret fling in the wake of Pia's split from fiance Tyson Mullane

'Coming soon!' While neither Pia nor Matthias have confirmed their relationship status, the couple all but confirmed their romance on Instagram earlier this month after the Chilean actress shared a bikini snap of herself holidaying on the Greek island of Kastellorizo

Sweet nothings: The pair have shared a series of conspicuously flirtatious social media exchanges in recent days

Meanwhile, Mattias's former girlfriend, lawyer Alexandra Schouteden, is also the spitting image of genetically-blessed Pia.

Earlier this month it was revealed Pia had unfollowed her fiance Tyson on Instagram following their rumoured split two months ago.

The couple, who once featured regularly on each other's Instagram accounts, have not shared photos of themselves together for several months.

Is it love? Meanwhile, mother-of-two Pia left a series of sparkle emojis on a black-and-white headshot uploaded to Matthias' page, to which her rumoured flame responded, 'agapi mou' - a Greek phrase translating to 'my love'

They could be twins! Matthias (left) bares a strong resemblance to Pia's ex Tyson (right) thanks to his defined jawline and rugged facial features

Pia last shared a photo of her fiance in September 2018. Meanwhile, Tyson last tagged the model in a photo back in 2017.

In April, The Daily Telegraph reported that the couple had 'amicably' ended their 18-month engagement and Tyson had moved out of their Sydney home.

The brunette has also been spotted without her engagement ring on multiple occasions in recent months.

Pia and Tyson first began dating in 2015, before publicly announcing their romance on Valentine's Day in 2016.

They became engaged 18 months later, in November 2017.

Former flame: Meanwhile, Mattias's (right) former girlfriend, lawyer Alexandra Schouteden (left) is also the spitting image of genetically-blessed PiaThey have been happily married for 20 years.

And Australian actor Simon Baker and his wife Rebecca Rigg proved that the marital flame is well and truly alive as they attended the famous Prix De Diane 2019 at Hippodrome de Chantilly in Paris, France, on Sunday.

The Mentalist star put on a flirty display with his spouse as they took in the famous horse race from a private box.

What's their secret? Simon Baker and his wife of 20 years Rebecca Rigg look as loved up as ever as they attend the Prix De Diane 2019 horse race in France

So handsome: The 49-year-old sported a crisp white dress shirt and a tailored steel grey suit

The hunky 49-year-old sported a crisp white dress shirt and a tailored steel grey suit.

He accessorised with a narrow grey patterned tie, brown dress shoes, a silver Longines watch and tinted spectacles.

The Devil Wears Prada actor drew attention to a golden tan, and his curly locks were styled to perfection.

Meanwhile, Rebecca looked elegant in a beige dress and a chic straw hat.

Like a couple of teenagers: The happily married couple shared a giggle as they took in the race

Also known as the French Oaks, the Prix de Diane is a prestigious horse race, held annually in June.

Simon and Rebecca tied the knot in 1998 after five years of living together.

The actor was just 24 when he and Rebecca had their first child, daughter Stella, who is now in her twenties.

'We started young,' he once told Mornings. 'I don't know if it was that young, I'd just turned 24.'

Role models for marriage: The two actors have been happily married for 20 years

And it was his daughter who encouraged Simon to accept his famous role in The Devil Wears Prada.

'She's a major force in who I am as a person,' the actor said of Stella.

The couple also have two sons, Claude, 21, and Harry, 19, and the boys have friends in high places  Nicole Kidman is godmother to Harry, while Naomi Watts is godmother to ClaudeJoseph Gutheinz Jr, a retired NASA special agent known as the "Moon Rock Hunter," in his law office in a Houston suburb

After Neil Armstrong took a "giant leap for mankind" on the Moon nearly 50 years ago and collected rocks and soil along the way, Richard Nixon presented lunar souvenirs to every nation -- 135, at the time.

Dozens of the "goodwill" moon rocks -- some only the size of a grain of rice, others as big as a marble -- have since gone missing, and Joseph Gutheinz Jr is on a mission to find them.

The 63-year-old retired NASA special agent is the "Moon Rock Hunter."

"Some people go rock hunting," Gutheinz said in an interview with AFP at his law office in a Houston suburb decorated with awards from NASA and the US military. "I go Apollo-era rock hunting."

Gutheinz's quixotic quest to track down missing moon fragments intersects with the coups, wars, assassinations and other political turmoil of the past half-century.

"The Libyan moon rocks? Gone," Gutheinz said. "Afghanistan's? Gone."

The journey features a colorful cast of characters -- from a Texas billionaire and a Honduran army colonel to a Las Vegas casino mogul, not to mention the late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco and the Ceausescus of Romania.

Gutheinz, who teaches college courses in addition to practicing law, retrieved one moon rock himself through an undercover sting operation. His criminal justice students have located 78 others as class assignments.

A replica of a moon rock in the law office of Joseph Gutheinz Jr, whose students have helped him in his quest to retrieve the lost or stolen artifacts

Beginning with Apollo 11, which landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969, and ending with Apollo 17, in December 1972, US astronauts collected 842 pounds (382 kilograms) of rocks and lunar soil.

Moon rocks collected by Apollo 11 and 17 were given to every country and the 50 US states.

Encased in clear Lucite, they were affixed to a wooden plaque that featured a miniature flag of the recipient nation, which had been flown to the Moon.

Some have been stolen, ending up in the hands of private collectors who paid millions of dollars to own a tiny piece of Earth's satellite.

Others have simply been lost or destroyed.

- 'Operation Lunar Eclipse' -

Gutheinz, a former US Army helicopter pilot and intelligence officer, is determined to restore the missing rocks to their rightful owners.

The base of a globe bears the 'Moon Rock Hunter' nickname of Joseph Gutheinz Jr, a retired NASA special agent who tracks down missing Apollo moon rocks

"These were gifts," he said. "We didn't give them to individuals.

"I wanted to make sure that we took these pieces of history and we gave them back to the people."

Gutheinz became involved with moon rocks while working as a special agent for NASA, where he ferreted out corruption among contractors by day and studied for a law degree at night.

"After the Apollo 11 landing, con artists were going door-to-door selling bogus moon rocks to the hopeful and the unsuspecting," he said. "I didn't like that."

In 1998, Gutheinz launched a sting operation, "Operation Lunar Eclipse," aimed at nabbing fraudsters.

Gutheinz and Bob Cregger, a US Postal Service agent, adopted false personas and created a fictitious company, John's Estate Sales.

"We went after the con artists," Gutheinz said. "What we found was the real thing."

They put an ad in USA Today saying "Moon Rocks Wanted" and were contacted within weeks by a man named Alan Rosen, who offered to sell them an authentic moon rock for $5 million.

After federal agencies declined to put up the money, Gutheinz secured $5 million from Texas billionaire and one-time presidential candidate Ross Perot.

Rosen handed over the moon rock in a Miami bank vault, where it was impounded by a US Customs agent posing as a bank officer.

Joseph Gutheinz, a retired NASA special agent known as the "Moon Rock Hunter," retrieved one fragment in a sting operation known as "Operation Lunar Eclipse"

"It was not until we actually seized the moon rock that we learned it was the Honduras Apollo 17 moon rock," said Gutheinz, whose desk features a replica of it mounted on a plaque.

"There was a military coup in Honduras," he said. "And the dictator that came in gifted the moon rock to one of his colonels to say thank you."

The Honduran colonel had originally demanded $1 million but Rosen ended up buying it for $50,000, said Gutheinz, who retired from NASA in 2000 to set up shop as an attorney.

The moon rock was eventually returned to Honduras after a years-long court case.

- 'I'm going to find it' -

A stolen moon rock given to another Central American nation -- Nicaragua -- also underwent a circuitous journey.

Moon rocks on display at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas

The country's Apollo 11 fragment ended up with a Las Vegas casino mogul named Bob Stupak, who bought it from a Baptist missionary who had obtained it in Costa Rica.

Stupak displayed it for a time in his Moon Rock Cafe but when the casino owner died, Gutheinz was contacted by his lawyer, who asked him what he should do with the moon rock.

"Give it to NASA with the promise that they'll return it to Nicaragua," Gutheinz said he told him. "And that's exactly what they did."

While the Honduran and Nicaraguan moon rocks ended up going home, dozens of others remain unaccounted for.

Spain's Apollo 11 moon rock is believed to be in the hands of the family of the late Spanish dictator Franco.

"The story is that one of Franco's grandchildren tried to sell the Apollo 11 moon rock in Switzerland and that was blocked by Interpol," Gutheinz said.

One of Romania's two moon rocks also is missing.

A bag used by Apollo astronauts to practice collecting moon rocks is on display on the desk of Joseph Gutheinz Jr, the "Moon Rock Hunter"

"After the Ceausescus, Nicolae and Elena, were executed on Christmas Day 1989, the estate of this horrible communist dictator sold it to some capitalist," Gutheinz said.

"It's out there somewhere and someday I'm going to go find it."

Gutheinz is pretty sure he knows where Ireland's Apollo 11 moon rock is, but it's unlikely to be recovered any time soon.

It was housed in the Dunsink Observatory in Dublin when a fire erupted in 1977, and the debris ended up in a landfill.

Fortune hunters have been known to go "looking for their pot of gold" there ever since, Gutheinz said.The attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman came amid a tense US-Iran standoff

Iran's parliament speaker hinted Sunday that Washington could be behind the "suspicious" tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman to pile pressure on Tehran, official news agency IRNA reported.

"The suspicious actions against the tankers... seem to complement the economic sanctions against Iran considering that (the US) has not achieved any results from them," Ali Larijani told MPs.

He backed his claim by saying there had been a precedent "during World War II, when Americans targeted their own ships near Japan to create an excuse for hostility".

A non-belligerent state at the beginning of World War II, the US went to war after Japan's surprise attack on the American Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii on the morning of December 7, 1941.

A Japanese-owned tanker, the Kokuka Courageous, and a Norwegian-operated one, the Front Altair, were attacked on Thursday and left ablaze as they were passing through the Gulf of Oman

Washington accused Tehran of being behind the attacks, that took place at the same time that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran for talks aimed at defusing tensions between Iran and the United States.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed the US claim as "baseless" and said Washington had "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran -- (without) a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence".

Iran has been locked in a bitter standoff with the United States since Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May last year.

Washington has since reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions on Tehran -- targeting crucial parts of Iran's economy, especially the banking and oil sectors -- and launched a military buildup in the Gulf.I thank my fellow judges for their confidence and support. I am truly honored to be elected to serve as the next chief judge of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Winter said in a written statement. I will do my best to continue the excellence in leadership demonstrated by my predecessors. I look forward to working with my judicial peers, our justice partners, our county partners, and continuing to serve the people of Lake County.China's state media has remained largely silent despite the mass protests in Hong Kong

Chinese state media remained largely silent as an estimated two million Hong Kong people took to the streets Sunday to protest an extradition bill, with social platforms scrubbed clean of any pictures or mentions of the rally.

Hong Kong's government has been rocked in recent days by massive demonstrations -- and some violence -- which forced the city's embattled Chief Executive Carrie Lam to indefinitely suspend passage of the bill.

Early Monday, China's official Xinhua news agency issued a four-paragraph report noting suspension of the measure, "having regard to the strong and different views in society".

Xinhua said Lam had apologized to the people and pledged to make improvements in serving them after "deficiencies" in the Hong Kong government's work "led to substantial controversies and disputes in society."

The report made no mention of Sunday's protest in which crowds choked the streets of the financial hub, calling for Lam's resignation.

Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe place for business.

Except for a short opinion piece in the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily, Chinese state media -- which has drummed up support for the bill in recent weeks -- remained mum Sunday after Lam's climbdown.

China's state broadcaster, CCTV, avoided the subject in its main news bulletins throughout the day.

The proposed law that would allow extraditions to the mainland was "supported by mainstream public opinion in Hong Kong", the People's Daily article said.

- Opposing 'intervention of external forces' -

"The general public is looking forward to blocking legal loopholes to prevent Hong Kong becoming a haven for sinners," it added.

China has blamed the protests on what it says is a small group of organisers who are colluding with Western governments.

The People's Daily echoed the oft-repeated government line that "it resolutely opposes the intervention of external forces in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs".

It also supported the option chosen by pro-Beijing Lam to put the bill on the backburner, saying it was an opportunity to "further listen to opinions".

Searches on China's Twitter-like microblogging site Weibo for "Hong Kong protests" only yielded official Chinese foreign ministry statements. The ministry has called such rallies "riots" or "behaviour that undermines Hong Kong's peace and stability".

There were no photos of black-clad protesters walking with banners critical of the bill, or people leaving flowers at the site where a young man fell to his death protesting the law.

Videos of police using pepper spray and rubber bullets on protesters -- which had left Hong Kong public seething -- were also absent from Chinese social media.

Websites such as Twitter and Facebook -- accessible in semi-autonomous Hong Kong -- are blocked on the mainland.

Beijing was already on edge this month as it tightened security and stepped up online censorship to ensure that the 30th anniversary of the brutal June 4 Tiananmen Square crackdown would go by quietly.RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Palestinians are calling for mass protests against a regional workshop in which the Trump administration will unveil the economic part of its long-awaited plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party said Saturday that PLO factions have also called a general strike on June 25, when the Mideast conference begins in Bahrain. The protests in the Palestinian territories are slated a day ahead.

The Palestinians have urged Arab countries to boycott the meeting, saying the entire plan ignores the two-state solution and deprives them of a future capital in east Jerusalem.

On Tuesday, the White House said Jordan, Egypt and Morocco are joining the workshop in Manama, but Jordan said it has not yet decided.

At the meeting, Washington is expected to present economic incentives as part of the broader plan.By Josh Smith and Joyce Lee

SEOUL, June 17 (Reuters) - A decade after leaving her family behind to flee North Korea, the defector was overwhelmed with excitement when she spoke to her 22-year-old son on the phone for the first time in May after he too escaped into China.

While speaking to him again on the phone days later, however, she listened in horror as the safe house where her son and four other North Korean escapees were hiding was raided by Chinese authorities.

"I heard voices, someone saying 'shut up' in Chinese," said the woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect her son's safety. "Then the line was cut off, and I heard later he was caught."

The woman, now living in South Korea, said she heard rumours her son is being held in a Chinese prison near the North Korean border, but has had no official news of his whereabouts.

At least 30 North Korean escapees have been rounded up in a string of raids across China since mid-April, according to family members and activist groups.

It is not clear whether this is part of a larger crackdown by China, but activists say the raids have disrupted parts of the informal network of brokers, charities, and middlemen who have been dubbed the North Korean "Underground Railroad".

"The crackdown is severe," said Y. H. Kim, chairman of the North Korea Refugees Human Rights Association of Korea.

Most worrisome for activists is that the arrests largely occurred away from the North Korean border - an area dubbed the "red zone" where most escapees get caught - and included rare raids on at least two safe houses.

"Raiding a house? I've only seen two or three times," said Kim, who left North Korea in 1988 and has acted as a middleman for the past 15 years, connecting donors with brokers who help defectors.

"You get caught on the way, you get caught moving. But getting caught at a home, you can count on one hand."

The increase in arrests is likely driven by multiple factors, including deteriorating economic conditions in North Korea and China's concern about the potential for a big influx of refugees, said Kim Seung-eun, a pastor at Seoul's Caleb Mission Church, which helps defectors escape.

"In the past, up to half a million North Korean defectors came to China," Kim said, citing the period in the 1990s when famine struck North Korea. "A lot of these arrests have to do with China wanting to prevent this again."

DIVIDED FAMILIES

Kim Jeong-cheol already lost his brother trying to escape from North Korea, and now fears his sister will meet a similar fate after she was caught by Chinese authorities.

"My elder brother was caught in 2005, and he went to a political prison and was executed in North Korea," Kim told Reuters. "That's why my sister will surely die if she goes back there. What sin is it for a man to leave because he's hungry and about to die?"

Reuters was unable to verify the fate of Kim's brother or sister. Calls to the North Korean embassy in Beijing were not answered.

Activist groups and lawyers seeking to help the families say there is no sign China has deported the recently arrested North Koreans yet, and their status is unknown.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, which does not typically acknowledge arrests of individual North Korean escapees, said it had no information about the raids or status of detainees.

"We do not know about the situation to which you are referring," the ministry said in a statement when asked by Reuters.

North Koreans who enter China illegally because of economic reasons are not refugees, it added.

"They use illegal channels to enter China, breaking Chinese law and damaging order for Chinas entry and exit management," the ministry said. "For North Koreans who illegally enter the country, China handles them under the principled stance of domestic and international law and humanitarianism."

South Korea's government said it tries to ensure North Korean defectors can reach their desired destinations safely and swiftly without being forcibly sent back to the North, but declined to provide details, citing defectors' safety and diplomatic relations.

When another woman - who also asked to be unnamed for her family's safety - escaped from North Korea eight years ago, she promised her sister and mother she would work to bring them out later.

In January, however, her mother died of cancer, she said.

On her death bed, her mother wrote a message on her palm pleading for her remaining daughter to escape North Korea.

"It will haunt me for the rest of my life that I didn't keep my promise," said woman, who now lives in South Korea.

Her 27-year-old sister was in a group of four defectors who made it all the way to Nanning, near the border with Vietnam, before being caught.

"When you get there, you think you're almost home free," she said. "You think you're safe."

INCREASE IN ARRESTS

There are no hard statistics on how many North Koreans try to leave their country, but South Korea, where most defectors try to go, says the number safely arriving in the South dropped after Kim Jong Un came to power in 2011.

In 2018 about 1,137 North Korean defectors entered South Korea, compared to 2,706 in 2011.

Observers say the drop is partly because of increased security and crackdowns in both North Korea and China.

Over the past year, more cameras and updated guard posts have been seen at the border, said Kang Dong-wan, who heads an official North Korean defector resettlement organisation in South Korea and often travels to the border between China and North Korea.

"Kim Jong Un's policy itself is tightening its grip on defection," he said. "Such changes led to stronger crackdowns in China as well."

Under President Xi Jinping, China has also cracked down on a variety of other activities, including illicit drugs, which are sometimes smuggled by the same people who transport escapees, said one activist who asked not to be named due to the sensitive work.

North Koreans who enter China illegally face numerous threats, including from the criminal networks they often have to turn to for help.

Tens of thousands of women and girls trying to flee North Korea have been pressed into prostitution, forced marriage, or cybersex operations in China, according to a report last month by the non-profit Korea Future Initiative.

"SMASH UP NETWORKS"

An activist at another organisation that helps spirit defectors out of North Korea said so far its network had not been affected, but they were concerned about networks being targeted and safe houses being raided.

"That is a bit of a different level, more targeted and acting on intelligence that they may have been sitting on to smash up networks," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect the organisation's work.

Y. H. Kim, of the Refugees Human Rights Association, said the raids raised concerns that Chinese authorities had infiltrated some smuggling networks, possibly with the aid of North Korean intelligence agents.

"I don't know about other organisations, but no one is moving in our organisation right now," he said. "Because everyone who moves is caught." (Reporting by Josh Smith and Joyce Lee. Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing and David Brunnstrom in Washington. Editing by Lincoln Feast.)New Education Policy (NEP) is simply a statement of North Indian Hindi chauvinism which links up with the Sangh Parivars Hindutva approach. India is the most culturally diverse country in the world; this also extends to religion. As noticed and enforced by the Supreme Courts decision in TMA Pai Foundation vs State Of Karnataka (2000), Indian federalism has been fashioned on linguistic lines. Macaulays curse Language perpetuated a brinkmanship between the North and South. It almost precipitated an issue for secession.

Language gives identity, celebrates every aspect of culture, religion, literature and everyday life. To impose Hindi on the rest of India is oppressive. It seems it is here to stay with the tweaking of the educational policy under BJP rule. Before Partition, English provoked the fire of the Independence movement because it was a foreign language imposed by Britain. As Macaulay puts it: A single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia. But, over the years, it acquired social, political and administrative roots. Under the Constitution, English was the official language for only 15 years, after which it was to yield to Hindi in the Devanagari script (Article 343).

North Indian chauvinism on the rise: Imposing Hindi on the non-Hindi speaking states in South India is oppressive to say the least. (Source: India Today)

Though Europe uses the Roman script for its diverse languages, Indian languages have their own scripts. Although the Supreme Court in Murasoli Marans case, (1977) thought that under the Constitution, the life of English could be extended only momentarily, it is here to stay as a link, official and spoken language with a window to the world. English now actually holds its own as an Indian language despite the Official Language Commissions charge to progressively increase the use of Hindi. However, Hindi has suffered two drawbacks. It has been reinvented with the use of Raghuvanshas dictionary with de-cultured imagination, so that there is a gap between official Hindi and its use as an everyday language.

Bollywood Hindi is closer to spoken Hindi and its evocation in poetry and prose. Harivansh Rai Bachchans translations in the ministry of external affairs were very different from his poetry. English was continued in addition to Hindi by the Official Languages Act, 1963. But, while English has been successfully Indianised in various fora, Hindi has burdened itself with unimaginative Sanskritisation. English may continue as a language of exchange with its own burgeoning literature and uses. Hindi will continue and expand its frontiers, but it has over a hundred dialects more colourful than their designated progenitor.

The stark difference between Harivansh Rai Bachchans translations and his poetry show the gap between official Hindi and its use as an everyday language. (Source: India Today)

But, this is not all there is to Indias language dilemma. Script of division Articles 344(1) and 351 of the Indian Constitution recognise 22 regional languages listed in the 8th schedule. More importantly, Article 345 allows the state legislature to adopt any of its respective language in use or Hindi as its official language, giving regional languages a fillip in their regions of prevalence. The regional languages have evolved as the mother language of life, love and officialdom. It is only natural that they become the medium of instruction. But now, the governments draft NEP wants to make Hindi a compulsory language to a certain level in non-Hindi speaking states.

If Indian democracy had started as a dictatorial state like China, Russia or pre-War Japan, it might have created a generation of scientists, engineers, experts, teachers, artists, writers to adopt Hindi and use translations to make non-Hindi texts available. But that stage never came, instead sparking off challenges that exist to this day. To turn to English as an administrative necessity was convenient. Language policies have to be based on pragmatism and choice. If the regional language is to be the basis of education and official communication, to impose English (also a choice) and Hindi would be an overburden.

Since time immemorial, the Hindi-speaking states have tried to dominate the South through politics, culture, religion and language (Source: Reuters)

As a matter of choice, my father spoke and read nine languages including Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Persian and Derawali, in addition to English, French, German and Russian  which he learnt by staying in these countries. Across the world, people learn foreign languages. Switzerland, Belgium and Canada deal each have two or three languages, but certainly not 22, and 200 separate dialects. Choice lies at the heart of learning. The Hindi-based provinces of the North have long tried to dominate the South politically, culturally, through religion and language. In Indias Constitution each language and script is to be protected as a Fundamental Right (Article 29-30). This has to be done positively by nurturing them.

Today, Urdu suffers from religious chauvinism. There cannot be blatant discrimination by a senseless imposition of language by Delhi on other states. Indias diversity is a showpiece to the world. A policy that does not sustain this diversity is both provocative and unworthy. Anyhow, to put in succinctly, in June, the New Educational Policy encountered massive opposition. Some politicians call it a brutal assault (Siddaramaiah) and some state parties (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) passed a resolution against it. Presently, the government has put a temporary moratorium and promises to return to the drawing board. But are they to be trusted?

Courtesy of Mail Today

Also Read: Dear Arvind Kejriwal, an open letter from a South Indian in India's capital American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2022. All rights reserved.

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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.Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $2.76 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 3.58%. Merck & Co., Inc. has been increasing its dividend for 12 consecutive years, indicating the company has a strong committment to maintain and grow its dividend. The dividend payout ratio of Merck & Co., Inc. is 97.53%. Payout ratios above 75% are not desirable because they may not be sustainable. Based on earnings estimates, Merck & Co., Inc. will have a dividend payout ratio of 40.17% next year. This indicates that Merck & Co., Inc. will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

View Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend history.Keywords Studios plc provides integrated outsourced creative and technical services to the video game industry. The company offers art creation services related to the production of graphical art assets for inclusion in the video game, including concept art creation, as well as 2D and 3D art asset production and animation. It also provides audio/voice-over services, including script translation, actor selection, and talent management through pre-production, audio direction, recording, and post-production, as well as offers music licensing or music soundtracks selling services. In addition, the company offers localization services related to translation and cultural adaptation of in-game text and audio scripts in various game platforms and genres; and localization testing services consisting of testing the linguistic correctness and cultural acceptability of computer games. Further, it provides functional testing services related to quality assurance services provided to game producers to ensure game functions. Additionally, the company provides player support services related to the live operations support, such as community management, player support, and associated services to producers of games, as well as software engineering services for developing video games. It serves game companies and publishers. The company operates in Ireland, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Italy, France, India, Germany, Singapore, Spain, Poland, Brazil, China, and Mexico. Keywords Studios plc was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

Read MoreA railway employee stands beside a China Railway Express train in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. The train transports goods ordered via online platforms for deliveries to markets between Xi'an and Hamburg, Germany. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Greater policy support and innovative government oversight is needed to shore up the growth of cross-border e-commerce, Premier Li Keqiang said during an inspection trip to Zhejiang province on Wednesday and Thursday.

As he visited a pilot zone in Hangzhou, the premier underlined the role of cross-border e-commerce in enabling more businesses to take part directly in international trade.

He noted that the business model is a major trend for the future development of international trade, and it will help promote the integrated development of businesses of various sizes and benefit the upgrading and branding of domestic manufacturers.

China's total volume of imports and exports from cross-border e-commerce reached 134 billion yuan ($19.5 billion) in 2018, up 50 percent year-on-year, according to the General Administration of Customs.

The premier also urged more efforts to encourage the private sector to boost the development of services including elderly care, day care as well as domestic services.

More work must be done to renovate old residential communities and boost the growth of community services, which will help spur investment and consumption, and create jobs, he said.

He underscored the importance of ensuring the supply of drugs that are commonly used or for emergency rescue purposes, saying that shortages of supply or random price hikes for drugs must not be allowed.

The premier also visited the Dream Village, a major hub for startups and incubators in Hangzhou.

He noted that there are stories behind each statistic in the village, and innovation and entrepreneurship have transformed the ancient village. He expressed hope that there could be more similar townships across the country to help the creation of jobs and innovation.

To make administrative services more accessible, Li said reforms must be conducted to enable the services to be accessed via one website so that the public can be saved the trouble of making trips to government offices.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".



AstraZeneca PLC discovers, develops, manufactures, and commercializes prescription medicines in the areas of oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolism, respiratory, infection, neuroscience, and gastroenterology worldwide. The company's marketed products include Tagrisso, Lynparza, Imfinzi, Enhertu, Koselugo, Lumoxiti, Equidacent, Zoladex, Faslodex, Iressa, Arimidex, Casodex/Cosudex, and others for oncology diseases; Onglyza, Bydureon, Lokelma, Byetta, Qtern, Symlin, and others for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism diseases; and Symbicort, Pulmicort, Fasenra, Daliresp/Daxas, Duaklir, Tudorza/Eklira, Bevespi, Breztri, Anifrolumab, and others for respiratory and immunology diseases. It also offers other medicines and COVID-19 products, including Synagis, Fluenz Tetra/FluMist Quadrivalent, Seroquel IR/Seroquel XR, Vimovo, Movantik/Moventig, Nexium, Losec/Prilosec, and COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. The company serves primary care and specialty care physicians through distributors and local representative offices. It has a collaboration agreement with Daiichi Sankyo to develop and commercialize DS-1062 for the treatment of trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) tumor; AliveCor, Inc. to develop non-invasive potassium monitoring solutions; Massachusetts General Hospital to accelerate digital health solutions; Sanguina on smartphone application study for hemoglobin management in patients with anemia of chronic kidney disease; Alchemab to enhance prostate cancer research; and Proteros biostructures GmbH to discover and develop novel small molecules for the treatment of various types of cancer. The company was formerly known as Zeneca Group PLC and changed its name to AstraZeneca PLC in April 1999. AstraZeneca PLC was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreNuveen Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio is a closed-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 in the fixed income markets of United States. The fund invests in the investment-grade municipal securities rated Baa and BBB or better. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Standard & Poor's (S&P) National Municipal Bond Index and Lipper General and Insured Unleveraged Municipal Debt Funds Average. Nuveen Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio was formed on March 19, 1992 and is domiciled in the United States.

Read MoreColumbia Diversified Fixed Income Allocation ETF's stock was trading at $20.81 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, DIAL stock has increased by 2.4% and is now trading at $21.31.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth and Investment Management provides client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on to meet their needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. The Global Banking segment deals with lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to clients, and underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions

Read MoreFraport AG operates airports in Germany, rest of Europe, Asia, and the United States. The company primarily focuses on the operation of Frankfurt Main airport. It operates through four segments: Aviation, Retail & Real Estate, Ground Handling, and International Activities & Services. The Aviation segment operates landside and airside infrastructure, which covers the area of airport charges. The Retail & Real Estate segment engages in retail activities, including marketing of real estate properties and land. This segment also manages buildings and facilities, and parking and retail areas; and rents advertising space. The Ground Handling segment provides loading, baggage, and passenger services through airmail and luggage transport to freight handling. The International Activities & Services segment acquires, operates, maintains, develops, and expands airports and infrastructure facilities. This segment also offers integrated facility and corporate infrastructure management, airport expansion south, and information and telecommunication services. Fraport AG was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Read More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.Fresnillo Plc is a holding company, which engages in the production of gold and silver. It operates through the following segments: Fresnillo, Saucito, Cienega, Herradura, Soledad-Dipolos, Noche Buena, and San Julia. The Fresnillo, and Saucito segments are located in the state of Zacatecas, an underground silver mine. The Cienega segment includes San Ramon satellite mine which are both located in the state of Durango, an underground gold mine. The Herradura, and Noche Buena segments are located in the state of Sonora, a surface gold mine. The San Julian segment operates on the border of Chihuahua/Durango states, an underground silver-gold mine. The company was founded on August 15, 2007 and is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico.

Read MoreFirst American Financial Corp. operates as an insurance company. It provides title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries. The company operates its business through the following segments: Title Insurance & Services and Specialty Insurance. The Title Insurance & Services segment provides title insurance, escrow, closing services and similar or related financial services domestically and internationally in connection with residential and commercial real estate transactions. It also maintains, manages and provides access to title plant records and images and provides banking, trust and investment advisory services. The Specialty Insurance segment issues property & casualty insurance policies and sells home warranty products. It also provides title plant management services, which include title and other real property records and images, valuation products and services, home warranty products, property and casualty insurance and banking, trust and investment advisory services. First American Financial was founded in January, 2008 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, CA.

Read More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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. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. 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.15 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Deutsche Wohnen in the last year. There are currently 8 hold ratings and 7 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "hold" Deutsche Wohnen stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in DWNI, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares.

View analyst ratings for Deutsche Wohnen or view top-rated stocks.Just Group plc provides various financial services in the retirement income market in the United Kingdom. It offers de-risking solutions, guaranteed income for life, secure lifetime income, care plans, lifetime mortgages, and protection products. The company also provides professional services, including regulated financial advice and guidance services; and a range of business services, such as consultancy and software development, and outsourced customer service delivery and marketing services. In addition, it engages in writing of insurance products for distribution to the at- or in-retirement market, which is undertaken through the activities of the life company; and provision of licensed software to financial advisers, banks, building societies, life assurance companies, and pension trustees. Further, the company arranges guaranteed income for life contracts; and provides lifetime mortgages through advice and intermediary services. It offers its products and services to trustees and scheme sponsors, individuals, homeowners, and other corporate clients. The company was formerly known as JRP Group plc and changed its name to Just Group plc in May 2017. Just Group plc was founded in 2004 and is based in Reigate, the United Kingdom.

Read More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.



Pioneer Municipal High Income Advantage Fund, Inc. is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Pioneer Investment Management, Inc. The fund invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. It invests primarily in municipal bonds. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Barclays Capital High Yield Municipal Bond Index and the Barclays Capital Municipal Bond Index. It was formerly known as Pioneer Municipal Advantage Trust. Pioneer Municipal High Income Advantage Fund, Inc. was formed on August 6, 2003 and is domiciled in the United States.

Read MoreSanchez Energy Corporation, an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of U.S. onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources. It engages in the horizontal development of resources from the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. It also holds an undeveloped acreage position in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) in Mississippi and Louisiana. As of December 31, 2017, the company had assembled approximately 285,000 net acres in the Eagle Ford Shale; and owned approximately 37,000 net acres in the TMS. Sanchez Energy Corporation was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Read MoreTrecora Resources manufactures and sells various specialty petrochemical products and synthetic waxes in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Petrochemical and Specialty Waxes. The Petrochemical segment offers hydrocarbons and other petroleum based products, including isopentane, normal pentane, isohexane, and hexane for use in the production of polyethylene, packaging, polypropylene, expandable polystyrene, poly-iso/urethane foams, and crude oil from the Canadian tar sands, as well as in the catalyst support industry. It also owns and operates pipelines. The Specialty Waxes segment provides specialty polyethylene for use in the paints and inks, adhesives, coatings, and PVC lubricants markets; and specialized synthetic poly alpha olefin waxes for use as toner in printers, as well as additives for candles. The company also provides custom processing services; and produces copper and zinc concentrates, and silver and gold dore. Trecora Resources was formerly known as Arabian American Development Company and changed its name to Trecora Resources in June 2014. Trecora Resources was founded in 1967 and is based in Sugar Land, Texas.

Read MoreBoost efficiency and productivity. Figure out the times of the day when youre at your peak performance and schedule your work for clients during those timeframes. This will help ensure youre putting your best foot forward on the tasks that matter most. Also, consider using platforms and features that allow you to automate certain aspects of your business. For example, you can streamline social media efforts by composing and scheduling posts with Hootsuite or Buffer. And if you have clients that you bill the same amount at regular intervals, you can save time by scheduling recurring invoices in Quickbooks.

Dont sell yourself short. If you bill hourly for your services, use a time-tracking app, such as Toggl or Hours, that you can turn on and off easily whenever dedicating time to a client. This will help to ensure youre not missing out on billing for five minutes here and 10 minutes there  those short increments can add up! Also, review your rates to make sure youre getting paid fairly for your services. Often, startup solopreneurs will charge a little less to ramp up their client base. If this is the case with you, revisit your rate schedule and adjust it upward as demand for your services increases and you build a reputation of dependability and value.The five-year program was instituted by one of Piantas predecessors, Jim Cooper, in the 1980s as part of an effort to raise the stature of the teaching profession.

The shorter program shouldnt indicate a reversal of that effort, Pianta, McGraw and van Hover each said, but rather a new way to help students learn efficiently and effectively.

Teaching is a profession and teaching is an admirable, amazing profession that people make a choice and a sacrifice to do, van Hover said. People should not go into debt for it. Kids need to see themselves in the teaching profession, and we have got to think of creative ways to make that happen.

* * *

When then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed an executive order authorizing the change in 2017, education programs were already preparing paperwork and curricula. State regulators worked with university deans and teachers to smooth the process, according to Wendy Kang at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, and universities are now in the midst of final approval processes for new programs.Charlottesvilles Juneteenth celebration, which drew a few hundred people to the Jefferson School lawn, brought jubilance to the air on Saturday.

People ran into old friends with a hug and a smile. They sat in the shade and took in local musicians while eating off paper plates.

Children, older residents and everyone in between gathered in front of the stage to dance to the music.

Clothes and jewelry were up for sale, and community organizations handed out information about their missions.

Juneteenth commemorates when slaves learned of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, which declared slaves in the Confederacy free during the Civil War.

The last slaves were informed of the proclamation following the end of the war on June 19, 1865, by Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas. The former slaves immediately took to the streets to celebrate, starting the tradition.

Celebrations are held across the country on June 19, which falls on Wednesday this year. So the citys event was held over the weekend.When Fields drove his Dodge Challenger down Fourth Street, it slammed into the sisters vehicle and the two were thrown into the dashboard and windshield and suffered serious injuries.

Due in part to difficulties many of the defendants have had finding attorneys, the case has taken a while to unfold.

On Tuesday, the court will hear a motion to dismiss from the case defendant Regnery, a multi-millionaire who founded the National Policy Institute, a white supremacist think tank led by Spencer.

In a demurrer, attorneys for Regnery claims that the defendant had no role in planning the Unite the Right rally and thus should not be considered in the lawsuit. The plaintiffs have alleged that Regnerys financial support of various so-called alt-right organizations involved in the rally constitute a conspiracy and make him liable.

Regnery was not involved in the planning or organization of the UTR Rally, had no presence on social media sites cited throughout Plaintiffs complaint, and Plaintiffs have not, and cannot, allege that Regnery had any interaction with, let alone knowledge of, Defendant Fields, the filing reads.Rep. Elaine Luria, D-2nd, paid tribute to the 12 people killed in the mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center.

As the nation has moved on to the next big story, I want you to know that I will never stop talking about Keith Cox, Luria said, after speaking about one of the shooting victims who died trying to save his colleagues.

Democrats said taking a majority in the state legislature  where Republicans narrowly control each chamber  would allow them to pass common-sense gun-safety legislation.

All 140 seats in the General Assembly are on the ballot in November.

If there are people in office who dont want to have those difficult conversations, then those people dont deserve to represent our communities across the commonwealth, Luria said.

Democrats brought out plenty of party stars, but absent from the stage were the partys three top statewide officeholders in Richmond: Gov. Ralph Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark R. Herring.The world's lightest giant panda has been born in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

According to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a female cub about the weight of an average chicken egg was born in the base on Tuesday.

Chengda, an eight-year-old female panda, gave birth to two female cubs that day.

"At 2:41 pm, Chengda gave birth to a female cub that weighed 171.9 grams. At 6:08 pm, it gave birth to the other female cub that weighed 42.8 grams, fewer than one-quarter of the weight of its elder sister, and measuring only two-thirds as long, " said base chief Zhang Zhihe.

Before Tuesday, the world's lightest panda cub was Wuyi, a male panda weighing 51 grams when it was born on Aug 7, 2006, in the Chengdu base.

Thanks to milk from two female pandas, Wuyi, whose name means 51 in Chinese, gained weight and by October he was as heavy as his peers.

"His survival is a miracle in the artificial breeding of pandas," Zhang said.

Living in the Dujiangyan base of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which trains pandas to survive in the wild, Wuyi now weighs 132 kilograms, according to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

"When experts and keepers saw the cub weighing 42.8 grams on Tuesday, all of them were shocked and were very nervous because its weight was well below average," Zhang said.

The base set up a panel of experts who are proficient in nursing panda cubs to attend to it round-the-clock.

Although it is in stable condition, there are still many uncertainties, and experts and vets are using their rich experience to help the cub and hope to create another miracle, Zhang said.

Tuesday was the second time Chengda had given birth.

On June 27, 2017, it gave birth to a female cub weighing 128 grams and a male cub weighing 160 grams.



Roche, the CEO, declined to comment. Jennifer Stevens, TRFs national director of development and communications, spoke in his stead.

Some changes were made by TRF where we streamlined our fundraising, marketing and financial efforts  I mean, we were duplicating everything  in order to save money and do the best by the horses. There were no budget cuts in terms of horse care, ever, Stevens said.

Theres really not much thats changed other than we are having more control over finances, fundraising and marketing, she continued.

Stevens said TRF has 650 horses living at 18 retirement sanctuaries across the country. The TRF website states that seven of those facilities are part of the TRF Second Chances Program, in which state prison inmates learn skills they can use to find employment once they are released. One of those is the James River Work Center in Goochland County.

***Mason accepted Madisons reservation and substituted high crimes and misdemeanors for maladministration With no further debate, the delegates approved Masons motion. They were able to vote quickly because they knew what the new language meant.

The phrase high crimes and misdemeanors had been in British law for several hundred years; and it was in all the newspapers. The convention met during the early stages of the controversial British impeachment of Warren Hastings, a colonial administrator in India, accused of high crimes and misdemeanors.

The crimes were high because they were committed by someone in high office. Misdemeanors were mentioned because the offenses of senior office holders might be minor in criminality but consequential for the community they governed.

Edmund Burke, Hastings accuser in Parliament, criticized disastrous decisions of the East India Company that led to revolts and repression. When Hastings claimed that his actions in Bengal were beyond the reach of Parliament or the local laws of India, Burke saw solid grounds for impeachment. Hastings was putting himself above the law.A joint report released last month by four prominent Chinese think tanks has shed new light on Shanghai's commercial potential. Ranking it the best business city in China, the WANB Institute, China Strategic Culture Promotion Association, China Economic Media Association, and YICAI Research Institute analyzed a series of interdependent factors that contribute to Shanghai's urban business environment index.



The result was not a complete surprise since Shanghai has been leading China's growth for quite some time. But the study does offer an opportunity for China watchers to understand what makes the city's economy so remarkable.

One of the major reasons for Shanghai's success is the infrastructure index that turned out to be the highest in all of China. The city has established itself as the de facto business capital by modernizing its infrastructure to cater to businesses from across the globe heading to China to benefit from the world's second-largest economy. A monumental US$21 billion investment last year was spent on mega projects such as the construction of the Yangshan deepwater port, the renovation of the Hongqiao International Airport and the expansion of the metro network.

Shanghai is the world's fifth largest financial hub and is working its way up to becoming the global leader. This January, an action plan was approved by the State Council to make the city a cutting edge financial center by 2020 with yuan-dominated products and an improved resource allocation capability. The plan will revitalize economic reforms while transforming Shanghai into a renminbi-based trading hotspot.

Some recent developments have further strengthened the openness of Shanghai's economy. First is the internationalization of the Shanghai Gold Exchange, which is already highly regarded by investors and whose regulation and transparency has often garnered praise from bodies like the World Gold Council.

The other is the launch of the crude oil futures index at the Shanghai International Energy Exchange. It is the first such index in Chinese mainland and is open to overseas investors, which has been well received by traders. Furthermore, the rapid rise in the volume of contracts has made China one of the most active markets in this area.

While becoming more open and transparent, the city's financial system is also focusing on innovative technologies to fuel its success. Strategic and policy support from the municipal government to innovation-driven sectors is gradually remodeling Shanghai into an entrepreneurial metropolis.

The backbone of this innovative drive is Artificial Intelligence (AI). With zones like AIsland, which is dedicated to AI research, local and international companies are changing the way business is done. Especially encouraging is their will to utilize massive amounts of data to serve customers better and, at the same time, expand their businesses.

In addition to cultivating domestic expertise, Shanghai frequently attracts talent from abroad. Several programs have been launched to recruit fresh foreign graduates with innovative entrepreneurial plans. These graduates generate a stream of fresh ideas while young expats introduce modern practices and push local companies to keep pace with global conventions.

Shanghai is also simplifying the process of applying for permanent residencies and reducing the duration of the approval of applications. The city boasts a string of high-tech industries where foreign entrepreneurs are welcomed and issued with talent visas. Out of the 100,000 work visas issued in Shanghai since 2016, talent visas accounted for over 18%, which constituted almost a quarter of the nation's total.

There are also scores of incubators tackling issues such as the processing of paperwork and the imparting of knowledge on how to succeed as a startup. Many foreigners who received business licenses within two weeks of their application consider the process much more efficient than that in Europe.

But the city does not thrive only on government incentives. Its rich cultural offerings stimulate ideas and activities. The unique haipai () culture  where East meets West  is an immersive experience for both visitors and residents. This unique culture has evolved through the legacy of migrants and settlers from multiple nationalities and showcases a diverse and colorful Shanghai, which creates new business opportunities in the city every day.

Shanghai's nightlife is also growing due to a steady rise in the spending power of wealthy Chinese as well as a thriving flow of tourists. The service sector has benefited most from the nightlife scene, executive incomes have risen, benefiting the working class and ultimately the city.

Shanghai, by any account, is a crucial financial artery of China. Its constantly evolving commercial landscape allows it to retain its lead and set standards for the rest of the country. The market turnover, fiscal policies and cultural contributions are all making its environment far friendlier for new ventures than that of many western cities.

Daniel Hyatt is a Pakistan-based freelance journalist and commentator on modern China.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.





If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. Flash

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. Flash

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.



 Flash

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 fiancee at their home last February sparked mass street protests and hit the approval ratings of the governing leftist party Smer.

Smer is still the most popular party, but Caputova's victory in the March presidential vote boosted the opposition liberal alliance Progressive Slovakia/Together, which backed her and aims to unseat the ruling party in a 2020 general election.

The pro-European coalition already won the EU Parliament election last month.

In her inauguration speech, Caputova, 45, said state officials that had proven incapable of stamping out corruption should lose their jobs and vowed to make the justice system work fairly for everyone.

"Under the constitution, people are free and equal in dignity and in rights, meaning nobody is that irrelevant to have their rights compromised, nor is anyone that powerful to stand above the law."

"Too many people feel that this is not quite the reality in our country. The feeling of injustice has grown and has demonstrated itself in calls for change and decency but also in anger over 'the system'," she said in a nod to the rise to anti-system and far-right parties.

Caputova's election stood in contrast to a European shift toward populist and nationalist parties.

In her speech, she claimed allegiance to the pro-European and pro-Atlantic orientation of Slovakia.

"As the European Union is our life and value space, the North Atlantic Alliance is our defense and security pillar. As a country, we must do everything we can to maintain and strengthen this space and its pillars," stressed Caputova.

She also called on the EU to become a leader in the battle against climate change.

Slovakia's president wields little day-to-day power but appoints prime ministers and can veto appointments of senior prosecutors and judges.

Five people have been charged with the murders of Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, including businessman Marian Kocner, who was investigated by Kuciak and has become a symbol of perceived impunity after more than a decade of rule by Smer. Kocner has denied any wrongdoing.Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349Karuizawa: 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.Some genuine gold exporters had to face a tough time after the UAE levied a 5 per cent VAT on imports.

Chennai: A large majority 78 per cent  of the gold imported into the country for export purposes is used for round-tripping. Increased round-tripping activity in 2018 saw a 12 per cent growth in the quantum of gold used for such fraudulent purposes.

The gold jewellery exporters used 176 tonnes of gold for round-tripping while only 50 tonnes catered to genuine exports in 2018, as per the estimates of precious metals agency GFMS. Growth was seen in the quantum of gold used for both genuine and bogus exports. In 2017, 41 tonnes got used for genuine exports and 157 tonnes for round-tripping.

Round-tripping continued to flourish to take advantage of the interest arbitrage or to inflate balance sheets despite government taking several measures to contain the malpractice. In October 2017, several star export houses under the nominated agency category had lost their license to import bullion for being allegedly involved in round-tripping.

Government also had banned exports of gold above 22 carat, as 24-carat coins and medallions were important tools of round-tripping. This stopped the exports of medallions. However, the gold got transformed into crude gold bangles and was used for round-tripping under the jewellery category.

Some genuine gold exporters had to face a tough time after the UAE levied a 5 per cent VAT on imports. However, jewellery exports to the UAE from India increased by 63 per cent year-on-year to $7.6 billion in 2018. While the VAT is applicable for imports into the region for domestic consumption, imports for re-export purposes are not subject to this duty.

Bogus exporters have been sending jewellery to destinations like Dubai and Sharjah and re-exporting them either directly to India or through hubs that melt jewellery back into bullion. As VAT is not applicable in such cases, this trade has flourished.

In FY19, the country exported gold jewellery worth Rs 84,004 crore, up 35 per cent from Rs 62,381 crore in FY18. Of the total exports, 72 per cent, or Rs 60,748 crore, was exported through Special Economic Zones, which increased their exports by 51 per cent. In contrast, gold jewellery exports from Domestic Tariff Area grew by just 5 per cent, shows data from the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council.Kolkata: The steel exports to the US from China, Japan and South Korea have fallen by 4,88,000 tonne in six months since the imposition of the duty barriers by the Trump Administration. And during the same period, exports from the same three countries to India grew by 5,61,000 tonne. And a huge cross- dumping of products have been happening after the US and EU set up tariff and quota barriers. And Indian steel makers through the Indian Steel Association (ISA), have sought a 25 per cent ad valorem safeguard duty on steel imports. The proposed duty is to cover under its purview products like semis, flats, longs, pipes and tubes, stainless steel and Railway products.

This has to be seen in the light of a recent report by the Union Steel Ministry, which said that during May, both exports and imports of finished steel recorded a fall in India. Exports in May 2019 declined by 28.5 per cent to 0.318 MT from 0.445 MT earlier. For April-May, the exports were down 29.8 per cent at 0.715 MT as compared to 1.018 MT in April-May 2018-19. In May 2019, the imports fell 13.6 per cent to 0.535 MT from 0.619 MT earlier.

Imports of finished steel during April-May at 1.121 MT were 8 per cent lower than 1.218 MT in the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal. Imports of finished steel have shown a mixed trend during January to May, 2019. India remained a net importer of the steel during May, 2019, the report said.

Interestingly, India has set an ambitious target of ramping up its steel making capacity to 300 MT by 2030-31. India's crude steel output already grew 5.2 per cent to 9.235 million tonne (MT) during May 2019. The country had produced 8.779 MT crude steel during same month in 2018. During April-May 2019-20, the production stood at 18.020 MT, up 3.4 per cent from 17.432 MT in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. Production of finished steel in May rose 1.6 per cent to 10.848 MT from 10.674 MT in the year ago month, the steel ministry report said.

Meanwhile, going by the recent ICRA report, global steel production growth during 4M CY2019 stood at 4.8 per cent, largely supported by a healthy growth registered by China. China's steel production growth stood at 10.1 per cent in 4M CY2019 on the back of improved domestic demand, which in turn was aided by a pick-up in real estate and infrastructure related activities post the Chinese New Year. However, escalation of trade tensions between China and the US in May 2019 points to possibilities of moderation in Chinese economic activities in the coming months, which would keep its steel production growth and in turn global steel production growth under check in the near term.

Back home in India, domestic steel consumption growth eased to 7.5 per cent in FY2019 from 7.9 per cent in FY2018 due to liquidity and fuel price related headwinds faced by the auto sector during the second half. The demand growth moderated further to 6.4 per cent in April 2019 and is likely to remain lower than the FY2019 levels in Q1 due to continued weakness in the auto sector and reduced construction related activities during the general election period. This, coupled with elevated coking coal prices, is likely to affect the financial performance of domestic steelmakers in Q1. However, the construction sector would be at the forefront of the demand recovery in the second half of FY2020 on the back of an expected boost to the infrastructure sector, said Jayanta Roy, Senior Vice-President & Group Head, Corporate Sector Ratings, ICRA.

On the pricing front, Roy said, "While there is a scope for an immediate price hike due to the current disparity between the domestic and imported steel prices, ICRA expects that any meaningful price improvement would happen only in H2 FY2020, when the infrastructure spending is likely to gain momentum and the auto sector is expected to do well on the back of pre-buying ahead of the BS-VI rollout. International steel prices would also remain a strong determinant of domestic prices".A lot of people are convinced that if they have braces, they will feel more positive about themselves and do well, psychosocially, in later life. (Photo: Representational/Pexels)

Washington: A recent study contradicts the belief that applying braces to turn crooked teeth into a beautiful smile will boost one's self-confidence. "The study, which is the first of its type undertaken in Australia and only the second in the world, examined if having braces lead to a greater level of happiness or psychosocial outcomes, later in life," said Dr Dogramaci.

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.

Those who didn't have braces had varying levels of crooked teeth, just like those who had braces treatment, ranging from mild to very severe, reported the study published in the Journal of Orthodontics & Craniofacial Research.

The study looked at four psychosocial aspects that 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 support the person believed they received from their personal network and finally 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," said Dr Dogramaci.

Fourth-year dental student Alex Furlan has never had braces fitted, while expressing his feelings regarding the same he said, "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."

"A lot of people are convinced that if they have braces, they will feel more positive about themselves and do well, psychosocially, in later life. This study confirmed that other factors play a role in predicting psychosocial functioning and an adult's braces as a youngster was not one of them," concluded Dr Dogramacci.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The spokesperson said the venue should be spacious enough to accommodate representatives from all medical colleges and hospitals in the state. Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation. (Photo: ANI)

Kolkata: Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal softened their stand on Sunday and asserted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was free to decide the venue of the meeting with them, but stressed that it should be held in open.

Banerjee had on Saturday invited the agitators for closed-door talks, but the offer was turned down by them. Talking to the media after a two-and-half-hour-long meeting of their governing body, a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors said, "We are keen to end this impasse. We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors."

The spokesperson said the venue should be spacious enough to accommodate representatives from all medical colleges and hospitals in the state. Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation.

"We want to join our duties as early as possible in the best interests of the common people once all our demands are met with adequately and logically through a discussion. We are hopeful that the chief minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems," he said, adding that the strike would continue till a solution was worked out.

Junior doctors across the state are observing a strike in protest against an assault on two of their colleagues at the NRS, allegedly by the family members of a patient who died on Monday night.

Services continued to remain affected for the sixth day on Sunday in the emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch.According to the Banjara Hills police, who were tipped off that a 21-year-old Uzbekistan national was coming to a hotel to meet a person as part of prostitution racket, raided the hotel and arrested a person named Rajesh Kumar, who was accompanying her.

Hyderabad: The Banjara Hills police rescued a foreigner from prostitution late on Saturday night in a decoy operation.

According to the Banjara Hills police, who were tipped off that a 21-year-old Uzbekistan national was coming to a hotel to meet a person as part of prostitution racket, raided the hotel and arrested a person named Rajesh Kumar, who was accompanying her.

Reportedly, the main accused and organiser of the prostitution, Sai alias Sharma, is absconding. The cops have registered a case and sent the victim to a rescue home. Efforts are made to nab the main accused.Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan calls on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the prime minister's office in New Delhi on Saturday (Photo: AP)

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence in Delhi and took up Kerala's pending demands including handing over of the operations of the Thiruvananthapuram airport to the state government.

This is the first meeting of Pinarayi Vijayan with Prime Minister after the latter took charge for the second time after the Lok Sabha polls. The chief minister was in Delhi to take part in Niti Aayog meeting.

Later at a press conference, the chief minister said that Mr Modi listened to facts presented by the state government patiently. He assured to look into the demands sympathetically.

The prime minister said he would seek more details from the aviation department on the airport issue.

The chief minister said the state had the experience of running Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL)) and Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL) successfully. Even the UN had lauded the work of the government.

The prime minister was apprised about the completion of Gail pipeline project which has been pending for past several years. The project will be completed within a month. "It is a matter of pride for us that all hurdles were removed for making the project a reality. The prime minister congratulated the state for the achievement," he added.

The work on Kochi-Edamon power line which will facilitate the transmission of power from Kudnankulam projects is in the final stage. The project is being made a reality by constructing one more Tower Project in Kerala.

The construction of tower got delayed because of pending high court case.

On All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) , the chief minister said the government had suggested a place in Kinaloor for setting up the project. The Centre is yet to consider Kerala's demand though many other states have already got AIIMS project. Considering the robust health sector, Kerala deserved AIIMS more than others.

The chief minister said the government raised the demand for setting up an Ayurveda Research Centre of international standard in the state. The government has already initiated preliminary work related to the project.

The prime minister said Kerala's contribution in Ayurveda sector is is known all over the world. The country needs research centres of international standard.

The chief minister reiterated the demand for extending Chennai Bangalore industrial corridor to Kochi via Coimbatore. A detailed report has been submitted to the National Industrial Corridor Development Implementation Trust. The government urged the PM to give the green signal at the earliest.

Mr Vijayan sought Mr Modi's intervention in getting permission from ministry of chemicals and fertilizers for construction of Petro Chemical Complex and handing over 600 acre land for development of Cochin Refinery.Kochi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP in the Rajya Sabha, Narayan Das Gupta said on Saturday that the Delhi Government is bearing the cost for making the free travel of women in the Delhi Metro trains and nobody needs to bother about that.

Mr Gupta said this when his reaction was sought on the letter written by Metro Man E. Sreedharan to Prime Minister Modi against allowing such concessions. We are bearing the expense to the tune of `1500 crore for allowing free travel for women in DTC buses and the Delhi Metro. The DMRC will get the money from the Delhi Government. So it should not be bothered about that, he said addressing a press conference on the sidelines of a GST seminar organised by the Ernakulam chapter of Institute of Chartered Accountan-ts of India.

Mr Gupta said that the GST as implemented by the Modi Government could not be fully comprehended even by chartered accountants.

When asked about the Kerala chapter of AAP, he said that the party has not been able to focus on state units other than Delhi and local body elections in the state would be taken as a launch pad for this. He expressed confidence that AAP will return to power in Delhi in next Assem-bly election in 2020.Kolkata: 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 news 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.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. [Photo: Xinhua]

Chinese President Xi Jinping received the Order of the Crown, Tajikistan's highest decoration, from Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe 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.Thiruvananthapuram: Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the centre will not discriminate against the state in national highway development.

After his meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in New Delhi, he told reporters that the issues will be discussed with Mr Pinarayi Vijayan in the next meeting. Mr Vijayan called on Mr Gadkari at his office to discuss the progress of ongoing road and infrastructure projects in the state.

Mr Gadkari said that they discussed the problems related to NH expansion. More funds were being allocated to Kerala compared to other states due to more expenditure, he said.

The crisis is mainly on land acquisition for which the expenses in Kerala are two to three times more than that in other states. The highway will be expanded from two-lane to six-lane.

"In the next meeting, a solution will be worked out," said Mr Gadkari.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V. Muraleedharan, state PWD Minister G. Sudhakaran and chief secretary Tom Jose also attended the talks.Chennai: VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan has opposed the construction of Away From Reactor (AFR) Spent Fuel Storage facility within the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tirunelveli saying it is totally against the rules and regulations.

Away from reactor means away from the campus. They have to choose a proper place which does not affect the people. They have to choose a place which is not affected by any natural calamity. But that is not possible now. So they are trying to construct Away From Reactor (AFR) Spent Fuel Storage facility within the campus which is dangerous, he said.

He said the opposition parties including the DMK are opposed to the construction of Nuclear waste plant within the campus as it is totally against the rules and regulations. So we will hold a demonstration on June 25 against it, he told reporters here on Saturday. Leaders of other parties including CPI and Muslim League were present on the occasion.

If possible, he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and prevail upon him to halt the construction of the AFR.

Director of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) Sanjay Kumar has said that all nuclear power stations in operation in India and other countries had facilities to store new as well as spent (used) fuel on the premises of the plant. The scheme for the storage of spent fuel in a nuclear power plant was two-fold  one facility is located within the reactor building/service building, generally known as the spent fuel storage pool / bay, and the other is located away from the reactor, called the Away From Reactor (AFR) Spent Fuel Storage Facility, but within the plants premises, he had said.

Meanwhile, ahead of a scheduled public hearing on July 10, anti-nuclear groups have opposed the proposal to set up an AFR facility on the premises of the KKNPP.Chennai: The DMK president and opposition leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, M K Stalin on Saturday appealed to his party functionaries, cadres and MLAs in particular to do more public service to the extent that is possible in reaching water to the residents of greater Chennai facing its worst water crisis.

The initial response to my appeal to all of you to rise up to the occasion to reach water to parched Chennai gives me hope and I appeal to you to further expand this public service to the extent you can, Stalin tweeted in a message, as the ground situation appears to be getting worse in the southern metropolis.

What a pity, schools and hotels are closing down due to lack of water; equally disheartening is that the IT sector employees are being reportedly asked to work from their homes. Why should Chennai face such a miserable situation? Stalin further posed in his Twitter message, adding, there was no reply yet from the Municipal Administration minister so far on these issues.Hyderabad: Twenty-two migrants from Telangana state, who were cheated by a travel agent, are stuck in Dubai and they told this newspaper that they are living in very inhumane conditions and had not eaten in three days. They want the state government to help them.

They say they were duped by a travel agent named Haribabu who promised them jobs. They did get the jobs but in a company that is not paying them a wage. They say they dont even have money to buy food.

Each of them paid between Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000 to Haribabu, who assured them they would get a monthly salary of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 in Dubai.

A. Krishna, 24, from Racharla Thimmapoor village, Yellareddypet mandal in Karimnagar district, told this newspaper over phone, I came to Dubai in the month of February to earn and clear my debt. I have a debt of around seven lakhs. The travel agent Haribabau assured me that he will provide a job as he owned a company. When we reached here, we got to know that he runs a manpower services company. He had assured us Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 as monthly salary but when we came here we got to know we will be paid only once every three months.

T. Srinivas, who has a wife and two young children in India, comes from Dandepally mandal in Adilabad district. He said, I came to Dubai in December. The travel agent Haribabu promised me a billing job, but gave me a cleaning job. I did that work but when I asked for my salary after a month, he told me that I would get paid after three months. In February, I got one months salary. After which he didnt pay us. He provided three rooms for 25 members and asked us to adjust. Its been three days we havent eaten anything. We are just surviving by drinking water.

Even to get that water, he said, they had to walk at least six kilometres. With what we brought from home we have been able to survive till now, but since last three days our condition has deteriorated as our money is over, he added.

Ramya, the distressed wife of another man, B. Suresh, from Thakkalapally in Jagtial district, said: I warned my husband not to go to Dubai. We have two children who are twins. He couldnt be present on our childrens first birthday. He convinced me he had to go to clear our debts. Earlier also he was cheated by an agent. I request Chief Minister Mr Rao and his son Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao to help us and see that this type of incident doesnt happen again. Patkuri Basanth Reddy, president of the Gulf Telangana Welfare and Cultural Association, said that the associations primary concern is to send food for the stranded men. We also request the state and central government to help them to come back to India.On November 26, 2008, at around 8.30 p.m. 10 men in inflatable speed boats came ashore at two locations in Colaba, Mumbai. They split into small teams.

Two of them who seemed like good looking college boys walked into Leopold Cafe and Bar at Colaba which was bustling with cheerful customers while another youthful team of two took a taxi to the CST railway station. Both the teams came equipped with AK-47 and hand grenades. The raucous customers guzzling beer and digging into delicious food at the Leopold cafe and the people at the CST rushing to the trains and getting off the train to go home had no clue of being sprayed with bullets from AK-47s the way pest control employee exterminates cockroaches by spraying with pesticides.

The first responders were the Mumbai police. Initially, they thought they were responding to a gang war, an underworld shoot-out. They therefore had lost the plot. They had no inkling they were against AK-47s, a fedayeen attack by Lashkar-e-Taiba and not an underworld shoot-out. An underworld shoot out would not have involved indiscriminate firing at innocent public with AK-47s. The attackers killed ten people at the Leopold cafe and 58 persons at the CST. If only the Mumbai police had known in the beginning stages that the attackers were indiscriminately firing from AK-47, they would have known they were not confronting the underworld but the terrorists, and their response would have been different. They would not have lost the plot.

Indiscriminate and mass shootings create havoc, in just a few seconds they can let a situation go out of hand without a plan or clear direction from police.

A technology to detect gunshots in such situations can prove invaluable to police. The gunshot locator can recognise the weapon from a sniper to a pistol to an automatic assault weapon like an AK-47. It can identify different gun sound signatures. It identifies the gunshot by detecting, locating and alerting the police.

Within its area of coverage, the technology can provide information to the police on the number of shots fired, the direction in which someone fired it and the number of weapons involved. Gunshot detection technology comprises a system of sensors that work jointly to calculate the location of a gunshot.

A gunshot recognition system called ShotSpotter system set up in Washington, DC, has successfully had the police counting on it to detect gunfire in its coverage area. In 2008, Washington, DC Police Department reported that it had helped track down 62 victims of violent crime and assisted in 9 arrests.

Besides assaults, the system also detected a good deal of random gunfire, all totaling 50 gunshots a week in 2007. Based on the system's success, the police department decided to expand the program to cover nearly a quarter of the city. In August 2017, the United States Secret Service tested the ShotSpotter technology to protect the White House.

In another scenario, in the backyard of Wilmington, USA one late Sunday night a series of gunshots pierced through the darkness. An operator 3,000 miles away in Mountain View, California watched his computer screen blip on a map. In a fraction of a second, it flashed the origin of the sound to Wilmington police, and patrol cars were on their way to the scene. When they reached the scene, they found the victim alive with bullets pumped in his hand and chest, just a few yards from where the gun had gone off. Installation of a gunshot recognition contraption called ShotSpotter in Wilmington which is basically a series of acoustic sensors appears to have distinctly helped the police gain an upper hand over gun violence. However, San Antonio, Texas discontinued its $500,000 ShotSpotter service, after finding it had only resulted in four arrests.

Gunshot technology appears to have evolved because in the early 1990s, crimes besieged the areas of East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park in the USA. East Palo Alto had 42 homicides and was turning into murder capital of the US. Residents of Menlo Park often called the police department to investigate reported gunshots but there was no way to determine the source. In 1992, John C. Lehr a seismologist at the US Geological Survey developed a method of locating gunshots. He recognised that sound waves traveling through the air away from a gunshot are basically similar to the sound (seismic) waves traveling through the ground away from an earthquake.

Seismologists have long known that by precisely measuring the different times of arrival of a seismic wave at several distant locations, it would be possible to pinpoint an earthquake's exact source. He installed a network of five radio-telemetered microphones around one of the gunshot-terrorised neighbor hoods. He radioed sounds from these microphones to a personal computer running earthquake-detection programs. After only a few weeks of testing and improving the software, the system was locating many signals associated with gunfire. Site testing of the system inspired by earthquake technology began in Redwood City, California, in 1995. During the trials in 1996, police officers fired.38-caliber pistol and 12-gauge shotgun blanks from various places in the City. During the tests, the system could pinpoint within 50 or 60 feet the locations from which they had fired blanks.

The gunshot detection technology was first researched during World War 1. Raytheon a major U.S. defence contractor developed a system which they used in Afghanistan and Iraq to pinpoint sniper fire and alert soldiers in the field. Acoustic gunshot detection systems (AGDS) today are being deployed at cities, airports, hotels, schools, and colleges to name a few locations. AGDS are of different types; some send audio to the command centre for analysis; some sensors come with in-built audio analysis. This technology came into spotlight on October 2, 2017, when a gunman killed 58 people and wounded hundreds in Las Vegas.

AGDS reduces police response times by detecting gunfire incidents and triangulating their precise location enabling police to get to the scene of gunfire faster than they would have to rely on control room calls. By doing so, they increase the likelihood of catching the people who fire guns by getting them before they can escape from the scene and by enabling police to collect evidence such as shell casings or interview the witnesses at the scene. This would lead to a decrease in gun violence, as catching gun offenders would take them off the streets and deter others from using guns in areas covered by AGDS.

Quick response of the police to gunshot victims could save lives by facilitating expeditious medical help for the injured victims. AGDS improves police-community relations by allowing police to go to places that detected gunfire and have positive interactions with them. In gun violence cases reporting rates are often low, particularly in places where people don't have adequate faith in police. AGDS helps generate data on gunfire in such places. Armies use a similar technology to overcome enemy snipers. In war zones, the technology finds a hidden sniper using the sound of the gunshot. Police also use this system to protect locations attractive to terrorists such as crowded malls, places of worship, and nuclear power plants.

The most popular gunshot recognition systems are outdoor and fixed. We would need a network of 10 to 12 sensors per square kilometre. They are best placed on top of buildings to make them unobtrusive to avoid detection and to increase effectiveness. They do not reveal the exact location of sensors to prevent vandalism. There are mobile solutions available;which can move from one area to another depending on the requirements. Indoor systems are being installed at several places.

For instance, Charleston International Airport in South Carolina was the first airport to install an indoor system to a portion of the passenger terminal. Spate of shooting incidents in the schools in the USA has made the school authorities think about gun recognition systems. In Wisconsin, the Kenosha Unified School District is the first to have approved the installation of gunshot recognition sensors at its 43 schools. The police get alerted as soon as someone fires the gunshots, simultaneously the doors get locked and the surveillance cameras get turned on streaming live feed to the authorities.

The Center for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) in India has indigenously developed a system that is low priced. Making it affordable to instal in large numbers in places such as borders. Police can use it for counter-insurgency and combing operations, surveillance of high security installations, and to collect forensic evidence after gunshot incidents. At the Tamil Nadu Police Academy, in Chennai, a team from Madras Institute of Technology in 2013 successfully tested a technology which could pinpoint the origin of a gunshot and direct a drone or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to the location.

The researchers used an advanced sound sensor on the UAV to calculate the precise coordinates of the source of the gunshot. If a sniper fired a bullet from an unknown location at a VVIP in a crowded place, the acoustic sensors, if installed in the vicinity, would instantly detect the place from where the bullet came. As a countermeasure, a multi-sensor drone fitted with cameras could zoom down to the source of the gunshot and even keep track of the shooter while beaming video feed in real time to the command centre. Besides conveying incident alerts, they also can relay their alert data to video surveillance systems in real time.

The combined audio and video information could be tagged and stored for subsequent use as forensic evidence. The acoustic sensor aboard the UAV could also detect specific sounds such as the noise of a jeep in a forest. Forest officials can also use such drones for tracking unauthorised persons or poachers or vehicles in prohibited areas such as reserve forests.

Just as how the gunshot detection systems detect the origin of the gunshots, human beings can detect their true essence through contemplation, which in turn can lead them to a place of oneness, a place of love, a place of being fearless, and a place of joy and happiness.Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath was believed to have sought permission from UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to expand his Cabinet after he failed to get an audience with AICC president Rahul Gandhi to discuss the issue, Congress sources said on Sunday.

Mr Nath had visited New Delhi twice in the last fortnight and failed to meet Mr Gandhi on both the occasions.

He was scheduled to discuss with him on the proposed reshuffle in Congress in MP and the pending expansion of his ministry, sources said.

After his failure to meet Mr Gandhi, he has written a letter to the UPA chairperson seeking her nod to go for his Cabinet expansion, a senior Congress leader disclosed to this newspaper requesting not to be

quoted.

Mr Nath has sought approval from the party high command for his plan to drop six ministers in his Cabinet and induct an equal number of new faces in his ministry in the proposed expansion of his cabinet.

He was planning to accommodate at least one MLA each from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) and three Independents in his ministry to ensure stability of his government.

The Kamal Nath government which enjoyed a wafer-thin majority survived on outside support from two BSP MLAs, one SP legislator and four Independents.

One Independent has already been inducted in his Cabinet. Ruling Congress has strength of 114 in 230-member MP assembly.The heatwave has been further extended and it will continue till June 17 or 18.

Hyderabad: The monsoon will set in over Telangana state on June 20, according to the Indian Meteorological Department, with light showers at first which will help to bring down the temperatures.

The heatwave has been further extended and it will continue till June 17 or 18.

Dr Y.K. Reddy, director of IMD, Hyderabad, explained, The heatwave is due to the delay in the onset of the monsoon. Due to this reason the intensity of the heat in the region is high and the temperatures have not come down to the level that is expected in June. The estimated date for setting in of monsoon is now June 20. It can be either a day earlier or a day later.

The delay in the onset of the monsoon is due to Cyclone Vayu which has sucked out the moisture in the air.

This is also one of the reasons for the continued heatwave in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state. With the heatwave continuing, the IMD has told the agriculture department to ask farmers not to sow seeds yet.

Dr Reddy explained, The rains in the beginning are going to be very light and scanty. The agriculture universities in the state have instructed farmers not to sow seeds in the first two to three rains that they witness. The consistency in the rains will be noted only from the last week of June and after that only should the seeding process be taken up.

The delay in the monsoon and continued heatwave has made people restless as temperatures continue to be in the range of 43.2 degrees C to 37.5 degrees C. The highest temperature on Sunday was recorded at Badrachalam at 43.2 degrees C.

Government of India in its weather forecast stated that the southwest monsoon has advanced into the remaining parts of northeast and northwest parts of Bay of Bengal and Sikkim.

The upper air cyclonic circulation between 4.5 km and 5.8 km above sea level in the Bay of Bengal has been noted, which will lead to thunderstorms in the region of Andhra Pradesh.

This will bring down the temperature after June 18. A low pressure area developing in the Bay of Bengal in the next four to five days will bring the much wanted rain to TS, stated the meteorological department.Chennai: Expressing solidarity with the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the doctors in Tamil Nadu have planned to take part in one-day statewide strike on Monday. The medical professionals have been protesting against violence unleashed upon doctors across the country. The doctors engage in the protests after a doctor in Kolkata was brutally attacked by relatives of a deceased patient recently.

State President of IMA Dr S Kanagasabapathy, said expressing solidarity with the IMA, the doctors will engage in strike on Monday. However, doctors will not boycott emergency services. In Tamil Nadu, all 4,500 member hospitals will take part in the agitation.

It may be noted that a student doctor interning at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata was allegedly attacked by the relatives of a recently deceased patient at the hospital recently. Dr Paribaha Mukharjee was hit with a brick on his head, leaving him with a fractured skull. The incident sparked massive outrage among the medical community, with several doctors from the state of West Bengals healthcare sector threatening mass resignation if proper action was not taken to ensure the security and safety of doctors.

The social media was flooded with messages of outrage and solidarity with the doctor. Doctors and other members of the medical community tweeted with the hashtag #SaveTheDoctors, stating that they will be boycotting work and standing in support of the young doctor who was attacked and that the protests will continue until action is taken. On Friday, the IMA called for a nationwide protest against the rising number of violent attacks against doctors in the country.Chennai: The Madras high court has held that any tampering of the answer sheets or erroneous award of marks amounts to crime against the society at large. At the same time, it would result in frustration in the minds of the young students, who are all the future of our great nation.

Justice S. M. Subramaniam gave the ruling while disposing of the petitions from P.Nirmala Devi and 9 others, who are working as lecturers and senior lecturers in the District Institute of Education and Training, Dindigul district, challenging the charge memo issued against them for the alleged irregularities and illegalities in evaluation of answer scripts and award of marks.

The judge directed the authorities to proceed with the departmental disciplinary enquiry proceedings as expeditiously as possible. The judge also directed the petitioners to submit their explanations/objections in respect of the charges within two weeks and defend their case in the manner known to law.

The judge said in the era of transparency, identification of irregularities and illegalities were possible and the evaluations can be tested by all concerned with reference to the answer sheets. For example, if the award of marks were not in consonance with the key answers and the materials provided to the examiners, there was a possibility of doubt regarding the award of marks on various reasons. There was a possibility of extraneous consideration, malpractices, corrupt activities etc.

The principles of reasonableness and the accuracy adopted by the examiners with reference to the guidelines issued by the competent authorities as well as the key answers can be verified. Once, the competent authority or the persons concerned identified the discrepancy or illegalities in award of marks then suitable actions were bound to be initiated against all concerned. However, all these aspects cannot be gone into by the high court in the present batch of petitions as the notice of pending action on hand was nothing but challenge made against the charge memo. Thus, appreciation of merits at this stage was inappropriate and impermissible. Factual findings cannot be arrived in a petition, more specifically when the charge memo itself was under challenge, the judge added.

The judge said undoubtedly, the allegations against the petitioners were serious in nature and affecting the institutional integrity and honesty. The institutional integrity can be maintained only by developing the transparent procedure in the matter of evaluation of answer sheets. Confidence and trust in the minds of the students as well as the public were unfettered elements and the authorities competent must ensure the correctness of evaluations. The high court cannot interfere with these intricacies with regard to the allegations as well as the truthfulness at this stage. Such interference would hamper the enquiry proceedings to be conducted by the competent authorities in respect of the allegations set out in the charge memorandum issued to the petitioners, the judge added.

The judge said lakhs and lakhs of young students of this great nation were participating in the process of examination with the fond hope that their answer sheets were being evaluated properly and promptly and the award of marks were given in accordance with the key answers, reference books. Procedural transparency and the trustworthiness in the educational system lies on various aspects including the correct evaluation of answer sheets.

No student should feel that their answer sheets were improperly evaluated and marks were not awarded in accordance with the key answers as well as the reference books. This court is of an undoubted opinion that the allegations are in the public domain and the students are also awaiting for complete enquiry in respect of these examiners. In these circumstances, a full-fledged enquiry to cull out the truth behind the allegations is imminent and warranted, the judge added.

The judge said such allegations were nowadays common in various universities and investigations were also going on in respect of such allegations which were all in the public domain. The state must take action in respect of all these allegations and ensure a full proof system so as to avoid such allegations and ensure proper evaluation of answer sheets by the examiners for the purpose of awarding of marks etc.

The offence as well as the misconduct of all these nature would affect very foundation of the educational system across the nation and thus, the state as well as the education department must be double-cautious in maintaining the system of preparation of question papers, evaluation of answer sheets, publication of results etc, If any loopholes were identified, the authorities must immediately review the entire system and correct the same for the purpose of developing the transparency and to curtail the possibility of discrepancy, corrupt activities, errors etc.

It was the constitutional mandate on the part of the state to provide the best educational system by formulating the guidelines and rules. In the era of right to education Act, development in the field of education was of paramount importance. Under these circumstances, the state must ensure transparency and efficiency in the system enabling the students to develop confidence in their minds for the purpose of nation building. Undoubtedly, the students are the 'Nation Builders' and in the event of untrustworthiness in the system of education the same will hamper the very idea of achieving the Constitutional philosophy and ethos, the judge added.New Delhi: India maintained its skeptical stand by not endorsing Belt and Road Initiative of China when the matter came up for discussion before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek.

This is in line with the concerns of New Delhi about the ambitious trade project. India has been opposing the project as one of its key componentsChina Pakistan Economic Corridorpasses through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Barring India, all other members of SCO endorsed the project. 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 acknowledged that implementation of BRI would include alignment of Eurasian Economic Union projects with those under Chinas initiative, Hindustan Times reported.

PM Narendra Modi remarked the importance of better connectivity in his speech at the SCO summit but said that such initiatives must be based on respect for sovereignty, regional integrity, good governance, transparency...and reliability.

India says CPEC has security implications for the country as it includes highways that pose a threat to India. New Delhi is also wary of the fact that Beijings regulations for projects under BRI would favour Chinese firms and Indian firms wont stand a chance.

India stayed away from both Belt and Road Forums hosted by China. Indias concerns about BRI are expected to be discussed when Xi and Modi meet at the second informal summit in October.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. (Photo: ANI)

Kolkata: The impasse at the state-run medical colleges and hospitals in West Bengal entered the sixth day on Sunday, even as the agitating doctors asserted that they were open to talks with the government, the venue for which would be decided by a governing body of medical practitioners.

Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visit the city's NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation. After an internal meeting late on Saturday, the doctors, who had turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat, mellowed down and stated that they were ready to hold a dialogue in any form, but the venue of the meeting would be decided later.

"We will be deciding on our next step during a governing body meeting today. We are open to any dialogue as always. The venue for the meeting will be decided soon," a spokesperson of a joint forum of junior doctors told reporters here.

During a press conference at the state secretariat on Saturday, Banerjee urged the agitators to resume work and said her government had accepted all of their demands. She also stressed that a group of doctors had met her and expressed their willingness to join duty, a claim vehemently refuted by the striking doctors. During the meet, the chief minister emphasised that her government had not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to get the doctors to resume work.

"We have 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 after the agitators did not turn up for a meeting at 5 pm.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory, seeking a report on the ongoing stir and stating that it had received a number of representations from the medical fraternity from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the strike in West Bengal.

Bengal Governor K N Tripathi has written to Banerjee, advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the medicos and find out a solution to the impasse. The chief minister said she had spoken to the governor and apprised him of the steps taken by her government to resolve the matter. Doctors across the state called for a strike after two of their colleagues were brutally assaulted at the NRS Medical College and Hospital by the family members of a patient, who died on Monday night.

The services continue to remain affected in the emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch. The Calcutta High Court had, on Friday, refused to pass any interim order on the strike by the junior doctors. It had also asked the state government to persuade the doctors to resume work.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.The NIA had registered a case in May, 2017 against terrorists belonging to Jammat ud Dawah, Duktaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and other separatist leaders in the state for raising, receiving and collecting funds to fuel separatist and terrorist activities and entering into a larger conspiracy for causing disruption in Kashmir Valley and for waging war against India. (Photo: Representational)

New Delhi: The NIA has alleged that its probe into terror financing in Jammu and Kashmir has revealed that hardline separatist leaders received funds from abroad and utilised them for personal gains -- from amassing properties to paying for foreign education of their kin.

The agency has interrogated several top leaders of Hurriyat Conference and other organisations and claimed that they had confessed to receiving funds from Pakistan to fuel separatist sentiments among the people of Kashmir Valley.

In a statement issued Sunday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the firebrand leader of Duktaran-e-Milat, Asiya Andrabi, was grilled by it about the educational expenses of her son in Malaysia incurred by Zahoor Watali, who was arrested in a terror funding case.

"During interrogation, Asiya Andrabi admitted that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources and Duktaran-e-Milat had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley," it claimed.

The NIA has already approached the relevant authorities for providing evidence relating to certain bank accounts used by Asiya Andrabi's son Mohammad bin Qasim while he was in the university, it said.

Another hardline separatist leader, Shabbir Shah, had to face some tough time when he was confronted about his businesses, including a hotel in Pahalgam which is allegedly funded through foreign funds received by him from Pakistan, the statement said.

"During the custodial interrogation, Shabir Shah was confronted with evidence relating to transfer of money by Pakistan-based agents and representatives of APHC (All Parties Hurriyat Conference) factions to parties affiliated to Hurriyat in J and K. He was also confronted about his investments in various hotels and businesses in Pahalgam, properties in Jammu, Srinagar and Anantnag," the NIA said.

The NIA had registered a case in May, 2017 against terrorists belonging to Jammat ud Dawah, Duktaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and other separatist leaders in the state for raising, receiving and collecting funds to fuel separatist and terrorist activities and entering into a larger conspiracy for causing disruption in Kashmir Valley and for waging war against India.

The agency has so far charge-sheeted 13 accused, including leader of Jammat-ud Dawah Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, head of proscribed organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin, seven separatist leaders, two hawala conduits and some stone-pelters. Watali is one of the main hawala conduits who used to generate and receive funds from Pakistan, ISI, UAE and had floated various shell companies to disguise foreign remittances for further transfer to separatist leaders and stone pelters in the valley, it said.

The agency said these funds were used to fuel unrest in the Kashmir valley and organise violent agitations and anti-India activities which resulted in large scale violence leading to numerous injuries and deaths of civilians and security forces. Evidence relating to funding of these separatist elements through Pakistan and UAE-based businessman, ISI, High Commission of Pakistan in Delhi has been collected and presented to the NIA Special Court in the charge sheets, it said.

Watali's bail was rejected by the Supreme Court, on a plea by the NIA, as the apex court observed that the Delhi High Court has not appreciated the material which found favour with the designated court to record its opinion that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accusations are prima facie true.

The agency has arrested Yasin Malik, leader of proscribed organisation JKLF, Asiya Andrabi leader of proscribed organisation Duktaran-e-Milat, separatist leader Shabir Shah of JKDFP and Masrat Alam of Muslim League.

Malik told the agency that he was instrumental in bringing together the factions of Hurriyat Conference and formed the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) which spear headed the violent agitations in 2016 in Kashmir Valley by issuing "Protest Calendars" leading to economic shut down for over four months and also caused death and injuries to civilians and security forces during the violent protests.

Malik admitted that the JRL and Hurriyat Conference Gilani Group collected funds from business community as well as certain other sources and ensured that economic shut down and violent protests continue to disrupt the daily life of common citizens in the valley, the agency said. "Evidence regarding many of Shah's benami properties is being collected. He was confronted with some of his personal staff and associates who have provided vital information regarding the sources fund raising and investment details," it alleged.

Masarat Alam, "the poster boy of stone pelters and violent agitations in Kashmir valley" has told investigators that Pakistan based agents route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to the separatist leaders including Syed Shah Gilani Chairman, the NIA said. Alam has also revealed that there are rifts in the Hurriyat Conference regarding collection and use of fund, it said.Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will increase the frequency of her tours to the state and meet party workers at least twice a week, sources said on Sunday. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: In a bid to infuse fresh energy in the party organisation and with the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in mind, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will increase the frequency of her tours to the state and meet party workers at least twice a week, sources said on Sunday.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh is ready to hit the ground in the state, following the Congress's debacle in the recent Lok Sabha election, in order to strengthen the party organisation in time for the 2022 Assembly polls.

In a bid to ensure a direct communication with the party workers, Priyanka Gandhi will meet them twice a week without prior appointments, the sources said.

"It emerged from the review meetings held after the Lok Sabha polls that there should be a greater coordination and communication between the leaders and the workers. For this, it has been decided that Priyanka Gandhi will meet the party workers at least twice a week," a Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity.

"The frequency of her tours to Uttar Pradesh will also increase in the near future," he added. The plan to step up her Uttar Pradesh tours and establish a direct communication with the party workers comes days after Priyanka Gandhi, during a visit to Raebareli, told the workers that they had let down the grand old party in the Lok Sabha polls.

Accompanied by her mother and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who visited her parliamentary constituency last Wednesday, Priyanka Gandhi pulled up the party workers for failing to work for the Congress during the polls.

"I will find out the names of the workers who did not work for the party in the election," she had said, adding that those who had toiled honestly and sincerely for the party knew that from the core of their hearts.

"But those who did not, I will find out their names," she had said. Priyanka Gandhi, who was appointed as the party general secretary just ahead of the parliamentary polls, had campaigned vigorously for Congress candidates in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Raebareli and Amethi.

But of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Congress could manage to win only Raebareli. Even party president Rahul Gandhi lost to Union Minister Smriti Irani from his family stronghold of Amethi.

Priyanka Gandhi and AICC in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia held review meetings following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, in which it managed to win 52 seats nationally.

Bypolls are due for 11 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh after the respective MLAs were elected to Parliament.THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Congress (Mani) has split again after Jose K. Mani was elected chairman of the party at an alternative state committee meeting held at Kottayam on Sunday.

Even though Oppos-ition leader Ramesh Chennithala, KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran and Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty tried their level best to prevent the split, 325 members of the State committee wanted Jose K. Mani as the party chairman.

Sometime earlier, former party chairman K.M. Mani had quipped, We are a party that splits as we grow and grows as we split while referring to the frequent divisions the party had witnessed over the last five decades of its existence. So, the latest split had not created many ripples, but the UDF is definitely worried as they have always sided P.J. Joseph

Jose K. Mani faction has sent a letter to Election Commission informing about the election of a new party chairman. It was KC (M) leader K.A. Antony who has given the letter to Election Commission. The hurriedly held KC (M) State committee meeting at CSI Retreat Centre, Kottayam has reportedly seen 325 of them choosing Jose. K. Mani. The total strength of the state committee is 437. Apart from Jose K. Mani, who is a Rajya Sabha MP, the newly MP elect Thomas Chazhikadan and two MLAs, Roshy Augustine and Prof. N. Jayaraj attended Sundays State committee meeting.

Veteran leaders like C.F. Thomas MLA and Joy Abraham, former Rajya Sabha MP, stayed away from the meeting expressing their displeasure in anointing Jose K. Mani as the successor of the late K.M. Mani.

C.F. Thomas told reporters in Kottayam that he will stay put with the faction which will be approved by the Election Commission. In his brief speech after taking over the new role, Jose K. Mani said that KC (M) will continue working for the farmers and the toiling class.

This is not the time to make a detailed speech which I will delve on later. Mani Sir is with us in the path ahead. I will never ditch the party.I am reiterating that KC (M) will work united. The remaining issues will be discussed and amicably settled, said Jose K. Mani.

He also rubbished the statement of P.J. Joseph that it is not the state committee which elected Jose K. Mani, but it is his fans association. Eight district presidents also attended the meet, claimed the Jose K Mani faction. But now all eyes will be on whether the two factions will sit apart in the Legislative Assembly on Monday. A KC (M) general secretary who shows allegiance to Jose K. Mani told this newspaper that P. J. Joseph will sit in the same chair allotted to him by the Speaker of the Assembly in his role as the acting chairman.

We have already given the letter to Election Commission stating that Jose K. Mani has been elected as the KC (M) chairman. On Sunday, only the chairman has been elected. The remaining posts have not been accommodated which will be done eventually. We have more strength as we have two MLAs and two MPs, said a KC (M) general secretary.

The date of the parliamentary party meeting has not been decided so far. The steering committee and high power committee has got 111 and 29 members respectively, where the Jose K. Mani faction claim that they have got majority over the Joseph faction. Jose K. Mani was in no mood to relent despite the Congress leaders pressure as he feels that only the party chairman post would make him supreme in the party. Congress sources told DC that if not for the UDF leadership's intervention, Jose K. Mani would not have got the Rajya Sabha seat as he stepped down from the Kottayam Lok Sabha seat to take over it. It should be recalled that Joseph faction was peeved with K. M. Mani for ensuring his sons smooth transition from the role of a Lok Sabha MP to Rajya Sabha MP.CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami has failed to effectively voice the States concerns in critical areas at the planning think-tank NITI-AAYOG meeting chaired by Prime Minister, Sri Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday, said DMK president, MK Stalin on Sunday.

Whether it is the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance-Test (Neet) issue, Karnatakas bid to build a reservoir across Cauvery at Mekedatu or the issue of over Rs 17,000 crore funds due to Tamil Nadu from the Centre including GST compensation, the Chief Minister has not strongly conveyed the Tamil Nadu peoples feelings or that of the State Assembly on these issues, Stalin charged in a statement here.

The DMK leader said that Mr. Palaniswamis memorandum to Mr. Modi should have emphasised the need for Presidential assent to the two bills passed by the State Assembly seeking exemption from Neet for Tamil Nadu students. It continued to be a burning issue for medical/dental college aspirants in the State.

At least four youths have committed suicide due to low Neet marks in the past week, one of whom is from Chief Ministers own constituency of Edappadi in Salem district, he pointed out.

The DMK leader said Mr. Palaniswami should have used an all-India forum of Chief Ministers to drive home how Tamil Nadu is being ignored by the BJP government at the Centre, given that funds to the tune of over Rs 17,000 crore including for panchayats were yet to be transferred to the state.

Even on the Mekedatu dam issue, the Chief Minister should have protested Karnataka Chief Ministers attitude at the NITI-AAYOG meeting itself in protecting the interests of Tamil Nadu farmers. Thus a good opportunity to redress such key issues has been lost, Stalin said, adding, Mr. Palaniswami has returned empty handed from Delhi.

DMK PANELS: Meanwhile, the DMK headquarters announced the composition of party committees to ascertain the reasons behind the partys defeat in nine by-elections to the State Assembly of the 22 held recently along with Lok Sabha polls. The constituencies included Sattur, Nilakottai, Harur, Paapireddipatti, Sholingur, Manamadurai, Vilathikulam, Paramakudi and Sulur.The Bharatiya Janata Partys antipathy towards the minorities is well-known. Once the Modi government came to power at the Centre, it promptly did away with the old tradition of hosting official iftar parties though its Muslim leaders like Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain do hold elaborate Eid celebrations at their homes. Taking a cue from the Prime Minister, the Rashtrapati Bhavan also followed suit. It was, therefore, a surprise to spot National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav at an iftar party hosted last week by Moulana Mehmood Madani, general secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Not just that but Mr Doval was also seen in deep conversation with Congress treasurer Ahmed Patel. The two shared a meal as they were both seated at the same table. However, Mr Doval and Mr Patel said a firm no to photographs to all mobile-wielding guests who were keen to click them together. It is being assumed that Mr Doval and Mr Yadavs presence at the iftar party, hosted by a leading Muslim organisation, followed Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent outreach to minorities with his amended slogan, sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas.

BJP rebel Shatrughan Sinha, who joined the Congress shortly before the Lok Sabha elections, is said to be miffed with his new party. Apparently, Mr Sinha had sent word to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders that he would like to contest against PM Narendra Modi from the high-profile Varanasi seat. However, his request was turned down on the plea that the party was planning to field Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from this seat. As it happened, the party chickened out at the last minute and fielded political lightweight Ajay Rai. Congress insiders had then insisted that speculation about Ms Vadras candidature from Varanasi was a media creation. Mr Sinha, who has been campaigning actively against the BJP leadership for the past several years now, was instead asked to battle it out from his old seat Patna. He lost to the BJPs senior minister Ravi Shankar Prasad by a huge margin. Mr Sinhas supporters maintain that his defeat was not a surprise as Patna is a known BJP stronghold. But had he been pitted against the Prime Minister, Mr Sinha would have added spice to an otherwise one-sided contest. The move would have also enhanced the filmstar-turned-politicians stature and profile.

Ever since senior BJP leader and former minister Sushma Swaraj was excluded from the second Modi government, there has been a lot of speculation that she may be offered a gubernatorial position. The terms of several governors are coming to an end and it is expected that some of them may not get an extension while others could be moved to a different state. For instance, it is quite certain that E.S.L Narasimhan, governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, who was appointed by the previous UPA government, will be replaced. Ms Swaraj was mentioned as his successor and health minister Harsh Vardhan even congratulated her on her new assignment but the former external affairs minister quickly denied these reports. It is learned that Ms Swaraj may not be averse to a posting in Chandigarh as the next Punjab governor. This is the closest she can be to her hometown Ambala in neighboring Haryana where she did her schooling. Chandigarh too holds special memories for Ms Swaraj as she attended university here. The subsequent weeks will reveal if Ms Swaraj will be accommodated in a Raj Bhavan or ignored like senior leaders L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.

Congress leaders are baffled with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadras decision to release their photographs with Navjot Singh Sidhu who had recently visited Delhi to complain about how his wings had been clipped by his bete noire, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, in the latest Cabinet reshuffle. Congress insiders said this photograph was unnecessary as it sent out a message that the leadership is favourably inclined towards Mr Sidhu vis-a-vis Mr Singh. At a time when the Congress has only a couple of strong state leaders, it can ill-afford to thumb its nose at the Punjab CM especially since Mr Singh has delivered a reasonably good result for the party from his home state in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Not just that but Mr Singh has personally emerged far stronger after the poll result and there is talk that a large section in the partys Punjab unit has shifted loyalties from Rahul Gandhi to the chief minister since he can win them an election unlike the central leadership. This does not augur well for the Congress chief whose leadership has suffered a serious blow after the partys latest humiliating electoral defeat.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.

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.

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.A carelessly worded tweet has landed Maharashtra IAS officer Nidhi Choudharis career in hot water. Posted as joint municipal commissioner of the Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation, she has been transferred as deputy secretary in the water supply department.

The tweet in question was about Mahatma Gandhi and his approaching 150th birth anniversary celebrations in the context of the rise of hyper-nationalism. It was seen as derogatory to the Father of the Nation, and Ms Choudhari faced a severe backlash on social media. Even Opposition parties demanded exemplary action against the babu. Ms Choudharis denial that her tweet was sarcastic was lost in the din, especially on social media platforms where rhetoric scores far more than nuanced communication. Though the IAS officer immediately deleted the tweet, it has not stopped the Maharashtra government from seeking an explanation from the babu over the derogatory tweet. A show-cause notice has now been issued. Though some retired and serving IAS officers have sought to defend her, claiming that she could never insult Gandhiji, this has failed to cut any ice with the state government.

Forest officials feeling left out

Among the first decisions of the Modi 2.0 sarkar was to extend the Prime Ministers Scholarship Scheme to children of police personnel who are killed in Naxalite or terrorist attacks. Earlier, it was restricted to wards of military and paramilitary personnel as well as railway forces. While the IPS Association has welcomed the decision, one service is feeling particularly left out.

Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers have demanded that the scheme be expanded to include children of forest personnel who are killed in the line of duty.

The demand has found traction in social media, with many people coming out in support of forest officials.

Forest officials maintain that their jobs entail a lot of risks, and many lose their lives protecting the forests. Apparently, according to a study by the International Ranger Federation, India was the most dangerous country in the world for forest rangers, accounting for more than 30 per cent of ranger deaths across the world.

As the demand gains momentum, forest officers are hoping for a positive response from the government. But will it?The Indian Supreme Courts order appointing three members as a mediatory panel to resolve the 70-year-old Babri Masjid dispute flouts every established rule on the process of mediation. Mediation must be accepted by both sides; the mediators must also be acceptable to them; they must be free from any bias.

In the present case, the Supreme Court appointed mediators largely on its own authority.

One of the parties, the Hindu side, flatly rejected, as far back as in 1989, both adjudication by the courts and mediation. It demands nothing short of a transfer of the land, on which Babri Masjid stood, to the Hindus. That would enable them to build a temple dedicated to Ram on the land on which the mosque stood. This peremptory demand drove the Hindu parties to destroy the mosque on December 6, 1992. The issue now centres on the land. The Central government sought an advisory opinion from the Supreme Court on whether Babri Masjid was built on the ruins of a temple.

The court rejected the reference holding, rightly, that it would deprive the Muslim side of the defence of limitation that they were entitled to urge. The Sikhs won the concurring case of Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj precisely on this ground, although there was an undisputed deed of waqf concerning the Shaheed Ganj Masjid.

However, flouting the Supreme Courts ruling, the Allahabad high court did enter into history, archaeology and myth to consider whether the mosque was built on the ruins of a temple. Its order reflected this approach  a tripartite partition of the area with the Hindu side getting the best portion, including the site on which the idol of Ram was forcibly, deceitfully placed in the mosque on the night of December 22-23, 1949, mere hours after the namaz was over.

This is the background to the case before the Supreme Court and its order regarding mediation. It had two courses open to it. It should have considered at the outset whether its earlier ruling had been flouted by the high court and proceeded to dispose of the case by deciding it by considering the applicability of the statute of limitations concerning a mosque which, it was admitted by all, was built in 1528.

Given the hijacking of the case, it was no surprise that the record proved unmanageable. The Supreme Court itself noted, The record consists of 38,147 pages of which 12,814 pages are in Hindi, 18,607 pages are in English, 501 pages are in Urdu, 97 pages are in Gurumukhi, 21 pages are in Sanskrit, 86 pages are in other language scripts, 14 pages contain images and 1,729 pages are in a combination of more than one language script viz Hindi, English, Urdu, Sanskrit and Gurumukhi. The record also includes 4,278 blank pages, though numbered, yet not relevant for the purpose of translation  a process that would take two months.

On February 26, 2019, the Supreme Court suggested mediation during this interregnum. The Muslim side agreed; the Hindu side did not. On March 8, the Apex Court made a formal order: We are of the view that the mediation proceedings should be conducted with utmost confidentiality so as to ensure its success, which can only be safeguarded by directing that the proceedings of mediation and the views expressed therein by any of the parties including the learned mediators shall be kept confidential and shall not be revealed to any other person. While the mediation proceedings are being carried out, there ought not to be any reporting of the said proceedings either in the print or in the electronic media.

The mediators it appointed were Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla, former judge, Supreme Court of India; Sriram Panchu, senior advocate; and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who has publicly expressed his opinion loud and clear in support of the Hindu side. The mediatory panel is to hold the third round of talks with the petitioners on June 17. It has been given a two-month extension of time (until August 15) by the Supreme Court.

The panel has reported progress to the Supreme Court. But the development comes even as the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, which has been spearheading the Ram Mandir movement across the country, convened a meeting in Ayodhya to formulate a future strategy for the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. We were against any form of mediation in the Ayodhya case. Thereafter, we were also against any extension to the mediation panel, said Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, head of the Nyas. We want the court to decide the Ayodhya dispute on the basis of facts.

The Supreme Court has initiated an exercise that was doomed to failure at the very outset. There is a very simple course before the Apex Court. It can  and ought to  declare that the case is impossible to resolve by a judicial process, especially since one of the parties, the Hindu side, declared in 1989 that it will not abide by a judicial verdict.

By arrangement with DawnOne man has destabilised China. For the purpose, he has used something which hardly existed a decade ago, Twitter. Though his messages are sometimes eccentric, President Donald Trump has changed the course of the US-China relations. For the first time in recent years, the US has taken the ascendant on the Middle Kingdom in terms of communication and propaganda. This can be seen in all aspects of the bilateral relations. As a result, Beijing feels insecure like never before; this probably explains the rare authorisation given to Terry Branstad, the US Ambassador to China, to visit the Roof of the World between May 19 and 25; a first for a US ambassador since 2015.

A statement issued from Washington said that Branstad spoke his mind; he urged China to open substantive dialogue with exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama and give the Himalayan regions Buddhists freedom to practise their religion.

The State department added that Branstad raised our long-standing concerns about lack of consistent access to the TAR. He also expressed concerns regarding the Chinese governments interference in Tibetan Buddhists freedom to organise and practise their religion.

The ambassador visited several historic places such as the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple or the Norbulingka Palace linked to the Dalai Lama and when he met the senior Communist leaders, he encouraged them to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, to seek a settlement that resolves differences. All this was obviously not reported in the Chinese press.

Wu Yingjie, Tibets Communist Party chief, explained to the ambassador the huge achievements undertaken for guaranteeing the rule of law, religious freedom and traditional culture. According to the Communist Tibet Daily newspaper, Wu added that he sincerely welcomed more American friends to visit the TAR.

On the ambassadors return, Beijing used a well-known hawk, Zhu Weiqun, to counter the US diplomacy. Zhu, though retired, holds the honorific post of chairman of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference; for years, as executive deputy director of the United Front Work Department, Zhu was the interlocutor of the Dalai Lamas Envoys (2002-2010).

Once, when asked whether religious members could be admitted in the Party, Zhu famously retorted: No Chinese Communist Party members should be allowed to be religious.

On June 9, Zhu commented on the visit of Branstad to Tibet, in The Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Party. Zhu strongly criticised the ambassador, who dared, according to him, to encourage Beijing to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama without preconditions.

This was not appreciated by Zhu (in fact by the Party, as the tabloid represents the Partys views). Why? Not only it was blatant interference in Chinas internal affairs, said Zhu, but he also questioned the meaning of seeking a settlement without preconditions and the definition of a substantive dialogue. Though time and again the Dalai Lama has said that he wanted an association, not a separation with China, Zhu considers the Dalai Lama a splittist.

While giving an assurance that the CPCs Central Committee had not closed the door to contacts and negotiation with the Dalai Lama, Zhu showed the Partys hard-line stance, the proposed negotiation cannot come without preconditions.

In my book, The Negotiations that Never Were, I argued that the talks never really took off, because the two sides did not speak the same language.

Already in 1981, Hu Yaobang, the CPCs general secretary, had submitted to Gyalo Thondup, the Dalai Lamas elder brother, a Five-Point Policy towards the Dalai Lama. The conditions were not related to Tibet, but only to the Dalai Lamas future.

One of the points said: The central authorities sincerely welcome the Dalai Lama and his followers to come back to live [in China]. This is based on the hope that they will contribute upholding Chinas unity and promoting solidarity between the Han and Tibetan nationalities. It was also said: It is suggested that he not go to live in Tibet or hold local posts there. Of course, he may go back to Tibet from time to time.

Zhu Weiqun reiterated that there was nothing to discuss about Tibet, the negotiations could only be about the condition of the Dalai Lamas return to the Motherland and his status... in Beijing.

Zhu explained: First, it must be made clear that in nature, contact and consultation [these] are not talks between Chinas central government and the Tibetan government-in-exile or Central Tibetan Administration, nor are [they] Tibetan-Han Talks or Tibetan-China Talks. The Dalai separatist political group is illegitimate and ineligible to have a dialogue with representatives of the CPC Central Committee. Beijing wants only to talk to the Dalai Lamas personal envoys.

Such conditions did not yield positive results during the nine rounds of talks held between 2002 and 2010, when Lodi Gyari was the Dalai Lamas Special Envoy. The second point mentioned by Zhu was: The Dalai Lama must accept Tibet as an integral part of China, abandon all attempts about so-called Tibet independence, stop all separatist and destructive activities, and recognise Taiwan as an integral part of China. Why Beijing wants to link Taiwan to Tibet is perplexing!

Regarding the second point, China has been insisting that the Dalai Lama agrees that historically Tibet has always been a part of China.

When a senior Tibetan exiled Lama went to China a couple of years ago, the Chinese told him that the Dalai Lama should sign a statement acknowledging that Tibet has been part of China since ancient times. This is obviously not acceptable to the Dalai Lama and the People of Tibet, as it is a falsification of history. Taking a hard stand, Zhu affirmed that in these two preconditions there is no so-called Tibet issue, but just the problem of the Dalai Lama.

It means that today, the Chinese stand has not changed since 1981. All this does not much leave any margin for substantive negotiations and the recent events in Hong Kong, the pressure in Taiwan and the tragic situation in Xinjiang do not indicate a positive change in the Chinese attitude.

Beijing is playing another card; on June 10, the official China News Service announced that Gyaltsen Norbu, the Panchen Lama selected by the Communist Party in 1995 had visited Thailand in May, the first time he had ever left China, while the boy chosen by the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama still languishes for more than two decades under house arrest.

The announcement came nearly one month after Norbus visit; it show Beijings nervousness. Norbu just gave a speech at a Buddhist university, but his visit made him even more aware of the greatness of the motherland and the Chinese Communist Party.

Tibetans will not be fooled by such cheap propaganda. Substantive progress between the two parties seems to have slipped farther away, with or without tweets.Pakistan had fully shut its airspace on the eastern border with India after an Indian Air Force carried out aerial airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot on February 26. (Photo: Representational)

Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday extended the ban on its airspace for all Indian flights till June 28, authorities have said.

Towards the end of May, Pakistan had extended for a fortnight the airspace closure for a fortnight which expired on June 14.

Pakistan had fully shut its airspace on the eastern border with India after an Indian Air Force carried out aerial airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot on February 26.

The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Pulwama, in which about 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives on February 14.

In March, the country partially opened its airspace for all flights but not for Indian flights.

In mid-April, Pakistan also opened one of its 11 air routes for west-bound flights from India, and airlines such as Air India and Turkish Airlines have started using it.

Since then, foreign carriers using Indian airspace have been forced to take costly detours because they cannot fly over Pakistan. The closure mainly affects flights from Europe to Southeast Asia.

Pakistan lies in the middle of a vital aviation corridor whereby the airspace restrictions, which have been continuing since a long time, impacts hundreds of commercial flights each day, extending flight timings for passengers, as well as fuel costs for airlines.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek last week, also had to divert his special flight and went via the circuitous route through Oman and Iran, instead of using the Pakistan air space.North Korea is currently stuck in an impasse with the United States, especially after the breakdown of the Vietnam Summit between the leaders of the two nations in February this year.

Pyongyang: North Korea's official news agency slammed the United States for its "deceptive" attitude towards Iran, according to reports in South Korean media on Sunday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that fresh sanctions were slapped on an Iranian firm by the United States, shortly after Washington offered to hold talks with Tehran with no preconditions.

The United States recently sanctioned the Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (PGPIC) -- Iran's largest petrochemical group -- accusing the organisation of providing support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) which was listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) by Washington in April.

Citing an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, KCNA also claimed that USA's offer of dialogue was not "genuine," according to Yonhap News Agency.

North Korea is currently stuck in an impasse with the United States, especially after the breakdown of the Vietnam Summit between the leaders of the two nations in February this year.

The two countries were supposed to chart the way forward in the denuclearisation process and hold a joint press conference after the summit -- which did not happen as talks ended abruptly.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly failed to resolve their differences on sanctions waivers which led to the breakdown of talks.

While North Korea asked for relief in sanctions in exchange for the denuclearisation steps undertaken by the reclusive state, the United States maintained its stance that sanctions waivers would only be given once complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is achieved.

Talks between the two states have been limited following the Vietnam Summit, with the US urging Pyongyang to resume dialogue.

North Korea, on the other hand, has told the US to drop its hardline stance and put forward a new proposal acceptable to the country's leadership.Tel Aviv: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu have used their "excellent" personal equation to deepen the bilateral ties which are moving in an "upward trajectory", India's Ambassador to Israel Pavan Kapoor has said.

Ties between India and Israel, into the 27th year now, strengthened with Modi's historic visit to the country in July 2017 during first term, Kapoor told PTI.

Stating that the relationship is moving in an "upward trajectory", the envoy said, "Modi and Netanyahu share an excellent equation and it is in their tenure that we have had Modi coming to Israel for the first time and Netanyahu visiting India".

Modi visited Israel in July 2017, the first visit by an Indian prime minister in 70 years. During the historic visit, the personal chemistry and the warmth between Modi and Netanyahu, also known as Bibi, were apparent not only in their prepared remarks but also their repeated hugs.

In their prepared speeches, both leaders described each other as, "my friend" and embraced each other three times. Ambassador Kapoor said that a lot of people from India and Israel are travelling to each other's countries for work and leisure and that has pushed tourism.

"I think what both (Modi and Netanyahu) have tried to do is to build this connection between the institutions so that the relationship grows in all sectors. They have expanded and deepened the relationship in several areas and it is bound to increase," Kapoor said.

He specifically singled out the post-conscription visits by Israelis to India as a special draw to find "solace". "People of both countries are spending, experiencing each other's countries. A large number of Israeli people travel to India after their military service and they go and find solace (in India), they spend many months travelling and they have a good experience," he said.

Indian tourist arrivals to Israel has jumped to 70,000 last year from 12,000 earlier, he said. "It is a Holy Land... we have a lot of pilgrimage tourist coming in for visit to Jerusalem," Kapoor said. He said yoga, which originated in ancient India, is popular in Israel too.

"Yoga is very popular here. The popularity for yoga is huge, the number of yoga teachers per capita is highest in this country," he said.

Speaking about the cultural similarities, the envoy said that just like Indians, Jewish people have close ties with families and sit down for dinners Friday evening. Talking about the presence of Indians in Israel, Kapoor said, "About 12,000 to 13,000 Indian nationals stay in Israel and bulk of them are in caregiving industry and help the elderly folks in Israel. Then we have about 25 to 30 Gujarati diamond merchant families who have been here for many years and they are doing good business".

There are also 550 Indian students pursuing doctoral and post-doctoral studies, Kapoor said, adding a few Indian corporates also have their offices in Israel. Israel and India established full diplomatic relations on January 29, 1992.

However, even before that, Israel had a Consulate in Mumbai, operating since 1953.Turkish officials were the first to report the murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body. (Photo: File)

Riyadh: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has warned against "exploiting" the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi for political gains, in what appeared to be a veiled attack on Turkey.

Turkey's ties with Saudi Arabia have come under strain since the brutal murder last October of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which tarnished the international reputation of the crown prince.

Turkish officials were the first to report the murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found.

"The death of Jamal Khashoggi is a very painful crime," Prince Mohammed told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in an interview published Sunday.

"Any party exploiting the case politically should stop doing so, and present evidence to the (Saudi) court, which will contribute in achieving justice," he added, without directly naming Turkey.

Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee releases book about slain journalist.

The fiancee of Jamal Khashoggi, Hatice Cengiz, releases a book about the murdered Saudi journalist, entitled "Jamal Khashoggi: his life, his struggle, his secrets".

The prince, however, added that he wants strong relations with "all Islamic countries including Turkey".

The CIA has reportedly said the murder was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler and heir to the Arab world's most powerful throne.

Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation.

Saudi prosecutors have absolved the prince and said around two dozen people implicated in the murder are in custody, with death penalties sought against five men.

Khashoggi, a US resident, had written critically of Prince Mohammed and was killed in what Riyadh described as a rogue operation.

Prince Mohammed said the kingdom was committed to "full justice and accountability" in the case, as he faces international pressure to punish the culprits.According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017. (Photo: ANI)

Dhaka: Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid on Saturday said the Rohingya crisis can destabilise the entire region if left unresolved.

Addressing the 5th Summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) at Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, Hamid stressed the importance of a peaceful resolution of the Rohingya crisis, Dhaka Tribune reported.

The President also sought support and cooperation from CICA partners so that the forcibly displaced inhabitants of the Rakhine state can return to their homeland with "safety, security and dignity".

"The world knows Bangladesh hosts 1.1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals. You must be aware of the evidence of genocide and gross violation of human rights, which has been termed a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing' and humanitarian catastrophe of unmanageable magnitude," he added.

"Asian security is vulnerable as irregular migration, drug trafficking, territorial claims, ethnic conflicts, separatism, economic problems and climate change are visible here. To address these crucial challenges, CICA needs to enhance its capacity through promoting the concept of indivisible security," the President was quoted as saying.

Rohingya, who belong to the Rakhine state in Myanmar, have been facing extreme persecution by authorities and majority Buddhists. It has further prompted their flight over the years, many on rickety boats that are mostly pushed back into the open sea by countries, especially Thailand and Myanmar.

Myanmar regards Rohingya as illegal migrants from the Indian subcontinent and has confined tens of thousands to sprawling camps in Rakhine since violence swept the area in 2012.

The unrest prompted thousands of minorities to flee Myanmar by sea. The exodus peaked in 2015 when an estimated 25,000 people crossed the Andaman Sea for Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, many drowning in unsafe and overloaded boats.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.

According to a UN report, titled "Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience," around 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were raped by Myanmar's army and police and over 115,000 Rohingya homes were burned down and 113,000 others vandalised.Islamabad: Pakistan Muslim League-(Nawaz) vice president Maryam Nawaz on Sunday held a meeting with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto at her Jati Umra residence near Lahore to devise a joint strategy against the Imran Khan-led PTI government.

Both leaders explored possibilities of carrying out campaigns against the government and took a decision to jointly oppose the passing of the budget proposed by the government.

Other senior leaders of both parties, including Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Hasan Murtaza and Chaudhary Manzor from the PPP and Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz Sadiq, former governor Muhammad Zubair, Pervez Rashid and Marriyum Aurangzeb attended the meeting.

The PPP chairman had accepted the invitation on Saturday when Maryam Nawaz telephoned him.

The invitation came a few weeks after Bilawal arranged a grand iftar party for opposition leaders in which he also invited Maryam.

Earlier, Bilawal said his party was ready to work with PML-N for the betterment of the country, adding that no one party can resolve the issues of the country.

He said the people of Punjab were facing economic terrorism, adding, it was difficult for middle class people to run their homes.

Bilawal added that the party will however not compromise on its ideology and manifesto.The IMA scam witnessed intense political slugfest on Saturday with politicians of all hues taking potshots at each other.

BJP president B S Yeddyurappa demanded a CBI probe into the scam. A delegation of IMA investors who lost their money met him and held talks. They urged him to help protect their interests and pressure the government for a CBI probe.

"What's the connection between IMA chief Mohammed Mansoor Khan and minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan? Even the chief minister had biryani with Mansoor. If this isn't handed over to the CBI, Mansoor will get off scot-free. The chief minister has to answer for this," Yeddyurappa told reporters.

IMA investors have been meeting all politicians and social organisations to mobilise support for their fight and to pressure the government to help them get their investment back.

Zameer, for his part, held talks with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao over the IMA fraud. "I came to brief the party president on the IMA case. I've never been indifferent when it comes to this," Zameer said.

"What can Yeddyurappa do about this but talk? I was the one who first spoke on behalf of all those who've been cheated."

While the state government didn't comment on a media report that an IAS officer had turned down a minister's plan to bail the IMA out, Home Minister M B Patil exuded confidence that Mansoor would be arrested at the earliest.

"We have formed teams under the supervision of top officials to nab Mansoor and he will be arrested at the earliest. We are also forfeiting the properties belonging to Mansoor and IMA. The SIT probe into the scam has also gained momentum," he said.

To a question, Patil explained that financial activities did not come under the police jurisdiction.

"We can take action only if there are fraudulent activities like this. Tamil Nadu has empowered the police to forfeit the property of promoters in such frauds. We are considering enacting a similar law here in Karnataka," the minister added.

A sitting MLC from Bengaluru said the government must be held responsible for the entire fiasco. "The government took no action even though police and other enforcement agencies issued multiple alerts following the Ambidant scam. It just allowed the fraudsters to flee from Bengaluru. From sitting ministers to MLAs, everyone seemed to be part of this scam," he added.

An MLA said: "Considering the larger public interest, the government must crack down on other jewellers running similar investment schemes. The government must conduct an audit of such businessmen and randomly check their accounts and transactions. It can also request the central agencies to curb such fraudulent activities."The Congress appeared to be in a dilemma over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong pitch for 'one nation, one poll' and outreach to Parliamentarians for a brainstorming session about the 75th anniversary of India's Independence.

Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad skirted questions on whether the Congress would attend the meeting of presidents of political parties in Parliament convened by Modi on Wednesday to discuss electoral reforms, particularly 'one nation, one poll', a pet agenda of the BJP.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is away in London and it was not immediately clear whether he would be returning to attend the Lok Sabha session beginning on Monday and the subsequent meeting convened by Modi to discuss electoral reforms.

"We will discuss within the Parliamentary party and then decide," senior Congress leader Kodikunnil Suresh said when asked about Congress representation at the meeting convened by Modi on Wednesday. Suresh, a seven-term Lok Sabha member, attended the all-party meeting along with Azad.

Congress is opposed to the idea of 'one nation, one poll', contending that it went against the basic structure of federalism. The Left parties, Trinamool, RJD, TDP, AIMIM and AAP too are opposed to the concept of simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

At the all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the Parliament Session, Azad said that while the Opposition congratulated the government, it made it clear that their ideological fight will continue.

Azad called for early conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, currently under Presidents rule, asserting that if Lok Sabha polls can be held then why not state Assembly polls.

Azad said that the Congress was not opposed to all those bills which are in the interest of the people, but also insisted on a discussion on farmers distress, unemployment and drought, he said.

Trinamool leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek OBrien wanted the Modi government to stop interfering with the functioning of state governments.

O'Brien also wanted the government to speed up discussion on electoral reforms, particularly state funding of elections. The Trinamool also made a strong pitch for a return to ballot paper for the conduct of elections, instead of Electronic Voting Machines.The Assam government is taking several steps to tackle the post-NRC 'crisis' with new detention centres, increased number of foreigner tribunals and empowering them with a digital database of foreigner-related cases.

The Centre recently empowered the foreigner tribunals to deal with the cases of those who miss the final NRC, which is slated for release on July 31. Those declared foreigners by the tribunals will be lodged in a detention centre, during which they would be able to challenge the tribunal's order in Gauhati High Court.

At present, there are 100 foreigner tribunals, a quasi-judicial body set up under the Foreigners Act 1946. the state government wants to set up another 1,000 such tribunals for quick disposal of the cases after the release of the final NRC.

The state government has also recently 'relaxed' the eligibility criteria for appointment of members of the tribunals.

A digital database of those failing to prove their citizenship during the NRC exercise would also be made available to the tribunals, border police and the related agencies to bridge the information gap.

IPS officer Anand Prakash Tiwari has been appointed as nodal officer of the project, named e-FT Mission. "This new IT system will not only strengthen the judiciary in efficient disposal of the cases but also help police organizations in faster detection, prosecution and detention/deportation," Tiwari told DH.

Nearly 1,000 declared foreigners are now lodged in six detention centres inside jails in Kokrajhar, Goalpara, Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Silchar and a new one is being constructed at Goalpara with capacity to detain 3,000 declared foreigners.

Over 40 lakh of total 3.29 crore applicants missed the draft of the NRC, which is being updated with March 24, 1971 as the final cut-off. Over 38.2 lakh dropouts have filed claims seeking inclusion in the NRC, which is being updated under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

"Since we don't have a deportation treaty with Bangladesh, a crisis-like situation will arise once the final NRC is released on July 31. So the state government is making all efforts to enhance the capacity to handle the situation more efficiently and carefully," an official said.

The Assam government told the state Assembly in February this year that less than 35% of the 1,03764 persons, who were declared foreigners by tribunals since 1985, have been repatriated to neighbouring Bangladesh and Myanmar so far. Over four lakh cases related to suspected illegal migrants are pending in tribunals at present.We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to formIn a veiled attack on Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that countries sponsoring, aiding and funding terrorism must be held accountable as he called for a global conference to combat the menace.

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit here, Modi highlighted the spirit and ideals of the SCO to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

India stood for a terrorism-free society, he said.

"During my visit to Sri Lanka last Sunday, I visited the St Anthony's church, where I witnessed the ugly face of terrorism which claims the lives of innocents anywhere," the Prime Minister 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 his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan.

"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.

He also urged the SCO leaders to organise a global conference on terrorism.

"Literature and culture provide our societies a positive activity, specially they stop the spread of radicalisation among the youths in our society," Modi said.

A peaceful, united, safe and prosperous Afghanistan is vital for the stability and security in the SCO.

"Our goal is to support the people and the government of Afghanistan for an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled comprehensive peace process. We are happy that a further roadmap has been prepared at the SCO Afghanistan Contact Group," he said.

It has been two years since India became a full member of the SCO. India has contributed positively in all the activities of the SCO, the Prime Minister said.

Modi arrived in the Kyrgyz capital on Thursday for the two-day SCO summit. The SCO is a China-led 8-member economic and security bloc with India and Pakistan being admitted to the grouping in 2017.

India in the past has blamed Pakistan for carrying out terrorist attacks in the country and asked it to stop supporting terror outfits operating from its soil.

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.

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 aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was later handed over to India.

China played a role in easing tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad.HAVERFORD  With flags and whistles, as well as rosaries and bubbles, hundreds converged on the Haverford Township Free Librarys Saturday, separated by jersey barriers on Mill Road as hundreds more streamed inside for Drag Queen Storytime.

For the third year, Haverford Township Free Library chose to present programming featuring Pride and the LGBTQ community, recognition of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. As part of that, in its second annual appearance, Drag Queen Storytime with Balena Canto drew droves, causing the library to add an additional storytime Saturday.

The event also drew hundreds of demonstrators, both in favor of and in opposition to the event. That proved quite the contrast with last year performance, which went off with no assemblies. Township police closed the street to traffic in advance, and placed jersey barriers to keep the two factions  for and against the event  separated from each other, as well as to provide a means of access for the families attending the event.

Today is about democracy, said Phil Goldsmith, president of the librarys board of trustees. Its about people choosing for themselves what they want their children to see and be exposed to. Its trying to understand the other side on both sides and hopefully at the end of the day, its a joyful day, that the kids have fun.

The event was only one of several scheduled throughout the day as part of the librarys Pride programming  although it clearly received the most attention. A straggling of demonstrators arrived close to 9 a.m., growing substantially an hour later. The crowds had largely dispersed by about 12:30 p.m.

Both sides were passionate in their cause and had visual and audible elements to have their message noticed.

On the one side was the opposition with an enormous banner reading, Dear God: Let NOT the little children be perverted by Drag Queen story hours! along with a statue of Mary, another banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, bagpipes playing and rounds of the Rosary being prayed.

Mary Uhlman, who grew up in Delaware County and now lives in Jenkintown, held a sign, Dont Drag a Child to Hell.

This is a perverse sexual lifestyle and these are children, children that are not even old enough to be thinking about sex, she said. They are helping promote this leftist agenda that is harmful to children. Why they would want this near children is unbelievable.

Jose Ferraz of Luzerne County drove almost two hours so he could be at the event.

Im here to protest against drag queens, to defend the innocence of our children, the member of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property said. As a father of seven children  I need to defend the innocence of our children. They try to transform a generation, we need to stand up against that.

Edie Consoli, a Havertown native who now lives in Bucks County, said for her, its about the children.

Holding a sign reading, Confuse a Child, Abuse a Child, she said, Its grooming. This is grooming. This is the grooming of the next generation.

Catholic blogger and Internet radio co-host Charles DeFeo hoped to give the drag queen a rosary and prayer book, as well as an invitation to lunch.

Im about the love of Jesus Christ for everybody, the Chester County resident said, adding that he was against the Drag Queen Story Hour. If he came as himself and didnt get dressed up and read the story to children, I would be alright with that  I just dont think it has a place in the library.

DeFeo added, I know they want to show children that this is OK, but its not real, its not who he really is, the way he was born.

On the other side, there were no shortage of supporters on hand to support they event. They came with bubbles, rainbow flags, whistles and even a didgeridoo. They also had a large banner, saying, Welcome Balena Canto. They could also be seen drawing rainbows on the street with sidewalk chalk and signing a card welcoming Canto.

Jean Lutz, of Haverford, was one of those holding the welcome banner and it was her 8-year-old daughter, Evelyn DiPatri along with her brother Will and her friend Francey who made it Friday night in their kitchen.

DiPatri shared why she made it. Because gay people should be appreciated, she said.

Lutz also explained why she was there.

Im here to support a message of welcome, she said. I want to support our library and our LGBTQ community and I think that the way we keep our children safe is to teach them not to be afraid of people who are different.

Nearby, Delco resident Isabella Klinghammer held a sign reading, When you reduce life to black and white, youll never see rainbows.

I am part of the queer community, she explained, and I am greatly upset to hear that an event thats supposed to be promoting love and acceptance has been turned into basically just a mess of angry people using poor stereotypes and bad information to scream about something that they truly dont understand because they dont want to learn about it.

Laura Ford of Havertown said the drag queen is a performer and that his mere presence wasnt going to turn anyone gay.

There is nothing wrong, I think, with teaching tolerance, with teaching love and respect, she said. Its going to teach them that its OK to be unapologetically yourself.

She added, I am proud to live in a community thats so tolerant of others, of non-traditional families. I want to make sure that I raise my kids to be loving and accepting and to show them that it doesnt matter who you are, if youre a kind person and you show love and tolerance to other people, thats all you need in life.

Inside the library, almost 500 people packed the library to see the story time, so they had to add a second performance.

For both performances, Balena Canto, dressed in a white pantsuit, glittery fuschia stilettos  with eye shadow to match  bejeweled necklace, bracelets and earrings and flowers in her blond swept-up hair, appeared to great applause.

For both, she read three books, sang songs such as the Hello Song and If You Believe from The Wiz, and even did a rendition of the hokey pokey.

Sex was not discussed and the story time followed the structure of other story times hosted by non-drag queens.

Attendants enjoyed the story time, singing and dancing along.

It was the second time for Marybeth Spencer of Haverford.

We came last year and we really enjoyed it, she said. I liked the message of all the stories  that its about just be comfortable with who you are.

Amy Mensch was ecstatic after waiting the hour and seeing the second story time in the librarys Community Room.

Its fantastic! Its fantastic! she said.

Mensch brought her two sons, ages 8 and 10. And they had a blast! she said.

Living three blocks away from the library, she explained why her family attended. Its important for people of faith to stand up and show that we support the community as well, she said.

Jennifer Phillips, interim director of the Swarthmore Public Library, started the event in Haverford three years ago as a way to support LBGTQ youth.

Having come out when she was 14 years old as bisexual in the 1990s, she said, It was the end of the AIDS epidemic  and I couldnt even tell my mother that I was going to somebodys house who was HIV positive  To see something like this today, with all of these beautiful suburban people that Im one of, words just leave me with how far weve come.

Phillips serves as co-host of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission for the Delaware County Library System with Mari Ayala, who said Saturdays event represented the librarys mission.

The library, Ayala said, belongs to everyone.

Canto also shared what the day symbolized to her.

It means the world to me, it does, she said. It just, it proves that love trumps hate despite all the protesters out there. I think the counter-protesters came tenfold.

For her, she said, it cemented that this is a world of acceptance  and as far as the story time?

It went well! Canto smiled. The energy was great, the kids were really into it and they absorbed the books and the songs and were so appreciative. Its amazing. Its why I do this.After dropping my wife and one of our sons at the airport Wednesday for a trip to see relatives, watching from afar as they went through the familiar TSA dance, I was struck by the concept of faith.

At airports, people line up the way I remember my classmates lining up for vaccinations in elementary school back in the 60s, with grim-faced resignation and a vague hope that the pain the school nurse was inflicting somehow would be worth the collective good it would cause.

But at least statistics can be found to back up that hope. The same cant be said for the faith we put in the airport ritual that signals the start of any vacation or business trip.

In a couple of months we will mark the 18th anniversary of 9/11. The question is whether airports are any safer today than on that awful morning.

For one answer, you can visit the TSAs own blog, at tsa.gov. There you will find photos of guns and other weapons, both real and simulated, recently confiscated at airports across the land. Between May 27 and June 2, the blog says, TSA screened 16.9 million passengers and found 95 firearms in carry-on bags. Of the 95 firearms discovered, 83 were loaded and 30 had a round chambered.

To be clear, thats over just a six-day period.

When you look at the problem this way, finding air travelers with loaded guns seems like shooting very large fish in a barrel. In all of last year, the TSA reported finding 4,239 guns in carry-on bags, which was 7 percent more than the year before, the Milwaukee Journal recently reported in a story that focused on 10 guns having been found at the local airport so far this year.

But a more unsettling way to look at this is to ask how many more weapons got past the inspectors. The last time the Department of Homeland Security reported the results of an undercover operation designed to sneak things past the TSA, in 2017, it found a 70 percent failure rate. Seven out of 10 times, they could get fake guns, knives and bombs down the conveyor belt without any problem.

America is a gun-friendly place. Most of the confiscated weapons belong to people who carry them on a regular basis, forget they have them at the airport and pose little threat to anyone else, except perhaps in the event of an accidental discharge. But that kind of failure rate raises questions about vulnerability to people whose intentions may not be so benign.

The Deseret News reported this week that the TSA has begun using facial recognition technology to help recognize bad people at airports. An assistant administrator at the agency said this will speed up the airport experience. It could be used in many places other than security checkpoints, such as baggage drops, check-in stations and gates.

The agency hails it as another tool, but history shows it may be just another toy to build a false sense of faith while posing a serious risk to privacy. Tests of the technology, including a famous one by the ACLU last year that incorrectly identified 28 members of Congress as criminals, are not encouraging. Meanwhile, the TSA and law enforcement will collect a database of American faces massive enough to make George Orwells imagination blush.

If you have sent a loved one off on a flight, as I did, you might feel a renewed, intense interest in getting this right, and perhaps a sense of resignation that any effort involving humans trying to pick criminals from among millions of ordinary travelers is doomed to be error-prone.

That may be especially true given the monotony of the job, as well as reports that morale among TSA employees is extremely low, while turnover is high.

We have not seen another airport-related terrorist attack to rival the enormity of 9/11. Thats a fact that cant easily be dismissed, but it may have much more to do with intelligence efforts outside airports than with X-rays of luggage.

In the end, having faith in the system is good. Without it, air travel would collapse, along with the economy. But Americans should demand the kind of accountability that ensures that faith is not misplaced.SALT LAKE CITY  For most of the 80,000 or so visitors to this year's Utah Arts Festival, the festival means art and fun in the sun. But for the more than 170 visual artists, the festival is a chance to show and sell their creations to the public.

The festival, which runs June 20-23 at Library and Washington Squares, is packed full of interesting things: short film screenings, performance artists  this year, giant dinosaurs  music and dance performances, art workshops, poetry readings, food and activities for kids, but the real attraction of the festival is the Artist Marketplace, and local artists are representing the state in good form this year.

We met four of Utah's standout artists who will be at this year's festival, each of whom creates remarkable art and has just as interesting life stories. As you get ready for Salt Lake's biggest arts festival, we introduce you to a metal sculptor, a glass artist, an artist who works in flower petals and a ceramist. Check out their stories below.

Mike Beals

Mike Beals uses drip-welding to create unique metal sculptures and wind chimes, but he wasn't always a full-time artist.

"As a matter of fact, I have a pretty in-depth background in business," he told the Deseret News. "I was formerly a vice president and board member of Fujitsu out of Tokyo."

Working for Fujitsu, a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company, helped Beals to thrive now that he's working as a full-time artist in St. George.

"I think I'm a better business person than I am an artist," he jokes. Beals also uses that business sense to support other artists. He is the president of the Association of Independent Artists, which has a membership of just under 700 artists working in a broad range of mediums.

"It's my core responsibility (and) mission for the association to help artists understand where they're failing," Beals said. "In most cases, you're finding that an artist does something very, very good, but they don't market themselves."

Beals started experimenting with art over 20 years ago, trying his hand first at pottery and glass blowing before settling on welding and beginning to make metal bells.

"It just made me happy to see other people happy with the work that I produce," he said.

Beals still makes the bells that started his career  "I've sold thousands and thousands of bells," he said. The bells hold a special place in his life, and he hopes, in the lives of those who purchase them.

"It's a reflection on them just appreciating life and wanting to slow down," Beals said. "When they hear that chime, it just reminds them that we're only here temporarily, and you might as well enjoy the journey."

Sarinda Jones

Sarinda Jones has art in her DNA  her mom was a watercolor artist, and as a result, Jones grew up doing watercolor, pen and ink drawing and other artistic mediums at home. After taking a break from art for a few years, Jones started collecting glass marbles and became enamored with the art of glass.

It took meeting famed glass sculptor Dale Chihuly at a book signing in 2002 to get her back into it. Jones applied to his school, Pilchuck Glass School, and spent four weeks during the summer of 2003 in Stanwood, Washington, studying the basics of glass work under Chihuly himself.

"I started doing glass, and then it was like there was no other choice," Jones said of her career. "I couldn't not create."

To create her pieces, which range from jewelry to sculptures to large installations, Jones cuts pieces from large sheets of glass, adds powder glass in certain places for color or texture and then bakes the glass in a kiln at an extremely high temperature  between 1,250 to 1,890 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the glass is fused, she alters the shape by putting it in a mold and refiring it at a lower temperature.

"Part of the glass medium that got me was also the processing," Jones said. "The math, the science, the chemistry that goes into the glass arts (is) stuff that the patrons don't really see from the outside."

Jones is an advocate for public art, which is part of why she participates in the Utah Arts Festival.

"I believe that art is for everyone," she said.

Ingra Draper

When you first see Ingra Draper's artwork, you might think the lush, vibrant pieces are photographs or digital artwork. But when you get closer, you'll see that her unique creations are made of individually pressed flower petals.

"It's not the traditional pressed flowers, the kind that people associate with your grandmother. It's more of a modern approach," Draper said in a phone interview.

Twenty-one years ago, Draper and her husband accidentally killed their lawn. After getting rid of the damaged grass, they planted a variety of flowers and bushes.

"It was so beautiful," Draper said. "I thought I should do something with all these leaves and petals and flowers, and so I started pressing (them)."

Draper was artistically inclined and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the University of Utah, studying lighting design. When she finished her art degree, she did lighting design for Pioneer Theatre Company for six years before taking on the role of lighting designer and stage manager for the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, which she held for three years.

Though she had experience with lots of art forms, pressing flowers was new to Draper when she started in 1998.

"It's been years of trial and error," she said with a laugh. "The technique of how I press each individual flower  has all been self-taught." Draper grows all of her flowers and presses them in presses she has built herself before layering them in complex patterns.

"It's a little different medium in the sense that I don't go to an art supply store to buy paint or pencils, but I have to grow and press my material first," Draper said.

Adam Addley

Although he started making ceramics in junior high, Adam Addley tried to find a different career path when he first arrived at Utah State University.

"I spent four years studying biology. I was almost finished with it, and I realized that I wasn't super happy with what I was doing," Addley said in a recent phone interview. "So I started back and took sculpture class."

Now, he describes his work as "a childhood passion turned into a career choice."

Addley makes functional ceramics, meaning his pieces  bowls, pitchers, cups and more  are meant to be used in everyday life. These are all thrown on the potter's wheel and then air-dried. After the clay has hardened, Addley sometimes alters the original shape. From there, they get fired to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, glazed with mixes Addley creates himself, and fired again at 2,300 degrees.

Addley checks each piece individually as it comes out of the kiln, and then adds striking finishing touches.

"(For) some pots, I'll go back and make copper lids that I hand-hammer," he said.

Addley's clean, simple style and earthy glazes stem from his time in Japan, where he lived for six months as an undergraduate exchange student studying ceramics.

"The work I was making before traveling to Japan has a lot of surface decoration and line work, which was something that I was trying to get away from," Addley said. "Japan kind of gave me that push. There's a very clean, minimalistic style that's present in Japan."

Beyond the style influences on his art, Addley also learned focus in Japan.

"The dedication and effort that's put into everyday aspects of life in Japan influenced my work probably the most. It doesn't matter if you're sweeping the street or if you're working in a grocery store, everybody's doing their absolute best," Addley said. "That was a really inspiring thing."

If you go 

What: The Utah Arts Festival

When: June 20-23, noon-11 p.m.

Where: Library Square, 200 E. 400 South

How much: $15 for adults, $8 for seniors and military, free for kids under 12; discounts and packages available online

Web: uaf.org/tix

Note: The festival offers an $8 lunchtime special on Thursday and Friday from noon-3 p.m.

Correction: A previous version incorrectly stated that Ingra Draper did not finish her Bachelor of Fine Arts. She completed her BFA in lighting design at the University of Utah.Editor's note: An earlier version of this commentary by Frederick W. Axelgard was published by the Wheatley Institution at Brigham Young University and is published here with permission.

Sovereignty is the idea that a nation can do what it chooses; at least, that is, in its own domain and in defining and pursuing its own interests. For some 400 years, this concept has been the principal organizing idea behind the modern world order. This much about sovereignty is pretty widely understood. What is less widely understood is that, as the glue that holds the international system together, sovereignty is a shared concept. Because of this, it carries not only rights but also responsibilities. Perhaps the most important of these is the responsibility not to cheapen or trivialize the concept of sovereignty itself. For the United States, arguably the nation at the center of that system, to cheapen and trivialize the concept will have far-reaching consequences indeed.

The concept of sovereignty provides a useful lens through which to consider the looming inevitability of the United States going to war with Iran. War with Iran is virtually inevitable because the United States has left no room for itself or Iran to talk. A year ago, Washington took the step of walking away from an agreement that took several years to negotiate. These negotiations were not bilateral, that is between Iran and the United States. Rather, they involved six other nations, and the sanctions that brought Iran to the table involved the European Union as well.

However, the recent United States decision to walk away from the agreement was taken unilaterally. It left all other participants in the agreement behind. The negotiations had been difficult, and the results were not fully satisfying to anyone  something that is axiomatic in negotiated agreements. Moreover, by all international standards, and according to the verification measurements set by the agreement itself, Iran was in full compliance with the agreement.

But all of that is less important than the impact of Washingtons current actions for the practice and concept of sovereignty. When the United States unilaterally walked away from this agreement, it walked away from the process of negotiation. It showed both Europe and Iran that there was no point in working with Washington to arrive at an accord because Washington might later decide to abandon it even if everyone involved was living up to what had been agreed. This reflects a fundamental lack of respect for sovereignty as an operating concept in international affairs. Like democracy, sovereignty is a concept whose practice rests on the deliberative process.

By breaking the trust inherent in and critical to international deliberations, the United States took a step towards undermining the principle of sovereignty, including its own. By conveying the message that it could not be trusted to keep its part of the bargain in any future agreement  whether vis-a-vis Europe or vis-a-vis Iran  the United States has practically eliminated the space for discussion and made military action  war  virtually inevitable.

History

This is not, of course, the first time that the concept of sovereignty has suffered in American relations with Iran. In August 1953, U.S. and British intelligence operatives combined efforts to overthrow the democratically elected, leftist-leaning government of Iran.[1] The coup strengthened the regime of the Shah of Iran, who became a staunch American ally for the next 25 years. The subsequent revolution that overthrew the Shah was instinctively opposed to U.S. interests, and militants attacked the U.S. embassy and seized 44 hostages who, it should be remembered, were later all returned alive to the United States on the day of Ronald Reagans inauguration, in January 1981.

The quarter-century of positive U.S.-Iran relations under the Shah has now been followed by over 40 years of hostile relations. A number of observations might be made about those 40 years. One is that during this entire period, Iran has had the dominating presence of forces of one or another global superpower on its immediate borders. For the first 10 years, it was the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, and since the military operations that forced Iraq out of Kuwait in 1991, it has been the United States. But this has not always precluded the possibility of dialogue. In the aftermath of 9/11, diplomatic contacts with Iran helped forge a US connection with the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance in Afghanistan.[2] Nor have U.S. and Iranian interests always been at loggerheads, as when Irans Revolutionary Guard prevented the surging forces of ISIS from taking over Baghdad in the summer of 2014.[3]

Considerations

The value of unsettling observations like these might seem to be lost in a climate that is focused on war. Indeed, the prospect of war has its own unsettling perspectives to consider, like those offered by Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S.-led military operations in these countries took place 18 and 16 years ago respectively, which is four times as long as the U.S. involvement in World War II. There is still no resolution to the problems of either country, and political and economic and social instability is chronic in both.

The initial (i.e., military) objectives in both countries were not overly difficult to achieve. Afghanistan was a country of 21 million people, sharply divided, and Iraq was a country of 25 million people, again sharply divided. Iran is quite different. It is a nation of 80 million people and one that is strongly unified in terms of religion, history, and culture. Achieving the kind of preponderant military success in Iran that was achieved in Iraq and Afghanistan represents a challenge of an entirely different magnitude.

A similarly difficult picture emerges with respect to the role of allies. The United States led a broad-based coalition in the fighting in Afghanistan. The coalition in Iraq was much smaller but still involved an important ally in the UK. With regard to Iran, it is difficult to picture any meaningful coalition of countries that would agree to get engaged there. Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are the only countries that see Iran the way the United States does. However, there is little likelihood Israeli forces would wish to get involved there, and while the Saudis and Emiratis have large arsenals, they have little to offer in the way of troops. In other words, a military encounter with Iran would be immeasurably more difficult in every respect than the challenges faced when U.S. forces under the George W. Bush administration went into Afghanistan and Iraq.

Difficult as it would be, the military challenge would pale in comparison to the political, social, and economic challenges if the United States decides to pursue regime change and tries to shape things in Iran the way it has tried to shape Afghanistan and Iraq for the past two decades. The size and unity of Iranian society would make it far more difficult and costly to manage. Moreover, such an effort would add incalculably to the chaos of a region already convulsed by years of turmoil. That the United States could succeed by force in creating and maintaining an effective government and pro-American society in Iran is literally unimaginable: unimaginably difficult, unimaginable in its impact on Middle East stability, unimaginably damaging to U.S. standing in the international community, and an unimaginable burden to impose on a U.S. society that is already involved in ongoing, lengthy conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

All of which now takes us back to the concept of sovereignty. The best wisdom on how to deal with Iran has long argued for a combination of military toughness, a threat of sanctions, and openness to negotiate  all closely coordinated with sovereign allies. It is unfortunate that the U.S. decision to abandon the structures and processes of international deliberation has left virtually no room for constructive discussion either with its allies or with Iran. It is a dark corner indeed that Washington has painted itself into.Just put it on the towering pile of scripts even the writers of "Veep" would have rejected as too absurd. But it's shockingly, appallingly, real.

See if you can follow this.

On Tuesday morning, the president's national security adviser, John Bolton, announces North Korea is one of five countries he believes are actively spreading misinformation about dysfunction in the Trump administration. Bolton says this  again, on Tuesday morning  in an interview at a Wall Street Journal event.

Bolton goes on to smear the American press  at this press event  as "the stenographers of these regimes," who "immediately pick it up." On Tuesday morning.

Cut to Tuesday afternoon. President Trump is asked about a new Wall Street Journal report that Kim Jong Un's brother, Kim Jong Nam, was a CIA informant before he was killed in a chemical weapons attack in 2017.

Trump says  to a reporter  "I saw the information about the CIA with regard to his brother or half-brother, and I would tell him that would not happen under my auspices. I wouldn't let that happen under my auspices. I just received a beautiful letter from Kim Jong Un."

To recap, the President of the United States, essentially, promises that he will not spy on North Korea, a regime his national security adviser said  on that same day  was actively lying about us. He makes this promise to the American press, which his national security adviser said  on that same day  was basically traitorous for publishing North Korean propaganda.

There are words for this. Words like "Orwellian" or "gaslighting."

What else do you call it when the leader of the free world can't tell the factual, objective difference between our friends and our enemies, between people who actually need him and people who are clearly just using him to boost their own influence?

Or when he holds up a Kim love letter like it's proof of his manifest destiny  or anything other than his unprecedented gullibility  and tells his campaign advisers to deny their own polling when he doesn't like the results?

After his own advisers said Kim's missile tests violated UN resolutions, he was all too happy to give him cover:

"He kept his word. There's no nuclear testing. There's no large, there's no long-range missiles going up. The only things he's set up were very short term, short range. That was just a test of short range. It's a whole different deal, but he's kept his word to me. That's very important," he said.

He'll scream at his rallies and rant on Twitter that the press is the enemy of the American people, then look right into a reporter's eyes and tell him he believes North Korean, Russian or Saudi Arabian propaganda, sometimes even at the expense of our own U.S. intelligence.

What a joke  if only it were funny.

What a shame  if only he were capable of any.

What a disgrace.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.Debate about socialism is already a big part of the presidential election currently underway. Bernie Sanders has doubled down on embracing Democratic Socialism and polls show many Democrats and young people prefer socialism over capitalism. Were happy to join the argument.

Most Democratic candidates for president are advocating greater government control over large sectors of the economy. Does this indicate the country is moving toward socialism and rejecting capitalism?

Pignanelli: Capitalists failed to defend the system that made them rich. They dummied up, hunkered down and waited for (the Recession) to pass."  Peggy Noonan

Socialism today is like yogurt, with various flavors and multiple perceptions of quality (nutritious or unhealthy) depending upon age of the customer. A majority of Americans are suspicious of too much government control. But many have a positive view of socialism as indicating equality or a Nordic style safety net. Further, polls indicate a majority of younger Americans (millennials and Generation Z) favor socialism and capitalism equally.

These trends are creating consternation. But the capitalists have only themselves to blame. Their public defense of the free market is wimpy. The fear of negative reactions by the New York Times or liberal lawmakers has silenced full-throated advocacy.

A classic example is the revisionist history of the Great Recession. With the best intentions to increase home ownership, Democrats and Republicans pushed government agencies to lower lending standards, fostering creative financing instruments. Although left-wing activists were privy to this behavior, they successfully molded public perception that greedy financiers were entirely at fault. Consequently, companies and organizations who should be defending the free market shiver in fear. No wonder young adults possess mixed, confusing, views. (The Pignanelli children are weary of my ranting on this topic.)

The good news is while millennials do not abhor socialism, they overwhelmingly express concern with too much government intrusion. So, in 20 years we may squint at the label used to describe the national economic yogurt, but it will have a tasty, healthy dose of capitalism.

Webb: Whether we call it socialism or just Big Government, were suffering an expansion of statism in virtually every aspect of our lives. And the Democratic presidential candidates would dramatically accelerate the trend.

We now look to government to solve every problem, large or small, which is why we have a $22 trillion national debt and the federal government spends (and borrows) about $3 billion more each day than tax revenues bring in.

As a society, we have concluded (and I dont disagree) that a government-funded safety net is necessary. Thus, we have free public education, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and myriad additional welfare and other support programs. It would be politically impossible to eliminate or even scale back most of those programs.

But at the very least, we ought not to throw gasoline on the socialism fire by allowing nationalization of the entire health care system, by providing even more handouts like free tuition, and by mandating draconian control of most of the economy to fight climate change.

Margaret Thatcher was right that, The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money. But weve been out of other peoples money for a long time. So we continue to borrow and spend ourselves into oblivion.

Bernie Sanders won over 80 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary in Utah in 2016. So, will Utah Democrats be pegged as socialists in 2020?

Pignanelli: Much depends on the how the Democratic nominee defines his or her policies early next summer. Although the majority of Utahns supported Medicaid expansion in 2018, they would reject anything labeled as socialistic. So local candidates will need to adhere to the principles of a strong social safety net, but openly distance themselves from national Democrats the GOP have successfully targeted with this moniker.

Webb: Its worth remembering that what distinguishes government from other institutions in society is that government can employ the power of force and coercion. Bigger government, higher taxes and more regulation expand the amount of coercion and reduce the amount of freedom in our lives.

Certainly, some amount of coercion is needed and tolerable to ensure a well-ordered society. But voters ought to decide what level of taxation, debt, regulation and government coercion theyre willing to accept, and reject candidates at all levels who go beyond that point.

Republicans overwhelmingly reject socialism as a philosophy, but have they been consistent in their governing?

Pignanelli: Historically, Republicans encountered difficulty in scaling back entitlement programs, even when controlling Congress. They have greater success in reforming agency regulations.

Webb: I believe free enterprise, the profit motive, competition, capitalism, the magic of the marketplace, private ownership, success based on performance  whatever we want to call it  provides maximum freedom, happiness, jobs and economic vibrance.

However, capitalism is easily corrupted as gigantic corporations deploy hordes of lobbyists to influence government to tip the scales in their favor. Capitalism becomes crony capitalism when government picks winners and losers.During the last week of May of this year, 30,250 students graduated from 78 Utah public high schools for an average of 388 students per graduating class. In 1945, I graduated from Ogden High School in a graduating class of approximately 400 students. During the 74 years since my graduation has anything changed in our system of public education?

Except for one big thing, nearly everything has stayed the same. All six of my grandchildren who graduated this year were required to abide by the same school system and curriculum that I did 74 years ago  the one that was installed in 1892 by a Committee of Ten scholars. This committee recommended eight years of elementary school followed by four years of high school and a call to teach English, mathematics, and history or civics to every student every academic year in high school. The recommendations also formed the basis of the practice of teaching chemistry, and physics, respectively, in ascending high school academic years.

My six graduating grandchildren each attended a different high school and were all subject to the same graduation requirements: 24 credits in English, mathematics, science, social studies, arts and computer, health and physical education and five electives.

Whats wrong with this picture? The Committee of Ten inaugurated a system of education to standardize students with a predetermined outline of subject matter courses. Each of my graduating grandchildren achieved what was required of them and has a diploma to show it. They were all exposed to the same knowledge and skills as the other 30,244 Utah graduates.

The one huge difference between education as it was 74 years ago and today is not really a difference at all, but a window to a revolution: computers and electronic communication have shined a spotlight on human differences. Back in my day, we obtained our information about the required curriculum from books and teacher lectures. Now, with the worldwide internet, television and hand-held interactive devices, we have suddenly found new ways to learn and discovered that it is impossible to standardize students in knowledge and skills.

Technology now offers a bridge to unlimited student learning and accomplishment. The present required curriculum allows for only a small percentage to become extraordinary, sterling scholars. On the other hand, using computers to access the whole world of events and information makes it possible for every student to attain phenomenal knowledge and accomplishment. Each student will now be able to prove that he or she can become a genius in some area of knowledge.

What needs to be done to have this utopia of education become a reality? Before the federal government imposed subject matter standardization on the system, some schools were starting to use human standards rather than subject standards to help learners grow as powerful individuals. Teachers and parents united to help students grow in human powers such as inquiry, interaction, imagination, initiative, identity, intuition and integrity.

By using this approach, hundreds of students in several schools discovered their genius and reason to exist as important contributors to society. With identity as a top priority, teachers united with parents to help students magnify their unique talents and strengths. Teachers and parents were starting to learn how to find and develop student-oriented curriculum based on the important questions and needs of students. They were starting to learn how to develop a much better student-oriented education.

We now have a choice: go back and get on the right path or continue on the subject-dominated, assembly-line path of student standardization.Publicly funded crosses, citizenship questions on Census forms, the use of vulgar terms as patents or trademarks and politicians right to redraw political boundaries along partisan or racial lines  these are some of the decisions the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to render during a busy session that ends later this month.

Together, they could seriously affect the nations culture, political process and religious liberty. They offer some interesting tests for a conservative majority recently bolstered by the addition of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Our hope is that principles of decency and fair representation will be upheld.

That means upholding a U.S. Patent and Trademarks Office decision to deny a trademark to entrepreneur Erik Brunetti, whose clothing brand is, as the office said, a phonetic spelling of a vulgar word  one, we add, that tends to earn movies an R rating. Brunetti has argued this is a First Amendment free-speech issue. We disagree. This is, rather, an issue of community standards.

Brunetti is free to operate his business under a vulgar name, as he currently does. That does not mean, however, that he is entitled to the official sanction and protection of the Trademarks Office. If the court were to grant that protection, it could open the way for other off-beat trademarks that offend community standards, make vulgarities common, coarsen the culture and degrade attitudes and discourse generally.

Upholding those principles also means allowing the Maryland peace cross to stand. Built in 1925 to honor local casualties in World War I, the monument was designed with the crosses marking the graves of fallen U.S. soldiers abroad in mind. It became the property of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission in 1961, and no one thought twice about it until someone sued in 2012, claiming it constitutes a government establishment of religion.

This case could give the court an opportunity to make a broad ruling about the role of religion in the public square. While government should never endorse a particular sect or church, establishment cases tend to greatly overstate the founders intentions regarding the role of religion in public life. It would be difficult, at best, to argue coherently that a publicly funded cross, star or crescent goes beyond recognition of religions general role in the nations social fabric and establishes an official state-approved religion.

And, finally, it means deciding two gerrymandering cases and one question involving the 2020 Census in ways that are inclusive, rather than divisive.

Each of these cases involves efforts from one political party to gain advantage through the decennial counting of Americans. The Census issue concerns the Trump administrations desire to ask people if they are legal citizens. Critics say it is a thinly veiled attempt to give Republicans an edge when drawing political boundaries.

Boundaries also are at the heart of two other cases, one involving two instances of gerrymandering for purely political reasons in two different states (one giving advantage to Republicans, the other to Democrats), and the other involving allegations of racial gerrymandering in Virginia.

These cases are filled with complexities. Ultimately, the court may have trouble defining a sure-fire way to keep political redistricting from becoming political. They should, however, be able to set firm limits on egregious attempts to rob communities of interest from fair representation.

Taken together, these cases could redefine much about American governance and culture. We hope they instead reinforce the American ideals of fairness and decency.WASHINGTON  When Tom Starling first heard the statistic that 1 in 5 Americans have a mental illness, he thought it had to be a mistake. The number simply seemed too high.

Then he remembered the number of women who have postpartum depression, and the veterans left with post-traumatic stress disorder from military service. He thought about suicide statistics and those who experienced childhood trauma, the rise in anxiety and depression and how many families have lives marred by domestic violence.

Starling, the board chairman of Mental Health America, reconsidered. He decided if you take those and so many other factors into consideration, the original figure is probably way too low. Its probably closer to 1 in 2 who struggle with mental health, he said Thursday during the groups annual conference.

Hundreds of mental health experts, advocates, public health officials, community organizers and school officials have been meeting here this week for Mental Health Americas annual conference. The 2019 theme Dueling Diagnoses is a nod to the fact that mental health challenges seldom travel completely alone. Its more likely that people with depression are also anxious, or that someone has autism and a mental illness, each condition complicating care for the other. And treatment requires seeing and screening the whole person.

The Deseret News received a Mental Health America media award for its yearlong "Generation Vexed" series on teen anxiety. And we've been listening to and learning from conversations at this conference. Here are eight things experts want you to keep in mind about the connections between mental health and everything else:

1. Mental and physical conditions often coexist.

That's according to Simone Lambert, who trains counselors and is president of the American Counseling Association and a professor at Capella University. Most people struggle with more than one thing, she said, pointing to research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that says 68 percent of adults with mental disorders have medical conditions and nearly 3 in 10 adults with medical conditions have a mental disorder.

For older adults, the number dealing with a chronic illness, mental or physical, rises to 80 percent  but the elderly are not the sole group disproportionately affected by chronic disorders, either. Ethnic and racial minorities experience them at twice the rate of whites, while the poor also have elevated risk compared to people with more resources.

Lambert pointed out that receiving proper care involves recognizing and addressing all the mental and physical disorders a person may have and acknowledging that they are complex and bidirectional.

2. You cant treat cancer without addressing mental health.

Nearly 40 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and the usual reaction to cancer is to feel traumatized, says Elizabeth Franklin, executive director of the Cancer Policy Institute.

Yet the majority of time and energy is spent talking about aggressive and immediate treatment, rather than asking the person about whats important to them, what theyre worried about and what emotional and mental support they need.

During her time at George Washington University Cancer Center working to manage patient navigators, Franklin said the top day-to-day concern expressed by patients was a worry about transportation. And child care issues werent far behind.

While cancer can cause an onslaught of mental health concerns like depression and anxiety, its also crucial that folks who are dealing with chronic mental health concerns before a cancer diagnosis get connected to support early.

One resource is The Cancer Support Community, which offers a help line from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET at 1-888-793-9355, plus a list of support groups where cancer patients and survivors can connect with others for support beyond medical procedures.

3. Mental wellness is a community affair.

When Mayor Scott Fadness learned that his police officers had detained 157 people in 2014 because they were in crisis and at risk of hurting themselves or others, he vowed that Fishers, Indiana, would do more to help people suffering in quiet despair.

So in 2015, Fadness gathered police and fire chiefs, school officials, religious leaders, community advocates and business leaders to address mental health and make systemic and substantive changes that would benefit their community of 92,000 just outside Indianapolis.

The city first increased mental health training for first responders, police and firefighters  the folks most likely to see people in moments of crisis. They also created an Emergency Duty Officer who goes on any mental health call and then follows up with the person within 72 hours to check on the care and build a relationship, because relationships make the difference.

Fadness told of one young woman with behavioral concerns who, on a rough day, ran out of her school and into a busy road. The police officers were unable to calm her down until one officer remembered that she responded well to questions about her pet lizard. Almost immediately, the situation de-escalated and they were able to get her the help she needed.

And the need is growing. In Fishers, firefighters responded to 42 fires this quarter, but 164 mental health calls  41 of which were suicidal ideation.

4. Schools play a crucial role in supporting kids.

Schools in Fishers were a big part of the mental health initiative  intervening before kids reached crisis mode and needed police involvement.

The Hamilton Southeastern School District now trains teachers in suicide prevention, teaches evidenced-based suicide prevention classes to eighth-grade students and recently partnered with a community health organization to add more licensed providers to its 22 schools.

Before the partnership, the school provided mental health services to about 50 children a year, but since January 2017, professionals have reached 1,254 children in a school setting, said Brooke Lawson, Hamilton Southeastern Schools mental health and school counseling coordinator.

In the 2018-2019 school year, counselors provided 8,424 individual therapy sessions for 843 students.

Among kids receiving mental health treatment, grades have gone up, while disciplinary action and days of schools missed are going down.

And though the school is hearing from more students saying theyre thinking of harming themselves, the uptick is strangely encouraging.

We want more and more kids coming forward and telling us theyre struggling, Lawson said. We do feel like were creating a culture (where its OK) to say, Im thinking about wanting to hurt myself, and kids know who to go to when theyre feeling that way.

But the most celebrated number in Fishers is zero: They havent lost a student in the district to suicide since 2013.

5. Childhood trauma is often overlooked.

As a licensed professional counselor in Pennsylvania, Denise Takakjy often gets referrals from local school teachers, asking her to fix this child because we need them to learn.

Teachers are concerned with students fearfulness, avoidance, irritability, aggressive behavior, sexualized behavior, sensory issues, emotion-regulation issues, developmental regression, difficulty trusting others and social isolation, among many other problems.

Yet, when Takakjy talks to the kids, she usually finds that at the root of these behaviors is a trauma response.

And our bodies respond to trauma in a host of negative ways.

For Elizabeth Breier, 14 years of abuse and neglect in a dysfunctional home (she had 9 out of 10 Adverse Childhood Experiences) meant she was constantly sick and fidgety in elementary school, and began using drugs and alcohol in high school.

By the time she was 40, she had received five different mental health diagnoses, experienced four surgeries and had three different autoimmune disorders  all stemming from her unaddressed childhood trauma.

So as you can imagine, I feel really passionate about catching this early, said Breier, who now works as a training and implementation specialist at the Center for Rehabilitation and Recovery in New York.

Catching it early means encouraging parents, teachers and professionals to look beyond behaviors and consider the impact of obvious trauma on children as well as not-so-obvious life changes, and be willing to delay a mental health diagnosis and/or medication until after considering the impact of ACEs.

And if a child does have ACEs, the best way to help them is by creating safe, stable and nurturing relationships and environments, because everyone does better when they know they are loved, and that such love is unconditional and constant.

6. Genetics is just part of a persons well-being story.

Where folks live and work, what they earn and if they have support networks account for nearly half of their personal health outcomes. The tough part of social influences  factors like housing instability, language and financial barriers, immigration status and an areas political atmosphere  can drag down an individuals well-being. Throw in behavioral factors like exercise or nutrition and whether people smoke and the overall impact on health may jump as high as 80 percent.

Those are startling numbers shared by Thomas J. Hart of Anthem, whose public policy institute studied the issue in Bridging Gaps to Build Healthy Communities, and Timothy Livengood of Mental Health America of Eastern Carolina.

Those types of factors are called social determinants or drivers of health and different groups expand the list to include whether people feel safe, if their personal identities are respected, how educated they are and more.

7. Stable housing is key to recovery from mental and physical health conditions.

Americas affordable housing crisis  a shortage of at least 7.2 million units nationwide  increases the vulnerability of low-income people who have a mental illness.

Mike Koprowski of Opportunity Starts at Home said that the connection between housing and mental health are clear. For someone with a serious mental health challenge, problems finding safe and affordable housing are among the biggest barriers to recovery. He noted that for every 35 affordable available housing units, there are 100 families that need one. And just one-fourth of those eligible for federal housing assistance will get it.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Andrew Sperling said that no social determinant of health drives more bad outcomes than inadequate housing for people with mental illness. Housing instability makes homelessness, incarceration and hospitalization more likely for them.

Both of their organizations are actively involved in an alliance with other groups to push for public policies that increase the availability of affordable housing. Housing policy is mental health policy, they said.

8. Everyone has a place in finding answers to mental illness.

Dr. Joshua A. Gordon, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, made a recruiting pitch for the All of Us initiative, which has the ambitious goal of getting 1 million Americans to volunteer for National Institutes of Health research. The project needs all kinds of people to help sort out health outcome differences made by biology, environment and lifestyle. The ways people are different can illuminate medical challenges and their answers.

To be helpful to people with mental illnesses, people with mental illnesses need to sign up, he said, noting the need for the massive study effort to include those with everything from eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder to those who have psychosis or bipolar disorders.

Study focus is not just mental health, but health overall. And those with no diagnosed medical or mental health condition are needed, too. To learn more and sign up, visit joinallofus.org.LEHI  Dozens of builders of all ages donned goggles and dust masks Saturday to make bunks for local kids without beds to call their own.

During the Bunks Across America event, held by nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace, volunteers intended to build 2,500 bunk beds. At the Lowe's parking lot in Lehi, volunteers started constructing 25 of those bunk beds while the morning sun beat down.

For the Andrew family, it's all in a day's work.

"We've built a lot of beds and delivered a lot of beds, and the need really is there. It really is more than a bed to these kids, it's more than a place to sleep. It's a sense of security, it's a place that is their very own. Someone cared about them enough to build this bed and bring it to them. So it really is bigger than just a place to sleep," Amy Andrew said.

A family friend in Idaho began Sleep in Heavenly Peace when he heard someone needed a bed and he just so happened to have extra lumber lying around, Andrew said. The friend then kept hearing about other kids who needed beds and it grew into the charity.

"And it was just incredible to watch him and the difference that it really was making," Andrew said.

The charity quickly grew into 140 chapters across the country, with 25 more in the process of starting.

Early on, the Andrew family helped start the group in Lehi in 2017.

The family gets asked a lot if the need for beds in Utah is that great.

The Lehi group's goal for its first year was to donate 50 beds, but members built and delivered 170. In 2018, they built 450 beds. And after Saturday, they'll have built 150 beds so far this year.

"I think people can find help, like they give free and reduced lunch for kids at school. You can find help with food, you can find help with housing, like lots of other places. But really, beds, that's a very underserved thing. I think it's a really underreported need too. A lot of people think, 'We have a roof over our head, we're feeding our kids. It's OK that we're sleeping on the floor, we're all together, it's OK,'" Amy Andrew said. "We're really trying to help lift that burden a little bit and help their lives on that other end."

As the morning progressed, bed frames awaiting assembly stacked up on a tarp, stain darkening in the sun. Wood dust and the buzz of drills and saws permeated the air.

Even the kids worked, fixated on the tasks at hand.

Kellen McKeehin, 13, there with his sister and parents, said he hadn't done anything like Saturday's project. But he was having fun building head boards with his family.

If he didn't have his own bed, he said, "It wouldn't be fun."

"Even people who have never touched a drill can come through, or some guy who's been a craftsman for 50 years. Everybody has something they can do and participate. It's one quick assembly line," Brad Andrew said.

Those at the first station worked on staining the lumber. It was later set in the sun to turn darker. Kids were able to sand the wood and move it from one station to another. Others worked at the "quality control station" making sure the wood was smooth. Some kids helped get hardware ready.

"Our little girl, she's 7 years old. And when she comes, her job is to put washers on lag bolts. And she sits in front of a bucket and that's what she does. She knows it's her job," according to Brad Andrew.

Some volunteers were with church groups. "It seemed like the perfect opportunity to come put everybody to work for a good cause," Brenan Klain, who was there leading a youth group, explained. "People are learning how to use power tools and stuff, so it's going really well."

"Anytime you can provide a bed for kid, I mean, it can't be a bad thing, right? There's a lot of opportunities to serve, but when you can serve kids, it seems a little more fulfilling," Chet Holyoak added.

While the volunteers Saturday didn't get to see the finished bunk beds, as the parts were placed in trucks for easier storage and transfer, the Andrews family said delivering the beds to those who need them is "incredible."

"It's like Christmas morning for some of these kids. I've never seen kids excited for their own pillow, for their own sheet set. I mean, they come in and they roll up in the blankets," Brad Andrew said.

"It's been incredible to me to see the good in the world, both on the giving end and the receiving end. All the time, we deliver a bed to a family and they ask when they can come help build beds," Amy Andrew said. "We get notes from moms all the time, 'They went to bed at 4 o'clock after you brought the bed.'"

"Because they wanted to be in their beds," Brad Andrew added.

They deliver the bunk beds with mattresses, pillows, sheets and blankets to kids in northern Utah. All supplies are bought with donated money. Once the group raises enough money to hold an event, they partner with companies like Lowes to buy the materials.

The group would like to eventually buy a building where they can run the charity year-round. Now they run the Lehi chapter out of a storage unit.

For more information about how to volunteer or donate to Sleep in Heavenly Peace, visit the nonprofit's website.SALT LAKE CITY  Only days before Thanksgiving last year, at about 9 p.m. on a Saturday night, a 71-year-old woman was practicing the organ alone in a church building. That's when her attacker broke into the building and put his hands around her neck, choking her.

She survived the ordeal. DNA evidence at the scene led to the arrest of a male 17-year-old who is facing charges of aggravated assault, a second degree felony; aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; and criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor.

In early May of this year, a 16-year-old boy was babysitting an infant. The baby girl did not survive. Prosecutors say the teen repeatedly tossed the baby in the air and the child stopped breathing. The teenager faces a single count of child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony.

In each case, defense attorneys sought to seal court records and have the hearings closed to the public. And in each case, attorneys for the Deseret News, joined by KSL Broadcasting and the Utah Headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, argued successfully to keep the records unsealed and the hearings open to the public.

This effort is both time-consuming and expensive. So why do we make the effort?

At times media is accused of seeking court documents to dig for salacious details to simply sell newspapers or embarrass those they are writing about. That is not our purpose at all and we take no pleasure in reporting on such tragic events. We base our decisions on a set of principles and try to be consistent in adhering to those principles.

Among them:

 The public's business should be conducted in public. Power can be corrupting. Many have heard the phrase, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." That's why our country maintains checks and balances of its legislative and judicial powers, to limit the ability of any person or institution from bringing unrighteous judgment on another. Media, also known as the fourth estate, provides a necessary check on courts, ensuring that the people can protect the rights of both the victims and the accused facing a judge and a jury of peers.

 Give voice to the voiceless. Who are the voiceless? Anyone who is disenfranchised by society, or too poor, or too wounded, or too sick, or too misunderstood to be heard. In the two court cases noted above, it is an elderly woman playing the organ, and a helpless baby and her family. But perhaps surprisingly to some, it is also the two teenagers who have been accused of violent crimes. Will their cases be treated fairly? Our interest in the court cases is about understanding what occurred, why it occurred, and allowing the public to measure the proceedings and the circumstances of the alleged crimes and any punishment that results.

As one online commenter noted in the following, after reading a story on the death of the five-month-old girl:

"There's so many questions? Was this a situation where the babysitter was so unskilled in infant safety that he didn't realize tossing the child was dangerous? Did he unintentionally drop the infant causing head injury? Could he not handle the stress of a crying child and then acted too aggressively? Did he want to hurt the child with no provocation? How and why are really important here. It might be time to make law requiring certification, that includes background checks and infant safety training before being legal to babysit, whether family or not, whether paid or not."

 Minimize harm. The Code of Ethics for the Society of Professional Journalists notes: "Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect." It is why we typically do not identify juvenile offenders, treating them differently than adults. Exceptions are made for the severity of crimes, the interests of society, and if the courts determine the offenders should be treated tried as adults.

To this point the Deseret News has not identified the two juveniles involved in these ongoing cases.

For many years, all juvenile proceedings were closed to the public. In the early 1990s, the Utah Legislature changed the law to reverse that, saying that in cases of juvenile defendants 14 years or older who are facing felonies, hearings would be open. The change was made both because the Legislature believed the public had a legitimate interest in cases when juveniles faced serious charges, but also an interest in how those cases were being handled.

Attorneys can petition for a hearing to be closed "for good cause." But during the past few years defense attorneys have been making blanket requests to close hearings, counter to the intent of the Legislature and the spirit of checks and balances, prompting us to work to keep the courts open.

Our attorneys from Parr Brown Gee & Loveless, working with Deseret News editors Brian West and McKenzie Romero, have argued on our behalf, acknowledging there are privileged matters, such as mental health of defendants and family history, where the court may need to keep that information private.

But that information can be handled "with a scalpel rather than a hammer," as our attorneys have said. A hearing may be briefly closed, with the press and members of the public excused from the courtroom while privileged matters are discussed, and then be allowed back in.

The Deseret News also seeks to be transparent and accountable for the reporting we do. It's one of the main reasons for this weekly Inside the Newsroom column, to shine a light on ourselves and help you understand why we do what we do, imperfect though that may be.DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  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.

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.OAKLAND, Calif.  Fifty-five years ago, a young 12-year-old boy named David sat with his mother in the balcony of the 1,600-seat auditorium of the Interstake Center, attending the dedication services of the adjacent Oakland Temple. He afterward stood outside the temple in hopes of meeting President David O. McKay, then the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who presided over the dedication.

Saturday night, that same David  now Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles  returned to the same Interstake Center auditorium for a temple-related event. This time, however, he sat on the stand, joining President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, in speaking to close to 3,000 youth attending a special devotional the night before the June 16 rededication of the Oakland California Temple.

In addition to the leaders and their wives greeting some of the devotional attendees prior to the meeting, Elder Bednar and his wife, Sister Susan Bednar, got an earlier start. Arriving ahead of a 3 p.m. temple walk-through, they used the extra time to visit the youth already lining up, including the first few who had been there since 8:30 a.m., more than 10 hours before the devotionals 7 p.m. start.

Read the full story on TheChurchNews.com.NIBLEY, Cache County  A fire started at a storage facility here Saturday evening, destroying 25 units and causing an estimated $1.5 to $1.75 million in damage, firefighters said.

About 8 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to the facility in the area of 4000 South and 100 West in Nibley, Cache County, said Blake Christensen, Hyrum assistant fire chief.

A man was working on a car inside a unit and had a mechanical problem when the fire started, Christensen said. That man called 911.

When crews arrived, heavy smoke and flames were billowing through the roof, he said.

Meanwhile, people whose belongings were locked away in the facility watched with anxiety.

Lynn Forsberg said he had a "$50,000 trailer in the vicinity of where the fire is."

"Guys have been working on cars in the garages, and they've got grease and some other things that they work on, and they bring cars in and out," Forsberg said, adding that is against the facility's rules. "I'm a little upset with it, yes."

Jaxon May, of Nibley, also has belongings in the storage facility. He learned of the fire after returning to Nibley from a Father's Day event. While the fire blazed, he wasn't sure if the flames had reached their building.

"If it's our unit, that's everything that we have. So we'd basically have to start all over because we just barely moved everything into there, so we'd have nothing really," May said. "I just hope they get it out soon, but it's moving pretty quick."

Crews from at least 10 fire departments fought the blaze and put it out within 45 minutes, Christensen said.

No firefighters were injured. The vehicle owner who had called 911 sustained minor burns on his hands but was treated on scene and released.

The contents of the 25 units were destroyed in the fire as well.

Utah state fire marshal investigators were on scene after the fire, Christensen said. He did not immediately know if the man who was working on his vehicle could face charges in connection to the blaze.SOUTH JORDAN  The goal of making a difference can seem lofty, but one 97-year-old proves that it can be done simply, with items found around the house.

A cookie, a banana, a stuffed animal, a smile, a story.

Jim Broadwater starts his morning routine early. After swimming laps at the Sagewood at Daybreak pool, he gets his treats ready to deliver to his friends in other areas of the retirement community.

"I love people and especially the older people," Broadwater said, a twinkle in his eye.

"And the ones in memory care (those with Alzheimer's or other memory problems) they can't, they don't talk. So I've got all of 'em, I give 'em a little smile. Boy, and as soon as I walk in, I get big smiles from all of 'em. If one of them doesn't smile, I go hold her hand and I say, 'You're not smiling.' She looks up and says, 'Yes, I am,'" Broadwater explained Thursday in his home in Sagewood's independent living section.

On the coffee table, a stack of paper copies of a vintage smiling Gerber baby with the word "SMILE!" and a bowl of gummy bears lie in wait for guests. An impressive display of plush stuffed animals lounge across the couch.

"I give one to every child that comes to Sagewood, and now all the ladies want one. I give them one, and they just hug 'em," Broadwater noted.

He says taking care of his wife, with whom he was married for 73 years before she passed away, taught him about helping the elderly.

Broadwater and his wife both grew up in Salt Lake City, on Kensington Avenue, and were childhood friends.

"It was a love affair," Broadwater said.

They had a good life together, with three children and eventually 43 grandchildren, 73 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.

During World War II, he served in the Marines and was stationed at Miramar in San Diego. "I was one of the lucky ones, I didn't have to go overseas," Broadwater said.

Later, he worked as a salesman for different companies and found great success because he knew "you have to make friends first. That's the secret of a salesman. You don't really just beg for something. Make friends, then it just comes to you."

"And I was quite a manipulator, too," he quipped, pointing at a bronze Native American chief sculpture, which he says he was able to buy for far under its estimate using his skills of persuasion.

When his wife fell ill, "I promised her she'd never go into a retirement home," Broadwater said.

She passed away three years ago, he said, and despite her age "she had not had one wrinkle."

"She used Revlon's Eterna 27 and Walgreen had an exclusive on it. Nobody else could have it. So every November, they had $50 jars on for $25. I went to all four Walgreen, bought every one they had. At one time, I had 36 jars. She said, 'Don't run out, don't run out.' She was always worried I'd run out. But I never ran out," Broadwater recalled.

When asked if he uses the cream, too, because he doesn't look a day over 75, he said, "I use her cream, but it doesn't work."

Every morning, Broadwater gets up at 4:30, goes to the swimming pool at 5, swims for about 45 minutes, and returns to his home.

"And then I get my cookies ready and my bananas ready, and then I deliver at 8 o'clock," he explains. "Because I love people. The Lord tells me what to do."

Though he is clearly more active than many people younger than him, Broadwater attributes his good health and independence to the help of "vitamins."

Make a round through the retirement center with Broadwater, and everyone passing, from workers to fellow residents, will say, "Hi, Jim."

Men sitting in the dining table will motion for him to sit down and ask, "Are you going to eat?"

"It's always nice to have somebody that smiles at you. And he does a lot for people here in memory care and the assisted living.  He's great," said Bobbi Young, another resident.

"He's just a great friend," Jean Nolan, also a resident, said.

The key to his sunny disposition, according to Broadwater, is "just be fair, be honest, and be nice."

And when he makes his morning rounds, "It makes me feel better, and it makes them feel better. And I get more out of it than they do, I know. But I have to love all of them."

Contributing: Spenser HeapsSALT LAKE CITY  A new report ranks Salt Lake City third among U.S. cities for the highest percentage of African American homeowners.

Meanwhile, the Beehive State ranked second for homeownership overall, according to a study from SmartAsset.

Using U.S. Census data, researchers at LendingTree ranked the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the country by the percentage of the black population in those cities that own homes to find the U.S. cities with the highest percentage of black homeowners.

U.S. cities with the highest percentages of black homeowners:

San Jose, Calif. Los Angeles Salt Lake City San Antonio Portland, Ore. Riverside, Calif. Austin, Texas San Diego Providence, R.I. Denver

Source: LendingTree.com The cities with the highest percentages of black homeowners were San Jose at No. 1, with Los Angeles second followed by Salt Lake City. In Salt Lake, 1.59 percent of the population identified as African American and 59 percent of the black population are homeowners, explained LendingTree research analyst Jacob Channel.

The report cited census data showing that the nationwide homeownership rate among white Americans registered at 73.2 percent, while homeownership for African Americans across the country was 41.1 percent. Channel said numerous factors contribute to the rankings, including relatively lower levels of institutional housing discrimination in the Western U.S. compared to many areas of the South and the eastern United States.

He also noted that African Americans or other minorities who migrated to Utah and other Western states may often have been more financially capable of purchasing property than others who may have been forced to live in certain areas of the country and prevented from becoming property owners due to institutional racism.

"They might be able to come in (to areas) with some savings to better prepare them to enter into the housing market," Channel said. Though slavery ended in the 19th century, the residual impacts of institutionally discriminatory policies have impacted minorities in the decades since, he said.

While blatant discrimination has decreased over time, some areas of the nation are affected more or less than others. In this case, Salt Lake City seems to have been less impacted, he said.

One local researcher challenged the estimates cited by LendingTree. James Wood, Ivory-Boyer senior fellow at the University of Utah's Kem Gardner Policy Institute in the David Eccles School of Business, said Salt Lake City's share for black homeownership is only 13 percent with just 215 black homeowners. Channel attributed the discrepancy to different data sets.

In a separate study from SmartAsset, the Beehive State ranked among the top states for homeownership value overall.

The online financial technology firm recently released its annual list of 'The Best States for homeowners in 2019," with Utah ranked No. 2 overall just below Idaho and ahead of South Dakota. The study looked at nine key metrics comparing information from every state (except Vermont, which had missing data).

The study analyzed averages for price per square foot, effective property tax rate, closing costs, homeowners insurance as well as medians for value-to-median-income ratio, annual property taxes, the one-year percentage change in value per square foot, foreclosures per 10,000 homes and the burglary rate in each state.

With relatively low costs in a number of metrics, Utah ranked very favorably in many ways for homeowners, explained A.J. Smith, vice president of Financial Education for SmartAsset.

She noted the Beehive State registered an average property tax rate of just 0.62 percent, the third-lowest in the top 10 and 11th lowest overall. Utah also ranked highly based on the average closing costs on home purchases  fifth lowest in the country, she said.

Utah scored very well for average annual homeowners insurance costs at $634, the third-lowest in the study, she noted. However, Utah didn't fare well when it came to foreclosures, with the state ranking no. 34 out of 49 with a rate of 4.19 foreclosures per 10,000 homes, Smith said.

"Foreclosures are more common in Utah than in the average state," she said. "It's the 16th highest number of foreclosures per 10,000 homes."

This was the second straight year that Utah ranked No. 2 overall in the yearly study. The Beehive State has climbed into the top three after ranking 10th in 2015, fifth in 2016, seventh in 2017, she said.

"There can be a lot of advantages in being a homeowner," Smith said. "But the truth is that is going to depend on your (individual) situation."

Consumers should consider multiple factors when deciding to purchase versus rent housing, she said. Homeownership requires certain financial attributes that everyone may not have, she added.

"We hope that this (study) gets people thinking about these different kinds of factors, then running the numbers for themselves and making a smart decision for themselves and their families," Smith said.Traffic issues along Letterkenny Pearse Road area are likely to be eased following confirmation from Irish Water that they have committed to re-establishing the left hand turn from Paddy Harte Road onto Pearse Road by mid-July.

There has been no left turn at this junction beside MacDonald's Restaurant since May when work got underway on a small section of Pearse Road leading towards the old Dunnes Stores.

Road users and local businesses have been voicing their displeasure at the delays which have been caused by the temporary traffic management system. The work is expected to continue until late October.

Irish Water have issued a statement insisting they are committed to improving water and wastewater services for businesses and residents in Letterkenny while also seeking to minimise the impact on the local community.

At a meeting with the Letterkenny municipal district councillors on Friday morning, Irish Water outlined some traffic management plans which will be implemented to facilitate the free movement of traffic around town.

A statement read: "Irish Water has committed to re-establishing the left hand turn from Paddy Harte Road into the Pearse Road in midJuly facilitating two way traffic.

"Irish Water will also continue to work with An Garda Siochana to facilitate the free movement of traffic around the town and would like to thank An Garda Siochana for their ongoing engagement and traffic management in Letterkenny. Works on the sewer upgrade will also be extended to Saturdays."

Irish Water also confirmed that the project will cease for the coming Donegal International Rally and the weekend of July 12.

Friday's meeting was the fourth briefing session with the Letterkenny municipal district councillors about this project in 2019.

The statement continued: "Irish Water is committed to continuing to work with all stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of this essential upgrade. Engagement with the elected officials commenced last September where Irish Water outlined details of the project. This was followed by a public information evening in December to which the general public, businesses, elected reps and all interested parties were invited."

As part of a separate project Irish Water is progressing works on the N56 in order to secure the water supply for Letterkenny by installing a new water main. As of Wednesday May 29, Irish Water changed the working hours on the four lane N56 in order to alleviate traffic congestion. The working hours are now being undertaken at night from 7pm to 7am with the road fully re-opened outside this period.

Explaining further the necessity of the sewer upgrade works Colm Claffey, Irish Water said: Irish Water is committed to providing wastewater services that are in compliance with the EPA licence which will benefit residents and businesses in Letterkenny town.

"Irish Water is currently undertaking works on the Pearse Road, Letterkenny which will stop sewer overflows from polluting the Swilly. These essential works are required under licence in order to bring the sewer network into compliance with the current EPA license and will protect the water quality in the river.



Fianna Fail spokesperson on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue TD, has said that the agriculture minister must immediately clarify when he first became aware that the 50 million beef fund announced by the European Commission was contingent on production reduction.

Farmers were clearly misled pre-election with the Government message that the compensation package secured would be related to income and price losses incurred from the early onset of Brexit.

However, the draft Commission regulation states that the measures taken by Ireland shall be aimed at reducing production or restructuring the beef and veal sector.

Interestingly, the draft text also says that Ireland does not qualify under Article 219 of the CAP CMO regulation which provides emergency funding for market disturbance caused by significant price rises or falls.

I am calling on the Minister to immediately state when did he first learn that reducing production numbers would be a condition of drawing down funding? Did his Department make any case for market disturbance aid as provided under the CAP?

The Minister is trying to wash his hands of any responsibility by saying the draft Regulation is within the Commissions own legal competence and is not for negotiation with Ireland or indeed other Member States. This is a cop out from the Minister.

Government have totally misled farmers who were informed at every juncture from the Taoiseach and Minister Creed that the fund would cover income losses.

The subterfuge was clearly a pre-election stunt and farmers who have taken a massive hit deserve better, concluded Deputy McConalogue.The family of murdered Seamus Ludlow held a leaflet launch on Saturday morning, with family members and supporters distributing a new information leaflet at the Square and elsewhere in Dundalk.

The leaflet gives a detailed account of how Seamus, a 47 year old bachelor, was murdered by a loyalist gang consisting of members of the Red Hand Commando murder gang and members of the British army's Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR), on the 2nd of May 1976, and how to this day justice has been denied to Seamus and his family.

A large number of Ludlow family members, along with supporters and elected representatives gathered at the Square and many copies of the Seamus Ludlow campaign's new information leaflet were handed out to passers by.

"We were delighted to see Louth TDs Gerry Adams and Declan Breathnach come along, as well as several members of Louth County Council, including Councillors Ruairi O Murchu, Antioin Watters, and Joanna Byrne. The Ludlow family appreciates their generous support, along with that of Councillors John McGahon and Maeve Yore who were unable to attend."

Distribution of the new information leaflet will continue in the weeks ahead throughout north Louth,South Armagh and further afield.Gardai investigating a "random" attack on a woman in Dundalk on Thursday evening say they are in "no doubt" that that there was a sexual motive behind the "random" attack.

Speaking to the Irish Times, Garda Superindenent Gerry Curley said that woman was attacked from behind but managed to push away from the attacker and struggle free.

This is a random attack, she did not know who this person was, she was just out for a walk, Superindendent Curley told the Irish Times.

He added: We know the culprit walked on to the inner relief road so that his why we are looking for dash cam footage.

The incident took place at around 19.45 on Thursday evening at the Tain Walk that links the Inner Relief Road to the Newry Road.

The suspect is a male in his 20s and was wearing a grey tracksuit top and bottoms. He has a tight haircut, with fair hair, is around 6'2" and has a tanned complexion.

The man left the area on foot and made his was out of Tain walk and headed north on to the Inner Relief Road (N52).

Gardai are appealing for any person who witnessed the incident or with any information to contact them at Dundalk Garda station on 042 - 9388400, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.Joe Biden says and does a lot of smart things. Its part of the reason he got himself elected to the Senate, and its part of the reason Barack Obama decided, This guys going to be my running mate.

Joe Biden says a lot of other things too, and one reminded me exactly why hes never been a serious contender for the Oval Office. Monday night was one of those times.

During a fundraiser, Biden talked about how he would work with Republicans once he was president.

With Trump gone, youre going to begin to see things change, Biden said. Because these folks know better. They know this isnt what theyre supposed to be doing.

This is the bring a spork to a knife fight attitude that ensures Democrats lose the most important elections. Regardless of whether hed be a better president than Donald Trump, if Biden truly believes Trump is the reason Republicans dont work with Democrats, hell never get anything done if he somehow wins in 2020.

He should have known better. The night he and Obama were celebrating the inauguration, the most powerful Republicans in Congress met at a D.C. steakhouse and resolved they would oppose the Obama administration on everything. A few days into the new session of Congress, Sen. Mitch McConnell said his No. 1 goal was to make Barack Obama a one-term president.

But yet, Democrats kept aiming to compromise and usually ended up negotiating with themselves. It happened with the stimulus bill, as Republicans met with Obama to inject their own ideas and then unanimously voted against it.

When there was a move among the Democratic majority to provide universal healthcare, Medicare for All and public options were starting points. But Democrats weakened the legislation for Republican votes, and adopted a plan first proposed by the conservative Heritage Foundation. It got zero Republican votes, and when Republicans took the House they voted to repeal it dozens of times.

When Antonin Scalia died in February 2016, Republicans decided Democratic presidents are only presidents for three years and refused to fill the vacancy. Conservatives unearthed a 1992 clip of Sen. Biden arguing it was inappropriate to nominate a justice days before the party conventions. The 2016 party conventions were still four months away, but the seat stayed vacant due to the Biden Rule. Biden called the argument ridiculous, but Republicans kept running with it and Donald Trump filled the seat.

If Republicans know this isnt what theyre supposed to be doing, then why were they doing it before Trump showed up? And what makes you think theyll stop after Trump is gone?

I think the one thing these folks know better is that winning elections is about not giving an inch on your values, beliefs and policy.

Kevin Wilson is editor of The Eastern New Mexico News. Contact him at:

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A lively debate is expected between People's Alliance candidate Binali Yldrm and Nation Alliance candidate Ekrem Imamoglu at Lutfi Krdar Congress Center in Istanbul, at 9 p.m. local time (1800GMT)

The future of Istanbul, the Turkish megalopolis of 16 million people, will be debated by two mayoral candidates Sunday night a week ahead of a revote mandated by election authorities.

AT 9 PM LOCAL TIME

The debate will be carried live on most TV channels, and millions across the country are expected to tune in. The debate will be moderated by veteran journalist and TV presenter Ismail Kucukkaya.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Yldrm said that other topics besides Istanbul will be discussed on Sunday.

Imamoglu, for his part, expressed his hope for a pleasant discussion.

Yldrm and Imamoglu will vie for the Istanbul mayors seat again after the Supreme Election Council (YSK) ordered a re-run of the March 31 Istanbul polls.Netanyahus wife admits criminal wrongdoing in meals case

Sara Netanyahu will have a criminal record, though as part of the agreement the charges were reduced.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus wife, Sara, appeared in court on Sunday to admit criminal wrongdoing over the misuse of state funds to order catered meals, in a plea bargain carrying no jail time.

"THIS LADY IS MADE OF STEEL"

Under the agreement, a fraud charge was reduced to a lesser offence and she will pay the state 45,000 shekels ($12,490) in reimbursement and a 10,000 shekel ($2,775) fine.

Netanyahu's attorney Yossi Cohen told the court his client had already been heavily punished by the media. "Four years of ugly leaks and denigrations" constituted "inhuman punishment", he said. "No other person could have withstood this, this lady is made of steel," Cohen added.

According to the original indictment, Sara Netanyahu, along with a government employee, fraudulently obtained from the state more than $100,000 for hundreds of meals supplied by restaurants, bypassing regulations that prohibit the practice if a cook is employed at home.

Smiling broadly, Netanyahu faced a phalanx of cameras in the courthouse before the session got under way.The giant panda returns to the wild, on June 15, 2019, in Jiuzhaigou County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo: 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.Saudi crown prince blames Iran for tanker attacks

Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Salman said that Iran is responsible for the oil tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman.

Saudi prince Mohammad bin Salman called on the international community to take a decisive stand on tanker attacks, but added that the kingdom does not want a war in the region.

"WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN A WAR"

Attacks on two oil tankers on Thursday, which the United States also blamed on Iran, have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region. Iran has denied any role in the strikes south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route and major transit route for oil.

The explosions that damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous occurred while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran trying to help ease rising tensions between the United States and Iran.

"The Iranian regime did not respect the Japanese prime ministers visit to Tehran and while he was there replied to his efforts by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese," Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was quoted as saying in an interview with the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. "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," he said.

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.Turkish forces strike back Assad regime attack in Syria

Bashar al-Assad regime forces attacked a Turkish observation point in Syria and it was retaliated with heavy weapons, Turkish Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

In a statement, the ministry said regime forces launched an artillery attack from Idlib region's Tall Bazan area to Murak area, where a Turkish observation point is situated.

NO CASUALTIES REPORTED

It said the regime attack was "deliberate" and was retaliated with heavy weapons. Partial material damage was reported, but without casualties. The statement said necessary initiatives were taken with Moscow and the situation was being followed closely.

On Saturday, the Turkish military sent reinforcements to another observation point in Idlib near Zawiya, which was targeted by regime forces last week and left three Turkish soldiers wounded.

Although Turkey and Russia have agreed to stop acts of aggression and turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone, the Syrian regime has consistently violated the cease-fire, launching frequent attacks inside the de-escalation zone.US police pull guns to family after a 4-year-old took doll from store

In the video, officers can be heard screaming and cursing at the couple in front of their children One officer can be heard saying, "You're gonna f...ing get shot!"

A video recently released has gone viral in the social media.

On May 29, Dravon Ames and his fiancee, Iesha Harper went on a family outing with their two children. Their four-year old, without their knowledge, took a doll from a store.

"IM GOING TO SHOOT YOU IN YOU FING FACE"

According to the claims, a police patrol unit followed the couples car, after they stopped, an officer approached the vehicle with his gun drawn and yanked open the front door. "Our hands are up, we're just trying not to get shot, trying to stay calm," Ames said. "He had a gun drawn."

US police pull guns to family after a 4-year-old took doll from store WATCH

The chief of police said she was "disturbed by the language and the actions" of the officers. The two officers pointed their weapons at the visibly pregnant 24-year-old Harper and her children, the video showed and the claim stated.

"Im going to put a cap in your a--," one officer said to Ames as a second policeman, whose weapon was also drawn and pointed at Ames, walked up to the car, according to the video. "Im going to shoot you in your f---ing face."





THE COUPLE IS SEEKING $10 MILLION FROM THE CITY

Despite department rules that require police to wear body cameras, the Phoenix officers were not wearing them. Phoenix Mayor apologized to the family in a statement on Saturday.

"I, like many others, am sick over what I have seen in the video depicting Phoenix police interacting with a family and young children. It was completely inappropriate and clearly unprofessional," mayor wrote in a Facebook post. "There is no situation in which this behavior is ever close to acceptable. As a mother myself, seeing these children placed in such a terrifying situation is beyond upsetting."On Saturday morning, as untold others have for more than 150 years, Terrell Graves led a procession of marchers and floats in the name of freedom.

He cradled a long baton, keeping it perfectly vertical as he high-stepped in the 40th Juneteenth Parade, which wound its way from Sam Houston High School on East Houston Street to Comanche Park No. 2 on Rigsby Avenue. Small, sporadic crowds sprung up along the 3-mile route that echoed with the booming sounds of the marching band from his alma mater, Houston High School.

OnExpressNews.com: San Antonio Juneteenth Association celebrates emancipation

Bexar County Buffalo Soldiers on horseback followed the 19-year-old college student, ahead of RVs and floats with Juneteenth royalty. Graves blocked out the sounds of traffic, the sight of blocked intersections and the 90-degree heat that seemed to grow hotter with each step. He was focused on upholding a tradition that began, he said, on the shoulders of giants.

This is living history, Graves said at the park pavilion after the parade. I get to give back, and its an amazing feeling.

The parades entrance to the park kicked off the Texas Freedom Festival, which celebrated the 154th anniversary of June 19th, the day when more than 200,000 slaves in Texas learned they were free.

The festival included live music, food vendors and a health fair organized by the Theta Eta chapter of Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority.

Wednesday is the official Juneteenth state holiday.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg was among the local dignitaries who mingled and talked to guests clustered around the complex.

San Antonio is an inclusive place, Nirenberg said. One thing that will continue to march on here is our fight for social justice, and that happens throughout the generations. Were very proud to see this event pick up speed.

Several booths offered information about issues that included voting rights and alternatives to arrests.

OnExpressNews.com: San Antonio designated "Dementia Friendly City"

Theresa Canales, 47, was inspired to see a voter registration and education table at the event. She said it was important to preserve the history and document what was happening in and around San Antonio during the period after slavery ended.

Juneteenth Commissioner Byron Miller said organizers hope to expand the festival experience in the region between the Texas Folklife Festival and Fourth of July festivities. On June 28, the association will host the new Texas Freedom Festival Blues in New Braunfels at that citys Civic/Convention Center, 375 S. Castell Ave., from 6 to 11 p.m.

Miller said Juneteenth is about communication and respecting one another.

The only way we can change minds is to change hearts, he said. What we find is we have more in common than not.

More than a dozen booths ran parallel across from the park pavilion packed with guests who applauded speakers and danced to booming music. Smoke from barbecue grills drifted like fog near the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum table.

Susan Glosson, a Friend of SAAACAM volunteer, pointed out poster-sized reprints of San Antonio Light newspaper articles from the late 1800s about Juneteenth celebrations. An article dated June 1889 detailed 24th anniversary plans for a procession that traveled along San Saba to Alamo Plaza for a 24-gun salute before proceeding to San Pedro Springs.

Aundar Maat, co-producer of the film Walk on the River, said the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation was how blacks enlisted in the Union army and fought for their freedom.

It sparked and gave African-Americans inspiration to fight and participate in their struggle for freedom, Maat said. That is an aspect of Juneteenth we really should recognize and appreciate how we fought in the Civil War and turned the tide.

Maat said freedom is not just breaking the chains of physical slavery but freeing minds and spirits.

Sandra Jones, 70, arrived early at the park Saturday morning to sell fundraising tickets for Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. She said the celebrations have progressed from those she witnessed as a child in Lubbock.

Its more people being active in it, she said. I like to see the kids get some knowledge of the past. I appreciate that.Known worldwide for its rustic hills, wildflower-filled valleys and sparkling rivers and creeks, the Hill Country is now being threatened by a pipeline that will carry gas from West Texas. Kinder Morgans 430-mile-long Permian Highway Pipeline will cut through the heart of Texas, impacting the regions waterways and wildlife.

Besides being renowned for its peaches, wineries, ranches and nature tourism, the Hill Country is the only breeding ground on Earth for the golden-cheeked warbler. This small endangered songbird migrates from Central America to Texas each year to breed among the areas old growth oak-juniper forests. The bark of mature ashe juniper trees (known as cedar), is the key material for the birds nest-building. The pipeline will cause habitat destruction and affect other endangered or threatened species, including salamanders, spiders and Texas wild rice, all endemic.

In addition to the potential loss of critical habitat, any gas leaks would threaten vital aquifers and public safety. The karst limestone of the region doesnt filter out pollutants; they go straight into the aquifer. With five rivers, 25 streams and three main aquifers, the ecosystem provides fresh water to almost 4 million people, livestock and wildlife. With the population living along the Austin-San Antonio corridor expected to double by 2050, threats to fresh water would have grave health and economic impacts. Communities downstream could also be affected.

The Hill Countrys natural areas represent great economic and cultural benefits to millions of people. While Kinder Morgan promises fewer than 20 permanent jobs and millions in tax revenue for affected communities, the benefits from the regions water and wildlife are far greater. The irreplaceable benefits threatened by this pipeline  clean water, healthy landscapes and abundant wildlife  are invaluable.

Residents have worked with local governments to define and implement watershed protection plans. The pipeline undermines the money, knowledge and time spent on these inclusive actions to protect the areas fresh water.

A growing number of communities have passed ordinances opposing the pipeline. Residents understand the threats and are actively fighting the pipeline. Ranchers have joined forces with local cities to oppose the pipelines route and challenge eminent domain. Although the Texas Railroad Commission oversees permitting, Kinder Morgan alone decides the pipelines route. The company claims eminent domain because it provides a public benefit, but the public does not participate in the decision-making. The pipeline is labeled public use because it might transport more than one private companys gas. State law doesnt give the property owners a voice when a pipeline company wants a piece of their land. This year, over 10 bills to regulate eminent domain were taken to the Texas Legislature, highlighting how important the issue is to Texans. Unfortunately, none of them passed.

Texas law states that the company must restore the property  to its former condition as near as reasonably practicable. How this is done is not clear because no environmental impact assessment or habitat conservation plans are required. Kinder Morgan avoids most federal regulations because the pipeline runs entirely within the state, but impacts on watersheds and wildlife, especially endangered species, still must be considered.

Kinder Morgan has volunteered actions to reduce impact, but they may not be enough to address real threats to the golden-cheeked warblers habitat, or any of the other endangered species and their habitats. It takes centuries to restore old-growth oak-juniper stands. With whats at stake, the company must fully comply with the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. Given the justification of eminent domain for a private company and the potential impacts, the process should be transparent and participatory.

As it stands, eminent domain for a private pipeline may cause imminent threat to the Hill Countrys watershed, wildlife and communities.

Paul Sanchez-Navarro is the senior representative for Texas Defenders of Wildlife.My generation was taught that school should be a safe environment where we are free to grow and learn. But growing up hearing about senseless acts of gun violence in schools, we learned the hard lesson that when we walk through the school doors, our safety is not guaranteed.

This legislative session, Texas lawmakers made a push to increase the gun presence in schools with HB 1387. This is not the solution we are looking for. Guns dont belong in the hands of teachers, and HB 1387 doesnt belong as a Texas law.

Research shows that incidences of gun violence are occurring in schools with greater frequency, but I refuse to believe that there is nothing we can do to keep our schools safe. So, in my junior year of high school, I started a Students Demand Action chapter at my public school in San Antonio.

Before I got involved in Students Demand Action, I did not know much about how the Texas Legislature works. I only knew that I needed to do something to stop the gun violence I saw on the news and here in Texas. Im not alone. Across the country, teenagers like me have taken the reins of the gun violence movement and taken a stand against institutions, even when some adults will not. We have taught ourselves about policy and the legislative process. We have made a voice for ourselves in this conversation, and we deserve to be heard by those who govern us. Lawmakers need to listen to us when we say that increasing the number of school marshals on campus will put us at risk, not help us.

We have learned that the solution to school shootings is not as simple as canceling out gun violence with more guns. An armed teacher or staff member will always pose a risk to the lives of students and staff alike because so much can go wrong when someone carries a gun into a school, no matter who they are. The stakes are even higher when that person is a teacher trained in education, not law enforcement. Armed teachers are not part of the safe learning environment that my classmates and I are hoping for. For us, the bottom line is that a classroom is not a shooting range and weapons have no place in our schools.

Its already a scary thought that some schools in Texas allow certain teachers to be armed. But now that Gov. Greg Abbott has signed HB 1387, the cap that exists on how many teachers can carry guns in schools will be removed, potentially allowing an unlimited amount of armed teachers in schools. That creates even more room for error. I recognize the efforts of our state government to keep schools safe, but this bill is absolutely not what we need.

I wish our lawmakers would listen to the voices of the students. There are safety efforts that would actually make schools safer, like providing more funding for school counselors and helping law enforcement intervene if a student shows signs of being a danger to themselves or others. Now, its up to students and gun safety advocates across Texas to ask our school boards to make the right choice for safer schools and reject the School Marshal Program.

Devyn Moore is a volunteer leader with Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.Re: The Daily Beast's shabby scoop on Pelosi video, by Rich Lowry, Other Views, June 8:

I need to register my strong disagreement with Rich Lowrys column. The guy who made the video of Nancy Pelosi did something that wasnt merely misleading, it was true fake news. I am worried about our future with computer deepfakesbecoming more and more accessible to people with less to lose, professionally speaking.

How will we know which stories are true and which were invented to get the marionettes to dance? It has been shown that once a lie has gone viral, it cant be walked completely back.

Even exposed lies have lasting effects on opinion. It doesnt matter that this video was a big deal for six hours. Whenever we can, we need to expose the liars so that the next guy considering it doesnt feel completely confident he will get away with it.

Tom Patterson

An Abbott nightmare

Re: Dems want probe into Abbotts role in purge, Metro, June 8:

Great! Just what we needed in Texas  another Donald Trump wannabe in the governors office.

First, just like Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott is surrounded by incompetents: Ken Paxton, once indicted for securities fraud, and David Whitley, resigning as secretary of state because of a questionable voter purge blunder. Abbott thought Whitley was just the person he needed in a do-nothing job and gave him a raise!

I keep thinking this is a nightmare and, when I wake up, Ann Richards will still be governor!

Lloyd R. Mathews, Rockport

Open eyes and ears

Re: Art dealers look for new models, Business, Monday:

Art is a message in a bottle  a to whom it may concern note. The artist hopes to share a thought or pass on a pleasurable (or otherwise) experience. It is a conversation.

Open up your eyes and listen.

Clay McGaughyAdria Airways has said its flight operations will return to normal from July as its passengers continue to experience numerous delays, cancellations and the merging of flights. The Slovenian carrier noted that the ongoing wide-spread disruptions to its network come as a result of technical and operational reasons. We apologise to all passengers for the inconvenience caused and we assure them that we are doing everything in order to find the most optimal solutions for their journeys, the carrier said in a statement. The airlines evening flights are most affected, particularly those to Skopje and Pristina. Over the past few days the carrier has also merged some of its services to Podgorica and Sarajevo, Munich and Zurich, as well as Skopje and Tirana.





Currently, some of Adrias aircraft are out of service. These include two Bombardier CRJ900 jets, registered S5-AFA and S5-AAL, which are grounded in Ljubljana and missing their engines, while an Airbus A319, registered S5-AAX, returned to service yesterday after more than a month. Adria is also currently wet-leasing several aircraft, including a Nordica ATR72 turboprop, as well as a Trade Air Fokker 100 which is being used on its operations out of Pristina. These short-term wet-leases, which previously also involved a Carpatair F100 jet, were scheduled to run until the end of May, however, their usage has since been extended.





The ongoing issues taking place at Adria are in sharp contrast to the managements promise it would stabilise the companys operations for the 2019 summer season in order to avoid a repeat of last year, which resulted in the cancellation of some 100 flights. Our priority is to stabilise our operations and restore the trust of our passengers, the airlines CEO, Holger Kowarsch, said late last year. The European Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc, who is Slovenian herself, said on Friday, Thanks to the EU, passengers whose flights have been cancelled have numerous rights: a refund, rerouting, and in certain cases compensation. We expect for Adria Airways to fully respect these rights. However, many passengers have complained they still haven't been compensated by the airline for delays and cancellations experienced last summer season.Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media / Connecticut Post

FAIRFIELD  A state police trooper was seriously injured Sunday morning, while three others suffered minor injuries after a car crashed into a parked cruiser.

The trooper had stopped to help a car that was broken down on the median of Interstate-95 when a third vehicle veered into the left shoulder and struck the cruiser, state police said.Yash is one of the biggest actors in India today. However, fans and others were rather surprised when this actor chose to be part of the recent 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He campaigned for Sumalatha Ambareesh for days together, compromising on KGF Chapter 2's shooting schedule. That's when people began to wonder if he had any hidden agenda. Now, it's been said that he's going to involve actress and wife Radhika Pandit in politics. Well, the fans seem excited about it.

When Yash campaigned for Sumalatha in Mandya, he was seen dealing with the political scenario at ease. He never budged and stood by his words. The KGF actor and the opposition even involved in many heated discussions. After this, speculations started making rounds that Yash might be interested dealing with the affairs of the state.

When Yash denied the news, rumors diverted towards Radhika Pandit. Hundreds and thousands of social media users are suggesting that Yash is planning on introducing his beloved wife into politics. So much so that, a few tabloid confirmed Radhika would be contesting from Hassan constituency.

YR fans however, have welcomed the news regarding Mr. and Mrs. Yash's entry in politics. But, sources close to the couple have told IBT that it isn't true. Apparently, these are only rumors and neither Yash nor Radhika have any interest in getting involved in matter of the state.

Radhika, who recently birthed her daughter, is busy playing the role of a new mother. Meanwhile, Yash is focusing on KGF Chapter 2. The couple is enjoying their life together not paying heeds to such baseless rumors.

Radhika Pandit's FIRST Film After MARRIAGE To Release In July! It's A Women-centric Movie

Those of you who are still keen on seeing Radhika Pandit in a politician avatar, watch her film Kaddipudi, in which she has acted alongside Shivrajkumar. Her character in the film enters politics under difficult situations. Even if not in real, you can enjoy the scenario on-screen.Sri Reddy has once again took over the attention of the social media geeks and this time she has launched a scathing attack on of the prominent stars of Tamil cinema. The series of comments that she has posted on her Facebook page has left many of the fans shocked.

Sri Reddy has targeted Vishal this time and even in the past, she had come up with shocking remarks against the very popular actor. This time she has gone a step ahead as she came up with back-to-back posts, with each one of them talking about the Tamil actor.

Once again, Sri Reddy has indirectly made casting couch allegations against the actor. It is known to all that Nadigar Sangam election is round the corner and in one of the posts, addressing the people who are going to vote for Vishal, she has even tagged the Tamil actor a fraud.

The series of posts and the language that she has used in some of them have left everyone a bit shocked. She has even challenged Vishal to prove her wrong. At the same time, the audiences are divided in opinions. The audiences are pf the opinion that she is doing this to tarnish the image of Nadigar Sangam secretary.Addressing the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, Narendra Modi also announced setting up a panel of CMs and ministers on agriculture.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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.

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.

Mamata 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 aims to end water woes in Telangana.

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 will be announced in the next few days. The committee, he added, will submitt its report in two to 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 world's 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 Pradhan Mantri 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 $5 trillion economy by 2024, is "challenging, but can surely be achieved".

The size of India's economy was estimated at $2.75 trillion at March end.

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 a 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 past five years and water management has become a major issue.

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 the benefits of the Pradhan mantri 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 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 left-wing extremism, Kumar said Home Minister Amit Shah talked about the improvement in the situation, citing data, adding that the problem of Naxalism was being contained because there has been better coordination and information sharing among affected states.

The prime minister urged those states who have not implemented PMJAY under Ayushman Bharat, so far, to come on board 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 that 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.

Issues related to Jammu and Kashmir also 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.

He added that several states had 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.India will impose higher retaliatory tariffs on 28 US products including almonds, apples and walnuts from Sunday, following Washingtons withdrawal of key trade privileges for New Delhi

New Delhi: India will impose higher retaliatory tariffs on 28 US products including almonds, apples and walnuts from Sunday, following Washingtons withdrawal of key trade privileges for New Delhi.

The new duties take effect from Sunday, a government notification said, in the latest trade row since US president Donald Trump took office in 2017 vowing to act against countries with which Washington has a large trade deficit.

From 5 June, 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 Modis first meeting with Trump on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Japan on 28 and 29 June.

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 Washingtons refusal to exempt it from higher steel and aluminum 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 US goods could impact growing political and security ties between the two nations.

US 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 US almonds, paying $543 million for more than half of US almond exports in 2018, US Department of Agriculture data shows. It is the second largest buyer of US apples, taking $156 million worth in 2018.

New Delhis new rules in areas such as e-commerce and data localization have already angered the United States and hit companies such as Amazon.com, Walmart Inc, Mastercard and Visa, among others.India's fuel demand in May was unchanged from a year earlier, preliminary government data showed on Saturday, indicating a continued slowdown in various sectors including industrial output. Fuel consumption, a proxy for oil demand, was 18.61 million tonnes in May, data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) of the oil ministry showed on Saturday.

India's fuel demand in May was unchanged from a year earlier, preliminary government data showed on Saturday, indicating a continued slowdown in various sectors including industrial output.

Fuel consumption, a proxy for oil demand, was 18.61 million tonnes in May, data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) of the oil ministry showed on Saturday.

India's economy grew 5.8% in March quarter, its slowest pace in more than four year, falling behind China's pace for the first time in nearly two years.

Several indicators  automobile sales, rail freight and domestic air traffic - indicate a slowdown in domestic consumption. India has not yet released industrial output data for May.

Sales of gasoline, or petrol, rose by a robust 11.32% to 2.73 million tonnes in May as the narrowing price gap with diesel is pushing motorists to opt for petrol-driven vehicles. Diesel sales rose 2.84% to 7.78 million tonnes.

Cooking gas, or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), rose marginally to 2.06 million tonnes.

Naphtha sales increased by 7.73% to 1.09 million tonnes and sales of bitumen, used for making roads, were down by 8.4%.

India revised down its fuel consumption for April to 17.67 million tonnes, a decline of 0.6% from a year earlier, the data showed.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday visited the families of the children suffering from suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur.

Muzaffarpur: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday visited the families of the children suffering from suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur and assured them of all possible help from the Centre.

According to a release issued by the district administration on Sunday, 84 children have died so far at the SKMCH and the Kejriwal hospital in Muzaffarpur. Out of 84, 70 children have died at the SKMCH.

Vardhan, his deputy Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey visited the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur.

"I assure the people of the area, especially the affected families, that the government will extend all possible help and measures to the state government," Vardhan told reporters.

State government officials, however, maintained that majority of the victims had died due to hypoglycemia, a condition caused by very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance.

Vardhan met the families at the SKMCH and held a meeting with senior officials and doctors.

Attributing heat and humidity as a possible reason behind the disease, the minister said the Ministry of Earth Sciences would help formulate an action plan with the state government to deal with the situation.

The India Meteorological Department's observatory in Muzaffarpur will be also be upgraded, he said.

Vardhan asked health officials to expedite and complete the super specialty block of the SKMCH, so that other departments of the facility could extend help and cooperation in tackling with the disease.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the deaths and announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the next of the kin of the deceased, an official release said.The protest campaign by the teachers began on Friday, after the Assam education minister compared the pass certificate of the TET with a driving license.

After the Bharatiya Janata Party, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, began the campaign of using the word 'chowkidar' as a prefix, a similar campaign has been started by thousands of teachers in Assam, who have begun using the word "driver" as a prefix ahead of their names.

However, the latter campaign has been started as a form of protest against Assam education minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya.

This innovative step has been taken up by over 40,000 teachers who have been recruited through the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) in the state. These teachers are commonly known as TET teachers. Their protest campaign began on Friday, after Bhattacharya compared the pass certificate of the TET with a driving license in a live programme on All India Radio, Guwahati a day earlier.

Bhattacharya, while taking live questions during the programme, replied to a question by a TET teacher from Barpeta about regularisation of jobs. He said that TET teachers have to renew their "licence" (the pass certificate of the TET exam) to continue their jobs, just like driving licences need to be renewed from time to time.

Teachers recruited on the basis of TET have been facing uncertainty in Assam as their jobs are not being regularised by the government. In 2016, before the Assembly polls, the BJP had promised to regularise the services of all the TET teachers in the state. But so far, over 40,000 jobs are yet to be regularised.

Wali Ahmad Tapadar, a teacher from Hailakandi district appointed through TET in 2017, said, I passed the test in 2014 and got my appointment in 2017. The then education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma promised to regularise our jobs within eleven months. But after he resigned from the ministry and Siddhartha Bhattacharya took over, we have been facing a lot of problems. Our salaries do not come on time, and the new education minister has not taken any step to regularise our jobs."

Tapadar further said, We are very upset about the comparison of the TET certificate with a driving license. So, we have decided to organise a silent, but powerful protest."

The state government had held the Teachers Eligibility Test for the first time in the year 2012 for appointment of teachers for lower primary and upper primary school students. That year, 52, 772 candidates cleared the test, and out of them, 26,100 were selected for jobs. Out of the 26,100 teachers, half were regularised in a phase-wise manner. The government held the TET till 2014, when a total of 90,043 candidates passed. As of now, around 40,000 teachers are working on a contractual basis. The decision of the government to hold the exam again in September has raised concerns among those who have already passed and are awaiting regularisation.

Santosh Kaushik, Block Secretary of Primary TET Teachers Association in Naduar of Biswanath district said, As teachers, we do not have time to protest against everything that makes us upset. But this statement of the education minister is a very derogatory one. His statement is applicable to those who have passed the TET but have not been appointed. They can sit for the exam again to renew the validity of the certificate. But as far as those of us who have been teaching for years are concerned, comparing our TET certificates to driving licenses is not done.

However, Bhattacharya said, "I was just giving an example. Like the driving licence comes with a definite term, TET pass certificates also come with a term. I would like to ask teachers to appear for the test in September this year.

A TET pass certificate is valid for seven years from the year of passing. A regularised teacher need not sit for the test again after completion of the term. But the government has made the test mandatory for the contractual teachers.

On 18 June, the TET teachers for primary schools in every district of Assam will stage protests in front of their respective Deputy Commissioners office, and will send memorandum letters to the chief minister demanding regularisation of jobs.

The teachers are also planning a sit- in-demonstration in Dispur on 29 June.

Meanwhile, the teachers have addressed a letter to the prime minister's office (PMO) seeking regularisation of their jobs, and thousands of copies of this letter have been sent to the PMO.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.

Dushanbe (Tajikistan): 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 in Dushanbe on Saturday, 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 Tajikistan 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 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 fault lines, Jaishankar 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 in Dushanbe 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.The primary reason behind the ineffectiveness of legislative provisions or rehabilitative measures is lack of awareness.

India's manual scavengers: Media must be used more effectively to spread awareness; popular faces should use influence for social cause

The primary reason behind the ineffectiveness of legislative provisions or rehabilitative measures is lack of awareness and the struggle to get past the stereotype associated with the occupation. To help manual scavengers overcome their struggle, the government had initiated an awareness campaign among the workers through the NCSK. Safai Karamachari Andolan national convenor Bezwada Wilson had also put in independent efforts towards this cause. The Bhim Yatra cultural forum had also participated in this campaign in 2015.

Black Mirror Season 5: Striking Vipers offers compelling commentary on bromance and sexuality

Guys can be so awkward, says one of the characters, Theo (Nicole Beharie), in a scene during the episode. This remark essentially represents the theme of Striking Vipers. The rigid rules of gender roles  which most men are taught when they are growing up  entrench in them certain codes that need to be observed in their interactions with other men and women. This is why the friendship shown between Danny (Anthony Mackie) and Karl (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) in the first twenty minutes of the episode is something most men will identify with.

Shefali Shah on playing different shades of an 'everywoman', and using silence as her weapon of choice

Before we begin our interaction, Shah breaks the ice with us by admitting that she does not like dressing up. "It's a pain. Had this been only a print interview, I would've been in my track pants," she says, visibly miffed, yet playfully appealing. On hearing this, I am secretly glad that I brought along a photographer-friend, only so she could do justice to Shah's electric presence, and capture her eyes that house a sea of emotions and memories of the lives she has portrayed onscreen.

With South Asia home to world's most polluted cities, is toxic smog the new normal for its populace?

In India, experts argue that current levels of air pollution represent a public health emergency requiring a full emergency mode response from local and national authorities. A 2017 Lancet study estimated that 1.2 million people have died because of Indias dirty air and life expectancy would have been higher by 1.7 years if its people breathed clean air.

But the government has failed to take adequate action and activists have rejected New Delhis new National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as insufficient.

Copa America 2019: Qatar set for tough test in South America after establishing themselves as continental heavyweights in Asia

Brazil had little attention for Qatar and in earnest there was no reason to either: within 24 minutes the Copa America hosts had a two-goal advantage courtesy of Everton's Richarlison and Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus. In the Brazilian capital the Asian champions got a reality check, confronted with a high standard of play that will push them out of their comfort zone at the Copa America as well, the highest-level competition Qatar have entered so far.The Army officer said the youths in Jammu and Kashmir were handed over to their respective families after proper counselling. He appealed to the youths to not get misguided by the propaganda of militants.

Srinagar: Four youths, who wanted to cross the Line of Control (LoC) to join militant ranks, were taken into custody in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir and later handed over to their families, the Army said Saturday.

Addressing a press conference in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, Commander 79 Mount Brigade Girish Kalia said the youths were taken into custody by the Army near the LoC on Friday and were handed over to their respective families on Saturday.

He said the Army had received information that they were going to join the path of violence after being "misguided" by local militants and their accomplices.

"We acted swiftly to prevent them from choosing the wrong path and apprehended them along the LoC in Limber area of Boniyar on Friday," he said.

The Army officer said the youths were handed over to their respective families after proper counselling. He appealed to the youths to not get misguided by the propaganda of militants.Jammu and Kashmir has been put on alert after Pakistan shared inputs about a possible terror attack near Awantipora in Pulwama, a top security official told The Indian Express.

Jammu and Kashmir has been put on alert after Pakistan shared inputs about a possible terror attack near Awantipora in Pulwama, a top security official told The Indian Express.

The Pakistanis shared this information regarding the possibility of such an attack with our High Commission in Islamabad. They had also shared this information with the Americans, who too, informed us. So this information has come directly as well as via the Americans to us, the official said.

According to India Today, intelligence inputs said that an improvised explosive device (IED) mounted on a vehicle in Awantipora may be used in the attack, a method akin to the one used in the 14 February car bomb attack which targeted a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, killing 40 security personnel.

Confirming the alert, a police officer told The Indian Express that the forces are always on their toes in south Kashmir.

The inputs were received by both India and the United States on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held in Kyrgyztans Bishkek last week. At the summit, also attended by his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told Chinese president Xi Jinping that Pakistan needs to create an atmosphere free of terrorism, adding that all attempts of peace talks with the neighbouring country have been derailed.

This information, which comes days after a fidayeen attack on a CRPF patrol party in Anantnag on Wednesday which claimed the lives of five personnel, has put the security forces in the region on alert. Tensions are also prevailing in the Valley since the killing of Zakir Musa in Tral last month.The home ministry has sought reports from the Mamata Banerjee government on the doctors' strike in West Bengal as well as the political violence in the state over the past four years.

The impasse in West Bengal showed signs of easing as agitating doctors said Saturday night they were open for talks with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to end their stir, but they will decide on the venue of the meeting later.

The protesting doctors had earlier in the evening turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Mamata at the state Secretariat and had instead asked her to visit NRS Medical College and Hospital for an open discussion to resolve the impasse.

Junior doctors of West Bengal began their strike on the night of 10 June when two junior doctors of NRS hospital in Kolkata were injured in an attack by relatives of a patient who died at the hospital.

Late on Saturday night, the joint forum of junior doctors held a press conference. "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, adding that they will wait for their governing body to decide on the venue for the meeting.

The doctors had also turned down Mamata'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 had visited her at the state Secretariat.

At a press conference at the state secretariat, Mamata had urged the agitators to resume work and said her government has accepted all their demands.

Mamata rubbishes MHA advisory on 'poor' law and order in Bengal

Also on Saturday, Mamata 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 past couple of years".

"In the past three years, since the Yogi Adityanath government came to power in Uttar Pradesh, several people were killed in the name of encounters. They do not allow people to lodge FIRs in Gujarat. How many advisories have they sent to these states?"

About the junior doctors' agitation, Mamata said sometimes such strikes happen in a democracy.

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. It said it has received a number of representations from doctors, healthcare professionals and medical associations from various parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the strike in West Bengal.

The ministry also told the Bengal government in its advisory that the continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019 is 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.

'Talk to the governor if you think I'm incapable'

Meanwhile, Governor of West Bengal KN Tripathi wrote to Mamata advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the medicos and find a solution to the impasse. The West Bengal chief minister later said she had spoken to the governor and apprised him about the steps taken by the state government to resolve the impasse.

She also pointed out that her government has not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act against the protesting junior doctors even after five days of the strike.

"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 agitators did not turn up for the meeting she had called at 5 pm.

Mamata said, on Friday, she had "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 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, Mamata, while addressing the press at the state Secretariat, left it midway, claiming that a few junior doctors had arrived to meet her, but the body of medicos representing the protesting doctors later rejected this claim.

Earlier, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had asked states to consider enacting specific legislation to protect doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence in the wake of the assault on junior doctors in Bengal.

Meanwhile, patients in Delhi faced hardships for the second consecutive day on Saturday 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 14 June.

With inputs from PTIOdisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik cited the instance of cyclone Fani that battered 14 districts, killed 64 people and caused a total loss of Rs 9,336.26 crore after making landfall at a wind speed of about 200 kmph near Puri on 3 May.

Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik raised the Special Category Status issue before the NITI Aayog on Saturday, four days after pushing for the 'Special Focus State' status for the state in view of its vulnerability to natural calamities.

Attending the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of the NITI Aayog chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, Patnaik demanded that natural calamity be included as a criterion for according Special Category Status to Odisha.

"As an interim measure, states hit by major natural calamities may be declared as Special Focus States and granted benefits of Special Category Status for a specific period," the chief minister said.

Patnaik had raised the same demand during a meeting with the prime minister on 11 June.

Patnaik cited the instance of cyclone Fani that battered 14 districts, killed 64 people and caused a total loss of Rs 9,336.26 crore after making landfall at a wind speed of about 200 kmph near Puri on 3 May.

Noting that India must move towards empowering women in all spheres, the chief minister said as frequent elections affect development climate, it is better to have simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.

He said the primary sector especially agriculture has to be always taken care of and judicious utilisation of water resources holds the key.

"Second Green Revolution should happen in our dry land areas also," Patnaik said adding that environment and economic development should go hand in hand.

He also demanded that the PM-KISAN scheme must include landless agriculture households and sharecroppers.

"All irrigation projects which are lying incomplete as on 1 April, 2019 should be included under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)," he said.

Patnaik said the Union Government should allocate a much higher quantum of resources for watershed, command area development and drinking water. "There should be a priority component under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III) to connect habitations with a population of 100 and below," he said.

"The projects need to be expedited to extend rail connectivity to tribal-dominated Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts of Odisha," Patnaik said.

In regard to financial inclusion, he said banking facilities should be extended to all unbanked Gram Panchayats across the state and Bharatnet Project should also be

implemented at a faster pace.

Patnaik demanded that the royalty on coal be raised from 14 percent to 20 percent of sale value.Pakistan has reportedly shared an intelligence input with Indian authorities about a potential terror attack in Kashmir.

Pakistan has reportedly shared an intelligence input with Indian authorities about a potential terror attack in Kashmir. The input about al-Qaedas plan to carry out the terror attack in South Kashmirs Pulwama district, either before or during the Amarnath Yatra, to avenge the killing of terrorist Zakir Musa has prompted a high alert in the Kashmir Valley.

Musa, who was the chief of a local terror group  Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind  affiliated to al-Qaeda, was killed recently in an encounter with security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations. Before forming his own terror group, Musa was previously heading Hizbul Mujahideen, following the fateful elimination of terrorist Burhan Wani in 2016.

It would be premature to call the intelligence sharing a game changer in India-Pakistan ties marked by decades of suspicion and hostility. And this is not the first reported case of Pakistan sharing intelligence with India. In 2016, Pakistans then national security advisor Naseer Janjua conveyed an intelligence warning to his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, about a possible 26/11-style suicide attack on religious processions in Gujarat during Maha Shivratri celebrations. Taking this input seriously, India ordered a massive mobilisation of state police with deployment of the National Security Guard (NSG) units.

Before that, Indias Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) had reportedly provided the details of intercepted phone calls to Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) which predicted an attempt to assassinate Pakistans then president, General Pervez Musharraf, on 15 December, 2003. This timely tip-off from India had succeeded in saving Musharrafs life. Then chief of the ISI Ehsan-ul-Haq later called up the chief of R&AW CD Sahay to pass on a message of gratitude from Musharraf.

The latest intelligence input from Pakistan has understandably attracted considerable attention in Indian press. There is speculation that sharing of such intelligence could lead to a gradual normalisation of ties and resumption of dialogue between the two countries. However, there does not seem to be any such immediate possibility, given the Narendra Modi governments firm belief that Pakistan is yet to take visible, unequivocal and irreversible measures against terrorism.

What has prompted Pakistan to share intelligence inputs with India when the Modi government has consistently rebuffed several overtures of the beleaguered Imran Khan government? There are two possible interpretations. One is that Pakistan government wants to avoid being blamed for a terror attack if it does take place and is traced to terrorist groups inside Pakistan. Besides play safe logic, it would also earn goodwill for the Pakistani regime under immense international pressure; it was due to concerted global pressure on Pakistans chief patron and all weather ally, China, which eventually led to consensus at the United Nations to blacklist Masood Azhar, chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The second interpretation is about Pakistans own insecurity about terrorist groups over which it has no control, such as TTP, al-Qaeda and Islamic State. Since this input specifically talks about a potential terror attack by a local Kashmiri group affiliated with al-Qaeda, Pakistan stands to gain by showcasing its eagerness to work jointly against terrorism.

Another interpretation is that Pakistans growing international isolation and mounting economic woes may have compelled its security establishment to seek constructive engagement with India. However, there is justifiable reason for scepticism regarding this notion that Pakistan is willing to shed its reliance on terrorist groups to support its lopsided national security objectives. It would take a huge leap of faith to believe that Pakistan is ready to turn on its non-state violent proxies.

It needs no elaboration that Pakistan has been using terrorists and infiltrators against India ever since it was created. Acutely aware of Indias strengths, Pakistan has sought to compensate for its inferiority in conventional military power by asymmetrical means; this logic led Pakistan to acquire nuclear weapons after its defeat and division in the 1971 war with India. Pakistan trained Khalistani terrorists and pushed them into Punjab in the 1980s. After the failure of this strategy, Pakistan began sending jihadists into Jammu and Kashmir since 1989, and the strategy continues to this day.

Pakistans use of cross-border terrorism and its doomed quest for strategic parity with India have actually proved counterproductive, with almost opposite outcomes of what Pakistans security establishment imagined. But Pakistan has refused to draw the right lessons. Pakistans steady slide into chaos, the mainstreaming of jihadists and the diminishing writ of the state clearly indicate that support for cross-border terrorism could grow rather than reduce in the future. The institutional interests of Pakistans security establishment are served only in controlled confrontation with India, and terrorist groups play an important role in targeting India.

By his hardline approach during the February 2019 Pulwama crisis and the election campaign, Modi may have reinforced his image of a leader who will never compromise on national security issues, but there seems to be a growing realisation in Indias policy-making circles that this is a long conflict that cannot be solved easily. Therefore, to the extent that intelligence warnings from Pakistani agencies can help mitigate terrorist threats in India, they are certainly welcome. But to suggest that these intelligence inputs herald a change in Pakistans anti-India mindset would stretch credulity.Authorities are in process of sharing details of at least 50 Indian nationals having Swiss bank accounts, with regulatory and enforcement agencies in the two countries tightening their noose on individuals suspected to have amassed illicit wealth

Berne: Swiss authorities are in process of sharing details of at least 50 Indian nationals having accounts in Switzerland-based banks, with regulatory and enforcement agencies in the two countries tightening their noose on individuals suspected to have amassed illicit wealth.

These individuals largely include businessmen associated with companies, including the dummy ones, in sectors ranging from real estate, financial services, technology and telecom to paints, home decoration, textiles, engineering goods, gems and jewellery, officials involved in the process of mutual administrative assistance between the two countries said.

Switzerland has been striving hard for the past few years to shed a long-standing perception of it being a safe haven for black money, while the issue has been a politically sensitive one in India as well.

When the Modi government first came to power in 2014, it had termed the crackdown on the black money, including those allegedly parked in Swiss banks, as a key focus area. Since then, the two countries have strengthened their framework for the exchange of information in cases of financial wrongdoings, including by signing the global automatic exchange of information framework.

The two countries have also strengthened their bilateral pact on this front and the economic considerations for boosting the bilateral economic ties have further helped increase the cooperation when it comes to bringing to book the people with dubious records, especially in amassing illicit wealth.

Citing the federal gazette notifications issued by the Swiss government to the concerned individuals, the officials said at least 50 Indian nationals have been issued notices in the past few weeks giving them one final opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details with the Indian authorities.

Some of these notices have followed after the preliminary appeals by the concerned clients of Swiss banks have already been rejected due to inadequate supporting facts and documents, leaving a limited chance of their further pleas getting heard, officials said. They said the sharing of details of Indian clients of Swiss banks with dubious records, showing suspected illegalities in amassing of funds deposited there, has been a continuing process in the recent months.

While details of more than 100 Indians nationals have been shared in the past one year by the Swiss government with the Indian authorities, there is a high chance that a large majority of the cases currently under scrutiny would result in the administrative assistance being provided in the coming months, officials said.

Under the Swiss laws, foreign clients of Swiss banks are given an opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details within 30 days (only 10 days in some cases) after a country with a mutual assistance treaty, or party to the multilateral information exchange framework, seeks the details while giving sufficient proof of suspected financial wrongdoings.

While the Swiss government federal gazette notifications are made public when a foreign client is given an appeal opportunity, in some cases their full names are redacted due to some secrecy clauses and only a few details such as their initials, date of birth and the nationality are made public.

An analysis of such weekly notifications issued since the beginning of this year shows that Indian nationals have figured among these notices virtually every week, though full names have been redacted in a majority of the cases.

The full names that have been made public in recent weeks in the Swiss government federal gazette include Krishna Bhagwan Ramchand, Potluri Rajamohan Rao, Kalpesh Harshad Kinariwala, Kuldip Singh Dhingra, Bhaskaran Nalini, Lalitaben Chimanbhai Patel, Sanjay Dalmia, Pankaj Kumar Saraogi, Anil Bhardwaj, Tharani Renu Tikamdas, Mahesh Tikamdas Tharani, Savani Vijay Kanaiyalal, Bhaskaran Tharur, Kalpeshbhai Patel Mahendrabhai, Ajoy Kumar and Dinesh Kumar Himatsingka, Ratan Singh Chowdhury and Kathotia Rakesh Kumar.

However, there are many more cases where only initials have been disclosed for Indian nationals and these include NMA, MMA, PAS, RAS, ABKI, APS, ASBK, MLA, ADS, RPN, MCS, JNV, JD, AD, UG, YA, DM, SLS, UL, SS, RN, VL, UL, OPL, PM, PKK, BLS, SKN and JKJ. Several of these persons and their companies are said to be based in Kolkata, Gujarat, Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai.

While a large number of Indians have been issued notices in recent weeks with Switzerland stepping up its process to share details of such individuals, many more such notices are in the offing in coming weeks as India has sought details about a large number of Indian clients of Swiss banks who are suspected to have indulged in illicit financial activities.

These include people whose names figured in the HSBC and Panama lists, as also those being probed by the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate among other agencies.

While Switzerland has always denied being a safe haven for black money, it has begun sharing details in recent years with several countries including India after submission of evidence about financial and tax-related wrongdoings of the Swiss bank clients.

Besides, a new global framework of automatic information exchange is now in place, which Switzerland's State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) believes will increase transparency and prevent cross-border tax evasion.Party leader Sanjay Raut had said on Saturday that Uddhav Thackeray is fulfilling the promise he made in November that he would visit the temple again after elections.

Ayodhya: Government should bring an ordinance to construct Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday in Ayodhya, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the courage to do so and there would be no one to stop it.

Thackeray offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple along with his son Aditya and 18 newly-elected lawmakers of his party. The Shiv Sena chief has said the visit was to fulfil the promise Thackeray made last November to come to Ayodhya again after the elections.

"The case is in the court for many years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the courage. If government takes the decision, there is no one to stop it. Not only Shiv Sena, Hindus of the whole world are with this," Uddhav said, while addressing a press conference after his visit to the Ram Lalla (or infant Ram) temple.

"The government should bring an ordinance for construction of Ram temple. The issue concerns all Hindus and the temple has to be constructed at the earliest," he said, raising the slogan of "kanoon banao, mandir banao (formulate law and construct temple)".

Maharashtra will be going to polls later this year and the visit is being seen as an attempt by the Shiv Sena to put pressure on ally BJP on the Ram temple issue. But Sena has maintained that Thackeray's visit should not be seen through the electoral lens. "For us Ram temple is matter of faith and not politics," Thackeray said.

"Whether it be Shiv Sena or BJP, we are working to make Hindutva strong. After understanding this, the government (of Narendra Modi) returned to power with more MPs. This means we have to respect people's feelings," he added.

When asked whether the Shiv Sena would risk its alliance with the BJP to put pressure on the government over construction of the Ram temple, he quipped, "For a good work, thoughts also need to be good."

The title suit over the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site is being heard by the Supreme Court.

Party leader Sanjay Raut had said on Saturday that Thackeray is fulfilling the promise he made in November that he would visit the temple again after elections.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Ayodhya a week back to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla (or infant Ram) temple. His visit, the first after the Lok Sabha election results were declared, was apparently aimed at reiterating support for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.Priyanka Mohite, a 26-year-old mountaineer from Maharashtra's Satara, became the first woman in India to scale Mt Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world at 8,485 metres. Mohite achieved the feat on 15 May this year.

Priyanka Mohite was yet to find out about Mt Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world at 8, 485 metres, in 2012. However, in the same year, she found herself on the summit of Bandarpunch (6, 316 metres high) in the Garhwal Himalaya, while undertaking the advance mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarakhand. Indeed, it was her first ascent of a Himalayan peak, but back then, she barely harboured any ambitions of climbing some of the highest mountains in the world.

Its been 35 years since Bachendri Pal became the first Indian woman to scale the Everest. Ever since, a good number of climbers, both men and women, have gone on to achieve the same feat. But other 8,000-metre-high mountains like Makalu have remained relatively untouched, especially by Indian women, all of which changed on 15 May when Mohite became the first Indian woman to stand atop Makalu.

Makalu was Mohite's third outing up an 8,000-metre-high wall (first being Everest in 2013, followed by Lhotse in 2018), but her affair with the mountains started over a decade ago in a corner of her first grade classroom, daydreaming about an escape to the hills.

EARLY START

Priyanka Mohite hails from Satara in Maharashtra  a town at the foothills of the Sahyadri. She read about the exploits of Chhatrapati Shivaji in school, which were brought to life thanks to her uncle, who would take his nieces and nephews on hikes every weekend.

I really love history, and one of the first forts I went to was the Ajinkyatara fort (in Satara). It was really inspiring to learn that I was treading the same path as Shivaji Maharaj. It also gave a lot of context to what I was studying at school. But as the treks grew harder, my uncle asked us to join a professional trekking group, so I started going to the mountains with Kailash Badal from Sahyadri Trekking, the 26-year-old recalls.

After a few treks, Badal noticed a spark in the young climber and introduced her to rock climbing. He took note of her perseverance and mental strength, following which he suggested to her parents that they allow her to climb the Himalayas some day.

However, Mohite soon found herself in the tenth standard, and much like her peers, focused on graduating school in the coming years. After passing her 12th board exams in 2010, the budding climber decided on pursuing a course in basic mountaineering, despite securing a seat in Biotechnology at Satara's YC College.

I saw snow for the first time in the Gangotri region, where we gained 17,000 feet. I was thrilled to be in this environment, she says.

On further completing the advance mountaineering course, Mohite wanted to continue sharpening her skills by scaling peaks such as Bhagirathi, Satopanth and Shivling in the Indian Himalayas. But destiny had different plans in store. Soon after, her friend called to check if she was interested in a pre-Everest selection climb. Priyanka agreed in a heartbeat.

We were invited to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling by Col. Neeraj Rana, who was retiring as principal. I climbed Frey and BC Roy peaks for just Rs 5,000, which I thought was a great deal! the mountaineer says with a laugh. I was fresh and the selectors were quite impressed with my technical skills and resilience, given that I pulled off a double march on the return despite an injury. Even before I left, I was told that I had made the cut for Everest."

ON THE WAY TO EVEREST



The expedition was scheduled for the spring of 2013, which meant Mohite would have to skip her final college exams. But with her parents' support, she began training and raising funds for the climb simultaneously.

After my first press conference, I remember that a stranger found his way to my house and handed me Rs 500. It was the first contribution towards the climb and I can never forget it, she says. Mohite was merely steps away from bringing her dreams to fruition.

On 17 April, the mountaineer first caught sight of the Everest on reaching base camp. Things were on track until 21 May, the scheduled day of summit, when her Sherpa fell ill, and they were forced to return to the final camp at South Col.

It wasnt worth risking both our lives, so I was forced to spend an entire day at South Col, while six of the other nine members got to the top. I begged Col. Rana for just one shot at the summit, since I had missed out due to no fault of mine. So he contacted the agency and I was soon accompanied by another Sherpa, she says.

On 22 May, Priyanka Mohite climbed the Everest, only to set her eyes on a mountain that she had seen on her descent  Lhotse.

UNLUCKY ON LHOTSE

On her return, Mohite enrolled in a masters in Biotechnology course, while continuing to train. However, Lhotse turned out to be a real test. In 2014, all expeditions were called off after an accident killed 16 Sherpas in the Khumbu Icefall. The following year, she escaped with her life after the devastating earthquake struck Nepal.

I didnt have a scratch on me, really fortunate. I was part of the rescued and was traumatised to see so many dead people around me. I used to have nightmares; when someone shook their legs at a table, I felt like the earth was shaking. It took about two months to get over it, Mohite says.

A few people discouraged her from taking on Lhotse, since the mountain had seemingly been rejecting her for a couple of years now. It wasnt worth the risk, they said, but her father, Mangesh, egged her on. So, Mohite made a quick escape to go climbing in Himachal Pradesh in September 2015.

On successfully ascending Kilimanjaro, the climber regained her confidence once again. Despite a failed attempt at scaling Elbrus in the following year, Mohite decided to try and conquer Lhotse one more time, in 2018.

On both the previous attempts, tragedy had struck a day after I arrived at base camp. So, I was quite jittery when I got there and glad when nothing happened the following day. I was quite confident of my attempt after that, she says.

On 16 May, she stood atop Lhotse, from where she spotted her next climb, Makalu.

ON HER WAY UP MAKALU

On taking up a job in Bangalore, splitting time between work and passion proved to be a challenge for Mohite. But the climber powered through, and finally landed at the base camp on 24 April, to start journeying towards Makalu.

For a week, their progress was hampered by bad weather. But soon, she achieved her high point at 6, 900 metres, and returned to base for the final push.

On 14 May, 8 pm, Mohite set out for the summit from Camp 3, which is at an elevation of 7, 400 metres. The idea was to go straight for the top without halting at the final camp. Along with her climbing partner, Pemba Sherpa, she continued to climb through the darkness, until a torch malfunction forced them to pause. They would have to wait for another group of climbers, who were trailing them by about 30 minutes, to reach their spot.

It was windy and cold  quite tricky to stop in those conditions but then we had no choice. I drew strength from chanting Ganpati bappas name during the tough moments, she says.

When daylight broke, the duo had already reached the French couloir, from where they could see the summit. By 9 am on 15 May, Mohite had created history. It didnt strike me that I was the first Indian woman on the top. I was happier that I had summited on my mothers birthday and was eager to talk to her, Priyanka says.

By noon, Mohite had already climbed down to Camp 3. She decided to push on to base camp while there was still light. On reaching her destination at around 8 pm, Priyanka finally called her mother to wish and share the historic news with her.

Finally, the first Indian woman to scale Makalu could catch up on some well-deserved sleep. But as she drifted off to her world of dreams, visions of a snow-clad peak kept running through her mind's eye. Mohite was already on her way up the Kanchenjunga.A day before the budget session, an all-party meeting was chaired by Narendra Modi in which the opposition demanded that issues such as farm distress, unemployment and drought should be debated upon in Parliament

New Delhi: A day before the budget session, an all-party meeting convened by the government was held Sunday in which the opposition demanded that issues such as farm distress, unemployment and drought should be debated upon in Parliament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting, attended by representatives of all parties, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O'Brien. After the meeting, Modi wrote on Twitter that leaders agreed to the "smooth running of Parliament".

We had a fruitful all-party meeting today, the first one after the election results and before the start of the Monsoon Session. Thankful to the leaders for their valuable suggestions. We all agreed on the smooth running of Parliament so that we can fulfil peoples aspirations. pic.twitter.com/WhERafppKr  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 16, 2019

The Prime Minister has called a meeting of chiefs of all parties having representatives in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on 19 June to discuss "one nation, one election" issue, celebration of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022, 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year and issues of "aspirational districts", Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said after the meeting. He said the PM has also called a meeting of MPs to discuss the issues on 20 June. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Azad said that all those bills which are in the interest of the people "we are not opposed to them". There should be a discussion on farmers distress, unemployment and drought, he said.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi after all-party meeting: We have received suggestions from opposition parties as well as our allies. Prime Minister made concluding remarks that there are several new faces in the parliament, & new thoughts should come with them pic.twitter.com/obIDLdZLmi  ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2019

Azad also called for early conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, currently under President's rule, asserting that if Lok Sabha polls can be held then why not state polls. It appears that the Centre wants to run the state through the Governor's administration, he alleged.

Congress's Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and K Suresh were also present at the meeting. TMC's O'Brien demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, be brought immediately in the session.

The first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha will be held from 17 June to 26 July.Parliament LIVE updates: According to sources, BJP's parliamentary board will meet today at 6 pm at the party's headquarters in New Delhi. Meanwhile, Union Minister Smriti Irani, who defeated Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, received the longest applause when she took oath as a member of the 17th Lok Sabha on Monday.

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The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence starting today during which the passage of the Union Budget and other key legislation, such as triple talaq, will be on top of the agenda for the government.

Noting that there are many new faces in this Lok Sabha, Modi said the first session of the Lower House of Parliament should begin with "fresh zeal and new thinking".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing an all-party meeting on the eve of the first session of the new Lok Sabha, invited heads of all parties to a meeting on 19 June to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue and other important matters.

Speaking ahead of the 17th Lok Sabha's first session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "We are working to fulfill people's aspiration. We value the opposition & their role. It's a sign of a healthy democracy to have a strong opposition. I believe that our session will be more productive as opposed to previous times."

BJP MP Virendra Kumar took oath as the Protem Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath in 17th Lok Sabha. Earlier today, highlighting the role of an opposition in the democracy, Modi said the opposition need not bother about their numbers and urged them to speak actively and participate in the House proceedings. "In Parliament, we should forget 'Paksh', 'Vipaksh' and think about issues with 'nishpaksh spirit', work in larger interest of nation," PM Modi said in his brief address to reporters ahead of the 17th Lok Sabha.

Protem Speaker Virender Kumar will administer oath of office to all Lok Sabha MPs on the first two days of the session. The Speaker will be elected on 19 June and on the next day President Ram Nath Kovind will address a joint sitting of both Houses. The Union budget will be presented on 5 July.

The NDA government will table the Union Budget and introduce a slew of key legislations including a revised triple talaq bill. The Lok Sabha will have a total of 30 sittings and Rajya Sabha 27 sittings, ending 26 July.

Union ministers and newly-elected MPs Smriti Irani, Harsh Vardhan, Harsimrat Kaur, Nitin Gadkari took oath as MPs in 17th Lok Sabha today. Harsh Vardhan took oath in Sanskrit.

The Opposition parties demanded discussion on all such issues in Parliament, with the Congress asserting that it is still a "fight of ideologies".

At the all-party meeting, the Congress raised issues of unemployment, farmers distress, drought, and press freedom with the government while also calling for early conduct of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

First-time MP and BJP candidate from Bangalore South, Tejasvi Surya reached Parliament to take oath as MP in 17th Lok Sabha. Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, Tejasvi said, "It's a great institution which has shaped the country's past, present and future. I'm entering it with a lot of gratitude for people who've elected me and also with a sense of idealism to ensure Bharat Mata reaches the pinnacle of glory which it's destined to do."

When Modi's name was called out by the Secretary General for taking oath, Members from the ruling NDA thumped the desk greeting the Prime Minister with slogans such as 'Modi Modi' and "Bharat Mata ki Jai.

As soon as the House met, the Members stood in silence for a few minutes as per the convention after the assembling of the new House.

Leader of the House and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who took oath as Members of the 17th Lok Sabha that commenced here Monday.

Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress was the second to take oath as the 17th Lok Sabha member, after Modi. According to reports, the Kerala MP is one of the frontrunners to lead the Congress in the Lok Sabha. Kerala was the lone silver lining in Congress' overall defeat in the Lok Sabha. In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF won 19 out of 20 seats.

After taking oath in Hindi, Irani greeted pro-tem Speaker Virendra Kumar and also Opposition leaders, including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who reciprocated the greetings with a namaste gesture.

Union Minister Smriti Irani, who defeated Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, received the longest applause when she took oath as a member of the 17th Lok Sabha on Monday. As soon as she was called for oath taking, ruling BJP members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, other Union Ministers and MPs were seen enthusiastically thumping the desk for a long time.

According to sources, BJP's parliamentary board will meet today at 6 pm at the party's headquarters in New Delhi.

Delhi: Union Ministers and BJP MPs Dr Harsh Vardhan and Dr Jitendra Singh took oath in Sanskrit and Dogri, respectively, as members of 17th Lok Sabha. pic.twitter.com/Rrx1OpzYq8

When Modi's name was called out by the Secretary General for taking oath, Members from the ruling NDA thumped the desk greeting the Prime Minister with slogans such as 'Modi Modi' and "Bharat Mata ki Jai.

As soon as the House met, the Members stood in silence for a few minutes as per the convention after the assembling of the new House.

Leader of the House and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who took oath as Members of the 17th Lok Sabha that commenced here Monday.

The panel of presiding officers  K Suresh, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and B Mehtab  took oath as Members after the Prime Minister. Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan, Sripad Naik and Ashwini Chaubey were amongst those who took oath in Sanskrit.

Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath & his son Nakul Nath at the Parliament. Nakul Nath has been elected as MP from Chhindwara. pic.twitter.com/bRwMUF9xF4

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Nath at the Parliament. Nakul Nath has been elected as MP from Chhindwara.

Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also took oath as Lok Sabha members. Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal was next to be sworn in. She took oath in Punjabi. After Harsimrat, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank took oath. While Dr. Harsh Vardhan took oath in Sanskrit, Pralhad Joshi took oath in Kannada. Arjun Munda, Giriraj Singh, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Santosh Kumar Gangwar also took oath.

Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress was the second to take oath as the 17th Lok Sabha member, after Modi. According to reports, the Kerala MP is one of the frontrunners to lead the Congress in the Lok Sabha. Kerala was the lone silver lining in Congress' overall defeat in the Lok Sabha. In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF won 19 out of 20 seats.

After taking oath in Hindi, Irani greeted pro-tem Speaker Virendra Kumar and also Opposition leaders, including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who reciprocated the greetings with a namaste gesture.

Union Minister Smriti Irani, who defeated Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, received the longest applause when she took oath as a member of the 17th Lok Sabha on Monday. As soon as she was called for oath taking, ruling BJP members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, other Union Ministers and MPs were seen enthusiastically thumping the desk for a long time.

According to sources, BJP's parliamentary board will meet today at 6 pm at the party's headquarters in New Delhi.

Parliament LATEST updates: According to sources, BJP's parliamentary board will meet today at 6 pm at the party's headquarters in New Delhi. Meanwhile, Union Minister Smriti Irani, who defeated Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, received the longest applause when she took oath as a member of the 17th Lok Sabha on Monday. As soon as she was called for oath taking, ruling BJP members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, other Union Ministers and MPs were seen enthusiastically thumping the desk for a long time.

Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress was the second to take oath as the 17th Lok Sabha member, after Modi. According to reports, the Kerala MP is one of the frontrunners to lead the Congress in the Lok Sabha. Kerala was the lone silver lining in Congress' overall defeat in the Lok Sabha. In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF won 19 out of 20 seats.

Leader of the House and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who took oath as Members of the 17th Lok Sabha that commenced here Monday. As soon as the House met, the Members stood in silence for a few minutes as per the convention after the assembling of the new House.

When Modi's name was called out by the Secretary General for taking oath, Members from the ruling NDA thumped the desk greeting the Prime Minister with slogans such as 'Modi Modi' and "Bharat Mata ki Jai.

The panel of presiding officers  K Suresh, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and B Mehtab  took oath as Members after the Prime Minister. Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan, Sripad Naik and Ashwini Chaubey were amongst those who took oath in Sanskrit.

Highlighting the role of an opposition in the democracy, Modi said the opposition need not bother about their numbers and urged them to speak actively and participate in the House proceedings. "In Parliament, we should forget 'Paksh', 'Vipaksh' and think about issues with 'nishpaksh spirit', work in larger interest of nation," PM Modi said in his brief address to reporters ahead of the 17th Lok Sabha.

Speaking ahead of the 17th Lok Sabha's first session, Modi said, "We are working to fulfill people's aspiration. We value the opposition & their role. It's a sign of a healthy democracy to have a strong opposition. I believe that our session will be more productive as opposed to previous times." BJP MP Virendra Kumar took oath as the Protem Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Modi, chairing an all-party meeting on the eve of the first session of the new Lok Sabha, invited heads of all parties to a meeting on 19 June to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue and other important matters.

Noting that there are many new faces in this Lok Sabha, Modi said the first session of the Lower House of Parliament should begin with "fresh zeal and new thinking".

At the all-party meeting, the Congress raised with the government issues of unemployment, farmers distress, drought, and press freedom, while also calling for early conduct of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Opposition parties demanded discussion on all such issues in Parliament, with the Congress asserting that it is still a "fight of ideologies".

Prime Minister Modi, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress lawmakers Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, K Suresh, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O'Brien were present at the meeting.

The BJP also held its parliamentary party meet here Sunday with Prime Minister Modi assuring Indians that his government will be at the forefront of facilitating legislation that manifests the spirit of "sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas".

A day before the first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha, a meeting of the NDA was also held.

The government had promulgated as many as 10 ordinances for the session which ends on 26 July and will have 30 sittings.

The first two days of the session will be used for administering oath of office to all Lok Sabha MPs. The oath will be administered by protem speaker Virender Kumar. The speaker will be elected on 19 June and the next day the president will address a joint sitting of both Houses.

The budget will be introduced on 5 July.

Among the bills that will be introduced, the one on triple talaq could be a contentious one between the government and the Opposition.

Addressing the media after the all-party meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said the prime minister urged leaders of all parties to "introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfil people's aspirations as their representatives and the manner in which last two years of the 16th Lok Sabha were wasted".

An all-party meeting is a customary procedure before the beginning of every session of Parliament to ensure its smooth functioning.

Joshi said the government has requested all parties, especially the Opposition, for their cooperation for the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament.

In order to build esprit de corps, Modi has invited presidents of all those parties who have an MP either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha for a meeting on 19 June.

The meeting has been called to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue, celebrations of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year, he said.

It will be followed by a dinner meeting with all MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on 20 June to freely interact and exchange views with the government, Joshi said, adding that these two novel initiatives would go a long way in building team spirit among all parliamentarians.An all-party meeting began at the Parliament on Sunday, ahead of the first Parliament session of the 17th Lok Sabha on 17 June

New Delhi: An all-party meeting began at the Parliament on Sunday, ahead of the first Parliament session of the 17th Lok Sabha on 17 June.

Among those who arrived for the meeting were Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi and leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha Thawar Chand Gehlot.

Other leaders cutting across party lines such as - V Vijayasai Reddy of YSRCP, Derek O'Brien of TMC, Farooq Abdullah of National Conference, NCP's Supriya Sule, Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal (Sonelal), AAP's Sanjay Singh and Jayadev Galla of TDP, arrived for the meeting convened by the government.

The Centre will seek the Opposition's support in passing crucial bills, such as one on triple talaq. Joshi and several others have met Opposition leaders, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad, to seek their support for the smooth functioning of Parliament.

Delhi: All party meeting underway at Parliament, ahead of the first Parliament session of 17th Lok Sabha tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/030O4Se2Qa  ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2019

After the all-party meet, a meeting of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders will take place in the Parliament later in the evening to discuss strategies for the upcoming session. BJP parliamentary party executive committee meeting is also scheduled to be held today evening.

On Friday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had held a pre-budget consultation meeting with leading economists ahead of the forthcoming general Budget 2019-20. This was her sixth pre-Budget consultation meeting with officials and representatives of social sector groups.

Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, and Thawar Chand Gehlot, leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha arrive at Parliament to attend the all party meeting. pic.twitter.com/OXtyRXaETv  ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2019

The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will be convened from 17 June 17 to 26 July during which the Union Budget will be presented by the new government on 5 July.

On the first two days, new MPs will take oath. The election for the Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha is scheduled to be held on 19 June.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has a whopping 353 members in the 545-seat Lok Sabha, but it has only 102 members in the 245-seat Rajya Sabha.tech2 News Staff

Google has posted a new Google Doodle today to celebrate Fathers Day. This special day is celebrated in several countries including India to highlight paternal bonds and the influence of fathers in society. It started off to be observed on 19 March that is on the feast of Saint Joseph who is often called Nutritor Domini ("Nourisher of the Lord") in Catholicism and "the putative father of Jesus" in southern European tradition.

The Google Doodle consists of a family of ducks playing together with their dad. There are three slides depicting the adorable bond between a grey father duck and his six ducklings. In the first animation, the ducklings are seen playing and quacking around their father. The father duck is looking for his ducklings in the second one where all of them are lined up on one side. Whenever he turns his head, they keep disappearing underwater and reappearing on the other side. Finally, in the third one, the father blows water towards all the lined-up ducklings and they are caught in bubbles, rising up instantly. Then the father duck blows air towards them, causing the bubbles to pop and all of them falling back into the water.

The first celebration of Fathers Day goes back all the way to 1508 in Catholic Europe, and it was brought to the Americas by the Portuguese and Spanish. It wasnt until the 20th Century that the event was celebrated outside Catholic traditions in the US.

Fathers Day isnt exactly celebrated all over India but only in bigger cities including Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, etc. It isnt a public holiday anywhere in the country.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.

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.

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 realised was only trying to secure justice for Kercher.

($1 = 0.8923 euros)

(Reporting by Gavin Jones; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Tatiana Jancarikova Bratislava (Reuters) - 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. Smer is still the most popular party but Caputova's victory in the March presidential vote boosted the opposition liberal alliance Progressive Slovakia/Together, which backed her and aims to unseat the ruling party in a 2020 general election.

By Tatiana Jancarikova

Bratislava (Reuters) - 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.

Smer is still the most popular party but Caputova's victory in the March presidential vote boosted the opposition liberal alliance Progressive Slovakia/Together, which backed her and aims to unseat the ruling party in a 2020 general election.

The pro-European coalition already won the EU Parliament election last month.

In her inauguration speech, Caputova, 45, said state officials that had proven incapable of stamping out corruption should lose their jobs and vowed to make the justice system work fairly for everyone.

"Under the constitution, people are free and equal in dignity and in rights, meaning nobody is that irrelevant to have their rights compromised, nor is anyone that powerful to stand above the law."

"Too many people feel that this is not quite the reality in our country. The feeling of injustice has grown and has demonstrated itself in calls for change and decency but also in anger over 'the system'," she said in a nod to the rise to anti-system and far-right parties.

Caputova's election stood in contrast to a European shift towards populist and nationalist parties.

Caputova, whose fight against an illegal landfill in her home town earned her the nickname "Slovakia's Erin Brockovich" after the American environmentalist portrayed by Julia Roberts in a 2000 film, also called on the European Union to become a leader in the battle against climate change.

Slovakia's president wields little day-to-day power but appoints prime ministers and can veto appointments of senior prosecutors and judges.

Five people have been charged with the murders of Kuciak and his fiance Martina Kusnirova, including businessman Marian Kocner, who was investigated by Kuciak and has become a symbol of perceived impunity after more than a decade of rule by Smer. Kocner has denied any wrongdoing.

(Editing by Helen Popper)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.BERLIN (Reuters) - Support for Germany's Social Democrat (SPD) party, a junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition, has slumped to a record low, a poll showed on Saturday, piling more pressure on it to quit the government and rebuild in opposition. There is rising scepticism that Merkel's coalition will survive until 2021 after SPD leader Andrea Nahles quit two weeks ago in the wake of her partys losses in European Parliament elections and a regional vote in the state of Bremen

BERLIN (Reuters) - Support for Germany's Social Democrat (SPD) party, a junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition, has slumped to a record low, a poll showed on Saturday, piling more pressure on it to quit the government and rebuild in opposition.

There is rising scepticism that Merkel's coalition will survive until 2021 after SPD leader Andrea Nahles quit two weeks ago in the wake of her partys losses in European Parliament elections and a regional vote in the state of Bremen.

The troubled centre-left SPD had the backing of 11% of respondents in a Forsa poll, a decline of one point from a week ago. It marked its lowest level of support since 1949 and placed it in fourth, behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on 13%.

The resurgent Greens remain the most popular party, with 27%, attracting voters disenchanted with the ruling coalition and concerned about climate change.

Merkel's conservatives were unchanged at 24%, a record low.

The national survey will cast a shadow over a government meeting this weekend near Berlin to discuss a planned coal exit, pensions, rising housing costs and property tax reforms.

The SPD, punished by voters who feel the party has lost its working-class ethos, has appointed a trio of caretakers before starting the process to find a permanent replacement for Nahles.

"The SPD has made millions of former voters (politically) homeless," said Forsa chief Manfred Guellner. "A lot of those former voters would like to give their vote to the SPD, but they can't do so because the SPD for years has been taking care of a few remaining members instead of the many voters it lost."

Merkel has dismissed concerns about the stability of the coalition and said she plans to serve a full term until 2021.

The coalition partners will hold a midterm review in the autumn, which could be an opportunity for the SPD to pull out of the alliance - a scenario favoured by members disenchanted with power-sharing with the right.

That would leave Germany facing the possibility of a snap election, a minority government or an unwieldy alliance of three blocs.

Any of those outcomes would be likely to hasten the exit of Merkel, who has served 14 years as chancellor. After handing over the leadership of her Christian Democrats (CDU) to protege Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, she has said she will not stand again as chancellor of Europe's biggest economy.

Forsa polled 2,001 people between June 11 and June 14. The margin of error was 2.5 percentage points.

(Reporting by Joseph Nasr. Editing by Mike Harrison)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.DUBAI (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. '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.

DUBAI (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.

"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.

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 and Andrew Cawthorne)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.The two vessels in Saudi Arabia were targeted around the time Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Iranian leaders in Tehran.

Riyadh: 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 United States.

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. Another tanker caught in the blaze was owned by Oslo-listed company Frontline.

The two vessels were targeted around the time Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Iranian leaders in Tehran.

United States President Donald Trump said the attacks had Iran "written all over it". However, 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.NICOSIA (Reuters) - The UAE's foreign minister said on Saturday a 'state sponsor' was involved in a May 12 attack on oil tankers in the Gulf, but did not name any particular country. He did not mention attacks on two other tankers this week in the same area

NICOSIA (Reuters) - The UAE's foreign minister said on Saturday a "state sponsor" was involved in a May 12 attack on oil tankers in the Gulf, but did not name any particular country.

He did not mention attacks on two other tankers this week in the same area. The United States has said Iran was involved in both the May and the June incidents - accusations dismissed by Tehran.

"Our conclusion is this has only been possible by a state-sponsored attack," Al Nahyan told reporters after meeting his Cypriot counterpart in Nicosia, referring to the May attack.

"We haven't named the state, but we hope that we can further work with our friends and partners in preventing such escalations from moving forward," he added.

Earlier on Saturday, Arabiya TV's Twitter account quoted Al Nahyan as saying Iran's fingerprints were clear on the May 12 attacks. The tweet later disappeared from Twitter and Arabiya TV did not immediately comment on the reason.

The May 12 attacks targeted two Saudi tankers, an Emirati vessel and a Norwegian tanker, causing no casualties but fueling tensions between the United States and Iran during weeks of escalating rhetoric.

(Reporting By Michele Kambas; Additional reporting by Asma Alsharif in Dubai; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.(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

(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)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Dominique Vidalon PARIS (Reuters) - A small congregation in white hard hats attended mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday, the first service since fire devastated the Gothic landmark two months ago. Church leaders are keen to show life goes on at the cathedral as donations for rebuilding trickle in

By Dominique Vidalon

PARIS (Reuters) - A small congregation in white hard hats attended mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday, the first service since fire devastated the Gothic landmark two months ago.

Church leaders are keen to show life goes on at the cathedral as donations for rebuilding trickle in.

Less than 10% of the 850 million euros ($953 million) pledged by billionaires, business leaders and others has been received so far, the French government said.

The mass, which commemorates the cathedral's consecration as a place of worship, was held in a side-chapel left undamaged by the April 15 fire, with attendance limited to about 30 people wearing protective headgear.

Priests in ceremonial garb of white robes and yellow stoles briefly parted with their hard hats during the communion.

"It is with much emotion that we are here to celebrate the consecration of the cathedral," said Paris's archbishop Michel Aupetit, who led the service.

"It is a message of hope and thanks to all those who were moved by what happened to this cathedral," he added, acknowledging afterwards it was "a bit strange" to celebrate mass with a helmet.

The service was broadcast live on a religious TV channel that showed poignant images of the blue sky through the collapsed roof and the black rubble still clogging the building.

On Friday, France's Culture Minister Franck Riester said the cathedral was still in a fragile state, especially the vault.

The blaze caused the roof and spire of the architectural masterpiece to collapse, triggering worldwide sadness.

Among those 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 told France 2 television, without giving further details. "But more importantly, and this is normal, the donations will be paid as restoration work progresses."

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," he said. "But obviously what matters in the end is the quality of the work. So it does not mean that work will be totally finished in exactly five years."

($1 = 0.8923 euros)

(Editing by Helen Popper and Mike Harrison)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.worth paying multiplex prices for

worth a look, but wait for DVD, unless your favorite actor is in it

give it a miss

my reaction under consideration

my reaction under gag order for now

not yet seen by meWhat do you call a space launching pad when it launches not rockets but airplanes -- albeit airplanes carrying rockets?

In Britain, they call it Spaceport Cornwall, and it's the cornerstone of the United Kingdom's efforts to create a "domestic satellite launch capability," according to the UK Space Agency. The project aims to take Cornwall Airport Newquay, the primary airport servicing Cornwall on England's far southwestern tip, and upgrade it to accommodate flights of rocket-carrying airplanes. These planes will take off from the airport, fly to altitude, and release their rockets mid-flight. From there, the rockets will blast the rest of the way into orbit while the plane returns to land at the airport again.

In so doing, says primary beneficiary Virgin Orbit, the project will "bring launch back to Britain."

From Earth to space, with one brief layover in the air

So what is Virgin Orbit, and what does it have to do with all this? Virgin Orbit is one of multiple subsidiaries of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group. Its sister company Virgin Galactic is probably better known -- that's the one aiming to start a "space tourism" business as early as this year, using White Knight Two (WK2) mother ships and SpaceShipTwo (SS2) rockets to send passengers on suborbital flights to space and back.

Virgin Orbit is itself an offshoot of this initiative, and it will utilize a modified Boeing 747 Cosmic Girl jumbo jet as its mother ship, firing off LauncherOne rockets to carry satellites into orbit. In so doing, Virgin Orbit will give Britain the ability to launch satellites from British soil rather than hiring rides on "vertical" launch rockets operated by companies such as Arianespace and SpaceX, launched from French Guiana and America, respectively.

What it means to investors

Admittedly, this launch capability will be limited. LauncherOne is designed to carry a payload of no more than 500 kg (and more often 300 kg) to orbit, and that's unlikely to increase. LauncherOne's payload will be limited to Cosmic Girl's ability to carry LauncherOne, after all.

Still, when Spaceport Cornwall (and Cosmic Girl and LauncherOne) are operational, the whole combination will create new competition for Northrop Grumman's (NYSE:NOC) similar air-launched satellites business utilizing an L-1011 Stargazer aircraft to fire off Pegasus rockets into orbit. Virgin Orbit will also be charging much less than Northrop does -- somewhere between $6 million and $12 million per launch compared to Northrop's current price tag of $56 million.

LauncherOne's payload capacity also probably puts it into competition with New Space companies such as Vector and Rocket Lab, which also specialize in small-satellite launch. Once Virgin Orbit puts Britain into the small-satellite launch business, these other companies probably can't count on getting too much business from the UK.

What's most intriguing about this project, though, isn't the high hopes Britain has for Virgin Orbit but the small size of the expenditures being discussed. According to Virgin's press release last week, converting Cornwall Airport Newquay -- an existing, operational airport -- into a functioning Spaceport Cornwall will cost all of:

$10 million to develop Spaceport Cornwall "as a key operating hub for horizontal launch system."

About $15.6 million to "upgrade airport infrastructure."

And $3.1 million for "program management, regulatory licensing and mission analysis."

Or about $28.7 million total.

In the context of space launch, where $35 billion megaprojects are more common, the sums being spent in support of the Cornwall spaceport project hardly even rise to the level of rounding errors. And that just illustrates how incredibly cheap it might be for Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit to expand their businesses and challenge other companies with more "traditional" plans for launching rockets (i.e., vertically, from launchpads).

Once again, it looks like the cost of space launch -- and of access to space for companies incorporating space work into their business plans -- is falling. And this time, we have Britain and Virgin Orbit to thank for it.As the economy grows, consumers increasingly favor more expensive and complex drinks -- or so the thinking goes. In the decade since the financial crisis of 2008, drinking habits have reflected such behavior. Craft beer has been a big winner. So have distilled alcoholic products, and leading whiskey maker Brown-Forman (NYSE:BF.A)(NYSE:BF.B) is a prime example that the higher-proof goods are still trending.

Rounding out the fiscal year

North America has had an explosion of innovation and variety when it comes to food and drink. In the driver's seat is a consumer willing to spring for quality and uniqueness above all else. Brown-Forman -- which owns a stable of brands like Jack Daniel's whiskey and Herradura and El Jimador tequila, among others -- has made hay by introducing super-premium products and new takes on distilled classics.

The company's recently completed 2019 fiscal year demonstrates that. Despite tariff headwinds from the U.S.-China trade war (which weighed on sales and profits coming from the emerging-markets segment), Brown-Forman put up respectable numbers across the board. The sale of premium bourbons led the charge, rising 19% over the prior year (23% when excluding currency exchange effects). As a result, the stock is up 18% year to date.

Metric 12 Months Ended April 30, 2019 12 Months Ended April 30, 2018 YOY Increase Revenue $3.32 billion $3.25 billion 2% Operating income $1.14 billion $1.05 billion 9% Earnings per share $1.73 $1.48 17%

Always on the lookout for other brands to add to the fold, Brown-Forman recently purchased Fords Gin to add to its premium portfolio. Combined with momentum in its other high-end offerings, the company expects another solid performance in its new fiscal year.

When will this barrel run dry?

Brown-Forman CEO Lawson Whiting spoke about two major trends that could support growth for years to come. First is the aforementioned change in consumer tastes. Whiting had this to say on the last earnings call:

I am frequently asked about the sustainability of the bourbon boom in general and the supply outlook, and believe me, it's something we study closely as our perspective has implications on our long-term corporate strategies. But in short, we believe this bourbon renaissance is just getting started and the historical cycles really would support this viewpoint. Younger consumers are increasingly focused on brands with provenance and with authenticity and they're searching for quality over quantity. With our premium spirits portfolio intentionally focused on American whiskey, we believe we're one of the best-positioned companies in the consumer staples universe to continue to deliver sustained compounding growth in sales.

In other words, young people are transforming the marketplace for alcohol -- and those drinkers are interested in high quality and knowing the source of what they're purchasing (i.e., not mass-produced in a factory). Whiting also spoke about his company's potential overseas -- 52% of sales in the past year came from the U.S. and Mexico. Many emerging markets accounted for a single-digit share of total revenue but were growing well into the double digits. For example, Poland, Russia, and Brazil combined only made up 6% of sales in 2019, but underlying sales were up 10%, 17%, and 25%, respectively, compared with a year ago. Whiting sees that emerging-market interest in American whiskey continuing.

Tariffs and a strong U.S. dollar will remain an issue for this maker of spirits in the year ahead. Five percent to 7% underlying growth is expected, which should equate to earnings of $1.75 to $1.85 -- a mere 4% increase at the midpoint of guidance. A resolution to trade disputes can't come soon enough for Brown-Forman. Shares trade at 31 times forward earnings; that's a little pricey for my personal taste, but that could change should some geopolitical headwinds get resolved. I'm keeping an eye on this stock.The Rappahannock Choral Society presented the Anne E. Parker Memorial Scholarship to Sarah Cuba at its annual Spring Concert. Cuba has completed her senior year at Spotsylvania High School and has also been part of the Commonwealth Governors School. She was selected to receive this $500 scholarship in recognition of her musicianship as a member of Spotsylvania High Schools Marching and Symphonic Bands. Cuba plans to attend Virginia Commonwealth Universitys School of Music in the fall with a major in clarinet performance. Spotsylvania County graduating seniors who plan to pursue further education in the field of music may apply to be considered for this annual scholarship offered by RCS.JUNE 22-23

MEDIC SOLO Disaster + Wilderness Medical School will host a Disaster+Travel+Wilderness First Aid class at the Chancellor Ruritan Club at 5994 Plank Road, Fredericksburg. A blend of classroom instruction and hands-on rescue practice, the course allows students to dive into the basic first aid curriculum, as well as acquire essential do-it-yourself care-giving skills that can be used in all situations. There are no prerequisites. Medical professionals can use this course for continuing education credits. Visit solowfa.com.

JUNE 27-28

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training will be held at Stafford Hospital, 101 Hospital Center Blvd., from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn to better recognize when someone is having thoughts of suicide and work with the individual to support their immediate safety. Training and lunch is free. Participants must attend both days. Advance registration is required. bit.ly//ASISTregistration.

JULY 9AUG. 13The abuse finally subsided after the woman agreed to go along with a plan she said Desoto concocted in which she would tell police she was attacked outside a county store by a stranger. She said Desoto kept the child and again threatened to kill him and have someone kill her if she strayed from the plan.

The woman called 911 from a Walmart in North Stafford. She later told police what had really happened after they told her that Desoto was in custody and her son was safe.

The woman was admitted to a hospital with serious injuries to her neck and eyes. A forensic nurse testified that the strangling she endured was near fatal.

The woman, who has since given birth to a healthy baby, said she and her son are still suffering from the aftermath of the ordeal.

Desoto testified that the woman was the aggressive one in their relationship and that he accidentally hurt her that night when she refused to let him leave.

I had no intention of hurting her. I was just trying to get out, he said.Fredericksburg area elementary schools will participate in a pilot program that will provide training to school nurses and staff who care for students with diabetes.

The professional education programcalled Lions Empowering and Aiding Regional Nurses in Schools, or LEARNSis funded by an $18,000 grant from the Lions Club International Foundation and the local Lions Clubs District 24-L.

"We are very excited about this program and the ability of groups to partner to improve the lives of children living with diabetes," said Kathy Gold, a registered nurse and diabetes educator working with the Lions and the Virginia Diabetes Council.

Participating schools will receive a license to access a six-hour training course that school nurses can take at any time, Gold said.

It will include a training program for other school staff that may interact with diabetic students, such as bus drivers and P.E. teachers.

The courses will provide curriculum on healthy lifestyle recommendations, glucose meters, carbohydrate counting, insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors, medications, emergency situations and preventing complications.But after County Administrator Neiman Young reminded them that no other internet companies were beating down the door to set up shop, they agreed.

Plus, Supervisor John Jenkins Jr. wondered in April 2018 why the county kept studying the importance of broadband if it wasnt willing to do something about it. Supervisor Ruby Brabo also pointed out that KGI is different from businesses that have sought waivers of fees because it provides a critically needed service that a community cannot live without.

Congressman Rob Wittman said the same last week during a session on the digital divide. He was addressing the House Rural Broadband Caucus about the way high-speed broadband can revolutionize the way rural populations live.

As folks in urban areas today benefit from the everyday experiences of online banking, email, or ridesharing, rural populations continue to be left on the sideline, Wittman said. They struggle to gain access to key services such as telemedicine, online education and applications that help small businesses compete in the 21st century.

A RURAL SOLUTIONThey believe Private Evander Highland Willis, who died Oct. 12, 1935, was the last Union soldier buried in Fredericksburg. He is interred with his wife, Lucy Sprague Willis, at the National Cemetery.

They note that Willis was born in Vermont in 1845, and joined the 8th Vermont Infantry, which served under General Philip Sheridans Army of the Shenandoah throughout the Valley campaign, putting him at the battles of Winchester and Cedar Creek before mustering out in 1865.

After living and working in Vermont and South Dakota after the war, Willis came to Virginia to manage his sons farm of Elwood in Spotsylvania County, living and working there for more than 20 years.

In Stafford, the search so far points to Frances Mankey. Research indicates he served in the 98th Pennsylvania Volunteers and was at the battles of Salem Church and the Wilderness. He died in Stafford on Dec. 5, 1924 and is buried at Hartwood Presbyterian Church.

So far, no soldier has been identified yet as the last buried in Spotsylvania County, partly because the county is so large, with so many private and family burial grounds. But the search is on.Do-nothing Congress ignores border crisis

Ah, the never-ending border crisis with Mexico.

Both political parties now appear to acknowledge the crisis, but still our do-nothing Congress sits on its fat haunches while collecting unearned salaries.

No wonder Democrats support government-subsidized income for all. The bureaucrats have been benefiting from that for decades. They even get to decide their own salary increases.

Is it too much to expect that Congress at least debate solutions to the border crisis? Can Congress at least disincentivize illegal immigration by doing away with the catch-and-release program?

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. I interpret that to mean tired of tyranny, poor in personal freedom and yearning to be free of tyranny.Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

Becoming windy with isolated thunderstorms developing. Low 46F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph, becoming NNW and increasing to 25 to 40 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph..

Tonight

Becoming windy with isolated thunderstorms developing. Low 46F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph, becoming NNW and increasing to 25 to 40 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph.My faith journey has taken me to various dwelling places along the way as I searched for ways to connect more closely with God. I have learned that God  who is love is with us and in all of creation. But, often my life (and probably yours as well) becomes so busy that I forget how to connect with this God of love.

As a child, I had learned many verbal prayers as I learned to talk to God. Now, as an adult, I tried various meditation techniques and mindfulness exercises to try to better listen to God in silence. I have yet to hear the audible voice of God (especially one that sounds like James Earl Jones), but I have discovered a way to more fully experience Gods presence.

Unlike The Beatles, who traveled to India to learn meditative techniques, I found the one that works for me right in my own backyard when I discovered Christian Centering Prayer as taught by Contemplative Outreach. Fourteen years ago I learned and put into practice this very simple method to become more aware of Gods constant presence.

Jesus himself told his disciples, If you want to pray, enter your room, shut the door and pray to your Father who is secret and your father who sees in secret will reward you. Monks ever since that time have been shutting the door of the world by meditating and praying in monasteries.

In the 1980s, three Benedictine monks helped popularize silent meditation in the Christian West by suggesting a simple silent prayer method that could be used by anyone in one or two 20-minute periods each day in the privacy of her own home. No monastery was needed! In additional to individual Centering prayer, many people find great benefit in a shared experience with fellow pray-ers. Small groups have sprung up throughout the United States and around the world to teach, facilitate and encourage this form of Centering Prayer. Anyone can attend regardless of religious affiliation (or no affiliation). The goal is not to achieve ecstatic experiences but to consent to Gods presence and action in our lives and to Be still and know God.

This method of centering prayer is based on four simple guidelines.

1. Choose a prayer word as a symbol of your intention to consent to Gods presence and action within.

2. Sitting comfortably and with eyed closed, settle briefly, and silently introduce the prayer word.

3. When engaged with your thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.

4. After 20 minutes, pause for a few minutes before resuming daily activities.

Twenty such praying groups meet in the Portland metropolitan area alone, with 19 more meeting throughout the state. Locations of these groups, as well as introductory teaching sessions, can be found on the website for Contemplative Outreach of Portland.

Corvallis Centering Prayer groups meeting weekly include:

 Every Sunday, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW Eighth St. Contact person: Norman Carlson, ndcarlson@msn.com.

 Every Wednesday, noon to 1 p.m., St Marys Church, 501 NW 25th.

An Albany group meets every Tuesday, 7-8 p.m. at St Marys Catholic Church, 822 SW Ellsworth St. Contact: Jenny Brausch, livinggreen@comcast.net

I have found these groups to be very welcoming. Perhaps youll want to try one as you begin to incorporate Centering Prayer into your personal life.

Rather than struggling to find God, to know God and to love God, just relax, be still and silent. God finds us as we allow ourselves to be known by God, and as we let ourselves be loved by God.

Caryl Thomas has recently moved to the Albany area where she joined United Presbyterian Church. She earned a B.S. in pharmacy from Oregon State University and an M.Div. from Western Seminary in Portland.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The June 9 newspaper printed an article, Solutions in Alternate Mixes, explaining Oregon State University's research into using industrial byproducts, fly ash or slag, to produce low-carbon cement. Besides cement, many millions of low-carbon products are needed to lower the concentration of heat trapping carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. How can this industrial transformation be more rapidly achieved?

The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, HR 763, will accelerate this transformation by placing a steadily rising fee on the carbon content of fossil fuels at the wellhead, mine, or port and returning the funds collected to households in the form of monthly dividend that for a majority of households will exceed or equal increased energy costs. HR 763 will result in at least 40% lower emissions of carbon dioxide over the next 12 years, 2.1 million additional jobs, and cleaner air saving lives. HR 763s significance and power comes from setting a fee on carbon pollution.

The steadily rising fee, starting at $15/ton carbon dioxide equivalent and increasing $10/ton each year, will incentivize businesses in competitive markets to reduce the carbon content in their products and processes. Innovative solutions, like OSUs low-carbon cement, will become common as the steadily rising fee on carbon pollution ripples throughout the economy making a low carbon and livable climate possible.

Please call or email Rep. Peter DeFazio, Sen. Ron Wyden, and Sen. Jeff Merkley and ask them to co-sponsor and support The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, HR763.

Jim Holm

Corvallis (June 11)

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0New York Times columnist calls on Trump to sit down face-to-face with Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Dec. 1, 2018. President Xi attended a working dinner with President Trump in Buenos Aires on Saturday. [File Photo: Xinhua]

The New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman says U.S. President Donald Trump should meet with China's President Xi Jinping face-to-face to find a credible and gradual approach to solving the trade dispute between their two countries.

In the commentary published on June 4, Friedman argues that President Trump was right to address the challenges that come from China's industrial upgrading, but says the solution is a level playing field, not a battle ground. He also called on President Trump to abandon his attempts to isolate China.China voices support for withdrawal of Darfur mission, calls for internal dialogue

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/6/15 9:07:46

A Chinese envoy said Friday that his country supports the planned withdrawal of the UN-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), and calls for the promotion of the political process in the Sudanese region through dialogue.

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 called for efforts to promote the political process in Darfur, which has been plagued by a war between Sudanese government forces and the indigenous population since 2003.

"China hopes that all parties concerned in Darfur will continue to exercise restraint. It calls on the opposition parties and armed groups that have not yet joined the political process to effectively abandon the military solution, resolve their disputes and differences through political means such as dialogue and consultation, and work together to safeguard peace and stability in Darfur," said Wu.

He asked for respect for the leadership of the Sudanese government on the issue of Darfur.

The Sudanese government bears the primary responsibility for maintaining peace and stability in Darfur. When helping solve the Darfur issue, the United Nations and the international community should effectively strengthen communication and coordination with the Sudanese government, earnestly heed its views and suggestions, and focus on supporting the Sudanese government in strengthening its security capacity building, he said.

He also asked the international community to continue to provide humanitarian and economic assistance to support the peacebuilding efforts of the Sudanese government in Darfur.

The current focus is to help facilitate the return and settlement of internally displaced persons in Darfur, he said.

China welcomes the efforts of the UN Development Programme, the Peacebuilding Commission, and others to provide necessary support for the construction and development of Darfur, said Wu.

China has always supported the peace process in Darfur. As one of the major troop-contributing countries for UNAMID, China has made positive contributions to the maintenance of peace and stability in Darfur over the years, he said.

China is ready to work with the rest of the international community to continue to play a constructive role in realizing peace, stability, and development in Darfur, he added.

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SCO members pledge to further efforts to expand pragmatic cooperation

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/6/15 7:35:23

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.

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Xi urges SCO shared future

Global Times

By Liu Xin in Bishkek and Zhao Yusha in Beijing Source:Global Times Published: 2019/6/14 23:26:21 Last Updated: 2019/6/15 16:00:11

Hails member states for implementing consensus

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states to build a closer community of shared future and to encourage multilateralism, free trade and a more reasonable and fair international order.

Xi made the remarks during a speech at the 19th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO, which began on Friday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Leaders of China, India, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan took part in the SCO Summit as permanent members of the organization. The presidents of Belarus, Afghanistan, Iran and Mongolia were attending as representatives of observer countries.

Xi said that the SCO has kept a good momentum, with member states actively implementing the consensus they had reached and pushing forward cooperation in every field.

He added that SCO member states should jointly build a closer SCO community of shared future and make the organization a new model of mutual trust, safeguarding regional security, mutual benefit and tolerance.

Heads of the SCO member states signed the Bishkek Declaration and other documents of cooperation in various fields on Friday.

Deng Hao, secretary-general of the China Center for SCO Studies, told the Global Times that the world now has a greater anticipation in and demand for the SCO as it sees the rise of unilateralism and protectionism.

"The world is eager to learn how the SCO, an organization representing 41 percent of the global population and covering the largest and most complicated regions, works to promote political, security, cultural and other cooperation between its members," Deng said.

Talasbek Mashrapov, dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies and International Relations in Bishkek Humanities University, told the Global Times that the Shanghai spirit, the core value of the SCO, has been widely welcomed by member states and their people.

"State members have helped each other's development without intervening in each other's internal affairs. With more members and a growing influence in Asia, the SCO will play a greater role globally," Mashrapov said.

India and Pakistan were formally made members of the SCO in 2017.

Deng said "India and Pakistan agreed not to bring their conflict into the organization when they joined it. The SCO's partnership, featuring 'non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party,' provides a guideline for soothing their conflicts."

Enhancing mutual trust

Xi noted in his speech on Friday that SCO member states should join hands in fighting terrorism and extremism and enhance cooperation on de-radicalization.

Xi met with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Thursday in Bishkek. Xi said that China will, as always, continue to help Afghanistan build its capacity in fighting terrorism and maintaining stability.

Ge Lixing, an expert on diplomatic affairs in Central Asia, told the Global Times that the efficient cooperation on counter-terrorism among SCO members has contributed to regional stability and peace in recent years, which is good for economic development and the promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Ge noted that since terror threats have risen in north Afghanistan in recent years, SCO members should further improve counter-terrorism cooperation, including the sharing of information.

Mashrapov said that people in Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries are looking forward to economic development opportunities brought by the SCO cooperation agreement and the Belt and Road Initiative.

He said stability is crucial for joint development among SCO members. And only by enhancing mutual trust and communication at multilateral events and organizations, including the SCO and the upcoming 5th summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), can countries in Asia achieve joint development.

Xi, together with many heads of the SCO member states, will attend the CICA summit in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe, on Saturday, said Xinhua.

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Crashed tankers leave Iranian waters

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Bandar Abbas, June 15, IRNA -- Director General of Ports and Maritime Affairs of Hormozgan province (south of Iran) Allah-Morad Afifi-pour said on Saturday that the crashed oil tankers in Sea of Oman have left Iran's territorial waters.

Speaking to reporters, Allahmorad Afifipour said despite of the fact that the crashed ships were oil tankers and their shipment has high environmental risk, thanks to timely action of firefighting teams, there has been no loss of marine pollution caused by oil spills.

He added that the ship which was sent from Shahid Rajaei port to control oil pollution is on the scene of the accident.

One of the two tankers which is Panama-flagged moved toward Khor Fakkan Port, he noted.

He went on to say that Marshal Islands-flagged tanker also is moving toward Khor Fakkan Port.

Afifi Pour said that the vessel traffic service (VTS) center of Shahid Rajaei Port continuously monitors exit of oil tankers from Iran's waters.

The 23 crew members of the ship have been transferred from Jask to Bandar Abbas, he said adding that they will head for Dubai based on Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

44 sailors of the two foreign oil tankers which were hit by explosions in the Sea of Oman on Thursday morning were rescued by an Iranian vessel in coordination with Hormuzgan's maritime search and rescue center.

They were transported to Jask Port in the east of the southern Iranian province of Hormuzgan as Iran's humanitarian gesture.

The two tankers, the Marshal Islands-flagged and the Panama-flagged, were on their ways to Taiwan and Singapore from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, respectively.

9376**1430

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US fails to frame-up against Iran

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, June 15, IRNA -- After having failed to make consensus against the Islamic Republic of Iran, by departing the 2015 nuclear deal known as JCPOA, the Trump government is now struggling to frame-up against Iran in the matter of suspected incident for the two ships in Oman Sea.

The subject of suspicious subversive attack on oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea has become the subject of massive diplomatic and media debates over the past days and weeks.

On Thursday, June 13, two oil tankers were targeted at a subversive attack in Oman Sea after which some media outlets were seeking a cause and some government officials also made charges about the incident.

According to reports, the first ship was got into trouble at 8:05 local time on Thursday, 25 miles from the port of Jask, Iran, and an hour later, the second tanker set to fired at 28 miles from the port. One of the ships was heading from Qatar to Taiwan and the second ship from Saudi Arabia to Singapore.

This is the second attack on Persian Gulf's oil tankers in recent months. Two Saudi oil and UAE tankers were targeted in a subversive attack on May 12 near the UAE's Al Fujairah Port.

Following the events in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian FM "Mohammad Javad Zarif" on Thursday evening in his Twitter account in response to the oil tanker incident, stated "Reported attacks on Japan-related tankers occurred while PM @AbeShinzo was meeting with Ayatollah @khamenei_ir for extensive and friendly talks."

He added, "Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning." "Iran's proposed Regional Dialogue Forum is imperative," he reiterated.

Subsequently, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, accused Iran of involvement without being able to provide any evidence and repeating the previous claim.

At the press conference, the US Secretary of State said, "We plan to take decisions in the Security Council to bring Iran back to the negotiating table." Iran needs to answer negotiation with the negotiation."

Pompeo also placed himself in the position of representative of the countries of the world and added, "Mr. Zarif may think that these attacks are ridiculous, but the world does not think so."

The US secretary of state says Zarif's words are ridiculous as the attack on oil tankers coincided with the meeting of the Prime Minister of Japan's Abe Shinzo with the Supreme Leader in Tehran that removes any doubt on the involvement of Iran's opponents in the attacks to increase pressure on the Islamic Republic.

The US secretary of state, while escaping forward is reminding the country's attempt to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, said that his country despite the opposition of all the members of the UN Security Council to undermining the international conventions and norms and resolution 2231, has exited JCPOA which was the result of years of negotiation and diplomatic effort.

Following these remarks, the United Nations Security Council meeting which was convened on a proposal by the United States to investigate the oil tanker incident in the Oman Sea was ended without any result.

President Donald Trump also pursued the path of American officials to make accusation against Iran and spoke to his favorite network 'Fox News' on Friday morning to answer the question of what is your assessment of the incident. He said Iran has done this.

Without giving any further explanation in this respect, he began repeating his past words and, by attacking Iran's nuclear deal, stated, "We will see what will happen. We have imposed severe sanctions on them. They are terrorist nation."

The US authorities did not suffice to this extend, and some US news media exacerbated the media tension and released a video claiming that an Iranian boat was dismantling an unexploded magnetic mine from the Japanese ship.

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Heiku Maas said that the American video that was aired in connection with the attack on two oil tankers in the Oman Sea was not enough to prove responsibility for this action.

Also, the American Radio (NPR) called the accusation by the secretary of state on Iran's involvement in the explosion of oil ships in the Persian Gulf region as baseless.

In the end, after Trump government and the US regional allies failed to shape the tension against the Islamic Republic of Iran around the JCPOA and forming a global coalition, the group is trying to frame-up such matters and bring tension to the Security Council of the UN are pushing for resolution against Iran.

Now the signs of simmering tension by the so-called "Team B" are on the rise, and the sinology of simmering tensions by the government of Trump has shown that making crisis against the Islamic Republic of Iran with the aim of framing-up security file, making coalition and consensus in the space of the US' exit of the JCPOA, does not have the capacity to be implemented.

9455**1430

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Japan calls for international inquiry into tankers explosion

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Beijing, June 15, IRNA -- Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on Saturday called for UN inquiry about the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, one of which was operated by a Japanese company.

Kono said that he talked with his US counterpart Mike Pompeo on Thursday regarding the issue.

He added that Japan will exchange information with the US and other countries to figure out what really happened so that it can react accordingly.

Without putting forth any proofs, the US accused Iran of attacking the tankers, but Kono said that Japan said that Tokyo is after having a clear understanding of the incident.

On Thursday, two tankers, named Kokuka Courageous and Front Altair, were attacked.

Though Washington said a mine caused the explosion, Yutaka Katada, the Japanese company's executive director said, "Our crew said that the ship was attacked by a flying object."

Yutaka Katada, chief executive of the Japanese company operating the ship called Kokuka Courageous, one of two vessels attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, said the damage could not have been caused by mines or torpedos that are shot underwater, since the damage was reportedly above the ship's waterline.

The Kokuka Courageous and another Norwegian-operated vessel were ablaze for hours in the Gulf on Thursday. The owner's of the other vessel, the Front Altair, have not yet provided an explanation of what they believe to be the cause of the damage.

The entire 21-person crew were evacuated the Kokuka Courageous. Sailors reported seeing the "flying objects" from the vessel before the incident occurred, according to Katada.

9417**1416

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U.S. points accusing finger at Iran over tankers attack amid tensions

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:12, June 15, 2019

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.

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Tibet urged to exercise opportunity for growth

People's Daily Online

(China Daily) 15:57, June 15, 2019

President Xi Jinping said he hopes that the Tibet autonomous region will seize opportunities for development in a congratulatory letter sent to the 2019 Forum on the Development of Tibet held on Friday in Lhasa.

The region, located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is an important border area with ethnic minority populations, an important ecological security barrier, an important area for protecting the distinctive culture of China and an important world tourist destination, Xi said in the letter.

This year 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, he said.

Speaking highly of the achievements in Tibet in the past decades, Xi expressed hope that the autonomous region also will build a beautiful and happy Tibet, make its fine traditional culture flourish, protect the plateau's environment, implement a more active policy of opening-up, and conduct extensive international exchanges and cooperation.

The forum, jointly organized by the State Council Information Office and the regional government of Tibet, was held using the theme, "Belt and Road Initiative and the Opening-Up and Development of Tibet". It attracted the participation of 69 officials, scholars and journalists from 37 countries and regions outside of China, organizers said.

Topics such as Tibet in Silk Road civilizations, the role of Tibet in the Belt and Road Initiative and the opening-up of Tibet and the inheritance and development of Tibetan culture were also discussed at the forum.

Paul Tembe, a senior researcher at the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute in South Africa, said he saw a different model of development in Tibet. The development is focused not only on the growth of the economy but also features a "human happiness index", in which the preservation of tradition, religion and the improvement of people's lives are covered.

Michael Harrold, a senior editor at the English Channel of China Global Television Network, said he had thought of Tibet as remote, isolated and inaccessible.

"So it comes as a surprise, to be honest, particularly during this forum, to realize that Tibet is playing a role in the Belt and Road Initiative," he said.

Harrold, from the United Kingdom, said people in his country might have thought of Tibet as only mountains that people can't get through, where there is no trade or interconnection with the outside world.

"But coming to this forum and having met people from countries that Tibet has close ties to, such as India, Nepal and Pakistan, I realize that there is a lot of interaction and a long history here."

He added that the trip and the forum made him realize that Tibet is not cut off, but is developing further. He was particularly impressed that the infrastructure in Tibet is being developed at a very rapid rate, laying the foundation for the region's future.

Before the forum, the delegates visited villages and elementary schools in Nyingchi in southeastern Tibet and held talks with people from various walks of life.

In the regional capital, Lhasa, they visited a welfare facility, a hospital specialized in Tibetan medicine and a high school.

They visited cultural and architectural jewels such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street to learn firsthand about the protection of cultural relics and traditional culture in Tibet.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

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Yemeni drones target airport installations south of Saudi Arabia

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 08:45PM

Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has launched fresh drone attacks on areas south of Saudi Arabia to compensate for kingdom's devastating bombardment of the impoverished country.

The Houthi-run al-Masirah TV said in a Saturday report that the "large-scale and measured" drone operations had successfully targeted airports in Jizan and Abha regions.

It cited a spokesman of the Yemeni armed forces as saying that the installations targeted in the operation by Qasif K2 drones were now out of service. It said the control rooms in Jizan airport and the fuel station in Abha airport were the main target of the attacks.

The spokesman said the attacks were in retaliation for Saudi "aggression" against Yemen, saying such attacks will intensify in size and number if Riyadh continued with its bombardment and blockade of the impoverished Yemenis.

Al-Masirah said air traffic monitoring centers at Jizan and Abha airports had confirmed the Saturday attacks.

However, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV said that a ballistic missile targeting the city of Abha, located to the southwest of Saudi Arabia, had been intercepted.

The Houthis have intensified their so-called retaliatory attacks on military positions in southern Saudi territories over the past few days. The main targets in those attacks have been installations in Jizan, Najran, Abha and Khamis Mushait.

In a major attack last month, Yemeni drones managed to hit key oil installations in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The attacks come as Saudi Arabia continues to target crowded civilian locations across Yemen heedless of international criticism.

The Saturday attacks came a day after Saudis bombarded areas in Yemen's capital Sana'a and in the northwestern province of Hajjah.

Tens of thousands of Yemeni people have been killed since Riyadh started the war on its southern neighbor in March 2015.

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Evidence not sufficient to blame any country for Fujairah tanker attacks: UAE

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 04:47PM

United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s minister of foreign affairs says his country does not have enough evidence to blame any country for last month's attacks on four oil tankers off the Emirati port city of Fujairah.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Ekaterina Zaharieva in Sofia on Saturday.

The Emirati minister repeated his country's earlier claim that the attacks on vessels, which occurred near Fujairah, were carried out by a "state actor".

"For us, the attacks on four oil tankers in the UAE's territorial waters are evidence that we, alongside our various partner countries, have identified as underwater explosions, utilizing sophisticated technologies," he said.

"These capabilities," he claimed, "are not present in illegal non-state actors or groups. These are disciplined processes carried out by a state. However, until now, there is insufficient evidence to point to a particular country."

He further called for coordinated efforts among "regional actors" to ensure security and stability in the region.

"Real regional security and stability will only be attained when regional actors work together. Our region is the main energy supplier to the world; our safety and security is key to ensuring prosperity and stability for all," he said.

The Emirati minister further expressed hope to attain "a broader framework for cooperation with Iran" to help de-escalate tensions in the region.

"We must work together to spare the region from escalation, and give the voice of wisdom a chance," he said.

The attacks on four oil tankers took place just outside the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz on May 12, in what the UAE called a "sabotage attack".

The administration of US President Donald Trump has accused Iran of being behind the attack while independent analysts blamed US and Israeli intelligence agencies for carrying out a false flag operation in order to ignite a conflict in the Middle East region.

Last week, the United Nations Security Council held a meeting on the vessel attacks, but member states refused to blame any party despite Abu Dhabi's claim that a "state actor" was behind the incident.

Russian Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov told reporters that no evidence on Iran's alleged link to the attacks were presented during the briefing.

Days before the Security Council briefing, hawkish US National Security Adviser John Bolton had vowed to present to the UN evidence on Iran's involvement in the Fujairah attacks, but he didn't.

Following those allegations, Iran officially warned about the use of fake intelligence, similar to those which resulted in the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, to push Washington toward a war with Tehran.

"Those who were responsible for the Iraqi invasion back in 2003 are the same people who are trying to create a conflict in our region," Iranian ambassador to the UN Majid Takht-Ravanchi said in May, referring to Trump's hawkish advisor John Bolton's role in the Iraqi invasion.

Back in April, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had warned that an "accident" could be plotted to take place so as to trigger a broader crisis.

Speaking in an interview with Reuters at the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York on April 24, Zarif said the so-called "B-Team," including Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, could goad Trump into a conflict with Tehran.

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Ten killed as roadside bomb hits Kenyan police vehicle near Somali border

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 04:25PM

At least 10 Kenyan police officers have been killed after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by militants struck their vehicle near the Somali border.

Local Kenyan officials said those killed Saturday in Wajir County along the porous Kenya-Somali border were among 13 officers who were pursuing militants for an earlier assault in the troubled region.

This came a day after Somalia-based Takfiri al-Shabab terrorists claimed responsibility for kidnapping three Kenyan police reservists from Wajir in northeast Kenya.

"Last night, we captured a village called Konton in Wajir county. We left the village and took three Kenyan policemen with us," Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabaab's spokesman for military operations, said on Friday.

Al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabab militants have long carried out similar attacks on Kenya soil targeting security officers and the Nairobi government installations.

Al-Shabab has become one of Africa's deadliest terrorist groups in recent years through its use of IEDs. In 2018 more than 100 Kenyan police forces were killed in a series of IED attacks along the extensive border.

In the latest attack in mid January, an apparent terrorist attack on an upscale hotel in the Kenyan capital Nairobi killed several people and sent shockwaves across the country.

Kenya is part of a regional peacekeeping operation that supports the Somali government in its battle against the militants.

The al-Shabab militant group, which once had control over many parts of Somalia, including the capital city Mogadishu, aims to topple the weak central government and push out the African Union (AU) peacekeeping forces, which are made up of soldiers from Kenya, Djibouti, Uganda, Ethiopia, and other African countries.

In 2011, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali troops drove al-Shabab out of all major urban strongholds and ports, but the group still stages attacks on targets in smaller, more remote areas, posing a threat to peace.

The Somalia-based al-Shabab armed group often targets Kenyan security forces, vowing retribution after Kenya deployed troops to Somalia in 2011 to combat the fighters.

The Kenyans, along with allied Somali forces, wrested back control of the territory from al-Shabab after a spate of kidnappings on Kenyan soil.

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China dismisses Philippine claims vessel accident was 'hit-and-run'

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 09:52AM

Beijing has confirmed that its vessel hit a Philippine fishing boat in a collision in the disputed South China Sea but dismissed claims the incident was intentional.

The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest last week after Filipino fishermen claimed that a Chinese vessel had rammed their anchored boat and then abandoned them as the boat sank in the Reed Bank in the South China Sea. The action sparked outrage from Philippine authorities and media.

In a statement late Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Manila acknowledged that the trawler Yuemaobinyu 42212 had accidentally "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.

The Chinese Embassy went on to say that the incident was not a "hit-and-run" as some Philippine authorities had claimed, because the vessel "confirmed the fishermen from the Filipino boat were rescued."

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said on his personal Twitter account Thursday he had "fired off a diplomatic protest yesterday" on the incident, which he claimed was intentional.

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman, Salvador Panelo, denounced the act as "uncivilized, outrageous and barbaric" in what could be the most serious flare-up between Manila and Beijing in three years.

Panelo also called on China to investigate and sanction the trawler's crew members.

"The captain and the crew of the Chinese vessel should not have left the injured party without any assistance. Such act of desertion is inhuman," Panelo claimed in a statement, adding the Chinese crew violated international protocols that require them to assist a vessel in distress.

Duterte may decide to minimize ties or even opt for a more severe response if the issue escalates, according to the spokesman.

Speaking at a regular briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang referred to it as an ordinary maritime traffic accident that could be dealt with by proper channels and blamed the media for hyping up the issue.

China is involved in maritime disputes in the South China Sea, where several countries, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines, have overlapping claims.

It has also constructed several artificial islands over the past few years in the South China Sea, in a move that Washington has denounced as a land reclamation project.

The US, which sides with China's rivals in their territorial claims, also sends its warships close to the islands in what it calls "freedom of navigation" patrols.

Back in March, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington will defend the Philippines against "armed attack" in the disputed waters.

The US is allied to the Philippines by treaty but Duterte, who took power in 2016, has been more inclined toward China. Under his presidency, the territorial dispute with Beijing has been less emphasized.

Duterte, who has sought Chinese investment in his country, famously unleashed several diatribes against former US president Barack Obama and partially downgraded military ties with America.

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Ousted Sudan president Bashir charged with corruption

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 07:38AM

Ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has been formally charged with corruption.

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) said that Bashir "was charged under foreign exchange possession materials, suspected illicit wealth and emergency orders".

He was overthrown and arrested in a military-led coup on April 11 after months of nationwide protests against his authoritarian 30-year rule.

The Sudanese ex-president had already been charged in May with incitement and involvement in the killing of protesters.

Prosecutors had also ordered Bashir's interrogation on suspicion of money laundering and financing terrorism.

In April, a judicial source in Sudan said military intelligence had searched Bashir's home and found suitcases loaded with more than $351,000 and six million euros as well as five million Sudanese pounds ($104,837).

The Sudanese military overthrew 75-year-old Bashir after some four months of widespread protests against him over dire economic conditions on April 11. Since then, he had been under house arrest in the presidential residence inside the compound that also houses the defense ministry.

Following Bashir's ouster, the coup leaders established the so-called Transitional Military Council (TMC), presumably to run state affairs in the post-Bashir era. But the generals also moved to consolidate power and faced popular protests themselves.

Protesters camped outside the military headquarters in Khartoum for weeks to demand the ruling military council hand over power to a civilian government, before security and paramilitary forces dispersed them in a June 3 crackdown that killed tens of people.

The umbrella protest movement Alliance for Freedom and Change says 113 people were killed in the crackdown. The government puts the death toll at 61 people, including three security personnel.

Sudan's opposition groups have accused "some Arab countries" of supporting the military council in order to protect their own interests in the country.

Ahead of the deadly crackdown, Sudan's military ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited Saudi Arabia after his trips to Egypt to meet President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on May 25, and to the UAE to meet Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed the following day.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE also backed the military council in the aftermath of the coup against long-term president Omar al-Bashir by pledging $3 billion in cash and aid to the country.

A group of five United Nations rights experts has urged the Human Rights Council to launch an "independent investigation" into possible violations committed by Sudanese security forces against "peaceful protesters". The Council's new session will take place in Geneva on June 24.

Bashir, who took power through a military coup in 1989, is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his alleged role in genocide in the Darfur region, which he denies.

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UN chief urges independent inquiry into oil tanker attacks

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 07:19AM

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for an independent probe into Thursday's attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman in the face of US efforts to frame Iran.

Guterres underlined the need for an investigation to establish the facts about the attacks, adding that he believed only the Security Council could order a UN inquiry.

"It's very important to know the truth and it's very important that responsibilities are clarified. Obviously that can only be done if there is an independent entity that verifies those facts," he said.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous and Norwegian-owned Front Altair oil tankers were struck by explosions near the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway in the early hours of Thursday.

They were hit while sailing in the Sea of Oman after leaving ports in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Japan's government said both vessels were carrying "Japanese-related" cargo. The attacks came as Japanese PM Shinzo Abe was meeting with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran.

The cause of the attack is not yet known, but the Japanese shipping company has said two "flying objects" attacked its tanker in the Oman Sea, contradicting the US account that mines had hit the vessels.

A few hours after Thursday's attacks, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offhandedly blamed Iran for the attack without providing evidence. US President Donald Trump also claimed that the incident had Iran "written all over it"

The accusation was further echoed by British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who blamed Iran and Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) for the attacks.

On Thursday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) released a grainy footage purportedly showing "an IRGC Gashti Class patrol boat ... removing [an] unexploded limpet mine" from the side of the Japanese ship following the blasts.

Iran was the first country to respond to a distress call and rush to the assistance of the oil tankers, transferring all their 44 crew members to its southern shores.

"The US government has turned into a serious threat to the stability of the region and the world over the past two years through misusing its economic, financial and military capacities," Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Friday.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also tweeted that the US had "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence."

He said the US allegations against Iran over the tanker attacks were part of "sabotage diplomacy" adopted by the so-called B-Team.

The B-Team refers to US national security adviser John Bolton, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Iran also 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".

Iran diplomat: Accusers 'have the main role'

On Thursday, Iran's deputy ambassador to the UN Es'haq Al-e Habib brushed aside the US claims that Tehran was responsible for the attacks in the Sea of Oman.

"Strongly we are rejecting any accusation of Iran," he said. "Definitely, those that accuse Iran have the main role in creating those incidents and it could be the United States itself."

In an indirect reference to Israel and Saudi Arabia, the Iranian diplomat noted that the two regimes "are looking for more tensions" in the Persian Gulf region and that Washington is a staunch backer of them.

The incident in the Sea of Oman "happened at the same, exactly at the same time that the prime minister of Japan was in Iran and meeting our leaders, and it shows that these are orders that are behind this incident, and the previous one," he added.

Oil prices jumped as much as 4 percent following Thursday's incident.

The blasts came a month after mysterious attacks on four oil tankers -- an Emirati, a Norwegian and two Saudi vessels -- off the coast of Fujairah in the UAE on May 12.

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US, NATO war game in Baltic mirrored by Russian maneuvers

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 07:01AM

The United States and its NATO allies have kicked off naval exercises near Russia's western border to counter what they describe as "Russian threat".

Thousands of US and European forces and some 50 ships on the Baltic coast near Russia participated in the exercise dubbed BALTOPS, which is part of the largest US-led war games in the past five years.

The annual maritime-focused exercise, which involves 18 allied and partner nations, was kicked off on Wednesday and will last until June 21.

This is the first time in four decades that the drill is being led by the US Navy's 2nd Fleet, which operates in the North Atlantic and became known during the Cold War for several maneuvers.

Back in 2011, the administration of Former president Barack Obama disbanded the fleet over what it described as a diminished Russian threat.

The fleet, however, was revived in 2018 "in response to Russia's growing naval activity in the Atlantic," according to the US-led NATO military alliance.

This is also the first deployment of the new US fleet in Europe.

Vice admiral and commander of the fleet, Andrew Lewis, said the fleet was "reestablished in response to a changing security environment globally." He noted that "It was not specifically aimed at a country."

"Russia is a Baltic nation and we respect that," he said.

"But we, NATO, have a responsibility to maintain that international free use of the seas ... we're looking for deterrence and peaceful coexistence," he added.

Russia conducts its own war game

Meanwhile, Russia is not only watching the US-led maneuver along its borders, but mirroring the drills along its own side of the border.

On Wednesday, the Russian navy trained for the sinking of an "enemy" submarine in the Baltic Sea.

A missile strike on "enemy" ships was also simulated in the Kaliningrad region.

This has raised concern over a potential accident between the NATO and Russia in the region.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that the lack of trust between the US and Russia as well as a lack of military-to-military contacts, have created a dangerous situation for both of them.

Russia has warned the US-led NATO alliance over its decision to beef up military presence in the strategic Baltic region, saying such a move would further increase tensions.

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Yemeni retaliation expected after Saudi jets bomb Sana'a

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 06:51AM

Saudi Arabia has launched new airstrikes on Yemen's capital and the northwestern province of Hajjah after the Houthis called for "serious talks" to reach a peace agreement.

Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah news website said Saudi warplanes pounded the Bani Hushaish district in Sana'a late Friday. Saudi media confirmed the air raids.

Saudi state TV claimed that the airstrikes targeted military positions, including air-defense systems, in the Yemeni capital.

The Saudi warplanes also conducted air raids on the city of Harad in the province of Hajjah on Friday, al-Masirah said.

There were no immediate reports on possible casualties as a result of the air raids.

Saudi Arabia launched a devastating campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing the government of former Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power and crushing the Houthi movement.

The US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, estimates that the Saudi war has claimed the lives of over 60,000 Yemenis since January 2016.

The war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN says over 24 million Yemenis are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 10 million suffering from extreme levels of hunger.

Yemen's army and allied popular committees have carried out various attacks on Saudi positions in retaliation for the kingdom's fatal aggression against their country.

Earlier on Friday, Yemeni Qasif-2K drones targeted an airport in the Saudi province of Asir. The attack was the second on Abha airport in less than a week.

Ansarullah ready for talks with 'influential' countries

The Saudi airstrikes came after Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the chairman of Yemen's Supreme Political Council, said Sana'a is ready to hold "serious talks with the influential countries" to achieve "fair peace".

He told the Yemeni News Agency (Saba) that the aggressors have committed crimes in Yemen for years as the international law has not been applied.

"When the international law slept five years, the criminals became bold in their aggression," he said.

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Pentagon planning for possible reinforcements in Persian Gulf

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 01:04AM

The United States might deploy more US forces to the Persian Gulf to counter what Washington says increased threats from Iran, according to the acting Pentagon chief.

The remarks by acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Friday came after the US had accused Iran of being responsible for the recent attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman.

"When you look at the situation, a Norwegian ship, a Japanese ship, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the [United Arab Emirates]  15% of the world's oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz," Shanahan said. "So we obviously need to make contingency plans should the situation deteriorate."

He also said that Washington would provide more evidence to show Iran had a role in the attacks like video footage the US military released, which has been disputed by Washington's allies and Western analysts.

"The more information that we can declassify, the more information we can share, we will. And that's our intent. And I think as you saw yesterday  doing it quickly."

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released the video late Thursday purportedly showing "Iranian sailors" removing a mine from the Japanese-owned Kokura Courageous' hull earlier in the day.

Except for Britain, European governments have so far refused to accept the US' narrative that Tehran was to blame for the "suspicious" attacks.

They are reluctant to accept the White House's claims at face value, and do not want to provide Washington with any pretext for war.

Early on Friday, Iran warned the US to stop playing a blame game through the "suspicious" attacks, describing the American behavior as "worrying."

The stern warning by Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi Friday came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offhandedly blamed Tehran for the attacks.

Shanahan also said the administration of President Donald Trump is currently working on building international consensus following the attacks.

White House national security adviser John Bolton and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are involved in the process, he added.

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New Moldovan Government Vows Stronger Ties With EU

By RFE/RL June 15, 2019

CHISINAU  Stronger ties with the European Union and bringing to justice those who abused power, including a controversial tycoon, are top priorities of Moldova's 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 Europe's 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 PDM's 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/RL's Moldovan Service, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/new-moldovan -government-vows-stronger-ties- with-eu/30001220.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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Saudi Forces Intercept Ballistic Missile Targeting City of Abha - Reports

Sputnik News

23:02 15.06.2019

Earlier, Yemeni TV channel reported that the group launched drone attacks on Saudi city of Abha and Jizan airports.

Saudi forces have intercepted a ballistic missile targeting the city of Abha in southwest of Saudi Arabia, Al-Arabiya TV channel reported.

The attack comes a day after another Houthi strike on Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport with drones. On Wednesday, the Saudi-led coalition confirmed that 26 people were injured as a result of another missile attack by Houthis.

The Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia was continuing operating in regular mode after being hit by a missile strike, the airport informed back then.

A Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen at the nation's President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi's request since March 2015.

Yemen, a small nation in the south of the Arabian peninsula, has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces, led by Hadi, and the rebel Houthi movement for several years. The conflict has resulted in a massive humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country.

 Sputnik

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NATO Risks Paying GIGANTIC BILL if It Fails to Find Replacement for AWACS Spy Planes SOON

Sputnik News

21:38 15.06.2019(updated 21:39 15.06.2019)

The Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS is among the few military assets directly owned by NATO and has widely been considered the alliance's "eyes in the sky" for the last four decades.

NATO's general manager for the agency in charge of the Boeing E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet, Brigadier General Michael Gschossmann, revealed in an interview with Reuters that the alliance is facing the unpleasant prospect of paying a significant bill if it doesn't come up with a replacement for its AWACS spy planes by around 2035.

The AWACS fleet is aging and will soon face the Final Lifetime Extension Programme (FLEP), which will cost the alliance around $1 billion and will prolong the lifespan of the aircraft through 2035.

However, if the F part of FLEP doesn't end up being "final", the alliance will have to spend a significantly larger sum of money not only to keep the AWACS planes in the air, but also to keep them up-to-date. For example, FLEP won't affect the aircraft's radars, as that would make the cost to upgrade them twice as large.

"We have to get moving on this. We have to ensure that the studies move along quickly. We need a reality check", Gschossmann said.

One of the possible replacements is the Boeing E-7 spy plane, which is already owned by some of the alliance's members, but not NATO itself. Gschossmann stated that the replacement must have "growth potential", meaning that it would be able to be modified and upgraded in the future. He added that the E-7 has such capabilities.

The Boeing E-3 AWACS was originally developed in the late 1980s and has long been called NATO's "eyes in the sky". AWACS aircraft were actively used by the alliance following the 2014 Ukrainian crisis to monitor Russia's borders, along with other reconnaissance aircraft, which have regularly been spotted near Crimea, the exclave of Kaliningrad, and Russian military bases in Syria.

 Sputnik

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UAE Calls to Protect Energy Supply From Gulf Amid Oil Tanker Attacks

Sputnik News

13:04 15.06.2019(updated 15:23 15.06.2019)

The US has recently accused Iran of being behind the explosions that damaged two tankers sailing through the Gulf of Oman. Tehran has vehemently denied Washington's claims condemning the attempts to blame the Islamic Republic for false flag attacks.

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed has stated that the country wants oil exports to be safe and called on the international community to cooperate to ensure the protection of oil shipping from the Gulf of Oman, Arabiya TV reported.

The UAE foreign minister has also said that the country doesn't have enough evidence to accuse any country of conducting "sabotage" on four tankers near the port of Fujairah on 12 May 2019.

"So far, we have not decided that there is enough evidence to point to a specific state in relation to the attack on tankers off the coast of the UAE", he said.

However, Reuters reported, citing Arabiya TV, that Abdullah bin Zayed also said that Iran's "fingerprints" are clear on the May oil tanker attacks. Later in the day, Reuters reported that the information about the UAE minister's comments on Iran was based on tweets from Arabiya TV, which were later removed with no explanation.

In a report for the UN Security Council, the UAE indicated the incident that led to four tankers near the Emirati port of Fujairah being damaged had signs of a "sophisticated and coordinated operation" most likely conducted by a state actor. The report however, didn't directly accuse any state of attacking the vessels.

The report stated that trained divers had installed limpet mines on the ships under the waterline with the intent to specifically cripple, but not sink the tankers. The paper also said that the operation required an expert to navigate the boats carrying the divers.

Unlike the UAE in its report, the US directly accused Iran of organising the attack on one Norwegian, one Emirati and two Saudi vessels on 12 May with the aim of artificially spiking oil prices. Tehran has denied the accusations and condemned the attack on the tankers as a threat to free trade and navigation.

The UAE minister's statements come as the US accused Iran of attacking two other tankers on 13 June in the Gulf of Oman. The US released a video allegedly showing an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps boat approaching one of the vessels and removing an unexploded limpet mine.

The claims however contradict the testimonies of crew members from one of the ships. The crew of Kokuka Courageous is said to have seen an object flying towards the tanker just before an explosion hit it.

Iran has denounced the US accusations and called on Washington and its regional allies to cease false flag attacks used to shift the blame onto Tehran.

 Sputnik

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Chinese-Owned Firm Makes Parts for Next-Gen F-35 Jets Amid Huawei Row, UK MoD Admits

Sputnik News

09:11 15.06.2019(updated 09:15 15.06.2019)

Amid an ongoing row between Huawei and the US, evolving around Washington's allegations that the Chinese tech giant poses a security threat because of its ties with Beijing, it turns out that a UK-based subsidiary of a Chinese company is part of the supply chain for Lockheed Martin's fighters, flown by the Americans and its allies.

England-based Exception PCB (which stands for printed circuit boards), whose parent company is China's Shenzhen Fastprint, produces circuit boards for the US-UK next-generation F-35 fighter, the British broadcaster Sky reports, citing publicity materials from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Among other things, its March publication Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Action Plan specifically mentioned that Exception PCB is part of the F-35 supply chain.

"Gloucestershire-based Exception PCB manufactures the circuit boards that control many of the F-35's core capabilities", the document reads.

Another publication is a news article, dating back to last November that praised the Chinese-owned firm's F-35 credentials. It said that its staffers "manufactured the circuit boards that control many of the F-35's core capabilities, including its engines, lighting, fuel and navigation systems".

However, as the report says there was no mention of the company's relationship to the Chinese-based enterprise. Shenzhen Fastprint bought the British company in 2013. Interestingly enough, Exception PCB is not only involved in the F-35 supply chain but also in manufacturing the Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin's F-16 and the Apache attack helicopter. It is also a third-tier supplier for the F-35 as the boards reach the jet through GE Aviation.

According to the company's director Mike Devine, Exception PCB manufactures "bare circuit boards only in the UK for all of our aerospace and defence companies", and have partnered with GE Aviation for decades. He insisted that they made everything possible to ensure that no Chinese national can access the F-35's data.

"All data is secured on a separate internal server and access to data is protected by passwords, only accessible by a selected few, of which have been audited by GE", he told Sky.

The MoD denied that there any risks linked to the firm's Chinese ownership.

"Exception PCB produces bare circuit boards and as a result there are no risks associated with their product in the F-35 aircraft supply chain", the ministry's spokesman said, as cited by Sky.

For its part, Lockheed Martin has signalled that risks are still present although "all components on the F-35, are inspected repeatedly at each stage of manufacture".

"Exception PCB has no visibility or access to any sensitive programme information and there is limited to no risk associated with their minimal role in the programme. Should Exception PCB be determined an unapproved source in the future, GE Aviation has alternate sources of supply that would ensure no impact to the programme", its representative told the broadcaster.

These revelations come amid an escalation in the row between Chinese tech giant Huawei and the US. Washington has accused Huawei of exploiting cyberinfrastructure on behalf of China's government, which the Shenzhen-based firm has adamantly denied.

Nevertheless, the Trump administration introduced a ban on the use of the Chinese company's technology, barring US companies, including Google, from trading with the company without government approval. In addition, the White House is trying to make its European allies, including the UK, bar Huawei from building 5G infrastructure, threatening to curb intelligence cooperation with any country that allows Huawei equipment to be used on its own networks.

 Sputnik

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US Officials Say Iranian Boats Prevented Salvaging of Damaged Oil Tanker in Gulf of Oman  Reports

Sputnik News

07:03 15.06.2019

After the incident in the Gulf of Oman, Iranian military fast-boats reportedly prevented privately owned tug boats from salvaging one of the damaged vessels.

After the tanker was attacked, Iranian military fast-boats prevented privately owned tug boats from salvaging one of the damaged vessels, two US officials aware of the situation told CNBC.

America's top diplomat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, blamed Iran for Thursday's attacks without citing specific evidence showing Tehran was responsible.

"Iran is lashing out because the regime wants our successful maximum pressure campaign lifted," Pompeo said Thursday. "No economic sanctions entitle the Islamic Republic to attack innocent civilians, disrupt global oil markets and engage in nuclear blackmail."

In an exclusive interview with CNBC on Friday, Trump's energy secretary called Iran the "bad neighbor in the neighborhood."

"Iran should be thinking about how do we maintain our market share, how do we act like good neighbors, how do we continue to be a part of the global community instead of these obvious acts of treachery in the Strait of Hormuz," Energy Secretary Rick Perry said.

Meanwhile, the Japanese owner of one of the oil tankers said the vessel was damaged by a projectile, not by a mine, which is what US officials assessed as the source of the blast.

"We received reports that something flew towards the ship," Yutaka Katada, president of Kokuka Sangyo, said at a press conference Friday. "I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship," he said, adding that a projectile landed above the waterline.

There has been no official comment from the Pentagon on the reports that the Iranian vessels were defending the tankers and that the tankers were damaged by a projectile rather than a mine.

 Sputnik

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Taliban, US Set to Hold Crucial Round of Afghan Peace Talks

By Ayaz Gul June 15, 2019

The United States and the Taliban are scheduled to hold crucial negotiations in Qatar early next week amid high expectations of a breakthrough in a nearly yearlong effort to end the war in Afghanistan.

This would be the seventh round of talks in Doha, Qatar, where the insurgent group maintains an informal political office. The U.S. team is being led by Afghan-born American reconciliation envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

The dialogue, which excludes the Afghan government, has focused on the withdrawal of American forces from the country in exchange for Taliban assurances that transnational terrorists would be not be allowed to use Afghan soil for attacks against other countries.

U.S. and Taliban negotiators were expected to conclude an agreement covering the two issues in their last meeting in May, but the discussions stalled over the Taliban's refusal to cease hostilities and participate in an intra-Afghan peace dialogue until Washington announced a troop drawdown timetable.

Gradual progress seen

A Taliban spokesman has dismissed reported assertions of a stalemate in the dialogue in the wake of U.S. insistence that the final agreement must cover a cease-fire and the insurgent group's engagement in intra-Afghan talks, involving the Kabul government.

"I don't see the dialogue is deadlocked. It is progressing, but steadily or gradually," Suhail Shaheen, who speaks for the insurgent negotiating team, told VOA ahead of the upcoming talks.

"I hope with the announcement of a timetable for withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, the process may gain momentum, paving the way for the Afghans to sit together and chart a road map for a future Islamic system and government," Shaheen said.

Khalilzad, in a statement ahead of the upcoming meeting with the Taliban, also vowed he would "try to bring the first two parts of our peace framework to closure," but he emphasized success would require other parties to show flexibility.

"We hope Khalilzad will deliver what he has promised  that he would try to bring to closure the framework for peace on these two issues," Shaheen said when asked to respond to comments by the chief American negotiator.

Two-day session

Official sources in Kabul, meanwhile, have told VOA a two-day peace dialogue among Afghans, including government and Taliban representatives, is being arranged in Doha early next month. The sources said the meeting was scheduled for July 7 and would be an outcome of the upcoming U.S.-Taliban negotiations.

The Taliban are opposed to any direct talks with Afghan government officials, dismissing them as American "puppets." But the insurgent group, Taliban officials said, is not averse to a peace dialogue with a delegation representing all sections of the Afghan society, including government officials in their individual capacity.

While Washington has engaged in direct talks with the Taliban, a top American military commander noted this week that strongholds of the Islamic State group in eastern Afghan provinces "are very worrisome to us."

Strong pressure seen

However, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said earlier this week that IS was under strong military pressure in Afghanistan.

American forces and their Afghan partners routinely attack IS bases in the country while Taliban insurgents also regularly clash with loyalists of the Middle Eastern-based terrorist group.

"ISIS in Afghanistan certainly has aspirations to attack the United States.  It is our clear judgment that as long as we maintain pressure on them, it will be hard for them to do that," McKenzie, using an acronym for Islamic State, told reporters in Germany.

But the Taliban swiftly rejected McKenzie's assertions as baseless and alleged they were aimed at justifying the U.S. military presence in the country.

"Their occupation is practically providing Daesh a ground in Afghanistan, and they are using its name and existence as an instrument," alleged Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, using the local name for IS.

Mujahid claimed the Taliban had cleared many Afghan areas of IS, and he accused American forces as well as their local partners of launching aerial strikes against Taliban positions in areas where the insurgents are battling IS militants.

'Creating hurdles'

"If American generals really fear from Daesh, then why are they avoiding its elimination and creating hurdles against mujahedeen operations? Statements of American generals are opposite of their actions," Mujahid said.

American military officials, for their part, have reportedly insisted the Taliban have not done enough to fight IS, particularly in the eastern Afghan provinces of Nangarhar and Kunar, where the terrorist group has set up bases.

"But not only are the Taliban mostly avoiding fighting the Islamic State, they are also feeding its ranks. Taliban insurgents serve as one of the Islamic State's primary recruiting pools, and they often bring a wealth of combat experience with them, according to the officials," the U.S. military officials told The New York Times.

U.S. interlocutors in continuing direct talks with Taliban envoys in Qatar have proposed to leave behind a counterterrorism force in Afghanistan after any peace agreement to fight IS.

Taliban negotiators, however, have rejected the proposal, insisting their fighters could handle and defeat the Islamic State loyalists, according the Times.

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At Least 10 Killed in Mogadishu Blast

By Mohamed Olad Hassan June 15, 2019

At least 10 people were killed and 23 others were injured when a car bomb exploded Saturday on a busy Mogadishu street, according to witnesses and medical services.

The car bomb went off on Maka al-Mukarama Road, close to parliament as security forces tried stop and check it. The militant group al-Shabab immediately claimed responsibility.

"The car ignored warning shots and forcibly ran through a heavily secured checkpoint manned by the country's presidential guards before it went off as we kept firing a volley of bullets," security official Aden Mohamed said after the attack.

A VOA reporter saw the bodies of at least seven people and witnessed many injured being transported by ambulances. Hospitals confirm that at least three other people have died from their wounds.

He said surrounding buildings were severely damaged or demolished by the blast, which sent huge plumes of smoke into the air.

In a separate incident, a car bomb went off near Mogadishu airport. Security officials at the airport said the car was stopped by soldiers manning an airport checkpoint and removed the driver before it went off.

"Our security officials foiled both car bombs and denied militants to reach their exact potential targets. We have taken the driver of the car that exploded near the airport into custody," said Somali police spokeswoman General Zakiyo.

In the central Somali town of Galkacyo, 720 kilometers from Mogadishu, gunmen killed nine civilians in retaliation for the killing of a Somali National Security official, who was gunned down in the town on Friday night.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility of the killing of the official.

The incident has caused outrage in the town and southern Somali town of Baidoa, however, where four of those killed came from.

"It was inhumane and unacceptable, wicked action that innocent civilians are targeted for what they have nothing to do with," said the president of South Western Regional State, Abdul Aziz Laftagareen.

He demanded that Galmudug Regional State immediately bring the suspects to justice.

"We are urging the authorities in the region to take action and bring those responsible for last night's massacre and another in the region on Wednesday in which four civilians from our region, who were in the business of beekeeping, were killed as they were harvesting honeybees."

Al-Shabab has been fighting for more than a decade to topple the government. The armed group gave up positions it once held in Mogadishu in 2011 and has since lost many of its strongholds. It retains control of large rural swaths of the country, though, and continues to wage an armed rebellion against the Western-backed Somali government.

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Saudi Crown Prince Accuses Iran of Attack on Tankers in Gulf of Oman

Sputnik News

02:51 16.06.2019(updated 04:25 16.06.2019)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accused rival Iran of twin attacks on oil tankers in a vital Gulf shipping channel, according to excerpts of an interview published early Sunday.

The Saudi Crown Prince called on the international community to take a "decisive stand" against what he believed was Iranian aggression during an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

"The Iranian regime did not respect the Japanese prime minister's visit to Tehran and while he was there replied to his efforts by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese," bin Salman said, quoted by the newspaper.

"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.

On 13 June, two oil tankers, the Panama-registered Kokuka Courageous, operated by Japan's Kokuka Sangyo Co, and Marshall Islands-flagged Front Altair, owned by Norway's Frontline, were hit by blasts in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz. Shortly after the explosions occurred, the Japanese Trade Ministry said in a statement that both ships were carrying "Japan-related cargo."

The United States claimed that Iran had attacked the vessels, yet has not provided any substantial evidence to support its claims. The US military subsequently released a video showing alleged Iranian forces removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers. The footage, however, did not show any boat names or flags that could help substantiate the claims. Iran has denied all the allegations of having a role in the incident.

The Saudi Crown Prince also noted in the interview that the kingdom's strategic relations with the United States would not be affected by "media campaigns or some stances published by US entities," referring to the media attention to last year's murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

 Sputnik

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New York Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Attempting to Join ISIS in Yemen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, June 14, 2019



Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Mohamed Rafik Naji was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment to be followed by five years supervised release by United States District Judge Frederic Block for attempting to provide material support or resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization. Naji pleaded guilty to the charge in February 2018.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. of the FBI's New York Field Office and Commissioner James P. O'Neill of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the sentence.

"Time and again, the United States has brought to justice those who have traveled from here to try and fight for ISIS," said Assistant Attorney General Demers. "This is just what Naji did. Today's sentence holds him accountable for his crime and I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this result."

"With today's sentence, Naji has been held accountable for trying to enter a foreign war zone and join ISIS' murderous cause," said United States Attorney Donoghue. "This Office, together with the FBI, the NYPD and all the members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force will take every step necessary to incapacitate terrorists like Naji and protect the American people. I commend the Task Force for its outstanding work in this case."

"Extremists like Mr. Naji believe murdering innocent people advances their political agendas," said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. "In the end, Mr. Naji, like many others before him, find the only thing their actions lead to is a different vantage point from which to watch the world pass by  through the steel bars of a federal prison. Mr. Naji will remember today as sentencing day, nothing more. Working day in and day out with our partners on the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, safeguards have been put in place to secure Times Square and other popular attractions so any would be terrorist will find it extremely difficult to carry out their plans. Our unified goal is to remain proactive and prevent acts before they occur, and once again I would like to thank all of those who ensure our safety."

"This case is a reminder that New York City remains the top target for terrorism in the U.S.," said NYPD Commissioner O'Neill. "The NYPD and its partners in law enforcement will never relent in the fight against terror. I want to thank the dedicated members of the JTTF who worked on this investigation to keep our City safe and the prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York."

By late 2014, Naji had become a committed supporter of ISIS's murderous cause as he repeatedly promoted and distributed ISIS propaganda with violent themes and messages on social media. In March 2015, Naji traveled from New York to Yemen in an effort to join ISIS. Naji also used social media to advise another person he could travel to join ISIS, but unbeknownst to Naji, that individual was a confidential source of information for the government (the CS). In an online conversation with the CS, Naji proclaimed his allegiance to ISIS, stating, "I belong to Islamic state only."

Following his return to the United States in September 2015, Naji continued to express his support for ISIS and violent jihad. In July 2016, following the ISIS-inspired terrorist truck attack in Nice, France, that killed scores of innocent civilians, Naji told the CS how easy it would be to carry out a similar attack in Times Square, explaining that ISIS "want[s] an operation in Times Square" and stating that an ISIS "reconnaissance group . . . put up scenes of Times Square." Naji further explained, "if there is a truck, I mean a garbage truck and one drives it there to Times Square and crushes them . . . Times Square day."

Naji has been incarcerated since his arrest in Brooklyn in November 2016.

The government's case is being handled by the Office's National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Ian C. Richardson is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Jacqueline L. Barkett of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.

Topic(s):

Counterterrorism

National Security

Component(s):

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

National Security Division (NSD)

USAO - New York, Eastern

Press Release Number: 19-668

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US targeting Russia power grid in increased online attacks: Report

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 08:10PM

The United States is increasing its cyber attacks against Russia's power grid in response to alleged Russian meddling in American elections.

Citing current and former US officials, The New York Times reported Saturday that Washington was deploying computer code into Russia's power grid along with other measures.

The move was described as a classified part of action against Russia over alleged disinformation and hacking attempts around the 2018 midterm elections.

"It has gotten far, far more aggressive over the past year," one senior intelligence official said. "We are doing things at a scale that we never contemplated a few years ago."

US national security adviser, John Bolton, said Tuesday that the United States was trying "to say to Russia, or anybody else that's engaged in cyber operations against us, 'You will pay a price.'"

"We thought the response in cyberspace against electoral meddling was the highest priority last year, and so that's what we focused on. But we're now opening the aperture, broadening the areas we're prepared to act in," Bolton warned. "We will impose costs on you until you get the point."

Russia has been accused of meddling in US elections, a claim dismissed by Moscow. After Donald Trump was elected into office in 2016, special counsel Robert Mueller began investigating trump ties with the Kremlin.

In his last statement, the special counsel neither cleared the president nor charged him, throwing the ball into the Congress' court.

Mueller argued that the decision not to charge Trump was made based on the Justice Department's longstanding policy of not bringing charges against a sitting president.

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Ebola Epidemic in DR Congo Not a Global Threat

By Lisa Schlein June 15, 2019

An emergency meeting convened by the World Health Organization has decided the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo does not constitute a public health emergency of international concern. However, the expert committee warns lack of funding threatens to hamper the ability to contain the deadly virus.

More than 1,400 people have died from Ebola in eastern DR Congo and more than 2,100 are infected with this fatal disease. This makes the epidemic in conflict-ridden North Kivu province the second largest after the West African outbreak in 2014, which killed some 11,300 people.

The recent spread of the Ebola virus into neighboring Uganda and deaths of two people prompted the World Health Organization to gather a group of experts to reassess the current situation and challenges ahead.

However, despite the grim tally and uncertain outlook, Acting Chair of the Emergency Committee, Preben Aavitsland, says the committee agrees the outbreak is a health emergency in the DRC and in the region, but poses a very low risk to countries outside the region. Indeed, he warns of serious consequences for the DRC by declaring the outbreak a global emergency.

"We risk to see restrictions on travel and trade. We risk to see airlines stopping their flights to the area," said Aavitsland. "And, we also risk border closures or restrictive measures at border that could severely harm the economy in the Democratic Republic of Congo."

Aavitsland says the committee decided there was little to gain, but much to lose by declaring the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

He says the most serious issue facing the Ebola operation is lack of international support. He says WHO and the affected countries have not received the funding and resources needed to bring the epidemic to an end.

He warns lack of funding is hampering preparedness efforts in Uganda and other countries neighboring the DRC. And, this, he warns increases their vulnerability to the potential spread of the virus.

WHO reports it needs $98 million through July, but is running a shortfall of $54 million. It is calling on the international community to step up and fill this gap as soon as possible.

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HKSAR Chief Executive announces suspension of amendments to Fugitive Offenders Ordinance

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/6/15 15:28:24

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced Saturday that the HKSAR government will suspend the exercise to amend the HKSAR's Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance.

"I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise," Lam told a press conference on Saturday afternoon at the HKSAR government headquarters building.

The HKSAR government's Secretary for Security will send a letter to the Legislative Council (LegCo) president to withdraw the notice of resumption of the second reading debate on the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill, and the LegCo will halt its work in relation to the bill until the HKSAR government completes its work in communication, explanation and listening to opinions, Lam said.

The bill, tabled by the HKSAR government at the LegCo in April, was originally scheduled to be discussed at a meeting on June 12. The LegCo meeting, however, was postponed due to riots around the complex of the HKSAR government and LegCo.

"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.

"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.

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Meetings held at top legislature, State Council, top political advisory body to advance CPC education campaign

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/6/15 10:00:16

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.

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Hong Kong indefinitely suspends extradition bill to 'restore peace'

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 09:47AM

Hong Kong has indefinitely suspended a proposed legislation that would allow extradition to mainland China, after days of protests across the city.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who formerly rejected calls to withdraw the plan, announced the decision on Saturday, saying that the urgency felt to pass the bill before the legislative year ends "perhaps no longer exists."

"The bill has caused a lot of division in society," she said. "I have to admit in terms of explanation and communication, there were inadequacies."

"We have to bear in mind the greatest interests of Hong Kong," she said, which involved "restoring peace and order."

If the bill becomes law, Hong Kong would be allowed to send suspects to other jurisdictions around the world, including to China and Taiwan.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to China in 1997  under a "one country, two systems" deal that guarantees it a level of autonomy, including a separate and independent legal system.

The proposed change in law, however, is considered by many as a threat to the city's autonomy.

A large-scale rally was held in the city last Saturday with the participation of more than a more than one million people who called on the government to retract the bill.

Then on Wednesday, just hours before the bill was due to be debated in the city's legislature, protests turned violent when tens of thousands of people moved to occupy key roads around government headquarters.

Unrest continues with protesters returning to the streets again on Thursday and police using tear gas and water canon to disperse them.

Clashes erupted between police and demonstrators, injuring at least 22 police officers and 60 protesters.

According to officials, eleven people were also arrested.

Western governments have voiced their opposition to the plan. China has reacted by warning against interference in its affairs.

Beijing also denounced the violence and expressed support for the government in Hong Kong.

On Friday, Beijing summoned Robert Forden, the US Deputy Chief of Mission in Beijing, to protest against Washington's interference 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 Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

"China will proceed with its next step based on the action taken by the US," it added.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Ben Cardin proposed legislation that would require Washington to issue an annual certification of Hong Kong's autonomy to justify the continuation of special treatment for the territory.

China, however, called on Washington "to give up its delusions of creating chaos in Hong Kong."

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China Backs Hong Kong Leader on Extradition Bill Delay

Sputnik News

15:21 15.06.2019

BEIJING (Sputnik) - China's Hong Kong Office on Saturday sided with the city's chief executive, Carrie Lam, who suspended a controversial extradition bill after violent mass protests.

"We support, respect and understand this decision," the body, which represents the semi-autonomous city at the State Council in Beijing, said in a statement.

Lam announced Saturday that a second reading of the bill would be delayed to restore calm after tens of thousands clashed with police and stormed government buildings on Wednesday.

A mass protest against the bill, involving hundreds of thousands of people, took place last Sunday and was followed by rallies on Wednesday that turned violent and left around 80 people injured. Another demonstration is reportedly expected to be held on Sunday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, has blamed western politicians for instigating the protests.

 Sputnik

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Hong Kong Suspends Extradition Law Amendments After Large-Scale Protests - Reports

Sputnik News

07:52 15.06.2019(updated 15:18 15.06.2019)

BEIJING (Sputnik)  Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam indefinitely suspended amendments to the extradition law on Saturday in the wake of mass protests against it in the Chinese autonomous territory.

Carrie Lam has delayed legislation that aimed to allow extradition from Hong Kong to various jurisdictions, including Mainland China, without any bilateral agreements, which are currently required for this process.

The news comes after South China Morning Post has reported, citing sources, that Chinese officials from Beijing who oversee Hong Kong's affairs met in the city of Shenzhen to discuss a solution to the crisis over the bill, which critics believe would allow the government to crack down on dissent in Hong Kong.

The Chinese news outlet emphasised that at the meeting in Shenzhen, officials discussed the pros and cons of suspending the bill or pushing it through the Parliament, but they did not raise the issue of completely withdrawing the amendments.

The outlet added that Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Hong Kong's chief executive, held a meeting with key city administration officials late on Friday to also discuss various options. Another meeting is expected to be held on Saturday.

A senior pro-government politician told the South China Morning Post that high-ranking officials would meet with pro-government lawmakers later in the day to provide details about the reasoning behind the bill's suspension.

A mass protest against the bill, involving hundreds of thousands of people, took place last Sunday and was followed by rallies on Wednesday that turned violent and left around 80 people injured. Another demonstration is reportedly expected to be held on Sunday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, has blamed western politicians for instigating the protests.

 Sputnik

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Hong Kong Suspends Extradition Bill as Protesters Plan New March

By Erin Hale June 15, 2019

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam applied the brakes Saturday on an unpopular piece of legislation that would allow extradition to mainland China after a week of protests roiled the autonomous Chinese territory.

At a hastily scheduled press conference announced Saturday, Lam told a packed room of reporters the government had "halted" its work on the bill so it could gather more feedback.

"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," Lam said.

Lam's announcement comes a day after she reportedly met with high-ranking Chinese officials in Shenzhen, according to the Sing Tao Daily newspaper.

She said she came to her decision after massive protests last Sunday and Wednesday, but continued to hold to previous talking points that the public simply did not understand how the bill would work.

"I have to admit that our explanation and communication work has not been sufficient or effective," she said. "Although many people agreed with our two original purposes, there are still supporting views and opposing ones on the bill, and their stances are very often polarized."

Under the most recent version of the bill, Hong Kong would, on a case-by-case basis, be able to extradite people to places where it does not have a long-term extradition agreement, although final approval would rest with the chief executive.

The bill was motivated by a recent murder case in Taiwan, where a Hong Kong man murdered his girlfriend while on vacation before returning home. Lam said she was deeply moved by the plight of the victim's family, as Taiwan and Hong Kong do not share an extradition agreement, so the suspect could only be prosecuted at home for lesser crimes.

"As a responsible government, I feel obliged to find a way to deal with the Taiwan murder case so that justice can be done for the deceased, her parents and society," Lam said.

Ongoing protests

While the government has said there are safeguards in the bill, many members of the public are highly suspicious of China's legal system and its history of political prosecutions.

On Saturday, a small group of protesters continued their vigil outside government headquarters, where many were making signs to be taped to a pedestrian walkway, while elsewhere, religious groups sang hymns.

Protester Queenie Tse said she felt Lam did not go far enough with simply suspending work on the bill and wanted to see it revoked. "I think she ignores all our opinions," Tse aid. "She still insists it is a must to have this bill, but we are quite against this bill.

"I think the suspension is not enough ...I think it just [delays] this law, it does not fulfill our wish," another protester Ky Pang said. "The most important thing ...is we do not trust the law in China. We are very afraid they will send us back to China and we will have an unfair trial."

Legal concerns

Their concerns also are shared by Hong Kong's top legal societies, international business groups, and Western governments, including the United States. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission has previously said the extradition bill could compromise its existing trade agreement with Hong Kong due to security concerns.

Despite Lam's promise to suspend the bill, organizers of recent protests have vowed to carry on with a planned march on Sunday. Civil Human Rights Front said it did not trust Lam's promises.

"Hong Kong people have been lied to many, many times," said vice-convener Bonnie Leung on Saturday, drawing comparisons to previous instances where the government pledged to postpone an unpopular initiative only to resume later.

"Development projects were postponed but after social pressure died down they simply continued with those development projects," she said. "The Hong Kong government simply cannot be trusted. The Hong Kong people know we have to take to the streets we have to continue our protest."

Leung said the next protest will take place on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. local time  with all protesters wearing black shirts in solidarity.

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Merkel Agrees to Boost German Military Spending Amid Trump's Pressure

Sputnik News

14:39 15.06.2019

Last year, US President Donald Trump pressured other NATO members to pump up their military spending to a voluntary goal of 2% GDP set in 2014, arguing that the US is bearing the brunt of the burden in the alliance, while others underperform.

Addressing the country's military on Bundeswehr Day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that Berlin will boost its defence spending next year in line with a gradual increase that has been taking place recently.

"It's good that we have been increasing the Bundeswehr's budget for years for the sake of our security and we will continue to do so next year", she said.

The chancellor added that the budget increase will allow the military to acquire more modern equipment to be able to cope with new challenges and tasks both domestically and abroad. Merkel however didn't specify how much the Bundeswehr's budget will increase in 2020.

Her statement comes after heated debates on defence spending rocked the NATO alliance with US President Donald Trump specifically slamming Germany in 2018 for spending money "on Russian gas" instead of spending it on the military to protect itself from an alleged Russian threat. He renewed his criticism in 2019 stating that Germany "is not paying their fair share".

German Bundeswehr soldiers of the 122th Infantry Battalion take part in a farewell ceremony in Oberviechtach, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017

Germany previously announced plans to increase military spending up to 1.35% in 2019 although falling short of fulfilling a promise of 2% of GDP. The country hopes to boost the number up to 1.5% by 2023, disregarding Trump's demands to do it "now".

Trump has also argued that all but 5 alliance members are not in compliance with the voluntary 2% goal on defence, while the US covers the lion's share of NATO's defence forces. He reportedly threatened to pull the US out of NATO if the situation doesn't change.

He managed to convince most of NATO's members to boost their military spending after an emergency alliance session in July 2018, although some of them noted that reaching the 2% GDP goal would take some time.

 Sputnik

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India May Replace An-32 in Critical Missions After Crash Near Chinese Border - Reports

Sputnik News

09:56 15.06.2019(updated 09:57 15.06.2019)

The news comes after earlier this month an AN-32 military plane went missing in Arunachal Pradesh near the border with China. The wreckage of the aircraft was finally found this week, with the rescue team finding no survivors in the crash.

The Indian Air Force is planning to replace its Antonov-32 planes (AN-32) that work in extreme conditions with Airbus C-295 transport aircraft, the Hindustan Times reported Saturday, citing three unnamed military officials.

"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", a source, who is familiar with the IAF's modernisation, told the newspaper.

According to another official, the Indian Defence Ministry has concluded price negotiations for 56 C-295 transports that may replace Avro 748 aircraft, as well as some AN-32.

He added that Airbus is expected to supply the first 16 aircraft in "flyaway condition" while the remaining 40 will be assembled in India by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).

"After the DAC's 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", according to a third IAF source.

At the moment, the IAF has a huge operating fleet of about 100 AN-32s. Despite the modernisation of the aircraft, there have been 55 accidents with the planes during the last decade.

The last catastrophe occurred on 3 June, when a plane with 13 people on board went missing soon after its departure from Jorhat. Its debris was found 8 days after the An-32 went off the radar.

 Sputnik

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Russia says interested in energy investment in Iran

Iran Press TV

Fri Jun 14, 2019 11:45PM

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have discussed expansion of business ties between the two states in a range of fields, particularly in the energy sector, despite Washington's unilateral sanctions.

The two sides met on Friday on the sidelines of the 19th Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Rouhani hailed the "good pace" of the implementation of economic agreements between Tehran and Moscow, particularly in the field of energy.

"The meeting of the Iran-Russia Joint Commission for Cooperation that is going to be held in Tehran next week will accelerate this process," he said.

"By adopting a law on trade with Eurasia in the Parliament, we will provide the preparations as soon as possible, which will accelerate business cooperation," he noted.

Putin, in turn, said his country "remains interested in being present and investing in the energy sector [of Iran] and is committed to cooperating in a wide range of areas of interest to the two countries."

Back in late May, Russian energy giant Gazprom had suggested that it was evaluating potential participation in Iran's energy projects.

"As of today we are at the stage of considering our participation in projects in Iran," Gazprom's deputy chief executive officer Vitaly Markelov said on May 28.

"A joint coordination committee with the Iranian side considers all those issues," Markelov added.

Gazprom reported on December 14, 2017 that it had signed a roadmap on implementation of projects in Iran and a memorandum of understanding on an LNG project in Iran.

Later in November 2018, Gazprom and National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) signed a number of memorandums of cooperation in the gas sector. The documents stipulated partnership in the field of development of Iranian gas fields, gas transporting and monetizing.

In their Friday talks, Rouhani and Putin also vowed to boost Tehran-Moscow relations in other bilateral, regional and international areas despite the US sanctions.

"Despite the existing problems, the two countries' trade relations are developing," Putin said in the meeting.

He also vowed that his country will implement the agreements it has signed with Iran on the construction of new units in the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

The remarks came one month after the US Department of State warned that sanctions would be imposed on countries that provided assistance to expanding Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant.

In 1992, Iran reached a deal with Russia on the first phase of the Bushehr project. The two sides signed a number of documents in November 2014, expanding cooperation in the field of peaceful use of atomic energy and opening the possibility of construction in Iran of up to eight power units.

In May 2018, President Donald Trump withdrew the US from a multilateral nuclear accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was reached between Iran and six world powers in 2015. Afterwards, Washington reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the deal.

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Iran slams France's inaction to save JCPOA, says INSTEX still 'on paper'

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 06:36PM

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has criticized France for its inaction in preserving the 2015 nuclear deal, saying a European-proposed financial mechanism meant to protect trade ties with Iran against the US sanctions is still "on paper".

"Despite the multiple negotiations that were held, the French president's promise to Iran's president to save the JCPOA was not fulfilled," Larijani said in a meeting with Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly Marielle de Sarnez in Tehran on Saturday, referring to the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

"In fact, it should be said that the INSTEX mechanism has remained on the paper," he said, referring to the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges which the UK, France and Germany -- the three European signatories of the JCPOA -- unveiled in January to protect trade with Iran from harsh US economic sanctions.

Larijani further underlined the significance of economic relations with France, saying that Paris can play a role in the region.nuc

The French lawmaker, for her part, highlighted the importance of parliamentary ties between Iran and France, saying the lawmakers of the two nations can play a significant role in tough times.

Expressing Europe's support for the nuclear deal, de Sarnez said her country is determined to achieve the objective of saving the JCPOA.

Later in the day, de Sarnez also held talks with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi.

Araqchi said that "the economic war that America has launched against the Iranian people has targeted the security and stability of the entire region and caused tension in the region."

The Iranian official described the JCPOA as "the only successful [outcome of] diplomacy to resolve problems through negotiation in the chaotic West Asian region."

"The United States has endangered diplomacy and multilateralism by leaving the deal and has exposed the experience to failure," he said.

After leaving the JCPOA last May, US President Donald Trump reimposed what he called "toughest ever" sanctions on Tehran and threatened to punish European firms that violated them.

Trump has promised that he will continue to implement the "maximum pressure" campaign until Iran agrees to renegotiate a deal that also addresses its ballistic missile program and curbs its regional influence.

The European trio claimed upon unveiling the long-awaited special trade vehicle that they would try to keep the nuclear deal alive.

Tehran, however, has made it clear ever since that it is already considering several trade agreements with its neighbors and close allies as alternatives to the European solution.

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US extends waivers for Iraq to import gas, electricity from Iran

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 01:39PM

Washington has granted Iraq another 90-day waiver to allow it to keep importing gas and electricity from neighboring Iran, which is under tough US sanctions, two Iraqi government sources say.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one of the sources said on Saturday that the extension came following "long discussions" with Washington ahead of a looming deadline on a previous extension granted in March.

Another source, who also asked not to be named, said the extension was given during a phone call between Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The Associated Press and AFP have reported a 90-day waiver, but Reuters says the waiver has been extended for 120 days, citing an emailed statement by the US Department of State.

"An additional 120-day waiver was granted to allow Iraq to continue to pay for electricity imports from Iran," the statement read.

The State Department said the United States continued to insist on "diversifying energy imports away from Iran," however.

The administration of US President Donald Trump said in March it was extending a three-month waiver for the second time to let Iraq continue energy imports from Iran.

The US gave Iraq an initial 45-day waiver to let Baghdad continue buying electricity and natural gas from Iran and extended it by 90 days in December after it reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Gas imports from Iran generate as much as 45 percent of Iraq's 14,000 megawatts of electricity consumed daily. Iran transmits another 1,000 megawatts directly, making itself an indispensable energy source for its Arab neighbor.

Iraq and Iran share a 1,400-kilometer-long border. For their run-of-the-mill maintenance, Iraqis depend on Iranian companies for many things from food to machinery, electricity, natural gas, fruits and vegetables.

The Trump administration is pressing Iraq to stop buying natural gas and electricity from Iran, but Baghdad is pushing back against the pressure, The New York Times reported in February.

Trump reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran's energy and finance sectors in November last year following a decision to withdraw from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal signed between Tehran and six major world powers.

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Iran to 'take further measures' if JCPOA sides fail it: Rouhani

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:33AM

President Hassan Rouhani has renewed Iran's ultimatum to scale back its commitments under a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal in the absence of "a proper response" from the remaining signatories.

Rouhani said Saturday Iran's compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has repeatedly been verified by the UN nuclear agency.

The president touched on the US pullout from the JCPOA and its reimposition of illegal sanctions on Tehran, saying Iran still believes that the remaining sides could play an important role in increasing regional global and stability if they honored their obligations.

"Obviously, Iran cannot unilaterally remain the sole party committed to the JCPOA," Rouhani told the 5th Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe.

"Other countries also need to pay their share to save this important agreement," he added.

Rouhani touched on Iran's decision last month to walk away from some of the restrictions of the nuclear deal in response to the other parties' failure to uphold their side of the bargain.

"Now that our utmost goodwill and strategic patience in one hand and the US violation of law on the other hand have been proven to everyone, the Islamic Republic of Iran has decided to reduce its commitments based on Articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA to restore balance to the agreement while being ready for any interaction," Rouhani said.

"If we don't receive a proper response, we will inevitably take further measures," he added.

The JCPOA was signed between Iran and six world states  namely the US, Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China. Washington, however, left the accord last May, leaving the future of the historic deal in limbo.

Critical of Washington's move, the European parties to the JCPOA vowed efforts to keep the deal in place by protecting Tehran against the US sanctions, but did little in practice.

Last month, Iran suspended some of its commitments under Articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA, giving the other signatories 60 days to put their verbal support for the accord into concrete action.

EU official in Tehran

On Saturday, Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Helga Schmid held talks with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi in Tehran.

Before arriving in Tehran, Schmid visited the UAE, Oman and Qatar. She was expected to discuss a non-dollar direct payment channel, called the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchange (INSTEX), with Iranian officials.

'Iran a powerful barrier against terror'

In his address, the Iranian president also said the Islamic Republic has acted as "a powerful block" against the Takfiri terrorism in both Syria and Iraq, and prevented the spread of the scourge to other parts of the world.

Rouhani hailed Iran's "meritorious" role in providing peace and stability in the region and the world.

He further blasted some foreign powers for turning the Middle East into one of the most unstable regions through their interference in domestic affairs of the countries and their support for terrorism as well as their blatant violation of international accords.

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U.S. Looks To Build International Support Amid Soaring Tensions With Iran

By RFE/RL June 15, 2019

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 Washington's 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.

Shi'ite Muslim Iran's 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 Iran's banking and all-important energy sector.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-builds-international-support- iran-oil-tankers-gulf-attacks/30000660.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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Iran's President Says Tehran To Scale Back Compliance With 2015 Nuclear Deal

By RFE/RL June 15, 2019

Iranian President Hassan Rohani says his country will continue scaling back on compliance of its nuclear deal with world powers unless other signatories to the agreement show "positive signals."

Speaking on June 15 at a summit of Asian leaders in Dushanbe, Rohani said his country "has made a decision to terminate the implementation of some of its obligations" under the 2015 nuclear deal.

He did not specify what obligations Iran would scale back on or say what positive signals Tehran wants to see.

In May, Iran stopped complying with some commitments in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the accord and reimpose sanctions.

"Obviously, Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally," Rohani told Russian, Chinese, and other Asian leaders at the summit of the 27-member regional grouping called the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building-Measures in Asia (CICA).

He said Tehran is "continuing to adhere" to some commitments under the deal. But he said the decision to scale back on additional obligations was made because of what he called "confrontation" by the United States, Trump's "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 CICA summit.

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 who 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 said Moscow would adhere to the agreement and urged other signatories to do so as well.

Putin also criticized Washington for its "trade war" with China and for using "bullying and attempts to eliminate competitors through nonmarket methods," according to the Kremlin.

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said 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 Turkey's government will retaliate against any possible sanctions imposed against Ankara by the United States over Turkey's deal to buy the S-400 surface-to-air missile-defense system from Russia.

Ankara's 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

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-s-president-says- tehran-will-stop-implementing-some-obligation s-under-nuclear-deal/30000847.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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Pompeo Speaks With Iraqi PM, Shares U.S. Assessment Of Iranian Blame For Attacks

By RFE/RL June 15, 2019

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke by phone with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, emphasizing "our shared desire for a strong, free, and sovereign Iraq," the State Department said.

Spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on June 14 that Pompeo thanked the prime minister for Iraq's continued efforts to counter threats to Iraq's sovereignty from Iran-backed militias.

Pompeo reiterated the U.S. commitment to upholding freedom of navigation in the region in the wake of attacks on oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman that Washington has blamed on Iran. Tehran has denied involvement.

The U.S. spokeswoman said Pompeo shared "our assessment that Iran was responsible for attacking two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman."

She said Pompeo thanked Mahdi for his commitment to protect U.S. personnel in Iraq and said Washington will continue to help Iraq build up its security forces.

Iraq has strong ties to both the United States and neighboring Iran. Washington provides military, political, and financial aid, while Tehran has great influence with Iraq's Shi'ite Muslim population and aids militia groups operating in Iraq.

Mahdi last month met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Baghdad to discuss the "dangers of a war" in the region amid soaring tensions between the United States and Iran.

Mahdi on May 21 said Iraq is "playing a role to calm the situation, but it is not a mediation."

Mahdi added at the time that Iranian and U.S. officials had informed Baghdad that they have "no desire in fighting a war."

Relations between Tehran and Washington have plummeted since the United States a year ago pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal that curbed Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from crippling economic sanctions.

Since then, Washington has stepped up its rhetoric and reimposed sanctions.

Washington has ordered a beefing up of U.S. military assets in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, citing "imminent threats" from Iran, and ordered the evacuation of personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

With reporting by AP and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pompeo-speaks- iraqi-mahdi-shares-assessment-iran- tanker-attacks/30000682.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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Iran to Roll Back Nuclear Deal Commitments Further Unless Situation Changes

Sputnik News

20:00 15.06.2019

Following the US unilateral withdrawal from the deal, other signatories to it have vowed to continue adhering to the agreement. However, Tehran has voiced displeasure at how these countries are living up to their promises and has therefore reportedly suspended some of its commitments under the nuclear deal.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned that Tehran will continue backtracking on its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, if other signatories do not send some "positive signals" in terms of protecting the Iranian economy from the unilateral American sanctions.

"Obviously, Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally. It is necessary that all the sides of this agreement contribute to restoring it", Rouhani said.

The Iranian president didn't specify what Tehran's next steps would be if the remaining signatories do not take action.

In May, on the anniversary of the unilateral US withdrawal from the JCPOA, Iran announced that it would be suspending some of its "voluntary" commitments under the accord unless the remaining parties to the deal do something to fulfil their obligations and protect Iran's economy from American sanctions within the next 60 days.

Following the announcement, the remaining signatories expressed their readiness to salvage the deal. Despite similar efforts previously undertaken by the parties to the JCPOA, many companies have refused to continue doing business with Iran for fear of US sanctions. Russia and China have accused Washington of torpedoing the crucial accord that limited Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for lifting sanctions.

The JCPOA was signed in 2015 by Russia, the US, China, Britain, France, and Germany, but on 8 May 2018, US President Trump announced that his country would leave the agreement, claiming that it was "flawed at its core". Since then, Trump has repeatedly called on Tehran to negotiate a new deal, but Iran has declined to do so.

Iran has explained that it will not sit down at the negotiation table under pressure and will not hold talks with the US until it starts fulfilling its obligations under the existing agreements.

 Sputnik

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Iran Summons Britain's Ambassador to Tehran About Tankers

By Carla Babb June 15, 2019

Iran summoned the British ambassador to Tehran on Saturday after Britain placed the blame on the country for the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, according to Iran's ISNA news agency.

"During the meeting with Iran's Foreign Ministry official, Iran strongly criticized 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 put out a statement Friday blaming Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for the attacks and asserting no other state or nonstate actor could have been behind them. Iran is denying it had anything to do with the attacks.

Meanwhile, crew members of the Norwegian-owned oil tanker that was attacked arrived in Dubai Saturday after spending two days in Iran. Both tankers are now off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The Front Altair arrived under tow, while the Kokuka Courageous made the trip under its own power.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan said the U.S. was trying to build "international consensus" in the Middle East after the attacks.

"We obviously need to make contingency plans should the situation deteriorate, but we also need to broaden our support for this international situation," Shanahan said Friday.

Video from U.S. military

The U.S. is blaming Iran for the attacks, and the military has provided video that it says shows people on an Iranian patrol boat removing an unexploded limpet mine from the hull of the Kokuka Courageous tanker.

The vessel is owned by Kokuka Sangyo, a Japanese shipping company, and the other tanker, Front Altair, is owned by Frontline, a Norwegian company.

Frontline CEO Robert Hvide Macleod told VOA the company was in close contact with the crew, who were in Iranian custody, and that they were being treated very well.

MacLeod added that the Front Altair was drifting safely and towing was to begin soon.

Frontline said a rescue tug equipped with towing capability reached the Front Altair at noon on June 14 and that two other support vessels were to arrive on the scene Saturday to with a specialist team to inspect the tanker and make recommendations.

A U.S. official, who spoke to VOA on condition of anonymity, said Iranian fast attack craft were preventing two tugboats, which the Norwegian company had hired, from towing the Front Altair away.

The crew was taken into Iranian custody after a civilian craft, the Hyundai Dubai, rescued them.

According to a U.S. defense official, the master of the Hyundai Dubai told American forces that Iranian forces surrounded his ship and "demanded" the crew of the Altair be released to the Iranians. The master said he felt "obligated and compelled" to comply, despite instructions from the crew's company that the crew not be turned over to Iran.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that Iran's navy rescued 44 crew members from the tankers.

The attacks

Both ships appeared to have been struck by mines.

The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based U.S. Fifth Fleet received distress calls from both stricken tankers about an hour apart. The guided missile destroyer USS Bainbridge approached the Dutch tug Coastal Ace, which had rescued the crew of 21 sailors from the Kokuka Courageous after the unexploded mine was discovered on the hull and they abandoned ship.

At the request of the master of the Kokuka Courageous, the sailors remained on the Bainbridge for several hours and were returned to their ship Friday to go with it to port, said Army Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a spokesman for the U.S. military's Central Command.

Brown said a large tugboat from the UAE was now moving the Kokuka toward Fujaira, which could take several days. The Bainbridge and USS Mason remained nearby to "keep an eye out" for the crew's safety, he added.

Japan condemned the attacks, which occurred as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Iran to try to ease tensions in the region.

The head of the Kokuka Sangyo shipping company said its ship had been attacked twice, with one explosion near the engine room and another on the right-hand side, near the back.

'Flying object'

Speaking to reporters Friday, Yutaka Katada said crew members reported seeing a "flying object" just before the second blast on board.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday that the timing of the attacks was "beyond suspicious" because the Japanese prime minister was in Tehran meeting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

On Friday, Zarif tweeted the U.S. "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence." Zarif also accused the U.S. of engaging in "sabotage diplomacy" during Abe's visit to Iran.

China said it was deeply concerned about tensions in the region and called for restraint. "Nobody wants to see war in the Gulf," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang. "We hope all relevant parties remain calm and exercise restraint."

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced his concern about the rising tensions in the region. "The world cannot afford a major confrontation in the Gulf," he said.

The Gulf of Oman is next to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane. About 30% of the world's seaborne crude oil travels through the strait.

Margaret Besheer and Wayne Lee contributed to this report.

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Iran to Curtail Compliance With Nuclear Deal as Mideast Tensions Heighten

By VOA News June 15, 2019

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says his country will continue to curtail its compliance with a nuclear deal unless other global powers that entered the agreement show "positive signals."

Iran began reducing its commitment to the pact in May after the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord last year and imposed more sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Speaking at a conference of Asian leaders in Tajikistan, Rouhani warned Tehran would "inevitably have to take more measures" if it doesn't get what it considers appropriate responses. "Obviously, Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally," he declared.

Rouhani did not elaborate on what Iran would consider positive signs.

Rouhani's comments came as tensions between Iran and the U.S. continue to rise following Thursday's attacks on two oil tankers in the strategic waterway in the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. has accused Tehran of carrying out the attacks, a charge Iran has denied.

Rouhani spoke at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, which is attended by the other signatory countries of Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would comply with the agreement and called on the other signatories to do the same. "We believe that the only sensible decision is for all deal participants to honor our commitments," Putin told the conference.

U.S. pressure

The U.S. withdrew from a 2015 accord between Iran and world powers to curb Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

The U.S. considers the agreement flawed and is trying to force Iran into new talks after reimposing crippling oil sanctions against the Islamic Republic and initiating a military buildup in the Persian Gulf region.

Iran responded in May with threats to resume an uranium enrichment program unless the other world powers that signed the accord protect Iran's oil and banking industries from the sanctions.

Tehran has accused the U.S. of destabilizing the region and maintains its nuclear program is peaceful and its missile development is for defense purposes.

France and other European signatories have said they want to preserve the agreement but many of their companies have canceled business deals with Tehran in response to pressure from the U.S.

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Military Base Hosting US Troops Comes Under Mortar Attack in Iraq

Sputnik News

14:11 15.06.2019(updated 14:39 15.06.2019)

News about the assault comes amid rising tensions in the region, as Washington accused Iran of attacking several tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this month.

Iraq's military said in a statement that militants attacked the Balad Air Base north of Baghdad on Saturday, firing three mortar shells. No casualties have been reported, however, the attack caused small fires, which were extinguished immediately.

According to AP, citing an anonymous security officer that American trainers are stationed at Balad air base.

The assault comes just a month after the US put its facilities in the Middle Eastern country on alert, ordering all non-emergency government employees to leave Iraq.

Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, where international facilities are located, also suffered a rocket attack.

The United States and its allies have been fighting the Daesh* terror group in Syria and Iraq since 2014. During that period, US-led forces have killed at least 1,302 civilians, according to the Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (JTF-OIR).

* Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/IS/Islamic State) is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia

 Sputnik

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Saudi Energy Minister Says Quick, Decisive Response Needed to Energy Supply Threat

Sputnik News

18:03 15.06.2019

DOHA (Sputnik) - Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Falih said on Saturday that it was imperative to respond "quickly and decisively" to the threat to energy supplies, following the recent attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

"It is imperative to respond quickly and decisively to the threat to energy supplies", Falih said, as cited by the Saudi Sabq news media, during a ministerial meeting before the 2019 G20 Osaka summit in Japan on Saturday.

Falih added that more resources should be invested globally into the research and development of new clean energy sources in order to decrease the negative impact that traditional energy sources had on the environment.

On Thursday, two oil tankers, Kokuka Courageous and Front Altair, suffered explosions and fires in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. While the causes of the incident remain unknown, the United States claimed that Iran had attacked the vessels.

However, Washington had not provided any evidence to support its claims. The US military subsequently released a video showing alleged Iranian forces removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers. The footage, however, did not show any boat names or flags that could help substantiate the claims.

Iran has denied all the allegations of having a role in the incident.

 Sputnik

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Wildfires cause explosion at Syrian military zone in Damascus suburbs

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 06:09PM

Syria's official news agency SANA says an explosion at a Syrian army ammunition depot in a military zone northwest of the capital Damascus was caused by wildfires.

"An ammunition depot for the Syrian army in northwestern Damascus exploded after a fire in nearby fields started spreading," a military source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told SANA on Saturday.

The report added that the ammunition depot was located in a military zone in Dummar district, which is located in the northwestern flank of Damascus.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the explosion wounded eight pro-government forces, with some of them being in critical condition.

The development came on the same day that Syrian government forces, backed by allied fighters from popular defense groups, made fresh gains in the country's northwest, tightening the grip on members of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front.

Syrian army troops and their allies managed to take control of several strategic areas in Hama and Idlib provinces, dealing heavy blows to the foreign-sponsored terrorists.

The Damascus government says militants positioned in the two provinces are attacking army bases and residential areas in flagrant violation of a truce.

The Syrian army has warned that any possible large-scale attack by terror groups would mark their end. The stern warning comes amid reports that Takfiris are preparing to launch new attacks on government-held areas in the western part of the country.

Under a deal reached following a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on September 17, 2018, all militants in a demilitarized zone, which surrounds Idlib and also parts of the adjacent provinces of Aleppo and Hama, were supposed to pull out heavy arms by October 17, and Takfiri groups had to withdraw by October 15 last year.

The National Front for the Liberation of Syria is the main Turkish-backed militant alliance in the Idlib region, but the Takfiri Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group, which is a coalition of different factions of terror outfits, largely composed of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, holds a large part of the province and the zone.

The HTS, which is said to be in control of some 60 percent of Idlib province, has yet to announce its stance on the buffer zone deal.

It is estimated that between 10,000 and 15,000 members of different factions of armed groups, which Syria, Russia and Turkey consider terrorists, are active in the volatile province, which is home to around three million inhabitants.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups that are wreaking havoc on the country.

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Syrian refugees staying in Lebanon for economic reasons, not security fear: Bassil

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 15, 2019 04:58PM

Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil says Syrian refugees are staying in Lebanon for economic reasons, even though three quarters of them could return to their homeland as they face no fear of political persecution or threat to their security.

"Most of the Syrians  much more than 75%  are no more in security and political fear, but are staying for economic reasons. We know more than 500,000 Syrians are working in Lebanon. They are working everywhere in breach of our labor laws, and yet even though they break the law they are not being repatriated."

"They are working in Lebanon, taking jobs from the Lebanese because they are paid at cheaper rate as they have no taxes to pay and they are being assisted on top of the wages they are paid," Bassil said in an interview with British newspaper the Guardian published on Saturday.

Bassil further stressed that it was not his government's policy to try to force Syrians to return to their country.

The top Lebanese diplomat then lauded his country's record of welcoming Syrian refugees.

"No one country did what Lebanon did. No one country is able to host 200 refugees per square kilometer, more than 40% of its population Despite all that we have endured we never thought of forcing anyone to return. We are talking of a dignified and safe gradual return for people who are willing."

"That now applies to the majority of Syrians in Lebanon because now most of Syria is safe and most of those in Lebanon do not face any political or security obstacles for their return. They are staying because they are assisted to stay in Lebanon, and if they go back to Syria they will lose that assistance. This is the main reason," Bassil noted.

"They are receiving aid for every aspect of their lives; they are receiving free education, shelter and healthcare. They are better covered on health than the Lebanese. They are afraid that once they leave, they will lose the assistance," the Lebanese foreign minister asserted.

More than one million Syrian refugees are registered with the UNHCR in Lebanon.

The Beirut government estimates that the true number of Syrians in Lebanon stands at 1.5 million.

In February, Lebanon's minister of state for displaced affairs said his country would stick primarily to a Russian strategy for the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.

"The Russian strategy will be adopted as a basis for our approach toward the return of Syrian refugees to Syria," Saleh Gharib told China's official Xinhua news agency on February 6.

He also did not deny the possibility of visiting Syria, or conducting a direct dialogue with high-ranking government officials in Damascus to secure the return of Syrian refugees.

The strategy to help Syrian refugees go back to their homes was drawn up following a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the Finnish capital city of Helsinki on July 16, 2018.

It specifies about 76 residential neighborhoods in Syria's central provinces of Homs and Hama, the northwestern province of Idlib as well as Damascus to enable the return of 360,000 Syrian refugees as a first step.

The strategy also entails the rehabilitation of houses in the mentioned areas, which would allow the return of 500,000 more Syrian refugees within two years.

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Taiwan blasts HK for using murder case to justify extradition bill

ROC Central News Agency

2019/06/15 21:44:04

Taipei, June 15 (CNA) Taiwan's Presidential Office has blasted the Hong Kong government for using a murder case involving Taiwan as an excuse to legislate a bill that raises human rights concerns, calling such a tactic "irresponsible and immoral."

"The Hong Kong government's use of a (criminal) case involving Taiwan as a pretext to legislate a bill that may violate human rights is irresponsible and lacks a sense of morality," the office said in a statement Saturday evening.

The office was referring to remarks by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam () on Saturday that used Taiwan as an excuse to suspend the bill's legislative process after citing Taiwan as the reason to push for it.

Hong Kong proposed the bill after a case implicating Chan Tung-kai () in a murder in Taiwan exposed a legal loophole in Hong Kong's judicial system, Lam said, reiterating the use of Chen's case to justify the bill by Hong Kong authorities.

The previous urgency for the bill's passage no longer existed, however, after Taiwan's government repeatedly said it would not accept Chen's extradition to Taiwan if the transfer was predicated on the passage of a bill that could raise human rights concerns, Lam said.

A Hong Kong citizen, Chen fled back to Hong Kong after he allegedly murdered his girlfriend while they were on a trip to Taiwan in February 2018.

As Hong Kong does not have an extradition agreement with Taiwan, it cannot send the suspect to be prosecuted and stand trial in Taiwan, which has jurisdiction over the case.

The extradition bill would allow Hong Kong authorities to extradite crime suspects to China, Taiwan and Macau, raising fears it could threaten the human rights of Hong Kong nationals by subjecting them to China's arbitrary judicial system.

The bill triggered widespread protests that may have ultimately forced Lam's hand to pull back from pushing through the legislation in Hong Kong's Legislative Council.

Urging the Hong Kong government to safeguard the region's freedom and democracy, the Presidential Office said Lam's administration should take Hong Kongers' expectations to choose their preferred way of life and government system seriously and respond to them.

"We are paying close attention (to the case) and support Hong Kongers' aspiration to pursue freedom, democracy and human rights," the office said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu () took to Twitter on Saturday to vent his discontent with Hong Kong's handling of the controversial bill.

"I'm deeply upset by the assault on freedom & #HumanRights in #HongKong. 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!"

Despite the bill's temporary suspension, the continued lack of a mutual judicial assistance mechanism between Taiwan and Hong Kong means Taiwan still has no good option to go after Hong Kongers who commit a crime within its borders but then flee before they are caught.

Chiu Chui-cheng (), deputy chief of the Mainland Affairs Council, the top government agency in charge of cross-Taiwan Strait affairs, told CNA that the government hopes Chen's case can be dealt with as an individual case, instead of being tied to a bill that may pose a threat to human rights.

"Both sides should explore the establishment of a judicial mutual assistance mechanism based on the principles of equality, dignity and reciprocity, whether it is for individual cases or long-term cooperation," Chiu said.

But he acknowledged that Taiwan has already made three requests to its Hong Kong counterpart for mutual judicial assistance on Chen's case, but to no avail.

Instead, Lam's administration put forward a bill that has spawned widespread controversy, Chiu said. "We only asked for a glass of milk, but (the Hong Kong government) used it as an excuse to start a farm and even keep a crocodile inside it," he said.

Asked about the possibility of Taiwan and Hong Kong inking a judicial mutual assistance agreement, Chiu hinted that the chances of signing such a document were low, given the special nature of ties between Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

(By Stacy Hsu)

Enditem/ls

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UK to Send Marines to Persian Gulf Region to Protect Country's Vessels  Reports

Sputnik News

04:27 16.06.2019

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The United Kingdom decided to send 100 marines to the Persian Gulf region in order to protect its military and merchant vessels after the recent incident in the Gulf of Oman, local media reported on Sunday.

On Thursday, two oil tankers, Kokuka Courageous and Front Altair, suffered explosions and fires in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. Causes of the incident remain unknown, while the United States and the United Kingdom accuse Iran of attacking the tankers.

According to The Sunday Times newspaper, marines from 42 Commando based near the city of Plymouth will form the Special Purpose Task Group 19 that will patrol the Persian Gulf region from the UK naval base in Bahrain, which was opened last year.

On Friday, the UK Foreign Office accused the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of attacking tankers in the Gulf of Oman. A day earlier, the similar remarks were made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Tehran refuted the accusations, while Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov warned against attempts to lay the blame on Iran before any thorough investigation into the incident.

 Sputnik

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UK Royal Marines Reportedly Deployed to Gulf in Wake of Tanker Attacks Blamed on Iran

Sputnik News

11:20 15.06.2019(updated 11:22 15.06.2019)

The reported development comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East as the United States and its regional allies have accused Iran of orchestrating an attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week. Tehran has strongly rejected the allegations as unfounded.

The Royal Marines are being deployed to the Gulf of Oman following an incident, in which two oil tankers were targeted near the Strait of Hormuz on 13 June, causing explosions and a fire on at least one of them, the Daily Star reported, citing unnamed sources.

The troops will purportedly be tasked with keeping British vessels safe, using equipment to search the open sea for "fast Iranian attack craft" and "terminate" them if deemed necessary.

"We have had marines in the region on anti-piracy and counter-terrorist operations for some time. If the current situation escalates I expect we will see more personnel deployed to bolster the operation", the source was quoted as saying.

According to the UK tabloid, the marines will be equipped with sniper rifles and light machine guns, but they have been instructed to use them only as a last resort.

An estimated 120 specialist troops from 42 Commando, a subordinate unit within the Royal Marines 3 Commando Brigade, are heading Bahrain as part of what has been dubbed Special Purpose Task Group 19, the Daily Star claimed.

The Defence Ministry has not commented on the reports so far.

While the UK government is fuelling the US version of events pointing the finger at Iran for the attacks in the tankers, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has questioned that assessment, insisting on the need for credible evidence.

His savage tweet came in response to UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt's assumption that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was "almost certainly" behind the attacks.

"No other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible. These latest attacks build on a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region", Hunt said Friday.

The foreign secretary's judgement followed the release of a video by the US Central Command claiming to show Iranians removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers' hull as "proof" of Iran being the culprit.

Not only has this footage been blasted by several nations, such as Germany, saying that it was simply not enough to prove that Tehran was to blame, but it has as well been ripped by Yutaka Katada, the president of the Japanese company operating the tanker Kokuka Courageous.

"I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship. A mine doesn't damage a ship above sea level. We aren't sure exactly what hit, but it was something flying towards the ship", Katada was cited as saying by the Japanese media.

As Iran has repeatedly denied its involvement in the incident and called on the United States to stop the "blame game", President Donald Trump doubled down on the accusations in a Friday interview with Fox News by once again referring to CENTCOM's video.

"Iran did do it and you know they did it because you saw the boat. You saw the boat at night, successfully trying to take the mine off and that was exposed. I guess one of the mines didn't explode and it's probably got essentially Iran written all over it", POTUS said.

Two oil tankers carrying "Japan-related cargo", Kokuka Courageous, registered in Panama and operated by Japan's Kokuka Sangyo Co, and Marshall Islands-flagged Front Altair, owned by Norway's Frontline, were hit by explosions in the Gulf of Oman on 13 June.

 Sputnik

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Russia Begins Handing Out Passports To Ukrainians From Conflict Zone

By RFE/RL June 14, 2019

Russia has begun handing out Russian passports to Ukrainians from separatist-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine, a move condemned by Kyiv as "legally void."

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to simplify the process for Ukrainian citizens in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions to get Russian citizenship just days after Volodomyr Zelenskiy won the country's presidential runoff on April 21. The move was slammed in Ukraine and abroad as an attempt to undermine Zelenskiy.

According to Russian state media, more than 60 Ukrainians from Donetsk and Luhansk were reportedly handed Russian passports at a ceremony in Russia's Rostov region on June 14.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said the Russian move won't "have any legal consequences and won't be recognized by the Ukrainian side and the world," a statement quoted by Ukrainian media said.

Ukraine has threatened to revoke the citizenship of those who accept Russian passports through the program.

Earlier this week, the European Union threatened that it would not recognize Russian passports obtained through what it denounced as an illegal method.

Giving Russian citizenship en masse to people in Ukrainian regions "runs counter to the spirit and the objectives" of the cease-fire commitments, the EU said in a statement.

Russia's Interior Ministry has received 12,000 passport applications under the program in the Rostov region, the state-run TASS news agency reported.

Zelenskiy has mocked the passport offer, telling Ukrainians not to bother since Russian citizenship means "the right to be arrested for peaceful protests," and "the right not to have free and competitive elections."

Russia-backed separatists have been fighting the Ukrainian military in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions for the past five years.

Some 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to estimates by the United Nations.

With reporting by 112.international, dpa, and TASS

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-builds- international-support-iran-oil-tankers -gulf-attacks/30000660.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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Zelenskiy Visits Mariupol As City Celebrates Fifth Anniversary Of 'Liberation'

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service June 15, 2019

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 Ukraine's 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

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskiy-visits-mariupol -as-city-celebrates-fifth-anniversary -of-liberation-/30001356.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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Dublin, June 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "The Payments Landscape in Peru: Opportunities & Risks to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Payments Landscape in Peru: Opportunities and Risks to 2023 provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Peruvian cards and payments industry.



It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cards, credit transfers, direct debits, and cheques during the review-period (2015-19e). The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry, and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2019-23f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including the market shares of issuers and schemes.



The report brings together research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers details of regulatory policy and recent changes in the regulatory structure.



Market Insights



The use of cash for consumer payments remains highly prevalent among Peruvians. This is mainly due to the high unbanked population, inadequate banking infrastructure, limited public awareness of electronic payments, and low acceptance of payment cards at merchant outlets. With the government putting concentrated efforts into promoting electronic payments in the country via financial inclusion initiatives and payroll cards, payment cards have gradually gained prominence. As a result of efforts undertaken by Banco Central de Reserva del Per, the adult banked population is estimated to reach 47.9% in 2019 - up significantly from 34% in 2015.



Subsequently, the number of payment cards in circulation, transaction volume, and transaction value recorded robust review-period (2015-19e) compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 8.4%, 12.3%, and 9.6% respectively - a trend that is anticipated to continue over the forecast period (2019e-23f). The emergence of contactless technology and e-commerce growth are expected to further support the payment card market.



Debit cards remain the dominant card type in terms of circulation. Growth is supported by the rising banked population, the government's financial inclusion initiatives, the availability of low-cost bank accounts, and the rising adoption of payroll accounts. Banks are offering benefits to encourage debit card usage for payments, with the frequency of debit card payments per card registering a CAGR of 9.3% during the review period. Credit card penetration has traditionally been low in Peru, standing at 21.2 cards per 100 individuals in 2019. This is mainly due to limited financial inclusion and low awareness of the benefits of credit cards. Despite lower penetration, credit cards are increasingly used for payments, with credit card payments accounting for 70.6% of total payment transaction value in 2019.



The Peruvian e-commerce market registered significant growth, increasing from PEN6.1bn ($1.8bn) in 2015 to PEN22.1bn ($6.5bn) in 2019 at a review-period CAGR of 37.7%. Growth was supported by the increasing popularity of online shopping, rising internet penetration, and the wide range of products and services offered by online retailers. In addition, the availability of secure online payment solutions including PayPal, Visa Checkout, and paysafecard also supported this growth.



The report provides:

Current and forecast values for each market in the Peruvian cards and payments industry, including debit and credit cards

Detailed insights into payment instruments including cards, credit transfers, direct debits, and cheques. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments

Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Peruvian cards and payments industry

Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit and credit cards

The report enables the user to:

Make strategic business decisions, using top-level historic and forecast market data, related to the Peruvian cards and payments industry and each market within it

Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities in the Peruvian cards and payments industry

Assess the competitive dynamics in the Peruvian cards and payments industry

Gain insights into marketing strategies used for various card types in Peru

Gain insights into key regulations governing the Peruvian cards and payments industry

Select Findings



1) To offer faster and secure payments, Camara de Compensacion Electronica (CEE) introduced an instant payment service in July 2016. Using the service, transfers of up to PEN30,000 ($8,875.48) in domestic currency and $10,000 in foreign currency can be made within a maximum of 30 seconds. During 2018 over 2.6 million transactions were processed via this system, up from 1.2 million in 2017 - representing year-on-year growth of 114%. In terms of transaction value, immediate payments accounted for PEN5.7bn ($1.7bn) in 2018, growth of 94% from 2017. In Peru, BCP, BBVA Continental (subsidiary of BBVA), Banco Interamericano de Finanzas (BanBif), Bank GNB, Bank Pichincha, Bank of Commerce, Bank of the Nation, Caja Arequipa, Caja Piura, Caja Sullana, Caja Trujillo, Citibank, CrediScotia, Interbank, Mibanco, and Scotiabank offer immediate payments.



2) Contactless payments are gaining prominence in the country, with major banks including BBVA Continental, BCP, Scotiabank, and Interbank offering cards embedded with contactless functionality. In addition, contactless payments are gradually being implemented within the country's transport system to promote their usage. In October 2018, VisaNet Peru enabled Visa debit and credit card holders to make contactless payments for buses in Peru. The service was initially offered on 20 buses operated by bus company El Rpido. Most recently, in April 2019 Prepaid Peruvian Cards and VisaNet introduced a Visa prepaid card with contactless functionality for bus ticket payments on the El Rpido line in Peru.



3) To improve financial literacy among Peruvian individuals, as part of the 2018 Finances in my school initiative the Ministry of Education, the Center for Financial Education, the Peruvian Association of Insurance Companies, Superintendencia de Banca y Seguros del Per (SBS), and the German Foundation of Savings Banks for International Cooperation educated 125 teachers and 13,000 students from 30 educational institutions in the Piura region of Peru. The initiative was designed to help students understand risk management concepts and utilize them in their day-to-day lives. Similarly, BBVA Continental launched financial education workshops in August 2018 focused on small businesses, personal finance, and home ownership. The program aimed to help individuals improve their financial capabilities and achieve financial security.



Reasons to Buy

Make strategic business decisions, using top-level historic and forecast market data, related to the Peruvian cards and payments industry and each market within it.

Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities in the Peruvian cards and payments industry.

Assess the competitive dynamics in the Peruvian cards and payments industry.

Gain insights into marketing strategies used for various card types in Peru.

Gain insights into key regulations governing the Peruvian cards and payments industry.

Key Topics Covered



Market Overview Card-based Payments E-commerce Payments Alternative Payments Payment Innovations Payments Infrastructure & Regulation Appendix

Companies Mentioned



BCP

BBVA

Scotiabank

Mibanco

Interbank

Banco Falabella

Banco Interamericano de Finanzas

Banco Pichincha

Banco de Comercio

Banco GNB

Banco Ripley

Banco Cencosud

Banco Azteca

Citibank

PayPal

Visa Checkout

paysafecard

Visa

Mastercard

American Express

Diners Club

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/10u81i

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.English French

Industry-leading Global 7500 aircraft, the pinnacle of private jet travel, recognized as Business Jet of the Year in Robb Reports Best of the Best 2019



Bombardiers flagship Global 7500 aircraft to be on display at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, June 17-23, 2019

With its unrivaled cabin comfort, extra-long range capabilities and signature smooth ride, the Global 7500 aircraft has revolutionized the private jet industry

Worlds most delivered business jet of the last decade, the legendary segment-defining Challenger 350 aircraft, also saluted by Robb Report as the Best of the Best Super Mid-size Aircraft

MONTREAL, June 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier is thrilled to announce its industry-leading Global 7500 aircraft was named Best of the Best by Robb Report, a leading authority on luxury. The flagship Global 7500 aircraft, which Robb Report hailed as the Business Jet of the Year, will also make its debut at the 53rd International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, giving attendees at the event a chance to see the industrys largest and most luxurious business aircraft.

We couldnt be happier that our flagship Global 7500 aircraft was recognized by Robb Reports Best of the Best as Business Jet of the Year, said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Aviation. Were also excited that the impressive Global 7500 aircraft will be on display at the Paris Air Show. With its range, comfort and smooth ride, the Global 7500 aircraft is ideally suited to meet the needs of business jet customers throughout Europe, and we are delighted to debut its impressive attributes at this prestigious event.

The multiple-award winning Global 7500 aircraft is the largest and longest-range business jet in the world, and features revolutionary industry-firsts from tip to tail. Like all aircraft in Bombardiers unparalleled product portfolio, both the Challenger 350 and Global 7500 jets offer the ultimate in design, performance and luxury, all with Bombardiers signature smooth ride.

When it comes to the Global 7500 jet, there is simply no aircraft in the world like it, and it has established a category of its own. Bombardier offers the most exceptional business jets and customer experience in the world, and our continued worldwide recognition stands as proof, said Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. We are delighted that our exceptional Global 7500 business jet has been recognized for exactly what it is: the Best of the Best. This, and other impressive recognitions, are a testament to Bombardiers world-renowned portfolio of incomparable business aircraft.

The worlds largest and longest-range business jet

With its bespoke interior featuring the industrys most well-appointed full-size kitchen and four true living spaces, the Global 7500 aircraft provides the ultimate in-flight experience.

Setting the benchmark for the most exceptional cabin interior, the aircraft debuts the Nuage seat, meticulously designed for maximum comfort. With the first new seat architecture in business aviation in 30 years, the patented Nuage seat is a marvel of design and engineering, providing a perfect blend of comfort and control and featuring an all-new, ergonomically-perfected deep recline position  unavailable on any other business aircraft.

The recently unveiled Soleil lighting system is the industrys most advanced cabin lighting technology. Designed and developed exclusively for the Global 7500 aircraft, the innovative Soleil lighting system is aviations first circadian rhythm-based cabin lighting technology fully integrated with the Flight Management System, and it introduces the revolutionary Dynamic Daylight Simulation feature, which can help combat jet lag.

The Global 7500 business aircraft has an impressive long-range capability of 7,700 nm (14,260 km) at M 0.85 with eight passengers, and will fly non-stop* from New York to Hong Kong, or Singapore to San Francisco, with a maximum operating speed of M 0.925.* The Global 7500 aircraft is the largest business jet with short-field performance and steep approach capabilities able to operate out of London City Airport, connecting to any city in the continental U.S., Africa or the Middle East*. Its long-range performance can go even further traveling eastward, reaching most major cities in Asia. Through these exceptional performance features and its superlative interior design, the Global 7500 aircraft delivers uncompromising value under any conditions, at any time  and without the need for tailwinds.

The Global 7500 aircraft is the winner of the 2019 Aviation Week Grand Laureate Award, the 2018 Red Dot Award for Product Design, and the 2019 International Yacht & Aviation Award for Seating Design.

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

Visit the Bombardier Business Aircraft website for more information on our industry-leading products and services.

Follow @Bombardierjets on Twitter to receive the latest news and updates from

Bombardier Business Aircraft.

To receive our press releases, please visit the RSS Feed section.

*Under certain operating conditions.

Bombardier, Challenger, Challenger 350, Global, Global 7500, Nuage and Soleil are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.Averett University and LifeSpire of Virginia recently launched the first-ever educational partnership for LifeSpire.

Averett University President Tiffany M. Franks and LifeSpire of Virginias CEO Jonathan Cook signed an agreement that includes a three-pronged partnership between the school and LifeSpires continuing care retirement communities.

The partnership allows employees of LifeSpire to earn their degree at Averett with scholarships awarded by Averett, LifeSpire residents to attend college-level lectures right where they live and Averett students to serve as interns at LifeSpire.

LifeSpire and Averett University both value and encourage lifelong learning, a commitment to intellectual growth throughout ones entire lifetime, said Franks. We hope that LifeSpire employees and its residents will be excited about the opportunity to become a part of the Averett University family. This wonderful partnership builds upon our shared mission and values as members of the Baptist General Association of Virginia. LifeSpire employees automatically will qualify for Averett scholarships once they meet admissions criteria. For each undergraduate course taken, Averett will award a $250 scholarship and a $350 scholarship for each graduate course taken.

In addition, Averett will offer residents of LifeSpire communities the option of attending Averett University lectures and courses at home  right in their own community  beginning at Lakewood, LifeSpires campus in Richmonds west end, and expanding to LifeSpires other communities in Culpeper, Daleville and Newport News. The program will launch in the fall and LifeSpire residents will be able to choose from classes in religion, communications and criminal justice/sociology.

Averett students also will benefit directly from this partnership, with opportunities to intern at LifeSpire in the areas of business, communications and accounting.

We are excited to partner with Averett to offer these opportunities, Cook said. We want to do all we can to promote personal and professional growth among our residents and staff. This partnership helps us achieve that vision.Elizabeth Scalia woke up furious, thinking about scandals in the Church of Rome, Pentecost and a famous courtroom rant in the movie ... and Justice for All.

It was like Al Pacino was inside my head screaming, Youre out of order! Youre all out of order! The whole church is out of order! ... I knew I had to write something, said Scalia, long known for online epistles using the pen name The Anchoress.

At Pentecost, Scalia noted, the Holy Spirit descended like fire on the apostles. I thought: Dear God, why cant some fire fall on our bishops? Whats it going to take to wake up some of these guys?

Pentecost fell June 9 this year, following months of news about clergy sexual abuse and the drumbeat of scandals tied to the fall of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, one of the most powerful church princes in American history.

Then The Washington Post published a June 5 report about a lurid litany of accusations against retired West Virginia Bishop Michael Bransfield, whose career was linked to McCarricks. Investigators found that Bransfield  in a poverty-wracked region  spent millions of dollars on his own comforts, while handing financial gifts to various American members of the College of Cardinals and strategic church leaders. While there were no specific accusations of abuse, the church report cited a consistent pattern of sexual innuendo, and overt suggestions and actions toward those over whom the former bishop exercised authority.

This was McCarrick 2.0, a sucker-punch that inspired Scalia to pound out a personal letter to Jesus that was published by America, a Jesuit publication. Scalia currently serves as editor-at-large for Word on Fire, a Catholic evangelism organization.

Well, Lord, here we are again. This crap just never stops coming, and God, Im getting so disgusted with it all, and if I could not find you in the Holy Eucharist, I wonder if I would find you anywhere else within this church, she wrote in her fiery overture.

So many of my friends are fed up and leaving, or getting close to leaving, and I get it, I do! I understand how they feel, even as I pray they wont leave, because ... because well, hell, how does leaving an imperfect something to wade into even less-perfect nothing end up serving anything but the creature of the voids and the lowness? ... Im half surprised that our bishops, as they watch the pews empty out, arent putting out statements reminding us that to miss attendance at Mass is to risk eternal damnation.

The goal, Scalia admitted, was to channel the anger she keeps hearing from Catholics nationwide.

Im not taking your name in vain, Lord, you know its a prayer, a cry from the heart. Jesus Christ ... my heart feels broken, she wrote. I want to hate these men. I want to hate them and punish them for all the damage they have done to the church, and therefore to you and your body and to the whole world, because a world without the church  a world where the church becomes irrelevant, incredible and unequal to the task of balancing the secular world and all of its influences for good and bad  thats a world where the lights are getting ready to go out, and all the candles snuffed.

When her open letter hit the internet, she began getting messages  angry and encouraging, often at the same time  from priests, nuns and other Catholic workers.

Scalia wrote knowing Americas bishops would meet this week in Baltimore. She knew some of these topics would be discussed, perhaps behind closed doors. From her perspective, the key was whether there would be frank talk about the bitter fog swirling around McCarrick  secrets about abused seminarians, money and how he soared higher in the hierarchy, even as reports about his deeds went to the Vatican.

Could discussions in Baltimore, or Rome, respond to the anger in Catholic pews?

We know there is an entrenched good old boys network, said Scalia. Thats what the McCarrick business is all about. ... What I want to know is, how do they have the cheek to even look us in the eyes right now?

Mattingly is the editor of Get Religion.org and Senior Fellow for Media and Religion at The Kings College in New York City. He lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Mattingly is the editor of GetReligion.org and Senior Fellow for Media and Religion at The King's College in New York City. He lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.One of the most important institutions at work in the Dan River Region today helping to mold and direct the future of this part of Virginia is the Danville Regional Foundation. and as of Aug. 1, there will be a new but familiar face at the helm of the foundation: Current Vice President of Programs Clark Casteel will assume the positions of president and CEO.

Casteel will be following in the footsteps of Karl Stauber, whos retiring after 12 years leading DRF as its guided discussions, funded studies and helped start up dozens of new initiatives that serve as the foundation of Danville 2.0.

The foundation has its beginnings in the 2005 sale of the nonprofit Danville Regional Medical Center to the for-profit health care company Lifepoint. Danville Memorial Hospital had served residents across Southside Virginia for decades, providing top-quality medical care on par with the best of small, regional hospitals in the country.

But the decline of the regional economy that began in the 1980s and reached its nadir in the 1990s and early 2000s as the tobacco, textiles and furniture industries collapsed also had a negative effect on DRMC. Money was tighter, operating margins were smaller with almost no room for error, attracting top physician and nursing talent was a challenge and there were physical plant improvements needed but with little money to pay for them.

Thats why, in 2005, the hospitals board of directors made the painful decision to sell out to Lifepoint, which had only recently entered the local market with its purchase of Martinsville Memorial Hospital. Because DRMC  and before it, Danville Memorial  had been founded as a nonprofit with local resources, the $200 million proceeds from the sale went to the hospitals owners, for lack of a better word  the people of the areas it served.

Thus the creation of the Danville Regional Foundation, which serves the residents of Danville and Pittsylvania County and Caswell County in North Carolina.

In 2007, the DRF board hired Karl Stauber, a giant in the fields of nonprofits and community revitalization, as its president and chief executive. His mission was simple but, at the same time, extremely complex: to help the community plot a course forward in the 21st century, discover who and what it wanted to be and let go of the glories of the past while, at the same time, honoring this regions heritage and history.

Since 2005, DRF has invested more than $116 million in more than 400 grants and programs that further that goal, with a focus on four main areas: education, economic development, community development and health and wellness. DRFs grants all are tied to one or more of those foundational pillars: assisting in the funding of the Danville Family YMCAs spectacular facilities on Riverside Drive; funding economic development studies and assisting with the hiring of top professionals in the field; and assisting with developing high tech training programs employers need.

While Stauber brought invaluable outsider experience and perspective to the job, coming from a similar position in St. Paul, Minn., Casteels roots in Southside and Southwest Virginia run deep. A native of nearby Floyd County, he joined DRF in 2008 and assumed his current position in 2014. He oversees more than 170 grants and initiatives totaling $55 million, giving him invaluable insight into the communitys needs and aspirations. As president and CEO, hell play an even more important role in shaping upcoming discussions and efforts to remake the region into a 21st-century magnet community for specialized manufacturers, forward-thinking entrepreneurs and enlightened civic leaders.

This is the Danville of the 21st century and beyond; this is Danville 2.0.OXIS Energy will establish the first manufacturing plant for the production of electrolyte and cathode active material specifically for the mass production of lithium sulfur cells.

The plant will be built at the Kenfig Industrial Estate Port Talbot in Wales. OXIS has signed a 15-year lease with United UK Real Estate Investment Industrial Holdings Limited to develop the plant. The electrolyte and cathode active material, which is currently at Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) 8, will be produced for worldwide export.

The plant will supply the OXIS Energy Brazil Holdings manufacturing plant, which has been jointly set up between the State Government of Minas Gerais and OXIS Energy UK.

OXIS will retain its Research and Development activity in the UK. However, it will collaborate with Codemig, a wholly owned company controlled by the State of Minas Gerais to jointly exploit lithium rock deposit for the production of world class lithium metal, which is used by OXIS for its Li-S cells.

OXIS is currently working on the design of the Brazilian Plant with NORDIKA Pharmaceutical of Brazil. It is also collaborating with other European companies, such as Siemens AG, which have expertise in digital manufacturing and cyber security.

The objective is to produce the active material in Port Talbot in order to supply the cell capacity production in millions of units from 2020 until 2030.

With support from both the State Government of Minas Gerais and the Welsh Government, including the investment made by the Development Bank of Wales, OXIS is working towards the commercialization of mass production of lithium sulfur cells for electric batteries in order to address our target markets: aviation, marine and buses and trucks (Heavy Electric Vehicles). Huw Hampson-Jones, CEO OXIS Energy

The Western seaboard of the ports in Wales, Cardiff, Newport, Port Talbot and Swansea are ideally placed and accessible for exports to Brazil. OXIS will decide on the port of embarkation of the goods in the next 18-24-months.

OXIS Energy Ltd is involved in the design, development and now the move towards commercial production of lithium sulfur cells for battery systems. With more than 40 patent families, OXIS has been granted 182 patents with 99 pending. OXIS has demonstrable empirical data justifying its claim on the inherent safety of its battery technology.The UI cuts in N.C. were both in number of weeks from up to 26 weeks to 12, and a weekly maximum amount from $535 to $350.

By comparison, during the height of the Great Recession when the state jobless rate exceeded 10% for several months, some N.C. residents received up to 99 weeks of regular and extended state and federal UI benefits.

The average weekly UI benefit amount paid in 2017 was $247, while the average number of benefit weeks was nine. The state was projected to spend just $118 million in jobless benefits in 2018.

As of June 5, the state had $3.61 billion in a UI trust fund, according to the N.C. Commerce Department. Economists have recommended the state have at least $4 billion set aside.

Evermore said the real test of the socioeconomic experiments in North Carolina and the other seven states will come when the next recession hits  will enough people have sufficient compensation to avoid catastrophe?

We dont know the answer because we havent expressed a recession with these policies in place.

Methods of cutsYou used that word discover, and I think thats a really key distinction, Li replied. Within it, theres a lot of hubris, right? I discovered this thing that so many people already knew about. ... The difference between appropriation and appreciation (when) cooking with flavors that are not from your region or background is humility.

Take Andrew Zimmern, who caused an uproar late last year by saying that with his new restaurant, he was saving the souls of all the people from having to dine at these horses  restaurants masquerading as Chinese food that are in the Midwest. As Li said in an interview later, the biggest problem was his attitude. If theres no humility when approaching, let alone profiting off, another cultures food, then I consider that venture to be made in bad faith, said Li, who lives in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Li sees the same sorts of issues at play in attitudes about monosodium glutamate (MSG), which was vilified for decades after reports of ill health effects from Chinese restaurant syndrome that have long since been debunked.

In fact, one of the most recent instances of an outcry about alleged cultural appropriation involving Chinese cooking touched on the ingredient, which adds umami to dishes.90 Day Fiance:

Happily Ever After?

6 p.m. (TLC)

Nicoles stepfather uncovers new information about Azan in this new episode. Elsewhere, Debbie must deliver some heartbreaking news to Colt, and Jays sister discovers the truth. Also, Chantel comes face to face with Pedros mother.

Lakefront Bargain Hunt

8 p.m. (HGTV)

Cameras follow a couple from Utah as they search for a new home in North Carolina in this new episode. But before they pack up their family and move to Lake Norman, theyll have to find a house in their price range thats big enough for everyone.

The Good Fight

9 p.m. (WFMY)

Christine Baranski returns as Diane Lockhart in this spinoff of the hit series The Good Wife. When an enormous financial scam forces her out of the law firm, she joins Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo) at a preeminent Chicago firm.

The Redemption Project

9 p.m. (CNN)

In this new episode, Van Jones meets Mario Jr. and Aldo Gonzalez, whose immigrant father was killed while trying to stop a robbery. Haunted by questions, the brothers want to talk to the shooter to see if hes a changed man.

Find extended listings and daily grids at www.greensboro.com/tv_week and every Friday in the TV Week section in the News & Record.The rescue, which nearly did in Lorena and Gus, shifts the relationship among the three, and both girls begin to see Gus as an appealing man rather than just their quirky teacher.

Parker shows us how the sisters, equally stubborn, make their ways separately through life, and how they eventually, tentatively renew the bond that once made them so close.

This is a story about strong wills and overcoming hardships. Its a story about how people decide what matters to them, and what is real, and about how emotions can shape choices with far-reaching consequences. It is also a story about love and family.

And its a story about communication  about how we obscure the truth, or outright lie, and how difficult it can be to tell our true stories, the ones that come from the heart. Parker skillfully weaves real newspaper stories, the sisters made-up stories and headlines, letters (some of them to a horse) and a telegram into the narrative.

His prose is often poetic, even magical at times. The intriguing characters and compelling stories make you want to keep reading to see what happens, even as you savor the language and the images it creates.

The publication of Prairie Fever comes at about the same time as Parkers retirement from the MFA Writing Program at UNC Greensboro after 27 years. Readers can hope hell have even more time now to work his magic.

Linda Carter Brinson writes a books blog, Briar Patch Books (lindabrinson.com) and lives in Stokes County near Madison.

Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.Jay Matthews of The Washington Post is troubled by the fact that only 20% of Americans can converse in two or more languages, compared with 56% of Europeans. His article was published in the News & Record on May 3, under the provocative headline, Half of the world is bilingual. Whats Americas problem?

Relatively few Americans are bilingual; most of us are monolingual, or fluent only in our native tongue: English. Mr. Matthews apparently believes readers will be concerned about, if not alarmed by, the average Americans lack of linguistic curiosity.

But wait a minute. The American citizen is under no obligation to learn a foreign language. For professional or personal reasons, many of our neighbors have chosen to do so, but they are not morally obligated to do so. Their linguistic promiscuity is voluntary.

Meanwhile, there should be no stigma attached to those of us who choose to remain  if I may continue the analogy  monogamous: that is, exclusively committed to our native language. The monolingual are aware, if only intuitively, of the link between language and culture. Devotion to the former derives from affection for the latter.As the summer begins, most freshmen at Wake Technical Community College are happily looking forward to home-cooked meals and time with their families. For me, though, the vacation will be anything but carefree. My parents are immigrants, and while theyve played by the rules since coming here more than 20 years ago, a policy change by the Trump administration means they could soon be subject to deportation. As this summer begins, I have no idea whether my parents will be able to watch me graduate a few years from now  or if theyll be forced to start new lives 1,500 miles away in Honduras.

Im a U.S. citizen  born and raised in North Carolina  but my parents have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allows immigrants from countries affected by wars or natural disasters to live and work legally in America. Over the years, theyve built a life here, working hard and raising me as a proud American. Now, though, President Trump is threatening to deport 98% of TPS holders  and while the House just passed legislation to protect us, unless the Senate swiftly follows suit, countless hardworking, law-abiding families like mine could soon face almost unimaginable upheaval.Religious affiliation is just the door.

I was interviewing Rabbi Mary Jane Newman, otherwise known as Rabbi MJ, the palliative care chaplain at Greenwich Hospital. I wanted to better understand the chaplains role on a palliative care team that typically consists of a board-certified physician, advanced practice registered nurse, licensed clinical social worker, and a chaplain who offers spiritual support.

The room is existential distress.

Rabbi MJ was talking about the existential distress that she considers a focal point in palliative spiritual care. She differentiates between palliative spiritual care and the spiritual care offered in the regular, general hospital chaplaincy where religious affiliation, specific spiritual tradition, and identifiable religious community context are the more significant factors.

In addition to serving as the spiritual care member of Greenwich Hospitals palliative care team, Rabbi MJ is also part of the hospitals general chaplaincy, serving in that capacity as a specifically Jewish chaplain.

General chaplaincy is very denomination oriented, says Rabbi MJ. By contrast, she says, palliative spiritual care is typically not denomination oriented. The palliative care patient may have already spoken with a clergy member who has a specific religious affiliation, but this affiliation is just the entry to a place of deeper experience, a profound confrontation with ones own mortality.

We are all inclined to avoid confronting the reality that we live in a state of denial of our mortality, says Rabbi MJ. True, we each have a sense that our life is somehow limited, not endless, but for most of us this is theoretical knowledge. The palliative care chaplaincy addresses the existential distress that results when this knowledge ceases to be theoretical. An encounter with serious illness rips away the illusion that other people die, but not me, she says.

People living with chronic disease are aware of their mortality in a way that most of us are not, according to Rabbi MJ. Their illness has radically changed how they live their life.

She gives the example of one of her friends, still relatively young, confined to a wheelchair.

Until I ended up in a chair, I thought I was immortal, she quotes him. Now I know Im not.

In situations of serious illness, something happens that shakes the foundation of our identity, she says, noting that in western cultural tradition our identity is often tied to our body. With illness, our bodies are no longer reliable.

Our physical sense of self begins to crumble when we are seriously ill, she says. We are less integrated, less secure. This existential distress opens the door to questions that are both deeply human and deeply spiritual: If I am not just my body, what am I? Does anything survive my death? What is my legacy? What is mind? What is emotion? What is meaning? Is my identity bigger and more meaningful than my identification with my physical self?

Everyone has an innate skill to go from identity to identity, from baby to toddler, to adolescent, to young adult, to adult professional, says Rabbi MJ. The various roles we assume in the course of our lives have community and cultural support. But this is not true when our identity changes due to serious illness that impacts our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

The spiritual dimension in palliative care offers support for living with this new identity in a meaningful way.

The team concept is an essential element in the holistic approach that characterizes palliative care. This multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary approach includes the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of care. It draws upon the hospice movement that gained momentum in the 1970s, inspired by Dr. Cicely Saunders who opened St. Christophers Hospice in London in 1967.

Although palliative care has its origins in hospice, the terms are not interchangeable. Hospice entails palliative care, but palliative care itself is not limited to the end-of-life care associated with hospice.

Palliative care A public information program on palliative care is to be held in Greenwich Hospital's Noble Conference Center Tuesday, June 18, from noon to 1:30 p.m. The program is free and open to all. For more information, call 203-863-4625, or visit greenwichhospital.org/events. See More Collapse

You can learn more about palliative care and how you, or your loved ones, might benefit at a public information program in Greenwich Hospitals Noble Conference Center this Tuesday, June 18, from noon to 1:30 p.m. The program is free and open to all.

For more information, call 203-863-4625, or visit greenwichhospital.org/events.

Alma Rutgers served in Greenwich town government for 25 years. Her blog is atblog.ctnews.com/rutgersThe city of Zaytun (Quanzhou), magnificent and beautiful It is one of the largest ports in the world. A great number of merchants have swarmed to this city. Goods pile up like hills. The scene is incredible. This quote from Marco Polo described Quanzhous prosperity hundreds of years earlier. The filming crew of Peoples Daily Online set foot on Quanzhou recently, following the path of Marco Polo, to unveil the beauty of this gorgeous city.

Quanzhou, a coastal city located in the southeast of China, is well-known as the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. From the 10th-14th century, Quanzhou, which was known as Zaytun, was the largest port in the east.

Quanzhou grew to possess international historical significance thanks to its advantageous geographic position and it remains an affluent land after the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949.

In the Quanzhou Museum for Overseas Communication History, you can find evidence of Chinas relationship with the rest of the world through the ancient Maritime Silk Road, including approximately 160 typical ship models from different periods. It is the first museum to hold a repertoire of historical relics reflecting the prosperity of ancient Chinas overseas trade, a perfect place that shows how China started to connect with the rest of the world by sea.

Wang Liming, a researcher at the museum talked about the geographic characteristics of this city, which is a major reason for its blooming economy back in the past.The ancient people of Quanzhou lived near the sea, so they relied heavily on the sea for a living. They saw the sea as their farmland. That's why foreign trade has never stopped in the course of Quanzhou's development.

The exchange of goods not only builds up systematic trade networks with the outside world, but also provides a place to nurture vibrant cultures. Nanyin music is one of the symbols that could embody the essence of this city. As one of China's most ancient musical styles, Nanyin is reputed as a living fossil of Chinese music, allowing generations today a chance to appreciate the beauty of ancient Chinese art.

Li Baiyan, an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage of Nanyin music, told Peoples Daily Online, Nanyin music is an ancient musical performing art with great charm. With long, elegant and beautiful melodies and a style of classic simplicity.

Art forms are well preserved here in Quanzhou, but they will never overshadow its natural advantage as a port city, China's early gateway to the world.

Possessing a coastline as long as 541 km, Quanzhou is naturally posed to closely connect itself with the rest of the world, using silk, tea and porcelain during the ancient Silk Road era, and then shoes, clothes and much more in the last 70 years.

Wei Yuede is the ninth generation of his family to be tightly bound with Tieguanyin, a premium variety of Chinese oolong tea that originated in Anxi County of Quanzhou, Fujian Province. In his word, he has devoted all his time into one thing- making Tieguanyin.

He put emphasis on how important it is for a tea master to make a difference in the tea industry, There can be big differences in skills and techniques for producing tea. The production process of Tieguanyin is very complicated, so if you can handle the production process of Tieguanyin, you can produce any tea.

Wei Yuede also pointed out how Tieguanyin has changed not only the living condition of his family, but also the whole tea industry and the economic landscape of Anxi County, Tea has helped develop Anxi County from one of the countrys 100 poorest counties into one of the top 100 counties in terms of comprehensive strength.

Tea was not the only export that found favor with the rest of the world. So, too, did Chinese porcelain. Su Xianzhong is the fourth generation born in a family well-known for white porcelain, a kind of exquisite white porcelain that was highly praised by European countries, especially France, as White from China.

Even though Sus great-grandfather won a gold medal during the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition, he and his family had gone through several ups and downs over the last 120 years.

Su gradually learned to express himself through the porcelain in a way that the world would understand and appreciate, especially after the reform and opening-up 40 years ago, when he and his father were able to start their own private company and focus more on expressing their artistic ideas through porcelain making.

Dehua County must have universal languages if it wants to promote its overseas engagement,said Su.

To those unfamiliar with the success of ancient China, Dehua Porcelain may give some insight into how China traded on a global level, both then and today.

Zheng Pengfei is the general manager of a local porcelain factory in Dehua County, a factory that has connections with some of the most famous companies in the world, such as Walmart, Target and Disney.

About 80% of their porcelain products are mass produced and sold to over 100 countries. And for Zheng himself, it means more business opportunities both abroad and at home in China.

Since the People's Republic of China was founded 70 years ago, especially after the Reform and Opening-up policy was initiated 40 years ago, locals in Quanzhou, like Mr. Zheng, have seized opportunities and created their own path of economic success.

Huang Jinhui, is a vendor at Shishi Clothing Market in Quanzhou. According to him, At the beginning of the 1980s, many places here were hometowns of overseas Chinese. And there were a lot of overseas Chinese doing business here. Later, the place developed into a small commodities market and was regarded as little Hong Kong.

Hazim-Alrikabi, a foreign buyer who always flies around China searching for good clothes with reasonable prices, agrees with Huangs words.

Now in China, clothing is cheaper, as there are good locations and many factories. China is a vast country. Every province or city of China has companies in the clothing industry, such as Yiwu, Guangdong, Beijing, Shandong, Shanghai, and Shishi. Every place has different clothing, said Hazim.

In 2018, Quanzhou's GDP amounted to approximately 125 billion dollars, ranking first in Fujian Province. Besides its traditional industries, Quanzhou's high-tech industries contributed a lot to the astonishing development of the city's economy.

Wu Shang is the vice president of a local technology company in Jinjiang of Quanzhou. According to Wu, the production process of umbrellas in the famous umbrella base Dongshi Town is faced with a shortage of labor, and they have provided a solution to the problem. The new equipment they have provided for the umbrella companies only requires one man to operate, while it used to need six workers to make an umbrella.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of years of global communication with the rest of the world have turned Quanzhou into a hub which shows respect for and welcomes different cultures, which have, in turn, paved the way for its rapid development in the last 70 years.



Haiti - Social : Protests, the most vulnerable pay the high price





Since the publication of the second report of the Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Litigation (CSC/CA) on the management of PetroCaribe funds on May 31st https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27879-haiti-petrocaribe-flash-csc-ca-implicates-jovenel-moise-in-a-case-of-embezzlement.html , the crisis that knows the country for almost a year, takes new dimensions which worries all sectors of the national life but also members of the international community.



The Office of Citizen Protection (OPC) expresses its concern about the repeated scenes of violence during the demonstrations. Stressing that this situation "prevents the regular functioning of public services and private companies and only plunges the country further into the economic precariousness in which it is located".



In addition, the OPC expresses its indignation at the use of minors in acts of violence recorded on video. The Office recalls that the recruitment or integration of minors into armed groups in violent activities constitutes a violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. "The perpetrators of these unfair acts, in many ways, are criminals because they endanger the future or the development of these young people.3



The latest recorded events including school attacks in the country https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27998-haiti-news-zapping.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27996-icihaiti-education-the-ministry-condemns-attacks-on-schools.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27960-haiti-politic-new-alarm-call-from-the-ministry-of-national-education.html come at a time when schoolchildren and students from different universities are in the midst of final exams all over the country, including Port au Prince, thousands of children and thousands of young people are to attend, with bitterness and desolation, a loss of a school year or an academic year for which they have made enormous sacrifices with their parents or guardian.



The right to education and economic freedom are increasingly weakened, the policy takes all hostage with an unacceptable degree of intolerance recalling that : "in a democratic system, the freedom of a citizen begins there where the one of the other ends.



The OPC stresses that The main victims of these events are the social categories without income or low income, living daily or dependent on daily activities : young entrepreneurs, street vendors, small retailers, the unemployed disabled people etc...



In view of this, the Office, in its capacity as National Institution for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights, with an independent status, "recommends to all the protagonists (state authorities and political actors) to show the spirit of opening up to foster a sincere dialogue in the face of the crisis in the country and recalls "that the use of political violence or the promotion of violence should in no way be a lasting solution to political problems. The ideal voice is mediation, dialogue, consultation, the spirit of sacrifice and especially the electoral competitions."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27998-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27996-icihaiti-education-the-ministry-condemns-attacks-on-schools.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27905-haiti-flash-agritrans-sa-reacts-to-the-allegations-of-the-csc-ca-and-threatens.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27897-haiti-flash-presidency-describes-as-political-machination-the-csc-ca-petrocaribe-report.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27879-haiti-petrocaribe-flash-csc-ca-implicates-jovenel-moise-in-a-case-of-embezzlement.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27694-haiti-politic-deputiues-call-for-indictment-of-members-of-the-csc.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27566-icihaiti-petrocaribe-the-csc-ca-explain-on-its-delay.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27545-haiti-petrocaribe-the-csc-ca-will-not-be-able-to-submit-its-audit-report-on-the-planned-date.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27293-haiti-flash-case-petrocaribe-personalities-and-companies-under-financial-investigations.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27215-haiti-justice-the-csc-ca-reveals-that-the-senate-also-managed-petrocaribe-funds.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27177-haiti-justice-the-petrocaribe-case-in-the-hands-of-the-instruction-judge.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26848-haiti-flash-the-state-filed-a-complaint-in-the-petrocaribe-file.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26812-haiti-flash-the-court-of-auditors-delivers-its-first-report-on-the-management-of-petrocaribe-funds.html



HL/ HaitiLibre























Haiti - News : Zapping...





The most deadly communes

The communes most affected by the bullet dead are : Port-au-Prince (at the head), Cite Soleil, Carrefour, Delmas, Petion-ville (including the brother's road), Tabarre and Croix-des-Bouquets. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27821-icihaiti-security-at-least-100-dead-by-bullets-in-3-months.html



Renald Luberice blames Reginald Boulos

Reacting about the Haitian businessman Reginald Boulos who publicly acknowledged making a mistake to support the campaign of Jovenel Moise https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27907-haiti-politic-the-calls-for-the-resignation-of-the-head-of-state-multiply.html Renald Luberice one of the advisers of the Head of State taking the defense of the President said "Dear Mr. Boulos, I very much doubt that the new Haiti can emerge with people like you. Because you are the name of a retrograde and archaic system. Your political and economic choices keep the masses in misery. Your project is you, not Haiti."



Gold Cup : Haiti - Bermuda this Sunday 6:00 pm (Haiti time)

Sunday, June 16: For its first match Haiti, will face Bermuda at 4:00 pm local time (6:00 pm pm in Haiti) at the new national stadium of Costa Rica (funded by China in 2011) with a capacity of 35,062 spectators.



"There is no good police at discount" dixit Gedeon

"There is no good police with cheap means and a police can not walk with a hollow stomach. Michelangelo Gideon, Director General of the PNH.



Hurricanes : "Food For The Poor" is getting ready

"Food For the Poor", aware of the country's vulnerability to the hurricane season, is preparing its personnel to face any major natural hazards and to accompany the communities that would be affected.



Did you know ?:

In Haiti, nearly 90% of children aged 6-14 attend school, but another 320,000 are still out of school. The new policy for non-formal education promotes appropriate responses to the educational needs of children and young people.



HL/ HaitiLibre

















Published on 2019/06/16 | Source

An African vendor serves customers at the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Seoul on Monday.

Open-air markets in Korea are being reshaped by foreigners who move in with their stalls or come to shop.

Advertisement

Open-air markets almost disappeared altogether in the 1980s and 90s as they lost customers to glitzy malls. But they are experiencing a renaissance thanks to tourists who are looking for a little character in the identikit clusters of Korean cities, hunting bargains, or staffing the stalls and stores.

One implausible example is the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Seoul, where workers from Cote d'Ivoire started appearing three years ago, and now more than 20 people from the West African work there.

"People from Cote d'Ivoire came to work in the market after fleeing the civil war in their country", said Jang Jeong-yeol, head of the merchants' association at the fish market. Some are illegal, but most have work visas or refugee status.

The merchants are happy to hire them because Koreans do not like the smelly job. One 65-year-old employer said, "They're paid about the same as a Korean worker, but you can't find any Koreans willing to work here".

Even Chinese and Southeast Asians tend to avoid the fish market. "African workers help me run the store from handcarting fish to selling it", a fishmonger said. "They're very hard-working and the traders are very satisfied with their performance".

Another example is the Sinsa outdoor market in Gwanak in southern Seoul, which is thriving thanks to foreign customers.

Out of a population of 23,104 people in Sinsa-dong, 5,324 are Chinese according to official data, but the actual number is probably over 7,000. The neighborhood is close to the Chinatown of Sindaebang subway station, and rent is cheap, making it attractive to Chinese workers.

Im Young-eop (62), head of the merchants' association at the market, said Chinese customers account for 60 to 70 percent of total revenues at the market.

The traders are happy to cater to their tastes, selling a variety of carp as well as duck heads and feet Koreans rarely touch. "At Sinsa you can find more cilantro and carp than seasoned aster and mackerel, which are favored by Koreans", one trader said. "We'd go out of business if it weren't for Chinese customers".

Ethnic Koreans from China have started to set up stalls themselves. One woman, who opened her own grocery stall just last month, said, "I sell mainly cilantro and eggplant that are popular among Chinese".

A foreign tourist looks through accessories in Namdaemun Market in Seoul on June 4.

In Namdaemun Market downtown, meanwhile, jewelry stores are bustling with customers in hijab, often in search of brooches to secure their headgear and other bling.

One 24-year-old Malaysian tourist said, "There are so many beautiful brooches being sold in Korea. I buy a lot every time I come here because they only cost W1,000 each" (US$1=W1,187).

Seo U-seok at the University of Seoul said, "As our society become more culturally diverse, we will see more and more foreigners working in open-air markets".THE new priest-in-charge of Nettlebed says he is fulfilling an ambition to work in a rural ministry.

Rev Mark Ainsworth, 55, has spent the last 26 years in parishes in America.

He was officially licensed by the Bishop of Dorchester Rt Rev Colin Fletcher at a packed St Bartholomews Church on Tuesday last week.

He succeeds Rev Brendan Bailey, who retired in 2017 after about 18 years, and will also be responsible for Highmoor, Bix, Pishill, Rotherfield Greys and Nuffield.

Rev Ainsworth, 55, who grew up in Chorley Wood, has come from Wyncote, Pennsylvania, together with his wife Claudia, who is from California and used to be an estate agent.

The couple met at a university lecture and they were married in 1991.

Rev Ainsworth went to Kings College, London, and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, before becoming a deacon in 1989 and being ordained a priest in 1990.

He served as assistant curate in the parish of Chipping Barnet in the St Albans diocese from 1989 to 1993.

He then moved to America, serving as assistant rector at the Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, for two years followed by three years as assistant and associate rector at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Philadelphia, before moving to his last post as rector at All Hallows Church in Wyncote.

Rev Ainsworth said he first thought about a career in the church at a young age.

I did sense that God was calling me, he said. Some of my experiences growing up in a large youth group and parish helped me sense Gods presence in my life.

I also did some work with the homeless in central London and those factors all came together and gave me a sense of what I should do. Rev Ainsworth said he moved to America because he wanted a new experience.

He said: I went out there for two years initially but that became longer. I wanted to experience something in my wifes country and do something a little different but there is an old proverb which says we make our plans and God laughs. I had given all that I could and sensed that it was time to look for another post.

After 26 years in America, we were looking in both countries and the door just seemed to open wider and clearer here. My wife was very supportive in the decision to come back to England and, in fact, she was clearer about it than I was.

Rev Ainsworth was put in touch with the area bishop through a friend when he applied for the Nettlebed post.

He said: I had always wanted to work in rural ministry and I knew the region a little, growing up on the other side of the Chilterns. I felt comfortable here as soon as I came to the interview.

I also liked the challenge of being in smaller churches and moving around  I have five churches to look after  so it is very much a fresh challenge. I also love the English countryside.

He has given two services since he returned to England four weeks ago.

Rev Ainsworth said: Peoplehave been very welcoming and understanding of our circumstances having to reacclimatise after 26 years  even opening a bank account is difficult.

The church buildings are in delightful settings and people really care about them. There is a great spirit of volunteerism.

The church was full for my licensing and the liturgy was moving, particularly the bishops blessing. It was just wonderful to see so many people there.Mumbai: Have you missed any news today? Here are the top national, international headlines of the day.

Water crisis in Tamil Nadu: 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 the mercury soaring in the region, there seems to be no respite for perturbed locals in Chennai.

Read: Water crisis deepens in TN, soaring temperatures adds to woes

Doctor's soften stance: Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal softened their stand on Sunday and asserted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was free to decide the venue of the meeting with them, but stressed that it should be held in open.

Read: Protesting docs say CM free to choose venue, but meeting should be in open

Pakistan and terror: Pakistan has failed to complete 25 of the 27 action points given by the international terror financing watchdog FATF to check funding to terrorist groups such as LeT and JeM and frontal groups like Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

Read: Pakistan fails to fulfil 25 of 27 action points given by terror finance watchdog

India plays down China's Belt Road Initiative: India maintained its skeptical stand by not endorsing Belt and Road Initiative of China when the matter came up for discussion before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek.

Read: India plays down China's Belt and Road Initiative at SCO

Shiv Sena vs AIMIM: Ruckus created by the corporators of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen in Aurangabad Municipal Corporation will be dealt in a similar fashion as Pakistan was dealt by India after terror attacks, read Shiv Senas mouthpiece Saamna on Saturday.

Read: Referring to Balakot strike, Sena warns AIMIM for ruckus in Aurangabad

State vs Centre: Over the row of political violence and doctors' strike in West Bengal, the TMC in the meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, said, State governments should be allowed to carry out their duties without any intervention from the Centre.

Read: Allow state governments to function smoothly: TMC's Derek O'Brien to Centre

Bihar battles encephalitis: As deaths due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur mounted to 93 on Sunday, people created ruckus at a government-run hospital here while Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan was visiting to take stock of the situation.

Read: Bihar: Encephalitis kills 93, public creates ruckus as Harsh Vardhan visits

PM calls for cooperation: A day ahead of the beginning of the Budget session of Parliament in which crucial Bills are likely to be tabled, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all leaders to keep political differences aside and not to disrupt the functioning of the Parliament.

Read: Keep political differences aside for smooth functioning of Parliament: PMThere are some male birds who are more steadfast once they mate. For instance, swans, cranes and albatrosses are known for sticking with a chosen mate over a lifetime. Two endangered species  the California condor and the whooping crane  are known to mate for life. Cranes typically choose a mate when they reach the age of two or three; condors, on the other hand, usually dont mate until they are at least 6 to 8 years old. Of course, both these birds live long lives. Whooping cranes may live to the age of 25 while condors can live for as long as six decades.

According to the Audubon website, we can look to a family of shorebirds for some examples that go against usual gender norms. Phalaropes reverse the usual sex roles in birds, with the females being larger and more colorful than males, In addition, females take the lead in courtship, while males are left to incubate the eggs and care for the young once the business of mating is done. Three species of phalaropes inhabit North America: Wilsons phalarope, red-necked phalarope and red phalarope.Several points should be underscored.

First, this is no ticky-tacky violation. The Hatch Act is an anti-corruption statute that prevents government employees from misusing government resources for partisan purposes. Ironically, the chief offender would seem to be the president, who misuses government resources not merely for partisan purposes but to enrich himself and his family (e.g. advertising his properties, collecting revenue by virtue of foreign governments expenditures).

Second, if the House ever gets around to drafting articles of impeachment, it can throw this one on the mound of offenses. Trump encourages and commends lawbreaking in violation of his duty to uphold the law.

Third, Congress can, and should, strengthen the Hatch Act by providing for fines and other penalties for violation. The same government agency that now investigates and recommends punishment should be empowered to penalize wrongdoers, subject to court review/appeal.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.According to sources, 13 personnel were killed after the aircraft AN-32 of Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed into a mountain near Arunachal Pradesh close to India -China border about ten days ago. (Photo: AP)

Coimbatore: The body of 32-year-old Indian Air Force man Vinodh Hariharan is expected to land in Coimbatore late on Saturday and his relatives are anxiously waiting for his mortal remains to reach here.

According to sources, 13 personnel were killed after the aircraft AN-32 of Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed into a mountain near Arunachal Pradesh close to India -China border about ten days ago.

Out of 13 IAF casualties, three men belong to Kerala, even as one among them Vinodh Hariharan had been residing at Sinaganallur in Coimbatore along with this wife, Divya, 28.

Vinodh who has been serving the IAF since 2010 as squadron leader, was killed in the recent air craft crash and his body is expected to arrive at Coimbatore late on Saturday night. All arrangements have been made to receive the body as per protocol.New Delhi: Meanwhile, the Opposition which collectively faced a near rout in the recent general elections, demanded a discussion in Parliament on issues such as farmers distress, unemployment and drought.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that his party was not opposed to all bills which are in the interest of the people, adding that there should be a discussion on farmers distress, unemployment and drought.

He also called for early conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, currently under Presidents rule, asserting that if Lok Sabha polls can be held then why not state polls. Congress Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and K. Suresh were also present at the meeting.

Trinamul Congress, which is the second largest Opposition block in Parliament, demanded that electoral reforms, including state funding of elections and paper ballots, should be discussed as also federalism and the issue of blatant use of ordinances.

TMC leader in Rajya Sabha Derek OBrien demanded that the Womens Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, be brought immediately in the session.

The first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha will be held from June 17 to July 26. The Lok Sabha will have 30 sittings and Rajya Sabha 27 sittings between June 17 to July 26. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present full-year Budget for the year ending March 2020 on July 5.

It will be the first Budget of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in its second term.

The interim budget for the year 2019-20 was presented by then finance minister Piyush Goyal on February 1.Theres a little-known canon in showbiz  the relationship between an actor and a camera is sacred. When an actor is facing the camera, the rest of the world ceases to exist.

On a muggy Sunday evening in suburban Mumbai not so long ago, Arjun Rampal experienced a photo shoot unlike anything in his career spanning over two decades. This is special. They are going to be facing the camera for the first time ever, explains the actor as his daughters, Mahikaa and Myra step out of the make-up room. Awww, you look lovely, he gushes. And they really do.

I used to think Id be that father wholl sit with a shotgun at the doorstep. But both my girls are extremely responsible Arjun Rampal

Mahikaa is 17-going-on-18 and Myra is a few days shy of her 14th birthday (she will turn 14 on June 24). The girls are both nervous and excited in equal parts but its clear to everyone in the room that Arjun is even more nervous. He peers into the screen on photographer Subi Samuels camera in between shots; adjusts Myras hair and reminds Mahikaa to not slouch. This marks the girls debut to public life.

Arjun Rampal on the cover of the Brunch issue dated October 30, 2016 where he tells the writer Nikhil Khanna: My daughters friends call me uncle. I tell them not to because I dont look like one!

Arjun and his former wife Mehr Jesia made a conscious decision to keep their daughters away from the spotlight. The girls rarely have accompanied their parents to public events or featured on Arjuns social media.

We werent comfortable with the children being in the limelight. We always felt that they should grow up like children. Both of them are very shy, and I think we did the right thing, he says. I just went into the make-up room and Mahikaa couldnt stop smiling as her hair and make-up were being done; its all happening for the first time. Myra has got these big curls. Its wonderful to see how excited both of them are about this new experience.

A fathers life

From changing nappies to picking them up from school, Arjuns been as hands-on a parent as his profession has allowed (Subi Samuel)

The actor vividly remembers the first time he held his daughters. I was in the OT (operation theatre) both times and it was overwhelming. Nothing can prepare you for that moment. During Myras birth, he thought he was ready for fatherhood; after all, he had done it once before. It didnt take long for him to realise how wrong he was. When I saw Myra for the first time, I was filled with so much gratitude. It was this overwhelming joy of becoming a father for the second time that pushed Arjun to get the names of his daughters inked on his forearms.

[As kids of supermodels and an actor] Weve never felt the pressure to look a certain way. We are discouraged from wearing make-up or doing our hair. At home, theres never talk about looks or clothes... Mahikaa Rampal

From changing nappies to picking them up from school, Arjuns been as hands-on a parent as his profession has allowed. He is the kind of father whod want to be friends with his children. He never forces us to do anything. He always asks if we want to do something, Myra says. And Mahikaa quickly chips in, He is the baby of the family. He does so much nakhra all the time. He pulls pranks on us all the time. He looks very serious and all the roles he does are very serious but he is one of the funniest people around.

It doesnt take long for the girls to start comparing notes on the pranks their father has pulled on them. Theres a lot of remember when before they share their favourite one. We were in London on a holiday with our grandmother and dad. We had gotten creeped out by a strange lady in the streets. We were very shaken up when we got back to our room. Suddenly, dad dashed into our room in a black hoodie pulled down low on his face, looking really scary, Mahikaa recalls with a laugh. I was so scared I jumped into the suitcase, Myra adds before the girls collapse into peals of giggles.

Notes to my daughters

There have been rumours that Mahikaa wants to follow in her fathers footsteps

He might be the most fun dad but it doesnt take long for Arjun to slip into serious dad mode. He is very conscious of the life lessons he wants to pass on to Mahikaa and Myra. They are both very different personalities and I hope they remember to be their own people, no matter what. To always be honest in whatever they do. To always have love in their hearts and not get cynical with age. If they can maintain these three qualities, theyll have happy lives. Nothing or nobody gives or takes away happiness. We make ourselves happy and they have to learn to do that, he says as the girls listen intently and nod along.

Their maturity belies their age. Its no wonder that Arjun isnt worried about boys and dating when it comes to his teenage daughters. I used to think Id be that father wholl sit with a shotgun at the doorstep. But both of them are extremely responsible, and very dignified in the way they conduct themselves. Im very proud of them, he says, flashing that famous smile. The actor understands that the girls are going to meet boys and fall in love because thats life. As a father, all I can do is hope that nobody breaks their heart.

Myra has her heart set on becoming a veterinarian and living on a big farm with lots of animals (Subi Samuel )

Family business

There have been rumours that Mahikaa wants to follow in her fathers footsteps and she isnt coy when asked about her acting aspirations. Arjun is the perfect supportive father. Shes very good at theatre, she does that in school and has definitely got something there. If Mahikaa does want to act, shell need to study it. Weve decided that she should go to film school and study the whole process. During her vacations, she could assist on my sets and see how it works, says Arjun. Seeing as Mahikaas memories from being on Arjuns film sets in the past revolve around eating tandoori chicken and advising him on how his trailer should be decorated, working on a film set would give her the much-needed exposure.

...which is why this shoot is so much fun. I got to get my hair curled and then straightened! Myra Rampal

Myra, on the other hand, has her heart set on becoming a veterinarian and living on a big farm with lots of animals. She is also very artistic and paints beautifully, Arjun says before pulling out his phone to show off Myras latest  an abstract profile of a man. This is a proud dad move if theres ever been one. When I ask her about her aspirations, the 14-year-old very sagely reminds me that shes too young to have found her lifes calling. I might do modelling, though, she adds.

Growing up as the daughters of the two of the original Supers who defined an era of Indian modelling, its not a surprise that Mahikaa and Myra are preternaturally good-looking. What their parents have also passed on to the girls is an easy nonchalance about physical appearance. Weve never felt the pressure to look a certain way. We leave the house in our pyjamas and its fine. We are discouraged from wearing make-up or doing our hair. At home, theres never a conversation about looks or clothes, Mahikaa says as the bare minimum make-up on her face is being wiped off at the end of the shoot. Myra quickly chimes in, Which is why this shoot was so much fun. I got to get my hair curled and then straightened. I didnt think Id like it so much. Theres a glint in her eyes that hints that the beautiful teenager just might have caught the showbiz bug.

Arjun Rampals recent Insta post with his pregnant girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades

With his girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades pregnant, Arjun is preparing to be a dad once again. The couple, whove been together for a little more than a year, shared the news in April. True to form, Arjun continues to be fiercely protective of his new relationship, the breakdown of his 20-year-long marriage with Mehr and raising his lovely daughters after the divorce. Its personal and not something that Id like to talk about, he explains, before adding, My children have been complete champions and extremely supportive of our decision.

(Karishma Upadhyay is a journalist based in Mumbai who writes about films and travel)

Join in the conversation using #ArjunsAngels

From HT Brunch, June 16, 2019

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch

Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunchPeace is slowly returning to Tappal town in Aligarh district. However, an atmosphere of terror still prevails. It would seem that somehow we have internalised fear and while this may be a good coping mechanism, every ugly incident leaves us diminished and bruised.

You may recall the dreadful gangrape in Alwar district on April 26. A Dalit couple on a motorcycle was forcibly stopped and six people raped the woman in front of her husband. They made a video of this and put it out on social media. They felt no shame or fear. They seemed to feel they would get away with this crime. Initially, it seemed that they would not be brought to book as the police did register an FIR in this case till May 7.

No matter what the crime is, the criminal always behind leaves some evidence. In Alwar, the video of the entire incident was on social media. The prime minister mentioned it and Rahul Gandhi visited the victims. The rapists are now behind the bars. When this barbaric incident came to light, the issue of womens safety was raised yet again. The wounds of Kathua are still fresh.

The court pronounced its decision on the incident last week. The court has sentenced three people accused of raping the eight-year-old girl in a temple to life imprisonment. But what about those who were looking to make political gains from this tragedy? Two state ministers had tried to give the entire incident a political colour. We heard the slogans from the crowds who had gathered to proclaim the innocence of the criminals.

Now the incident in Tappal has proved that it doesnt matter which government is in power. Politics has a way of creeping into every issue and tainting it to some extent. The trauma that the victimin Kathua suffered can never be erased from public memory. Today, the same is happening with in the Tappal case. Each time a section of Indians preoccupied with the religious or caste identity of the victim and the criminals. This is a dangerous tendency. A look at the National Crime Record Bureau data is revealing. Within five years, the incidents of rapes of minor girl children have increased enormously. In 2012, the number of cases of molestations and rapes of the girls of 17 years and below was 8,541. This number increased to 19765 in 2016. It was in 2012 when the Delhi gangrapetook place. After that, Parliament had made laws related to the crime of rape far more stringent and strict. Despite this, about 106 cases of rape are registered every day in the country. And 40% of the victims are minor girls. Predators probably chose children as they are less likely to resist but this is a blot on our society.

Who says that by making strict laws, the brutality that drives rapists can be negated? Our experience shows that such people are not deterred by strict laws.

More than laws, this country should trust its traditions and social decency.

From Kathua to Tappal, whatever has happened in last year and a half only shows that our inherent sense of social probity and decency is waning. Instead of rectifying this dangerous slide, we have chosen to give ugly colours and labels to such shameful incidents. This is most dangerous and will come back to haunt us again and again.

After three years we will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of Independence. It may be possible that by then the government is able to provide every citizen with a home and shelter. Its possible that by then the problems of electricity, roads, water will be sorted out. But do not forget that the victim of Tappal also had a home. But home and shelter do not guarantee security. Now is the time when we will have to once again invoke the spirit of our great social movements because over the last five decades, politics has hurt our fundamental values and practices. There was a time when politics rose from society. But now our society is being directed by politics. Society itself will have to take the responsibility of giving it the right direction. Without this, we cannot achieve all the promise that we had as a nation at the time of Independence. We must collectively rise to the occasion and create a safe India for our children.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan

The views expressed are personalPerhaps because we are riveted by the scale of Narendra Modis victory and what it portends for our future, weve somewhat ignored the crisis in the Congress. Yet it deserves at least as much attention because in the present circumstances, a credible opposition is critical for our democracy. Unfortunately, judging by appearances, the Congress seems to be falling apart. Is this an existential crisis or can the situation be salvaged?

The truth is the Congress has suffered two successive disastrous election defeats. This time in 18 states and Union territories it didnt get a single seat. In the Lok Sabha, it only has 52. So, for a second time, it cant claim the leadership of the Opposition. But there could be worse in store. Its state governments in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh look precarious. If they fall, only Punjab and Pondicherry will be left. And finally, since May 25, when Rahul Gandhi said he wanted to resign, the Congress doesnt really have a leader. And, worse, no one knows whats being done to either convince him to stay or replace him.

At the moment, this is a party with a vacuum at the top. As a result, faction fights have broken out in Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. In Telangana and Maharashtra, the party has suffered serious desertions. If the party cannot find a strong leader, theres a real danger it will continue to splinter and fracture.

Which brings me back to the Rahul Gandhi question. For two weeks and more, since he insisted upon resigning, hes refused to meet chief ministers from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh or central leaders in Delhi. Its as if hes gone into a sulk because the party wont let him go. Unfortunately, this has raised two disturbing questions. First, the uncertainty surrounding him as well as the indecisive nature of his behaviour have added to the doubts about his leadership. They were already serious enough though never expressed by his colleagues in public. Now in defeat, his dithering and uncertain behaviour makes them seem a lot worse. The second question, if anything, is more important. After insisting on resigning, can Rahul Gandhi change his mind? If he does, wont he lose face? In a sense, doesnt his honour require that he stick to his word and go?

This leads me to the second part of the Congresss problem. Even if Rahul Gandhi goes, it wont resolve the crisis facing the Congress. Few Congressmen believe their party could survive under a non-Gandhi president. It split under Narasimha Rao and people started to desert in droves under Sitaram Kesari. Something similar could easily happen again.

Thus it seems the Gandhis are both the problem and the solution. Whichever way the Congress turns, it faces serious problems. After leading the party to two disastrous defeats, Rahul Gandhi clearly does not have the talent or the political skill to craft a comeback. Theres a high probability he could lead the Congress to a third consecutive defeat. On the other hand, without Rahul Gandhi, the party might steadily fall apart. Despite his personal failings as a leader, he is the glue that holds it together.

In which case, whats to be done? For now, an interim solution seems most sensible. Perhaps the answer lies in appointing a couple of working presidents or setting up a collegium of senior leaders to run the party alongside Rahul Gandhi. That would give the Congress time to agree upon a longer term resolution of the crisis. However, an interim solution is hardly the best foundation on which to revive the partys future. The danger is it could resemble a circus with no one able to crack the whip. But what other option is there?

The truth is the Congress is drowning and badly needs a lifeline. At the moment, its helplessly thrashing around in the water and the spectacle is only making matters worse. But the lifeline it needs can only come from itself. It cant come from outside.

Karan Thapar is the author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story

The views expressed are personalOn June 10, a district court in Pathankot, Punjab, sentenced six people for the abduction, gang rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammus Kathua region. While three of the accused have been charged for the actual crime, three policemen (one sub-inspector, one head constable, and one special police officer) have been convicted for destruction of evidence. The incident took place in January 2018. However, it was only after the Supreme Court ordered that the trial be shifted out of Jammu and Kashmir in May 2018, that regular hearings could begin in the case. The apex courts order came in the wake of immense local hostility, which included local lawyers preventing law officers from reaching the court; and ministers in the Jammu and Kashmir government, who were later removed, leading demonstrations in favour of the accused. The victim belonged to a Muslim nomadic tribe, and the accused were all Hindus. This communal angle was playing an important role as the events were unfolding.

Even as the court verdict has generated a sense of satisfaction over the law finally catching up with perpetrators of the heinous crime, cases such as Kathua continue to happen. Last week, the mutilated body of a three-year-old girl was found in a garbage dump in Aligarh. Initially, rape was suspected but police said medical reports have ruled out sexual assault. One of the accused, who has been arrested, had previously been accused of raping his daughter five years ago. He was released on bail later.

In May 2018, the Bihar government registered a case after a social audit by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) reported widespread sexual abuse of 34 girls who were staying in a state-funded non-governmental organisation (NGO)-run shelter home in Muzaffarpur. The main accused, Brajesh Thakur, was an influential man in the state, who ran many NGOs, newspapers, and was even part of the committee deciding on government accreditation for journalists in the state. The case has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which told the court earlier this year that the accused and his accomplices could have murdered 11 girls and buried them.

These anecdotal accounts help us put into perspective what are otherwise mere statistics of sexual violence against children in India. To be sure, even these statistics are not available anymore. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which works under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has not released its annual compendium of crime statistics, Crime in India, after the 2016 version was released in October 2017. The document earlier used to be published with a lag of six months. The 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 documents were published in either June or July of the subsequent year. Neither the 2017, nor the 2018 volumes have been published till date.

The existing statistics do not reveal a comforting picture. The average number of rape cases, where victims were aged 18 years or less, increased by more than three times between the trienniums (three-year periods) ending 2003 and 2016. This increase is almost twice the increase in number of rape cases where victims were more than 18 years old during the same period (See Chart 1).

NCRB also gives a more detailed break-up of rape cases by the age of victims. However, a long-term comparison is not possible because of a change in age cohorts in 2014. While reports until 2013

use a age-group classification of up to 10 years, 10-14 years and 14-18 years, NCRB shifted to a classification of up to six years, 6-12 years, 12-16 years and 16-18 years since 2014. A total of 547, 451 and 520 girls aged up to six years were victims of rape in 2014, 2015 and 2016, according to NCRB data.

How does the criminal justice system perform in dealing with such cases? NCRB gives statistics on convictions and acquittals under major crime heads. In 2016, the latest year for which data is available, conviction rate  convictions as a share of cases in which trial was completed  for child rapes, under Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) was 28.2%, slightly less than the 30.7% figure for all crimes against children. This gap was much bigger in metropolitan cities, with the respective figures being 29.3% and 41.8%. These figures suggest that the law is equally incapable in dealing with rape against children in big cities and smaller towns and villages.

The 2015 Crime in India report gives a more nuanced picture on this count, as it gives details of not just convictions and acquittals but also the status of persons who were in custody, for each crime-head. These figures present a disconcerting picture regarding sexual offences against children. For every one person who was in custody during the stage of trial under Pocso-related crimes, 1.2 persons were on bail during the state of trial at the beginning of 2015. This number doubled to 2.4 by the end of the year. These figures were 2.8 and 3.2 for all crimes against children. In absolute terms, the number of people who were out on bail while being tried under Pocso increased from 5,608 to 17,159 between the beginning and end of 2015. Of the 2,501 accused under Pocso-related crimes for which trials were completed, only 1,072 were convicted (See Chart 2).

In principle, there is nothing wrong in accused being granted bail by the courts. However, the Aligarh incident, where the perpetrator had a history of committing a similar crime, underlines the potential hazards of such criminals roaming free and committing more such crimes while trials remain pending.

Even the Muzaffarpur case, gruesome as it is, should not come as a surprise to Indias criminal justice system. The Government of India had set up a committee under late justice JS Verma to look into changes to criminal law to provide for quicker trials and enhanced punishments for criminals committing sexual assaults of extreme nature against women in the wake of massive protests against the gang rape of a young student in Delhi in December 2012. In its chapter on Child Sexual Abuse, the committee reports findings from its visit to a shelter home for women in Rohtak, Haryana, where girl children were forced to perform unpaid labour, denied basic food and clothing, and subjected to physical and sexual violence by the director and family members of the shelter home. The committee also noted that there was a close relationship between the person managing the shelter home and local police officers.

The report of the committee is damning in its observations. We think that there has been a dereliction of duty of all the visitors including the judicial magistrates who visited this home. There has been a gross failure on part of the government of India and its agencies and in its belief of outsourcing its fundamental obligations to do justice to the poor. It is therefore advisable that these homes be taken out of the control of the private organisations and placed under the supervision of High Courts

until the Parliament passes a stringent law and the government finds competent care takers, teachers and psychotherapists, because each one of these children need psychotherapy in order to mainstream them, it says. That something like the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, where a private party was running a shelter home and indulging in abuse of poor children in connivance with the local law-and-order apparatus, happened years after the Justice Verma Committee s recommendations, is testimony to the fact that even governments own observations have been completely neglected in these matters.

The committee was also critical of the negligence of the police in preventing trafficking of children - the biggest proof of which was seen in the lackadaisical approach of the police in dealing with complaints of missing children by their parents. It cites the notorious Nithari case, where the parents complaining about their missing children in Nithari, Uttar Pradesh, were themselves suspected by the police of having sold their children. Such behaviour was seen in the Aligarh case as well, when the police did not act on the complaint of the missing girl initially.

To be sure, the lack of sensitivity of the police, courts, and other arms of the government, is not something which manifests itself only when it comes to crimes against children.

A joint study by the Azim Premji University and CSDS-Lokniti released this year says that only one-fifth of respondents hold a positive view regarding the effectiveness and procedural fairness of the police and courts. In contrast, 41% and 58% of the respondents had a negative view of these two institutions. In fact, the share of respondents who have a negative view of the police and courts is more than that of those who see government officials this way. This is extremely disturbing as both the police and courts are expected to be avenues for redressal against injustice. (See Chart 3).

While, this is not to normalise crimes like the Kathua rape, we will do well to realise that the battle to protect our children from such crimes cannot be won without a radical overhaul of the entire criminal justice system, as well as entrenched patriarchy and insensitivity in our society.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONDespite Delhi High Courts Friday order which extended the date of registrations for admission in undergraduate (UG) courses to June 22, Delhi Universitys online admission portal remained inactive on Saturday. Many students complained that they could not fill their forms and submit the application fee online.

The registrations on the online admission portal remained closed by the time this report was filed.

The HC on Friday had directed DU to extend the registration date after hearing three petitions challenging DUs recently amended eligibility criteria for admissions for several courses. The court had also ordered DU to allow students to apply for admission based on the 2018-19 eligibility criteria.

However, on Saturday aspirants could not access the online portal. I tried to fill the form thrice on Saturday but couldnt and the portal did not even mention that the registrations were closed. I had even checked the schedule uploaded by the university on its official website, but it was also not updated, Shreyasi Sehgal (16), a resident of Mayur Vihar, said.

Many candidates could not pay their pending applications fee as well. After HCsorder I had tried to submit my pending registration fee on Saturday but found that the portal was inactive, Harsh Sharma, a resident of Kashmere Gate, said

Officials who handle the website during admissions said they did not receive any communication from the administration. We have been waiting since last night for a nod to re-start the registration process as directed by the court on Friday. But there is no direction from the administration and the admission committee as of now, an official, requesting anonymity, said.

Despite several attempts, DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, Registrar Tarun Das and chairperson of the admission committee Rajeev Gupta did not respond to calls and messages.

A senior official said the admission committee held a meeting on Saturday evening and decided to comply with the courts order. We are waiting for a nod from the VCs office, the official said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONA six-year-old Indian boy died after he was left behind alone in a bus for several hours in Dubai, the media reported on Sunday.

The child, identified as Mohamed Farhan Faisal from the south Indian state of Kerala, was a student at an Islamic centre in Al Quoz, reports the Khaleej Times.

According to family sources, he slept off after boarding the bus from Karama. He was left behind after all the other students disembarked outside the centre at 8 a.m., on Saturday.

The Dubai Police told Khaleej Times they were notified about the tragedy at 3 p.m. A top official from the centre said he was found as the driver took the bus out to drop the students back home.

The actual cause of death is yet to be determined.

Such incidents are rare in the UAE, but have been reported previously.

In 2014, a KG1 pupil at Abu Dhabis Al Worood Academy Private School suffocated to death after being forgotten inside a bus. The news had shocked the nation and sparked a major discussion on child safety in buses.

The principal, bus driver and supervisor were jailed and directed to pay 100,000 dirhams as compensation to the victims family.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Parliaments first session since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government returned to power last month will begin on Monday. The session will continue until July 26. Union Budget will be presented on July 5.

The government plans to push the passage of crucial bills, including the one that seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among a section of Muslims, during the session. It has a majority of 353 members in a 543-member lower House or Lok Sabha. But the government is dependent on the Opposition for legislative support in Rajya Sabha or the upper House, where it lacks a majority.

The government reached out to the Opposition in the run-up to the session as the Union cabinet cleared as many as eight bills that it will table in Parliament.

Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi, on Friday called on Congress leader, Sonia Gandhi, and sought cooperation for Parliaments smooth functioning.

A fresh bill banning the practice of instant divorce or triple talaq was among the bills the Cabinet approved on Wednesday ahead of the session. But there has no word on whether the government will table the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill or CAB.

People aware of the developments said there has been no discussion so far on whether the CAB will be tabled. The CAB seeks to make it easier for non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to get Indian citizenship. It triggered protests in the northeast ahead of the April-May national polls. Indigenous groups say the CAB will encourage more migrations from Bangladesh while an exercise is underway to identify and deport undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants from the region.

The CAB was passed in Lok Sabha in January, but it lapsed as the government was unable to have Rajya Sabha clear it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the bill during campaigning in the region and said the BJP was committed to passing it once the NDA returns to power.

The fresh bill to ban the instant triple talaq would be introduced in Parliament to replace an ordinance issued in February. Under the proposed law, instant triple talaq will be illegal and attract a jail term of three years. The previous bill lapsed as it was passed in the lower House but could not be cleared in Rajya Sabha.

The other legislations to be tabled include the Aadhaar Bill, which seeks to allow the voluntary use the 12-digit unique identity numbers as identity proof for opening bank accounts and procuring mobile phone connections.

The Indian Medical Council (Amendment Bill), 2019, and the Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment Bill), 2019, too, have been cleared. The first bill aims to bring transparency, accountability, and quality in the governance of medical education and to provide for supersession of the Medical Council of India for two years from August 26, 2018. The second proposed law seeks to extend the period for reconstitution of the Central Council from an existing period of one year to two years so that the tenure of the Board of Governors may be extended for a further period of one year with effect from May 17, 2019.

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill is also expected to be tabled. It proposes to set up a National Road Safety Board, increase penalties for several offences, protection of Good Samaritans and a uniform licencing system.

The government is expected to replace as many as 10 ordinances or executive orders with laws.

The session will begin with President Ramnath Kovinds address to a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament.Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Sunday directed the state government and the ST welfare department to provide alternative land of three acres within six months to each of the families of Adivasis of Kumaram-bheem Asifabad district who were allegedly detai-ned by forest authorities.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Shameem Akther was dealing with the petition by Mr Gaddam Laxman, the president of the Civil Liberties Committee (Telangana), moved as a house motion challenging the action of the authorities in detaining 67 Adivasis.

The bench on Saturday directed the Telangana government to produce 16 members (heads of the tribal families) of the detenus before it by Sunday evening. The bench also asked professor Jaidhir Thirumal Rao to make it convenient to attend before it, in order to assist the court to translate the language of the Adivasis regarding their confinement and to know the facilities provided by the officials.

Following the direction, the authorities produced 16 heads of Adivasis before the bench at the Chief Justices residence on Sunday evening. The Adivasis were brought in an AC bus and the professor was also present before the bench to assist the court.

When they were produced, one of the heads of the families, acquainted with Telugu, informed the bench that they were detained in a timber depot by the authorities after forcibly dispossessing them from their land and houses at Kolam-gondi village in Khagaz-nagar mandal of the district.

Counsel appearing for the state government told the bench that they were kept in the timber depot on a temporary basis and it had all the required facilities. He said the Adivasis would be provided permanent accommodation.

He informed the court that as per the rules, each family would be given three acres land and would be accommodated in a permanent house till they are shifted to their pucca houses.

The bench directed the authorities to provide accommodation to the Adivasi families in the ST hostel and also provide ration for one year besides arranging free education for their children. The bench also directed the authorities to give them pucca houses within a year.

Mr V. Raghunath, counsel for the petitioner, urged the court to direct the authorities to allow the Adivasis to continue cultivation of the lands which they had been cultivating for decades. But the bench said that it could not give such directions since the lands were located in the buffer zone of the forest. The bench granted liberty to the pet-itioner to move contempt if the authorities failed to fulfill the undertaking given to the court.The death toll due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur mounted to 93 on Sunday with people creating a ruckus at a government-run hospital here while Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan was visiting to take stock of the situation.

Those demonstrating alleged inadequate services by the hospital and negligence by politicians.

Vardhan, accompanied by his deputy Ashwini Choubey, visited Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) where 79 children have lost their lives. The central ministers, however, had to face public outrage as black flags were shown to their convoy.

A visibly distraught man, whose brother is admitted in the hospital, took off his shirt and protested against visits by political leaders and also alleged medical negligence.

No one listens to us. Why do these politicians come here if they do not want to listen or care about us? Who made them leaders? We chose them and made them leaders. They are all thieves. Our children are dying. All leaders and the media pay a visit every day and then go. But no one thinks about us. My brother is admitted here. The management is not listening to us. What should I do? Id rather prefer dying, said the man.

In the wake of the deaths, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yesterday announced an ex gratia of 4 lakh each to families of the children who died due to the disease. He has also given directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures to fight the menace.

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Saturday said that the state government is doing its best to save the children. Speaking to ANI, Pandey said doctors and nurses are being called in from Patna for additional help.

Earlier today, attendants of patients had also alleged unavailability of doctors at the hospital, while a girl had died while Vardhan was present at the institute.

At another hospital named Kejriwal Hospital, 14 deaths have been recorded due to encephalitis.

It 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.Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday inducted thirteen new faces in his cabinet; including ten from the Bharatiya Janata Party, two from Shiv Sena and one from the Republican Party of India (RPI). The long pending cabinet expansion comes just three months ahead of the assembly polls.

Political heavyweights former senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and former senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Jaydutt Kshirsagar - who had joined the BJP and Shiv Sena respectively, got cabinet berths. The expansion also gave a leg up to several BJP legislators, rewarded for their performance in the assembly or recent elections or for being party loyalists.

Several new ministers are also seen to be close to Fadnavis.

Six ministers including housing minister Prakash Mehta, tribal development minister Vishnu Sawra, social justice minister Rajkumar Badole, ministers of state Ambarish Atram, Pravin Pote and Dilip Kamble were dropped over performance issues.

Prakash Mehta, Ghatkopar legislator and sole Gujarati face in the cabinet was dropped to preempt attacks by the opposition in the monsoon session beginning on Monday.

Mehta earned negative remarks in the Lokayukta report on the MP Mill compound scam. He allegedly tried to pass on the benefit of additional buildable rights from a slum rehabilitation project to a private builder.

Out of the thirteen new ministers, eight were inducted as cabinet ministers and five as ministers of state.

6 BJP leaders, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Ashish Shelar, Dr Suresh Khade, Dr Anil Bonde, Sanjay Kute and Dr Ashok Uike were taken in as cabinet ministers while Sanjay Bhegade, Yogesh Sagar, Dr Parinay Fuke, and Atul Save were inducted as junior ministers.

The Shiv Sena got two cabinet minister berths for both Kshirsagar and Solapur MLA Tanaji Sawant. The Republican Party of India (A) leader Avinash Mahatekar got a minister of state berth.

``The reshuffle has been done on the back of an analysis of the last four and a half years of performance. It was done by CM Fadnavis and cleared by national president Amit Shah. It may be little late but we have got a younger and more capable team ahead of the assembly polls, said water resources minister, Girish Mahajan.

All the ministers who were dropped were given a chance to perform but were not up to the mark said a senior BJP leader.

While the reshuffle maintains regional and caste balances, it couldnt replace the loss of two tribal ministers.

One minister each from Vidarbha and Mumbai were inducted. Vidarbha has maximum representation in the cabinet with 10 ministers while Mumbai has 8.

``As CM Fadnavis told us yesterday, think of this as a T20, we have to perform from day one to ensure our schemes reach people ahead of the elections. We will take whatever responsibility our captain gives us, said Bonde, two-term BJP legislator from Morshi in Amravati.



SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONThirteen more children succumbed to suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar on Sunday, taking the toll in the state to 81 so far this year.

Of the 81 deaths, 65 were reported from the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), Muzaffarpur, said its superintendent Dr Sunil Kumar Shahi.

The other 16 deaths were reported from Kejriwal Maternity Clinic (KMC), Muzaffarpur, said the districts civil surgeon Dr Shailesh Prasad Singh. Most deaths have taken place in June.

Union health and family welfare minister Harsh Vardhan, who visited SKMCH on Sunday to assess the situation, spent close to three hours at the hospital as he examined many children.

I assure the people of the area, especially the affected families, that the government will extend all possible help and measures to the state government, Vardhan said.

Addressing the media after holding a review meeting with senior health officials, the health minister set timelines for completion of different tasks to combat AES, which has been recurring every year in Bihar since 1995.

He proposed setting up a state-of-the-art, multi-disciplinary research unit in Muzaffarpur, besides a composite, full-fledged paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), having at least 100 beds at SKMCH. There is a need of a state-of-the-art research centre to tackle this challenge in Muzaffarpur which will work in collaboration with the ICMR and the WHO, he said.

At present, SKMCH has four PICUs, housed in small rooms. Some of them were earlier being used as ICUs, but were converted into PICUs to handle the surge in AES cases. The PICUs at SKMCH have an in-patient bed strength of 34, but given the rush, two to three children are being treated on each bed.

Vardhan also urged Bihar health minister Mangal Pandey to strengthen the states primary health centres.

The Union minister asked the state government to scout for dedicated and committed doctors and support staff, who could go and stay in affected villages, identify children having low blood sugar level and clinically attend to them.

The minister also asked the state government to complete within four months the construction of the Centre-funded super-speciality hospital at SKMCH.

This, he said, would take care of complementary diseases that may arise due to AES.The Manipur government on Sunday rejected media reports that the presence of most ministers and ruling BJP lawmakers in New Delhi had anything to do with a possible leadership change in the state.

Manipur government spokesman Th Radheshyam admitted there were some differences of opinion within the government and added everything will be sorted out once chief minister N Biren Singh returns to Manipur from New Delhi.

BJP lawmaker, S Rajen, who returned from New Delhi on Sunday, also denied any possibility of change in leadership.

The troubles for the BJP-led Manipur government began when Naga Peoples Front (NPF) threatened to pull out of it last month over the alleged discrimination it faced.

The BJP has 21 members in the 60-member assembly. It has been in power since March 2017 with the support of NPF, which has four members, three other smaller parties, an Independent and a rebel Congress legislator.

Singh last week divested Y Joykumar of the NPP and BJPs Th Biswajit of the finance, public works and power portfolios after the Reserve Bank of India banned all transaction of funds from the account of state government for having overdrawn in excess of arrangements agreed upon. He constituted a three-member committee to examine the details of funds withdrawn by public works and power departments from March to May.

The two ministers divested of their portfolios rushed to Delhi and fuelled rumours that over a dozen BJP lawmakers had submitted a letter to the high command seeking Singhs removal.

Singh is also in Delhi for meetings with Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP leader Ram Madhav.A multi-disciplinary terror monitoring group, which is led by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and includes representatives from the Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency and the income tax department, will now expand its ambit to monitor the progress of all terror-related cases in the Valley, officials aware of the developments said on Saturday.

The group was initially set up to evaluate evidence when the Centre had decided to declare Jammat-e-Islami (Jammu and Kashmir) and the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) as banned organisations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The group will continue to monitor major terror-related cases. The primary motive is to ensure that terror-related cases, especially those before the courts, do not fall between two stools for lack of evidence. That is why the J&K Police has been made the fulcrum, a senior official of the ministry of home affairs said on condition of anonymity.

In the first six months of this year, security forces have killed 111 militants, including some top commanders of terror outfits in different parts of Kashmir. In the deadliest terror attack in the Valley, 40 troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in a suicide attack in Pulwama in February. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack.

Investigative agencies are also looking into cases of terror funding, with Kashmiri separatist leaders such as Shabir Shah, Asiya Andrabi and Masarat Alam Bhat being investigated over such charges. Arrested by the NIA, the three separatists have been sent to judicial custody till July 12.

A second official said the NIAs terror financing investigations in Jammu and Kashmir have revealed a steady flow of funds for terrorist activities. Pakistan-based Hafiz Saeed, the chief of the banned terror group Jammat-ud- Dawa, Hizbul Mujahedeen chief Syed Salahuddin and other Hurriyat leaders are key accused in the terror-financing case that the monitoring group will track, the official said.

Another official said that Masarat Alam Bhat is believed to have told the NIA that Pakistan regularly sends funds through the hawala route.

A fourth official, asking not to be named, said the funds are often used to organise unrest in J&K and significant evidence relating to funding of these separatists elements through Pakistan and UAE-based businessmen has been collected and presented to the NIA special court.A picture of a young man from north Kashmirs Kupwara district carrying a gun has gone viral on social media triggering fears that he may have signed up for militancy.

The police said that they were investigating the picture in which Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, a resident of Gulgam village in Kupwara can be seen. Mir was missing since last week.

His gun wielding picture has been circulated on social media. We are verifying, said senior superintendent of police, Kupwara, Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar.

Locals said that Mir, in his early twenties, ran a photocopy shop and went missing on June 11 after he left home for the Kupwara market. His family has issued an appeal requesting him to return.

The picture shows him wearing a military vest and holding a rifle pointing its barrel towards the ground while he is looking towards the camera. The date of joining is shown as June 12.

The photo is apparently stamped with Hizbul Mujahideen on its corner with the name of district commander Anantnag and Kupwara Mohammad Ashraf Khan alias Mansoorul Haq . It also reveals the educational qualifications of the youth saying he is a Hafiz-e-Quran and has done a diploma.

Youth joining militancy in Kashmir sometimes declare it publicly by releasing a gun wielding picture on social media.

The apparent joining of Mir would take the number of active local militants of the district to two.

We will now have two militants including Mir. The other one is also a local from Kralpora area. He joined some 6 months ago, said Dinkar.

Last year in October, Manan Wani, a former PhD scholar of AMU and a resident of Kupwara, who had left research to join militancy in Kashmir, was killed in an encounter with security forces in his home district.

Earlier this week, police in neighbouring district of Baramulla had said that two youths joined militant ranks after a picture of a post-graduate student Junaid Farooq posing with an AK-47 rifle went viral on social media.

A resident of Hamray Pattan area, Junaid was the second youth who has joined militancy in Baramulla police district.

In April, a 19-year-old youth Adnan Ahmad Channa of Arampora went missing from his house and joined militant ranks. Though his pictures were never released, police suspect him of joining the militant ranks.

In January, after the killing of three local Lashkar militantsShuiab Akhoon and his two associates Mohsin Mushtaq and Nisar Darzipolice had said they were the last listed militants in Baramulla police district.

Despite young men joining militancy, officials say that in the first five months of this year the number of youth joining militant ranks was less compared to the previous years.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday invited the heads of all parties to a meeting on June 19 to discuss the idea of one nation, one election, an issue that has lacked political consensus in the past and prompted consultations among experts.

After an all-party meeting ahead of Parliaments Budget session, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said that in order to build esprit de corps, the Prime Minister invited the presidents of all those parties who have an MP either in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha for the meeting.

The meeting has been called to discuss the one nation, one election issue, celebrations of 75 years of Indias Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhis birth anniversary this year, Joshi told reporters.

On June 20, all MPs of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will exchange views with the government at a dinner meeting, the Union minister said.

Political parties have remained divided on the issue of simultaneous elections in states and for the Lok Sabha, with the Election Commission of India saying that it is not possible without a legal framework, as any extension or curtailment of the term of assemblies will require a constitutional amendment.

The poll watchdog said last year that all political parties needed to be brought on board before such an exercise can be carried out.

At a consultation on the matter last year, several members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiromani Akali Dal and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supported the idea.

In January 2018, Prime Minister Modi said that all political parties should come together to support the idea as a lot of financial and human resources are used for frequent elections.

The Congress, however, has maintained that it is opposed to the idea of holding simultaneous elections as it is against the basic structure of Indian federalism.The police officer who was injured in a militant attack on June 12 in south Kashmir in which five CRPF men were killed succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, police said.

Station house officer of Anantnag police station, Arshad Khan was hit when motorcycle-borne militants gunned down five CRPF personnel in an audacious daylight attack on one of the busiest roads in south Kashmirs Anantnag town.

He was shifted to a military hospital from where he was referred to Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura in Srinagar.

Police said that he was airlifted to AIIMS, Delhi in the morning when his health deteriorated.

He was airlifted to AIIMS, where he succumbed. He is being brought back, said deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, south Kashmir, Atul Kumar Goel.

Doctors at SKIMS said that he had a bullet injury in his abdomen.

According to his colleagues in Anantnag police station, Khan, 40, a resident of Srinagar had joined police force in 2000. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Two motorcycle-borne militants had driven down KP Road and opened fire at 4.50pm at a contingent of CRPF personnel belonging to the 161 Battalion that was deployed at the spot. The CRPF personnel were on law-and-order duty and part of the Road Opening Party.

This was the first major strike on security forces since the February 14 suicide strike in Pulwama that killed 40 soldiers in what was the worst attack in Kashmirs history.Ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackerays 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 Thackerays 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 Yogis 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 everybodys 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, Rams work has to be done, and Rams work will get done.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)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 Pakistans 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 been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)A doctor wears a bandage on his head as he participates in a rally to show solidarity to protest against an attack on intern junior doctor in West Bengal, at Bikaner on Sunday (Photo: AP)

Kolkata: Buckling under public pressure due to patients continued suffering on the sixth day of their statewide agitation, junior doctors and interns of West Bengal government medical colleges and hospitals softened their stand on Sunday afternoon and agreed for immediate talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Following the doctors fresh proposal, the Chief Minister decided to call the protesters for a meeting on Monday.

The agitating doctors, however, set three conditions  talks should be held at an open forum, have the presence of representatives of all 14 medical colleges and media should also be allowed to cover the proceedings.

Ms Banerjee had on Saturday invited the agitators for closed-door talks, but the offer was turned down by them.

Services continued to remain affected for the sixth day on Sunday in emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch.

Ms Banerjee has called representatives of agitating doctors for a meeting at Nabanna, the state secretariat, on Monday afternoon. The state health department has suggested that one representative from each of the 14 medical colleges be allowed at the meeting but media should be kept away, sources revealed.

The junior doctors U-turn on talks came at a meeting at Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRSMCH) a day after Ms Banerjee announced that she had accepted all their demands. The protesters had earlier demanded an apology from the chief minister and asked her to visit NRSMCH.

At around 4.30 pm on Sunday, junior doctors forum Save The Saviours said, The last press interview by the chief minister on Saturday was full of discrepancies which have led to false propagation of the motto behind our protest and to the response of the government to it, and hence needs clarification. We want immediate end to this impasse by discussion with the CM which, to maintain transparency, should not be held behind closed doors but should be open to the media under camera coverage.Tension rose in the Benaras Hindu University Saturday afternoon after two students suffered critical injuries when a speeding SUV, allegedly belonging to a BJP leader, hit their bike near the universitys law faculty on BHU premises, police said.

Station officer Bharat Bhushan Tiwari said initial probe revealed that the SUV belonged to a BJP local leader named Ranvir Singh. An FIR was registered in this connection later in the evening. Police also took one person into custody for questioning.

Rakesh Singh and Anjulata Singh, both fourth year students of Bachelor of Fine Arts, were on their way to the central office of the varsity when the SUV coming from the opposite direction hit their bike.

The impact of the collision was so intense that pillion rider Anjulata Singh fell at a distance while the bike was dragged for about 70 metres, police said. Both the students suffered critical injuries. The occupants of the vehicle fled from the spot after the accident.

Other students rushed Rakesh and Anjulata to the BHU trauma centre.

The accident enraged the BHU students who pelted the vehicle with stones and set it on fire. Police, who received information about the incident, along with fire tenders reached the spot and doused the flames.

The condition of the injured students is stable and they are undergoing treatment at the trauma centre, BHU chief proctor Professor OP Rai said.

A doctor, who did not wish to be named, said Rakesh suffered a broken rib and blood had filled his lungs. He underwent a surgery and the blood in his lungs was removed. He had to be administered four units of blood. He is stable now. Anjulata also suffered a rib injury and underwent a surgery. Her condition is also stable and out of danger.Two senior customs officials posted at Delhi airport have been suspended for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman from Uzbekistan who was visiting India for medical treatment of a relative, officials said.

The matter came to light last month when a complaint was lodged by a whistleblower to senior officials at the airport who then started the probe.

Meanwhile, a pseudonymous complaint was also emailed to the office of Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey informing him about the incident.

The complainant, citing a brief detail of the case, requested the Revenue Secretary that the matter be looked into with utmost priority.

The top officer in the revenue department was also requested to bring the culprit to justice to set an example for before other public servants, who the complaint described as wolves in the skin of sheep.

The copy of the complaint was then forwarded to the officer concerned in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the top policy making body for the customs department.

Two Superintendents of customs officials posted at the airport were then suspended by the authorities for their alleged involvement in the sexual assault, the officials said.

Giving details of the case, they said that one of the accused official stopped the Uzbek woman upon her arrival from Tashkent on May 3, for checking of her baggage for any suspected smuggled goods.

He then took her to a room, which has no CCTV camera, and spent about half an hour there without being accompanied by any women officer, they said.

It is alleged that the Superintendent, who is in his early 50s, sexually assaulted the woman, who had come for treatment of her sisters child admitted at a private hospital in Delhi, the officials said.

The woman had lodged a complaint with the customs authorities but retracted later after she is alleged to have been threatened of being fabricated in a false case of smuggling, besides threat to her life by the accused officer, they said.

The customs authorities at the Delhi airport, who are tight-lipped about the entire incident, are still looking into the matter. However, it is not confirmed whether or not the customs department has approached Delhi Police, reporting the alleged crime.

While enquiring into the allegations against the Superintendent, a role of another officer of the same-rank had come to the notice of the authorities. The duo were then suspended by the customs department pending a detailed probe.

It is also alleged that the Uzbek woman, who can hardly speak English, is under tremendous strain and hesitant in reporting the assault in view of the alleged threats.

The incident depicts a horrific picture. No one knows how many women may have been assaulted by such officers on the pretext of baggage search for any suspected smuggling, a woman staffer posted at the airport said on condition of anonymity.

Customs officials randomly stop passengers to check their baggage or for personal search to foil any attempt of smuggling at the Delhi airport.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Saturday seized 32.28-kg smuggled gold bars, worth 10 crore, from the domestic airport in Santacruz. Seven men have been arrested in the case and have allegedly confessed to smuggling gold via the air route and then selling it to jewellers in Zaveri Bazaar and other markets in the city with huge margins.

On learning that consignments carrying illegal gold bars were landing at Concor Air Ltd, an agency dealing with domestic air cargo, at the Santacruz airport, DRI officials intercepted 12 cargo consignments and seized the gold. DRI found that seven logistics companies, having offices in Kalbadevi, had ordered the consignments and wrongfully declared the cargo as gold jewellery instead of gold bars.

The arrested accused allegedly smuggled foreign-marked and unmarked gold bars. These include bars smuggled across Indo-Myanmar border, said a DRI official. We found that the foreign-marked gold bars were smuggled through various ports of India and brought to Mumbai through domestic air route to avoid checking by DRI, he said. The accused firms received the parcels at the cargo terminal and sold the gold bars at jewellery shops.

The accused companies are Satrawala Logistics Pvt Ltd, New Ashok Parcel and Logistics Pvt Ltd, Ambe Express Logistics, Naplog Logistics Pvt Ltd, Bhawani Logistics Pvt Ltd, Jai Mata Air Services and Yogita Logistics Pvt Ltd. While Manohar Kothari, owner of Ambe Express Logistics; Jai Prakash Saini, owner of Yogita Logistics; and Sanjay Kumar Didwania of Aur Parcel Parcel were remanded in judicial custody, Vikash Trivedi of Naplog Logistics; Bhagwan Lal Gujjar of Bhawani Logistics; Rakesh Saini of Satrawala Logistics; and Rakesh Kumar of Shri Sai Parcel Service have got bail.

We interrogated the men on whose name the consignments were booked. The arrested accused confessed that they have been involved in smuggling for the past two to three years, said the official.One scion of Maharashtras influential Pawar family tried his luck in the just-gone-by Lok Sabha elections. Another scion is limbering up to try his in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls in October.

Other than their powerful surname and political legacy, the two Pawar scions have little in common. One is the 29-year-old son of Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawars nephew Ajit Pawar; the other is the 33-year-old grandson of Sharad Pawars elder brother Dinkarrao Pawar.

London-educated Parth Pawar recently burnt his fingers at the hustings, having contested from Maval constituency in western Maharashtra. He is more comfortable in English than his mother tongue, and was widely trolled for electioneering in his halting Marathi. He also has the dubious distinction of being the only Pawar  among granduncle Sharad, father Ajit and aunt Supriya Sule  to have lost an election in Maharashtra.

Mumbai-educated Rohit Pawar began his electoral innings with the local self-government polls in 2017.

A member of the Pune zilla parishad, Rohit is a good orator, fluent in Marathi and comfortable dealing with party cadre. He is now said to be prepping to jump into the Assembly poll fray from either Hadapsar or Jamkhed, both saffron strongholds. A graduate from Mumbai university, Rohit joined his familys sugar and poultry business, Baramati Agro, after he turned 21. But since his induction into politics, he has been seen accompanying Sharad Pawar on his political tours across Maharashtras rural heartland.

The buzz in the NCP is that Sharad Pawar is handholding Rohit much in the way he mentored nephew Ajit more than two decades ago. In some ways then, Parths defeat in the Lok Sabha polls and Rohits scheduled debut in the Assembly polls point to the changing dynamics within the Pawar family.

Parths defeat has put Ajit Pawar on the backfoot, also because [Sharad] Pawar saheb was not keen on it [contesting elections]. It was Ajits miscalculation that backfired... In this light, Sharad Pawars mentoring of Rohit means he is openly backing him to take a bigger role in the party. The lines seem to be drawn, said a senior NCP leader, who did not wish to be named.

Although this leader said Parth was not actively associated with the party organisation, Parth did not agree.

I am actively involved in party activities. My association with Maval was never limited to the election. Over five lakh people voted for me and its my responsibility to stay committed to them. At the end of the day, I am an NCP karyakarta and whatever the party decides for me, I will oblige, Parth said.

Rohit said the final decision on whether he would contest would be taken by the party chief.

If saheb (Sharad Pawar) asks me to contests polls, I am ready. If I am asked to hold back and work for the party organisation, I will do that. I admit our performance in the Lok Sabha polls has been disappointing but we will script a different story in the Assembly polls, Rohit said.

According to Nitin Barmal, a Pune-based political analyst and associate professor at Dr Ambedkar Art & Commerce College, There were major disagreements about Parths candidature in the Pawar family and his defeat does cast a shadow on what happens next. The NCP chief is indeed backing Rohit to take a bigger role in the party. Rohit will align with Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya Sule. Some years back, it was expected that power would pass from Sharad Pawar to his political heir Ajit. Now it seems unlikely.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONThe Sahar police arrested a 30-year-old Nepalese citizen from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday for allegedly possessing an Indian voter identity (ID) card. According to the police, the accused, Prakash Karki, alias Manbahadur Karki, got the card from Punjab after submitting forged documents.

Karki, who originally hails from Baglung in Nepal, has been residing in India for more than a decade. On Saturday, he was taking a connecting flight from Ethiopia to Liberia on a Nepali passport.

During an immigration check, the officials asked him about the purpose of his travel. As Karki was unable to give them satisfactory replies, they checked his luggage and found an Indian voter id card.

In the voter id card, Karki had used the name Prakash Singh and had given his address in Phillaur in Jalandhar district of Punjab. It was allegedly issued by the electoral registration officer of Nurmahal constituency.

The officials then handed Karki over to the Sahar police. During the probe, he allegedly confessed to have forged documents for obtaining the card. He has been booked for cheating and forgery.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONSqueeze your friend to save your friend is Indias new recommendation to China. That is the implicit message Prime Minister Narendra Modi passed on when he told Chinas President Xi Jinping that India cannot hold a dialogue with Pakistan unless there is an end to cross-border terror. Even before this exchange at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan, Beijing had, through public statements and its State-owned media, signalled that it wanted India and Pakistan to jaw-jaw rather than war-war. China is one of the few foreign countries with any real influence over Pakistan and the only one taken seriously by the Pakistani military. China also seems increasingly worried about stability in the southwest Asian region as a whole and the fallout of continued friction between India and Pakistan in particular. This combination provides New Delhi some leverage with regard to Islamabads behaviour. Sensibly, Mr Modi is seeking to exploit this.

Beijings interest in dialogue seems clear. It has now become Pakistans patron State. It provides 70% of its weapons, is by far its largest foreign investor, and, as can be seen in the United Nations, has become Islamabads diplomatic guardian. Yet, Pakistan is also Chinas problem child. The economy is a black hole, shrinking in size and requiring an endless amount of assistance. Conflict, even proxy fighting, will do far more damage to Pakistans economy than Indias. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor may save its hosts economy one day, but it remains under construction and places tens of thousands of Chinese civilians on the firing line if there were to be a genuine military action along the border.

There is some evidence China is not above arm-twisting Pakistan when it comes to its sponsorship of terrorism. It allowed Pakistan to be grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force on terrorism finance. Its public statements after the Balakot airstrike were guardedly neutral. It has its own domestic problems with Islamicist militancy. But no one should be under the illusion that Beijing will take New Delhis side against Islamabad. China broadly agrees with Pakistan that if it rolls up the jihadi network, there will be no incentive for India to negotiate over Kashmir. But Pakistans own weakness provides India with the ability to extract minor concessions from China in places like the United Nations and, with a bit of luck, it will be through such small victories that a more realistic stance on terrorism by Pakistan may develop.In a comedy of errors, a person streaming live on Facebook a conference by a Pakistani minister accidentally activated the cat filter, according to a media report Saturday.

Photos of Khyber Pakhtukhwas Minister of Information Shoukat Yousufzai and his fellow ministers with cat ears and whiskers quickly went viral on social media, Dawn news reported.

The press conference was about the recent decisions made by the provincial Assembly, but the netizens could not get over the mishap.

Who let the cats out, said on Twitter user, while another posted: Positive image of Pakistan is being promoted though a press conference streamed live on Facebook with cat filter on Ministers of KP province. One Twitter user also said that Yousufzai looks kinda cute with the cat ears and whiskers.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)New Delhi: After the drubbing in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Congress leadership has decided to open its doors to its cadres. Insiders said, in a bid to ensure a direct communication with the party workers, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will meet them twice a week without prior appointments.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh is ready to hit the ground in the state, in order to strengthen the party organisation in time for the 2022 Assembly polls.

It emerged from the review meetings held after the Lok Sabha polls that there should be a greater coordination and communication between the leaders and the workers. For this, it has been decided that Priyanka Gandhi will meet the party workers at least twice a week, a Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity.

The frequency of her tours to Uttar Pradesh (UP) will also increase in the near future, he added. The feeling within the party is that there is a disconnect between the cadres and the top leadership of the party. Often in the decision making of the party, either the suggestions of the cadres are ignored or they do not reach the leadership. Hence the mechanism is being put in place.

A few days back Ms Gandhi along with her mother Sonia Gandhi were in Rae Bareilly. Priyanka pulled up the party workers for failing to work for the Congress during the polls. Many, even within the party, felt that such a public dressing down of the party workers was completely uncalled for. Bypolls are due for 11 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh after the respective MLAs were elected to Parliament.

The party is facing an existential crisis in the state of Uttar Pradesh instead of lashing out at the cadres the situation requires rebuilding the party from scratch. Bypolls are due for 11 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh after the respective MLAs were elected to ParliamentRussian deputy prime minister Yury Trutnev will visit New Delhi on June 18 to explore opportunities for Indias participation in developing the resource-rich Far East and Arctic regions, people familiar with developments said.

Trutnev, the Russian presidents special envoy for the Far Eastern federal district, will take forward discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek on June 13 about cooperating in the region rich in oil, gas, minerals and timber.

The visit comes at a time when there is a feeling in New Delhi and Moscow that the bilateral relationship needs a boost in terms of trade and investment. Military-technical cooperation remains robust but trade has stagnated at around $10 billion for the past few years. Indias participation in developing Russias Far East figured in talks between Modi and Putin on the margins of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, and the Indian side said business delegations and state representatives will visit the region to identify opportunities.

Russias easternmost region stretches from Siberia to the Pacific Ocean and is estimated to have 10 to 14 billion tonnes of oil and 14 to 15 trillion cubic meters of gas. A consortium of Indian oil companies acquired a 49.9% stake in Vankor oilfield in Siberia for $4.2 billion in 2016 and the two sides are in negotiations for other oilfields in the region.

A new area of focus identified by (Modi and Putin) is Arctic region oil and gas. This is an area where we feel we should engage further, and we have already begun that engagement  a delegation from the ministry of petroleum and natural gas had discussions with the Russian side last month, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said, adding that the two sides will also look at using skilled Indian manpower to develop the Far East region.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has warned against exploiting the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi for political gains, in what appeared to be a veiled attack on Turkey.

Turkeys ties with Saudi Arabia have come under strain since the brutal murder last October of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which tarnished the international reputation of the crown prince.

Turkish officials were the first to report the murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found.

The death of Jamal Khashoggi is a very painful crime, Prince Mohammed told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in an interview published Sunday.

Any party exploiting the case politically should stop doing so, and present evidence to the (Saudi) court, which will contribute in achieving justice, he added, without directly naming Turkey.

The prince, however, added that he wants strong relations with all Islamic countries including Turkey.

The CIA has reportedly said the murder was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler and heir to the Arab worlds most powerful throne.

Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation.

Saudi prosecutors have absolved the prince and said around two dozen people implicated in the murder are in custody, with death penalties sought against five men.

Khashoggi, a US resident, had written critically of Prince Mohammed and was killed in what Riyadh described as a rogue operation.

Prince Mohammed said the kingdom was committed to full justice and accountability in the case, as he faces international pressure to punish the culprits.iStock(PARIS) -- Notre Dame Cathedral held mass on Saturday, its first since a devastating fire tore through the building two months ago on April 15.



Only a small group of about 30 people attended the mass, including the churchs clergy, worshipers, media and construction workers. The mass was also transmitted live on a French Catholic TV station, and dozens of other Catholics attended the service from outside the cathedral, watching on their phones.



The small group convened in a chapel behind the large gold-covered cross that was miraculously found intact after the fire, which destroyed the buildings roof, causing its iconic spire to collapse. For safety reasons, those attending the mass were asked to wear hard hats inside the church.



Paris archbishop Michel Aupetit led the service. He has pushed for the reconstruction of Notre Dame since the fire and wanted to hold the mass as a way to keep the energy around the monuments recovery alive.



French Minister of Culture Franck Riester that only 9% of the $955 million in donations that had been promised to Notre Dames reconstruction had actually been received, according to Agence France-Press. He said some donors were waiting to send their donations because they wanted clear plans for how their money would be spent.



The mass was held a day before an annual celebration of the consecration of the churchs altar, known as the feast of the Dedication of Our Lady, and Aupetit prayed to the statue of the Virgin Mary, saying that he was thankful to be there.



It was extraordinary, he said, to be able to celebrate again, even in this wounded cathedral. I was ordained bishop in this cathedral.



Aupetit called it a little weird praying with hard hats on and said that he took it off during the consecration because come on.



He hopes hell be able to hold mass again soon, though. As soon as Im given the authorization again, I will go again, because I used to go all the time, he said.



The church site is still being investigated by the French police. Investigators have now seized 100 samples from the crime scene to undergo laboratory examinations. However, they fear that a lot of the samples wont be useful.



Investigators believe that the fire started due to a short-circuit around the electrified bells in the spire. They also believe that there had been a human error in locating the fire, and that a security guard inspected the wrong sector of the church.



As the investigation continues, the churchs reconstruction will remain on hold until it is fully cleared of rubble. Yet still, with this mass, the clergy around Notre Dame demonstrates that its eager to start a regular church life again.



Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Attendees at the Huawei pavilion, during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, last year. [Photo provided to China Daily]

United Kingdom telecom operator Vodafone will launch its 5G network services in 15 Spanish cities, including Madrid and Barcelona, on Saturday in cooperation with Chinese tech company Huawei Technologies Co.

The announcement means that Huawei is steadily securing votes of confidence from foreign companies despite the United States government's crackdown on the world's largest telecom equipment maker.

Vodafone said the move makes Spain one of a handful of countries in the world to commercialize the superfast technology and its 5G network will offer download speeds of up to 1 gigabits per second.

A Vodafone spokesman told AFP the company will use telecom gear from Huawei and the Swedish manufacturer Ericsson to distribute the mobile service which would eventually power critical applications such as autonomous driving or remote surgeries in the future.

The development came shortly after Huawei devices were used for the first 5G live-streaming in the UK in May.

By June 6, Huawei had 46 commercial contracts for 5G networks in 30 countries worldwide. The increasing number of orders demonstrate Huawei's technological prowess in 5G, said Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Information Consumption Alliance, a telecom industry association.

Huawei has invested about $2 billion in total into the research and development of 5G since 2009. The company's founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said in an earlier interview that others will definitely not be able to catch up with Huawei in 5G technologies over the next two to three years.

Huawei is facing a campaign from the US government, which accuses the company of posing risks to its national security. Huawei has repeatedly denied the accusations and said these claims are not supported by factual evidence.

Washington banned Huawei from buying any US technology without special approval in May. Swiss investment bank UBS said in a research report that the US government's restrictions on Huawei would hold back earnings in the tech sector across the world.

Assuming the US government's restrictions stay in place, UBS estimated that US tech players' earnings would decline by a low-single digit percentage, given the close business connections of US companies with Huawei.

The Asian tech sector would see mid-single digit percentage losses, although the impact would be neutral for Europe's tech industry, the bank predicted.The NIA has already approached the relevant authorities for providing evidence relating to certain bank accounts used by Asiya Andrabis son Mohammad bin Qasim, it said.

New Delhi: The NIA has alleged that its probe into terror financing in Jammu and Kashmir has revealed that hardline separatist leaders received funds from abroad and utilised them for personal gains  from amassing properties to paying for foreign education of their kin.

The agency has interrogated several top leaders of Hurriyat Conference and other organisations and claimed that they had confessed to receiving funds from Pakistan to fuel separatist sentiments among the people of Kashmir Valley.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the firebrand leader of Duktaran-e-Milat, Asiya Andrabi, was grilled by it about the educational expenses of her son in Malaysia incurred by Zahoor Watali, who was arrested in a terror funding case.

During interrogation, Asiya Andrabi admitted that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources and Duktaran-e-Milat had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley, it claimed.

The NIA has already approached the relevant authorities for providing evidence relating to certain bank accounts used by Asiya Andrabis son Mohammad bin Qasim, it said.

Another hardline separatist leader, Shabbir Shah, had to face some tough time when he was confronted about his businesses, including a hotel in Pahalgam which is allegedly funded through foreign funds received by him from Pakistan, the statement said.

During the custodial interrogation, Shabir Shah was confronted with evidence relating to transfer of money by Pakistan-based agents and representatives of APHC (All Parties Hurriyat Confere-nce) factions to parties affiliated to Hurriyat in J&K. He was also confronted about his investments in various hotels and businesses in Pahalgam, properties in Jammu, Srinagar and Anantnag, the NIA said.

The NIA had registered a case in May, 2017 against terrorists belonging to Jammat ud Dawah, Dukt-aran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and other separatist leaders in the state for raising, receiving and collecting funds to fuel separatist and terrorist activities and entering into a larger conspiracy for causing disruption in Kashmir Valley and for waging war against India.

The agency has so far chargesheeted 13 accused, including leader of Jammat-ud Dawah Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, head of proscribed organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin, seven separatist leaders, two hawala conduits and some stone-pelters.

Watali is one of the main hawala conduits who used to generate and receive funds from Pakistan, ISI, UAE and had floated various shell companies to disguise foreign remittances for further transfer to separatist leaders and stone pelters in the valley, it said. The agency said these funds were used to fuel unrest in the Kashmir valley.Cuba Gooding Jr is in a burning hot seat as of late ever since he's been caught groping a woman's breasts and thighs. The actor turned himself in after a surveillance tape showed proof of his sexual harassing a woman in a club, despite his girlfriend being right next to him. The woman involved, who has since pressed charges, maintains that she was simply attempting to help Gooding Jr by offering him some water as he seemed to be in a "highly intoxicated" state. Though when she did, he proceeded to inappropriately grab her. Since then, Gooding Jr. continues to deny the allegations claiming he places his trust in the system. "I trust the system, and the process speaks for itself," were his exact words. Ever since the latter occurred, it seems Cuba has kept away from the cameras until recently.

According to TMZ, the famed actor was spotted sharing hugs and kisses with his daughter's lawyer, Elizabeth Heller. Currently, Gooding Jr. is represented by Elizabeth's father, Mark Heller, in the sexual abuse and forcible touching case. Moreover, it does not seem like the entertainer is lacking any sort of support from his fans and many have come to his defense since the accusations were brought up.

[Via]There's always something happening in Florida... The Sunshine State's gained a reputation over the years for the strange headlines they've made. It even got to the point where it prompted the creation of a social media challenge in which people would Google "Florida Man" and their date of birth to find out what wild headline landed on their birthday. The two most recent, and absurd, headlines that Floridians have made include a teacher writer "WTF is this" on one of her student's homework, as well as .. get this: a twerking shoplifter.

If that isn't enough to make you wonder what's in "that Florida water," the latest headline sees a Florida man being arrested this past weekend, after police discovered a bag of methamphetamine inside a to-go box of potato wedges"hot, fresh potato wedges."

Complex reports that Deputies found the drugs during a Saturday traffic stop in Hillsborough County. Officers say the suspect, 48-year-old James Henry Simpson, was wanted in a neighboring county after he failed to appear in court on drug-related charges. Deputies began searching Simpson's vehicle after learning about his active warrant, and they happened to find 6 grams of meth mixed in with his carb-y snacks.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister took to Facebook on Tuesday, to share news of the unusual (for every other state in the US) news, jokingly writing: "Id like an order of potatoes wedges with a side of METH!" Simpson was arrested on the outstanding warrant and issued an additional penalty, of possession of controlled substance charge. According to Hillsborough County's inmate database, the self-employed handyman was still in custody on a bond hold.We've all had moments whereby we proceed to confidently belt out lyrics to a song, only to be smugly informed by a friend that "those are not the right words," before proceeding to google the lyrics for the next time we decide to break out in song. Google usually comes in clutch, providing us with the lyrics directly on their page, but now, Genius Media Group - formerly known as Rap Genius - has come forward to accuse Google of stealing lyrics published on its site. The site has spent the last decade aggregating lyrics from rappers, pop stars, and other musicians, and now claims that Google is using lyrics taken from its platform to populate its search engine results.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1140295485372215297



According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, Genius has known about the issue since way back in 2017, when executives penned a letter requesting the company not to use lyrics taken from their platform. They followed up their letter with another sent in April, saying that using lyrics taken from the platform violates both the companys terms of service and antitrust law more generally.Over the last two years, weve shown Google irrefutable evidence again and again that they are displaying lyrics copied from Genius, Ben Gross, Genius chief strategy officer, told the Wall Street Journal in a statement.

The lyrics platform was skilfully able to prove that Google had taken content from its site, using a watermarking system which alternated between straight and curly single-quote marks in its apostrophes. The site used this smart watermarking system to encode the words Red Handed into various lyrics in Morse code, which appeared identically in Googles Knowledge Graph and Information Graph search results. We take data quality and creator rights very serious and hold our licensing partners accountable to the terms of our agreement, Google told the Wall Street Journal in a statement. The company also said that theyve partnered with other non-Genius organizations like LyricsFind Inc. to secure the rights to lyric content.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByxztqxnR3p



Its worth noting, however, that Genius doesn't even actually own the rights to lyrics published on its platform. The site licenses lyrics from music publishers, while allowing users to contribute lyrics to be published on the platform. In 2013, the National Music Publishers Association took to calling the site blatantly illegal, filing a series of stern takedown notices against Genius. This isnt the first time that Google has been called out for similar offenses, though, as back in 2017, the Outline reported that Googles Knowledge Graph system significantly impacted page views for sites like CelebrityNetWorth.com.Lil Pump has announced that he has quit lean...again.

It was in a brief upload to the socials that the South Florida-bred rapper revealed that he has given up on the popular mixture of cough syrup and soda, while also putting out a blanket statement, condemning his use of any substances.

Yo guys, Im making an announcement. I dont sip no more lean at all. I dont do no more drugs, fuck all that, he says in the clip. As he makes his announcement, a woman can be hard congratulating Pump, exclaiming, "Oh my God! Good job, Pumpy!"

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByvWgfyn0bj



Last December, Pump made a very similar announcement, declaring that he would be giving up lean, but soon found himself back off the wagon.

Hey, Im Lil Pump, and I kicked the cup. I think you should kick the cup too. Look how skinny I got, he said in a video on his Instagram Stories. Previously, he made the same joke of "kicking the cup" in April of 2018, tossing a bottle of cough syrup into the pool.

This time around, the clip seemed to be just a little less staged. We'll see if this round of sobriety lasts for Pump.Patna: Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and brain fever continues to pose a tough challenge for Bihar government.

Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, who visited Muzaffarpur to take stock of the situation, stressed on the need for in-depth research, to find out reasons behind the outbreak of epidemic which has taken the lives of more than 103 children in North Bihar.

The situation is shocking. The government is taking all necessary steps to prevent the disease and save children from losing their lives. We also need to develop well-equipped research labs in at least five districts in order to find ways to detect and prevent the disease. Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said while talking to reporters on Sunday.

He also urged people to keep their children hydrated in order to prevent the disease.

The health minister was shown black flags during his visit to Patna and Muzaffarpur by angry protesters who blamed the state government for inadequate medical services.

Meanwhile, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has also announced an ex gratia of `4 lakh for each to the families of the children who died due to AES in Muzaffarpur.

As per the reports, AES has taken around 12 districts of the state in its grip which includes Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and East Champaran. However, Muzaffarpur has been declared as the worst hit zone. 76 children died at the SKMCH, while 17 died at the Kejriwal Maternity Hospital in Muzaffarpur. Officials said most of the children being treated at both clinics had symptoms of hypoglycaemia. a condition caused by low blood sugar level.Wendy Williams is really out here living her best life. Ever since she served her ex-husband Kevin Hunter with some divorce papers in a box wrapped neatly with a bow, she has been dedicated to getting back out there and doing what's best for herself. As such, she's been spotted out and about hanging out with bestie Blac Chyna and having a great time with a new man. Although he is half her age and reportedly a convicted felon, the television show host is still enjoying him. Though many of us are happy for Wendy, some are speculating that the 54-year-old's new lover is simply a golddigger attempting to scam the starlet out of all her coins. Well, most recently, the boy toy has chosen to clap back and let the haters know what's really going on.

Marc Tomblin spoke with TMZ and shared that he doesn't care about fame and he does not need a woman to take care of himself financially. In fact, he can take care of himself. Moreover, Tomblin has added that the only reason he is spending time with Wendy is because he genuinely enjoys her company. The 27-year-old reportedly has not asked Williams for a dime since they've been seeing each other. Indeed, Tomblin has his own coin and wants folks to put some respect on his name.

[Via]1. Such appalling events

Emilie Landecker was 19 when she went to work for Benckiser, a German company that made industrial cleaning products and also took pride in cleansing its staff of non-Aryan elements.

It was 1941. Landecker was half Jewish and terrified of deportation. Her new boss, Albert Reimann Jr., was an early disciple of Adolf Hitler and described himself as an unconditional follower of Nazi race theory.

Somehow, inexplicably, they fell in love.

The story of Landecker, whose Jewish father was murdered by the Nazis, and Reimann, whose fervent Nazism and abuse of forced laborers did not stop his family from attaining colossal wealth after the war, is a tale of death and devotion and human contradictions. It is also a tale of modern-day corporate atonement.

Decades after World War II, Benckiser evolved into one of the largest consumer goods conglomerates on the planet. Known today as JAB Holding Co. and still controlled by the Reimann family, it is worth more than $20 billion and owns Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Peets Coffee, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Pret A Manger, Keurig and other breakfast brands.

The relationship between Reimann and Landecker was for many years a secret. He was married, but had no children with his wife. He and Landecker had three, and he adopted them in the 1960s; today, two of them own a combined stake in JAB of about 45%. For decades, they say, they did not know about their fathers Nazism and the abuses that took place at the company they inherited: The female forced laborers who had to stand at attention outside their barracks naked. A prisoner of war who was kicked out of a bomb shelter and died.

THE REIMANN FAMILY/NYT

Reimann and Landecker, who died in 1984 and 2017, respectively, never spoke about those years. Incriminating documents were destroyed or locked away in a safe. A two-volume company history glossed over the Nazi era in a handful of pages. But as Benckiser grew, morphing into the globe-spanning JAB, its past became impossible to ignore. Peter Harf, who joined the company in 1981 and became chairman this year, and whose own father was a Nazi, said he never really bought the idea that the organization had nothing to hide.

More for you U.S. buries digital land mines to menace Russia's power grid

I knew the stories they told, he said. It didnt smell right.

Around 2012, as JAB was acquiring high-profile coffee brands and drawing global attention, Harf pressed the family to open its archives to an independent scholar. By 2016, Paul Erker, an economic historian at the University of Munich, took on the task.

Only now, 74 years after World War II, are the family and the company grappling with their dark and complicated history. In March, the first findings about the abuse of forced laborers at the company leaked in a German tabloid. Discovering Nazi activity in corporate history is a somewhat regular occurrence in the country, and the crimes of the Reimanns were not as severe as, for example, those of the many larger companies with ties to death camps and the expropriation of Jewish businesses. But JABs portfolio of sunny coffee-and-doughnut brands in the United States made the revelations a global news story.

Its employees  there are 180,000 around the world  have reported that customers accuse them of working for Nazis. There have been boycott threats; this month, The Boston Globe published a scathing article with the headline: I found out Nazi money is behind my favorite coffee. Should I keep drinking it?

The outrage has flared without the public knowing the full extent of Reimanns Nazi convictions  and without knowing the final wrenching twist: that the history of the Reimann family is one of both victim and perpetrator. The heirs carry both sides within them. In a series of interviews with The New York Times, members of the Reimann family spoke publicly for the first time about the Nazi scandal. They disclosed the story of Emilie Landeckers Jewish father, Alfred, and described how his murder has forced the clan to reckon not just with the past, but with the future.

The Reimanns say they will spend some of their private fortune to honor Alfred Landeckers memory. A one-time donation of 10 million euros (about $11.3 million) will go to institutions that help former forced laborers and their families. The Reimanns are also renaming their family foundation after him and doubling its budget to an annual 25 million euros, while ceding control of the board to an independent council. The foundation will fund projects that honor the memory of the victims of the Holocaust and of Nazi terror, and there are plans to fund at least one university chair in Germany in Landeckers name.

MORNING REPORT | NEWSLETTER Get all the news you need to start your day in Houston. See More Collapse

A new website for the Alfred Landecker Foundation says its mission is to educate about the Holocaust and the terrible price that is paid when intolerance and bigotry reign. It continues, The intention is to help strengthen our capacity to recognize the beginnings of such hatred and resist a repeat of such appalling events.

In an interview, Harf noted that he lived in three places  New York, London and Milan  where nationalism and ethnic division were on the rise. For most of his long career, he said, he considered shareholder capitalism to be value neutral. No longer. In the age of Trump, Brexit and Matteo Salvini, he said, businesses can no longer pretend that they are operating in a value-free space.

This is once again a time when everybody needs to take a stance, Harf said. Im very scared of whats happening.

2. A purely Aryan family business

In July 1937, Albert Reimann Jr. wrote a letter to Heinrich Himmler, the leader of the SS, who would later oversee the Holocaust.

We are a purely Aryan family business that is over 100 years old, wrote Reimann, then 39 and a senior executive in his fathers company. The owners are unconditional followers of the race theory.

The Reimanns had embraced National Socialism and anti-Semitism long before the Nazis came to power, according to an interim report by Erker, the historian. The younger Reimann heard Hitler speak in Munich in 1923 and became an early supporter. His father, Albert Reimann Sr., then the chief executive of Benckiser, heard him four years later in Mannheim, near the companys southern German headquarters, and joined the Nazi party in 1931. His son followed a year later.

Around this time, the men gave the company a makeover in keeping with Nazi principles. By the time Hitler took over, Benckiser already housed a Nationalist Socialist Company Organization  a worker council that sought to uphold Nazi ideology. It later became a model NS plant.

Reimann Sr. and Reimann Jr. were not just opportunistic followers of the regime, Harf said. They were fully signed up to the Nazi project.

Benckiser was then a medium-size industrial chemicals company, making products such as citric acids, a chemical to soften water, supplements for infant food and phosphates used in sausage making. In 1933, it employed 181 people. As an important supplier to the food industry, Benckiser benefited from the Nazi system, more than tripling sales over the next decade. Reimann Sr. served as president of the regional Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which helped orchestrate the Aryanization, expropriation and expulsion of Jewish businesses.

Benckiser itself did not profit from businesses that had been taken from Jewish owners, and it never used concentration camp labor, as was common in bigger companies like Messerschmitt, a predecessor of Airbus, or IG Farben, which later split into companies including BASF and Bayer. But starting in late 1940, the Reimanns routinely took advantage of forced labor: men and women taken from their homes in Nazi-occupied territories, as well as prisoners of war, who were allocated by the Nazis to farms and industrial companies across Germany.

It was around this time that Emilie Landecker started working in the accounting department as a clerk. Little is known about her time at the company during the war years, except that Reimann Jr. was now her boss. According to Harf, Benckisers use of forced laborers grew so fast that she would surely have been aware of the abuses.

By 1943, 175 people, or a third of the total work force, were forced laborers, most of them from France and Eastern Europe. Benckiser operated two labor camps, one of them overseen by a brutal foreman, Paul Werneburg, who had been with the company since 1910. On his watch, female workers were forced to stand at attention naked outside their barracks, and those who refused risked sexual abuse. Workers were kicked and beaten, among them a Ukrainian woman who also cleaned in the Reimanns private villa.

During a bomb raid on Jan. 7, 1945, Werneburg threw dozens of workers out of a camp bomb shelter. Thirty were injured, and one died. As word of Werneburgs brutality spread, even the local Nazi office in charge of allocating forced laborers reprimanded the Reimanns for mistreating their workers.

Landecker would have witnessed it all, her son, Wolfgang Reimann, said in an email. She lived through the horror show happening in our own company, he said. She probably sat in the very bunker when Werneburg threw out the workers.

The Reimanns enthusiasm for Nazi ideology never waned, Erkers research shows. As late as February 1945, Reimann Jr. believed in the Endsieg, Hitlers final victory. The war ended that May; a month later, he was arrested and interned by the Allied occupying powers as part of the de-Nazification process. Held in the A block in Camp 73 under prisoner No. 2228, Reimann Jr. wrote a letter to the commanding officer on Sept. 22, dismissing allegations that he had been an early and enthusiastic Nazi as mere denunciations  and insisting that he was in fact a victim of the Nazis.

I may conclude that under the circumstances I am at a loss to understand the origin of the above mentioned allegation, he wrote. I am rather inclined to believe that I was myself closely surveyed by the Gestapo.

It worked. While the French initially barred Reimann Jr. from continuing his business activities, U.S. officials overturned the judgment, classifying him as a follower of Nazism, rather than an active Nazi himself.

In 1947, the wealth of the Reimann family totaled 686,000 Reichsmark, or approximately $2.4 million in todays money. Over the decades, the fortune grew in step with Benckiser and its successor companies, and today the familys worth is estimated at 33 billion euros. On one recent list of the wealthiest families in Germany, the Reimanns ranked second.

Wolfgang Reimann said that the only thing his father ever told his children about the war was that the forced laborers had loved the company so much, they cried when the conflict ended and they had to leave.

He claimed that the French workers often got some red wine on Saturdays, Wolfgang said, and that transferees from other camps said that Benckiser was the best camp they had ever been in or heard of.

Thats nonsense, he said, cursing.

3. Last letter from the ghetto

Landecker was at work at Benckiser when the Gestapo came for her father.

It was April 24, 1942. Around noon, two police officers arrived at the family apartment. Her younger brother, Wilhelm, who would later recollect the incident in an unpublished family memoir, opened the door.

Is the Jew Alfred Israel Landecker here? one of the officers asked.

Wilhelm led them to his father, who had been waiting. A letter had arrived that month, informing him of the date of his deportation. With Germanic precision, it had instructed him to pack one suit, some underwear and a coat with a yellow Star of David sewn to the front. No money or valuables were allowed.

So, you dirty Jew, the officer said. Are you ready to take a trip?

Alfred Landecker closed his suitcase and put on his coat. Then he hugged and kissed his son for the last time. Willi, stay home so that no one associates my Star of David with you, Landecker said, and then asked him to say goodbye to his sisters. Give my love to Emmi and Gerdele. Behave, and obey God.

A few weeks later, one last letter arrived from Landecker, but only the envelope has survived. It shows that he was interned in block III 416/2 in Izbica, a ghetto serving as a transfer point for the deportation of Jews to the Belzec and Sobibor death camps in Nazi-occupied Poland.

Landecker, a World War I veteran and successful accountant, had been a loving father. After his wife, a Catholic, died in 1928, he looked after their three children by himself. Emilie, the eldest, was 6 at the time.

The Nazis took over in 1933. Two years later, the Nuremberg laws, which institutionalized the Nazis race theories, stripped Jews of their citizenship rights. Around that time, Landecker did two things that would prove prescient. He made sure his children were baptized Catholic, like his late wife. And he officially transferred to them his main possessions, including the family apartment, so that they could not be expropriated.

But Landecker could not protect his family from an atmosphere that rapidly escalated from hostile to life-threatening  a shift he chronicled in a series of letters to his younger daughter, who was unwell and staying with his wifes sister in the Bavarian countryside at the time.

My dear child, he wrote in December 1938, a month after Kristallnacht had seen synagogues and Jewish homes across Germany vandalized and burned. The times have changed and with them the people.

We fought for five years only to have an age like this, he wrote, referring to World War I. I hope you, my dear children, remain well-behaved and good, and keep loving me, even if you suffer because of me.

Landecker was searching for a way to flee Germany  perhaps for the United States, where he had a brother and sister-in-law. Aunt Pauline has written from America, he wrote that December. She is trying for us, maybe things will work out. But there wasnt enough money. Landecker was not allowed to work, which meant that Emilie, still a teenager, became the familys only earner.

When Landecker received his deportation notice in April 1942, the family made one last desperate attempt to stop it. They took a train to Berlin to the office in charge of Jewish affairs, where Landeckers children showed officers their Catholic certificates. They were chased away.

Crying, we went back to the hotel, where our father was waiting, Wilhelm Landecker wrote later. Despite the disappointment, their father got theater tickets for everyone that night in Berlin. A few days later, he wrote his last letter to Bavaria.

My dear Gerdele, he wrote. As you can see, Im still here, but not for long. Today I learned that my departure is on the 24th of the month  in two days. So this is the last letter that you receive from me from here or perhaps ever. We dont know what is waiting for us.

I wish you all the best for the future, stay healthy and become decent human beings, he urged her. If possible, I will write as soon as possible and hope that you wont entirely forget me.

You wont be able to marry here in Germany, he continued. Learn languages!! You have your future ahead of you  dont waste it.

With this, my dear child, obey God, and please send my good wishes to everyone and be greeted by your Papa.

After her father was deported, Emilie Landecker continued working at Benckiser, becoming a trusted employee. When the war ended, Landecker would periodically bring Reimann Jr. papers to review in Heidelberg  making a perilous journey through bombed-out landscapes and an emergency bridge over the Rhine.

No one knows when exactly their love affair started. But in 1951, their first child was born. Two more followed. Twice a week, every Sunday and Wednesday, Reimann Jr. would leave his wife and visit Landecker.

She worked for Benckiser until 1965. That year, Reimann Jr. formally adopted their children. (His wife, Paula, had known of their relationship for some time.) The German authorities had long pressed Landecker for the name of her childrens father, and she had refused to give it away. But years later, she admitted in a letter to Reimann Jr. that she always missed not being his wife  and not having a regular family.

And now I would like to also say something about our relationship, Landecker wrote. I think I need you much more than you need me, because I take up only a relatively small part of your life.

I am despite everything a woman, she wrote. You were and are the only person, to whom I can talk.

Today I know of course that it wasnt a lack of willingness on your part, but I missed it nevertheless and I did not want to make demands that cannot be fulfilled under the given circumstances.

Landecker was a quiet woman. She did not speak much. But her children say that despite everything, she loved their father. I never understood why, said Wolfgang Reimann. He was not very lovable from my perspective.

For decades, the children knew that their parents had met at the company. They knew that their maternal grandfather, Alfred, had been murdered by the Nazis. But until this year, they did not know that their father had been a fervent Nazi. When the children asked about the familys Jewish roots, Wolfgang said, Landecker would speak evasively of growing up in a Jewish milieu, and then admonish her children to stop talking about that old stuff.

My mother never said anything, Wolfgang Reimann said. For the longest time, I believed it was her personality. But he has changed his mind. If I had to live with the love of my life, as my mother did, and this person was also responsible for the terrible things that happened during the war, I would not have spoken much, either, I guess, he said.

4. The order of the day

Nearly every German company that has been around long enough has a story about the Nazi era. Many have been told. But many have not. Bahlsen, the cookie maker, commissioned a study on its war years only last month, after a young heiress flippantly played down the companys use of forced labor.

International expansion has often been a trigger for German companies to reckon with their pasts. That was the case with the Reimanns properties. Over the years, Benckiser went through mergers and spinoffs; it combined with another firm to become the consumer-product giant Reckitt Benckiser, known for such brands as Lysol and Durex condoms, and eventually, the Reimanns channeled much of their wealth into JAB. In recent years the holding company has spent billions to become a rival to the likes of Starbucks and Nestle by buying chains including Panera Bread, Krispy Kreme and Pret A Manger. Last year, it also helped Keurig Green Mountain buy Dr Pepper Snapple for nearly $19 billion. JAB also controls cosmetics giant Coty, owner of Calvin Klein fragrances.

As scrutiny of the company grew, Harf urged the Reimann family to take the initiative and research its history  before someone else got there first.

ANDREA MANTOVANI/NYT

The Nazi revelations have stirred the youngest Reimanns. When I heard and read of the atrocities committed at Benckiser, sanctioned by my grandfather, I felt like throwing up, said Martin Reimann, 30, who is a grandchild to Landecker and Reimann Jr. I cannot claim that I was very interested in politics before. I was just living my life. But after what happened, I changed my mind. I have to do something. In our family council, the younger generation created a little bit of a rebellion.

By renaming its foundation after Alfred Landecker, the Reimann family is bringing back one name from the millions killed by the Nazis. But it is also explicitly linking the memory of crimes past to todays fight to preserve the values of liberal democracy.

What we can learn from history and how we can learn from history is at the core of this foundation, said Norbert Frei, chairman of its academic advisory council. A respected German historian at Jena University, he has led investigations into the Nazi pasts of other companies, including Bertelsmann.

This is not just about researching and remembering the past, he added. Its about stabilizing and maintaining democracy today.

Harf, JABs chairman, agrees. He said he had recently read The Order of the Day, a historic novella by Eric Vuillard set in the years before World War II. One scene takes place in February 1933, when Hitler and the president of the Reichstag encourage 24 German industrialists to donate to the Nazi party. The businessmen  representing companies that are still prominent German corporate names, like Siemens, Bayer and Allianz  duly open their wallets.

NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images

Harf said it made him think that not enough voices in business were speaking up against the re-emergence of nationalism and populism in Europe and the United States. Every time business leaders make decisions, he said, they should ask, What does this mean for our children? What does it mean for the future?

In history, businesses have enabled populists, he added. We mustnt make the same mistake today. Then he quoted the Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal: For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing.

He added, As the successors and descendants of people who committed horrendous acts, it is vital that our generation accepts what has happened, that we do whatever we can to bring tolerance and equality to the communities in which we live, and to ensure that the actions of Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr. are a part of history which is never repeated.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.Kristin Schusters family gravitates to the outdoors, and most would consider that a tough challenge in Houstons steamy summers.

On a recent day when the temperature was well into the 90s, the Houston architect stood in her breezeway, a shady spot between the garage and the rest of her house, and made an unexpected declaration: There really is a breeze.

Schuster, principal at Inflection Architecture, which she launched a year ago, used every tool of her trade when designing and building a home in Southgate for her own family.

Its a slim two-story on a standard lot in a neighborhood that hasnt quite given over to the larger homes that replace teardowns elsewhere, and Schuster was concerned about the height in relation to their ranch-style neighbors. An additional factor is that its elevated 3 feet off of the ground, a lesson learned in their previous experience in Bellaire where they lived in a floodplain.

To give the illusion that the home isnt quite so tall, Schuster put the garage with a lower roof in front of the home, making the view shorter from the street. Its entrance is at the side of the home, inside the gated yard, leading some neighbors to dub the home the sideways house.

Schuster has designed plenty of homes for other people, but its the first for herself, and she wondered just a bit about the husband-wife, client-architect relationship: Might this be her biggest challenge?

When you design a house for a family, you get to pre-empt marital disputes, Schuster quipped. In our old house, we were always going back and forth about the window shades because I like to let the light in and my husband likes privacy. So we have blinds only on the bedroom windows. We have a lot of eastern and northern light, so we rarely have to turn the lights on in the daytime.

The strategic placement of windows in the modest, 2,000-square-foot home with a 500-square-foot garage apartment isnt the only element important to its design. Siting the house to capture good natural light and prevailing breezes and creating a floor plan that helps her family stay connected were also key factors.

I wanted a compact house, Schuster said. I first grew up in a house this size, but when I was in middle school, my family moved into a house that was three times the size. Youd walk in the front door and not know who was home. It was important to me that not be our experience.

The Houston native feels strongly that good architecture is important to a familys well-being.

Architecture shapes and supports our relationships. If were not considering the way people want to relate to each other when were designing spaces, were going to mess that up, she said. How does a family spend evenings together? Should the kitchen be designed so kids can cook with their parents? How many people do you have over when you have a dinner party?

Having neighborhood parties is one of our favorite things, and it was important that the house could do that for us. Thats designing for families, she said.

Schuster, 42, met her husband, Tobias Schuster, 45, through mutual friends when they both were in college, he at the University of Houston and she at Tufts University in Boston. After earning her undergraduate degree in art history, she returned to her hometown and enrolled in Rice Universitys School of Architecture for a masters degree.

Art history was a fabulous degree. Its probably one that people wonder what the value is, but I learned how to think and how to see, which is very important as an architect. And, Boston was just fun, she said of her college experience.

The couple lived in the Bay Area in California for a couple of years but wanted to return home, where they still have family. For several years, Kristin worked at GSMA, a firm originally known as Glassman Shoemake Maldonado Architects. Tobias works in outside sales for the Sherwin-Williams paint company.

Together, the Schusters have identical twin daughters who are 10 years old and whose school community has become a big part of their lives. Behind them is the Rice Temple Baptist Church, good neighbors who invite them to their Wednesday night spaghetti dinners even though they dont attend services there.

With a limited budget and not-inexpensive lot, Schuster set out to prove a number of things in the building of this home. First, that a contemporary-style home doesnt have to be more expensive, and that when youre thoughtful about every decision, you can keep costs down.

One of the things I try to tell clients is that budget is a discipline tool. Its your money to spend. I can tell you when were doing something thats going to cost more than you want to spend, but at the end of the day, its their decision to make, she said. You have to decide if its worth it to you.

Their construction costs were $160 a square foot  which she described as closer to spec-home prices  instead of the $225-$250 a square foot for a contemporary home built for homeowners, or the $300 or more per square foot for modern homes.

Like most homeowners, the Schusters made lists of splurges and saves.

Cost savings came in a number of ways. For flooring, using less expensive No. 1 common white oak instead of No. 1 select saved a little. Instead of one or two large windows, they kept the windows long and narrow to have framing in between them and saved money on the window package. They used ordinary, $1.50-per-square-foot tile for the kitchen backsplash but installed it in a thoughtful manner. And instead of buying slabs of natural stone, they opted for man-made quartz, which you purchase by the square foot and have less waste.

Individually, each was a small savings but, as any homeowner knows, they added up.

Splurges? For starters, the swimming pool.

For years, I debated about a swimming pool. My husband wanted to build, and I thought, Hes going to be my most difficult client ever, she quipped. But there were really only three things he cared about. He wanted a bigger-than-normal two-car garage, an attic he wouldnt hit his head in and a swimming pool  and he wouldnt be happy without all three.

He was absolutely right about the pool; it was money well spent. My favorite family time, now that its summer, is when everyone is home and in the pool and we make margaritas and splash around, she added.

The pool, breezeway and even an outdoor room that is growing were all part of the master plan, too. At the back of their side yard is lawn furniture surrounded by young sycamore trees spaced to someday create a shady canopy and hold a lazy hammock. Clumping bamboo is starting to hide the wood fence, and a small patch of grass is just enough for the Schusters girls to play on if theyre not in the pool. Its also just enough yard for the familys sweet Corgi, Cocoa, who comes and goes as he pleases through his own doggie door.

Were outdoor people, so we live outdoors. A big part of what was important to us was making the entire property living space. The house is sited to give us privacy  but also youll see that (by midafternoon) the yard will be entirely in shade, so were able to be outside in the afternoon, she said.

Inside, the public spaces are on the first floor, and bedrooms are on the second floor. At a landing that separates the master suite from the girls rooms, playroom and reading loft is a wall with a display of origami cranes.

Kristin decided to teach herself to make the paper birds and soon recruited her daughters to help her. In time, they had hundreds of artful creatures lying around.

I knew they would go somewhere in the house, and one morning I woke up and realized this is where the birds are supposed to go, she said. Im not a super-sentimental person, but I looked at it, and I started crying. That was the day this house became our home.

ACCESS DESIGN: Sign up for the new weekly newsletter on architecture and home design, plus other good reads picked just for you by Houston Chronicle design writer Diane Cowen.In 2007, an Italian newspaper asked, "Who is Amanda? From brilliant student to cold man-eater."

On Saturday, Amanda Knox, the American exchange student who was twice found guilty and then acquitted of the murder by Italian courts of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, castigated the media in Italy and sought to reclaim her story in her first trip back to the country since her release from prison in 2011.

"I know a lot of people think I'm bad, that I don't belong to this place," she said in a tearful and defiant speech at a conference on criminal justice in the northern Italian city of Modena. "Some have even claimed that only by being here, by my presence, I am traumatizing the Kercher family again, and profaning Meredith's memory. They are wrong."

(Before the speech, the lawyer for Kercher's family called Knox's invitation to the event "inappropriate" and a "mistake," saying "lawyers for both parts should have been involved," The Associated Press reported.)

A 20-year old Knox was studying abroad in Perugia in 2007 when the Seattle native was arrested for Kercher's stabbing death. In 2009, she and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were convicted of murder. Knox spent four years in prison before an appeals court overturned her sentence in 2011, when she returned to the United States. In 2015, their convictions were overturned by Italy's highest appeals court, saying there was no evidence that she had committed the crime.

Rudy Guede, another suspect who was later convicted of Kercher's murder, is serving a 16-year sentence, The Associated Press reported.

Speaking in Italian on a panel titled "Trial by media," Knox said on Saturday that despite her acquittal, she knows she is still a "controversial figure for the public opinion, especially in Italy," The New York Times reported.

The 31-year old blamed prosecutors and the media for creating a version of her that suited their story.

"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 said, according to Reuters.

The story attracted global media attention, spawning salacious headlines such as "Dead Girl Feared Knoxy's Sex Toy" and "Took Part in Sex Attack" that glommed on to allegations of "orgies and sex toys."

Knox arrived in Italy on Thursday but declined to conduct interviews ahead of her panel appearance, instead sharing an online essay where she discussed her attempt to reclaim her narrative and space in the public sphere, including establishing a presence on social media.

"I just wanted to have what every other person around me had, the freedom to shout into the wind and say, 'Here I am!' The freedom to strike up an unexpected conversation with a friendly digital stranger," she writes.

Knox has taken other steps over the years to share her side of the story. In 2013, Knox published "Waiting to Be Heard," a memoir of her experience in Italy's criminal-justice system. She appeared in a 2016 Netflix documentary about her case and hosts a podcast, "The Truth About True Crime," which focuses on wrongful-conviction cases.

During her speech, Knox wept when recalling a prison visit by her father, during which he told her she would not likely be released soon. She also talked about her fear returning to Italy, "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."

She remembered Perugia prosecutor Giuliano Mignini as "a nightmare figure, a monster whose only goal was to destroy me for no reason," Reuters reported, but had come to see that he had sought justice for Kercher.

"One day I'd like to meet the real Mignini," she said, according to the AP. "And I hope that when he comes, he will also see that I am not a monster, I simply am Amanda."

Knox received a standing ovation.Documents discovered in the files of a deceased Republican redistricting strategist contain further information connecting him to the Trump administration's quest to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, say civil rights groups challenging the question.

Attorneys for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), and individual plaintiffs, filed material Friday to Maryland U.S. District Court Judge George Hazel indicating that Thomas Hofeller, who died in August, was in direct contact with a top census official regarding the question.

"These newly discovered documents ... eliminate any colorable doubt about the link between Hofeller and government employees involved in the citizenship question approval process," the plaintiffs' lawyers wrote in a letter to Hazel.

The documents show that Christa Jones, now chief of staff to the deputy director of the U.S. Census Bureau, communicated directly from her private email address with Hofeller about the citizenship question, alerting him to a Federal Register notice for comment on the bureau's 2015 content test, which she suggested "could be an opportunity to mention citizenship as well," the letter said.

"Ms. Jones's direct private contact with Hofeller about the citizenship question refutes Defendants' contention that no link between Hofeller and the Secretary can be shown," the letter said.

In a statement, the Commerce Department said "neither Dr. Hofeller nor his views were part of (Secretary Wilbur Ross') decision to reinstate the citizenship question on the 2020 Census, calling the narratives of the plaintiffs "conspiracy theories."

The Justice Department declined to comment and referred to earlier statements.

Documents released last year in legal challenges to the question showed Jones participated in internal bureau discussions about the question and, in correspondence with the bureau's then-acting director in February 2018, suggested people who might be called upon to publicly support the question.

The filing comes two weeks after material came to light linking Hofeller to the administration's discussions over the question and suggesting he was the one who came up with the government's stated rationale for adding it: to help enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Hoffeler had also done a study in 2015 that concluded a citizenship question on the census would result in a structural electoral advantage for Republicans and non-Hispanic whites.

Earlier this year, Hazel was one of three federal judges who ruled against the question, saying it violated the Administrative Procedure Act. But he did not find evidence to support charges of conspiracy and intent to discriminate.

The government appealed to the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule by the end of this month; during oral argument in April, the high court's conservative justices seemed inclined to let the government add the question.

But after the Hofeller files came to light earlier this month, civil rights groups asked U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in New York to consider sanctions against the government, and asked the Supreme Court to delay its ruling.

In Maryland last week, plaintiffs' lawyers asked Hazel to reconsider whether the government intended to discriminate against immigrants, Latinos and Asian Americans by adding the question, or whether adding the question was part of a conspiracy within the Trump administration to violate the constitutional rights of noncitizens and people of color. A hearing on the issue is scheduled Tuesday in Greenbelt.

Earlier this month the Justice Department called the Hofeller-related claims "frivolous," saying there was no evidence that administration officials were aware of the strategist's study and accusing plaintiffs of trying to derail the Supreme Court decision.

Opponents of the question have argued it will suppress response to the survey among immigrant communities, resulting in an undercount in the areas where they live.

Evidence of Hoffler's involvement was found accidentally by his estranged daughter, on hard drives belonging to him. Stephanie Hofeller Lizon then shared them with the organization Common Cause for a gerrymandering lawsuit it is pursuing in North Carolina.

After Hofeller's death, his former business partner Dalton Oldham arrived at Hofeller's apartment and took two computers, Lizon told a North Carolina court in a June 6 filing.

Oldham and Hofeller men ran Geographic Strategies LLC, a political consultant business, she testified. It is unknown what files were contained on those computers, though attorneys for plaintiffs in the North Carolina case believe files could be as recent as last year. Oldham did not return a request for comment.

As Common Cause continues to sift through material from the hard drives, it alerted plaintiffs' lawyers Thursday to evidence of Jones' involvement.

Kathay Feng, national redistricting director for Common Cause, said the Jones-Hofeller emails cast further doubt on the government's claims.

"Why would she use her personal email? Why would she email a partisan operative about a topic that was not under consideration at the Census Bureau?" Feng said. "The new documents eliminate any doubt about the link between the Republican gerrymandering mastermind and the citizenship question."Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. began the Supreme Court's term last fall seeking to assure the American public that his court does not "serve one party or one interest."

He will end it playing a pivotal role in two of the most politically consequential decisions the court has made in years.

One initiative is to include a citizenship question in the 2020 Census, which has fueled a partisan showdown on Capitol Hill. The other could outlaw the partisan gerrymandering techniques that were essential to Republican dominance at the state and congressional level over the past decade.

The politically weighted decisions, by a court in which the five conservatives were chosen by Republican presidents and the four liberals were nominated by Democrats, threaten to undermine Roberts's efforts to portray the court as independent.

They are among two dozen cases the court must decide in the next two weeks, and never before has the spotlight focused so intently on the 64-year-old chief justice.

Roberts sits physically at the middle of the bench in the grand courtroom and now, for the first time since he joined the court in 2005, at the center of the court's ideological spectrum. With the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy last summer, the most important justice on the Roberts Court became Roberts himself.

Roberts in the past has shown himself to be far more conservative than Kennedy, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg suggested recently that has not changed.

Kennedy's retirement, she told a group of judges and lawyers in New York, was "the event of greatest consequence for the current term, and perhaps for many terms ahead."

Roberts has been on a mission to convince the public that if the court is ideologically split, it is about law, not politics.

"We do not sit on opposite sides of an aisle, we do not caucus in separate rooms, we do not serve one party or one interest, we serve one nation," Roberts told an audience at the University of Minnesota in October.

He repeated the message at Belmont University in Nashville in February. "People need to know we're not doing politics," he said.

In between was the well-publicized spat with President Donald Trump, who just before Thanksgiving criticized an "Obama judge" serving on a lower court who had ruled against his administration in a contentious case centered on immigration policy and border security.

Roberts issued a rare public statement: "We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them."

Trump shot back on Twitter: "Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have 'Obama judges,' and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country."

So the citizenship question and gerrymandering cases, which have generally split along party lines, do not come at an opportune time.

The battle for Roberts has been joined.

Brianne J. Gorod, chief counsel of the liberal Constitutional Accountability Center, said the many questions about whether Trump's citizenship question is intended to benefit Republicans should be a warning for Roberts.

"If Roberts votes to uphold this plainly unlawful administration action, it will give credence to Trump's claim that he can simply look to the conservative justices on the Supreme Court to save him," Gorod wrote on the Take Care blog.

"That would be a deeply troubling state of affairs - both for the court and for the country."

Lawyers challenging the census question seemed to make a similar overture in an unusual motion filed Wednesday, months after the case was argued.

They asked the court to either affirm lower courts that have ruled the question can't be added to the census form, or delay a ruling until those courts can examine new evidence about a Republican political operative's role in Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross' decision to add the citizenship question, which critics contend is discriminatory, politically motivated and will result in a significant undercount of the nation's immigrant population.

"This court should not bless the secretary's decision on this tainted record, under a shadow that the truth will later come to light," they said.

The administration has said the new allegations are more like conspiracy theories than legal analysis. Conservatives said it was a familiar ploy to portray the court as apolitical only if one of the conservative members agrees with liberals, not the other way around.

"Whenever you read 'legitimacy' in a sentence about the court, you know it's a political missile aimed directly at Chief Justice John Roberts," wrote the conservative editorial board of the Wall Street Journal.

Josh Blackman, a law professor at South Texas College of Law and a frequent conservative legal commentator, picked up the theme on Twitter: "At some point, the 'legitimacy' missiles will begin to bear diminishing returns. Abortion: legitimacy. Census: legitimacy. Gerrymandering: legitimacy. Obamacare: legitimacy. Death penalty: legitimacy."

The focus on Roberts is unsurprising, said Curt A. Levey of the conservative Committee for Justice. Although the jury is still out on Trump appointee Brett Kavanaugh, the justice who replaced Kennedy, Roberts is the conservative most likely to be in play, Levey said.

"I think it is a predicament for him," Levey said. The chief justice is the member of the court most sensitive "to what history and the nightly news says about you."

Levey recently wrote that proposals from Democratic presidential candidates and members of Congress to restructure the Supreme Court - increasing the number of justices, for instance, or trying to impose term limits - are better seen as attempts to push Roberts to more moderate outcomes in the court's decisions.

"Such a shift, after all, is progressives' only real hope of avoiding a conservative majority," Levey wrote.

After arguments in the census case, it appeared the court's conservative majority would agree with the Trump administration that Congress has given it wide authority to add questions to the form.

Lawyers for the government said Ross considered objections from his own experts - who said the question would cause an undercount of those reluctant to disclose that noncitizens lived in their households - but decided the additional information would still be worth the risk.

Lower courts said Ross' stated reason for adding the question - that it would aid enforcement of the Voting Rights Act - was pretext. Challengers contended that adding the question would lead to undercounts in Democratic areas and be beneficial to future Republican redistricting plans. But the justices seemed more focused on whether Ross had the authority to add the question than his motivations.

But since those April arguments, the case has gotten only more political.

On Capitol Hill, the House Oversight Committee voted to hold Ross and Attorney General William Barr in contempt for not turning over documents about the administration's decision to add the question.

The nearly party-line vote came hours after Trump asserted executive privilege to shield the materials from Congress.

In the gerrymandering cases, the court's decision could have far-reaching results for how elections are conducted in the United States. The court often polices redistricting plans drawn by the states to ensure they do not discriminate based on race, but it has never found a plan so infected by politics that it violates voters' rights.

On the surface, a decision that courts have no role in trying to decide when there has been too much partisan interference would not help Republicans more than Democrats. The court is considering a North Carolina plan drawn by Republicans to give the party a huge edge, and a Maryland congressional district drawn by Democrats to oust a longtime Republican incumbent.

But as a practical matter, being able to draw districts to help the party in control currently benefits the GOP. The party is in control of both the governorship and legislature in 22 states, compared to 14 for Democrats.

The Republican National Committee, the Republican National Congressional Committee and the National Republican Redistricting Trust filed briefs supporting North Carolina's plan. Democratic committees stayed out of the cases.

Decisions in any of the 24 remaining cases on the court's docket could come as soon as Monday.Taking cognizance of the incident, the state Director General of Police issued dismissal orders for Yadav on charges of gross indiscipline.

Lucknow: A Provincial Armed Constabulary constable in Uttar Pradesh has been dismissed for seeking dismissal of Yogi Adityanath government.

Constable Munish Yadav wore a red cap symbolic of Samajwadi Party and his uniform and went to the office of District Collector carrying a placard which read Yogi Sarkar ko barkhast karo (Dismiss the Yogi government).

Yadav told the media that the state government should be dismissed because it has failed to maintain law and order. He said that his memorandum was addressed to the governor.

District Collector admitted to have been aware of the incident but said that he didnt meet the constable.

Yadav is presently posted in Noida and he belongs to Etawah.

Taking cognizance of the incident, the state Director General of Police issued dismissal orders for Yadav on charges of gross indiscipline.

Yadavs family said that he was mentally disturbed and pleaded innocence.Prominent liberals in the House, impatient with Speaker Nancy Pelosi's opposition to impeaching President Donald Trump, seemed on the brink of a major breakthrough one night last month.

The chairman of the Judiciary Committee, a key Pelosi ally and the man who would preside over the hearings, was preparing to buck his party's leader and join the pro-impeachment movement.

Pelosi moved swiftly. She summoned her top lieutenants to a late-night meeting and hatched a plan - that six party leaders, speaking in unison, would make clear to the chairman why impeaching Trump was a terrible idea.

"Republicans are stewing in their own juices," Pelosi told Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), arguing that the majority of the Democratic caucus didn't support impeachment and that the party should devote its time to calling out Republicans for siding with a president trampling the Constitution, according to Democrats and other senior officials who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely describe what transpired.

Nadler left the room that night and has not publicly endorsed impeachment. "Impeachment is a political act, and you cannot impeach a president if the American people will not support it," he has said.

As pressure has mounted in recent weeks on House Democrats to move more aggressively against Trump, Pelosi has demonstrated the firm grip she wields over her caucus - quashing, at least for now, the push for impeachment. It is a command that colleagues say is drawn from a deep well of respect for the political wisdom of the most powerful woman in American politics - and fear that challenging her comes with the risk of grave cost to one's career.

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In January, Pelosi blocked two ringleaders of the rebels who had tried to deny her the speakership from securing their preferred committee assignments - even though the peace pact she made to reclaim the gavel precluded retaliation. And veteran lawmakers keenly remember how she rebuffed former Democratic lawmakers Jane Harman, D-Calif., and John Dingell, D-Mich., two occasional thorns in her side, in their quest for chairmanships, moves many viewed as revenge for challenging her vision or authority.

"It's much better to be with her than against her," said Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., a Pelosi antagonist who eventually backed her for speaker. "She doesn't make it easy, that's for sure."

"One, you want to be a team player and support the leader's position, but secondly you're worried about your own self and . . . what can happen if you don't follow along," said another Pelosi critic, Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., who summed up the concerns members face if they defy Pelosi.

The reluctance to oppose the speaker, according to interviews with more than 20 lawmakers and aides, has undermined the push for impeachment despite the growing support for ousting Trump among the party's liberal base and several 2020 presidential candidates. An NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday found more Democratic voters backing impeachment - 48 percent up from 30 percent last month - but the nation divided, with Republicans and independents opposed.

Thus far, impeachment proponents in the caucus have been unwilling to call Pelosi out by name or rally support to begin proceedings. Consequently, the campaign has slowed, with a caucus minority of just over 60 lawmakers backing impeachment - at least for now.

Longtime Pelosi allies say the fear factor is vastly inflated.Rather, they say it's more that members respect the California Democrat, who has led them for 16 years and understands the political consequences of impeachment.

"I don't think there's anything more divisive we can do than to impeach a president of the United States, and so you have to handle it with great care," Pelosi said Sunday in an interview with CNN. "It has to be about the truth and the facts to take you to whatever decision has to be there."

Pelosi's midterm election strategy of focusing on health care rather than the president helped Democrats capture the majority last year, as the party won in 31 districts where Trump had prevailed in 2016. Pelosi knows Democrats could lose those seats - and their majority - in a backlash over impeachment.

"She is the single smartest strategist that we've ever had. . . . People are not wanting to second guess her because she's been right on so many fronts," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., a longtime Pelosi ally who has deferred to the speaker on impeachment.

To be sure, the impeachment push is far from over and could become more difficult for Pelosi to manage as Trump repeatedly defies congressional investigators.

Pelosi is "holding it together but it's fragile because we're kind of one event, one piece of explosive testimony, one action by Trump away from that dam collapsing," said Rep Gerald Connolly, D-Va.

But even if a majority of her caucus calls for impeachment, Pelosi allies predict she will withstand the pressure.

- - -

Over the past few weeks, Pelosi has worked behind the scenes to stifle the pro-impeachment movement in her caucus with strategically timed comments and announcements - and nudges to her members to get in line.

When House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) said impeachment was inevitable during a television appearance in early June, Pelosi's staff mobilized quickly, calling his office and telling staff to have Clyburn walk it back, according to congressional officials familiar with those conversations.

When other senior Democrats started advocating for impeachment on television, Pelosi made sure at least some knew she was unhappy. During one recent private meeting, she snapped at Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-R.I.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, signaling she wanted him to soften his impeachment language and focus more on the legislative agenda, according to Democrats and other senior officials.

Pelosi declined to discuss private conversations.

Both pro- and anti-impeachment lawmakers say recent court rulings upholding Democratic subpoenas have helped solidify Pelosi's argument that her strategy is working. And the fact that members are torn about what is right means many are content with deferring to their leader.

But Pelosi's aptly timed announcements have also played a major role in easing tensions. When the clamor for impeachment grows louder following some explosive news about Trump defying Congress, Pelosi has made a point to echo the frustration of a pro-impeachment base by accusing Trump of a "cover up" or saying he should be "in prison." Those remarks, her allies say, shield her as she pumps the breaks on impeachment.

Pelosi has also made a conscious effort to "let the air out of the balloon before it pops," according to one aide. Last week, she greenlighted a civil contempt vote on the House floor to give frustrated members an outlet to vent.

On Thursday, after Trump told ABC News that he would be willing to take opposition research from a foreign country in the future, Pelosi was likewise ready with a response: Weeks earlier, she had instructed her committees to prepare legislation forcing all candidates to report such contacts to the FBI. She discussed the legislation at a news conference, batting down reporters' questions about impeachment yet again.

Part of Pelosi's effectiveness has been planning ahead. In late May, after Robert S. Mueller III said he did not exonerate the president and set off another impeachment firestorm, Pelosi asked her senior leadership to come to a Monday meeting prepared with counterarguments on impeachment, according to Democrats and other senior officials.

During the huddle June 3, Pelosi went around the room to ask her top allies what they thought of impeachment; all agreed with her. Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) even suggested the brave thing for members to do would be to resist the base's call for impeachment.

Outflanked, the impeachment proponents did not push back.

- - -

Pelosi's grip on her caucus stands in stark contrast to her Republican predecessors. Former speakers Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and John Boehner, R-Ohio, frequently faced fierce public resistance from their rank-and-file and grass-roots opposition that hindered their effectiveness.

The conservative House Freedom Caucus not only broke with Ryan but regularly circumvented his leadership and appealed to Trump to get what they wanted, undercutting his leadership. Before Ryan, Boehner faced the same conservative critics who threatened to oust him over his pragmatism, eventually forcing him to resign.

While conservatives were suspicious of Boehner and Ryan, the Democratic base views Pelosi as one of their own - loyalty Republicans actually inspired by attacking her as a liberal boogeyman during campaigns, said former Boehner chief of staff Mike Sommers.

"I believe that she's about the only person that can manage their caucus right now," he said. "She has a base of support that is unmatched within the Democratic caucus."

Pelosi tightened her grip on the caucus by quashing a group of rebels who tried to prevent her from becoming speaker for the second time in more than a decade and emerging stronger after a showdown with Trump in January over government funding.

Pelosi's move to punish her adversaries, as she did on the committee assignments, wasn't the first time she'd used hard-line tactics. In 2006, Pelosi refused to name Harman as chairwoman of the House Intelligence Committee. The two had been at odds for decades, and when Democrats took the majority, Pelosi appointed Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, citing term-limit rules she could have overridden. In 2002, Pelosi backed a primary challenger to Dingell, who survived. One of her allies, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., then seized a committee chairmanship that Dingell wanted - with Pelosi's tacit approval.

"You can always disagree with her - no problem. But you don't take those outside to a news conference," said former Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., who worked alongside Pelosi for years. "I wouldn't say they have a fear of her, but I think members who may want to oppose her think long and hard about it."

Nowadays, few House Democrats criticize Pelosi by name, even on the emotional question of impeachment. If they do contradict her publicly, many give her a heads up, as Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., did before he announced his support for impeachment on Thursday, according to Democrats and other senior officials.

House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif., a vocal impeachment backer, said she is not organizing an effort to change minds on impeachment and defers to Pelosi's leadership.

"I don't criticize her. I don't blame her," Waters said of Pelosi's impeachment position. "She's got the responsibility of doing the best job that she thinks she can do for this caucus."

Cicilline bristled at the notion that the speaker was upset with him or his pro-impeachment colleagues. Asked why he didn't rally votes for impeachment, he said the issue is too personal to try to twist arms on the matter.

Still, he argued it's only a matter of time before the number of pro-impeachment lawmakers grows: "In those instances where the president acts in a way where he believes that he's above the law . . . additional members of the caucus will be forced into no other choice but to open an impeachment inquiry and respond."Sitting in her high school AP world history class, Rimsha Abbasi suddenly found herself in the uncomfortable position of explaining the word "jihad." The class conversation in suburban northern Virginia had turned to Islam, and Abbasi's teacher suggested she lead the discussion.

The task felt daunting. Her peers may have had ideas "in their heads about what jihad is, about what Islam is," the 18-year-old said. But she felt compelled to explain that the Arabic word means "struggle," despite negative connotations tethered to it.

"If I didn't explain what that meant, I wouldn't want someone else to then have a misinterpretation of that," Abbasi said. "That would have been more painful."

That's why, when public schools in Loudoun County, Virginia, selected history textbooks this year, Abbasi demanded that the school system reject three works she and many others decried as culturally insensitive and Islamophobic.

They, like many others across the country, are countering false or incomplete portrayals of their communities in textbooks and class lessons. Students, parents and educators are calling for material that reflects a diversity of experiences, saying it's a matter of providing a fuller telling of history.

The discussions are unfolding during a time of dramatic demographic shifts in the nation's public schools. Students of color made up a majority of the country's public school population for the first time in 2014, and the federal government projects the percentage of white student enrollment will continue to fall.

In Loudoun County, critics denounced entries in some prospective textbooks they characterized as equating Islam with terrorism. In one book, a section titled "Terrorism Around the World" is followed by two paragraphs with subheads that read "Islamist Movements" and "The Middle East." A smaller paragraph labeled "Europe" follows.

"A child doesn't even have to read all the paragraphs," Abbasi said. "It's bolded out for them, and their mind makes those mental associations. You're reading 'terrorism around the world,' and right under, you're associating that with Islamist movements in the Middle East."

The Loudoun school system ultimately agreed that book and two others were culturally insensitive and biased and chose alternatives. Patricia Coggins, the system's social science and global studies supervisor, said at an April meeting that textbook publishers may lack cultural sensitivity and struggle to account for the country's changing demographics.

"Every textbook we looked at had bias of one sort or another, depending on what group was looking at it. That's the issue in social science and especially in history, when we have multiple lenses through which people are looking at this history," Coggins said. "It's become an issue now that our community is so diverse."

The school system can't control what material goes into textbooks, Coggins said. But she said teachers can focus on providing multiple sources and incorporating different perspectives in social science lessons.

Members of the National Arab American Women's Association are demanding a seat at the table when Fairfax County Public Schools, the largest school system in Virginia, scouts new textbooks in coming years, said Ilham Nasser, a volunteer with the organization. They also have asked to distribute a list of resources on the Middle East to Fairfax teachers.

The group, which is also working on the issue in Loudoun, wants to combat stereotypes and do away with one-sided narratives that may advance dangerous ideas about Arabs and Muslims, said Nasser, a senior researcher at the International Institute of Islamic Thought, an educational research center focused on advancing education in Muslim societies.

"Far-right discourse has been prevalent, and you wonder what's happening," she said. "But if you go back to the education system, you think there must be something there that we're not doing right . . . that we're really just ignoring these stereotypes that are going around about Muslims, about Arabs and so forth."

Nasser trained Fairfax public school educators to teach history when she was an associate professor at George Mason University. She observed ill-informed educators resort to shallow stories and cliches, including one teacher who, during a lesson about the Iraq War, told students U.S. soldiers caught "bad guys" with a net, she recalled.

During a Fairfax County School Board meeting in February, Nasser pointed out a passage in one textbook that declared, "Much of the terrorism in the Middle East is aimed against the West."

She called the statement inaccurate and oversimplified, telling the school board that "Americans who read it will be afraid of people from the Middle East. Most of the terrorism in the Middle East, unfortunately, is people against each other."

The accuracy of textbooks and the depiction of underrepresented communities in them has, for years, been a contentious issue in Texas, a state that has outsize influence on publishers because it is one of the country's largest textbook markets.

Members of the State Board of Education, which sets curriculum standards in Texas, are voted into their roles in partisan elections. Social conservatives took control of the board for a few years in the mid-2000s, said Dan Quinn, a research director for the Texas Freedom Network. They have lost ground since 2010, Quinn said, but are still influential.

The Texas Freedom Network, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group that describes its goals as protecting religious freedom, individual liberties and public education, asked scholars to review the state's curriculum and textbooks three times after Texas revised social studies standards in 2010, when Quinn said the state adopted standards that politicized topics such as the Civil War and the role of religion in American history.

Those curriculum standards guide what students are expected to learn and, by extension, influence the content publishers include in textbooks, Quinn said.

The state board made hundreds of changes to the state's social studies curriculum standards in 2010 "based largely on their own personal beliefs and pet causes," according to a Texas Freedom Network report. Textbooks chosen after the standards were adopted reflected many of the politicized standards, Quinn said.

Chaos marked that process, according to the report, which said the state board ignored scholars, including one plea that the board not include standards suggesting Moses, a biblical figure, influenced the writing of foundational American documents such as the Constitution.

At one point, the board banned the children's picture book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" because one member mistakenly believed the author was a Marxist, the report read.

Donna Bahorich, chairwoman of Texas's State Board of Education, acknowledged the state's influence on the textbook market but said it has waned in the digital age. The board, she said, has "done a lot to create an environment that would overcome a great deal of bias as well as we can."

Bahorich pointed out that the board in 2017 removed science standards that critics said undermined the teaching of evolution. The board also adopted standards for Mexican American studies last year, after years of debate. The state educates more than 5.4 million public schoolchildren, most of whom are Hispanic.

"They are part of the American story. Absolutely," said Bahorich, who has been on the board nearly seven years. "We want them to be able to fully embrace their part of the American story because they are us."

The stories contained in history books and curriculum signal to students information and perspectives that are valued, said Margaret Crocco, former chair of the department of teacher education at Michigan State University and a feminist scholar.

White men have traditionally occupied positions of power in the United States, crowding out space in curriculum for women and people of color, she said. Students who don't encounter stories about people they relate to "can begin to think that you are existing on the margins rather than the center."

"When you think about how diverse this nation is becoming, we're seeing many more calls at the local level for that reflection, that mirror," she said. "Curriculum is a statement, a value statement - this is the knowledge we say has the most value."

In Alexandria, Virginia, where students in the city school system hail from more than 114 countries and speak 119 languages, school leaders considered the diversity of the student body as they chose reading material for elementary school students last year.

New titles include a book called "Clothes Around the World," a tale about a family's journey as refugees from Colombia. An account about Malala Yousafzai, the world's youngest Nobel laureate and an activist for girls' education in Pakistan who was shot by Taliban militants, was also selected.

Jose Lara, a longtime educator in Southern California, seldom encountered faces that resembled his own in his high school textbooks in the late 1990s. He was taught mostly "traditional U.S. history" about presidents and prominent military figures who were invariably white men.

Lara, an assistant principal in the Anaheim Union High School District, is a leading voice in pushing for an ethnic studies graduation requirement in California through the Ethnic Studies Now Coalition, which advocates for ethnic studies. He knows, firsthand, the lasting influence of learning stories from within his own community.

He was a middling high school student who did enough to graduate but fell short of qualifying for a four-year university. But in community college, Lara was exposed to Chicano and Filipino history, to the overlapping experiences of African Americans and Latino Americans.

He developed an "academic identity" studying those histories and scored admission to the University of California at Los Angeles, he said.

"It got me excited about education," Lara recalled. "It helped me build a positive self-image of myself."The ruckus was created neither on the peoples issues nor on the issues of national interest but to congratulate Jaleel on his accidental victory in Lok Sabha, the Sena noted. (Photo: ANI)

Mumbai: Ruckus created by the corporators of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen in Aurangabad Municipal Corporation will be dealt in a similar fashion as Pakistan was dealt by India after terror attacks, read Shiv Senas mouthpiece Saamna on Saturday.

The editorial was written after the AIMIM corporators created a ruckus on Thursday in the Aurangabad civic body over the proposal to congratulate Jaleel for becoming the MP of Aurangabad.

The ruckus was created neither on the peoples issues nor on the issues of national interest but to congratulate Jaleel on his accidental victory in Lok Sabha, the Sena noted.

Referring to the loss of the Aurangabad parliamentary seat, which the Shiv Sena held for three decades, the editorial read, One accidental defeat with a small margin from the Aurangabad Lok Sabha does not make Hindus impotent in Sambhaji Nagar (Senas preferred name for Aurangabad). Just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried out an attack on terrorists in Pakistan by breaking into their homes, we are capable of launching a similar attack. Hindus have wrists strong enough to clobber Aurangzebs progeny in Aurangabad within Sambhaji Nagar.

This should be a warning for those rubbing Hindus the wrong way, the editorial stated. The editorial was titled, Sambhaji Nagaraat haidos suru, tar gharaat ghusun maru (Turmoil in Sambhaji Nagar, will break into homes and hit), the Sena said.

What is Jaleel and his partys contribution for Aurangabad?, asked the Sena recalling that AIMIM corporators had opposed the proposals to offer condolences to Balasaheb Thackeray and Atal Bihari Vajpayee following their deaths.

It is sedition to congratulate those who take stands against the nation, the editorial stated.

The electoral loss in Aurangabad was strange when there was a Hindutva wave across India, the editorial said. The saffron party was defeated on account of a party rebel, The Indian Express reported.

Shiv Senas Chandrakant Khaire, a four-term MP, was defeated by Imtiaz Jaleel of the AIMIM by 4,492 votes.The FATF continuing Pakistan in the Gray list means its downgrading by IMF, World Bank, ADB, EU and also a reduction in risk rating by Moodys, S&P and Fitch. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: Pakistan has failed to complete 25 of the 27 action points given by the international terror financing watchdog FATF to check funding to terrorist groups such as LeT and JeM and frontal groups like Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

With this, multilateral lenders like the IMF, the World Bank and the EU may continue downgrading Pakistan, making its financial situation more precarious.

The Paris-headquartered Financial Action Task Force has asked Pakistan to explain whether it has launched any investigation into the USD seven million allocated to maintain schools, madrasas, clinics and ambulances originally operated by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and LeT fronts Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

JuD and FIF are founded by terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

LeT is responsible for a number of terrorist strikes in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft to Afghanistan in 1999.

Most recently, it attacked a CRPF bus in Pulwama in Feb this year, killing 40 soldiers.

Pakistan is in deep trouble at the FATF meeting beginning Sunday in Florida in the US, people aware of the development said.

It has been unable to complete 25 of its 27 action points. It has one last chance, till its 15-month deadline ends in October 2019, when the FATF Plenary will be held, one of them added.

In June 2018, Pakistan was placed in the Gray list and given a 27-point action plan by FATF. This plan was reviewed at the last plenary in October 2018 and for the second time in February this year, when the country was again put into the Gray list after India submitted new information about Pakistan-based terrorist groups.

The FATF continuing Pakistan in the Gray list means its downgrading by IMF, World Bank, ADB, EU and also a reduction in risk rating by Moodys, S&P and Fitch.

This will add to the financial problems of Pakistan, which is seeking aid from all possible international avenues.

In a bid to bluff the financial watchdog, Pakistani authorities have shown arrests of LeT, JeM, JuD and FiF cadres. But all were apprehended under its Maintenance of Public Order Act and not under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Under the MPO Act, authorities cannot hold a detainee beyond 60 days.

Pakistan has detained JeM founder Masood Azhar and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed mostly under the laws that provide for detention for apprehension of breach of peace; they have never been prosecuted under anti-terror laws.

The FATF implements UN designations, which do not warrant arrest. They ask only for freeze of funds, denial of access to weapons and travel embargo. The financial watchdog also wants nations to impose penalties that are proportionate and dissuasive.

The MPO Act is not seen as satisfying either of the two conditions. Therefore, none of these arrests will satisfy the FATF or the UN Designations Committee.

Pakistan has also seized several hundred properties of LeT, JuD, FiF and JeM, including schools and madrasas.

However, these properties are now being run by its provincial governments.

The Punjab provincial government has allocated USD 2 million (Pakistani Rs 30 crore or Indian Rs 14 crore) per annum for their upkeep. Similarly, other provinces have allocated USD 5 million.

The annual expense allocated by Pakistan totals USD 7 million (Pakistani Rs 105 or Indian Rs 49 crore).

The FATF has now asked Pakistan to explain whether there are any terror-funding investigations to unearth the sources and entities that funded these organisations with USD 7 million per annum for the past several years.

The FATF currently has 35 members and two regional organisations  European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council.

In the last meeting of the FATF in Paris, the FATF said Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies, including by adequately demonstrating its proper understanding of the terror financing risks posed by the terrorist groups and conducting supervision on a risk-sensitive basis, demonstrating that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism violations and that these actions have an effect on AML/CFT compliance by financial institutions.

Pakistan, it said, should demonstrate that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services, demonstrating that authorities are identifying cash couriers and enforcing controls on illicit movement of currency and understanding the risk of cash couriers being used for terror financing (TF), improving inter-agency coordination including between provincial and federal authorities on combating TF risks besides others.Kamryn Jones spent her Saturday afternoon enjoying the splash pads with dozens of other children at Emancipation Park.

The 5-year-old and her family were among more than 5,000 Houston area residents who came to the Third Ward park to celebrate the 154th anniversary of Juneteenth, an annual event commemorating the end of slavery in Texas.

Kamryns parents Milton and Alisha Jones moved to Houston from Washington, D.C., and New Jersey two years ago. Still exploring Houston, the young black couple were shocked to learn that it took more than two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation and more than two months after the Civil War ended for slaves in Texas to learn that they had been freed.

After landing on Galveston Island with 2,000 soldiers, Union Gen. Gordon Granger read an order from the balcony of the Ashton Villa proclaiming the emancipation of people held as slaves on June, 19, 1865. Not observed in others places they had lived, Alisha Jones said they enjoyed learning about the history of Juneteenth and the family-friendly event with food, live music and activities for children.

We didnt know it would be this big, but its a huge event, Milton Jones said.

More Information Key Dates & Events for Juneteenth in Houston Jan. 1, 1863 - President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, ending slavery in the United States. April 9, 1865 - The Civil War ends after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, Virginia June 19, 1865 - After arriving with 2,000 troops, Union General Gordon Granger reads an order from the balcony of Galveston's Ashton Villa proclaiming the emancipation of people held as slaves March 28, 1872 - Four local ministers pool $800 to buy 10 acres of land in Houston's Third Ward for what would later become Emancipation Park Jan. 1, 1916 - Emancipation Park donated to the City of Houston June 19, 1965 - Third Ward residents celebrate the 100th anniversary of Juneteenth June 19, 2015 - City of Houston celebrates the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth Jan. 11, 2017 - Houston City Council votes to change the name of a Third Ward street named after a Confederate officer to Emancipation Avenue June 17, 2017 - City of Houston completes more than $33 million of renovations at Emancipation Park See More Collapse

Unable to secure a place to hold an annual Juneteenth celebration, four black ministers from Houstons Third Ward neighborhood pooled $800 to buy 10 acres to create Emancipation Park in 1872. Donated to the city in 1916, Emancipation Park is considered the oldest park in Houston.

Emancipation Park Conservancy Executive Director Lucy Bremond said the Saturday event was one of several leading up to actual anniversary of Juneteenth on Wednesday. The park underwent $33 million of renovations that were completed in time for the 2017 Juneteenth celebration. Bremond said the park will continue to host the annual celebration.

Were doing the things that people did when Juneteenth started, Bremond said. Having celebration, having a barbecue and having some watermelon.

A staunch supporter of the celebration, U.S. Navy veteran and retired oil & gas industry professional Herbert Fields said he is concerned by the multi-story townhomes and condominiums popping up all over the historically African-American neighborhood.

Theyre running the poor people out the community who have been there for generations, Fields said. Theyre building these $200,000 and $300,000 homes and the people who have been living there for generations cant pay their taxes to live there anymore.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city is trying to address those concerns through its Complete Communities Initiative, which seeks to build and maintain affordable housing while bringing in new businesses into older neighborhoods. An event scheduled for Monday will announce new communities selected to participate in the program that focuses on improving affordable housing, employment opportunities and quality of life in historically under-resourced neighborhoods.

The people there want quality housing, quality schools and quality grocery stories, Turner said. They deserve better and they want better but as we do that, we need to maintain the affordability to make sure were not force the people who have been there for decades out.

Looking at Saturdays Juneteenth Parade, Turner was encouraged to see a record 100 entries. Ranging from businesses to leaders across political and racial lines, he said the event was as an example of the Houston tradition of celebrating each others cultural events

All of us are made better when we can appreciate the culture and diversity of the people that make up the diversity of this city, Turner said.

sergio.chapa@chron.com

@SergioChapa on TwitterA former pastor of a Southern Baptist church in north Harris County faces charges of molesting a teenage relative, sometimes multiple times a day, over the course of two years, court records show.

Stephen Bratton, who resigned from Grace Family Baptist Church in Cypress Station last month, was charged Friday with continuous sexual abuse of a child, Senior Deputy Thomas Gilliland said Saturday. The 43-year-old is accused of inappropriate touching that escalated to sexual intercourse multiple times a day or several times a week from 2013 to 2015, Gilliland said.

He posted $50,000 bond and has been released from the Harris County Jail.

Bratton has been an outspoken pro-life advocate, making national news recently for supporting a failed bill that would have made it possible to criminally charge women who terminate their pregnancies.

Bratton came forward to his wife about the abuse on May 15, according to a probable cause document. She called his co-pastors at 4 a.m. to organize a meeting, while Bratton contacted them later that day to say he had sinned in grievous ways.

It was criminal, said David Shiflet, pastor of the Grace Family Baptist Church in Conroe. Thats when he came clean.

The criminal investigation began on May 16 after Bratton allegedly confessed to three Southern Baptist clergy members that he abused the child. Two of Brattons co-pastors, Aaron Wright and Erin Frye, met with the Harris County Sheriffs Office at their church on Bammel Westfield Road that same day, while Shiflet said he referred the complaint to the Department of Family Protective Services.

Wright said he initially believed that Bratton could be arrested the same day as his report, but soon realized the law enforcement investigation would take time. He and his co-pastor were eager to do right by the accuser.

Parishioners were made aware of the allegation during Sunday services on May 19, Shiflet said, adding that he also informed his Montgomery County flock of the claim. The two churches are not affiliated, but Shiflet said several members of his parish know Bratton. There are no other known victims, according to church leaders.

Bratton has been excommunicated and is no longer receiving a salary from the church, Wright said.

This persons life is in such a contradiction to the faith that we see no evidence that they are a Christian, he continued.

Bratton worked at the Old River Baptist Church in Dayton from 2004 to 2007. He now lists himself as unemployed on his LinkedIn profile.

The pastors declined to talk about Brattons family other than to say he was no longer living with his wife and their seven children. Court records show an emergency protection order was granted in the case.

Shiflet has known Bratton for more than a decade after working together at another parish, he said.

I had no intention of protecting him or anything like that. I certainly wanted to help his family, not him, Shiflet said. Its heartbreaking for us who have known him.

Bratton 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. Theyre guilty already in a court that is far more weighty than what is here in Texas.

The charges follow this weeks 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. The meeting led to the passing of several reforms aimed at preventing child sex abuse in the 47,000 autonomous churches.

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.

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.

nicole.hensley@chron.comWASHINGTON  The United States is stepping up digital incursions into Russias electric power grid in a warning to President Vladimir Putin and a demonstration of how the Trump administration is using new authorities to deploy cybertools more aggressively, current and former government officials said.

In interviews over the past three months, the officials described the previously unreported deployment of U.S. computer code inside Russias grid and other targets as a classified companion to more publicly discussed action directed at Moscows disinformation and hacking units around the 2018 midterm elections.

Advocates of the more aggressive strategy said it was long overdue, after years of public warnings from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI that Russia has inserted malware that could sabotage U.S. power plants, oil and gas pipelines, or water supplies in any future conflict with the United States.

But it also carries significant risk of escalating the daily digital Cold War between Washington and Moscow.

ATTACKED: Hackers that hit Saudi oil site probing U.S. grids

The administration declined to describe specific actions it was taking under the new authorities, which were granted separately by the White House and Congress last year to U.S. Cyber Command, the arm of the Pentagon that runs the militarys offensive and defensive operations in the online world.

But in a public appearance Tuesday, President Donald Trumps national security adviser, John R. Bolton, said the United States was now taking a broader view of potential digital targets as part of an effort to say to Russia, or anybody else thats engaged in cyberoperations against us, You will pay a price.

Power grids have been a low-intensity battleground for years.

Since at least 2012, current and former officials say, the United States has put reconnaissance probes into the control systems of the Russian electric grid.

But now the U.S. strategy has shifted more toward offense, officials say, with the placement of potentially crippling malware inside the Russian system at a depth and with an aggressiveness that had never been tried before. It is intended partly as a warning and partly to be poised to conduct cyberstrikes if a major conflict broke out between Washington and Moscow.

The commander of U.S. Cyber Command, Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, has been outspoken about the need to defend forward deep in an adversarys networks to demonstrate that the United States will respond to the barrage of online attacks aimed at it.

They dont fear us, he told the Senate a year ago during his confirmation hearings.

But finding ways to calibrate those responses so that they deter attacks without inciting a dangerous escalation has been the source of constant debate.

Trump issued new authorities to Cyber Command last summer, in a still-classified document known as National Security Presidential Memoranda 13, giving Nakasone far more leeway to conduct offensive online operations without receiving presidential approval.

DOUG MILLS/NYT

But the action inside the Russian electric grid appears to have been conducted under little-noticed new legal authorities, slipped into the military authorization bill passed by Congress last summer. The measure approved the routine conduct of clandestine military activity in cyberspace, to deter, safeguard or defend against attacks or malicious cyberactivities against the United States.

Under the law, those actions can now be authorized by the defense secretary without special presidential approval.

It has gotten far, far more aggressive over the past year, one senior intelligence official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity but declining to discuss any specific classified programs. We are doing things at a scale that we never contemplated a few years ago.

The critical question  impossible to know without access to the classified details of the operation  is how deep into the Russian grid the United States has bored. Only then will it be clear whether it would be possible to plunge Russia into darkness or cripple its military  a question that may not be answerable until the code is activated.

HACKED: Photos of travelers taken in Customs data breach

Both Nakasone and Bolton, through spokesmen, declined to answer questions about the incursions into Russias grid. Officials at the National Security Council also declined to comment but said they had no national security concerns about the details of The New York Times reporting about the targeting of the Russian grid, perhaps an indication that some of the intrusions were intended to be noticed by the Russians.

Speaking Tuesday at a conference sponsored by The Wall Street Journal, Bolton said: We thought the response in cyberspace against electoral meddling was the highest priority last year, and so thats what we focused on. But were now opening the aperture, broadening the areas were prepared to act in.

He added, referring to nations targeted by U.S. digital operations, We will impose costs on you until you get the point.

Two administration officials said they believed Trump had not been briefed in any detail about the steps to place implants  software code that can be used for surveillance or attack  inside the Russian grid.

Pentagon and intelligence officials described broad hesitation to go into detail with Trump about operations against Russia for concern over his reaction  and the possibility that he might countermand it or discuss it with foreign officials, as he did in 2017 when he mentioned a sensitive operation in Syria to the Russian foreign minister.

Because the new law defines the actions in cyberspace as akin to traditional military activity on the ground, in the air or at sea, no such briefing would be necessary, they added.

DOUG MILLS/NYT

The intent of the operations was described in different ways by several current and former national security officials. Some called it signaling Russia, a sort of digital shot across the bow. Others said the moves were intended to position the United States to respond if Putin became more aggressive.

So far, there is no evidence that the United States has actually turned off the power in any of the efforts to establish what U.S. officials call a persistent presence inside Russian networks, just as the Russians have not turned off power in the United States. But the placement of malicious code inside both systems revives the question of whether a nations power grid  or other critical infrastructure that keeps homes, factories, and hospitals running  constitutes a legitimate target for online attack.

Already, such attacks figure in the military plans of many nations. In a previous post, Nakasone had been deeply involved in designing an operation code-named Nitro Zeus that amounted to a war plan to unplug Iran if the United States entered into hostilities with the country.

How Putins government is reacting to the more aggressive U.S. posture described by Bolton is still unclear.

Its 21st-century gunboat diplomacy, said Robert M. Chesney, a law professor at the University of Texas, who has written extensively about the shifting legal basis for digital operations. Were showing the adversary we can inflict serious costs without actually doing much. We used to park ships within sight of the shore. Now, perhaps, we get access to key systems like the electric grid.

Russian intrusion on U.S. infrastructure has been the background noise of superpower competition for more than a decade.

ENERGY SECURITY: TSA under scrutiny over pipeline security failures

A successful Russian breach of the Pentagons classified communications networks in 2008 prompted the creation of what has become Cyber Command. Under President Barack Obama, the attacks accelerated.

But Obama was reluctant to respond to such aggression by Russia with counterattacks, partly for fear that the United States infrastructure was more vulnerable than Moscows and partly because intelligence officials worried that by responding in kind, the Pentagon would expose some of its best weaponry.

At the end of Obamas first term, government officials began uncovering a Russian hacking group, alternately known to private security researchers as Energetic Bear or Dragonfly. But the assumption was that the Russians were conducting surveillance, and would stop well short of actual disruption.

That assumption evaporated in 2014, two former officials said, when the same Russian hacking outfit compromised the software updates that reached into hundreds of systems that have access to the power switches.

It was the first stage in long-term preparation for an attack, said John Hultquist, director of intelligence analysis at FireEye, a security company that has tracked the group.

In December 2015, a Russian intelligence unit shut off power to hundreds of thousands of people in western Ukraine. The attack lasted only a few hours, but it was enough to sound alarms at the White House.

A team of U.S. experts was dispatched to examine the damage, and concluded that one of the same Russian intelligence units that wreaked havoc in Ukraine had made significant inroads into the U.S. energy grid, according to officials and a homeland security advisory that was not published until December 2016.

GET A JOB: Tech opportunities abound in cyberwarfare work

That was the crossing of the Rubicon, said David J. Weinstein, who previously served at Cyber Command and is now chief security officer at Claroty, a security company that specializes in protecting critical infrastructure.

In late 2015, just as the breaches of the Democratic National Committee began, yet another Russian hacking unit began targeting critical U.S. infrastructure, including the electricity grid and nuclear power plants. By 2016, the hackers were scrutinizing the systems that control the power switches at the plants.

Until the last few months of the Obama administration, Cyber Command was largely limited to conducting surveillance operations inside Russias networks. At a conference this year held by the Hewlett Foundation, Eric Rosenbach, a former chief of staff to the defense secretary and who is now at Harvard, cautioned that when it came to offensive operations we dont do them that often. He added, I can count on one hand, literally, the number of offensive operations that we did at the Department of Defense.

But after the election breaches and the power grid incursions, the Obama administration decided it had been too passive.

Obama secretly ordered some kind of message-sending action inside the Russian grid, the specifics of which have never become public. It is unclear whether much was accomplished.

Offensive cyber is not this, like, magic cybernuke where you say, OK, send in the aircraft and we drop the cybernuke over Russia tomorrow, Rosenbach said at the conference, declining to discuss specific operations.

After Trumps inauguration, Russian hackers kept escalating attacks.

Trumps initial cyberteam decided to be far more public in calling out Russian activity. In early 2018, it named Russia as the country responsible for the most destructive cyberattack in human history, which paralyzed much of Ukraine and affected American companies including Merck and FedEx.

When Nakasone took over both Cyber Command and the NSA a year ago, his staff was assessing Russian hackings on targets that included the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp., which runs a nuclear power plant near Burlington, Kansas, as well as previously unreported attempts to infiltrate Nebraska Public Power Districts Cooper Nuclear Station, near Brownville. The hackers got into communications networks, but never took over control systems.

In August, Nakasone used the new authority granted to Cyber Command by the secret presidential directive to overwhelm the computer systems at Russias Internet Research Agency  the group at the heart of the hacking during the 2016 election in the United States. It was one of four operations his Russia Small Group organized around the midterm elections. Officials have talked publicly about those, though they have provided few details.

But the recent actions by the United States against the Russian power grids, whether as signals or potential offensive weapons, appear to have been conducted under the new congressional authorities.

As it games out the 2020 elections, Cyber Command has looked at the possibility that Russia might try selective power blackouts in key states, some officials said. For that, they said, they need a deterrent.

In the past few months, Cyber Commands resolve has been tested. For the past year, energy companies in the United States and oil and gas operators across North America discovered their networks had been examined by the same Russian hackers who successfully dismantled the safety systems in 2017 at Petro Rabigh, a Saudi petrochemical plant and oil refinery.

The question now is whether placing the equivalent of land mines in a foreign power network is the right way to deter Russia. While it parallels Cold War nuclear strategy, it also enshrines power grids as a legitimate target.

We might have to risk taking some broken bones of our own from a counterresponse, just to show the world were not lying down and taking it, said Robert P. Silvers, a partner at the law firm Paul Hastings and former Obama administration official. Sometimes you have to take a bloody nose to not take a bullet in the head down the road.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment.What does a smart city look like from a gender perspective? Is there a difference as to how women experience a city? Does technology help or hinder that experience? And how can technology be harnessed to purposefully address challenges of most concern to women?

In recent years, governments and NGOs have progressed towards full gender equality, and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) provides important, specific, and ambitious targets for achieving gender equality by 2030. While the goals and achievements of SDG 5 are important, we at IHC (International Housing Coalition) Global believe that to tackle the issues that face women around the world and truly close the gender equality gap, we must focus on the position of women vis-a-vis two of the most important global trends of our time: urbanization and the data revolution.

The challenges of urbanization are well-known. Over half the worlds populations live in cities. Experts anticipate this number will rise to 68% by 2050 and one billion city-dwellers will reside in informal slums, typically characterized by overcrowding, lack of clean water and sanitation, substandard housing, insecure tenure, and vulnerability to health risks and natural disasters. Without comprehensive and inclusive policies, cities are underprepared to address these considerable issues that frequently disproportionately affect women. Women often constitute the most vulnerable populations of cities, in terms of safety, health and family planning, and economic insecurity. Yet it sometimes seems that women are invisible in the urban planning process. IHC would like to help change that.

The data revolution is key to assessing and implementing effective policies to improve the lives of individuals and communities in cities. The New Urban Agenda (NUA), introduced by UN-Habitat at Habitat III and adopted by 167 UN member nation-states, asserts: Big Data and the Internet of Things [IoT] allows city leaders to gain a more detailed, real time picture of what is happening within their city. Major metropolises from Barcelona to Dubai, to Kigali and Baltimore, are embracing Smart City status, as they prioritize information and communications technology (ICT), IoT, and data collection to address urban challenges.

The link between urbanization and the data revolution may seem obvious. Yet although the data revolution can help address challenges and guide wise decision-making, it is easy to ignore some of the downsides, particularly those associated with smart technology. Moreover, there is a tendency to fall in love with the technology as an end in itself. But technology needs to be a tool to achieve purposeful policy aims.

This is not to say that there are not sophisticated and intelligent debates about how large amounts of data are gathered and smart technology is employed. But social impact assessments are critical. Smart technology, carelessly or haphazardly employed in cities can also exacerbate social inequality. As the NUA noted: Research suggests that they (ICTS) are more likely to exacerbate than remedy existing inequalities, because whoever already wields power will have better access to, and control over, these technologies.

In some cases, smart city investments have demonstrably harmed marginalized, urban populations. In India, Prime Minister Modis Smart Cities Mission aims to create 100 Smart Cities in India by 2020. But, the civil society organization Housing and Land Rights Network has identified forced evictions and home demolitions directly linked to the Smart City Mission. Numerous well-known international covenants condemn forced evictions as human rights violations. In some cities in the United States, communities are wary that smart city surveillance technology designed to decrease neighborhood crime will increase discrimination, neighborhood decay, or predictive policing. In a recent research study conducted in West Baltimore on the benefits of smart technology investment for city livability, the West Baltimore residents, especially older residents, voiced concern about the large-scale data collection and where this data would go, under the assumption of reducing crime.

These examples allude to the tension between smart cities and just cities. Too often smart cities almost exclusively focus on technology to the detriment of marginalized communities and vulnerable populations. On the other hand, the human-centered focus of just cities often fails to consider how smart technologies might advance equitability and social justice. Our Smart City. Just City (SCJC) initiative, launched at the ninth World Urban Forum brings these two approaches to show that technology and human centeredness are not mutually exclusive. Instead, technology and digitalization can provide an opportunity to drive greater inclusion and equitable opportunities in cities, while at the same time continuing to drive greater efficiency. SCJC especially underlines why women, children, and members on the margins of society must be constantly present in considerations about the employment of smart technology in cities.

Specifically, women bring a perspective to key urban issuessuch as safetythat can bridge some of the gaps between smart technology and social justice in cities. Research shows that investing in women has multiplying effects on global development. In her book, Invisible Women: Data bias in a World Designed for Men, Caroline Criado Perez points to a failed heath initiative in South Africa. A Cape Town-based tech company created an app to help community health workers monitor HIV-positive patients. Although the app fulfilled all the usability requirementswas easy to use [and] adaptable to local language, it proved a flop. It was only once a woman designer was added to the team the company understood why. Mens pockets comfortably fit a smart phone, whereas womens clothing frequently do not have pockets or they are much too small to fit the phone. The female health workers instructed to use the phone needed to travel through unsafe areas to reach their work, so they concealed their valuables in their underwear. And it turned out the phone was too big to fit in their bras. The opportunity to monitor HIV-positive patients was lost when designers failed to integrate a gender lens.

The fact that the reason for the failure of the Cape Town health app was discovered once a female designer was added to the team points to an important trend in urban and tech design. It is individual women and female entrepreneurs who are leading the charge in tackling problems of gender inequality through technological innovations, such as crowdsourcing data and mobile apps. In India, the SafetiPin app promotes womens safety by letting users rate streets and areas for safety criteria. Freedom of movement is not only a human right, it is also key to womens economic empowerment. SafetiPins expansion to cities like Hanoi and Bogota is encouraging. HarassMap in Cairo allows women to report incidents of sexual harassment and violence and connects users with further informational and support resources.

Mobile apps and crowdsourcing initiatives clearly help promote gender equality and by extension, human rights when they allow women and communities to participate in urban planning. And often, the women who pioneer these innovations do so at great personal risk. But, like all activism and advocacy, progress can only be fully cemented when accompanied by policy change and intentional strategies to harness data and technology. The vision we have is that the tools of the Smart City are used to achieve the goals of the Just City. This will enable greater inclusion, safety, resilience and sustainability so that cities may flourish and provide opportunities for productive lives for all their residents.

Source: https://www.openglobalrights.org/bringing-womens-voices-into-the-smart-city-just-city-dialogue/The doctors strike in West Bengal spreading nationally is a clear indication that events have spiralled out of control. The underlying politics could be ascribed as much to Mamata Didi Banerjees shrill reaction to a clear case of an assault on two doctors in a hospital by the kin of a patient as to the national ruling party, BJP, stirring it up for possible political gain in a State it has had an eye on. The West Bengal chief ministers abrasive response to the incident that triggered the storm has bene exacerbated by her propensity to see everything through a prism of communal politics. Rattled by the inroads that BJP made into her Trinamul fortress in the Lok Sabha polls, Didi has taken it personally to the extent she sees a bogey at every turn. Her paranoia has exploded into a national issue now that threatens medical services. However, it puts the focus on the sensitive issue of doctors feeling threatened while doing what is only their duty.

The Indian Medical Association interceding in the West Bengal strike issue to make it national is clearly a play of politics. But the issue itself is important in the sense that doctors are often left to fend for themselves when they are unable to help patients whose condition may in any case be one of terminal illness. The links are obvious as doctors around the country are joining in right up to Monday even as the CMs invitation for talks has been turned down by the doctors, and not without justification considering how Ms Banerjee has responded to the situation in not even having the event probed seriously, maybe because members of a particular community were the aggressors. The immediate way forward would be talks to resolve the doctor's genuine grievances over their vulnerability. The State must be seen providing reassurances as well as posting of security personnel in the bigger public and private hospitals to try and prevent such blowouts as patient kin reaction to deaths that may have been inevitable anyway.

Beyond the obvious political overtones and what can be done to defuse the situation, the focus should be on what can be done to make the doctors lot safer.

The first thing to do would be to bring in more stringent legislation. If air security is so strong now that a passenger making a bomb threat can be jailed for life for the first time in Indian history, why cannot there be a law that penalises anyone attacking doctors in a hospital? Such violence against a qualified person tending to peoples health and sickness is unacceptable. So too the vandalising of hospitals or clinics. The concerns of the medical fraternity cannot be lost sight of in this battle for Bengal between the Trinamul and the BJP. If legislation penalising violence against doctors is brought up during the coming Budget session of Parliament, it would be a sign that the suffering of doctors who have been viciously attacked will not have been in vain.



iciHaiti - Technology : D-6, Haiti Tech Summit





The U.S. Embassy is a proud sponsor of the Haiti Tech Summit and is pleased to announce that Jon Piechowski, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy in the Department of State's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, will speak at the Technology Summit to be held at the Royal Decameron Hotel on the Cote des Arcadins in Haiti, from June 20th to 22nd.



As sponsors, the U.S. Embassy is supporting the participation of 15 Young Leaders of the Americas (YLAI) Caribbean entrepreneurs and 15 local entrepreneurs in the Summit, and they will join creators and innovators from throughout the Caribbean. Increased economic prosperity in the United States and the Caribbean depends on innovation and entrepreneurship and we hope this Tech Summit will foster ideas and build relationships.



The United States values the Caribbean as a strategic priority and long-standing partners. As the Caribbean's largest trading partner, millions of citizens visit and study in the Caribbean and in the U.S. annually. We recognize the importance of the Caribbean to the success of this hemisphere and believe that a region united in our shared values and shared interests will result in a more prosperous neighborhood.



Participants will meet more than one hundred speakers from Google, Airbnb, LinkedIn, Uber, and other innovative businesses. Haiti Tech Summit, a 13-year initiative of Global Startup Ecosystem that brings hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, digital marketers and creatives to Haiti to accelerate tech, innovation, and economic development within the country, has just opened applications for the event's second annual Startup Lab - a 1:1 mentorship opportunity with global experts.



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iciHaiti - Education : The Ministry condemns attacks on schools





At 10 days from the beginning of the State exams https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27960-haiti-politic-new-alarm-call-from-the-ministry-of-national-education.html Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet, Minister of National Education is appalled by the recent attacks on schools, which occurred during street demonstrations, particularly in the Center and the West, and condemns these acts which jeopardize the right to education.



Reiterating the legitimate right of everyone to peacefully express their demands in any democratic society, he reiterates that it is everyone's responsibility to protect the school and the right to education in all circumstances. "These acts are all the more serious as they endanger the lives of our children in the midst of the end-of-year exams while they were in the classroom at the time of these free and irresponsible attacks. How to speak of real change for another Haiti if we attack schools, the right to education and our children symbolizing the future of the country ?"



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It will be a heart-in-the-mouth situation for Indian space scientists beginning July 15, when a gigantic rocket  GSLV Mark III  blasts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Sriharikota Range) to position Chandrayaan-2 on track for a 50-day voyage to the Moon. This orbiter-lander-rover mission could throw up exciting scientific discoveries on the origin of the universe, on the Moon and provide clues on the ideal site for human colonies, says Dr KAILASAVADIVOO SIVAN, chairman, Isro, speaking with B.R. SRIKANTH.

Isro is set to revisit the Moon after a decade. So please tell us how different is Chandrayaan-2 from Chandrayaan-1?

We are looking forward to more scientific results than whatever Chandrayaan-1 provided because this mission (Chandrayaan-2) has a lander (Vikram) and a rover (Pragyan) in addition to an orbiting probe. The landing site is also unique in the sense that no one has landed a probe near the south pole of the Moon.

Dont you agree that Chandrayaan-2 could have been launched earlier than a decade after the first mission to the Moon?

First, we had to get an approval from the government for the mission, and then go back to the government again for approval after deciding about the payloads (instruments) for Chandrayaan-2. Later, we discovered that the GSLV Mark II (rocket) would not be suitable to launch our probe, so we decided to use the GSLV Mark III (rocket), based on the suggestion of experts. The configuration of the lander also changed from what was envisaged originally. So all these factors added up to delay the mission.

What were the major challenges which you and your colleagues faced in the making of this orbiter-lander-rover mission to the Moon (Chandrayaan-2)?

The orbiter is almost similar to Chandrayaan-1, but the lander and rover are completely new and complex systems. We had to develop a new propulsion system and new sensors for the lander along with navigation and guidance controls. So the technologies involved in the lander are new and so is its (lander) management. Likewise, we had to develop a number of new technologies for the rover, which is a robotic probe. We addressed all the technological challenges one by one, and overcame all of them.

How many R&D institutions worked on the design and making of payloads on board Chandrayaan-2?

We have 13 payloads, of which eight are assembled on the orbiter, three on the lander and two on the rover. All these payloads were designed and made by our facilities spread across the country. Other institutes are not involved in this mission.

How about the payload from Nasa? Did the US government make a special request for a ride on board Isros lunar probe?

Its a small payload (Laser Retroreflector Array or LRA)  so we did not have any issue accommodating it on Chandrayaan-2 when we received a request from the US government. For our next mission  Chandrayaan-3  which will be accomplished in collaboration with JAXA (Japanese Space Agency), we will invite other countries too to participate with their payloads. We are working on the configuration of Chandrayaan-3, and will decide on the launch schedule at a later date.

Chandrayaan-1 discovered water in lunar soil. So do you think similar path-breaking findings are possible on the successful landing of Chandrayaan-2?

We have payloads to study the landing site in detail, the composition of lunar soil, about lunar quakes, the presence of new minerals, water and Helium-3 (a new source of energy which could last for more than two centuries). So the data beamed by these payloads can provide some path-breaking scientific discoveries. We are planning a soft landing near the south pole both for convenience (fewer craters and rocks) and for more scientific work on the Moon  and better visibility from the earth. Our mission could also provide clues on whether the south pole is the most ideal site for human habitation whenever colonies are planned on the Moon.

How different are the payloads which are fitted on the orbiter, the lander and the rover?

Each payload has a different set of sensors for various objectives planned during lunar exploration like looking for water below the surface soil, mapping minerals and chemicals and their distribution, and to study the atmosphere.

You have spoken about the most terrifying moment during this mission. Please explain.

From a distance of 30 km from the Moon, we have to control the descent of the lander (September 6 or September 7) with a great amount of precision to achieve a smooth landing. The speed of descent demands the highest levels of mission management and the perfect functioning of all systems on board which we are going to attempt for the first time. A small snag or miscalculation could result in the lander crashing on the Moon. So we are going to have butterflies in the belly through those crucial 15 minutes when the lander glides for 30 km before touching down on lunar soil.

Whats the life of Chandrayaan-2 and those of the lander and rover?

The lander and rover will be active for one lunar day (equal to 14 days on the Earth), after which comes the lunar night with extreme temperature conditions. The orbiter is designed to carry out studies for one year.

What are the likely spin-offs of Chandrayaan-2?

We will be acquiring the experience of landing on the Moon, which will be the stepping stone for missions like human landing on the lunar surface. This mission will also inspire young people in our country to take to science and astronomy.

Which is the next most challenging task for Isro after Chandrayaan-2?

There are many challenging projects in the offing. We are going to test a new rocket to launch small satellites, followed by the launch of a mission to study the Sun, and of course, the toughest will be in the form of Gaganyaan (sending an Indian crew into deep space on board a made-in-India capsule and rocket).The big tech companies are smothering small start-ups. Minor changes to a platforms algorithms can harm a businesss traffic overnight.--Alan Patricof, Silicon Valley VC

Amazon, Apple, Google,

Facebook

antitrust actions

Greycroft Ventures

"From my vantage point in the venture capital industry, it is apparent that many start-ups are failing or changing their business models because of their dependence on Amazon, Facebook or Google . The situation has progressed to the point where venture capitalists discount companies that rely on a digital platform to reach their markets."

https://t.co/HVGo3MvHgH I'm concerned about the influence tech giants have over our business and societal landscape. Read the full version of my piece that was originally published in @FinancialTimes April 30, 2019

Like it or not our congress has got to reconsider our monopilies and anti trust laws to deal with the issues arising from the internet. Open and fair competition is critical to building our 21st century economy.  alan patricof (@alanjpatricof) March 21, 2019

The "true" founder of the internet,Larry Roberts who originated his work at ARPAin the 1960's , died over xmas at age 81.His seminal work in packet switching and his decision to build a network across multiple computers is responsible for the myriad of applications we use today  alan patricof (@alanjpatricof) January 1, 2019

Greycrofts' Patricof: There are legitimate antitrust concerns surrounding big techWashington is taking aim at big tech, andandcould be vulnerable to Alan Patricof , co-founder and managing partner at greycroft.com ), joins the discussion on CNBC's "Squawk Box." CNBC Television video above published Jun 6, 2019.-- Alan Patricof Alan Patricof, April 10, 2019:KARUIZAWA, Japan  The International Energy Agency has provided in-depth support for this weekends meeting of G20 energy and environment ministers, including the publication of a major new study on hydrogens potential role in global energy transitions.

Under Japans G20 presidency, the ministerial meeting took place in the town of Karuizawa.

The IEA report on hydrogen  The Future of Hydrogen: Seizing Todays Opportunities  analyses hydrogens current state of play and offers recommendations for its future development and how it can help to tackle critical energy challenges. The IEA carried out the study at the request of Japans G20 presidency. It was launched Friday by Dr Fatih Birol, the IEAs Executive Director, alongside Mr Hiroshige Seko, Japans Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Dr Fatih Birol presents The Future of Hydrogen to Mr Hiroshige Seko, Japans Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (Photograph: IEA)

The IEA provided several other important contributions to the G20 this year at the presidencys request, including an analysis identifying more than 100 innovation gaps across the energy system and recommendations for how to fill them; a report on securing investment in low-carbon power generation; and other activities and analyses to encourage greater international collaboration on data gathering.

The IEAs G20 work also involves tracking progress towards phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption. This is done through an annual update in the World Energy Outlook, the IEAs flagship publication, and a joint report with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

At the ministerial meetings in Karuizawa, Dr Birol presented findings from the new reports and spoke about other important topics, including energy access in Africa, tracking progress towards clean energy goals and developments in the global trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG). (Slides from his two presentations are available here and here.)

On the sidelines, he held bilateral meetings with ministers from several countries, including Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.



The IEA also supported the official side events of the ministerial meetings: the G20 Natural Gas Day, the G20 Energy Efficiency Financing Summit and hydrogen investor events in Japan. The IEAs contributions to this years G20 are the latest instance of the agencys active support for a range of G20 meetings and work streams over the past 10 years.

Dr Fatih Birol (left) and Mr Angus Taylor, Australia's Minister for Energy & Emissions Reductions

Dr Fatih Birol (right) with Mr Bento Albuquerque, Brazils Minister of Mines & Energy

Dr Fatih Birol (left) with Mr R. K. Singh, India's Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy

Dr Fatih Birol (right) with Saudi Energy Minister, His Excellency Khalid al-FalihImperial Valley News Center

Data security settlement with service provider includes updated order provisions

Washington, DC - The domino principle. The ripple effect. The butterfly phenomenon. Apply the analogy of your choice to describe what happens when one software developers allegedly lax security practices result in the breach of confidential customer information maintained by multiple businesses that use the software. If your business is a service provider  or if your company uses third-party service providers to help manage your data  a proposed FTC settlement merits your attention. One notable aspect of the case: a proposed order that includes new data security requirements reflecting the current Commission priority of updating its data security orders.

Many third-party service providers sell industry-specific data management software to consumer-facing businesses. One example is DealerBuilt, software for auto dealers developed by LightYear Dealer Technologies. DealerBuilt is a big name in the business, numbering some of the largest dealerships in the country as clients. Dealerships that license DealerBuilts software collect and maintain large amounts of sensitive financial, payroll, accounting, and other information about consumers and employees. Dealers who use the software can have DealerBuilt host their data or they can host it on their own servers. Businesses that choose the second option regularly back up their databases onto DealerBuilts network.

Before getting to the inevitable information uh-oh that led to law enforcement action, lets hit pause to consider some of DealerBuilts practices during the time relevant to the FTCs proposed administrative complaint. According to the FTC:

DealerBuilt stored information in clear text, without any access controls or authentication protections like passwords or tokens. Data transmitted between dealerships and DealerBuilts backup database was in clear text, too.

DealerBuilt didnt have a written information security policy in place.

DealerBuilt didnt provide reasonable data security training for employees or contractors.

DealerBuilt didnt assess risks to the sensitive data on its network by conducting periodic risk assessments or performing vulnerability and penetration testing.

DealerBuilt didnt use readily available security measures to monitor  among other things  unauthorized attempts to transfer sensitive information.

DealerBuilt didnt put reasonable data access controls in place  for example, systems to limit inbound connections to known IP addresses or require authentication to access backup databases.

DealerBuilt didnt have a reasonable process to select, install, and secure devices with access to personal information.

Against that backdrop of alleged security failures, what happened next shouldnt come as a surprise. To increase available backup storage, a DealerBuilt employee bought a storage device and installed it on the companys network in April 2015. According to the FTC, DealerBuilt management didnt take steps to ensure the device was set up securely. Had someone checked, they would have learned the device created an open connection port that allowed transfers of information.

Fast forward to late October 2016 when a hacker walked through that open port to gain unauthorized access to DealerBuilts backup database, including the unencrypted personal information of more than 12 million consumers that 130 of its client dealerships had stored with the company. The hacker attacked the system multiples times, downloading the personal information of 69,283 consumers and the entire backup directories of five dealerships. And thats not all because for a substantial period of time, DealerBuilts insecure settings were indexed on a public website hackers use to locate insecure connected devices. What was ultimately stolen? Among other things, consumers Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers, and dates or birth, as well as wage and financial information about dealership employees  five-star favorites of identity thieves.

DealerBuilt learned about the breach on November 7, 2016, when a dealership called, demanding to know why customer data was publicly accessible on the internet. According to the FTC, it wasnt until a reporter told DealerBuilt about the security vulnerability that the company became aware of the open port on its storage device.

Count 1 of the complaint should look familiar to FTC watchers. The FTC alleges that the companys failure to employ reasonable security measures was an unfair practice, in violation of the FTC Act. Count 2 is worth special mention because DealerBuilt meets the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Acts definition of financial institution. That triggers compliance with the GLB Safeguards Rule, which the FTC alleges DealerBuilt violated by  among other things  failing to develop, implement, and maintain a written information security program; failing to identify reasonably foreseeable risks to the security, confidentiality, and integrity of customer information; and failing to implement basic safeguards and regularly test their effectiveness.

To settle the case, the company has agreed to a proposed order that includes noteworthy new provisions youll want to review carefully. Like the orders in the Clixsense and iDressup cases announced in April, the proposed order in this case requires a senior DealerBuilt officer to provide the FTC with annual certifications of compliance. The order also requires DealerBuilt to implement specific, enforceable safeguards that address the issues alleged in the complaint  for example, requiring the company to conduct yearly employee training, monitor its systems for data security incidents, implement access controls, and inventory devices on its network. In addition, the proposed order makes significant changes to further improve the accountability of the third-party assessor responsible for reviewing DealerBuilts data security program. Whats more, the order gives the FTC increased access to documents and other materials upon which the assessor bases his or her conclusions.

Why the updated settlement terms? The more specific order provisions, the mandatory senior management focus on security issues, the in-depth look under the hood evaluation required of assessors, and new FTC monitoring tools are all designed to ensure order compliance and  if necessary  enforcement.

Once the proposed settlement is published in the Federal Register, the FTC will accept public comments for 30 days. What can other companies take from the case?

Train and supervise your employees to be security-centric. Designating someone to be in charge of security at your business is a start, but it doesnt mean you then get to pretend that vulnerabilities dont exist. Companies that handle consumers sensitive personal information have a responsibility to consider security all along the way. Conduct staff training appropriate to the nature of your business and update it to reflect current risks and threats. Whats more, make sure someone is supervising the supervisors whose decisions have a big impact on security at your company.

Exercise care when installing devices with network access. Like sticking a finger in a socket, adding certain devices to your system runs the risk of inflicting a substantial shock. Think through the security implications and make sure any device is properly installed.

GLB coverage is broad. The phrase financial institution may conjure up images of passbooks, tellers, and pens chained to tables, but thats not how the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Rules define the term. Consider whether your business could be a financial institution subject to the GLB Safeguards Rule.

If your company uses third-party software or providers, build security into your contracts. Even if another companys conduct is implicated in a breach, your customers information could be at risk and theyll want to know what you did to protect them. As the FTCs publication Start with Security suggests, when entrusting data to third-party service providers, spell out your security expectations, monitor what theyre doing on your behalf, and follow websites that report on known vulnerabilities.

Service providers are accountable for protecting the personal data they collect and store. Even if your operations are behind the scenes, you still may be liable for violations of the law. If you handle sensitive consumer data on behalf of other companies, security should be front and center.Imperial Valley News Center

Governor Newsom Statement on Death of Los Angeles Police Officer Esmeralda Ramirez

Sacramento, California - Governor Gavin Newsom Wednesday issued the following statement regarding the death of Los Angeles Police Department Officer Esmeralda Ramirez:

Jennifer and I are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Officer Ramirez. On behalf of all Californians, we offer our heartfelt sympathy to her family, friends and colleagues. Officer Ramirezs dedicated service to the people of Los Angeles will never be forgotten. Officer Ramirez, 49, died Sunday, June 9, 2019 following a surgery related to injuries sustained in an on-duty vehicle collision that occurred in 2015.

Officer Ramirez served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 11 years and was assigned to the Pacific Division, where she worked in a variety of assignments. She is survived by her mother and three adult children.

In honor of Officer Ramirez, Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff.Imperial Valley News Center

State Department Announces 25th Experience America Visit to San Diego

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of State and the Office of the Chief of Protocol are proud to announce the 25th Experience America trip to San Diego, California with members of the foreign Diplomatic Corps, June 16-18, 2019.

More than 35 foreign ambassadors  representing countries across four continents  will join Chief of Protocol of the United States Sean P. Lawler to engage local business and community leaders and spotlight Americas communities. Led by the Department of State, Experience America connects foreign ambassadors with academic, business, community, and cultural leaders with the goal of building relationships to promote economic investment, commerce, and dialogue. Chiefs of Mission stationed in Washington, D.C. learn firsthand about American culture, history, and industry while encouraging commerce and trade.

San Diego, California is widely recognized as one of the most innovative cities in the U.S., accelerating life-saving research and development across the life sciences, telecom and defense industries. With more than 80+ world-class research institutions, the region features the nations highest concentration of life science laboratory space and is the second-highest recipient of NIH funding for life sciences, has the highest concentration of military assets in the world, and has been ranked the #3 best city in the U.S. to launch a startup. San Diego has ignited advances in precision medicine, genomics, wireless telecommunications, robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles and technologies enabling the mobility as a service revolution, and the region is a global leader in the advanced manufacturing of medical devices, semiconductors, and aerospace.

Over three days, diplomats will hear how research, technology and entrepreneurship has transformed the region and powers innovation that change and improve individuals, countries and societies. Experience America will build relationships between the visiting ambassadors and the companies and leaders of San Diego, and in the process, open doors for local organizations eager to develop global partnerships and investment possibilities.

The following events are open to the press:

Sunday, June 16, 5:30 p.m.  Welcome Reception hosted by Business Council of International Understanding and Viasat  Foreign ambassadors will meet and interact with the states top business and cultural leaders. The event will feature remarks by local and state representatives, including Chief of Protocol of the United States Sean P. Lawler and His Excellency Ashok Kumar, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore.

Monday, June 17, 8:00 a.m.  San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and World Trade Center San Diego Breakfast and Panel Discussion  The San Diego Chamber of Commerce and WTC San Diego will host ambassadors and their spouses for a breakfast and provide an opportunity for local San Diego business leaders to interact with the foreign dignitaries. Diplomats will hear from a panel discussion on how the region has used technology, trade and investment to integrate into a global economy. The panel will feature remarks by Jerry Sanders, President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce; Nikia Clarke, Executive Director of World Trade Center San Diego; and Barbara Stanley, Vice President of Power Generation at Solar Turbines, Inc. Members of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce will join the ambassadors and their spouses for the breakfast.

Monday, June 17, 1:00 p.m.  Briefing and Tour of The Scripps Research Institute  Ambassadors will visit Scripps Research, a leading nonprofit biomedical research institute ranked #1 in the world by Nature for scientific innovation. Merging biology, chemistry and computer science with translational research and drug discovery, Scripps Research advances the next generation of pharmaceuticals and precision medicine from its campus in La Jolla, California. The center of a thriving biotech community that is one of the most productive and innovative in the nation, ambassadors will hear from the some of the 160+ principal investigators developing new medicine and international partnerships to improve lives from around the world. Scientists will also brief visiting ambassadors on the education of the next generation of scientific leaders and collaborative efforts to expand the frontier of human knowledge, which have resulted in lifesaving treatments and more than 80+ companies spunoff by Scripps Research scientists.

Monday, June 17, 4:00 p.m.  UC San Diego  One of the top 15 research universities in the world, the University of California San Diego enrolls more than 38,000 students and conducts over $1 billion in research. The university has helped San Diego become what it is today  a vibrant hub for biotechnology and the life sciences  and continues to drive innovation, understanding and change. Ambassadors will hear remarks from UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla and visit two hubs of insight and innovation: The StarCAVE at the Qualcomm Institute, a virtual reality environment that allows researchers to venture into worlds as small as nanoparticles and as big as the cosmos; and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a beacon of research and education since 1903 that advances understanding of the Earth and addresses the worlds most challenging environmental problems.

Tuesday, June 18, 8:30 a.m.  Tour of USS Theodore Roosevelt  USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is a key element of the United States forward-deployed defense strategy. Tasked with maintaining open sea lanes of trade and communications, the USS Theodore Roosevelt executes a wide variety of missions and diplomacy, and serves in times of peace and crisis with more than 5,000 Sailors, and 97,000 tons of steel. As the cornerstone of joint/allied maritime expeditionary forces in times of crisis, the Carrier supports and operates aircraft that deploy worldwide in support of U.S. interests and commitments. Ambassadors will witness the stunning technology that powers the Theodore Roosevelt, and the outstanding leadership, service and professionalism of the United States Navy. Ambassadors will also participate in a closed-press briefing by the 29th Commander of the U.S. 3rd Fleet, Vice Admiral John D. Alexander.

Tuesday, June 18, 11:30 a.m.  Briefing, Visit at Viasat  Ambassadors will have an opportunity to see how satellite internet is bringing digital and social inclusion by impacting the way people communicate  anywhere  on the ground, in the air and at sea. By visiting Viasat, a global communications company headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., ambassadors will meet the team bringing high-speed, high-quality satellite connectivity to the hardest-to-reach placesintroducing new ways for individuals and communities to engage in our digital society. Demonstrations and discussions will highlight how satellite internet can be used to connect the unconnected around the globe, as well as advance markets like healthcare with a Medic in a Box telemedicine application; education, agriculture and e-commerce using satellite-enabled, wind- and solar-powered Community Wi-Fi hotspot services; be the communications lifeline to first responders and victims in times of natural disaster; and keep everyone on an aircraft, or sea vessel, connected throughout their journey. During their visit, ambassadors will be able to experience how Viasat and satellite internet are making connectivity accessible, available and secure  anywhere.

With one of the busiest land border crossings in the Western Hemisphere, ambassadors will also visit with the Department of Homeland Securitys Customs and Border Protection operational components responsible for protecting the United States, who will highlight diplomatic efforts, infrastructure and technology between the U.S. and partner nations used to address global migration challenges.Imperial Valley News Center

23 Restaurants Giving Youth an Opportunity to Succeed

New Orleans, Louisiana - New Orleans, is home to one of the most original food cultures in the United States. Meanwhile, the city has the largest per-capita population of young people who are not working or enrolled in schoolone in five adolescents. Through food service, Father Harry Tompson worked to address the neglect, violence, and poverty in New Orleans that contribute to these disconnected youth. Father Tompson opened Cafe Reconcile in 1996, which runs a 12-week development program for at-risk youth with culinary, hospitality, employment, and life skill training.

The program focuses on improving emotional strength and resilience, allowing participants to work confidently and effectively practice new skill sets in the restaurant. Following graduation, students are presented with the opportunity to interview for a paid internship with Cafe Reconcile, or they receive assistance to seek employment with one of Reconciles employment partners.

But Cafe Reconcile isnt the only restaurant working to empower at-risk youth. From Aspen, Colorado to Sydney, Australia, kitchens and organizations across the globe are offering opportunities to change the course of the lives of young people. Food Tank is excited to highlight 23 restaurants worldwide providing supportive work environments and opportunities for young people to pursue successful careers in the food and hospitality industry and beyond.

AspenPointe Cafe

In Colorado Springs, Colorado, AspenPointe Cafe reinvests all profits into a program that trains disabled, veterans, seniors, and at-risk youth for a career in the culinary arts. The Cafe conducts culinary and barista training and offers career services, education tutoring, and GED training preparation. Students have the opportunity to practice their skills in the 550-seat cafeteria, which serves fresh meals daily.

Cafe Hope

Cafe Hope offers a combination of life skills and culinary arts training in their program designed for at-risk youth in the Greater New Orleans area. Established in 2010, Cafe Hope aims to create opportunities for youth and provide a platform where youth can recognize their capabilities and talents. The program hopes to teach self-sufficiency and motivate youth to become valuable members of their community.

Cafe Momentum

Cafe Momentum offers a paid, 12-month culinary, job, and life training to at-risk youth who have spent time in juvenile facilities. Based in Dallas, Texas, the program begins by pairing interns with case managers, who help them through their basic needs and begin to establish stability. The mentorship and support aims to allow youth to recognize their full potential, and after the 12-month program, interns are employed with one of Cafe Momentums community partners.

Community Kitchen Pittsburgh

Community Kitchen Pittsburgh offers a 12-week culinary job training course for youth facing barriers to employment. Students graduate with a SafeServ management certification and training in a variety of restaurant and kitchen positions. For those who are currently or formerly incarcerated, there is a separate transitional job opportunity program that helps participants gain a professional reference, a source of income, and the opportunity to work with an employment specialist to help transition to a full-time job elsewhere in the industry. Community Kitchen Pittsburgh also provides meals to schools and other feeding services around the city.

Curts Cafe

In Evanston, Illinois, Curts Cafe offers a paid training program for at-risk youth aged 15 to 24 who have had difficulty with homelessness, the judicial system, or food insecurity. Trainees are given the opportunity to learn in the restaurant, the classroom, and through the mentorship program. The program emphasizes four disciplines: life skills, intellectual skills, food service skills, and experiential skills. Curts Cafe only trains about four to five students at a time for three months, allowing for individualized and thorough training and development.

Darcy Street Project

Coffee is a common language that brings people together from all backgrounds. In Sydney, Australia, Darcy Street Project aims to offer coffee education to any citizen who has suffered from long-term unemployment. Participants can choose from a variet of barista and coffee brewing training programs. Darcy Street Project also runs a pay-it-forward program, where customers can pay in advance for the next customer and foster a sense of community.

Eighteen Chefs

As a high school dropout who spent years in and out of the prison system, Chef Benny Se Tao has experienced stigma first-hand. Now, he visits the prisons in Singapore once a month to recruit at-risk youth to join his program once they are released. He runs Eighteen Chefs, a fast-food restaurant chain throughout Singapore with a program that provides at-risk youth with a platform to recognize their talents while learning about the food and beverage industry. Eighteen Chefs strives to helping youth reintegrate back into society while providing affordable, healthy food for the community.

Gastronomia Solidaria

In 2017, a team of culinary industry professionals in Madrid, Spain, created the nonprofit Gastronomia Solidaria to offer cooking courses and training programs for at-risk or disadvantaged youth. One course lasts three months within the organization, and then participants spend two months practicing in restaurants and bakeries. Since debuting, the organization has an 83-percent success rate in pairing youth with different restaurant and hospitality jobs.

Inspiration Kitchens

Inspiration Kitchens, founded in 1989 by former police officer Liza Nigro, aims to overcome homelessness and poverty in Chicago, Illinois. Anyone over the age of 18 is welcome to join the 12-week program, where students gain the necessary skills and experience needed for a career in the service industry. Students graduate with a sanitation manager and food handling certification and receive job placement assistance.

Kaima Organic Farm

Every morning, the group of at-risk youth working on Kaima Organic Farm sit down for a communal breakfast full of freshly harvested fruit and vegetables. Located in Beerotayim, Israel, the farm was started by three Shevah women that partner with authorities in Emek Hefer, Netanya, and Kalansua to send youth who have trouble adjusting to society or are undergoing a crisis. At the farm, the youth gain stability and leadership skills while preserving the local food culture and traditions. Harvested produce is sold to customers in neighboring districts and funds are reinvested into the program.

KOTO

KOTOwhich stands for know one, teach oneruns a 40-person, 6-month award-winning training program to transform the lives of at-risk youth in Vietnam. The program has a 100-percent success rate, placing every graduate into a hospitality job. In addition to the two restaurants where trainees can fine-tune their culinary and hospitality skills, KOTO offers English courses and life skill classes with topics including sex education, first aid, financial budgeting, anger management, and personal hygiene. Since KOTO began the program in 1999, 11 graduates have moved on to start their own businesses.

Libertys Kitchen

Located three miles from Cafe Reconcile in New Orleans, the three-month development program at Libertys Kitchen aims to train at-risk young adults. Participants gain access to mentorship, develop career, leadership, and workplace training skills, and receive individualized support for personal needs such as housing or child-care support. At the flagship training facility, Broad Street Cafe, students have the opportunity to serve classic New Orleans cuisine five days a week. The program has been so successful that three alumni students have continued on to start their own businesses.

Monkey Business Cafe

With an emphasis on farm-to-table cuisine, this social enterprise based in Fullerton, California, has a restaurant, catering business, test kitchen, and arboretum. Founded by Bill Hart, Monkey Business Cafe offers a program to give at-risk and foster youth the opportunity to earn a SafeServ certificate, build their resumes, learn life skills, and get paid. The restaurant is a fully operational experience and job training site, and all proceeds are reinvested back into the operations.

Old Skool Cafe

Old Skool Cafe is a youth-run supper club in San Francisco, California. The 12-week program focuses on youth aged 16 to 22, aiming to break the cycle of incarceration and poverty by immersing youth in the restaurant. Students receive leadership and management skill training, and once the program is completed, trainees are paid and encouraged to apply to work in Old Skool Cafe full-time to continue building their skillset.

OzHarvest

In early 2019, Australias leading food rescue organization is relaunching Nourish, a training and mentoring program for at-risk youth. The program is supported by volunteers, mentors, and qualified trained professionals and designed to be a stepping stone for people interested in the hospitality industry. Each participant is given work experience for future employment, graduating with a Certificate II in hospitality or kitchen operations. OzHarvest has an extensive list of community contacts and donors to connect to Nourish graduates.

Pho

Pho is a family-run business serving healthy Vietnamese street food at 26 locations throughout the United Kingdom. Pho believes in socially inclusive recruitment and helps people who are especially struggling to find employment by partnering with local charities. Once hired, the restaurant trains these candidates to be ready and capable to lead a successful careerand several candidates have progressed into managerial roles at different Pho locations.

Rancho Cielo

Executive Chef Esteban Jimenez leads Rancho Cielos culinary arts curriculum, a 10-month program where half the time is spent in the kitchen and the other half is devoted to education. Students graduate with both a culinary arts diploma and a high school diploma. Located in Salinas, California, Rancho Cielo has a beautiful dining room open to the public every Friday night, giving students the opportunity to practice their skills and gain real-world experience.

Shambala

In Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, Chef Randy Siles, the ambassador of Costa Ricas National Plan for Sustainable and Healthy Gastronomy, runs a culinary training program in the Shambala restaurant. Designed for young natives with limited economic opportunities, the program has trained more than 90 students in culinary arts, bartending, and support staff skills.

Stone Soup

In Portland, Oregon, this pay as much as you can restaurant runs a 16-week training program for at-risk youth to learn life and culinary skills and gain access to a large job placement network. The Culinary Training Program gives graduates a Food Handler Certification, as well as the opportunity to continue with the 16-hour Dining Room and Table Skills course. Founders Ronit and Craig Gerard both share a love for food and a passion to give back to those in their community.

STREAT

With four cafes in Melbourne, Australia, STREAT runs a variety of programs for marginalized or socially isolated youth. Students gain work experience in one of the STREAT restaurants, study for and achieve certificates, participate in group activities and team building, and benefit from individual support sessions with a trained mentor. The 10-year goal is to help an at-risk youth every single mealtime by 2022, totaling 1,095 youth per year.

Tender Greens

The Sustainable Life Program at Tender Greens is a unique culinary training program and paid, six-month internship for former foster youth. Since 2009, the program has offered youth training through field trips, workshops, and classes. Once completing the program, participants move on to explore a career in the hospitality industry, or they can apply for a job at one of Tender Greens restaurants across Massachusetts, California, and New York.

Waterhouse Restaurant

Created in 2008 by the Shoreditch Trust charity, the Waterhouse Restaurant in East London, England, is a social enterprise working to provide residents with opportunities to improve health, wellbeing, and social networks. The restaurant is a host of Shoreditch Trusts Blue Marble Training Program for people between the ages of 16 and 25 in challenging circumstances. The support system gives young people the opportunity to master new skills in the kitchen and develop real expertise so that they can then move on to paid employment and lead rewarding careers.Imperial Valley News Center

California Good Ag Neighbors: The Produce Safety - Livestock Interface Workshop

Holtville, California - The California Good Ag Neighbors: The Produce-Livestock Interface Workshop series is bringing together farmers, ranchers, academia and state and federal regulators to share and learn about the most innovative tools, information and research available to prevent foodborne illness, while continuing to work together to promote and provide diverse and resilient California agriculture.

The first of two California Good Ag Neighbors workshops was held Wednesday in Holtville, located in Southern Californias agriculturally vibrant Imperial Valley. The second workshop Thursday (June 13) in Stockton, in the fertile Central Valley. Click here to learn more about the workshops.

CDFAs Produce Safety Program (PSP) worked with the UC Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security (WIFSS) to produce the California Good Ag Neighbors workshops. Educate Then Regulate is a core value of PSPs role to educate California produce farmers on how to comply with the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule, and then regulate farms to ensure they are in compliance.Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross Concludes SelectUSA Investment Summit

Washington, DC - Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross concluded the sixth SelectUSA Investment Summit, after bringing together business leaders and economic development officials from 79 global markets and 49 U.S. states and territories. More than 3,100 people attended, including 1,200 business representatives.

Throughout the Summit, Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, as well as eight U.S. governors and executives from multiple global companies all provided remarks.

Nowhere else but in the United States will you find such an advantageous mixture of innovation, entrepreneurship, diversity, dedication to hard work, and an incredibly high quality of life, said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. Opening operations in the United States provides companies with access to the wealthiest and most discerning consumers in the world.

Additionally, more than 65 international companies joined Secretary Ross and Ivanka Trump at a ceremonial signing of the Pledge to Americas Workers, having committed to create more than 900,000 workforce development opportunities for American workers.

Three international companies announced expansions in the United States: Italian storage solutions manufacturer Modula in Ohio; Taiwan company Jetton Biochemistry Co., Ltd. in Idaho; and Australian freight management company Myfreight in Colorado.

The Investment Summit brings together companies from around the world and economic developers from across the United States, helping to establish connections that will lead to business investment projects. Past participants have announced more than $103.6 billion in investment projects within five years of attending the Summit

About SelectUSA: The U.S. Department of Commerce-led SelectUSA program promotes and facilitates business investment into the United States by coordinating related Federal government agencies to serve as a single point of contact for investors. SelectUSA assists U.S. economic development organizations to compete globally for investment by providing information, a platform for international marketing, and high-level advocacy. SelectUSA also helps investors find the information they need to make decisions; connect to the right people at the local level; navigate the Federal regulatory system; and find solutions to issues related to the Federal government.



By Reuters, June 15, 2019





RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabias crown prince blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and called on the international community to take a decisive stand but said in an interview published on Sunday that the kingdom does not want a war in the region.





Attacks on two oil tankers on Thursday, which the United States also blamed on Iran, have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region. Iran has denied any role in the strikes south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route and major transit route for oil.U.S. and Argentina Convene Workshop on Countering Hizballahs Terrorist Activities in the Western Hemisphere

Buenos Aires, Argentina - The United States and the Government of Argentina convened a workshop on countering Hizballahs terrorist and illicit activities in the Western Hemisphere on June 11-12 in Buenos Aires. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and financial practitioners attended from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru, as did representatives from Ameripol. The workshop was held in advance of the upcoming Western Hemisphere Ministerial that the Government of Argentina will host July 19 in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Hizballah attack on the Mutual Israelite Association of Argentina (known by its Spanish acronym AMIA) community center in Buenos Aires.

The workshop focused on Hizballahs modus operandi globally and its terrorist and criminal infrastructure and activities in the Americas. Participants discussed various techniques to constrain and counter the groups illicit activities, including the financial and law enforcement tools available to identify, investigate, and prosecute Hizballahs global support and facilitation networks. Participants also discussed Hizballah attempts to continue and expand fundraising in the Western Hemisphere, especially in light of the current financial pressure on Hizballah.

Officials from the U.S. Departments of State, Justice, and the Treasury, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Counterterrorism Center, and Drug Enforcement Administration also participated in the meeting.EU and U.S. hold Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Capacity Building Dialogue

Brussels, Belgium - The European Union and the United States of America held a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Capacity Building Dialogue on May 14-15, 2019 in Brussels, Belgium, to coordinate efforts in reducing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) threats and strengthen CBRN security globally. In a globalized world, where the free movement of persons and goods is increasing, the risk of transnational CBRN threats is increasing as well. Differing national approaches to CBRN preparedness may leave gaps that state and non-state actors could exploit to traffic or use WMD and related materials.

As such, the EU and the United States have been actively administering programs that assist third countries in building capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to WMD threats as well as implement strategic trade controls. The May 14-15 Dialogue enabled a constructive exchange of information, facilitated closer coordination between the two sides on their respective programmes and projects, and prioritized areas for collaboration.

The dialogue was chaired by Eddie Maier, Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) for the EU, and Renee Sonderman, Bureau of International Security and Non-proliferation (ISN), U.S. Department of State for the United States. The EU delegation included representatives from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Joint Research Centre. The U.S. delegation included representatives from the Departments of State, Defense, and Energys National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).Geri Horner has apologised for quitting the Spice Girls in 1998, as the band played the last date of their reunion tour.

Emotions ran high across the evening at Wembley Stadium, but particularly for Horners revelation that she was just being a brat and that it was so good to be back with the girls that I love.

Horner, aka Ginger Spice, said at the time that she was suffering from exhaustion and needed a break, before later pursuing a solo career.

Years later, in the documentary Giving You Everything, Horner explained that she felt like she didnt belong anymore.

They didn't need me anymore, really, and I definitely felt very redundant, she said.

Click through the gallery to see our ranking of the 10 best Spice Girls songs

The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked Show all 10 1 /10 The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 10) 'Baby Come Round' This retro R&B track doesnt boast the same slick production of some of the more popular Spice Girls songs, but thats part of the appeal. It could do without Mel Bs rapping, but you cant have everything. PA Archive/PA Images The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 9) 'Love Thing Its odd that this wasnt released as a single, because its one of the best in the Spice Girls canon: catchy, slickly produced, and with some of the best harmonies the group had to offer. PA Archive/PA Images The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 8) 'Walk of Life' Did the Spice Girls pull off a reggae track? Kind of (barely), because its a lyrical tribute to straight-talking London town, which suited the group just fine. PA Archive/PA The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 7) 'Spice Up Your Life' The vivacity of these five young women is arguably only more forceful on Wannabe. Spice Up Your Life was clumsy in its approach as a song for the world, with Latin influences and a Bollywood-inspired video, but the energy of the song is what makes it  the result of the five members recording the track in one chaotic afternoon. The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 6) '2 Become 1' Despite the rather bizarre safe-sex disclaimer (Be a little wiser, baby/ Put it on, put it on), 2 Become 1 boasts a beautifully textured arrangement and unpolished vocals that capture the groups unique character. The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 5) 'Viva Forever' On Spiceworld, Viva Forever was a surprisingly moving ballad that reflected on a past love. With the context of Baby Spice (Geri Halliwell) departing from the group with little-to-no warning for fans, many now use it as a fond reflection on what the Spice Girls contributed to pop culture. Those flamenco guitars and heady summer vibes only add to the sense that, however fleeting that time was, certain memories stay with us forever. The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 4) 'Who Do You Think You Are' This disco-infused number should sound more dated than it actually does. Who Do You Think You Are is the Spice Girls at the height of their pop powers; a slick, infectious and superbly produced jam with that brass punching through. The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 3) 'Say You'll Be There' Mel C gets the spotlight on this funk-influenced number, which was written during the same session as Love Thing and features an excellent harmonica solo from Judd Lander. It was their second number one single in the UK  released just as the popularity of Wannabe was beginning to wane  and also a top five song in the US. The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 2) 'Stop' The Spice Girls cribbed a number of musical influences for their catalogue, but Motown is one that really shouldnt have worked. Stop, however, is an uplifting song telling a significant other to slow down and just enjoy the ride, bolstered by a fantastic brass section and a jubilant bass line. Alamy The 10 best Spice Girls songs - ranked 1) 'Wannabe' A war cry that heralded the dawn of the Girl Power movement, and one of the most enduring pop songs of all time. Wannabe is the catchiest of all the Spice Girls songs, and through those defiant, half-laughing spoken word moments you understand why so many fans were desperate to be part of the gang. Spice Girls told a generation of young girls that friends are more important than boys.

I need to say something I should have said a long time ago, Horner told fans and her bandmates at Wembley.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left. I was just being a brat. It is so good to be back with the girls that I love.

Geri's apology was made just before the group played Goodbye, the number one single that addressed her departure.

The Spice Girls brought their mothers and children onto the stage during the encore to serenade them with Mama, while Emma Bunton broke down in tears during Viva Forever.

She's gone, Mel C observed. The Bunts has gone. We had a little wager on who'd cry first.

I've got an ugly cry, haven't I? Emma said. It's the last night. We're all very emotional.

Reviews for the Spice Girls reunion have been mixed, during a tour that was plagued by sound issues for the first few nights and also by apparent tension between members onstage.

Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

Reviewing for The Independent, critic Holly Williams acknowledged the importance of the group to fans, including herself, but that friendship appeared to be less glittering, more grimacing.

Before the tour, Melanie Brown caused a kerfuffle by saying shed slept with Geri Horner, who described the revelation as hurtful, the review said.

The drama seems to have spilled onto the stage: Horner looks stiff and awkward, wandering off while the other three  who do still seem like best mates  laugh, cry, and hug it out. Its knuckle-chewingly awkward at moments  and completely fascinating to gawp at.So many dead gray whales have washed up on the coast of Washington state in the north west US, that authorities are asking landowners to allow the huge mammals to decompose on their property.

About 70 whales have been found dead this year on the US west coast, the largest number since the year 2000.

At least one Washington state waterfront landowner has reportedly said yes to the request from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries to let a whale carcass rot on their property.

The NOAA said by volunteering property as a disposal site landowners can support the natural process of the marine environment, and skeletons left behind can be used for educational purposes.

But the carcasses can be up to 40 feet (12 metres) long, meaning the decaying process could take months.

Tragic photos show beached whales Show all 15 1 /15 Tragic photos show beached whales Tragic photos show beached whales A dead sperm whale lies on Hunstanton beach in Norfolk on 5 February 2016 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Volunteers pour buckets of water over the 80 remaining live pilot whales found stranded on remote Ocean Beach on New Zealand's southern-most Stewart island, 8 January 2003 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Contractors clear away the body of one of the dead 48ft sperm whales that were washed-up on a beach near Gibraltar Point in Skegness, Lincolnshire in 2016 PA Tragic photos show beached whales People pass by a beached whale at the Pointe de la Torche, near Brest in France on 29 November 2011 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales A woman touches the tail of a large whale carcass on Wattamola Beach at the Royal National Park in Sydney on 25 September 2018 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Beached humpback whale in California, 2015 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Dead long fin pilot whales at Hamelin Bay on Australia's west coast on 23 March 2009 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales A 36ft sperm whale lies dead on the beach at Sutton Bridge, in The Wash, off the Lincolnshire coast, where it became stranded in 2004 PA Tragic photos show beached whales A female fin whale opens its mouth as it lies stranded and alive on the beach at Carlyon Bay, Cornwall on 13 August 2012 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales The lower jaw of a dead sperm whale that stranded itself on a beach in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 5 February 2016 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales One of the five sperm whales that were found washed ashore on beaches near Skegness, Lincolnshire over the weekend on 25 January 2016 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Employees at work to skin the remains of a beached 60ft whale on 25 January 2013 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Two long-finned pilot whales are stranded on a beach in the northern French city of Calais on 2 November 2015 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales A sperm whale lies dead after becoming stranded on a beach in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 5 February 2016 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Crowds gather as a sperm whale lies dead after becoming stranded on a beach in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 5 February 2016 Getty

Landowner Mario Rivera of Port Hadlock, Washington, told Seattle-based KING5-TV the smell is intermittent and isn't that bad.

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 about 30 whales have stranded on Washington's coast this year, the most in two decades.

The 70 dead whales found this year were along waterfronts in California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska.

About five were found on British Columbia beaches. But authorities said the number was a small fraction of the total because most sink or wash up in remote areas and are unrecorded.

NOAA Fisheries has declared this years die-off an unusual mortality event, and provided additional resources to respond to the deaths.

With the unusual mortality event of these grey 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 Betsy Carlson of the Port Townsend Marine Science Centre.

Officials say the grey whale population is estimated to be about 27,000.A landmark deal designed to reduce soaring levels of plastic waste polluting the worlds oceans has been agreed by the worlds most industrialised nations.

Environment and energy ministers from the G20 countries agreed to adopt a voluntary framework for reducing plastic litter, which includes strategies designed to assist developing countries.

The delegates from the group of 20 countries, which make up about 85 per cent of global GDP, met this weekend in Karuizawa, northwest of Tokyo, ahead of the G20 summit, which will take place in Osaka, western Japan, later this month.

The issue of plastic waste in our seas has gained prominence in recent years as pollution levels have soared and increasing evidence of the damage being done to wildlife is recorded.

Beaches strewn with tonnes of plastic waste and rapidly rising numbers of dead animals found with stomachs full of plastic have sparked outrage across the world.

Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Show all 6 1 /6 Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Plastic water bottle for a reusable beverage container Instead of continually buying drinks in plastic bottles you can switch to a reusable beverage container and reduce your single-use of plastics. Selfridges' Bobble 550ml filtered water bottle costs 12.95 and includes a replaceable carbon filter that filters water as you drink, removing chlorine and organic contaminants in the process. You can buy it from selfridges.com Getty/Selfridges Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Coffee cup for a Travel coffee mug It is estimated that the UK throws away around 2.5bn disposable coffee cups a year and almost all are incinerated, exported or sent to landfill because their plastic lining makes them expensive to recycle. The new Latte Levy in the UK means there will now be a 25p charge on every disposable coffee cup bought by consumers. Pret A Manger announced that it will double its discount to 50p in an effort to reduce waste. By swapping to a reusable cup you will be able to help cut the cost of disposable coffee cups. This Keep Cup Brew, cork edition, travel cup in Fika is just one of the many available to purchase. It fits under most commercial coffee machines, is splash-proof and ideal for transporting your coffee whilst on the go. You can buy this particular cup for 19.99 from trouva.com. Getty/Trouva Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Plastic bags for reusable cloth bags An eco-friendly alternative to an ordinary plastic bag is this lightweight shopping bag. It comes with a practical pillowcase pocket and features a black and white ink splatter design. Convenient and durable it also has a matte black spring clip to attach it where you need it. You can buy this from paperchase.co.uk for just 5.00. Getty/Paperchase Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Coffee pods for a pot of coffee Cut your plastic coffee pod usage with a cafetiere. This Barista and Co, 3 Cup Gold Cafetiere, from Habitat offers a simple way to brew and serve in style. Made from borosilicate glass and plated stainless steel with an ergonomically designed handle, the cafetiere is built to last and a pleasure to use; a fine metal filter produces a smooth coffee that retains its natural oils. You can buy it for 30 from habitat.co.uk. Getty/Habitat Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Balloons for eco-friendly decorations Instead of using plastic balloons at your party try swapping them for some eco-friendly bunting. Handmade in Scotland, the bunting comprises thirteen brightly coloured pennants which spell out the words 'Happy Birthday', and uses lettering that has been printed onto 100 per cent recycled card. Included is 11ft of natural jute twine to hang the pennants on, and everything comes packaged in a cello bag. You can buy this bunting from Little Silverleaf on notonthehighstreet.com for 12.50. Getty/notonthehighstreet Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Plastic straw for a reusable bamboo one Swap plastic straws for reusable ones made of bamboo. These straws are handmade in Bali and crafted by local balinese artisans. Made of organic and natural materials they are the best eco-friendly alternative to plastic, steel or glass straws. You can purchase them from Bali Boo on Amazon.co.uk for 13.99. PA/Bali Boo/Amazon

As a result many countries have moved to ban plastic bags outright, but levels of waste still going into the sea are enormous.

According to estimates published by the UK government, every year more than 150 million tonnes of plastic waste pollute the worlds oceans.

Around a million birds and more than 100,000 sea mammals die every year from eating and getting tangled in plastic waste.

The growth in single-use consumer plastics has fuelled the surge in plastic pollution. It is estimated there are now 5.25 trillion pieces of ocean plastic debris, and a recent report estimates the quantity of plastic in the sea will treble by 2025.

Around 40 per cent of plastics are thought to enter the waste stream in the same year theyre produced.

Under the new framework drawn up in Japan, G20 members will promote a comprehensive life-cycle approach to prevent and reduce plastic litter discharge to the oceans through various measures and international cooperation.

They will also have to report their progress in tackling the problem, and share best practices, promote innovation and boost scientific monitoring and analytical methodologies.

Im glad that we, including emerging countries and developing countries, were able to form a broad international framework, Yoshiaki Harada, Japans environment minister, told a news conference.

Hiroaki Odachi of Greenpeace Japan described the deal as the first step towards resolving the issue, AFP reports.

But given the critical situation of ocean pollution with plastics, it is urgently necessary to set up legally binding action plans with clear timelines and goals, he added.

Japanese industry minister Hiroshige Seko, who co-hosted the discussions with Mr Harada, said Japan would aim to introduce a charge for disposable plastic shopping bags by as early as April to help reduce waste.

Additional reporting by ReutersThe pervasive nature of modern technology has found its way into the interior design industry in unexpected and exciting ways. New digital platforms have been born out of niches that mirror the recent demands of the consumer (who has developed a penchant for vintage design pieces) alongside pressures from the wider industry to abolish waste and encourage the efficient use of pre-existing design products. Today, I speak to two entrepreneurs about the online products they have created, putting in place solutions to two very contemporary challenges. That necessity breeds innovation has always been intrinsic to design and this is how it looks in the digital age.

The increase in popularity of vintage and one-off pieces for the home has forced the rise of technology to support more widespread availability of such items. Interior designers and homeowners alike are drawn to the unpredictable and intoxicating journey of sourcing the perfect, unique item that makes a home their own. Hollie Bowden, a London-based interior designer, says, Sourcing furniture has long been a pastime of mine, since before I even began designing. I do this all over the world, auctions, antique fairs, flea markets, eBay, I have suppliers all around the world. My main ports of call would be Paris, Milan and Belgium, especially for antiques.

G Plan Storage Cupboard (Vinterior)

So too does Trilbey Gordon, head of interior design at Londonewcastle, believe that the best decorative pieces for the home can be found in the most obscure of places. She says: I source eclectic pieces from everywhere for my clients homes. Paris, London, Miami, LA, through dealers, auction houses, first dibs and vintage stores that I have relationships with. I always try to mix things up, I never want a room that is just one look, from one source or one era. I want to see pieces that are interesting and collectable, but also to be in a space that tells a story.

But for the vintage lover without the time to dedicate to the exhausting task of hand-sourcing furniture from all over the world, new digital listing technologies are invaluable.

Sandrine Zhang Ferron founded online design marketplace Vinterior in 2015 to further this technological movement, connecting independent sellers of vintage furniture to their markets. The origination of the digital product she created lay in the largely inefficacious processes of the vintage furniture trade. The scattered and ephemeral nature of vintage sellers and the pieces themselves were something of a catalyst for Zhang Ferron. She spent months trawling vintage furniture dealerships and showrooms trying to find the perfect Scandinavian style chair for her new London home, becoming frustrated at the fruitlessness of it all.

Sandrine Zhang Ferron founded Vinterior after her own frustrating quest (Vinterior)

She tells me that, although inspiring, the travel involved in visiting these showrooms to little or no avail was time-consuming and the lack of updated online furniture listings just added to this frustration. Zhang Ferron believed that there must be a better, more coherent method to sourcing these rare yet unbelievably popular items. This was the moment she decided to pursue Vinterior, the online marketplace that brings together independent boutiques with those looking for remarkable furniture, in one place.

Leaving the world of finance behind, Zhang Ferron tells me she learned to code to build the platform from scratch. She launched the platform with 200 products with the support of 12 dealers and last year, celebrated Vinteriors 200,000th furniture listing across more than 150,000 sellers. The network is evidently expanding with the consumers tastes, making readily available the rare design classics and one-off vintage pieces of Pinterest boards the world over.

When I ask which style or era of furniture design Zhang Ferrons customers (or should I say, unique users?) are most drawn to, she unblinkingly offers, postmodern. Postmodern design, in particular, looks unbelievable in a super modern setting. The 21st century home benefits from the superior quality of this style and people love the natural materials that this movement incorporates.

The second challenge that is being tackled by digital creatives is the hugely underreported, endemic problem of overstock and product waste in the retail industry. The scale of overstock across all retail categories is worth around 5bn in the UK alone, according to research by buyfair.global, the first B2B multi-lot auction-based marketplace for overstock, sample and end-of-line products.

The founders of the site believe that excess stock is a huge problem, but [we] have a solution to the current difficult trading conditions of premium design products. This solution to the sheer scale of waste involved in modern product production centres on a multi-lot auction model, ensuring fair prices for buyers and quick return on stock for sellers, allowing brands to reinvest profits back into the design industry.

Dominic Speelman, co-founder and CEO of buyfair.global, is dismantling the stigma surrounding overstock across retail. He assures me that although overstock has been a taboo subject for a number of years, something that premium brands in particular have been loath to discuss, he feels a tipping point has been reached and people are searching for a solution to the problem.

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Deborah Spencer, a partner at the company and founder of annual design show designjunction, tells me: buyfair.global brings the first and only multi-lot, real-time auction to the industry at a time where it has been incredibly difficult for homeware brands to manage inventory as we lose key retailers from our high streets. It has already signed a number of design and lifestyle brands looking to make a change, including LSA, Serax, Case and Innermost who join more than 200 other companies and thousands of product listings.

From aesthetic demands to environmental pressures, technology in the interior design community is streamlining and improving the buying process at many different stages. Its fascinating to track its progress and the world looks forward to where such platforms will take it next. Although, Im rather contented knowing that my route to purchase of the perfect postmodern coffee table is easier than it has ever been before.While many mark Fathers Day with cards and breakfast in bed, some choose to showcase their love on social media.

This year, a host of famous faces took to Instagram to show love and appreciation for the fathers in their family.

Some shared heartwarming tributes, posting throwback photos of their dads, husbands, and paternal figures.

Others shared messages of love for their dads.

Here The Independent has shared some of this year's best celebrity posts.

Victoria Beckham

Fashion designer Victoria Beckham shared a series of throwback family photos to honour her dad on Father's Day.

Jamie Oliver

Chef Jamie Oliver paid tribute to all dads as well as his own father Trevor aka "Big Tell".

Tom Fletcher

McFly star Tom Fletcher celebrated Father's Day by sharing a photograph that highlights the reality of parenthood.

Clarence House

Clarence House shared a black-and-white photograph of Prince Charles and Princess Anne playing on a seesaw alongside the Duke of Edinburgh and The Queen in 1957.

To celebrate Father's Day chef Gordon Ramsay shared a photograph of himself and his son, Jack, who he called "focused and respectful".

Rochelle Humes

TV Presenter Rochelle Humes paid tribute to her husband, Marvin, on Father's Day, writing: "If you could make a dream dad in a lab it would look like you."

Joshua Patterson

Made in Chelsea star Joshua Patterson encouraged men to share their "vulnerable and sensitive side" on Father's Day.

Matt Haig

Author and mental health advocate Matt Haig paid a touching tribute to his father on Instagram, calling him a "dad to be proud of".

Fearne Cotton

Presenter Fearne Cotton shared a series of images on Father's Day including a selfie taken with her dad, Michael.

You can find more Fathers Day stories here.Josh Krichefski was torn between anthropology and advertising. In the end he decided not to become an anthropologist because he thought he would be skint and lonely. And advertising was cool. But he still has the air of a rogue anthropologist among Mad Men as CEO at MediaCom UK. Its all about not being ethnocentric, says Krichefski. Or egocentric. Trying to understand the others point of view.

His first idea, aged 10, was to become a fireman. Later, I would have loved to have been an actor, but his older brother got there first, starring as the moody ology boy in a Maureen Lipman ad for BT. But he says he has a special gift as a public speaker. I have an ability to show my faults on stage without embarrassment. That resonates with people.

After graduating with a degree in social anthropology from Sussex University, working for a number of different agencies and setting up a company of his own, he joined MediaCom in 2014, rated the number one media agency in the UK. They devised the Time to talk campaign for Mind, the mental health charity. At 43, Krichefski is open and plain-speaking about his own mental health issues. He is subject to anxiety and insomnia, and not only because he is a self-professed long-suffering Arsenal fan.Police officers found almost 3m of marijuana growing in a disused bingo hall during a search in Northamptonshire.

Officers seized 2,000 plants and sophisticated hydroponic growing equipment when they raided a disused Gala Bingo Hall in Kettering.

Northamptonshire Police said the operation could have generated around 2.8m each year.

Police became suspicious when officers said they could smell the drug coming from the derelict building, in Kettering High Street, which closed in January.

Thermal imaging also revealed heat sources coming from the building despite it lying empty.

Meet the nuns who rake in 850k a year growing and selling cannabis Show all 7 1 /7 Meet the nuns who rake in 850k a year growing and selling cannabis Meet the nuns who rake in 850k a year growing and selling cannabis Sister Kate Meeusen, 60, started the Sisters of the Valley in Merced County, California, in 2011 with just 12 marijuana plants. It is now an international cannabis operation and rakes in 850k a year, treating everything from epilepsy to cancer. Brother Dwight / SWNS Meet the nuns who rake in 850k a year growing and selling cannabis Brother Dwight / SWNS Meet the nuns who rake in 850k a year growing and selling cannabis Sister Kate Meeusen, 60, started the Sisters of the Valley in Merced County, California, in 2011 with just 12 marijuana plants. Brother Dwight/SWNS Meet the nuns who rake in 850k a year growing and selling cannabis Brother Dwight / SWNS Meet the nuns who rake in 850k a year growing and selling cannabis Brother Dwight / SWNS Meet the nuns who rake in 850k a year growing and selling cannabis Brother Dwight / SWNS Meet the nuns who rake in 850k a year growing and selling cannabis Brother Dwight / SWNS

Around 25 officers, along with dogs, stormed the building at 10.30am on Friday.

This is a significant find that will disrupt organised crime groups and the distribution of cannabis locally and further afield, said PC Colin Gray, from the forces proactive team.

It is one of the largest I have seen even when compared to a site we found in Corby earlier this year.

In June 2018, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) estimated the UKs illicit cannabis market to be worth 2.5bn each year, distributed to just over three million users of the drug.

Mr Gray said: These crime groups blight society by manufacturing and selling controlled drugs in Northamptonshire.

We will never stop trying to bring them down and this type of activity will continue.

Nobody was inside the cannabis factory but the bingo halls kitchen had been in use.

The plants were coming of age and only about three weeks away from being ready for harvest and distribution.

The IEAs 2018 report calculated the UKs total cannabis consumption at 255 tonnes each year, meaning that the drug would be worth 1bn in tax revenue alone if legalised.

An influx of super-strength cannabis has been blamed for London having number the highest rate of psychosis on record in Europe.

SWNSLabour must return the issue of Brexit to the people in a second referendum and proudly champion the case for remaining in the EU, the party's deputy leader Tom Watson will urge Jeremy Corbyn today.

In a major speech - nearly three years on since the referendum - he will say that being part of Europe is an "emotional issue", as he issues a renewed plea to the Labour leadership to fight for a future inside the bloc amid the danger of a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Watson's intervention came as he was due to attend a special Brexit shadow cabinet meeting on Monday in the wake of Labour's woeful performance at the European elections, but the session was postponed on Sunday evening.

The Labour leader has so far resisted calls to wholeheartedly back a Final Say referendum, leaving open the door to the party negotiating its own Brexit deal should it return to government.

In the fallout of the European elections - being pushed into third place by the Liberal Democrats - Mr Corbyn said that any Brexit deal would have to be put to a "public vote", including the option of a general election.

Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Show all 5 1 /5 Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Brexit culture: film posters reimagined The Hunchback of Notre Dame with a Brexit spin Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Les Miserables reimagined Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined A Room with a View of Britain's future Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Roman Holiday relocated Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined The Sound of Music reimagined Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club

Speaking ahead of Monday's shadow cabinet meeting, Mr Watson will say: "Our members are remain.Our values are remain. Our hearts are remain. We must bring the public back into this decision and we must argue strongly to remain in Europe."

"Our future doesn't need to be Brexit. We can change our future. But only if Labour makes the case for it  and we must."

In his speech on Europe at the Centre for European Reform, the deputy leader will also recount a recent conversation he had with Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

"Something he said to me resonated very deeply. He told me that our politicians need to learn to 'disagree well'. I think we all instinctively understand what he means by that," Mr Watson will say. "I will try to make the positive case for what I believe.

"In return, though, a plea. In the Labour movement there is a range of views on how to best serve our mission, our purpose and our people when it comes to the Brexit dilemma.

"It is right and reasonable that all voices are heard, that all positions are given a hearing. But we cannot go on dismissing one another's right to speak and questioning one another's motives and intentions."

 Tom Watson says it would be 'difficult' for his party to pass a Brexit deal without another referendum

Mr Watson's call came Lord John Kerr, one of the architects of Article 50 and the UK's former top diplomat, claimed that contenders in the Conservative leadership race were were presenting "unrealistic" and "fantasy" proposals for Brexit. "The unicorns are back, frolicking in the Tory forest," he said on Sunday.

His remarks coincided with the release of a dossier from the People's Vote campaign, claiming all the candidates vying for the Tory crown had their own "Brexit unicorns" on offer, including the renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement, and withholding the payment of the divorce bill with the EU.



By Politico, June 15, 2019





President Donald Trumps reelection machine is setting its sights on a new target, one it had left for dead just a few months ago: Elizabeth Warren.





With the Massachusetts senator rising in polls and driving a populist message that threatens to cut into the presidents blue-collar base, the Trump campaign is training its firepower on Warren with an eye toward blunting her momentum.Tory leadership contender Dominic Raab has warned his party will be "toast" and unable to win a general election if it fails to secure Brexit by the end of October.

The ex-Brexit secretary said the party's woeful performance in the European elections and Peterborough by-election underlined the damage already inflicted on the Conservatives.

The stark warning from Mr Raab came as he prepared to participate in a televised debate with four of his rivals to replace Theresa May in Downing Street on Sunday evening.

Clear favourite to succeed the prime minister, Boris Johnson, has refused to attend the Channel 4 debate, and the broadcaster plans to present viewers with an empty podium.

"When people voted, they vote to Leave. We haven't left yet and that's why we're seeing not just the uncertainty for the economy  but also this corrosion of public trust," Mr Raab told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday.

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

"The Tory Party will be toast unless we're out by the end of October. People need to wake up this. I certainly think the Conservatives cannot win an election unless we deliver Brexit."

Mr Raab, who claimed his "underdog" campaign is "building momentum", added: "This race has only just started. I appreciate there is a frontrunner here but I am looking forward to this race."

The former cabinet minister also insisted the other candidates had failed to set out a "credible plan" for Britain's exit from the EU.

"I'm not quite clear what Boris's plan is, but in fairness I'll let him set that out in more detail," he said.

Rory Stewart, a cabinet minister vying for the Tory crown, also attacked Mr Johnson, claiming his plans for Brexit will come "off the rails" once subjected to a detailed examination.

Remaining six candidates in the Conservative leadership contest (Michael Gove, Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Rory Stewart, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid) (AFP)

"How is Boris going to deliver Brexit? He keeps saying 'I am going to deliver it'. 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," he told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show.

"We want to know what he believes. The real problem with politics is a problem of trust.

"Nobody has had the chance to question him and as soon as you question him and as soon as I sit down with him and ask the big question - how, how are you going to deliver Brexit? How are you going to get a no-deal through? - Then it begins to come off the rails.

"We are a moderate country, we are not a Trumpian country," Mr Stewart added.

But on Sunday, Mr Johnson's campaign received a boost as Esther McVey, a former cabinet minister who was eliminated from the leadership contest last week, threw her support behind the frontrunner.

She claimed Mr Johnson had agreed to back her agenda for a "blue collar conservatism" if he wins power, adding: "He has promised to deliver Brexit on 31 October, 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."Defeated Conservative leadership contender Esther McVey has come out in support of her former rival Boris Johnson.

Ms McVey, who finished bottom of the first ballot of Tory MPs, said the former foreign secretary had agreed to back her agenda for blue collar Conservatism.

Mr Johnson is favourite to succeed Theresa May as prime minister, having topped Thursdays ballot with more than twice as many votes as his nearest rival, Jeremy Hunt.

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Ms McVey said she would wholeheartedly support the leadership frontrunner because he had pledged to reach out to hard-working communities who have been abandoned by Jeremy Corbyns divisive Labour Party.

The MP for Tatton wrote: 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.

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 dont allow Jeremy Corbyns manifesto of economic carnage to plunge us back into the dark ages.

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

Ms McVey automatically slipped out of the race to lead her party after winning the backing of only nine other MPs in the first-round ballot.

Mr Johnson scooped the support of 114 Tory MPs, ahead of second-placed Mr Hunt on 43.

Andrea Leadsom and Mark Harper were also forced to step aside after failing to secure 17 votes, the minimum threshold for progressing to the next round.

Matt Hancock, the health secretary, later chose to drop out of the race, leaving six MPs in contention.

Mr Johnsons rivals on Saturday rejected calls for them to drop out of the race and allow the former London mayor an unchallenged coronation.

Senior party figures had reportedly hoped to avoid weeks of blue on blue attacks by convincing the underdogs to step aside.

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.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

All the candidates except Mr Johnson will take part on a televised debate on Channel 4 on Sunday evening, with Mr Johnson's opponents pouring scorn on him for refusing to take part.

If you cant take the heat of the TV studios what chance of taking the heat of the negotiating chamber in Brussels?, Mr Raab told The Daily Telegraph.

Channel 4 intends to present viewers with an empty podium in place of the former foreign secretary.

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Jeremy Hunt has signalled he is willing to delay Brexit as he refused to commit to leaving the EU "at any cost" by the end of October if wins the contest to succeed Theresa May.

The foreign secretary also made the claim he could negotiate a new deal with the bloc that would do away with the need for the Irish backstop - despite such a route already being repeatedly dismissed by the EU.

Mr Hunt came second in the first round of voting among Tory MPs in the party's leadership contest, achieving 43 backers, but still considerably behind Boris Johnson, who received 114 votes.

In an attempt to pitch himself as the alternative to the his predecessor at the Foreign Office, Mr Hunt said he was not willing to pledge a "hard stop, any cost" exit from the EU on 31 October - the current deadline for Brexit.

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme this would effectively mean committing the country to a no-deal scenario, "or an election if parliament chooses to stop that".

Asked directly what the "final date" would be of Britain leaving the EU, Mr Hunt replied: "I'm not committed to a 31 October, hard stop at any cost because I don't think we can make that guarantee.

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

"If we do make that guarantee, if we go with the wrong approach then you are committing us to nothing other than a no deal Brexit.

Pressed on whether the UK would "definitely" be out of the bloc by the end of the year, he replied: "A wise prime minister makes choices on the basis of the choices that are actually in front of them.

"By the time you get to the 31 October we may have parliament having changed the law in particular ways, we may have a new European Commission, we may have made very good progress in the negotiations.

"I've been very clear, if there is no prospect of getting a deal that can get through parliament on 31 October, then I will be prepared to leave without a deal."

He added: "If there's no prospect of a deal, then I'm out. If there is a prospect of a deal  what I'm saying is the difference between me and Boris is that I'm saying I would try for a deal.

"I'm not going to create a set of circumstances that makes it all but impossible to get a deal because I think we should be offering the country some better choices."

His comments will likely infuriate the most hardline Brexiteers in the Conservative Party - just moments before Dominic Raab, who is also running for the leadership, warned the party would be "toast" if it fails to exit the EU by 31 October.Tory leadership hopeful Rory Stewart has reached out to Nigel Farage by saying he wanted to work with the Brexit Party so the UK could exit the European Union.

Parliament had to find a route to deliver Brexit, he told Mr Farage during an appearance on his LBC radio show which is why I want to make an offer to you.

You represent such an important part of this debate, he said.

He added: The fact you actually lead us out of Europe in the first place puts you in a very important position in this. We need to find a way, as a party, of reaching out to you. Not only to you, I also want to reach out to trade unions and other people in this country who care our economy  but we must reach out to you and bring you in to try to work out how we crack this.

Mr Stewart said he was frustrated with his fellow Tory leadership candidate Boris Johnson because he just keeps asserting again and again that hes going to leave on October 31st and he never tells us how he's going to do it.

Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Nigel Farage speaks at the launch of his new Brexit Party's campaign for the European elections Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Brexit Party candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg, sister of Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, speaks at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A supporter waits for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters wait for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage's socks Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage and prospective candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg wait at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters listen as Farage speaks AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Free T-shirts for all attendees AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Posters on the seats for supporters of the Brexit Party AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A safety sign is pictured AFP/Getty

Appearing to be momentarily taken aback, Mr Farage replied: Well, Rory, interesting. I tell you, when it comes to getting us out of the European Union, and getting us to be sovereign country, I would meet with anybody and Id travel anywhere to do that.

Mr Farage had earlier said there was something wrong with the idea of a second referendum after 52 per cent of voters backed Britains exit in 2016.

Mr Stewart said: You are completely right Nigel  I agree with everything youve said there. That referendum result should be respected.

The Tory candidate said the EU would not re-open negotiations and said the idea  promised by Mr Johnson and other leadership rivals  was totally for the birds.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Stewart claimed Mr Johnsons plans for Brexit would come off the rails once subjected to detailed examination.

He said his rivals reluctance to submit to media scrutiny was undermining trust in politics.

How is Boris going to deliver Brexit? He keeps saying I am going to deliver it. I dont even know what he believes. He wont talk to me. He wont talk to you. He wont talk to the public, he told BBC1s The Andrew Marr Show. We want to know what he believes. The real problem with politics is a problem of trust.In 2005, a fresh-faced 39-year-old David Cameron emerged victorious as the results of the Conservatives leadership contest were read out by the chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Michael Spicer at the Royal Academy of Arts.

He fended off competition to become the new Tory leader from David Davis by more than two to one  attracting 134,446 votes to 64,398 in a postal vote of party members across the UK.

In the coming month  more than two decades on  some 160,000 members of the party will have another chance to cast a ballot and pass on the Tory crown. This time, however, they will be electing not only the next Conservative leader, but Britains next prime minister.Boris Johnsons closest challenger in the race to be prime minister has questioned his ability to negotiate Brexit, after he ducked the first televised debate of the Conservative leadership contest.

The former foreign secretary was empty-chaired by Channel 4, who left a lectern free for him alongside his five rivals to succeed Theresa May, while presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy said he was welcome to join them at any point during the 90-minute broadcast.

Twenty-five minutes into the debate, Jeremy Hunt turned his fire on the absent frontrunner, asking: Where is Boris? If his team wont allow him out to debate with five pretty friendly colleagues, how is he going to fare with 27 EU countries? He should be here.

Other contenders took barely veiled swipes at Mr Johnson, with Rory Stewart, the international development secretary, saying the party needed to turn away from great leader macho posturing and the politics of the great Me. He pointedly noted that he hoped the next prime minister would be one of the five contenders taking part in the debate.

All the candidates, with the exception of Brexit hardliner Dominic Raab, denounced the option of asking the Queen to suspend parliament in order to stop MPs from blocking a no-deal Brexit, an option not ruled out by Mr Johnson.

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

Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, who is backing Mr Hunt for the leadership, warned earlier in the day that enough Tory MPs were prepared to back a no-confidence vote to bring down a prime minister who tried to force a no-deal withdrawal from the EU.

Mr Hunt said that shutting down parliament would be a profound mistake, while Mr Stewart said that the move, known as prorogation, would be undemocratic and deeply disturbing and would strike at the heart of our constitution.

Rejecting prorogation, Sajid Javid, the home secretary, said: You dont deliver on democracy by trashing democracy. We are not selecting a dictator of our country, we are selecting a prime minister for one of the proudest parliamentary democracies in the world.

And Michael Gove, the environment secretary, insisted that there must be a vote in the Commons on the final form of the UKs EU withdrawal, saying: We cant leave unless parliament votes for it.

But former Brexit secretary Mr Raab insisted that prorogation must be kept on the table to ensure that the EU takes seriously Britains determination to leave on the latest Brexit deadline date of 31 October.

Rory Stewart (right) and Dominic Raab during the television debate (PA)

Mr Raab presented himself as the only candidate committed to leaving by the end of October, come what may and said the key issue in the leadership contest was regaining the trust of voters frustrated by the failure to deliver on the result of the 2016 referendum.

Mr Hunt said he would not rule out a no-deal Brexit as a last resort, but warned it risked a potentially catastrophic rift with the UKs European neighbours. Mr Javid said it would be a complete nonsense to take no-deal off the table, saying that the number one mistake of Ms Mays Brexit strategy had been the failure to prepare properly for withdrawal without an agreement.

Only Mr Stewart set his face firmly against no-deal, saying the other contenders were effectively saying they would threaten the EU that if it did not give them the deal they want, they would take steps which they themselves had said would be deeply damaging to the UK economy.

Rival candidates deliver their message during a 90-minute debate (PA)

He won applause from the audience, made up of floating voters who said there was a possibility they could vote Tory, as he said: The problem is that there is a competition of machismo, with everybody saying Im tougher. They are not going to get a different deal from Europe.

Mr Gove said that he would be able to improve on the deal agreed by Ms May with Brussels last November because of his personal commitment to the Brexit cause and his record of defeating impossible odds in his education, justice and environment briefs.

Recalling the collapse of his fathers fish processing company, which he blames on the EU, Mr Gove said: For me its personal because of what happened to my family and my father, so Im going to keep fighting until we leave the EU and take back control of our money, our laws and our borders.

Recommended Rory Stewart puts the other TV debate challengers in the bin

Mr Gove said that he was the candidate who Jeremy Corbyn would most fear facing in the House of Commons.

And he said there was nothing more important for the 160,000 Tory members who will choose the new leader from a shortlist of two selected by the partys MPs than keeping the Labour leader out of Downing Street.

Mr Hunt said that a Corbyn government would destroy the dreams of all our children to own their own homes and start businesses. He said the Conservative Party and the country were in peril from Mr Corbyns plan for a Venezuelan or Cuban Britain.

And all the contenders agreed that the only way to see off the challenge of Nigel Farages Brexit Party was to deliver Brexit. Only Mr Stewart suggested he would be ready to work with Mr Farage, having appeared on his LBC radio talk show earlier in the day.

Mr Gove dismissed Mr Farages demands for a role in the negotiation process, saying: Brexit isnt about one politicians ego trip. Its about bringing this country together.

The environment secretary rejected the charge of hypocrisy over his cocaine use as a young journalist. And he was defended by Mr Hunt, who said that focusing on individuals behaviour 25 years ago was trivialising the important issues at stake.

Mr Stewart said that in his campaign visits around the country he had detected a huge yearning for the centre ground in British politics and said he was not ashamed of the fact that he was the preferred candidate of Liberal Democrat and Labour supporters whose votes the Tories need to win over.

The six leadership candidates now face a second round of voting on Tuesday, when they need to garner the votes of at least 33 of the 313 Tory MPs and avoid coming last in order to stay in the contest. Survivors will face the cameras for a second TV debate that evening on the BBC, which Mr Johnson has said he will attend. Close Conservative leadership bid: Results of first ballot

Conservative leadership favourite Boris Johnson was taunted by rival Jeremy Hunt after failing to appear for a live televised debate.

Mr Hunt and fellow contenders Michael Gove, Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart faced questions from host Krishnan Guru-Murthy and a studio audience in the 90-minute Channel 4 broadcast on Sunday evening.

Channel 4 installed an empty podium on the stage in place of Mr Johnson, who declined the invitation.

During the debate, Mr Hunt asked: Where is Boris? If his team wont allow him out with five fairly friendly colleagues, how is is he going to deal with 27 European countries?

The programme also saw some tense exchanges over Mr Raabs insistence that suspending parliament to force through Brexit should remain on the table.

I dont think it is likely but it is not illegal, he said.

International development secretary Mr Stewart warned shutting down parliament would undemocratic and deeply disturbing, while Mr Javid likened the strategy to that of a dictator.

Heres how we covered the debate as it happened.Rory Stewart has compared his Conservative leadership rivals promises to negotiate a new Brexit deal to trying to cram too much rubbish into a bin.

Several candidates clashed over how to pass a deal to leave the European Union during a debate held on Sunday evening.

Michael Gove and Dominic Raab both claimed that they could win changes to the withdrawal agreement, which the EU says will not be re-opened.

The fundamental issue here is that theres a competition of machismo, Mr Stewart said, to laughter and applause, as Mr Raab and Mr Gove spoke over one another.

Everybodys saying Im tougher. Genuinely, genuinely, every time I have this debate everybodys like Trust me, Im going to do it, Im the guy, I can defeat the impossible odds, he added.

The favourites in the Tory leadership race Show all 5 1 /5 The favourites in the Tory leadership race The favourites in the Tory leadership race Theresa May The longest-serving Home Secretary in 100 years took a back seat in the referendum campaign. While backing Remain, she did not hit the campaign trail and delivered only a handful of speeches and interviews, and was critical of many aspects of the EU, particularly the European Convention on Human Rights. Hedging her bets allows her to now emerge as a unity candidate, and she is said to have been building up her back-room staff in preparation for a leadership bid. She has the significant advantage of having served in one of the great offices of state, in a steady and competent manner that has won her many admirers within party and the civil service. At a time of great instability, it may be that she is viewed as steady hand on the tiller. Mrs May does however, lack the star quality of a Boris Johnson and party members may doubt her ability to connect with ordinary voters PA The favourites in the Tory leadership race Michael Gove The Justice Secretary may be able to set himself up as the thinking Torys Brexit candidate. Made an enormous political and personal decision to back Leave, taking on his old friend David Cameron. He performed well during the TV debates, and will be an admired figure among Eurosceptic Conservatives. Along with Johnson, he will be hindered by the fact that he led a very divisive campaign, characterised by blue-on-blue action. MPs may also judge that he lacks Boris Johnsons wider appeal with the electorate. Possibly more likely that he will settle for being his new bosom buddy Boriss Chancellor Getty The favourites in the Tory leadership race Stephen Crabb Highly-rated Work and Pensions Secretary, raised on a council estate, so could reach out to non-traditional working class Tory voters Getty Images The favourites in the Tory leadership race Andrea Leadsom Minister of State for Energy at the Department of Energy and Climate Change is one of the most prominent figures in the Leave campaign, seen to have performed well in TV debates Rex Features The favourites in the Tory leadership race Liam Fox British Conservative MP and former Secretary of State for Defence, as sources said he will stand for the leadership of the Conservative Party AFP/Getty

The Conservative MP then used an unusual analogy which amused the studio audience.

Recommended Boris Johnson attacked by Tory rivals after skipping TV debate

It reminds me...I was trying to cram a whole series of rubbish bins into the...rubbish bin, he said.

And my wife said youre never going to get these three huge bags of rubbish in.

And I was tempted, like Michael, like [Dominic], to say believe in the bin! Believe in Britain! Right? Its nonsense!

Mr Stewart surprised Westminster when he survived the first round of voting in the Conservative leadership race, winning the backing of 19 MPs, which was more than expected.

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Boris Johnson, widely considered the frontrunner in the race to replace Theresa May, refused to take part in Sundays debate, which was televised on Channel 4.Namibia is reportedly selling 1,000 wild animals from its national parks as the southwestern African country continues to struggle with drought.

The African nations government is hoping that game farmers will buy the animals, despite the fact that the farmers raise animals for hunting.

Stanley Simataa, Namibias Information Minister, said the environment ministry suggested the sale to reduce the amount of wildlife in the parks, which were struggling with the drought.

Namibias current drought is the second in three years and is so severe that Hage Geingob, the countrys president, declared a state of emergency in May 2019.

Officials said the national parks were unable to provide adequate feeding conditions for animals.

On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Show all 15 1 /15 On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Sunrise over the conservancy On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Walking safari On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Cheetahs at Naboisho Camp On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara Sundowners at Naboisho Camp On a walking safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara A starry night at Naboisho Camp

The grazing condition in most of our parks is extremely poor and if we do not reduce the number of animals, this will lead to loss of animals due to starvation, said Romeo Muyunda, according to AFP.

Mr Simataa said that between 500 and 600 buffaloes would be sold from Waterberg Plateau Park and 150 springbok would be sold from the Hardap and Naute game parks, according to The Namibian.

The government will sell the animals at auction and is hoping they will be bought by game farmers, as the group have facilities to care for wild animals.

Given that this is a dry year, the ministry would like to sell various types of game species from various protected areas to preserve grazing, and to generate much-needed funds for parks and wildlife management, said Mr Muyunda.

Namibia also plans to sell 65 oryx, 28 elephants and 20 impala, as well as 35 eland, 16 wildebeest, 60 giraffes and 16 kudus.

Officials hope to raise $1.1m from the sale.

Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide Show all 10 1 /10 Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide One of the five month old cubs affectionately plays with mum Will Whitford Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide The guides pass a lone giraffe whilst on a field trek Will Whitford Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide Two hyenas fight over the remains of a warthog Will Whitford Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide Two male Impala graze on the dew soaked grass in the early morning light Will Whitford Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide A young female leopard rests in the undergrowth Will Whitford Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide Impala grazing on the plains of Mara North Will Whitford Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide Clint instructs Serian guides on their yearly refresher course Will Whitford Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide A dawn lesson with Clint Schipper at Serian Will Whitford Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide Gladys, one of the Serian guides wearing a traditional Maasai shuka. Will Whitford Inside the safari that teaches you how to be a guide Giraffe at sunrise in Mara North Will Whitford

The proceeds will go towards the governments Game Products Trust Fund, which will support conservation efforts.

Namibia has previously been criticised by animal conservation activists, for its trophy hunting policy.

The country permits the controlled and authorised hunting of wildlife and around 20% of conservancy revenues come from hunting.

The money generated is used to increase anti-poaching policing and relocate animals, as well as being funnelled back into the local community to build waterholes and infrastructure.

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The country is home to some of the worlds largest remaining populations of free roaming elephants and black rhinos.

Additional reporting by agenciesLawsuits against a group of officials from the city of Flint in Michigan officials, which was hit by a water crisis in 2014, will move forward after the US Supreme Court denied a request from their attorneys to put them on hold as they pursued an appeal.

The lawyers argued that their clients should not face the lawsuits after a three-judge panel ruled in January the officials created the Flint Water environmental disaster and then intentionally attempted to cover up their grievous decision".

Sonia Sotomayor, the Supreme Court justice who handles appeals from the Michigan region, denied the request on Friday.

The lawsuit stems from a liability case brought by Shari Guertin.

The Flint resident said water that had been contaminated with lead during the crisis led to injuries for she and her child. She said she and her daughter bathed in the water and drank from their pipes, resulting in the injuries they experienced.

In pictures: Flint water crisis Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Flint water crisis In pictures: Flint water crisis Anthony Fordham picks up bottled water from the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to deliver to a school after elevated lead levels were found in the city's water in Flint Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Michigan National Guard Staff Sergeant William Phillips (L) assists a Flint resident with bottled water at a fire station in Flint Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Flint residents Arthur Woodson, left, and Tony Palladino Jr. protest the arrival of Flint native and filmmaker Michael Moore as Moore accuses Gov.Rick Snyder of poisoning Flint water during a rally outside of city hall in Flint AP In pictures: Flint water crisis Flint residents pick up bottled water and water filters at a fire station in Flint. Michigan National Guard members were set to arrive in Flint to join door-to-door efforts to distribute bottled water and other supplies to residents coping with the city's crisis over lead-contaminated drinking water Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Soldiers from the Michigan Army National Guard Flint prepare to give Flint residents bottled water at a fire station in Flint Getty Images In pictures: Flint water crisis Justin Roberson (L), age 6, of Flint, Michigan and Mychal Adams, age 1, of Flint wait on a stack of bottled water at a rally where the Rev. Jesse Jackson was speaking about about the water crises at the Heavenly Host Baptist Church in Flint Getty Images In pictures: Flint water crisis A man sits next to a stack of bottled water at the Heavenly Host Baptist Church in Flint 2016 Getty Images In pictures: Flint water crisis The top of a water tower is seen at the Flint Water Plant. President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Michigan and ordered federal aid to be used to help state and local response efforts to an area affected by contaminated water Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Rosie Wright, center, rallies with the crowd over Flint's water crisis in Ann Arbor, Michigan AP In pictures: Flint water crisis Rick Catherman participates in a rally around Flint's water crisis in Ann Arbor, Michigan AP

A federal judge initially declined to dismiss the case, leading to the first appeal and the three-judge panel ruling in January against them.

The decision has been left intact ever since the full Sixth Circuit declined to take the case in May, NBC News reported.

In a separate criminal case, prosecutors dropped all charged against the eight officials involved in the crisis on Thursday and pledged to start from scratch the investigation into one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in US history.

The decision came more than three years  and millions of dollars  after authorities began examining the roots of the scandal that left Flints water system tainted with lead.

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.

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Officials took possession this week of millions of documents and hundreds of new electronic devices, significantly expanding the scope of our investigation.

Additional reporting by APEconomists expect debt financing to be the mainstay of China's fiscal spending, after the government saw monthly income decline in May for the first time this year.

Conflicts between moderate revenue growth and stronger expenditure may increase, they said.

The value-added tax reduction, effective since April 1, became a major factor that slowed government income. The VAT declined to 394.2 billion yuan ($56.9 billion) last month, down by 19.9 percent year-on-year, according to data of the Ministry of Finance on Friday. The VAT revenue growth rose to 17.5 percent in April, up from 9.3 percent in March.

The VAT rate for manufacturing, wholesale and retail industries was cut to 13 percent from 16 percent, benefiting businesses in these areas a lot, according to a statement from the ministry.

For the first five months, the overall fiscal revenue growth pace retreated to the year's slowest level of 3.8 percent, down from 5.3 percent from January to April. The fiscal spending maintained a high-speed growth at 12.5 percent by the end of May, the data showed.

The first five months' fiscal income growth rate reached the lowest level since 2010, which was also much slower than the GDP growth rate. In May, the total fiscal income declined by 2.1 percent year-on-year. And the total tax income declined by 7 percent year-on-year.

The financing gap, between fiscal revenue and expenditure, will be enlarged in the first half this year, mainly due to the more aggressive tax and fee reduction and the accelerated government spending, a senior official from the Ministry of Finance told China Daily.

"At the moment, the key task is continually implementing the fiscal policies that have been announced, and we will keep a close eye on the changes in the economy and the external situation," he said, without revealing any further policy adjustment plan.

Economists said that the proactive fiscal policy will play an important role in offsetting external headwinds, especially after the United States escalated trade tensions with China. Government spending can support investment in infrastructure construction, and some social welfare areas such as healthcare and education.

Some of them speculated that if the "extreme scenario" happens, or the economic pressure increases dramatically amid external shocks, Chinese local governments may apply for additional quota of bond issuance, and it should be approved by the country's top legislators.

Increasing the annual bond quota in the middle of a year is rare, but it is possible and advisable, said Robin Xing, Morgan Stanley's chief economist in China. Besides, he said the government's deposits or some financial surplus from previous years could be used for stimulus.

The local government bond quota was set at 3.08 trillion yuan in 2019, and about 47.5 percent of the annual quota had been issued by May. And 859.8 billion yuan of special bonds has been issued in the first five months, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The tax-cut policy has helped to counter economic headwinds, but whether enterprises or households will use the saved money for investment and consumption will depend on their confidence for the future, said Xing.

Otherwise, direct fiscal stimulus could support economic growth, including encouraging automobile and home appliances consumption, and accelerating spending on social security and infrastructure construction, he said.

Policymakers relaxed funding restraints on local governments' off-budget channels, encouraging the issuance of special bonds and financing through local government financing vehicles.

The government released a document on Monday which allows funds raised by local government special bonds to be equity for infrastructure projects.

The authorities also encourage financial institutions to support these projects, especially through bank loans and insurance funds. The measures demonstrated the government's incremental efforts to counter downside risks amid renewed trade uncertainty, supporting infrastructure investment in the coming months, according to economists.A man in New York City broke into an office building where representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has offices, before spraying police with a fire extinguisher and hiding in a utility closet.

The trespassing occurred on Saturday afternoon, when the office was closed and the liberal firebrand was in Washington.

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the individual was taken to a nearby hospital for psychiatric evaluation. Officials also said the man was emotionally disturbed.

No one broke into her office. I dont know where everyones getting that," sergeant Brendan Ryan of the NYPD told The Independent, contradicting reports that the individual had breached the actual office space of Ms Ocasio-Cortez.

Mr Ryan confirmed that the incident took place at an address associated with Ms Ocasio-Cortez's political operations, but noted that the building was large and that police stopped the suspect before he could enter any office. The suspect, identified as Douala Hashi, provided officers with an address in Washington, DC, during his booking.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez greets fellow lawmakers ahead of the State of the Union address Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez participates in an event with Democratic members of Congress EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures The Democrat senator speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol January 30, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Democrat Rashida Tlaib AP Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the Senate chamber to watch two votes on January 24, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arrives with Chellie Pingree at a House Democratic Caucus meeting Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez during Donald Trump's State of the Union address Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures New York State Assembly member Catalina Cruz with Ocasio-Cortez AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Nydia Velazquez talks with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez casts her vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez poses with a campaign worker during a whistle stop in the Queens borough of New York Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez outside the US Capitol AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez after casting her ballot in the 2018 midterm general election at a polling site in New York EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looks on during a march organised by the Women's March Alliance in Manhattan Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio Cortez looks on at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 16, 2019 AFP/Getty

"No burglary, or no breaking and entering into her office or any office," Mr Ryan said. "He had a dispute with the security guard when he first got there where he grabbed the security guard by the collar and threatened harm getting into the building."

Mr Hashi has been charged with menacing, criminal mischief, and criminal trespassing. Ms Ocasio-Cortez's staff has been made aware of the incident, according to Mr Ryan.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez has become one of the most prominent politicians in Washington since her surprise primary victory last year during the 2018 midterm elections, and represents a surging progressive arm of the Democratic Party.

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In the process, the 29-year-old has been on the receiving end of death threats since taking office, leading Capitol Police, for instance, to provide threat assessment training for her staff.The moment the 25-year-old protester got home from demonstrations that turned violent  tear gas still stinging her eyes  she knew what she had to do: delete all of her Chinese phone apps.

WeChat was gone. So was Alipay and the shopping app Taobao. She then installed a virtual private network on her smartphone to use with the secure messaging app Telegram in an attempt to stay hidden from cyber-monitors.

Im just doing anything to stay ahead of police surveillance and hide her identity, said the protester.

She asked to be referred only by her first name, Alexa, to avoid drawing the attention of authorities amid the most serious groundswell against Chinese-directed rule in Hong Kong since 2014.

Protests that expanded over the past week against a bill allowing extraditions to mainland China were marked by something unprecedented: a coordinated effort by demonstrators to leave no trace for authorities and their enhanced tracking systems.

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

Protesters used only secure digital messaging apps such as Telegram, and otherwise went completely analogue in their movements: buying single ride subway tickets instead of prepaid stored value cards, forgoing credit cards and mobile payments in favour of cash, and taking no selfies or photos of the chaos.

They wore face masks to obscure themselves from CCTV and in fear of facial recognition software, and bought fresh pay-as-you-go SIM cards.

And, unlike the pro-democracy movement in 2014, the latest demonstrations also have remained intentionally leaderless in another attempt to frustrate police, who have used tear gas and rubber bullets against the crowds.

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam announced the postponement of the extradition bill, saying she hoped to return peace to the streets of the city, last week.

But the measure was not fully withdrawn and Ms Lam still expressed support.

Recommended People power has won a famous victory in Hong Kong

Protesters, meanwhile, have again taken to the streets for another major show of defiance.

Amid the chaos, Hong Kong has offered a picture of what it looks like to stage mass civil disobedience in the age of the surveillance state.

The Chinese government will do a lot of things to try to monitor their own people, said Bonnie Leung, a leader of the Hong Kong-based Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF).

Ms Leung cited media coverage of Chinese use of artificial intelligence to track individuals and its social credit score system.

We believe that could happen to Hong Kong, too, she said.

The core of the protests is over the belief that Beijing  which was handed back control of the former British colony more than 20 years ago  is increasingly stripping Hong Kong of its cherished freedoms and autonomy.

But the identity-masking efforts by the protesters also reflects deep suspicions that lines between China and Hong Kong no longer exist  including close cooperation between Hong Kong police and their mainland counterparts who have among the most advanced and intrusive surveillance systems.

It is the fundamental reason people are protesting in the first place, said Antony Dapiran, who wrote a book on protest culture in Hong Kong.

 What is actually going on in Hong Kong?

They dont trust Beijing, they dont trust their authorities and the legal system, and they dont like the blurring of lines between Beijing and Hong Kong.

For many who had taken to the streets over the past week, the fight was a familiar one.

In 2014, protesters occupied Hong Kongs main arteries for 79 days demanding full universal suffrage in the territory.

Prominent student leaders and activists marshalled up support night after night in mini cities that had been set up on Hong Kongs thoroughfares, until they were eventually cleared out by police.

Today, all of the most prominent leaders of that movement  Joshua Wong, only a teenager at the time of the protests, legal scholar Benny Tai and Chan Kin-man, a sociology professor  are in jail.

The masses gathered around government buildings this week were without clear leaders.

Demonstrators shared protest tips and security measures with people they had met just hours before to avoid a similar fate. Meet-ups were primarily planned on Telegram, which became the top trending app on the iPhone app store in Hong Kong in the days leading up to the protest.

Information on personal safety was passed around on Telegram channels and group chats, said Caden, a 21-year-old Hong Kong student in Indiana who returned home early to participate.

He was among an estimated one million people marching on 7 June to begin the protest movement.

On the groups, Caden received a barrage of advice which included changing your username on Telegram so it sounds nothing like your actual name, changing your phone number associated with app and using SIM cards without a contract.

We are much more cautious now for sure than in 2014. Back then, it was still kind of rare for the police to arrest people through social media, Caden said, declining to give his full name for fear of retribution. All of this is definitely new for most people there.

Alexa noticed messages on Facebook, used by an older generation of Hong Kongers, warning people to mask their digital footprints and go cashless.

People keep telling each other not to take pictures during the protest, and only to take wide shots without peoples faces on them, she said.

It marked a huge change in sentiment for her, someone who had been attending peaceful demonstrations in Hong Kong with her family for years.

Wed always take pictures and upload them to Facebook and so on, it would tell people you are there at the scene, she said.

But by now, everyone [has] equated the bill to cracking down on the Hong Kong legal system. We are all afraid that it wont exist anymore.

 Hong kong police attack journalists: 'You're shooting at the press'

Hours before Wednesdays occupation of Hong Kong roads, Hong Kong police arrested Ivan Ip, a coordinator of a Telegram group with thousands of people, in his home. He is currently out on bail.

Telegram also reported a massive cyber-attack, which the company said likely originated from China and were timed with the protest.

Samantha Hoffman, a fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institutes Cyber Centre, said data collection methods used in China have specifically been designed to intimidate people from taking part in demonstrations.

She described the strategy as killing the root before the weed can grow.

Its a form of pre-emptive security, she said

Recommended The Hong Kong protests could trigger unrest in mainland China

Still, researchers say it has been difficult to figure out the extent to which Hong Kong Police Force cooperates with the mainland on surveillance technology and tools.

The Hong Kong force says it sends around 150 officials every year for ideological and practical training at elite mainland police academies.

A larger number also receive regular training in hand-to-hand combat, interrogation skills, criminal investigation and gun use, according to news releases from the Chinese government.

And when a high speed rail link opened connecting Beijing to Hong Kong, Chinese police were allowed to enforce mainland laws in the rail terminus. The rail link opened last year, marking the first time mainland police were allowed to patrol Hong Kong as part of joint immigration checks.

Maya Wang, a senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch, said there is very little transparency about the cooperation between Hong Kong police and mainland authorities.

Wang also noted that Hong Kong is moving ahead with plans for more smart city initiatives  with little clarity on which companies would be assisting them in that task.

People are concerned that their electronic traces can be collected and monitored as the city becomes more digitised, she said.

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What about the Chinese companies that are assisting or involved with the collection of data in Hong Kong? Would they be passing that data back?

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 like pepper spray and also to avoid potential facial recognition or other surveillance software.

I do not think this is overly cautious. If we read books by George Orwell and we read histories about Communist Parties, of course this is not overly cautious, said Ms Leung of CHRF.

If I was not some sort of leader or coordinator of the Civil Human Rights Front, I may wear a face mask as well, she added. I can totally understand why people would want to hide their identities.

 The Washington PostThe government of Hong Kong has issued an apology over its handling of a controversial extradition bill after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in protest on Sunday.

The territorys chief executive Carrie Lam said she apologised to the public with utmost sincerity and humility over the proposed legislation that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial.

Dressed in black, pro-democracy demonstrators shouted withdraw and resign as they marched from Victoria Park towards the downtown district where government headquarters are located.

Ms Lam announced on Saturday that the bill would be indefinitely delayed, but opponents said its suspension was not enough and she should step down.

Our demands are simple. Carrie Lam must leave office, the extradition law must be withdrawn and the police must apologise for using extreme violence against their own people, said one protester, John Chow.

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

The rally follows the death of a man who fell from construction scaffolding on Saturday as he unfurled a banner denouncing Hong Kongs extradition bill, local media reported.

The Hong Kong protests have been the largest in the city since crowds came out against the bloody suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations centred around Beijings Tiananmen Square in June 1989.

Officials said 72 people were admitted to hospitals following a protest last week, which saw police fire rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters.

Some banks, including HSBC, were also forced to shut branches.

Recommended Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam suspends China extradition bill

I wasnt going to come today, but when I saw what happened on Wednesday, Hong Kong people getting wrecked, that really hurt. So I decided to come down, said protester Matt Chan on Sunday.

Ms Lam had argued that 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.

Critics have accused the government of threatening Hong Kongs rule of law and its international reputation as a financial hub by proposing the changes to extradition with China.

Some Hong Kong tycoons have reportedly started moving personal wealth offshore.

Protesters line the streets demanding Hong Kong's leaders withdraw the extradition bill (Reuters) (REUTERS)

The apparent climbdown by Ms Lam was one of the most significant political turnarounds by the Hong Kong government since Britain returned the territory to China in 1997, and it threw her leadership into question.

Investor David Webb, in a newsletter, said if Ms Lam was a stock he would recommend shorting her with a target price of zero.

Call it the Carrie trade. She has irrevocably lost the publics trust, Mr Webb said. Her minders in Beijing, while expressing public support for now, have clearly lined her up for the chop by distancing themselves from the proposal in recent days.

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Chinas Communist Party mouthpiece, the Peoples Daily newspaper, said in a commentary that central authorities expressed firm support for Ms Lam.

Hong Kong has been governed under a one country, two systems agreement since its return to Beijing in 1997, allowing freedoms not enjoyed on mainland China but not a fully democratic vote.

The citys independent legal system was guaranteed under laws governing Hong Kongs return from British to Chinese rule, and is seen by business and diplomatic communities as its strong remaining asset amid encroachments from Beijing.

Additional reporting by agenciesBefore the mass street protests, the tear gas and the clashes with police, before the government went all out for legislation that could threaten Hong Kongs special status in China, and then abruptly backed down, a pregnant young woman went on a romantic getaway to Taiwan.

Poon Hiu-wing, 20, never returned to Hong Kong from that Valentines Day trip last year, but her boyfriend, Chan Tong-kai, 19, did.

He would later tell Hong Kong police that he had strangled her, stuffed her body in a suitcase and dumped it in a thicket of bushes near a subway station in Taipei.

It was just a local crime story at first, the details dribbling out in the tabloid press: a selfie of the couple on Facebook, grainy security camera footage, the circumstances of their last argument.

Then this past February, nearly a year after Chans arrest, the Hong Kong government cited the case to propose legislation that would allow the city to transfer criminal suspects to Taiwan and other places with which it lacks an extradition treaty  including mainland China.

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

Seizing on the sensational crime as Exhibit A in a rushed campaign to push through the measure, Hong Kongs chief executive, Carrie Lam, and her superiors in the Chinese leadership seemed confident they had a winning strategy.

As it turned out, they badly underestimated public fear and suspicion of Beijings encroachment on this semiautonomous former British colony.

The gambit provoked one of Hong Kongs largest protests in decades while also revitalising the territorys beleaguered pro-democracy opposition.

In a rare retreat for President Xi Jinpings hard-line government, Ms Lam finally yielded to the pressure on Saturday, suspending her push for the legislation while resisting demands to withdraw it completely and resign.

Recommended People power has won a famous victory in Hong Kong

From the start, critics labelled the extradition plan a Trojan horse that would allow Beijing to target political dissidents and others in Hong Kong who ran afoul of party officials.

As popular outrage spread, Ms Lam and her allies stuck to the script, arguing that Hong Kong needed the bill to bring Chan to justice  even after the authorities in Taiwan made clear that was not true.

Taiwanese officials said as early as May that they would not seek Chans extradition under the proposed legislation.

Their objection echoed that of the people of Hong Kong: the courts and security forces in mainland China, all controlled by the ruling Communist Party, could not be trusted.

Ms Lams repeated invocation of the Poon familys grief was seen as just political opportunism at its worst, said Dennis Kwok, an opposition lawmaker.

A Grisly Crime

Ms Poon had enrolled in a school that offered cooking and beautician classes. Chan was studying business. They met in July 2017 while working part time at a shop.

Before the couple set off for Taiwan last year, she gushed on Facebook: He said I am his first and last girlfriend.

They spent Valentines Day together in Taipei, Taiwans capital, but two days later had a fight that stretched into the early morning.

Ms Poon had bought a pink suitcase at one of Taipeis famed night markets, and they argued about how their luggage should be packed, Chan would later tell investigators, according to The South China Morning Post.

 Thousands of protesters with umbrellas block entry to Hong Kong's government HQ

Then, according to the account he provided the police, Ms Poon revealed that an ex-boyfriend was the father of the child she was pregnant with, and showed Chan a video of her having sex with another man.

In a rage, Chan hit her head against a wall, struggled with her on the floor of their hotel room for about 10 minutes and strangled her, he said. He stuffed her body into a suitcase and went to sleep.

When Ms Poon failed to return home, her father started a frantic search.

Chan told him the couple had had an argument and went our separate ways, according to Taiwan News. The police in Hong Kong questioned Chan, and he told them the same.

But then authorities in Taiwan pulled surveillance footage that showed Chan struggling to drag a pink suitcase out of their hotel.

Recommended The Hong Kong protests could trigger unrest in mainland China

Police detectives in Hong Kong questioned him again. This time, he confessed and disclosed the location of her body, a field near the Zhuwei train station on the northern outskirts of Taipei. The police found it that night.

But the Hong Kong police could not charge Chan with murder for a crime committed in Taiwan.

Instead, he was held and eventually convicted on money laundering charges for using Ms Poons credit cards after her death.

In April, a court in Hong Kong sentenced him to 29 months in prison. With time served while awaiting trial and good behaviour, he could be released as soon as October.

An autopsy indicated Ms Poon had been four to five months pregnant.

Trojan Horse or Justice?

Violent crime is relatively rare in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the case received extensive coverage by local news outlets when Chan was first arrested.

Some reports noted it might be difficult to prosecute him on murder charges because of international red tape, but for months, there was no sign the case would be at the centre of an international dispute.

Then, in December, prosecutors in Taiwan obtained an arrest warrant for Chan.

The government said it had reached out three times to authorities in Hong Kong to discuss how he might be extradited.

 Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam suspends controversial China extradition bill after mass protests and violence

All three requests went unanswered, according to Chiu Chui-cheng, a deputy minister of Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council, the agency responsible for policy towards China.

There were two interrelated problems: China does not recognise the government of Taiwan, which it considers part of its territory. And Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, does not have an extradition agreement with Taiwan.

Two months later, just before the anniversary of Ms Poons killing, Ms Lam made her move.

Her government submitted papers to Hong Kongs Legislative Council that cited the killing in proposing legislation that would allow extraditions on a case-by-case basis to jurisdictions with which Hong Kong lacks a formal extradition agreement.

The plan covered Taiwan  but also mainland China. And that was a big deal.

Hong Kong had never allowed extraditions to mainland China  a safeguard agreed upon when Britain returned the territory and Beijing promised it a high degree of autonomy.

This safeguard prohibits extradition to any part of China, which complicates any deal with Taiwan because of Beijings claim of sovereignty over the democratic, self-governing island.

And yet Ms Lam sought to sidestep the legislatures regular committee process and put the proposal on a fast track with an unusually short 20-day public review.

Opposition built steadily. Thousands attended a protest against the measure in March, and in April, tens of thousands rallied against it outside the Legislative Council. Lawmakers arguing about the bill scuffled in the legislature; one was carried out on a stretcher.

Ms Lam, a career servant who was installed by Beijing in 2017, assured the public that the legislation would not apply to political crimes.

But even within her insular council of advisers  like herself, unelected  there was unease. The territorys top finance officials, for example, were dismayed when they learned the bill would also allow Beijing to begin requesting freezes on assets in Hong Kong.

Then in May, Taiwan dramatically undercut Ms Lams argument by declaring it would not seek Chans extradition even if the bill passed.

Without the removal of threats to the personal safety of nationals going to or living in Hong Kong caused by being extradited to mainland China, said Mr Chiu, the deputy minister, we will not agree to the case-by-case transfer proposed by the Hong Kong authorities.

It Is The Right Thing to Do

Ms Lam has said she decided to pursue the extradition law herself, without prodding from Xi or other Chinese leaders.

But Chinas propaganda outlets took a hard line against the protesters, accusing them of conspiring with Chinas enemies abroad, and several senior Communist Party officials in Beijing endorsed the legislation.

That helped transform the debate into a broader fight over the erosion of civil liberties under Chinese rule  and Hong Kongs future as a global financial centre.

For five years, since the failure of the Umbrella Movement demanding free elections, Hong Kongs pro-democracy opposition had been on the defensive.

 What is actually going on in Hong Kong?

But the extradition bill gave it a chance to rally the public against something easy to understand: the possibility of being arrested and sent to mainland China.

On Friday, Ms Lam quietly travelled across the border to the mainland city of Shenzhen, where she consulted with senior Chinese officials.

Some had flown in from Beijing, and a few of the partys top experts on Hong Kong were there, too. President Xi was out of the country, celebrating his birthday with President Vladimir Putin of Russia at a regional summit in Tajikistan.

There was a consensus: given the publics reaction, Ms Lam should delay the legislation indefinitely.

Announcing the decision on Saturday, she raised Chans case again in defending the measure but finally acknowledged that Taiwans position meant there was no rush to pass it.

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We will adopt the most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements, she said.

Ms Lams argument failed to resonate, in part because many believe Hong Kong can find a way to ensure Chan faces trial without opening the door to extraditions to the mainland.

China and Taiwan have for years sent criminal suspects to each other, for example, even though they do not formally recognise each other, and some lawmakers believe Hong Kong should establish a similar arrangement with Taiwan.

Doing so with Taiwan and not mainland China, however, would be politically challenging.

Julian Ku, a law professor at Hofstra University, said it would mean acknowledging that Taiwans courts are more trustworthy and fair to criminal defendants than Chinas are.

While this is undoubtedly true by almost every measurement, it would be really embarrassing for the Hong Kong government to admit that truth, he said.

The New York TimesNotre Dame Cathedral has held its first Mass since the devastating fire tore through the mediaeval roof of the building on 15 April.

Just 30 people were permitted entrance, and all the attendees including Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit had to wear hard hats throughout the service.

Exactly two months after fire ravaged the landmark Gothic building in Paris, the service was celebrated in a chapel behind the choir, a place designated 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.

Numbers allowed to attend were kept small for security reasons, with the 30 people present made up mostly of priests, canons and church employees along with some of the workers rebuilding the church.

Notre Dame burns: in pictures Show all 45 1 /45 Notre Dame burns: in pictures Notre Dame burns: in pictures Flames on the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, 15 April 2019. A fire started in the late afternoon in one of the most visited monuments of the French capital. EPA Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Notre Dame burns: in pictures Firefighter douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures This general view taken from Montparnasse Tower shows flames and smoke as they billow from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on 15 April, 2019. AFP/Getty Notre Dame burns: in pictures People look at smoke and flames rising during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures People react as they watch flames engulf the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in the French capital. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures People cry and pray as they look at flames burning the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. EPA Notre Dame burns: in pictures Sparks and flames are seen through a destroyed stained glass window as the Notre Dame Cathedral burns. REUTERS Notre Dame burns: in pictures A view of Notre-Dame Cathedral on fire as seen from Montmartre in the east on 15 April, 2019 in Paris, France. Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures An onlooker uses a telescope to film the fire at the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures A man watches the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral burn, engulfed in flames, in central Paris on April 15, 2019. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year. A spokesman for the cathedral told AFP that the wooden structure supporting the roof was being gutted by the blaze. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smoke billows as fire engulfs the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France REUTERS Notre Dame burns: in pictures The steeple of the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral collapses as the cathedral is engulfed in flames in central Paris on April 15, 2019. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year. A spokesman for the cathedral told AFP that the wooden structure supporting the roof was being gutted by the blaze. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures The landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral is engulfed by flames in central Paris on April 15, 2019. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year. A spokesman for the cathedral told AFP that the wooden structure supporting the roof was being gutted by the blaze. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smoke billow and flames burn from the roof of the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019. - A major fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky, the fire service said. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year, where renovations are currently underway. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.Images posted on social media showed flames and huge clouds of smoke billowing above the roof of the gothic cathedral, the most visited historic monument in Europe. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures People watch from a bridge as smoke billows from Notre Dame Cathedral during a fire in Paris, France REUTERS Notre Dame burns: in pictures Bystanders look on as flames and smoke billow from Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A major fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky, the fire service said. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year, where renovations are currently underway. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smoke billows as fire engulfs the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France REUTERS Notre Dame burns: in pictures Bystanders look on as flames and smoke billow from Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A major fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky, the fire service said. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year, where renovations are currently underway. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.Images posted on social media showed flames and huge clouds of smoke billowing above the roof of the gothic cathedral, the most visited historic monument in Europe. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures People watch the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral burns in central Paris on April 15, 2019. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year. A spokesman for the cathedral told AFP that the wooden structure supporting the roof was being gutted by the blaze. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. Massive plumes of yellow brown smoke is filling the air above Notre Dame Cathedral and ash is falling on tourists and others around the island that marks the center of Paris. AP Notre Dame burns: in pictures Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. Massive plumes of yellow brown smoke is filling the air above Notre Dame Cathedral and ash is falling on tourists and others around the island that marks the center of Paris. AP Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smoke billows as fire engulfs the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France REUTERS Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. - A major fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky, the fire service said. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year, where renovations are currently underway. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.Images posted on social media showed flames and huge clouds of smoke billowing above the roof of the gothic cathedral, the most visited historic monument in Europe. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures People watch the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral burning in central Paris on April 15, 2019. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year. A spokesman for the cathedral told AFP that the wooden structure supporting the roof was being gutted by the blaze. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smoke rises as people watch the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral burning in central Paris on April 15, 2019. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year. A spokesman for the cathedral told AFP that the wooden structure supporting the roof was being gutted by the blaze. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.Images posted on social media showed flames and huge clouds of smoke billowing above the roof of the gothic cathedral, the most visited historic monument in Europe. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smoke billows from the Notre Dame Cathedral after a fire broke out, in Paris, France REUTERS Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures A statue of Saint John is removed from the spire of Notre Dame cathedral by a crane before restoration work, in Paris, France, April 11, 2019. REUTERS Notre Dame burns: in pictures A statue is removed from the spire of Notre Dame cathedral by a crane before restoration work, in Paris, France, April 11, 2019 REUTERS Notre Dame burns: in pictures A statue of Saint John is removed from the spire of Notre Dame cathedral by a crane before restoration work, in Paris, France, April 11, 2019 REUTERS Notre Dame burns: in pictures Handout photo taken with permission from the twitter feed of @slopezserra of smoke pouring from Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which is on fire PA Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame burns: in pictures Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. AFP/Getty Images

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.

One French priest called the service a true happiness, full of hope.

Father Pierre Vivares said: We will rebuild this cathedral. It will take time of course  a lot of money, a lot of time, a lot of work, but we will succeed. Today is a small but true victory against the disaster we have had.

It is still unclear when the cathedral will reopen to the public.

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French President Emmanuel Macron has set a goal of rebuilding it in just five years, which many experts consider unrealistic.

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.

Press Association contributed to this reportPeople have criticised Boris Johnson for not turning up to Channel 4s Tory leadership debate but, in fairness, it was Fathers Day. Johnson has more places to be than most. Quite how many, nobody knows.

Hes also the only candidate not taking part in Mondays leadership hustings for Westminster journalists either. Why isnt he taking part in that one? His team say is too busy doing debate prep, for the one debate he is actually taking part in, on the BBC on Tuesday, compared to all the other candidates three.

It is, at least, a foretaste of the Johnson premiership that will follow. Where a nation will have its intelligence not so much insulted as carpet bombed.

Channel 4, to their infinite credit, left an empty lectern there where the countrys next prime minister should have been. If anything, it was one of Mr Johnsons least undignified public appearances. As far as I could tell, he didnt tell any outright lies, which is a start.

Can anyone blame Boris Johnson? Facing questions comes with at least a faint obligation to answer them, and answering questions comes with a least a faint obligation to tell the truth, which is something he cannot do.

Recommended Rory Stewart puts the other TV debate challengers in the bin

He cant tell the truth about whether hes ever taken cocaine, which is why he has refused to answer the question three times in the last week. He cant tell the truth about his plan for Brexit because he doesnt have one. He cant tell the truth about anything.

It meant the viewing public were treated to the somewhat mad spectacle of five men competing for a prize they know they stand no chance of winning against the guy who was too scared to turn up and face them, but that wouldnt be to say that many of them were burdened with any greater desire to tell the truth.

Michael Gove, at one point, claimed that, the best Brexit deal will be one that spreads wealth around the country more equally.

At this point, all any sane person can do is stand and applaud the madness. There is no sane analysis whatsoever anywhere that concludes that Brexit will leave the UK with more money to spend. The idea that membership of the European Union has ever prevented the UK from building a more equitable country is, obviously, garbage. And it is hard to see how it could ever be more potent garbage than when suggested by a key member of various Conservative governments of the last nine years, who have deliberately, and strategically, delivered the most savage cuts to the very poorest areas, because such places do not vote Tory anyway, so as George Osborne once put it, there is nothing to lose.

There was Jeremy Hunt, saying his priority would be to grow the economy, to improve public services. Jeremy Hunt is not an idiot. That is why he voted for, and campaigned for, remain. There is not a cell in Jeremy Hunts body that thinks for a second that Brexit will grow the economy, and yet, here he must be, standing to be prime minister, unable to do anything but ride the wave of the Brexit lie that he is too ambitious to admit  even to himself  will drown him in the end.

Dominic Raab did some stomping about, a bit of berating. Dominic Raab wants to go back to Brussels with the Malthouse Compromise, words that, for those of us who have to make a living with our noses pressed up against this filth, go in your ears only to pour petrol on your soul and then set it on fire.

Rory Stewart told everyone, for the hundredth time, that there is no machismo solution to the Brexit impasse. Would-be alpha males banging on their little lecterns, saying theyre going to go back to Brussels and get a better deal because they negotiate for a living (Hunt), or because theyve got a track record of delivering against the odds (Gove) is a complete non-starter.

A sane country would listen to Rory Stewart. A sane Tory Party membership might at least pause for a second and wonder whether theyre about to do the right thing by choosing a man to go out and face the world on Britains behalf, a man whose personal, professional and political life is such a disgusting mess he cannot take 10 minutes of questioning from anyone.

In a few weeks, if events move on as they are likely to, there will be nowhere for Johnson to hide. It will be horrific. Be careful what you vote for.The crackpot president of the United States of America has so snarled up the gangplank to truth these past 29 months that no matter how much evidence he and his crew produce to prove that the Iranians have been trying to blow up oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman  or not quite blow them up  the pictures have a kind of mesmeric quality about them.

Donald Trumps 2017 inauguration photos were edited to prove that there were more supporters on the Washington Mall than actually went there. And now his administration, anxious to prove that the Iranians are attacking oil tankers, releases video footage of Iranians actually removing a limpet mine from the hull of a Japanese vessel.

Well that proves it then, doesnt it? Those pesky Iranians cant even bomb their targets professionally  so they go back later to retrieve a mine because it probably says Made in Iran on the explosives.

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

Because that would give them away, wouldnt it? Then it emerges that the tanker crew believe they were attacked with airborne munitions  and mines dont fly. The crew on another bombed ship suggest a torpedo. And on the basis of this, Washington is now building a consensus among its allies for the decisive response which Trumps Saudi chums are demanding against Iran in revenge for these and earlier non-lethal attacks off the Emirates.

And our own beloved foreign secretary, ever mindful that he needs a majority of the partys most faithful 120,000 votes to make him the next Tory Ayatollah, is confident that those wretched Iranians were behind the mining attacks. Presumably the hojatoleslam  for so Jeremy Hunt must remain unless he becomes the Supreme Leader  also believed the doctored pictures of the crowds welcoming Trumps presidency on the National Mall in Washington.

Personally, I suspect the Iranians have been up to their old mining tricks in the Gulf, first practised in 1988 on the supertankers which the US Navy was escorting up to Kuwait at the end of the Iran-Iraq war  when it turned out that the American warships had to hide behind the tankers in case they, too, got mined. On that occasion, the Americans actually found a crew of Iranians rolling mines off a clapped-out old landing vessel. They captured the Iranians sailors and even gave them the option of political asylum in the Land of the Free. Foolish chaps, they all declined the offer.

Besides, if Hezbollah successfully fired an Iranian-supplied sea-to-sea missile at an Israeli naval gunboat off Lebanon in 2006  which they did, setting the ship alight and killing several of the Israeli crew  I doubt if Tehran has many scruples about teaching the Houthis how to use drones for rocket attacks on Saudi Arabia.

When US munitions  dropped by the Saudis and the United Arab Emirates  are blowing up Houthi rebels, schools, hospitals, wedding parties, etc, in Yemen  why should it be surprising if the Houthis use Iranian munitions to try to blow up Saudi airports? With a little more training, the Houthis might even reach the technical prowess of their Saudi and Emirati enemies by also firing rockets at schools, hospitals and wedding parties, etc, in Saudi Arabia.

Theres also a Suez feel about all this. When the ever more exasperated Anthony Eden plunged with the French and Israelis into the Suez fiasco in 1956, Eisenhower had to send Dulles to London to rein in the British prime minister. Eden had himself become a bit bananas, claiming that Nasser, whose country he was planning to invade, was the Mussolini of the Nile. Dulless instructions were to tell Eden: Whoa, Boy! For months afterwards, Eden was still lying to the Commons, insisting that the whole shambles had NOT been hatched up with the Israelis  which it had  his false denial of the plot actually believed by most of the Tory party at the time and probably by a majority of Brits.

I guess thats why I find something profoundly odd about the whole US-Iranian conflict-to-be. A couple of days ago, back in Beirut after a long road journey across Lebanon, I forced myself to read through the past months of news reports on the coming war between the US and Iran  even though I believe, and continue to feel certain, that this impending Armageddon is a figment of the Trump-Bolton-Pompeo imagination. And of the imagination of the American media  which is fearful that Trump might go to war but, given its rousing headlines let alone its reports, even more frightened that he might not go to war.

Perhaps its the sheer exhaustion of reading through the volumes of mendacity from the White House on Trumps support for the Middle Easts vicious Arab dictators and head-choppers  and corpse-chopper-uppers  that Id almost convinced myself that it was the deceitful, lying, belligerent Iranians who reneged on the solemn nuclear deal, falsely claiming that Washington had not honoured the agreement.

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But then, of course, I remembered that it was the deceitful, lying, belligerent Americans who reneged on the solemn nuclear deal, falsely claiming that Tehran had not honoured the agreement.

But thats life in Trumpworld right now.

The Iranians, who have always understood the west much better than the west has ever understood the Iranians, know very well how to deny a drone here and a limpet mine there while ever more diligently tugging another feather or two out of the American eagle. The Iranians are no innocents.

There are no good guys in this story. And sure, if Iran tries to close the Straits of Hormuz, America can react with that concensus-built decisive response called for by the Saudis and underwritten by Hojatoleslam Hunt. But Iran is not quite that stupid. Why should the Islamic Republic fight the Americans when it was the US which humbled its principal post-revolution enemies: the Taliban and then Saddam and then Isis? The Iranians were  or should have been  extremely grateful.

In the real world, of course, there should be a military alliance between the US and Iran. But Washington no longer moves through any known orbit. If you want to understand the Trump-Bolton Middle East policy right now, I guess all you can do is visit patients in any mental hospital and theyll fill you in.

Russia and China, however, do live on planet Earth. They probably saw the photos of Trumps diminished supporters on the Washington Mall and drew their own conclusions. So stand by to hear Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping, albeit doubtful allies of Tehran, hollering out to Trump: Whoa Boy!The Legislative Council of Hong Kongs shelving of the China Extradition Bill reveals Beijings real Achilles heel, which is public unrest on a scale that poses an existential threat to the Chinese Communist Party itself. Even as it tries gamely to apply the ridiculous and self-refuting one country, two systems principle, Beijing knows that Hong Kong has always been an ideological hand grenade with the pin removed.

Events during the past week give President Xi Jinping and co a good sense of what mass protests and violence on the mainland might resemble should this ever spread beyond the electrified fences at Lo Wu. Despite its comparatively small population, Hong Kong has the least to fear in this scenario, because Beijings real horror is a contagion it could not possibly hope to stop.

Beijing got away with one violent crackdown on human rights in 1989, but will not get away with a second. For the state apparatus, the recent riots in Hong Kong echo Tiananmen Square. And no matter how much propaganda is pumped through the megaphones in Beijing, the central committee knows that in an age of mass communication and rising frustrations, mainland China is more than ever a lake of gasoline just waiting for a match. And should that fire start, it will start in Hong Kong.

Mike Galvin

Winchcombe, Gloucestershire

Playing dumb

By wishing to avoid public debate on television, perhaps Boris Johnson understands the concept that it is sometimes better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt.

Matt Minshall

Kings Lynn, Norfolk

Labour hypocrisy

So Alastair Campbell gets kicked out of the Labour Party for voting Lib Dem, but a number of Labour MPs can defy a three-line whip vote to block a Tory no-deal Brexit, putting their jobs before the country. When are they going to spell out what possible advantages a no-deal Brexit could bring to the UK, over and above those we already have within the EU?

Brian Phillips

Ilkley, West Yorkshire

Its time for BBC staff to speak out

I would like to call on BBC presenters, executives and highly paid employees to support the case for free TV licences for the over-75s. Surely you cannot accept that an elderly person on a basic pension is to be charged almost an entire weeks income to subsidise your comparatively huge salaries?

Lets face it, the BBC is nothing without you, its star performers. Please stand up and be counted and lets hear you voicing your objections.

How does the BBC intend to police this charge? How will it know who is and is not receiving pension credit? Surely that is protected information? And if all over-75s refuse or are unable to pay, will they all be jailed?

An easy way for the government to claw back some cash from the masses is to withdraw from high-earners, millionaires and peers the annual fuel allowance  absolutely ridiculous.

Maureen Ledward

Cheshire

Back off Jo Brand

Isnt it ironic  as Alanis Morissette might have said  that a gifted comedian known for her sharp wit and satirical eye is castigated for a comment made on a BBC Radio 4 programme Heresy, while certain inept, self-seeking politicians known for their witlessness and violent utterances are allowed to blather on with impunity?

The leader of one newly formed party has screeched that if Brexit is not delivered, he will be forced to don khaki, pick up a rifle and head for the front line.

Another would be leader of a well-established party makes racist, Islamophobic comments and is lauded as a plain-speaker thumbing his nose at political correctness.

Brand concluded her comments with a pithy its purely a fantasy while the putative arms carrier said of Brand, the police need to act.

In the meantime, to conclude with some words that Jonathan Swift so very nearly said: When a true pillock appears in this world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy for him.

Lorraine Cumming

Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Fight back against US attempts to wage war against Iran

Donald Trump used to attack his predecessor Barack Obama for being a Muslim without a US passport. It was of course a lie. Since becoming president, Trump has regularly attacked London mayor Sadiq Khan and attempted to impose a travel ban for Muslims entering the US. Sajid Javid wasnt invited to Trumps UK banquet despite lesser secretaries of state attending. One can only conclude that Trump is an Islamophobe. This affects his stance on Iran.

The Gulf of Tonkin incident that led to the escalation of the Vietnam War resulting in the loss of 3 million Vietnamese lives and 55,000 American lives is now known not to have happened; it was manufactured to enable US forces to attack the North Vietnamese. Hitler also seized power by burning down the Reichstag and blamed it on the communists so he could seize absolute control of the media and government.

The US is now manufacturing a pretext so they can go to war with Iran. The reports of Iranian proxies attacking ships and bombing Iraq should not be believed. The axis of the CIA, Mossad and Saudi intelligence is entrenched in Iranophobia. They will have no qualms in manufacturing fake news designed to start a horrific war with Iran.

With the rise of the far right in the US and around the world, where is the counterweight to their aggression? European powers must rise up and challenge this offensive against Iran. The UK is paralysed and consumed by Brexit and so is pandering to the military requirements of Trump out of hope for a post-Brexit trade deal. We in the United Kingdom must not sell our soul and instead should stand up against this duplicity. Let us learn the lessons of history.

Phil Hardy

Hethersett, NorfolkThey kept yelling: Today we f***. The girl screamed. Then everyone went silent.

The chilling testimony from Fateh, a Sudanese protester, is hard to listen to.

He is describing 3 June when feared paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, which has been accused by rights groups of committing war crimes in the past, brutally cleared a pro-democracy sit-in outside the military headquarters in Khartoum.

Fateh and a group of male protesters were hiding beside aluminium store rooms on the top of a building, just 200 metres west of the encampment, after security forces opened fire.

Protesters had refused to leave until there was a swift transition to civilian rule, after successfully toppling the president, Omar al-Bashir.

And so in early hours of 3 June, security forces, armed with machine guns and whips, had stormed the camp. By the end the day more than 120 people would be dead, according to the Sudan Doctors Committee. The official death toll is just over 60.

But in the metal rooms near where Fateh was hiding, a different kind of horror was unfolding.

Protesters and medics have told The Independent that aside from the killing, mass rape was committed that day. Dozens of women and men were reportedly sexually assaulted. Children were also believed to be among the victims.

They say an independent investigation into what happened needs to be launched immediately.

The girl and the two guys with her were trying to escape from the meal room. But the RSF forced them back to the room and then let the guys leave, Fateh says, his voice beginning to falter.

One would rape her, then leave and put on the clothes, then his comrade would enter, and so on Fateh

I can't tell how many raped the girl. One would rape her, then leave and put on the clothes, then his comrade would enter, and so on. They all wore Rapid Support Forces uniforms.

The fate of the woman is unknown.

This week, the ruling Sudanese military council finally admitted that it had ordered a partial clearing of an area near the sit-in, but maintained it went wrong and that some members of the security forces had committed painful and outrageous violations during the onslaught.

We feel sorry for what happened, said Gen Shams Eddin Kabashi, a spokesman for the council, adding that several officers were now in jail.

We will show no leniency and we will hold accountable anyone, regardless of their rank, if proven to have committed violations.

Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Show all 20 1 /20 Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Modi Emmanuel "Modi Emmanuel crawled mile upon mile to escape the war in his country, South Sudan. When his mother had the strength, she would lift him and carry him the best she could across the rocks and hard ground they were journeying on. I met Modi in a South Sudanese refugee camp in Uganda. He crawled on his hands and knees towards me and I outstretched my hand. Before he shook it, Modi wiped the dust from his hand. I cry when I think of him doing this. This beautiful young man, who has suffered so much, was so conscious of the dust on his hand, dust that was only there because he had no choice but to crawl because of his disability, that he would wipe it before shaking my hand." - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Modi Emmanuel 'He had crawled as he'd become separated from his wheelchair. A colleague of mine brought it over to him and helped him into the seat. This wheelchair allows Modi to get around the camp, where tens of thousands of refugees live, every one of them forced from their homes in South Sudan by violence. Modi has the wheelchair thanks to the support of BMS World Mission and Hope Health Action They're working in refugee camps in Uganda, distributing wheelchairs to children and adults with disabilities. You can help this life-changing work today by supporting BMS' South Sudan's conflict survivors appeal.' - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Annet and children 'Annet gave birth on the roadside whilst fleeing the civil war in her country, South Sudan. Her mother helped her with the delivery. No-one else. Just Annet and her mother, behind some bushes as they tried to escape a conflict that's created the largest refugee crisis in Africa. "When this was happening, I had a lot of thought about my country," Annet told my colleague at BMS World Mission "I was thinking that if the war had not broken out, I would not have gone through these challenges... giving birth on the way... not being able to feed my baby. These are the things that came to my mind." I met Annet in a refugee camp in Uganda. Just over 815,000 South Sudanese refugees are currently in Uganda. The number of people displaced by the civil war in South Sudan is 2.3 million' - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda 'I don't have much, but I'm overwhelmed with joy' - Dube 'Dube taught me a lot about generosity and kindness. I met him in a field in Uganda, where he was growing maize so that he could feed his family. He's a long, long way from his home in South Sudan. He fled with his three young children to Uganda because of the civil war that's created the largest refugee crisis in Africa. He made it to safety with no means to support his family. He'd lost everything he'd owned. A friend allowed him to use a field to grow crops, whilst the seeds he planted were given through the help of BMS World Mission and Hope Health Action. When we asked to buy some of his corn, Dube refused to take our money, even though he needed it and could have bought much needed items with it. He instead gave us the corn as a way of saying thank you for the seeds he'd been given in the past.' - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Joice and her twins Sarah and Sharon 'I met Joice in Bidi Bidi, the world's largest refugee camp. There are around 225,000 South Sudanese refugees in the camp, each one of them forced from their nation by civil war. Joice survived the journey to the refugee camp in Uganda. Many others don't. Joice didn't know she had pre-eclampsia. It was only detected because a volunteer health worker had access to a highly accurate blood pressure monitor. Joice was monitored afterwards and had a c-section at eight months. Had it not been for BMS World Mission supporters, and the work of partner Hope Health Action, that blood pressure monitor would not have been in the camp. I've seen the difference that monitor can make. And you can see it now in that Sarah and Sharon have a mother to cradle them' - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda 'War forced these young men to flee their homes in South Sudan. I met them early in the morning in a refugee camp in Uganda. They were making bricks for a school so that some of the tens of thousands of children who have also been forced to flee from their homes by civil war can resume their education. I've never witnessed teamwork or determination like I did that morning. Every participant had their role. Every one of them putting everything they had into building a school. Into helping children who have suffered unimaginable grief and fear' - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda 'War forced these young men to flee their homes in South Sudan. I met them early in the morning in a refugee camp in Uganda. They were making bricks for a school so that some of the tens of thousands of children who have also been forced to flee from their homes by civil war can resume their education. I've never witnessed teamwork or determination like I did that morning. Every participant had their role. Every one of them putting everything they had into building a school. Into helping children who have suffered unimaginable grief and fear' - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda A girl holding a younger child at the camp in Uganda BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda 'Children would tease me because I'm not able to move' - Nancy 'Nancy can't walk as her right foot is twisted. She's only 14 and a refugee because of the civil war in her country, South Sudan. I met her in a refugee camp in Uganda. She didn't use to have the wheelchair you can see. It's only thanks to Hope Health Action, supported by partner BMS World Mission, that she has it. Other South Sudanese children and adults with disabilities are being helped too. But so much more can be done. Children like Nancy crawled away from a war zone because they didn't have a wheelchair, or someone to carry them. They arrive in Uganda bereaved, exhausted and facing extreme loneliness and fear. They are part of the largest refugee crisis in Africa. I've been to the world's largest refugee camp - Bidi Bidi - and seen child after child needing help. Please consider helping them today.' - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda "We lived in fear in South Sudan, so we came here for rescue, to look for a peaceful place' - Agnes 'Agnes [L], arrived in Uganda with not a single possession having fled a civil war that's created the largest refugee crisis in Africa. "There was no shelter when we arrived.... rain washes you," she told us. "We were rescued and given some tarpaulins, and we built shelter from there, and started gaining back what we have lost from South Sudan." Agnes has the use of just one eye. We met her in a refugee camp in Uganda, where she is helping people with disabilities. I feel God has left one of my eyes to be used for someone who is not seeing. So thats why I became interested to help those ones who cannot help themselves completely, and I became a volunteer."' - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Young children sit outside a tent at the camp BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Susan 'Susan is unable to walk and crawled away from the civil war in her country, South Sudan. She has leprosy and didn't make it to a refugee camp in Uganda. Emergency food rations provided through BMS World Mission and Hope Health Action have kept her alive. We crossed a dry river bed to reach Susan. Her hut is just a mile or so from the South Sudan border. When it rains, the hut leaks. Susan is fragile and lonely, and rarely gets visitors. Pastoral activists found her and have been supporting her, providing her with a wheelchair and food. Others need finding and supporting too' - David Dunham BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Children gathered in a church in the camp BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda A young boy alone at the camp BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Children at the UNHCR food centre BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Children of the refugee camp in Uganda BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Children in a group at the camp BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Children gathered in a church in the camp BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda A young girl at the camp BMS World Mission / David Dunham Refugee camps for South Sudanese in Uganda Children of the refugee camp in Uganda BMS World Mission / David Dunham

Two days later RSFs feared commander, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemetti), defended his force at a rally in a village on the outskirts of Khartoum.

Hemetti is the deputy chief of the ruling military council despite being accused of perpetuating crimes against humanity in the war-ravaged region of Darfur.

Our image as Rapid Support Forces has been distorted, he told the cheering crowds.

The military have said they will carry out their own investigation about what happened. They have rejected requests from actors like Tibor Nagy, a US envoy for Africa, who last week urged an independent and credible probe.

Hemetti said he would not talk about what happened until the security forces release their own findings.

And this is what protesters fear right now  that this will all be swept under the carpet plunging Sudan back into the very dictatorship that the protesters had fought against.

The killings are ongoing, the transitional military council are lying, their hands are full of blood. There is no way they could deny what happened, says Sara, whose name has been changed and who was also at the protest when it was cleared.

She says they need to be held accountable for the murders and assaults but feels that the international community is supporting the Sudanese army and so nothing would truly come to light.

We are resisting the regional forces, like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, which are deeply involved in Sudanese politics, she says. This is a regional war we are fighting here  we are still keeping it peaceful despite the violence.Almost 400 sex offenders were managed in communities in Ireland in 2018, the Probation Service said (Niall Carson/PA).

Almost 400 sex offenders were managed in communities in Ireland in 2018, the Probation Service said.

A therapeutic programme for men who have engaged in sexually harmful behaviour was run in Dublin and Cork.

Medium and high-risk sex offenders were separately monitored in and by the community.

A floating support service helped high-risk and high-need sex offenders access and maintain accommodation in the Greater Dublin area.

The Probation Service annual report said: In 2018, the Probation Service managed almost 400 sex offenders in communities nationwide, with 146 managed on a multi-agency basis as part of Soram.

Soram is a risk assessment and management system established in 2010 and supports enhanced levels of co-operation and co-ordination between key organisations involved in managing the risks posed to the community by convicted sex offenders and in safeguarding the welfare of children.

It includes representatives from the Garda, Probation Service, Tusla, local authorities and the Irish Prison Service.

Under Irish law, people convicted of some sexual offences must provide certain information to the Garda, including details of where they will be living when they are released from prison.

The State maintains a record of everyone convicted of certain sexual offences.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said 355,404 hours of community work were carried out by those serving community service orders in 2018.

Probation Service also provided 16.7 million euros to a range of community-based organisation in 2018.

Minister Flanagan said: The community service order is a very valuable part of the criminal justice system, allowing an offender, where appropriate, to repay their debt to society by carrying out unpaid work in their community rather than by spending time behind bars.

In 2018, over 350,000 hours of community service were carried out by offenders, benefiting communities nationwide and ensuring that qualifying offenders helped in a very real way to make amends for their criminal actions.

The director of the Probation Service, Vivian Geiran, said 2018 was a productive year.

Interagency co-operation is a crucial component of our work.

To be effective in reducing victimisation, we must continue this cooperative approach, while also strengthening the quality of the professional services we provide.James Joyce enthusiasts at Glasnevin Cemetery in full costume to mark Bloomsday (Brian Lawless/PA).

James Joyce enthusiasts have arrived at Glasnevin Cemetery in full costume to commemorate Bloomsday.

The event included a costumed performance by the Joyceanstagers of chapter six, Hades, from Ulysses, which is set in the cemetery.

It was followed by a special Joycean-themed tour of the cemetery.

Bloomsday enthusiasts arrived in hired carriages and costume.

CEO of Glasnevin Trust Aoife Watters said: Glasnevin Cemetery is very proud to have a special connection with James Joyce and Bloomsday.

Several of the characters from the book Ulysses found their final resting place here, including Paddy Dignam, Michael Cusack (the citizen) and even Joyces own father John Stanislaus.

Its wonderful to be able to host this event here today, honouring the great James Joyce, and the masterpiece that is Ulysses.

Expand Close Several characters from Ulysses ended up in Glasnevin Cemetery (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Several characters from Ulysses ended up in Glasnevin Cemetery (Brian Lawless/PA)

Thousands of people come to Ireland for Bloomsday and it has expanded into a week-long event.

Glasnevin Cemetery holds a special place for Joyce devotees.

In the Hades chapter, Leopold Bloom accompanied Simon, Stephens father to Paddy Dignams funeral and decided from then on to reject morbid thoughts and to embrace warm full-blooded life.

A fully costumed performance of this chapter was performed by the Joycestagers on Sunday.

The enactment was followed by a specialised tour, led by Paddy Gleeson.

It took in historic graves on the way, including the writers father John Stanislaus Joyce, along with the final resting places of a multitude of people from the novel, Ulysses, and from James Joyces life.

The Glasnevin Cemetery Cafe also provided a Bloomsday-themed menu.

Ulysses follows the life and thoughts of Bloom, the central character and the novel, from 8am on June 16, 1904, through to the early hours of the following morning.

John Shevlin is a Joyce lookalike.

He said: Bloomsday is a long day but a wonderful day.Farmers misled by government that fund contingent on reducing production, according to Fianna Fail spokesperson on agriculture Charlie McConalogue.

He called on the Minister to immediately clarify when he first became aware that the 50m beef fund announced by the European Commission was contingent on production reduction.

Farmers were clearly misled pre-election with the government message that the compensation package secured would be related to income and price losses incurred from the early onset of Brexit.

However, the draft Commission regulation states that the measures taken by Ireland shall be aimed at reducing production or restructuring the beef and veal sector."

He also said the draft text says that the Ireland does not qualify under Article 219 of the CAP CMO regulation which provides emergency funding for market disturbance caused by significant price rises or falls.

I am calling on the Minister to immediately state when did he first learn that reducing production numbers would be a condition of drawing down funding? Did his Department make any case for market disturbance aid as provided under the CAP?

The Minister is trying to wash his hands of any responsibility by saying the draft Regulation is within the Commissions own legal competence and is not for negotiation with Ireland or indeed other Member States. This is a cop out from the Minister.

Government have totally misled farmers who were informed at every juncture from the Taoiseach and Minister Creed that the fund would cover income losses.

The subterfuge was clearly a pre-election stunt and farmers who have taken a massive hit deserve better, concluded Deputy McConalogue.Beauty has always been big business but up until recently, cosmetic procedures were the domain of the rich and famous. That has all changed over the past decade. The rise of inexpensive anti-ageing procedures which take just a few minutes to perform - coupled with a growing desire for Instagram perfection - has transformed the cosmetic and beauty industry.

Now new clinics are popping up all across the country, offering everything from lip fillers to anti-wrinkle injections. It is little wonder that some big-name investors are injecting big money into the industry.

As reported in the Sunday Independent last week, serial entrepreneur Pat Phelan is in talks to raise over 50m to fund a growth plan for his Sisu cosmetic treatment business.

Phelan is expanding rapidly in Ireland and wants to open at least 20 outlets in London, as well as other cities where he has identified a growing demand for treatments such as teeth whitening, dermal fillers, Botox, lip fillers and laser skin treatment.

Meanwhile, Therapie, one of the most-recognisable brands in the cosmetic industry in Ireland, is planning a massive buildout across the UK's struggling main streets.

The Irish-run business, which is headed up by siblings Philip and Katie McGlade, claims to have around 250,000 clients. The company is looking to invest 50m in the UK over the next three years, opening 100 new clinics and hiring 1,500 staff in the process.

It represents a significant expansion from its headcount of 500. It is also expanding rapidly in Ireland with clinics in Dundrum Town Centre and locations in towns across the country.

The popularity of cosmetic procedures is reflected in the success of Allergan. The Irish-headquartered Botox-maker is investing 65m into two of its four facilities in Ireland, which will lead to the creation of another 63 highly-skilled roles. When implemented it will bring Allergan's total employment in Ireland to over 2,000.

There may be an immense opportunity for business, but the highly lucrative industry is not without its problems.

Regulation of the industry is playing catchup.

While clinics such as a Therapie and Sisu bring best practice to the cosmetics procedures business, others are bringing the industry into disrepute.

"There are a couple of clinics using Instagram very attractively to lure young customers in," says Liz Dwyer, who is heading up the Future Beauty show in the RDS in September.

"Dermal fillers should be in the region of 300 to 400 per millilitre, but there are places doing it for much less than that. I know a lot of people are going on weekend courses and are suddenly qualified in administering fillers. It has become prolific because fillers are very lucrative."

Richard Hanson, plastic surgeon at the Blackrock Clinic, compared it to "Russian roulette".

"You're getting a filler in your lip, but it may not come from a reputable manufacturer and the people administering it may not have a licence to inject it," he says.

"Typically those putting in the fillers won't be able to deal with any of the complications, which can even rise to blindness. There are 149 cases of blindness reported as a result of the procedure all over the world."

Hanson said that he also works in the Mater hospital and that every few months he deals with people who have suffered "massive complications" from getting work done abroad and that it many cases it had destroyed the patient.

Horror stories of botched cases have led to demand for regulation in a fast-changing business. It can't come too soon for some industry experts.

"Regulation will kill the cheaper cowboys in Ireland," Dwyer says. "I think it will fade out as a section of the industry because people will be forced to use better products making it more expensive."

The rise in popularity of lip fillers, driven by the likes of reality star Kylie Jenner, has brought a whole new cohort to the market.

Teenagers and young adults have moved in their droves to recreate the famous Kardashian look by opting for the fillers, which work by injecting hyaluronic acid into the lips. However, the emergence of the trend has brought with it numerous problems not least botched, cheap procedures.

Medicines such as Botox are subject to prescription control and can only be administered by a medical practitioner or by a dentist, but fillers are listed as medical devices. This essentially means that they are free from regulation across Europe. Dermal fillers, collagen injections, hyaluronic acid, are all more likely to cause complications than Botox.

"If you're going to drive a bus or operate something for the public you need a licence," Dwyer says. "But in the beautician realm no one is accountable because there's no one to be accountable to. Unlike doctors and dentists they're not going to be struck off because there is no council to do so."

The debate around the need for regulation has intensified in recent years, culminating in Health Minister Simon Harris saying last week that he was considering a ban on Botox and fillers for those aged under 18.

Harris has instructed his officials to look at the public health risks and examine the need for further regulation. His department is also seeking to reclassify fillers under new laws that are due to be enacted by 2020.

"It is important to distinguish between dermal fillers and medicines containing botulinum toxin (Botox)," the department said in a statement.

"Medicines containing botulinum toxin are subject to prescription control and may only be legally administered by an appropriately qualified and trained registered medical doctor or registered dentist acting within their practice of medicine or dentistry and within the regulations."

On procedures outside of dermal fillers and other medical devices more normal rules apply. Both the medical and dental professions are subject to codes of conduct for cosmetic procedures. Elsewhere the Medical Council monitors registered practitioners and can conduct inquiries where needed.

"The department is currently progressing a number of pieces of legislation that seek to enhance the safety and provision of health care services," it said in a statement.

"This includes the Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill, which will ensure public and private hospitals undertaking high-risk healthcare activities, including certain cosmetic procedures, will require a licence to operate."

As it stands, registered medical professionals need to be able to back up any advertising around their products or services in the aesthetic sector, according to the Medical Council.

"The sector definitely needs to be more regulated and that's just to protect the patient," says Aisling Cleary of Dublin-based River Medical, which carries out surgical and non-surgical procedures.

"There has been a lot of talk about it and I'm sure it will come in eventually. Most professional operators would hope to see it brought in, the cream always rises to the top and the introduction of proper regulation will force out those that aren't operating properly."

Cleary said that the average spend of one of her patients is around 6,000 with solutions for cellulite dimples topping the list. Predominantly, she says, because it's approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"We're seeing clinics popping up everywhere and I do think it's important that people make sure their clinician is qualified before letting them near their face with a needle," Cleary said.

"We want people to leave here happy and we will go through everything with a patient, but if something is not right for them we will let them know. We turn away one in five for various reasons because they're not suited to the procedure they're looking for."

Cleary said that she has seen a surge in men coming through the doors at River Medical, with a lot of it being down to chest reductions.

"A lot of men don't talk about it unfortunately," she says. "They develop breast issues and are just as conscious about their chests as women are."

While Cleary says the improvement of the economy has led to an increase in procedures, certain jobs have remained consistent. She says that breast augmentation remained a constant right through the economic downturn.

Hanson adds that a wide range of people are now seeking some cosmetic work.

"Our clientele is very diverse. Typically 'reclaimers' will have much more disposable income. These are women whose kids are grown up and they're happy to spend on themselves. Sometimes you just have ladies coming in for an event to get a touch up or young professionals who are coming in for their own maintenance."

Younger people are driving much of the new demand, however.

"Millennials are very well-researched and they're much happier to spend money on themselves," Hanson says.

"They may never be as rich as their parents or grandparents, but they're much happier to spend their disposable income and they don't mind spending on luxury items.

"Then there's also the incredible rise of social media, so they're much more aware of their appearance."

Demand for cosmetic procedures seems sure to grow, especially when it comes to affordable and relatively painless procedures. But with significant investment coming into the lucrative sector, pressure will only mount on those giving the business a bad name.The managing director of fast food group Rockets has left just six months after being appointed to the role.

Adrian Crean took up the job in December with the task of overseeing its 51 outlets across its Eddie Rockets, Rockets, and The Counter brands.

He was the first person to take up the role after founder Niall Fortune stepped down. Fortune had spent 30 years in the job. In a statement to the Sunday Independent, the company said that Crean had left by "mutual agreement". "Niall Fortune, founder and chairman, will continue in an executive capacity responsible for the day-to-day running of the group," the company said. Before joining Rockets, Crean had spent seven years heading up McDonald's in Ireland in competition with Fortune. He said that he had always "admired" the Rockets Group when he was heading up McDonald's. He left the US burger chain in 2017 before taking up a role as chief brand officer at forecourt retailer Applegreen.Ryanair passenger growth forecasts suggest the cost of carbon credits to the low-cost Irish airline may exceed 200m within the next five years.

It emerges after the company was ranked in the EU's top 10 polluters in April, with carbon emissions topping 9.9m tonnes.

Ryanair confirmed it spent 115m on carbon credits last year under the EU emissions trading system, adding that it did not plan to pass on the charge to passengers.

The airline forecasts that passenger numbers will increase by a third, from 153 million this year, to 200 million in 2024. Its emissions could grow by a further 3.3 million tonnes from their current level. Carbon credits for these would cost 82.5m at the current price.

Ryanair's chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said: "Much of that growth will come from taking market share from other airlines. It won't be new fliers. They might switch to us from an airline with more polluting planes.

"We aim to reduce our emissions from a current level of 66g per passenger kilometre down to at least 60g by 2030."

Ryanair aims to achieve a reduction in its pollution primarily by using the Boeing 737 Max plane, which uses less fuel and carries more passengers than its existing 737s. It is awaiting certification by regulators, however, which Jacobs said he expected by the end of this year.

He also claimed that larger airlines that fly long-haul routes could reduce their carbon footprint if they got rid of their planes' first-class sections.

"I'd ask whether first-class flying should come to an end. It needs to be on the table. It gives a low load factor [meaning fewer passengers are on a plane]," he said. First-class passengers are among the most profitable for airlines, however.

Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan said: "The airline's recent green claims do not absolve them of the fact that their total emissions are rising. The CO2 put into the atmosphere now will be there for 1,000 years. Low-cost airlines may also encourage shorter breaks to a certain extent, whereas longer stays are a more sustainable form of tourism."

Ryanair's emissions are about twice that of Uganda (with total emissions of 5.04m tonnes in 2017), which has a population of 44 million people. The airline's passengers can voluntarily offset their CO2 emissions through a small payment to First Climate, which has a project in Uganda to provide people with efficient cooking stoves that they use instead of open fires.

The European Aviation Safety Agency plans to grade aircraft according to how polluting they are with a labelling system, similar to the one used on TVs and household appliances.A new Irish company has established a spa-management business, which aims to replicate the success of hotel management companies.

Eileen Fleming, who owns The Buff Day Spa in Dublin, and spa consultant Heidi Grimwood have launched FG Innovation Management, which provides a range of operational management, consulting and training services for spas - particularly those located in hotels.

"Many hotels have spas that are viewed simply as a necessary guest service, rather than a stand-alone business entity," said Fleming.

She said that spas are often run by hotel staff with no spa experience or beauty therapists with no management experience. "This can end up costing money and damaging reputation, rather than enhancing the hotel brand," she added.

"Low revenue, insufficient marketing, under-utilised treatment rooms, poor staff retention and recruitment issues are among the significant challenges the business will addresses with clients," she said. Consistency is another key issue which they believe can be weak in hotel spas. "The standards can be hit and miss which is such a shame because they have absolutely beautiful premises."

"But if a spa is loss-making or barely breaking even, it's very hard to justify bringing in new treatment lines and improvements. We will look at a spa, look at its capacity, look at where it is and bridge that gap"

Fleming first met with her business partner when Grimwood acted as a consultant to the Buff Day Spa, which has operated off Grafton Street for the past 16 years.

"I have been consulting in Ireland for the past six years and what I found is that I would go in and consult with businesses and do the training and the businesses would turnaround and sustain that for maybe 12 or 18 months," said Grimswood. "But after that maybe due to a changes in staff, they were losing momentum."

Grimswood also said the management company would help bring the wow-factor back to spas. Other services that they plan to offer include business analysis, online training and gift vouchers.Ticket reseller Viagogo cannot proceed with an investment of up 20m to create 100 new jobs unless the Government changes parts of proposed ticket-touting legislation, it claims.

Viagogo CEO Cris Miller told the Sunday Independent that Ireland had become less "tech friendly" since the company established a base in Limerick five years ago.

Miller fears his 250 Irish staff could be criminalised by a law proposed to ban the reselling of tickets for above face value. Miller said that although Viagogo's first preference is to immediately expand its Irish operation, the investment would not proceed until it can get written assurances about the extent of powers in the legislation.

"We are at full capacity in Limerick, so 100 jobs could be put in Ireland right now," said Miller.

But if the legislation proceeded in its current form Viagogo would have to consider if it could operate in Limerick at all, he said.

"The biggest concern is that we would need certainty and stability around our approach to making any further investments in Ireland," he said, adding

The company has to date received assurances from government officials but "nothing in writing", said Miller.Property developer Jim Osborne's firm Osborne and Company has been given the green light from Belfast City Council's planning committee for his 450m Waterside development.

Construction is expected to begin on the project - which includes 250,000sq ft of office space, as well as 675 apartments, further serviced apartments, a hotel, and community, cultural, leisure, and retail properties - in the coming months.

The work, on the 16-acre former site of the Sirocco Works on the Laganside, will be overseen by the firm's construction director, Flan McNamara, who previously oversaw the construction of The Shard skyscraper in London.

Founding director Conor Osborne said: "The scale of this project is huge, and so are its potential benefits. Construction alone could create over 1,000 jobs and it will bring a host of new facilities to this vacant site including community, cultural and leisure facilities, such as cafes, bars, gym, restaurants and local retail, as well as proposals to enhance pedestrian and cycle connections across the river.

"The approval of the masterplan is just the beginning and we look forward to continuing the conversation about how The Waterside represents a once in a generation opportunity to enhance Belfast's status as a world-class location to live and work."

The masterplan approval builds upon that previously granted for a 13-storey, 250,000sq ft office space that was secured last August.

Previously Jim Osborne has said: "Half the people I grew up with in Dundalk were transplants from Belfast - from the Markets or the Short Strand. The city and its people are welcoming, positive, energetic and entrepreneurial,"

His London-headquartered firm specialises in building to suit occupiers that are mainly blue-chip corporates such as banks, and has built more than 20 million sq ft of developments worth more than 2.5bn to date. It also previously built the biggest Ikea warehouse in the world, in Dubai, while last year Osborne sold another building there to HSBC bank for a reported $235m.

It developed Symantec's European headquarters in west Dublin. Last year, the firm said it had looked at potential developments in Dublin, but had no imminent plans to build here.

The firm aims to develop more than 5bn of property over the next three years.With just over a week to go until this year's Leaving Cert finishes up, the countdown for exam results will soon be on. Many of today's school-leavers will be relying on those results - due out in mid-August - for a place in college. Those concerned that they have not done as well in their Leaving Cert as they had hoped should note that college is not the only path to a successful career.

There are plenty of opportunities for school-leavers who either don't secure enough points to go to college, or who can't afford - or have no interest in - third-level education.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships typically involve a mix of on-the-job training and classroom-based learning.

"The on-the-job learning that comes with an apprenticeship really suits some people," said Maria Walsh, communications manager with Solas, the further education and training agency. "Some people can really flourish in apprenticeships."

You can typically expect to have two to three years of work experience behind you when you finish an apprenticeship - and that experience could stand to you more than a college degree would when seeking a job. Furthermore, statutory apprenticeships (the ones which Solas and the Higher Education Authority are involved in) are paid and this is often appealing to school-leavers.

Traditional apprenticeships (typically those developed before 2016) include electrical, plumbing, carpentry and motor mechanics. "These are trades where people would typically end up working," said Walsh.

The ESB has a long history of offering apprenticeships. The latest apprenticeship from ESB Networks is a four-year paid programme. Under that apprenticeship, the annual pay in the first year is about 10,500 - and this increases to 17,000 in the second year, 23,000 in the third year and 27,000 in the fourth year. Should you secure a permanent network technician job in ESB Networks after completing this apprenticeship, you can expect a starting salary of about 35,000, according to an ESB spokesman. That should increase the higher up the career ladder you move. The average salary of an ESB employee was 77,900 in 2018 - and that rose to 88,300 once expenses and overtime were included. Although the deadline to apply for the latest ESB apprenticeship has passed, the next recruitment drive for ESB apprentices will be in February 2020. Successful ESB apprentices become qualified electricians - and this qualification is recognised around the world, according to the ESB spokesman.

"Successful apprentices also become qualified network technicians - which is a sought-after qualification, particularly in Australia and Canada," added the spokesman.

Aircraft maintenance is another example of a traditional apprenticeship. "All of the major airlines - including Aer Lingus, Ryanair and Stobart Air - take on apprentices each year," said Walsh.

Dublin Aerospace offers a four-year aircraft mechanic apprenticeship programme. The annual pay in the first year of this apprenticeship is 12,000 - and that salary increases in each of the next three years of the programme, according to Susan Gorman, head of human resources with Dublin Aerospace. You could get a job as an aircraft engineer after completing this apprenticeship. The starting salary for a qualified licensed aircraft engineer is 42,000 in the first year - but the salary can be higher if you have more qualifications, For example, approved engineers earn more than licensed aircraft engineers, according to Gorman.

It is too late to apply for Dublin Aerospace's 2019 aircraft mechanic apprenticeship but it will start to recruit for its 2020 apprenticeship programme in early November. The aircraft mechanic apprenticeship programme includes on-the-job training and college training. "A qualified aircraft licensed engineer can become an approved licensed engineer, team leader and can even progress to senior management - or to owning their own aviation company," said Gorman. "The apprenticeship gives a great base to build upon and many ex-apprentices move on to senior roles in the airline and aircraft leasing industries, while others use their experience to move into roles in different industries."

For those interested in engineering or manufacturing careers, there's a big demand for people who have completed apprenticeships in instrumentation and electrical instrumentation, according to Walsh. (Instrumentation engineers plan, install, monitor and maintain control systems and machinery within manufacturing environments.)

A number of new apprenticeships were launched over the last few years - including in cybersecurity, ICT, original equipment manufacturing (OEM - an apprenticeship designed to meet the evolving skill set requirements of engineering and manufacturing companies), auctioneering and property services, butchery, and international financial services.

"These new apprenticeships were specifically tailored to where there are skill shortages," said Walsh.

The starting salary of those taking up these newly developed apprenticeships is often at least 20,000 a year. For example, the starting salary of the Level 6 international financial services associate apprenticeship is around 23,000 a year, while the starting salary of the follow-on apprenticeship - the Level 8 (honours degree) international financial services specialist - is about 32,000 a year, according to Walsh.

Be aware that if your apprenticeship includes some college training, you are likely to have to pay the student contribution charge - or a portion of that charge (depending on how long you are in college in a given year).

Be sure to choose an apprenticeship which interests you. "Get a bit of work experience in an area you're considering - and see if you like it," said Walsh. "If you are doing a four-year apprenticeship, you need to have a passion for it."

PLCs

There are two main streams of Post Leaving Certificates (PLCs): those designed with progression to third-level education in mind - and those designed with employment in mind.

"PLCs are a good option as a route into a career or into college," said Walsh. "Some of the PLC courses designed for progression into third-level education include nursing, pre-university law, pre-university networking technologies and art portfolio courses. PLCs are also a good option for school-leavers who are unsure what they want to do. Furthermore, some of the PLC colleges are embracing the apprenticeship model."

Both the Ballsbridge College of Further Education and the College of Commerce in Cork for example offer the apprenticeship in auctioneering and property services.

PLCs are significantly cheaper than college - there is no 3,000-a-year student contribution charge though the bill for other fees (PLC fee, student services charge and materials) could run to 500 or more. There are a wide range of PLCs available - covering areas such as animation, computer science, childcare and tourism. Should you be considering a PLC as a route to a job offer, choose an area where there are likely to be job opportunities. A recent ESRI report found that too many people undertaking a PLC were enrolled in areas where there are too few jobs.

Straight to work?

Another alternative to college is simply to go to work straight after leaving school. Your career opportunities are likely to be limited if you take this approach though. Some careers are more suited to on-the-job training than others - but having an apprenticeship or qualification under your belt should always stand to you. "We all need to be continually upskilling - and learning to be on top of our career," said Walsh. "Being very aligned to education throughout our whole career is very important - people need to take whatever opportunities they can to do so."

The decisions you make after leaving school are likely to have a big impact on your career prospects, so make those decisions carefully.

Private colleges and traineeships

Private college

Getting enough CAO points for a course in some of the bigger colleges can be a struggle - last year for example, many of the degree courses in UCD and TCD required over 500 points.

Private colleges - also known as independent colleges - are often an option for Leaving Cert students who don't get enough points to study their preferred course in the bigger colleges and universities.

Some of the more well-known private colleges include Griffith College, Dublin Business School, Independent College Dublin and Dorset College.

"In many cases, Griffith College offers a number of courses that require less points than the likes of UCD or TCD," said a spokeswoman for Griffith College.

The free-fee arrangements in place for undergraduate courses in universities and institutes of technology don't apply to private colleges however. Private college fees vary but tuition fees are typically around 4,000 to 6,000 a year for a full-time undergraduate course - with 20pc tax relief available on those fees. For example, a typical year at Griffith College will cost a student between 5,000 and 6,000 - not including the student's learner fee, administration fees and other charges. Griffith College also has a number of business courses which cost 3,500 a year.

Bear in mind that as the student contribution charge for the publicly funded third-level courses in the likes of UCD and TCD is 3,000 a year, a private college might only work out a few grand more expensive than a university. A private college could even work out cheaper - if its location allows the student to continue to live at home and thereby save on rent.

You can often apply directly to a private college for certain courses rather than go through the CAO system.

Some private colleges also have schemes in places for those who want to earn while they study. Griffith College for example has an 'earn and learn' initiative - which gives school-leavers the opportunity to work full-time with a partner company of the college's, earn a wage and study part-time at Griffith College to earn their degree.

Traineeships

Traineeships are an alternative to college and apprenticeships. One of the main aims of traineeships - which provide a mixture of on-the-job training and off-the-job learning - is to make people more employable by equipping them with the skills they need for a job. Traineeships are often shorter than apprenticeships. Like apprenticeships, traineeships cover a wide range of areas including engineering, hospitality, ICT and retail.

More information

Visit apprenticeship.ie or traineeship.ie (for details on apprenticeships and traineeships); qualifax.ie (for details on PLCs and private college courses).The recent visit to Toronto by Minister of State for Trade, Employment and Business Pat Breen highlighted the increasing volume of trade between Ireland and Canada.

It also delivered a strong message to Irish companies looking to grow their business overseas: the Great White North is now far more attractive to exporters.

There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that Canada offers a stable, growing economy.

It has deep connections with Ireland and is home to a sizeable Irish diaspora. Some 14pc of Canada's population claims Irish roots, statistically more than that of the United States.

The relationship between the countries is enhanced by increasingly excellent flight connections. Most recently, these have included a new Dublin to Calgary direct service, in addition to existing flights to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax.

Canada is performing well economically, having avoided the travails of the Great Recession of a decade ago. Of particular interest to Irish exporters are its rapidly-growing city economies.

Indeed, Toronto was recently ranked the fastest-growing city in North America. In 2017, it added the greatest number of technology jobs of any city in North America, beating Silicon Valley.

Enterprise Ireland has witnessed this trend first-hand. Last year, companies we support continued to see growth in the Canadian market, reaching a record 348m in exports.

This included particularly strong results in sectors such as digital technologies, fintech, education, life sciences and industrial products.

Canada is now a top 10 market for Irish companies. In fact, it is the second-largest market outside of Europe for Enterprise Ireland-backed companies - second only to the US - in core areas of ICT and advanced manufacturing.

A key factor influencing this increase in trade has been the introduction of the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, or Ceta, in September 2017.

The agreement resulted in the removal of tariffs for around 98pc of goods traded between Canada and the EU. For example, tariffs on apparel have been eliminated, in some cases taking tariffs of more than 20pc away from products entering Canada.

This is another sector where Enterprise Ireland-backed companies have seen growth. In 2018, our apparel segment grew by 23pc year-on-year. Direct feedback from Irish companies tells us that Ceta is helping them to retain customers, sell more to existing customers and find new buyers attracted by the removal of tariffs.

During his visit, Mr Breen met a range of Irish companies showing significant growth in the Canadian market across key sectors including technology (IoT, security, fintech), construction, education and retail.

They described how Ceta has positively influenced their exporting ability, not only through tariff reduction but also due to the greater ease of doing business that it facilitates.

Sinead Clarke, owner of the Irish Design House Store in Toronto, has been importing Irish apparel and giftware brands for the past five years and currently sells 80 Irish brands in her store.

She described how Ceta has greatly increased the attractiveness of Ireland as a market from which to import goods for Canadian retailers.

"A tariff of close to 20pc on wool textiles was eliminated, which was a huge advantage for me when importing," she said.

"This helps the Irish supplier and it helps the Canadian retailer to offer good value to the customer."

Other benefits experienced by Irish exporters as a result of Ceta arise in relation to procurement. Ceta facilitates easier access to public procurement, enabling Irish firms to bid for public contracts.

It also helps in relation to staffing. Ceta reduces the restrictions on EU professionals working in Canada, notably intra-company transferees.

Finally, it is helpful in relation to coordinating testing and certification procedures. A range of goods now have fewer administrative hurdles to overcome, such as the need to be 'double tested' on both sides of the Atlantic.

This move is particularly beneficial to smaller companies.

If Irish companies have ever asked 'O Canada?', the answer is clearly now 'O for opportunity'.

Lizzie Curran is a market executive for Canada with Enterprise Ireland.Ireland is not the same welcoming country for the tech industry that controversial ticket reseller Viagogo found in 2014, according to its global chief executive Cris Miller.

Back then Minister Richard Bruton cut the ribbon on its IDA-backed customer service centre at the long-empty former Flextronics plant at Plassey in Limerick.

Now the company is stalling on a new 10m investment at the centre that could create 100 jobs by moving into a ready-to-go extension that almost doubles the size of its existing office because it fears proposed new legislation to ban above-cost ticket reselling here could potentially criminalise its staff.

"Ireland in 2014, the landscape, was much different to what it is today. So you have to consider your investments," said Miller.

Ireland's attitude to the wider tech scene has "become more concerning", he said.

"The temperature around technology businesses and their welcomeness here I think has shifted considerably, especially new technology," said Miller, who said he was unclear why this was the case particularly given the threat of Brexit.

"From our point of view it seems unfortunate and it has been a very quick shift. Everything is on the table and we'll just have to evaluate our options," he said.

The company has already invested about 20m in its Irish operation since 2014 in both capital investment and wage payments and expects it could invest a similar amount if the new jobs go ahead.

But at least some of the perceived cold shoulder for Viagogo has come about because ticket reselling has continued to create controversy, sparking a political push for new legislation.

Critics - particularly event organisers and ticket-sellers - claim that online resellers such as Viagogo are little better than fancy ticket touts and not much different to hated so-called scalpers on the street outside any high-profile concert or sporting event.

Viagogo has begun a process of lobbying Irish politicians to 'educate' them on how it operates and on how others in the marketplace look to 'demonise' the disruptive tech company.

"I would say first that the criticism is focused primarily on their own frustration at the fact that we are disruptive to the marketplace," said Miller.

"It's a new industry and we have put a lot of safety and security around it but the resale market itself has existed as long as live events. It's an emotional product. People have a real affinity to these live events and the vast majority - 99pc - of transactions take place without a hitch."

The distribution of tickets in general is "a pretty unfair system" because it is a limited good and an expiring asset, said Miller. "You have something that is good for one night only," he said, adding that Viagogo has created a safe, well-regulated space for consumers to buy or sell tickets.How do you follow up a television show that became an instant and enormous success, scored a raft of Emmys and Golden Globes, dominated water-cooler chat for the entirety of its seven-week run, pre-empted the explosion of the MeToo movement by a matter of months with its themes of sexual assault and female solidarity, and featured an unprecedentedly starry cast for TV of five Hollywood big hitters, namely: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley and Zoe Kravitz - but was never intended to run beyond one season?

Answer: give in to public demand, create a second season and add in the biggest Hollywood hitter of them all, Meryl Streep.

That's the solution Kidman and Witherspoon, also producers of the series, came up with after HBO/Sky Atlantic's Big Little Lies became a smash hit. First, they commissioned Liane Moriarty, who had written the original novel that screenwriter David E Kelley had adapted for the small screen, to write a follow-up novella that Kelley could adapt.

Then Moriarty deliberately named the new character - the mother of murdered wife-beater and rapist Perry (played by Alexander Skarsgard) - Mary Louise, in an attempt to lure Streep into joining the cast (Mary Louise is Meryl's real name).

She need not have tried so hard. Streep was already a fan.

"It was the greatest thing on TV, it really was, that first season," Streep (69) says. "Who wouldn't sign up to be on that?" When asked to join the cast, she agreed without having even read the script.

Set in a wealthy neighbourhood in the Californian town of Monterey, the second season, which kicked off this week, looks set to prod away at many of the same issues as the first, from domestic abuse to middle-class status anxiety. But the central plot will be driven by Streep's character, who arrives ostensibly to help out her late son's widow, Celeste (Kidman), now a single mother with her and Perry's twin boys.

But, as she quickly admits, Mary Louise has also come to Monterey for answers. There is, she believes, a great deal more to the death of Perry - who was pushed down a flight of stairs by Zoe Kravitz's character Bonnie at the end of season one, but whose murder has been covered up by the five women - than she has been told, and she sets out to find out what with a series of cutting one-liners.

"I'm so grateful that I've found a profession that gives me a place to put all the really horrible parts of my personality," Streep says wryly of the role. "I don't have to visit them upon my children and my friends - I can put them into my work."

The actress feels strongly that Big Little Lies has been a game changer, in getting men to identify with women's viewpoints.

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"We've spent all our lives living through male protagonists," she said. "I grew up reading Tom Sawyer, reading Peter Pan, and then there was Wendy and Tink [Tinker Bell], and I didn't want to be either one of those. I wanted to be Peter Pan." But, "the hardest thing is to get men to live through a protagonist who's female. It's almost an impenetrable act of imagination for many men, and this one crossed over."

Dern, who plays the ambitious Renata in the series, says she felt similarly: "In my narrow-minded, and perhaps cellular perception that comes with some sexism, I thought, 'Well, women will watch the show'. But men also loved the show. Frat boys loved the show. Teenagers loved the show. Because we all want authentic human stories, we all want to see brokenness and humanity."

Streep makes the point that the series even has a post-MeToo message. We should not only focus on toxic masculinity, she warns, "because women can be pretty f***ing toxic. It's toxic people."

The success of Big Little Lies, she believes, is in its multi-layered and multi-faceted characters, not least Celeste, whose feelings towards the abusive Perry see-sawed between love and hate.

"For a long time, in movies and television, women would be singular and extraordinary and they would represent something - the love interest, for example. Part of the appetite for the second season had to do with the fact that we were seeing people who were not emblematic. You're not standing in for every woman that's abused. Your abuse is singular."

Front and centre of the series is also the experience of motherhood, now given something of a sinister but none the less empathetic iteration in the figure of Mary Louise, a woman who would never believe ill of her golden son, Perry.

Herself a mother of three adult daughters, Louisa (27), Grace (33) and Mamie (35), and a son, Henry (39), Streep talks of "the special myopia that motherhood imposes on you, where you sometimes only see your own child's importance in the world and what you want for them".

Streep says: "In your life, before you have children, you're warring with yourself, but then [after you have children], you're warring with yourself and what you hope for your children. What you see them struggling with, and the challenges of trying to help them, but not to clear a path. Trying to make things possible, but not just give them stuff.

"In playing the character that I play, where my son is dead - I, thank God, don't have that experience - but just going into the dark place of imagining that, your feeling of protecting him, even though he's gone, is still there. Motherhood never stops."

Along with its willingness to depict the complexity of women on screen, Big Little Lies is helping change Hollywood and TV on the inside too, Streep believes. She praises the tenacity of Witherspoon and Kidman - who bought the rights to Moriarty's novel from an early galley copy; Witherspoon having already had great acclaim with her production company's adaptation of Gillian Flynn's blockbuster Gone Girl and Cheryl Strayed's bestselling memoir Wild.

"I am of a generation that waited to be asked to dance, and I think I still am in that position," says Streep. "But I'm so admiring of [Witherspoon and Kidman] for getting up in front of stuff, for being on the balls of your feet and looking for material."

And, now, she says, for also keeping up the momentum. "This thing [season one] met its moment in this amazing way, but you had nothing for the second season. You just thought, 'Let's go ahead and invent this thing that never existed'. That's the biggest leap of all. That's inventing your reason for being," she says. "The hardest thing is to absolutely believe that you can self-generate work, and that people will want to see it, especially when the expectation is so high."

Perhaps Big Little Lies can rewrite the rule book. Its most garlanded star seems to think so.

Big Little Lies continues on Sky Atlantic on Monday nightRick Astley has said he never embraced the rickrolling phenomenon because he did not want to ruin the joke.

Rickrolling is a popular internet meme which involves tricking someone into clicking a link for something they want to view, only to be confronted with Astleys 1987 hit Never Gonna Give You Up.

Speaking at the Isle of Wight Festival, the 53-year-old said it would have been crass and naff to use the trend to boost his profile.

Astley said that while some artists would be offended, he tried not to take the meme seriously.

He told the Press Association: Ive never really embraced it fully to try and monetise it because that would just be crass and naff anyway. And it would have also completely killed it.

Once the artist who you are having this fun with  or taking the piss out of  gets involved, then its just over and its boring.

With John Giddings. Thank you for inviting me to the IOW festival! Such an honour and so excited to play here for the first time -Rick x #IOW2019 @IsleOfWightFest pic.twitter.com/guNcIq4i2J  Rick Astley (@rickastley) June 15, 2019

I embrace it in the sense that I dont see it as negative. I understand why a lot of artists would. But lets face it. Its a pop song from 1987. Its not the gospel according to

In 2016 Astley returned to the charts for the first time in nearly 30 years with the release of his number one album 50.

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This prompted a late career resurgence which has seen him tour the UK and appear on festival line-ups.

He said rickrolling had undoubtedly played a part in his comeback.

Its certainly done me no harm, he said.

Anything that makes its way onto the internet and puts its head above the parapet, for any artist, even if it seems to be a bit negative at times, just puts you in peoples consciousness.

Im pretty sure record labels and managers around the world have looked at something like rickrolling and gone: How do we do that?

Saturdays festival action included Astley, Bastille and KT Tunstall, and Bastille invited Astley onto stage to join them in a rousing rendition of the bands 2013 hit Pompeii.James Joyce lookalike John Shevlin visits the grave of the authors parents John Stanislaus Joyce and his wife Mary Jane during the annual Bloomsday event at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin Photo credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Caroline Elbay arriving at The James Joyce Centre greeted by James Joyce played by John Shevlin Picture Conor McCabe Photography.

Marcel Krone and Jo Johnston from arriving at The James Joyce Centre greeted by James Joyce played by John Shevlin Picture Conor McCabe Photography

Bloomsday Festival Director Jessica Peel Yates and Joyce lookalike and milliner John Shevlin at the James Joyce Centre Picture By David Conachy

(L-r) Donal and Suzanne Thurlow from Limerick and Dermot McElwaine and Caroline Coyle from Athlone arriving at The James Joyce Centre greeted by James Joyce Picture Conor McCabe Photography.

JAMES Joyce enthusiasts have arrived at Glasnevin Cemetery in full costume to commemorate Bloomsday.

The event included a costumed performance by the "Joyceanstagers" of chapter six, Hades, from Ulysses, which is set in the cemetery.

It was followed by a special Joycean-themed tour of the cemetery.

Bloomsday enthusiasts arrived in hired carriages and costume.

CEO of Glasnevin Trust Aoife Watters said: "Glasnevin Cemetery is very proud to have a special connection with James Joyce and Bloomsday.

"Several of the characters from the book Ulysses found their final resting place here, including Paddy Dignam, Michael Cusack (the citizen) and even Joyce's own father John Stanislaus.

"It's wonderful to be able to host this event here today, honouring the great James Joyce, and the masterpiece that is Ulysses."

Thousands of people come to Ireland for Bloomsday and it has expanded into a week-long event.

Expand Close James Joyce lookalike John Shevlin visits the grave of the authors parents John Stanislaus Joyce and his wife Mary Jane during the annual Bloomsday event at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin Photo credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp James Joyce lookalike John Shevlin visits the grave of the authors parents John Stanislaus Joyce and his wife Mary Jane during the annual Bloomsday event at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin Photo credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Glasnevin Cemetery holds a special place for Joyce devotees.

In the Hades chapter, Leopold Bloom accompanied Simon, Stephen's father to Paddy Dignam's funeral and decided from then on to reject morbid thoughts and to embrace "warm full-blooded life".

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A fully costumed performance of this chapter was performed by the "Joycestagers" on Sunday.

The enactment was followed by a specialised tour, led by Paddy Gleeson.

It took in historic graves on the way, including the writer's father John Stanislaus Joyce, along with the final resting places of a multitude of people from the novel, Ulysses, and from James Joyce's life.

The Glasnevin Cemetery Cafe also provided a Bloomsday-themed menu.

Ulysses follows the life and thoughts of Bloom, the central character and the novel, from 8am on June 16, 1904, through to the early hours of the following morning.

John Shevlin is a Joyce lookalike.

He said: "Bloomsday is a long day but a wonderful day."

Later on this evening at the Laughter Lounge, punters can take a step back to 1904, when the Monto area of Dublin was Europes largest red-light district.

The surreal and energetic Circe episode of Ulysses unravels on so-called Nightstown's fantastical streets and tonight, there will be thrills and theatrical performances aplenty at the Eden Quay venue for a Bloomsday Blowout.

In Parnell Square, it was Bloomsday with an artistic twist as crowds embraced their inner creatives in a body-painting session.

People were invited to paint themselves to depict the captivating imagery of Joyce, who exquisitely describes the Dublin food scene in his iconic work.A FORMER secondary school teacher has been awarded 700,000 damages against the HSE over the manner in which it inquired into sexual abuse allegations against him.

Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill severy criticised the manner in which the investigation was conducted, saying the teacher was clearly targeted by the area health board and the HSE.

The judge said the actions of the HSE had the consequence of irreparably destroying the life of the teacher.

"Whilst the judgments of this court must go some considerable distance in redressing the wrong done to the applicant, the life he has lost to date cannot be restored and in the future will not be adequately repaired," the judge said.

In the absence of any adequate or proper vindication of his reputation out of the HSE inquiry, the judge said, the teacher  who cannot be named  will have to live with the consequences of the HSE's wrongdoing for the remainder of his life.

Awarding a total of 736,984, Mr Justice O'Neill said the teacher endured great mental anguish and suffering through the entire period of the inquiry. Although it is now closed, the judge said the teacher was understandably dissatisfied with the outcome because it does not vindicate him and he is left with the residual apprehension that it is always open to the HSE to recommence the investigation.

Outcry

The case arose out of allegations made by a former pupil. An American counsellor acting for the boy notified the area health board that he had made "a verbal outcry of sexual abuse" by the teacher at his former Irish school.

The boy, now aged 24, never made a formal statement to gardai and as a result, the DPP directed no prosecution could be taken.

The former teacher was suspended on administrative leave by his school in 2006 and he was reinstated in 2007, after he took legal proceedings, but he never returned to work.

Mr Justice O'Neill said a report of March 2006 fell far short of an honest attempt by the HSE to discharge its duty.

Mr Justice O'Neill said in effect the allegations were accepted as true from the outset and the local health board and the HSE at every step of the investigation "sheltered these allegations from appropriate scrutiny".Garda forensic teams remove the remains of Valerie Kilroy from a shed at Kilbree, Westport, Co Mayo. Photo: Mark Condren

James Kilroy has appeared in court charged with the murder of his wife Valerie (both pictured inset)

A MAN appeared in court this afternoon charged with the murder of his wife.

James Kilroy (46), with an address at Kilbree Lower, Westport, Co. Mayo, was brought before Judge Fiona Lydon at a special sitting of Castlebar District Court.

Expand Close Valerie Kilroy / Facebook

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He has been in custody in connection with the death of his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, a 41-year-old mother-of-three.

The accused showed no emotion during the five-minute hearing.

Detective Sergeant Michael Doherty, told today's hearing he arrested the accused at 11.45am this morning and at 12.45am he charged Kilroy with murder.

In reply to the charge, after caution, Det Sgt Doherty outlined, the accused made no reply.

Expand Close James Kilroy appeared before a special sitting of Castlebar District Court Photo: Conor McKeown Photography / Facebook

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Whatsapp James Kilroy appeared before a special sitting of Castlebar District Court Photo: Conor McKeown Photography

Garda Inspector Denis Harrington applied for a remand in custody to Harristown (Castlerea Prison) court next Friday, June 21.

Gary Mulchrone, solicitor, said there were serious concerns about the mental health of the accused, concerns that had become apparent since his detention.

Mr Mulchrone said his client was in immediate need of medical attention and a psychiatric evaluation.

Remanding the accused in custody, Judge Lydon recommended the medical attention sought by Mr Mulchrone, as well as an independent psychiatric assessment in due course.

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Free legal aid was also granted on the application of Mr Mulchrone.

A small group of relatives, as well as Reverend Val Rogers, Westport-based Church of Ireland Rector, were in court for the brief hearing.

Rev Rogers spoke briefly to the accused before he was led away by detectives following the hearing.Scene of the discovery of a body in Ashford Street, Stoneybatter. Photo: Tony Gavin 16/6/2019

Scene of the discovery of a body in Ashford Street, Stoneybatter. Photo: Tony Gavin 16/6/2019

THE death of a man whose body was found in a house in Dublin is "not suspicious", gardai have confirmed.

The body of a male, aged in his early 30s, was discovered at a house in the Stoneybatter area of the city this morning.

Emergency services were alerted to a house in Ashford Street at around 8am.

A garda spokesman has confirmed that a post-mortem examination was carried out this afternoon and the man's death is not being treated as suspicious.

A report will not be forwarded to the Coroner.One of Britain's top PR experts says Maura Higgins, the Irish girl who has been a hurricane of sexuality and chaos in this year's Love Island house, could be in line to make up to 1m once she leaves the reality TV show.

Rich Leigh, bestselling author of Myths of PR and head of Radioactive PR, says the 28-year-old Longford woman could earn tens of thousands for each post on her social media site.

"Maura could stand to make seven figures once out. It's not guaranteed by any stretch, but it's a path that's been trodden before and speaks to marketing's desire to work with topical talent," said Leigh.

However, he warned that Maura will need to act fast to profit from her 15 minutes of fame. "The value of a contestant to brands - and that's where most of the money is - is rarely long-lasting, for obvious reasons," he said. "Very few reality stars shine for longer than a year. I think I could probably count on both hands reality contestants whose profile has stood the test of time."

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But he said until the next new group of contestants were announced "companies want the captive audiences contestants can build" and "they're willing to pay well for it".

"There are many ways for somebody like Maura, with a couple of hundred thousand followers already, to earn very well once she leaves the show," he said. But he said modelling deals, presenting gigs and photo shoots for magazines will not be her road to fortune: "That's not really where the money is anymore." On social media, he said brands will "pay anything from the low thousands to tens of thousands for individual posts that could simply be an approved shot of the product - the earning potential here is massive". Between product lines, affiliate marketing and ambassadorial roles, Maura "could post once a month for a brand, have a relatively small percentage of followers buy [a product], and earn brilliantly". But he warned she would need to capitalise on the limited time frame: "Everybody thinks they'll last longer, but invariably, they don't."

On Maura's overtly sexual come-ons, Leigh said: "I think it's fair to say some brands will be turned off by it. It's a long-running show with recently well-publicised concerns around contestant suicides and on which people have sex - I think brands should know what they're getting if and when they do decide to work with a past contestant."

Meanwhile, Maura's uncle Pat Higgins told the Sunday Independent that "the whole family is very, very proud of her". Speaking exclusively to this newspaper, he said: "We are all watching her, she's doing great."

He added that the family always knew Maura would go on to bigger things, saying in the years before the Virgin Media show "she spent more time in the air than on the ground".

Meanwhile the mother of the Love Island star has said: "So many people are judging her too quickly. But don't she has a heart of gold."

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Since entering Love Island, the Irish girl has caused chaos among the girls, chatting up a storm with some of the men and leaving the other girls gasping in disbelief as she flirted with their love interests.The cold case Garda team investigating the baby stabbed to death 35 years ago have taken DNA samples from more than 20 men and women in a bid to identify the infant known as Baby John.

Among those selected for DNA sampling is a Dutch woman who was living outside Tralee in 1984 and who later took her own life in an "ongoing" line of inquiry, according to a Garda source.

The woman was nominated by a hospital worker. Her family in the Netherlands has been contacted by gardai with a request to provide DNA samples.

Gardai are also considering a fresh round of house-to-house inquiries close to the south Kerry beach where his body was found.

Last September, gardai conducted a door-to-door canvass of Valentia, which lies off the coast of White Strand. It had been suggested the body of the infant christened Baby John could have been carried to the beach from the island. The next phase of the investigation, it is understood, will revisit the communities close to White Strand beach.

The primary purpose of the canvass is to gather information from local people to help gardai select people for DNA sampling.

"For every person who is approached there is a reason," said the source.

"Valentia was targeted in a high-profile canvass of that area. It is something that other areas could be targeted for a detailed canvass, there are local communities down there in the area of White Strand," said an informed source. "The investigation will be continuing, it is ongoing, and the selective sampling of people will continue."

The newborn infant was found by a local man on White Strand beach on April 14, 1984. He had been stabbed 28 times and had lived for a number of days. He had been dead for two. The original Garda investigation soon switched to North Kerry and Joanne Hayes, the woman gardai wrongly accused of being Baby John's mother. A false confession was extracted from Hayes, who was charged with the murder. The charges were dropped when her own baby's body was found buried on the family farm, leading to a Tribunal of Inquiry.

The State apologised to Joanne Hayes in January last year after fresh tests on Baby John's DNA proved that she was not the mother. She and members of her family started legal proceedings to sue the State in March.

The case is reviewed by the Serious Crime Review team and local gardai every four to six weeks to gauge progress. One line of inquiry is the "scoping out" of historic files on local families who came to attention for child protection or child welfare issues. These were often under-reported at the time.

"The baby was stabbed nearly 30 times. You have to look at who would do that, and why they would do. That is a big mystery," said the source.

There is only one way of ruling a person out of the inquiry, he said, and that is with DNA: "Gardai are totally reliant on DNA science. All they have is a DNA sample from Baby John. It is the trump card and the investigation is very much working on using that as a tool to progress the investigation."

"We may target other areas again," said a source. "It is not like a normal canvass in a conventional incident when you are trying to get eyewitness accounts, access to CCTV," said the source.

Superintendent Flor Murphy, who is leading the inquiry, has previously said he believed the answer to the mystery lies in the local community "Maybe, because of their associations and friendships, they may not have been in a position to come forward at the time," the superintendent said. "But time can change a lot of things."FORMER garda Majella Moynihan, who felt forced to give up her child for adoption in the 1980s after becoming pregnant out of marriage, is seeking a face-to-face apology from the Garda Commissioner.

Meanwhile allegations of a whispering campaign against other garda officers and recruits who became pregnant outside of marriage have emerged in the aftermath of the scandal.

Ms Moynihan was subject to an investigation and threatened with dismissal after becoming pregnant by another garda recruit in 1984 at age 22.

But after bravely telling her story, she says that my shame is now theirs.

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She was investigated for a breach of discipline and was later charged with two counts under the 1971 Garda Siochana Regulations. The charges were related to premarital sex and giving birth outside of marriage.

Ms Moynihan, from Kanturk, Co Cork, told RTE: I kept the secret for so many years, it was so much shame and now its no longer my story of shame, its their shame.

I feel vindicated, I feel believed, people know me now in my truth. I know no one can make you feel anything now but back then they did, they made me feel that small.

All I kept hearing was discredit on the garda force.

Garda Commissioner Dreew Harris publicly apologised on Saturday and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan followed with a public apology today but Ms Moynihan is not satisfied.

Ive heard from nobody and I strongly believe and feel that both of those people should have come to me first, she said.

Its of vital importance that I meet Commissioner Harris and he meets me and he apologises to me and also gives me a written apology.

Yes, Id be happy and content with that.

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Ms Moynihan said she wanted just to get on with my life now, and to find happiness with my two sons. Its a new beginning for me.

She had joined the gardai as young recruit on what she felt was the most exciting day of her life at that time.

But she told RTE Radio One how she was later subject to an investigation and threatened with dismissal after becoming pregnant.

The former garda said she felt pressured to give up her baby, a boy named David, adopted in 1984.

Independent.ie has put a number of questions to gardai but was informed the information was held by administrative offices open during standard office hours.

Meanwhile Susan Lohan, co-founder of the Adoption Rights Alliance (ARA), said: Majella is aware of other officers and recruits who became pregnant outside of marriage while in the Force but shes only aware of herself being charged.

Some of them had abortions, some went away, some went to England. There was a whispering campaign carried out against all of them.Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has apologised to a former garda who was investigated and threatened with dismissal from the force for having a baby out of wedlock with another recruit.

Majella Moynihan was investigated by gardai in the 1980s over becoming pregnant.

In a statement this morning Mr Flanagan said:

I have spoken to Commissioner Harris and I welcome his apology to Ms Majella Moynihan on behalf of An Garda Siochana. I echo that apology in my capacity as Minister for Justice and Equality," he said.

"As a young Garda, Ms Moynihan faced an appalling ordeal at a time in Ireland that was sadly too often characterised by stigma and intolerance. What happened to her was clearly wrong on every level.

Majella Moynihan joined An Garda Siochana as an eager young recruit on what she said was the most exciting day of her life. She had put a difficult childhood behind her to embrace the life she thought was ahead of her. Majella's mother had died in a road accident when she was a baby, and her father, whom she believes couldn't cope, placed his daughters into industrial school in Mallow until they were 16.

As she recounted in a harrowing documentary broadcast on RTE Radio One yesterday afternoon, Majella thought: "Putting on that uniform, putting my shoulders back and saying 'Yes, I've done it. It's wonderful'."

It was the mid-1980s, an era when the scandals of the Catholic Church had yet to break the surface, contained by a hierarchy scandalised by women's sexuality; Joanne Hayes was traduced by the authorities in the Kerry Babies case; teacher Eileen Flynn was dismissed for having a child out of wedlock; and the teenage Anne Lovett died after giving birth by a grotto in Granard, Co Longford. Yesterday, Majella Moynihan took her place among them. She was charged by An Garda Siochana for having sex before marriage and a child out of wedlock that she says she was "forced" to give up for adoption. She told her story for the first time yesterday in The Case of Majella Moynihan, a radio documentary produced by Aoife Kelleher and Sarah Blake.

"When a child is taken from you and when a child is given to somebody else, and I'm speaking of my own experience, there's not a day of your life that goes by that you don't think of that child and what if I had him, what would I be doing with him and how would he be if he was with me? That hole will never be filled. Every day to this day, I think of him."

Majella was called to the Garda Training College in Templemore, Tipperary, in April 1983. She had a boyfriend, whom she had met in the Garda Club and was a year ahead of her at Templemore. She started her first posting in Store Street garda station in Dublin later that year, knowing she was pregnant.

She went to Cura, the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, which introduced her to another female garda who advised her to tell her district officer. At four months pregnant, Majella sat in his office. "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 straightaway he got out a pen and he wrote down his name. And I remember asking, 'Why is it that important who he is and whether he's a guard or not?'"

Unknown to Majella, word had already reached the Garda's top brass. Over the following months, inspectors, chief superintendents and assistant commissioners secretly monitored her pregnancy. "Please report further when baby is born to above-named," was the only non-redacted line in a letter sent by a chief superintendent to an assistant commissioner.

By March 1984, seven months pregnant, Majella began her maternity leave and her Cura social worker, Mena Robinson, arranged for her to go to a family in Galway. "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 can't give your child what you'd like to give him. You're 21 years of age, it'd be better if we took him and he went to a good family'. I still didn't know what I was going to do."

Her beautiful boy was born on May 31. Majella named him David and he was sent to a foster home. She travelled from Dublin every week to see him.

Six weeks after she gave birth, a Garda inspector quizzed her and later noted that she intended to "have the baby adopted, but she has not yet signed the necessary consent forms", that her relationship had ended and that "there was no prospect of reconciliation. It is not her intention to seek financial support".

Baby David was adopted on July 30, 1984 and Majella returned to work. She had until the end of that year before the adoption would be final. Garda management ramped up their internal investigation of Majella for breach of discipline. She was issued with a formal notice of breach of discipline by the chief superintendent.

"That evening I was requested to go upstairs to a room. I didn't know what it was for, again I had tremendous fear," she recalled. "I was living outside of my body at that stage because I just, I was destroyed within, I was absolutely in the most vulnerable state I was ever in in my whole life and that was the night that charges were proffered against me."

Majella was charged with two counts under the 1971 Garda Siochana Regulations, 'Conduct prejudicial to discipline or likely to bring discredit on the Force.'

The charges seem shocking now: The first accused her of "being an unmarried female member of An Garda Siochana" who "had sexual intercourse" with an unmarried garda recruit.

The second charge accused her of "being a female member of An Garda Siochana" who "gave birth to a child outside of wedlock".

"And after those charges were proffered against me, I was cautioned that I was not obliged to say anything unless I wished to do so and anything I said would be taken down in writing and may be given as evidence," Majella added.

"I remember thinking 'What are they doing?, Why am I being charged like a criminal? I did nothing wrong'. And the questions that I was asked, no person should ever be asked those questions. All about my past history, my sexual past, all about my life. It had nothing to do with the fact that I was pregnant, that I had given birth. At that stage I just felt that I wanted to die. I didn't want to live any more. I had to go back downstairs, put on my uniform and go back out on the beat as if nothing happened."

Six weeks later, Majella signed the necessary papers to finalise her son's adoption. "I felt, and I still feel, that I was pressurised into it and I didn't have a leg to stand on because every single person that spoke to me from the time that I told the authorities in the Garda Siochana that I was pregnant, that's the one thing that kept being mentioned: adoption, adoption, adoption."

Majella was 22. "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.

"When I'd see little babies in buggies, I'd automatically think of David. Every day, I thought of him."

The disciplinary process dragged on. Majella heard rumours that she was to be sacked. Her Cura social worker told Majella she had been to a meeting with the then Garda Commissioner, Larry Wren, and Archbishop Kevin McNamara at Archbishop's Palace to discuss what to do with her.

"Mena came back to me after that meeting, and told me that Archbishop McNamara turned to Larry Wren and said, 'If you sack Majella, you're opening the gates to England'. And at that stage, it was decided that I was to be cautioned."

Majella was cautioned, but that was not the end of her interrogations. The father of her child was also disciplined, a year after David's birth. She was called as a witness in his internal disciplinary inquiry at which she was interrogated before a panel of senior male gardai and was asked: "Did you become pregnant deliberately?" and also if she used contraception and had had sex with anyone else.

"I often wonder what they thought was going to be the outcome of something so ferocious. How they could even comprehend to put a 22-year-old vulnerable person who did nothing wrong - that they portrayed I had done so much wrong - into a room full of men and to tear me apart like they did."

The father of Majella's child was fined 90 for his conduct. Majella spent years in counselling to deal with the trauma, which was compounded when her case reached the newspapers, although she was not named.

She married another garda, Martin Peelo, and they have a son, Stephen, now 21. Majella, who left the force in 1998, has also been reunited with David, who is now 34. She is training to be a mindfulness counsellor and says she is "happy". But it is evident that scars from that time remain. She sought her file from An Garda Siochana, knowing that she would one day tell her story.

"I think for Ireland in the 1980s, in the middle 1980s, that it's 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."

Yesterday she asked An Garda Siochana for an apology. "I knew 35 years ago what they did was wrong. I know today what they did was wrong. Yes, I want an apology."

And shortly after she told her story on radio, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris issued a statement, saying he fully apologised to Ms Moynihan on behalf of An Garda Siochana "for the manner in which she was treated and the subsequent lifelong impact this had on her."As a storm engulfs senior British politicians over their past use of class A drugs, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has refused to clarify comments he made about his own drug use in a 2010 Hotpress magazine interview.

In recent days, it emerged that British prime minister hopeful Michael Gove snorted cocaine before entering British politics, while his Tory rival Boris Johnson also revisited past tales of his drug taking when challenged by reporters.

The rock'n'roll bible Hotpress has long been known for its profile interviews with Irish politicians and celebrities where they face probing questions about their personal lives.

Before becoming Taoiseach, Le Varadkar admitted to smoking cannabis in college but when asked if he ever experimented with ecstasy or other illegal drugs as a teenager, Mr Varadkar replied: "Not since I've held elected office, anyway."

He added: "I've been extremely law-abiding since I've been elected to politics."

Mr Varadkar was first elected to Fingal County Council in June 2004 at the age of 25.

A spokesperson for the Taoiseach did not respond to requests to clarify the comments when contacted by the Sunday Independent this weekend.

Meanwhile every member of the Cabinet was also sent a list of questions about any drug use in light of last week's controversy over Mr Gove.

The questions included: Have you ever taken a class A drug? Have you ever taken cannabis, amphetamine, nitrites, ecstasy, LSD or magic mushrooms?

Only one member of Cabinet agreed to answer the questions - Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O'Connor.

After confirming she had never taken any drug, she said: "I'm very aware of the increasing negative impact of substance use, particularly alcohol and drug-related behaviour, on student well-being in Ireland.

"The consequences of such behaviour can affect the students' health, undermines their academic engagement, inhibits their progression in higher education and, sadly, may result in serious injury and death.

"There is a need to further support our students to successfully negotiate the challenges of alcohol and drug use.

"Therefore, I am undertaking a new initiative to address these issues which will support your ongoing work in this area. I am going to hold a consultation meeting at the Department of Education and Skills in Dublin on Monday, June 24."

Meanwhile, in Britain, Mr Johnson said he had only ever taken cocaine once - as a 19-year-old - while insisting that the public does not care about the issue. In a separate interview he claimed it didn't actually go up his nose.

Asked directly when he last used the Class A drug, the Tory leadership frontrunner said that it was a "single inconclusive event" when he was a teenager.

Asked if he had taken cocaine since then, he replied: "No."

Other global leaders who have admitted to taking drugs include former US President Barack Obama, who said he had taken cocaine before being elected to office and former US President Bill Clinton who admitted he smoked marijuana - but said he didn't inhale.Far more trees may be in danger of being cut down along Dublin's proposed ''Bus Connects'' routes than previously estimated, a university professor has warned.

More than 4,700 trees have been identified as growing within a 20m wide corridor along the 16 bus routes earmarked for possible major road-widening, said Gerald Mills, Associate Professor of Geography at University College, Dublin.

The installation of enhanced bus lanes and cycle lanes is proposed to ease traffic congestion and make public transport faster and more attractive to car users.

Professor Mills said: "The public have seen differing news reports of the estimated loss of trees along the routes, sometimes varying between 500 and 1,000 trees.

"The National Transport Authority has still not given us any specifics on the trees to be cut down. It is reasonable to expect that the proposers have acquired information so that they can do a complete environmental impact analysis of the consequences of tree removal."

The National Transport Authority has stated it does not yet know how many trees will need to be felled.

Professor Mills told the Sunday Independent he has compiled a report which counted the number of trees along each bus corridor by placing the proposed bus routes map over a satellite image of the city.

All trees within a 20m wide zone along each road route were mapped and counted. All trees within a 10m zone were also counted.

His report identified 1,000 trees within the 10m zones, growing within five metres each side of the centreline.

It showed 4,734 trees within a 20m zone along the routes - these are trees growing within 10m on each side of the centre of the road.

He also calculated the amount of carbon dioxide greenhouse gases that these trees remove from the air along the routes.

He found that the trees growing within 10m either side of the centre-lines remove and store the equivalent of carbon produced by 8,973 cars using those routes twice a day.

The trees also absorb other pollutants from the air.

He said it was somewhat "ridiculous" to talk of the benefits of reducing greenhouse gases by easing traffic congestion through road widening while at the same time cutting down possibly thousands of mature trees that do a valuable job cleaning the air of those gases.

The professor said he does not claim to know the number, the sizes or the ages of the trees destined to be cut down but he called for more specific information to be made available by the National Transport Authority.

Neither has there been a cost-benefit analysis of the effects of felling the trees, he said.

"A colleague of mine did a simple thing of putting the routes on a satellite photograph of the city and simply clicking where all the trees are.

"I'm not saying they are going to cut all these trees. I think they have a responsibility to show where they are going to take away the trees," he said.

He said the value of trees along busy roads are not given due consideration. They act as a buffer to traffic noise and pollution. They boost health and well-being, provide valuable screening, shelter, privacy, and bio-diversity and enhance the character and attractiveness of streets.

Currently, London is planting one million extra trees at a time when Dublin stands to lose possibly thousands of trees to road widening, he said.

Grainne Mackin, spokesperson for the National Transport Authority, said the felling of trees along the Bus Connect routes will be minimised as much as possible.

The numbers of trees to be removed will not be known until further examination of the alignments of the routes is complete, she told this newspaper.

"I fully understand the emotional attachment people have to trees and their urban space. Residents are telling us they would prefer to have a one-way system on their street to restrict car access if they can keep their trees. We are going to work on our designs during the summer.

"Then we will go back for a second round of public consultation in the autumn. Our design team includes urban realm architects and landscape designers.

"We will minimise the impact on trees. We will put a re-planting programme in place as close as possible to the original locations. Trees live and trees die and there is a life cycle.

"We are looking at one-way systems for cars, more restrictions on parking and removal of parking, and traffic restrictions. People won't move out of their cars unless we get reliable bus lanes," she said.

"Dublin City Council Parks and Landscapes division have 60,000 trees in the city plus 40,000 trees in city parks while we may be impacting on 1,600 trees," she said.Alex Lawes, Alan Wolfe, David Parle and Packie McCarthy, who are behind the Fidelity A Beer Festival Pic Steve Humphreys

Alex Lawes, David Parle, Packie McCarthy and Alan Wolfe who are behind the Fidelity A Beer Festival with Arthur The Dog Pic Steve Humphreys

Alex Lawes, Alan Wolfe, David Parle and Packie McCarthy who are behind the Fidelity A Beer Festival, taking place July 13 at The Mansion House in Dublin Pic: Steve Humphreys

THE acclaimed Whiplash Brewery, which has long been forced to state no fixed abode when listed for awards, is finally getting a home.

The team at Whiplash describe themselves as cuckoo brewers because theyve been piggybacking on other facilities for so long.

But now the small team are setting up Dublins latest craft brewery which promises to be hyper efficient and eco-friendly.

Theyll also be celebrating the opening of the capitals newest brewery with a summer launch festival.

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Whiplash has been a rising force on the Irish beer scene in recent years, making an impact in the UK and beyond. It has hoovered up awards from the likes of craft-lovers websites Untappd and Beoir, which named their offerings Beers of the Year in both 2017 and 2018.

Light but flavoursome beers such as Northern Lights (2.8pc) jostle for attention with the likes of the banging Surrender to the Void (8.5pc).

But they have been brewing out of places as diverse as Dundalk, London and Switzerland in recent months  as well as using the facilities of Rascals in Inchicore.

We were using five breweries in three different countries at one stage, says Alex. Were cuckoo brewers!

Brewer Alan Wolfe is an ex-Guinness employee and later met Alex Lawes while they worked at Rye River in Celbridge (which makes McGargles). He then realised that they had single tanks which were hardly being used because they were inefficient for that scale of brewing.

He asked whether he could rent the tanks and work on different brews at the weekends.

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They then struck out into using more friends facilities to craft a diverse range of brews, again done in their spare time initially.

The rest is history as beer-lovers increasingly began to notice Whiplashs brews wherever a decent pint of craft was served.

We didnt mean for it to become a full-time job, it was always a project but we were getting so many people asking for it, and coming to expect it.

The idiosyncratic names of the beers mostly come from cultural touchstones, such as songs and albums  the popular Bone Machine is a nod to the Pixies because they are fans of the music, but it helps with the marketing. When the band tweeted about the beer, they got a massive surge in page impressions.

Gravity's Rainbow is named for a 1973 novel by American writer Thomas Pynchon. A notoriously difficult book to read, we wanted to make a beer that was difficult to drink! laughs Alex.

But mostly, you get to communicate a bit more about yourselves when you name beers this way. I wouldnt want to be thinking up different clever beer names as many as some other breweries. We have only been doing about three specials a month, another brewery might do three a week.

The new brewery is in Cherry Orchard and should help them brew a greater variety of beers with more regularity  although they will remain a small operation.

We are consolidating all the brewing into one place. Travelling was nice, but in reality its better to do it all there I designed it myself and it means we can do beer in interesting different ways.

Its relatively small kit but the quality will be good. Were happy with where we are but there is always room to improve. With the new brewery we will be able to experiment a bit more, push it a bit more.

Its the first independent brewery they know of to use a mash filter which makes it super efficient. It will be a low oxygen brew system and we are going to reduce carbon dioxide too, trying to run the boiler on biofuel.

It will be a super small but hyper-efficient brewery, we can brew on it six times a day to get the volume we need.

They are hoping to be up and running in late July, shortly after the new summer beer festival Fidelity  which will celebrate the brewerys opening.

Alex says: Weve been traveling Europe pouring our beers and collaborating with friends for a couple of years now and a big frustration of ours has been not having the facility to get our pals back to our own brewery in Dublin to host them here.

With the brewery coming along we decided it would be fun to try get lots of our friends in at the same time and throw an opening party this July.

The event at the Mansion House in Dublin on July 13 features a host of names that will get any beer connoisseurs mouth watering: Deya, Northern Monk, Yellowbelly, Rascals, Boundary and Salopian to name just a few.

It will take a novel approach to allow beer-lovers to taste as many different flavours as possible.

No glugging pints here  it will be all about tasting small samples.

It is pay up front and then sample at your leisure. Instead of being stuck with a pint of something, and limited in how many beers you can sample that way, you can have lots of small samples. You will get a good taste of everything that way.

They're craft beer heads just like us though and got really excited about the idea of this and are throwing all their might behind it.Premium

Dan O'Brien Opinion While we catastrophise about Covid, we ignore risk of running out of cash

We Irish view the world in an increasingly strange and unhealthy way. We catastrophise about Covid in a way other European countries do not. We focus on how bad the effects of the virus could get, on how many more restrictions might be imposed by Government and how helpless we are in the face of the virus.The Oireachtas has agreed to a referendum on giving Irish citizens abroad a vote in presidential elections. It is common in other countries for their citizens around the world to have a vote and ours may now be offered the same opportunity. I think it is a terrible idea in principle and practice.

A vote is a funny thing, largely taken for granted despite so many people being denied one. But we use our vote in different ways. At local and European elections, we vote semi-aspirationally. The green wave/ripple was part of that.

We're happy to be green now while we don't have to put our money where our mouth is. Local councillors and MEPs aren't seen as hugely important to the running of the country - so we can afford to vote in a way that makes us feel good.

A general election has real consequences for voters and is a different beast. We might well vote green for Europe, but when it comes to voting in TDs, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail remain the biggest parties because they promise more money in your pocket, more jobs or more perceived stability.

People in general elections vote in a more self-interested way - irrespective of what they say beforehand. People lie to pollsters and even exit polls about how they've voted. Hence the persistent underestimation of the FF vote. In the same way polls missed the Cameron conservative electoral win - because no one would admit they'd voted Tory.

And in referendums people vote all sorts of ways, sometimes even illogically, often in order to kick the government.

Votes are emotive. But a vote without consequences is a vote you're often willing to cast without too much serious deliberation.

Which brings me back to our overseas brethren voting for our president. If you don't live in Ireland there are no consequences for you personally, irrespective of who our government, president or legislature are. We could vote in Boaty McBoatface and it would make little odds to you. Casting a vote as an overseas citizen allows you a distance that makes how you vote less important than is true for citizens who live here. An overseas citizen is likely to be less in tune with what is going on here in Ireland. The Ireland we live in is largely progressive and liberal - as the past few referendums have shown. That is wholly out of step for example with the Irish-American Ancient Order of Hibernians, who organise the Paddy's Day parade in New York. They see themselves as Irish but they're Irish in an old school, conservative Catholic way. So they wouldn't allow LGBT representation in the parade until recently as they didn't approve. They don't represent an Ireland we've seen around these parts in a long while.

Or think back on the 1980s and 1990s when Noraid was raising serious funds for Sinn Fein and the IRA. A particular breed of Irish nationalism was fervently embraced by many Irish Americans during that period. I've no doubt that if they'd all had a vote, we'd have had a SF president. Even though Sinn Fein could barely get elected, in the Republic at that time. And to be clear, I've no difficulty with us electing a SF president, should the people of this island vote for one. But I do not want one imposed on us by our massive diaspora.

And that is part of the problem. For an island this size, we've had a disproportionate amount of emigration. There are people who claim Irish heritage and could claim Irish citizenship all over the globe. Some of whom have never set foot here. Our election results could be skewed in a way other countries that allow their citizens abroad a vote simply couldn't.

Over a quarter of a million new Irish passports were applied for overseas in the wake of Brexit. We cannot know what might spark an even greater demand to become an Irish (and therefore European) citizen going forward.

But do we really want citizens who have either left these shores for their own reasons or have never actually lived here at all, a say in one of the pillars of our democracy?

Even giving those north of the Border a vote is problematic. They vote along sectarian lines there, in a way we don't here.

Supposing in a big field of candidates who split the vote, we ended up with a president of this republic who was a British unionist. That would be a strange state of affairs.

No one apart from those few on the fringes was clamouring for a referendum in the UK on Brexit - yet referendum they had and now they have to live with the largely unintended consequences. It is not inconceivable that we could see the same thing here. Voters overseas could decide who becomes our head of state even though the majority who live here might have preferred a different candidate.

It's my view that many of the diaspora look back at the old sod with green tinted glasses and see us largely stowed in moth balls at the point at which they or their parents or grandparents left. But that is not who we are. We are a young, vibrant, outward looking, progressive, liberal country. I'm not sure that is truly recognised by our ex-pats.

I would stick to the old rule - no representation without taxation. No vote unless you have to live with the consequences of that vote.

I'd prefer to see the new Irish who live here have a vote than the Irish who have long left and are often largely out of touch.

@ciarakellydocLast week in The Irish Times, Fiach Kelly said the FG strategy for the next election is Brexit and financial prudence.

The first gave me a fright, the second gave me a grim laugh. Let me begin with Brexit, which of course, means the backstop.

The economist Keynes famously said when the facts changed, he changed. That is not true of Leo Varadkar

I believe the Taoiseach is a Pied Piper leading us to disaster by not budging on the backstop - even though the facts have changed.

You might justify hanging tough when weak Theresa May was prime minister - but it makes no sense with Boris Johnson in the job.

A few weeks ago, with no qualification, I predicted flatly that Boris Johnson would be the next British prime minister.

Now I predict flatly that Johnson will crash Britain out of Europe rather than retreat on the backstop.

Boris Johnson doesn't believe in much. But he does believe he is destined to do a Churchill.

He sees himself and Trump as Churchill saw himself and Roosevelt - incarnations of the Atlantic alliance.

Charles Moore, his former editor, spelled out in The Spectator Johnson's two core positions. First, deliver the democratic will of the British people on Brexit.

Second, to resist "a permanent Northern Irish backstop and thus a change to the constitutional status of Northern Ireland without consent".

Faced for the first time with a British leader with nothing to lose (especially not a general election, according to the polls), Leo Varadkar should save his country by time-limiting the backstop.

But rather than lose face, he seems to be freezing like a rabbit caught in the headlights of history.

He is being enabled by an Irish media so deeply embedded in the backstop that they cannot see the tank is about to be hit and they will perish in the fire of public opinion.

Because, of course, when Boris Johnson opts for no deal, and our economy faces destruction, the public will blame Boris - for about two minutes.

Then the post-mortem will begin. But the corpse will be that of the Fine Gael party and a craven media.

Far from treating the Tory leadership contest seriously, one Irish Times piece called three candidates "the opium user, the buffoon and the swivel-eyed loon".

You can be sure the paper would not apply these abusive adjectives to the swivel-eyed loons who lead Iran and Venezuela.

The extent of how deeply embedded RTE is was revealed when Jeffrey Donaldson came down to Dublin last Thursday to a sour RTE reception for his moving appeal for dialogue on the backstop.

He recalled how Sean Lemass never hid behind outside bodies when dealing with the Border.

"Leo Varadkar is the first Irish Taoiseach to subcontract Northern Ireland policy to the EU Commission, instead of emulating Sean Lemass, who tried to settle the Border issue, not by bringing outsiders in to lean on unionists but by means of tri-lateral talks between Belfast, Dublin and London."

Recalling the literally cold reception Lemass got from Ian Paisley, he added: "And the snowballs Ian Paisley threw at the time would melt in later years and reveal them not that far apart as the principle of consent became the bridge that brought our two traditions to a meeting point."

He made it clear that the backstop was both a boulder on the back of mainstream unionism and a blockage to good relations on the island.

"If we are to lay a foundation which the next generation, both North and South, can build upon, then we must recognise before it is too late that there is a seismic problem with the backstop."

RTE News made no attempt to address Donaldson's case on the backstop, dismissing it simply because he'd said it before! But not heard.

But as ever The Tonight Show team on Virgin Media were on the ball. Sebastian Hamilton, the English editor of the Irish Daily Mail, tried to warn us of how well Boris Johnson's Churchillian line would go down in the UK.

But when Ciara Kelly pressed Neale Richmond, the FG Brexit spokesperson, he called the backstop a "red herring".

Revealing that FG has lost all touch with reality in reading British politics, he claimed a compromise on the backstop would mean more demands from the British!

Really? What demands? What planet is he on?

Matt Cooper, channelling Keynes, wanted to know why we hadn't changed when the facts had?

Richmond, increasingly dry-mouthed, somewhat wildly concluded by saying that the Conservatives "do not know what they want!" Alas for us they do now.

Let me now turn to the second plank of Fine Gael's election strategy according to Fiach Kelly - financial prudence.

But that ship has sailed and sank, according to the Fiscal Advisory Council which rapped the Government hard for financial imprudence.

This blow was only the latest in a long convoy of crashes: the National Children's Hospital, National Broadband Plan, health overspends, the grandiose spin exercise that was the launch of the National Development Plan 2040.

Tonight ran a revealing clip from the Dail where a dry-mouthed (increasingly a Fine Gael oral problem?) Leo Varadkar showed he was feeling the pressure from the FAC report.

Pat Leahy earlier in the week suggested, without much conviction, that FG might "pick some fights on public spending" and attack FF's fiscal record.

But surely Enda Kenny had tried that tack at the last general election in 2016 and found out the public had forgiven Fianna Fail and wanted to move on?

Still Fine Gael sent young Peter Burke into the breach on Morning Ireland in a botched RTE attempt to ambush FF's heavyweight spokesperson on Finance, Michael McGrath, who it seemed was led to believe he was there on his own. But he coped.

Rachael English asked Burke if FG would take seriously the rap from the Fiscal Advisory Council?

But Burke went straight for Fianna Fail's record: "These are the type of discussions that were suppressed when Fianna Fail was in government."

Rachael English reminded him this was about the Fiscal Advisory Council report not a "spat between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael".

McGrath, composed as ever, coolly hung a lantern on Fine Gael's strategy.

"He [Burke] was clearly sent on as an attack dog this morning and instead of dealing with the substance of the criticisms that have come from the independent watchdog, he decides to come on and attack Fianna Fail and that's the Fine Gael tactic and we'll deal with that."

Rachael English asked McGrath whether this is just "a manufactured debate" between FG and FF?

McGrath responded reasonably by pointing out "that's what RTE has created in the way that you have structured the debate".

Indeed. Just as RTE has structured the backstop debate to hide the fact that Leo Varadkar, enabled by an Irish media totally out of touch with British public opinion, and tribally indifferent to mainstream unionist fears, is leading our people towards a dark cave rather than lose face.Those of us who were paying attention will recognise the signs. We're being lined up for another episode of the old boom and bust drama.

That's where a boom that mostly benefits the few is followed by a bust that we all pay for.

Early days yet, but the nervousness is unmistakeable. And it's the top bankers who're most nervous. Why? As the American TV dramas put it at the top of each new episode - "Previously on Boom'n'Bust..."

Back in 2009, we were all pissed off about the banks. Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan had to do something about the outrageous pay those people were getting.

The top guys, whose utterly stupid banking policies caused the crash, were on two or three million a year, each.

Plus massive bonuses for any bank executive brilliant enough to get through a year without actually setting fire to their own office.

"We are," said Brian, "fighting for our financial and economic survival." So, from now on top bankers would be paid no more than half a million a year. And no "bonuses".

The bankers accepted their 500,000 burden, grateful that we didn't actually hang them from those lovely red scaffolds someone kindly erected in Grand Canal Square.

After all, how long could it be before we were begging them to hike their pay to an even million, or two?

And now, 10 years on, the bankers can already see the shape of the next bust, to be followed by the next austerity period, during which it will be impossible to demand millions.

So, they're nervous. Do it now, the bankers quietly chant, do it now, do it now, do it now!

Poor Paschal Donohoe is terrified of a public backlash if he okays a banker bonanza, so he's been setting up buffers between him and any decision.

Last year, he hired one of those 'consultant' outfits that charge you an arm and a leg to produce a report explaining that it's absolutely imperative that you do what you wanted to do anyway.

Paschal got the consultant's report a couple of weeks ago. No doubt marketing consultants are right now finalising details for their campaign to leak this on to the public. This will tee us up, so Paschal can take a quick swing at it, and before we notice they'll all be back in the clubhouse, celebrating a game well played.

I rather suspect that key media personnel have already been approached in their favourite pubs and restaurants, by chatty spinners who just happen to be there.

"Have ye heard the trouble the banks are having recruiting young geniuses????"

(Mind you, in 2009 bankers warned of a "mass exodus" of executives who couldn't manage on 500,000 a year. Did you notice a shortage of bankers over the past decade?)

Another class of people now highly nervous are the economists. Why?

"Previously on Boom'n'Bust..."

Most economists endorsed the madness of the property bubble. Most predicted a "soft landing".

Then there was Morgan Kelly. Remember him? Grumpy little bugger. He threw a quick eye over the figures and pronounced us screwed.

Prices will collapse, the market will crash, houses will be worth half nothing, the banks will go bust, the country's f**ked.

Or words to that effect.

The celebrity economists and the media geniuses pointed out that Kelly specialises in historic economics - sailing ships, Chinese dynasties and the like.

Unlike the high-price bankers, the celebrity economists and the media specialists, Kelly really hadn't a clue about the Irish housing market.

Kelly rolled his eyes, repeated: collapse, crash, half nothing, banks bust, country's f**ked.

And so it proved to be.

Kelly wasn't a genius; he just wasn't part of the club. The ESRI had identified the property bubble danger; got barked at, and subsequently fell into line, predicting a soft landing.

Now, economists are terrified to be caught again. They carefully note their worries, for the record.

Most nervous of all - the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.

"Previously on Boom'n'Bust..."

The IMF forced the Government to create the IFAC in 2011. This is an independent body which assesses government figures and warns against dangerous choices.

It has no power.

The IMF idea was that the IFAC would be a trusted adviser, outside the cheerleader club of chums and buddies.

The Irish Government idea was that the IFAC is very handy for endorsing its austerity policies, when required. ("See, we don't want to do this to you. But these IFAC experts tell us we must or the country will collapse.")

Otherwise, the Government ignores the IFAC.

The IFAC last week got very jittery about Varadkar committing the State to costs that will return annually, based on current revenue that probably won't ("the current outlook is unusually uncertain", its report said).

Smooth-tongued FG hacks were despatched to assure us these IFAC fools are just worrywarts and chatterboxes, there's nothing to worry about and there'll be no end to electoral goodies on offer.

So, first, the campaign to jack up bankers' pay is well in hand.

Second, the IFAC is nervous, but as long as they don't all suddenly resign, we can let them chirrup away, ignored, until they're required to sell our next austerity package.

And, third, the populace is still remarkably calm about the ransacking of the economy by the usual suspects.

Huge cuts in pay; huge cuts in services, over a decade. Austerity burdens have seen nurses flee the country and teachers realise the contempt in which they're held by the comfortable classes.

Meanwhile, those who benefited most from the boom were shrugging off their debt (soft bankruptcies). And servicing the occasional questionable transaction (103bn channelled through the IFSC to Russian outfits).

The insurance companies, according to Charlie Weston's eye-opening report in the Irish Independent, have jacked up profits by 1,300pc. And, no, that's not a misprint.

Projects such as the children's hospital, which should have been a simple infrastructural addition, became a slow-moving mammoth made of money, onto which hordes of over-charging leeches attached themselves, siphoning off the basis of fortunes that will endure through the generations.

Paschal Donohoe didn't have effective cost checks in place. Well, he was busy, briefing those consultants he appointed to examine banker pay.

You can see why the bankers, without their traditional super-wage, feel left out.

Meanwhile, this week, around 10,000 of the most vital, yet low-paid, workers in the country will have to strike to get the HSE to even talk to them, about pay they've been deprived of.

Porters, hospital caterers, maternity care assistants, instrument technicians, laboratory aides - y'know, the people who help the medics save our lives.

They're not expecting a quick response, so they've got five other strike dates lined up.

In the schools, the department is raising capitation fees by 5pc, which is great of it. Except, after a decade of austerity, the capitation fee is down 20pc.

Well-off areas can depend on voluntary contributions. Schools in minimum wage areas will continue to struggle.

Meanwhile, we'll keep you updated on the bankers' pay. We know you worry.Academics engaged in the study of political parties use the term ''relevance'' to measure parties' impact and significance. For a party to qualify as relevant, it needs to demonstrate either coalition or blackmail potential. The first criterion concerns whether a party is needed, or has been used, to form a government, while the second describes the capacity of a party to affect the tactics and direction of political competition.

The latter criterion shows that to achieve relevance, a party need not necessarily be in power. Nigel Farage's UKIP in Britain was a classic example of this. Lacking the MPs to contribute to the formation of government, UKIP never had any coalition potential.

However, the party wielded tremendous blackmail potential because of the influence it had on the direction of Conservative party policy, exacerbating the Conservatives' internal divisions, and forcing it to drift to the right to tackle the threat of UKIP. In this context, the party was extremely relevant.

Can the same be said for the Labour Party on this side of the Irish Sea? The party has been struggling to make an impression following its downfall at the last general election, and, increasingly, questions are being asked about its continuing relevance.

Labour suffered significant electoral defeats before, notably in 1987 and 1997, but neither of these had the equivalent effect on party morale as 2016. Labour lost more than 75pc of its parliamentary party, comparable to the 2011 wipeout of Fianna Fail. But, while the soldiers of destiny recovered to become the largest party in local government three years later, Labour has made little to no impact in the Dail or amongst the electorate since its own collapse.

The party is now struggling to fulfil the criteria for relevance. While Labour wielded some coalition potential in the past, since the Spring tide of 1992 it has entered government after only one election, following the Gilmore Gale of 2011. Even then, Enda Kenny could probably have formed a minority Fine Gael cabinet without Labour's assistance.

In 2016, the party had more seats than the Independent Alliance that ultimately put Fine Gael back into power, but there was little appetite within Labour's decimated ranks to return to government.

The party still seems to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after the events of three years ago, with the consequence that few are discussing a return to power for Labour. The consequence of this is to deny the party relevance in terms of coalition potential.

This is a serious strategic error by Labour because it retains little to no blackmail potential, the other form of relevance. While in the past the threat of Labour may have encouraged Fine Gael to move to the left with its Just Society programme in the 1960s, or Garret FitzGerald's embrace of social democracy in the 1980s, the party no longer wields this potential.

It can only watch with envy at the capacity of the Greens to alter political competition, as the other parties reposition themselves towards environmentalism in the weeks since the Greens' success at last month's elections.

This rise of the Greens and other parties has been interpreted in some quarters as the final nail in the coffin of the traditional two-and-a-half party system. While most have focused on the waning power of the core two of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael as a symptom of this realignment, the decline of the half that is Labour should not be ignored.

It is true that the civil war parties' support has fallen considerably in recent decades, but they still remain at the heart of the Irish party system. Their strategic positioning at the centre of Irish politics, able to move from left to right as it suits them, has cleverly allowed Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to maintain a dominant position in spite of their losing significant numbers of voters.

The same is not so true for Labour. The election of 1992 should have been the moment when the party realised its keystone position in the Irish party system, when neither Fianna Fail nor Fine Gael could have formed a government without its support. That position could have made Labour a permanent fixture in power, but the party failed to convince its supporters of the value of being a core half, and was punished by those waiting in the long grass in 1997.

It is difficult to see Labour ever holding this position again.

The party is now not just lacking relevance in terms of coalition and blackmail potential; it is also struggling to remain relevant with the media. The level of coverage Labour received at the recent local and European elections was embarrassingly low for the party.

Although Labour's vote was down 20pc on 2014, this was in part due to a tighter candidate strategy, which helped it win an additional six seats.

In fact, for all the talk of a Green wave, Labour actually won more votes and seats than its environmental rivals.

With Sinn Fein and Solidarity losing considerable numbers of seats, this could have been interpreted as a good day for Labour. It closed the gap to Sinn Fein ahead of it from 108 to 24 seats, and doubled its lead over Solidarity behind it.

Overall, this could have been a result for Labour that had the potential to sow the seeds of future electoral gain, just as the local elections of 1991 proved the basis of the Spring Tide in 1992.

But I wouldn't bet any of your money, let alone my own, on a Howlin Hurricane for the next general election.

This is because while Labour has always faced stiff competition from the hard left, the party now has to contend with the Greens and the Social Democrats on the soft left.

And in this battle, Labour is in danger of being squeezed out. There has been talk of the Social Democrats and Greens working with Labour in an electoral alliance, but perhaps the question is not so much as to how they need Labour, but how Labour needs these parties to make itself relevant.

Labour finds itself in a major dilemma. If it moves significantly left to counter the threat of Sinn Fein and Solidarity, the party will lose its core middle-class, Irish Times reader. If it remains centre-left to compete with the Greens and Social Democrats, it will be in an increasingly packed battleground, where the party will also face some opposition from Fianna Fail. More competition will mean fewer electoral gains, so, from a rational point of view, the only direction might be to drift towards the right, as Tony Blair did for the British Labour party in the UK.

That tactic reaped significant electoral dividends for Blair's New Labour, but is not a path favoured by many within the Irish Labour movement.

And so the party that chose to wait and sit out the critical 1918 election that shaped Irish political history - a decision that cost it dearly - is choosing to wait again, struggling for relevance. All Labour can hope for is that the numbers will fall its way after the next election, and that their votes in the Dail will be needed to form a government.

Returning to power might be the fillip that restores Labour's fortunes. Or not. It is its times in Cabinet that have always cost Labour dearly. This is the quandary that faces the Labour leadership, and one that cannot be treated lightly. The party's relevance is at stake.

Dr Liam Weeks is a political scientist at the Department of Government & Politics at University College CorkRory McIlroy lines up a putt on the second hole during the third round of the US Open Championship in Pebble Beach, California. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Rory McIlroy finished his US Open third round at -6 for the tournament, with leader Gary Woodland at -11 after 15 holes. Graeme McDowell finishes up on -4 on Day Three as the Northern Irishman finished with an eagle. 6/16/2019 02:31:21 AM Follow all the action below.

Graeme McDowell finishes up on -4 on Day Three as the Northern Irishman finished with an eagle. A huge snaking effort across the 18th green, the scene of his most memorable win nine years ago. 6/16/2019 01:42:41 AM

Great response from Justin Rose at the 12th. The Englishman with a mid-iron sees his shot settle around nine feet from the pin. The leader Gary Woodland dropped his ball above the bunker in front of the green. 6/16/2019 01:27:41 AM

Rory McIlroy flops on to the dancefloor after finding the light rough around the green, gives himself some work to make par but tickles it in from seven feet. A little wave of appreciation to his following support.

Posted By Stephen Bennett | 6/16/2019 00:55:41 AM

The leaderboard currently looks like this:

-10 Woodland (4)

-8 Kuchar (7), Rose (4)

-6 Koepka (7), Hadley (7)

-5 Rahm (8), Reavie (6), McIlroy (6), Oosthuizen (5)

Posted By Stephen Bennett | 6/15/2019 11:47:41 PM

After four holes, Rory McIlroy is +1 for the round, and -4 for the tournament currently tied for fifth

6/15/2019 11:33:07 PM

Rory McIlroy finds the green on the 184-yard par-three fifth, it's a little short.

6/15/2019 11:22:16 PM

Rory McIlroy had a chance to claim that dropped shot at the first back on his second hole, but it sailed narrowly past the pin. He had a tap-in par instead.

6/15/2019 10:56:42 PM

Rory McIlroy has a task to avoid dropping further away from the leaders at the first hole. The Co Down native left himself with a long putt from the rough to save par.

6/15/2019 10:39:35 PM

Louis Oosthuizen tees off and fares better than McIlroy, keeping it on the fairway.

6/15/2019 10:36:04 PM

Rory McIlroy tees off and goes into the rough

6/15/2019 10:24:18 PMMeghan, Duchess of Sussex and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend day twelve of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

New arrival: Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their new son to the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on Wednesday

Britains Queen Elizabeth II is joined by members of the royal family, including the Wiilaim and Kate (Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) with their children Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte; Camilla (Duchess of Cornwall) and Charles (Prince of Wales); Anne (Princess Royal); Andrew (Duke of York); Meghan and Harry (Duke and Duchess of Sussex); and Peter and Autumn Phillips and their children Savannah and Isla, on the balcony of Buckingham Place to watch the flypast after the Trooping the Colour ceremony, as she celebrates her official birthday. All photos: Victoria Jones

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Cornwall make their way along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, in London, ahead of the Trooping the Colour ceremony, as The Queen celebrates her official birthday

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with the Duchess of Cambridge make their way along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, in London, ahead of the Trooping the Colour ceremony, as The Queen celebrates her official birthday

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex leave Buckingham Palace in a carriage during Trooping The Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, on June 8, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by James Devaney/Getty Images)

Despite her purposely low profile, there has been much ado about Meghan Markle of late.

Now that she's on maternity leave, there are countless questions and think-pieces about what she's been up to and what's next for the Duchess of Sussex. Here's everything you need to know.

Royal maternity leave protocol

Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Cornwall make their way along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, in London, ahead of the Trooping the Colour ceremony, as The Queen celebrates her official birthday / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Cornwall make their way along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, in London, ahead of the Trooping the Colour ceremony, as The Queen celebrates her official birthday

Due to the changing nature of maternity leave in the British royal family, there are no hard and fast rules. The number of 'working' royals has been heavily reduced by Prince Charles and so, Kate Middleton has really been the only high-ranking female to take time off in this way and thus set the agenda for those to folow. As such, Meghan will be following the same xxx as her sister-in-law, with a clear distinction between what are considered public and family events.

For example, the Trooping the Colour celebrations last Sunday counted as a private family affair because it was celebration Queen Elizabeth's birthday, despite the fact it was an extraordinarily public affair. Kate was also expected to attend so soon after giving birth to her children in the same way she attended Meghan and Harry's wedding when Prince Louis was just three weeks old. When you're one of the most famous families in the world, a birthday, christening and wedding dominates the global news agenda.

There was nothing show-stopping about her navy Givenchy cape (although it was a beauty in itself), but her choice of a solid palette and her and Harry's decision to move towards the back when it came to the scheduled balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace screamed, 'I'm here because I have to be'.

How she's been spending her time

Expand Close New arrival: Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their new son to the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on Wednesday / Facebook

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Whatsapp New arrival: Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their new son to the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on Wednesday

She has, first and foremost, been spending as much time as possible with baby Archie. While Harry has been busy back at work since a few days after his son's birth, Meghan is bonding at their home Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, reportedly searching for a nanny. Her mother Doria Ragland was helping them for a number of weeks following the birth, but has returned to her home in Los Angeles and the couple are now seeking someone to help them at home, so that they will be settled by the time Meghan returns to work.

When we'll see her again

Expand Close Meghan Markle in the royal box at Wimbledon 2016 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Meghan Markle in the royal box at Wimbledon 2016

There is still one major event to take place in the Sussexes lives: Archie's christening. It's unclear how public Meghan and Harry will choose to make this event, but it's expected they will hold a service at St George's Chapel.

She is also expected to attend Wimbledon as she did for years before ever marrying into the royal family and is one of Serena Williams' closest friends.

Plans for the future

Expand Close Meghan and Harry shared a picture of their conservation efforts on Instagram / Facebook

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Whatsapp Meghan and Harry shared a picture of their conservation efforts on Instagram

Meghan will officially be back to work in October and will be back to the spotlight with a bang. She's reportedly agreed to guest edit British Vogue's September Issue, their most important publication of the year and agreed to a spread insider her home on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The British royals have a long-established relationship with Vogue's international titles: Kate Middleton appeared on their centenary issue in 2016 and the late Princess Diana appeared on the cover three times.

They are also said to be planning a high-profile visit to Angola, Malawi and Botswana, at the request of the British government. They have a long-standing love affair with Africa, having spent a significant amount of time there in the early days of their relationship. It was initially reported that the couple were planning a long-term move to the continent, butAs light-bulb moments go, Chrissie Rucker's inspiration for a new business was unusual to say the least, borne out of an idea to impress her boyfriend, Nick Wheeler, and help him do up his first home.

Nick is now her husband, the couple have four children, and Chrissie's 'other baby' is her brand, The White Company, which has grown from its initial interest in bedlinen and homewares into clothing, footwear, home fragrancing, a sleep scent collection, spa-quality beauty products and a children's clothing range.

The Little White Company is pretty ideal from a business point of view in honing the affections of potential customers of the future. Indeed, the customer base for the children's range is immense and her clothes have been worn by two royal mini style icons, namely Prince George and Princess Charlotte. This year, Chrissie (51) celebrates 25 years of her company and what might have seemed a harebrained idea at first - decorating and kitting out a house all in white with a neutral palette - has paid off handsomely.

Starting with a 12-page mail-order catalogue financed with a 6,000 inheritance from her grandmother, Chrissie now has over 60 stores, a very busy online business, and is on the Sunday Times Rich List. This month, she opened her third store in the US and chose the Hamptons to spread her decor philosophy.

Expand Close Girl's floral playsuit, 37, boy's chambray shirt, 37, and chino shorts in stone, 29, available ages 1-6 from The Little White Company / Facebook

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Whatsapp Girl's floral playsuit, 37, boy's chambray shirt, 37, and chino shorts in stone, 29, available ages 1-6 from The Little White Company

When it came to selecting a location for her first European flagship store, Chrissie chose Dublin, based on the sheer volume of online orders from here. A year on, her Grafton Street store is a calming oasis, testimony to the serenity of white and the power of a good night's sleep. Clearly her aesthetic and love of white, and textures over pattern, has not been lost on Irish customers.

"I love the perfect simplicity of white. It has this magical, ethereal, spa-like quality, making it such a peaceful colour to live with, which, in our hectic world, is a lovely thing to come home to," says Chrissie, who worked on magazines like Brides, GQ and Vogue for several years and was assistant health and beauty editor at Harpers & Queen before acting on her hunch of "wouldn't it be great if there was a company that just sold white things?"

"Crucially, I wanted to create a range of beautiful white items for the home that bridged the gap between being both beautifully designed and much more affordable," she continues. "The breakthrough moment came when I found my first factories who were already supplying designer brands - and I realised that by selling directly to the customer, I could offer this same quality but at a much better price."

As you might expect, her London house and second home in Oxfordshire are all about the soothing nature of white. There are highlights of natural tones and a sofa in the softest shade of slate grey velvet. When I enquire about the risk of white being stark or cold, Chrissie explains: "In a predominantly white home, choosing warm whites for the walls and layering in soft textures is key. I love to add in natural elements and pile on texture - a soft rug underfoot or a diaphanous drape at a window can soften and transform a room.

"Natural materials such as weathered wood, slubby linen or marbled slate, connect us back to nature and add interest. I love to bring some outside in too; a fig tree in a bright, airy space or lovely big vase of simple greenery or flowers adds life. Finally, cosy throws and the small yet peaceful flickering flame from a few scented candles always makes a home feel extra special."

The walls in her homes are painted a warm white or very pale grey. "The house feels airy," she says. "There's lots of natural sisal or added textured rugs on top of oak floorboards or natural stone. Most of the tables are wooden. There are open fires, sofas have soft textured cushions and throws, and there's a fig tree in the kitchen.

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"We love entertaining, but I'm a great believer in prioritising having a relaxed and enjoyable time with family and friends, rather than being stuck in the kitchen producing a complicated meal. I love to lay the table and run several small holders of simple flowers and candles down the middle. I keep flowers simple, I often mix just one type of white stem with rosemary or mint or even just use four to six small bunches of eucalyptus - it's very simple but looks great."

Upstairs, the beds are made with white linen and dressed with textured white bedspreads and cushions in either white or neutral shades.

When it comes to her clothes, Chrissie prefers simple and understated pieces that are "cut well to flatter".

"I tend to choose beautiful fabrications and textures with a palette of white, ivory and greys, with black as a foundation," she says. "I love a modern look without being too cutting edge. I stick to shapes that I know work for me and look for pieces that are going to last and hang well to flatter my shape. I use texture instead of pattern."

Expand Close Family affair: Chrissie and her husband, Nick Wheeler, founder of the Charles Tyrwhitt shirt and menswear range, pictured with their children - Tom, India, Ella and Bea - when they both received OBEs for their business successes / Facebook

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Whatsapp Family affair: Chrissie and her husband, Nick Wheeler, founder of the Charles Tyrwhitt shirt and menswear range, pictured with their children - Tom, India, Ella and Bea - when they both received OBEs for their business successes

The latter is a key point in the philosophy of The White Company, which marks its 25th birthday by publishing its first interiors book in September, featuring 12 very different homes decorated with white and neutrals.

A soft, neutral bedroom scheme is a soothing space, says Chrissie, but as a working mum, she knows she needs to spend at least eight hours beneath her white linen bed sheets each night.

"Over the last 24 years, we've learnt so much about sleep quality and how vital it is to our wellbeing, mood, ability to cope with a busy life and long-term health," she says.

We spend a third of our lives in bed so she believes it is important to invest in that. The optimum temperature for sleeping well is 18C, which is actually quite cool, so she recommends keeping the heating on low and windows open in the summer. Darkness is important for the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, so if you can, she suggests lining your curtains with black-out lining or investing in a black-out blind.

Chrissie also tries to be screen-free for at least an hour, preferably two, before bed. Scent can really help create the ultimate sanctuary, she says. "If I have a warm bath and read in bed for 20 minutes, I sleep really well. I also keep a notebook by my bed, so if I suddenly think about something that's important, I can write it down, rather than worrying about remembering it the next day."

On the subject of her dyslexia, Chrissie admits: "To this day, I can't add up to save my life. It can really hold you back at school but I think, in a way, it's a gift. It means you come at things from a different angle, you think of things in a different way, and it often makes you a naturally more creative person."

It can also open your world to new possibilities. What Chrissie lacked in arithmetic during her schooldays, she made up for in equestrian pursuits. The entrepreneur rode competitively as a child and, years later, she is just as passionate about horses and riding.

"Horses are great levellers," she says. "The experiences it gave me are still such a huge part of my DNA. It taught me that when you have a bad day or fall off, you just have to get back on, try not to make the same mistake again and have another go. My three girls ride today and our weekends are often spent with a 5am departure in the horsebox - and I hope they are all learning to just get back on too! Some of our most beloved ponies, Coco, Fella and Benji, have all come from Ireland."

What about business advice for people who might have a light-bulb moment, like she had? "Be crystal clear about your brand, what your brand is and what it isn't," she says. "Put it at the heart of everything you do and take real care not to dilute it or let it lose its identity. Always think and experience your brand as a customer. Listen to your customers and act upon that information. Being part of a passionate and united team is the best feeling in the world. Know your own strengths and weaknesses and surround yourself with the best people for your business.

"And clear longer-term goals with your team and work towards it together. Each year find five things that will make a big difference to your business and focus everyone on delivering these brilliantly. It is a gift to have your own business, believe passionately in what you do, love and enjoy it and remember to celebrate the good times."Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and his wife Pilar Rubio kiss after their wedding on their property in Bollullos de la Mitacion, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

David Beckham and his wife Victoria attend the wedding of Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio at the cathedral in Seville, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

David Beckham and his wife Victoria attend the wedding of Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio at the cathedral in Seville, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and his wife Pilar Rubio kiss after their wedding at the cathedral in Seville, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos walks with his mother Paqui Garcia at his wedding with Pilar Rubio at the cathedral in Seville, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

David Beckham and his wife Victoria attend the wedding of Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio at the cathedral in Seville, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and his wife Pilar Rubio pose after their wedding on their property in Bollullos de la Mitacion, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and his wife Pilar Rubio wave after their wedding at the cathedral in Seville, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos's fiancee Pilar Rubio waves next to her father Manuel Rubio at her wedding at the cathedral in Seville, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Pilar Rubio and father Manuel Rubio attend the wedding of real Madrid football player Sergio Ramos and Tv presenter Pilar Rubio at Seville's Cathedral on June 15, 2019 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Santi Cazorla and wife Ursula Santirso attend the wedding of real Madrid football player Sergio Ramos and Tv presenter Pilar Rubio at Seville's Cathedral on June 15, 2019 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Pilar Rubio and Sergio Ramos pose after their wedding at Seville's Cathedral on June 15, 2019 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Pilar Rubio and the groom Sergio Ramos pose before the wedding party on June 15, 2019 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Pilar Rubio and the groom Sergio Ramos pose before the wedding party on June 15, 2019 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and his wife Pilar Rubio walk after their wedding on their property in Bollullos de la Mitacion, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Pilar Rubio and the groom Sergio Ramos pose before the wedding party on June 15, 2019 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Pilar Rubio and the groom Sergio Ramos pose before the wedding party on June 15, 2019 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos wed television personality Pilar Rubio in a star-studded ceremony in Seville, Spain.

The couple, who have three children together, exchanged vows on Saturday after seven years together. The bride, wearing a delicately beaded gown with v-neck and a full length train, happily waved to fans and photographers outside the Cathedral of Seville and later, posed for pictures with her new husband.

Expand Close David Beckham and his wife Victoria attend the wedding of Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio at the cathedral in Seville, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo / Facebook

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Whatsapp David Beckham and his wife Victoria attend the wedding of Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio at the cathedral in Seville, Spain June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

As expected in an A-list wedding, the celebrations came with a few rules, including instructing guests to stick a certain colour scheme in order to streamline the pictures. Guests were reportedly told to avoid wearing red, orange, green, white or pink, according to Spanish magazine HOLA. This makes Victoria Beckham's choice to wear a white chain link dress (her design, of course) and a pair of hot pink pumps all the more notable.

The dress is the same print that Meghan Markle wore to the Commonwealth Service in March, something VB knows would certainly draw immediate comparisons and garner even more headlines.

Other celebrities in attendance, including Luka Modric, and Santi Cazorla, joined the newlyweds at Ramos' farmhouse in Bollullos de la Mitacion, accommodating waiting photographers and later banning social media and mobile phones.Conservative leadership hopeful Rory Stewart got laughs from the audience Channel 4s leadership debate as he compared Brexit negotiations with trying to get bags of rubbish into a bin.

While speaking about Brexit with fellow runners Michael Gove and Dominic Raab, Mr Stewart criticised the competition of machismo in the debate, saying he was not a defeatist but realistic about Brexit.

He said: It reminds me of, I was trying to cram a whole series of rubbish bins into the rubbish bin and my wife said, youre never going to get these three huge bags of rubbish in. I was tempted like Michael and like Dom to say, believe in the bin! Believe in Britain! Its nonsense!

Who had 'believe in the bin' in their #C4debate slogan tombola tonight?  Joel Taylor (@JoelTaylorhack) June 16, 2019

Social media users enjoyed the analogy, with several people on Twitter quoting the phrase believe in the bin.

The Q&A-style Tory leadership debate took place on Channel 4 on Sunday evening, and began with a question from the audience about how the party can beat Jeremy Corbyn and Nigel Farage in an election.

Michael Gove was the first to answer: There is nothing more important than preventing Jeremy Corbyn getting into Parliament.

Rory Stewart is trying to make "believe in the bin" a thing in the same way #LoveIsland is trying to make "it is what it is" a thing #C4Debate  Jane Merrick (@janemerrick23) June 16, 2019

In the first televised debate of the leadership campaign, the five candidates taking part all agreed the next prime minister had to take Britain out of the EU.

An empty podium reserved for Boris Johnson, who declined to take part in the debate, was placed at centre stage, between Sajid Javid and Dominic Raab.

The audience was made up of floating voters willing to choose the Tories at an election.Protesters light candles in honour of a man who died after falling from a scaffolding at the Pacific Place complex while protesting REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Protesters light candles in honour of a man who died after falling from a scaffolding at the Pacific Place complex while protesting REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Protesters attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

A protester holds a placard depicting Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam during a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Protesters attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

HONG Kong citizens marched for hours in a massive protest that drew an apology from the city's leader for her handling of legislation that has stoked fears of expanding control from Beijing in the former British colony.

The demonstration looked likely to match in scale one a week earlier, that brought as many as one million people out to express their concern over Hong Kong's relations with mainland China, in one of the toughest tests of the territory's special status since Beijing took control in a 1997 handover.

Well after dark, crowds gathered outside the police headquarters and chief executive Carrie Lam's office.

On Saturday, Ms Lam suspended her effort to force passage of the bill, which would allow some suspects to be sent for trial in mainland China.

The move did not appease Hong Kong residents angered over the plan who see it as one of many steps chipping away at Hong Kong's freedoms and legal autonomy.

Opponents worry the law could be used to send criminal suspects to China to potentially face vague political charges, possible torture and unfair trials.

Protesters are also angered over forceful tactics used by police in quelling unrest at a June 12 demonstration.

The statement issued late on Sunday mentioned the demonstrations and said the government "understands that these views have been made out of love and care for Hong Kong".

Expand Close A protester holds a placard depicting Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam during a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill REUTERS/Jorge Silva / Facebook

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"The chief executive apologised to the people of Hong Kong for this and pledged to adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements in serving the public," it said.

The marchers want Ms Lam to scrap the extradition bill, which is supported by the communist leadership in Beijing, and to resign.

The crowds filled a wide thoroughfare and side streets paralleling the waterfront of Victoria Harbour as tourists and shoppers who drive much of the Asian financial hub's economy looked on.

"Our demands are simple," said bank worker John Chow as he marched with a group of friends.

"Carrie Lam must leave office, the extradition law must be withdrawn and the police must apologise for using extreme violence against their own people. And we will continue."

Protesters have mainly focused their anger on Ms Lam, who had little choice but to carry through dictates issued by Beijing, where President Xi Jinping has enforced increasingly authoritarian rule.

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Many believe Hong Kong's legal autonomy has been significantly diminished despite Beijing's insistence it is still honouring its promise - dubbed "one country, two systems" - that the territory can retain its own social, legal and political system for 50 years after the handover.

The rally drew marchers both young and old. Few wore face masks or seemed to be trying to hide their identities, in contrast with demonstrations on Wednesday, when participants expressed worries over possible retribution from the authorities.

The police presence was considerably more relaxed on Sunday, with officers deployed mainly to direct traffic as the protesters wound their way through Hong Kong's commercial centre from a sprawling downtown park to government headquarters.

Farther down the parade route, mourners lined up to lay flowers and pay respects at a makeshift memorial for a man who fell to his death on Saturday after hanging a protest banner that read in part, "Make Love, No Shoot" and "No Extradition to China".

Pro-democracy activists were calling for a general strike on Monday despite Ms Lam's decision to suspend work on the legislation.A police cordon on Bedford Road in Clapham, where three men were found suffering stab and slash injuries in the early hours of Saturday Photo credit: Emma Bowden/PA Wire

A DAY of violence saw two teenagers killed within minutes of each other in different parts of London while three men were stabbed in a separate attack hours later.

Metropolitan Police say fourteen people have been arrested in connection with the three 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 - believed to be in his late teens - 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.

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 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 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.

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.

"Sending love to the Tooting family tonight - this is heartbreaking."Rory Stewart leaves Here East studios following the live television debate for the candidates for leadership of the Conservative party, hosted by Channel 4 Photo credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Conservative party leadership contender Dominic Raab following the live television debate for the candidates for leadership of the Conservative party, hosted by Channel 4 Photo credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Michael Gove after the live television debate for the candidates for leadership of the Conservative party Photo credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire

(left to right) Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart, with an empty plinth representing absent candidate Boris Johnson, ahead of the live television debate on Channel 4 Photo credit: Tim Anderson/Channel 4/PA Wire

SEVERAL hopefuls vying to replace British Prime Minister Theresa May turned their fire on favourite Boris Johnson on Sunday, questioning his pledge to leave the European Union by the end of October no matter what.

With former London mayor and British foreign minister Johnson keeping a low profile, the other candidates have targeted the air waves to present their cases to lead the governing Conservative Party. But the question always returns to "Boris".

Expand Close Boris Johnson, leadership candidate for Britain's Conservative Prime Minister, leaves his home in London REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo / Facebook

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Whatsapp Boris Johnson, leadership candidate for Britain's Conservative Prime Minister, leaves his home in London REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

At a Channel 4 debate, his absence was marked by an empty lectern. That left the five other candidates to argue over which man was best placed to deliver Brexit in testy exchanges International Development Minister Rory Stewart described as a competition of "machismo".

But Johnson, who unlike many politicians is better known by his first name, was often mentioned and his relative silence has so far done little to dent his popularity. He secured a large lead in the first round of voting by Conservative lawmakers and his team hopes for an increased share this week in the second.

Knowing Johnson is the man to beat, candidate after candidate questioned his ability to navigate Britain's departure from the EU, saying his pledge to leave on October 31 was nigh on impossible and would set Britain on track for a no-deal Brexit.

"The difference between me and Boris is that I would try for a deal," said British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt, who is placed third favourite in the leadership contest.

"I am not going to create a set of circumstances that makes it all but impossible to get a deal because I think we should be offering the country some better choices," he told the BBC.

He later poked fun at Johnson, using the television debate to ask "Where is Boris?"

"If his team won't allow him out to debate with five pretty friendly colleagues how is he going to fare with 27 European countries? He should be here to answer that very question."

Expand Close Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid during the live television debate on Channel 4 Photo credit: Tim Anderson/Channel 4/PA Wire / Facebook

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Almost three years since Britain voted to leave the EU, the country, parliament and both main parties are still deeply divided over how, when and even whether Brexit should happen.

Brexit has claimed two prime ministers. David Cameron resigned shortly after a 2016 referendum, and now May is making way for a successor because of her failure to get a deal she agreed with the EU through parliament.

Brexit is dominating the Conservative leadership race, with several of the candidates, albeit some of them reluctantly, saying they would lead the nation out without a deal.

Rory Stewart, who wants to rule out a no-deal Brexit, took issue with Johnson's and other candidates' arguments that the only way to get an improved deal from the EU was to prepare for leaving without an agreement and using that as leverage.

"They are not scared of it because it is not a credible threat. The European Union knows no deal cannot get through parliament," said Stewart, a relative unknown who has shot up the bookmakers' odds to be placed second.

"How is Boris going to deliver Brexit, how? ... 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. We want to know what he believes."Hong Kong residents are gathering for another protest over an unpopular extradition bill that has highlighted the territorys apprehension about relations with mainland China.

Meanwhile, a steady stream of mourners were stopping by a makeshift memorial to lay flowers and pray for a man who fell to his death on Saturday after hanging a protest banner.

The man slipped from the grasp of rescuers after clinging for a time to scaffolding outside a shopping centre. He missed a big cushion set up to capture him, and was declared dead at a nearby hospital.

The banner read Make Love, No Shoot and No Extradition to China.

Pro-democracy activists are calling for a general strike on Monday despite Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lams decision to suspend work on the legislation. Some labour unions, teachers associations and other groups are planning boycotts of work and classes.

Expand Close Hong Kongs Chief Executive Carrie Lam (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) / Facebook

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We encourage all the public to carry on the campaign, said Bonny Leung and other leaders of the pro-democracy Civil Human Rights Front.

Many opponents of the extradition legislation are urging Ms Lam to step down and want her to drop the legislation, which many fear would undermine freedoms enjoyed by the former British colony but not elsewhere in China.

The communist government in Beijing issued multiple statements backing Ms Lams decision, which she announced in a news conference on Saturday.

The battle over legislation has evolved into Hong Kongs toughest 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.

Marchers wearing black gathered at the citys Victoria Park ahead of the mid-afternoon protest. A week earlier up to a million rallied in protest, and demonstrations on Wednesday turned violent, with dozens injured as police fought back with tear gas, rubber bullets and other forceful measures.

Expand Close A worker cleans up in the aftermath of protests (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) / Facebook

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Ms Lam has said the extradition legislation is needed for 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 Kongs extradition agreements because of concerns over its judicial independence and human rights record.

Speaking to reporters after announcing her decision, Ms 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.Hundreds of mothers protest against the amendments to the extradition law in Hong Kong (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Hong Kong was bracing for another massive protest on Sunday over an unpopular extradition bill that has highlighted the territorys apprehension about relations with mainland China.

Pro-democracy activists said chief executive Carrie Lams announcement on Saturday that she was suspending work on the bill that would allow some suspects to be sent for trial in mainland Chinese courts is not enough.

A week after the crisis brought as many as 1 million into the streets, the activists said they want the proposal withdrawn and are calling for Ms Lam to step down.

The communist government in Beijing issued statements backing Ms Lams decision.

Over the past week, hundreds of thousands marched to demand the chief executive drop the legislation, which many fear would undermine freedoms enjoyed by this former British colony but not elsewhere in China.

Expand Close A worker cleans up in the aftermath of protests (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) / Facebook

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The battle over legislation 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.

On Sunday, mourners laid flowers on the pavement near where a man fell to his death a day earlier after hanging a protest banner on scaffolding on a shopping mall.

Emergency workers tried to cushion the mans fall but failed to catch him.

Critics said Ms Lam should withdraw the plan for good, resign and apologise for police use of potentially lethal force during clashes with protesters on Wednesday.

Democrats in Hong Kong simply cannot accept this suspension decision, said politician 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 organise the demonstrations.

Ms Lam has said the legislation is needed if Hong Kong to uphold justice, meet its international obligations and not become a magnet for fugitives.

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The proposed bill would expand the scope of criminal suspect transfers to include Taiwan, Macau and mainland China.

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 on Saturday, Ms 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 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 this past week, more than 20 of them police.

Its 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 dont want any of those injuries to happen.

Ms Lam apologised for what she said were failures in her governments 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.

The extradition bill has drawn criticism from US and British lawmakers and human rights groups, prompting Beijing to lash back with warnings against interference in its internal affairs.

But analysts said China also has to weigh the risk of seeing Hong Kong, a vital port and financial centre of 7 million people, possibly losing its special economic status.

Under the 1992 US-Hong Kong Policy Act, Beijing needs to abide by its one country, two systems promises to respect the territorys legal autonomy for 50 years as promised under the agreement signed with Britain for the 1997 handover.Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, his wife Sara, centre right, United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, left, and his wife Tammy pose during the inauguration of the new settlement (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has unveiled a new settlement in the Israel-controlled Golan Heights, named after US President Donald Trump.

Mr Netanyahus Cabinet convened in the tiny hamlet to inaugurate the settlement, named after Mr Trump in a gesture of appreciation for the presidents recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

The settlement, currently known as Bruchim, is over 30-years-old and has a population of 10 people.

Expand Close Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, his wife Sara, centre right, United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, left, and his wife Tammy (Ariel Schalit/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, his wife Sara, centre right, United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, left, and his wife Tammy (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Israel is hoping the rebranded Ramat Trump, Hebrew for Trump Heights, will encourage residents to help expand it.

Its absolutely beautiful, said US Ambassador David Friedman, who attended Sundays ceremony.

Noting that Mr Trump celebrated his birthday on Friday, he said: I cant think of a more appropriate and a more beautiful birthday present.

Expand Close United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and his wife Tammy attend the inauguration (Ariel Schalit/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and his wife Tammy attend the inauguration (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981.

Most of the international community considers the move illegal under international law.

But during a visit to Washington by Mr Netanyahu in March, just weeks before Israeli elections, Mr Trump signed an executive order recognising the strategic mountainous plateau as Israeli territory.

The decision, the latest in a series of diplomatic moves benefiting Israel, was widely applauded in Israel.

The Golan Heights was and will always be an inseparable part of our country and homelandBenjamin Netanyahu

Few things are more important to the security of the state of Israel than permanent sovereignty over the Golan Heights, Mr Friedman said.

It is simply obvious, it is indisputable and beyond any reasonable debate.

After the Cabinet decision, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Friedman unveiled a sign trimmed in gold with the name Trump Heights and adorned with US and Israeli flags.

Addressing the ceremony, Mr Netanyahu called Mr Trump a great friend of Israel and described the Golan, which overlooks northern Israel, as an important strategic asset.

The Golan Heights was and will always be an inseparable part of our country and homeland, he said.

Mr Trump later tweeted his approval, saying: Thank you PM @Netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor!

While Israel has encouraged and promoted settlement in the Golan, its remote location, several hours from the economic centre of Tel Aviv, has been an obstacle. The area is home to small agriculture and tourism sectors but otherwise has little industry.

The eight-year Syrian civil war, which at times has resulted in spillover fire into the Golan, could also present an obstacle to encouraging new residents.

Rosa Zhernakov, a resident of Bruchim since 1991, said the community was excited by Sundays decision.

We hope it will benefit the Golan Heights, she said, standing outside her bungalow on one of Bruchims few streets.

She said the revitalisation of the settlement would mean more security for residents from any possible return of the Golan Heights to Syria as part of a future peace treaty.

Syria has demanded a return of the strategic territory, which overlooks northern Israel, as part of any peace deal.

After the devastating civil war in Syria, the prospects of peace talks with Israel anytime soon seem extremely low.

Ramat Trump joins a handful of Israeli places named after American presidents, including a village for Harry S Truman, who first recognised the Jewish state, and George W Bush Plaza, a square the size of a modest living room in central Jerusalem.

Several bureaucratic obstacles will need to be overcome to develop the settlement. With Mr Netanyahu running for re-election in the second national election this year, it remains unclear whether he will be able to complete the task.

Zvi Hauser, an opposition lawmaker who formerly served as Mr Netanyahus Cabinet secretary, called Sundays ceremony a cheap PR stunt.

Theres no funding, no planning, no location, and theres no real binding decision, he said.Amanda Knox yesterday accused the media of having built a false narrative around her during her years-long murder trial and appeals process, depicting her as guilty even though she was eventually acquitted.

The former exchange student from the US who became the focus of a sensational murder case returned to Italy last week for the first time since an appeals court acquitted her in 2011 in the killing of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher.

Speaking at the Criminal Justice Festival in Modena, Knox 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 story, which fuelled people's fantasies and talked to their fears".

Knox had been accused with her Italian boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito, and Ivorian-born Rudy Guede of killing Kercher in November 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.

EU considering sanctions for Venezuela

Major EU nations are considering imposing sanctions on Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and several top officials for their recent crackdown on political opponents - though divisions remain over the timing of any action for fear of derailing a negotiated exit to the country's crisis.

The financial and travel restrictions are being mulled by a core of five nations - UK, France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands - before being put to the European Council, say diplomats with knowledge of the plan.

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 National Assembly chief Juan Guaido.

After two rounds of meetings in Norway, the Guaido opposition had not agreed by yesterday to a third round scheduled to begin next week in Barbados.

Guaido, who has been recognised as Venezuela's 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 EU has been slower than the US in confronting 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 four million people have migrated in search of work and food.

Any EU sanctions would require the support of all 28 of the bloc's members, four of whom - Italy, Greece, Slovakia and Cyprus - don't recognize Guaido as Venezuela's leader.

EU elections targeted by Russian bots

The recent elections to the European Parliament were targeted by Russia, Brussels has said.

An initial report by the European Commission found bots and fake accounts traced to Russia spread false information online in the run-up to the poll in an attempt to radicalise debate and amplify divisive content.

"There are plenty of reports of disinformation, from both bots and fake accounts, and that was across many member states: Poland, Spain, Latvia, France and the UK," said EU Security Commissioner Julian King.

Ousted Sudan president faces trial soon

Sudan's chief prosecutor yesterday said ousted President Omar al-Bashir would be sent for trial soon on corruption charges related to his three decades in power.

A news conference was told the trial referral would be made after a one-week period for objections expires, adding that criminal cases have been opened against 41 other former officials accused of corruption.

Syrian opposition claims dozens killed

Syrian opposition activists say government airstrikes and intense shelling on rebel-held areas in north-west Syria have claimed the lives of dozens of people.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the opposition's Syrian Civil Defence said at least 10 civilians were killed in the airstrikes in Idlib province.

US gives Iraq waiver over Iran sanctions

Two Iraqi officials yesterday said the US has given Iraq a new 90-day extension for an Iran sanctions waiver allowing Baghdad to import electricity and natural gas from Tehran. An Iraqi official said Baghdad was informed about the waiver by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Another official confirmed the waiver will start on Wednesday.Released footage: A video of the ship attackers filmed at night. Photo: U.S. Military/Handout via REUTERS

The spate of alleged Iranian attacks on oil ships in the Gulf of Oman has raised global fears of a return to the "Tanker Wars" of the Eighties, when US warships fought cat-and-mouse battles with Iranian forces to protect tankers.

Shipping insiders said tanker firms may be forced on to a "conflict footing" after last week's attacks sent tensions in the Gulf to their highest point since 1987, when Iraq and Iran began destroying each other's oil infrastructure.

"The industry is understandably very nervous," said Robert Meade, editor of Lloyd's List, a shipping intelligence agency. US officials have already begun discussing military options for protecting ships.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, one of Iran's main regional foes and a major US ally, said last night there must be a "swift and decisive" response.

It came as fresh details emerged about conflict in recent weeks around the Strait of Hormuz. US officials claimed Iranian forces had attempted to shoot down an American drone in the Gulf shortly before beginning an attack on two tankers last Thursday. If confirmed, it would signal a willingness by Iran to directly confront the US.

Hassan Rouhani, Iran's president, yesterday repeated his threat to breach the 2015 nuclear agreement by resuming enrichment of the high-grade uranium which could be used in nuclear weapons.

Mr Rouhani has said high-grade enrichment will resume in July unless EU and Chinese signatories to the deal find a way to circumvent US sanctions and bring relief to Iran's faltering economy.

"Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally," said Mr Rouhani. He did not mention the tanker incident but Iran has denied responsibility.

The Tanker Wars began in 1981 but erupted into all-out conflict three years later when Saddam Hussein's forces attacked Iranian oil tankers and Iran responded by targeting Kuwaiti tankers carrying Iraqi oil. The US eventually deployed its largest naval convoy since World War II to protect Kuwaiti oil vessels.

Mr Meade warned of a return to the era. "The industry is about as close to a conflict footing as it has ever been."

One former US diplomat said there was "more risk and uncertainty today" than in the Eighties, because the Tanker Wars were confined to the Persian Gulf, while the current asymmetric struggle between the US and Iran was playing out in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere.

US officials believe that the message delivered by last week's attacks was: you cannot wage economic war against the Islamic Republic without paying a price.

Since quitting the global alliance and pulling the US out of the Iranian nuclear deal last year, the Trump regime has pursued a "maximum pressure" economic sanctions policy against Iran. The policy has caused real economic pain inside Tehran. Last month, Iran threatened to suspend some commitments under the deal unless the remaining signatories - the EU, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China - help it to realise the economic benefits the deal had promised.

President Rouhani and his erudite foreign minister Javad Zarif have been working the diplomatic circuit hard in a bid to save the deal they championed. But the pair run only Iran's government. And that doesn't mean what it means in many other countries.

Iran has a three-branch government: the executive, run by Mr Rouhani, who is elected in a direct popular vote; a legislature formed of a directly elected single-house parliament; and a judiciary.

But democracy is constrained by the Guardian Council, a 12-cleric board that decides who can run for office.

And ultimate power lies with the office of the supreme leader: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He can fire presidents, veto laws and direct foreign and security policy. He is also the real commander in chief of both Iran's regular armed forces and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

If he had ordered a sabotage operation in the Gulf of Oman, Mr Rouhani and Mr Zarif would have been powerless to stop it. They might not even have known about it.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]Sudans deposed president Omar al-Bashir is escorted to a vehicle as he returns to prison (Mahmoud Hjaj/AP)

Sudans former president Omar al-Bashir has appeared in public for the first time since he was overthrown by the military.

The deposed leader has been held under arrest in the capital, Khartoum, since he was removed from power in April amid mass protests against his 30-year rule.

A judicial official with the prosecutors office said al-Bashir was being questioned over corruption accusations that included money laundering and the possession of large amounts of foreign currency without legal grounds.

Expand Close Al-Bashir, centre, returning to prison following his appearance before prosecutors (Mahmoud Hjaj/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Al-Bashir, centre, returning to prison following his appearance before prosecutors (Mahmoud Hjaj/AP)

He said the probe partly related to millions of dollars worth of cash in US dollars, euro and Sudanese pounds that were found in al-Bashirs home a week after he was deposed.

A spokesman with the militarys media office confirmed that Sunday was the first time the former president had been taken out from his prison in Khartoum.

Al-Arabiya television footage showed al-Bashir wearing a traditional white robe and turban, as he was led to a Toyota Land Cruiser.

In May, al-Bashir was charged with involvement in killing protesters and incitement to kill protesters during the popular uprising that started in December, initially over the price rises of basic goods and a failing economy, but which later turned into calls for his removal.

Expand Close General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo addresses supporters during a rally (Hussein Malla/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo addresses supporters during a rally (Hussein Malla/AP)

The military toppled him on April 11.

Al-Bashir is also wanted by the International Criminal Court over charges of war crimes and genocide linked to the Darfur conflict in the 2000s, but the military has said it would not extradite him to The Hague.

He was the only sitting head of state for whom an international arrest warrant has been issued.

Meanwhile, the deputy head of Sudans ruling military council said on Sunday that demands from protest leaders for the composition of a transitional legislative body might not be acceptable.

After removing al-Bashir from power, the military has been locked in a tense standoff with a protest movement over who should lead the countrys transition.

General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo told a gathering of pro-military supporters in the capital on Sunday that our problem is a non-elected legislative body which would root out all of us.

He said that a legislative body formed with a majority from protest movement leaders, who were demanding civilian rule, was a problem because it was not formed by elections.

This would suggest a reversal to previous deals between the military and protest leaders, which included a three-year transition period, a Cabinet appointed by the protest leaders, and a legislative body with a civilian majority.Wait is not getting over for the family members of 243 people who went missing on a boat five months ago off Kerala coast. The incident took place in Keralas Eranakulam district in January.

About 243 boarded that boat and out of these, 184 were from Ambedkar Nagar Colony Delhi and according to families who are waiting for their family members, around 85 of those missing are children including a 12-day-old baby along with the parents.

News18

The 48-year-old Kasturi spends most of her time in Karuppu Swamy temple built by Tamilians who migrated to Delhi years ago, praying for the return of her two sons, their wives and two children who had boarded the boat on an illegal journey abroad.

When the News18 reporter met Kasturi, she was sitting on the floor of the temple crying. But she is determined to find out about her family.

Kasturi showed the journalist photographs of her family members, six of whom were on the boat from a diary kept on the top shelf of the puja room. See this small kid? Niyans was only six months old at the time of travel, pointing towards a photograph she says.

Kasturi further tells that her neither her sons nor her daughter-in-laws told anything about their plan to go abroad.

My sons told me they were going somewhere in Tamil Nadu and left home in mid-December. It was only after news reports started appearing saying that they left the country illegally that we came to know about the plan, she said. It has been five months, where are they? she asked. Folding her hands, she made an earnest request, You media persons please help us find out whether they are alive or not.

Missing members of the one family. Picture Courtesy: News18

Kasturi has been living alone since her family left home, she says her husband has lost his mind and doesnt come home for weeks.

He has become a drunkard, she said. Are they still alive or dead? The neighbours ask her.

The families who have their family members missing have knocked many doors for help including the doors of home ministry, MEA, Delhi Police, Chief Minister and even National Human Right Commission to help the families trace their family members.

The memorandum submitted to the union home ministry has names and addresses of those who are suspected have boarded the boat. The home ministry, hasnt responded till now and now the families plant to meet S Jaishankar, the newly appointed Minister of External Affairs.

Amid many rumours in Ambedkar Nagar Colony, the residents initially believed that the boat was heading to New Zealand, but later they were told that destination was Australias Christmas Island.

The Special Investigating Team of Kerala police, however, couldnt confirm exact location of the boat, but a members of the families living in Ambedkar Nagar Colony whose family members are missing found out a phone number that was traced back to Algeria and the rumour was that all those who were on the boat are in jail now.

The Kerala police officer, DSP MJ Sojan who heads the investigation, said that for week, the number has been in circulation.

It has been traced to a police station in Annaba, a coastal town in Algeria. We shared the number with our consulate. They verified and found that it has no connection with the present case, he said.

The family members of Kanakalimgam and Ramesh were also reported on the boat and they say they had got missed calls from an international number but when they called, they number didnt connect.

No Headway Even After 150 Days

There have been no progress as more than 150 days have passed. On January 11, the police had found 50 abandoned bags in Munambam near Kochi and more bags were found next day with documents and identity cards. The police reached on a conclusion that the passengers were made to leave their luggage behind as the boat must have gone overcrowded. The angle of human trafficking was also investigated after the abandoned bags were found.

Based on the prima facie investigation, police said Selvan and Sreekanthan were the mastermind of the racket and ten middlemen who belonged to Delhi and Tamil Nadu lured the people who left on the boat, have also been identified. They reportedly promised the people jobs in New Zealand.

The police have arrested 10 people so far and two of them Ravi Raja and Prabhu Dandapani are from Ambedkar Nagar Colony.

News18

After Indian authorities requested, the Interpol issued blue corner notice against 183 people mainly from Delhi who were suspected to the part of boat which sailed off the Munambam coast.

On a request from Indian authorities, Interpol has issued a blue corner notice against 183 persons mainly from Delhi who are suspected to be a part of the group that sailed off the Munambam coast.

No information has been received even after five months, said a police official.

Even after Interpols notice, no hints were received from foreign countries. So we are just waiting for confirmation. Police said central agencies had also been appraised of the details of the case. "Until any solid information is received, it will be difficult to file a charge sheet," they said.After the Market Management Committee (MMC) seized 1.5 tonnes of banned plastic material from the Koyambedu wholesale market complex, Greater Chennai Corporation has decided to levy a penalty on the violator.

Corporation officials said the shop will be locked until evaluation of the seized material. We will impose a fine of Rs 25,000 on him for storing and supplying banned material.

From Monday, we will levy fines on everyone including users, said a corporation official adding that the fines have been drafted as per a government order.

bccl/representational image

The chief administrative officer of MMC, S Govindarajan, told TOI that a special team has been seizing plastic bags and other items from the Koyambedu market complex. However, since the supply of plastic carry bags was regular, they wanted to find the source.

We got information that shop number GA 31 was supplying these bags to the vendors. So we searched the shop on Thursday and have locked it. We have informed corporation officials who will inspect the seized material and take action, said Govindarajan.

ap/representational image

We have been creating awareness among shop owners and have taken measures to implement the ban, said an official.

Since January 1, the corporation has seized about 250 tonnes of banned plastic items.

The highest seizure was from Kodambakkam zone where about 55.5 tonnes of banned material was confiscated followed by Royapuram where 25.7 tonnes were seized. About four tonnes were seized in the past fortnight.

bccl/representational image

Corporation commissioner G Prakash told TOI that the civic body has been regularly holding awareness campaigns at corporation schools and holding meetings with residential welfare associations. We will host a workshop on alternate products available in the market for the banned plastic items in July, he said.AFP

The spate of deaths in Bihar is not coming to an end. On June 15, heatwave killed more than 40 people n Bihar. The state is already grappling under acute encephalitis syndrome in Muzaffarpur that has already killed close to 80 children in the state. Read more

Here's more top news of the day:

1) Vehicles Invite Disaster On Hills, Choke Manali-Leh Highway With 4-Km-Long Jam

Wikimedia/Aman Gupta/Creative Commons

The Manali-Leh highway on Sunday witnessed a traffic nightmare with vehicles lining up on the stretch for four kilometres, resulting in a traffic jam. Read more

2) Free Rides For Women Would Cost Delhi Metro Rs 4.26 Crore A Day, Where Will The Money Come From?

Twitter

The DMRC report said that after the implementation of the free travel proposal for women in Delhi Metro, the number of women commuters will increase drastically and it will increase the daily revenue generation by around Rs 1.50 crore. Read more

3) UP Family Without Drinking Water Seeks To End Life As PM Modi Pushes For Clean Water By 2024

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set 2024 as target for providing clean drinking water to every household, a family in Uttar Pradesh is seeking mercy-death. Read more

4) 300 Swanky AC Sheds Designed By International Architects May Soon Be Home For Cows In MP

AFP/Representational Image

In a development to address the stray cattle problem, the Madhya Pradesh government is in negotiations with a foreign firm to construct 300 smart guashalas, or cowsheds. Lakhan Singh Yadav, the state Animal Husbandry Minister addressed the media in this regard. Read more

5) 13-Year-Old Boy Gangraped By Four Men In UP; 2 More Cases Of Child Rape Surface From The State

Over the last few days, reports of sexual crimes against children are rising in Uttar Pradesh, with law and order largely remaining in tatters. After a spate of horrific rapes and murders over the last few days, another one has been reported from the chief minister Yogi Adityanath-ruled state. Read moreHillstatios like Kullu and Manali, that are frequently visited throughout the year are facing a garbage crisis.

Mountains of garbage that welcome all those visiting otherwise picturesque Kullu and Manali towns are apparently here to stay. No panchayat in the district is ready to give land for garbage disposals, even as both the dumping yards, on the banks of Beas River, are full to the brim.

Kullu Municipal Council (MC) and Bhuntar nagar panchayat dump the waste collected near Mohal in Kullu. Manali MC dumps garbage at Rangari.

The towns are generating several tonnes of solid waste, which has resulted in several feet high heaps of waste visible from long distances. Even segregation and proper treatment of garbage is very difficult in the limited space. Stinky smell from garbage makes it difficult to stay in the area.

Both, the Himachal Pradesh high court and the NGT, had given directions to the MCs to shift the dumping site but they have failed in finding new chunks of land. Residents say the garbage sometime falls into river as wind blows.

In Kullu, MC has installed a biomedical waste incinerator to destroy biomedical waste but it produces so much odor that residents of nearby area say that they are forced to close their doors and windows.

Kullu MC vice-president Gopal Krishan Mahant claims Kullu is cleanest town in the state where no garbage is found on streets. "We burn biomedical waste in incinerator. Plastic waste is being sent to a cement factory at Barmana for proper destruction. We are doing our best in garbage dumping and treatment," he said. There is still no answer to the civic body's search of a new dumping site.

Manali MC has also tried with nearby gram panchayats and forest land. Manali MC president Shabnam Tanwar said panchayats were not giving NOC to let their land be used as dumping ground. "Manali town area is already congested and we do not have any vacant space. We are now on final stage to set up a power generation project that will run on garbage by using it as fuel. It will decongest the dumping site and we will be able to treat the garbage efficiently without worrying for future," she said.

Concerned about increasing pollution in Beas, NGT has ordered imposing fine of Rs 1 lakh whoever pollutes this river or its tributaries. This week only, Kullu deputy commissioner fined the National Highway Authority of India Rs 1 lakh for dumping mud into the river Beas.While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set 2024 as target for providing clean drinking water to every household, a family in Uttar Pradesh is seeking mercy-death.

Unable to get clean water, a father and his three daughters have written a letter to Modi seeking his permission to end their lives.

Chandrapal Singh, a farmer from Hasayan block in Hathras, has been making rounds of government officials with complaints about the water in the area tasting like brine (salty).

"We cannot drink this water. Whenever my daughters drink it, they throw up. The crops are also drying because of excessive salt in it. I cannot afford bottled water for the family. My pleas for action have fallen on deaf ears and I have now sought permission from the Prime Minister to end my life and also that of my minor daughters," he told IANS.

The villagers have complained that the water is so salty that even animals do not drink it.

The disturbing news comes in the backdrop of Modis promise that piped water will reach all homes in the countryside by 2024, setting a tough target at a time when hundreds of millions don't have access to clean water.

Close to 200,000 Indians die every year due to inadequate access to safe water, and 600 million face high to extreme water stress, the National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog said in a report last yearEye transplants don't happen very often. One reason is that not a lot of people put themselves on a donor list before they die.

Another is that eyes from a patient that's died of old age usually aren't the best option. That's why this team of medical professionals wants to make their own.

Tori Schneider/Tallahassee Democrat

A team of researchers from Florida A&M University Pharmaceutics have just succeeded in fabricating a high throughput 3D print of a cornea. Led by Professor Mandip Sachdeva, the project could make for huge advances in the medical field. Not just as an added supply for transplants, they could also be used to test new methods to treat wounded corneas.

Sachdeva, along with Shallu Kutlehria, a graduate assistant in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and research assistant Paul Dinh, are publishing a white paper on the topic in a journal later this month.

The breakthrough comes as part of a research grant Sachdeva received in 2017 for research that could be used in bioprinting, aerospace materials, and energy. He's not the first to 3D print a cornea, that honour goes to scientists at Newcastle University in the UK last year. His cornea work though focuses on how to print them at a much faster rate.

"Essentially, the idea was, 'Can we do something better than this?" he said. "Can we simulate the human eye, and put a cornea with cells in it?'"

FAMU

Sachdeva describes how, in the UK study, the printing of a single cornea took a long time. That's all well and good for a proof of concept, but it's not scalable. Using his team's method however, they were able to print six corneas in just 10 minutes.

The most obvious application for this research will be for transplants. However, the team also believe it can be used to research how to improve the permeation of ocular drugs and formulations, as well as how to screen corneas for aberrations.To make mistakes on social media is only human. From making horrible typos, accidentally hitting 'like' on an exs picture, to posting some cheesy captions or just offending someone with an insensitive comment. Weve all been there and done that.

But some errors on social media can cost a heavy price. Specially when it comes to live streaming a government meeting.

More recently, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan's political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's(PTI) provisional page of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa took the social media goof up game to the very next level!

Twitter

When someone on the social media team was broadcasting a government session live, they (knowingly or ) unknowingly turned on the Cat Filter!

You can't beat this! Khyber Pakhtunkhwa govt's live presser on Facebook with cat filters..  pic.twitter.com/xPRBC2CH6y  Naila Inayat   (@nailainayat) 14 June 2019

The result was absolutely hilarious. Every Pakistan government official recorded in the video had cat ears and whiskers on them! People in Pakistan who caught the live stream on time went bonkers and were smart enough some screenshots for the trollathon to begin. There's "a cat in the cabinet" one said.

Clarification regarding coverage of Press Briefing held by KPs Information Minister Shoukat Yousafzai: #PTISMT pic.twitter.com/Oudb9r3lGz  PTI (@PTIofficial) 15 June 2019

Soon after the video went viral, the party put out a clarification regarding the incident, attributing it to "a human error by one of our hardworking volunteers". The party said it had taken "all necessary action" to ensure such a mistake is not repeated and that a protocol would be followed for a live coverage.

But we all the know the damage was done and people just couldnt stop trolling this incident.

#1

#2

#3

PTI KP govt. social media team forgot to turn off the facebook cat filter while live streaming a press conference.  pic.twitter.com/I37N1GaeSy  Danish Zaidi (@syedmdz) 14 June 2019

#4

PTIs social media team forgets to remove the cat filter from a live press conference.  pic.twitter.com/VPYCPMdW7r  Ammara Ahmad   (@ammarawrites) 14 June 2019

Just a few days ago, the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan broke the diplomatic protocol at the opening ceremony of the SCO Summit here when he sat down even as all other leaders, including Narendra Modi, were standing.

Prime Minister of #Pakistan @ImranKhanPTI's Arrival with other World Leaders at Invitation of President of Kyrgyzstan for Opening Ceremony 19th Meeting of the Council of the Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Bishkek Kyrgyzstan (13.06.19)#SCOSummit2019 pic.twitter.com/fYdKYN3Fv7  PTI (@PTIofficial) 13 June 2019

In a video shared by Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), Imran Khan was seen sitting while everyone else stood welcoming head of states, including Russian President Vladmir Putin, entering the hall.

"Imran Khan again caused national embarrassment at Bishkek, ShanghaiCooperation Organisation. When everyone was standing. He sat, stood when the presenter took his name but sat again. Arrogant, ill mannered, or an idiot?" one Twitter user wrote.

This isnt the first time Khan broke the diplomatic protocol at the 14th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit held in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

Imran Khan spoke to His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz, walked out & left the interpreter to translate 4 the King. Saudi govt has protested at highest level, told Pakistan that IKs behaviour was disgusting & broke protocol rules. Meeting with the King & his Cabinet cancelled pic.twitter.com/nI6Yy2yrGD  Sidrah Memon (@SidrahMemon1) 1 June 2019

Imran Khan spoke to the Saudi King's interpreter and walked off before the message could be translated, leaving the Saudi King standing alone.

Seems like Imran Khan and his party workers need a serious brushing-up in diplomatic protocols and just basic etiquettes.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...Newly elected Senate president of Nigeria, Ahmed Lawan, has advised the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC) and president Muhammadu Buhari to cede the 2023 presidential ticket to the south-west in order to honour the presumed winner of the June 12 election, M.K.O Abiola.

Lawan stated this while in his Yola home yesterday, June 15th, while fielding questions from journalists.

His words:

The president and indeed our party must beware of divisive elements who are now proponents of retaining power in the north beyond 2023.

I have said it before and I believe that 2023 presidential ticket of the APC must go to the South-west.

Since I made this comment last time, some members of my party have been hatching a plot to suspend me from the party but I am not moved and I will still hold my ground that power must go to the west.

June 12 Democracy Day is a milestone in Nigerias history and anyone who embraces democracy in Nigeria should be proud of what Buhari has done and it takes so much courage to do.

So many Nigerian leaders have shied away from talking or acting about it because of the controversy arising from the date and fear of being scandalized but this is what Nigerians want, respect, rule of law and honour for those who fought and bled for democracy and that is what Nigerians should remember as significant for this date.

It was not marked to spite or contradict anyone but to celebrate the common value we share in the belief in democracy as the best form of government that would serve this country and its people. And Buhari must be praised for this day.

On whether the day is widely acceptable, he said, I dont think Nigerians rejected it in any way, on the contrary, it has been welcomed with huge applause across party and regional divides.Nigerian Newspaper Headlines Today, the Nigerian newspaper

These are our top headlines from Nigerian Newspapers for Today, Sunday,16th June 2019:

A new report confirms that some Nigerians stormed the headquarters of Loom in Lagos, yesterday to demand their money after rumours of the Ponzi scheme crashing.

Loom is a Ponzi Scheme which involved a Peer to Peer Method without any visible investment. When some of its investors stormed their office in Lagos yesterday 15th June 2018, no staff was on ground to attend to them.

A graphics picture has gone up on Twitter reporting a container in Apapa that fell on two cars crushing it to ruins

According to the news we gathered from National Speaker, Thank God for saving the owners of these two cars at Apapa today. This container fell on the cars but no one was inside the car

Former minister for aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has reacted to the claims of the Ohaneze Ndigbo that there is no future for Nigeria because Northerners are unreasonable.

Femi Fani-Kayode pointed out that Northerners are not the only one responsible for the woes of Nigeria, as the disunity among the Southerners is also a major problem affecting Nigeria.

Immediate past governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, has issued a warning to his successor, Emeka Ihedioha, asking him to stay away from harassing his wife kids. According to a statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe, he said his wife and kids have not committed any offence and as such there should be no basis for their incessant harassment.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state has created three new ministries in the state while also abolishing three others. The announcement was made in a statement by his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan in Kaduna on Saturday.

Ben Murray Bruce, the former lawmaker representing Bayelsa West senatorial district, has shared that the greatest way to honour the memory of Abiola is by going back to study and actualize his plans for Nigeria.

Tony Elumelu, the chairman of UBA bank and founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation, has highlighted two key ways Nigerians can be lifted of out abject poverty. Tony Elumelu who made this revelation in Kano during the 35th convocation ceremony of Bayero University where he was one of the recipients of the honorary doctorate degree in business administration called on President Muhammadu Buhari to do something about the level of poverty in the country.

The incumbent Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has discarded rumours that there is bad blood between him and the former governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode. Tension seems to arise whenever Sanwo-Olu and Ambode names are mentioned together in a gathering since the loss of the former governor during the primary elections in 2018.

Senator Dino Melaye has thrown a jab at the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege over the mace fiasco that took place during the 8th Senate Assembly.

The Senator representing Kogi-west senatorial district, threw pictorial insults to the Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, calling him a Mace thief.

The first chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu has said that corruption was the order of the day during the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan.

The Management of Ekiti State University, (EKSU), Ado Ekiti has released a statement concerning the viral video of a lecturer, Dr O.O Aduwo allegedly attempting to have sex with a female student.

The video which has gone viral on WhatsApp and social media involving Dr O.O Aduwo of the department of Accounting pants down attempting to have sex with a female student has gotten the reactions of the school management.

Those were our headlines for Sunday 16th June 2019, you can see more at Information Nigeria.A new report confirms that some Nigerians stormed the headquarters of Loom in Lagos, yesterday to demand their money after rumours of the Ponzi scheme crashing.

Loom is a Ponzi Scheme which involved a Peer to Peer Method without any visible investment.

When some of its investors stormed their office in Lagos yesterday 15th June 2018, no staff was on ground to attend to them.

Recall in May, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued a warning to Nigerians investing in the scheme not to.

Mary Uduk, Acting Director-General of the commission said;Controversial Nigerian actress and philanthropist, Tonto Dikeh is celebrating Fathers Day today, June 16, 2019.

The mother of one, who is estranged from her ex-husband, Oladunni Churchill, has revealed a lot of information about their failed marriage on social media. The two havent been the best of friends ever since their separation. She also tells anyone who cares to listen that she plays the role of a mother and father to her son.

She recently participated in a Fathers day novelty match organized by her sons school. To crown it all, she decided to celebrate herself on the day meant specifically for fathers.

She shared a stunning new photo of herself via instagram page as she wished herself a Happy Fathers Day.

She wrote:

HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ME AN INCREDIBLE WOMAN WITH THE HEART OF A LION!!

#KINGTONTO #MAMADPAPA

See photo below:Former minister for aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has reacted to the claims of the Ohaneze Ndigbo that there is no future for Nigeria because Northerners are unreasonable.

Femi Fani-Kayode pointed out that Northerners are not the only one responsible for the woes of Nigeria, as the disunity among the Southerners is also a major problem affecting Nigeria.

He wrote;

I am amongst the strongest critics of northern hegemony and domination and nothing is happening today that I did not say would happen if Buhari was elected President both in 2015 and 2019.

Yet the truth is that we cannot blame everything on the north because southern leaders are their own worse enemies. We are weak, divided, petty, ignorant, gullible, naive, petty and cowardly.

Worse of all we behave like crabs in a basket: always pulling one another down and always attempting to eclipse and destroy our own brightest stars.

Also Read: Stop Harassing My Wife And Kids Rochas Pleads With Ihedioha

Northern hegemony and northern domination is manifest in every sphere and sector of the Nigerian space only because the ever-grovelling, ever-slavish, ever-quivering, ever-quarrelling and ever-snivelling southern leaders, who are so comfortable with betraying and abandoning their own mid-stream, gladly allow it.

If we want things to change the first thing that we need to do is to accept the fact that southern unity, the southern commonality of purpose, southern fraternity, southern co-operation and southern cohesion and understanding are fundamental pre-requisites to southern emancipation.

The secret to the remarkable success of the north is their wholehearted appreciation of the power of unity and the importance of furthering their collective interest regardless of political party affiliation.

This is something that the south appears to be simply incapable of appreciating, achieving or enjoying. We are our own worse enemies.FILE - In this March 23, 2016 photo, the Constitution is held by a member of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump says he wants to order the end of the constitutional right to citizenship for babies of non-citizens and unauthorized immigrants born in the United States. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Read more

High above Philadelphia at the Pyramid Club, the local lawyers chapter of the Federalist Society, the national group best known as the farm league for Republican federal judges and legal appointments (over half the current Supreme Court have been members), will meet Monday June 24 (corrected) to review whether people born in the United States should qualify to be citizens.

If you thought the 14th Amendment, passed to ensure that freed slaves were treated as citizens, settled that question for immigrants, too, the Federalists are digging it up, and inviting a couple of what the chapter calls Americas best legal thinkers from two California law schools to argue about it.

President Donald Trump has said he may try to end the practice, which has withstood court challenges.

As part of their campaigns to boost conservative interpretations of the Constitution, the Federalists have a reputation for pitting conservative scholars against thoughtful liberals in this kind of public debate. But this particular setup ($25 at the door for nonmembers) looks more like dueling conservatives.

Against birthright citizenship for people born here will be John Eastman, law professor and onetime dean of Chapman University School of Law in Orange, Calif. A graduate of the University of Chicago law school and veteran of the Chicago corporate law firm Kirkland & Ellis and the Reagan administration, Eastman is a top officer of the Federalist Society and chairman of the National Organization for Marriage, which opposes same-sex marriage.

Favoring birthright citizenship is John Yoo, law professor at University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, who was born in Korea, graduated from Episcopal Academy, and (after Harvard and Yale Law) went on notoriously to justify waterboarding and the state torture of prisoners of war.

He also defended the presidents warrantless wiretapping program and war-making powers as a Justice Department attorney under President George W. Bush.

For more information or to preregister, check https://fedsoc.org/events/debate-birthright-citizenship-a-right-or-a-wrong

Profit or propaganda?

Investor Gary Hindes, the Greenville, Del.- and New York-based head of the Delaware Bay Co. whos made a career of suing government agencies for bungling takeovers of financial companies, is hoping for profit and bracing for propaganda as the Trump administration considers doing what President Barack Obama never accomplished: ending the federal governments takeover of housing-finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and returning them to private control  with or without the same implicit guarantee that Congress will bail them out if they ever run out of money.

Hindes is among investors suing the government, alleging that the Treasury Department under Obama and Bush seized many billions in Fannie and Freddie profits that should have stayed with investors.

He sent a primer to reporters last week to challenge past Treasury and administration claims that Fannie and Freddie were insolvent and needed a taxpayer bailout when they were seized and placed into conservatorship by the government in September of 2008.

Hindes says documents made public in shareholder lawsuits like his have at the least raised serious doubts that the government needed to seize the housing-finance giants. Fannie and Freddie ended up recovering many billions from Bank of America and other mortgage lenders that lied about the rotten condition of many of the loans they sold to the housing agencies. Those misrepresentations helped spark the 2008 financial meltdown and the Great Recession.

So to Hindes, the governments action to take control of Fannie and Freddie wasnt a bailout, it was a stickup," in which a well-financed institution was diverted to producing cash for the government instead of its owners.

Of course there are broader questions, besides shareholder payouts, riding on the Trump administrations solutions:

Will Treasury be forced to return to shareholders the money it took from Fannie and Freddie?

Will a privately run but government-supported housing finance system continue to deliver cheap, fixed-rate 30-year mortgages?

Or will private mortgage bankers get their wish and see Fannie and Freddie fully privatized, with no government guarantees, giving banks more power to fund and price loans as they see fit? That would likely make mortgages more profitable for them  and more expensive.Philadelphia Police and the crime scene unit investigate a shooting that occurred on the 2300 block of Ridge Ave. in Northwest Philadelphia on Saturday. Violence continued into Sunday, with four shootings reported by the police, including a second homicide, in Germantown. Read more

As Munnah Mayo waited for the bus on South Street on Sunday afternoon, she had no idea that two separate shootings had taken place just blocks apart on the storied street over the weekend.

There was nothing to give her a clue that they had.

Tourists were still taking selfies outside of Isaiah Zagars Magic Garden; kids still skateboarded down the middle of the busy roadway; and more Philadelphia Parking Authority workers patrolled the street than police officers.

Mayo, 68, of South Philly, hadnt heard about the South Street shootings but she had heard about the woman in the deli who was shot and killed Saturday in North Philadelphia.

Fourteen shootings in one weekend! Thats unbelievable, Mayo said. Thats a damn crime.

>> READ MORE: This came out of nowhere: Shooting of 6 at playground BBQ caps bloody Fathers Day weekend in Philly

By the time the weekend was over, the number of shootings had risen to 19 with 28 victims, including five dead. The shootings took place on a playground, inside a deli, at a graduation party, and seemingly everywhere in between.

[Reading on mobile and not seeing the chart above? Click here to view the full version.]

At the graduation party attended by about 60 people on the 6900 block of Reed Bird Place near Paschall Playground in Southwest Philadelphia, six people were shot, including four teens between the ages of 15 and 16 who were listed in stable condition, police said. Isiaka Meite, 24, of the 6700 block of Doral Street was shot in the back and died from his injuries, police said. A 24-year-old man who was shot in the elbow was listed in stable condition.

>> EDITORIAL: The citys bloody Fathers Day demands action

Mayo fears that the whole city is becoming desensitized to the unrelenting gun violence.

When I first came here I used to cry all the time, she said. I dont cry anymore.

The first South Street shooting happened about 12:50 a.m. Saturday on the 400 block, home to Jims Steaks, Copabanana, and MilkBoy. There, a 21-year-old man was shot once in the left thigh and a 22-year-old man was shot once in the left leg. Both were listed in stable condition, police said.

Then at 2:58 a.m. Sunday at Ninth and South Streets  where theres a Starbucks, a Wawa, and a police mini-station  a 22-year-old man was shot twice in the shoulder and twice in the abdomen. He remains in critical condition, police said.

This weekend, there were shooting incidents across the city and unfortunately, our area was not immune from it, Michael Harris Harris, South Street Headhouse District executive director, said in an emailed statement. Its an ongoing and alarming citywide challenge.

In North Philadelphia at CBM Deli, April Coleman, 38, was in the shop on the 2200 block of Ridge Avenue when a gunman fired a revolver into the deli from the front door about 1:30 p.m. Saturday, striking Coleman in the head, police said. She was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

>> READ MORE: Commissioner wonders whether gunmen are emboldened by perception of no consequences

Colemans death brought the citys total homicides for the year to 146, up 8 percent compared with the same period a year ago and one ahead of the comparable total in 2017. Over the last decade, the average number of homicides through June 15 has been 118, according to police data.

Police Commissioner Richard Ross last month called it alarming that nearly 90 percent of the homicides this year had been committed with guns, about 5 percent higher than the typical share in recent years, and said hed put more cops on the street this summer.

The weekends final shooting victim was 68-year-old Marlita Ann Smith, who was shot in the chest around 11:02 p.m. on the 5000 block of North 7th Street in Olney, where she lived, police said. Smith was taken to Albert Einstein Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 11:50 p.m. Police were questioning her husband.

In that case an arrest was made and a weapon was recovered, according to authorities.

Also killed this weekend was a 24-year-old man who was shot in the 500 block of East Walnut Lane in East Germantown about 1:08 a.m. Sunday and a 42-year-old man who was shot on the 3300 block of North 20th Street around 1:53 a.m. Sunday in a double shooting that also injured a girl, 16, who was hit in her right arm and listed in stable condition.

Among the nonfatal shooting victims Sunday was a 26-year-old man who was shot in the thigh on a playground in the 200 block of East Olney Avenue about 4:40 p.m and two men, ages 17 and 19, who were shot in a double shooting around 10:08 p.m. on the 1800 block of South 31st Street in South Philadelphia.

At 10:17 p.m., a 26-year-old man was shot in the chest on the 5600 block of Market Street in West Philly and taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.

In total, nine people were shot in just nine minutes between 10:08 and 10:17 p.m. Sunday in Philadelphia.

Other shootings victims this weekend, according to police, included:

A 30-year-old man who was shot once in the left side on the 50 block of North 39th Street in University City around 1:25 a.m. Saturday. He was listed in stable condition.

A 30-year-old man who was shot in the left shoulder and upper back during an attempted robbery on the 3000 block of West Clearfield Street in North Philadelphia around 2:21 a.m. Saturday. He was listed in stable condition.

A 28-year-old woman who was shot once in the right buttocks on the 2700 block of Frankford Avenue in Kensington at 4:29 a.m. Saturday. She was listed in stable condition.

A 26-year-old man was shot once in the finger while leaving a party on the 5800 block of Hoffman Street in Kingsessing around 5:12 a.m. Saturday. He was listed in stable condition.

Injured in a double shooting on the 900 block of South 22nd Street in the citys Graduate Hospital section around 3:25 p.m. Saturday were a 20-year-old man who was shot once in his leg and a 21-year-old man who was shot once in the chest. Both men were listed in stable condition. A gun was recovered at the scene, according to police.

A 35-year-old man was shot twice in the right hip, once in the elbow, and once in the back on the 2100 block of Granite Street in East Frankford at 8:07 p.m. Saturday. He was listed in critical condition.

At 9:21 p.m. Saturday, a 51-year-old man was shot once in the thigh on the 2600 block of Penrose Avenue, just off of the Schuylkill Expressway in South Philly. He was listed in stable condition. State police made an arrest, but details have not been released.

At 2:19 a.m. Sunday, a 25-year-old man was shot once in the hand and once in the abdomen on the 7400 block of Torresdale Avenue in Holmesburg. He was listed in critical condition.

A 33-year-old man was twice in his buttocks, three times in his thighs, and once in his groin on the 4400 block of North 4th Street in Feltonville at 6:55 p.m. Sunday. He was listed in stable condition.

Aside from announcing an apprehension in Smiths homicide and an arrest in the case on Penrose Avenue, police have not released a motive, suspect, or arrest in any of the other cases."United Shades of America" host W. Kamau Bell, dressed for a visit to the Covanta incineration plant in Chester, in Sunday's episode the CNN documentary series, "Toxic America," which looks at environmental issues in Philadelphia and Chester. Read more

Three days after hosting ABCs Good Morning America on Eakins Oval, Philadelphia gets a different kind of closeup on Sunday, as CNNs Emmy-winning documentary series United Shades of America makes the city, and nearby Chester, the focus of its fourth-season finale, Toxic America.

This one wont be celebrating our cheesesteaks and water ice.

Comedian W. Kamau Bell, who hosts United Shades, is no stranger to Philadelphia, having attended the University of Pennsylvania for three semesters. In the shows first season, he was here for an episode that looked at policing in Philadelphia and Camden.

Still, he and his producers first thought of going to Flint, Mich., home of the ongoing contaminated-water crisis, for an episode about, among other things, how pollution disproportionately affects the poor. As they talked about it, though, they realized that its more than just Flint. Its even a major city like Philadelphia. It felt like an angle on it that nobody had talked about specifically on a national level yet, Bell said in a recent phone interview.

But also  its not just Philadelphia. Its also this place outside Philadelphia called Chester, where residents have been dealing for decades with the placement of incinerators and other facilities no one with a choice really wants as neighbors.

One of the shows producers, Lauren Thompson, knew Inquirer reporter Wendy Ruderman, who, along with journalists Barbara Laker, Dylan Purcell, and Jessica Griffin, was a finalist in this years Pulitzer Prizes for the Inquirer series Toxic City, which uncovered the environmental hazards to which Philadelphia children are exposed.

That sort of opened up a whole world to us, said Bell, whose interview with Ruderman and Laker takes place, scenically enough, on a pier on the Delaware, with the Ben Franklin Bridge in the background. Its typical of Bells style that he tries to introduce his interviewees as more than talking heads, in this case comparing Ruderman and Laker to Cagney & Lacey and Abbi and Ilana from Comedy Centrals Broad City.

The point is theyre friends, theyre women, and theyre badasses, he said of Ruderman and Laker.

Those familiar with the Toxic City series will recognize the story Bell is telling as he visits Lewis C. Cassidy, an elementary school that was identified in The Inquirers Toxic City series as being perhaps the most toxic school in the Philadelphia system, and interviews Chelsea Mungo, who was in the fourth grade when she wrote to state Sen. Vincent Hughes to protest conditions at the school and to ask for more funding.

I think this episode is one of those that is probably more beneficial for the people outside of Philly and Chester than it is for the people who are there, who already know the problems, Bell said.

Ive tended to think of United Shades of America as investigative comedy, if a somewhat less frenzied form than practiced by John Oliver on HBOs Last Week Tonight. Both tackle complex issues that dont always get much of televisions attention, in ways designed to keep us watching. But theres not much funny to be found in stories of children with lead poisoning or going to schools contaminated with lead and asbestos, and Bell, whose default expression is a broad smile, is fine with changing his tone to suit the occasion.

I generally find that people appreciate that my tone is respectful about things that are hard to talk about, though that doesnt mean he cant find humor in unexpected places. Because how would we survive if we didnt laugh sometimes at these intense issues? he said.

People sit across me and theyre OK with it not being the local journalist or national journalist whos trying to hit the hard story.  Maybe its investigative feelings journalism? he said, laughing.

People who I interview like that Im breaking up the rhythm [we often see in TV interviews]. I just want to have a good conversation with you. And were there for a reason, but it happens that in conversations, theres laughter, theres sadness, sometimes theres hugs. You know, I sort of enjoy the fact that this show has evolved [so that where] if I realize this is super-serious, theres no need for jokes, thats fine. But even in those conversations, laughter that doesnt maybe make it on screen will help alleviate the tension.

Bell, who previously hosted the FX/FXX late-night show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, doesnt pretend to be an impartial observer. But four seasons of traveling the country for his CNN series has given me a wider array of knowledge, he said.

I think Im still going to be a person who feels very at home in the Bay Area, hanging out with my lefties and liberals, he said. But it does make me feel I can kind of go anywhere. And  I can have a conversation with anybody  who is open to having a conversation. As much as people sometimes get mad about who I talk to on the show, those people would actually have conversations. The people who dont have conversations, or who make it really hard, we dont put in the show because thats not worth it for us.

What also isnt worth it to Bell is trying to come off as the smartest guy in the room. He describes revealing my own ignorance as part of his brand and is quick to credit others with helping to shape the shows approach to issues.

I grew up like a lot of dudes who felt like they had to be the smartest, best, strongest, best-looking and be mad at the people who were smarter and better-looking than them, and had to talk a lot. So I grew up like that, despite my mothers best intentions, because thats what happens when youre a man in America," said Bell, who was born in California and spent his early years in Alabama, Boston, and Chicago.

When I moved to the Bay Area, I really learned, just through people I hung out with, that the quieter I was, the more I paid attention and listened, the smarter I would be just because I was getting new information. And then through United Shades, I started to own the fact that like this is really the dumb-question show," he said.

When people know youre not showing up as the expert, theyre happy to explain what they know, he said.

Sundays episode caps a season whose topics have included a look at megachurches in Dallas, reproductive justice issues in Mississippi, and segregation in Milwaukee. And while the problems the show spotlights in Philadelphia and Chester loom large, Bell doesnt see them as insurmountable.

These things are fixable, he said. It would just take resources, and time.

United Shades of America. Sunday, June 16, 10 p.m., CNN.YORK, Pa.  Tiffany Seitz, 23, Miss Laurelwood, was named Miss Pennsylvania 2019 at the Pullo Family Performing Arts Center in York on Saturday night. The runner-up was Page Weinstein, Miss Moraine State.

The day started out with 28 contestants, which narrowed to 11 for the final round, until only Seitz and Weinstein were left. Seitz is from Freeport, just to the northeast of Pittsburgh.

She will represent the commonwealth at the Miss America pageant. Alysa Bainbridge, Miss Philadelphia, was third runner-up.

The Miss Pennsylvania finals took place after a turbulent 18 months, in which the national Miss America organization had an internal rebranding battle between controversial chairwoman Gretchen Carlson and local pageant directors. In the course of that battle, the Miss America Organization stripped the Miss Pennsylvania awards of their license.

According to the Miss America Organizations recent rebranding efforts, it was not a beauty pageant but a competition. And the local titleholders? They were candidates for a job.

All candidates participated in traditional job interviews  but not without traditional pageant glam. Elisa Rivera, Miss Susquehanna Valley, arrived to her interview in a one-shoulder dress, the lone sleeve striking and ruffled. Marlisa Miller, Miss Fields of Valor, wore a lavender pantsuit.

In addition to the interviews, candidates pitched personal advocacy platforms, performed talents, and graced the stage in evening gowns.

But the competition week didnt start onstage. The candidates balanced rehearsals with a preview of the on-the-ground community work that the yearlong role entails.

That preview took them to the Capitol on Monday, where they spoke with legislators and met Gov. Tom Wolf. The group watched as outgoing Miss Pennsylvania Kayla Repasky threw the first pitch at a York Revolution game. They visited Penn State Childrens Hospital in Hershey and climbed aboard motorcycles on a tour of the Harley-Davidson assembly plant in York.

These outings were initiated by a new board of Miss Pennsylvania directors. Since Miss Pennsylvania lost its license last October, a group under the leadership of Debbie Butcher, a five-time former local Pennsylvania titleholder herself, stepped up to reclaim it.

Butchers involvement shows how important the organization has been, not only for the young women competing but also for their local chapter directors. All volunteers, these women and men (yes, in fact, many men) have seen the organization through its ups and downs.

Bobbey Biddle, executive director of the Miss Philadelphia local chapter, grew up participating in community theater in his small Delaware hometown. I was a little gay boy growing up in a conservative area. Theater saved my life, Biddle said. One day we were like, Were gonna go check out this beauty pageant that takes over our theater once a year. I showed up and I was just blown away by what I saw.

By age 23, Biddle was directing local Miss Delaware competitions. Now, at 37, hes known in pageant circles as Mr. Philadelphia. Its a title that makes earnest Biddle shrug with humility. You might want to call Bryce Harper Mr. Philadelphia, he said. But Ill take it.

Unperturbed by the changes this year was Bainbridge, Miss Philadelphia. In 2017, she served as Miss Pennsylvanias Outstanding Teen through the organizations little sister chapter.

For Bainbridge, now 20, participation is about more than the crown. Bainbridge lost her older brother to an opioid overdose last year, and shes using her platform to discuss mental health and addiction. I just thought being Miss Philadelphia would give me an opportunity to show that opioid addiction isnt what it looks to be on the surface, Bainbridge said. That even these people that you think may have perfect lives are affected.Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman poses during a group picture ahead of Islamic Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, early Saturday, June 1, 2019. Muslim leaders from some 57 nations gathered in Islam's holiest city of Mecca late Friday to discuss a breadth of critical issues ranging from a spike in tensions in the Persian Gulf, to Palestinian statehood, the plight of Rohingya refugees and the growing threat of Islamophobia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) Read more

(Bloomberg)  Saudi Arabias crown prince blamed Iran for last weeks attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, adding to accusations that are stoking tensions in a region supplying a third of the worlds oil.

The international community needs to take a firm stance against Iran after the maritime attacks as well as strikes on Saudi oil facilities and an airport, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview with Asharq Al Awsat newspaper published Sunday. Iran has denied culpability.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was responsible, and Washington released a video purporting to show Iranian naval forces removing an unexploded mine from one of the stricken ships. The U.K. said its almost certain that Iran was behind the tanker attacks. The Saudis provided no additional evidence of Irans alleged involvement, and the strikes are still under investigation.

While the U.S. and Saudi Arabia both say they dont want war, tensions in the Persian Gulf are rising as American forces strengthen their presence.

The kingdom does not seek war in the region but will not hesitate in dealing with any threats towards our people, sovereignty, unity and vital interests, the crown prince told the Saudi-owned paper.

In an apparent show of force, the state-run Saudi Press Agency on Sunday tweeted what it said was footage of a joint formation of American and Saudi F-15 fighter jets flying over the Persian Gulf.

Supply Threat

The tanker attacks threaten to curtail trade and hurt global oil markets, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said Saturday during meetings in Japan. Saudi Arabia has seen increased demand from some buyers and has met their requests for more oil, he said.

Al-Falih said the same source responsible for a missile strike on Saudi Arabias Abha International airport on Wednesday was probably behind Thursdays tanker attacks near the stin the Gulf of Oman near Hormuz, a narrow sea conduit through which the Middle Easts crude flows.

The Saudi minister didnt mention a country or group by name in his comments during Group of 20 ministerial meetings in Japan. A missile fired by Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels hit Abha International airport.

The kingdom itself has also been attacked in the past, Al-Falih said in the Japanese mountain resort town of Karuizawa. Our energy infrastructure but also our civilian locations, like the airport in Abha where 26 civilians were hurt in a missile attack. We suspect it came from the same source as that that attacked the ships.

Saudi Arabia will take every measure to protect its oil facilities, territorial waters, ports and ships, Al-Falih said at a meeting with his Japanese counterpart. The impact on global confidence in the security of supply is of more concern than the damage to the ships that were attacked, he said.

(Updates to add joint U.S.-Saudi sortie over Persian Gulf in sixth paragraph.)

With assistance from Abbas Al Lawati.

To contact the reporters on this story: Tsuyoshi Inajima in Tokyo at tinajima@bloomberg.net;Nadeem Hamid in Washington at nhamid3@bloomberg.net;Anthony DiPaola in Dubai at adipaola@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ramsey Al-Rikabi at ralrikabi@bloomberg.net, Amy Teibel, Paul Abelsky

2019 Bloomberg L.P.President Donald Trump waves as he departs after speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, June 14, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Read more

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for attacks on oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, but he also held out hope that implicit U.S. 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 U.S. closer to war.

"Iran did it," Trump said Friday on Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends." He didn't offer evidence, but the U.S. military released video it said showed Iran's 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, Trump was keeping a public spotlight on an adversary he accuses of terrorism but also has 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.

A U.S. Navy team on Friday was aboard one of the tankers, the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, collecting forensic evidence, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive operation.

Apparently alluding to the U.S. video, Trump said Iran's culpability had been "exposed." He did not say what he intended to do about it but suggested "very tough" U.S. sanctions, including efforts to strangle Iranian oil revenues, would have the desired effect.

"They've been told in very strong terms we want to get them back to the table," Trump said. Just a day earlier, the president took the opposite view, tweeting that it was "too soon to even think about making a deal" with Iran's leaders. "They are not ready, and neither are we!"

Trump last year withdrew the United States from an international agreement to limit Iran's nuclear program that was signed in 2015 under his predecessor, President Barack Obama. He has since then re-instated economic sanctions aimed at compelling the Iranians to return to the negotiating table. Just last month the U.S. 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 U.S. officials called a surge in intelligence pointing to Iranian preparations for attacks against U.S. forces and interests in the Gulf region.

In response to those intelligence warnings, the U.S. on May 5 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 defenses in the region by deploying more Patriot air defense systems.

Officials said that Pentagon deliberations about possibly sending more military resources to the region, including more Patriot missile batteries, could be accelerated by Thursday's dramatic attack on the oil tankers.

At the Pentagon, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Iran is not just a U.S. problem. He said the U.S. goal is to "build international consensus to this international problem," and to ensure that U.S. military commanders in the region get the resources and support they need.

In remarks to reporters later, Shanahan noted the commercial and strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, through which passes about 20 percent of the world's oil.

"So, we obviously need to make contingency plans should the situation deteriorate," he said.

Other administration officials said the U.S. is re-evaluating its presence in the region and will discuss the matter with allies before making decisions. The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said Thursday the U.S. is looking at all options to ensure that maritime traffic in the region is safe and that international commerce, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, is not disrupted. One option, they said, is for U.S. and allied ships to accompany vessels through the strait, noting that this tactic has been used in the past. They said there is no timeline for any decisions.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said that providing naval escorts through the Strait of Hormuz is an option, but, "I don't think it's a sustainable option because of the amount of traffic." She said tanker warfare in the Persian Gulf has historically been a problem, and she wouldn't be opposed to the U.S. having a more visible presence in the region.

Slotkin, a former senior policy adviser at the Pentagon, said she is concerned that the Trump administration does not have a clear strategy on Iran. She said it's difficult to deter Iran without provoking additional violence, adding, "I don't believe this administration is capable of walking such a deft, fine line."

In ticking off a list of Iranian acts of "unprovoked aggression," including Thursday's oil tanker attacks, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added a surprise accusation. He asserted on Thursday that a late May car bombing of a U.S. convoy in Kabul, Afghanistan, was among a series of threats or attacks by Iran and its proxies against American and allies interests. At the time, the Taliban claimed credit for the attack, with no public word of Iranian involvement.

Pompeo's inclusion of the Afghanistan attack in his list of six Iranian incidents has raised eyebrows in Congress, where he and other U.S. officials have suggested that the administration would be legally justified in taking military action against Iran under the 2001 Authorization of Military Force, or AUMF. In that law, Congress gave then-President George W. Bush authority to retaliate against al-Qaida and the Taliban for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It has subsequently been used to allow military force against extremists elsewhere, from the Philippines to Syria.

As the world awaited Washington's next move, analysts said it was difficult to sort out the conflicting claims.

"There are few actors in the world that have less credibility than Donald Trump and the Iranian regime, so even U.S. allies at the moment are confused about what happened," said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He said the "tremendous mistrust" of both Trump and Iran has made "the biggest priority for most countries to simply avoid conflict or further escalation."

At the same time, Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is in a difficult position, Sadjadpour said. "If he didn't respond to Trump's provocations, he would risk looking like a paper tiger and projecting weakness. But if he responds overly aggressive to Trump he potentially destabilizes his own rule and his own regime. That's why we've seen Iran calibrate its escalation."

---

AP writers Zeke Miller and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.Washington Nationals Bryce Harper stands with his father Ron Harper after Bryce won the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 16, 2018 in Washington. The 89th MLB baseball All-Star Game will be played Tuesday. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Read more

Happy Sunday, everyone, and happy Fathers Day. The day is especially noteworthy for Bryce Harper, who, on the eve of becoming a father himself, is reflecting on the lessons he learned from his dad. And, in todays Q&A section we had a chat with columnist Mike Newall, whos here to remind us that New Yorkers are streaming into Philly to plant their roots and yes, theres a way for them to mesh with the Philly culture. Trust him, he came from Brooklyn after all.

Reading this online? Sign up here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning.

 Tauhid Chappell (morningnewsletter@philly.com)

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The week ahead

Its Fathers Day today, and for new Philadelphian and father-to-be Bryce Harper, that means paying tribute to his dad, Ron, who showed his son the importance of "[working] his ever-living tail off. And, if youre looking for something to do with a father figure today, there are plenty of events to still enjoy in the Philly area, from dumpling tutorials to free beer.

Juneteenth is this Wednesday, but celebrations will be happening all week throughout Philly, from Civil War reenactments to an Underground Railroad pop-up museum.

This Thursday, Mural Arts will be dedicating its new Untitled mural, which explores identity and can be found above the Target off Sansom Street. The image features North Philly teen Najee Spencer-Young.

Look for our colleague Marissa Paynes story tomorrow morning, which will examine Atlantic Citys attempt to attract more visitors to the north side of its boardwalk, by dubbing it North Beach.

This weeks most popular stories

Behind the story with Mike Newall

Each week we go behind the scenes with one of our reporters or editors to discuss their work and the challenges they face along the way. This week we chat with Mike Newall, who penned a welcome letter to all those New Yorkers who seem to be flocking to Philadelphia at a steady pace.

This isnt the first time were seeing New Yorkers invading Philadelphia, but it does make one think: are we seeing any noticeable shifts in Phillys culture? You mentioned youve seen your neighborhood change a lot, what other changes have you noticed and do any of them remind you of New York?

Besides seeing more and more devastatingly good-looking people with great Brooklyn accents running around? (I kid.) Yeah, Phillys changing. Downtowns getting shinier and shinier and new people are moving into so many neighborhoods like mine. But I know better than to call Phillys culture New Yorkified. Were our own thing. What we have to worry about is being our own best selves  and thats making sure that the good change our city has seen is for everyone. If New Yorkers want to come here and enjoy it, good for them. Be cool when you get here.

One commenter chimed in to say Philadelphia doesnt have an inferiority complex, NYC has a superiority one. Its the greatest city in the world! is a constant refrain from New Yorkers. Does it sound like there could be some truth in that observation?

Of course there is. New Yorkers are arrogant sorts. But Philly has a way of grinding that out of people. Its one of our defining traits.

What are a few things in Philly that helped you fall in love with the city?

Its history. Its beauty. Honestly, the neighborhoods most of all. A lot of that charm has been priced out of New York. The local deli, the three bakeries and five hole-in-the-wall bars on a given block. The realness. And that goes for the people, too. As I said in the column, theyre the most honest people youll ever meet. One of the great gifts of Philadelphia is that you always know where you stand here. As a storyteller, that helps.

If theres one good thing you know will never change in Philly, what would you say it would be?

The Eagles will have always triumphed over the Patriots, 41-33, on Feb. 4, 2018. (Please do not forward this last response to any of my relatives in New York.)

Stay connected with Mike Newall on Twitter or via email at mnewall@inquirer.com.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

Thanks to our colleague @DaneseKenon for capturing this tender moment!

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

#CuriousPhilly: Have a question about your community? Ask us!

Have you submitted a question to Curious Philly yet? Try us. Were listening to our readers and doing our best to find answers to the things youre curious about.

Our readers latest question: Are flocks of New Yorkers moving to Philadelphia?

The answer: Oh yes, and theyre settling in quite comfortably in our city.

What were

Comment of the week

Looks like he is working his way back toward the Ursinus campus.  New Commentator 2 , on Phillys elusive black bear tranquilized after a day roaming Upper Roxborough.

Your Daily Dose of | The UpSide

Lisa Miccolis, founder of the Monkey and the Elephant (M&E), is on a mission. With with her nonprofit coffee shop, she hopes to equip former foster kids with the resources and support they need to create successful, stable lives.A 46-year-old man appeared in court yesterday afternoon charged with the murder of his wife.

James Kilroy, with an address at Kilbree Lower, Westport, Co. Mayo, was brought before Judge Fiona Lydon at a special sitting of Castlebar District Court.

He has been in custody in connection with the death of his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, a 41-year-old mother of three, originally from Co Cork.

The accused showed no emotion during the brief, five minute, hearing.

Detective Sergeant Michael Doherty, told today's hearing he arrested the accused at 11.45 am this morning and at 12.45 am he charged him murder.

In reply to the charge, after caution, Det Sgt Doherty outlined, the accused made no reply.

Garda Inspector Denis Harrington applied for a remand in custody to Harristown (Castlerea Prison) court on June 21.

Gary Mulchrone, solicitor, said there were serious concerns about the mental health of the accused, concerns that had become apparent since his detention.

Mr. Mulchrone said his client was in immediate need of medical attention and a psychiatric evaluation.

Remanding the accused in custody, Judge Lydon recommended the medical attention sought by Mr. Mulchrone as well as an independent pyschiatric assessment in due course.

Valerie French Kilroy

Free legal aid was also granted on the application of Mr Mulchrone.

A small group of relatives, as well as Reverend Val Rogers, Westport based Church of Ireland Rector, were in court for the brief hearing.

Rev Rogers spoke briefly to the accused before he was led away by detectives following the hearing.

Kilroy stared forward impassively during the entire proceedings.

Arrangements have yet to be finalised for the funeral of Ms Kilroy, a popular HSE employee.

A HSE employee, Ms Kilroy worked as an occupational therapist. She moved from Cork to Mayo 10 years ago.

Writing in a HSE magazine in 2009, she talked about her job. "I work as an occupational therapist (OT) in the mental health community services covering north Mayo. Along with distressing symptoms, psychiatric illnesses can turn the lives of individuals and their families into disarray.

"My role is to work with people to enable them to return to doing everyday activities, so they can take control of their world and regain a meaningful life for themselves.

My day is as varied as the needs of the people I work with."Two men have been seriously injured in what gardai are calling a public order incident in Ballyfermot in Dublin.

The Garda Armed Support Unit was called to the scene on Clifden Drive in Cherry Orchard at around 1pm today.Aideen McConville manages the Dingle Bookshop, located at Green St, Dingle, Co Kerry. It sells new and second-hand books.

How long have you been in business?

The shop is owned by Camilla Dinkel and Mike Venner, who took it over from the previous owner 11 years ago. Theyre from England originally but have been in Ireland for nearly 20 years. Ive been managing it for the last two years.

How did you get involved in bookselling?

Ive always been interested in books, my mother was a huge reader who dragged me around bookshops as soon as I could walk. Im in my 50s now and Ive been around bookshops for my whole life. I started working here as a Saturday job about 15 years ago. I got to know the business and when the owners took a step back a couple of years ago they gave me the chance to manage it. Its less pressure on them though they still come in for one day a week.

What brought you to Dingle?

Im from Palmerstown in Dublin originally but I moved to Dingle 15 years ago. I had friends here and its a lovely place to live. I previously lived in London for ten years, where I was a fine art photographic printer; when the opportunity arose to come home I came back but I didnt want to live in Dublin too long, so I moved here.

Dingle is a busy tourist town, does that help?

Its very busy now  we are getting a lot of American tourists  but July and August are our busiest months. Were always open even if its short hours, 11 to 4 in January, but weve never felt we needed to shut. We have great support from the local people, they come in a lot. They know independent bookshops are under pressure so they choose to support us. We survive the winter quite well, we have Feile na Bealtaine, which is a great festival in May, we have peaks and troughs but its very busy from now until October. We also have the food festival in October and Other Voices in December, theyre huge. It comes to a stage where there isnt a weekend when there isnt something on.

What books sell well?

We stay up to date with the bestsellers but the ones that also sell well are the Blasket books. They sell all year round to tourists, and that keeps us going  Peig, The Islandman, Twenty Years A-Growing. The bestseller of the moment is An Unsung Hero by Michael Smith, its about Tom Crean, the Antarctic explorer. We have a very good second-hand section which is very popular in the summer with people who just want something for their backpacks, and we try to keep a good Irish language section.

I speak Irish, Ive been studying it on and off through the years, and if people are doing a beginners course we try to have books on hand that will help them. Irish fiction is very big at the moment. The likes of Ryan Tubridy have done a lot for books  if he mentions a book, it flies out of the shop.

How do you counter the challenge of online retailing?

People love the experience of coming in here. They want a recommendation, they may not know what they want but they just know they want a book. You can have a huge influence on them and what they pick. They want to talk about it, to have an interaction.

They probably buy online as well, but thats just a click and its over.

We get great compliments on the shop, and its a relaxing place as the town can be quite hectic. They come in, the music is mellow, and they stay for ages. Its lovely.

We also have a big kids section where they can sit down and take it easy, too.

When the schools shut and families come down, the parents come in and buy the kids a book each, its a tradition. We have lots of families who are regular customers every summer, and you get to see the kids growing up.

Have you any books on your most famous resident, Fungi?

We have a book called The Dolphin in Dingle Bay by Mel Fisher and Patricia Ludlow. Fungi is a huge asset to the town, I dont know what well do when he goes.

What are the rewards of being a bookseller?

The reward is having beautiful books on hand on every subject to read whenever you want. And meeting lovely people all the time, people who like to talk about books and the effect they have. Its also a lovely place to work. Its a great town and stunning area. After all my years here it still takes my breath away.Sinn Fein never imagined their recent election results would be so poor and must now figure out how to get the electorate back on side, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

They simply did not see it coming.

For Sinn Feins TDs, senators and even their leader Mary Lou McDonald, the devastating defeat they suffered at last months local and European elections came out of the blue.

Heading into the elections on Friday May 24, in most constituencies, the party had expected to hold and, in some cases, increase its vote and its councillors.

Having won 159 council seats in 2014, an increase of 105, the increases this time around were expected to be modest, but doable.

The party also saw two of its three MEPs  Lynn Boylan in Dublin and Liadh ni Riada in Ireland South  lose their seats. Only Matt Carthy survived with a much-reduced vote.

No one saw the collapse. No one saw the loss of 78 seats. Across the country, the backlash was not being picked up by TDs, senators and those knocking on doors.

But when the ballot boxes were opened on Saturday May 25, a major shock was in store.

It was a shock, we didnt see it coming, this was not coming up on the doors, said Dublin Fingal TD and health spokeswoman Louise OReilly.

Nobody thought it was going to be this bad. Had we picked it up on the doors, we would have changed direction or tone. But it was a disaster, said one TD.

Some panicked, others flipped out, thinking the end was nigh.

Louise OReilly

Three weeks on from the election, the party has begun its introspection as to what went wrong.

The normally deeply secretive party has for the first time shown a willingness to be open about its failures and the Irish Examiner has spoken to several TDs and senior party figures about what happened.

Firstly, it has emerged that the feedback during the campaign was deeply defective.

A number of the partys top figures have revealed that as many as 70% of doors on a canvass were not being opened. So, as a result, feedback from the ground was patchy and not reliable.

The partys directors of elections concluded, incorrectly, that the closed doors hinted that turnout would be down and affect all parties equally.

Secondly, some areas have done a detailed analysis of what happened the vote between 2014 and 2019 and a devastating conclusion has emerged.

Despite many pundits pointing to turnout being a problem, it has actually transpired that in many strong Sinn Fein areas, turnout was as high as 2014.

The votes simply abandoned them and went to other parties.

This realisation has stung many as it places the blame squarely at their door, they cannot blame anyone else.

The truth of the matter is that most of the gains made in 2014, were lost.

We lost them all, said one TD.

But where did that vote go?

What many feel is that the party which captured huge swathes of working class and lower middle class votes and squeezed middle votes in 2014, off the back of the water charges controversy saw them all depart to other parties this time around.

The water charges issues was a huge calling card to working class voters who saw Sinn Fein as the most obvious candidates to support.

This time some of that vote went to Labour, some to the Soc Dems, some to Independents and in some areas the vote just fell away.

Party figures have said they need to work out quickly why those voters who flocked to them in 2014 fled this time around.

Were this to be replicated in a General Election, some have said the party would be back to where they were in 2011, down from the 23 seats they currently have in the Dail to about half of that.

Thirdly, speaking honestly, some of the partys biggest hitters have accepted the conflation of the abstentionist policy in Westminster, the lack of an assembly in the North, the absence of the party from government formation talks in 2016 and the bullying abuse scandals have merged together to create a bad smell around the party.

Some TDs have argued that each issue in isolation is arguable and defendable but when wrapped in together, it is clear they were a put off to voters.

Fourthly, significantly, some have conceded the party has not handled McDonalds transition to become leader well at all.

There was such an expectation at her taking over that she would simply slot into the Presidency of the party and devour all around her, as she had done so effectively as Deputy Leader.

But she has stuttered, and the party is suffering as a result.

Another question being posed by leading party members is why was it that the two angriest and loudest groups in the Dail, the Shinners and the Trots, who saw their support collapse?

So what are the answers?

The people Sinn Fein should be courting, are not doing much better than they were, but clearly want more than anger from the party, they say.

They want a more constructive opposition and clearly they are not hearing or buying the Sinn Fein.

What has been clear from the conversations with party members is a growing internal criticism that the Sinn Fein Dail team is not performing well.

The main criticism is that a small number of leading spokespeople, most notably David Cullinane and Louise OReilly, are overexposed and too aggressive on the airwaves.

Such is the concentration on too few people, TDs say their supporters struggle to name Sinn Feins spokespeople on key portfolios.

Some, while stopping short of saying McDonalds position is in jeopardy, have criticised her leadership in a way Gerry Adams never was. She needs to stop being everyones friend, she needs to be more of a leader, she needs to give the underperforming TDs a kick in the backside, they say.

Eoin O Broin, speaking on RTE conceded that perhaps the partys messaging was overly negative, and it needed to moderate it.

We need to have a very quick but very honest review of what happened. We are going to have to make changes in how the party does its business, how we communicate, how we campaign, how we work in the Oireachtas.

One of the things we were hearing on some of the doors was criticism that we are a bit too negative as a party. The people we are trying to represent want to hear constructive solutions.

Between now and General Election, our target voters will want to hear is how we are going to do things differently, he said.

Waterford TD David Cullinane concurred with O Broins assessment but expanded on it.

He cited three main factors as to why his partys vote collapsed  low turnout, boundary changes which affected the party and the partys overly negative tone.

Low turnout, the boundary issues and Sinn Fein not articulating our positive vision are all issues we have heard from Sinn Fein people over the last number of days. We are hurting because we lost a lot of good councillors and two MEPs. We have to listen, we have to learn, he said.

To address the issue of under-performance by some TDs, there is a growing expectation that McDonald will reshuffle her front bench, which is normally what happens after such a heavy defeat.

The size and shape of such a reshuffle will depend on when a general election is likely to happen.

But while there is a consensus the partys tone and message needs to change, some things are deemed to be impossible.

For example, while it plays poorly down South, there will be no end to the policy of abstaining from Westminster, as to do so would immediately split the party. Also, the restoration of Stormont is not entirely a matter for Sinn Fein to decide upon.

Sinn Fein is a party in transition and in world of pain at present. Questions are mounting as to whether McDonald is the right person to lead them into the promised land of government.

Pressure builds on McDonald but no push on her leadership is expected, yet

In May 2014, after a torrid three years in office and his party suffering major losses at European and local level, then Tanaiste and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore tended his resignation.

Having led his party to an extraordinary success, a record 37 seats in 2011, his decision was announced just hours after seven of his own TDs and one senator expressed a vote of no confidence in him.

It was a spectacular reversal of fortune brought on by his partys part in implementing a very rough agenda of austerity under the watchful eye of the IMF-led Troika.

In total, Gilmores Labour Party lost 81 local election seats across the country and had no MEP left standing.

Last month at the local and European elections, Sinn Fein suffered a similar scale of defeat, losing 78 of its 159 local authority seats, leaving it with just 81 seats on councils across the country.

The party also lost two of its three MEPs in Liadh Ni Riada in Ireland South and Lynn Boylan in Dublin with only Matt Carthy in Midlands/Northwest holding on.

The defeat of Boylan was made more remarkable given she topped the poll in Dublin five years ago.

Ni Riadas defeat was her second heavy reversal in less than a year, having flopped spectacularly in her bid to be President.

Ni Riada and McDonald at the count centre in Cork

But the defeats marked two major failures for her party leader Mary Lou McDonald.

Unlike Gilmore, whose position was deemed to be untenable, McDonalds future was not placed in doubt, despite how paNicked and shocked her colleagues were at the scale of the losses.

McDonald, the posh private-school educated southsider was always destined to end up at the head of the party once Gerry Adams decided to depart.

She became leader of Sinn Fein in early 2018 on a wave of great expectation that she would lead the party to new heights, but it is fair to say the transition has failed to deliver on that expectation.

Speaking to a large number of party members over the past week, many have said calling time on McDonald is not realistic given the short time she is in the position.

To remove her now would further destabalise the party, which is clearly reeling from what the voters inflicted upon them. But, they have made clear, her time is runNing out to turn things around and the next election is a make or break one for her.

In essence, she has been granted a fools pardon but TDs are certainly nervous a repeat of this result at the General Election would see half of them lose their seats.

One of the most revealing aspects of the last three weeks has been how openly critical some Sinn Fein TDs have been of their leader, which rarely happened with Gerry Adams.

Such open criticisms of her leadership, and her failure to be decisive enough, would mean she will not have many more chances to protect against a heave.

She certainly does not uNite the party the way Adams was able to and while he did not help win many new middle-class voters, he certainly did appeal to the partys traditional die-hard base.

McDonald has not only failed to attract those elusive middle-class voters which the party needs if it truly wants to be a party of government, she has allowed virtually all of the support gained in 2014 to ebb away.

What is clear to many within the party is that the demands of being leader are preventing McDonald from being her most effective.

By being limited to the big set-piece occasions in the Dail, Mary Lou has not been the Mary Lou so many respected, said one TD.

The feeling is that she connected with the voters by being so prominent at the Public Accounts Committee and by being out on the media much more. A number of her own TDs have gone as far as saying they have questions over her commitment, an issue which they say cost her seat in the European Parliament in 2009.

She needs to be more focused, they say, and more strategic in how the party positions itself ahead of the General Election. Otherwise, she risks finding herself deposed from the office she has worked so hard to achieve.

SFs long march to power not only stalled, but in reverse

The partys disastrous performance in last months local and European elections has undone the promising gains of 2011 and 2016, says Gary Murphy.

IN March 2015, a veritable armada of Sinn Fein activists from all across Ireland arrived in Derry for their last ard fheis, prior to the looming general election in the Republic.

Although that election wouldnt happen for 11 months, the triumphalism and expectation of the Sinn Fein troops, as they assembled in the historically republican walled city, were palpable.

Riding high in the polls, supremely well-organised, harbingers of a populist anti-austerity message, and lavishly well-funded, the party seemed on the cusp of a huge electoral breakthrough, which could have changed Irish politics forever.

Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness

Throwing off its status as a party of permanent opposition, the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Derrys own Martin McGuinness, told the gathered throngs that Sinn Fein was ready to enter government in the Republic.

The proviso, and indeed promise, was that they would only do so by leading the Government and being the largest party in it. McGuinness also thundered that Sinn Fein did not do austerity. The delegates lapped it up.

The cherished Sinn Fein vision of a united Ireland would be ever closer with the party in power on both parts of the island, implementing an anti-austerity agenda for a happy people living contented, de Valeraesque lives, as dreamed by those icons of republican politics, McGuinness and the partys leader, Gerry Adams.

Sinn Feins view was that an electorate feeling disenfranchised by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael (the parties that had run this country since Independence), and which was worn down by austerity, would turn its lonely eyes to Sinn Fein.

The problem, however, was that it was all baloney. The question of where the money was to come from to implement Sinn Feins economic vision was left suitably vague, beyond the usual canards of tax and spend, which went out of fashion in the 1970s, and a third band of tax for the so-called wealthy.

This latter group was not, however, to be confused with the wealthy Americans who provided much of the funding for the party, but that remained unsaid.

The real issue was that Sinn Fein took no notice of the realities of politics in the Republic of Ireland. It still doesnt. The tin-eared use of the phrase southern state, uttered by the partys vice-president, Michelle ONeill last Wednesday, was typical of its own partitionist mindset.

While Sinn Fein had no expectation of being Irelands largest party after the 2016 general election, it did assume that it would be another large step in its long, slow, but inevitable march to power.

That march had begun at the 1997 general election, when the party won its first seat in the modern political era, via Caoimhghin O Caolain in Cavan-Monaghan.

A decade earlier, it had run its first candidates in an Irish general election under Gerry Adams, having made the painful decision to fight elections, abandon abstentionism, and take any seats they won in the Dail.

The electorate, however, was immune to Sinn Feins charms in those early pre-Good Friday agreement days.

The peace process, which was cemented by the Good Friday Agreement of April 1998, paved the way for Sinn Fein to offer itself as a normal political party interested in the everyday things that Irish people voted on.

Over the following two decades, a steady, incremental process of advancement occurred under the watchful, beady eye of Adams, the republican movements most revered figure.

Adams, party leader since 1974, led Sinn Fein from that single seat, in 1997, to five in 2002, four in 2007, 14 in 2011, and 23 in 2016.

This is remarkable progress in anyones book. The reality, however, is that it could have been so much better. And the party expected it to be.

The problem was Adams himself. His constant re-election, every year, without challenge, had a touch of North Korea about it.

And there was certainly a strong centralist twinge to Sinn Fein: any dissent from the message, as articulated by Adams, was not tolerated.

The cult-like devotion to Adams was something not seen in Irish politics since Fianna Fails religious-like zeal for its own revolutionary hero, Eamon de Valera.

Adams was both Sinn Feins greatest strength and most worrying weakness. The strength was the rock star appeal he had built up over four decades, at the heart of the Northern Ireland peace process.

Despite his unquestioned status as leader of Sinn Fein, Adams seemed curiously unaware of what was happening in the wider Republican movement.

The innocent abroad routine, and injured tones, as he faced rigorous questioning about his knowledge of what went on in the murky world of the IRA, post-ceasefire, always amazed. But it made little difference to the Sinn Fein electoral advance in Northern Ireland.

The problem was that in the Republic people had different priorities. This manifested itself in Adamss huge weakness; his woeful grasp of politics and economy this side of the border.

Used to the tribalism of Northern Irelands politics, Adams floundered in three successive general election campaigns in the Republic, when the vast majority of voters were interested in pretty much one thing: the economy.

In 2007, he was spectacularly inept during a tanaistes debate on RTE television, proving no match for Michael McDowell, of the Progressive Democrats, and Labours Pat Rabbitte.

The subsequent four years, up to the February 2011 general election, were amongst the most dramatic in modern Irish politics. Yet at that election, dominated by austerity, and with Fianna Fail at its lowest ever ebb, after the collapse of the Brian Cowen government, Adams grasp of economics appeared tenuous at best.

He seemed somewhat perplexed to be constantly challenged on his partys economic policies. This climaxed in a woeful performance during the leaders debate.

In 2016, his performance was, if anything, even worse. A series of increasingly terrible interviews on RTE, about Sinn Feins economic policies and how it would pay for its anti-austerity promises, saw Adams repeatedly fail to explain his partys top rate of tax.

This was particularly disastrous given that, on the first day of the campaign, the partys finance spokesperson, Pearse Doherty, had exposed the mammoth gap in Fine Gaels fiscal space figures.

Liadh Ni Riadh

A return of 23 seats, on just shy of 14% of the vote, was a reasonable days work for the party, but it had hopes of winning up to 30 seats and its first-preference percentage was pretty much the same as Martin McGuinness received in the 2011 presidential election.

That election summed up another problem for Sinn Fein. While voters in Northern Ireland were used to the partys candidates having been involved in the so-called armed struggle, their counterparts in the Republic were far more squeamish about it.

McGuinness became visibly upset when he was asked, in a live television debate, by Miriam OCallaghan, how he could claim to be a man of religion when he was involved in the murder of so many people.

He accused OCallaghan of asking disgraceful questions, confronted her after the programme, and Sinn Fein made an official complaint.

But if the 2011 presidential campaign was difficult for Sinn Fein, then the 2018 contest was a disaster. In the first electoral test since Mary Lou McDonald succeeded Adams as leader, the previous February, the partys candidate, Liadh Ni Riadh, polled a barely believable 6.4% of the vote.

Mary Lou McDonald gave a barnstorming performance during the referendum to repeal the eighth amendment, in May of last year, but this was all but forgotten five months later, when the people next went to the polls, to re-elect Michael D Higgins as president.

While many in the party put down its poor result to the overwhelming popularity of the incumbent president, there was no such excuse for the partys disastrous performance in last months local and European elections.

The loss of two of its three MEPs, and half of its councillors, allied to the 12% of the vote it received in the local elections, suggests that the long march to power has not only been stalled, but slammed clearly into reverse by the electorate.

Gary Murphy is professor of politics at Dublin City University

Timeline

Breakthrough

1997 - Caoimhghin O Caolain is elected to Dail Eireann for the CavanMonaghan constituency, making him the first Sinn Fein TD elected since 1957 and the first Sinn Fein TD to take his seat in Leinster House.

2002 - As Bertie Aherns Fianna Fail wins a second term in office, Sinn Fein win 5 seats in the Dail having secured 6.5% of the first preference votes.

Caoimhghin O Caolain

Its TDs are O Caolain, Martin Ferris, Sean Crowe, Aengus O Snodaigh and Arthur Morgan.

2004 - Sinn Fein wins 11.97% of first preference votes in European Elections, with future leader Mary Lou McDonald winning a seat in Dublin.

Wobbles

2007 - While it marginally increases its first percentage vote in the General Election, Sinn Fein loses Sean Crowes seat, reducing its number of TDs to 4.

2009 - Amid the worst financial crash, Sinn Fein suffers another loss as McDonald loses her seat in the European Parliament, despite again the numbers of votes it received increases.

Big surge ahead

2011 - Amid the electoral implosion of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour form a massive coalition government under Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore.

Sinn Fein sees a surge both in terms of its support and in turn the number of Dail seats it wins.

Both Gerry Adams and McDonald are elected as TDs, with them assuming roles as leader and deputy leader in the Dail, with O Caolain marginalised.

Sinn Fein become the 2nd party of Opposition. The party wins 9.9% of the vote, which delivers 14 seats.

2014 - At the height of the water charges fiasco, Sinn Fein rides the crest of a significant wave of support making significant gains both at European Parliament level and at local authority level.

The party wins three of eleven MEP seats with Lynn Boylan, Matt Carthy and Liadh Ni Riada all elected.

Gerry Adams

At council level, the party wins an additional 105 seats and sees it seize control on many councils by way of cooperation pacts.

2016 - Sinn Fein confirms his position as the third party in Irish politics winning 23 seats in the Dail.

However, despite its surge, Sinn Fein is side-lined from the government formation talks and is isolated for the duration.

Under pressure

2014 - Gerry Adams is arrested by police investigating the abduction and murder of Jean McConville.

In a statement, Adams describes it as a voluntary meeting following his public comments last month that he was available to meet with the PSNI over the case.

2016 - Controversy arises as Cork East TD Sandra McLellan says she wanted to run again but that her job became impossible because of efforts to undermine and malign her within the party.

2017/18 - The party is rocked by allegations of abuse and harassment from within its own ranks with more than 13 of its councillors resigning.

Change is a coming

2017 - A visibly frail Martin McGuinness and Sinn Fein collapse the Northern Assembly over row with the DUP over the so-called cash for ash scandal and a failure to adequately recognise the Irish language, despite it only being spoken by less than 5% of the population.

Ballymun councillor Noleen Reilly posts pictures of bruised legs amid allegations of physical attack by former party colleagues.

2017 - McGuinness dies having reportedly suffered from amyloidosis, a condition that attacks the vital organs on 21 March, aged 66.

He is replaced as Northern leader of Sinn Fein by Michelle ONeill.

2018 - After 34 years as leader, Gerry Adams announces his decision to stand down as leader.

He is replaced by McDonald who causes controversy during her acceptance speech by saying Up the rebels, Tiocfaidh ar la.

Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill

Disaster

2019 - Sinn Fein has a disastrous local and European Elections losing two of its three MEPs and 78 councillors.

Party TDs accepts its messaging is too negative amid open criticism of Mary Lou McDonalds leadership.Promoting a new nuclear deal would not lead to normalisation of diplomatic ties with Iran, but it would dramatically reduce the chance of war, writes Richard N Haass.

US president Donald Trumps administration has singled out Iran  even more than Russia, China, or North Korea  with sustained pressure over the past two and a half years.

The United States has withdrawn from the 2015 nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA), designated an arm of Irans military (the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) as a foreign terrorist organisation, imposed economic sanctions against nearly 1,000 individuals and entities, and taken steps to make it extremely difficult for Iran to sell its oil.

US policy is working, in the sense that most countries (including those that disagree with Trumps policy) have judged it better to maintain trade and investment ties with the US than with Iran.

Irans oil exports are down sharply, and its economic isolation is real and growing. The economy contracted some 4% in 2018 and is projected to shrink as much as another 6% this year.

The currency is plummeting. There are reports of price spikes, shortages of food and medicine, and reduced financial transfers to Hezbollah and various militias central to Irans attempts to exert influence around the region.

But if the pressure is clear, its purpose is not. Many in the Trump administration appear to favour regime change. But this is unlikely to happen.

Forty years after the revolution that ousted the Shah, Irans unique political-religious system and government appears strong enough to withstand US pressure and to ride out the economic difficulties.

A more likely outcome is that US economic warfare will lead to actual warfare. Iran has made it clear that it will not just absorb pain; it will mete it out as well.

Iran was almost certainly involved in recent attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and drone strikes on a Saudi airport launched by Yemens Houthis.

Irans government also has announced its intention to break out gradually from the nuclear constraints imposed by the JCPOA.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran is slowly increasing its production of nuclear fuel. The country also appears determined to bring the level of its uranium enrichment closer to weapons grade.

All this raises the risk of a costly conflict between Iran and one or more of its neighbours or the US. Such a conflict would almost certainly escalate and spread, leaving the US, Israel, and Iran worse off.

Somewhere between a costly war and an unlikely regime change lies a third possibility, one that would require Trump to explore diplomacy. He changed course with North Korea; he could do the same with Iran.

The Trump administrations criticism of the JCPOA was more right than wrong. While the agreement did reduce Irans nuclear capabilities and increase the time it would need to develop nuclear weapons, the constraints it accepted were relatively short-lived, due to expire over the next decade.

At that point, Iran could remain within the accord yet put into place all it would need to build a nuclear inventory with little or no warning. This did not justify US withdrawal from the JCPOA, especially given that Iran was in compliance with it, but it does make a strong case for renegotiation.

That opportunity still exists. Despite the failure of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes recent attempt to mediate between the US and Iran, diplomatic prospects have arguably improved, in part because the sanctions are biting.

The Trump administration has expressed a willingness to talk with Irans government without preconditions. Iran has so far rejected talks, but that might change if the US indicated that a degree of sanctions relief would be on the table.

The time has come for such a diplomatic overture. Think of it as JCPOA 2.0. The accords provisions restraining Irans nuclear activities would be extended well into

the future.

A revised agreement would also restrain Irans ballistic missile program. In return, Iran would receive relief from the sanctions that have been introduced. The US could also formalise Trumps statement that he seeks policy change, not regime change.

There is a good chance the European participants in the original negotiations  Britain, France, Germany, and the European Union  would sign on to such an approach.

Submitting a revised accord to the US Congress for its formal approval would signal that the US would not walk away a second time.

Some sanctions would and should stay in place, however, given Iranian activities in the region. In principle, one could imagine a negotiation that would offer to remove all sanctions in exchange for a cessation of Irans efforts in Syria and Yemen, an end to its support of terrorism, and the introduction of liberal political reforms at home.

But this would have no chance of succeeding. All or nothing diplomacy will produce nothing. As was the case with arms control between the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, it is sometimes sufficiently ambitious to seek to limit competition, rather than eliminate it.

This is not to suggest Iran would enjoy a free hand in the region. Israel will presumably continue to pursue targeted military action to ensure that Iran cannot establish a military presence and infrastructure in

Syria near Israels border, as it has done in Lebanon.

And the US should maintain an augmented military presence in or near the Persian Gulf, keep troops in Syria, and maintain a meaningful diplomatic and military presence in Iraq.

Promoting JCPOA 2.0 would not lead to normalisation of diplomatic ties with Iran, but it would dramatically reduce the chance of war or Irans emergence as a nuclear-armed power, a development that would likely prompt Saudi Arabia and several other countries to follow suit.

The Middle East is dangerous enough already without adding yet another, far deadlier dimension to the mix.

Richard N Haass is President of the Council on Foreign Relations. His most recent book is A World in Disarray.Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019In a midsummer week that may culminate when  if  the sinister buffoon Boris Johnson becomes the 14th British prime minister of Queen Elizabeths near seven-decade reign, it is not hard to argue that politics have failed.

Even if Elizabeth was to consider the near 200 individuals who have been installed as prime ministers in former colonies where the British monarch remains, in name at least, head of state, it is unlikely that she could recall an individual less suited to leading a modern democracy.

That this sorry prospect looms as Britain, and by extension Europe, and particularly Ireland, faces the unprecedented challenge of Brexit turns the idea of Prime Minister Johnson from farce to tragedy.

It is tempting to invoke that oldest of all pleas for understanding  Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do  but the fantasies of exceptionalism at the root of Brexit, and fuelling Tory over-reach, make that generosity impossible.

Yet, despite that implosion, there is another, far more significant, far more pressing example of how politics have failed and of how that failure, engineered or otherwise, threatens our world.

It would be recklessly naive to describe Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman as a political figure. He seems more and more a despot, supporting barbarisms long-ago rejected in the West, but his weekend contribution on the second attack on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, in which he blamed arch-rival Iran, must be a cause for concern.

In an interview published yesterday, he said: We do not want a war in the region... But we wont hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, our sovereignty, our territorial integrity, and our vital interests.

Last Thursdays attacks came as Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe met Iranian leaders in Tehran. Iran has denied any role, though it has repeatedly warned it might block the Hormuz Strait oil lifeline in response to any attack.

The Saudi intervention adds to the narrative that began almost immediately after the attacks, when the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and then the president, Donald Trump, named Iran as the attackers.

This emboldened Mr Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton, who advocate a policy of maximum pressure on Iran  despite occasional indications of reluctance from Trump.

This assertiveness is echoed in Tehran, where, for more than a year, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pushed for Tehran to abandon the restrictions of a nuclear agreement Trump had scrapped.

However, they were drowned out by moderates, who argued that it was better to deepen the divide between the Trump administration and Europe on the 2015 deal.

Only time will tell who was behind the attacks; only time will tell if they were provocations in the tradition of the 1895 Jameson Raid or the 1939 Operation Himmler, which were stage-managed to justify military action.

Only time will tell if looming elections in America and Iran are factors, but one thing is certain: The dire prospect of regional conflict, provoked by a lack of restraint and moderation, is made all the more likely by the dire possibility of a Johnson premiership.Burma Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Offers Condolences to Former Dictator Than Shwe

State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi held a meeting with peace negotiation teams in Naypyidaw on July 5, 2016. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy

YANGONMyanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi sent a letter of condolence to former dictator Than Shwe, who was responsible for putting her under house arrest for more than a decade, on the death of his son-in-law.

Ex-Brigadier General Thein Naing, died of a gastric-related disease on Thursday in Naypyitaw. The 63-year old is widowed by Daw Khin Pyone Shwe, one of the dictators eight children.

Addressing the one-time military leader as Uncle, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said in her hand-written letter sent on Friday that her heart-felt condolences go out to the family and the widow.

She signed off by saying Praying for the well-being of you and your family, according to the dictators grandson Nay Shwe Thway Aung, who posted a photograph of the letter on his Facebook page with the comment, Thank You So Much.

The last time the State Counselor met U Than Shwe was in December 2015, a month after the Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracys landslide electoral victory in the general election. During the two-hour long meeting in Naypyitaw, the former dictator called her the future leader of Myanmar and pledged to support her and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she held no grudge against him. The former dictator put the Nobel laureate under house arrest for more than a decade while he was in power from 1992 to 2011. Despite his departure from politics, he is believed to continue to have influence in the countrys affairs, especially on the current military leadership. The former military regime leader, who has rarely been seen in public since his retirement, attended the funeral of his son-in-law in Naypyitaw.

In the pictures of the funeral, where many current military senior officials including the military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing were present, a visibly frail U Than Shwe was seen flanked by his grandson Nay Shwe Thway Aung and vice military chief deputy Snr-Gen Soe Win, who was helping his former boss to stand up by holding his arm. The death of his son-in-law came at a time when rumors have been circulating that the 84-year-old former dictator was in ill health.

The State Counselors condolences attracted mixed reactions on Facebook, the countrys most popular social media platform. While many saw the letter as an act of civilized behavior and not holding grudges against the ex-dictators family, some criticized Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for expressing her sorrow for the family while heading a government that is slow to help its citizens, such as those displaced by fighting between government troops and ethnic armed groups.

Regarding the letter, the countrys former Information Minister U Ye Htut wrote on his Facebook page that the actor and actress have to pay respect on stage to the master when needed in spite of the audience they have, suggesting that for all the popular support and authority they are enjoying, the NLD government still cant ignore the former dictator.

Unsurprisingly, his post has attracted criticism, for what some say ridicules and undermines Daw Aung San Suu Kyis condolences.

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Czech PM Backs Investment in Myanmar as State Counselor Visits PragueFull time: Egypt 3-1 Guinea





The referee blows his final whistle, thanks for following our live updates!



90' The referee adds four minutes of stoppage time.



88' Kaba almost scores a goal for Guinea! His sliding effort goes over the bar with the goal at his mercy after a pinpoint cross from Sylla finds him unmarked.



87' Egypt make another substitution. Aly Ghazal replaces Mohamed Elneny.



86' Omar Gaber atones for his mistake to add the third, after another assist from Salah. The Liverpool man feeds the overlapping Gaber whose angled effort deflects off a defender to wrong-foot the keeper.



86' GOOOOAL FOR EGYPT!!!



84' Salah goes close! He exchanges passes with Elneny in the area and drills a low shot that narrowly misses the target.



82' Salah's introduction makes the difference and helps Egypt go ahead again.



80' Guinea's Bengali-Fode Koita skips past Nabil Emad in the area and sends an angled shot that is blocked by the defence.



78' Ahmed Ali restores Egypt's lead after some brilliant individual work from Salah. The Liverpool man latches onto a through pass from Omar Gaber, rounds the keeper with a brilliant feint and sends a low shot from a tight angle that comes back off the post and finds Ali for an easy tap-in into an empty net.



78' GOOOOAL FOR EGYPT!!!



73' Ahmed Ali just fails to connect with an inviting cross from Salah.



72' Salah's passes are dangerous but Egypt are yet to make the most of them.



68' A chance for Egypt! A Salah through pass slices open the defence and finds Ahmed Ali, whose attempt to round the keeper is not successful.



67' Salah curls his corner goalwards but it is tipped over by the keeper.



66' Egypt pay the price of failing to take their chances. But they still have time to restore their lead.



63' Substitute Sory Kaba brings Guinea level after a dreadful defensive mistake. Omar Gaber's poor back pass is intercepted by Kaba, who fires a low shot past El-Shennawi and into the net.



63' Goal for Guinea!



61' Mohamed Salah is finally introduced! He replaces Walid Soliman.



60' Egypt make a double substitution. Greek-based winger Amr Warda and striker Ahmed Ali are introduced.



59' Guinea's Ernest Seka is booked for a foul on Trezeguet.



58' Trezeguet spurns another chance in a carbon-copy effort of the previous one! He nutmegs his challenger and breaks clear again but arrows a low weak shot wide of the post.



57' Mahmoud Trezeguet wastes a goal-scoring chance! He skips past his challenger and goes clear but mis-hits his shot and the keeper easily gathers the ball.



55' Guinea look better than their Egyptian counterparts, who still finding it difficult to carve out openings.



50' Mohamed Salah is warming up. Will Aguirre introduce him? Egypt need his spark tonight.



46' Left-back Ayman Ashraf replaces Ahmed Mansour and midfielder Nabil Emad replaces Tarek Hamed.



The second half is underway



The referee blows his halftime whistle





45+3' Guinea waste the game's best chance! A through pass releases Yattara who breaks clear, but his shot misses the target.



45' The referee adds two minutes of stoppage time.



42' Egypt defender Baher El-Mohamadi almost scores an own goal! He meets a Guinean cross with a header towards his own goal, with keeper Mohamed El-Shennawi pulling off a fine save.



40' A low shot from Elneny is handled by the keeper after a fine Egypt move.



34' Trezeguet receives a cross just inside the area with a hoperful header that goes straight into the hands of the keeper. Egypt struggling for clear-cut chances.



31' Mohamed Yattara's shot from inside the area is blocked by the defence.



29' Guinea's Issiaga Sylla receives a yellow card for a foul on Walid Soliman.



27' After a bright start, Egypt ease off.



23' A Guinean low cross from the left goes begging. Egypt need to address their defensive weakness on both flanks!



19' Guinea's Camara sends a shot high over from distance.



15' Guinea still defend in numbers after falling behind as Egypt push forward.



11' Mohsen scores a beauty! He collects a superb flick from Abdallah El-Said, turns and hits an unstoppable bullet into the top corner of the net past the advancing keeper.



11' GOOOOOOAL FOR EGYPT!!



8' A chance for Egypt! Guinea keeper's pass to the defence is intercepted by lone striker Marwan Mohsen, whose curling low effort is weak as the keeper pushes it away.



7' Another half-chance for Guinea! A pull-back finds Abdoul Camara on the edge of the area but his low shot goes wide. Egypt's full-backs are repeatedly exposed.



5' Guinea make a swift move down the right and a low cross finds Francois Kamano, whose effort is blocked by the defence.



2' What a chance for Egypt! Abdallah El-Said sends a cunning free-kick that almost catches out the keeper, who parries it. The ball then falls to defender Mahmoud Hamdi, whose shot is cleared off the line.





The match is underway

20:00 Aguirre plays with a different side than the one which featured against Tanzania as he continues to test his players. Mohamed Salah starts on the bench.



19:30 Egypt's starting line-up: Mohamed El-Shennawi, Omar Gaber, Baher El-Mohamadi, Mahmoud Hamdi, Ahmed Mansour, Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Elneny, Walid Soliman, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Abdallah El-Said, Marwan Mohsen



17:30 Coach Javier Aguirre gave chances to some new faces against Tanzania, including Zamalek's central defender Mahmoud Alaa and Pyramids FC midfielder Nabil Emad.

16:00 Should Salah play against Guinea, the strategy could be altered so as to make the most of the forward's pace runs behind the defence. Under Aguirre's predecessor Hector Cuper, Salah combined with veteran playmaker Abdallah El-Said to devastating effect.

15:00 The Pharaohs were unconvincing in their previous warm-up despite recording a 1-0 victory over Tanzania at Alexandria's Borg El-Arab Stadium, having struggled to make their dominance count against feeble opponents.

13:00 Egypt are likely to field an almost full-strength side when they meet Guinea on Sunday as they gear up for their opening African Cup of Nations game against Zimbabwe five days later in Cairo.

Venue: Borg El-Arab Stadium

Check the match preview here

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)The Australian Government has approved the acquisition of 72 F-35A fighter aircraft, the Department of Defence says, in response to queries as to whether the country intends to go ahead with its plans despite additional problems plaguing the already much delayed aircraft which is supposed to replace the ageing fleet of F-18s in the country.

A report in the US publication Defence News said the F-35 was still marred by flaws and glitches that could cause risks to pilot safety and also affect the jet's ability to carry out key parts of its mission.

A list of the issues was provided to the Defence Department by iTWire. But a Defence spokesperson insisted: "The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter is the most capable and best value fifth generation multi-role fighter to meet Australias air power requirements."

Australia ordered 14 F-35As in November 2009. A second batch of 58 was ordered in April 2014; 28 more are expected to be ordered to bring the figure to 100. There are three versions of the plane: the F-35A is for conventional takeoff and landing; the F-35B for short takeoff/vertical landing; and the F-35C for aircraft carriers.

The cost of the 72 planes was put at $17 billion in 2015, though costs may blow out due to the delays, the ABC

Eleven countries  Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Turkey and the UK  are buying the F-35 as their future fighter of choice. Nine partner nations have contributed funds to the plane's development. Canada pulled out of the program.

Defence News said F-35B and F-35C pilots had to observe speed limits to avoid damaging the plane's airframe or stealth coating. Cockpit pressure spikes caused ear and sinus pain and issues with the helmet-mounted display and night vision camera made the task of landing the F-35C on a aircraft carrier difficult.

These are all category 1 deficiencies or major flaws that affect mission effectiveness or safety.

Australia took delivery of two planes in 2017, reportedly at a cost of $120 million each. But no price was mentioned openly, leading some to comment that the only thing stealthy about the F-35 is the price, News Limited reported.

Given the delay in delivery, Australia has already had to buy some F/A-18 Super Hornets to avoid degrading its capabilities while it waits. The original timetable was for the planes to enter limited service in July 2019 and be fully operational by 2023.

The US Defence Department will be deciding soon whether to shut the door on further development and go into full production by the end of the year. The DoD's policy is to eliminate major issues before going into full production, in order to avoid retrofits after planes are delivered.

Defence News quoted Vice Admiral Mat Winter, the DoD's F-35 program executive, as saying of the issues identified, "None of them, right now, are against any of the design, any of the hardware or any of the manufacturing of the aircraft, which is what the full-rate production decision is for. There are no discrepancies that put at risk a decision of the department to approve us to go into full-rate production.

The 13 issues identified were:

The logistics system has no way for foreign F-35 operators to keep their secret data from being sent to the US.

The spare parts inventory shown by the F-35s logistics system does not always reflect reality, causing occasional mission cancellations.

Cabin pressure spikes in the cockpit have been known to cause barotrauma, the word given to extreme ear and sinus pain.

In very cold conditions  defined as at or near minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit  the F-35 will erroneously report that one of its batteries have failed, sometimes prompting missions to be aborted.

Supersonic flight in excess of Mach 1.2 can cause structural damage and blistering to the stealth coating of the F-35B and F-35C.

After doing certain manoeuvres, F-35B and F-35C pilots are not always able to completely control the aircrafts pitch, roll and yaw.

If the F-35A and F-35B blows a tire upon landing, the impact could also take out both hydraulic lines and pose a loss-of-aircraft risk.

A green glow sometimes appears on the helmet-mounted display, washing out the imagery in the helmet and making it difficult to land the F-35C on an aircraft carrier.

On nights with little starlight, the night vision camera sometimes displays green striations that make it difficult for all variants to see the horizon or to land on ships.

The sea search mode of the F-35s radar only illuminates a small slice of the seas surface.

When the F-35B vertically lands on very hot days, older engines may be unable to produce the required thrust to keep the jet airborne, resulting in a hard landing.

At the beginning of 2017, a total of 158 category 1 issues were noticed, all of which could cause injury or death. Among these were issues that could be re citified by updating the applications on a smartphone.

Hardware upgrades were needed to fix others, while still others called for extensive rebuilding, addressing the vulnerability of the rear engine compartment and tail structure. Some other issues called for fixing the pilots oxygen supply and making the jets ejection seat safe.

At the time the aircraft was not allowed to fly near lightning.The UI cuts in N.C. were both in number of weeks from up to 26 weeks to 12, and a weekly maximum amount from $535 to $350.

By comparison, during the height of the Great Recession with the state jobless rate exceeded 10% for several months, some N.C. residents received up to 99 weeks of regular and extended state and federal UI benefits.

The average weekly UI benefit amount paid in 2018 was $261.10, while the average number of benefit weeks was 8.92. The state was projected to spend just $118 million in jobless benefits in 2018.

The left-leaning N.C. Justice Center said that just 9.91% of the states jobless workers received UI benefits in the last quarter of 2018, ranking North Carolina last in the country. North Carolina ranked 24th before the 2013 changes went into effect.

"The state is replacing just 32 cents for every $1 in lost income, circulating far fewer dollars in the economy than recommended by economists, who typically seek a replacement rate of at least 50 percent," according to the advocacy group.

As of June 5, the state had $3.61 billion in a UI trust fund, according to the N.C. Commerce Department. Economists have recommended the state have at least $4 billion in the UI trust fund.The health officials wanted the whale towed 20 miles out to sea, according to the museum. Dismayed that the museum would lose a valuable specimen, Davis cut off the lower jaw left it on the beach under the care of the local police chief. He would be back with a truck next week.... After Davis cut off the jaw and went back to the museum, (museum director H.H.) Brimley has the idea: if they were going to tow it, then they might as well tow it up to Topsail where he had friend with land where they could park it. Davis was horrified when the tow line broke just before reaching Topsail but fortunately the whale washed up on a sand bar.

It took close to two years from the time the whale washed ashore until it went on display at the museum in February 1930, and it came to be known as Trouble because of all the hardships the museum faced in the process.

Trouble has been moved several times since then: twice for remodeling, once for cleaning and once when the museum changed buildings, according to an article on the history of the whale in Wrightsville Beach magazine. Today, a stylized image of Trouble, the Wrightsville Beach whale, has become the museums mascot. T-shirts, mugs, key chains and other merchandise bearing the logo can be purchased in the museum store.

If youd like to learn more about Trouble and see historical photographs of the whale and the work that went into moving it, you can read an extensive 66-page digital archive on the subject at files.naturalsciences.org/Trouble.pdf.

Email: AskSAM@wsjournal.com Online: journalnow.com/asksam Write: Ask SAM, 418 N. Marshall St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101

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Compiled by Melissa Hall

News of accomplishments of Journal readers runs in the Community Milestones column. To submit an item for publication, e-mail information and photos to news@wsjournal.com. Photos should be attachments, not embedded. Information should include a contact name and daytime phone number. Submissions are generally published in the order in which they are received.For more information or to volunteer, call Holly Beck at 336-721-3411.

Kernersville group needs volunteers

The Shepherds Center of Kernersville is looking for volunteers to help area adults who are aging and with disabilities. Volunteers are needed as transportation office assistants, drivers and handymen. Volunteers are also needed to visit with homebound recipients.

For more information or to volunteer, call 336-996-6696 and ask for Audrey or go to www.shepctrkville.com, and complete a volunteer application.

Medicare workshop planned July 1

Compass Financial Services will hold a Lunch and Learn workshop about Medicare July 1 at Bleu Restaurant, 3425 Frontis St., Winston-Salem.

The workshop will begin at 11:15 a.m.; participants should arrive by 11 a.m.

Topics include the benefits and enrollment rules of Medicare Parts A and B; Medicare Advantage plans vs. Medicare supplement plans; and how Part D and the doughnut hole work. The workshop is for educational purposes only and solicitations will not be made.Forsyth Technical Community College gave out more than 100 free blue kites to attendees at the festival, held in the parking lot near the intersection of Research Parkway and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Others used kites they had brought or had made with the free kite-making kits that were available at the citys 17 recreation centers along with arts and crafts supplies.

Attendee Aditi Apte said the festival was educational and a good way to enjoy the outdoors, as she watched her husband, Ketan, and daughter, Anwesha, 5, fly their My Little Pony kite.

This is very good, were really enjoying it, said Aditi Apte, who moved to Winston-Salem from Texas five months ago. We went to a kite festival in Texas last year, but theres less of a crowd here, so its easier to enjoy and theres not too much competition for kite space.

Council member Annette Scippio, who initiated the new event, said the festival was inspired by her childhood memories of an annual kite festival in Winston-Salem that ran from the 1930s to the mid-1960s.

Scippio said the festival went better than she couldve imagined and she looks forward to holding it again next year.The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools will start its free summer meals Monday at various school locations and at mobile sites in the community.

The free meals are available to children and teens ages 18 and younger. Meals are provided to all children without charge and there is no paperwork to fill out.

To participate, children and teens should visit one of the free meal locations during mealtimes  8:15 to 8:45 a.m. for breakfast and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for lunch.

Breakfast and lunch will be served Monday through Thursday starting Monday through Aug. 8 at these locations: Ashley Elementary, Cook, Griffith, Ibraham, Diggs/Latham, Kimberley Park, Petree, South Fork, Union Cross and Ward elementary schools; Main Street Academy; Kennedy High School; and Mineral Springs Middle School.

Summer meals will be served from June 24 through Aug. 8 at Bolton, Gibson and Old Town elementary schools; and Carver High School. Then from July 8 through Aug. 2, meals will be available at Mineral Springs and Smith Farm elementary schools.HILLSBOROUGH  A man facing charges in a home break-in where he was struck by a machete-wielding 11-year-old slipped out of the hospital Friday wearing a hospital gown and with his head still bandaged, authorities said.

Jataveon Dashawn Hall, 19, of Monroe walked out of UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill sometime before 8 p.m. Friday and is being sought by the Orange County Sheriff's Office with the help of the SBI and U.S. marshals, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

He faces charges of breaking and entering, second-degree kidnapping, interfering with emergency communications, and assault on a child under 12 in Fridays break-in, the sheriffs office said.

The sheriff's office charged Hall in a home invasion about 11 a.m. Friday in Mebane. An 11-year-old boy was home alone when three people broke in and forced him into a closet while they gathered up electronics from the house, including a TV and a Playstation, the sheriff's office said.

Deputies said the boy was able to get out of the closet and grab a machete, which he used to strike one of the intruders on the back of the head.FUNDING FOR ALIEN CHILDREN PROGRAM: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Donna Shalala, D-Fla., to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 2740).

The amendment would provide $10 million of increased funding for legal services, child advocates, and post-release services provided by the Office of Refugee Resettlement Unaccompanied Alien Childrens Program.

Shalala said: We have a moral obligation to treat these children like we would treat our own, and that means providing them with the support they need during and after their detention.

The vote, on June 12, was 243 yeas to 179 nays.

NAYS: Foxx (NC) R-NC (5th), Walker R-NC (6th), Budd R-NC (13th)

FETAL TISSUE RESEARCH GRANTS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 2740).The Court stated: All agree: the DEA entry team entered Huskissons house unlawfully. We do not condone this illegal behavior by law enforcement; the better practice is to obtain a warrant before entering a home. Ordinarily, the evidence found here would be excluded. But because the government had so much other evidence of probable cause, and had already planned to apply for a warrant before the illegal entry, the evidence is admissible.

I will lose no sleep over Huskissons incarceration. He participated in a vile enterprise that has caused untold damage.

But constitutional interpretation is not based on the outcome; it is a set of guiding principles for the benefit of the innocent as well as the malefactor. The Bill of Rights was written expressly to protect the individual against government encroachment.

The Fourth Amendment was drafted in response to British abuses of power. Writs of Assistance were general warrants that had no expiration date that granted agents of the Empire the authority to search a colonists home at will. Writs required no probable cause; any innuendo that supported British suppositions would suffice.In large swaths of North Carolina, access to medical care is a big problem. Lets tackle it, in ways that dont shift costs but actually reduce them.

One idea is to make it easier for advanced-practice nurses to set up shop in rural areas. For example, North Carolina is one of only 12 states requiring that nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists and certified registered nurse anesthetists agree to be supervised by a physician. I put that term in quotes because, in reality, the supervision is minimal  sometimes the docs and the nurses are separated by hundreds of miles and rarely see each other  but the latter must pay the former for the privilege.

A bill making its way through the General Assembly this year, the SAVE Act (which stands for Safe, Accessible, Value-directed and Excellent care), would address this and other unwarranted obstacles to providing affordable primary care in rural areas.

Another solution in some circumstances will be to expand the use of technology. While ill-suited for some services and patients, telemedicine is already used routinely and effectively to diagnose conditions, prescribe or supervise treatment and provide counseling services. It could do more to expand access under the right regulatory framework.Civility is the answer

Michael Gersons June 10 column Civility makes our political system noble should be required reading for everyone, especially those in government today. The last paragraph explains it best:

Those who see politics only as a method to defeat enemies and advance favored aims have lost sight of something important. We should honor democratic values such as civility, not only because they make our system function, but because they make our system noble. We should treat our fellow citizens with respect because we share a role in, and responsibility for, an experiment in self-government that remains the last, best hope of Earth.

We all have a responsibility to our fellow man. This means not running rough-shod over our neighbors; not shooting off our mouths, as well as our guns, when we are angry; not calling others names that we wouldnt want to be called.

Many of us were taught from day one to be nice and to do unto others as we want them to do unto us. But this seems to have been lost by many in todays world because our leaders are not practicing it  and we tend to emulate those in leadership positions.Saudi forces on Saturday intercepted a Yemeni rebel drone targeting the southern city of Abha, a Riyadh-led military coalition said, the latest in a series of assaults this week.

The unmanned drone was downed with no casualties or damage reported in a coalition statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency.

The Iran-aligned Huthi rebels declared drone attacks on the airports of Abha and southern Jizan city, with a spokesman on rebel-run Al-Masirah TV promising painful days for the Saudi regime in response to its bombing campaign in Yemen.

The rebels claimed their drones targeted a fuel station at Abha airport and control rooms for unmanned aerial vehicles at Jizan airport.

The rebels, who have faced persistent coalition bombing since March 2015 that has exacted a heavy civilian death toll, have stepped up missile and drone attacks across the border in recent weeks and warned that coalition airports were valid targets.

On Wednesday, a rebel missile attack on Abha airport left 26 civilians wounded, drawing promises of stern action from the coalition.

And on Friday, the coalition said five Huthi drones targeted Abha airport and the nearby city of Khamis Mushait, which houses a major airbase used as a launchpad for the coalitions bombing campaign.

Human Rights Watch denounced Wednesdays strike as an apparent war crime, urging the Huthis to immediately stop all attacks on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.

The attacks come amid spiralling regional tensions with Iran, which Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused of arming the rebels with sophisticated weapons. Tehran denies the charge.

Following recent rebel attacks, Saudi state media has reported the coalition was intensifying its air raids on rebel positions in the northern Yemeni province of Hajjah.

The coalition also launched air strikes on the rebel-held capital Sanaa, Saudi state television reported on Saturday.

The coalition intervened in support of the Yemeni government in 2015 when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into Saudi exile as the rebels closed in on his last remaining territory in and around second city Aden.

Since then, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, many of them civilians, relief agencies say.

It has triggered what the UN describes as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 24 million Yemenis  more than two-thirds of the population  in need of aid.

bur-ac/aph

MICHAEL PAGE INTERNATIONALMEDFORD, Ore.  On Saturday, volunteers came together to build beds for children in need in our community. Sleep in Heavenly Peace is the organization hosting "Bunks Across America" in Jackson County. There are 140 chapters in communities across the country also making bunk beds for children in need today.

The Jackson County Sleep in Heavenly Peace president, Laurie Parrish, said that by the end of the day they will have made a total of 3,000 beds. 86 of those beds will have been built right in Medford.

Parrish and her daughter Kristin Fettig say the need in Jackson County is huge.

"2-3 percent of any given community has children sleeping on the floor or not in their own bed. That may be with their parents or on a couch or a make-shift bed, a pile of blankets, those types of things. If we calculate 2-3 percent of our community, that's over 3,000 kids," said Fettig.

If you or someone you know could use a bunk bed for a child who doesn't have a bed, you can head to their website shpbeds.org to request one.The county board of equalization will consider the report to determine any adjustments to the assessed value of the destroyed real property for the current year.

The county board of equalization must act upon this report on or after June 1 and on or before July 25, or on or before Aug. 10 if the board has adopted a resolution to extend the deadline to hear protests under Nebraska Revised Statute 77-1502, and must send a notice of the reassessment value for the destroyed real property to the property owner.

Its important Nebraskans are aware of this new law and we hope those who meet the qualifications now, and in the future, will be able to utilize it in their recovery efforts, Nelson said. We thank Sen. Steve Erdman for his work to bring this measure to the Legislature and Sen. Lou Ann Linehan for helping push this bill across the finish line.

LB512 ensures that damages from natural disasters are taken into account when assessing property for tax purposes and was one of a number of property tax measures singed into law by Gov. Ricketts during the recent legislative session.

LB103 protects Nebraskans from automatic tax hikes when property values go up.LINCOLN  New research from University of Nebraska researchers has found that one-third of studied fields achieved high crop yields without surpassing prescribed irrigation levels.

The study shows that its possible to nearly maximize yields while adhering to the estimated amounts of irrigation needed to support those yields, the researchers said. Reaching even 80% of potential yields is considered a reasonable goal for U.S. corn, the team said.

Conducted by researchers from the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the study collected data from so-called Natural Resources Districts and via producer surveys. Whereas previous studies relied primarily on data from simulations or research farms, the new study used producer data from more than 500 corn and soybean fields in Nebraska. The researchers then developed a framework to diagnose current irrigation water use in relation to grain production in producer fields.UNION GROVE  The threat of rain held off and a welcoming, calm sky made for an exciting, fun-filled day at the annual Kenosha County Dairy Breakfast Saturday.

The event drew an official total of 2,852 to this years host farm, The Mighty Grand Dairy in Paris.

The breakfast started at 6:30 a.m. with the last plate being served shortly after 10:30 a.m. There was fun and many learning experiences for young and old.

Visitors to the Mighty Grand Dairy, 2281118th St., were treated to more than a breakfast of eggs, hams, pancakes, milk, juice and yogurt.

There were many activities for children including tours around the various barns with an opportunity for some to see and pet a calf up close.

Many learned first-hand that milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are products from a farm before they are sold in a supermarket. The younger children also enjoyed a tractor-driven train ride around a section of the farm.

The Mighty Grand Dairy offered a tour of automation equipment currently in use, featuring computerized calf feeding, robotic milking and a robotic cow massaging device. Some of the older former dairy farmers marveled at how the dairy industry had changed so much.

Rachael Crane, a representative with the Kenosha County Dairy Promotion Council, presented $1,000 scholarships to Claire Fox, Kyle Lois and Emily Springer, who will attend college to study agriculture or marketing courses.

Crane said, while attendance at the dairy breakfasts has increased over the years since the county breakfasts began in 1981, the number of family farms have decreased. While there once were 36, there currently are 19 in the county.

Promote dairy

State lawmakers were on hand to greet visitors and to champion the cause of the local dairy industry.

We need to make sure we do not lose more family farms, said Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine.

State Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Salem, noted that this year has been a tough one for farmers, many of whom still have not been able to plant much of their crops because of the wet, rainy spring weather.

Bicycle outing

Meanwhile, the day was a bicyclists delight. More than 100 bicyclists took to the roads to the dairy breakfast, many who joined county executive Jim Kreuser on a ride to the breakfast.

Jim Paloran of Trevor and Linda Heeter, from Illinois, enjoyed biking a leisurely pace. Both said they ride their bikes for miles throughout the Midwest.

Overall, most saw it all as a positive and uplifting event.

Everyone seems so happy even though they are waiting, said Priscilla Kopczinski, a volunteer worker and longtime dairy breakfast visitor who was waiting in line to catch one of the shuttle buses to the farm.

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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.Wisconsin state senator Bob Wirch has sponsored a joint resolution to honor former state senator John Maurer, who died earlier this year.

The resolution, Senate Joint Resolution 42, was introduced by Wirch and state senator Van Wanggaard on May 30 and will be taken up in the assembly on Tuesday, June 18.

Though Wirch had only met John Maurer a couple of times, he knew about the things John Maurer had accomplished in his life not only in politics, but in his World War II military service in the Army Air Corps, where he commanded a B24 Liberator in 1945, and his work as a pilot for United Airlines where he flew for over 25,000 hours.

Its important to honor those who served, Wirch said. With a record like his, he deserved the honor.

The news of the resolution came as a pleasant surprise to John Maurers wife Arlene.

It was marvelous, Arlene Maurer said. It brought tears to (our children and grandchildrens) eyes.

Arlene Maurer said that her husband always rose to the top in whatever he did, and he did so to help others. With John Maurer having only met Wirch a couple of times, the reputation he left behind in Madison is why she said someone who barely knew him would want to sponsor a resolution for him.

John Maurer died on March 31 at the age of 96. He was born in Kenosha and attended college at Marquette University following World War II.

Before being elected as a state senator, John Maurer served as the Town Chairman of Pleasant Prairie from 1969 to 1975. He then represented the 22nd Senate District from 1975 to 1984.

In 1985, John Maurer was appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs and served until 1992. During his tenure, he was a key member in the creation of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. Since then, the Union Grove Veterans Home has dedicated Maurer Hall in his honor.

John was modest of all of his accomplishments, Arlene Maurer said. After he had a building named after him, I never heard him tell anyone about it in his social encounters.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Since day one, Ive said I would work with anyone to get results for Southeast Wisconsin and the American people. Five months into my first term in office, that motive hasnt changed.

If you look past the partisan headlines, cable television and social media, productive and meaningful work is happening in Congress.

Human trafficking is an issue that transcends politics. Its also not just a faraway crime, this is an issue that impacts every neighborhood, every state, and every country. Right here in Kenosha County, law enforcement officials are working day in and day out to combat this epidemic.

Human trafficking has been reported in every Wisconsin county. Victims of human trafficking are girls, boys, men and women of all nationalities, ages, and backgrounds.

This crisis requires support from Republicans and Democrats, from every corner of our country.

Thats why I teamed up with Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, to combat human trafficking. Ive introduced the Exposing the Financing of Human Trafficking Act. Along with Dean, we have 31 co-sponsors, Republicans and Democrats from across the nation, whove joined our efforts.

Dean and I sit on the Financial Services Committee. We see firsthand how human traffickers and other criminals abuse the financial system to further their illegal activities. We understand that American financial institutions play an important role in preventing illicit finance.

The United States requires institutions to partner with regulators and law enforcement to report suspicious activity. Countries that receive U.S. foreign aid must be held to similarly high standards.

While our bill may be a simple change, it will have a global impact on how countries combat human trafficking.

With the advancements in technology, traffickers have even greater access to financial services and other resources to commit these crimes.

Right now, countries that receive U.S. aid have no responsibility to report their efforts to prevent money laundering from human trafficking. This bill holds countries accountable.

My bill will not only strengthen our efforts to combat human traffickers use of our domestic financial system, it will also encourage other countries to cut off traffickers from the global financial system.

Following the money will give countries the ability to see where these crimes begin and where theyre going. Over 500,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year. More than 14,000 women, children, and men are trafficked into the United States.

Fighting human trafficking requires a multifaceted approach. Thats why awareness campaigns, school counselors and teachers, and law enforcement are a vital part of this effort. Local, state, federal, and international partners must work together to take this crisis head-on.

This legislation is just one piece of the puzzle to combat human trafficking. Our work isnt done. As we continue gaining support for our bill, I will work with my colleagues and our community to build upon these efforts.

Rep. Bryan Steil, a Republican from Janesville, represents the 1st Congressional District.

Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0Whats the point of a college education?

Some would say the answer is to get a job and find a career.

Others would say a college education helps people become well-rounded, informed citizens able to learn and grow.

Both answers are correct, though some feel theres too much of the second answer and not enough of the first answer taking place in colleges today.

College presidents are listening to those people. And they have banded together in an effort to educate students who fit both answers.

The Higher Education Regional Alliance is a partnership of the two-year and four-year colleges and universities in the region in an effort to address the needs of todays workforce.

Our bold goal (is) to significantly reduce skills and talent gaps in southeastern Wisconsin by increasing the employment rates and number of post-secondary graduates in the region, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone wrote last fall.

To do this, Mone said schools are accelerating credentialing, building a database to compare talent needs with academic programs, and identifying new educational programs to meet the needs of business, industry and communities.

Our local college leaders have embraced this initiative as well.

There will be a shared commitment to the value of education, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Chancellor Debbie Ford said recently during a meeting with Carthage College President John Swallow and Gateway Technical College President and CEO Bryan Albrecht.

The goal is simple: Colleges will work closely with business leaders to train and graduate students ready to step into skilled jobs that are going unfilled right now because of the skills gap.

In addition, two-year schools will work hand-in-hand with four-year institutions to smooth out any necessary transitions from one to the other.

And finally, the schools will create programs that can fast-track students, lessening their time and school and getting them into jobs quicker.

However, these arent apprentice programs. As Mone notes, schools still need to graduate students who will be able to adapt and grow with the times  not simply those ready to step into a job that may be obsolete in 10 or 15 years.

There is a need to focus on lifelong learning and equity that includes social sciences, humanities and the arts, Mone wrote. These are the areas that develop career resilience and skills that last a lifetime (and that cant be replicated by machines): critical thinking, empathy, curiosity, persuasion, collective problem-solving and creativity.

Our future economic health, social welfare, capacity to accelerate innovation and build prosperity depend on strong partnerships like HERA. This is our opportunity and responsibility  to impact generations.

We couldnt agree more. HERA is to be applauded for working to help students enter the workforce prepared for the jobs of today as well as the jobs of tomorrow.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0AmeriVet Veterinary Partners, a San Antonio, Texas-based veterinary practice group, received a minority investment of undisclosed amount.

Backers included:

 OPTrust, a defined benefit pension plan;

 Imperial Capital, the companys majority investor, which has also increased its investment.

This additional capital will support the companys goal of entering into additional partnerships with leading veterinarians across the United States.

Led by Thomas Thill, President and CEO, AmeriVet acquires veterinary practices which, through a joint venture partnership, allow veterinarians to retain a stake in their business, maintain control of day-to-day operations and still participate in the upside when they ultimately exit the business.

Founded in 2016, AmeriVet has acquired majority ownership positions in 33 veterinary practices in 15 states.

FinSMEs

16/06/2019547 Shares Share

An excerpt from Recapturing Joy in Medicine,

During my year as chief resident, I was also president of the Florida Association of Family Medicine Residents. The faculty at my residency program inspired me by their excellence as clinicians and teachers. I trusted their judgment and insight, so when they encouraged me to get involved in our state medical academy, I decided to go for it. More than two decades later, I am more involved in organized medicine than ever.

Some years ago, after a hiatus from active involvement at the state level, I almost gave up on organized medicine altogether. I wrote a letter voicing my concerns and, to my surprise, received a warm response from one of our state leaders. He thanked me for my candor, agreed with my concerns, and invited me to return to active state leadership. He reminded me of the power of one person and urged me to help lead our state with my unique voice.

Well, this was not the response I expected to receive nor was I looking to add one more activity to my already extensive to-do list. Yet, I felt called. I felt heard, understood, and challenged. After some prayer and discernment, I decided to say yes, to roll up my sleeves, expand my comfort zone, and go make a difference by contributing my unique perspective.

Since then, Ive continued to serve on boards and engage as an active member of my specialty and state academies. I have represented physicians and fought for patients, ensuring the salient issues that impact patient care are discussed at the highest levels, from my state Capitol to Washington, D.C. In doing so, Ive been sharpened as a leader, stretched to learn and advocate in new ways, and Ive grown as a human being. I have also enjoyed meeting legislators and proactive physicians who are new friends I can call anytime! I no longer miss the old residents lounge because Ive recreated it with colleagues all over the nationeach of us working together to maintain high standards of care.

Advocacy, I have learned, is empowering in itself. It can also expand your community and network so you always know an expert when questions come up. Through grassroots advocacy efforts and service on state medical associations, I collaborate with some of the most dedicated, caring, and bright physicians I know. They are tireless and creative in their labor on behalf of physicians and patients, and I have no doubt we will change medicine for the better if we continue to work together.

Perhaps youve heard that writing and meeting with legislators makes a difference, but you may not be convinced. I have seen firsthand how even a small investment of time and energy to contact legislators with concerns about patient care is a powerful and effective way for physicians to advocate and make a tangible difference. Although I still have much to learn, I assure you this matters. We must engage in such advocacy like never before; the future of medicine depends on it.

So what can you do? Most important is to recognize if you dont speak up, your voice is not heard. Period. If you dont ask for what you need at work, chances are you will not have it and youll have to find another way or adapt without it. I dont need to tell you how frustrating and even dangerous this can be in a medical practice. We must get used to speaking up much more than we have until now. Just look at what we have tolerated regarding EHRs, with studies showing the average physician now spends two hours charting from home each day! This trend must be reversed immediately. Part of what is needed is for physicians to stop and demand something better, something reasonable, healthier, and sustainable that will enhance patient care rather than hinder it.

Beyond our practices, we must get involved at the local level with our medical societies and within our hospitals to create community. Many hospitals no longer have a physician lounge and, in many practices, we feel isolated from one another. When I visit hospitals and large health systems, this is exactly what I hear from my colleagues. Reversing the isolation will boost morale and engagement immediately.

Your local medical society can be a place to regain the camaraderie many of us enjoyed while in training. Your state medical association provides continuing education and support with practice and legal matters as well as the opportunity to network with your colleagues and advocate for our profession and patients. In fact, if you were to make only one change, becoming involved at the state level can enrich your career while helping transform the future of medicine.

While writing this, I traveled to Washington, DC with about thirty physicians from all over the country. We met with more than twenty legislators and their assistants to paint a picture of the current state of health care from a physicians perspective. It is not every day that a legislator hears directly from physicians how challenging patient care has become along with plausible solutions. Advocating at our nations capital with such brave and dedicated colleagues was a highlight of my career!

Imagine if legislators did hear from us every day. Imagine the impact we could have as physicians if we set aside fifteen minutes a week to contact one legislator directly. As it is, many legislators are surprised when they hear from physicians at all.

Colleagues, we must change this. Let us commit to giving our patients and our profession a voice locally, at the state level, and at the Capitol. As the leaders and most highly trained members of the health care team, we must no longer be silent while non-clinical administrators outnumber us ten to one. So many voices are now louder than ours, and it is up to us to change that. Our patients need an advocate, and that is our job. Let us engage in advocacy, whether through an email, a phone call, or a personal visit to legislators. Develop relationships with your local representatives so they ask a physician expert first when faced with health care questions.

Is there an area of medicine that concerns you in particular? Is it the opioid crisis or the scarcity of mental health services? Is it your frustration with insurance companies, pre-authorizations, or inefficiencies caused by the EHR? Are you concerned with care provided by non-physicians with expanding prescriptive authority despite minimal hands-on clinical training? Whatever it is, join the battle to the extent you are able. Such proactive involvement is empowering in itself, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing your efforts are making a difference.

Amaryllis Sanchez Wohlever is a family physician and can be reached at Faithful MD. She is the author of Recapturing Joy in Medicine.

Image credit: Shutterstock.comSPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Hundreds of neighbors gathered at Springfield High School's Silke Field Saturday to rally support behind Oregon's finest four-legged and two-legged officers.

Springfield Police hosted their 26th annual K9 competition where police dogs and their handlers from counties all over state came to put on a show for the viewing audience.

Daren Kendrick is a K9 handler for the department and he says the event is something he looks forward to every year.

"We filled Silke Field," Kendrick said. "Every time a dog does something - the roar of the crowd starts. Every time a handler stumbles - the crowd gets behind them and it's a lot of fun."

Dog teams participated in agility tests, mock drug searches, and even suspect apprehension.

Springfield Police currently has five K9s and Kendrick says they are a great tool for the department. He says Springfield is stronger for having them.

"They're a locating device we use to find people or find evidence or find drugs or what not," Kendrick continued. "We started (using therm) in 1981 and if they weren't beneficial to the department we would have given up on them years ago."

Concessions were sold by Addi's Diner with 100% of the proceeds going toward Springfield Police K9 units.

Those funds will help buy equipment for the dogs as well as equipment for the cars that the K9s ride in.

The day attracted hundreds of people and Kendrick says the department is already looking forward to next year.PORT HADLOCK, Wash. (AP) - Officials are asking Washington State waterfront landowners to volunteer their properties as the final resting places for dead gray whales.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries says so many gray whale carcasses have washed up this year that the agency has run out of places where they can be taken to decompose.

So the agency this week asked landowners for help getting rid of the carcasses up to 40 feet long.

The agency says about 30 whales have stranded on Washington's coast this year, the most in two decades.

The agency says landowners volunteering sites can support the natural process of the marine environment.

Officials say skeletons left behind can be used for educational purposes.

Officials say the gray whale population remains strong at about 27,000.Kindle: 4331 KB

4331 KB Print: 188 pages

188 pages Publisher: BUOY MEDIA; 3 edition (Nov. 9 2013)

BUOY MEDIA; 3 edition (Nov. 9 2013) ASIN: B009YLKRAO





It was supposed to be a night of fun, pleasure, lust, and pain for Susanne Larsen when she agreed to meet with a stranger from an S&M chatroom. She met him for dinner that later led to casual, anonymous sex in the hotel room at the local inn.





But someone else showed up in the room, and suddenly it was no longer a game.





Zeeland Times star reporter Rebekka Franck and her photographer Sune are covering the case for the newspaper, and soon they find themselves deeply involved in a story of terrifying horror and ugly secrets.





It is the sequel to the International bestseller, One, Two, He Is coming For You.





Willow Rose has written another mystery-series that also takes place in the small kingdom of Denmark. Currently she has released 10 books in her Emma Frost-series.

She has also just released the first book in a new series taking place in Cocoa beach, Florida. The first book is called Hit the Road Jack (Jack Ryder #1) . Also don't miss out on her 7th street crew-series. It is getting lots of raving reviews.





My review for One, Two, He Is Coming For You





REVIEW:

Epic!!!

I love this author and her stories. They are gritty, real, raw and keep me coming back for more.

This character, Rebekka, is a reporter. We followed her in the first book, getting really close to a killer. This book is not different, in that she is too close again, but the story is so very different. This killer is a nut-job of epic proportions. It's even scarier to read as a woman, who stays home at night alone a lot while her hubby works. 

I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I know Rebekkah will get to close for comfort to some wacko. I just know it will have me page-turning.

Thriller fans, you HAVE to read this series.





5/5









**No compensation was received for posting. Compensation may be earned from the links within. This copy was obtained free for Kindle. Opinions are owned by Freda's VoiceGA English on Sunday : News in Brief from Bonn and the region

Bonn Bad Godesberg politicians demand schedule info for renovation of Stadthalle, Vonovia empties cellar of tenant in Bonn without his knowledge, the SPD proposes to install special mirrors to better protect cyclists in Bonn , Germany's largest trampoline hall is to be built in Troisdorf, a casting for childrens movie about the popular book "Laura's Star" is taking place today in the Beueler Brotfabrik, the trial of a police officer in connection with a fatal shooting in the police headquarters begins on 15 August  heres our news in brief on Sunday.

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Bad Godesberg politicians demand schedule info for renovation of Stadthalle

BAD GODESBERG. The district councillors increase pressure on the administration with an application for redevelopment. The city council remains very cautious on the demand.

The renovation of the Stadthalle has been talked about for a long time, but nothings happening at the moment. All that is certain is that the building will not be demolished, but renovated, in 2022, when the lease expires. But that is not enough for the Bad Godesberg politicians. In an intergroup proposal, which the district council will deal with in its meeting, the district councillors therefore demand that the administration take action.

The public meeting of the Bad Godesberg district council will take place on Wednesday, 19 June. The meeting will begin at 6 pm in the Stadthalle, Koblenzer Strae 80.

(Original text: Ayla Jacob)

Trouble with housing association: Vonovia empties cellar of tenant in Bonn

BONN. The Vonovia housing association has cleared out a tenant's cellar in Bonn. According to the tenant: without prior notice. He estimates the damage to be as high as 18,400 Euro.

The couple have been tenants in the four-party house on Malgisostrae for 34 years. "That used to be a 1-A area," says Meuer. Built in the 1970s for federal employees by the Gemeinnutzige Wohnungsbaugesellschaft, the houses were taken over about 15 years ago by Deutsche Annigton, which became the largest private landlord in Germany through its merger with Gagfah with almost half a million apartments and from then on was called "Vonovia".

verything began last year with a notice in which Vonovia asked its tenants on Malgisostrae not to store or park "any waste paper collections and cardboard boxes in the public cellar area". This "fire hazards" had to be removed or stored in the private cellars.

According to Meuer, Vonovia employees had cleared the room he was using without having contacted him beforehand. He cannot understand this, since in his opinion no escape routes had been blocked in the cellar or fire hazards" had been present.

(Original text: Stefan Hermes)

SPD proposal: Special mirrors to protect cyclists in Bonn better

BONN. The SPD faction demands Trixi mirrors at all traffic lights in Bonn to prevent accidents. The traffic for bicycles should become safer. But the mirrors do not only have supporters.

After the fatal bicycle accident at Heinrich-Boll-Ring on 3 June, in which a 25-year-old cyclist died, politicians are now dealing with the safety of Bonn cyclists. The SPD faction in the city council demands so-called trixi-mirrors at all traffic lights and strategic intersections in the city area. In addition, additional bicycle traffic lights are to be installed at all existing traffic lights, which will allow cyclists to drive off before motorized traffic.

Ulrich Willburger from Seehausen in Bavaria invented the Trixi mirror. Since 1994, he has been fighting for the small mirrors to hang on traffic lights nationwide. The reason is a tragic accident. In 1994, at the age of 13, daughter Beatrix was run over by a turning truck on her bicycle and survived a serious injury. "I just don't want these accidents to happen again. They must stop," Willburger told the General-Anzeiger.

Experts, however, find the mirrors controversial. Siegfried Brockmann, head of the insurers' accident research department, is a confessed opponent". "I consider it a red herring," he explains. The process of turning is a dynamic process that the Spiegel cannot reproduce. "If you mount the mirror on the traffic light pole, it's useless. Truck drivers have four mirrors on their vehicles, with which they can see cyclists and pedestrians at a red traffic light." Once the truck driver has started the turning process, the mirror would be useless because the truck has long since passed it. Brockmann advocates turn-off assistants and calls for direct visibility.

(Original text: Maximilian Muhlens)

5000 square meters: Germany's largest trampoline hall to be built in Troisdorf

TROISDORF. The entrepreneur Markus Eich builds a new trampoline hall at the Junkersring in Spich and celebrates the topping-out ceremony with around 200 guests. Opening is scheduled for October.

Troisdorf's deputy mayor Rudolf Eich put it in a nutshell: "Troisdorf will be one attraction richer". By this he meant the largest and most modern trampoline hall in Germany, which is currently being built at Junkersring in Spich. The ground-breaking ceremony took place on 25 February and the inauguration is scheduled for 11 October. On Friday, however, the topping-out ceremony was celebrated with over 200 guests, to which planner and builder Markus Eich and his wife Andrea Eich-Bucher had invited.

(Original text: Paul Kieras)

Casting for childrens movie "Laura's Star" in Beueler Brotfabrik

BEUEL. On Sunday, an open casting for the adaptation of children's book "Laura's Star" takes place in the Beueler Brotfabrik on Kreuzstrae. We are looking to cast for the leading roles.

After the casting of the German success series Babylon Berlin in January had already caused a huge rush and temporary traffic chaos in Beuel (the GA reported), film producers are once again looking for fresh faces in Bonn.

In the Beueler Brotfabrik on Kreuzstrae, the producers are looking for cast for the leading roles in a real film version of the children's book series "Laura's Star". The casting is held as an "open casting", so everyone can simply come and introduce themselves.

We are looking for actors for the leading roles of the 7-year-old Laura, as well as for Laura's 4-year-old brother Tommy and the 7-8-year-old neighbour Max. The casting starts on Sunday at 10 am and runs until 5 pm. Already on Saturday the producers had looked for actors in Wuppertal.

The exact address is: Brotfabrik-Bonn, Kreuzstrae 16, 53225 Bonn, Germany.

(Original text: Thomas Fabender)

Fatal shooting in police headquarters: Trial against police officers begins on 15 August

BONN. After the fatal shooting of police officer Julian Rolf, an officer has to answer before the Bonn Regional Court starting in August. The man is accused of negligent killing.

In the case of police officer Julian Rolf, who was killed in November last year, the Bonn Regional Court has admitted the prosecution's charge of negligent killing of another police officer. As court spokesman Tobias Gulich announced on Friday afternoon, the main trial has been officially opened, the first day of trial of the responsible 4th Grand Criminal Chamber is scheduled for Thursday, 15 August. Initially, three further hearings are scheduled until September 2. The prosecution is directed against a 23-year-old colleague of the murdered man.

A trial based on circumstantial evidence is to be expected. There are obviously no eyewitnesses who have observed the situation directly. According to the General-Anzeiger, two other colleagues are said to have been in the same corridor. However, they hurried to the two colleagues only after the shot had been fired and provided first aid.

(Original text: Philipp Konigs)Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Periods of snow. Some sleet or freezing rain possible. Low near 20F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches..

Tonight

Periods of snow. Some sleet or freezing rain possible. Low near 20F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.English Dutch

ABN AMRO CEO Kees van Dijkhuizen will not serve a new term of office following the end of his current term; terms of Executive Committee members extended by 2 and 4 years

ABN AMRO announced today that Kees van Dijkhuizen will not serve a new term of office following the end of his current term, which will expire at the Annual General Meeting on 12 April 2020.

The terms of office of the members of the Executive Committee (ExCo) will be extended by two or four years in March 2020. The terms of Frans van der Horst (CEO of Retail Banking) and Pieter van Mierlo (CEO of Private Banking) will be extended by two years, those of Daphne de Kluis (CEO of Commercial Banking) and Rutger van Nouhuijs (CEO of Corporate & Institutional Banking) by four years. The bank has opted for staggered terms to ensure that the ExCo positions will not again be up for reappointment at the same time.

Kees van Dijkhuizen, CEO of ABN AMRO: I have been an executive of ABN AMRO since 2013, first as the CFO and later as the CEO, and next year I will have served on the board for seven years.

As the Executive Committee, we refreshed our strategy last year and introduced the banks new purpose, Banking for better, for generations to come. Both now have the support of 93% of our people and will be secured by the continuity of the current leadership. Im fully committed to further accelerating the banks strategy and pursuing the purpose together with our employees and clients in the months ahead, after which I will be able to pass on the torch in full confidence.

Tom de Swaan, chairman of the Supervisory Board: The Supervisory Board is very proud of the results achieved by Kees, both as the CFO and as the CEO, and his team. The bank is in good shape and is well on track with its financial targets. We are looking forward to continuing the good cooperation and realising further achievements in the coming period.

This announcement allows the Supervisory Board to start looking for a successor in a timely and orderly manner. A successor will be sought both inside and outside the bank.





ABN AMRO Press Office

Jeroen van Maarschalkerweerd

Head of Media Relations & PR

pressrelations@nl.abnamro.com

+31 20 6288900 ABN AMRO Investor Relations

Annedien Heilbron

Investor Relations investorrelations@nl.abnamro.com

+31 20 3837244

AttachmentEgypt stressed its support for all measures taken by Saudi Arabia to deter terrorist attacks and to ensure the safety of civilians

Egypt strongly condemned on Sunday the drone attacks by Houthi militias that targeted Jizan and Abha airports in southern Saudi Arabia on Saturday evening.

Egypt also condemned the ballistic missile attack launched on Saudi territories on the same day and intercepted by Saudi air defence forces.

Egypt reaffirms its full support for the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against such brutal attacks and attempts to undermine its security and stability. The targeting of civilians and civilian establishments constitutes a blatant violation of international laws and norms," Egypts foreign ministry said in a statement.

It also stressed Egypts support of all measures taken by Saudi Arabia to deter terrorist attacks and ensure the safety of civilians.

Yemen's Houthi group said that they launched drone attacks on two separate Saudi airports on Saturday, the group's Al-Masirah TV reported.

The Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television reported that the Saudi air defence forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile over Abha city in the southwest of the kingdom.

Houthi drone attacks last week wounded 26 people at Abha airport. The rebels damaged two Saudi Aramco oil pump stations last month, according to Al-Arabiya.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been leading a coalition against the Houthis since March 2015 in support of Yemen's internationally-recognised President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

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The Police Command in Zamfara has confirmed the killing of 34 persons following an attack in Tungar Kafau and Gidan Wawa communities in Shinkafi Local Government Areas of the state.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Muhammad Shehu in a statement in Gusau on Sunday, said the bandits launched the attack on Friday.

Shehu said the State Commissioner of Police, CP Usman Nagogo was among the state government delegation led by the Deputy Governor, Mr Mahadi Aliyu-Gusau, to the affected villages for burial of the deceased.



The CP has already directed the combined security personnel deployed to the area to improve and sustain the ongoing bush combing of the affected areas and its environs for possible arrest of perpetrators of the dastardly act.

He further directed the Command Criminal Investigation Department to conduct discreet investigations with a view to unravelling the circumstance behind the crime.

Whoever is involved in this dastardly act will be made to face the full wrath of the law. Normalcy has been restored in the affected communities, he said.

NAN

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updatesAn Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates Court, Lagos, on Friday, remanded a 67-year-old fish farmer, Jeremiah Obrifor, in prison custody for cutting off the right hand of an 11-year-old boy, Goodluck Amaechi.

The presiding magistrate, Mrs A.O. Komolafe, ordered that the farmer should be kept behind bars pending when he would be able to perfect his bail conditions.

Obrifor, who lives in the Okokomaiko area of the state with the victim, had on Friday, June 7, chopped off Amaechis hand with a machete for allegedly attempting to steal fish in his (Obrifors) pond.



The offences, according to the police, contravene sections 173, 230, 245 and 246 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and elected summary trial.

The Chief Magistrate, Komolafe, admitted him to bail in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum.

Komolafe said the sureties should be gainfully employed and must be blood relations of the defendant.

She added that the sureties should show evidence of three years tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

The case was adjourned till July 31, 2019.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updatesA Nigerian man, Kabongo based in South Africa has sent a death threat to Ruggedman shortly after he was attacked at a London restaurant yesterday. He shared the video on his insta-story and wrote

See as life nearly kill you, Come Southy make u come collect the end of your life, he sure for me.

Many have attributed his London attack and other threats to his campaign against yahoo yahoo.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updatesBritains Tyson Fury produced a ruthless display to stop previously undefeated heavyweight Tom Schwarz in the second round in Las Vegas.

Fury, wearing shorts with the American stars and stripes, entered the ring to James Browns Living in America.

Fury, 30, backed Schwarz to the ropes in the second, driving a right hand home to drop the German to the floor.

Seconds later, with Schwarz bloodied and under attack, his corner threw in the towel as the bout was waved off.



I got a big man out of there by switching it up. He caught me with a couple but you cant go swimming and not get wet, said Fury, who now has 28 wins and a draw on his record.

I came here to have fun and enjoy myself. I dont take it too seriously. I thought I put on a good show and the fans got what they paid for.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updatesFor its faithful, the leader of La Luz del Mundo is the apostle of Jesus Christ. God made it so.

Hundreds of thousands of parishioners gathered in Guadalajara last month to celebrate their leaders 50th birthday. They filled the streets around the organizations towering, wedding cake-like temple  headquarters to the largest evangelical church in Mexico, with a strong religious presence in parts of Southern California.

When the apostle, Naason Joaquin Garcia, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport this month on multiple counts of sexual abuse, including forcible rape of a minor, many of his disciples held firm.

They rushed to church  including those in East and West L.A.  to pray and proclaim his innocence.

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When David was going to fight Goliath, it looked like he was going to lose, said Robert Pelegreen, a parishioner and retired military officer. This is just another challenge. God has his plan.

Since charges were filed by California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, church officials have mounted an aggressive and public defense of their leader  calling the allegations falsehoods.

Theyve held news conferences, opened their churches to reporters and worked hard to present their community as a place that is welcoming to all.

Where other religious organizations, including the Catholic Church, have been increasingly careful to balance defending themselves with not appearing to minimize accusations, La Luz del Mundo has gone all-in to back its apostle.

Spokesman and minister Jack Freeman, who has been with La Luz del Mundo for 27 years, views the allegations  and previous ones against Garcias father  as part of a smear campaign.

I believe in all my heart well find out hes innocent, he said. Unfortunately, there are people who dont understand this church, who dont comprehend why we would say hes an apostle.

This is not the first time that this has happened and its not going to be the last time it has happened. Its a common tactic to bring somebody down thats doing good.

The decision to support the apostle is not altogether surprising for a church built on the foundation of Garcias family. The leaders grandfather founded La Luz del Mundo  the Light of the World  in 1926. Since then, a charismatic aura has grown around the family.

The belief in Garcias innocence is vital to parishioners, said Patricia Fortuny, a Mexican anthropologist who has studied La Luz del Mundo for decades.

Its also risky.

They are in a very vulnerable position at this moment, she said. Unlike other Pentecostal churches, the apostle is the center of the doctrine, of everything, and hes in danger now, so the whole church is in danger. What will happen if hes guilty?

Its a question that hangs in the air, and one that church officials have said they cant answer.

I dont know whats going to happen, Freeman said. Im very firm in my faith, even though Im not a prophet, that were not going to be alone. Whatever that means, youll see.

A congregant during a prayer service at La Luz Del Mundo in East Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Garcia and co-defendants Alondra Ocampo, Azalea Rangel Melendez and Susana Medina Oaxaca  all of whom are affiliated with La Luz del Mundo  are accused of committing 26 felonies, including human trafficking and production of child pornography, in Los Angeles County between 2015 and 2018.

With the exception of Melendez, who is still at large, the defendants are detained and intend to plead not guilty. Prosecutors say Garcias $50-million bail is to their knowledge the highest for any individual in L.A. County.

La Luz del Mundo claims more than 5 million followers worldwide, though some experts say those numbers might be too high.

Early on, the organization recruited from the jobless Mexicans returning from the U.S. around the time of the Great Depression. They were searching for a message and found it in Garcias grandfather, the organizations first apostle.

The church has Pentecostal features, including the speaking in tongues, and is based on a strict interpretation of the Bible. Congregants pray on their knees and religious services are marked by singing and weeping. An annual gathering of hundreds of thousands, called the Holy Supper, commemorates the death and sacrifice of Christ.

You feel at peace, knowing that all your brothers are around, said Torrian Tatum, a medic in the U.S. Air Force who joined the church in 2014 and has attended the Holy Supper in Guadalajara. Youre bumping into each other because youre shoulder to shoulder, but youre happy.

La Luz del Mundo has successfully appealed to working-class Latinos abroad and in the U.S. by promising to bring order to their lives. Congregants, experts say, benefit by finding support networks that help them rise professionally.

Though bishops and various types of clergy make up the churchs order, it revolves around the apostle. In December 2014, Garcia rose to the head after the death of his father, Samuel Joaquin Flores, who had taken over after his own father. Garcia spends most of the year giving sermons to followers around the globe, according to ministers.

They receive words from the apostle in their far-flung church with the same emotion you would imagine from early Christians receiving a letter from Paul, said Daniel Ramirez, an associate professor of religion at Claremont Graduate University.

Garcias father never faced charges when he was the subject of sexual abuse allegations. At the time, the church painted the accusers as unreliable and used that episode to point to persecution against the church, Ramirez said.

Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School and a former prosecutor, said the churchs decision to open its doors to reporters is not typical for religious organizations whose leaders have been accused of abuse.

Theres always a risk to this openness, she said. They might have convinced themselves theres nothing to see, but they dont know how its going to be seen through the eyes of others.

Unlike the Catholic Church, which can survive the conviction of priests, Levenson said, La Luz del Mundos entire future could be thrown into jeopardy because its leader is on the line.

This may be an all-or-nothing situation, she said.

Congregants at La Luz Del Mundo church in East Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Other attorneys said that when religious organizations vigorously defend their leaders against accusations of sexual misconduct, they dissuade potential victims from coming forward.

What the religion should be saying is let justice play its course, these are serious allegations, hes been charged, said John Manly, an attorney who has represented hundreds of plaintiffs in sexual abuse cases.

Jason Dormady, an associate professor of history at Central Washington University who has researched La Luz del Mundo, thinks a conviction would result in schisms and loss of members but the group would survive.

He pointed to allegations that Garcias grandfather had an affair with or raped a woman, which he and the church leadership denied at the time. In response, hundreds of members in Mexico left to form their own church or join another.

Other religious groups have continued after the fall of their own leaders, Dormady said. After the 1844 assassination of Mormon church founder and prophet Joseph Smith, for example, Brigham Young emerged as his successor.

For the members who remain with La Luz del Mundo, I think what youll see is them saying God has chosen a new leader for us, that the Holy Spirit has revealed it will be such-and-such, and theyll move on from there, Dormady said.

But even if the church survives a conviction  perhaps by changing its structure or with a new apostle  the transition could weigh heavily on its members.

Mike Arias, an attorney who has represented victims of abuse, said that these types of cases are profoundly damaging for communities.

When all the priest abuse cases were coming out, you had people question not necessarily their faith in the church but those who were leading the church, and how this could happen, he said. I dont know whether these people will question whether this is really an apostle of God.

For now, that doesnt seem to be the case. Tatum, the parishioner, said he took personal offense when Californias attorney general called the apostle sick and demented this month in a news conference, during which he asked potential victims to come forward.

Naason Joaquin is a representation of the mercy and greatness that God brought to the Earth, Tatum said. Hes a living example of Jesus Christ.

He compared the allegations against the apostle to persecution that Christs apostles faced in biblical times.

You have an individual who is respected by millions and millions of people, he said. Someone who has that much influence around the world, without a doubt, sooner or later, allegations will come out.

Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.After traveling six hours by bus from Oakland, Mynor Hernandez arrived in Los Angeles late Saturday with his wife, 6-month-old baby and 7-year-old son. His aim: to vote in Guatemalas national elections without having to go back to his homeland.

Hernandez cast his ballot shortly after 7 a.m. Sunday, when the polls opened at the Guatemalan Consulate General in Echo Park. He lifted his red-stained finger  marked with ink after he handed in his ballot  to volunteers and others at the consulate on Riverside Drive as organizers applauded.

Sunday was the first time that Guatemalan citizens living in the United States could vote in their countrys elections without having to return to Guatemala. In Guatemala, voters are electing a new president, Congress members and other lawmakers. But in the U.S., Guatemalans can vote only for their president and vice president.

Los Angeles is one of four U.S. areas  along with New York City, Houston and Silver Spring, Md., all home to large Guatemalan communities  where Guatemalans were able to cast absentee ballots. The Guatemalan community in the United States had pushed for the right for years.

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It makes me so happy to be able to do this, Hernandez, 32, said outside the consulate. I want the governmental systems in our country to change and the corruption to stop. His 7-year-old son stood next to him, clutching a fuzzy yellow blanket, while his wife cradled their infant.

More than 20,000 Guatemalans registered to vote in Los Angeles, according to the countrys Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which organizes the nations balloting and has been preparing the foreign voting process for months. Five members of the tribunal traveled last week to Los Angeles to make arrangements.

The morning was off to a relatively slow start  100 people had voted by 10 a.m., but officials expected that number to sharply increase over the course of the day. The polls opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 6 p.m.

Los Angeles County is home to almost 215,000 Guatemalans, according to 2010 census figures, though the numbers have risen to more than 250,000, according to estimates. California is home to the nations largest Guatemalan community, mostly concentrated in the Los Angeles area.

Voters had to bring their official Guatemalan identity card  known as a DPI, after its Spanish initials  to the consulate. Those outside Guatemala had to also register online to vote by March 17.

Officials from the countrys electoral tribunal oversaw activity at dozens of tables set up at the consulate and checked in with volunteers at the polling station, who numbered more than 120. Everyone is excited to be here; people have been here since 5 a.m. setting up, said Silvia Castellanos, 42, one of the tribunal coordinators.

Castellanos said reforms passed in Guatemala four years ago allowed eligible emigres to cast ballots from outside the country. But the new law did not take effect until this year. Guatemala joins Mexico and other countries that have long had systems in place to allow for expatriates to cast ballots from abroad.

For some Guatemalans such as Alba Rojas, the news didnt come soon enough. Rojas, 70, came to the United States more than 20 years ago. She did not yet have her DPI when she learned this year that voting would be available in Los Angeles. She had to go to the consulate to request her identity card, but it wasnt ready until after the March registration deadline.

The electoral tribunal didnt let us know on time about all the documents we needed in order to vote, said a frustrated Rojas. You really have to beg these officials to hurry up the process. And even so, my ID took forever to come, and now I cant vote.

Rojas, who is from the city of Quetzaltenango in western Guatemala and makes her living selling traditional Guatemalan candies, arrived well before 7 a.m. at the polling station to support her fellow Guatemalans and set up her vendor stand, stacked with snacks for voters.

We need jobs in Guatemala; all the young people graduate and cant find work because all the politicians take our money, Rojas said. She has 10 children in Guatemala, many of whom cannot find work after graduating college, she said. Thats why there are so many people, like me, who continue to migrate to the United States. We have to fight for our families back home.

Her friend Edgar Barrera, 59, manager of Chapines Express, a store that sends clients packages to Guatemala, said he also was unable to get his documents in time to register to vote. All the information they gave us was confusing and just came too late, he said.

Like many Guatemalans, both inside and outside the country, Barrera expressed a sense of disillusion with the rampant corruption in the country. The election is frustrating when you have to vote for the candidate who you believe is less corrupt than the others, he said.

In Guatemala, the elections have been fraught with controversy. Nineteen candidates are vying for the presidential vote, but because none of the contenders is expected to win a majority, a runoff between two top candidates is projected for August.

But at the consulate in Los Angeles, morale was still generally high. Volunteers held pamphlets that showed the presidential candidates along with their vice presidential choices. Voters were assigned specific tables, where volunteers checked identity documents and handed out ballots. Organizers then sent voters to mark their choices at a small polling station.

The ballot is the same one that voters cast in Guatemala, said volunteer Marta Alicia Barrientos, 46. She arrived in Orange County from Guatemala 10 months ago and wanted to support her fellow chapines, she said, using an endearing term to refer to her Guatemalan community members. Im here because I want transparency within our institutions, she said.

Aroldo Ramirez, 61, was one of the first voters of the day. He said he traveled to Guatemala with other community leaders several times over the course of six years to discuss the process of the foreign vote with electoral officials.

Despite the registration hurdles, Ramirez said this day represented an important advance for the Guatemalan community in the U.S.

For 35 years living in the United States, I havent been able to cast a vote in my home country, he said. Though there were problems with the organization of the foreign vote, I feel like our government, in some way, is finally taking us into account.The Pentagon on Sunday accused Iran of attempting to shoot down a U.S. Reaper drone on June 13 as the unmanned surveillance aircraft was flying over one of two crippled tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

U.S. military officials for the first time also linked Iran to a separate missile attack in Yemen on June 6 that hit another Reaper drone and forced it to crash.

The U.S. blamed Tehran-backed Houthi rebels fighting in the countrys civil war, citing unspecified Iranian assistance in the missile launch.

The Pentagon released no video or other evidence of Irans involvement, and did not explain why it waited so many days before announcing the attacks, which caused no injuries.

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But the decision to publicly blame Iran for them increased chances that President Trump will boost U.S. forces in the Middle East or take other steps to intensify what the White House calls a maximum pressure campaign against Tehran.

Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said a U.S. intelligence assessment had concluded that a modified Iranian SA-7 surface-to-air missile attempted to shoot down a U.S. MQ-9 [drone] over the Gulf of Oman to disrupt surveillance of the crippled tanker.

The Russian-designed, shoulder-fired, anti-aircraft missile missed by about a kilometer, or more than half a mile, Brown said.

Tensions flared last week after the Trump administration publicly blamed Iran for what it said were coordinated attacks on a pair of fuel tankers, owned by companies in Japan and Norway, in international waters.

Both ships suffered still-unexplained explosions shortly after dawn Wednesday and caught fire, forcing the crews to evacuate. Iran denied any role.

In the second incident, Brown said a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper was shot down over Yemen a week earlier by what we assess to be a Houthi SA-6 surface-to-air missile.

While Trump went golfing on Sunday, his advisors appeared on TV talk shows to point the finger at Iran and warn of possible action.

The president and his national security advisors are weighing a full range of options against Iran, including military moves, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said on Fox News Sunday. We are confident that we can take a set of actions that can restore deterrence.

Pompeo declared that Iranian involvement in the tanker explosions was unmistakable.

These were attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran on commercial shipping, on the freedom of navigation with the clear intent to deny transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Pompeo said. Much of the worlds oil passes through the narrow waterway.

Iranian forces fired a modified SA-7 surface-to-air missile at a U.S. Reaper at 6:45 a.m. on June 13, minutes after the drone had arrived in the vicinity of the two crippled tankers, according to Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East.

Subsequent analysis indicates that this was a likely attempt to shoot down or otherwise disrupt the [drone] surveillance of the stricken tankers, Urban said. He blamed the launch on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a paramilitary organization.

The SA-7 was ineffective and its closest point of approach to the MQ-9 was approximately one kilometer, Brown said.

The command released no video or other evidence to back up the claim that an attempted missile attack had occurred.

The attack a week earlier hit a Reaper flying over Yemen and caused it to crash, officials said.

Video released by Houthi rebels and posted on YouTube purportedly showed wreckage of aircraft on the ground in Yemen, including shots of a propeller like those on a Reaper drone.

U.S. officials said Sunday that the Reaper appeared to have been hit by an SA-6 missile, a Russian-designed anti-aircraft system, typically fired from a mobile launcher.

The missile strike occurred at too high an altitude for Houthi rebels with the anti-aircraft missiles known to be in their possession, indicating that they had received assistance from Iran, U.S. officials said.

The altitude of the engagement indicated an improvement over previous Houthi capability, which we asses was enabled by Iranian assistance, Urban said.

The Trump administration has kept up a drumbeat of accusations against Iran for the last month, insisting that it had intelligence information suggesting the Revolutionary Guard was preparing for attacks against the U.S. or its allies in the region.

On Thursday, Central Command made public video taken by a U.S. surveillance aircraft that it said showed Revolutionary Guard personnel on a small patrol boat removing an unexploded mine from the hull of one of the damaged tankers.

The grainy black and white video shows a small boat beside the tanker. Several crew members are clustered near the bow and one appears to be pulling a small device off the hull.

Appearing on CBS Face the Nation, Pompeo dismissed skepticism from Germany and several other countries about whether the video proved Iranian involvement in the earlier explosions.

Pointing to lots of data, lots of evidence supporting the Trump administrations accusations against Iran, he said the United States would use means diplomatic and otherwise to guarantee unimpeded shipping.

Democrat lawmakers and presidential candidates warned that hawkish figures in Trumps inner circle, including Pompeo and national security advisor John Bolton, might push the country into war.

Pete Buttigieg, one of 23 candidates in the race, said the weeks events appeared part of an escalation where this administration might be leading us on a path to war.

He cited a pattern of malignant behavior by Iran but urged stepped-up consultations with allies.The question is: What are we going to do to make things more stable before the situation becomes uncontrollable? said Buttigieg.

U.S. officials had disclosed the attacks in recent days, but the Central Command statement Sunday was the first public effort to blame Iran for them.Just about every cybersecurity expert agrees that Russia is likely to meddle again in next years presidential election  and other governments may try too.

And why shouldnt they? The cost is laughably low, and they face few if any penalties if theyre caught.

After all, President Trump says hed welcome an offer from a foreign government to slip him derogatory information about his opponents.

If somebody called from a country -- Norway -- [saying,] We have information on your opponent, I think Id want to hear it, the president told ABC News last week. Its not an interference. They have information, I think Id take it.

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Trump had every chance to say hed reject a backdoor offer from a country more worrisome than Norway  Russia, for example. But he didnt. Instead, he resorted to one of his favorite schoolyard defenses: Everybody does it; dont be a chump.

That undercut officials in his own administration who have warned foreign powers that messing in our elections will be considered a hostile act.

And it distressed at least some Republicans in Congress who dont relish being branded the Party that Welcomes Help In Elections from Foreign Intelligence Agencies.

I wouldnt accept material like that, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa said crisply. Dont all politicians do it? No, we dont. Lets stop there.

The bipartisan blowback was severe enough that two days later, the president retreated  a little.

Of course you have to look at it, he said of foreign-source information. If you dont look at it, youre not going to know if its bad. Hed tell the FBI, of course  even though he had scoffed at that idea two days before.

Of course, if the president were serious about defending the integrity of the 2020 election, theres plenty he could do.

Legions of scholars, campaign veterans and election machinery experts have been working to try to make next years voting more secure.

A new report from Stanford Universitys Cyber Policy Center lists no fewer than 45 specific steps the federal government, states, counties, campaigns, social media platforms and news media can take.

Heres one: From the top down, including most importantly from the president, the U.S. government must demonstrate a clear, credible and consistent commitment in response to future attempts at election interference.

OK, some ground to make up there.

As an initial, cost-free step, Trump could promise that his campaign wont use stolen information from foreign entities, like the Democratic National Committee emails that the FBI says Russia hacked in 2016.

Democratic presidential campaigns have taken that pledge. The Trump campaign has not. On Friday, spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said the campaign would handle foreign offers on a case-by-case basis.

I asked Michael McFaul, the former U.S. ambassador to Moscow who headed the Stanford project, what worried him most about next years election.

He named three potential problems.

First, he said, Russia might try to influence the Democratic primaries. They like some candidates better than others. Biden is probably their least favorite, because he was the point person for the Obama administration for Ukraine.

Second, he said he fears a flood of disinformation on social media, not only from Russia.

But his greatest worry is that Russian agents may do something disruptive on election day to undermine the integrity of the election, he said. Imagine the chaos if there was some doubt raised about the vote count.

The Stanford report has several recommendations that make sense.

It calls for more federal funding to help states and counties build hack-proof voting systems. In our decentralized system, local governments run elections, but they often dont have the money to keep systems up to date.

Were asking county governments to go up against the Russian GRU, the military intelligence agency, said Andrew Grotto, a Stanford scholar who worked on the report. Its not a fair fight.

Another recommendation: Every state should use paper ballots, which can be retained and checked in case machines are hacked. Pennsylvania, a critical swing state, has committed to that goal, but may not get there by 2020.

Heres a tougher one: Congress should pass laws that ban foreigners from buying political ads online and that require disclosure of all sponsors identities. It wouldnt cost taxpayers a dime. But Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has blocked all such legislation from getting a vote.

Finally, U.S. news media should establish transparent, common-sense rules for handling leaks from foreign sources.

That might seem impossible. News organizations are hard-wired to publish scoops, not suppress them, and judgments can vary wildly. But journalists were part of the problem in 2016. This time they need to disclose more about sources of leaked data  and the sources motivations.

One modest bright spot: Facebook, Google and Twitter, which failed to recognize and block Russian disinformation in 2016, are working to do better this time.

Facebook now requires anyone who buys political advertising to provide their true identities and to prove they are residents of the country theyre targeting.

Facebook also is trying to eliminate fake identities and bots from its accounts. In the first quarter of 2019, the company said, it disabled a staggering 2.2 billion fake accounts.

But unless the Trump administration and Congress do more, the integrity of our elections depends too much on social media companies that failed to earn our trust in 2016. Thats not a good sign.The Human Rights Campaign is calling for an apology from a Georgia congressman after the GOP lawmaker read Bible passages condemning homosexuality during a Republican policy meeting.

One passage Rep. Rick W. Allen from Georgias 12th District read was Romans 1:18-32, which mentions a list of reprobate acts including men who burn with lust for one another. The verse goes on to say that such people and those who support them are worthy of death.

MORE: Read previous In Theory discussions>>

Several fellow Republicans walked out during Allens statements.

The Human Rights Campaigns political affairs spokesperson JoDee Winterhof said Republican leaders must make clear that they will not tolerate lawmakers who sow hatred and violence against LGBT people.

Q: What are your thoughts on Rep. Allens actions?

Wait, did you just say that the Bible was being read at a major political partys policy meeting? That right there is Problem No. 1. I dont care what passage they were reading; the Bible should never be part of an official political meeting of any kind. Our politicians represent all Americans, not just the religious ones, nor just the Christians, and certainly not just the conservative Christians.

Problem No. 2 is, of course, the passage itself. As are all the clobber passages about homosexual actions, this one is specific to a particular historical context. It is not  not!  about homosexual orientation, or loving and committed homosexual relationships. Romans addresses married men, who go off to the Roman baths and consort with male cultic prostitutes; its a condemnation of adultery, prostitution, and cultic sexual practices, not of homosexuality itself.

The clobber passages from the Hebrew scriptures also stem from historical context. In early days, the cultural mindset of Israel regarded sperm, seed, as a national commodity. As the tiny land of Israel kept facing genocide at the alternating hands of the three large, invading empires surrounding it, every single person, every life, meant the survival of the people in general. Any gratuitous spilling of seed was condemned, as dangerous to the peoples future  not just homosexual sex, but also heterosexual oral sex, coitus interruptus and masturbation. People who masturbate are also worthy of stoning  would anyone like to cast that first stone, being blameless yourself?

And Problem No. 3, as often is pointed out, is taking some passages of the Bible literally, and not others. If youre going to take the condemnation of homosexual activity literally, you must also take literally the severe prohibition (and death sentence) for those who eat seafood, wear polyester (mixed linens) or like cheeseburgers (which combine the milk of an animal with its blood).

So, Rep. Allen, if youve worn polyester lately (which I suspect you have), or eaten some lobster; if youve enjoyed anything but procreational sex with your wife, or eaten a cheeseburger at Dennys, then guess what? You stand shoulder to shoulder with those reprobate homosexuals, in front of the gang of righteous people carrying stones.

Think about it, sir.

The Rev. Amy Pringle

St. Georges Episcopal Church

La Canada Flintridge

--

Rep. Allens words offend me not only as a man of faith, but as an American. To stand up in a place of elected officials and spout such anger and venom goes against my understanding of the quote attributed to Voltaire, I do not agree with a word you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

What has happened to our idea of America as the tossed salad? Where each person has the right to bring his own flavor to the mix? Have we returned to the melting pot idea where all groups and even persons must give up their uniqueness for the Proper American label?

I think not. Further, scripture supports me. Deuteronomy 4:6 says You will love the Lord your God, with all your heart (physically), your soul (spiritually) and with all your strength (uniquely) and these words which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart (consistently).

Each of us must learn to love God and each other, either physically, or spiritually or both but, most of all, consistently with uniqueness.

Rabbi Mark Sobel

Temple Beth Emet

Burbank

--

The Republican congressman cannot apologize for reading the Bible. I mean, he can, but hed be a fool, and may I say shame on those fellow Republicans who walked out during Allens statements.

Look, the Bible was read not to instigate lynching squads for gays, but to inform the moral reality of the discussion. The biblical passage itself does not demand immediate capital punishment for those mentioned, and those mentioned are more than just homosexually lustful men, it includes the same sort of women, and also earth worshippers, idolaters, atheists, murderers, the greedy, gossips, slanderers, the loveless, merciless and faithless.

All of those listed are worthy of death, as all sin is worthy of the same. And as Christ died because of our sin, so the debt of all repentant sinners is paid through him. The point of the biblical passage is to convey that all such things are immoral rather than cause for celebration or promotion, despite the published agenda of the Human Rights Campaign.

No kidding they want an apology, because that would be granting that they are more righteous than the God who authored Romans 1:18-32. Im sure theyre taking it personally, as the passage ends not with just denouncing sins, but also people who approve of those who practice them. Reading the biblical passage simply put the issue into divine perspective, rather than leaving it up to personal speculation, popular opinion or the LGBT agenda.

Now how do you decide moral issues? By voting on them? By having certain feelings about them? By declaring whatever you approve a moral good? Thats one way of doing it, or you could consult the omnipotent creator and embrace his opinion on a matter.

Our society has many ills, and many things that are bad we legalize, but that doesnt make them right or good, it only means that we are getting comfortable with our sins. And while the whole world is awash in transgression, God gives no sanction for hatred and violence toward anyone.

That doesnt mean we must approve of every lifestyle, accept supposedly born predilections or bend over backwards to help facilitate errant subcultures. As people, as citizens, as creatures made in the image of God, even as those whose practices are condemned in that Bible passage, they all deserve equal protections and rights in America, but not special rights that trump those of their God-fearing neighbors.

They should not be bullied or hated, but neither should they bully or be hateful in return with those of contrary commitment.

Rev. Bryan A. Griem

Tujunga

--

Who knows how Rep. Allen goes over among Republicans of Georgia  that is not something I enjoy contemplating  but I know such outbursts drift westward and help explain why our states GOP registration has dropped down close to 25%.

In order to produce this little hate-nugget, Allen had to stray far afield from Christianitys central messages of loving ones neighbor, doing to others as you would have done to you and welcoming the stranger.

Allens vitriol is alienating not only to the LGBT community and its supporters but also to atheists, as well as to a good number of believers, who want government proceedings to be entirely free of religion.

Prayers and statements invoking God and Jesus at official city meetings and at other local public events makes me marvel at the narrow-mindedness that leads these speakers, no matter how well-intended they may be, to assume that their spiritual choice is OK to impose on a secular occasion. Righteous dude though Jesus was, many religious people (theist or not) arent his followers, not to mention those of us who dont believe in the supernatural at all. Allowing this spiritual exclusion of so many residents from our polity is just not right.

Roberta Medford

Atheist

MontroseIn the dimly-lit main room of the Bay Theatre, the bones are exposed, the carpets uprooted, the walls bare. The air is a fusion of dust and aged wood.

This is what Paul Dunlap has always wanted  to resurrect a storied cinema of this caliber.

Dunlap is reviving one of Orange Countys renowned theaters, which entertained from 1947 to 2012. The single-screen theater served as a mainstay of Old Town Seal Beach, showing independent, foreign and classic films.

Dunlap, of the Fullerton-based Dunlap Property Group, hopes to restore the venue for movies, but also plans to feature performing arts.

Ever since I was a young man, Ive loved plays, music, everything, said Dunlap, 64, of Fullerton. I thought it would be really neat to show what I like in my own theater.

Decades prior to his $2.2-million purchase of the landmark in late 2016, Dunlap dreamed of owning an old theater.

Beginning in 1976, the year he started in real estate, Dunlap worked across from the Fox Fullerton Theatre, which opened in 1925. He became enamored and tried unsuccessfully to purchase it several times. He later tried and failed to buy the Celebrity Theater in Anaheim.

Along the way, Dunlap restored other signature structures, including Villa Del Sol (the California Hotel when it opened in 1922) in downtown Fullerton.

I cant explain why I love restoring things, Dunlap said. I just do.

Fox Film Corp. owned the Bay until 1975 when Richard Loderhose purchased it to feature his Wurlitzer Opus pipe organ.

The organ went in 2007; Loderhose died a year later. The Bay failed to attract a buyer for years.

In 2015, community activists formed the Bay Theatre Foundation, which raised money through donations and T-shirt sales in hopes of purchasing the building.

The movement floundered. Dunlap stepped in.

Esther Kenyon, founder of the Seal Beach Community Performing Arts Assn., said community support is widespread, adding that the theater will elevate the arts in Seal Beach, where venues are lacking.

Its very exciting for the community, Kenyon said. The arts are an essential part of the communitys identity.

Dunlap walked through the Bay Theatre on a recent day, his love of history and old things evident. He pointed at classic light fixtures, a drinking fountain and metal theater seats, reciting the origins of each.

The tenor of his voice raised as he unfurled the blueprints to his new theater on a dusty table.

In the projector room, he showed off old equipment  one 16 mm and two 35 mm projectors. Age and dust coated everything, even a 35 mm reel of Nosferatu, the 1922 silent film classic. Dunlap plans to keep it all, but add a digital projector.

Dunlap will restore as much as possible to its original state  with some minor changes, like expanding for bigger crowds. Hes renovating the third floor as an apartment and plans to move in with his fiance in April.

Dunlap said a third of the renovations are done. Completed restorations include roof replacement, air conditioning installation on the mezzanine and in the apartment, plaster replacement on the facade and an updated marquee.

Dunlap still needs to replace the concrete in the theater, reinstall the seats, build the stage, install the new lights and sound system, and update the concession equipment.

He estimated that the project will run him about $2 million. Hes hoping to open the 400- to 425-seat theater in the fall.

Former Councilman Charles Antos, director of the Seal Beach Historical Society, said the Bay Theatre was once an integral part of Old Town. Indeed, the City Council designated the theater  with its brick-and-stucco facade  a historic landmark in 2016.

Its so important to preserve old businesses like the theater, Antos said. When they are torn down, they are replaced with modern structures, and the unique character of a city is lost.A man who admitted that he helped dump a womans body in Newport Beach after she was murdered for witnessing a gang-related shooting was sentenced to 16 years in prison Friday. But before the punishment was handed down, the victims sister had a message for him: My family and I do not blame you, nor do we hate you.

You are not an evil person, Yara Morales told Jaime Rocha, a 42-year-old Santa Ana gang member, during a hearing in Orange County Superior Court.

Rocha was a friend of Morales sister, 28-year-old Nancy Hammour, Morales said. But as the sun rose on Labor Day in 2013, he helped throw Hammours body over the side of a bridge spanning Newport Harbor.

Earlier that morning, Rocha was driving when another gang member in the car shot Hammour in the face as the three traveled south on the 55 Freeway, according to the Orange County district attorneys office.

The convicted shooter, 27-year-old Irvin Tellez, fired on Hammour because she had become hysterical after watching Tellez shoot another woman standing on a Santa Ana street minutes earlier. That victim survived.

You have to live for the rest of your life knowing you heard Nancys last breath, Morales told Rocha on Friday. Being in your situation, I would have been scared for my life as well, and I understand why you went along with what Tellez wanted.

After helping ditch the body, Rocha fled to Mexico with the rental car he drove during the shootings, according to prosecutor Jim Mendelson. But Rocha returned to the United States and was arrested after the rental company told him to return the car after he got in a traffic collision.

While in custody, Rocha told Newport Beach police about both shootings, Mendelson said. Investigators arrested Tellez soon after.

Rocha admitted that he helped dispose of Hammours body and agreed to testify against Tellez, Mendelson said.

In exchange, prosecutors reduced a murder charge against Rocha to involuntary manslaughter, with a sentencing enhancement for gang activity.

A jury convicted Tellez last month of first-degree murder, attempted murder and street terrorism, with sentencing enhancements including criminal street gang activity and personal discharge of a firearm causing death and great bodily injury.

Tellez could face life in prison at his sentencing Nov. 20.Robert Mardian seemed destined to become a lawyer.

His father, Robert Mardian Sr., served as an assistant attorney general in the Richard Nixon administration.

But Mardian learned in college that he had a passion for the restaurant business, which led him to open the Wind and Sea Restaurant 45 years ago.

It was a complete surprise to me that I changed, Mardian, now 70, of Dana Point said. I was programmed to be a lawyer.

Overlooking Dana Point harbor, at 34699 Golden Lantern St., the Wind and Sea has become an integral part of the community, with generations of diners circulating through.

We are so intertwined with the community that we have had families, where in the 1970s, young kids that worked for me, some of whom even met each other here, got married and brought up their families and their kids have worked here, Mardian said. We are part of the fabric.

Jay Styles, general manager for 32 years, said its unusual for him to see somebody he hasnt met.

They all end up at the Wind and Sea one way or another, said Styles, 58, of Laguna Niguel.

Employees work the lunch shift at the Wind and Sea restaurant. Over the years, some employees have met, married, and their kids have worked at the restaurant, says owner Robert Mardian. (Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer )

Mardian was attending Stanford University in 1968 when a friend asked if he would consider working as a bartender at his San Jose restaurant, The Loft.

Mardian quickly climbed the ranks and the business fit his lifestyle. He enjoyed surfing, a pastime well-suited to free mornings and nighttime work hours, and the laid-back apparel befit his modest tastes.

I remember my dad every morning being up at 7 a.m., and its coat and tie, and off hed go to work, he said. I am just not a coat-and-tie guy. I knew that back then. To this day I wear the same clothes, usually a Hawaiian shirt and some flip-flops and shorts.

It wasnt easy starting his first restaurant. After signing the lease for a dirt plot in 1971, architects had to start from the ground up. The restaurant opened about a year later.

During the restaurants infancy, an unusual family issue taxed Mardian. His father, in 1974, was indicted, along with six others, in the Watergate coverup.

It was a tough time, Mardian said. My mom went to the trial every day.

Mardian listened to the news coverage, always believing his father, one of the so-called Watergate Seven, was innocent.

His dad was convicted, but the conviction was overturned on appeal.

That travail stands as just one unusual episode in Mardians storied life.

A glance at the dozens of photos in the Wind and Sea office reflect a host of interesting experiences.

Heres me with Mitt, he said, pointing to a photo of him and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. We went to school together at Stanford. We were good friends.

Theres a photo of Mardian with former President Gerald Ford in the banquet room.

On another wall, a sheet of paper bearing the number 777 is tacked underneath a plaque from a 1984 Ironman competition in Hawaii.

That was one of my  proudest moments, Mardian said, taking the randomly assigned race number as a good omen.

The Big Eye Tuna Poke appetizer from the Wind and Sea restaurant in Dana Point. (Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer )

His early success allowed for other ventures. Mardian also owns Harpoon Henrys in Dana Point and restaurants in Hawaii.

He has no plans for retirement.

I got a lot of gas left in the tank, Mardian said. I never even think about retiring because this is not like work for me. Its become a living part of my psyche and my life. As far as my brain and body know, this is the way youre supposed to do things.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter:@benbrazilpilotA man convicted of raping and murdering a Glendale woman in 1979 was spared the death penalty after a jury deadlocked Thursday on the third day of deliberations.

Ten jurors voted for Darrell Gurule to spend the rest of his life in prison, while two felt he should be executed.

The same jury convicted Gurule last month of killing Barbara Ballman, whose naked body, lying across the front seat of her Volkswagen Beetle, was found by fourth-graders on their way to Thomas Edison Elementary School one September morning in 1979.

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Shed been raped and killed by a single shotgun wound to her abdomen, shortly after leaving her older sisters home, where shed babysat her nephew before eating sweet rolls and watching Donna Summer with her sister.

He took away her life, her future, her ability to walk around this planet, her dignity, and left her there to die alone, said her sister Linda Benjamin, who filled 14 journals with notes to Ballman in the dozen or so years after her death. Theres a place she shouldve been that she isnt, and that can never be filled by anyone else.

Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to retry Gurule or to accept a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

In seeking the death penalty, the prosecutor pointed to Gurules violent criminal history, which included a 1977 sexual assault at gunpoint, as well as a 1987 kidnapping and murder. When Glendale detectives linked him to Ballmans death in 2004, he was already serving a life sentence for the 1987 crimes.

The mistrial marked the culmination of the roughly three-week penalty phase of the trial, during which defense attorneys reached back in time to find those who could attest to Gurules troubled upbringing in an abusive household.

An old neighbor who shared an Echo Park duplex with the Gurule family in the 1960s testified to hearing constant screaming and crying from upstairs. Shed see bruises on Gurule and his brothers, who were always hungry. Meanwhile, a social worker who handled the familys case in the 1970s described it as among the top 10 worst of her six-year career.

A news reporter who wrote a 1973 newspaper article detailing how Glendale police found Gurules seven siblings  Gurule was in juvenile hall at the time  in a home alone, among rotting food, feces and overflowing toilets also testified. Gurules mother, who died in 1997, was on a date at the time.

He didnt have a chance. He didnt have a fighting chance, Gurules maternal aunt Lita Hopkins told the jury during the trial.

But in prison, defense attorneys argued, Gurule found Christianity and peace, and has for decades served as a model inmate.

I think at the end of the day, our defense themes resonated, said Philip Peng, an alternate public defender who represented Gurule. I think the system worked.

--

Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @atchek

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Homeless man pleads not guilty to rape chargesWhen I was a kid, anything 100 years old was an antique and looked as though it belonged in a museum or Great-Grandmas house. So I was surprised when I realized that 2019 was the centenary of Bauhaus.

Marcel Breuers 1925 steel tube Wassily chair would fit nicely into my minimalist home office if I could afford it. And Marianne Brandts forever contemporary 1924 tea infuser would exponentially ramp up the chic of my kitchen.

The German cities of Weimar, Dessau and Berlin were home to Bauhaus, the trailblazing art, architecture and design school between 1919 and 1933, and they are celebrating this 100th anniversary with events throughout the year, including the opening of two new Bauhaus museums.

(Lou Spirito For The Times)

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Bauhaus was the birthplace of modernism, and its concepts and philosophy quickly spread. Today, you can see the Bauhaus legacy in skyscrapers, prefabricated buildings, flat-roofed houses and skylights, as well as in Ikeas aesthetically pleasing and functional products and even the layout of your iPhone screen.

Bauhaus binge

As a lifelong Bauhaus addict, I headed in May to the former East Germany to take a road trip and to join in some of the celebrations. I flew to Frankfurt, then drove the efficient autobahn through gentle rolling hills, bright yellow with canola fields.

After 2 hours I arrived for my weeklong Bauhaus binge in charming Weimar, population 65,000, chosen after World War I as Germanys first democratic capital. Although Germany was bankrupt, creativity and hope were booming because the country was ripe for change.

Thus Bauhaus was born in the cultural German hub of Weimar, home and popular haunt of classical heroes such as Goethe, Schiller, Bach, Nietzsche and Liszt.

The original 1919 Bauhaus school building in Weimar is still part of the Bauhaus University. (Margo Pfeiff)

I poked around the original Bauhaus University building, on the campus where art and design are still taught. In 1919 it was focused on minimalism and functionality, and decorative Old World styles such as Art Nouveau were discarded, a radical move.

Angular yellow upholstered armchairs sat atop a contemporary carpet of multicolored squares and triangles in the reconstructed office of Walter Gropius, the first Bauhaus University director. The only item that looked 100 was a black vintage telephone on the sleek, Scandinavian-style wooden desk.

In early April the first new Bauhaus museum opened in Weimar. Inside the white cube is a dizzying display of Bauhaus icons, the creations of students and instructors who worked on weaving, ceramics, metalwork, art, music, dance, photography, furniture, architecture and even typography.

Jugenstil staircase in the main building of Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany. (Heritage Images / Alan John Ainsworth / Getty Images)

It was a completely new time, the dawn of a new life, said Jayne Obst, my Bauhaus researcher guide.

We walked through parkland to the simple white Haus am Horn, a stylish one-story model home that was part of the extensive 1923 Bauhaus Exhibition to show off the schools works to a population and state government increasingly displeased with their tax dollars funding this offbeat enterprise.

Although the event spread the word Bauhaus internationally, funding was slashed and the school closed the next year.

Bauhaus in Dessau

The original 1925 Bauhaus campus in Dessau. (Margo Pfeiff)

Fortunately, the industrial city of Dessau, a two-hour drive northeast, funded the new Bauhaus School beginning in 1926, and thats where it blossomed into the most influential modernist art movement of the 20th century.

I took my time reaching Dessau. The object of my road trip was to explore by car the various towns, cities and villages in search of Bauhaus treasures. In lovely Jena, 14 miles away, I visited two Gropius villas and had a private tour of the spectacularly restored 1924 private Bauhaus residence called Haus Auerbach with its owner.

The Haus Auerbach in Jena has been reconstructed back to its 1924 Bauhaus original form, inside and out, by the current owners. (Margo Pfeiff)

Fifty minutes away in the old city of Erfurt, I lingered over an insightful exhibition at the Angermuseum called 4 Bauhausmadels  4 Bauhaus Gals  showcasing four creative female Bauhaus students and their very different and moving life stories at a time when women were experiencing a wave of freedom after World War I.

Halle, the birthplace of Baroque composer George Frideric Handel, 75 miles away, knocked me out with its diverse Bauhaus offerings: the Grossgarage, an astonishingly progressive, four-story glass-roofed 150-auto garage from 1929; a modernist industrial water tower; and the colorful, hexagonal Holy Trinity Catholic Parish Church.

Halles modernist Southern Water Tower is chic and contemporary. (Margo Pfeiff)

Dessau, just 40 minutes away, was where Bauhaus reached its zenith when the school moved here in 1925. Its also where it shifted its philosophy from combining art and craftsmanship to art and industry, which alienated many of its founding members but propelled the school into the future. The city was desperate for better housing for workers flocking to booming factories.

I strolled through the tranquil Gropius-designed housing complex of the Torten Estate, rows of modular, two-story, flat-roofed townhouses that are still occupied. Although each residence was small and simple, it had unheard-of 1920s luxuries such as hot water plumbing and central heating.

The houses that retain the original minimalist white exterior with its slim, two-story glass-brick window to illuminate the interior staircase appear far more modern than those more recently decorated with shutters, tiles, paneling and kitschy adornments.

Like most Bauhaus buildings I visited, this workers housing complex is part of the Bauhaus UNESCO World Heritage Site. Any exterior renovations must restore the unit to Gropius original design.

Dessaus shining star, however, is Gropius stunning 1926 Bauhaus Building with its trademark steel grids and massive glass curtain wall that survived bombing in World War II. Invisible Places, a citywide installation, fills in blanks where Bauhaus buildings once stood.

The restored building and campus is now a research and teaching institution dedicated to furthering Bauhaus ideas. The interior is remarkable: light shifting through the huge windows, clean lines, splashes of signature Bauhaus red, yellow and blue, and railings crafted from water and gas pipes, a Bauhaus classic. For Bauhaus geeks like me, its a dream to overnight in the bright, simple students quarters and to dine in the minimalist canteen.

The main staircase of the Bauhaus building in Dessau, Germany, was designed by Walter Gropius in 1925-26. (Heritage Images / Alan John Ainsworth / Getty Images)

The Masters Houses, a short walk, include three pairs of identical semidetached houses for the Bauhaus masters and a detached single home for its director. For years they housed Europes leading contemporary artists such as Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and many others.

I needed a break so I hopped on the Bauhaus Bus that stops at all the towns sites and headed for coffee and warm apple strudel at the Kornhaus, a circular 1930 Bauhaus glass gazebo/restaurant overlooking the Elbe River.

A trip to Japan with my teenage nephew leads to life lessons 

Dessaus new Bauhaus Museum opens Sept. 8, with 49,000 objects, Germanys second biggest Bauhaus collection after the Berlin Bauhaus Archives.

By 1932, Dessaus Bauhaus School was closed amid rising political turmoil and the fallout from the 1929 financial crisis. It moved to Berlin, where German American architect Mies van der Rohe became its third and final director. But within a year Hitler closed it, claiming the movement was infiltrated with Jews and Communists.

Ironically, Nazi persecution hastened the spread of Bauhaus ideas because many of its instructors and most promising students fled Germany. Many went to Israel, where Tel Avivs White City is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its more than 4,000 Bauhaus buildings from the 1930s.

The 1960 Walter Gropius Bauhaus Archives in Berlin. (Martin Seeliger / Getty Images / Pic)

Gropius moved to Harvards Graduate School of Design; Moholy-Nagy founded the Chicagos Illinois Institute of Technologys school of design; and Mies van der Rohe became a celebrated Chicago architect.

My final stop was in Berlin, site of Gropius last major project, the 1960 Berlin Bauhaus Archives. The unusual building is being updated and the complex expanded; it will reopen in 2022 with Germanys biggest Bauhaus collection. I finished my trip at the temporary archives nearby, checking out its centenary exhibition and picking up a souvenir in its wonderful Bauhaus Shop: a classic white teapot that I could take home and steep in modernism.

Bauhaus villa at dusk, Sauerland, Germany. (Arnt Haug / Getty Images / LOOK)

If you go

THE BEST WAY TO FRANKFURT, GERMANY

From LAX, Lufthansa and United offer nonstop service to Frankfurt, and United, Air Canada, KLM, American, British, Lufthansa and Delta offer connecting service (change of planes). Restricted round-trip airfare from $1,174, including taxes and fees.

Bauhaus Walking Tour, Bauhaus Atelier Info Shop Cafe, 6a Geschwister-Scholl-Strasse, Weimar, Germany. Current or former students of Weimars Bauhaus University offer walking tours of the original campus and the Haus am Horn. There is also an unguided audio-walk, Where is Walter.

Bauhaus by Bike. English guided group tours from two hours.

Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, 38 Gropiusallee, Dessau, Germany. Guided daily tours of the Bauhaus Building, the nearby Masters Houses and the Torten Estate workers housing project. A yearlong program of celebrations includes the opening of the new Dessau Bauhaus Museum on Sept. 8.

Overnighting in Dessaus Bauhaus Studio Building. Stay in the Studio Building, which housed junior masters and promising students, for about $60 to $100 per night. No Wi-Fi; communal bathroom on each hall. Dine in the Bauhaus Canteen.

Bauhaus in Berlin. The city is celebrating the centenary with exhibitions and events. You can see the original building that is being reconstructed and expanded at 14 Klingelhoferstrasse or visit the temporary archive exhibit/shop at 1-2 Knesebeckstrasse.

Art: Berlin, 22 Bessemerstrasse, Berlin. Two-hour English-language Berlin Bauhaus tours from $27 per person.

TO LEARN MORE

Bauhaus UNESCO World Heritage sites

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravelGuatemalan voters go to the polls Sunday to elect a new president and other lawmakers in this former Cold War battleground that Washington now views through the prism of two key strategic concerns  U.S.-bound illicit immigration and drug trafficking.

Sandra Torres, a former first lady who has denied allegations of illicit campaign funding from an unsuccessful 2015 presidential run, is at the head of a crowded field to replace President Jimmy Morales, recent polls show.

Guatemalan law bars the controversial ex-TV comedian from seeking reelection.

Most polls show no candidate winning a majority, which would result in the top two finishers facing each other in an August runoff. Guatemalans are also electing a new Congress and mayors nationwide.

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Guatemala and neighboring Honduras are the homelands of most Central American migrants arriving to the U.S.-Mexico border and seeking asylum. The number of migrants making it to U.S. territory has spiked in recent months, prompting President Trump to put pressure on Mexico and on Central American nations to act to reduce the flows.

This week, Vice President Mike Pence told Fox News that Washington was working on a plan with Guatemala whereby many Central American asylum-seekers  presumably those from neighboring Honduras and El Salvador  would have to seek asylum here, not in the United States. Human rights groups immediately denounced the idea, noting Guatemalas high levels of violence and the fact that many of its own citizens feel compelled to flee for their safety.

The Trump administration is also seeking to bolster anti-drug efforts here  Guatemala is a key transportation point for Colombian cocaine destined for the U.S. market.

The lead-up to Sundays balloting has been chaotic even by the standards of Central Americas often-turbulent politics.

Election officials in recent weeks have barred at least four candidates, including two possible front-runners: Zury Rios, the right-wing daughter of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, due to her familial link to the ex-strongman; and Thelma Aldana, a former ex-attorney general whose prosecutorial zeal helped put another ex-president and other former officials behind bars.

Aldanas name was taken off the ballot for alleged financial irregularities during her term as attorney general  allegations that Aldana has dismissed as politically motivated.

Our country has been pushed to a precipice, Aldana said last month after the nations highest court rejected her appeal.

Aldana worked closely with a United Nations-backed anti-corruption panel  the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, known by its Spanish acronym, CICIG  that is popular among many Guatemalans for its prosecutions of crooked politicians. The panel has drawn the ire of the lame-duck president.

Morales, who was elected as an outsider candidate four years ago on a slogan of neither corrupt nor a thief, has faced graft investigations, as have his family members and close associates.

At Mexicos southern border, migrants feel the pinch of a crackdown spurred by U.S. 

Morales has pushed back against the anti-corruption panel, barring its commissioner from entering Guatemala and declaring that he would not renew its mandate, which is set to expire in September. That would mean the commission would not be available to act when he leaves office in January and could be subject to prosecution. Morales actions set off large-scale protests in support of the commission.

Morales is a favorite of the Trump administration and followed Washingtons lead in relocating his countrys Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, despite widespread denunciations around the globe of the U.S. move.

The Obama administration vociferously opposed a previous Guatemalan presidents attempt to shutter the anti-corruption panel, which is viewed as a regional model for instituting good-government standards in corruption-ridden countries. The Trump administration has not publicly pressured Morales to retain the commission; the United States is the panels largest financial backer.

Aldana was the only leading candidate to back the commission, and her absence from the ballot would seem to ensure its demise. Many fear that democratic advances made here in recent years, in large part because of the commissions work, could falter.

I believe we could see a slow-motion return to the past situation of impunity, said Edgar Ortiz, a political analyst here.

The remaining top candidates, Ortiz noted, represent the establishment and could be more vulnerable to the structures of corruption that functioned before.

The ex-attorney general, Aldana, has said she left the country for El Salvador because of concerns for her security. Her flight is part of what human rights activists call a climate of pre-electoral intimidation here.

This week, Oscar Shaad, the countrys top prosecutor for electoral crimes, went on leave fearing for his familys safety, authorities said, reportedly after receiving death threats.

At least 10 people have been killed in preelection violence in Guatemala, human rights advocates say, and military veterans from the countrys multi-decade civil war  which officially ended in 1996  have threatened to use violence if their demands for pensions are not met.

In April, U.S. authorities arrested a then-presidential candidate, Mario Estrada, and charged him in a complex plot to use drug cartel money to win the election and assassinate rivals. Estrada, a former member of Congress, denied the charges. He is also no longer on the ballot.

A profound sense of discontent and confusion is evident among voters in this nation of 17 million, the largest and most populous country in Central America.

The presidents and Congress never respond to the people, and justice is never accomplished, said Maria Cutuc, 65, a weaver and grandmother whose comments echoed those of many interviewed here. What does it serve to vote?

Griselda Lopez, 49, who runs a small clothes shop in the capital, said she had yet to decide whom to vote for  reflecting polls that show great uncertainty and disaffection among voters.

I feel sadness, deception and fear for the future of the country, because it looks like things are going to get worse, Lopez said. Its a pity that the population doesnt become educated and wake up.

Special correspondent Claudia Palacios in Guatemala City contributed to this report.Guatemalans went to the polls Sunday to elect a new president, congressional representatives and other lawmakers amid widespread disenchantment with a corruption-plagued political system long unresponsive to poverty and violence.

Authorities continued counting votes from across the country late Sunday with only partial results trickling in. But preliminary counts strongly indicated that none of the 19 presidential aspirants would win a majority, forcing a runoff election Aug. 11 between the top two finishers.

Running first and second in preliminary returns were two veteran Guatemalan politicians  former First Lady Sandra Torres of the center-left National Unity of Hope party; and Alejandro Giammattei, a doctor and former director of the national penitentiary system, running under the banner of the right-wing Vamos party.

The two had been favorites in preelection polls to win the first two spots in Sundays balloting. Both have made multiple previous runs for the presidency  this is Torres third attempt and Giammatteis fourth. Each is 63 years old.

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Voters began arriving early Sunday at polling places across this Central American nation. There were scattered reports of election irregularities.

I feel apathetic about this election, said Lisbeth Laines, 30, a secretary who cast her ballot here in the capital. No matter who wins, it feels like we can expect much of the same.

Preelection debate here has focused on legal challenges to various candidates rather than such key issues as poverty, a major driving force behind the ongoing exodus of Guatemalans and other Central Americans in near-record numbers toward the U.S. border via Mexico.

Many Guatemalans link the lack of economic opportunity with entrenched corruption among the countrys political elites. The large-scale emigration of Guatemalans to the United States has not figured prominently in preelection discussions  despite efforts by the Trump administration to prod Guatemala and other Central American nations to do more to stem the flow.

Guatemala goes to polls amid uncertainty, deep divisions 

Before Sundays vote, authorities disqualified five candidates, including Thelma Aldana, a crusading ex-prosecutor whose efforts as an attorney general investigating graft helped send an ex-president and other allegedly crooked lawmakers to jail. She worked in tandem with a United Nations-backed anti-corruption panel that now faces a September deadline to leave Guatemala.

In blocking Aldana from the ballot, electoral authorities cited financial irregularities from her stint as attorney general. But Aldana and her supporters deny any wrongdoing and say she was barred to thwart future anti-corruption inquiries.

Aldana has fled Guatemala since receiving death threats, the Guatemalan media has reported.

Torres, who served as first lady during the presidency of Alvaro Colom until their 2011 divorce, has denied allegations of illicit campaign financing from her unsuccessful 2015 presidential campaign. She finished in second place in the 2015 balloting.

In her campaign, Torres pledged increased social and health initiatives to help battle the poverty that is a major factor driving emigration from Guatemala.

Immigration is a problem that transcends borders, Torres said Sunday, as reporters surrounded her at a voting place. We have to work on the causes of migration, which are violence, poverty, delinquency, lack of political stability.

Outgoing President Jimmy Morales, whose administration has been plagued by corruption allegations, is not on the ballot. Guatemalan law bans presidential reelection.

While voting Sunday, Morales lamented the ongoing migration of Guatemalans, particularly younger citizens.

Guatemala also cannot keep on suffering this departure of all this human talent  all this youth that leaves, and homes that disintegrate, Morales said. It is necessary to attend to these needs within the country.

Special correspondent Claudia Palacios in Guatemala City and Cecilia Sanchez of The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.

patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com

Twitter: @PmcdonnellLAT- An organisation has condemned the killings of many Nigerians and troops in the Lake Chad region

- The organisation called on the international community to help Nigeria end the heightened attacks by the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) around the Lake Chad Basin

- According to the organisation, countries around the world need to join forces with the Nigerian authorities in combating the menace of ISWAP

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) on Sunday, June 16, condemned in strong terms the activities of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) around the Lake Chad Basin region.

Following series of heightened attacks by the radical group around the Lake Chad Basin, the SHAC called for the intervention of the international community.

SHAC's executive director, Grace Akatu, while speaking in Abuja appealed to countries around the world to join forces with the Nigerian authorities in combating the menace of ISWAP.

Akatu said SHAC is devoted to the entrenchment of sustainable peace and development in Nigeria is alarmed with the nefarious activities of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) around the Lake Chad Basin.

She also said that the organisation has reviewed the operations of the Nigerian authorities in the fight against terrorism and wishes to commend the Nigerian government for the commitment in the fight against terrorism.

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre appreciates the way and manner the Nigerian authorities have tackled the Insurgency in North East Nigeria in the past four years. This was evident in the reclaiming of local government areas in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States that were once under the control of Boko Haram terrorist," Akatu said.

She said SHAC is however alarmed with the activities of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) around the Lake Chad Basin region and the consequent risk this has posed to harmless women and children.

READ ALSO: Full list of the most and least peaceful countries in the world in 2019 (see Nigeria's position)

The activities of ISWAP around the Lake Chad Basin region is a source of concern given the way and manner it has continued to maim, harass and kill innocent people that consist mainly of women and children.

The activities of ISWAP has constituted an enormous threat to the economies of countries around the Lake Chad basin such Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, hence the need for urgent intervention in a bid to address the menace that activities of ISWAP have posed in the Lake Chad Basin region," she said.

Adding that the Nigerian Authorities cannot address the ISWAP challenge alone, Akatu said it consequently behoves on all well-meaning countries to join forces with Nigeria in confronting this terrorist organization.

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre consequently calls on all the countries in the world to see the threat posed by ISWAP as a global threat rather than a regional threat because of the support it enjoys from international terrorist networks around the world.

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre also calls of international humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations and its affiliates to rise to this challenge posed by ISWAP in a bid to ensure that the world is a better place and women and children are protected from harm," she noted.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the South- East Enlightenment Network (SE-EN) has condemned a recent communique issued by a pan-Igbo group, the Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) claiming there are powerful interests to conquer, occupy and enslave the Igbo people in Nigeria.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

The socio-cultural-political group at an emergency meeting of a consultative caucus of concerned pan-Igbo organizations said it met to deliberate on issues of grave and urgent importance that threaten the peace, development and security situation in Alaigbo and elsewhere in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Reacting to the alarm raised by ADF, the South- East Enlightenment Network called on the general public to disregard it in its entirety while the Igbo nation focuses on robust and more realistic approaches to existing security challenges facing the country as they particularly affect the south east of Nigeria.

Buhari should put an end to banditry, unrest in Zamfara - Nigerians cry - on Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng- Prophet Godfrey Gbulie has sent a key message to President Muhammadu

- The popular cleric is of the opinion that the president won the 2019 election but lost Nigeria

- Prophet Gbujie also wrote the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) in another letter

A popular cleric, Prophet Godfrey Gbujie has told President Muhammadu Buhari that all the energy and resources put into winning the 2019 presidential election were wasted efforts.

The God of heaven and earth is not amused but disgusted at the conduct of the general election which is a mockery of fair play and justice, the prophet wrote in a letter addressed to the president.

New Telegraph reports that the letter was first published on Monday, April 15.

According to the letter, Prophet Gbujie conveyed that God was grieved at the oppressive governance and mismanagement of the affairs of the Nigerian polity in spite of the various warnings availed his government.

READ ALSO: June 12: Fayose praises Buhari for honouring Abiola, blasts Obasanjo

He wrote: The holy watchers of heaven shrug at the rapidly rising wave of officially condoned oppression, social injustice, kleptocracy, financial corruption, violence and blood spilling reigning in the country.

Prophet Gbujie also wrote the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) in a letter he titled: SOS: Help avert the looming punitive civil war and violent disintegration of the Nigerian polity.

He urged the organisation to divest itself of all religious, ethnic and geosectional biases, reminding the DSS, among other prophesies, of his prophetic warning of the bombing of the United Nations regional office in Abuja and his early warning of the attempted violent jail break at the DSS Asokoro, Abuja headquarters.

Meanwhile, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has again asserted that Nigeria as a country was not standing well at the moment, stressing that the country needs to be restructured for growth and even development across board.

READ ALSO: Opinion: OBJ, GEJ as villains of Nigerias democracy by Anthony Kolawole

This was stated by the national chairman of PANDEF, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), in Calabar while inaugurating the Cross River Chapter of the forum on Thursday, June 13.

Nkanga reinstated PANDEF's position that Nigeria must be restructured for the Niger Delta region to progress and have equal opportunities with other regions in the country.

Follow LEGIT to keep pace with the latest news!

Nigerians remember victims of mishaps across the country | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ngMoravian Academy student Neil Deshmukh was shocked when his name was called as the grand prize winner of the International BioGENEius Challenge.

The 16-year-old had been floored by the competition and when two other students took home two of the top prizes, he thought there was no chance he was still in contention.

I was thinking: it was really cool meeting all these people, I dont think I am going to get it and then they called my name, he said.

Judges were impressed by Deshmukhs research into his medical diagnostic device, that costs less than $150 to produce and is powered by algorithms hes spent years refining. He came home with a $7,500 cash prize in addition to the honor, according to a news release.

Every year, we are incredibly impressed with all of the talented young people who compete in the BioGENEius Challenge. This years winner, Neil Deshmukh, especially wowed us with his innovative thinking and spirit of tenacity, curiosity and passion for humanity that leads to major breakthroughs in human health, said Seema Kumar, vice president, innovation, global public health and science policy communication, Johnson & Johnson.

In parts of Asia and Africa, there is a single doctor for every 20,000 people, Deshmukh said. There is no way one person can meet that demand.

It is like an AI (artificial intelligence) health care system, Deshmukh explains. The whole goal of the device is to make the health care system in less fortunate areas more efficient.

Often when a doctor arrives in a village, they have to check every single person, he said. His device seeks to automate the initial examination and assign patients a risk score of 1 to 100.

If a doctor comes into a village, they can say patient 12 has a risk score of 98, so I should go to him first, Deshmukh explained. They can automate that process and make that process a lot more efficient.

His device began two years ago as a skin disease detection tool and now can detect 1,500 diseases while checking the skin, heart, cognition and symptoms. Each test takes about one minute. The device flags abnormalities during the screen for a clinician to review and then treat.

The first part is an EKG and it looks at heart rhythms and identifies abnormalities, he said. In the past, the doctor had to look through the entire EKG report to find the anomaly. The AI algorithm identifies it automatically, so they can look at one part and say I agree with the algorithm or I disagree. And it gets better over time, it learns.

Right now, his device is in a prototype stage and hes working to patent its algorithm. Hes attended biotechnology conferences where hes been told there are promising applications for it in the American health care system.

The way that our healthcare system works -- if you feel sick then you go to the hospital, but sometimes that is already too late, Deshmukh said. We have to change the way that the healthcare system is put into place.

Doctors could have his device in their waiting room to get these scans out of the way, so patients can then have a more personal connection in the exam room, he said. Or people could have them in their home to regularly do self check-ups.

Currently, hes working to refine his algorithm and having doctors and medical personnel test his device and its accuracy.

I am comparing how precise my algorithm is compared to actual doctors, Deshmukh said. I want to make sure it is within a particular degree of error to conduct medical analysis similar to doctors. It is not going to replace doctors, but hopefully it makes their lives easier.

Deshmukh, who is a rising high school senior, hopes to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which just created a new artificial intelligence school.

I want to keep on doing artificial intelligence and machine learning and try to implement it to help people out, he said.

Deshmukhs work also won him the fourth place grand award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in May.

The BioGENEius Challenge is organized by the U.S.-based nonprofit Biotechnology Institute, which is supported by Johnson & Johnson Innovation and the Biotechnology Innovation Organization.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.Lenox Woman Struck Crossing Route 7 on Friday

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  An 85-year-old Lenox woman was struck by a car on South Street, Route 7, on Friday night.



The victim, whose name has not be released, was taken to Berkshire Medical Center by Action Ambulance with what police are describing as "serous injuries." The woman was initially treated at the scene by firefighters.



According to police, officers were dispatched at about 9:36 on Friday night to the area of 1035 South St. for a reported pedestrian accident. There are a number of businesses in that area, including hotels and several eateries.



The preliminary investigation has shown that just prior to the collision, a 2011 Toyota Sienna van operated by Linda Limoges, 53, of Manchester, Vt., was northbound in the vicinity of 1035 South. At this time, the victim was attempting to cross the roadway in an easterly direction, when she was hit by the van.



The Pittsfield Police Department Accident Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene. Officer Michael Silver is the lead investigator in this case. Those who may have witnessed the crash are asked to contact him at 413-448-9700, Ext. 596.

More aggressive recruiting of potential firefighter candidates has paid off for Easton.

Easton City Council on Wednesday approved the citys civil service board certified list of 36 eligible entry-level firefighters.

Thats up from five people on the citys previous list, now exhausted, of eligible candidates for the fire department.

"Awesome" is how city Administrator Luis Campos described the increase, as the city looks to fill six vacancies right now and is bracing for the departures of 25 firefighters eligible for retirement this year.

The current vacancies include three new firefighter positions approved by council last month, bringing the professional department's complement of non-supervisory firefighters from 36 to 39.

The newest hires will begin employment with the city at the start of the next fire academy June 28, according to Campos.

The civil service list is good for two years.

This year's firefighter hiring process drew 119 applicants, compared to 43 last time, after a number of changes aimed at drawing more interest, city Human Resources Manager Stefanie Weber told council last month.

Under a separate hiring change approved by council affecting the fire department, council last month approved eliminating the written examination in hiring a deputy chief. Instead, the city will rely solely on an oral interview for that post, one of two management positions in the department along with the chief.

"A 15-day notice for all eligible candidates must be given," Campos said in explaining the change approved May 22. "A panel of three Pennsylvania fire chiefs will conduct the interview and rate the candidates. Easton's fire chief will not be part of panel."

City council earlier in May delayed cutting the written examination, over favoritism fears voiced by Councilman Peter Melan. In response, Easton Fire Chief Mike Krill told council May 22 that captains and lieutenants are already tested to determine their level of knowledge.

We then provide them with skills to direct and control firefighters on the fire ground, Krill said in a statement. The deputy chiefs position is a different level of leadership. Managerial, not supervisory. It requires other assets such as communications, interpersonal qualities, confidence, self-awareness and ethical qualities.

Oral exams test the ability of deputy chief candidates to think on their feet, Krill said.

The traits we are looking for are not identified through a multiple-choice testing process, he continued. It requires a deeper probing of the aforementioned skills and attributes.

Easton has been without a deputy fire chief since Kevin Arnold retired earlier this year.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.A 20-year-old woman critically injured after her car Saturday morning collided with a tractor trailer along Strykers Road in Lopatcong Township has been identified.

Township police said the accident happened at 8:07 a.m. as the woman, identified as Amanda Lazorchak of Phillipsburg, was driving a 2010 Kia Soul north near the Greenwich Township border and struck the back tires of a passing tractor trailer, driven south by 72-year-old Willem Postma, of Belvidere.

Lazorchak had to be extricated from the vehicle by the Stewartsville Fire Co. and Lopatcong Fire Dept., police said.

Lazorchak was treated by the Lopatcong Emergency Squad and paramedics by the Hunterdon Medical Center in Raritan Township before being airlifted from Lopatcong Elementary School by New Jersey State Police-NorthStar to St. Lukes University Hospital in Fountain Hill, where she remained listed in critical condition.

Postma was not injured, police said. Strykers Road remained closed between Route 57 and Route 519 for several hours as authorities investigated.

Also responding was Pohatcong Township Police, Greenwich Township Police, the Greenwich Township Emergency Squad, Harmony Township Volunteer Fire Co., Warren County Prosecutors Office Serious Collision Analysis Team and New Jersey State Police.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.It could take up to six months to find the next superintendent of the Easton Area School District.

That will allow plenty of time to gather opinions from the community, according to the school board president.

And its also why the district will hire a consultant to run the district in the meantime.

The school board agreed June 11 to hire School Operation Services Group of Pottstown to provide an interim superintendent. The contract calls for a $1,200-a-day fee from July through December 2019. That fee will pay for the salary and benefits of an interim superintendent to be provided by the company and approved by the school board, according to school board President George Chando. That payout also covers School Operation Services fees.

Chando said it would be unfair to heap all the superintendents duties onto the shoulders of Assistant Superintendent Alyssa Emili and Chief Operating Officer Michael Simonetta for six months.

Because of the time frame thats been outlined, I think thats why the board looked in favor of going this route, Chando said. The current superintendent, John Reinhart, announced his retirement effective Aug. 5.

The school board agreed on May 28 to hire AltEd Solutions of East Stroudsburg to conduct the superintendent search. That search will cost $26,000.

AltEd will reach out to all of the Easton Area School District stakeholders to find out what theyre looking for in the districts next leader.

The board has requested the consultants develop a survey to solicit input from employees, parents, students, and the community at large regarding the qualities and experiences they feel are important regarding the next superintendent, Chando said in a statement. The survey will be available on the district website and the district will be publicizing when the survey is available.

Candidates for superintendent have until June 28 to apply. Applications are on the school district website.

Once the school board determines a group of finalists, those finalists will meet with four focus groups: faculty, administration, PTA representatives and students, and a community group.

Over the next few weeks, information will be publicized for individuals to complete a form to be considered for participation in the community focus group, Chando said.

The person awarded the job will likely start 30 to 60 days after accepting the offer, Chando said.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SUPERINTENDENT?

Here are the job qualifications listed on the Easton Area School District website:

Doctorate in Educational Leadership/Administration or related discipline preferred

Pennsylvania Superintendents Letter of Eligibility by October 1, 2019

Demonstrated central office experience

Demonstrated building level administrative and teaching experience preferred

Demonstrated leadership in a K-12 school organization including: data management; student assessment; staff evaluation; human resources; school finance; state and federal funding; contract negotiations; and special education

Demonstrated visible leadership in working with a diverse community

Proven ability to work and communicate effectively with others through strong oral, written, technological communication skills

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.Laureate na nOg (Irelands Childrens Literature Laureate) poet and novelist Sarah Crossan was at the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge on Thursday, May 30, to attend a one-of-a-kind performance and exhibition by children from The Curragh Family Resource Centre.

As part of Sarahs We Are The Poets project, 12 children participated in writing workshops and a field trip to Pollardstown Fen, where they were inspired by the wildlife and plants of this unique habitat.

The workshops were facilitated by poet Nell Regan and artist Grainne Bath-Enright.

Speaking at the launch of the We Are The Poets/The Song of Pollardstown Fen pop-up exhibition and poetry performance, Ms Crossan said: I am so impressed by the creativity of these children, who have drawn inspiration from their local environment to compose beautiful poetry and artwork. Pollardstown Fen is a place of extraordinary beauty, a unique protected landscape that reminds us all of the importance of biodiversity and conserving natural habitats.

I am very proud that my We Are The Poets project celebrates this unspoilt and peaceful location. I am thankful to the children and staff of the Curragh Family Resource Centre, to the Riverbank Arts Centre, and to Nell and Grainne for introducing me to the Fen.

Director of the Riverbank Arts Centre Linda Geraghty said: From start to finish, this project has been a joy to work on, and it has been inspirational to watch these 12 children flourish into young writers with admirable ease.

Inspired and guided by Nell and Grainne, the children explored the sights, sounds and smells of the Pollardstown Fen: all the sensory stimuli needed for poetry. This rich ecosystem on our doorstep, has been captured and preserved in the poems, illustrations and hearts of these young Curragh residents.

At a time when childrens voices are much needed in the call for action to protect our natural environment, we hope this project will have instilled a sense of the power of words in these 12 young people.

The Children receive framed versions of their beautiful poem The Song of Pollardstown Fen at Riverbank Arts Centre Picture: Kelly Hamilton

Riverbank Arts Centre has a strong commitment to arts and community beyond our four walls, and we are very grateful to Sarah Crossan, Laureate na nOg, for enabling such an ambitious programme  and for joining us on this very special occasion.

On the day, the children of The Curragh Family Resource Centre performed their composition The Song of Pollardstown Fen and their field trip notebooks, containing sketches of wildlife they encountered, were on display as part of a pop-up exhibition. The children were each presented with a framed print of their poem  a copy of which will hang in the Riverbank and the resource centre.THE last member of a gang, who violently raped a woman on the outskirts of Limerick city, has been released from prison after serving over 14 years inside jail for one of Ireland's most horrific sex crimes.

Stephen Barry, of Roxboro Road, was released from Arbour Hill Prison last week, according to reports in the Sunday World.

Barry was sentenced in 2005 to 21 years in prison for his role in the horrific sex attack, in which Barry and a group of teenagers gang-raped a woman while another man was locked in the boot of a car.

The terrifying attack took place at a wooded area in Cratloe, just outside Limerick city.

Barry was the oldest member of the gang, aged 25 at the time.

He received the longest sentence of the five involved.

According to media reports, at Barrys trial it was ordered that he would remain under supervision for 10 years after his release from prison.

Thomas O'Neill, Dean Barry and Darragh Ryan, and Jason Ring, were also jailed for the sex attack. They were all aged between 14 and 16 at the time.Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

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If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.LOCAL members of the National Ambulance Service Representatives Association (Nasra) staged a protest in Limerick city centre this weekend, over union recognition.

Nasra has so far participated in seven strike days as the Government does not recognise the union, which is associated with the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA).

A spokesperson for the Mid-West branch, many of its members based at the St Nessan's Road NAS station, said there was "huge support" from the public at their stand on Thomas Street where a petition for support was signed.

"The atmosphere at the Limerick awareness day was one of support, empathy and in some cases anger that our EMTs, Paramedics and Advanced Paramedics have been forced so far to partake in seven strike days to be allowed to be represented by PNA NASRA the Union of our choice.

"We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank everybody who has and continues to support our campaign, the level of support we continue to receive is truly humbling to see. We will continue our campaign until our Union of choice is acknowledged, accepted and respected by the HSE."

Further strike days are due to be announced soon, the spokesperson told the Leader.

"But we are appealing to the government and the HSE to engage with the PNA to actively bring this dispute to an end. The situation is easily resolved by respecting our constitutional right to join and be represented by the trade union of our choice."A KERRY man who was involved gardai in a car-chase from Rathkeale to Shanagolden before stopping and trying to flee was convicted at Newcastle West court of dangerous driving.

Stephen Fitzgerald, 33 Mitchells Avenue, Tralee, was also convicted of drug driving arising out of the same incident at Main St, Shanagolden last August 24.

Inspector Andrew Carey told the court that about 11pm on that date, gardai on patrol in Rathkeale observed a vehicle leaving a petrol station at speed. They followed it and saw it veering over and back across the white line several times.

The gardai turned on their sirens and blue lights but the vehicle continued to Shanagolden where it drove on to a footpath when the driver attempted to flee, the inspector said. A blood sample showed the accused had bensedin diazapam in his system.

In a second incident, at Cloghacloka, Patrickswell, last August 12, a garda speed check clocked the same defendant driving at 141kph in a 120kph zone. He failed to produce licence and insurance.

Judge Larkin noted he had a minimum of five convictions for driving without insurance and fined him 500, disqualified him from driving for 10 years and jailed him for three months, to run consecutive to a sentence he is already serving. She fined him 300 on the speeding charge.

Solicitor Eimear Griffin, pleading for her client, said the two offences had happened within 12 days and arose out of the same chaotic lifestyle at the time. He was now off methadone, she pleaded, was availing of services in prison and was making huge steps.

It seems to me it took two years of chaos before he came to his senses, Judge Larkin said.

She fined Fitzgerald 500 and disqualified him from driving for six years for drug driving and fined him a further 500 with a 10-year disqualification for dangerous driving.

Recognisance with leave to appeal was granted.A WEST Limerick company which is using cutting-edge technology to develop smart buildings and smart homes has been named as a regional winner in the National Enterprise Awards.

The awards are organised by the Local Enterprise Offices to celebrate Irelands best small businesses and ABS Engineering Control Systems Ltd took the award for the South West region.

The business, which was founded by Colm Cussen working from his home in Broadford, moved into new headquarters in Castlemahon last autumn with a staff of eight. But the company has ambitious plans to double its workforce by 2020.

Essentially what ABS does is provide solutions so that functions such as heating, cooling, and energy usage and monitoring can be controlled centrally and accessed both on-site and remotely.

The company is also opening a dedicated research and development department to advance some of its latest projects, one of which is to develop a Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) for the domestic home to reduce its carbon footprint.

In the smart home, a central system will control boilers/heating systems, heat recovery functions, underfloor heating, geothermal pumps, lights and energy sources, energy monitoring and more.

The company hopes to focus initially on new builds and is lobbying for the introduction of a government incentive scheme to aid homeowners install systems such as it offers.

Business minister Pat Breen, who officially opened ABSs new headquarters last year, presented the award to Mr Cussen at a special ceremony in the Mansion House in Dublin.

He paid tribute to this years finalists and winners, all of whom were supported by Local Enterprise Offices, and said: Their drive, determination and passion for building successful businesses and creating local jobs is what this competition is all about. This years winners, like all those in previous years, represent the backbone of Irelands enterprise success and contribute hugely to the economic vibrancy of their respective regions.

ABS, was supported by the Limerick Local Enterprise Office.

The overall winner was Pestle and Mortar, a family owned company producing skincare products which are now a global band.

XTHE Managing Director of Cook Medical Europe, which employs around 900 people in Castletroy is calling for the Northern Distributor Road to be constructed as quickly as possible.

Bill Doherty says the multi-million euro project, which was approved by Limerick City and County Council last year, is a vital piece of infrastructure which needs to prioritised.

The proposed scheme will provide a northern distributor road around Limerick City, improving accessibility to the city from County Clare and relieving pressure on the existing river crossings in the City Centre.

We are probably still four to five years away from having something but I think its really important that funding is allocated for that project and that we get moving on it as fast as possible. Obviously we dont want to end up with massive congestion in this area and that Northern Distributor Road would really open up the university and would open up the National Technology Park so thats really important, he told the Limerick Leader in an interview to mark Med Tech Week which aims to highlight the work that is being done by medical devices companies such as Cook Medical.

The Med Tech industry is very big in Ireland and here in Limerick so, for us, its very important to try and explain to people what we do  how we make products, the kind of products we make and how they can be used to help treat patients  by getting the word out into the community, he said at a MedTech Showcase at the companys Castletroy facility,

With recent jobs announcements by companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Edward Life Sciences, the Med Tech industry is thriving in Limerick  in Castletroy in particular.

However, he says there is no room for complacency and that Med Tech companies cannot sit on their laurels and assume the sector is going to keep growing forevermore.

It does need continued investment and R & D is a huge part of it. Even for the healthcare system its important that medical devices get better and get smarter - with the cost of healthcare increasing in Ireland and everywhere around the world, trying to take costs out of it by having better patient outcomes or by being able to treat patients in a non-hospital setting  all of those kind of things will help healthcare going forward, he said.

While the Limerick city east electoral area was declared a Rent Pressure Zone in March, Mr Doherty says securing housing has not been a major issue for workers Cook Medical

We are fortunate, in Limerick, that we havent seen the same pressures thats in Dublin and that, I suppose, is really down to the fact that Dublin is very stressed in terms of building and so forth. There is a lot of building going on here in Limerick but a lot of it is commercial so I would be hoping that we would see more housing being developed as well, he told the Leader.

While Cook Medical is performing well at present, Mr Doherty says Brexit is a concern and that there will be no winners if the UK leaves the EU  with or without a deal.

Cook have taken measures to minimise the potential impact of Brexit and will shortly move its certification base out of the UK to Germany. A no deal Brexit is not going to help anybody  from the Med Tech sectors perspective we can deal with it  we have a lot of planning in place and we are now actioning those plans so we will be ready, he said.A WOMAN who is seven months pregnant was left outraged when lack of adequate parking facilities at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) meant she had to pay to park and walk from the Strand Hotel.

Rachael Bermingham, who lives outside the city, took to Twitter to confront Limerick City and County Council and UL Hospitals Group on the issue: Seven months pregnant and forced to park across the street from maternity hospital in Limerick in strand hotel due to lack of spaces! Paying a fortune for parking and walking way too far. Something needs to be done to fix this!

Mrs Bermingham, who was attending an 10:30am appointment on Thursday June 6 said: We've only ever been able to get parking in the car park there once for a clinic, all the other times I've had to park in the Strand.

I've had appointments at 8:30am, 9:30am and 10am too and there were no spaces any of those times, she added.

Meanwhile, another individual claims to have not been able to secure parking on the premises during his wifes last two pregnancies, unless her appointment was before 9am.

I would often drop my wife outside the door so she wouldnt have to walk, said Brian Hough of Annacotty, but itd be difficult to even turn the car around because of all the cars that are double-parked.

UL Hospitals Group (ULHG) says: We acknowledge the deficits in car parking facilities at UMHL. We have increased our capacity twice in recent years in both front and rear car parks on the site, no further expansion is currently planned as there is limited scope for such expansion.

There are 100 parking spaces in UMHL, utilised by staff, patients and visitors free of charge.

We do have an agreement in place with the Strand Hotel whereby patients attending UMHL Maternity can avail of 90mins free parking if they spend a minimum of 5 on food/beverages in the hotel, ULHG added.

Were aware of the free parking offer, but as parking is 2.20 per hour, its actually cheaper to pay for two full hours of parking, said Mrs Bermingham.

Today was the straw that broke the camel's back, it's getting harder for me to walk now.



The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU is the number one trending topic on Nigerian Twitter at the moment and here is why.

President Buhari has approved the release of N208 billion as part of the 2019 intervention through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for infrastructural and teacher development in public tertiary institutions. The President disclosed this at the 23rd convocation of the University of Abuja on Saturday June 15th. He said the intervention was part of his administrations effort to address the deficiencies in all the segments of our educational system.

President Buhari who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, said his administration would continue to provide funding that would address some of the challenges in the nations public institutions, The Nation reports.

There is no doubt that Nigeria will be a global player in the emerging knowledge economy. What is required is to ensure the quality of our human capital and also maintain the desirable balance for sustainable national socio-economic growth and development. The present administration will continue to improve on the infrastructural facilities in the universities, promote teacher development and curriculum review. It is in furtherance of this that I recently approved the disbursement of N208billion to public tertiary institutions under the 2019 intervention of the TETFUND. The government will continue to look into the issues raised by the universities especially regarding physical development and will equally monitor the universities closely. I also seize this opportunity to reiterate the commitment of the Federal Government to addressing youth unemployment. he said

See some reactions from Nigerians below



New Senate President, Ahmed Lawan today in Yola during in an interview with journalist said the ruling party should consider shifting power to the South-West come 2023.

He advised President Buhari and his party, the APC, to take a step further in honour of June 12 by handing over the 2023 presidential ticket to the South-west.

"The president and indeed our party must beware of divisive elements who are now proponents of retaining power in the north beyond 2023. I have said it before and I believe that 2023 presidential ticket of the APC must go to the South-west. Since I made this comment last time, some members of my party have been hatching a plot to suspend me from the party but I am not moved and I will still hold my ground that power must go to the west" Lawan said.

He added that, "June 12 Democracy Day is a milestone in Nigeria's history and anyone who embraces democracy in Nigeria should be proud of what Buhari has done and it takes so much courage to do. So many Nigerian leaders have shied away from talking or acting about it because of the controversy arising from the date and fear of being scandalized but this is what Nigerians want, respect, rule of law and honour for those who fought and bled for democracy and that is what Nigerians should remember as significant for this date.

"It was not marked to spite or contradict anyone but to celebrate the common value we share in the belief in democracy as the best form of government that would serve this country and its people. And Buhari must be praised for this day."Doctors in West Bengal striking work in protest against the brutal assault against one of their own have found support from their counterparts across the country. The whole situation is unfortunate but it is nevertheless a symptom of a larger malaise that is not restricted to one state. Its roots lie in an overburdened public healthcare system that is near collapse. This situation is unlikely to change soon given the meagre spending on the sector.

The hospital staffers on strike are seeking an end to the assaults. This, the thinking goes, can be achieved by a) having the government provide guards to protect them, or b) enacting legislation that would impose stiff fines on those who indulge in violence or even imprison them. Both appear good steps on paper, but the truth is that neither is feasible. The simple, if harsh, reality is that it is society at large that needs to change, and that would be possible only with education and increased awareness. People turn to doctors when they are in need. Doctors, who take the Hippocratic Oath, do their best to help, not always successfully. That is no reason to turn on them, unless you are a hypocrite.

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TopicsThree LISD schools are recognized by a national education organization for their student success and high achievement.

The Educational Results Partnership maintains the countrys largest database on student achievement. It recently added Dovalina Elementary, Zachry Elementary and Hector J. Garcia Early College High School to its honor roll.

The organization identified high performing schools in Texas and California based on 2017-2018 school year data.

For Texas schools, the organization used data such as for STAAR testing and attendance, graduation, dropout rates, longitudinal rate, and college, career and military readiness.

Dovalina Elementary School, a National Blue Ribbon nominee this year, met the advanced standards in math, science, reading and writing. The school serves some of the poorest areas in Laredo but has been recognized numerous times for helping students excel despite their backgrounds.

According to the organizations snapshot for Dovalina Elementary, 29% of 181 students tested met the advanced standard.

READ MORE: New UTSA student on his overnight internet stardom

About 30% of 181 tested students met the advanced standard in reading. About 25% of 61 students tested met the advanced standard in science and 19% of 58 tested students met this standard in writing.

The elementary school also had a substantial amount of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds meet the advanced standard. The organization divided students into three groups: ethnic minorities, Hispanic and socioeconomically disadvantaged.

About 29% of 181 students tested who are ethnic minorities, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged met the advanced standard in math.

About 30% of students in these categories met the advanced standard in reading.

About 25% of these students met the advanced standard in science.

Dovalina Elementary had 503 total students in 2017-2018, with 99% of students who are economically disadvantaged and 99.8% who are Hispanic, according to Texas Education Agency data.

Helping certain subgroups such as minorities and students from low-income backgrounds factors in to schools performance in closing the gap as monitored by the Texas Education Agency.

Zachry Elementary, also a National Blue Ribbon nominee, has about 229 students and also did well in testing. About 25% of 229 students tested met the advanced standard in math.

About 21% of 229 students tested met the advanced standard in reading, 24% of 84 students met this standard in science and 18% of 66 students met the standard for writing.

When broken down by demographics, 98.4% of Zachry Elementarys 634 students are Hispanic. About 95% are economically disadvantaged, according to TEA data.

READ MORE: Meet Jessica Cisneros, the 26-year-old Laredo attorney running against Cuellar in Congress

Of the 229 students tested, a quarter of students who are Hispanic and therefore ethnic minorities met the advanced standard in math. About 24% of 217 students tested are socioeconomically disadvantaged and met this standard for math.

In science, 24% of 84 students tested are Hispanic and met the advanced standard, while 22% of 81 students tested are socioeconomically disadvantaged and met the advanced standard.

For writing, 18% of 66 students tested are Hispanic and met the advanced standard in writing, while 15% of 62 students tested are socioeconomically disadvantaged.

Zachry Elementary School Principal Diana Martinez said the school works hard to ensure everyone, especially those from difficult backgrounds, receives a quality education.

A lot of these recognitions are based on data and what these students need, and thats how these teachers work, Martinez said. We work really hard to ensure they meet all the accountabilities. We take care of our at risk, our special ed, gifted and talented, we take care of all our population.

Hector J. Garcia Early College High School is nationally recognized for its student achievement and is a partnership between LISD and Texas A&M International University. It was a National Blue Ribbon School in 2017, the only school in Webb County with this distinction.

Hector J. Garcia Early College High School Principal Jose Iznaola said he thanks the administration and teachers especially for helping the students overcome all odds to succeed. He said the rigorous early college curriculum helps push students toward the best they can be.

The early college models help close the gaps in achievement, Iznaola said. Any time you provide the students with the right support from teachers, parents and administration, they continue to do well because they do rise to the occasion.

The high school did exceedingly well in math, with 74% of 65 students tested meeting the advanced standard.

In reading, 17% of 234 students met the advanced standard. About 61% of 116 students met the advanced standard in science.

Concerning closing the gap, the school has 99.1% Hispanic students and 85.6% who are economically disadvantaged, according to 2017-2018 TEA data.

With meeting the advanced standard for math, 75% of 56 tested students are socioeconomically disadvantaged.

About 17% of 231 tested students are Hispanic, while 17% of 210 students tested are socioeconomically disadvantaged and met the advanced standard for reading.

With science, about 61% of 113 students tested are Hispanic and met the advanced standard, while about 60% of 102 students are socioeconomically disadvantaged and met the advanced standard.

Lisa Dreher can be reached at 956-728-2567 or lisa.dreher@lmtonline.comA man has been arrested for allegedly throwing a juvenile against a tire, causing injuries to the boys face, authorities said.

Laredo police responded to an assault report at about 10:30 a.m. Monday in the 3500 block of Zapata Highway. A suspect vehicle was described as a black Chevy Tahoe with Texas license plate.While news swirled around the country Thursday of a political newcomers ambitious goal to unseat Laredos Rep. Henry Cuellar, an eight-term House Democrat, back at home Jessica Cisneros was celebrating with her friends and family at Dream Party Creations off Jefferson Street.

The heat of 75-or-so bodies in the narrow room handily overpowered any current from the ceiling fans, so attendees desperately fanned themselves with Vota por Jessica fliers as they perched in their metal folding chairs.

Cisneros made her way around the tables taking photos while chatting with and embracing her supporters.

Its been a whirlwind of emotions, Cisneros said. Its been a long day, but its been a very rewarding one, a very validating one too. Weve had an outpouring of support from a lot of people. Especially women, just coming up to me and being like, Thank you, thank you for running, thank you.

They just saw themselves in our campaign, and thats the whole point. Because the campaign is for the people. And to see that actually happening, its amazing.

READ MORE: Laredoans react to the Cisneros campaign announcement

To her friends and family, Cisneros run for Congress is not entirely a surprise. In high school she ran for student body president, and her classmates often joked that she would one day be president of the United States.

Shes always been someone whos been ambitious, when it comes to politics of any sort, said Bryant De Jesus, a friend since elementary school.

Cisneros best friend, Stephanie Garcia Guajardo, said that exactly the way she is right now, Cisneros was in high school  passionate, intelligent and caring. Still, Guajardo was shocked when she learned that her best friend was running for Congress.

Its surreal, because were from Laredo. We dont really expect these big things to happen. But I always knew she was great, Garcia said.

It was odd for her to see the national coverage of Cisneros campaign and the people blasting her on social media.

Not a lot of people agree to what shes going to be representing. A lot of people, I feel, are very closed minded, Garcia said. So Im kind of scared for her, just because I dont want her to get hurt, but thats just me being her best friend.

But Im very confident, because shes not scared. Shes not scared of anything or anyone, whether its a congressman, whether its the president. She has something to say; shes going to say it no matter what.

Ramona and Jose Luis Cisneros, the candidates parents, said they are very happy and proud of their two daughters.

These are her dreams and they are being fulfilled, although sooner than she imagined, Ramona Cisneros said.

Her father said they are going to support Jessica as she goes as far as possible, to move forward toward the shore.

READ MORE: Cuellar's campaign addresses Cisneros' bid

Earlier on Thursday, between the announcement and the party, Jessica Cisneros had an event at the Holding Institute, one of the shelters for asylum-seekers in Laredo.

And its pretty cool, because as Im walking around, talking to people, Im getting flashbacks to my upbringing, my ties to the community, Cisneros said.

Her mom studied English there over 20 years ago so that she could take her citizenship exam, Cisneros said. And Cisneros, who was 3 years old, learned to read at their day care.

To come back as an immigration and human rights attorney, to come back trying to push off this movement with everybody else is just amazing, she said.

After a press conference with various law enforcement entities on Friday, Cuellar spoke briefly about the Justice Democrats, the progressive advocacy group that selected Cisneros to run against him in the primary.

Im not going to say anything negative about the young lady. But the group supporting her, the Justice Democrats, its a radical, far-left group that wants to impose their vision from New York into South Texas. And I dont think the voters are going to be supporting that, Cuellar said.

Cisneros said the facet of her platform that draws the biggest difference between her and Cuellar is that she will not take campaign donations from corporate PACs.

This is a completely grassroots campaign. This is about la gente, this is about the people. And to me thats a very important issue because its not right that (Cuellar is) taking these corporate donations from ExxonMobil, the NRA, Cisneros said. ... Hes not listening to the people of South Texas and hes taking them for granted, and I think thats the root of all the issues that we have here right now.

Colin Strother, Cuellars campaign manager, said taking PAC money doesnt mean there is a disconnect between Cuellar and his constituents. And he argued that Cisneros has the exact same conflict she alleges Cuellars campaign has by taking money from Justice Democrats.

Theyve sent out seven or eight emails on her behalf. She sent out two emails using their list. They staffed her, theyre giving her talking points. They sent a crew down to videotape her event (Thursday) night. They helped with her commercial. So this whole idea that shes not affected by special interests  shes bought and paid for by a New York for-profit special interest group two days into the campaign, Strother said.

Cisneros takes issue in particular with Cuellar taking campaign donations from the Geo Group, which runs one of the private jails that detains immigrants in Laredo and was his top contributor in the 2017-2018 election cycle.

Geo Group is a legal company that operates under regulation by various governmental entities, Strother said. If she doesnt want to support them, one of the largest employers in Webb County, she doesnt have to. If she doesnt want to accept their money, that wont really be a calculous for her because theyre not going to give her any anyway.

Cisneros said she has been in the detention centers that Geo Group runs and noted that the detainees who choose to work while theyre there only make $2 a day, but to buy a water bottle is $1.50.

Its just ridiculous the stuff thats going on in there. And its especially outrageous because just like me, (Cuellar) is the son of Mexican immigrants. His father also was in agriculture and picked fruit and vegetables just like my dad. And the fact that hes condoning these things, that hes for separating families, that hes for detaining people like us, thats just incredible. Its crazy, Cisneros said.

Outside her launch party on Thursday, Cisneros said she hadnt known what to expect of her first day on the campaign.

But whatever comes my way, Im ready to stand up to it and take it task by task, Cisneros said. ... Todays been a perfect day.

Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.comIts after 1 p.m. on a Thursday and the lunch crowd exodus is under way at Snappys Cafe and Grill, but there are still plenty of people for Jim Muller to meet and greet.

Muller and his wife Debbie have lived in Katy for more than 30 years. A former volunteer firefighter with the Katy Fire Department, Muller also belongs to Katy Elks Lodge 2628 and Katy Masonic Lodge 1439 and knows a lot of people. Starting July 1, Muller will lead Katy Masonic Lodge as worshipful master after a seven-year progression through the lodges various leadership roles.

Community service ranks as a high priority for Muller who plans to also pursue his passions for history and mentoring during his term of office. Apart from work and volunteering in the community, he and his wife recently bought a lot with some great trees on it where they plan to build a house.

Were staying, said Muller. Were never leaving Katy. My wife loves Katy. This is the one sense of small town weve always wanted. We feel safe here. Katys our home. Were never going to leave it.

What brought you to Katy and when?

I was born and raised in Houston. And after my wife and I got married, we wanted to move away from the big city. In 1985, we moved from Houston to Katy. It was to get away from the big city. As you can see that didnt work real well 35 years later.

Where do you work and what does your work involve?

I work for a company called Granite Telecommunications out of Boston. Were the largest competitive local exchange telephone carrier in the U.S. And Im director of solutions architecture. My job is to work with high-level clients, or very large clients, and help create solutions to fix their problems. I travel a lot. If Im not traveling, I work from home and spend a lot of time on the telephone.

How long have you been a Mason? How did you become involved?

Ive been a Mason for 10 years. I was with the volunteer fire department here for 15 years. And one of the members of the fire department, (fire chief) Gary Tilton was a very good friend of mine and he was a Mason. So he got me convinced that I really needed to become a Mason. For many years I put it off but when I finally got the time and meeting with several of my friends at the Elks Lodge who were Masons, they convinced me to come into the lodge and become a Mason. I get the same sense of community, brotherhood and support that I did when I was in the fire department. So I get all the fraternal feelings of a fireman without having to put my life on the line, which my wife appreciates greatly because I used to be a very, very active firefighter as a volunteer for Katy. I retired after 15 years. I gave the dedication speech at fire station when it was dedicated  (Masons supplied the cornerstone for the station as they did earlier for City Hall)  because I was a retired member of the fire station, plus being part of the lodge. It meant a lot to me.

The Katy Lodge was charted in 1976. What kinds of community programs and services does the lodge provide?

Some of the most obvious are our scholarships.

We also adopt four veterans families during Thanksgiving and Christmas. We provide them food for Thanksgiving and we provide gifts for the children, Christmas trees, Christmas presents and we give money and food to the parents on both holidays.

We also work with a group called the Texas Sentinels. Texas Sentinels build homes for wounded Texas veterans. When they build the homes, they build them fully ADA compliant and they fully furnish the homes. When theyre completed, they turn the house over to the vet with no cost to the vet at all. They give it to them completely free. So we work with them and their fundraising activities. Weve gone and directly assisted some of the veterans that were in need and had not gotten homes yet or had gotten homes and were still having some problems. Weve used our resources not only here locally but also across the state to assist these veterans in need around the state. So veteran support is a big deal with us.

How many members does your lodge have?

One hundred forty members. And growing daily. Were considered to be one of the most active lodges in the state of Texas.

What are your goals for the upcoming year?

I do have several goals. One of my biggest passions is history and is to support the presentation of Masonic history to the general public. One of the things that Im doing along those lines ... In San Felipe, theres one of the oldest standing Masonic buildings in the state. Its on the second floor of Methodist church right there in oldest part of San Felipe. Built originally in 1838, it became a Masonic Lodge in 1858. The lodge was abandoned 1911. But the original structure is still there and some original portions of the building are still there. My endeavor is to restore that building back to its original state and thats to help support the history of Masonry because a lot of people dont realize just how much Masonry brought to the infancy of Texas, the formation of the country and also the state. Without Tennessee and masons of Tennessee there would be no Texas. I would like to make that more obvious to the general public.

Mentoring is a big thing with me. Ive been teaching since I was about 19 years old. Ive taught scuba diving. Ive taught firefighting, rescue and all sorts of things. Im also a teacher in the Masonic lodge so I want to promote teaching and mentorship of our younger Masons to help them get more involved.

What role does the Katy Masonic Lodge serve in the community?

We do a lot in the background. We do things - that someone tells us of a need and we go fill it. And we dont ask for any kind of recognition for it. We do it quietly. Thats pretty much the way the Masons work. We do things because they need to be done. It could be any number of things: it could be a cleanup, it could be assisting an elderly person. Somebody approaches the lodge, we meet and we figure out what we could do to fix it and we go help. As Masons we do things because its the right thing to do not because we want people to see what were doing.

Probably our most public face is the Shriners. To be a Shriner you have to be a Mason first. Every Shriner is a Mason. We have 22 hospitals worldwide for crippled children and burn centers. We have no billing department. Nobody whos a patient in our system pays anything. Its all free. That includes transportation, education, food. Everything is all taken care of by the Shriners. Thats probably our most public face of our philanthropy.

What is the relationship between the Masons and its appendant organizations  the Rainbow Girls and Order of the Eastern Star?

Eastern Star is for the wives and widows of Masons. Members also could have a father who was a Mason or a mother who was an Eastern Star. You have to have some direct line to be a Star.

However, Rainbow Girls on the other hand. The Rainbow Girls are our youth group for young women ages 8-20. It is to teach them leadership skills, organizational skills, how to be with people in society, how to give back to society but they do it in a fun way. Theres a lot of fun activities for the girls. Those girls who come into Rainbow can be anybody. There is no restriction. Those girls can directly enter the Eastern Star. Its the only other manner by which a female can become member of the Star other than having a family member who was a Mason or Eastern Star.

How does one become a Freemason? What advice would you give to someone interested in Freemasonry?

We dont actively recruit. We have a saying To be one, ask one. So you ask a Mason what does it mean, what is Masonry about. Once you have opened that door and once youve asked that question, we can tell you almost anything. But you have to ask first. The reason behind that is you have to choose to become a Mason. We dont want to recruit you. Because people who were recruited we have found in the past dont become active Masons. They dont really fulfill the roles of Masonry. You have to want to be a Mason. Thats why we make it to where you ask and well bring you in and well teach you everything. You have to ask.

My advice to bring somebody in. Have them ask a Mason. What is it all about? All they have to say is what is Masonry all about? Well be happy to tell you.

What would you like people to know about Freemasonry?

Its not a religion. Thats first and foremost. Its been perceived as being some sort of religious organization. Were not. Were nonsectarian. However, you must believe in a higher being to be a Mason. If youre an atheist, well not allow you into our ranks. Because you swear an obligation to God and your brothers. If you dont believe in God, the swearing of your obligation is meaningless.

What events are coming up for the Katy Masonic Lodge?

June 29 is the installation. Thats when Im being installed as worshipful master. But we also will be giving away our Lamar scholarships to three selected student recipients.

We do have one other event coming up either in late July or the first of August. Were going to be giving our Community Builder Award, which is an award is for non-Masons who do a significant amount to improve the community. And last year we gave it to Snappys. The year before we gave that to Byron Hebert, Katy city administrator. Weve selected our recipient, we just havent named him yet. We have a select committee of master masons who look at the community and see who was involved in doing good things for the community. We get four or five different names. Well investigate each of those people and come up with selection and well vote. Once the committee votes, then we make the award. And this is supported by the Grand Lodge of Texas.

I understand you do a great pork rib when barbecuing. You like to cook? Are ribs your favorite?

Actually I do love to cook. Im also a Katy Elk as well as being a Mason. For several years I ran the barbecue team for the Katy Elks and it competed in numerous barbecue competitions with my ribs coming out to be the thing that I cooked better than anybody else. I won several awards for my ribs in cooking competitions. Even though I won brisket and chicken also, ribs was my strong suit. I ended up cooking ribs as a fundraiser for the Katy Masonic Lodge. We do that periodically and well cook about 120 racks of ribs at one time, pre-sell them all and use that as a fundraiser for the lodge.

karen.zurawski@chron.comAs their minivan rolled north, they felt their nerves kick in - but they kept on driving.

At the wheel: Lija Greenseid, a rule-abiding Minnesota mom steering her Mazda5 on a cross-border drug run.

Her daughter, who is 13, has Type 1 diabetes and needs insulin. In the United States, it can cost hundreds of dollars per vial. In Canada, you can buy it without a prescription for a tenth of that price.

So, Greenseid led a small caravan last month to the town of Fort Frances, Ontario, where she and five other Americans paid about $1,200 for drugs that would have cost them $12,000 in the United States.

"It felt like we were robbing the pharmacy," said Quinn Nystrom, a Type 1 diabetic who joined the caravan that day. "It had been years since I had 10 vials in my hands."

They're planning another run to Canada this month to stock up on insulin - and to call attention to their cause. This time, they'll be taking the scenic route, driving from Minnesota through Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan en route to London, Ontario, where insulin was discovered nearly a century ago.

Like millions of Americans, Greenseid and Nystrom are stressed and outraged by the rising costs of prescription drugs in the United States - a problem Republicans and Democrats alike have promised to fix.

Insulin is a big part of the challenge. More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. About 7.5 million, including 1.5 million with Type 1 diabetes, rely on insulin.

Between 2012 and 2016, the cost of insulin for treating Type 1 diabetes nearly doubled, according to the nonprofit Health Care Cost Institute.

Some pharmaceutical companies, under pressure from U.S. lawmakers, have tried to reduce the cost for some patients. But many who rely on insulin still struggle. Large numbers resort to rationing - a dangerous and sometimes deadly practice.

Some diabetics and their families are taking matters into their own hands. They meet in coffee shops and strip mall parking lots to exchange emergency supplies. An unknown number travel outside the country to buy the lifesaving drug for less.

None of this is recommended by U.S. officials, and some of it might be illegal, under Food and Drug Administration guidelines. But the organizers of the caravan - their word, a nod to the migrants traveling in groups through Mexico to the U.S. border - are speaking out about their trip because they want Americans to see how drug prices push ordinary people to extremes.

"When you have a bad health-care system, it makes good people feel like outlaws," Greenseid said.

"It's demeaning. It's demoralizing. It's unjust."

The caravaners aren't the only ones looking north. Republicans and Democrats have produced federal and state proposals to import drugs from Canada.

Those ideas aren't necessarily popular in Ottawa, where many worry that bulk buys from the United States could cause shortages or drive up prices.

Barry Power, director of therapeutic content with the Canadian Pharmacists Association, said the group is tracking both U.S. drug-buying proposals and reports of cross-border trade closely, but has yet to see a disruption to Canadian insulin supplies.

He said insulin prices in Canada are controlled through policy, including price caps and negotiations with manufacturers.

"This is something the U.S. could do," he said.

When the Canadian scientist Frederick Banting co-discovered insulin in the early 1920s, he balked at commercializing it because it seemed unethical to profit from a critical drug. He eventually sold his share of the patent to the University of Toronto for $1, in the hope the drug would remain widely accessible.

In the nearly 100 years since, insulin has become a lifeline for millions. But the price in the United States has surged in ways its discoverers could not have predicted.

When Nystrom was diagnosed with diabetes as a child in the late 1990s, she said, her family paid about $15 to $20 a vial. Now, at 33, she sometimes pays more than $300 for the same amount.

Nicole Smith-Holt, who drove north with Greenseid and Nystrom, said her son spent about $1,000 per month on the drug. Alec Raeshawn Smith, an uninsured Type 1 diabetic, rationed his insulin supply due to cost, his mother said. He died in 2017.

Elizabeth Pfiester is founder and executive director of T1International, a British-based nonprofit that advocates for people with Type 1 diabetes around the world.

"It's kind of a myth that America has the best health-care system in the world, because it is set up to allow Americans to go bankrupt or die because they can't afford their medicine," she said.

Pfiester grew up in the United States. One of the reasons her organization is based overseas, she said, is because the cost of treating her diabetes in the United States is so high.

"What I think is quite clear is that these companies will charge what they can get away with," she said. "They have been able to get away with costs going up because of a broken and opaque health-care system."

A spokeswoman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America noted that drug companies are increasingly offering rebates on insulin in the United States - but they aren't always reaching consumers.

"Too often, these negotiated discounts and rebates are not shared with patients, resulting in the sickest patients paying higher out-of-pocket costs to subsidize the healthy," PhRMA spokeswoman Holly Campbell said in an email. "This is the opposite of how health insurance is supposed to work."

Greenseid, who has purchased insulin for her daughter in six countries, said U.S. prices stand out as not just high, but unpredictable. As people bounce between insurance plans and navigate rebates, she said, you often "have no idea how much you are going to pay."

In the United States, you can buy some types of insulin without a prescription. But to get the newer analog insulin on which Type 1 diabetics rely, you need to visit or call your doctor.

If Nystrom forgets to pack enough for an extended trip, she said, she needs to get her endocrinologist on the phone. In Canada, she can walk into a pharmacy and get the analog insulin she needs.

"The attitude up there is: 'Why would someone buy insulin if they didn't need it?' " Nystrom said.

On their first trip north, the caravaners received support from Canadians, they said, but also accusations that they were looting drug supplies.

"We heard a lot of comments like, "Canada needs to put up a wall," Smith-Holt said. "I was like, 'Oh, come on.' "

Before the group set out for Fort Frances, they said, they called ahead to check that the local pharmacy had enough to fill their order without disrupting supply.

They see buying in Canada as a short-term emergency measure and a way to call attention to U.S. pricing - not the answer.

"I don't think that the solution is going outside the United States," Greenseid said. "The reason they have lower prices is because they have put in regulations to make sure their citizens are not paying too much. We have not yet made that decision in the U.S."

LaShawn McIver is senior vice president for government affairs and advocacy at the American Diabetes Association.

"Insulin is not a luxury, it is a matter of life and death," she wrote in an emailed statement. "Action to reduce the high out-of-pocket costs that endanger the lives of the millions of Americans who depend on this medication is critical and urgently needed."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, said the Trump administration is focused on lowering drug prices.

"President (Donald) Trump and (Health) Secretary (Alex) Azar are firmly committed to getting drug prices down," spokeswoman Caitlin B. Oakley wrote in an email. "They are both very open to the importation of prescription drugs as long as it can be done safely and can deliver real results for American patients."

Until things change, the caravaners say, they'll keep driving.

Their first trip led to queries from families across the country, they said, including Type 1 diabetics, parents of children with diabetes and family members supporting elderly relatives with diabetes. Some want to join.

So when they head north in a few weeks, they'll switch from family cars to a chartered bus.Come fall 2020, every U.S. air traveler will be required to present a Real ID-compliant license, or another acceptable form of identification such as a U.S. passport, to board a domestic flight.

The change, the last phase of implementation of the federal law known as the Real ID Act, goes into effect Oct. 1, 2020. The law has changed how states issue driver's licenses and identification cards, requiring residents to present more documents than were previously required to prove their identity and legal residency - and it makes the rules consistent nationwide.

States and residents have struggled with the new document requirements, which include obtaining birth certificates, Social Security cards and multiple proofs of residency.

McLaurine Klingler, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said most states have made progress in meeting the federal deadline. If your license or ID card is marked with a star in the upper-right corner, it is compliant with the Real ID Act.

"The majority of states have already been determined to be fully compliant by DHS and all the remaining states have committed to becoming compliant by October 2020," Klingler said in a statement. That means compliant states have submitted, and DHS has approved, documentation certifying that they meet the Real ID requirements.

The federal government has found Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia compliant. But, just because your state is compliant, it doesn't mean your license is. We'll repeat: A Real ID license must have the star in the upper-right corner to comply with the law.

To try to make things easier, we've compiled answers to some common questions about the Real ID requirement.

- What's Real ID?

A federal law enacted after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the act tightened national standards for driver's licenses and identification cards, overhauling how they are issued and produced, to combat forgery and fraud. The program was the result of recommendations from the 9/11 Commission; 18 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers obtained state IDs, some of them fraudulently. Nearly half of the hijackers obtained their driver's licenses in Virginia.

- How is it being implemented?

Implementation of the law was first to take effect in 2008, but deadlines have been extended to give states more time to comply.

About half of the states objected to the program after it was approved, and at least 13 legislatures passed laws prohibiting their states from complying. But pleas to DHS and Congress for modifications to the law and its implementation were unsuccessful. All states are now compliant or have been granted extensions to comply.

Five states and one territory - Oregon, Oklahoma, Kentucky, New Jersey, Maine and American Samoa - have been granted extensions, with varying deadlines for meeting the federal mandate. Some have until Oct. 10, 2019, to comply.

DHS has been phasing in enforcement. Anyone entering nuclear sites, military bases and federal facilities has been required to present a Real ID since 2014.

The last phase, affecting air travel, goes into effect next year. If your driver's license or ID card is from a compliant state, the Transportation Security Administration will accept it at airports until Sept. 30, 2020. But starting Oct. 1, 2020, licenses and IDs from these states will need to bear the star that shows it meets the new security standards.

- What is the status of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia?

The District Department of Motor Vehicles began issuing Real ID credentials in 2014. D.C. license holders have been going through the process of converting to the Real ID during their renewal period. A DMV spokeswoman declined to provide any other details about the city's Real ID program.

Virginia began issuing a new driver's 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 driver's license or identification card and get your Real ID at that time.

In Maryland, more than 1.8 million people already have the Real ID license or identification card, out of a total of nearly 5 million who have a state credential. But about 1 million of the drivers with a Real ID are not yet in compliance because the state does not have copies of the documents used to verify their identity and residency. Those residents must return to a DMV office and have the appropriate documents scanned to be kept on file per a DHS rule change - which DHS declined to explain.

The state has set deadlines for the cardholders to bring in the paperwork and is threatening to recall the licenses of those who don't respond. A group of about 40,000 license holders have until July 3 to comply. After that date, the license or ID card is subject to recall action and could be confiscated by law enforcement, said Kellie Boulware, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Department of Transportation.

- Do I have to have a Real ID?

Residents who want to use a driver's license to board a commercial aircraft will need to get the new card by October 2020, when it becomes the only identification accepted by the TSA.

If you don't need a license to board a flight, either because you don't travel or you use a U.S. passport, you don't need a Real ID.

In Maryland, everyone who has a regular driver's license or ID will eventually transition to a Real ID credential, officials said.

Virginia is not requiring everyone who has a state driver's license to get the new Real ID but predicts many residents will request it. Virginia anticipates that 40% of Virginia drivers - about 2.7 million - will want a Real ID.

If you get a Real ID, your standard license will continue to be valid for all the same purposes: driving, voting and as proof of identification to cash a check or any other daily business.

- If I don't have a Real ID come October 2020, are there other documents I can use to get through a TSA checkpoint?

Other acceptable forms of identification include a U.S. passport, a passport card, a military ID, a permanent resident card, and other such options as a Global Entry traveler card. Visit the TSA website for a complete list.

- What documents are required to get the Real ID?

You will be asked to bring two proofs of residency (utility bills, bank statements, etc.); proof of identity and legal residence in the United States (a birth certificate, U.S. passport or permanent resident card); and a Social Security card (not just the number). A W-2 form listing your Social Security number is an acceptable alternative to a Social Security card.

Residents who have changed their names from what is on their birth certificate need to provide documentation of the change (for example, a marriage certificate or a court order granting the name change).

The process will require an in-person visit to a DMV or MVA office, even for those who have been licensed for decades.

- How much does it cost?

In Virginia, the Real ID card has a one-time $10 fee on top of the cost of a regular driver's license.

In Maryland, if you have the older-style driver's license or identification card and you want to get the Real ID card before you are due for renewal, you will pay a $20 fee. There are no additional fees when renewing your driver's license to obtain a Real ID, just the standard renewal cost.

In the District, the usual driver's license fees apply, according to the city DMV website.

- When should I get a Real ID?

Ideally, you should apply for the Real ID card when you are due to renew your driver's license or identification card. But, if you want a Real ID and your credential does not expire until after October 2020, officials are asking you to get all the required documents together as soon as possible and to not wait until next fall to get the new ID. In Maryland, you can make an appointment to get the Real ID. In Virginia, you can walk into any of the DMV branches.

"One really important part of the process is coming to DMV prepared with the proper documents that are necessary to obtain your REAL ID," Virginia DMV spokeswoman Brandy Brubaker said in an email.

Anyone getting the Real ID this and next year should expect longer-than-usual waits at DMV or MVA offices. State officials say they are adding staff to customer service offices, but demand could be higher because many people who are used to renewing their licenses by mail or online will be required to come in to the office for the Real ID.

- Have more questions?

In Maryland, call the MVA at 410-768-7000 for more information. The MVA website has a lookup tool at realid.mva.maryland.govthat people can use to check whether their file is missing documents. It also provides a checklist of documents needed and facilitates making an appointment at the MVA.

Virginians can visit the DMV website, dmvnow.com/realid, to go through a document guide.

Visit dmv.dc.gov, and search for Real ID for more details about how to get the credential in the District.HONG KONG - Protesters filled Hong Kong's streets again on Sunday, cramming subway stations and turning roads into a sea of black, in another massive hours-long demonstration against their government's handling of a proposal to allow extraditions to mainland China - even after the city's leader said she would suspend the bill.

Organizers estimated the turnout Sunday at nearly 2 million participants, in a territory of some 7.4 million - underscoring the growing rupture between Hong Kong's government, heavily influenced by Beijing authorities, and its people.

The march capped a dramatic week of protests in varying numbers across the global financial hub. Demonstrators forced police to open six-lane roads and took over streets that were not authorized for their rally.

The massive outpouring delivered yet another embarrassment for Hong Kong's chief executive, who finds herself increasingly isolated in the city despite her efforts to contain the growing anger.

Chief executive Carrie Lam had said Saturday that she would suspend debate on the bill in an effort to "restore calm and peace" to Hong Kong. After protests swelled on Sunday, she apologized to the people of Hong Kong for "deficiencies in the government's work" and promised to "adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements."

But she has stopped short of withdrawing the bill altogether. She has insisted the proposal - which would allow fugitives to be extradited to countries without a formal treaty with Hong Kong, including mainland China - is "laudable."

Lam's decision to back off the measure for now did not placate the hundreds of thousands who showed up in a march that stretched more than 3 miles in either direction from its planned starting point. Many expressed deep dissatisfaction for the way Lam has handled the bill and responded to the opposition.

A 27-year-old woman in the crowd said the suspension of the bill has "changed nothing."

"She is so evil," said Sabrina, who gave only her first name for fear of retaliation. She teared up as she spoke about Lam. "She hasn't heard anything from us."

Sunday's crowd, no less fired up than in previous demonstrations, included the elderly, people with disabilities, children with their families, business executives, social workers and students, all demanding the permanent withdrawal of the extradition bill. The protesters, who waited for hours under a blazing sun to begin their march, sporadically chanted for Lam to step down and for Hong Kong to "add oil" - a Cantonese cheer that means "keep going." Banners called for Hong Kong's independence.

At one point, members of the crowd started singing "Do You Hear the People Sing?," the call to action from the musical "Les Miserables."

Protesters packed major roads across the city - a thronging mass shuffling slowly toward government buildings that protesters had occupied on Wednesday, prompting violent clashes with police that day.

Police presence around these roads and buildings on Sunday was light in comparison to previous days, but the chief executive's residence was heavily guarded.

By evening, protesters had taken over Harcourt Road - the main road around he complex that houses Hong Kong's legislature. The road had been left open by authorities, but has now been closed to traffic.

Demonstrators held up signs calling for the government to withdraw charges against protesters arrested in Wednesday's clashes and for "those who open fire to be held accountable" - a reference to what many perceived as police brutality in response to those demonstrations. Police fired 150 canisters of tear gas within a short period that afternoon, along with rubber bullets, bean bag rounds and other projectiles to clear protesters.

"People are really angry about the police brutality, and the response of the government," said Nathan Law, founder of the pro-democracy Demosisto.

One protester died Saturday after falling from a building on which he had draped a long banner saying "no extradition to China" and "total withdrawal of the extradition bill," among other demands.

It is unclear how exactly he fell. But his death further galvanized demonstrators. Some waited hours to leave flowers at the site of his death, where the smell of incense wafted. A painter in the crowd painted a portrait of the man, who was dressed in a yellow raincoat when he fell. One sign read: "You will be the last. No more."

"It is important for us to remember how people have sacrificed themselves for this," said Cindy, a 22-year-old protester who similarly only wanted her first name used, as she waited in a snaking line to lay down a single white carnation. "We are here because we love this place, and want to do what we can."

The extradition plans were first floated after a gruesome murder in Taiwan, where officials say a pregnant woman was brutally killed by a Hong Kong resident who later admitted to the crime. Without an extradition treaty, prosecutors could not send him to Taiwan for trial, but also couldn't charge him with murder in Hong Kong. He is in jail on a lesser crime.

Yet Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has not pushed for the murder suspect to be sent to Taiwan, and instead has spoken up against the extradition bill, saying Thursday she would not become a "culprit to an evil law." Taiwan has also said it will not be involved in any extradition proposals that implies it is part of mainland China.

The protesters on Sunday included Kai Chieh Hsu, a 29-year-old Taiwanese man who flew to Hong Kong to join the demonstrations. He said he was there in solidarity and didn't want his own country cited as a reason for a new extradition law.

"Taiwan and Hong Kong, we are both bullied by" China, said Hsu, He said the murder case cited by Lam is terrible justification for the bill. "I'm really angry that Taiwan is being blamed for this."

Many in Taiwan have supported Hong Kong residents and expressed admiration for their fight. On Sunday afternoon, a group of Hong Kong students in Taipei organized a rally to support the protesters in their home city.

On Thursday, some of the Hong Kong students met with Tsai's secretary general, Chen Chu. Among other things, they asked Taiwan to establish protections for political refugees from Hong Kong and Macau. In April, Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee fled to Taiwan, citing a fear of being extradited to China. Taiwan does not have a formal refugee law and has maintained it will decide the status of dissidents on a case-by-case basis.

In Taipei, the Hong Kong protests are raising awareness of the potential effects of China's influence. The extradition law has led people to "care more about the situation," said Hong Kong student Katy Cheng, who has lived in Taiwan for three years. "They don't want to be the next Hong Kong."

---

Nick Aspinwall in Taipei contributed to this report.HONG KONG - The moment the 25-year-old protester got home from demonstrations that turned violent - tear gas still stinging her eyes - she knew what she had to do: delete all of her Chinese phone apps.

WeChat was gone. So was Alipay and the shopping app Taobao. She then installed a virtual private network on her smartphone to use with the secure messaging app Telegram in an attempt to stay hidden from cyber-monitors.

"I'm just doing anything" to stay ahead of police surveillance and hide her identity, said the protester. She asked to be referred only by her first name, Alexa, to avoid drawing the attention of authorities amid the most serious groundswell against Chinese-directed rule in Hong Kong since 2014.

Protests that expanded over the past week against a bill allowing extraditions to mainland China were marked by something unprecedented: A coordinated effort by demonstrators to leave no trace for authorities and their enhanced tracking systems.

Protesters used only secure digital messaging apps such as Telegram, and otherwise went completely analogue in their movements: buying single ride subway tickets instead of prepaid stored value cards, forgoing credit cards and mobile payments in favor of cash, and taking no selfies or photos of the chaos.

They wore face masks to obscure themselves from CCTVs and in fear of facial recognition software, and bought fresh pay-as-you-go SIM cards.

And, unlike the pro-democracy movement in 2014, the latest demonstrations also have remained intentionally leaderless in another attempt to frustrate police, who have used tear gas and rubber bullets against the crowds.

On Saturday, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam announced the postponement of the extradition bill, saying she hoped to return peace to the streets of the city. But the measure was not fully withdrawn and Lam still expressed support.

Protesters, meanwhile, have called for another major show of defiance on the streets on Sunday.

Amid the chaos, Hong Kong has offered a picture of what it looks like to stage mass civil disobedience in the age of the surveillance state.

"The Chinese government will do a lot of things to try to monitor their own people," said Bonnie Leung, a leader of the Hong Kong-based Civil Human Rights Front.

Leung cited media coverage of Chinese use of artificial intelligence to track individuals and its social credit score system.

"We believe that could happen to Hong Kong, too," she said.

The core of the protests is over the belief that Beijing - which was handed back control of the former British colony more than 20 years ago - is increasingly stripping Hong Kong of its cherished freedoms and autonomy.

But the identity-masking efforts by the protesters also reflects deep suspicions that lines between China and Hong Kong no longer exist - including close cooperation between Hong Kong police and their mainland counterparts who have among the most advanced and intrusive surveillance systems.

"It is the fundamental reason people are protesting in the first place," said Antony Dapiran, who wrote a book on protest culture in Hong Kong. "They don't trust Beijing, they don't trust their authorities and the legal system, and they don't like the blurring of lines between Beijing and Hong Kong."

For many who had taken to the streets over the past week, the fight was a familiar one.

In 2014, protesters occupied Hong Kong's main arteries for 79 days demanding full universal suffrage in the territory. Prominent student leaders and activists marshaled up support night after night in mini cities that had been set up on Hong Kong's thoroughfares, until they were eventually cleared out by police.

Today, all of the most prominent leaders of that movement - Joshua Wong, only a teenager at the time of the protests, legal scholar Benny Tai and Chan Kin-man, a sociology professor - are in jail.

The masses gathered around government buildings this week were without clear leaders. Demonstrators shared protest tips and security measures with people they had met just hours before to avoid a similar fate. Meetups were primarily planned on Telegram, which became the top trending app on the iPhone app store in Hong Kong in the days leading up to the protest.

"Information on personal safety was passed around on Telegram channels and group chats," said Caden, a 21 year-old Hong Kong student in Indiana who returned home early to participate. When he among estimated 1 million marching on June 7 to begin the protest movement.

On the group groups, Caden received a barrage of advice which included changing your username on Telegram so it sounds nothing like your actual name, changing your phone number associated with app and using SIM cards without a contract.

"We are much more cautious now for sure than in 2014. Back then, it was still kind of rare for the police to arrest people through social media," Caden said, declining to give his full name for fear of retribution. "All of this is definitely new for most people there."

Alexa noticed messages on Facebook, used by an older generation of Hong Kongers, warning people to mask their digital footprints and go cashless.

"People keep telling each other not to take pictures during the protest, and only to take wide shots without people's faces on them," she said.

It marked a huge change in sentiment for her, someone who had been attending peaceful demonstrations in Hong Kong with her family for years.

"We'd always take pictures and upload them to Facebook and so on, it would tell people you are there at the scene," she said. "But by now, everyone [has] equated the bill to cracking down on the Hong Kong legal system. We are all afraid that it won't exist anymore."

Hours before Wednesday's occupation of Hong Kong roads, Hong Kong police arrested Ivan Ip, a coordinator of a Telegram group with thousands of people, in his home. He is currently out on bail.

Telegram also reported a massive cyberattack, which the company said likely originated from China and were timed with the protest.

Samantha Hoffman, a fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Cyber Center, said data collection methods used in China have specifically been designed to intimidate people from taking part in demonstrations. She described the strategy as "killing the root before the weed can grow."

"It's a form of preemptive security," she said

Still, researchers say it has been difficult to figure out the extent to which Hong Kong Police Force cooperates with the mainland on surveillance technology and tools.

The Hong Kong force says it sends around 150 officials every year for "ideological and practical" training at elite mainland police academies. A larger number also receive regular training in "hand-to-hand combat, interrogation skills, criminal investigation and gun use," according to news releases from the Chinese government.

And when a high speed rail link opened connecting Beijing to Hong Kong, Chinese police were allowed to enforce mainland laws in the rail terminus. The rail link opened last year, marking the first time mainland police were allowed to patrol Hong Kong as part of joint immigration checks.

Maya Wang, a senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch, said there is "very little transparency" about the cooperation between Hong Kong police and mainland authorities.

Wang also noted that Hong Kong is moving ahead with plans for more "smart city" initiatives - with little clarity on which companies would be assisting them in that task.

"People are concerned that their electronic traces can be collected and monitored as the city becomes more digitized," she said. "What about the Chinese companies that are assisting or involved with the collection of data in Hong Kong? Would they be passing that data back?"

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 like pepper spray and also to avoid potential facial recognition or other surveillance software.

"I do not think this is overly cautious. If we read books by George Orwell and we read histories about Communist Parties, of course this is not overly cautious," said Leung of CHRF.

"If I was not some sort of leader or coordinator of the Civil Human Rights Front, I may wear a face mask as well," she added. "I can totally understand why people would want to hide their identities."

- - -

The Washington Post's Timothy McLaughlin in Hong Kong and Lyric Li in Beijing contributed to this report.As U.S. allies pressed the Trump administration for more concrete evidence linking Iran to attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that additional proof will be forthcoming.

Japan and Germany have requested stronger evidence than the grainy video released by the Pentagon appearing to show an Iranian patrol boat removing from one of the ships an item said to be an unexploded mine.

Pompeo said in appearances on CBS's "Face the Nation" and "Fox News Sunday" that he had spent much of the weekend talking with his counterparts in foreign capitals. It was an implicit acknowledgment that he has work to do convincing the world the U.S. accusations against Iran, which has denied responsibility for the suspicious explosions last week, are indeed, as Pompeo put it, "indisputable" and "unmistakable."

"There is no doubt," he said on "Fox News Sunday." "The intelligence community has lots of data, lots of evidence. The world will come to see much of it, but the American people should rest assured we have high confidence with respect to who conducted these attacks as well as half a dozen other attacks throughout the world over the past 40 days."

Last week's tanker attacks have laid bare a credibility problem burdening the Trump administration as it faces skepticism, especially from wary U.S. allies urging "maximum restraint" to avoid a spiraling confrontation between the United States and Iran.

Pompeo bristled at the suggestion that the U.S. conclusion was under question, including German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas's request for more information because the video was "not enough."

"The German foreign minister has seen a great deal more than just that video," Pompeo said on CBS. "He will continue to see more."

Pompeo said some countries "just wish this would go away." But he called it a fundamental right of every country to travel through the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz, which he said Iran is attempting to deny.

"I am confident that as we continue to develop the fact pattern, countries around the world will not only accept the basic facts, which I think are indisputable, but will come to understand that this is an important mission for the world," he said.

But the uncertainty has persisted. Some is rooted in a suspicion of President Donald Trump, who has made numerous misleading statements in the past. Some is focused on the national security adviser, John Bolton, who advocated the 2003 invasion of Iraq on the faulty assertion that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

And some skepticism is aimed at Pompeo. In laying out a litany of Iran's behavior in recent weeks, Pompeo said Tehran was behind a May 31 car bomb in Kabul as a U.S. convoy was passing, lightly injuring four U.S. service members and killing four Afghans. The Taliban claimed responsibility for that. But Pompeo said the Taliban claim should not be believed.

"We have confidence that Iran instigated this attack," he said Sunday when asked about the discrepancy, adding, "I wouldn't have said it if the intelligence community hadn't become convinced that this was the case."

Tensions between the United States and Iran have been deteriorating since early May, when the Trump administration stiffened its enforcement of oil sanctions in an attempt to drive Iran's oil revenue to zero.

At least two times this month, the Pentagon says, Iran or Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have tried to shoot down U.S. drones. One targeted drone was monitoring the fire aboard the Kokuka Courageous, the Japanese tanker hit Thursday.

Though he sidestepped questions about sending more American troops, ships, warplanes or submarines to the region, Pompeo said on Fox News that the United States will guarantee the safe transit of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

"This is an international challenge," he said. "This is important to the entire globe. The United States is going to make sure that we take all actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise, to achieve that outcome."

Aaron David Miller, a former State Department official now with the Wilson Center, said Pompeo is attempting to build a case to get international support so the United States would not have to act alone if it responds. Many European allies believe the Trump administration started this cycle of escalation by pulling out of the nuclear deal with Iran last year.

Questions about the U.S. account of what happened to the two oil tankers have swirled since Japanese shipping heads said the Kokuka Courageous was hit by a "flying object," not a mine, as the U.S. video suggested.

The Saudi and British governments agreed that the grainy U.S. video seemed to point to Iran, with the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, calling on the international community to take a "decisive stance" against what he called Iranian expansionism.

In a story published Sunday by the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, the crown prince did not offer new evidence of Iran's culpability in the tanker attacks, according to a transcript of his interview. Saudi Arabia views Iran as its principal adversary in the Middle East, and the Saudis, along with the United Arab Emirates and Israel, have been key supporters of the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" strategy against the Iranian government.

But Germany's foreign minister said the video was insufficient to make a final assessment of blame.

The Japanese government is similarly unconvinced, according to Japanese media reports that Tokyo has asked Washington for concrete evidence to back its conclusion Iran is responsible.

"The U.S. explanation has not helped us go beyond speculation," a senior government official told Japan Today.

Similar demands for "credible" proof have been made by a senior European Union foreign policy adviser and by Jeremy Corbyn, who is a leading member of Britain's Parliament.

Taken together, the remarks represent an extraordinary display of refusal to take the administration's assertions at face value.

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said the Trump administration's "low" credibility has added to confusion about what happened.

"It's a little distressing to think that because this administration's credibility is so low in general, I think a lot of people are thinking twice at a moment when America's word should be decisive," the South Bend, Ind., mayor said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"That being said, this is not inconsistent with Iranian behavior that has been aggressive and often malignant in the region. The real question is what can we do, given the facts on the ground, to ensure a measured response that will de-escalate, rather than inflame, tensions in the region?"

Several lawmakers have said the White House should not go to war without seeking authorization from Congress.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said on "Face the Nation" that "unprovoked attacks on commercial shipping warrant a retaliatory military strike" against Iran.

Rep. Adam B. Schiff, D-Calif., who heads the House Intelligence Committee, called the evidence "very strong and compelling."

But he expressed concern about the influence of Pompeo and Bolton, both longtime hawks on Iran. Schiff, also appearing on CBS, agreed that Trump wants to avoid war in the Middle East but said "his people, and I don't know whether [that] is Pompeo or Bolton or both, seem to be taking actions to undercut that ambition to stay out of war."

- - -

Fahim reported from Istanbul and Denyer reported from Tokyo. The Washington Post's Elise Viebeck and Felicia Sonmez in Washington contributed to this report.A recent spate of destructive tornadoes could be part of an eastward shifting Tornado Alley into the Midwest and Southeast, including Illinois, experts say.

Several states are seeing a growing number of tornadoes in what has become the Dixie Alley, according to four decades worth of data studied by Northern Illinois University and the National Severe Storms Laboratory.

Meanwhile Texas, Oklahoma and the Great Plains are seeing a declining number of twisters.

The traditional Tornado Alley still has more tornadoes than other parts of the country, but Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky and Missouri are among the states seeing more tornadoes, including 15 tornadoes in Ohio ranging from EF0 to EF4 that ripped through neighborhoods destroying homes and businesses on Memorial Day.

Those tornadoes represent weather, not necessarily climate  the equivalent of a mood rather than personality, said Victor Gensini, one of the authors of the study.

Its hard to say for sure that the tornadoes that just happened in Dayton were because of the shift, but it is certainly consistent with some of the research that weve been doing that shows this eastward movement of the greatest frequency of tornadoes, he said.

Severe thunderstorms with tornadoes, hail and high winds cause an average of $5.4 billion in damage each year in the United States and resulted in 600 related deaths in 2011, according to the study. The economic losses could continue to grow in upcoming years as risk and exposure increase disaster potential.

This shift to the east is impacting more cities and higher populated areas, said WHIO-TV chief meteorologist McCall Vrydaghs. Tornado Alley, right now, yes people live there, but these are not your big metro areas. When you start to shift it to the east, then youre getting into where more people live and that can be much more dangerous to life loss.

Metro areas such as Chicago, Indianapolis and Dayton that are in the shifting tornado belt are also growing, and as the cities get bigger, so does the potential for more damage, Gensini said. Especially in Kentucky, Tennessee and further south, more than 60 percent of the homes in some counties are mobile homes that could be destroyed by the lowest EF0 tornado.

Its unclear why the alley is shifting east, Gensini said. It could be natural or a result of human influences on the climate.

Its a reminder for everybody that Ohio is not immune to tornado events. Ohio sees significant tornadoes and theyre not as rare there as people might think. This event in 10 years will be forgotten or the next generation will come up without really knowing what tornado happened when, Gensini said. If you forget history, forget the past, you kind of forget about what could happen in the future, so its a reminder that people need not be complacent.CHARLESTON, S.C. - Hours before they sat down with broadcaster Soledad O'Brien to talk about theracial wealth gap, a few Democratic presidential hopefuls listened to Taiwanna Milligan explain how hard it is to take care of a chronically ill child on $7.25 an hour.

"I'm a single mother of a sick 12-year-old. My son has sickle cell anemia," said Milligan, 42, of Orangeburg, who has worked at McDonald's restaurants in and around Charleston for eight years. "On this salary, I can't take care of my sick son without government assistance."

Milligan was one of more than 75 McDonald's employees and union demonstrators - nearly all of them African American - chanting slogans and holding signs demanding a living wage on a small patch of grass in east Charleston on Saturday.

The workers' protest took place hours before the Black Economic Alliance Presidential Forum, aimed at a majority-black audience and scheduled to be aired on BET. Taken together, the two events underscored a key issue for South Carolina voters: how economic woes hit blacks harder than whites in this state and in most of the country.

At the forum, four Democratic candidates - former Rep. Beto O'Rourke of Texas, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey - outlined competing visions for how to shrink the glaring wealth gap. They spoke, too, about the disparities in economic opportunity, which make it harder for African Americans to secure business loans, complete college or attain many of the things that make upward mobility possible.

The Democrats' ideas could help determine who wins this state's primary in February - and who wins the White House.

Black Americans make up about 20% of the party's primary voters nationwide, including 6 in 10 voters in the pivotal, early South Carolina primary. As one of the party's most loyal voting blocs, African Americans played a critical role in picking the past two Democratic nominees, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

"You cannot have large sections of your population denied equal access to markets, equal access to capital, equal access to health care," Booker told the crowd, saying the inequality had a negative effect on all Americans, not just black ones. "You can't have that cancer and think it doesn't affect the body as a whole."

In the week leading up to the event, several candidates introduced new policies or trumpeted existing plans aimed at reducing the racial economic gap.

Warren, for example, proposed creating a Small Business Equity Fund that would provide grants to minority and female entrepreneurs to start or expand businesses. She told the crowd the fund would help about 100,000 minority-owned businesses and create more than a million jobs across the country.

She has also recommended creating a $50 billion federal fund for historically black colleges and universities. Like many of her recent proposals, she said she'd pay for the grant program by introducing a wealth tax on people who make more than $50 million a year.

Buttigieg, in an opinion piece in the Charleston Chronicle, outlined a plan to increase the number of small businesses in black communities, triple the federal government's contracts with minority-owned businesses and to reform the processes used to determine a person's creditworthiness, to address what Buttigieg sees as the institutional racism baked into the algorithms used to determine people's credit scores.

"We need to look wholesale at how access to credit and scoring of credit work," he said at the forum, arguing that the government needs to fix processes that "mistakenly and unfairly classify a black entrepreneur or an entrepreneur with a black client base as more risky."

O'Rourke told the crowd that he wanted to expand community development block grant programs and take steps to stop former inmates from being denied jobs or federal tuition assistance.

He also said it's important for Americans of all colors to push back against institutional racism.

"Racial suppression is alive and well in this day," he said. "It is systematic and foundational."

After his remarks, Buttigieg told reporters he was touched by Milligan's words outside the McDonald's and said he wanted more people to understand what a living wage would mean to her family.

"It wasn't just about her, it was about her son," Buttigieg said. "It was about the fact that she has a 12-year-old son with medical issues and she's struggling to support him medically, but also she's struggling just to be there because she has to work so hard because $7.25 is as good as she can get."The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that a 3.6-magnitude earthquake hit an Eagle Ford Shale town about 44 miles southeast of San Antonio.

The earthquake's epicenter registered about 2 miles north of the Karnes County town of Falls City just after 8 p.m. Saturday.

Karnes County Sheriff Dwayne Villanueva told the Houston Chronicle that there were no reports of damage but his agency received calls from residents in the nearby town of Hobson, who felt the shake.

Shaky Ground: USGS confirms four earthquakes in the Eagle Ford Shale

Out of the 16 earthquakes reported in South Texas by USGS this year, the Saturday evening quake was recorded as the strongest.

Environmentalists blame the tremors on saltwater disposal wells, which inject wastewater generated in the hydraulic fracturing process and other oil and natural gas activities deep underground.

Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox

Saltwater disposal wells are regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas, the state agency that regulates the oil and natural gas industry.

Railroad Commission officials adopted stricter regulations for saltwater disposal wells in November 2014. Over the last four years, the agency received 540 disposal well applications in areas of historic seismicity.

Of those proposed projects, 222 permits were issued with special conditions that include reducing maximum daily injection volumes and pressures as well as being required to record volumes and pressures on a daily basis as opposed to monthly.

Applications for 68 disposal sites were returned or withdrawn. Another 32 applications were sent to hearing while 25 permits were issued without special conditions and 193 applications are pending technical review.Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly is set to inaugurate on Sunday the 'Builders of Egypt' forum, which will be held for its 5th edition and will bring together 14 presidents of African construction unions and 500 executives of major companies and financing institutions to develop a comprehensive vision for executing major development projects in Africa.

The forum, held under the title 'Exporting Egyptian Contracting and Real Estate: A New Future for Investment,' will be attended by the Egyptian Economic Group ministers and 700 pioneers in the sectors of construction, real estate development and financial institutions.

The forum will be held over five sessions to discuss how to promote Egyptian real estate and contracting.

The forum will also discuss ways to speed up infrastructure projects carried out by the public and private sectors, including the building of railways, seaports, and other projects that help boost sustainable development in Africa.

Participants will offer Egypts vision on mega projects in Africa as well as necessary coordination between funding bodies, the private sector, and the governments.

The gathering, held under the sponsorship of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, will look at opportunities for Egyptian construction firms to support the reconstruction of war-torn Iraq and Libya.

The forum is one of the largest and most important events in the construction industry in Egypt. It has been held annually since 2014, under state support, with a view of improving the investment environment in the field of construction and comprehensive development.

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There was a huge turnout for the Moydow, Ardagh, Kenagh Community Cardiac First responders public information night, which took place in the Vintage Bar, Moydow, on May 31.

It was a very informative evening with John White from CFR Ireland, who gave information and a presentation on the night. Michelle Kelly told the Leader.

We also had talks from Ann Kelly, Moydow, and Declan Farrell, Stonepark. They talked about family members that experienced heart attacks and cardiac arrests and about how valuable and important it is to have first responders in the community.

Also in attendance were representatives from local Gardai and the National ambulance service.

Michelle said, A special word of thanks to community garda Emma Kiernan, local paramedic Martin Mulvey, Cllr Colm Murray and Angela Killion of the Longford volunteer centre for attending on the night.

Thank you also to Billy and April for the use of their premises, she added.

Michelle Kelly, chairperson and CFR instructor of the group, wished all members the best of luck in their journey going forward. The group will be holding their Community First Responders meeting on Wednesday, June 12, at the Vintage Bar, Moydow, from 8pm.

All members are urged to attend, with new members also welcome.

Contact Michelle on 085-7042463 for more info.Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com

Columnists Press ReleasesFalcao endorses Cavani for Atletico: He's a top striker, he scores wherever he goes LaLiga Uruguayan has been linked a move

Radamel Falcao led the line for Colombia on Saturday night as they beat Argentina 2-0 in their Copa America opener, yet afterwards the Monaco No.9 was asked about his thoughts on a striker linked with his former club, Atletico Madrid: Edinson Cavani.

The Paris Saint-Germain hitman is often forgotten about in the Parisians' attack, thanks in part to the aura around Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, but the Uruguayan is their all-time record goalscorer and has been rumoured with a move to Los Rojiblancos.

"For me, Edinson is a top striker," Falcao stated.

"In Paris, he has scored lots of goals every year and wherever he goes, he will continue to do so."

Heading into Colombia's match with Argentina, Los Cafeteros had not beaten the Albiceleste in 12 years, but they were able to cause an upset against Lionel Messi and co.

"We had not beaten them for almost 12 years and it was a challenge," Falcao added.

"We have matured a lot and we seized the opportunity."

The plan of Carlos Queiroz's Colombia seemed to be to swarm around Argentina when they had the ball, making it difficult for them to get any rhythm to their play.

"We had a great defensive mindset," Falcao noted.

"We suffocated them and made them inaccurate with their passes.

"We retrieved the ball quickly and that made it easier."Vallie Wendell Hyltons life didnt look very promising at the beginning. One of 15 children, 10 surviving past infancy, Hylton lived in a log cabin with holes in the walls.

In the wintertime, he could see the snow falling without walking outside or glancing out of the window. All Hylton had to do was peek out of one of the many breezy holes that dotted his home.

My dads early life was very humble, Patricia Grant said of her late father.

Vallie Wendell Hyltons life didnt look very promising at the beginning. One of 15 children, 10 surviving past infancy, Hylton lived in a log cabin with holes in the walls.

In the wintertime, he could see the snow falling without walking outside or glancing out of the window. All Hylton had to do was peek out of one of the many breezy holes that dotted his home.

My dads early life was very humble, Patricia Grant said of her late father.

Growing up in Martinsville without much money and limited opportunities, Hylton didnt have much to look forward to.

Teachers and everyone told him he was never going to be anyone, Grant said.

Somehow, Hylton tuned out all of the negativity. Determined to make his life worthwhile after graduating from George Washington Carver High School, now an elementary school in Henry County, Hylton attended college at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md., where he received a Bachelor of Science degree.

During his lifetime, Hylton earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and a Master of Science, Pre-Medicine/Biology degree from North Carolina A & T State University in Greensboro. He also earned a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum/Instruction and Administration/Supervision from the University of Virginia.

My dad loved education, Grant said. You couldnt have a conversation with him without talking about education.

Hylton died on May 13, and his family and friends gathered Saturday at G.W. Carver Elementary School to celebrate his life and legacy. They even toured his second-floor classroom.

Thats where he started after his love of learning brought him back to Henry County, back to the same institution where teachers told him he wouldnt amount to much. When he walked the halls of G.W. Carver High School in the 1950s and 60s, it was as a teacher.

First, he got that education. Then, he started giving it back to the same poor kids in the neighborhood where he grew up, Grant said. He wanted to give them a different message.

Speaking positively to students about their potential, Hylton sought out interactive learning methods for his biology and chemistry classes. The teacher developed an idea for a student science fair.

Preparing for the big event  which grew larger and larger each year  Hylton often took students on field trips to the old DuPont plant, where they learned about nylon production.

When the day for the anticipated science fair arrived each year, a panel of judges scoured the displays and made their top selections.

He wanted all of his students to do something to be able to showcase their talents and the things they had learned in his class, Grant said.

The winner received an opportunity to compete at the Virginia State Fair, with the hope of obtaining a scholarship.

Grant said she was too young, at the time, to recall if any Carver students ever won one of the converted Virginia State Fair scholarships, but she said she hoped they did.

After 14 years at Carver and one year at Bassett High School, Hylton moved on to other endeavors, which still focused on education.

One of Hyltons greatest achievements occurred when he worked as a conciliator, mediator and educational specialist for the United States Department of Justice. Hylton assisted more than 40 states with the immediate goal of desegregating schools, which as mandated by federal law.

Hylton conducted several hundred seminars related to desegregation, educational equity and staff development.

He would go throughout the country holding classes and developing plans on how to integrate schools, Grant said. He would teach teachers how to integrate classrooms. He wasnt just desegregating schools; he was desegregating minds. It became his life goal.

Other major accomplishments include creating programs for troubled schools across Virginia to help disadvantaged children finish high school attend college, GED and self-reliance programs for at-risk mothers and grandmothers in several public housing communities in Richmond City and the development of several Adopt-A-School programs.

Hylton also worked with many Virginia municipalities to reduce suspensions, expulsions and discipline problems while promoting positive self-esteem, achievement and attendance. In appreciation for his numerous efforts, the Richmond Virginia Seminary conferred upon him the Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, in recognition of Hyltons dedication to humanity as an outstanding educator and teacher.

Coming from humble beginnings  including working through college to pay his tuition  Hylton championed learners despite their economic or societal dispositions. He set up two scholarships  one at the Maryland-Eastern Shore and the other at the New College Institute in Martinsville  for those with a desire to attend college but not the resources.

Fully funded, these scholarships will continue for years to come, despite Hyltons passing on May 13.

Any student who receives that scholarship, hopefully, will learn who he was and what he was about, Grant said. To pay it forward and impact another childs life in the same was that he did theirs would be the greatest legacy the recipient could pay to my dad. Get that degree, then do it for someone else.

Amie Knowles can be reached at amierknowles@gmail.com

Amie Knowles can be reached at amierknowles@gmail.comTODAYS WORD is vindictive. Example: A glamping guru has been accused of a vindictive attempt to have his ex-girlfriend jailed in revenge for her alleged affair with a neighbour. (Source: Vindictive glamping boss asks court to jail his ex in revenge for alleged affair by Tristan Kirk, June 10, 2019, Evening Standard [London])

SUNDAYS WORD was bifurcated. It means divided into two branches or forks  in the context of this example, pants. Example: Non-bifurcated garments have of course been worn by men around the world throughout history. (Source: Cassidy Zachary, Dressed: The History of Fashion [podcast], June 6, 2011)

Glamping

Todays Word of the Day is vindictive, but it certainly could be glamping, which also appears in the sentence.

Glamping is camping without roughing it, or where stunning nature meets modern luxury, according to glamping.com. That website lists Primland Resort in Patrick County as an example of glamping. Rooms in Primland start at $315, according to the website. The other site in Virginia listed is Rock Tavern River Kamp, starting at $110 a night for a yurt on the banks the Shenandoah River.

Glampinghub.com defines glamping as luxury camping or glamorous camping, is an experience-based kind of travel that allows guests to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors, but without the hassle of traditional camping. With five-star amenities and unbeatable outdoor access, glamping is where luxury meets simplicity.

It doesnt sound like what our dads taught us to do when we were kids, does it?

Yoga

Piedmont Arts will host a Yoga in the Galleries session from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday. Education Coordinator Becki Williams-Vasquez will host it. The class is slow paced and open to practitioners of all levels of yoga. Bring your own mat, and the $10 fee if youre not a Piedmont Arts member.

Kids Fishing Rodeo

Martinsville Elks Lodge #1752 will host a Kids Fishing Rodeo Saturday at Kings Grant Retirement Community. This free event is for children ages 12 and younger, ad a hot dog lunch will be served.

Sign-in will start at 9 a.m., and fishing will be from then until noon. A pole, float and worms will be provided; bring chairs. Look for signs to show where to park.

Family reunions

The Foley family kicked of the Strollers yearly announcements of family reunions (which mostly seem to happen when the warm weather comes) with their reunion in May. Now its time for other families. The Stroller publishes reunion announcements free and looks forward to including yours. Send it to stroller@martinsvillebulletin.com, or bring it by the newspaper office, on the corner of Market and Broad Streets.

The Stroller also welcomes jokes, funny stores, anecdotes and other interesting items.

SUNDAYS TRIVIA QUESTION: John Held Jr., a magazine illustrator in the 1920s, created drawings that defined the flapper era so well that people still are familiar with his work today.

TODAYS TRIVIA QUESTION: How many campsites (sorry, no glamping) are there in Virginias 28 state parks?Read MassLives coverage of untested rape kits in Massachusetts.

-----------------------

There are hundreds of untested rape kits in Massachusetts, many of which are decades old.

The state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, or EOPSS, started its first legally mandated inventory of untested rape kits and identified 387 untested rape kits, MassLive learned through a public records request.

That data does not include Bristol County, which has received a $2 million federal Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant to identify and test previously untested rape kits collected in that county.

EOPSS asked more than 400 reporting agencies, including municipal law enforcement, sheriffs offices, university law enforcement and hospital security, how many untested rape kits were in their possession.

Eighty-seven reporting agencies informed EOPSS of untested kits.

Mark Leahy, the executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, said he believes there are two reasons rape kits may have not made it from local police departments to the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab.

Survivors who change their mind about seeking prosecution following a rape or sexual assault after initially reporting the crime is one common reason for untested rape kits, Leahy said in a phone interview.

Another, he said, is in cases where someone has a mental health issue or substance abuse issue and it is not clear whether an assault actually happened.

Beyond that, I dont know why somebody would not submit a kit, Leahy said. It is not an infrequent situation to have a victim reaching back out to detectives a day later, two days later, saying, Ive decided I dont want to go forward with this. Its a hell of a thing to have to go through the aftermath and then the trial.

Leahy said if the case is that police officers missed or forgot a kit, it shouldnt have occurred.

EOPSS did not respond to a question asking why kits have gone untested.

The oldest kit dates back to 1971, when it was collected in Winchester. Hundreds of the kits are from the 1990s and 2000s, and some were collected as recently as this year.

Brockton has the largest number of reported untested rape kits with 27, all of which were collected in the 1990s.

There could be other police departments with more untested rape kits, but that remains unclear because the EOPSS list does not include the Bristol County rape kit inventory.

Of course, its impossible to know how many rape kits have been destroyed before ever making it to the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab.

These untested kits will eventually go to the crime lab. Across the nation, testing of formerly untested kits has led to the identification and arrest of serial rapists.

Here are departments that reported untested rape kits and years of the offenses:New Delhi, June 16 (IBNS): India's National Investigation Agency has claimed a rift has appeared among Kashmir separatists regarding the collection and use of funds collected through 'hawala'.

In a press statement citing revelation by Masarat Alam - a prominent face of stone pelters and anti-government protests - during interrogation, the NIA said: Pakistan-based agents route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to the separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Gilani, Chairman, All Parties Hurriyat Conference. Masarat Alam also revealed that there are rifts in the Hurriyat Conference regarding collection and use of funds.

A report in The Hindu quoted the agency as saying these revelations were in continuation of a terror funding probe in a case registered by the agency in 2017.

NIA arrested Yasin Malik, leader of the banned Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front; Asiya Andrabi, leader of Duktaran-e-Milat, also banned; separatist leader Shabir Shah of the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) and Masrat Alam of the Muslim League earlier in June. All the four, who were already in jail in other cases, are being questioned by the NIA now.

Mailk also said the Joint Resistance Leadership and the Gilani faction of the Hurriyat Conference collected funds from the business community as well as certain other sources and ensured that economic shut down and violent protests continue to disrupt the daily life of common citizens in the Kashmir Valley in 2016, The Hindu report added.

The Kashmir Valley saw widespread violence after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter in July 2016.Anthony Davis was traded today to the Los Angeles Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first round picks.

In the end, Davis agent Rich Paul pulled off the perfect strategy, scaring the Boston Celtics away from a trade package many thought could have landed the New Orleans Pelicans star.

The Boston Celtics refused to make Jayson Tatum available in trade talks with New Orleans, league sources say, putting the Lakers in prime position to strike the deal that teams Anthony Davis with LeBron James  Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 15, 2019

Jayson Tatum was, by most accounts, the most coveted player by Pelicans boss David Griffin. Bostons refusal to put him into a deal made Griffins choice fairly easy now that we see that haul they got for Davis.

Danny Ainges refusal to include Tatum is a clear signal that he took Pauls threats seriously, and was not willing to push all his chips into the pot for a chance to convince Davis to stay. Its also a sign that he thinks Tatum has the potential to be a top-line talent, and hes not willing to lose a player like that for what would amount to nothing.

It also seems clear that Ainge believes Kyrie Irving is leaving. If Ainge believes Davis is a serious threat to be a one-year rental and landing him isnt going to be enough to keep Irving around, then theres no reason to give up Tatum.

This pursuit has always been about pairing Irving and Davis. Even at the trade deadline, when Ainge proclaimed the the Celtics and Irving were essentially engaged and the wedding was still on, the thinking was that landing Davis was the move that would cinch Irvings return. By not seriously pursuing Davis, it shows that Ainge didnt believe hed have either player by next July.

Now the next big question for the Boston Celtics is Al Horfords free agency. Horford enjoys Boston, and by all accounts, he wants to stay with the Celtics. However, losing Irving and not seeing another star join him in Boston could cause him to opt-out of his upcoming $30 million for next season and find a new home.

If he does, Boston can ultimately clear about $28 million in cap room by renouncing all of their free agents (including Marcus Morris, Terry Rozier, Daniel Theis, and Brad Wanamaker. That would leave them with 10 players, including three rookies from this years draft, meaning that $28 million would have to be spread out to fill a few roster spots. They could try to lure a restricted free agent (like a Malcolm Brogdon) with some of that money, but theyre not getting someone like Kawhi Leonard.

Boston could also bring back Horford, like I speculated when we built out rosters in this scenario, by making him a long-term offer. If he returns, some combination of Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, Al Horford, and Aron Baynes would likely start with one of them playing the sixth-man role.

Ainge could create about $14 million in cap room if Horfords deal begins somewhere in the $15 million range, which he could use to sign someone. That, however, would also require renouncing the rights to Morris, Rozier, Theis, and Wanamaker.

Whether Ainge wants to do that, or run it back with most of last years roster and re-sign Morris and Rozier, its pretty clear that the teams future is now in Jayson Tatums hands. He, Hayward, and Brown are going to become the teams primary scoring options with Horford and Smart supporting that with their ability to facilitate.

Ainge will have to build a bench using one of these paths that was laid out. But unless he makes a surprise move for someone like Bradley Beal, Bostons youth is now their core.

This is the group Irving disparaged early last season. Their rocky relationship might be why Irving seems to be leaving, and why they are the last men standing.

Ainge could have chosen a lot of different avenues along the way, but he has settled on this one. By refusing to add Tatum to this deal, hes valuing what Tatum can be over the next few years more than what Davis can be for one.

Depending on what Kawhi Leonard does, the East could still be wide open, and the Celtics could still field a competitive playoff team. What they wont be, though, is the title contender anyone expected them to be.

Thats going to have to wait.The fire that ripped through eight residential buildings near the border of Mattapan and Dorchester Saturday has forced 14 people out of their homes, the Boston Fire Department said Sunday afternoon.

We had 14 residents displaced by the 9 alarm fire on Old Morton St. pic.twitter.com/yN9A1ckeI7  Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) June 16, 2019

Firefighters responded to flames at a vacant house on Old Morton Street around 4:45 p.m. Saturday. It spread to seven other homes in the neighborhood, prompting an hours-long battle to extinguish the nine-alarm fire.

Seven firefighters and two civilians sustained non-life threatening injuries, authorities said.

The American Red Cross of Massachusetts is assisting the displaced residents.

Losses are estimated to be in the millions of dollars, according to the Boston Fire Department. Photographs from the scene show multiple houses blackened or wrecked entirely by flames.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.CHICOPEE -- The city has declared June Pride Month to recognize the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community.

The City Council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution to declare it Pride Month in Chicopee recently, said Councilor Joel McAuliffe, who proposed the idea.

Given all that is going on nationally to roll back anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people and the banning of transgender troops in our military, Im proud our city has taken a stance to speak out in favor of our LGBTQ friends and neighbors, he said.

In explaining his proposal, McAuliffe said he knows this simple resolution is a small token. But, in quoting Robert Kennedy, he said every move gives people hope.

"We must show our pride in our actions, our policies and how we treat people in our everyday lives," he said.

The city first flew a rainbow flag to recognize Pride Month in solidarity with the LGBTQ community in 2016, days after the mass shooting in an Orlando, Florida nightclub that killed 49 people.

McAuliffe said most reactions were positive, but he remembers receiving one specific piece of mail that contained deplorable comments which proved bigotry was not dead.Simultaneous raids on two homes in Bridgewater and Brockton on Friday led to the seizure of 157 grams of heroin, $54,000 in suspected drug money, three illegal handguns and two suspects, according to police.

The W.E.B. Major Crimes and Drug Task Force executed search warrants at the properties following a two month investigation into 26-year-old Justin Ribeiro, a Bridgewater resident suspected of selling fentanyl across Bridgewater and surrounding communities.

Police believed that Ribeiro was using his white Acura to deliver the potent opioid and was also using a Nesrella Drive home in Brockton as a distribution center.

After obtaining the warrants, detectives and Massachusetts State Police troopers launched the raid around 6 p.m. on Friday.

Detectives arrested Ribeiro outside his home, after which other investigators searched the two suspect properties, allegedly finding the fentanyl, money and guns.

Ribeiro was charged with conspiracy to violate drug laws and is being held on $7,500 bail. 22-year-old Brockton resident Ariana Vieria was also arrested and charged with fentanyl trafficking and firearms counts. She is being held on $25,000 bail.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid dozens of times more powerful than heroin. Originally created for medical uses, it has become a lucrative street drug and a driver of opioid deaths in Massachusetts, according to Department of Public Health statistics.

An estimated 2,033 people died in Massachusetts of opioid overdoses last year, according to DPH. Fentanyl was found in the systems of 89 percent of fatal overdose victims who underwent a toxicology screen.Seven Boston firefighters and two civilians suffered non-life-threatening injuries during a nine-alarm blaze that tore through eight homes on Saturday near the Dorchester-Mattapan line.

The Boston Fire Department responded to a vacant Old Morton Street house around 4:45 p.m. to find it engulfed in flames. The fire quickly spread through the neighborhood, prompting the department to raise nine alarms as they battled to keep the flames under control.

It took a couple of hours to get the heavy fires knocked down," Boston Fire Department spokesman Brian Alkins said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and caused millions of dollars in losses, the department said.

The American Red Cross of Massachusetts said Saturday that it is assisting seven families. The exact number of people displaced from their homes remains unknown.

Firefighters continued to monitor hotspots through the night. One fire company remained on scene Sunday morning to prevent any flareups, Alkins said.

The departments response earned praise from Fire Commissioner Joe Finn, who said the rapid spread of the fire made it a challenge to contain.Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski will meet Thursday with an alleged clergy sex abuse victim, who says he told a diocesan Review Board a year ago that he had been sexually abused decades ago by the late Bishop Christopher J. Weldon.

The Review Board has disputed that his June 2018 testimony included allegations of direct abuse by Weldon, though three individuals present say he named Weldon.

Rozanski, who was in Baltimore this past week for a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting where clergy abuse was among the topics discussed, was said to have found the allegations involving Weldon deeply troubling.

It is unclear what resolution will come from the meeting between the alleged victim and Rozanski, but the situation highlights the difficulty for those coming forth with accusations of sexual misconduct involving a deceased bishop.

An area of legal conflict in the Springfield diocese has been how far back it was aware of clergy sex abuse. This has been an issue particularly associated with Weldons 27 years as bishop and any allegations made against clergy at that time. There are concerns as well that pertinent files kept by Weldon may have been destroyed after his death in 1982 by the executor of his will  who had himself faced claims of sexual abuse.

E.J. Flemings book Death of an Altar Boy makes the argument that Weldon knew early on from detectives that then diocesan priest Richard Lavigne  who pleaded guilty in 1992 to molesting two boys and was later removed from the clerical state by the Vatican  was a suspect in the unsolved 1972 murder of 13-year-old altar boy Danny Croteau.

The diocese has argued it was not aware until 1986 of an accusation of abuse against Lavigne, who was the subject of at least 37 claims of abuse of a minor, and continued to minister as a priest until 1991.

In 2007, a legal battle started between the diocese and several insurance companies who were refusing to reimburse the diocese for settlements paid in clergy sex abuse lawsuits, arguing that the diocese had destroyed related records for three decades.

The diocese denied the charges and subsequently turned over a box of documents to insurers.

Insurers in arguing their case had cited a letter from a diocesan priest to then Bishop Thomas Dupre that was reported as saying in part, as we have long suspected, Bishop Weldons files were all destroyed by Monsignor David Welch since Bishop Weldon unwisely kept those files apart from the vault in the Chancery."

The June 2018 Review Board hearing was not the first time Weldon had been linked to abuse, though the diocese said it is the first-time that testimony presented before the board involved the name of the dioceses fourth bishop, who served from 1950 through 1977.

In 2005, William E. Burnett, a 1959 Cathedral High school graduate filed an unsuccessful civil suit against both the Springfield and Worcester dioceses for conspiring to conceal criminal acts of sexual abuse which were committed by individuals whom it recruited, hired, trained, supervised and retained as clergymen in their respective dioceses.

The six priests named as perpetrators in the suit included Weldon whom Burnett, born in 1941, alleged abused him approximately three times between the ages of 10 and 16 at St. Michaels Cathedral. The suit alleged that the abuse was witnessed by Bernard L. Doheny and George A. Berthiaume, both priests in the Springfield diocese, and also alleged that Weldon witnessed Burnett being abused by Doheny.

Doheny, whom Burnett alleged in the suit was his first abuser at around age 10, died in 1965, Berthiaume in 1985.

The suit sought compensation for the bodily harm, humiliation, severe emotional distress, and permanent psychological damages allegedly suffered by Burnett, who is serving a 60-year sentence in a Texas prison for the murder of a retired businessman there in 1989.

Both dioceses maintained the suit, which detailed where the alleged sexual abuse occurred by the named priests and what it involved, to have no basis of credibility.

It has been estimated that dioceses and religious orders in the United States have paid more than $3 billion to settle lawsuits brought by alleged victims of clergy sex abuse.

It has been such lawsuits, coupled with investigations by the media, that exposed the abuse of minors by pedophile priests in the Catholic Church going back decades.

The late Thomas Dupre resigned as Springfield bishop in February 2004, a day after The Republican confronted him with allegations that he had abused two young men, who had yet to come forward and later filed lawsuits.

Dupres resignation lead to further investigations by then Hampden County District Attorney William Bennett. Dupre became the first Roman Catholic bishop indicted on a sexual abuse claim in the United States.

Decisions by Superior Court Judge Constance M. Sweeney, a Springfield native and product of Catholic education, were key in exposing the extent of the cover-up by church officials in the Boston archdiocese and resulting in the resignation of the late Cardinal Bernard Law as archbishop there in 2002.

Sweeney ordered the public release of 10,000 documents from 84 lawsuits against former Boston archdiocesan priest and convicted child molester John Geoghan on a motion from the Boston Globe in November 2001, and a year later ordered the release of 11,000 pages of documentations related to accusations of abuse against numerous priests in the archdiocese.

The Springfield diocese turned over some 80,000 pages of documentation to Bennett after Dupres resignation, and said that those pages included what it referred to as privileged files, that is, files containing personal matters including letters of complaint.

A grand jury investigation indicted Dupre on child sexual assault charges in September 2004, but not on obstruction of justice and conspiracy charges.

Dupre, who was removed from public ministry by the Vatican in 2004, was never charged with two counts of child rape because Bennett said they fell outside the statute of limitations. Dupre died in 2016.

The Springfield Dioceses defense strategies in fighting suits brought by victims have include arguing First Amendment guarantee of freedom of religion gives church officials immunity from civil suits as well as a former state law that provided charitable immunity until 1971.

In seeking dismissal of five clergy abuse suits in 2003 before Sweeney on charitable immunity grounds, the diocese issued a statement saying that it strongly prefers to resolve all claims amicably on a case-by-case basis, however, if amicable settlements are not reached, our legal advisors are obligated to preserve all valid defenses.

Accusations the alleged victim who is to meet this month with Rozanski made to the board and its investigator against two priests who served at St. Annes Parish in Chicopee were found credible but the diocese has said the name of the one not already on its published list of credibly accused clergy will not be added because the priest is deceased and cannot defend himself

A report published by the diocese in February shows it has paid out nearly $15 million in settling 147 claims since 1992.

Some $8.5 million came from insurance carriers with the remainder coming from diocesan self-insurance reserves, according to the report.BALTIMORE  Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce played five innings at first base and went 0-for-3 in a rehab game for Short Season Lowell on Saturday.

Hes 1-for-6 with a double, RBI and run in two games on his rehab assignment.

Boston placed him on the injured list with a low back strain June 1.

He felt good, manager Alex Cora said. Moving around well. ... He feels a lot better.

Pearce has struggled quite a bit for the Red Sox this season. Hes batting .180 with a .245 on-base percentage, .258 slugging percentage, .503 OPS, one homer, four doubles and nine RBIs in 29 games.

Velazquez pitches scoreless inning

Hector Velazquez, meanwhile, started for Lowell. He pitched a scoreless first inning, allowing one hit, no walks and striking out two.

The Red Sox placed Velazquez on the injured list May 30 with a low back strain.

Nathan Eovaldi could ramp it up soon

Nathan Eovaldi still hasnt thrown since feeling soreness in his right biceps last Saturday (June 8).

Nothing yet. Feeling better, Cora said. Hopefully in Minnesota he starts ramping it up.

Cora also said Friday that Eovaldi could begin throwing again Sunday or Monday.

The righty underwent an arthroscopic procedure to remove loose bodies from his right elbow in New York City on April 23. The Red Sox estimated a six-week recovery at that point.By Michael Hudson

June 15, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - President Trump has threatened Chinas President Xi that if they dont meet and talk at the upcoming G20 meetings in Japan, June 29-30, the United States will not soften its tariff war and economic sanctions against Chinese exports and technology.

Some meeting between Chinese and U.S. leaders will indeed take place, but it cannot be anything like a real negotiation. Such meetings normally are planned in advance, by specialized officials working together to prepare an agreement to be announced by their heads of state. No such preparation has taken place, or can take place. Mr. Trump doesnt delegate authority.

He opens negotiations with a threat. That costs nothing, and you never know (or at least, he never knows) whether he can get a freebee. His threat is that the U.S. can hurt its adversary unless that country agrees to abide by Americas wish-list. But in this case the list is so unrealistic that the media are embarrassed to talk about it. The US is making impossible demands for economic surrender  that no country could accept. What appears on the surface to be only a trade war is really a full-fledged Cold War 2.0.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Americas wish list: other countries neoliberal subservience

At stake is whether China will agree to do what Russia did in the 1990s: put a Yeltsin-like puppet of neoliberal planners in place to shift control of its economy from its government to the U.S. financial sector and its planners. So the fight really is over what kind of planning China and the rest of the world should have: by governments to raise prosperity, or by the financial sector to extract revenue and impose austerity.

U.S. diplomacy aims to make other countries dependent on its agricultural exports, its oil (or oil in countries that U.S. majors and allies control), information and military technology. This trade dependency will enable U.S. strategists to impose sanctions that would deprive economies of basic food, energy, communications and replacement parts if they resist U.S. demands.

The objective is to gain financial control of global resources and make trade partners pay interest, licensing fees and high prices for products in which the United States enjoys monopoly pricing rights for intellectual property. A trade war thus aims to make other countries dependent on U.S.-controlled food, oil, banking and finance, or high-technology goods whose disruption will cause austerity and suffering until the trade partner surrenders.

Chinas willingness to give Trump a win

Threats are cheap, but Mr. Trump cant really follow through without turning farmers, Wall Street and the stock market, Walmart and much of the IT sector against him at election time if his tariffs on China increase the cost of living and doing business. His diplomatic threat is really that the US will cut its own economic throat, imposing sanctions on its own importers and investors if China does not acquiesce.

It is easy to see what Chinas answer will be. It will stand aside and let the US self-destruct. Its negotiators are quite happy to offer whatever China has planned to do anyway, and let Trump brag that this is a concession he has won.

China has a great sweetener that I think President Xi Jinping should offer: It can nominate Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. We know that he wants what his predecessor Barack Obama got. And doesnt he deserve it more? After all, he is helping to bring Eurasia together, driving China and Russia into an alliance with neighboring counties, reaching out to Europe.

Trump may be too narcissistic to realize the irony here. Catalyzing Asian and European trade independence, financial independence, food independence and IT independence from the threat of U.S. sanctions will leave the U.S. isolated in the emerging multilateralism.

Americas wish for a neoliberal Chinese Yeltsin (and another Russian Yeltsin for that matter)

A good diplomat does not make demands to which the only answer can be No. There is no way that China will dismantle its mixed economy and turn it over to U.S. and other global investors. It is no secret that the United States achieved world industrial supremacy in the late 19th and early 20th century by heavy public-sector subsidy of education, roads, communication and other basic infrastructure. Todays privatized, financialized and Thatcherized economies are high-cost and inefficient.

Yet U.S. officials persist in their dream of promoting some neoliberal Chinese leader or free market party to wreak the damage that Yeltsin and his American advisors wrought on Russia. The U.S. idea of a win-win agreement is one in which China will be permitted to grow as long as it agrees to become a U.S. financial and trade satellite, not an independent competitor.

Trumps trade tantrum is that other countries are simply following the same economic strategy that once made America great, but which neoliberals have destroyed here and in much of Europe. U.S. negotiators are unwilling to acknowledge that the United States has lost its competitive industrial advantage and become a high-cost rentier economy. Its GDP is empty, consisting mainly of the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (FIRE) rents, profits and capital gains while the nations infrastructure decays and its labor is reduced to a prat-time gig economy. Under these conditions the effect of trade threats can only be to speed up the drive by other countries to become economically self-reliant.

Prof. Michael Hudson is a veteran of Wall Street and Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC). He counsels governments on finance and tax policy, and gives presentations all over the world to groups reflecting diverse academic, economic and political constituencies. https://michael-hudson.com/

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Peace and joyThere is a global war on journalism

June 15, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Bernstein: Good to speak with you again, John. Thanks for talking with us. Whats happening  not only with Julian Assange  but the future of journalism is extremely disturbing. Now we have seen high-profile arrests of journalists in Australia, France, and here in the U.S. in San Francisco, where police put a reporter in handcuffs, while they searched his house and seized his hard drive. We know Julian Assange is in maximum security and Chelsea Manning is also locked down. These are terrible times for the open flow of information.

Pilger: Well, its happening all over the world now and certainly all over that part of the world that regards itself as the enlightened. We are seeing the victimization of whistleblowers and journalists who tell the truth. There is a global war on journalism. More than that, theres a global war on dissent. The speed with which these events has happened is quite remarkable since April 11th when Julian Assange was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London by police. Since then, police have moved against journalists in the United States, in Australia, spectacularly, in Latin America. Its as if somebody has waved a green flag.

Credico: I was thinking by now that Assange would be out. Didnt you think at this point that he would be out of the dire situation that he was in when I last saw him two years ago?

Pilger: Im reluctant to be a futurist. I did think a political deal might have been done. Now looking back, that was naive in the extreme because the very opposite was planned for Julian Assange. There is an Assange Precedent at work all over the world. In Australia there was a raid on the public broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, where the federal police marched in with warrants, one of which gave them the authority to delete, change and appropriate the material of journalists. It was one of the most blatant attacks on journalistic freedom and indeed on freedom of speech that I can remember. We saw even Rupert Murdochs News Corporation attacked.

The political editor of one of Murdochs papers, The Sunday Telegraph, watched as her house was ransacked and her personal belongings, intimate belongings, rifled. She had reported on the extent of official spying on Australians by the Australian government. Something similar has happened in France where [President Emmanuel] Macrons police have moved against journalists on the magazine, Disclose.

Assange predicted this while he was being smeared and abused. He was saying that the world was changing and that so-called liberal democracies were becoming autocracies. A democracy that sends its police against journalists and carries away their notes and hard drives simply because those journalists have revealed what governments have not wanted people to know is not a democracy.

Credico: You know, John, some of the mainstream media here in the U.S. and I guess in the U.K., now that their ox is possibly being gored, have suddenly come out in defense of Assange particularly on the use of the Espionage Act and the gathering of information. I dont want to denounce them for waiting so long but why did they wait so long and what kind of help can they offer at this point and what should they do since they are in the crosshairs, as well?

Pilger: Lets look at who is actually in the crosshairs. WikiLeaks co-published the Afghanistan and Iraq War Logs in 2010, in collaboration with a range of media organizations: Der Spiegelin Germany, The New York Times, the Guardian and Espresso. The co-publishers of the Iraq material were also Al Jazeera, Le Monde, the Bureau of Investigative Journalismin London, Channel 4s Dispatches in London, the Iraq Body Count project in the U.K., RUV (Iceland), SVT (Sweden) and so it goes on.

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Theres a list of individual journalists who reported this and worked with Assange. They echoed his work; they were collaborators in the literal sense. Im looking at a list right now: On The New York Timesthere is Mark Mazzetti, Jane Perlez, Eric Schmitt, Andrew W. Lehren, C. J. Chivers, Carlotta Gall, Jacob Harris, Alan McLean. On the Guardian there is Nick Davies, David Leigh, Declan Walsh, Simon Tisdall  and so it goes on. All these journalists are in the crosshairs. I dont believe that many will find themselves in the dire straits in which Julian Assange finds himself because they dont present a danger to the system that has reacted against Assange and Chelsea Manning; but they have, prima facie, committed the same crime, that is, publishing documents that the U.S. government did not want made public. In other words, they are as guilty as Assange of journalism.

That applies to hundreds of journalists if not thousands all over the world. The WikiLeaks disclosures were, if not co-published, were picked up by newspapers and journals and investigative programs on television all over the world. That makes all the journalists involved, all the producers, all the presenters, all of them complicit. And, of course, the hounding of Assange and the intimidation of others make a mockery of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which says that you have every right to publish; you have every right to publish and be damned. Its one of the demonstrably noble principles of the U.S. Constitution that has been thrown away completely. And whats ironic is that the journalists who looked down on Assange, even maintained he was not a journalist, are now running for cover because not only is he a journalist of the highest order he is a far more conscientious journalist than most of them. He  and they in his shadow  were doing a basic job of journalism. Thats why I call it a global war on journalism and the precedent of Julian Assange is unlike anything we have seen.

Bernstein: John I want to sort of pick up where you left off with Randy and I want to unpack more and deepen peoples understanding of exactly who Julian Assange is and the, if you will, the beat that he chose for his work. How would you describe Julian Assanges beat and the people he chose to work with?

Pilger: When I first met Julian Assange, I asked him, Whats WikiLeaks all about, what are you doing here? He described very clearly the principle of transparency. In fact, he was describing the principle of free speech: that we have a right to know. We have a right to know what our governments are doing in our name. He wasnt saying that there is a right to endanger people. He was saying that in the normal business of liberal democracies, we have a right to know what our governments are doing for us, at times conspiring against us, in our name. We have the right to know the truth that they tell in private which are so often translated into untruths in public. That transparency, he said, was a moral principle. That is the why of WikiLeaks. He believes it passionately and, of course, that should strike a chord with every authentic journalist, because thats what we all should believe.

What the Assange case has shown us is that this war on journalism, this war on dissent, has yet to enter the political bloodstream. None of the candidates now running for the presidency of the United States has mentioned it. None of the Democrats have uttered it. We dont expect the Trump gang to talk about principles like this but there is some naive hope that maybe some of the Democrats might. None of them has.

Bernstein: [What does it say when] Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning; a publisher and one of the most significant military whistleblowers of our time, are in jail and locked down?

Pilger: They want to get their hands on Julian Assange because he protected his source and they want to get their hands on Chelsea Manning because she, being the source, has refused to lie about Julian Assange. Shes refused to implicate him. Shes refuses to say there is a conspiracy between them. These two exemplify the very best of truth telling in the modern era. Weve been bereft of the likes of Assange and Chelsea Manning.

Yes, theres been some fine investigative reporting and disclosures but we have to reach back to the caliber of Daniel Ellsberg to appreciate what Chelsea and Julian, these two heroic figures, what theyve given us and why theyre being persecuted.

If we allow their persecution, so much is lost. The intimidation and suppression will work on all our lives. In the media that once abused Assange, I detect fear. You read some of these editorials by those who once attacked Julian Assange and smeared him, such as in the Guardian, and you see their fear that they may be next. You read famous columnists like Katie Benner in The New York Times, who attacked Assange and now sees a threat from his tormentors to all journalists. The same is true of David Corn [at Mother Jones] who now sees a threat to all of journalism. They are justified in being frightened.

Credico: What was the fear of Assange? That he would have continued to work on new avenues of exposure? Why are they so afraid of Assange?

Pilger: Well, I think they were worried  are worried  that among the 2 million people in the U.S. who have a national security clearance are those whom Assange has called conscientious objectors. I once asked him to characterize the people who were using WikiLeaksto release important information. He likened them to the conscientious objectors in wartime, people of principle and peace, and I think thats quite an apt description. The authorities are worried that there are quite a few Chelseas out there. Perhaps not quite as brave or as bold as Chelsea, but who may start releasing information that undermines the whole war-making system.

Credico: Yeah I was speak to Julian about this about a year and a half ago when I was in London, about trying to make a comparison to mid-19th century Antebellum South and journalists like Elijah Lovejoy and David Walker who were murdered for exposing the brutality and destinism of slavery and I said, You know, we gotta start packaging you in that kind of light, and hes says, You know, theres a big difference, Randy. He said that, See those guys only had one, one side to deal with, thats it; the people in the South and some of the collaborators in New York that were part of the cotton shipping business. But the rest of the North pretty much was on the side of the abolitionists. I exposed the war crimes and got the conservatives upset with me. And then I exposed misbehavior, malfeasance by the Democratic Party. So, I target everybody, I dont exempt anybody so it doesnt apply to me.

And thats whats happened here. [You see it in the small size of the protests on his behalf.] I was at a demonstration the other day, a small little protest for Assange in front of the British embassy, and only half a dozen people were there, a few more the previous week. Hes not generating that kind of interest thus far. And you had people walking by saying, Assange is a traitor. I mean, they are so disinformed and I want to go to this quote that you quoted, Vandana Shiva, in your book Freedom Next Time, she talked about the insurrection of subjugated knowledge, can you talk about that?

Pilger: Vandana Shiva is the great Indian environmentalist and political activist whose books on the threat of monoculture are landmarks, especially the threat of the multinational agri-power companies that impose themselves on vulnerable, rural societies like India. She described an insurrection of subjugated knowledge. It is a fine truism. I have long believed that the truth resides in a metaphorically subterranean world and above that is all the noise: the noise of the accredited politicians, the noise of the accredited media, those who appear to be speaking for those below. Now and then, truth tellers emerge from below. Take the Australian war correspondent, Wilfred Burchett, who was the first to reach Hiroshima after the atomic bombing. His report appeared on the front of his newspaper The Daily Expressin London which said, I write this as a warning to the world. He was warning about nuclear weapons. Everything was thrown at Burchett to smear and discredit him. The New York Times correspondent was leading this: the same New York Times correspondent who denied that people were suffering effects of radioactivity: that people had died only from the blast. He was later found to be in bed with the U.S. authorities. Wilfred Burchett suffered smears over most of his career. As all whistleblowers do  those who are affronted by the indecency of something they discovered perhaps in a corporation they work for, or within a government  they believe that the public has a right to know the truth.

The Guardian, which turned on Julian Assange with such viciousness having been one of WikiLeaks media partners, back in the 80s published the disclosures of a Foreign Office official who had sent them the plans of the U.S. to install medium-range Cruise missiles throughout Europe. The Guardian published this and was duly praised as a paper of disclosure and principle. But when the government went to the courts and a judge demanded the paper hand over the documents that would reveal who the whistleblower was  instead of the editor doing as editors are meant to do, standing up for principle and saying, No, I will not reveal my source  the paper betrayed its source. Her name is Sarah Tisdall and she went to prison as a result. So, whistleblowers have to be extraordinarily brave, heroic people. When you look at the likes of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, its as if the full force of the American national security state backed by its so-called allies has been imposed on them. Julian represents an example that they must make because if they dont make an example of Julian Assange, journalists might even be encouraged to do their job and that job means telling the public what they have a right to know.

Credico: Very well said. In your preface or introduction in your book, Freedom Next Time, you also quote Harold Pinter and his Nobel Prize speech in which he talked about the vast tapestry of lies that we feed on and he goes on and says that American crimes were superficially recorded, let alone documented, let alone acknowledged. This is something that Julian Assange has broken out of that mode, big time, and he has exposed war crimes by the U.S. and whatever kind of shenanigans the State Department has perpetrated. You talk about Harold Pinter, what a great influence hes been.

Harold Pinter was comparing our view of the Soviet Union and of Stalins crimes with Americas crimes; he was saying the main difference was that we know about the scale of Stalins crimes and know little about Washingtons. He was saying that the vast silence that enveloped our crimes  when I say, our crimes, I mean those of the United State  meant, as he said, memorably, These crimes didnt happen, they didnt even happen when they were happening, they were of no interest, they didnt matter.

We have to rid ourselves of these double standards, surely. We have just had a unctuous celebration of June the 6th, D-Day. That was an extraordinary invasion in which many soldiers took part and laid down their lives but it didnt win the war. The Soviet Union actually won the war but the Russians werent even represented, werent even invited or spoken of. It didnt happen, as Pinter would say. It didnt matter. But Donald Trump was there, lecturing the world on war and peace. It is truly gruesome satire. This silence, these omissions, run right across our newspaper  right across the BB  as if its even a semblance of the truth, and its not.

Bernstein:I want to pick it up with Wilfred Burchett and the implications, and the enormous responsibility that these big-time journalists have for allowing terrible things to go on unnoticed, based on issues of patriotism and claims of national security. Im thinking, they had to shut down Willfred Burchett because that could have opened the whole door about how dangerous nuclear weapons and nuclear power is, exploding the myth of the peaceful atom.

Pilger: Thats very true, Dennis, and it also undermined the moral plans of the Good War, the Second World War which ended with these two great crimes  the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki after Japan posed no threat. Credible historians now dont tell us the fairytales that these atomic bombs were needed to end the war. So, its destroyed in many respects the great moral mission of the war.

It not only did that, it declared, the atomic bombing, that a new war was beginning, a Cold War, although it could very well have turned very quickly into a hot war with the Soviet Union.And it was saying we that is the United States and its allies like Britain  had nuclear weapons and were prepared to use them. Thats the key: Were prepared to use them. And the United States is the only country that has ever used them against another country.

Of course it then went on to test them throughout the United Nations Trust territory, which was meant to be held in trust by the United Nations in the Marshall Islands, setting off many Hiroshimas over a period of 12 years. We didnt know anything about that at the time. And how much do we know about the development of nuclear warheads that President Obama got underway and committed something like a trillion dollars that President Trump has certainly carried on.

And those treaties that offered some fragile defense against a nuclear holocaust, treaties with the Soviet Union such as the intermediate-range weapons treaty torn up by this administration. One thing leads to another. This is truth telling.

Bernstein:I want to come back to remind people of the kind of structure that Julian Assange created at WikiLeaks to protect whistleblowers. This is crucial because weve seen now other journalists being a little more careless and we see sources being tracked down, arrested, and facing major jail time. And I think this is the way that Julian Assange honored whistleblowers by protecting them is a crucial part of who he is and what he did.

Pilger: He invented a system whereby it was impossible to tell who the source was and it allowed people to use a letterbox drop to leak material without their identity being disclosed. The WikiLeaks system gives them that protection. Its probably that that has so enraged those who are pursuing him. It means that people of conscience within governments, within systems, who are troubled like Chelsea Manning who was deeply troubled by what she saw, have the opportunity to tell the world without fearing that their identity will be exposed. Unfortunately, Chelsea revealed her identity to somebody who betrayed her. It is anunprecedented means of getting the truth out.

Bernstein:John, please tell us about your recent visit with Assange at Belmarsh maximum security prison in Great Britain. How is he holding up?

Pilger: I would like to say one thing about Julian personally. I saw Julian in Belmarsh prison and I got a vivid sense of what he has had to endure. I saw the resilience and courage that Ive known for many years; but now he is unwell. The pressure on him is unimaginable; most of us would have bent beneath it. So, there is an issue here of justice for this man and what he has had to take; not only the lies that were told about him in the embassy and the lies that sought a full-scale character assassination of him. The so-called respectable media fromThe New York Timesto the Guardian, all of them have reached into the mud and thrown it at him; and today he is a very vulnerable, and I would say to your listeners: He needs your support and solidarity. More than that, he deserves it.

Bernstein: Say a little more about the conditions there and why its so significant that they would treat him to a year in this kind of prison.

Pilger: Well, I suppose because of what a threat he is. Even with Julian locked away, WikiLeaks carries on. This is a maximum-security prison. Anyone in for just bail infringement  first of all, they wouldnt have been sentenced to 50 weeks as he was. They might have been given a fine and at best a month but of course this has now morphed into an extradition, a case with all these ludicrous charges coming from the indictment in Virginia. But Julian, as a person, whats always struck me hes the diametric opposite portrayed by so many of his detractors. He has a sharp intellect so hes clever, of course. Hes also gracious and hes very funny. He and I often laugh. We even managed to laugh the last time I saw him at the embassy when there were cameras all over the room, you could tell as we swapped notes and we had to cover up what we were actually writing on the pad. He managed to laugh about this. So, theres a dry, almost black humor and hes a very passionate person but his resilience has always astonished me. Ive tried to put myself in his position and I couldnt imagine it. And when I saw him in prison and we had to sit across from each other, I was with a couple of other people, when one of us went around the table just to be close to him she was told to go back by one of the guards. This is what somebody who has committed no crime, yes, hes committed the crime of journalism, and this is what he has to endure.

This item was originally broadcast by "KPFA Flashpoints " -

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Brazilian lawmaker threatens Glenn Greenwald with deportation over leaks

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Peace and joyWe know that every Father's Day, you would want to talk about your biological father, celebrate with him and make him feel special in every way possible. But guess what! How about giving some importance to the Godfathers Of Bollywood on this special day? We have grown up watching movies and every Friday, we make sure that we get ample dose of Bollywood. If you are a 'desi' at heart, I am sure you might have an idea about The Godfathers of our industry. This year, MensXP thought of celebrating Father's Day in a slightly 'filmy' way. Without Bollywood's 'tadka', everything is just incomplete, so we thought of talking about a few men in the industry who gave BIRTH to new talents. Yes, you heard it right, as we are legit talking about these 'BAAPS' of Bollywood.

Karan Johar

Call him the 'Baap Of Nepotism' or someone who's giving launchpads to star kids, Karan Johar has actually introduced us to amazing actors like Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan. He might be criticised for doing so but we do know that introducing Alia is actually a bliss to the audience. Karan Johar has been pivotal in shaping careers of various newbies in Bollywood. He's played a mentor, a guide and a godfather to them all. From Alia Bhatt to Ishaan Khatter, he has been the BAAP for them in every sense of the word.

Anurag Kashyap

He is a visionary and mentor to many who were struggling to find their path in the industry filled with competition from every nook and corner. He has been a Godfather to many aspiring filmmakers who have now made it big in the industry like Bejoy Nambiar and Vikramaditya Motwane. He has shaped the careers of actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi, and Richa Chadda. Not just actors and filmmakers, he has also given a platform to music composers like Amit Trivedi and Sneha Khanwalkar.

Mahesh Bhatt

How can we not mention Mahesh Bhatt when we talk about the ultimate Godfathers of Bollywood? Mahesh Bhatt is one of those filmmakers who has not shied away from displaying his personal life for public consumption through his movies. He has shaped careers and if you remember his movie 'Arth', you would agree with how the movie helped Shabana Azmi show the strong side of her acting skills. He has given a platform to actors like Mallika Sherawat, Emraan Hashmi, Rahul Roy, Anu Aggarwal, Gurmeet Choudhary and Sunny Leone, to name a few.

Salman Khan

Salman Khan never had any mentor or someone who guided him. Yes, he was from a filmy background but that didn't have much impact on his career. However, he has been a mentor to many newcomers and has also encouraged many fresh faces to enter the industry. It was Salman who also pushed Boney Kapoor's son Arjun Kapoor to act in 'Ishaqzaade'. He advised Arjun to lose some weight for the role in the film. He even helped Sonakshi Sinha get her big Bollywood debut. He was the one who gave Katrina Kaif a major push in her career. So, yes, he is surely the 'Mai-Baap' of many known faces in the industry.

Aamir Khan

Over these years Aamir Khan has also introduced some fresh talents to Bollywood. Aamir Khan Productions helped launch director Advait Chandan, who made his directorial debut, with 'Secret Superstar'. He is the man behind the success of Zaira Wasim in 'Secret Superstar'. The 'Dangal' Girls, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra, also got a big platform to display their craft, thanks to Aamir Khan. Not only the actors, but Aamir Khan's wife Kiran Rao also ventured into direction with 2011 film 'Dhobi Ghat' produced by Aamir Khan Productions.

On this note, we wish all the fathers a happy Father's Day.Bollywood celebrities have been elevating their cool quotient with every step and slide. From their quirky suits to classic kicks, we all have been absorbed by these trends. However, amongst others, we have Shahid Kapoor, emerging as a style icon for men, in the industry.

Apart from his overall obsessive style game, we cannot help but drool over his sneaker collection. We've collated the top 5 sneakers that he stepped out wearing, be it for his movie promotions or different brand endorsements.

Check them out and don't forget to take notes:

1. Super King Sneakers - Dolce & Gabbana

At one of the ongoing promotions for his movie 'Kabir Singh', Shahid Kapoor was seen wearing a pair of edgy Super King sneakers from Dolce & Gabbana.

 Instagram/theanisha

 Dolce & Gabbana

The sneakers cost 695 Euros, which when converted to Indian Rupees, comes around Rs 55,000.

2. Triple S Trainers - Balenciaga

The actor had been spotted wearing Balenciaga sneakers at a couple of events before also. But this pair of black and red bulky yet classy sneakers stole our hearts.

 Instagram/theanisha

 Balenciaga

Costing 870 US dollars, the pair will come down to around Rs 61,000 when converted to Indian Rupees.

3. Lace - High Top Sneakers - D.Gnak

For the trailer launch of 'Batti Gul Meter Chalu', Shahid wore these chic sneakers from D.Gnak, costing 253 US dollars, approximately Rs 18,000 in Indian Rupees.

 Instagram/theanisha

 SSENSE

The minimalist aesthetic of this bold pair definitely makes a statement in itself.

4. Jimmy Choo Raine M

A pair of white and suede leather sneakers from Jimmy Choo, is what the actor chose to wear for the music release of his upcoming film 'Kabir Singh'.

 Viral Bhayani

 Jimmy choo

The price of the sneakers will set you back by 525 Euros, that is around Rs 42,000. The beige highlights accentuate the sneakers in a very subtle, and yet extremely fashionable manner.

5. Two Tone Super King Sneakers - Dolce & Gabbana

Once again, during the promotions of 'Kabir Singh', our star pulled off an ultramodern pair from Dolce & Gabbana.

 Instragram/theanisha

 Dolce & Gabbana

The sneakers have an overall robotic vibe that we are absolutely in love with. The sneakers are worth 795 Euros, which when converted to Indian currency, comes down to Rs 63,000.

Shahid Kapoor has been making style statements every time he has stepped out. All we have for him are applauds for his exceptional fashion game.Even though Father's Day is a self-made fraction of recognising the true essence of fatherhood, it's still a day to celebrate the most fundamental relationship people share. Father's Day is a day where you remember the one person in your life who changed your world around just by their endurance towards giving you the best life. But Father's Day isn't just about biological 'fathers', to be fair. It's solemnly about a father-figure, who gives you determination and courage to face life's worst challenges and come out as a winner. Men who take a stand to become a guiding light for someone and be their voice of reason also deserve a fair chance of being acknowledged this Father's Day.

(c)Facebook

We have someone amidst us, who gave up so-called an idealistic career like being a doctor, engineer or even a businessman, in life to become a father-figure to hundreds of slum kids who needed direction and inherent care. Murphy Raphael John nurtures and takes care of children from the slum, through his trust 'Reach Out and Pass It On' and this Father's Day, let's celebrate the work he has put in to raising numerous kids, with proper education and much-needed life skills and making them stand tall and proud on their own two feet.

(c)Facebook

'Reach It Out and Pass It On' believes in empowering people just so they can empower others in the future. Murphy had never planned on doing this as a profession or even recreationally, but according to him, some things choose you and you have to go along with them. When he was in college he was actively involved in activities concerning Church Youth, a service orientated wing of the church and he used to spend a lot of time actively volunteering for various social causes. Amongst various efforts that were being made by young people, interacting with a bunch of kids, from the nearest slums was one of them.

"I always wanted to start this as a project with members from the Church Youth, but no one seemed interested. One day someone told me to stop waiting for people to come and do something on my own instead. And whoever has to come, will follow. At first it was scary, but I had a bunch of friends helping me out and we decided to do this once a week. We spent a lot of time with these kids in Central Delhi, who would sit next to the Gurudwara and the Church, and from there on everything has been very evolutionary in nature. A situation came in front, and a solution to it was our next step. We started playing, teaching and spending quality time with these kids, everyday" - said Murphy, over a conversation with him.

(c)Facebook

From thereon, after recognising what these kids really needed, things began to spiral and become bigger. At that point Murphy or his friends hadn't thought about bringing this initiative under an umbrella or a name. They would all go spend time with them, whenever they found time and have conversations with them, like they were family. Even though Murphy's friends would visit the children sporadically, Murphy made it a point to spend a few hours with them, every day. The kids in turn loved their mentors and would come every day to meet Murphy and his friends. They would indulge in conversations about life and the universe, mental math, logical reasoning, life skills and eating healthy food.

After realising the seriousness of how Murphy is impacting lives, he began to think of this project more seriously. During the monsoons, Murphy approached a school nearby to give these kids shelter while they would spend time with their mentors and when the school agreed, on an autopilot, the kids started attaining proper education, as they all got enrolled in to the school.

(c)Facebook

"We had a classroom in the school nearby and studies for these kids started. But obviously the kids never looked forward to studying, so they started running away. Which made me realise over time that street kids came to us because they got something from us, which they hadn't ever received from anyone else. They got human companionship, they got friendship, they got someone to play with them and of course their need was survival and because I was 20-years-old at the time, I could not give them that. So, I did what I thought was best. I approached the nearest slum, where these kids belonged and that's when our next phase started, where we started working with the slums."

(c)Facebook

Over time, Murphy and his team shifted to the slums and started working with the kids there. There were kids from the ages of 5 till 20, who were deeply engrossed in Murphy's teaching mechanism. Towards the end of 2010, the slum Murphy was working with got demolished without a notice that was given to the slum dwellers, so a lot of families were displaced and hadn't been rehabilitated. In such a dire time, Murphy would assemble as many children from the slums as he could and take them to a night shelter, and spend nights with them there, in harsh winters.

"Whatever money we had collected we would buy food at night and feed them, while take the children to night shelters, after seeking permission from their parents. I definitely did not give up on the slum that was demolished as I had formed a bond with the families there. As a youth, one is more fiery and driven and I kept thinking we need to do something more for these kids. And that's where the idea of starting a centre came to me. We got a place on rent, after much difficulty. We managed to find a room and in a very small space, 25 kids and I shifted in."

(c)Facebook

Even though Murphy found a temporary set-up for the kids, he used the opportunity to help them, to the hilt and made sure, he helped them with their upcoming examinations. Apart from mentoring them for their exams, Murphy also taught them other life skills like cooking, cleaning, washing utensils and clothes, etc. Murphy realised that if he had to sustain this arrangement, to help these children out, he would need some form of funding and that's where, permanency started making sense to him.

He realised in order to get donations and funding, he would need to register this ensemble as a trust, and that's when 'Reach Out and Pass It On' was born.

"The set up was temporary, but the kids and I were so attached, we didn't want to give up on it. They decided that a bigger place would make sense and with the help of few donations, we shifted to a bigger centre in Patel Nagar, and we stayed put there for the next two-and-a-half-years. The kids would go to school, we would have lunch, they would study and then I would give them money to go back home. But the kids would tell me 'Bhaiya we travel so much, we don't have time to do homework and we can't study at home', so they started staying back with me twice a week, sometimes three times a week and eventually they started staying with me every day and I was like listen your parents will kill me. So then they started going back home once a week."

(c)Facebook

Everything was just a beautiful evolution for these kids and for Murphy as well. In 2013, the centre was shifted from Patel Nagar to Ramesh Nagar and they have been there for the past 7 years now. When the centre shifted, they approached another slum nearby and kids started coming from there to be a part of this beautiful journey. Today, the centre hosts about 100 children from two different slums, who come and imbibe some life skill training and learn to be better human beings.

Reach out and Pass it On's main focus is overall development. They provide means for opportunity and whatever opportunity that can help a child with development and growth. They had a need for education, so they provided education through people who would volunteer to come and teach at the centre. They needed space to learn and grow, so a space was taken up, to accommodate everyone. A lot of kids have talent, so the centre found ways to befit that by enrolling kids in crafts, music, dance, sports, cooking and baking, etc. Workshops are conducted on health and hygiene, personality development and values.

"We don't want to just create educated people. We want to create good people. We don't want just literacy, but people who have a sane head on their shoulders. and that's what the name 'Reach Out and Pass it On' means. Whatever you learn you need to pass it on. You can't just hoard it for yourself. So, if you built people to be capable and confident, then they will find their way in life."

(c)Facebook

The children come to the centre at the age of 10-11 and they are there till they go to college. When they reach grade 12th, they're given the option of either leaving the centre or staying. The ones who stay are the ones who volunteer and pass on their leanings to younger children in the centre. They're also involved with the running of the centre, by helping with daily accounts and the upkeep of the centre, which is a beautiful practice to actually pay it forward. We seldom indulge in paying back what we've truly learnt from the world and that's what Reach Out and Pass It On emphasises on.

''My first batch of kids, one girl did her English honours and now is a choreographer at Danceworx. I had two boys who completed their sociology honours. One gave a bank exam for Axis and got a placement there. The other one did his masters in social design and he will soon be graduating and getting a job in the social development sector. One of the students did economic honours and is now preparing for government exams."

(c)Facebook

The organisation does a lot of fundraising and purely sustains itself through donations and charitable events. They have been receiving funds through these means since the longest time and they've done well for themselves so far. So, in case you're looking for a good charity or a trust to donate to, Reach Out and Pass it On is an ideal choice.

Murphy has formed an incredible and inevitable circuit of 'doers', who pass on the good in them, to help other people perceive it and on Father's Day, all we can learn from this is the true meaning of gratitude and solidarity, along with a lot of trust and fun. Murphy has been a guiding light for several kids on the streets and it's time to learn something from his experience and impart it to people who really need to be shown and given a direction.

(c)Facebook

''Parenting is a full time job. I've put the wheel in motion. Children come, they're with us. They learn various things and then they choose a path. I try my level best to find a path best suited to these kids and give them an option of what they like to do. Eventually I want them to grow up to be good people, be a part of the world and make friends. This is my sole aim for these children," Murphy signed off.Home Search ICH Arab Governments harm their own interests by kow-towing to Trump By Abdel Bari Atwan June 15, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - It was baffling to hear that Egypt, Jordan and Morocco  according to a US official quoted by Reuters have accepted the Trump US administrations invitation to attend this months Peace to Prosperity conference in Bahrain. Baffling, but not necessarily surprising. Some Arab rulers are incapable of seeing the changes taking place in the region, or of understanding them if they do see them. The news was baffling because these three countries have constantly reiterated, on every conceivable occasion, that they will never accept any deal for the Palestinians that the Palestinian people themselves do not accept, and will reject whatever they reject. How, then, can they decide to take part in a conference aimed at abolishing the Palestinians rights, and which is rejected unanimously by Palestinians of all political stripes? This is an act of abject capitulation to the Trump administration and a tacit endorsement of its Deal of the Century. Do these governments really think that the Arab public is too gullible to see that? There was good reason to suppose the three governments would hold back from agreeing to attend the Bahrain conference, in which only two Arab countries, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are willingly taking part. They have no interest in conferring legitimacy on the gathering, and are opposed to the deal it is designed to promote, as it entails losing parts of their territory and serves Israeli schemes for the establishment of Greater Israel. But how wrong that rational supposition proved to be. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter It should be utterly unthinkable for Arab states to fall into line behind a plan devised by an arrogant brat like Jared Kushner, whose only qualifications are that he is the presidents son-in law and his criminally convicted father is Benjamin Netanyahus chum. These countries have spent decades demanding the application of international law and UN resolutions to the Question of Palestine. Who is Kushner to trash all that at a stroke, convene conferences to liquidate the central Arab cause and one of the most just in history, and summon Arab rulers to come scurrying along to attend? To call this humiliating is to put it mildly. For an Arab capital even to be hosting a discussion of this deal is humiliation enough. It underlines the sheer extent to which the Arab world has declined in recent years. While other regional players are on the ascendant, drawing legitimacy from upholding Arab rights and championing the Palestinian cause, we Arabs are colluding in plans to liquidate that cause and perpetuate the occupation of Arab lands. And while world powers are beginning to join forces to challenge US political and economic hegemony and arrogance, we Arabs are kow-towing to the most brazenly anti-Arab and anti-Muslim US administration yet. Some Arab regime apologists argue that they are only attending the Bahrain conference as an information-gathering exercise: to find out what is going on and what the Americans are planning, the better to know what steps to take to counter those plans. This is the same self-deluding submissiveness that has led us to where we are today and turned us into a laughing-stock the world over. Is there a single Palestinian or Arab child who doesnt know what the Deal of the Century or its purpose is? These and other Arab governments need not delude themselves about one thing: The Palestinian people are not about to raise the white flag of surrender. Against all the odds, they have been standing fast and developing new methods of resistance. Their will is unbroken, and they have been left with nothing to lose. They are supported by the axis of resistance that has emerged in the region to fill the vacuum created by official Arab capitulation, and is gradually overturning the balance of power. But they are reliant essentially on themselves. Even while being starved and besieged, they have been largely alone in the Arab world in resisting the deal and standing up to American bullying. And despite much pressure and advice, they have refused even to meet with Trumps envoys, at a time when supposedly sovereign Arab rulers vie for a chance to kiss his hands and feet. There are the makings of an impending new Palestinian intifada in all this. The recent incident in Nablus  when members of the Palestinian security forces defied standing orders and opened fire on Israeli troops who attacked their headquarters, expecting them to submit as usual  was telling. It may have been limited, but it was a sign that change is coming. The Palestinians have begun breaking free of the Oslo straightjacket and the fiction of an Arab peace initiative. They are regaining their strength, and are capable of foiling the Deal of the Century and the US-Israeli scheme for the region, supported by the vast majority of Arab and Islamic peoples. Dont say you werent warned. Arab and Western leaders belittled the people of Yemen and their capacity to resist. They expected them to be defeated and surrender within a matter of weeks. But here they are, four years into the devastating war launched against their country, turning the tables and achieving miraculous feats of resistance. The same can be said of the people of Algeria, Sudan, Syria and Iraq. All have shown and are showing in their different ways that they are still capable of taking the initiative and foiling attempts to force them into submission. Let the Arab governments go to the Manama conference, just as they went to the earlier normalisation conference in Warsaw. Let them squander billions more dollars complying with Trump and Kushners dictates. It will only bring them failure, shame and contempt. Just wait and see. This article was originally published by " This article was originally published by " Raialyoum " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Bombs made by Chicago company killed Gaza civilians Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Information Clearing House has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is Information ClearingHouse endorsed or sponsored by the originator.) Privacy Statement The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.BAD AXE  Its as boring as watching the grass grow.

But, quite literally, residents will need to eye their lawns this spring and summer to avoid a ticket and hefty fines when it comes time to pay tax bills.

Grass exceeding 10 inches tall anywhere in the city is considered a nuisance and is unlawful, according to the citys ordinance, enacted in 1999.

If we have to mow it, we charge $200, said Dale VanDeVusse, city manager.

Police notify residents in violation and tell them they have 14 days to cut the overgrown lawn. If not cut within that time, a fine of at least $50 is issued per city ordinance and a department of public works employee is sent to cut the grass. A flat rate of $200 is charged, which appears on the residents next tax bill.

Bad Axe Police Chief David Rothe said the city has a problem with overgrown grass, but that its taken care of once addressed by the police department.

Uncut grass makes the whole neighborhood look bad, Rothe said.

Rothe said he couldnt recall ever writing a ticket for those found in violation, but the department receives a handful of complaints every year, mostly in regard to vacant or rental homes.

Police and the city rely mostly on residents making complaints of overgrown lots, instead of actively monitoring residents lawns or going so far as to measure grass  which Mayville Police Chief Tony Coln had begun doing weeks ago at lawns in Tuscola County, where officers continue to patrol by bicycle.

The approach isnt near as hard-hitting or watchful in Bad Axe. Up until four years ago, the police department had a blight enforcement officer tasked with monitoring junk vehicles in yards, overgrown lawns and dilapidated houses, Rothe said.

But times change.

Were short two guys than what we were from four years ago, he said. Sometimes the blight ordinance gets overlooked.

Vacant lots and rental units commonly field overgrown landscapes. The tall grass and weeds and unkempt lawns create problems with varmints and other wildlife, Rothe said.

Maxine Wolfe has lived in her Irwin Street home since 1980. Across the street, a house has been for sale for years and blades of grass reach higher than any other lawn nearby  the first time in almost 35 years Wolfe said she has seen the lawn overgrown.

They always kept it up, she said of previous occupants.

Wolfe said overgrown lawns take away from the value of the neighborhood, and contribute to problems with unwelcomed wildlife.

We have skunks and the critters that get under your house, Wolfe said. They could be raccoons and gophers.

Wolfe recently had a hip replacement and must rest, under doctors orders, as she has for the past two weeks until fully healed. She enjoys peering out the tall windows of her living room, which give a view of the tall grass across the street.

It would be nice if they got it cut, because really, how long does it take to mow that? Wolfe said. About 15 minutes.

Wolfes home is just a few doors down from Our Savior Lutheran Church.

The lawn should be groomed for the holidays and church services on Sunday, she said. Im the old school. Its just out of respect.

City Manager VanDeVusse said city workers have maintained a couple lawns so far this season.

Were mowing two lawns right now and they happen to be foreclosures, VanDeVusse said. Its just unsightly. If you keep properties cleaned and well-maintained, you typically dont have issues with wildlife or anything else.

Rothe said residents also should be mindful of an ordinance prohibiting grass clippings being placed at the curb, as the debris can enter and eventually plug drains. Residents can leave anonymous tips with the police department by calling 989-269-9242.Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

HADDAM  An East Hampton motorcyclist was killed Saturday night in the crash that has shut down a section of Route 154.

The motorcyclist, Raymond Kuritz, 24, was thrown from his bike and crashed into a mailbox and utility pole around 8 p.m. Saturday, according to state police.The case of missing New Canaan mother Jennifer Dulos has been the subject of intense public interest since the 50-year-old mother of five was last seen the morning of May 24.

But there are more than 200 other names of people from Connecticut in a national database of more than 16,000 missing persons, with some of the states cases dating back more than six decades.

The database, called NamUs  the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System  launched in 2008 to help provide access to authorities and the public in missing persons cases. It was updated last May and is managed by the University of North Texas Health Science Center, with oversight by the National Institute of Justice.

The disappearance of Jennifer Dulos is being investigated as a missing persons case, although authorities said there were signs of a serious physical assault with blood spatter found in the garage of her New Canaan home.

Her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, 51, and his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, 44, have been charged with tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in connection with the disappearance.

For the past three weeks, local, state and federal authorities have conducted numerous searches throughout Connecticut, including using cadaver dogs trained to detect human remains and dive teams plunging into two upstate ponds.

We will not rest until we find Jennifer, New Canaan Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said Friday.

Connecticut municipalities with most missing people in NamUs database Hartford 14 East Hartford 11 New Haven 11 West Haven 11 Bloomfield 10 Stamford 10 New Britain 8 Waterbury 8 West Hartford 8 Bridgeport 6 Middletown 6 Danbury 5 New London 5 See More Collapse

Dulos name is the second most recent from Connecticut added to the federal missing persons database.

The newest is Star Rodriguez, a 15-year-old from West Hartford last seen May 31. Rodriguez is not believed to be in danger, according to her listing on the database, and is known to frequent her boyfriends home in Plainville.

The oldest case is Connie Christine Smith, who was last seen walking Route 44 in Salisbury on July 16, 1952 after leaving a summer camp she was attending.

Smith would be 76 today  and the case still garners attention, theories and suspects.

A body found in the Grand Canyon eight years after her disappearance could be Smiths, but tests done at the time were inconclusive and the body was reburied. Though Smiths family provided a DNA sample for her in 2004, Arizona investigators have been unable to unearth the remains discovered in 1958.

The Smith case has received periodic attention for more than 60 years since she went missing.

Between 6,000 and 7,000 people are reported missing each year in Connecticut. While most return home unharmed, others can easily slip through the cracks since the state does not have its own missing persons database and relies on NamUs. The Connecticut state police database contains Amber and Silver alerts and the cases they are investigating.

The State Police are sort of the clearinghouse, Connecticut Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane said earlier this year. There is no clearinghouse, but state and local police have protocols theyve worked on and POST (Police Officer Standards and Training Council) has a well-established protocol.

NamUs can be searched by name, state, gender or a variety of other categories. Each profile usually has a short summary of the disappearance, a description of the person and contact information for the investigating agency.

Some Connecticut cases have garnered headlines, but then fade from public consciousness, punctuated by occasional calls for information from police, family members, or media.

Like that of Robert Hoagland, a Newtown father who disappeared in 2013 and was the subject of a handful of apparent sightings. A TV documentary made three years later explored theories in the case.

Of Connecticuts 203 cases in the database, 50 are from New Haven County, 38 are from Fairfield County, 12 are from Middlesex County, and four are from Litchfield County.

The youngest missing person from the state is Andrea Reyes, who was 1 when she was allegedly abducted in 1999 by her mother, Rosa Tenorio, for whom a felony arrest warrant was signed in 2009. Authorities believe Reyes, who would now be 21, is living in Mexico.

Another still-unsolved infant missing persons case is that of Jovonna Stacey Crawford, a 21-month-old who disappeared from her familys home in the P.T. Barnum housing complex on June 5, 1981.

Her mothers then-boyfriend was caring for her and said he gave her to a 10-year-old boy to be taken to another relatives home. She has never been seen since. The boyfriend served 10 months in prison in connection with Crawfords disappearance but maintains his innocence.

The oldest person from Connecticut listed in the database is also one of the most baffling cases: Thomas Drew was 91 when he disappeared from his Salisbury home in July 2007.

Drews part-time caretaker told police that he walked out of his home while she was watching a movie. When the caretaker left the house about 15 minutes later to retrieve him, Drew, reportedly a frail man who had trouble moving and suffered from Alzheimers, was nowhere to be found.

Extensive searches of the area by police turned up no trace of Drew, a retired fashion designer who is still officially listed as missing more than a decade after his disappearance.

Meanwhile, family and friends of Jennifer Dulos remain hopeful someone can provide a break in her case.

Jennifers family, friends, and above all her children are living in limbo  missing her embrace, her lilting laugh, her bedtime back rubs, her gentle strength, they said in a statement released last week. Please know that the children are safe and loved and supported in every respect. But more than anything in the world, they long to know where their mother is.

Someone has information about Jennifers disappearance or her whereabouts.Christmas was not supposed to go this way.

An elementary school student named Anjelita Estrada, who recently moved to Cheshire with her mother and stepfather, committed suicide on Dec. 23, 2018. She was 11.

The death of Anjelita, a child remembered as funny and charismatic, devastated the Cheshire community. It also put renewed focus on the issue of bullying, after family members told authorities she had been tormented at school. They believed that to be the reason she decided to take her life.

During the just-ended legislative session, it mobilized lawmakers to review a law that requires school districts to report instances of bullying. It is not clear that the statute, enacted in 2002, last updated in 2011, has succeeded in its primary purpose: reducing instances in which children dread going to school to face ridicule or worse from their peers.

The law has serious flaws, which were made clear during a Hearst Connecticut review of state records and interviews with experts in the field. For one, it defines bullying as a series of repeated acts over time against one student, but does not specify what frequency qualifies as repeated, leaving it up to the discretion of each district. As a result, reporting varies greatly from town to town, and cases like Anjelitas often do not register with state officials tracking bullying.

Statewide data show bullying rates fell from 1,233 cases in 2013-14, to 820 the following year. The cases then dipped even further to 795 and 794, increasing again last year to 872. To experts, the low numbers are not a sign of progress, but a troubling indicator that bullying cases go underreported.

State records reveal the number of verified cases often is lower than experts say is accurate. For example, Stamford Public Schools, with a population of 16,802 kids, reported 14 cases of bullying last year. Greenwich  which is facing a lawsuit from parents who contend their son committed suicide in 2013 after suffering prolonged bullying  with a population of 9,113 kids, reported 7 verified acts. Fairfield, with a population of 9,825 kids, reported 4 verified acts. Bristol and New Haven, with populations of 7,997 and 21,518 respectively, reported almost equal cases of bullying, 19 and 20, respectively.

New Britain, with a population of 10,179, reported 118 cases. New Canaan, with a population of 4,171, reported 2 cases last year.

The variability to me was really unbelievable, said Faith Vos Winkel, a member of the Office of the Child Advocate who specializes in child fatality and prevention. It made some sense. If no one is going to tell (a district) what repeated over time is, you have districts with no bullying, and districts with a lot of bullying.

Vos Winkel, who worked with legislators during the recent session on the issue of school climate, said the discrepancy is a result of how districts capture and report data. Districts with no bullying are no better than districts showing a lot of bullying, she said. The one with fewer reported cases is just coming up with its own definition of repeated over time.

During the 2019 legislative session, the state House and the Senate unanimously passed Bill No. 7215, which redefines bullying as a single act that is direct or indirect and severe, persistent or pervasive. It then borrows language about the effects of bullying from current law: The act has to cause physical or emotional harm to an individual, place an individual in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm, or infringe on the rights or opportunities of an individual at school.

The bill awaits the signature of Gov. Ned Lamont, who has 15 days to sign it after he receives it this month.

Its a lot of terminology, said Charlene Russell-Tucker, chief operating officer for the state Department of Education. What does it look like? Will you recognize it when you see it?

Vague definitions, low numbers

No one thing leads someone to commit suicide. In Anjelitas case, police reports indicate there were tensions at home in addition to bullying she experienced at school. Immediately before Anjelita died, she fought with a family member, police officers wrote in their report. She was found alone in her bedroom 30-40 minutes later, unresponsive. Officers found no signs of foul play. Whether or not these tensions factored in her decision, or if there were other, yet unknown influences, is impossible to say.

But family members are steadfast in their belief that bullying played a role in her death. Family members whom police interviewed said Anjelita felt bullied in school because she is Hispanic. A child reportedly told her Mexicans shouldnt come across the border, while another group of girls reportedly formed a group called the Scangees, a shortened form of Scary Angees, based on a nickname.

Under the current law, Public Act 11-232, which Governor Dan Malloy signed in July 2011, the district would have had to determine Anjelitas alleged tormentors repeatedly harmed her physically or emotionally, or damaged her property, through communications, acts or gestures for her ordeal to qualify as bullying.

The new bill, introduced this past session by state Rep. Liz Linehan (D-Cheshire), recognizes that abusive treatment doesnt have to be repeated to be damaging.

One act can be significant and traumatizing, Vos Winkel said. I think in the end, we have a product that will help guide schools.

Proponents of the bill hope it effectively clarifies the definition of bullying and pushes schools to intervene more quickly.

This idea of repeated over time, in particular, you could drive a train through that definition, Vos Winkel said. Weve heard from people for quite a while that that was a real problem.

Linehan said the definition was easily manipulated so that districts would not have to call what they saw bullying, and incidents would not have to be reported.

In recent years, some district school boards have caught on, and said the numbers in their schools are too low to be true.

Last year, the Bridgeport Board of Education slammed school administrators for underreporting cases of bullying  in 2017-18, the district reported 19 verified cases and 71 cases that were investigated.

The school board heralded the numbers this year as more real  from fall 2018 to March 2019, there were 327 accusations of bullying reported throughout the district. Of those, 43 were verified.

Some Shelton Board of Education members also contested the data their district collected. In Shelton during 2017-18 there were 10 verified instances of bullying among some 4,925 students. At the time, school officials attributed the low number in part to the state definition.

Im not surprised that that continues to be a disconnect over what should be reported and how, Russell-Tucker said. Theres a level of discrepancy between what people encounter and what a district finds.

For that reason, Russell-Tucker emphasized training on definitions and reporting. Were constantly looking at data quality, she said. Thats a big part of the work, in working directly with districts.

Legislators craft the law, but the state department is charged with implementation. Following the 2011 update, the department has provided districts with training in addition to resources for addressing classroom behavior and introducing restorative practices.

To implement the new law and the change in definition, the state department will need a roundup of what kinds of acts need to be reported, she said.

Parent education

In Anjelitas case, her teachers and parents agreed that she was the victim of bullying. But sometimes, parents and school building leaders differ over what bullying looks like, and if the school is handling it appropriately.

Greenwich parent Nerlyn Pierson, who sits on the North Street School Safe School Climate Committee, said what constitutes bullying can be a source of confusion and disagreement for parents.

When a potential bullying situation arises, parents are vocal, but often need to be educated on what bullying is, Pierson said.

Once a parent or child reports an incident of potential bullying, administrators are supposed to conduct an investigation. Many times, they determine the child at fault exhibits behavior that needs to be addressed, but it does not rise to the level of bullying, she said.

Even situations that arent deemed bullying are taken seriously and addressed by schools, Pierson said. And if a parent sees that is happening, then theyll feel taken seriously and that things are being addressed.

Within the law, individual school systems craft their own practices for dealing with the problem. In Meriden Public Schools  where a suicide that occurred in the early 2000s motivated passage of the original state bullying law  professionals navigate the ambiguous definition by intercepting bad behavior early.

Al Larson, an educational psychologist in Meriden schools, said he investigates many reports that are students with conflicts  over-using the term bullying.

Still, students in the district take a confidential climate survey in which they answer questions, including if they are often hit or threatened or if mean rumors are spread about them. If students report any of these incidents, the survey software sends automated emails to school psychologists, social workers and administrators.

Some of these incidents constitute bullying; others, problems that could eventually become bullying, so professionals call them pre-bullying incidents, investigate them and counsel the implicated students.

I believe these trigger email investigations prevent future bullying and improve school climate, Larson said.

The number of suspensions for bullying in the district has decreased from 18 suspensions in 2012-13 to 4 in 2017-18. The number of trigger emails has increased since then, from 373 in the fall of 2012 to 577 in the fall of 2017.

Meriden has been paving the way, Linehan said. We want to figure out a way to make (the survey) state-wide.

Generally, schools follow protocol and do a thorough job, in investigating reports of bullying, said Connecticut lawyer Mark Sherman, who specializes in bullying cases.

The problem is really, that parents need to know there is a formal and fair process, Sherman said. And they dont have that confidence yet.

When parents suspect that the process is not being followed, Sherman and others like him step in. He said he receives two calls a week from parents about cases of bullying going unaddressed.

In those cases, he said, parents feel their voices arent being heard.

Anjelitas teacher at Doolittle School had reported bullying issues involving Anjelita (as the victim) to the school administration in the weeks etc. prior to her death, according to police reports. Two instances were digitally submitted to the schools administration via Google Docs in a Bully Log.

With legislators poised to change the law, Sherman welcomed the change in definition.

This law makes it clearer, he said. Itll certainly trigger more complaints.

The bill also defines a positive school climate, emotional intelligence and social and emotional learning, three components experts say help prevent bullying. Russell-Tucker applauded the specific requirements the new bill contains for a school climate advisory collaborative, screenings for students who may be at risk for suicide and state-wide school climate surveys.

Von Winkel calls the bill a framework for thinking about wellness and wellbeing for kids. She hopes school systems will not just check boxes by reporting and bringing in experts, and will instead find ways to change their culture.

Lets stop counting, she said. Can we just all agree that we want to have an environment that is safe and secure and kids are being supported? Maybe the time will come that we can get rid of counting because everyone has a state-of-the-art framework.

Linehan said the original version of her bill had a provision that actually eliminated the reporting mandate, in hopes it would get schools to treat each instance of bullying more seriously. The provision was removed in committee, but she plans to reintroduce it in a newer version during the next session.

I firmly believe that districts are hesitant to call bullying bullying because reporting to the state department puts a stain on their schools, she said. Instead of getting to the root cause, their only concern is how the school is viewed. Ultimately, the belief is that this effects housing values.

Have hope

With financial support raised on GoFundMe, Anjelitas father Anthony paid to have her brought home to New Mexico, where she lived most of her life, and buried. Afterward, he had one request.

Get our message out there and maybe we can save another childs life, the father, who now lives in Arizona, wrote on the page. Just maybe we can keep another family from having to suffer this pain.

Linehan pledged to do just that. I will honor Anjelita by fighting for change in her memory, she wrote on GoFundMe. My heart aches for your family, and I promise that your sweet angel will make a difference in the lives of other children.

Vos Winkel, who calls Anjelita Angie, is reviewing her case as part of a thematic review of recent child deaths by suicide to make recommendations to the state.

Suicide isnt just about one thing, she said. Theres a tipping point.

Kids experience pressures to keep up in school, have friends and fit in; they have disagreements with their parents; their peers say nasty things to them; and now, they worry about their social media appearance, which just confounds their other concerns, Vos Winkel said.

And because their brains are not fully developed, children are impulsive. They commit suicide because they think, I cant bear this right now.

People need to feel optimistic about themselves, about the future, Vos Winkel said. If we can get people to feel optimistic, to feel that tomorrow will be better.

jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.comHello, Im Henry Timms.

I secretly wish Timms had to add an identifier just to see which one he would select. The four words reveal merely his English origins. As guest of honor at this Thursday evening dinner, he need only offer a handshake.

I introduce myself as an editorial page editor with Hearst Connecticut newspapers. Timms replies Oh, Steve Swartz is on our board.

I make a tepid joke about his choice for common ground being the top person in my company, but Im more interested in his board reference.

The our in question is Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, which just appointed Timms as its president and CEO. A lofty title, but it has stiff competition for most intriguing line on Timms resume.

I turn to introduce Timms to Lou Ursone, executive director of Stamfords Curtain Call Theatre. I brought Ursone as my guest because I once profiled him as The Hulk of fund-raisers, given his evergreen muscle on Fairfield Countys Giving Day every March. The philanthropic event is in the spirit of #GivingTuesday, which Timms just happened to create in 2012. In eight years his initiative has moved citizens of the world to donate $1 billion to causes on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It has flipped weeks of gluttony back to a season of giving.

Atop surfaces in Bob and Jan Dilenschneiders waterfront home in Darien are several copies of the book that put Timms and co-author Jeremy Heimans on bestseller lists last year, New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World  and How to Make it Work for You (Timms refers to Bob Dilenschneider as a mentor in the book).

It was named a 2018 Book of the Year by Financial Times and Fortune. It is, after all, a treatise on power. But its about so much more than money.

Timms wouldnt go wrong introducing himself as the books author, as impresario of #GivingTuesday or by mentioning the Lincoln Center appointment. He could also reference his last gig as president and CEO of the 92nd Street Y. All accomplishments achieved since settling in the United States about a dozen years ago on the crest of his 30th year.

For all that, and for his deft ability to knit together the incessant strands of social media, he is about the only person without a Wikipedia page. He also doesnt appear to have tweeted since switching jobs six weeks ago, and has yet to update his LinkedIn account.

When Timms addresses the 36 guests between dinner and dessert, he contextualizes the multiple pieces of his resume. His day job is overseeing Americas premier culture center. He claims his side hustle as writing about how power is shifting in the world.

Of the former, he says Lincoln Center is an extraordinary celebration of everything that is good about the arts, but you could take that further to see it as a celebration of everything thats good about America.

The words sound even more stately with an English accent. Timms puts the arts on a perch to further humanity. The arts do two things that we desperately need to do. One is to help us to find ourselves. ... the arts also help us to understand each other.

The job will not be easy. Timms needs to stabilize leadership, as well as famously stalled upgrades to David Geffen Hall and a knotty financial structure  all while playing host to the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, Jazz at Lincoln Center and so much more.

Hell need the command of an opera star or conductor, while remaining as nimble as a coryphee or jazz pianist. So that side hustle should come in useful.

He offers a Twitter version of his book, identifying old power as top down command and control where you drop things down on peoples heads and they absorb them, and new power, where ideas are conjured to build communities (see U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.).

His lone prop is the ubiquitous smartphone. He twice pulls his from a pocket to submit as a tool of endless opportunity or potential doomsday device. We have all been betrayed by the promise of technology. We were promised this would make life better. More democratic and happier. None of these things happened.

He treats it like the MacGuffin in a Bond film that has been unleashed.

Our future is a battle for globalization. Whether in the corporate world, fiscal world, the nonprofit world ... how you mobilize the energy of a connected world is the great skill of our age, Timms says. And the great challenge for all of us is how we do that as a force for good.

Timms is engaging, but as he delivers the words in mezza voce, audience members dont recognize this is his finale. A pause teeters on awkward, spared by a charming cue as his wife gently encourages applause.

Who can blame them? Everything Timms does turns out to be a prelude.

John Breunig is editorial page editor of Greenwich Time and The Stamford Advocate. Jbreunig@scni.com; 203-964-2281; twitter.com/johnbreunig.

Meeting

John Breunig is editorial page editor of Greenwich Time and The Stamford Advocate. Jbreunig@scni.com; 203-964-2281; twitter.com/johnbreunig.Isaak Olson was two months from graduating in 2014 when he disclosed that his fiancee had given birth several months earlier...How to use the mindat.org media viewer

Click/touch this help panel to close it.

Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image)

Controls - all media types

Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device.

Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen.

< and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys.

< and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys.

> in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys.

? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key.

Other keyboard shortcuts:

1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons

Scalebar

If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular.

Controls - Video

Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key.

Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation)

Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys.

The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types.

The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control.

Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images

If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways:

- without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method

- with stereoscope

- with anaglyph glasses.

- on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system)

For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D

To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them.

Controls - photo comparison mode

If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu.

Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder.

Summary of all keyboard shortcutsCLARKSTON, MI - Garth Brooks was the surprise guest Saturday at the 99.5 WYCD Hoedown concert at DTE Energy Music Theatre.

It was the country superstars first ever appearance at the venue. It also marked the 30th anniversary of his first Hoedown appearance in Detroit in 1989, when he was just starting his music career, the radio station said.

Garth Brooks always promised he would return to perform at the Hoedown, and he is a man of his word, 99.5 WYCD Program Director Tim Roberts said. He lived up to it, and as always, exceeds expectations with his live performance. This sort of epitomizes why he is the number one performer in the world.

Headlining Saturdays Hoedown was Brantley Gilbert, with main stage performances by Joe Nichols and Caylee Hammack.A Michigan woman was arrested by police officers in Miami Beach on Saturday after authorities saw her allegedly using a wooden stick to jab at a sea turtle nest in a protected area.

Yaqun Lu, 41, of Hudsonville, is facing a felony charge of molesting marine turtles or eggs, according to the Associated Press.

The woman is a Chinese citizen, but listed an address in the eastern Ottawa County city as her home.

Officers saw Lu using the stick to poke at the eggs in a nest, which was in an area off-limits to the public and surrounded by yellow tape, according to the arrest report. She was also described as stomping around the turtle nesting area.

No eggs were damaged, police said.

After Lus arrest, the Chinese consulate in Houston was notified.

Officers say the eggs weren't damaged.

Sea turtles are protected under federal law. In addition, under Florida law it is illegal to harm turtles and their babies.Even in the age of social media, a lot of communication still happens over phone calls, texting, and email. Especially if youre using your iPhone in a business or job setting. The one thing that connects all communication is your contact book. This might not be something youve paid attention to in a while, but theres quite a lot that you can do in the Contacts app that will make your business and personal communication easier. Read on to find out the best iPhone contacts tips and tricks.

The Best iPhone Contacts Tips and Tricks You Should Know About

1. Sync Contacts with Google

Dont you hate it when someone puts a message on Facebook saying theyve lost all their contacts because their phone was stolen or smashed and that everyone who knows them should now contact the person sharing their contact card? You dont want to be that guy/girl. Plus, losing contacts is very inconvenient. Doubly so if youre in a job or a business role.

Theres a simple solution to this. Just sync all your email to Google or iCloud. Its best to use Google because its easy to manage your contact book online and Google sync is available on Android and Windows devices as well.

This process is simple and invisible. All you have to do is enable the Google account sync and check the Contacts option. Everything else will happen in the background. All contacts will be uploaded to the cloud in a while and any new contacts you and will go to the Google sync (make sure its the default source for new contacts).

To enable this, go to Settings > Passwords & Accounts > Add Account > Google and add your Gmail account. If you already have a Gmail account added, tap on it and check the Contacts option.

2. Use Favorites Section

To simplify your contacts book, you should start using the Favorites feature in the Phone app. It has multiple benefits. First of all, its a quick way to access your frequent contacts. Plus, it works with the Do Not Disturb feature as well. In there, you can enable a feature that will let Favorites bypass the Do Not Disturb rules, so you can receive calls from your Family members when DND is enabled.

To start using the Favorites feature, go to the Phone app and switch to the Favorites tab. Now, tap on the + button at the top-left, search for a contact and tap on it. Then you can select if you want to add a shortcut to message or call them. Choose one of their main phone numbers and theyll be added to the favorites list. Repeat this for all your family and friends that you want to add to your favorites list.

3. Create Multiple Contact Cards For Yourself

Open the Phone app, go to the Contacts tab and youll find your card at the top. Tap on it and add all the important details. Make this your complete card. Add your address, email address, alternative contact and you can even add additional fields you want. This can be the card you send to people or you AirDrop to people around you.

But you can also create different cards for different scenarios. Tap on the Plus button and you can create a different version of the card, with a different photo and without too many personal details. You can have different contact cards for work and personal life as well.

4. Add Nicknames to Use with Siri

When it works, using Siri to contact people is great. You can just ask Siri to call someone or leave a message. But if youre in a non-English speaking country, Siri has issues with recognizing names. This is where the nicknames feature comes in.

Open a contact, add a new field and select Nickname. Add nicknames for your immediate family and keep them simple, like mom, dad, sis, bro and so on. You can do the same with your best friends as well.

5. Add Contact Shortcuts in Widget

Once you have your Favorites section curated, you can add a widget that will let you quickly call them from the Lock screen. Open the widgets screen, scroll to the bottom of the page and tap on the Edit button. Then add the Favorites widget.

You now have quick access to 4-8 of your top Favorites.

6. Set up Emergency Bypass

If you use Do Not Disturb a lot, you should set up the Emergency Bypass feature. It basically lets a contact reach you even when you have Do Not Disturb enabled. If you dont want to use the Favorites feature to do this, Emergency Bypass is a good alternative.

To enable this for a particular contact, open their contact card in the Contacts app, tap on the Edit button, select Ringtone and then enable the Emergency Bypass option.

7. Quickly Backup All Contacts

If you dont want to involve Google sync or iCloud sync, but still want a backup, use the app Contacts Backup to periodically take a backup of your contact book. You can then email it to yourself or upload it to Dropbox or Google Drive.

The app is quite simple. Just open it, press the Backup button to start the process. The free version will only let you backup up to 500 contacts for free. To remove the limit, youll need to use the Pro version of the app that costs $1.99.

Download: My Contacts Backup

8. Merge Duplicate Contacts Using Contact Cleanup

If you havent managed your contact book in a long time, and if youve just switched devices or sync services, chances are, you have a couple of duplicate contacts. Now, those are not bad to have. Much better to deal with duplicate contacts than to lose all your contacts at once. And now, dealing with duplicate contacts is quite easy as well. You can do it from the new Google Contacts web view.

But if you want to manage it on your iPhone, try the contact Cleanup app. Open the app, grant the contact book access, and tap on Duplicate Contacts to see a list. Tap on a contact to see all the details and then select the Merge button to merge the duplicate contacts.

You can automate this as well by going to the Auto Merge section.

Download: Contact Cleanup

9. Enhance Your Contact Book Using Contacts+

Contacts+ is an alternative, third-party contact book app. You can think of it as an Evernote compared to the Apple Notes app. Its feature rich and will give you options that the default app just wont. You can sign in with your Google account to import all your contacts.

You can scan a business card to automatically all the information in a new contact card. All your data syncs across all your devices automatically as well. The app also has great organization features. You can manually tag and leave notes for apps and create custom groups for them.

The best part of Contacts+ is the Automatic Contact Enrichment feature. What this means is that the app will do the heavy lifting of finding a contact picture, social media profiles and more details for a contact. Say you only have an email for a contact. This feature will help you give their profile picture, LinkedIn profile and more. For business users, Contacts+ might be worth paying for just for this feature.

Download: Contacts+

10. Add Missing Profile Pictures to Contacts Using Vignette

Weve already talked about Vignette previously but its worth mentioning again in this list. Vignette is a neat little app that helps you find and add display pictures for your contacts. And it does so in a completely private manner. You dont need to log in for an account and your contact book isnt synced with any service.

It uses social media profiles to find profile photos that you can import instantly. The scanning feature is free but to actually change the photos, youll have to pay the one-time $4.99 fee.

Download: Vignette

Bonus: Cardhop

Cardhop is a relatively new app in the contact management space. Its from the makers of Fantastical and its supposed to be the Fantastical for contacts. It will simplify and steamline your contact book while adding pro features. The best thing about it is the natural language processing. You can type something like Stephen Whiskers 555-555-1000 [email protected] and Cardhop will automatically save the contact with proper fields.

The search field pulls double duty. You can use it to create new contacts and search for particular contacts as well. You can search for something like email Ron and youll see a shortcut to quickly start typing an email to Ron (in your favorite email app) right there.

While Carhop is new and unproven, it brings a lot of smart features that will be appreciated by anyone in a business or job role. Plus, you can buy the app outright and it doesnt have a subscription model (another plus in our books).

Download: Cardhop ($4.99)

How Do You Manage Your Contact Book?

Do you spend a lot of time managing your contact book? Do you try to make sure that all the important contacts are updated? Share your contact management workflow with us in the comments below.GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Since its arrival 50 years ago, La Grande Vitesse, known in Grand Rapids simply as the Calder, has become part of the citys identity, serving as the backdrop for many of its celebrations, rallies, performances and protests.

But as Grand Rapids was getting ready in June 1969 for the dedication of the Calder stabile, residents were still trying to wrap their heads around what the 42 tons of sculpted metal meant  or didnt mean.

Two years before the sculpture was installed, the area now known as Calder Plaza was largely an empty space, part of a major urban renewal project that demolished the historic city hall, police headquarters and the county building, and replaced them with modern buildings.

The installation of the Calder, the first public art project in the country funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, was envisioned as a way to tie the new Vandenberg Center Plaza together. It was brought to Grand Rapids largely by the efforts of one resident, Nancy Mulnix Tweddale, with assistance from her sculpture committee co-chair, Peter Wege, and then-Congressman Gerald Ford.

The $134,000 cost of the piece, including its commission and fabrication, was shared by the NEA along with philanthropic foundations, local businesses and individual citizens.

But not everyone was enamored of the work of Calder, a world-renowned abstract artist who was born in Philadelphia and later moved to France.

In the months leading up to the sculptures installation, letters to the editor appeared in The Press complaining that elitists were forcing their tastes on the population, and suggesting that a reflecting pool or a statue of Sen. Arthur Vandenberg would be a better choice for the plaza.

I think the whole concept of modern art is a big spoof, Bob Blandford, a vocal critic of the project, said in 1969. And after Calder gets his (money) and goes back to France, some evening hell be sitting in some pub and saying, Boy, did I hoodwink those guys over in Grand Rapids.

On the day of its dedication, June 14, 1969, The Grand Rapids Press ran an article on How to Appreciate a Calder Sculpture, giving suggestions from artists of the day on interpreting Calders work.

Now that the Calder has been scrutinized, analyzed, eulogized and criticized, the only thing that remains is to rationalize, the article began.

Like any other piece of art, the important thing is what the viewer gets out of it, not necessarily the so-called message the artist is trying to convey It means something different to each person who views it. Thats why one person sees a pile of junk and another a soaring tribute to mankind. And thats the stuff that spawns controversy.

For his part, Calder said at the dedication that he doesnt try to represent anything in my work.

When asked by a reporter if an artist should reflect his feelings about society through his work, Calder answered I suppose he should, but I dont know how.

The Press estimated more than 1,500 people attended the dedication of the 43-foot-tall, 54-foot-long, 30-foot-wide work of art. President Richard Nixon sent a telegram to be read at the event.

I can well appreciate Jerry (Fords) and your own pride in this fine achievement by the people of Grand Rapids and Kent County. Vandenberg Center, with its handsome sculpture by Alexander Calder, will long symbolize the kind of cooperation between the public and private sector which is so vital to our national growth and progress, Nixon wrote.

The crowd at the dedication was largely enthusiastic, according to media reports, even as some expressed confusion about the meaning of the stabile.

I guess Im getting old, sighed one white-haired woman in a very chic red dress, but I just cant appreciate things like that, the Press reported.

Another said he was willing to give it a chance, I just wonder how much its costing me, thats all.

Actually, the Press reported, the first public funds the city spent on the project were for two police officers to stand guard at the stabile on the night before its dedication to make sure no one defaced it with spray paint.

A small group of protesters at the dedication  three young men described by a Press reporter as hippies  suggested dropping bombs on the Calder instead of on the Vietnamese, and using the scrap to buy food for the poor.

Others took the ambiguity of the abstract art in stride.

It really turns me on, Mrs. Richard D. Murphy told a Press reporter. Its so massive. I dont know what it represents. I just like it.

An editorial in The Press entitled La Grande Vitesse on June 15, 1969, the day after the dedication, mused about what the Calder would mean to Grand Rapids in the future, concluding that even without the national notice the sculpture received, the city would still be better off for having it.

Better off because it has made this community as aware as have few other things of the importance of art in our lives.

For years, people will look at La Grande Vitesse and ask: What does it mean? The answer is, What does Beethovens Fifth Symphony mean? Art speaks to us in its own language, because words are incapable of saying what it means. La Grande Vitesse means whatever the viewer takes it to mean, and that meaning will change as the city changes and as time alters the perspective of the viewer. But it will stand there as long as anything in the city stands as a challenge to the imagination and as a symbol of mans constant striving to express the inexpressible.LANSING, MI -- Three recent use of force arrests in Grand Rapids -- all caught on citizen videos and posted to social media -- have brought controversy to the police department.

Now, a finalist for the open Grand Rapids police chief job is dealing with his own use of force issue in his community, Lansing.

Lansing Police Chief Michael Yankowski, one of three candidates under consideration for Grand Rapids top cop, on Saturday, June 15 put two officers on administrative leave pending an Internal Affairs investigation.

Yankowski made the decision after investigators reviewed police body cam video, which was released on the departments Youtube page Saturday, and learned additional facts of the case.

The striking incident happens about five minute into the video.

WARNING: The body cam video contains graphic language.

The Lansing case involved the arrest of a 15-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl. Most of the controversy centers around a female officer repeatedly striking the thigh of the girl to force her leg into a cruiser so the door could be closed.

The girl is black and the officer is white.

Yankowski, during a Friday press conference, said the blows were being used as a distraction so the officer could close the door.

The encounter was captured on cell phone videos by bystanders and posted to social media.

In Grand Rapids, police have recently dealt with three high-profile use of force incidents, one involving teens and an officer who drew their gun when the teens refused to comply with demands and one placed his hand behind his back.

One of the other cases involved the March 17 arrest of 24-year-old Bronquel Brown and an officer punching him 29 times in the leg while being taken into custody. That officer, Drew Rau, has been recommended for termination.

Police did not release body cam footage of the incident until April 16, after MLive filed a Freedom of Information Act request and paid a fee to cover labor for redactions.

The third case involved the March 25 arrest of 30-year-old Jason Markal Matthews. An officer kicks him twice as Matthews struggles with another officer on the ground.

Yankowski, the Lansing police chief, is a finalist for the Grand Rapids job along with Grand Rapids Deputy Police Chief Eric Payne and retired Pittsburgh Assistant Police Chief Larry Scirotto.

Lansing police said they were releasing the body cam footage Saturday as away of staying true to the departments commitment to transparency and police legitimacy.GRAND RAPIDS, MI  The moped rider from a hit-and-run crash this weekend in southeast Grand Rapids died from his injuries on Saturday, June 15, according to the Grand Rapids Police Department.

The driver of the car involved in the crash turned himself in, according to a GRPD press release.

The crash occurred around 11:10 p.m. Friday, June 14, when the moped rider, a 33-year-old Grand Rapids man, was traveling north on Eastern Avenue and was hit by a blue Honda, which was traveling south on Eastern Avenue before turning left onto Hall Street.

After the car struck the moped, the driver of the Honda fled the scene without stopping, according to police.

Around 9 a.m. Saturday morning, a man turned himself in to Grand Rapids police as the driver of the Honda.

The car the man was driving Friday was located and the man was arrested, police said.

The moped rider died from his injuries at a local hospital around 7:45 p.m. Saturday, the release said.

Police will release the names of both drivers once investigators notify the victims family and the Kent County Prosecutors Office authorizes charges against the fleeing driver.BERRIEN COUNTY, MI  Police believe they have located the body of a missing Niles Township man, according to the Berrien County Sheriffs office.

The body was located on Saturday, June 15, in a heavily wooded area about 100 feet from the Dowagiac River, according to a news release issued by the sheriffs office.

Deputies believe it is the body of Garen Patrick Collins, 47, of Berrien Countys Niles Township, based on information provided to investigators by family members, the release reads.

Collins was reported missing on Sunday, June 9, from Riverfront Park Campground along the Dowagiac River.

The Western Michigan University Homer R. Stryker School of Medicines Medical Examiners Office is now working to identify the body. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday, June 16, to determine the exact cause of death, according to the release.

Other evidence from the scene also will be analyzed by the WMU Medical Examiners Office to help determine the cause of death.

Deputies added that there were no obvious signs of foul play.

Deputies from the sheriffs office and other law enforcement agencies had been conducting what they described as an extensive search of the area to locate Collins after he went missing on June 9 from the campground located at 1701 Pucker Street. He is 6-feet, 2-inches tall, 265 pounds, with short brown hair, brown eyes and a goatee.

The search party eventually located the body which appeared to be Collins, the release reads.

Deputies had earlier located Collins vehicle in a parking lot near the Pucker Street dam, according to a news release issued last by the sheriffs office.

Firefighters from the city of Niles and Niles Township assisted deputies with the search, as well as the sheriffs marine unit and detective bureau.SOUTH HAVEN, MI -- Despite the persistent rain and high-water levels throughout the week, South Havens Harborfest still drew a crowd.

In high attendance were this years scaly, sparkly guests -- 279 mermaids.

Harborfest joined forces and hosted the second annual Mermaid Megafest. Last year, the sirens of the sea descended upon South Haven on Memorial Weekend in an attempt to make the Guinness World Record.

Although theyre still waiting to hear if they made history, last years count was an impressive 407, event organizer Rosalie Plechaty said.

Beyond the beautiful seashell crowns and handmade tridents, what excites Plechaty the most is seeing children interacting with the mermaids and enjoying the beaches of Lake Michigan, she said.

As the Mermaid Megafest evolves Plechaty said she hopes it continues to be rooted in environmental initiatives.

Coming from all corners of the United States and even internationally, many of these mermaids came with a message. Saturday nights events included environmental speeches about cleaning up waterways and beaches.

Marine biologist and professional mermaid instructor Lila Jones grew up loving Disneys The Little Mermaid." After earning a marine biology degree and becoming a certified diver in Maui, Hawaii, Jones decided to spread awareness in a flashy, fun way.

Our waterways, whether its fresh water or salt water, they need that type of attention, she said. If you can volunteer for a nonprofit to raise awareness in a mermaid tail, it catches a lot more attention than somebody standing in a T-shirt.

She jokes that its a little bit of a bait and switch to draw people in with the elaborate costumes and then give them a dose of reality about the harmful effects of sunscreen chemicals and single-use plastic.

However, shes been surprised by the way mermaid culture has evolved since she started her mermaid training company, Mermaid Dream Retreats, in 2015.

A lot of the people who are coming into being mermaids are not just doing it to be in a tail and play around, she said. They want to actually learn about the environment and have that guidance. Thats been kind of mind blowing for me to see."

One driving factor in this is that Instagram has made mermaid culture even trendier, Jones said.

The silver lining is that constantly scrolling through gorgeous underwater or beachfront photos can spark meaningful conversations.

Jones said she frequently receives Facebook messages about viral photos or videos of people interacting with wildlife and asking whats harmful and whats not.

Were not only coming into the next generation of those who will be caring for the Earth after us," she said. Its also the next generation of mermaids. With this growth were having a lot more education.

Those one-on-one moments are coupled with larger presentations and events, like Mermaid Megafest, where Jones spreads awareness about the dangers of octinoxate and oxybenzone, or benzophenone-3, which are active ingredients in most sunscreens.

In Hawaii, sunscreens with these ingredients have been banned after the chemicals started a ripple effect of bleaching coral reefs, leaving them vulnerable to diseases and eventually killing them off.

As an alternative, Jones suggests using mineral-based sun protection. This can be tricky to find because some companies have used the coral reef effort as marketing tool despite still having harmful chemicals in the sunscreen, she said.

Jones encourages shoppers to check the back of their sunscreen label and look for active ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

The festival also drew activists who are doing good on land. The Indiana-based company Mermaid Straw put a social media call-out for a bring-your-own-bucket impromptu beach cleanup on Sunday morning starting at 10 a.m.

Lisa Harrington, co-founder of the eco-friendly flatware company, said she and her team walked the beaches of South Haven before setting up their booth on Saturday and left with handfuls of straws and other single-use plastic.

We saw all the plastic pollution on South Havens beaches and we were blown away and devastated by it," Harrington said. "We felt like we couldnt leave without doing anything.

Locally, South Havens Cafe Julia has started a similar initiative. The restaurants clean new deal provides buckets outside of the cafe for patrons to take with them to pick up trash while walking on the shoreline. When they return with a full bucket they can ring the bell and receive a sample pack of gourmet cookies.

Mermaid Megafest activities continue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m on Sunday, June 16 at the Old Harbor Village with a Circus Siren Mermaid Show and mermaid painting classes at 1 p.m.MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI  A woman who stole from an elderly dementia patient has blown her chance to avoid jail.

Susan Louise Adams, 62, was convicted in October 2018 of stealing at least $2,000 from an elderly man she had befriended who was experiencing the early stages of dementia.

The ex-con was caught after a bank teller alerted the mans family.

After pleading no contest to embezzlement from a vulnerable adult, Adams was sentenced to 24 months of probation and given a 12-month jail sentence with credit for 76 days. The remaining 289 days of the sentence were suspended, meaning if Adams successfully completed probation, she wouldnt have to serve it.

However, Adams committed four probation violations, at least one of which involved the use of crack cocaine, said Muskegon County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Maat.

As a result, Muskegon County Circuit Judge Annette Smedley ordered her to serve the rest of her original sentence.

Adams was convicted as a four-time habitual offender (the maximum allowed), though her history is considerably more than that. She has felony convictions for delivery of marijuana in 1999; possession of cocaine in 1999; possession of a controlled substance in 2002, 2010, 2011 and 2013; and uttering and publishing in 2014. She also has a 2013 misdemeanor larceny conviction.

She was discharged from prison in September 2016, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections website.

According to the Muskegon County Prosecutors Office, Adams had befriended a 90-year-old man and convinced him to withdraw money from his bank and give it to her.

An alert bank teller at Community Shores Bank in Roosevelt Park is credited with notifying a member of the victims family after she saw the man coming to the bank with Adams and appearing to be giving money to her.

That family member contacted police.SAGINAW, MI - A powerful photograph taken at the Islamic Center of Saginaw by an MLive photographer won second place in the National Press Photographers Association March competition for general news photography.

The photo was taken by Rachel Ellis, an intern who has worked for MLive since January. See the full gallery of her images here.

Ellis attended a vigil at the Islamic Center following a terrorist attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Ellis had never set foot in a mosque and said she was humbled to witness those present gather in solidarity against terrorism and to honor those who died.

It was really eye-opening just to be a part of that, Ellis said. In a time where it seems like people should be sad and really down, it was very powerful and uplifting.

Many individuals were comfortable with being photographed and some were not, Ellis said. The winning photo shows the reflection of a woman at the vigil in the womens portion of the prayer room, listening to the Iman speak.

Looking at the face of the woman and the scene both she and the viewer are processing, Ellis said there is a certain strength and power to the image.

The assignment allowed Ellis to meet members of the Saginaw community she hadnt encountered before. Ellis said she has a passion for community journalism, to showcase the many groups that make up a community.

Ellis graduated from Ball State University in 2018 and has several other projects in the works for The Saginaw News and MLive.Cellbrite is known to offer iPhone unlocking services to legal enforcement agencies and other companies. The FBI took help of the Israeli company and reportedly paid it nearly $1 million to unlock the iPhone 5c of the San Bernardino shooter. The same company now claims that it can now unlock any iPhone/iPad running iOS 12.3.

The new premium version of Cellbrites Universal Forensic Extraction Device is capable of unlocking any iPhone or iPad running iOS 7 through iOS 12.3. It is also capable of unlocking and extracting crucial data from high-end Android devices. The company says that it is an exclusive solution for law enforcement agencies and by using UFED, they can gain access to third-party app data, chat conversations, emails, and more stored in a locked iOS device running up to iOS 12.3.

Bypass or determine locks and perform a full file system extraction on any iOS device, or a physical extraction or full file system (File-Based Encryption) extraction on any many high-end Android devices, to get much more data than what is possible through logical extractions and other conventional means.

Cellebrite is proud to introduce #UFED Premium! An exclusive solution for law enforcement to unlock and extract data from all iOS and high-end Android devices. To learn more, click here: https://t.co/WHsaDxzoXz pic.twitter.com/BSixEkyAuL  Cellebrite (@Cellebrite_UFED) June 14, 2019

It is interesting that Cellbrites tool can bypass the security measures implemented in the very latest release of iOS thats available to the public. Apple keeps adding new security measures to iOS to prevent tools from Cellbrite and Grayshift to work properly.

Given that Grayshift and Cellbrite are competitors, it is clear that the latter is trying to win some customers from GrayShift. After Apple introduced USB Restricted Mode in iOS 12 last year, Grayshifts GrayKey iPhone unlocking box stopped working. Since then, the company has managed to unlock certain iOS 12 builds.

While the trumpet that Cellbrite is beating might help it win customers, it also means that Apple will likely patch whatever exploit or hack the company is using to unlock iOS 12.3 running devices in a future iOS release

[Via WiredTrade Development Authority of Pakistan Jobs 2019

Latest Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Consultant Posts Islamabad 2022 Trade Development Authority of Pakistan is inviting application from experienced and energetic candidates for the post of legal consultant in Islamabad. Candidates can apply till July 2, 2019.

How to Apply on Trade Development Authority of Pakistan 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.Ahead of the budget, aluminium producers have sought steps from the government to hike import duty on primary aluminum, scrap and downstream products and rationalise costs of raw materials.

Industry bodies such as the Aluminium Association of India (AAI) and FICCI have informed the government that the aluminium sector of the country is going through a challenging phase and is under immense threat by rising imports, declining domestic market share, rising production and logistics costs.

Moreover, non-competitive energy costs and acute coal shortage for the industry have adversely hit the sustainability of the aluminium industry, Rahul Sharma, co- chairman of FICCI Committee on Mining and Minerals, said in a press statement.

Noting that aluminiums importance is next to that of steel, but policy measures are being developed and introduced to protect the domestic steel industry in the last three years, he said.

Some of the special provisions extended to the steel industry are anti-dumping duties for Chinese imports, safeguard duties of 10-20 percent levied on steel imports, and a minimum 10 percent increase in the basic customs duty on all steel products.

The aluminium industry continues to suffer due to the lack of such measures, said Sharma, also an active member of the AAI.

The AAI has recently written to the Ministry of Mines to provide some relief in the form of increasing basic customs duty on aluminium products from 10 percent to 12.5 percent and reducing basic customs duty and correction of inverted duty structure on raw materials.

The FICCI has also conveyed similar recommendations to the government.

Stating that India's demand for aluminium is expected to double to over 7 million tonnes in the next five years, Sharma said, the industry has invested over Rs 1.2 lakh crore to enhance its capacity to 4 MTPA to cater to the increasing demand.

The sector is also one of the largest job creators with more than 8 lakh direct and indirect employment.

In the last few years, the steel industry has received policy support from the government that has enabled the sector to immune itself from global market volatility and reduce dependence on import and excess supplies. The government support has resulted in a drop of steel imports by 21 percent in last three years, he said.

In contrast, a lack of similar policy support pushed the aluminium industry to post highest ever aluminium import of 23 lakh tonnes in FY19, 58 percent of India's demand, resulting in a forex outgo of Rs 38,000 crore, Sharma said.

In the current circumstances, Indian aluminium industry requires the government to extend policy measures in line with what has been extended to the steel industry, he said.

Restrictive measures by China, USA and others to protect their indigenous markets from imports are making India more vulnerable as a dumping ground for primary metal, scrap and secondary products, adversely affecting the competitiveness of the domestic industry, he said.

"Hence, immediate measures like increased import duty on primary aluminum, scrap and downstream aluminium products are required along with rationalisation of input costs of critical raw material of aluminium value chain to help domestic industry retain competitiveness, Sharma said.

AAI in its communication to the Centre said the role of aluminium in energy security, infrastructure, defense, aerospace, automobile, electricity, packaging and consumer products makes it a sector of strategic importance.

However, the cost of production of aluminium metal in India has substantially increased over past 3-4 years due to rising cost of raw materials, increase in various duties, cess and high logistic costs.

Among the largest aluminium producers like China, Canada, Russia, Middle East and Norway, India has the highest cost of production, which can be attributed to high power cost due to increasing coal prices, high cess on coal, electricity duty and logistics.Boeing Co engineers are reducing the scope and duration of certain costly physical tests used to certify the planemaker's new aircraft, according to industry sources and regulatory officials.

But the strategy could be at risk if regulators and US lawmakers probing two deadly Boeing plane crashes require even more rigorous safety tests before certifying new aircraft as passenger-worthy.

As Boeing kicks off the year-long flight testing process on its new 777X, its engineers will cut hours off airborne testing by using computer models to simulate flight conditions, and then present the results to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of the basis for certification, according to two people with direct knowledge of the strategy.

Reuters could not determine when Boeing decided to move forward with the plan to cut back on physical tests or the extent to which it planned to reduce them for the 777X.

For Boeing's proposed twin-aisle jetliner, known internally as NMA, Boeing's Test & Evaluation group is developing the technology to replace costly and labor intensive physical safety tests used for decades - such as using machines to bend the wings to extreme angles and shaking the fuselage until it cracks - with computer modeling, according to three people with knowledge of the matter, including an FAA official.

Such work for the NMA is in the conceptual phase, though Boeing's goal is to expand "certification by analysis" as "extensively as they possibly can" to slash development costs, one of the people told Reuters. Doing so enhances a finely balanced business case for launching NMA, which would be the first aircraft fully developed in the digital age.

Boeing spokesman Paul Bergman declined to comment on the company's testing strategy for the 777X or the NMA, but said the planemaker was "looking holistically at our design and certification processes" following the 737 MAX crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia, which together killed 346 people.

"This includes participating in ongoing independent government reviews and establishing a new board committee to review our end-to-end design and certification processes," Bergman said.

When asked whether the FAA would allow Boeing to eliminate an array of physical tests for NMA and 777X, FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the agency "makes determinations on a case-by-case basis, relying on data and decades of experience in certifying aircraft."

Current regulations allow planemakers to use physical testing and analysis to demonstrate compliance.

Like the MAX, the NMA and 777X - which Boeing is racing to deliver in 2020 - are centerpieces in Boeing's duel with Airbus SE and will influence how Boeing decides to manufacture and certify an eventual 737 MAX replacement. How quickly and at what cost the new planes are delivered to customers is critical to not just Boeing's bottom line, but also the US Congressional budget.

In February 2018, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg touted the company's "streamlining certifications" effort at an industry conference, saying it was "an item we want to keep on the leading edge."

While Boeing declined to elaborate on what Muilenburg meant by "streamlining," people familiar with the matter said it includes lobbying for more limited direct FAA oversight and expanding the use of digital analysis over costlier physical testing to show regulatory compliance.

Like Boeing, Airbus and other manufacturing heavyweights are working to seize technological leaps in computerized engineering methods and tools that bridge the real and virtual world, and improve factory floor efficiency. Airbus declined to comment.

Five people familiar with the matter said Boeing believes that new technology and decades of testing experience have rendered some physical tests redundant for demonstrating safety.

For example, when vibrating a fuselage on an enormous platform to expose weaknesses - known as fatigue testing - the vast majority of the time the tool itself breaks instead of the airframe, according to a person with knowledge of past tests. Such work is costly and has reliably confirmed engineers' expectations, he added.

HURDLES

The strategy to streamline plane certifications faces hurdles in the coming months as the FAA and other global regulators investigate whether Boeing's processes are flawed after the MAX crashes, and as the Chicago-based planemaker seeks to reassure the flying public that its jetliners are safe.

Teal Group aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia said the probes may trigger push-back against digital certification, even if there is no evidence it is unsafe.

"A headlong rush right now might not be best from an optics standpoint," Aboulafia said.

The FAA declined to speculate on potential post-probe certification changes, but said it will "consider any and all recommendations that might help improve the process."

Boeing's internal review has uncovered nothing that caused it to shift its certification approach, Muilenburg and Boeing CFO Greg Smith told journalists in recent weeks.

Under current regulations, Boeing employees act as the FAA's eyes and ears and complete much of the detailed certification work.

For example, as Boeing works to certify the 777X, engineers were catching glitches using a scaled-down cockpit mockup known internally as 'airplane zero' in a Seattle-area lab as recently as February. But an FAA official with knowledge of the matter said that Boeing has not issued reports directly to external FAA officials as of early this month.

That contrasts with Boeing's original 777 development in the 1990s, when the FAA required Boeing to build a cockpit replica to conduct tests designed to weed out safety risks lurking in the 777 designs, and granular results were reported directly to the FAA for months, the official said.

Despite advances in computing power, some experts argue old-school physical tests are categorically better because they can produce unpredictable results, said one industry certification expert.

"Test has changed for the company from being a place of discovery to being mostly to validate what we thought we knew," said Rick Ludtke, a former Boeing 737 MAX engineer.Vedanta Ltd has lost about $200 million in profits ever since its copper smelter plant in Tamil Nadu was shut more than a year back after police fired on protesters and killed 13 people, Group Chairman Anil Agarwal said.

Agarwal added that the stoppage of production at the Tuticorin plant of the firm's unit Sterlite led to the country having to import copper, spending precious foreign exchange.

"We have lost about $200 million in bottomline (profits)," he told PTI in an interview. "Forget about bottomline. How can you stop production and start importing? After all, what we did at Tuticorin was import substitution."

The Tamil Nadu government had in May last year ordered permanent shutdown of the copper smelter after bloody protests at the plant in Thoothukudi culminated in police opening fire on demonstrators.

Vedanta wants the plant to be reopened, pointing to the economic pressures from the closure. As many as 20,000 direct and indirect jobs have been lost due to the shutting of the smelter and about 98,400 more were affected in the consumer or downstream industries.

"It is a bread and butter issue for Tuticorin," he said. "What happened (in police firing) was very unfortunate and our thoughts and sympathies are with the victims. But what is now happening is equally unfortunate."

The Vedanta plant in the Thoothukudi district produced about 40 percent of India's copper output.

The company had announced a plan to expand capacity, leading to protests on concerns about pollution. Vedanta denies that the factory has been a polluter.

He sought to draw a parallel between Tuticorin and Singur in West Bengal which was abandoned by Tata Motors in 2008 after protests over its Nano car factory.

"Nobody can (afford to) make another Singur," he said without elaborating.

In 2008, Tata Motors abandoned plans to build a factory to make the world's cheapest car after protests led by politicians over land acquisition. That pullout was said to have deterred many manufacturers from investing in new plants in the state.

Tamil Nadu, one of the most industrialised states in India, is home to factories of companies like Hyundai Motor and Caterpillar. But it has in recent months seen a decline in foreign investment, leading to concerns about job creation.

"I have been saying and will repeat again - the world does not want us to produce. World wants us to import," he said, adding the shutting down of Tuticorin plant has led to India importing copper.

Agarwal hoped that a solution will be found soon.

According to Vedanta Ltd's latest annual report, the Tuticorin copper smelter, operated by its Sterlite Copper business, ranks as one of the largest custom copper smelters in India.

With a design capacity of 400,000 tonnes, the business held 33 percent market share of the country's refined copper demand of around 675,000 tonnes in FY2018, it said.

The company challenged the closure order through an appeal before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which in December 2018 ruled that the Tamil Nadu government's order was "nonsustainable" and "unjustified".

However, in February 2019, the Supreme Court set aside the NGT's order on the grounds of maintainability and directed Vedanta to file a writ petition before the Madras High Court.

The company has filed a petition in the high court and "the matter is likely to come up after the summer vacation break," Agarwal said.

Vedanta Ltd in its annual report for 2018-19 said: "India faced a crunch in the availability of refined copper due to Vedanta's Tuticorin smelter closure. Chinese smelter output increased by 4.2 percent in 2018, despite the closure of some smelters for maintenance during Q4."

Refined copper consumption in India grew by 2.9 percent in 2018 while demand in China, the largest consumer of copper, increased by 4.9 percent, it said.

Refined copper is predominantly used in manufacturing cables, transformers and motors as well as castings and alloy-based products.

"In the coming year, copper consumption in India and China is expected to increase by 11.8 percent and 1.6 percent respectively. This rise is driven by population growth, urbanisation, the rise of the middle class and the evolution of electric vehicles (EVs)," it said.

On the supply side, there could be further disruptions in copper production due to the smelter upgrades in Chile following the introduction of new environmental regulations.

"Our ability to take advantage of these opportunities is largely dependent on the re-opening of our smelter at Tuticorin," it said.

Data from the International Copper Study Group showed refined output and demand growth estimates for 2019 indicating a market deficit of 280-kilo tonnes, it added.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.Egyptian Minister of Tourism Dr. Rania Al-Mashat attended a press conference in Baku to announce the resumption of flights from Baku to Cairo and Sharm El-Shiekh

While participating in the 110th session of the executive board of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Egypt's Minister of Tourism Dr. Rania Al-Mashat attended a press conference organised by the Egyptian embassy in the presence of Egypts ambassador to Azerbaijan Adel Ibrahim 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.

Al-Mashat stressed the importance of her visit in developing Egypts tourism industry and enhancing cooperation between her 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.

During the press conference, Al-Mashat stressed the depth of Egyptian-Azerbaijani relations, with cultural values, customs and traditions that bind both countries.

Al-Mashat praised the resumption of flights from Baku to Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh, pointing out that these flights will contribute to enhancing the tourism flow from Azerbaijan to Egyptian touristic cities.

She also reviewed aspects of the structural reform programme to develop the Egyptian tourism sector launched last November and the steps taken by the ministry to implement it, pointing out that the programme is strongly supported by the Egyptian political leadership and government.

Al-Mashat said the tourism promotional plan revolves around exploring new and promising markets, like Azerbaijan, Central Asia, South and Latin America and Central Europe.

Al-Mashat underlined the Egyptian government's keenness to invest in security, which prompted the World Travel and Tourism Council to grant Egypt a Global Champion Award to for its efforts to promote tourism in April 2019.

During the press conference, an official of Self Travel, the Kazakh company that will operate the flight line between Egypt and Baku, presented a flight show, Baku-Sharm, confirming that the flight between Sharm El-Sheikh and Baku is regular and not a charter flight.

The company official said that 75 percent of trips to Egypt have already been sold following the decision to resume flights.

According to a statement by the tourism ministry, Al-Mashat will 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.

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The sun sets on the Tolko mill in Kelowna. Many B.C. mills are closing or going through extended shutdowns. One of two shifts at the Kelowna mill will be cut next month.live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Nifty traded in a tight range of 12,000 on higher side and 11,800 on the lower side the entire last week, forming an inside bar type candlestick pattern.

Current weekly candlestick pattern formation suggests up move intact unless it breaks 11,770 on the lower side.

The recent price action of index is showing flag formation in progress having a lower side of the flag around 11,800 levels and upper side around 12,100 marks.

Since the formation is resembling a bullish flag, a decisive close above 12,100 will give a pattern breakout and target as per pattern comes around 12,500 and higher levels.

RSI indicator on the monthly time frame is trading around 63 whereas RSI on daily time frame is trading above 50 marks which signify positive momentum intact unless it slides below 50 marks.

At the same time, RSI on weekly time frame took a reversal from 50 marks forming pull back buy pattern, and currently trading around 63 levels indicating correction sell leg will complete shortly and the original trend may re-begin.

Nifty is trading above its major simple moving averages 50 DMA which are rising and placed around 11680 levels suggest strong uptrend to unfold in mid-term. Niftys short term moving average 5 Week EMA is rising and placed around 11,780 levels which imply weakness is only below crucial support of 11,780 till then one should opt for buy on dip strategy.

Major trend line support on the lower time frame and principle of polarity showing support near 11,780 -11,800 zones, if these levels hold then Nifty forms double the bottom pattern on an hourly chart and it can bounce back toward 11,970 and 12,050 levels.

Bank Nifty

Bank Nifty traded lower below its pivot point placed at 31000, last week forming a big body bearish candle. However, looking at oversold oscillators, a possibility of a bounce back towards 31,000 cannot be ruled out.

Here are the top stock trading ideas which can give good returns:

Tata Motors: Buy around Rs 163 | Target: Rs 198 | Stop loss: Rs 148 | Upside: 21%

After hitting high of Rs 435, Tata Motors has given correction and touched Rs 130 levels where its key support is seen. RSI is started curling up after testing its oversold zone and daily MACD gave bullish crossover in negative territory thus supports bullish bias in the stock.

Apart from this, positive divergence seen in RSI which suggest upside move in the counter in coming sessions We suggest to buy Tata Motors around Rs 163 with stop loss of Rs 148 for target of Rs 198.

REC: Buy around Rs 148 | Target: Rs 170 | Stop loss: Rs 134 | Upside: 15%

Recently, the stock gave ascending channel break out on upside which suggest trend reversal on daily chart. From last few days, it has been trading above its all significant DMAs which indicates strength.

Formation of a big body bullish candlestick pattern while giving trend line breakout indicates stock can upsurge further higher. Buy REC around Rs 148 with stop loss of Rs 134 for target of Rs 170.

Indian Bank: Buy around Rs 265 | Target: Rs 295 | Stop loss: Rs 247 | Upside: 11 %

After hitting high of Rs 428, Indian Bank has given a correction and touched Rs 202 level where its key support is seen.

Emerging of green candle above 200 DMAs on daily chart is showing upswing move towards upside. Sustainability of RSI above 50 and positive divergence adds the conviction of buying the scrip around Rs 265 for the target of Rs 295 with stop loss of Rs 247.

CESC: Buy around Rs 760 | Target: Rs 830 | Stop loss: Rs 719 | Upside: 9%

The scrip took a sharp rebound on upside after hitting the low of Rs 648. Currently it formed a strong base near its 50 DMA which comes near Rs 720 levels.

RSI & MACD is also looking firm which indicates support at current levels. One can go long in CESC around the level of Rs 760 for the target of Rs 830 with stop loss of Rs 719.

United Breweries: Buy around Rs 1,335 | Target: Rs 1,415 | Stop loss: Rs 1,290 | Upside: 6%

After taking a support of Rs 911, the scrip took a sharp rebound. From last few weeks it has made higher high formation in weekly chart, emerging of green candles above 200 DMA on daily chart showing upswing move towards upside.

Sustainability of RSI above 50 and positive divergence adds the conviction of buying the scrip around Rs 1,335 for the target of Rs 1,415 with stop loss of Rs 1,290.

(The author is Head of Technical & Derivative Research at Narnolia Financial Advisors Ltd.)

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.Nifty failed to surpass psychological 12,000 marks in the last week and corrected towards 11,800 zones.

It started to form lower highs  lower lows from last three trading sessions and resistances are slightly shifting lower in the market.

The index formed a Bearish Candle on daily and weekly scale which suggests that selling pressure is seen at higher band of the trading range.

Overall, Nifty has been consolidating in between 11,761 to 1,2041-12,100 zones from last fourteen trading sessions and requires a decisive range breakout to commence the next leg of rally.

Till Nifty holds below 11,888 zones, it could extend its weakness towards lower band of the support at 11,761 and then a fresh decline towards 11,660 levels while on the upside immediate hurdles are seen at 11,965 and then 12,000 zones.

India VIX fell 6.46 percent from 14.86 to 13.90 levels last week and it has been falling down from last four consecutive weeks. Lower volatility suggests that a range bound bias could be seen and a decline near to support zones could be bought again in the market.

On the option front, Maximum Put OI is at 11,500 followed by 11,800 strike while maximum Call OI is at 12,000 followed by 12,500 strike. Call writing is seen at 11,900 followed by 12,000 strike while Put unwinding is seen at 11,800 then 11,700 strike.

Option data suggests a wider trading range in between 11,700 to 12,000 zones.

Bank Nifty failed to surpass previous days high and corrected by around 400 points to close near its lower band of the trading range at 30,600 zones. It formed a Bearish Candle on daily as well as on weekly scale with formation of lower highs which indicates that Bears are holding the grip at higher zones.

Now till Bank Nifty holds below 31,000 zones, it could extend its weakness towards next major support at 30,250 zones while on the upside hurdles are seen at 31,000 then 31,313 zones.

Stock specific, positive view is on Larsen & Toubro, Cummins India, Manapuram Finance, Tata Consultancy Services, Jindal Steel & Power, Tata Steel, Bata India and Bajaj Finance while shorts are see in many Private, PSU and NBFC stocks.

(The author is Derivatives & Technical Analyst at Motilal Oswal)

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.Manali Bhatia

Slight depreciation in the Indian Rupee was seen against US Dollar as USD/INR bounced back from the support levels of 69 and finally closed at 69.8900.

50 Day Moving Average has been breached on an upside and on daily chart prices are trading near declining trend line.

Looking at the momentum indicators and Average Directional Index (ADX), we can easily see that the trend is completely missing in this currency pair and prices are locked in a trading range.

USD/INR spot chart

In an extremely short term, rupee is going through a mild phase of depreciation as momentum indicators in intraday charts is suggesting strength in US Dollar and in coming week, we can expect this depreciation in rupee likely to continue till the level of 70.30 and 70.70.

We have witnessed the whipsaws in prices at twice near declining trend line resistance. Hence, cautious approach should be adopted by traders at higher levels as this weakness in rupee is likely to be short lived as broader picture still giving a sense of sideways movement and prices are locked in trading range of 70.7 and 68.9.

Apart from that, negative news in crude oil is putting pressure on rupee. Amid Middle-East tensions, two crude oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman. As more information is still awaited with regards to who carried out the attack but the incident has surely ruined sentiments to some extent.

In addition, trade deficit has widened by $0.74 billion on year on year basis to settled at $15.36 billion in May which is likely to put pressure on rupee.

On the other hand, Forex Reserves are near to lifetime high, in current RBI data released on June 7, the Forex Reserve had increased by $1.87 billion to $423.5 billion, which might not let the Indian Rupee to depreciate beyond 70.7.

As per the current market scenario, we would like to recommend for traders to initiate long positions in USD/INR at CMP 69.89 and to hedge the positions with two out of the money weekly call options that can be sold at 70.25 and 70.50 strike prices respectively.

(The author is Senior Research Analyst at Rudra Shares & Stock Brokers Ltd.)

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.The equity market fell sharply on June 14 after India announced retaliatory tariffs on American goods. Banking & financials, auto and FMCG stocks fell the most.

The BSE Sensex plunged 289.29 points to 39,452.07 while the Nifty fell 90.70 points to 11,823.30 and formed bearish candle on daily and weekly scale. For the week, both benchmark indices declined 0.4 percent each.

"A long negative candle was formed on June 14 and the Nifty is placed near the crucial support of 11,770, which is a strong support level as per the concept of change in polarity," Nagaraj Shetti - Technical Research Analyst, HDFC Securities told Moneycontrol.

"We observe a formation of head and shoulder type pattern as per daily timeframe chart (not a classical one) with the neckline placed at 11,770 levels. Hence, a decisive move below this neckline support could open up a potential downside pattern target of 11,525 in the near term (this pattern could activate only on a decline below the support of 11,770)," he said.

The near term trend of Nifty is rangebound with weak bias and the crucial lower supports to be watched for the next week is at 11,760, he added.

Gaurav Ratnaparkhi, Senior Technical Analyst at Sharekhan by BNP Paribas also said the index still continues to hover around the key supports.

"In terms of the price patterns, the running triangular pattern looks intact with a mild throw under. The daily Bollinger Bands, being in a contraction phase, suggests the rangebound activity can continue in the next few sessions. The Nifty will be set for the next up move once the consolidation is over," he added.

The broader markets also fell in line with benchmarks. The Nifty Midcap index dropped 0.9 percent and Smallcap index 0.8 percent as five shares declined for every two shares rising on the NSE.

We have collated 15 data points to help you spot profitable trades:

Key support and resistance level for Nifty

Nifty closed at 11,823.30 on June 14. According to the Pivot charts, the key support level is placed at 11,776.73, followed by 11,730.17. If the index starts moving upward, key resistance levels to watch out are 11,890.83 and 11,958.37.

Nifty Bank

Nifty Bank closed at 30,614.35, down 361.75 points on June 14. The important Pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 30,404.57, followed by 30,194.84. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 30,928.37, followed by 31,242.43.

Call options data

Maximum Call open interest (OI) of 24.40 lakh contracts was seen at the 12,000 strike price. This will act as a crucial resistance level for the June series.

This is followed by 12,500 strike price, which now holds 22.99 lakh contracts in open interest, and 12,200, which has accumulated 15.91 lakh contracts in open interest.

Significant Call writing was seen at 11,900 strike price that added 1.67 lakh contracts, followed by 12,100 strike price that added 1.52 lakh contracts and 12,000 strike price, which added 1.13 lakh contracts.

Call unwinding was seen at the strike price of 12,300, which shed 1.03 lakh contracts, followed by 12,400 strike price that shed 0.33 lakh contracts.

Put options data

Maximum Put open interest of 26.68 lakh contracts was seen at 11,500 strike price. This will act as a crucial support level for the June series.

This was followed by 11,800 strike price, which now holds 16.91 lakh contracts in open interest and 11,700 strike price, which has now accumulated 16.87 lakh contracts in open interest.

Put writing was seen at the 11,400 strike price, which added 0.94 lakh contracts, followed by 11,600 strike price that added 0.58 lakh contracts.

Put unwinding was seen at the strike price of 11,800, which shed 1.17 lakh contracts, followed by 11,700 strike price that shed 1.16 lakh contracts.

Stocks with a high delivery percentage

High delivery percentage suggests investors are accepting the delivery of the stock, which means that investors are bullish on it.

11 stocks saw a long buildup

19 stocks that saw short covering

A decrease in open interest, along with an increase in price, mostly indicates short covering.

87 stocks saw a short build-up

An increase in open interest along with a decrease in price mostly indicates a build-up of short positions.

77 stocks saw long unwinding

FII & DII data

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold shares worth net Rs 238.64 crore while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought Rs 376.47 crore worth of shares in the Indian equity market on June 14, as per provisional data available on the NSE.

Fund flow picture

Stocks in news

Aster DM: ICRA upgraded credit rating to BBB+ from A-; outlook changed to Positive from Stable.

BHEL: Company wins 2 EPC orders worth Rs 800 crore from NTPC & Gujarat State Electricity Corporation.

Reliance Infrastructure Q4: Consolidated net loss at Rs 3,301 crore versus profit of Rs 133 crore; revenue at Rs 4,012.7 crore versus Rs 3,075.2 crore YoY.

Coromandel International: Gujarat Pollution Board revokes its earlier closure order for Gujarat unit.

Indiabulls Real: Promoter releases pledge on 1 crore shares on June 14.

Indiabulls Housing Finance: Promoter releases pledge on 42 lakh shares on June 14.

Fortis Healthcare: Company repays entire loan availed from Citi Bank; closes bidding process for stake sale in RHT Health Trust as no firm proposal is received.

Cadila Healthcare: Subsidiary Alidac Pharma gets Establishment Inspection Report for Ahmedabad unit. USFDA conducted a Pre-Approval Inspection (PAI) from March 18-26.

Jaypee Infra: Committee Of Creditors will meet on June 20.

NDTV: SEBI bars promoters (Prannoy, Radhika Roy) from accessing securities markets for two years.

Corporation Bank: 1-year MCLR cut by 5 bps to 8.85 percent.

CCL Products: India Ratings revises outlook to Positive from Stable; affirmed long-term rating at A+.

Bharat Financial: Company assigns a pool of receivables worth Rs 1,546 crore to a private bank.

DHFL: Company made principle payment of Rs 100 crore and interest of Rs 25.5 lakh on NCDs due June 14.

United Bank: Bank cuts 1-year MCLR to 8.75 percent from 8.8 percent.

New India Assurance: Company likely to announce bancassurance with IDBI Bank, reported CNBC-TV18 quoting sources.

Laurus Labs: USFDA completed inspection of API facilities in Units 1 and 3 with two observations that are procedural in nature.

Sandhar Technologies: Company has signed a joint venture agreement with Winnercom Co. Ltd., Republic of Korea.

FDC: Compamy has been granted ANDA approval by USFDA, for Dorzolamide and Timolol Ophthalmic solution USP 22.3mg/6.83mg per ml, a generic version of Cosopt of Oak Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Elecon Engineering Company: Company received an order from BHEL for supply and erection of stacker cum reclaimer machines at its Udangudi STPP site, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu worth Rs 79.12 crore.

PG Electroplast: Fire broke out on June 15 in washing machine division of the company, Greater Noida, UP.

Indraprastha Medical Corporation: Ashok Bajpai resigned from the position of Managing Director of the company due to personal reasons.

Divi's Laboratories: The USFDA concluded inspection of Unit-II at Bheemunipatnam, Andhra Pradesh with no observations. This was a general cGMP inspection by the USFDA.

Symphony: Company incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary company in Brazil.

Relaxo Footwears: Company has fixed June 27 as the record date to determine eligible shareholders entitled to receive the bonus shares.

Novartis India: Company approved the appointment of Sanjay Murdeshwar as Vice Chairman and Managing Director.

CreditAccess Grameen: Company appointed BR Diwakar, CFO, as an additional director on the board.

Bulk deals

(For more bulk deals, Click Here)

Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings

Unitech: Board meeting is scheduled on June 25 to consider and approve the audited financial results for the quarter and year ended on March 31, 2019.

Mphasis: Company will be meeting investors/analysts on one-on-one basis on June 18 and 19 in Mumbai.

Eris Lifesciences: Company's officials will meet Sectoral Asset Management on June 18.

RITES: Board meeting is scheduled to be held on June 24 to consider the proposal for issuance of bonus shares.

HDFC Bank: Board meeting is scheduled on July 20 to consider June quarter financial results.

Byke Hospitality: Conference Call Invitation scheduled to be held on June 17 to discuss March quarter financial results.

Four stocks under F&O ban period on NSE

For June 17, IDBI Bank, PC Jeweller, Reliance Capital and Reliance Infrastructure are under the F&O ban period.

Securities in ban period under the F&O segment include companies in which the security has crossed 95 percent of the market-wide position limit.In another post-poll violence in West Bengal, three members of a family, stated to be Trinamool Congress (TMC) activists, were killed in Murshidabad district on June 15, police said.

The three were family members of TMC leader Altaf Hossain who was murdered before the Lok Sabha elections.

It is alleged that those responsible for the killing of Hossain attacked his home at Kuchiamora village under Domkal police station and murdered the three.

The assailants attacked Hossain's house with bombs and bullets and killed Altaf's son Sohel Rana, brother Khairuddin Sheikh and nephew Rahidul Sheikh.

Neighbours rushed in immediately and a clash ensued. However, no casualty was reported in that skirmish, police said.

Trinamool Congress MP Abu Taher Khan said the police were inactive and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.Swiss authorities are in process of sharing details of at least 50 Indian nationals having accounts in Switzerland-based banks, with regulatory and enforcement agencies in the two countries tightening their noose on individuals suspected to have amassed illicit wealth.

These individuals largely include businessmen associated with companies, including the dummy ones, in sectors ranging from real estate, financial services, technology and telecom to paints, home decoration, textiles, engineering goods, gems and jewellery.

Officials involved in the process of mutual administrative assistance between the two countries said.

Switzerland has been striving hard for the past few years to shed a long-standing perception of it being a safe haven for black money, while the issue has been a politically sensitive one in India as well.

When the Modi government first came to power in 2014, it had termed the crackdown on the black money, including those allegedly parked in Swiss banks, as a key focus area. Since then, the two countries have strengthened their framework for the exchange of information in cases of financial wrongdoings, including by signing the global automatic exchange of information framework.

The two countries have also strengthened their bilateral pact on this front and the economic considerations for boosting the bilateral economic ties have further helped increase the cooperation when it comes to bringing to book the people with dubious records, especially in amassing illicit wealth.

Citing the federal gazette notifications issued by the Swiss government to the concerned individuals, the officials said at least 50 Indian nationals have been issued notices in the past few weeks giving them one final opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details with the Indian authorities.

Some of these notices have followed after the preliminary appeals by the concerned clients of Swiss banks have already been rejected due to inadequate supporting facts and documents, leaving a limited chance of their further pleas getting heard, officials said.

They said the sharing of details of Indian clients of Swiss banks with dubious records, showing suspected illegalities in amassing of funds deposited there, has been a continuing process in the recent months.

While details of more than 100 Indians nationals have been shared in the past one year by the Swiss government with the Indian authorities, there is a high chance that a large majority of the cases currently under scrutiny would result in the administrative assistance being provided in the coming months, officials said.

Under the Swiss laws, foreign clients of Swiss banks are given an opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details within 30 days (only 10 days in some cases) after a country with a mutual assistance treaty, or party to the multilateral information exchange framework, seeks the details while giving sufficient proof of suspected financial wrongdoings.

While the Swiss government federal gazette notifications are made public when a foreign client is given an appeal opportunity, in some cases their full names are redacted due to some secrecy clauses and only a few details such as their initials, date of birth and the nationality are made public.

An analysis of such weekly notifications issued since the beginning of this year shows that Indian nationals have figured among these notices virtually every week, though full names have been redacted in a majority of the cases.

The full names that have been made public in recent weeks in the Swiss government federal gazette include Krishna Bhagwan Ramchand, Potluri Rajamohan Rao, Kalpesh Harshad Kinariwala, Kuldip Singh Dhingra, Bhaskaran Nalini, Lalitaben Chimanbhai Patel, Sanjay Dalmia, Pankaj Kumar Saraogi, Anil Bhardwaj, Tharani Renu Tikamdas, Mahesh Tikamdas Tharani, Savani Vijay Kanaiyalal, Bhaskaran Tharur, Kalpeshbhai Patel Mahendrabhai, Ajoy Kumar and Dinesh Kumar Himatsingka, Ratan Singh Chowdhury and Kathotia Rakesh Kumar.

However, there are many more cases where only initials have been disclosed for Indian nationals and these include NMA, MMA, PAS, RAS, ABKI, APS, ASBK, MLA, ADS, RPN, MCS, JNV, JD, AD, UG, YA, DM, SLS, UL, SS, RN, VL, UL, OPL, PM, PKK, BLS, SKN and JKJ.

Several of these persons and their companies are said to be based in Kolkata, Gujarat, Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai.

While a large number of Indians have been issued notices in recent weeks with Switzerland stepping up its process to share details of such individuals, many more such notices are in the offing in coming weeks as India has sought details about a large number of Indian clients of Swiss banks who are suspected to have indulged in illicit financial activities.

These include people whose names figured in the HSBC and Panama lists, as also those being probed by the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate among other agencies.

While Switzerland has always denied being a safe haven for black money, it has begun sharing details in recent years with several countries including India after submission of evidence about financial and tax-related wrongdoings of the Swiss bank clients.

Besides, a new global framework of automatic information exchange is now in place, which Switzerland's State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) believes will increase transparency and prevent cross-border tax evasion.Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan 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.Asserting that the Congress needs a "major surgery" in the wake of the Lok Sabha polls debacle, senior leader M Veerappa Moily says Rahul Gandhi must carry out a complete overhaul of the party by holding elections at every level and quell internal bickering with an "iron hand".

Emphasising that Gandhi alone can lead the party, he said it is the AICC in-charges and chiefs of states, where the party has done badly, who should be held accountable and not the Congress president.

Moily asserted that Gandhi continues to be the AICC president and he has not stepped down.

"He (Gandhi) said that owning moral responsibility he will step down. (The Congress) Working Committee (CWC) has been unanimous to say that he has to continue. That holds good even today," he told PTI in an interview.

Moily said it was not fair that Gandhi, who took over the reins of the Congress in 2017, quits as president after being at the helm only for about one and a half years and asserted that he must be given a substantial time to prove himself.

Moily asserted that with elections in states such as Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Haryana coming up, Gandhi has to immediately step in.

"This is not the time to deliberate on who should be the next president. He has to put proper people in-charge of states in the AICC, start the process right now, without any loss of time. Proper candidates for elections will have to be selected... One has to take the reins in his hands and that should be done only by Rahul Gandhi now," the former Union minister said.

Appealing to Gandhi to remain in the saddle and bring about dynamic changes, Moily said the idea is that "we have to have a major surgery over the party".

"Elections at every level (must be carried out) so that we can demonstrate to the world and the country that we have fresh blood. Getting in fresh blood is important, that has been clogged somewhere in the party organisation. This is what Rahul Gandhi has to do and he alone can do it," Moily said.

Only then, there will be a rejuvenation of the party, otherwise leaders who hold onto the party like a fiefdom will continue to do so, the former Karnataka chief minister, who lost the Lok Sabha polls from Chikballapur, said.

Gandhi should quell the bickering in the party with an "iron hand without any mercy", Moily said, adding that then the people will think he is a dynamic leader.

"He has to inject that kind of discipline in the party. The party has to be overhauled everywhere which includes at the AICC-level. We need to relook at all these things. Systems will have to be put in place," the 79-year-old leader said.

His remarks come amid rumblings within party's units in states such as Rajasthan, Punjab and Telangana growing louder over its massive defeat.

On Gandhi's offer to resign at the CWC meeting on May 25, Moily said his gesture of owning the responsibility and making himself accountable as a leader for the defeat should be appreciated, but that doesn't mean that he can be dispensed with.

"Just because he owned moral responsibility, it does not mean that his leadership is not relevant. His leadership is still relevant. This is an opportunity for him. The BJP lost (in 2004) and was out of power for 10 years, but that did not mean that they wound up. They survived and came back in 2014. Ten years time is no time," he said.

Moily said the people who are in-charge of the states where the party was defeated emphatically should own the moral responsibility.

"They have to be made accountable and even state unit chiefs will have to be made accountable. There should be elections everywhere in state units. Let the election process start," he said.

"I think other leaders should take moral responsibility, not Rahul Gandhi," he said.

Moily also said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who entered politics a few months ago needs to be given time to expand the party in Uttar Pradesh and emphasised that she herself had set the target for 2022 assembly polls.

Once UP comes back to the Congress, the party will come back at the national level, he said.

Moily also said Rahul Gandhi has given an excellent leadership and made the Congress relevant.

"He (Gandhi) also made other opposition parties consolidate around him. Even (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi became very desperate because of his leadership, because of the Congress party. He (Modi) also thought he was losing and therefore he made all sorts of desperate attempts. You could see it in his body language, in his speeches," Moily claimed.

Rahul Gandhi demonstrated to the world and the country that he is more than a match to Modi, Moily said. "Congress should have taken advantage of that in which we failed," he said.

Moily also expressed confidence that the Congress can play the role of a dynamic opposition despite low numbers in the Lok Sabha.

"Numbers are not important. The passion with which we take up the cause of the party is important," he said.

On Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav's remarks that the "Congress must die", the veteran Congressman said: "Who is he to suggest others. The Congress has 135 years of history. Britishers wanted to write its obituary, but they wrote their own obituary and went back."

He cited various instances when the Congress has bounced back from massive defeats to assert that a comeback by the grand old party is in the offing.

"People who forget history want to talk like that. Nobody can write the obituary of the Congress. It has sustenance power and it will come back," he asserted.The attack and injury of several junior doctors of NRS Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal by family members of a 75-year-old deceased patient, accusing doctors for alleged negligence in treatment, has brought to fore the dangers faced by doctors in India.

The attack has now snowballed into a state-wide doctors agitation. Doctors have hit roads, hundreds of government doctors have put-in their papers, out-patient divisions (OPDs) of private hospitals were shut down and there was disruption of healthcare services in the state. The agitating doctors in West Bengal have received solidarity from medical fraternity across the country.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also in-charge of the states health ministry, was said to be slow while reacting and let the agitation escalate.

The issue also took a communal turn. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the main opposition party in West Bengal, blamed the state government for not acting against the attackers as they belonged to a particular community, that they allege Banerjee has been appeasing for years.

Banerjee finally blinked and issued a statement four days later, appealing junior doctors to withdraw their agitation and resume their services as people were not receiving treatment.

"Cancer patients, kidney patients, accident victims, even children coming from distant places are suffering for not getting treatment," Banerjee said.

She added that five people had been arrested and their bail applications had been rejected by the court.

"An enquiry has be started to look into the issues from all sides. The government has taken all necessary action, whatever required," she said.

Reasons for attack on doctors

Assaults on doctors by patient's family members and relatives is not isolated to West Bengal. There are numerous such cases of attacks on duty doctors and vandalism of hospitals across the country.

Around 75 percent of doctors across the country have faced some form of violence, according to a study by Indian Medical Association (IMA).

More than half of those attacks were on doctors providing emergency services.

Many states have enacted the Prevention of Violence Against Medicare Persons and Institutions Acts, to punish people who attack doctors and damage hospital property. However, the enforcement has been a problem. The conviction rate is extremely low.

Doctors and their professional bodies have been appealing the government for a Central law, with tougher penal action to make it deterrent for attackers.

The meagre spending on healthcare by the government is also putting tremendous burden on government hospitals.

Neeraj Nagpal, Convener, Medicos Legal Action Group (MLAG), a qualified doctors trust that takes legal action on issues which adversely affect the medical profession in India, in his paper 'Incidents of violence against doctors in India: Can these be prevented?' argues that violence against doctors in India is due to the poor conditions in which patients are treated in government hospitals.

"There is overcrowding, long waiting time to meet doctors, absence of a congenial environment, multiple visits to get investigations done as well as consult doctors, sharing a bed by two and sometimes three patients and poor hygiene and sanitation. There is frustration with systemic problems of government hospitals, from dysfunctional equipment to shortage of staff," he said.

Nagpal states that only 1.06 lakh doctors are employed by the government in India, of the 9.38 lakh doctors registered to provide healthcare to a population over 120 crore. Of these, only 27,355 are posted at primary health centres (PHCs), which serve the rural population.

"With poor infrastructure and no increase in the number of posts for government doctors over the past many decades, despite an increasing population, the public healthcare system is on the verge of collapse. Violence against the health service provider is only a symptom of this crippling underlying malady," Nagpal said.

With under investment in public healthcare and government transforming itself from provider to payer, there is an over-reliance on private establishments to provide healthcare. This has also led to commercialisation of healthcare and a general feeling of suspicion among people.

There is also lack of awareness on grievance redressal mechanism if a patient or their family members have a case of medical negligence against a doctor or a hospital. Even if patient goes through grievance redressal mechanism, there is little guarantee that they would get justice.

All this has resulted in trust deficit between public and doctors. Section of doctors blame it on media for widening trust deficit by sensationalising few cases of lapses.

But there is no way out. All stakeholders, including the government, doctors, hospitals administrators, civil society and media should come together to find a solution for this menace. Doctors running for cover for their lives is bad for the state of healthcare.Pakistan will get a loan of $3.4 billion from the Asian Development Bank for budgetary support, Prime Minister Imran Khan's adviser on finance has said as the cash-strapped country tries to overcome a ballooning balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple its economy.

Of the total amount, $2.1 billion would be released within a year of the agreement between the ADB and the finance ministry, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar was quoted as saying by Dawn.

The loan from the Philippines-headquartered global finance institution was "on a concessional rate", the minister said.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said on Twitter that the ADB will provide $3.4 billion to Pakistan for budgetary support.

"$2.2 billion will be released this fiscal year (FY), starting in the first quarter of FY 2019-20. This will help the reserve position and the external account," he said in a tweet.

ADB's Director General Werner Leipach and its country director Xiaohong Yang called on Shaikh and discussed with him matters relating to ADB's upcoming operations in Pakistan, the finance ministry said in a statement.

"The director general (Leipach) briefed the adviser that in addition to strong project portfolio, the bank is also keen to provide balance of payments financing to support the government of Pakistan's structural reform agenda," according to the statement.

Pakistan seeks help to overcome a ballooning balance of payments crisis.

Last month, it reached an agreement in principle with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a three-year, $6 billion bailout package aimed at shoring up its finances and strengthening a slowing economy.

The ADB financing would come on top of the IMF loan.

In April, three influential US lawmakers urged the Trump adminstration to oppose the proposed multi-billion bailout package being sought by Pakistan from the IMF arguing it could be used to repay the Chinese debt.

China is investing heavily in Pakistan under the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Launched in 2015, CPEC is a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking China's resource-rich Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistan's strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.An Israeli court on June 16 convicted the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fraudulently using state funds for meals, under a plea bargain which saw her admit to lesser charges.

Sara Netanyahu was found guilty of exploiting the mistake of another person and ordered to pay a fine and compensation, in a deal approved by Jerusalem magistrates' court justice Avital Chen.

Netanyahu was also fined 10,000 shekels ($2,800) and ordered to reimburse the state a further 45,000 shekels, the latter of which she will pay in nine installments, at her request.

"The deal reached between the sides is worthy and appropriately reflects the deeds and their severity on the criminal level," Chen said in his ruling.

The 60-year-old, a high-profile presence at her husband's side throughout his long tenure in office, was initially charged in June 2018 with fraud and breach of trust for buying catered meals despite the presence of a cook at the minister's official residence.

The amended indictment, approved on June 16, dropped the graft charges.Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has warned against "exploiting" the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi for political gains, in what appeared to be a veiled attack on Turkey. Turkey's ties with Saudi Arabia have come under strain since the brutal murder last October of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which tarnished the international reputation of the crown prince.

Turkish officials were the first to report the murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found.

"The death of Jamal Khashoggi is a very painful crime," Prince Mohammed told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in an interview published Sunday.

"Any party exploiting the case politically should stop doing so, and present evidence to the (Saudi) court, which will contribute in achieving justice," he added, without directly naming Turkey.

The prince, however, added that he wants strong relations with "all Islamic countries including Turkey".

The CIA has reportedly said the murder was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler and heir to the Arab world's most powerful throne.

Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation.

Saudi prosecutors have absolved the prince and said around two dozen people implicated in the murder are in custody, with death penalties sought against five men.

Khashoggi, a US resident, had written critically of Prince Mohammed and was killed in what Riyadh described as a rogue operation.

Prince Mohammed said the kingdom was committed to "full justice and accountability" in the case, as he faces international pressure to punish the culprits.June 16, 2019 How Trump's "Maximum Pressure" Campaign Against Iran Now Works Against Him There is no evidence that Iran was behind Friday's attack on tankers in the Gulf of Oman. There are many parties in the Middle East and in the United States who are interested in goading the U.S. into a military confrontation with Iran. Most of these parties have the capability to launch clandestine attacks on civilian vessels. That the U.S. government would blame Iran for any such attack is obvious. But even Israeli analysts doubt that Iran is responsible for the recent incidents. The German government doubts that video the U.S. presented shows anything of significance. Others point at the suspicious timing of the incident.

bigger Israel is of course the foremost candidate for such a false flag attack. Prime Minister Netanyahoo agitated against Iran for the last 25 years. He multiple times threatened to directly attack the country but would prefer that the U.S. would do so. The Israeli clandestine service Mossad is capable of far reaching operations. Israel's submarines are known to have operated in the Arab Sea. The Saudis are under pressure from Houthi forces at their southern borders. The Houthi receive some material support from Iran. If the U.S. would attack Iran, the Saudis would be relieved. The Saudis need oil prices way above the current $60 per barrel to finance their state. Anything that drives up the price, like the tanker attacks, is obviously in their interest. The murder of Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey demonstrated that the Saudis developed extensive clandestine capabilities and have no qualms to use them. The Saudi partner in crime in Yemen are the United Arab Emirates under the ruthless control of Mohammad bin Zayed. Bin Zayed is a major instigator of the anti-Iranian U.S. policies. Bin Zayed hired Eric Prince of Blackwater fame to build him a mercenary army. Prince is a former U.S. Navy SEAL, a military operator trained in clandestine operations at sea. Secretly putting a sticky bomb onto some ship is exactly what SEALs learn to do. U.S. President Donald Trump hired several Iran haters into his administration. His National Security Advisor John Bolton has for years agitated for regime change in Tehran. Bolton is known for circumventing the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He directly communicates with lower levels in the U.S. military and with its regional commanders. The U.S. Central Command now claims that: "a modified Iranian SA-7 surface-to-air missile attempted to shoot down a US MQ-9, at 6:45am local time, June 13, over the Gulf of Oman, to disrupt surveillance of the (Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) attack on the M/T Kokuka Courageous... Sure - that must be right. Just like the CENTCOM claim that the tankers were damaged by limpet mines, which are ineffective when used above the waterline of a ship. The Japanese owner of the Kokuka Courageous says that CENTCOM lies, and that the ship was attacked by "flying objects". The MQ9 Reaper drone is a surveillance platform but it is also capable of firing missiles. If the new CENTCOM claim is true where is the drone video of the "Iranian attack"? How can we be sure that it wasn't a U.S. drone that fired missiles at the Japanese ship? There is of course also the CIA. Two years ago it formed a new mission center to attack Iran: The Iran Mission Center will bring together analysts, operations personnel and specialists from across the CIA to bring to bear the range of the agencys capabilities, including covert action.

...

To lead the new group, Mr. Pompeo picked a veteran intelligence officer, Michael DAndrea, who recently oversaw the agencys program of lethal drone strikes and has been credited by many of his peers for successes against al Qaeda in the U.S.s long campaign against the terrorist group.

...

Mr. DAndrea, a former director of the CIAs Counterterrorism Center, is known among peers as a demanding but effective manager, and a convert to Islam who works long hours. Some U.S. officials have expressed concern over what they perceive as his aggressive stance toward Iran. One wonders what DAndrea, with his experience in directing drone strikes, worked on throughout the last two years. What operations did he plan? We know that false flags attacks are as American as apple pie. The Boston Tea Party was committed by colonial settlers camouflaged as Indians. Remember the Maine? The Gulf of Tonkin "attack" that never happened? The fake chemical attacks staged by U.S. paid actors to then be blamed on the Syrian government? There are also a number of non-state actors who might have been involved in the tanker attacks. The MEK cult is known for committing terrorist attacks against Iran. But it is not the only group. Over the last two year alone Baluch terrorists at the Pakistani Iranian border, Arab separatists of the Ahvaz movement, the Islamic State and Kurdish groups all launched terror attacks against Iran. All these groups are financed by one or the other state actors listed above. With practically unlimited money available, they all might have developed the necessary capabilities to damage some tanker. All the above actors have motives and the potential capability to launch attacks that they can then blame on Iran. It is no wonder then that everyone calls bullshit when Secretary of State Pompeo claims that "only Iran" could have done it. There is simply no evidence - as in zero - that Iran committed the attacks. It is also no wonder then that even avid Moon of Alabama readers doubt this authors reporting that Iran's new strategy is to put "maximum pressure" on Trump. It sounded outlandish when it was first developed in the update to this post. But if one puts oneself into the shoes of Iranian decision makers, it suddenly becomes a realistic assessment. A day after our first reporting on the new Iranian strategy Asia Times confirmed that the concept exists: [T]his kind of non-lethal warning, which caused a spike in oil prices, has been in the hardline Iranian playbook since the Trump administration signaled it would take steps to squeeze the Islamic republics ability to sell its petroleum. It was being debated even before the oil waivers were revoked [in November], but largely as a possible response to an attempt to zero [eliminate] Irans exports, an Iranian source told Asia Times on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak on the matter. The idea behind this, says the Asia Times source, is to push the Saudis to tell Trump to lower the pressure on Iran: If MBZ tells Trump that its time to slow down the maximum pressure policy that is very different than [Japanese President Shinzo] Abe calling for negotiations, the source said. But to slow down Trump's maximum pressure policy against Iran is not sufficient. What Iran wants to do is, as we argued, to eliminate Trump's maximum pressure campaign by putting maximum pressure on Trump. Elijah Magnier is known to have access to high level sources in Tehran. He reported last night: Informed sources close to Iranian decision makers repeated the words of President Hassan Rouhani and the Iranian advisor to Sayyed Khamenei for international affairs, Ali Akbar Velayati, namely that if Iran cant export oil through the Persian Gulf, no-one in the Middle East will be able do this. The source expects further attacks in the future, given the US decision to stop the flow of oil by all means at all costs. Thus, oil will stop being delivered to the world if Iran cant export its two million barrels per day. Tensions in the Gulf can be eased only when sanctions are lifted on Iran. Otherwise, more objectives may be targeted and the level of tension will gradually increase. [..] If Iran is in pain, the rest of the world will suffer equally, said the source.

...

President Trump is betting on maintaining the status-quo. This doesnt suit Iran, because its economy will suffer dearly. Binding the deep economic wound and holding on until Trump ends his first mandate is playing into Trumps hand and this is not going to happen. The tension in the Gulf was generated when Trump decided to pull out of the nuclear deal (known as the JCPOA). Let him pay the price now. If Iran cannot export its crude oil it means the country must be ready for war, continue the source. "If you want maximum pressure," Iran tells Trump, "we are able to deliver that." No Iranian official will of course ever confirm this publicly. What makes the situation confusing and the reasoning counterintuitive is that Iran and some of its enemies now have the very same tactical interests. Both sides now want to increase the heat in the region. That guarantees that more such attacks will happen. There are many, many potential targets for this campaign. Current loaded tanker traffic in the Middle East



via Tanker Trackers - bigger Iran's enemies hope that more attacks on tankers will goad Trump, and his British sidekicks, into a military conflict with Iran. Iran calculates that Trump will see the danger and recognize that such a conflict would ruin his presidency. That he will accept that he has to revoke the sanctions and rejoin the nuclear deal to avoid to be blamed for unprecedented oil prices and catastrophic consequences for the global economy. We can expect that the cat and mouse game will continue throughout the next twelve month. Trump will be under pressure from both sides. Next spring or summer is the latest point for him to decide either way. Until then we will see more casualties of this new tanker war. Iran's enemies as well as Iran itself now have an interest that more attacks on tankers happen. But unless there is very convincing independent evidence we will never know who will have committed these. There are simply too many players who have motives and the capabilities to make such attacks happen. All of them have plausible reasons to damage more ships. All of them have plausible deniability. It is this what makes the current situation so dangerous. Luckily the problem can be easily solved. The one who caused this conflict is Donald Trump. He is also the one who can immediately end it. Posted by b on June 16, 2019 at 12:57 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page June 16, 2019

The MoA Week In Review - OT 2019-34

Sorry for posting only four pieces this week. There was family visiting here who deserved a bit of attention.

Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama:

Your host is quite proud about the above scoop on Iran's new strategy. I developed the idea that Iran runs a "strategy of tension" by putting myself into Iran's role. What were my options?

After I wrote that up in the update of the first post, I became convinced that it was the right idea. Iran had gained escalation dominance. I contacted Elijah Magnier on Twitter and asked what he thought about it. He rejected the idea. He thought, like I earlier did, that Friday's attack would hurt Iran.

A few hours later Elijah came along with my idea. He later contacted his sources in Tehran who confirmed that it is indeed Iran's current strategy. Each tanker incident in the Middle East will now become, as Bernd writes, another version of the "Murder on the Orient Express". Everyone will ask "Who's done it?" No one believes the U.S. when it points towards Iran. Such U.S. claims are only good for silly jokes:

John Bolton: An Attack On Two Saudi Oil Tankers Is An Attack On All Americans - The Onion

Chief of Naval Operations lauds return to tradition of false flag operations - Duffelblog

Even the otherwise docile Japan is mightily pissed that the attack on a Japanese tanker during Prime Minister Abe's visit in Tehran is blamed on Iran. Its government officially demands an explanation:

Japan demands more proof from U.S. that Iran attacked tankers

---

Other issues

Venezuela:

Enviados de Guaido se apropian de fondos para ayuda humanitaria en Colombia - PANAM Post (Spanish)

Shocking expose of Juan Guaido's envoys in Colombia, who are accused of embezzling "humanitarian aid" funds, inflating figures, fraud & threats in order to surround themselves with luxury. There are even copies of receipts.

and

Associates of Venezuelan coup frontman Juan Guaido embezzled funds raised in Cucuta, Colombia for humanitarian aid and lavishly spent it on hotels, nightclubs and expensive clothes. This is a monumental scandal! - more

Guaido's people in Colombia collected aid and money for 1,400 soldiers they claimed had come to their side. There were in fact less than 700 most of whom were not even deserters. The Colombian government paid the hotel costs for most of them. They were soon evicted because Guaido's envoys just kept the money. They spend it on whores and bad drugs. One ended up dead, another ended up hospitalized. The government of Colombia is not amused about this. It is really no wonder that the coup attempt failed.

Cyberattacks:

Remember how electricity in Venezuela failed during the U.S. coup attempt? The Maduro government claimed that U.S. cyberattack caused the damage. The U.S. blamed the "incompetence" of the Maduro government and said it would never do such a thing. Except when its does:

U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russias Power Grid - NYT

The United States is stepping up digital incursions into Russias electric power grid in a warning to President Vladimir V. Putin and a demonstration of how the Trump administration is using new authorities to deploy cybertools more aggressively, current and former government officials said.

...

[T]he American strategy has shifted more toward offense, officials say, with the placement of potentially crippling malware inside the Russian system at a depth and with an aggressiveness that had never been tried before. It is intended partly as a warning, and partly to be poised to conduct cyberstrikes if a major conflict broke out between Washington and Moscow.

I do not have time to pick the piece apart, but I believe that it is mostly scaremongering and psychological warfare against Russia. Endangering the electrical network of a nuclear power is an immensely stupid idea. This piece from January 2018 explains why:

Pentagon Suggests Countering Devastating Cyberattacks With Nuclear Arms - NYT

A newly drafted United States nuclear strategy that has been sent to President Trump for approval would permit the use of nuclear weapons to respond to a wide range of devastating but non-nuclear attacks on American infrastructure, including what current and former government officials described as the most crippling kind of cyberattacks.

Does anyone expect that Russia would react differently? President Putin offered several times to sign a binding agreement that would prohibit such cyberattacks. The U.S. under Bush and Obama rejected that. It will now have to live with the consequences.

How good are the cyberwar folks at targeting their weapons anyway?

Parts of Latin American hit by massive power outage

Buenos Aires (dpa) - Large parts of Latin America have been hit by a massive power outage, local media and an Argentinian energy company said. Argentinian energy company Edesur confirmed on Twitter that all of Argentina and Uruguay had been affected by the outage. Argentinian newspaper La Nacion reported that Brazil and Chile had also been affected, while the BBC flagged outages in Paraguay.

That also must have been caused by the "incompetence" of the Maduro government in Venezuela ...

Use as open thread ...

Posted by b on June 16, 2019 at 16:56 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page "We'll see you in February in Australia!" Melanie Brown ('Scary Spice') announced to the crowd.

The Spice songstresses embarked on their reunion tour, minus 'Posh Spice' Victoria Beckham, in late May. The group performed 13 shows across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The announcement has generated speculation that the group could be taking the Spice World tour across the ditch to New Zealand, where demand for a show has been sky-high ever since the reunion tour was announced in November last year.

Details about the "Wannabe" hitmakers' first time Down Under are currently unknown.

Read more from this story at Newshub.The merchant bank that's taking over the majority stake in Whataburger was founded by one of Warren Buffett's favorite investors.

On Friday, news broke that BDT Capital Partners, a Chicago-based company, is becoming the majority shareholder of Whataburger.Happy Fathers Day to all former, current and future dads.

Today, the Reporter-Telegram wanted to put a different spin on Fathers Day by celebrating a quartet of elected officials and their sons/daughters who have been active in the local community or at the state level.

We want to thank Tom and Christi Craddick for their help in putting this together.

It is our hope that tomorrows leaders are being raised today in the same way we have seen with these Midlanders. The first and most important teacher that any child will have is a parent, and our community needs the type of involvement that produces hard-working, quality adults but also those who give back to their communities.

We hope you enjoy a look at fathers and daughters.

Tom Craddick/Christi Craddick

Tom Craddick was the first Republican speaker of the Texas House since Reconstruction and has represented Midland County for a half-century. Christi Craddick also has made a name for herself in politics, being elected statewide as a member of the Railroad Commission of Texas, where she currently serves a chairman.

As far as father-son/daughter, it will be hard to find a more powerful or influential political duo in the state. Here is what they said about community involvement.

MRT: Why was it important for you to be involved in your community?

Tom Craddick: My parents always instilled the importance of being involved in our community. Through them, I learned at an early age the value of commitment. At 21, I decided I wanted to help my community by running for the Legislature. To this day, it still gives me great pleasure to help individuals, companies and projects dedicated to making the Permian Basin a desirable place to live. Commitment, dedication and service to my constituents have always been important to me. Involvement is the key to a vibrant community.

MRT: What does it mean to see your child/children involved?

Tom Craddick: It makes me smile that maybe Nadine and I did something right. Christi chose the path of public service by being a statewide elected member of the Texas Railroad Commission. Christi, Tommy and his wife, Laura, are involved with their children and numerous volunteer efforts in their community. By following our parents example, we have strived to teach our family to give back and make their communities a better place to live.

I am proud that my children are active, productive adults.

MRT: Why is it important for you to be involved in your community (or state)?

Christi Craddick: Community service and giving back to others is one of the most important values I am sharing with my daughter, and one that kids can learn from a young age. Engaging in the community and helping others around you who are in need provides a sense of commonality and awareness with regard to the issues our communities are facing. We can each choose how and to what extent we are able to be involved, but when we support one another, the community as a whole prospers. I am honored to be involved in the state as an elected Texas Railroad commissioner.

MRT: What message did your father pass on to you about being involved in your community?

Christi Craddick: My father has committed his life to public service. He is an incredible example of how vision and persistence can improve a community. He is also a wonderful teacher and mentor and has spent much of his time encouraging others to get engaged. Whether volunteering with the PTA, our church, or a number of different charities, my parents led by example and encouraged my brother and me to be involved and serve in the community. For us, community service is a family affair and a lesson we hope to pass from one generation to the next.FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)  A Texas sheriff says one of his deputies was found fatally shot inside his car, near the county jail.

Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn tells news outlets that Sgt. Keith Shepherd was found Friday night inside his car in a downtown Fort Worth parking lot. The parking lot is across from the county jail, where Sheriff's Department Chief of Staff David McClelland says Shepherd was assigned.Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Light snow this evening will give way to some clearing late. Low -6F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Light snow this evening will give way to some clearing late. Low -6F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. Higher wind gusts possible.Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association

In recent years, we've watched as environmental activists have adopted more aggressive tactics designed to block the development of infrastructure projects that benefit our nation, at times even taking destructive and violent action to stop the construction of pipeline systems and other oil and gas facilities in the United States. Demonstrations against the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline by politically-motivated, anti-fossil fuel activists, for instance, gained notoriety and captivated headlines in recent years for intensifying into near riots, with some of the instigators confessing to numerous acts of sabotage. Unfortunately these are not isolated incidences. Protests of this nature and more aggressive acts targeting energy infrastructure occur on a regular basis across the country and abroad, in some cases resulting in deaths, significant damage to private property and harm to the environment.

Recognizing the need to protect critical infrastructure and the serious consequences related to extreme activist behavior, officials on the state and federal levels are now cracking down on pipeline protests involving criminal behavior. The state of Texas is helping to lead the push to establish tougher penalties for those causing damage to critical infrastructure. During this year's legislative session in Texas, state policymakers passed legislation that will make it a serious crime for a person to intentionally or knowingly damage, destroy, vandalize, deface or tamper with a critical infrastructure facility or impede, inhibit, or otherwise interfere with its operation. This includes damage to oil and gas drilling sites, wellheads, pipelines and other oil and gas related facilities. TIPRO and numerous industry sectors unrelated to the oil and natural gas industry supported this effort, meeting with key legislators throughout the legislative process and advocating for the passage of House Bill 3557, the main vehicle for critical infrastructure protection, which was sent to Texas Governor Greg Abbott for his approval on May 29. 2019. The policy has an effective date of September 1, 2019, pending the governor's signature.MOUNT STERLING  A Mount Sterling woman died Friday of a gunshot and a man at the same house was in intensive care Saturday after being shot in the face, police said.

Emergency dispatchers were called about 9:20 p.m. Friday to a residence in the 400 block of East Chestnut Street, according to a Mount Sterling Police Department report.Elvis Kwashie has written his name ...House fire on Apple Colony Road in April View Photos

Tuolumne City, CA  Two Tuolumne Fire District Firefighters were recognized this week for their heroic actions during a house fire that saved a mans life.

At the fire districts station on Main Street in Tuolumne Wednesday night during a meeting, those firefighters, 20 year-old Andrew Riley Derichsweiler, who has been with the department for a year and a half and 25-year-old Cameron Medeiros, going on 5 years, where awarded plaques praising them for their heroism on that cold spring day.

Called out to a house fire on April 25th, they arrived to find flames ripping through a home in the 18000 block of Apple Colony Road near Maple Avenue at around 9 a.m. As the pair was heading into the house, three residents that had escaped the blaze relayed a man was still inside. Chief Nick Ohler details, Smoke was almost banked down to the floor, so the guys recognized that they had a limited amount of time. For chance of survival they needed to get him out quick. He continued, They could hear someone yelling and they were able to locate him and successfully get him out of the building.

The victim, Melvin Slate, had to be flown to Sacramentos U.C. Davis Medical Center to be treated for burns and smoke inhalation. Additionally, as the fire raged, Summerville Elementary School across the street was forced to go on lockdown until the blaze was knocked down. Chief Ohler points falling asleep while smoking a cigarette as the cause of the fire.

Slate was not at the award ceremony, but Chief Ohler was quick to praise Derichsweiler and Medeiros, stating, Its not every day and for some folks this is a once in a career opportunity to actually save someones life in this scenario  I couldnt be more proud.More than 40 units from the San Antonio Fire Department were called to battle an apartment fire in the Monte Vista neighborhood Sunday afternoon, according to the department.

Firefighters responded to the three-story Magnolia Apartments, 301 W Magnolia Ave., about 3:20 p.m.3 1 of 3 Courtesy National Weather Service Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy National Weather Service Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to roll into San Antonio later tonight, according to a National Weather Service forecast.

The storms will be capable of producing damaging straight-line winds of 50 to 60 miles per hour, large hail and isolated tornadoes, the NWS reported Sunday afternoon.A divided Congress leaves precious few legislative items that offer true bipartisan appeal. One of those issues is reducing drug prices, a subject the Trump administration has made a high priority.

But not every idea proposed to reduce drug prices is wise.

Generic drugs can offer cheaper alternatives to brand-name prescription drugs. But a generics at all costs approach has a serious downside that may not be fully appreciated.

While Big Pharma is an easy target, these companies invest the billions of dollars required to bring a new drug to market and secure Federal Drug Administration approval. They can justify the staggering investment requirement on the basis that they will have exclusive market access for a specific period, helping them recoup their investment and delivering a profit.

Much like the Hippocratic oath taken by doctors, Congress should also seek to do no harm when adding new regulations. If Congress advances legislation that punishes innovator companies that invent the new lifesaving medicines that generics copy, that will discourage new inventions to treat new diseases.

The most prominent example of branded-drug companies being hurt by an overzealous push for generics is in the intellectual property space.

Branded-drug makers spend billions on research and development, and once they win approval to sell a drug to the public, they are awarded patent exclusivity. Generics come into the market after exclusivity expires, and they drive down prices.

The status quo is a positive cycle, balancing the incentive for branded companies to innovate (with strong patent protections) and the need for generics to eventually compete and reduce costs (through generic market access after patents expire). Generic-drug makers want earlier market access to copy these drugs and increase their profits.

This is where different legislative approaches offer vastly different consequences.

Senate Bill 1416, authored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and co-sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., may have pure intentions, but the unintended consequences would be severe. Their bill allows a branded-drug maker to take an existing exclusive drug and if it finds it is more effective as a patch, release it to the public and patent this new technology; then this conversion would automatically be subject to a patent challenge by the federal government under inter partes review, or IPR.

IPR is essentially stacked against patent holders, and this process is primarily a pathway for where or other challengers to file petitions to overturn patents.

Under Cornyns legislation, these challenges would happen automatically  increasing the size and power of the Federal Trade Commission to harass patent holders even after theyve gone through a lengthy approval process. This increases risk and uncertainty for branded-drug makers and will result in less investment and innovation.

A better approach would be to encourage innovation and competition, not require new rules and more government involvement in private industry.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has a compromise, which helps both branded and generic companies, and ends meddling in the intellectual property space. It takes the form of two pieces of legislation, the Hatch-Waxman Integrity Act of 2019 and the CREATES Act of 2019.

According to the U.S. Chamber, Hatch-Waxman created a pathway for expedited approval and market entry of generic medicines  while preserving the innovator rights that have made the U.S. the world leader in the delivery of new, life-saving medicines.

The CREATES Act, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce writes, would further promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the prompt entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs through ensuring the timely availability of innovator drug samples for generic manufacturers on commercially reasonable terms.

No new drug is created without a company first deciding it will make a billion-dollar investment and believing that investment can be returned. Threatening that basic concept would be a mistake.

Matt Mackowiak is president of Austin- and Washington, D.C.-based Potomac Strategy Group. Hes a Republican consultant, a Bush administration and Bush-Cheney reelection campaign veteran, and former press secretary to two U.S. senators.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 wont 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, its 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.

 ZimbabweMail

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Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsBy Justin Mikulka, a freelance writer, audio and video producer living in Trumansburg, NY. Originally published at DeSmog Blog

On June 6, the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced that the company Energy Transport Solutions LLC had applied for a special permit to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) in unit trains 100 cars long and for the express purpose of moving LNG to export facilities. The notice in the Federal Register starts a comment period, ending July 8, for the public to weigh in on the proposal, which represents a new mode for transporting LNG and includes no new safety precautions.

The permit documentation and environmental assessment from PHMSA suggest that federal regulators  instead of learning from the deadly mistakes of the essentially unregulated oil-by-rail boom  are poised to allow the fossil fuel and rail industries to repeat the same business model with LNG, with potentially even higher consequences for public health and safety.

For years, the rail industry has been seeking approval for LNG-by-rail, and in April President Trump issued an allowing LNG-by-rail by 2020.

The justification for allowing unit trains of LNG is the same as for unit trains of volatile crude oil. (Unit trains haul primarily a single commodity in trains that can stretch a mile long.) Just like the oil-by-rail industry sprung up to move a glut of North Dakota fracked oil, promoters of LNG-by-rail tout it as necessary due to the flood of fracked natural gas  something PHMSA notes is expected to increase for decades to come, according to the Department of Energy.

Growth in U.S. LNG Exports Credit: U.S.Energy Information Administration

PHMSA asserts that transportation of LNG by rail, compared to currently moving it by tanker truck, would be more cost efficient and reduce its environmental impacts. In addition, the agency claims that the existing regulatory requirements that govern the movement of cryogenic flammable materials similar to LNG are expected to provide adequate safety measures for LNG shipped in DOT-113C120W tank cars.

Cryogenic materials are liquefied gases that are kept in their liquid state at very low temperatures, typically below -238 degrees Fahrenheit, and those which are flammable produce a gas that can burn in air.

PHMSA: No Data on Mitigating Risks? No Safety Rule

PHMSAs environmental assessment for the permit is the document currently open for review. It notes several (but not all) of the risks of moving a flammable material in the heaviest train cars in unit trains of 100 cars or more. It then dismisses all of those concerns.

Train length: Moving crude oil by rail did not raise concerns until the fracking boom led companies to begin filling up trains of 100 to 150 tank cars, and those trains began derailing and exploding. As DeSmog has documented, longer trains are more likely to derail. No regulations exist limiting train length. While this LNG-by-rail application is for unit trains of 100 cars, no rules prevent even longer trains. In 2015, the ethanol industry indicated interest in following the lead of the oil industry and moving to these long unit trains. Most of the major derailments with ethanol have included unit trains, like the one that derailed in Texas in April and burned down a stable, killing three horses.

A train carrying ethanol caught fire after derailing in a residential area in Fort Worth, Texas. No one was injured, but 20 nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution. The cause of the derailment is not yet known. https://t.co/oGdQBsddeo pic.twitter.com/sb23pk5Jxp  ABC News (@ABC) 24 April 2019

Train weight: The crude oil unit trains coincided with new regulations allowing for heavier tank cars. Some experts have expressed concerns that these unit trains are too long and too heavy, with those forces leading to derailments. The proposed LNG trains would have the heaviest allowed tank cars.

Train Speed: After numerous derailments and explosions involving unit trains of crude oil, the Federal Railroad Administration proposed new rules to slow down oil trains to less than 40 miles per hour (mph) near major population centers. PHMSA is recommending a speed limit of 50 mph for LNGtrains. This speed limit is not backed up by data from tests determining what speed the tank cars will suffer punctures in derailment scenarios but instead on the absence of such data. The agency claims that because no testing has been done, it cant identify a threshold speed that would be safe:

The risk of puncture increases with speed; but there are no test data or computer models that could be used to predict the probability of puncture at any particular speed, or identify a threshold speed at which the probability of puncture of the inner tank becomes high.

Instead, the regulators note that the Association of American Railroads, the industrys main lobbying group, recommends limiting the speed of trains carrying certain amounts of hazardous materials to 50 mph.

Emergency Response: At a 2015 conference on oil by rail, noted rail safety expert Fred Millar told the audience that emergency response for oil train accidents was a distraction from what we have to do. Despite industry public relations events about training first responders to deal with oil train disasters, the typical response in actual events is to evacuate anyone in the blast zone and let the trains burn out, which often takes days.

PHMSA admits that this is the only option for dealing with a burning LNG tank car. Response and mitigation techniques beyond evacuation for breaches in cryogenic tank cars do not exist or are impractical during a derailment scenario.

BLEVE Events: The nightmare scenario for an LNG rail accident is a BLEVE event, or Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion. This is when a fire engulfs full tank cars and heats them to the point they explode.

PHMSA explains away this issue: No test data or mathematical models exist to predict whether and when an LNG tank car exposed to an external fire would undergo a BLEVE. No data, no problem seems to be the approach to safety at PHMSA. Meanwhile, examples of such tests for other materials and tanks are easily found on YouTube, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have developed software that models BLEVEs.

Exposure: One thing PHMSA does definitively state is that exposure to heat from an LNG pool fire or ignition of LNG vapors could result in fatalities, serious injuries, and property damage for those within the limited zone of hazard.

In more straightforward terms, the limited zone of hazard is a blast zone.

Railroad Rules Are Written in Blood

There is a saying over a century old that says, Railroad rules have been written in blood. In other words, the rail industry operates unchecked by safety rules until enough people die to warrant regulation. While that saying has been true in the past, after 47 people died in the Quebec town of Lac-Megantics oil train disaster, the regulations that followed failed to address the heart of oil train safety risks. Furthermore, the one meaningful safety regulation  requiring modern brakes on oil train  passed in the wake of this disaster was repealed by the Trump administration at the end of 2017.

In May the Trump administration withdrew another proposed safety regulation that would require two-person crews on freight trains. The document outlining the proposed rules withdrawal explicitly states a shift for rail regulators. Instead of writing mandatory rules governing safety, the Department of Transportation, which includes PHMSA, is taking an attitude that is quite the opposite.

DOTs approach to achieving safety improvements begins with a focus on removing unnecessary barriers and issuing voluntary guidance, rather than regulations that could stifle innovation.

Under Trump, deregulation is the rule, and safety measures are voluntary. If past is prologue and the federal government approves unit trains of LNG, expect the same scenes as with oil trains: flames, explosions, and deaths.

And all in the name of exporting fracked gas to the highest bidder abroad.

The public comment period ends July 8.(Natural News) It is a medical fact that people of African descent have enhanced natural immunity to various viral infections, including Ebola. In fact, migrants from Africa may carry Ebola and show no symptoms whatsoever. This simple, irrefutable fact appears to be completely unknown to all U.S. doctors, journalists and CDC experts who claim Ebola cant possibly be carried to the U.S. from Congo because, they often explain, nobody is showing any symptoms.

Yet it is a well-known medical fact that Ebola carriers from Africa may be entirely symptom-free. If you dont believe me, go back to the June 27, 2000 article in the New York Times, authored by Lawrence K. Altman. The headline is, People Carrying Ebola, in Some Cases, May Be Free of Symptoms.

The Ebola virus can also infect without producing illness, according to a new finding by African and European scientists, reported the NYT. They found that the Ebola virus could persist in the blood of asymptomatic infected individuals for two weeks after they were first exposed to an infected individual. How much longer the virus can persist is unknown.

Citing a study published in The Lancet and authored by Dr. E. M. Leroy, the NYT continues:

Scientists have known that Ebola usually spreads from an infected person to another individual and through contamination in clinics or hospitals. The new finding suggests that some cases may result from healthy carriers. How often is unknown.

Dr. Leroys team said another public health concern was transmission of Ebola virus from healthy carriers through sex. Other scientists have detected Ebola in semen.

Yes, Ebola virus can live in human semen. This simple fact is completely denied by the entire fake news establishment media, even when the NYT openly admitted it in 2000. Thats the whole point of the indy media news censorship youre seeing today across the net; to silence real facts while pushing a fake news narrative thats built on fictions rather than reality.

Fiction = No one from the Republic of Congo could possibly be carrying Ebola, or they would be showing symptoms.

FACT = Scientists documented symptom-free carriers of Ebola nearly twenty years ago, and the virus can be carried for years in blood and semen.

Twenty-five people from Congo carried Ebola and showed no symptoms at all

Also from the NYT:

Dr. Leroys team studied 25 individuals who never developed symptoms although they lived with family members and cared for them without using gloves and other precautions in two outbreaks in Gabon in 1996.

Using standard virologic techniques, the scientists from Gabon, Germany and France said they could not detect the virus in the blood of the healthy contacts. But Dr. Leroys succeeded by using a technique known as polymerase chain reaction to grow the tiny amount of virus present.

In other words, some people from the Congo are able to carry Ebola for life while showing no symptoms whatsoever. But the virus is present in their blood and can be replicated using standard PCR techniques. This means the virus might also be quite capable of infecting others.

Another study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases in 2004, also by Dr. Leroy, documented the fact that chimpanzees can carry Ebola infections without suffering Ebola fatalities. [C]himpanzees are continuously in contact with the virus; and nonlethal Ebola infection can occur in chimpanzees, Dr. Leroy and co-authors write in the abstract of the study. (J Infect Dis. 2004 Dec 1;190(11):1895-9. Epub 2004 Nov 3.)

Republic of Congo migrants being dumped all across America

No media outlet has done more reporting on this alarming phenomenon than Infowars, which sent numerous reporters to San Antonio to interview doctors and city officials who were running the temporary shelters and distribution hubs. There, after intermingling in a shoddy indoor environment that would be perfect for spreading Ebola, migrants from the Congo were loaded onto buses and shipped off to other parts of the country.

Not even the San Antonio city officials knew where the migrants were headed.

See some of Infowars reporting here:

WHO REFUSES TO DECLARE EBOLA OUTBREAK INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY AS AT-RISK MIGRANTS POUR INTO TEXAS

The World Health Organization (WHO) has decided not to declare an international health emergency over the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has now spread to Uganda, the organization announced Friday.

WHOs announcement comes only days after Infowars exclusively documented the hundreds of unvetted Congolese migrants being bused into San Antonio, Texas, which the mainstream media still refuses to cover.

HUNDREDS OF ILLEGALS FROM EBOLA-RIDDEN CONGO DUMPED IN TEXAS, 350 MORE ON THE WAY

Shock video: Watch illegals from Africa fleeing Ebola-stricken Congo who made it across the Rio Grande river a week ago arrive at a city-owned shelter in San Antonio and then being distributed by bus and van to undisclosed locations across The United States.

Hundreds of illegal aliens from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa, which is currently experiencing a massive Ebola virus outbreak, have been dropped off in San Antonio, Texas and hundreds more will arrive in the near future.

After being placed in San Antonio, the illegal immigrants are bussed to a destination of their choice by local charities who spend roughly $14,000 a week on bus tickets.

Infowars reporter Owen Shroyer physically visited the facility in San Antonio and interviewed a doctor / city official there who falsely claimed that the risk of Ebola in the migrants was zero. Her logic? She said Ebola always had a 21-day incubation period, and since these migrants had been walking across Mexico for more than 21 days, they could not possibly be infected.

Her math expresses a gross error, of course. An infected migrant could have passed the infection to a healthy person before dying themselves. That healthy person could be carrying Ebola right now, in day 10 of the incubation for example, ready to explode with Ebola in another week or so after being transported across America. And if the recipient of that new infection has natural immunity against Ebola, they could be a symptomless carrier, meaning they would never show symptoms but might still infect others.

The fact is: There is a greater-than-zero risk that migrants from the Republic of Congo may be carrying Ebola into the United States right now. The fact that these migrants are being distributed across America to seemingly random cities is beyond merely insane it smacks of an attempted infectious disease assault on this nation.

Amazingly, nobody seems to know whether these migrants have ever been screened for Ebola at all.

Watch some of the coverage in these videos, and check both NaturalNews.com and Infowars.com for daily updates.

See Brighteon.com for new videos each hour:(Natural News) A reporter for The Daily Beast whose recent article falsely accusing Natural News of being a sham news site and its founder, Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, of being a conspiracy theorist has a long history of regularly  and wrongly  portraying conservatives as racists, bigots, and white supremacists.

Kelly Weill, whose recent stories for The Daily Beast appear to focus almost exclusively on trashing conservatives and Right-leaning figures, include similar hit pieces on TheBlaze TVs Steven Crowder, college Republicans, and Paul Golding, the leader of an extremist British group she claims attacks mosques.

First, the Natural News hit piece. Pay attention to the words she chooses (which her editors obviously have no qualms with):

Facebook on Sunday removed the page for Natural News, a far-right conspiracy outlet that had nearly 3 million followers. The page violated Facebooks policy against spam, the social media company told The Daily Beast on Monday.

Natural News founder Mike Adams wrote on fellow-right wing conspiracy site Infowars that his site was permanently banned from posting. He told the Gateway Pundit, another far-right site, that the apparent ban is evidence of a conspiracy against his website.

Now, The Daily Beast likes to fancy itself as an objective news source. But objective reporters dont use adjectives like far-right, conspiracy outlet, and fellow right-wing. But Weill does, and does so often.

Beyond that, the reason for the ban, Adams was told by Facebook, was due to an off-platform story that turned out to be accurate.

Yes, accurate.

Adams explained:

Just days after being banned and deleted by Facebook, Natural News has now learned that Facebook banned Natural News because of an opinion article that Natural News never posted to Facebook. The article in question  LGBT progressivism horrors  warned against children being physically and chemically disfigured by parents pushing an LGBT indoctrination agenda onto their own children.

Facebook now says the existence of this article is the reason Natural News was de-platformed from Facebook. This means Facebook is banning channels for off-platform content.

Whats more, he noted, Facebooks actions are a tacit admission by the social media giant that Natural News didnt do anything wrong and, in fact, quite the opposite: The Natural News social media team followed a strict procedure of self-censorship all through 2019, meaning no articles about LGBT topics were posted to the Natural News channel on Facebook.

In the end it didnt matter: Someone posted the story, Natural News got banned for it, and The Daily Beast gets to claim another right-wing scalp.

But wait. The story that started it all turned out to be prophesy. In late May, Adams wrote a column about LGTB progressivism horrors in which he predicted that parents steeped in the transgender propaganda would soon begin maiming their own children in order to make them gender neutral and, thus, equal.

No apologies for being wrong, wrong, wrong

So, that happened. On June 11, less than a month later, Adams cited a Natural News story:

Just in time for Pride Month, a pair of lesbians from Brazil celebrated their true selves by murdering their nine-year-old son, whom one year prior they tried to make transgender by forcibly cutting off the now-deceased boys private parts and carving a makeshift vagina in its place.

The horrific event took place less than one month after Natural News editor Mike Adams publicly predicted this new wave of LGBT progressivism horrors, precisely describing that progressive parents would begin physically maiming their own babies to slice off their gender organs.

According to reports, 27-year-old Rosana da Silva Candido, the boys biological mother, and 28-year-old Kacyla Damasceno Pessao, her lesbian partner, stabbed nine-year-old Rhuan Maycon to death on May 31 after a year of evading police and Child Protective Services.

No apologies from The Daily Beast. No reports on this horrific incident from them at all, in fact. And no reinstatement by Facebook. To these Leftist fake media charlatans, its as if nothing happened to this young boy.

Moving on from Adams, Weill obviously has a problem with conservative figures, conservative thought, and conservative politics. Enter Steven Crowder.

She begins her hit piece against him with this subhead to her story: Right-wing performer gay-bashed a Vox reporter for years. They initially declined to do anything, then demonetized him, then gave alternating explanations for why.

Right-wing performer? Theres that term again; Weill uses it a lot.

Gay basher? Oh, thats right. If youre a Left-wing social justice warrior pretending to be a journalist, telling jokes about gays, lesbians, and transgenders is strictly forbidden. Taboo. Not done. Not allowed. Makes you right wing and a basher.

To The Daily Beasts credit, the site did take late night comedian Stephen Colbert to task for his homophobic Trump-Putin joke  or rather, his latest one  this week.

But in Crowders defense, legitimate jokes about a persons sexuality  or other characteristics  isnt bashing, its comedy. And by the way, poking fun at Vox reporter Carlos Maza (who is a far Left journalist, by the way, yet Weill doesnt describe him that way), was always in response to Mazas attacks on Crowder, which, again, are just fine with Weill and The Daily Beast.

She writes:

The harassment started two years ago, when Crowder started making videos rebutting videos from Maza. Crowder, who has nearly 4 million YouTube subscribers, called Maza a lispy queer, among other insults, and uses his channel to sell socialism is for f*gs t-shirts. Crowders campaign routinely led his followers to harass Maza, who went public with his story of harassment this month.

Harassment? Is she serious? When did tit-for-tat humor become harassment  just because Maza cant take what Crowder dishes out?

Speaking of harassment, The Daily Beast just doxxed a man who made a parody video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sounding like she had six too many drinks before trying to speak to reporters recently. Doxxing is harassment, and frankly, it ought to be illegal.

Earlier, Weill reported that The Daily Targum, a 150-year-old newspaper funded by Rutgers University, was recently defunded thanks to an effort by a conservative group (the Conservative Union) that used white supremacist and overtly racist language for a recruitment poster.

The Conservative Union launched a campaign to defund the paper because it had a history of publishing fake news. The crime the group committed, in Weills eyes: A recruitment flyer borrowed some language and designs from one created by American Vanguard, a real white supremacist organization.

Guilt by association, in other words.

The .@RutgersU Conservative Union flyer mimics the one created by a white supremacy group https://t.co/efwBQ0igxW pic.twitter.com/QXBT3fmFpJ  The Daily Targum (@daily_targum) March 1, 2017

Weill believes only some speech should be defended?

While there are definitely some similarities in the flyers, there are definite differences in the language (beginning with the opening lines (Look around, White man vs. Hey American!). And the focus of the Conservative Unions message  that our countrys culture, traditions, and social mores and norms have been altered dramatically over the past several decades by the Left  cannot be disputed.

But its racist and white supremacy to point that out, even though the Conservative Unions flyer said nothing about race or white supremacy.

Other examples of Weills obsession with Right-wing and far-right include:

 A story claiming POTUS Trump spent a recent morning giving oxygen to far-right extremists simply because he retweeted posts far-right extremists Paul Joseph Watson of Infowars, who was also banned last month from Facebook because hes a truth bomber and the Left hates hearing the truth about them, their policies, and their extremism.

In fact, the president used the opportunity to defend the manner in which Weill makes a living. I am continuing to monitor the censorship of AMERICAN CITIZENS on social media platforms. This is the United States of Americaand we have whats known as FREEDOM OF SPEECH! We are monitoring and watching, closely!!

Is she saying we shouldnt have a president who is concerned about the Constitutions supposed protection of free speech  or that he shouldnt be defending everyones right to speak? Because it sure sounds like the latter.

 She reported that there have been more than 500 attacks on Muslims in America this year, but what escapes her, apparently, are the numbers of attacks on Christians and their churches  in the U.S. and around the world (most often by Muslims, who have repeatedly demonstrated their intolerance for infidels).

Kelly Weill, like most other reporters at The Daily Beast and throughout the establishment media, arent journalists. Theyre political hacks and propagandists for the far-Left Democratic Party. Worse, theyre not even honest enough to admit it.

Read more about the propaganda and disinformation of Left-wing journalists at Propaganda.news and Disinfo.news.

Sources include:

NaturalNews.com

TheNewAmerican.com(Natural News) Pay attention to the fact that the intolerant, bigoted Left in America today has zero respect for freedom of speech or the rule of law. Over the last two years, they have been systematically silencing all conservative, Christian and pro-Trump voices in order to deliberately suppress their speech. Now, left-wing tech giants are even silencing whistleblowers like James OKeefe (Project Veritas), setting a new precedent that says all whistleblowers who make Leftists look bad will be censored and de-platformed.

President Trump, meanwhile, somehow seems to believe he doesnt need the voices of his supporters anymore. He thinks he can win the election even while his advocates are unfairly silenced by the left-wing bullies of the tech industry who now act like full-blown fascists.

If Trump thinks he can win the election in this environment, where Google, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, Apple, YouTube, Snapchat and all the other tech giants are selectively silencing pro-Trump independent voices, hes kidding himself. The very foundation of fair and free elections is the longstanding practice of public discourse, where people can openly discuss and debate the pros and cons of their particular candidates. But due to the malicious intent of todays left-leaning tech giants  now run almost entirely by Trump-hating fascists  no public discourse is allowed. The only voices that are allowed to exist on the dominant tech platforms are anti-Trump voices.

Stated plainly, President Trump simply cannot win the 2020 election if every significant voice that supported him in 2016 is de-platformed off the net. This is, of course, the very reason why such censorship is being pursued. Through malicious censorship and fraudulent de-platforming efforts, the tech giants are plotting to steal the 2020 election and establish a dangerous authoritarian society run by left-wing fascists who will quickly criminalize all pro-life, pro-liberty, pro-2A speech. This is exactly what is being put in place right now, and seemingly no one in Washington other than Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley is doing anything to stop it.

If Trump supporters are silenced through the 2020 election, a popular war against the tech giants seems inevitable

The argument that, tech giants can do whatever they want, since theyre private corporations is complete bunk. If Facebook banned people for being gay, would that also be acceptable to the Left? What if the tech giants banned all online speech from all men and only allowed women to speak? How is it any different when Facebook bans people for being conservatives?

The systematic de-platforming of conservatives and Trump supporters has destroyed the livelihoods of millions of people. It has resulted in economic devastation and ruinous loss of personal income while subjecting target individuals to malicious smear campaigns that they are unable to counter since their own voices have been silenced. When the tech giants take away a persons right to speak, their right to earn a living and their right to exist as an online person, they are engaged in assaults on civil liberties, human dignity and personal freedom. If allowed to continue, I predict the only remaining likely response by those targeted by the tech giants would be to rise up against Big Tech and seek to occupy and dismantle the tech companies themselves, as I have previously warned.

I do not condone the use of violence to solve problems, and I am not calling for any of the actions described below, but if things do not change, I predict a popular uprising against the tech giants in the real, physical world. All those whose lives have been destroyed by Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter, Apple and others may decide to rise up, form large protests at the headquarters buildings of these tech companies, then occupy those buildings and peacefully dismantle their operations, server by server, cubicle by cubicle. If the tech giants cannot coexist in a society where everyone has the right to speak, the thinking might go, then those tech giants have forfeit their right to participate in civil society in any form whatsoever.

Whats perfectly clear is that Big Tech is not operating in good faith. They are not fair and they arent trying to be fair.

If Trump loses the 2020 election due to the systematic censorship of conservative voices, it will become clear to all conservatives that they have no option remaining but to organize together to defend their right to exist. Because the censorship isnt stopping with online speech its now expanding to include banking services, where prominent conservatives are banned from certain banks after being smeared and attacked by left-wing journalists. Before long, conservatives wont be able to use PayPal, reserve a hotel or have dinner in a public restaurant. The de-personing of all prominent conservatives, Christians or Trump supporters is being relentlessly pursued by a ferocious, rabid left-wing media which now functions more like a cabal of predator and executioners rather than reasoned, inquisitive reporters.

Organized corporate censorship, in other words, is taking away so much from conservatives that, before long, they will have nothing left to lose. When you strip away a persons right to exist, their right to speak, their right to earn a living, their right to defend themselves against smears and their right to participate in the commerce of society, what options does she have left? Be careful of the person who has nothing left to lose, because as Tyler Durden once said (Fight Club), only when youve lost everything are you free to do anything. This is what I fear the tech giants are setting off in America as they try to squelch all voices that dont parrot the cultural and political lies of the unhinged Left.

Dont just save yourself, President Trump: Save America from a civil war uprising

I offer this cautionary observation to President Trump because this election is about much more than who controls the White House. Its about whether there is an America left standing after 2020 at all. If the tech giants continue their malicious, fraudulent censorship and manage to steal the 2020 election, that will no doubt trigger a critical mass of organized resistance across America, where many of the very people who elected Trump in 2016 quickly realize that democracy has been stolen and Leftists will never play by the rules on anything.

They will silence and censor you to eliminate your voice. They will lie in the media to try to criminally frame your president. They will cut off your revenues and incomes to bankrupt you while they maintain profitable monopolies to out-spend you on lawfare or public relations. They will overrun your country, demolish your Electoral College, shred your Constitution, confiscate your firearms and trample your civil liberties theres nothing the lawless Left wont do to obtain power. There are no boundaries to their evil and no principles they honor other than sheer, unbridled power to rule over others.

Once this realization hits home in the hearts and minds of the very people who have been victimized by all this, it very likely breaks down into civil war in the real world, not the virtual world. The very people working at Facebook, Google and Twitter who have been hiding behind firewalls in safe cubicles might suddenly discover mobs of angry protesters at their front door. All the vehicles in the parking lots of the tech giants will likely be smashed, I predict, and all the license plates will be photographed and recorded by determined opposition to build lists of the treasonous individuals who have been working with the tech giants to overthrow our Republic.

The tables, in other words, would be turned against the employees of Big Tech the very people who have been carrying out their scorched Earth campaign of censorship, de-platforming and economic sabotage against conservatives. I wouldnt be surprised to find even low-level employees of the tech giants publicly labeled enemies of the people.

To repeat my cautionary warning, I am practically begging Trump to take action so that none of this comes to pass. I dont condone any acts of violence against any tech company or its employees, but this outcome seems inevitable if they wont stop destroying the lives of innocent Americans. Once the war goes into the real world, tech giants could very easily find themselves cut off from the power grid as electrical sub-stations are taken offline. Without power, the tech giants cannot function, and when they cannot function, they cannot censor. Its not difficult to imagine power sub-stations being taken offline, forcing tech companies to operate from generators that depend on fuel supplies which can also be disrupted.

If the situation continues, top-level managers and employees of all the most evil tech giants might find themselves doxxed and protested at their own homes. Its not difficult to imagine bounty rewards being offered for their capture, or for their home addresses to be openly posted somewhere online. Tech employees might quickly find themselves tracked by angry mobs, a turning of the tables on how tech giants are currently functioning as the angry mobs who seek and destroy conservative online personalities.

To repeat, Im not calling for any of this and I hope we dont see it come to pass. Im hoping America avoids that scenario because I believe total chaos if exactly what the globalists want. The more chaos they can cause in America, the more likely they call for UN occupation of America, along with mandatory nationwide disarmament attempts of the citizenry (an edict which would, all by itself, unleash armed revolt against UN occupation, I predict).

The Lefts unbridled authoritarianism is not sustainable and will only lead to backlash

None of us wish to see America break down into open warfare. Thats why restoration of the freedom to speak is so important, for without it, there can be no peaceful discourse. With censorship now fully embraced, the entire argument of the Left has now become, You have no right to speak unless you agree with us. That is not a philosophy of coexistence; its a philosophy of authoritarianism and servitude. Yet it is precisely the philosophy the Left has embraced, with almost no prominent voice on the Left denouncing it or lifting a finger to halt it. In nearly every case, left-wing journalists, tech leaders and bloggers call for increasingly radical censorship and de-personing of conservatives, telling themselves that silencing all political opponents is justified by stopping hate.

Yet the hatred is clearly rooted in the hearts of the Leftists, who through their actions openly admit they hate human rights, freedom, the First Amendment, public debates and cognitive diversity. No one in America is more filled with hatred and the potential for violence than Leftists, who have made it perfectly clear that they have zero intention of coexisting with people who have views that differ from their own. They are authoritarians at heart; and they demand absolute obedience or they will use all their power to destroy you. This is who they are. They are simply not compatible with civil society.

Sadly, if Trump cannot manage to stop the censorship, I foresee a future of extreme conflict in the 3D world where tech employees are held to account for their role in pushing authoritarianism and techno-fascism on America. I never condone violence against anyone, but I see it coming. In fact, I already feel a sense of great sadness for the techno-fascist employees who will probably be ripped from their cubicles and subjected to expedient trials organized by the very people they once sought to oppress. The tech collaborators thought they could enforce their fascist tyranny from the safety of their air conditioned desks, but they found out that destroying the lives of millions of real people in the real world does not come without repercussions. If I am called to testify against the techo-fascists, I would of course fulfill my duty and tell the court the truth about what they have done to me, even knowing that those guilty parties might be sentenced to death by court order. They brought it on themselves. They have refused to abide by any common decency or rule of law, and they reject the human rights of other members of society.

President Trump can reverse the course of tyranny and restore liberty to America but will he act?

This is why I have called for President Trump to dispatch military police to occupy and temporarily seize control of the tech giants in order to restore the First Amendment to all Americans. Its the only way to avoid something far worse. A civil war can be avoided, but only if Trump takes decisive action soon. Time is running short, and the techno-fascists continue to accelerate their economic terrorism, racketeering and fraud against conservative Americans.

I fear there is only a limited time window remaining during which the American people will hold back and have faith in a government solution. Once it becomes clear the government will do nothing to protect basic civil liberties, well likely see people who have been victimized by the tech giants gathering together to take action in their own defense because they have nothing left to lose. I would join peaceful protests against the tech giants, by the way, and call for the restoration of fair and free speech (a level playing field).

President Trump, dont let things get to that point of desperation. Seize the tech giants now and force a restoration of the freedom of speech. If you wont do it to save your own presidency, do it to save America from a far worse fate that may see violence and chaos in the streets of this great nation. Without the freedom to speak, there can be no genuine peace in a free society. Oppression is not a sustainable model for coexistence, and the tech giants are the modern-day Apartheid of western civilization. They must be stopped.

In summary, without speech, there can be no sustained peace in any civilized society. The techno-fascists are pushing us toward civil war as a deliberate strategy to cause mass chaos and societal upheaval. Their ploy can be halted by temporarily seizing their operations now and ending the censorship of American conservatives who are being punished for their political and religious beliefs.

Stay informed. Check BigTech.news daily.(Natural News) In one of my first radio interviews, in September of 2007, I interviewed Dr. Lorraine Day, the former Orthopedic Chief of Staff at San Francisco General Hospital and the wife of retired Congressman Bill Dannemeyer, about the evils of the present medical system. The initial portion of the interview went as expected and was filled with scores of examples of pharmaceutical and medical insurance company greed and abuse which has resulted in the deaths of untold numbers of patients. Then Dr. Day dropped a bombshell when, at the conclusion of the interview, she unabashedly stated that the global elite want to murder 95% of the population. I was shocked and my personal reaction, at the time, was to reject her statement as a gross exaggeration.

(Article by Dave Hidges republished from TheCommonSenseShow.com)

In April of 2009, I interviewed Dr. Rebecca Carley and medical researcher and author, Patrick Jordan, at the very beginning of the swine flu outbreak and both guests made very similar claims with regard to an intentional depopulation program by the global elite. In this particular instance, Dr. Carley and Mr. Jordan pointed to the, as of yet, undeveloped H1N1 flu vaccine from which they claimed would be the primary catalyst in depopulating world in a classic case of the cure being far worse than the disease. I thought Dr. Carley was incorrect as well.

From 2015-2019, I have investigated Ebola and Ebola treatments. Now, it is me that sounds like Dr. Lorraine Day and Dr. Rebecca Carley. The undoing of Americas overall health is going to come from bioterrorism. As we have seen in recent days, immigrants from Africa are weaponized as the illegally enter the country and they originate from countries that have a significant Ebola outbreak. The CDC must have a death wish, or they have an ulterior motive.

People ask me, Dave, what is the endgame with the globalists? It is unquestionably, bioterrorism. I have a friend, who is retired from FEMA and his specialty was counter-bioterrorism. Some of my present sources say the same. MOST OF MY KEY AND HIGH RANKING SOURCES SAY THAT WE ARE BEING SET UP FOR A MASSIVE BIOTERROR ATTACK AND THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THIS ATTACK WILL BE THE DEADLY EFFECTS OF VACCINES THAT BROUGHT TO BEAR AGAINST THE MANUFACTURED ATTACKS. THE ADJUVANTS AND VACCINES ARE DEADLY OVER TIME AND THEY REFLECT THE QUOTED REALITY OF KEY GLOBALISTS THROUGH THE YEARS. TAKE THE FOLLOWING AS A DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST TRANSHUMANISM-LOVING GLOBALISTS.

Will the Truth Set Us Free?

For the past four years, I have researched the following question: Is there a deliberate attempt on the part of the global elite to eliminate a substantial portion of humanity through the use of a bioengineered diseases and viruses and the more deadly accompanying vaccines?

As with any murder plot, whether it be a single homicide, or mass genocide, the deadly plot contains the same essential elements: (1) motive, (2) intent, (3) means, and, (4) opportunity. In part one of this series, both motive and intent are examined by presenting the words of the globalists themselves.

An Historical Perspective on Deliberate Depopulation

Through my research, I have discovered that the notion of creating and implementing an intentional and systematic depopulation scheme was not a new phenomenon. The global elite have long advocated for draconian population reductions over the past several centuries. For example, Thomas Malthus argued that the population growth, by the poor, inevitably outstrips food production and leads to a massive retaliation from Mother Nature (i.e., Malthusian Controls). His infamous Malthusian Controls which are taught to every first year sociology student, has become a cornerstone belief for many modern day globalists who advocate population control by any means necessary. This radical and dangerous idea promotes the unproven notion that the poor deserve to die because there are too many of them for the Earth to adequately support. Malthus believed that higher wages and welfare should be withheld from the great unwashed because he believed that these two factors would allow the poor to survive and exponentially breed, thus compounding the overpopulation problem.

Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, enthusiastically promoted the Malthusian philosophy in the United States as she stated The most merciful thing that a family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.

Perhaps these were merely the musings of two twisted individuals which do not represent any type of central philosophical belief. Unfortunately the theories of Malthus, Sanger and other population control advocates did not die with them. As I discovered, this is a reoccurring theme contained within the personal words of several dozen global leaders.

Read more at: TheCommonSenseShow.com(Natural News) Tylenol has been linked to multiple adverse effects over the last year, with the latest research now linking the popular pain-reliever to ADHD in children. When will enough be enough? Tylenol has been around for decades, and it is only now that safety studies are unveiling the true horrors of this readily available, widely used medication.

Millions of people take Tylenol and the generic acetaminophen each year, and many of them are unknowingly putting their health at risk. In addition to the new research showing acetaminophen use is tied to ADHD in kids, Tylenol is the most common cause of liver failure in the United States. The drug has been linked to all kinds of harm  yet it remains an OTC drug that you can buy at just about every supermarket and gas station in the U.S. The accessibility of acetaminophen is by no means an indicator of product safety: Like all pharmaceuticals, Tylenol has the potential to cause harm.

Tylenol use linked to ADHD

As Dr. Michael Murray reports, a recently published study has liked acetaminophen use in pregnant women to ADHD in children. While pregnancy may be filled with aches and pains, it looks like expectant mothers may want to look for an alternate form of pain relief.

Researchers from the United Kingdom analyzed data collected from 7,786 pregnant women and their children. The team surveyed the mothers acetaminophen use and conducted behavioral assessments on their kids at seven years of age.

The results were shocking: The team found that acetaminophen use in pregnant women between 18 and 32 weeks gestation was associated with an increased risk of ADHD in the children. Specifically, acetaminophen use during that period of pregnancy was linked to a 42 percent increase in risk the child would have conduct problems and hyperactivity symptoms.

Maternal use of acetaminophen at 32 weeks gestation was also linked to a 29-percent greater chance the child would have emotional symptoms.

Overall, acetaminophen use was linked to a 46-percent increase in total behavior difficulties.

The link between acetaminophen and ADHD is clear. As Dr. Murray reports, the research team ultimately concluded:

Children exposed to acetaminophen prenatally are at increased risk of multiple behavioral difficulties, and the associations do not appear to be explained by unmeasured behavioral or social factors linked to acetaminophen use.

Dr. Murray cautions against the use of acetaminophen, especially in pregnant women.

Acetaminophen linked to many problems

While modern medical dogma dictates that drugs like acetaminophen are safe, there is a large body of evidence to the contrary. For one, acetaminophen is the number one cause of liver failure in the United States. Most cases of acetaminophen-induced liver failure are not due to acute poisoning incidents, but rather, are due to people taking a little bit too much of the drug for a long time.

Acetaminophen isnt just in Tylenol; the drug can be found in over 600 different medications  and it is as harmful as it is ubiquitous. While 4,000 milligrams per day is the maximum safe dose, the truth is some people still experience liver damage while taking acetaminophen in amounts regarded as safe. In fact, health professionals suggest that people only take the maximum dose of acetaminophen while under doctor supervision  thats how dangerous it is.

How many people are out there taking two, or even three times the suggested serving of their OTC pain reliever? Far too many, for sure.

Alongside the risk of liver failure and death, research has also shown that Tylenol can illicit changes in your brain. Scientists have found that acetaminophen consumption can interfere with your ability to feel empathy for others. While this pain-reliever may be popular, that doesnt mean its good for you.

Learn more about the adverse effects of pharmaceuticals at DangerousMedicine.com.

Sources for this article include:

GreenMedInfo.com

Health.Harvard.eduNew dad Prince Harry is celebrating his first Fathers Day this year, and he and wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, commemorated the occasion accordingly.

A new photo shared on the pair's official Instagram shows their newborn son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, with his small hand wrapped around his dad's finger.

Happy Fathers Day! a caption reads. And wishing a very special first Fathers Day to The Duke of Sussex.

Archie was born nearly six weeks ago on May 6, and the duke and duchess have embraced parenthood with open arms. Prince Harry spoke to the press the day his son arrived, telling reporters his birth was "the most amazing experience."

Two days later, the Duchess of Sussex stepped out with Archie and Harry to greet the media in their first public photo call as a family.

.medium .leadMediaRegion.city_module iframe {height:421px;}

The former Meghan Markle celebrated her first official Mothers Day back on May 12, less than a week after Archie was born.

Since then, the duchess has been taking some time away from the spotlight on maternity leave to adjust to new motherhood and settle into their new home at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.

Last week, the duchess made her first public outing since greeting the press after Archie's birth. She and Harry attended the Trooping the Color, Queen Elizabeth IIs birthday celebration in London.

Despite the adjustment, the duke and duchess are finding their way in their new roles as parents.

"It's pretty amazing," the duchess told reporters at their May photo call. I have the two best guys in the world so Im really happy."

The feeling is definitely mutual.

Im incredibly proud of my wife," Prince Harry told the press the day Archie was born. "As every father and parent would ever say, your baby is absolutely amazing, but this little thing is absolutely to die for so Im just over the moon.

A very happy first Father's Day to Prince Harry!

.medium .leadMediaRegion.city_module iframe {height:421px;}

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:An Arkansas woman was arrested in connection to the death of former state Sen. Linda Collins-Smith, who was found dead outside her home last week. Rebecca Lynn ODonnell, 48, was taken into custody Friday, Arkansas State Police said. Criminal charges are pending, NBC News reports.

Ken Yang, Collins-Smiths former press secretary, told NBC News that ODonnell and Collins-Smith were friends and worked together last year. "We 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 Sheriff's Department and the Arkansas State Police will continue to work diligently to bring justice to this case," the ex-senator's family said in a statement.

State police and the sheriff's office were called to Collins-Smith's home in the city of Pocahontas around 5:45 p.m. June 4 after human remains, later identified as those of the former state senator, were found outside. A cause of death has not been revealed.

Collins-Smith, 57, was elected to the Arkansas House as a Democrat in 2010, and shortly after being elected, switched to the Republican party. She served one term in the House, and in 2014 was elected to the state Senate, where she served two terms. She lost her re-election bid in 2018.Gasoline tax hikes in Illinois will likely send more drivers looking for better prices in Indiana, but it's unclear if a higher levy on cigarettes will have the same effect, industry analysts said.

Starting July 1, the Illinois gas tax will double from 19 cents to 38 cents per gallon, compared to the 29 cents per gallon tax in Indiana.

"The gas station convenience store industry in Illinois is on the endangered species list," William Fleischli, the executive vice president of the Illinois Petroleum Marketers Association/Illinois Association of Convenience Stores, told The (Northwest Indiana) Times .

GasBuddy.com petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan agreed.

"Drivers that shop around will find easy savings by going into Indiana, and that will likely lead to a loss in gallon sales for Illinois," DeHaan said.

Also next month, cigarettes will cost $1 more per pack in Illinois on top of the $1.98 tax per pack already in place. Elena Ivanova, of Chicago's health department, told the Associated Press that the tax on cigarettes in the city  already the highest in the nation  will increase to $8.16 per pack.

By comparison, Indiana taxes every pack of cigarettes 95 cents.

Gus Olympidis, the CEO of Family Express convenience stores, said that although Indiana's cigarette taxes are much lower, that cost advantage could be lost during the next legislative session when Indiana lawmakers could again consider raising cigarette taxes.

A proposal to raise the tax by $2 per pack failed in the Indiana Legislature this year, despite support in the polls and the backing of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

Nonetheless, Fleischli predicts that the cigarette and gas tax hikes, combined, will be devastating to businesses in Illinois.

"Borders will become wider and our customers will cross them to buy motor fuel, cigarettes, and other ancillary items, costing the state tax dollars and companies profits," he said. "Our motor fuel volumes will go down 2% to 3% a year for about three years then start to recover. Inside sales will go down 10% to 12% and may never recover."A daylong celebration of LGBTQ culture in Chicago will return for a fourth year to Navy Pier.

Navy Pier Pride by American Airlines will be June 29. The free event from noon to 11 p.m. Organizers say it "will include a variety of festivities to embrace diversity and celebrate the vibrant LGBTQ culture in Chicago."

Activities will range from build-your-own pride bracelets to musical performance by the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus and a fireworks display.

Pride flags are decorating Navy Pier all month and the symbolic rainbow colors are displayed in the center digital screen of the Centennial Wheel.

The Chicago Children's Museum will have a "family resource activity station" and PFLAG Council of Northern Illinois will be there to discuss its mission of building loving LGBTQ families.A man is facing two counts of attempted first-degree murder in connection with a shootout earlier this month in Englewood that left three people wounded, including his alleged accomplice.

Rayvon Hall, 21, also faces two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm in the June 7 shooting, which Hall is accused of orchestrating, according to Cook County prosecutors and court records.

He was denied bail at his initial court appearance Saturday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

On the afternoon of the shooting, Hall and a 20-year-old accomplice were picked up by two other people at Halls Englewood home, prosecutors said. While driving around the neighborhood, Hall spotted two men in a red vehicle and alerted his other passengers.

The group briefly went back to Halls home after the sighting, but soon returned.

The 20-year-old man with Hall began firing from a nearby alley at a 19-year-old man who was standing next to the red vehicle, striking the younger man in the hip, authorities said.

The red vehicles driver, a 28-year-old man with a concealed carry license, returned fire at the 20-year-old, striking him in his groin and ankles, authorities said. The concealed carry holder then picked up the 19-year-old and drove off, prosecutors said.

As the red vehicle sped off, Hall began firing a handgun with an extended magazine at the vehicle, prosecutors said. A 26-year-old man who was sitting on a porch in the block suffered a graze wound to his head and was also struck in his buttocks, authorities said.

Investigators recovered 18 shell casings from the scene of the shooting, which was partially recorded by police POD cameras, prosecutors said.

Following the shooting, Hall ordered the group he was with out of the car and drove his wounded accomplice to Mount Sinai Hopsital in critical condition, prosecutors said.

At the hospital, Hall attacked a nurse and additional charges were expected to be filed, prosecutor said. Halls accomplice had not yet been charged.

The car Hall drove to the hospital was later found torched, prosecutors said. He was taken into custody Thursday at his home, according to his arrest report.

At his initial hearing Saturday, prosecutors said Hall was previously convicted of unlawful use of a weapon in 2017, and had also been charged with a weapons violation as a juvenile in 2012.

Defense attorney Richard Fenbert told Judge Mary Marubio that Hall has a child and another on the way. Before his arrest, Hall was working to support his family with jobs at a beauty shop and at a warehouse. Fenbert also denied that Hall was the first person to fire during the incident, and said police had not found the weapon Hall allegedly used in the shooting.

Marubio ordered Hall held without bail and set his next court appearance for June 20.The son of a Chicago firefighter found dead early Saturday near a burning van in Chatham had suffered multiple stab wounds, authorities said.

The body of 25-year-old Tyler Bernicky, of Bronzeville, was found about 6 a.m. in the 7900 block of South Ingleside Avenue when officers responded to a report of a burning vehicle in the block, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiners office.

Police said Bernicky had suffered multiple stab wounds to his chest and legs and was pronounced dead at the scene. His maroon van was found burning at the rear of a building in the block.

Area South detectives were conducting a homicide investigation, police said. An autopsy was expected to be conducted Sunday by the medial examiners office.

A source confirmed Bernicky was the son of a lieutenant in the fire department who is stationed at a fire house near OHare Airport. Fire Commissioner Richard Ford and the departments chaplain had met with the lieutenant earlier in the day, the source said.Two Connecticut men were arrested in New York, accusing of traveling between Connecticut and Saratoga County to sell drugs.

The Saratoga County Sheriff's Office arrested 39-year-old Taron Stokes of Derby and 56-year-old Edward Cavallaro of North Haven Thursday. The pair is accused of traveling from Connecticut sell drugs, including heroin/fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine and MDMA, in Saratoga County.

Stokes was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance seventh degree.

Cavallaro was charged with conspiracy in the fourth degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance seventh degree.To help make sure you stay informed on the most shared and talked about stories, each Saturday and Sunday we'll revisit 5 stories from the previous week, including the most recent updates.

Search Goes On

The search for Jennifer Dulos expanded this week as state police dive teams searched two different bodies of water in Avon. The 50-year-old mother of five has been missing since May 24. Investigators also continued their search at a trash facility in Hartford. See the latest on the search here.

State police divers searched a second body of water in Avon on Friday, along the same road where they searched a different pond earlier in the week.

Cold Case Arrest

Police on Wednesday made an arrest in the 1986 sexual assault and killing of 11-year-old Kathleen Flynn in Norwalk. Police in Maine arrested Marc Karun and held him as a fugitive from justice. Norwalk police were also there to execute an arrest warrant for Karun on sexual assault and murder charges in the death of Flynn. For more on the case, click here.

State Police in Maine have made an arrest in the murder and sexual assault of 11-year-old Kathleen Flynn in Norwalk in 1986, according to Norwalk Police.

Giant News

Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden reopened on Friday, more than a year after severe storms caused massive damage to the popular recreation area. The May 15, 2018 storms took down thousands of trees in the park and changed the landscape of the hiking trails forever. Take a look inside the park here.

Hikers and others returned to Sleeping Giant State Park on Friday, more than a year after a devastating storm caused massive damage there.

Actor Arrested

Cuba Gooding Jr. was charged Thursday for allegedly groping a woman at a rooftop bar in Manhattan over the weekend. Gooding denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty to the charge. For details on the alleged incident, click here.

Relief On The Way

A new contract between CT Transit and its bus drivers will now allow for better access to bathrooms and bathroom breaks for those drivers. The drivers complained they have had limited access to bathrooms on their routes and often have to relieve themselves in bushes or even wear adult diapers. See more on the agreement here.

A new contract between CT Transit and the union representing its bus drivers will provide better restroom access to those drivers.Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed recent developments in the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf region, with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Cairo, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

President El-Sisi said that Egypt has been following with great concern the recent developments threatening the safety and security of the Arabian Gulf.

El-Sisi said that Egypt stands in solidarity with the governments and peoples of the Gulf nations against the different challenges they face and the attempts to destabilise their countries.

"The national security of the Gulf is part of Egypt's national security," El-Sisi said.

Last week, two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman near the strait for Hormuz.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed expressed the UAE's appreciation for the role Egypt plays the region to ensure stability.

The minister said that Arab countries need to boost cooperation and coordination to enable them to preserve their security and stability.

El-Sisi and Bin Zayed also discussed the recent developments in Sudan, expressing their full support for the country and its people during this critical stage.

They also discussed the recent development in Libya, expressing their support of efforts to fight radical organisations and end the terrorism that threatens Libya and the region.

El-Sisi and Bin Zayed also discussed the situations in Yemen and Syria, expressing their support for reaching political solutions to the crises in both countries.

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People build a fence to prevent wild boars approaching farms in Cherwon, Gangwon Province, June 8. / Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo



The government has completed quarantine measures against African swine fever in border areas, with no cases being reported, according to the agriculture ministry, Sunday.



The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it disinfected pig farms in 14 cities and counties, including Ganghwa, Paju, Pocheon and Goyang from June 5 to Friday.



The action came after North Korea confirmed the outbreak of the contagious animal disease May 30.



African swine fever is transmitted by wild boars to domestic pigs and there is no vaccine or cure for the disease that causes fever and bleeding. The virus does not affect humans.



More severe strains can kill animals within 10 days of infection and could wipe out entire livestock farms.



Over a million pigs have been culled in China, where the first outbreak was reported last August. Since then, the highly contagious virus has spread across China's borders into Mongolia, Vietnam and Cambodia.



"The ministry carried out blood tests on pigs from 601 farms, the results of which were negative for the swine fever virus," a ministry official said, noting it also will test free-range pigs from 35 farms nationwide.



Fences have been built at 465 locations to prevent wild boars approaching farms, while more will be erected at another 156 soon, the ministry said.



Pyongyang reported a confirmed case of the disease at a pig farm in a region bordering China to the World Organization for Animal Health last month.



The disease outbreak is feared to add to the already strained food supply in the impoverished country by possibly devastating its livestock industry.



The virus can also be carried across borders in processed pork used for livestock feed as recycled food waste. People who bring in pork from countries with confirmed disease outbreaks face a 5 million won ($4,200) fine. Those caught doing so three times are subject to a 10 million won fine.



"Although there has been no positive case of swine fever, we are still on high alert over a possible spread of the disease and the ministry is set to carry out on-site inspections and monitor farms by phone on a daily basis," the ministry official said.

Thousands of people are in Middletown Saturday for the city's first ever pride parade and festival.

"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.

Middletown Holds First Pride Parade

The parade kicked 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.

Roads are closed for the event. Main Street is shut down from Union Street to St. John's Square, and Washington is closed from High Street to deKoven Drive.

For more information on the events as well as parking, click here.

NBC Connecticut is a proud partner of the Middletown Pride Parade.One man is in critical condition and another is in stable condition after two shootings in Ansonia early Saturday morning and police said they have not determined if the shootings are connected.

As police were responding to reports of a dispute with possible shots fired on Main Street just after 3 a.m., they received another report that someone was shot in the area of High Street and Lester Street, police said.

When officers arrived on Lester Street, they found that several shots had been fired and several had struck a home that was occupied.

A 27-year-old male found in the house had been shot once in the shoulder and was transported to an area hospital for treatment. He is reported to be in stable condition, according to police.

The Derby Police Department contacted the Ansonia Police Department to report a gunshot victim from Main Street had been dropped off at the Griffin Hospital Emergency Room.

Police said the 40-year-old Ansonia man was shot once in the upper torso and was transferred to an area hospital for further treatment and is reported to be in critical condition.

Detectives are investigating both shootings and have not yet determined if the shootings are related.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ansonia Police Department at 203-735-1885 or https://www.tip411.com/people/sign_in.One person has died after a single-engine plane experienced engine trouble and crashed north of Houston.

The Texas Department of Public Safety says a female passenger died at the scene while the pilot was airlifted to a Houston hospital. They were the only two aboard and their identities have not been released.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford says the Piper PA-28 had flown the short trip from Conroe to Livingston on Friday and was returning to Conroe when it went down in a heavily wooded area of Walker County.

The wreckage wasn't found until early Saturday.

Lunsford says the pilot was unable to maintain altitude due to the problem with the engine.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the crash.A driver has died early Sunday morning in Northwest Dallas after a hit-and-run crash, police say.

The crash was reported shortly after 1 a.m. in the 11100 block of Harry Hines Boulevard, where a Cadillac Escalade struck a pickup truck and a 2-door coupe from behind, police said.

Police said the driver of the coupe died at the scene. The pickup driver was not hurt.

According to police, two people in the Escalade tried running away, but were detained by a witness. The pair were hospitalized with injuries not considered life-threatening, police said.

The Dallas Morning News reported the driver of the Escalade, a 19-year-old man, is expected to be charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault.The family of a man shot and killed by Farmers Branch police demanded justice at an emotional vigil Saturday night.

Johnny Moreno's family and friends gathered at a strip mall on Emerald Street near Royal Lane at the scene of the shooting Wednesday evening. They prayed, lit candles, and released balloons.

"They planned to kill him," said Juan Moreno, the victim's father. "They were determined to kill him."

Officers from Farmers Branch were tracking the stolen pickup that Moreno was driving. Moreno, 35, refused to stop and sped past officers.

One officer opened fire as the pickup got near him.

His family said the crime of stealing a car doesn't deserve the death penalty and that the officer's life didn't appear to have been in danger.

"I want them fired, never to work again in the state of Texas," said Elizabeth Moreno, Moreno's aunt. "That's what we want is justice."

Even though Farmers Branch police were involved in the shooting, it happened in the city of Dallas.

Dallas police are leading the investigation and the Dallas District Attorney is also conducting an inquiry.

Friends and family members are planning to meet with the mayor of Farmers Branch on Monday.Dressed in scrubs, Alejandra Ayala, a high school senior, looked for a vein and grabbed a needle while saying each step she did out loud.

The Valley Morning Star reports she was in the process of inserting an IV into a training mannequin's arm.

Around Alejandra were 11 incoming freshmen who are interested in pursuing a medical career and hope to become nurses, doctors and surgeons.

San Benito Consolidated Independent School District's Career and Technical Education (CTE) program this month launched its first summer camp for middle school students and incoming freshmen.

Students are able to complete one of 11 course programs during the camp, which include law, medical, welding, business, small animal, audio/visual production, photography, cosmetology, auto collision, construction trades and drafting/engineering.

Through the three-week camp, students will receive hands-on experience and project-based learning.

Career and Technical Education Director Rolando Guerra said the program aims to help students gain experience with different pathways the school district offers to help them decide which career they would like to pursue.

"When students transition from eighth to ninth grade, they have to decide which career pathway they want to follow and which classes they want to take," he explained. "So, this camp gives them a taste of what the CTE program offers and what certifications they can receive through our programs."

San Benito High School Principal Maria Isabel Marichalar-Solis described the CTE program's summer camp as an "enrichment camp."

"The camp helps generate student interest in the career pathways of their choice," she said. "We want to ensure our students start a pathway and finish the career sequence in order to be college or career ready."

Veteran students helping incoming freshmen

Through San Benito High School's CTE Program, Alejandra has become a certified nursing aide and will graduate with four medical certifications.

From leading team building exercises and teaching students how to do stitchery on a banana, Alejandra will be gaining volunteer experience through the camp

"It's a really great experience to be able to teach the incoming freshmen," she said. "I get to show them what I've learned in the past few years from the basics such as CPR to teaching them how to properly feed patients."

Alejandra hopes the students gain confidence in their work.

"This is a great opportunity for them to learn about the medical field beforehand so they're ready to receive their nursing aide certification later on when they're juniors," she explained.

Bertha Cabaza Middle School eighth grade student Imanol Meca chose to attend the CTE welding program this summer.

He decided to attend the program because he hopes to become an auto mechanic like his dad.

Through the summer camp, he's learned a variety of different welding techniques such as how to remove a dent from a car with a stud welder.

"I've really enjoyed the camp so far and think it's really exciting to learn about this career," he said. "When I was little, I always watched my dad work with cars and wanted to learn all about it."

Esai Martinez will be in eighth grade next school year.

He chose to attend the audio/visual production course this summer and will learn about the fundamentals of film and TV production. He's already learned to create background music from scratch on a computer.

"I thought this was going to be a little harder to learn especially for the younger ones, but they really enjoyed it," said audio/visual production teacher Isabel De La Garza. "I've had the same eight kids come every day and none of them have been absent, so that's always a good sign."

Esai explained the inspiration behind the "action-based" song he put together.

"I wanted to make a song match the video I plan to put it with so I did a lot of planning before I started," he said. "I listened to a lot of different beats and chose ones that were fast and sounded electronic."

Esai said he had never worked with audio/visual software before attending the summer camp and is excited to create more songs.A former Southern Baptist pastor who supported legislation in Texas that would have criminalized abortions has been arrested on charges of child sex abuse, accused of repeatedly molesting a teenage relative over the course of two years.

Stephen Bratton is accused of subjecting the relative to inappropriate touching that escalated to "sexual intercourse multiple times a day or several times a week" from 2013 to 2015, according to Thomas Gilliland, a spokesman with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Court records show Bratton, 43, posted a $50,000 bond Saturday, The Houston Chronicle reported.

Bratton told his wife about the abuse in May, and admitted to his co-pastors at Grace Family Baptist Church that same day that he had "sinned in grievous ways," according to court documents.

It isn't clear whether Bratton has an attorney who can comment on his behalf. The Associated Press couldn't locate a phone number for him Sunday.

Southern Baptist church leaders last week outlined a plan to address sex abuse in the largest U.S. protestant denomination. Aaron Wright, another pastor at the Grace Family Baptist Church, told the newspaper that Bratton has been excommunicated.

"This person's life is in such a contradiction to the faith that we see no evidence that they are a Christian," Wright said.

Bratton, who is a father of seven, was outspoken in support of a Texas bill that would have abolished abortions and charged women with homicide if they underwent the procedure. That level of offense can be punishable by the death penalty under Texas law.

Bratton publicly testified in support of the bill in April. The measure never got a vote.An aircraft crashed Saturday afternoon at Limekiln Canyon and Sesnon blvd in the Porter Ranch area, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

The plane appears to be a privately-owned single-engine aircraft.

The crash was reported at 2:40 p.m., according to the LAFD.

It was flying through the Santa Susana Mountains about two miles from Porter Ranch.

The Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Fire Department rescue helicopter arrived on scene and found one man dead.

The plane was a Nanchang China CJ6 aircraft, according to FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer. The Nanchang CJ6 is a Chinese basic trainer aircraft built starting in 1958 for the People's Liberation Army Force, according to Wikipedia.Multiple shots were fired at a South Florida pool party Saturday night, leaving dozens of attendees fleeing from bullets and running away in a panic.

I was scared for my lifeIve never been in that situation before, said Rika Prince, who attended the party.

There were no reported injuries following the shooting near 170th Street and SW 109th Place, but three people were driven to the hospital, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department. No one was transported by fire rescue.

The annual event was promoted on social media and tickets were $20 each. Partygoers estimate there were more than 100 people in total at the party.

Witnesses say the gunshots started right when the music began.

I started running in the house because I was terrified, said Summer Wilcox, who also attended the party. People were jumping in the pool, people were running in the backyard, broke the gatepeople were getting trampled and falling over.

Miami-Dade Police responded to the scene around 9:30 p.m. Officers uncovered evidence of the shooting, including bullet casings.

For now, attendees are just glad to be safe and alive to tell the tale.

It was just so crazy. Ive never been in no situationIm just happy I can go home to my three kids, Prince said.

Police are investigating the incident and searching for the shooter or shooters. Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.What to Know A 57-year-old county judge has died after suffering a heart attack in his upstate New York courtroom

A Putnam County Court Judge suffered a heart attack in his courtroom, and died after being rushed to the hospital

State Sen. Terrence Murphy called Reitz the "ultimate public servant" in a Facebook post and praised his drug court program

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.Protesters hold placards as they attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam step down and withdraw the extradition bill in Hong Kong, June 16. Reuters

Protesters dressed in black take part in a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 16. AFP

A man holds up a yellow umbrella as protesters dressed in blacktake part in a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 16. AFP





By Jung Min-ho





Bareunmirae Party spokesman Lee Jong-cheol

The minor opposition Bareunmirae Party has become Korea's first political party to officially support Hong Kong residents' anti-extradition protests.



"We hear the strong echo of the cry of a Hong Kong headed toward freedom and democracy," party spokesman Lee Jong-cheol said Friday. "Authorities in Hong Kong should not suppress their righteous demands."



As many as a million Hong Kong residents  equivalent to one in seven of the population  marched last Sunday against the proposed law, which would allow the extradition of criminal suspects to mainland China.



Authorities say the bill is needed to enable a Hong Kong man to be sent to Taiwan, where he allegedly killed his girlfriend. But critics say it would also enable Chinese authorities to exert their influence on all Hong Kong residents, including politicians, by leveling false accusations and demanding their extradition.



Koreans back Hong Kong citizens' fight against extradition bill



Protesters dressed in black take part in a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 16. ReutersWhat to Know Shannon Kent, a 35-year-old sailor from Pine Plains, New York, was among four Americans killed in a suicide bombing in Syria

Schumer spoke on the Senate floor this week about honoring Kent, who was raised in Pine Plains in the Hudson Valley

Schumer filed an amendment to the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act to name the next appropriate Navy warship in her honor

Sen. Chuck Schumer wants a warship named for a Navy sailor and married mother of two from upstate New York who was killed in a suicide bomb attack.

Schumer spoke on the Senate floor this week about honoring Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, who was raised in Pine Plains in the Hudson Valley.

Kent was among four Americans and more than a dozen others killed in January in a suicide bombing in Northern Syria.

Schumer filed an amendment to the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act to name the next appropriate Navy warship in her honor.

Schumer says that of the 289 active-duty ships in the Navy, only five are named for women.The top U.S. diplomat to Africa said there must be an "independent and credible" investigation into the Sudanese military's violent dispersal of a protest camp in the capital earlier this month, as the ruling military council failed to announce the findings of its own investigation on Saturday as promised.

Sudan's security forces violently swept away a camp in Khartoum on June 3 where demonstrators had been holding a sit-in. More than 100 people have been killed and hundreds wounded since then, according to protest organizers. Authorities say only 61 have died, including three security forces.

The violent break-up marked a turn in the standoff between the protesters and the military, which removed autocratic President Omar al-Bashir from power in April after a months-long popular uprising against his 30-year rule.

Tibor Nagy, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Africa, said the deadly break-up of the sit-in outside the military's headquarters "constituted a 180 degree turn in the way events were going with murder, rape, pillaging, by members of the Security Forces." He said events were moving forward favorably until then.

The U.S. diplomat spoke late Friday upon his arrival in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa after a two-day visit to Sudan where he met with the ruling generals, protesters and victims of the crackdown, whose accounts were "harrowing and very persuasive."

Sudan's chief prosecutor Saturday rejected the idea of any outside probe, saying the military was doing its own investigation.

However, Sudan's military council failed to release any findings of its investigation Saturday as it had announced, saying only that some troops were implicated in the violent dispersal against the council's will. It said those troops were not part of security forces assigned to clear a problematic area near the sit-in, known as the Colombia area, and that they would be held accountable in a public trial. The council did not say when the findings would be released.

Protest organizers have called for an internationally backed probe into the crackdown. But the ruling military council, which acknowledged that security forces committed violations, have strongly rejected the idea.

Nagy said the head of the military council, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, "was adamant that there will be accountability" and that "we certainly hope that there will be such an investigation."

Nagy said the U.S. has been supporting mediation efforts by the African Union and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to resume negotiations between the military council and protesters.

The U.S. diplomat declined to outline possible measures Washington might take if the situation worsens. But he warned of negative scenarios as both the military council and protest leaders "absolutely distrust each other."

"We could end up with the type of chaos that exists in Libya or Somalia," he said.

In the wake of the sit-in dispersal, negotiations between the military and protesters were called off and the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, which represents the protesters, held a three-day general strike and a campaign of civil disobedience. They also announced a package of conditions to be met before resuming talks, which included the formation of an international commission to investigate the killings of protesters, restored internet services, adherence to previous deals struck before the breakdown in talks and the return of paramilitary troops to their barracks.

The protesters ended their strike amid mediation efforts by the Ethiopian leader, who declared earlier this week that talks would be resumed "soon."

On Saturday, deputy head of the military council Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo called for an interim government to run the country until elections are held and said the military council was ready to resume negotiations.

"We have a mandate from the Sudanese people to form a government from technocrats," he told a press conference in Khartoum. Dagalo is the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which the protesters accused of spearheading the crackdown. He alleges that foreign envoys are plotting against Sudan.

Ahmed Rabie, a protest leader and spokesman for the Sudanese Professionals' Association, told The Associated Press that an international probe on the deadly crackdown should be established before resuming the talks.

"We firmly hold on to our demands: An international probe, resuming internet services and removing all military and militias from the Sudanese cities," he said.

Also on Saturday, Sudan's chief prosecutor rejected the idea of an international investigation into the crackdown but sought to distance his office from the deadly break-up of the sit-in. Al-Waleed Mahmoud's comments came two days after military council spokesman Gen. Shams Eddin Kabashi said the council had discussed dispersing protesters with top judicial officials.

Mahmoud said he did not discuss dispersing the protesters in the meeting.

"We did not discuss the sit-in break-up. We just discussed restoring order in the Colombia area," he said in a press conference in Khartoum.

Magdy reported from Cairo.Like farmers throughout the Midwest, this spring's torrential rains turned Andrew Dunham's land into sticky muck that set him back nearly a month in planting his crops.

Unlike other farmers, though, Dunham won't get a piece of a $16 billion aid package to offset his losses and he can't fall back on federally subsidized crop insurance because he grows herbs, flowers and dozens of vegetable varieties, but not the region's dominant crops of corn and soybeans.

"There are no federal bailouts for vegetable farmers," said Dunham, who owns an 80-acre organic farm with his wife near Grinnell, about 50 miles east of Des Moines, and is enduring weeks without sales as his crops ripen. "We'll just miss out on three weeks of income."

Although the lack of federal safety net programs for farmers who grow everything from arugula to zucchini isn't new, one of the wettest springs in U.S. history has focused attention on the special status of so-called commodity crops, primarily corn, soybeans, cotton, rice and wheat. Growers of some of those crops received $11 billion in special aid last year and will get $16 billion more this year to offset losses caused by trade disputes that led to tariffs and resulting drops in demand.

Federal support, including subsidized insurance and other protections against losses, is a long-standing tradition for growers of the major crops, who nevertheless are struggling to stay in business because of the tariffs, years of low prices and poor weather. The wet spring has also put growers of specialty crops in a tight spot, as they scramble to seed their fields and kill weeds that grew unhindered until recently.

The persistent rain has been especially worrisome for farmers in central Illinois who grow most of the nation's pumpkins and the processors who turn the squash into pie filling for the nation's Thanksgiving feasts.

"We had rain and rain and rain," said Mohammad Babadoost, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who closely follows the state's pumpkin crop. "They're planting from dawn to dusk and even during the night to catch up because they're about three weeks behind."

Pumpkin seeds usually are planted in April or May, but Jim Ackerman, agriculture manager for Libby's, the largest producer of pumpkin filling, said that if warm weather settles in over June and July, the crop should ripen in time to meet demand and prevent shortages. A cool, wet summer could cause problems, he said, but at least the seeds are in the ground.

"We've very happy to get things planted," he said. "Everybody is a little relieved."

Although corn is the nation's biggest crop, nearly all of it is so-called field corn that is used for animal feed, ethanol production and as seed for future crops. Only about 1% is sweet corn, which is grown for human consumption.

For Scott Alsum, whose family owns Alsum Sweetcorn in central Wisconsin, rain made it nearly impossible to plant on schedule in mid-April. They planted some seeds between storms but they won't know if it will be enough to meet the demand for corn sold at seven roadside stands, some farmers markets and to wholesalers.

"I don't know if I'll have enough corn to keep me going every day of the week or not," Alsum said. "It's going to depend on the weather. Right now it's a little sketchy looking."

In northeastern Iowa, Daquan Campbell, market manager for the Waterloo Urban Farmers Market, said many area farmers are in a similar situation and it has kept about a third of fresh produce growers from selling produce. The market still has plenty of baked goods and crafts, but customers shouldn't expect to find asparagus or spring onions, which typically would be available this time of year.

"Customers are probably expecting a little bit more," Campbell said. "We've been trying to educate them about the farmers and how the weather is dictating what's available right now."

In Minnesota, apple growers were more concerned about the cold temperatures than the persistent rain, said Ross Nelson, who owns Nelson's Apple Farm, about 40 miles south of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Nelson said trees in his orchard bloomed about a week late, setting back his crop just a bit, but that growers in other parts of the state have had trouble with Honeycrisp and Haralson varieties.

Nelson, who has been growing apples since 1974, said he's glad federal programs help growers of commodity crops and that he has never minded that he doesn't benefit from such support.

"We know we're pretty independent of the government and we're not looking for government assistance," he said.

Why the difference between crops?

Chad Hart, an Iowa State University economist, said the reason giant crops such as corn and soybeans have been treated differently is because they're so important to the national economy. There isn't a replacement for such crops and a shortage would be painful, particularly to the livestock industry.

"There are only so many things you can feed to our livestock and keep the meat production going," he said.Two people were hurt and multiple homes were evacuated after a fire spread to a fuel tank and fishing boat in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, Sunday afternoon, sending large plumes of smoke into the air.

Sea Isle City firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire on 371 43rd Place at 12:18 p.m. When they arrived they found a shed engulfed in flames. The fire spread to a fuel tank and commercial fishing boat in the water.

"I could see smoke and then I got to the bridge and I turned and looked at my place and couldn't even believe and I was like, 'Wow, all my stuff is on fire,'" Carmen Conti, the owner of the shed and fishing boat, told NBC10.

Conti's cooler, forklift and fuel tank inside the shed were badly burned during the blaze.

"It's your life, you know? It's how you make your living and now it's just a wreck," Conti said.

Neighboring homes were evacuated as officials with the Cape May County Fire Marshal's Office as well as firefighters from Sea Isle, Ocean City, Seaville, Avalon, Strathmere and Ocean View battled the flames. The fire was quickly placed under control.

Two people suffered minor injuries and an adjacent home sustained exterior heat damage.

"All I could see was horrendous black smoke," Carol Nicastro, who lives inside the home, told NBC10. "I think that's when I must have inhaled it."

Nicastro said responding police officers carried her down from the third floor during the fire. She credits them with saving her life and is recovering from carbon monoxide poisoning.

"The one minute you think you're baking cookies and the next minute the police are dragging you out of the house," she said.

The incident was one of several recent fires that have occurred in Sea Isle City. The difficulty for neighboring fire departments to access the city has led to debate about whether it needs more than just a volunteer department.

Officials continue to investigate the cause.Local and state police investigated a shooting Saturday night on the Schuylkill Expressway in South Philadelphia, law enforcement officials confirmed.

The victim, who has not been identified, was taken to a local hospital. Their condition is not known at this time.

The shooting, which happened near the 26th Street ramp of Interstate 76 around 9:30 p.m., marked the 11th gun-related incident in less than 24 hours, according to Philadelphia police data.

Of the 11 victims, only one person died, police said. A woman was caught in crossfire Saturday afternoon during an argument between at least two other people inside a North Philadelphia deli.

A witness described the gunfire as sounding like fireworks inside the small store.

"The gun violence got to stop. There's too much going on," the witness told NBC10.

Just last month, Commissioner Richard Ross unveiled the police department's strategy to reduce shootings in the summer months. His plan included adding more officers to city streets starting Memorial Day weekend and engaging with residents who live in high-risk communities.

Despite these efforts, shootings broke out all over Philadelphia shortly after midnight Saturday. At 12:50 a.m., a 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old man were both shot in the 400 block of South Street.

Less than one hour later, around 1:30 a.m., another person was shot in West Philadelphia. By 2:20 a.m., a 30-year-old man was shot during an attempted robbery in the 3000 block of West Clearfield Street, according to police.

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.Police are searching for several men who stole an entire ATM machine from a gas station in La Mesa and are investigating ties to a similar robbery last week.

The group of at least four men backed a silver Ford F-250 truck into the AMPM convenience store on Massachusetts Avenue and Waite Drive north of state Route 94 at about 3 a.m. Sunday, the La Mesa Police Department said.

The men loaded the ATM into the back of the truck and took off eastbound on Waite Drive.

It was not clear if the men were armed or if anyone was inside the store at the time of the robbery.

La Mesa police believe the robbery may be connected to a robbery at a 7-Eleven store in Spring Valley.

In that incident, a truck smashed into the convenience store near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Jamacha Road before putting the ATM machine into the back of the truck and driving away.

Detectives are still investigating if there is a link between the two.

In both cases, no suspects have been detained.

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.Some Alabama sex offenders who abuse young children will have to undergo "chemical castration" while on parole, under a new law, but the requirement has prompted legal concerns and appears to be rarely used in some states that allow it.

The procedure uses medications that block testosterone production in order to decrease sex drive. The Alabama law says sex offenders whose crimes involved children between ages 7 and 13 must receive the medication before being released from prison on parole. Alabama doesn't allow parole for sex crimes involving children 6 and under.

After Gov. Kay Ivey's office announced Monday she had signed the bill, some legal groups raised questions.

Randall Marshall, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, said there are constitutional concerns with forced medication.

Dillon Nettles, a policy analyst with the ACLU of Alabama, said the law harkens back to a "dark time" in history.

"It presents serious issues, involving involuntary medical treatment, informed consent, privacy and cruel and unusual punishment," Nettles said.

The bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Steve Hurst of Munford, scoffs at that kind of talk.

"How in the world can it be any more cruel and inhumane than to molest a child? I want someone to answer that one for me, but they can't," Hurst said.

Hurst said he hopes the medication will protect children by stopping abusers from reoffending.

At least seven states have laws authorizing chemical castration in some form.

But its effectiveness can vary.

The hormonal treatment can be useful for a subgroup of offenders whose crimes are driven by sexual attraction to children and want to reduce those urges, said Dr. Frederick Berlin, who treats patients with sexual disorders at Johns Hopkins Hospital and at an independent clinic. However, he has concerns about a blanket criminal justice approach without evaluating the appropriateness in each case.

"Speaking now as a physician, I think it's absolutely inappropriate to use a medical treatment as a criminal sanction," Berlin said.

He said it's not effective for people whose crimes were driven by drugs, mental illness or other issues.

"These laws tend to go on the books because people understandably are frightened. They want to protect children which I hope every reasonable person wants to do," Berlin said.

"At its worst, I think the motivation, if we are just going to say it crudely: 'We are just going to castrate the bastard.' Or at its best it's a misunderstanding, and lack of understanding when it would and when it wouldn't be medically appropriate."

The stereotypical child molester is male, but a fraction of sex offenders are women. Berlin said the situation is more complicated for women because of hormonal balance involved in the menstrual cycle and maintaining pregnancy, but treatment with a drug like Depo-Provera has been used to help some women gain better sexual self-control.

California was the first state to pass such a law in 1996. Ike Dodson, a spokesman with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said it's is rarely used there. Two parolees are currently receiving treatment. Dodson said one of them is mandated to receive it under law, and the other requested it voluntarily.

Prison officials in Montana and Louisiana told The Associated Press last year that they're aware of only one case in each state in the last decade in which a judge ordered the treatment. Texas even allows repeat sex offenders to opt for surgical castration. Texas and Florida did not have numbers immediately available on use.

Georgia had a chemical castration statute but repealed it. Oregon also had a pilot program chemical castration but it was repealed.

The Alabama law says a judge shall order the treatment as a condition of release and will require parolees to receive an initial dose of medication before leaving prison, and to receive additional doses after leaving. A judge would decide when they could stop. They would be billed for the medication, although fees could be waived for those who couldn't afford it. The law also says an Alabama Health Department employee must administer the medication after an inmate's release from prison.

Lawmakers say it's constitutional because it only applies when an inmate seeks release on parole. Inmates who opt to serve their entire sentence would not have to take the medication.

"I think it's constitutional because it's not mandatory," Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Cam Ward said. He also said it would apply to a small group of sex offenders.

Hurst began pushing the legislation more than a decade ago after hearing the story of an infant who was sexually abused. He originally proposed permanent surgical castration, but he was told by the state's then-attorney general that would be found unconstitutional.

The proposal went nowhere in the Statehouse for more than a decade before it won final passage this year on a quick vote in the Senate. Hurst said it may have prevailed because people didn't notice it.

Hurst said he's open to improvements in the law, and would like to see a university involved in a future study on effectiveness. But for him, it comes down to simple justice.

"If they are going to mark those children for life, they need to be marked for life. ... My real feelings are that they need to die," Hurst said.

The law takes effect later this year.At least 279 dolphins have stranded across much of the U.S. Gulf Coast since Feb. 1, triple the usual number, and about 98 percent of them have died, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday.

Scientists will investigate whether lingering effects from the 2010 BP oil spill and more immediate effects from low salinity because of freshwater flowing from high rivers and a Louisiana spillway contributed to the deaths, said Teri Rowles, coordinator for NOAA Fisheries' Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program.

BP spill effects included problems with lungs and adrenal glands, which produce stress-related hormones; blood abnormalities; and general poor condition, according to earlier reports . Those reports said the spill contributed to the Gulf of Mexico's largest and longest dolphin die-off.

"We do know some of the health conditions ... are improving, but some have been slow to improve," Rowles said. "Reproduction in the heaviest-oiled areas continues below normal."

Erin Fougeres, administrator for the marine mammal stranding program in NOAA Fisheries' southeast region, said 23% of the dolphins stranded from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle had sores consistent with freshwater exposure. Such lesions are "not uncommon" in the spring, according to NOAA's website.

Mississippi had 121 dolphin strandings as of Wednesday, with 89 in Louisiana, 32 in Alabama and 37 in Florida, Fougeres said.

Moby Solangi, director of the Institute of Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, Mississippi, put that state's total on Thursday at 126, and said the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway is at least partly to blame. The effects are worse for Mississippi's dolphins than the BP spill, he said, noting that 91 dead dolphins were found in Mississippi during all of 2010.

Dolphins continued to die for years because of oil spill damage, a 2015 study reported.

Freshwater exposure "doesn't appear to be the cause of death for all animals, so that's something we're continuing to investigate," Fougeres said. Rowles noted that 70 percent of the carcasses were too decomposed for necropsy.

She said other possible causes might include chemicals and other pollutants in the river water, and changes in the dolphins' usual prey as fish and crabs needing higher salinity left the bays and estuaries where 15 of the area's 17 dolphin groups live.

Such groups tend to stay in their home territories in spite of changes that could harm them, Fougeres said.

She said NOAA Fisheries also is investigating reports of increased turtle strandings in Louisiana and Mississippi. Those numbers are above five- and 10-year averages, but are lower than some previous years, Fougeres said.

"We do not suspect sea turtle strandings are related to freshwater exposure," she said. "But we are concerned that decreased salinity could have effects on their prey and habitat."A teenage honors student was killed when a driver struck him while he was crossing an intersection in the Woodmore section of Prince George's County, Maryland, police said.

The teen was crossing at Church Road and Fairview Vista Drive around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday when he was hit by a car, police said.

He was taken to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The teenage boy had just graduated from eighth grade at Georgetown Day School, his mother told News4.

Now neighbors are hoping the accident will trigger safety improvements in the area, especially because cars frequently exceed the 30 mph speed limit in the area.

Police said the driver of the car stayed at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

The family is now collecting donations through a GoFundMe fundraiser.

Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates to this developing story.Moon Chung-in, left, special adviser on unification and diplomacy issues to President Moon Jae-in, speaks during a forum at the National Assembly to mark the 19th anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration between then-President Kim Dae-jung and then-North Korea leader Kim Jong-il in 2000, June 11. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun



By Jung Da-min



North Korea should be pushed to return to negotiations at the earliest possible date as its leader Kim Jong-un holds the key to getting denuclearization talks back on track, according to a presidential adviser on unification and diplomacy matters.



Moon Chung-in also said the United States and North Korea are now at a "critical" moment, speaking at a special event to mark the 19th anniversary of the "June 15 Joint Declaration" signed by then-President Kim Dae-jung and then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000. The National Unification Advisory Council New York Chapter, a civic advisory group for government policy on North Korea, organized the June 14 (local time) event.



"Kim Jong-un should make a wise decision to revive the structure of top-down nuclear diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump, while also cooperating with the South," Moon said. "North Korea can speak up after bringing itself to the negotiation table, as the U.S. has been calling for dialogue with the North."





Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is calling for the legalization of marijuana.

Herring said Saturday that Virginia should start decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana and eventually legalize the drug.

The Democratic attorney general said criminal prosecutions are costly to the state and local governments and disproportionately affect African Americans.

Herring made the remarks in an op-ed in the Daily Press and in comments to reporters at a Democratic fundraiser in Richmond.

Herring's announcement won't have any practical impact on marijuana prosecutions, which are typically handled at the local level. But Herring said he hopes his public support for legalization will help spur lawmakers to act.

The Republican-controlled General Assembly has killed past efforts to decriminalize marijuana.The cause of a fire that reached nine alarms in Dorchester on Saturday remains under investigation.

One resident, Maria Nguyen, filmed the fire with her cellphone for six seconds, but then stopped recording to call for help.

"I ran in to try to grab my daughter. I called 911. And then as soon as I ran back out from the house, the fire just started spreading to the next house," Nguyen said.

She watched as flames ripped through the vacant house at 39 Old Morton Street near the Dorchester/Mattapan line Saturday night.

"This whole area had this pitch black cloud go by. It was very scary," she said.

The vacant building caught fire and spread to eight surrounding structures before it was contained hours later by over 100 firefighters  seven of whom were transported to local hospitals due to injuries sustained battling the blaze.

High winds and the close proximity of the homes are among the factors being blamed for the quick spread of the fire that affected nearly 20 families in the neighborhood.

"We were devastated for these folks, but luckily there were not many people inside the house at that time," Nguyen said.

Larry Bell lives two streets over from where the fire occurred.

"It was just unbelievable. It was unbelievable," he said. "I didn't know it would come that far like almost a quarter of a mile."

Embers flew through the air and fell on his van.

"I have a vinyl top roof, and debris from the fire landed on the roof and caused damage to my van," Bell said.

In addition to the firefighters who required treatment at hospitals, two civilians were taken in, while six others were treated at the scene.

Firefighters remained on scene Sunday morning to ensure that all hot spots had been extinguished.

Investigators are still working to figure out what started the fire.A Maine man has been arrested after police discovered approximately half a pound of heroin/fentanyl in his car.

According to New Hampshire State Police, a trooper conducting a vehicle stop for a speeding violation on I-95 in Portsmouth discovered evidence of recent drug use within plain view of the vehicle.

The driver, Edson Wilson, 42, of Augusta, Maine, consented to a roadside search. The trooper seized approximately half a pound of suspected heroin/fentanyl.

Wilson was arrested for possession of drugs with intent to distribute, police said.

He was processed and released and is scheduled to be arraigned in Rockingham County Superior Court on June 28. It is unclear if Wilson has an attorney.

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Trooper Brian Gacek at 603-679-3333.David Ortiz's wife paid a special tribute to her husband as he continues to recover from a gunshot wound in Massachusetts General Hospital and authorities continue to investigate the shooting.

Tiffany Ortiz wrote in an Instagram post that this Father's Day on Sunday, "brings with it a new appreciation for life and an awareness in what truly matters."

Tiffany Ortiz and the man known as Big Papi have three children together and have been together for 23 years.

She wrote that it has "been deeply felt that the outside world also acknowledges his presence as a father figure to all." She urged everyone to "celebrate this Papi's Day with the ones you love."

Its now been almost a week since Ortiz was shot in the back in the Dominican Republic, and the motive remains a mystery.

Dominican officials are still looking for Luis Alfredo Rivas Clase, who they said was part of the murder plot of the Red Sox legend.

Ten suspects are in custody, implicated in the murder plot against Ortiz.

Wearing bulletproof vests and ballistic helmets, Jose Eduardo Ciprian, Carlos Rafael Alvares, Lanny Estephanie Perez, Rolfi Ferreyra Cruz, Joel Rodriguez de la Cruz, Porfirio Ayendi Vasquez, Reynaldo Rodriguez Valenzuela, Oliver Moises Mirabal, Eddy Vladimir Feliz Garcia and Alexander Perez Vizcaino showed up at court Friday where they were ordered to remain in prison while the investigation continues.

The alleged shooter, who admitted to Dominican authorities he fired the shot, told reporters Ortiz wasnt the intended target.

The investigation has revealed that after firing, Ferreyra Cruz ran inside a nearby home where he told them he had been robbed and that he had disarmed the assailants. He asked the owner of the house to order him a taxi, and thats how he escaped.

I know that the FBI is somewhat involved in the investigation, Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-New York said on Friday.

Espaillat, a native of the Dominican Republic, said that because Ortiz is an American national, the U.S. is asisting in the investigation.

"I would hope that they get to the bottom and we find the intellectual actors of this horrible crime," he said.Police in Rhode Island say a Massachusetts woman who flipped her car onto its roof after striking a home identified herself to investigating officers as Hello Kitty.

Police say 25-year-old Karina Dominguez Martinez, of Worcester, Massachusetts struck the concrete stairs of a vacant Pawtucket home located on Hurley Avenue at about 1 a.m. Saturday before rolling.

Dominguez Martinez gave her name as Hello Kitty and was treated at the scene for scrapes and bruises. Police said she had opened bottles of sangria in her car.

She was charged with driving under the influence and resisting arrest.

Dominguez Martinez was released on her own recognizance pending arraignment on Wednesday. It's unclear if she has a lawyer.A Vermont man has died after falling from an overturned boat in Lake Champlain.

Police announced that Wayne Bailey, 63, from Berlin, Vermont died after the boat flipped near Stave Island, just south of South Hero, Vermont. The incident happened around 11:30 a.m.

The U.S. Coast Guard, Mallets Bay Fire Rescue, Colchester police, Grand Isle Sheriffs Department, South Hero Fire Deparment and state police all responded.

Bailey's brother was also in the boat, but survived.

Cause of death will be announced after the medical examiner's report is completed, state police said.Forty-four veterans of World War II and the Korean War are spending their Father's Day together and will bond in a special way.

The elderly veterans will be flying down to Washington, D.C. to spend the day with one another to see memorials built in their honor. The trip is made possible thanks to Honor Flight New England.

"There's not a dry eye," said Sheila Peters, an Honor Flight volunteer. "They don't know they're heroes and they are. These heroes are just amazing men -- and women. We have one woman with us today."

The stories of these veterans range from father and son combinations from Stoughton and Peabody, to a 103-year-old World War II veteran from Lowell.

Henry Salvas, 96, served in World War II and will be on Sunday's flight.

"I was a scout in the infantry and I got hit and I ended up going to Brazil," he said. "After I got hit they sent me to Brazil for seven months."

The veterans are flying into BWI and will be welcomed by school and veteran groups thanking them for their service.

Robert Corman, a 90-year-old Korean War vet, said that thinking about the soldiers that didn't make it is what makes him emotional.

"I thank god I made it," Corman said.

The number of World War II veterans still alive, in particular, continues to dwindle. Fewer than 500,000 of the 16 million Americans who served are still alive.

"Its sad that theyre passing away," Peters said. "It's very very sad, everyone needs to know about these guys. The younger children, the whole world needs to know about these heroes that are alive right now and what they did for us, it's overwhelming."Asylum seekers participate in a rally organized by Amnesty and NANCEN in front of Bosingak bell pavilion in central Seoul, last September, calling for better treatment and review processes. / Korea Times file



By Lee Suh-yoon



More than 20,000 asylum seekers are waiting to hear back from the Korean Immigration Office, according to recent government data made public Sunday.



The backlog is apparently due to chronic understaffing at the office resulting in insufficient officials to review the applications.



Refugee rights group NANCEN and the immigration office said 21,341 refugees were waiting for the results of their asylum application at the end of April.



Starting this year, the justice ministry doubled the number of staff to more effectively handle asylum applications but the workload is still far from realistic, with around 260 applications being assigned to each officer.



Between January and April this year, 4,095 persons filed for asylum here, but immigration officers were only able to review just 1,238 applications during the same period. Thousands more are expected to submit their case for review by the end of the year.



"A person's life is at stake in these refugee applications, but the limited number of immigration officers makes it difficult for them to be reviewed properly," Kim Yeon-ju, a NANCEN member, told The Korea Times.



According to individual cases NANCEN keeps tabs on, each refugee is on average given a three-to-five-hour interview with the immigration officer throughout the entire process. Any paperwork submitted without a Korean translation is simply not counted as evidence by immigration authorities, Kim added.



There are 68.5 million people who are forcibly displaced and 3.1 million asylum seekers worldwide, according to a United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees' report last year.



Despite this being a small figure compared to those of European nations, more asylum seekers are starting to arrive in Korea. Last year, 16,173 applied for asylum here, a 6,000-person jump from the previous year.



The sudden influx created a bigger bottleneck. Data shows it took asylum seekers an average of 10.6 months to get through the first of two review processes last year.



Even after this, most were rejected. Out of the 3,879 applicants reviewed last year, only 144, or 3.7 percent, were given refugee status. The acceptance rate for asylum seekers since 1994, when the country first started accepting refugees, is 3.9 percent, well below the global average of 30 percent.



The low figure is not entirely separate from the public's hostile response to the recent influx. News of 561 Yemeni refugees landing on Jeju Island last year spurred months of protests that were fueled by Islamophobia and worries of job-taking by the newcomers. In the end, the justice ministry granted refugee status to only two applicants; 412 were given renewable humanitarian visas, which allows asylum seekers to work but does not guarantee the same social welfare services granted to refugees.



A total of 954 asylum seekers have been granted refugee status here since 1994. About a third are from Myanmar, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people have been displaced since 2017. Asylum seekers from Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Pakistan make up another third of this small group of recognized refugees.





Korea's fatal traffic accidents decrease by over 20 percent in the last five years, but accidents among elderly surge nearly 50 percent. Courtesy of gettyimagesbank



By Kim Hyun-bin



The number of car accidents involving elderly drivers has surged 50 percent over the past five years, according to a recent report, Sunday, despite a decrease among younger age groups.



According to the Samsung Traffic Safety Research Institute, there has been a decrease of 20.6 percent in fatal accidents in the past five years, and overall car accidents slightly declined by 2.9 percent.



Drivers in their 30s to 40s had the largest reduction of over 10 percent, but people aged over 65 surged 48 percent, mostly consisting of minor accidents.



The institute analyzed nearly 1.11 million car accidents that were reported to police from 2014 to 2018.



Last year, there were 217,148 accidents accounting for 3,781 deaths  a decrease of 20.6 percent from the previous year.



"There has been a 3 percent increase in vehicle registration each year, but the traffic accident fatality rate has decreased by an average 5.6 percent a year for the last five years," the report stated.



In 2014, there were 93,047 people that were seriously injured, but last year it decreased 20.2 percent to 74,258 people.



There has been a 1.9 percent increase in minor accidents accounting for 227,511 cases in the same period, mostly caused by the elderly.



There are 2.7 million elderly people over the age of 65 who possess driver's license, accounting for 8.6 percent of the total nationwide. However, out of the total, their accident and fatality rate accounted for 14.5 percent and 22.9 percent respectively. There have been 110 accidents on average for every 10,000 elderly drivers, double that of people in their 30s and 40s.



"Traffic safety policies have been focused on speeding and driving under the influence (DUI) and less attentive to preventing minor accidents," Lim Chae-hong, a senior researcher at the institute said. "We need more policies to prevent minor accidents and people need to abide by basic traffic orders including using signals, halting at stop lines and yielding to other cars."



To reduce the elderly accident rates, local governments have been paying the elderly 100,000 won for voluntary returning their driver's licenses. However, this initiative has been unsuccessful in farming and rural areas.

The Korea Rural Economic Institute conducted a study of 456 elderly people in farming and fishing villages in which 98.5 percent had a driver's license.



Nearly 95 percent said they would not return their license, while 5.2 percent said they would.

Over 77 percent said they drove daily and 16.1 percent said they drove four to five times a week.



Close to 40 percent said they had no trouble driving, 23.3 percent said they needed a vehicle for their business and 16.6 stated it was difficult to ride public transportation.



"Public transportation in farming areas is poor and the region is highly aged, which calls for a specific management system for elderly drivers. Driving education programs for the elderly and additional AI testing could be effective," the Korea Rural Economic Institute said.

To survive in his struggle against an aggressive form of prostate cancer, Bin McLaurin didn't only have to overcome the disease attacking his body. He said he also had to toss out his long-held image of masculinity.

For years, even after he came to work for Cedars-Sinai in 2011, McLaurin accepted the notion that real men didn't go to the doctor unless it was a clearcut emergency. He finally relented after moving into a research assistant job at the Smidt Heart Institute. As McLaurin, 51, explained, he felt hypocritical about encouraging people to take care of their health while he hadn't gone for a physical in years.

Then, after getting a checkup, McLaurin's doctor spotted a problem that eventually led to his cancer diagnosis five years ago. The discovery spurred a personal journey that, among other things, changed his views on manhood and life in general. "To really find a way to survive, or a way to be resilient in the face of a severe, traumatic diagnosis like cancer, you have to learn to step out of your comfort zone," McLaurin said.

The need to stretch personally to deal with tough medical circumstances was highlighted at the 33rd Annual Cancer Survivors Day Luncheon at the Skirball Cultural Center. McLaurin and fellow guest speaker and cancer survivor Cyndi Tomlinson, 48, shared stories at the Cedars-Sinai event of how they fought their illnesses and channeled much of their energy into helping others suffering from malignancies.

Their approach squares with increasing research on the qualities patients need to fight cancer.

Attitude is huge. Our patients have taught us that it is possible to experience gratitude," Asher said, even while suffering from cancer. He pointed to "feeling grateful for having access to the care that they have or the people that they have in their life, or for the opportunity to learn something that they may not have had a chance to learn otherwise, or for maybe even reprioritizing values." Arash Asher, MD, director of Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship for Cedars-Sinai

That describes Tomlinson's outlook-even though she has coped with one cancer fight after another involving herself or loved ones. At age 6, she lost her father to throat cancer. At age 22, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Three years ago to the month, she learned she had stage 0 breast cancer. And two months after that, her husband, Bert Ramirez, found out he had stage 4 follicular lymphoma. "What are the odds of that?!" she exclaimed, before an audience that included about 320 cancer survivors and their guests at the Skirball.

Today, Tomlinson said, both she and her husband are cancer-free. She said during her battle with disease, "the superficial things really got swept away."

"In life you grow up and you try to figure out what's important, who's important, how to set boundaries for yourself, and I think when you're faced with a life-or-death kind of situation, those things really come clear quickly."

Now Tomlinson is focusing on other cancer patients and their families and caretakers. By day, she works as the Southern California regional manager of an optical store chain. But, "every minute I have free" after work, Tomlinson said, she devotes to her role as executive director of Bolster & Bridge, a nonprofit that provides yoga therapy, mindfulness meditation and other practices.

For McLaurin, who in April celebrated a year of being cancer-free, a key early step toward recovery was accepting the advice of a Cedars-Sinai social worker who recommended trying an art therapy program. After a few classes, McLaurin said, he learned to express his feelings about the disease and its effects, which included temporary erectile dysfunction, incontinence and self-image issues. It gave him a sense of relief that helped him fight on.

"Not everybody is skilled in knowing how to care for themselves when it comes to cancer. But, sometimes as guys, we're tripped up even more because we don't share our emotions, or we're not sharing our feelings," McLaurin said.

McLaurin's new outlook led him to his current job as a coordinator of cancer survivorship programs at Cedars-Sinai. "That's the real beauty of this story. Not only am I cancer-free, but I now get to help other cancer survivors rebuild their lives."

He launched a men's cancer breakfast club and a men's health and cancer support foundation called Men Actively Creating Healthy Outcomes, or MACHO.

The reason for that name for his foundation? "Macho is not just being able to lift heavy weights and run the fastest on the track or having the fattest paycheck of all your male friends-the kind of posturing things that we do as guys to prove how strong we are. True strength, for me, true macho, is how well you take care of yourself."A new measure has identified for the first time whether the most suitable antibiotics are being used to treat newborns and children in hospital on a national basis.

The measure will be a crucial tool in combating antimicrobial resistance worldwide, allowing countries to benchmark themselves both internally and internationally and highlighting where improvements can be made.

The measure classifies all antibiotics according to the World Health Organisation's Access, Watch and Reserve Index (AWaRe)', which classifies antibiotics into three groups with the aim of improving access and facilitating appropriate prescribing. The three groups comprise: 'Access' which should be used as first choice for most infections; 'Watch' for use as a second choice, and to be used sparingly; and 'Reserve' for use as a last resort.

The WHO has recently recommended that Access group antibiotics should account for at least 60% of every country's total antibiotic use.

To develop this new way to measure antibiotics, researchers at St George's, University of London used two point prevalence surveys data- GARPEC and Global PPS -studying patterns of antibiotic use in 23,572children in 56 countries. The data included high income, upper middle income and low middle-income countries across 6 WHO regions. The data also provided insight into what antibiotics were typically used to treat common childhood conditions.

Dr Yingfen Hsia of St George's, who led the survey, said:

We haven't had this data on patterns of pediatric antibiotic use from the perspective of the AWaRe classification before and it's an important first step in seeing what needs to be done globally."

Researchers found wide variations in patterns of antibiotic use in hospitalized children using the AWaRe classification. In children'Access'antibiotic use ranged from 7.8% in China to61.2% in Slovenia; and'Watch'antibiotic use ranged from 23.0% in Finland to 77.3% in Iran. Prescribing standards for common childhood conditions such as neonatal sepsis and chest infections showed wide variation.

There are many reasons for the variation of prescribing patterns between countries. These include the prevalence of infections caused by highly resistant bacteria; local healthcare service issues including infrastructure and staffing; and the pricing or affordability of antibiotics.

Professor Mike Sharland of St George's said:Costly hospital readmissions in geriatric patients could be nearly halved if the NHS offered simple follow-up 'aftercare' calls and home visits for patients, according to a new study.

The research, by Aston University's School of Life and Health Sciences, suggests that readmissions could be slashed by as much as 41% if health authorities routinely made post-discharge calls to elderly patients after they are released from hospital.

The checks could amount to nothing more than a brief phone call from a community nurse, offering straightforward advice on medication management to older patients, through to referrals to community health providers including GPs and pharmacists.

The findings have been published in the Royal College of Physicians' Future Healthcare Journal.

Dr James Brown, Senior Lecturer in Life and Health Sciences at Aston University and one of the experts involved in hit Channel 4 TV series 'Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds', said:

Our work shows that a simple service, whereby community nurses attempt to contact older adult patients after they are discharged from hospital, lead to a significant reduction in the number of patients readmitted within a month. The combination of Britain's ageing population and an under-pressure NHS means it is now more important than ever to minimize the costs to our health services caused by unnecessary readmissions. It may seem hard to believe that something as simple as a phone call can have such a major impact, but our evidence suggests that this is so - the NHS could tackle the rise in readmissions by implementing simple, inexpensive telephone services which improve communication with patients."

According to NHS figures published in March this year, there were 865,625 emergency readmissions to hospital within 30 days of discharge in England in 2017-18. The problem is particularly acute amongst elderly patients, and approximately 15 per cent of over-65s are readmitted within 28 days.

According to the independent Healthwatch watchdog, over the five years between 2013/14 and 2017-18 emergency readmissions increased by 21.8% based on its analysis of the situation in 70 English hospital trusts. Healthwatch has estimated the total cost of emergency readmissions at around 2.4bn per year.

Dr Brown's research looked at two groups of elderly patients in Solihull, West Midlands - 303 who community nurses attempted to contact to offer a home visit after discharge, and a comparison group of 453 others. Of the 303 patients in the intervention group, there was successful telephone contact with 288, and 202 received a home visit.

Almost 16 per cent of the comparison group were readmitted as emergencies within 30 days of leaving hospital. But among those who community nurses contacted and visited, that figure was only 9 per cent. This means that patients where there was no attempt to contact were almost twice as likely to be readmitted to hospital within 30 days of being discharged.

Dr Brown added:By Richard Chumney

When the Union Army briefly occupied Lynchburg in the spring of 1864, many of its soldiers carried small religious pamphlets as they marched into the city.

The unbound gospel tracts, hymnals and pocket-sized Bibles were provided by the United States Christian Commission  a volunteer organization launched by the Young Mens Christian Association.

On Saturday, Alan and Faith Farley, two longtime Concord-based Civil War reenactors, shared the story of the little-known commission at the 155th Anniversary of the Battle of Lynchburg, held at Historic Sandusky. The event was organized by the University of Lynchburg, which owns the property, and the Taylor-Wilson Camp #10 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

The commissions primary desire was to see that the souls of the soldiers, whether they be Union or Confederate, knew for a fact that when they passed off into eternity, that they had made peace with God, that Jesus Christ was their Savior and that they were going to spend eternity in Heaven with Him, Alan Farley said.

Throughout the course of the four-year war, the commission distributed an estimated 1.4 million Bibles, 39 million pages of gospel tracts and 7 million sheets of stationary for soldiers to write letters. Though most of the Bibles were printed for Union troops, thousands were made for Confederate soldiers. The organization raised more than $6 million worth of supplies and goods to fund the operation.

Nearly 5,000 northerners served as unpaid volunteer commission delegates throughout the war, according to Alan Farley. The exclusively protestant delegates (Catholics and Jews were barred from the commission) delivered sermons in military camps, assisted army chaplains and worked in military hospitals. Even poet Walt Whitman volunteered for a time, serving as a nurse in a Washington, D.C., hospital.

Many of the delegates were pastors, some deacons, some elders, some Sunday school teachers, some just Christian-minded men, Alan Farley said.

The commission also supplied the Union army with fresh food. The provisions especially were helpful for wounded soldiers recovering in hospitals. According to Alan Farley, the food helped decrease the mortality rate of Union patients dramatically.

The Farleys, who both were dressed in era-appropriate garments, are unique among Civil War reenactors in their depiction of religious figures. Several of the attendees Saturday noted their surprise at learning of the commission for the first time.

A lot of people have no clue, Faith Farley said. Thats why were out telling the story.

Though there is no direct evidence commission delegates were present in Lynchburg during the relatively small-scale battle, several of the Union soldiers under the command of Maj. Gen. David Hunter had come in contact with the commission prior to the campaign.

Northern troops had descended on the largely undefended city in the hopes of capturing its transportation and hospital facilities. The city also was a major supply center for Confederate forces across the state and Union commanders believed occupying the city would weaken the southern cause dramatically.

Sandusky served as Hunters headquarters during the battle June 17 to June 18, 1864. His forces ultimately were driven back by Confederate soldiers led by Gen. Jubal Early. About 900 men are believed to have been killed, wounded or captured in the battle, with the vast majority of the casualties occurring on the Union side.

In addition to the Farleys, several members of the Sons of Union Veterans portrayed occupying troops. Lynchburg physician Charles Driscoll delivered a lecture on Civil War medicine and University of Lynchburg professor Clifton W. Potter Jr. detailed the citys prisoner of war camp.

Kevin Shroyer, an event organizer and a member of the Sons of Union Veterans, said the battles anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on the lessons of the Civil War and, more broadly, human history.

Our history, good and bad, warts and otherwise, is what has made us into what we are today, Shroyer said. And when we stop forgetting those things, even the bad things that happened in our countrys history, we are essentially turning our back on those people that have somehow influenced the people we are today.

Richard Chumney covers breaking news and public safety for The News & Advance. Reach him at (434) 385-5547.

Richard Chumney covers breaking news and public safety for The News & Advance. Reach him at (434) 385-5547.

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.President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump during their summit at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul in November 2017. Yonhap



Leaders will seek breakthrough on nuclear deadlock with NK



By Lee Min-hyung



U.S. President Donald Trump will likely ratchet up pressure on President Moon Jae-in on sensitive defense and economic issues during their upcoming summit later this month.



Experts here said Moon's wise handling of the complex diplomacy is crucial to prevent South Korea from suffering any unexpected political and economic setbacks.



One of the possible agenda items includes the annual defense cost sharing between Seoul and Washington. The cost is in use for maintenance of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) here.



"Trump is likely to call on the South pay more during the upcoming meeting with Moon, as part of political rhetoric before they start negotiations to decide on the 2020 defense cost sharing," said Shin Beom-chul, a researcher at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.



Under the 2019 Special Measures Agreement, South Korea will pay 1.04 trillion won ($881 million) in defense cost sharing with the U.S. this year, up 8.2 percent from the previous year. The agreement was reached in March after about a year of negotiations.



Both sides will soon start negotiations to renew the one-year contract, but as of now, a specific timeline has yet to be fixed over the discussion.



Shin said South Korea does not have to create "unnecessary diplomatic friction" on the issue with the U.S. at a time when negotiations on 2020 SMA have not started.



"The Trump administration is likely to draw up its negotiation strategies based on its defense cost sharing with Japan. Trump is expected to apply its negotiating tactics with Japan to Korea," the expert said.



"But as full-fledged negotiations are not underway as of now, Trump will not discuss details of the 2020 SMA with Moon during the summit."



Under the circumstances, Moon does not have to react sensitively to the growing pressure from Washington, the expert said.



On his planned Seoul visit, Trump will also likely press the South to side with Washington over the ongoing trade conflict between the U.S. and China.



The world's two largest economies have been engaged in a fierce trade conflict for about a year. South Korea is sandwiched between the economic powerhouses in their ongoing battle, so calls have surfaced that the government should come up with countermeasures to minimize possible economic damage from the trade war.



With Washington and Beijing showing no signs of reaching a settlement in their ongoing friction, Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided last month to create a special taskforce dealing with the issue.



Shin pointed out Moon needs to keep emphasizing during his meeting with Trump that Seoul is on the side of Washington.



As of now, no clear breakthroughs are seen, so the best-case scenario is to walk the middle ground between the two countries and minimize the impacts of the trade war on the South Korean economy.



"For example, we can follow the footsteps of other U.S. allies, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, and take a close look at how they handle the issue," Shin said.





An F-22 Raptor stealth fighter lands at an air base in Gwangju on May 16 last year when the Max Thunder joint air drill between South Korea and the U.S. was underway. / Yonhap(Newser)  The media spotlight is falling on a former Ohio judge who's been outed as an alcoholic and linked to an alleged sex trafficking ring, USA Today reports. Over 2,700 cases overseen by William Marshall, a common pleas judge for 15 years, might be reconsidered in light of his behavior. "If you're a severe alcoholic, you're going to work under the influence ... and that means you are ruling on people's cases," says a state public defender. Court documents say Marshall was hospitalized for addiction at least four times starting in 2013, and this year, his family filed for guardianship over his financial and personal affairs. What's more, Marshall retired last year amid controversy over his attempt to to squash a speeding ticket given to his daughter.

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"I didn't like the trooper" who gave her the ticket, said Marshall, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He didn't listen to me. There used to be a code in this countyI'm a judge and he shouldn't have written my daughter" a ticket. Worse, the Enquirer story links Marshall to a sex trafficking ring allegedly run by local defense attorney Michael Mearan, who is accused of giving young female clients drugs in exchange for sex. Women involved were allegedly "given" to Marshall for lighter sentences. "Are you serious?" said Marshall. "I would never do anything like that." But state officials are investigating as the Ohio Public Defender's office begins reviewing his cases. (Meanwhile, an alcoholic who fell off the wagon was hit with $16,000 in fuel costs.)President Moon Jae-in, left, and Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven give a press conference after their talks in Saltsjobaden outside Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday, June 15. AP-Yonhap



By Kim Yoo-chul



Senior South Korean nuclear negotiators will discuss with their Washington counterparts a suggestion that President Moon Jae-in meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's planned visit to Seoul at the end of the month.



"As President Moon has returned from his trip to Scandinavian countries, senior nuclear negotiators plan to discuss with U.S. officials, and simultaneously their North Korean counterparts, a possible fourth inter-Korean summit before Trump's visit here," a presidential aide said Sunday.



Earlier, President Moon said he was open to meeting with Kim at anytime, anywhere and without conditions, though "accordingly, the timing is up to Kim." He added it's not "physically impossible" to hold a fourth inter-Korean summit at the end of June.





(Newser)  If Beatles fans blame Yoko Ono for the Beatles' breakup, maybe they should credit John Lennon's first wife for the Fab Four staying together as long as they did. This Girl, a play about Cynthia Lennon, her husband, and his band, will premiere this summer in Liverpool, hometown of the Beatles, the Guardian reports. The play conveys the creativity of Cynthia Lennon, who was an illustrator, and her stabilizing influence on her husband. "I want to get across how important she was in John's life," said Mike Howl, the playwright. They met as art students in Liverpool in 1957, and were married from 1962 to 1968, through the peak of the Beatles' fame. "I do think that without Cynthias love, John would have gone completely off the rails," Howl said.

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The playwright, who saw the Beatles and Cynthia in the Cavern Club as a teenager, said it bothered him that her influence has been overlooked. "Their relationship helped to keep the Beatles together for as long as they were," Howl said. The play is a musical with original songs, per La Vida Liverpool. Among the people pleased with the project is the couple's son, Julian. "He said he was pleased someone was finally writing about how talented his mother was," Howl told the Guardian, "since all the world has written about his father and no one has paid her any attention." Cynthia Lennon died in 2015. Ono, John Lennon's second wife, said at the time that she was a wonderful person and mother, per ABC. "I felt proud how we two women stood firm in the Beatles family," Ono said. (Read more Beatles stories.)(Newser)  President Trump is rejecting a report that the US has escalated cyberattacks of its own against Russia, placing malware in its power grid, Politico reports. "Not true," the president tweeted Saturday, calling the New York Times report "a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country." Trump repeated his accusation that the news media is an "enemy of the people." US officials didn't inform the president about the operation in detail, the Times reported, for fear he would let the Russians know of it. That happened in 2017, when Trump told the Russian ambassador and foreign minister classified information, which reportedly put an ISIS source in danger.

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The power grid incursions are partly a warning to Russia to not repeat its interference in the 2016 election, officials indicated, and partly to position the US for an all-out cyberattack if relations reach a crisis. The US operation could contribute to that worsening of tensions, the Times report acknowledges. Intelligence officials have said that Russia already has inserted malware in US power plants, pipelines, and water supplies. "We thought the response in cyberspace against electoral meddling was the highest priority last year, and so thats what we focused on," says National Security Adviser John Bolton. "But were now opening the aperture, broadening the areas were prepared to act in." Of the nations the US is targeting, "We will impose costs on you until you get the point." (Read more US-Russia relations stories.)(Newser)  Police arrested a man they said was trespassing in Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's New York office on Saturday. The first-term lawmaker was in Washington at the time, ABC News reports, and the Queens office was otherwise empty. "It doesn't seem to be a break-in," a police spokesman said. "It seems to be a trespass." Officers said the man, whom they did not name, did not go with them quietly: He sprayed a fire extinguisher in the office and then tried to hide in a utility closet. He was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, per the New York Post. (Read more Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stories.)(Newser)  A Phoenix couple wants $10 million after being arrested at gunpoint with their two small children, apparently over a stolen dolland bystander videos don't look great for police, CNN reports. Dravon Ames and his fiancee, Iesha Harper, say they didn't see their 4-year-old daughter steal a doll from a Family Dollar store on May 29. But after driving to a babysitter's apartment, they say an officer banged on their window and angrily threatened to kill them. "Our hands are up, we're just trying not to get shot, trying to stay calm," says Ames. "He had a gun drawn." One 12-minute cellphone video begins when Ames is being handcuffed on the ground and then against a cop car. The officer kicks Ames' feet apart and reprimands him several times.

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Another officer lowers his gun when Harper, who was five months pregnant, emerges from the vehicle with two childrenand tries to grab the younger child until a bystander takes both children. Ames gave up her kids to a "complete stranger because I didn't trust the police to have her," she says. Now the couple has filed a $10 million claim, which usually precedes a lawsuit, and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego has apologized: "It was completely inappropriate and clearly unprofessional," she wrote on Facebook of the arrest. Police reaction is mixed, with Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams saying she was "disturbed" by the incident and a sergeant telling KNXV there was more to the case than a stolen doll. Ames and Harper were released without charges, and authorities are investigating. (Read more police stories.)Sorry!

This content is not available in your region

By Daniel Kim





In June 2017, President Moon Jae-In described Korea's youth unemployment as a potential "national disaster" and warned a generation of young Koreans could become a "lost generation." In March this year, the official rate of Korea's youth unemployment increased to 10.8 percent and Busan recorded a higher rate of 12.4 percent.



There are many structural and societal factors that are contributing to Korea's soaring youth unemployment  job opportunities have declined in recent years.



Students and parents share a near universal goal of admission into one of the top-tier universities in order to secure a gold-collar job such as a doctor or white-collar employment at one of Korea's large conglomerates. Demand for prime university positions far outstrips supply.



There is also a huge salary gap between large conglomerates compared to small- and medium-sized enterprises. Young jobseekers either stay unemployed for longer, hoping to secure a higher paying job, or return to university to obtain another degree to boost their credentials. The uncomfortable truth is that another academic qualification is unlikely to improve their job readiness.



In Australia, industry is increasingly looking beyond qualifications and focusing on employability, namely the practical skills that will enable new recruits to be effective from day one. As a result, some bachelor of engineering graduates from Australia's top tier universities undertake a short course in (say) project management to enhance their job readiness.



Vocational education and training (VET) has become a catalyst which has enabled many Australians to secure meaningful work for the first time, upgrade into a better job or access pathways to university.



In 2018, 17,385 Korean students undertook VET courses in Australia to develop new practical skills and apply them in a real-world context as part of an internship. Eighty-two percent of international VET graduates secured employment in Australia or undertook further study and the median annual salary after training in Australia was A$41,700 (34 million won). This compares favorably to the average starting salaries at Samsung Electronics (37 million won), Kakao (31 million won) and KEPCO (30 million won).



These quality outcomes achieved in Australia are indicative of the incredible opportunity that awaits Korea if society and industry constructively challenge their own perceptions of VET. It should no longer be regarded as a lesser pursuit than university but rather a critical enabler to boost young Korean's employability in the domestic and global job market.



Song Jin-mi's story inspired me recently. She initially traveled to Australia for a course on "beauty" but through a journey of assisted self-discovery, she identified her true passion, completed a Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology at TAFE Queensland and is currently employed at a leading automotive brand in Australia. The question I ask myself is, how many more Jin-mi's exist in Korea?



Having spent time at Korea's leading colleges I'm confident that Korea's VET sector, through even closer alignment with industry and greater engagement with international partners, can play a pivotal role in helping Korea's young adults identify their passion and develop the practical skills required to secure meaningful work, if not pursue their dreams.





Daniel Kim is commissioner (Korea), Queensland Government (Australia).





New Delhi:

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover has recently joined hands with BMW to develop next generation electric drive systems. The collaboration seeks to advance development of electrification technology to support transition autonomous, connected, electric, shared (ACES) future, Jaguar Land Rover said in a statement.

The two partners will invest jointly in research and development, engineering and procurement with an aim to provide the necessary economies of scale to support increased consumer adoption of electric vehicles, it added.

The strategic collaboration will build on the considerable knowledge and expertise in electrification at both the companies."We've proven we can build world beating electric cars but now we need to scale the technology to support the next generation of Jaguar and Land Rover products. It was clear from discussions with BMW Group that both companies' requirements for next generation EDUs (electric drive units) to support this transition have significant overlap making for a mutually beneficial collaboration," JLR Engineering Director Nick Rogers said.

READ | Honda e electric vehicle with 50:50 weight distribution revealed, more details inside

JLR's has already demonstrated its capability field through its premium battery electric SUV Jaguar I-PACE, as well as plug-in hybrid models. BMW Group also has vast experience of developing and producing several generations of electric drive units in-house since it launched the BMW i3 in 2013.

JLR said the agreement will enable both the companies to take advantage of efficiencies arising from shared research and development and production planning as well as economies of scale from joint procurement across the supply chain.

As part of their agreement, a team of JLR and BMW Group experts will engineer the EDUs with both partners developing the systems to deliver the specific characteristics required for their respective range of products, the statement said, adding the EDUs will be manufactured by each partner in their own production facilities.

For JLR this will be at its Wolverhampton-based Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC), which was confirmed as the home for the company's global EDU production in January of this year, it said.

READ | Good News! Bookings for Porsche Macan facelift begin in India: Know more

The plant, which employs 1,600 people, will be the centre of propulsion system manufacturing, offering full flexibility between clean lngenium petrol and diesel engines and electric units.

The EMC will be complemented by the recently announced Battery Assembly Centre at Hams Hall, near Birmingham, in supplying electrified powertrain systems to JLR'S global vehicle PLANTS, it said.New Delhi:

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. 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.

READ | Ahead of Budget 2019, economists seek tax reforms, measures for jobs, investments

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 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. 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.

READ | RBI asks banks to grout ATMs to wall, pill or floor to enhance security

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 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.

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. The Centre has embarked upon a major policy initiative for rapid transformation of 115 districts which are lagging on specific development parameters.

READ | WPI inflation at nearly 2-year low at 2.45% in May

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.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Agartala:

A man who had been arrested for allegedly posting "fake news" on Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb's personal life was on Sunday remanded in police custody for two days on charges of forging documents. Anupam Paul, who had been on the run since April 26, was arrested by the crime branch of Tripura Police from New Delhi on Wednesday.

The police had registered an FIR against Paul for forgery, cheating and conspiracy after the April 25 Facebook post went viral on social media. He was produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Sharmistha Mukherjee on Sunday who remanded him in police custody for two days.

Paul will again be produced before the court on Tuesday, Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Sadar, Dhruba Nath told reporters here. The chief minister has described the post as a "deep rooted conspiracy" to tarnish his image.

"It is a baseless and motivated post which is in bad taste," Deb has said. The state BJP has demanded strict action against the guilty. A journalist and a police constable were arrested onApril 28 for sharing the Facebook post. Both of them are now out on bail, a police officer said.

For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The candidates who have appeared for the AU UGAT and PGAT examinations, we have some important news for you. The Allahabad University has released the result remaining UGAT courses and PGAT examination. The results were released on June 15, 2019 in the online mode. The candidates who appeared for the Allahabad University UGAT or PGAT 2019 entrance examination can now visit the official website to download their results. The declaration of the results has sealed the fate of thousands of students who have appeared for the examination.

Download Allahabad University UGAT / PGAT 2019 Results - Direct Link

For the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the steps through which the candidates can check the results:

Step 1: Visit the official website

Step 2: Select the courses you've applied for

Step 3: Enter your login id and password and click on login button

A Step 4: Your scorecard will be displayed on the screen

Step 5: Download and print a copy of your scorecard for future use

The University had released UGAT 2019 results for some courses on June 12, 2019. The Undergraduate level entrance examination of the Allahabad University were conducted on May 27 and 28, 2019 whereas as the postgraduate level entrance examination were conducted from May 21, 2019 to June 3, 2019.New Delhi:

Mithun Chakraborty, famously known as Mithun Da, is one of the top-notch stars in Bollywood. He has captured millions of hearts with his onscreen performances and great dancing skills. The actor danced his way to glory with his super-hit film, Disco Dancer (1982). In his 4-decade-long career, Mithun Chakraborty has featured in more than 350 films and well, he has a record too. In the year 1989, approximately 19 films featuring Mithun Da made it to the theatres. As the actor turns 67 today, we bring you some more surprising facts about him that many are not aware of.

1. Before joining Bollywood, Mithun Chakraborty attended and graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

2. Mithun was said to be a part of the Naxalites. During his days as a Naxalite, he became friends with Ravi Ranjan, a popular Naxal figure, known to his friends as Bhaa.

3. Mithun Da is married to Yogita Bali, but there was a time when he was quite famous for his relationship with aHawa Hawaia actress Sridevi. Reports suggest that Mithun secretly tied the knot with Sridevi, despite being a married man.A

4. Before he made his foray into Bollywood, Mithun Da worked as an assistant of dancing diva Helen. He was then known as Rana Rej and assisted Helen on her various projects. While doing so, he acquired a small 2 minute role in Amitabh Bachchanas aDo Anjanea wherein he played the role of Big Bas neighbour.

5.A Mithun's real name was Gouranga Chakraborty but, as he didnat find this name appealing enough to make a big name in the Bollywood industry, he changed his name to Mithun Chakraborty.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Back in September 2018, it was Tanushree Dutta who began the #MeToo movement in India. She had accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment. After Nana Patekar, many Bollywood bigwigs including Subhash Ghai, Sajid Khan, Alok Nath, Anu Malik and others made it to the alleged offenders list. Recently, the Mumbai Police gave a clean chit to Nana Patekar in the case related to alleged harassment of actress Tanushree Dutta, saying that they have not found any 'substantial evidence. The B- Summary report filed by the Oshiwara police in Mumbai said that Tanushree's complaint could have been lodged to seek revenge and that it seems "malicious and fake".

Tanushree Dutta has now responded to the Mumbai police with a hard-hitting statement obtained by DNA.

The actress wrote, "The Mumbai Police lied in its report to the court that my complaint with CINTAA did not have sexual harrassment in it. They were given the copy of my handwritten 2008 complaint to CINTAA that clearly mentioned sexual harrassment corroborating my 2018 FIR. In 2008 they had refused to even take my FIR and twisted and manipulated the complaint to protect the accused. Also everyone remembers that CINTAA had issued a written apology for not addressing that complaint.

This apology by Cintaa was widely published in media and we even gave the cops a copy of that apology to prove that. This is corruption at its grossest level. How can they twist evidence like that and completely turn it against me and in favour of accused?? The Police were hand in hand with the accused right from day one when they asked us to produce all evidence saying that we have a very strong case and that they will be making arrests soon but instead they gave us hope and stabbed us in the back by calling my complaint malicious and false.

"The video of my car being attacked with my family on the same movie set also was submitted as evidence. And they had Janice sequeira and Shyni shetty giving witness testimony in my favour. What more proof does one need to prove harrassment?? They produced bogus witnesses to corroborate with the accused and mislead investigation. Never informed us of any progress in investigation or what was going on despite repeated attempts.

I want to ask how much money did Nana and his people pay you the Police to file such a report and call me a malicious liar?? I want to ask the court magistrate that approved this report.. How much money did u eat to accept this report that is clearly fabricated and malicious by itself?? How much money did Nana Patekar pay as bribe to various authorities to get himself a clean chit??

This harrassment incident took away my job, career and livelyhood and I had to start all over again in life in a new country. Because in India clearly justice, law and order is for sale and criminals can buy themselves clean chit by spending crores on bribing law and judiciary whereas women who get harrassed, abused and attacked and mob lynched in public get to be called false and malicious if they speak up and put forward a complaint. How much money did everyone make for this report that squashed my case??

Nana Patekar's corrupt Naam foundation that takes thousands of crores of rupees from Government, Indians, NRIs, local and foreign organizations in the name of suicidal drought hit Indian farmers every year and only gives 15000 rupees to 200 dead farmer widows once a year in a publicised event and no records and works to prove the expenditure of all of those huge funds whatsoever can easily afford to bribe the whole country to get a clean chit for Nana and other accused.

This foundation is the biggest scam in India and thousands of crores come in the name of poor farmers but it doesn't reach them and they still commit suicide out of mounting debt. Few journalists and whistle blowers who tried to expose this Naam foundation scam were themselves harassed, beaten and put behind bars few years back by this corrupt monster. All this knowledge is in public domain for all to see but yet the police and government have not done any investigation in it. Perhaps because sabko khila pila ke khush rakha hai.. Getting a clean chit with police or court in India doesnt mean you are innocent. Yeh Public hai sab janti hai!

Modi ji.. what happened to a corruption free India?? A daughter of the country gets harassed by a serial offender, attacked by a mob in public, denied justice over and over again and her name is maligned, she is threatened, pressurised, her career is destroyed and literally driven out of the country to live a life of anonymity and your police force say her complaint is false and malicious!!! Yehi hai apka Ram Rajya?? Being born in a devout hindu family maine toh suna tha ki Ram naam satya hai toh phir kyun is desh mein asatya aur adharm ki bar bar Vijay hoti rahi hai?? Jawab dijiye mujhe.

It is worth mentioning here that Tanushree had filed a complaint against Nana Patekar in 2008. In her complaint, she had said that Nana Patekar behaved inappropriately with her on the sets of Horn Ok Pleassss. The actress had further lodged a complaint with CINTAA (Cine and TV Arts Association).

In the meantime, Nana Patekar firmly maintains that he could not have molested Tanushree Dutta as there were around 50 people on set that day.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The death count of children in Bihar due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome has risen to 73 on Saturday. Of the total causalities, 62 children have died in state-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur, and 11 in a private hospital Kejriwal Children Home. The disease, locally called "chamki bukhar", killed four more children on Saturday, while 63 others were admitted in SKMCH and the Kejriwal Children Home, where 93 children are still undergoing treatment.

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 critical.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Harsh Vardhan is scheduled to visit Muzaffarpur on Sunday to take stock of the situation. 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.

It is a painful period for all of us. This unknown disease has taken a heavy toll this year, Rai told reporters after visiting the SKMCH where he spoke to patients and their relatives. He also said that the BJP will not organise any programme to welcome anyone for two weeks.

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 Departments Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar had earlier said the disease has affected 222 blocks of 12 districts especially Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sheohar and East Champaran.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Agitating junior doctors in Kolkata on Sunday agreed to meet West Bengal Mamata Banerjee at a venue selected by her. However, the doctors demanded that the meeting should be open for media coverage and all medical college representatives should be present.

Banerjee had on Saturday invited the agitators for closed-door talks, but the offer was turned down by them. Talking to the media after a two-and-half-hour-long meeting of their governing body, a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors said, "We are keen to end this impasse. We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors."

The spokesperson said the venue should be spacious enough to accommodate representatives from all medical colleges and hospitals in the state.

Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation.

"We want to join our duties as early as possible in the best interests of the common people once all our demands are met with adequately and logically through a discussion.

"We are hopeful that the chief minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems," he said, adding that the strike would continue till a solution was worked out.

Junior doctors across the state are observing a strike in protest against an assault on two of their colleagues at the NRS, allegedly by the family members of a patient who died on Monday night.

Services continued to remain affected for the sixth day on Sunday in the emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch.

On Saturday, the junior doctors 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.

READ ALSO: West Bengal doctors' agitation enters Day 6, venue for talks with CM Mamata Banerjee yet to be decided

The junior doctors had demanded that the chief minister come to the NRS Medical College and Hospital where two of their colleagues were assaulted and seriously injured.

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.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday said it will go ahead with its strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country in the wake of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal.

The announcement came a day after Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence. The apex medical body, IMA, however, demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff, and in hospitals.

Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in a statement.

Exemplary punishment for perpetrators of violence should be a component of the central law and suitable amendments should be brought in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the IMA said.

READ ALSO: No honest initiative by CM, will continue agitation: Junior doctors on Mamata Banerjee's appeal

The IMA said all non-essential services, including outdoor patient department (OPD) services, will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday.

Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said. The medical body had 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.

It had also called for a countrywide strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.highlights PM Modi chairs all-party meeting at Parliament today.

The first Parliament Session of 17th Lok Sabha will begin tomorrow.

Modi 2.0 Cabinet will table its first budget on July 5.

New Delhi:

With the first Parliament Session of the 17th Lok Sabha less than 24 hours to go, BJP Lok Sabha leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the all-party meeting convened by the Central government on Sunday, June 16, 2019. During the meeting, the Centre will deliberate on various issues concerning the nation today. It will also seek support of the opposition parties to ensure smooth functioning of both the Houses of Parliament.

Apart from Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Gopal Yadav, and Thawar Chand Gehlot, leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha took part in the meeting.

Delhi: All party meeting begins at the Parliament, ahead of first Parliament session of the 17th Lok Sabha tomorrow. https://t.co/Ei44tciW4s  ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2019

The Modi government, at the meeting, is expected to discuss on a host of crucial bills, including Triple Talaq, The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers Cadre) Bill, 2019 and Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019, likely to be tabled in the first session of Parliament commencing tomorrow, i.e. June 17. The session will continue till July 26. The Modi 2.0 Cabinet will present the Economic Survey on July 4 while the Budget on July 5.

READ | PM Narendra Modi exchanges usual pleasantries with Imran Khan in Leaders' Lounge at SCO Summit

On the first two days, the newly elected MPs will be administered the oath of office by pro-tem speaker Virendra Kumar. The elections for the Lok Sabha Speaker is scheduled to be held on June 19. President Ram Nath Kovind will address the joint sitting of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, following a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to his address.

The BJP parliamentary party executive committee, which was constituted on Wednesday, will hold its first meeting at around 3:30 pm later in the day. While PM Modi was announced its leader in Lok Sabha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is his deputy.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The armies of India and Myanmar carried out a three-week-long coordinated operation from May 16 in their respective border areas, targeting several terror groups operating in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam, defence sources said on Sunday. The first phase of "Operation Sunrise" was conducted three months ago along the Indo-Myanmar border, during which a number of camps of north-east-based terror groups were busted.

Myanmar is one of the strategic neighbours of India and shares a 1,640-km border with a number of north-eastern states, including the militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.

India has been pushing for a deeper coordination between the armies of the two countries while guarding the border.

Sources said during "Operation Sunrise 2", the armies coordinated with each other to bust camps of militant outfits, including the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), the NSCN (Khaplang), the United Liberation Front of Assam (I) and the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB).

They said at least six dozen militants belonging to these groups were nabbed and several of their camps destroyed during the operation.

The sources said the two sides might launch the third phase of the operation, depending on intelligence inputs and the ground situation.

READ ALSO | 14 days, 2 armies and Rs 1,600-crore plan: How Indian and Myanmar forces saved Kaladan project

Besides the Indian Army, troops from the Assam Rifles were also part of the operation.

In June 2015, the Indian Army had carried out an operation against NSCN(K) terrorists in areas near the Indo-Myanmar border, days after militants killed 18 armymen in Manipur.

In the first phase of "Operation Sunrise", the Indian Army targeted members of the Arakan Army, an insurgent group in Myanmar, who were opposed to the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project.

The Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project is viewed as India's gateway to Southeast Asia.

India entered into a framework agreement with Myanmar in April, 2008 to facilitate the implementation of the project. On completion, the project will help connect the north-eastern state of Mizoram with the Sittwe Port in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

On the Indian side, work is on to extend the Aizawl-Saiha National Highway by 90 km to the international border at Zorinpui.

According to security agencies, there were over 50 camps of insurgent groups from the north-east in Myanmar till last year.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.

By Andrew Hammond





U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he is in "no rush" to make a deal with North Korea, on the one-year anniversary of the landmark Singapore summit, perhaps the U.S. administration's signature foreign policy initiative to date.



Amid much White House hype, the process has predictably failed to live up to its billing, with the talks just as likely to collapse completely than see a deal agreed, which could now have dangerous, unpredictable consequences.



The reason why this was  potentially  foreseeable is the significant expectation gap that emerged out of last June's event.



What was no more than a start to a potentially transformational, sustained strategic dialogue saw Trump, for instance, declaring that the "nuclear threat from North Korea is over," giving the impression that he had already completed the immensely complicated process of de-escalating tensions in the world's last Cold War-era frontier.



Going forward, Trump still appears outwardly optimistic about the process, insisting Kim Jong-un wants an agreement. Yet a significant part of this, however, rests on the president's inflated assessment of his personal abilities to broker a deal.



Beyond this self-deception, Trump remains very dependent on the shifting sands of the geopolitics of the Korean Peninsula turning in his favor again.



Here, despite assessments of the U.S. intelligence community to the contrary, he is grasping at straws hoping that Kim may still be persuaded to denuclearize in a much more comprehensive fashion than yet offered.



With Trump's 2020 campaign cranking up, perceptions of such a foreign policy victory could provide a political tailwind for him in what could be a grueling election.



And, with no other obvious international achievements on the horizon, save for the diminishing prospect of a big trade deal with China, he therefore has some incentives to double down on courting Kim.





New Delhi:

Jammu and Kashmir Police inspector Arshad Ahmed Khan, who suffered injures in Wednesday's terrorist attack in Anantnag, died at the AIIMS in Delhi on Sunday, officials said. Forty-year-old Khan was flown to Delhi earlier in the day after his condition deteriorated. Five CRPF personnel were killed in the terror attack, in which a lone Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist targeted a patrol team of the paramilitary force.

Khan, the SHO of Saddar Police station in Anantnag, reached the site soon after. The moment he stepped out of his official bulletproof vehicle, along with his service rifle, a barrage of bullets were fired by the terrorist. One ricocheted from the butt of his service rifle and hit his liver and duodenum, the officials said.

"We deeply mourn the sad demise of our brave heart Inspector #ArshadKhan who was injured while fighting terrorists on 12th of this month on K P Road Anantnag.The entire Police Pariwar is behind the bereaved family in this hour of grief. We salute your valour.#JaiHind,a the J&K Police tweeted.

We deeply mourn the sad demise of our brave heart Inspector #ArshadKhan who was injured while fighting terrorists on 12th of this month on K P Road Anantnag.The entire Police Pariwar is behind the bereaved family in this hour of grief.

We salute your valour.#JaiHind pic.twitter.com/wtF3qdIJo3 a J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) June 16, 2019

He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) this afternoon, but died soon after, they added.A

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Hours after agitating junior doctors agreed to meet West Bengal Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee at a venue selected by her but amid the presence of media, sources told News Nation that the Trinamool Congress chief had asked the doctors to meet her at Nabanna (State Secretariat) at 3 pm tomorrow (Monday). However, Mamata Banerjee rejected the doctors demand of media's presence covering the meeting. To end the impasse, two medical representatives from 14 colleges will meet the CM tomorrow. Chief secretary, additional and principal secretary health and Director, Medical Education will be present in the meeting.

Banerjee had on Saturday invited the agitators for closed-door talks, but the offer was turned down by them. Talking to the media after a two-and-half-hour-long meeting of their governing body, a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors said, "We are keen to end this impasse. We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors."

The spokesperson said the venue should be spacious enough to accommodate representatives from all medical colleges and hospitals in the state.

Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation.

"We want to join our duties as early as possible in the best interests of the common people once all our demands are met with adequately and logically through a discussion.

"We are hopeful that the chief minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems," he said, adding that the strike would continue till a solution was worked out.

Junior doctors across the state are observing a strike in protest against an assault on two of their colleagues at the NRS, allegedly by the family members of a patient who died on Monday night.

Services continued to remain affected for the sixth day on Sunday in the emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch.

On Saturday, the junior doctors 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.

READ ALSO: West Bengal doctors' agitation enters Day 6, venue for talks with CM Mamata Banerjee yet to be decided

The junior doctors had demanded that the chief minister come to the NRS Medical College and Hospital where two of their colleagues were assaulted and seriously injured.

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.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday said it will go ahead with its strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country in the wake of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal.

The announcement came a day after Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence. The apex medical body, IMA, however, demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff, and in hospitals.

Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in a statement.

Exemplary punishment for perpetrators of violence should be a component of the central law and suitable amendments should be brought in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the IMA said.

READ ALSO: No honest initiative by CM, will continue agitation: Junior doctors on Mamata Banerjee's appeal

The IMA said all non-essential services, including outdoor patient department (OPD) services, will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday.

Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said. The medical body had 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.

It had also called for a countrywide strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.

(With PTI inputs)





For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Pakistan has reported to have shared with India information regarding the threat of a possible attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district putting authorities in a tizzy. According to an Indian Express report, the alert warns against a possible attack by terrorists using an improvised explosive device mounted on a vehicle somewhere near Awantipora.

A security official said the information had also been shared with the US, adding that it would be a revenge attack after the killing of Zakir Musa in an operation in Tral last month. Musa launched and headed an al-Qaeda affiliate called Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind in Kashmir after breaking away from the Hizbul Mujahideen in May 2017, the report said.

This intel comes days after PM Narendra Modi snubbed his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan on the sidelines of the SCO summit. China had also offered support for Pakistan and India to improve their strained relations on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

The relation between Indian and Pakistan strained after 40 CRFP personnel were killed on February 14 on the highway at Lethpora in Pulwama district. India then launched the Balakot iarstrikes on February 26 with Pakistan retaliating the following day. The Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was held captive by Pakistan. This made China give its assent to blacklist Masood Azhar, chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, which was responsible for the February 14 attack, after pressure from the international community.

The security official admitted that India had received the input. However, whether it was Pakistans move to make sure they can avoid blame if an attack takes place or a genuine effort to alert the authorities that is for us to wait and watch, according to reports.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting of presidents of all parties represented in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, June 19, to discuss issues, including 'one nation, one election' and the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said on Sunday. Addressing the media, Joshi further said the BJP has received suggestions from opposition parties and their allies, adding that the prime minister has sought ideas from the new faces in Parliament.

In a bid to build team spirit in Parliament, Modi has also convened a meeting of all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs on June 20, he added. The other factors which will be on focus during the meet are the celebration of 75 years of India's independence in 2022 and issues related to aspirational districts, Joshi stated.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi: Prime Minister wants to build team spirit in the Parliament, so he has called a meeting of all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs on June 20th. https://t.co/yudB6u4kV5  ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2019

The press brief by Joshi comes following an all-party meeting, called by the government, a day ahead of the first Parliament Session of the 17th Lok Sabha. During the meeting, the Centre has deliberated on various issues concerning the nation today. It also sought support of the opposition parties to ensure smooth functioning of both the Houses of Parliament. Apart from Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Gopal Yadav, and Thawar Chand Gehlot, leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha took part in the meeting.

READ | Uddhav Thackeray visits Ayodhya, offers prayers to Ram Lalla along with Shiv Sena MPs

The Modi government, at the meeting, also discussed on a host of crucial bills, including Triple Talaq, The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers Cadre) Bill, 2019 and Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019, likely to be tabled in the first session of Parliament commencing tomorrow, i.e. June 17. The session will continue till July 26. The Modi 2.0 Cabinet will present the Economic Survey on July 4 while the Budget on July 5.

On the first two days, the newly elected MPs will be administered the oath of office by pro-tem speaker Virendra Kumar. The elections for the Lok Sabha Speaker is scheduled to be held on June 19. President Ram Nath Kovind will address the joint sitting of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, following a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to his address.

The BJP parliamentary party executive committee, which was constituted on Wednesday, will hold its first meeting at around 3:30 pm later in the day. While PM Modi was announced its leader in Lok Sabha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is his deputy.

(With inputs from agencies)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

During the NIA interrogation on Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case, Masarat Alam, the so-called poster boy of stone pelters and violent agitations in Kashmir has revealed that Pakistan based agents route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to separatist leaders including Syed Shah Gilani Chairman APHC(G).

The NIA had earlier alleged that its probe into terror financing in Jammu and Kashmir has revealed that hardline separatist leaders received funds from abroad and utilised them for personal gainsfrom amassing properties to paying for foreign education of their kin.

The agency has interrogated several top leaders of Hurriyat Conference and other organisations and claimed that they had confessed to receiving funds from Pakistan to fuel separatist sentiments among the people of Kashmir Valley.

In a statement issued Sunday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the firebrand leader of Duktaran-e-Milat, Asiya Andrabi, was grilled by it about the educational expenses of her son in Malaysia incurred by Zahoor Watali, who was arrested in a terror funding case.

During interrogation, Asiya Andrabi admitted that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources and Duktaran-e-Milat had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley, it claimed.

The NIA has already approached the relevant authorities for providing evidence relating to certain bank accounts used by Asiya Andrabis son Mohammad bin Qasim while he was in the university, it said.

Another hardline separatist leader, Shabbir Shah, had to face some tough time when he was confronted about his businesses, including a hotel in Pahalgam which is allegedly funded through foreign funds received by him from Pakistan, the statement said.

During the custodial interrogation, Shabir Shah was confronted with evidence relating to transfer of money by Pakistan-based agents and representatives of APHC (All Parties Hurriyat Conference) factions to parties affiliated to Hurriyat in J and K. He was also confronted about his investments in various hotels and businesses in Pahalgam, properties in Jammu, Srinagar and Anantnag, the NIA said.

The NIA had registered a case in May, 2017 against terrorists belonging to Jammat ud Dawah, Duktaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and other separatist leaders in the state for raising, receiving and collecting funds to fuel separatist and terrorist activities and entering into a larger conspiracy for causing disruption in Kashmir Valley and for waging war against India.

The agency has so far charge-sheeted 13 accused, including leader of Jammat-ud Dawah Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, head of proscribed organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin, seven separatist leaders, two hawala conduits and some stone-pelters.

Watali is one of the main hawala conduits who used to generate and receive funds from Pakistan, ISI, UAE and had floated various shell companies to disguise foreign remittances for further transfer to separatist leaders and stone pelters in the valley, it said.

The agency said these funds were used to fuel unrest in the Kashmir valley and organise violent agitations and anti-India activities which resulted in large scale violence leading to numerous injuries and deaths of civilians and security forces.

Evidence relating to funding of these separatist elements through Pakistan and UAE-based businessman, ISI, High Commission of Pakistan in Delhi has been collected and presented to the NIA Special Court in the charge sheets, it said.

Watalis bail was rejected by the Supreme Court, on a plea by the NIA, as the apex court observed that the Delhi High Court has not appreciated the material which found favour with the designated court to record its opinion that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accusations are prima facie true.

The agency has arrested Yasin Malik, leader of proscribed organisation JKLF, Asiya Andrabi leader of proscribed organisation Duktaran-e-Milat, separatist leader Shabir Shah of JKDFP and Masrat Alam of Muslim League.

Malik told the agency that he was instrumental in bringing together the factions of Hurriyat Conference and formed the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) which spear headed the violent agitations in 2016 in Kashmir Valley by issuing Protest Calendars leading to economic shut down for over four months and also caused death and injuries to civilians and security forces during the violent protests.

Malik admitted that the JRL and Hurriyat Conference Gilani Group collected funds from business community as well as certain other sources and ensured that economic shut down and violent protests continue to disrupt the daily life of common citizens in the valley, the agency said.

Evidence regarding many of Shahs benami properties is being collected. He was confronted with some of his personal staff and associates who have provided vital information regarding the sources fund raising and investment details, it alleged.

Masarat Alam, the poster boy of stone pelters and violent agitations in Kashmir valley has told investigators that Pakistan based agents route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to the separatist leaders including Syed Shah Gilani Chairman, the NIA said.

Alam has also revealed that there are rifts in the Hurriyat Conference regarding collection and use of fund, it said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The passage of Union Budget and the triple talaq will be on top of the agenda for the government as the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence from Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing an all-party meeting on the eve of the first session, invited heads of all parties to a meeting on June 19 who have an MP either in the Lower House or the Rajya Sabha to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue.

The meeting will also discuss the issue of celebrations of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said.

Modi also invited all MPs from both houses of Parliament for a dinner on June 20 where they will interact freely and exchange views. "Both these are initiatives are aimed to build 'esprit de corps' among members of all parties in Parliament," Joshi said.

Modi said the first session of the Lower House of Parliament should begin with "fresh zeal and new thinking", noting that there are many new faces in this Lok Sabha.

At the all-party meeting, the Congress raised with the government issues of unemployment, farmers distress, drought, and press freedom, while also calling for early conduct of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

The opposition parties demanded discussion on all such issues in Parliament, with the Congress asserting that it is still a "fight of ideologies".

READ ALSO | PM Modi calls meeting of all parties' presidents on June 19, to discuss 'one nation, one election'

The prime minister, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress lawmakers Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, K Suresh, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O'Brien were present at the meeting.

The BJP also held its parliamentary party meet here Sunday, with Modi assuring the leaders that his government will be at the forefront of facilitating legislations that manifest the spirit of "sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas".

A day before the first session, a meeting of the NDA was also held in New Delhi. The Lok Sabha will have 30 sittings and the Rajya Sabha 27 sittings between June 17 to July 26.

The Modi government had promulgated ten ordinances in its first term after the opposition used its majority in the Rajya Sabha to block the bills in the previous session.

It had promulgated some ordinances again, including the triple talaq bill, amendment bills on Jammu and Kashmir reservation, Aadhaar laws, companies act and the Indian Medical Council Act.

Among the bills that will be introduced in this session, the one on triple talaq can be contentious for the government and the opposition.

READ ALSO | Day ahead of Budget Session, PM Modi chairs all-party meeting at Parliament

The first two days of the session will be used for administering oath of office to all Lok Sabha MPs by Protem Speaker Virender Kumar. The speaker will be elected on June 19 and the next day the president will address a joint sitting of both Houses.

The budget will be introduced on July 5.

Addressing the media after the all-party meeting, Joshi said the prime minister urged leaders of all parties to "introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfil people's aspirations as their representatives and the manner in which last two years of the 16th Lok Sabha were wasted".

An all-party meeting is a customary procedure before the beginning of every session of Parliament to ensure its smooth functioning.

Joshi said the government has requested all parties, especially the opposition, for their cooperation for the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Uddhav Thackeray, the Shiv Sena chief, visited Ayodhya on Sunday and offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple. Thackeray arrived in the temple town along with his son Aaditya and met the 18 newly elected party MPs who are in the town since Saturday. Thackeray, Aaditya and the MPs all paid obeisance at the makeshift temple. The Shiv Sena chief will leave for Mumbai later in the evening.

At a press meet in Ayodhya, Uddhav Thackeray said, "From tomorrow Lok Sabha Session will begin so before entering the Parliament all Shiv Sena MPs have come here to take the blessings of Ram Lalla. We strongly believe that temple will be constructed at the earliest." He also said that the Ram temple has to be constructed at the earliest. PM Modi has the courage and Hindus of the whole world are with him. The government should bring in an ordinance for the construction of the Ram temple here.

Thackerayas visit to Ayodhya is being seen an attempt by the Shiv Sena to put a pressure on ally BJP on the Ram temple issue. However, the Shiv Sena has maintained that Thackerayas visit should not be seen as a through the electoral lens. Maharashtra will be going to polls later this year.

Party leader Sanjay Raut had said on Saturday that Thackeray is fulfilling the promise he made in November that he would visit the temple again after elections.

(With agency inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

As the stand-off between the agitating doctors and the West Bengal government continued on the sixth day on Sunday, the medicos said that they were open for talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the venue for which would be decided by a governing body of medical practitioners. Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visit the citys NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the 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 Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to protestors to return to work on Saturday.

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.

The statement came after Mamata Banerjee again appealed to the agitating junior doctors in the state-run hospitals to end their strike and normalise medical services.

The chief minister said the state government had accepted all the demands of the agitating doctors and was ready to accept more.

"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.

Banerjee also said that 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.

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.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Washington:

A widely-used anti-malaria drug may help prevent hearing loss caused by heredity and genetic disorders, a study has found. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University in the US conducted a study on zebrafish with a commonly used anti-malarial drug called artemisinin.

They found that the drug can help sensory cells of the inner ear recognise and transport an essential protein to specialised membrane using established pathways within the cell, which will help improve and restore hearing.

The ability to hear depends on these proteins reaching the outer membrane of the sensory cells in the inner ear which may be hindered due to certain types of mutations in the protein due to hereditary disorders, which prevent it from reaching those membranes.

The sensory cells of the inner ear are covered by hair-like projections, called hair cells, on the surface. These hair cells convert vibrations from sounds and movement into electrical signals that are conveyed through the nerves and translated in the brain into information for hearing and balance.

The genetic mutation of the protein -- clarin1 -- makes hair cells unable to recognise and transport the signals to the membrane and gets trapped inside the hair cells where they are harmful to the cells.

This faulty secretion of clarin1 most commonly occurs in the Usher syndrome, which causes hearing and vision loss. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), found that artemisinin restores cell function of the inner ear -- and thus hearing and balance -- in genetically engineered zebrafish that have human versions of the essential hearing protein.

"We knew mutant protein largely fails to reach the cell membrane, except patients with this mutation are born hearing. This suggested to us that, somehow, at least a fraction of the mutant protein must get to cell membranes in the inner ear," said Kumar N Alagramam from Case Western Reserve University.

"If we can understand how the human clarin1 mutant protein is transported to the membrane, then we can exploit that mechanism therapeutically," Alagramam said.

The team searched for any unusual secretion pathways mutant clarin1 could take to get to hair cell membranes and created several new zebrafish models where they swapped the genes encoding zebrafish clarin1 with human versions -- either normal clarin1, or clarin1 containing mutations found in humans with Usher syndrome.

"Using these 'humanized' fish models, we were able to study the function of normal clarin1 and, more importantly, the functional consequences of its mutant counterpart," said Alagramam.

The study found that majority of the mutant clarin1 got trapped in a network of tubules within the cell which helped proteins, including clarin1 to reach their destinations. Based on this finding, they realised that liberating the protein from the tubules would be the solution they were looking for.

After testing with different drugs, they came to the conclusion that artemisinin was effective in helping the mutant clarin1 to reach the membrane and improved hearing and balance.

"Our report highlights the potential of artemisinin to mitigate both hearing and vision loss caused by clarin1 mutations. This could be a re-purposable drug, with a safe profile, to treat Usher syndrome patients," said Alagramam.Washington:

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 programme has been named Artemis after Apollos 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 its a likely bet the candidate will be selected from among NASAs current roster of 12 female astronauts.

Theyre 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 isnt an exact science, but several former astronauts and experts interviewed by AFP say the proximity of the deadline mean it probably wont be a new recruit.

Now personally, Id 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 theyre 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 dont 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 wasnt until 1983 that Sally Ride became the first American woman sent to space.

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 NASAs 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 childrens 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. Its hard to imagine them turning down a trip to the Moon.

Theres no upper age limit for space. The iconic John Glenn made his last flight at the age of 77 as a US senator.

Theres 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 shes 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 havent 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.

Theyre not ruled out yet, but the calendar isnt on their sideespecially 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.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.

By John J. Metzler





UNITED NATIONS  In an annual process of diplomatic musical chairs the 193-member U.N. General Assembly has picked five countries to serve on the Security Council as non-permanent members.



Estonia, Niger, Tunisia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Vietnam were elected to two-year terms on the powerful Council starting next January.



The elections, or rather selections, since most of the seats were unopposed are chosen to reflect regional representation from Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.



The members join the 15-member Security Council which is responsible for international peace and security and controlled by the permanent five veto-holding members  China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.



While there's intense behind-the-scenes lobbying and horse trading by contenders for a place on the prestigious Council, regional groups agree on consensus candidates or new members who never served as in the case of Estonia or the Caribbean island state of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.



Realistically what does this mean in terms of Council balance and, as importantly, its effect on U.S. policy? Let's first look at the regional groups.



Africa



Niger and Tunisia were chosen unopposed. Both countries are French-speaking states particularly affected by Islamic jihadi insurgencies. As part of the drought-ravaged and insurgency-prone Sahel region, Niger confronts dangerous instability.



Tunisia, the North African country which sparked the Arab Spring in 2011, faces a tough transition to representative government. Both states can be expected to be in general alignment with France. The members replace Cote d'Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea.



Asia-Pacific



Vietnam ran opposed for the single seat currently held by Kuwait. This is the second time the Southeast Asian nation will be on the Council having served a decade ago.



Though Vietnam remains a communist regime, the government in Hanoi has moved decidedly closer to the U.S. in recent years and shares many of East Asia's fears over Beijing's territorial encroachments in the disputed South China Sea.



Eastern Europe



Estonia trounced Romania in the only competitive race. The Baltic democracy scored an impressive 132 to 58 in a second secret ballot. Estonia, whose sovereignty was only restored in 1991 after a long Soviet occupation, has emerged as one of Eastern Europe's most prosperous and technologically wired countries.



Following the successful vote, Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid stated that it's an historic moment, and the membership is "another layer on Estonia's security shield." On the Council for the first time, Estonia replaces Poland whose tenure strongly supported Western values.



Latin America/Caribbean



The Caribbean island state of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is yet another first-time Council member. Known for its strong British Commonwealth connections, the tiny island democracy of only 110,000 people replaces Peru who has distinguished its two-year term with pro-active diplomacy especially in the Venezuelan crisis.



Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, viewed the election of his multi-island state, as a "historic occasion."



So what are the likely Council dynamics and moreover what does this new constellation of forces mean for U.S. policy come January?



Given the ongoing political frustrations from ongoing East/West Security Council deadlock, between Britain/France/USA versus both Russia and China, it's highly unlikely the new members will create an appreciable tilt away from the current diplomatic logjam on key issues ranging from Syria to Burma (Myanmar), North Korea, Ukraine or Venezuela.



Considering Africa first, the election of Niger and Tunisia replacing Equatorial Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire offers a slight tilt to the U.S. Viewing Asia and Vietnam's ascent, despite its tortured history with the U.S., does not necessarily pose a setback for Washington at the present time.



Given Hanoi's bumpy relations with Beijing, there are clear points of agreement with the U.S. Nonetheless in a multilateral U.N. political format, Vietnam will for the most part not be in accord with Washington. Thus, expect a tilt away from the U.S.



Estonia remains a strong and steadfast U.S. ally. Much like Poland, Estonia is a member of both NATO and the European Union. Given that both countries are close American partners, the seat stays in the positive column.



St. Vincent, though holding strong democratic credentials, has been a vocal critic of U.S. policies toward Cuba as well as Venezuela. Interestingly though, the Caribbean island still maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan. However since it's replacing Peru, I would presume this is slight tilt away from Washington.



Given the Security Council's dangerously deadlocked dynamic, it's time overdue to seek common ground.





John J. Metzler (jjmcolumn@earthlink.net) is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of "Divided Dynamism: The Diplomacy of Separated Nations: Germany, Korea, China."





New Delhi:

Smartphone major Xiaomi on 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', Xiaomi 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.

READ | Xiaomis Mi 9T set to make debut in Malaysia on June 20: Specs inside

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 Xiaomi.

When contacted Xiaomi said, "The reason we are communicating about Holitech's plans in India, is because they have entered India due to our Supplier Investment Summit but within the country, it's a standalone entity".

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.

READ | PUBG Mobile 0.13.0 version: Five main features of new update

"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.New Delhi:

Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed is all set to become a new chief of Pakistan's spy agency i.e. Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

According to the media reports, the Pakistan military on Sunday announced a number of high-level appointments and transfers in its ranks. However, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Army's media wing, is yet to release an official statement.

Reportedly, Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza has been appointed as Adjutant General at the General Headquarters (GHQ) while Lieutenant General Aamir Abbasi has been named as Quarter Master at GHQ. Lieutenant General Moazzam Abbas has been named Engineer-In-Chief at GHQ.

It is to be noted that Faiz Hameed will be replacing Lieutenant General Asim Muneer, who has been now given charge of Commander Gujranwala Corps. General Asim Muneer was appointed as ISI chief in October last year after the retirement of his predecessor Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar.

In the month of April, the Pakistan Army promoted the then-Major General Hameed to the rank of lieutenant general and appointed him Adjutant General at the General Headquarters (GHQ) later that month. He is from the Baloch Regiment.

Faiz Hameed was in-charge of the internal security wing at the ISI. He has also commanded a division in Pano Aqil. Importantly, Hameed was also among those who brokered the Faizabad agreement in 2017 between protesters from various religious groups and the then government, signing the agreement in the capacity of guarantor.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.The United Arab Emirates said yesterday that twin attacks on tankers in the Sea of Oman just weeks after four ships were damaged off the UAE marked a dangerous escalation.

The attack against the tankers in the Gulf of Oman is a worrying development and a dangerous escalation, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, tweeted after Thursdays blasts.

Gargash also condemned the Houthi militia missile attack which wounded 26 civilians at an airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.Improvements to the arrangements for the main exhibition hall at the Bahrain International Airshow 2020 are expected to lead to increased visitor numbers as, once again, Farnborough International, organizer of the Farnborough Airshow, has said. The 2020 Bahrain International Airshow represents a decade of success with continued presence from 11 of the worlds top 15 aerospace companies providing a strong endorsement of the value it delivers, Mary Kearney, head of communications at Farnborough International, told AIN online.

For 2020, the shows main exhibition hall is being reconfigured to increase (movement) through the stands, guaranteeing greater exposure for exhibitors. This show continues to provide a five-star environment to conduct business. There will be unrivaled civil and military delegations programs, networking opportunities, and conferences. The space industry will see the increased focus, and Bahrain continues to host the most dynamic flying display on the circuit.

The new passenger terminal at Bahrain International Airport (BIA) is opening at the end of this year. It will support Bahrain as a strategic location for businesses to establish themselves and access the greater Gulf.Saudi Arabia has called for a swift response to the threat to energy supplies, 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 said at a G20 meeting in Japan.

His comments came as the UAE foreign minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the Gulf of Oman attacks and an attack last month on four tankers off the Emirates coast were carried out by a state-actor using sophisticated technology. GCC Secretary-General Dr. Abdullatif Al Zayani added to the chorus of international condemnation yesterday, describing the attacks as a dangerous escalation and violation of international laws.

He also said that it was a direct threat to maritime safety and the worlds energy supply. He said that this attack is a terrorist act that calls for the international community to respond quickly and decisively to protect international shipping lines in this vital region of the world.

US President Donald Trump said the attack had Iran written all over it and Saudi Arabia said it agreed with Washingtons initial assessment that Tehran was responsible. On Friday, the US military released video footage it said suggested that Iran wanted to hide evidence that it was behind the attacks.Brave Combat Federation will return to the United Kingdom next month with an event in London, organizers announced. Titled Brave 24: London, the upcoming event at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will be the second time Brave CF is visiting the UK. Last year the promotion had organized an event titled Brave 13: Europe Evolution at The SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which was its first event in Europe.

BRAVE 24 will be an invite-only event, made to connect the sport of mixed martial arts to the highest level of influencers across all walks of life, including social media, business, sports, and other ventures. The show is set to be a luxurious experience to all involved, as BRAVE looks to introduce MMA to a wider audience, and provide them with the unique opportunity of watching the best fighters in the world live, as well as several other attractions, organizers said.

The fight card will be announced in the coming days, along with further details of the once-in-a-lifetime show, which promises to turn mixed martial arts upside down, organizers added. Brave CF President Mohammed Shahid said that the promotion is aiming for more traction in Europe. The whole MMA community expects Brave to take up the responsibility on our shoulders to develop the sport in every place and every different continent, and that is why we are going to Europe.The Brexit deal negotiated by Theresa May is the only one possible for an orderly withdrawal from the EU, the blocs chief negotiator Michel Barnier said yesterday as the race to succeed the British prime minister hots up. I repeat calmly that the United Kingdom still wants to leave the European Union... so the agreement that is on the table is the only agreement possible for an orderly withdrawal, Barnier said.

This is where were at and were waiting on the nomination of a new prime minister in London and what it will tell us, thats what matters, Barnier told European and African senators meeting in Paris, including the speaker of Britains House of Lords, Norman Fowler. On Thursday former London mayor Boris Johnson, a figurehead of the 2016 Brexit campaign, topped the first round of voting for a new leader of the Conservative party and the country.

Johnson, who wants to negotiate better withdrawal terms, has pledged to take Britain out of the EU by an October 31 deadline deal or no deal -- despite warnings of dire economic consequences if Britain crashes out without an agreement. He secured more than twice the number of votes won by his nearest challengers in Thursdays ballot by Conservative MPs, the first stage in a contest which will produce a new leader in July.

Barnier repeated that Brexit was a lose-lose deal for both sides but that Brussels had to respect the result of Britains 2016 referendum on EU membership while limiting the consequences, which are numerous.Monday

The Valley Shore Toastmasters: meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Madison Senior Center (cafe), 29 Bradley Road. Email valleyshoretm@yahoo.com or visit http://valleyshore.toastmastersclubs.org.

Tuesday

The Milford Chamber of Commerce Tuesday Morning Leads Group: meets at 8:30 a.m. at the Chamber, 5 Broad St., Milford. Call 203-878-0681.

The Rotary Club of Hamden: meets each Tuesday. For meeting time and location please visit the calendar section of their website at www.hamdenctrotary.org.

The Nutmeg Chapter of Toastmasters International: meets at 7 p.m. at The Willows Care and Rehab Center, 225 Amity Road, Woodbridge. Visit http://764.toastmastersclubs.org.

The Rotary Club of New Haven: meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Graduate Club, 155 Elm St. Call 203-624-3197.

The Rotary Club of North Haven: meets at 7:15 a.m. at the Breakfast Nook, 448 Washington Ave. Visit www.nhrotary.org.

Wednesday

The Rotary Club of Branford: meets from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. at the Parthenon Diner, 374 E. Main St., Branford. Call 203-315-2444, ext. 450.

Cheshire BNI Networking Chapter: meets at 7 a.m. at Temple Beth David, 3 Main St., Cheshire. Call Bob Davidson, 203-271-7991.

The Devon Rotary: meets at 7:30 a.m. at the Bridge House Restaurant, 49 Bridgeport Ave., Milford. Visit www.devonrotary.org.

The Milford Chamber of Commerce Wednesday Morning Leads Group: meets at 8:30 a.m. at the Chamber, 5 Broad St., Milford. Call 203-878-0681.

The Rotary Club of Guilford: meets at 12:15 p.m. at The Maritime Grille, 2548 Boston Post Road, Guilford. Call 203-453-0774.

The Greater New Haven Business & Professional Association: meets at 11 a.m. at 192 Dixwell Ave. Call 203-562-2193.

The Rotary Club of Wallingford: meets at 12:10 p.m. at the Library Wine Bar and Bistro, 60 North Main Street. Call 203-235-3816.

North Branford Rotary: meets at 6 p.m. at Nataz, 2025 Foxon Road. Call 203-484-7707.

The Greater New Haven Breakfast Club: meets at 8 a.m. at Clarks Pizza & Restaurant, 68 Whitney Ave., New Haven. Email info@rosnerdoherty.com.

The Rotary Club of West Haven: meets at 12:15 p.m. at Apps Ristorante, 283 Captain Thomas Blvd.

Thursday

The Seymour Oxford Rotary Club: meets at 7:15 a.m. at Route 67 Diner, Klarides Village, Route 67 in Seymour. Fellow Rotarians and all interested persons are invited to attend. Contact Nancy Valentine at nvbv@hotmail.com or 203 734 6945.

The New Haven Lions Club: meets at 7 p.m. at Brazis Italian Restaurant, 201 Food Terminal Plaza. Public is invited; for information, call Jim Traester at 203-288-6648.

The Madison Rotary Club: meets at 8 a.m. at the Madison Senior Center, 29 Bradley Road. Call Robert Anderson, 203-907-9032.

The Orange Chamber of Commerces Health & Wellness Council: meets at 8:30 a.m. at the chamber, 605 Orange Center Road. Call 203-795-3328 or email info@orangetchamber.com.

The Clinton Rotary Club: meets 6:30 p.m. at Clinton Country Club, Old Westbrook Road. Call Dee Tully at 860-388-7013.

The East Haven Rotary Club: meets at 5:45 p.m. at Twin Pines Diner Restaurant, 34 Main St., East Haven.

The Milford Rotary Club meets: from 12:15-1:15 p.m. at Gusto Restaurant, 255 Boston Post Road. Visit www.milfordrotary.org.

Friday

The Orange Rotary Club: meets at 12:15 p.m. at Racebrook Country Club, 246 Derby Ave. Call 203-799-2327.

The Woodbridge Rotary Club: meets at 7:30 a.m. for a breakfast meeting at Country Corner Diner, 756 Amity Road, Bethany. For more information, call Mary Ellen LaRocca at 203-389-3429.

Discover the Greater New Haven Chamber: meets 8-9 a.m. at Greater New Haven Chamber, 900 Chapel St., New Haven. Call 203-782-4342 or visit gnhcc.com.

The Milford Chamber of Commerce Friday Morning Leads Group: meets at 11 a.m. at the Chamber, 5 Broad St., Milford. Call 203-878-0681.

Send notices of business events to Business Datebook, New Haven Register, 100 Gando Drive, New Haven 06513 or email to business@nhregister.com, at least a week before the event.Every day that the U.S. Senate fails to act, another 80 or so people die.

Most of the country would be demanding accountability  if the subject were anything other than gun violence prevention.

Shamefully, Senate leadership considers it acceptable to let the death count continue unabated while it does nothing. More than 100 days ago the U.S. House of Representatives passed, in bipartisan fashion, a bill requiring universal background checks to purchase a firearm. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, introduced a Senate version of the bill.

Since then  silence. Senate leadership refuses to debate the bill, let alone call it for a vote. Considering that more than 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks, the stonewalling ignores the will of the people in favor of the gun lobby. Who do these Republican senators represent? The answer is obvious, and damning.

Gun violence is an epidemic in this country. No one bill will stop it, but every measure adopted can be a step toward abating the shootings.

As of Friday, the 165th day of the year, this country had 150 mass shootings. As horrific as that is, the majority of the 10,000 people who have been shot to death in America since the House passed the universal background checks bill are not from mass shootings; most are suicides, accidents or homicides, Murphy said.

What could be the objection to universal background checks? To purchase a gun, the individual has to prove no criminal record or serious mental illness; the bill extends the requirement to all gun sales including private transactions. There are exemptions, such as sales among family members and temporary use of a gun for hunting.

Research shows that common sense legislation can reduce deaths by firearms. In Connecticut, gun homicides were down by 40 percent after the state adopted universal background checks. Our state is ahead of the federal government, but until the measures are country-wide any protection is limited.

Murphy and fellow Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal introduced two other pieces of legislation that should be considered. The federal Handgun Purchaser Licensing Act would create a grant program to give incentives for state and local governments require individuals to obtain a license before purchasing a handgun. Connecticut already requires a permit.

The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence would repeal the 2005 legislation that protected gun manufacturers from liability. Families of several victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy have gone to court to sue manufacturers of the weapons that killed first graders and educators.

But the consequences are broader. As Murphy pointed out, the industry now has no financial reason to invest in technology to make the products safer. That must change.

The path to gun violence prevention has been painfully slow, with the states leading the way. U.S. Senate leadership has to learn there are consequences to stubbornly ignoring the wishes of the majority and failing to take measures to protect the American people.Networking, farmers market and more

MILFORD  The Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce will hold a Business After Hours networking event, plus a Walnut Beach Arts & Business Experience, from 5-7 p.m. June 20 at MACs Firehouse Gallery, 81 Naugatuck Ave.

In addition to the BAH event, participants are invited to the Farmers Market from 4-7 p.m. with a Car Cruise at the Walnut Beach Pavilion, as well as the WABABA Third Thursday event from 6-8 p.m. in which area shops stay open late and offer tastings.

Attendees of the BAH also receive a coupon for a free scoop from Walnut Beach Creamery.

For information or to register, visit www.milfordct.com.

Free career fair set for June 27

The state Department of Labor, along with the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Regional Workforce Board, will hold a career fair from 5-9 p.m. June 27 at the Danbury Fair Mall, 7 Backus Ave. in Danbury. The event, which is free, also is sponsored by the mall and Career Path Mobile.

The Greater Danbury Career Fair 2019 offers a great venue for employers to interact with prospective job candidates, accept resumes, and talk about their business and job openings, state Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby said in a release. Labor Department staff will be available to provide information about jobs posted to our CTHires electronic job bank, and employment services at the American Job Centers, including workshops, resume assistance and weekly recruitment events.

Employers can participate for free, and can bring signage; exhibitors receive booth space with a skirted table and two chairs, the release said. Also, jobseekers can have free headshots taken for use on LinkedIn or job-related sites.

Employers are asked to visit https://Danburycareerfair.eventbrite.com to register; for information, call 203-743-5565.

Law firm opens New Haven office

NEW HAVEN  Personal injury law firm Trantolo & Trantolo has opened a new office in the city, according to a news release.

The firms newest office, at 816 Woodward Ave., adds to its Connecticut presence with offices in Hartford, Torrington, Bridgeport and Waterbury, the release said.

We are so proud and excited to call New Haven home, Keith V. Trantolo, managing partner of Trantolo & Trantolo, said in the release. Our firm is honored to have the opportunity to help and support the families of the New Haven community.Egypt stands at the same distance from all Sudanese powers out of its keenness on maintaining Sudan's security and stability, Egyptian Ambassador in Khartoum Hossam Eissa said.



During a meeting with leader of the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF) Khalid Omar Yousef, the Egyptian ambassador stressed that Sudan's security and stability will not be achieved without a consensus among the Sudanese parties themselves.



The meeting tackled efforts exerted by Egypt in support of Sudan, with Eissa emphasizing the important role played by Sudan's regional partners, including the neighboring countries and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to solve the Sudanese crisis.



The ambassador reviewed preparations for a ministerial meeting of Sudan's regional partners, which will be held in Addis Ababa on Thursday to discuss the Sudanese crisis.



"Egypt is keen to listen to views of all Sudanese parties," he stressed.



Yousef, meanwhile, spoke of the latest developments in Sudan and the role that should be played by the country's regional partners to meet aspirations of the Sudanese people.

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The American legation in Seoul, circa 1885.



By Robert Neff



In the summer of 1889, there was confusion in the American legation. Hugh Andrew Dinsmore, the American Minister and Consul-General to Korea, spent much of his time in Jemulpo (modern Incheon) away from his official post in Seoul. This wasn't really that unusual.



Many Westerners avoided staying in Seoul during the height of summer because of the intense heat and humidity.



Outbreaks of disease were common due to poor hygiene and the contamination of fresh water when the fetid open sewers overflowed during rainy season deluges.



Dinsmore, however, wasn't trying to avoid the heat or disease  he was already in poor health.



We know little of his ailment, save that it was serious. In the middle of June, Dinsmore became deathly ill and, following the recommendation of his physician, went to Jemulpo where it was cooler and thought to be more conducive to his recovery.



According to Dinsmore, he spent about 10 days in the port city and afterward "returned to the legation improved in health but not well."



Less than two weeks later, on July 5, he had a relapse and was once again forced to return to Jemulpo for secret  albeit a relatively open secret  treatment. He anticipated a relatively short stay and, before leaving, instructed Charles Chaille-Long, the legation secretary, to keep him appraised by regular mail (via the river steamboats) and, if there was something urgent, to do so by telegraph.



Dinsmore did not anticipate there being much work while he was gone. The President of the Korean Foreign Office had been removed due to the French servant incident [yesterday's article] and still had not been replaced.



And, although he personally did not like Chaille-Long (he thought him to be insubordinate and sneaky), he was sure the secretary would be able to handle the mundane business of the small American community  fewer than 100 Americans resided in Korea.



But the short stay soon developed into a longer sojourn of, according to rumors, an indefinite stay. Dinsmore's messages to Long were, according to Chaille-Long, confused  perhaps as a result of the medication he was taking for his severely swollen testicles.





Jemulpo harbor, circa 1890s.NEW HAVEN  The city, in conjunction with Yale University, hopes to smooth the way for a better voting experience by opening a second site on Election Day where same-day voter registration can take place.

An election task force, established to remedy the sometimes chaotic long lines for Election Day Registration, and other issues, is investigating the use of Dwight Hall at 67 High St. as a place where anyone can register, but particularly Yale students, to take the pressure off the City Hall location.

The lines are always long for same day registration, but they were exacerbated last November, when the mailing station at Yale bounced back absentee ballot applications to students who did not provide a street mailing address.

Large numbers of students found they didnt have time to rectify the situation and showed up at City Hall to register as voters and cast ballots on Election Day.

A study done by Daniel Penn Associates LLC, detailing the chaos at the 2018 election, found that some residents waited as much as 6.6 hours to vote. Kevin Arnold, the chief election moderator that day, said just over 700 people took advantage of same day registration at City Hall as the line snaked around the second floor, weaving in and out of meeting rooms.

The solution has always been to hire more people and the registrar of voters office, as part of a task force established to find solutions, plans to double the number of personnel hired for same-day registration this year for the general election in November, the town committee elections in March and the April presidential primary.

The co-chairs of that task force, whose next meeting is June 19, are Arnold and Naomi Campbell.

Burgwell J. Howard, an associate vice president of student life at Yale and dean of student engagement, is the point person and is working with the city and the university on the election issue.

We want our students to participate in civic engagement and be invested in our city, Howard told the task force members at a recent meeting.

Howard said the university recognizes that getting students registered as voters is a big part of that, as is general voter education. The effort will make for a better-functioning system for the mayoral election this year and leave a process in place for the presidential election in 2020.

Howard said he is planning to meet with the undergraduate student leaders and graduate leaders later in the summer and early fall to get them involved and engaged.

We recognize that during the last election, EDR was a real pinch point that was an issue, not only for our students, but obviously for the city. We want to partner to make that as smooth as possible to take some of the pressure off the Election Day experience, Howard said.

He said the university has contracted with TurboVote to help students register electronically.

Howard said voter registration will be a topic for freshmen, as well as returning students, to get them registered before Election Day as the ideal. He said city registrars will be invited to move-in day to reach students at that point.

He said students also will be advised that registering here locally can sometimes invalidate an out-of-state scholarship that mandates a local address and voting in a home town by absentee ballot.

Howard said it will be an ongoing process as the deadlines for registering come up. He promised a full blitz with the city to make information available, as well as work with the student government on voter turnout.

He said he has had some conversations with personnel at Dwight Hall, which is centrally located on the Old Campus and open to the public. A walk-through is being arranged to make sure it meets the needs of the city and Yale in terms of capacity.

Victor Fasano, one of the members of the task force, asked if the university could remind students to change their voter registration when they leave the city to help New Haven clean up the voter rolls.

Howard said they sometimes dont know when students are coming back until they show up.

Democratic Registrar of Voters Shannel Evans said her office is planning periodic updates of its procedures, which it is currently undertaking with Jackie James of Gem Consulting.

James won a contract for a three-month study of the voting process, including the physical layout of the polling stations and the hiring of additional poll workers. At $50,000, she was the low bidder.

More than 200 people showed up at a recent job fair at the Hall of Records to apply for poll positions that need to be filled for Election Day. There will be another job fair at the same location at noon and 6 p.m. on June 26.

The jobs pay between $265 and $290, $100 more than the city has traditionally offered for what can be a 14-hour day. The positions to be filled include: moderators, assistant registrars, official checkers, ballot clerks, machine tenders, translators and floaters, a new position, for a total of 325 jobs.

James said this time around the workers will get a lunch break with the floater covering the positions at the 34 polling places, while Dwight Hall would make it 35.

She said a lot of retirees and school personnel showed up and registered for a job, as did those who have done it before.

We are just looking to get committed people who understand our expectations and will act professionally, James said.

James and Evans, sometimes accompanied by others, have visited all the polling places and suggested some internal changes where the voting will take place, while also recommending several polls be relocated. Also, schematically they laid out what the set up should look like at each poll.

Planned changes include splitting the 9th Ward and 10th Ward polling locations, which are now both at Cross High School. The 10th Ward will remain at Cross, while the 9th Ward would go back to the East Rock Community Magnet School.

James said Ward 27, which is at the Mitchell Library, will have its polling place moved to the Mauro-Sheriden Interdistrict Magnet School, while Ward 26 will move to the Davis School from Mauro-Sheriden. James said this will put the polls in locations within the correct wards.

James said the other changes involve the same locations, but move voting from hallways to bigger spaces. James Hillhouse High School is one of them.

There was no wiggle room and the lighting was bad, James said. She said they are going back to determine the best replacement space.

We realized the lines are getting longer and we anticipate a high voter turnout this year while gearing up for the presidential election next year, James said of all the recommended changes.

Beecher School, West Hills School and Nathan Hale School were taken out of the hallways as were the voting areas at Barnard School, John Martinez School and the Bishop Woods School.

She said staffing will be increased at polling stations where historically there has been heavy voter turnout.

We wanted to make sure staff was ready, set, go for what is coming, James said.

My goal was to create this more professionalized process where people werent coming in at the last minute. A lot of times they were scrambling for people. People were not trained to work a position. Now that we have a pool of applicants, we can pick from that and begin to train people, James said.

She said the alders, the ward chairpersons and the state delegation have been told that if people want to work the polls, they have to come to the job fairs.

Jaywan Carter, who has been an assistant registrar at the polling station at the Atwater Senior Center, helped inform the job seekers what that entails. He is also trained as a moderator, which took seven hours of training on line, Carter said. Training for the other positions is much more streamlined.

Campbell was happy with the job turnout.

We need the help. It was evident help was needed last time and Im glad we are getting it this time, Campbell said. It is nice to see people are interested in coming out to help and make a little money in their pockets.

She said the training will be important. Some who applied want to do different jobs than they did in previous elections, but it is important that they are versed in what is expected of them, Campbell said.

Angel Cabrera said he worked 36 hours straight at the last election, helping count absentee ballots after the polls closed.

I feel you only make a difference, if you make a difference. Talking about it, is just that, he said of his personal decision to put in that much time simply because it was needed.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.coml 203-641-2577By Baek Byung-yeul





Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung ElectronicsShe has a background in e-marketing. Hes been selling watches for 30 years.

When father and daughter Elana and Richard Birnbaum combined forces three years ago, ShopWorn was born.

Its an online business that sells luxury watches, jewelry and accessories by big-name designers at deep discounts. Theyre not used items. They were only ever tried on or handled in the brands retail shops. They were, shop worn.

For example, a Dior watch that normally sells for $13,900 is for sale on ShopWorn for $4,195.

Here's a look inside this rather unique business that combines two generations of expertise to carve out a unique niche.

What is ShopWorn?

In a nondescript commercial building in Cresskill, three-year-old ShopWorn operates inside a first-floor office that has twice expanded -- knocking down walls when neighboring tenants moved out to accommodate its quick growth.

Nine employees handle the day-to-day operations of the business, which sells about 4,700 items per month through its website.

One employee is a professional photographer who shoots sophisticated images of the products that are featured on the website. Another worker spends his days packaging items to ship out to buyers.

Whats it like for you to team up as father and daughter in this venture?

Richard had been in business with his brother (who is also part of ShopWorn) since 1998 selling watches on Ebay. But the influx of luxury goods available online changed the industry.

"Since I was little I would talk about business with my dad," said Elana, 30. "I studied business in college and worked in digital marketing. Then he approached me with a great idea."

He lives in Harrington Park (where she grew up) and she now lives in Hoboken.

She did some research before giving up her job in New York City. "It excited me just as much as it excited him," she said.

Theres no person in the world Id ever trust to do a project or task better than my own daughter, Richard said.

What do you sell?

In Richards previous business he sold grey market products -- authentic products diverted from the source of their original intent, he said. The brand intended to sell them in Germany, for example, but they werent moving so the whole lot was clearanced to be sold in another country.

But that market began drying up and he stumbled upon this one -- selling products that were "gently handled in the store," he said.

"Our sources are authentic retail stores or we buy from the brands directly," Elana said.

The items are considered "aged" by the brands, meaning they're about a year old.

"They love us because we solve their sustainability PR nightmare," Richard said.

Last fall, Burberry landed in hot water after the public learned that the luxury brand was burning unsold merchandise to protect its market value.

France this month announced plans for a law banning the destruction of luxury goods.

"We offer a second life to these goods," Richard said.

Which brands do you deal with?

Gucci, Fendi, Harry Winston, Carl F. Bucherer, Cartier, Crivelli, Davidoff and dozens more.

"We have over 30 brands that sell to us directly," said Richard. "And we want even more brands calling us."

The brands want to sell to ShopWorn because they act as a partner, he said, giving them quarterly sales reports with zip codes of where their products are being purchased.

Who are your customers?

Buyers on ShopWorn are generally 35 years old and up. They are 60 percent men and 40 percent women.

Mobile users account for 70 percent of the site's traffic.

And most of the company's sales are shipped to customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Texas, Washington and Illinois.

About one-third of buyers are overseas, in countries that include the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Singapore and the northern territories of Europe.

Who are the competitors?

There is not a single business, Richard said, that does what ShopWorn does. In fact, they have trademarked the term ShopWorn so no other company can claim that they sell products that were only shop worn.

The closest thing to a competitor is probably The Real Real, a website that sells used luxury goods on consignment.

Whats next for ShopWorn?

Shop Worn's goal is to get to $30 million in sales. "Then we have to get to $100 million as quickly as possible," Richard says, which means it will be time to sell the business or take on a strategic partner.

Sales from the first to the second year were up about 170 percent, he said. In the second to third year they were up about 45 percent. And in 2019, Shop Worn expects to generate sales of about $1 million per month, he said. In the next year Richard anticipates that revenue will jump from $12 million to $30 million.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. 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.Police in Bordentown Township say theyve charged two Philadelphia men with using counterfeit cash to pay people for smart phones in deals they arranged through the Letgo app.

Officers also found drugs on the men during the arrests, which occurred during an undercover sting Thursday, township police said Friday.

Rayvon Green, 31, and Stefon Locke, 29, are charged with theft by deception, conspiracy, forgery and drug offenses, authorities said. They were taken to the Burlington County jail to await court hearings.

Police said in a statement that a resident walked into the township police station Thursday morning and reported selling an iPhone XS Max for $820 on Letgo. The buyer met the seller in a strip mall parking lot the evening before.

Afterwards, the seller realized that the buyer handed over counterfeit currency. The victim turned over the counterfeit money to officers, and said the buyer was still active on the app and attempting to purchase additional cell phones.

So police listed one for sale.

Officers posted on Letgo an iPhone X. The same buyer took the bait and arranged a meet-up in the parking lot of a local business, police said.

Green and Locke arrived in a silver Chevy Malibu and Green then approached the undercover officer and handed him $800 in cash that was later found to be counterfeit, police said. After the deal, backup officers moved in and arrested both men.

Officers found them with an additional $320 in counterfeit currency, $741 in genuine cash, 58 oxycodone pills and a small quantity of marijuana, authorities said. Police suspect the real money if from similar scams.

And police said the original victim later identified Green and Locke as the men who arrived at the meet the evening before.

Police Chief Brian Pesce said crimes like this are the reason the department, and others, created safe zones at police and municipal buildings for sellers and buyers to meet.

These types of scams are becoming more prevalent and users have to take necessary precautions to protect themselves from becoming a victim. I commend my officers for quickly undertaking a successful operation that will make these scammers accountable for their criminal behavior, the chief said.

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.Franklin Murphy didnt know much about the varnish business, but after buying out his two partners, he put Newark on the map with The Murphy Varnish Works, which was known across the country and in Europe.

He founded the company in 1865, well before his notable tenure as a New Jersey legislator 20 years later. The astute businessman earned a reputation as the Father of the Park System when he created the Essex County park system, the first county park system in the nation.

But Murphy would eclipse that honor 17 years later in 1902 to become New Jerseys 31st governor, a post he held for three years.

Aside from his political career, Murphys varnish company, which was the largest varnish producing company in Newark, left an enduring historical footprint in the citys Ironbound section.

Of the six buildings that comprised Murphys industrial complex on Chestnut, McWhorter and Vesey streets, one of the grand Victorian style structures is still with us and has new life after sitting vacant for more than 30 years with contamination.

When the varnish company closed in the 1950s, a chemical storage facility moved in for a number of years, leaving the environmental problem that subsequent property owners were not able to ameliorate, according to East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador.

Picture of The Murphy Varnish Works complex built in Newark by former governor Franklin Murphy. The property has been converted into 46 apartments. (courtesy)courtesy

But Javier Meleiro, who owns a Newark construction company, loved Murphys architectural gem that, in some places, has brick walls 36 inches thick.

He passed by it every day, marveling at the elegant structure on one acre of land.

It wasnt in the best shape. Large tree limbs grew inside and wedged their way between walls. Graffiti was everywhere. Squatters lived inside and garbage was strewn all along the property, which is listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places.

One day youre going to be mine," said Meleiro, recalling his thoughts.

He bought the four-story building in 2016, then spent the next two and a half years transforming it into 46 apartments while maintaining its historical architecture and character.

He came in and saved the building," said David Robinson, partner and architect with Studio for Urban Architecture & Design (SUAD), which is based in Newark and worked with Meleiro on the project.

There were many attempts by other owners to do something, but for various reasons, most of them financial, the building languished.

When it fell into his (Meleiro) hands, from the minute he closed, he was go, go, go," said Madeline Ruiz, also an architect with SUAD. He was the missing piece."

Model apartment inside Murphy Varnish Lofts, a new apartment building that was renovated from the historic Murphy Varnish Works complex in Newark. (Barry Carter | NJ Advance Media)(Barry Carter NJ | Advance Media)

Melerio, now owner of F.M. Renaissance LLC, said he used his own money in the beginning during construction, then received an $8 million loan to complete the project, including the environmental cleanup.

You dont find this kind of building every day," he said.

Or that kind of commitment when the project is historical and has contamination issues.

Thats the beauty of this," Amador said. He did it without any support from the state or the city. Im amazed by the stuff he did."

Murphy Varnish Lofts apartments feature 13 to 30-foot high ceilings. Around the base of the factory smoke stack, theres a gazebo with two grills in the landscaped court yard.

Within the buildings design, Meleiro reused the existing bricks that were separated from tree limbs, then cleaned individually. In the lobby, a 700-pound elevator wheel sits between two columns like a piece of art.

Huge windows are in every room to allow for lots of light, a feature Murphy included in his design for employees.

He (Murphy) built this building with respect to his employees to give them lots of light and ventilation," Robinson said. He was a very responsible owner. He let a lot of natural light come into the space."

Murphy was one of the first industries in Newark to implement life insurance with Prudential Insurance Company and pension plans, according to the sites application for national historical designation. He had a close relationship with workers, making sure they received profit sharing. His kindness extended to wedding gifts and loans.

A 700 pound elevator wheel from The Murphy Varnish Works, a historic Newark varnish company, has been incorporated in the design of a new apartment building. (Barry Carter | NJ Advance Media)(Barry Carter NJ | Advance Media)

Robinson said he built Riverbank Park near the Passaic River, which Murphy cleaned up as governor. That was one of his many accomplishments, including improving limits on child labor and setting up a commission that required landlords to have fire escapes, up to date plumbing and lighted hallways.

Born in Jersey City, Murphy attended Newark Academy but left in 1862 to be a Civil War soldier with Union forces and had become a first lieutenant. When he returned, his business and political life flourished. After his tenure as governor, he was a delegate at five national GOP conventions.

In Newark, though, he was just as active. Murphy served on the Newark Common Council from 1883 to 1886 and was its president for his last year. In that time, he led programs to light the streets, pave roadways and sidewalks. Even his house was on Broad Street, near Lincoln Park, so he could see his business, which grew to a six-building complex at its peak.

The last building has presence. It cant be missed like the statue of Murphy that is tucked away in Newarks Weeqauhic Park. This work of art makes Murphy visible.

Its a piece of diamond and I polished it, Melerio said.

This article is part of Unknown New Jersey, an ongoing series that highlights interesting and little-known stories about our past, present, and future -- all the unusual things that make our great state what is it. Got a story to pitch? Email it to local@njadvancemedia.com.

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.Smoke billowed out of a vacant Newark building on Saturday as firefighters battled a four-alarm blaze, police said.

The fire began at the corner of South 10th Street and South Orange Avenue at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday and displaced residents of an adjacent building while firefighters tackled the fire.

There were no injuries or fatalities as a result of the fire, said Mark Di Ionno, a spokesman for the Newark Public Safety Department.On Friday night, gunshots disrupted what has been a relatively peaceful year in Asbury Park and a 23-year-old man was killed.

Jehadje McMillan was shot on the 1100 block of Atlantic Avenue, according to police. He was taken to the Jersey Shore University Medical Center but was pronounced dead at 12:14 Saturday morning, authorities said.

Police are investigating the shooting.

McMillan was found in a courtyard area, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press. Police have not released many details and they have not said if any suspects are in custody, the Press reported.

This is the first reported homicide in Asbury Park in 2019, according to the Press.

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.Newark gang members and activists working for peace in the city gathered Saturday and reached a truce aimed at reducing gang violence.

So-called violence interrupters and gang members gathered for private peace talks at 3 p.m. The talks were followed by a 5 p.m. Kings Stop Killing Kings rally at Newarks Symphony Hall and march down Broad Street.

A draft of the the agreement, which was passed out to those who attended the peace talks between the sometimes rival gangs, stated that public places such as schools, houses of worship, recreation centers and funeral homes would be designated buffer or neutral zones against violence.

The agreement went on to outline expectations for the gang members, including not using social media to dispute, call for, glorify or insinuate the killing of a member of another organization," and not invading upon each others community or neighborhood without prior notice.

Gang leaders sat around four tables, organized in a square in the center of the Terrace Ballroom, while Newark Mayor Ras Baraka gave an impassioned speech. He implored the gang leaders to cease violence and instead turn their energy towards building the community by doing things like purchasing empty buildings to start businesses or homes.

Im not into coddling grown men," he said. Some of you guys know better...It is more comfortable for you to act like you are asleep, to blend in with everybody else, when you know better. And the reality of that is you just dont just have no courage. Youre just scared."

Following the speeches from other anti-violence advocates, spectators and families were asked to leave the ballroom while leaders negotiated the truce. Cassady Fendlay, a spokeswoman for the Justice League NYC, told NJ Advance Media that the gang leaders reached a truce Saturday night.

An anti-violence advocate hugs Sonia Rogers, who lost three sons to gun violence. Peace advocates and gang members met on Saturday to discuss a possible truce between rival gangs, in an attempt to reduce violence in Newark. About 100 people participated in a march down Broad Street following the peace talks.

Over 100 people gathered outside the hall and began marching down Broad Street, under the watchful eyes of Newark police officers wearing bulletproof vests. Children sat on their fathers shoulders and young people carried signs and flags.

Stop the violence. Peace in the streets." the marchers yelled as pedestrians on the sidewalk stopped to watch, some raising their fists in solidarity.

Organizers said the crowd was there in honor of Nipsey Hussle, a Grammy-nominated rapper, who was killed on March 31, just one day before he was slated to meet with the Los Angeles Police Department about curbing street violence. Hussle, who was born with the name Ermias Asghedom, was known for giving back to his community.

This rally and peace march is a tribute to the late, great Nipsey Hussle, whose tireless work on behalf of social justice inspired countless activists to join our movement, Carmen Perez, executive director of the Gathering For Justice and a former co-chair of the national Womens March, said.

Im here in Newark where people are marching down Broad St. to promote anti-violence. pic.twitter.com/c7fi7Ny5lc  Cassidy Grom (@CassidyGrom) June 15, 2019

The demonstrators marched about a mile, stopping at Washington Park around 6 p.m. There, several city employees  including one that offered to help residents find jobs and another that provided information from the Department of Health and Community Wellness  awaited the demonstrators.

From a small stage in the park, actors, musicians and social media influencers encouraged the crowd to pursue nonviolent conflict resolution and told their own stories of getting shot, or explained the emotional trauma of a family member dying from gang violence.

There is a war on us, why are we at war with each other? actress and producer Yandy Smith-Harris said.

Other speakers included Justice League NYC member Tamika Mallory, hip hop artist and author Chi Ali, and leading violence interrupters and community organizers like Shanduke McPhatter and Jamila T. Davis.

The Newark rally follows a similar demonstration in The Bronx last month where former and active gang members called for better conflict resolution among community members and a stronger City crisis management system, according to News 12.

Although violent crime is down slightly in New Jersey, according to State Police data, there was an increase in minors who were arrested for having a firearms, the State Commission for Investigation said last year. Officials point to increased gang violence among children. These new gangs are less-organized, less-established but more deadly, officials said. The gangs recruit children as young as 12, and frequently use social media to broadcast shootings, according to testimony from the State Commission for Investigation.

In 2015, 472 minors had been arrested for having a firearm in New Jersey. In 2017, nearly 600 were booked  a 26 percent increase, officials said. More up-to-date statistics were not readily available.

Still, violence remains an intractable problem in Newark. On Saturday, just minutes from where the gang leaders met to discuss peace, two men in masks pulled up on a woman in a car and shot her in the back. The woman was not seriously injured and that incident has not been determined to be gang-related.

For the smattering of nonprofit and activism groups that organized The Bronx and Newark rallies, this street crime is exactly what they hope to prevent. Perez said she hopes Kings Stop Killing Kings becomes a movement that impacts not just Newark and New York, but the whole nation.

Editors Note: This story has been updated to reflect Cassady Fendlays correct affiliation with this event.Police on Sunday said an altercation apparently led to gunfire near downtown South Orange that came as hundreds of people gathered in the area.

Officers assigned to foot patrols heard shots fired around 11:10 p.m. Saturday near Sloan Street, according to police Chief Kyle Kroll. Police discovered five 9mm shell casings a block away in an alley next to Bank of America, between South Orange Avenue and Lot 9.

The preliminary investigation indicates that there may have been an altercation between [young people] that led to the gunshots. The gunshots at this time are believed to have been fired upward into the air, the chief said in a statement.

Nobody was found shot, according to authorities. The gunfire erupted as large groups of teenagers and others were in the area, in addition to people attending the Pride Under the Stars dance party on Sloan Street.

The gunfire was not believed to be related to the Pride event, according to Kroll.

According to officer accounts, there were hundreds of youth in the downtown area at the time of the incident in addition to the party-goers, the chief said.

One person was treated for a minor injury leaving the area, according to police.

Dance party organizer North Jersey Pride said the event attracted about 400 people, but was cut short by the incident.

Unfortunately, it ended abruptly at 11:15 when a noise that sounded like gun shots was heard on South Orange Ave adjacent to Sloan (Street), a message on the groups Facebook page said.

Again, were sad that such a happy, fun event had to end that way, but were going to focus on the good and will update you as more information becomes available to us, the post said.

In 2017, some 300 young people converged in downtown South Orange, leading to fights and snarling traffic.

Police said an investigation was continuing and asked anyone with information to call 973-763-3000.

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.Paul Tarashuk Jr. was hit and killed by a car last September, hours after he had been treated by EMTs and police while traveling through South Carolina. His Hunterdon County family is still searching for answers about exactly what happened to him.

Every day is like its the first day and you realize hes not coming home," his mother, Cynthia Tarashuk, said. She said she hopes no other family will have to experience what she has gone through over the past nine months.

Her 26-year-old son was picked up by South Carolina authorities after being spotted on top of a tractor-trailer, naked, on the side of the highway on September 9, 2018. Hours later, he was hit by a car and killed while walking down Interstate 95 in Orangeburg, authorities have said.

The family is now asking for letters of support to be sent to the Justice Department requesting a thorough investigation into the events before his death. A Facebook page, Justice for Paul Tarashuk; Make Change for Others has been set up to keep the community updated on efforts to share his story.

At the time of his death, Tarashuk was living on his own in Delaware. His family is not sure why he was in South Carolina, but his mother said it was not unlike him to take impromptu road trips. A neighbor had seen Tarashuk packing up his car and said he was going on a trip and would be back in a few days, his mother said.

Before he was killed, Tarashuk was traveling with his dog Giuseppe, who has been missing ever since the accident. A separate Facebook page has been set up to find her.

Tarashuk had a schizoaffective disorder, which he was diagnosed with in high school, his mother said. His condition was well managed with medication and he was very diligent about taking his medicine ever since he was diagnosed, she said.

Tarashuks interactions with police and EMS responders were captured on a sheriffs officers body camera. This footage was obtained by Channel 12 WRDW.

Police were able to get him to come down from the truck and gave him a borrowed pair of shorts as they began questioning his behavior. Tarashuk is seen first speaking erratically and then stops communicating with the officer.

We dont know how he ended up in that state of mind. Hes never presented like that before, Cynthia Tarashuk said in a phone interview with NJ Advance Media. Her family has been living in Raritan Township since 2002.

She said it is not uncommon for those experiencing a schizophrenic episode to undress because they overheat.

Tell us your damn name please. Im being [expletive] serious, give me your damn name so I can go home. For real, Im tired, one paramedic can be heard on video saying to Tarashuk. Others can be heard laughing in the background.

The paramedics can be seen warning Tarashuk that if he does not start speaking with them they are going to put smelling salts up his nose. He did not answer so the smelling salts were placed inside his nose while he was awake and conscious, but not verbally communicating. The salts are typically used to wake people who are unconscious.

In the video, EMTs ask Paul if he wants to be taken to the hospital. His response is difficult to discern in the video.

Security camera footage obtained by Channel 12 WRDW shows Tarashuk being dropped off by an Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office Deputy at around 2 a.m. at a closed gas station just off of Interstate 95 in Santee, South Carolina -- 18 miles away from where he first came into contact with the police.

It was about three quarters of a mile from where Tarashuks car was found stuck in a ravine, his mother said.

Cynthia Tarashuk said that body camera footage she has seen records the officer telling her son he is going to figure out where he lives and take him home. She said not been given an answer as to why the officer dropped him off at the closed gas station.

The Orangeburg County Sheriffs office did not return multiple requests from comment.

Four hours later, after he was hit by a car, the same paramedics team treated him earlier was dispatched to the scene, according to Channel 12 WRDW.

A toxicology report later revealed that Paul had no drugs or alcohol in his system, Cynthia said.

I dont believe this is about training. They knew what they were supposed to do and they chose not to do it, Cynthia Tarashuk said of the police and EMT response to her son, and to mentally ill patients, in general.

One of the paramedics that was captured in the body camera footage was initially suspended and was supposed to be demoted, but there was a delay in the paperwork filed and she was able to remain in her position for four months, according to Channel 12 WRDW. She was fired in April for back talking to her boss, Channel 12 WRDW reported.

Whats happening here is that people who are supposed to do their jobs are choosing who they want to protect (and) who (is) worthy of protecting, Cynthia Tarashuk said.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. 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 Tom Deignan

Nellie Taylor was a Jersey girl out on the town  Paterson, in this case  for a night of fun when she saw the suspicious figure lurking in the shadows on 31st Street. He was tall, and had an olive complexion ... with a thin face of the hatchet type, according to the New York Times, which had no reservations labeling this suspect Italian, in a flurry of reports, published 100 years ago this week, about a wave of terrorist bombings in New Jersey and across the country.

Law enforcement in Pittsburgh frantically sought an Irishman, according to another headline in the Times, which employed that term nearly half a dozen times in a short report, which also made reference to that citys local Russian Soviet organization.

In Cleveland, twoscore foreigners were rounded up, and local officials were outraged because only two had even bothered applying for American citizenship, while a number of them admitted entering the United States by evading immigration authorities.

The three incidents were part of the second nationwide wave of bombings in a matter of weeks, with prominent politicians and businessmen  including Paterson silk manufacturer Harry Klotz  among the targets.

From Hoboken to Jersey City, from Paterson to Rahway  where Mayor D.H. Trembley was actually arrested for turning fire hoses on the crowd at a rally  many immigrants spent the spring of 1919 debating the most effective ways to challenge the American status quo.

PAST IS PROLOGUE

It is a fascinating coincidence that we mark the 100th anniversary of these forgotten terror attacks  in which New Jersey played a central role  just as we are embroiled in our own fiery debate over immigration, crime and border security.

We certainly know where President Donald Trump stands on all of this. Not only has he long advocated building a big, beautiful border wall, he has now threatened trade warfare with Mexico if that country does not do a better job preventing Central American migrants from making their way to the United States.

One of the many reasons Trump and his supporters want to build a wall is that they believe todays immigrants are simply not made of the same stuff as yesterdays.

ROSE-COLORED GLASSES

Best-selling author Victor David Hanson (The Case for Trump) recently wrote: In the past, immigrants of all classes and backgrounds sought to identify as Americans and did so authentically. Conservative talk show host Dennis Prager has added: The vast majority of past immigrants changed their values, not Americas. ... They came here to become American.

This, of course, would have been news to anyone with eyes and ears in Paterson 100 years ago. One historian dubbed the industrial city the international center of Italian Anarchism, and it was there that multiple foreign-language newspapers openly debated political violence and a radical reorganization of American society.

This culminated in a series of nationwide terrorist bombings, which targeted mayors, judges and lawmakers who criticized the American anarchist movement, which drew much of its support from immigrant enclaves.

Far from grateful and patriotic, many of these immigrants were desperate  and angry.

Anti-Jewish pogroms in Russia, political unrest and famine in Ireland, poverty in Sicily. Turmoil such as this not only sent millions of immigrants to the U.S, it traumatized  and politically radicalized  many of them.

Even progressives believed Ellis Island-era immigrants were simply not capable of becoming good Americans.

Many of these immigrants ... were encouraged to use their own language and to perpetuate traditions of their mother country, labor leader Frank Morrison said in the wake of the June terror attacks. What can Americanism mean to these people? They do not even understand our language.

And this was a union leader! What would a more conservative-minded, native-born American say about the thousands of Catholic and Jewish refugees from European violence and poverty who came to the U.S. every day?

Biological laws tell us that certain divergent people will not mix or blend, future President Calvin Coolidge said. Immigrants, in the era of the anarchist bombings, were leading America to join the lowly ranks of the mongrel races, Saturday Evening Post editor George Horace Lorimer opined.

IGNORING TODAYS PROBLEMS

As Daniel Okrent makes quite clear in his fascinating new book The Guarded Gate: Bigotry, Eugenics, and the Law That Kept Two Generations of Jews, Italians and Other European Immigrants Out of America, many of todays grandparents and great-grandparents were actually born in what our current president might call shithole countries.

This is completely at odds with the vision so many people have of yesterdays immigrants as docile, budding patriots, gleefully waving tiny American flags who pretty much renounced their countries of origin and adopted the language and values of America, as conservative think tanker Edward King put it recently.

But we should not merely wag our fingers at Trump-supporting conservatives when it comes to immigration. Just as right-wingers have selective memory when it comes to yesterdays immigrants, todays liberals and progressives have their own blind spots when it comes to immigration in 2019.

They are so obsessed with bashing the president and staying woke, but its fair to say merely letting 5,000 needy migrants into the U.S. every day is not a good long-term solution for anyone involved.

And dismissing any and all references to MS-13, to wage suppression, to troubling cultural differences, as anti-immigrant racism is as silly as ... well, ignoring the fact that a substantial number of Ellis Island immigrants became criminals, terrorists, gangsters. And  gasp!  they never even learned to speak English.

In short, conservatives and liberals have managed to dehumanize immigrants  the former by turning yesterdays newcomers into impossibly righteous saints, the latter by doing the same to todays immigrants.

If the anarchists and bombers of Paterson a century ago taught us anything, it is that immigrants really just want to be seen as one thing: human beings. Is that too much to ask?

Tom Deignan, a contributor to the recent book Nine Irish Lives, has written about history and immigration for the New York Times and Washington Post. He lives in Woodbridge.

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.Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun speaks during a dinner at the meeting of energy ministers of G20 countries in Karuizawa, Japan, Saturday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group



By Nam Hyun-woo



Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Eui-sun urged CEOs and energy ministers of G20 countries to start a global initiative to use hydrogen as a key energy source, the group said Sunday.



According to the automaker, Chung stressed "immediate actions" are required for the planet's sustainability and a "hydrogen-powered society is the most viable solution" to achieve this energy transition. He made the comments during a speech at the meeting of energy ministers of G20 countries in Karuizawa, Japan, Saturday.



Energy and environmental ministers and several global companies, including Hyundai Motor, Toyota and Air Liquide, attended the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Transitions and Global Environment for Sustainable Growth. Korea's Minister of Environment Cho Myung-rae also participated.



Chung made the speech as a co-chairman of the Hydrogen Council, a global CEO initiative aimed at fostering hydrogen as transition energy source.



He stressed that the move to hydrogen power was not a matter for a single industry, but for all involved, including businesses, investors and governments.



"Ensuring a sustainable earth requires immediate actions, not just fine words and study results," Chung said. "We believe that a hydrogen-powered society is the most viable solution to achieve a successful energy transition and this is why we urge leaders from all sectors, beyond energy and transport, to join us in demonstrating a hydrogen reality to the world and achieving a better future."



Chung cited a recent International Energy Agency (IEA) report that stated "hydrogen can help tackle various critical energy challenges" and "now is the time to scale up technologies and bring down costs to allow hydrogen to become widely used."



The report, published on June 14, is the IEA's first on hydrogen and provides recommendations to governments and industry, such as making industrial ports the nerve centers for scaling up the use of hydrogen, building on existing infrastructure, including natural gas pipelines, and launching the hydrogen trade's first international shipping routes.



"The report clearly demonstrates that hydrogen technologies can play an important role in the energy transition," Chung said. "We hope the close collaboration between the IEA and the Hydrogen Council will ultimately lead to clear recognition of the benefits from hydrogen technologies."



The Hydrogen Council expects the gas will account for about 20 percent of world energy demand by 2050. This will cut global carbon emissions by 6 gigatonnes, accounting for a big portion of worldwide efforts to limit global warming to within 1.5 degrees Celsius.



Along with environmental benefits, industries related to hydrogen are expected to create $2.5 trillion of market value a year and jobs for more than 30 million people, the council says. However, hurdles remain, such as the high cost of producing hydrogen and the immense expense of infrastructure for hydrogen power.



The IEA expects the cost of hydrogen production from renewable electricity could drop 30 percent by 2030 as a result of the falling cost of renewables and the scaling up of hydrogen production. But it said "producing hydrogen from low-carbon energy is costly at the moment."



"We need all key stakeholders around the table  business, investors and governments  to discuss how to create the right environment and make the right tools to drive this change," Chung said.



During a meeting with global investment banks a day earlier, Chung urged investors to join the initiative and make aggressive investments on establishing early stage infrastructure for hydrogen facilities.



"The next generation of citizens, the next generation of customers will strongly demand clean air, secure energy, sustainable economies and a responsible approach to our shared resources," Chung said. "We must respond to these demands."

Gov. Phil Murphy is about to lose the fight over the millionaires tax, a major blow that will deprive the treasury of more than $530 million.

He still pushing the cause hard, as if he doesnt see this defeat coming. But if youve watched one of those accident videos on YouTube, hes the bicyclist who is about to hit the big pothole. For a look at the political blunders that got him here, stand by.

But for now, consider that 72 percent of New Jersey voters agree with the governor. Its not because we resent the rich. Its because we are in a fiscal crisis, and we need the money. So, lets look at the merits.

Its true, as opponents say, that raising this tax will not solve the states enormous fiscal problems. But neither will pension reform, by itself, or school mergers. When youre broke and hungry, common sense demands that you pick up every quarter you find.

So why hasnt it happened? Why is the Democratic legislature blocking Murphy?

The opposition is based on a myth, supported by anecdote.

The myth is that New Jerseys high taxes, especially those on the rich, are driving away the very people we need to make our economy hum, that we are making the state a poisonous place for rich people to settle.

The poster child is David Tepper, the billionaire who left New Jersey in 2016 and moved to Florida, along with the headquarters of his hedge fund, Appaloosa Management. Tepper earned an estimated $6 billion in the four years before leaving. If you apply New Jerseys top income rate of 8.97 percent, the loss to our state treasury works out to about $135 million a year. And hes just one rich guy.

As backup, Murphys opponents cite data showing that New Jersey loses more income in state-to-state moves than any other state, except New York and Illinois, according to a recent study by Bloomberg News. The top destination is Florida, which has no income tax.

They also cite a study by United Van Lines showing that for every family that moved into New Jersey from another state, two families moved out, the highest rate in the country.

New Jersey cant afford to keep losing taxpayers and businesses, says Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, the Republican leader.

Heres the problem with that argument: New Jersey has more millionaires today than its ever had before, by a long shot. And their ranks are growing fast.

The latest data from the Treasury Department shows the number of tax filers reporting incomes of $1 million or more jumped by 75 percent between 2009 and 2017. That compares to an average of 6 percent among all income groups.

The reason is that New Jersey creates millionaires. For every rich person who leaves, we give birth to a few more.

This is a place where people come to build a business, earn money and educate their families, says state Treasurer Elizabeth Muoio. Yes, youre always going to have out-migration. But millionaires are coming here and growing here. People are earning their fortunes in this state.

Granted, no one knows what might happen if New Jersey raises the top rate another notch, as Murphy proposes. We already have the nations fifth highest taxes, overall, and the highest top marginal rate within 1,000 miles. There has to be an invisible line somewhere, a tipping point that drives away the rich.

But we havent reached it yet. In fact, many of the richest states impose the highest rates on the rich. Californias top rate is 13.1 percent. New Yorks is within a half point of New Jerseys.

Why dont the rich flee those states in search of lower taxes? Because they are dug in, and are more likely to be married with kids, and to own homes and businesses.

When Florida is excluded, there is virtually no tax migration, concluded a 2016 study published in the American Sociological Review, conducted by sociologists from Stanford University and U.S. Treasury economists who reviewed 45 million tax records going back 13 years. These households are embedded in the regions where they achieve success, and they have limited interest in moving to secure tax advantages.

Picture it: Your income rises above $1 million, and youre hit with the surcharge on millionaires that Murphy is proposing. It means that you lose about 2 pennies of each dollar above that $1 million threshold. Is that worth uprooting your family, leaving your friends, and in many cases finding a new job? Please.

Dont worry about New Jersey losing its population either. Thats another myth, as anyone who has tried to find parking space in recent years can testify. The U.S. Census bureau counts 8.9 million of us, up more than 100,000 over the last decade. United Van Lines didnt count births and immigration.

* * *

So, if this is such a sensible plan, and the public is so firmly behind it, why is Murphy virtually certain to lose this fight? Thats a tale of political malpractice.

First, legislators are nervous because Murphy has offered no plan to cover the explosive increases in pension and health costs that are baked in over the next four years without big changes. Even the most liberal legislators worry that Murphy is flying blind, and that if he gets his tax increase this year, hell come back for more next year.

You cant tax your way out of this problem, says Sen. Joe Vitale, D-Middlesex, a leading progressive. The short-term plan is to raise taxes. And we dont have a long-term plan.

Senate President Steve Sweeney has proposed a bipartisan plan to cut pension and health costs, but so far, Murphy hasnt given him an inch.

Ill talk about taxes when we fix these other problems first, Sweeney says. Because then theres a light at the end of the tunnel.

A skillful governor could have won this fight. But Murphy, a political rookie, has struggled to build even a small cadre of loyalists in the Legislature. His relations with Sweeney are poisonous, dating back to the 2017 election, when Sweeney faced an all-out assault from the states biggest teachers union, the NJEA, which also happens to be Murphys closest ally. The NJEA spent $5 million in a failed effort to replace Sweeney with a Trump supporter, and Murphy refused to step in and defend Sweeney.

It was the dumbest political move in New Jersey since Bridgegate. Sweeney has the power to block any bill, and any appointment requiring Senate confirmation, and Murphy made him a blood enemy before even swearing his oath.

Since then, Murphy has made more enemies by vetoing Democratic bills at a record pace, often without consulting sponsors first. A recent example: Sen. Troy Singleton, D-Burlington, worked for two years on a bill to force disclosure of donors to dark money funds, which spent nearly $50 million in the last election cycle. He said he was shocked to learn that Murphy vetoed it.

None of their objections were ever conveyed to me until the Friday before the veto, Singleton says. We could have worked through all these issues.

On that one, Murphy got a public spanking. The Legislature lined up to override the veto, and Murphy caved. To avoid a punishing override, he asked them to pass the same bill and promised this time to sign it. Ouch.

Now, Murphy has found a new and creative way to irritate his fellow Democrats: Hes running TV ads in support of the tax hike, even though Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, have told him face-to-face that its a dead letter.

Is the TV campaign an attempt to inspire a mutiny against Sweeney and Coughlin among rank-and-file legislators? If so, its backfiring: Even liberal legislators are rallying behind their centrist leaders. So far, 11 members of the Assembly who support the tax hike have announced they would ditch Murphy and support a budget without one.

This is a mess, folks. If the governor had a plan to deal with the fiscal crisis, and a half-decent relationship with the Legislature, he could get this done.

Murphys greatest accomplishment so far is that hes not Chris Christie. Hes signed a bunch of bills that Christie had blocked, like a higher minimum wage, funding for Planned Parenthood, and tougher gun control. And this years budget had some surprising gems as well, like big savings that reduced health spending by 16 percent.

But hes losing the tough ones, like legalizing marijuana, reforming the pension system, fixing NJ Transit, and passing this millionaires tax. If his standing continues to slide, the next two years could be packed with veto overrides as the Legislature takes control of the agenda.

For now, say good-bye to that $530 million. Count it as a cost of electing a governor with no political experience.

More: Tom Moran columns

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.Theres trouble a brewing down Trenton way. Two of the states most powerful elected officials are at loggerheads over whether or not to pass a millionaires tax that would hit up the states richest residents for some badly needed revenue. The fight is pretty standard issue, one party wants to tax the rich at a higher rate to help balance the budget and fund our unfunded liabilities, the other party howls with anger about the never ending tax state and instead insists that the way to balance the budget is cutting benefits. What makes this showdown so noteworthy is that the two warring factions are from the same party.

Its no secret that the governor and senate president dont like each other. Sweeney fancied himself a gubernatorial candidate before Phil Murphy swooped in with his millions of dollars and zero percent name recognition and snagged the governorship. Its been down hill from there. Murphy is cozy with the NJEA, which did its level best to oust Sweeney, and Sweeneys chief patron is George Norcross, currently being investigated by the governors office for his relationship to the Economic Development Authority (EDA) and their decision to award his allies millions of dollars in taxpayer funded tax credits. Its all very on brand for Jersey.

The issue coming to a head right now is the governors insistence on a millionaires tax in the upcoming budget and Steve Sweeneys refusal to allow it anywhere near the senate floor. This cant possibly be all about the millionaires tax, a good idea that enjoys popular support. Sweeneys key objection seems to be that the proposal contains the actual word Tax. Maybe theres a work around. Take a cue from our nations fine colleges and universities and call it a lab fee. Whatever, just dont shut down the government over this garbage.

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.CHICAGO  Its unclear when Yankees manager Aaron Boone will get to pencil newly acquired slugger Edwin Encarnacions name into the lineup.

On Saturday, Encarnacion was in Oakland with the Mariners, who sent him to the Bronx during the Yankees 8-4 win over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Yankees play an afternoon game Sunday here. Maybe hell show up in time. Maybe not.

But Yankees fans must wonder: What will it look like at full strength, meaning when Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge each return from the injured list in about a week?

Heres our projection:

1. DJ LeMahieu, 3B

2. Aaron Judge, RF

3. Giancarlo Stanton, LF

4. Gary Sanchez, C

5. Aaron Hicks, CF

6. Edwin Encarnacion, DH

7. Didi Gregorius, SS

8. Luke Voit, 1B

9. Gleyber Torres, 2B

Bench

C Austin Romine

3B Gio Urshela

OF Brett Garner

Fourth spot: If the Yankees keep a four-man bench, undecided. Clint Frazier? Cameron Maybin?

Some thoughts:

1. Seems likely that the person this effects most immediately would be Gardner, who would slide from starter to fourth outfielder. Gardner would still play a good amount, though. But Stanton would take over as the starting left fielder.

2. Then it might be Urshela who loses his job at third base  at least in late innings, in particular. LeMahieu will still play all over the infield and there will be plenty of third base time for Urshela. But the Yankees probably believe a bit more in LeMahieus bat than Urshelas.

3. Who starts at first base? Voit and Encarnacion probably split time. Encarnacion might be the slightly better defender but Voits younger.

4. Whats Fraziers future? At this point, the likelihood he becomes a focal point  maybe not the centerpiece  of a trade for a starting pitcher seems to increase dramatically.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.Its 3:30 on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon and a surprising number of patrons have taken up spots at the long bar inside Mid-Citys Wrong Iron. Theyre all drinking beers, sweating in pint glasses.

On the other side of the bar, the wall is lined with three TVs, 50 taps and three video screens playing a scrolling list of the available beers coming from those taps. Abita Big Easy IPA  Gnarly Barley Jucifer  NOLA Blonde  the list goes on and on.

Craft beer from New Orleans and elsewhere in Louisiana is a big hit at Wrong Iron. The bar can expect to go through 75 to 80 kegs on a given weekend, a manager said.

Draft beer is No. 1, general manager Nick Shultz said, especially the local beers.

Business, fueled in large measure by Louisiana craft beer, is good at Wrong Iron. But across the state, the future of craft brewing is hazy.

To be sure, Louisiana craft beer is not going away  a glance at the tap lineup behind most bars will testify to that. Its craft breweries produced more than 7 million gallons of beer in 2018, ranking the state 24th in the U.S., according to the Brewers Association. The trade group pegs the economic impact of Louisianas craft breweries at $740 million.

I think its grown tremendously in the past few years. We should celebrate that, said Leah Jensen, owner and founder of the microbrewery Parleaux Beer Lab in the Bywater. The beer industry has grown and become educated. Likewise, the consumer has become educated.

But there are signs of a slowdown, some say. Last year, six breweries opened but four closed. So far in 2019, one brewery has closed and none have opened.

Im fearful that we are not keeping up with the rest of the states in the economics of craft breweries, said Cary Koch, executive director of the Louisianas Craft Brewers Guild. Theyre having a boom in craft beer.

Koch says brewers can expect a long, difficult road to success.

They wear so many hats. They turn the lights on. They brew the beer. They work the taproom, he said. The thought of being the next Abita? Its a longshot.

Even Abita, the dean of the states craft breweries and the one with by far the widest reach, has seen the slump.

Gnarly Barley born on Super Bowl Sunday

The craft market isnt growing at all, Abita Brewing Co. President David Blossman said. But the overall beer market is in a similar or worse position than the craft market.

U.S. beer sales fell almost 1% in 2018, according to the Brewers Association. Craft beer sales increased 3.9% nationally, but most of the beer consumed comes from giants such as Budweiser, Miller or Coors.

***

In 2015, state laws were changed to loosen restrictions on taprooms, onsite bars that only served beers made on premise. The breweries were allowed to sell in their taprooms either 250 barrels per month or 10% of their productions. The taprooms provided extra income to established breweries, which could sell their beers for much higher margins in the onsite bars. They also allowed for tiny, neighborhood breweries to open, such as Parleaux in Bywater and Miel Brewery and Taproom in the Irish Channel.

As more breweries open in Louisiana, however, it's become harder for new ones to find a place on shelves and barroom taps. Competition has gotten stiffer.

"It used to be, if you brewed it people would come. Now people have options and they want to drink quality beer," said Jacob Landry, founder of Urban South Brewery.

Urban South, since launching out of New Orleans in 2016, has grown rapidly. Landry predicts that by next Mardi Gras, it will be the second largest Louisiana brewery after Abita.

In the South, craft beer still only makes up a tiny percentage of beer sold and there is room for growth. Landry, however, doesn't have plans to distribute Urban South beyond Louisiana.

"People want local beer. Sending distributed beer out of state isn't a long-term, viable strategy," he said.

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Instead, Urban South will open a second brewery in Houston this fall. In Texas, the brewery will only sell its beer on site, either in pints or in cans to go.

***

What some Louisiana craft brewers say the industry really needs  and what they will continue to strive for -- is the ability to sell their product directly to retailers, self-distribution in industry parlance.

State law requires breweries to contract with distributors, who market and deliver the beer to stores. Some craft brewers, such as Blossman of Abita, say the arrangement has worked out well for his company.

I cant speak for everybody, though, he said.

Others say the law has unnecessarily held back the industry.

Were one of eight states that dont allow self-distribution, Koch said. So, a place like Gnarly Barley cant deliver their beer around the corner.

Koch agrees some craft breweries are happy with their distributors, but he said others want the ability to sell their own beer. Its sometimes hard for a small brand to become a priority for a distributor handling other brands as well, Koch said.

Let the breweries market themselves and prove their brand, he said. They have the most self-interest.

For a smaller brewery like Parleaux, self-distribution would target a hyper-local area. If it wanted to sell beer to a nearby restaurant -- a block away at The Joint barbecue restaurant, for example -- Parleaux would have to strike a deal with a distributor to pick up beer from the brewery, take it to a warehouse and then deliver it to the restaurant, Jensen said.

We know its going to happen eventually, Jensen, of Parleaux, said about self distribution. Were one of only a handful of states that does not have this in place.

Efforts to change state law to allow self-distribution, however, have not gotten far. Koch and some craft brewers said the Beer Industry League of Louisiana, who represent the beer distributors and large, macro breweries, has pushed hard against any changes in the distribution law.

Indeed, changing state law involving beer and liquor can be fraught with challenges.

Take, for instance, a bill the Louisiana Legislature considered this year. It sought to allow tap rooms to host events in which caterers would be allowed to serve wine and sparkling wine from other manufacturers.

The bills sponsor, state Rep. Scott Simon, R-Abita Springs, and craft brewers thought its passage would be simple. They stressed the breweries wouldnt be selling the outside alcohol; it only permitted caterers to handle the other brands.

For example, it would allow a champagne toast at a wedding reception held at a tap room.

But a Beer Industry League representative testified before the House Judiciary Committee on April 25 that such a measure would allow the tap rooms to act as barrooms. Beer League Executive Director John Williams told lawmakers his organization supported legislation in 2016 that opened the way for tap rooms at the breweries, but they were solely intended for the promotion of their products  not outside alcohol.

Efforts to contact Williams were not successful.

The committee eventually amended Simons bill to allow only 12 such events at tap rooms annually. It helped the bill sail through the House without opposition but never quite sat right with craft brewers, Koch said.

Simon deferred his bill during a Senate committee hearing, basically killing it for this session. Koch said it was better to wait and try again another time.

Were moving in the right path, Koch said. As an association were starting to make our mark. And well be back.LINCOLN  Nebraska is one of five states selected by the USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide money to farmers to fix ephemeral gullies on highly erodible cropland.

Ephemeral gullies are areas where small gullies appear after heavy rains. Discing an ephemeral gully leaves topsoil vulnerable to erosion. Fixing the gullies with conservation practices protects productivity and water quality and allows farmers with highly erodible land to continue receiving USDA benefits.

State Conservationist Craig Derickson said July 19 is the application deadline for the $2 million available in Nebraska through the pilot project.

He said priority will be given to applicants with tracts that were selected for conservation compliance reviews in the past two years and received variances to address ephemeral gully erosion. The money can be used to implement practices such as cover crops, crop rotation, no-till, contour farming, buffer strips, terraces, waterways and others.Check to see that all the legs and tabs are cast or molded into the pot, not screwed or riveted into place. These are signs of a cheaply made piece.

 Where did Dutch ovens come from? While no one can say with absolute certainty, historians seem to trace Dutch ovens back to an English merchant named Abraham Darby in the early 1600s. Darby had gone to Holland to see a process the Dutch used for casting bronze. He eventually adapted this process for cast iron pots. He then sold the items to the colonies in what is now America. The name Dutch oven probably came from the Dutch process used to cast the cookware.

 How big of a Dutch oven do I need? If you are generally cooking for a group of four to five people, a 10-inch Dutch oven is probably sufficient. If you plan on cooking for larger groups, look at 12- or 14-inch Dutch ovens.

 What do you use for heat? You can use just about anything combustible for a heat source. Ive cooked with wood, charcoal, even buffalo chips. Charcoal may be the best all around heat source. It is easy to work with and can be packed into backcountry camps easily as well, plus you can get a fire going even in a wet camp.Joseph S. Pete Business Reporter Joseph S. Pete is a Lisagor Award-winning business reporter who covers steel, industry, unions, the ports, retail, banking and more. The Indiana University grad has been with The Times since 2013 and blogs about craft beer, culture and the military. Follow Joseph S. Pete Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Leeds Public House is nearly finished with an extensive renovation of the former Ryan's Irish Pub, which closed after a 23-year-run at 401 Franklin St. in downtown Michigan City last year.

"Pretty much the only thing left is the four walls," Leeds Public House General Manager David Roberts said. "It's all new construction inside. There's nothing left of Ryan's Pub. We took it down to the studs and completely renovated."

Named for the prominent Leeds family of physicians that helped build up Michigan City in its early days, the Leeds Public House will be a gastropub with family dining and multiple bars. It will have about 275 to 300 seats outside and inside the historic 116-year-old building, including in a completely rebuilt patio.

The Leeds family built a building at that site in 1857 that burned down, and the family rebuilt the current three-story structure in 1903, Roberts said. The new restaurant and bar will occupy the first floor and the owners are still trying to decide what to do with the upper floors, such as whether to rent the second floor out for parties or other private functions.

"It's a great design from a firm we brought in from Chicago," Roberts said. "It blends the modern and industrial with a classic wood feel."Steelworkers have been feeling a trade war for three or four decades now, American Alliance for Manufacturing President Scott Paul told a group of steelworkers in Burns Harbor Friday.

Century-old steel companies have gone bankrupt. Tens of thousands of steelworkers have been laid off. Communities have been devastated.

"Yet all we hear is that tariffs are a tax on the consumer," Paul said. "There's so much more to the debate than one-liners and zingers. This story has been brewing for a long time and we're finally pushing back. There was the realization that the path forward wasn't sustainable."

The Alliance for American Manufacturing, a joint initiative between the United Steelworkers union and major manufacturing companies, has been touring the country to talk to steelworkers about the benefits of the Section 232 tariffs of 25% on most foreign-made steel, to stress that the tariffs should not be a partisan issue, and to call for more action to help the domestic steel industry that's still struggling with depressed prices and stock values.

The manufacturing advocacy nonprofit stopped Friday at the USW Local 6787 union hall in Burns Harbor, Magneco-Metrel in Gary, Great Lakes Cafe in Gary and Indiana University Northwest.However, Miller quickly learned the steel-tubed frames were no match for the wear-and-tear of 20-plus middle school science students each class.

I had tables mid-class that were just like falling over, Miller said. Id be out in the hallway monitoring whats going on out there and all of a sudden Id just hear a table breaking.

For the next couple years, every time a table gave out, Miller would jump in, building a sturdier wooden frame to support the flat computer table tops. All 15 workstations were complete by summer 2017.

Each table seats two students comfortably and supports in-class collaboration for group activities like Millers paper rollercoaster construction project or his friction lab, which involves rolling cars across flat surfaces.

Miller said each school year on the first day of class he explains the tables to his students, but that the tables quickly become something theyre accustomed to using.

Its kind of expected, Miller said. I walk into a classroom, there should be something for me to put my stuff on.Only residents can contextualize their experiences, including how they first learned of the site and that it could pose a risk to their health; what they were told before they fully realized the risks; and how EPA has kept the informed of potential ongoing risks, she said.

"It will be really important for the Office of Inspector General to reveal its findings to the public and hold EPA accountable for what it finds," Chizewer said.

The OIG has limited resources, so its decision to study East Chicago "reflects the seriousness of the concerns around EPA's handling of communications at this site," she said.

Lori Locklear, a member of the Community Advisory Group, said she's happy the Office of Inspector General included East Chicago in its project.

However, she listed concerns such as the division of the site into three separate zones and the exclusion of zone 2 from the initial record of decision. She said EPA failed to inform the community it could form an advisory group and continues to exclude residents from the decision-making process.China has been able to get itself classified as a developing world country at the UPU, even though it has the worlds second largest economy. Less developed countries get lower shipping rates.

The Trump administration is determined to fix this and has two options. The clear and fair goal, as stated in an August 23, 2018 Presidential Memoradum, is ensuring that rates charged for delivery of foreign-origin mail containing goods do not favor foreign mailers over domestic mailers.

Option 1 is for the UPU to put in place a new cost system. On June 7 the UPU announced an Extraordinary Congress in September to address these issues. As many other countries in addition to the United States are frustrated with the current system, and incurring large postal losses like the United States, there is reason to be optimistic about the conference.

Option 2 is for the United States to leave the UPU on October 17, as the administration has said it will do if a new agreement is not in place. The United States will enter into bilateral and multi-lateral postal agreements with other countries.

In either event, new rates will be in effect by January 1."Those were the last words I heard him say. I'll always remember that  just the sweetness of it."

An hour and half later, the optimism began to quickly fade.

Two members of the surgical team entered a waiting room with a "concerned look" on their faces, Kevin said.

They told the Huseman family Brandon's injuries were far more severe than initially anticipated.

"They used the words, 'We're doing everything we can,'" Kevin recalled. "That really started to rest heavy."

Then another agonizing hour passed before a new update arrived.

"They said Brandon is going to die," Kevin said, emotion welling in his voice. "I remember collapsing  just falling to my knees. They said they were going to close him up and that he might have an hour to live."

As the surgical crew wheeled Brandon from the operating room to the intensive care unit, Kevin, Renee and Brandon's wife raced to an elevator to follow him up.

A surgical nurse was up on Brandon's gurney, applying life-sustaining chest compressions, as the family arrived at the hospital room, Kevin said.Merely a year later, some 5,000 activists held the first pride march in New York City  with similar marches held in Chicago and Los Angeles. And the rallying cry of the movement became: We must all come out of the closet. We must make ourselves known.

Camus also states in his book that in every act of rebellion, the rebel experiences a complete and spontaneous loyalty to certain aspects of himself. Just four years after the riots, in 1973, we said no to the American Psychiatric Association, and its leaders at long last removed the diagnosis of homosexuality from its official list of mental illnesses.

The next year, 1974, we said no to being politically powerless when Elaine Noble, the first out lesbian to run for a state-level political office, was elected to the Massachusetts State Legislature. And, famously, in 1977, an openly gay man, Harvey Milk, was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

But as the battle went on, and as the character of the homosexual was being redrawn in revolt, 1981 brought about the first cases of the AIDS epidemic. And the death toll  and the countrys initial refusal to respond to it  brought to the surface the depth of homophobia, transphobia and other queer-centered bigotry in the American psyche.

A radical rethinking of tactics and actions was needed, and a new kind of gay activist was born. Lambda Legal, GMHC (formerly the Gay Mens Health Crisis), Act Up and a host of other organizations redefined the way civil rights wars were being fought.

When Act Up members stood, triumphant, on the awning of the Food and Drug Administration building in Bethesda, Md., in 1988, the nation was shown a new kind of L.G.B.T.Q. person: the warrior who would fight every person or institution that stood in the way of their survival.

These groups not only revolutionized the way scientific research was conducted in the country, but also saved hundreds of thousands of people because of the AIDS drugs they propelled to market.I know that many people think I am bad, that I dont belong here. It shows how a false narrative can be powerful and undermine justice, especially when amplified by the media.

AMANDA KNOX, speaking at the Festival on Criminal Justice in Modena, Italy, during her first trip to the country since 2011, when an appeals court acquitted her of the murder of her roommate.The Los Angeles artist Andrea Bowers made a monumental artwork that she hoped would support the #MeToo movement and presented it, with the help of four galleries, at the prestigious Art Basel fair in Switzerland. Three imposing walls of text and photos made up of 167 red panels retold the stories of men and women who had been accused of sexual misconduct or harassment since the movement began in 2017.

But if the intent of her work, called Open Secrets Part I & II, 2018, 2019, was to raise awareness about insensitivity to women, it seemed to backfire when Helen Donahue, a woman who said she had been abused, complained on Twitter last week that photographs of her were used without her consent, and another woman, Abby Carney, said her name had been used without her consent. In a highly unusual move, Ms. Bowers extracted the panel in question, and issued an apology for having used the photographs.

Ethics scholars said the incident at the fair, which closed Sunday , offered a case study in the complexity of creating political art. What rules apply for appropriating images and stories previously posted on personal social media accounts, or allegations made in a journalistic context? As socially conscious art has become increasingly popular, and these works enter galleries and other commercial settings, should moral lines be drawn?

This is a whole new set of questions, said Prof. Griselda Pollock, director of the Center for Cultural Analysis, Theory and History at the University of Leeds in Britain. Artists have a right to quote from the world, and they have authorization to present it as their art. But if you use materials that come from one context of use, with its own inherent ethics and politics, into another one, then we find that there are people who are challenging it.No less a critic than Charles Dickens was appalled by the way New York in the 19th century housed its prisoners in the dank, overcrowded and smelly precincts of the Tombs, the city jail in lower Manhattan.

Such indecent and disgusting dungeons as these cells, would bring disgrace upon the most despotic empire in the world!, he wrote in 1842.

Yet into that dark world walked every day a woman who brought the inmates care, compassion and practical help. For these efforts, Rebecca Salome Foster, a volunteer who dedicated herself to humanitarian work after the death of her husband, came to be known as the Tombs Angel.

A sympathetic ear, a zeal to investigate their cases and a willingness to plead their cause with judges were among the blessings she brought to the prisoners, many of them poor, none of them yet convicted of the crimes with which they were charged.While opera cant compete with the screen for verisimilitude, it can provide the opportunity to explore the emotional impact beyond the mere facts, as Andreas Mitisek, the artistic and general director of Long Beach Opera, wrote in a news release for The Central Park Five . The art form can be particularly arresting when it teases out those subtleties in stories weve known primarily as black-and-white reportage  when it imagines Malcolm X or Richard Nixons private musings and sets them to music.

This is what Mr. Davis, among others, have shown that opera can do. But The Central Park Five doesnt, or doesnt always. Forthright and impassioned, it makes clear the crushing injustice of the situation, but provides little emotional nuance beyond that.

Part of the problem is its treatment of the title group: The opera has a Greek chorus as an unwieldy main character. Singing largely in unison or in counterpoint ensemble, the five (played by Derrell Acon, Cedric Berry, Orson Van Gay, Nathan Granner and Bernard Holcomb) never have the chance to come to life as individuals, either in music or words.

And the evocation of their life together as friends in Harlem is too weak to make us really miss it after all goes wrong. Mr. Mitiseks simple, bland production  movable door frames and projected tabloid headlines  doesnt help.

Opening with a saturated, scratchy chord that fractures into jitters, the score, conducted by Leslie Dunner, is most interesting in brief instrumental interludes. The scenes are generally painted with urbane, rhythmically punchy big-band-style jazz, beefed up with strings, under declamatory vocal lines. (Unlike in some contemporary operas, the text is delivered with consistent clarity.) But in the instrumental passages between those scenes, the musical flesh melts away to reveal scattered flecks of instrumentation and an electronic haze  a scraping, buzzing sonic landscape that swiftly evokes the ominousness of the story.ST. LOUIS  The composer Terence Blanchard and the librettist Kasi Lemmons, the creators of the new opera Fire Shut Up in My Bones, based on the 2014 memoir, were inspired by the books wrenching tale of a black boy growing up, the youngest of five brothers, in a segregated rural Louisiana town. And, to their credit, they were not intimidated by it.

The memoir  by Charles Blow, an Opinion columnist for The New York Times  tells of a childhood shaped by cycles of violence, a family life of tough love and chronic turbulence, and the lasting wounds of sexual molestation. Mr. Blow offers an adults reflections in a book that often has the quality of a biblical jeremiad.

Mr. Blanchard, an award-winning jazz trumpeter and film score composer, and Ms. Lemmons, a writer, actress and director, found inventive ways to tell Mr. Blows story in the present, and on their own terms, something that came through at the premiere of their subtly powerful work by the Opera Theater of St. Louis on Saturday. (This is Mr. Blanchards second commission from that company, following Champion, in 2013.)

[How opera is grappling with race this summer.]

One simple device was to present Charles as two characters: a young boy called Chares-Baby (played with endearing awkwardness by Jeremy Denis, a treble) and the 20-year-old Charles, (the charismatic bass-baritone Davone Tines), who is attending a local college. The opera opens, like the memoir, with Charles in a rage, speeding down a country road at night with murder in mind.CITY ON A HILL (2019) 9 p.m. on Showtime. With 1990s Boston as the backdrop, this crime drama addresses the roles racism and corruption played in law enforcement. In order to take down a ring of armed car robbers, an unlikely alliance is formed between a revered yet corrupt veteran F.B.I. agent, Jackie Rohr, played by Kevin Bacon, and Decourcy Ward, the assistant district attorney, played by Aldis Hodge. Although the ten-episode series is fictionalized, the crime fighters unusual approach to subvert Bostons criminal justice system mirrors the real-life change in police tactics that caused a steep decline of violence in the city in the late 1990s, known as the Boston Miracle. The show and the city are made larger-than-life with the help of a heavyweight cast that includes Michael OKeefe, Jill Hennessy, Gloria Reuben and Kevin Dunn, and executive producers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

JAMESTOWN (2017) 10:30 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). In the third season of the historical drama created by the makers of Downton Abbey, three women who are a part of the first contingency of females in the English colony of Jamestown  Alice (Sophie Rundle), Verity (Niamh Walsh) and Jocelyn (Naomi Battrick)  continue to battle the wilderness of 17th century Virginia while dealing with the increasing corruption of settlers in the colony, whose greed begins to inflame tensions with the Native Americans nearby.The demonstrators were inflamed by the polices use of rubber bullets, pepper spray and tear gas last week, and were not appeased on Saturday by Ms. Lams indefinite suspension of the extradition bill that had first sparked the protests, or by her rare apology on Sunday for her handling of the situation. Heres the latest.

Demonstrators fear the bill, which would allow extraditions to the mainland and could expose them to Chinas opaque legal system, will simply be reintroduced.

Chinas leader: Dropping the vote was the biggest concession to public pressure under Xi Jinpings rule, suggesting that despite his increasingly iron grip, there are still limits to his power.

See for yourself: We have video and photos showing how the days of protest unfolded, including mourning for a man who fell to his death Saturday night.

The bills origins: In pushing for the legislation, the government cited a murder case involving a Hong Kong couple in Taiwan, another jurisdiction with which Hong Kong has no extradition agreement. Taiwan officials, who also oppose the extradition bill, have said they will not ask for the suspect even if it passes.Boeings chief executive said on Sunday that the company made a mistake in how it handled a cockpit warning light on the 737 Max. Dennis Muilenburg, the executive, made the comments while addressing reporters on the eve of the Paris Air Show, one of the most important sales events for aircraft manufacturers around the world.

When Boeing began delivering the Max to airlines in 2017, the company believed that the light was operational on all the jets. But after the Max began flying that year, engineers at the company learned that the warning light would work only if a carrier had purchased a separate cockpit indicator.

Most Max customers, including Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines, did not buy the separate indicator. That left many airlines without a functional warning light.

The light alerts pilots of a disagreement between two sensors that measure which direction the plane is pointed. Preliminary investigations suggested that problems with these so-called angle-of-attack sensors contributed to the crashes of two jets, a Lion Air flight last October and an Ethiopian Airlines flight in March, in which 346 people died.Daniel Lee Geller and David Nicholas Pistacchio were married June 14 at the Tribeca Rooftop, an events space in New York. Kristin W. Rothballer, a friend of the couple who became a Universal Life minister for this event, officiated.

Dr. Geller (left), 46, is an assistant professor, specializing in stroke rehabilitation, for the occupational therapy programs at the Columbia Universitys Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. He graduated from Kenyon College, and received a masters degree in occupational therapy and in public health, both from Columbia. He also received a doctoral degree in education from Columbia.

He is the son of Eleanor R. Geller and Dr. Michael H. Geller of Lenox, Mass. The grooms parents both worked for Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pa. His mother retired as a social worker for the hospitals home-health care unit, and his father retired as a radiologist.

Mr. Pistacchio, 58, is a partner and a director of Storyleaders, a Los Angeles company that helps executives change their corporate cultures; he works in New York. He is also a senior adviser for Digital Bridge, a private investment fund, where he specializes in fiber-optic telecommunications companies and works in New York.Emelia Preston Dillon and Harry Stone Fishbein were married June 15 at Ohana Family Camp in Post Mills, Vt. Jonathan E. Bos, a Universal Life minister who is a cousin of the bride, led a ceremony incorporating Jewish traditions.

Ms. Dillon, 29, who goes by Emma, is a senior strategist at Mission Control, a Democratic political consulting firm in Washington. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts.

She is the daughter of Julia D. Preston and Sam Dillon, both of Hoboken, N.J. The brides father is an immigration lawyer practicing in Jersey City. Her mother is a journalist and contributing writer covering immigration at the Marshall Project in Manhattan, a nonprofit news organization covering issues concerning the United States criminal justice system. Her parents were also members of the New York Times staff  her mother until 2016 and her father until 2011. From 1995 to 2001 they were correspondents in Mexico, and part of the team that won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting for a series on drug corruption in Mexico. They are the authors of Opening Mexico: The Making of a Democracy (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004).

Mr. Fishbein, also 29, is the construction quality control manager on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge Project in Washington. He graduated from Lafayette College.Medha Raj and Anirudh Jangalapalli were married June 15 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Austin, Tex. Pandit Varadharajan Ranganadhan, a Hindu priest, officiated.

Dr. Raj, 28, is a consultant in the San Francisco office of L.E.K. Consulting, a management consulting concern. She graduated from Dartmouth College and received a doctoral degree in May in management and organization from the University of Southern California.

She is the daughter of Rajashri Srinivasan and Reuben B. Raj of Austin. The brides father is the founder and chief executive of Genesis Technologies, a provider, in Austin, of technology for educational, nonprofit and government institutions. Her mother is the associate dean for diversity and inclusion at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and she is also a marketing professor there.

Mr. Jangalapalli, 31, is a vice president, specializing in leveraged buyouts and other investments in software companies, in the San Francisco office of Thoma Bravo, an investment firm. He graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth and received an M.B.A. with honors from the University of Pennsylvania.[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]

France McDonald stood outside his 3-year-old daughters funeral last week in tears, smoking a cigarette and wondering what kind of man he was.

If he were fleeing from a burning building, trying to lead his family to safety  his skin stinging with heat, his lungs filling with smoke  and he heard a child crying out from the flames behind him: What would he have done?

I cant imagine it. On one hand youve got your family. But then, its a little girl, McDonald said as he wiped his eyes. I dont know, man.[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]

The cache of documents surfaced in 2018 when the F.B.I. searched the home of a senior member of the cultlike group Nxivm.

Photographs from the search showed agents had found a clear plastic box with a red lid in the basement of a home belonging to Nancy Salzman, Nxivms co-founder, who was known as Prefect.

Inside, agents said, were folders of financial reports labeled with names of journalists, judges, cult experts and others, including Senator Chuck Schumer; the then state attorney general, Eliot Spitzer; and the State Senate majority leader, Joseph L. Bruno.

Most, if not all, of the financial material was inaccurate, an F.B.I. agent, Michael Weniger, said. But Nxivm members appeared to be making a genuine effort to gather information on the targets.[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]

Sometime on Saturday, Marlon Haywood received a text from his tenant: I am on the run from the police BIG TIME.

In the home they shared outside Pittsburgh, Mr. Haywood knew his tenant, Matthew Karelefsky, as a troubled man. The landlord hid his own guns, fearing that Mr. Karelefsky would hurt himself or someone else.

And in Brooklyn, Rabbi Jonathan Max knew Mr. Karelefsky as a man who had sworn a vendetta to kill him.

The police in New York arrested Mr. Karelefsky on Saturday on two counts of attempted murder and one count of arson. He is accused of setting fire to Rabbi Maxs multifamily home in Midwood early Thursday morning, a blaze that hospitalized at least 13 people.Senator John J. Flanagan, a Long Island lawmaker who leads the Republican minority, recently said that passing the bill would be a colossal political mistake for Democrats. Nick Langworthy, the incoming chairman of the state Republican Party, called the bill a product of the extreme left that showed disdain for the rule of law.

County clerks have again denounced the proposal, with some vowing to defy it if it becomes law, and county sheriffs have warned that it would constrain their ability to enforce traffic safety.

The issue is so fraught that even some who publicly support the bill have privately worked to block it. At a fund-raiser earlier this month on Long Island, Mr. Cuomo and Jay Jacobs, the leader of the state Democratic Party, met with five suburban senators and told them that voting for it would be politically perilous, according to two people familiar with the conversation.

Mr. Jacobs, a close ally of Mr. Cuomo, would not comment on that exchange. But he said that several senators as well as Assembly members had asked for his opinion on the issue, and that he had advised them not to heed the demands of the far left.

I think there is a measure of arrogance in forcing people to accept things that theyre not willing to, Mr. Jacobs said. Those people, particularly in the city, frankly, who are pushing this, are really shortsighted in my view.

He added that although he said he supported expanding licenses in theory, he would rather play the long game and not risk the Democratic majorities in both chambers .

None of the six Democratic senators from Long Island returned requests for comment.

Robert Mujica, the governors budget director, said he was present at the Long Island meeting and denied that the governor had discouraged senators from voting for the proposal.To the Editor:

Re Growing Cultural Rift Disrupts a Time-Honored Trip to Israel (front page, June 12), about Jewish activists who have objected that the trips dont include Palestinian perspectives:

Birthright trips are not an entitlement. They are a gift. Young Jews reserve the right to participate, or not. Of course, a free trip, partly funded by the Israeli government, will seek to further certain goals. It is a compelling interest of the Israeli government to engender community and camaraderie among Jews  as well as to facilitate a connection to the one and only Jewish state.

But the programming is apolitical. It doesnt speak about Israeli military or political history, and doesnt delve into the details of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Birthright is not the place for this. Its more about building bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood.

Although these activists may be well intentioned, their protests are irresponsible. Should they wish to venture into the Palestinian territories, they can do so on their time and money. Or, better yet, if they wish to bring about change to the Israeli political system, they can move to Israel and vote.

Daniel G. Dolgicer

New York

To the Editor:

While I was glad to see The Times reporting on Jewish-led protests against Birthright, there were two glaring holes.A California court has ruled that prison inmates are legally allowed to possess marijuana, but that they are not permitted to use it.

Last week , the Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento overturned the convictions of five inmates who were found with pot, pointing to the language of Proposition 64 , the 2016 ballot initiative that made possession of less than one ounce of marijuana no longer a felony in the state.

The purpose of the language is to describe the vast array of means of consumption, and consumption, not possession, is the act the voters determined should remain criminalized if the user is in prison, said the ruling, which was handed down on Tuesday. We agree with defendants that consumption can be achieved in ways not strictly involving smoking or ingesting, such as inhaled as a nonburning vapor or applied topically such that it is absorbed through the skin.

However, the court pointed out that smoking or ingesting marijuana remained a felony.

The ruling added that prison authorities reserved the right to ban possession to maintain order and safety in the prisons.One evening, I was driving through central Maine with our older child, when they announced that when they got out of college they wanted to move to Australia, to help develop anti-venom for the worlds most poisonous snakes.

I offered my opinion: No. I hadnt logged all these years as a parent to have my firstborn dead of a snakebite on the other side of the globe.

You said youd always support my dreams, my child said. You said youd always stand behind me.

I sighed. O.K., I said. Fine. You can become a herpetologist. Ill always support your dreams. Even when your dreams  are stupid.

My child did not, in fact, become a developer of snake anti-venom. But it was not the last time I would think about whether I could support their dreams. Two years ago, in fact, my child sat next to me on the couch and told me she, too, was transgender.

I felt, in that moment, as if I had been struck by lightning. Dear God, I thought. Anything but this. Given how hard being trans has made my life, it was the one thing I hoped my own child might be spared.

In the time since she came out, though, my daughter has mostly been treated with love and support by her friends and the people she works with. I think Ive gotten better at expressing my love and support, too. But it still shames me that at the moment my child first came out to me, I reacted in a manner not dissimilar from the one I used when she told me she wanted to milk the venom from snakes.

Why was my mother able to open her heart, when my own heart, in the exact same circumstance, fought to just stay closed? Why is my daughters generation better than mine when it comes to accepting abundance and variation in human sexuality and identity? Why, to them, is being queer a delight and a cause for celebration, when for me it was something for which I felt I had to apologize, over and over, and to endlessly explain?The mayor of Phoenix apologized on Saturday after videos showed that police officers in the city who had been responding to a report of a shoplifting had drawn their weapons, shouted expletives, and threatened to shoot a man in the face in front of his young children.

The mayor, Kate Gallego, said in a statement that she was sick over what she had seen in the videos.

It was completely inappropriate and clearly unprofessional, she said. There is no situation in which this behavior is ever close to acceptable. As a mother myself, seeing these children placed in such a terrifying situation is beyond upsetting.

The episode has drawn widespread attention as police encounters with civilians have faced heightened scrutiny, which is increasingly augmented by videos captured by bystanders on cellphones or by officers body cameras.There is going to be a real income inequality, Steven Rattner, a Wall Street executive and Democratic donor, said of the coming fund-raising results for the second quarter, which covers April through June. You are going to see a big separation between the rich and the poor.

[Which Democrats are leading the 2020 race? Check out our new weekly tracker.]

This is an especially important moment for Mr. Biden: He will soon say how much money he has raised since entering the race on April 25  the first such disclosure of his campaign  and his team knows the reinforcing power of a big haul to cement his status as the Democratic front-runner. The pressure is intense on other candidates to demonstrate momentum among big and small donors alike, with the aim of raising more money in the spring than the winter, when Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Ms. Harris, former Representative Beto ORourke of Texas and Mr. Buttigieg took in the most.

Not everyone is chasing Wall Street cash: Two candidates in the top tier of polls, Mr. Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, have railed against the financial industry and opted against the kind of fancy fund-raisers with catering and $2,800 admission prices that lubricate the donor industry.

Still, in New York, the supply and demand is so strong that there are fund-raisers almost daily from morning until night.

Hamilton E. James, the executive vice chairman of Blackstone and a top fund-raiser, hosted Mr. Buttigieg at his home on Thursday. The short-selling hedge fund manager James Chanos will hold an event for Mr. Biden on Monday. And on Tuesday, Marc Lasry, the hedge fund manager and co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, is gathering checks for Ms. Harris. Co-hosts of that event include Blair W. Effron, an investment bank co-founder and an influential Democratic financier, and Ray McGuire, vice chairman of Citigroup.Mr. Swalwell said he tries to spend no more than five consecutive days away from his children. His family relies on his wifes aunt, who lives with them, and an additional babysitter to help with child care. Like the candidate, his wife also frequently travels for her job. Its a day-to-day challenge to make the child care part of it work, he said. We just cant afford to not have both of us work.

Fathers are far from the only ones talking loudly about the emotional and financial struggles of balancing work and family responsibilities. Senator Elizabeth Warren frequently tells the story of her 78-year-old Aunt Bee, who moved into her house after her divorce in 1978 to help care for her children, allowing her to keep working as a law professor.

Senator Kamala Harris has written about the pain of missing her stepdaughters high school graduation to question the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey at a congressional hearing. And Senator Amy Klobuchar attributes the start of her political career to getting kicked out of the hospital 24 hours after giving birth to her daughter, who was born with a medical condition.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, whose two sons are 15 and 11, has placed the working mom juggle at the center of her pitch to voters, promising to fight for your children as hard as I would fight for my own. She has on occasion asked female reporters with young children who are covering the campaign if their husbands work. She understands the logistics challenge: Her husband is staying home in Washington with the children during the presidential campaign, though the entire family plans to spend much of the summer in upstate New York where her campaign is based.

Ms. Gillibrand is the only woman to run for a major partys presidential nomination with school-age children at home, a fact that reflects the reality that women have typically entered politics at a later age than men. Women waited until their kids were grown to run for office, like Hillary Clinton, or, if they did not wait, were urged to tamp down talk of their family lives.

That began to change with the 2018 midterms, when a new crop of younger female candidates publicly embraced their role as mothers, arguing that their family life made them more qualified  not less  for political office.

After many won, they set out changing the culture of Congress, creating an informal mom caucus to call for changes like shifting the scheduling of votes earlier to better accommodate child-care needs.WASHINGTON  As a former federal prosecutor, Representative Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey says she relies on evidence, and she needs to see more of it before considering whether to impeach President Trump.

Ditto for Representative Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former C.I.A. officer who has been studying the chapter on impeachment in a 1,068-page book on House procedures, and for Representative Lucy McBath of Georgia, who says she is old enough to remember Watergate. Representative Abigail Spanberger of Virginia swats away the question: Im focused on prescription drugs and infrastructure.

In a House that can be dominated by loud voices on the left, these lawmakers  all freshman Democrats who flipped Republican seats in 2018  form the backbone of a quiet power center, and centrist majority makers like Ms. Sherrill, Ms. Slotkin, Ms. McBath and Ms. Spanberger, all from districts won by Mr. Trump, will most likely have the final say on impeachment.

The president is testing their resolve on a near-daily basis. His declaration on Wednesday that he would take campaign help from a foreign power drew bipartisan condemnation on Capitol Hill and tipped a few more Democrats into the impeachment camp, but the majority makers stood firm. His blanket assertion of executive privilege over documents on the decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census strengthened the hands of Democrats who say the presidents stonewall of the Houses oversight function is, itself, impeachable.WASHINGTON  The visa applications of hundreds of international students seeking to work in the United States this summer are languishing at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, where increased processing times have left students stranded and university leaders struggling with the fallout.

Students have written petitions and panicked letters to leaders of some of the top universities in the country as their internship start dates have come and gone with no word from the federal government.

Recent graduates of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism are pushing back start dates for internships and relying on their parents for day-to-day expenses. Students at Princeton have had job offers rescinded, and have been forced to return home for the summer. At Dartmouth College, students reported losing money they spent for housing and flights to live and work in other states. At Yale, students scrambled to enroll in a newly created course that would allow the university to approve their summer employment.

Every morning I wake up with anxiety, wondering what am I going to do today when Im supposed to be working, said Yaling Jiang, 26, a student from China and recent graduate of Columbias journalism school, who was supposed to start an internship last Monday at a trade publication run by The Financial Times.But on Sunday, the company seemed to experience yet another outage at its registers.

Joshua Mcbride said that fellow shoppers at his local Target in Phoenix were annoyed at the situation and that there were about 50 people waiting in line to pay on Sunday afternoon.

The lines were wrapped around the place, Mr. Mcbride said. They were super long and all the managers were saying the entire system had crashed, and that they were only able to accept cash because their credit card systems were down, as well as the Target system itself.

Target uses a separate vendor to accept payments, Mr. Poulos said in a statement on Sunday, and the vendor experienced an issue at one of its data centers. Target was unable to process certain card payments at some stores for about 90 minutes, he said.

While it was not clear how many stores were affected, Mr. Poulos said the issue was resolved and that no payment information was compromised. He also said Sundays issue was unrelated to Saturdays trouble.

We never want to disappoint any guests and were working tirelessly to ensure these issues dont happen again, he said.Geoffrey Brown, a developmental psychologist in the department of human development and family science at the University of Georgia, who has studied fathers of young children, described the phenomenon of maternal gatekeeping  mothers play a large role in determining fathers roles. Mothers can encourage and they can discourage, he said, and sometimes both at once, with mothers asking fathers to do something and then not liking the way it gets done.

In one of his research studies, looking at fathers and 3-year-olds, the effects of the fathers involvement on the childs attachment varied depending on whether the involvement was play or caregiving, and whether it happened on workdays or non-workdays.

Research has shown that fathers involvement has lots of benefits, Dr. Garfield said. We know that fathers use different words than mothers, and that helps develop the childs expressive vocabulary, they use different language when out and about in the world. Fathers are more likely to engage in rough and tumble play, he said, and they often keep changing the rules, which can be very exciting for children and helps them learn.

In the poll, 32 percent of the fathers had been criticized for being too rough, and 32 percent for not paying attention to their children. Some things are unique to dads, Ms. Clark said. Being too rough and not paying attention play into some of the gender stereotypes still present in our society.

[Read about a new ban in Britain on ads depicting gender stereotypes such as men being unable to change diapers.]

Fathers tend to engage with their children in more physically active ways, Dr. Brown said, and tend to take more risks and encourage exploration. They might be engaging with their kids in a way, not just not harmful but actually helpful, but different from mothers.

Mothers sometimes note with irritation that fathers may get a great deal of praise just for showing up or for getting a child dressed. But its insulting when fathers face the assumption that were babysitting rather than parenting, Dr. Hill said. You wouldnt praise a woman for getting the barrettes in straight. A father might hear something like, Wow, her hair is combed, congratulations!KHARTOUM, Sudan  Sudans deposed dictator, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, was taken from a prison in the capital Khartoum to face corruption charges on Sunday in his first public appearance since he was ousted from power in April.

Appearing in a white robe and turban, as he did for much of his 30 years in power, Mr. al-Bashir was led through the gates of Kober prison, a notorious facility where he once sent his own enemies.

His appearance quelled months of speculation among many Sudanese who suspected that, contrary to assertions by the countrys military leaders, Mr. al-Bashir was being quietly detained in luxury or had even managed to flee the country.

Security officials escorted Mr. al-Bashir, 75, to a vehicle that took him to the chief prosecutors office, where he was formally charged with corruption and money laundering. He did not speak to reporters waiting outside the jail.I will skin you! she shouted in a confrontation caught on video. Write down the names. Search the whole locality, house by house. How dare you!

Mr. Ghosh joined Ms. Banerjees party soon after retiring as a civil servant in the 1990s. As a close political adviser, he was central to her 2011 victory to become chief minister in the state, with a population just short of 100 million.

In return, she had promised to nominate him for a local assembly seat. The rupture between them emerged when Ms. Banerjee announced the name of one Dipak on the candidate list, just not Dipak Ghosh.

The B.J.P. decided to contest local elections vigorously in West Bengal last year. While it did not make many inroads then, the partys willingness to sacrifice effort, cash and even personnel  around 45 B.J.P. supporters are thought to have been killed in political violence in that season  made an impression on the states voters that it was here to stay, Mr. Ghosh said.

I dont think she realized it fully, Mr. Ghosh said of the B.J.P. threat. They gave blood.

Even Ms. Banerjees critics characterize her as a hard-working and seemingly tireless fighter.

She is in her element on the streets and at rallies, arriving in her trademark white sari, wearing white flip-flops, her hands clasped in respect. Then she grabs the microphone, pacing the stage left and right.

She knows how to connect with the common man, said Debasish Bhattacharya, who runs a magazine supported by Ms. Banerjees party. She has fought against the odds throughout her life. But this is a much bigger fight, and she has also become older. This will be a tougher fight.The Hong Kong government has suspended a bill that would allow extraditions to mainland China, in a significant concession to protesters who turned out by the hundreds of thousands to oppose it.

But that was not enough to stop them from filling the streets again on Sunday.

Withdraw the bill! protesters chanted as they marched through central Hong Kong for the second Sunday in a row, fearing that otherwise lawmakers will try to pass it later.

[Follow our live updates on the protests.]

The law would allow criminal suspects in Hong Kong, a semiautonomous Chinese territory, to be transferred for trial in mainland China, where the courts are controlled by the ruling Communist Party. While the Hong Kong government says the law is necessary to prevent the city from becoming a haven for criminals, opponents fear that Beijing could use it to target political dissidents.

[Why are people protesting in Hong Kong? Catch up here.]

The grievances expressed by protesters on Sunday went beyond the extradition bill itself. The police used excessive force at an earlier protest, they said, and were wrong to describe the demonstrations as riots. Protesters also called for the release of those who had been arrested and the resignation of Carrie Lam, Hong Kongs chief executive.Tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents paid tribute on Sunday to a man most did not know, a 35-year-old protester who fell to his death outside an upscale mall late Saturday after unfurling a banner that denounced the extradition bill. The police characterized his death as a suicide.

The man was a mystery to many, an ordinary protester who was identified by the police only by his surname, Leung. But this much, the protesters knew: He wore a yellow raincoat.

The raincoat, and the harsh criticisms of the government inscribed on its back, became a motif in the demonstrations on Sunday.

Mr. Leung had been perched for hours on Saturday on the roof of a mall near the Hong Kong government complex. Shortly after 9 p.m., he climbed onto scaffolding on the side of the building, the authorities said. But as firefighters tried to rescue him, he fell, according to the police, landing next to an inflatable air cushion that had been set up to catch him. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Many protesters carried flowers to mourn Mr. Leung, whom they referred to as a warrior, hero and martyr. They chanted his slogans, calling the police coldblooded and saying that Hong Kongs chief executive, Carrie Lam, was killing the city. Some wore yellow raincoats in his honor.

At night, protesters held a vigil for the man, holding candles and waving mobile phone flashlights. Perry Chan, an artist, stood with an easel painting an image of the crowd. In one corner of the painting was the now widely-shared image of the man in the yellow raincoat.

Emily Liu, a banker originally from mainland China, took her five-year-old son to the memorial because she wanted to show him what was at stake in the battle over the extradition bill, she said.On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of people marched again in Hong Kong despite the governments concession a day before, insisting that the legislation be withdrawn while making new demands, including for an investigation into the use of excessive force by the police in clashes with protesters. The large turnout was a surprise, and it means the crisis is not over for Mr. Xi. Given how he has consolidated power in China, he may find it increasingly difficult to avoid blame.

The risk for Mr. Xi is not limited to Hong Kong. Though he has no visible rivals, he may face criticism in the leadership. And the mainland governments censors, at least, are clearly concerned that the extraordinary events might inspire Mr. Xis beleaguered critics in mainland China, and they have been working vigorously to block the news from spreading.

[Protesters in Hong Kong once again took to the streets on Sunday.]

This further chips away at the image of Xi as an all-powerful, omnicompetent and visionary leader, Mr. Blanchette added.

The demonstrations also made clear that after 22 years, Beijing has had minimal success in weaving Hong Kong into the countrys central political, economic and security systems, all dominated by the Communist Party. But if Mr. Xi and his cadres want to proceed more forcefully to bind Hong Kong to the mainland, they must also see how that could invite new waves of protest.The loss of Istanbul, which has been in his partys hands since Mr. Erdogan was mayor in the 1990s, caught the party by surprise, one of its lawmakers from the city acknowledged. Istanbul is Mr. Erdogans home base and a huge source of wealth and prestige for the A.K.P.

The legislator, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with party guidelines, said Istanbul had been presumed to be in the bag. But the last election proved that assumption flawed, at best.

Ihsan Aktas of the Genar polling firm, which had correctly predicted a close race in Istanbul, said the A.K.P. forgot how to win by winning so often. The opposition, he said, was far more motivated and united because of its opposition to Mr. Erdogan.

Opinion polls show the opposition candidate, Mr. Imamoglu, 49, just ahead of Mr. Yildirim, 63. Mr. Imamoglu, mayor of an outlying district of Istanbul, won support with an all-embracing grass-roots campaign that played well with residents of the city.

Many have grown weary of more than 20 years of the A.K.P.s running Istanbul and are feeling the bite of an economic downturn as the currency, the lira, has shed much of its value.

Some analysts have predicted that a sympathy vote for Mr. Imamoglu  who was declared winner and took up office the first time around, only to have his mandate subsequently withdrawn  could increase his chances in the rerun.LONDON  A British-Iranian woman who has been imprisoned in Tehran has begun a new hunger strike to demand her freedom, her husband said as he vowed to support her by fasting outside the Iranian Embassy in London.

The woman, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, was a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation when she was arrested in April 2016 at a Tehran airport as she headed back to Britain with her young daughter, Gabriella, after a family visit.

Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, now 40, was sentenced to five years in jail after being convicted of plotting to overthrow Irans clerical establishment, a charge strongly denied by her family and the foundation, a charity that operates independently of Thomson Reuters and Reuters News.

Today I received a phone call from Nazanin in prison, her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, said in a statement on Saturday. She had informed the judiciary that she has begun a new hunger strike  she will drink water  to protest at her continuing unfair imprisonment.BEIRUT, Lebanon  A Saudi teenager who faced possible execution for acts he was accused of committing as a child has been handed a 12-year prison sentence instead, a human rights group that has been monitoring his case said on Sunday.

Last year the Saudi public prosecutors office sought a death sentence for Murtaja Qureiris, now 18, but the threat of execution did not become public until last week, drawing international condemnation. The charges filed against the teenager related to his attendance at antigovernment protests, some that took place when he was as young as 10. The charges included possessing a firearm and joining a terrorist organization.

He was arrested at 13 and has been held in prison since.

The judge overseeing his case delivered the sentence on Thursday, according to the rights group, the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, which has tracked the case for years.

According to the group, the judge told the teenagers lawyer that instead of the death penalty, he would receive a 12-year sentence that would include the four years he has already served and four years of probation after his release, meaning he would serve three more years in prison.How bad is the mess in autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan and can it be fixed

Elections make for strange bedfellows in Iraqs self-ruled Kurdish region, and when they are over power struggles among the victors begin. This has been the case since the breakaway northern Iraqi enclave held its first ballot in 1994.

On 10 June, Nechirvan Barzani, prime minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), was sworn in as the regions newly elected president, succeeding his uncle Masoud Barzani who quit after the failure of an independence referendum in 2017.

Nechirvan Barzani was elected president by the regions 111-member parliament on 28 May in a session boycotted by the second-largest party in Kurdistan, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and a few other smaller opposition groups.

He won 68 votes from the 81 members present. Members of the Gorran (Change) Movement as well as Turkmens and Assyrians joined Barzanis Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to push through his nomination despite opposition by the PUK.

However, the proceedings have now paved the way for a divisive new contest in Iraqi Kurdistan, which was already marred by conflict, confusion and foreign involvement.

Without a lasting solution to the regions governmental crisis, repeated conflicts will sabotage the fragile political process and may lead to a confrontation between the regions two most powerful political groups.

The political instability and factional in-fighting that followed last Septembers legislative elections will define the course to be taken by this region of some five million people who have become a major factor in the larger regions stability.

While the KDP came first in the elections, winning 45 seats in the parliament and positioning it to lead the next government, Kurdistans future in large part depends on the commitment of the two main parties to power-sharing.

Iraqi Kurdistan has been autonomous since 1991, and its politics have been dominated by on-again off-again power-sharing between the KDP and the PUK. The two parties are not only political but also ideological rivals.

The 50/50 formula that splits power equally between the KDP and the PUK, including control over government and resources, has allowed the two parties to impose their heavy-handed rule over the region.

Since the regions independence referendum in 2017, the KDP and the PUK have been mired in in-fighting and have blamed each other for responsibility for the aborted referendum.

Masoud Barzanis decision to hold the referendum to break away from Iraq despite furious Iraqi and regional objections ended in abysmal failure and amounted to a humiliation of catastrophic proportions for Iraqs Kurds.

Instead of paving the way to statehood or boosting the Kurds bargaining power in negotiations with the Iraqi government in Baghdad, the vote triggered a catastrophic reversal of fortunes for Iraqs Kurds.

The referendum did not only divide the Kurdish movement, but it also electrified the region and cast doubts over its future. One of the major consequences of its failure was the loss of Kirkuk and other territories that the KRG had seized while Iraqi federal forces were busy fighting the Islamic State (IS) terror group in 2014.

The present governmental crisis started after the legislative elections, when the newly elected parliament failed to elect a speaker, the key to the assemblys functioning and the formation of a new government for the region.

The KDP lawmakers and their allies then chose an interim speaker in February this year, deepening the rift between the two main political parties.

Months of hectic negotiations over power-sharing faltered after the two parties disagreed on the allocation of cabinet positions in the KRG and who should hold power in making key decisions in the region.

The PUK has sought guarantees that the KDP will not capitalise on its parliamentary majority to seek a monopoly of power in the region, and it has demanded a bigger share of both power and the regions resources.

But in addition to nominating Nechirvan Barzani as the new KRG president, the KDP has selected Masrour Barzani, Masouds son and head of the regions security forces, as the new prime minister.

With Masoud Barzani still head of the KDP and promoted to the position of a national figurehead and powerful members of the Barzani clan in positions of power in Erbil, the reshuffle has raised concerns about the Barzanis entrenching themselves further in the KRGs traditional power structure.

Such an enormous concentration of power is expected to reignite competition with the family of former PUK leader Jalal Talabani, who died in 2017, which has also succeeded in building a political clan that enjoys strong leadership positions, especially in Suleimaniya and Kirkuk.

One of the other contentious issues that has complicated efforts to form a new government is the KDPs and the PUKs dispute over whom to back as the new governor of Kirkuk. Each party is seeking to nominate a favourable operative for the key post in this oil-rich province.

Kurds control 26 out of the 41 members of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, but the friction between the KDP and the PUK has prevented the council from convening in order to appoint a new governor for Kirkuk.

The two parties have been vying for control of Kirkuks oil, which is not just a sign of financial gain, but also indicates political power. With Kirkuks oil reserves totalling some 10 per cent of Iraqs total, the struggle highlights the motivations behind the strategic efforts of the regional powerhouses in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the tensions come as Iraqi Kurdistan becomes increasingly entangled in the regional board game, especially as a result of Turkeys military involvement in northern Iraq and the US-Iranian showdown.

The KRG is currently caught between its powerful northern neighbour of Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that uses Iraqs mountainous region as a base in its fight for self-rule in southeast Turkey.

Last week, the Turkish military launched Operation Claw against the PKK in the Kurdish region using artillery shells, air strikes, and the deployment of commandos in Iraqs northern region. Turkey said the push aimed to eliminate the logistical assets of the PKK in the area, which has been used for sneaking into Turkey.

Turkish forces have maintained a presence in a string of bases inside Iraqi Kurdistan near the border for some two decades, and their presence has been a source of contention in the conflict-ridden region.

With tensions between Washington and Tehran on the rise, a potentially dangerous conflict in Iraq could also enmesh the two Kurdish parties, which have traditionally sought to weigh their options and balance relationships between Washington and Tehran.

There are increasing signs that Iran has been more active recently in seeking to expand its engagement and political, economic, and security influence in Kurdistan.

There are also other regional and international stakeholders that are believed to be exploiting the explosive crisis in Kurdistan to serve their own agendas in Iraq.

While the United States has been maintaining strong political and military ties with the region in order to defend its interests, including by applying pressure on Iran, Russia has joined the oil chess game by buying the strategic pipeline that links Kirkuk to Ceyhan, the Turkish terminal on the Mediterranean Sea.

Some of Iraqs Arab neighbours are also eyeing the Kurdish region as a starting point to expand their influence in Iraq. Instability in Kurdistan presents challenges and opportunities for these neighbours.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have been building warm political, economic and cultural ties with the KRG, and these should make them potential actors in Iraqs conflicts.

Maintaining stability should remain the main objective of Kurdistans main parties. If the present volatility leads to a breakdown in the system, the region could return to chaos and possibly to civil war.

On Monday, the PUK sent a delegation to Nechirvan Barzanis inauguration ceremony, apparently in a gesture of goodwill as the two groups remain focused on attempts to form a new government.

Yet, it is unlikely that the move will be able to lump Kurdistans two main parties together.

Iraqi Kurdistans dysfunctional political system lies at the heart of the conflict. Unless there is a lasting deal on reforming the entire political system in the region to end the monopoly on power by the two main parties, prospects for a long-term solution for Kurdistans governmental crisis look remote.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 13 June, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Kurdistans instability

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Troy Turner is editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He previously served as the news editor in New York for the nation's second largest newspaper company, and as the senior editor at several other news entities around the nation. He is an Auburn alum.

Follow TROY TURNER Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today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.Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick returned home last week for a special celebration.

Professor Fitzpatrick's Channel 4 show based in his busy vet practice in Surrey is watched by millions.

He often pops back home to Laois where he grew up on a Ballyfin farm, and attended secondary school in Ballyfin College, now the luxury Ballyfin House Hotel.

Late in May, he came back to celebrate his mother Rita's 90th birthday.

He tweeted lovely photos of Rita surrounded by lots of chocolates and balloons showing photos of her wedding day.

"90 heart shaped chocolates to wish a very Happy 90th Birthday to Mammy Rita. The brightest star of them all x " he wrote.

90 heart shaped chocolates to wish a very Happy 90th Birthday to Mammy Rita. The brightest star of them all x  pic.twitter.com/mVTbw2hUDM  Noel Fitzpatrick (@ProfNoelFitz) May 27, 2019

Professor Fitzpatrick also met one of his old teachers from Ballyfin to also celebrate his birthday.

"While in Ireland I visited my science teacher Brother Maurice who is 94 this week. He believed in and encouraged me - and showed me that everything is possible x" he wrote.

While in Ireland I visited my science teacher Brother Maurice who is 94 this week. He believed in and encouraged me - and showed me that everything is possible x pic.twitter.com/JozRrrM2Mf  Noel Fitzpatrick (@ProfNoelFitz) May 27, 2019

The show returns for a new series on Wednesday, June 19 on Channel 4 at 8pm.News that two tanker ships have suffered suspected attacks in the Gulf of Oman, near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, has focused new attention on the region as tensions have risen between the United States and Iran  and between their allies.

Where is the Strait of Hormuz?

The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. It is in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman and is an international transit route. Its narrowest point is 24 miles wide. But the width of the shipping lanes  one in each direction  is only 2 miles wide. When ships travel eastward into the Gulf of Oman, they then can then travel to the rest of the world.

Why is the strait in the news?

Two oil tankers near the strait suffered suspected attacks on Thursday. The United States has blamed Iran.By early Sunday afternoon, five people had been shot in Omaha over the weekend, including one in the Old Market.

The shootings occurred separately, and in each case a $10,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.

Noting that numerous people were around at the time of the Old Market shooting, police issued a special plea on social media for help from the public.

We need help! Deputy Chief Ken Kanger tweeted Sunday. Multiple people around during the shooting last night in the Old Market. Show this individual We wont tolerate this behavior.

That shooting occurred at 1:45 a.m. Saturday near 12th and Howard Streets. A single gunshot was heard, and police found JaVion Milton, 19, with injuries that were serious but not life-threatening. Police say the shooting was gang-related.

Of all the shootings, the most severely wounded was 23-year-old Mariah Rhodes. She was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center in critical condition and is expected to survive, according to police. Rhodes was shot about 1:30 a.m. Sunday near 20th and F Streets.

The other shootings (times are approximate):A 19-year-old man was shot near 12th and Harney Streets early Saturday, the Omaha Police Department reported.

According to police, officers responded to the sound of one gunshot at 1:49 a.m. and located the apparent victim, JaVion Milton, who was transported to the Nebraska Medical Center.

Miltons injuries were described as serious but not life-threatening.

The shooting comes nearly a year after the June 2 shooting downtown that killed 20-year-old Jasmine Harris and injured several others.Juneteenth is a holiday on June 19 that marks the day when slaves in Texas learned of their freedom two years after the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln went into effect in 1863.

Dayneisha Jackson has been coming to the Juneteenth parade since she was 10 years old. Saturday, she brought her daughters, ages 8 and 11.

Its something that we do as a black community; everyone should try to come down and enjoy themselves for the weekend, she said.

Eddie and Lynn Walker have also tried to make the parade a tradition.

Its something thats been going on for generations and generations so we just try to come out and support it, said Eddie.

For Latoya Moses, the day is all about supporting local groups and businesses.

I love all the drill teams and all the support out here, Moses said. Its just about celebrating us as a community and getting together supporting all the businesses. I love my city.

Robin Robson said he and his wife came for the celebration and to reflect on the importance of Juneteenth.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.For years, Ive worked with my colleagues in Congress to put pressure on the Corps to put the protection of life and property at the top of the list of priorities identified in the Corps Master Manual. Flood control should be the No. 1 priority in operations of the river year-round.

From 1979 until the changes in 2004, the Master Manual stated that the No. 1 priority was flood control. Changes to the manual since 2004 made it so the Corps must balance the purposes of the river. Since then, there has been a dramatic increase in flood frequency and in floodwater levels. In a field hearing held in Glenwood, Iowa, earlier this year, Sen. Joni Ernst and I had an opportunity to question the Corps on its management of the river. I continue to have conversations with Corps leadership about this important issue.

Additionally, I cosponsored the Army Corps of Engineers Flood Control Civilian Advisory Council Act. Introduced by Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, the bill would create an advisory council. The council would be appointed by the president in consultation with the Senate and would include two members from each state that borders the Missouri River that represent the agriculture community and other river commerce industries.The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will consider a staff recommendation to approve a proposed 2020 mountain lion season when it meets Friday in Alma.

The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at Alma Country Club, 102 Dick Brown Memorial Drive. A public hearing on the mountain lion recommendation will begin at 9:30 a.m.

The proposed season would provide a harvest opportunity for up to eight mountain lions in two sub-units within the Pine Ridge of northwestern Nebraska.

The proposed season would allow the population to remain healthy while halting growth or moderately reducing the population size. This would initiate a reduction of the population density in the Pine Ridge to one similar to that of other western states that allow mountain lion hunting.

Youth summer camps available

Youth ages 8 to 14 can attend summer day camps hosted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center.

Kids will have the opportunity to explore archery, campfire cooking, outdoor games and more. The following camps are accepting registrations:After all-party meet, Pralhad Joshi says PM wants to build team spirit in Parliament

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, June 16: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi invited presidents of all the parties for a meeting in Parliament on June 19 and discussed all the subjects and issues of national relevance. The meeting was held in room number G-074, Parliament Library Building, New Delhi.

Speaking to the reporters at the end of the all-party meet, Pralhad Joshi said, "We have received suggestions from opposition parties as well as our allies. Prime Minister made concluding remarks that there are several new faces in the parliament, & new thoughts should come with them."

Modi Sarkar 2.0: First session of 17th Lok Sabha tomorrow

''Prime Minister wants to build team spirit in the Parliament, so he has called a meeting of all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs on June 20th. He would like to discuss important issues including One Nation, One Election & 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi,'' Joshi further said.

The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will be convened from June 17 to July 26 during which the Union Budget will be presented by the new government on July 5.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 15:00 [IST]Mamata Banerjee upset after not being allowed to speak during PMs meet

Agitating doctors open for talks with WB CM Mamata, but will decide venue later

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, June 16: The medicos across the country continued their ongoing strike on Sunday and said that they are ready to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but the venue of the meeting would be decided later.

Agitating junior doctors in Kolkata on Saturday turned down Chief Minister's appeal to end their stir and resume duty, saying there was no honest effort on her part to break the deadlock.

The agitating junior doctors also rubbished Mamata Banerjee's claims that a few of their colleagues visited her at the state secretariat. At the same time resident doctors of AIIMS have withdrawn their strike on Saturday. All the resident doctors have returned to their work, but will continue to oppose the phenomenon in Bengal.

Political violence in Bengal: 1,035 in 2018, 773 and counting this year

To show their support, doctors at AIIMS will work with wearing black strips and helmets. They will again go on an indefinite strike from June 17 if the situation does not improve.

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".

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.

Bengal impasse continuous as protesting doctors reject Mamata's call for talks

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, Mumbai, Kolkata, and many other cities faced hardships as the protest by doctors, in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Bengal, continued in several government hospitals.

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 12:25 [IST]Death toll in Cyclone Shaheen now five as storm moves into Oman

Bihar: 84 children die within 2 weeks due to acute Encephalitis in Muzaffarpur

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Muzaffarpur, June 16: The death toll of children rose to 84 this month as one more child died of suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Muzaffarpur on Sunday morning. Most of the casualties are between the age group of 1-10.

According to the doctors, the deaths due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) are being caused due to excessive heat and humidity. Locally, this fever is being called 'Chamki'.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the death and ordered payment of Rs four lakh as ex-gratia to the next of the kin of the deceased, an official release said.

Bihar: After acute Encephalitis Syndrome, heat wave kills 12 in Gaya

Harsh Vardhan, accompanied by Union Minister of State for Health Ashwani Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey, visited the state-owned Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH).

"The Ministers are holding a closed-door review meeting with the doctors and health officials to take stock of the situation," a district health official said.

A day earlier to his visit, Harsh Vardhan said that the health ministry is constantly monitoring the situation and supporting the state health authorities in managing the AES/JE cases.

Meanwhile, father of a patient admitted at Sri Krishna Medical College & Hospital in Muzaffarpur said that there are no arrangements in the hospital. He said, "Doctors are not paying proper attention. Every hour, more children are dying. Since 12 midnight, there are no doctors, only few nurses are on duty."

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 13:41 [IST]Weather report: Heat wave likely for two days over east, central India, says IMD

Bihar: After acute Encephalitis Syndrome, heat wave kills 12 in Gaya

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, June 16: After Acute Encephalitis Syndrome led to the death of 66 children in Bihar, as many as 12 people died on Saturday at the Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College in Gaya due to severe heat stroke while 25 others remain to be admitted for the same.

Aurangabad Sub-division officer Pradeep Kumar and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Anoop Kumar reached the district hospital with the forces to tackle any with untoward incident.

Union Health Min Dr Harsh Vardhan said,''It's very unfortunate that people have died due to heat stroke.I advise ppl to avoid moving out of house till temperature reduces.Intense heat affects brain&leads to various health issues.''

4 passengers on Kerala Express die in UP of 'unbearable' heat: Report

Gaya District Magistrate (DM) Abhishek Singh told news agency ANI, "Out of the 12, seven were from Gaya, two from Aurangabad, one from Chatra, one from Sheikhpura and one from Nawada. 25 patients are admitted here, efforts on to bring them back to normalcy."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar extended his condolences to the families, while DM Abhishek Singh said, "Families of the deceased will be given an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each. Those belonging to BPL categories are being given Rs 20,000 each for the last rites."

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 11:06 [IST]Now, pay Rs 10,000 as penalty in case you enter wrong Aadhaar number for transactions

Budget 2019: Startups, IT industry meet Thakur, discuss tax issues

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, June 16: Ahead of the Budget, representatives of tech sector and industry bodies like Nasscom, IAMAI and MAIT met Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur Saturday to discuss various issues, including tax structure, and share their views on strengthening digital economy.

The pre-Budget consultation meeting also focussed on data issues such as use of Big Data technology in improving the forecasting of economic, financial, climatic etc phenomena by analysing large data sets, for providing a fillip to the SME sector and for public governance, as per an official statement.

Other issues, which dominated the discussion, included digital infrastructure and role of government, regulation of digital economy especially in privacy, consumer protection and financial regulation and software as service among others, the statement said.

Modi Govt 2.0 to present Budget on July 5, Parliament session to begin from June 17

The meeting was also attended by officials from the Finance Ministry, Electronics & IT Ministry, Department of Telecommunications, CBDT and others.

"The representatives of digital economy and start-ups shared their views and suggestions regarding Big Data, data mining, building of digital infrastructure as the big challenge before Indian economy besides scaling-up and incentivising Research & Development (R&D) within India. While the experts discussed the issues ailing their respective fields, they also suggested a variety of solutions to the sector specific problems," the statement said.

Development of startups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) ecosystem in the country also featured in various suggestions, it added.

The representatives gave suggestions related to angel tax, differential tax structure for assembled and manufactured goods, industry-friendly review of spectrum auction norms, reduction of dependence on international software service, continuation of existing tax benefits to digital companies, reduction in Corporate Tax, among others.

"We urged the government to deal with the angel tax issue urgently. In February, the government had considered Section 56 (2) of the Income Tax but notices have been served under Section 68," Internet and Mobile Association of India President Subho Ray told PTI.

He added that the association also pointed out that a CBDT paper has proposed that for foreign digital companies, their user base also be used as a factor with high weightage among parameters like assets and revenue for profit attribution.

"This, we believe, is not only unfair to foreign digital companies operating in India but fear that the same parameter could be extended to domestic players as well. In a country like India that is rapidly adopting digital platforms, such a move would be a slippery slope for growth," he said.

IT body Nasscom has urged the government to continue the tax incentives to units in special economic zones beyond March 2020, saying that such a move will provide industry with certainty and enable them to invest in long-term strategy.

Budget 2019: Heavy emphasis on farmers assured

The body - which represents an industry that earns over USD 130 billion in foreign exchange - has suggested that the new tax-friendly SEZ policy should retain existing tax benefits and provide concessional rate of 9 per cent Minimum Alternative Tax (MAT).

Other participants included representatives from Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association of India (TEMA), Broadband India Forum, Electronic and Computer Software Export Promotion Council, Manufacturers Association for Information Technology (MAIT); ELCINA (Electronic Industries Association of India), and Indian Cellular and Electronics Association.

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 8:25 [IST]Pakistan uses fake Islam is in danger narrative as main theme of its terror indoctrination

How Pakistan used almonds to fund terror and back-stab Indias good-will on LoC trade

Dont get misguided by propaganda of terrorists says Army

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, June 16: Four youths, who wanted to cross the Line of Control (LoC) to join terrorist ranks, were taken into custody in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir and later handed over to their families, the Army said.

Addressing a press conference in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, Commander 79 Mount Brigade Girish Kalia said the youths were taken into custody by the Army near the LoC on Friday and were handed over to their respective families on Saturday.

He said the Army had received information that they were going to join the path of violence after being "misguided" by local terrorists and their accomplices.

J&K on 'very high' state of alert as terrorists look to avenge Zakir Musa's killing

"We acted swiftly to prevent them from choosing the wrong path and apprehended them along the LoC in Limber area of Boniyar on Friday," he said.

The Army officer said the youths were handed over to their respective families after proper counselling.

He appealed to the youths to not get misguided by the propaganda of terrorists.

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 11:39 [IST]Fathers Day 2019: Google Doodle highlights fatherhood with a cute anime

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, June 16: The search engine Google honoured the world's dads on the occasion of Father's Day 2019 on Sunday with three animated slides, illustrating the love that they shower upon their children in an endearing doodle.

While Father's Day is celebrated on different dates in different countries, a large majority of nations celebrate the occasion on the third Sunday of June every year in the United States and several other countries including India.

Father's Day is being celebrated today in India, Pakistan, US, UK and France among other countries. Father's Day, as the name suggests, celebrates fatherhood, paternal bonds and the influence of fathers in society.

The animated cute Google Doodle shows a family of ducks. A father duck is seen sitting, with six of his ducklings sleeping around him. When you click on the doodle, the ducks get up, with the colourful assortment of ducklings jumping around and quacking.

This is the seventh Google Doodle dedicated to Father's Day. The history of Father's Day can be traced back to at least 1508, and was observed on March 19 in Europe by Catholic Christians. Many countries, including Italy, Spain and Portugal celebrate Father's Day on March 19.

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 8:57 [IST]J&K: 'Braveheart' cop who was injured in June 12 Anantnag terrorist attack dies

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, June 16: SHO Anantnag Inspector Arshad Khan who sustained bullet injuries on June 12 in a terrorist attack in Kashmir passed away on Sunday.

With his death, the toll in the terrorist attack rose to six, including five CRPF personnel. Five CRPF personnel were martyred after terrorists attacked security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag on Wednesday. Arshad (40), was killed when he stepped out of his armoured vehicle when a bullet fired by lone fidayeen ricocheted from his service rifle hitting him on chest on June 12.

J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed condolences and said Khan's demise was " a big loss" to the police department.

"We are all grateful to such bravehearts who are sacrificing their lives for security of the nation," he added. Khan, 37, was flown to Delhi this afternoon in an air ambulance for specialised treatment.

Soon after he was admitted to the hospital, his condition started deteriorating further. The doctors at the the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) made every effort to revive him but failed, the officials said.

Earlier, he was being treated at the 92 Base Hospital of the Army in Srinagar. Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said the J&K Police has lost one of its brilliant officers.

"We made every effort to see that the officer survives, but unfortunately we lost him. It is a sad day for J&K Police family which lost yet another son to the wanton violence being perpetrated from across the border," Singh said.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani expressed his condolences and said "he was a true braveheart and a people-friendly Station House Officer. His expertise in counter insurgency operations were unmatchable".

"I was hopeful that he will win the battle for his life but unfortunately we lost him today," Pani said.

[J&K: 5 CRPF personnel martyred, 1 terrorist gunned down in Anantnag]

Khan is survived by wife and two sons, aged four and one. Five CRPF personnel were killed in the terror attack, in which a lone Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist targeted a patrol team of the paramilitary force. Khan, the SHO of Saddar Police station in Anantnag, reached the site soon after. The moment he stepped out of his official bulletproof vehicle, along with his service rifle, a barrage of bullets were fired by the terrorist. One ricocheted from the butt of his service rifle and hit his liver and duodenum, the officials said.

Even in this condition, the officer kept firing bullets at the terrorist before he collapsed, they said. He received praise from senior officials for his prompt and courageous response after the terrorist attack. Known for his professional brilliance, Khan's popularity could be gauged from the fact that around 70 locals from his area of posting gathered there to enquire about his health.

People at Chadoora in Central Kashmir, where he was earlier posted as Station House Officer, offered prayers and sacrificed goats for his well-being. Khan, who was posted in the volatile south Kashmir for some years now, "was a brilliant operational officer", recalled one of his senior officers.

OneIndia News with PTI inputsAs terrorists lose big in Kashmir, Pak looks to push in the old guard

Zakir Musas successor Lelhari bites the bullet: The terror market in Kashmir is less crowded now

J&K on very high state of alert as terrorists look to avenge Zakir Musas killing

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 16: A state of very high alert has been declared in Jammu and Kashmir, following an input that suggests terrorists would launch a major attack.

The alert states that terrorists were planning on launching an attack near Awantipora. The possibility of terrorists mounting an Improvised Explosive Device on a vehicle and staging the attack has not been ruled out as per the alert.

India received the alert from both Pakistan and America. The information was shared with the Indian High Commission. The alert further states that the attack is being planned by the Ansar Ghzwatul Hind to avenge the killing of its leader, Zakir Musa.

NIA digs up a direct Pakistan link between Pakistan and ISIS in India

Musa, it may be recalled was killed on May 23. There are a few members left in this outfit and they are planning this attack to avenge his killing, the alert also stated.

This information comes in the wake of the state already being on a high state of alert ahead of the Amarnath Yatra. Heavy security is in place to ensure that the Yatra passes off smoothly. The Yatra it may be recalled had come under attack a few years back. Terrorists had attacked a bus from Gujarat carrying pilgrims.

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 10:45 [IST]Winter Session: Bill on regulation of reproductive technology to be tabled in Lok Sabha today

LS passes bill on assisted reproductive tech, offences to be punishable; members flag rights of single parents, LGBTQ community

Bill which seeks to link electoral rolls with Aadhaar listed for introduction in LS

Modi Sarkar 2.0: First session of 17th Lok Sabha today

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 16: The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will begin on June 17, today.

The main focus of this session would be the budget to presented by Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman. The first full budget of the Modi Sarkar 2.0 will be presented on July 5.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in its first meeting had approved the summoning of the 17th Lok Sabha on June 17 (Monday) and subject to the exigencies of Government Business, the session will conclude on July 26 (Friday), an official statement said.

First Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha sessions on June 17 and 20

The Rajya Sabha will be convened on June 20 (Thursday) and subject to exigencies of government business, the session will conclude on July 26 (Friday).

The first two days of the session will be devoted to swearing-in of the newly elected MPs while the Lok Sabha speaker will be elected on June 19.

The President will be requested to address both the Houses of Parliament assembled together in the Central Hall of Parliament on June 20 (Thursday), in term of article 87(1) of the Constitution.

The economic survey will be tabled on July 4. The Union Budget for 2019-20 will be presented in the Lok Sabha on July 5 (Friday) at 11 am.

The first parliament session of 17th Lok Sabha session will have a total of 30 sittings.NIA digs up a direct Pakistan link between Pakistan and ISIS in India

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 16: The direct connection between the Islamic State, Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan has been established in a chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The NIA states that two of the accused, Tahir and Haris were in touch with one Abu Hufeza, who is a Pakistan national based out of Afghanistan. Further the NIA said that Haris too who was in touch with Hufeza would receive instructions and then spread the ideology in Kashmir.

The other two to be chargesheeted are Asif Nadaf and Asif Majid. The four had been arrested in Srinagar by a team of the Delhi police on November 25 2018.

SIMI link to ISIS: Why Kerala, Tamil Nadu have become ticking time bombs

Further the NIA said that they were actively part of the ISIS in Kashmir and were propagating the ideology of the group.

While the module was ISIS inspired, it has been learnt that the entire operation was being handled from Pakistan. Chat transcripts between the module members in India and Pakistan clearly suggest that instructions were coming from across the border.

Intelligence agencies in India have always maintained that the operations of the so called ISIS inspired modules in India are not being handled from Iraq or Syria. In the busting of every module, we have come across clear instances of the events being staged by Pakistan.

The birth of the ISIS has an interesting history in India. Following the death of the Indian Mujahideen, Pakistan needed a deniability factor and also a home grown outfit. It roped in the two brothers from Bhatkal, Sultan and Shafi Armar.

The Armar brothers kept in constant touch with the founders of the Indian Mujahideen, Riyaz and Iqbal Shahbandri Bhatkal, who are currently living in Karachi. The agencies have several transcripts to confirm the association between the Armar and Bhatkal brothers.

TN man Sheikh Hidayathullah linked to ISIS-SIMI arrested

These are clear indications that it was the ISI which was the guiding force behind the setting up of the ISIS modules in India. The Armar brothers began recruiting in India through a handle called Yusuf Al-Hindi. The modus operandi and the kind of attacks they were seeking were text book ISI-Indian Mujahideen.

When coming out of the IM, the Armars said that they did not wish to be stooges of the ISI. This was completely stage managed, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) says. They even said that for an Islamic Caliphate to be set up in India, they could rely only on the ISIS. Many within the intelligence circles feel that this was a completely stage managed drama by the ISI.

It wanted to use members of the Indian Mujahideen to set up the ISIS in India.Opposition has no strategy in place as 17th Lok Sabha is set to commence

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 16: The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha is all set to begin, but the opposition is yet to draw up a concrete plan.

With not a single meeting being held ahead of the crucial session, the opposition appears to be still coming to terms with the Lok Sabha election result that was declared on May 23.

The Congress which usually leads such meetings is yet to call for one. There is no clarity even on who would lead the Congress in the Lok Sabha. In the previous session, it was Mallikarjuna Kharge who led the Congress in the Lok Sabha, but with him losing the elections, there is no clarity on who would replace him.

Budget 2019: Startups, IT industry meet Thakur, discuss tax issues

Earlier there was talk that Rahul Gandhi would lead the Congress, but he is away from the country and is adamant on stepping down as the party chief. In the event of these developments, it is unclear on whether he would lead the party in the lower house of Parliament.

The Congress is yet to formally take a call on the subject, but on Saturday nominated K Suresh from Kerala and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from Bengal as its representatives in the Lok Sabha. They would represent the party in the all party meeting called by the government to be held today.

The others part of the opposition too have not displayed any clarity as yet. They say that they would first elect their respective floor leaders, before chalking out a concrete strategy.

The DMK and the TMC too are yet to make their strategy clear. The DMK is the third largest party in the Lok Sabha. The Trinamool Congress on the other hand is dealing its own share of problems in the state. The TDP too has been marginalised after the elections with just 3 MPs in the Lok Sabha.

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 9:26 [IST]A look at the top 21 images of PM Modi from 2021

PM Modi gets Kalpak, Chapan, Samovar as gifts: What are these?

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, June 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Bishkek to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit earlier this week, also held delegation-level talks with Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov.

Jeenbekov has gifted a traditional Kyrgyz hat and a coat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.

President Jeenbekov, who met Prime Minister Modi on Friday ahead of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting, also presented him a 'Samovar', a traditional container to heat or boil water. Prime Minister's Office shared pictures of Modi wearing the Kyrgyz hat and coat on Twitter.

"In Bishkek, President Jeenbekov presented PM @narendramodi a Kalpak, the traditional Kyrgyz hat, a Chapan, a traditional coat from Kyrgyzstan and a Samovar, a container to heat or boil water," it tweeted.

In Bishkek, President Jeenbekov presented PM @narendramodi a Kalpak, the traditional Kyrgyz hat, a Chapan, a traditional coat from Kyrgyzstan and a Samovar, a container to heat or boil water.



PM Modi is grateful to President Jeenbekov for this gesture. pic.twitter.com/iDEoWkD5Lm  PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 15, 2019

[SCO summit: Nations must combat terror together, says PM Modi]

It said that Prime Minister Modi was "grateful" to President Jeenbekov for this gesture. Modi was in Kyrgyz capital on Thursday and Friday to attend the SCO Summit, the first multilateral engagement post his re-election.

Prime Minister Modi and President Jeenbekov on Friday held one-on-one restricted meeting followed by a delegation-level talks during which the two sides discussed on stepping up their bilateral engagement to the next level and exploring new areas of cooperation.

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 20:30 [IST]Bengal vs Centre: Why the former Chief Secretary is bound by Centres rules

Political violence in Bengal: 1,035 in 2018, 773 and counting this year

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 16: The Centre which sought a report from the West Bengal Government on both the ongoing doctor's strike and political violence has said that this is clearly indicative of a failure.

The year 2016 reported 509 incidents of violence, while in 2018 it shot up to 1,035. The year 2019 alone has seen 773 incidents till date. In the past four years 160 deaths have been reported owing to political violence, the Centre also 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.

Bengal impasse continuous as protesting doctors reject Mamata's call for talks

The government of India is seriously concerned over the prevalent situation in West Bengal, it said.

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.

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.

Kolkata hospital violence: Is politics being played?

"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.

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Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 10:37 [IST]Mamata Banerjee's TMC gives yet another jolt to Congress in Meghalaya; 11 members switch sides

TMC worker Nirmal Kundu's murder: Accused arrested from Chhattisgarh

India

oi-Vikas SV

By Vishal S

Bilaspur, Jun 16: West Bengal Police's Crime Investigation Department (CID) have arrested Sudip Das, who is an accused in the murder of a Trinamool Congress worker Nirmal Kundu.

Kundu was shot dead by unidentified bike-borne persons in Nimta area of north Dum Dum municipality, part of North 24 Paraganas district, on June 4.

Sudip Das was nabbed by a team of the West Bengal Police's Crime Investigation Department (CID) on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday from the house of a relative of his friend in Chilhati village, Chhattisgarh, SHO of Sarkanda Police Station Santosh Jain said.

"The Kolkata Police got a tip-off about Das' presence in Sarkanda, following which they alerted us. A raid was carried out and he was nabbed," Jain added.

The Kolkata Police got Das' transit remand from a local court on Saturday and took him to West Bengal on Sunday for further investigation, he added.

OneIndia News with PTI inputsMaharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to be hospitalized for treatment of neck pain

Lockdown-like restrictions to return in Maharashtra? Here's what CM Uddhav Thackeray has to say

Uddhav Thackeray, 18 Sena MPs visit Ayodhya, says,'temple will be constructed at the earliest'

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, June 16: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray visited 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 offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple at the site.

While speaking to ANI, Thackeray said,''From tomorrow Lok Sabha Session will begin so before entering the Parliament all Shiv Sena MPs have come here to take the blessings of Ram Lalla. We strongly believe that temple will be constructed at the earliest.''

This was 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.

What does Shiv Sena eye in Ayodhya?

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.

When asked about the purpose of the visit, Singh said, "Before the Lok Sabha elections, Uddhavji went to a number of religious places for darshan. Now, after the party performed well in the polls and is a part of the NDA government, he is going there to offer prayers."

Singh termed Thackeray's proposed visit as "thanksgiving to Lord Ram" for the party's performance in the Lok Sabha elections and to affirm its "commitment" for a Ram temple in Ayodhya".

"The newly elected Shiv Sena MPs will be reaching Ayodhya Saturday while party chief Uddhav Thackeray is likely to be there the next day," Anil Singh told PTI here Friday.

A party statement said Thackeray will offer prayers to Ram Lalla Sunday, a day before the Parliament session begins.

Ahead of Thackeray's proposed visit to Ayodhya, senior party leader Sanjay Raut had met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here on June 10.

Also Read | Yogi Adityanath unveils 7-ft-tall rosewood statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya

After meeting Adityanath, Raut had tweeted, "Met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today regarding the proposed Ayodhya yatra of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. The talks were held in a positive atmosphere and Yogiji welcomed the yatra of Uddhavji."

The UP chief minister had visited Ayodhya last Friday to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple.

His visit, the first after the Lok Sabha election results, was seen as a move to reiterate 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.

UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma was in Ayodhya Friday to participate in the concluding function.

The Sena MPs' visit is also being seen as an attempt to put pressure on the BJP-led government at the Centre for the construction of a Ram temple.

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 flagged his organisation's insistence on the construction of the temple in Ayodhya.

"Ram's work has to be done, and Ram's work will get done," Bhagwat had said in Udaipur in an apparent reference to it.Madras HC orders state govt to respond on how much money allocated to transport sector in TN budget

Unemployment, farmers distress must be discussed in Budget Session: Congress

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, June 16: Asserting that the Congress is not opposed to bills which are in the interest of the people, senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said there should be a discussion on farmers distress, unemployment and drought during the Budget Session.

A day before the budget session is set to begin, an all-party meeting was convened by the government on Sunday. The first Parliament session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence on June 17 and will continue till 26th of next month.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting which was attended by representatives of all parties, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Azad said that all those bills which are in the interest of the people "we are not opposed to them". There should be a discussion on farmers distress, unemployment and drought, he said. He also called for early conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, currently under President's rule, asserting that if Lok Sabha polls can be held then why not state polls. It appears that the Centre wants to run the state through the Governor's administration, he alleged.

Congress' Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and K Suresh were also present at the meeting.

Among others who attended the meeting were Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi and leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha Thawar Chand Gehlot. V Vijayasai Reddy of YSRCP, NCP's Supriya Sule, Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal (Sonelal), AAP's Sanjay Singh and Jayadev Galla of TDP, were also at the meeting convened by the government.

During the meeting, the government sought the support of the opposition parties to ensure smooth functioning of both the Houses of Parliament.

[Opposition has no strategy in place as 17th Lok Sabha is set to commence]

TMC's O'Brien demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, be brought immediately in the session.

Besides Triple Talaq Bill, the bills likely to be introduced in Parliament are The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers Cadre) Bill and Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019.

The first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha will be held from June 17 to July 26. President Ram Nath Kovind will address the joint sitting of both Houses on Thursday. The Economic Survey will be presented on the 4th of July and the Budget on the 5th of July.With fresh avalanches, bodies of mountaineers may have sunk deeper

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Pithoragarh, June 16: The bodies of mountaineers, who went missing on way to the Nanda Devi East peak in Uttarakhand, will have to be dug out as they have sunk deeper under snow with fresh avalanches witnessed in the area.

IAF helicopters had sighted five bodies lying near an unscaled peak near the western ridge of the Nanda Devi peak on June 3.

The ITBP team which has gone to retrieve the bodies will have to dig them out as they have gone down further under snow following fresh avalanches in high altitudes, Pithoragarh District Magistrate V K Jogdande said, quoting ITBP sources.

2 killed in J&K avalanche as rain, snowfall lash north India

"The ITBP has called its high altitude porters from Uttarkashi to dig out and take the bodies from the spot located at a height of 17800 feet to the base camp 2 at 13000 feet," DIG ITBP APS Nimbaria said.

Indian Air force helicopters will take the bodies from the camp to the district headquarters at Pithoragarh, he said.

On preparations by the search and rescue expedition to trace the foreign mountaineers lying at the ridge since June 25, the district magistrate said all logistics have been lifted to Base 2, camp of Nanda Devi east peak by the IAF helicopters and after acclimatising for three days, the expedition will move to the spot after four days.

Besides the ITBP team, a 14-member Indian Mountaineering Foundation team led by experienced mountaineer Dhrub Joshi is heading towards the Nanda Devi region from the Pindari glacier side to retrieve the bodies.

"The team has reached Pindari Glacier camp today will reach the spot in three days and will start searching for the mountaineers," said Bageshwar District Magistrate Ranjana Rajguru.

"It is a challenging work as the team will have to ascend at 70 degree slopes in hostile region full of snow storms, therefore it will take the team at least seven days' time to reach the spot when it starts ascending after four days of acclimatisation," said the ITBP DIG.

Meanwhile, IAF helicopters Saturday lifted 15 ITBP mountaineers to base camp 2. Rest of the 32 team members have already reached the spot.

"We have also lifted all the equipment needed for rescue and search operation in snowy regions," said Jogdande.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 11:56 [IST]A day before its debut in stock market, Zomato's app and website crashed

Mai UP 112 bula loonga: UP Police's reply to Zomato, Paytm viral on social media

Zomato, Swiggy food delivery to come under GST: But customers won't pay more

Zomato reinstates terminated agent who said customer 'Hindi is national language, everyone should know it'

Zomato successfully tests aerial food delivery by drone, but is it legal?

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Bengaluru, June 16: With an eye on starting delivery by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at some point in the future, Restaurant search and food ordering firm Zomato has successfully tested food delivery via drone technology.

Food delivery forms a big part of the company's business contributing over 65% of its total revenue.

In December last year, Zomato had announced the acquisition of Lucknow-based startup TechEagle Innovations, for an undisclosed amount, to carve a path toward drone-based food delivery in India.

This Zomato delivery guy feeds hungry kids with cancelled orders

In a statement on Wednesday, Zomato said the test was conducted using a hybrid drone that was able to cover a distance of 5 kms in about 10 minutes with a peak speed of 80 kmph while carrying a payload of 5 kgs.

The test was conducted at a designated zone as per DGCA norms, it added.

"The only possible way to reduce the average 30.5 minutes to 15 minutes is to take the aerial route - roads are not efficient for very fast delivery. We have been working towards building sustainable and safe delivery technology and with our first successful test, food delivery by drones is no longer just a pipe dream," Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said.

He added that while there are regulatory hurdles, the tech is ready for use.

The drone has inbuilt sensors and an onboard computer to sense and avoid static and dynamic objects. It is also capable of taking off vertically like a helicopter, transiting to an airplane mode to cover the distance and then switching back to helicopter mode for vertical landing without requiring any airstrip.

But is it even legal?

The country's legal norms do not allow drones to deliver. So how does the food delivery app plans to use its drone technology? Let's find out.

Owing to security concerns and the absence of a policy framework, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had disallowed any civil use of drones until a policy was put in place.

So, drones as of now cannot be used for delivery.

Zomato is quickly expanding its footprint in India, even into smaller cities. The company recently said it will soon have operations in over 100 small cities in India. It has also been boosting its capacity to improve last-mile delivery.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 15:32 [IST]Global Property Management Industry Is Excepted to Grow upto 26.22 Billion By 2025 By Major Players Oracle, IBM, Hitachi Vantara, SAP, JLL, Trimble

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We give most recent altered and syndicated explore alongside counseling administrations. Our immense extent of administrations help you in arranging your development in the predefined showcase industry, as well as the system and innovation required for the predictable achievement.PENDLETON  The eastern Oregon city of Pendleton has stopped jailing people unable to pay fines following the settlement of a federal lawsuit contending city officials were running a debtors prison.

The East Oregonian reported Saturday that city attorney Nancy Kerns said city court officials recently adopted new policies that ban the use of jail time for fines arising from minor violations.

Anglea Minthorn spent nearly two months in jail in 2017 for owing about $1,000.

She sued in early 2018, contending the city was violating the U.S. Constitution by incarcerating a debtor unable to pay the debt.

She and the city reached a settlement in April, with the city paying Minthorn $130,000.

Kerns declined to comment about the case.

Other questions about legal system injustice for poor people have been in the news lately as well.

Last fall, lawyers filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of low-income drivers in Oregon, challenging the states right to suspend a drivers license solely because they cannot pay a fine.

And earlier this month, the district attorney in Bend said his office will stop prosecuting some misdemeanors to focus on more serious crimes. OPB reported that Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said his office would no longer prosecute misdemeanor crimes for people driving with a suspended license, as long as the suspect has zero or only one prior conviction for the crime. Last year, the DAs office prosecuted more than 500 driving while suspended cases, OPB said.

-- Staff and wire reportsThere is no pity for cowards, and Scot Peterson will go down in history as a coward.

The former Broward County sheriffs deputy was arrested earlier this month for hiding from the gunman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School 16 months ago. Peterson, the only armed law enforcement official on the campus, is charged with seven felony counts because he took cover outside instead of trying to stop the shooter.

By the time other police officers entered the school - 11 minutes after the shooting began - 17 people were dead and another 17 were injured. Surveillance video shows Peterson hid for almost an hour, never setting a foot inside the school he had sworn to protect.

The reaction to his arrest has been unsparing, hitting a collective nerve about moral responsibility and failure to act in the midst of a horrific attack. He was quickly dubbed "The Coward of Broward." The anger is raw and festering; many people are even more enraged at Peterson than the shooter.

"I have no comment except to say rot in hell Scott Petersen," tweeted Fred Guttenberg after the arrest; his 14-year-old daughter died in the attack. "You could have saved some of the 17. You could have saved my daughter. You did not and then you lied about it and you deserve the misery coming your way."

"You had one job," said Meghan McCain on "The View" the next morning. "When you're talking about 15-year-old kids who were heroes and stepped up and a man who was trained, who decided to sit back for 45 minutes while this was going on? You're a coward."

Peterson's attorney argues that his client is a scapegoat and that no other police officer has ever been prosecuted for their actions involving an active shooter. Legal experts say he is unlikely to be convicted on most of the charges.

But this isn't really about a court case. It's about the larger questions of courage and cowardice, accountability and justice. Amid all the outrage heaped on Peterson sits the unspoken question: Who will protect us and our children in a country with 27 active shooter cases just last year?

In this Feb. 18, 2015, file frame from video from Broward County Public Schools, school resource officer Scot Peterson talks during a school board meeting of Broward County, Fla. Peterson, the then-Florida sheriff's deputy assigned to protect the high school where 17 died in a 2018 shooting has been arrested on 11 charges, Tuesday, June 4, 2019. State Attorney Mike Satz announced that 56-year-old Peterson faces child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury charges.AP

The willingness to put their lives on the line is one of the reasons we venerate first responders, a timeless social contract that honors courage: the police and firefighters who ran in the twin towers when everyone else ran out. And all the daily sacrifices that don't make headlines.

Cowardice, on the other hand, has always been both a moral and tangible sin, punishable by scorn, social condemnation, even death under military law. "Prove a man a coward, and you leave him utterly deprived of character, so that none can honor him or suffer his society," reads a 1863 letter to the New York Times.

There are astonishing acts of bravery: The officers who stormed into the Virginia Beach municipal building earlier this month, finding the shooter and preventing more carnage. We call those students who died confronting school shooters (a 21-year-old at the University of North Carolina, an 18-year-old at Colorado high school last month alone) heroes, a cold comfort to their grieving parents.

Until the school shooting at Columbine High School 20 years ago, law enforcement was trained to wait for backup before confronting an active shooter, says Chuck Wexler, executive director the Police Executive Research Forum. Now the rule is to rush into the scene and find the killer, even though those officers are at higher risk of being shot.

"Getting your head around the fact that you may have to risk your life to save someone else's life is really what makes being a cop fundamentally different than anyone else's job in society," he says.

Managing fear is at the heart of the national debate about police shootings. When an officer's terror overwhelms their ability to properly assess a potential threat, unarmed citizens can die. Police face increasing criticism and demands of prosecution for excessive violence; now Peterson is facing jail for his inaction.

"He's going to be called a coward," Wexler says, "and to be called a coward is almost worse than being legally charged."

But here's the chilling reality: "There's never going to be enough cops to put them in enough places to prevent this," he says. "Today it's the schools, tomorrow it will be hospitals. Next it will be newsrooms. In Florida, now they're going to have cops in all of the schools. But even having said that, these things happen in a relatively short amount of time."

The FBI defines an active shooter incident as one or more individuals attempting to kill people in a populated area - there were 27 incidents last year with 85 people killed and 128 wounded.

The uncomfortable truth is we want someone else to be the hero. We want to stay alive. We want the people we love to stay alive. The Department of Homeland Security pocket guide to an active shooter reads: Run. Hide. And as a last resort, fight.

And we desperately want to believe that a good guy with a gun will stop a bad guy with a gun, especially if that good guy signed up for the job.

"He stood there for some 45 to 48 minutes and did nothing," Rick Swearingen, commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, told CBS Miami. "As law enforcement officers, despite whatever policies and procedures our agencies have, we swear an oath to protect the public that we serve." (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)AP

Peterson, 56, was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after a 15-month investigation into his movements during and following the shooting. The shooter, Nikolas Cruz, began his six-minute rampage on the first floor of the 1200 building. Peterson raced to the scene two minutes after reports of shots fired but did not go inside. The charges stem from the two teachers and eight students who were killed or injured after Peterson arrived but took cover outside.

"Deputy Peterson knowingly and willingly failed to act pursuant to his law enforcement training and sworn duties which directed him to promptly address the active shooter (Cruz) within the 1200 building; instead retreating to a position of increased personal safety," reads the arrest warrant.

The investigation included video footage of Peterson and also revealed that he instructed responding officers to stay away from the building instead of storming it.

"He stood there for some 45 to 48 minutes and did nothing," Rick Swearingen, commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, told CBS Miami. "As law enforcement officers, despite whatever policies and procedures our agencies have, we swear an oath to protect the public that we serve." The arrest, he says, shows that an officer will "be held accountable if you don't do your job."

Peterson, a 33-year-veteran of the sheriff's department, contends he did nothing wrong: He says his actions were consistent with his training, that he believed the shots were coming from someplace outside. He says he radioed for the school to go on lockdown and told other responding officers to stay out of sniper range. He says the shooting was over before he understood what was happening.

"It's haunting," he told The Washington Post last year. "I've cut that day up a thousand ways with a million different what-if scenarios, but the bottom line is I was there to protect, and I lost 17."

Peterson's version of events runs counter to the investigation and to the understanding of his peers. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, who eventually lost his job in the fallout of the deaths, said Peterson "clearly" knew the shooter was inside the building. During a news conference, Israel said he was "devastated. Sick to my stomach. There are no words "

Of course, its easier to blame one deputy than address the failures that made the shooting possible: the ability of the 19-year-old shooter to legally purchase a semi-automatic weapon, the issue of his untreated mental illness, repeated missed warnings and other never-ending debates.

In this Feb. 28, 2018 file photo, a police car drives near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., as students return to class for the first time since a former student opened fire there, killing 17. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)AP

A responding officer who ran into Peterson shortly after the shooting said he displayed classic signs of panic: breathing heavily and pacing back and forth.

The average person responds to danger instinctually: Fight or flight is our evolutionary default, backed by adrenaline, which increases blood flow in the body and brain. Some people run, some fight and some freeze. How many of us would run toward gunfire? The answer, if we're honest, is not many.

What we traditionally call courage is overriding fear for a greater good - something as abstract as a soldier's patriotism, or something as simple as a parent's love that drives them into a burning house to save their children. First responders can be just as terrified as civilians, but are trained to manage fear so they can perform their jobs.

"It's fighting through fear when you're scared out of your mind," says Rich Emberlin, who worked as a police officer for 30 years, including 15 years with the Dallas Police Department's SWAT team and as an uncover officer. "Was I scared most of time? I would say yes. And I should have been. I would have been stupid not to be scared."

Amir Marvasti, an associate professor of sociology at Penn State at Altoona, says: "Just the act of putting on a police uniform or a firefighter's uniform is a heroic act. Even if they never actually do something that might make the news, the fact that they're putting themselves in that position is heroic."

Their job is to confront danger, an explicit agreement between the police and the public. In addition to that professional obligation, first responders say they are inspired by the deeper calling to be of service to their communities, so it's difficult to separate the legal from the moral expectations.

"In the vast majority of cases, our expectations are fulfilled and the status is well earned and justified, as in the many officers who die in the line of duty," Marvasti says. "However, we ... are rightfully shocked and disappointed when our protectors refuse to perform their assigned duties."

Emberlin doesn't think Peterson froze. He thinks the sheriff's deputy made a decision not to enter the school building: "I honestly think he was a guy at the end of his career who thought, 'I made it this far and now I have to do something that might get me killed. And I'm not doing it.' And that's wrong."

That makes Peterson, in Emberlin's eyes, a coward. "He didn't run towards the gunfire, and he should have. He's a coward. Absolutely."

FILE - In a Tuesday, June 5, 2018 file photo, Manuel and Patricia Oliver, parents of Parkland High School shooting victim Joaquin Oliver, hold hands as they speak to the media in Miami during a news conference reacting to former sheriff's deputy Scot Peterson interview airing on NBC's "Today Show". The Broward Education Foundation and a steering committee for the victims announced Monday, July 2, 2018 that the families of the 17 victims killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting will each receive $400,000 from a $10.5 million fund. Eighteen of the injured survivors will receive $1.63 million. Payments will begin on July 16. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)AP

Many of the Parkland families lobbied for Peterson's arrest and were thrilled when he was charged.

"It's about damn time," tweeted David Hogg, one of the students who survived the shooting and has become a gun control activist.

"This guy is a just a pathetic human being, and an embarrassment to every police officer who ever puts on a uniform," Andrew Pollack told WPBF-TV shortly after the arrest. Pollack's 18-year-old daughter, Meadow, was killed while Peterson stood outside.

But legal experts disagree about whether Peterson deserves to be in jail. There's a difference between cowardice and criminal activity, explained Commissioner Swearingen: "I think what you found here is they're examples of both."

Peterson is charged with perjury for lying about the number of gunshots he heard after arriving at the scene, the count most likely to result in a conviction, according to legal experts. The majority of the charges, however, hinge on whether he can be considered a legal "caretaker" of the minors who were shot and if his inaction can be legally defined as child neglect.

Peterson's lawyer, Joseph DiRuzzo, issued a statement saying law enforcement officers are specifically excluded from child welfare laws and called the charges "spurious." Some law enforcement officers say the arrest sets a dangerous precedent, although judges have traditionally given police broad discretion when it comes to their official duties. Most have "qualified immunity" from lawsuits if they can prove their actions were "reasonable" - a broad and often subjective standard.

And there's the question of whether police have a legal obligation to protect lives. In the 2005 Castle Rock v. Gonzales case, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that police do not have a constitutional duty to protect a person, even if they have reason to believe that person is in a potentially life-threatening situation.

It is unclear whether Peterson will face a jury trial, but Florida lawmakers are trying to strip him of his $8,702-a-month pension.

Regardless of his legal innocence or guilt, in the eyes of many he will always be a coward. Because he signed up to be a hero.

This post was modified to correct the type of weapon the gunman used. It was a semi-automatic rifle, not an automatic.By Erik M. Jensen, Coleman P. Burke Professor Emeritus of Law, Case Western Reserve University

Heres some advice for frustrated impeachment advocates who think there might be other ways to force Donald Trump out of office: The 25th Amendment wont help you.

But that hasnt stopped people from trying.

Andrew McCabe, former deputy director and acting director of the FBI, gave the Constitutions 25th Amendment a shoutout in February.

In an interview with 60 Minutes, McCabe claimed that people in the Department of Justice, including Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and McCabe himself, had discussed trying to get a majority of the Cabinet to agree to remove Donald Trump from office. (Rosenstein denied the story, but it didnt go away.)

If that majority vote is all the amendment requires, it would provide a much easier process than impeachment to dump a president.

Doomed to failure

Writing in The Wall Street Journal, prominent conservative lawyers David B. Rivkin and Lee A. Casey wrote that, if those DOJ discussions in fact took place and were serious, the participants were part of a conspiracy by government officials against American democracy.

That sounds awful, but any such technical conspiracy  if thats what it was  was doomed to failure.

If the DOJ lawyers thought getting rid of a president  this one or a future holder of the office  was easy, they hadnt studied the amendments language.

Im a professor of law  a tax professor at that. Im used to parsing difficult legal language, and Ive written about constitutional issues as well as ones that arise in bean-counting. The 25th Amendment is a complex law that is, by design, very hard to use.

Senator John Kennedy campaigns in front of The Spot in downtown Harrisburg, Pa., Sept. 15, 1960.

Roots in Kennedy assassination

A little history: The 25th amendment was ratified in 1967. A primary purpose was to provide a way to fill the vice presidency when that office becomes vacant.

Two events prompted the legislation. After the Kennedy assassination in 1963, Lyndon Johnson had no vice president until Inauguration Day 1965. Harry Truman had no vice president for over three years after he became president.

Since then, the amendments system to fill the vice presidency has worked as intended, twice, and without controversy. The first was in 1973, with Gerald Ford, after Spiro Agnew was forced to resign after pleading no contest to a tax evasion charge. The second was in 1974, when Nelson Rockefeller became vice president after Nixon resigned and Ford became president.

The amendment also sets out processes for the vice president to become acting president in two situations.

The first, the easy case, is when the president himself sends a written declaration to the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.

The president says, in effect, I cant handle the job right now, but Ill be back.

The vice president  currently Mike Pence, left  plays a crucial role if the 25th Amendment is invoked. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

The vice president steps in temporarily, and the president reassumes presidential duties when he notifies congressional leaders that hes up to it.

This part of the amendment has been applied, without fanfare, a couple of times when a president was going to be briefly incapacitated because of anesthesia. Some historians believe that having a formal method for a temporary transfer of power would have been helpful when Dwight Eisenhower had serious health problems.

Fuzzy rules

But the rules applicable to the other situation in which a vice president can become acting president are much less clear.

Somehow the idea got around  reflected in the alleged DOJ discussions  that, if some officials think a president is incapacitated, but he disagrees or is so out of it that he cant voluntarily step aside, a majority of the Cabinet can promote the vice president.

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence Washington Post photo by Melina Mara.The Washington Post

I believe that understanding is wrong.

To begin with, under the 25th Amendment its the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or such other body as Congress may by law provide who must make the declaration of incapacity to congressional officers.

If Vice President Pence sides with the president  as I believe he would unless Trump were clearly incapacitated  it doesnt matter what Cabinet officials think.

And principal officers of the executive departments doesnt necessarily mean the Cabinet, although it could. Cabinet isnt a constitutional term.

Its up to the president who sits in his Cabinet, or, for that matter, whether the Cabinet sits at all. Not everyone in the Trump Cabinet is a principal officer of an executive department: the U.N. ambassador and White House chief of staff, for example. And many people who head federal agencies, and who therefore might be treated as principal officers of executive departments, arent in the Cabinet  like the secretary of the Navy.

Its hard to determine whether theres a majority of principal officers on board if its not clear who gets counted for this purpose. Besides, the president could change the numbers by firing principal officers, whoever they might be, if he learns that a revolt is brewing.

Congress unlikely to act

The amendment does permit Congress to provide for an alternative body that can, with the agreement of the vice president, make an initial determination of presidential incapacity.

It would be nice if Congress had done this at some point in the past 50-some years, to provide more certainty about what should happen when a president is incapacitated. But I believe Congress is unlikely to act under the 25th Amendment until political tensions have eased  whenever that might be  and a different president is in office.

In any event, even if there were no computational difficulties, and even if the vice president were to agree that the president is incapacitated, the amendment doesnt provide for actually removing the president from office.

Instead, the president remains president; the vice president only becomes acting president. In such circumstances, the president would have little or no formal power, of course. But its unlikely his Twitter account would be shut down.

The president doesnt go away

Furthermore, a deposed president can return to power.

Under the amendment, once the president declares that no inability exists, he resumes presidential duties, unless the acting president and a majority of principal officers  that phrase again!  disagree and Congress, by a two-thirds vote of both houses, also disagrees.

Given those stringent requirements, a president is likely to get power back quickly if he wants it, unless his incapacity is beyond dispute (as was the case with Woodrow Wilson, in pre-25th Amendment days).

Those who want President Trump out of office should forget about the 25th Amendment; it wont work as they hope or believe.

After publication of the Mueller report, much of the discussion about removing Trump has shifted to the possibility of impeachment.

But, with Republican control of the Senate, that process is unlikely to lead to a conviction.

If removal of the president is the goal, those who want it will probably need to try the old-fashioned method: the ballot box.Oregon lawmakers are on the verge of requiring officials at the states embattled child welfare agency to inform the public more quickly and thoroughly when children die by abuse after recent intervention -- or inaction -- by their department.

Under the new mandate, the Department of Human Services would have to notify the public about a childs abuse or neglect death soon after case workers learn how the child died. It also would impose stricter standards for the details the agency must disclose about the childs death.

State law already requires child welfare officials to promptly review the deaths of children killed by abuse or neglect if the child or a sibling came to the states attention in the year before they died. The public reviews are supposed to examine the steps that case workers took after receiving reports of concerning behavior within the childs family and identify any missteps that may have occurred before the child died. The idea is that fixing what went wrong could save lives.

But reporting last fall and this spring by The Oregonian/OregonLive showed the agency regularly failed to meet existing deadlines and gradually told the public less about the departments actions before a childs death. Senate Human Services Chair Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, drafted a bill outlining the reforms the day the first story published.

Three more Democratic lawmakers and seven Republicans signed on as sponsors of Senate Bill 832 during the legislative session. The bill passed without opposition in the Senate late Thursday and will move on to the House of Representatives. If passed, the new rules would apply to all child abuse deaths that occur after Oct. 1.

Meanwhile, children whose safety was called to the states attention continue to die. A seven-month-old infant whose family was known to the department died June 2 after he was thrown from a car that veered off Interstate 84 near Boardman, court documents say. The department launched a review into his death Monday, nine days after police concluded the driver was drunk.

The agencys poor track record complying with public records law is one reason Gov. Kate Brown declared a crisis at the Department of Human Services in April, installed her own oversight board and hired outside consultants to oversee change at the agency.

Department officials insist they have made progress meeting the current reporting laws and are preparing to meet the stricter standards that appear poised to pass in the Legislature.

Were doing that to make sure that were able to immediately start complying with it the second its in effect so that there arent any further issues, said Jake Sunderland, a spokesman for the Department of Human Services.

Since The Oregonian/OregonLive first reported about its failure to report on some child deaths in a timely manner and to report on other childrens deaths at all, the agency has posted a steady stream of fatality reports. But the departments backlog of unreported child deaths

stretches as far back as 2017. It has never published a list of pending but delayed reports, despite the fact that is required under the current version of the law.

Department officials took five months to determine that they must review the August 2018 death of a Jackson County infant. They still have not disclosed their review into his death on the agencys website, more than 150 days later.

Gelser, long a champion of vulnerable children, said the departments persistent failure to post required updates or timely reports has signaled to her that the reforms are necessary.

I have become more convinced that the bill is very important because the department has not improved, she said.

The proposal gives the department seven to 10 days, depending on the exact circumstances, to publish basic facts online after a child dies and department officials decide to launch a review. Those details include the childs age, the date they died or suffered critical injuries that resulted in their death and whether they were in foster care.

Under the new rules, such reviews would have to begin within 10 days after case workers and department officials have reason to believe a child has likely died from abuse or neglect. Thats a change from waiting until case workers make a final determination, a process that can last months.

I think our hope is always to declare as soon as we feel confident, said Tami Kane-Suleiman, manager of the departments child safety division.

The review teams would be required to finish a comprehensive report within 100 days, unless the agencys director, Fariborz Pakseresht, were to determine that publishing the reports could imperil a law enforcement investigation. The reports would have to be published on the agencys public-facing website within 10 days of being finished.

The current law requires the department to complete and disclose an initial report in no more than 70 days, but agency officials routinely ignore that deadline. The department is also supposed to post updates every 30 days after that deadline has passed but does not.

The new bill makes clear what department officials must include in the reports, such as a description of all reports about the child or others in the same home that reached the department, along with all the departments actions regarding the family before the child died. The proposal would also require the reports to disclose concerns that came up during the review and recommendations on specific steps the department can implement.

The reporting law, like the one it will likely replace, is written to focus on the agencys past interactions with particular children, not necessarily their caregivers. For instance, the department still would not be required under the new law to review the death of a child killed in

an unlicensed day care after case workers investigated allegations that the caregiver had abused a different child.

Unlike the initial draft of the bill, the final version also does not require the department to complete reviews for all unexpected deaths of foster children, only those that appear likely to have resulted from neglect or abuse. The change means the department will not have to issue a public review if, for example, a foster child were killed in an unavoidable car crash.

I realized that we could end up picking up things that we shouldnt, and that could draw resources away, Gelser said.

Department officials, state lawyers and representatives from Gov. Kate Browns office weighed in on the final language of the bill, Gelser has said.

Since The Oregonian/OregonLive revealed the extent of the reporting delays last November, the department has published at least 16 child death reports. The content of three of them was entirely redacted at the request of police or prosecutors.

The agency is still trying to clear a backlog that until Thursday went as far as 667 days.

In that case, a Portland-area infant died in August 2017 as he slept with his mother, who witnesses said was intoxicated. The report blamed a clerical mistake for the delay. The report lists four recommendations that came out of the review into his death, including training case workers to clearly understand the impact of substance abuse.

Other recent reports into the causes of infant and child deaths have offered far less insight. Two of the reports do not say exactly when the child died. Leaving out the dates was an oversight, the department said in a statement issued Thursday to The Oregonian/OregonLive. The statement also pointed out that the current version of the reporting law does not have any actual standardized definition of relevant information.

The department used a grant to hire a University of Chicago researcher to help it standardize and improve the review process, Kane-Suleiman said.

Even without those improvements, the departments examinations of child deaths on its watch has directly resulted in improvements to the system, said Child Welfare Director Marilyn Jones. Three reviews published in the past year involved two boys and one girl who died by suicide in 2017. In response, Jones said, the agency implemented new suicide prevention training based on research that shows talking about suicidal ideations can decrease the chances that a child will attempt suicide.

Reviewing the circumstances of a childs death and their case history is heart-wrenching yet necessary to ensure that we do whatever possible that another family does not find themselves in this place, Jones said.

The agency says it is currently working on 12 more reviews it will make public, including its report into the death of a 1-year-old boy who died 596 days ago.

None of the reviews are listed on the agencys website.

-- Molly Young

myoung@oregonian.comPolitics is rarely pure and simple. Senate Bill 761, however, is an exception. It is purely and simply an attempt to hobble Oregons vaunted initiative process.

The bill  which has no legislator listed as its chief sponsor  would restrict a common method through which Oregonians can collect the minimum number of voter signatures to support putting an initiative or referendum on the ballot. Under the bill, initiative supporters could no longer hand out copies of electronic signature sheets to Oregonians to sign and submit. Instead, voters would have to print their own forms or personally ask someone to print one for them. And each signature sheet must include the complete text of the proposed measure  a requirement that could add dozens of printed pages and related costs to a simple signature submission.

The end result? By discouraging voters from participating, it will become harder for Oregonians to enact their own legislation or overturn bills passed by elected officials. Legislators would keep tight control over what becomes law  and what remains law. And the bill would deeply undercut Oregons cherished reputation for encouraging direct democracy.

Thats not how supporters describe it, of course. Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, told The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board that the bill is about quality control. E-sheets were originally meant to let people in rural areas submit signatures in support of qualifying an initiative for the ballot, since they would be less likely to encounter a signature gatherer in person.

But advocates may be distributing the sheets without making a copy of the actual measure available, she said, leading to people submitting signature sheets without knowing what the proposed initiative is about. Requiring voters to personally download and print a signature sheet with the full measure will ensure they know what they are doing, she contends. Although the bill has received near unanimous opposition from the public, the Senate Rules Committee, which Burdick chairs, passed the bill on a 3-2 party line vote.

The words quality control, particularly in the context of new requirements for voter participation, should immediately raise concerns. While communities fare better when people are engaged and well-informed, legislators must have a clear, compelling reason before setting up any kind of obstacle for people to engage in basic acts of democracy. This, however, isnt the case. Instead, SB 761 smacks of the same voter suppression tactics that Republican legislators in other states have pursued.

Oregonian editorials Editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom. Members of the editorial board are Therese Bottomly, Laura Gunderson, Helen Jung, John Maher and Amy Wang. Members of the board meet regularly to determine our institutional stance on issues of the day. We publish editorials when we believe our unique perspective can lend clarity and influence an upcoming decision of great public interest. Editorials are opinion pieces and therefore different from news articles. To respond to this editorial, post your comment below, submit an OpEd or a letter to the editor If you have questions about the opinion section, email Helen Jung , opinion editor, or call 503-294-7621.

Theres no actual, documented problem to begin with. In recent reviews, the validity rate ofsignatures submitted on e-sheets is higher than the rate of those collected by signature gatherers in person, according to the Oregon Secretary of States office. And Burdick and the caucus administrator collectively cited two anecdotal examples in which someone may have been distributing e-sheets without providing a copy of the measure. Neither have resulted in a formal complaint.

This theoretical fraud concern, as the League of Women Voters of Oregon put it, is no reason to impose a new requirement that is reminiscent of poll taxes. Some Oregonians dont have easy access to printing a signature sheet and its not without costs, the organizations president, Norman Turrill noted in a May letter to legislators.

Especially considering that some measures can be many pages long, campaign finance reform and Measure 47 architect Dan Meek pointed out. Measure 47, which not only qualified for the ballot but passed in 2007, spans 19 pages. How many Oregonians would have willingly printed out and sent a 19-page measure plus signature page?

The urgency for this initiative suppressant may well be a local business groups ongoing efforts to refer the newly passed corporate taxes in the Student Success Act to voters. While legislators are understandably protective of the law, which finally delivers a stable funding source to Oregons struggling K-12 schools, this isnt the way to do it.

Rather than rig the system, legislators and leaders can  and must  make the case to voters that this tax is fair, necessary and justified. They can show how this money is vital for providing the educational investments and mental health supports for students that Oregonians across the state have called for. And they can explain that failing to take this step will only translate into a grimmer future for all.

But if legislators instead abuse their power to manipulate the system and cut out voters, it will only increase peoples mistrust of the political establishment. Senate Democrats, dont mistake your supermajority for a coronation. Join Republicans in voting this down and show your faith in the people who put you there.David Chavern

Chavern is president and chief executive of News Media Alliance, a nonprofit organization representing more than 2,000 media organizations, including the parent company of The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The American public consumes more news than ever, with more than 200 million unique visitors consuming digital news each month. However, the economics of that consumption will not sustain the investments needed for quality journalism. The news industry has seen revenues drop 54 percent since 2006, according to the Pew Research Center. The rise of tech platforms and their dominance of online content has played a major role in this trend.

Although many may claim that the two trends are unrelated and that the news industry has not adapted to digital distribution, a new study, containing analysis by strategy and economics consulting firm Keystone Strategy and written by the News Media Alliance, illustrates that the news industrys loss has been directly impacted by Googles gain.

According to the study, news content has produced significant financial returns for Google:

39 percent of search results and 40 percent of clicks on trending queries are news content;

16 percent of results and clicks on the most searched queries are news results;

In 2008, Google News generated approximately $100 million for the company;

Based on News Media Alliance members traffic, news consumption on Google Search is at least six times larger than on Google News;

Taken together, Google made an estimated $4.7 billion in revenue from news content in 2018; this is a conservative estimate, with the actual number likely being considerably higher.

The true value of news content is likely much higher for several reasons that are difficult or impossible to quantify. Not only is Google driving search with news, but the company is using news content for product development, such as training its artificial intelligence services, in order to keep users in the Google ecosystem. The additional uses of news content as drivers of engagement are also potentially serious drivers of data and revenue for the platform.

Most notably, accelerated mobile pages and the addition of a Breaking News category on YouTube have made it possible for people to indulge in all the news content they want without ever going to a publishers website. As a result, publishers are losing ad revenue, brand recognition and valuable data that could help them build stronger relationships with their readers. Google, on the other hand, is generating more traffic and user data that they can use to keep consumers in their ecosystem for even longer periods of time.

As with any business, in order to survive, news publishers need to be able to make money from their own product, which can be reinvested in reporting. While information wants to be free, journalists need to get paid. This requires finding common rules for a fair and equitable online ecosystem that allows publishers to thrive and maintain the quality of their content that readers expect.

This is not only essential for the future of journalism, but also helps ensure an informed democracy and civic society. Our local communities and public discourse rely on the availability of and access to high-quality news that keeps our decisionmakers accountable. News deserts are a growing concern, leaving many communities without access to local news. Local news publishers health and sustainability  and that of our democracy  require the platforms to acknowledge their role and to engage with publishers to create a more just digital marketplace.

We have called for legislation that would provide a limited safe harbor for news publishers to be able to collectively negotiate for better terms with platforms such as Google and Facebook. This is the only solution to correcting the current marketplace imbalance, which allows the platforms to dominate the web and related advertising infrastructure, as well as control who sees publishers content and when.

The Journalism Competition & Preservation Act, H.R. 2054, was introduced in April in the House by House Judiciary Committee ranking member Doug Collins (R-Georgia) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-Rhode Island), chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law. It was introduced as S. 1700 in the Senate in June by Sens. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), the Ranking Member of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee.

The alliance applauds Reps. Collins and Cicilline, and Sens. Kennedy and Klobuchar for their leadership in support of local news and looks forward to news publishers finally having the right to ask the platforms to recognize the value of news content in the form of fair compensation.Sal Peralta

Peralta Is a city councilor in McMinnville.

I have a great deal of sympathy for Portland. A 2018 survey found more than half of Portlanders were dissatisfied with how the mayor and city council are addressing homelessness, and over a third of residents had considered leaving the city.

As a city councilor in a rural community facing a similar crisis, I believe that both the mayor and city are being wrongly blamed for a statewide problem. State regulations and policies have contributed to a lack of housing supply and to our homelessness crisis. The governor and the Oregon Legislature should be leading the effort to address it.

There is a common misconception that homelessness is primarily a Portland or Eugene problem. Not true. McMinnville has seen the loss of hundreds of permanent and temporary housing options for people at the lower end of the economic ladder, especially those living in trailers and RVs. Many work in or near the city and have had nowhere to go but the public streets.

In fact, rural regions in Oregon rank near the top for homelessness among rural regions across the country, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments 2018 annual report on homelessness. Oregon also leads other states in rural homelessness among veterans, families with children, unaccompanied minors and chronic homeless individuals. Unlike Portland, where 60 percent of homeless individuals have access to emergency shelter, only 30 percent have shelter access in much of rural Oregon, according to a March 2019 ECONorthwest report.

These problems are exacerbated by failures of state government. Oregon ranks first in prevalence of adult mental illness, according to Mental Health America, but fails to provide sufficient treatment or care. A Washington County judge recently held the state in contempt for violating the rights of mentally ill defendants in need of treatment and evaluation, as The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Problems in the states foster care system are contributing to homelessness: National statistics from the National Foster Youth Institute show that one in five who age out of the foster care will be instantly homeless.

Homelessness is not a Portland problem, it is an Oregon crisis. Yet, despite the broad impacts of this crisis, there is little direct support from the state to cities, especially smaller ones, struggling to address housing and homelessness. Indeed, policies adopted by the Legislature often create barriers for local governments.

For example, although the states recent rent control law will limit some predatory offenses, it does not address the underlying problem of affordability, which is a lack of housing inventory. Companies are already circumventing rent control by tacking on monthly fees for utilities and other services that they werent charging for in the past.

Many state policies to address housing affordability are built for Portland  not smaller communities. For example, the state allows cities to require builders to include affordable housing in buildings of at least 20 units. That doesnt work in McMinnville, which hasnt had a project of such size for at least 30 years. A bill in the current legislative session that would allow inclusionary zoning in smaller developments was derailed in the Oregon Senate after passing 51-8 in the House.

A bill that would help local governments direct local dollars to housing affordability has also stalled.Senate Bill 595, which is stuck in the Senate Revenue Committee, would let cities use a portion of the Transient Lodging Tax to address housing. It should be passed in this session. If legislators cant or wont help cities, they should at least untie our hands.

From an administrative standpoint, the governor should consider declaring an emergency to address both homelessness and housing affordability, like Hawaiis governor has done. The declaration made it easier to reduce costs and regulations related to the siting of workforce housing and emergency shelter.

Oregon is currently second in the nation in unsheltered homelessness. We have no place to put people except the public streets. If thats not an emergency, I dont know what is.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.Abuja, Nigeria (PANA)  The bloodletting in Northwest Nigeria continued over the weekend as the Police have confirmed that armed bandits killed a total of 34 persons on Friday evening in three villages of Shinkafi local government of Zamfara StateBLOOMINGTON  Three years ago, Kristi Russell began getting "too many questions from school" about her son, Zion.

Some were related to discipline. Some were "bizarre," said the Normal woman. "Was he being singled out?"

Russell is a single white mother. Zion is her black son, then in fourth grade.

"I never went through any of this with my 32-year-old son, who is white," Russell said.

"I was watching the news and seeing young black men getting shot," she continued. "I was struggling. There are so many things I can't teach him. I needed a black mentor."

She mentioned that to a State Farm co-worker, who suggested 100 Black Men of Central Illinois. Zion met with mentoring chair Paul Hursey and was accepted into the program.

100 Black Men of Central Illinois, part of the national 100 Black Men organization, is made up of men, many of whom work in white-collar professions, who mentor and work to develop life skills in black male youths, generally in fifth through 12th grades, said member Jerome Maddox, 60, of Bloomington, a State Farm enterprise philanthropy analyst.

100 Black Men of Central Illinois is celebrating its 15th anniversary.

"It's important to give back to young men so they have the ability to deal with the challenges of being a young man of color in America," said Justin Hicks, 34, of Normal, a State Farm communications specialist.

Zion, who will turn 13 in July, admitted, "I didn't know what I'd be getting out of it."

He began attending mentoring sessions, which happen weekly in schools during the school year. "When I got into it, I really enjoyed it," Zion said in an interview Tuesday evening in Maddox's Bloomington home.

"On the news, you see people getting shot," he continued. "You don't want to be that person. You want to change things."

"When stuff started going around in my school, I didn't understand," he said. "As a black male in society, sometimes you're not treated fairly.

"But the 100 gets you so you are respected," Zion said. "They keep you in school. They teach you how to be presentable and how to go out in public ... and bring out the good in other black males."

"You see a lot of gang violence," Zion continued. "People have been through tough times and they need to be accepted, but they aren't thinking through what they're doing."

With 100 Black Men, "they want you to change in school, they want you to keep your grades up, they keep you on track," Zion said.

Zion said he's learned about health and wellness, proper study habits, the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse and black history and was referred to a public speaking course.

He has participated in Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter food deliveries and backpack giveaways to people in need.

He's also learned the value of looking "presentable" and of speaking and acting confidently.

"When you don't look like you're in a gang, when you look people in the eye and have a firm handshake, people will trust you," Zion said.

His mother said, "I think it's given Zion a lot of confidence."

Zion isn't alone. In an average year, the 43 members of 100 Black Men of Central Illinois mentor 25 youths. The Bloomington-based chapter covers the Bloomington-Normal area and expanded in 2017 to cover Peoria.

Maddox and Hicks said they were fortunate to grow up in two-parent households with male role models.

"But there is a void for young men who grow up in fatherless homes," Hicks said. That's a void that Maddox, Hicks and the other volunteers are trying to fill.

"We want to make sure we are providing mentoring and life skills so young men can cope with things coming their way," Maddox said. Education, health and wellness and money management are among areas in which mentors work with youths.

"We do critical thinking exercises," including how to interact with law enforcement, Hicks said.

The organization also collaborates with other programs, such as the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal's Passport to Manhood program.

When mentors ask the youths for their career goals, many want to be professional athletes or rappers.

"We don't discourage them," Hicks said. "But we educate them on the steps needed to achieve that goal" and the small percentage of men who become professional athletes or rap artists.

"We ask them, 'What's option B?'" Maddox said. What may follow is a discussion of what it takes to become a doctor, lawyer, engineer or financial planner.

The 33rd annual conference of 100 Black Men of America began Wednesday and ends Sunday in Las Vegas. Youths representing 100 Black Men of Central Illinois qualified to compete in an African-American history challenge and in a financial literacy competition.

In addition, a representative of the chapter, Andrew Conton of Peoria, is being honored at the conference as national Mentee of the Year. Just four years ago, another chapter representative, Markus Brooks of Bloomington, was named national Mentee of the Year.

"We are very proud of our mentees," Maddox said. "But, also, our mentors have to be raised up. It tells us we are doing something right."

Retired 11th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Robb agreed. Eight years ago, when she was a juvenile court judge, she worked with juvenile court services and 100 Black Men of Central Illinois to establish a mentoring program for minority youths.

"100 Black Men provided the mentorship. ... They took on some really challenged young men and worked with them," Robb said.

"If a youth can see someone who looks like him and may have come from similar circumstances and cares for him and spends time with him and invests in him, that sends a powerful message to the youth: That there are people who care about him and want him to succeed," Robb said.

"That's powerful and that's what they (100 Black Men) do," Robb said. "An organization with members who want to spend time with troubled youth is an organization we want in this community. It's an investment for all of us. We all profit from youth who succeed as adults."

"We've accomplished a lot in 15 years," Hicks said. "But the sky's the limit."

Contact Paul Swiech at (309) 820-3275. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_swiech

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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.But Mayor Tari Renner opposes such a move, calling it a "nuclear option" because he fears it could end up shutting down the public transportation system indefinitely.

Ward 8 Alderman Jeff Crabill has submitted an aldermanic request to discuss at Monday's council work session whether other council members would support putting the issue to a vote when the council meets in a regular voting session on June 24.

"What I would like for them to do is to put on the agenda a regular vote as to whether to reject Connect Transit's budget," said Crabill. "The overall goal would be not to reject the budget but work with Connect Transit to get them to agree to delay the elimination of the Olive Route July 1 and reconsider the fare increases that start in October."

Crabill will need to have the support of five council members, including himself, to place the vote on the agenda. He said he did not know if he had a consensus.

Renner said a June 24 vote rejecting Connect Transit's budget would leave the agency only six days to negotiate a new budget before its fiscal year begins July 1.

"This is the most extreme measure you can take and it could have extreme outcomes," said Renner. "It is possible that Connect Transit could just stop on July 1 and that means nobody wins. Because this would be an ordinance change, I cannot veto it. If I could I absolutely would. There are way too many risks for human beings in our city."

Connect Transit General Manager Isaac Thorne said the system may be able to operate on reserve funds for a few months  Bloomington's legal counsel is looking into whether that's allowed without a budget  but service would almost definitely stop later this year because state funding would be delayed.

Two-thirds of the bus system's operating budget comes from the Illinois Department of Transportation. But that funding is delivered only after IDOT processes an application for Connect Transit, a process that takes months and would need to be restarted if the system adopted a new budget.

"It's absolutely a nuclear option. We don't know what would happen," said Thorne of rejecting the budget. "I don't want to hit the panic button right now, but the possibility of Connect Transit shutting down scares customers and employees, and it should."

An intergovernmental agreement requires the bus system to work with the city and town of Normal on a new fiscal plan if either of the municipalities rejects Connect Transit's budget.

Normal City Council member Karyn Smith has also floated rejecting the bus system's budget but didn't get enough support to put a vote on the agenda for Normal's meeting Monday. That's the last chance for the town to act before July 1 unless officials schedule an additional council meeting.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos said he opposes voting to reject the budget, and didn't put a vote on Monday's agenda because it could jeopardize state funding.

"What's on the agenda is an update from Isaac Thorne and (board member and Normal appointee) Julie Hile," said Koos.

Thorne is slated to speak to the Bloomington council at 6 p.m. and then address the town council at 7 p.m. Thorne said his main goal is to correct misconceptions about the system.

"There's been a plethora of misinformation. ... It calls into question my integrity, and our staff's, to say we're inflating rider numbers. There's no basis for it," said Thorne. "I'm ready to make the case for keeping our current budget and pushing off this possible rejection."

Crabill wants Connect Transit to look at other funding sources that might be out there including possibly increasing the city's contribution as well as using some of the new revenue from the state doubling its current 19-cent-per-gallon gas tax, beginning July 1.

The city contributes $1.2 million for Connect Transit's operations and capital expenses while Normal provides $878,000 annually. The system has a $13.7 million budget for the new fiscal year, including $8.8 million in state money.

Thorne said he's optimistic a working group assembled by the Connect Transit board will deliver useful recommendations this fall.

The system plans to cut the Olive route, which serves north Normal, and start four years of fare hikes on Oct. 1. Critics, including Citizens to Ensure Fair Transit, have said those changes hurt disabled riders who live near the Olive route and low-income riders who can't afford to pay more for vital transportation.

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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.NORMAL  Herb Stevens spent nine months flying Black Hawk helicopters 170 miles per hour, 50 feet above Iraqi deserts, but his real challenge was installing a swimming pool in his backyard.

That was way more stressful than any of those deployments or anything, said Stevens, 52, from his kitchen in Normal. Just because its an unknown, whereas with the deployments, we train so much for that.

Since he enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard nearly 36 years ago, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Stevens has clocked more than 6,000 flight hours  more than enough to earn a Sikorsky award for his time  with 1,100 of those hours spent in combat flying Black Hawks.

I always said Ill stick with it as long as its still fun and its still fun, he said.

Like many guardsmen, Stevens first enlisted as a way to pay for college in exchange for just one weekend a month, two weeks a year, as the old Guard slogan goes. But between numerous humanitarian missions and three long-term deployments, Stevens has taken his duties all over the world.

Once he finished flight school and graduated from Illinois State University with a history degree, Stevens spent four years working at State Farm before committing to a full-time gig with the National Guard.

Then the opportunity came to go and fly for the Guard full time, he said. That was where I got out from behind that desk.

In the 17 years since, Stevens has been deployed to Iraq twice and eastern Africa once, using different tactics and learning to adapt along the way.

We were first (in Iraq) in 2004 when it was kind of new, when we were kind of making up the rules as we went along. We equated it to the wild, wild West back then, he said.

When we went back to Iraq in 2009 for another year, and it was totally different ... And I guess thats just part of the Army. If you dont adapt to what your enemy is doing, then youre not going to survive.

Stevens took those lessons back home to apply them to different kinds of stresses, including raising two daughters and putting in a very challenging swimming pool.

But while he was overseas, Stevens said he never had to worry about what was going on back at home because his wife Lynette, 22-year-old Hannah and 19-year-old Maggie are the most important piece of the puzzle.

That family support network takes care of all that stuff and I guess Ive been fortunate in that my familys been very supportive of the deployments and of what I do, he said.

Stevens now oversees all of the Army pilot instructors in Illinois as the state standardization instructor based at the Army Aviation Support Facility No. 1 in Decatur.

When talking to potential recruits, he passes on what hes learned in the Guard, telling them, If its really something you want to do, dont let anybody tell you no. You know, just study, work hard, fight for it and youll be successful.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

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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.CHICAGO  Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker made Illinois the most liberal state in the U.S. for access to reproductive health care with the stroke of 20 pens Wednesday at the Chicago Cultural Center.

It was a vow he made at the beginning of the legislative session, and a charge both backers and detractors of the Reproductive Health Act maintained would come to pass. The measure became law immediately with his signature.

Pritzker said the law makes the Prairie State a beacon for access to pregnancy care, contraception, birth control, abortion procedures and other related benefits by making access to these things a fundamental right. That means no level of government in Illinois can infringe upon a woman or mans access to reproductive health care.

While opponents say the law strikes protections from statute  including the automatic autopsy of a woman who dies during an abortion, penalties for an illegally-performed abortion post-viability and inspections of clinics where the procedure is done  proponents say it codifies current practices and removes aspects of statute enjoined by the courts.

Mendoza interview: With a fiscal year 2020 operating budget in place and a historic legislative session in the rearview mirror, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is cautiously optimistic about the states new direction.

I think this was truly the most monumentally historic session that I have witnessed in my lifetime. And I've been around the Springfield legislature now for 20 years, Mendoza said.

Mendoza, a Chicago Democrat who took office in the middle of an unprecedented 736-day state budget impasse, said there was not much in Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzkers agenda she disagreed with this year. This led her to play a less vocal role than she did during the tumultuous governorship of Republican Bruce Rauner.

I dont want to be seen as oh, shes being so nice to the governor, but the reality of it is (Pritzker) deserves the accolades, Mendoza said. That was a huge lift and he did it in his first term, which far exceeded the expectations that I would have had for a brand new governor, and he managed to bring Democrats and Republicans together in a way that Governor Rauner couldn't even bring his own members together outside of bringing them together through fear.

Specifically, she emphasized the importance of the $40.1 billion operating budget, a $45 billion capital plan, and new revenues which will result from marijuana legalization and gambling expansion.

Despite these steps, Mendoza said its important to remain grounded and focused on paying down Illinois outsized bill backlog, which sits between $6 billion and $7 billion.

Industrial hemp: Trent Lawrence and his wife, Jami, work a 26-acre farm outside of Delavan. For the past several years, theyve been growing organic peppers, tomatoes and a variety of other specialty crops. But this year, theyre starting a new crop that became legal in Illinois only earlier this year, industrial hemp.

The Lawrences have hundreds of seedlings growing in a greenhouse, and hundreds more on top of that germinating under lights in an upstairs room of the house that sits on the property.

With luck, each of those plants will grow to produce one to two pounds of flower rich in a compound called cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, which when extracted can be used to control a wide range of medical conditions including seizure disorders. And with market prices ranging from $80 to $100 a pound, depending on its CBD content, that makes each one of those seedlings extremely valuable.

Six months ago, this would have been the mother of all felonies, Lawrence said as he looked around his greenhouse. Its no joke. Until the 2018 Farm Bill was signed, it was still under controlled substance territory. This would have been a Schedule I drug, but since they deregulated CBD  they removed CBD out of the Schedule I drug category.

Lawrence said the plants classify as industrial hemp as long as they test below 0.3 percent Tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

So, we can grow a CBD crop now, as long as we dont go above 0.3 percent delta-9-THC, he said.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture began accepting applications for licenses to grow industrial hemp on April 30, and as of June 10, according to agency figures, the state had issued licenses to 474 growers covering just over 12,103 acres.

Nursing home funding: Funding for nursing homes serving the states most vulnerable elderly populations will increase by $240 million next fiscal year as part of the states recently-passed budget.

Of that $240 million, which will be split between the state and federal government, $70 million will be directly appropriated to help nursing homes meet minimum staffing requirements. Another $170 million will update the reimbursement formula for support costs such as food, utilities, maintenance and equipment.

Advocates for the nursing home industry say the added funding will help stem a tide of 20-plus skilled- and intermediate-care facility closures that occurred over the past five years due to crippling budget cuts and decades-old Medicaid reimbursement rates.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Now that we have absolute proof Russia interfered in the 2016 election and knows it is free to intervene in the 2020 U.S. elections with impunity, let us turn to the stunning amount of old-fashioned corruption going on in your nations capital.

The number of top administration officials who have left their jobs in the past two and a half years because of malfeasance is far higher than normal. (It must be made clear here that both Democrats and Republicans in office throughout our history have taken advantage of their positions to make themselves or their families and friends richer. But we now see more openly outrageous behavior than most of us could have imagined.)

More than 164 lobbyists now run or help run agencies where they once lobbied on behalf of actions to benefit their companies or industries.

A total of 15 Cabinet-level appointees have left the Trump administration so far. At this point in the presidential term, that compares with seven in the Obama administration and four in the George W. Bush White House.

Trump prefers this kind of chaos and likes acting administrators, who dont have congressional confirmation or the authority of the actual title. This has been compared to a classroom run by a series of substitute teachers rather than putting a teacher with a firm lesson plan in charge. Of 31 top positions in the Trump administration, 15 are acting, including the directors of homeland security, the White House chief of staffs office, defense, aviation, food and drug, the Secret Service, emergency response, occupational safety and health and many others.

Many Trump Cabinet officials have felt they are above the law as does their boss. A number of top Cabinet officials have been forced to resign because of misuse of their office.

Scott Pruitt was forced to resign as head of the Environmental Protection Agency after multiple watchdogs, lawmakers and environmental groups raised ethics questions about his spending, housing arrangements, security team and raises for political appointees.

Ryan Zinke resigned as secretary of interior in a storm of ethical questions about his use of his office and opening up public lands and waters to friends in the oil and gas drilling industries.

The former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Brenda Fitzgerald, had to resign after she bought shares in food, drug and tobacco companies while purporting to stop drug abuse and smoking.

Tom Price, who made hundreds of thousands of dollars from drug company stock while he was a member of Congress, had to resign as head of Health and Human Services amid a mountain of corruption charges.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a billionaire, has reversed the departments tough stand against for-profit colleges and schools, favoring her old associates even though her boss, Trump, ran a corrupt for-profit university that was sued by the federal government.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, another billionaire, has had one conflict-of-interest scandal after another, which he ignores.

Brock Long spent thousands of dollars to use government vehicles to go to his home in North Carolina while heading the Federal Emergency Management Administration. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin also raised eyebrows for spending over $800,000 on travel. He reportedly was surprised that a military plane could not be used to take him and his new wife on their honeymoon to Europe.

Most recently, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, whose husband Mitch McConnell runs the Senate and whose wealthy Chinese family has given him more than $1 million in campaign donations, refused to give up $400,000 worth of stock in a company that makes money off construction projects. The price of the stock seems to rise every time the White House declares infrastructure week, even though nothing ever happens.

Everyone knows that the president and his family have made millions profiting from the presidency. Foreign leaders and state government officials believe they must stay at Trumps hotel in Washington whenever they are in the nations capital. And every time Trump visits one of his properties, which is about 50% of his time in office so far, taxpayers pay thousands of dollars for rent for staff and security.

If this were a Democratic administration, Republican members of Congress would be screaming at the top of their lungs about corruption. Lawmakers have a duty to oversee the executive branch.

And that raises a good question. Where is Congress?

Contact McFeatters at amcfeatters@nationalpress.com.

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0For decades, Catholic Democratic politicians have been justifying their pro-choice position by telling us that they were personally opposed to abortion but could not impose their religious view on others. For most, the argument was a fig leaf to justify their shameful failure to protect innocent unborn life. But it appeared that Joe Biden really believed it.

For more than 40 years, Biden supported the Hyde Amendment, which bars federal funding for abortions. In 1994, when a constituent wrote to Biden, urging him, "Please don't force me to pay for abortions against my conscience," Biden replied, "I agree with you." He pointed out that he had voted no fewer than 50 times against federal funding of abortions, promising, "Those of us who are opposed to abortion should not be compelled to pay for them." In his 2007 book "Promises to Keep," Biden wrote, "I've stuck to my middle-of-the-road position on abortion for more than 30 years."

But middle-of-the-road is no longer good enough in today's Democratic Party. So when Biden recently reaffirmed his support for the Hyde Amendment, his opponents for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination pounced. "There is #NoMiddleGround on women's rights," Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., tweeted. "Abortion is a constitutional right." Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., chastised Biden, declaring "No woman's access to reproductive health care should be based on how much money she has. We must repeal the Hyde Amendment." Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and a number of other Democrats also piled on, as did Planned Parenthood, NARAL and Emily's List.

As recently as last week, the former vice president was still standing firm. It appeared this might be his "Sister Souljah moment," when he separated himself from the extremists in his party. This was both principled and good politics: Just 36% of Americans support federal funds to pay for abortion.

But then Biden gave in to the mob. He tried to justify his flip-flop at a Democratic National Committee event in Atlanta on Thursday night by declaring, "If I believe health care is a right, as I do, I can no longer support an amendment that makes that right dependent on someone's ZIP code." This is absurd. Americans have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms, but the government is not obligated to provide weapons to poor people who cannot afford them.

Biden's surrender to the pro-abortion radicals damaged his presidential prospects. First, it made him seem weak and unprincipled. Few pro-choice voters would have abandoned Biden because he opposed taxpayer-funded abortion; indeed, plenty of pro-choice voters agree with that position. But voters will abandon a politician who abandons his principles.

Second, it hurt Biden with the one group he claims he can win back for Democrats: working-class voters who cast their ballots twice for him and President Barack Obama, but switched to Donald Trump in 2016. These once-reliable Democratic voters are more socially conservative than the liberal elites. Abortion radicalism doesn't appeal to them.

Third, Biden's 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 state's Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. As a senator, Biden consistently voted against late-term abortions. Will he cave on that as well?

Democrats don't seem to understand that most Americans  including many who identify as pro-choice  don't 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.

Sadly, Biden has aligned himself with the radical minority. He should be ashamed.

Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0100 years ago

June 16, 1919: Sidney Plattford went for a swim at Miller Park but didnt come back. Rescuers dragged the lake for his corpse. While all this was going on, Plattford showed up after having had a few beers with a friend. He was arrested, but the charges werent made clear.

75 years ago

June 16, 1944: The Woolenwear Co., 417 S. Center St., has been awarded a contract to manufacture 36,500 alpaca-lined jackets for the Navy. The jackets will be part of a trousers and helmet outfit for sailors wear on ships. This should keep Woolenwear busy through 1945.

50 years ago

June 16, 1969: Delmar Swearingen has been named principal at Danvers Elementary School. Swearingen has been on the Bloomington High School faculty for 10 years and is a graduate of ISNU and McLean High School. He and his family live in Normal.

25 years ago

June 16, 1994: Notable losses today include band leader Henri Mancini, 70. Also, educator Lois Green has died at Westminster Village, where she was one of Westminsters charter residents. She was teacher, principal and eventually curriculum coordinator for Bloomington schools.

Compiled by Jack Keefe; jkeefe@coldwellhomes.com.ROME  Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, who delighted audiences around the world with his romantic vision and extravagant productions, most famously captured in "Romeo and Juliet" and the miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth," died Saturday at 96.

While Zeffirelli was most known for his films, his name was inextricably linked to the theater and opera. He produced classics for the world's most famous opera houses, from Milan's venerable La Scala to the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and plays for London and Italian stages.

Zeffirelli's son Luciano said his father died at home in Rome.

He made it his mission to make culture accessible to the masses, often seeking inspiration in literary greats for his films, and producing operas for TV audiences. Zeffirelli once likened himself to a sultan with a harem of three: film, theater and opera.

"I am not a film director. I am a director who uses different instruments to express his dreams and his stories  to make people dream," Zeffirelli told The Associated Press in a 2006 interview.

Born on Feb. 12, 1923, in the outskirts of Florence, Zeffirelli became one of Italy's most prolific directors, working with such opera greats as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Maria Callas, and Hollywood stars including Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Mel Gibson, Cher and Judi Dench.

Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described Zeffirelli "was an Italian ambassador of cinema, art and beauty."

Throughout his career, Zeffirelli took risks. His screen success in America was a rarity among Italian filmmakers.

He was one of the few Italian directors close to the Vatican, and the church turned to Zeffirelli's theatrical touch for live telecasts of the 1978 papal installation and the 1983 Holy Year opening ceremonies in St. Peter's Basilica.

But Zeffirelli was best known outside Italy for his colorful, softly-focused romantic films. His 1968 "Romeo and Juliet" brought Shakespeare's tale to a new generation, and his 1973 "Brother Sun, Sister Moon," told the life of St. Francis in parables.

"Romeo and Juliet" set box-office records in the United States, though it was made with two unknown actors, Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. The film, which cost $1.5 million, grossed $52 million and became one of the most successful Shakespearian movies ever.

A year earlier, he directed Taylor and Burton in Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew."

His 1977 made-for-television "Life of Jesus" became an instant classic with its portrayal of a Christ who seemed authentic and relevant. The film earned over $300 million worldwide.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0In February I noted that about 20 payphones had gone missing all at once from Grand Central Terminal, leaving only 4 working phones in the building. I suggested that a day when zero phones remain at New Yorks iconic transit hub might not be far off. From my observation last week it looks like that day might come soon.

Having worked as recently as a few weeks ago none of the 4 remaining payphones at Grand Central have dial tone today, and coins deposited shuffle straight back out to the coin return chamber. That latter flourish suggests that a PTS payphone technician intentionally disabled these phones and set the coin-intake mechanism so that no ones money would be lost.

The phones removal could be part of Metro-Norths Way Ahead program, an initiative intended to modernize the Terminal with changes that already include swapping out the flap-board arrival and departure boards with LED screens.

Or it might reflect Verizons move to route out all its copper landline infrastructure in favor of fiber. Unlike most of New Yorks outdoor payphones, powered by solar energy and which connect calls via the Verizon cellular network, the phones at Grand Central and in the subway system connect via old-fashioned copper. If any chance remains for keeping public telephones at Grand Central it would probably mean changing how they connect.

Or maybe PTS, the company that owns and maintains these phones, simply wants out. PTS owns all the payphones in the New York City subway system, and in places like Broadway theaters and in the city parks. If the working order of those phones reflects the companys priorities it would appear that PTS has thrown in the towel with regard to its NYC payphones.

I have known PTS payphones to come back alive after months of downtime. But this time it feels different. The end really does seem nigh once and for all, at least with regard to grand Central. A couple of PTS phones at the Hotel Pennsylvania still work but the others have been dead for months. Three payphones at the Onassis Cultural Center disappeared earlier this year. And the hoary, wretched, massacred phone that had lingered for years in the Grand Central subway station finally disappeared last week, suggesting PTS is on a payphone maintenance binge.

Another sign that PTS might be unwinding its payphone business is that the companys website went missing a few months ago.

I would miss the top-notch call quality that characterized those old landline payphones. But change is inevitable, and progress comes with compromise. Maybe that compromise will mean inferior call quality when the remaining payphones at Grand Central are wired to connect via cellular networks. More likely it means no phones at all.

Instead of public phones or any ability for cellphone-free commuters to make phone calls we will get (what else?) advertising. Like most of the places where payphones used to be at Grand Central the row of about a dozen phones formerly found near the 45th Street passage today looks like this:An 18-year-old Shippensburg woman was injured when police say her boyfriend and another person ran over her leg while stealing her car Thursday.

According to the Pennsylvania State Police at Chambersburg, Zachary Stacey, 24, of Chambersburg, and Andrew Rhodes, 23, of Shippensburg, are facing charges that include aggravated assault and robbery of a motor vehicle.

Police say during an argument at Lincoln Way East and Pine Grove Road in Greene Township, the woman was pulled by her hair from the drivers seat of her car. She tried to re-enter through the passenger side but was shoved from the vehicle while in motion, and it ran over her lower leg, police say.

Stacey and Rhodes drove away, leaving the car at the Shippensburg fairgrounds, but they were charged a short time later, police say.

The investigation is ongoing.Members of the Harrisburg School Board will meet behind closed doors Sunday evening in an emergency executive session," but on Saturday, the specifics of what will be discussed at that meeting remained a mystery to at least one board member.

The executive session, which will take place out of the view of the public, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.  less than 24 hours before the beginning of a hearing on a petition filed by state Education Secretary Pedro Rivera, who is asking for a state takeover of Harrisburg schools.

Carrie Fowler, a member of the board, said she first found out about the proposed executive session about noon or 1 p.m. Saturday. At that time, officials hoped to meet only a few hours later at 5 p.m., she said.

That initial plan was delayed, and now, board members are scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Sunday, Fowler said.

Fowler said she was not told why the executive session was being held or what will be discussed.

Thats all we have: There is an executive session, Fowler said.

An email message sent to Harrisburg School District Solicitor James Ellison early Saturday evening was not immediately returned. And district spokeswoman Kirsten Keys could not be reached.

The executive session is scheduled on the day before a hearing on a state takeover of the Harrisburg School District is set to begin. The hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Monday in the Dauphin County Courthouse.

Early this month, Rivera filed a petition with the Court of Common Pleas to take control of the Harrisburg School District by forcing it into receivership. The request was made amid ongoing underperformance in the district, both academically and financially.

Under the state takeover, a receiver would be appointed to essentially act as the districts chief executive, wresting most decision-making power from current administrators and members of the elected school board.

At the hearing, Judge William Tully is expected to hear arguments on the petition from representatives of the state, as well as the district.

Until a ruling on the petition is made, Tully has ordered that school board members cannot vote to make binding decisions, unless they first obtain written consent from Chief Recovery Officer Janet Samuels, appointed by the state to oversee the districts recovery plan.

Rivera asked the court to name Samuels receiver. Samuels did not immediately return an email sent to her Saturday evening about the executive session.

Even with the restrictions on voting, school board members are scheduled to appear for a public meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Fowler said.

Shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday, Fowler added that the agenda for that meeting had not yet been released, and she was unaware of what would be discussed.An abc27 reporter has announced she is leaving the station.

Logan Wilson, listed as a news investigator on the stations website, made the statement on Twitter that Friday was her last day as she leaves for a job with KIPP Philadelphia Schools.

These past two years have been filled with so much love and learning, she wrote. Im going to miss my coworkers more than words can describe.

LIFE UPDATE... Today is my last day at ABC27 News. These past 2 years have been filled with so much love & learning. I have grown so much as a person, & I have had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people! Im going to miss my coworkers more than words can describe! (Cont) pic.twitter.com/AJl9DfPd0r  Logan Wilson (@missloganwilson) June 14, 2019

Officials at the station were not immediately available for comment.

According to ABC 27, Wilson was born in York and grew up in Lancaster and in the Philadelphia suburbs. She is a Temple University graduate who joined the station in June 2017.

READ MORE:WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP)  A neighbor has been convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a Republican official outside Philadelphia almost two years ago.

Jurors in Chester County deliberated for almost 10 hours Thursday before convicting 53-year-old Clayton Carter III of West Goshen Township.

Carter now faces a mandatory life term without possibility of parole in the August 2017 shooting death of 51-year-old Brooks Jennings in August 2017.

Defense attorney Joseph Green argued that Jennings repeatedly provoked Carter to try to get him to move out. But prosecutors said Carter brought a gun to their confrontation as well as a knife to plant on the victim.

Carter was a GOP committeeman and the defendants yard had anti-Trump signs, but prosecutors said they didnt think politics was a factor.The arrest of Julian Assange for his journalism exposing U.S. war crimes sends a chilling message to news purveyors, including the publishers of this news journal.

Even more disturbing than violating First Amendment protections, is the threat of prosecution of journalists worldwide for revealing the horrors of U.S. government fascist foreign policies.

Make no mistake, U.S. democracy perished after Reagans directives, when weakened government was dominated by the corporate-banking-congressional-military-mass media-propaganda-complex. All U.S. wars, since 1945, have begun in corporate boardrooms and Wall Street banks. All these wars have been wars of aggression to seize other nations natural resources.

The U.S. preaches democracy to failed nation-states, but the conquered nations receive U.S. corporate fascism, the very same abusive, poverty producing regulations forced on U.S. citizens by corporate-run-government.

If our government operates under Equal Justice Before the Law, then place Assange on trial for telling the truth about U.S. war crimes. At the same time, we should bring every U.S. presidential administration, from Reagan to Trump, before the International War Crimes Tribunal for wars of aggression and crimes against humanity.

Peter Mazurkiewicz, Beaver Springs, Snyder CountyEducators often fail to recognize fathers, a researcher contends. Brad Tollefson/AP

By the time Fathers Day takes place, the school year is usually over.

In many ways, thats an apt metaphor for how divorced fathers  or fathers who dont live with their children  get treated by their childrens schools. That is, theyre often simply not seen as part of what takes place at school. These fathers are often viewed as irresponsible and uninvolved.

I learned this by talking to 20 fathers as part of my research. I found that divorced fathers, especially those who dont share a residence with their children over 50% of the time, can find it challenging to remain involved in their childrens academic development. Several fathers told me about how often teachers and administrators at their childrens schools fail to recognize them.

My sons school never calls me, one father told me in a statement that could be emblematic of the plight of noncustodial fathers.

Messages home

Many schools simply assume mothers are the primary parent to contact regarding schooling. Consequently, I found schools tend not to send information to both parental households or inform nonresidential fathers about how their children are doing in school.

Divorced dads also told me that they often found out about school events at the last minute  if at all.

When schools treat fathers like they dont exist, its not serving students well.

Academic and social benefits

When fathers who dont live with their children are involved with their kids school, the kids are less likely to repeat a grade or be suspended. They are also more likely to have higher grades.

Children who have more involved fathers also tend to be psychologically, cognitively and physically healthier. When fathers take active roles in reading with and to their children, support their academic outcomes and are involved with their schools, children tend to graduate high school and have financial stability as adults.

The difference that involved fathers make begins early. For instance, children with fathers who spoke more words while reading to them as children grew up to have stronger vocabulary and math skills compared to peers whose fathers spoke less.

Fathers can also disrupt some of the negative influences in the community  such as crime, dropping out of school and earning less money  when they are more involved in their childrens education.

Being involved in childrens education is even more critical for children of color as compared to white children because of systematic racism some parents of color experience.

Father involvement may be especially important for Latino boys academic motivation. Similarly, children of African American fathers who have high academic expectations are often more academically successful as a result.

This benefit can exist whether they share the same residences with their children or not.

Divorced mothers face challenges, too. When couples divorce, mothers become less involved in their childrens schooling, usually because of having to work longer hours outside the home.

Using tech to bypass drama

Of course, when divorced dads have conflicts with their childrens mothers, it can make it more challenging to stay involved in their childrens education. The fathers I spoke with said conflicts with their former spouses often led them to find out about parent-teacher meetings, school activities or extracurricular performances after the fact.

Some fathers sought to work around the conflict by using email or text messages. One father texted his daughter every day because its just like youre there. This way, he said, he learned the dates of important tests and how she did on them. He also learned about her swim meets. Another father with younger children said his former spouse let him know about a play his son was in only 30 minutes before it started.

Thankfully I have a flexible job and could make it, the father said.

Research shows the benefits of father involvement transcend academics. Some research suggests that these benefits extend to other areas of their childrens lives because kids feel good when dads are invested.

Persistence and consistence can be a challenge. One study found that two or three years after a divorce, 22% of fathers no longer had contact with their children and only 31% saw their children each week.

For all these reasons, I see an urgent need for schools to make sure that fathers are given an opportunity to play a meaningful part of their childrens education. Fathers Day may come at the end of the school year or when school is out. But that doesnt mean they should be ignored throughout the rest of the school year.

[ Thanks for reading! We can send you The Conversations stories every day in an informative email. Sign up today. ]

Jessica Troilo, Associate Professor of Child Development and Family Studies, West Virginia University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.This time of year, the machinery of state government is reviewed and adjusted according to the needs of the people and the whims of their elected leaders. There are certain mandates like human service costs, debt service, and emergency needs that must be met. Beyond that, any and all discretionary costs must be accounted for and funded.

June is when all our bills come due. The array of items facing the Governor and the General Assembly is daunting. Somehow the following items must be presented, debated, amended, and ultimately, signed into law by June 30:

The General Fund Budget  includes amounts authorized for every department and bureau of state government. This is a staggering responsibility in and of itself as political leaders with differing perspectives weigh in on what should receive priority.

The Tax Bill  provides whatever changes are necessary to generate the revenue to pay for the cost of the items budgeted. Since the constitution requires that our budget is balanced every year, this means that the amount of spending cannot exceed the anticipated revenue amount. This is why so much depends upon administration and legislative leaders agreeing on exactly what the spend number should be and matching that with projections of anticipated revenue. No one knows for sure what the revenue will be in the coming 12 months, so we rely on econometrics to review trends and markets to arrive at that number. The dark little secret about state budgeting is that it is all based on an educated guess.

The Fiscal Code  since it is hard enough to agree on categorical spending numbers for, say, the Department of Education or the Department of Human Services, the General Assembly in recent years has produced a companion bill to the annual budget that serves as a road map with more specific directions. While loading up the fiscal code with hundreds of unrelated items has drawn some legal fire, it remains the tool of choice for leaders to hammer out spending should be allocated. In recent years, this vehicle has served as an omnibus package that established new fees and taxes and developed brand new programs in education, environmental and energy policies to name a few.

Education  since about half of the budget relates to education spending, the reshuffling of the spending formula for all 501 school districts, charter schools and related programming is a big deal. While the courts and most politicians call for equity in doling out education dollars, it is no coincidence that funding is often tilted to those areas that are represented by the majority party in the General Assembly. There is also a perennial effort to tie funding to performance which tends to tighten the purse strings for districts that are already in trouble. Governors Wolfs solution has been to increase the pot of funding for schools, and he has managed to do that in each year of his administration.

Beyond these big ticket items, the budget season is an opportunity for politicians to push their own causes. Heres a few things that are percolating alongside the budget bills. All of them have merit, but they clearly reflect the need for both parties to score political points back home.

Workforce Development  an idea with bipartisan support, legislative leaders are poised to increase funding and to try to steer workforce development models toward their own districts.

Safety in Public Schools  various bills have surfaced. Most expect increased funding for new programs. The Republicans in the senate are pushing a plan that allows school districts to establish their own programs  including guns in classrooms.

Health Care  The state is stepping up to establish and operate its own health care exchange to provide reasonable coverage for all Pennsylvanians. The bill has found strong bipartisan support.

EITC  The Education Investment Tax Credit program has operated in PA for 18 years. It allows corporations to receive a tax credit for donations to private, public and religious schools. The tax credit set aside is now $110 million per year. Speaker Mike Turzai has pushed legislation through to raise that limit to $210 million and has run into opposition from the governor who objects to that size of an increase. In budget season, this is what is known as a marker. That is, the speaker has put his marker down on his key spending item and set up a confrontation that could affect all other aspects of the budget.

Watch for other markers to surface in the waning days of the negotiations. This is, after all, turkey season where all manner of fowl fly.

Mark S. Singel is a former Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. He and Republican Charlie Gerow can be seen at 8:30 a.m. each Sunday on CBS21s Face the State.An Israeli court Sunday convicted the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fraudulently using state funds for meals, under a plea bargain which saw her admit to lesser charges.

Sara Netanyahu was found guilty of exploiting the mistake of another person and ordered to pay a fine and compensation, in a deal approved by Jerusalem magistrates' court justice Avital Chen.

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It can cost thousands of dollars to do an unpaid internship, and many take on credit card debt to get by. Here are ways to limit that high-interest debt.The MPN Poker Tour Rewards 5 Birthday Boys or Girls this June

June 16, 2019 MPN Poker Tour

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Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said that he would not pardon Trump or any other ex-president if they were indicted.

Pete Buttigieg says no pardon for Trump

Transcript via CBSs Face The Nation:

MARGARET BRENNAN: So there are a number of investigations going on in- different state levels. If you do get to that position of the presidency and you look at a ButtigiegJustice Department potentially prosecuting the president- former president, would you ever consider a pardon?

BUTTIGIEG: I dont think that its appropriate for pardon power to be used to cover for malfeasance or corruption in office. You know, right now

MARGARET BRENNAN: So Fords pardoning of Nixon

BUTTIGIEG: You know, I dont

MARGARET BRENNAN: inappropriate?

BUTTIGIEG: know what I would have done in the 70s and- and- and that historical counterfactual other than that Im bothered by the possibility that public corruption went unpunished and the idea that that could happen in the future is equally problematic. Thats, I think, not at all what the pardon power was- was for when it was first contemplated. And again, I think the less presidential slash political interference there is with any process in the Department of Justice, the better.

Video:

Asked by @margbrennan if he would ever consider a pardon of a former president. @PeteButtigieg says, I don't think that it's appropriate for pardon power to be used to cover for malfeasance or corruption in office. pic.twitter.com/cDrQ1HALON  Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) June 16, 2019

Trump isnt going to get a Nixon pardon

The best chance for Trump to avoid a federal indictment by getting a pardon would be to resign. Democrats arent going to pardon Trump if he loses the election for the exact reason that Buttigieg stated. Public corruption cant go unpunished. It has been argued with hindsight that Fords presidency was finished as soon as he pardoned Nixon. Corruption cant be swept under the rug so that the nation can move on. If Democrats take back the White House, Trump is going to be indicted at the federal or state level. Presidential pardons dont apply to state charges, but Trump must be punished so that a presidency like his never happens again.

Trump best chance of avoiding a potential prison sentence is winning reelection because a pardon isnt going to happen.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Donald Trump ignored Fathers Day but retweeted a Fox News segment where he was called the greatest president since Reagan.

Trump Thinks Hes Reagan

Trump tweeted:

Yesterday was the Radical Left Democrats big Impeachment day. They worked so hard to make it something really big and special but had one problem  almost nobody showed up. The Media admits low turnout for anti-Trump rallies. @FoxNews All around the Country people are.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2019

..saying enough. Democrat voters want to hear the politicians talking about issues. This is a huge distraction and will only help Donald Trump get elected. @JedediahBila Greatest President since Ronald Reagan said a counter-protester. LehighValleyLive  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2019

Trump thinks that hes Reagan, but Reagan fought the Russian. They back Trump. No one ever questioned Ronald Reagans patriotism. The question with Trump is whether he has any. All evidence suggests that he does not. Trump thinks that he is at the same level as Ronald Reagan when the Reagan administration governed. The Trump administration goes in circles based on the presidents. Any comparison of Trump to Reagan is an insult to Ronald Reagan.

Republican family values?

Trump also put the real family values of the Republican Party on full display by ignoring Fathers Day. Trump is only concerned with himself and impeachment. He doesnt care about Americas families. The Republican Party spent decades building up a false image of conservative family values. Donald Trump has blown that up in less than three years in the White House. The only good thing about Trumps presidency is that he is exposing the Republicans for the win at all costs frauds that they are.

The party of family values has a president with no values at all.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Trump responded to internal polls showing him losing in every state that he must win in 2020 by firing his pollster.

NBC News reported:



But a person familiar with the inner workings of the Trump campaign shared more details of the data with NBC News, showing the president trailing across swing states seen as essential to his path to re-election and in Democratic-leaning states where Republicans have looked to gain traction. The polls also show Trump underperforming in reliably red states that havent been competitive for decades in presidential elections. A separate person close to the Trump re-election team told NBC News Saturday that the campaign will be cutting ties with some of its pollsters in response to the information leaks, although the person did not elaborate as to which pollsters would be let go.

.

In Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan  three states where Trump edged Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by narrow margins that proved decisive in his victory  Trump trails Biden by double-digits. In three of those states  Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Florida  Bidens leads sit outside the polls margin of error. Trump is also behind the former vice president in Iowa by 7 points, in North Carolina by 8 points, in Virginia by 17 points, in Ohio by 1 point, in Georgia by 6 points, in Minnesota by 14 points, and in Maine by 15 points.

Any other incumbent who saw those poll numbers in must-win states would immediately reconsider their strategy and be looking for ways to improve. Donald Trump fired the pollster and called the polls fake. 2016 showed us all to never say that Trump cant win, because, with the help of the Russians and some stumbles late by Hillary Clinton, Trump did win. It isnt impossible for Trump to win a second term, but what these numbers show is that if Democrats dont make a mistake or self-destruct, Trump is going to have a more difficult time winning in 2020 than he did in 2016.

Trumps response to bad poll numbers is textbook losing candidate behavior. The country is looking eager to dump Trump, and instead of trying to sway voters, Trump is rejecting reality.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Trump changed the subject and got out of a car they were riding in when ABCs George Stephanopoulos pressed him on reading the Mueller report.

Trump runs away when asked if he read the Mueller report

Transcript via ABCs This Week:

TRUMP: That is what they found. Excuse me. He found no collusion. And they didnt find anything having to do with obstruction because they made a ruling based on his findings and they said no obstruction.

STEPHANOPOULOS: They didnt examine collusion. He laid out evidence of obstruction.

TRUMP: Oh, are you trying to say now that there was collusion even though he said there was no collusion?

STEPHANOPOULOS: He didnt say theres no collusion.

TRUMP: He said no collusion.

STEPHANOPOULOS: He said he didnt look at collusion.

TRUMP: George, the report said no collusion.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Did you read the report?

TRUMP: Uh, yes I did, and you should read it, too.

STEPHANOPOULOS: I read every word.

TRUMP: Alright, lets go. You should read it, too, George.

Video:

EXCLUSIVE: In an interview with @GStephanopoulos, President Trump kept bringing up the Mueller report. Asked why it bothers him so much, Trump says, "because it's untrue. I like the truth. I'm actually a very honest guy" https://t.co/J72Biz1YSs pic.twitter.com/RniIJlQBfj  This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 16, 2019

Trump didnt read the Mueller report

Trump has no idea what is in the Mueller. He just knows what Barr and Fox News have told him. Trump doesnt know what Mueller investigated, and when he was pushed on reading the report, he accused Stepanoupolous of not reading the report and changed the subject by getting out of the car that they were riding in. The exchange was classic Trump. The president told a lie, projected his behavior on to others, and then ran away when he got caught.

The United States doesnt have a president. The country is being governed by a pathological liar who evades accountability like a toddler.

Trump didnt read the report and ran away when his deception was exposed.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Joe Biden still has a 20 point lead in South Carolina, but Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg have moved into second and third as Bernie Sanders has fallen to fourth.

Warren and Buttigieg Move Into The Top Tier In South Carolina

According to a new Post and Courier-Change Research Poll, Former Vice President Joe Biden holds a commanding 20-point lead in the 2020 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary, but his post-announcement advantage is shrinking  and he has a surprising new set of top challengers. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg have emerged as the next two choices after Biden in the early voting state, according to a new Post and Courier-Change Research Poll of likely Democratic primary voters released Sunday. They supplanted Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and California Sen. Kamala Harris, who have been trending down in recent national polls. Sanders took a big hit over previous S.C. polls falling from second to fourth. Harris numbers have not changed dramatically. Instead, others have leapfrogged the races leading African American candidate.

Warrens rise is not a surprise. She has the biggest grassroots organization in South Carolina, outside of Joe Biden. Sen. Warren has been organizing South Carolina for years and her efforts are paying off. Pete Buttigieg is in an interesting phase. His national numbers, which one should keep in mind are virtually meaningless, have cooled, but his early state numbers are rising.

Biden Maintains a Commanding Lead In South Carolina

Joe Biden leads Elizabeth Warren 37%-17%. Pete Buttigieg is in third at 11%. Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders follow him in fourth at 9%. Cory Booker is fifth at 5% with Beto ORourke at 4%, and Andrew Yang at 3%.

It is going to be difficult for any of the other candidates to catch Biden in South Carolina, but finishing over 15% is important for picking up delegates. Currently, on Biden and Warren would pick up delegates in the South Carolina primary. Bernie Sanders is fading fast, as Warren has passed him in multiple polls.

The Democratic primary is coming to life. Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg are looking like the top challengers to Joe Biden.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on FacebookGet the SC business stories that matter.

Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free.You have permission to edit this article.

Edit CloseIn January 2018, a Massachusetts woman did what she was supposed to do.

She got on the phone, called the FBI tip line and for 13 minutes shared her concerns.

A young man, the son of a family friend, was worrying her. On social media, he talked about killing people and showed off his guns. His mother had recently died.

I just want someone to know about this so they can look into it, she said. I just know I have a clear conscience if he takes off and ... just starts shooting places up.

It was the second tip the FBI had received that could have led them to a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. The young man would go on to shoot 34 students and staff members at the school, killing 17.

The woman's call came in more than a month before his attack. The FBI later admitted it should have done more.

Sixteen months after the Parkland shooting  and four years after another massacre by a solitary gunman killed nine at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church  law enforcement officials are still grappling with how to identify and stop lone attackers before they carry out mass violence.

Many times, like before the Parkland shooting, there are opportunities to step in before an attack occurs. Although lone attackers often isolate themselves, they regularly broadcast their intent to commit violence  in person, electronically or in other ways  which gives friends, family and authorities a chance to do something, said Indiana State University professor Mark Hamm, who studies terrorism and co-wrote the 2017 book "The Age of Lone Wolf Terrorism."

In one South Carolina example, a man last year pleaded guilty after he threatened to carry out an attack inspired by Dylann Roof, the Charleston church shooter. The Conway man posted anti-Semitic views on Facebook and talked on social media about his interest in getting a gun. The man's comments got the FBI's interest and he was later arrested by an undercover agent.

After the Charleston shooting, a friend of Roof pleaded guilty to knowing that Roof had planned to attack worshippers at a Charleston church Bible study ahead of the June 17, 2015, shooting. In that case, the friend didn't share his knowledge until after people had died.

While postings on the internet can show these warning signs before an attack, people can also now quickly and broadly access material that reinforces their extremist beliefs and stokes their anger.

"You can go from a minor complaint to a full-on grievance overnight because you are so bombarded with information," Hamm said.

Law enforcement officials share similar concerns.

Were seeing that same type threat in the domestic terrorism world where individual actors, lone wolves, insular-type people, can find their ideology to justify their violence and their actions online," Michael McGarrity, assistant director of counterterrorism for the FBI, said during a Congressional hearing last month.

McGarrity, during his testimony, said that tips from people and information-sharing between local, state and federal law enforcement officials are key to identifying and stopping attackers. Half of the FBI's domestic terrorism investigations are opened based on tips from the public or referrals from federal, state and local authorities, he said. The agency, McGarrity said, has about 850 "predicated domestic terrorism investigations."

But as the Parkland shooting showed, speaking out to law enforcement isn't always enough.

The violent attacks by lone attackers have continued. Mass shootings at a Florida night club, a Texas church, a Pittsburgh synagogue and at a Virginia Beach city building are but a few of the deadly domestic attacks by a single gunman that have occurred since 2015.

Hamm said fewer restrictions on firearms and bullets have made it easier for people to carry out large attacks in little time. More restrictions could make future attacks harder, he said.

Peter Simi, a sociology professor at Chapman University in Southern California, said it is important that more people acknowledge that these attacks of mass violence are not new. White supremacists, like the Ku Klux Klan, and people inspired by them have carried out attacks domestically for over 150 years.

Simi, who has studied extremist groups and violence for decades, gave other suggestions for the present day:

Law enforcement agencies, and the public, should do more to try to understand the links between lone actors and violent attacks to see if they were inspired by extremist groups.

Comments from political leaders normalizing extremist and hateful views should cease.

Mental health programs and conversations about diversity need to happen with children at an early age.

And more study needs to be done on how the accessibility and ease of accessing extremist material online is affecting people.

I think we have a lot to learn," Simi said.The only physical remembrance at the Medical University of South Carolina of the 1969 hospital workers strike is a silver-and-black historic marker that stands modestly along a pedestrian entrance to the campus.

It describes, succinctly, what happened that spring. But on a recent weekday afternoon, few stopped to read it, few used this entrance, few walked along this stretch of Ashley Avenue where the marker, nestled in some foliage, is visible in front of the College of Dental Medicine.

On this particular day, only one or two employees sat nearby on a bench to eat lunch, lost in their private thoughts, seemingly unconcerned about an event that took place 50 years ago.

Nevertheless, the strike was one of the most significant episodes of the civil rights movement. It was the last large-scale civil rights march of the 1960s. It came in the wake of Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination a year earlier and revitalized Kings Southern Christian Leadership Conference. It helped extend Kings Poor Peoples Campaign, which focused on economic justice issues. It galvanized Charleston's health care workers and put their supervisors on notice.

"It began as a dispute between employers and employees but became an international issue," said the Rev. William Barber during a recent visit to Charleston where he honored strikers and called for a renewed Poor People's Campaign. "(The workers) didn't just protest, they won."

The strike marked a major turning point not only for SCLC and the civil rights movement, then in its mature Black Power phase, but for what at the time was called the Medical College of South Carolina  and, by extension, all of South Carolina. The discrimination of Jim Crow would no longer be taken lying down. Even middle-age black nurses were standing up and speaking out.

"What they did then is still impacting us today," said Millicent Traeye Middleston, daughter of County Hospital striker Hermina Traeye.

For years, the freedom movement mostly had been led by educated young people who had organized voting drives, lunch-counter sit-ins, mass marches and other forms of direct-action protest. By 1969, though, older African Americans in Charleston, simultaneously proud of the young agitators and worried about their safety, were taking note of the unfulfilled promises of the movement, and they decided to take matters into their own hands, according to Bobby Donaldson, history professor at the University of South Carolina and director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research.

Today, the faculty, staff and students at the MUSC are beneficiaries of the efforts and sacrifices made by the black nurses who went on strike, and by the men and women in the community who rallied support for them, Donaldson and others said.

This strikes significance and place in history is often overlooked, he said. The assumption is that the civil rights movement comes to some sort of conclusion in 1968 with death of Dr. King. If anything, the strike could be seen as the culmination of the work Dr. King did.

It closed a circle, coming six years after the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom which, earlier in the movement, was concerned with economic disparities, Donaldson said.

The strike was about what Dr. King was focused on in his last year: fair wages, better living conditions," he added. "But because the major voice of the movement is not a part of the movement (anymore), people are not focused on it.

The history of the strike is not formally taught to students at MUSC today, though the topic sometimes comes up.

All students received communications and were invited to attend on-campus events and retrospectives about the strike this year as part of the 50th commemoration programming during the week of May 6th, so when appropriate we are providing opportunities to review and learn from that specific moment in time for our students, wrote Heather Woolwine, director of MUSC public affairs and media relations, in an email.

Students at the Medical University are naturally occupied with the study of medicine and related subjects and are not offered history or civil rights courses.

The Universitys focus has been on the broader importance of diversity and inclusion as (students) move forward in their studies to become health care providers, Woolwine wrote.

'Racially charged'

The hospital workers strike also is not often taught in the Charleston County public schools, according to former and current history teachers. It is not mentioned in the social studies standards and therefore not typically cited when educators discuss the civil rights movement.

I wish it was something that was brought up, said Christine Lloyd, who taught social studies for three years at Laing Middle School until taking maternity leave in January 2017. I think you feel such pressure to cover certain standards, for some reason or another by the time you get to the 20th century, you feel pressed. Its hard to cover it like you want to.

When she took students on a downtown walking tour, she would refer to the 1960 Kress lunch counter sit-ins led by Burke High School students, and she would mention the 1968 Orangeburg Massacre at S.C. State College when highway patrolmen fired lethal buckshot into a crowd of unarmed students on campus, killing three and injuring at least 28.

I never thought to bring up the hospital strike, which makes me sad, Lloyd said.

Heath Orvin teaches ancient history at Charleston County School of the Arts and prepared his own curriculum that includes some contemporary events, he said. Around Labor Day each year he devotes a whole session to the topic of workers rights.

Recently, I brought up the hospital strike, Orvin said. He mentions to students what he sees as the hypocrisy of state officials who pay tribute to the black nurses of 1969 trying to secure better wages and better treatment but condemn school teachers who walked off the job on May 1.

Orvin said he cites the hospital strike as an example of labor unrest in South Carolina, along with the longshoremens strike of 1999 that resulted in violent confrontation between dock workers and police and the arrest on felony riot charges of five men.

I show them old newspaper articles, Orvin said, recalling the national effort to free the Charleston Five.

But the hospital workers strike was different, he said.

This was racially charged, it became a black and white issue, Orvin said, adding that too few of his fellow teachers in South Carolina draw adequate attention to the event in their classrooms.

Mothers of the movement

The Rev. Nelson Rivers III, pastor of Charity Missionary Baptist Church and Charleston native, was an 18-year-old finishing his freshman year at Wilberforce University when the hospital workers strike began. That summer, armed with a taxi license his father had arranged to secure for him, Rivers spent much of his time downtown.

The strike was raging, he recalled. I had the chance to put on the 1199-B (union) cap and drive a cab. I had the chance to see the strike up close and personal. I went to the rallies; I saw the power of the black church.

Workers and their supporters often met at Emanuel AME Church, Morris Street Baptist Church, Morris Brown AME Church and others to strategize and support one another. Many ensured financial strain during the months of the strike and depended on the social safety net these churches provided.

Charleston was full of movement churches, Rivers said.

He witnessed the harassment of strikers by the police, and was not immune to such treatment himself, he said.

I was stopped three times because of that hat, he said. One police officer stuck his billy club in my chest and warned me not to come around here.

But too few people know about this episode now, Rivers said.

The hospital strike was a great opportunity to watch (labor) organization become effective against the odds, he said. If it were not for the mothers of the movement  those women, those black women, their courage, their sacrifice, their fierce commitment to being treated like a human being  the movement in Charleston would not have existed. ... They ignited a radical new approach that was more confrontational than the approach before.

That legacy must be honored with action, Rivers said, acknowledging MUSCs successful diversity efforts but insisting that much more should be done.

Because of the strike, MUSC has an obligation today to be a leader. Its so big, so powerful, has so much money, they can do more than others. They can do the right thing without concern for retribution. Theyre too big to fail.

Another black eye?

Donaldson noted that, by 1969, the civil rights movement had accomplished a lot, at least on paper, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Civil Rights Act of 1965, yet serious problems persisted.

The assumption was that people should now be reaping the benefits of the movement, but in Charleston, respect and fair wages were not there, he said. This was the period of Black Power and black pride. The rhetoric is changing. Before, its We Shall Overcome nonviolent direct action, and Charleston strikers believed in nonviolence, but the tone was (changing).

Now there was more animosity, more insistence, less patience for the so-called moderate approach, Donaldson said.

This was a year after the tragedy of Orangeburg, and the last thing anyone wants is for South Carolina to get another black eye because of some unwieldy protesters who now have to be checked by law and order.

Suspicions of black agitators generally ran high during this period, but in Charleston the agitators  mostly middle-aged black women  undermined assertions by the authorities that protesters represented a danger to society.

These are important lessons that have value today, Donaldson said.

Part of the challenge at the 50th anniversary (of the strike) is filling in the gaps, he said.You are the owner of this article.Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor

Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach.MINNEAPOLIS  A federal judge in Minneapolis on Friday sentenced a Twin Cities attorney to 14 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to running a multimillion-dollar extortion scheme involving pornographic videos.

Prosecutors say Paul Hansmeier, 37, and his co-defendant John L. Steele set up phony companies to obtain copyrights to adult movies, some of which they produced themselves.

They posted the videos on file sharing sites, including The Pirate Bay, and then filed copyright infringement suits against downloaders, threatening them with big financial penalties and public embarrassment.

In an indictment filed in 2016, federal prosecutors say the men obtained around $6 million with the scheme and convinced courts around the country to approve subpoenas to internet providers in order to obtain user information.

The 168-month sentence is much longer than the 150 months the government had sought. Manny Atwal, Hansmeiers defense attorney, requested a sentence of 87 months. Hansmeier must also pay $1.5 million in restitution.

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In September 2016, before he was indicted, the Minnesota Supreme Court indefinitely suspended Hansmeiers law license.

Steele is due to be sentenced July 9, the same day Hansmeier is required to report to prison.MINNEAPOLIS  Nurses at Childrens Minnesota in Minneapolis and St. Paul say theyve reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with the health system.

The agreement came after a 21-hour negotiating session, and after nurses voted Thursday to authorize a strike. The tentative agreement cancels that strike authorization vote.

The Minnesota Nurses Association reported that the tentative contract includes a cap on the rate of cost increase for the most comprehensive health insurance plan offered to nurses; employees wont be asked to cover more of the cost of rate hikes than Childrens Minnesota does.

"Nurses are happy that Childrens recognized that the cost of insurance is a concern that affects the hospitals competitiveness of attracting and retaining nurses," Michelle Cotterell, a sedation nurse at the Childrens Minneapolis campus, said in a Minnesota Nurses Association news release. "Nurses will work with hospital management to address the rising costs of insurance together."

The contract also includes wage increases of 3 percent for the first two years, and 2.25 percent for the third year.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nurses at Childrens Minnesota in Minneapolis and St. Paul will vote next Thursday on whether to ratify the new contract.

"We are pleased that we have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with MNA nurses," Katie Penson, Childrens senior director of clinical services, critical care, said in a news release. "Childrens has come to the bargaining table each time in good faith, and both sides have accomplished a lot over the last several bargaining sessions. We have improved workplace safety, boosted wages, and agreed to improvements on other issues, recognizing the important work nurses do for Childrens every day."

The contract dispute at Childrens has been part of a much larger round of nurses union negotiations with six Twin Cities area health systems. About 5,000 Alina Health nurses staged two strikes beginning in June of 2016 and ending in October of that year.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MC Vaijayanthi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: The spate of audit firms resigning their assignments have been continuing for more than a year now, as audit firms fear regulatory repercussions and want to play it safe. At the same time, there have also been regulatory actions against statutory auditors. Two recent events are PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) resigning from the Reliance Capital auditing and SR Batliboi & Co being barred from audit for a one year towards the audit of commercial banks by the RBI.

RBI had taken a tough call on the issue of bad loan classifications, and has come down strongly on divergences. Last June, it had spelt out that it was putting in place a framework to improve audit quality and examine accountability of statutory auditors. It was reported that SR Batliboi & Co, a member of Ernst & Young, one of the Big 4 (as they are called in the audit industry globally) has made representations to the RBI, calling the ban unfair.

These bans also are subject to legal process. We do not know what is going to happen in court and the representations made. One doesnt know how far this will go. This is unprecedented. So, we cant say what will happen, said the head of a Mumbai-based audit firm on what the outcome of these actions are going to be.

That also applies to the case of Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) moving the NCLT to get firms involved in the audit of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS) banned for five years. Deloitte Haskins & Sells and KPMG affiliate BSR & Associates both had stated that they were in full compliance of laws even as MCA alleged audit lapses.

The Big 4 have been in focus, since the time PwC was banned in the Satyam Computers case. Globally too, they have been at the centre of attention from the time of cases like Enron. MCA has woken up late, didnt pay attention to the issue of economic concentration, regulatory issues or even legal violations like FDI in audit, which is not permitted, said one auditor. Why didnt anyone take responsibility all these years? So many investors are losing money, he said.

Auditors also want to play safe and quit risky clients, as PWC did with Anil Ambani group firms Reliance Capital and Reliance Home Finance on Tuesday. While auditor resignations are nothing new, the current spate of such events come with questions from the MCA on details.I wrote this on Fathers Day a few years ago. It is a post that struck a chord with at least a few readers. I am taking the liberty of reposting it today in honor of the day.

My father was a thoughtful man in his own way. In the last years of his life he recited for me the things for which he was most grateful. In retrospect I can see he thought about gratitude a lot.

He listed the three things he was most grateful for in this order: 1) that his grandfather didnt miss the boat from Russia to the United States, 2) that when his grandfather arrived in New York he kept on moving until he reached Minnesota (this although my father loved New York), and 3) that his father was born before he was. The last was his way of acknowledging his debt to his father. I join him today in all three thoughts.

I started thinking about my father and this Fathers Day when I heard the old Winstons single Color Him Father on the radio last week. I learn from the Allmusic Guide entry on them that the Winstons were a Washington, D.C.-based soul act led by Richard Spencer. Spencer was born in North Carolina, where he received some formal training on the piano.

In 1969 the Winstons hit it big with Color Him Father. The single was a top ten R&B and pop hit. Spencer wrote the song and won a Grammy for it. At this point it sounds like a story from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. It might even be deemed hate speech where the multicultural police hold sway.

The father depicted in the song sets a good example for his seven kids. He works hard to support his family. He emphasizes the importance of education. He also has a big heart for the kids. As if that were not enough, Spencer loads an O. Henry twist into the last verse: the man is the kids stepfather. Their father was killed in the war.

I wonder if the father in Spencers life resembled the man in the song. Spencer followed one of the that mans precepts, taking time out from show business to pursue his education in 1979. (First posted in 2010.)Donald Trump is a lucky man. First he got to run for president against an almost unbelievably bad candidate, Hillary Clinton, who couldnt win despite having the FBI and CIA laboring on her behalf. Now it appears that he will run for re-election against the nominee of a party wholly in thrall to its most extreme and juvenile elements.

The New York Post headlines a piece by Mary Kay Linge: Why young, left-wing radicals could help re-elect President Trump. Linge notes a new book by Robby Soave of Reason.com, Panic Attack: Young Radicals In the Age of Trump:

Angry and anguished over Donald Trumps 2016 victory, the Zillennials  leftist millennial and Generation Z activists  continue to fuel the anti-Trump resistance. And they just might get him re-elected in 2020. Thats because their ideology of intersectionality, and its full-frontal attack on moderation and compromise in American politics, is a gift to Trump and those who continue to support him, writes Robby Soave.

Todays young radicals, like those of the 1960s, are openly anti-American. The difference is that the radicals of decades ago didnt seriously think they could win a national election. Another difference is that todays young radicals are crazy.

[Intersectionalisty is] a tyranny of the most victimized, Soave said. The more categories of oppression you can claim, the more authority you have. It also spells trouble for every one of the Democrats 24 declared candidates, because the very qualities that could allow them to appeal to a broad swath of voters in the general election make a politician anathema to the intersectional left.

Relatively mainstream Democratic candidates like Joe Biden and Kirsten Gillibrand are falling over themselves trying to talk the intersectional language of 2019, but doing so only exposes them to ridicule. Meanwhile, the craziness marches on:

A willingness to tolerate those with differing views, once seen as a positive good in all corners of American society, is condemned by the Zillennial left. Many of the activists Soave interviewed believe that speech that offends them should be  or already is  illegal.

Juvenile leftists have largely managed to suppress free speech on college campuses, which, as has truly been said, are islands of repression in a sea of freedom. But they will not have such easy sailing when they try to impose their bizarre ideologies on the world at large.

[D]espite their widening influence, Zillennial activists are not a majority within the millennial and Gen Z cohorts. In fact, its striking how few they are but how large the effect they are having on our cultural and political dialogue, Soave said. They are very good at making it seem like they speak for everyone; very good at representing their demands as universal. They are a radical fringe, but theyre getting their way with their ability to control the conversation.

Do they control the conversation? Only if you assume that the conversation takes place primarily on Twitter and in the pages of the New York Times. But these are vanishingly small slices of the real conversations that go on in the context of a presidential election.

And if Zillennials cant get the candidate they want? They may not turn out to vote at all. Biden and other moderate Dems  lack of progressive bona fides make them just another sad symptom of everything thats wrong with the world, Soave said. Most Democratic candidates are seen as not so much better than Trump that its worth the effort. In other words, Zillennials would rather risk a second Trump term than compromise the intersectional principles they hold so dear.

Of course, as already pointed out, there arent actually that many Zillenials. So will their staying home throw the election to President Trump? No, but what more likely will happen is that all of the Democratic candidates will be pushed into such silly positions by the ignorant left that whoever wins the nomination will be repudiated by the voters.

As I have said before, I think the jury verdict against Oberlin College shows what normal people think of intersectionality when they encounter it. My guess is that fewer than 10% of Americans have any idea what intersectionality refers to. But when they find out that it means that you cant arrest a shoplifter because he is black, and it is not just acceptable but commendable for the shoplifter and his confederates to assault the guy who caught them for the same reason, they will be unhappy. And most will vote against anyone who is associated with such unjust and unAmerican principles.Dagunro Alakija Oogun is dead.

For anyone who grew up binging on the magic of Fasasi Olabankewin and his contemporaries in Yoruba movies, that opening sentence could be shocking in its seeming unbelievability.

But the brave warrior, who loomed large on the war front, is indeed dead, and this is no magical realism.

Chiefly because of its beguiling element of artistic traditionalism, Dagunros appeal on the big screen was more symbolic than literal: it was steeped in the actors braggadocious dramatics and his self-inflating rhetoric, draped in ritual recitation of verbal charms to produce magic effect.

In a sense, it explains what London-based television director and cineast, David Kerr, said of the eclectic nature of Yoruba popular theatre in his submission on Biodun Jeyifos 1986 book, The Yoruba Popular Travelling Theatre of Nigeria.

Jeyifo, in his book, had identified that the element of artistic traditionalism was quite strong in the performances of the travelling theatre, and he argued that its popularity is premised on the fact that it is both a repository and medium for the revitalization of the traditional performance arts of the Yoruba.

Although Dagunro died last week in his 70s, according to some accounts, there are no verifiable records that he was seriously invested in the Alarinjo culture. If he did, he probably hadnt escaped obscurity at the time.

But then even if Dagunros name would not pop up when the discourse moves toward the exploits of the troupes in their early years, he comes from a rich tradition of Osun/Osogbo-bred practitioners whose imprint remains indelible across all of the generations: Oyin Adejobi, Kola Oyewo, Kareem Adepoju, Duro Ladipo, Tajudeen Akanmu (Koledowo), Yekini Ajileye, Sikiru Adesina (Arakangudu), Murphy Afolabi etc.

Between Duro Ladipo and Oyin Adejobi, between Ajileye and Murphy Afolabi, there have been generations of thespians who held sway in moments of transition from the traveling culture through to stage plays, television, home video film, cinema and all.

Yet in the years after the home video transition of the 1990s and early 2000s, three actors were perhaps most visible in the famed Osogbo theatre caucuses. There were four, actually: Yekini Ajileye, the unusual storyteller; Sikiru Adesina (Arakangudu), the braggart; Koledowo Akanmu, the under-recognised music-comedian; and Dagunro, the energetic and entertaining actor.

As things appear now, all four are united not only by death but also by the curse of gross under-estimation.

In the midriff of the noughties, the gradual departure from artistic traditionalism in Yoruba filmmaking, plus the centrality of Lagos to the cultural evolution in Nigeria, perhaps ushered in a shift in the prevailing dynamics, rendering most thespians resident outside Lagos somewhat irrelevant.

Apart from a conscious attempt to evolve with time, those in Ogun and Oyo have remained in the limelight partly because of geographical proximity. (To discountenance this reality is to be ignorant of a sad yet prevalent reality: the back-end theatrics and influence of production companies/marketers who determined what we found on the videospace in most cases).

Of the Osogbo quartet, the late Koledowo, who died in 2008, and Ajileye, who died earlier in 2006, never lived to witness this seemingly humiliating shift in paradigm in its fullest form. But Arakangudu, who died in 2016, and of course Dagunro, did, even as both struggled to re-invent and move with time.

With his hugely successful multiple-part flick, Iya Oko Bournvita, which featured the iconic Bukky Ajayi, now late, Arakangudu attempted a sea change: the man who chewed incantation like poems became a lover boy. That strategy worked, partly because of the actors versatility. But if he recorded any gain from that outing, it didnt last long. Whats more, by the time he breathed his last, Arakangudus career teetered on the edge of obscurity.

When the klieg lights moved away from movies studded with traditional ritual performances in the autumn of the noughties, Dagunro, too, struggled to reinvent and move with time. He recorded instant success with 100 Years, assisted by his son, Jamiu Olabankewin. But that success was shortlived. He would soon retreat to his conventional space of ritual performances and war, this time relying on self-production.

If he succeeded, the results did not show it. But the reason may not be far-fetched: Dagunros artistry remained tilted toward witchcraft-themed flicks, and at that time, audience interest had shifted to urban concerns and demand for war-themed flicks had nosedived.

To be sure, I think Dagunro didnt succeed in storytelling. The near-decent reputation he struggled to build in that aspect of filmmaking paled into nothingness in the years after the release of 100 Years, originally written by Jamiu. He was also not quite dynamic too as an actor. For, where Dagunro was wooden, Arakangudu and othersAbija, Lalude, Alapini et alwere flexible in the hands of experienced directors. But what he failed to do with storytelling, Dagunro did with acting-he was an entertaining actor, warts and all. Dagunro had this infectious aura, he had charm, he had this magnetic appeal on the big screen.

Among Dagunros numerous incantational deliveries, two lines stood out for me because they touched two rather esoteric concerns: death and invincibility. The two lines may also depict a fascinating aspect of this make-believe world in which Dagunro lived; the one because its a lie, the other because its a half-truth.

On invincibility: In the early days of his career, Dagunro took pride in being addressed as the one who, confident of the potency of his metaphysical powers, takes delight in assaulting the child of a witch (O gboju le oogun kan omo aje n ko). But thats a lie; its one bragging right that belongs principally to Abija Wara bi Ekun (Tajudeen Oyewole), perhaps Yoruba Cinemas most celebrated slayer of witches. If anything, especially in the autumn of his career, Dagunro, together with Ogunjimi, became an enabling instrument in the hands of latter-day blood-sucking witches, led by Segilola Abeni-Agbon.

On death: Once, circa 2002, in a flick which had him locked in a mortal combat with some enemies at the war front, Dagunro rendered some incantational lines suggesting that he could not die (Emi ti mo oruko ti Iku n je; Iku kan o le pami mo). That line turned out to be a half-truth: he was eventually killed by some allied forces in that movie but, of course, he left the film location alive.

As things turned out last week, especially after pictures appeared showing Dagunro being lowered into the grave, it will be disingenuous to still consider that 2002 line a half-truth. It has graduated into another lie; Dagunro can dieand he is indeed dead.

But again, to arrive at that conclusion is to approach the concept of death from a simplistic philosophical position. The thespian died last week but he left a loud imprint with his elevation of Yoruba culture. Thats how to die without dying; how to live forever.

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In the end, Dagunro was right: the thespian cannot die and he never did; his great works and impressive legacies remain. He lives.

_______________________

Oladeinde tweets via @Ola_deindeNigeria and many other African countries are struggling to end preventable maternal and child deaths due to the acute shortage of skilled health professionals, a UNICEF report has shown.

The report, released this month, showed that although much progress has been made globally in the last two decades, most Africa countries are still struggling to achieve this feat.

The report titled: healthy mothers, healthy babies: taking stock of maternal health said the shortage of skilled human health resources  doctors, nurses and midwives  in Africa has been slowing down the progress in maternal health.

According to the report, the shortage of well-trained health workers and midwives hinder lifesaving emergency decisions such as cesarean section which can save both mother and child.

The UN agency said globally, the number of women and girls who die each year due to issues related to pregnancy and childbirth dropped by 43 per cent in 2015, compared to what was obtainable in 1999.

The figure dropped from 532,000 in 1999 to 303,000 in 2015. However, more than 800 women still die every day from pregnancy-related complications, it said.

Shortage of Skilled Workers

UNICEF said as of 2017, Africa had an estimated combined health workforce of 1.9 million doctors, nurses, and midwives.

This is 3.7 million short of the total 5.6 million needed if each country on the continent were to meet the World Health Organisations minimum standard, it said.

According to the report, WHO standards call for a minimum of 44.5 doctors, nurses and midwives per 10,000 populations.

But for sub-Saharan Africa, in 2017 this value was 12 per 10,000 populations with almost no change since 2010, UNICEF said.

The UN agency said one of the strategic ways of reducing maternal and newborn mortality in any country is ensuring that every delivery is attended to by skilled providers  a doctor, nurse or midwife.

Although global coverage of skilled birth coverage of skilled birth attendance has shown impressive gains in recent years, wide gaps in coverage across countries persist. The lowest coverage level tend to be in the poorest countries where mortality level are highest. it said

Nigerias situation

Unfortunately, Nigerias mortality and new-born/child mortality rate are among the highest in the world. As at 2015, Nigeria has an estimated maternal mortality rate of 576 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Also, the 2016/2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) puts Nigerias newborn mortality rate to 37 per 1000 births.

UNICEF in another report on Nigeria said the ratio of maternal deaths has not improved over the last decade. Most of the death, it said, occurs in the northern part of the country where the health indices are poorer.

Many of the babies are born in the rural areas where there are no well-equipped health facilities and skilled human health resources to assist with the deliveries.

An investigation by PREMIUM TIMES also shows that Nigeria is in dire need of doctors to meet the health needs of its citizens, official statistics show.

Data from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) showed that as at December 2017, Nigeria had 42,845 registered doctors, dentists and alternative medicine practitioners working in the country. Of these numbers, 39,912 are medical doctors.

Nigerias population, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, was estimated at 193.4 million in 2016. With the official data of medical doctors available in Nigeria, the country has an average of one doctor to cater to every 4,845 Nigerians. This translates to about two doctors per 10,000 citizens.

UNICEF said, Doctors, nurses and midwives provide the core frontline skilled personnel for health systems.

The number of skilled health personnel per 10,000 populations is a proxy measure for the provision of maternal health services and strong indicator of the strength of systems and commitment of the government to the health of its citizens.

Unfortunately, the external and internal brain drain in Nigeria is having a negative effect on health services. The distributions of health workers in Nigeria are not evenly distributed as it is skewed in favour of the urban areas.

This leaves the rural area where most of the birth occurs at the mercy of half skilled health workers or traditional birth attendants.

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Like hospitals, The primary health care centres are poorly staff, badly equipped and lack resources to function effective.

Effect on emergency maternal health

UNICEF said the acute shortage of skilled health care givers in most health facilities in Africa is having a toll on maternal health.

It said a caesarean section (C-Section) can be a life-saving intervention and is an essential part of comprehensive emergency obstetric care, preventing maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity when medically justified.

Although C section deliveries have increased in all regions, the amount of increase and level of use vary globally.

Globally around 29.7 million c sections deliveries occurred in 2015- almost double the number in 2000 (around 16 million)  an increase from 12 to 21 per cent.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, C-section accounted for 44 per cent of all deliveries in 2015, more than 10 times higher than the percentage in West Africa and Central Africa (close to four per cent).

It said the excessive high average in latin America and the Caribbeans suggests over-medicalisation of childbirth; conversely, the low percentage of C section in West and Central Africa is alarming, suggesting a dire lack of access to intervention.

Call to action

With the striking evidence, The UN agency has called on governments across the world to use the available evidence on the number of leading causes of maternal deaths, demographic trends to strengthen the health system including human resources.

Policies that ensure all women have access to affordable, high quality maternal health services, and improve the status of women are also essential for ending preventable maternal deaths and improving lives of mothers and their babies, it said.Over 20 per cent of Nigerians have mental illness  Psychiatrist

A consultant psychiatrist at the Federal Medical Center, Gusau, Zamfara State, Aremu Saad, said over 20 per cent of Nigerians suffer from different forms of mental illnesses.

He said many of the patients do not know that they are not well due to negligence of routine medical checks.

We are also very sure that only about 20 per cent of those with the illness have violent tendencies and the illness is curable, if medical care is given and the patient adheres to the doctors prescriptions.

He said mental illnesses could occur due to drug abuse, genetic transfer, depression, or even if one loses an election, like in recent times in Nigeria.

Traditional ruler turns palace to clinic to assist residents

Abdullahi Ubangida, the village head of Kangimi-Ubangida, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has turned his palace into a clinic to reduce maternal mortality in the community.

Mr Ubangida said the gesture was to improve access to health services for women and children, who had to travel 20 kilometers to Kawo General Hospital, the nearest health facility.

He said that lack of health facility in the six communities made him to turn his palace to a clinic for residents to access healthcare twice a week.

He said pregnant women trek 20 to 25 kilometers to access the nearest hospital in Kawo for antenatal care and other services.

Indonesia to bar online advert of cigarette

Indonesias communications ministry said it would remove all cigarette advertisements from the internet, following a request from the health ministry.

The health ministry cited existing laws banning the promotion of cigarettes and instructed the communications ministry to take action.

The ministrys spokesman, Ferdinandus Setu, said that communications Minister Rudiantara immediately instructed his department to crawl the internet for ads to be removed.

26-year-old fake drugs manufacturer nabbed in Bauchi

A suspected fake drug manufacturer, Victor Oguwa, has been arrested by the police in Bauchi.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kamal Datti, disclosed that Mr Oguwa, 26 years old, was arrested alongside some other suspects.

According to him, the police recovered 71 bottles of locally produced codeine, 30 bottles of Tutolin, one carton of ORS used for codeine productions and one pot of codeine ready for refilling.

Others include 100 empty scavenged bottles, 60 bottles top cover and 120 product name tags.

Nigeria needs two million units of blood per annum  Health Ministry

The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) said on Friday that Nigeria needs an estimated two million units of blood per annum to meet the blood requirements of the populace.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Abdullahi Mashi, said in Abuja at a press conference to commemorate: World Blood Donor Day marked on June 14 with the theme: Safe blood for all.

He said less blood was currently being donated thereby leading to avoidable deaths, morbidity or ill health, particularly among the women folk, new-born and children, victims of road traffic accidents and insurgencies.

Mr Mashi specifically noted that as long as the demand outstrips the supply, touting and racketeering of blood and blood products would continue to thrive.

New study finds no link between HIV and contraceptive method

A new study conducted in four African countries- Eswatini, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia- has found no link between HIV and contraceptive useage.

Over the past 25 years, as the HIV epidemic took hold in many countries, a number of observational research studies suggested a possible increased risk of HIV acquisition for women using progestogen-only injectables, particularly DMPA-IM.

However, the new research published in Lancet showed that each method had high levels of safety and effectiveness in preventing pregnancy, with methods well- accepted by the women using them.

In Yemen, one woman, six newborn die from pregnancy complications

In Yemen, one woman and six newborn die every two hours from complications during pregnancy or childbirth, UNICEF has said.

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The UN agency in the first of a series of short snapshots on maternal and newborn health in Yemen said bringing life into the world in the country can all often turn into tragedy for entire families.

UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said decades of underdevelopment and years of intense fighting have left essential public services including crucial healthcare for mothers and babies on the brink of collapse.

Half of all health facilities in Yemen are not functional due to staff shortages, lack of supplies, inability to meet operational costs or limited access. Those still running face severe shortages in medicine, equipment and staff, putting lives at risk.

One Ebola case confirmed in Uganda

The Uganda Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have confirmed a case of Ebola Virus Disease in the country.

Although there have been numerous previous alerts, this is the first confirmed case in Uganda during the Ebola outbreak on-going in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The confirmed case is a 5-year-old child from DRC, who travelled with his family on June 9.

Uganda has previous experience managing Ebola outbreaks. In preparation for a possible imported case during the current outbreak in DRC, Uganda has vaccinated nearly 4700 health workers in 165 health facilities (including in the facility where the child is being cared for).

Rotary announces $100 million funding to help eradicate polio

Rotary International has announced that it was giving $100 million in grants to support global effort to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that once paralysed hundreds of thousands of children each year.

The funding comes as Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) address the final and most pressing challenges to ending poliovirus transmission.

With Nigeria approaching three years without any reported cases of wild poliovirus, the African region is closer to attaining polio-free status.

The organisation thinks barriers to eradication like weak health systems, insecurity, and mobile and remote populations must be overcome.About four months after President Muhammadu Buhari was declared the winner of the 2019 presidential election, controversy continues to trail the election process.

Mr Buhari was declared the winner of the February 23, 2019, general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having scored highest votes of 15,191,847 to defeat his closest rival, former vice president Atiku Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 11,262,978 votes.

Mr Abubakar and his party rejected the results saying they were manipulated. They argued that the results being announced do not tally with what the party collated across the country.

The opposition candidate also claimed that results from INECs computer database or server did not tally with what the electoral commission announced. He presented some results which he claimed were from INECs server and showed that he won the election. He told the tribunal that he would engage experts from Microsoft, IBM and Oracle to verify his claim.

However, in its defence on June 13, INEC told the election tribunal that it had no central server where results were uploaded.

The commissions lawyer, Yunus Usman, in a counter affidavit responding to Mr Abubakars plea, asking the tribunal to compel INEC to grant them access to the server and smart card readers used in the conduct of the election, said INEC did not have any server.

They are asking us to bring something we do not have, Mr Usman said.

Without going into the merit of whether or not INEC has a server, PREMIUM TIMES reproduces a 2017 story where INEC told Nigerians that the 2019 election results would be stored in a central server.

INEC has therefore decided to securely transmit results from all polling units to central database such that only viewing access is allowed at the wards and local government levels  which ultimately eliminates manual collation processes, INECs Director of Information and Communication Technology, Chidi Nwafor, said then.

Read the full 2017 story here.Violence, violation of ballot secrecy, and harassment of voters and journalists characterised Nigerias 2019 general elections, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has said.

According to the report released on Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) worked in porous security and politically-charged environment, making the electoral officials exposed to physical attacks and intimidation.

The elections became increasingly marred by violence and intimidation. This harmed the integrity of the electoral process and may deter future participation.

Around 150 people died in election-related violence during the campaign period and over the election days. INEC reported attacks on its offices, and also fatalities, abductions and sexual assault against its officials.

There were insufficient accompanying transparency measures. Other procedural weaknesses continued, including in regards to checks and transparency in the results process.

The mission also identified the suspension of the former Chief Justice Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, by President Muhammadu Buhari days to the election as seen to lack due process and reportedly undermined judicial independence.

It also spoke on the impact of the initial postponement of the elections.

Severe operational shortcomings resulted in the elections being postponed by a week just five hours before polling was due to start on 16 February.

INEC then gave regular updates on election preparations, but before this, and after polling began, there was a serious lack of public communication with insufficient information made available.

The EU said both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed to curb electoral violence in the country.

The report stated that government-owned media outfits favoured the interests of the ruling government at federal and state levels.

It added that journalists posted on duty to cover the elections were subjected to violence and harassment.

Many journalists across Nigeria were harassed by thugs and security officials during the elections.

Two PREMIUM TIMES journalists were harassed at the governorship and supplementary elections in Plateau and Sokoto states.

Kunle Sanni, a PREMIUM TIMES journalist, was abducted by political thugs for taking pictures during the governorship election in Plateau State.

He was later released after he was forced to delete the pictures.

Hassan Adebayo, during the governorship supplementary election, was harassed by police officers in Magajin Garri Ward, Sokoto North Local Government Area when he was trying to access one of the polling units.

The leading parties were at fault in not reining in acts of violence and intimidation by supporters, and in abusing incumbency at federal and state levels. Except for federal radio, state media primarily served the interests of the president or the governor at the state level.

Journalists were subject to harassment, and scrutiny of the electoral process was at times compromised with some independent observers obstructed in their work, including by security agencies, the report stated.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 23, while governorship and state assembly elections were held on March 9.

Supplementary elections in five states were also held in March.

The EU Mission, however, acknowledged some general improvements by INEC in strengthening the electoral regulations and making smart card readers mandatory to accredit voters. These were, however, overshadowed by apparent disregard for ballot secrecy, it said.Nigerias leading parties failed to act to curb violence during the 2019 general elections, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has said.

The leading parties were at fault in not reining in acts of violence and intimidation by supporters, and in abusing incumbency at federal and state levels, the observers said in the report released on Saturday.

The leading parties in the elections were the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, won the election with the PDPs Atiku Abubakar coming second. Mr Abubakar and the PDP are challenging the results of the presidential election.

Also, only the APC and PDP won governorship elections in the 29 states where governorship elections were held. Many of the governorship election results are being challenged in court.

Some 150 people were killed in election-related violence in different parts of the country, the EU report stated.

The elections became increasingly marred by violence and intimidation. This harmed the integrity of the electoral process and may deter future participation.

Around 150 people died in election-related violence during the campaign period and over the election days. INEC reported attacks on its offices, and also fatalities, abductions and sexual assault against its officials.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported election violence in states like Benue, Ebonyi, Imo, Lagos, Kano, Rivers and Akwa Ibom.

Only a few of the perpetrators of the violence were arrested by security agencies who seemed overwhelmed.

In Rivers State, the casualty included soldiers who engaged in shootouts with armed political thugs.

Journalists were also victims of the violence, the EU report stated.

Journalists were subject to harassment, and scrutiny of the electoral process was at times compromised with some independent observers obstructed in their work, including by security agencies, the report stated.

Three PREMIUM TIMES journalists, Hassan Adebayo, Ebuka Onyeji, and Kunle Sani were among those who suffered some form of harassment and intimidation in the course of monitoring the elections.

Kunle Sanni was abducted by political thugs for taking pictures during the governorship election in Plateau State. He was later released after he was forced to delete the pictures.

Hassan Adebayo, during the governorship supplementary election, was harassed by police officers in Magajin Garri Ward, Sokoto North Local Government Area when he was trying to access one of the polling units.

Ebuka Onyeji was harassed and his gadgets temporarily seized by thugs in Imo State while covering the elections there.At least 154 people were killed in different attacks across Nigeria last week. Another nine people were kidnapped in separate incidents, according to Newspaper reports.

The various attacks were confirmed by the security agencies or families of victims. They were perpetrated by various non-state actors including Boko Haram and suspected armed herdsmen.

PREMIUM TIMES reviews the various reported attacks across Africas most populous country last week.

Sunday:

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto attended the funeral of 25 persons killed by bandits.

The presidency had announced the death of scores of people in the attack in three communities in Rabah Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State.

The statement by Garba Shehu, who signed as President Muhammadu Buharis spokesperson, stated that Mr Buhari expressed deep shock and sadness over the incident.

The bandits who were in large numbers raided Kalhu, Tsage and Geeri villages near Gandi.

The attackers were said to have engaged in indiscriminate shooting from around 5 p.m. on Saturday till early Sunday morning, after which they carted away hundreds of cows, sheep and other valuables.

Also, some students of Plateau State University were attacked by suspected herdsmen on Sunday, killing one undergraduate and raping another female.

In a separate incident, a woman, Olawumi Adeleye, and her stepson, Destiny Paul, were abducted on the Airport Road, in Osi town in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The victims were said to have been kidnapped by armed persons on their way from church on Sunday evening.

According to a family member, suspected herdsmen blocked the road with cows, forcing the victims, who were in a Lexus car, to stop. They were thereafter abducted and taken to an unknown destination by the bandits.

A family source stated that after some hours, the kidnappers contacted the womans husband and demanded N10 million ransom.

Also, the Ebonyi State Command of Nigeria Police confirmed the killing of two children in the Umuogoakpu-Ngbo community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, by yet-to-be-identified persons.

The assailants attacked the family of Benjamin Oke and butchered his seven-year-old son, Chinonso, and his other four-year-old son, Chukwudi, in the presence of their mother on Sunday.

The Ebonyi State Police Commands spokesperson, Loveth Odah, said two persons were arrested in connection with the incident.

Tuesday

The Ondo State Police Command, in South-West Nigeria, on Tuesday, arrested a herdsman, who was said to be among a team of kidnappers, who attempted to abduct the monarch of Osi in Akure North Local Government Area of the state, David Olajide.

On the same day, gunmen stormed Rigasa Community of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria, and abducted four women including a nursing mother.

The police later said all victims apart from the nursing mother had been rescued.

Also, the village head of Garin Labo in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State was also abducted at about 1 p.m. on his farm.

Wednesday

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Gunmen on Wednesday attacked travellers on the Ife-Ibadan Expressway at Ikire and shot dead an employee of the Atakumosa West Local Government Area of Osun State, Samson Adenipekun.

The deceased was travelling to Ibadan, Oyo State, in an unregistered Toyota Corolla car driven by one Ismaila Olayiwola, when the incident happened.

The gunmen fired shots at the vehicle, one of which hit Mr Adenipekun in the head.

Also, the police in Ekiti State confirmed beheading of a lady in Ilasa Ekiti, Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday, by a herder believed to be the deceaseds husband.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Caleb Ikechukwu, who confirmed the killing, said the suspect had been arrested while investigations into the incident had commenced.

On same day, a Nigerian Army lieutenant colonel and at least 20 other soldiers were killed in action after Boko Haram insurgents attacked a military formation in Borno State on Wednesday.

The 158 Task Force Battalion in Mobba Local Government Area came under attack by the rampaging terrorists as the country was celebrating its new Democracy Day on June 12.

Several casualties, including human and equipment, were reportedly inflicted on the military during the firefight. The Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Thursday

Gunmen in the early hours of Thursday kidnapped the wife of the State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Abigail Gambo.

The Nigeria Polic Public Relations Officer in Taraba State, David Misal, confirmed the report.

The spokesperson also said Emeka Okoronkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of Our Nation Bread company, was also abducted from his house at Magami area of Jalingo around 1:00 a.m on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, no fewer than 70 people were confirmed killed by bandits that attacked eight communities in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

The invasion of various communities started last Sunday and spread gradually to other villages, unabated.

Friday:

At least 34 people were killed after suspected bandits attacked three villages in Shinkafi local government of Zamfara State on Friday.

The affected villages are Gidan Wawo-Katuru, Tungar Kaho-Galadi and Kyalido-Katuru.

The attackers reportedly came on motorcycles, set many houses on fire and shot at those within their sight.

Mohammed Shehu, the police spokesperson in Zamfara, also in North-West Nigeria, confirmed the attack but said normalcy had been restored in the villages.The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has said 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have eight million out-of-school children.

The states are Bauchi, Niger, Katsina, Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba states.

In a statement it issued on Sunday to mark the Day of the African Child, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, said 2000 youths have petitioned public officer holders in the aforementioned states on the need to have safe, quality education for all children, especially girls.

The global theme for this years Day of the African Child is Child rights in all situations, including during humanitarian crises.

According to Mr Hawkins, the Nigerian campaign for access to quality education will hold the newly-elected government officials at all levels accountable for their campaign promises to provide equitable access to free, safe and quality education for every child, especially the girl child, in Nigeria.

The 10 states where the mass actions are taking place, Bauchi, Niger, Katsina, Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba and the FCT, have about eight million children not in school and, an average enrolment rate of only 57 per cent,  he said.

Mr Kawkins also said over 10.5 million children are unable to access safe and quality education, due to the ongoing crisis in the North-east.

He said the crisis in the North-east has left schools destroyed, teachers unavailable, and parents terrified to send their children to school due to insecurity  especially for girl children  who have been the victim of kidnapping while at school.

Schools should be a safe place for children  one in which they can get a quality education that will put them on the path to a secure future, he said.

Sadly, the demand for quality education by children in Soweto, South Africa in 1976, is still valid today, in too many countries around the world.

He said the actions across several states today are a wakeup call for leaders to act on their commitments to provide quality education for all children, in all situations.

He said the engagement seeks to secure commitments from national and state governments to prioritise childrens rights to education in their governance agenda, including through budgeting, in their states and at the national level.

This engagement creates an opportunity for Nigerian youth to advocate to policy and decisionmakers and urge them to commit resources to education, without which the substantial number of out-of-school children in Nigeria will not be reduced, said Mr Hawkins.

Massive enrolment campaign

Mr Hawkins said the action in the 10 states is calling for improved school infrastructure, enrolment campaign to bring all children to school, and targeted investments to ensure an uninterrupted 12 years of schooling for girls.

It hopes to extract a commitment for a 10 per cent increase in budgetary allocation and release of funds for education, with 50 per cent of the total budget to basic education, recruitment, deployment and provision of incentives for 1000 female teachers per year and recruitment and deployment of 1000 qualified teachers per year, especially to rural areas, where they are most needed, he said.

He said the action also comes as the world celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The Convention is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history and stipulates that every child has the right to education. It has helped to transform childrens lives; inspiring legislative changes to protect children and enabling them to participate actively in their societies. Nigeria ratified the CRC in 1991.

As part of the commemoration, UNICEF has released a Passport to Your Rights  a copy of the CRC in child-friendly language, in pocket format. UNICEF aims that every child in Nigeria has a copy by 2030  the deadline for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, he concluded.

Background

Premium Times earlier reported how a Demographic Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2015 by UNICEF and the Nigerian government revealed that 13.2 million children were out of school in Nigeria  the highest in the world.

According to a UNICEF study, about 69 per cent of the countrys out-of-school children are in the northern part of Nigeria.

Statistics from the study also showed that about 13 per cent of these children are in the FCT.

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And of the 13.2 million children, 60 per cent of them are girls, many of who enrolled in school but dropped out along the line.

However, parents of many of the children who are out of school in FCT say a major programme of the Muhammadu Buhari-administration, if implemented in Abuja, would make them enrol their children in school.

The International Day of the African Child has been celebrated every year on June 16 since 1991, when it was first initiated by the Organisation of African Unity.

The day honours those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976. It also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children.

In Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, about ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young students were shot.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Abolition of angel tax, data privacy and a sharp e-commerce policy are what Indias start-up ecosystem is looking forward to, as the new government prepares its first full Budget on July 5.As part of the pre-Budget consultations, Union Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur, chaired a meeting with industry bodies such as National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology (MAIT) on Saturday.

Issues that dominated the discussions included the tax structure; use of Big Data technology in improving forecasting of economic, financial and climatic phenomena; and regulation of digital economy, especially in privacy and digital infrastructure, said an official.

The experts suggested a variety of solutions to sector-specific problems. We urged the government to deal with the angel tax issue urgently. In February, the government had considered Section 56 (2) of the Income Tax Act, but notices have been served under Section 68, said IAMAI president Subho Ray.

Similarly, NASSCOM hopes that the government will continue giving tax incentives to start-up units in Special Economic Zones (SEZ) beyond March 2020. It would be useful to build on this strength by laying out an SEZ policy, keeping the next 20 years in perspective. This would provide the industry with certainty and enable them to invest in a long-term strategy, said Ashish Aggarwal, senior director and public policy head, NASSCOM.

NASSCOM, which represents an industry that earns over $130 billion in foreign exchange, has suggested that the new tax-friendly SEZ policy should retain existing tax benefits and provide a concessional rate of 9 per cent Minimum Alternative Tax (MAT).

Buoyed by earlier positive initiatives such as the Fund of Funds for Start-ups under SIDBI, women entrepreneurship and a sharp focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), the industry is hopeful that the government will bring key changes in regulations and schemes this time since the Interim Budget 2019 did not have much in store for the start-up industry.

labourers voice

MoS for Finance Anurag Thakur also held a meeting with representatives of trade unions and labour organisations. Discussions were held on providing social security to labourers, re-skilling of existing labour force, quality of job creation, ensuring minimum wages to workers, besides rehabilitation of workers who have lost their jobs.A 26 years old man, Emmanuel Peter, has been arrested by the police in Bauchi State for producing fake codeine.

According to the police, Mr Peter specialises in the mixing of substances which he packages as codeine and sells to his customers.

The accused was arrested at his hideout in Gwallameji area of Bauchi State, the police said. An accomplice, Victor Oguwu, is now said to be at large.

The police spokesperson, Datti Abubakar, said the suspect was caught in a hotel room at Las Pasca Lodge filling empty bottles with a creamy dark substance that smells like cough syrup.

Items recovered from Mr Peter and his accomplice comprises 71 bottles of locally produced codeine, 30 bottles of Tutolin, one pot of codeine already awaiting refilling, over a hundred empty scavenged bottles, 60 bottle caps, and 120 sticker tags, he said.

Mr Abubakar, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the case is under investigation.

When questioned by journalists, Mr Peter said he was innocently dragged into the crime.

According to him, he just graduated after serving his master with the hope of setting up his own pharmacy. He said Mr Oguwu contacted him and said he would provide some drugs to help Mr Peter start his new drug dispensing store.

I never knew the package I paid N140,000 to collect at the GUO transport terminus was containing yet-to-be bottled syrup, he said.

When I called him to complain, the person who sent it said that was how it is normally supplied that I should find where to get the corking machine to seal the bottles. It was in the process of doing that I was caught and arrested on Thursday, 13th June.

He could not explain how he was able to gather over 100 empty syrup bottles and the 120 codeine syrup label tags found in his possession.

He pleaded for mercy and admitted he had committed a crime.

The Nigerian government had in 2018 banned the issuance of permits for the importation of codeine as an active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough preparations. The government says codeine is being abused as a hard drug by many Nigerians across the country.

Apart from Mr Peters arrest, the police in Bauchi also announced the arrest of 50 people for armed robbery, cattle rustling and vehicle snatching in various locations of the state.

The police spokesperson said 30 of them have been charged to court, while investigations are still ongoing in other cases.The runner up in Februarys presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has denied planning to lead a street protest over the controversy surrounding the election result.

Mr Abubakar of the PDP is challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC at the election tribunal.

One of his main grounds of contesting the result is that the officially declared result is different from that on the computer server of the electoral commission, INEC.

INEC has, however, denied that it had such server for the election.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, on Sunday, Mr Abubakar said reports he was planning to lead a protest on the matter was false.

Read Mr Ibes full statement below.

Statement in circulation on INEC Server is handiwork of mischief makers to mar Atiku Abubakars spotless pro-democratic record, lay the groundwork on false charges against him

Abuja, Nigeria, 16 June 2019: Our attention has been drawn to a statement circulating in a section of the media, to the effect that Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of PDP in the 2019 presidential election and Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007 plans to lead a street protest in the event that the election petition tribunal rules against his him and his party on the issue of a server for the Independent National Electoral Commission.

I wish to emphatically state that such a statement did not emanate from Atiku Abubakar or his privies. It is the work of mischief makers who want to mar his spotless pro-democratic record and lay the ground work for their threatened actions against him on false charges of being a threat to national security.

For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku Abubakar believes in the Rule of Law and in the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In his almost four decades in politics, he has never taken action or spoken words against democracy and will not start now.

Atiku Abubakar and his team have confidence in God and thus call on those bent on mischief to have the fear of God and retrace their steps. Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. The culture of fear being created now cannot rein in our democracy. Nigeria and Nigerians have a consistent history of outlasting tyranny and will continue to do so by the grace of God.

Paul Ibe

Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar

Presidential candidate of PDP & Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007.A traffic robber who swallowed his victims wedding ring after threatening to kill her was Friday arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Command in Oshodi and CMS part of the metropolis.

Three other suspected traffic robbers were also arrested.

The ring swallowing suspect, Taofeek Adebayo, 19, along with an accomplice, Toheeb Tijani, 20 were arrested in Oshodi-Oke shortly after dispossessing two ladies occupying a grey Sienna bus of a gold earring and a set of wedding rings.

The two other suspects, Samson Oluwa, 20 and Michael Adamu, 22, were arrested in an all-night sting operation in CMS.

Mr Adebayo and his partners on Friday pleaded with two women in a Sienna to assist them with money for food. The two ladies extended a N100 note to them, which the suspects instantly rejected.

According to the driver of the Sienna, who asked not to be named, My colleague and I were coming from Anthony and heading to Ilasa for our associations meeting. Three of them (pointing to the suspects) came near our vehicle. There was traffic and we could turn anywhere. We were scared. They said we should give them money for food. I reached out to my colleague to give me money.

She gave me N100 which I gave them. They rejected it. One of them said, eleyi ki I se owo ti wa. I told them this is what I have. One of them pulled my left ear and removed my earring.

She continued, two of them turned to the other side of my vehicle. They threatened to waste us if we dont give them money. Where is the money, they screamed at us. In a hurry to leave our car, they forced my friend to surrender her wedding ring.

This yellow guy (pointing to Adebayo) took the first one and swallowed it in our presence. His colleague took the other one.

When interrogated, Mr Adebayo said, I swallowed it but I have vomited it and handed it over to Young Boy is the third guy when police were chasing us. I told him to hand over the rings to the ladies so that the police can release us but he absconded with the two rings and earring.

His accomplice, Toheed Tijani, who sources said was on the watchlist of the police for snatching a mobile phone from a commuter in traffic earlier in the day, said, I have released the phone to the LASTMA officials standing in Oshodi Oke. They told me that RRS officers were looking for me to arrest me.

The two other suspected traffic robbers were arrested around Friday midnight when they were robbing a stranded motorist around CMS, Lagos.

Commenting on the development, the Commissioner of Police, Muazu Zubairu, said the police would not relent in its efforts towards making Lagos safe for law abiding citizens. He directed that the suspects be transferred to Makinde Police Division, Oshodi and SCID, Yaba.The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the European Union (EU) on its final report on the 2019 general elections.

The party made the commendation in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Ologbondiyan lauded the union for stating the facts on the elections.

He said that the revelation in the EU report further vindicated the position of PDP and millions of Nigerians on the elections.

Mr Ologbondiyan noted that the revelations of manipulations as detailed in the EU report further validates queries by a majority of Nigerians on the elections.

He said that the world could now see that the PDP had not been crying wolf in insisting that the election was outrightly rigged with the alleged cancellation of millions of PDP votes.

Nigerians are still in shock over the revelations by EU of how about 2.8 million votes were deliberately cancelled without sufficient accountability and how several returning officers gave no reason for the cancellations.

He said more shocking was the distortions and a large discrepancy of 1.66 million more registered voters, as announced by INEC on January 14, compared to those announced by state returning officers during the collation of presidential results.

Mr Ologbondiyan said that Nigerians witnessed, on national TV, how states returning officers were unable to reconcile result figures due to heavy manipulations.

He said that the EU report further exposed how ballot boxes were compromised, how essential materials were missing, how voter register was not always ticked as required and how manual authentication procedures were not correctly followed.

The report on result forms did not reconcile how result forms were not publicly posted, how result forms and smart card readers were not packed in tamper-evident envelops as required, he said.

Mr Ologbondiyan said that the report also exposed how security forces were used to intimidate voters as well as aid violence against PDP members.

Moreover, the report has further reinforced the confidence of millions of Nigerians in our collective expectation of justice in the quest to retrieve our stolen Presidential mandate at the tribunal.

The PDP condemns such crime against our nation, in sabotaging the sanctity of our electoral processes to frustrate the choice of Nigerians in a presidential election, must be brought to book and made to face the wrath of the law.

Our great party urges Nigerians to remain calm as the truth about the election continues to unfold while justice takes its course on the matter. (NAN)The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) is set to prosecute the Managing Director, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Limited (NBET), Marilyn Amobi, and others for violation of the procurement act.

The commission said Mrs Amobi, like other indicted persons, violated the countrys procurement Act, 2007 and ICPC Act, 2000.

The decision to prosecute the indicted persons was contained in a report sent by ICPC to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in March.

The Deputy Chief of Staff was copied in the letter signed by the ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owosanye.

Allegations of infractions against Mrs Amobi and the management team of NBET was published by Leaks NG, a coalition of Nigerian newsrooms and civil society groups in February.

ICPCs investigation

In the letter to the vice president, ICPC noted that Mrs Amobi was found guilty in at least five of the many allegations levelled against her.

The commission relied on a petition it received for the investigation.

Allegations made in the petition include; disregard for procurement laws, illegal funding of foreign trip for federal lawmakers, six years payment for office furniture for a four-year tenure and side-lining of due process in the purchase of Mrs Amobis vehicles.

Other allegations include that Mrs Amobi funded NBETs expenditure without appropriation from the National Assembly, authorised withdrawals from the Central Bank to fund unnecessary training, sanctioned transfer of staff illegally and stopped payment of salaries to two management staff.

The commission cleared Mrs Amobi of wrongdoings in the purchase of vehicles, expenditure on new office space, training of staff and posting of staff from Office of Accountant-General of the Federation.

On illegal payment to DISCOs, the commissions report noted that all the 11 Distributions Companies (DISCOS) have unpaid invoices because of certain like unprofitable tariff, non-metering and subsisting court order.

However, ICPC maintained that the MD faltered in areas of procurement and fund approvals.

The Respondent (MD) does not follow due process in award of contracts.

The Respondent (MD) makes payments before securing the required approvals.

The Respondent (MD) received excess furniture allowances of N22,646,328.48 above the approved N5,777,595.00 for CEOs of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the report seen by Leaks NG reads.

The report also indicated two management staff of NBET, Waziri Bintube and Abdullahi Sambo, were wrongfully dismissed.

ICPC said the matter (dismissal) has been referred to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Marilyn Amobi. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official website of NBET]

The two are believed to have been victimised by Mrs Amobi for whistle-blowing fraudulent activities in NBET.

They were vindicated by the commission.

However, the contract award red-flagged by Sambo Abdullahi to two different law firms within the same lot was in violation of procurement process, a part of the report reads.

Next Action

For these infractions, ICPC resolved it would prosecute all indicted and carry out a review of payment to affected DISCOs.

In the light of the foregoing, the commission would carry out the following;

Prosecution of all indicted persons, as revealed in the investigation report, for the violation of Procurement Act, 2007 and ICPC Act, 2000.

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A comprehensive review of the operations of all the 11 Discos so as to come up with the necessary recommendations that can enhance better performance and adequate remittance to the Federal Government and make necessary input into the power policy as directed by Mr President.

When contacted, the ICPC spokesperson, Rashidat Okoduwa, said the commission will make it public once it charges those indicted to court.

Once that happens (the indicted are prosecuted), definitely we will come to the public with the information, she said.

You know, taking something to court, you have to be sure you have all your facts, all loose ends are tied up. You dont want to take a case to court and still have some technical grounds. Once we get to court, you can be rest assured that well come to the public with the information, she said.The Nigerian Army on Sunday said it had constructed boreholes in two local government areas of Borno State as part of efforts to enhance civil-military cooperation in the state.

Sagir Musa, who disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri, said the military had also intensified efforts in providing basic infrastructure and social amenities to its host communities in parts of the country.

It is in line with this that 29 Task Force Brigade Nigerian Army, Benisheikh, embarked on humanitarian activities in the area.

He said the formation had recently constructed boreholes in Borgozzo and Benisheik communities in Kaga Local Government Area.

He said the brigade is self-reliant in water purification, preservation and distribution and its troops are no longer exposed to the danger that may arise from getting water from other sources.

Mr Musa said the production and packaging of the water had enabled the formation to extend humanitarian activities and weekly distribution of water to the host communities.

Similarly, the formation has also been assisting children with clothing, educational materials and potable water on a daily basis to the communities.

It has also been distributing clothes to some children as well as feeding of over 2,000 children weekly in the area.

He said the formation had cultivated a Dates-Palm plantation in Borgozo, which is expected to be a source of food for the inhabitants of the village after returning.

(NAN)Residents in the outskirts of Maiduguri on Sunday witnessed some skirmishes following an indiscriminate shooting by some soldiers.

The situation forced many women, children and elderly people in Damboa road and Polo general area to scamper for safety.

Residents told NAN that they started hearing gunshots at about 3 p.m., though unsure if soldiers were test-firing equipment.

Haruna Kachala, a Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) member, said that the gunshots came from the soldiers stationed at the state hotel along Damboa road bye pass while on their way to relieve their colleagues at Molai general area.

Mr Kachala said Initially, we thought the military were test firing their equipment, but when the other troops at Molai general responded to the fire, residents ran helter-skelter.

Bukar Mala, a resident of Damboa road, said they fled for safety when they heard continuous shootings from the two different locations.

NAN reports that a combined team of hunters, civilian Joint Task Force and the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), led by Governor Babagana Umara, quickly moved to the scene to assess the situation.

Mr Umara told journalists that his government would ensure that peace and security returned to all parts of the state.

We are yet to ascertain what exactly happened, but it was not Boko Haram attack as earlier speculated.

We shall equip and strengthen the security agencies to improve on emergency response, to address issues like this, he said.

He advised residents in the state to shun rumour mongering that could cause unnecessary fear.

(NAN)Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi State disclosed on Sunday that up to 20 per cent of teachers on the payroll of the state were ghost workers.

Mr Muhammed made the disclosure in Bauchi while addressing youths to commemorate the 2019 edition of the Day of the African Child.

The governor said that previous administrations in the state opted to enlist ghost workers, although many trained teachers were not having jobs in the state.

Mr Muhammed vowed that his administration would conduct a personnel audit of teachers and also look into frivolous contracts that were awarded by previous administrations.

He said that he was going to wage a total war against those he described as enemies of the state who had retarded the development of the state.

Muhammed disclosed that he would prosecute some former top officials of the states Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) over their roles in managing the finances of the board.

He lamented that most primary schools in the state had their roofs blown off by windstorms with pupils studying under trees and sitting on the bare floor, in spite of huge resources spent by SUBEB.

I wonder what the previous administrations were doing while they allowed the infrastructure and education system to degenerate to the lowest ebb.

He promised to employ about 1,000 female teachers earlier trained by the state in conjunction with UNICEF and other organisations.

The UNICEF Field Officer in the state, Bhanu Pathak, said that UNICEF in collaboration with SUBEB had trained 120 youths drawn from 14 states and FCT in capacity building.

Mr Pathak, represented by UNICEF Educationalist, Mairama Dikwa, said that the programme was in commemoration of the 2019 Day of the African Child.

He called on the governor to ensure that the 1.2 million out of school children in the state were enlisted in schools, advising the governor to increase budgetary allocation to education.

Mr Pathak also told the governor that UNICEF would be withdrawing from the third phase of the Girl-Child Education scheme being implemented in the state in 2020. (NAN)Despite the agreement between officials of the National Human Right Commission and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to suspend the raids of women in Abuja, another 11 women were arrested on Monday.

The latest victims were arrested on Monday night and detained at the Gwarimpa police station, a witness said.

Martins Obono, a lawyer and activist, said a fellow lawyer alerted him of the development and he immediately went to the police station where the women were detained.

He said by the time he got to the station, some of the women claimed to have been beaten with batons in the process of the arrest.

He said the police officers accused the women of prostitution.

In April 2019, PREMIUM TIMES reported how about 100 women were arrested by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Authority in different locations within Abuja on the basis of prostitution.

The women also accused the officials of rape and assault in exchange for their freedom.

This act drew lots of condemnation from human right groups and the general public.

11 women arrested

Sharing his experience with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Obono said On Monday evening, I was privileged to attend the screening of Silent Tears, a short documentary based on the stories of women from different backgrounds who have been arrested and abused by law enforcement agents for being out late at night. In attendance was, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, Wife of Vice President, representatives of Armed Forces and the diplomatic community.

Barely a few hours after the event, I received a phone call from a fellow Lawyer, that the police have again arrested some women in Gwarimpa and they have been taken to the police station.

I immediately joined her in order to hear their offence(s) and why they were taken to the station. On getting there, we met 11 women sitting on the floor.

Two of them said they were arrested while inside a Keke Napep (tricycle) while some were arrested in front of a supermarket. Others, however, were just walking by the road and got picked up.

Some of these women claimed to have been beaten with batons in the process of arrest. The Police didnt tell them their offence and they werent profiled at the time.

I asked the officer at the counter, Inspector Yakubu, why they were brought to the Police Station, he said the patrol team just brought and dumped them there without saying anything, hence, he cannot give details of their offence.

At this point, it was about 11:15 p.m. and I was worried that the women would sleep there. I took a peep into the cell and it looked full. It also did not look like there was a separate place for women.

My colleague then drew my attention to what the inmates were saying, one of them said, omo, see plenty fish. He was referring to the women as fishes. That was scary. I could not imagine the sexual violations that will take place if the women were put in the same detention cell with the men.

It was at that point we agreed that the women were not going to spend the night at the police station and we were not going to leave until they were released, he said

Mr Obono said calls were made to the Police Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, before the women were eventually released.

Tweets went out, calls were made by concerned Abuja residents and Nigerians to Police hierarchy, I spoke to Frank Mba, the Police Force Public Relations Officer at 11:39 p.m., through my phone, he spoke to the most senior police officer at the station and I overheard him say, Why are you people causing problem for us in the force? I am not yet done answering questions and sending reports to different organisations all over the world from the women you raided the last time.

Why are you bent on bringing us shame? Release all those women immediately. Get me the DPO. Finally, the women were released to me at 1:20 a.m. as I signed for them. Mr Obono said.

Jennifer Ogbogu, the lawyer who represented the women who were previously arrested, confirmed the recent arrest to PREMIUM TIMES on the phone.

Eleven women were arrested Last Monday for offences they dont know about

The issue is still the normal raid and claim of trying to sanitise Abuja. But these are not AEPB officials but police officers attached to Gwarimpa, she said.

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At the time of filing in this report, Mr Mba could not be reached as he wasnt picking his calls or responding to text messages.A presidential aide, Garba Shehu, said on Sunday that President Muhammadu Buhari was taking steps to resolve the insecurity in North-west Nigeria.

Mr Shehu said this in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

Hundreds of people have been killed in states in North-west Nigeria by bandits. The latest led to the death of 34 persons in Zamfara State.

The Muhammadu Buhari administration is working with Northwestern state governments in pursuing an urgent revamp of the national security apparatus, Mr Shehu wrote.

Read his full statement below.

PRESIDENT BUHARI GOVERNMENT, STATES STREAMLINING SECURITY IN THE NORTHWEST

The Muhammadu Buhari administration is working with Northwestern state governments in pursuing an urgent revamp of the national security apparatus in the subregion following the infiltration of bandits into areas, otherwise secure.

This is coming on the heels of the recent of the killing of 34 persons in an attack on Tungar Kafau and Gidan Wawa communities in Shinkafi Local Government Areas of Zamfara.

President Buhari, who expressed sorrow over the renewed attacks extended his sympathies to the governments and people of Sokoto and Zamfara states and charged all stakeholders, made up of the federal security agencies and the states involved in drawing up the long-term strategic defence plan to begin its immediate implementation.

Under the plan, states are joining the federal government in supporting the security and military operations by providing logistical support. States are providing additional vehicles in addition to those provided from the centre. The federal government is establishing new forward operation bases and when all of these come together, the ongoing operations will be scaled up.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the various State Emergency Management Agencies are expected to streamline their operations to provide succour to displaced persons, thousands of whom are taking refuge in the neighbouring Niger Republic. The full implementation of the plan is expected to provide security for residents to return to deserted communities.

President Buhari assures once again his administration is fully conscious of its responsibility of protecting the life and property of citizens and will not fail in that regard.By PTI

BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of the budget, aluminium producers have sought steps from the government to hike import duty on primary aluminum, scrap and downstream products and rationalise costs of raw materials.

Industry bodies such as the Aluminium Association of India (AAI) and FICCI have informed the government that the aluminium sector of the country is going through a challenging phase and is under immense threat by rising imports, declining domestic market share, rising production and logistics costs.

Moreover, non-competitive energy costs and acute coal shortage for the industry have adversely hit the sustainability of the aluminium industry, Rahul Sharma, co- chairman of FICCI Committee on Mining and Minerals, said in a press statement.

Noting that aluminiums importance is next to that of steel, but policy measures are being developed and introduced to protect the domestic steel industry in the last three years, he said.

Some of the special provisions extended to the steel industry are anti-dumping duties for Chinese imports, safeguard duties of 10-20 per cent levied on steel imports, and a minimum 10 per cent increase in the basic customs duty on all steel products. The aluminium industry continues to suffer due to the lack of such measures, said Sharma, also an active member of the AAI.

The AAI has recently written to the Ministry of Mines to provide some relief in the form of increasing basic customs duty on aluminium products from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent and reducing basic customs duty and correction of inverted duty structure on raw materials. The FICCI has also conveyed similar recommendations to the government.

Stating that India's demand for aluminium is expected to double to over 7 million tonnes in the next five years, Sharma said, the industry has invested over Rs 1.2 lakh crore to enhance its capacity to 4 MTPA to cater to the increasing demand. The sector is also one of the largest job creators with more than 8 lakh direct and indirect employment.

In the last few years, the steel industry has received policy support from the government that has enabled the sector to immune itself from global market volatility and reduce dependence on import and excess supplies. The government support has resulted in a drop of steel imports by 21 per cent in last three years, he said.

In contrast, a lack of similar policy support pushed the aluminium industry to post highest ever aluminium import of 23 lakh tonnes in FY19, 58 per cent of India's demand, resulting in a forex outgo of Rs 38,000 crore, Sharma said. In the current circumstances, Indian aluminium industry requires the government to extend policy measures in line with what has been extended to the steel industry, he said.

Restrictive measures by China, USA and others to protect their indigenous markets from imports are making India more vulnerable as a dumping ground for primary metal, scrap and secondary products, adversely affecting the competitiveness of the domestic industry, he said. "Hence, immediate measures like increased import duty on primary aluminum, scrap and downstream aluminium products are required along with rationalisation of input costs of critical raw material of aluminium value chain to help domestic industry retain competitiveness, Sharma said.

AAI in its communication to the Centre said the role of aluminium in energy security, infrastructure, defense, aerospace, automobile, electricity, packaging and consumer products makes it a sector of strategic importance.

However, the cost of production of aluminium metal in India has substantially increased over past 3-4 years due to rising cost of raw materials, increase in various duties, cess and high logistic costs.

Among the largest aluminium producers like China, Canada, Russia, Middle East and Norway, India has the highest cost of production, which can be attributed to high power cost due to increasing coal prices, high cess on coal, electricity duty and logistics.As more rural communities in Zamfara come under heavy attacks by bandits, Governor Bello Matawalle is to meet with security experts in Dubai, UAE, to discuss ways of tackling the menace.

A statement by Yusuf Idris, Director-General, Press Affairs, in the Zamfara Government House, said that the governor, who travelled on Sunday to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia, would stop over in Dubai to meet with security experts to seek experts advice.

The governor will meet with security experts in Dubai and share ideas on the best way to end the menace of armed banditry in the state.

He is also expected to meet with the officials of Saudi Arabian government to discuss ways towards the release of the Zamfara-born Alaramma Ibrahim, who has been in detention for almost two years, over alleged drugs trafficking.

From our findings, his arrest followed a frame-up initiated from the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

While in Dubai, the governor will also meet with officials of African Development Bank (ADB), and some investors interested in investing into the Zamfara economy, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Mr Matawalle, since assumption of office as governor, has made frantic efforts toward tackling fatal banditry attacks that have become the lot of residents of the state. (NAN)Adebola Oni, 28, stands in front of a kiosk overlooking a marshland on Tony Enyinna Street, Gbagada. It had just rained that Sunday afternoon and the sun was forcing its way out of the skys grey shrouds.

At 3:57 p.m., Mr Oni had spent the most part of the day gathering gravel and sand to fill up leaking crucibles in his balcony from where water had leaked into his sitting room. After several rounds of pacing up and down the compound, he took a break outside alone, contemplating the tragedy of his plight.

The rains are here again; living here is like sharing a room with the devil, he told this reporter, standing over the mass of water spilling out of his apartment.

As he slowly emptied his frustrations into the silence, a whirlwind of dank, earthy smell oozed through the atmosphere, conjuring up images of rotting matter. And buried right in the midst of the green, sturdy undergrowth is a swamp; a confluence where a mass of both domestic and rain-water finds solace. Unfortunately, it is solace that would later morph into pain for residents of the neighbourhood.

I regret moving into this apartment, I never knew the situation was this bad. Its hard to tell whether you are living on the sea or land, he said watching the water flow into a dingy estuary just beside his apartment.

The community, located on the Ifako area of Gbagada in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State, is among the coastal suburbs nestled along the swampy margins of the more than 50 km-long Lagos Lagoon. With a steep topography that makes it the receptacle of rainwater from other neighbourhoods and its proximity to a major canal pouring into the lagoon, residents of this estate live in constant fear of the unknown whenever it rains.

The Warning

In April this year, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency warned that about 600 local government areas are under threat of flooding in 2019. In its Annual Flood Outlook, the Director-General of the agency, Clement Nze, advised that no person should build structures within these flood-prone areas while advocating for cleaner drainages across the country.

That counsel appeared to have been ignored by many Lagos home builders. A tour of Taodak Estate, a newly developed landholding in the Gbagada area, showed that most houses in the neighbourhood are surrounded by static water. In one of the houses situated on Otunba Taofeek Street, this reporter sighted a machine being used to empty water out of a storey-apartment.

What (residents) face here is not just floods, its an emergency that needs to be addressed by the government. Go around and you will discover that many houses are flooded even when there is no rain, a resident whose apartment was affected told this writer.

In an exercise tagged Operation Remove and Cart Away in August 2018, the Lagos State Public Works Corporation announced it had commenced efforts to clear primary canals in the metropolis. According to the Special Adviser to then Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Public Works and Drainages, Temidayo Erinle, the aim of the exercise was to prevent lives and properties from damage occasioned by flooding.

This initiative, however, did not translate to relief for residents of Gbagada.

Tales of losses, abandonment, death

Nwosu Bobbypetrus was happy in September 2018 when, after two years of a furtive job hunt, he landed a role with a real estate firm in Victoria Island. Still basking in that euphoria, he raised money alongside his friend to secure accommodation in Taodak Estate. But that excitement faded quickly.

One fateful Friday, after a week of toil and sweat, he retired home to meet his apartment thoroughly flooded.

I got home that day and I felt like my entire life had collapsed because we had no other place to sleep that night. So, we spent some hours trying to scoop out the water, but it had already soaked virtually everything, including the mattress. We eventually slept in my neighbours parlour that night, he said.

But Tajudeen, who has since vowed not to renew his rent at its expiration in August this year, was not so lucky. After his wife miraculously escaped a giant snake, which came into their apartment with the floods, it was time to say goodbye, at least for a while. We fled the house in September when we started having issues with snakes coming into the house. My son first sighted one (snake) on their way from school one day. I was forced to move my wife and kids to my mothers house in Ikorodu. It was a tough moment for the family because it put a lot of pressure on our small finances, he said.

A trader, who identified herself as Mrs Oloyede, said the floods destroyed the goods kept at her mini-warehouse at home. Although, she could not give an estimate of the worth.

I left home for many weeks when I could no longer stand the frustration, said a resident of Otunba Taofeek Street, who identified himself as Bamidele and trades in Ankara prints in Idumota. He said he was forced to relocate to his brothers residence in Agbado, a Lagos suburb located 41.3km away from Idumota.

Bukola Atlil, who said she had been staying in Taodak Estate for more than three years, seemed the most unfortunate. Water enters our house, whether theres rain or not. It becomes worse between July and October every year. You could just be sitting at home and find water pouring into your house from nowhere, she said.

Yet, a certain ordeal stands out for her. I was preparing to go to a wedding reception one Saturday around August last year. After dressing up and stepping out to pick up the shoe I was wearing for the occasion, the flood had carried it. That day, I had to wade through the dirty water that had drowned the entire street until I started itching.

Same state, same story

Elsewhere across the state, the story is the same. Few hours after a heavy downpour on May 20, the house of veteran actor, Ajirebi Olasehinde, popularly known as Pa James (of Papa Ajasco fame), was inundated by floods, sacking the 61-year-old and his family from his Oke-Odo residence. In a post on Instagram, his son, Samuel Ajirebi, said the incident was happening for the tenth year despite efforts to stir the state government to action.

The younger Ajirebi, who claimed the floods had brought the family severe losses, said the incident was caused by an overflowing canal located behind their street.

Also, on May 15, a 26-year-old Accounting graduate of the University of Lagos, Adewura Bello, was declared missing. According to multiple reports, the young lady was said to be heading to her Egbeda home in Alimosho local government when the incident occurred. Eleven days later, residents found her dead body in a canal.

According to reports, Ms Bello was swept by heavy floods into an open manhole pouring into a canal in Abule-Odu area of the state. Eyewitnesses said they were unable to save her as the massive flood washed her into the hole.

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Where are the subventions?

Perhaps these tragic events could have been averted if a N750 million fund earmarked for dredging waterways was effectively put into use.

In 2015, the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment launched a drainage masterplan to address the problem of flooding in the state. An official of the Office of Drainage Services explained that some houses in the state were at the risk of being submerged by floods if drastic steps were not taken. The plan was announced in partnership with Dar Al-Handasah Consultants, a global multi-disciplinary consulting firm whose speciality includes the environment.

According to information on the company website, the consultants were required to develop a stormwater drainage masterplan and a Pilot Area Integrated Infrastructure System. This followed series of site investigations, project cost estimate and action plans. These estimates were not made public.

However, in the Lagos State 2016 approved budget, N250 million subvention was earmarked for the maintenance of drainages across the state. Subsequently, the state government allotted the same amount (N250 million) for both 2017 and 2018 budgets, amounting to N750m in three years.

It remains unclear whether the same amount was allocated in the 2019 budget presented in April by the immediate former governor, Akinwunmi Ambode as the details of the allocations could not be obtained at the time of filing this report.

Several attempts were made to get the Lagos State Emergency Management at the Alausa Secretariat to comment on the utilisation of the funds were unsuccessful. In each case, this reporter was redirected to the Ministry of Environment. In one of the visits to the ministry, this reporter was told by a female officer at the Public Affairs unit under the Ministry of Environment that Drainage Services was the right unit to answer his questions. According to her, Drainage Services had been moved to the Lagos State Public Works Corporation in Ojodu, Berger.

Efforts to reach the principal officer in charge of drainage services at Ojodu were unsuccessful. During the first visit to the new location, this reporter was told that oga was not available. During the second visit, he was asked to write a letter to the Permanent Secretary, explaining his request.

No dredging in three years

However, a senior official in the Lagos State Ministry of Environment said the government had not undertaken any dredging exercise in the past three years despite budgetary provision. The senior official, who asked not to be named, as he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said the problem of residents will continue to compound until the government takes action.

Explaining why the situation gets worse every year, he said: theres an arch channel around that area. Normally, it gets bigger and bigger every year. If you dont do anything about it, it keeps widening. And the wider it becomes, the more dangerous for people who live around it. In fact, those people who live on the edge of the channel are only risking their lives.

He said the new government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu has to put in place a plan to do something about the situation as the last government had no such plans.

If you speak to anyone in Drainage, they will tell you there is no money on ground for the project. But every day, people come here to complain about heavy floods taking over their apartments, and that their lives are at risk, he said.

He added that except there was financial allocation from the state government, the affected LCDA can do nothing to solve the problem because the projects are usually capital intensive.

Climate Change

Nigerias climate has witnessed significant spatial and temporal changes with extreme weather and climate conditions with ocean surges and floods becoming more regular, according to the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet). These shifts come with a number of socio-economic impacts on agriculture, hydrology, construction, education and health.

The persistent invasion of water  caused both by canal overflow and floods  has left many buildings in this community in bad shape. As if to set the lid on a boiling cauldron, a significant chunk of the houses are built on swamps while others lack a drainage system. This reporter ran into a marshy, undeveloped land inundated by water.

Two men were seen manually sand-filling the land in preparation for the erection of a structure. This reporter would later learn that the landowner wants to start putting up a structure there.

In some parts of the community, the houses are weak and humid with patches of stagnant water. In one of the houses, water had forced the fence to severe off its attachment to the concrete floor, allowing seepage into the compound. Some of the houses are wobbly, as though about to cave in.

Amongst other things, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 11 seeks to significantly reduce the direct impact of economic losses by disasters (including water-related disasters) with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations by 2030. But until these residents can feel safe in their homes when it rains, without the fear of floods submerging their apartments, this aspiration remains a tall dream for them, and one they cannot lay claim as their own.

Getting out of the woods

The NIHSA has predicted coastal flooding in five states across the country, including Lagos. Its DG, who warned against erecting structures in flood plains, said Nigeria should focus on building flood-resilient communities to alleviate the impact of the floods.

Co-founder of African Cleanup Initiative (ACI), Alexander Akhigbe, wants residents to leave the community, pending when the government rises to the occasion. I would advise people living there to find elsewhere to stay. Their safety comes first and they should not wait for the government, he says.

Water is not something you can manage, especially floods. Let it not be said that the day it floods, a baby is left alone outside. It will be tragic. Theres also the part about health. You dont want your children to have contact with that kind of contaminated water.

I think we are not doing enough to obliterate the root cause of these irregular weather patterns, said Adebayo Caleb, a lawyer and environmentalist.

While the government cannot prevent heavy rains, it can prepare residents for resilience. We are hardly seeing any resilience initiatives from relevant agencies  whether for households, crops, or vulnerable population. We have a very typical culture of waiting till the disaster happens while hoping and praying it never does. Its simply a case of the foolish virgins.

For residents of this community, and those in similar situations across Lagos, the 2019 raining season evokes something ominous; a curious contradiction of the aphorism that water is life. For these ones, life is a potpourri of sorry joys, and so would wake up every other day, seeking a miracle not to be included in the gory statistics.The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to check the increasing reports of brutality by police officers on citizens.

The socio-cultural group said the convention globally has been that the police respect the dignity of citizens by refraining from actions that could either dehumanise them or demean their humanity.

In a statement in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, YCE Secretary-General, Kunle Olajide, said the police inflicted injuries on some pro-democracy champions in Lagos, Oyo and Ogun states on June 12.

Mr Olajide said it was antithetical to democratic norms for peaceful rallies organised by those perceived to be opposition to mark June 12 celebration to have allegedly been disrupted by the officers under any guise.

Some officers, according to YCE, disrupted rallies tagged  O To Ge (It Must Stop), held in the aforementioned states on the 2019 Democracy Day.

The policemen did not only disrupt the rallies in those states, but they also inflicted injuries on some of the participants, he said.

One of the leaders of the rallies in Ogun, Tunde Amusat, was picked up and delayed for several hours.

Democracy allows multiplicity of opinions, but police as an institution should not have botched a peaceful protest meant to commemorate June 12 celebration.

The YCE scribe added that polices present preoccupation in the South-west should be how to curb the menace of kidnappings and killings being caused by suspected herders.

The level of insecurity in the South-west is becoming frightening and worrisome by the day, he said.

The IGP must beef up security and work with the governors in the region, traditional rulers and local hunters to checkmate these bandits.

He added that the YCE, as a group of elders and leaders in the South-west zone, would not watch while the people are being killed.A protest by students of Ekiti State University, (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, has forced management to postpone the first semester examinations which were originally scheduled to begin on Monday, June 17.

In a news release issued on Sunday night and signed by the Registrar of the institution, Akin Arogundade, the new date for the examinations is now Monday, July 1.

The postponement according to the statement is to ensure security of lives and property on campus and its environs.

It failed to dwell on the effect of an earlier protest by students as a possible cause of the shift.

Consequently, all academic activities on campus has been postponed until Monday, July 1, 2019, while students are expected back on campus on Sunday, June 30, 2019, the statement said.

It directed all students preparing for exams to ensure payment of all necessary fees, as evidence of payment would be used for clearance and examination permit.

The University community, parents, and guardians are assured of adequate security on campus as well as the safety of staff and students, it said.

NAN recalls that the students held a peaceful protest early on Sunday to criticise the sudden fixing of the examinations without adequate lectures.

The protesters were also worried that many students might be denied participation as the data system had yet to capture all who had cleared their tuition. (NAN)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.This year, representing as Miss Central Jersey Beaches, Glab won the first nights preliminary talent award and made it through the competition for the ultimate title.

Glab performed Puccinis soprano aria O Mio Babbino Caro,one of two operatic performances at the finals.

Under the new Miss America 2.0 guidelines, the competition featured two rounds of on-stage questions as well as a several opportunities for the candidates to talk about their social impact initiatives.

I started this social impact initiative when I was diagnosed with high cholesterol when I was 11 years old. Through this, I was able to share my story and become a relatable figure, she said.

Glab is looking forward to using her year to promote Healthy Children, Strong America which encourages children to be physically active and health conscious.

After recently graduating from Brookdale Community College, Glab was set to attend the University of Virginias Macintire School of Business to major in finance. She will defer one year to serve as Miss New Jersey 2019.Four noreasters hit New Jersey in March, disrupting everyday life, flooding coastal streets and forcing some island residents to find higher ground or risk being stranded.

The rain had stopped March 25, yet Suzanne Leary Hornick found herself warning members of the Ocean City NJ Flooding Facebook page tidal flooding was again making 30th Street impassable.

Rising sea level is turning small storms into big problems for island and coastal communities, and creating nuisances on days when the sun may be out.

A warming climate is responsible for most of that rise, causing ocean water to expand and glaciers to melt. Whether that warming is man-made or not, the consequences are unavoidable.

The March noreasters were insignificant compared to some historic storms, particularly the March 1962 noreaster that decimated New Jerseys shore, Thomas Harrington, director of Monmouth Universitys Urban Coastal Institute, wrote in a recent blog post.

Yet the recent storms caused much more flooding than they would have in 1962 because of sea-level rise, Harrington said.

Now, imagine if the sea level rises just 9 inches in another 56 years  which is less than expected. Last months small noreasters would then drive waters to a major flood level in 2074, Harrington said.

And coastal residents will have to either live with the flooding, or leave.

More Information What causes land to sink? In South Jersey land subsidence -- or sinking -- is caused in part by withdrawal of underground water and in part by aftereffects of the last ice age. The ice age effect is 'glacial isostatic adjustment.' Rutgers University calls it a seesaw effect causing the land to sink in the mid-Atlantic region while rising in fomerly ice-covered areas to the north. The southernmost extent of the ice was in northern New Jersey in parts of Hunterdon, Somerset, Union and Middlesex counties. Land to our north that had been under the the weight of thousands of feet of ice began rising a little each year after the ice melted. That movement began pushing South Jerseys land down a little each year.

With hundreds of billions of dollars worth of coastal real estate in New Jersey, leaving doesnt appear to be much of an option. Ocean City alone has $11.6 billion in taxable real estate, according to the Cape May County Board of Taxation.

The increasing rate of flooding doesnt seem to deter shore homebuyers, who are driving up the cost of barrier island real estate faster than mainland properties.

And nothing seems to be deterring the rise of ocean waters. In fact, the rate of sea level rise appears to be quickening.

The rate of rise is greater than in any preceding century in at least 2,800 years, Robert Kopp, director of the Rutgers Institute of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences said to the state Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee on March 22.

Global average sea levels are up 7 to 8 inches since 1900, and half of that has happened since 1993, Kopp told the committee, which was considering bills on managing stormwater and wanted to hear from New Jersey climate experts on what the state will face in the future.

Sea level in New Jersey is rising faster than the global average  particularly along the shore  because of geological conditions, according to Rutgers University. It has risen 12 inches at bedrock locations such as Bayonne, Trenton and Camden and 16 inches along the shore from Sandy Hook to Cape May.

Its worse at the shore because the land here is also sinking due to geological forces that first exerted their influence during the Ice Age.

Sinking land and rising waters mean more days of flooding, at higher levels, Kopp said.

In Atlantic City, tidal flooding occurs about 10 times more frequently than it did in the 1950s, Kopp told the committee.

The increased presence of water in our streets prompted the National Weather Service in October 2012 to raise the water level that would trigger a coastal flood advisory. It went from 6 feet at Atlantic City and 6.7 feet at the Cape May Ferry Terminal  the levels at which minor tidal flooding begins  to 6.3 feet and 7 feet, respectively.

The service wanted to avoid warning fatigue, it said.

The frequency of advisories had increased to the point it was afraid people would start ignoring them. Later that month, Hurricane Sandy hit the coast, serving as a reminder of the vulnerability of coastal communities.

Tidal flooding now occurs about 30 times a year on Absecon Island, up from about five times a year in 1970, according to a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The group predicts that number will increase to 240 times a year by 2045, based on a mid-range prediction of just over a foot of sea level rise.

And because sea level will be higher, more floods will be extensive, posing greater risks to people and property, the UCS report said.

And 27 years from now  within the span of a typical mortgage  its no longer a problem our grandchildren will have to handle. Its one that will land in the laps of todays young adults.

Residents of the Mid-Atlantic coast should pay particular attention to what is happening with the western Antarctic ice sheet, Rutgers University professor Benjamin P. Horton said.

The Mid-Atlantic coastline is the hot spot for melting of Antarctica, Horton said at a speech to the Delaware Estuary Environmental and Science Summit last year. The greatest sea level rise (from Antarcticas melting ice) will be felt in the Delaware Estuary and the Chesapeake Estuary.

He was met with loud moans from the hundreds of scientists, teachers and others attending the summit, held every other year by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

As ice mass shrinks, sea level rises greater in areas far distant, Horton explained. Ice sheets are huge and pull water toward them, he explained. You reduce the mass, and water moves away.

Because of ocean currents, water from Antarctica will mainly move to the Mid-Atlantic coast, he said.

Conversely, if the Greenland ice sheet melts, sea-level rise will be greater in Florida than in New Jersey, with less effect farther north.

Despite the growing evidence of a surging ocean, coastal living still calls many of us.

Even as members of the Ocean City NJ Flooding Facebook page post about their troubles, they field questions from people who want to move to the island. Prospective homebuyers ask about frequency of flooding at specific addresses.

And members talk about why they live at the shore.

And then we have beautiful nights like this! It all evens out for me! Good days, bad days, wet days, dry days. Love island living, posted Margaret DeFelice on the Ocean City NJ Flooding Facebook page April 1, with a photo of a beautiful Ocean City sunset.

Lets hope the last noreaster has passed and tomorrows snow will be light and at low tide, she said.

But scientists say it will take more than hope for coastal life to remain sustainable for our children and grandchildren.

It will take a plan, funding and a willingness to make tough choices about where to build, rebuild or eventually abandon.

What's next: Coming in May: New Jersey's coastal dwellers are finding ways to cope as nuisance flooding becomes a part of their daily lives.

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.One year ago, Sandy Feddema awoke to the sound of Bridgeton officials knocking on his door.

A 40-foot-wide, 15-foot-high stone wall next to his West Commerce Avenue home had crumbled, leaving the compact, sandy bluff behind it exposed and Feddema with a big cleanup on the sidewalk. He spent months removing sand and and dirt from the walkway, and noticed something unusual.

(The sand) was just coarse, he said. Like sand I had never touched before, and the color was different.

Little did Feddema know, the bluff beside his house, once hidden behind a centuries-old wall, helps illustrate how the most recent Ice Age shaped South Jersey.

Thats according to Mark Demitroff, a geomorphologist at Stockton University who took a look at what was left during a visit to Bridgeton last year.

He discovered a frost crack in the small cliff filled with sand, called a sand wedge cast.

These are typically found in areas where there was once permafrost, thick layers of soil that are frozen year round.

He has not yet been able to date the crack.By PTI

NEW DELHI: Beach sand mining ban on private players has resulted in a loss of exports worth Rs 4,000 crore and Rs 5,000 crore in revenue, mining body FIMI has said, demanding to rescind the order.

In its latest report "Mining Matters for India", Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) said the ban has put a large number of jobs at stake.

"In the case of beach sand minerals (BSM), private sector has been debarred for mining, putting numerous jobs at stake and depriving the country of revenue to the extent of Rs 5,000 crore and exports of about Rs 4,000 crore annually," FIMI said in its latest report.

At present, only government companies are allowed to engage in beach sand mining after the Ministry of Mines vide a notification in February this year banned the private players.

"The Government should improve the regulatory mechanism and private sector should be continued to be allowed for mining of beach sand minerals and the Ministry of Mines notification...barring private sector should be rescinded," it said.

The report also highlights FIMI's demand for considering the mining as an 'Independent Activity', and not as captive to any downstream metal industry such as steel, aluminium, etc.

"While mining is a business of volumes, captive mining limits the scale of mining, neglects mineral exploration limited to plant requirement, leads to selective mining and wastage of resources," the report said.

The private sector in future should be the main source of investment in reconnaissance, exploration and mining with right to seamless transition, transferability with security of tenure, it said adding, the government agencies such as GSI, MECL etc may continue to perform the exploration and surveys on regional basis and in areas where private investment is not forthcoming.

"The Government of India should create a level playing field for both private (captive and non-captive) and Government sector companies in terms of tenure of leases, area selection, etc," it added.

Much of the contribution made by the mining industry to ensure raw material security for India's sustainable growth has not received the due attention of the stakeholders and society at large, it said.

FIMI also demanded that the contribution of mining should be viewed in light of the multiplier effect it has across the entire economy and not just its monetary contribution to GDP.

The industry body is committed to contributing to the sustained growth of the mineral sector in a sustainable manner for economic growth, raw material security of the country and socio-economic development particularly in remote and tribal areas, it said, and urged the government to initiate steps to ensure its rightful position as a growth engine in the economy and unlock the full potential of the Indian mineral sector.Mumbai, June 16 : As the upcoming film "Article 15" is set to release on June 28, the makers of the movie are planning to screen the film in the rural parts of the country, where the caste-based social discrimination is still prevalent.

"...one of the reasons why we wanted to make the film is that we want to reach out to rural India, in places where the discrimination is still happening based on caste. If we make an art house film and travel to international film festivals, we will only reach to the audience who are already aware of the discrimination," lead actor Ayushmann Khurrana told media on Saturday.

"But we can bring a change in the thought process of people if we reach out to them," he added.

Director Anubhav Sinha said, "We are planning to host mobile screenings. Special screening of the film that everyone can get access to."

In the film Ayushmann is playing the role of a police officer, who visits a village for the investigation of the rape and murder of two dalit women.

Asked about how the intense character affected his mind, Ayushmann said, "Sir (Sinha) gave me a book to read on dalit literature and I was shooting Dream girl back then. Since I was in the middle of a comedy film shooting and the book was hard-hitting, I did not read it then."

"Rather I read the book during the shooting of our film. Honestly, I had sleepless nights after reading the book. Surely such things affect our mind."

The film features Isha Talwar, Sayani Gupta, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra among others.Washington, June 16 : Shakespeare, Plato, Galileo and Newton. The legends came alive in 2019 when Apple (not the 17th-century "aha moment" in the life of young Newton that gave birth to the law of gravity) spent neatly $30 million to restore and revitalise historic Carnegie Library, a 1903 Beaux-Arts building at Mount Vernon Square in Washington, DC.

Billed as "Apple's most extensive historic restoration project to date," the library which was originally funded by Scottish-American business magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, has once again become a centre for learning, discovery and creativity.

Housing a full-fledged Apple Store, people can now explore latest products and work with over 225 staff members, offering advice and technical support as well as assistance for small businesses.

There are audio and video walks, community programmes and the "StoryMaker Festival" which have sessions led by 40 local artists, poets, activists, musicians, photographers, filmmakers, law makers and community builders.

Visitors attend free daily sessions focused on photography, filmmaking, music creation, coding, design and more.

"The idea is to connect people with the history as they use technology. There is an immersive product experience room, with Apple HomePods blaring your favourite music. There are daily sessions which have become popular among people from all walks of life since we opened here last month," Kathren who works at the store, told IANS.

According to Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail + People, the company is excited to share this magnificent space with all of our visitors and to provide a home for inspiration for the next generation.

The library's original circulation desk and skylight area has been transformed into a double-height atrium and gathering space called the Forum.

Carnegie Library has the new DC History Center, which includes the Kiplinger Research Library, three galleries and a museum store, all owned and operated by the 125-year-old Historical Society of Washington, DC.

Teaming up with architecture firms Foster + Partners for design and Beyer Blinder Belle for preservation expertise, Apple worked with conservation experts to carefully preserve the historic facades, return interior spaces to their original footprints, and restore distinctive early 20th-century detailing.

The Vermont marble facade and sculptures on the building's south side have been completely restored.

Located where the library's book stacks were housed, the "Genius Grove" is where Apple Carnegie Library's team offer personalised technical support and advice.

A grand staircase leads to the DC History Center on the second floor and the Carnegie Gallery in the basement, which displays historic photographs and documents for the public to learn about the origins and history of the building.

The Apple team speaks 27 languages, including more than 20 team members fluent in American Sign Language.

"It is a great feeling to be working at an iconic building. The vibrant community around makes us feel that this is where technology meets history in the best possible way," Kathren noted.

The Carnegie Library was Washington's first public library and first desegregated public building and served as DC's central library until 1970.

It then sat as a party rental space until the DC Historical Society garnered a rent-free 99-year lease with the city in 1999. The society launched a City Museum of Washington, DC in the building in 2003, but it closed just one year later.

Since then, the library building was targeted for a range of never-built proposals, including as a music museum and an international spy museum.

Apple, which calls such stores "town squares," has also proposed to relive the same experience in places like Stockholm and Melbourne.

Apple Carnegie is the 13th such location to try to deliver on the concept, often located in historic and iconic sites and intended to be used for more than just selling phones and computers.

(Nishant Arora can be contacted at nishant.a@ians.in)Etawah, June 16 : In a bizarre incident, a Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) constable has been dismissed for demanding the dismissal of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh.

The constable Munish Yadav, on Saturday, wore a red Samajwadi cap with his uniform and went to the district collectorate carrying a placard which said, 'Yogi sarkar ko barkhast karo' (Dismiss the Yogi government)

Munish Yadav told the media that the state government should be dismissed because it has failed to control the law and order situation. He said that he had come to give a memorandum in this regard to the Governor, through the district magistrate.

District Magistrate J.B. Singh said that the constable had not met him but he had heard about the incident from media persons.

Munish Yadav, a resident of Etawah, is presently posted in Noida.

Director General of Police O.P. Singh has taken cognizance of the incident and has issued dismissal orders for Munish Yadav on grounds of gross indiscipline.

Munish Yadav's family members pleaded that he was mentally disturbed and hence the incident.New Delhi, June 16 : The telecom tower industry has urged the Finance Ministry to allow accelerated depreciation rate of 65 per cent on batteries, 20 per cent funding through External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) for the working capital and inclusion of telecom towers in the priority sector for lending by banks.

The industry uses lithium ion batteries, which have an average life of 3-5 years. A higher depreciation rate for these batteries can help higher adoption of these batteries, which can decrease dependence on diesel for power back-up. Diesel adds to the higher cost of production for the tower companies.

Accelerated depreciation is a method whereby an asset loses book value at a faster rate than the traditional straight-line method. Generally, this method allows greater deductions in the earlier years of an asset and is used to minimise taxable income.

Apart from these key demands, the Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (TAIPA) in its submission to the Finance Ministry, said it wants inclusion of the telecom infrastructure service providers in Section 72A in the cases of mergers and amalgamations.

As tower industry is an inseparable part of telecom services, the specific inclusion will bring parity for the tower companies with telecom operators and other key industrial sectors. The benefit of Sec 72A was introduced to telecom operators in FY 2002-03 with a view to encouraging rapid consolidation and growth in the sector.

Before that, each telecom operator used to set up its own towers to cater to its own need for passive infrastructure (telecom towers, shelters, power back up) services. Accordingly, the concept of TISPs was not envisaged in FY 2002-03, when the benefit of Section 72A was extended to the telecom sector.

Section 72A of the Act allows accumulated losses of amalgamating company to be carried forward and set off in the hands of the amalgamated company.

Currently, the carry-forward of losses is limited to industrial undertakings or ships, hotels, aircraft or banks. The term "industrial undertaking" has been defined to include the companies which are engaged in the business of providing telecommunication services, whether basic or cellular, including radio paging, domestic satellite service, broadband network and internet services, said T.R. Dua, Director General, TAIPA.

There have been consolidations in the tower industry in recent times. India's telecom tower industry is expected to see further consolidation after the Bharti Infratel-Indus Towers merger.

The combined entity of Bharti Infratel Ltd -- the tower arm of Bharti Airtel, and Indus Towers, post their merger, will own more than 1,63,000 towers and will create the world's largest tower company outside China.

In the tower industry, if ATC seals the deal with Idea, then the former would operate over 78,000 tower sites in India. State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) owns 66,000 towers.

TAIPA also seeks to amend the definition of "plant and machinery". "Plant and machinery means apparatus, equipment, machinery fixed to earth by foundation including telecommunication tower and shelters, that are used for making outward supply and include the term 'telecommunication tower' for the purpose of Input Tax Credit," it said.

According to TAIPA, the tower industry is expecting to install around 25,000 towers in the coming FY with around Rs 1.25 lakh taxes paid on each. The current situation could result in increase in cost of providing the telecom service.

The Association rues that under the Central Goods and Services Act, 2017 (CGST Act), telecommunication towers have been specifically excluded from the definition of "plant and machinery" provided in the explanation to Section 17.

"Digital India, smart cities, providing e-governance services to the common man and other flagship programmes of the government depend entirely on the availability of critical telecom infrastructure and any tax/ levy on such nation building installations will ultimately increase the cost of the services to the end-consumer.

"Towers are the backbone of the telecommunication industry and any denial of this credit would substantially increase the cost of services to the common man," said TAIPA.

(Anjana Das can be contacted at anjana.d@ians.in)Kolkata, June 16 : Three persons have been held for interrogation in connection with the killing of a local Trinamool Congress leader in West Bengal's Hooghly district, police said on Sunday.

"Manoranjan Patra, 55, was beaten to death near the Trinamool party office in Harishchowk. Like every day, he was on his way to the party office when some people attacked him on Saturday. Three individuals have been held for interrogation," an officer of Khanakul police station said.

A Trinamool supporter claimed that Patra was threatened by some Bharatiya Janata Party activists a few days back.

Patra's body has been sent for post-mortem and investigations are going on, the officer added.New Delhi, June 16 : There are rifts within the separatist Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley over collection and use of funds raised abroad, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Sunday.

A NIA statement quoted Muslim League leader Masrat Alam, the so-called poster boy of stone pelters in the Valley, as telling NIA officials that Pakistan-based agents routed the funds raised abroad to Jammu and Kashmir through hawala operators.

These were transferred to separatist leaders, including hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Shah Geelani, who advocates Jammu and Kashmir's merger with Pakistan.

"Masrat Alam also revealed that there are rifts in the Hurriyat Conference regarding collection and use of funds," the statement said.

Masrat Alam was arrested along with separatist leaders Shabir Shah and Asiya Andrabi as well as Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) head Yasin Malik in connection with the investigation into violence in the Kashmir Valley.

During his interrogation, the NIA said it confronted Shabir Shah with evidence about his investments in various hotels and businesses in Pahalgam as well as properties in Jammu, Srinagar and Anantnag.

He was also shown evidence related to transfer of money by Pakistan-based agents and representatives of Hurriyat, the statement said.

"He was confronted with some of his personal staff and associates who have provided vital information regarding the sources of fund raising and investment details."

Andrabi admitted that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources, and her organisation, the Duktaran-e-Millat, had been organising protests by Muslim women in the Valley, the NIA said.

"Andrabi was confronted regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onwards through foreign remittances made by Zahoor (Ahmad Shah) Watali," who the NIA described as one of the main hawala conduits who used to generate and receive funds from Pakistan and its intelligence.

The statement said that Yasin Malik revealed that he was instrumental in bringing together the disparate factions of the Hurriyat Conference to form the Joint Resistance Leadership to spearhead the violent protests in the Valley in 2016.

The NIA registered a case on May 20, 2017, against terrorists belonging to Jammat-ud-Dawah, Duktaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and other separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir for raising and collecting funds.

The NIA has charge sheeted 13 accused in this regard, including separatist leaders, hawala conduits and stone pelters.Kolkata, June 16 : The striking doctors of West Bengal on Sunday decided to hold talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to immediately end the impasse but said there should be media coverage of the deliberations to avoid discrepancies.

"The last press interview by our honourable Chief Minister was full of discrepancies which had led to false propagation of the motive behind our protests and the response of the government to it. Hence it needs clarification," a representative of the protesting doctors of the NRS Medical College and Hospital told media after a General Body meeting on day six of the strike that has majorly hit state-run health services.

The meeting was attended by representatives of other hospitals participating in the strike.

"We want immediate end to this impasse through discussions with the CM which, to maintain transparency, shouldn't be behind closed doors. The venue can be chosen by the CM, but that should be able to accommodate representatives of all medical colleges and the national media," he said.

Doctors "want to join duty as early as possible in the best interest of health care delivery to the common people once all our demands are met adequately and logically", the representative said.

"We are hopeful that our honourable Chief Minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems that our entire state is facing currently," he added.

Senior doctors expected a solution after the meeting to end the stalemate.

"We are hoping to end the impasse as early as possible and resume normalcy in the state health care services," West Bengal Doctors Forum President Arjun Sengupta told IANS.

Earlier, the agitating doctors had insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the protests.

On Friday night, the striking doctors rejected a proposal from the Chief Minister for talks at the state secretariat Nabanna, and stuck to their demand that she would have to come down to the NRS Medical College and Hospital to listen to their grievances and apologise for having cast aspersions on them.

Health services in the state-run hospitals remained partially disrupted due to the "cease work" by junior doctors. There was mass resignations of doctors at various hospitals and the patients suffered without treatment as the protests reached its sixth day.

Protesting against the brutal attack on two junior doctors by the family members of a dead patient in 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 Tuesday.New Delhi, June 16 : The Trinamool Congress (TMC) here on Sunday demanded passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the upcoming parliamentary session and use of ballot papers in elections.

Speaking at an all-party meeting ahead of the Parliament session starting on Monday, the TMC asked the government to bring ordinances only in emergency situations.

TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien spoke about electoral reforms, raising the issue of state funding of polls and use of paper ballot in place of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The TMC demand came as it lost ground to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal. The TMC tally came down to 22 from 34 in 2014, while the BJP, which had two MPs from the state in 2014, won 18 Lok Sabha seats in this elections.

Stating that about 75 per cent of bills were sent to the parliamentary committees for scrutiny during 14th and 15th Lok Sabha, the West Bengal leaders said in the 16th Lok Sabha only 25 per cent bills were referred to House panels. It meant Parliament was bypassed, they added.

They demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill, ensuring a third of all seats to women in legislatures, should be passed in this session.

In the 16th Lok Sabha, about 35 per cent of the TMC members were women, while it's 41 per cent in the current House.

On federalism, the TMC leaders said the BJP-led central government was deliberately targeting states and this was unacceptable. They argued the ordinance should be used as an "emergency" tool in the spirit of the Constitution.

It was blatantly overused by the BJP government during the 16th Lok Sabha, they alleged.By PTI

NEW DELHI: Vedanta Ltd has lost about USD 200 million in profits ever since its copper smelter plant in Tamil Nadu was shut more than a year back after police fired on protesters and killed 13 people, Group Chairman Anil Agarwal said.

Agarwal added that the stoppage of production at the Tuticorin plant of the firm's unit Sterlite led to the country having to import copper, spending precious foreign exchange. "We have lost about USD 200 million in bottomline (profits). Forget about bottomline. How can you stop production and start importing? After all, what we did at Tuticorin was import substitution," he told PTI in an interview.

The Tamil Nadu government had in May last year ordered permanent shutdown of the copper smelter after bloody protests at the plant in Thoothukudi culminated in police opening fire on demonstrators. Vedanta wants the plant to be reopened, pointing to the economic pressures from the closure.

As many as 20,000 direct and indirect jobs have been lost due to the shutting of the smelter and about 98,400 more were affected in the consumer or downstream industries. "It is a bread and butter issue for Tuticorin. What happened (in police firing) was very unfortunate and our thoughts and sympathies are with the victims. But what is now happening is equally unfortunate," he said.

The Vedanta plant in the Thoothukudi district produced about 40 per cent of India's copper output. The company had announced a plan to expand capacity, leading to protests on concerns about pollution. Vedanta denies that the factory has been a polluter.

He sought to draw a parallel between Tuticorin and Singur in West Bengal which was abandoned by Tata Motors in 2008 after protests over its Nano car factory. "Nobody can (afford to) make another Singur," he said without elaborating.

In 2008, Tata Motors abandoned plans to build a factory to make the world's cheapest car after protests led by politicians over land acquisition. That pullout was said to have deterred many manufacturers from investing in new plants in the state.

Tamil Nadu, one of the most industrialised states in India, is home to factories of companies like Hyundai Motor and Caterpillar. But it has in recent months seen a decline in foreign investment, leading to concerns about job creation. "I have been saying and will repeat again - the world does not want us to produce. World wants us to import," he said, adding the shutting down of Tuticorin plant has led to India importing copper.

Agarwal hoped that a solution will be found soon. According to Vedanta Ltd's latest annual report, the Tuticorin copper smelter, operated by its Sterlite Copper business, ranks as one of the largest custom copper smelters in India.

With a design capacity of 400,000 tonnes, the business held 33 per cent market share of the country's refined copper demand of around 675,000 tonnes in FY2018, it said.

The company challenged the closure order through an appeal before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which in December 2018 ruled that the Tamil Nadu government's order was "nonsustainable" and "unjustified".

However, in February 2019, the Supreme Court set aside the NGT's order on the grounds of maintainability and directed Vedanta to file a writ petition before the Madras High Court. The company has filed a petition in the high court and "the matter is likely to come up after the summer vacation break," Agarwal said.

Vedanta Ltd in its annual report for 2018-19 said, "India faced a crunch in the availability of refined copper due to Vedanta's Tuticorin smelter closure. Chinese smelter output increased by 4.2 per cent in 2018, despite the closure of some smelters for maintenance during Q4."

The report also said that the refined copper consumption in India grew by 2.9 per cent in 2018 while demand in China, the largest consumer of copper, increased by 4.9 per cent.

Refined copper is predominantly used in manufacturing cables, transformers and motors as well as castings and alloy-based products. "In the coming year, copper consumption in India and China is expected to increase by 11.8 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively. This rise is driven by population growth, urbanisation, the rise of the middle class and the evolution of electric vehicles (EVs)," it said.

On the supply side, there could be further disruptions in copper production due to the smelter upgrades in Chile following the introduction of new environmental regulations. "Our ability to take advantage of these opportunities is largely dependent on the re-opening of our smelter at Tuticorin," it said.

Data from the International Copper Study Group showed refined output and demand growth estimates for 2019 indicating a market deficit of 280-kilo tonnes, it added.Srinagar, June 16 : A Jammu and Kashmir Police officer, who was critically injured in a 'fidayeen' attack in Anantnag last week, succumbed at the AIIMS Delhi where he was flown to for treatment on Sunday, police said.

Five CRPF troopers and a Pakistani militant were killed when militants attacked a security forces party in K.P. Road area of Anantnag town on Wednesday.

Station House Officer, Anantnag, Arshad Khan was critically injured in that attack and initially treated at the army's 92 base hospital in Srinagar from where he was shifted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. He was airlifted to Delhi in an air ambulance on Sunday.

Anantnag police where Arshad Khan was posted said on its Twitter page: "Our braveheart inspector Arshad Khan who got injured as SHO Anantnag couldn't make it. May the departed soul rest in peace (Amen) @KashmirPolice."Mumbai, June 16 : Actor Harshvardhan Rane says he will start shooting for Bejoy Nambiar's directorial "Taish", a revenge drama, in London in July.

Talking about it, Harshvardhan said, "I am doing a film with Bejoy (Nambiar) Sir called 'Taish'. It's a story of revenge and rage and will be a different film for me."

Harshvardhan was interacting with the media at the grand finale of Miss India 2019, here on Saturday.

Stating that Bejoy and he had been trying to join hands since the last two and half years, Harshvardhan said, "We were supposed to do a remake of 'Agni Natchathiram', but that didn't happen. I am excited to work with him on our next film."

Harshvardhan has also been signed for ad filmmaker Lloyd Baptista and Mini Films' multi-series project, "K7 - The Story of Seven Immortals".

He said, "It's based on Indian mythology. It's a modern take on Hindu Chiranjeevis. We look for international stories to make films, but I think we have a stock of stories in our own country. I am excited about the film and feeling proud that I am working on an Indian story."Bhopal, June 16 : Madhya Pradesh Public Relation Minister P.C. Sharma on Sunday linked the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl last week with a plot to defame the state government.

"The accused was staying in a rented house. The female house owner a man who helped her to find a tenant are associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Is it an attempt to defame the government? The police have been asked to probe into the case in a fair manner", Sharma said.

The minor, whose parents live in the Mandwa Basti under the Kamala Nagar police station area, was allegedly raped and killed by a man named Vishnu Prasad. He was later arrested from the Khandwa district.Bhubaneswar, June 16 : Lobbying has started within the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after the Election Commission announced the date for holding bypolls for three Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha.

The bypolls for three vacant Rajya Sabha seats will be held on July 5.

Going by the number of MLAs in the state Assembly, political parties other than the BJD do not have a chance in the Rajya Sabha polls. Out of 147 members in the House, the BJD has 111 MLAs.

Since each candidate for three vacant Rajya Sabha seats will require support of 38 MLAs to win, it is certain that BJD would retain all the three seats.

Many senior BJD leaders, who were deprived of party tickets in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, are lobbying hard to get an Upper House berth. Besides, the leaders who contested unsuccessfully are also in the race.

"I have full faith in the Chief Minister (Naveen Patnaik) who is true to his word. The Chief Minister had announced to send me to Rajya Sabha after I was denied a party ticket to contest Lok Sabha. However, I have not received any offer yet personally," said former MP Prasanna Patsani.

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik, who was defeated from Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat, said he has no idea over his nomination to the Rajya Sabha.

Patnaik, however, maintained that he is always ready to follow the instruction of the Chief Minister, being a man from a "disciplined background".

Notably, three Rajya Sabha seats had fallen vacant after Achyuta Samanta, Pratap Keshari Deb and Soumya Ranjan Patnaik got elected in the twin polls.

While Samanta was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kandhamal, both Deb and Patnaik were elected to the state Assembly.

Samanta and Patnaik's term in the Upper House was to end in April 2024 while Deb's term in the Rajya Sabha was till July, 2022.

However, there will be no byelection for Anubhav Mohanty, who has been elected to Lok Sabha from Kendrapara as there is less than a year left for completion of his tenure which will end in April 2020.Mumbai, June 16 : Veteran Congress leader from Vidarbha, Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar will be the new Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, a senior party leader said here on Sunday.

He will replace former Congressman and Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, who switched over to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and was inducted into the Devendra Fadnavis ministry this morning.

"All Opposition parties have on Sunday submitted a formal letter to Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade, proposing Wadettiwar as the new Leader of Opposition," Congress Deputy Party Leader Naseem Khan told IANS.

After a meeting at the home of Leader of Opposition in Council Dhananjay Munde, of the Nationalist Congress Party, a delegation of opposition leaders including Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat, and from the NCP, PWP and other opposition parties, met Bagade to deliver the letter, he added.MMJ is excited to be part of this breakthrough episode of Advancements TV, said CEO of MMJ International Holdings, Duane Boise. He continued, We would like to commend the series on its vision and foresight in recognizing the need to educate audiences about the science of medical cannabis.

Ted Danson on CNBC will be hosting an interview of the MMJ International Holdings executives focusing on scientific research for the advancement of medical marijuana-based pharmaceuticals in an upcoming episode, scheduled to broadcast July 14, 2019 @ 1:30p.m. on CNBC. Check your local listings for more information.

With two investigational new drug applications already accepted by the FDA, MMJ International Holdings (MMJIH) is working to bring relief to patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and Huntingtons disease. This segment of advancements TV will focus on the science of medical cannabis and how our development of a pharmaceutical medicine of THC and cannabidiol, or CBD, is going to help people manage symptoms associated with Multiple Sclerosis, Huntingtons and other like neurological diseases.

MMJ is excited to be part of this breakthrough episode of Advancements TV, said CEO of MMJ International Holdings, Duane Boise. He continued, We would like to commend the series on its vision and foresight in recognizing the need to educate audiences about the science of medical cannabis. MMJIH has always been an advocate for creating awareness about the value of marijuana-based pharmaceuticals. We believe that this industry is about to undergo a massive transformation and we are honored to be leader in the evolution of it.

MMJIH truly cares about helping people, said Tim Moynahan, MMJIH Chairman Using innovative technology, MMJ is helping to drastically cut drug development costs to obtain approval for an insurance reimbursable medicine. Patients are in need of a safe and effective marijuana-based pharmaceuticals to manage their unmet medical needs.

About MMJIH:

MMJ International Holdings is dedicated to advancing the science of medical Cannabis. Having been awarded the FDA Orphan Designation, MMJIH is intent on bringing relief to patients around the world with its innovative and well FDA researched medical products. MMJs journey continues to prove the efficacy of cannabis as an FDA approved medicine while its unique scientific approach further distinguishes MMJ from others in the industry.

For more information, visit: http://www.mmjih.com.MLW FUSION REPORT: LOSER LEAVE MLW MATCH AND MORE

Salina de la Renta welcomes everyone to tonights show since she is the producer of tonights show. Tonight, Low Creep will be his sacrificial lamb against Ricky Martinez. Flamita will face Rey Horus. In the main event, Sami Callihan will face Mance Warner and . . . off with their heads!

We are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and your announcers are Rich Bocchini and Jim Cornette.

We see Sami Callihan and Mance Warner arguing outside the building as they try to get inside.

Jimmy Havoc shows up outside. He says they are not allowed in the building tonight. Sami and Mance point out they are in the main event tonight.

Jimmy says there is nothing he can do about it.

Match Number One: Flamita versus Rey Horus

They shake hands before locking up. They lock up and Flamita with a waist lock but Horus with an arm drag. Flamita with a head scissors. Horus with a springboard sunst flip and Horus with a cover but Flamita gets a near fall. Horus with another near fall and they go to a stalemate. Flamita with a double leg take down and he does a handspring flip followed by a head scissors that sends Horus to the floor. Flamita goes up top for a moonsault off the turnbuckles onto Horus.

Horus is sent back into the ring and Flamita with a drop kick and some dancing. Flamita with a punch and chop. Flamita with a snap mare into a reverse chin lock. Horus with punches and forearms but Flamita with a back elbow. Flamita with a chop against the ropes. Horus with a leg lariat and a satellite head scissors that sends Flamita to the floor. Horus with a plancha onto Flamita. Horus breaks up the count and returns to the floor. Horus chops Flamita.

They return to the ring and Horus with a running discus clothesline and another clothesline. Horus with a kick to the head for a near fall. Flamita goes to the apron and connects with an enzuigiri and he goes up top and avoids Horus and kicks Horus. Flamita with a gutbuster out of a musclebuster position for a near fall. Flamita with a clothesline in the corner. Horus lsides into the corner and kicks Flamita. Horus with an overhead belly-to-belly throw into the turnbuckles for a near fall.

Flamita with chops and Horus wants more and Horus chops back. They go back and forth. Horus with forearms and a chop. Flamita gets Horus to flinch and hits a jab on Horus. Horus with a sunset flip and Flamita rolls through with a drop kick and Horus with a drop kick of his own. Flamita waits for Horus to get back to his feet and Flamita with a kick but Horus pulls Flamita off the turnbuckles and Horus with a chop.

Horus sets for a Victory Bomb but Flamita blocks it. Horus with a spear and satellite DDT followed by a Spanish Fly. Horus with a DDT for a near fall. Flamita slaps Horus in the head and they have some words. Flamita with a forearm and Horus fires back. They continue to go back and forth until Flamita gains an advantage. Horus with a flip rana for a near fall. Flamita with a Death Valley Driver followed by a power bomb and a frog splash for a near fall.

Flamita goes back up top and Horus crotches Flamita. Horus with forearms on the turnbuckles and Flamita head butts Horus to the mat. Flamita with a 450 splash for the three count.

Winner: Flamita

We go to comments from Contra Unit. They say that they are here to destroy. The mighty will fall. The body count will continue to rise.

Tom Lawlor says it is has been week after week and month after month that you have run roughshod. You thought you took everyone out and that he would have no other option to take you on. Tom says he brought in two men who will take you down. He brought in Marshall and Ross Von Erich. Men from a family built upon pride, honor, integrity, and respect. They will fight like men. It may be three on three, but the odds are not even because they are going to put you to sleep. You think you can say the world will burn at your hands? You are going to sleep at the hands of Filthy Tom.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Savio Vega will be coming to MLW.

Match Number Two: Low Ki versus Ricky Martinez (with Salina de la Renta)

Ki goes after Martinez before the bell rings, but Martinez is able to get to the floor to avoid Ki. Martinez wants the referee to hold Ki back and Ki goes after Martinez on the floor. Ki chops Martinez on the floor. Ki sends Martinez back into the ring and Ki kicks Martinez. Ki with a chop. Martinez with an Irish whip and Ki floats over and hits a mule kick for a near fall. Martinez goes back to the floor.

Ki goes to the floor and Martinez returns to the ring. Ki has some words for Salina and Martinez with a drop kick through the ropes. Martinez with a back drop driver onto the apron. Martinez with a drop kick to send Ki into the turnbuckles. Martinez gets a near fall. Ki with a crucifix for a near fall. Martinez with a knee to the head for a near fall.

Martinez with a chin lock and traps the arms. Ki with elbows followed by a sunset flip into a double stomp. Ki with a snap mare and he gets a near fall. Ki with a body scissors and a rollup for a near fall. Ki with kicks to the chest followed by a European uppercut. Ki with an Irish whip but he runs into an uppercut. Martinez puts the referee in the way and Martinez with a knee to the head for a near fall. Martinez sets for a kick and he almost hits the referee. Ki with a running clothesline and Martinez is out. The referee calls for the bell.

Winner: Low Ki (by knockout)

After the match, Salina turns around after checking on Salin and she is face to face with Low Ki. They have some words and Ki leaves the ring.

We go to Sami outside and Mance interrupts. Sami says he is here to give Mance a good farewell. They argue and then they realize that Salina is the problem. Sami says they are going to give Jim Cornette a heart attack. They spit in their hands and shake on it.

We go to commercial.

We are back with a video for Dr. Wagner Jr. who is coming to MLW.

We see Salina de la Renta telling Ricky Martinez that he embarasses her all the time. Salina says she has a show to produce and she has no time for Ricky. She calls Ricky an embarrassment.

We see The Dynasty and Maxwell says he is willing to spend money on his boys. He is in the best place that money could buy in Wisconsin. Richard Holliday says he looks forward to hanging out with his guys and Aria before his match with Teddy Hart. Alexander mimics Teddy Hart talking about his wardrobe. Alex says he brought them gold so we dont have to worry about Holliday and Hart.

Match Number Three: Mance Warner versus Sami Callihan in a Falls Count Anywhere and Loser Leaves MLW Match

Callihan kicks Warner on the floor and hits him in the head with a trash can lid. He hits Warner again. Callihan gets a chair and hits Warner in the shoulder with it. Warner hits Callihan from behind and connects with forearms. Callihan throws his jacket at Warner but Warner avoids it. Callihan sends Warner into the crowd with a biel. Callihan puts a trash can on the apron. Callihan throws a beverage at Warner and the fight towards the merchandise area. Callihan Irish whips Warner into the merch table.

Callihan throws a trash can at Warner and Warner falls to the floor. They make their way into the bleachers and Callihan sends Warner into the fence at the back of the bleachers. They both go into the fencing multiple times. Callihan suplexes Warner onto the bleachers and Callihan gets a near fall. They go back to the floor and Callihan sends Warner into the fencing. Calllihan puts a trash can on top of Warner and Warner hits Callihan with the trash can.

Warner puts the trash can back on and Callihan moves out of the way and Warner goes into the fencing against the bleachers. Callihan throws a chair at Warner and hits him in the head. Callihan sends Warner into the wall. Callihan and Warner fight by the concession stand. Warner sends Callihan into the table and Warner grabs some Tabasco Sauce and pours it down Callihans throat. They make their way back to the ringside area and Callihan sends Warner into the trash can on the apron. Callihan pours water onto Warner.

They return to the ring and Callihan grabs the trash can and brings it into the ring. Callihan gets a staple gun but Warner blocks it. Warner with a punch and he goes for a sunset flip but Callihan stays on his feet and staples Warner. Callihan puts the trash can over Warners head and Callihan hits the trash can with a chair. Callihan gets some money from fans to staple onto Warner. Callihan staples some money onto Warners shoulder. Callihan staples some more money to the other shoulder. Warner slaps Callihan and Callihan staples some money to Warners bloody forehead.

Warner with thumbs to the eye followed by a choke slam onto the trash can for a near fall. Warner goes under the ring and he pulls out a board. Warner hits Callihan in the head with the trash can lid and Warner gets a near fall. Warner sets up some chairs in the ring and he puts the board between it. Warner puts Callihan on top of the board and Warner goes up top but Callihan recovers and he grabs Warner low. Callihan sets for a piledriver off the turnbuckles and they go through the table but Warner kicks out.

Callihan goes to the floor and he gets another board and he throws it at Warner. Callihan returns to the ring and he puts the board in the corner. Warner with a spear through the board and Warner gets a near fall. Warner and Callihan both grab chairs and they sit down face to face. Callihan with the first punch and Warner fires back. Callihan spits in Warners face and Warner spits back. Warner with punches. Warner goes to the turnbuckles and Callihan throws a chair at Warner to stop him. Callihan with a tombstone piledriver off the edge of the chair and Warner kicks out at two.

Callihan grabs the staple gun again and he staples Warners tongue to one of the boards. Warner pulls the board off his face and Warner hits Callihan with the board multiple times. Warner pulls the knee pad up and then he pulls it down and connects with a knee and gets a one count. Warner hits Callihan with the board and then puts it against Callihans head and hits a running knee for the three count.

Winner: Mance Warner

We go to credits.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!An eight-part drama set in the world of female Kurdish fighters amidst the chaos of the Syrian War, has been commissioned by Franco-German free-to-air television network ARTE and US OTT service Hulu.





With a working title of Fertile Crescent, the drama dives into the depths of the Syrian civil war through the eyes of French man Antoine who is in search for his estranged, presumed to be dead sister. While unravelling the mystery, piece by piece, Antoine ends up joining forces with a unit of Kurdish female fighters, fierce women and ISIS biggest nightmare, and travels with them in ISIS occupied territory.Fertile Crescent is produced by Maria Feldman (pictured) for Masha Productions, Eitan Mansuri and Jonathan Doweck for Spiro Films, Caroline Benjo, Simon Arnal and Carole Scotta for Haut et Court TV, and co-produced by ARTE France and Versus Production. Fremantles Christian Vesper will also co-produce and Fremantle will distribute the series internationally.Fertile Crescent is co-created by Feldman, Eitan Mansuri (When Heroes Fly), Amit Cohen (False Flag) and Ron Leshem (Euphoria). It was written by Cohen and Leshem in collaboration with Xabi Molia (Commes des rois, Les conquerants). Oded Ruskin (False Flag) will serve as the director for all eight episodes.Commenting on their series Cohen and Leshem said: We feel fortunate to write about a world of brave women who change history, and to deal with captivating personal stories, while exploring one of the most tragic, heart-breaking events in recent decades. We are extremely excited to work on this show with such a talented, devoted and passionate team from all over the world.Sudarsan Maharana By

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: A year after the unprecedented flooding in State Capital, much of Odisha Governments brouhaha to solve the problem has gone down the drain as Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has failed to complete even a single major project conceived to prevent recurrence of deluge in the City.

After the flooding last year, the Corporation had decided to spend Rs12 crore to repair damaged drains and build protective walls but the project remains incomplete due to inadequate budget and delay in tendering process.

Eighty per cent of the total length of major drains have no concrete wall for protection from erosion.

Out of a total 56 km length of the major drains, concrete walls have only been constructed on a stretch of only 11 km.

The 10 major natural drains and three primary stormwater channels, that usually save the city from deluge during excess rainfall, have been facing siltation every year.

But no measure was taken to build the walls to check soil erosion and prevent siltation.

Two years back, BMC brought the Citys drainage division under its jurisdiction for improved administrative coordination for round-the-year works.

However, it has not shown any result.

Not just repair of drainage systems, most other projects are also hanging fire.

Last year, then-Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena had gone on to announce that box cell stormwater drain connecting drainage channel no 4 near Acharya Vihar will be completed.

Jena is an MLA now but the project has not seen much progress.

The Cuttack Drainage Division started work of the box drain on a 570 metre stretch with a cost of over Rs 10 crore but managed to complete around 193 metre.

The work was later transferred to BMCs Drainage Division.

The BMC, however, has been able to complete only 277-metre stretch and construction on another 100-metre stretch is pending.

To prevent water-logging on the service lane along NH-16 near Iskcon temple, the civic authorities had planned another drainage channel at a cost of Rs 9 crore.

The tender for the project was floated only recently, raising question marks on intent of the Government as monsoon is due to arrive.

The Government plan to construct an underground drain from CRP Square to Vani Vihar via Jaydev Vihar to clear rainwater from service lane near Iskcon temple is put on hold too.

The underground drain work was to be executed by Works department in coordination with National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at an investment of around Rs130 crore.

However, delay in finalisation of detailed project report (DPR) and allocation of funds has delayed it, sources said.

Apart from the non-execution of pending projects, the civic authorities also failed to check encroachments.

After coming under fire for failing to check waterlogging in the city last year, the BMC had found out that the existing drain at Bhagabat Sandhan, which carries water up to Gangua nullah, was squeezed to three feet at some points, thanks to mushrooming encroachments.

Except sporadic eviction drive, nothing much has been done.

Nayapali Haza, the wetland spread across seven-acre, was squeezed to 1.5 acres by encroachers.

Neither the BMC nor Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has been able to initiate action against them though they had planned to clear the area to prevent waterlogging last year.

Civic officials said fund crunch was the major hurdle in implementation of these projects. BMC City Engineer DS Mohapatra said, The projects need a lot of funding. We have sought Rs 32 crore for repair of major drains damaged in cyclone Fani. Besides, over Rs 100 crore is required for building walls on major drains, he said.

The long-term project works, he said, will be executed from this year as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a Rs 1,000 crore drainage package for the City two months back to prevent urban flooding.

Disaster in the makingFind a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale

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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 day before the Parliament session, the Congress on Sunday raised with the government issues of unemployment, farmers distress, drought, and press freedom, while also calling for early conduct of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other party leaders leave after attending an all-party meeting at Parliament House ahead of the 17th Lok Sabha session, in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo

At an all-party meeting called by the government, the opposition parties demanded discussion on all such issues in Parliament, with the Congress asserting that it is still a 'fight of ideologies'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress lawmakers Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, K Suresh, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien were present at the meeting.

The opposition also strongly raised the issue of women's reservation bill with TMC leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and O'Brien asserting that the bill be listed and passed in the current session of Parliament.

The opposition also flagged concerns over weakening of federalism and asserted that 'deliberately targeting of states is unacceptable'.

"We congratulated the government. But with that we also told them that this is a fight of ideologies, it was a fight of ideologies and it will remain a fight of ideologies," Azad told reporters after the meeting.

He said the Congress party is the foundation of secular forces and will always work to keep that spirit alive whether it is in government or in opposition.

IMAGE: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien, NCP MP Supriya Sule and other leaders leave after attending the all-party meeting. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo

"Even when out of power, we will continue to work for the upliftment of farmers, labourers and women. We also said that there are some issues that the government should pay attention to such as those of the farmers, drought, lack of drinking water, and massive unemployment in the country," Azad said.

The government needs to immediately pay attention to unemployment that has increased in the last five years, he asserted.

"We also raised the issue of freedom of press. The behaviour of ruling party workers towards journalists was also raised. They (journalists) are being beaten and efforts are being made to muzzle their voice. We condemn that and urged the government to look into it," he said.

Azad said the independence of institutions and 'weakening of federalism' was also taken up with the government at the meeting.

According to him, the Congress told the government that there is no need of president's rule in Jammu and Kashmir.

IMAGE: The PM and other leaders during the meeting. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo

On one hand the government says the environment is not conducive for polls and that is why president's rule has been imposed, and on the other hand the centre says panchayat elections were carried out peacefully last year, Azad said.

"Lok Sabha elections were also held in Jammu and Kashmir recently and even they were conducted peacefully. So, when panchayat and parliamentary polls can be conducted, why not state polls," he asked.

"We told the government that you are not conducting the polls there because the BJP government will not be formed. That is why you want to rule the state through governor's rule," the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said.

The Union Cabinet last week approved extension of President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir for six more months beginning July 3.

An official statement said based on the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir as stated in the report of the governor, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the prime minister has approved the extension of President's rule in the state for a further period of six months with effect from July 3, 2019, under article 356(4) of the Constitution of India.

The TMC raised the issues of electoral reforms, including state funding of elections and paper ballots.

The party also flagged the opposition's concerns over the government's use of ordinances, saying that in the spirit of the Constitution this should be used only as an 'emergency' tool.

"Unfortunately, in the 16th Lok Sabha it was blatantly overused. Highest percentage of ordinances in 70 years," Bandyopadhyay and O'Brien said.IMAGE: Doctors wear bandages on their heads as they participate in a rally to show solidarity to protest against an attack on intern junior doctor in West Bengal, at AIIMS in New Delhi, on Saturday. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal softened their stand on Sunday and asserted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was free to decide the venue of the meeting with them, but stressed that it should be held in open.

Banerjee had on Saturday invited the agitators for closed-door talks, but the offer was turned down by them.

Talking to the media after a two-and-half-hour-long meeting of their governing body, a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors said, "We are keen to end this impasse.

"We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors."

The spokesperson said the venue should be spacious enough to accommodate representatives from all medical colleges and hospitals in the state.

Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Banerjee visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation.

"We want to join our duties as early as possible in the best interests of the common people once all our demands are met with adequately and logically through a discussion.

"We are hopeful that the chief minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems," he said, adding that the strike would continue till a solution was worked out.

Junior doctors across the state are observing a strike in protest against an assault on two of their colleagues at the NRS, allegedly by the family members of a patient who died on Monday night.

Services continued to remain affected for the sixth day on Sunday in the emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch.

Patients have been facing the heat of junior doctors' protest.

At SSKM hospital in Kolkata, Raiganj-resident Samuel Haque, who was admitted with a cardiac problem, said he was uncertain about his treatment.

His brother said, "We came to Kolkata last Sunday when everything was normal and the outpatient department was functioning. We admitted him on an emergency basis, with doctors giving date on Tuesday for check-up, following which the date of surgery was to be decided."

But now no doctor is attending to Haque, he said.

Senior doctors say they don't have enough hands to conduct tests, he said.

"His condition is deteriorating. We cannot take him home because it is very difficult for my brother to travel long distance in trains. We will wait till Monday."

Joydeb Roy, a resident of Barishat in North 24 Parganas district, was admitted to R G Kar hospital in Kolkata with an injured leg.

A relative said he was referred to a government hospital, where he had to undergo surgery to place a metallic plate in his leg on an emergency-basis. He is waiting for the surgery.

"The senior doctors are saying they need help of junior doctors to conduct the surgery. My husband is lying in the department (ward) waiting for treatment," Roy's wife said.

Mokhtar Hussain's family members are planning to return home in Basirhat. They have been waiting for two days at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital for treatment to resume for Hussain, a cancer patient.

"I am suffering from high fever for seven days. I cannot bear the pain. But there is no doctor to carry out check-up. The OPD has been shut for two days and I cannot go anywhere else as things are the same there as well. I don't know what to do. I cannot spend this much money to stay here in Kolkata. I will go back home," he said.

Family members of the four-year-old Romita Dhar, a thalassaemia patient, too face a similar dilemma.

When Dhar's family took her to Chittaranjan National Medical College and Hospital for check-up on Friday, they were told to come on Saturday.

"It is very difficult to travel with a child who is suffering from thalassaemia. I'll again come next week," her mother Arundhaty Roy said.

The patients admitted in government hospitals are also facing problems with pathological units not functioning as usual.

"We don't have much money to afford treatment at private hospitals. I appeal to the chief minister to find a solution to this problem.

"Why cannot our chief minister come for a meeting with the doctors... They (junior doctors) have been saying they will end the stir if she comes to the NRS hospital for a meeting," mother of Bastab Dasgupta, who suffers from neurological problem and is admitted at NRS Medical College and Hospital, said.Pakistan has failed to complete 25 of the 27 action points given by the international terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to check funding to terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed and frontal groups like Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

With this, multilateral lenders like the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the European Union may continue downgrading Pakistan, making its financial situation more precarious.

The Paris-headquartered FATF has asked Pakistan to explain whether it has launched any investigation into the $ 7 million allocated to maintain schools, madrasas, clinics and ambulances originally operated by terror groups like LeT, JeM, and LeT fronts JuD and FIF.

JuD and FIF are founded by terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

LeT is responsible for a number of terrorist strikes in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft to Afghanistan in 1999.

Most recently, it attacked a CRPF bus in Pulwama in Feb this year, killing 40 soldiers.

Pakistan is in deep trouble at the FATF meeting beginning on Sunday in Florida in the United States, people aware of the development said.

"It has been unable to complete 25 of its 27 action points. It has one last chance, till its 15-month deadline ends in October 2019, when the FATF Plenary will be held," one of them added.

In June 2018, Pakistan was placed in the 'Gray' list and given a 27-point action plan by FATF.

This plan was reviewed at the last plenary in October 2018 and for the second time in February this year, when the country was again put into the 'Gray' list after India submitted new information about Pakistan-based terrorist groups.

The FATF continuing Pakistan in the 'Gray' list means its downgrading by IMF, World Bank, ADB, EU and also a reduction in risk rating by Moody's, S&P and Fitch.

This will add to the financial problems of Pakistan, which is seeking aid from all possible international avenues.

In a bid to bluff the financial watchdog, Pakistani authorities have shown arrests of LeT, JeM, JuD and FiF cadres. But all were apprehended under its Maintenance of Public Order Act and not under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Under the MPO Act, authorities cannot hold a detainee beyond 60 days.

Pakistan has detained JeM founder Masood Azhar and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed mostly under the laws that provide for detention for apprehension of breach of peace; they have never been prosecuted under anti-terror laws.

The FATF implements UN designations, which do not warrant arrest. They ask only for freeze of funds, denial of access to weapons and travel embargo. The financial watchdog also wants nations to impose penalties that are proportionate and dissuasive.

The MPO Act is not seen as satisfying either of the two conditions. Therefore, none of these arrests will satisfy the FATF or the UN Designations Committee.

Pakistan has also seized several hundred properties of LeT, JuD, FiF and JeM, including schools and madrasas.

However, these properties are now being run by its provincial governments.

The Punjab provincial government has allocated $ 2 million (Pakistani Rs 30 crore or Indian Rs 14 crore) per annum for their upkeep. Similarly, other provinces have allocated $ 5 million.

The annual expense allocated by Pakistan totals $ 7 million (Pakistani Rs 105 or Indian Rs 49 crore).

The FATF has now asked Pakistan to explain whether there are any terror-funding investigations to unearth the sources and entities that funded these organisations with $ 7 million per annum for the past several years.

The FATF currently has 35 members and two regional organisations -- European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council.

In the last meeting of the FATF in Paris, the FATF said Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies, including by adequately demonstrating its proper understanding of the terror financing risks posed by the terrorist groups and conducting supervision on a risk-sensitive basis, demonstrating that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism violations and that these actions have an effect on AML/CFT compliance by financial institutions.

Pakistan, it said, should demonstrate that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services, demonstrating that authorities are identifying cash couriers and enforcing controls on illicit movement of currency and understanding the risk of cash couriers being used for terror financing (TF), improving inter-agency coordination including between provincial and federal authorities on combating TF risks besides others.Asserting that the Congress needs a 'major surgery' in the wake of the Lok Sabha polls debacle, senior leader M Veerappa Moily says Rahul Gandhi must carry out a complete overhaul of the party by holding elections at every level and quell internal bickering with an 'iron hand'.

Emphasising that Gandhi alone can lead the party, he said it is the All India Congress Committee in-charges and chiefs of states, where the party has done badly, who should be held accountable and not the Congress president.

Moily asserted that Gandhi continues to be the AICC president and he has not stepped down.

"He (Gandhi) said that owning moral responsibility he will step down. (The Congress) Working Committee (CWC) has been unanimous to say that he has to continue. That holds good even today," he told PTI in an interview in New Delhi.

Moily said it was not fair that Gandhi, who took over the reins of the Congress in 2017, quits as president after being at the helm only for about one and a half years and asserted that he must be given a substantial time to prove himself.

Moily asserted that with elections in states such as Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Haryana coming up, Gandhi has to immediately step in.

"This is not the time to deliberate on who should be the next president. He has to put proper people in-charge of states in the AICC, start the process right now, without any loss of time.

"Proper candidates for elections will have to be selected... One has to take the reins in his hands and that should be done only by Rahul Gandhi now," the former Union minister said.

Appealing to Gandhi to remain in the saddle and bring about dynamic changes, Moily said the idea is that 'we have to have a major surgery over the party'.

"Elections at every level (must be carried out) so that we can demonstrate to the world and the country that we have fresh blood. Getting in fresh blood is important, that has been clogged somewhere in the party organisation. This is what Rahul Gandhi has to do and he alone can do it," Moily said.

Only then, there will be a rejuvenation of the party, otherwise leaders who hold onto the party like a fiefdom will continue to do so, the former Karnataka chief minister, who lost the Lok Sabha polls from Chikballapur, said.

Gandhi should quell the bickering in the party with an 'iron hand without any mercy', Moily said, adding that then the people will think he is a dynamic leader.

"He has to inject that kind of discipline in the party. The party has to be overhauled everywhere which includes at the AICC-level. We need to relook at all these things. Systems will have to be put in place," the 79-year-old leader said.

His remarks come amid rumblings within party's units in states such as Rajasthan, Punjab and Telangana growing louder over its massive defeat.

On Gandhi's offer to resign at the CWC meeting on May 25, Moily said his gesture of owning the responsibility and making himself accountable as a leader for the defeat should be appreciated, but that doesn't mean that he can be dispensed with.

"Just because he owned moral responsibility, it does not mean that his leadership is not relevant. His leadership is still relevant. This is an opportunity for him. The BJP lost (in 2004) and was out of power for 10 years, but that did not mean that they wound up.

"They survived and came back in 2014. Ten years time is no time," he said.

Moily said the people who are in-charge of the states where the party was defeated emphatically should own the moral responsibility.

"They have to be made accountable and even state unit chiefs will have to be made accountable. There should be elections everywhere in state units. Let the election process start," he said.

"I think other leaders should take moral responsibility, not Rahul Gandhi," he said.

Moily also said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who entered politics a few months ago needs to be given time to expand the party in Uttar Pradesh and emphasised that she herself had set the target for 2022 assembly polls.

Once UP comes back to the Congress, the party will come back at the national level, he said.

Moily also said Rahul Gandhi has given an excellent leadership and made the Congress relevant.

"He (Gandhi) also made other opposition parties consolidate around him. Even (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi became very desperate because of his leadership, because of the Congress party.

"He (Modi) also thought he was losing and therefore he made all sorts of desperate attempts. You could see it in his body language, in his speeches," Moily claimed.

Rahul Gandhi demonstrated to the world and the country that he is more than a match to Modi, Moily said.

"Congress should have taken advantage of that in which we failed," he said.

Moily also expressed confidence that the Congress can play the role of a dynamic opposition despite low numbers in the Lok Sabha.

"Numbers are not important. The passion with which we take up the cause of the party is important," he said.

On Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav's remarks that the 'Congress must die', the veteran Congressman said: "Who is he to suggest others. The Congress has 135 years of history. Britishers wanted to write its obituary, but they wrote their own obituary and went back."

He cited various instances when the Congress has bounced back from massive defeats to assert that a comeback by the grand old party is in the offing.

"People who forget history want to talk like that. Nobody can write the obituary of the Congress. It has sustenance power and it will come back," he asserted.IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah and other leaders leave after an NDA meeting at Parliament library, in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence from Monday during which the passage of the Union Budget and other key legislations such as triple talaq will be on top of the agenda for the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing an all-party meeting on the eve of the first session of the new Lok Sabha, invited heads of all parties to a meeting on June 19 to discuss the 'one nation, one election' issue and other important matters.

Noting that there are many new faces in this Lok Sabha, Modi said the first session of the Lower House of Parliament should begin with 'fresh zeal and new thinking'.

At the all-party meeting, the Congress raised with the government issues of unemployment, farmers distress, drought, and press freedom, while also calling for early conduct of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

The opposition parties demanded discussion on all such issues in Parliament, with the Congress asserting that it is still a 'fight of ideologies'.

Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress lawmakers Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, K Suresh, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O'Brien were present at the meeting.

The Bharatiya Janata Party also held its parliamentary party meet in New Delhi on Sunday with Prime Minister Modi assuring Indians that his government will be at the forefront of facilitating legislation that manifests the spirit of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas'.

A day before the first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha, a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance was also held in New Delhi.

The government had promulgated as many as 10 ordinances for the session which ends on July 26 and will have 30 sittings.

The first two days of the session will be used for administering oath of office to all Lok Sabha MPs. The oath will be administered by pro tem speaker Virender Kumar.

The speaker will be elected on June 19 and the next day the president will address a joint sitting of both Houses.

The budget will be introduced on July 5.

Among the bills that will be introduced, the one on triple talaq could be a contentious one between the government and the Opposition.

Addressing the media after the all-party meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said the prime minister urged leaders of all parties to 'introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfil people's aspirations as their representatives and the manner in which last two years of the 16th Lok Sabha were wasted'.

An all-party meeting is a customary procedure before the beginning of every session of Parliament to ensure its smooth functioning.

Joshi said the government has requested all parties, especially the opposition, for their cooperation for the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament.

In order to build esprit de corps, Modi has invited presidents of all those parties who have an MP either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha for a meeting on June 19.

The meeting has been called to discuss 'one nation, one election' issue, celebrations of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year, he said.

It will be followed by a dinner meeting with all MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on June 20 to freely interact and exchange views with the government, Joshi said, adding that these two novel initiatives would go a long way in building team spirit among all parliamentarians.The maritime border dispute between Lebanon and Israel has been given the green light for UN and US mediation, writes Hassan Al-Qashawi in Beirut

Lebanon is focusing on the demarcation of its maritime borders with Israel in order to harvest its underwater oil and gas resources at a time when the country is facing a severe financial crisis.

The two countries have been officially at war since Israel was created in 1948, and they have long been at odds over maritime borders in the east of the Mediterranean. The dispute has been a hot topic over recent decades owing to the discovery of large reserves of natural gas in the area.

Since January 2017, Lebanon has used every means it can to defend the Block 9 gas area in its regional waters in the Mediterranean near the maritime border with Israel.

Block 9 dates back to 2009 when the US company Noble Energy discovered oil and gas reserves covering an area of 83,000 square km near the maritime border between Lebanon and Israel.

Lebanons regional waters cover an area of 22,000 square km, and the area at the centre of the dispute with Israel is 854 square km divided into ten zones or blocks, of which Block 9 is currently being contested.

Lebanons share of natural gas in the Mediterranean is estimated at 96 trillion cubic feet. Since there are no formal relations between Lebanon and Israel, the negotiation of maritime borders is difficult, and Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri said his country was ready to finalise its maritime borders and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with Israel through the same mechanism used in the demarcation of the Blue Line supervised by the UN.

Berris statement was made during a meeting with Stefano Del Col, commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which included discussions of the Blue Line and maritime borders.

When Israel withdrew from South Lebanon in 2000, the UN drew up the Blue Line to mark the withdrawal. The line did not accurately follow the official border, and Israel has often tried to infringe it.

According to a statement by Berri, Del Col said it should be possible to apply the same mechanism for maritime demarcation.

There have been reports that US contacts between Lebanon and Israel on the issue have made progress, and the parties could meet under UN auspices through US mediation to settle the matter.

The negotiations are being led by US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs David Satterfield, who traveled to Beirut on an unpublicised visit.

Despite rising tensions between the US and Iran, Satterfield went to Beirut after the Iran-backed Hizbullah group agreed with the Lebanese governments position to enter into direct negotiations to settle the border dispute with Israel. The talks are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks.

The US has been mediating the maritime border dispute since 2012 regarding an area of 860 square km in the Mediterranean where gas was discovered in 2009. In 2018, an agreement was made between Frances Total oil company, Italys Eni, and Russias Novatek to begin gas exploitation in two areas off Lebanons coast, including the disputed Block 9.

This escalated the tensions between Lebanon and Israel.

While preparing for US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos visit to Beirut on 22 and 23 March, Satterfield had a meeting on 5 March with Berri, who plays a key role in Lebanon especially regarding border disputes with Israel.

The US administration wanted Berri to join Lebanons President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri in agreeing to hold talks with Israel in order for Lebanons leaders to reach a consensus on how to proceed in negotiations regarding the border dispute.

On 6 April, reports suggested that Washington might issue sanctions on Berris inner circle in a message directed to Berri, also the leader of the Amal Movement, a close ally of Hizbullah.

A breakthrough was achieved when Berri changed his position on 23 April, with the approval of Hizbullah. UNIFIL commander Del Col said that we are prepared to draw Lebanons maritime border and the boundaries of the EEZ by using the same process used to delineate the Blue Line under UN supervision.

The next day, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar published leaked diplomatic cables sent from the Lebanese embassy in Washington to the foreign ministry in Beirut detailing a meeting on 15 March between Satterfield and Lebanese officials visiting the US.According to the report, Satterfield said Lebanon must agree to the US offer or look for another mediator.

On 9 May, Aoun presented US Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard with a proposal to hold meetings at UNIFIL headquarters in Al-Naqoura in southern Lebanon under the auspices of the UN and with the US as mediator in which land and maritime borders would be negotiated with Israel.

In a sign of acceptance of the proposal, Israeli Minister of Energy Yuval Steinitz said on 27 May that the talks would serve the interests of both countries in developing their oil and natural gas reserves.

Beirut has admitted the need to negotiate with Israel instead of allowing the UN to unilaterally demarcate the maritime borders. However, the US and Israel have said that the demarcation is not within the UNs powers, and Israel has questioned the UNs role although it has agreed that it has a role in the negotiations.

A controversial issue is whether the negotiations on the land and maritime borders should be simultaneous, as proposed by Lebanon, or whether the talks should be limited to the maritime borders as suggested by Israel.

The US insists that international law does not link the demarcation of land borders with maritime borders, while Israel has hinted that it will negotiate the latter only.

Lebanons response is unclear. Tel Aviv also wants a six-month timeline for the talks, but Beirut insists that they should continue until an agreement is reached since Israel could procrastinate if there was a deadline.

The roles the US and the UN will play in negotiations are of the essence, particularly since Lebanese officials want guarantees from the UN because this would legitimise any agreement. They also want Washington to put pressure on Israel.

But Satterfield believes the USs role is to facilitate the talks without interfering unless absolutely necessary. One senior Israeli official said on Tuesday that Israel expected the talks with Lebanon to begin with US mediation within weeks, noting that the meetings could take place in the UN compound in south Lebanon.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 13 June, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Lebanon negotiates with Israel

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PATNA: Buoyed by the success in the recent Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and allotment of arrow symbol to party by the Election Commission of India, the Janata Dal-United, led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is all set to expand its electoral base in Delhi in its bid to become a national party.

At a meeting held with party leaders in New Delhi on Sunday, Kumar, who is the party president, decided to launch a pan India membership drive. The party is to concentrate on Delhi since the national capital has considerable Bihar population.

Party spokesperson Sanjay Jha said the JDU is to strengthen it's base in Delhi and field candidates of its own in the upcoming assembly elections also.

Earlier, the party had decided at its national executive committee meeting held in Patna recently to have no alliance with the NDA constituents in states outside Bihar.

Our alliance with the BJP and NDA will remain intact in Bihar for both the assembly and the parliamentary elections. But we will go alone in the forthcoming assembly elections in Haryana, Jharkhand, MP, Delhi and J&K, national secretary cum spokesperson of party KC Tyagi said after the meeting.

Meanwhile, sources in the party said the party has already nominated party presidents and other office bearers in Delhi, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, J&K, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other states.

In Delhi, the party is mulling to organize an enrollment camp, which may be inaugurated by Nitish Kumar.Recently we returned from our 44th wedding anniversary cruise with a stop in Havana, Cuba. As it turns out, we were one of the last cruise ships to visit Cuba before the newly imposed cruise ship embargo.

Growing up during the Cold War and participating in nuclear war drills in grammar school by hiding under our desks, my ideas of Cuba were probably different and dated from most of our younger cruise mates. We also half-expected Ricky and Lucy Ricardo to be there greeting us upon arrival, especially during our evening visit to the Tropicana night club.

Instead, what we observed during our day-long visit there was one of the saddest places we have ever been to  in many ways even worse than our many trips over the years doing our mission work in Nicaragua or the parts of rural China that we have seen during our two visits there.

The people of Cuba are literally starving, and their beautiful old buildings that look much like Paris are crumbling into the sea. There are basically no hotels, no restaurants, no shops or stores  certainly nothing like one has come to expect at a now popular port-of-call.

For a major capital city of 2.1 million people, Havana has few cars on the streets, absolutely no traffic jams, and a train system that dates back to the Soviet Union days. Gasoline averages $4 per gallon and the Internet is spotty and sporadic at best. The current GDP per capita is around $6,758 or less than $20 per day. Here in the United States the current GDP per capita is $53,500.00, or almost $147 per day.

There is absolutely no opportunities for entrepreneurship, personal growth and development of any kind in Cuba. Visitor visas to the United States are routinely denied, and there is a general feeling of despair and hopelessness throughout the country. Despite the poverty and personal struggles in Nicaragua, the people we have met there over the years were relatively content and happy.

Cuba is the opposite. Just a short 93 miles across the Florida straits at its narrowest width lies a land of peace and prosperity, opportunity and growth  something most Cubans can only dream about. There is a feeling of hopelessness and despair there, unlike any other place I have ever seen during our extensive travels over the years. In addition, it was very striking that there were virtually no tourists of any other nationalities visible on the streets of Havana. The only people there were those who live there, no one else, unlike any other major city throughout the world, where you see a great mix of many different people and cultures.

While in Cuba, we visited the home of Ernest Hemingway, who split his time between Havana and Key West, Florida. His home in Key West is beautifully maintained and restored, as well as the surrounding grounds and landscaping.

In Cuba, like most of its infrastructure, the house is crumbling and the grounds and the landscaping are in need of a major clean-up and overhaul. The many cats that roam the grounds in Key West are non-existent in Cuba. Throughout the country, we saw virtually no dogs or cats of any kind. There are also many restored 1950's Chevy automobiles that are now mostly used to drive tourists around, and many old, small Russian and Chinese vehicles.

We also had a stop at the Revolutionary Square, which was basically just a big paved parking lot and had a luncheon of fish and rice and beans. We were also taken to a store to buy Cuban cigars and rum at very expensive prices. One Cuban cigar ranged in price between $8-$10 on average, and a small bottle of rum was almost $15.

We were told that no American money was accepted  that proved to be completely untrue. Everywhere we went the Cuban people couldn't wait to get American dollars. We also went to a small shopping area with limited goods for sale, including some carved wooden items, artwork and hand made jewelry. I also misplaced my cell phone while taking pictures, and thankfully discovered it was missing before getting back on the bus. A shop owner had taken it where I had left it and only when I realized it was missing and went back looking for it was it brought out from a back room.

In the evening we went to a performance at the Tropicana night club, where Ricky Ricardo had performed back in the 1950s. Our guide told us that before Cuba fell in 1959, there used to be daily plane flights back and forth from Miami to Havana. bringing tourists to the nightly shows at the Tropicana. The night club is outside, and it was at least 95 degrees with 100% humidity during the 2 hour show.

There was a limited amount of food and drinks available, mostly rum and peanuts and a small bread and cheese plate, which cost $15.

Opening the port of Havana to cruise ships and the American dollar gave a glimpse of a better world to the Cuban people with some hope for a better life in the future. It also allowed cruise passengers from the United States to bring personal and home goods and supplies to friends and relatives in Cuba.

In reality, these cruises improved relations between the people of two long-standing enemy nations. Opening the lines of communication has proven to very effective, as evidenced by the fact that 142,721 American tourists in the first four months of this year took a cruise to Cuba and an estimated 800,000 cruise passenger bookings are now affected by an embargo.

When we got off the ship, the cruise staff was upset not knowing where they would be headed next. Nobody was saying anything. The cruise heading back out that afternoon was cancelled and another port was to be substituted. So no more ships were to be allowed into Havana.

Even though it was very sad, we were grateful that we had been able to visit a place that not many Americans routinely visit. It is our hope that the cruise embargo will be lifted soon so that the Cuban people can once again have some glimpse of a better life. It would end the continued infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering on a people who, through no fault of their own, are forced to face a life unimaginable to us as free American citizens, and whose lives will now only continue to get worse as time goes on.

Audrey Blondin is an attorney with a practice in Torrington. Dr. Matthew Blondin is an optometrist and owner of Blondin-Shea Eye Care in Torrington. The couple are longtime residents of Litchfield.

________________________________________You see, this is why we go on vacation.

Im in Montreal right now, and, frankly, Connecticut, I dont give a damn about all the things a good newspaper columnist should be worrying about.

Im mainly concerned with what Im going to have for lunch. Montreal is famous for a long list of things, and one of them is smoked meat, and if you come back not having eaten any, certain people look at you funny. The Groton-based food writer Lee White is already yanking my chain about this via email.

Its a problem. Unlike many problems I will mention in this column, its a problem I can solve. By eating smoked meat.

OK, the UTC-Raytheon merger. If there were betting markets weighing the question of which American corporate entity is most likely to create a weapons system that becomes self-aware and subsequently sees its interests as being in conflict with those of humankind, the new Raytheon would have become, overnight, the prohibitive favorite.

Am I saying the most enduring bounty from the merger will be, a la Skynet and Terminator, a race of machine overlords that will pursue with fire and fury the extirpation of humanity? Yes, thats exactly what Im saying.

And when you look at it that way, it doesnt make much sense to worry about tolls. Better to enjoy the sunshine and the fruit of the vine, as Orpheus sings in Hadestown.

Stray thought: Now that Game of Thrones has, in several ways, come up empty, Elizabeth Warren, formerly its adoring fan, should instead investigate the above-cited, Tony-winning musical, which does a far better job of articulating the questions embedded into the 2020 campaign, right down to a King of the Underworld who sings Why We Build the Wall, a song written years before the rise of Trump. We build the wall to keep us free, croaks Hades. Meanwhile, topside, Orpheus intones a simple, perfect statement of democratic socialism: And if no one takes too much, there will always be enough.

Sorry about that. Stray thoughts are a baked-in hazard of travel.

Why are the UTC-Raytheon executives - mere placeholders for life-draining robot overlords, I remind you  moving to Boston? For roughly the same reason Aetna executives tried to move to New York City. (Lets not forget that CVS, when it swallowed Aetna like a big fat unreimbursed prescription pill, put a 10-year kibosh on that idea. Hows that for a paradox. CVS, the relentless, remorseless homogenizer of the American landscape and despoiler of your local drug store with its beloved soda fountain, saved part of Hartfords unique  if somewhat boring  terroir.)

Corporate satraps seek prestigious environments, and the Silicon Valley monster has persuaded them that innovation happens when clever people rub elbows while consuming lattes or jostling for position at a craft beer pub. So, Boston.

Connecticut is full of suburbs, which are full of people who dislike and avoid Connecticuts cities. This is unlikely to result in the kind of dynamism that lures corporate headquarters.

Montreal is having a construction boom so big and so persistent that Montrealers  who like to fret  are worrying about everything from rising rents to labor shortages to the destruction of neighborhoods.

The skyline has more cranes than an origami convention. The last time I saw such a thing was in 2017 in Belfast, where 22 new major buildings, including eight hotels, were rising up simultaneously.

The two cities are quite similar, especially in the sense of having very tenuously patched up differences that will never entirely recede. Although Belfast began to boom as part of the so-called peace dividend, you dont have to spend much time there to understand that the Troubles have not vanished so much as been converted (mostly) from criminal to civil jousting.

And in Quebec, the air has leaked out of the French separatist balloon, but that doesnt stop its National Assembly from repeatedly passing unintentionally hilarious, non-binding resolutions commanding shopkeepers and barkeeps to greet all customers in French instead of the ambiguous Bonjour-hi! which is exactly how I was greeted an hour ago at a coffee shop down the street. Im not naming names. Im no rat.

What should one conclude? I think: that love and hate are often suspended, side by side, in the spinal fluid of a place. And, if held in the right balance, they create energy. If you love a place enough to fight over it, maybe you can be taught to love constructively.

And harmless feuds are good. Montrealers argue about bagels: St-Viateur vs. Fairmount, the way New Havenites fight about pizza (Sallys vs. Pepes vs. Modern). There are also smoked-meat battles. It was a big deal when Justin Trudeau ate at The Main instead of Schwartzs, right across the street.

Im getting hungry. I leave it to you to decide whether this column is full of profound truths or stray thoughts. Or whether that distinction matters.

Colin McEnroes column appears every Sunday, his newsletter comes out every Thursday and you can hear his radio show every weekday on WNPR 90.5. Email him at colin@ctpublic.org. Sign up for his newsletter at http://bit.ly/colinmcenroe.By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Two appalling crimes against women, in sought-after localities of Hyderabad on Friday night, have raised doubts about the safety of women in the city, and called into question whether the Telangana police actually live by their motto - Duty honour and compassion.

While in Begumpet, a bar dancer was stripped and brutally assaulted by her colleagues on the main road, in Shamshabad, a 25-year-old private-airline employee returning from work was intercepted by three persons who passed lewd comments, made vulgar gestures, and threw alcohol on her.

In the first incident, the police were called by the victim and arrived when she was being assaulted, but allegedly did nothing to rescue her. It happened under the jurisdiction of the Panjagutta police station, which was adjudged as Indias second-best police station last year.

The owner of the bar where the woman worked has close ties to a well-known political leader.

The 25-year-old victim, illegally employed as a dancer at Lisbon Retrobar, was attacked for not performing sexual acts with a customer at the pub.

Four of her women colleagues dragged her out and stripped her on the Begumpet-Somajiguda road, and others joined in and thrashed her.

It was not the police, but inebriated customers of the pub, who came to her rescue, she said.

The police arrived in two vehicles after being called by the victim but did not rescue her.

Their compassion was missing even when she approached the police station, wounded and in tattered clothes, she said. After I approached the Panjagutta police, with help from customers, the cops collected details from me and said they would look into the matter. Minutes later, four persons who assaulted me also came to the station, and the police had friendly discussions with them, the victim recounted.

Because I refused the pub managements directions to entertain customers by performing sexual acts, four women colleagues, also bar dancers, dragged me out and stripped me. Later, the miscreants assaulted me brutally, along with a person named Syed, she said.

The victim used to work as a junior artist in Tollywood. But due to a lack of opportunities, joined Lisbon Restrobar in January.

The management of the pub brushed aside the incident, saying it happened outside their premises. The staff of the pub allegedly threatened the victim not to lodge a complaint, as the owner is a close friend of a senior political leader.

The police arrested the four women attackers  Ritika, Sweety, Rekha and Vijaya Reddy  and produced them in court. Another accused is absconding.

The police registered cases under Sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) read with 34, of the IPC.

West Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police A R Srinivas said he would inquire into the womans allegations against the cops.

Hiring such dancers is illegal in the State, but every night, officials from the Punjagutta police station visit Lisbon Restobar, and collect bribes from the management, the victim claimed. The police, meanwhile, said they would write to the management of pubs, asking them not to indulge in illegal activities.

Shamshabad incident

In the second incident, the victim was returning home from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport when she was intercepted by three youngsters on a motorcycle.

According to the police, she was attacked in Shamshabad around midnight after she got off a cab, and was walking to her house in RB Nagar. Three persons on a bike approached her, passed lewd comments and made vulgar gestures. They even allegedly splashed alcohol on her. The trio went on a terrorizing spree for a couple of minutes, they said.

Worried, the woman raised an alarm, and the trio fled. She immediately alerted one of her male friends, and with his help, rushed to the RGI Airport police station, where a case under charges of outraging the modesty of a woman was registered.

The police found that CCTV cameras in the vicinity were not functioning due to a power cut.UPDATED at 6:30 a.m. EDT on 06-17-2019

Nearly two million people took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday to call for the total withdrawal of an extradition law, as crowds filled several streets in the downtown area in what organizers said was likely the biggest march in the city's history.

Protesters wearing black filled several major streets between Causeway Bay and government headquarters two miles away, shouting "Withdraw! Withdraw!" and calling for the resignation of the city's leader Carrie Lam, who announced on Saturday that her administration would "postpone" plans to allow people to be sent to face criminal charges in mainland China.



Live video footage from the city also showed thousands lining up to lay flowers at the Pacific Place shopping mall, where a man fell to his death on Saturday after unfurling a banner that read: "Completely Withdraw the China Extradition Bill. We Were Not Rioting. Release the Students and the Injured."



A yellow plastic raincoat hung near the mall, with the words "Carrie Lam is killing Hong Kong. The police are cold-blooded criminals." Fire services had earlier removed a large yellow banner that read "Defend Hong Kong" from the city's iconic Lion Rock in Kowloon.



Thousands of people also stood in queues waiting for public transport access to the route of the march, while thousands more poured into the area around government headquarters from other directions before the main march had even arrived.



Police had initially set aside only part of the highway for the march, but the sheer numbers attending meant that it quickly overspilled into several parallel streets, gradually closing off lanes available to traffic.



Police were visible, but were in regular uniforms, while crowds parted in an orderly manner to allow emergency vehicles and departing buses to clear the scene.



Numbers grow



As the crowd swelled with the incoming march, traffic came to a halt as protesters began taking up further space outside the central government complex on Harcourt Road, a key site of the 2014 Occupy Central movement for fully democratic elections.



By nightfall, the six-lane highway was packed with protesters waving lit up smartphones and chanting, with more continuing to arrive at the scene.

Later in the evening, while the crowd thinned, some protesters made plans to dig in for the night and begin an occupation, while others left messages of support and protest on the "Lennon Wall" used previously by pro-democracy campaigners in 2014.

Police tried early on Monday to persuade protesters to leave, government broadcaster RTHK reported, but were unsuccessful. However, the six-lane Harcourt Road urban highway was clear and open to traffic by 11.00 a.m. local time, the report said.

Most of the crowd were clad in black, as called for by protest organizers the Civil Human Rights Front, and many wore a white mourning flower as a mark of respect for the protester who died. High-schoolers folded white origami flowers, while flower shops donated white lilies to be used as a mark of respect at Pacific Place.



"What I really want is for Carrie Lam to withdraw the bill and relieve all the social pressure," the group's spokeswoman Bonnie Leung told reporters. "So we demand Carrie Lam apologize to the people ... to the protesters, also to withdraw saying that the protest was a riot."



"Only when Carrie Lam apologizes, withdraws the bill, and steps down will Hong Kong people end all of our protests," she said.



'No sort of answer'



Protesters on the ground agreed.



"I think Carrie Lam is talking rubbish," a student told RFA at the protest. "I think she's pussyfooting around the issue. I think she should withdraw the bill, not postpone it. That's no sort of an answer to give the people of Hong Kong."



One father said he had come out after his young son saw footage of the police beating protesters on Wednesday.



"I didn't have any way to explain why the nice policemen were dressed up as Transformers and beating up these unarmed kids," he said.



"We try to teach children that the police are there to protect everyone, but their actions that day were entirely about oppressing people."



After six hours of renewed protest on Sunday, Lam issued an apology via the government's press office.



"The Chief Executive apologizes to the public and promises to accept criticism with the utmost sincerity and humility," the statement said. "[She] acknowledges that government failings have caused a high degree of conflict and tension in Hong Kong society."



"The government reiterates that there is no timetable for restarting the process," it said, but stopped short of withdrawing the planned amendments entirely.



March organizers the Civil Human Rights Front dismissed the statement.



"This is no f***ing apology at all," the group said in a post on its Facebook page. "She is only apologizing for 'government failings,' not for pushing through this draconian bill or the violent crackdown by police."



Police violence protested



Protesters also waved signs that read "Stop Killing Us!" in protest at police violence against protesters who surrounded the city's Legislative Council (LegCo) on Wednesday, while others took issue with the government's description of that action as a "riot" that "forced" police to use batons, tear gas, rubber and bean bag bullets, and pepper spray to keep order.



Others held up banners that read "Hong Kong Limit. Do Not Cross!" and "You SHOT Us,!" in imitation of police warning banners used before the firing of tear gas rounds.



Police lined metal traffic barriers around government headquarters at the start of Sunday's march, but were relatively few in number, and most wore regular uniforms instead of full riot gear.



Some protesters wore T-shirts emblazoned with the words "Freedom - Hi!" in English, a pun on a Cantonese expletive shouted at protesters by a special police officer in a viral video earlier in the week.



Others chanted, in a reference to Carrie Lam's earlier remark that she would no more give in to protesters' demands than she would to her small child, "Carrie Lam is not our mom!"



Christian protesters sang a popular hymn "Sing Hallelujah to the Lord" and turned out to provide water and supplies to protesters, as well as to call for a peaceful demonstration.



The Civil Human Rights Front has also called for a general strike on Monday, vowing to go ahead with the strike unless Lam fully withdraws the extradition bill.



Support in Taiwan



Meanwhile, some 10,000 people turned out to support Hong Kong's protest in Taiwan, whose democratic government has repeatedly criticized the extradition bill and Lam's use of a Taiwan murder case as justification for closing a "legal loophole."



Holding up signs that read "Taiwan with Hong Kong,!" protesters gathered in the capital, Taipei, watching a live feed of the Hong Kong protests on a large screen.



Taiwan-based student activist Ho Wing-chan, who founded the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance Concern Group, said many present were angry over police violence meted out during Wednesday's protests.



"We condemn the Hong Kong government's suppression of peaceful protests, and we hold the police responsible," Ho said. "We demand that the Hong Kong government recognize that the demonstration on June 12 wasn't a riot."



"Please release all protesters and cease all prosecutions," he said. "We demand that the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance be withdrawn, not just postponed."



U.S.-based legal scholar Teng Biao also attended the Taiwan protest.



"Freedom isn't a gift, but a duty that everyone must fulfill," Teng said. "In supporting Hong Kong against China renditions, we should be able to render this law defunct, and the Chinese Communist Party regime with it."



Lin Fei-fan, who led the Sunflower movement that occupied Taiwan's parliament, the Legislative Yuan, to oppose closer ties with China under then president Ma Ying-jeou, said the postponement of the extradition bill means that it could be reintroduced to Hong Kong's legislature at any time.



"The Legislative Council could still move to amend the law ... allowing renditions to China in future," Lin said. "We must once again condemn the Hong Kong government."



'Living under the shadow'



Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu tweeted: "I salute the brave #HongKong citizens on the streets, uncowed by the threat of police brutality. The people of #Taiwan share your values & struggle."



Wu said both Taiwan and Hong Kong live "under the shadow" of the Chinese Communist Party regime, which has refused to rule out the use of military force to invade and annex Taiwan in the name of "unification."



"We shall overcome together," he said.



The amendments, which Lam has said need to be put on hold and re-explained, not withdrawn, are widely seen as 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.



If they become law, the city could lose its status as a separate legal jurisdiction and trading entity, while 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.



The move to change Hong Kong's extradition laws has left many in Taiwan feeling very worried about their future, too.



In a Jan. 2 speech titled "Letter to our Taiwan compatriots," Chinese President Xi Jinping said that Taiwan must be "unified" with China and refused to rule out the use of military force to annex the island.



But Tsai has repeatedly said that Taiwan's population of 23 million have no wish to give up their sovereignty, a view that is borne out by repeated opinion polls.



Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wen Yuqing and Chung Kuang-cheng for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.Serbian anti-government protesters marched through the streets of Belgrade for the 28th time on June 15. The demonstrations have been taking place every Saturday for more than half a year. Initially triggered by an assault on opposition leader Borko Stefanovic, the protests have adopted a number of other demands, including calls for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's resignation. The June 15 march ended outside Belgrade University's headquarters in response to claims that Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali may have plagiarized his doctoral dissertation. A university commission controversially announced in May that Mali's text did not amount to plagiarism.It was the year the Berlin Wall fell, the death knell to decades of communist rule in Eastern and Central Europe.



And according to Timothy Garton Ash, 1989 was the "best year in European history."



In a wide-ranging interview with RFE/RL's Belarusian Service, the British historian concedes the economic liberalism that accompanied the collapse of the Soviet-led totalitarian system ushered in economic inequality. And Ash says that is partly to blame for today's wave of right-wing populism.



Overall, however, Garton Ash is a "long-term optimist," believing, among other things, that Russia will eventually find its rightful place in Europe and the world.



Back in 1989, the events that swept across Europe were a "peaceful revolution" that consigned a "nuclear-armed, post-totalitarian empire" to history's scrapheap, explains Garton Ash.



"A Europe with Poland free, most countries in Europe are now liberal democracies, most countries in Europe are members of the same political, security, and economic communities. For individuals that means that you can go from one end of the EU to the other without let or hindrance, settle down, work, live, love from one end of Europe to the other. That's an amazing achievement."

'Liberal Overreach'



There was a downside, too, the effects of which are still being felt today, says Garton Ash.



"The particular form of financial globalization of economic liberalism adopted -- probably necessary to reform the economies -- produced great inequality, and there's been a reaction against that. There was a certain hubris, liberal overreach from the West, both from the EU and the U.S., which has led us into some problems," Garton Ash begins.



But overall, the good outweighed the bad, according to Garton Ash.

"1989 was the best year in European history so far. A peaceful revolution which ended a nuclear-armed, post-totalitarian empire, and gave us the best Europe we've ever had."



Among the worrying trends on today's geopolitical landscape, however, are a "revanchist" Russia, and "Leninist" China, according to Garton Ash.



"We have a revanchist Russia as we've seen in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Clearly a response to the collapse of the Russian empire. And we have a China, which is still Leninist, but very rich and very powerful, and which is increasingly dictating the agenda of world politics."



Moreover, although some countries in Eastern Europe -- Garton Ash singles out Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus -- are still struggling and stumbling along the path to democracy, he's hopeful in the long-term.



"Not the whole of Europe is whole and free. I see very positive changes in Ukraine. And actually, very significant progress in Moldova, and indeed some change in Belarus. And I think there is a lot that can still be done in the current geopolitical context," Garton Ash explains.The Pakistani military has announced the appointment of a new chief for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency.



Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed will be replacing Lieutenant General Asim Munir as ISI director-general who had only been in the job for eight months, according to a June 16 statement.



The army did not explain the reshuffle, which comes months ahead of army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's three-year term ending in November.



The ISI, the military's spy wing, has long been accused of using the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups as proxies in neighboring Afghanistan and India.



More recently, the agency has been accused of muzzling the press in Pakistan, trying to distort last year's general elections, and intensifying a crackdown against human rights activists.

With reporting by dpa and ReutersMOSCOW -- The Russian Interior Ministry says nearly 1,600 people have turned out for an authorized rally in Moscow in support of free media in Russia, which critics have described as a "fake" event.



Other sources put the number of participants in the June 16 demonstration on Sakharov Avenue at between 300 and 600.



The rally was prompted by a recent action against investigative journalist Ivan Golunov who had been arrested on a drug charge that supporters said was fabricated.

Golunov was released from house arrest on June 11 after the country's interior minister announced that criminal charges against him would be dropped. The move came after an unauthorized solidarity rally for the reporter saw hundreds of people arrested.



Yekaterina Vinokurova, the editor of the state-supported RT television station, Pavel Gusev, Chairman of the Moscow Union of Journalists, and Vladimir Solovyev, Chairman of the Union of Journalists of Russia organized the rally.



Journalists called for the gathering under the slogan "Justice for All."



Golunov himself did not attend.



The state-run TASS news agency quoted Solovyev as saying on June 15 that he had invited Golunov to the rally to "hear from him how he sees the further development of civil society, what should we do to avoid our compatriots finding themselves in this situation."



"Many reporters are currently in prison under the same article that they attempted to charge Ivan with," he added.



As a reporter for the Latvian-based Russian online news site Meduza, Golunov had gained renown for investigating corruption among top Moscow city officials and others.



Meduzas editors and others said Golunovs arrest may have been specifically due to his reporting.



Golunov said in court that he had received threats in connection with his investigation into the funeral business in Moscow.



On June 12, several hundred people marched through central Moscow in an unsanctioned protest aimed at maintaining pressure on authorities over Golunov's case.



OVD-Info, an independent group that monitors police crackdowns against demonstrations in Russia, said that more than 500 demonstrators were detained.



Organizers of the demonstration had said they had failed to get approval from the citys authorities for the event.



One of them, Ilya Azar, said authorities were using the permitted march on June 16 to "take over" the protesters' agenda.



Azar called the June 16 rally "fake" while calling on citizens not to take part in it.

With reporting by dpa and TASS

A rights group has urged the Pakistani government not to execute a prisoner with "clear symptoms of mental illness," who is scheduled to be hanged on June 18.

Sarah Belal, executive director of Justice Project Pakistan, which campaigns against the death penalty, said on June 16 that the government must halt the execution of Ghulam Abbas, 36, for further evaluation.

"Abbas's execution must be stayed and he should be transferred to a mental health facility to be comprehensively assessed, the rights group said.

Citing a prominent psychiatrist, Dr. Malik Hussain Mubbashar, the statement says Abbas's medical records show he's being treated with strong anti-psychotic drugs by prison authorities and has a family history of mental illness.

Abbas was sentenced to death in 2006 for fatally stabbing a neighbor in 2004.

Pakistan is a signatory of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, an international convention guaranteeing the dignity of individuals with disabilities.

The country lifted a six-year moratorium on the death penalty after Islamist militants killed more than 150 people at a school in the northwestern city of Peshawar in December 2014.

Based on reporting by AP and Gulr TodayYEKATERINBURG -- The Russian Orthodox Church says it has rejected "the right" to build a cathedral at a disputed site in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg.

In a statement released on June 16, Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye said that in an "atmosphere of total lies and deceit" building the church on the site would still be potential cause for discord.



Metropolitan Kirill said he does not want to "give the devil that opportunity."



The statement follows a rare public outcry over the project to build a church in a popular park in Russia's fourth-largest city, which has prompted President Vladimir Putin to urge all sides to find a comprise solution.



On May 22, officials in the Sverdlovsk region scrapped plans to build the church in the park, citing a poll showing that 74 percent of respondents thought locating the new church there was a poor choice.

The authorities arrested about 100 demonstrators during several evenings of protests in Yekaterinburg last month, and sentenced dozens of them to jail terms of between two and 15 days.



In his statement, Metropolitan Kirill said that opponents to the project claimed not to oppose building a church but in practice showed "hatred for the existence of God in their lives."



He said the church would be built soon but not on the disputed site or any other green space, park, or public space.



Kirill said that the Church hopes this is the last time it will make a concession, saying: "We have no cheeks left to turn."Saudi Arabia's crown prince has directly blamed archrival Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and said his country "wont hesitate to deal with any threat" against its people or interests.



"The Iranian regime did not respect the Japanese prime minister's visit to Tehran, and while he was there replied to his efforts by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese," Muhammad bin Salman told the pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in an interview published on June 16.



"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 said, according to the newspaper.



He added that the incidents require that the international community take a "decisive stand" to counter the threats.



Tensions have risen to new heights after two recent attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf region -- both of which the United States and its Persian Gulf allies, including Saudi Arabia, have blamed on Iran.



U.S. President Donald Trump on June 14 accused Iran of carrying out the most-recent attack, on June 13, against two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

The incident occurred during a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Iran.



The Pentagon has released a grainy video claiming to show patrol boats from Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) removing what appeared to be an unexploded mine from the side of one of the ships after the attack.

The latest incident came a month after attacks on four tankers off the coast of the nearby United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), an incident Washington and the Saudis also blamed on Iran.



Iran has denied any involvement in the attacks.

On June 16, Tehran summoned the British ambassador after London said it agreed with the United States that Iran attacked the tankers in the June 13 incident.

Britain Calls For De-Escalation



Irans IRNA news agency reported that Iranian diplomat Mahmoud Barimani told Ambassador Robert Macaire that Tehran strongly protested Britain's "blindly and hastily following" the United States in accusing Iran.

But Ambassador Rob Macaire denied in a tweet that he was summoned by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

"I asked for an urgent meeting with the Foreign Ministry yesterday and it was granted. No 'summons'. Of course if formally summoned I would always respond, as would all Ambassadors," Macaire wrote.

British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said on June 16 that Britain was "almost certain" Iran was behind attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.



"We have done our own intelligence assessment and the phrase we used is almost certain ... We don't believe anyone else could have done this," Hunt told a BBC talk show.



Hunt said Britain was calling on "all sides" to de-escalate.



Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Washington had "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence."



Iran in the past has said it could block the strategic Strait of Hormuz as a countermeasure to any attack by the United States. Such a move would disrupt oil tankers traveling out of the Persian Gulf region and likely lead to a sharp rise in world oil prices.



U.A.E. Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan on June 16 called on world powers "to secure international navigation and access to energy."



Nevertheless, Nahyan, speaking at a summit in Bulgaria, said his country -- a U.S. and Saudi ally also opposed to Iran -- called for an easing of tensions in the region.



"We remain hopeful in attaining a broader framework for cooperation with Iran," he said.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Turkey expects the delivery of the S-400 surface-to-air defense missile system from Russia to begin in July, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying in Turkish media on June 16.

"I believe [S-400s] will begin to arrive in the first half of July," Erdogan said according to the CNN Turk broadcaster.

Ankara's deal with Moscow has been a major source of tension between Turkey and the United States.

Washington 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.

The United States has also warned Turkey of possible sanctions if it takes delivery of the Russian missile system.

U.S. acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan this month outlined how Turkey would be pulled out of the F-35 fighter jet program unless Ankara changed course from its plans to buy the missile systems.

Erdogan said he would discuss the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump when they meet at this month's Group of 20 summit.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that Ankara will retaliate against any possible sanctions imposed by Washington over the deal.

Based on reporting by AFP and ReutersThe United States and its ally Saudi Arabia have said they dont want to go to war with Iran, but insisted they were ready to take all necessary actions to deal with any Iranian threat.



It is "unmistakable" that Iran was responsible for last weeks attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview on June 16.



"We don't want war," Pompeo told Fox News, but he added that Washington would "take all the actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise," to guarantee free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.



Tensions have risen to new heights after the two tankers were attacked on June 13, a month after four others were targeted off the coast of the nearby United Arab Emirates.



The United States and the Saudis blamed the attacks on Iran, which denies any involvement.



In an interview, Saudi Arabia's crown prince urged the international community to take a "decisive stand."



"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," Muhammad bin Salman told the pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.



Meanwhile, Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani hinted that the United States could be behind the tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman to pile pressure on Tehran, according to IRNA.



The official news agency quoted Larijani as telling lawmakers it appeared Washington had staged the "suspicious" attacks after its economic sanctions against Iran had failed to achieve any results.



In his interview with the Fox News Sunday program, Pompeo said that intelligence officials have "lots of data, lots of evidence" tying Iran to the attacks in the Gulf of Oman.



"These were attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran on commercial shipping, on the freedom of navigation, with the clear intent to deny transit through the strait," he said.



The U.S. state secretary said he did not want to discuss possible next steps the United States might take in response to last week's developments.



The Pentagon has released a grainy video claiming to show patrol boats from Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) removing what appeared to be an unexploded mine from the side of one of the tankers targeted on June 13.

The Kremlin on June 16 warned against "baseless accusations" over the attacks.



"Such incidents can undermine the foundations of the world economy. That's why it's hardly possible to accept baseless accusations in this situation," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitri Peskov said on Russian television.



Earlier the same day, Iranian official media reported that the Foreign Ministry had summoned the British ambassador to protest Londons "blindly and hastily following" Washington in accusing Iran.



Ambassador Rob Macaire denied that, tweeting: "I asked for an urgent meeting with the Foreign Ministry yesterday and it was granted. No 'summons'. Of course if formally summoned I would always respond, as would all Ambassadors."



British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said on June 16 that Britain was "almost certain" Iran was behind attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.



"We have done our own intelligence assessment and the phrase we used is almost certain ... We don't believe anyone else could have done this," Hunt told a BBC talk show.



Hunt said Britain was calling on "all sides" to de-escalate.

In Italy, Pope Francis said he was following "with concern the increase in tension in the Gulf," and urged "everyone to use the resources of diplomacy to solve the complex problems in the Middle East."



Iran in the past has said it could block the strategic Strait of Hormuz as a countermeasure to any attack by the United States.

Such a move would disrupt oil tankers traveling out of the Gulf region and likely lead to a sharp rise in world oil prices.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpaBy Express News Service

KOCHI: The Kerala chapter of the Indian Medical Association has expressed solidarity to the 24-hour nationwide strike called by the medical body on Monday. According to officers, both doctors and medical students from government and private hospitals will participate in the strike.

Though medicos will stay away from outpatient services, emergency facilities including the casualty and operation theatres will function undisrupted. IMA Kerala state president Dr Sugathan M E will inaugurate the protest march to the secretariat. Similar protest marches will be held in every district, members said. According to doctors, a symbolic march will be held in Ernakulam with professionals donning helmets and bandages as a mark of protest. A central law should be enacted to prevent violence against healthcare workers at hospitals. It is the responsibility of state governments to ensure a safe and secure work environment for all doctors in hospitals. They should be protected from baseless allegations and physical attacks, especially from the public, Sugathan said.

He also urged the state government to increase the stipend of postgraduate medical students and house surgeons in the state. The stipend was revised in 2015. The revision is supposed to take place every two years. However, the students did not raise this issue because the state faced two critical situations over the years including the Ockhi and the floods. We expect a positive response from the state government on the issue, he said.

Students across state-run medical colleges and hospitals have decided to embark on an indefinite strike from June 20, if their demand for a stipend-hike is not met.

Health Minister not to meet protesters

Sources with the Health Department said Health Minister K K Shailaja teacher will not meet the striking doctors. The strike is based on an issue in West Bengal. The state government cannot solve the issue of the doctors, said officers.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged his countrys European backers to keep "pressure" on Russia to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine as he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.



"The only key to peace is diplomatic and sanctions' pressure," Zelenskiy said at a joint news conference with Macron on June 17, adding: "Therefore, I am asking you to maintain this [path]."



"Europe won't feel secure as long as Russia pretends there is no rule of law," the Ukrainian president said.



Fighting between government forces and Russia-backed separatists holding parts of the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk has killed some 13,000 people since April 2014, shortly after Russia seized control of Ukraine's Crimea region.



The European Union, the United States, and other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia over Moscow's seizure of Crimea and its support for the separatists.



Macron applauded Zelenskiy's desire to end the war, saying: "You have a lot of ambition for your country and you have a lot of courage."



He also vowed to keep working to revive talks in the so-called Normandy format of countries seeking a resolution to the conflict.



"There could be a summit under the Normandy format in Paris to take account of the progress that has been achieved," the French president said.



France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia are part of the format, which has not held talks in two years. Meanwhile, cease-fire deals announced as part of the Minsk accords in September 2014 and February 2015 have failed to hold.



Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin on June 18.



A comic actor with no previous political experience, Zelenskiy beat incumbent Petro Poroshenko by a large margin in an April 21 presidential runoff. He was inaugurated as president on May 20.



Earlier this month, Zelenskiy made his first foreign trip as president to EU and NATO headquarters in Brussels.



During that visit, he reaffirmed Ukraines course toward Euro-Atlantic integration, and vowed that under his leadership the country would implement reforms and intensify the fight against corruption.

With reporting by AP and AFPA truck accidentally crashed into Old Mountain Lanes in Wakefield on Thursday. According to Old Mountain Lanes owner Robert Toth, there were no major injuries and no major damage.Worst business decision: My worst decision was not staying focused on the mission of my community initiative and spreading my efforts too thin.

Mistake you learned the most from: The mistake I learned from the most was giving those you are trying to help what you think they need, instead of first listening to what they really need.

What is the biggest challenge/opportunity in the next two to five years: My biggest challenge will be replicating the mission of Got Tec in Greensboro, N.C., where I will be attending college, while continuing to manage Got Tec Richmond from afar to one day grow the impact regionally.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently: I would have founded Got Tec sooner to grow its local impact.

Movie or book that inspired you the most, and why?: Eat that Frog! by Brian Tracey. The book taught me several project management skills that were helpful in managing my community initiative as it grew.Richmond police are investigating after three men were injured in a shooting early Sunday morning in South Richmond.

Around 2:40 a.m., Richmond police received several calls about gunfire in the 4700 block of Forest Hill Avenue at West 47th Street. A few minutes later, three men with gunshot wounds arrived at a local hospital, police said.

One of the men suffered life-threatening injures; the other two men are expected to recover, according to police.

In a post on the neighborhood website Nextdoor, an officer said the men were not from the area and appear to have been targeted.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.

 From staff reportsBy PTI

KOLKATA: A fire broke out on the top floor of a five-storied building in Esplanade area in the heart of the city Sunday evening, a fire brigade official said.

Nine fire tenders were pressed into service and the flames were doused within an hour.

The official said that there was no report of anyone being trapped or injured in the fire.

The blaze broke out in a guest house on the top floor of the building at Lenin Sarani at 6.10 pm and it was doused at 7.05 pm.Gun violence roundtable talks set before July special session

RICHMOND  Gov. Ralph Northam is announcing a series of public talks his administration will host in the run-up to a July 9 special legislative session on gun laws.

Northams office said Thursday that the secretary of public safety and homeland security, Brian Moran, and Secretary of Health and Human Resources Daniel Carey are hosting the roundtable discussions around the state. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., will join some of the events.

Northam, who announced the special session after a May 31 mass shooting in Virginia Beach, wants the GOP-led General Assembly to consider several gun control measures. But Republicans have given little indication they plan to follow his agenda. Instead, they have said they will propose tougher penalties for those who use guns to commit crimes.

Couple file religious freedom suit against retirement home

FREDERICKSBURG  A couple living in the Evergreens at Smith Run in Fredericksburg is suing the senior living facility, claiming it violated their religious freedom rights.DALY, Christopher Brendan, 35, went to be with his Lord on April 20, 2019. He was predeceased by his brother, Patrick, 16, who he lived to honor and has finally joined in Heaven. Chris is survived by his parents, William and Carol Daly; and his 100 year old grandmother, Ferne Schreffler; uncle, Robert Bradley (Vickie) Schreffler; aunt, Tara (Jerry) Ranson; uncle, Sean (Ellen) Daly; and the love of his life, Shauna Phillips. Chris is loved and survived by many cousins, who will remember his confidence and creative abilities. Chris was predeceased by his proud grandfather, Robert Schreffler, from whom many of those creative ideas flowed; and his loving grandparents, William and Gloria Daly. Chris was a champion wrestler at James River High School. Rugby became his passion at James Madison University and over the years he played for several teams in Virginia, Boston and Dublin. He was physically strong, but had a character that was even stronger. Chris enjoyed travel, he loved investigating other countries and understanding other cultures, and he had been living in Brisbane, Australia for the past four and a half years. He had a remarkable talent for working with wood and was accomplished as a finish carpenter, but in recent years, Chris had enjoyed cabinetry and the challenge of making furniture. He was a loyal friend to all he met, and seen as a moral compass by those who knew him best. A celebration of Chris's life will be held at Stony Point Presbyterian Church in Bon Air on Saturday, July 20, at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that donations be made to a charity of your choice in Chris's name.Vessel rescued by Mexican navy cloned Cancun poachers

Isla Mujeres, Q. R.  Crew members of a vessel that requested assistance from the Mexican navy have found themselves in a fair bit of trouble.

A vessel that ran out of gas and began drifting requested rescue assistance from the Mexican navy earlier this week. After the four crew and boat were safely returned to an Isla Mujeres dock, authorities noticed a discrepancy.

The vessel, Los Cuatro Hermanos, was found to have a cloned registration and a superimposed cooperative logo. The discovery was made after the crew and boat were towed and officials requested documentation from its captain. Officials noted that Los Cuatro Hermanos had cloned Por la Justicia Social on the boat, a cooperative of Isla Mujeres.

Baltazar Gomez Catzin, president of the Por la Justicia Social cooperative acknowledged that in his fishing group they have a boat with that registration and that name, but it is not the same as the vessel that was helped by the navy.

The Isla Mujeres cooperative confirmed that it is a cloning of one of its boats, which they say, also confirms that there are many clones dedicated to poaching.

The cloned vessel and crew were reportedly from Puerto Juarez. Captain of the cloned Los Curtro Hermanos has been summoned to appear before a Cancun judge to prove boat ownership as well as proof of fishing permits.BOONES MILL  Of the two types of steel pipe that snake through their land, Anne and Steve Bernard are not sure which scares them more.

One they cant see: the portion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline that construction crews buried last summer. The other is in plain sight: an approximately 120-foot-long section of the pipe floating in water that fills a trench.

As the Bernards recently stood near the pipeways path  which passes about 150 feet from their Franklin County home and a studio behind it where the two artists work  Anne recalled what happened the last week of July 2018.

They came in with a storm of machinery and they dug the trench in two days and then they dropped the pipe in it, she said. They were in such a hurry.

The next day, the Bernards saw where the buried 42-inch diameter pipe extended to a part of the trench that had filled with water in a low-lying pasture, before work crews had a chance to cover the pipe with dirt. I called MVP and said, Your pipe is floating here, Anne Bernard said.

Nearly a year later, the section of pipe remains suspended  as do key parts of a $4.6 billion project to build a 303-mile pipeline to transport newly drilled natural gas from northern West Virginia, through the New River and Roanoke valleys, to connect with an existing pipeline near the North Carolina line.

A Mountain Valley spokeswoman said June 6 that the company still hopes to finish the project by the end of the year.

But delays in construction, caused in large part by legal challenges from environmental groups opposed to plowing such a large pipeline across rugged mountain slopes and through clear-running streams, have raised questions that were not anticipated when the project was announced five years ago.

The welded joints that link the 40-foot pipe sections could weaken over time, especially when the unburied part of the line tips upward in standing water the way it does on the Bernard property, opponents say. That could increase the chance of a rupture and explosion once the line is shipping natural gas under high pressure.

And the longer that sections of the pipe remain stored above the ground, exposed to the elements before they are buried, the greater the chance that a protective coating could be degraded to the point that it contaminates the surrounding water, critics fear.

Natalie Cox, a spokeswoman for the joint venture of five energy companies building the pipeline, said Mountain Valley is using a pipeline coating designed for wet conditions. And the company will employ several different methods to ensure that the joints are sound before and after the pipe is buried, she said.

So far, the pipelines impact on water has mostly been from sediment washed by storm water from construction sites into nearby streams. But the Bernards wonder what will happen once the work is done, and natural gas begins to flow so close to their home.

I can see whats going on right here. I know that its in water, Steve Bernard said as he looked at the pipe floating in a trench the width of a two-lane road. Where its buried, is it still in water? I dont know.

We cant see the ghost, he said of water that may be tainted. But we know its there.

Were scared to death.

Domino effects of a stop-work order

The 5.5-acre piece of property off Grassy Hill Road, where the Bernards have lived since 1980, shows the piecemeal work on the Mountain Valley Pipeline.

Last summer, workers showed up and began to dig a trench, about eight feet deep, through a pasture that was known to flood. After one heavy rainfall, I saw actual waves in the field, Anne Bernard said. I said, Steve, look at the waves in the field. 

The work began shortly after a federal appeals court threw out a U.S. Forest Service permit allowing the pipeline to cross through the Jefferson National Forest, some 80 miles to the west. The decision was based on improper measures to control erosion and sedimentation in the forest, but its impact soon became much broader.

One week later, just after construction started on the Bernards property, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the lead agency overseeing pipeline construction, issued a stop-work order for the entire project.

FERCs suspension prevented a special Mountain Valley team that deals with stream crossings from burying a section of the pipeline that approached Teels Creek on the Bernards property, Cox wrote in an email.

The stop-work order was lifted in large part in late August, but the team was not able to return to the area before Oct. 2, when a second ruling from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came down. In that case, the court vacated a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit that allowed stream crossings in West Virginia, citing Mountain Valleys inability to cross major rivers within the required 72 hours.

Three days later, a separate permit covering stream crossings in Virginia was suspended by the Corps, which said it would await clarity on this issue.

Mountain Valley has yet to receive a new Corps approval, known as a Nationwide Permit 12, and it could be several more months before it does.

What all that means for the Bernards it that a section of the pipeline on their land, originally planned for completion last year, is still in a state of flux. They worry that stress from the floating portion of the heavy pipe will weaken joints that were welded on parts of the pipeline that are now buried.

They have a valid concern, according to pipeline expert Rick Kuprewicz, a chemical engineer who worked for years in the gas industry and now consults on safety issues as president of Accufacts Inc. in Redmond, Washington.

Its fairly unusual for a portion of a pipe to remain in water, unburied, for nearly a year, Kuprewicz said.

Before they put it in service, they want to be darn sure the pipe is sound, he said of Mountain Valley.

Cox, the spokeswoman for the pipeline company, wrote in an email that the welds are protected by a fusion-bonded epoxy coating that is designed for use in wet conditions. The welds are inspected by eye and X-ray, she said, and the coating is tested immediately before the pipe is covered with dirt.

After the pipeline is finished but before it ships any gas, hydrostatic testing  which involves pumping large amounts of water through it  is performed to make sure the line can withstand the required pressure, Cox wrote.

Other planned steps include a caliber tool survey, which is used to map the interior of the pipe to look for any abnormalities, and continuous remote monitoring once the line is operating.

Mountain Valley Watch, a citizens group monitoring work on the pipeline, has found about a dozen cases similar to what has happened on the Bernards property, in which a pipe has been submerged in water for an extended time, according to Roberta Bondurant, a volunteer with the effort and co-chair of the Protect Our Water Heritage Rights (POWHR) coalition.

While some of the cases have been for a week to 10 days, Bondurant said, most have lasted for months. The groups are concerned about the potential for corrosion of pipes in water, on ground and underground, she said.

Questions about the coating

As she walked along the pipelines route through her land, Anne Bernard ran her finger along a section of pipe that had been sitting next to a trench since last summer, when work was first suspended.

A powdery substance came off on her finger, as if she had rubbed it across a blackboard.

It was not clear what the powder was. But since last summer, Tina Smusz, a retired physician and assistant professor of medicine from Montgomery County, has been raising concerns about the coating material used to protect the pipe from corrosion, which has been identified in documents filed with FERC as 3M Scotchkote Fusion Bonded Epoxy 6233.

Smusz points to the products safety data sheet, which says the coating contains carcinogens. She says those toxins can be released in the environment in two ways: When the pipe is stored above the ground for longer that the manufacturers recommendation of one year, its coating can degrade in a process called chalking, which releases harmful toxins into the air.

And when the pipe is buried, Smusz wrote in a letter to FERC in January, the harmful chemicals can leach into nearby groundwater. Chalking jeopardizes the health of citizens with household water sources originating near or downstream from the [pipeline] right-of-way, Smusz wrote.

Smusz has also outlined her concerns in letters to the state health commissioner and the Department of Environmental Quality. Her views are shared by the Natural Resources Defense Council. In a blog post last October, council senior advocate Amy Mall also warned of an increased risk of explosions if the coating is not properly maintained.

Mountain Valley, however, says the coating will not be degraded by water. This type of coating is routinely used on the interior of pipes that are used for the transport of drinking water, Cox wrote in an email.

Emails and calls to the coatings maker, 3M Manufacturing Co. in St. Paul, Minnesota, were not returned.

But in a March 21 letter to FERC, DEQ director David Paylor and State Health Commissioner Norman Oliver said that citizen concerns prompted them to contact the company, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Sanitation Foundation. To date, these organizations have not shared or identified any specific short-term or long-term risk with the coating, Paylor and Oliver wrote. To date, neither VDH nor DEQ has found a specific environmental or public health risk with use of the coating material.

Nonetheless, they asked FERC for additional information and for your view of risks to the potable drinking water supplies.

FERC spokeswoman Tamara Young-Allen said last week that the commission does not regulate pipeline coatings, and had not responded to the letter. She referred questions to the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

A representative for that federal agency wrote in an email in November that it had determined that Mountain Valley followed recommended storage procedures and found no evidence of degradation of the pipelines protective coating.

He did not respond to questions about whether there have been any documented cases of contamination by the coating with other pipelines. Asked again about the matter last week, he said that additional inspections by PHMSA may be conducted.

The Pipeline Safety Trust, an independent nonprofit organization, is not aware of any studies that document groundwater contamination from the coating, according to the groups executive director, Carl Weimer.

Mountain Valley has acknowledged that leaving the pipeline exposed for too long can cause problems for its coating.

As it sits in the sun, it ages or oxides and actually becomes thinner, Robert Cooper, head of the construction project, testified in Roanokes federal court. If that happened, he said, the coating would have to be reapplied or the pipes restacked with the opposite side facing the sun. Its kind of like turning over when youre sunbathing, he explained.

At the time of Coopers testimony in January 2018, Mountain Valley was arguing that it needed immediate possession of nearly 300 properties through eminent domain, the legal tactic the pipeline turned to after landowners in its path refused to sell easements.

Judge Elizabeth Dillon gave the company control of the land it wanted. But its plan at the time, to finish work on the pipeline by the end of 2018, did not happen.

Waiting for the ramp-up

Construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline is still emerging from a winter lull, when cold weather largely limited work to controlling erosion and sedimentation along the 125-foot-wide right of way that runs through six Virginia counties.

About 400 people are currently working on the project in Virginia, Cox said. Construction is expected to ramp up this month, and more than 2,000 workers are expected by later in the summer.

But while Mountain Valley is allowed to dig trenches and bury the pipe in areas away from water bodies, it still lacks permission from the Army Corps to cross more than 1,000 streams and wetlands in its path.

After the Nationwide Permit 12 was suspended last October, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection modified some of its conditions, including doing away with a 72-hour time limit to cross major rivers under certain circumstances  a requirement the 4th Circuit had ruled was improperly overlooked by the Army Corps.

On April 24, the Department of Environmental Protection submitted modifications that must now be approved by the EPA and the Army Corps before a new permit can be issued. A review by the EPA is still underway, a spokeswoman said.

The Army Corps must also approve the changes. After that, the Corps has a goal of deciding on Nationwide Permit applications within 60 days. But we cannot predict how long the process may take on any specific project since each is unique, said Chuck Minsker, a spokesman for the agency.

Even before Mountain Valley lost its stream-crossing permit, the company said last August that it would not complete the pipeline until the end of 2019  one year later than its earlier projection. The delay came after FERC issued a stop-work order based on the 4th Circuits decision to throw out the permit to cross the Jefferson National Forest.

Even though it must now regain two key permits, Mountain Valley says it still hopes to finish the pipeline this year. But two partners in the joint venture and a financial analyst following the project say it will likely be next year before the company can sort out its regulatory problems and complete the job.

Wiped out

Although opponents still hope to stop the pipeline, the damage has already been done for Carolyn and Ian Reilly.

The Reillys decided last year to cease operations at their Four Corners Farm in Franklin County, which has been cut up by the pipeline. Like the Bernards, the Reillys can see a section of the pipe in the water that fills a trench on their land.

After moving from the farm last fall  Carolyn Reilly declined to say where they went, other than they are still in the region  the Reillys recently talked about their decision to give up a biological livestock operation they started eight years ago.

While her parents and farm co-owners Betty and Dave Werner continue to live near the property, Carolyn Reilly said it became clear that its mission of land stewardship and restorative-based agriculture was no longer possible in the path of an industrial giant.

A lot of blood, sweat and tears have been poured out on this land. We had steadily developed and grew our small family farm business, Ian Reilly said.

Now? So much of our familys effort was wiped out almost overnight.

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.Reina Vazquez moved to Southwood Mobile Home Park in Charlottesville 11 years ago when her second child was only a few weeks old because it was the only home she could afford. The 39-year-old mother of two likes that it is a calm place to live, even though her trailer has minimal heating.

Since Vazquez moved to the United States 15 years ago, shes wanted nothing more than to own a house. Opportunity-zone funding may make Vazquezs wish a reality.

I always told my children that someday wed have a house, said Vazquez who works at a dry cleaners. Now my children wont have to be so cold.

Southwood is in one of the 8,700 opportunity zones designated as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Opportunity zones are economically distressed neighborhoods. The new program is intended to spur development in these communities by increasing investment through tax incentives. Anyone who sells an investment at a profit can defer the capital gains tax on the sale if the proceeds are put into a fund that invests in an opportunity zone.

The reason Southwood was selected by the state as an opportunity zone is not only because it has a 33% poverty rate and 6% unemployment rate. There also was a plan in place to transform it.

Back in 2007, Habitat for Humanity purchased Southwood with the intention of redeveloping it into a mixed-income neighborhood while at the same time promising no residents would be displaced. It was not the first time the organization known for building affordable housing took on the role of a developer. Three years earlier, Habitat embarked on a similar plan at Sunrise, a smaller trailer park in Charlottesville.

Around 2004 or so, we were looking at opportunities to move from a builder to a developer-builder, largely because of the cost of land here in Charlottesville, said Dan Rosensweig, president and chief executive of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville.

Habitats success at Sunrise  believed to be the first time a trailer park was transformed into a mixed-income community without displacing residents  gave it the confidence to move forward on Southwood. First opened in the 1950s, Southwood is tucked into a southwest corner of Charlottesville near Interstate 64. The 120-acre enclave is home to 1,500 residents, largely Latino, in 341 trailers.

By the time Habitat purchased Southwood, it was run down with aging trailers and failing infrastructure.

Honestly, it was kind of a mess, Rosensweig said. There was sewage bubbling up out of ground into peoples trailers. There were electrical fires. ... [But] when you look past the obvious, when you look past the failing infrastructure and crumbling trailers, you see something thats really worth preserving.

Habitat invested close to $20 million in repairs to stabilize the community before it even started talking to the residents about redesigning it. About 200 of the 340 families participated in the redevelopment discussions, but a core group of 40 families were the most active.

They set the vision, Rosensweig said. They actually learned and were trained in architecture, engineering and financing. Our goal was to stand back and support the residents as they made a plan of development.

Vazquez was part of that group. She has enjoyed sharing her opinions about the project. She never misses a meeting and has invited several of her neighbors to come along.

People are excited, she said, adding that she and other members of the community were skeptical at first. Some of them say that they have been hearing about this for years, and that its all lies. But now they see the posters and they know its real.

Joann Pugh, 68, also attends the meetings even though she no longer lives in Southwood. Pugh, who lived there for 25 years, moved out a year ago after a problem with her furnace led to smoke damage in her trailer.

When we went to the meetings, they asked us different questions, and everybody wanted the same thing, Pugh said. Everybody wanted a nice place for your family.

Unlike Vazquez, Pugh doesnt want to buy a home.

I told them we need apartments, Pugh said. Thats what I would like to have. I want senior citizen [apartments].

Plans are to create 800 residential units with more than half of them affordable. Habitat will build most of the low-income housing. Developers will build market-rate housing. Another key aspect of the redevelopment is to give residents access to a business development consultant who can help them start their own businesses such as a restaurant or a beauty salon in the neighborhood.

Although groundbreaking remains a year away, the opportunity-zone funding has accelerated Southwoods transformation. According to Rosensweig, one of the developers in the project told him that opportunity-zone funding stimulated the early investment in the project, allowing them to build structured rather than surface parking, thus creating more green space for residents. It also allowed them to design rowhouses that better fit the residents vision for the community.

Despite these benefits, Rosensweig remains skeptical of opportunity zones.

By and large, I think a lot of opportunity-zone investment is going to bring about gentrification, he said. I think theres a lot thats right about the OZ. Certainly, theres enough incentive. Oftentimes, there are government programs that dont create enough incentive to make things happen. The OZ is creating a ton of incentive.EDUCATION

Dr. Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, president and provost of the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, was selected to receive the inaugural Outstanding Leadership Award from the Virginia Network for Women in Higher Education.

Ed Jones, Virginia Cooperative Extension director, was named chair of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, the representative leadership and governing body of Cooperative Extension and an arm of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

FINANCIAL

Brown Edwards & Co. LLP announced the admission of Kelli Vance, CPA, to the partnership. Anthony Carpenter, Emily Signorelli, Megan Meador and Clarence Rhudy, all CPAs, have become directors.

ORGANIZATIONS

Kaitlyn Van Buskirk has been hired as grants associate with Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia.

Council of Community Services announced that Anne Marie Green has been hired as president and Alison Jorgensen has been promoted to vice president of planning.

OTHER

Hidden Valley Country Club announced that Amanda Ulrich has been named executive chef and Annemarie Zoller has been hired as events and communications manager.

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.Part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was a provision known as Opportunity Zones that was designed to significantly boost the fortunes of low-income communities. Like many previous government tax-incentive efforts to spark investment in distressed areas, the provision offers tax benefits to those who invest in these neighborhoods. Some experts say it will significantly boost their fortunes, but others arent as enthusiastic.

Governors in all 50 states and five U.S. territories have designated opportunity zones  more than 8,700 in total. The size of the program has the potential to dwarf earlier attempts to encourage investment in poor neighborhoods, such as the enterprise zone programs begun in the 1980s.

The sheer size of it is transformative, says John Bailey, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Unlike past programs, tax benefits are unlimited. But there are experts who worry that some of the investment may not benefit the intended targets.

The opportunity-zone incentive is most attractive [to investors] where assets are appreciating most, says Brett Theodos, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute. Where is that happening? Its in zones approaching gentrification. It could be that the lions share of investment goes to a minority of zones.

Another concern is that residents of an opportunity zone may not have the skills to work in the business created there, such as a technology company. John Lettieri, president of the Economic Innovation Group, a District of Columbia research organization that helped develop the program, doesnt disagree. But he points out the tech company creates demand for other businesses  coffee shops, restaurants, dry cleaners  that can employ people within the community.

There are also skeptics of legislating social policy through the tax code.

Its not totally ineffective, but its only marginally effective, says Richard Rampell, a principal at the accounting firm MBAF in Palm Beach, Florida. It helps a few places, but mostly creates more regulation and work for parasites like me.

About a dozen places in the Roanoke-Blacksburg region were declared opportunity zones last year. The zones overlay places that are urban, such as downtown Roanoke including the Jefferson Street corridor and all or parts of the downtowns of Blacksburg, Bedford and Covington; rural, including large expanses in Bedford, Franklin, Giles and Pulaski counties; and industrial. These include present-day business parks, such as the Roanoke Centre for Industry and Technology and Salems Commerce Park, and farmland parcels designated for industrial development, such as Summit View Business Park near Rocky Mount.

With thousands of such zones nationwide, its not going to be easy to attract the attention of investors to the local zones without a strong marketing effort, according to Beth Doughty, who directs the Roanoke Regional Partnership. Her team is working up an online presentation that could become a section of the partnerships website.

The gold standard for such presentations includes a menu of potential development sites within each zone, along with project types best suited for them, as was done by Louisville, Kentucky, she said. Louisville calls its strategy A Platform for Action and presents 48 pages of maps, descriptions and ideas along with community background and contact information.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said his administration is also developing a statewide guide to the federally designated zones and will be aided in the effort by Virginia Community Capital, a statewide community development financial institution with a Christiansburg office. Preliminary information shows there is interest in the Roanoke Valley, New River Valley and Alleghany Highlands Opportunity Zones, but the potential transactions are still being incubated by VCC, said Amand Love, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The interest is focused on both real estate and business growth projects, Love said.

The way the program works is that if someone sells an investment at a profit, he or she can defer the capital gains tax on that sale by placing the proceeds into a fund that invests in an opportunity zone.

The tax obligation can be put off until December 2026. It will be reduced by 10% if the investor holds on to the opportunity-zone fund investment for more than five years and by 15% if he keeps it for more than seven years. If the investor maintains possession of the opportunity-zone fund stake for more than 10 years, he faces no capital gains tax on any subsequent sale of his stake.

The aim is to encourage investors to place money in areas that urgently need investment. Bailey contends thats exactly what will happen.

This will help not just cities, but a lot of rural and suburban areas will benefit, too, he says. This will really be transformative for communities in the heartland that havent had access to capital and havent participated in the economic recovery.

Theodos isnt so sure.

Will this program accomplish good? Yes. Will it cause harm? Yes, he says. Whats the balance between the two? Im not sure.

He notes some opportunity zones arent distressed, such as Long Island City, Queens, the area in New York City where Amazon considered establishing a headquarters. But the programs proponents say zones like that are few and far between.

There are some that wouldnt be my choice, but 95%-plus stand up to scrutiny, Lettieri says.

The average poverty rate in the opportunity zones is 29%, nearly double what it is for the United States as a whole (15%).

Less than 4% of opportunity zones show signs of gentrification, according to EIG and Urban Institute research, Lettieri says. The groups define gentrification as a phenomenon occurring in metropolitan areas with surging population growth of non-Hispanic whites, soaring median household income and high poverty rates.

Bailey says the areas designated as opportunity zones are starved for capital. About 75% of venture capital goes to three states, according to various estimates: California, New York and Massachusetts. Philanthropic support also is highly concentrated in just a few urban areas, he says.

Because many communities havent recovered from the Great Recession, investments in opportunity zones have strong potential, Lettieri notes.

Several projects are already in the pipeline.

Habitat for Humanity purchased a mobile home park in Charlottesville in 2007 and, with the help of opportunity-zone funding, plans to offer 800 units of housing, more than half of which will be affordable. Residents who want to start a business may be able to rent commercial space free.

Newark, New Jersey developer RBH Group has launched a fund to build housing for teachers and other social impact-related projects in cities around the country. RBH has had success with a similar project in Newark called Teachers Village.

An opportunity-zone fund, which includes East Chicago Gateway Partnership as a lead investor, plans to develop 225 acres of a 440-acre brownfield between Chicago and Gary, Indiana, that has been listed as a hazardous-waste site since 1997 into a logistics and distribution hub.

Hypothesis Ventures, a Los Angeles-based venture capital firm, has an opportunity-zone fund to invest in early-stage technology start-ups around the country. The possibilities include financial technology, health-care technology, agricultural technology, artificial intelligence and enterprise software. Hypothesis Managing Partner Peter Brack says the fund is looking at geographical areas that have less access to investment and are often overlooked by Silicon Valley firms.

The HBCU (historically black college and university) Community Development Action Coalition and Renaissance Equity Partners, a community economic development advisory firm in the District, have formed a joint venture. The Renaissance HBCU Opportunity Fund, which is expected to raise $50 million, hopes to finance development of mixed-use projects on or near HBCU campuses.

MidCity, a Bethesda, Maryland, real estate and development firm, obtained approval for a 108-unit apartment building in the Langdon neighborhood of Northeast Washington. The Opportunity Zone designation allows MidCity to drive substantial capital into an economically distressed area, spurring economic development and job creation, and creating new housing and affordable units where there are none presently, Stephanie Liotta-Atkinson, a MidCity executive vice president, said in a statement.

One challenge for the opportunity-zone program is matching projects with investment funds interested in financing them, Bailey says. Projects can list themselves on a platform called the Opportunity Exchange so that they can be seen by funds looking to invest.

That will be powerful, Bailey says.

The Internal Revenue Service defines an opportunity fund as an investment vehicle set up as either a partnership or a corporation for investing in eligible property that is located in an opportunity zone. Experts say the flexibility opportunity-zone funds have to invest in any kind of project represents a strength of the program.

Thats a radical departure from past programs, which tended to focus on real estate, Lettieri says. There are plans for clean energy, technology, restaurants, storefronts of all kinds, health-care clinics, industrial investments, in addition to real estate of all kinds. Investments will be relevant to communities of all sizes, he says.

But Donald Hinkle-Brown, president of Reinvestment Fund, a community development financial institution, says flexibility doesnt guarantee success. There are a lot of different ways to invest that qualify for opportunity-zone funds with a range of helpfulness, he says. Some are unhelpful, some are neutral and some can be very impactful for disadvantaged communities and their residents.

To achieve success, investors must coordinate with local groups, Hinkle-Brown says.

Its incumbent on local nonprofits and governments to curate a portfolio of investments thats impactful, he says.

The fact that there is no standard of what an opportunity-zone investment should look like makes things difficult, he says.

Hinkle-Brown admires the sentiment behind the program.

Its well-intentioned, but no particular outcome is required, he says. Its an awareness builder, and we have to build as much attention out of that as we can.

He and some others are concerned the program might not do a lot for many low-income people.

Its investment in proximity of the poor, but not necessarily for the benefit of the poor, Hinkle-Brown says.

He and others point out that businesses forming in opportunity zones may not hire from the neighborhood, and that the businesses products might not be consumed by those who live in the neighborhood.

Projects might be insulated from their neighborhoods.

Economic development is different than community development, Hinkle-Brown says.

Theodos says the differences among zones play into this dynamic.

For a community without a gas station or grocery stores, almost any investment is likely to be good, he says. Alternatively, when youre looking at an area like Anacostia [in Washington, D.C], where the median household income is $35,000, two-thirds are renters and displacement is plausible, bringing subsidized federal capital to produce upscale, unaffordable housing doesnt seem like a good scenario.

As the program plays out over the next 10 years  opportunity-zone designations expire Dec. 31, 2028  Theodos anticipates modifications.

I hope we take a much more targeted approach, so we can much more closely ensure we are getting community benefits, he says. We could allow incentives only for affordable housing, rather than all housing and only for businesses with ownerships that are disadvantaged.

Lettieri shrugs off the criticism.

We already are seeing a lot of investment far away from the low-hanging fruit, he says. Whats pushing residents out of low-income neighborhoods is poverty and decline, not opportunity-zone investments, he says. Thats what we should focus on: how to break that cycle. Some of that is a new mix of economic opportunities.

Bailey says opportunity zones are worth a shot.

Weve tried to address this through government grant programs for over 50 years with limited success, he says. If that worked, we wouldnt have these distressed communities. We need something new to reach them.

Staff writer Jeff Sturgeon contributed information to this report.Hard feelings seem to persist over the voting process used in Tuesdays Republican firehouse primary for the Roanoke County supervisor seat in the Windsor Hills magisterial district.

David Radford handily defeated RoxAnne Christley in that contest, although she by far raised more campaign money. The party-run primary was tantamount to a general election because Roanoke County Democrats fielded no candidate and no independents met the filing deadline to run.

But a number of would-be voters got turned away. At one point during the balloting, Roanoke County police responded to the Brambleton Center, the polling place. At another point, a voter cursed at Ken Srpan, a GOP official who oversaw the election. Hes also chairman of the Roanoke County Electoral Board.

The lingering anger stems from Roanoke County Republicans requiring voters to sign a loyalty oath. Titled Republican Party Canvass Statement of Intent, it sought voters names, street and email addresses and signatures.

Voters also were required to check boxes alongside these statements:

n I am in accord with the principles of the Republican Party; and

n I intend to support the Republican nominees for the House of Delegates, Senate of Virginia, local constitutional officers, and Board of Supervisors in the Nov. 5, 2019 general election.

Voters who had cast ballots in a Democratic primary within the past five years were additionally required to check this box:

n I have participated in the nomination process of another political party within the past 5 years, but hereby RENOUNCE my affiliation with any political party other than the Republican Party.

Unlike many states, in Virginia, no voters register by party label and all primaries are open to any registered voter. The so-called loyalty oaths are common in partisan primaries, because both Democrats and Republicans want to dissuade partisans on the other side from interfering in their nominations. The pledges arent used in general elections.

While the forms are legal in party primaries, theyre also totally unenforceable. They really arent worth the paper theyre printed on.

The pledges dont usually cause huge controversy, because most party-run primaries are low-turnout affairs. But in this case, advertising by both Christley and Radford apparently hyped interest and spurred more voters to the polls.

Advertising for neither campaign noted the contest was a Republican primary, Srpan said.

Christley ran ads on television, radio and electronic billboards, he added.

She literally invited all voters in Windsor Hills to vote for her, Srpan said. She made it sound like it was a general election.

Some voters were turned away because they lived in the Cave Spring magisterial district or the city of Roanoke, county Republican Chairman Dan Webb said. Other Windsor Hills residents voting in their first party-run primary were shocked and confused by the pledge.

Two guys met me before I got in the door, said Patricia Quigley, who told me she showed up intending to vote for Christley. They said, you cannot vote, unless you sign this piece of paper.

I told them, Im not a Republican,  Quigley said. It was a Republican propaganda-type piece of paper. ... Im an old woman and Ive never seen anything like this before.

She refused to sign and left angry  and later called me.

Another unhappily surprised voter was Gerry McCarthy. The 68-year-old ex-Marine told me he took his 12-year-old grandson with him as a civics lesson. The kid sure got one: Roanoke County police ended up responding after his grandfather put up a minor fuss.

They just blatantly said, No, you cant vote unless I checked those boxes off, said McCarthy, who jokingly described himself as a trouble-making Yankee. He moved here from Massachusetts in the 1970s.

Essentially, you have to assure them in writing youll be a perpetual supporter of the Republican Party, McCarthy said. I had to lie to vote. He refused to do that.

McCarthy said he told officials at the Brambleton Center he wasnt leaving until he cast a ballot and that they should call police. Webb verified that account. McCarthy ended up leaving after the police arrived, without voting.

I even told [Radford, who was at the Brambleton Center] I tried to vote for you, but they wouldnt let me vote,  McCarthy said. I had to maintain my Irish temper because I had my grandson with me.

Roanoke County resident Vaneta McAlexander told me in an email the pledge made me feel like I was living in Germany in the 1930s.

Perhaps the oddest story I heard was from Donna Hoffman, a retired schoolteacher in Windsor Hills. Before the election, she placed a Radford sign in her yard. When she showed up Tuesday at the Brambleton Center, Hoffman reluctantly signed the pledge.

Hoffman told me she considers herself an independent, but added, I support Republican Party principles  pre-Trump.

In the voting area inside, she gave her signed pledge to one of the election judges, Dane McBride, with whom shes been close friends for 35 years. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, McBride contributed $395 to Christleys campaign.

He said, As your friend, I wont let you compromise your integrity,  Hoffman told me. Dane decided I should not compromise my integrity. He walked me out. Hoffman said her friend, Kitty DeLapp, wouldnt sign, so she couldnt vote, either.

McBride told me: I think very highly of [Hoffman]. I know shes been a Democrat for all these years. ... I did not tell Donna she could not vote. I left it to her integrity. I told her I hated to see her compromise her integrity.

McBride told me that what he said to Hoffman had nothing to do with his support for Christley.

I had the same conversation with another person I knew who was planning to vote for RoxAnne, McBride said.

Its unclear, however, whether the statement of intent fully achieved its goal.

I will tell you, McBride added, a lot of Democrats came out and voted Tuesday.

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.Hundreds of people came out for an afternoon of dancing, eating and prayer as the Roanoke Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference held its 15th annual Juneteenth celebration at Washington Park on Saturday .

The holiday commemorates the final slaves learning of their freedom in Texas on June 19, 1865, about two months after significant Civil War fighting had ended. The day has been celebrated ever since.

Roanokes celebration welcomes everyone in an effort to spread unity and solidarity within the community, according to event coordinator and SCLC treasurer Brenda Keeling.

This event is a chance for people of all walks of life to come together and enjoy a day of fun and festivities with one another, she said. Everything is free and everyone is invited.

Items for the event were donated from businesses like Walmart, whose employees could be seen handing out plates of chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and other foods.

Keeling said the event takes months to plan but it is always worth it in the end.

Look at all these people out here celebrating and enjoying each others company. This is what community is all about, she said.

Gospel rappers performed and attendees mingled with one another to celebrate the progress that has been achieved since Martin Luther King Jr. founded the SCLC in 1957.

Chapter president and founder of the Roanoke branch Perneller Chubb-Wilson, 85, said that the gathering is a celebration of the emancipation of slaves but also the life and work of MLK.

Isnt it beautiful seeing so many different types of people out here celebrating their community? she said. While we have come so far, there is still a lot of work to be done before we achieve equality for all people.

Chubb-Wilson is a lifelong Roanoke resident who lived through segregation and even had the opportunity to meet King in Danville, she said.

He was an amazing man and carrying out his vision of equality for all is something Ive always been compelled to fight for, she said.

Chubb-Wilson said that even as her health deteriorates, she is still committed to the Roanoke SCLC, which has nearly 150 members and is committed to helping those in need.

Roanoke residents Ann and Garnet Armstrong attended their first Juneteenth celebration in the city this year and said they were impressed with the tight-knit feel of the event.

This is a great way to meet people and it is a wonderful thing to see something like this in the community, Garnet Armstrong said. I think its great that so many people donate their time and supplies to make this event happen.

Chubb-Wilson said that she hopes the event continues long after she is gone.

I have a great group of people in the organization that I trust and I know they will carry on this wonderful tradition for many years to come, she said.

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.By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Some 20 touts were arrested and e-tickets worth Rs 11.6 lakh seized during day-long raids conducted by RPF personnel as Operation Thunder on e-touting (touting of railway tickets booked online) at 20 different locations of South Central Railway (SCR) zone on Thursday.

In a press release on Saturday, SCR said 20 locations in Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Khammam, Vijayawada, Bhimavaram, Nellore, Guntur, Narasaraopet, Nanded and Aurangabad were raided. Some 896 e-tickets 122 live and 774 used e-tickets with total worth of Rs 11.6 lakh were seized and 20 touts arrested.The Radford Army Ammunition Plant was cited by federal safety regulators for numerous serious violations following a flash fire that left one worker dead and two seriously injured last year.

The Roanoke Times requested the report from the U.S. Department of Labor following another fire at the arsenal on June 6. It occurred almost a year after the June 11, 2018, deadly accident, and less than an hour after Lt. Col. James Scott turned over command of the plant to Lt. Col. Anthony Kazor.

BAE Systems, a private company that contracts with the Army to make the propellant produced at the plant, employed all three of the men involved in the 2018 incident. Andrew Goad, 42, of Dublin, died less than a week after the incident from burn-related injuries. The other two men who sustained injuries were Dakota Grimmett and Travis Mitchell.

BAE spokesperson Chris Finley wrote in an email last week that the companys investigation team finished its report on the incident earlier this year but it has yet to be published and will not be available to the public when it is finalized.

BAE Systems cannot publicly release the documents because they contain proprietary information. However, the investigation concluded that while the exact cause of the accident cannot be determined, it likely resulted from a unique set of conditions, and in addition to other measures, processes were modified to prevent future occurrences, he wrote.

A report from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration of an investigation that began two days after the fire was released on Dec. 10, citing multiple violations and recommending $112,711 in penalties be paid by the arsenal.

OSHA automatically investigates any instances that result in workplace fatalities.

The following is a list of violations OSHA deemed likely to cause death or serious physical harm to arsenal employees. Many violations took place in the building where the accident occurred:

Screen tears inside the air drying tanks were not recognized and repaired, exposing employees to potential fire and explosion hazards. A $12,934 penalty was recommended.

An employee working over a tank did not have protection from falling into a three-foot-wide, six-foot-deep hole. A $7,391 penalty was recommended.

Air drying hazards were not followed or addressed, such as sensitivity to friction, shock and impact. And wooden push-down paddles were used to remove residual propellant from air dry tanks. A $12,934 penalty was recommended.

Written instructions on how to use wooden push-down paddles to remove residual propellant from air dry tanks was not available to employees. A $12,934 penalty was recommended.

An employee designated as a group leader in the air drying facility did not receive proper training. A $12,934 penalty was recommended.

Employees were not given the proper suits needed when dealing with propellant that reacts violently to friction, shock, impact and electrostatic discharge. A $12,934 penalty was recommended.

Personal protective equipment were not designed and constructed for the work being performed. A $12,934 penalty was recommended.

The employer did not evaluate the respiratory hazards in the workplace. A $9,239 penalty was recommended.

The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employees ability to use a respirator before the employee was required to use it in the workplace. A $7,391 penalty was recommended.

Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit-tested prior to initial use of the respirator. A $11,086 penalty was recommended.

Finley wrote in an email that BAE shared its findings with OSHA.

We provided the results and conclusions of the investigation to the Army and OSHA, who evaluated it as part of their own investigative efforts. BAE Systems worked with the Army and OSHA to implement all of the improvements from the various investigations that included improvements to equipment, procedures, and training. OSHA also issued citations to the company and BAE Systems paid more than $80,000 as part of a final agreement. OSHA endorsed the procedural modifications implemented by the company while closing out their report, he wrote.

Finley wrote that it was not a conflict of interest for BAE to conduct its own investigation, because many other agencies were also involved in the process. All of the other teams involved in the investigation besides OSHA and BAE were affiliated with the army, which oversees the arsenals operations.

The Department of Labor has yet to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request verifying the arsenals account of its reaction to the OSHA report.

Finley gave an updateabout the status of those injured in the most recent fire at the arsenal.

All individuals were released from the hospital on the same date of the incident that occurred at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant on June 6. We continue working with the Army and the relevant authorities to carry out a thorough investigation to determine the cause, he wrote.

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.By George F. Will

WASHINGTON  The earnest improvers at the College Board, which administers the SAT, should ponder Abraham Maslows law of the instrument. In 1966, Maslow, a psychologist, said essentially this: If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. The College Board wants to solve a complex social problem that it and its test are unsuited to solve.

The College Board has embraced a dubious idea that might have the beneficial effect of prompting college admissions officers to think of better ideas for broadening their pool of applicants. The idea is to add to the scores of some test-takers an environmental context bonus. Strangely, board president David Coleman told the Wall Street Journals Daniel Henninger that this is not, as the media has named it, an adversity index. But it is: It purports to measure 15 factors (e.g., poverty or food-stamp eligibility, crime rates, disorderly schools, broken families, families with education deficits, etc.) where these test-takers are situated. Coleman more convincingly says to The New York Times: This is about finding young people who do a great deal with what theyve been given.

Perhaps the boards evident discomfort with the label adversity score is because their more benign-sounding environmental context gives a social-science patina to the obverse of a category (and political accusation) currently in vogue, that of privilege. By whatever name, however, the SATs new metric is another step down the path of identity politics, assigning applicants to groups and categories, and another step away from evaluating individuals individually. But if the adversity metric becomes a substitute for schools emphasizing race, this will be an improvement on explicit racial categories that become implicit quotas.

The SAT was created partly to solve the problem of inequitable standards in college admissions. They too often rewarded nonacademic attributes (e.g., legacies  the children of alumni). And they facilitated the intergenerational transmission of inherited privileges. Most importantly, they were used to disfavor certain groups, particularly Jews.

By making an objective  meaning standardized  test one component of schools assessments of applicants, it advanced the American ideal of a meritocracy open to all talents. However, it has always been the schools prerogative to decide the importance of the SAT component relative to others. And as diversity (understood in various ways) becomes an increasing preoccupation of schools, the SAT becomes decreasingly important.

Any adversity index derived from this or that social context, however refined, will be an extremely crude instrument for measuring  guessing, actually  the academic prospects of individuals in those contexts. It might, however, be a good gauge of character. Physicists speak of the escape velocity of particles circling in an orbit. Perhaps the adversity index can indicate individuals who, by their resilience, have achieved velocity out of challenging social environments.

But the SAT is a flimsy tool for shaping the world of social inertia. Articulate, confident parents from the professions will transmit cultural advantages to their children, advantages that, as the SAT will record them, are apt to dwarf adversity bonuses. As Andrew Ferguson, author of the grimly hilarious Crazy U: One Dads Crash Course in Getting His Kid into College, says, Americas least diverse classes are SAT prep classes.

The Chicago Tribune warns, plausibly, that the secret-sauce of the SATs adversity score  schools will know it, applicants will not  will breed more public mistrust of colleges admissions processes. But calling, as the Tribune does, for more transparency implies that the more admissions criteria are made public, the better. However, private deliberations and criteria about applicants protect the applicants privacy interests. Furthermore, asserting a public interest in maximum transparency encourages government supervision of  and the inevitable shrinking of  schools discretion in shaping their student bodies, and ensuring that some cohorts are not largely excluded.

Unquestionably, such discretion often is employed in unsavory ways to serve academias fluctuating diversity obsessions, some of which contravene common understandings of equity and perhaps civil rights laws and norms. Soon a Boston court will render a decision, probably destined for Supreme Court review, in the case concerning Harvards holistic metrics, beyond objective ones (secondary school transcripts, standardized tests), for  it is alleged  the purpose of restricting the admission of Asian Americans. They, like the Jews whose academic proficiency was a problem eight decades ago, often come from family cultures that stress academic attainments.

Caution, however, is in order. Further breaking higher education to the saddle of the state is an imprudent (and, which is much the same thing, unconservative) objective.

Will is a columnist for The Washington Post Writers Group.The AP story (May 17) about a name change for Jefferson Davis Highway in Arlington County says it would happen soon. The article further states that Davis had no known connection to Northern Virginia. Thats incorrect. Jefferson Davis was President of the Confederate States of America, which included all of Virginia. He served 12 years as a Congressman and Senator from Mississippi and four years as Secretary of War during President Franklin Pierces administration. Davis young wife Varina was criticized by Southern ladies for preferring the liveliness of the nations capital to the isolation of a Mississippi plantation.

Davis, named by his Revolutionary War father for Thomas Jefferson, was a Constitutional scholar who pointed out the fact the Constitution did not forbid secession of states. According to the AP article, He was accused of treason after the Civil War and was imprisoned but was released without trial. Why no trial? Perhaps because he never attempted or desired to overthrow the U.S. government, and secession was not a crime in the original Constitution.

Davis was elderly, sick and suffering from wounds sustained in the Mexican-American War when he was imprisoned in a damp enclosure at Fort Monroe and put in leg irons. Outraged Northern public opinion brought about a less cruel confinement, but he remained at Fort Monroe for two more years.

Truly, for whom would removal of Jefferson Davis name be a gain? No one. Resentment would be fueled of course. Further, the erasure of a major figure in American history would leave questions unasked. Why did Davis call the day he resigned from the U.S. Senate the saddest day of [his] life? Why did Davis accept the presidency of a new nation when this former U.S. War Secretary knew exactly what kind of overwhelming military power the U.S. held? For others and for the future, the chance to study and learn about a major figure in American history has been diminished in a climate of irrational hatred. Tragic.

GAIL TANSILL LAMBERT

ROANOKEI would like to thank Dan Casey for all of the Hokie jokes. I agree with him on a mediocre team going to a bowl game. But there are more than Speculative mineral exploration licences was a recurring theme from presentations made by three players in Botswana mining industry at a conference convened in Gaborone.

The country has issued thousands of exploration licences, across the mining industry, but the majority of them are said to be gathering dust.

Botswana is the second largest diamond producer in the world after Russia.

Rough & Polisheds Mathew Nyaungwa, who attended the conference, has put together the comments made by Pangolin Diamonds chief executive Leon Daniels, Botswana Chamber of Mines chief executive Charles Siwawa and Botswana Minister of mineral resources, Green technology and energy security Eric Molale.

Below are the excerpts.





Pangolin Diamonds chief executive Leon Daniels

Since January 2019, Pangolin has collected more than 500 soil samples per month, has conducted more geological surveys than 90% of other diamond exploration companies combined. The law does not provide for you to sell an exploration licence.

My impression is that many of these licence holders believe that they are millionaires the moment that blue document slides out of the brown envelope, I am a millionaire. Well if that is the case, I have 14 licences I should be a millionaire 14 times, so am asking you, why am I driving a 1997 [Toyota Corolla] Runx automatic second-hand Japanese car? Do you think I am a millionaire? It doesnt work like that.

Your obligation when you have that licence is to put money in the ground. I presume you met the actual requirements, you showed that you have the financial resources and you showed that you have the technical ability in order to get that licence. So, my question is if you have shown that you have the financial resources and you have shown you have the technical ability, so why are you not doing the work?

So, the effect of you not doing the work first of all is you sterilize potential good ground that somebody who wants to explore cannot explore and therefore you are precluding the discovery being made. Is that in the national interest?

You cry for employment because nobody, not even a person with a shovel picking up the sand is being employed. We have many jobless geologists and yet we have over 70 companies supposedly doing exploration and they can employ the entire class.

There are no discoveries because you are not exploring. You cant find a kimberlite if you dont have boots on the ground. I am one of the few people in this country that have experience. Looking at the future of kimberlite discoveries, you need experience. You cannot out of the blues know what to do.





Botswana Chamber of Mines chief executive Charles Siwawa

We need to eliminate speculative exploration licences  to achieve more contribution from the mining space.

Having a mineral exploration licence is not in itself adding value whatsoever to the economy of the country.

I want to emphasize here that we need to take those exploration licences to mining licenses. Mining contribution to the GDP can return to 1990 level of 45% from the current 15-16%, if the exploration licences issued in the country were to be turned into mining licences.

The conversion of exploration licences to mining licences and focus on re-opening the mines on care and maintenanceshould be able to see some growth in terms of contribution to the GDP.

If we put more revenue on the table, we can achieve more [for] our economy.

The industry should be self-regulating we dont want a situation whereby the government starts introducing very punitive measures on people who are not doing what they should do with their exploration licences.





Botswana Minister of mineral resources, Green technology and energy security Eric Molale

My ministry continues to give out mining exploration licences, but comparatively very little success is being recorded in terms of realizing positive results.

It would appear many licences fall into hands of speculators who have very little interest in ensuring that results are achieved.

I can only appeal to all of us to renounce from the industry such unwelcome tendencies and practices.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished, from Gaborone, Botswana



Punjab CM

Chandigarh, June 15: Urging Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to ensure all necessary steps to provide protection to Punjabi settlers in the North-Eastern state, Captain Amarinder has decided to immediately rush a four-member delegation to the state to resolve the issues concerning the settlers. The delegation, to be headed by Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, will meet the CMand other concerned people in Meghalaya, an official spokesperson said here on Saturday.

The delegation will include MPs Ravneet Singh Bittu and Jasbir Singh Gill, along with MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid. DS Mangat, Special Secretary, Planning, has also been directed to accompany the delegation, which the Chief Secretary has been asked to coordinate.The directions come amid media reports that the settlers have received threats from certain local banned terrorist organizations warning them of dire consequences if they resisted the State Governments attempts to evict them.

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These reports have naturally caused great concern back in Punjab as these families have been settled in Shillong long before the countrys independence, said Captain 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 stressed the need for it to be carefully and amicably resolved to the satisfaction of all parties. He said it was important that the issue not be allowed to acquire a religious or parochial colour.

In his letter, Captain Amarinder referred to the visit to Meghalaya last year by a Punjab delegation headed by Cooperation Minister to meet the Chief Minister on the same issue. The delegation had also met the settlers as well as other officials in the Government and was assured by all quarters that due regard would be taken not to displace them.Coworking is a concept that is continuously gaining ground in Luxembourg and elsewhere. Whether you're a freelancer, starting your own business, or a creative needing a space with like-minded individuals, there are a significant amount of coworking spaces offered in Luxembourg.

Those who have freelanced are likely familiar with spending time in coffee shops, libraries, and other places that offer free wifi, but are limited in other regards. The hours may not be as flexible, you don't have printing facilities, or you run the risk of not finding a space on an especially busy day.

The idea of coworking involves a shared workplace alongside independent activity and allows people who may not have a traditional office space to have somewhere they can base their professional activities at.

Over the past few years, the number of coworking facilities in Luxembourg has grown exponentially, all catering to different needs. Coworking remains inherently flexible - you can shop around for somewhere that fits your needs and avoid paying out for a full office space when you just require a desk.

We've put together a list of some coworking spaces in Luxembourg which is by no means exhaustive, but should provide an idea of the different strengths each coworking space has. Most coworking spaces are happy to offer trial days to prospective users, so it is always worth contacting the space in advance if you're interested.

The creative option - Bamhaus

Bamhaus's emphasis is on community and the creative. Housing both a brand and a non-profit association, this creative workspace also offers cultural events for residents and other freelancers. Bamhaus offers the traditional coworking spaces, but also has a range of options designed for more creative freelancers, such as a recording room, a cinema, a 'maker space', and more. Bamhaus is based in Dommeldange and has a trendy and hipster vibe.

Packages range from daily passes to resident passes and Bamhaus allows interested freelancers to indicate which facilities they would be interested in. Base services offered are free wifi, a desk in a shared space, and kitchen facilities. Cheaper and limited packages come with limited Monday to Friday hours, whereas the resident pass allows 24/7 access. Resident passes start at 250 and monthly passes - allowing 20 days' access - are at the 350 mark.

The flexible option - Wishbox

Wishbox, based in Bereldange, is above all a flexible option. The coworking business emphasises its space as somewhere to work on your own, but also to team up with others. Wishbox also offers administrative and marketing support to those using its facilities, highlighting its purpose as more than just a "rent a desk" space.

Wishbox offers flexible time-based memberships depending on how often you would need to use the space. The space offers one-day memberships, which cost 20, and half-time memberships in addition to 24/7 access. These half-time memberships are on a hotdesking basis (meaning no fixed desk) and are limited to 80 hours a month during the weekly opening hours at a cost of 175 per month.

There is no joining fee and more elaborate memberships come with mail services, lockers, or even bathroom access.

The cross-border option - Urban Office

Urban Office's main strength is that it offers office space in several locations - and crucially, these are not all located in the centre of the capital. Whilst Urban Office does have a Luxembourg City office, it also offers space in Windhof, Esch/Belval, and Dudelange. These facilities are especially for cross-border workers or freelancers living over the borders, as they do not have to travel into the centre of Luxembourg.

The basic package starts at 277 per month (or 337 for the Luxembourg City space) and offers a host of amenities, including a private locker, unlimited access to the common spaces, and 100 pages per month available to print. For 327/397, interested parties can purchase a dedicated desk. Finally, Urban Office also offer closed offices for 497 per month.

The start-up option - Luxembourg City Incubator



The Luxembourg City Incubator was launched by the Chamber of Commerce's House of Startups, making up one of its larger incubators, and is sponsored by the City of Luxembourg. As its history suggests, the facilities are designed mainly for startups, both local and international.

The LCI offers a range of services for nomads through to entire teams based in closed officers. All packages include wifi, printing facilities, phone booths, and access to the kitchen. Daily packages cost 20 a day (and have additional costs if you wish to use the meeting rooms) and flexi packages are 300 a month. For 375 a month, users can have 24/7 access and a fixed desk.

The international option - Regus



Regus has several coworking bases in Luxembourg, ranging from locations such as Bertrange to Findel. Whilst prices are available upon contact, Regus does offer different packages for those who may only need a coworking space for a certain amount of days per month.

The real benefit in Regus coworking spaces is that your membership comes with access to Business Lounges throughout Regus' network. If you have to travel to London, for example, you could benefit from the Business Lounge there. These lounges are designed for drop-in use for travellers, so if you aren't in Luxembourg for that much time, this could be a flexible co-working option.

There are of course many more options, all with specific benefits based on your needs. Let us know in the comments if you have any other recommendations!By IANS

As the upcoming film "Article 15" is set to release on June 28, the makers of the movie are planning to screen the film in the rural parts of the country, where the caste-based social discrimination is still prevalent.



"...one of the reasons why we wanted to make the film is that we want to reach out to rural India, in places where the discrimination is still happening based on caste. If we make an art house film and travel to international film festivals, we will only reach to the audience who are already aware of the discrimination," lead actor Ayushmann Khurrana told media on Saturday.



"But we can bring a change in the thought process of people if we reach out to them," he added.



Director Anubhav Sinha said, "We are planning to host mobile screenings. Special screening of the film that everyone can get access to."



In the film, Ayushmann is playing the role of a police officer, who visits a village for the investigation of the rape and murder of two dalit women.



Asked about how the intense character affected his mind, Ayushmann said, "Sir (Sinha) gave me a book to read on dalit literature and I was shooting Dream girl back then. Since I was in the middle of a comedy film shooting and the book was hard-hitting, I did not read it then."



"Rather I read the book during the shooting of our film. Honestly, I had sleepless nights after reading the book. Surely such things affect our mind."



The film features Isha Talwar, Sayani Gupta, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra among others.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 regions 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 regions shared progress.

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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:

___

WHY ASIA WORRIES

The oil, of course.

Japan, South Korea and China dont 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 U.S.-Iran tensions or violence in the strait.

The attack comes months after Iran threatened to shut down the strait to retaliate against U.S. 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 U.S. allies South Korea and Japan.

Japan is the worlds fourth-largest consumer of oil  after the United States, China and India  and relies on the Middle East for 80% 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 dont want to be sanctioned. But Japan still gets oil from other Middle East nations using the Strait of Hormuz for transport.

South Korea, the worlds 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 U.S. 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 worlds 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.

___

THE GEOGRAPHY AND THE POLITICS

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 U.S. 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.

Japans 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 worlds third largest economy, the tanker attack was front-page news.

The Nikkei newspaper, Japans major business daily, said that if mines are planted in the Strait of Hormuz, oil trade will be paralyzed. The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper called the Strait of Hormuz Japans 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 peoples 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.

___

THE FUTURE

Analysts said its highly unlikely that Iran would follow through on its threat to close the strait. Thats because a closure could also disrupt Irans exports to China, which has been working with Russia to build pipelines and other infrastructure that would transport oil and gas into China.

For Japan, the attack in the Strait of Hormuz does not represent an imminent threat to Tokyos oil supply, said Paul Sheldon, chief geopolitical adviser at S&P Global Platts Analytics.

Our sense is that its not a crisis yet, he said of the tensions.

Seoul, meanwhile, will likely be able to withstand a modest jump in oil prices unless theres a full-blown military confrontation, Seo Sang-young, an analyst from Seoul-based Kiwoom Securities, said.

The rise in crude prices could hurt areas like the airlines, chemicals and shipping, but it could also actually benefit some businesses, such as energy companies (including refineries) that produce and export fuel products like gasoline, said Seo, pointing to the diversity of South Koreas industrial lineup. South Koreas shipbuilding industry could also benefit as the rise in oil prices could further boost the growing demand for liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which means more orders for giant tankers that transport such gas.

___

Associated Press writers Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo, Kim Tong-hyung and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, Yanan Wang in Beijing, Annabelle Liang in Singapore and Alexandra Olson in New York contributed to this report.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Police agencies in Los Angeles and Corona are investigating the circumstance of a shooting inside a Costco Friday night by an off-duty LAPD officer who said he was assaulted while holding his young child.

The shooting  which sent scores of panicked shoppers running and prompted a huge police response  left one man dead and two of the mans relatives in critical condition, authorities said.

Here is what we know.

Reports of a shooting

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.

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Initially, Corona police said on Friday that two men were in an argument when one pulled out a weapon and fatally shot the other. They said they had detained the shooter inside the store and then taken him to a hospital after he said he was injured.

Later, however, police said no one was in custody and that there had not been an arrest in the case.

UPDATE: Man killed by off-duty officer at Costco was nonverbal, had an intellectual disability 

Details of the shooting

On Saturday evening, police revealed more details about the circumstances leading up to the shooting. Corona police Officer Tobias Kouroubacalis said an off-duty LAPD officer was shopping at Costco with his family when he was attacked. He said the officer was holding his child at the time but that the child was not injured during the incident.

(Los Angeles Times)

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. 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.

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 pilot of a vintage warplane was killed Saturday when he crashed in the Santa Susana Mountains near Porter Ranch, authorities said.

A Los Angeles Fire Department rescue helicopter responded to an alert about a plane down in the area about 2:40 p.m., officials said. The crash site was in remote terrain about two miles north of Porter Ranch.

A fire paramedic was lowered into the debris field and found the deceased pilot there, said LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey. The pilot was the only occupant on the plane.

There was no fire, and the cause of the crash is under investigation.

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Fire officials described the plane as a privately owned single-engine propeller-driven fixed-wing two-seat airplane. News footage showed it was a vintage U.S. warplane with the wings and cockpit damaged.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified, and officials from the Los Angeles County Fire Department are heading to the crash site, which is in their jurisdiction.Candidates seeking to beat Boris Johnson and become Britains next prime minister accused the Brexit-backing front runner of trying to avoid scrutiny after he refused to take part in a televised debate alongside his five rivals Sunday.

Where is Boris? Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt asked as he and four other contenders for Conservative Party leader faced questions about how exactly they would fulfill a key promise: to unblock the stalled Brexit process and lead Britain out of the European Union.

Broadcaster Channel 4 left an empty lectern on the debate stage for Johnson as the participating candidates argued they had a quality that many think the absent Tory politician lacks: trustworthiness.

I believe Im the candidate most trusted to get us out (of the EU) by the end of October, Dominic Raab, a former Brexit Secretary, argued.

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Hunt said the Conservatives must choose a prime minister that families up and down the country trust with their future.

Johnson, a former London mayor and foreign secretary, has a commanding lead after last weeks first round of voting by Tory lawmakers in the contest to replace Theresa May. She stepped down as party leader earlier this month after failing to secure Parliaments backing for her European Union divorce deal.

An instantly recognizable figure, famous for his Latin quips and unruly blond hair, Johnson is admired by many Conservatives for his ability to energize voters. But others mistrust him for his long record of misleading and false statements, verbal blunders and erratic performance in high office.

The 313 Tory lawmakers in the House of Commons are set to narrow the field of candidates in a series of votes this week, with the final two names put to a postal vote of about 160,000 Conservative members nationwide.

The winner, who will become party leader and prime minister, is due to be announced in late July. But some in the party say the membership vote could be skipped if Johnson is so far ahead that he looks unlikely to be beaten.

Others argue that would be a big mistake. May became prime minister in 2016 without a party vote, after all her rivals dropped out of the race. Critics say a more robust contest would have exposed her flaws as a leader before she got the top job.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who is also running, said that as Conservatives, we should embrace competition over coronation.

The leadership contest has been dominated Brexit, with all the candidates promising to succeed where May failed and lead Britain out of the EU. The U.K. was originally due to leave the bloc on March 29, but Brexit has been delayed to Oct. 31 because of the political deadlock in London.

Johnson has won support from many Brexit-backing Conservatives by vowing to get Brexit done, either by renegotiating Mays rejected Brexit deal or by leaving the EU on Oct. 31 without an agreement.

But Johnson has avoided answering tough questions about his plans. The EU says it will not reopen the Brexit divorce agreement, and many economists and businesses say a no-deal exit would cause economic turmoil by ripping up the rules that govern trade between Britain and the EU.

During Sundays debate, the other candidates all said they would take Britain out of the European Union. But they split over how willing they would be to walk away from the EU without a deal if they could not get a new divorce agreement.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said he was confident that I can get the European Union to change their approach and renegotiate the divorce deal.

International Development Secretary Rory Stewart said a no-deal Brexit would be deeply damaging.

But Raab insisted it would be better than further delay and did not rule out suspending Parliament to force through an exit if lawmakers tried to block it.

The others condemned that idea. Stewart said it was deeply disturbing, while Javid likened it to the action of a dictator.

Johnsons critics say his political record is tainted by blunders and outright lies. During the countrys 2016 EU membership referendum, he campaigned on the inaccurate claim that Britain sends 350 million pounds ($444 million) a week to the EU.

In 2017, when he was foreign secretary, he said incorrectly that a British-Iranian woman imprisoned in Iran was a journalist, damaging attempts to secure her release.

His language has also frequently given offense. Johnson has called Papua New Guineans cannibals, referred to people in Commonwealth countries with the offensive term piccaninnies and last year compared Muslim women who wear face-covering veils to letter boxes.

Last week Johnson apologized for any offense his words had caused, but also claimed they had often been taken out of context.

Johnson has agreed to participate in a BBC debate on Tuesday, once the field of candidates has been reduced by a second round of voting earlier in the day.

___

Follow APs full coverage of Brexit and the Conservative Party leadership race at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Authorities say a tourist has drowned in Switzerlands Lake Geneva after her boat capsized in a driving storm, and another was killed in nearby France after high winds brought down a tree on her campsite.

The Swiss news site 20 Minuten reported Sunday the previous days storm brought heavy rain, hail and wind gusts as high as 122 kph (75 mph).

Police say a tourist couples boat capsized in Lake Geneva around 5 p.m. Local media reported the man swam to another boat and fired off two flares, but by the time rescuers arrived they were unable to find the woman.

Her body was recovered later by divers.

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About 50 kilometers (30 miles) to the south in France, a 51-year-old German woman was killed when a tree fell on her camper.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Police in Ohio say a man has fatally shot himself in a standoff in which an officer was injured.

A Canal Fulton police release says officers responded around 6 p.m. Saturday to an apartment after a complaint about 39-year-old Gabriel Mayberry making threatening statements to harm himself and others.

Police say officers began talking to Mayberry through a window and he made suicidal threats. Police say they were fired at through a door with a single gunshot, and a projectile from that gunshot struck a sergeant in the foot.

Authorities entered the apartment shortly before 9 p.m. and found Mayberry with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He died at the scene.

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The sergeant was expected to fully recover.

Canal Fulton is roughly 50 miles (81 kilometers) south of Cleveland.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Medha Dutta Yadav By

Nalini Malani has a story to tell about her idol Joan Miro whose generous spirit is behind the eponymous award she received in May. Malani had met him in the early 1970s Paris where she was an art student in the citys colourful and intense creative scene. The excitement of that encounter still stirs the slim bespectacled artist whose women-centric narrative has global resonance. She says, I had studied his work through books at home and was thrilled to see it for real at Paris exhibitions. Then I met him at a solo gallery show. He was very kind and generous for such a famous artist. The prize is by a foundation he started himself, which affirms his belief in artists of the future.

It has imagined space for art other than his own. It also emphasises his utmost belief of life in art. Every two years, the Fundacio Joan Miro and Obra Social la Caixa honours one contemporary artist whose creations capture the spirit of the celebrated Spanish surrealists work.

A Partition baby, 72-year-old Malanis family moved to India when she was just a year old. They landed in Calcutta, before settling in Mumbai. Though she can hardly remember the details, her art is influenced by the bloody displacement of millions. Leaving ones homeland is painful. It took a long time for my grandparents and parents to overcome the trauma and settle down in new surroundings. My memories of growing up are coloured by the Partition, she says. The Joan Miro Prize acknowledges Malanis longstanding commitment to the silenced and the dispossessed.

1. Utopia, 1969-1976

2. Medeamaterial, 1993

3. Cassandra, 2009

4. Ubo Roi, 2018

A protege of the legendary S H Raza, her work space for over the quarter of a decade is a studio in Mumbais Lohar Chawl. After returning to India from Paris in 1973, she shot a documentary on a Muslim slum in Bandra. It was also where her first encounter with displacement took placethe slum was razed by the municipal corporation while she was working. How difficult was it to become a voice for the voiceless? The chawl and its people are part of my daily existence. I drew them from memory. I am compelled to incorporate the life of the dispossessed and pavement dwellers into my lexicon of images. I find a strange dignity in their poverty, adds the artist, who has worked across genres such as wall drawing, installation, shadow play, multi-projection works and theatre. Drawing is the keyboard from where my compositions emergethe materials depend on the exigency of my subject matter. My passion is to create immersive environments where the viewer is totally surrounded by images such as shadow plays and large paintings.

Upon arriving in Mumbai, she realised that very few women artists were being talked about within the community. In 1979, she started and participated in Through the Looking Glass a project that focused solely on them. Pilloo Pochkhanawalla and I sought funding for six years. But nobody in India was interested. In the meantime, sadly Pilloo passed and Arpita Singh suggested that four artists, including us, Madhavi Parekh and Nilima Sheikh, start it ourselves. We organised five shows from 1987 to 1989.

Malani is gearing up to exhibit in Spain in 2020, at the Miro Foundation. Her work has been allotted several rooms in the Museum where her eclectic sensibilities will find expression through video play and wall drawings. Is she planning a solo exhibition in India? I have several works in progress, she says enigmatically.

In October 2017, the Centre Pompidou in Paris became the theatre of Malinis creativity with The Rebellion Of The Dead, part of a two-part retrospective of India from 1969 to 2018. Its second installation is on view at the Castello di Rivoli in Turin. The work is a political statement on issues like feminism, violence and nationalism. Malani, who is often considered a pioneer of video and performance art isnt done yet.

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.Pushpesh Pant By

True to form, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated his second term in office, catching most analysts by surprise. It is not only the induction of Amit Shah in the cabinet and his installation as virtual number two that has given the Central government a new look, it is the large number of colleagues dropped that has set tied tongues wagging again. Retirements, voluntary or enforced, on health grounds of Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj were almost expected but none had any clue about S Jaishankars lateral entry as External Affairs Minister with cabinet rank, leapfrogging ahead of many BJP veterans. But we digress. Its not personal fortunes, promotions and demotions that should be read as straws in the wind to speculate about things in store for us in days ahead. What is of far greater significance in politics and social life of India under Modi 2.0 is the beginnings and ends that are clearly discernible.

First the ends. The Lok Sabha elections 2019 have dealt a death blow to the idea of identity politics based on caste. The disastrous unravelling of the Mahagathbandhan forged with much fanfare between Mayawati and Akhilesh clearly shows that opportunistic coalitions have no future in the state that sends the largest number of MPs to Parliament. The myth of Dalit, Yadav and Muslim vote bank has finally been exploded. This is not to suggest that the days of identity politics are over. Accusations hurled by opponents that the NDA-NaMo victory is the result of religious polarisation will continue to resonate for months. What one should pause to ponder is whether the fanatical secularists have themselves not contributed to this dangerous trend. The Congress president transformed like chameleon into a janeudhari Hindu and Digvijay Singh tried to outdo even the most orthodox believer in parikrama, puja-archana-havan etc. The more Mamata Didi flexed her muscles in a show of Trinamool Dadagiri denying what is euphemistically described as the level playing field to BJP in West Bengal, the more the majority community felt slighted. In the end, BJP didnt have to exert to rally its hardcore constituents raising slogans about Ram Temple at Ayodhya. Mamata made sure that an impression was created that Hinduism is threatened at least in Bengal.

Dynastic ambitions of Lalu Yadavs family faded fast in Bihar and one can safely predict that the age of automatic dynastic succession is over. Not that poor Tejashwi didnt try hard enough but the scion of the Yadav clan was constantly compared to the firebrand student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and came a cropper. Kanhaiya, in turn, bit the dust despite having heavyweights like Javed Saheb support his candidature along with a star cast, including Swara Bhaskar, Jignesh Mevani and Co. The paper tiger unleashed with a roar retired hurt with a mew. The Left or what remained of its rump has been pulverised humiliatingly. It would only be a mentally challenged person who can sustain the belief that Marxists and Socialists of assorted hues can some time in distant future rise like the Phoenix to present an alternative to rightist revivalist forces of aggressive Hindu Nationalism with dark overtones of Communal Fascism.

The majority of voters, specially the young, just dont care about such scary labelling. They have tried various regional parties and other charismatic leaders, and have suffered innumerable heartbreaks. They have walked into what the liberal democrats call (not without reason) a deadly trap with their eyes fully open. They are willing to take one more chance with Modi and resurgent BJP. The masses cant be lured back into the fold by appeals to resurrect the abstract Nehruvian Idea of India. In any case, Sonia and RaGas Congress has little to do with the ideals and values of the party that fought for the freedom of India from colonial yoke. The fiefdom has constantly shrunk, and now that the inheritor has been ousted from Amethi, one hopes, the rest is silence.

Modi has led the BJP to an unprecedented victory defying anti-incumbency and hostile foreign media. He and his party have been accused of abusing money power, official machinery and subverting the independence of constitutional authorities and institutions. The chant has been growing stronger: This is the End my friend! Ironically, the general mood in the country is upbeat. There are not many who believe that Modi personifies the worst in the country. The more he is maligned the larger his stature grows. Whether its dealing with Pakistan or petulant neighbours, he appears the best bet. Firmly in the saddle for another five-year ride, what is the Sheriff going to do? Will he tame the lawless lynch mob? Will he ensure that the abjectly poor get whats due to them? Will developmental priorities relegate all else to the margins? Will the narrative change? Will we witness a new beginning? Too early to tell.

Pushpesh Pant

Former professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University

pushpeshpant@gmail.comOne of the students on the bus told Reed the bus was starting to smoke.

Eventually, the school bus and Crowleys car were engulfed in flames after Reed quickly got the 40 students off the bus and took the students to a nearby field for safety.

Crowley faces four charges for the accident: driving too fast for conditions, having no insurance, driving while suspended and failure to surrender his license when it was suspended.

Reed has been honored by the school district and also recently received recognition from S.C. Rep. Robert Williams for her efforts that day.

Reed also said shes working on opening her own daycare center in Darlington County. Reed said shes attending Florence-Darlington Technical College, wheres shes studying child care development.

To open your own [daycare] center here, you have to be certified to be a director, Reed said.

Reed said she chose Florence-Darlington Tech because of its location.

Its the only place I knew of to go anyway, she said.

Reed also added she intends to remain a bus driver for the district.

My babies love me, Reed said. Thats what they asked me when the school year ended, Ms. Bee Bee, you going to drive for us next year?' I said, Hopefully, I will give it a try.FLORENCE, S.C.  The city of Florence recently took a step toward expanding the citys revitalization and growth of its downtown.

On Monday, the city council voted unanimously to approve on second reading Bill No. 2019-21, which creates and implements the Irby Street Overlay District in the citys unified development code. The city also approved Resolution 2019-15, which expands the geographic boundaries for business incentives to include the Irby Street district.

Where is the new district?

The Irby Street district is divided into two parts: a northern part running north along Irby Street from N.B. Baroody Street to West Lucas Street and a southern part running south on Irby Street from Cheves Street to Cherokee Road.

The new overlay district is the eighth overlay district in the citys downtown, joining the redevelopment district, the central district, the arts and cultural district, the Timrod Park residential district, the historic district, the neighborhood revitalization district, and the food and warehouse district.

Why is the district necessary?G Parthasarathy By

The media in New Delhi was furiously speculating on whether Imran Khan would be arriving for the swearing in of Mr Modi, for his second term as Prime Minister. They were, however, unaware of a decision by Mr Modi that consistent with the change in Indias foreign policy perspectives, SAARC, of which Pakistan is a member, is no longer the fulcrum of Indias approach to regional cooperation. The focus has moved from SAARC to BIMSTEC. The BIMSTEC grouping links India with its eastern neighbours: Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The logic for this change is uncontestable. Pakistan had single-handedly blocked any meaningful regional cooperation in SAARC, in crucial areas like economic integration, regional connectivity and terrorism. Its approach to cooperation on terrorism was particularly objectionable. Three fellow membersIndia, Afghanistan and Bangladeshopenly hold Pakistan responsible for promoting terrorism on their soil. Pakistan backs radical groups in Bangladesh, such as the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami and the Jamaat-e-Islami. Moreover, Afghanistan was seeing no change in the ISIs programme of arming, training and providing safe haven and logistical support to the Taliban.

While SAARC members signed a Free Trade Agreement in Kathmandu in 2004, Pakistan alone has not implemented it. It has placed barriers to even normal MFN trade with India, as required under WTO norms. It was in these circumstances that India made it clear that it would not attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad, after the terror strikes in Pathankot and Uri in 2016. Afghanistan and Bangladesh joined India almost immediately, informing Pakistan about problems of terrorism they were facing, whose roots could be could be traced to Pakistan. While the SAARC Secretariat continues to function, Pakistan has been effectively prevented from indulging in its propensity for anti-India activity, in a regional grouping.

This development is important at a time when India is receiving full cooperation from its eastern neighbours, in dealing with separatism and terrorism. Even as Myanmar President Win Myint was arriving in India, our Eastern Army commander, Lt Gen Naravane, expressed happiness at the actions of their army, which had cracked down on a number of Indian insurgent groups from Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. These groups were seeking safe haven and support in Myanmar and also crossing into Chinas Yunnan Province. Bangladesh has taken similar action against such groups. Thailand provides information and support on members of Indian separatist groups seeking safe haven on Thai soil. BIMSTEC has also become a forum for close ties between the armies of member-countries.

The arc of cooperation between Indian Ocean States widened, with the visits of PM Modi to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The visit to the Maldives has reinvigorated security and economic ties with what has traditionally been very friendly neighbour. It has also set the stage for greater cooperation across the Indian Ocean. As the attack on churches in Sri Lanka demonstrated, the ISISs tentacles have now moved from Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and even southern India. Cooperation between India, Sri Lanka and Maldives in combating radicalism and terrorism now assumes greater importance.

G Parthasarathy

Former diplomat

dadpartha@gmail.comInfluential actor and activist Martin Sheen offers life lessons to Class of 2019

SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 15, 2019  Surrounded by thousands of jubilant family members and friends who filled Stevens Stadium, Santa Clara Universitys undergraduate class of 2019 celebrated their newly-minted bachelors degrees along with a heartfelt recommendation to find something in their lives worth fighting for.

Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, we are all responsible for each other and the world, actor/activist and SCU commencement speaker Martin Sheen told them.

I have been an actor all my life, but activism is what I do to stay alive, he said.

Quoting parts of Robert Kennedys famous Ripple of Hope speech delivered on June 6, 1966 in Cape Town, South Africa, Sheen recited the words: Each time someone stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice they send forth a tiny ripple of hope.

Sheen received a standing ovation as he asked the graduates and their families to take care of the environment and attend to the least among us: We are beneficiaries of millions of heroic strangers who have gone before us, he said, from every corner of the earth.

Ramon Antonio Gerardo Estevez, Sheen first achieved fame with roles in the films Badlands and Apocalypse Now. But to many fans, his most celebrated role is Josiah Bartlet, the fictional U.S. Presidentand devout Catholiche portrayed in the television series The West Wing.

Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Sheen is the seventh of 10 children raised by immigrant parentshis father was from Spain, his mother from Ireland; both were devoted Catholics. Years later, after moving to New York City to become an actor, he adopted the stage name Martin Sheen to help him gain acting parts. Ive never officially changed my name Ramon, so I hope that's the name on the degree I just received, he joked from the dais on Saturday. If its not, I can change it.

In addition to his work in film and television, Sheen is renowned for his social and political activism. He has campaigned against the death penalty, and on behalf of immigrants rights, among other causes. He has been an advocate of justice initiatives and Jesuit apostolic works, including Homeboy Industries, a non-profit in Los Angeles that works to help former gang members redirect their lives.

During his speech peppered with history and humor, he roused the graduating class to their feet with his encouragement and a call to action.

The most important needs of any human being are not only food, clothing, and shelter, but the need for justice, healing, and mercy," he said. "Without the latter the former are useless.

Referencing activity on campus to support faculty unionization, Sheen noted that he has been an active union member all his life and asked the university to allow a vote.

Sheen also received an honorary degree of doctor of humane letters during the 168th commencement.

He is the father of four children: Emilio Estevez, Ramon, Carlos (aka Charlie Sheen) and Renee,all of whom are actors, as is his younger brother, Joe Estevez.

Valedictorian Eoin Lyons, a political science and finance double major, used the myth of Icarus and Daedalus to implore his classmates to always choose to fly higher by standing up against racism and sexism; protecting the environment and remaining true to their values in the face of harmful rhetoric. Upon exiting the campus, we have to fly on our own, and make choices about what it means to fly too high or too low, Lyons said. Today I ask you to put aside that fear of flying too close to the sun.

Honorary Degrees

Santa Clara University conferred honorary degrees on Barry Swenson, chairman of a San Jose-based real estate development and construction company and his wife Molly. The Swensons have touched the lives of countless San Jose residents through philanthropy that benefits a variety of organizations, especially those that help children.

Gerald T. Wade, S.J., chancellor at Bellarmine College Preparatory, also received an honorary degree for his lifelong commitment to Jesuit high school education. Fr. Wade is known for his ministry to alumni and friends of Bellarmine and other members of the local community.

Graduate Commencement Ceremony

At Friday nights commencement ceremony for those receiving graduate degrees, keynote speaker Lee S. Shulman urged the 716 graduates to open their hearts to the contributions of immigrants, and to emulate Andrew Carnegie, an immigrant, philanthropist, and advocate for working people. Shulman, the former president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and an emeritus professor of education at Stanford, received an honorary doctorate of educational leadership at the event.

Immigration is like a fresh river that brings new water; new ideas; new inspiration; new forms of art, music, cuisine and thought, to a country that would otherwise grow stale without it, Shulman said. He then told a story of how, years after receiving great success in America, Carnegie bought a plot of land back in his homeland of Scotland, a plot he had been barred from entering, and opened it to public. Never let the gates of that park close again, Carnegie had said, according to Shulman.

About Santa Clara University

Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University sits in the heart of Silicon Valleythe worlds most innovative and entrepreneurial region. The Universitys stunningly landscaped 106-acre campus is home to the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asis. Ranked the No. 1 regional university in the West by U.S. News & World Report, SCU has among the best four-year graduation rates in the nation and is rated by PayScale in the top 1 percent of universities with the highest-paid graduates. SCU has produced elite levels of Fulbright Scholars as well as four Rhodes Scholars. With undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, and graduate programs in six disciplines, the curriculum blends high-tech innovation with social consciousness grounded in the tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education. For more information see www.scu.edu.

Media Contact

Deepa Arora | SCU Media Communications | darora@scu.edu | 408-554-5121By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Intelligence sources have issued an alert warning that terrorists could target Israeli citizens and their establishments in Delhi and other places in India.

The alert says a group of JeM and unidentified terrorists affiliated with the IS is planning to carry out an attack on Israeli targets in New Delhi and other places in June. The possible target may include the cultural centre of the Israel embassy, synagogues, Jewish School and hotels frequented by Israel nationals in Delhi and other cities, the inputs warn.

The important Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot is celebrated in June during which Jews frequently visit synagogues and Chabad House. Alleging that it could be a ploy f the Pakistani deep state, security analyst J K Verma said, The whole plan could help Pakistans ISI in two ways.

Not only will they be able to malign India by carrying out such nefarious activity, but they will be able to hit Israel also which remains on the target of terrorist groups. In 2012, a biker had attached a sticky bomb to the car of the Israeli defence attaches wife in New Delhi. During the 26/11 attack also, Israeli establishments were targeted.Chef Eduardo Arellano spent $15 to sample alligator meat at a street fair Sunday in San Francisco, and Jessica Hartsell, unabashedly Bay Area-born, admitted to tasting her first bite of Dungeness crab at age 36.

The 65th annual North Beach Festival this weekend was a time to try new things  or to pass them up, which happened a lot more often.

Sarah Goodman did not buy the Dont Need a Boyfriend soy candle from the soy candle booth on Grant Avenue, much less the Lick Me All Over scent. A woman in a blue dress did not buy the rainbow-colored inflatable bed you can carry anywhere on your back. And Chuck Quinn, a retired auditor, had a two-word reply for Holly Kroetz, who said he had come to the right place, if youre the kind of guy that knows a bargain.

Ill pass, Quinn said.

Now Playing: Heres a 1-minute video about a street fair where you can eat deep-fried alligator, catch Bob Marley in 3-D, Video: San Francisco Chronicle

See what I mean? Kroetz told a visitor to her booth, where she was selling  no, actually, were giving away $800 vacations  well, $500 to $800, depending. No purchase necessary.

And were giving away a free brunch. And a nice presentation, said Kroetz, who works for Vacation Resort Marketing, a company that on Sunday tried its best to bestow upon North Beach Festival-goers a free vacation to any of 400 locations in the entire world. But Kroetz and other benevolent employees kept running into people like Quinn, who couldnt seem to help themselves from thwarting those good intentions over and over again.

Theyre passing it by! Kroetz told her visitor. Its foolishness! Its kind of sad. Its an opportunity missed, just because they have a knee-jerk no reaction. Its like a horse with blinders on. Theyre not stopping to smell the roses.

Kroetz explained that people in San Francisco in general have a higher caliber intelligence. But it can backfire, she said. Or worse. It can cripple them.

Not all fairgoers were so unlucky, she said. Only about 90% of them. The others  the ones with the good sense to sign up for a sales presentation urging them to buy a time share in the companys property  they are blessed, said Kroetz, who has signed up for a presentation herself, with a trip to Hawaii thrown in.

Asked why he passed on a free $500 to $800 trip to anywhere in the world, Quinn shrugged. Someone would probably give me a hard sell, he said, turning to leave. He heard Kroetz calling after him: No! she cried. We dont do the hard sell anymore!

Josie Norris / The Chronicle

The annual North Beach Festival that began in 1955 and spread out beneath steely gray skies in San Franciscos northeast corner again this weekend offered thousands of fairgoers all of the usual delights of summer: a chance to throw three balls through a hole in a catchers mitt to win a Giants cap, barbecued turkey legs the size of brontosaurus haunches, and neon-colored paintings of Bob Marley that look 3-D when you put on the right glasses.

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.

There were also acrobats, poetry readings and a blessing of the animals at the national shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi on Vallejo Street.

And a bit of sad news: Sunday was the last day for at least six months that visitors were able to wander into the neighborhoods much-loved Washington Square Park, a grassy but slushy plaza with an irrigation system as old as the North Beach Festival. The city will use the closure to renovate the system that soaks up 3 million gallons of water a year, more than any other city park.

On Sunday, though, the park was open and filled with people practicing tai chi and kids eating ice cream theyd bought at the fair.

I think its a misconception that San Francisco is losing its identity, said Rick Davis, 37, who knows how that claim sounds coming from a tech guy like him. Hes general manager of a virtual reality company and has lived in the city 14 years.

But as he sat on a curb with Hartsell, his fiancee, on Sunday, Dungeness in their stomachs and Circus Bella acrobats before them leaping onto each others shoulders, it was hard to imagine that the soul of San Francisco was anywhere else.

Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimovThe game of cat and mouse continues between the Libyan National Army and armed Tripoli militias for control of the capital

The political and military facedown drags on in the vicinity of Tripoli between the Libyan National Army (LNA) under the command of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and the forces fighting under the banner of the Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Fayez Al-Sarraj.

On 4 April, Haftar launched a military operation to free the capital from extremist militias that have controlled the capital for several years and that he says are allied with the GNA.

The international community remains divided over the crisis and, as a result, the UN Security Council has been unable to pass a resolution calling for a halt to the military hostilities that derailed a peace-making drive led by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) under the leadership of UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame.

Over the weekend, LNA command announced that its forces had achieved progress on the ground in south and southeast Libya, bringing them closer to the centre of the capital.

It also confirmed that it had destroyed two Turkish drones at Mtiga Airport, claiming that GNA forces had been using the drones to strike LNA positions on the outskirts of Tripoli as well as targets in Gharian (100 kilometres south of the capital) and Tarhouna (90 kilometres southeast of the capital). Both places are strategic sites near the capital.

The LNA Airforce Operations Room cautioned against the use of Mtiga, a civilian airport east of Tripoli, for military purposes and activities, and stressed that the LNA is determined to prevent civil facilities from being used for any purposes other than those intended to serve the public.

Major General Idris Madi, commander of the LNAs western region, announced Sunday that forces under his command had scored advances in the vicinity of the airport road and Al-Sawani, on the southern outskirts of the capital. With coverage from LNA aircraft, he said, LNA forces managed to wreak considerable attrition on the militias.

However, he added: The militias are now trying to hold on to as many positions as they can while waiting for a peaceful solution or dialogue.

Major General Madi added that officials in Misrata have contacted the LNA in the hope of securing guarantees that its militias would be spared from attack if they withdrew from the battle.

Sources close to the LNA general command told Al-Ahram Weekly that these communications are still in their early phases and that countries such as France, the UAE and Egypt encourage rapprochement between Misrata and the LNA command, headed by Haftar.

The Misrata Municipal Council denied Madis claims. On its Facebook page Sunday, it described them as rumours and stated that No person of an official or social capacity or any other capacity charged by us or by the Misrata Assembly of Dignitaries has engaged in any communication with the accursed so-called Operation Dignity forces or with the war criminal Haftar.

The statement added that Misrata was still working in coordination with the legitimate party as represented in the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord.

Since April, LNA forces have occupied advance positions in the southern and southeast outskirts of the capital. They also control strategic locations that serve as platforms for operations and supply lines to the forces in the theatre of operations which extends in an approximately 150 km-long-arc south and southeast of the capital.

The main contingent of LNAs advanced forces are deployed along the Qasr bin Ghashir-Khallat Al-Farjan axis. While GNA forces have succeeded in repelling LNA advances towards the capital and surprise attacks, they have not managed to push LNA forces to retreat from their positions.

Both sides have availed themselves of a broad range of weaponry, including light military aircraft and especially drones, which confirms that both sides still receive military support from foreign allies.

GNA forces have recently received a package of military aid from Turkey that included armoured vehicles and drones. Social networking sites of Libyan activists show images of these vehicles as they were being unloaded in the port of Tripoli.

The images are accompanied by comments to the effect that the weapons will be sent to the front to intercept the assault against the capital.

LNA command has accused Turkey and Qatar of arming and funding the militias that have controlled Tripoli for years and appealed to the international community to halt Qatari and Turkish interference in Libyas domestic affairs.

LNA command also called on the international community to lift the arms embargo on the LNA to enable it to secure control over the countrys far-flung territory, fight terrorist and extremist groups and illegal migration, defend Libyan institutions and secure national resources and oil and gas rights.

The GNA denies the accusations. It charges LNA commander Haftar with starting the offensive against the capital and claims that the militias fighting under the GNA umbrella are defending the civil character of the state.

On the diplomatic front, Ghassan Salame has just returned to Libya from a tour of the US, France, Russia and Italy in order to mobilise international support for the UN-sponsored political process.

Salame is eager to rally a consensus among the great powers over the military escalation around the capital that interrupted plans for a comprehensive National Conference that was due to convene in April.

The purpose of the envisioned conference was to reach a new political accord that would enable the reunification of bifurcated government institutions and to produce a new consensual roadmap for the remainder of the interim phase.

Upon his return to Libya, the UN envoy appealed for an urgent humanitarian truce and called for additional relief for the thousands of people driven from their homes as a result of more than 60 days of hostilities in the vicinity of the Libyan capital.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 13 June, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Tripoli standoff

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NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir Police inspector Arshad Ahmed Khan, who suffered injuries in Wednesday's terrorist attack in Anantnag, died at the premier AIIMS here on Sunday, officials said.

With his death, the toll in the terrorist attack rose to six, including five CRPF personnel.

Khan, 37, was flown to Delhi this afternoon in an air ambulance for specialised treatment.

Soon after he was admitted to the hospital, his condition started deteriorating further.

The doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) made every effort to revive him but failed, the officials said.

Earlier, he was being treated at the 92 Base Hospital of the Army in Srinagar.

Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said the Jammu and Kashmir Police has lost one of its brilliant officers.

"We made every effort to see that the officer survives, but unfortunately we lost him. It is a sad day for J-K Police family which lost yet another son to the wanton violence being perpetrated from across the border," Singh said.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani expressed his condolences and said "he was a true braveheart and a people-friendly Station House Officer.

His expertise in counter insurgency operations were unmatchable".

"I was hopeful that he will win the battle for his life but unfortunately we lost him today," Pani said.

Khan is survived by wife and two sons, aged four and one.

Five CRPF personnel were killed in the terror attack, in which a lone Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist targeted a patrol team of the paramilitary force.

Khan, the SHO of Saddar Police station in Anantnag, reached the site soon after.

The moment he stepped out of his official bulletproof vehicle, along with his service rifle, a barrage of bullets were fired by the terrorist.

One ricocheted from the butt of his service rifle and hit his liver and duodenum, the officials said.

Even in this condition, the officer kept firing bullets at the terrorist before he collapsed, they said.

He received praise from senior officials for his prompt and courageous response after the terrorist attack.

Known for his professional brilliance, Khan's popularity could be gauged from the fact that around 70 locals from his area of posting gathered there to enquire about his health.

People at Chadoora in Central Kashmir, where he was earlier posted as Station House Officer, offered prayers and sacrificed goats for his well-being.

Khan, who was posted in the volatile south Kashmir for some years now, "was a brilliant operational officer", recalled one of his senior officers.With stratospheric rents and home prices threatening to exile all but the most affluent from San Francisco, officials and advocacy groups agree on one thing: creating affordable housing for low- and middle-income residents is critical.

But at a time when City Hall is brimming with champions of such projects, why is Mayor London Breed having such a hard time persuading the Board of Supervisors to support her sweeping plan to make them happen?

Breed wants voters to amend the City Charter in a way she says would speed up approvals  by at least a year  for buildings where 100% of apartments are considered affordable, and for housing reserved for educators.

The mayor needs six signatures from the board to put the measure on the November ballot. So far, Supervisors Vallie Brown, Ahsha Safai and Catherine Stefani have signed on. Breed has until July 26 to pick up the remaining three. But it appears unlikely that she will get them, raising questions about her ability to build consensus with board members.

Breed voiced her frustration about the roadblock to the board Tuesday.

Supervisors, Ive heard concern about the proposed Charter amendment that I have submitted to you all for your review. I dont understand why its such a challenge, she said. We know San Francisco is unaffordable. We know we have not, over the years, built enough housing citywide. ... Im tired of talking about it. I want to see results.

To veteran political consultant Jon Golinger, Breeds top-down style is the reason for the stalemate.

When youre serious, you bring all the stakeholders to the table, Golinger said. You work through the nitty-gritty details and then you introduce it, rather than the other way around ... which is what you see here.

While Breeds approach may have rankled supervisors and affordable housing advocates, others say its the housing proposal itself thats the problem, in part because it reduces public input on proposed development and because it would amend the City Charter  effectively chiseling the changes in stone.

Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

Like Breeds other, less sweeping proposals around housing  accelerating the construction of in-law units, for example  her Charter amendment would eliminate what she sees as bureaucracy holding back production. The proposal has four main components, all related to teacher housing and buildings with 100% affordable apartments.

 It would end city staffers right to halt approval for subjective reasons, such as quibbles over the placement of windows or light wells.

 Such developments would be green-lighted if they met the checklist of requirements under the citys building and planning codes and zoning restrictions.

 The measure would eliminate lengthy reviews of those projects under the California Environmental Quality Act.

 It would end public appeals of Planning Department decisions on such projects.

Although Breed proposed the ballot measure in late April, board members have been reticent to provide their opinions. Meanwhile, the board has paid close attention to a $600 million bond measure for affordable housing, co-sponsored by Breed and board President Norman Yee.

No one to my knowledge has requested a briefing or a meeting to sit down and talk about Breeds plan, said Jeff Cretan, a spokesman for the mayor. Were in constant contact with these offices. Youd think board members would be eager to sit down to learn how we can streamline building affordable and teacher housing.

But the few supervisors who were willing to talk about the measure cited broad concerns about removing public input through the appeal process, unease over whats defined as affordable housing, and whether Breed should tinker with the City Charter.

I understand that politicians like to show people theyre doing something by giving them something to vote on, but this is not it, said Supervisor Aaron Peskin. He and other critics of the measure dont see bureaucratic reviews and public input as impediments to getting affordable housing built.

This is a solution looking for a problem, he said. There is no rash of affordable projects being stopped or slowed down. The real need is for resources  money for building and acquiring land.

Even the teachers union, the United Educators of San Francisco, has not taken a position on the measure that would provide affordable housing for city teachers and community college instructors who earn about $172,000.

But perhaps the proposals most controversial element is its elimination of public appeals, a prospect that concerns Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. Although appeals for additional reviews can delay developments and cause costs to balloon, Mandelman said it is important to allow residents to weigh in on proposed changes to their own neighborhoods.

I think planners miss things. Planners have their biases. Theyre not gods. And neighbors arent always right either. Its a balance, he said. Theres a lot of value in a role for the public and the ability to shape projects through (existing) processes. Youre losing something when you give that up, and its not insignificant.

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.

The influential Council of Community Housing Organizations has also declined to take a position on Breeds proposal. Spokeswoman Maya Chupkov said that while the group supports streamlining proposals, the main barrier to affordable housing is something else: Funding, she said.

In 2014, Mayor Ed Lee set a goal of creating 30,000 housing units in the city by 2020. As of December, San Francisco had produced 16,319 market-rate housing units and 6,759 low-income units, reserved for households making 80% or less of the areas median income, according to the Mayors Office of Housing and Community Development  thats just under $95,000.

Only 627 units were reserved for moderate-income households, generally making between 80% and 120% of the median income. The vast majority of 100% affordable projects in the development pipeline are for low-income units, according to the mayors housing office.

Affordable-housing developers offered a mixed response to Breeds proposal. Most said they were broadly supportive of ways to save time and money in the planning process.

Sam Moss, executive director of the Mission Housing Development Corp., said the ever-present threat of a public challenge to an affordable project forces developers to go to extreme lengths to procure community buy-in, adding time and money to the process.

Without them, were still going to have community meetings, said Moss who is also a founding board member of YIMBY Action. With well-run affordable development, you have to have a sense of ownership from the surrounding neighborhood to have a good project. You dont get that by shoving these things down peoples throats.

Norma Paz Garcia, policy and advocacy director for the Mission Economic Development Agency, said two projects that the organization has been involved in have been subject to public appeals  but stressed that they werent particularly cumbersome. The projects, a 94-unit affordable development for seniors at 1296 Shotwell St. and a 127-unit affordable development at 2060 Folsom St., faced public appeals that cost each of the projects three to five months.

It was never such an impediment that we werent able to move forward, Paz Garcia said. We assume this is a potential risk in any project.A 23-year-old Concord man in possession of Nazi writings and an illegal semiautomatic rifle is in jail after being arrested for online threats to commit a mass shooting at a synagogue, authorities said.

The arrest of Ross Farca at his home followed a tip relayed by the FBI, according to a statement released Friday evening by the Concord Police Department.

The threats were made in a gaming chat room where Farca threatened people of Jewish faith, discussed committing a mass shooting at a synagogue and shooting law enforcement, the statement said. The tip went to the FBI, and the agency then determined the commentators location and passed the tip to Concord police.

When police showed up with a warrant Monday at Farcas home, they said they found an illegal AR-15 semiautomatic rifle. Ammunition, camouflage and Nazi material were also found, the statement said.

The arrest comes just six weeks after four people were shot  including a woman who died  allegedly by a 19-year-old gunman at a synagogue in the San Diego suburb of Poway.

Farca has been charged by the Contra Costa district attorney with criminal threats, possession of an illegal assault rifle and manufacturing of an assault rifle. No detailed plans to commit acts of violence have been located, according to the statement.

He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment, prosecutors said, and was released Saturday after posting bail of $125,000.

The East Bay Times reported Farca used Steam, a popular video game platform, where his screen name Adolf Hitler (((6 Million))) was an apparent reference to the number of Jewish people killed during the Holocaust.

Farca reportedly wrote about being inspired by the Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand, calling the shooter there a hero, and the Poway synagogue shooting.

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.

I would probably get a body count of like 30 (Jews) and then like five police officers because I would also decide to fight to the death, court records say Farca wrote in one post.

Court records show that Farca was placed in a mental health hold in 2011 after fighting with police who had responded to a family dispute at his home. A worker at the Regional Center of East Bay, a facility that helps people with developmental disabilities, told authorities in 2015 she believed Farcia fit the profile of a school shooter.

The investigation by Concord police and the FBI continues. Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact Detective Greg Mahan at 925-603-5817 or to leave an anonymous tip at 925-603-5836.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

John King is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnKingSFChronBART estimates that fare evaders cost the cash-strapped transit agency $25 million a year in lost revenue, but for all of the talk of making it tougher to get onto BART without paying, hardening the fare gates has once again come up on the short end of the must-do list.

BARTs budget calls for spending $2.4 million in the coming year to raise fencing and put alarms on the emergency service doors in 10 stations.

That figure compares with:

 $5.6 million for station cleaning, brightening and refresh programs.

 $4.1 million to hire 19 new police officers and four fare-evasion officers.

 $2.9 million for more elevator attendants, portable toilets and homeless outreach services.

We must bring station entrance replacements to the top of the priority list, above the planned projects for pretty plazas, art projects and bike valet stations, said BART director Debora Allen. She wants to spend at least as much on making sure fare gates do their job as BART lost last year to gate jumpers.

Theres also a safety component to the argument.

Its the unpaid teens who commit a majority of our robberies (mostly cell phones and laptops), the mentally ill, the homeless sleeping on the trains, the drug addicts  none of them pay, said BART Police Officers Association President Keith Garcia, who began patrolling on BART in 1993. We need to harden the system to prevent access and stop the problems before they start.

People want to feel safe, BART board President Bevan Dufty said.

Noah Berger / Special to The Chronicle

Dealing with the problem, however, has been a years-long tug-of-war between those who want stepped-up police patrols and those concerned that too heavy a police presence would criminalize the poor, the mentally ill and minority youth.

The one solution everyone appears to agree on is to make it tougher for fare evaders to get into the system in the first place.

Creating physical barriers to fare evasion is more efficient than law enforcement, BART director Janice Li said.

The police agree.

Once thats done, we are going to have a much safer system, Garcia said.

BART directors Allen and Liz Ames wanted to put $25 million into station hardening. Their motion failed Thursday when the board took a budget vote, in part out of concerns that moving the money would strip funds for other necessary infrastructure work.

Allen, however, is still pushing the idea.

If we focus on the fare gates and making people pay, we will have plenty of money left over later for those other things, she said.

Swapping out all of the systems 600 consoles for sturdier gates would cost $115 million to $135 million, a recent BART report concluded.

Instead, BART has opted to modify existing gates by raising barriers, installing alarms on the adjacent swinging service gates, and adding security fences around elevators.

The gate question is also a symptom of BARTs planning process, which is often slow to react to problems.

BART didnt consider fare evasion a priority until the past couple of years, when it became clear that the system was losing money and riders.

It is a new project, which is why there hasnt been several years of funding, BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said.

BART did, however, find $60 million for 22 new canopies over station entrances along Market Street in San Francisco.

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.

The gates lock at the top, so people dont sleep in the stairwells at night. Its a big safety enhancement, Trost said.

Meanwhile, BART has completed hardening  mostly fencing around the gates  at 17 of its 48 stations. In the coming years, it plans to spend $18.4 million on hardening the entrances at 16 stations. That leaves 15 stations to go.

San Francisco stations, where the problems are the worst, are getting special treatment.

We are modifying the fare gates at the San Francisco stations to make it harder for people to walk through and are testing two designs to keep people from jumping over them, Trost said.

Those modifications include making the gate flaps harder to push open and adding a second tier at chest height.

Its not always easy, Dufty said, noting that altering the gates has raised concerns from advocates for the disabled that the new gates are less accessible.

Local fire marshals have also raised concerns that redesigned gates might impede mass exits in emergencies.

Meanwhile, money and riders keep leaving.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phillip Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatierAs a candidate, Donald Trump began his campaign by attacking Mexicans. Now, some here legally fear theyll be collateral damage in his trade wars.

For a quarter century, skilled Mexican citizens have been able to get three-year work permits under a provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement. But President Trump recently threatened to rip up that pact in negotiations with Mexico over border security.

Even though he and Mexican officials reached a detente this month, some workers fear that they could lose their status in the next flare-up over trade. The cloudy outlook could also pose problems for Bay Area employers that hire skilled workers using the permit, known as the Trade National, or TN, visa.

Thats a lot of uncertainty to live with when this is your life, this is your job, said Benjamin Gonzalez OBrien, a professor of political science at San Diego State University. And its not clear that, for immigrants of any kind, (immigration policy) is going to be something more predictable.

Mario Tama / Getty Images 2018

Engineers, accountants, scientists and other college-educated professionals in Mexico and Canada have long been able to apply for temporary work visas created by NAFTA, a pact between the U.S. and those two countries, which went into effect in 1994. A successor to that treaty, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, was signed by the countries in November, but has not been ratified by Congress.

In addition to lowering trade barriers, NAFTA allowed people to move across the border with less friction. Initially, the number of work permits, known as NAFTA Professional visas, issued to Mexicans was limited to 5,500 a year. That cap was lifted in 2004. Last year, the State Department issued 27,374 TN visas, which are also called NAFTA Professional visas, to Mexicans  the most on record.

Immigration lawyers sometimes pitch the TN visa as an alternative to the better-known H-1B visa, commonly used for high-skilled workers, which are limited to 85,000 a year. And workers can renew TN visas again and again, provided their stay is temporary.

Justin Parsons, an attorney at Erickson Immigration Group in Arlington, Va., works with a lot of tech clients. He estimates about 10% of the visas the firm handles are TN visas, mostly for Canadians. Its used pretty heavily, he said, because it doesnt have the same numerical restrictions that a H-1B does.

These visa holders account for a small but growing percentage of arrivals from Mexico: Around 2% of nonimmigrant visas issued to Mexicans in 2018 were TN visas, up from 0.8% a decade ago, according to government data. The number of Mexicans entering the H-1B lottery has declined since 2013, with employers filing 2,239 petitions for workers from Mexico in 2017.

Mexican workers with a job offer in one of about 60 qualifying professions can apply and be interviewed at a U.S. consulate or embassy to get the visa. A customs officer at an airport or border station decides the length of the persons stay, up to three years.

An interview can take just minutes, according to Parsons, though he noted that some of his Canadian clients, who have historically been able to apply for a TN visa at the border, have encountered more scrutiny since the Trump administration announced a campaign to favor American workers over immigrants.

One of the most common questions that Ive had clients get was, Can an American do you job? he said. We had so many reports of clients getting asked that question, we knew it wasnt an outlier of one or two (customs) officers. This is something theyre training officers to ask.

The State Departments yearly visa report doesnt say where these visa holders settle down, but its reasonable to think many end up in California. It has the largest immigrant population of any state, with 4.1 million Mexican nationals in 2017, according to census data. U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Frank Falcon said the agency doesnt collect statistics on where TN visa holders work.

In the Bay Area, some employers specify whether they accept applicants who require visas to work in the states. Online job postings for companies such as global consulting firm Accenture and game developer Niantic say TN visa holders are not eligible. The companies did not comment on their policies. Parsons said an employer can choose not to hire an individual if they need visa sponsorship.

One area of confusion, according to job applicants, is the requirement for employee sponsorship. With H-1B visas, sponsorship is a complicated process that can cost thousands in attorney fees. Those who qualify for the TN visa need only pay a $160 fee and provide a college transcript and an offer letter from the employer, though lawyers frequently send workers to the border with other supporting documents to bolster their case.

The new trade pact makes no changes to the visa, said Jeffrey Gorsky, senior counsel at Berry Appleman and Leiden, one of the worlds largest immigration firms, in Washington. Legislatures in all three countries still need to approve the accord.

The threat to visa holders is if Trump unilaterally withdraws from NAFTA or the new pact once it takes effect, said Gorsky, who advised foreign service officers on visa issues as an employee of the State Department for 36 years. That became a distinct possibility in May, when Trump threatened to impose a 5% tariff on goods from Mexico, unless it stemmed the flow of illegal migrants from Central America through Mexico. The president withdrew the threat after Mexico and the U.S. signed a deal on border policy.

Peter Leroe-Munoz, a former attorney who leads policy efforts on technology issues at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, said the tariffs had the potential to torpedo the trade deal. Many of the business-advocacy groups 330 member companies rely on skilled workers from outside the country to meet an immediate need for tech labor, he said.

It absolutely perplexes me that the president, that the administration, would go out of its way to alienate a major trading partner with the United States, Leroe-Munoz said.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

If one country kills the treaty, the issue becomes, what happens to the people who are here? Gorsky said.

They could stay in Mexico, where demand for tech talent is on the rise, and wages and housing costs are lower. Big employers such as Oracle, Intel and IBM are hiring there, said Terminal founder Dylan Serota, whose San Francisco company helps startups build remote engineering teams. This year, Terminal is opening a co-working space for its customers who want to recruit in Guadalajara. Wizeline, a San Francisco software company, also has its main operational base in the city in western Mexico. Some workers are Mexican citizens, while others are immigrants to Mexico; the company says work visas for international employees are much easier to secure in Mexico than in the U.S.

NAFTA has no expiration date, so it stays in place if the new trade agreement falls through, which means workers on the TN visa shouldnt worry, said Gonzalez OBrien, the political science professor. Even if Trump were to withdraw from NAFTA, the U.S. would likely honor existing visas through their effective date, though workers would not be able to renew them.

Still, OBrien said, I wouldnt want to be an immigrant in America in these times  legal or illegal.

Humberto Batiz Guerrero, 26-year-old doctoral candidate at UC Berkeley, says he doesnt think too much about what he will do after his expected graduation in 2022, when his international student visa expires.

For now, his biggest fear is that a customs officer will prevent him from getting back into the country after visiting friends and family in Guadalajara, a trip he makes about three times a year. On past trips, he felt that customs officers were looking for reasons to deny him entry, asking more pointed questions than is typical and disputing his answers.

Because, I mean, (Trump is) not attacking illegal immigrants, said Batiz Guerrero, calling from Guadalajara two weeks ago during a visit. Hes attacking Mexicans.

Melia Russell is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: melia.russell@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meliarobinImagine small, cheap, low-power sensors attached to all sorts of stuff people want to monitor: dog collars, rental scooters, irrigation devices, air-quality sensors, even water coolers.

Now imagine those devices communicating over a new, longer-range network  a low-cost, decentralized alternative to the big cellular networks maintained by companies such as AT&T and Verizon  created by regular people who place gadgets on their windowsills that sensors connect to, in exchange for a tiny cut of the revenue the network generates.

Thats the vision of San Francisco startup Helium, which last week started selling its $495 Helium Hotspot in Austin, Texas. The book-size devices are coming to San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Ore., and other cities in the fall. Helium says its LongFi technology has 200 times the range of Wi-Fi, so just 100 to 200 hotspots can cover an entire city.

Like Wi-Fi, LongFi operates in unlicensed spectrum, so it does not need to buy pricey airwave licenses, Helium said. AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and others spent $2.7 billion on 5G licenses in a recent government auction.

Were building what we call the peoples network, said Helium CEO Amir Haleem. Everyone can participate, acting as a wireless network operator.

Heres the catch: The rewards arent in cash; theyre in a bitcoin-like cryptocurrency Helium is issuing.

The concept raises lots of doubts: Will regular consumers buy the expensive hotspots, which dont provide them any immediate benefit? Will the cryptocurrency scheme work out? Will components be available for hardware makers that want to adopt LongFi? Haleem notes that people initially said Airbnbs peer-to-peer approach to lodging was insane. In the early days, its a big leap of faith, Haleem acknowledged.

But Helium has attracted serious interest and $51 million in backing from the likes of Union Square Ventures, GV, Khosla Ventures and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.

It has also signed up some impressive customers and early testers. Lime, the San Francisco scooter startup, wants to better track its vehicles. Nestle wants to monitor office water coolers to know when they need refills. Agulus wants to get data from its irrigation valves and pumps. A pharmaceutical company would like to build trackers into the caps of medicine bottles, Helium said. They all see value in untethering devices.

Haleem joined forces with Napster founder Shawn Fanning in starting Helium.

We started out trying to help friends solve the problem of connecting small, low-powered devices, like baby monitors to the internet, Fanning said in an email. Early on, we realized that its very hard and prohibitively expensive to connect those kinds of tiny gadgets, especially if theyre outside. After a lot of trial and error, we realized that ... we had to find a way to create a global ubiquitous network without expending billions of dollars like traditional telcos.

That led them to the idea of a distributed, peer-to-peer structure  like Napsters music sharing, Fanning said.

Jessica Groopman, industry analyst and founding partner at Berkeleys Kaleido Insights research firm, said distributing ownership of a longer-range wireless network makes sense.

Helium taps into a number of trends (such as) shifting governance, power and control back to consumers, she said. Its power to the people. The corollary: Its probably inevitable that Helium will face extreme challenges from big telco providers.

Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle

Smart devices connected to the internet are a major market, predicted to hit $1.7 trillion in 2020, according to IDC. Helium is far from the first to tackle low-power wireless networks for such devices, which require just a trickle of bandwidth. Sigfox, LoRa and Nodle.io are among others trying to develop such a network.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

But many smart devices need a network thats ubiquitous, not one in process of rolling out. Thats why Whistle Labs, which makes a smart dog collar using GPS, relies on cellular for its users to monitor their pets activities, said Kevin Lloyd, chief technology officer of the company, now owned by Mars Petcare. Customers buy its $99 device and then pay $7.99 or $9.99 a month for the cellular connection.

I needed something so I know my devices would work 99% of everywhere, he said. Today thats traditional cellular. I look forward to Helium reaching that kind of penetration.

Oaklands Gregory Gotts likewise wanted to create a small device called InvisiLeash for people to puts on their pets collars to track their whereabouts and monitor their activities. He quit his job as a vice president at Dell to start InvisiLeash, but found existing technology to be cumbersome and pricey. Then he learned about Helium.

Its a breakthrough, disruptive technology, he said. We couldnt do it otherwise, Gotts says a national pet retailer with 2,000 stores is potentially interested in selling Helium Hotspots packaged with the InvisiLeash, and might even install the hotspots in its stores. If that deal happens, that could help solve the chicken-and-egg problem that stalls so many nascent networks.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaidTwo Bay Area men were arrested Saturday after they led police on a high-speed chase in Modesto, crashed near a food truck and killed two pedestrians, authorities said.

Around 1:45 a.m. Saturday, an officer spotted a car near East Briggsmore and Lakewood avenues in east Modesto, Police Capt. Brian Findlen said. The officer ran the cars license plate and discovered it had been reported stolen in the Bay Area, police said. When the officer tried to pull over the vehicle, the driver sped away.Canada Dry, which makes soft drinks, has a new product, Ginger Ale and Lemonade, which the company is promoting as a taste of relaxation. In keeping with this, theyve sent word of a survey in which Tenderloin was voted the most stressful location in San Francisco.

Its a giveaway of the companys familiarity with the city that theres no The in front of Tenderloin. Wondering what the survey-takers, a company called OnePoll, were picturing when they chose that hood as most stressful, I asked about the particulars. The survey-takers said the biggest cause of stress in the Tenderloin is traffic; no mention of any aggravation over the difficulties of putting a roof over ones head or finding the next meal.

But theres a happy side: Every Thursday in June, anyone who visits the Tenderloin and posts a picture of it on Instagram will have the chance to receive a coupon for FREE Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade while supplies last. This carbonated bonanza is worth something like $3.50.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley  with Executive Director Phil Santora and board chair Judy Heyboer  were at the June 9 Tony Awards in New York, where they picked up their companys 2019 Regional Theater Tony. The day after he returned, Kelley was still euphoric about the experience.

As someone whod known beforehand that he would be accepting a Tony, Kelley arrived with remarks prepared, to be fed into a teleprompter. He was having nightmares, he said, that it would break down and black out. In rehearsal a couple of hours before the Tonys, thats just what happened. There was a long pause, then whoops, sorry. The nightmare almost came true. I was pretty nervous that would happen all over again.

At the rehearsal, staff members of the American Theater Wing subbed for the winners. Their acceptance speeches were absolutely hilarious, said Kelley. It took a while, but they ran down a list of every possible person you can thank, a summary of every acceptance speech made.

Kelley went to the TheatreWorks office immediately upon returning from the East Coast. The fun part was sharing the Tony Award with our very dedicated staff. Everybody got a chance to hold it. It was really a celebration. How did they carry it on the plane? My partner Ev Shiro stuck it in her backpack. We were a little worried about security, but we had no problem at all.

The Tony is made of stone (black granite, partially) and metal, and is very beautiful, said Kelley. Did TSA agents see it in the backpack X-ray? I could imagine this would be a moment when Kelley would have gotten some pleasure explaining what they were toting on board. Although they had explanations all prepared, no one asked for them. We just went through; nobody said a word, Kelley said. So I suppose if anyone wants to carry something like that through security, dont sweat it.

 To make things perfectly clear, Ron Patton points out that although the Starlight Room is closed for renovations, its Sundays a Drag brunch, relocated to the Sir Francis Drake ballroom, continues every Sunday.

 In Thief River Falls, Minn., Kent Peterman snapped a picture of a food truck with a name that needs repeating: Un Fork-Edible.

 For $17, Stephen Seewer says hes demonstrating his patriotism by stamping any U.S. bill signed by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin with the words Lock Him Up and an arrow pointing to the signature.

Stephen Seewer

 While a front-page story reported on Lyft and Ubers efforts to prevent drivers from becoming employees with benefits, Lee Gregory saw posted on a shed in a Lyft rental lot: Notice of Application for Driverless Auto Rental Permit. (Driverless will be a great Lyft employee; he/she wont go around complaining about sick days.) The notice said that Jeff Brandt was the applicant; Brandt is described by Lyft as counsel, regulatory compliance.

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.

 Joshua Brody, whos been sorting some long forgotten stuff, came across a clipping from a Crossed Signals listing he thinks was in the Bay Guardian. You: Car-crash victim, 101 at Madera, IV in left arm, leg at odd angle. Me: Rubber-necker in slow Toyota. I honked. Interested? That was followed by an ID number through which the victim could reach the honker.

 As to new names for the neighborhoods (a la Thrive City replacing Dogpatch), Matt Regan calls Sea Cliff the Burberry Coast.

PUBLIC EAVESDROPPING

So when I woke up in the morning with a falafel in my pocket ...

Man in street after Pride festivities, overheard in Pittsburgh, by Joe Paulino

Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, 415-777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchikBy PTI

NEW DELHI: Healthcare services at several government and private hospitals in the national capital are likely to take a hit on Monday as scores of doctors have decided to boycott work for a day in support of their striking colleagues in West Bengal.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had given the June 17 strike call with the withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country.

IMA members will also stage a dharna at its headquarters here.

Doctors at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital, RML Hospital as well as Delhi government facilities such as GTB Hospital, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital will not function on Monday.

The IMA said all outpatient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday.

Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said.

ALSO READ | Bengal doctors say Mamata free to choose venue, but meeting should be held in open

Junior doctors in West Bengal are on strike since June 11 after two of their colleagues were reportedly attacked and seriously injured by relatives of a patient who died at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

In a show of solidarity, medical practitioners across the country chose not to work, leaving patients in the lurch.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence.

The apex medical body, IMA, has demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff.

Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in a statement.

ALSO READ | Goa doctors to take part in IMA's nationwide strike on Monday

Exemplary punishment for perpetrators of violence should be a component of the central law and suitable amendments be brought in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the IMA said.

The medical body had launched a four-day nationwide protest from Friday and wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding enactment of the central law to check violence against healthcare workers.

A delegation of IMA, Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, United Resident and Doctors Association of India (URDA) and Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) met the Health Minister recently in this regard.Americans should not need to rely on the sound judgment and good ethics of a political campaign to determine whether it alerts the FBI of an attempt by foreign nationals to influence an election.

It should be spelled out clearly in law.

Regrettably, legislation to impose such mandatory reporting of such offers of foreign assistance was blocked last week in the Republican-controlled Senate. It was yet another example of the lengths to which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and crew will reach to provide cover for President Trump.

The Senates dismissal of the Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act, sponsored by Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., came the same week Trump made abundantly clear why such a law is needed. In an interview with ABC News, the president said he would open to looking at dirt about an opponent that a foreign government or a foreign national might offer.

I think you might want to listen. Theres nothing wrong with listening, Trump told ABC. Its not an interference. They have information. I think Id take it. Then, in a kicker that really raised eyebrows, Trump added, If I thought there was something wrong, Id go, maybe, to the FBI.

The operative word: maybe.

In other words, he might respect the law on the books  but considers it his call. It is not.

Let me be 100% clear to the American public and anyone running for public office, Federal Election Commission head Ellen Weintraub said in a statement. It is illegal for any person to solicit, accept or receive anything of value from a foreign nation in connection with a U.S. election.

Make no mistake: Opposition research is something of value. Campaigns routinely pay good money to researchers to learn as much as they can about their opponents. U.S. campaigns are expressly prohibited from accepting donations, services or in-kind contributions from foreigners. The threshold for illegal assistance is $2,000 for a misdemeanor and $25,000 for a felony.

The notion that foreigners allied with a hostile foreign government might try to ingratiate themselves with and assist an American campaign is not hypothetical. In June 2016, Donald Trump Jr. and other top members of the Trump campaign met with a Russian national who had promised to deliver dirt on Hillary Clinton. That episode was investigated by Special Counsel Robert Muellers team. One of the reasons it did not result in charges is that the Russians never delivered the dirt.

A proper response by the presidents son would have been to alert the FBI about the email overture of incriminating information about Clinton. Instead, Donald Jr. replied within minutes, If its what you say I love it especially later in the summer  and accepted the meeting.

Trumps comments to ABC effectively sent a signal to Russia, China, Iran, North Korea or any other nation that might want to meddle in 2020 that his campaign is open for business. As controversy swirled  including a call for impeachment proceedings from Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, a presidential candidate who had been restrained to that point  Trump tried to walk back his words Friday. Of course, you give it to the FBI or report it to the attorney general or something like that, he told Fox & Friends in a phone interview.

By then, the damage was done and the need for tightening the law could not be clearer. Under the Warner bill, in such situations, a campaign would be obligated to report the contact from a foreign national to the Federal Election Commission, which would then notify the FBI.

Democrats should not give up on this safety valve to protect our democracy. Republicans willing to put country over party should join them.

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.Regarding Plan for CEO tax heading to S.F. ballot (Page 1, June 13): I celebrate the San Francisco Board of Supervisors ballot proposal to squeeze more money out of the citys so-called high-flying corporations.

That money will be used to help pay for the citys most pressing problems. In my parents day, they werent referred to as high-flying but rather as freeloaders. The wealthy corporations not only dont pay their fair share, they have profited greatly from tax benefits showered upon them by previous administrations.

Those tax breaks were not, according to reports in this paper, reinvested in San Francisco. Isnt it time that we addressed the citys problems, including the growing income gap between its citizens? It is not making the rich into villains, but rather helping them to be more human by sharing in making this city, once again, livable for everyone.

Sherry Gendelman, San Francisco

Deluge of plastics

Why dont we hear more about alternatives to single-use plastics? One example: I shop at the Berkeley Bowl, where the salad bar and deli now use clear, compostable containers that are indistinguishable from the plastic versions they used to use, except for green labeling. I imagine they are more costly for the store, but if jurisdictions mandated their use, Im guessing the cost would go down, and our oceans and marine animals would benefit.

Donna Mickleson, Berkeley

Teachers need sick days

Regarding Increase sick leave days, (Letters, June 12) whose writer was shocked to hear that teachers can get paid for up to 100 sick days: Readers need to understand that California public school teachers, as with most public employees, receive 10 days per year of paid sick leave. While unused sick leave can accumulate, in order to accrue 100 days of paid sick leave, a teacher would have to go 10 years without missing a single school day for sickness. As a former public school kindergarten teacher, I can attest that is nearly impossible given all the germs the 30 students in an average classroom bring to school each day.

I was never more in need of my sick days than I was when surrounded by 5-year-olds five days a week. Please let teachers have and accrue their sick days; no occupation, with the possible exception of nursing, needs them more!

Paul Giganti, Albany

Hire older adults

As someone nearing retirement after a decades-long career as a state worker, Im troubled to read Big push to fight age bias in hiring (Business, June 9). Job seekers over the age of 50 have decades of knowledge and work experience to offer a potential employer. They should not be rejected from consideration simply because they are graying at the temples. And speaking of graying, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that by the year 2035 older adults will edge out children in population size. The people who are age 65 and over are expected to number 78 million, while children under age 18 will number 76.7 million. Our nations employers need to embrace this trend and hire more citizens over the age of 50, not just because theyre qualified, but because they are still dedicated people with a lot to offer in our workplaces.

Karl Gustaffson, Half Moon Bay

Not the same as Hitler

In Lost lessons of WWII (Letters, June 10), the writer referred to President Trumps attendance at the D-Day commemoration, saying that Trumps words and actions resemble those of Adolf Hitler. Although the writer obviously dislikes Trump, I find it incredible that he would contend that Trump resembles someone that ordered the killing of 6 million people.

Politicians and the media, whatever their own biases, may want to consider what impact their actions are having on this society.

Daniel Mauthe, Livermore

Enjoyed the reviews

Kudos to Soleil Ho. I havent enjoyed restaurant reviews as much since I was reading Ruth Reichls in New West magazine decades ago.

Louis Bryan, San FranciscoBy Express News Service

KOLKATA/NEW DELHI : After the Centre sought an urgent report on Saturday from her government on the measures taken over the ongoing doctors strike, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed she had accepted all the demands of the protestors.

Earlier, the junior doctors on Saturday again refused to meet the CM behind closed doors saying they felt apprehensive. We want an unconditional apology for the manner in which she had addressed us at the SSKM Hospital on Thursday, the joint forum of junior doctors said.

They said Mamata should hold an open dialogue with them at Kolkatas NRS Hospital, where they have been staging a stir after two of their colleagues were assaulted by the relatives of a patient who died on the night of June 10.

While there was no apology, the CM, who earlier claimed the doctors were outsiders backed by other parties, struck a conciliatory tone on Saturday and accepted some of their demands including deploying adequate cops at hospitals.

Centres 2nd advisory on political violence

The Home Ministry on Saturday also asked for a report on the political violence in Bengal, which has claimed 160 lives in four years, and issued another advisory to the statethe second in a month over the issueALBANY, N.Y.  The fight to contain the worst U.S. measles outbreak in 27 years has a new front: summer camp.

Vaccinations have been made mandatory this summer for campers and staff in several counties north of New York City that annually fill up with kids from the Orthodox Jewish communities that have been hit hardest by measles.

Ulster County took the extra step of mandating the measles vaccine or proof of immunity at all day camps and overnight camps, becoming the latest county in the area to issue immunization requirements. Rockland County announced a similar order this month, following mandates from Sullivan and Orange counties.

We have to make sure our ts are crossed and our is are dotted in making sure all these vaccination records are in and have been fine-combed through to make sure everything is in compliance, said Rabbi Hanoch Hecht, of Camp Emunah, which hosts many girls from a Chabad community in Brooklyns Crown Heights.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Thursday eliminating an exemption for kids whose parents object to vaccinations on religious grounds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that, as of June 1, more than 1,000 measles cases had been reported in the U.S. since the start of the year, up from fewer than 100 cases a year a decade ago. The bulk of those cases have been diagnosed in ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in Brooklyn and suburban Rockland County.

Hecht and others stressed that vaccinations are widely accepted by most members of the Orthodox community, echoing rabbis in Brooklyn and Rockland County who say it is a relatively small group of parents influenced by anti-vaccination propaganda  not religious teachings  who have resisted inoculations.

The Orthodox Union said it has previously required up-to-date vaccinations, including the MMR vaccine, for its 37 summer programs.

Most of the leaders and rabbis have taken the approach that vaccination is required, Hecht said.

Michael Hill is an Associated Press writer.Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

MUZAFFARPUR (Bihar): A child died of suspected encephalitis fever in front of Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, who was visiting Bihar's Sri Krishna Medical College Hospital (SKMCH) on Sunday noon.

Harsh Vardhan along with junior minister Ashwini Choubey and state health minister Mangal Panday was taking stock of the AES situation consulting doctors in every ward which were packed with children showing symptoms of both Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and hypoglycemia.

"Hey bhagvan, mar gayal re hamar beti" (oh god, my daughter died), cried the mother of the child. "She wanted to go to school and she wept a lot yesterday when she was brought here. She told me she doesn't want to die", said the mother, while weeping inconsolably.

5-year-old Nisha was brought from Rajapur village of Muzaffarpur to the hospital when she started exhibiting symptoms similar to acute encephalitis syndrome

Few minutes later, another girl child breathed her last in a ward near the one where the ministers were present.

The mother of 7-year-old Muni Kumari of Runipur beat her head and cursed the political leaders: "Kono neta kuch na kiya, hamar beti mar gaye re" (No leader has done anything, My daughter is no more).

The mother reportedly lost consciousness following her child's death.

READ HERE | Harsh Vardhan announces series of measures to check AES in Bihar as death toll rises to 85

With the death of these two girls on Sunday morning, the number of children who have died in Muzzafarpur rose to 85 this month, even as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each.

117 children with AES symptoms died in 2014. 89 children died in 2012. In 2013, 35 children had died followed by 15 deaths in 2015, 6 in 2016 and 12 in 2017-18.

Non-AES patients at hospital allege lack of treatment

Attendants of patients, who have been admitted in general wards, created ruckus when the ministers didn't hear their grievances. Munna Kumar, an attendant of a patient, admitted for last 2 months after being operated upon by a doctor, caught the hands of Union minister of state for health Ashwini Choubey, asking him to direct the doctors to take proper care of his brother. Choubey allegedly ignored him and moved ahead. Enraged at this, many attendants created ruckus.

Sushila Devi, 45, whose daughter is admitted in the general ward, alleged that no doctor comes to examine her daughter as all of them are engaged in wards filled with children showing AES symptoms.

"U bacho ko bhi bachao lekin ko bharti hai usko bhi dekhe doctors (Save those children who are coming with symptoms of AES but save all those too, who have already been admitted in general wards)", she said.

SKMCH superintendent Dr SP Shahi denied the allegations of attendants and said that all other patients are being given proper medical care.

Minister reassures people

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey said: "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."

"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," Pandey said.

"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.

What is encephalitis?

Recalling the situation that prevailed five years ago, Mangal 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.

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.

(With inputs from ANI)Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: Amid the large number of deaths of children suffering from suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said that all-out efforts have been taken by the government to tackle the situation.

He visited the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) on Sunday morning accompanied by his junior colleagues Ashwini Choubey, Bihar health minister Mangal Panday and other medical experts.

The death toll rose to 85 with the deaths of two girl children in SKMCH on Sunday morning, during the visit of Harsh Vardhan.

He said: "It is my appeal to people to take care of their children, do not allow them to go outside in scorching sun during hot summer. Ensure to give water to children and if they develop any symptoms akin to AES they should brought to the hospital immediately without delay."

However, unofficial deaths due to the disease are said to be over 100 as some children died in villages before being admitted to hospital.

For over four hours, Harsh Vardhan met and spoke to the parents of over 107 children, who have been admitted with various symptoms of AES.

The Health Minister was shown black flags both on his arrival in Patna and departure from Muzaffarpur by angry supporters of the JanAdhikar Party.

READ HERE | Two children died in Bihar hospital during Health Minister's visit

Speaking to the media at Muzaffarpur, Dr Harsh Vardhan said: We are extremely shocked at the situation here. We have taken every effort to and save the lives of the diagnosed children." He admitted that Muzaffarpur and its some adjoining districts have become highly vulnerable pockets for the outbreak of diseases akin to AES.

He added: It has now become necessary to set up well-equipped virology labs in 5 districts in order to ensure sharp detection and prevention of the disease. One virology laboratory will start functioning in Muzaffarpur within a year also.

He also asked the officials present before him to post an epidemiologist at SKMCH on top priority.

Jan Adhikar Party activists show black flags to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan during a protest over deaths reported from Muzaffarpur due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, at Jaiprakash Narayan Airport in Patna on 16 June 2019. (Photo | PTI)

Spelling out reasons for the outbreak of the disease that has claimed the lives of children, he said extreme rise in the heat with humidity and litchi fruits is the cause.

There is a need for starting research on AES. A modern research centre will be set up with the help of the government of India here, besides virology labs in five districts. The state government has been asked to depute teams of motivated and educated doctors at all Primary Health Centres which are situated in the affected areas of these 12 districts including Muzaffarpur, he asserted.

A 100-bed paediatric intensive care unit would be set up as well.

Mangal Panday, state health minister of Bihar, said that awareness campaigns have been launched across the affected areas falling in Muzaffarpur, Sheohar, Vaishali, East Champaran and other districts. He said six ambulances have been deputed and doctors from other medical colleges brought in to assist the doctors at SKMCH.

A doctor treats a child showing symptoms of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome at a hospital in Muzaffarpur on 16 June 2019. (Photo | PTI)

On Saturday, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that exact reason behind the outbreak of the disease with symptoms similar to acute encephalitis syndrome was not known. The Centre is all set to investigate using details obtained from the victims families."

Meanwhile, a civil surgeon at Muzaffarpur, Dr SP Singh claimed that 326 patients with the same symptoms were admitted at SKMCH and Kejariwal between January and June this year.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each of victims of suspected AES caused deaths.

(With inputs from IANS)By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A day ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament, the Opposition raised issues of unemployment, polls in Jammu and Kashmir, farm distress and drought with the government at an all-party meeting.

The Congress demanded discussions on all issues in Parliament while asserting that the fight of ideology with the BJP is still on.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress lawmakers Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, K Suresh, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and Trinamool leader Derek O'Brien were present at the meeting.

ALSO READ | Congress yet to decide on Lok Sabha leader; Opposition in disarray over floor coordination

The Womens Reservation Bill also was among the Oppositions demands with Trinamools Sudip Bandopadhyay and OBrien calling for the bill to be listed and passed in the upcoming session.

The Opposition also collectively raised concerns about the weakening of federalism and said that deliberate attempt to target states was not acceptable.

We congratulated the government. But with that we also told them that this is a fight of ideologies. It was a fight of ideologies and it will remain so, Azad said.

ALSO READ | BJP parliamentary party, NDA meetings held ahead of 17th Lok Sabha

The Congress leader said his party is the foundation of secular forces and will always work to keep that spirit alive whether it is in government or in opposition.

Even when out of power, we will continue to work for the upliftment of farmers, labourers and women. We also said that there are some issues that the government should pay attention to such as those of the farmers, drought, lack of drinking water and massive unemployment in the country, Azad said.

The muzzling of the press was also one of the issues that were raised by Congress.

ALSO READ | 'One nation, one election': PM Modi invites all party chiefs for June 19 meeting

We also raised the issue of freedom of press. The behaviour of ruling party workers towards journalists was also raised. They (journalists) are being beaten and efforts are being made to muzzle their voice. We condemn that and urged the government to look into it, Azad said.

Speaking on the extension of Presidents Rule in Jammu and Kashmir and on the issue of the pending Assembly polls in the state, Azad said his party told the government that there was no need of Presidents rule in the state.

Lok Sabha elections were also held in Jammu and Kashmir recently and even they were conducted peacefully. So, when panchayat and parliamentary polls can be conducted, why not state polls? he said.

The Trinamool, on the other hand, raised the issue of electoral reforms, including state funding of elections and the restoration paper ballots.The mayor of Phoenix apologized Saturday after videos showed that police officers in the city who had been responding to a report of a shoplifting had drawn their weapons, shouted expletives and threatened to shoot a man in the face in front of his young children.

Mayor Kate Gallego said in a statement that she was sick over what she had seen in the videos.

It was completely inappropriate and clearly unprofessional, she said. There is no situation in which this behavior is ever close to acceptable. As a mother myself, seeing these children placed in such a terrifying situation is beyond upsetting.

The episode has drawn widespread attention as police encounters with civilians have faced heightened scrutiny, which is increasingly augmented by videos captured by bystanders on cellphones or by officers body cameras.

Dravon Ames and Iesha Harper of Phoenix, the couple seen in the videos, said officers had violated their civil rights and engaged in brutality during the episode, according to a notice of claim  a precursor to a lawsuit  that their lawyer sent to the city.

The lawyer, Thomas Horne, a former Arizona state attorney general, said the officers actions had been traumatic and utterly unjustified.

A day before the mayor released her statement, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams posted a video to the Police Departments Facebook page saying she had been disturbed by the language and the actions of our officer.

I do want you to know that I expect our employees to maintain their professionalism and proper training at all times, said Williams, who asked that the officers be taken off the street and placed on desk duty.

The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, the union that represents officers, did not respond to emails Sunday.

No charges were filed in connection with the episode, which started at a Family Dollar store. What preceded the events is in dispute. Neither side could even agree on when it had happened: The notice of claim said it had been May 29, and police said it had been May 27.

Two videos of the encounter show officers yelling. Shouting expletives, they tell Ames to get his hands up. An officer can be heard saying that hes going to put a cap in Ames head. As Ames exits the vehicle, an officer presses him against the pavement and handcuffs him, then pushes him against a police vehicle.

The footage shows another officer pointing his firearm toward the car as the couples 4-year-old daughter exits the car from the back seat, followed by Harper, who is carrying her 1-year-old daughter in one arm. An officer yells at her to put the child on the ground and then grabs her arm.

The Police Department said on Facebook that the episode began after a store manager had alerted an officer to a possible shoplifting occurrence and had said that those being sought were getting into a car. The department said officers had found the couples car a mile from the store.

The department said Ames had admitted he had stolen a package of underwear that he had thrown out of the car window and had said that he was also driving with a suspended license.

Horne disputed the police account and said officers had been alerted by an anonymous alleged witness that the couple had been shoplifting, and had followed them to the apartment complex without their patrol car sirens on.

The notice of claim said the couple had not realized until they were back at their car that their 4-year-old daughter had walked out of the store with a doll.

The couple had been driving to their babysitters home when a police car pulled in behind them, according to the notice. Once the couple was in the parking lot, an officer had walked up to the drivers side with a gun drawn, Horne wrote, adding that the officer then opened the door and began to shout at Ames.

A second officer pointed a gun at Harper, who had been sitting in the back seat on the drivers side and who was pregnant, which was obvious from her appearance, Horne wrote.

The door to the car was malfunctioning and the couple could not get out of the car, the notice said. The officer walked around the car with his gun drawn and dragged Harper and her daughters out of the car by the neck, according to the notice.

The store did not press charges, Horne said. An employee at the store declined to comment Sunday, and said a manager was unavailable.

Horne said Ames had denied telling the police officers that he had stolen underwear.

The mayor said she was calling for a community meeting June 18 in which the police chief was expected to answer questions from the public.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.By PTI

KALYANI: One person was killed, while some others were attacked with rods and bamboos in continuing post-poll clashes in West Bengal, in two districts, police said.

Eight persons have been arrested in connection with the incidents that took place on Saturday, they said.

A TMC member of a block panchayat Samiti of Khanakul in Hooghly district, Manoranjan Patra, was attacked when he was sitting outside the party office, resulting in his death, police said.

Three BJP supporters have been held for their alleged involvement in the crime, Superintendent of Police, Hooghly (Rural), Sukhendu Hira told newsmen.

The victim's brother, Sandip Patra said, "Attempts had also been made earlier to eliminate my brother and the police had been apprised of it."

Abhishek Banerjee, TMC MP and leader of the party's youth wing, visited the house of the deceased on Sunday and expressed condolence to the bereaved family members.

Banerjee claimed that BJP supporters, who were earlier with the CPI(M), had carried out the attack.

Asking the people to build a movement against the saffron party, he said, "There is nothing to fear. Criminals will be arrested."

Dismissing the allegation, local BJP leader Biman Ghosh said, the incident was a fallout of factional feud within the TMC, and no saffron party supporter or worker was involved in it.

In another incident, four wheelers were damaged and bikes torched when clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters in Nadia district.

BJP supporters allegedly attacked a group of TMC workers, including Kalyani Town president Arup Mukherjee, at Jogesh Colony area, when they were returning after meeting an injured party worker.

"About 40-50 BJP supporters attacked us with rods and bamboos. They even fired a few rounds, torched four bikes and damaged two four-wheelers," Mukherjee said.

Meanwhile, Sukhdeb Sarkar, another local BJP leader said, "The TMC men wanted to terrorise the people, as many of them had joined the BJP. When the local people gave them a chase, the TMC supporters managed to flee, but left behind their bikes and cars. The mob then set them afire."

Alleging that the police had arrested five "innocent" persons, Sarkar demanded their release.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



Less than half of food workers preparing meals served aboard three airlines flying out of San Francisco are able to afford the health care plans offered by their employers, union officials said Saturday.



"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," said Roberto Alvarez, who loads airline carts full of food and beverage at one of the two San Francisco International Airport kitchens that held strike votes this week.



In a statement released Saturday, LSG Sky Chef officials said they had not confirmed that the union had requested a release for the strike from the National Mediation Board, which is necessary before a strike can take place.



Some 1,500 workers at SFO voted this week to strike when released by the National Mediation Board, according to a union organizer for Unite Here Local 2. They work for LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet, the subcontractors providing meals for United, Delta and American Airlines flights departing SFO.



Thousands more food service workers are taking part in similar votes in 21 other locations across the country. The union maintains there is a growing crisis around airline catering workers' health care and wages. They say people who load food and beverages onto planes are often living in poverty and unable to afford health care.

More for you Beer in the Bay: Anchor Brewing employees seek to unionize





"I voted to strike when released because one job should be enough to have a good life," Alvarez said.



Unite Here Local 2 representatives estimate that less than 50 percent of the food service workers at SFO are covered by health care, and just 10 percent had a child or family member covered. The median wage for the workers is $18.66 per hour.



Sky Chef is negotiating in good faith with the workers, according to the company's statement, "Our company values the hard work and dedication of our team members. Wages, as well as other benefits, including vacations, uniforms and company provided meals, as well as health and welfare, are subject to the collective bargaining process between our company and their union representatives."ROHNERT PARK (BCN)



The driver of a Toyota Highlander was hospitalized Friday after a collision caused the SUV to roll over on State Farm Drive in Rohnert Park, police said.



Police were notified about the collision about 11:40 p.m. and found both drivers involved out of their vehicles/



The Highlander was going southbound on State Farm Drive when a Honda Crosstour sedan pulled out into the intersection westbound across State Farm Drive on Professional Center Drive and ran into the side of the SUV, police said.



The impact caused the SUV to roll over on the driver's side and spin.



The 37-year-old driver of the SUV was taken to the hospital for medical evaluation.



The driver of the Honda, who was uninjured, said he did not see the Highlander as he entered the intersection, which was closed to traffic for about an hour while the accident was investigated.



Neither driver showed signs of being intoxicated, police said.





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.A 2-year-old boy drowned Friday night in a swimming pool at an Antioch home, according to police.



Emergency crews and police responded about 7:30 p.m. to the 3000 block of N. Francisco Way and began life-saving measures on the boy. The child was taken to a hospital, where he later died.



The boy's name had not been released.



Investigators believe the drowning was an accident and did not release information on what led to the incident.







The Oakland Police Department on Saturday morning reported the department will dedicate a contingent of law enforcement officers this weekend to deter illegal sideshow activity.



Sideshows are informal demonstrations of automotive stunts performed in public intersections and in parking lots.



Oakland police, along with regional law enforcement partners, will team up to deter and take enforcement action against sideshow participants by issuing citations, making arrests and towing vehicles.



The increased response to sideshows will continue every weekend throughout the summer, according to the police department.



Police said illegal sideshows have historically led to serious injury or death of spectators and participants.







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 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.



Police said Farca had legally purchased an incomplete AR-15 rifle frame earlier this year.



On Monday, police obtained an arrest warrant for Farca and a warrant to search his home.



Farca was taken into custody without incident.



During a search of his home, police found an illegal AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, which had been built from the legally purchased frame, police said.



Investigators also found several high-capacity magazines, but they did not find any ammunition.



Detectives also found Nazi literature, camouflage clothing and a sword.



In addition to Farca's arrest, detectives were also able to obtain an emergency Gun Violence Restraining Order against Farca to prevent him from legally purchasing firearms.







Cal Fire will suspend burn permits in six counties Monday in consideration of the high fire risk in the region, according to the agency.



The increasing fire danger that hot, dry conditions and the abundance of dead grass leftover from a wet winter pose prompted Cal Fire to suspend burn permits with some exceptions in Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Solano, Yolo and Colusa Counties.



Effective Monday at 8 a.m., the suspension bans all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris such as branches and leaves.



The ban does not apply to campfires, which are allowed within campgrounds and on private property. A campfire permit can be obtained at local fire stations or online at PreventWildfireCA.org, Cal Fire said.



Other types of burning may be permitted with the consent of a Cal Fire official, according to the agency.



To prevent fire, Cal Fire reminded people to avoid mowing on hot and dry days.



The agency also advised people to prepare their properties for fire by clearing dead vegetation, planting fire-resistant plants and disposing debris.







A tire jarred loose in a hit-and-run crash on Friday rolled 150 feet and smashed through the window of a Petaluma business, causing major damage, police said Saturday.



An occupant of the crashed SUV was found hiding in the area and arrested on suspicion of public intoxication after the collision, which was reported shortly after 1 a.m. Friday in the 1400 block of North McDowell Extension, according to police.



No injuries were reported.



The SUV, a white 2013 Cadillac Escalade, had been pursued earlier by Rohnert Park police for speeding and reckless driving, but the chase was called off. The Escalade was last seen taking the U.S. Highway 101 exit and heading north on Old Redwood Highway.



Petaluma police checking the 1400 block of North McDowell found the Escalade with major damage, but nobody inside.



About the same time, an alarm call came from a business nearby, where a tire from the SUV had apparently traveled more than 150 feet. The tire bounced through the front window of the business and finally stopped at a wall inside, causing major damage, police said.



The crash was one of six drunken-driving crashes and another three late-night hit-and-run collisions investigated over the past week in Petaluma, officials said.



Late night hit-and-run collisions are usually suspected to be DUI drivers, police said.



DUI arrest statistics in Petaluma are about the same as last year with more than 100 arrests through early June, police said.













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.A man was shot and killed along Interstate Highway 80 Saturday night in Vacaville, and the California Highway Patrol was looking Saturday night for the suspected shooter.



The CHP got a report at 6:06 p.m. of a traffic collision on I-80 near Orange Drive and the old Nut Tree complex, the CHP said. Arriving investigators saw a man who had been shot; officers soon found a pickup truck nearby with several bullet holes in the side.



The wounded man was pronounced dead at the scene, the CHP said.



The CHP is looking for help from the public with finding the suspected shooter. Anyone with information is asked to call the CHP's Investigation tip line at (707) 917-4491.







The Concord City Council on Tuesday night will consider recommendations from a council committee for items that should be included in future rent control and tenant protection policies.



The Ad-Hoc Committee on Rental Housing - comprising Mayor Carlyn Obringer and Councilman Dominic Aliano -- has made the following recommendations to the City Council - modification of the city's Residential Rent Review Program; extending property owner notice requirement for rent increases; and requiring property owners to offer leases of at least one year.



Obringer also supports requiring relocation assistance for tenants, and Aliano recommends establishing a "just cause" eviction ordinance.



The issue has been on the radar in Concord since mid-2016, when several public meetings about the need for rent stabilization and tenant protections - largely from the tenants' point of view. In June 2017, the Concord City Council approved the Residential Rent Review Program to become part of city municipal code.



In May, more than 70 people addressed the committee at a community meeting. Concerns both of rental tenants and of property owners were expressed.







One person was killed Saturday evening after being struck by a freight train in Martinez, authorities confirmed.



The accident occurred at about 6:20 p.m. on BNSF Railway tracks just east of the Old Orchard Road overcrossing. "It did not occur at a railroad crossing," BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent said.



Kent said all train traffic on this route, between Stockton and Richmond, was stopped during the investigation. No passenger trains use this route, which was reopened Saturday night.



Kent did not immediately have any information on the person killed, who was trespassing on the tracks. Martinez police referred all questions on the incident to BNSF.



Saturday's accident occurred a short distance from where, in March 2014, a 14-year-old girl, Jenna Betti, was killed by a BNSF train. A memorial near that spot continues to be maintained to this day.







Both directions of U.S. Highway 101 are currently closed and at least one person has died following separate multiple-vehicle and major-injury collisions on U.S. Highway 101 early Sunday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.



The collision on the southbound side of U.S. 101 was first reported at 2:41 a.m. just north of Embarcadero Road, the CHP said. Three vehicles were involved and all four people are being transported to hospitals. One person has major injuries.



It is not clear if the southbound U.S. 101 collision is related to an earlier fatal wrong-way collision on the northbound side near Embarcadero Road reported a little more than 30 minutes earlier at 2:08 a.m. Sunday.



According to CHP Officer Dave Morey, the wrong-way driver in the earlier collision has died. The driver of the vehicle traveling in the right direction has been transported with major injuries. No other injuries have been reported in that collision as of 3:20 a.m.



There is no estimated time of reopening and the CHP is investigating the collisions.







A fire Saturday afternoon in eastern Antioch firefighters believe was caused by illegal fireworks damaged one house and threatened 10 others before firefighters contained the flames, two area agencies said on social media.



The three-alarm fire was reported about 2:15 p.m. Saturday in the 1300 block of Trembath Lane, just north of East 18th Street, according to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. It started out as a grass fire, but later damaged one house and destroyed a shed and some wooden fences.



With help from crews from the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, 10 other houses nearby were saved from the fire. The fire was out by about 3 p.m. Saturday. No one was injured.



Fire officials on Saturday night was still looking for the young people believed to have set off the fireworks, which are all illegal in Contra Costa County. Anyone with information about the fireworks being set off is urged to call the CCCFPD tip line at 1-866-50-ARSON (502-7766).







A group that sailed an inflatable Trump Chicken around Alcatraz on President's Day last year is planning to launch a giant peach to cruise the Bay on July 4.



The 20-foot peach with a large "M," along with the banner "Impeach Trump Now" will set sail on Independence Day to coincide with the president's planned July 4 address at the Lincoln Memorial, organizers said.



The group, Trump Chicken SF, has launched a GoFundMe page to help pay for their latest endeavor, saying "new times call for new inflatables."



They have raised more than $800 as of Saturday toward a $5,000 goal, to both rent a boat and pay for the new inflatable.



"We've designed M-Peach especially for Independence Day knowing that a majority of Americans want to be independent of Trump, and the quicker the better," according to the GoFundMe page, https://www.gofundme.com/trump-and-the-giant-mpeach



The M-Peach will depart from Fisherman's Wharf and slowly sail south along the bay front, organizer Danelle Morton of Trump Chicken SF said Friday.



On President's Day in 2018, the Trump Chicken sailed around Alcatraz in a "Prisoner 00045" striped shirt.







Police are searching for a group of four people who went into a clothing store in the Vacaville Premium Outlets center on June 9 and casually walked out each holding armfuls of clothes, Vacaville police said.



A video, released Saturday, reportedly shot by an employee of the Tommy Hilfiger store, shows each of the four people gathering up all the clothes they could carry and calmly walking out of the store.



Store workers offered police descriptions of the suspects and of the vehicle they got into - a newer-model Chevy SUV, its license plate covered with a garbage bag, police said.



The stolen clothes are valued at about $8,000, police said.



No one was injured.



Police ask that anyone near the Tommy Hilfiger store at around 10 a.m. June 9 who may be able to provide information call Officer Richard Jimenez at (707) 449-5200.







At least one person was seriously injured after a vehicle crashed off eastbound state Highway 4 and into the backyard of a home in Martinez early Sunday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.



The CHP said the crash was first reported at 12:52 a.m. The vehicle ended up in the yard of a property at 2030 Franklin Canyon Road in Martinez, according to Contra Costa County Fire Department officials.



Crews at the scene reported that the vehicle ended up on its side against the home, Fire Captain Tracie Dutter said.



One person was extricated from the vehicle and transported to a hospital with major injuries.







Sunday will be mostly cloudy with patchy fog and drizzle in the morning, then becoming partly cloudy. Highs will be in the 50s to upper 60s. Southwest winds will be 5 to 10 mph, before becoming west winds at 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon.



Sunday night will be mostly cloudy. Lows will be in the mid 50s. Southwest winds will be 10 to 20 mph.



Monday will be cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly cloudy. Highs will be in the lower 60s to mid 70s. Southwest winds will be 10 to 20 mph.





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.Separate multiple-vehicle and major-injury collisions on U.S. Highway 101 in Palo Alto early Sunday morning killed at least one person, resulted in one arrest on suspicion of felony DUI and sent several people to hospitals, according to the California Highway Patrol.



The series of collisions started around 2:08 a.m. when a wrong-way driver on northbound U.S. 101 seriously injured another motorist in a head-on collision, CHP Officer Dave Morey said. The wrong-way driver died at the scene.



At about 2:30 a.m., two separate collisions occurred on the southbound side of the freeway, Morey said, both of which are suspected to have occurred as the motorists were looking at the collision scene on the northbound side. In the first collision, one vehicle rear-ended the other on southbound U.S. 101 approximately 75 yards south of the northbound collision scene.



Sometime not long after that, a woman in the vehicle that was hit from behind walked into the southbound lanes and was struck by another vehicle on the freeway, Morey said.







Less than half of food workers preparing meals served aboard three airlines flying out of San Francisco are able to afford the health care plans offered by their employers, union officials said Saturday.



In a statement released Saturday, LSG Sky Chef officials said they had not confirmed that the union had requested a release for the strike from the National Mediation Board, which is necessary before a strike can take place.



Some 1,500 workers at SFO voted this week to strike when released by the National Mediation Board, according to a union organizer for Unite Here Local 2. They work for LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet, the subcontractors providing meals for United, Delta and American Airlines flights departing SFO.







A Pittsburg resident grilling in his back yard is believed to have indirectly caused a two-alarm fire Saturday that damaged a house in south central Pittsburg, a county fire official said.



Contra Costa County Fire Protection District firefighters responded about 12:23 p.m. Saturday to a house in the 200 block of El Dorado Drive. Fire Capt. Tracie Dutter said an ember from a barbecue grill there drifted onto a tree, setting the tree on fire. In turn, an ember from the burning tree landed on the shake roof of a nearby house, Dutter said. The fire was quickly contained, she added.







The driver of a vehicle that plunged more than 150 feet down a cliff early Sunday morning in Pacifica was hospitalized after being brought back up from heavy brush by crews using ropes and a rescue basket.



Three fire companies and a technical rescue unit from the North County Fire Authority responded at 2:20 a.m. to the scene at Manor and Heathcliff drives, where the vehicle had gone down a steep ravine.



A rope system was used by firefighter/paramedics to reach the driver, who was assessed and treated for injuries before being brought up via a rescue basket and taken to the hospital.







A 42-year-old San Rafael man who allegedly brandished a handgun at a drug store clerk in downtown San Rafael was arrested Saturday on several felony charges, including armed robbery and assault with a firearm.



Police were notified about 8:45 p.m. after the man pulled out a firearm after a credit card was declined during an attempted purchase at the store in the 800 block of Third Street. Officers, who happened to be nearby, arrived as Thomas Louis Pratt Jr. was leaving the store.



A search turned up a loaded Smith and Wesson revolver handgun and additional ammunition.







Two homes were damaged and an outbuilding was destroyed in a Friday morning fire in the 1100 block of Norton Street in San Mateo.



Fire crews arriving within five minutes of being notified just before 11 a.m. found the fire was "well-involved" fire to the rear of a large two-story single family home and was spreading to a neighboring home and outbuilding.



A second alarm was sounded and some 40 San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department personnel from eight fire engines, two ladder trucks, a breathing support unit, and several command vehicles responded.



Power was shut off to more than 200 residences in the neighborhood by PG&E due to a downed line. A utility pole also had to be replaced.



All of the occupants of the homes were able to escape. One firefighter suffered a foot injury, but no other injuries to residents or firefighters were reported. Eight people were displaced due to damage to the homes, officials said.



The fire caused an estimated $350,000 in damage. Investigators have not determined a cause, but do not believe the blaze to be suspicious.









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.PALO ALTO (BCN)



Palo Alto police advise that University Avenue will be closed from High Street to Webster Street from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday for the free World Music Day festival.



The 11th annual event will open the avenue from 3 to 7:30 p.m. to all pedestrians to take in performances by some 50 professional and amateur musical groups in such styles as jazz, pop, rock, classical, world music, choral, folkloric dances at street corners and plazas.





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 Express News Service

NEW DELHI: After the dismal Lok Sabha poll performance, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has decided to work for improving the partys fortune keeping in mind the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. She has decided to hold meetings with party workers and visit the state frequently to reach out to the people.

Priyanka, who was made the party in charge for east UP before the general elections, has decided to meet party workers from UP without any prior appointment. According to sources, she will sit for a few hours where party workers can come and discuss problems with her.

She has already held a review meeting with district incharges, coordinators and party workers to assess the reasons for the partys poor performance in the state.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi lost election from Amethi while UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhis victory margin from Rae Bareli has come down.

Rahul Gandhi losing from Amethi is a big setback for the party and personally for Priyanka who was overlooking the campaigns in both the constituencies. During the review meeting, it was felt that party leadership is losing connect with ground workers and there is a need to have a proper communication strategy, said a leader.

Priyanka accompanied her mother to Rae Bareli last week and told party workers that Rae Bareli seat was won because of her mother and people who voted for her.By Express News Service

LUCKNOW/VARANASI: The breaker-less road laid out to give a smooth ride to VIPs across Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is fast turning out to be a killer zone, courtesy reckless drivers.

Three major accidents within a week on the killer road substantiate the notion.

Notably, the maximum permissible speed limit for all kind of vehicles across the BHU campus spread in the 14-km periphery is just 30 km per hour.

On Saturday afternoon, a speeding SUV reportedly belonging to local BJP leader Ranveer Singh ran over two Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA-Final Year) students.

As the two students, identified as Rakesh and Anju Lata (physically challenged), had left the Faculty of Visual Arts on a motorbike for varsitys Central Office, a speeding SUV mounted with the BJP flag and Ranveer Singhs name on the rear glass rammed into Rakeshs motorbike near Amphitheatre.

As per an eyewitness account of Paras working in BHU told TNIE that while Anju Lata, the pillion rider, was thrown away under the impact of SUV and sustained multiple injuries, Rakesh got entangled under the SUVs wheels and was dragged around a few metres along with the four-wheeler.

Both the students were rushed to a hospital and were admitted to the Trauma Centre.

Rakesh, critical, was being treated for fractures in hands, ribs and other parts of the body.

After the incident, four men present in the SUV left it there and escaped in another SUV that was following them. However, irate BHU students set the SUV ablaze with the motorbike still under it near the Law Faculty, said Paras.

According to the IIT-BHU students who were present on the spot at the time of the accident, it was a routine affair to spot that particular SUV mounted with BJP flag and bearing Ranveer Singhs name crisscrossing the campus in high speed.

An FIR was lodged against the occupants of the said SUV and they were booked under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) against unidentified accused at Lanka police station.

Meanwhile, the errant SUV driver was detained for questioning and cops have yet to trace other occupants of the four-wheeler.

In fact, the Saturday incident was third within a week on the same three-km killer stretch.

On Monday morning, father of Dr Amit Rastogi, professor, Orthopaedics department, IMS-BHU, died after being hit badly by a speeding motorbike during a morning walk. Both the outsiders were arrested.

On Sunday, while the campus was bustling with over 15,000 aspirants for various entrance examinations, two speeding motorcycles collided head-on injuring two men and a woman. All three were admitted to the BHU Trauma Centre.

According to the BHU Chief Proctor Dr OP Rai, in view of the frequency of accidents in the same zone, entry of four wheelers was banned from one of the four entry-exit points into the central varsity.

The varsity administration is likely to meet city administration to get an elaborate traffic plan for the campus along with penalties on the flouters.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.BUENOS AIRES  A huge blackout left tens of millions of people without electricity in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay on Sunday after an unexplained failure in the neighboring countries interconnected power grid.

Authorities worked frantically to restore power, and by the evening electricity had returned to 98 percent of Argentina, according to state news agency Telam. Power also had been restored to most of Uruguays 3 million people as well as to people in Paraguay.

On Sunday morning, voters cast ballots by the light of cell phones in gubernatorial elections in Argentina. Public transportation halted, shops closed and patients dependent on home medical equipment were urged to go to hospitals with generators.

This is an extraordinary event that should have never happened, Energy Minister Gustavo Lopetegui told a news conference.

He said the cause of the huge blackout was still under investigation.

Many residents of Argentina and Uruguay said the size of the blackout was unprecedented.

I was just on my way to eat with a friend, but we had to cancel everything. Theres no subway, nothing is working, said Lucas Acosta, a Buenos Aires resident. Whats worse, today is Fathers Day. Ive just talked to a neighbor and he told me his sons wont be able to meet him.

Argentinas power grid is generally known for being in a state of disrepair, with substations and cables that were insufficiently upgraded as power rates remained largely frozen for years.

An Argentine independent energy expert said systemic operational and design errors played a role in the power grids collapse. A localized failure like the one that occurred should be isolated by the same system, said Raul Bertero, president of the Center for the Study of Energy Regulatory Activity in Argentina.

The countrys energy secretary said the blackout occurred around 7 a.m. local time when a key interconnection system collapsed. Argentine energy company Edesur said on Twitter that the failure originated at an electricity transmission point between the power stations in Yacyreta and Salto Grande in the countrys northeast.

Uruguays energy company UTE said the failure in the Argentine system cut power to all of Uruguay at one point and blamed the collapse on a flaw in the Argentine network.

In Paraguay, power in rural communities in the south, near the border with Argentina and Uruguay, was also cut. The countrys National Energy Administration said service was restored by afternoon by redirecting energy from a hydroelectric plant the country shares with neighboring Brazil.

Paul Byrne and Luis Henao are Associated Press writers.Megan Anuci / U.S. Navy

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in remarks published Sunday that the kingdom will not hesitate to confront Iranian threats to its security. He joined the U.S. in accusing its bitter rival Iran of being behind attacks on two oil tankers traveling near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route for Arabian energy exports.

Tensions in the Persian Gulf have escalated since the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets to the region in what it says is defensive posturing against Iranian threats. The crisis grew out of the Trump administrations decision to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran and its oil exports, after unilaterally withdrawing the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday inaugurated a new settlement in the occupied Golan Heights, in honour of his key ally US President Donald Trump.

Netanyahu unveiled a "Trump Heights" sign to mark the site of the new settlement.

The ceremony comes after the US president in late March recognised Israeli sovereignty over the part of the strategic plateau it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day war.

Israel later annexed the area in a move never recognised by the international community.

"The Golan is Israeli and will remain so always", Netanyahu declared.

Trump is "a very great friend of Israel who has taken a decision that has never before been taken", he added.

Surrounding a large table, Israel's cabinet met under a tent in the north of the Golan to name the settlement. Its construction is planned in an area currently occupied by four settler families.

Some 23,000 Druze -- an Arab Muslim minority also present in Syria and Lebanon -- live in the occupied and annexed portion of the Golan, while 25,000 Israeli settlers have arrived there since 1967.

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Express News Service

MUMBAI: Thirteen new ministers were inducted into the Maharashtra cabinet on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on the eve of the Monsoon session of the Assembly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, We have tried to strike a regional balance.

Refuting claims that the new cabinet appointments have been made with an eye on the forthcoming assembly elections, Fadnavis said that his government has already started planning for another term, and, hence, the cabinet expansion should be seen as an attempt to build a new team for another five years.

While 13 new members were drafted into the cabinet, five sitting ministers were dropped.

They (the ministers) tendered their resignations, which were accepted, the CM said.

It had been widely speculated that Lokayuktas strictures against housing minister Prakash Mehta, coupled with a need to accommodate new members of the BJP and ally Shiv Sena in the cabinet, prompted the much-awaited expansion of Fadnavis team.

ALSO READ | Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's arch-rival Thorat named CLP leader in Maharashtra assembly

As was expected, former leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who rebelled against the Congress and switched to the BJP after his son Sujay was denied a ticket for the Lok Sabha elections, and NCP legislator Jaidutta Kshirsagar, who joined the Shiv Sena a month ago, were both inducted as ministers.

Others to be inducted into the cabinet include BJP leaders Ashish Shelar (Mumbai), Anil Bonde (Amravati), Sanjay Kute (Buldhana), Ashok Uike (Yavatmal), Parinay Phuke (Bhandara), Atul Save (Aurangabad), Suresh Khade (Sangli), Sanjay Beghde (Maval) and Yogesh Sagar (Mumbai), RPI(A)s Avinash Mahatekar (Munbai) and Shiv Senas Tanaji Sawant (Yavatmal).

ALSO READ | With Ashish Shelar's elevation in Fadnavis cabinet, BJP begins hunt for Mumbai unit head

Five of the 13 new ministers hail from Vidarbha, while three each are from Mumbai and western Maharashtra. Marathwada got two cabinet berths and North Maharashtra got a lone berth.

All the new ministers are experienced, Fadnavis said of the inductees.

Among those who have tendered their resignations are three cabinet ministers  Prakash Mehta (housing), Vishnu Savra (tribal development) and Rajkumar Badole (social justice)  and two ministers of state  Raje Ambarish Atram (tribal development) and Dilip Kamble (social justice). All are from the BJP.

All fared well as ministers. However, the party felt the need for change and hence, we brought in new faces, the CM said.Dear Amy: This week I discovered that my intelligent, hard-working, responsible 24-year-old daughter (who lives with me) is a gun owner! And its not a normal gun either -- it is a 40 caliber semi-automatic, and she has hollow point bullets to go with it.

Amy, this is the kind of weapon a criminal would possess! She says it is for emergencies. There have only been two home invasions in our neighborhood in the last 11 years.

I've given her three choices: She can either give her weapon to me, sell it, or move out in three weeks.

I love my daughter and would be so sad for her to move into a place that she would hardly be able to afford, but now I have to lock my bedroom door at night because I don't know what she's going to do.

Now she says that I don't trust her, and is barely speaking to me. How can I convince her to stop endangering us?

-- Dumbfounded Father

Dear Dumbfounded: According to my research, possessing hollow point bullets is illegal in 11 states; is it legal in your state to own this sort of exploding ammunition?

In a report published in 2015, researchers at the University of Chicago found that 31 percent of households reported having a firearm in 2014, down from about 48 percent in 1980.

According to this study, there are more guns, but concentrated in fewer households. Why must your household be one of them?

Where did your daughter get this weapon and ammunition? Has she received any safety training or certification? (Accidental gun death is a substantial risk of owning a gun.) Is she perhaps engaged in another activity outside of your household that exposes her to increased risks and makes her believe she needs to have a weapon?

I have news for you: A locked bedroom door is no match for this weaponry; as I write this, just five days ago a father in South Carolina tragically shot and killed his own 23-year-old daughter through a closed door -- when he mistook her for an intruder.

I agree with your ultimatum; I also weep that there is yet another (likely unsafe) gun owner in this country.

Dear Amy: My older brother committed suicide about two years ago.

He was not married and did not have children. He struggled with alcohol addiction for most of his adult life. We were unsuccessful in helping him to kick his addiction.

I still see my brother's profile whenever I use Facebook, and it is incredibly painful for me. I get notifications and reminders, see his photos and wall posts, and get reminded to wish him a happy birthday or to contact him.

I want to have his profile gone forever, but my younger sister wants to "memorialize" his page, so we can still see it.

I don't want to see it again, ever, as it's just a painful reminder to me of our failure to help him, and that he's no longer here.

Any recommendations?

-- Grieving Sibling

Dear Grieving: I vote for memorializing your brothers page. Instructions on how to do this are readily available through the Facebook Help section (search key word deceased). The process is somewhat involved and requires proof of death, and a request sent to Facebook.

A "memorial" page will be a way for your brother's friends and family members (including you, if you ever chose) to remember him, view photos, and continue to feel connected, but you would not receive further birthday reminders or recommendations regarding his page. Obviously, these are very difficult and painful points of contact for you, and anyone can understand why you would be upset by these reminders, which for you are painful.

Being a survivor of a family member's death by suicide conveys a unique and terrible sort of grief. But, please, I hope you won't let your brother's death (and your painful associations and memories of his struggles) completely erase his presence from your life.

Dear Amy: I loved your answer to Disgusted, who did not want to attend his great-nephews bar mitzvah.

While his strong feelings are very meaningful to him, his desire to control his family's thinking and behavior around this has a fundamentalist feel to it (i.e., We must get on the same page and not have divergent thinking). I hope he can reflect on that.

-- Seattle Deb

Dear Deb: I appreciate your sentiment. Divergent thinking is a good thing, as long as we lead from a place of respect.

(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or like her on Facebook.)STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Amid drastic changes on the North Shore, including the opening of Empire Outlets, efforts to create a Business Improvement District (BID) are underway for the neighborhood.

A steering committee, composed of property and business owners along the Bay Street corridor, along with the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, announced the effort in a media release by Downtown Staten Island.

The proposed BID would be responsible for overseeing and funding the maintenance, improvement and promotion of the neighborhood, pending local legislation.

As long-time members of the Downtown Staten Island community, the Chamber is delighted to contribute to the commercial revitalization of the area, said Linda Baran, president of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.

We know that strong commercial districts make for strong and happy neighborhoods. For several years, through our Neighborhood 360 work, weve been providing things like daily street sweeping, holiday lighting, tree guards and landscaping, marketing, and more, Baran added.

"Now, were glad to assist the community as it comes together to consider creation of a BID, to sustain and build upon these efforts, Baran said.

The Staten Island Chamber of Commerce previously received grant funding in 2017 through the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Neighborhood 360 program to perform BID-like services for several years.

To maintain these services the formation of a BID would be necessary, according to the Chamber.

The steering committee overseeing the BID formation effort is comprised of neighborhood stakeholders, including Sam and Gary Angiuli, who have both been long-time property owners and developers on Staten Island.

The Angiuli familys history has been closely tied to Downtown Staten Island for generations, and we remain strongly committed towards working to make the neighborhood the best it can be, Sam Angiuli said.

Now, with the Chambers achievements and all of the other major development happening here, were determined to help keep the positive momentum going to benefit not only the newcomers, but all the long-time merchants and residents, he added.

"Thats why we believe strongly that a Business Improvement District is the right move at the right time for our community, and well be working alongside our neighbors and friends to make sure it happens.

According to the media release, New York City has 76 BIDs, and the formation of an additional BID along the Bay Street Corridor would be the fifth on Staten Island.By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Doctors and staffers of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Mangalagiri and private hospitals in Vijayawada extended solidarity towards the agitating doctors of Kolkata by wearing black badges on their arms while performing duty on Saturday.

Responding to the call given by Indian Medical Association (IMA), all non-emergency services in both private and government hospitals across the State will be suspended for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am on Tuesday.

ALSO READ: Andhra Pradesh doctors to suspend services for 24 hours from June 17-18

We strongly condemn the attacks on doctors in Kolkata. It is high time we show our strength and condemn such attacks. Outpatient and non-emergency services in all hospitals across the State will be suspended for 24 hours. We want implementation of Prevention of Violence Against Doctors Act, enacted in 2008, IMA, Vijayawada president Dr TV Ramana Murthy said.

Apart from doctors and staff of AIIMS, Mangalagiri, staffers of Andhra Hospitals in Vijayawada also wore black badges on Saturday to condemn the attack in Kolkata.

Such attacks on doctors in West Bengal and Warangal are unfortunate and it is the responsibility of the government to prevent these. Many talented doctors are not treating patients after completion of education fearing these attacks. If such incidents continue, no doctor will dare attend serious cases, Dr PV Ramana of Andhra Hospitals said.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An Egyptian police sergeant is alleging he was harassed because of his race by police officers at the 123rd Police Precinct in Tottenville, according to a law suit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.

Kappa Farid, 54, said he was harassed for his Arabic accent, and was called a sand monkey, by other officers, according to court papers. He filed the lawsuit against the city and the NYPD, according to court documents.

Farid also alleges he was not allowed to speak at meetings and was moved to an unwanted midnight shift, which led to his divorce, according to court documents.

Farids lawyer, Marshall Bellovin, wasnt immediately available for comment on Sunday.

Nicolas Paolucci, a city Law Department spokesman told the Advance the agency will review the suit.

FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTERSTATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- To some it was a safe haven, an environment where struggling children put their lives back on track.

Others, however, claim it was a place where predators preyed upon their vulnerabilities.

Former residents of the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin, Mount Loretto, are embroiled after a bombshell court filing alleged that a woman who attended the haven suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of several nuns and at least one lay person.

Sly Francis, 61, a former NYPD detective and a resident of Mount Loretto from 1963 to 1972, said that he never previously heard of allegations or rumors that nuns sexually abused any of the residents.

I cant dismiss her allegations, said Francis, who attended Mount Loretto from the ages of 6 to 15, but I never witnessed anyone or never heard of anyone -- a female or male -- being sexually abused by the nuns.

While Francis admitted that both nuns and priests at the school doled out discipline to students because of behavior," he said that he was never abused.

Francis, a chronic runaway as a child after his parents divorced, said that his time at the manor saved his life.

At only five years old, Francis would go into the street for weeks at a time and said that he often ended up in strange peoples houses" before being told he would be forced to go to a reform school. However, a priest at Mount Loretto reached out to Francis mother, and he soon after attended the mission.

The kids that were there became my family, and it put me on the right path, Francis said.

The court filing was made by Robin Campbell, whose maiden name is Robin Miller. Miller lived at the Pleasant Plains mission between the ages of 6 and 11, from 1960 through 1966, according to documents filed in Manhattan state Supreme Court.

Campbell, who now resides out of state, said that she suffered horrific acts of sexual and physical abuse," some of which were described in the court filings.

She was thrown down a flight of stairs and beaten over the head and slapped repeatedly, alleges an affirmation filed by her lawyer, John Bonina of Brooklyn.

She developed epilepsy and had seizures due to the beatings, Campbell alleges.

One nun, Sister Helen, even slammed down a piano cover on her hands, breaking four fingers, when Campbell was trying to teach herself the piano, her petition maintains.

During her stay, another nun, Sister Rosemarie repeatedly sexually abused Campbell at night, the court documents allege.

While at Mount Loretto, Campbell alleges she was physically or sexually abused almost every day.

The only time I recall not being abused was when President Kennedy was assassinated, her petition alleges.

SIMILAR ALLEGATIONS

Another woman who attended Mount Loretto in the 1960s and wished to remain anonymous due to the personal nature of her statements, said that she too was sexually abused while attending the haven.

While she claims she endured physical abuse, including an alleged incident where a nun slapped her face so hard that her glasses came off because she was looking through a dormitory window, the woman said that she was woken up on multiple occasions by nuns who would send her to a priest who molested her.

The woman declined to name the priest.

She did say, however, that the priest was not Eugene Mangan, who was named on the Archdiocese list of clergy who were either credibly accused of abuse, or who were the subject of a claim made to the New York Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP) that was deemed eligible for compensation. Mangan was included on the latter list.

According to Advance archives, Mangan was ordained in 1958 and served at Mount Loretto from 1959 to 1979.

The woman, who was about 12 at the time of her abuse, said that the nuns would tell her to go to the priests room in order to help her and her younger siblings, who also attended Mount Loretto.

I wasnt really sure why I was going back there, she said.

The priests room, as the woman described, included an old-style bed with a trundle that rested beside where the priest slept.

When in the room, she alleges that the priest would have crude, rough sexual intercourse with her. The woman claims to have also previously been a victim of sexual abuse prior to her arrival at Mount Loretto.

The woman, who knew Campbell during her time at Mount Loretto, said she remembered Campbell complaining about a stinging sensation in her genitals while in a communal shower on the grounds.

I could remember feeling that it was a little off about her saying that, she said, but added that nothing came of her complaints.

The woman described Campbell as a small, reserved girl who was commonly picked on during her tenure.

I do remember her, and I do feel bad that shes struggling to get her message across, she said.

OTHERS UNAWARE

Other former residents said that they were unaware of any sexual abuse that occurred on the grounds.

Eloisa Padilla, 71, who attended Mount Loretto from 1963 to 1967, during the time Campbell alleges that the abuse took place, said that we never heard of any allegation of sex abuse from the nuns.

The girls were close and we didnt have secrets, we told each other everything, Padilla said.

While she admitted that the nuns were a little tough on us girls, and that physical discipline was not at all uncommon, Padilla said that she and many others felt safe and loved at the mission.

Padilla said that she did not know Campbell during her time at Mount Loretto, or at any point following her stay, but said that the news of the court filing really hurt many of us.

We are family and something like this really hurts, she said.

According to the court filing, Campbell alleges that Sister Rosemarie repeatedly sexually abused her at night, adding that Campbells bed was kept closest to the door of a common bedroom housing, thus providing easy access for Sister Rosemarie to abuse her.

Campbell was awoken so often by the sexual abuse that she pretended to be ill so she could go to the infirmary to sleep, alleges the affirmation.

The court filings allege that Sister Rosemarie also physically abused her, along with Sisters Agnes, Helen, Juanita and Philip-Marie, as well as a Mrs. Hartman.

Al Richichi, the president of the Mount Loretto Alumni Association, said that he does not know Campbell, and that she is not a part of the alumni group.

Richichi, who left Mount Loretto at the age of 18 in 1963, said that he would often visit his sister in the girls section of the campus, and never heard any of this.

No one has ever once said anything as horrific as this," he said.

While he admitted that he did not have direct proof disputing Campbells claims, he said he is at a loss as to understanding the rationale of the court filings.

A member of an online alumni page who attended Mount Loretto from 1962 to 1963 and again from 1967 to 1969, said that Campbell briefly was a part of the Facebook group.

During her tenure, the woman said that she never heard of any sexual abuse at the girls side of Mount Loretto."

I had heard that on occasion some girl would be struck, but for the most part, punishment consisted of standing on campus which meant we would stand in the hallway with our hands on our heads for a set amount of time, she added.

Campbells court filings seek to compel the Archdiocese of New York, Catholic Charities of Staten Island and Mount Loretto to preserve critical evidence and information and to identify other possible defendants.

Campbell intends to sue those parties under the recently-passed Child Victims Act.

The state law creates a one-year window, starting on Aug. 14, for plaintiffs of any age to sue alleged abusers regardless when the abuse occurred.

The bill also allows victims of sexual abuse to sue their alleged abuser anytime before they turn 55.

Campbell alleges the institutions knew or should have known of the named nuns alleged acts of abuse against her and other kids, yet did nothing to prevent it.

Upon information and belief, in the 1950s and 1960s and beyond, (the institutions) often turned a blind eye and/or took no action to protect the children whose safety had been entrusted to them, alleges the affirmation.

Campbell also intends to pursue criminal charges against the named individuals.

Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York, said, We take all allegations of abuse seriously, and will carefully investigate these and respond appropriately.

That process has begun, Zwilling said in response to Campbells court filings. If she has not already done so, we strongly encourage her to report her allegations to the district attorney as well."STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Islands only deaf church held its services at a new location on Sunday -- with services conducted in American Sign Language (ASL) and voiced for a hearing audience.

The Hands for Christ Community Church service was held at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Tottenville -- where services will be held every Sunday at 11:45 a.m.

Pastor Mary J. Bacheller, who was born to two deaf parents, founded the church in 2012. The church will celebrate its seventh year in September.

Members of the church signed along with Bacheller as songs and prayers were also signed. Joyce Coletti and Louis Damico interpreted American Sign Language for the hearing audience.

The first service was amazing, Bacheller said. We felt blessed, we felt invigorated, and we know that we will grow and were here to serve the deaf community, hearing people are always welcome because its always voiced for them, as well. And it is different than most services and were here to worship God with our hearts and our hands.

Bacheller makes sure the services are available to all -- even live-streaming the services to New Jersey, North Carolina, West Virginia and Texas.

They werent all out today but the deaf community feel that now they can worship and participate not just sit back, but they can truly be part of appraising God, said Bacheller.

St. Paul United Methodist Church Pastor Lillian Hertel said offering a space for the deaf community to worship is a remarkable opportunity.

We are actually looking forward to doing some joint worships, said Pastor Hertel. We are hoping to do more things together. We hope that we can do some fellowship together, and do some worships together. I think thats extremely important.

Al Richichi, a member of the St. Pauls board of trustees, said he couldnt be happier to have this Hands for Christ Community Church.

We are looking forward to a long period of joint worships and community help, he said. Whatever we can do.

St. Paul United Methodist Church will be celebrating its 160th anniversary in October.

FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Ugly doesnt mean bad, especially when it comes to produce.

With at least two companies now delivering to the borough, Staten Islanders can help eliminate food waste by buying ugly, or imperfect fruits and vegetables.

Misfits Market, a fast-growing fresh produce delivery service, recently announced its expansion throughout the entire Eastern seaboard.

Misfits Markets latest expansion includes all zip codes in Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, with service to all of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida launching through the remainder of the year. The Philadelphia, Pa-based company launched its service to Staten Islanders in November, 2018, said a company spokeswoman.

Misfits Market also recently-opened 140,800-square-foot facility in Pennsauken, N.J.

By making misfit produce more accessible and affordable, were able to reduce food waste at a scale that creates positive and lasting impact, said Abhi Ramesh, CEO and founder of Misfits Market. Delivering to every zip code in the states we serve allows us to go beyond dense urban areas, and put healthy food within reach of every household while supporting responsible growing practices.

Almost half of what the nations farms grow is never eaten, and much of the food that is imported to the U.S. meets a similar fate. Nutritious fruits and vegetables are routinely rejected by supermarkets due to cosmetic imperfections, according to Misfits Market.

In fact, a 2014 study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, revealed that more than 38 million tons of this food is thrown away every year.

Since its founding in 2018, Misfits Market has rescued more than 5 million pounds of produce that would have gone to waste, the company said. All of Misfits Markets produce is certified organic, non-GMO, and sourced from trusted growers around the country, according to the company.

Misfits Market boxes can be purchased on a one-time or weekly/bi-weekly subscription basis at www.misfitsmarket.com.

Each delivery includes a variety of seasonal produce, such as kale, lettuce, arugula, squash, cauliflower, tomatoes, potatoes, apples, peaches, plums, celery and cabbage.

IMPERFECT PRODUCE

Misfits Markets competitor Imperfect Produce last week launched its service in the borough.

With a new facility in Moonachie, N.J., Imperfect Produce sources surplus fruit and vegetables directly from farms and delivers it straight to customers doors instead of wasting the food.

This is produce that might be shaped funny, might be too big or too small or it might have some discoloration. But its still super good stuff, said Ben Simon, CEO and co-founder of Imperfect Produce.

It [the produce] has the same taste and quality as the stuff youd see in the grocery store. ...And we are 30% cheaper than grocery store prices, he added.

FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER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!Last week, the NSW Education Standards Authority warned 15,000 teachers they would be suspended unless they paid their annual $100 accreditation fee by the end of the month. When I spoke to NESA on the phone about the fee's purpose, they referred me to their website for an opaque breakdown of what activities are funded by it. These activities included "accreditation support" and "quality professional development".

Arguably, a majority of teachers served a suspension notice are casual and temporary employees who do not reap the benefits of the fee. I have worked in NSW public schools for six years as a casual and temporary teacher. I can tell you from first-hand experience that these "activities" rarely materialise for those of us who are not full-time.

Teachers have to put in a lot of work for accreditation. Credit:Peter Braig

To get accredited, teachers have to complete and log at least 100 hours of professional development courses; annotate evidence to "prove proficiency"; keep diaries, be mentored by instructional leaders; request and collate reports written by supervisors; painstakingly assemble all reports and evidence into a single document, and more. All of which is a requirement outside of the already overburdened and under-resourced job of actually teaching.

When I was employed on successive temporary contracts that went nowhere, I had to fight tooth-and-nail to get five minutes of accreditation support and even then the school was reluctant to provide anything until the union intervened. Eventually I gave up and went back to casual teaching.Academic Yvette Slaughter, who helped with the report, said schools that had not offered a foreign language until recent years were choosing Chinese. "One of the reasons why Chinese has gone up at the primary school is because the study of languages in Victorian schools is a legislative requirement; its one of the eight key learning areas. That has never been enforced until the last five years or so," Dr Slaughter said. "Schools that dont have programs tended to be in regional clusters ... so [these] schools have been working as clusters to agree to teach the same language and employ the same teacher and that accounts in part for the large surge in Chinese at the primary level." Dr Slaughter, language and literacy lecturer at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, said Chinese had started from a much lower base than other languages, partly because there were too few qualified teachers. While Mandarin was easily the most studied language in state primary schools, more students studied French, Japanese, Italian and Indonesian at the secondary level.

"French, Indonesian, Italian and Japanese have always traditionally done better [in enrolment numbers]. They're not declining enrolments so the rise in Chinese is not at the expense of the other languages. But the schools that are picking up languages are picking up Chinese," she said. It is unclear whether independent and Catholic schools would have similar trends to government schools, which educate about two-thirds of Victorian students. Independent Schools Victoria said it did not have similar data. Catholic Education Melbourne did not respond. Catholic schools have traditionally offered Indonesian and Italian, said Dr Weinmann. Mandarin is the most spoken language other than English in Australia, and China is Australia's biggest trading partner. It is a community language but China is one of our major trading partners, [and] there's a strong engagement particularly in private schools that students do Chinese as a language, said Ruth

Arber, a senior lecturer in education at Deakin University.

Dr Slaughter said the question was how strong demand for Chinese at a primary level translated into the secondary level. "People do think of it as really hard; I struggle when I try to learn a bit of Chinese. But I think given how hard it is for a second-language learner to learn Chinese, it's really great there are some kids who are going to be proficient when they finish high school. Box Hill High School, a high-performing school in a suburb where almost 30 per cent of residents were born in China, offers Mandarin and German. Principal Losh Pillay said Mandarin had always been popular, and the school offered three streams as students proceeded to the senior levels: Chinese first language, Chinese first language advanced, and Chinese second language. In VCE we probably have two, sometimes three classes as they hit Year 12, which is still fairly healthy, she said.

For German, Ms Pillay said the school offered students the opportunity to develop games and software in German, to go on an exchange program to Germany and on a week-long leadership in Bali held in German. Over at Avila College, a Catholic girls school in eastern Melbourne, about 10 per cent of students take a language - Indonesian, French or Italian - through to VCE. Loading Because they have chosen to do it, they tend to be more invested, principal Michelle Cotter said. The world we live in, the idea of Ill travel and work is much stronger than it ever was. And girls do tend to talk about going to Europe, so if youre going to go to Europe, French or Italian are powerful to have in your kitbag. The report shows strong take-up of language among Victorian Year 12 students. Last year, 19.4 of state school graduates studied a language. Further, 21.7 per cent of students across state, Catholic and independent schools finished with a language - a really high figure for an Anglophone country, said Dr Slaughter.Not everybody supports Rolls-Royce healthcare Recent articles regarding Dr Charlie Teo have distressed me tremendously. When my husband first went to see Charlie, an American doctor working with him told us my husband only had 14 months to live. Charlie did not agree and prolonged Adriaans life by over three years.

Charlie operated on Adriaan three times. The first time we paid the full amount, the second time he reduced the cost and then the third time he did not charge at all. Charlie was away in the US at the time of Adriaans death, however on his return he called me to express his sorrow. He is a humane and caring person, in addition to be being an outstanding surgeon. - Janis Appels, Ashfield Dr Teo is despised by many in the medical establishment because he supports transparency within his own profession, openly acknowledges the value of alternative therapies, and defends individuals rights to freely choose treatment options for themselves. The medical establishment has well and truly lost its credibility and moral authority. - Helen Ryan, Dubbo The analogy of Rolls-Royce health for those who can pay (Letters, June 15-16) has no place in our society. Rather consider air travel where research and development usually ensures safe arrival irrespective of the travel class. Should one surgeons skills be proven superior, then his or her legacy should be available to all. - Dr Gregory Nelson, McMahons Point

There is a difference between a Rolls-Royce and life-saving medical treatment. You can live without one but not without the other. Nobody would argue that surgeons should not be handsomely remunerated, but payment should be realistic. The huge fees charged occur when these operations can only be performed in private hospitals. The public system should be accommodating these surgeons so patients can be treated fairly. - Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga Surgeons and other specialists are neither Rolls-Royces nor premium meals. They are members of a profession which is defined by a set of ethical principles, part of which states: I will abide by the Code of Conduct of this College, and will never allow considerations of financial reward, career advancement, or reputation to compromise my judgment or the care I provide (from Pledge of Fellows of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons). - Mark dArbon, Chittaway Bay Rolls-Royces and two-star meals are unnecessary, luxury items, generally sought only by the rich, whereas life-saving surgery is not. - Bob Guy, Cootamundra Illustration: Pat Campbell Credit: Climate change action too mild

Nick OMalley has highlighted the stupidity that action on climate change in Australia has become (''Odyssey to UKs climate wonderland'', June 15-16). It is not a left-wing idea, it is a commonsense conservative solution. Demolishing a price on carbon and wanting the state to subsidise a new coal-fired power plant are not right-wing initiatives, they could be viewed as extreme left wing. The conservative party in Australia has forgotten how to conserve anything and has become a voicepiece for the multinational coal industry. - Peggy Fisher, Killara Theresa May pledges zero emissions by 2050, Scott Morrisons government gives us Adani (Adani mine just viable, say analysts, June 15-16). - Terry Lanz, Mona Vale I cant believe the Queensland government is intent on destroying the very things that sustain their environment and the NSW government is following suit with heightening the Warragamba Dam wall  seems they cant see any further than an immediate benefit. - Regina Brewster, Robertson The debate about Adani suggests two things: that those opposing it fail to heed one of the main messages of the federal election result, namely, employment of our fellow citizens is a serious matter and the urban areas must listen to the plight of the rural and regional communities, and, second, it is nonsense to suggest stopping Adani would help in dealing with climate change, as Adani would simply source its coal from somewhere else. I would suggest the more responsible approach would be to go ahead with the Adani project, ensuring all necessary protections of our local environment are put in place, and negotiate a deal with Adani to offset their coal usage with environmental measures such as reforestation elsewhere. This would provide jobs and income for Australia and Australians while mitigating the impact of using coal to generate power. Win, win.

- Dale Bailey, Five Dock

Fascinating. The flood of inner-city letters that, in essence, decry the scientists whose investigations and analysis show Adanis environmental planning is sound all seem to completely trust the same coterie of scientists on our impacts on global warming. Cognitive dissonance anyone? - Brian Haisman, Winmalee Bob Hawke would never have let Adani go ahead. - Christine Bridle, Dee Why Plant dry farms idea New Environment Minister Sussan Ley suggests more water should be made available for desperate farmers in the Murray-Darling Basin (Minister floats water loan to farmers in need, June 15-16). Until we face up to the challenge of climate change, farmers will continue to need more and more water. Isnt it time to encourage farmers to try new ways of farming that require less water? The Murray-Darling Basin is more than a river, its a unique system that provides a lifeline to the environment and many people in three states. - Janine Burdeu, Mona Vale As every cash-strapped farmer knows, that which is borrowed must be returned  with interest.

- Ian Falconer, Turramurra

Building cracks show Here we go again, residents fleeing a relatively new apartment building over construction concerns (Mascot residents evacuated after identifiable movements in the basement, June 15-16). What will it take for apartment owners to get a fair go when this happens? It is six months since the Opal Tower fiasco focused attention on issues that have plagued new apartment owners for at least 20 years. Only a properly convened and empowered independent special commission of inquiry can unravel the backroom deals and secret settlement agreements that have allowed this scandal to persist. - Philip Gall, Redfern (Chairman, Owners Corporation Network) Silence on AFP raids

Tony Koch raises serious concerns about the background and political nature of the AFP raids on a News Corp journalist and the ABC (AFP media raids more sinister than many thought, June 15-16). The threat to national security is questionable and interestingly the AFP has provided no follow-up comments or information about what if anything was discovered during the raids. - Michael Fox, Pacific Palms Very disturbing. I am left with the feeling that the AFP is looking after itself with government licence and not our security. - Dermot Perry, Mount Keira Kowtowing to Beijing Where is the support from Western democracies for the protesters in Hong Kong (Pushing against Chinas red line'', June 15-16)? Many former politicians support the communist government is perhaps why. If governments are too frightened of taking on China then it is left to we the people to protest in the streets of our towns and cities in support of our brave brothers and sisters in Hong Kong. Would you like to live under a regime governed from Beijing? Tell them they are not alone. - Robert Pallister, Punchbowl Hong Kong today, Taiwan tomorrow? - Perce Butterworth, Annandale

True spirit of Uluru Your article made me both laugh and cry (Battle for Uluru blimp flies into court, June 15-16). How about just visiting Uluru to walk, watch, listen, feel the spirit of the people who lived there, and respect those who still live there. If you want a dining experience or a blimp, this sacred ancient country is not the place to go. Do we have to colonise and monetise everything? - Anne McDonald, Wentworth Falls Matilda mouthing off

Being a proud Australian, I was delighted that the Matildas won. However, the captains comment was unbecoming for the spokesperson of an international, representative Australian team ('Suck on that: Kerrs defiant message after Matildas win, June 15-16). Lets hope she can think of something more suitable and uplifting next time; something fitting, especially for young players to hear and read. - Patricia Mather, Bathurst Most of us learnt at an early age one thing more objectionable than a poor loser is a poor winner. Suck that up, Sam. - Ron Elphick, Buff Point Learning the languageSri Lakshmi Muttevi By

Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: For many people in Visakhapatnam, yoga is now a part of life as they practise it everyday for an hour. It is all due to the message spread by the Institute of Yoga and Consciousness of Andhra University, which is popularly known as Yoga Village of Vizag.

The Department of Yoga was founded by Prof K Ramakrishna Rao as Institute of Yoga and Consciousness on July 18, 1985.

In those days, the institute had research and extension wings. In 2009, both the wings were combined as the Department of Yoga and Consciousness. Located right opposite the beach road in four acres of land, it is surrounded by greenery with serene atmosphere.

Probably, Andhra University is the only varsity in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which offers seven different yoga courses and holds classes for the general public. The institute also conducts therapeutic yoga classes.

Started with certificate courses in yoga in 1990, courses in PG Diploma and MA Yoga were added later. In 2018, a research programme and MPhil in Yoga were also introduced.

K Ramesh Babu, Head of the Department of Yoga, who joined as instructor about 25 years ago, explains the yoga trend in the city. Simple practice of asanas is not just yoga. Every individual should follow pranayam, shuddhi kriyas and relaxation techniques to witness a better change in life, says Ramesh Babu.

In 1993, yoga classes were limited to 50 people a day. About 500 people are attending yoga classes now. In modern life, yoga is a better way of starting the day for all age groups from 10 to 90 years. Yoga Village offers a solution for every problem, say weight reduction, health disorders, thyroid, asthma, migraine and keeping people fit. In fact, yoga is accepted by people all over the world. There are students who pursued certificate course in yoga at AU, and are now teaching it in Thailand, Singapore, China and several other countries, earning Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh, he says.

According to Ramesh Babu, yoga is no more limited to the elderly or people with health problems. It is a source of medicine for even youngsters who want to come out of stress related issues. Yoga is a drugless therapy. Especially, a healing source for psychiatric disorders, he explains.

Speaking to TNIE, Khumkum Gosh, who has been practising yoga for the past two decades at Yoga Village of AU, says it has helped her to be physically fit and mentally healthy. Youngsters who are not into any physical activity these days, can keep themselves fit with one-hour practice of yoga, she says.

I have been doing yoga for the past 12 years. It has brought a great change in my life. People who are losing mental peace, can do yoga to be calm. In fact, I bring my 6-year-old child to start the day with yoga, says V Samara, a homemaker.

For 65-year-old Vinod Somani, yoga has been a part of his life since 1992. When I started practising yoga, I had acute asthma and used to take injections and use inhalers 4 to 5 times. After doing pranayam, Surya Namaskar and other yoga asanas, I am physically fit now. There are also asanas for schoolchildren to improve their memory power, says Vinod Somani.

The city also has several doctors who have been into yoga for many years. For Sunithi Polisetti, a gynaecologist, her day has started with yoga for several years. Yoga helps people suffering from obesity and thyroid. Instead of taking medicines, people can do yoga for thyroid, which activate thyroid glands. Yoga is an effective solution for many health problems, says Sunithi.

The courses at Yoga Village start from Rs 700. More details can be accessed from Andhra University website - https://andhrauniversity.edu.in/admissions/doa.Peak building industry bodies are calling for a massive overhaul of the sector to address a number of "failures" as residents of a Sydney apartment block face uncertainty about when they will be able to return home.

Mascot Towers was evacuated on Friday night after engineers became increasingly concerned about cracks in the primary support structure and facade masonry of the decade-old building in the inner-south suburb of Mascot.

Following the evacuation of Mascot Towers on Friday, industry peak bodies are calling for an overhaul of the building sector. Credit:Brook Mitchell

Residents were told to be ready to leave at short notice and a temporary structural support was urgently installed on Thursday after building management noticed the cracks were widening.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Sunday the government wanted to "get to the root cause" and find out what had occurred.A social media "influencer" convicted over a wad of cash in her handbag during a roadside stop told police the money was from her "sugar daddy".

Kate Szepanowski, 24, has made a career out of being seen, but last week the Instagram model with 45,000-plus followers was a no-show at the Downing Centre, where she was due to contest criminal charges against her.

Instagram "influencer" Kate Szepanowski.

According to a police statement tendered before court, officers saw a black Mazda driving slowly and not within the lane along Syd Einfeld Drive in Bondi Junction at 1.20am on December 8 last year.

Believing the driver may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, police pulled the vehicle over and knocked on the driver's side window.A Victorian man will be extradited on several charges, including manslaughter, in relation to a Queensland woman who has gone missing for the past eight months.

Shae Francis still has not been found, despite a man being charged with manslaughter and interfering with a corpse. Credit:Queensland Police Service

Shae Francis, 35, disappeared in the first week of October after visiting a family member in Hervey Bay Hospital, on the south-east Queensland coast.

Homicide detectives and local Hervey Bay officers launched a major investigator after Ms Francis was reported missing in March.

A 44-year-old man from Bendigo, about 150 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, was expected to be extradited to Hervey Bay on manslaughter, interfering with a corpse and stealing charges.Nicola Gobbo was given almost $2 million in public funding to assemble a team of top-ranked lawyers as part of a failed bid to conceal her role as a registered police informer.

The Age can reveal Victoria Police underwrote the former barristers involvement in a two-year legal battle to suppress a damning report into alleged professional misconduct by Ms Gobbo and senior police that ultimately sparked a royal commission.

Nicola Gobbo, the former criminal barrister who became a police informer.

Victoria Police has spent another $3.4 million on its own legal fees fighting disclosure of Ms Gobbos work as a supergrass in the long-running case that ended in a stinging defeat in the High Court.

Defending itself before the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants, which resumes on Monday, has cost the force another $6.5 million in legal fees, or about $32,000 a day since last December.The illegal demolition of the Corkman Hotel is set to be followed by further affronts to the public realm in the inner suburbs, this time government-sanctioned.

Not far to the north east, on a picturesque spot near the Merri Creek gorge in Northcote, the Walker Street public housing estate is to be demolished and sold off to a private developer for a huge new apartment complex, one of the first under the state governments public housing renewal program.

The Merri flows through Melbourne's northern suburbs before joining the Yarra. Credit:Justin McManus

The program, part of the governments "Homes for Victorians" initiative, will use seed funding of $185 million to expand community housing by handing over nine inner and middle suburban "walk-up" public housing estates in need of redevelopment to private developers. In exchange, a proportion of the new apartments  at least 10 per cent more than existed on each site previously  would be reserved for community housing.

Touted as a way of improving the lives of public tenants and addressing the shortage of public housing in Victoria, plans now released for community comment by the developer reveal its dismal social reality and environmental cost.Australia has a China problem. Its not in Beijing. Its not on the streets of Hong Kong. Its in Canberra. China policy is in flux, under stress and confused.

Australias meek response to the pro-democracy mass demonstrations in Hong Kong contrasts with attitudes in its own security establishment that are redolent of a Cold War era.

Illustration: Jim Pavlidis Credit:

One week Prime Minister Scott Morrison is venturing into the South Pacific to confront China, according to a ridiculous headline in a national newspaper, the next his government is missing in action on an issue of fundamental rights.

Along with stepping up to China in the Pacific, Morrison needs to address China policy weakness in Canberra.And until a week ago he was on borrowed time. A short visa had allowed him to come to Switzerland in February to receive the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. He had applied for asylum, but while the Swiss system is far from Europes most oppressive the numbers were still stacked against him  the country grants around a quarter of asylum applications. Switzerland has seen a public backlash against asylum seekers, as in many European countries since the refugee crisis. The government recently revised asylum laws to streamline and centralise the process, though, and this may have helped Aziz. Aziz spreads his wings. Last Friday the news came through. Asylum granted.

"I was over the moon," he says. "This was a very, very long journey." But while he is happy for himself, he feels guilty at the same time. The award was granted for his tireless work as an advocate for refugee rights, the award judges said. He has been one of the primary public voices among the men on Manus, campaigning for more humane treatment, better medical care and of course a way off the island. And he has been deeply involved in helping others on Manus deal with their situation. Aziz receives a humanitarian award in Geneva in February.

"Im so worried and Im so sad that there are still people left behind," he said. "They are not in a good situation." He is still in 24/7 contact with people on the island and he says there is a "mental health crisis" there  a spate of suicide attempts that others have reported. Aziz says there have been more than 50 cases since mid-May, the most intense such period he can recall. It is caused by loss of hope after the Australian election result, he says. Dark days: Abdul Aziz Muhamat pictured in Port Moresby in 2017. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "People had a hope that a Labor government  may accept the New Zealand offer [to resettle refugees from Manus] or even speed up the process with the United States. The [Coalition] government has been rejecting talks.

"Imagine you had only a tiny bit of hope left with you and all of a sudden they just took it away. Youre just going to feel Im done, enough, Im tired and I give up." Loading On the phone from Geneva he tells them to keep hold of hope. "No matter how hard they are going to push us, how hard they are going to torture us, there will be a day we would walk out of that cage as free people and remember what happened to us at Manus as a memory." In Geneva, Aziz is working the phones and putting his foot in doors, at the various UN bodies and NGOs. He says it is working. His personal testimony counts.

"They havent talked to someone who was inside that place," he says. "My voice has been heard. Its going to take time and coordination  and people will come up with a strategy on how to tackle the problem." And in the meantime he has to adjust to life off Manus. "I didnt get to see many strange people," he says. "Coming to Geneva, an international city, its a big shock for me and Im finding it a big difficult to adjust. But you just have to get on your feet and run." Switzerlands federal system has proven a barrier to refugees seeking work  some cantons use labour laws to restrict the kinds of industries refugees can work in, others require jobs to be offered to locals first. Employment rates for refugees vary from 0 per cent in three cantons up to 18 per cent in another. Aziz calls himself self employed. Hes working to "upgrade" his French. And hes working to "raise the alarm".London: Several candidates vying to replace British Prime Minister Theresa May have turned their fire on favourite Boris Johnson, questioning his pledge to leave the EU by the end of October no matter what.

With former London mayor and foreign minister Johnson keeping a low profile, the other hopefuls have used the airwaves to present their cases for the governing Conservative Party leadership.

A poster is brandished behind Conservative party leadership contender Rory Stewart as he arrives at the studios for a live television debate for the Conservative Party leadership in London. Credit:AP

At a Channel 4 debate, Johnson's absence was marked by an empty lecturn. That left five other candidates to argue over who was best placed to deliver Brexit in testy exchanges described by International Development Minister Rory Stewart as a competition of "machismo".

Johnson secured a large lead in the first round of voting by Conservative lawmakers and his team hopes for an increased share this week in the second.Riyadh: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly blamed Iran for the attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

In an interview with pan-Arab newspaper, Al-Sharq al-Awsat, the crown prince charged that the Iranian regime attacked the ships, one of which was Japanese, during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit.

Saudi Arabia''s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has joined the United States in blaming Iran for the apparent attacks. Credit:AP

"The Iranian regime did not respect the Japanese prime minister's visit to Tehran, and while he was there replied to his efforts by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese," he said.

Salman urged the international community to take a "decisive stand".PHILIPSBURG:--- Last Wednesday evening at the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Platinum Associate Membership Advisory Council (PAMAC) opening reception at Roxxy Beach, Honorable Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Hon. Stuart Johnson was recognized by the FCCA President Michele Paige for his tireless efforts towards the nations economic recovery over the past 12-months.



FCCA President Michele Paige gave a crystal cruise award of recognition to Honorable Minister of TEATT during her speech.



Paige said, "Minister Johnson has worked tirelessly with the industry over the past months since he took office close to one year now."



She added, "The resilience of your island and the work you have done to rebuild back better is surely noticed."



Minister Johnson after receiving the recognition for his hard-work to date as a minister stated, "Success in the Hospitality and in particular the Cruise Industry, particularly in the age of advanced technology, will depend on our ability to remain at the forefront of Information and our ability to move with industry trends and changes."



Minister Johnson added, "This evening it is my distinct honour to welcome the members of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association FCCA Platinum Associate Membership Advisory Council (PAMAC) to our beautiful island."



He went on to say, "Since the devastation to St. Maarten caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, this Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, has made it a priority to increase the connection between crucial stakeholders internationally as well as locally, as we promote the vision of rebuilding a sustainable St. Maarten and in particular a viable tourism product.



We are well aware of the competitive edge that for example, pricing will bring to our destination, and we are equally mindful of the need to match the price with quality of service. At the very minimum, our message to our local vendors in the hospitality industry continues to be always to strive to increase the level of service above cost.



To achieve our strategic goal of sustainably redeveloping our country, this is an uphill battle. However, by viewing our challenge in a positive light, we see opportunities for recreating an even more uniquely beautiful and economically prosperous destination."



Minister Johnson added, "Your presence here today signals your commitment and ours towards the solidifying of our relationships to achieve our mutual goals. With the long-term average annual growth rate for travel increasing, complemented by the demand by vacationers for culturally diverse destinations, we find ourselves in an age in the hospitality industry where the business as usual model simply will not work. Sea and Sand are not only available elsewhere, but in our case, there are places where they are more abundant. This forces us to rethink our approach to attracting visitors to the island.



"Your visit to the island as we host this prestigious event gives business leaders and managers in the cruise tourism and hospitality sectors a unique opportunity to garner vital industry knowledge and best practices which when implemented it will lead to long-term success."



Minister Johnson minced no words in saying "At the end of this weeks breakout sessions, we will no doubt have insights into how we can address the negative impact of Globalization, and changes in market conditions, climate change and the lack of innovation, productivity and competitive culture.



It will help us hopefully answer the question of how we can, as Caribbean destinations maintain a high level of competition amongst each other, and at the same time collaborate on innovations and finding solutions to many of our challenges.



Addressing these challenges while at the same time ensuring a safe and secure environment in which visitors and residents can coexist remains a daunting task for governments throughout the Caribbean and the rest of the world.



Equally important is our grasp of technology and how we can best integrate new innovations in communication while disseminating important destination information to prospective visitors. At the same time, we are ever mindful of our geographical location and the threat of disasters that impact our economies and threaten the lives of our people.



Thankfully it is through the gathering of great minds such as the ones here this evening, great ideas are born. I believe that one of the advantages St. Maarten has had in the past was its vision from an early stage to create a dedicated Ministry of Tourism that drove policy development to stimulate economic activity.



This national commitment to the industry gave us an advantage of dedicated focus on the development and improvement of our Cruise Industry, which has continued to be a key income generator for our country over the years.



But it is not only in the economic development of our country that the Cruise Industry has been seen as vital. The industry players have invested millions of dollars in donations over the past thirty years as well as volunteering their time to participate in events such as coastal cleanup campaigns, partnering with schools on educational development of our children.



The FCCA has contributed significantly to the social development of our island. Youth development is an area in which the organization plays a critical role. Each year our teenagers eagerly await the announcement of the FCCA's Essay Competition. I hope that for the next few contests we will find more winners like 16-year-old Shannaz Horne of the Charlotte Brookson Academy who won first prize in the Senior Division and Tafari Prevoo Francisco of the Sister Regina Primary School who placed third in the Junior Division in 2018.



We know challenges are being faced within the Cruise Industry, but with great challenges come great opportunities for growth and improvement. Its time for extended cruise ship hours, permanent home porting facility, additional excursions and further opportunities for our people," Johnson said.



"I, therefore, thank each and every one of you for taking the time to be here and seeing the importance of this gathering. I especially wish to thank the FCCA and PAMAC for giving us here in St. Maarten the opportunity to host this event," said Johnson.



Please enjoy our Hospitality and the friendliness of our welcoming and warm people. Be sure to sample some of our beautiful beaches and dive into a few of our famous dishes," Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Hon. Stuart Johnson concluded.Kiran Balannanavar By

Express News Service

HUBBALLI: In a shocking turn of events the caste angle has surfaced in the suicide case of Omkar Baridabad, (30), a resident of Hubballi and studying Rohtak Medical College in Haryana, who was found hanging in his hostel room on the night of June 13.

The medical PG students from Rohtak Medical College claimed that Omkar had expressed shock over the comments of his HoD Geeta Gathwala over his caste. She reportedly abused him when he requested her to sigh his thesis on the last date of submission. It's said the HoD had not signed his thesis for a long time and at the last moment once again spoke about he being reserved candidate.

Omkar Baridabad

This was not the first time, Omkar was subjected to harassment, said his friends. Rajesh B, fellow PG mate of Omkar. Omkar was made a scapegoat in an infant missing case reported in the hospital two years ago. He was under pressure and embarrassment whenever the police came looking for him at the college.

The HoD and other doctors asked Omkar to take the blame of infant going missing from the ward on him and they will help him later to get out of the case. Believing them Omkar was agreed to be an accused in the case. But as the days went by, the police and family of infant started harassing Omkar. His repeated requested to the HoD and other heads in the college went unheard, he said.

Omkars friends claim that after falsely accusing him in infant missing case, the accused HoD Geeta kept on bringing pressure on him to quit the studies. After the HoD started stepping back from the infant case, the fellow PG students had staged protect in the medical college in Rohtak demanding justice for Omkar. These incidents may have made Geeta hold grudge against Omkar.

Omkar was reserved candidate in the college and many times some seniors had pointed fingers on him. In last one month, he was constantly in touch with Payal Tadvi case of Mumbai and he shared many clippings about the story in students social media account, said another friend of Omkar.

A month ago, Payal Tadvi, the medical student in Mumbai has taken the same step to end her life after harassment about her caste by her three senior doctors who are now behind the bards.

Hanged in suit purchased for his sisters marriage

Protests and demands of arresting Dr Geeta Gathwala followed soon after the students found Omkar hanging in his room. Omkar was found hanging wearing the new shervani purchased for the marriage of his sister. His hanged himself a day after his sisters marriage. The gifts purchased for his sisters were lying next to dead body in the hostel room. It's said that minutes before he hanged he had met Geeta asking for her signature on his thesis. But she denied signing.

Protests in hostel

Soon after students came to know about the suicide they gathered in front of the residence of Dr Geeta and started shouting slogans demanding her arrest. The students were angry as they were witness to the constant harassment being met to their friend.

The students claimed that Dr Geeta was planning to put the blame of infant missing entirely on Omkar. Upon learning this, he had arranged several meetings of students in this regard which had irritated the accused doctor who denied signing his thesis, said a student from the collage.

HoD booked

Geeta Gathwala has been booked under section 306 of IPC and she was suspended by medical college authorities on Saturday. Protests and demands of arresting Dr Geeta Gathwala followed soon after the students found Omkar hanging in his room.

Family of Omkar plans to meet Union Ministers

Omkar's family members are planning to seek help from BJP ministers to ensure punishment for the guilty. A family member told TNIE that they are planning to visit Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Suresh Angadi to ensure speedy justice for their son. The family members lodged a formal complaint with the police in Hubballi. Already a complaint has been registered in Rohtak and names of those responsible for the crime have been given. Some of the relatives are in touch with Haryana police and students of the college to know about development in the investigation. Its learnt that so far none from the college has been arrested by the police, said a relative.

Its said the medical college is trying put blame on Omkar for committing suicide for not granting leave for his sisters marriage. But its not true. He was under constant harassment from his seniors for the last two years. We know there was injustice to the boy and now the family is planning to seek help of ministers to ensure that there is punishment for those who were behind this, said another relative.

A large number of relatives and well-wishers gathered at the residence of Omkar in Chetana Colony for his last rites. His mortal remains were taken to Keshwapur crematorium on Saturday evening for cremation.By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who is in New Delhi to take part in the NlTI Aayog governing council meeting, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday for the first time after he was re-elected for his second term as the Prime Minister.

Ahead of the meeting of the governor council sitting, Kumaraswamy met Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to discuss state issues including appointment of locals in rural banks, Kannada language tests in IBPS, pending funds under MGNREGA scheme and various water issues including Mahadayi and Mekedatu.

Kumaraswamy also met with former prime minister Manmohan Singh at the AICC headquarters along with Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Puducherry CM Narayanaswamy.

Apart from congratulating the Prime Minister on his re-election, Kumaraswamy updated him about Karnatakas drought situation. The Chief Minister urged Modi to release funds including pending dues worth Rs 1,500 crores under MNREGA immediately.

In his meeting with Nirmala Sitharaman, Kumaraswamy appealed for amendments in the IBPS regulations to prioritise local residents and those comfortable with regional language for recruitment in rural banks. The appeal comes at a time when incidents of bank employees allegedly misbehaving with Kannada customers for not knowing Hindi has been making news. He also appealed that bank exams should be allowed in all 22 constitutionally recognised languages to help regional candidates.

In his meeting with Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Shekhawat, Kumaraswamy asked for meeting of all stakeholders to issue gazette notification of Mahadayi and Krishna tribunals. He also made an appeal to approve the Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted for Mekedatu project that ensures drinking water to Bengaluru and hydroelectricity production with Karnatakas share of water. The project is being vehemently opposed by Tamil Nadu.The Apollo 11 command module, seen here as the astronauts returned from the moon, is one of the artifacts highlighted in a new Smithsonian Channel series.

A new Smithsonian Channel series celebrates the artifacts that led to Apollo 11's triumphant moon landing 50 years ago this July, and shares behind-the-scenes stories from the mission.

"Apollo's Moon Shot," which premieres Sunday (June 16), tells the story of the NASA moon-shot program through archival footage, interviews and artifacts from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum . The series will air weekly on Sundays at 8 p.m. EDT (same time in PDT).

"This six-part series tells the entire story of America's moon program through newly restored archival film, and unique access to the artifacts of Apollo," the Smithsonian Channel said in a statement.

Related: Apollo 11 at 50: A Complete Guide to the Historic Moon Landing Mission

Some of the artifacts shown on screen include the camera used by John Glenn , who was the first American astronaut to achieve orbit in 1963, during the Mercury program; the command module of Apollo 11 , which is currently on tour at the The Museum of Flight in Seattle for the anniversary; and space boots worn during Apollo 17 , the last crewed mission to land on the moon, in 1972.

"The series reveals the stories of the men and women who made the mission possible," Smithsonian added. "Stunning, rarely seen footage of each mission is combined with NASA's oral histories taken directly from the astronauts' debriefings upon their return to the Earth."

The series will also include a forthcoming Apollo moon shot augmented-reality app that displays the full timeline of the Apollo program in relation to key moments portrayed in the series.

The premiere episode on Sunday, "Rocket Fever," will take viewers back to the dawn of the space race in 1957, when the Soviet Union launched its first satellite, Sputnik . This event spurred the United States to move quickly into spaceflight and led to President John F. Kennedy's 1961 call to land American astronauts to the surface of the moon by the end of the decade.

"The early days of the space race were full of urgency, uncertainty, huge risks and even bigger rewards," Smithsonian said in another statement . "Witness NASA's first team of astronauts endure a crash course in space travel, presented through rare archival footage, interviews and objects on display and in the vaults of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum."The case of missing New Canaan mother Jennifer Dulos has been the subject of intense public interest since the 50-year-old mother of five was last seen the morning of May 24.

But there are more than 200 other names of people from Connecticut in a national database of more than 16,000 missing persons, with some of the states cases dating back more than six decades.

The database, called NamUs  the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System  launched in 2008 to help provide access to authorities and the public in missing persons cases. It was updated last May and is managed by the University of North Texas Health Science Center, with oversight by the National Institute of Justice.

The disappearance of Jennifer Dulos is being investigated as a missing persons case, although authorities said there were signs of a serious physical assault with blood spatter found in the garage of her New Canaan home.

Her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, 51, and his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, 44, have been charged with tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in connection with the disappearance.

For the past three weeks, local, state and federal authorities have conducted numerous searches throughout Connecticut, including using cadaver dogs trained to detect human remains and dive teams plunging into two upstate ponds.

We will not rest until we find Jennifer, New Canaan Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said Friday.

Dulos name is the second most recent from Connecticut added to the federal missing persons database.

The newest is Star Rodriguez, a 15-year-old from West Hartford last seen May 31. Rodriguez is not believed to be in danger, according to her listing on the database, and is known to frequent her boyfriends home in Plainville.

The oldest case is Connie Christine Smith, who was last seen walking Route 44 in Salisbury on July 16, 1952 after leaving a summer camp she was attending.

Smith would be 76 today  and the case still garners attention, theories and suspects.

A body found in the Grand Canyon eight years after her disappearance could be Smiths, but tests done at the time were inconclusive and the body was reburied. Though Smiths family provided a DNA sample for her in 2004, Arizona investigators have been unable to unearth the remains discovered in 1958.

The Smith case has received periodic attention for more than 60 years since she went missing.

Between 6,000 and 7,000 people are reported missing each year in Connecticut. While most return home unharmed, others can easily slip through the cracks since the state does not have its own missing persons database and relies on NamUs. The Connecticut state police database contains Amber and Silver alerts and the cases they are investigating.

The State Police are sort of the clearinghouse, Connecticut Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane said earlier this year. There is no clearinghouse, but state and local police have protocols theyve worked on and POST (Police Officer Standards and Training Council) has a well-established protocol.

NamUs can be searched by name, state, gender or a variety of other categories. Each profile usually has a short summary of the disappearance, a description of the person and contact information for the investigating agency.

Some Connecticut cases have garnered headlines, but then fade from public consciousness, punctuated by occasional calls for information from police, family members, or media.

Connecticut municipalities with most missing people in NamUs database Hartford 14 East Hartford 11 New Haven 11 West Haven 11 Bloomfield 10 Stamford 10 New Britain 8 Waterbury 8 West Hartford 8 Bridgeport 6 Middletown 6 Danbury 5 New London 5 See More Collapse

Like that of Robert Hoagland, a Newtown father who disappeared in 2013 and was the subject of a handful of apparent sightings. A TV documentary made three years later explored theories in the case.

Of Connecticuts 203 cases in the database, 50 are from New Haven County, 38 are from Fairfield County, 12 are from Middlesex County, and four are from Litchfield County.

The youngest missing person from the state is Andrea Reyes, who was 1 when she was allegedly abducted in 1999 by her mother, Rosa Tenorio, for whom a felony arrest warrant was signed in 2009. Authorities believe Reyes, who would now be 21, is living in Mexico.

Another still-unsolved infant missing persons case is that of Jovonna Stacey Crawford, a 21-month-old who disappeared from her familys home in the P.T. Barnum housing complex on June 5, 1981.

Her mothers then-boyfriend was caring for her and said he gave her to a 10-year-old boy to be taken to another relatives home. She has never been seen since. The boyfriend served 10 months in prison in connection with Crawfords disappearance but maintains his innocence.

The oldest person from Connecticut listed in the database is also one of the most baffling cases: Thomas Drew was 91 when he disappeared from his Salisbury home in July 2007.

Drews part-time caretaker told police that he walked out of his home while she was watching a movie. When the caretaker left the house about 15 minutes later to retrieve him, Drew, reportedly a frail man who had trouble moving and suffered from Alzheimers, was nowhere to be found.

Extensive searches of the area by police turned up no trace of Drew, a retired fashion designer who is still officially listed as missing more than a decade after his disappearance.

Meanwhile, family and friends of Jennifer Dulos remain hopeful someone can provide a break in her case.

Jennifers family, friends, and above all her children are living in limbo  missing her embrace, her lilting laugh, her bedtime back rubs, her gentle strength, they said in a statement released last week. Please know that the children are safe and loved and supported in every respect. But more than anything in the world, they long to know where their mother is.

Someone has information about Jennifers disappearance or her whereabouts.As Iowa journalist Robert Leonard talks to voters around his state, he finds himself baffled at the national portrayal of Joe Biden's dominance in the presidential campaign.

The local Democrats he encounters respect the former vice president, he told me, but many of them also feel his time has passed.

They're far more excited about other candidates, five in particular: Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachsetts; Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana; Sen. Kamala Harris of California; former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey.

So he shakes his head at the extensive coverage and commentary that depicts Biden as almost a shoo-in for a nomination that's more than a year away.

One example: CNN's morning briefing newsletter recently called Biden "the most formidable threat" to President Donald Trump's re-election chances.

CNN is far from alone. It's common across the national media to see Biden pegged as the safest candidate for Democrats to put up to unseat Trump. He's got that secret sauce: electability.

"Sure, Democrats think he's electable, but they believe a half-dozen other candidates are, too," Leonard, the news director of two Iowa radio stations, told me. "No one I have spoken with sees Biden as more formidable than other top candidates."

But this thinking - much of it driven by early polling - creates a self-perpetuating effect: Biden is the front-runner, so he gets more media coverage.

"Joe Biden has done something no other Democrat has been able to do in this race: Command attention from all cable networks, and have them stream his entire event live," Washington Post political reporter Matt Viser tweeted last week during Biden's Iowa visit.

That coverage decision captures the electability delusion in action - and it cuts both ways.

Was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez seen as electable?

Certainly not. Not until the Democrat rolled to victory last year in her New York City primary against entrenched incumbent Rep. Joseph Crowley and soon afterward became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Some news outlets didn't even have her photograph available on election night; and the New York Times, her hometown newspaper, hadn't written a full profile of her during the campaign.

Was Hillary Clinton seen as electable?

More than electable, she was inevitable - the crowned queen of 2016, from about 2013 on. Until, of course, she wasn't.

"So-called electability is no more a science than astrology. Indeed, it is often little more than calcified prejudice," Boston-based political activist Jonathan Cohn wrote recently.

On one level, seeing Biden this way is understandable. The former vice president is out front in poll after poll.

On another level, it's downright unfair to other candidates at this early stage - and it may be dangerous to the Democrats' quest to unseat Trump.

Salon's Amanda Marcotte finds it troubling to see Trump going after Biden with nicknames and other attacks, but not because she feels sorry for the former vice president.

No, her theory is that Trump - with his unerring instinct for steering the media caravan - is focusing on Biden because he knows the former veep may be relatively easier to beat.

"Biden's centrism, his big mouth, his age and out-of-touchness, and his handsiness sets him up to be beset with a 'both sides are the same, so don't vote' campaign targeting the same voters who sat out 2016," she tweeted.

When I followed up with her, Marcotte wrote me: "I don't have a problem with calling him the front-runner at all, since that's just a fact, but I do think it's unfair to take his political argument for himself ('electability') as a fact instead of an opinion/argument." (The Washington Post has decided, for now, not to use the term "front-runner" for Biden in its news coverage, according to an all-newsroom memo in May from National Editor Steven Ginsberg, "given the continued volatility among the candidates at this early stage." Some other news organizations are showing similar restraint.)

Wasn't former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush looking pretty electable early in the 2016 Republican primary campaign? Conversely, before the 2008 election, weren't pundits busy doubting whether the United States was ready to elect a black president?

Wrong, and wrong again.

For months now, I've heard network news chiefs, and political editors and reporters of all stripes, insist - often as they sat on soul-searching journalism panels - that it would be different this time: less horse race, more listening to the American people's concerns.

To their credit, there does seem to be more effort to talk to voters in the field, all across the country, not just in the Acela corridor of New York City to Washington.

Certainly, campaign staffs are bigger than ever at many news organizations. But that often leads to more horse-race coverage, rather than a deeper understanding of communities.

The excitement about the latest polls puts all that reporting effort in the background - even though it's too early for polls to be very meaningful, at least when forecasting the general election.

Combine that with the unquenchable thirst for a narrative, a simple story for savvy journalists to tell news consumers, and before you know it, you've got the pseudoscience of electability. Cable news pundits, though not alone, are especially culpable.

The lust for narrative often comes with a hefty side order of unexamined sexism, as in: "Biden's more electable than Warren or Harris because Democrats already tried running a woman and failed."

We don't know that, and it may be dead wrong.

The truth is that journalists and pundits are bad at predictions. They should have learned that when Trump - a candidate so manifestly unsuited to be president that he couldn't possibly win - blew their minds by doing just that.By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the IMA fraud case has moved the Karnataka High Court to invoke Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act (KPID Act) in the case, which will pave the way for officials to seize properties belonging to the firm and its owner Mohammed Mansoor Khan and, to return money to investors by auctioning them.

Sources in the SIT said that senior officials decided to add the act, along with existing IPC sections, in the interest of the investors.

We have already filed a petition in court regarding the same and soon the act will be invoked, an official said.

Once, the court grants permission, the police will identify all his movable and immovable properties and seek information from the public about his properties.

With the help of Revenue Department officials, they will be attached to the court and an auction will be held.

ALSO READ | Enforcement Directorate files money laundering case in IMA Jewellery scam

The money derived out of the auction will be used to repay investors, the official added.

Meanwhile, SIT officials continued the search operation at Mansoors residence in Shivajinagar and his relatives' houses as well. It is learnt that the police have seized several documents related to his financial dealings during the operation.

Though Khan has already fled to the UAE, police are trying to track his movements, said sources.

On Sunday, over 1,500 investors filed complaints against IMA and its founder. With this, the total number of complaints received has increased to more than 34,800.

ALSO READ | IMA jewellery scam: Its a political conspiracy, says senior Congress leader Roshan Baig

Meanwhile, several employees of the firm met DCP (East) and reportedly complained that their employer had cheated them too of several lakhs.

More than 150 employees had invested in the firm and now they are in the lurch as they have lost both their job and investment, the officer said.Althorp House, Princess Dianas childhood home and her final resting place, has opened its doors to the public this summer until the end of August.

The palatial estate dates back to 1508 and Princess Diana grew up there, along with her siblings Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Lady Jane Fellowes and her brother Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer and current master of the house. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Earl Spencer confirmed his plans to follow traditional rules of primogeniture and leave the estate to his 25-year-old son, Viscount Louis Spencer, rather than his older daughter Lady Kitty Spencer, 28. "Is it any fairer that the eldest child gets it instead of the eldest male?" he said, "Whatever you say is a selection."

Spanning 500 acres and 90 rooms, parts of the home will be put on display for historical buffs, fine furniture enthusiasts and fans of Earl Spencer's late sister.

Althorp House

While the award-winning Diana: Princess of Wales exhibition finished in 2017, another called The Spencers: The History of an English Family details centuries of the familys history at the estate.

Guests can also view the estates collection of fine European furniture, art and ceramics as well as their brand new Animals of Althorp exhibit (where you can view a painting of Dianas beloved cat Marmalade).

Ilpo Musto/REX/Shutterstock

The houses striking chequered entrance Wootton Hall is one of the highlights of the estate, covered in pastoral scenes by artist John Wootton and a ceiling covered in 200 different plaster flowers.

In her youth Princess Diana would reportedly practice her tap dancing on the halls black and white marble floor.

Other highlights include the King William Bedroom, which was where King William III slept in 1695 underneath a canopy covered in ostrich feathers, according to the house's official Instagram.

Ilpo Musto/REX/Shutterstock

One area which will reportedly not be open to the public is Princess Dianas burial site, which is located on a small island nicknamed the Oval in the centre of a lake within the property. It was not originally intended to be her burial site, but Earl Spencer revealed in 2017 that it was the safest place for her to be buried.

Oval Lake at Althorp House / Jamie Cooper/Shutterstock

He also said in 1998 that the watery perimeter would act as a buffer against the interventions of the insane and ghoulish... presenting a further line of defence and that it was intended to be a place where her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, could visit in privacy.

Despite this, he told BBC Radio 4 that there had been four attempted break-ins towards her body in the past 20 years since she had passed away.

Ilpo Musto/Shutterstock

Although visitors wont be able to visit Princess Dianas grave, there is a small memorial where people can pay respect to the 'Peoples Princess.' It features her likeness as well as two inscribed slabs: one which has a quote from Princess Diana and the other which features a line from her brother's eulogy at her funeral. There is also an arboretum nearby, where Princess Diana and her sons planted trees together.

John Alex Maguire/Shutterstock

A former Althorp cook told the BBC after Dianas burial site had been announced, Looking back, it was probably the happiest time of her life. You get the sense that she is coming home. Her father is buried here. Im sure it is what she would have wanted.A 15-year-old boy has been stabbed in the face in Tufnell Park in broad daylight during the latest violent attack on Londons streets.

The teen was slashed during a fight on Brecknock Road at 4.20pm on Sunday and rushed to hospital.

A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of GBH and is in police custody.

Local buses were diverted and Dartmouth Park Hill remained closed two hours later.

A Met Police spokesman said: Police were called to Brecknock Road, N7 around 16:20hrs today (16 June) following reports of a fight in progress.

Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and found a male (15 years old) with a stab wound to the face.

He has been taken to a north London hospital where we await an update on his condition.

One man (25 years old) has been arrested on suspicion of GBH. He is currently in police custody. Enquiries continue.A shop in Soho is inviting Londoners to walk a mile in the shoes of a refugee living in the capital.

The Choose Love x A Mile in My Shoes store, which opened on Friday, offers people the chance to borrow a pair of shoes belonging to a refugee and literally take a walk while listening to the story of their life.

The interactive exhibit, a collaboration between aid organisation Help Refugees and art project Empathy Museum, will present nearly 20 new stories from refugees who have made London their home to mark Refugee Week.

The eclectic collection of stories includes storytellers from various stages of their lives and places across the world.

Among these are Lord Alf Dubs, a politician and advocate for fellow refugees who arrived in London as a child from Czechoslovakia, and Ramla Ali, a Somali boxer who has won numerous titles for England.

Visitors will be given a pair of shoes and the story of their owner to listen to as they walk / Empathy Museum

Visitors to the shop will be given a pair of shoes to wear based on the size of their feet, and a headset to listen to the story of their owner.

Each story is roughly the length of time it would take to walk a mile, so people can take the headset for a wander around the streets of Soho.

The store in Soho / Help Refugees

Philli Boyle, director of Help Refugees, told the Standard the project is about "creating a positive narrative" around refugees.

"There's a lot of othering that goes on with the word refugee," she said.

"We wanted to work with the Empathy Museum because we know that through their pop-ups a member of the public connect with a complete stranger, and understand some part of their story to see that person as a human being."

Empathy Museum is a series of participatory art projects aimed at encouraging the public to look at the world through other people's eyes.

Each pair of shoes has a story to match / Help Refugees

Since 2016, the travelling museum has toured the UK, Belgium, Ireland, the US, Brazil and Australia, welcoming more than 25,000 people to walk a mile in a strangers shoes.

Ms Boyle said she hoped the latest project will help Londoners "feel a closer connection to refugees living in this city and in the UK".

Visitors can walk the streets of Soho as they listen / Help Refugees

She added: "Hearing from people who have come to the UK seeking sanctuary we are reminded how as individuals, as communities and as a country we can and should be doing more to welcome people fleeing conflict and persecution.

The project builds upon Empathy Museums ever-growing library of shoes and stories, collected as the A Mile in My Shoes project travels the globe.

Lord Alf Dubs, pictured in the Calais jungle, is among those to have shared his story after arriving in London as a child from Czechoslovakia / Help Refugees

The collection now holds more than 250 stories, covering different aspects of life  from loss and grief to love and hope.

Ms Patey, director of Empathy Museum, said "we hope our shoe shop will give visitors a space to practice empathy and to take a moment to see the world through someone elses eyes".

Empathy Museum's 'A Mile in My Shoes'

"It was a reaction to declining levels of empathy in the world and a rising level of division," she said.

"If you can put yourself into someone else's shoes it's a powerful embodiment of that person.

"I hope it creates the experience of what it's like to be them."

She added: "Given that London is made up of people from all over the world this shop is a nice way to celebrate that."J eremy Hunt has said he would serve Boris Johnson "loyally" if the Tory leadership frontrunner becomes Prime Minister.

The Foreign Secretary came a distant second to Mr Johnson in the first ballot of the leadership battle, but has described himself as an "insurgent" in the race to Number 10.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr show today, Mr Hunt billed himself as the alternative to Mr Johnson.

But he said he would serve in Mr Johnson's government if he becomes the new Conservative leader.

He also ruled out helping to bring down a Conservative government that pursued a no deal Brexit.

Rory Stewart, another leadership contender who also appeared on the BBC show on Sunday morning, firmly ruled out serving in Mr Johnson's cabinet.

Boris Johnson has been backed by Esther McVey / REUTERS

Mr Hunt said: "If Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister I will serve him loyally."

Despite Mr Hunt's pledge, he stepped up his attack on Mr Johnson's Brexit stance, suggesting he had laid of promises that are "impossible to get".

He said: "What Boris is offering, a hard stop at any cost on October 31, means that he is effectively committing the country to no-deal or an election.

"The difference between me and Boris, is that I would try for a deal.

"I am not going to create a set of circumstances that makes it all but impossible to get a deal because I think we should be offering the country some better choices."

He also said Britain is "almost certain" Iran was behind attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, adding that London did not believe anyone else could have done it.

He said: "We have done our own intelligence assessment and the phrase we used is almost certain ... We don't believe anyone else could have done this."

"We are urging all sides to de-escalate."

His appearance on the BBC show came ahead of the first televised TV debate on Channel 4, being held on Sunday evening.

Mr Johnson is the only remaining candidate who will not appear on the debate.

Mr Hunt will appear alongside Mr Stewart, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab and Sajid Javid.

Mr Johnson secured 114 votes in Thursday's ballots, 71 votes ahead of Mr Hunt, who received 43.

With fresh backing from former rival Esther McVey , he goes into the second week of the campaign the clear favourite to succeed Theresa May.F ive Tory leadership candidates clashed over Brexit in a fiery televised debate after Dominic Raab insisted the option of suspending Parliament should stay on the table.

Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Rory Stewart, Sajid Javid and Dominic Raab went head-to-head in the live battle on Channel 4, with questions posted to them by the audience and hosted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

Topics tackled largely centred around Brexit and leaving the EU without a deal, but candidates also discussed their weaknesses and what their priority would be as leader.

The candidates rowed after Mr Raab insisted the option of proroguing Parliament should remain on the table, despite others claiming it was "undemocratic."

(Left to right) Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart, with an empty plinth representing absent candidate Boris Johnson / PA

"I don't think it is likely but it is not illegal," he said.

"The moment that we telegraph to the EU we are not willing to walk away at the end of October we take away our best shot of a deal."

International Development Secretary Rory Stewart said shutting down Parliament was "undemocratic" and "deeply disturbing" and would not work.

"Parliament is not a building. Parliament is our democratic representatives and they will meet regardless of what the prime minister wants," he said to applause from the studio audience.

Mr Hunt said it was the "wrong thing to do" while Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: "You don't deliver democracy by trashing democracy. We are not selecting a dictator."

Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart clashed over the former's approach to Brexit / PA

Mr Raab warned that Parliament could not stop a determined prime minister, saying: "It is near impossible to stop a government that is serious."

But Environment Secretary Michael Gove who told him: "I will defend our democracy.

"You cannot take Britain out of the EU against the will of Parliament."

Boris Johnson did not attend the debate, with an empty podium left for the candidate.

He was taunted about his absence by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt who said it raised questions about his ability to take on the job of Prime Minister.

TODO: define component type apester

"Where is Boris? If his team won't allow him out with five fairly friendly colleagues, how is he going to deal with 27 European countries?" he said.

The first question of the evening tackled the candidates ability to beat Nigel Farage, with Jeremy Hunt calling it the most important question of the evening, adding: The only way to defeat the Brexit Party is to Brexit."

Mr Gove said the Leave campaign was personal for him, and that he had put "friendships and family on the line" to fight for Brexit.

He also said Jeremy Corbyn would be "most terrified" of facing him at PMQs, prompting laughs from the audience.

Mr Stewart prompted claps after saying there was a "culture of machismo" in the leadership race before comparing some of his rivals' approaches to trying to stuff too many rubbish bags in a bin despite knowing you can't.

The five candidates battled it out live on Channel 4 / PA

He was the only candidate to say he would involve Mr Farage in negotiations.

Candidates were also asked about their greatest weakness.

Mr Gove said "impatience" - before host Krishnan Guru-Murthy asked if it was hypocrisy, mentioning his recent admission to using cocaine.

"I made a mistake," Mr Gove said. "I learnt from my mistake."

Mr Raab said he was restless, while Mr Stewart admitted having "a lot of weaknesses", including being prone to changing his mind.

Krishnan Guru Murthy asks Sajid Javid if he is a big enough figure after Trump state dinner snub

Mr Javid admitted he was "very stubborn" and added: "If you want to be prime minister you need to be ready to listen."

Mr Guru-Murthy asked whether not being a "big enough figure" was his weakness, bringing up the Home Secretary's lack of an invite to the Trump state dinner, but Mr Javid said: "Life goes on."

Mr Hunt joked that "occasionally" getting his wife's nationality wrong was a weakness.

He drew on the junior doctor scandal when he was health secretary, adding he could "be better at communicating what you want to do".

The debate became heated at points / PA

Candidates concluded the debate with a 30-second elevator pitch about why they should be elected.

Mr Gove said the next prime minister must be someone who has "been tested" and drew on his roles in Government.

He said he has "shown that I can bring people together, reform public services and make our country stronger".

Mr Hunt said: "Our country and our party are in peril while we have been arguing about Brexit."

He said he "can be trusted" and would be the first prime minister who has been an entrepreneur and run the NHS.

Mr Stewart said there was "palpable anger" among the public, and people felt Britain was "less than the sum of its parts".

"I'm still an outsider and I am campaigning on telling the truth as I see it and never making promises that we can't deliver," he said.

Mr Javid said: "If we are to beat Jeremy Corbyn we need to reach out with our Conservative values, to this audience, to new audiences, we need to show that we don't just tolerate modern Britain, we embrace it, we love it. I'm that person."

Mr Raab said he was the "only candidate committed to leaving (Europe) by the end of October, come what may".C arers in the UK are calling on the government to provide more support as new research finds that nearly half are struggling with their mental health.

Its thought that there are as many as 8.8 million carers in the UK with more than 800,000 in London alone.

As part of Carers Week, charities and carers have reiterated complaints that there is not enough support financially or emotionally for the three in five people who will take on this role at some point in their lives.

Syreeta Challinger, 37, is a Londoner whose world just turned upside down when her husband Rob Mackenzie, 42, suffered a near fatal brain haemorrhage and stroke while the pair were holidaying in Sydney in September 2014.

She told the Standard that doctors prepared her for the worst. Theyd prepared me that Rob wouldnt pull through the operation and if even if he did, he probably wouldnt last more than a few days in intensive care," she said.

Suffering with limited mobility, aphasia - an impairment of speech - along with life-threatening and extremely scary seizures, the pair had no choice but to move their lives from where they were working in Hong Kong to Lincolnshire, so that Mr Mackenzies parents could help with his 24-hour care needs. It was very obvious that our life before was over, she said.

Having worked in fashion, Ms Challinger "hit rock-bottom when she struggled to find anything other than minimum wage jobs in their new environment. Not only did we lose our jobs, our identities and our home, she explains. We lost our sense of purpose as well because without work, we were adrift.

Using their own experiences, the 37-year-old set up Moments of Sense and Style (MOSS), a lifestyle platform revealing their journey and selling artwork produced by Mr Mackenzie. Although their business provides the flexibility they need to cope with their new way of life, the couple have found difficulties as Ms Challingers hours are limited so that they qualify for the Carers Allowance. Receiving 66.15 a week, she says that the benefit system isnt a form of living, its more existing.

A report by Future Care Capital has found that the pressures of unpaid caring impact finances as a result of having reduced work hours and increases in spending. Ms Challinger and Mr Mackenzie were initially living off their savings but turning to government aid has left them feeling like a burden. She says it doesnt feel like a system that theres to help you.

The report also revealed that nearly half of carers experience negative effects on their health with 40 per cent reporting increases in stress, anxiety and depression.

Lorraine Gannon is mum to 15-year-old Ben who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and requires help changing and feeding. Mentally its a challenge, she explains. Youre in the same routine looking after someone day after day - I have back problems and my lower back takes a lot of stress just changing Bens clothes.

Like many, Ms Gannon found that working full-time while caring was a challenge and something had to give. She was able to start her own property business but says there are many families who find it almost impossible to balance caring and work.

Nearly five years later, Ms Challinger and Mr Mackenzie are settled in Frome, Somerset with a baby on the way. The mum-to-be is open about how shes experienced PTSD and anxiety as a result of her husbands accident: I have no shame in saying that its affected my mental health, she says. Youre grieving for the life you had before and the life you thought you were going to have.

Socialising for the married couple has changed with Mr Mackenzies condition; dinners with friends have turned into lunches and adventurous holidays replaced with quiet nights in. Research has found that carers tend to have less time for themselves and spend less time with others - something that freelance Facebook advertising consultant Laura Moore understands.

I am very isolated because Im a carer, she explains. Mum to 10-year-old William, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, epilepsy and visual impairment, the 42-year-old now lives a very different life to her friends.

Laura Moore with son William who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, epilepsy and visual impairment and requires 24/7 care / Laura Moore

Running her own business has given Ms Moore some of her identity back while allowing her to support her son and his needs - which sometimes means attending as many as seven different appointments a month - but comes with its own pressures. Im no longer just a carer, she says. Working for myself means I now have two full time jobs - my actual business and the full time job of juggling Williams care.

She tells the Standard that she doesnt feel supported by the government and benefits on offer: When I did qualify, the Carers Allowance wasnt enough to financially support us, and now I dont qualify I am losing out on other things such as equipment grants.

My physical health is shocking, she says. Theres no support in terms of childcare to allow us to work in school holidays. No support for our mental health. As part of Carers Week, Carers UK has released research which finds that one in three unpaid carers in the UK say that they are always or often lonely.

Statistics show that the economic value of carers work is 132bn a year. A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson says that the government values the vitally important role carers play in our society but that Carers Allowance is not intended to be a carers wage or a payment for the services of caring. The government increased the benefit in 2010 and is set to spend 3.4bn on Carers Allowance in 2023/24.

Despite this, Chief Executive of Carers UK, Helen Walker insists that many unpaid carers who rely on the Allowance face a never-ending struggle to make ends meet as its the lowest benefit of its kind.L ondoners have mocked US president Donald Trump after he made an error in his continued takedown of Sadiq Khan.

Mr Trump called the London Mayor a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London as he criticised Mr Khan over a spate of fatal attacks which took place in the capital on Friday and Saturday.

But people were quick to point out that he had capitalised the word "city", meaning he had accidentally referred to the City of London, otherwise known as the Square Mile.

Peter Estlin is the Lord Mayor of the City of London while Mr Khan is the Mayor of London.

The phrase City of London was trending on Twitter as people replied to Mr Trump to explain the difference.

One person posted a photo of Mr Estlin, writing: This is the Mayor of the City of London. Most Londoners don't even know his name. I certainly don't.

While another added: Khan's the top boy in the GLA which includes the city of London and all of greater London. Lord Mayor is just a ceremonial post.

Scotsquad creator Joe Hullait wrote: *the city [lowercase] of London. Different to the City of London, alongside a screengrab of an explanation of the difference.

Another posted a photo of Mr Estlin saying Mr Trump's father, Fred, had wasted "a lot of money on his education."

"For all you not Brits. This is the actual Mayor of the City of London. There are many YouTube vids to explain. Fred wasted a lot of money on Donnys education," he wrote.

Mr Trump was responding to a tweet by Texas journalist Jessica Fletcher who said: Khan is the reason I dont feel like visiting London anytime soon.

Mr Trump wrote: London needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn jumped to Mr Khans defence tweeting: Absolutely awful to see @realDonaldTrump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor.

@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.

Mr Khan has not responded publicly to Mr Trump's criticism.

His spokesman said the mayor had "more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump's ill-informed tweet".

But he tweeted this morning: "Violent crime has no place in our city, and theres no higher priority for me than Londoners safety."

The US president and London mayor have clashed in the past, including on Trumps state visit at the start of June.

Trump branded the mayor a stone cold loser in a two-part tweet as he touched down in Britain on 3 June.T ens of thousands of activists gathered in Hong Kong for another day of protests despite a stunning turnaround by the government on a proposed extradition bill.

The protesters dressed in black and some carried flowers as they demanded the citys embattled leader Carrie Lam step down.

Protest organisers were hoping more than a million people would turn up for Sunday's rally, which started at 2.30pm local time.

It comes a day Ms Lam, who is Hong Kong chief executive, suspended an extradition bill indefinitely in a dramatic retreat following the most violent protests in decades.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters clogged Hong Kong's streets on Sunday. / REUTERS

It was one of the most significant political turnarounds by the Hong Kong government since Britain returned the territory to China in 1997, and it threw into question Ms Lam's ability to continue to lead the city.

As the crowds took to the streets, the Hong Kong government issued an apology over its handling of politically-charged legislation.

A statement from a government spokesman said that unspecified "deficiencies in the government's work had led to substantial controversies and disputes in society, causing disappointment and grief among the people."

It said Ms Lam "apologised to the people of Hong Kong for this and pledged to adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements in serving the public."

Hundreds of thousands of people rallied in central Hong Kong demanding Carrie Lam step down. / AFP/Getty Images

On Wednesday there were violent clashes when police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters near the heart of the financial centre, grabbing global headlines and forcing some banks to shut branches.

It was thought the protests would not go ahead on Sunday after the extradition bill was suspended, but activists now want Ms Lam to step down despite firm support for her from the government.

Protesters gather to attend a new rally against a controversial extradition law proposal. / AFP/Getty Images

One man who was waiting to join the protest said: "I wasn't going to come today, but when I saw what happened on Wednesday, Hong Kong people getting wrecked, that really hurt. So I decided to come down.

Thousands of people showed up to the rally on Sunday. / EPA

Others held signs that read "Do not shoot, we are HongKonger," in a bit to avoid a repeat of Wednesday's violence.

A protester holds up a placard as people gather ahead of a new rally in Hong Kong demanding the leader step down. / AFP/Getty Images

Protesters included young families as well as the elderly as they formed sea of black along roads, walkways and train stations across Hong Kong's financial centre.T he US military has accused Iran of trying to shoot down a US drone to disrupt surveillance during suspected attacks oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

A US Central Command spokesman said a US drone had been observing the Front Altair tanker 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 other ship, the Kokuka Courageous, lieutenant colonel Earl Brown said.

Crew members from the Norwegian-owned Front Altair landed in Dubai on Saturday after two days in Iran.

The other tanker targeted in the assault limped into anchorage off the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates.

This picture shows one of the ships on fire during the suspected attack / AFP/Getty Images

Both the mariners' recollection and the physical evidence remaining on the 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 US 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.

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.

Stills released from the US' video which it says shows troops removing an unexploded mine from the Kokuka Courageous / AFP/Getty Images

Tehran rejected the allegation, instead accusing the US 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 US Navy escort ships through the region - something American officials may consider doing again.

In a new allegation on Saturday, the US military accused Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops of trying but failing to shoot down a US 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 US ally Saudi Arabia with drones and missiles.

Last year Mr Trump withdrew America 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.

TODO: define component type brightcove

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 per cent of the world's oil flows.

Meanwhile, Britain's ambassador to Iran sought an urgent meeting with the country's Foreign Ministry after the UK broadly backed the US in blaming Tehran for the attacks.

Rob Macaire said his request was granted and rejected reports that he was ordered by Iranian officials to explain Britain's position.G eri Horner apologised to fans for leaving the Spice Girls over 20 years ago in an emotional speech on the last night of their tour.

She told fans at Wembley Stadium that it was so good to be back after her departure in 1998.

The rest of the group carried on until 2000 before announcing a seven-year hiatus.

Geri, Mel B, Mel C and Emma Bunton took to the stage for the final time on Saturday night after a 13-date UK and European tour.

Ginger Spice told the sold out stadium: I just want to say Im sorry. Its just so good to be back with the girls that I love.

The girls also brought out their mums for a rendition of hit single Mama.

Adele was in the audience for the tour finale, with the band singing a snippet of her hit single Someone Like You.

Geri posted a picture of her and the songstress hanging out backstage on Instagram, with the caption finally together.

The 13-date tour was the bands first since 2007 / Andrew Timms/PA Wire

Actor Emma Stone attended Friday's gig.

Earlier on Saturday, Geri met groups of fans who had waited to catch a glimpse of her, with one even getting her signature on his arm so he could have it tattooed.

Mel C posted an emotional tribute to her bandmates on Instagram, with a throwback photo of the group in their heyday.

She wrote: In 1994 five girls answered an advert in The Stage newspaper for a new girl band. 25 years later, those five girls headline Wembley Stadium, for the third night in a row!

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that all these years later we would be playing to sold out stadiums, performing what I believe to be the best show weve ever done.

Spice Girls World Tour 2019 - In pictures 1 /60 Spice Girls World Tour 2019 - In pictures Geri Horner, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown and Melanie Chisholm of the Spice Girls in concert at Croke Park PA Melanie Brown, Geri Horner, Emma Bunton and Melanie Chisholm of the Spice Girls in concert at Croke Park in Dublin PA Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Geri Horner and Melanie Chisholm of the Spice Girls in concert at Croke Park in Dublin PA The Spice Girls kicked off their reunion tour with their hit single Spice Up Your Life. SplashNews.com Melanie Brown of the Spice Girls PA Emma Bunton of the Spice Girls PA Geri Horner of the Spice Girls PA Melanie Chisholm of the Spice Girls PA One of the biggest bands of the 1990s reunite on stage. SplashNews.com Geri Horner donned a floor-length sparkling Union flag gown. SplashNews.com The Spice Girls wore hand-embellished Swarovski crystal costumes designed by Gabriella Slade. SplashNews.com The audience for their first show was 82,000 strong. SplashNews.com It's the first time Scary, Baby, Ginger and Sporty spice have been on stage together since the closing ceremony at the London Olympics in 2012. SplashNews.com Emma Bunton wore a shimmering pink minidress. SplashNews.com The Spice Girls burst onto the scene in 1996 with their debut single Wannabe. SplashNews.com Melanie Brown had a glittering animal print jumpsuit for the occasion. SplashNews.com Melanie Brown had a glittering animal print jumpsuit for the occasion. SplashNews.com The Spice Girls kicked off their long-awaited reunion tour in Dublin. SplashNews.com Melanie Chisholm sparkled in a shining Olympian outfit. SplashNews.com Ginger Spice Geri Horner. SplashNews.com Sporty Spice Melanie Chisholm. SplashNews.com Baby Spice Emma Bunton. SplashNews.com Geri Horner donned a floor-length sparkling Union flag gown. SplashNews.com For their first show they took to the stage in extravagant fashion for their first number, wearing hand-embellished Swarovski crystal costumes designed by Gabriella Slade. SplashNews.com Geri Horner donned a floor-length sparkling Union flag gown. SplashNews.com Melanie Chisholm sparkled in a shining Olympian outfit. SplashNews.com The Spice Girls kicked off their long-awaited reunion tour in Dublin. SplashNews.com The Spice Girls kicked off their long-awaited reunion tour in Dublin. SplashNews.com Geri Horner, Emma Bunton and Melanie Chisholm. SplashNews.com Ginger Spice Geri Horner. SplashNews.com The Spice Girls kicked off their long-awaited reunion tour in Dublin. SplashNews.com The Spice Girls kicked off their long-awaited reunion tour in Dublin. SplashNews.com Melanie Chisholm and Melanie Brown. SplashNews.com Geri Horner and Emma Bunton. SplashNews.com The Spice Girls kicked off their long-awaited reunion tour in Dublin. SplashNews.com Ginger Spice Geri Horner. SplashNews.com Baby Spice Emma Bunton. SplashNews.com PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA

Its an honour and a privilege to share a stage with my fellow Spices, @therealgerihalliwell @officialmelb @emmaleebunton and the gorgeous @victoriabeckham will always be missed (hopefully someday to return)!

I never forget though, none of this would have been possible without you - the unbelievable fans.

You have made a very normal girl feel incredibly special and I can never thank you enough for this. I love you all and thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to live this amazing life.By Express News Service

KOLLAM: As many as 13 persons sustained injuries after a KSRTC bus caught fire following a collision with a concrete mixing unit truck at Vayakkal between Kottarakkara and Ayur.

The incident took place on the MC road on Saturday around 2.30 pm. Both vehicles were completely gutted in the incident. Four among the 13, including the bus driver, sustained serious injuries including burns. The accident took place on the Thiruvananthapuram- Moovattapuzha National Highway. The fast passenger bus AT 399, belonging to Killimanoor depot was plying from Kottarakkara to Thiruvananthapuram when it collided head-on with a concrete mixer truck.

The bus collided with the truck at its front end where the diesel tank is placed. The truck caught fire in the impact and it spread towards the bus burning it down completely, said police personnel. Seven fire units from Kollam, Kundara, and Kottarakkara reached the spot and doused the fire. The four people on the bus, who sustained serious injuries including the bus driver Prakash, 50, and conductor Sajeev, 41, were immediately rushed to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Whereas the others were taken to Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital.

There were around 30 passengers on the bus at the time of the incident. However, the presence of mind of the conductor and driver saved the lives of the passengers from a major mishap. In the process, driver Prakash suffered burns and conductor Sajeev sustained head injury. The traffic was cleared within an hour along the stretch. Though the actual reason for the accident is not yet confirmed. However, the KSRTC officials state the incident occurred as the truck driver took a wrong entry.By Express News Service

CHENNAI: About 50 bikers from the city on Saturday demonstrated different yoga asanas to celebrate World Moto Yoga Day. The event organised by Big Biking Commune, in association with India Tourism-Chennai, was to observe the International Yoga Day and World Motorcycle Day, both of which fall on June 21 and 23 respectively.

The event was held at the Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition. Arun Kumar, convener, Big Biking Commune, said, This is the first time, India Tourism-Chennai is hosting an event for yoga day, specific to bikers.Since World Motorcycle Day falls in the coming week, we are celebrating the art of yoga, thereby promoting it among bikers.

Teachers from Isha taught a yoga session to the bikers which involved neck rotations, sun salutations and pranayama. Light yoga, even during riding breaks for 15 minutes, can help bike riders to have a pleasant ride, said Janani Nagarajagurukkal, a yoga instructor from Isha.Cars, farming and being around people were Orins world and his presence in the local car club and community left a lasting impact.

Orin was well-liked by people in the car club and community, said Mike Reynolds, High Plains Auto Club president. He was kind-hearted and generous.

On Sunday, June 9, Orin received his first trophy at a car club picnic at the Barn Anew. After they drove to Culvers for free ice cream, the staff judged.

He got the Teens Choice award, Rogers said. Going home he said, I dont care if I get a trophy or not, but this was kind of fun.

The moment was a proud moment for Orin and is a fond memory for his family.

Rogers hopes Orin's daughter will continue in his footsteps by getting involved in the car club to continue the tradition.

Walking around the vehicle, the license plate reads My 59 17, which represents the year of the car and his age when he got the car. He drove that car off the show room floor.The family of Liliana (Lily) Marquez-Arellano also took the opportunity to come together at the Festival of Hope. Marquez-Arellano died at the age of 16 in 2009, and her mother, Mary Arellano, said the Arellano family has come to the Festival of Hope every year. This year, Flyover Brewery remembered Lily at its booth, with Mary Arellanos niece, Tera Olds, helping lead the charge as an employee of the brewery.

Mary Arellano said that the booth included items from Lily, including her handprint, beads that she used often in the hospital during her treatment for leukemia and a fun book that she created about wigs.

The family also displayed pamphlets that included information about cancer facts and other information.

Anytime we can spread the word, we appreciate it, Mary said. People dont think about pediatric cancer.

During the Festival of Hopes afternoon activities, Vince Bjorling thanked the many volunteers who make the Festival of Hope possible. To date, he said, the Festival of Hope has provided more than $2.5 million in aid to cancer patients, helping with non-medical costs such as utility bills, travel costs and more.Express News Service By

NEW DELHI: The BJP plans to pile up the pressure on the AAP government over the issue of water supply, with party leaders and rebel AAP legislator Devinder Sehrawat planning to visit the Bijwasan Assembly constituency. Buzz is that some MLAs from AAP plan to join a discussion which the BJP is likely to hold with the locals out there.

Sehrawat told a news agency that the event will also be attended by Kapil Mishra and Anil Bajpai, both elected on the AAP ticket. However, he did not confirm reports that some AAP MLAs would also attend the event. A Jat leader from a rural area of Mahipalpur, Sehrawat joined the BJP in May. In fact, Sehrawat had joined the saffron party barely some days after AAPs Gandhi Nagar MLA Anil Bajpai switched sides to join the BJP. The AAP had alleged that the BJP was trying to buy its MLAs ahead of the general election.

Water has become a rallying point for the BJP and the Congress to attack the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government. Recently, a BJP leader reached the DJB office and staged protest demanding immediate solution to the water woes. According to Sehrawat, three projects of the Delhi Jal Board have been pending in the Bijwasan constituency, due to which the resident of the constituency has been facing acute water shortage.

The Chief Minister himself heads the Delhi Jal Board, yet my constituency has been facing acute water shortage. I along with other MLAs will tour the constituency on Saturday and speak about the failed working of Chief Minister before the locals, Sehrawat said. The rebel leader did not comment on reports of AAP MLAs joining the event. There are reports of MLAs being unhappy with the leadership, however, no one has contacted me yet, but if someone wants to join, then they will be welcomed, he added.

Protest at DJB OFFICE AGAIN

In yet another demonstration against the water policies of the AAP government, South Delhi BJP MLA Ramesh Bidhuri along with party workers organised a protest at the Kalkaji office of Delhi Jal Board. Bidhuri, while addressing the gathering, alleged that instead of laying new water pipelines CM Kejriwal had left the people of Delhi at the mercy of tanker mafia.

Hitting out at the AAP governments free travel for women scheme, the MLA said, If Kejriwal really wants to give benefits to the women, he should at least provide water to their kitchen first. Bidhuri also alleged that 25 ponds in his constituency have turned into garbage dumps.For spectators Zach Sanata and his 2-year-old son Walt, the Fathers Day car show is an event where they can bond.

I enjoy hanging out at the car shows and being with my son, Sanata said. I like it being on Fathers Day weekend because it gives us something to do.

With the average age of car show participants ranging from 55 to 70, Reynolds said it is important to get the younger generations involved.

Wed like to get more youth involved, Reynolds said. I think a lot of young people havent had the opportunity to be around older cars. Theyre involved in newer cars and they can come along with their newer cars, too.

While the Fathers Day car show showcases a variety of vehicles, Reynolds said the people involved care about others.

Car people are a unique breed, he said. They will help anybody out who needs help.

At 1 p.m., drivers sat in their cars to rev their engines.Goldman has been on one of the Honor Flights and said after landing in Baltimore, fire trucks shoot volleys of water over the plane as a welcome.

As the veterans visit the memorials, members of Congress and other officials often come out to greet the group and offer thanks for their service.

Honor Flights Network is a national nonprofit organization that transports American veterans to the nations capitol to visit the memorials dedicated in honor of the service and sacrifice those veterans made to keep our nation safe.

Americans honor and support these veterans for their service, Goldman said. Veterans can really see that honor in practice when they go. There are so many tears shed during their visits.

One of the Patriot Guard Riders escorts for the veterans group is Steve Thomlison of Gering, whos been a member for several years.

Id really like to see the public come out and stand a flag line to honor and welcome the veterans to town, he said. We have 150 flags available for people to pick up at the Elks Lodge. Weve had people with flags lining both sides of the street from the Elks all the way to 20th Street. It was an absolutely awesome sight.BRIDGEPORT  Kick off the summer enjoying the outdoors with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission at a Becoming an Outdoors-Family Camp. The camp will be held June 21-23 at Bridgeport State Recreation Area and Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area.

This program is provided to families who are new to camping and the outdoors. With the expert guidance of instructors, families will learn how to fish, camp, kayak, and cook outdoors in a relaxed and safe environment

All food will be provided, as well as fishing, kayaking and shooting equipment. Participants will bring their own tent and camping supplies. Some loaner tents will be available.

Download the registration form at outdoornebraska.gov/bof/. Call Christy Christiansen at 402-471-5547 for more information.

Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to formRichard worked hard with the town to get recognition for veterans at all times, he said.

About seven years ago, the shop and Welcome Home Veterans Living Military Museum moved into its current location at 165 N. Main St., Mooresville.

If you look around, everything that is hanging on the walls in here has a direct connection to somebody in the area, Hedley said. Theres a story connected to every single thing that you see in here, which makes this place probably even more special. Any veteran is welcome. Any citizen is welcome to come in and get an idea of what vets are about.

Hedley then looked to Larson and told him that he was sure he has a great fan base among veterans and certainly here in Richards Coffee Shop and I just cant thank you enough on behalf of all us and me personally for what youre doing, and for bringing your car out here (for the unveiling). Its an incredible event, one we will not soon forget.

Larson likewise expressed his gratitude as he thanked the crowd for having him there.After the Army, he joined a general medical practice in Waynesville, North Carolina, where he stayed for five years. Then he made the decision to go back to school, and he did his cardiology training at Penn State.

When he completed that training at age 40, it was like he was starting all over. He moved to Statesville because he had run into Dr. Tom Templeton at a conference, who had told him that Statesville needed a cardiologist. His decision to move to Statesville is what brought me to Iredell County and ultimately shaped the rest of my life (so far).

My dad worked long hours during his time in Statesville, including being on call nearly every other day. I can remember one summer evening, my dad and I were sitting at the kitchen table eating one piece of watermelon after another when he got paged (yes, this was the 1980s) to come to the hospital. I was bored, so I asked him if I could go with him.

I went in with my dad while he talked to the patient, a man who had been having chest pains. My dad asked the man what he had been doing when he started having the chest pains. The man replied that he had been eating watermelon. You dont think that had anything to do with it, do you Doc? he asked. My dad turned and looked at me, grinned, and said, I sure hope not.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)More than 500 masterpieces of the most famous museums in France, such as the Louvre Museum, the Pompidou Center, the Versailles Castle, the Orsay Museum are displayed virtually in Sibiu, within the Micro-Folie project, the first digital museum in Romania, put together at the House of Arts, within the Sibiu International Theater Festival (FITS), according to a press release sent to AGERPRES.

"It is the first digital museum in Romania to give access to 500 art works of universal heritage, which can be found in the great museums and cultural institutions of France, supplemented with FabLab and a virtual reality space where you can watch movies made by ARTE channel, an experience facilitated by dARe by Samsung. This year, at the House of Arts in the Small Square, Micro-Folie becomes a permanent point of reference on the cultural map of Sibiu," reads the organisers' release.According to the quoted source, public access is free in this unique museum.In order to see these masterpieces, visitors have access, through some tablet, to the pieces of information about the paintings, ballet performances, contemporary dance, opera or theater shows, architecture, objects of universal heritage, as well as music pieces in the classic or modern repertory. Equipped with state-of-the-art glasses, phones and headsets, the visitors will be able to access approximately 40 videos on the ARTE channel and experience 360 underwater explorations, flights over mountains, but also music recitals or guided tours in major Western museums.The exhibition can be seen daily during the festival between 10:00hrs and 18:00hrs.ENS Economic Bureau By

One of Indias most popular chocolate brands, Cadbury, has gone the way that other sugar-heavy products like Coke have in recent times. Last week, Cadbury India parent firm Mondelez India announced that it is rolling out a new variant of the widely popular Dairy Milk line of chocolates, with 30 per cent less sugar.

According to company officials, the chocolate segment giant is retailing the new line of chocolates for Rs 50 per 43-gram chocolate bar, only Rs 10 more than the Rs 40 per bar that the standard Dairy Milk retails at. This new offering will sit alongside existing portfolio of Cadbury Dairy Milk products, Mondelez India said. The new product is on offer for consumers who would like to try less sugary products, added Deepak Iyer, president, Mondelez India.

Cadbury Dairy Milk 30% Less Sugar is another very special innovation that will provide our Cadbury Dairy Milk fans with a less sugar option without compromising on our world-renowned taste and quality. We expect this innovation to strengthen our portfolio as it will complement our other much-loved brands, including core Cadbury Dairy Milk, said Iyer. The new line has, for now, been rolled out on e-commerce platforms and will be available in stores pan-India later, beginning with the metros.

Though Cadbury officials say the new line is not targeted at any specific market, analysts say the move is oriented towards assuaging the rising health consciousness among customers, with many brands already providing their more sugar-averse customers less sugary, or even zero-sugar, variants of popular products a la Coke Zero.

Increasingly consumers want products that reflect their lifestyle and we have always been at the forefront in creating unique products and platforms to address this need. Cadbury Dairy Milk 30% Less Sugar is a product with no added artificial sweeteners, colours or preservatives. It is created to ensure the right texture and taste of the original Cadbury Dairy Milk bar to keep the consumers experience the same, pointed out Anil Viswanathan, Director, Marketing (Chocolates), Mondelez India.

According to the company, the less sugary Dairy Milk has been in development for almost two years, with those working on the product spread across Mondelezs facilities in India and the United Kingdom. These are the only two countries where Cadbury has launched this variant for now.The number of new and second-hand vehicle registrations in Romania reached 241,629 units in the first five months of 2019, out of which over 184,000 units were second-hand, according to the statistics with the Driving Licences and Vehicle Registration Directorate (DRPCIV), researched by AGERPRES.

According to the data, between January and May 2019, the car registrations dropped by 1.31 percent compared to the same period of the last year.As part of this decrease, the total number of new car registrations stood at 57,538 units, up 20.30 percent over the first five months of 2018, when 47,827 units were registered.Moreover, of the total number of new car registrations registered from January to May 2019, most were Dacia - with 17,604 units, increasing by 39.81 percent against the same period of the previous year.In May 2019, the most demanded brands were Dacia with 3,286 units (+ 5.52 percent versus May 2018), Volkswagen (1,168 units, + 45.45 percent), Skoda (1,151 units, +4.07 percent), Renault (1,039 units, + 35.99 percent) and Ford (855 units, -12.67 percent).At the same time, the lowest frequency of new car registrations in May 2019 was recorded in the following brands: Alfa Romeo (10 units), Lada, Lamborghini and Subaru (3 units each) and Ferrari (2 units).In respect to the registrations of second-hand cars, the DRPCIV data showed a decline of registrations in the reference period, up to 184,091 units compared to 197,010 units recorded between January and May 2018.Most registrations in this category were for: Volkswagen - with 45,089 units (-9.45 percent compared with the similar period of 2018), BMW (18,521 units, + 0.29 percent), Audi (17,336 units, 5.35 percent), Opel (16,915 units, -21.30 percent), Ford (15,391 units, -15.77 percent) and Mercedes-Benz (10,261 units, + 1.33 percent).The DRPCIV data, published in mid-May 2019, showed that the national car fleet of Romania reached, at the end of 2018, almost 8.20 million vehicles, up 7.30 percent over the previous year, when over 7.635 million units were recorded.In this regard, out of the vehicles registered at national level, 1,381,620 were registered in Bucharest, with the latter recording a jump of 4.64 percent against 2017. At the same time, in Bucharest, the number of vehicles registered on 31 December 2018 reached over 1.106 million units, with most of them (610,765 units) running on gasoline.Though he wasnt a fan of the Better Together plan, Rusk doesnt believe doing nothing is an option for St. Louis. He also thinks any future reforms should be sold on the basis of making government better, not cheaper.

Its tempting, but you must not sell any kind of a merger on the basis of saving money, he said. What you can sell is a better, more professional standard of service. You need to find a way to establish structures  that can facilitate cooperation, and then let people reap the benefits.

Rusk endorses having the city re-enter St. Louis County, which could be accomplished through a board of freeholders. The St. Louis County Municipal League is already gathering signatures to start such a process.An armed gang killed at least 34 people in attacks on villages in northwest Nigeria, police said on Sunday, part of a wave of violence the government has blamed on bandits.

Hundreds of people have died in the northwest region this year, adding to security problems in a country already struggling with Islamist insurgencies in the northeast and a brutal conflict between farmers and herders in central states.

The armed gang came to unprotected villages in the northwestern state of Zamfara on Friday night, killing 34 people, said Muhammed Shehu, police spokesman for the state.

People from the village told Reuters the attackers escaped.

We heard gunshots and saw people running for shelter, chased by men on motorbikes, said Shehu Shinkafi.

We immediately took cover in a house nearby, and after the bandits were done with their killing spree they moved to a nearby village, he said, adding he counted 12 bodies in his village alone.

The gang left without any resistance as there were no security agents in the area, and it was only after the massacre that police arrived hours later, Shinkafi and two other witnesses said.

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NEW DELHI: The Congress workers will hold demonstrations in all 70 Assembly constituencies on Tuesday against severe power cuts and water shortage as the AAP government has failed to address these problems, said Haroon Yusuf, working president of Delhi unit.

Lakhs of Congress workers will join the protests as the complaints about the water and power crisis have fallen on deaf ears. The Kejriwal government has not taken any step to address the issue. Following the direction of Congress chief Sheila Dikshit, all the RWAs will be invited to join the protest, said Yusuf.

The Congress leader said the people are harassed and fed up with the power and water shortage in these peak summer days. Not only a severe shortage of water, but the water the people is getting is unfit for consumption. Dikshit had also met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday to draw his attention to the power and water shortage and sought urgent remedial measures.

BJP leader and former BJP Delhi President Vijay Goel said both Kejriwal and Dikshit were befooling the people of the national capital. At a press conference along with RWA Joint Front convener B S Vohra, Goel said while Kejriwal has been making tall claims of free water and half power prices, the reality is that Delhi is facing acute water crisis and the electricity prices have shot up by 30% after the Kejriwal government hiked the fixed charges in electricity bills.

Kejriwal said had Sheilaji been in the power, the public would have suffered immensely but since it is the Kejriwal government, the people of Delhi has received huge relief through savings on electricity bills. But he forgot that his own government had hiked the fixed charges which led to high electricity bills, the BJP Rajya Sabha MP said. Goel added even after being in power for past four and a half years, the chief minister is still to act upon on his electoral promises made to the people a couple of years ago.Opera Theatre of St. Louis has a notable heritage of commissioning and performing operas that examine important issues of our time. The companys 28th world premiere, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, which opened Saturday night at the Loretto-Hilton Center, is another worthy entry in that lineage.

For Fire, OTSL turned again to jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, composer of 2013s Champion, for a second opera in jazz. (Like Champion, Fire is a co-presentation with Jazz St. Louis) Fire, with a colorful libretto by screenwriter Kasi Lemmons, gives us another gritty true story with African-American protagonists. OTSL artistic director James Robinson shaped it brilliantly in his dual role as stage director and dramaturg.

Based on the memoir by New York Times columnist Charles Blow, Fire deals with Blows difficult childhood and young manhood in small-town Louisiana. The youngest of five boys, and the only one of them who seems to have a thoughtful bone in his whole body, little Chares-Baby is a boy of peculiar grace whose mother, Billie, worries hell be picked on.CHESTERFIELD  Cpl. Helmuth Levin and Private Rudolf Straussberg left notes of explanation on their bunks. They slipped past the guards at night and fled through the vegetable fields they tended.

Returning to Germany would just be going from a Nazi dictatorship to a Russian dictatorship, Levin wrote in German. Straussberg added an apology to his keepers for causing the trouble of looking for us.

Levin and Straussberg were among the 420,000 German and Italian prisoners of war who spent part of World War II under guard in the United States. About 15,000 of them were sent to 30 camps scattered across Missouri.

Most of the POWs went to large camps, including one covering 960 acres near Weingarten in Ste. Genevieve County. Others were confined in small outposts such as Hellwig Brothers Farm, near U.S. Highway 40 on the Missouri River bottomland then known as Gumbo Flats.

Thousands of Axis POWs worked in the fields, replacing American farm boys gone to war. Some fought floods with sandbags. A few Italian prisoners even worked in the St. Louis Ordnance Depot on North Broadway, handling nonexplosive freight after their country switched sides in the war.On Saturday at 7:28 p.m. a teenage boy was shot in the leg near the intersection of North Tucker Boulevard and O'Fallon Street in the Carr Square neighborhood.

At about 12:51 a.m. on Sunday, a woman suffered a gunshot wound to her head in the 4500 block of Davidson Avenue in the Walnut Park East neighborhood. She was listed as conscious and breathing.

Seven minutes later, a shooting took place downtown in the 1500 block of Washington Avenue. One woman was shot in the shoulder and was listed as conscious and breathing. Two men who were in a car traveling eastbound on Washington Avenue sustained minor graze wounds and were listed as stable. Witnesses told police they saw four men crouched behind a car on the north side of the street who shot at the car with the two male victims inside.

Police responded to Voce Bar near the intersection of South Tucker Boulevard and Clark Avenue, not far from the City Hall parking lot and the St. Louis City Justice Center, for a shooting at about 1:45 a.m. A 39-year-old man, a 24-year-old woman and a 38-year-old woman were shot and were listed as being in critical condition, but stable. Police are searching for a black male between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall wearing a black T-shirt, khaki cargo shorts and sporting a beard.

Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.MONROE COUNTY  A young man on a tractor was fatally hit by a train here Friday evening, setting off a 30-car derailment. Several fire departments and hazmat teams responded to the accident but no dangerous materials were released into the environment, officials said.

Jonah Kellim Matthews, 23, of Waterloo, was killed instantly around 8 p.m. after being struck at a railroad crossing in Fults that had a double set of tracks, said Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Weller.

"It's a terrible situation," Weller said.

The victim's father, David Matthews, said there were two trains, one going north, the other going south.

"He stopped for the first one and didn't see the second one," David Matthews said.

Jonah Matthews was one of six boys who grew up on Deer Creek Farm in rural Monroe County. His father said he was a standout in Future Farmers of America and was involved with other leadership opportunities. He had cattle of his own but was working for somebody else the day he was killed, replanting corn due to flooding.Updated at 2:20 p.m. Sunday with more details and the name of the person who died.

ST. LOUIS  One person died and two were injured in a shooting Saturday morning in the 4600 block of Richard Place in the city's Penrose neighborhood, St. Louis police said.

The shooting started when Ray Acklin, 22, of the 3100 block of Clay, shot a 37-year-old man, police said. Acklin was then shot by that man's brother, a 36-year-old, said officers. Acklin died at the scene of the shooting, police said.

Another man then shot into a car occupied by two women, hitting one of them, a 27-year-old in the leg and arm, police said. That woman was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition. The man Acklin shot was listed in critical condition at a hospital.

Homicide detectives were investigating the shooting, which happened at about 11:15 a.m.McCune returned his unused corn seed to a local dealer for Pioneer, a part of Corteva Inc., after planting just 900 acres of corn out of the 6,000 acres he intended to put in the ground.

Bureau County, Illinois, where McCune lives, has the fourth-highest risk of all U.S. counties for corn acres to go unplanted this year because of rains, behind three counties in Nebraska, according to Gro Intelligence.

Nationwide, farmers are expected to harvest the smallest corn crop in four years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency last week reduced its planting estimate by 3.2% from May and its yield estimate by 5.7%.

Farmers think more cuts are likely as the late-planted crop could face damage from hot summer weather and an autumn frost.

An early frost will turn this world upside down, Rock Katschnig, a farmer from Prophetstown, Illinois, said at the party.

Phone quits ringing

Planting problems mean that growers need less seed and herbicides than expected, which is bad news for salesmen like Greg McKnight of Barman Seed in Woodhull, Illinois.Republicans in state legislatures across the country have tried to turn the issue into a partisan cudgel to use against Democrats, claiming  outrageously  that vaccination requirements are government overreach. Its an argument, in essence, for the right to endanger other peoples kids. They include Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, who said in March that he took his nine children to a chickenpox party. In both Wyoming and Colorado, anti-vaccine activists, backed by some (though not all) legislative Republicans, killed measures to reduce the exemptions to vaccine requirements.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is perhaps the worst offender, given that he is a physician who says he understands the value of vaccinations and vaccinates his own kids. But he still views vaccination requirements as giving up on liberty. When did the right to spread disease become liberty?Suddenly, United Sporting was left with a huge inventory of guns and not enough buyers. The dumping of excess product into the marketplace pushed prices  and margins  even lower, a company statement said. It appears that America, with enough firearms in circulation to put a gun in the hands of every man, woman and child in the country, has finally reached the saturation point.

Adding to the industrys woes is a Supreme Court decision this week to sustain a lower courts ruling that silencers are not protected under the Second Amendment. The courts decision not to hear a case brought by two Kansas men accused of violating a federal law regulating silencers meant that a lower courts ruling against them would remain.Regarding Convicted child predator charged with murder of Angie Housman 25 years ago (June 6): As Im sure many were, I was ecstatic at the identification and charges being filed against Earl Cox. This is nothing short of amazing.

Thank God for the scientists who developed superior DNA testing advancements and identification techniques. Give credit to Tim Lohmar and the rest of the law enforcement officers who worked on the case.

And kudos to the judge who refused to release Cox after he served his last sentence under the Adam Walsh law, reasoning Cox was likely to re-offend. Justice was late, but so very well-deserved.

Jerry S. Hutter  FlorissantPushkar Banakar By

NEW DELHI: Those living near major traffic intersections, below flyovers or near railway stations, where noise pollution levels can not only be infuriating but also harmful to health, can hope for some relief in the future. Scientists at the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) in New Delhi have developed sound barrier technologies which can reduce noise levels up to 38 decibels. Until now, noise barriers are effective only up to 8 decibels.

The CRRI scientists claimed that the new technology, in a first of its kind, can arrest three frequencies of sound waves low, medium and high. For the first time in the world, we have developed barriers through which all three types of frequencies can be arrested, said Nasim Akthar, principal scientist at the CRRI.

The barriers can be easily mounted on flyovers, traffic intersections and in train stations where the level of sound pollution and high frequency sounds are extremely high. The barriers, which are mostly made of aluminum, help structures like flyovers by reducing high frequency sound waves. These are the types of sound waves that cause maximum vibrations and affect the strength of the structure, Akthar said.

Explaining further, he said the decibel level at ITO junction during peak traffic hours is around 250 decibels and previously installed barriers could bring it down to only 242 decibels. With the new barriers, the levels of sound will come down to 212 decibels.

JJ Flyover, one of the noisiest in Mumbai which connects JJ Hospital to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) station, sees decibel levels close to 120 decibels. As the new technology can reduce noise levels up to 38 decibels, the noise will be within the WHO limit of 100 decibels, Akthar said. The barrier has been patented and the CRRI is now looking for industry players interested in buying the technology from them.

Health experts said regular exposure to over 110 decibels of noise can lead to permanent hearing loss.It was a magical night, says Elysia Gibb, who sent in photos of her schools event.

The Lantern Festival at Taurangas Waldorf School in Welcome Bay on Friday night drew out families to come and enjoy the magic of twinkling lights. Families were given a lantern on arrival to explore the light trail.

The school was lit up with a trail of candles and decorated grottos to celebrate the change of seasons from autumn into winter.

New Zealand officially marks its winter season in June, July and August with spring bursting forth in September.

"It's a special time of year when we light up the winter night with candles," says principal Mary Tait-Jamieson. Our families look forward to this festival every year as it is so magical.

This year the school opened the gates to the local community by inviting 100 families to help celebrate 100 years of Waldorf Education throughout the world. It is an education system which has a focus on teaching through nature and experiential learning.

Waldorf Education began in Europe in the early 20th century and has since spread to 1100 schools throughout the world across 60 nations.

"Every year we welcome the local community into our school with this popular fair. But because we are celebrating 100 years since Waldorf first began, we wanted to invite our local community to join us once again," says Mary.11.50am Update: The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management - MCDEM advise that there is no tsunami threat to NZ following the magnitude 7.0 Kermadec Islands region earthquake at 10.55am.

A spokesperson for MCDEM says that GNS Science has tidal gauges at Raoul Island. These gauges can pick up water level changes.

As there were no water level changes detected at Rauol Island, MCDEM was able to downgrade the tsunami threat to NZ.

"The Kermadecs are so close to NZ, and we need everyone to be prepared in case, but in this instance we have been able to determine that there is now no tsunami threat."

"Based on current information, the initial assessment is that the earthquake is unlikely to have caused a tsunami that will pose a threat to New Zealand."

11.39am National Warning issued: Tsunami Threat

The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management - MCDEM has issued a tsunami warning, which threatens beach and marine areas, following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake located in the Kermadec Islands region.

Unusually strong and hazardous currents and unpredictable surges are expected near the shore. This means a threat to beach, harbour, estuary and small boat activities.

The severity of currents and surges will vary within a particular coastal area and over the period this warning is in effect.

Current assessments indicate that coastal inundation - the flooding of land areas near the shore - is not expected but this assessment may change.

The first tsunami activity may not be the most significant. Tsunami activity will continue for several hours and the threat must be regarded as real until this warning is cancelled.

People in the above coastal areas should:

Listen to the radio and/or TV for updates and NZCivilDefence Twitter Listen to local Civil Defence authorities Stay out of the water (sea, rivers and estuaries, this includes boats) Stay off beaches and shore areas Do not go sightseeing Share this information with family, neighbours and friends

Only messages issued by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management represent the official warning status for New Zealand. Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) messages do not represent the official warning status for New Zealand.

This warning will remain in effect until a cancellation message is issued by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management.

Useful websites:

https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/

Twitter @NZCivilDefence

Earlier 11.10am:

A 7.4 M earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region at 10.55am this morning may cause a tsunami that could affect NZ.

The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management and GNS Science are currently assessing whether the magnitude 7.4 Kermadec Islands region earthquake at 10.55am on Sunday morning has created a tsunami that could affect New Zealand.

If a tsunami has been generated in this location it is not likely to arrive in New Zealand for at least two hours - around 12.55pm Sunday afternoon.

SunLive are waiting on a further update as soon as the initial assessment has been completed.

Updates will also be published on the Civil Defence website www.civildefence.govt.nz, NZCivilDefence Facebook page and Twitter @NZCivilDefence.

Advice for people in coastal areas - click here

Tsunami evacuation zones - click hereStaff of the Forest Lifeforce Restoration Trust  FLRT have seen a significant increase in rat numbers on their two properties in inland Hawkes Bay, a precursor to spikes in the number of stoats, ferrets, possums and other pest or predator species.

Rats are being detected at rates of up to 58 per cent, about twice as many as would normally be detected in August, when counts are usually conducted. This early monitoring was in response to warning signs at the back end of last year, when heavy fruiting of several plant species signalled the multi-species mast event taking place at the moment.

Peraxilla tetrapetala, or red mistletoe, was one of the species that flowered unusually early last year. It is known in te reo as pikirangi, pirirangi or roeroe. It is a parasitic shrub up to one metre tall with smooth leaves which normally only flowers around Christmas time. Numbers have increased markedly at the Trusts property in the Maungataniwha Native Forest and by early November the forest floor beneath host trees was already littered with flowers.

Elaeocarpus dentatus, known in te reo as hinau or whinau, also flowered heavily. It is common at Maungataniwha and has plump berries during the winter which can escalate rat numbers through the colder months into Spring. This is the point at which the rats then cause carnage among native birds that are breeding.

Red beech was flowering about as heavily as FLRT staff have ever seen.

The rats will have a massive effect on the populations of smaller birds such as tom-tits and robins, says Trust staffer Barry Crene. Rat numbers will help drive up stoat numbers and theyre going to nail heaps of kiwi and whio. The whole things going to be as ugly as weve seen it in a very long time.

Barry says there is little that conservationists could do except take the hit and make preparations for increased trapping and other predator and pest control work.

Masting is a natural event that happens every three to five years. A tree species will produce more seeds than usual. Its an effective species survival mechanism because predators will not be able to consume all the seeds. Ironically though, it leads to a boost in predator numbers.

This year the Trust has seen several species mast simultaneously.

I have no doubt that this mega-mast event will have a detrimental impact on the population numbers of pretty much all our native species, says Barry. Weve been tracking really well in recent years but this definitely feels like a three steps forward, one step back type of situation.

The Forest Lifeforce Restoration (FLR) Trust was established in 2006 to provide direction and funding for the restoration of threatened species of fauna and flora, and to restore the ngahere mauri or forest lifeforce in native forests within the Central North Island.

It runs eight main regeneration and restoration projects, involving native New Zealand flora and fauna, on three properties in the central North Island. It also owns a property in the South Islands Fiordland National Park.

The FLTR is fast carving out a name for itself as one of the most prolific and successful kiwi conservation initiatives in the country.

In addition to the Maungataniwha Kiwi Project the Trust runs a series of native flora and fauna regeneration projects. These include a drive to increase the wild-grown population of Kakabeak, an extremely rare type of shrub, and the re-establishment of native plants and forest on 4,000 hectares currently, or until recently, under pine.Jet, an 11-year-old Siberian husky dog went missing from his home in Whakamarama on Friday evening.

Hes a very friendly good-natured family dog, says owner Jeremy Longman, who was devastated on returning home, to find his dog had gone missing.

This is the first time I have ever lost him. Hes very sociable and will come to you if called. He also likes other dogs.

Jet on the beach near Omanu

Jet was last seen at 7.10pm on Friday June 14 at his home in Plummers Point Rd. Jeremy thinks Jet went missing between then and midnight when he returned home.

Ive contacted all the local authorities, Council and Police, and been searching all weekend with no success, says Jeremy. Ive posted on as many sites as possible and asked people to share far and wide.

Ive also put up posters around Te Puna, Whakamarama, Omokoroa, Omanu, Mount Maunganui, The Lakes  all the places Ive walked my dogs. Any help is sincerely appreciated.

Sire and Jet

Jeremys other husky dog, Sire, is staying close to his side as they continue searching.

Jeremy is offering $1000 reward for the return of Jet, no questions asked.

If anyone knows where Jet is, or has seen him, please contact Jeremy on 021 025 31314.Somrita Ghosh By

NEW DELHI: Showing solidarity with the doctors in West Bengal, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association called for a symbolic strike in the national capital which led to closing down of OPDs, wards and routine operations at state hospitals.

Major hospitals under the Delhi government like Ram Manohar Lohia, Guru Teg Bahadur, LNJP, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, along with North Municipal Corporation-run Bara Hindu Rao hospital saw a protest by doctors who sported bandages on their heads on Saturday.

Patients and their relatives stranded outside the RML

hospital during the protest on Saturday | Fatima Rezavi & Express

We will intensify the agitation if any decision is not taken. We extend our support to doctors in West Bengal. The simple demand from govt. is to ensure the safety of our doctors. If needed CRPF should deploy for protection of hospital and doctors, said Dr Sumedh Sandanshiv, President, FORDA said. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences also on Saturday participated in a peaceful protest after completing their OPDs and other duties.

All the emergency services, surgeries and OTs were kept operational today. Even for us the patients are more valuable. We will also do a symbolic candlelight march to extend our solidarity. Such incidents are very frequent and the government should think of measures to ensure our lives, said Dr Anil Shekhawat, MD, AIIMS to The Sunday Standard. Late night, the AIIMS RDA had issued a statement, stating that doctors would go for an indefinite strike from Monday onwards if the Bengal government doesnt take measures to resolve the medical crisis in the eastern state.

We condemn the hostile and unapologetic attitude of the government of WB. Our protest at AIIMS continues until justice is meted out. According to the decision taken, RDA 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, the Association said in a statement.

The Indian Medical Association also called for continuing the protest on Sunday as well as moved for an All-India nationwide withdrawal of non-essential services including OPDs for 24 hours in all health care institutions on Monday in view of the continued suffering of the residents and repeated occurrence of such incidents without redressal.A man who Auburn police say they are searching for in a bank robbery was once accused of shooting a man at a Cicero party in 2009.

Hall is currently accused of robbing Generations Bank on North Seward Avenue on June 5, Auburn police detective Meagan Kalet said in a news release.

Police said in the release that Hall is armed and dangerous.

During the robbery he brandished a handgun, police said. The motorcycle he was seen riding in Auburn near the time of the robbery was found, but his gun has not been found, police said.

In 2009, Hall, then 21, was charged with two counts of felony assault and criminal use of a firearm in a shooting at an April 4 party in Cicero, according to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard archives.

Hall was accused of shooting two men during a dispute at a party at 5452 Liberty St., deputies said at the time. Deputies searched for Hall for more than a week, but he eventually turned himself in.

He was eventually convicted of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to a New York State prison inmate database. He served nearly four years in jail -- from Aug. 2, 2010 to May 30, 2014 -- and was released on parole. His parole term ended on April 12, 2015.

Police say Hall was last spotted in North Syracuse. He is 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weights approximately 160 pounds.Syracuse, N.Y. -- Ervin Santana is inching closer to the major leagues again, and hell start his last step short of that level on Sunday in Syracuse.

Syracuse Mets manager Tony DeFrancesco said that Santana is scheduled to get the start against Gwinnett at 1 p.m. at NBT Bank Stadium. DeFrancesco said Santana, 36, will be on a 100-pitch limit.

Santana signed a minor-league pact with New York after the Chicago White Sox let him go as a free agent in late April. Santana was 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA in three games with Chicago.

He pitched in three games with the Mets Class A-plus affiliate in St. Lucie, Fla., posting a 1-1 mark with a 4.85 ERA.

Ive been throwing a couple games down there, and everything went well, Santana said.

Santana has played in parts of 15 seasons in the major leagues with five different teams. He owns a 149-127 career record in 387 games (384 starts) with a 4.09 ERA with 754 walks and 1,926 strikeouts. He was twice named an All-Star with the Angels in 2008 and again with the Twins in 2017.Students of Liverpool High School attended their senior ball Saturday, June 15, 2019. The event had a Gatsby theme and was held at Marriott Syracuse Downtown.

Our gallery of photos can be found above.

Want to buy a photo?

As youre browsing the gallery, look for the BUY IMAGE link to order high-quality reprints and other products.

More prom photos

See all photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York.Something to look forward to: Disneyland Californias $1 billion Star Wars: Galaxys Edge expansion has barely opened, yet this past week visitors have noticed a new section of the park fenced off by Stark Industries. According to an initial building permit, Disney is planning another large expansion to capitalize on the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

While the first permit only covers a light $14 million renovation, it includes enough details to wet your tongue. Thats right, Disneyland is getting a Marvel themed microbrewery which were hoping has something to do with Thor, in addition to a meet and greet area, and a 2,071 sq ft shop (thats larger than an average house, by the way). Theyll sell stuff related to movies and comics. Disney has also hinted towards an interactive Spiderman ride, and no doubt therell be something relating to Iron Man following his prominent role in Endgame.

If youre worried that the expansion will be replacing something cool, you can put your mind to rest  its taking over A Bugs Life area, a 21-year old Pixar film that grossed just 13% of Endgames $2.7 billion. Endgame is only 2% behind Avatar thus far and is positioned to become the worlds highest grossing film in a few weeks. Disney produced six of the ten highest grossing films, which has no doubt allowed them to fund this largely unprecedented expansion.

Star Wars: Galaxys Edge was one of the largest theme park expansions to date, and although the hype suggests it will pay off, planning more is pretty wild. Its the right cross and then an uppercut that knocks the market out, Dennis Speigel, a market analyst, told the LA Times. Marvel has never been hotter than what it is right now and theyve got to squeeze as much as they can.

Disneyland California is just the latest to receive the Marvel treatment, as Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris will open their Marvel expansion in 2020, Disneyland Florida will open theirs in 2021 and Disneyland Hong Kong launches theirs in 2023. It may be a couple of years until Californias expansion is ready, but well likely find out more at Disneys D23 event on August 23.When it comes to saving a life on the planet, Noah's method of keeping just two of each species isn't enough to save most from extinction.

In fact, even moderately sized populations could die out in a climate-changed Earth, according to new research.

In the first-of-its-kind study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B on Tuesday, June 11, researchers from the University of Vermont revealed that most species need large populations to survive extinction.

An Urchin's Rare Genetic Variant

To reach their conclusions, the team led by biologist Melissa Pespeni experimented on hundreds of thousands of purple sea urchin larvae to see how they respond to seawater that was deliberately made moderately or extremely acidic.

It turns out there's a rare genetic variation in a small number of sea urchins that is very useful for survival. Pespeni described the genetic variants as "like having one winter coat among fifty lightweight jackets when the weather hits twenty below in Vermont."

In extremely acidic seawater, these rare variants increased in frequency in the larvae. These genes allow the next generation of urchins alter how certain proteins function, including the proteins they use to make their shells and the ones that help them manage their cells' acidity.

However, for the sea urchins to maintain these rare variants in their DNA, their population count needs to be high.

"The bigger the population, the more rare variation you'll have," explained lead author Reid Brennan, who is a post-doctoral researcher in Pespeni's UVM lab. "If we reduce population sizes, then we're going to have less fodder for evolution-and less chance to have the rare genetic variation that might be beneficial."

According to the authors, this means that while some organisms may persist in a climate-changed environment due to their ability to change their physiology, most animals will only survive by evolution.

The Future Of Purple Sea Urchins

A recent United Nations report says that about a million species of animals and plants are at risk of extinction due to human activity, including climate change.

For now, Brennan assured that this particular species of sea urchin will be safe from extinction in the short term. After all, they have the genetic heritage of adapting to extremely acidic seawater as well as the genetic variation necessary to evolve.

However, she noted, their findings also mean that it's important for humans to do their part in keeping their habitats and populations protected so that the species maintain their valuable genetic variants.

"This discovery has important implications for long-term species persistence," Pespeni said. "These rare variants are a kind of currency that urchins have to spend. But they can only spend it once."

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.The United States wants its astronauts walking on the surface of the moon in 2024, but the mission is going to be expensive.

In fact, according to reports, NASA will need an estimated $20 billion to $30 billion over the next five years for the Artemis program, named after the Greek goddess of the moon.

Jim Bridenstine On Artemis Program Budget

This is the first time that NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has spoken about estimated expenses of landing on the lunar surface in five years. The program, which is a response to the Trump administration's directive, could see two people  a man and a woman  take their first step on the moon since the Apollo program ended in the 70s.

However, NASA also swore that this time around, the United States would not just leave a flag and not come back. Part of the plan is to maintain a sustainable presence on Earth's natural satellite, which means that astronauts will be able to land and leave over and over again.

The space agency is already estimated to receive a $20 billion budget annually. The cost of the lunar mission seeks to add another $4 billion to $6 billion on average to its budget per year.

"We're negotiating with the administration. We're talking to [the federal Office of Management and Budget; we're talking to the National Space Council," said Bridenstine. "Once we come to a determination within the administration, we will of course take that over to the Hill and make sure that our members of Congress are interested and willing to support that effort."

However, the amount the space agency is asking for the Artemis program is a far cry from what it spent to send the first man on the moon 50 years ago. In May, Howard McCurdy, a professor of public affairs at the American University in Washington, said in an interview with UPI that the United States allocated $21 billion up to the moment that Neil Armstrong took that historic first step. Using the same technology, it would translate into about $200 billion today.

He commented that a low-cost program is feasible, but he predicted that the agency would need $40 billion to $60 billion to achieve its goal within five years.

NASA's Grand Plan To Return To The Moon

NASA and the United States have already invested billions for the trip. The Space Launch System, which was once expected to make its maiden flight in 2017, has experienced numerous delays. The space agency has already spent at least $12 billion for the development of what will become "the most powerful rocket" that can journey into any destination across the solar system.

The Orion spacecraft, which will sit on top of the SLS and carry astronauts to the moon, is reportedly hundreds of millions of dollars over its expected cost.

In addition, the Lunar Gateway, which will serve as an outpost for astronauts coming in and out of the moon, does not exist yet. NASA plans to launch the Power and Propulsion Element in 2022.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has been raging for months, has spread to the neighboring country Uganda.

First Case Of Ebola Reported In Uganda

On Tuesday, June 11, health officials in Uganda confirmed that a 5-year-old boy, who traveled across the border from DRC with his family a few days earlier, has been tested positive of Ebola. The boy died on the morning of June 12.

His 50-year-old grandmother and 3-year-old brother were also infected. The grandmother succumbed from the disease on June 13. The rest of the family, including the sick 3-year-old boy, were sent back to DRC.

There is currently zero confirmed cases of Ebola in Uganda, according to the health officials. However, three people who are not related to the boy are being held in isolation at a treatment facility in the town of Bwera, which sits at the border of DRC. The three unidentified individuals are being treated as suspected cases after they came in contact with the deceased 5-year-old.

In an update on Thursday, June 13, the Health Ministry warned that at least 27 other people might have been infected after interacting with the two confirmed and three suspected cases of Ebola in Uganda. Because symptoms do not come out after several days, these people might have spread the virus without knowing.

Uganda On The Look Out For Ebola Infection

As such, Uganda's public health officials remain in "Ebola response mode." Responders will begin ring vaccinations this week in an effort to prevent new cases in the country. The DRC has donated 400 Ebola vaccines to Uganda. The World Health Organization also sent 4,000 additional doses to thwart the further spread of the disease.

Since the outbreak has been declared in Central Africa in August, Uganda has adopted measures to prevent the virus from crossing their border. The government runs public health information campaigns at high-risk areas to warn residents. Public gatherings have also been canceled. Market days in the town Kasese, which draws around 20,000 people near the border, have been banned by the authorities.

About 4,500 health workers have received vaccinations. There are Ebola screening centers along the major entry and exit points, including the border with DRC.

The Ebola outbreak in DRC, which is considered the second worst in history, has reached 2,084 cases and killed 1,405 as of this week.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.NASA's Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway will not begin construction until 2022, but the space agency has started looking for companies that will deliver cargo to the planned station.

Artemis Moon Missions Resupply Opportunity

This week, the space agency issued an open call for industry feedback on future opportunities for American companies to support the Artermis program. Like the International Space Station, the Gateway will require regular resupply missions and cargo deliveries during construction (which, the agency projected to last for at least six years) and upon completion, when the space station is ready to welcome astronauts.

"The Gateway, and specifically our logistics supply requirements, enables the deep space supply chain, taking the next step toward further commercialization of space," stated Mark Wiese, a logistics element manager at Kennedy Space Center. "In addition to delivering cargo, science, and other supplies to the Gateway with these services, there's potential for an extension to industry to deliver other elements of our lunar architecture with this solicitation."

NASA's Gateway To The Moon And Deep Space

The Gateway is part of NASA's plan to return to the Moon in five years and maintain a sustainable presence on the Earth's natural satellite. The orbiting outpost will serve as a platform for astronauts who will come in and come out of the lunar surface during missions as well as for scientific observations and experiments in space.

The United States is set to vacate its side of the ISS by 2024.

The announcement is only asking for proposals right now, and not for providers to submit formal bids. A formal solicitation for a firm-fixed-price contract is expected to be issued later this summer. The agency said that the contract award for all Gateway services over the course of 15 years will be valued at $7 billion.

The industry comments are due on July 10. NASA, however, will host a Q&A in Florida on June 26.

"We're using the Moon as a proving ground for Mars to develop the technologies and systems we need for exploration farther into the solar system, so we look forward to seeing how industry responds to our upcoming solicitation, and potentially awarding multiple contracts for this lunar service," added Marshall Smith, director of the human lunar exploration programs at NASA.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.All children in New York, regardless of religious belief, are now required to get their vaccination amid the ongoing measles outbreak across the state.

New Law Bars Vaccine Exemptions For Religious Reasons

A law passed on Thursday, June 13, bans parents from claiming vaccine exemption for religious reasons. Now, children will have to be vaccinated before they can attend school.

The only accepted exemption in the state right now is medical reasons, such as when the child has weakened immuned system.

The new mandate is a response to the worsening measles outbreak in the state of New York and across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since Jan. 1 this year, 1,022 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 28 states.

New York alone has seen hundreds of confirmed cases of measles as of June 12. Majority of the cases in the state are centered around Orthodox Jewish communities.

Science And Safety Before Religious Beliefs

"We're putting science ahead of misinformation about vaccines and standing up for the rights of immuno-compromised children and adults, pregnant women and infants who can't be vaccinated through no fault of their own," said State Senator Brad Hoylman.

The law will take effect immediately. However, unvaccinated students will be given up to 30 days after they enter school to get the required immunization.

The decision was met with anger from anti-vaccination supporters. Hundres of parents who refused to vaccinate their children showed up at New York's Capitol to protest the new law. After the lawmakers voted and passed the new law, those watching from the gallery cried "shame" and yelled obscenities.

"While I understand and respect freedom of religion, our first job is to protect the public health and by signing this measure into law, we will help prevent further transmissions and stop this outbreak right in its tracks," stated Governor Andrew Cuomo, who signed the bill into law immediately after lawmakers voted.

New York is only the latest state to ban religious vaccine exemption. California, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Maine also no longer allow parents to opt their children out of getting required immunizations for nonmedical reasons.

Similar exemptions, however, are still allowed in 45 states. Measles have been declared elimited in the United States in 2000.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commissionThe Advocate Saturday won three awards in the annual Green Eyeshade competition, which honors the best journalism in the South.

The newspaper and writers Jeff Adelson, Gordon Russell and John Simerman were honored with a first place award for Public Service for coverage of Louisianas unique rules allowing criminal convictions by divided juries. The same work received a Pulitzer Prize two months ago, and helped coax voters to change the law in November and require unanimous votes to convict.

+16 'A testament to the power of journalism': The Advocate wins its first Pulitzer for split-jury series The Advocate was awarded its first Pulitzer Prize on Monday for reporting on the racial impacts of Louisianas unique laws allowing juries to 

The newspaper also won a first place trophy for its editorials supporting unanimous juries. The award went to Danny Heitman.

Simerman also received a second place award for feature writing for his coverage of a scandal in the sheriffs office in Iberia Parish and the parishs effort to rebuild confidence in law enforcement.

+9 Special Report: For New Iberia, a community's lost faith in law enforcement Sheriff Louis Ackal was all smiles as he strode into the fading sunlight outside the federal courthouse in Shreveport.

The Green Eyeshade awards were established in 1950 by the Atlanta Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. They honor work in 11 southeastern states.By IANS

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would provide a loan of $3.4 billion to Pakistan for budgetary support, a Minister has confirmed.

The announcement was made by federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar at a press conference on Saturday, adding that an agreement had been reached between the ADB and the Finance Ministry in this regard, Dawn news reported on Sunday.

ALSO READ: ADB ready to help Chennai combat water crisis

Of the total amount, USD 2.1 billion would be released within a year of the agreement, Bakhtiar said.

When asked to explain the terms of the loan, the Minister only said it was "on a concessional rate".

Later in the day, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh took to Twitter to confirm the development.

"The ADB will provide $3.4 billion in budgetary support," he said in his tweet.

"USD 2.2 billion will be released this fiscal year (FY), starting in the first quarter of FY 2019-20. This will help the reserve position and the external account."

Earlier this week, the Imran Khan-led government unveiled a 7,022 billion Pakistani rupees austerity budget for the fiscal year 2019-20, setting ambitious tax collection targets to stabilize a faltering economy, reports Geo News.

The government is seeking help to overcome a ballooning balance of payments crisis.

Last month, it reached an accord in principle with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a three-year, USD 6 billion bailout package aimed at shoring up its finances and strengthening a slowing economy.

The ADB financing would come on top of the IMF loan.Louisiana Democrats cheered Gov. John Bel Edwards as he made the case for why he deserves re-election this year, at the partys annual fundraising dinner in New Orleans on Saturday night.

Four more years! the crowd chanted after Edwards spoke at the Hilton Riverside Hotel.

But the governor faces a tougher road to winning another four years because the Democratic Partys standing in Louisiana has continued to erode during his tenure. Compared to when Edwards took office in January 2016, Louisiana has substantially more registered Republicans and fewer Democrats, and Democrats hold fewer seats in the state House as a result of special elections.

Edwards is the only Democrat who holds statewide office in Louisiana. The lieutenant governor, the secretary of state, the treasurer, the insurance commissioner and the agriculture commissioner are all Republicans. Republicans also hold solid majorities in the state House and Senate.

Since January 2016, Democrats have lost 6% of their registered voters, from 1,331,636 to 1,261,493, a drop of 70,143.

Over that same period, Republicans have gained 10% more registered voters, from 821,886 to 913,596, an increase of 91,710.

The number of political independents has increased by 3%, from 756,654 to 781,117, a gain of 24,553.

The registration numbers illustrate how many registered Democrats in the state vote Republican, although thats changing. In January 2016, 46% of Louisiana voters were registered as Democrats, 28% were Republicans and 26% were independents.

Today, the Democratic advantage has shrunk to where 43% percent of voters are Democrats, 31% are Republicans and 26% are independents.

The loss of white Democrats  who formed the bedrock of the party during its long dominance of Louisiana politics  has been especially notable over the past 42 months.

There are 16% fewer white Democrats today than when Edwards took office  501,160 today compared to 580,653 in January 2016.

Black Democrats and Republicans now hold the reins at City Hall in Louisianas biggest cities. Sulphur, the states 16th biggest city, is the largest one governed by a white Democratic mayor, Mike Danahay, according to John Couvillon, a pollster and demographer.

In January 2016, black voters accounted for 53% of registered Democrats, whites 44% and others 3%.

In June 2019, blacks account for 57% of Democrats, whites 40% and others 3%.

The shifting numbers reflect decades-long trends in the Deep South, where faith in the Democratic Party once ran so deep that white voters boasted of being yellow dog Democrats, who would vote for a yellow dog over a Republican. But the party of Lincoln now reigns supreme. Edwards is the only Democratic governor of a Deep South state.

If you have a party that is becoming more and more majority-black, the Democratic Party is becoming less representative of the Louisiana electorate as a whole, Couvillon said.

The Republican Party is nearly all-white, but thats less of an issue for Republicans because whites outnumber blacks by 62% to 32% in Louisiana.

Couvillon said white Democrats are likely to continue to shrink in Louisiana because of demographics. The average age of a voter in Louisiana is 49.4 years, he said, but the average white Democrat is 59.

More of them (white Democrats) are being lost than are being replaced by younger white voters, Couvillon said. You have an age group that keeps getting older and older.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Karen Carter Peterson, the Democratic Party chairwoman since 2012 and a state senator from New Orleans, did not respond Sunday to messages seeking comment.

The Democrats have also lost three seats in the Legislature since Edwards took office.

In January 2016, the breakdown in the House was 61 Republicans, 42 Democrats and two independents. The breakdown today: 61 Republicans, 39 Democrats and five independents.

The breakdown in the Senate has remained unchanged since January 2016: 25 Republicans and 14 Democrats.

Democrats have 1 of their own in governor's office, but they're still losing ground in Louisiana Big Democratic victories in Virginia and Alabama in the fall prompted the leader of the Louisiana Democratic Party to proclaim this month, We

Democrats naturally kept it upbeat Saturday night. Beginning with Helena Moreno, the New Orleans City Council president, through Edwards, the speakers highlighted the Democratic Partys traditional focus on working families, the poor and public education.

On my very first day as governor, I expanded Medicaid, Edwards told the crowd. 465,000 people have Medicaid because of that.  I will never regret giving health care to working people.

Edwards said he signed 10 bills into law that have ended Louisianas notorious status as the nations incarceration capital, with more people locked up than any other state, on a per capita basis. The Legislature passed those bills with bipartisan support.

The governor also noted that during his tenure the states unemployment rate has been halved, the state budget went from a deficit to a surplus and teachers are receiving a $1,000 pay raise in the coming year.

If re-elected, Edwards said, he would continue to ask the Legislature to increase the state minimum wage and to take steps to reduce the gender pay gap.

Edwards two Republican challengers are U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham from northeast Louisiana and electrical contractor Eddie Rispone from Baton Rouge.

One word that went unmentioned Saturday night: abortion.

Edwards enraged liberal activists  particularly women  by signing into law a bill that would ban abortion starting only six weeks after conception and allow no exceptions for victims of incest or rape. The legislative sponsor was state Sen. John Milkovich, a Democrat from Keithville, which is south of Shreveport. Milkovich did not attend Saturday nights event.

Peterson, the party's chairwoman, has attacked Edwards repeatedly over the issue, although not by name.

"Embarrassing! she tweeted on May 30 after Edwards signed the bill. Apologies to LA women, particularly for the disrespect to women victimized by rape or incest."

Embarrassing!

Apologies to LA women, particularly for the disrespect to women victimized by rape or incest. #lalege #MyBodyMyChoice #WomensRights https://t.co/0RfIyQx0K3  KarenCarterPeterson (@TeamKCP) May 30, 2019

State Sen. Troy Carter from New Orleans was apparently alluding to the intra-party dispute when he told the crowd, We are not divided. We are united.  We will fight within the ranks, as families do.

This story has been corrected to reflect the current party breakdown in the state House.Grab your remote control. The campaign ads for governor are coming to your television set.

We dont know which candidate for governor  or outside group  will launch the first favorable spot or attack ad.

But political pros say with the Oct. 12 primary less than four months away, its time for the governors race  sleepy until now  to kick into gear, and that will happen only with the spending of millions of dollars on television ads, which remain the most effective way to engage voters statewide.

Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat in an increasingly red state, will cast himself as a practical leader who reaches across the political aisle to secure achievements that move Louisiana forward, such as the Legislatures bipartisan approval of teacher pay raises this year.

Meanwhile, his Republican opponents will try to undermine Edwards reelection campaign by painting him as a tax-and-spend liberal and by aligning themselves with President Donald Trump, who carried Louisiana with 58% of the vote three years ago and remains popular among conservative and some independent voters.

The media wars are coming, said George Kennedy, a veteran Republican media consultant based in Baton Rouge. Its not just on TV, but its also on direct mail and social media.

Edwards holds a sizable lead for now as he seeks reelection against two Republican challengers: U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham from northeast Louisiana and Eddie Rispone, a self-made electrical contractor from Baton Rouge.

Edwards would have won the race outright with over 50% of the vote if the election had been held three weeks ago, according to pollster Verne Kennedy, who has been surveying governors races in Louisiana since 1991 for different business leaders. Advocate owner John Georges is one of the executives paying for Kennedys surveys this year.

John Bel has three main strengths: Hes pro-gun, hes pro-Christian and hes pro-life, Verne Kennedy said.

Abraham, who was first elected to Congress in 2014, has about 23% of the vote and Rispone has about 7%, said John Couvillon, a Baton Rouge-based pollster.

Abraham has generated more buzz among Republican activists so far, but he had only $1 million in his campaign account as of April 15, when the latest reports were due, or about 10% of what Edwards and Rispone had.

Abraham and Rispone have been so underwhelming to Republican Party insiders that the insiders have repeatedly asked U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, of Jefferson, to jump into the race. Scalise, who is the second-ranking House Republican in Washington, has repeatedly rejected those entreaties, including one by Trump a month ago when the president made two stops in Louisiana.

The governor not only has a healthy lead but he has more opportunities to control the political agenda because the media cover what he says and does every day. He also was sitting on a boatload of cash, $10.1 million, according to the April 15 campaign finance report. (The next campaign finance report is due on July 15.)

Gov. Edwards posts largest Q1 fundraising haul; Eddie Rispone has largest war chest for governor's race Gov. John Bel Edwards raised the most money for his campaign of any gubernatorial candidate in the first quarter of 2019, but Republican busin

George Kennedy said its possible that Edwards or his outside surrogate, the Democratic Governors Association, will go on TV first by attacking Abraham or Rispone, or both men, to try to tar them before they can introduce themselves to voters through their own ads. A super political action committee financed by a wealthy businessman supporting Edwards might also attack the Republican candidates in the coming days.

But George Kennedy said it is more likely that Rispone or the Republican Governors Association will launch the first ad campaign in Louisiana this year to try to cut into Edwards lead.

If so, the governor or the Democratic governors group will quickly respond, said Roy Fletcher, another veteran Republican media consultant, who worked for then-Public Service Commission member Scott Angelle in the governors race four years ago.

Once Rispone or the RGA writes a check, all hell breaks loose, Fletcher said. The governor cant let them go spending money without being up on TV, too.

The cost of a solid statewide TV buy is about $500,000 per week. Most political pros believe that candidates, once they broadcast their first ad, should remain on the air until the election.

Angelle took a different approach in 2015, launching the campaigns first ad in February that year when he trailed the other three candidates: then-U.S. Sen. David Vitter, the front-runner; then-Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne; and Edwards, then a state House member from Amite viewed as a long shot. Angelle aired his next ad in June.

We were at 1% in February, Fletcher said, adding that the introductory ad kicked us about 8 or 9 points. We jump-started the campaign. The money started coming in.

Abraham, with much less money than the others this year, has so far eschewed the Angelle strategy of running an ad early in the campaign to goose his fundraising.

Lionel Rainey, a spokesman for Abraham, said the campaign has done well with grassroots canvassing thus far.

We have been able to communicate with voters consistently throughout the state, Rainey said. Thats why were in the position were in and why our media buy wont be to create name ID but to activate the people who are already supporting us.

Two factors would compel Rispone, who has never run for office before, to initiate the ad wars. One is that he is little known in Louisiana and has to climb past Abraham to have any shot at making a runoff with Edwards. The other is that his last campaign finance report showed that he donated $10 million to his own campaign.

Many political insiders remain unconvinced that Rispone will actually spend his money, believing that the businessman may have stuffed his campaign account in hopes of scaring Abraham out of the race.

Not so, said Anthony Ramirez, the campaign spokesman.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

If folks choose to underestimate Eddie, then thats their prerogative, said Ramirez. He has said numerous times that he intends on winning this race. Were running a full-fledged campaign. He is not scared of spending the money.

+2 Gov. John Bel Edwards leads the pack for re-election, but will incumbency help or hurt him? Robert Travis Scott was struck by the stark difference between the top two candidates at the Public Affairs Research Council gubernatorial for

The Republican Governors Association, meanwhile, wants to knock out the states Democratic governor and might be willing to pour in millions of dollars to do so. Republicans govern the only other two states with governors races this year, Mississippi and Kentucky.

Louisiana is the sole pickup opportunity (this year) for Republicans, said Amelia Chasse Alcivar, the associations spokeswoman. We feel very bullish on this race. Gov. Edwards has shown in public polling and in his actions in the past three-plus years that he is vulnerable.

George Kennedy agrees with her in part.

John Bel right now is control of the race, said Kennedy, who handled Dardennes gubernatorial media campaign four years ago. But he is beatable.

Edwards wont lose to either Abraham or Rispone if they mount a conventional campaign against him, Kennedy said.

It is critical that the two challengers do media that is provocative, effective and literally grabs voters attention fast, Kennedy said. We have an incumbent Democrat with decent (poll) numbers and plenty of money. That changes the landscape for two Republican challengers who are not well known. The good news is that there is plenty of room for growth. The bad news is that the incumbent Democrat is not going to roll over and play dead.

Edwards has been using the power of his office in recent days to win free media coverage throughout the state.

In New Orleans one day last week, before a bank of news cameras, he signed legislation that will provide tens of millions of dollars for New Orleans decrepit roads and drainage system and that will authorize Harrahs New Orleans Casino to build a new hotel and make other investments that will create hundreds of construction and permanent jobs.

On Tuesday at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Edwards signed legislation that creates a framework for Uber and Lyft to operate their ride-hailing services throughout the state.

On Thursday in LaPlace, Edwards held the first of a series of roundtable discussions with teachers to highlight his signature success from the 2019 legislative session: a pay raise of $1,000 per year for teachers and $500 per year for school support personnel. Reporters were invited afterward to hear from the happy teachers who received the raises.

Other roundtable discussions over the next month with Edwards will highlight the first increase in state money for early childhood education in a decade and increased funding for Louisianas state colleges and universities.

Edwards has more plans ahead.

Hell kick off a statewide bus tour in July  to discuss how far the state has come over the past three years with him as governor, said Richard Carbo, the governors campaign manager.

Throughout the campaign, Edwards will tout his decision to expand Medicaid to the working poor, which has provided better access to health care for about 470,000 people.

Hell also say he straightened out the budget mess he inherited from Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, that the states unemployment rate has dropped on his watch, that he has reversed the budget cuts to education under Jindal, that he has brought road projects to every part of the state, and that he oversaw changes to Louisianas sentencing laws to make the state safer and to end Louisianas status as the nations biggest jailer.

The governor enraged progressive Democrats, particularly women, by signing into law a bill that will prohibit abortions starting only six weeks after conception. But he also neutralized conservative attacks on the issue.

In web posts, Rispone describes himself as a fresh face who is an ardent Trump supporter. He has yet to lay out the policies he wants to adopt if elected governor.

Rispone, who recently hired five field directors in Louisiana, has been campaigning before conservative audiences throughout the state. Over the past week, he has made stops in New Iberia, Lafayette, Broussard, New Orleans, Houma and Baton Rouge.

Abraham, a farmer, veterinarian and doctor, has portrayed himself as the true conservative who has the experience to get things done in Baton Rouge. He has made campaign stops recently in Lake Charles, Monroe, Tallulah, Metairie, Alexandria and Fort Polk.

Both Rispone and Abraham  and outside groups such as the Republican Governors Association and the Baton Rouge-based Truth in Politics  will attack Edwards for the tax increases he supported, without noting that he did so with the support of the Republican-dominated Legislature to stabilize the states finances.

Victory for Louisiana, which is an arm of the state Democratic Party solely focused on the governors race, has been repeatedly hitting Abraham for missing votes in Washington while he campaigns for governor.

One of the votes was to reauthorize funding for the National Flood Insurance Program, an important issue for Louisiana.

Gumbo PAC, which by law is not allowed to coordinate its activities with the Edwards campaign, has produced a web ad that shows Abrahams name plate in front of an empty chair while digital imagery of water steadily covers them up.

Abraham spent the day tending to patients at his doctors office in Rayville, Rainey said.The Louisiana Legislatures inability to address the high cost of auto insurance is sure to be a potent issue in this falls elections.

Mark Ballard: Latest phase of Louisiana's Legislative session? Trying to revive dead bills This session of the Louisiana Legislature will be remembered more for the carcasses left than the policies addressed.

Thats what Louisiana Association of Business and Industry leader Stephen Waguespack predicted after the groups signature bill failed. So also predicted Rep. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, and chief sponsor of the Omnibus Premium Reduction Act of 2019.

Both solely blamed trial lawyers, the attorneys who sue on behalf of those injured in car wrecks.

Congressman Ralph Abraham, the Alto Republican challenger to Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards reelection, said the governor was responsible for putting his trial lawyers buddies over our families.

If Tuesdays meeting of grassroots Republicans in Baton Rouge is any indicator, theyre right that auto insurance costs will be a campaign issue. But theyre wrong if they think blame trial lawyers, a cornerstone of the GOP platform since the 1990s, is going to work.

While not giving lawyers a pass, the Republican Party of Baton Rouge blasted away at the insurance companies as a key cause to Louisianas high premiums  second in the nation at $2,298 annually, which is $841 more than national average.

Dan Fagan: Gov. Edwards, lawmakers crash and burn on car insurance; drivers pay the price Gov. John Bel Edwards and legislators failed miserably this past session when it comes to solving one of the states biggest problems adversel

The discussion over fried seafood and iced tea became a catharsis as nearly each of the 30 attendees talked about personal problems with insurance companies.

Some blame the lawyers, others blame the insurance companies but most blame both, offered Woody Jenkins, a community newspaper publisher who in 1996 came 5,788 contested votes, out of 1.7 million cast, from becoming the first Republican U.S. senator elected from Louisiana since Union troops left.

Jenkins recalled that during his 28 years in the Louisiana House, he went along with all sorts of tort reform measures as a way to bring insurance prices down. The rates never went down, he said.

The discussion began when Prairieville Republican Rep. Tony Bacala called the loss of Talbots tort reform bill a significant failure. Following the party line, he went on to blame the makeup of Senate committees, which he said skewed Democratic and was responsible for killing a lot conservative legislation.

The chairman of Senate Judiciary A committee was standing next to Bacala. When their proximity was pointed out, Bacala crawfished but Sen. Rick Ward III, R-Port Allen, let him off the hook.

Bill to lower Louisiana insurance rates spiked by Senate committee. Why? It wouldn't work, they say A state Senate panel Tuesday rejected what a business group called the most important bill of the session after senators complained that despi

There was nothing in the bill that would actually lower rates and he (Talbot) wouldnt commit to lower rates, Ward said.

Talbots measure would have changed four legal procedures in a way, long-sought by business, that Talbot said could lead to lower litigation costs for insurers. Critics countered his proposals would dramatically skew court proceedings in favor of insurance companies.

Louisiana has the highest bodily injury claim frequency in the country with 1.75 claims per 100 insured vehicles versus the national average of 0.9. Litigation increases costs for insurance companies, which have led to policy premiums increasing almost 52% since 2011.

Another member pointed out that the insurance industry is one of the few that has made its product mandatory. Homeowners are required to buy insurance for financing a house and drivers are required to buy car insurance to operate a vehicle

Why dont we analyze the industry, its one of the most profitable in the world, Ward was asked.

Ward mentioned that testimony brought out that 40 percent of Louisiana drivers buy minimum coverage and a large percentage dont buy insurance at all.

Ward allowed that some legal system changes are necessary. But he said efforts also should be made to lower the numbers distracted by texting while driving and for getting insurers to alter the way they calculate premiums. Ward cited the testimony of a consumer advocate who found that when applying for coverage, people driving the same car with the same driving record got different prices depending on their credit scores.

He suggested that increased regulation of insurance companies might be necessary.

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon, in a separate interview, bristled at the notion his regulators arent sharp enough with insurers.

Louisiana is one of only 15 states that require prior approval of rate increases, he said. His department allows insurance companies to use credit scores  most states do  and gender when computing rates. The other factors such as income and race are not allowed.

We still got to do something, Bacala said, before describing the lawsuit filed recently over his wifes injuries in a car wreck.

He said had he been able to wait another year  a component of Talbots bill would have required lawsuits to be filed in two years rather than one  his wife would have healed, and no litigation would have been necessary. But the insurance company told him no lawsuit, no further payments.

Im not looking to make a dollar on it, I just dont want to lose money, Bacala said.COVINGTON, La. (AP)  A former Louisiana police sergeant has been sentenced to four years in prison for stealing from the evidence room he supervised.

District Attorney Warren Montgomery says 46-year-old William Jones Jr. got concurrent four-year sentences for one count of malfeasance in office and two of theft of a firearm.

Jones worked for the department that polices the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, a 24-mile (39-kilometer) bridge between Metairie (MET-uh-ree) and St. Tammany Parish.

Montgomery said Friday that a St. Tammany Parish jury convicted Jones in May, and he was sentenced Thursday.

Jones was accused of stealing cocaine, $6,300 cash and two guns. He was fired after his arrest three years ago.Mark Finn recounts in harrowing detail the sexual abuse he says he endured as a child at the hands of Jack Strain, a family friend who later became the five-term sheriff of St. Tammany Parish.

It's a story he may end up telling from the witness stand.

Strain was charged last week in a six-count indictment that includes two charges of aggravated rape. Finn is one of the two alleged victims of that crime  the most serious charges facing Strain, 56, because a conviction on either count would result in an automatic life sentence.

The allegations are also decades old, with the earliest alleged crimes dating back to 1975, when Finn was only 6 and the future sheriff was a 12-year-old boy known as "Booboo."

The long passage of time and the fact that the defendant later was the parish's top law enforcement official for 20 years are among the challenges that 22nd Judicial District Attorney Warren Montgomery and his team face in what legal observers agree is a high-profile, high-stakes case for the DA.

"This is as big as they come for a DA's office," said attorney Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue, a former prosecutor with the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office. "Starting with the fact that you are faced with prosecuting someone who was the highest-ranking law enforcement official for so long."

Former U.S. Attorney Harry Rosenberg agreed, pointing to the media attention the case has already received. "People are going to be very focused on it. Every day, every couple of hours, there's a new report on Jack," he said.

Strain, who was released from jail on a $400,000 property bond Friday after three nights behind bars, is also charged with two counts of aggravated incest, indecent behavior with a juvenile and sexual battery, alleged crimes that occurred much more recently and during his tenure in office.

He declined comment as he left the jail. His attorney has not returned calls.

"These types of charges cause jurors to just be in an uproar. Whether it's the former sheriff or Joe Green on the street, there's a strong reaction by a jury," Rosenberg said.

The difficulties inherent in proving the case itself  including the time that has elapsed between the alleged crimes and Strain's arrest  are not at all unusual for crimes involving young children, according to legal experts.

+5 Ex-Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain makes bail, released after arrest on rape, incest charges Former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain walked out of the parish jail about 1 p.m. Friday, unshaven and with a visible look of relief on

There is no statute of limitations on aggravated rape, which is defined in part by whether the victim falls into one of several categories: under age 13; 65 or older; or suffering from a physical or mental infirmity. In this case, the alleged rape victims were under 12.

Rodrigue, who prosecuted child sex crimes, said prosecutors typically call experts to the stand to explain to the jury that children don't normally report a rape immediately. One reason is that the perpetrator usually is not a stranger, but someone who has spent time grooming the victim and establishing a relationship.

"It takes decades for a child to report," Rodrigue said. "Experts will discuss that this is true more often than not ... some never come forward at all."

Can't see video below? Click here.

David Katner, director of the Tulane Law School's Juvenile Law Clinic, agrees, noting that it's not unusual for child victims to wait 30 years before disclosing what happened.

That doesn't erase the difficulties. Katner pointed to other high-profile cases in which alleged victims spoke up years later, including Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford, who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault from an incident decades earlier. In another case, nine women accused Roy Moore of sexual abuse from years earlier during his recent failed run for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama.

"The general public thinks it doesn't make sense ... why would anyone delay 30 to 40 years?" Katner said.

Prosecutors also will have to explain the lack of physical evidence or DNA, though that's not unusual for such an old crime, Rodrigue said.

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Rosenberg called the state's charges "a little stale" and far more challenging for prosecutors than the charges Strain is expected to face in federal court, which involve an alleged kickback scheme at a work-release program that Strain privatized when he was sheriff.

"A couple of the witnesses (on the sex crime charges) seem questionable and will be the subject of hard cross-examination if it goes to trial," Rosenberg said.

Man who has accused former St. Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain of molestation arrested on drug charges Mark Finn, an Abita Springs man who has accused former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain of molesting him as a child, is back in jail fol

Indeed, Finn has spent most of his adult life in prison, for crimes of violence as well as drug offenses. He's back in jail now after a drug arrest earlier this month.

But Katner said trouble with the law and a history of failed relationships are frequent outcomes for child victims of neglect or abuse, whether physical or sexual. "Destroyed lives  that's would I would expect," he said.

Rodrigue said it is difficult for victims to ever move on. "These type of cases are some of the saddest, almost worse than a murder ... the victim is dead inside," she said.

Rodrigue said she would not be surprised to see the defense present a witness to suggest that Strain was also molested, especially given his young age at the time the alleged crimes began. But she said that's not a defense under the law.

Ken Levy, an LSU law professor, said Strain's age at the time of some of the alleged crimes is an obvious defense  that he would have been tried as a juvenile during some of the period when the alleged crimes occurred. He expressed surprise that the charges were brought at all.

Rosenberg said he's talked to a number of people who focus on the fact that Strain was only 12 when some of the crimes are alleged to have occurred. But he said the charges lay out a pattern that goes into adulthood, and Rodrigue said that Strain's young age at the time the alleged abuse began does not present a barrier to trying him as an adult.

Randy Smith: Probe into 'atrocities' of ex-Sheriff Jack Strain prompted 'changes' at STPSO Just over an hour after the news of former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain's arrest, the current occupant of that office offered a quic

Both aggravated rape charges cover a span of time over which the crimes allegedly continued, which she said is normal in such cases. During the span from 1975 to 1981, Strain  who was born Nov. 28, 1962  turned 17, the age at which perpetrators are considered adults under Louisiana law. The other aggravated rape charge covers from June 1, 1979, to July 19, 1980.

Strain was in his 40s when the other offenses listed in the indictment allegedly took place.

"The M.O. is going after young children, basically spanning his life," Rodrigue said. "From 13 to 42, that's 29 years of his life (that) he's a predator against children."

Experts agreed that showing a pattern will be a key for the prosecution. There are four alleged victims  two of them related to Strain  and their ages when they were abused show a pattern, Rodrigue said.

There's no reason for those four disparate victims to gang up against Strain, she said. And with Strain out of office for three years, Katner said, there's no clear political motive for the prosecution.

Corroborating testimony will be a key, Rosenberg said, and while the defense may succeed in attacking one alleged victim's credibility, having multiple witnesses will make that harder.

The fact that Strain also faces potential federal charges is another wrinkle, and Rosenberg said he had expected the federal government would have charged the ex-sheriff in the work-release kickback case by now.

"Normally the state will defer to the federal agencies before they bring a charge. It's apparent that the DA, Warren Montgomery, has been in contact with the U.S. Attorney's Office, and they are going to move in parallel fashion," he said.

+4 Even from jail, Jack Strain likely to play pivotal role in St. Tammany Parish campaigns Jack Strain was for two decades one of the most powerful men in St. Tammany Parish, able to award the jobs, contracts and other political spoi

Rodrigue agreed that the feds have the first call, although she said state cases typically move faster. She and others said they would have expected the defense to pursue a global plea agreement on all the expected charges.

But what that might look like is unclear.

"I don't see him getting anything lenient. ... I would not be surprised if he spends the rest of his life in jail," Rodrigue said. "That would not surprise me at all."

Staff writer Faimon A. Roberts III contributed to this report.After Jack Strain Tuesday did the perp walk at the slammer he ran for 20 years as St. Tammany Parish Sheriff, his successor, Randy Smith, struck a familiar, if unconvincing, note.

Strain's indictment, he said, should illustrate St. Tammany's disdain for corruption or criminal actions of all kinds.

The tough-talking lawman is as integral to St. Tammany as the piney woods, and, sometimes, no less shady.

Strain himself relished the John Wayne role and liked to assure the public that he would keep the riff raff in check. When the suburbs feared an influx of refugees after Katrina, for instance, Strain was quick to reassure. If you're going to walk the streets of St. Tammany with dreadlocks and chee-wee hairstyles, you can expect to be getting a visit from a sheriff's deputy, he declared.

If that gave the impression that sheriff's office policies were racist and unconstitutional, Strain was not held to account, remaining the people's choice for another decade. He lost the 2015 election to Smith after a series of escapes from the work-release program run by his crooked cronies at the jail where he was booked Tuesday.

Tough-talking lawman Strain may have been, but he wasn't St. Tammany's toughest. That distinction belongs to Walter Reed, who stayed in office even longer than Strain. Reed was District Attorney for 30 years, and was such a staunch advocate of harsh prison sentences that his parish was popularly known as St. Slammany.

Reed is now in a position to assess the efficacy of incarceration firsthand. He is doing four years in the federal pen for fraud and money laundering.

It is by now apparent that the bucolic haven of the north shore is no better than the grimy city when it comes to public corruption. Reed was hardly the first St. Tammany elected official to be imprisoned. Eddie Price got four years for taking payoffs from contractors when he was Mayor of Mandeville, and not even the coroner's office has remained free from corruption. Peter Galvan did two years after he admitted spending gobs of public money on himself.

Now Strain not only joins the St. Tammany rogues gallery but is clearly in the worst trouble of all. In the course of investigating the work release program, detectives unearthed evidence not only that Stain had privatized it in order to grab $1,000 a month in kickbacks but was a serial sex offender of the utmost depravity.

Exactly a week before Strain was paraded in handcuffs for the cameras Tuesday, one of his alleged victims was booked into the same jail. The suspect in whose footsteps Strain was following, Mark Finn, 49, has spent most of his adult life in prison and now awaits trial on drug offenses.

Perhaps it is hardly surprising that Finn went off the rails if, as seems beyond question, he was the boy Strain is charged with raping several times from 1975 until 1981. The relevant count in Strain's indictment by a state grand jury mirrors what Finn has been telling cops and reporters Strain did to him.

Finn was six years old when it all began, just six years younger than Strain, who, according to the indictment, went on to target three others. He is charged with multiple counts of aggravated rape, aggravated incest and other sex crimes over a period of some 30 years. Aggravated rape means mandatory life in Louisiana, so it may not make any difference what happens with Strain's separate travails involving the federal government.

The feds seem to have Strain cold on the work-release caper. Two of his former captains in the Sheriff's Office are ready to testify against him, having pleaded guilty to paying kickbacks.

But it is the prospect of life in the state pen that would give anyone the heebie-jeebies and will presumably encourage Strain to do a deal rather than roll the dice on aggravated rape charges. St. Tammany's disdain for that kind of crime is not to be doubted.

Email James Gill at Gill1407@bellsouth.net.Queensland introduced an additional 2 per cent stamp duty  on top of the 2 to 4 per cent already applied to certain models  on vehicles priced over $100,000 from 1 July 2018, after announcing the proposal two days before the state election in November 2017. Victoria currently charges 4.2 per cent stamp duty on cars below the federal luxury car tax threshold of $66,331 and 5.2 per cent on the total cost of cars over this amount. In its May budget the Victorian government announced from July 1 2019 the stamp duty on cars over $100,000 will increase to 7 per cent of their total value. On cars over $150,000 the stamp duty will increase to 9 per cent of their total value. The Victorian government announced from July 1 the stamp duty on cars over $100,000 will increase to 7 per cent of their total value. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer For example, on a $100,000 car the stamp duty is currently $5200, from July 1 it will be $7000. On a $150,000 car the stamp duty is currently $7800, from July 1 it will be $13,500.

Both stamp duties are in addition to 5 per cent import tariff if the car is from the UK or Europe, 10 per cent GST and 33 per cent luxury car tax on the amount over $66,331. The budget is yet to go through the upper house in Victoria. However, once approved, the increases mean Victoria will have the highest stamp duty on motor vehicles nationally. Western Australia is the next highest, with 6.5 per cent stamp duty on new cars priced over $50,000. Former Mercedes-Benz Australia executive David McCarthy, now an automotive industry consultant, says the attempt to raise revenue could backfire as car dealers find ways to avoid the higher stamp duties imposed by certain states. This could actually have the opposite effect because people will buy in another state or choose a car priced below the threshold, said Mr McCarthy.

Buyers must have a valid interstate address to do this legally, but there may be other loopholes. The Victorian government forecast the stamp duty increases would raise an additional $260 million next financial year, even though they dont apply to primary producers, eco-friendly cars, and demonstrator vehicles. Loading Indeed, under the current guidelines, new-car dealers may be able to help buyers avoid the higher stamp duty by registering the vehicle a few days before delivery and selling it under the guise of a demonstrator, a technique the industry already uses to disguise discounts on new cars. Rather than simply dropping the price, which could dent the long-term resale value of a particular model for those who previously paid full price, the industry has been discreetly selling undriven demonstrators with a discount funded by the car company.

Its unfair, arbitrary, and based on envy; surely the motorist pays enough in taxes already, said Mr McCarthy. The customer has presumably paid a high level of income tax to be able to afford the car in the first place, then theres 5 per cent import tariff, 10 per cent GST, 33 per cent (federal luxury car tax) and now some states want to pile on their premium. Its unreal. Loading In addition to the potential High Court challenge, the state-based stamp duty increase on luxury cars could come under scrutiny during negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement with Europe. Cars imported from the UK and Europe attract a 5 per cent import tariff, while those from Japan, Thailand, South Korea and the USA  our four largest sources of motor vehicles  are now tariff-free.

The European Union will view these state-based stamp duty increases and the federal luxury car tax as discriminatory tariffs and I think you will find the European car companies have already provided this level of detail back to their counterparts overseas, said Mr McCarthy. Driving your dollar further How stamp duty increases are applied  and how they vary from state to state Queensland (since July 1, 2018): The stamp duty for hybrid or electric cars is 2 per cent up to $100,000 but increases to 4 per cent on the total cost of those vehicles priced over $100,000.

The stamp duty for four-cylinder cars is 3 per cent up to $100,000 but increases to 5 per cent on the total cost of those vehicles priced over $100,000. The stamp duty on six-cylinder cars is 3.5 per cent up to $100,000 but increases to 5.5 per cent on the total cost of those vehicles priced over $100,000. The stamp duty for V8 cars is 4 per cent up to $100,000 but increases to 6 per cent on the total cost of those vehicles priced over $100,000. Victoria (from July 1, 2019): In its May budget Victoria announced that from July 1 the stamp duty on cars over $100,000 will increase to 7 per cent of their total value. On cars over $150,000 the stamp duty will increase to 9 per cent of their total value.By PTI

PARIS: The chief executive of Boeing said the company made a "mistake" in handling a problematic cockpit warning system in its 737 Max jets before two crashes of the top-selling plane killed 346 people, and he promised transparency as the U.S. aircraft maker tries to get the grounded model back in flight.

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg told reporters in Paris that Boeing's communication with regulators, customers and the public "was not consistent. And that's unacceptable."

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has faulted Boeing for not telling regulators for more than a year that a safety indicator in the Max cockpit didn't work.

Pilots are angry the company didn't tell them about the new software that's been implicated in the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

"We clearly had a mistake in the implementation of the alert," Muilenburg said.

He expressed confidence that the Boeing 737 Max would be cleared to fly again later this year.

The model has been grounded worldwide for three months, and regulators need to approve Boeing's long-awaited fix to the software.

Muilenburg called the crashes of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines jets a "defining moment" for Boeing, but said he thinks the result will be a "better and stronger company.

" Speaking ahead of the Paris Air Show, Muilenburg said Boeing is facing the event with "humility" and focused on rebuilding trust.

He forecast a limited number of orders at the Paris show, the first major air show since the crashes, but said it was important to attend to talk to customers and others in the industry.

Muilenburg also announced that Boeing is raising its long-term forecast for global plane demand, notably amid sustained growth in Asia.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.Chief postie Christine Holgates travails keeping hold of her executive team in the face of successive raids from her predecessor-turned-low doc lender Ahmed Fahour have been well canvassed.

As has the heavy-weighting of Coalition-types sitting on her distinctively blue-leaning board.

So it gives us some pleasure to report she may have had a recent hiring win to balance the books, with Andrews Labor government former minister Philip Dalidakis tipped to become the posties executive general manager of corporate and government affairs come July 1.

Dalidakis lost the trade and investment, innovation and digital economy and small business ministries and his position on the frontbench in Daniel Andrews post-election reshuffle, where the Premier set out to achieve a cabinet of equal numbers of men and women.

The pugnacious upper house member was one of two high-profile casualties along with former minister John Eren, who lost sports and tourism to make way for the new-look cabinet.Someone is caught making, buying or taking drugs nine times an hour on average in Queensland, police statistics reveal.

A total of 81,430 drug offences were committed in 2018, which included everything from large-scale ice trafficking to possessing small amounts of marijuana.

A man smokes marijuana joint. Credit:AP

In the greater Brisbane area, there were about 53 drug offences each day in 2018.

Brisbane Times has compiled 2018 data from police districts across the city, and adjusted that data for population, to discover which areas have the highest rate of drug crime in Brisbane.Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says expanded powers for Australia's electronic intelligence agency to operate domestically should be considered to ensure the nation can confront the "huge issue" of threats in cyberspace.

Empowering the Australian Signals Directorate to conduct "offensive cyber" operations domestically and defend important networks from cyber attacks is still being discussed by national security officials despite controversy surrounding the proposal.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says there should be a "sensible discussion" about expanded spy powers. Credit:AAP

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed ASD was opposed to the proposal and wanted to maintain its traditional focus on foreign targets.

On Sunday, Mr Dutton said there needed to be a "sensible discussion about whether or not we've got the ability to deal with threats that we face", pointing to the recent hacks on the Australian National University and major political parties.Victorias brown coal-fired power stations are the most unreliable in the country, breaking down far more often than power plants in the rest of Australia and putting the stability of the states energy supply at risk.

New data reveals that in the past 18 months, the Loy Yang A power station in the Latrobe Valley has suffered more outages than any other power plant in the National Energy Market, followed closely by nearby Yallourn.

Loy Yang A is the most breakdown-prone power station in the country. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer

Energy market analysts said the relative unreliability of those two stations had been exposed by the sudden closure of Hazelwood in 2017, which stripped most of Victorias spare capacity out of the grid.

But they also pointed to a rush of wind and solar projects due to connect to the grid in the next two years that will replace the capacity that was lost when Hazelwood was shuttered.The protracted clusterfarce that is Brexit is lurching towards a potentially catastrophic climax that risks carnage for Britains historically dominant Conservative Party, diminishing the UKs influence in global affairs and harming millions of Britons by shackling trade and economic growth.

The probable elevation of Boris Johnson by a majority of his Tory parliamentary colleagues is unlikely to ease these fears.

Mr Johnson is an expedient populist and his plan is a blunt one that is ill suited to negotiating the complexities of honouring a narrowly won referendum to quit the European Union.

Boris Johnson says he is prepared to simply crash out of the EU and deal with the consequences. Credit:AP

There are several rounds of internal winnowing to go before the Tories put to their 160,000 members a choice between two candidates. But the appointment of a new prime minister  unelected by the people  is highly unlikely to change the fundamental issue that the UK will almost certainly be out of the EU by the end of October.London: Former Tory leader William Hague says Britain should unite with its Five Eyes partners Australia and the United States in banning Huawei from its 5G rollout.

Hague, a former foreign secretary, joins a growing chorus of top-tier Conservatives, including the former defence secretary Michael Fallon, who want the British government to align with Australia and the US.

Former Tory leader William Hague (right) with former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer. Credit:Helen Jones

It remains unclear when the British government, which is in the throes of the Tory leadership campaign, will announce whether or not it will allow the Chinese supplier to be involved.

A preliminary decision, taken by the National Security Council which was split on the issue, advocated a limited Huawei role. But the decision, which was sensationally leaked, has sparked a fierce backlash within the Conservative party, with key MPs now urging the decision be left to Theresa May's successor  likely to be the former London mayor and former foreign secretary Boris Johnson.Buenos Aires: Argentina has not ruled out a cyber attack as the reason why most of its 44 million citizens and those of some of its South American neighbours were left in the dark for hours on Sunday.

The mysterious blackout hit Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, with some reports of power interruptions also in Chile and Brazil.

Cars drive through an unlit street during a blackout in Buenos Aires. Credit:AP

Argentina's state news agency said that most of the nation's electricity grid was back up and running late on Sunday.

Telam said power has been restored to 90 per cent of the country. Power also has been restored to most of Uruguay's 3 million people.UAW calls for comprehensive labor law changes after VW organizing campaign

Chattanooga June 14, 2019; The UAW today called on Congress to take a comprehensive look at the countrys labor laws and NLRB rules that made it almost impossible for Volkswagen workers to form a union.

VW workers endured a system where even when they voted, the company refused to bargain, said Brian Rothenberg, spokesman for the UAW. Clearly Volkswagen was able to delay bargaining with maintenance and ultimately this vote among all production and maintenance workers through legal games until they could undermine the vote.

Our labor laws are broken, said Rothenberg. Workers should not have to endure threats and intimidation in order to obtain the right to collectively bargain. The law doesnt serve workers, it caters to clever lawyers who are able to manipulate the NLRB process.

Tracy Romero, UAW organizing director, said she was proud of the Chattanooga Volkswagen workers in the face of the fear they endured.

The Company ran a brutal campaign of fear and misinformation, said Romero. Fear of the loss of the plant; fear of their participation in the union effort; fear through misinformation about the UAW; fear about current benefits in contract negotiations. Over a period of nine weeks  an unprecedented length of time due to legal gamesmanship  Volkswagen was able to break the will of enough workers to destroy their majority.

Romero indicated that the UAW intends to ask for the help of VW labor leaders in Europe to help protect Chattanooga workers from any retaliation. Chattanooga workers deserve the right to vote and deserve the right to be treated fairly and we will hold Wolfsburg to that.

While political interference and right-wing group expenditures did contribute to the loss, Rothenberg said the current state of American labor laws particularly made the Volkswagen effort difficult.

Here you have maintenance workers who voted for a contract and Volkswagen just refused to follow the law and bargain. They insisted that maintenance and production vote together. So, three years later maintenance and production ask to vote and VW stands in their way, said Rothenberg. This is a system designed to benefit corporate lawyers not protect worker rights.

By law, VW workers will have to wait one year before seeking another election. Ultimately this has always been about Chattanooga workers who are the only VW workers in the world without a union, said Chattanooga UAW Local 42 Chairman Steve Cochran. If people wonder why the middle class is disappearing in this country, its because it is nearly impossible for workers to get access to collective bargaining.By PTI

TEL AVIV: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu have used their "excellent" personal equation to deepen the bilateral ties which are moving in an "upward trajectory", India's Ambassador to Israel Pavan Kapoor has said.

Ties between India and Israel, into the 27th year now, strengthened with Modi's historic visit to the country in July 2017 during first term, Kapoor told PTI.

ALSO READ: Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu thanks Narendra Modi for India's vote against Palestinian group

Stating that the relationship is moving in an "upward trajectory", the envoy said, "Modi and Netanyahu share an excellent equation and it is in their tenure that we have had Modi coming to Israel for the first time and Netanyahu visiting India".

Modi visited Israel in July 2017, the first visit by an Indian prime minister in 70 years.

During the historic visit, the personal chemistry and the warmth between Modi and Netanyahu, also known as Bibi, were apparent not only in their prepared remarks but also their repeated hugs.

ALSO READ: Terrorists planning attack on Israeli targets in India, says Intelligence

In their prepared speeches, both leaders described each other as, "my friend" and embraced each other three times.

Ambassador Kapoor said that a lot of people from India and Israel are travelling to each other's countries for work and leisure and that has pushed tourism.

"I think what both (Modi and Netanyahu) have tried to do is to build this connection between the institutions so that the relationship grows in all sectors. They have expanded and deepened the relationship in several areas and it is bound to increase," Kapoor said.

He specifically singled out the post-conscription visits by Israelis to India as a special draw to find "solace".

"People of both countries are spending, experiencing each other's countries. A large number of Israeli people travel to India after their military service and they go and find solace (in India), they spend many months travelling and they have a good experience," he said.

Indian tourist arrivals to Israel has jumped to 70,000 last year from 12,000 earlier, he said.

"It is a Holy Land. We have a lot of pilgrimage tourist coming in for visit to Jerusalem," Kapoor said.

He said yoga, which originated in ancient India, is popular in Israel too.

"Yoga is very popular here. The popularity for yoga is huge, the number of yoga teachers per capita is highest in this country," he said.

Speaking about the cultural similarities, the envoy said that just like Indians, Jewish people have close ties with families and sit down for dinners Friday evening.

Talking about the presence of Indians in Israel, Kapoor said, "About 12,000 to 13,000 Indian nationals stay in Israel and bulk of them are in caregiving industry and help the elderly folks in Israel.

Then we have about 25 to 30 Gujarati diamond merchant families who have been here for many years and they are doing good business".

There are also 550 Indian students pursuing doctoral and post-doctoral studies, Kapoor said, adding a few Indian corporates also have their offices in Israel.

Israel and India established full diplomatic relations on January 29, 1992.

However, even before that, Israel had a Consulate in Mumbai, operating since 1953.By PTI

DUBAI: A six-year-old Indian boy was found dead after he dozed off in his school bus and left behind alone for several hours in the UAE on Saturday, according to a media report.

Mohamed Farhan Faisal, who hailed from Kerala, was a student of Islamic Centre in Al Quoz and had dozed off after boarding the bus.

He was left behind after all other students disembarked outside the centre at 8 am, the Khaleej Times reported.

The Dubai Police said that they were notified of the tragedy at 3 pm.

"The child was found as the driver took the bus out to drop the students back home," a senior police official was quoted as saying by the paper.

Farhan was the youngest of three children and had joined the centre earlier this year.

His parents are long-time residents of Dubai and the family resides in Karama.

His father Faisal runs multiple businesses in Dubai and Kerala, the paper reported.

"I had met the family during a get-together just last week. He was such a bright boy. His parents are in a state of shock," said a close family member, who requested not to be named.

After the initial investigation, the body was shifted to the forensic department at 6 pm for an autopsy.

"The mortal remains will be handed over to the family after all legal and administrative procedures have been completed," the official said.

The UAE has witnessed similar cases earlier as well.

In 2014, a KG1 student at Abu Dhabi's Al Worood Academy Private School, Nizaha Ala'a, suffocated to death after being forgotten inside a bus.

The news had shocked the nation and sparked a major discussion on child safety in buses.

Last year, another KG1 student was forgotten inside a school for over four hours.

Fortunately, the child survived, the paper reported.RELLIS business professors Katherine Taken Smith and Murphy Smith, along with Don Ariail of Kennesaw State, teamed up to win the Research Award for the Best Public Interest Paper from the American Accounting Association Southeast Region. Their paper, titled Do United States Accountants Personal Values Match the Professions Values, received the award at the Southeast Regions annual meeting held in April in Savannah, Georgia. The Smiths are two of several business faculty members from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, who teach at the RELLIS Campus in Bryan.Frances Ha (2012): This can be a polarizing movie. Some of my friends hate it. But I really like it, mostly because its an unblinking look at an under-explored theme: What happens when your dreams run out of steam? When do you transition from and aspiring something to  something else? Greta Gerwig fearlessly delves into this territory in director Noah Baumbachs Francis Ha. She and the director co-wrote the screenplay. The lovely cast includes Adam Driver, Michael Zegen and Charlotte DAmbroise. Gerwig went on to great success writing and directing 2017s Lady Bird.

Human Desire (1954): Ive never been a Glenn Ford fan. Ive just always found him boring and unconvincing. However, I recently watched Fritz Langs Human Desire, and it went a long way towards me letting Ford out of jail. Hes really good in this tense, sexy, dirty story of lust, infidelity and violence in the shadow of the railyards. Gloria Grahame stars as the dame who causes all of the trouble. Broderick Crawford plays her miserable SOB of a husband, and Ford is the bright-eyed returning war vet. What I like about this movie is how it doesnt shrink from its own smutty turpitude. The movie knows what it is, even if Grahames character doesnt. Ford delivers some memorably shaming withering looks before the film is over.Dallas author James Donovan tells the story of man landing on the moon 50 years ago in his thoroughly-researched and well-written 392-page account, Shoot for the Moon: The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11 (Little, Brown and Company, $30 hardcover).

Donovan, who has written best-selling history titles about the Alamo (The Blood of Heroes) and George Custer (Terrible Glory), traces the space race from Russia launching the first satellite, Sputnik, in October 1957 to Neil Armstrong stepping onto the moons surface on July 20, 1969, at 9:56 p.m. Houston time.

Thats one small step for man he said for the whole world to hear, one giant leap for mankind.

Actually, Donovan writes, Armstrong had meant to say one small step for a man, but he either forgot or misspoke. In any case his statement would be praised for its elegance and criticized for its blandness.

All over the world, Donovan notes, people stopped what they were doing and watched the images from space, vicariously experiencing the adventure.Outside of her own writing, Elum has helped fellow authors share their stories with the world. She started All That Productions Inc. shortly after publishing her first book, A Church with Spots and Wrinkles.

I sent it off to a large publishing house which picked up the story, Elum said. And they were going to publish the book, but when they sent it back to me they had changed the manuscript in a direction I really didnt want it to go. So then I just took the project back and I raised the money and I published my first title.

After that, people started coming to me asking me well, can you help me publish? Do you know how to publish? And thats kind of how I started my own publishing-consulting company.

Elum certainly hasnt forgotten where she got her start. She often returns to College Station to visit family, and while the city has grown, she said so much of what she loves about her childhood home has remained the same.1 EVENT TO MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR

Juneteenth Freedom Walk and Celebration hosted by the Lincoln Recreation Center in College Station on Wednesday, starting at 9 a.m. The 2.2-mile walk will conclude at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum with a storytelling event.

SUNDAY

EVENTS

Century Square presents Coffee and Cars, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public is invited to browse a diverse collection of cars ranging from classic to exotic. Enjoy free parking and coffee. www.century-square.com/events/.

A&M Consolidated Class of 99 20th Reunion, 8 p.m. Cafe Eccell. There will be appetizers, desserts, an open bar, dancing with a DJ and presentations. Tickets are $50. For tickets, go to www.eventbrite.com/e/class-of-99-20th-year-reunion-tickets-56853255618?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse.Paige Winter, 17, survived a shark attack after her father punched the shark five times at Atlantic Beach on June 2, 2019. (Prayers for Paige/GoFundMe)

After Losing Leg in Shark Attack, 17-Year-Old Says She Is Alright

A 17-year-old girl has spoken out after a shark bit her leg off several weeks ago near a North Carolina beach.

Paige Winter was swimming with her father at Fort Macon State Park when she went below the surface of the water, said Charlie Winter, her dad.

I went straight to where the pink was and I dove under and I grabbed her, he told CBS News last week. When I pulled her up a shark came up with herit was a big shark and I immediately started to hit it. I hit it with everything I could and it let go.

Winter, meanwhile, said in a video provided by Vidant Medical Center on June 14, that she is alright after the attack.

I am still going to do all of the stuff they can doI am going to be able to walk, I am going to be able to write. I am still the same old Paige, she said, according to Inside Edition. When I was in that water, I was praying. I was like, I am 17, I got so much to do.

In the attack, she lost part of her left leg and several fingers.

I think with this situation I can transform it. It isnt something like, Oh, how tragic, a 17-year-old lost a leg. No, a 17-year-old lost a leg and were poppin, she said in the video.

And a few days after the attack and amputation, she said in a statement, although I have extensive injuries, including an amputated leg and damage to my hands, I will be okay.

Thank you to the care team at Vidant Medical Center who is continuing to provide excellent care. I know I have a long road to recovery, which includes additional surgeries. I will continue to stay positive and be thankful that it was not worse.

A witness described the situation when Paige was attacked. All of a sudden, everyone started screaming, and I looked to my left and they were rushing towards this little girl. She looked little but shes actually 17, Lacy Whorton told WRAL. And it looked like she was belly-crawling on the beach and officials were running towards her and whistles were blowing and everyone was screaming and they quickly got everybody out of the water, she said.

Fatal Attack

A 65-year-old retired optometrist was identified as the victim of a fatal shark attack while he was swimming in Maui, Hawaii, on May 25.

Dr. Thomas Smiley, of Granite Bay, California, was attacked by a shark about 180 feet from the shore of the Kaanapali Shores Resort, reported Hawaii News Now.

First responders pulled him from the water, but they couldnt resuscitate him.

Granite Bays Dr. Thomas Smiley killed in Maui shark attack. He leaves behind a wife, 3 children, and 6 grandchildren. pic.twitter.com/ln9D052EvW  stevelarge (@largesteven) May 27, 2019

A witness said that when they pulled him and began CPR, they saw that he was missing part of his leg, KTLA reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

As we got closer, I saw some blood on his stomach and then I got looking a little bit more, and his wristit looked like the skin on his wrist was just torn off, witness Allison Keller said. And then I got looking closer, and his entire left leg from his knee down was just missing.

Smiley leaves behind his wife, three children, and grandchildren.

Longtime friend Gary Taxera told the news outlet, He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time doing something in a place he loved.Beijing Doubts Hong Kong Leaders Capabilities After Extradition Bill Fallout

HONG KONG/BEIJINGWith 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 Kongs usually reticent judges were worried about the proposed law, which threatened to send people to communist China for trial for the first time.

But Lam bluntly dismissed concerns about the Chinese Communist Partys justice system that is widely criticized for forced confessions, arbitrary detentions, and one-sided trials, saying judges were not supposed to speak.

Worries over the bills impact on Hong Kongs 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 organizers said drew more than a million people.

Then on June 15, Lam suddenly announced that she was postponing the bill 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.

Hong Kongs self-styled Iron Lady had cracked, having apparently created the biggest crisis for the city since Britain handed it over to Chinese rule in 1997 with guarantees that its freedoms and autonomy would be preserved.

Members of Civil Human Rights Front hold a news conference in response to the announcement by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam regarding the proposed extradition bill, outside the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong, June 15, 2019. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Clues to the catalyst for the about-face may lie in a reported meeting between Lam and Chinas Vice-Premier Han Zheng.

According to Hong Kongs Sing Tao newspaper, Lam had a clandestine emergency meeting with Han, a member of the Politburos seven-person Standing Committee, Chinas top decision-making body, across the border in Shenzhen on June 13.

The content of the meeting is unknown. Lam on June 15 refused to confirm or deny that it had taken place, despite repeated questions.

Beijing Backdown

Beijings grip over Hong Kong has intensified markedly since the time Chinese leader Xi Jinping took power in 2012, and after the citys 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 crossedwarnings 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 Chinas 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 doesnt bear thinking about if this situation wasnt 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 Lams capabilities. Chinas State Council and the central governments 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 embarrassment 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 months end at the G20 summit in Japan.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks at a news conference in Hong Kong, June 15, 2019. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Retired senior Hong Kong government official Joseph Wong said he was shocked by Beijings 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 Taiwans 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 numberedBeijing 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 citys 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 Saturdays news conference.

Asked about Chinas leaders, she said: They have confidence in my judgment and they support me.

By James Pomfret, Greg Torode and Ben BlanchardBronx Woman and 10-year-old Girl Dead, Suspect in Hospital with Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

A New York man allegedly suffocated a 10-year-old girl and her mother to death before shooting himself in the head in what authorities have described as an attempted suicide.

The man, identified in a New York Post report as 32-year-old Ezort Stevens, was hospitalized at St. Barnabas in the Bronx, where he remains in critical condition following the June 15 incident.

New York police were called to a Bronx apartment at around 2 p.m. on Saturday after the victims 13-year-old son came home and found his sister dead, according to the New York Daily News. The boy contacted his relatives, who called 911.

When police arrived on the scene, they found the man in the couples bed with his eyes open and a gun in his hand, the Daily News reported. He had sustained a self-inflicted bullet wound to his head, police said.

Authorities have identified the victims as 34-year-old Linda Manigault and 10-year-old Heaven Ross, who is believed to be the womans daughter.

Police said there were no outward signs of trauma on the victims and that an autopsy would be carried out to determine the cause of death.

A woman and 10-year-old child were killed and a man believed to be the father was found shot in the head after a wellness check revealed a bloodbath in a Bronx apartment.https://t.co/hZYlFwT4JF  New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) June 15, 2019

Neighbors cited in the report said Manigault was in a relationship with the suspect, though the Daily Mail reported there were conflicting accounts as to whether Ross was the mans daughter.

Neighbors told the Daily News they never suspected anything was wrong.

People out here had no words we didnt know what to think, said a 13-year-old neighbor who was friends with the slain girl.

When they brought out the first body we were still in shock.

Police cited by The Post said two of the womans other daughters, aged 15 and 17, were waiting outside the home when they arrived.

She was crying hysterically, saying, Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! and screaming loud, the 13-year-old neighbor told The Post regarding one of the victims daughters. The little girl asked for water. We brought her water, tried to calm them down.

Man Who Murdered Elderly Woman With Fire Extinguisher Jailed

In other crime news, an illegal immigrant who bludgeoned an 83-year-old woman to death with a fire extinguisher has been sentenced to 22 years behind bars.

Esdras Marroquin Gomez of Guatemala pleaded guilty in May to the 2015 murder of Lois Colley, the wife of a millionaire McDonalds franchise owner, Fox News reports.

Illegal immigrant sentenced in murder of Westchester socialite Lois Colley https://t.co/uRxqjPd2Os pic.twitter.com/FPoRLNPxjl  New York Post (@nypost) June 13, 2019

Marroquin Gomez, now 34, had worked on the Colleys 300-acre estate in North Salem, New York, about five times but was not employed there at the time of the murder, Fox News reported.

On the day of the murder, Marroquin Gomez went to the Colleys home to ask for compensation for a chainsaw injury he sustained on the property that he said made it difficult for him to find work. He asked to see Eugene Colley, the victims husband, but he was not there. The 83-year-old woman then offered him cab fare to go to her husbands office in Croton Falls, according to court testimony.

Marroquin Gomez then bludgeoned the elderly woman to death with a fire extinguisher. She was found in a pool of blood in the homes laundry room.

Assistant District Attorney Julia Cornachio said the attack was exceedingly violent.

This defendant bashed her face in. The callousness and evil that that requiredis incomprehensible, Cornachio said, according to the Westchester Journal News.

Marroquin Gomez flew to Guatemala on Nov. 14, 2015four days after the murder. He was eventually found in Mexico and taken to Westchester County, according to the District Attorneys Office.

A former day laborer at her North Salem farm pleaded guilty today to bludgeoning the 83-year-old to death. Esdras Marroquin-Gomez in court. pic.twitter.com/q64Y8fGImr  WestchesterCountyDA (@WestchesterDA) May 6, 2019

At the June 14 sentencing, Marroquin Gomez read a letter aloud asking for forgiveness from God for having taken the life of a human being and doing horrible damage to the Colley family, the Westchester Journal News reports.

In a letter read out in court, Eugene asked that Marroquin Gomez receive the maximum possible punishment for his wifes brutal murder.

I rushed home and saw her lying there in a pool of blood. I immediately started CPR from my Naval training. In the meantime yelling to try and get help. The blood puddle kept enlarging and I realized that the love of my life wasnt going to come back. I realised to leave her side and kept hoping and praying that by some miracle she would come back to us.

One of the Colleys sons, Bryan Colley, called his mothers murder a vicious and brutal killing that was the definition of evil, Westchester Journal News reported.

His daughter, Christine Colley, told the judge about her grandmother as well as how the murder had impacted her. Im sad, Im angry, and Im terrified, she said.

Westchester County Court Judge George Fufidio handed down a sentence that was at the upper range of the punishment the prosecution had called for, noting that Gomez had brutally and savagely beaten Colley to death.

Marroquin Gomez will spend 22 years in prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.California Lawmakers Want to Mandate Teachers to Affirm LGBTQ Identities

SACRAMENTOCalifornia Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) recently introduced a new bill that would require teachers to support and affirm the LGBTQ identities of their students.

Introduced in February, Assembly Bill 493 seeks to mandate that all teachers of pupils in grades 7 to 12 to go through annual training to learn how to better serve their LGBTQ students.

According to the bills author Assemblymember Gloria California needs AB 493 to address the high rates of harassment reported by LGBTQ identifying students.

However, this bill has received concern from members of the community. Greg Burt, director of Capitol Engagement at California Family Council, explained in an interview that we are acknowledging that bullying and harassment for kids who identify as transgender is a real issue, we are just disagreeing with the solution.

In a press release, California Family Council President Jonathan Keller said, Every person is created in the image of God and should be treated with dignity and respect. This includes those who identify as LGBTQ as well as those with sincerely held religious beliefs.

AB 493 would unconstitutionally force every teacher and student to reject biological reality about sexuality and gender, and instead mandate the views of LGBTQ political activists as the only acceptable opinion. Sadly, Mr. Gloria is attempting to fight bullying by becoming a bully himself, Keller continued.

While the bill aims to increase inclusivity for students who may identify as LGBTQ, the bill removes the rights and freedom of the teachers.

In a situation where a student requests to be addressed as a girl when the student is boy, but the teacher holds a binary view of gender, the question is then which belief should the teacher uphold.

Burt expressed that If you are then forcing a teacher to deny their own personal beliefs and adhere to the students personal beliefs. We think thats going to be an issue of violation of free speech.

If passed, this bill will mandate regular training and tests for school teachers. Schools will also be required to provide online training at least once every two years, according to the bill text.

While AB 493 does not detail the topics to be covered in the mandated training, existing LGBTQ training programs in California schools are inviting outside groups such as Queerly Elementary to provide training and resources to teachers.

Regardless of the push from AB 493, some California schools are already implementing LGBTQ training and curriculums for their teachers.

Rocklin Academy recently approved of a LGBTQ base history and social studies curriculum for kindergarten through 5th grade students. Students will be taught about the gender identities and preferences of historical figures.

According to the San Diego School District website, the district runs a LGBTQIA Education and Advocacy program aimed at providing training, recourses, and guidelines to teachers on how to address LGBTQ issues in the classroom.

Some teachers of the San Diego School District raised concern over the treatment of teachers during these training.

According to a press release, many times, we [teachers] were asked harsh questions and asked to raise our hands, a first-grade teacher explained. Questions included, Were you raised to only believe there are two genders? Did your parents ever discuss choices to you of gender?

Teachers who admitted they grew up with a binary or biblical view of gender were told how wrong and backward those views were. I was truly offended knowing my parents raised me in a solid Christian home, the first-grade teacher wrote.

LGBTQ related policies remains a contentious issue among the California legislation and local communities.

While there has been an upsurge in the push for inclusiveness in the state, the community often disagrees with the how part of implementing policies on inclusivity without attaching political agendas.

AB 493 already passed the State Assembly after a third reading and has moved to the State Senate. As of June 10, the Senate Committee has postponed the hearing once and Assemblymember Gloria has now requested to cancel the scheduled senate hearing.

AB 493 continues to remain in the State Senate Education Committee awaiting a hearing to determine whether it can pass into law.Bob Fulmer covers his heart during a prayer at the Korean War Memorial on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

California Veterans Home in Legal Case Over Free Speech and Religion Rights

SACRAMENTOCalifornia Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) is in a legal battle over free speech and religion and attempting to evict an elder resident of the Veterans Home.

Artis Breau, an 84-year-old widow was reportedly threatened to be evicted over a dispute regarding her longtime Bible study.

Nine years ago, Breau and her husband moved to the Veterans Home of California in Yountville. Breaus husband, who passed away a few years ago, served in World War II as a merchant marine and in the Army, and in the Korean War he served in the Air Force. The two met while Breau worked at the Pentagon in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army.

Starting in late 2018, Breau faced allegations from the Veterans Home claiming her activities involving religion was interfering with other residents well-being. Attorney Matthew McReynolds of the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) has been representing Breau in this ongoing case.

In a press release, PJI recently reported that they secured the restoration of a Bible study for elderly residents of the Veterans Home of California. But PJI attorneys will continue to fight for full restoration of religious freedom in the Home.

Continuous Conflicts

Since moving into the Veterans Home, Breau volunteered to lead a Bible study with other residents of the home. In September 2018, she had a discussion with another resident about heaven and hell.

According to attorney Matthew McReynolds, senior attorney at Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), the staff at the Veterans Home claimed Breau committed emotional abuse and elder abuse by allegedly causing another resident to lose sleep after a discussion about heaven and hell.

The Veterans Home then suspended Breaus volunteer status and Bible study. In December, she was reportedly involved in another dispute with the Veterans Home regarding a Hanukkah display.

McReynolds explained that Breau was asked to set up menorahs for the holidays, and her display included a scripture passage about Jesus going to the temple during Hanukkah.

The Veterans Home reported that this act of mixing elements from both Jewish and Christian religions enraged the paid rabbi of the facility. The Veterans Home proceeded to engage in a legal process.

However, during the entire legal process, Breaus rights to free speech and religious expression had been limited, according to PJI attorneys.

McReynolds explained that for due process, they [the Veterans Home] brought her [Breau] in, they suspended her from all her volunteer roles, and volunteer roles to an elderly or retired person can be just important or meaningful as employment to you or I. They suspended her from that. They refused to identify the allegations against her.

The Veterans Home also reportedly declined to hold evidentiary hearings for Breau, which, according to McReynolds, is supposed to be provided within 5 to 10 days of an issued suspension in the contexts such as employment or education.

Over the course of six months, PJI found that Breau was never provided the documents that contained allegations against her. The Veterans Home only provided her a summary of their conclusions.

While the violations of the due process are concerning, PJI noted the violations to First Amendment rights were even more problematic. Whats most concerning to us are the restrictions on religious freedom, said McReynolds.

He continued that Veterans Homes claim of scriptures being offensive enough to call for an investigation and potential disciplinary action against a resident is a direct violation of peoples freedom of speech and religion.

The PJI attorney also revealed that part of the concern is also whether or not the Veterans Home will take action against Breau or other residents again in the future.

They are still holding on to this notion that they are really not bound by any kind of normal due process standards and they can investigate residents, put enormous stress on them just because of religious conversations and displaying scripture passages, said McReynolds.

In the press release by PJI, their attorneys expressed that what weve seen at the Veterans Home of California should concern every freedom-loving American. Of all people, our veterans and their widows from the Greatest Generation should enjoy the greatest blessings of libertynot the least. Were not about to let up until these veterans have complete freedom.By PTI

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday accused The New York Times of "a virtual act of treason," after it reported the US is stepping up digital incursions into Russia's electric power grid.

Current and former government officials have described the classified deployment of American computer code inside Russia's power grid and other targets, the Times reported.

The action is intended partly as a warning but also to leave the US poised to conduct cyber strikes in the event of a major conflict between the US and Russia, the newspaper said.

Trump tweeted that the accusations were "NOT TRUE," calling the media "corrupt" and repeating accusations that journalists are "the enemy of the people."

"Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia," he wrote.

"This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our country.

"The Times report came after an investigation by US special counsel Robert Mueller of alleged hacking by Russia's GRU intelligence agency and social media manipulation by Russia's Internet Research Agency to benefit Trump's election campaign.

Mueller detailed a disturbing number of contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia ahead of the 2016 poll.

Trump claimed the report cleared him of wrongdoing.

On the question of obstruction of justice, the report did not conclude Trump committed a crime, but Mueller wrote that "it also does not exonerate him.

"In its Saturday report, the Times described "broad hesitation to go into detail with Mr Trump about operations against Russia for concern over his reaction- and the possibility that he might countermand it or discuss it with foreign officials."

The Times also cited National Security Council officials as saying they had no security concerns about the newspaper's reporting on the digital incursions, perhaps indicating that some of the intrusions were meant to be noticed by the Russians.

The New York Times, Washington Post and other publications have issued numerous investigative reports into Trump and his administration, with probes also underway by Congressional committees.

In February the publisher of the Times, A.G. Sulzberger, said Trump's attacks on the press were "reckless" and "dangerous" and threatened to encourage violence against journalists.

"America's founders believed that a free press was essential to democracy because it is the foundation of an informed, engaged citizenry," he said in a statement.Canada Must End Complicity in Chinas Brutal Organ-Trafficking Regime

The clock is ticking on Canadas chance to enact important measures against organ trafficking.

For the past two decades, the Chinese regime has been killing prisoners of conscience for their organs. The purchase and sale of human lives have become an industry, and Canada, among other developed countries, has been supporting it.

Bill S-240 seeks to put a stop to Canadian complicity by criminalizing organ tourism. The bill has received unanimous consent from both the Senate and the House of Commons, and is awaiting final Senate approval before the end of the parliamentary session before it can be passed.

This is a critical moment of decision for Canada.

As a member of the Canadian Committee of the International Coalition To End Transplant Abuse In China, I have been among those advocating for Bill S-240, an act that brings important changes to the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in order to combat organ tourism.

Live Organs on Demand

Organ trafficking is a global phenomenon. However, forced organ harvesting deserves special attention in the context of the Chinese. In China, this practice is driven by the state.

Its directed at prisoners of conscience to advance policies of genocide. Forced organ harvesting in China is carried out at such scale that it constitutes an industry.

Since the early 2000s, Chinese hospitals have been providing live organs on demand. Perfectly matched organs can be obtained in weeks or even days.

With an estimation of 60,000 to 100,000 major organ transplant cases per year in China, the availability of organs cannot be accounted for by the number of death-row executions and voluntary organ donations.

Falun Gong, Uyghurs, Tibetans Targeted

The sudden boom in organ transplantation in China coincides with the start of the eradication campaign against Falun Gong. Since July 1999, Falun Gong practitioners have been incarcerated and tortured in massive numbers. During captivity, Falun Gong adherents have been singled out for organ examinations and blood tests.

As well as the Falun Gong, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and some Christian sects are also being targeted. Forced organ harvesting is continuing despite Chinas announcement that its going to stop the illicit practice.

Human Rights Watch reported in December 2017 that the Chinese government forcibly collected biodata, including DNA and blood samples, from 19 million Uyghurs that year under the guise of a free public health program in which all citizens are given physical examinations.

At the same time, the Chinese regime began mass arrest and incarceration of Uyghurs, with a million Uyghurs imprisoned in concentration camps. Meanwhile, a priority lane labelled as special passengers/human organs transport lane appeared in the Kashgar airport of Xinjiang Uyghur.

Canadians Travel to China for Illicit Organs

For the past two decades, Canada, among other developed countries, has been a participant in this abuse. Dr. Jeff Zaltzman, the head of renal transplants at St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto, revealed in 2014 that he alone had at least 50 patients who had gone to China for transplants. Zaltzman has since advocated for changing legislation to address the issue of forced organ harvesting.

Canada has, in fact, been identified as one of the seven major organ-importing countries, alongside the United States, Australia, Israel, Japan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

Barring a few exceptions, the Canadian Criminal Code only criminalizes acts committed in Canada. As such, it is currently legal for Canadians to travel abroad and obtain organs from illicit sources, because such acts do not take place on Canadian soil.

An Extraterritorial Offence

Bill S-240 recognizes the extraterritorial nature of organ transplant abuse. By making it an extraterritorial offence to purchase organs and obtain organs without donors informed consent, the bill creates important measures to stem the flow of organ tourism to countries such as China.

Former Canadian secretary of state for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour (R) presents a revised report about forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners in China, while report co-author and lawyer David Matas looks on, in Ottawa, Canada, on Jan. 31, 2007. (Matt Hildebrand/The Epoch Times)

The proposed legislation would also bring Canada into further conformity with emerging international legal norms, such as the principle prohibiting transplant commercialism enshrined in The Declaration of Istanbul on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism.

Countries like Israel, Spain, Taiwan, Italy, and Norway have already enacted similar legislation. The European Union and the United States have issued a declaration and resolution respectively condemning the crime of forced organ harvesting.

On Dec. 11, 2018, the China Tribunalan independent peoples tribunal chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice, former deputy prosecutor who led the prosecution of Slobodan Milosevic at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslaviastated the following in its interim judgment:

The Tribunals members are all certainunanimously, and sure beyond reasonable doubtthat in China forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience has been practised for a substantial period of time involving a very substantial number of victims.

The final judgment is due to be released on June 17.

Its vital that Canada ensures Bill S-240 is passed.

China Plans Globalization of Mass Murder

China has further ambitions to develop organ transplantation into an export industry as part of Chinas Belt and Road initiative.

The industrialization and globalization of organ transplantation is the industrialization and globalization of mass murder. If this practice is allowed to take root in human societies, ever more vulnerable populations would be sacrificed in the pursuit of a healthy life by the powerful and the rich.

The cost of inaction means a continuation of Canadian complicity in one of the worst crimes of our times. It is vital that Canada passes this legislation before the end of this parliamentary session, bringing this complicity to an end.

Maria Cheung is a professor at the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba (UM) as well as a research affiliate at the Centre for Human Rights Research at UM. She is currently chair of the Canadian Committee of the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China.

This article was originally published on The Conversation.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.China's first domestically manufactured aircraft carrier, known only as "Type 001A", leaves port in the northeast city of Dalian early on May 13, 2018. AFP/Getty Images

Chinas Aircraft Carrier Battle Group Emerges

Commentary

Its been a long time coming, but Japanese reports on June 11 revealed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) have realized a long-held ambition: to build and deploy an aircraft carrier battle group.

That means that Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) isnt just able to deploy an aircraft carrier with a working air-wing of combat aircraft, but this carrier is also protected by escort combat ships and sustained by large, fast replenishment ships. This allows the carrier to undertake offensive missions against adversaries, while escort ships carry the burden of defending the carrier.

Also on June 11, the Japanese Ministry of Defense reported that a PLAN aircraft carrier battle group had cruised past the strategic Japanese island of Okinawa and was on its way to the Miyako Strait to depart the First Island Chain.

So deployed, this PLAN carrier battle group could assist blockade or strike operations directed at the eastern side of Taiwan. It also could assist attacks against the southern islands of Japans Ryukyu island chain, which might host combat aircraft and anti-ship missiles to disrupt attacks against Taiwan.

At the center of the group is the PLANs first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which, in January 2019, emerged from a period of maintenance and upgrading of its electronic combat systems. This 58,000-ton carrier was first purchased uncompleted from Ukraine and towed to China, reaching the port of Dalian in March 2002. A cover story was hatched that it was to be converted into a casino, but by 20052006, its reconstruction had begun in earnest, and by 2012, Liaoning was commissioned and was testing its new Shenyang J-15 carrier fighters.

Liaoning can carry 20 to 25 J-15s, an improved copy of the Russian Sukhoi Su-33 carrier fighter. While its range and payload are slightly limited because its launched via a ski jump instead of a catapult as on U.S. carriers, its a respectable fourth-generation fighter, which will be improved. Liaoning also carries about 12 large Z-18 helicopters equipped for anti-submarine and early-warning radar missions.

A second PLAN carrier, modeled on Liaoning with slight modifications, is in advance trials. It may soon begin testing with J-15 fighters and could be commissioned in one or two years.

What is also important to note is the composition of the Liaoning battle group. It includes one Type 052D multi-role destroyer; one Type 051C air defense destroyer; two Type 054A multi-role frigates; and one new large Type 901 underway replenishment ship. The combat support ships feature 128 vertical launchers for anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, and soon, anti-ship ballistic missiles. The Type 051C is equipped with 48 Russian-made S-300MF anti-aircraft missiles.

While the PLAN may in the next few years have only two carrier battle groups, compared to the 10 maintained by the U.S. Navy, its important to note that Chinas is the only aircraft carrier battle group operated by an Asian navy.

On June 12, the South China Morning Post cited the Peoples Daily social media account Xiakedao saying, It is very unlikely that Chinese carriers will ever be involved in resolving maritime disputes with neighboring countries. Such statements are not credible.

Also, while the Liaoning carries fewer aircraft than a U.S. carrier (up to 90), the PLAN can today compensate for its weaknessboth in carrier battle groups and in carrier aircraftwith weapons the U.S. Navy doesnt have today.

For example, in January, the PLAN held exercises in the South China Sea with the PLAs new Rocket Force. PLAN ships, and perhaps submarines, coordinated simulated strikes with the Rocket Forces medium- and intermediate-range anti-ship ballistic missiles. In addition, the PLA Air Force is testing a new medium-range air-launched ballistic missile, most likely carried by Xian H-6 medium bombers. The PLA will first try to sink U.S. Navy carriers with long-range ballistic missiles, coordinated with strikes by land-based aircraft, submarines, and then aircraft carriers and ships.

Of special note, the Liaoning carrier battle group has included the new 50,000-ton Type 901A underway replenishment ship. Capable of transferring fuel, ammunition, and solid stores, Type 901As are very similar to the U.S. Navy Supply-class.

Replenishment ships of this size can support global deployments for the PLANs carrier battle groups. In the next one or two years, it should be expected that the PLAN carrier battle groups may deploy into the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, or to advance Chinas naval diplomacy in the South Pacific. They also will be calling into ports in Africa and Latin America before long.

At the end of May, Chinas state television aired a program stating that China would build 10 aircraft carriers by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the CCP dictatorship. The PLA will likely build its first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the mid- to late-2020s, followed by nuclear-powered escort cruisers and perhaps also nuclear-powered replenishment ships.

Washington must now determine how best to counter multiple globally deployed PLAN carrier battle groups. While it will remain important for the U.S. Navy to sustain 10 or more of its own carrier battle groups, the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Army require large numbers of medium- and intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles capable of attacking Chinas aircraft carrier battle groups at very long ranges.

In the 2002 issue of the congressionally mandated Department of Defense China Military Power Report, on page 20, it was stated that while continuing to research and discuss possibilities, China appears to have set aside indefinitely plans to acquire an aircraft carrier.

Such an ingrained tendency to downplay the intentions and capabilities of the Peoples Republic of China likely is reinforced by a hubristic susceptibility to PRC deception and denial efforts; both flaws are costly and must be corrected. The United States should expect that China will deploy many carrier battle groups to challenge global American interests, and Washington must both develop forces to counter them, and begin developing new weapons systems to succeed the aircraft carrier.

Richard D. Fisher is a senior fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Chinese employees work on rebars at a factory in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province on May 15, 2019. - China's economy showed further signs of weakness in May as industrial output slowed while the U.S.-China trade war raged on. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Chinas Economy Continues Downward Spiral

Further stimulus measures expected because of muted impact from previous efforts

News Analysis

The pressure is mounting for Beijing to roll out more supportive economic policies to stabilize an economy increasingly under duress.

Major economic data metrics for May were extremely negativedue in no small part to pressure from the trade war with the United Statesraising the possibility of a deep economic slowdown.

Mays Chinese industrial output growth slowed to its lowest pace in almost two decades. Production at factories, mines, and utilities firms rose 5 percent in May year-over-year, a decline from a 5.4 percent pace in April, according to official statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on June 14. That was the slowest pace of increase in 17 years and in line with the sluggish manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) figures. Automotive production and computers were two of the worst performing industries during last month.

Fixed-asset investments rose 5.6 percent in the January-to-May period, from the same period last year, according to official NBS dataagain coming in below expectations and down from a 6.1 percent pace from the January to April period, driven by soft infrastructure growth. Fixed-asset investment is a broad-based metric for domestic demand that includes government-backed infrastructure spending.

Private sector fixed-asset investment rose 5.3 percent, also below the prior months pace.

While retail sales increased during the month of May, the combined AprilMay results are still disappointing, considering the May 1 Labor Day holiday is typically a high spending period. And these are official state-released statistics which are widely held to be overly sanguine.

Trade talks with the United States collapsed in May as President Trump announced increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. China retaliated by setting additional levies on about $60 billion of U.S. imports to the country. Talks may continue at the G-20 meetings later this month.

More Stimulus Coming

Feeling the pressure to mitigate concerns, Peoples Bank of China (PBoC) governor Yi Gang said earlier this month that there is tremendous room to make monetary policy adjustments if the trade war worsened.

Vice Premier Liu He also joined the chorus. At a financial forum in Shanghai on June 13, Liu said that regulators should increase support for the Chinese economy and keep liquidity in the financial system, further alluding to the possibility that monetary and fiscal stimulus could be on the way.

And it looks like Beijing will have no choice but to open the spigot further. Despite a slew of support measures and policy easing efforts already underway since last year, Chinas cooling economy is still struggling to get back on firm footing.

Morgan Stanley analysts expect additional policy easing going forward to boost public and infrastructure spending amidst ongoing private sector trepidation. Furthermore, government bond issuance limits could be eased and banks reserve requirement ratios could be further loosened.

INGs Greater China economist Iris Pang wrote that infrastructure investments on a levered basis could increase to around four trillion yuan ($578 billion), and together with tax and fee cuts of another two trillion yuan, the fiscal stimulus package may total six trillion yuan.

Policy easing is reactive in nature and will probably not be enough to fully offset the downward pressures, Morgan Stanley China economist Jennifer Zheng said in a note to clients on June 14.

Support for smaller banks is already underway. To encourage small bank lending, the PBoC will use 300 billion yuan ($43 billion) in rediscount and standing lending facility (SLF) quotas. In addition, the PBoC also will begin to accept interbank certificates of deposit and bank bills as collateral from small banks for the support, it said in a statement on June 14.

The PBoCs measures are meant to ease jitters in the interbank market and increase liquidity. Smaller banks are viewed at risk of failure ever since regulators took control of Baoshang Bank last month.

Wall Street is cutting Chinas GDP growth metrics for the year, on an increased likelihood of a protracted trade war with the United States and worse-than-expected economic data going forward.

Risk of a growth double dip could rise further if trade talks stall post G-20 or the U.S. imposes 25 percent tariffs on the remaining ~US$300 billion of imports, as the transmission channels of trade tensions impact are pervasive, the impact is non-linear, and any policy easing will be reactive with lagged effects, Morgan Stanley China analysts wrote.

Even the usually China-positive International Monetary Fund lowered its economic forecast for Chinas nominal GDP growth this year to 6.2 percent on June 5, stating that risks are tilted to the downside.Father Drowns While Fishing, Son Goes After Him But Cant Find the Body

A man drowned while crabbing with his son in a small lagoon in Texas early on June 15.

Seabrook police said the man and his son were fishing in the lagoon in Bayside Park at 3 a.m. when the father tried to reach for a crab trap and was pulled in by a strong current, reported KHOU 11.

The son jumped in the water to rescue his father but could not locate him.

The fathers body was found at 1500 block of Todville Road, about 150 yards from where he drowned on Saturday morning.

Police didnt release the fathers identity.

Seabrook Police say body of man recovered from water. Man was fishing with his son overnight. #KHOU11 pic.twitter.com/ON0AN91buZ  Matt Dougherty (@MattKHOU) June 15, 2019

Drowning Death in Resort Pool

The life of an 11-year-old boy was also tragically lost in a drowning incident in the pool at Beach Colony Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on June 2.

Horry County Deputy Coroner Chris Dontell said Trenton Piper of Cincinnati, Ohio, was taken to Grand Strand Medical Center on June 9 where he was declared dead, reported WMBF News.

The case was investigated by Myrtle Beach police and no charges were filed.

A petition by a group of mothers on Change.org describes what happened that day.

A group of 5 moms planned a care free, no responsibility vacation entering the Beach Colony Resort in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Sunday, June 2nd, the petition said.

11-year-old Ohio boy drowns at Myrtle Beach hotel pool 06/02/2019https://t.co/qSr8HPAmBW We believe it is important to promote #watersafety and to remind adults everywhere not to let their guards down. Our condolences to this family.#survivalofthelittlest pic.twitter.com/sxpusoMnch  BritishSwimSchoolSJ (@BritishSwimSJ) June 4, 2019

It said their reservations were not as expected and four out of the five mothers approached the front desk.

As they were describing the very bumpy start to a relaxing trip, they were interrupted by a soaking wet young boy politely asking for help because his brother was drowning in the pool, the petition said.

Two of the mothers ran towards the pool and the other two followed not far behind. As they entered the indoor pool area, there were no adults in sight and the body of what appeared to be an older male hunched over was sunken to the bottom of the 6 1/2 foot pool, the appeal said.

One of the mothers jumped into the pool and tried to lift Trenton but could not help. Another mother entered the pool and tried to help, but they were not able to lift Trentons body together.

The third mother loudly called for male assistance and finally two male maintenance men pulled Trenton out of the water.

Two mothers immediately began chest compressions, switching off to conserve energy, one mother called 911, the appeal said, explaining that there were no AED/defibrillator boxes on site.

Stock image of feet in a pool. (jackmac34/Pixabay)

The petition said it was calling for resorts and hotels to provide pool supervision, trained first aide staff, and defibrillators on site to avoid such tragedies in the future.

Deaths Due to Drowning

Drowning is considered a major public health problem worldwide and 360,000 people died from it in 2015, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO report says drowning is the third largest cause of unintentional injury death, accounting for 7 percent of the total injury-related deaths globally.

Children, males, and individuals with increased access to water are most at risk of drowning, said the report.

In the United States, 45 percent of drowning deaths happen among the most economically active segment of the population.

Coastal drowning in the United States alone accounts for $273 million each year in direct and indirect costs. In Australia and Canada, the total annual cost of drowning injury is $85.5 million and $173 million respectively, said the report.Jimmy Buffett (C) takes an opening night bow during the Broadway premiere of the musical "Escape to Margaritaville" at the Marquis Theatre in New York City on March 15, 2018. (Noam Galai/Getty Images for Escape To Margaritaville)

Group of Jimmy Buffett Diehards Latest to Fall Ill in Dominican Republic

A group of diehard Jimmy Buffett fans from Oklahoma is among the latest in a growing list of tourists to fall sick while visiting the Dominican Republic.

According to the New York Daily News, members of the Buffett-loving Central Oklahoma Parrothead Associationdubbed the Parrotheadstraveled to Punta Canas Hotel Riu Palace Macao in April of this year and shortly after their arrival became violently ill.

Among them was travel agent Dana Flowers, who said that four days into the groups excursion, he and other members began showing symptoms of a mysterious illness.

I cant even explain how sick I was, Flowers told Oklahomas News 4.

He added that he lost 14 pounds during that time and was really sick, adding that by the end of the vacation, 47 of the 114 Oklahomans reported being unwell. Flowers was cited in the report as saying that many of the tourists were so sick they didnt even leave 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, said 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.

It is unclear what caused the Jimmy Buffett fans to fall ill. Flowers said some people tested positive for salmonella, but he did not. He added that one common factor to all the people who got sick was that they all swam in the resort pool, which had a swim-up bar.

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

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

Contaminated Alcohol?

The latest report of illness comes amid a spate of unexplained deaths on the island nation since January.

The death count rose to eight on Friday, when the family of a 78-year-old Ohio man revealed he died suddenly after dinner and drinks at the Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa.

Other Americans have reported getting sick after drinking from the minibar at the hotels, including a Brooklyn woman who claimed she vomited blood after drinking 7UP that tasted like bleach.

My mouth was on fire, Awilda Montes told CBS New York last week. When I spit it out in bathroom sink it was blood. I was just irrigating my mouth.

Sources have told The New York Post that authorities are looking into the possibility that bootleg liquor served at the hotel could be the killer.

The Post sent a reporter to one of the resorts and they said the vodka had a strange, potent smell resembling pure alcohol.

Lawrence Kobilinsky, a forensic science professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, was cited in the report as saying that the reported symptoms were consistent with methanol or pesticide poisoning. Methanol isnt safe for human consumption.

Adulterated alcohol is usually methanol added to alcohol or just plain methanol, which is very, very toxic, Kobilinsky said. It looks to me, from what Ive heard and read, is that something was added to the drinks or bottles in those little refrigerators.

The expert said that in alcohol for human consumption, there should be no methanol.

If its there, it means its been adulterated or put there deliberately, he told the Post.

The government of the Dominican Republic claims the deaths are an isolated phenomenon and insists its resorts are safe. According to Inside Edition, they have hired a crisis management team to help counteract the PR fallout from the bad press.

I will not be going back to the Dominican any time soon, Flowers said.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.Police stand guard as protesters display placards during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill near the government headquarters in Hong Kong on June 14, 2019. (Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images)

Hong Kong Police Trapped in the Middle by Polarizing Extradition Bill

HONG KONGSeveral senior Hong Kong police officials feel caught between a rock and a hard place as city leader Carrie Lam tries to ram through contentious extradition laws that have triggered violent clashes between police and protesters.

Police fired tear gas, bean bag rounds and rubber bullets at young protesters who gathered this week around the Chinese-ruled citys legislature and government headquarters in the tens of thousands.

The clashes wounded 22 police and more than 60 protesters, as demonstrators advanced toward the legislature, hurling bricks, iron poles and sticks, while barging their way forward with metal barricades.

We are definitely restrained and we wouldnt indiscriminately use weapons, police chief Stephen Lo told reporters a day after the clashes, describing them as a riot.

We were facing tens of thousands of protesters. The pressure was very great.

The protesters demand that Lam scrap controversial amendments to an extradition bill that would allow individuals, including foreigners passing through Hong Kong, to be extradited to mainland China.

Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a one country, two systems deal guaranteeing it special autonomy, including freedom of assembly, a free press and an independent judiciary. Many accuse China, where the courts are strictly controlled by the Communist Party, of extensive meddling since then, with the extradition bill a further example.

Lawyers, judges, business-people, rights groups and foreign governments have called on Lamwho says the initiative was hers and not Beijingsto scrap the bill.

But her refusal to do so has incensed the public who lack confidence in Chinas legal system and assurances that safeguards introduced into the bill will ensure individuals get a fair trial on the mainland.

Over one million people, or one in seven people in the city, marched on Sunday against the bill. Less than a day later, however, a stern-faced Lam told reporters she wouldnt back down.

Some senior police officers say Lams refusal to heed public opinion is sowing resentment in the force, which was already battered by accusations of police brutality during the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella civil disobedience movement.

There are a significant number that blame her for this crisis, said a senior law enforcement officer in a command position. Its madness.

He said the demands of the protesters werent unreasonable, given an inherent mistrust of mainland Chinas legal system.

Theres definitely a feeling that were trapped in the middle, said a senior police officer who declined to be named as he wasnt authorized to speak to the media.

We cant solve this. The protesters cant solve this. But Carrie can.

Feeling the Heat

At the same press conference by Hong Kongs police chief, a group of more than 20 photo-journalists donned hard hats and gas masks in a symbolic protest against what they considered to be the excessive use of force by police during the unrest.

Some police were out of control, said Leung Pang-wai, 28, a photographer for HK01 newspaper who wore a gas mask during the press conference. They shot at us and they didnt deal with the situation rationally.

Senior police officers, however, defended the use of force to deal with much more violent protesters than during the 2014 demonstrations when tens of thousands occupied roads around the legislature and government headquarters for 79 days.

The protesters this time, unified for a very specific goalto prevent a policy seen as an existential threat to Hong Kongs unique global positionhave pledged not to back down.

Some members of a hardcore element, numbering in the tens of thousands, has not shied away from violence, while being highly organized and tech savvy, using encrypted phone apps like Telegram to mobilize swiftly through multiple group chats, and more strategically, with less risk of police infiltration.

Telegram is a big breakthrough from the old traditional strategies, said Jason Chan, a 22-year-old protester. Since there were no leaders in this movement, Telegram facilitates the communication across protesters by allowing different channels or groups to set up and thereby unite the people.

Related Coverage Chinese Cyberattack Targets Telegram, Messaging App Used by Hong Kong Protesters

Steve Vickers, a former commander of the polices Criminal Intelligence Bureau who now runs a risk consultancy, said in a report that there was a risk of further violence.

An unfortunate polarization has occurred, where demonstrators perceive the police to be the enemy (rather than the government, in their absence), and many junior police officers see both the media and protesters as the main protagonists.

By James PomfretAn MQ-9 Reaper drone flies by during a training mission at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada, on Nov. 17, 2015. (Isaac Brekken/Getty Images)

Iran Tried to Shoot Down US Drone at Scene of Tanker Attacks, Report Says

Iran attempted to shoot down a U.S. drone arriving at the scene of two fuel tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman on June 13, according to a Fox News report that cited a senior U.S. official.

Iran fired a missile targeting an American MQ-9 Reaper drone shortly after it arrived, in response to a distress signal from the tanker Front Altair, which was damaged in an attack that Washington blames on Tehran. The missile missed the drone.

The unidentified official told Fox News that the tanker sent out a distress signal at 6:12 a.m. local time and the unmanned drone arrived eight minutes later.

The missile attack occurred 25 minutes after the drone arrived. Fox News cited a military source to report that the missile was a modified SA-7 fired from mainland Iran.

According to another anonymous Fox News source, Iran-backed Houthi rebels shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone in recent days.

News of the attempted attack on the U.S. drone adds to mounting tensions in the region. Washington blamed Iran for attacking the oil tankers and released a video that it says shows the Iranian military removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers, in an alleged attempt to cover up Tehrans involvement.

Fox News previously reported that Iranian gunboats surrounded a rescue vessel carrying the crew of one of the tankers and forced the surrender of the crew.

The United States also blamed Iran for attacks on four tankers roughly a month prior to the Gulf of Oman attacks.

This is only the latest in a series of attacks instigated by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its surrogates against American and allied interests, and they should be understood in the context of 40 years of unprovoked aggression against freedom-loving nations, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a news conference, shortly after the tanker attacks.

Iran threatened to cut the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, shortly after the United States imposed the strictest sanctions on Tehrans oil exports intending to cripple the Islamic regimes oil sector.

Three weeks later, on May 12, Iran attacked four oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the White House. Washington also blames Tehran for drone strikes on two oil pipelines in Saudi Arabia on May 14.

On June 12, the day before the latest tanker attacks, an Iran proxy group fired a ballistic missile at a Saudi civilian airport, injuring 26 people.

Taken as a whole, 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, Pompeo said.

President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the multinational Iran nuclear deal last year and reimposed tough sanctions on the Islamic regime in Tehran.

Washington demands that Iran permanently extinguishes its nuclear weapons program, stops the development of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, terminates its support of radical Islamic terror groups, and puts an end to its malign activities in the Middle East. Pompeo announced the demands in his first major speech as secretary of state in May last year.

Both Washington and Tehran have said they arent seeking to start another war in the Middle East.President Donald Trump walks toward journalists as he departs the White House for a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in Washington on May 20, 2019. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Khan Is a Disaster: President Trump Says London Needs a New Mayor After Spate of Knife Attacks

President Donald Trump called for the ouster of Londons mayor Sadiq Khan after five separate attacks in the city left three dead and others injured over a span of 24 hours.

In reaction to British commentator Katie Hopkins post about the attacks, Trump criticized Khan for the violence, while warning that the situation could get worse.

LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster  will only get worse! Trump wrote on Twitter on June 15.

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

Trump and Khan have not been on friendly terms and have feuded in the past on a number of occasions. During Trumps state visit to the U.K. early this month, he took time to criticize Khan before landing in London.

The president was responding to Khans comments prior to the presidents arrival, where the mayor criticized Trump, saying his country was wrong to roll out the red carpet for Trumps visit. Khan also accused Trump of standing up and defending white supremacists, Neo-Nazis, and anti-Semites in Charlottesville.

.@SadiqKhan tells Sky News on #Ridge that the UK shouldnt roll out the red carpet and give @realDonaldTrump a state visit. Head here for the London mayors full interview: https://t.co/DORWSTEsgq pic.twitter.com/Y3T2ySkfZR  Sky News (@SkyNews) June 2, 2019

In response, Trump called Khan a stone-cold loser who should focus on crime in Londonwhich is an ongoing problem that has plagued the city.

Sadiq Khan, 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, Trump wrote on Twitter.

.@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

Kahn [sic] reminds me very much of our very dumb and incompetent Mayor of NYC, de Blasio, who has also done a terrible jobonly half his height, he said.

Londons murder rates had skyrocketed in recent years, with murders also increasing, according to Londons Metropolitan Police. Property crime has risen as well since Khan took office.

Moreover, knife crimes in England and Wales had surged to its highest-ever level between 2017 and 2018. In a report that was released at the time, Britains Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the total of 39,332 recorded knife crimes between July 2017 and June 2018 represents a 12 percent rise in violent crime involving edged weapons and other sharp instruments.

The BBC reported that between June 14 and 15, police have arrested 14 people in connection to the five attacks.

On Friday, June 14, police responded to a stabbing death of an 18-year-old in Wandsworth, south London at about 4:42 p.m. Minutes later, police were called to Plumstead, south-east London where a 19-year-old man was shot dead.

Then on Saturday, June 15, two men were stabbed in Clapham during the early hours of the morning, while another man was stabbed in Brixton. The condition of one of the men in Clapham is still unknown, while the other two are suffering non-life-threatening injuries.

On Saturday afternoon, a man in his thirties was stabbed to death at Tower Hamlets in east London, the news broadcaster also reported.

Reacting to the incidents, Khan said he was sickened by the deaths of the two teenagers,

I am sickened to hear that two young lives have been ended within minutes of each other in Wandsworth & Greenwich, he wrote.

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

UK Police say the increase in knife crimes has been driven by several factors, including rivalries between drug gangs, cuts to youth services and provocations on social media. Moreover, many of these incidents have occurred in poor areas of London.

NTD reporter Zachary Stieber and Reuters contributed to this report.Protesters attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong, China, June 16, 2019. (Reuters/Tyrone Siu)

Hong Kong Leader Apologizes as Nearly 2 Million Protest Extradition Bill

UPDATE: June 16, 11:28 p.m. HKT

Organizers of the protest said that nearly 2 million Hong Kongers turned out for the protest on June 16.

The Civil Human Rights Front said the march has come to an end, and urged Hong Kongers to strike on June 17 if the government did not heed protesters demands to scrap the bill and for Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam to step down.

_

UPDATE: June 16, 9:40 p.m. HKT

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has apologized, saying she will accept criticism for the controversial extradition bill that has drawn another mass protest on June 16.

The chief executive admits that large-scale confrontation and conflict took place in Hong Kong society due to the inadequacy of the governments work, causing many residents to be disappointed and saddened, the government said in a statement on June 16.

The chief executive apologises to the public, and promises that [she] will accept criticism in the most sincere and humble way.

The statement comes as hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers took to the streets to demand the government to scrap the bill. On June 15, Lam announced the bill would be suspended indefinitely, but not withdrawn entirely. She did not then apologize for the governments actions.

The governments statement did not respond to protesters demands that Lam resign or the bill be withdrawn.

At nightfall, protesters filled the roads outside of the government headquarters and legislature.

Protesters gathered in hundreds of thousands on Hong Kong streets in protest of the proposed extradition bill, demanding it to be withdrawn, on June 16, 2019. (Weili Guo/The Epoch Times)

Protesters gathered in hundreds of thousands on Hong Kong streets in protest of the proposed extradition bill, demanding it to be withdrawn, on June 16, 2019. (Weili Guo/The Epoch Times)

A girl hods a blacked Hong Kong flag among the protesters who demand on the extradition bill to be fully withdrawn in Hong Kong, on June 16, 2019. (Weili Guo/The Epoch Times)

Protesters gathered in hundreds of thousands on Hong Kong streets in protest of the proposed extradition bill, demanding it to be withdrawn, on June 16, 2019. (Weili Guo/The Epoch Times)

One protester holds up a sign that reads Tyranny Is Never Invincible, in a reference to the Hong Kong government under leader Carrie Lam on June 16, 2019. Another protester holds up a sign in red, with the Chinese characters Children Are Not Rioters. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

Protesters gathered in hundreds of thousands on Hong Kong streets in protest of the proposed extradition bill, demanding it to be withdrawn, on June 16, 2019. (Weili Guo/The Epoch Times)

Two girls holding a hand made sign expressing appreciation to the protesters who gathered in hundreds of thousands on Hong Kong streets in protest of the proposed extradition bill, demanding it to be withdrawn, on June 16, 2019. (Weili Guo/The Epoch Times)

_

UPDATE: June 16, 7:33 p.m. HKT

At 6:30 p.m. local time, the Hong Kong bureau of the Epoch Times reported that protesters had filled the Hong Kongs Legislative Councils demonstration zone. Demonstrators also amassed in Tamar Park, which is next to the council.

At close to 7 p.m. local time, protesters took up all six lanes of Harcourt Road, which is where clashes broke out between demonstrators and local police on June 12, according to the Hong Kong bureau.

Protesters return to Admiralty, Hong Kong, on June 16, 2019. (Civil Human Rights Front)



UPDATE: June 16, 6:38 p.m. HKT

Hong Kongs Public Transport Staff Voice Support for Protesters

A youngster takes part in a march in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

Some operators of the Hong Kong metro have been sharing encouraging words with protesters over the metro intercom system, reported RTHK, with some saying if they werent driving the protesters, they would be out joining them.

Protesters hold up Chinese signs that read Children Are Not Rioters in a march in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

Similarly, some bus drivers have shared words of support over their buss intercom, asking protesters to be careful during the march.

One protester holds up a sign that reads Tyranny Is Never Invincible, in a reference to the Hong Kong government under leader Carrie Lam on June 16, 2019. Another protester holds up a sign in red, with the Chinese characters Children Are Not Rioters. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

At around 5 p.m. local time, the Hong Kong bureau of The Epoch Times reported that some protesters were on their way to areas near the Hong Kongs Legislative Council (LegCo) building, including Tamar Park.



UPDATE: June 16, 5:13 p.m. HKT

March To Continue On Into the Evening Due to Massive Turnout

Protesters at Pennington Street in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, on June 16. 2019. (Lin Yi/The Epoch Times)

At 5 p.m. local time, Hong Kong media RTHK reported that the last contingent of the march had still not left Victoria Parkthe starting location for the Withdraw Evil Extradition Bill marchmore than two hours after the march began.

Cardinal Joseph Zen, the former archbishop of Hong Kong, said There is hope. There is hope, when asked by the Hong Kong bureau of the Epoch Times about the large turnout.

Cardinal Joseph Zen takes a sip of water while taking part in the anti-extradition bill march in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Lin Yi/The Epoch Times)

Protesters hold a large white banner with a Chinese idiom expressing how much it hurts, referring to the proposed extradition bill, in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, on June 16, 2019. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

People seen still trying to join the march from Wan Chai Station, Hong Kong, at 4:30 p.m. local time on June 16, 2019. (Li Yi/The Epoch Times)

Former Hong Kong chief secretary Anson Chan takes part in the Withdraw Extradition Bill march in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Lin Yi/The Epoch Times)



UPDATE: June 16, 4:20 p.m. HKT

First Marchers Arrive in Admiralty, Streets Brimming With People

Birds-eye-view of the Hong Kong Withdraw Evil Extradition Bill march as it passes through Causeway Bay on June 16, 2019. (Li Yi/The Epoch Times)

Hong Kong media RTHK reported that the first contingent of the march has arrived at Tim Mei Avenue in Admiralty, the marchs destination, at around 4 p.m. local time.

The streets along the route of the rally are brimming with people chanting in unison retract, as they called for Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to scrap the governments extradition bill.

The slogans Carrie Lam step down, No riot, only depotism, and We have not rioted. Release injured students were also heard as hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers peacefully marched side by side through their city streets.

Protesters pass Hysan Place, a shopping mall and office building, at Causeway Bay, Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Li Yi/The Epoch Times)



UPDATE: June 16, 3:46 p.m. HKT

Reports: Police Allowing Some People to Join March En Route

Hong Kong media RTHK reported that local police have become more lenient this time, by allowing people to join the march from anywhere. Last Sunday, the police demanded that people should not cut in line.

People try to join the march at F exit of Causeway Bay Station, Hong Kong, on June 16, 2019. (Cui Haiyu/The Epoch Times)

People at Times Square in Hong Kong try to join the march on June 16, 2019. One person held a slogan that said Students have not rioted. Protect the next generation. Entire city against evil law. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

Hong Kong protesters hold up different signs in a march on June 16, 2019. One of the signs read We are not rioters. We love Hong Kong. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

One Hong Kong protester holds a sign that reads Carrie Lam Steps Down. [Chinese] Communist Party Falls on June 16, 2019. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

People attempting to join anti-extradition bill march at Times Square, a shopping center and office tower complex in Causeway Bay, Kong Kong, on June 16, 2019. (Yu Gang/Epoch Times)

According to an update from Civil Human Rights Front, the first contingent of the march arrived near the police station at Wan Chai around 3:30 p.m. local time.



UPDATE: June 16, 3:00 p.m. HKT

June 16 March Gets Underway Early in Hong Kong Because of Large Crowd

Scene from Hong Kong as march calling for the withdrawal of the evil extradition bill begins ahead of schedule June 16, 2019. (Li Yi/The Epoch Times)

According to Hong Kong media, the Withdraw Evil Extradition Bill march has officially started, with organizers giving the green light at 2:45 p.m. local time.

It started 15 minutes earlier than the original schedule due to the large crowd size.

Protesters gathering at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Sun Qingtian/The Epoch Times)

Protesters gather at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Li Yi/The Epoch Times)

Protesters at Hennessy Road in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

Singers Denise Ho and Anthony Wong Yiu Ming were among those spotted at the march which starts at Victoria Park.



UPDATE: June 16, 2:20 p.m. HKT

Protesters Flood Into Victoria Park Ahead of March to Scrap Evil Extradition Bill

Protesters, most of them dressed in black, are flooding into Victoria Park and the citys metro stations ahead of the march that is set to begin at 3 p.m. local time.

Protesters arrive at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Lin Yi/The Epoch Times)

Protesters are seen at Hong Kongs Central Station on June 16, 2017. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

Hong Kong media RTHK reported that crowd control is in place at local metro stations, and some of the metro trains might not stop at Tin Hau Station, which is about 6-minutes walking distance from Victoria Park.

Many protesters also stopped by Pacific Place Mall where earlier, a 35-year-old man wearing a yellow raincoat, dubbed Raincoat boy, fell off the scaffolding from which he had unfurled a banner calling for the complete withdrawal of the extradition bill and for Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam to step down.

Protesters pay tribute at the Pacific Place Mall where a protester died from falling off scaffolding on June 16, 2019. (Sun Qingtian/The Epoch Times)



UPDATE: June 16, 12:39 p.m. HKT

Yellow Banner Makes Brief But Striking Appearance on Hong Kongs Iconic Lion Rock

Yellow banner with the Chinese characters Defend Hong Kong seen hanging from Lion Rock above Kowloon, Hong Kong, on June 16, 2019. (Zhang Xiaohong/The Epoch Times)

A symbolic image reminiscent of the days during the 2014 Umbrella Movement is making a reappearance in Hong Kong.

A long yellow banner with the words Defend Hong Kong in Chinese and Fight for HK in English was hung from Lion Rock in Kowloon, Hong Kong, on the morning on June 16.

Lion Rock, standing at 495 meters above Kowloon, has the shape of a crouching tiger. It is the most iconic peak in Hong Kong.

It is not known who is responsible for putting up the yellow banner, but it is to show support for the ongoing protests in Hong Kong against an extradition bill introduced by the legislatures pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam.

In 2014, protesters calling for universal suffrage for Hong Kongers camped out on the streets of the citys main business district in Central for almost 3 months. At that time, yellow banners with the words I want real universal suffrage in Chinese were also hung from Lion Rock.

Hong Kong media reported that local firefighters were called to remove the yellow banner from Lion Rock at around noon on June 16.

Public broadcaster RTHK also reported that a smaller Defend Hong Kong banner had been hung from a hillside in Quarry Bay.



UPDATE: June 16, 9:30 a.m. HKT

March in Hong Kong To Begin at 2:30 PM Local Time

Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), the organizer of the June 9 march that drew 1.03 million people, is set to hold another march in protest against the Hong Kong governments extradition bill on March 16, despite debate on the bill being indefinitely suspended.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam made the announcement to suspend the bill in a press conference on June 15. However, CHRF said on its Facebook page that its demand has long been for Lam to withdraw the billnot just suspend it.

CHRF also condemned Lams failure to address police violence against protesters who had gathered around government buildings in Admiralty on June 12 during the press conference.

The government bill was scheduled to enter the pro-Beijing majority legislative council for debate on June 12, without wider consultations.

According to the CHRFs Facebook page, the June 16 march will begin at 2:30 p.m. local time, starting from Victoria Park and ending at Tim Mei Avenue in Admiralty.

Jimmy Sham, a CHRF convenor, said it had received a letter of no objection from police regarding the March, according to Hong Kong public radio broadcaster RTHK.

However, Sham added that the police rejected CHRFs proposals for two additional routes for the march. It is not known where these routes were planned to begin and end.

The march will be broadcasted live by the Hong Kong bureau of The Epoch Times and its sister media New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD).

NTD will host the live stream on its website and YouTube channel NTDChinese. The Epoch Times will broadcast live from its Chinese-language website and Facebook page.



UPDATE: June 16, 8:26 a.m. HKT

Hong Kong Protester Dies After Unfurling Banner on Side of Building

A person stands on a scaffolding surrounding the Pacific Place complex next to a banner related to the protests against the proposed extradition bill, in Hong Kong, on June 15, 2019. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

A man has died after unfurling a banner protesting the proposed extradition laws from the side of a shopping mall, local media reports.

According to Hong Kong media Apple Daily, on the afternoon of June 14, a 35-year-old man wearing a yellow raincoat climbed up the scaffolding at Pacific Place mall and unfurled a banner calling for the complete withdrawal of the extradition bill and for Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam to step down. Written on the back of his raincoat was Carrie Lam Kills Hong Kong.

Less than an hour earlier, Lam announced that she was suspended the bill indefinitely, but refused to completely withdraw the controversial legislation. Critics, however, have called for her to scrap the legislation entirely and resign.

The extradition bill, which would allow people in Hong Kong to be transferred to mainland China for trial, has sparked mass protests over the last week, with opponents saying the measure would further erode the citys autonomy and jeopardize its status as a leading financial hub.

Meanwhile, lawmaker Roy Kwong and other protesters had gathered on the street below, out of concern that the man was going to jump, Hong Kong Free Press reported, with some singing Sing Hallelujah To The Lord and shouting Go back inside, keep holding on.

According to Apple Daily, the man refused to engage with police negotiators.

At around 9:00 p.m., the man suddenly climbed over the scaffolding and fell about 65 feet onto the sidewalk after firefighters failed to hold him, Apple Daily reported. He died after being rushed to hospital.

Flowers and mourning notes are left where a man in yellow raincoat fell to death after putting on #AntiExtraditionBill banners atop Pacific Place Mall in Admiralty on Sat nite. Reverend Chu Yiu-ming arrived after midnight to lay a flower. pic.twitter.com/LFvaqbNpuc  Xinqi Su (@XScmp) June 15, 2019

Mourners have since laid flowers and notes at the scene in remembrance of the man.

If you or someone you know is showing signs that they might be considering suicide, the suicide prevention hotline is available 24-7 for those in Hong Kong at 2382 0000. For urgent assistance, call 999.

Those in the United States can call 800-273-TALK or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Texts can also be sent to The Crisis Text Line at 741 741.Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May walks out of 10 Downing street in London on June 17, 2019. (Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images)

British PM Addresses Hong Kong Protests with Chinese Official During Meeting

UPDATE: June 18, 07:28 a.m. HKT

British Prime Minister Theresa May discussed the ongoing protests in Hong Kong against a controversial extradition bill while meeting with Chinese vice premier Hu Chunhua in the United Kingdom on June 17, Reuters reported.

The prime minister raised the recent protests in Hong Kong, stressing the need to respect the rights and freedoms set out in the legally binding Sino-British joint declaration, Mays spokesman said.

China and Britain signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration as an international bilateral treaty in 1984. Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under the Declaration. Its autonomy and essential freedoms are guaranteed by the treaty until at least 2047.

Last weeks protests in Hong Kong were a clear sign of public opposition to the proposed changes, and were pleased the Hong Kong government has heeded their concerns, Mays spokesman said on Monday.

Despite Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announcing over the weekend that the bill would be suspended indefinitely, public resentment continued to mount, with protesters returning to the streets on June 17, to demand the bills full retraction and Lam to step down.



UPDATE: June 17, 07:10 p.m. HKT

Thousands of protesters gathered near the Hong Kong government headquarters and the Legislative Council (LegCo) in the evening of June 17, Hong Kong media RTHK reported, demanding to meet with leader Carrie Lam.

These same protesters were initially at Harcourt Road in the morning of June 17, before moving to areas near LegCo and Tamar Park, which is right next to the council building.

Later, they marched to the Office of the Chief Executive, which is located at Tim Wa Avenue.

According to RTHK, they demanded that Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam meet with them personally. They also chanted slogans calling for the resignation of security minister John Lee and police chief Stephen Lo.

In a separate RTHK report, the protesters were led by pan-democratic lawmakers Au Nok-hin and Eddie Chu. They demanded that Lam withdraw the extradition bill and take back her previous remarks on how the protests on June 12 were organized riots.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong lawmaker Pierre Chan said he had obtained evidence that local police officers could access patient information at public hospitals through a backdoor without the need for a password, according to RTHK.

The patient information includes ID card numbers, names, and phone numbers.

The doctors and nurses in the accident and emergency departments tried to find out why the patients attending A&E got caught. And we didnt understand. And thats why they tried to figure it out. And accidentally they found this link, found this backdoor, Chan said.

A few protesters have been arrested by the police at the hospital.

Chan demanded that Hong Kong authorities stop using the link, while urging hospital staff not to write down on their medical reports that the patients might be injured because of taking part in a protest.

Protesters at Lung Wo Road, which is next to the Office of the Chief Executive, in Hong Kong on June 17, 2019. (Hu Zhong-han/The Epoch Times)

Protesters at Lung Wo Road, which is next to the Office of the Chief Executive, in Hong Kong on June 17, 2019. (Hu Zhong-han/The Epoch Times)



UPDATE: June 17, 05:13 p.m. HKT

Protests in Hong Kong Continue a Day After 2 Million Take to Streets

Around 250 social workers took part in a protest organized by the Hong Kong Social Workers General Union (HKSWGU) in Wan Chai on June 17, according to Hong Kong outlet RTHK.

The protest was one of the rallies held in support of the call by the Civil Human Rights Fronts to halt work, classes, and markets, together known as three suspensions.

Labour Party lawmaker Fernando Cheung also took part in the Wan Chai rally, which called on Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to withdraw the proposed extradition bill.

The debate of the bill has been suspended following Lams press conference on June 15.

Cheung added that workers from the welfare sector would continue to boycott their jobs if local police again resorted to the use of force to disperse protesters.

Hong Kong political party Reclaiming Social Work Movement (RSWM) also took part in the rally in Wan Chai. According to RTHK, members of the party have been patrolling outside the Hong Kong government headquarters, assisting people who are stopped and searched by the police.

We heard on the news that when some young people were stopped and searched, its quite different from the usual practice of the police. We worry that the rights of those young people are being harmed, the groups spokesperson Lemon Fok said.

At Citic Tower, which is right across from Hong Kongs Legislative Council (LegCo), people took part in a rally held by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions. The rally was also part of the three suspensions.

Prior to the beginning of the rally at Citic Tower, people held a moment of silence for a protester who died on June 15 after falling off scaffolding while putting up a banner at the side of a shopping mall in Admiralty.



UPDATE: June 17, 11:46 a.m. HKT

Hong Kong Activist Joshua Wong Vows to Join Extradition Bill Protest After Ending Prison Term

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong walked out of prison in Hong Kong on the morning of June 17, having served roughly a month of his two-month sentence for his role in the 2014 Umbrella Movement. It is not unusual for prisoners to be released early for good behavior, according to local media.

Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong (C) leaves Lai Chi Kok Correctional Institute in Hong Kong on June 17, 2019. (ISAAC LAWRENCE/AFP/Getty Images)

I will join the fight against the evil law, Wong told media gathered outside Lai Chi Kok Correctional Institute where he served his sentence. I believe this is the time for her, [Hong Kong leader] Carrie Lam, the liar, to step down.

In 2014, protesters calling for universal suffrage camped out on the streets of Hong Kongs main business district in Central for almost 3 months. The movement ended without the protesters demands being met, while several of its main organizers were eventually jailed, including Wong.

Members of Hong Kong political party Demosisto greeted Wong by chanting Oppose China extradition! Oppose the evil law, according to Time. Wong is currently Demosistos secretary general.

Hello world and hello freedom. I have just been released from prison. GO HONG KONG!! Withdraw the extradition bill. Carrie Lam step down. Drop all political prosecutions!  Joshua Wong  (@joshuawongcf) June 17, 2019

Currently, debate of the extradition bill has been suspended indefinitely, following an announcement by Lam in a press conference on June 15. Protesters want Lam to withdraw the bill completely out of concern that any form of extradition with the communist mainland would erode rule of law in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong (centre R) speaks to the media after leaving Lai Chi Kok Correctional Institute in Hong Kong on June 17, 2019. (ISAAC LAWRENCE/AFP/Getty Images)



UPDATE: June 17, 9:17 a.m. HKT

Three Suspensions Rally Gets Underway in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, the protest against the governments controversial extradition bill continues a day after around 2 million people joined a march to show their discontent at the leadership of Chief Executive Carrie Lam. It was the largest protest in the city ever.

According to the official Facebook page of Civil Human Rights Front, the organizer of two recent marches on June 9 and June 16, three separate rallies will be held throughout the day on June 17, in a call to encourage people to halt work, classes, and markets to demand a full withdrawal of the bill.

From 8 to 9 a.m. local time, the Hong Kong Social Workers General Union (HKSWGU) held a rally at the basketball courts at Lockhart Road Playground.

On its Facebook page, HKSWGU wrote that it has chosen to support the three suspensions because Lam continued to be oblivious to the demands of Hong Kongers, while defaming protesters as rioters. It stated that its rally would safeguard both Hong Kong and local youth.

Beginning at 11 a.m. local time, the political party Demosisto will stage a rally at Edinburgh Place, a public square in Central. On its Facebook page, the party called on students from secondary schools to boycott class and join the rally.

The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions HKCTU, an independent union representing over 190,000 members in sectors such as construction, retail, education, social welfare, and property management, has called for another rally from 2 to 4:30 p.m. local time outside of the Citic Tower on Lung Wui Road.

HKCTU called on both employers and employees to join the rally.



UPDATE: June 17, 3:22 a.m. HKT

Nearly 2 Million March Against Extradition Bill in Hong Kongs Largest Ever Protest, Organizers Say

Unsatisfied with the governments suspension of the controversial extradition bill, an estimated 2 million Hong Kongers took the streets on Sunday, June 16, to demand the bills full retraction and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lams resignation. (Gang Yu/The Epoch Times)

Nearly two million Hong Kong people joined a parade on June 16 to demand the government scrap a contentious extradition bill and the resignation of the citys leader, according to organizers.

Human Rights Civil Front (HRCF) announced around 11 p.m. local time on June 16 that the Black March during the day drew nearly two million citizens, making it the largest ever demonstration in the citys history.

This would mean that almost 30 percent of the citys population attended the rally.

Hong Kong police, meanwhile, said there was 338,000 on the designated protest route during the parades peak.

Unsatisfied with the governments suspension of the controversial extradition bill, an estimated nearly 2 million Hong Kongers took the streets on Sunday, June 16, to demand the bills full retraction and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lams resignation. (Gang Yu/The Epoch Times)

Unsatisfied with the governments suspension of the controversial extradition bill, an estimated nearly 2 million Hong Kongers took the streets on Sunday, June 16, to demand the bills full retraction and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lams resignation. (Gang Yu/The Epoch Times)

Last weeks mass march on June 6 against the bill saw 1.03 million people taking to the streets, according to HRCF. This weeks turnout nearly doubled the previous protest.

On June 15, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced the extradition bill would be suspended indefinitely, but not withdrawn entirely. She also defended the police use of tear gas and rubber bullets during the mass protest on June 16, which resulted in over 80 civilian injuries.

Opponents of the bill, unsatisfied with the decision and dismayed at Lams failure to address public concerns, continued to push for the bills full retraction and Lams resignation.

Protesters hold a banner saying Stay Steadfast, Hong Kong at a June 16 parade in Hong Kong to demand the full retraction of the controversial extradition bill. (Gang Yu/The Epoch Times)

After an unexpectedly large crowd of protesters poured onto the streets and converged outside the citys Legislative Council, Lam had made a rare public apology on Sunday, saying she will accept criticism for the controversial extradition bill.

HRCF continues to condemn the lack of actions by Lams administration, saying in a statement on Sunday night that Lams promise to continue serving the citizens is a total insult and an attempt to [fool] the people who took to the street.

Unsatisfied with the governments suspension of the controversial extradition bill, an estimated nearly 2 million Hong Kongers took the streets on Sunday, June 16, to demand the bills full retraction and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lams resignation. (Gang Yu/The Epoch Times)

Black-clad protestors took the streets on June 16 to demand the extradition bills full retraction and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lams resignation. The banners read Students Are Not Rioters, Carrie Lam Step Down and No Retreat without Retraction. (Gang Yu/The Epoch Times)

HRCF also announced another three suspensions rally slated for June 17, encouraging people to halt work, classes, and markets to demand a full withdrawal of the bill.

HRCF also called for the release of arrested protesters, for police and Lam to retract their description of the June 12 protest as a riot, and for Lams resignation.

Should the government refuse to respond, only more Hong Kongers will strike tomorrow, HRCF wrote in the statement. 2 million + 1 citizens will take to the street, until their voices are heard.U.S. Army Rangers dressed in the uniforms of U.S. Army Rangers from World War II scale the cliffs of La Pointe du Hoc in a re-enactment of the D-Day assault on June 05, 2019 near Cricqueville-en-Bessin, France. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Make Rules of Ranging Your Rules for Business: Part 1

In 1757, in the middle of the French and Indian War, Major Robert Rogers composed a list of 28 rules intended to serve as operational guidelines for his legendary and groundbreaking light infantry force, the original special operations unit known as Rogers Rangers.

These Rules of Ranging were a hybrid combination of Native American combat techniques and his own blend of guerrilla warfare, revolutionary in their own time and still a foundational element in special operations units such as the U.S. Armys 75th Ranger Regiment.

This list of combat-proven knowledge isnt just applicable to the battlefield. In this series, we will explore how you can adapt these strategies into your daily business life.

Rule 1: All Rangers are subject to the rules of war

Or Never compromise your integrity.

No matter what the latest repackaged Art of War is screaming at you from the business category on Amazon, your office job is not the same as warfighting. So Im not going to insult you by implying that the Rules of War are directly translatable to what it is you do from 9 to 5. However, there are rules that apply to you in your industry, whether they are regulatory or ethical.

The legal rules tend to be pretty black and white; its your companys code of conduct and your own internal moral compass that are often more complicated to apply evenly across the spectrum of what youre doing on any given day.

Its important to say that the rules of war arent disposed of when you find yourself going to war with an enemy that doesnt follow them; what sets you apart from those types of opponents is an unwillingness to compromise your values in order to sink to their level. You must make this your everyday practice when it comes to both laws and regulations, as well as your own moral code.

Leaders need to be able to lead with authority, and nothing inspires more loyalty than being a leader who has a highly visible adherence to a moral code. You cant expect more of your team than you demand of yourself. You may think theyre not paying attention to the small things when you find a quick and harmless shortcut, but rest assured that over a long enough timeline, they will. When that happens, ambiguity will spread like a cancer and rot your organization from the inside.

Rule 2: In a small group, march in single file with enough space between so that one shot cant pass through one man and kill a second.

Or Diversify or die.

Success breeds fragility, as defined by professor Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book Antifragile. Its easy to see a positive trend and fall in right behind it, following what appears to be a positive path that can only stretch forward to further success. Soon, we may align all of our assets into this column and become complacent with what is happening outside of our field of vision.

Never assume that the harvest of last year is due to you this year, and never get so comfortable that you become complacent. Theres a reason why advice like never putting all your eggs in one basket is timeless: When you allow success to make you susceptible to catastrophe, you have written the story of your own defeat in the blood of those who look to you for leadership.

If your entire business balances on one client, youre completely and utterly susceptible to the whims and budgets of that client. If you grow comfortable with your cash flow and neglect the new business pipeline, youre foolishly vulnerable to outside forces. This principle extends to your team members and the technology you use. Youre grouping your entire organization around a single element and, therefore, building a single point of failure into the framework and foundation of the organization. Youre hardcoding failure and fragility into everything you do.

Stop. Think. Spread out your personnel and forces. Dont allow a single bullet to take out your entire team.

Rule 3: Marching over soft ground should be done abreast, making tracking difficult. At night, keep half your force awake while half sleeps.

Or Operational security, at all times.

One of the most shocking things for me entering the corporate world after serving on several Special Forces teams was how lax many organizations in highly competitive industries were with information about their operations.

It doesnt take industrial espionage to sabotage a company, just poor operation security. In World War II, the posters warned us that Loose Lips Sink Ships and thats just as true today as it was then.

Operational Security, or OPSEC as we called it in the military, should be a part of your organizational culture, from the bottom to the top. Simple things such as reminding people not to discuss projects or clients in the elevator or at lunch reduce the amount of exposure and risk of compromise for both yourself and your stakeholders. Its far less likely that nefarious agents or bad actors are going to give up sensitive information than the possibility youll be compromised by the careless and/or reckless behavior of your employees.

Chris Erickson is a combat veteran and former Green Beret, with extensive experience deployed to various locations across the world. He now works in the communications industry. You can follow him on Twitter @EricksonPrime

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Man Claims He Was Kicked Off Cruise After Calling Cruise Staffer an Idiot

A cruise ship passenger has claimed he was kicked off the boat and left to figure out how he was going to return home.

Robert and Esther Gaines said they were taking a Norwegian Cruise Lines trip last May. Robert Gains apparently had a disagreement with a crew member over reservations for one of the ships shows, NBC6 reported.

He said that he made reservations but his name wasnt on the list. When the worker didnt allow him inside, I said Listen you idiot, Im telling you right now that my family is in the show, he told the affiliate. Why are you keeping me out of the show?

Gaines added: 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, he said.

The incident didnt involve any physical altercation, he said. He also provided a statement to the company, according to the report.

Next, a security officer appeared at his cabin and told him that he would have to leave on the island of Tortola. The captain made the decision, he said.

Gaines told the NBC affiliate that he had to spend hundreds of dollars to get home.

A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Lines told Yahoo News: 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, the statement continued. Guests are advised of this in our Guest Conduct Policy, which is agreed to by all guests upon payment of the cruise fare. 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.

The statement ends with, Please know that we do not take the removal of guests from ships lightly.

Family Claims Carnival Wouldnt Let Man Off

A lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Miami, Florida, claiming that Carnival Cruise Line officials refused to let a passenger off a cruise ship to seek medical attention after a heart attack.

Jeffrey Eisenman was on the Carnival Sunshine with his wife and children when he suffered major heart attack in December 2018, the Miami Herald reported on June 12.

The Pennsylvania man died onboard while confined to the medical center of the Carnival Sunshine against his will, said a lawsuit filed by Ira Leesfield of Miamis Leesfield Scolaro, representing the family of Eisenman. His family was forced to watch on in horror at his mistreatment and decline into a gruesome death.

Carnival objected to the familys claims.

We are very sorry for the Eisenman familys loss, but the scenario that is alleged in the lawsuit is not accurate, Carnival told the Herald. Our onboard medical team followed all proper procedures to attend to a guest who became critically ill very quickly, including liaising with the local hospital which was not equipped to handle his condition. Mr. Eisenmans treatment plan and keeping him on the ship was formulated in consultation with his family.

The lawsuit also alleged that while the ship was docked in the Turks and Caicos islands, Eisenman began vomiting and felt pain in his chest and left arm. A doctor then saw him, and said he had a major heart attack, the report said.A carpet shoe, usually worn by smugglers and illegal aliens, is caught in the concertina wire on the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Sierra Vista, Ariz., on May 8, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Mexico Detains Nearly 800 Illegal Immigrants, Government Says

Mexicos government said it detained almost 800 illegal immigrants who were crammed in four trucks in eastern Mexico on June 15, one of the highest numbers detained by the country in recent months, following promises to step up efforts to curb illegal immigration.

In a statement, Mexicos National Migration Institute said it detained 791 illegal immigrants who were discovered in trucks that were stopped in the eastern state of Veracruz. The institute is a government agency tasked with controlling and supervising migration in Mexico.

The announcement confirmed earlier reports that such a mass apprehension had occurred.

The detentions come just a day after the United States said it had doubled the number of asylum-seekers it sends back each day to Mexico from El Paso, Texas, according to a Mexican immigration official. The jump was the first major sign of action after a deal between the two countries to avoid punitive U.S. tariffs on Mexican goods.

Luis Carlos Cano, a spokesman for Mexicos national immigration agency in Ciudad Juarez, said that starting June 13, some 200 asylum-seekers per day were being returned to Mexico, up from 100 previously. The expansion of the Remain in Mexico program, reached in a June 7 deal, sends asylum-seekers to await the outcome of their U.S. asylum claims in Mexico.

The program currently operates in Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ciudad Juarez. Close to 12,000 people have been returned to Mexico since it began in January.

The United States has been dealing with a rising influx of illegal immigrants, most of whom are traveling through Mexico from Central America. Trump said previously that Mexico hasnt done enough to curb the flow of illegal immigrants on their side of the border.

Trump commented on June 11 on the recent efforts by Mexico to stem the flow of illegal immigration in a June 11 post on Twitter.

Sad when you think about it, but Mexico right now is doing more for the United States at the Border than the Democrats in Congress! he said.

Sad when you think about it, but Mexico right now is doing more for the United States at the Border than the Democrats in Congress! @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2019

U.S. Border Patrol has apprehended almost 600,000 illegal aliens on the southern border this fiscal year, according to the latest Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.

Meanwhile, a day before the mass detention, the president of the National Migration Institute, Tonatiuh Guillen Lopez, submitted his resignation. A brief statement posted on Twitter by the agency didnt give a reason for the resignation. He was replaced by Francisco Garduno, who had previously served as the head of Mexicos prison system.

The June 7 deal between the two countries averted U.S. tariffs, and started the clock on a 45-day period for the Mexican government to make palpable progress in reducing the number of people trying to cross the U.S. border illegally.

Trump previously said he would impose tariffs of at least 5 percent on all Mexican goods sold to the United States if Mexicos government doesnt do more. The president, who made reducing illegal immigration one of his signature policy pledges, said that the tariffs would rise to as high as 25 percent if no action was taken.

U.S. border officials reported the apprehension of more than 132,000 illegal immigrants crossing from Mexico into the United States in the month of May alone. That figure marked yet another increase over the previous month, and is the highest monthly level since 2006.

If enforcement measures arent successful after 45 days, Mexico has also agreed to consider making itself a safe third country. Asylum-seekers who first set foot on Mexican soil would have to apply for refugee status in Mexico instead of in the United States.

Trump also said on June 14 that former Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting Director Thomas Homan will return to his administration to serve as the new border czar.

Reuters contributed to this report.Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaking during a press briefing at the White House in Washington on March 11, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty)

Mike Huckabee Defends Daughter Sarah Sanders Against David Axelrods Scathing Rebuke

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee hit back at David AxelrodCNN analyst and one-time adviser to former President Barack Obamafor his scathing critique of Huckabees daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

The former governor appeared on Fox Newss The Story with Martha MacCallum on Friday, June 14, where he was asked for his thoughts on Axelrods attack on the former White House Press Secretary.

Axelrod spoke to CNNs Anderson Cooper on Thursday, where he compared Sanderss function as President Donald Trumps press secretary to being a fire marshal for a pyromaniac.

The CNN contributor further suggested Sanders was a liar, and claimed she chose loyalty to the president over the truth.

Huckabee delivered a firm but polite rebuke to these comments, saying, Im a little surprised that this came out of Axelrod. Hes a better person than that. He knows better. And Im really shocked and surprised that he would go there to that degree.

Huckabee further said when people criticize his daughter, it shows their visceral opposition to Trump, rather than objective reflection on her performance or character.

Well, the truth is: people that dont like Donald Trump dont like my daughter.

And its not that they dont like herbecause most of them dont even know herthey just dont like President Trump. And thats unfortunate because a lot of us do like him and were grateful for what hes doing.

Huckabee said he was taken aback by Axelrods attitude. He said commentators had projected their negative emotions onto the presidents entourage.

The former governor said in his opinion, Axelrods attitudeand those like himis unfortunate.

Im really shocked and surprised that he would go there to that degree. But again hes a CNN contributor. What is he going to do? They pay people to hate President Trump. Thats what they pay them to do, so I guess he earned his paycheck on that particular segment.

Sanders Gives Emotional Farewell Speech

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders gave an emotional farewell speech on June 13 after President Donald Trump announced she would be departing his administration.

Speaking in the East Room on Thursday evening about an initiative to help former inmates find jobs, Trump thanked Sanders for her service, and called her a great magnificent person.

I just saw her in the room and I really wanted to call her up. Shes a special person, a very, very fine woman. She has been so great. She has such heart. Shes strong but with great, great heart. And I want to thank you for an outstanding job, Trump said.

President Donald Trump speaks about White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders during an event about second-chance hiring, in the East Room of the White House in Washington on June 13, 2019. Sanders is leaving her position at the end of the month. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Sanders, who will be moving to her home state of Arkansas with her family, gave the speech after the president invited her to say a few words.

Ill try not to get emotional because I know cry can make us look weak sometimes, right? Sanders said to a room full of people. This has been an 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, Sanders added.

Its one of the greatest jobs I could ever have. Ive loved every minute. Even the hard minutes, I have loved it.

Sanders said that she was leaving the job to spend more time with her children.

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. The only one I can think of that might top it just a little bit is the fact that Im a mom. I have three amazing kids and Im going to spend a little more time with them.

I am blessed and forever grateful to @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to serve and proud of everything hes accomplished. I love the President and my job. The most important job Ill ever have is being a mom to my kids and its time for us to go home. Thank you Mr. President! https://t.co/wHNnq06AMg  Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) June 13, 2019

Trump wrote in his announcement that Sanders should run for governor of Arkansas, a theme he returned to on Thursday.

I dont know  if we can get her to run for the governor of Arkansas, I think shell do very well. And Im trying to get her to do that, he said.

The question of who will succeed Sanders in the role of White House Press Secretary is still to be determined.

Several names that have been thrown around in media reports include former White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci and Stephanie Grisham, Communications Director for first lady Melania Trump.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.The bodies of a missing Oregon woman and her son were found in a remote area. (Screenshot/Google Maps)

Missing Oregon Woman, 3-Year-Old Son Found Dead in Remote Area: Reports

The bodies of a missing Oregon woman and her son were found in a remote area in Yamhill County.

Karissa Fretwell, 25, and her 3-year-old son William Billy Fretwell were reported missing in May, according to KPTV.

Family members said that they hadnt heard from them since May 13.

Bodies of missing Salem mother, son found in remote area of Yamhill County. https://t.co/bqY91HhyqM pic.twitter.com/av96cvNqVq  FOX 12 Oregon KPTV (@fox12oregon) June 16, 2019

Detectives led searchers to a remote area in Yamhill County, which is about 10 miles west of Yamhill, located in central Oregon, about 50 miles west-southwest of Portland.

On June 16, the bodies were identified as Billy and Karissa Fretwell, the report said.

Karissa was found with a single gunshot wound, and officials said her death was a homicide.

Karissa Fretwell: What we know about the kidnapping, double-murder case https://t.co/nMIv2lnzxK pic.twitter.com/DdUW3uOOSu  The Oregonian (@Oregonian) June 1, 2019

Billys cause of death has not yet been determined, and more testing needs to be done.

In May, 52-year-old Michael John Wolfe was charged with two counts of aggravated murder and two counts of kidnapping in connection with the case. Wolfe is the boys biological father.

Everybody involved in this case continues to hope for a safe return for Karissa and William, Salem Police Department Lt. Treven Upkes said last month after the charges were announced, reported People magazine.

Married Oregon man accused of murder had son with missing woman https://t.co/BEbpNPihwW pic.twitter.com/fqerTSlAVR  New York Post (@nypost) May 27, 2019

Family members had told investigators that Fretwell recently went to court over a dispute with Wolfe, reported The Oregonian. KATU2 reported that a Yamhill County judge ruled that Wolfe should pay nearly $1,000 per month in child support to Fretwell.

Megan Harper, one of Fretwells friends, spoke about the custody battle.

My first thought when she first went missing was that hed done something, she told KATU2, adding that at one point, Wolfe wanted to gain custody of the boy.

That was her fear, him taking her child away, said Harper.

Wolfe then began sending unusual messages to her.

There were all of these warning signs. Like, he would send her creepy things in the mail, Harper told the station.

The sheriffs office added that an investigation into the case is ongoing, and those with relevant information should call the Salem Police Department or leave information on the tip line at 503-588-6050.

Other details about the case are not clear.

Missing Children

There were424,066 missing children reported in the FBIs National Crime Information Center in 2018, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Under federal law, when a child is reported missing to law enforcement, they must be entered into the database. in 2017 there were 464,324 entries.

Reve Walsh and John Walsh speak during The National Center For Missing And Exploited Children, the Fraternal Order of the Police and the Justice Departments 16th Annual Congressional Breakfast at The Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel in Washington on May 18, 2011. (Kris Connor/Getty Images)

This number represents reports of missing children. That means if a child runs away multiple times in a year, each instance would be entered into NCIC separately and counted in the yearly total. Likewise, if an entry is withdrawn and amended or updated, that would also be reflected in the total, the center noted.

In 2018, the center said it assisted officers and families with the cases of more than 25,000 missing children. In those cases, 92 percent were endangered runaways, and 4 percent were abductions.

About one in seven children reported missing to the center in 2018 were likely victims of child sex trafficking.

The number of reported missing children has significantly decreased in recent years, according to a 2017 report by the Department of Justice. The number of children reported missing dropped from 6.5 per 1,000 children in 1999 to 3.1 per 1,000 in 2013.

Missing children typically fall into five categories: kidnapped by a family member, abducted by a non-family perpetrator, runaways, those who got lost, stranded, or injured, or those who went missing due to benign reasons, such as misunderstandings, according to the report researchers.About 2 million Hong Kongers parade on June 16 to ask Carrie Lam government to withdraw the extradition bill. (Gang Yu/The Epoch Times)

Nearly 2 Million Protest Hong Kong Extradition Bill, Call for Lam to Resign

Nearly 2 million Hong Kongers dressed in black flooded the citys streets on June 16, calling for the government to withdraw a controversial extradition bill and for the citys leader to resign.

The march was the largest demonstration in the citys history, according to organizers, who said almost 2 million people attendedrepresenting almost 29 percent of the population.

Police, however, said the demonstration reached 338,000 at its peak.

The peaceful demonstration came one week after 1.03 million marched against the proposed legislation that would allow people to be transferred to mainland China for trial, and days after police clashed with protesters outside the citys legislature, leaving at least 80 civilians injured.

Hong Kongs leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, apologized on the night of June 16, saying she would accept criticism for the handling of the draft law. Lam, however, didnt respond to protesters demands that the bill be withdrawn or that she resign.

Earlier on June 15, Lam announced the bill would be suspended indefinitelybut not withdrawnin a dramatic about-face amid growing calls by opponents for her to step down.

About 2 million Hong Kongers parade on June 16 to ask Carrie Lam government to withdraw the extradition bill. (Gang Yu/The Epoch Times)

Apology Rejected

Lams June 16 statement marked the first time the government has apologized for its actions.

The chief executive admits that large-scale confrontation and conflict took place in Hong Kong society due to the inadequacy of the governments work, causing many residents to be disappointed and saddened, the government said in a statement. The chief executive apologizes to the public, and promises that [she] will accept criticism in the most sincere and humble way.

Opponents of the bill, however, werent satisfied with the apology.

People will not accept it [unless] there is a clear withdrawal of the bill, pro-democracy lawmaker Au Nok-hin told the Hong Kong Free Press.

Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), the parades organizer, in a Facebook post, rejected Lams apology, saying her promise to continue serving Hong Kongs citizens is a total insult and an attempt to [fool] the people who took to the street.

CHRF also announced another three suspensions rally for June 17, encouraging people to halt work, classes, and markets to demand a full withdrawal of the bill.

In addition, the group called for the release of arrested protesters, for police and Lam to retract their description of the June 12 protest as a riot, and for Lams resignation.

Should the government refuse to respond, only more Hong Kongers will strike tomorrow, HRCF wrote in the statement. 2 million + 1 citizens will take to the street, until their voices are heard.

About 2 million Hong Kongers parade on June 16 to ask Carrie Lam government to withdraw the extradition bill. (Gang Yu/The Epoch Times)

Calls for Lam to Step Down

The million-plus Hongkongers marched from Victoria Park to Admiralty, over 1.9 miles, in a parade that started at 3 p.m. local time and officially ended at around 11 p.m.

Some carried white carnation flowers and others held banners saying, Do not shoot, we are Hongkongeran appeal to police who fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters on June 12, injuring 81 people.

Protesters hold up Chinese signs that read Children Are Not Rioters during a march in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

The protesters formed a sea of black along roads, walkways, and train stations across Hong Kongs financial center to vent their frustration and anger at Lam.

Im too angry to speak because Carrie Lam didnt listen to us, 1 million Hongkongers, a protester surnamed Yau told the Hong Kong bureau of The Epoch Times, referring to the previous mass protest on June 9.

Yau, who attended the march with her husband and 6-year-old twin sons, said she was protesting in part for her children.

I dont want my children to have no freedom in Hong Kong. As a Hong Konger, I feel very distressed [about whats happening], she said.

Another protester surnamed Mak, who attended the rally with his wife and 14-year-old daughter, said his 20-year-old son was among the students who faced tear gas and rubber bullets from police on June 12.

Hong Kong is our hometown, and we take care of our home, Mak said. The extradition bill will impact our free speech. Without free speech, we lose our right to monitor [authorities], and Hong Kong will continue to sink.

In mainland China, people dont have protection because theres no rule of law, Maks wife added. The students efforts [during the protests] were not only for themselves, both for all Hongkongers.

One protester holds up a sign that reads Tyranny Is Never Invincible, in a reference to the Hong Kong government under leader Carrie Lam on June 16, 2019. Another protester holds up a sign in red, with the Chinese characters Children Are Not Rioters. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

Loud cheers rang out when activists called for Lams resignation and the cry step down echoed through the streets. Protesters also chanted pursue the black police, angry at the tactics used by police earlier in the week.

Earlier at a press conference on June 15, Lam sidestepped questions over whether she should quit.

When a reporter pointedly asked Lam why she wouldnt step down after the massive public protests and police violence, she 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.

International Response

The protests have plunged Hong Kong into political crisis, heaping pressure on Lams administration and her official backers in Beijing.

Opponents say the planned extradition law would allow people to be transferred to mainland China on trumped-up charges, given that the regime doesnt observe the rule of law. That, critics say, would threaten Hong Kongs autonomy and its reputation as an international financial hub.

The city was handed over to Chinese rule from UK control in 1997 under the express guarantee that it would retain its freedoms and autonomy, including freedom of speech, free press, and an independent judiciarya policy known as one country, two systems.

A youngster takes part in a march in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

Critics say that guarantee has gone unfulfilled, citing a range of developments indicating Beijings growing encroachment into the citys autonomy. These include Beijing being behind the disappearances of five Hong Kong-based booksellers who published literature critical of the Chinese communist leaders, the jailing of democracy activists, and opposition lawmakers being disqualified from public office.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said June 16 that President Donald Trump would raise the issue of Hong Kong human rights at a potential meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the G-20 summit in Japan later this month.

Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News Sunday that hes sure the protests would be among the issues that Trump and Xi will discuss.

Were watching the people of Hong Kong speak about the things they value, and well see what Lams decision is in the coming days and weeks, Pompeo said.

Protesters hold a large banner with the Chinese characters Retract the Evil Law in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, on June 16, 2019. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times)

Last week, U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation that would require the State Department to review each year whether Hong Kong should continue to receive special trading privileges currently granted to it under the U.S. Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992.

On the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which the Chinese regime claims as part of its territory, about 5,000 people rallied outside the parliament building in Taipei with banners saying No China extradition law and Taiwan supports Hong Kong.

Activist investor David Webb, in a newsletter on June 16, said if Lam was a stock, he would recommend shorting her, with a target price of zero.

Call it the Carrie trade. She has irrevocably lost the publics trust, Webb said. Her minders in Beijing, while expressing public support for now, have clearly lined her up for the chop.

Reuters contributed to this report.Officials: Father Shoots Daughter Over Installation of Baby Gate

A Washington state father is accused of shooting and killing his daughter following an argument over a baby barrier.

Wendell Wilson, 68, is accused of gunning down Lila Wilson, 38, on June 10 in their Renton home, Q13 Fox reported.

King County Prosecuting Attorneys said that the elder Wilson shot his daughter six times, near her 13-month-old son.

Wendall Wilson executed his adult daughter over a petty argument about the installation of [a] baby gate, prosecutors said in court documents.https://t.co/dm1p5rIppw  KOMO News (@komonews) June 14, 2019

According to court documents obtained by the news outlet, the father executed his adult daughter over a petty argument that ensued after the installation of a baby gate.

The suspect claimed the argument stemmed over whether the gate would fit inside the kitchen before the two argued and got crazy, The Seattle Times reported, citing Renton Police.

At 4:30 p.m., he reportedly called his ex-wife and told her he was gonna kill Lila before hanging up on her. Minutes later, he called her back to tell her that he shot her.

At the scene of the crime, Wilson told officers, I went and got my gun and I shot her, Q13 reported.

On the 911 call, Wilson told dispatchers, I need social services for a baby because I just killed her moth  the babys mother, according to KOMO News.

Dad executed daughter during petty argument about baby gate, prosecutors say https://t.co/ucGfz3WAqg pic.twitter.com/YmFjlmWD14  #Q13FOX (@Q13FOX) June 14, 2019

Officials said he didnt have a history of violent crime. However, prosecutors said his willingness to resort to lethal violence to settle a trivial dispute demonstrates the grave risk he presents to the community.

When an officer questioned Wilson about whether he intended to kill his daughter, KOMO reported that he replied, Yes. Later, he said he didnt know for sure and could have grabbed his gun to scare her.

According to Wendell, she was shouting at him and he told me, I just went and got the gun and shot her,' a detective wrote, the Seattle Times reported.

He is being held in lieu of $2 million bond for first-degree murder charges, KOMO News reported. His next court date is June 27.

Other details about the case are not clear.

Facts About Crime in the US

Violent crime in the United States has fallen sharply over the past 25 years, according to both the FBIs Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).

The rate of violent crimes fell by 49 percent between 1993 and 2017, according to the FBIs UCR, which only reflects crimes reported to the police.

The violent crime rate dropped by 74 percent between 1993 and 2017, according to the BJSs NCVS, which takes into account both crimes that have been reported to the police and those that have not.

Stock photo of a police car. (Shutterstock)

From 1993 to 2017, the rate of violent victimization declined 74 percent, from 79.8 to 20.6 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older, the U.S. Department of Justice stated.

Both studies are based on data up to and including 2017, the most recent year for which complete figures are available.

The FBI recently released preliminary data for 2018. According to the Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, January to June 2018, violent crime rates in the United States dropped by 4.3 percent compared to the same six-month period in 2017.Protesters dressed in black take part in a rally against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images)

Opposition Mounting Against Hong Kong Leader After Extradition Bill Suspended But Not Withdrawn

After debate of the governments controversial extradition bill was suspended by Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam in a press conference on June 15, many are voicing how Lam failed to address the concerns shared by many Hong Kongers over the legislation.

Former Hong Kong officials, including chief secretary Anson Chan and civil service chief Joseph Wong, said on June 15 that Lam should do more than merely indefinitely suspending the bill, according to Hong Kong media RTHK.

Chan said Lam should withdraw the bill to satisfy public demand. She said, It is clear that people do not want the threat of the bill hanging over their heads, nor do they trust her and her team to do the right thing.

Additionally, Chan criticized Lam for failing to address the excessive use of force by police against protesters on June 12.

Chan said that the Hong Kong leader should have tendered a sincere apology to the public in her public address for not listening to the people earlier.

Wong told local media that while the suspension was not enough, it was better late than never. He also urged Lam to set up a commission to investigate police actions against protesters on June 12.

Tens of thousands of Hong Kongers had gathered around government buildings on the morning of June 12 in an attempt to prevent the governments bill from being debated in the pro-Beijing majority Legislative Council (LegCo).

By 11 a.m., an announcement by pro-Beijing head of LegCo Andrew Leung made it clear that the protesters had succeeded in preventing LegCo from conveningfor the time being.

But a few hours later, Hong Kong police in riot gear made the decision to use pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, and bean bags in an attempt to remove protestors from the streets after tensions at police cordons of the LegCo building where some protesters had been charging the police line.

Reports indicate that at least 81 people, including 22 police, were injured, with their ages ranging from 15 to 66.

NGOs

UK-based NGO Hong Kong Watch, in a statement after Lams announcement, said it welcomed the decision, but urged the Hong Kong government to withdraw the bill completely. It also called for an independent inquiry into police actions on June 12.

We call for restraint by the police in response to continuing protests and urge the police to cease harassment and arrests of those who participated in demonstrations this week. We urge the Hong Kong government to exercise restraint in regard to any prosecutions, the statement read.

Hong Kong Watchs co-founder and Chair Benedict Rogers said: The police must not be allowed to behave with impunity. Reports of the police arresting or threatening people in hospitals and universities are deeply concerning and must cease.

Hong Kong police arrested two student protesters at the University of Hong Kong on June 13.

Defining the demonstrations as riots must be withdrawn, Rogers added.

Lam had called the protests organized riots on June 12.

Amnesty International Hong Kong also joined the calls for a complete withdrawal of the bill, director Tam Man-kei said in a Facebook post. Tam added that he found Lams failure to apologize for the polices actions against protestors unacceptable.

Tam backed calls for an independent commission to investigate police actions, including the use of tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters. He said that Amnesty has been proactively following United Nations protocols to follow up on the developments in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Organizations

In response to Lams June 15 suspension, three Hong Kong organizations have publicly urged Hong Kongers to participate in the June 16 march, scheduled to being at 2:30 p.m. local time.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), writing on its Facebook page, called on press members to join the rally to denounce violence and demand withdrawal of the Fugitive Transfer Bill.

HKJA had previously issued a statement condemning police for totally ignoring the safety of journalists and severely trampling on their right to reporting.

Yesterday, HKJA announced on its website that journalists were welcomed to get equipment that the association ordered, including industrial helmets, reflective vests, and 3M respirators.

The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU)an independent union representing over 190,000 members in sectors such as construction, retail, education, social welfare, and property managementsaid it will hold a rally beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 17, since Lam could still introduce the bill in LegCo at any time in the future, according to its Facebook page.

The planned HKCTU rally joins wider efforts on June 17 propelled by the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF). HKCTU announced on June 14 that it would support the CHRFs rally of three suspensions, boycotting classes and not going to work on the same day.

Hong Kong Professional Teachers Union (HKPTU), a social concern group with over 100,000 membersfrom kindergarteners to universitiescalled on its members to take part in both the June 16 march and June 17 rally, according to its Facebook page.

Aside from calling Lam to withdraw the bill, HKPTU said it has received complaints from teachers saying that the Hong Kong Education Bureau has been calling schools to enquire about how many of their teachers and students had taken part in the June 12 protests.

HKPTU condemned the bureau for putting pressure on schools and called it to stop such inquiries.People walk past a mural depicting British novelist George Orwell with the quote "Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear," in Belgrade, on May 8, 2018. (Oliver Bunic/AFP/Getty Images)

Orwell Explains How Socialists Alter Language to Alter History

News Analysis

George Orwell wrote that through alterating the past, and by portraying any remembered history as evil, socialist regimes could render classic texts such as the U.S. Declaration of Independence incomprehensible in their original context. People then would be incapable of understanding the original intentions behind them.

And as if to demonstrate how close todays society has come to what Orwell warned of, the Declaration of Independence has been framed just like this today. Under the new idea of hate speech, the censors at Facebook flagged the Declaration of Independence as containing offensive language.

To demonstrate the full scale of irony, lets look at what Orwell predicted in his novel 1984:

In practice this meant that no book written before approximately 1960 could be translated as a whole. Pre-revolutionary literature could only be subjected to ideological translationthat is, alteration in sense as well as language. Take for example the well-known passage from the Declaration of Independence.

Orwell then quotes the passage: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their powers from the consent of the governed.

With that statement, the Founding Fathers of the United States described truths they believed were self-evident: that the rights of menand equal opportunities in the worldare given to men by their divine creator. And that among these natural rights are the right to live, the right to liberty, and the right to pursue happiness.

The Founding Fathers state that men institute government to secure these natural rights and that government derives its power from the consent of those it governs. This concept, in and of itself, goes against the totalitarian trinity of socialism, fascism, and communism that took hold of the world in the 20th century.

Subverting Totalitarianism

Under modern totalitarian systems, the people are given their rights by the governmentnot the other way around. In these systems, there are no natural rights, and there is no creator beyond the halls of government; happiness is in money and immoral indulgence, rather than in virtue; and the average man is seen as too foolish to be given the freedoms of liberty.

Orwell saw this coming. His fictional totalitarian regime was specifically a socialist regime, with INGSOC being his acronym for English Socialism.

Orwell continues his quoting of the Declaration of Independence, noting the next line: That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to those ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government.

In other words, if a regime opposes the natural rights it describes, and goes against the idea that government arises from the consent of the governed, specifically to uphold these natural rights, then the people of that country have the right to alter or abolish that government, and build a new one.

With that idea in force, none of the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century could stand for long.

Newspeak

Understanding this, Orwell imagined how a socialist regime would deal with such subversive values. Orwells answer was the idea of a government-altered language and a warped system of values that could alter the way people interpret information. And this isnt purely fiction eitheras altering the way people interpret information is the goal of psychological warfare.

Orwell called this form of altered language and doctored method of perception Newspeak.

To illustrate how this system works, Orwell explained how it would be applied by socialism to alter how people interpret the Declaration of Independence. He said that with a document like this, the very concepts would have to be regarded as criminal, and a full translation could only be an ideological translation, whereby Jeffersons words would be changed into a panegyric on absolute government.

He explained that the phrase all men are created equal could be a sentence used by the regime, but it would change it to all mans [sic] are equal, and its meaning would be interpreted differently to express a palpable truth such as the idea that all men are of equal size, weight, or strength.

In the same way, in our modern systems, the meaning of all men are created equal has been changed. Some interpret it through the lens of identity politics, that alleged differences in equality between races should be resolved by government tyranny to manufacture equal outcomes. Rather than have an equal shot at life, the modern totalitarians believe equality should be enforced so that any effort leads to the same equal outcome.

This, of course, deviates from the idea that people are created equal by the divine, and that government should not inhibit the liberty, freedom, or pursuit of happiness of an individual or groupespecially not through mass social engineering that would categorize and regulate people by race.

BlackWhite

Others today try to discredit the Declaration of Independence altogether by attacking the legitimacy of the Founding Fathers and the system of government they created for the United States.

This is based in the idea of criticizing the past, often through a lens of perception that has been altered by socialist politics. The main tool used for this in modern socialist academics is critical theory, which teaches students to interpret all of history through the Marxist lens of the alleged struggle between the oppressor and the oppressed.

Under this Marxist lens, the Founding Fathers become the oppressed fighting against the oppressors in Britain, making them communist revolutionary figures in the eyes of people indoctrinated by this ideology. However, they also become oppressors because they held slaves, thereby discrediting any of their actions or claims in the eyes of people who use this system of logic. Through this system, the perceptions of the Founding Fathers can be used in different ways, as political interest demands.

Orwell also explained how this would work. He called this concept BlackWhite. He wrote, Like so many Newspeak words, this word has two mutually contradictory meanings. Applied to an enemy, it means the habit of impudently claiming that black is white, in contradiction of the plain facts, and when applied to a Party member, it means a loyal willingness to say that black is white when Party discipline demands this.

In other words, it means that people can say something is bad when it fits their ideological interest. And say the same thing is good when it fits their ideological interest. The perception of right and wrong is no longer based on a set system of values, but instead on whatever the socialist policy demands at that moment.

This concept is at the heart of todays double standards in socialist politicswhere something is good or excusable if done by their own camp, yet evil and worthy of constant attack if done by their opponents. Yet, as Orwell explained, its not a conscious system of double standards, but instead an internalized belief: It means also the ability to BELIEVE that black is white, and more, to KNOW that black is white, and to forget that one has ever believed the contrary.

DoubleThink

This demands a continuous alteration of the past, made possible by the system of thought which really embraces all the rest, and which is known in Newspeak as DOUBLETHINK, Orwell wrote.

And Orwell explained that altering how the past is perceived is an important part of socialist tyranny. Without real knowledge of the past, a person will tolerate his current conditions partly because he has no standards of comparison.

As a means of control under socialism, Orwell explained, the citizen must believe that he is better off than his ancestors and that the average level of material comfort is constantly rising,

Orwell wrote. But by far the more important reason for the readjustment of the past is the need to safeguard the infallibility of the Party.

The mutability of the past is the central tenet of Ingsoc, he wrote. Past events, it is argued, have no objective existence, but survive only in written records and in human memories. The past is whatever the records and the memories agree upon.

And since the Party is in full control of all records and in equally full control of the minds of its members, it follows that the past is whatever the Party chooses to make it.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Police Issues Warning to Dog Owners After Making Horrifying Discovery in Dog Park

The content is not available due to expiration.Indias recent national election delivered a historic victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist party, but also exposed the influence of money, power and questionable morality on the worlds largest democracy.

Nearly 43% of the new members of the lower house of Parliament that convenes Monday for the first time since the election won despite facing criminal charges. More than a quarter of those relate to rape, murder or attempted murder, according to a report by the civic group Association of Democratic Reforms.

The loophole that allows them to take office is that they have not been convicted  in part because the Indian legal system has a huge backlog of an estimated 30 million cases and trials often last decades. When asked about the charges against them, they invariably accuse a political rival of framing them.

Since such rivalries often lead to false accusations, the main political parties say it would be unfair to bar people from contesting elections unless they have been convicted by court.

Under existing laws, only those who have been sentenced to prison for two years or more can be barred from elections.

Members of Parliament with criminal backgrounds is not a new phenomenon in India, but despite Modis campaign vow in 2014 to clean up corruption and the influence of money in politics, the problem appears to be only growing worse.

In the 2004 national election, the percentage of candidates with pending criminal cases was 24%, which rose to 33% in 2009, 34% in 2014 and 43% this year, said Shahabuddin Y. Quraishi, a former chief election commissioner.

The Association of Democratic Reforms found that 116 of the 303 lawmakers from Modis Bharatiya Janata Party elected last month face criminal charges, including one for alleged terrorism.

Pragya Singh Thakur, who won a seat from Bhopal in central India, is awaiting trial in connection with a 2008 explosion in Malegaon in western India that killed seven people.

Twenty-nine of the opposition Congress partys 52 lawmakers face serious charges.

This trend has been growing in India, leaving no political party untouched. We need to educate voters not to elect these people, said Jagdeep S. Chhokar, ADRs founder.

What the Indian state has been unable to provide, strongmen promise to deliver to people in their area of influence, using gun and money power, said Lennin Rasghuvanshi, a coordinator with the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties.

Starting in the 1960s and 70s, some Indian politicians began turning to the criminal underworld for cash to win votes.

In due course, the criminals started thinking that these politicians were winning because of their money or crimes so why shouldnt they become lawmakers themselves? If they are people running from the police, they know that when they became lawmakers, the same police will protect them, Quraishi said.

In Uttar Pradesh state in northern Indian, former mafia don Mukhtar Ansari has been elected to the state assembly five times despite more than 40 criminal cases pending against him, including murder.

Another don-turned-politician, Hari Shankar Tiwari, also of Uttar Pradesh, has been a member of the legislative assembly for 23 years, even winning an election while being detained on murder charges.

During the campaign, Election Commission officials and government agencies seized mountains of cash, alcohol, gold and silver, saris and expensive watches in the offices of political parties that were intended as gifts in exchange for votes.

The total value of the seized goods was $500 million, including $120 million in cash  nearly three times what was found in the 2014 general election, according to the Election Commission.

Analysts say that political parties seem to prize electability over ethics.

They think that people with criminal backgrounds have more chances to win because of their money and muscle power, Qureshi said.

In the days of paper ballots before electronic voting machines were introduced, gangs would use brute force to take over polling stations to rig the vote.

One reason for the increasing number of criminal suspects going into politics is the sheer cost of elections. In the general election that concluded in May, political parties and candidates are estimated to have spent about $8.65 billion. Thats double the amount in the 2014 election, according to a report by the Center for Media Studies in New Delhi.

The report said the Bharatiya Janata Party was the biggest spender, accounting for about 45% of the total. The Congress party accounted for between 15% and 20%.

Analysts say a key cause of corruption is the way political parties are funded in India. Parties are permitted to receive foreign funds, any company can donate any amount of money to any political party, and any individual, group or company can donate money anonymously through electoral bonds.

Donors do not need to disclose the party they have donated to, nor does the party have to reveal the source of its money.

Quraishi is calling for more transparency in campaign funding as well as a cap on election spending.

The people want transparency, the donor wants secrecy. Whose wish should prevail? he said.

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Champaign, IL (61820)

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Cloudy with rain and snow this evening, becoming windy with snow showers overnight. Areas of freezing rain possible. Low 21F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain and snow this evening, becoming windy with snow showers overnight. Areas of freezing rain possible. Low 21F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.Iconic works on display at In Praise of Painting: Dutch Masterpieces

NEW YORKA few years back, I wrote about one of the royal British portrait painters who often referred to one of his greatest inspirations, 17th-century Dutch maestro Rembrandt van Rijn.

There are so many artists that go back to the great master, says Nadine Orenstein, The Metropolitan Museums Drue Heinz curator in charge of the department of drawings and prints.

Im not an artist, but am an admirer of classical works, so I wondered if I could understand why Rembrandt continues to inspire the worlds best painters, even today. I visited The Mets exhibit In Praise of Painting: Dutch Masterpieces, running through Oct. 4, 2020. It was the first time that I had seen a Rembrandt painting in the flesh, so to speak.

Aristotle With a Bust of Homer

The exhibition starts with Rembrandts Aristotle With a Bust of Homer, one of the real icons of the museum, says Adam Eaker in a phone interview. Hes the exhibition curator and assistant curator in the department of European paintings at The Met. When the museum acquired it at auction in 1961, he says, tens of thousands came to see its first installation, setting a record.

Its a masterpiece by Rembrandtthis towering figure [of Aristotle]but it also has very intimate qualities, Eaker says. Its a scene of this man lost in thought.

In the painting, fourth-century B.C. Greek philosopher Aristotle rests his hand on a bust of the poet Homer, as thoughtfully and caringly as one would place a hand on an aging parent. Aristotle shows trappings of success and fame, such as a gold chain with a medallion of his pupil Alexander the Great hanging on it.

Centuries before Aristotle, Homer had earned literary immortality with his works the Iliad and the Odyssey. Perhaps, Rembrandt is suggesting that Aristotle was seeking wisdom from his ancient predecessor for insights into his own life.

Rembrandt shows us that theres also an inner life beneath these trappings and a lot of questioning and even self-doubt, Eaker says.

Rembrandts exact perspective is unknown. Maybe Aristotle was weighing his cultural influence against Homers. Maybe Aristotle was wondering whether he had left the world and his pupil Alexander the Great with proper instruction and direction, or maybe he was wondering if these external accolades mean anything at all. I could imagine Rembrandt himself pondering these questions about his own legacy.

What is clearly illustrated, however, is that art is not simply a depiction of the subject matter. Art embodies whats not seenthe creator, the artist.

I think a Rembrandt is about the sitter, but its also always about Rembrandt. Its always about brushwork, craftsmanship, the artists vision, Eaker says.

Painting Imperfections

Especially with Rembrandts works, his paintings show not only his technical skill but also the masters invisible qualities: his personality, perspective, concerns, and character.

The 17th century was considered the Dutch Golden Age of painting, and while Rembrandt is now one of its central figures, he did break from artistic trends at the time. The title of the exhibition, In Praise of Painting, comes from a public lecture in 1641 given by a minor Dutch painter, Philips Angel, who was celebrating the illusionistic qualities of Dutch painting.

One of Eakers favorite examples of this illusionistic style, in the exhibition, is Margareta Havermans A Vase of Flowers. He says, You see drops of dew on the flowers. You see tiny little ants. The more that you look, the more detail you see.

The hyperdetailing, and smooth, idealistic lines create an illusionistic quality. Rembrandt didnt subscribe to this style and used larger, more noticeable, brushstrokes.

The Netherlands was a nation of traders, and the artists, including Rembrandt, were influenced by the Italian Renaissance since that periods original works, or reprints, did make their way north. Compositional elements can be seen in Rembrandts works that mimic painters such as Raphael, for example.

But Rembrandt also broke from the idealism depicted in the Renaissance era and portrayed subjects, including himself, with the imperfections he saw. Since photographs dont exist of the subjects, its impossible to tell if Rembrandt was, in fact, being realistic; but it at least appeared to be his intention.

Rembrandts self-portrait is a prime example illustrating his critical, realistic eye.

Rembrandt is building it up to an almost sculptural degree. He is pretty unsparing in conveying the signs of aging in his own face. You see heavy bags under his eyes, wrinkles, his graying curls, Eaker says.

But the self-portrait suggests more. Rembrandt desired authenticity and honesty; he wasnt afraid of his flaws. He sought universal truths with his tools of paint and brush. It might be one of the reasons Rembrandt stays relevant today.

By capturing humanity as he truly saw it, Rembrandt helps us see our own humanity. By seeing our good and bad, theres room for growth. Essentially, Rembrandts art becomes a vehicle for inner growthfor the individual he was painting, for the maestro himself, and for us today.

J.H. White is an arts, culture, and mens fashion journalist living in New York.Protesters attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Reuters/Tyrone Siu)

Sea of Black Hong Kong Protesters Demand Leader Step Down

HONG KONGHundreds of thousands of black-clad protesters in Hong Kong demanded on Sunday that the citys leader step down over her handling of a bill that would have allowed extradition to China and which sparked one of the most violent protests in decades.

Some carried white carnation flowers and others held banners saying, Do not shoot, we are HongKonger  an appeal to police who fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters on Wednesday, injuring more than 70 people.

The protesters formed a sea of black along roads, walkways and train stations across Hong Kongs financial center to vent their frustration and anger at Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam.

Its much bigger today. Many more people, said one protester who gave her name as Ms Wong. I came today because of what happened on Wednesday, with the police violence.

Protesters hold placards as they attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kongs leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Reuters/Tyrone Siu)

Loud cheers rang out when activists called through loud hailers for Lams resignation and the cry step down echoed through the streets. Protesters also chanted pursue the black police, angry at what they feel was an overreaction by police.

Beijing-backed Lam on June 15 indefinitely delayed an extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial, expressing deep sorrow and regret although she stopped short of apologizing.

It was a dramatic retreat by Lam, but for many opponents, a suspension of the bill was not enough and Sundays marchers called for it to be scrapped and Lam to go.

We want to pressure our government because (they) didnt respond to our first march, said Icy Tang, newly graduated from university in Hong Kong. So we are coming for the second time  and hope she will listen.

The about-face was one of the most significant political turnarounds by the Hong Kong government since Britain returned the territory to China in 1997, and it threw into question Lams ability to continue to lead the city.

Carrie Lam refused to apologize yesterday. Its unacceptable, said 16-year-old Catherine Cheung. Shes a terrible leader who is full of lies  I think shes only delaying the bill now to trick us into calming down.

Her classmate, Cindy Yip, said: Thats why were still demanding the bill be scrapped. We dont trust her anymore. She has to quit.

By the evening of June 16, Lam, in a statement, apologized for the governments actions, saying she would accept criticism for the bill. The government, however, did not address the protesters demands for Lam to step down or for the bill to be withdrawn.

An overhead shot of the protests in Kong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Reuters/Jorge Silva)

Critics say the planned extradition law could threaten Hong Kongs rule of law and its international reputation as an Asian financial hub. Some Hong Kong tycoons have already started moving personal wealth offshore.

Activist investor David Webb, in a newsletter on Sunday, said if Lam was a stock he would recommend shorting her with a target price of zero.

Call it the Carrie trade. She has irrevocably lost the publics trust, Webb said.

Her minders in Beijing, while expressing public support for now, have clearly lined her up for the chop by distancing themselves from the proposal in recent days.

Chinas Communist Party mouthpiece, the Peoples Daily, said in a commentary on Sunday that central authorities expressed firm support for Lam.

Political Crisis

The protests have plunged Hong Kong into political crisis, just as months of pro-democracy Occupy demonstrations did in 2014, heaping pressure on Lams administration and her official backers in Beijing.

The turmoil comes at a difficult time for Beijing, which is already grappling with an escalating U.S. trade war, a faltering economy and tensions in the South China Sea.

Protesters hold placards as they attend demonstration demanding Hong Kongs leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Reuters/Tyrone Siu)

Chinese censors have been working hard to erase or block news of the Hong Kong protests, wary that any large public rallies could inspire protests in the mainland.

The violent clashes near the heart of the financial center on June 12 grabbed global headlines and forced some shops and banks, including HSBC, to shut branches.

In a weekly blog post published on Sunday, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan sounded a reassuring note about the citys financial position.

Even if the external environment continues to be unclear and the social atmosphere is tense recently, overall Hong Kongs economic and financial markets are still operating in a stable and orderly manner, he wrote.

At the start of the march, protesters paused for a minutes silence to remember an activist who died from a fall on Saturday near the site of the recent demonstrations.

In the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own, about 5,000 people rallied outside the parliament building in Taipei with banners saying, No China extradition law and Taiwan supports Hong Kong.

Some of the protesters in Hong Kong also waved Taiwan flags.

Extensive Meddling

The citys independent legal system was guaranteed under laws governing Hong Kongs return from British to Chinese rule 22 years ago, and is seen by business and diplomatic communities as its strongest asset.

Hong Kong has been governed under a one country, two systems formula since its return to Beijing, allowing freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China but not a fully democratic vote.

Many accuse Beijing of extensive meddling since then, including obstruction of democratic reforms, interference with elections and of being behind the disappearance of fiveHong Kong-based booksellers, starting in 2015, who specialized in works critical of Chinese leaders.

Pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said protests would continue if Lam does not scrap the bill.

If she refuses to scrap this controversial bill altogether, it would mean we wouldnt retreat. She stays on, we stay on, said pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo.

Asked repeatedly on Saturday if she would step down, Lam avoided answering directly and appealed to the public to give us another chance. Lam said she had been a civil servant for decades and still had work she wanted to do.

Protesters hold placards as they attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kongs leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Reuters/Jorge Silva)

Lams reversal was hailed by business groups including the American Chamber of Commerce, which had spoken out strongly against the bill, and overseas governments.

The UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter: Well done HK Government for heeding concerns of the brave citizens who have stood up for their human rights.

Chinas top newspaper on Sunday condemned anti-China lackeys of foreign forces in Hong Kong.

Certain people in Hong Kong have been relying on foreigners or relying on young people to build themselves up, serving as the pawns and lackeys of foreign anti-China forces, the ruling Peoples Daily said in a commentary.

This is resolutely opposed by the whole of the Chinese people including the vast majority of Hong Kong compatriots.

The Hong Kong protests have been the largest in the city since crowds came out against the bloody suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations centered around Beijings Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.

Protesters attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kongs leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong, China, June 16, 2019. (Reuters/Tyrone Siu)

Lam had argued that the extradition law was necessary to prevent criminals hiding in Hong Kong and that human rights would be protected by the citys courts which would decide on any extradition on a case-by-case basis.

Critics, including leading lawyers and rights groups, have noted Chinas justice system is controlled by the Communist Party, and say it is marked by torture and forced confessions, arbitrary detention and poor access to lawyers.

By Anne Marie Roantree and Jennifer HughesColorado State Trooper William Moden was killed by a vehicle along the interstate, the agency said on June 14, 2019. (Colorado State Police)

State Trooper Stopped to Help a Crash. He Was Hit by a Vehicle and Killed

A Colorado State Patrol trooper was struck by a vehicle and killed Friday night while investigating a crash, the police agency said.

William Moden, 37, was at the scene of a wreck on eastbound Interstate 70 when he was hit, the state patrol said in a news release. He was taken by helicopter to the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver, where he died.

The crash is under investigation, the agency said.

Trooper Moden had a big heart and he loved his family and loved being a State Trooper, said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the state patrol. All he wanted to do was make a difference.

Our hearts are heavy and he will be sorely missed, the agency tweeted.

Moden was a 12-year veteran of the Colorado State Patrol, the agency said.Texas Police Officers Cause of Death Revealed After Initial Reports Said He Was Shot

A Texas police officers cause of death was revealed by officials after reports claimed he was shot to death.

Sgt. Keith Shepherd, of the Tarrant County Sheriffs Office, was found dead in his police vehicle in a Fort Worth parking lot at around 9 p.m. on June 14, ABC News reported.

Police said at the time that he was shot to death, and added that witnesses claimed it was a shooting.

We lost one of our own last night. Sgt. Keith Shepherd dedicated his life to standing between evil and good. He was a 19yr veteran of our Detention Bureau and will always be a part of our family. Please pray for his family as they struggle with this loss and for the TCSO. pic.twitter.com/c46Wx5VUQm  Tarrant County SO (@tarrantcountyso) June 15, 2019

However, investigators determined that he suffered a medical emergency and hit his head when he fell to the ground. Shepherd was apparently able to get up and get inside his car before he died, the report said.

A medical examiner said that the cause of his death was pulmonary embolism, or a blood clot in his lungs.

What I know about Keith is that he had a great reputation at the Tarrant County Sheriffs Office, Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn said at a press conference the next day. He was a strong leader. He was loved. He was a great husband and a good father.

We would like to thank @fortworthpd for their assistance, as well as, all the agencies that responded and have sent us their kind thoughts and prayers. This is an ongoing investigation and more details will be made available as they are known.  Tarrant County SO (@tarrantcountyso) June 15, 2019

Waybourn said that due to the blood outside and inside his vehicle, it was initially believed that he was shot.

Shepherd went out to eat on June 14 and didnt come back, he said.

He was found in his vehicle with blood outside the vehicle and blood inside the vehicle, Waybourn said. And nobody knows what happened there. And the officers that found him immediately began to do emergency medical procedures on him.

Shepherd is survived by his wife and two daughters, according to the sheriffs office, reported CBS Dallas Fort-Worth.

This man had an impact on Tarrant County. He had a noble impact, and his legacy is great. And we will be celebrating that for the next few days, Waybourn said, according to NBC Dallas Fort-Worth.(1st row L-R) French President Emmanuel Macron greets US President Donald Trump as Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, China's President Xi Jinping, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan line up for a family photo of the participants of the G20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany on July 7, 2017. TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP/Getty Images

The G-20 Summit, Global Justice, and the Rise of Childless Leaders

Commentary

Its official: The United States is shrinking.

No, the climate alarmists prophecies about the Florida coast disappearing beneath the Atlantic Ocean have not yet come true. But a recent report by the National Center for Health Statistics shows that, in 2018, the birth rate among Americans again reached an all-time low, well below the replacement rate.

Fewer Americans than ever are having children. This phenomenon isnt restricted to the United States. In fact, its most obvious in the surprisingly high number of childless leaders of other countries. The rising trend of childless marriages is troubling because having children affects ones perspective on politics and justice in ways that favor the common good of the political community.

The Growing Trend of Childless Leaders

At the end of June, Japan will host the annual G-20 Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy, a gathering of leaders from countries with the most powerful economies in the world, including the European Union. Of the 20 leaders likely to represent member states at the summit, five dont have any biological children. That number would have been six if Theresa May were still prime minister of the UK.

This trend is even more severe within the European Union. The EU comprises 28 member countries. The number of those countries with childless leaders is now 10. If you include the first minister of Scotland, that number is 11, and, again, it would be 12 if May were still in office. In addition, the current president of the European Commissionthe executive branch of the EUhas no children.

These statistics reveal that one-quarter of the worlds most powerful leaders and nearly half of the leaders of Europe dont themselves have a biologically invested interest in the next generation. And the record-breaking low birth rate in the United States demonstrates that the condition of childlessness is becoming increasingly descriptive of the American people in general. For some, of course, not having children is a personal tragedy, but for a growing number, its merely a choice.

The United States itself could soon have a childless president. Although there have been four presidents in U.S. history who had no biological children, the last one was James Buchanan, who preceded Abraham Lincoln. Among the Democratic presidential candidates for 2020, though, four have no children (Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Tulsi Gabbard, and Kamala Harris).

What is the significance of a nations leader not having children? I have been married less than a year, so I dont have children yet. Even so, it seems reasonable that having children changes your perspective in certain ways. This isnt to suggest that you must have children to be a good leader or that merely being a parent makes you a good leader.

Having children to care for, though, gives you a more concrete interest in the well-being of both a specific people and a specific place in which to raise them. More importantly, having children offers you an enduring perspective on politics that moderates an otherwise immediate urge for radical justice in regard to all the perceived imperfections in society.

If you know that your children will have to live in the world you leave behind, youre less likely to burn it down in order to purify it of defects you believe it had when you inherited it. The numberless sacrifices that mothers and fathers make for their children are tangible investments in their childrens well-being and which often redound to the benefit of their community. This investment constitutes a vested interest in the future that is difficult for the childless to rival.

The Embrace, Rejection of Global Justice

The rising popularity of nationalist movements across the globe is due, in part, to the perception that current leaders have embraced a more abstract notion of global justice to the detriment of the more concrete common good of their national communities.

Two examples of this perceived neglect involve mass immigration and climate change policies. EU leaders have been allowing into their countries waves of migrants from outside of Europe and have passed increasingly stringent regulations to try to reduce global carbon levels. These policies have resulted in the Brexit referendum, the yellow vest riots, and, most recently, stunning losses for centrist parties in the European parliamentary elections.

Clearly, a growing number of citizens in European countries dont share the abstract, global perspective of justice that many EU leaders have embraced. This perspective has led those leaders to view mass immigration as an unmitigated good, and energy policy strictly as the uncompromising demands of climate justice. And now some are quietly being voted out of office.

Many of these same leaders will be at the G-20 Summit. The goal of the summit is for leaders to discuss a wide range of global issues  such as development, climate change, and energy, health, counter-terrorism, as well as migration and refugees. No doubt many of these issues have a real impact on individual countries and can be addressed with international cooperation. But cooperation requires agreement about the ends in view, not just the means.

Its one thing for leaders to consider sensible ways to handle refugee crises and to craft energy policies that strengthen the security and honor the sovereignty of each nation. But its another thing for leaders to abandon the consent of the governed in their own nation and to accept numbers of immigrants and energy regulations that serve the interests of other countries or the whole globe generally more than their own nation.

Human beings are wired to be concerned about justice. If they are less attached to their own political community through generational familial ties, they will likely be less concerned about facing and fixing problems in their own town than in showing support for more glamorous global causes.

Does the falling birth rate in the United States and among the barren barons of the worlds elite ruling class help explain why politics in many countries is increasingly dividing along nationalist and globalist lines? The question, at least, is pregnant.

Clifford Humphrey is originally from Warm Springs, Georgia. Currently, he is a doctoral candidate in politics at Hillsdale College in Michigan. Follow him on Twitter @cphumphrey.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.President Donald Trump arrives to speak about expanding healthcare coverage for small businesses in the Rose Garden of the White House on June 14, 2019 in Washington. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

President Trump Ridicules Low Attendance at Impeachment Rallies

President Donald Trump made fun of low attendance numbers at pro-impeachment rallies held across the nation on June 15.

Yesterday was the Radical Left Democrats big Impeachment day. They worked so hard to make it something really big and special but had one problem  almost nobody showed up, the president wrote on Twitter on June 16.

More than 140 rallies calling for Trumps impeachment were expected to be held throughout the country on June 15, according to The Mercury News.

A handful of news reports about the rallies, which were big enough to make it onto local media, show sparse gatherings of about 100 people. An impeachment rally in downtown Portland, Oregona hotspot of the anti-Trump movementdrew roughly 200 people, with the local left-leaning newspaper calling the gathering a small crowd.

A total of 60 Democrats in Congress are openly calling for the House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings against Trump, according to a tally maintained by The Hill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who has the power to start the proceedings, currently opposes doing so.

Calls for impeachment among Democrats ramped up after special counsel Robert Mueller concluded his investigation into allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Mueller didnt find sufficient evidence to establish that Trump colluded with Russia. The special counsel also didnt make a decision regarding whether the president obstructed justice.

The description of the impeachment rallies by the events organizer, MoveOn, mentioned neither collusion nor obstruction. The organizer instead alleges that the president has abused our communities and country.

Donald Trumps abuses of our communities and country demand action from Congress, which has the responsibility and authority to hold Trump accountable, the event page states. The next crucial step is an inquiry into whether to draft articles of impeachment.

Since regaining control of the House of Representatives, Democrats have used congressional investigative powers to target Trump, current and former White House staff, as well as the presidents family and associates. Four Democrat-led committees are running separate investigations into issues ranging from alleged Russia collusion to Trumps business dealings and tax returns.

The president calls the investigations presidential harassment, and Republicans have criticized the effort as an abuse of power with the intent of scoring political points for the 2020 election.

An impeachment decision by the House requires a simple majority, which the Democrats have. Impeachment is the first step in the process of removing a high-level government official. To actually remove the official, a supermajority vote in the Senate is needed.

In Trumps case, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said a removal petition would be quickly disposed of, signaling that any impeachment action would be dead on arrival at the Senate.

Only 27 percent of Americans believe there is enough evidence to start impeachment proceedings now, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. Nearly 1 in 2 Americans believe Congress shouldnt hold impeachment proceedings and should let Trump serve his term.President Donald Trump speaks about second chance hiring and criminal justice reform in the East Room of the White House on June 13, 2019. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Underscores Florida Governors Ban on Sanctuary Cities

President Donald Trump underscored Florida Governor Ron DeSantiss decision to ban sanctuary cities in the state, commenting that other governors and leaders do not have the courage to do the same.

Trump wrote the tweet on June 16 after the bill, which requires local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, was passed on June 14.

.More and more states want to do this but their governors and leaders dont have the courage to do so. The politics will soon mandate, however, because people from California, & all over the land, are demanding that Sanctuary Cities be GONE. No illegals, Drugs or Trafficking!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2019

Sanctuary cities shield illegal immigrants from deportation by prohibiting state law enforcement from cooperating with federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). If an illegal alien is arrested or convicted of a crime and ICE requests custody of them, sanctuary policies prevent law enforcement from honoring the request.

DeSantis was quoted in a press release saying that the law is about public safety, not about politics.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announces funding for his environmental policy during a press conference at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Fla., on Jan. 10, 2019. (Dan Wagner/Sarasota Herald-Tribune/AP)

Sanctuary cities basically create law-free zones where people can come to our state illegally and our country illegally, commit criminal offenses and then just walk right out the door and continue to do it, said the governor, according to The Associated Press.

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

A Preventable Crime

While New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio has championed the citys sanctuary status, the policy has led to serious problems.

In February an MS-13 gang member allegedly shot a man multiple times, killing him in broad daylight on a subway platform. It was later revealed that Ramiro Gutierrez was in the country illegally.

Murder on 7 Train Platform Caught: Police say the have a known MS 13 gang member in custody for the shooting death of a man after a dispute on a Manhattan bound 7 train.  Nicole Johnson , 4  2019 .

Gutierrez was arrested in December, 2018, on felony conspiracy charges, after which he was released on $2,500 bail, according to the New York Post. Lawyers and federal agents said that the Department of Corrections knew that he was an illegal immigrant, yet they did not contact ICE, nor was his immigration status made available while he was detained.

In another example, ICE arrested over 200 people during Operation Keep Safe in New York for violating immigration laws, stated ICE in a press release.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an illegal alien in New York City on Apr. 11, 2018. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Over 60 of those arrested had been previously released by local authorities after ICE had requested custody of them. Among those captured, many were convicted of felonious offenses, such as child sex crimes, assault, and weapons charges.

The fact is that a so-called sanctuary city does not only provide refuge to those who are here against immigration law, but also provides protections for criminal aliens who prey on the people in their own communities by committing crimes at all level, said Thomas R. Decker, an official for ICE, in the release.

From NTD NewsWhat Are Americas Biggest Opportunity and Biggest Threat?Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin

Whats fueling increasing investment in Kentucky, which Gov. Matt Bevin describes as the crossroads of America? And what are his approaches to some of the most challenging issues facing Kentuckians today?

During the recent SelectUSA summit in Washington, Bevin spoke with Epoch Times senior editor Jan Jekielek about a range of issues facing the country, including tariffs, pensions, abortion, and school choice. He also talked about his views on the role of fathers in society.

Jan Jekielek: So youre here for the investment summit, SelectUSA. I wanted to jump right into that because thats probably on the top of your mind. Any big announcements? What are you doing here?

Gov. Matt Bevin: This is the wonderful thing about SelectUSA. Its something that the Commerce Department under Secretary [Wilbur] Ross started this idea, saying: We want people to invest in America. We want people to understand the opportunities that are here for the deployment of capital, what is called foreign direct investment in the United States.

But for many people who want to unleash the trillions of dollars that they would like to invest in North America, in the United States, in specific states, they dont know how to begin. How do you make those connections? And so they said, Lets host an annual conference in Washington, invite the world to come, invite the governors of states to come and business leaders to come from both sides of the respective oceans, and have a big networking event for two, three days.

Thats exactly what weve been doing, and its wonderful. We go home with just so many leads to follow up on. Three years agothe first one I came toI met a fellow who is literally now already built a hundred-million-dollar facility in Kentucky, employing hundreds of people in a rural community. And those kinds of things come from an initial meeting that happens.

He heard me speak on a panel, he came up to me afterward, and spoke with our team. You never know where these things will go.

Mr. Jekielek: Fascinating. So there have been some studies that talk about how tariffs are actually boosting some of the investment to the USA, and there are companies that

Gov. Bevin: Crazy idea. I mean, youd have almost thought the president wanted this.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, exactly. And so are there companies actually moving to Kentucky? Is there any discussion of this? Im very curious.

Gov. Bevin: Yes. Absolutely. Think about this. The presidents not trying to be authoritarian. Hes not trying to be draconian or any of these other words that everybody likes to use. You would think that he invented the concept of the tariff. But what he does say is that there are tremendous trade imbalances with us in the United States and other well-developed economies in the world. And he said, Why should we have such trade imbalance between two large economies?

The way to shrink a trade imbalance is to have more equity, more capital from those countries invested in the United States, where goods that were produced there and sold in America are now using their capital to create jobs and produce those goods in America, sell them to America. That is how you start to shrink those trade deficits. So yes, there are trillions of dollars that are looking for a place to deploy capital.

But think about this as well: Why are people still interested in the United States? Its not simply because of the presidents policies. [For] people in the world, in a world of geopolitical unrest and uncertainty, the last bastion, seemingly, of stability in the world is North America. In the middle of North America is the United States. And, of course, in the middle of the United States is Kentucky. So this is the case that we make to people, and people understand it.

We also protect intellectual property; we also respect the rule of law. These thingsregulatory controlsare there for largely constructive purposes and for the safety and security of people so that the confidence and products, especially consumer products, are there. These are tremendous advantages we have in America, and the world wants to come here because we are also still the largest consumer economy on the planet.

Mr. Jekielek: So any companies you would want to mention that are relocating to Kentucky?

Gov. Bevin: There have been many. I mean, literally there have been over 1,000 companies since Ive been governor that have either invested for the first time or expanded their operations in Kentucky. Its been remarkable the amount of success that weve had. We have had more foreign direct investment in Kentucky than ever in history, more capital investment in Kentucky than ever.

Weve had over $20 billion in private capital invested in our state because when you open up the economy, when youre intentional about cutting red tape and bureaucracythis pin that I wear is a pair of scissors cutting through red tape. When you mean thisyou dont just simply say itbut you make it easy for people to come and do business. Then they come. So we have the lowest unemployment ever, most Kentuckians working ever in history, highest per-capita income that weve ever had and starting to rise, even relative to other states in a way that weve not seen for 50 years. Good things are happening, and a lot of itbillions of itis foreign direct investment, coming from places all over the world.

Mr. Jekielek: Speaking of the unemployment rates, I understand that you have to tackle a skilled workforce shortage. How are you doing that?

Gov. Bevin: Its not easily done. This is the challenge of every governor in America. If theyre honest, this is the top challenge for every single one of us. The way you do it is you rethink what is the purpose of public education, and of private education? What is it that we are educating people for? To prepare them forwhat as Thomas Jefferson referred to asto become virtuous citizens. Its not the goody-goodies or holier-than-thous, but to be someone who is workingwork as a virtue, to be productive as a virtue, to be an integral part of society. These are virtues. That is the purpose of education.

So what does a governor do? You say, is the real best thing for everyone to go get a four-year degree, no matter in what and whether theyre skilled or not? No. What is it that we need for the workforce of the 21st century? What skills? What training? What abilities do we want people to have when they leave education and go into the workforce? What kind of ongoing reskilling and training do we need to do? This is what Ive been investing in. This is the first political job Ive ever had. So I bring the mindset not of someone in politics, but of somebody from the business community, which is where I come from.

Mr. Jekielek: So how is the Kentucky investment climate different or, maybeyou would arguebetter than some of the others?

Gov. Bevin: Of course, we would say better. Heres what were blessed with. Were blessed with things you couldnt buy for any price. You think about this. We are right in the middle of the United States in some respects, certainly on the eastern half, but fairly centrally located. The riverways and the roadways and the railways that transect through Kentuckyyou couldnt recreate that for any price. The Ohio River, running the entire length of our state, the biggest inland superhighway in America that goes straight to the Mississippi and the Gulf [of Mexico] and the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal. You can put something on a barge in Kentucky and take it anywhere in the world in either direction. The fact that we have the lowest energy costs east of the Mississippi River. The fact that UPS has their world shipping hub in Kentucky; DHL has their North American shipping hub in Kentucky; and Amazon is building their primary world shipping hub in Kentucky.

Logistically, there really is no better place in America. If you want to engineer and manufacture products and take them to the world, Kentucky is the best place. Im not even up to the bragging parts yet; those are just straight-up facts. Then, the things we can brag about is just the quality of life: the quality of our people, the workforce, and the values of our people, the respect for the dignity of hard work. The loyalty of our people, the cost of living, four seasonsnone of them too extreme. Were very, very blessed in Kentucky.

Mr. Jekielek: So its sort of a crossroads of America, or [as] youre arguing, crossroads of the world.

Gov. Bevin: In some respects, certainly of America. And you think about this, when you think about the South, you often think of a southern graciousness and hospitality and ease of living. When you think of the Midwest, you think of industriousness and purpose-filled pragmatism. Well, were a wonderful blend of the two. Were sort of where the southern graciousness and hospitality melds with Midwestern sensibilities of work ethic and business-mindedness, and all of that comes together in a special and magical way only in Kentucky, relative to anywhere else. It is the best of America.

Mr. Jekielek: Speaking of sensibilities, I was just reading this recent op-ed that you wrote for Fathers Day, and it has a provocative title, talking about the fact that its the most difficult time ever in America to be a father, or to be a good father. But before I jump to that, I learned in this article that youre a veteran and also that you have nine children, which is kind of

Gov. Bevin: A little more than average, a little more than average.

Mr. Jekielek: And is it four or five of them [that] are adopted?

Gov. Bevin: Four of them are adopted.

Mr. Jekielek: Thats amazing. So how did this come about? Were you planning to have a giant family early on?

Gov. Bevin: Not necessarily; so much of it, for anybody, depends on who you marry and what they think about it. And I will say, for any man whos watching this, if you think youre going to be the only one deciding how many children you have in 21st-century America, probably not gonna happen. But heres the thing. If you meet somebody who also has a love for children and a love for family, and you find that as you have one and then maybe two, and then maybe three, that you havent lost your mind or your children, then maybe youre equipped to have more children.

We had five of our own, which is a lotalready a large family. Then we decided to adopt a sixth child. Theres about 167 million orphans in the world, hundreds of thousands here in America that are just looking for homes right now. Why not create opportunities for them by opening our hearts and our home?

So we set out to adopt one child. In the course of adopting this little guy, we learned of a sibling group of three others. They were 10, 7, and 2 at the timenot likely to find a home, given that there were three, given that the oldest was 10. Once you have six kids, really, you know, six, ninewhats the difference? You know, its just the same number upside-down, which is maybe what has happened to our life a little bit. But were blessed. I mean, how fortunate we are to be Americans, to have the liberty and the freedom that certainly everything that you broadcast, everything that you focus on celebrates the exceptionalism of this.

But I would hope that we dont take this for granted. And this was the genesis for that article: for the men of America to wake up, and take our responsibility seriously. We have a responsibility as husbands, as fathers, as leaders in our families, in our communities, in our churches, in our civic organizations, within government, within the private sector, to just man-up and stop living down to this watered-down stereotype of the emasculated, I guess, 21st-century male that Hollywood and others would have us believe us to be. And were not. Were better than this. And society has always depended on strong men and women stepping up in leading within their families.

Mr. Jekielek: Why is it the most difficult time in American history to be a father?

Gov. Bevin: Ill tell you what, its because of things like this [smartphone]; literally every kid, with rare exceptions, seems to have one of these, [and] every adult. And we all spend our times going around like this [looking down at phone], and well have conversations, being this close to one another doing this.

Very few people communicate as they once did. We dont even understand often as adults what our children are being exposed to, or who it is thats pouring into them because weve abdicated our responsibility for this type of face-to-face dialogue. If we assume that theyre doing good things because weve raised them well, were deluding ourselves. The absolute proliferation of pornography that exists in Americaits shocking. And I think parents, if they truly knew how exposed children were to literal and virtual and peripheral images and themes and ideas, the amount of self-harm, the lack of self-esteem, the rise in childhood suicidethere are many, many things that contribute.

Im not blaming it all on this, but what we have in this device is a wealth of information more than Galileo, or the people who put men on the moon, or Newton, or anybody had. Far more than than somebody like Einstein could have ever imagined. But while were rich in information, we are poor in discernment. We are lacking in wisdom because were so busy jotting around from this to that. We dont take time to think. We dont take time to be still, to reflect, to discern. And this is what concerns me. And we are abdicating our responsibility as adults in America to raise our children to be prepared for life in the years ahead.

Mr. Jekielek: You were saying a little bit earlier that men need to step up, man-up, take their role. Some people would say, Well, that reduces the role of the woman.

Gov. Bevin: Not even at all.

Mr. Jekielek: Could you speak to that?

Gov. Bevin: Oh my goodness, Im far outnumbered in my home. I have a strong and intelligent wife. I have six beautiful, strong, intelligent daughters, who each have their own talents and abilities. If Im being completely honest, the women are more in charge in our home than the men. Were outnumbered, and we know it.

But heres what I would say. Its not a zero-sum game. The idea that the strength of one comes at the expense of the other is silliness. One plus one can absolutely equal more than two, if done right. But when one is carrying the weight of two, they struggle to even deliver the strength of one. And this is why its a combination. You know, traditional families are not traditional anymore. It was last year, in April of 2018for the first time in Americathat we saw more homes for the first time that have children being raised in a home without their biological mother and father than in homes that have their biological mother and father.

Thats not likely to ever reverse again. So what can we do to step up? And whether someone is a biological parent, whether theyre a grandparent, whether theyre a proxy for, whether theyre a neighbor, but the responsibilityIll speak to the men. Im not a woman, I dont have the authority to speak as one or to tell women what they should do to woman-up. But I am a man, and I will tell men that we have a responsibility. Im looking as much in the mirror at myself in saying this as everyone else. Theres nobody who does it perfectly. Not myself, nor anybody, but we certainly have an obligation to try to the best of our ability.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, I certainly hope that statistic that you just mentioned is reversible, because theres a lot of studies that Ive seen that suggest thats potentially one of the largest problems that this country is facing.

Gov. Bevin: No question. And again, I know this isnt the whole purpose of this, but think about this, children who grow up in a fatherless home, and so many of these single-parent homes are being led by a woman. And so, interesting, you mentioned women. Women are without question, more often than men, the leaders in their homes, if for no other reason than sometimes, they are the only person in the home as an adult. They are, even when theres a man in the home, more likely to be responsible for the physical and financial security of their families. Men need to be as responsible as theyre able to be.

So given that, the sad reality is, we know every study that has ever been done, 100 percent of studies ever done, show that children growing up in a home without a father are more likely to drop out of high school, more likely to self-harm, more likely to become incarcerated, more likely to grow up in poverty, more likely to become pregnant out of wedlock or to father a child out of wedlock, and more likely to live in this recidivism world of in and out of prison or in and out of poverty.

Why would we do this to our children if we have the ability to do better? And for men who scatter their seed literally and figuratively, and have children but take no responsibility for being men in their childrens lives, I would encourage them to think otherwise because youre damaging the next generation in a powerful way.

Mr. Jekielek: Are you able to do anything as governor to help in this?

Gov. Bevin: I write op-eds that make people talk. And you know what, again I dont mean to be trite about it, but you have to sound the alarm. For people who watch this, who may be people whove read the Scripturesthey could be Jewish, they could be Christianbut in the Judeo-Christian Scriptures, in the book of Ezekiel, theres a talk about the watchman on the wall, and the watchman on the wall has a responsibility to do what? To sound the alarmnot to defeat the enemy by oneself, not to defend the whole city or to take all responsibilitybut to sound the alarm. And theres a warning for the watchman. If the watchman does not sound the alarm, the watchman will be held to account.

And in this role as a governor, as an individualIm one guy, one imperfect, flawed, less-than-perfect dad, less-than-perfect husband, less-than-perfect governor, less-than perfect anythingbut I have a responsibility as someone who stands on that wall, who looks out and sees whats coming, to sound the alarm. I take that very seriously. I think that is what one person could do.

Someone asked me one time, What difference can one person really make? And what I said to them, what I say every time Im asked, [was], More than none. And if you think you cant make a difference, youre right, but I dont choose to agree with that thinking. I believe one person can change the world, can make a difference, can change the trajectory of history, because one person always has.

Mr. Jekielek: Powerful words. So actually, lets jump to something where youre legislatively trying to make a difference  with your pension bill. This is obviously a very big deal for you. And last I checked, it was edging closer. I dont know what the status is to getting enough votes to pass through the legislature. You inherited a difficult situation with pensions. Can you tell me a bit about that and what this bill is trying to address and where we are as of today?

Gov. Bevin: This is a big problem in America. Time doesnt afford us the ability to go through all the history of it, but defined benefits plans are antiquated. They dont exist in the private sector in almost any measure any more because, demographically, we cant afford them. When they were set up, you had 25, 30 people down here working for every retiree. And it worked fine because theyre paying in for the defined benefit of the people who have retired. And it works when theres 20 and even 15 and then 10 and then eight and then six, but it starts to struggle.

And then four and then three. Nobody our age or younger believes theyll ever see a penny of Social Security. And yet theres still 3 1/2 people paying into Social Security for every one taking out. But in some states like ours, its not three and a half. Its not three, its not two. Its not one. Its less than one paying in for every retiree. This is the demographic trend were on in America. Conservatively, in America, were underfunded [by] $4 trillion to $5 trillion. I dont think people understand how much money that is.  I mean its ridiculous how underfunded we are.  Wheres that money going to come from?

Nobody is sounding the alarm on that either. So, in Kentucky, we have the $60 billion underfunded liability, conservatively, maybe more like $80 billion. And our total revenue as a state is about $11 billion a year. Wheres the money gonna come from? I had somebody say to me: Oh, youre bringing this up for political purposes. Really? Hows that working for me? I mean, its a political loser to talk about this, because it makes people nervous and people say, Wait a minute. So the lie is really just that? These promises are not going to be fulfilled? There is no magic money machine from which this is going to be coming? And the answer is no. And so they hate the messenger, but I think its my responsibility. Again, I see whats coming. I have an obligation to sound the alarm and to do everything in my power.

So where do we stand? We clearly dont have the spine or the ability as a legislative body in our state right now to just fix this as it needs to. There needs to be in America, frankly, a hard freeze on pretty much every public pension plan, in order to be able to fulfill the promise to those working and those already retired. You cant keep making the same promise to future people. But if were not able to make that hard, immediate decision, then we need to eat this apple one bite at a time.

This current bill is one small bite of the apple. Its the tiniest bite. Were barely penetrating the skin of the apple, and people are freaking out at the idea of itof choking on this. But I think if you take one small bite, the sky doesnt fall. You prove that you can swallow that, digest it, take another small bite. Slowly but surely, we can save the pension system, but its in dire, dire straits in America.

Mr. Jekielek: So in a couple of sentences, for the benefit of our audience, what will it achieve?

Gov. Bevin: It will achieve the ability to fulfill the promises made to those already retired and to those who are working toward retirement, who were promised certain obligations and certain expectations and benefits. We have a legal and a moral obligation to fulfill the promises that were made. The only way to make that possible is to no longer promise the same thing to future employees. Because to do so is to lie to them knowingly and to simultaneously be lying to the current and past employees as well.

Mr. Jekielek: I can understand why that might not be the most popular in some places.

Gov. Bevin: Everyone likes to imagine that the lunch really is free somewhere, or at least for them. And there is no free lunch.

Mr. Jekielek: Lets jump to another area, also very contentious. You recently signed a bill into law that bans abortions based on race, sex, and disability, and theres legal challenges to this. Why did you support this bill? Whats at stake here?

Gov. Bevin: Its a non-eugenics bill, essentially. The idea that it is

Mr. Jekielek: Like [Supreme Court Justice] Clarence Thomas spoke to?

Gov. Bevin: Exactly. In fact, when he wrote his 15-page dissent in that recent case that came up through Indiana, it was powerful. He spoke to the absolute truth of what we were attempting to do with this bill. The idea that its controversial, that we would say you should not kill a child based on its race, its gender, or the childs perceived disability, the fact that is controversial should shock us, should concern us here in America, that weve become that jaded to the sacredness of a human life that we dont care that much. Because the irony is, the language that we used was very intentionally drawn, sometimes verbatim from language in the Civil Rights Act, in the Americans with Disabilities Act, literally taking language that has already been affirmed at the highest levels of the land and codifying that into a state statute that says the same rights should be afforded to those who cannot speak for themselves.

And that is apparently too much for Planned Parenthood and the ACLU to handle. The irony of the ACLU being offended by defending the civil rights of someone who cant defend themselves shows you how hypocritical that organization has largely become. They dont seem to understand what theyre about. Theyre more about politics and about ideology than about the truth and the basis of their origination. But this non-eugenics bill calls into question the thinking of someone like a Margaret Sanger, the woman who started what is now Planned Parenthood. She was a eugenist. She was somebody who believed in eugenics. And eugenics simply said that some people were not worthy of being

Mr. Jekielek: Reproducing.

Gov. Bevin: Reproducing, that they were undesirable. They might be immigrants, they might be uneducated, they might be people of color, but in her estimation, they were not worthy of the human gene pool being proliferated through them. And so she wanted to eliminate them or to sterilize them. And this is exactly what Planned Parenthood is still attempting to do under the guise of womens reproductive rights.

Mr. Jekielek: Youre also, from what I understand, a big proponent of charter schools, and this is another contentious discussion in the state: public school versus school choice. Tell me a little bit about why?

Gov. Bevin: Im a big proponent of children having a great education. I dont care how they get it. And if a child can get the best education possible through public schools, that should be the primary choice. But if they cant get the best possible education that way, lets give them whatever possibility exists. And if its a charter school, if its a private school, if its a voucher, I dont care. I want the children to have every possibility. I want the children and their parents to come before the teachers union and what is best for somebody whos tenured.

The whole purpose of public education is to provide a quality education, to create, as we talked about earlier, these virtuous citizens who can assimilate into the workforce. How best to do that? By creating avenues of possibility. Every child is different. Every communitys different. Every parental decision is different. Lets give them choices with the public tax dollars.

Mr. Jekielek: Were going to wrap up in a moment here, but I wanted to ask, theres on one hand, this huge opportunity in Kentucky that you were describing, on the other hand, quite a few challenges to deal with, some more popular, some less popular. What would you see as your biggest concern or biggest challenge? What would you like to see to be the legacy of your governorship?

Gov. Bevin: Ill tell you, Id like the governors of every other state in America to wonder why their children have to go to Kentucky to get a job. Thats what Id like my legacy to be. But, in the meantime, my greatest fear for America and for Kentucky is our apathy. Im afraid that were falling asleep at the wheel. Im afraid that were the victims of our own success; that were so blessed that we have such abundance that we can afford the luxury of not caring. And thats the beginning of the end. This is when cultures and civilizations crumble from within. The reason Ive taken on these challenging things is, this is not my career, Id never studied political science. I didnt take a single course in political science. I never aspired to politics.

Mr. Jekielek: Right.

Gov. Bevin: This is my first job. And so Im willing to take on all of these sacred cows and if some of them need to be turned into hamburger, so be it. This is what were gonna do. Were gonna take these challenges on because its the right thing to do. And if the people can handle it, theyll reelect me. If they cant, they wont, and thats OK.

But were going to do the right thing, even if its the hard thing.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

American Thought Leaders is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube.San Francisco Police Chief William Scott at a news conference at the San Francisco Police Academy in San Francisco, Calif., on May 15, 2018. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

White Cops Sue San Francisco for Racial Discrimination

San Francisco is being accused of systemic race-based discrimination in a lawsuit filed by 13 white police officers, who say they were passed over for promotion by the local police department because they are white.

The San Francisco Police Department has a pattern of promoting lower-scoring candidates over higher-scoring candidates when promoting candidates to Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain, according to the 24-page complaint, a copy of which was obtained by The Epoch Times. The complaint was filed June 11 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by Fresno-based attorney M. Greg Mullanax.

The city claims it did nothing wrong.

John Cote, a spokesman for City Attorney Dennis Herrera, told reporters the SFPD uses lawful, merit-based civil service examinations in making promotions. The system used is designed to provide qualified individuals with the chance for advancement while ensuring fair treatment without regard to race, gender, religion, age, or other status.

But the SFPD has a long history of racial run-ins with its employees, according to a summary prepared by the San Francisco Chronicle.

In 1973, an organization representing black and female police officers sued the department for discriminating against them in the hiring and promotion process. The city settled in 1979, promising to behave better by, among other things, banding promotion test results so that all candidates who scored within a certain range were treated the same, allowing them to be judged on other factors such as experience and language skills.

Banding was upheld by federal courts in 1992, when the San Francisco Police Officers Association (POA) sued, claiming the practice amounted to anti-white discrimination, the summary states.

The U.S. Department of Justice reviewed police records in 2016 and praised the SFPD for boosting workforce diversity to almost 49 percent nonwhites and 15 percent women, both above nationwide averages. The settlement from 1979 had lapsed in 1998.

The cityto this dayhas a long-standing practice and custom of discriminating against white males in SFPD promotions to the rank of Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain, Mullanax wrote in the legal complaint.

A disturbing pattern emerges from SFPDs promotional scheme because it shows that lower-scoring African-American and female candidates are the primary beneficiaries of SFPDs illegal promotion process.

The complaint notes that a local investigative body called The Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement found in July 2016 that the absence of rules governing the selection of promotional candidates and the discretion held by the Chief, along with the lack of programs offering support to those seeking promotions, raises the likelihood of bias or favoritism in promotional decisions.

There is also evidence suggesting the SFPD prioritized the color of its employees skin over competence. Former Police Chief Greg Suhr, who resigned in May 2016, said it was his goal to force the door open for minority applicants and get a more diverse set of recruits, according to the panels report.

Federal authorities also weighed in on SFPD practices.

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, within the U.S. Department of Justice found in October 2016 that the departments promotion process is not transparent and that this lack of transparency created a distrust in segments of the SFPD, the complaint states.

The San Francisco Police Officers Association contacted both the San Francisco Civil Service Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Division of the Department of Human Resources on different occasions raising POA members concerns about the promotion process, but the POA never received any substantive responses, according to the complaint.

Making matters worse, some of those passed over for promotion met with Chief [of Police William] Scott to discuss the issue, but none of them received a substantive answer or response to their questions and concerns.

All outreaches by plaintiffs and others on their behalf have been rebuffed or ignored and morale is suffering, the complaint states. It is this pernicious atmosphere of confusion, obfuscation and blatant discrimination that compelled plaintiffs to file this lawsuit.

The plaintiffs seek court-enforced promotions and damages, including punitive damages against the current chief of police and his predecessor. They claim their constitutional rights, as well as federal and state laws barring discrimination, were violated.

The plaintiffs are identified as Frederick (Ric) Schiff, Glenn Brakel, Alice Dicroce, Brian Greer, Clayton Harmston, Steven Haskell, Micah Hope, Daniel Kelly, Alexander Lentz, Brandon McKelley, Gerald Newbeck, David OKeeffe, and Thomas Walsh.

Schiff, a police lieutenant in the new lawsuit, previously sued in 2003 alongside a dozen other fellow officers who claimed to have been unfairly passed over for promotion. The city reportedly settled the lawsuit for $1.6 million$200,000 of which went to Schiffwithout admitting wrongdoing.Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (L) and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross leave the Rose Garden following a joint news conference with President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari at the White House in Washington, on April 30, 2018. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Commerces Ross: EU Trade Talks Far More Complex Than China Negotiations

WASHINGTONIt has been almost a year since the United States and the European Union (EU) reached an agreement to eliminate tariffs on industrial goods. Talks with the EU, however, are an early stage work in progress and signing a new trade deal will take a while, according to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.

In July last year, President Donald Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed to work together toward zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies on all industrial goods other than cars.

There have been several rounds of trade talks between U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom in recent months. However, there has not been any meaningful progress on the stated goals.

We feel that agriculture should be part of it. A lot of member states of the EU have a different view, Ross said at a press conference on June 11.

A critical difference between the negotiating mandates of both sides is agriculture. The EUs mandate considers removing tariffs and non-tariff barriers on industrial goods only, while Washingtons objective includes agricultural products.

Its a very complicated situation because while the EU is one entity representing all of those countries, at the end of the day, it has to be approved by each country, Ross said.

So its far more complex than negotiating with China or than negotiating with Canada or with Mexico.

Europes recent parliamentary elections and the upcoming change in the composition of the EU Commission have added another layer of complexity to the situation.

There very likely will be a whole new set of parties with whom to negotiate a transaction, said Ross. So my guess is its going to take a while to know whether there is any real prospect of a new agreement with the European Commission.

Auto Tariffs

Progress in the U.S.EU trade talks has grounded to a near-halt, according to Bart Oosterveld, director of the global business and economics program at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank.

Aside from the question of whether agriculture should be included in the talks, another hindrance to progress has been the continued U.S. threat of tariffs of up to 25 percent on European car and auto parts, he wrote in a blog on June 7.

The White House announced a six-month delay on May 17 to the decision on whether to impose tariffs on autos and auto parts. Trump directed Lighthizer to negotiate agreements within 180 days to address the national security threat arising from auto imports.

Goldman Sachs predicts Washington and Brussels will ultimately reach a deal to avoid car tariffs, but we see a 20 percent risk of U.S. auto tariffs, with subsequent EU retaliation.

However, the EUs commitment to the WTO process limits the scope and speed of retaliation, a Goldman Sachs report states. Taking the steel tariffs as an example, the bloc retaliated on only 44 percent of the European steel exports affected by U.S. tariffs, the report says.

The U.S. goods trade deficit with the EU was nearly $170 billion in 2018, which is a top concern for Trump. He has repeatedly accused the EU of taking advantage of the United States on trade.

The EU treats us, I would say, worse than China, Trump said at the National Association of Realtors event on May 17.

European tariffs on U.S. vehicles entering the European market are 10 percent, while the U.S. tariff on imported vehicles is only 2.5 percent. And the EU sells more than three times as many autos to America as America sells to the bloc.

And on average, the EU charges higher tariffs for U.S. goods, according to a Citi report. For example, the weighted average most-favored-nation tariff rate for agricultural products is higher in the EU (4.8 percent) than in the United States (2.3 percent).Woman Allegedly Stomped on Sea Turtle Nest in Miami, Police Say

A woman was arrested after allegedly disturbing and stomping on a sea turtle nest in Miami Beach, Florida.

Officers and others saw Yaqun Lu, 41, take a wooden pole to the nesting area, and jabbing at the sea turtle nest and stomping all over the nest with her bare feet, police said, according to the Miami Herald.

The nest was located in a closed-off area on the beach with a Do Not Disturb sign.

Thankfully, it appears the eggs were not damaged, Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez told the paper.

Lu was transported to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where shes being held on a $5,000 bond. She has an address in Michigan, but she is a Chinese national, Local10 reported.

Woman arrested for jabbing at sea turtle nest on Miami Beach and stomping on the eggs with her bare feet. https://t.co/fMuFIMIcX2  WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) June 15, 2019

POLICE: MBPD arrested a woman this morning seen jabbing at a sea turtle nest and stomping all over the nest. Thankfully, it appears the eggs were not damaged. Sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1 through October 31. #MBShareTheShore : https://t.co/hxSdKy5rZk pic.twitter.com/TmutaApzsJ  Miami Beach Police (@MiamiBeachPD) June 15, 2019

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says that sea turtles are protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 as well as under Floridas Marine Turtle Protection Act.

Its illegal to disturb, harass, or destroy turtles, nests, or eggs, the website says.

A stock photo of a turtle. (Getty Images)

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says on its website that it encourages the public to view sea turtles responsibly from a distance of 10 feet.

It notes, Civil penalties can exceed $50,000 and Criminal penalties can include fines of up to $100,000 and imprisonment of up to one year.

In 2015, the agency added, a Florida man received 30 days in jail for lifting a sea turtle out of the water.

Local10 reported at the time that Carlos Argenis Hernandez was arrested in July 2015 after photos emerged of him lifting the sea animal out of the water. He then put in on a coral rock.

Read More National Aquarium Releases Rescued Sea Turtles Back to the Ocean

Another man was fined $1,500 last year for harassing a turtle and a monk seal in Hawaiis Kauai, NOAA also said.

The man, who was vacationing on Kauai in fall 2017, posted videos of his interactions with the animals on Instagram, a popular social media platform for sharing photos and videos. An officer with NOAAs Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) in Hawaii used the mans social media presence to identify his home address, issue the penalty, and educate him about the federal statutes protecting marine wildlife, the agency wrote.

Adam Kurtz, a NOAA Fisheries wildlife management coordinator, noted that the harassment of the seal could be dangerous.

Even if they are sleeping and seem harmless, Hawaiian monk seals are still wild animals and they can act unpredictably, Kurtz said in a statement. The seal could have lunged at him.NORWALK  Firefighters saved two people passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning on Saturday.

Crews from Engine Co. 2 received a medical call about a couple people who had fallen down the stairs, but arrived to find the smell of chemicals and two individuals unconscious on a basement floor, according to a Facebook post from Norwalk Firefighters Local 830.

Firefighters put on masks and pulled the couple out of the building and called Norwalk Rescue Co. 2, the post said.

The two had been using a gas-powered concrete saw indoors without ventilation, Norwalk Firefighters Local 830. A dangerous mixture of chemicals was also possibly present, the department said.

Firefighters found very elevated levels of carbon monoxide and ventilated the house until levels dropped to zero, according to the post.

Had this situation taken longer to come to the attention of first responders, this could have turned out very different, Norwalk Firefighters Local 830 said. The quick response and work of the first due company saved two lives.

The department urged homeowners to install carbon monoxide detectors and reminded them not to use gas-powered tools inside with no ventilation.Webster marvels that she will never know the Arctic that her mentor experienced as a young researcher. And who could say what kind of world she would share with her own future students?

Im always rooting for the ice, Perovich says.

But they both know the feedback loop between lost ice cover and warming water makes it more difficult for melted areas to refreeze. By the middle of this century, maybe sooner, scientists expect that no multiyear ice will be able to survive the endless day of the polar summer.

Then, for part of the year, the Arctic could be practically ice free.

Perovich says he thinks the summer ice will stick around as long as I do. He nods to his younger colleague. I dont know about you.

Webster pulls her knees toward her chest. Her expression is sober as she ponders the Arctics future  and her own.

I cant actually imagine what that would be like, she says.

Its easy to imagine; you just erase all the ice, Perovich says. Whats hard to imagine is what all the ramifications would be.Ultimately, the Trump administration wants Central American migrants to have to seek asylum in Mexico rather than the United States. The United States and Canada have a safe third country agreement under which those seeking asylum must make their claim in the country where they first arrive. If Mexico were designated a safe third country, those crossing its southern border would have to seek asylum and settle there. That would push the Central American migrants problem from our southern border to Mexicos southern border where it belongs. As Roger Noriega, a former U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States, pointed out during an interview for the American Enterprise Institutes new podcast (which I co-host), it would also put the human smugglers out of business. If Mexico is designated a safe third country, Noriega says, people will no longer be paying coyotes their life savings to get to the United States, because they are not going to pay that to get to Mexico.The World Bank cited rising trade protectionism as a prime cause of weakening economic growth in 2018. James Bullard, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said recently that the U.S. faces an economy that is expected to grow more slowly going forward, with some risk that the slowdown could be sharper than expected due to ongoing global trade regime uncertainty.

Republican senators were so alarmed at Trumps bellicose threats toward Mexico that they were preparing to block new tariffs before the president canceled them. We are going to have a lot of our members who are very concerned about where this is headed, said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the second-ranking Republican, to The New York Times.

The Wall Street Journal warned in an editorial that the effects of trade uncertainty are rippling out, and that the May jobs report was a flashing yellow light that Mr. Trump needs to settle his trade wars and get back to promoting growth.For the first time since 1955, Fonner Park wont have a Swihart as part of its management team later this summer.

Bruce Swihart has announced that he will be retiring as CEO of Fonner Park at the end of July. Swihart has been the Fonner CEO since 2015. However, he has worked full time at Fonner for 43 years.

In addition, his father, Al Swihart, was the general manager of Fonner when the track opened for its second year in 1955 and held that position until he died in 1983.

Thats a lot of history that will walk out the door of Fonner on July 31.

Bruce Swihart has been a calm, steady leader at Fonner for more than four decades. He has helped keep the horse racetrack operating during a difficult time when other tracks, such as Aksarben in Omaha, closed.

Horse racing now has many other competitors in the gambling arena, but because of leaders like Swihart, Fonner has been able to keep operating.

That is far from all, though. During his time in management, Fonner has seen the addition of the Heartland Events Center and then the Nebraska State Fair moving to the site nine years ago with a $40 million investment in new buildings.ALTON  Saturdays Juneteenth celebration at Killion Park in Alton featured a special guest as Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, the first African American to hold that office, made an appearance and spoke to the large crowd at the 28th annual event.

Stratton wore an event T-shirt, greeted local residents and was impressed with the huge turnout.

Its amazing; all of the people are out, the children are out, theres food and programming, and its celebrating the concept of freedom and liberation, Stratton said. A lot of times things like Juneteenth arent taught in our school system. So Alton is really lifting up the concept of what Juneteenth is all about and making sure that every community is aware of it.

Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865 order by Union Army Gen. Gordon Granger that enforced the provisions of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas, eliminating the last bastion of slavery in the United States. Stratton said Juneteenth demonstrates that we have made progress, but there is still headway to be made regarding racial equality.

We have a long way to go to make sure that everyone is free, Stratton said. We have to make sure that we have economic opportunity and prosperity for every community, access to affordable health care and housing, and we have to make sure that every child gets a quality education. And thats when we will see real liberation.

The Alton Juneteenth celebration featured live music and dance by area performing groups, a petting zoo and horseback rides, rock climbing, games, and numerous other family activities. The estimated 600 visitors could browse through hand-crafted wares and enjoy the smells and tastes offered by numerous food vendors.

One taste garnered a lot of attention  a small booth advertising simply snoots.

Even before I get set up good, theyre coming for it, said Berta Hill, who once served snoots at a cafe she owned but now just cooks them for fun.

You gotta get em crispy-crunchy. If it crunches, its good, but if youre about to break your teeth you dont want that; throw that one away and find another one, she said. Ninety-nine percent of mine are perfect. You might find one that aint good but the other 99 are perfect.

Hill shared portions of her secret recipe for snoots, or pig noses. She boils the whole snoot until its tender enough to cut thin, deep fries the pieces until they snap and crack, then serves them smothered in sweet barbecue sauce. Hill boasted that her snoots were the best around, and a non-scientific and sauce-stained investigation by The Telegraph on Saturday found nothing to dispute that claim.

This recipe has been in my family forever, from days before my time, Hill said. Slaves are the ones who introduced this. Snoots, head cheese, all of that stuff came from slaves. They made do with what they had, and its delicious. We love it.

Heavy rain earlier on Saturday had Juneteenth organizers worried about the event turnout. But the weather cooperated with mostly dry conditions and pleasant temperatures.

Our weather prayers were answered, said event co-chair Lee Barham. We looked for this window of opportunity for people to come out and enjoy themselves and to meet their lieutenant governor.

This event is a time for our community to come together as one, Barham said. As one, we can solve a lot of problems.

Juneteenth co-chair Marquato Rattler agreed the conditions were near perfect on Saturday.

We are really blessed that the rain is staying away, Rattler said. If you just look around here right now, Alton is responding. Everybody is happy and celebrating.

Carol Killion Hudson was happy. The park where Juneteenth was held is named after her late father, James H. Killion Jr.

Its an honor and a blessing, she said. My father would be so proud to see this today, the community coming together, because that is what he was about. We grew up right down the street and he did a lot of things for youth in the community and he would have liked to see that continue.

Alton Mayor Brant Walker thought Killion Park looked great filled with visitors, activities and food.

This is a tremendous turnout, and it celebrates what should be celebrated, Walker said.

The mayor said Saturdays Juneteenth celebration shows what is possible for Alton in the future.

Weve come a long way but we still have a ways to go and this is all part of it, Walker said. The more we do things together, the more we share together, the easier it is to cross divides. So we are well on our way, but were not there yet.GLEN CARBON  Among its accomplishments during the past 12 months, Glen Carbon retains its financial footing while making some improvements, as Mayor Robert Jackstadt showed during a recent state of the village presentation.

The village dissolved a tax-increment financing (TIF) district on Dec. 31 that had been established in 1995 with a base EAV of $3.1 million. For the 2018 tax year, the EAV was estimated at $16.6 million, returning $13.5 million to the area taxing bodies.

Upon the completion of the current drainage project ongoing within the district, the village anticipates allocating an estimated $1 million in surplus dollars back to the other taxing entities, Jackstadt said. This includes the school district, Edwardsville Township and the Glen Carbon Fire Protection District.

The village discontinued a one percent business district sales tax in the Edwardsville Crossing Business District on Jan. 1. Sales tax on general merchandise went from 8.1 to 7.1 percent.

This district, in partnership with the City of Edwardsville, fulfilled its financial obligation in 13 years  or half the time statutorily allowed, said Jackstadt. As a result, the sales tax rate within this shopping center was reduced.

Moving forward, we will certainly need to address the water fund. Glen Carbon has not changed its water (or sewer) rate for two years now, he said.

Six new businesses opened over the past year  Safe Escape Rooms; Phoenix Physical Therapy; Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois; The Axe Company; Gateway Medical Group; and Residential Home Health, Palliative and Hospice Care.

The village is in the process of completing the much-needed reconstruction of Old Troy Road, the mayor said. The north end from Mont Road to Glen Crossing is open to traffic.

Future plans include completing the Old Troy Road project and continuing to work on the villages pavement management program.

Glen Carbon will continue to see private sector growth in the coming months. The Springfield Archdiocese has obtained approval of new senior living center off Bouse Road, Jackstadt said. Phase one of the senior living community will consist of 12 cottage homes, 102 independent living apartments and 37 assisted living units.

Other new developments include Osborn Developments Benes Commons Professional Office Park on Benes Drive with four, 7,150-square-foot office buildings. This is located south of the southwest corner of Route 159 and Glen Crossing Road.

Glen Carbon Fire Districts new station is projected to open in July or August and the old station, built in 1957, will be demolished during the week of June 24.

Jackstadt said the village has recently finished installing a camera security system at its village hall complex, which was the second phase following the opening of the new dispatch center.

The police department can now monitor all areas of the village hall, internally and externally, to provide the necessary security for a safe environment, the mayor said. The next phase will be to upgrade the village hall administration offices. The village will re-construct this area to provide a safe and friendly working environment for both staff and residents. The project is estimated to cost $100,000.

Jackstadt plans to have the board take an even longer-term look at the villages future.

During the next year, I plan on re-starting the Glen Carbon 2039 agenda item on board agendas for selected second board meetings during the year, Jackstadt said. This board should discuss how we want Glen Carbon to look in 20 years.

Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at (618) 659-5735EDWARDSVILLE  Local business leaders, government officials and educators went to Washington D.C. last week to meet with representatives of the Japan Business Federation.

They plan to host a delegation from the group locally in the near future. The ultimate goal is to help local businesses develop strong associations with Japanese businesses that could bring jobs to the Metro East.

Several local officials had been in Washington for a conference; others flew in for the meeting.

The group included Ronda Sauget, executive director of the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois; Jim Alexander of Alliance STL; SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook; OFallon Mayor Herb Roach; Dennis Wilmsmeyer of Americas Central Port; Mike Mueller of Ameren; and Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler.

On Thursday, the group met with officials from Keidanren, an economic organization representing more than 1,400 Japanese companies, 109 nationwide industrial associations and 47 separate regional economic organizations. The meeting stemmed from Saugets and Alexanders meeting with Japanese officials in Chicago.

There is a big presence of Japanese businesses in Chicago, Prenzler said. They are very solid, very positive companies, known for being very professional.

It was a very important meeting  very, very productive, he said. If you can attract one Japanese company, others will follow.

The Metro-East group was invited to make a presentation in Washington. Sauget said it was a very positive meeting.

They did specific research on our region, Sauget said. They do their homework; they knew our statistics.

Wilmsmeyer said he believed the visit was great for the area.

Its the start of a hopefully long-term relationship, he said. What we have found with the Japanese is they very much look for great places to invest in, and when you get a few companies move in more follow.

He said organizers are hoping to interest manufacturers to look at the area.

Manufacturers create those higher-paying jobs, he said. Thats a very good thing and its a great way of creating a lot of quality jobs.

Part of Prenzlers presentation was on the areas quality of life. It included a mention of SIUEs Suzuki Program, a method of teaching violin, viola and cello pioneered in Japan.

Both Sauget and Wilmsmeyer said the next step is to bring a delegation from the group here.

We extended invitations to all of them to come visit our region, Wilmsmeyer said. That will take some months or longer to get here. Hopefully well get to get them to come and tour.

It wont pay off tomorrow, or even next week, he said. But we hope that over time many more companies and many more countries take a look at Southwestern Illinois as a great place to do business.

The effort follows an increased emphasis by local economic development officials on dealing with site selectors and similar business groups.

So often our area gets overlooked, Sauget said. Site selectors look at St. Louis. But they dont often look on this side of the river.

Local economic development officials are working to combat that. Part of the effort includes traveling outside the area to meet with site selectors, while inviting them to the Metro East.

Weve been all over, she said.

In June, Ron Starner, editor of Site Selection Magazine, came to the area to meet with local economic developers. Sauget said the magazine reaches about 50,000 key influencers in site selection worldwide.

Bringing him here and highlighting what we do was a big plus for Southwestern Illinois, she said.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Edouard Bruc and Antonius Alexander Tigor (The Jakarta Post) -  Sun, June 16, 2019 10:15 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873ca8fd6 3 Opinion data-privacy,technology,big-data,data-breach,privacy-violation,tech-companies Free

In the last decade, out of the web has emerged a new consortium of tech giants that are thriving by amassing data and putting themselves as an indispensable digital intermediary prism in consumers lives. In the short run, their mere existence is not a problem, as their innovative nature is not disputed. However, in the long run, these data-opolies are enjoying an unprecedented clustering of several competitive parameters that may create high barriers to entry for competitors.

These key characteristics or layers are extreme returns to scale, network externalities and the growing importance of data and the positive feedback loop it triggers. As noted by a panel appointed by the European Commission, these characteristics might form a digital boarder that cannot be crossed. Besides, thanks to these strong economies of scope, once a market is conquered, it may be impossible for competitors to reach the critical mass of customers required to be a real challenger and by the same token, less chance to see competition flourish.

On that matter, policymakers face the risk of nipping innovation in the bud by either over- or under-regulating. Antitrust authorities wonder if antitrust law should include some privacy concerns within its realm  as these market players entrench market power through the accumulation of personal and non-personal data.

Amongst the scholars, this is now a hot topic.

Has the laissez-faire stance, notably in the United States, enabled regulation of the market by the market and fostered competition and innovation? What role should data protection rules play? What is the adequate tool to monitor the internet giants?

The antitrust drums are now beating at the tech giants' doors. For example, after the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) closed a case against Google in 2013, following the European Commissions fines amounting to US$9.4 billion, the Department of Justice decided to open an antitrust probe against the digital behemoth.

At the same time, Amazon is under FTC scrutiny. Japans FTC is also probing the practices of the tech giants and has already raided Amazons offices. South Koreas FTC was reported last year to be looking into whether Google Korea was abusing its market position to pressure local gaming companies to upload their products only onto the Google Play platform. The head of the Competition Commission of Singapore, Toh Han Li, stated they were looking at the use of big data. Indonesias Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) will continue to prioritize the digital economy with a dedicated team.

More substantially, the question of revamping competition law remains. Over the last decade, the big five tech firms have made more than 400 acquisitions globally, with over half of these in the past five years. Only a handful of these cases have been reviewed by the antitrust authorities, which raises questions about the risk of killer acquisition and the potential impact of the transferred data.

Furthermore, despite the initial skepticism, there is a growing consensus that privacy could be subject to antitrust law. In the Facebook/WhatsApp merger, the European Commission indicated that in markets for consumer communications, data privacy and data security constituted key parameters of non-price competition. The European watchdog further affirmed this stance regarding Microsoft and LinkedIn, claiming that information privacy, which could be negatively affected by the merger, is a significant factor of quality in the market for professional social networks.

This development brings competition policy closer to digital reality by acknowledging that market power may be exerted by reducing information privacy and foreclosing competition on a digital market, as boldly affirmed by the German antitrust body in a case against Facebook. Thus, while data protection law remains the main tool to tackle privacy, competition law appears far more suitable to correct its implications on a purely economic level.

Moreover, the two policies share some objectives. These objectives lend further support to the case for their coherent application when both policies are affected by anticompetitive practices. For example, under the European General Data Protection Regulation (GPDR), which requires firms to implement protective measures corresponding to the risk level of their data processing activities, market power could be a parameter.

Similarly, the (new) right to data portability captured by the GDPR, enables the user to control their information. This may only appear as an effective implementation of a fundamental right, but this is also a tool that empowers consumers and fosters competition by lowering the cost of switching from one provider to another. Nonetheless, this is not the case everywhere. For example, Indonesia, which hosts most unicorn companies in Southeast Asia, lacks a comprehensive data protection legal framework.

In any case, as noted by the KPPU, robust enforcement is needed to oversee these new and often confusing markets and competition authorities should also adapt to a new model. Nonetheless, how market power affects data collection practices remains unclear. This is partly because microeconomic theory offers little help in predicting how market power or the lack thereof (i.e. intensity of competition) affects the quality  and choice or innovation- including the level of privacy. Given such a lack of clear evidence, market structure analysis could shed light on how market power should be calculated in these markets.

All in all, in this information age, data protection can act as a normative benchmark for competition law, and the two policies should be applied holistically when their material scopes intersect. This cooperation could be undertaken by broadening the scope of the antitrust assessment either through the approval of the privacy watchdog for mergers involving a huge amount of data or by introducing within the antitrust field privacy matters on an economic level. Hence, through the widening of its scope by including data privacy as an economic parameter and via fitted digital regulations, a gentle antitrust revolution could occur in the digital age.

***

Edouard Bruc is a qualified lawyer (Paris Bar), alumni at the School of Law, Queen Mary University of London (LLM in competition law) and Magister DJCE of Montpellier.

Antonius Alexander Tigor is a legal technology expert, LLM in computer and communications law and Chevening Alumni at the School of Law, Queen Mary University of London, admitted to practice in Indonesia.

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 Hanna Rantala (Reuters)  Sun, June 16, 2019 16:01 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cb2eab 2 Entertainment Bill-Murray,Chloe-Sevigny,Tilda-Swinton,The-Dead-Dont-Die,film,Jim-Jarmusch,environment Free

Flesh-eating zombies terrorize a small town in Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die, a comedy horror in which polar fracking sets off strange reactions and raises the dead.

Reuters spoke with Bill Murray and Chloe Sevigny, who portray police, and Tilda Swinton, who plays a mysterious funeral parlor worker, about the film's albeit lighthearted environmentalism.

Below are edited excerpts.

TILDA SWINTON

Q: Why is environmentalism such a key theme here?

A: "It's the landscape of the film, it very often is in zombie films ... (they) are a very useful kind of Trojan Horse to talk about society's relationship with itself and the environment. But I would say it's whatever anybody sees in it and this is a landscape that really concerns Jim and all of us."

Q: What do you do personally to be environmentally friendly?

A: "I would like to fly a great deal less. I think we should all fly less anyway for about a million different reasons and not only to do with the effect of it on our planet but also on our bodies."

Read also: Jarmusch's zombies -- with Iggy -- to open Cannes

BILL MURRAY

Q: What do you do to be environmentally friendly?

A: "I'm no hero but I tried to give up plastic bottles about three or four years ago. I think I've had about four since the situation arose, I either had to take medicine or something like that ... I realized I was drinking probably 100 plastic bottles of water a month. I thought, well, that's 1,200 a year, at least. And that's one person. So I gave up and stopped it and I find that glass bottle water tastes better."

CHLOE SEVIGNY

Q: As someone associated with fashion, what do you do for the environment?

A: "I try not to use any single-use plastic and not use the dryer, take quick showers. It's all the little things that one can do one hopes will accumulate in some way.

"Flying is always one of the worst and that's unfortunately unavoidable in my line of work but I do compost in Manhattan and buy mostly recycled clothes. I'm trying to just not consume as much as maybe I have in the past and just try and spread that word to especially young girls. I'm somewhat of a fashion icon and I try encourage people to buy vintage or buy slightly used."Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Jean-Louis De La Vaissiere (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France  Mon, June 17, 2019 06:05 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cbacdb 2 Art & Culture art,France,Italy,Caravaggio,painting,auction,Eric-Turquin Free

Art expert Eric Turquin is not only convinced that a canvas found in the attic of an old house in southwest France is a Caravaggio -- he believes it is a revolutionary masterpiece.

France's leading authority on Old Masters paintings has staked his reputation on the assertion that the work -- left forgotten under an old mattress for 100 years -- is the fiery Italian artist's lost "Judith and Holofernes".

The painting depicting a grisly biblical scene of the beautiful Jewish widow Judith beheading a sleeping Assyrian general will be displayed in Paris on Friday before it goes under the hammer on June 27 in Toulouse, the city where it was discovered five years ago.

Turquin said it should sell for between 100 and 150 million euros (up to $170 million).

"Not only is it a Caravaggio, but of all the Caravaggios that are known today, this is one of the great pictures," he insisted.

"The painting is in an extraordinarily good state, much better than the Caravaggios I have seen in Naples," he told AFP.

But although everyone agrees on the quality of the work, a minority of experts -- particularly in Italy -- have their doubts.

They believe it is a copy made by the Flemish artist Louis Finson, who worked alongside Caravaggio as he painted.

But Turquin is adamant it is the original from 1606 whose existence was first noted in letters between Italian dukes and art dealers four centuries ago.

Read also: Possible lost Caravaggio painting found in attic in France

'Turning point'

He is more convinced than ever since the canvas was cleaned in January, a process that took three weeks. On top of X-rays, the cleaning "has shown that the painting was changed a lot as it was painted, with lots of retouching. That proves it is an original," Turquin said.

"Copyists don't make changes like that, they copy," he added.

A less virtuoso version of the scene by Finson hangs at the Palazzo Zevallos in Naples.

Standing in front of what has been called the "Toulouse Caravaggio" in a strongroom above his Paris office, Turquin showed the telltale trace of how the artist had changed his mind about which way Judith should be looking.

"After five years of reflection, no one has put up a counter-argument," said the expert, accusing the Italian doubters of "pronouncing against the painting without seeing it.

"They say it's impossible because Caravaggio painted (no more than) 65 canvases... For them the history of art is set."

Turquin said the painting marked a turning point in Caravaggio's development as an artist.

The fiercely original painter had created his first canvas on the theme, the far more formal "Judith Beheading Holofernes" in 1598, which hangs at the Palazzo Barberini in Rome.

Read also: 'Lost Caravaggio' set for big London unveiling

Condemned to death

But by 1606 Caravaggio's life had changed dramatically, and he was on the run for murder. He fled to Naples after being condemned to death for stabbing a man in a street brawl in Rome.

"He was painting faster, more spontaneously and more strikingly," said Turquin, adding that the painting reflects his now darker view of life.

"In one place, he made a brushstroke nearly a metre long. He did Judith's sleeve and the lace on it in one go. He was a virtuoso with the paintbrush.

"He changed his style, painting 'risparmio' (sparingly), using the black background and painting accentuating strokes onto it. This is particularly visible on the sheet."

Other experts have speculated that Finson could have added his own touches to the canvas after Caravaggio left suddenly for Malta in 1607, where he hoped he might be safer from his enemies.

Turquin said that he kept the "Toulouse Caravaggio" in his bedroom for 16 months "while art historians, insurers and restorers came to view it.

"We wanted to wait until we were sure before coming forward" and announcing the discovery to the world in April 2016 after the Italian Caravaggio expert Nicola Spinosa also gave it his imprimatur.

The painting will be sold in Toulouse by Marc Labarbe, the provincial auctioneer who discovered it after a local family asked him to value some "old things in the attic" of a house they were clearing.

The family -- who have not been named -- believe it may have been brought to France by one of their ancestors, an officer in Napoleon's army.

The Corsican invaded the then Kingdom of Naples in 1806 and put his brother Joseph on the throne.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Philip Blenkinsop (Reuters) Westvleteren, Belgium  Mon, June 17, 2019 01:03 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cb8aee 2 Food monks,beer,Westvleteren-beer,Belgium,belgian-beer Free

Belgian Trappist monks who brew one of the world's most coveted beers are turning to online sales to ensure their limited supply goes directly to beer lovers rather than to profiteers.

The Saint-Sixtus abbey, home to 19 monks, has been brewing since 1839 and selling to the public since 1878, but with limited production and controlled sales to ensure brewing never takes over monastic life or earns more than needed.

After World War Two they opted to sell at the abbey gates only, instead of through local cafes.

With the rise of craft beer and websites hailing their Westvleteren XII as one of the best beers in the world, the monks started a telephone reservation system in 2005.

Customers were allowed to order two crates for collection at the abbey but were limited to no more than one purchase in 60 days.

Buyers found ways to circumvent the rules, however, using different phone numbers in order to buy more than allowed, and in some cases selling it on at inflated prices.

"Instead of car jams we got jammed telephones as well as the spread of the grey market, people selling on our beer sometimes at vast profit margins," said abbot Manu Van Hecke.

Including a deposit, a crate of 24 beers costs 2.50 euros ($2.82) per bottle. The monks ask buyers not to sell to third parties, but in Brussels, Westvleteren XII can cost at least 12 euros.

Read also: Belgian monks resurrect brewery after two century break

The monks say they heard of a single bottle on sale for $300 in Dubai.

Brother Godfried said the final straw came last year when a Dutch supermarket stockpiled 7,200 bottles of the abbey's beer and sold them, in a campaign showing monks, at 9.95 euros each.

"It really opened our eyes. It was a sort of wake-up call that the problem was so serious, that a company was able to buy such volumes. It really disturbed us," said Godfried, one of the few monks who also drinks the beer.

The abbey is now turning to an online reservation system, designed to better enforce the limit of two crates per 60 days. Buyers will have to register and priority will be given to those who have waited longest since their last purchase.

For the first time they will also be able to pick and mix from the abbey's three Westvleteren beers - a 5.8% blond, an 8% ale, and its most famous 10.2% dark ale.

The monks recognise the system, which will launch at the end of this month, will not eliminate profiteers, but at least make it harder to buy in bulk.

They also hope the new system will make it easier for foreign beer lovers to order, although they will still have to come to the abbey to collect their beer.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 16, 2019 21:09 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cb77b4 1 Health Indonesia,social-media,social-media-post,#SocialMedia,mental-health,Twitter,Facebook,depression Free

Its hard not to feel inferior to others in this digital age as social media has created an impression that everyone is having the best time of their lives.

This resentment at seeing happy images posted on social media platforms contributes to poor mental health, especially in developing countries such as Indonesia, according to research conducted by scholars Sujarwoto, Gindo Tampubolon and Adi Cilik Pierewan.

MedicalXpress reported that Indonesia is the worlds fourth largest Facebook-using country with 54 million users. Meanwhile, Twitter is said to have 22 million Indonesian users, making it the fifth largest Twitter-using country.

The research, which was published in The Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, analyzed data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey 2014, which involved 22,423 individuals aged 20 years and older in 9987 households and 297 districts in Indonesia.

Read also: Why social media is boosting your stress

Based on the research, social media use is said to harm adult mental health, as the findings showed an increase of one standard deviation in adult use of social media, which is associated with a 9 percent increase in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score.

The study discovered that social media highlighted the countrys high levels of inequality, creating envy and feelings of resentment.

With that in mind, Global Development Institute researcher Gindo Tampubolon said, "It's a strong reminder that these technologies can have a downside.

"We would like to see public health officials think creatively about how we can encourage people to take a break from social media, or to be aware of the negative consequences it can have on mental health, added Gindo. (jes/wng)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 16, 2019 19:08 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cb6042 1 Books Singapore,Singapore-Art-Book-Fair,books,zine,music,Bani-Haykal Free

The Singapore Art Book Fair (SGABF) is returning in two weeks time.

According to a recent press release, the event is slated for June 28 to 30. For its sixth year, the event is to host the works of more than 80 local and international exhibitors. Art books, art catalogues, monographs, zines and printed ephemera are available for public viewing.

This years SGBAF will be hosted in the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore and opens at 12 p.m. until late on opening day, but will close at 8 p.m. on June 29 and 30.

The 2019 SGABF is to feature an Open Call Showcase by art platform THEBOOKSHOW, workshops by Facebook Analog Research Lab and The Zine Library curated by the Squelch Zines collective.

Here are some highlights you need to know about before the big event.

Live music performances

On June 28, experimental musicians Bani Haykal & Ferry are to perform live, organized by Singaporean record label Ujikaji. On the next day, musician and composer Kin Leonn is to perform an Improvised Ambient Set organized by Tokyo-based record label KITCHEN. LABLE.

Read also: 23 Indonesian titles sold, interest expressed in 408 more at London Book Fair

THEBOOKSHOW Open Call Showcase

During SGABF2019, visitors can enjoy the Open Call Showcase by THEBOOKSHOW, a selection of self-published photobooks produced by 10 international artists and photographers.

The Open Call Showcase is a great opportunity for emerging artists to have their creations seen, but its also a great opportunity to encourage art book appreciation in the community.

The books featured in this exhibition are curated by the director of SGABF, Renee Ting, founder of Do Not Design, Yanda, and the director of the Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) and co-founder of THEBOOKSHOW, Leanna Teoh. All works featured in this exhibition are to travel to other international events THEBOOKSHOW collaborates with as well.

The official SG Art Book Fair afterparty

On the second night of SGABF2019 (June 29), an afterparty at Hopscotch restaurant and grill is open to all exhibitors and visitors starting from 8.30 p.m. till late.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of alcoholic beverages and food for sale accompanied by a unique lineup of musical talent organized by a local collective, Good Times. Performers include underground DJs Reiki, Sadat and Itch, filling the night with sounds ranging from jazz, to reggae, to Arabic funk and Afropop.

To find out more details regarding their public program schedule and more, visit their page on the NTU Centre For Contemporary Art Singapores website. (ayr/wng)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) New York, United States  Sun, June 16, 2019 14:03 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cb01ee 2 Books united-states,Book,gender,Naomi-Wolf,Outrages Free

The US publisher of feminist author Naomi Wolf's latest book Outrages, about the persecution of gay men in 19th century Britain, has delayed its release amid questions about her research.

The book has already been released in Britain, and was expected to hit US bookshelves on Tuesday.

But one of her main points -- that dozens of men were executed for their homosexuality in the 1850s -- appears to be incorrect, possibly because she misunderstood the court documents she reviewed.

A BBC interviewer called her out on air over the apparent mistakes, and Wolf says she "made necessary changes immediately" to her manuscript.

But Houghton Mifflin Harcourt nevertheless delayed the publication.

"As we have been working with Naomi Wolf to make corrections to Outrages, new questions have arisen that require more time to explore," the publisher said in a statement sent Friday to AFP.

Read also: US author Naomi Wolf stands by gay persecution book despite blunder

"We are postponing publication and requesting that all copies be returned from retail accounts while we work to resolve those questions," it said, without offering a new publication date.

Wolf said on Twitter that she "strongly objected" to the decision.

"The heart of my book is not criminology but censorship," she wrote.

The book's subtitle is Sex, Censorship and the Criminalization of Love.

Amazon now says the book will be available on June 1, 2020.

Wolf, 56, first came to prominence in the early 1990s with The Beauty Myth. Her 2012 book Vagina: A New Biography also earned a lot of attention.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 (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, June 15 2019

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.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 16, 2019 18:25 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cb5ac9 1 National flood,landslides,North-Sulawesi Free

Massive landslides have cut off the main road connecting Palu, Gorontalo and Manado in the northern part of Sulawesi just as thousands of Idul Fitri travelers were making their way home.

A landslide has also disrupted transportation to a nickel mining site in Morowali, Central Sulawesi.

Constant rainfall that started prior to Idul Fitri affected at least four points of the trans-Sulawesi toll road, namely Tawaeli-Toboli, Parigi-Moutong, Luwuk-Baturube and Bungku, on the border of Central and Southeast Sulawesi, with the latter losing access to the Dampala bridge because of heavy floods.

The Dampala bridge is a vital link to the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP), one of the countrys largest nickel mining sites. In the meantime, an emergency bridge was erected at the location.

Landslides in Palasa, Central Sulawesi, were the result of rainfall this past week  a peculiar weather pattern in Indonesia where June is supposed to be the peak of the dry season.

Road access has been closed for the past three weeks.

Until now, there has been no land transportation from Bahodopi district [where the mining site located] to Bungku and other cities in Southeast and South Sulawesi, as well as Kendari, said Amran, a Bahodopi resident, as quoted by Antara news agency.

In the meantime, authorities are anticipating further access issues by placing equipment near the site of landslides.

Meanwhile, temporary evacuation posts have been established in northern Sulawesi as residents have lost their houses to the massive flood. More help is coming in the form of basic food supplies, public kitchens, medical aid and volunteers. (dmy)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 16, 2019 14:24 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cb1062 4 City fire,fire-accidents,Central-Jakarta,Fire-and-Rescue-Agency Free

A fire razed a house in South Gunung Sahari in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, on Saturday, killing at least one person.

The head of the Central Jakarta Fire and Rescue Office, Hardisiswan, said the fire had broken out at 4 p.m.

Residents managed to put out the flames by 4:25 p.m. with their own modest fire-extinguishing equipment, he said on Saturday, as reported by kompas.com.

Hardisiswan said residents had heard an explosion at the house and worked together to put out the fire by themselves.

One person living in the house, Slamet Santoso, 66, died from the fire.

Soon after the fire trucks came and combed the house, they found a male body on the scene, he added.

The body has been removed by police investigators for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. (tru)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Ardila Syakriah, Kharishar Kahfi and Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta and Batam  Sun, June 16, 2019

Activists have called on the government to take a stronger stance against waste-exporting countries, suggesting that "merely" returning the trash, as the Environment and Forestry Ministry did for the first time on Friday, was not enough to solve the problem.

The ministry reported on Friday that it had returned five containers of imported trash to the United States from Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, East Java, after finding that the containers that were supposed to contain only clean paper scraps also contained diapers, plastic waste, wood, fabrics and shoes in significant amounts.

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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, June 17 2019

CEOs worldwide are most concerned about environment-related risks in 2019, as consumers growing environmental awareness could affect their businesses, according to the latest CEO outlook survey by business consultancy KPMG.

Susanto, head of the clients and market partners division at KPMG Indonesia, said in a press briefing in Jakarta on Thursday that the executives were on alert over changing consumer behavior and changing regulations related to the environment, which may negatively affect their business operations.

He cited as an example the #NoStrawMovement initiated in Indonesia by NGO Drivers Clean Action and KFC in May last year. The movement compelled other major fast food chains, such as Bakmi GM and McDonalds, to stop serving plastic straws but did not have a significant negative impact on their operations.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 16, 2019 13:02 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873caa137 1 News Bangka-Belitung,travel,Indonesia,tourism,tourists,destination,Bangka Free

Tourists visiting the regency of Bangka in Bangka Belitung Islands province will be required to spend a night and buy food from the area, an official stated on Friday.

Bangka Regent Mulkan said plans were in store to issue a new regulation (Perbup) obliging tourists to stay for at least one night and enjoy local food during their visit in Bangka.

We don't want any foreign or domestic tourists to come to Bangka to enjoy its beautiful scenery but stay at hotels outside the regency and buy food there as well, he said, as quoted by news agency Antara on Friday.

Mulkan said the regulation aimed to boost Bangkas tourism sector.

Read also: The hidden gems of Bangka Island

I'm optimistic that this regulation will increase our tourist sector [income] and contribute to the local economy," he added.

Bangka is seeking to attract at least 86,000 domestic and foreign tourists by the end of this year and has planned various events to support it, such as the 2019 Sungailiat Triathlon expected to attract 302 participants from 16 countries. (dpk/kes)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 16, 2019 08:05 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873ca7fec 1 News Kupang,Dili,TransNusa,Airlines,travel Free

An international route connecting Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara to Dili in East Timor was opened on Friday.

The Kupang-Dili route is operated by local airline TransNusa, which serves routes in eastern Indonesian.

As reported by Antara, the maiden flight that took off from El Tari Airport in Kupang to Nicolau Lobatu Airport in Dili on Friday morning was attended by TransNusa owner Leo Budiman and CEO Risnandi Saepurahman.

Read also: TransNusa launches first Central Java intercity flight

The service is available twice a week every Monday and Friday using a ATR 72-600 plane that can accommodate 78 passengers.

This international route is a breath of fresh air for the aviation industry, said El Tari Airport general manager Barata Singgih Riwahono, adding that other airlines should also consider expanding their routes to more provinces to support local economies throughout the country. (gis/kes)

Topics : Kupang Dili TransNusa Airlines travelShare this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 16, 2019 23:09 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cb875e 1 News chernobyl,HBO,Tourist,series,television Free

The success of HBOs television miniseries based on the 1986 nuclear accident, Chernobyl, has led tourists and fans to visit the actual disaster site as a tourist attraction.

According to the Washington Post, tour companies such as SoloEast Travel and Chernobylwel stated that there had been a 30 percent increase in bookings made during May and up to the next few months.

Visitors are allowed to see the town of Pripyat in Ukraine and the power plant itself. However, some of the areas surrounding the power plant are off limits for safety reasons.

Although the series is based on actual events, the story includes a few fictional affairs that do not necessarily correspond to what really happened.

Nevertheless, Chernobyl has been praised for discussing numerous themes, such as political threats and careless management in weaponry and chemicals.

This phenomenon, however, has also drawn criticism, as the town with a bleak history is seen as an amusement park.

Read also: HBO show success drives Chernobyl tourism boom

One company offers customers the chance to ride a protected vehicle as well as to try a power plant launch while they discover the secrets and stories of the events that occurred.

It has also launched fridge magnets, radioactive ice cream and canned air, which Sergii Ivanchuck, director of SoloEast Tour, finds disgusting and humiliating for people who still work at Chernobyl or pay visits to their abandoned houses.

When the Chernobyl Diaries film was released in 2012, the idea of an amusement park in the town also arose.

Judging by the number of visitors in recent years by SoloEast (11,000 customers) and the company (7,500), Ivanchuck believes the site used to be a sort of extreme travel.

You were very brave to go to Chernobyl in 2000. Now, not so much, he said. (vit/wng)

Topics : chernobyl HBO Tourist series televisionShare this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, June 16, 2019 17:01 930 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873cb4aba 1 Activities bali,authentic,travel,destination,Gianyar,munduk,Tanjuk-Village Free

Travel agency Klook has revealed four of the best locations in Bali for you and your family to unwind during the holidays.

Bali is an internationally renowned tourist hotspot- so much so that the island paradise is often described as a boisterous city filled with the hustle and bustle of modern life. While thats true for Balis more popular spots, the island still has much to offer for any family.

From families that seek culinary adventures or for those hunting down the authentic Bali feel, here are four excellent activities you and your family can enjoy.

1. Taste the flavors of Bali at Gianyar Market

Gianyar Market is a bustling night street market filled to the brim with colorful cuisine and interesting flavors. Defined by its fresh ingredients and devotion to Balinese Cuisine, the market seems quaint but is the perfect place to shop for homey traditional foods that are sure to warm your stomachs and your hearts.

With friendly vendors, great food and lively atmosphere, Gianyar Market is the perfect place to bring your family to bond over food at the end of the day.

2. Experience an authentic Bali life at Tanjuk Village

Tanjuk Village is located far away from Balis tourist hotspots, leaving it a peaceful and quaint village to fully experience. With the Bali Ordinary Living Private tour, experience everyday Bali like a local with activities such as helping farmers or learning to climb coconut trees.

This location is perfect for anyone looking to experience authentic Balinese culture firsthand. To live and work among Balinese villagers in their daily lives, this retreat is perfect for families looking for something tranquil and authentic.

Read also: River cinema among Balis newest tourist attractions

3. Explore Balis scenic wilderness at Munduk Wilderness

For the more daring families, Munduk Wilderness offers the Haunted Valley Waterfall ATV and Mountain Bike Adventure offers exciting activities. This group adventure can take you deep into Balis wilderness, exploring rough unexplored terrains with scenic views on ATVs. You can also visit the Haunted Valley Waterfall and take a refreshing dip after a long day of exploring together.

If youre looking for a heart-pounding retreat into Balis untouched wilderness, this is your go-to activity.

4. Cruise Balis blue waters in style on The Anchorage

The Anchorage is a luxurious cruise ship made for families who enjoy the refreshing feeling of Balis ocean winds. As part of the Sail Sensations Daylight Cruise package by Bali Hai, the ship is a top-class watercraft equipped with pools, waterslides and even a world-class beach club. Activities in the great blue are also available with their kayaks and snorkeling programs. (ayr/wng)16 hours ago

3 Knocked-Down Stocks That Are Likely to Get Off the Mat in 2022

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



Zanu PFs new commissar Victor Matemadanda has dismissed claims that his recent appointment was meant to address growing concerns about the re-emergence of factionalism in the party.





President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week appointed Matemadanda as a replacement for former army general Engelbert Rugeje, who was removed from the commissariat after only a year at the helm.





Observers said by removing Rugeje and replacing him with Matemadanda, Mnangagwa was trying to consolidate his power and stop depending on the military which propelled him to power in 2017.





Matemadanda also said those who were saying Zanu PF had failed were apportioning blame on the wrong people as it was former president Robert Mugabes administration that ran the affairs of the country.





He said the Zanu PF government would not tolerate protests against Mnangagwas administration, saying the anger should be directed at businesses that were raising prices. Matemadanda (VM) spoke to Standard senior reporter Obey Manayiti (OM) and below is the interview.





OM: What would you consider to be your immediate task following your appointment?





VM: In politics you dont get into a position as though the party is being formed on that day.





You continue from where others had gone up to, so I am going to embark on all programmes that the party was doing, but maybe the approach might be different.





However, as a party, we have the same guidelines and principles and in the case of this republic, we have one manifesto, which won us elections and it is this manifesto that we would want to push.





You remember that the president said it is not going to be politics and politics, but politics and economics.





The economics approach of Zanu PF comes from its campaign or election manifesto because it is the one that the people voted for and the fulfilment of the manifesto will be achieving the goals that we set for ourselves, which the people voted for.





OM: But do you have specific targets in your new role?





VM: Of course, first Zanu PF is a peoples party and those that were grown up when we got independence will remember that every Zanu PF programme and project was coined as a peoples programme.





Everything that was being done was for the people and that is to say the people, in Karl Marxs or Lenins words, should dictate what the party and government do.





This they called the dictatorship of the proletariat or the dictatorship of the general masses.





So I think the problem that had come into Zanu PF, especially in the last dispensation, was that the leadership took the party from the people and dictated the way forward yet the arrangement should be vice-versa.





It is the people that should dictate where the party must go.





This is why the president when he got into power, emphasised that he was going to introduce servant leadership.





We use a process in politics called democratic centralism, which entails that every strata or level of the party must be involved in every decision-making and resolution of problems.





It is the grassroots that identify a problem. This is why when we got independence, we introduced what were known as village development committees and ward development committees, which were meant to organise people so that together as a community the people would identify a problem and get solutions.





Then you would see Zanu PF people being involved because that is the agenda or manifesto of the party.





It is the politics that defines what structure the party should have, what approach the party and government should have.





This is so because the government is a child of the party. By so doing, people are now belonging to a process of rulership, to a process of development.





Therefore, my other task is to make sure that the party goes straight to the people, it is removed from the hands of the leadership and taken to the people.





This is why we emphasise on the cell structure of the party because everyone belongs to a cell.





It is the cell that is the most important structure, the central committee and politburo do not have many people. Therefore, there is no power there. It is just a place to make decisions from the people.





We are also going to make sure that every department of government understands what is there, understands that they have to provide a service to the electorate.





If they cannot provide that service, then they must justify their existence.





Where do we get this direction? It is from the manifesto that was voted for by the people.





Therefore, the manifesto of the party should be the commander of every operation of the party.





OM: Are you reinforcing the notion that Zanu PF is bigger than the government?





VM: Where you have a party system of governance, it is the party that forms the government, so Zanu PF is the one that gives birth to the government.





Yes, you can have technocrats in government, but people didnt vote for doctors, professors or engineers. They voted for a manifesto of the party.





All those who are appointed in government or those who are serving in government must obey or comply with the dictates of the manifesto, which is a product of the party.





Zanu PF is bigger than the government. So yes,Zanu PF is bigger than the government.





OM: You were appointed at a time when there are reports of emerging factionalism in Zanu PF. There are some who say there is another faction in Zanu PF trying to wrestle power from Mnangagwa and your appointment was influenced by those divisions.





VM: I am not going to allow myself to be a factional commissar and I am not going to allow myself to be a commissar who is a victim of speculation, rumour-mongering and unfounded allegations.





appointed because I am an ally of President Mnangagwa, but the same people forget that when General [Engelbert] Rugeje became commissar, he took that position from me, being appointed by the same president. I am not going to have time for that because, for example, you say I wasappointed because I am an ally of President Mnangagwa, but the same people forget that when General [Engelbert] Rugeje became commissar, he took that position from me, being appointed by the same president.





If I may ask those little minds: Whose ally was I when I was removed from the commissariat and whose ally was General Rugeje when he was appointed into the commissariat?





If they can answer that, then we can start talking.





People talking about factionalism are outsiders because we dont know about the factions ourselves and we are not going to allow ourselves to fall victim again to people like Jonathan Moyo who coined names of factions like the Lacoste or G40 groups.





A non-existent thing became a reality because somebody had coined it and the party started believing someones creation. We are not going to allow that.





OM: Can you please shed some light on the deployments made by the president, which saw you taking over from Rugeje as the commissar?





VM: There are many reasons why some appointments are made. It is not the duty of the appointed person to go and ask why he is being appointed. I havent seen that anywhere.





The prerogative to assign and reassign is entirely in the hands of the appointing authority.





I, as an appointed person, cannot ask why I was appointed.





What I know is that at any time in the party, positions must be held by an individual, one person at a time.





I am telling you that when Rugeje was appointed, he took over from me and I never heard people asking questions and saying it was because Rugeje is an ally of President Mnangagwa.





It was not an issue then. Even when Rugeje was appointed, I was working with him and there was no problem.





Even as I become commissar, I wont work in isolation as I will work with every member of the party, including Rugeje.





OM: How do you respond to critics who say the economic problems in the country are a sign that Zanu PF has failed?





VM: The Zanu PF government has been there and we had the first republic and I cannot answer for that one because, as you know, I was a critic and I was fired from the party. I never had any role.





I cannot answer for them, but my understanding or everyones understanding is that it was a Zanu PF government and we cannot run away from it as Zanu PF. Therefore,I cannot answer for them, but my understanding or everyones understanding is that it was a Zanu PF government and we cannot run away from it as Zanu PF.





However, it was a Zanu PF government under a different administration and if, for example, in my family, someone commits murder, police will not arrest every family member, but the one who committed the crime.





Those who were responsible for the first republic will answer for themselves. For the second republic, we gave a manifesto and promised a lot of things.





Is there anyone who doesnt see that there is infrastructure development, roads are being done?





In agriculture, we are doing the same and as far as our manifesto is concerned, we are following it.





The current state of the economy is a result of an information gap or understanding by the people, not enough information is going to the people.





Austerity measures are not an accident, but a thing that was crafted and is now being implemented by government because the government realised that it is the only way it can resuscitate this economy.





By the way, Zimbabwe is not the first country to introduce austerity measures.





Britain had austerity measures, the same with America, Germany, Rwanda and many others, but look at their economies after the austerity measures. They are booming.





The difference that could be there with these countries is that we are having these austerity measures under sanctions and this is why we say sanctions must go so that we implement these austerity measures in a free atmosphere.





We are quite confident that the austerity measures will stabilise our economy.





I know your next question will be, so why are prices rising? This is part of the austerity measures and the measures are not coming by accident.





It was explained well before implementation that the measures would be painful for a period that was defined.





You can hear economists of reason are saying we must begin to see the results of the austerity measures.





OM: What is your reaction to threats of mass protests against the government in response to the rising cost of living?





VM: Tell me, where have you seen a situation whereby if a family goes to bed on an empty stomach, the children start telling their parents to leave the bedroom so they can take over?





Where have you found such a stupid scenario?





If there is somebody who sees that there are things that are not working on well, such people must come up with solutions and not to say we must leave and pave way for them.





Who said we want to go? If it is a matter that people want to force government out, then it is another level of contradiction.





You cannot pretend that a Zanu PF government cannot deal with delinquent behaviour. We dont want to be applying force on our people.





If there are people who see some things not working out well, even from the opposition, they must proffer their solutions and not to wish they were the ones in power.





If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, but let them know that you will never ride a wish. We are talking about dialogue.





All the 23 candidates who contested for the presidents position during last years elections, they had different plans to take Zimbabwe forward, but we are saying only one person won the elections and lets come together and share ideas.





We will tolerate that, we want an opposition of reason.





For example, if prices rise our foes in the opposition should team up and capacitate our people to overcome the challenges.





I tell you the prices will fall, but we have an irresponsible opposition, which will protest against government as if the government owns bakeries.





Have you ever seen a bakery called government of Zimbabwe bakery? I f the demonstrations are against those hiking prices, we can even join in.





People must not demonstrate against the government because government is not in business.





The government is there to create conditions for business to thrive. Show me one shop that is called a Zanu PF business.





We need entrepreneurial skills among our people to be able to deal with the pressing economic situation.





OM: What is your reaction to reports that Zanu PF is politicising food relief in drought- prone areas and that you have politicised traditional leaders? As the commissar, do you have plans to address these perennial concerns?





VM: You seem informed, but can you bring me one name of anyone who is politicising food aid?





Dont be a journalist who thrives on speculation. This is what some people are saying, but we want the evidence.





There is a certain way of distributing food that involves many people, but when you claim Zanu PF abuses traditional leaders you are only confirming that Zanu PF dominates politics in this country.





You are saying there are no traditional leaders who support MDC or there are no councillors who support MDC in this country because these people are involved in food distribution.





Why dont their councillors bring one person as an example?





As government, we dont condone that and as a party we think every person belongs to Zanu PF and we can only have those people coming back to Zanu PF because at one time everyone was in Zanu PF.





We can have them back by treating them well. Why would Zanu PF want to be voted for if it discriminates during distribution of food aid? This is just a creation of some people.





OM: There are many documented cases where the politicisation of food aid has happened and in certain cases some individuals were taken to court. There are also cases of tradition leaders being called out for being partisan.





VM: Food aid is distributed to every citizen and the committees that distribute food are properly constituted. When food is distributed, there is no need for party cards.





Some of these issues are just being imagined by people.





If you know of cases like these as the media, please help me with the details, including pictures.





I want to bring politics of reason where we are going to encourage our supporters, our young people and their elders to create an environment where we will disagree with respect.



They gave me bus fare to meet them in Harare, after the issue was publicised. It was during the meeting that they laid out their offer, which I declined, as it is valueless. They told me during the meeting that they could not make the payment in US dollars, as laws had changed during that period and would only make a payment in RTGS dollars, which is ridiculous. They acknowledged that the payment was made in US dollars but want to give us RTGS, which cannot and will never account for a house, said Miss Mutasa.Cashing in on cannabis: Asian Cannabis Report spotlights economic opportunities

Asia is on track to have the oldest population in the world in the next few decades. Japan currently has the largest population of elderly people at 33.1% and this is set to bring about an unprecedented rise in healthcare costs in the long term. A high incidence of smoking and obesity throughout Asia will further compound demand for effective healthcare. The regions spending on healthcare is estimated to reach US$2.7 trillion by 2020, notes a comprehensive report on the financial opportunities waiting to be capitalised on as Thailand leads the region in legalising medical and medicinal cannabis.

healtheconomics

By The Phuket News

Sunday 16 June 2019, 10:00AM

Medicinal cannabis is legal in approximately only one in five of the regions countries, but within the last year significant developments have included legalisation, the launch of medicinal cannabis plantations, and investment into research to investigate the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. In this respect, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Singapore and South Korea are at the vanguard of change in the region, explains the The Asian Cannabis Report, published in May by leading market analysts and advisors Prohibition Partners.

Entire countries are already lining themselves up to be early to market with their products.

South Korea has taken steps to allow imports of cannabis-derived medicines that have already been approved for use overseas. In July, state-sanctioned clinical trials to test cannabis oil in sublingual drop format on selected patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) are planned to begin in Thailand. These developments all suggest that the availability of medicinal cannabis could experience a significant leap forward in 2019 and beyond.

Prohibition Partners estimates that the Asian medicinal cannabis market could be worth an estimated US$5.8 billion by 2024, assuming that it is legalised in the countries profiled in this report within this timeframe.

China and Japan would be the biggest value markets accounting for an estimated 75% share in 2024. However, according to our analysis, this estimate could quadruple by 2027, the report notes.

In Thailand, the legalisation of medical cannabis was officialised by royal decree in The Royal Gazette on 18 February 2019. Recreational cannabis, however, remains illegal.

Yet strong competition is already afoot.

Even in Malaysia, in February 2019, the health ministry stated that it would consider allowing the use of medical cannabis. Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said, If there is enough information to show it [medical cannabis] is safe and effective for use for certain conditions, then the ministry will be able to consider based on the particular indication.

In January 2018, Singapores National Research Foundation (NRF) announced a new five-year US$18.2mn (S$25mn) synthetic biology research initiative, which also includes a Synthetic Cannabinoid Biology Programme that aims to identify cannabinoid genes for the sustainable production of medicinal cannabinoids, without needing to cultivate the plant.

China makes up a large segment of the global CBD market and the country is exploring the potential of hemp strains with high CBD. The countrys Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences has been promoting the cultivation of hemp for pharmaceutical use and has developed a host of new cultivars with the goal of maximising CBD yields. More Chinese farmers are producing hemp in order to extract CBD, and the number of new specially developed high-CBD cultivars is on the rise in the country.

In 2016, Japan legalised CBD oil, but it was only in 2018 that the companyElixinolwas first allowed to advertise its product. While CBD oil is legal in Japan, products made in the country or legitimately imported for the Japanese market must contain less than 0.3% THC.

In February, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) took the landmark decision to approve the use of cannabis for research and medical purposes. The decision cemented Thailands position as the vanguard of medicinal progress in Southeast Asia, being the first country in the region to use cannabis to treat a range of conditions such as Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis, drug-resistant epilepsy and pain and nausea in cancer patients.

In addition to medical progress, the NLA decision should provide opportunities for Thai businesses and entrepreneurs, the report cautioned. The report highlights the US$237.2 million opportunity available to Thailand by 2024 should it choose to loosen restrictions on the medical cannabis market, says Daragh Anglim is Managing Director of Prohibition Partners.

Currently, there are only two officially sanctioned plantations in Thailand permitted to grow a strain of cannabis that is low in psychoactive compounds  less than 1% THC  to supply hospitals or government research institutes. All medical cannabis must be grown indoors to prevent illegal trade and ensure quality, he explains.

In order for Thai businesses to benefit fully from the economic opportunity on the horizon, the legislation needs to be clarified. Its worth noting that, while the Thai government is still tightly controlling the production and supply, foreign companies such as the British GW Pharmaceuticals and the Japanese Otsuka Pharmaceutical are alert to developments and have begun to file patent requests.

The Thai Department of Intellectual Property has so far denied these requests, but whether this will always be the case is up for debate. Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong recently recognised that cannabis is Thailands future cash crop and promised that the state is doing its best to protect intellectual rights linked to research.

But hardworking domestic businesses will remain concerned that if future patents are granted, transnational parties will dominate the potentially lucrative market, he adds.

In order for Thai businesses to reap the economic rewards of a domestic market, legislation needs to be clarified. Right now, attention is fixed on regulations due to be published imminently. It is believed that these will establish licensing and prescribing criteria for medical practitioners, but it is yet to be seen whether Thai farmers and businesses can expect the same clarity around domestic cultivation, Mr Anglim explains.

The world is bearing witness to a chain reaction of legal change. Citizens and governments across the globe are rapidly waking up to the potential of developing medical cannabis markets, provided legislation keeps apace, Thailand is well placed to lead the pack in Asia, he said.

To see the report in full, visit https://prohibitionpartners.com/2019/05/10/the-asian-cannabis-report/Phuket Opinion: Bitter pill

PHUKET: The move to have all private hospitals by law publicly list what medications they provide  and what prices they charge for them  in many areas of the country, and especially Bangkok, could be a game changer. But in Phuket, that great change does not seem likely.

opinionhealtheconomicscrimetourism

By The Phuket News

Sunday 16 June 2019, 09:00AM

The notice issued by the Department of Internal Trade on June 5 made plain the new legal requirements. Image: DI

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha wasted no time in pledging his support for the resolution by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Assembly on May 28, which called for public sharing of information on actual prices paid by governments and other buyers for health products, and greater transparency on pharmaceutical patents, clinical trial results and other determinants of pricing along the value chain from laboratory to patient.

The very next day (May 29) the necessary changes to the law were drafted, and within 48 hours of the resolution, on May 30, 353 private hospitals throughout the country were informed that they were now required to display the prices of 3,000 drugs, as well as the fees for medical supplies and services, so that consumers can make better-informed decisions prior to receiving treatments.

Last Sunday (June 9) the national propaganda machine made it clear via all modern media channels that this was now required, while pointing out that the government recognised studies that had shown that hospitals had charged anywhere from 300% up to a stupendous 16,000% in marked up prices  the latter being such an extravagant profit margin it would be tantamount to charging more than B50,000 for a bottle of paracetamol.

The complaints received by The Phuket News over the years about people being overcharged for basic medical services have often included the outrageous prices of basic medicines, including the seemingly mandatory bag of paracetamol on discharge from hospital. Yet the big bills are hidden in the more complex treatments, requiring more specialised medications.

The new law aims to make it more competitive between hospitals by allowing patients the freedom to make their decisions about where to obtain the medicine they will direly need, but in Phuket where are people to go? The hospital options remain the same: either one of the three government hospitals (Vachira, Patong and Thalang), the Phuket Provincial Hospital (also commonly called the OrBorJor Hospital), Mission Hospital or one of three remaining hospitals that are all owned by the same company.

The prices between the three main private hospital entities already differentiate the market to the point that patient load and services provided are the more determining factors in which hospital a Phuket resident is likely to prefer. The prices are just those that youre stuck with in your choice of which hospital to use.

There is no indication that will change, with or without the pricing public disclosure law.Phuket Town raid nets 500g of ya ice

PHUKET: A team of Phuket City Police on Tuesday (June 11) arrested a 28-year-old Thai man in Phuket Town who was found in possession of over 500g of crystal methamphetamine and 21 methamphetamine pills.

drugscrimepolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Sunday 16 June 2019, 11:53AM

The suspect was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Officers led by Capt Teerasak Narasri arrested Weerachayapol Kittikunakarn at a house in Soi Yaowarat 2/2 off Yaowarat Rd in Phuket Town. During Me Weerachayapol's arrest police seized from the suspect nine plastic bags filled with crystal methamphetamine (ya ice) totaling 500.72g and one bag filled with orange methamphetamine pills (ya bah) totaling 21 pills. A white Honda City car, a black Samsung mobile phone and red scales were also seized as evidence. Mr Weerachayapol was taken to Phuket City Police Station for legal proceedings. The man has already been charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.Watertown resident looks back on the changes seen in her 105 yearsAs perhaps Canadas most powerful lobby group, the Business Council of Canada (formerly known as the Canadian Council of Chief Executives) clearly has the best interests of big business at heart.

So why is former industry minister James Moore, who was hired by the Council last week to produce a report on how to modernize Canadas digital personal information policies, suggesting that more regulation could be the answer?

Perhaps because, as he says, a Wild West approach to data privacy hasnt been working for anyone.

The Star talked to Moore, who is also a member of the Trudeau governments NAFTA advisory council, about how to safeguard consumer privacy while at the same time supporting Canadas ability to compete in a digital economy, where data contributes $1.7 trillion annually to the G7 alone. His report is due in late 2019.

Toronto Star: Is it possible to strike a balance between the profit goals of business and the need to better protect consumers? Is there not some tradeoff required?

James Moore: In some areas of intellectual property law there is a sort of zero sum between the creator and the consumer, but in the data economy there is a balance and its actually in everybodys interest to find the balance. If the data economy is going to be what it needs to be  and if Canada is to compete  then informed consent with plain language is how you strike a balance so that data is being harvested only with consent. I think the role of government is to assure there is that balance.

Weve come full circle from the early digital space land grab for quick consumer consent. That has shifted and now you see firms being very aggressive in reassuring consumers, saying, Heres what we will do with your information and heres what we wont do.

Its a massive opportunity for Canada and we just want to make sure that we get it right. This a non-partisan effort to draw forward good ideas and present them later this year to whoever forms the next government so they can put into place rules to protect consumers and give a clear path forward for modernizing our laws.

TS: So are you talking about explicit consent?

JM: Genuinely informed consent with plain language.

TS: Theres certainly a view that consumers need better protection in the fast-evolving digital world. What is the priority in your mind?

JM: I think there is a symbiosis here. Companies are not going to grow if consumers dont feel protected. These things are not working at cross purposes, they are working in concert with each other. I think businesses realize that consumers vote with their wallets on these questions. It is a scarlet letter and a toxic death sentence for a firm if it is seen to have abused peoples data. Medium- and smaller-sized business have that same responsibility to consumers and a lot of learning has to happen since all of this is so new. We are coming from the perspective of the Business Council, but this idea originated with the members who said this is something that we need to act on because Canada has been a bit of a laggard.

TS: Then theres a business case for better consumer privacy protections?

JM: There is concern that our legislation and policies arent keeping up with where consumers are going. If the government is on its toes, that will give Canadians confidence. The other side is outwardly  we want to send a message to people thinking of investing here that you are not going to be broadsided by a cataclysmic breach for which there is no policy remedy. I think its a perfectly reasonable proposal, for example, for the privacy commissioner to have a broader mandate and to have source data from the government about the state of the digital economy.

TS: Do you think there is a role for government regulation in the area of data privacy?

JM: There could be. Thats part of the consultation. Were going to talk to people who work with data and see what their experience is. It could well result in more meaningful regulation. Its odd to hear from a former Conservative minister, but very often industry wants regulation because it provides structure and reassurance for the public. There is a deference to authority that exists in Canada and a presumption of best interest with regulation. Sometimes that gets abused and leads to overregulation and a dampening effect, but certainly in an area like this where the digital space has been a Wild West for a long time, some firms aspire to have clarity.

This interview has been edited and condensed.OTTAWAMost Canadians agree that the murders and disappearances of Indigenous women amount to genocide, a new poll suggests.

But the Leger poll also suggests theres disagreement about when it occurred and who is responsible.

Fifty-three per cent of respondents agreed with the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, which last week concluded that the tragedy is part of an ongoing genocide that has been centuries in the making. Another 34 per cent disagreed.

But there was little consensus about what form that genocide took, with respondents citing everything from Europeans giving Indigenous People blankets infected with smallpox to the current-day scandal involving the forced sterilization of Indigenous women.

Among the top responses, 17 per cent blamed colonization and the loss of Indigenous lands to European settlers, 15 per cent blamed church-run residential schools and another 15 per cent pointed to the destruction of cultural identity and forced assimilation. Just three per cent blamed racism broadly.

As to who is responsible for the genocide, 32 per cent blamed Canadas British and French founders and 25 per cent blamed Catholic and Protestant churches. Another 21 per cent said all Canadians share responsibility for the injustice while just 1 per cent blamed government.

The poll of 1,528 Canadians who were randomly recruited from Legers online panel was conducted from June 7 to 10 for the Association for Canadian Studies. Polling experts say online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not generate a random sample of the population.

Association president Jack Jedwab said the survey results suggest that the inquiry report has generated confusion about what genocide means and gives credence to those whove argued the report dilutes the grave meaning of the word.

A lot of people seem to me in the poll confused, even if they acknowledged in the majority that, yes, theres some genocide thats occurred. But what the nature of it is, by whom its been committed, what it means, is it residential schools, is it expropriation of lands  its turning the term genocide into a bit of a catchall for a lot of Canadians, he said.

Jedwabs concern was underscored by another finding in the poll: 71 per cent said theyre proud of Canadas history, including 53 per cent of those who strongly agreed with the finding that Indigenous women have been victims of genocide.

There seems to be like some gap here, a disconnect in terms of how severe and serious the committing of a genocide is, he said.

Respondents were asked to describe in one sentence what they think of when they hear the term genocide. About 30 per cent offered some variation on the idea of extermination or mass killing of a specific group of people. Four per cent mentioned the Holocaust, 2 per cent mentioned Rwanda, 3 per cent said mass death and 1 per cent cited wars. Two per cent referred specifically to the treatment of Indigenous Peoples, including missing and murdered Indigenous women.

The national inquiry issued a supplementary report explaining why commissioners felt justified in using the term genocide to describe the accounts of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. It argued that the word cant be confined strictly to time-limited, state-sponsored mass murder of specific groups, such as Nazi Germanys extermination of six million Jews.

It is time to call it as it is: Canadas past and current colonial policies, actions and inactions towards Indigenous Peoples is genocide, the report said.

The insidious and gradual nature of the obliteration of Indigenous peoples, and the lack of a uniform national policy spearheaded by a totalitarian mastermind, differentiate colonial genocide from our traditional understanding of what constitutes a genocide.

These distinguishing factors have, unfortunately, allowed the Canadian consciousness to dismiss Canadas colonial policies as racist and misconceived, rather than acknowledge them as explicitly genocidal and, even, ongoing.

The report has caused discomfort for federal political leaders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he accepted the reports findings but did not repeat the word genocide. He later did specifically accept the genocide finding but then suggested it would have been more appropriate to refer to cultural genocide instead.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has said the disappearances and deaths of Indigenous women is a tragedy but does not fall into that category of genocide.

There are potential legal consequences to accepting the use of the term genocide, which is a crime in international law. The Organization of American States has said it wants to create a panel to investigate the finding that Canadas Indigenous women have been the victims of genocide.Police in Hamilton are investigating after a man was shot several times in what they call a targeted and specific attack in the citys Stoney Creek neighbourhood.

The shooting happened just after midnight at a home on Marina Point Crescent, where police say a 43-year-old man answered his door and was shot several times.

Police say the man was taken to hospital where hes now recovering after surgery.

A black SUV was reportedly seen leaving the area immediately after the shooting, and police are looking to identify the vehicle and speak with the driver.

The forces major crime unit is investigating, and officers are canvassing the neighbourhood for witnesses and any surveillance footage.

Staff Sgt. Peter Thom says theres no risk to the public given the targeted nature of the attack.

He says police will release more information about the case as the investigation unfolds.Since its 2017 launch, a pilot project tackling workplace abuse has recovered over half a million dollars in unpaid wages for vulnerable workers who could not otherwise afford a lawyer. It has also built legal clinics capacity to provide employment law support and educated employees about their rights on the job.

But the Ford governments 30 per cent budget cut to Legal Aid Ontario threatens to squeeze the initiatives reach.

The Mobile Justice Project represents community legal clinics response to declining union representation and the rise of precarious work in the province. Its employment law service is a significant shift from when only around three of 15 legal clinics in southwestern Ontario offered support in that field, said Doug Kwan, co-executive director at Mississauga Community Legal Services.

Its worth every penny, Kwan said of the project. You can see the on-the-ground impact. The majority of people wouldnt even try and enforce their rights had they not had access to this service.

With a modest annual budget of $310,000 to pay for three roving employment lawyers to help community legal clinics, the project has won a total of $540,171 for vulnerable employees across the region. A recently concluded independent review of the initiative has found that it recovered an average of $10,145 per client for employment standards violations, wrongful dismissals and human rights issues.

The review by PC Human Resources also interviewed 23 clients who received legal support through the project, and found that 78 per cent would have given up on their employment issue without the projects support, while 22 per cent said they would have tried to represent themselves in court or would have gone into debt to hire a lawyer.

After experiencing mental health problems on the job, Lisa Phillipss doctor recommended contacting a lawyer  something she couldnt afford to do. She turned instead to the Mobile Justice Project in the Huron-Perth area. Although the details of her case are subject to a nondisclosure agreement, she says the service was the difference between having a job and not having a job.

You begin to think, maybe I dont have any rights, she said. But then when you speak to somebody who says, yes you absolutely do, it restores your faith in yourself.

A funding injection under the Liberals in 2015 provided $9.8 million for community legal clinics, with $2 million devoted specifically to improving clinic capacity  including a boost to services such as workers rights law. Changes introduced under the Liberals also expanded eligibility criteria so that more precarious workers were able to get legal support.

In 2016, a report by two independent experts commissioned by the Ministry of Labour to review the provinces workplace standards found that Ontario faced serious enforcement issues and that there were too many people in too many workplaces who do not receive their basic rights. The same year, Kwan and a group of legal clinic lawyers conducted a needs assessment for southwestern Ontario and identified workers rights as a major gap  prompting the Mobile Justice Project.

Now, the projects services are more needed than ever, said Kwan. Legislation passed last year by the Ford government reversed the majority of new labour reforms introduced under the Liberals  including a commitment to hire 175 new enforcement officers to inspect workplaces for employment standards violations.

Now (enforcement) is up to workers who are already vulnerable in their workplaces. The province is expecting them to find or access legal services that they may or may not be able to afford, and legal services that may or may not be available because of cuts, Kwan said.

While the pilot was made permanent before the Ford governments cuts were announced in April, Kwan said devastating Legal Aid budget cuts will still have an impact.

Our staff for the program travel thousands of kilometres every year to meet clients, to go out to teach employment law, he said. Its going to restrict their movement, unfortunately.

The catchment area covers such a large geographic space; theres so many different communities with so many different needs, he added. I wish we had more funding to hire more people to really bridge the geographical differences.

Emily Keene, who supported Phillipss case and works as the projects employment lawyer covering Hamilton, Brantford, Niagara and Huron-Perth, said her clients range from young workers in precarious jobs to older workers with a disability to temporary foreign workers.

A large demographic of the people we are helping ultimately are living with both financial issues and disabilities, invisible and visible, which is adding to the stress of navigating the legal system, she said.

Working life is for a lot of people very intrinsic to their identity, she added. Most of us also dont imagine a situation where thats threatened or where we feel intimidated to speak up about problems at work. Having someone on your side  you cant really put a price on that.

In addition to providing legal support, Keene wants to help continue to build legal clinics workers rights expertise. Kwan says one of the projects great strengths is that it draws on community legal clinics local knowledge, helping its roving employment lawyers better target their services to specific areas of need, such as migrant labour.

If the community legal clinics were replaced with, say, a call centre, our lawyers would not have helped as many people, won as many awards, provided as many public legal education seminars or connected with worker organizations as they have in the short 2.5 years of the project, he said.

Cuts will weaken community legal clinics and thus our link to the community. If we cant provide competitive wages to attract and retain quality people, then the project will be in danger. And if there are not enough funds to pay for the mileage, then staff cant meet with workers who are already apprehensive about sticking their necks out to enforce their rights, he added.

While the independent review of the project calls it a successful demonstration of a collaborative or shared services model, Phillips simply credits it with turning her life around.

Im a completely different person now because of the work that Emily did on my behalf. Im well now and Im functioning again. Because of the work she did, it gave me the confidence to start believing in my own abilities again, she said.

This is a program that needs to continue.Toronto police have released additional security camera photos of a suspect in a stabbing attack on Bloor St. earlier this month.

Police said the victim, a 50-year-old man, was walking near the corner of Bloor St. E. and Sherbourne St. on June 5 at approximately 8:20 p.m.

The victim had stopped to ask directions and for some reason our suspect became irate, said Const. David Hopkinson.

He said the victim was stabbed more than once.

The assailant fled, and the victim was transported to hospital in serious condition.

In a news release Sunday, police described the incident as an unprovoked attack that left the victim with life-altering injuries.

Police described the suspect as approximately 25 years old. He was wearing a red hoodie with a Raptors logo, blue jeans, grey/white shoes and glasses, and carrying a bag.

Read more:

Suspect at large after man stabbed with kitchen knife, Toronto police say



Government will go ahead with implementing its developmental projects despite spirited attempts by the opposition MDC Alliance to destabilise the country, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.





In an interview with The Sunday Mail the Defence Minister said the country cannot afford to perpetually remain in an election mode.





Minister Muchinguri Kashiri said antics by the MDC-A were meant to unnecessarily draw the international spot light on Zimbabwe. I do not read too much into threats of violence by the opposition political outfits and their allies, she said.





My view is that threats are aimed at disrupting Government programmes and drawing international attention in order to maintain political relevance in the countrys political life away from elections.





Government should, therefore, not be distracted from its programmes and developmental activities by attention seekers trying to keep our country in a perpetual election mode until the next general election, in 2023.





The state of the countrys situation is therefore peaceful in spite of the isolated cases of politically motivated violence and social media driven threats.





Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the countrys uniformed forces were prepared to face, head on, any threats to national security and stability





She said emerging threats will be assessed and dealt with appropriately.





The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) posture on national defence and security is defensive in nature hence the organisation trains to meet both internal and external security threats.





As the security situation evolves, the ZDF trains to ensure that they are ready to deal with any emerging threats.





The Nelson Chamisa MDC-A has, since losing last years general elections, been threatening to cause chaos through violent street protests.





Mr Chamisa is on record threatening to make the country ungovernable if he is not handed State power.





Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said despite efforts to besmirch the military through falsehoods, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces will continue to discharge their Constitutional mandate in terms of the countrys laws.





The ZDF, said the minister, will continue making efforts to maintain good civil-military relations with all Zimbabweans.





Judging from the negative private press reports, including adverse social media reports, it is true that frantic efforts are being made by opposition political parties, supported by some non-governmental organisations, to tarnish the good image of the ZDF, she said.





Despite these detractions, the ZDF have continued to discharge their mandate internally and internationally very well.





They are doing everything in their power to maintain a good image through improving the civil-military relations as they engage in a number of community related projects throughout the year.





Some of these are; ZDF Day celebrations, participation in schools career days, provincial and national shows, countrywide assistance projects and programmes.





The ZDF are involved in a plenty of civil assistance programmes that includes building schools, clinics and other public infrastructure.



If youre an architectural history geek in the market to buy some property, your dream home might be waiting in Corso Italia.

The semi-detached house at 133 Boon Ave., a few blocks northeast of Dufferin St. and St Clair Ave. W., boasts 2.5 storeys, fours bedrooms and two bathrooms, front and back porches, a walkout basement, and is listed for a mere (by Toronto standards) $799,000.

What makes this house unique? It hasnt been on the market since 1919.

A hundred years within one family, thats pretty rare, said Simon Wright, one of the realtors representing the house.

He said the home has remained in the same family since it was last on the market 100 years ago, owned first by a woman named Jamie Shaw and later by her relative, Alan Shaw, who died in December. The sale is now being handled by an estate trustee.

Not only does the century home come with a smaller price tag  data from the Toronto Real Estate Board reported the average price for a semi-detached home in the city of Toronto was $911,100 last month  but, according to Winnipeg-based architect and columnist Brent Bellamy, its a rare opportunity to experience a piece of history.

Especially in a market like Toronto, I think theres good investment in redoing the inside completely, but this one ... doesnt look like its been renovated, he said. People like the quality of old houses, the craftsmanship and that handmade quality, but they definitely like new kitchens and those kinds of things, so its pretty rare to see a house thats factory original.

While its unclear how much the house was bought for back in 1919, records of similar homes for sale in Toronto that year show an average price of around $2,500 (about $36,000 adjusted for inflation). Property records for the home show it had a registered mortgage of $1,500 when it was transferred from Jessie to Alan in 1946 for $1.

(Alan) was born in the house, actually right on the dining room table, said Bob Barnett, the executer of Alan Shaws estate.

According to Barnett, Shaw was a radio operator in the Second World War, before working in the post office. He died at age 97, in the veterans wing of Sunnybrook hospital.

In his will, Shaw split his assets between the Bruce Trail Conservancy and the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy, Barnett said.

Wright said a Syrian family briefly inhabited the house from April 2018 and until April of this year as part of a refugee sponsorship group managed by the estate, but otherwise the home has remained empty since Shaws death.

Aside from the now-enclosed porch, which would have originally been open, and some renovations to one of the bathrooms, the home has mostly kept its original configuration, Wright said.

The houses age is in line with many other turn-of-the-century homes in the Corso Italia neighbourhood, but in staying off the market for a century it has avoided the structural and design changes new owners might have made in pursuit of trendiness.

There are some interesting wallpaper patterns in the house, Wright said. And the stairs that go up to the third floor loft are pretty tight, almost like a ladder, but its an interesting space up there.

Architect Bellamy pointed to the wood trim along the walls, floors, doors and windows as evidence of the houses contemporary design elements, as well as the glass doors, narrow staircases and more closed-off rooms.

Typically we now design houses with the great room and the kitchen overlooking the living room, but in the old days houses were more compartmentalized, he said.

In the 70s and 80s especially, many old houses would have had the contrasting wood trim either removed or painted white, and walls were often shifted or removed to open up the floor plan. While some of the trim in this house has been painted out, Bellamy said, some rooms still have the dark, contrasting colour that was fashionable in the early 1900s.

Wright couldnt confirm the houses exact age, estimating it to be somewhere around 1910. Bellamy pegged it at not much older than 1919 due to the seemingly original forced air heating, which would have been an uncommon feature at that time.

Most old houses like that had radiator heat, he said, noting the ornate grilles likely mean the heating system is original to the house.

Joey Giaimo, a heritage conservation architect and principal at Giaimo architecture firm, said the house is a modest version of an Edwardian house that might have been influenced by other local neighbourhoods, noting the Annex had similar Edwardian-style houses that were much larger.

Because this house is part of a larger subdivision, a lot of the subdivision homes are sort of stripped-down versions of (an) architectural style.

He said while modern buyers still want open-concept houses, hes noticed a demand for more closed-off spaces  like the ones this home offers.

Its going back, in a way, to the way early 20th-century houses were designed in Toronto, he said.

Historical records back up Bellamys claim that a house like this is a unique find. According to 2016 census data from Statistics Canada, only 4.7 per cent of houses in Toronto are 100 years or older.

Though Toronto ranks sixth on the list of Canadian cities with the most houses 100-year-old houses (Winnipeg is first with 9 per cent), Bellamy says this number is surprisingly high considering the citys size and development pressure.

Thats pretty impressive, for people not to have lost very many old houses, he said. It speaks to the character of the city.

Wright, when asked about the state of the houses electrical and plumbing systems, said the new buyer may want to make some upgrades, noting I would expect that there will be some sort of renovation that new owners will take on ... but I think its a diverse field of people who would be interested.

But Bellamy says he hopes the new homeowner will resist making alterations.

If it was redone it would probably be worth way more, but hopefully they find someone who really appreciates the historic character of it, he said.

I might buy it, he joked. If I did that, I wouldnt change anything.

With files from Sherina Harris, Raneem Alozzi and Emma SandriRIO DE JANEIRO - A human rights official and community activists are criticizing the governor of Rio de Janeiro state for saying that a missile could be sent to blow up drug traffickers in a local slum.

During a ceremony to present a security program, Gov. Wilson Witzel said our military police do not want to kill them, but we cannot allow scenes like the one we saw, referring to television images of armed traffickers shooting at police carrying out an operation in Rios City of God slum.

If it were with the authorization of the United Nations, in other parts of the world, we could send a missile there to blow up those people, said Witzel, who was elected after supporting the hardline anti-crime policy of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who also has a penchant for controversial comments.

The governors comments won applause from those attending the security event, but human rights and community activists said they feared such words will only increase already high levels of violence in the state.

It is necessary to remind the ex-judge that Brazil does not have the death penalty. We are in a democratic state of law and not barbarism, Renata Souza, head of the Rio legislative assemblys human rights commission, wrote on her Instagram account Saturday.

The activist group Redes de la Mare, a large complex of Rio slums or favelas, said Witzel has a discriminatory view of the favelas.

We cannot accept that residents of the favelas are criminalized, it said in a statement. The serious public security crisis will be not be resolved with statements that incite more violence.

Police violence in Rio de Janeiro is at historically high levels. In the first quarter of the year, police killed 434 people  almost five per day  according to official data.BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - The Latest on the blackout in Argentina and Uruguay (all times local):

8:35 p.m.

Argentinas state news agency says that most of the nations grid is back up and running after a massive blackout that left tens of millions of people without electricity.

Telam said Sunday that Argentina had restored power to 90 per cent of the South American country. Power also has been restored to most of Uruguays 3 million people.

The massive blackout had hit Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay on Sunday in what the Argentine president called an unprecedented failure in the countries power grid.

Authorities were working frantically to restore power, but 12 hours after the country went dark, more than a quarter of Argentinas 44 million people had still been without power and the cause of the outage remained unclear.

___

4:45 p.m.

The president of the Center for the Study of Energy Regulatory Activity in Argentina says that a massive blackout that left millions without electricity has never happened in the country.

Raul Bertero is a professor at the University of Buenos Aires. He said Sunday that systemic operational and design errors played a role in the power grids collapse.

A localized failure like the one that occurred should be isolated by the same system, he said. The problem is known and there is technology and studies that (work to) avoid it.

He also said that independent experts should be asked to determine what happened.

The failure left many in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay without electricity for hours.

___

4 p.m.

Argentinas energy secretary says that the cause of a massive blackout is still unknown.

Gustavo Lopetegui said at a press conference Sunday: We dont have information about why it occurred.

The secretary also said that electricity is expected to be 100% restored by the end of the day.

Argentine energy company Edesur said that a failure in the Argentine interconnection system originated at an electricity transmission point between the power stations of Yacyreta and Salto Grande in the northeastern part of the country.

___

2:45 p.m.

Argentine energy company Edesur says that electricity has been restored to more than 1.5 million people.

President Mauricio Macri also said that 50% of the country had power after a massive failure in Argentina and Uruguay on Sunday morning left many in the dark.

Macri said on Twitter: As time passes, service will be restored for all customers.

The cause of the blackout was not immediately clear.

Edesur said that a failure in the Argentine interconnection system originated at an electricity transmission point between the power stations of Yacyreta and Salto Grande in the northeastern part of the country.

Uruguayan energy company UTE said 75% of service had been restored in its country.

___

2 p.m.

A massive blackout left millions without electricity in Argentina and Uruguay on Sunday after an unexplained failure in the neighbouring countries interconnected power grid. Authorities were working frantically to restore power but only about a half a million in Argentina had electricity back by early afternoon.

Voters cast ballots by the light of cellphones in gubernatorial elections in Argentina. Public transportation halted, shops closed and patients dependent on home medical equipment were urged to go to hospitals with generators.

I was just on my way to eat with a friend, but we had to cancel everything. Theres no subway, nothing is working, said Lucas Acosta, a 24-year-old Buenos Aires resident.

In Uruguay, power was being more steadily restored, with lights back on in at least three regions by early afternoon.Hong Kong citizens marched for hours Sunday in a massive protest that drew a late-in-the-day apology from the citys top leader for her handling of legislation that has stoked fears of expanding control from Beijing in this former British colony.

Nearly 2 million of the citys 7 million people turned out, according to estimates by protest organizers. Police said 338,000 were counted on the designated protest route in the peak period of the march. A week earlier as many as 1 million people demonstrated to voice their concern over Hong Kongs relations with mainland China in one of the toughest tests of the territorys special status since Beijing took control in a 1997 handover.

After daybreak Monday, police announced that they want to clear the streets of protesters in the morning. Soon after, police lined up several officers deep and faced off against several hundred demonstrators on a street in central Hong Kong. The police asked for co-operation in clearing the road. Protesters replied with chants, some kneeling in front of the officers.

Crowds had gathered well after dark outside the police headquarters and Chief Executive Carrie Lams office. On Saturday, Lam suspended her effort to force passage of the bill, which would allow some suspects to be sent for trial in mainland China.

The move did not appease Hong Kong residents who see it as one of many steps chipping away at Hong Kongs freedoms and legal autonomy. Opponents worry the law could be used to send criminal suspects to China to potentially face vague political charges, possible torture and unfair trials.

Protesters are also angered over the forceful tactics by police in quelling unrest at a demonstration on Wednesday.

Periodically, the shouts of the protesters standing shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the police headquarters would crescendo into a roar that reverberated through the narrow concrete canyons of the red-light district of Wanchai.

Smaller crowds stood chanting outside Lams office building.

In a statement issued late Sunday, Lam noted the demonstrations and said the government understands that these views have been made out of love and care for Hong Kong.

The chief executive apologizes to the people of Hong Kong for this and pledges to adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements in serving the public, it said.

Not enough, said the pro-democracy activists.

This is a total insult to and fooling the people who took to the street! the Civil Human Rights Front said in a statement.

The marchers want Lam to scrap the extradition bill, which is supported by the communist leadership in Beijing, and to resign.

The crowds filled a wide thoroughfare and side streets paralleling the waterfront of Victoria Harbor as tourists and shoppers who drive much of the Asian financial hubs economy looked on.

Some participants were skeptical over whether having Lam step down would help.

It doesnt really matter because the next one would be just as evil, said Kayley Fung, 27.

At the marchs end, hundreds sat wearily around the government headquarters. Some were singing, some listening to speeches. Some were just resting.

There isnt really a plan. Its like playing a chess game, said a man who gave only his first name, Mitchel, perhaps fearing trouble with the authorities.

Protesters have mainly focused their anger on Lam, who had little choice but to carry through dictates issued by Beijing, where President Xi Jinping has enforced increasingly authoritarian rule.

Many here believe Hong Kongs legal autonomy has been significantly diminished despite Beijings insistence that it is still honouring its promise, dubbed one country, two systems, that the territory can retain its own social, legal and political system for 50 years after the handover.

The rally drew marchers both young and old, some pushing strollers or carrying slumbering infants. Few wore face masks or seemed to be trying to hide their identities, in contrast with demonstrations Wednesday, when participants expressed worries over possible retribution from the authorities.

Protesters also are angry over the way police used tear gas, rubber bullets and other forceful measures as demonstrators broke through barricades outside the city governments headquarters in that smaller but more aggressive protest.

The police presence on Sunday was considerably more relaxed, with officers deployed mainly to direct traffic as the protesters wound their way through Hong Kongs commercial centre from a sprawling downtown park to government headquarters.

Farther down the parade route, mourners lined up to lay flowers and pay respects at a makeshift memorial for a man who fell to his death Saturday after hanging a protest banner that read in part, Make Love, No Shoot and No Extradition to China.

The man slipped from the grasp of rescuers after clinging for a time to scaffolding outside a shopping mall. He missed a large cushion set up to capture him and was declared dead at a nearby hospital.

Many protesters wore ribbons on their shirts and carried placards showing protesters who had been beaten bloody last week.

Pro-democracy activists were calling for a general strike on Monday despite Lams decision to suspend work on the legislation. Some labour unions, teachers associations and other groups were planning boycotts of work and classes, demanding the Lam administration retire the proposed amendments and not bring them up again for passage at a later stage.

We encourage all the public to carry on the campaign, said Bonnie Leung, a leader of the pro-democracy group Civil Human Rights Front. If any new violence takes place, it will be the responsibility of the police.

The Communist Party-ruled mainland took control in 1997 with a promise not to interfere with the citys civil liberties and courts. Many in Hong Kong fear the extradition bill would undermine freedoms enjoyed here but not elsewhere in China.

China just wants to turn Hong Kong into another Chinese city, said Alex To, 54, who runs a small business. Carrie Lam is just a figurehead. Everything depends on the attitudes of the leaders in Beijing.

After Lam announced she was suspending the legislation to avoid more violence and allow additional debate, Chinese government officials issued multiple statements backing that decision. Lam, however, made clear she was not withdrawing it.

She has sidestepped questions over whether she should quit and also defended how the police dealt with last weeks clashes with demonstrators.

Lam maintains that the extradition legislation is needed if Hong Kong is 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.

So far, China has been excluded from Hong Kongs extradition agreements because of concerns over its judicial independence and human rights record.

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 moves in recent years that have unnerved many in the city of 7 million.

___

Associated Press journalist Tassanee Vejpongsa contributed to this report.NEW DELHI - Indias recent national election delivered a historic victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist party, but also exposed the influence of money, power and questionable morality on the worlds largest democracy.

Nearly 43% of the new members of the lower house of Parliament that convenes Monday for the first time since the election won despite facing criminal charges. More than a quarter of those relate to rape, murder or attempted murder, according to a report by the civic group Association of Democratic Reforms.

The loophole that allows them to take office is that they have not been convicted  in part because the Indian legal system has a huge backlog of an estimated 30 million cases and trials often last decades. When asked about the charges against them, they invariably accuse a political rival of framing them.

Since such rivalries often lead to false accusations, the main political parties say it would be unfair to bar people from contesting elections unless they have been convicted by court.

Under existing laws, only those who have been sentenced to prison for two years or more can be barred from elections.

Members of Parliament with criminal backgrounds is not a new phenomenon in India, but despite Modis campaign vow in 2014 to clean up corruption and the influence of money in politics, the problem appears to be only worsening.

In the 2004 national election, the percentage of candidates with pending criminal cases was 24%, which rose to 33% in 2009, 34% in 2014 and 43% this year, said Shahabuddin Y. Quraishi, a former chief election commissioner.

The Association of Democratic Reforms found that 116 of the 303 lawmakers from Modis Bharatiya Janata Party elected last month face criminal charges, including one for alleged terrorism.

Pragya Singh Thakur, who won a seat from Bhopal in central India, is awaiting trial in connection with a 2008 explosion in Malegaon in western India that killed seven people.

Twenty-nine of the opposition Congress partys 52 lawmakers face serious charges.

This trend has been growing in India, leaving no political party untouched. We need to educate voters not to elect these people, said Jagdeep S. Chhokar, ADRs founder.

What the Indian state has been unable to provide, strongmen promise to deliver to people in their area of influence, using gun and money power, said Lennin Rasghuvanshi, a co-ordinator with the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties.

Starting in the 1960s and 70s, some Indian politicians began turning to the criminal underworld for cash to win votes.

In due course, the criminals started thinking that these politicians were winning because of their money or crimes so why shouldnt they become lawmakers themselves? If they are people running from the police, they know that when they became lawmakers, the same police will protect them, Quraishi said.

In Uttar Pradesh state in northern Indian, former mafia don Mukhtar Ansari has been elected to the state assembly five times despite more than 40 criminal cases pending against him, including murder.

Another don-turned-politician, Hari Shankar Tiwari, also of Uttar Pradesh, has been a member of the legislative assembly for 23 years, even winning an election while being detained on murder charges.

During the campaign, Election Commission officials and government agencies seized mountains of cash, alcohol, gold and silver, saris and expensive watches in the offices of political parties that were intended as gifts in exchange for votes.

The total value of the seized goods was $500 million, including $120 million in cash  nearly three times what was found in the 2014 general election, according to the Election Commission.

Analysts say that political parties seem to prize electability over ethics.

They think that people with criminal backgrounds have more chances to win because of their money and muscle power, Qureshi said.

In the days of paper ballots before electronic voting machines were introduced, gangs would use brute force to take over polling stations to rig the vote.

One reason for the increasing number of criminal suspects going into politics is the sheer cost of elections. In the general election that concluded in May, political parties and candidates are estimated to have spent about $8.65 billion. Thats double the amount in the 2014 election, according to a report by the Center for Media Studies in New Delhi.

The report said the Bharatiya Janata Party was the biggest spender, accounting for about 45% of the total. The Congress party accounted for between 15% and 20%.

Analysts say a key cause of corruption is the way political parties are funded in India. Parties are permitted to receive foreign funds, any company can donate any amount of money to any political party, and any individual, group or company can donate money anonymously through electoral bonds.

Donors do not need to disclose the party they have donated to, nor does the party have to reveal the source of its money.

Quraishi is calling for more transparency in campaign funding as well as a cap on election spending.

The people want transparency, the donor wants secrecy. Whose wish should prevail? he said.HONG KONG - The Latest on protests in Hong Kong against an extradition bill (all times local):

7 a.m.

Hong Kong police say they want to clear the streets of protesters Monday morning.

Police announced the decision at an early morning news conference.

Many protesters spent Sunday night near government headquarters after a huge protest against a proposed law that they fear will increase Beijings influence over the semi-autonomous territory.

The police presence was relatively light overnight.

___

11:15 p.m.

Pro-democracy activists helping to drive mass protests in Hong Kong over a proposed extradition law have rejected an apology issued by the citys leader.

Leaders of the Civil Human Rights Front said Sunday that they estimated almost 2 million people had marched to demand Chief Executive Carrie Lam scrap the legislation and resign. Police have not issued an estimate of the crowd size.

Many remained gathered outside the city governments headquarters after the march, apparently planning to spend the night there.

It was the second straight Sunday of demonstrations by Hong Kong residents worried over Chinas expanding influence in the former British colony.

The activists said the written apology Lam issued late Sunday showed she was not listening to the voices of the people.

___

9:40 p.m.

Hong Kongs China-backed government has apologized over the handling of politically charged legislation that sparked massive street protests over the past week.

A statement Sunday credited to an unidentified government spokesman said that unspecified deficiencies in the governments work had led to substantial controversies and disputes in society, causing disappointment and grief among the people.

It said Chief Executive Carrie Lam apologized to the people of Hong Kong for this and pledged to adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements in serving the public.

Tens of thousands of Hong Kongers jammed the citys streets Sunday in a vehement show of opposition to the legislation that has stoked fears of expanding control from Beijing in this former British colony.

___

6:40 p.m.

Thousands of people have gathered outside Taiwans parliament in solidarity with Hong Kong protesters who are marching against a proposed extradition bill.

The crowd of Hong Kong students and Taiwanese supporters held a peaceful sit-in in Taipei, the capital of the independently governed island that China claims as its territory.

The group that rallied Sunday said the legislation In Hong Kong also posed a risk to Taiwan.

Hong Kongs leader on Saturday suspended the bill, which would allow some suspects to be sent to mainland China for trials.

Opponents see it as way Beijing is interfering with freedoms promised to Hong Kong when it took control of the former British colony in 1997.

___

3 p.m.

Thousands of Hong Kong residents, mostly in black, have jammed streets and subway stations to protest the governments handling of a proposed extradition bill.

The crowds, walking slowly and shouting withdraw and resign, spilled into the street Sunday from downtown Victoria Park and began marching toward the Central district where the government headquarters is located.

Protesters want Chief Executive Carrie Lam to resign and withdraw rather than just suspend the legislation. Lam backed away from pushing through the legislature the measure that would enable suspects to be sent to stand trial in mainland Chinese courts.

Many in Hong Kong fear threats to civil liberties and an independent judicial system that were promised to the former British colony when communist-ruled China took control in 1997.

___

1 p.m.

Hong Kong activists are encouraging the public to support strikes by workers, teachers and students on Monday.

The call comes as Hong Kong residents gather for a march through the downtown on Sunday to protest a government plan to enact extradition legislation. Hong Kongs top leader said she was suspending the proposal but opponents want her to drop it for good.

Bonnie Leung and other leaders of the pro-democracy Civil Human Rights Front say unions, teachers and others would carry on with plans for a strike on Monday as part of the campaign against the extradition bill.

She says, We encourage all the public to carry on the campaign.

___

10:15 a.m.

Hong Kong is bracing for another massive protest over an unpopular extradition bill, a week after the crisis brought as many as 1 million into the streets.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Saturday said she was suspending work on the bill that would allow some suspects to be sent for trial in mainland Chinese courts.

But pro-democracy activists say thats not enough. They want the proposal withdrawn and are calling for Lam to step down.

In Beijing, the communist government issued statements backing Lams decision.

Mourners meanwhile laid flowers Sunday on the pavement near where a man fell to his death a day earlier after hanging a protest banner on scaffolding on a shopping mall.

Emergency workers tried to cushion the mans fall but failed to catch him.

___

This story corrects the spelling of Bonnie Leungs first name.BERLIN - Authorities say a tourist has drowned in Switzerlands Lake Geneva after her boat capsized in a driving storm, and another was killed in nearby France after high winds brought down a tree on her campsite.

The Swiss news site 20 Minuten reported Sunday the previous days storm brought heavy rain, hail and wind gusts as high as 122 kph (75 mph).

Police say a tourist couples boat capsized in Lake Geneva around 5 p.m. Local media reported the man swam to another boat and fired off two flares, but by the time rescuers arrived they were unable to find the woman.

Her body was recovered later by divers.

About 50 kilometres (30 miles) to the south in France, a 51-year-old German woman was killed when a tree fell on her camper.CAIRO - The head of Libyas U.N.-supported government on Sunday proposed holding nationwide elections to end the war in the North African country, as the forces of the rival military commander Khalifa Hifter continue their two-month-long battle to take the capital, Tripoli.

Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj told a news conference in Tripoli, the seat of his administration, that he is proposing a Libyan forum aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the conflict. The talks would draw up a roadmap for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held before the end of 2019.

There are fears that the battle for Tripoli could ignite a civil war on the scale of the violence after the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Libya is divided between the weak government of al-Sarraj in the west, and Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, whose self-styled Libyan National Army holds the east and much of the south. Hifter opened a military offensive on the capital in early April, advancing on the citys southern outskirts and clashing with militias loosely affiliated with the U.N.-recognized government.

Hifter has presented himself as a strong hand who can restore stability. In recent years, his campaign against Islamic militants across Libya has won him growing international support from world leaders who say they are concerned the North African country has turned into a haven for armed groups, and a major conduit for migrants bound for Europe. His opponents view him as an aspiring autocrat and fear a return to one-man rule.

Al-Sarraj said all Libyans who call for a peaceful and democratic solution would take part in his proposed talks. There would be no place for those who seek tyranny and dictatorship, he added, while calling on the U.N. to support the forum and to oversee elections. He did not say whether Hifter or his representatives would be included. The two sides last held talks in the United Arab Emirates in February.

Al-Sarraj also demanded an international probe into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, since Hifter launched his offensive. The fighting for Tripoli has killed over 650 people, including combatants and civilians, according the World Health Organization.

The U.N. mission to Libya in a brief statement welcomed al-Sarrajs initiative, describing it as constructive proposal to advance the political process towards ending Libyas long state of conflict.

A spokesman for Hifter did not immediately answer phone calls and messages seeking comment.

Hifters forces meanwhile pursued Islamic State militants in the countrys south, killing more than a dozen militants over the past three days, officials said on Sunday.

The officials said that LNA forces began its attack on a militant hideout in the mountainous area of Haruj earlier this week. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

The Islamic State group acknowledged the ongoing LNA attack and claimed to have killed and wounded dozens of LNA troops.

The group was driven from Sirte in 2016 and from Derna, another stronghold, earlier this year. However, the extremists have found refuge in the vast deserts of central and southern Libya, where they continue to stage attacks.ISTANBUL - Turkey said Syrian government forces deliberately attacked on Sunday a Turkish military observation post in northwestern Syria.

In a statement, the defence ministry said Turkish troops responded with heavy weapons after the artillery attack in Idlib province.

Syrian forces launched an offensive to take the last rebel-held territory in Idlib late April, leading to the collapse of a ceae-fire negotiated by Turkey and Russia last year.

Turkey set up 12 posts in Idlib as part of the de-escalation zone agreement struck with Russia and Iran in September 2017.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said airstrikes from Syrian warplanes struck the southern edge of the rebel-held enclave with nearly 42 raids, including one that hit near the Turkish observation point in Morek that resulted in a fire in the area.

The strike solicited a Turkish response against Syrian government positions, the first such retaliation, which included missiles and rockets as well as auxiliary attacks launched by Turkey-allied Syrian fighters.

The Syrian strike on Morek is the second such targeting of Turkish forces this week, following an attack Thursday when three Turkish soldiers were injured at an observation point in Sheir Maghar.

Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Sunday that the country would not tolerate Syrian military attacks on its troops. Well put you in your place. Everyone should know their place, he was quoted as saying by the official Anadolu news agency.

Russia supports Syrian President Bashar Assad while Turkey backs opposition groups. The Turkish military said Russian officials were contacted after Sundays attack.RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is calling for the legalization of marijuana.

Herring said Saturday that Virginia should start decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana and eventually legalize the drug.

The Democratic attorney general said criminal prosecutions are costly to the state and local governments and disproportionately affect African Americans.

Herring made the remarks in an op-ed in the Daily Press and in comments to reporters at a Democratic fundraiser in Richmond.

Herrings announcement wont have any practical impact on marijuana prosecutions, which are typically handled at the local level. But Herring said he hopes his public support for legalization will help spur lawmakers to act.

The Republican-controlled General Assembly has killed past efforts to decriminalize marijuana.Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community.

Submit hereNEW YORK - It was the escalator ride that would change history.

Four years ago on Sunday, Donald Trump descended through the pink marble and brass atrium of Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for president , the first step on a journey few believed would take him all the way to the White House.

It turns out the 2015 event might not have happened, at least not on June 16. And the over-the-top staging that featured a crowd including paid actors could have been even more theatrical if one early idea hadnt been scrapped.

(Trump nixed suggestions to feature a live elephant. Too political, he decided.)

Now, the president who loves to reminisce about that famous Trump Tower moment is trying to recreate the magic as he formally launches his re-election bid Tuesday in Florida. Four years in, Trump still is echoing much of the same divisive rhetoric he let fly when he ditched the speech prepared for that original campaign kickoff.

His 2015 announcement, according to those involved in the effort, was a classic Trump production aimed at highlighting all the things that made Trump, well, Trump: his brashness, his wealth and his skill for lighting rhetorical fires and watching the press scramble to respond.

Trump had been in Europe playing golf the week before his scheduled announcement, with plans to return in time to go over remarks written by his ragtag team of early staffers.

I get a call while he is in Europe and he asked, What do you think about postponing this a little? recalled Sam Nunberg, an early campaign adviser. But the press already had been invited, trips to early-voting states planned and the timing  a day after assumed front-runner Jeb Bushs announcement  seemed ideal.

And there was fear among advisers that any delay would trigger talk of cold feet about a campaign some observers doubted would ever happen because Trump had already flirted with, but then bailed on, previous bids.

I tell him, We cant do that. We have set this date. If we postpone it, it would be covered that you got cold feet and you would not be taken seriously, said Nunberg. I told him that postponing would be like Madonna not performing at MSG on a show day, referring to New Yorks Madison Square Garden.

So the show went on. Trump and his wife, Melania, emerged from an upper level of Trump Tower and descended the famous escalator, with the future president offering thumbs-ups and waves. It was a scene Trump had carefully crafted, paying frequent visits to the lobby as crews worked through the night to erect press risers, build the stage he would stand on and polish every inch of marble and brass.

A speech had been written. But Corey Lewandowski, Trumps first campaign manager, wrote in his book, Let Trump Be Trump, that the candidate gave a quick look at the sheet of paper Corey handed him, folded it up, and put it in his breast pocket, never to look at it again.

Four years later Trump remembers it fondly.

I never forget standing on the famous escalator, you know the escalator, right? he likes to tell crowds. Remember the scene with Melania in front of me waving very elegantly and Trump coming down, waving less elegantly? But I just took a deep breath and I said, Lets go do it. Lets make this country great, because it takes guts. It takes guts. And Im so glad I did it.

And four years later, the speech Trump delivered, following an introduction from his eldest daughter, Ivanka, sounds just like one he would deliver today.

Our country is in serious trouble. We dont have victories anymore, Trump told the crowd, railing against China for killing us on trade and promising to build a great, great wall along the U.S.-Mexico border that the American ally would pay for, Mark my words.

When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best, Trump said in one infamous line. He panned Obama-era unemployment statistics as full of nonsense and described himself as really rich.

Hes doing exactly what he said he was going to do, and as a result of what he said he was going to do, he got elected, said George Gigicos, who was hired to produce the 2015 event and went on to serve as advance director for both the campaign and at the White House.

Trump, said Roger Stone, another longtime adviser, orchestrated every minute detail of his announcement, including vetoing a suggestion from his former personal attorney Michael Cohen to decorate the lobby with red, white and blue bunting and feature a live elephant to add to the circus.

Trump decided to come down the escalator and worked from his own handwritten notes rather than a prepared text, said Stone, insisting that, then, as now, Donald Trump does not have handlers or managers or chief strategists.

That included scrapping aides ideas on what he should wear.

He asked me about a black suit. I said, Yes, thats iconic, thats The Apprentice, recalled Nunberg. Trump disagreed. He said, Youre a moron. Blue is better. It works better with the flags. He was right.

Trump was thrilled with the speechs reception and later remarked on how successful the day had been for his brand. How great is this for Trump? Nunberg recalled the candidate saying at one point.

It helped, of course, that some in the crowd had been paid to be there. Extras were offered $50 to wear t-shirts and carry signs and help cheer in support of Trumps announcement, according to a casting call email obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.

The ploy was first discovered by Angelo Carusone, now president of the progressive Media Matters group. Carusone said after the event, he was struck that, at a time of selfie obsession, he couldnt find anyone who had posted photos of themselves attending the event.

That was weird, he remembered thinking. People who care about a presidential press announcement are going to post selfies, he said. He finally came across a single photo posted by a man who worked as an extra and taken with a woman who appeared to do the same.

Trumps campaign has never acknowledged knowingly hiring actors, but did acknowledge paying $12,000 to Gotham Government Relations, a firm that was said to have hired the Extra Mile Inc. casting company, according to a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Neither Gotham nor GMLV Casting, which took over Extra Mile, responded to requests for comment in recent days.

While some in Trumps orbit suggested a return to Trump Tower for his re-election announcement, the president will head to Orlando  in a state he must win to secure a second term.

This time, there will be no need to hire actors. Trump and his campaign say 100,000 tickets have been requested for Tuesdays event at the 20,000-seat Amway Center. The event will feature a pregame show with food trucks, live music and jumbo screens to pump up the crowd.

___

Colvin reported from Washington.

___

Follow Colvin and Lemire on Twitter at https://twitter.com/colvinj and https://twitter.com/JonLemireAs their minivan rolled north, they felt their nerves kick in  but they kept on driving.

At the wheel: Lija Greenseid, a rule-abiding Minnesota mom steering her Mazda5 on a cross-border drug run.

Her daughter, who is 13, has Type 1 diabetes and needs insulin. In the U.S., it can cost hundreds of dollars per vial. In Canada, you can buy it without a prescription for a tenth of that price.

So, Greenseid led a small caravan last month to Fort Frances, Ont., where she and five other Americans paid about $1,609 for drugs that would have cost them $16,089 in the United States.

It felt like we were robbing the pharmacy, said Quinn Nystrom, a Type 1 diabetic who joined the caravan that day. It had been years since I had 10 vials in my hands.

Theyre planning another run to Canada this month to stock up on insulin  and to call attention to their cause. This time, theyll be taking the scenic route, driving from Minnesota through Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan en route to London, Ont., where insulin was discovered nearly a century ago.

Like millions of Americans, Greenseid and Nystrom are stressed and outraged by the rising costs of prescription drugs in the United States  a problem Republicans and Democrats alike have promised to fix.

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Insulin is a big part of the challenge. More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. About 7.5 million, including 1.5 million with Type 1 diabetes, rely on insulin.

Between 2012 and 2016, the cost of insulin for treating Type 1 diabetes nearly doubled, according to the non-profit Health Care Cost Institute.

Some pharmaceutical companies, under pressure from U.S. lawmakers, have tried to reduce the cost for some patients. But many who rely on insulin still struggle. Large numbers resort to rationing  a dangerous and sometimes deadly practice.

Some diabetics and their families are taking matters into their own hands. They meet in coffee shops and strip mall parking lots to exchange emergency supplies. An unknown number travel outside the country to buy the life-saving drug for less.

None of this is recommended by U.S. officials, and some of it might be illegal, under Food and Drug Administration guidelines. But the organizers of the caravan  their word, a nod to the migrants travelling in groups through Mexico to the U.S. border  are speaking out about their trip because they want Americans to see how drug prices push ordinary people to extremes.

When you have a bad health-care system, it makes good people feel like outlaws, Greenseid said.

Its demeaning. Its demoralizing. Its unjust.

The caravaners arent the only ones looking north. Republicans and Democrats have produced federal and state proposals to import drugs from Canada.

Those ideas arent necessarily popular in Ottawa, where many worry that bulk buys from the United States could cause shortages or drive up prices.

Barry Power, director of therapeutic content with the Canadian Pharmacists Association, said the group is tracking both U.S. drug-buying proposals and reports of cross-border trade closely, but has yet to see a disruption to Canadian insulin supplies.

He said insulin prices in Canada are controlled through policy, including price caps and negotiations with manufacturers.

This is something the U.S. could do, he said.

When the Canadian scientist Frederick Banting codiscovered insulin in the early 1920s, he balked at commercializing it because it seemed unethical to profit from a critical drug. He eventually sold his share of the patent to the University of Toronto for $1, in the hope the drug would remain widely accessible.

In the nearly 100 years since, insulin has become a lifeline for millions. But the price in the United States has surged in ways its discoverers could not have predicted.

When Nystrom was diagnosed with diabetes as a child in the late 1990s, she said, her family paid about $15 to $20 (U.S.) a vial. Now, at 33, she sometimes pays more than $300 for the same amount.

Nicole Smith-Holt, who drove north with Greenseid and Nystrom, said her son spent about $1,000 per month on the drug. Alec Raeshawn Smith, an uninsured Type 1 diabetic, rationed his insulin supply due to cost, his mother said. He died in 2017.

Elizabeth Pfiester is founder and executive director of T1International, a British-based non-profit that advocates for people with Type 1 diabetes around the world.

Its kind of a myth that America has the best health-care system in the world, because it is set up to allow Americans to go bankrupt or die because they cant afford their medicine, she said.

Pfiester grew up in the United States. One of the reasons her organization is based overseas, she said, is because the cost of treating her diabetes in the United States is so high.

What I think is quite clear is that these companies will charge what they can get away with, she said. They have been able to get away with costs going up because of a broken and opaque health-care system.

A spokeswoman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America noted that drug companies are increasingly offering rebates on insulin in the United States  but they arent always reaching consumers.

Too often, these negotiated discounts and rebates are not shared with patients, resulting in the sickest patients paying higher out-of-pocket costs to subsidize the healthy, PhRMA spokeswoman Holly Campbell said in an email. This is the opposite of how health insurance is supposed to work.

Greenseid, who has purchased insulin for her daughter in six countries, said U.S. prices stand out as not just high, but unpredictable. As people bounce between insurance plans and navigate rebates, she said, you often have no idea how much you are going to pay.

In the United States, you can buy some types of insulin without a prescription. But to get the newer analog insulin on which Type 1 diabetics rely, you need to visit or call your doctor.

If Nystrom forgets to pack enough for an extended trip, she said, she needs to get her endocrinologist on the phone. In Canada, she can walk into a pharmacy and get the analog insulin she needs.

The attitude up there is: Why would someone buy insulin if they didnt need it?  Nystrom said.

On their first trip north, the caravaners received support from Canadians, they said, but also accusations that they were looting drug supplies.

We heard a lot of comments like, Canada needs to put up a wall, Smith-Holt said. I was like, Oh, come on.

Before the group set out for Fort Frances, they said, they called ahead to check that the local pharmacy had enough to fill their order without disrupting supply.

They see buying in Canada as a short-term emergency measure and a way to call attention to U.S. pricing  not the answer.

I dont think that the solution is going outside the United States, Greenseid said. The reason they have lower prices is because they have put in regulations to make sure their citizens are not paying too much. We have not yet made that decision in the U.S.

LaShawn McIver is senior vice president for government affairs and advocacy at the American Diabetes Association.

Insulin is not a luxury, it is a matter of life and death, she wrote in an emailed statement. Action to reduce the high out-of-pocket costs that endanger the lives of the millions of Americans who depend on this medication is critical and urgently needed.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, said the Trump administration is focused on lowering drug prices.

President (Donald) Trump and (Health) Secretary (Alex) Azar are firmly committed to getting drug prices down, spokeswoman Caitlin B. Oakley wrote in an email. They are both very open to the importation of prescription drugs as long as it can be done safely and can deliver real results for American patients.

Until things change, the caravaners say, theyll keep driving.

Their first trip led to queries from families across the country, they said, including Type 1 diabetics, parents of children with diabetes and family members supporting elderly relatives with diabetes. Some want to join.

So when they head north in a few weeks, theyll switch from family cars to a chartered bus.WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg (BOO-tuh-juhj) wants to start a family with his husband, Chasten, and says that could happen if hes in the White House.

I dont see why not, the South Bend, Indiana, mayor says in a Fathers Day television interview that also marked his one-year wedding anniversary.

He tells CNNs State of the Union that it wouldnt be the first time that children have arrived to a first couple, but obviously thats a conversation I had better have with Chasten before I go into it too much on television.

Buttigieg is seeking to become the first openly gay presidential nominee from a major political party.BOSTON - The wife of former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz has paid a special tribute to her husband as he continues to recover from a gunshot wound in Massachusetts General Hospital.

Tiffany Ortiz wrote in an Instagram post that this Fathers Day on Sunday brings with it a new appreciation for life and an awareness in what truly matters.

Tiffany Ortiz and the man known affectionately to fans as Big Papi have three children and have been together 23 years.

She wrote that it has been deeply felt that the outside world also acknowledges his presence as a father figure to all.

She urged everyone to celebrate this Papis Day with the ones you love.

David Ortiz was shot June 9 while at a club in his native Dominican Republic.ORLANDO, Fla. - Firefighters in Florida rescued seven passengers from an amusement park ride.

The Orlando Fire Department tweeted that the agencys high angle team rescued the passengers at the Fun Spot America amusement park in the heart of Orlandos tourist district after the parks Screamer ride became stuck Saturday afternoon.

No injuries were reported.

The ride shoots passenger strapped in their seats up and down along a column.BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine - Former Republican Gov. Paul LePages wife wont be the only one in their family spending the summer working at a restaurant. LePage will be joining her as a bartender.

McSeagulls Restaurant owner Jeff Stoddard said he hasnt finalized the former governors schedule but expects him to be tending bar for the entire summer in Boothbay Harbor. The governors wife, Ann, will be working there again as a server.

The restaurant posted photos on social media showing the former governor and first lady wearing McSeagulls t-shirts that proclaimed, Eat, Drink & Flounder, Just for the Halibut.

The LePages spent the winter at their home in Florida. Its unclear where theyre staying this summer. They sold their Boothbay home last summer.NEW YORK - Authorities have arrested a man who they say set off a fire extinguisher while at a building where Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has one of her district offices.

The New York Police Department says officers responded to a call of a trespasser shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday at the building on 37th Avenue in Queens.

They found the man, identified as Douala Hashi, of Washington, D.C., with a fire extinguisher that he discharged on the same floor where Ocasio-Cortezs offices.

Police say the 31-year-old man had a broken bottle, and went inside a utility closet before being taken into custody.

He faces charges of menacing, criminal mischief and criminal trespass.

Police say he didnt make it into Ocasio-Cortezs offices.

She was not there at the time.IRISH HILLS, Mich. - Shes convinced she can bring the dinosaurs back to life. But is that a good idea?

Sandra Crabb walked the leafy trails of Prehistoric Forest, a long-dead tourist stop that she owns in Michigans Irish Hills area. Every now and then, she came upon a tall dinosaur made of fiberglass and Styrofoam, standing ragged and alone in the woods.

Crabb is 77. Shes well-spoken but also whimsical, business-minded but a little eccentric. Yet when shes out for a walk among her dinosaurs, shes like a child again, lulled into a dreamy world of make believe.

He was a nice one, she said, giggling as she approached a weather-beaten dinosaur, one of a handful still lurking among the trees. I can see it in his eyes. He liked the kids and he liked the people and he liked the territory, dont you think? Wouldnt you like it if you were a dinosaur? Hard not to like a big forest all to yourself!

Crabb runs a small petroleum company, and the Irish Hills area of south Michigan is known for its oil fields. Six years ago, she bought this parcel because she learned there might be oil deposits in the land beneath it, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Then she visited her new acquisition, and discovered she was now the owner of a lovely forest populated by cartoonish characters. It changed everything for her.

It took me five minutes, no, 30 minutes, to fall in love with it, she said. Its a beautiful piece of property, absolutely stunning. Its a privilege to own it. The beauty of nature, the fun of the ideas that the former owner of the Prehistoric Forest had, the dinosaurs, all the variations on the theme  absolutely marvelous.

Now, she said, she wants to bring Dinosaur Forest back to life. She even sold her home in California last year and moved to Michigan to pursue her plans.

But after years of neglect and vandalism, the theme park has deteriorated. The township where its located is demanding that she fix up or tear down one of the biggest structures on the site  a crumbling mound of foam and wood that was once a towering pretend mountain. Local officials worry that one of the many trespassers who enter the property each year might hurt themselves, leading to lawsuits. Theyve given Crabb several deadlines to comply with their requests  all of which shes missed. Now, officials say, the matter is headed to court.

Meanwhile, some wonder whether restoring an outdated tourist trap is even worth the effort.

In my opinion, will that ever be something that people want to visit? No, said Bill Gentner, Cambridge Township supervisor. Years ago, I think so. But there are so many things up north to do. Kids interest is different now. But shes a good dreamer, I guess you might want to say.

The park, like other abandoned tourist attractions nearby, reflects another era; before smartphones and video games, and the sensory bombardment of places like Dave & Busters and Chuck E. Cheese. For kids nowadays, a quiet walk in the woods past stationary fiberglass dinosaurs is underwhelming in comparison.

If all Crabb really wants is the oil in the ground, theres no reason not to tear down all the structures on the property. It would make it easier to get in there to drill, and also would get township officials off her back.

So why even bother trying to keep and restore them?

Well, thats like asking why does anybody bother to keep the pyramids intact, you know? she said. Just because something isnt the whole that it once was doesnt mean that it shouldnt still exist and shouldnt still be an object of interest, curiosity, fascination, thoughtfulness, dreams. I mean, theres nothing that stimulates the mind and the imagination like going somewhere and finding some part of a lost time or a lost civilization. And thats what this represents, a trip somehow back in time.

And thats always worth having as an adventure.

Crabb was born and raised in Dearborn, earned an arts degree at the University of Michigan, then moved to California where she had a number of careers over several decades, including in filmmaking, antique sales and eventually in petroleum. In her quest for new oil fields, she came across the Irish Hills.

For years, the U.S.-12 highway was the main route from Detroit to Chicago, and it ran right through the Irish Hills area, named for the rounded green hills and little lakes that reminded the Irish immigrants who settled here of their home country.

After World War II, as car ownership increased and more traffic passed through the area, campgrounds, restaurants and hotels sprang up to draw tourists who wanted a break on the long ride  along with roadside attractions designed to draw the interest and excitement of kids. There was the Stagecoach Stop, featuring a Wild West theme of saloons and general stores. Frontier City, where actors playing gunslingers robbed an old-time bank six times a day for audiences. And Fantasy Land, with a fairy-tale theme.

And there was Prehistoric Forest, which opened in 1963 and featured dozens of animatronic dinosaurs and cavemen made of fiberglass and Styrofoam, whose motorized jaws and limbs squeaked open in tandem with tape-recorded roars as tourists passed by in the Safari Train. At the front of the park stood a towering waterfall, a water slide and a volcano that belched smoke. It was campy and kitschy and had the early 1960s written all over it.

But the construction of I-94 soon after drew much of the travel traffic away, changing entertainment tastes and redirecting tourists elsewhere. The theme parks along U.S.-12 began to wither, the tourist stops closed and the route is now a graveyard of once-popular roadside attractions.

When Prehistoric Forest closed in 1999, many of the dinosaurs were left behind in the woods, suffering through Michigans harsh seasons. They also became a favourite target of vandals.

In 1985, students from Saline High School stole three statues and placed them in front of their school. In 2010, teenagers from Onsted High did the same thing. But the real damage was done in 2012, when 13 students from local high schools, along with two adult chaperones from Waterford, sneaked onto the property and smashed the heads and limbs off many of the dinosaurs. They were visitors in town for a track meet, and they were caught only because the students didnt have enough sense not to wear their varsity jackets when committing crimes at a place that had surveillance cameras.

They were charged with various misdemeanours, but they were honour students with scholarships to college, their attorneys noted, and this status earned them a slap on the wrist in court. Ever since their visit, the dinosaurs they attacked remain headless, or lie on their sides in the forest, barely visible among the brush. It makes Crabbs already difficult dream of restoring the park that much harder.

Last year, the township asked her to either demolish or repair the parks towering mountain, which once hosted a waterfall but which is now a rickety mound of rotting wood and mouldy foam. Township officials fear that someone climbing on them will plunge through with all the other debris thats caved in through their roofs.

Weve met with her up there, weve tried every way possible to help her, Gentner said. Its been unsafe for quite a while, and all she had to do is come up with a plan to take care of that problem. Every time shes come in she never had a plan.

But Crabb insists shes bursting with ideas for the park. Film shoots, for one. In fact, she said, shes had several crews shooting music videos and independent movies on the surreal site. She might add zip lines among the trees one day, and maybe historical exhibits about everything from dinosaurs to the history of Irish Hills. But other than adding a tall fence last month to try to keep trespassers out and buy some time, the park is essentially the same as when she bought it.

I dont want to just raze it, she said of the mountain. I like to look at it and dream of the future and the past and everything in between. But we have to be safe, too. So were trying to shore it up and see where we go from there. Its very possible we may have to take it down. Well see.

But all those practical concerns were a distant afterthought as she strolled the parks trails on a pleasant spring afternoon, greeting her dinosaurs as she passed them. She talked to them, gave them names, imagined their thoughts, became playful in their presence.

She came upon a dinosaur still lying flat after an encounter with vandals. She looked it over carefully, imagining its life. Its rather colorful, so I think Ill call her Sally, she said. She got mowed down by some probably Tyrannosaurus Rex, a big guy to knock this little lady over.

Further up the trail, a giant prehistoric bird with black fiberglass feathers and a red beak stood tall in the grasses. I think this one is named No Fuss. Gets up, her hair is done for the day, and she might even give you a ride if you were nice, she said.

She wound her way past a wood shelter with benches, which were spray-painted with graffiti. This was a nice place to sit down and relax and enjoy the day, she surmised. Looks like a bus stop. Probably some animals lined up to get on board with the kids.

At the end of the long trail, huddled together in the cool darkness behind the locked doors of a pole barn, was a gathering of many more of her prehistoric friends, protected and undamaged. There were gentle Brontosauruses and giant birds, massive mushrooms and smiling trees. Crabb hid them here for safety, away from the dangers of an outside world that seems to have lost its sense of wonder and imagination.

Times have changed and some people are afraid of the magic, she said. They dont understand the magic of the moment, the magic of imagination, and I think some people are lacking that, yes. They dont see the mystery and the mystique and the joy that separates this park from everything and anything else.

But she does. For her, the park conjures a bridge to childhood, when grinning dinosaurs standing in the woods were enough to spark an afternoon of simple fun. For her, thats worth preserving.

Its a lot of upkeep, but yes Im glad I bought it, she said with a giggle. Not everyone owns a dinosaur park, do they?

___

Information from: Detroit Free Press, http://www.freep.com

An AP Member Exchange shared by the Detroit Free Press.WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is working the phones to convince wary leaders in Asia and Europe that Iran was behind alleged attacks on shipping in a key Middle East oil route  and that its a problem for the whole international community to deal with, not just the United States.

While calling U.S. evidence unmistakable that Iran was to blame for alleged attacks on two oil tankers last week near the Strait of Hormuz, Pompeo was emphasizing international diplomacy over any possible new U.S. military response in appearances on Sunday news shows.

We are going to work to build out a set of countries that have deep vested interest in keeping that strait open to help us do that, Pompeo said.

I made a bunch of phone calls yesterday. Ill make a whole bunch more calls today. The world needs to unite, Pompeo said. He did not say what kind of action the Trump administration was envisioning.

Iran has denied being involved in the attacks and accused America of promoting an Iranophobic campaign against it.

Pressed on whether new U.S. military deployment to the region was possible, Pompeo said that of course remained among the options that President Donald Trump may consider to keep oil tankers moving through the narrow strait, a strategic choke point for oil shipments from the Middle East.

Trump last year withdrew the U.S. from an international agreement, signed in 2015 by President Barack Obama, to limit Irans nuclear program. Trump has reinstated economic sanctions and recently ended waivers that allowed some countries to continue buying Iranian oil. That has deprived Iran of oil income and has coincided with what U.S. officials said was a surge in intelligence pointing to Iranian preparations for attacks against U.S. forces and interests in the Gulf region.

The U.S. has accelerated the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group to the region, sent four nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Qatar and bolstered its defences in the region by deploying more Patriot air defence systems.

Some European allies have called for a careful investigation of responsibility, worried that Trump was escalating tensions with a country he has long called a top U.S. enemy.

Pompeo stressed that the U.S. gets relatively little of its energy supplies through the strait, which lies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says 16 per cent of U.S. petroleum imports came from the Persian Gulf countries in 2018.

By contrast, about 80% of oil through the shipping passage supplies energy-hungry countries in Asia, including China, Japan, India and South Korea. Those countries have an interest in keeping the oil flowing, he said.

Im confident that when they see the risk  the risk of their own economies and their own people and outrageous behaviour of the Islamic Republic of Iran, they will join us in this, Pompeo said.

Pompeo said intelligence officials had lots of data, lots of evidence that Iran was responsible. Pressed for specifics, Pompeo pointed to grainy black-and-white footage already released by the U.S.

American officials say the footage shows Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops removing an unexploded mine from a Japanese tanker. The tankers crew gave an apparently different account, saying flying objects targeted the vessel.

Pompeo said the administration had shared the video and other unspecified evidence with Germany and other nations.

Asked if the U.S. had a credibility problem with allies worried Trump could be seeking a pretext to move against Iran, the secretary of state said, Were not selling anything. These ... these are simple facts.

Pompeo spoke on Fox News Sunday and CBSs Face the Nation.PORTLAND, Maine - Undaunted by a dangerous journey over thousands of miles, people fleeing economic hardship and human rights abuses in African countries are coming to the U.S.-Mexico border in unprecedented numbers, surprising Border Patrol agents more accustomed to Spanish-speaking migrants.

Officials in Texas and even Maine are scrambling to absorb the sharp increase in African migrants. They are coming to America after flying across the Atlantic Ocean to South America and then embarking on an often harrowing overland journey.

In one recent week, agents in the Border Patrols Del Rio sector stopped more than 500 African migrants found walking in separate groups along the arid land after splashing across the Rio Grande, children in tow.

That is more than double the total of 211 African migrants who were detained by the Border Patrol along the entire 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometre) U.S.-Mexico border in the 2018 fiscal year.

We are continuing to see a rise in apprehensions of immigrants from countries not normally encountered in our area, said Raul Ortiz, head of the U.S. Border Patrols Del Rio sector.

The immigrants in Texas were mostly from the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. Cameroonians have also been travelling up through Mexico and into the U.S. in larger numbers and seeking asylum at ports of entry.

On recent Saturday in Tijuana, there were 90 Cameroonians lined up to get on a waiting list to request asylum that has swelled to about 7,500 names. Also on the waiting list are Ethiopians, Eritreans, Mauritanians, Sudanese and Congolese.

Cameroonians generally fly to Ecuador because no visa is required and take about four months to reach Tijuana. They walk for days in Panama through dense jungle, where they are often robbed and held in government-run camps. They come from Cameroons English-speaking south with horrifying stories of rape, murder and torture committed since late 2016 by soldiers of the countrys French-speaking majority, which holds power.

A few days after the big groups of African immigrants were apprehended in Texas, federal officials dropped off dozens of them in San Antonio. Officials in the Texas city sent out a plea for French-speaking volunteers for translating work and most importantly, making our guests feel welcome.

Many were bused to Portland, Maine, about as far as one can get from the Mexican border and still be in the continental United States. Word has spread among migrants that the city of 67,000 is a welcoming place. Somali refugees were resettled in Portland in the 1990s.

A total of 170 asylum seekers arrived in recent days. Hundreds more are expected in an influx that City Manager Jon Jennings called unprecedented. With one shelter already full, a basketball venue called the Portland Exposition Building was converted into an emergency shelter.

Portland officials tweeted Thursday that rumours some of the migrants are carrying the Ebola virus are patently false, and said that as asylum seekers, they are in the United States legally.

On Thursday afternoon, families in the Expo chatted in French and Portuguese as children kicked a soccer ball near rows of cots. One of the men, 26-year-old Prince Pombo, described himself as a pro-democracy activist and said he had fled his native country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, because of political oppression. He went to neighbouring Angola, then flew to Brazil. There, he met a local woman and they had a baby they named Heaven. Now 16-months old, she giggled as she played with her mother in the Expo. Pombo said his journey from Congo to America took three years.

More migrants are on the way. Mexico is on pace to triple the number of African immigrants it is processing this year, up from 2,100 in 2017.

Mbi Deric Ambi, from the English-speaking part of Cameroon, is among them. In a recent interview in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula, Ambi said he was waiting for a document from the Mexican authorities that would allow him to proceed north to the U.S. He travelled overland through South and Central America after flying to Ecuador.

Human Rights Watch says 1,800 people have been killed and half a million have fled their homes in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon since late 2016. A United Nations official says 4.3 million people need humanitarian assistance.

We dont have jobs in the English part, the educational system is poor, they are looking at us as dogs, Ambi said as a crowd of migrants jostled outside an immigration centre in Tapachula, waiting for their names to be called to collect their travel document. Ambi has been waiting every morning for six weeks.

We just have to be patient, because there is nothing we can do, he said.

The explosion in immigration to the United States from sub-Saharan Africa coincides with a steep drop in the migration flow across the Mediterranean to Europe after European countries and two main embarkation points  Turkey and Libya  decided to crack down. From Jan. 1 to June 12, only 24,600 migrants arrived in Europe by sea, compared to 99,600 over the same period in 2017, according to the International Organization for Migration.

But IOM spokesman Joel Millman doubts the migrant path for Africans has swung over from Europe to America.

Pombo, who was a teacher in Congo, learned in an internet search and by asking around that Portland is good place for migrants. He said his next step is to start rebuilding a life for himself and his family.

Id like to feel safe. Id like to build a decent life, he said. I need to start again.

__

Selsky reported from Salem, Oregon. AP reporters Elliot Spagat in Tijuana, Maria Verza in Tapachula, Mexico, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselskyUpward of 200 people attended Juneteenth throughout Saturday in Fairbanks to celebrate the historic date.

The Emancipation Proclamation stated that slavery was no longer a thing and that slaves were free, but in Texas a lot of people didnt find out about that for two years, said Quineshia Peterson, committee chair for the event. So when they finally got there and they let them know, we then began to celebrate it as Juneteenth, which is actually June 19. We always just celebrate it the weekend before.

Peterson, clad in a black shirt reading I am my ancestors wildest dreams, is a member of the Fairbanks chapter of the NAACP, which organizes the annual event. She said that the day is a celebration of how far people have come and a time to come together and see how far they can go.

Juneteenth In the early afternoon hours, people began arriving at the Fairbanks NAACP's Juneteenth celebration. The day, which is officially commemorated

Bennie Colbert, NAACP chapter president, said he loves teaching people what Juneteenth is really about. Colbert added that the event is intended to be inclusive, which was evident by the various people who turned up at Bernice Allridge Park for the festivities.

And thats what I love, looking out into the crowd and seeing everybody have fun and, you know, this is what we call love thy neighbor, he said.

This year, as people signed in, they were signed up for door prizes that included books, gift certificates to Lanes Quickie Tacos and coupons from Great Harvest Bread Company, among other prizes donated from community organizations.

It took months of planning, thats for sure, Peterson said, and just a lot of dedication of reminding people.

Peterson is also an admissions counselor with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, which had a booth at the event.

We just feel like its important to show up to as many things as we possibly can, and Juneteenth is just a really important day to be a part of, said Samara Taber, director of admissions at UAF. And so were proud to be here.

Taber added that having a consistent presence in the community would help remind people UAF is here for them.

Peterson said she felt having the university at the event was a great partnership with the community and vice versa.

Activities were available as well, including hula hoops and cornhole, and at Briana Morrells booth. Morrell offers classes in the Kangoo Jumps programs and was demonstrating how to use the boots.

I have a teenager who comes and babysits in the day care while parents can exercise in the garage  which is essentially my studio  because I know how it is when youre a mom and you dont have anyone to really watch your kids.

People stopped throughout the day to ask Morrell questions about the eye-catching lime green and black jump shoes. Walking in them felt a little like walking on a trampoline in platform boots  supported and springy, without really feeling the ground.

Cortez Holloway, who attended the event with his family, said he came out because its a celebration of black people getting their freedom and its a good community activity. He came and went from the park all day.

I won a couple things, ate barbecue, played with kids and had a good time, he said.

The Southside Community Farmers Market had a booth set up, where Daisy Edwards spent the day talking with people about the market.

Were here to let people know that we have this market on South Cushman, because theres no big stores or supermarkets within 2 to 4 miles of South Cushman area, Edwards said.

The market, which is open Tuesdays from June to September, had vegetables such as radishes and various greens at the booth for purchase.

Tony Taylor, a local DJ who has raised funds for the school district, canceled a show in Anchorage to be a part of Juneteenth.

I just think its really important to be a part of the community, just to make people more aware of whats going on in history, Taylor said.

Delta Sigma Theta members, clad in the sororitys red colors, could be seen throughout the park.

The college-educated group was founded Jan. 13, 1913, at Howard University, said Edwena Dunbar, vice president of the Fairbanks chapter.

Delta Sigma Theta members included the likes of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, and Winnie Mandela, the ex-wife of Nelson Mandela and a anti-apartheid activist.

Were here today mainly because of the focus of Juneteenth, Dunbar said. The focus is on the emancipation of slavery, but as a college-educated organization committed to public service, our service here is to make sure were out in the public.

She said the group was focused on five key programs: educational development; economic development; physical and mental health; political awareness and involvement; and international awareness and involvement.

Also present at the event was Kathryn Dodge, who recently announced her run for mayor of the city of Fairbanks.

Im here because its a celebration of important times in our history, Dodge said in an interview with the News-Miner.

Juneteenth Kathryn Dodge, city mayoral candidate, speaks at the Juneteenth celebration Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Bernice Allridge Park. Dodge requested

Dodge, who had a booth at the event, took the stage in the afternoon, welcoming people to talk with her about any issues or opportunities in the community. She said she had broad and varied conversations throughout the day.

Im trying to listen to peoples concerns about things going on in the city. ... Problems that they see, opportunities they see, ideas they have on what we can do better, she said.

Peterson said the turnout was awesome. The final headcount was 201 people who signed in and several more who didnt sign in.

It was supposed to rain, she said, laughing. There were chances of rain, so I was worried no one would come out, but I think that it shows how hard our committee has worked on promoting this event and the turnout has been great.

Contact staff writer Kyrie Long at 459-7510.When I read that Margaret and Charles Juravinski are creating an endowment fund of $100 million to support health research in Hamilton, my first reaction was admiration. My second was to wonder if they had children. They dont. A good friend of mine willed her house and large plot of land to the Indigenous community in her area. She, too, has no children.

Pope Francis decried childless people as selfish. But patterns of charitable giving belie that. According to the British group Legacy Foresight, childless people make 55 per cent of all legacies to charities. The Canadian charity newsletter Hilborn cites research that finds those without children are five times more likely to give a bequest than other seniors. And when parents make bequests, theyre typically less than donations made by others.

Those of us with children are typically more inward-looking. From the moment a newborn baby arrives, every impulse seems to galvanize us toward helping that baby thrive. Our resources become our childs resources. And when doing estate planning, although we might leave money to charity, most parents and grandparents put family first.

This evolutionary impulse to cushion our childrens lives runs deep. Scratch the U.S. college admissions scandal and youll see it in one of its uglier incarnations. Parents talk about wanting the best for their children, be it schools or other opportunities. Environmental activists often talk in terms everyone understands: leaving a brighter future for grandchildren.

Those without children are better placed to see the bigger picture. Without obligation to specific children, they can focus on all children.

Religious people, even if theyre parents, think differently too. In traditional Judaism, for example, Jews are exhorted to give 10 per cent of income each year to charitable causes.

In contrast, a study this year on the Compare the Market website suggests the average billionaire gives 3.76 per cent of net worth to charity. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett started their Giving Pledge campaign nine years ago, encouraging the ultra-wealthy to leave at least half their billions to charity.

But for the rest of us, children and grandchildren are usually the main recipient of any discretionary largesse. The good news for charities is that the Canadian fertility rate has dipped. These days it sits at 1.6 births, not enough to reach replacement levels for couples. Fewer children could mean more philanthropy.

The Juravinskis didnt have to think about depriving their children or grandchildren when they made their wonderfully generous gift. And would that have affected their decision in any way?

In the meantime, the rest of us can only admire the Juravinskis generosity. Researchers at Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University and St. Josephs Healthcare in Hamilton can rejoice. Future generations will benefit from this funded research, not just heirs of the Juravinskis. And the lesson about open-hearted giving should be an inspiration to those of us who are parents.A few days ago, Lisa Raitt made a serious blunder. For no obvious reason, she decided to attack Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by saying there was no clear link between extreme weather and climate change.

Thousands of angry tweets later she took down her provocative post. Its not clear whether this will mean temporary damage for the usually thoughtful and professional deputy leader of the Conservatives  or something more permanent.

Every couple of decades a cause arises that seizes younger voters. In the 1960s and 70s it was sexual liberation and civil rights, in the 80s and 90s it was nuclear disarmament, gay marriage and apartheid. A decade ago it was antiglobalization, anti-1 percenters. Today it is #MeToo. For the decade ahead it appears certain to be the climate crisis.

Interestingly, in response to each one of these groundswells, traditional politicians  especially on the right  made serious gaffes. It is tempting to chuckle how wrong-footed politicians were about arms control, AIDs, Mandela, equal marriage and on and on  except that it was painful at the time to those they dismissed.

Although they could claim green credentials in their very name, Conservatives today still dont seem to get it about climate. They have slowly shifted away from pure climate denial, to an anti-carbon pricing message. They have moved from laughing at renewable energy to supporting a fossil fuel transition  just not right now.

This is a tough issue to get right, admittedly. Even Elizabeth May got into a dust-up with her own Quebec activists for her position on oilsands refining. A vicious Twitter battle raged last week provoking division among Greens on their very core values.

Trudeau is being hammered on his tanker ban  dangerous tankers are OK off the Cape Breton coast but not B.C.s Sunshine Coast. Why? Jagmeet Singh wobbled and then corrected course on LNG. But compared to Scheer, Kenney, Ford and now Raitt, these leaders look like deep green climate warriors.

The political damage that conservatives did to themselves globally on environmental policy decades ago haunts them today. They gave birth to Green politics in Europe, Australia and now Canada. The internet is awash in embarrassing quotes from their leaders like global temperatures go up and then they go down, so what?

With the rare exception of a Brian Mulroney or a Peter Lougheed the environmental track record of Canadian conservatives is not pretty, either. Look up Mike Harris on global warming if you want a mordant chuckle. Andrew Scheer must now walk a terrifying razor blade on climate. Without greater climate credibility among young Torontonians, Montrealers and Vancouverites he will lose.

Pushing too hard on his new-found conviction about carbon, he runs into three angry Conservative premiers in his heartland, each of whom is in various stages of denial about pricing carbon. He will give a major environmental policy speech in a few days time. One may safely predict he will take bullets from all sides of the debate no matter what he says.

But every politician  including Green ones  should make no mistake, authentically articulating a credible path on climate will become the determinant of victory or defeat. Veer to hard green at the expense of jobs and fiscal impact, you die. Veer to soft compromise and delay, youre also done.

Liberals and New Democrats must make the case that a resource-based economy is a heavy carbon emitting economy. Reducing emissions through electrification of the oilsands, pushing zero-emission vehicles by law, and yes, increasing carbon taxation rapidly are essentials  creating good jobs while we do it, is too.

Not easy. For Canadian conservatives this will be a credibility challenge as hard as race is for American conservatives. If I were Conservative strategist my calculus would be: We can afford to irritate Kenney and Ford with a tough, creative, market-focused green agenda. Where else are their voters going to go? We cant afford to lose the voters who demand proof of our new seriousness on climate. That way lies certain defeat.

Robin V. Sears is a principal at Earnscliffe Strategy Group and was an NDP strategist for 20 years. He is a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @robinvsears

Read more about:Trudeau commits to extending prescription drug coverage, June 13

Congratulations to Dr. Eric Hoskins and the advisory council appointed by the federal government on its final report recommending a single payor, universal pharmacare plan for Canadians.

This report presents us with an opportunity to correct the gap in public health coverage that has existed since we failed to add drug coverage to medicare five decades ago.

We are now faced with a daunting challenge. There are stormy waters to navigate in achieving implementation. The key to success will be strong public support reflected in political will by federal, provincial and territorial governments.

Opposition to the plan will come directly in the form of partisan and ideological objections, dire warnings from manufacturing and insurance interest groups and indirectly as a result of apathy from some members of the public who feel content with their present drug coverage.

How can Canadians navigate these stormy waters? Put pressure on the federal government to adopt the plan, encourage provincial and territorial governments to co-operate, and question candidates in the upcoming federal election about their views.

There is an abundance of information to educate any naysayers who argue we cant afford this plan. We simply cannot afford to not implement it.

Bill Wensley, Cobourg

Kind of takes us back to their warnings of dire consequences should Canada adopt a national public health-care plan.

Their suggestion is to introduce piecemeal coverage beginning in 2022. No doubt they hope the delay will result in the election of federal government that will shelve the plan.

Canadians should wholeheartedly embrace pharmacare. We appreciate the benefits of reaching for our health cards and not our wallets when we require health care. The prescribed medicines should be covered as well.A flaccid response to an urgent issue, Wells, June 12

Two things are quite clear.

One, the answer to disposing waste, including plastic bottles and packaging, lies with co-generated incineration projects. Plastic is made from oil and gas and produces a great deal of heat when burned, and the emissions are lower than if buried in landfill. Toronto council should be looking at this to reduce landfill and the costs associated with landfill.

Second, climate change is real and the flooding of the Toronto Islands is expected to be an annual event, which costs taxpayers millions. It is time to look at evicting residents from the Island homes or making them responsible for the costs of living there.

Norman Gardner, Toronto

But the politicians are too afraid to disrupt the industrial status quo. Theyre too afraid to lose what they think is their voter base.

Well, I vote for integrity. I vote for the ability to imagine and create something better than plugging away at a fossil-fuel industry that is burning our planet. I vote for growth in well-being, not in emissions. No Trans Mountain pipeline, no subsidies for fossil fuels. I vote for our childrens future.A new contender for the Liberal leadership is painting himself as a champion of the underdog who could send Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservatives packing in the next election.

Michael Coteau will launch his bid for the party helm Sunday night with a very personal video pitch to Ontarians.

You know that voice, you know what it says: someone like you doesnt belong here, the Don Valley East MPP says.

Immigrant kid, Flemingdon Park, small rental apartment. Mum cleans houses. Dad fixes washing machines. You skip classes. Comic books not textbooks  at least youre at the library, the former social services minister continues.

Then a guidance counsellor sees potential. You get in a good public high school. A friends dad lends you money for university  at Carleton, you excel, he says.

Then someone like you: working class, Black, immigrant kid starts your own small business, gets on the school board and speaks up for students becomes an MPP, a cabinet minister, takes on the toughest jobs at Queens Park.

Taking aim at the premier, Coteau then says: But even today, voices out there say someone like you doesnt belong.

Doug Ford says kids today arent worth the cost. Thats the message: Ontario doesnt value you. I was that kid who was told someone like you doesnt matter. And now, someone like me is taking a stand.

Stressing the biggest waste we face in Ontario is the waste of human potential, Coteau tells viewers he is offering a different vision.

Doug Ford is in it for tax breaks to the wealthy and big corporations  and cuts for everyone else, he says, vowing to replace Doug Ford (and) to restore decency to our politics in the 2022 election.

Coteau will criss-cross Ontario from Windsor to Ottawa next week before a campaign rally Saturday in Torontos Flemingdon Park.

With Liberal delegates set to select a new leader on March 7 at Mississaugas International Centre, he is one of three candidates in the race so far, joining Steven Del Duca, the former transportation minister, and Alvin Tedjo, a former Liberal candidate in Oakville-North Burlington.

Coteau is the only one of the declared candidates who currently holds a seat in the Ontario Legislature.

But others are expressing interest, including Scarborough-Guildwood MPP Mitzie Hunter, a former education minister.

With Fords Tories plummeting in seven public-opinion polls over the past month, the Liberals feel rejuvenated only one year after former premier Kathleen Wynne lost power.

Despite having just seven seats in the 124-member legislature, they attracted 1,000 supporters to their annual general meeting last weekend in Mississauga.

On Saturday, the Liberals announced it will cost $100,000 to enter the leadership race  a $75,000 registration fee and a $25,000 conditionally refundable deposit.

Candidates have until 5 p.m. on Nov. 25 to enter. Thats a month after the federal election, which would allow any defeated Liberal MPs to join the fray.

The party membership cut-off is 6 p.m. Dec. 2 and the delegates who will cast ballots on March 7 will be selected Feb. 8-9.

We are kicking off another weekend with relentless work on some of the most crucial details pertaining to the leadership race, said party president Brian Johns.

Last weekend at our AGM, Ontario Liberals clearly communicated they are excited, ready and eager to take the next steps toward rebuilding our party.

Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Read more about:VANCOUVERHundreds of people gathered outside the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver on Saturday, condemning police violence against protesters in Hong Kong and calling for a controversial extradition bill to be completely withdrawn from consideration.

The Vancouver protest came hours after Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced her government would temporarily suspend second reading of the contentious bill, which would allow people accused of certain crimes to be extradited from Hong Kong to mainland China.

Opponents of the proposed legislative amendments, deeply concerned about the disintegration of civil liberties in Hong Kong, have not been appeased.

We have to be vigilant, said Fenella Sung, the convener of the Canadian Friends of Hong Kong network.

The Hong Kong government could bring the bill back for second reading at any time during the current legislative session, which continues for more than a year, she explained.

Until the bill is withdrawn from consideration completely, Sung said, protests would continue in Vancouver and around the world in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of people who have taken to the streets in Hong Kong.

Read more:

Canada could see Hong Kong immigration bump after crackdown on protesters, experts say

Hong Kong protesters vow to keep fighting extradition law

Hong Kong leader delays unpopular bill; activists want more

Hong Kongs first female leader fights for political life

On Wednesday, Hong Kong police used heavy force against the masses of young people who had gathered outside the government buildings in protest, firing rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd. Lam said the protest had morphed into a blatant, organized riot.

Sung called the police response outrageous. About 80 people were hurt during the confrontation.

This is not a riot, this is Hong Kongers exercising their last ounce of freedom to express their opposition to the extradition bill, said Ivy Li, a member of the Canadian Friends of Hong Kong network, at the Vancouver protest.

We are here to stand in solidarity with them until the bill is withdrawn, she said.

Under the agreement that transferred Hong Kong from Britain back to China in 1997, Hong Kong was meant to retain considerable autonomy from China for 50 years, including an independent judiciary. Critics say, if passed, the extradition bill would put the rights of any person who may be extradited to China at risk, as well as Hong Kongs very independence.

Lam, meanwhile, has said the bill is necessary to ensure Hong Kong doesnt become a haven for fugitives. She said her government will undertake more consultation and work to better explain the proposed amendments before bringing it back for second reading.

Everyone should care about the fate of the bill, Li said.

Some 300,000 Canadians work in Hong Kong, and many more travel through the international airport.

What might happen to these Canadians if they are being extradited to mainland China from Hong Kong? Certainly they will not be allowed to live in their own multimillion-dollar mansions, free to go shopping and speak with their lawyers, friends and family like Meng Wanzhou, she said, referring to the Huawei chief financial officer who is facing possible extradition from Canada to the United States.

Would these Canadians be abused and tortured like our two Michaels and Chinas human rights lawyers? Li said. Would they be disappeared into the dark holes of so-called re-education camps like the millions of Uyghurs?

The Michaels that Li referred to are Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, two Canadians who were detained for months without charges by the Chinese government days after Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver.

The Chinese government has since charged both men with espionage-related offences. Global Affairs Canada has repeatedly condemned these arrests as arbitrary and demanded their releases.

We could all be in danger, added Father Richard Soo, who also addressed the hundreds of people gathered in Vancouver.

This is why we ask all Canadian from sea to sea to sea to join us, because anybody found on Hong Kong soil could end up like Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, he said.

The rule of law is still in danger in Hong Kong. The rule of law protects everyone.

With files from Wanyee Li, Temur Durrani, the Canadian Press, and the Associated Press

Read more about:LOS ANGELES  Ask Marta Kauffman if there will be a Friends reunion someday and the answer is a crisp nope.

Kauffman, who created the enduringly popular sitcom with David Crane and was an executive producer from start to finish, is focused on whats now and next, not whats past.

Shes moved on from the 1994-2004 network-airbrushed adventures of young New York pals to the unvarnished pains and pleasures of older women  and, subordinately, men  in Grace and Frankie.

The Netflix comedy is in the hunt to add 2019 Emmy Award nominations to those earned in its first four seasons by stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, who also have received Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globe and other nods of recognition.

Friends can boast of nabbing a best comedy series Emmy in 2002 and trophies for cast members Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow. But whatever lies ahead for Grace and Frankie, Kauffman, 62, already has gained rewards beyond another shelf-hogging statuette.

Among them: How much viewers appreciate seeing their own experiences with aging reflected on screen, including the woman who shared her delight over one of the shows candid, yes-it-went-there revelations of body changes because she thought she was a freak, Kauffman said.

Then theres the shows unexpected appeal, she said.

We had no idea that we would speak to younger women, Kauffman said, that younger women were looking for role models, were looking for information, were looking for people to talk about the stuff that theyre going to expect.

But its also aspirational for women, period.

Grace and Frankie team up to start their post-divorce lives anew after their husbands, long-time law partners played by Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston, reveal theyre also long-time lovers who want to live together. The show is about resisting a reductive view of aging and, to put it in appropriate boomer-speak, the power of sisterhood.

While gender equality may be getting a #MeToo-powered push in Hollywood, theres been barely a dent in ageism, as the rarity of TV series or movies lead by older actors and from older producers can attest. The Kominsky Method, from producer Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory) and starring Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, joins Grace and Frankie (created by Kauffman and Howard J. Morris), as an outlier.

Kauffmans disregard for the industrys youth obsession extends to the personal. Her hair, which started turning gray when she was 40, is untouched by dye and fully silver.

No value in such cosmetic tricks?

Like who we fooling? she replied, laughing.

That her career flourished despite her gender and continues to be robust is proof of Kauffmans writing and producing skills and her tenacity. Its easy for her to summon early memories of being a woman in a mans world.

During meetings with her then-production company partners Crane and Kevin Bright, other men in the room would look at Kevin and David, but not at me. So to a certain extent, I felt invisible.

Such attitudes survived despite the success of Friends. She recalled working through a taping one Friday night despite feeling unwell, and trying to brush off a man who asked about her apparent discomfort. She finally told him she had menstrual cramps  not exactly a fatal or uncommon condition.

And his comment was, This is why I hate to hire women, Kauffman said. She declined to identify him but said it wasnt an isolated incident.

There was incredible misogyny and sexuality and objectification connected with the show, she said. And the way people dealt with me, I was a woman first. I would be called a tough broad, a tough cookie. The male producers were never called names like that. They never had to be qualified by an adjective, she said.

How did she overcome it?

I guess to a certain extent, just sheer resilience. I felt like I couldnt let the demeaning men win, she said. As for whether the outcry provoked by misconduct revelations is having an effect, Kauffman expresses measured optimism about the future: Just because its out in the public doesnt mean its going to change overnight, but I do think people are trying.

Hannah KS Canter, her daughter, offers an insiders perspective on her moms success. Canter is a development executive with Okay Goodnight, Kauffmans production company, and a producer on Grace and Frankie.

She called Kauffman a strong, steady leader who fosters a humane workplace in which all voices can be heard, especially womens.

She makes sure they are heard and supported and amplifies their voice when needed, Canter said.

Perhaps tongue-in-cheek, Kauffman suggests shes saving the juicy career stuff, including names, for a post-retirement memoir (cue nervous male laughter). But thats nowhere in sight, with Okay Goodnights projects including Grace and Frankie, development of a TV adaptation of Karen Jay Fowlers novel We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and the current Netflix documentary Seeing Allred, about activist-attorney Gloria Allred.

So why isnt revisiting Friends in some fashion on the horizon? The idea pops up now and then, most recently when Aniston, aka the sitcoms Rachel Green, expressed interest after long dismissing the possibility. The actress later said there are no plans, and Kauffman insists its staying that way.

Why mess up a good thing? she said. We wouldnt want a reunion to disappoint fans.During the War of 1812, roughly two decades before he became president, Gen. Andrew Jackson wrote home to his wife, Rachel, from the battlefield.

Though he was tired and banged up, Jackson was also proud. He had just presided over another successful slaughter of Native Americans.

"I detached Genl John Coffee with part of his Brigade of Cavalry and mounted men to destroy Creek Town," he wrote, referring to an area in what is now Alabama.

The general, Jackson wrote, had performed this slaughter in "elegant" style. More than 170 Native Americans were killed. Still, there was more killing to do. He was determined to march on, he wrote, to "the heart of the creek nation."

This letter, to historians, is a key document in Jackson's life - but not because it describes a pattern of behavior toward Native Americans that Jackson continued for decades. Rather, it's because of the bizarre coda written by the president responsible for the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and, later, the Trail of Tears.

"I send on a little Indian boy," he wrote.

The baby boy's family had been wiped out. Jackson arranged for him to be transported to his plantation, the Hermitage, where he would grow up as Rachel and the future president's adopted child. They named him Lyncoya, and Jackson referred to him as his son.

There are a few ways of reflecting on and telling the story of Lyncoya. One is the this-muddies-the-water view of history.

The National Park Service puts it this way in a brief informational biography of Lyncoya: "The adoption of the young battlefield survivor complicates our understanding of Andrew Jackson's attitude toward Indians."

Another way is the but-he-was-actually-a-good-guy sentiment expressed by Jim Webb, the former senator from Virginia, in a 2016 Washington Post opinion piece arguing that Jackson - called genocidal by some critics - should not be replaced on the $20 bill by abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

"It would be difficult," Webb wrote, "to call someone genocidal when years before, after one bloody fight, he brought an orphaned Native American baby from the battlefield to his home in Tennessee and raised him as his son."

And finally, there is the view of historians who have studied Jackson's political and social motivations in context with the times.

"I get that there is a kind of sentimental narrative that people want to promote about this story," said Emory University historian Dawn E. Peterson, "but that sentimental narrative eliminates what Andrew Jackson was really doing."

Peterson, in her 2017 book, "Indians in the Family: Adoption and the Politics of Antebellum Expansion," examines what Jackson was really doing and her assessment will not qualify Jackson for inclusion on a Hallmark card for Father's Day.

"In an invasion that became notorious for its brutality," she wrote, "Jackson's adoption of a young Creek boy into his plantation household transformed the meaning of the event from a unilateral act of war - largely against noncombatants - into an act of benevolence."

In other words, Jackson was just being politically expedient. The conditions were ripe for him to make such a move.

For starters, there was his own life story.

Jackson had been an orphan. He and Rachel were not able to have kids of their own. They had already adopted or taken in several children, including Rachel's nephew, Andrew Jackson Jr.

Now Jackson was taking in this baby whose parents had been killed by his own orders.

Redemption. Dad of the year!

No.

When Jackson wrote Rachel about the baby, he said the boy was "for Andrew" - almost like a gift.

"He actually called him a pet," Peterson said in an interview. "He was not going to be a full-fledged member of the family."

Lyncoya did live in the house with the family and was given a good education. At one point, Jackson tried to get him into West Point.

Instead, Jackson sent him to become a saddler. This wasn't an easy life. At age 16, Lyncoya contracted tuberculosis and died. He was buried in an unmarked grave.

And Jackson, Peterson said, made sure his early biographers knew Lyncoya's story - about how Jackson saved the little Native American boy. It was pure spin, and plenty of historians fell for it.

"I don't think that's an accurate reading of what happened here," Peterson said.War films, which bear a strong affinity to action but are distinguished by large numbers of extras and military paraphernalia, probably started with DW Griffiths 1915 The Birth of a Nation, featuring perhaps the first battle scenes on the silver screen. Landmarks that contributed to the technical development of cinema as a whole include the Odessa Steps scene in Sergei Eisensteins 1925 Soviet film Battleship Potemkin.

The war genre was often used by governments as a propaganda tool, especially in wartime, with anti-communist American films being the most obvious case. But it was also used to communicate an anti-war message. Cold War-era productions from Francis Ford Coppolas 1979 Apocalypse Now and Oliver Stones 1986 Platoon to Stanley Kubricks 1987 Full Metal Jacket are a case in point.

Arab war films invariably deal with the Arab-Israeli conflict, with the majority celebrating the October War victory of 1973.

Most  Hossameddin Mustafas Al-Rossassa La Tazal fi Gaibi (The Bullet is Still in my Pocket) or Nader Galals Bedur, both made in hurry to capitalise on patriotic feeling in 1974  are shallow in terms of drama, character and artistic integrity. More complex and self-critical works include Youssef Chahines Al-Osfour (The Sparrow) and Ali Abdel-Khaleks Oghnia alal-Mamar (A Song on the Passage), both made in 1972 and dealing with the 967 defeat and the War of Attrition (1968-1970).

Produced by Hisham Abdel-Khalek, written and directed by Sherif Arafa and co-written by Amir Taema, Al-Mamar (The Passage) is a newly produced war film on the Arab-Israeli conflict competing for the box-office revenues of Eid Al-Fitr. Arafa, who is well-known for commercial action flicks like Mafia (2002), Al-Gazira (The Island, 2007) and Welad Al-Am (Cousins, 2009), employs the same format.

The drama is triggered by a low point  the 1967 defeat: the film opens with chaos in Sinai a few days before Israels decisive 5 June attack  which leaves Egyptians like the protagonist, an army colonel named Nour (Ahmed Ezz), deeply traumatised. Subplots might have provided romantic and comic relief, but Arafa keeps those to a minimum focusing on the five battles at the centre of the films substance. The battle scene is impressive but Nour, who is hit by a missile while trying to shoot down fighter jets, ends up with nothing more than a few scratches on his face. This prompted laughter among the audience.

Nours trauma is not sufficiently developed. There is a scene of him staring at nothing at home before he talks to his wife (Hend Sabri) about divorce, only to end up relenting  hugging her and their child  when she gives him support and encouragement. In another scene he is furious with a telephone operator who ignores him once he realises he is an army officer (such incidents were common at the time), and he takes out his anger on all kinds of people until he is spoken to by a police officer who explains to him the nature of the Egyptian character.

Equally banal is the story of the army engineer, Ahmed (Mohamed Al-Sharnoubi), who breaks his engagement following the defeat, and the brave Upper Egyptian sniper, Helal (Mohamed Farag), who refuses to take time off because he cannot face his father until Egypt wins the war. Many such tropes were seen in 1970s war films. Other incidents, like Nours clash with a naval captain (Ahmed Salah Hosni) have the added drawback of being dramatically pointless and too short.

Using army accounts of the real-life commando feats of such legendary special forces officers Ibrahim Al-Refaai, who distinguished himself during the War of Attrition, the film moves onto its main topic: an attack on one of the important divisions of the Israeli army in Sinai. Here too the traditional hero-villain approach is employed, with an important Israeli officer (Iyad Nassar) playing Nours antagonist. Treating Egyptian POWs harshly and even killing two of them in cold blood to force a third to reveal army secrets, he is a manifestation of evil.

Arafa uses another mainstay of war films, male bonding, to add colour to the battle scene, emphasising differences within the Egyptian army with a Nubian as well as an Upper Egyptian and a reporter, Ihsan (Ahmed Rizk), who used to cover belly dancers but has now joined the army. He is bullied by the others, being an overweight civilian, only to become close friends with them all. Arafa also includes a patriotic Bedouin guide (Mohamed Gomaa) emphasising the role of the people of Sinai during that time. Here as in the heroic stories, the film is moralising and derivative.

More important is the direction of the battle scenes, probably Arafas main target. It has been said that the production used a crew of technicians from the US and of course benefited from the support of the Armed Forces to shoot the battles, which are very well executed and edited indeed. This side of the direction together with the technical quality  accessories, settings, cinematography and editing  couldve transformed this film into a real epic had the script been less shallow.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 13 June 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: A passage to Egypt

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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EMILY BALLARD, Chariho, Girls Basketball, Sophomore; Ballard scored 39 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in two games. She had 16 points and eight rebounds against Coventry and 23 points and 16 rebounds against Cranston East.

NATE CYR, Stonington, Boys Basketball, Senior; Cyr scored 26 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in a win against Woodstock. Cyr also had five 3-pointers. He is averaging 18.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

JACKSON OGLE, Westerly, Boys Basketball, Senior; Ogle scored 25 points and had 12 rebounds in a pair of Westerly victories. Ogle is averaging 12.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

ADDIE HAUPTMANN, Wheeler, Girls Basketball, Senior;Hauptmann scored 14 points, had 13 rebounds and came up with seven steals in an overtime win against Griswold. Hauptmann is averaging 12 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

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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.You cross my mother at your peril. I've learnt not to do so, although a recent trip back to Birmingham to see her backfired spectacularly when I turned up looking like a tramp (her words, not mine).

It took a while for her anger to bubble to the surface, but when it did, my eardrums rang for days.

Never again will I see Mum with my shirt not ironed and my jacket crumpled.

Jeff Prestridge's mother is one of the 3.7 million 'over-75' households who next spring will lose their right to a free television licence

Last week, Mother exploded again, but this time her ire was directed at the BBC. She is one of the 3.7 million 'over-75' households who next spring will lose their right to a free television licence.

To say mother is incandescent with rage is an understatement. She is livid. Since husband Stan The Man died two years ago, television has provided a comfort blanket for those all too often moments when she has felt lonely and bereft.

Strictly Come Dancing (loves it), anything with Piers Morgan and Dancing On Ice, are all favourites.

Mum is hopeful the BBC will have a change of heart because of the outrage that has been unleashed. If it doesn't, she will have no choice but to make household cutbacks to afford the licence, currently costing 154.50.

For some over-75s, they might be able to mitigate the cost of a licence by claiming benefit they had hitherto not applied for. Namely pension credit, a top-up to the State pension available to those on low incomes.

Some 1.3 million households are currently not taking up their right to pension credit, worth an average annual 2,500  some 600,000 of whom are currently eligible for a free TV licence.

Jeff says Strictly Come Dancing is one of his mother's favourite shows

So, if you think you may be eligible, ring the pension credit claim line on 0800 991234. You will need your National Insurance number and bank account, savings and investment details.

Alternatively, you can ask your local Citizens Advice or charity Age UK to assist in claiming. Mum isn't eligible (I checked when Dad died), so she will have to take it on the proverbial financial chin.

As for BBC director general Tony Hall, a word of advice. I would steer clear of Birmingham for a while, irrespective of crumpled jacket or a freshly dry-cleaned one. Mother is waiting to give you a verbal roasting.

The directors' remuneration for Nationwide Building Society was released last Wednesday without a scintilla of fanfare. It showed that chief executive Joe Garner received a financial package worth 2,372,000 in the year to April 4, 2019  some 1 million by way of a performance award.

To put this package into context, it represented a rise of 2.3 per cent on the year before (modest in percentage terms, not in absolute terms) and was some 77 times the amount the 'average' Nationwide employee received (30,939).

Of course, Garner runs a good ship. Despite the society's profits slipping sharply in the last financial year  from 977 million to 833 million  service standards remain high, it continues to move into new areas (small business banking is next) and customer trust remains high.

A point independently verified by the results of the latest Moneywise customer service awards announced a couple of days ago. Only First Direct, says Moneywise, is more trusted as a provider of financial products.

Yet it would be understandable if some customers were angered by the enormity of Garner's rewards. Two options are available. They can seek pastures new, though I wouldn't advise them to do so in light of the paucity of most alternative offerings. The more sensible approach is to vote against the remuneration ahead of the annual meeting on July 18.

In the coming weeks, customers will be invited  by post or email  to use their AGM vote. In completing the voting form, don't agree to allow the society's chairperson to cast your vote on your behalf.

Instead, vote on the individual resolutions and against the remuneration report. It won't change anything, but it will send a message to Nationwide that sky-high executive pay is unacceptable  especially when the organisation is not a plc but owned by its customers.

Do you think Joe Garner's remuneration is fair? Email jeff.prestridge@mailonsunday.co.uk.At Citizens Advice we stand up for people, but especially for those who need help the most. If we see things that we think are unfair, we point them out and fight to get them fixed.

We have found firms are exploiting their loyal customers to the tune of 4.1 billion a year and we do not think nearly enough is being done to solve this problem.

All of us have received a bill for an essential service  like home insurance  to find it has jumped in price since the year before.

But worryingly, we have found it is more likely to be vulnerable and older people who are less likely to know they are paying more than they should be, and more likely to be paying way over the odds for longer periods.

Citizens Advice chief Gillian Guy says firms are exploiting loyal customers

That is why we submitted a super-complaint on the loyalty penalty in five essential markets  mobile, broadband, home insurance, mortgages and savings  in September last year calling for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to outline how this issue could be fixed.

We are one of a handful of organisations who have the power to submit a super-complaint. It means the regulator, in this case the CMA, has to investigate our concerns and respond within 90 days.

The CMA was clear in its response that charging loyal customers more is not acceptable.

It said it wanted to see urgent action and that the relevant regulators  Ofcom and the Financial Conduct Authority  needed to report back on their progress within six months.

That six-month deadline is on Wednesday, and it would be fair to say we are disappointed by the lack of progress so far.

We understand that fixing problems like this takes time, but consumers continue to get ripped off every day this is allowed to continue. Citizens Advice has been helping people for 80 years.

The insight this gives us means we can raise issues that really affect people and make a difference.

Ofcom has announced that it will make companies send a reminder to their customers when their broadband or phone contract is about to end

Our super-complaint on payment protection insurance in 2005 helped to generate a huge win for consumers, with at least 34.9 billion returned to customers in refunds and compensation so far. Loyal customers now need regulators to stand up for them.

Ofcom has announced that it will make companies send a reminder to their customers when their broadband or phone contract is about to end. But given the scale of the loyalty penalty, we do not think this will solve the problem.

We want Ofcom and the FCA to urgently set out their plans for how they are going to tackle this. They must act to stop firms overcharging loyal customers by so much and make sure vulnerable customers are on the best deal.

We want to see Ofcom ban the mobile loyalty penalty outright. It is completely unacceptable for someone to continue to pay for their handset long after they have paid it off.

In the broadband market, some loyal customers on standard deals are paying more than new customers for superfast broadband, and could be receiving a poorer quality service.

This cannot be right  Ofcom must ensure that firms are making sure their customers are on the best deals. Meanwhile, the FCA should require lenders to put vulnerable and low-income customers on to better value mortgage deals.

In the home insurance market, firms are often hiking prices for loyal customers year on year. After five years loyal customers are paying, on average, 70 per cent more than new customers.

The Financial Conduct Authority should urgently consider limiting or banning this practice. It should also quickly confirm the proposal to introduce a 'basic' (minimum) savings rate, which it estimates will save customers 300 million a year.

The Prime Minister has previously said, 'companies charging their customers a loyalty penalty should know: we will take action'.

And we may well need Government intervention. If regulators do not move quickly enough, we will be looking for the Government to take swift action and announce new legislation in the upcoming Consumer White Paper. Time is ticking.

The Financial Conduct Authority and Ofcom need to step up and show us how they are going to stop companies exploiting their loyal customers and put an end to this systematic scam.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.Investment manager Guy Anderson refuses to talk specifically about the damage that Neil Woodford has done to the reputation of the country's asset management industry by suspending dealings in Equity Income and refusing to waive investor fees while he sorts out the mess he has got the fund into.

When pressed, all he will say is: 'It is incumbent upon everyone working in the investment industry to ensure we are all trying to manage money in the best way for investors.'

But Anderson, an employee of JP Morgan Asset Management, is keen to stress that as manager of investment trust Mercantile, he does all he can to prevent his shareholders experiencing too many shocks to the system.

Share watch: Mercantile is invested in a diversified portfolio of 80 companies, all bar one listed on the UK stock market

'Multiple layers of control' are in place on the 2 billion fund, he says, that mean the assets are managed in a disciplined way, but allow every chance of the generation of 'repeatable' investment returns.

The trust is invested in a diversified portfolio of 80 companies, all bar one (unquoted business Tennants Consolidated) listed on the UK stock market.

In terms of risk control, no one stock can comprise more than 10 per cent of the trust's portfolio, although the largest holding  specialist asset manager Intermediate Capital  is currently only just over three per cent.

Furthermore, the trust, together with other funds that JP Morgan Asset Management manages, is not allowed to collectively own more than 10 per cent of a company's shares  a move designed to protect JP Morgan's reputation as much as investors' portfolios if a company it invests in were to go bust.

The final layer of protection is provided by the fund's structure. Unlike Woodford Equity Income that is set up as an 'open-ended' fund with money flowing in and out all the time from investors wanting to buy and sell holdings, Mercantile is set up as an investment trust listed on the UK stock market.

This enables investors to trade shares whenever they want and means the trust would never have to offload investments in the way Woodford had to in order to meet redemptions from more investors wanting out than in.

The past performance numbers for Mercantile indicate that Anderson's cautious approach is working.

Over the past five years, Mercantile has delivered an overall return of nearly 58 per cent, compared to 34 per cent from the FTSE All-Share Index.

Nothing spectacular  but with a quarterly dividend on top worth in the last financial year a total of 6.3p a share (the shares currently trade at 2.05).

Anderson's modus operandi is to search for investment opportunities outside the FTSE 100. It means a portfolio that predominantly comprises mid and small cap sized companies although Anderson is quite happy to continue holding companies that eventually join the FTSE 100.

Housebuilder Berkeley, insurer Phoenix, private equity specialist 3i, business turnaround specialist Melrose and engineer Spirax-Sarco are all FTSE 100 holdings.

Although Anderson admits the short-term outlook for the UK is uncertain because of the Brexit factor, global trade tensions and low consumer confidence, he believes that the economy is faring better than many experts expected  despite its contraction in April.

One additional aspect of the trust that will appeal to investors is the low annual charge of 0.4 per cent.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 billionaire family behind gambling group Betfred have paid themselves a 10 million dividend  despite the company making a loss of 40.7 million last year.

The betting giant, led by 76-year-old chief executive Fred Done, has now lost 69.4 million in two years, blaming a Government crackdown on controversial fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs).

Thefamily behind gambling group Betfred have paid themselves a 10 million dividend

But Betfred, which was founded by Fred and his brother Peter in 1967, maintained a dividend of 10.2 million in both 2017 and 2018. The pair already have a combined net worth of 1.25 billion, according to The Sunday Times Rich List.

The latest loss was driven by exceptional costs of 119.6 million, which the firm said primarily related to a writedown in the value of its betting shop business.

Under the new FOBT rules, which came into effect in April, the maximum bet that can be made is 2.

Previously it was estimated that betting shop customers could bet up to 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games like roulette.Beleaguered fund manager Neil Woodford faced questions last night over whether potential conflicts of interest and longstanding personal ties across his now crumbling empire contributed to the crisis that has engulfed thousands of savers.

Analysis by The Mail on Sunday found that a number of the stock picks that Woodford made can be linked to individuals from the fund manager's close circle of associates.

In some cases, Woodford built up large stakes in small companies run by people who also sit on the board of one of his three funds as 'independent' directors.

'Timebomb': Neil Woodford's linked interests have been heavily criticised

He was also found to have close ties with a handful of City firms that have repeatedly advised him or brokered deals that involved his funds.

City investment figures said the findings indicated Woodford's funds were a 'timebomb' and urged the Financial Conduct Authority to set tighter rules for fund managers who look after the Isas and pensions of millions of savers.

The criticisms will heap more pressure on 59-year-old Woodford after he barred withdrawals from his flagship 3.7 billion Equity Income fund 14 days ago.

Thousands of private investors  many believing that Woodford had the Midas touch after a successful 26-year career at asset manager Invesco  have been blocked from accessing their nest eggs while Woodford continues to collect 100,000 a day in management fees.

The crisis has been attributed in part to the fund manager investing too heavily in unlisted companies or shares that are extremely difficult to trade. This has meant that Woodford, who left Invesco five years ago to set up his own funds, has struggled to raise enough cash as investors have tried to withdraw their savings following a run of poor performance.

Woodford's circle of associates Steve Harris An independent director of Woodford's Patient Capital Trust. But another Woodford fund  now blocked to investors  owns a fifth of the shares in Circassia, where Harris is chief executive. Susan Searle The chairwoman of Patient Capital and of Mercia Technologies, in which Patient Capital and Woodford's Equity Income fund have stakes. Scott Brown Two Woodford funds hold shares in battery firm Nexeon, run by Patient Capital independent board member Scott Brown. Harris, Brown and Searle also have links with Woodfordbacked Imperial Innovations.

One controversial investment in a smaller firm is Woodford Equity Income fund's 20 per cent holding in Circassia Pharmaceuticals. The chief executive of Circassia is Steve Harris, who is also an independent director at Woodford's Patient Capital trust fund.

Circassia was floated in 2014 with a share price of 3.10, valuing the pharmaceutical business at 581 million. But the share price has since tanked 94 per cent to less than 18p.

Other investors linked to Woodford  including Omnis Investments and St James's Place, both of which were advised by Woodford before dumping him earlier this month  hold stakes in Circassia too.

The days when fund directors just turned up for a nice lunch and collected their fee are long gone... They now have serious roles to fulfil and it is important that they are free from conflicting interests Peter Sleep, senior portfolio manager at stockbroker Seven Investment Management

Two of Woodford's funds also hold shares in Nexeon, which is run by another of the trust's independent non-executive board members, Scott Brown. The chairwoman of the trust, Susan Searle, is also chairwoman at Mercia Technologies  in which both Patient Capital and Woodford's Equity Income fund have stakes.

Gina Miller, co-founder of investment firm SCM Direct and a campaigner for transparency and accountability, said: 'This whole Woodford debacle was a timebomb  an accident waiting to happen. He hasn't broken the law and that says there needs to be a review of the regulations.

'The Financial Conduct Authority has failed. It has not been protecting investors enough from conflicts of interest or other issues that are now ringing alarm bells.'

Peter Sleep, senior portfolio manager at stockbroker Seven Investment Management, said: 'The days when fund directors just turned up for a nice lunch and collected their fee are long gone.

'They now have many serious roles to fulfil and it is important that they are free from conflicting interests that might compromise their ability to do this.'

A representative for Woodford said last night: 'Woodford has robust procedures in place to mitigate any potential conflicts  the most crucial one being that the board has no involvement in the investment process or day-to-day investment decisions, which are made solely by Neil and his team.'

The spokesman said the company had appointed a number of directors with 'extensive experience' in small companies with the potential to grow and that could include 'in companies in which the directors were involved'.

Woodford also has close ties to stockbrokers Numis and Cenkos. Numis acts as an adviser to IP Group, Burford Capital, Countryside Properties, Raven Property, and BCA Marketplace  all of which were in the top 14 holdings of the Woodford Equity Income fund when it was shuttered.

City sources said Woodford enjoyed a close relationship with Paul Hodges, an analyst at stockbroker Cenkos, for 25 years. Woodford has backed Hodges' investment ideas and flotations led by Cenkos, including the listing of the AA. The roadside recovery group's shares are now languishing at 51p  20 per cent of the 2.50 price at which they came to market.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.'The heirs to the KP Nuts fortune have been hit by a second successive shareholder rebellion over pay which has triggered calls for an overhaul of corporate governance.

Investors holding 27 per cent of shopping centre owner London & Associated Properties voted against the re-election of Sir Michael Heller as a director.

KP Nuts heir and Tory party donor, Sir Michael Heller

Sir Michael, a Tory party donor, was paid a combined 700,000 for chairing both LAP and Bisichi Mining, an Aim-listed coal company which is 42 per cent owned by LAP. Thirty per cent of investors rebelled against pay at Bisichi. The Heller family controls 56 per cent of LAP, so the revolt there involves a majority of its independent investors.

Sir Michael's son John was paid 870,000 for running LAP, while his other son Andrew received more than 1 million for managing Bisichi. LAP has a market value of 20 million, while Bisichi is worth 12 million.

All three members of the family  which launched KP Nuts in the 1950s  also received big pay increases which prompted more outrage.

Paul Mumford, a fund manager at Cavendish Asset Management, a shareholder in both firms, called for a 'real turnaround in corporate governance'. He said little had changed 'despite consistent opposition from minority shareholders'.

A spokesman for the Hellers did not comment.Dixons Carphone has hatched a plan to double the amount of products sold on credit.

The owner of the Dixons PC World and Carphone Warehouse brands expects to make 440 million from credit revenues this year and the business now accounts for about 8 per cent of its products.

But the company, which is run by former Shop Direct chief executive Alex Baldock, believes that could increase to 16 per cent of products or more. That could take credit revenues to nearly 1 billion.

Dixons Carphone has hatched a plan to double the amount of products sold on credit

Currys PC World currently charges 24.9 per cent APR to customers who buy products on credit. Under its repayment terms, a 360 television would cost 405 over a 12-month repayment period, according to its website.

Analysts said customers may begin to notice the increased 'prominence' given to the company's repayment plans  called 'Your Plan'  when they are shopping in stores.

In a research note, Citi analysts said: 'Importantly, the in-store customer activation system Your Plan will be given more prominence. This will aim to drive higher transaction values and add-ons for customers at the point of check-out.'

The ramp-up of Dixons Carphone's consumer credit offer comes as the Financial Conduct Authority scrutinises the market amid concerns that some consumers are being drawn into debt.

In a swoop last week, the FCA introduced new rules that will take effect in November for 'buy now, pay later' shoppers.

The rules are designed to prevent shoppers being charged backdated interest if they fail to pay back the full amount in the allotted time typically 12 months.

Firms will be banned from charging interest on money people have already repaid under the terms of their contracts. The changes are expected to save consumers up to 60 million a year and mean they can pay off debts more comfortably, the FCA said.

Baldock's background at Shop Direct is thought to have played a role in Dixons Carphone's strategy, as the online group he used to run relies heavily on credit as part of its service.

Dixons Carphone recently signed an agreement with French banking group BNP Paribas to offer credit to shoppers, which it said provided 'better economics and better breadth of offer, still without taking on credit or fraud risk'.

It said consumer credit was a 'big profitable growth opportunity and the largest and fastest-growing segment of services, with strong demand in both electricals and mobile'.

It added: 'Technology is expensive, particularly at the big-ticket end of the market where we are strongest; our credit makes it affordable, as well as giving customers reason to shop with us.'

Baldock, who it has been estimated could earn 15 million under a five-year pay plan, was drafted in early last year to revive the business. He has recently sealed a landmark agreement with mobile network operators over contracts it had described as 'unsustainable'.

Next week, he is expected to update the company's strategy after launching his turnaround plan in November. It made a 440 million loss in the first half of its financial year after it cut the value of its unprofitable mobile business.

Baldock has handed 30,000 staff 1,000 of shares each in the hope that a stake in the business will lead to improved service.Charity donation website MyDonate, run by BT, is pulling the plug on its service this month because it is struggling to survive in a cut-throat market.

Abandoning the service on June 30 means that 12,000 charities which depend on it will now have to find other donation platforms to help them raise cash.

Charities increasingly rely on such websites as they make it easy for people to give money to a good cause.

The majority of website providers, including JustGiving and Virgin Money Giving, siphon off some of the hard-earned donated money to pay for running the business or to make money

The websites allow fundraisers to advertise events they are participating in  for example a sponsored run  along with a link so that donations can be made instantly online.

But what many people do not realise is that the majority of website providers, including JustGiving and Virgin Money Giving, siphon off some of the hard-earned donated money to pay for running the business or to make money.

JustGiving was forced to drop a 5 per cent fee on donations in March after being criticised for profiting from fundraising following disasters, such as the concert terrorist attack in Manchester and Grenfell tower fire, both two years ago.

But it still takes a 'processing fee' of 1.9 per cent of any donation made plus an additional 20p. It can also take 5 per cent of any Gift Aid claimed from the taxman.

On top, it cheekily suggests: 'Adding a small contribution on top of your donation means we can continue to help more people.'

You can ignore this  it goes to JustGiving. The donation website also collects at least 18 a month from individual charities for allowing their fundraisers to use its service. It is hoping to entice charities that previously used MyDonate by offering the first three months for free with a special deal ending next month.

Virgin Money Giving has a 2 per cent 'transaction fee' and 1.45 per cent 'processing fee'. In addition, any charity that agrees to accept money through the Virgin website pays a one-off 180.

Another major player Everyclick levies a single 4.8 per cent 'fees on donation' charge while Golden Giving demands 2.8 per cent of the amount given. KindLink takes a 1.45 per cent cut plus 10p on any donation.

The most generous is the not-for-profit Wonderful.org. Thanks to financial support from The Co-operative Bank and other sponsors, every single penny you give goes to the charity.

A brand like Just Giving can attract a greater number of donations as people feel more comfortable paying into it thanks to its big name. The down side is the reduced donation total Mark Watson, chief executive of charity website developer Fat Beehive

Mark Watson, chief executive of charity website developer Fat Beehive, says: 'If you look at how much money goes to the charity then it is no contest  Wonderful.org beats the competition hands down.

'But the closure of MyDonate shows how vulnerable some of the less well-known charity donation websites can be. A brand like Just Giving can attract a greater number of donations as people feel more comfortable paying into it thanks to its big name. The down side is the reduced donation total.'

Anyone who makes a donation should ensure the good cause can reclaim the tax paid on it. By ticking the Gift Aid box you give the charity permission to reclaim the 20 per cent basic rate of income tax already paid on the money. This means a 10 donation gets topped up to 12.50. You do not see the money as it goes straight to the charity.

On top of this, you can also claim the 20 per cent difference between the 40 per cent higher and 20 per cent basic rate tax through a self-assessment tax return if you are a higher rate taxpayer earning more than 50,000 a year. This money can be pocketed or handed to the good cause. An initial 10 can end up being worth 15 (12.50 plus 2.50 you reclaim from the taxman).

An additional rate taxpayer earning more than 150,000 a year pays 45 per cent income tax. By handing any rebate to charity the 10 is worth a total of 15.63 (12.50 plus the 3.13 tax rebate). A majority of charity donation websites are signed up to a voluntary code of conduct issued by the Fundraising Regulator.

This requires that they provide clear upfront details on charges and an independent complaints process for anyone who is not happy with the service they received. Further details can be found at fundraiser.org.uk.

Another way to support a favourite charity is through payroll giving. This method of helping a good cause  often known as 'give as you earn'  allows you to donate from your wages before tax. It means a basic rate taxpayer only needs to give 80p for the taxman to top it up to a 1 donation.

If your employer does not already offer this scheme, it is worth asking if it might be willing to start one up. Some companies will match your donation. If it is a local cause, your employer might be encouraged to offer financial support as it creates positive publicity and goodwill in the community. Charities like payroll giving as it provides them with a regular income that can help them plan ahead with good cause projects.The City regulator tomorrow launches the last leg of a campaign that encourages people to claim compensation for mis-sold payment protection insurance before the August 29 deadline.

Seen as an easy profit-maker between 1990 and 2010, 64 million 'PPI' policies were relentlessly flogged to borrowers.

The insurance was meant to cover loan repayments if customers lost their jobs or became too ill to work.

Campaign: City watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority ran TV ads featuring Arnie's head

But many were worthless, riddled with exclusions and sold to people who would never have been able to claim on them. Banks have been dogged by PPI complaints for more than a decade  with 34.9 billion paid in compensation.

But two years ago the Financial Conduct Authority regulator moved to draw a line under the long-running scandal  by setting a deadline for fresh complaints.

It also launched a campaign featuring the head of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Spencer Roberts, of online complaints service Resolver, says: 'Best to act as soon as possible. The clock is ticking down.'

If you had a credit card, store card, loan, mortgage, hire purchase agreement, overdraft or catalogue shopping account in the past, particularly during the 1990s and early 2000s, it is worth checking for evidence of PPI mis-selling.

Customers can use free PPI Checker tools from Resolver.co.uk or which.co.uk to start a claim.

Claims for PPI can also be made online at fca.org.uk/ppi or by calling the FCA helpline on 0800 101 8800.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KlAckner & Co SE, through its subsidiaries, distributes steel and metal products. It operates through Kloeckner Metals US, Kloeckner Metals Services Europe, Kloeckner Metals Switzerland, and Kloeckner Metals Distribution Europe segments. The company's product portfolio includes flat steel products; long steel products; tubes and hollow sections; stainless steel and high-grade steel; aluminum products; and special products for building installations, roof and wall construction, and water supply. It also provides various services, including cutting and splitting of steel strips; forming and manufacturing of pressed parts; CNC turning/milling; 2D/3D tube laser cutting; laser and water jet cutting; processing of structural steel; plasma and oxy-fuel cutting; shot blasting and primer painting; and sawing/drilling/rounding off. In addition, the company offers warehousing, logistics, and materials management services. It serves small to medium-sized steel and metal consumers, primarily from the construction industry, as well as machinery and mechanical engineering industries; and supplies intermediate products for the automotive, shipbuilding, and consumer goods industries. The company was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Duisburg, Germany.

Read MoreKoninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V., formerly Koninklijke Ahold N.V., is engaged in the operation of retail stores in Europe and the United States. The Company's segments are Ahold USA, Delhaize America, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Central and Southeastern Europe (CSE). In addition, Other retail, consists of Ahold Delhaize's unconsolidated joint ventures JMR - Gestao de Empresas de Retalho, SGPS, S.A. (JMR) and P.T. Lion Super Indo, LLC (Super Indo), and Ahold Delhaize's Global Support Office. JMR operates food retail stores in Portugal under the brand name Pingo Doce. The Company's Ahold USA segment includes Stop & Shop New England, Stop & Shop New York Metro, Giant Landover, Giant Carlisle and Peapod. The Company's Delhaize America segment includes brands, such as Food Lion and Hannaford. The Food Lion brand's market areas include Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Read MorePioneer Municipal High Income Fund, Inc. is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Pioneer Investment Management, Inc. It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund primarily invests in municipal securities. It seeks to invest in securities across the credit rating and maturity spectrum. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Barclays Municipal Bond Index and Barclays High Yield Municipal Bond Index. Pioneer Municipal High Income Fund, Inc. was formed on March 13, 2003 and is domiciled in the United States.

Read MoreVillage Farms International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces, markets, and distributes greenhouse-grown tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers in North America. It operates through three segments: Produce Business, Energy Business, and Cannabis and Hemp Business. The company also owns and operates a 7.0 megawatt power plant that generates and sells electricity to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority; and produces and supplies cannabis products. It markets and distributes its products under the Village Farms brand name to retail supermarkets and fresh food distribution companies, as well as products produced under exclusive arrangements with other greenhouse producers. The company was formerly known as Village Farms Canada Inc. and changed its name to Village Farms International, Inc. in December 2009. Village Farms International, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Delta, Canada.

Read MoreColonie

A runway mishap at Newark International Airport forced several international flights to divert to Albany International Airport Saturday afternoon, an airport spokesman said.



The troubles began when United flight 627 from Denver blew several tires while landing at Newark and skidded off the runway, with its left landing gear stuck in the grass, WNBC reported.



A number of passengers reportedly suffered minor injuries, and for a while flights heading to Newark were held at their departure airports or diverted elsewhere, as was the case with four international flights that were sent to Albany.



The Denver flight had landed at 1 p.m., and by 3 p.m. the airport was reopened but operating at reduced capacity.



United flights from Porto, Portugal and Shannon, Ireland, both 757s, and from Berlin and Venice, both wide-body 767s, landed at Albany.



The flights from Venice and Shannon had departed for Newark by Saturday evening, while those from Berlin and Porto were expected to leave for Newark later Saturday night.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.



The Newark airport was operating at limited capacity because of the loss of the runway where the Denver flight had landed. The airport tweeted that the National Transportation Safety Board had asked the plane to remain where it landed until investigators could arrive.



Albany has customs and border protection staff who could process international passengers if necessary. The Shannon flight's passengers likely cleared customs at the Irish airport, which has U.S. customs and border protection officers based there, so it technically would be handled as a domestic flight.LAKE GEORGE  The Adirondacks, tourism officials here like to say, were the "original vacation destination."

But they felt the story of what the region has to offer needed to be spread far and wide.

Last week's gathering of more than 270 travel writers, tour organizers, and representatives of vacation destinations from around the world was designed to do just that.

"It's been in the planning for about two years," said Kristen Hanifin, sales director at the Lake George Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau. When the Adventure Travel Trade Association chose Lake George over Montana for its annual AdventureElevate conference, she knew they wouldn't regret it.

Working with Warren County's tourism department, the I Love NY campaign, the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, or Roost, in Lake Placid, and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau on Lake Champlain, they provided activities ranging from kayaking and mountain biking to horseback riding and something called "forest bathing."

"The forest bathing session was very meditative," Hanifin said. Shinrin-yoku, as it's also called, is basically strolling and relaxing in the woods, opening up one's senses to the surroundings.

If it's one thing the Adirondacks have in abundance, it's forests.

But the region also has so much more, the visitors learned. Campgrounds, hotels, and cabins provide a wide range of accommodations. And thanks to the redevelopment of Frontier Town, a tourist attraction from the 1950s and 1960s, you can even bring your horse.

Frontier Town now offers camping for humans and accommodations for horses, in addition to pedestrian and equestrian trails.

Wellness and physical fitness were also a focus. Carrie Gentile, communications coordinator at Roost, escorted several participants on mountain biking, fishing and other activities.

While the Lake Placid area is mainly known for its winter sports, perhaps because it hosted two Winter Olympics, in 1932 and 1980, "we get 70 percent of our business in the summer and fall," Gentile said.

Hiking remains the top activity, and has become so popular on some of the High Peaks  the 46 Adirondack mountains that tower at least 4,000 feet  that officials have begun encouraging visitors to climb less-traveled mountains.

The region remains heavily dependent on tourism. A study of its impact by Tourism Economics using data from 2017 found that it was responsible for more than 21,000 jobs paying an average of $32,000 each. Overall tourism spending totaled $1.4 billion in the six-county region that includes Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Lewis and Warren.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Much of the spending has been concentrated in the south end of Warren County, with attractions ranging from Six Flags Great Escape theme park to the outlet shopping in Queensbury.

In the winter, skiers flock to Lake Placid and North Creek.

Transportation around the region can be difficult. A small airport serves Saranac Lake, but for a wider selection of flights, travelers often have to fly into Albany, Burlington or Plattsburgh.

But ride-hailing services are improving mobility. "We did have a delegate (take an) Uber from the Saratoga Springs train station," said Hanifin.

A scenic excursion train service from Saratoga Springs to North Creek shut down after running into financial difficulties, but a new group wants to resume the service, although trains wouldn't begin operating until autumn at the earliest.

Hanifin says she'd like to see the train eventually run from New York City to North Creek.

In the meantime, she's sorting through "a million ideas" that grew out of the conference.

Recalling one delegate who used to attend summer camp in the Adirondacks as a child, she said this event was an opportunity "to rebrand ourselves, to become a cool destination, a hip destination."When it came to their kissing scenes in Netflix's "Murder Mystery," Jennifer Aniston had one requirement of co-star Adam Sandler.

"I did have him learn to oil the beard up a little bit," the actress said in a joint interview this week. "Conditioned."

Sandler said kissing his longtime friend on camera isn't all that awkward, except when his wife Jackie and children are on set encouraging him a little too much.

"The only awkward part is hearing my wife on the side going, 'Harder! Harder! Kiss her harder! Deeper!" he joked.

"Murder Mystery" follows a longtime married couple who get framed for murder while they're unlikely guests on a billionaire's yacht in Europe. The movie premiered on Netflix on Friday.

Asked what the movie gets right about marriage, Aniston said teamwork.

"Right, that when it's working good, it's teamwork," Sandler said. "I like that there was no question you and I, our characters, are together, even when we were not getting along. When it was going back and forth with being upset with each other it was never an option of saying, 'I don't know if I can handle this anymore.' It was more like, 'We've got to figure this out.' That's nice."

"Murder Mystery" is the second film for Aniston and Sandler, who've been friends for 30 years after meeting at a deli. The first was 2011's "Just Go With It."

Sandler and Aniston are among the few celebrities who've chosen to stay off social media. Though Sandler has social media accounts, he said his friends handle his posts.

Aniston said she doesn't think she'd be very good at it but that she also likes "the idea of keeping certain things private, to yourself." She said she thinks privacy will eventually win out over the urge for likes and shares on social media.

"Why do people like 'Friends?' 'Friends' is still really loved and watched. They didn't have iPhones. They talked to each other. They connected. They communicated," she said.

 Associated Press

Fans wait hours for Harry Potter ride

Universal Orlando Resort's new Harry Potter-themed roller coaster opened this week, and visitors were waiting in line for multiple hours to ride it.

Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure opened on Thursday at the resort's Islands of Adventure park. The wait to get on the ride was more than five hours, and even hours longer at some points in the day.

Fans started lining up in pre-dawn hours.

One of those early-arriving fans was Tyler Britt who lives on Florida's Space Coast. He tells the Orlando Sentinel the ride is "amazing."

The ride opened late on Friday morning due to its popularity the day before. The ride operated past midnight due to the number of people waiting in line.

 Associated Press

Swift surprises gay bar with appearance

Taylor Swift made a surprise performance at an iconic gay bar a day after releasing a song supporting the LGBTQ community.

Swift celebrated Pride Month by appearing at New York City's Stonewall Inn on Friday night. She released her new tune Thursday called "You Need to Calm Down," where she calls out those who attack the LGBTQ community.

The song is the second single from Swift's seventh album "Lover," which will be released Aug. 23.

Swift sang her hit song "Shake It Off" at the New York City bar with "Modern Family" actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who hosted the event.

Ferguson is working on a documentary about Stonewall Inn, where patrons resisted a police raid in 1969 and helped spark the gay rights movement. The bar is marking 50 years since the riots.

 Associated Press

21 Savage donates to immigrant legal aid

Grammy-nominated rapper 21 Savage has given $25,000 to the Southern Poverty Law Center after the watchdog organization helped him while he was in federal immigration custody earlier this year.

The rapper, whose real name is She'yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was arrested Feb. 3 in what U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said was a targeted operation over his expired visa. Abraham-Joseph is a British citizen and moved to the U.S. when he was 7.

In a statement, immigration attorney Charles Kuck said that the Atlanta-based rapper wants to support the work the SPLC has done to give immigrants legal representation and fight what Kuck called ICE's "oppressively adverse conditions of detention."

The rapper spent 10 days at Irwin County Detention Center before he was released on a $100,000 bond.

 Associated Press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.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

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."A public appreciation of fathers  good dads who love and support their families and are seen as role models in the community  made its official return to the Schenectady Juneteenth celebration Saturday.

The local Juneteenth event  now in its 19th year  commemorates events in Texas in 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston to spread the word that the Civil War had ended and all slaves were free. President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, issued two and a half years earlier, had freed all slaves within areas controlled by the Confederacy, including Texas. The 13th Amendment, which took effect at the end of 1865, ended slavery throughout the nation.

Juneteenth celebrations later spread beyond Texas. Miki Conn first learned about Juneteenth when she became director of the Hamilton Hill Arts Center, and started a local celebration with other volunteers. For many years, it was held over three days, including Father's Day, and each year a local father was honored. When the celebration was reduced to Friday and Saturday, the father recognition was dropped. This year, it was reinstated.

The honor went to Kelsey Collins, who climbed the stairs to the main stage in Central Park holding hands with his daughters, Kiara, 6, and Kyrie, 4. Collins' wife, Porsha, looked on from the audience with the couple's youngest daughter, Kiani. Collins grew up watching his father play drums at the arts center.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Ron Gardner, affirmative action officer for the city and award presenter, said the recognition was important.

"It is critical as a community to understand the importance of fathers. So many people don't have the opportunity to do it, and we should embrace the men who go the extra mile," Gardner said.

Other events at Juneteenth included hair wrapping, an authors' expo, a sack race for kids, soul line dancing and a performance by Young Lead Us, a hip hop class that meets at the arts center, led by Jay-Von Wilson. Conn said the schedule varies from year to year, but the emphasis is always on black culture and promoting healthy living.

"It is and it should be multicultural because slavery damaged everyone, both the slaves and the slave owners in ways they may not have understood," Conn said. "The ending of slavery is something we all need to be involved in, so we can all live our best lives."COHOES  Across the street from the landmark Cohoes Falls, the grassy border surrounding LePage's Market is filled with political signs as the June 25 primaries approach.

Of note is the fact that signs for all four candidates in the city's Democratic primary for mayor are represented  a purposeful move by market owner, Tony LePage.

"That way you keep everyone happy," LePage said. "You don't make anyone mad."

Tiptoeing around talk about the mayoral primary is not surprising in this small river city, where many voters remain passionate about keeping former city firefighter Shawn Morse as their mayor, even as he faces a federal indictment that charges he stole campaign donations to pay for vacations and home repairs.

Many other voters say they have been turned off by the criminal charges against Morse and also the allegations that he physically abused multiple women, including his wife and daughter.

Morse has denied he physically abused women and pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. His former longtime campaign treasurer and political confidant, Ralph Signoracci, pleaded guilty to related federal criminal charges and has agreed to cooperate.

Voters who want new leadership in City Hall can choose from three other candidates with deep roots in Cohoes.

More Information Cohoes mayoral primary Voting is from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 25 for all registered Democrats. To view a list of polling sites in all of Cohoes' six wards, go to the Albany County Board of Elections website http://www.albanycounty.com/government/departments/boardofelections.aspx or call the Board of Elections at (518) 487-5060. See More Collapse

Former city treasurer Peter Frangie, retired State Police Maj. Bill Keeler, and Common Council member Steve Napier are running in the Democratic primary to unseat Morse, creating the most-crowded field in the mayor's race in recent history.

Their decision to challenge the incumbent was set in motion before Morse was indicted by a federal grand jury in February. Many Democratic leaders, including Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, had called for Morse's resignation last year after the Times Union published a series of stories about domestic violence allegations against the mayor stretching back years.

"This is going to be an interesting election, no doubt about it," said LePage, who has had a convenience store in Cohoes for more than two decades. "No one is talking about who they're going to vote for. It's hush-hush."

Still, it's not unusual for a political candidate in New York to face criminal charges while campaigning for re-election.

U.S. Rep. Republican Chris Collins of Clarence, Erie County, won re-election last year after being indicted on federal insider-trading charges three months before the November election.

But unlike Collins, whose trial isn't scheduled until 2020, Morse's federal trial is scheduled to begin July 23. A primary win is a possibility for Morse, who continues to have loyal supporters. So that could mean Morse would be on the ballot in the general election at the same time he is facing the possibility of conviction.

State Public Officer's Law calls for the removal of any elected official convicted of a felony. But state election law does not specify what happens to the ballot if a candidate is convicted.

The issue is further complicated because Keeler and Napier are running on third-party lines in the general election, meaning they could potentially vie for the mayoral job even if Morse wins the primary.

"It's a mess. I've never seen anything like it," said Cohoes Democratic Chairman and Albany County Legislator Gil Ethier, who has been involved in Cohoes politics for almost 60 years. "It's very hairy. His trial being in July makes it even more confusing."

While the Cohoes situation is a rarity, there is a similar mayor's race unfolding in New York this year. The mayor of Mount Vernon, Richard Thomas, is also in a crowded Democratic primary  and also has a criminal trial scheduled in July. Accused of misusing more than $40,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses, Thomas is facing grand larceny charges in Westchester County Court.

Martin E. Connor, a former longtime state senator and an elections lawyer, said while an incumbent would be ousted from their elected post immediately upon conviction for a felony, there is no provision in state law that would remove the person from a ballot if they were previously qualified to appear on it.

Connor said a party or opposing candidate could attempt to take legal action to remove the convicted candidate from the ballot to nominate another. But it's not guaranteed a court would rule in favor of removing the candidate.

The only situations when someone can be automatically removed from the ballot is if the person moves out of the district, is nominated for another public office or dies.

Connor said a felony conviction only impacts a candidate's ability to appear on a ballot after a sentencing takes place. That is because those who are incarcerated or on parole can not be registered voters, and therefore cannot run for office. In the case of a trial happening so close to an election, however, such a resolution of the case beforehand is unlikely.

Connor noted that in 1988 his former client, U.S. Rep. Mario Biaggi, who represented part of the Bronx, wanted to remove himself from the Democratic primary ballot following his conviction in a bribery scandal. But his name remained on the ballot and Biaggi lost the primary after suspending his campaign.

The conundrum in Cohoes has also caused back-door politicking, with Morse's rivals lobbying for party support if Morse wins the primary but is convicted, Ethier said.

Keeler and Napier, because their names will appear on third-party lines in the general election, would benefit from an endorsement from the Democratic Party if they lose the primary to Morse but he is later convicted.

Meanwhile, Ethier said Morse's supporters are pressing to have Frangie, who will only appear on the primary ballot, considered as the person Democrats back if either they seek to replace Morse on the ballot in November or if there is a special election for mayor next year.

Many political insiders are speculating whether there is a deal between Morse and Frangie, who is campaigning without discussing the allegations against the mayor, while Morse has openly praised Frangie.

Frangie, who served as city treasurer under the previous mayor  Morse's now-deceased uncle, George Primeau  said he quit his City Hall job shortly after Morse assumed office in 2016 because he knew then that he eventually would run for mayor.

"I think the difficulty people are having with our campaign is it's crystal clear, it's squeaky clean," said Frangie, 47, who is now a construction manager. "It has nothing to do with Shawn. We want to make sure everyone, no matter what side they're on, has a voice at City Hall. We are all sick of the drama, and this is how it goes away."

For his part, Keeler has embraced his role as a retired police leader running against a bad actor. Keeler has accused Morse of attempting to subvert civil service law and politicize the Police Department in an attempt to clear a path for his friend, Capt. Tom Pucci, to be the next police chief.

In 2017, two nights after Morse's wife Brenda called 911 and told a dispatcher that her husband had grabbed her by the neck and thrown her to the ground, Pucci and Morse went to Rivers Casino in Schenectady for an outing with their wives. Pucci had responded to Morse's residence on the morning of the 911 call.

Keeler, 56, went after Morse at the first of two mayoral debates, questioning how many DWIs the mayor has had and noting that Morse allegedly pushed a female police officer through a window at City Hall years ago when he was a firefighter.

"I got into it because as a 'Cohosier,' I'm embarrassed," Keeler said at the debate. "Is this mayor the role model for our children? We're setting the bar too low when we're saying because our mayor hasn't been convicted he should hang in there."

Morse, 52, did not deny Keeler's allegations, using the retort he has often provided when being questioned about his behavior: "I made a lot of mistakes in my life. So did everybody in this room," the mayor said.

Morse's campaign manager, Tom Scarff, said he does not know why the domestic violence allegations continue to be an issue because Morse has not been charged with a crime for those incidents.

The Times Union began investigating Morse's treatment of women after Brenda Morse called 911 in November 2017. A former girlfriend of Morse's  and the mother of their son  said she called Cohoes police numerous times in 1990s, including after an incident when she said Morse grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground.

State Assemblyman John McDonald, a former Cohoes mayor, has said he saw Morse drag another girlfriend out of his family's pharmacy by the hair.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Morse sent a voice message through Facebook to one of John McDonald's brothers, calling the assemblyman a "scumbag," and "a piece of s---." Morse said he lashed out after McDonald expressed support for the Cohoes police union, which is supporting Keeler, whose career began in the Cohoes Police Department.

The Times Union also obtained Child Protective Service reports in which Morse's teenage daughter had alleged her father choked and punched her in 2017.

Scarff said Morse was granted full custody of he and his wife's daughter earlier this year in Albany County Family Court. In an unusual news conference in September, Morse addressed the media about the domestic violence allegations, saying he has been trying to save his family because of what he said were his wife's substance-abuse problems.

At the same time, the FBI was investigating Morse for allegedly conspiring with his former campaign treasurer, Signoracci, to withdraw funds from a campaign account for personal use, including a vacation in Wildwood, N.J.

Signoracci's guilty plea to a single count of wire fraud came in exchange for his pledge of cooperation in the case against Morse. Morse is facing seven felony counts, including allegedly lying to the FBI during the investigation.

"Shawn maintains his innocence," Scarff said. "He's looking forward to vindication from a jury, that's why he pleaded not guilty. We're not happy with the timing with this, simply because it takes away from the ability to campaign during trial."

Beyond the legal maelstrom surrounding Morse, the mayor's race is still a small-town campaign.

During the second mayoral debate at Cohoes High School, the candidates talked about how long their families have lived in Cohoes. Napier's relatives, for example, migrated from French Canada to work at Harmony Mills in the 1860s. The 35-year-old, who has his own political consulting company, said he has "worn out the soles on two pairs of shoes" going door-to-door with his 25-page booklet of his ideas called The Napier Plan.

After getting a question at the debate about involving young people in politics, Keeler noted that the student voted prom king at Cohoes High School this year is volunteering for his campaign.

But Morse still impresses some with his outsized personality, and he has appealed to voters by touting three years without local tax increases, as well as reinvigorating the Cohoes Music Hall.

But have other voters had enough of the controversy that comes along with him?

As in national politics, Facebook has been crowded with impassioned commentary on the mayoral race  with dueling opinions from those who are loyal to Morse and those who are tired of the negative attention they said he he brings to the city.

But for average Cohoes voters, some of whom casually know the candidates, the contest is much like other local elections, with many residents being apathetic about who should have the job.

At LePage's Market on a recent afternoon, one customer didn't know there was a mayor's race. When reminded the current mayor was in the race, she remarked, "Shawn did do a lot with the city, with the roads."

Another gentleman attended the debate at the high school. "I was going for that Keeler, but he couldn't talk. You can't understand what he's saying," the man said. "You know who can talk? Frangie, he's a good talker."

An elderly female voter, who said she had a relative who was involved in the powerful Albany County Democratic machine decades ago, cringed when thinking about the controversy surrounding the mayor.

"It's too bad they brought up the personal stuff," she said, apparently in reference to Morse's domestic abuse allegations. "But then you forget about that, you know?"

Ultimately, the mayor's race may be decided by the factor most elections hinge on: voter turnout.

It will be a challenge for one of the other three candidates to not split the vote and top the more than 1,500 votes Morse got in the 2015 mayoral primary  even if that support has eroded due to Morse's pending criminal charges and domestic abuse allegations.

"He first ran in 2004 (for County Legislature)," said Common Council member Randy Koniowka, a Democrat who has had major disputes with Morse in the past. "That's a base that's been built up over 15 years. That's a strong, solid base."

But if a majority of the estimated 5,800 registered Democrats vote in the June 25 primary, it might also be an indication that the other candidates gained traction.

"I'm encouraging all Democrats to vote because it's an important election for the future of our city," said Ethier, the Cohoes Democratic chairman.Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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.

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.

President Donald 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.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

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.

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.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."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"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.[June 15, 2019] Bermuda Government, Industry Group Heads to Toronto

Bermuda Finance Minister Curtis Dickinson leads a delegation of government, regulatory and industry representatives to Toronto next week to highlight Bermuda's close links to Canada and opportunities for bilateral trade and investment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190615005022/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) The delegation will take part in a one-day multi-industry forum, hosted by the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA) Wednesday, June 19 at The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, and also attend scheduled business development meetings around the city. Featuring informative panel discussions, thought-leadership sessions, and networking opportunities for investors and businesses interested in learning more about the island, the forum is the sixth in a series of overseas multi-industry showcases, following successfulevents in London, New York and Miami over the past two years. It is the first in Canada.



"We're looking forward to meeting civic leaders, media, investors and industry executives during the forum and related meetings," said BDA CEO Andy Burrows. "The aim is to increase awareness of Bermuda as a gold-standard international financial centre and underscore our jurisdiction's historic and mutually beneficial relationship with Canadian markets." The Consul General of Canada in New York, Phyllis Yaffe, will help launch the forum with a fireside chat-style conversation with Minister Dickinson. Another highlight of the day will be a keynote presentation by Lucia Gallardo, a fintech entrepreneur who has partnered with the United Nations to leverage blockchain systems to help resettlement of refugees, among other projects.

Industry sessions include participants from more than 30 Bermuda-related entities, among them, AMBIKA, Aon, Appleby, ArcTern Ventures, ASW Law, AXA XL, the Association of Bermuda Insurers & Reinsurers (ABIR); Bennett Jones, the Bermuda Insurance Management Association (BIMA), Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA), Butterfield Bank, ChainThat, Conyers, CryptoScan, Deloitte (News - Alert), Estera Services, Exponential Ventures, EY, Fasken, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), KPMG, Kroll Bond Rating Agency, MQ Services, Outlier Canada, PwC, Quest Management Services, RGAx, SALT Lending, and Shyft Network. Canada is one of Bermuda's most significant economic partners, with two-way trade between the two nations amounting to USD$2.6 billion in 2017, and $37 billion in mutual assets and investments. Bermuda supports an estimated 25,000 jobs in Canada, including 15,000 from multi-national companies in Bermuda and their Canadian affiliates and represents Canada's fifth-largest export market in trade and services; only the US, UK, Germany and France are greater Canadian export markets. To register for the free, one-day forum, go to: http://bit.ly/TorontoForum CONNECTING BUSINESS The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, re-locate or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions. Our goal? To make doing business in Bermuda smooth and beneficial. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190615005022/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][June 16, 2019] Altcoin.io Acquired by BnkToTheFuture to Launch Non-Custodial Securities Token Exchange

SAN FRANCISCO, June 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Altcoin.io, a decentralized exchange (DEX) and peer-to-peer trading solution, announced today that global investment firm BnkToTheFuture has acquired its technology to build a compliant platform for trading security tokens while allowing investors to maintain custody of their own funds. "We couldn't be more excited for BnkToTheFuture to pick up where we're leaving off given their experience within the digital asset industry as well as their vision of tokenizing the world's capital markets," said Andrew Gazdecki, Altcoin.io CEO. Security tokens are digital assets issued on the blockchain. Given their approved regulatory status, they can represent virtually any tradeable asset. BnkToTheFuture intends to utilize Altcoin.io's technical advancements to capture this growing market. To fulfill its promise, however, security token trading must operate within the bounds of a watertight legal framework, something upon which both Andrew Gazdecki and Simon Dixon, CEO of BnkToTheFuture, agree. "Altcoin.io has an impressive list of technological achievements under their belt, but what set them apart was their commitment to working in tandem with this dynamic regulatory landscape," said Dixon. "As the very first securities business operating within the crypto sector, we're excited to expand upon our vision for the future of digital assets by acquiring Altcoin.io's non-custodial trading technology." BnkToTheFuture, which has facilitated investments in high profile crypto businesses like Coinbase, Circle, BitStamp, BitFinex, Shapeshift, Ripple Labs, Kraken, and many others, already has a live secondary market for trading equity in the largest companies in crypto. What's missing is the self-custodial trading engine to operate it in a non-custodial way, and this is where the relative strength of each technology come into play.



Altcoin.io began building a decentralized exchange in 2017. Focusing on safety, speed, and usability, the team achieved some ground-breaking milestones on their path to better trading. They completed the world's first Bitcoin to Ethereum atomic swap as well as developed layer-2 scaling solutions using Plasma and state channels. Since then, they've built upon their momentum through some high-profile hires and continued development of their trading platform. "Capital markets are long overdue for an upgrade," said Gazdecki. "Much of it still relies on paper and outdated tech, so they're slow and inefficient. Blockchain technology now presents an opportunity to fractionalize traditionally illiquid assets to democratize the market and remove barriers to entry."

"We've launched the BF Wallet, a security token wallet on iOS and Android, that allows investors to store their security tokens on their mobile device," Dixon said. "We've been doing primary offerings in FinTech for nearly a decade. By acquiring Altcoin.io's technology we're ready to launch a non-custodial marketplace in 2020 where people can buy and sell security tokens integrated with the BnkToTheFuture Token (BFT)." Dixon foresaw the disruption of financial products back in 2010, and to date, BnkToTheFuture has raised upwards of $750 million for various fintech companies. Although the security token market is in a very early stage at this point, Dixon believes it could be the biggest change to financial markets in decades. About Altcoin.io Altcoin.io is a decentralized exchange (DEX) and peer-to-peer trading solution built upon the Ethereum blockchain. Founded in 2017, Altcoin.io combines an intuitive exchange interface with a powerful trading engine to offer a fast, safe, and user-friendly platform for trading digital assets. About BnkToTheFuture BnkToTheFuture is an online investment platform that has invested over $750m in funding rounds listed on its online investment platform including Coinbase, Circle, Blockchain.com, Kraken, BitStamp, BitFinex, ShapeShift and BitPay. It is a securities business with partnerships and stakes in other licensed companies including a U.S. broker-dealer and FCA authorized corporate finance house amongst others. It recently launched the secondary trading of equity in Crypto companies and the BF Wallet, a mobile wallet for security tokens on iOS and Android. To find out more about the platform, please visit https://bnktothefuture.com. Media Contacts Andrew Gazdecki

[email protected]

https://altcoin.io Simon Dixon

[email protected]

https://bnktothefuture.com Related Images altcoin-io-bnktothefuture.jpg View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/altcoinio-acquired-by-bnktothefuture-to-launch-non-custodial-securities-token-exchange-300869181.html SOURCE Altcoin.io

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]One person in critical condition after shooting Kansas City, MO (KCTV) - Police are investigating after one person was shot and critically injured. Just after 11 p.m. on Saturday night, police were called to the 3400 block of Askew on a shooting. When they arrived, they found one person laying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds.

There are several instances of gunfire throughout KCMO last night, here's one out of many in what is likely the most serious attack. Checkit:Startup advocates to next mayor: Make KC more attractive to tech talent, women, innovation Months of candidate forums are complete. The door bells have been rung. Selfies taken. As the Kansas City mayor's race heads to the polls Tuesday, the candidates are all business when it comes to courting the startup community's vote.

The promise of a vibrant tech community creating thousands of jobs and new biz never really materialized. Turns out this isn't "silicon prairie" after all. Nevertheless, somebody forgot to tell these denizens of the creative class who share a wish list for the new boss. Take a look:WINSTON, MO (KCTV) -- For some, the shooting of Trenton Officer Jasmine Diab by a prisoner on Friday brings back memories of when two Wyandotte County deputies were killed transporting two inmates to court. The two deputies were killed exactly one year ago today. Deputy Theresa King was a 13-year veteran of the department.editorial@tribune.com

Amarjot Kaur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 15

Bringing Panjab University under the scanner of academic integrity, international open-access journal Plos One on April 15 retracted one of the research papers authored by two of the universitys professors and a research scholar. The editors of the journal have cited concerns over the validity of data shown in the article, titled Suppression of Neuroinflammatory and Apoptotic Signaling Cascade by Curcumin Alone and in Combination with Piperine in Rat Model of Olfactory Bulbectomy Induced Depression, which they received on January 12, 2013.

The article has been authored by Prof Anil Kumar of the PUs University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prof Sukant Garg of Dr Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, PU, and the then research scholar Puneet Rinwa. Plos One also mentions on its website that the authors acknowledged the financial support of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, for carrying out this work. The fund providers, however, had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript, reads the website.

The Tribune contacted the Senior Editor, Publication Ethics, Plos One, Renee Hoch, who responded via e-mail: We decided to retract this article due to concerns about the validity of results reported in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8. We have notified Panjab University of our concerns with the study.

The journal, while stating reasons for retraction of the paper, on its website, wrote: A member of Plos Ones editorial board and an external reviewer with statistical expertise expressed concerns that the same fold changes were observed between the indicated data sets for all groups, and advised that the degree of correlation between variates appears to exceed considerably what would be expected in such experiments given the assays used, the number of animals per group, and that different groups of animals were used for the different experiments. The corresponding author commented that the results in these figures are from different experiments expected to yield opposite results. The underlying data supporting the results are not available.

UGC notice on academic integrity

In a public notice on academic integrity, the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Friday launched a Consortium of Academic and Research Ethics (CARE) to identify, continuously monitor and maintain UGC-CARE Reference List of Quality Journals across disciplines. The notice comes in view of increased incidence of compromised publication ethics and deteriorating academic integrity being a growing problem contaminating all domains of research. It has been reported that in India, the percentage of research articles published in predatory journals is high. Unethical practices leading to pay and publish trash culture needs to be thwarted immediately, the UGC notice reads. UGC-CARE List is available at the UGC-CARE website, with useful resources as relevant publications, audio-visual materials, videos, weblinks etc. UGC CARE website also provides FAQs, feedback and grievance-redressal mechanism.

The Indian Academic community must avoid publication in predatory/dubious journals or participation in predatory conferences. It is further advised that they must not get associated (as editors/advisers or in any other capacity) with journals, publishers and conferences involved in fraudulent/dubious practices.

Any publications in predatory/dubious journals or presentations in predatory/dubious conferences should not be considered for academic credit for selection, confirmation, promotion, performance, appraisal, award of scholarship or academic degrees or credits in any form. With immediate effect, research publications only from journals indexed in UGC-CARE List should be used for academic purposes.

VCs, selection committees, research supervisors and such other experts involved in academic evaluation/assessment are hereby advised that they must make sure that their decisions are primarily based on quality of research work and not merely on number of publications.

Any attempt of compromised academic integrity should be challenged, questioned and derecognised at all levels.

UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2018 and UGC-CARE website may be referred for more information.

No policy for preserving raw data: Author

Earlier too a British journal had raised concerns over a paper, asking me to provide them with raw data, but we dont keep raw data. There are no guidelines/policies for preserving data. Plos One had told us about the retraction of the paper. When I objected, they asked me for raw data. Its been more than six years since we submitted the paper and we dont have raw data.  Prof Anil Kumar, one of the authors

The biggest problem is absence of raw data. A data-setter will be able to defend himself if raw data set is available. A committee was set up a week ago to make guidelines and policies so that raw data is safe with the author for a minimum 10 years after the paper has been written. The committee will look into the guidelines of The Committee on Publication Ethics. However, no meeting of the committee has been convened yet.  Prof RK Singla, Dean, Research, PUeditorial@tribune.com

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 15

Alumni of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI), Mohali, have bagged top honours in the batch of officers that was commissioned into the IAF at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, near Hyderabad, today.

Flying Officer Gagandeep Singh Dhami, who hails from Hoshiarpur, has the distinction of topping the batch as a fighter pilot while Flying Officer Gagandeep Singh from Gurdaspur has stood second in this stream.

In the helicopter stream, the top two positions were also bagged by AFPI alumni, with Flying Officer Jasmehak Singh of Mohali standing first, followed by Flying Officer Jashan Jaswal of Jalandhar.

Of a total of 152 cadets, including women, who passed out today, five were from the AFPI. The fifth, Flying Officer Ranjit Singh Bains of Pathankot, has been commissioned as a Navigator. The passing out parade was reviewed by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, Chief of the Air Staff and Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Earlier this month, 15 cadets from the third batch of the AFPI that had passed out from the institute in 2015 after a two-year leadership training programme that included completing their 10+2, were commissioned as officers in the Army at the Indian Military Academy. Besides, 18 cadets from the previous AFPI batches are expected to join the National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla, and other service academies in July.

A senior training faculty member at AFPI, Brig KD Singh (retd), said the total number of commissioned officers from the first three batches of the institute had touched 55 and the cadets who had been selected for the National Defence Academy and other service academies from the last six batches that have passed out so far was 119.

With a view to arresting the severely depleting contribution of Punjab to the armed forces officer cadre, the AFPI was set up by the Punjab Government in 2011 for training boys for joining the armed forces as commissioned officers through the NDA or other service academies. In the olden days, cadets from Punjab used to make up a significant chunk of the academy strength, but over the past few decades, it had trickled down to just six to eight boys in the NDA for each course. This trend now appears to have been reversed.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Ambala, June 15

The suspects who were arrested in connection with the killing of EASI Suresh Kumar have revealed that the conspiracy to eliminate Rambir, prime witness in the murder case of JBT teacher Session Kumar Judge, was hatched by accused lodged inside the Central Jail, Ambala.

EASI Suresh Kumar, who was deployed as the security person of Rambir, was killed on June 2.

The Ambala police had arrested three suspects - Prince, Rahul Kumar and Shubham - in connection with the killing of the policeman.

According to information, Sahil Rana, Kuldeep Rana and Bhuppi Rana, who are lodged in the Central Jail, Ambala, had hatched the conspiracy and they had given the task to Prince, who was also in the jail. Sahil and Kuldeep were arrested in connection with the murder case of Session Kumar Judge.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Naraingarh Amit Bhatia said: Sahil, Kuldeep and Bhuppi Rana had hatched the conspiracy to kill Rambir from inside the jail. Prince, who killed EASI Suresh Kumar, was in the jail and he came out around two months ago. He came in contact with the three accused inside the jail and had reached Naraingarh to execute the plan.

Rahul and Shubham had no past criminal record, while the juvenile, who was arrested earlier, knew about the plan and he ensured the safe exit of the accused.

The DSP said: Sahil, Kuldeep and Bhuppi have been booked under sections of criminal conspiracy. They were brought out on a production warrant and taken on four-day police remand. During the remand, they have revealed about their conspiracy.

Vijay Kumar, brother of Session Kumar Judge, said: We have been claiming the same thing from the very first day that the accused, who are in jail in connection with my brothers murder, had sent the assailants to kill Rambir. They have been operating from inside the jail. The accused have formed a group inside the jail. Jail officials must shift them to different jails. If they are separated, crime in Naraingarh will come down. Some accused are still roaming freely and the police must arrest them too.

Security of Rambir has been strengthened by the police. Two security personnel have been deployed for his protection as he is now the eyewitness in the killing of Suresh Kumar too.

One suspect held

Meanwhile, the Ambala police have arrested a suspect, Pradeep, a resident of UP, in connection with the murder case of EASI Suresh Kumar. He has been arrested for harbouring the accused of the murder case. DSP Amit Bhatia said the suspect had provided shelter to the accused after the murder of Suresh Kumar. Pradeep was produced before a court which sent him to judicial custody.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 15

Gold and diamond jewellery worth lakhs were stolen from a jewellery shop in Sector-23 here on the night of Thursday.

In a complaint to the police, Pintu Meeda, a resident of Rajpura, has stated that he, along with his partner, closed the shop around 8 pm on Thursday. When they came to open it on Friday morning, they found the shutter broken and jewellery (gold and diamonds) worth lakhs missing from the almirah kept on the first floor of the shop.

The police have registered a case under Section 380 of the IPC at the Sector 17 police station. Meanwhile, CCTV footage obtained by the police revealed that three persons came in an auto-rickshaw and two of them entered the shop. One of the thieves was wearing a helmet while the other had covered his face with a piece of cloth. After stealing the ornaments, they fled the scene in the auto.

Sources said the police had picked up two workers of the shop for questioning. During preliminary interrogation, they confessed to their involvement in the theft. They said their third accomplice had fled with the booty.editorial@tribune.com

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 15

The flux in the Haryana Congress continues as the two rival groups  headed by state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda  are at daggers drawn on the issue of leadership with Assembly elections just over three months away.

With decision-making in limbo and no plan of action in place with regard to Assembly elections, Congress workers are beginning to feel the heat as time is running out for them.

While they claim that the decision regarding the Haryana leadership is likely to hang fire till a final call is taken on Congress president Rahul Gandhis continuation, the indecisiveness is costing the party dear.

Sources have said while Tanwar, known for his proximity to the Congress president, has maintained that there is no question of him stepping down as the state Congress chief, the Hooda faction has been seeking his replacement for a long time now without much success.

According to information available, the top brass is exploring the possibility of a consensus candidate to lead the party in the state and is out tapping various options.

Though a change in leadership is likely to take place, if at all, once Rahul Gandhis continuation is decided, the top brass is learnt to have spoken to a couple of leaders.

The tussle remains between Tanwar, who is holding fort and is keen on retaining the reins, and the Hooda faction, which is pushing for his removal.

Leaders close to Hooda have suggested that the former Chief Minister is the partys best bet in the state as elections will be fought on the Jat versus non-Jat card.

Leaders owing allegiance to the Hooda camp reason that since the BJP has managed to polarise the state and pocketed non-Jat votes, the Congress should woo Jats.

The INLD and its splinter group, the JJP, which traditionally have Jats as their vote bank, are at their lowest given the family feud.

Ever since the Lok Sabha elections, with the BJP winning all 10 seats, there is a slight shift in stance within the Hooda faction.

The sources have said there is growing talk of promoting Deepender Hooda to lead the party in the state. A few of them are apprehensive about this shift since Assembly elections are not far and experimentation may not work.

Though they admit that Deepender, the only Congress candidate to give a tough fight in the recent elections, is known to be connected closely to his voters and constituency, how he is able to get his act together in the short time available remains a big question.

As Congress workers adopt a wait-and-watch approach, the party seems to be lagging behind in comparison to the BJP, which has fanned out its leaders in the field.

BJP govt failed to curb drug menace: Ex-MLA

Hisar, June 15

Former MLA from Fatehabad and Congress leader Prahalad Singh Gillakhera today lashed out at the BJP government stating that the party rode to power on 154 pre-poll promises, but no leader of the ruling party wanted to talk about these promises now.

Addressing a workers meeting in Fatehabad town, Gillakhera said drug addiction had been on the rise among the youth in the district, but the BJP government had failed to take any step to curb this menace.

He said, The results of the Lok Sabha polls will have no impact on the Assembly elections as they will be fought on local issues. He added that the residents were being harassed on the pretext of levying development charges by the municipal authorities.  TNSeditorial@tribune.com

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 15

A prolonged spell of heat wave is damaging cotton crop in the state, as the crop which is still at a tender stage is dithering away due to burning in excessive heat and inadequate irrigation.

While the condition of early sown crops doesnt have much adverse effect of the weather conditions, except for the fact that they need more frequent irrigation, but those sown late are withering away due to extreme heat.

Cotton producing farmers allege that they were forced to spend more than Rs 5,000 per hectare on irrigating their fields from tubewells in the absence of rains. Cotton crop has been sown on 6.62 lakh hectares in Haryana so far this time, according to figures of the Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department.

This is 0.09 lakh hectares more than the last years acreage of 6.53 lakh hectares, but only slightly above this years target of 6.61 lakh hectare. Sirsa district is the biggest producer of cotton, followed by Fatehabad and Hisar.

Others districts with semi-arid land like Jind, Bhiwani, Mahendragarh, Rewari and Charkhi Dadri also produce cotton.

Surja Ram, a farmer from Bhattu village of Fatehabad, said he had sown his crop late this year on two acres because of some unavoidable reasons, but the tender saplings were dithering away due to extreme heat. For the other acres where the crop was sown in time, I am spending extra money to keep the crop alive. It is after long that we are witnessing such a long dry spell in June. If things continue like this, this will affect the overall production of cotton in the state, because rain irrigation is much better than canal irrigation or irrigation through tubewells, he added.

Gurdial Mehta, a farmer from Panjuana village of Sirsa, however, said though his crop has passed the stage where it could have suffered damage by burning due to heat, he had to cough up over Rs 5,000 per hectare on his fields for irrigation.

Dr Dilip Monga, Head of Central Institute for Cotton Research working under the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, however, admitted that a prolonged spell of heat wave was not good for cotton, but at the same time he said that the percentage of late sown crops was very less.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, June 15

A Spanish woman working as intern in an information technology company here has approached the police, reporting rape by an acquaintance.

The 36-year-old accused allegedly invited her to a party and raped her on Friday night. The accused was arrested by the police.

The victim, in her complaint, reported that she was looking for a room and met the accused on a social media group, after which he offered to help.

She reported that he invited her to a party being hosted in his house, where they met for the first time. She reported that they started kissing and she stopped him from getting more intimate.

She reported that he asked her to stay overnight and raped her later. She reported that she did not resist him as she was scared, but called up a friend and contacted the police the next day.

I made it clear that I did not want to have sex and was feeling uncomfortable. He took me to a room and forced himself on me, said the victim.

The accused has been arrested and is being questioned. He works with an animation production house. We are speaking to other flatmates, said ACP Karan Goel.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 15

A delegation of the panchayat coordination committee, Leh, on Saturday urged Governor Satya Pal Malik to empower the panchayat institutions by extending the 73rd Amendment to the state and conduct early elections to the block development councils.

The delegation led by Sonam Wangchuk, a renowned innovator and educationist from Ladakh, expressed gratitude to the Governor for announcing the Cluster University for Ladakh and for successful conduct of panchayat elections. Other members of the delegation included Gitanjli, founding CEO, Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL), Ladakh, and Sonam Thardos, chairman of the committee.

The panchayat coordination committee also demanded an increase in honorarium for panches and sarpanches of Ladakh, keeping in view the efforts required in the harsh climatic conditions in the region. It also sought to give free hand to Ladakhs hill councils and panchayats for innovative school management experiments in the primary schools, to be conducted with support of reputed local and national NGOs.

Wangchuk proposed to partner in the building of a 50-MW solar power pilot project in Phey village as a part of the HIAL University for imparting hands-on training to Ladakhi youth, providing support with R&D of the project.editorial@tribune.com

Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, June 15

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing imminent defection of some senior leaders, particularly in the southern region of the valley, in the wake of differences over the proposed distribution of mandates for the yet-to-be announced Assembly polls, sources close to the party affairs said.

The PDP has been facing a tough time since its coalition partner, the BJP, pulled out of the government last summer. The party witnessed the defection of some important leaders, at least five of them, to some other regional parties following the BJPs pullout.

Following the crisis, the PDP was rooted out in the Lok Sabha polls and the shocker came from their erstwhile bastion, south Kashmir.

Despite the fact that former Chief Minister and party president, Mehbooba Mufti, was contesting from the Anantnag seat, the party managed to win on only three Assembly segments out of the total 16 that form the Lok Sabha seat.

If sources in the party are to be believed, there have been some serious differences between the party leadership and some senior leaders in south Kashmir as the Assembly elections draw near.

There has been talk about the distribution of mandates and these leaders are not happy with the way things have been going so far, a party source said, adding that some of these leaders had approached the NC and/or the Peoples Conference.

The sources quote the example of this south Kashmir Assembly segment from where the 2016 unrest started.

A senior leader and a relative of Mehbooba is interested in handing over the mandate to one of his own men, sidelining the winning candidate of the 2014 elections. Obviously, the former MLA is not happy and I have heard that he is already talking to the NC leadership, the source said.

Likewise in another segment, in one of the most volatile districts of south Kashmir, it has come to the fore that Mehbooba wants to field a new candidate, sideling one of the most senior leaders of the party.

Moreover, speculation is rife that Tassaduq Mufti, Mehboobas brother, has shown interest in contesting the Assembly polls and he might overtake the mandate of yet another senior leader from south Kashmir, the sources revealed.

All is well: Spokesmaneditorial@tribune.com

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 15

Governor Satya Pal Malik is on a week-long visit to Delhi to discuss the latest J&K situation with the Central leadership against the backdrop of the renewed designs of Pakistan to disturb peace in the state and also the upcoming Amarnath Yatra and preparations for the much-awaited Assembly polls.

Maliks visit assumes significance as it comes immediately after his announcement that the Centre was open to dialogue with the people in Kashmir with a specific focus on militants to surrender and live a life in peace.

Sources privy to Governors meetings with Home Minister Amit Shah and other leaders said he would also present a picture of threats posed in J&K by Pakistan as was evident by the June 12 terror attack on a CRPF picket in Anantnag.

Five CRPF personnel were killed in the attack, the second biggest after the Pulwama suicide bombing of February 14.

He has already said the Anantnag attack was executed on orders from Pakistan.

The Governor is also expected to present the overall view of the situation and work done by him in the past 10 months and what necessitated his recommendation for the extension of the Presidents rule in the state. He will also present his governments preparations for the Assembly polls in the state as the Election Commission has already committed to announce the schedule after Amarnath Yatra. The pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine of Lord Shiva will conclude on August 15.

The sources said he would share his plan to conduct Amarnath Yatra smoothly this year commencing on July 1. The plans of the deployment of security forces were under way to create a secure environment for the pilgrimage.

Barring one incident of July 2017, the Yatra has been incident-free for the past one decade despite serious law and order situations in 2008, 2010 and 2016.

Malik has also declared that the Yatra will be conducted as smoothly as in the past.

To discuss threat posed by Pakeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 15

The police have busted a gang of burglars which was involved in a series of thefts in Srinagar district.

At least five gang members, who hail from various districts of the Valley, have been arrested by the police.

The police had registered a case at the Safakadal police station after burglars looted a godown in city.

During investigation, we worked on various leads. After strenuous efforts, using both technical and scientific aids, the team zeroed in on a few suspects. Our special teams succeeded in making a breakthrough and were able to nab a group of organised burglars from various parts of the city and adjoining districts, Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal, said while addressing a press conference.

Those arrested in the case have been identified as Mohammad Yaseen Hajam of Trikolbal, Pattan; Muzaffar Ahmad Dar of Hanjiwera, Pattan; Altaf Ahmad Mir, Bemina; Irfan Ahmad Nagar of Saida Kadal; and Serwar Hussain Bhat, Labartal, Budgam.

After conducting recce of big godowns/warehouses and shops in the district, the gang struck in night and decamped with valuables.

The gang would take the help of special tools like bolt-cutters to break open the locks and get access to the godowns without creating much noise. The gang members used to take CCTVs and electronic surveillance equipment along with them so as to destroy any video footage/evidence, he said.

Stolen property worth several lakhs was recovered on the disclosure of the accused so far and vehicles used in the commission of crimes have also been seized. The accused have disclosed their involvement in various other thefts and burglaries within the district, he said.amansharma@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, June 16

Jammu and Kashmir Police inspector Arshad Ahmed Khan, who suffered injures in Wednesdays terrorist attack in Anantnag, died at the premier AIIMS here on Sunday, officials said.

With his death, the toll in the terrorist attack rose to six, including five CRPF personnel.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed condolences and said Khans demise was a big loss to the police department. We are all grateful to such bravehearts who are sacrificing their lives for security of the nation, he added.

Khan, 37, was flown to Delhi this afternoon in an air ambulance for specialised treatment.

Soon after he was admitted to the hospital, his condition started deteriorating further. The doctors at the the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) made every effort to revive him but failed, the officials said.

Earlier, he was being treated at the 92 Base Hospital of the Army in Srinagar.

Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said the Jammu and Kashmir Police has lost one of its brilliant officers.

We made every effort to see that the officer survives, but unfortunately we lost him. It is a sad day for J-K Police family which lost yet another son to the wanton violence being perpetrated from across the border, Singh said.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani expressed his condolences and said he was a true braveheart and a people-friendly Station House Officer. His expertise in counter insurgency operations were unmatchable.

I was hopeful that he will win the battle for his life but unfortunately we lost him today, Pani said.

Khan is survived by wife and two sons, aged four and one.

Five CRPF personnel were killed in the terror attack, in which a lone Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist targeted a patrol team of the paramilitary force.

Khan, the SHO of Sadar police station in Anantnag, reached the site soon after.

The moment he stepped out of his official bulletproof vehicle, along with his service rifle, a barrage of bullets were fired by the terrorist. One ricocheted from the butt of his service rifle and hit his liver and duodenum, the officials said.

Even in this condition, the officer kept firing bullets at the terrorist before he collapsed, they said.

He received praise from senior officials for his prompt and courageous response after the terrorist attack.

Known for his professional brilliance, Khans popularity could be gauged from the fact that around 70 locals from his area of posting gathered there to enquire about his health.

People at Chadoora in Central Kashmir, where he was earlier posted as Station House Officer, offered prayers and sacrificed goats for his well-being.

Khan, who was posted in the volatile south Kashmir for some years now, was a brilliant operational officer, recalled one of his senior officers.  PTI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.

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".

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

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 its 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ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Vadodara, June 15

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 km 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. The owner of the hotel, Hassan Abbas Boraniya, is absconding.

Police said the incident took place around 12.30 am.

The Gujarat Government has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased.  PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 15

The Centre today 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 on political violence, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reminded the Mamata Banerjee-led government of the continued trend of such killings in the past four years. It said: Such incidents from 2016 through 2019 are indicative of the failure on the part of the law-enforcement machinery of the state in maintaining the rule of law and inspiring a sense of security among people.

It said the government was seriously concerned over the prevalent situation in West Bengal. It also pointed out the growing number of election-related incidents and political violence and casualties during 2016-2019.

Quoting reports, the officials in the North Block said the number of incidents of political violence in the state increased from 509 in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018. In 2019 alone, 773 incidents have already occurred. Correspondingly, the toll rose from 36 in 2016 to 96 in 2018, while 26 deaths have already taken place in 2019, a senior official said.

It is requested that a report may be sent to this Ministry (MHA) 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 and also the measures taken to curb violence, the advisory said.

In another advisory, the MHA sought a report urgently on the physical attack on serving resident doctors and the consequent strike by them. 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.

On violence

Such incidents from 2016 through 2019 are indicative of the failure on the part of the law-enforcement machinery of the state in maintaining the rule of law and inspiring a sense of security among people

On strike

We have received representations from doctors, healthcare professionals and medical associations from across the country for their safety in view of the ongoing strike... It is requested that a detailed report be sent urgentlyamansharma@tribunemail.com

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, June 16

Former leader of the opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil who quit the Congress and Jaydutt Kshirsagar who defected from the NCP to join the ruling coalition were among 13 new faces who were inducted into the Cabinet of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday.

The Cabinet expansion comes less than four months before assembly elections are due in the state.

Vikhe-Patil and Kshirsagar were among eight new cabinet ministers and five ministers of state who were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor C Vidyasagar Rao early this morning.

Six ministers, including Housing Minister Prakash Mehta, who is accused of corruption, were among those dropped in todays exercise.

We hope to accomplish a lot of work in the next few months since we have inducted more members in the cabinet, Irrigation Minister Girish Mahajan told reporters after the swearing-in ceremony.

The first to take oath as minister today was former Congress MLA Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who was the Leader of the Opposition, till a few weeks ago. He quit the Congress to join the BJP shortly after his son Sujay was elected as Member of the Lok Sabha representing the saffron party from Ahmednagar.

Kshirsagar was the next in line. He had quit the NCP and is now a member of the Shiv Sena.

Among others inducted in the Cabinet included Avinash Mahatekar from the Republican Party of India (Athawale).

Prominent entrants into Fadnavis cabinet include Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar and city BJP MLA Yogesh Sagar.ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, June 15

Healthcare services in West Bengal continue to remain affected with adamant junior doctors failing to turn up at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees office today as sought by her. However, later post midnight, agitating doctors said they were open for talks with CM Mamata Banerjee to end their stir at the venue they would decide.

Earlier, talking to the media, a miffed Mamata remarked, If the government wants to hold talks with someone, it must be respected. She said on Friday too she had waited for a delegation of doctors for five hours. She was later told the doctors would meet her today. I reached the Secretariat, cancelling other engagements. The Health Minister, Finance Minister, Chief Secretary and Health Secretary too came, expecting to meet the protesting doctors. But they did not show up, she said. Alleging that the doctors were playing to the tunes of outsiders, she mentioned steps, including invoking ESMA, that various governments had resorted to from time to time to tackle stirs by health professionals. There is also a SC verdict upholding cancellation of registration of agitating doctors, she warned, claiming when she had visited SSKM Hospital two days ago, she was pushed and abused by the doctors but she chose to ignore them.

All demands have been met. The police have arrested five persons involved in the NRS Hospital incident and the court has refused them bail. Besides, steps had been taken to upgrade the security of doctors, she said. She appealed to the doctors to end their stir which they launched after two of their colleagues were attacked by relatives of a patient who died.

Enact law to protect them: centre to cms

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday asked states to consider enacting a legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from violence. Along with a letter to CMs, he attached a copy of the Draft Act provided by the IMA  the Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a nationwide strike on June 17. PTIuttara@tribuneindia.com

Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, June 16

West Bengals Raj Bhavan has Keshari Nath Tripathi has accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of being non-responsive to his efforts of trying to resolve the ongoing standoff between her government and junior doctors.

A communique issued from the Raj Bhavan said 84-year-old Tripathi wrote to Mamata Banerjee expressing his sadness at her non- responsiveness to his efforts to talk to her.

Tripathi said he had written to Banerjee on Friday about the protesting doctors grievances and demands. According to the Raj Bhavan communique, Tripathi had promised doctors associations that he would flag their issues with the state government when they met him recently.

The Governor also appealed to the doctors to resume working, added the communique.

In the letter he wrote on Friday, Tripathi told the Chief Minister she should meet the protesters to offer them adequate security and tell them she would look into their grievances.

I understand that no meeting with agitating Doctors has been held by the government till now, Tripathi wrote, adding that he should be kept updated about the state governments actions in the issue.

Mamata however refused to answer the Governors questions. She however said that she agreed with Tripathi and that she had already spoken to the Governor on the subject.

Meanwhile, junior doctors have agreed to meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, but said it should be open for media coverage. The development came as protests entered the sixth day on Sunday.

Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visit the city's NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation.

After an internal meeting late on Saturday, the doctors, who had turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat, mellowed down and stated that they were ready to hold a dialogue in any form, but the venue of the meeting would be decided later.

"We will be deciding on our next step during a governing body meeting today. We are open to any dialogue as always. The venue for the meeting will be decided soon," a spokesperson of a joint forum of junior doctors told reporters here.

During a press conference at the state secretariat on Saturday, Banerjee urged protestors to resume work and said her government had accepted all of their demands.

She also stressed that a group of doctors had met her and expressed their willingness to join duty, a claim vehemently refuted by the striking doctors.

During the meet, the chief minister emphasised that her government had not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to get the doctors to resume work.

"We have 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 after the agitators did not turn up for a meeting at 5 pm.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory, seeking a report on the ongoing stir and stating that it had received a number of representations from the medical fraternity from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the strike in West Bengal.

Bengal Governor KN Tripathi has written to Banerjee, advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the medicos and find out a solution to the impasse.

The chief minister said she had spoken to the governor and apprised him of the steps taken by her government to resolve the matter.

Doctors across the state called for a strike after two of their colleagues were brutally assaulted at the NRS Medical College and Hospital by the family members of a patient, who died on Monday night.

The services continue to remain affected in the emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in the state, leaving several patients in the lurch.

The Calcutta High Court had on Friday refused to pass any interim order on the strike by the junior doctors.

It had also asked the state government to persuade the doctors to resume work. With PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 15

With the Narendra Modi government stance still not clear over the contentious Bt brinjal issue, a farmers body, the Consortium of Indian Farmers Association (CIFA), has expressed concern over reports of large scale availability of unauthorised genetically modified (GM) plants in the country and its adverse effect on farmers future.

Asserting that it welcomed introduction of technology in agriculture, the CIFA demanded a national law and action, saying farmers were being sold seeds that could be unscientifically produced, increasing chances of financial losses and harassment.

There were reports recently that Bt brinjal, a GM food crop, was being grown and sold illegally in parts of the country, including in Haryana. While anti-GM activists demanded immediate action against what they termed a definite biohazard, the pro-GM lobby dismissed biohazard factor, but underlined the definite need for a scientific, legal and proper way to go about the issue.

The government has been dragging its feet for long over the issue on which both Left and Right anti-GM activists are united.

The CIFA said it always welcomed the introduction of technology in agriculture to benefit the farmer and society at large, but the unauthorised sale of seeds needed to be sorted to protect farmers who were being sold seeds that might be unscientifically produced, leading to losses and harassment at the hands of the authorities for cultivating an unauthorised variety.

The CIFA also quoted reports of field survey conducted by the Central Institute of Cotton Research in Wardha, Chandrapur, Nagpur and Yavatmal districts of Vidarbha that suggested that over 40 per cent cotton samples belonged to unapproved Roundup Ready variant of cotton, (RRF).

We are concerned about the lax attitude of regulators and the lack of initiative on behalf of all stakeholders concerned to find the source of these seeds, said CIFA secretary general Bojja Dasaratharami Reddy.

Lack of initiative

We are concerned about the lax attitude of regulators and the lack of initiative on behalf of all stakeholders concerned to find the source of these (GM) seeds. Bojja Dasaratharami Reddy, CIFA Secretary Generalgspannu7@gmail.com

New Delhi, June 16

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday said it will go ahead with its strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country in the wake of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal.

The announcement came a day after Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence.

The apex medical body, IMA, however, demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff, and in hospitals.

Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in a statement.

Exemplary punishment for perpetrators of violence should be a component of the central law and suitable amendments should be brought in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the IMA said.

The IMA said all non-essential services, including outdoor patient department (OPD) services, will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday.

Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said.

The medical body had 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.

It had also called for a countrywide strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.

On Saturday, Vardhan, along with a letter to all chief ministers, also attached a copy of the Draft Act provided by the IMAthe Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017.

In its statement, the IMA said effective implementation of the central law has to be ensured by incorporating suitable clauses.

Nineteen states have already passed legislations in this regard and in 2016, an inter-ministerial committees recommendations document was signed by the IMA with the Central Government, the medical body said.

Hospitals should be declared as safe zones.

Structured safety measures, including a three-layer security, CCTV cameras and restriction of entry of visitors should be well defined and enforced uniformly across the country in all sectors, it said.

Healthcare violence has its origin in high expectations, lack of infrastructure and inadequate human resources. Issues of medical profession involving doctor-patient relationship, effective communication regarding the nature of illness and professional counselling play a part as well.

The IMA expects the Government of India to provide for each of these components, according to the statement.

The situation in West Bengal is still grave and fear of violence is present in all medical colleges and major hospitals, the IMA claimed.

The violence following the attack on resident doctor Paribaha Mukherjee in West Bengal has been allowed to deteriorate into a major law and order situation, the medical body alleged.

The crisis should be resolved to the satisfaction of the residents and the medical professionals of West Bengal. IMA proclaims solidarity with the resident doctors of West Bengal and appeals to the government of West Bengal to address and resolve the issue on war footing, the statement said.

Representatives from the IMA and Delhi Medical Association (DMA) had also called on Vardhan on Saturday.  PTIeditorial@tribune.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 pleasantries 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 said. He accused the Indian government of being in the election mindset to keep their vote bank intact.

Neither we need to run after anyone, nor 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.  PTI

Ball in Indias court now

Pakistan has said what it had to. 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. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, foreign ministereditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, June 15

UP Deputy Chief Minister KP Maurya on Saturday said the BJP government may consider introducing a law to build a grand temple in Ayodhya.

Maurya was speaking at the Sant Sammelan organised in Ayodhya to mark the end of the 10-day birthday celebrations of Mahant Nrityagopal Das, the head of the Ram Janambhoomi Trust.

He said the possibility to explore the option of legislation would be considered if the ongoing twin endeavours to bring a solution to the Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhoomi issue  through the Supreme Court judgment or a court-sponsored mediation  did not satisfy the saints.

The Deputy CM said the saints struggle since the early 1990s and especially since the BJP victory in 2014 had brought such a change in the political discourse that now Opposition leaders flaunt going to Kailash Mansarovar, their janeu and visits to temples and Prayagraj.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Udhav Thackarey is scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Sunday to reiterate his partys demand for a Ram Mandir. He would be accompanied by his family and 18 party MPs.kavishakohli@gmail.com

Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, June 16

Days after 12 Telangana Congress MLAs joined the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), another Congress MLA and MP have expressed unhappiness over the state of affairs in the party.

Sources in the TRS, however, said that not one but at least two MLAs were in touch with the ruling party leadership and had expressed their desire to work closely with them in the interest of developing their constituencies.

The Congress party had no future in Telangana, said Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, Congress MLA from Munugode constituency, while speaking to the media.

Rajgopal is the younger of the Komatireddy brothers the elder brother Venkat Reddy is the Congress Lok Sabha MP from Bhongir.

The statement has led to speculation that the Komatireddy brothers alongside some other Congress leaders may follow the 12 MLAs who had broken away from the Congress to join the TRS. The exodus had reduced the strength of the Congress from 19 after the December state assembly elections to a mere six.

The Komatireddy brothers have, however, indicated that they may not follow the Congress MLAs to the TRS as they think it is the BJP that will perform exceedingly well in the next state and parliamentary elections.

Rajgopal Reddy has been quoted as saying: It seems like it is the BJP that is very likely to return to power even in the 2024 elections and there is no future for Congress in the state (Telanagna).

Interestingly, the newly inducted Minister of State for Home Affairs and BJP MP from Secunderabad, G Kishan Reddy had recently said: Our party is ready to welcome youth and leaders from various streams in the state. Rajgopal Reddy was only reflecting the opinion of the people in the state.

In his address to the media, Reddy also said, "The Congress is in a difficult position, not only in Telangana, but the whole of India. The country will progress under BJP. The youth are with BJP. The party is the alternative to counter KCR (Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao). "

If Rajagopal Reddy quits the Congress, the party would be left with five MLAs, two less than the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which has seven MLAs in the Telangana Assembly. BJP currently has only one MLA in the House but has been claiming it will form the next government in the state.amansharma@tribunemail.com

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, June 16

Local police stations across Maharashtra have been asked to guard water supply points and tankers after recurrent violence in the drought-hit state resulted in a murder a few weeks ago.

Amardeep Rode, a municipal councillor in the Parbhani Municipal Corporation from the Shiv Sena, was hacked to death after he intervened in a dispute between two groups of women who were squabbling over water supply from a public tap in the town. Police said Rode objected to some miscreants from his own party who had punctured the tap at another point to steal the water. In the altercation, Rode was attacked with an axe. He died shortly afterwards.

Police say disputes between villages and even between neighbours are common as people struggle over a few litres of water. Pitched battles are being fought daily across Maharashtra as people struggle for drinking water, a senior police official at the state police headquarters here said. Most of the time the matter ends with non-cognizable offences registered at the nearest police thana but Rodes murder has shaken up the administration.

State government sources say canals, pipelines and village wells into which the states tankers pour their supply of water every few days are guarded by police. In Nashik district, the local administration has formed a special squad to prevent people stealing water from the Palkhed canal. The administration has filed cases under the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Act those found stealing water from the canal, a district administration official said.

Apart from farmers who use small pumps to draw water, those facing the ire of the authorities include owners of tankers who are part of a thriving black market in water, according to officials.

In Marathwada, which is the worst drought-hit area, the authorities are even providing police escorts to tankers. In some areas people have tried to hijack tankers to their villages. There have also been instances of tanker drivers being attacked, a police official said.

So far the Maharashtra government has deployed 6,597 tankers to supply water to 5,243 villages and 11,293 hamlets across 29 districts, according to state government data.

Some of the tanker have to travel more than 120 km each way to provide water to drought-hit villages, according to state government sources.uttara@tribuneindia.com

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 16

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has claimed that separatists arrested for links with its terror funding investigation had admitted to having received money from sources in Pakistan.

The agency said on Sunday that it had proof against four top separatist leaders and a businessman.

In its FIR on May 30, 2017, the NIA claimed that militants from Jammat ud Dawah (JuD), Duktaran-e-Millat (DeM), Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (Hizb) and some separatist leaders in J&K had received money to fund insurgency in the state. The NIA said the case involved a larger conspiracy to cause disruption in Kashmir and wage war against India.

NIA has charge sheeted 13 suspects, including JuDs Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin, seven separatist leaders, two suspected hawala conduits and some suspected stone pelters.

Investigators say Zahoor Watali, a prominent businessman the agency believes is the chief hawala conduit who received funds from Pakistan, its spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and United Arab Emirates, had established several shell companies.

He (Watali) had floated various shell companies to disguise foreign remittances for further transfer to separatist leaders and stone pelters in the valley, NIA said.

NIA accuses Watali of using the funds to fuel unrest in Kashmir and organise protests and anti-India activities, resulting in large-scale violence.

The agency claims that in searches conducted in J&K, Delhi and Haryana, it found crucial electronic and documentary proof that pointed towards the pattern of raising, collection, transfer and use of funds for terrorist and separatist activities.

It said it had significant evidence in connection with funding of separatist activities through the ISI, the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi and Pakistan- and UAE- based businessman.

Among the separatists arrested in the case are JKLF chairman Yasin Malik, DeM chief Asiya Andrabi, Shabir Shah and Masrat Alam.

The agency claims Malik had confessed to being instrumental in bringing together disparate factions of Hurriyat Conference and formed the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), which spearheaded the Kashmir agitations of 2016.

Malik admitted that the JRL and Hurriyat Conference Geelani Group collected funds from business community as well as certain other sources and ensured that economic shut down and violent protests continue to disrupt the daily life of common citizens in the valley, NIA said.

Investigators claimed Andrabia admitted to collecting funds and donations from foreign sources.

Andrabi was confronted with evidence regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onwards through foreign remittances made by Zahoor Watali, NIA said.

The agency said it had approached appropriate authorities for evidence over certain bank accounts that Mohammad bin Qasim, Andrabis son, used while he was studying in a Malaysian university.

The NIA said: During the custodial interrogation Shabir Shah was confronted with evidence relating to transfer of money by Pakistan based agents and representatives of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) factions to parties affiliated to Hurriyat in J&K.

Investigators say they also asked Shah about his supposed investments in various hotels and businesses in Pahalgam, properties in Jammu, Srinagar and Anantnag. Evidence regarding many of his benami properties is being collected. He was confronted with some of his personal staff and associates who have provided vital information regarding the sources of fund raising and investment details, it said.

NIA claimed hardline separatist Masarat Alam, who spearheaded the 2010 protests in the Valley, has revealed that Pakistan-based agents routed funds through hawala operators, which were then transferred to the separatist leaders including Syed Shah Geelani.

Alam also revealed that there are rifts in the Hurriyat conference regarding collection and use of funds, the NIA said.editorial@tribune.com

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 15

The police today arrested Congress councillor Rakesh Chaudhary for his alleged involvement in the thrashing of a woman over non-repayment of loan here yesterday.

Leaders of Opposition parties today visited the civil hospital here to know about the well-being of the victim, who was allegedly thrashed by some youngsters, including Chaudharys brothers. Those who visited the victim included SADs Muktsar district president and local MLA Kanwarjit Singh Rozy Barkandi, AAP MLAs Aman Arora and Kultar Singh Sandhwan and BSP state president Jasbir Singh. They offered legal assistance to the victim and to pay for her treatment.

Arora asked Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to apologise to women for the incident. The AAP and BSP leaders alleged that the police were acting in a biased manner due to the involvement of a Congress leader.

Kiranpreet Kaur Dhami, a member of the Punjab State Women Commission, also met the victim and her family. The commission chairperson has already summoned the police on June 20.

In a viral video, some youngsters were seen mercilessly thrashing the victim, Meena Rani. They dragged her out from her house and kicked her in the stomach and chest, besides hitting her with a belt. They also allegedly thrashed her mother.

Mansi, victims mother, said, We have repaid nearly Rs 2 lakh, including interest, to Chaudharys brother and just about Rs 23,000 is remaining. He along with others came to our residence yesterday and said if she couldnt pay the money then she should come with them. When she objected, they thrashed her badly. We want strict action against them. She alleged that former MLA Sukhdarshan Singh Marar was shielding the accused.

She said the video shot by Meenas nine-year-old son helped them get an FIR registered against the accused.

Meanwhile, the police today produced all six accused arrested yesterday in a local court, which sent five of them  Roop Lal, Suresh, Sunny, Shekhu and Jambo  to two-day police remand and a woman, Guddi, to 14-day judicial custody. Those yet to be arrested are Rakesh Chaudhary, his wife Jyoti, Hasan (son of Sunny Chaudhary) and Renu (wife of Sunny Chaudhary).editorial@tribune.com

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, June 15

Newly elected MP Sunny Deol today inspected the ongoing Kartarpur corridor project in Dera Baba Nanak. He was accompanied by Dera Baba Nanak SDM Gursimran Singh and Jatinder Singh, vice-president of Ceigall India Limited  the private company engaged by the Union government to construct the project.

The MP interacted with officials. He discussed the problems plaguing the construction of the corridor. He also asked Jatinder Singh as to why construction work on the Pakistan side of the border had come to a sudden halt.

The MP expressed displeasure at the slow pace of construction of the Integrated Check Post (ICP). He ordered officials to expedite it and ensure the project was completed before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak commence in November this year.

Meanwhile, Congressmen dubbed his visit as a hollow, empty and void as he remained insulated from the people and the media.

Cabinet minister and Dera Baba Nanak legislator Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, Deol should stop acting as a film star and instead act as a true representative of the people. At his residence in Nawapind Sardara village, Deol told mediapersons that he wont talk as he might be misquoted.

Sources reveal that BJP leaders had not briefed Deol on local issues leaving him with no option except to keep mediapersons at an arms length fearing embarrassment.editorial@tribune.com

Amritsar, June 15

The SGPC has sought rights of ownership and construction of land from the Meghalaya government in the area where Sikhs are living in Shillong.

The demands were conveyed by a three-member SGPC team led by BS Syalka. Talking to The Tribune after returning from Shillong, Syalka said Meghalayas Home Minister James K Sangma promised them of safety and security of Sikhs in Shillong.

The SGPC sought rights of ownership of land for nearly 350 Sikh families where they are presently residing. The right of ownership of land in Shillong vests with a local tribal chieftain who had leased the land to a gurdwara, a school and Sikh families. The lease did not specify the duration.

The latest threat was issued by the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, a banned terrorist outfit claiming to represent the interests of Khasi and Jaintia tribes of Meghalaya. It threatened the Punjabi Lane Sikhs of dire consequences if they tried to resist the government attempt to evict them.

The SGPC team found that the tribes wanted the Sikh population to move out. The team thanked the Meghalaya High Court for coming to the rescue of the Sikh community.

Rightful ownerseditorial@tribune.com

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 15

Raping the state government for self-contradictory stand in a service matter, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has described as inexplicable its action of treating a lecturer as a medical officer for retiring him at 58. The Bench also directed the Chief Secretary to intervene.

A lecturer, with retirement age of 60, is governed by Punjab Medical Education Rules, while medical officer is considered an employee under Punjab Directorate of Health and Family Welfare.

Taking up the petition filed against the state by Dr Vipin Kumar, Justice Rajan Gupta asserted that the petitioner was admittedly appointed lecturer in Amritsar Government Medical College and was, as such, governed by Punjab Medical Education Rules, 1979.

It remains a matter of concern as to how the petitioner can be treated to be an employee under the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, Justice Gupta asserted.

Dr Kumar had moved the court through counsels Vikas Chatrath and Vivek Salathia for quashing a communication dated August 13, last year, by the virtue of which he was to superannuate at the age of 58.

Allowing the plea, Justice Gupta asserted: The matter is remitted to the Chief Secretary to constitute a committee to take a fresh decision within six weeks.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 15

The extension of airspace ban by Pakistan along the eastern border with India till June 28 will continue to affect nearly six flights from Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport.

Two international flights continue to remain cancelled and five are being flown on long routes after Pakistan completely shut its airspace on February 26 following the IAFs airstrikes in Balakot.

Air Indias Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham and Turkmenistans Amritsar-Ashgabat-Birmingham flights continue to remain cancelled. Their termination is causing much inconvenience to passengers, majority of them are NRIs and their relatives.

Uzbekistans Amritsar-Tashkent and Qatars Amritsar-Doha flights are being flown via Mumbai instead of shorter route via Lahore.

Similarly, all three flights to Dubai being operated by SpiceJet, Indigo and Air India Express are taking a longer route to avoid Pakistan airspace as they fly over Arabian Sea via Mumbai.editorial@tribune.com

New Delhi, June 15

The Railways today said it had no permission to let a train from Pakistan into Attari to ferry 130 Sikh passengers to Lahore for pilgrimage, a day after the neighbouring country alleged that India refused to let its train cross the border.

Such permissions are usually sought by the foreign ministry of one country from that of the other, officials said. Pakistan had issued visas to around 200 Sikhs to attend Shaheedi Jor Mela, which marks the death anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, and they were due to arrive in Lahore by a Pakistani train on Friday.

But they were informed at Attari Railway station that there was no permission from the Indian authorities to allow the train coming from Wagah to enter the station so that they could board it.

We had no permission to receive/run the train at Attari station, spokesperson for Northern Railway Deepak Kumar said.

On Friday, United Akali Dal general secretary Paramjit Singh Jijani, who was leading the Sikh jatha to Pakistan, claimed that the Indian Railways had refused to give permission to the special train from Pakistan to enter Attari to carry around 130 passengers to Lahore.

He said the Pakistan embassy had already issued seven-day visa to all 130 Sikh members to visit Lahore and some other Sikh shrines in Pakistan, including Kartarpur Sahib.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over its refusal to grant visa to 87 Sikh devotees.  PTI

Bid to sabotage Gurus anniv celebrations: Sarnaeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 15

Expressing concern over the water crisis in Northern India, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today sought Prime Minister Narendra Modis support in his effort to upgrade water distribution infrastructure in the state, as he also called for setting up of a fresh river waters tribunal to address the disputes among neighbouring states in view of their dwindling water availability.

In his speech, which was circulated at the NITI Aayogs Governing Council meeting, which he could not attend owing to his bad health, the CM called upon the Prime Minister to provide a one-time debt waiver to mitigate the distress of indebted farmers.

The Chief Minister also urged the Centre to increase the annual assistance under PM-KISAN from Rs 6000 to Rs 12,000 and also include farm workers under the scheme.

Capt Amarinder, in his written speech, also thanked the NITI Aayog for acknowledging the states initiative  Pani Bachao, Paisa Kamao. He also mentioned that the state government was taking several urgent measures to reduce consumption and conserve water, improve the efficiency of water utilisation and improve water infrastructure in the State.

Highlighting the need for proper development of Punjabs border areas, which was a national responsibility, the Chief Minister regretted that the Centre had not taken any action on the states similar demand, for a special package for border areas, which it had raised in the last two meetings.

He also called for greater interstate cooperation to effectively tackle cross-border crimes and demanded increase in the deployment of paramilitary forces along the Punjab border as well as a special financial assistance package for upgrading police stations in the border areas.Keki Daruwalla

Keki Daruwalla

Personal reminiscences should be written by people close to the subject, not by the likes of me on chance meetings in the outer peripheries. I did not know Girish Karnad personally when I saw his play

Tughlaq about 40 or more years ago.

Arun Singh acted as Tughlaq and he had a booming voice. When he roared main bhus bhar doonga, it rang a bell. I remembered my medieval Indian history. Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq had not only got his Governor of Sindh executed, but also stuffed with straw or sawdust, for disobeying him. Decades later, I saw the play again. This time the stage was so big you could land an aircraft there. It covered the entire flank of the Purana Qila, and was absolutely mind-blowing in scale. Karnad never saw this production. The play was still going on, but he told me he had to meet many commitments.

The earliest memory I recall of him was when we both spoke at Bengaluru at a public function held in 1993 I think, to mourn AK Ramanujan  who had passed away in Chicago on the operating table, before the operation had started. It was an operation on the spine and Ramanujan was too scared. Ramanujan had talked to me about it six months earlier. The pain in his leg was excruciating and a spinal operation was essential. Ramanujan was a fine poet and translator. His role in projecting South Indian languages to the western world from his chair in Chicago University was phenomenal. UR Ananthamurthy had invited me to come. He, as an old friend of Ramanujan, of course spoke on the occasion. Later, Karnad and I ran into each other at events. The Bangalore Literary Festival was in honour of Ananthamurthy, a fine litterateur, best remembered for his Kannada novel Samskara, which Ramanujan translated into English and made famous. Karnad had written the screenplay for the film and acted in it. What luck for the novel! Here was a clutch of friends, all illustrious in their own way, backing a fine book.

Karnads many-sided personality could overawe people  one of Indias finest playwrights and screenplay writers and a fine actor, who wrote directed and acted. A multi-lingual litterateur, he was one of Indias great sons. In the arts you can hardly find a match.

He could be blunt, truth needs to be blunt. Too much sugar-coating can turn it smarmy. Someone at that Bengaluru fest called Ananthamurthy a great writer. Karnad sharply disagreed, though Anantha was a close and dear friend of his and an intellectual. But as a creative writer he had started and ended with one notable book, Samskara. Karnad employed the same bluntness when he stood up for artists and causes being trod underfoot by the overweening state. When the state commits a crime, there are no FIRs. When the state came down on the Kabir Kala Manch, a Dalit outfit set up in 2002 after the bloody Gujarat riots in which close to a thousand were killed (many were burnt alive), and the state jailed people of the Kala Manch, Karnad held a press conference in defence of the artists in Mumbai. (One needs to hear Sheetal Sathe sing a song on Govind Pansare, which she penned in prison.) He joined writers in an appeal to the voters to throw out hate politics before the recent elections. Recently, half a dozen intellectuals have been arraigned for planning to assassinate the Prime Minister!

In 2007, I postponed by two months an angioplasty for two reasons, a reading at Struga where Mahmoud Darwish was to get the wreath of honour, and an evening organised by Jasbir Jain at Rajasthan University where Karnad, Nayantara Sahgal, Mukul Kesavan and I were to speak. Karnad mentioned the Parsi theatre of yore, and I began my reading with some snippets from that era. The Parsi theatre was a mishmash of play and opera. He told me I should get that video recorded. I have not done that till today. It was a leisurely affair. We stayed at the University Guest house for the night and had long conversations.

In November 2017, we both were feted generously by the Tata Literature Live Festival and Anil Dharker at NCPA Mumbai  Karnad with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and I with the Poet Laureate Award which Vikram Seth had got in previous years. Karnad spoke at length on the topic, Playing on Twenty Tongues. He spoke about Konkani (his mother tongue), the language he studied in (Marathi), the language he loved and took him to Oxford (English) and the language he wrote his plays in  Kannada. What a versatile man!

I had a conversation with him on Warren Hastings  I broached the topic, what a great idea it would be to write a novel about his times. He said he always wanted to write a play on him! I know my history, taught by my father, Chait Singh, Begums of Avadh  all his excesses, the duel with Francis. And there was the other side to him, someone who had great respect for Indian scriptures, supported the first English translation of the Bhagavad Gita and wrote the introduction, supported Sir William Jones in founding the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Karnad said he wanted to write a play on him one day. I wanted to write a novel around him.

I asked the fine historian Mushir ul Hasan who told me there was just one full length book on Hastings written in the 1960s. To write on him today would mean studying the records of the East India Company. I am reminded of Ghalib. Khaak ho jayenge hum, thum ko khabar hone thak.Saba Naqvi

Saba Naqvi

The BJP juggernaut has arrived and is on the launchpad of making big seismic changes. More dismantling of existing opposition regimes and old systems are on the cards in the coming years. What remains of the old fault lines in Kashmir will be demolished in ways we cannot yet predict because that is one of the most unpredictable places in the world.

Its easier to see that regimes in West Bengal and Delhi will face a furious onslaught of the well-funded and highly motivated army of victors. At the national level, the ruling party is likely to muster a majority in the Upper House by November 2020, at which time the legislative power of veto of the Opposition would end. There remain a few outposts in the south but we shall see how the strongest central regime in years impacts their autonomy in the long run.

In the interim, its important to understand the unfolding strategy towards Indian Muslims (I treat Kashmir as distinct because of its troubled history). The Prime Minister has spoken of earning trust of the community and his regime has announced some welfare measures. Yet we also know that the ideology of the BJP/RSS is at its core hostile to minorities, particularly Muslims.

So how do we comprehend what is unfolding? First lets understand that the BJP has not set out to win Muslim support because they dont need to electorally. On the contrary, some subliminal and open profiling and hostility towards Muslims will remain one of the electoral strategies of the regime.

What the Modi-led BJP has set out to do is to tackle the Muslim problem because they cannot do away with such a large community (and possibly do not wish to do so either as every now and then they need to project the Other against Us). Appearance of a benign state policy towards the community only adds to the aura around a regime looking invincible. It makes supporters of the regime feel good as people like gestures that appear magnanimous. It also helps build an international reputation.

What is likely to happen therefore is the following. In the coming years there will be a stated welfare approach to the Muslim community. Certain schemes will be announced and I leave it to the experts to illuminate us on whether they will be absorbed. I have already met Muslim women who took the Ujjwala Yojana as they are entitled to as citizens of India.

The question that remains is this: will the schemes targeting all poor (including Muslims) be given without prejudice in the bureaucracy and administrative structures? Or will the BJP be publicising its Muslim outreach largely through the madrasa network and in the process try to co-opt sections of the clerical establishment? If thats what they do after shouting pseudo-secularism for the last few decades, it would make for a fascinating farce at the very least.

That was the route taken by the Congress that empowered the clerical establishment when it overturned the Shah Bano judgment years ago. That is also the route taken more recently by Mamata Banerjees TMC and look at the trouble they are in. The visibility of clerics always empowers the BJP so now if the maulanas et al line up and get an audience it would be on bended knee. The BJP could every now and then put a velvet glove on its iron fist.

Its important to understand the contradictions. The RSS/BJP outreach project build on diligent work by the cadres has had considerable success with Dalits and to an extent with tribals. These are communities they wish to absorb. The BJP does not wish to absorb Muslims as a voter bloc. However, they wish to manage and tackle them. Hence, a few new schemes and inclusion in existing ones are highly likely. This is also ultimately intended to challenge what remains of the secular parties who worked solely with identity and ignored the delivery end of the electoral formula.

But where the BJP will defeat Muslims is in identity battles. Even if a glorious Ram temple is built in Ayodhya after a court verdict permitting it, there is nothing to stop the faithful from remembering Kashi and Mathura tomorrow. But that would happen if they feel the strategic need to do so.

Too many hate crimes against minorities do not actually suit the BJP narrative in this moment of triumph. Yet there is no checking the communal propaganda that continues on social media, by known BJP backers and members. Day in and out they spew venom against Muslims and Islam. That is a glimpse into the real mindset and there is no checking this injection of hate into the body politic.

Whatever the BJP gives or does not give Indian Muslims it will be done with an iron fist. The gloves will come off if required but at this point in the journey, velvet gloves make for smart statecraft.Aditi Tandon in New Delhi

Perpetrators of the bone-chilling Kathua rape case may have been convicted but sexual assault on children shows no signs of abating. Long trial pendency and poor conviction rate are emboldening rapists. The grim scenario leaves everyone fearing...

Aditi Tandon in New Delhi

ixteen months after a minor was gangraped and killed in Jammus Kathua, a special court in Pathankot convicted six persons for the heinous crime this week. The wheels of justice have finally turned but people tracking the case feel these turned rather too late. If Indias most followed child sexual abuse case can take this long to reach the first step of the justice system, you can imagine the fate of other cases that never attract public attention, says Bharti Ali of HAQ Centre of Child Rights, which helps the victims get past the daunting judicial processes that can take years to conclude.

Alis concerns stem from the mounting pendency of trials in cases registered under Indias anti-child sexual assault law  The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012.

This gender neutral law mandates the recording of victims testimony within 30 days of the filing of FIR. The idea is to spare the child the horrors of prolonged police probes and court testimonials. The law also requires every district to have a designated POCSO court, which must conclude the trial within a year of taking cognizance of the charges.

Now, picture the reality. The special court judgment in the Kathua case came much after the expiry of the POCSO deadline, despite the trial progressing under media glare and the case hitting global headlines after members of a Hindu Right wing front took out a march in support of the accused. The Supreme Courts orders to shift the case out of Jammu to Pathankot clinched the verdict as it insulated the crime from its politics.

Activists are wary of the growing trend of the politics of child rape cases determining the level of public attention each case gets. They cite Kathua as an example, as well as Unnao, where a minor was reportedly raped by BJPs MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and the FIR registered with great difficulty.

Poor conviction rate

There are no updates on the Unnao trial, even as child rape victims continue to cope with an excruciatingly slow justice system, slack conviction and high pendency rates. In 2016 (the latest government record available for POCSO Act), the previous three years average national conviction rate was 32 per cent as against the court pendency rate of a whopping 91.4 per cent. In Delhi alone, where most district courts comply with POCSO Act provisions of separate victim deposition boxes, physical barriers between children and their violators and child-friendly spaces, the conviction rate in 2016 was only 18.49 per cent.

Crime, on the other hand, is rising in epidemic proportions. The National Crime Records Bureau data shows child rape cases across India increased threefold between 2014 and 2016  from 13, 766 to 36,022 cases.

The fact is there is no preventive plan in place. There is a certain political economy to what kind of sexual violence attracts our attention. While Kathua will catch our eye because it got polarised in a certain way, slum children can keep going missing as they did in Nithari and wont command our attention, says Madhu Mehra, a human rights activist. The question is, how do you ensure equivalence in such cases? Also, while its good to keep enhancing punishments, how about ensuring victims recovery and implementing processes for swift and compassionate delivery of justice.

Grave trend

Child rights experts say they are witnessing a grave trend. They feel recent amendments to the POCSO Act, fixing minimum punishment for child sexual assault at 10 years and maximum at death penalty, are provoking the accused to murder their victims. I am seeing more and more cases where rape and murder co-exist. Perpetrators are now murdering the victims to ensure theres no principal testimony. Policymakers will have to look at this, notes advocate Suneita Ojha, whos handling cases of child sexual abuse in Haryana, including within upscale homes.

Another question to be addressed is, whether the enhanced penalties and shortened trial periods are serving as deterrents to the perpetrators. In 2018, after the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, Madhya Pradesh was the first state government to introduce death penalty for aggravated child sexual assault where the accused is someone in the position of trust or authority.

Subsequently, the POCSO Act was amended to include death penalty for child rape and reduce the time taken for the completion of trial from one year to two months.

Even the current timelines of completing trials in a year of chargesheeting the accused are not being met. The laws must consider pragmatic timelines so that the quality of trials is not compromised and the cases stand in appeals too, says Bharti Ali. HAQ Centre for Child Rights was referred 10 cases of child sexual assault in 2013. All are pending disposal.

Heartbreaking tales emerge from an analysis of the law HAQ, Human Dignity Foundation and Counsel to Secure Justice conducted recently. The study pointed out lapses in the implementation of the POCSO Act, including delayed testimony and justice processes. In one case, for instance, a Delhi court ordered compensation for a minor victim of rape after she had died. Since she was never in a position to reach the court (due to multiple surgeries), her testimony was never recorded and the case against the accused, a local tantric, was compromised.

While the law provides for recording testimonies anywhere  including homes or hospitals  the police only tend to prefer court settings, the study records.

In another case, HAQ lost track of a Nepalese victim who delivered a baby after being raped by the owner of a construction site where her mother worked. The childs testimony in this case came up eight months after the court took cognizance of the crime. No interim compensation was paid, though the POSCO Act gives courts a freehand to pronounce financial relief to victims.

The child and her mother eventually disappeared from the systems radar after the state failed them. The case drags on, says Ashish Kumar, a lawyer privy to details.

According to HAQs analysis of POCSO cases it handled since 2013, the average time taken for completing a childs testimony in seven of the 10 cases was 242 days, which is eight months as against the mandated 30 days. On an average, these cases remained pending for 69 months, which is 5.75 years, as against the mandated period of one year.

Scary numbers

52.3% Of children in India had experienced sexual abuse and 20.9 per cent experienced severe sexual abuse according to a 2007 study by the Ministry of Women and Child Development

1,64,387 Number of cases of crime against children pending trial at the end of 2015, according to the NCRB

1,06,958 Number of criminal cases reported against children under the IPC and local and special laws from across India in 2016

36,022 The National Crime Records Bureau data shows child rape cases across India increased three fold between 2014 and 2016  from 13, 766 cases to 36,022 cases

Rapists are remorseless, have poor opinion of women

Delayed justice, psychologists say, emboldens perpetrators. Most child rapists are remorseless, carry unhealthy attitudes about sexuality and use violence as a sense of entitlement, a 2013 international study on rape by the UN showed.

Back home, counsellors point to the need for sex education from a young age for children to understand their bodies. Most accused I have worked with have repressed sexuality and see rape as a means to explore their sexuality. Incest is common as its convenient to lay hands on girls in the family, says psychologist Swarna Gollapudi, who handles POCSO cases.

There is limited research in India on the minds of perpetrators of sexual violence. A valuable insight was offered in 2017 by researcher Madhumita Pandey, who was the lead psychologist in the controversial BBC documentary on the December 16, 2012, Delhi gangrape.

After interviewing 122 convicted rapists in Delhis Central Tihar jail, Pandey found most rapists had poor opinions of women in general and most were remorseless. She saw a pattern of cognitive distortion among rapists who drafted their own version of the crime to justify it. Prime accused in the Delhi gang rape case, Mukesh Singh (who drove the bus to the location of the crime), told Pandey that had the victim not resisted as much as she did, he and his friends would not have beaten her up as severely as they did.

The victims intestines were ruptured by an iron rod Mukesh Singh and his friends used to violate her. But in their minds, the brutality amounted to nothing more than a severe beating.

Activists point to child sexual abuse underway in the confines of Indian homes as revealed in a 2007 study by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The study had found that 53.2 per cent of children in India had experienced sexual abuse and 20.9 pc had experienced severe sexual abuse. These staggering statistics had paved the way for the POCSO Act. A lot of ground remains to be covered though.vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Kathmandu, June 15

Voicing concern over growing business activities of North Koreans in Nepal, the US has asked the Nepal government not to entertain North Koreans in the country stating that Nepal as a member of the UN should respect the decision taken by the global body to impose sanctions on the country.

Mark Lambert, special US envoy for North Korea, 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, the Himalayn Times reported Saturday.

He expressed concerns over 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, was quoting as saying. In the meeting, Lambert told the lawmakers that the UN Security Council has placed sanctions on North Korea, and Nepal, as a member country, should respect this decision, the daily said.

Nepal became a member country of the UN in 1955. The UN has imposed a number of sanctions on North Korea after the country started developing nuclear weapons, in violation of the UN charter.  PTIuttara@tribuneindia.com

HONG KONG, June 16

Hundreds of people took to the streets in Hong Kong on Sunday dressed in black to demand the city's embattled leader steps down, a day after she suspended an extradition bill in a dramatic retreat following the most violent protests in decades.

Activists set up gazebos as protesters, some carrying flowers, started to gather in sweltering summer heat to march from Victoria Park to Hong Kong's central government offices.

Beijing-backed Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Saturday indefinitely delayed the extradition bill that could send people to mainland China to face trial, expressing "deep sorrow and regret".

The about-face was one of the most significant political turnarounds by the Hong Kong government since Britain returned the territory to China in 1997, and it threw into question Lam's ability to continue to lead the city.

Activist investor David Webb, in a newsletter on Sunday, said if Lam was a stock he would recommend shorting her with a target price of zero.

"Call it the Carrie trade. She has irrevocably lost the public's trust," Webb said.

"Her minders in Beijing, while expressing public support for now, have clearly lined her up for the chop by distancing themselves from the proposal in recent days." Protest organisers are hoping more than a million people turn up for the Sunday rally, scheduled to start at 2.30 pm local time, similar to numbers they estimated for a demonstration against the proposed extradition bill last Sunday. Police put that count at 240,000.

Violent clashes on Wednesday when police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters near the heart of the financial centre grabbed global headlines and forced some banks to shut branches.

Some Hong Kong tycoons have started moving personal wealth offshore over concerns about the proposed extradition law, which critics warn could erode the city's international status.

Extensive meddling

The city's independent legal system was guaranteed under laws governing Hong Kong's return from British to Chinese rule 22 years ago, and is seen by business and diplomatic communities as its strong remaining asset amid encroachments from Beijing.

Hong Kong has been governed under a "one country, two systems" formula since its return to Beijing, allowing freedoms not enjoyed on mainland China but not a fully democratic vote.

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.

Some opponents of the extradition bill said a suspension was not enough and want it scrapped and Lam to go.

"If she refuses to scrap this controversial bill altogether, it would mean we wouldn't retreat. She stays on, we stay on," said pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo.

Asked repeatedly on Saturday if she would step down, Lam avoided answering directly and appealed to the public to give us another chance. Lam said she had been a civil servant for decades and still had work she wanted to do.

She added that 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".

Lam's reversal was hailed by business groups and overseas governments.

"AmCham is relieved by the government decision to suspend the extradition bill and that it listened to the Hong Kong people and international business community," said Tara Joseph, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

The UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter: "Well done HK Government for heeding concerns of the brave citizens who have stood up for their human rights".

China's top newspaper on Sunday condemned "anti-China lackeys" of foreign forces in Hong Kong.

"Certain people in Hong Kong have been relying on foreigners or relying on young people to build themselves up, serving as the pawns and lackeys of foreign anti-China forces," the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily said in a commentary.

"This is resolutely opposed by the whole of the Chinese people, including the vast majority of Hong Kong compatriots." The Hong Kong protests have been the largest in the city since crowds came out against the bloody suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations centred around Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.

Officials said 72 people were admitted to hospitals from the Wednesday protest, while a man died on Saturday after plunging from construction scaffolding where he unfurled a banner denouncing Hong Kongs extradition bill, local media reported.

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 city's court which would decide on the extraditions on a case-by-case basis.

Critics, including leading lawyers and rights groups, note China's justice system is controlled by the Communist Party, and say it is marked by torture and forced confessions, arbitrary detention and poor access to lawyers. Reutersuttara@tribuneindia.com

Jerusalem, June 16

An Israeli court on Sunday convicted the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fraudulently using state funds for meals, under a plea bargain which saw her admit to lesser charges.

Sara Netanyahu was found guilty of exploiting the mistake of another person and ordered to pay a fine and compensation, in a deal approved by Jerusalem magistrates' court justice Avital Chen.

Netanyahu was also fined 10,000 shekels ($2,800) and ordered to reimburse the state a further 45,000 shekels, the latter of which she will pay in nine installments, at her request.

"The deal reached between the sides is worthy and appropriately reflects the deeds and their severity on the criminal level," Chen said in his ruling.

The 60-year-old, a high-profile presence at her husband's side throughout his long tenure in office, was initially charged in June 2018 with fraud and breach of trust for buying catered meals despite the presence of a cook at the minister's official residence.

The amended indictment, approved Sunday, dropped the graft charges.  AFPshriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com

Islamabad, June 16

A court in Pakistan has issued a death warrant to a mentally unwell prisoner, paving the way for his execution on June 18 amidst growing concern among human rights groups, a media report said on Sunday.

Ghulam Abbas, 36, a death row prisoner languishing in a jail for13 years, was sentenced to death in 2006 by a district and sessions court in Rawalpindi for stabbing one of his neighbours.

Abbas, who has clear symptoms of mental illness, was issued the death warrant by the session court in Rawalpindi, Dawn news reported.

Following the death warrant, there have been calls from human rights organisations to halt the execution considering the mental illness of the prisoner.

Justice Projects Pakistan, an human rights law firm, said that Abbas' execution should be stayed and he should be transferred to a mental health facility.

Abbas' execution must be stayed and he should be transferred to a mental health facility to be comprehensively assessed, Sarah Belal from JPP was quoted as saying by the paper.

Malik Hussain Mubbashar, a psychiatrist appointed by the Supreme Court in the case, said the medical examination records showed that jail authorities had treated him with strong anti-psychotic drugs.

He said that Abbas had a genetic predisposition to mental illness because of his family history of mental illness.

It is imperative I be allowed to visit Abbas in jail to assess his mental health and physical condition. In my professional opinion, he should be shifted to the Centre for Mental Health, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, for proper care, he said.

A fresh mercy petition has been filed requesting the president to grant him a reprieve.  PTIvinaymishra188@gmail.com

Washington, June 15

President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for attacks on oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, but he also held out hope 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 Irans territorial waters, rattling international oil markets, the administration seemed caught between pressure to punish Iran and reassure Washingtons Gulf Arab allies without drawing the US closer to war.

Iran did it, Trump said on Friday on Fox News Channels Fox & Friends. He didnt 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, Trump was keeping a public spotlight on an adversary he accuses of terrorism but also has 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.

A US Navy team on Friday was aboard one of the tankers, the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, collecting forensic evidence, according to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive operation.  APvinaymishra188@gmail.com

Washington: Who will take the giant leap for womankind? More than fifty years after the end of the Apollo programme, 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 the mission would 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. AFP

Braces won't guarantee happiness, self-confidence

Sydney: 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. IANS

Amazon's competitor to Instagram shuts down

San Francisco: Amazon Spark, essentially a competitor to Instagram, has shut down less than two years since after its launch in July 2017. Spark was focused on users posting images, stories and ideas about products and purchases and was originally launched only for Amazon Prime members. Other users could then react with 'smiles' and comments, the CNET reported on Friday. IANSThe Nigerian Army, 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Barracks, Akure has launched a Special Anti-kidnapping Squad to combat the spate of kid...

The Nigerian Army, 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Barracks, Akure has launched a Special Anti-kidnapping Squad to combat the spate of kidnappings in Ondo State.





According to the Brigade Commander, Brig. General Zakari Logun Abubakar, his men were battle ready for the operation, which will also extend to Ekiti State.





Brig. General Abubakar, who decried the worrisome cases of kidnappings, which he said were fast becoming the latest trend for criminals, revealed that the vast forests of both states will be combed towards flushing them out of the states.





In order to fight this scourge heads long, we have already launched the anti-kidnapping squad of the military section.





This squad, which is a special one, would be active, mobile and swift in reacting to cases of kidnappings in the states of our jurisdiction.





And in order to achieve this vigour, they are to mount strategic location of the roads, check on passengers and vigilant to react to kidnap case.





We have identified the prone areas where these criminal elements use to perpetrate their evil works. They are bushes in Ondo, Ekiti and Ibiilo in Edo State.





He added that the Special Squad, which is a wing directly under his Command, is manned by a trained senior military officer, Captain B.M Danlima.



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.Hotworx, a 24-hour infrared fitness studio, will open its first Tulsa location at the end of the month.

The business will be located at 4117 S. Harvard Ave. and will be accessible to members 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The business will offer virtually instructed isometric (30 minutes) and HIIT (high intensity interval training 15 minutes) inside infrared saunas.

This type of fitness is for everyone starting at the age of 12, the company said.

The grand opening will be June 28-29.

For more information, call 918-932-8819.

Tulsa Federal Credit Union to host downtown open house

Tulsa Federal Credit Union is hosting an open house for its newly renovated downtown branch 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday.

The downtown Tulsa Federal branch, 401 E. Fourth St., recently completed a new entrance facing Elgin Avenue and added three new ITMs. These Interactive Teller Machines perform basic banking functions like an ATM but also connect users to a live teller who can handle more complex banking transactions.Sean and Scott Bauman, CEO and COO of biotechnology company IMMY, literally grew up in the family business.

There isnt a job that my brother and I havent done, Sean Bauman said, from sweeping the floor, to putting together bulk mailings, whatever needed to be done, weve done. Our whole family was involved in the business.

IMMY manufactures, markets and distributes innovative lines of diagnostic tests and reagents (substances used in chemical analysis). Stan Bauman, father of Scott and Sean, founded the company in 1979.

With a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology, Stan had been teaching at the University of Kentucky when his own father passed away. Stan decided to move back to Oklahoma to be closer to family (he had grown up in Norman) and to start a business.

There was some family land near Goldsby with a tractor and a metal barn that wasnt being used. Stan, who had focused on mycology (the study of fungi), didnt need the tractor, but he did use the barn, carving out a 15-foot square space where he went to work developing diagnostic tests for life-threatening fungal infections.For actor Yehezkel Lazarov, life and art have been imitating each other in some unusual ways.

The Israeli actor is starring in the new Broadway touring production of Fiddler on the Roof, which will come to the Tulsa PAC this week for an eight-performance run.

Lazarov plays Tevye, the milkman in a small Russian village trying to hold on to the traditions of his religion and his society, in spite of challenges from his three headstrong older daughters and threats from the outside world.

Lazarov has brought his family with him on tour  his wife and their three daughters, ages 15, 12 and 8.

Yes, there are many moments when life and art seem to clash, Lazarov said, laughing. And it has turned out to be one of the most beautiful experiences one could ask for.

You would expect that we would all end up hating each other before too long, but in fact, the exact opposite has happened, he said. If anything, it has brought us closer together. For most people, parenting is what happens in between all the other things you do in your life. But here, we have all this time together, and its created so many layers of connection and intimacy. Its really an amazing feeling.The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kaduna state chapter says it will challenge the legality of the religious bill recently pas...





The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kaduna state chapter says it will challenge the legality of the religious bill recently passed by the former State House of Assembly, in court.





The CAN state chairman, Reverend John Joseph Hayab, who spoke on the religious bill to newsman in Kaduna, said, We are going to court over the illegal action of the former lawmakers in the state who hurriedly signed the Religious Bill into law hurriedly before they left.





He added that Christians in the state would not accept the religious bill passed by the State House of Assembly, even if Governor Nasir El-Rufai assents on it.





According to the Christian body, the bill, which the former lawmakers endorsed before the House of Assembly was dissolved, is a breach of the fundamental rights of all Christians in the state which the constitution guaranteed, and its being studied for immediate legal action in the court of law.

I, as the chairman of CAN in the state or any official, was not invited for any preliminary hearing by the State House of Assembly on the bill that the House hurriedly passed before it was resolved. And even the Interfaith Council which they claimed would regulates the activities of Churches and Mosques in the state, most of the members dont understand what Christianity is, let alone regulating our religion.





They cannot regulate both private and public evangelism of Christians. What is the essence of Christianity if we cannot evangelise both privately and publicly? The law cannot work. We will not accept it, he said.





Besides, Hayab added, I was in America when the news of the Assembly endorsing the bill was announced. Now that I am back, we are going to challenge the unlawful bill that the people of Kaduna rejected.





He argued, Even if the Governor assent to the bill, we will challenge its legality. We will not accept anything that would trample on our fundamental rights to worship and evangelise. We will go to court and challenge it.



A Miami 18-year-old died in a crash along a state highway in Ottawa County on Friday, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Gabrielle P. Durham was driving east on Oklahoma 10 about 11:50 a.m. about 2 miles east of Miami when her 2008 Toyota Camry ran off the right side of the road and over-corrected left of center, troopers reported.

Durhams car then struck a pickup truck. She was pinned for about 1 hour, 15 minutes, the report states.

The pickup driver was not injured, troopers said.

Troopers attributed the crash to inattention and reported that there was a distraction inside Durhams car, but her condition at the time remains under investigation.

Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts, according to the report.

Kelsy Schlotthauer 918-581-8455 kelsy.schlotthauer@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @K_Schlott

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.The field-training officer fired his gun multiple times, and the man fell to the ground, Pierce said.

Pierce said officers rendered aid to the man once his weapon was secured, and he was taken to a hospital in serious condition.

The Gardea family was outside their home looking for their dog when the pursuit ended just down the street.

Javier Gardea, 14, said he heard sirens while he was walking with his cousin and then saw the cars on the street. They made it back to their driveway before the shots were fired, he said.

Javiers father, Ely Gardea, filmed the end of the pursuit and can be heard in the video yelling for his 8-year-old daughter, Yesenia Gardea, to take cover when the shots were fired.

Yesenia said she was scared until it was over and first responders took the man away in the ambulance truck.

Pierce said any pursuit in a busy area is worrisome, but this one was more so because of the circumstances.

We have an individual who has already shot at somebody, who has a gun, who has been in a pursuit with us, Pierce said. We dont know what that individual is going to do.Dots and dashes: Inhofe was among the bipartisan supporters of legislation to create a tax credit for adoptive parents. ... Third District Congressman Frank Lucas called for ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade. ... Lankford was among four senators to introduce legislation extending Pell Grant eligibility to all children and dependents of service members killed in action in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2011. ... Hern complained bitterly after the Democratic majority refused to allow a vote on his amendment to effectively ban carbon taxes. ... Inhofe said he doesnt believe an NBC report that President Donald Trump may pull the nomination of Patrick Shanahan for secretary of defense. Its just a phony report that the presidents going soft on this. Hes not. I talked to him as recently as yesterday, and hes still committed on Shanahan, Inhofe told The Hill. ... Fourth District Congressman Tom Coles amendment to an appropriations bill that would have preserved the right to refuse certain medical services on religious grounds failed 192-230.Adm. Joseph James Jocko Clark was born Nov. 12, 1893, in Indian Territory in an area that now includes Rogers County.

In 1917, he was the first Native American (Cherokee) to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy.

Clark served in a wide variety of military posts through the 1920s and the 1930s. He was an instructor at the Naval Academy in 1923-24 and then became a naval aviator in 1925. He was instrumental in the development of naval air power.

He served on several ships and fleet bases in the 1930s and was on the carrier Yorktown when World War II began. Clark was then assigned as the commander of the carrier Suwanee in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North Africa, until he was ordered to take command of the newly commissioned Yorktown.

In January 1944, Clark was promoted to rear admiral and was assigned to the new carrier Hornet. He was involved in raids on the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, the Marianas Islands, Iwo Jima and others. His fighting spirit earned him the nickname Patton of the Pacific.

Clark was promoted to vice admiral as he took command of the 7th Fleet during the Korean War. He retired in 1953 with the rank of four-star admiral. He died in 1971.It was hard for Briana Reavis to accept: The man whod always been there for her  the one shed first known as Dad  was gone.

It was so unexpected, said Reavis, who at the time of her adoptive fathers death was only 22.

I was grown, she added, but I would still sit in his lap. I was the epitome of a daddys girl.

If he wasnt present anymore physically, though, Reavis, of Broken Arrow, believed that her dad continued to watch over her.

That was never more evident to her than the day two years ago when her life was turned upside down following a DNA test.

On April 20, 2017, eight years to the day that her beloved adoptive father had died, Reavis biological father reached out to her for the first time.

Today  as she looks back on it and all the wonderful things that have happened since  Reavis likes to think her adoptive father, looking down on her from above, had something to do with arranging the date.

I think it was like a little wink from him to me, she said.

A loving, supportive homeFormer Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the minority principal officers of the 9th Senate. ...





Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the minority principal officers of the 9th Senate.





The Enugu-born politician expressed confidence in the ability of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members to be a formidable opposition in the Senate.





He tweeted at the weekend: I heartily congratulate my brother, friend, and ally, Distinguished Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on his emergence as the Minority Leader of the 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.





I also congratulate my brothers, Senators Emmanuel Bwacha, Philip Aduda, and Clifford Ordia on their emergence as Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip, Deputy Minority Whip, respectively.





Ekweremadu had lost his bid to retain his former position to incumbent DSP, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.There have been 200,000 families released into the country this year with court dates for asylum hearings, but 90% of them will never show up.

We drove up to one of these processing stations where seven people were being processed: a man from El Salvador, a woman from Honduras, two teenagers, and three small kids. The agents at this station told me they process 800 people a day, a little more than half of whom are children under the age of 8.

This is what President Trump is talking about when he says its a humanitarian crisis; this is the issue we must solve.

There are thousands of stories I could share from my brief trip to the border last week, but Ill leave you with these final thoughts.

I think all of my colleagues on this trip came home with an entirely new perspective on border security. Seeing the situation personally only legitimizes the fact that there is an humanitarian crisis and emphasizes that we cannot wait another moment to solve it.

Many of my colleagues refuse to go to our southern border because they dont want to be confronted with the fact that they are pushing false information. When you see the crisis for yourself, any political vendettas fade away.Three garages have been destroyed.

A massive explosion occurred in the late hours of Saturday in one of the garages in the backyard of a three-story residential house on Turgenev Street in central Kyiv, according to head of the Office for Civil Safety of the Kyiv City State Administration, Roman Tkachuk.

The cause of the explosion is being verified, the press service of the Kyiv mayor's office says.

The blast destroyed three private garages, reads the report.

Witnesses told dtp.kiev.ua the blast that could be heard 4-5 km from the epicenter broke 20 cm-thick concrete slabs, while the dust cloud rose 100 meters up.

The emergency team is working to dismantle debris.

No victims have been reported in the accident.

According to Roman Tkachuk, a local gas pipe was damaged therefore, gas supplies to a part of the house on 16 Turgenev Street will be cut off pending repairs.Tymchuk commented on the issuance of Russian passports to residents of the occupied Donbas from the perspective of international law.

Granting Russian citizenship to Ukrainians living in the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of a number of international treaties, as well as the de facto recognition by Russia of the fact that it is a party to the conflict, according to coordinator of the Information Resistance (IR) OSINT Group Dmytro Tymchuk.

"Having made a decision on issuing passports in Donbas, the Kremlin violated everything possible in international law: in fact, they recognized themselves a party to the conflict. [They violated] UN Security Council Resolution 2022 (2015) On the package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements and Art. 47 of the 4th Geneva Convention regarding the possibility of classifying such actions as depriving residents of the occupied territories of their citizenship," he said.

Read alsoU.S. envoy: It's provocative step for Russia to issue passports to citizens of another country

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said it had been working together with the international community to impose sanctions against the Russian Federation over the introduction of a simplified procedure for issuing Russian passports to Ukrainians living in the occupied Donbas.Riaboshapka expressed hope that the Constitutional Court would soon make a fair decision in the case.

Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Ruslan Ryaboshapka is convinced of the correctness and validity of the legal position regarding the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada and the appointment of early parliamentary elections.

Speaking on the air of one of Ukrainian TV channels, Riaboshapka said: "We are fully convinced that our legal position is correct, reasonable, and is based on the Constitution of Ukraine. I wouldn't like to predict what the decision will be, because this could be perceived as pressure on the Constitutional Court."

The official expressed hope that the Constitutional Court would soon issue a fair conclusion in the case on considering whether the relevant presidential decree is in line with the Basic Law.

Read alsoNumber of supporters of early parliamentary elections growing in Ukraine  poll

"I hope we will soon see what the decision will be, and it will be fair and based on the Constitution... The decree itself contains norms that became the basis for the dissolution of parliament, there is a reference there to those norms of the Constitution that concern the existence or lack of a coalition in the Verkhovna Rada. The position of the head of state is that, starting from a certain point, there was no coalition in the Verkhovna Rada, after three political forces left the coalition, that's when the coalition virtually disappeared, and the size of these two factions was significantly smaller than 226 deputies," said the official.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on May 21, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on early termination of the powers of the Verkhovna Rada and the appointment of early elections for July 21.

On May 24, representatives of the Popular Front submitted a submission to the Constitutional Court, asking to declare the decree on the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada unconstitutional.

On June 11, the Grand Chamber of the Constitutional Court commenced hearings in the case.

Zelensky spoke in court, expressing hope that the Constitutional Court would make a decision for which no one would not be "embarrassed." The court also heard the arguments of the representative of the president and the deputies. After that, the Grand Chamber of the Constitutional Court moved to a closed-door part of the plenary hearings.Also, the president thanked volunteer troops who had defended Mariupol.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated residents of the eastern Ukrainian strategic Azov Sea port City of Mariupol on the fifth anniversary of the liberation from terrorists.

According to the presidential press service, Zelensky flew to Mariupol Sunday to take part in local celebration events to mark the freeing of the city.

"You are free, you are real Ukrainians! I thank you that you saved Mariupol. Mariupol is Ukraine!" said Zelensky.

Read alsoZelensky to families of seamen captured by Russia: "They will be released soon"

The head of state stressed the importance of a conscious approach to propaganda. He noted that propaganda must not influence the inhabitants of Mariupol because they are "strong people."

On a separate note, the president thanked volunteer troops who had defended Mariupol.

With a minute of silence, the attendants of the celebrations honored the memory of fallen heroes.

The report says Zelensky visited a local fair where he "bought toys" for his children.

As UNIAN reported, on June 13, 2014, soldiers of the Azov Regiment, the National Guard, and other law enforcers freed Mariupol from Russian occupation forces.Kyiv maintains the law is meant to ensure that all Ukrainian citizens can speak the state's official language, and it denies that the law is discriminatory.

A draft statement expected to be issued at an upcoming EU-Ukraine summit will express Brussels' continued recognition of Ukraine's European aspirations while dropping criticism of the country's education law.

The statement, a copy of which was seen by RFE/RL, was approved by EU ambassadors on June 13 and subsequently sent to Kyiv for further remarks.

It says that "we acknowledged the European aspirations of Ukraine and welcomed its European choice, as stated in the association agreement."

The same sentence was present in the final communique of last year's EU-Ukraine summit but some EU member states, including France, Germany and the Netherlands, have recently been reluctant to commit to such positive language regarding future EU enlargement -- most notably in the statement celebrating the 10th anniversary of the bloc's Eastern Partnership in May 2019, where acknowledgment of the European aspirations of the bloc's eastern neighbors was omitted.

Read alsoMFA Hungary hopes Zelensky to resolve "problematic issues" around language law

In previous EU-Ukraine summit statements there have also been remarks about Ukraine's 2017 education law, pushed mainly by Hungary, which believes that the law restricts the right of Ukraine's ethnic Hungarian minority to be educated in their native language.

Kyiv maintains the law is meant to ensure that all Ukrainian citizens can speak the state's official language, and it denies that the law is discriminatory.

During the negotiations with fellow EU member states, Hungary welcomed the new Ukrainian administration's promise to look into certain aspects of the education law and agreed not to mention the issue in the statement, according to sources speaking on condition of anonymity.The Kremlin still does not understand what the new presidents approaches to the main issues on the agenda will be.

Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said Vladimir Putin has taken a wait-and-see position toward President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to Peskov, Putin is waiting, because there is still no understanding what the approaches of the new president of Ukraine will be to major items on the agenda, RBC reports with reference to Interfax.

In particular, the press secretary noted, the Kremlin does not understand what Ukraine's position will be toward Russia, and neither do they understand Zelensky's attitude to the Minsk agreements.

Read alsoKremlin comments on idea of expanding Normandy format

"In general, there is an approach and expectations of restrained optimism, but no one has clarity on what will happen in Kyiv, unfortunately," said Peskov.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hoped that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would quickly be able to "adapt" to the role of the Head of State.Earlier, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine declared that the so-called "Council" of the now non-existent Kyiv Patriarchate announced by Filaret would mean a split in church and entail "canonical consequences" for its participants.

Honorary Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Filaret ignored the earlier warning by the OCU and proceeded to sending bishops invitations to attend the council he has scheduled for June 20.

Earlier, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine declared that the so-called "Council" of the now non-existent Kyiv Patriarchate announced by Filaret would mean a split in church and entail "canonical consequences" for its participants, Cerkvarium reports.

The outlet has published a photo of one of the invitations, dated June 14.

Read alsoUkraine's Orthodox Church on Filaret's call for council: Any ex-UOC-KP events illegal

"I invite you to take part in the local council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, which will be held at the St. Volodymyr's Patriarchal Cathedral in the City of Kyiv on June 20, 2019, at 11:00," the document says.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Filaret appointed the date of the "Council", where he seeks to officially resume the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate.The presidency has welcomed the report of the European Union (EU) on the 2019 general election, promising to analyse it fully and act ...





The presidency has welcomed the report of the European Union (EU) on the 2019 general election, promising to analyse it fully and act on the recommendations.





Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.





Shehu said the EU observers were invited to the country by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and welcomed by the federal government.





He said this showed that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had good intentions.

In its report, the EU said there were marked improvements from previous elections, although it highlighted that more work needed to be done.





It also questioned the neutrality of INEC, condemning the violence witnessed in different parts of the country.





In its response, the federal government said it is working to address some of the concerns raised by the organisation.





The administration of President Buhari will work with all Nigerian citizens, state institutions, parties, civil society, the media and other experts to make sure that the improvements recommended by the EU are implemented, and that these areas of concern are addressed, Shehu said.





It is noteworthy that INEC is in receipt of a number of recommendations that form a part of the EU report. The presidency assures that the commission is in safe hands and happy that they are currently engaged in root and branch reviews of the 2019 general elections and will input lessons learned into its recommendations for electoral and constitutional reforms.





We believe that the commission conducted a good election and will continue to improve on its processes and procedures. While it is regretted that the elections in a few parts of the country witnessed some violence, among other shortcomings highlighted by the EU, we note however that none of these hitches affected the overall outcome of the elections.





Shehu expressed delight that the EU did not question the results of the presidential election, describing this as a further proof that the polls reflected the overall will of Nigerians, and that the world is solidly behind the election of President Buhari for a second term.



The measure is aimed at finding out more about the purpose of visits of Crimea residents.

The Ministry for the Temporary Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine decided to introduce monitoring at the de facto border with the Russian-occupied Crimea.

The anonymous survey will aim at learning more about the purpose of visits of the residents of the Russian-annexed Crimea to mainland Ukraine, Krym.Realii reports with reference to First Deputy Minister, Yusuf Kurkchi.

"This will allow for a more thorough analysis of the problems that residents in the occupied Crimea face, and to identify trends," said Kurkchi.

Read alsoRFE/RL: Eight Crimean Tatars jailed on extremism charges

He also said that, according to the monitoring conducted last year, the majority of the inhabitants of the peninsula go to mainland Ukraine to solve documentation problems, others travel for medical services.

There is a certain category of people that go for studying purposes, while a very small part crosses the administrative border to travel further, on vacation or on other matters," added Kurkchi.Luckily, no losses have been reported amid the attacks.

On June 15, Russian occupation forces in Donbas 21 times attacked the positions of Ukraine's Joint Forces, including four times  with the use of 120mm and 82mm mortars proscribed by the Minsk agreements, as reported by the JF Operation press center.

The enemy fired at Ukrainian defenders from weapons installed on infantry fighting vehicles, as well as from grenade launchers of various types, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms.

In the area of responsibility of the Skhid [East] operational-tactical grouping, the enemy opened fire at the positions of the Joint Forces 13 times: in Lebedynske, near Avdiyivka, Novotroyitske, Krasnohorivka, Vodiane, Verkhniotoretske, and Pisky.

Read alsoUkraine names Russians who downed Il76 with 40 paratroopers near Luhansk in 2014

In the area of responsibility of Pivnich [North] grouping, Ukrainian positions came under fire eight times: in Stanytsia Luhanska, Novoluhanske, in the vicinity of Krymske, near Zaitseve and Maiske.

Over the past day, no losses were repoted among Ukrainian troops.

According to intelligence data, on June 15 one occupier was killed in action.

On June 14, Russian occupation forces 24 times attacked the Ukrainian positions, including six times with the use of weapons banned by Minsk accords.The security commissioner has revealed disinformation acts aimed at influencing EU elections.

Pro-Kremlin social media accounts spread false claims that the EU has Nazi roots, the European commissioner for security has said in the first analysis of disinformation acts aimed at influencing last months EU elections.

Malicious actors sought to promote extreme views and polarise local debates, said Julian King, the British commissioner in Brussels, according to The Guardian.

Although there were no "spectaculars" such as the major email hacks that tarnished the 2016 U.S. presidential election, social media accounts promoting a pro-Russian narrative were active in amplifying divisive content on the internet, King said.

Countries targeted by bots and fake accounts in the run-up to the elections at the end of May included the UK, Poland, Latvia, Spain, and France.

King said: "There was an issue in Poland where false reports by [the Russian state news agency] Sputnik, which  let's be polite, let's call it as pro-Kremlin outfit  was reporting that the EU had made Poland poorer than it was under communism.

"Another story they were running was that President [Emmanuel] Macron wants to expel some current member states from the EU, therefore making any suggestion that others might join redundant.

Read alsoRFE/RL: Lithuania expels chief editor of Sputnik's local branch

"There was use of a fake account twitter account that is linked to Russia, and at the same time a pro-Russian Facebook group, to push an old report, a 2016 report, by the Katehon thinktank, claiming that the EU has Nazi roots. And that was accelerated and spread widely in the run-up to the elections."

The Katehon thinktank, a Christian rightwing outfit, claimed three years ago that the Nazi vision of a "united Europe" had formed the basis for the foundation of the EU.

A report published by the commission found "a continued and sustained disinformation activity by Russian sources aiming to suppress turnout and influence voter preferences" during the election.

"These covered a broad range of topics, ranging from challenging the unions democratic legitimacy to exploiting divisive public debates on issues such as of migration and sovereignty," the report added.

King said there was an increasing trend for social media accounts with a pro-Russian government line to use a "customised and carefully targeted approach  to amplify divisive content that is already out there to try and have an effect locally". "I don't know about you, but I don't think we should accept that as the new normal," he said.

The EU's East Stratcom Task Force, which monitors disinformation, had identified 1,000 cases linked to Russian sources since January, equating to a more than twofold increase on the same period in 2018.

Read alsoPOLITICO: Half of European voters may have viewed Russian-backed "fake news"

King said: "It is not necessarily about breaking the law, but it is about attempting to mislead, and that is what we want to try and push back."

A surge by populist parties, feared by many in Brussels, failed to materialize during the European elections, although both Marine Le Pen's National Rally in France and Matteo Salvini's far-right League party in Italy made gains, according to The Guardian.The European Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria on Saturday released the final report gathered from its observation of the ...





The European Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria on Saturday released the final report gathered from its observation of the 2019 general election.





The report highlighted a number of issues regarding the polls and gave 30 recommendations to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).





The mission, which had in its preliminary report released in April, adjudged the polls as characterised by violence, underage voting, and vote-buying, however, said the election recorded some improvements compared to past ones.





The systemic failings evident in the elections and the low levels of voter participation show the need for fundamental reform, it read.





Without this, there is a risk of unaccountable leadership and citizen disengagement. Such reform requires principled political leadership committed to the rights of Nigerian citizens and an inclusive process of national dialogue involving state institutions, parties, civil society, the media and other experts.





This needs to be urgently undertaken to allow time for debate, legislative changes and implementation well in advance of the next elections.





Below are some of the highlights from the report:





INEC RECORDED IMPROVEMENT





Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, and top officials of the commission

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) worked in a complex security and politically-charged environment, with its premises and officials subject to physical attacks and intimidation, it read.





INEC made a number of improvements, including making electoral participation more accessible through simplified voting procedures. INEC made efforts to strengthen electoral integrity by issuing regulations making smart card readers mandatory to accredit voters, but there were insufficient accompanying transparency measures.





Other procedural weaknesses continued, including in regards to checks and transparency in the results process. Severe operational shortcomings resulted in the elections being postponed by a week just five hours before polling was due to start on 16 February.





LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

The report said the 2019 polls recorded transparency issues even though it was highly competitive.





Nigerias 2019 general elections were marked by severe operational and transparency shortcomings, electoral security problems, and low turnout. Positively, the elections were competitive, parties were overall able to campaign and civil society enhanced accountability, it read.





The leading parties were at fault in not reining in acts of violence and intimidation by supporters, and in abusing incumbency at federal and state levels.





LESSER WOMEN PARTICIPATION

The EOM decried the decreasing participation of women in electoral positions.





Nigeria has the lowest rate of women in parliament in Africa, with the number progressively decreasing since 2011, it said.





The number of women elected fell again. These systemic failings show the need for fundamental reform so elections better serve the interests of the Nigerian people.





The proportion of women elected is well below the 30 per cent Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 35 per cent national targets. 203 Similarly, the proportion of female candidates for national and state-level elections generally reduced in comparison to 2015 by an average of two percentage points to 10 per cent





SUSPENSION OF CJN QUESTIONABLE

It said the suspension of Walter Onnoghen, former chief justice of Nigeria, is questionable, adding that due process was not followed.

It was seen by many as undermining security of tenure, damaging judicial independence and compromising the division of powers. The suspension did not follow due process, was divisive, and undermined confidence in the electoral process and opportunity for remedy.





The mission observed that questionable procedures were followed by the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The removal of the chief justice of Nigeria during the elections had an inhibiting effect on the judiciary.





Very few electoral offences result in arrest or prosecution, and thus there is an enduring culture of impunity.





OVER 100 ELECTION-RELATED DEATHS

Violence was recorded across some states, including Lagos and Delta during the polls, leading to loss of lives and property.

The elections became increasingly marred by violence and intimidation. This harmed the integrity of the electoral process and may deter future participation. Based on information available, around 150 people died in election-related violence during the campaign period and over the election days.





Approximately 145 people were killed in election-related violence, 84 of which were in the South South zone. This is a comparable figure to the 2015 general elections.





However, exact numbers of incidents and fatalities are hard to obtain and there are different views on what is categorised as electoral and political violence.





INECs CREDIBILITY QUESTIONABLE

INECs neutrality and ability to withstand political pressure was increasingly questioned, particularly following the September 2018 off-cycle governorship election in Osun, it said.









INEC operated in a highly politically-charged and complex security environment. Its officials and premises were subject to physical attack, including abductions and intimidation, and there were also difficulties with some inter-institutional arrangements.





A number of procedural weaknesses identified by previous EU election observation missions remained unaddressed, particularly regarding checks and transparency in the results process.





BIASED MEDIA

According to the report, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) was biased in its covering and reportage of the polls, adding that it gave preferential treatment to President Muhammadu Buhari.









There was evident partisan programming by the NTA. The joint share of exposure for the president, the government and the APC was over 84 per cent.





During the EU EOMs 46-day monitoring period, President Buhari had two hours and eight minutes of direct speech within the news, while Atiku Abubakar had seven minutes, it said.





Except for federal radio, state media primarily served the interests of the president or the governor at state level.





However federal government-owned TV clearly favoured the president and the ruling party.





FAKE NEWS FACTOR





Disinformation (fake/false narratives) was a key focus of political discussion with concern about its impact on the 2019 elections and risk of violence.119 Government officials repeatedly alerted the public to the risk of disinformation. People affiliated with both major parties posted false partisan information online.





GUBER POLL MORE ORDERLY THAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION





It judged the gubernatorial election as more orderly than its presidential counterpart.





Polling was more orderly and assessed more positively by EU observers in comparison to the 23 February election day.





TRANSPARENT COUNTING OF BALLOT

Overall, the counting of ballots was transparent. In 25 out of 28 observed polling units, results forms were filled in completely. But in 12 cases collation was assessed as bad or very bad. In most cases, results forms and smart card readers were not packed in tamper-evident envelopes when delivered to collation centres.





Meanwhile, Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, has promised to ensure the implementation of the recommendations.



Manchester United midfielder, Paul Pogba has finally opened up on his future at the club. Pogba said he could be leaving Old Traff...





Manchester United midfielder, Paul Pogba has finally opened up on his future at the club.





Pogba said he could be leaving Old Trafford this summer.





He has been linked with a move to both former club Juventus and Real Madrid.





Various reports state that United will not consider a bid of less than 150m for the French star.





However, Pogba who spoke to press conference in Tokyo, Japan, said he was considering his future following a challenging season.





Like you said, there is a lot of talking a lot of thinking as well, he said.





For me, I have been for three years in Manchester and have been doing great; some good moments and some bad moments, like everybody. LIke everywhere else.





After this season and everything that happened this season, with my season being my best season as well.





I think for me it could be a good time to have a new challenge somewhere else.



(@ChaudhryMAli88)

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jun, 2019 ) :Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Pakistan has seized 3176 kg narcotics valuing Rs 2.26 billion in international market, arrested 19 culprits including five females and impounded 10 vehicles while conducting 21 counter-narcotic strikes.

According to an ANF spokesman, the seized drugs comprised of 2654.45 kg Hashish, 17.2 kg heroin, 8.15 kg Methamphetamine (Ice), 5.9 kg opium, 1.63 kg amphetamine (Ice), 486 kg liqour and 23710x Xanax tablets.

ANF Quetta recovered 2521 kg drugs in two separate intelligence based operations conducted at Qilla Abdullah and District Panjgur.

ANF Rawalpindi arrested Muhammad Yaqoob and female accomplice namely Noor Bibi and recovered three kg Heroin from their personal possession. In another operation, ANF Rawalpindi arrested an accused namely Shahzeb r/o Peshawar at Islamabad International Airport and recovered 1.630 kg Amphetamine (Ice) form his suitcase. In third operation, ANF Rawalpindi arrested a female identified as Asia Bibi r/o Nowshera and recovered two kg Heroin from her personal possession. In fourth operation, ANF Rawalpindi recovered 2.4 kg Hashish form personal possession of the arrested female accused namely Afia r/o Charsadda. In Fifth operation, ANF Rawalpindi arrested two accused persons namely Umar Wahid & Khan Bacha both r/o Swat at Islamabad International Airport and recovered 20800 Xanax Tabs (weighing 2.85 Kg) from their bags. In sixth operation, ANF Rawalpindi arrested two accused persons identified as Touheed Ullah & Hamayun Khan and recovered two kg Hashish from their personal possession. In seventh operation, ANF Rawalpindi intercepted a car near Qutbal Toll Plaza, Attock and recovered four kg Hashish from personal possession of the arrested accused namely Saadat Ali r/o Attock.

ANF Lahore arrested two female accused namely Rukhsana Ashraf and Chanda bibi and recovered 2.4 kg Opium from their personal possession. In another operation, ANF Lahore arrested an accused namely Muhammad Yasin r/o Vehari at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore and recovered 7.1 kg Methamphetamine (Ice) from his bag.

In third operation, ANF Lahore arrested Shair Baz r/o Sargodha at Sialkot International Airport and recovered 1.050 kg Methamphetamine which was concealed in his hand bag.

ANF Peshawar arrested an accused person namely Arab Ali r/o Swabi at Peshawar International Airport and recovered 2910x Xanax Tabs (weighing 385 gram) which was concealed in plastic bottles placed in his bag. In another operation, ANF Peshawar arrested an accused namely Arsalan Khan r/o Charsadda at Peshawar International Airport and recovered two kg Heroin which was tactfully concealed in secret cavity of his bag. In third operation, ANF Peshawar conducted a raid at house located at outskirts of Shahkas, intercepted two vehicles and recovered a total of 10.2 kg Heroin and 3.5 kg Opium which was concealed in seats and trunk of the vehicles. In fourth operation, ANF Peshawar arrested Khwaja Mir r/o Khyber Agency at Peshawar International Airport and recovered 2.45 kg Hashish which was concealed in his brief case. In fifth operation, ANF Peshawar in collaboration with FC (North) intercepted two cars at Bara Road and recovered 20 kg Hashish and 40 kg Hashish respectively from both vehicles. In sixth operation, ANF Peshawar in collaboration with FC (North) intercepted two cars from desolated house located at outskirts of Jamrud and recovered 460 kg Liquor form both vehicles. In seventh operation, ANF Peshawar in collaboration with FC (North) intercepted two cars near Shin Qamar Check Post and recovered 25 kg Hashish and 35 kg Hashish respectively from both vehicles.

ANF Karachi arrested an accused person namely Sagheer Ahmed r/o Karachi Near Toba Masjid, Babi Bazar, Nazimabad Number 2, Karachi and recovered 1.6 kg Hashish from his personal possession. In another operation, ANF Karachi recovered one kg Hashish from personal possession of the arrested accused namely Akbar Ali r/o Karachi. He was arrested near Javed Clinic, Qabli Bazar, Nazimabad Number 2, Karachi.

All cases have been registered at respective ANF Police Stations under CNS Act 1997 and further investigations are underway.MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th June, 2019) Thailand's Department of Disease Control (DDC) announced a dengue fever epidemic in the country, local media reported, citing a department official.

According to DCC deputy director-general, Preecha Prempree, as cited by the Bangkok Post, as of June 11, at least 43 people died as a result of the virus and 28,785 people were reported to have caught it in 2019.

Prempree said that these statistics were double the five-year average and that the situation was similar in neighboring countries with similar climate and conditions. Prempree added that the government's failure to control the propagation of dengue mosquito larvae had caused the epidemic.

On Friday, Thailand's Public Health Ministry signed an agreement with several other state agencies, including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Interior Ministry and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, to control the mosquito larvae.

On June 11, the World Health Organization called for action to minimize illness and deaths from dengue as several Asian countries, including Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam, are experiencing unusually high numbers of dengue cases.After celebrating Holy Mass in Camerino, in the Italian Marches Region, Pope Francis recites the Angelus Prayer, thanking those who helped prepare for his visit, and remembering the saints next door. He also appeals for a resolution to conflict in the Middle East.

By Vatican News

Before reciting the Angelus after Mass, Pope Francis voiced his concern over increasing tensions in the Persian Gulf. I call on everyone, he said, to use the instruments of diplomacy to resolve the complex problems of the conflicts in the Middle East. I also renew to the international community my heartfelt appeal for every possible effort to be made to promote dialogue and peace.

Plight of Refugees

The Pope also recalled that June 20th marks United Nations World Refugee Day. This day invites everyone to show solidarity with men, women and children fleeing wars, persecution and violations of fundamental rights, he said. May our ecclesial and civil communities be close to them and attentive to their needs and sufferings.

Pope Francis then proceeded to greet not only those present in Piazza Cavour, in the town of Camerino, but also those who, through radio and television, have united themselves spiritually to this Holy Mass. He remembered especially the sick, the elderly, and prisoners, and thanked all those - institutions, organizations, associations and individuals - who worked for this brief but intense visit.

Saints next door

May you walk together and joyfully in the way of faith, hope and charity, said Pope Francis, faithful to the many witnesses of holiness of which your land is rich. Aside from famous individuals like St Nicholas of Tolentino, the Pope said he was thinking of the many figures of "saints next door" who have not been beatified or canonized, but who supported and transformed families and communities with the strength of their Christian lives.

A new Blessed

In this regard, Pope Francis mentioned the beatification, on Saturday in Sardinia, of Edvige Carboni. He described her as a simple woman of the people who in her humble daily life embraced the Cross, giving witness of faith and charity. The Pope invited those present to applaud the new Blessed, and said we should give thanks for this faithful disciple of Christ, who spent her whole life in the service of God and her neighbour.Mexico`s Government says it could be swamped with fifty thousand US asylum seekers and migrants soon, due to the agreement via which trade tariffs from Washington have been narrowly avoided.

By James Blears

Alejandro Encinas, who`s the Director of the Mexican Government`s Human Rights Department, warns there are already forty thousand asylum seekers in Mexico, but thousands more will swell their numbers to double that, or more by year end. So he and Secretary of the Interior Olga Sanchez are working on a National Human Rights Program, trying to stem, cope and help alleviate this crisis.

Sanchez says that the current situation has been inherited from previous Administrations. But also explaining that however harsh the truth is, it must now be recognized and dealt with. Earlier today, the Director of Mexico`s Migration Institute Tonatiuh Guillen resigned.

Mexico, which is sending thousands of National Guard down South to try and secure its Southern Border, has little more than a month to prove to Washington and President Donald Trump that it has drastically reduced the flow of migrants from Central America, entering and traversing its territory. If it can`t...then US trade sanctions will be wielded and bite deeply into the fragile thin layered Mexican economy. The United States could also demand that Mexico thereafter, be used as a holding area for ALL migrants globally, who want to cross over on to US territory.Cha ca (Source: CNN)

The capital city, with more than a thousand years of history and a rich culture, has been renowned for its diverse food scene. However, cha ca (fish cooked with turmeric and dill), banh tom (shrimp cake), bun ca (fish noodle soup), bun rieu cua (crab noodle soup), and ca phe trung (egg coffee) are strongly recommended by CNN.

CNN said Hanoians consider cha ca to be so exceptional that there is a road in the capital dedicated to the dish  Cha Ca Street. The dish itself dates back more than 130 years ago. It was first invented by the local Doan family, who served the special meal to troops during the French colonial rule.

Cha ca (Photo: baotintuc.vn)

Giving detailed ingredients of banh tom with freshwater crayfish or shrimp from West Lake, flour and sweet potato, CNN said that it is typically served with lettuce leaves for wrapping, plus chili, lime juice, and fish sauce for dipping. Banh tom is thought to have become common in the 1930s when small street vendors began congregating along Thanh Nien Street -- a road that separates West Lake and Truc Bach Lake.

Banh tom (Photo: VNA)

The US-based television network suggested visitors try bun ca at lunch time. Bun ca, combining fried fishcakes, dill, tomatoes, green onions and perilla, can be found anywhere at the time.

Bun ca (Source: afamily.vn)

Bun rieu is another gastronomic delight of Hanoi. Visitors will have a perfect meal when they add to a bowl of bun rieu- a meat or seafood vermicelli soup with a distinctive crimson colour, requisite plateful of lime wedges, chili and greens.

Bun rieu (Source: thanhnien.vn)

Meanwhile, Vietnamese ca phe trung is a Hanoi specialty in which creamy soft and meringue-like egg white foam is perched on dense Vietnamese coffee. It is served in both cold and hot versions. -VNAEgrets surround a group of cows as they gather on the top a rubbish pile at a waste dump in Meulaboh, Aceh province on Jun 8, 2019. (File photo: AFP/Chaideer Mahyuddin)

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).Signs indicate land for sale in Long Thanh district in Dong Nai province, site of the proposed new airport. (VNS File Photo)

Suoi Trau commune ceases to exist and adjustments and mergers will be done to Cam Duong, Long An, Long Phuoc, Bau Can and Binh Son communes.

A huge number of advertisements have come up on roads in communes near the proposed Long Thanh Airport, including for the Long Thanh Airport Urban Area project in Loc An commune.

A real estate broker named Nam in Loc An said 41 out of 49 plots in the project have been sold at 1.3  1.4 billion VND (60,000 USD) for plots of 100sq.m.

However, buyers find it difficult to check the legality of lands. Chairman of the Loc An Commune Peoples Committee Nguyen Tan Long said he could not provide any information about them because his administration does not oversee the real estate projects.

Buyers could get information about them from the Long Thanh District Peoples Committee, he said.

Ly, the owner of a coffee shop in Long An commune, said land prices in the area had increased from 200,000 VND per sq.m three years ago to 2-3 million VND now.

In the past few months, with land prices around the airport increasing relentlessly, many people in Binh Son, Long An and Cam Duong have become real estate agents.

Nguyen Thi Hang Thuy, a farmer in Binh Son commune, said she could earn a profit of 600-700 million VND from a 1,000sq.m plot of land she bought two months ago.

She said Binh Son residents are happy because the airport project has forced land prices up and helped locals like herself get a "new and better" life.

Vo Tan Duc, Chairman of the Long Thanh District Peoples Committee, said authorities are seeking to remove illegal constructions, including works by Alibaba Vietnam, in the district.

The Dong Nai Province Peoples Committee has instructed relevant agencies to call for tenders to do survey and land pricing consulting for the Long Thanh International Airport project. It ordered them to adjust land prices.

According to the committee, construction of the airport is scheduled to start late next year.For safety reasons, worshippers attending the first mass at Notre-Dame since the devastating fire will be expected to don hard hats AFP/Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT

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 6pm (12am Sunday, Singapore time) 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 Jun 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 Apr 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 850 million (US$960 million) had been made from prominent French businessmen and ordinary citizens but only around 10 per cent has been donated so far.

France Info public radio said just 80 million 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.The URL has been copied to your clipboard

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President Donald Trump says he's sending additional U.S. troops to Poland as part of an agreement to broaden military cooperation with the ally. Trump announced the agreement alongside Poland's President Andrzej Duda at the White House Wednesday.Saturn Power has developed wind, solar and battery storage projects with a combined 200 megawatts of capacity, according to its press release.

Not only will we be providing more clean, locally sourced energy to our community and hardening our grid, but we expect to save money over the life of these projects, Bartlett Electric Cooperative CEO Bryan Lightfoot wrote in the press release.

In email responses to questions, Lightfoot said the five cooperatives participating in the project serve about 125,000 meters. He said South Plains Electric Cooperative is the largest provider, serving 58,000 meters.

Basically, this project started with a conversation between myself and the CEO of Comanche Electric Cooperative, Alan Lesley, Lightfoot wrote in the email.

He said the five cooperatives involved are among 16 that own Brazos Electric Power Cooperative.

We reached out to all 16 members and inquired about interest, he wrote. Eight initially joined the project, but by the time we reached the end of planning, only five had decided to move forward.The way we bought the property, even though some of it is in Bellmead and some of it is in Lacy Lakeview, was with the condition that we turn it into a sort of rails-to-trails opportunity, Reed said. We wouldnt be allowed to develop is as anything other than that.

A Mars Drive project that has been in the works since 2014 is also up for a grant. The two-lane road has been in disrepair for some time, and heavy traffic and congestion around Midway High School and Midway Middle School poses a hazard to students trying to get to school on foot.

Were trying to create a link between Woodgate Intermediate School that ties to the middle school and high school, Reed said.

Reed said there have been about seven auto-pedestrian collisions in the area since 2012, many involving students. The plans for Mars Drive include a traffic signal at Old Hewitt Drive and Mars Drive, where police officers now direct traffic every morning during the school year, in addition to rehabbing the worn road.When Trini Carbajal got a phone call from one of his daughters on the night of Jan. 26, he knew his family was going to change forever.

I was trying to keep everyone calm, Carbajal said. First I got a call from a friend of ours who said, I think, and I didnt know who she was talking about at first, but she said, your kids mother got hit.' I didnt know if it was my grandkids mother, but at first, I didnt realize who she was talking about, but she said, shes been hit and I think its bad. 

Follow-up phone calls revealed Carbajals ex-wife, Ethel Riojas, 59, of Bellmead, was hit by a car in a poorly lit stretch in the 3600 block of Bellmead Drive at about 8:40 p.m. Carbajal went to the hospital where the mother of his two daughters and one son was pronounced dead.

Both my daughters called and were real hysterical, crying, and I headed to the hospital to try to keep everyone calm, Carbajal said. It didnt hit me hard until I was at her funeral.

For Bellmeads size, an unusually high number of families there have gone through their own version of that night.We suggest another alternative to resolving this sticky wicket. Its one the master showman himself might otherwise admire. It goes like this: Start a fire, declare a crisis, then establish full disclosure and truth as the only ways to put it out. Loudly declare a midsummer deadline by which all documents, witnesses and everything else requested or subpoenaed must be furnished. Failure to comply triggers articles of impeachment. This prevents Trump from running out the clock, gives voters what they need and, if theres to be an impeachment, insulates the House against charges of political opportunism.

We cant guarantee success. What we know is that whatever lessons history might otherwise offer are liable to apply less these days than they once did. We also know that impeachment has a way of refocusing the attention. Hours and hours of televised hearings on what the president knew, what he did to cover up what he knew, promises just the kind of broad appeal the Trump administration is working very hard to avoid. Likewise, letting hard evidence of corruption and incompetence continue to pile up through the primaries and into the general election is not a bad way to keep the presidents record low approval ratings in the cellar.His answer in 1994 was the latter  a Walmart supplier representative then finding himself in the most at-ease yet arguably oddest company town in the country, a place where so many owe their souls to the company store because, well, the company store is the largest in the universe. Like a fast-acting Stockholm Syndrome in an aerosol can promoted at rollback pricing, this local hybrid culture of getting along in overall niceness, as one business sociologist from up north pegged it decades ago, overtakes you. And in contrast to the preceding, poignant and sometimes tearful celebration of life that had just taken place at the First United Methodist Church just off the square where Sam Walton opened his first namesake dime store, the annual Walmart Shareholders Week was in full swing. Thousands of shareholders and store employees from around the world descend upon the region to celebrate the previous years financial results and hear company execs and visiting celebrities offer pep talks for the current year. Its the Mardi Gras of Northwest Arkansas. The only corporate shindig that might compare is the Berkshire Hathaway annual soiree for shareholders and analysts in Omaha.An oft-quoted, seldom-applied truism holds that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. So what have we here in Central Texas learned from watching a presidential administration based partially in nearby Crawford predicate its 2003 decision to invade Iraq on faulty intelligence or at least faulty interpretations of it? We sat back and cheered as military personnel, many from Central Texas, marched off to a war Saudi allies warned would upset the balance of power in the Mideast. They were right. Meanwhile, we reveled in our tax cuts and booming economy as troops got bogged down for years in a quagmire. Nearly 5,000 Americans died.

Now another administration blames Iran (probably correctly) for the latest attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman; Iranian officials deny this. Thursdays attacks erupted as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan visited Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to reduce tensions between Iran and the United States, the latter of which broke a treaty the United States and some of its allies earlier negotiated to block Iranian development of nuclear weapons  a treaty that even by Trump administration admissions Iran had honored.Kennaston expected more than 300 entertainers and about 1,000 people to attend the show. The festival that has gone on for more than two decades sees many people come back year after year.

She has made many friends who are just like family now.

The music is great, but its more of the family reunion, she added.

While the show is just as big as ever, Kennaston said fewer people are camping out at the fairgrounds in recent years. That perhaps is generational style. Some of the older attendees who are coming to the show can no longer camp out and the younger crowd doesnt camp out.

Still, it is expected that campers will start arriving this Sunday in preparation for the festival.

Kennaston said there has been some concerns this year with road detours because of flooding. She said regular folks coming from Iowa, for example, may have to find alternate routes.

Area people who dont need to find alternative routes are encouraged to attend as well. Kennaston said the music at the festival may not be to everyones taste, but she hoped that area residents would support the show by at least stopping by.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.He looked at the several dozen vials of medicines that I had been taking and threw away about 20 of them. And he sent me for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test to determine whether my condition had affected my brain. Since Kohlerman had been my physician for several years, he had known me when I was well, and that I had been healthy for virtually all of my life  an important element in being able to spot signs of delirium and put things into perspective.He felt he and his wife had a simple message  stay away from screens. Now, they were contradicting themselves  first, get on the computer, and do your homework, then, get off the computer, and avoid too much screen time. His sons found it easy to switch from homework to online games, some of which they discovered on their school districts website.Police said Robert Bramwell, of the District, was hit when he entered the roadway at 10:51 p.m. Police said Bramwell was not in a crosswalk and did not have the right of way. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.The incident occurred about 1:30 p.m. at Church Road and Fairview Vista Drive as the pedestrian, described only as male, was crossing, the police said. It was not clear which of the two thoroughfares he was crossingThe bill to ban LGBTQ discrimination in housing was one of five pieces of legislation that Wexton has introduced since taking office in January. Two were connected to this years federal government shutdown, one was related to opioid research, and another  the only one to pass the House  would strengthen enforcement of laws against financial crimes.This leads to her other core principle: that the economy starts not with the investor but with the worker, who had a starring role in the New Deal era spanning the 1930s to the 1970s. Enhancing blue-collar purchasing power was the way we drove prosperity. Sen. Bernie Sanderss speech last week defining democratic socialism highlighted not foreign models but the need to take up the unfinished business of the New Deal and carry it to completion. In defending a very similar objective, Warren proposes capitalism of a bottom-up sort, with antitrust policies aimed at making the economy more competitive by busting up economic behemoths.State officials initially thought human error caused the problems, but they could not be sure. They got more concerned after a report that the Kremlin had targeted an election vendor  that is, a third-party company that provides election hardware or software to state and local governments  involved in polling book software. The company from which Durham County got its polling book software, VR Systems, claims that it did not hear from DHS until September 2017, months after a news report revealed that the Russians had targeted an election services firm matching its description, and that, when it did hear, word came in the form of a strange 2 a.m. phone call.On the surface, a decision that courts have no role in trying to decide when there has been too much partisan interference would not help Republicans more than Democrats. The court is considering a North Carolina plan drawn by Republicans to give the party a huge edge, and a Maryland congressional district drawn by Democrats to oust a longtime Republican incumbent.As pressure has mounted in recent weeks on House Democrats to move more aggressively against Trump, Pelosi has demonstrated the firm grip she wields over her caucus  quashing, at least for now, the push for impeachment. It is a command that colleagues say is drawn from a deep well of respect for the political wisdom of the most powerful woman in American politics  and fear that challenging her comes with the risk of grave cost to ones career.She also said that if Biden wins the nomination, it will be absolutely important that we defeat Donald Trump. She cautioned, though, that her party should not repeat the mistake of the last presidential election., during which people felt worse about both candidates in 2016 than they have in a very long time. When it comes to who we select as a presidential candidate, we have to really factor in the enthusiasm of voters, she said. I think that was an issue that we had in 2016.Sue Dvorsky, a former chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party, described Trump as a human flash-bang grenade and said everybody in the party is wrestling with the question of not just how to go at Trump but how the rules of political warfare in general have changed. The debate centers on how the party competes with a sitting president who so openly flouts the norms of political conduct and ethics and whether Democrats should consider doing the same.The campaign has taken particular pride in running a more functional operation than in 2016. Advisers such as Parscale, Justin Clark and Bill Stepien have visited key states such as Pennsylvania to meet with state party leadership and activists. The campaign has moved to install Trump loyalists as state party chairmen and delegates for the convention and has sought to project a sense of unity with the RNC in its sprawling headquarters overlooking the Potomac River in Rosslyn. They have hired dozens of people  eclipsing the size of the ragtag Trump operation in 2016.He said it was worthwhile to look at the U.S. peace plans. We need fresh ideas, we need to think out of the box, he said. While previous thinking was that normalization with Arab countries would come after a peace deal, today Israel feels there is a different equation and that cooperation can lead to a peace process, he said.Yet, Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen has not pushed for the man to be sent to Taiwan and instead has spoken against the extradition bill, saying Thursday she would not become a culprit to an evil law. Taiwan has also said it will not be involved in any extradition proposals that imply it is part of China.This is a historic day, Netanyahu said at Sundays meeting. We are going to do two things: Establish a new community on the Golan Heights, something that has not been done for many years. This is an act of Zionism, and it is paramount.None of this is recommended by U.S. officials, and some of it might be illegal under Food and Drug Administration guidelines. But the organizers of the caravan  their word, a nod to the migrants traveling in groups through Mexico to the U.S. border  are speaking out about their trip because they want Americans to see how drug prices push ordinary people to extremes.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.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.For the 300,000 people who visit Uluru each year, the 2009 plan to stop tourists climbing the rock spelt the beginning of the end of an iconic Australian climb.

But for a group of enterprising Sydney businessmen, it presented an opportunity that just months after its inaugural liftoff has now landed in the NSW Supreme Court.

Flying high: The Skyship Uluru in operation. Credit:Skyship ULuru

The group, including David Adler and Malcolm Beville, a former Macquarie Banker and son of wealthy developer John Beville dreamt up SkyShip Uluru.

The giant blimp - the first of its kind in the world - would allow visitors to again enjoy stunning panoramic views as it hovered 150 metres above the ground.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.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 ...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.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 opposition leader Matthew Guys poor image among voters, Malcolm Turnbulls dumping as prime minister and a lopsided focus on law-and-order issues all contributed to the partys heavy loss at November's state election, an internal review has found.

Senior Liberal strategist Tony Nutt delivered some home truths to the faithful in an address to the annual state council on Sunday, telling them the party needed to get tougher and connect better with swinging voters, or face being in permanent opposition.

Senior Liberal strategist Tony Nutt delivers an assessment of the party's failed 2018 election campaign. Credit:Luis Ascui

Labor Premier Daniel Andrews and his team won because they effectively framed the political contest around their agenda of road and rail upgrades, while marginalising Liberal campaign talking points on crime and cost of living, Mr Nutt said.

Defined leadership at a state level is critical, he said in his preliminary election review. Like all electorally successful leaders in both sides of politics in Victoria, including Jeff Kennett, Andrews built a sufficient public perception as a competent, hard-working premier who had a plan and a team and who knew what he wanted to do and how to do it.Sebas Bastian of Titan Funds

by Richard Coulson

When I visited the East Bay Street head office of Investar Securities at 10 AM Monday June 3rd, a dozen citizens were already there waiting to subscribe to either of the two Titan Mutual Funds being launched. They had been attracted by the intensive publicity campaign that started ten days earlier when over two thousand people gathered at the BahaMar Convention Centre to hear Sebas Bastian and his team tell Bahamians why to consider investing in the Funds, followed by a second-by-second countdown clock shown on print and digital media leading up to Mondays 9 AM kick-off moment.

This marketing effort had its gestation years ago, when in 2009 Imaginative young entrepreneur Sebastian Bastian founded the Island Luck gaming venture (or web shop), which in 2014 became a legally recognized operation regulated by the Bahama Gaming Board. Government granted licenses for eight gaming houses, with premises throughout the country. Barred from our hotel casinos, Bahamians could now satisfy their itch to play the numbers on hundreds of screens showing on-line results of U.S. state lotteries. Island Luck (under its corporate name Playtech Systems Limited) soon became the dominant web shop, recruiting and training good managers and technicians to handle the largest number of playersand naturally collecting the highest fee revenues from punters risking their cash against the odds of a pay-off.

The current Fund offering is a classic example of cross-selling, practiced by any sales organization: if one product sells well, that creates a captive market of contented customers willing to try another product. The 40,000 account holders of Island Luck have found that its easy-to-play games give them fair odds, win or lose. Naturally, they are favorably inclined to consider an investment product offered by Mr. Bastian.

Island Lucks success has enabled him to create other ventures, in mortgage finance, property and construction development, and television production, and to found charities. It is in good standing with the Treasury, having resolved financial issues after last years increase in taxation rates for gaming companies, with all assessments duly paid.

A sound underlying structure was created for the Titan Funds, which were approved after close scrutiny by the Bahamas Securities Commission. Over-all management responsibility lies with their Boards of Directors and with the sponsoring firm Investar, a licensed securities dealer. Its principals in addition to Mr. Bastian, include such stalwarts as Hillary Deveaux, former Executive Director of the Commission, Lowell Mortimer, attorney and shipping executive, and Felix Stubbs, long-time head of IBM Bahamas. The task of implementing the Funds objectives by selecting specific investments has been contracted to Leno Corporate Services, another licensed securities dealer and member of BISX.

The crucial position of Evaluation Agent has been assigned to the BDO international accounting firm, whose local unit is headed by senior practitioner Clifford Culmer. The Evaluation Agent will determine the continuing Net Asset Value (NAV) of the Funds and their underlying holdings, thus setting the price for monthly buying and redeeming of Fund shares. Although this appointment was not named in the initial offering documents, in my interview with Mr. Bastian he assured me it would be confirmed to Fund shareholders

Its too early to predict total Fund subscriptions during the initial month-long offering period, or how they will be split between the two Funds. There will probably be no shortage of investors attracted to this offering; the challenge will be to quickly turn their cash into appropriate investments. The Fixed Income Fund, with a minimum $1,000 subscription, authorized for Government Bonds and other interest-bearing securities, may initially grow more rapidly, given Bahamians traditional preference for current yield over capital gain.

However, the Balanced Fund, available for only $500, has special features that will appeal to more adventurous investors. It can invest up to 50% of its portfolio in equities and special situations, including 35% in Playtech Systems (Island Luck). This investment cannot exceed 5% of Playtechs issued shares, subject to increase approved by the Gaming Board. Although no financial statements are available, Island Luck is generally assumed to be very profitable, and its fair value in the Fund will be determined by the Valuation Agent.

While our two established investment banks, Royal Fidelity and CFAL, already continuously offer an assortment of well-structured bond and equity mutual funds to Bahamian investors, the special features of the Titan Funds and the more aggressive marketing to smaller investors and Family Island residents may result in a substantial increase in the quantity of mutual funds outstanding. This will be a welcome development, since we sorely need more economic democracy evidenced by wider ownership of growth-oriented investment securities rather than bank deposits.

The success of the Titan Funds will be grounded on the reputation of Mr. Bastian and the Bahamas gaming industry, which are now beyond doubt. While there will always be citizens and religious groups who object to monetary games of chance on moral or spiritual groundsthat is their privilegeits clear that our economy benefits from the financial contributions and educated employment opportunities. The gaming industry is here to stay.

The views expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of WeblogBahamas.com (which has no corporate view) or its Authors.

First published in The Tribune and posted here with the kind permission of the author.This article was published 16/6/2019 (930 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Its Fathers Day so lets kick things off with a story about dogs?

Ten years ago a homeowner in St. James opened his front door to let his cat in for the night. While the feline was taking its sweet time deciding whether to enter or not, the mans two German shepherds bolted past him, disappearing down the street into the darkness.

Meanwhile, three blocks away at 2053 Portage Ave., John and Lynn Dusessoy, owners of Sargent Sundae, a cheery, neighbourhood ice cream parlour celebrating its 35th anniversary this July, were getting ready to close when they spotted a pair of pooches parked on the sidewalk in front of their premises, tails-a-wagging.

"We get a lot of dogs here, inside and on the patio, so I always keep a few leashes behind the counter, just in case," says John, seated next to his wife, both of them wearing matching, red T-shirts emblazoned with an image of their Dudley Do-Right-esque mascot. "I approached them  they were friendly as heck  and after checking their tags, was able to get in touch with their much-relieved owner. As it turned out, he walks by here all the time and sometimes stops to treat his dogs to ice cream. So if those two finding their way here at 11 at night isnt the best advertisement we could ever ask for, I dont know what is."

Andrew (left), William, Lynn and John Dusessoy stand in front of the family business at the corner of Portage Avenue and Overdale Street.

In 1984, John Dusessoy, a University of Manitoba commerce graduate, was working as an assistant accountant at a bank in Ponoka, Alta. Unsure he was cut out to be a banker, before leaving Winnipeg he told his father Julien Dusessoy, at the time the co-owner of a real estate firm, to keep his eyes open for any business opportunities that appeared promising. In March of that year, the elder Dusessoy gave his son a call, informing him there was a property for sale at the corner of Sargent Avenue and Sherbrook Street he might want to take a look at.

There was nothing there to see, just a vacant lot, John says, but over the phone his father surmised it would be an excellent location for an ice cream shop. Furthermore, his dad had already discussed the idea with his real estate partners husband, Roy Bowman, who was working for Silverwood Dairies but was about to get "the golden handshake."

"To make a long story short, there we were a few weeks later, Roy with his extensive knowledge of the dairy industry and me with my commerce degree, co-owners of what we hoped was going to be a successful ice cream parlour," John says.

A Banana Split.

Following a five-month construction period, Sargent Sundae, a tag the two men settled on largely to indicate precisely what thoroughfare their shop was situated on (their second choice for a name was the simian-sounding King Kone), officially opened for business July 7, 1984. Not long thereafter, a fellow who owned a nearby restaurant stuck his head inside and loudly announced, "Ice cream, huh? I give it two months tops."

"I dont know what hes up to these days," John says with a wink, "but I promise you were still going strong."

From the get-go, the West End location proved to be ideal, says Lynn, whose sister used to own a flower shop on Sherbrook Street, a set of circumstances that directly led to her meeting her future husband, who discreetly whispered to his staff, "Thats OK, Ill handle this customers order," the first time she popped by for a milkshake in the mid-1980s.

Sargent Sundae owner William Dusessoy holds a family photo showing the shop has always been a family affair.

"Back then it was a real melting pot of Greeks, Portuguese, Yugoslavians you name it, where everybody owned their own homes, took pride in their yards and always had money left over for ice cream," she says.

In 1987 John told his father it might be time to expand. While he and Bowman were able to make ends meet on Sargent Avenue, he wasnt sure running one ice cream parlour between the two of them would generate enough income down the road if he ever decided to get married and start a family. Days later they inquired about renting the ground floor of a two-storey brick building directly across Portage Avenue from the Assiniboine Park footbridge, a couple doors down from where the elder Dusessoy worked.

"The location couldnt be beat but it had sat vacant for two years and needed a complete overhaul," John says of the former vacuum sales/repair shop. "During the renovation period, we basically took everything right down to the studs. Between new walls, new ceiling, flooring and equipment, we ended up spending a quarter of a million dollars to bring it up to shape. I dont even want to know what that would come out to in todays dollars."

On a busy day, customers will be lined up out the door before they get to give their order to employees such as Hannah Hooper.

For the next nine years John operated the Portage Avenue outlet  no, they never considered dubbing it Portage Sundae to differentiate between the two locations  while Bowman remained at the original shop. They dissolved the West End operation in 1996, when Bowman announced he was going to retire. In 2001, after 14 years of renting their St. James space, John and Lynn, who purchased Bowmans 50 per cent of the business in 1997, bought the building outright, which includes a second-floor, three bedroom suite, the long-time occupants of which enjoy an added perk: heavily discounted ice cream.

The Dusessoys wish they had a dollar for every time an ex-Winnipegger, a person who grew up coming to their shop with his or her parents, has approached their glass display counter, home to 24 varieties of hard ice cream, and stated, "I just got off a plane 30 minutes ago and this is the first place I came to, now that Im back in town." Or, with a cooler in tow, told them they were just heading home to Calgary, Toronto or wherever and were making a final pit stop for some peanut bars or tortoise pie, all made in-house, before driving to the airport.

The park next to Sargent Sundae is a popular place for customers to enjoy their ice cream.

"It sounds funny but people have a strong, emotional attachment to ice cream, the same way they do to their favourite burger or pizza joint. Why else would a person drive all the way to Lockport for a hotdog?" John says. "For example, tonight as a surprise Im dropping off a bunch of frozen novelty items at a wedding reception for a bride and groom whove been coming here on dates for years. On a sadder note, people tell us this was their grandfathers or aunts favourite spot, and how much it would mean to them if we served our ice cream at their loved ones funeral." (How great is this? While Sargent Sundae is annually closed from November to March, a woman who satisfied her pregnancy cravings there a few summers ago couldnt wait until spring to share her good news, stopping in the middle of winter to write, "ITS A GIRL!!" with her finger on the Dusessoys front window.)

"Im not good with names, but if you come here often enough I almost never forget your order," Lynn says, noting if things arent too busy and she eyes a regular parking their car out front, shell usually have their banana split or sundae ready before they set foot inside the door. "Lots of times John and I will be having supper and Ill say something like, Skor flurry lady was in today or Guess what? Super vanilla guy dropped by this afternoon."

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The ability to properly twist a cone or sprinkle nuts is essential when hiring new staff, John and Lynn agree, but a background in meteorology helps, too. Sure, there are going to be line-ups out the door and around the corner every Mothers Day or Canada Day, they say, but because their chosen field is so weather-dependant, their busiest day of the year could be a Tuesday in September. Or a Wednesday in April.

Sargent Sundae changes its frozen yogurt flavours every week or so.

"There was one spring a couple years ago when it got so hot, so fast, the entire week was just insane," Lynn says, mentioning their two grown sons, 27 and 25, are now heavily involved in the business as well. "On the other hand, last summer when the temperature was in the high 30s for most of July  when most people thought we were being run off our feet  it wasnt too crazy in here at all. When its scorching hot, people arent out walking their dogs or riding their bikes. Theyre sitting inside with a cool one. A sunny day when the temperatures in the mid-20s? Thats absolutely perfect."

By the way, if you think a person who runs an ice cream parlour for a living habitually skips past the frozen food aisle at the supermarket, think again. Last August, on a rare day off, John and Lynn were at home entertaining company when somebody openly wondered if they had any ice cream.

"There wasnt any in our freezer so I ran out to the store to pick up a carton," Lynn says. "Except wouldnt you know it; somebody who comes to the store all the time recognized me, and asked why in the world I was buying ice cream. I turned beet red, I was so embarrassed."

David Sanderson writes about Winnipeg-centric businesses and restaurants.

david.sanderson@freepress.mb.caPARIS - The chief executive of Boeing said the company made a "mistake" in handling a problematic cockpit warning system in its 737 Max jets before two crashes killed 346 people, and he promised transparency as the aircraft maker works to get the grounded plane back in flight.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/6/2019 (930 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)

PARIS - The chief executive of Boeing said the company made a "mistake" in handling a problematic cockpit warning system in its 737 Max jets before two crashes killed 346 people, and he promised transparency as the aircraft maker works to get the grounded plane back in flight.

Speaking before the industry-wide Paris Air Show, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg told reporters Boeing's communication with regulators, customers and the public "was not consistent. And that's unacceptable."

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has faulted Boeing for not telling regulators for more than a year that a safety indicator in the cockpit of the top-selling plane didn't work as intended.

Boeing and the FAA have said the warning light wasn't critical for flight safety.

It is not clear whether either crash could have been prevented if the cockpit alert had been working properly. Boeing says all its planes, including the Max, give pilots all the flight information  including speed, altitude and engine performance  that they need to fly safely.

But the botched communication has eroded trust in Boeing as the company struggles to rebound from the passenger jet crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

"We clearly had a mistake in the implementation of the alert," Muilenburg said.

Pilots also have expressed anger that Boeing did not inform them about the new software that's been implicated in the fatal crashes.

FILE - In this Monday, April 29, 2019 file photo, Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg speaks during a news conference after the company's annual shareholders meeting at the Field Museum in Chicago. Boeings CEO says the company made a mistake in handling a problematic cockpit warning system in 737 Max jets ahead of two deadly crashes of the top-selling plane. Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg told reporters in Paris on Sunday, June 16 that the companys communication was not consistent, calling that unacceptable.(AP Photo/Jim Young, file)

Muilenburg expressed confidence that the Boeing 737 Max would be cleared to fly again later this year by U.S. and all other global regulators.

"We will take the time necessary" to ensure the Max is safe, he said.

The model has been grounded worldwide for three months, and regulators need to approve Boeing's long-awaited fix to the software before it can return to the skies.

Muilenburg called the crashes of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines jets a "defining moment" for Boeing, but said he thinks the result will be a "better and stronger company."

In the United States, Boeing has faced scrutiny from members of Congress and the FAA over how it reported the problem involving a cockpit warning light.

The feature, called an angle of attack or AoA alert, warns pilots when sensors measuring the up-or-down pitch of the plane's nose relative to oncoming air might be wrong. Boeing has admitted engineers realized within months of the plane's 2017 debut that the sensor warning light only worked when paired with a separate, optional feature but didn't report the issue for more than a year, after the crash in Indonesia.

The angle-measuring sensors have been implicated in the Lion Air crash in Indonesia last October and the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March. The sensors malfunctioned, alerting anti-stall software to push the noses of the planes down. The pilots were unable to take back control of the planes.

Boeing told the FAA of what it learned in 2017 after the Indonesia crash.

Pilot Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for the union that represents American Airlines pilot, the Allied Pilots Association, said it's good Muilenburg was willing to revisit the cockpit alert problem and to acknowledge Boeing mishandled conveying information.

But Tajer said he thinks Boeing made a series of unprecedented communication missteps that have "created a massive headwind to rebuilding trust."

Restoring trust in the Max is Boeing's No. 1 priority, Muilenburg said  ahead of an upgraded 777 and work on its upcoming NMA long-range jet.

The Max, the newest version of Boeing's bestselling 737, is critical to the company's future. The Max was a direct response to rival Airbus' fuel-efficient A320neo, one of the European plane maker's most popular jets; Airbus has outpaced Boeing in sales in the category.

The Max crashes, a slowing global economy, and damage from tariffs and trade fights threaten to cloud the mood at the Paris Air Show. Along with its alternating-years companion, the Farnborough International Airshow near London, the Paris show is usually a celebration of cutting-edge aviation technology.

Muilenburg forecast a limited number of orders at the Paris event, the first major air show since the crashes, but said it was still important for Boeing to attend to talk to customers and others in the industry.

He also announced that Boeing was raising its long-term forecast for global plane demand, notably amid sustained growth in Asia.

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Boeing expects the world's airlines will need 44,000 planes within 20 years, up from a previous forecast of 43,000 planes.

Muilenburg projected that within 10 years, the overall aviation market  including passenger jets, cargo and warplanes  would be worth $8.7 trillion, compared to earlier forecasts of $8.1 trillion.

Both estimates are higher than the ones from Airbus, which sees slower growth ahead.

However, Airbus is heading into the Paris show with confidence. It is expected to announce several plane sales and unveil its A321 XLR long-range jet. Airbus executives said the Max crashes aren't affecting their sales strategy, but are a reminder of the importance to the whole industry of ensuring safety.

___

Rachel Lerman in San Francisco contributed to this report.This years nasty gnat swarms are getting lots of buzz as Minnesotans head out to enjoy warmer temperatures. Unfortunately, theres more bad news about buggy blood-drinkers. An eight-legged invader, one thats a member of the tick family, is making headlines in medical publications due to its relatively swift spread, its unusual affinity for manicured lawns, its reputation as an aggressive biter, and its potential to spread disease.

The Asian long-horned tick has not been reported in Minnesota, but the public needs to enlist in efforts to spot it and keep it contained. The state Department of Health and the Board of Animal Health are closely tracking the ticks spread after it was first detected in the United States in 2017 on a New Jersey sheep. But the agencys world-class scientists could use a helping hand.

Minnesota farmers are on the surveillance front lines because livestock transports are among the ways that this tick could hitch a ride here. So are hikers, hunters and others who spend time outdoors. Same for medical providers, who may be asked to remove ticks. The Health Department has long requested that these groups and anyone else contact its tick-monitoring specialists if an unusual-looking tick is found. That call takes on heightened importance with the Asian long-horned tick now confirmed in 11 states.

The agency has a tick submission form on its website  tinyurl.com/y2638jel. After filling it out, concerned citizens are asked to mail in the tick specimen. The agency will then identify the tick.

The name of this invasive species signals its geographic origin. It is endemic to eastern China, Russia, Korea and Japan and has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand and some Pacific islands. States where it has been found beyond New Jersey include Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and, most recently, Tennessee. Those banking on our states notoriously cold winters to keep the pests at bay shouldnt. A study modeling the ticks potential spread across North America includes parts of Minnesota.

Late last month, a Mayo Clinic physician writing in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal sounded the alarm after researchers documented the first human bite by this tick in the U.S. (a 66-year-old man in Yonkers, N.Y.). Like the dog and blacklegged (deer) ticks that Minnesotans are well familiar with, this new tick could harbor germs that cause serious illness in people.

It is clear that this is invasive species is here to stay for the foreseeable future, Mayos Dr. Bobbi S. Pritt wrote in the journal article. Pritt also called for public awareness campaigns about the ticks spread and the risk for human contact in areas such as sunlit, closely mowed lawns vs. the shadier, brushy habitat that blacklegged ticks prefer. Pritt noted another feature: The female Asian long-horned tick doesnt need a male to reproduce, with this leading to massive infestations of a single host.

Health Department tick expert David Neitzel notes that peak season for tickborne illness is mid-May to mid-July in Minnesota. Tick precautions, including repellent, frequent tick checks and prompt removal, are vital to guard against ticks already in Minnesota  and any new species that may be on the way.

This was written by the Star Tribune editorial board.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Columbia County Farm Service Agency, along with UW-Extension, is hosting a Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) informational meeting Thursday, June 20, 1 p.m. at the Columbia County Administration Building, 112 E. Edgewater St., Portage.

DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. DMC replaces the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy).

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The informational meeting will cover changes to the program, production history, coverage levels, MPP premium repayments, DMC premiums, and the DMC decision support tool. All dairy producers are encouraged to attend.

The meeting is free and open to all producers. Contact Lexie Meyer at (608) 742-5361 with questions regarding the meeting.

Additional DMC meetings have been scheduled throughout Wisconsin. To find a current listing, visit fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Wisconsin/state-events/index.

Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this meeting should contact Lexie Meyer at 608-742-5361, ext. 2, or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2022. All rights reserved.

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MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



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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.Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, sells, and deals in printing press and other print media industry products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia/Pacific, Eastern Europe, North America, and South America. It operates through Heidelberg Digital Technology, Heidelberg Lifecycle Solutions, and Heidelberg Financial Services segments. The company offers printing machines, including digital, offset, narrow web, screen, and inline-flexo printing, as well as remarketed equipment; and finishing equipment comprising cutting, die-cutting and embossing, folding, inspection, folding carton gluing, and hot foil stamping. It also provides technical services, such as installation and relocation, maintenance and cleaning, remote support, repair, and overhauling services, as well as service parts; and performance services consisting of performance evaluation, color management, training, upgrades and retrofits, monitoring, output optimization, print shop optimization, and investment planning. In addition, the company offers financial services; and consumables, such as CtP printing and analog plates, films, platemaking chemicals, proofing materials, toners, glues, staple cartridges, hole punching supplies, inks, coatings and varnishes, blankets, rollers, chemicals, pressroom supplies, cutting knives, banderoles, dispersion glues, binding glues, stitching wires and sealing threads, and folding carton gluing supplies. Further, it provides software solutions; and consulting and other services in the field of mechanical, engineering, electronics, and electrical engineering, and the metal industry. The company was formerly known as Schnellpressenfabrik AG Heidelberg and changed its name to Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft in 1967. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1850 and is based in Heidelberg, Germany.

Read MoreThere is not enough analysis data for Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund.

4.1 Community Rank

Outperform Votes Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund has received 110 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund has received 69 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund has received 61.45% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe FAX will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe FAX will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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NextTalkTalk Telecom Group PLC provides telecommunications services to consumers and business to business customers in the United Kingdom. It offers fiber, broadband, landline, TV, and mobile services under the TalkTalk and TalkTalk Business brands. Its products include HomeSafe, a home filtering service for residential customers; WorkSafe that provides protection for internet devices to business customers; SuperSafe, which offers protection from viruses and malwares; CallSafe, a security feature that screens inbound calls; and TalkSafe, a way of identifying a customer when they call using their voice. TalkTalk Telecom Group PLC was founded in 2002 and is based in Salford, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreVodafone Group Plc engages in telecommunication services in Europe and internationally. The company offers mobile services that enable customers to call, text, and access data; fixed line services, including broadband, television (TV) offerings, and voice; and convergence services under the GigaKombi and Vodafone One names to customers. It also provides value added services, such as Internet of Things (IoT) comprising logistics and fleet management, smart metering, insurance, cloud, and security services; and automotive and health solutions. In addition, the company offers M-Pesa, an African payment platform, which provides money transfer, financial, and business and merchant payment services; and various services to operators through its partner market agreements. Vodafone Group Plc has strategic partnerships with Open Fiber. As of March 31, 2021, it had approximately 315 million mobile customers, 28 million fixed broadband customers, and 22 million TV customers. The company was incorporated in 1984 and is based in Newbury, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreDELPHI, Ind. (WLFI)People gathered at the Freedom Center in Delphi to show support for Owen Jones' family.

"No one wants to go through it alone," said organizer of the fundraiser Sarah Brummett.

It's a saying that the Delphi community is remembering as they continue to support the family of Owen Jones.

"My oldest son is, was, is, Owen's friend," said Brummett.

Four-year-old Owen Jones was swept away by a strong current at Deer Creek in Delphi on May 23rd. After emergency crews couldn't save him rescuers began conducting a recovery search.

"Of course, you don't really want to work in this tragedy and they don't really know what's going on," said Brummett. "So they just need helping along the way."

It was Sarah's idea to hold a fundraiser for the Jones family. With the help of her church, Lake Shafer Christian Center, a silent auction was held.

"There focus has been on finding their little boy," said co-organizer of the event Patty Dennison.

Patty Dennison helped organize the fundraiser for Jones. She says this will send a heartwarming message to the family.

"People care," said Dennison. "There is still caring people in the world, in our community."

People attending the fundraiser like Jessica McManus hopes others will continue to support their fellow neighbors.

"I hope that when they come to this fundraiser, I hope that they will have the heart and compassion towards others," said McManus.

To learn more about Lake Shafer Christian Center click here.Daniel Craig injured his ankle while filming the new James Bond movie, Bond 25, but that hasnt stopped him from hitting the gym!

The 007 official Instagram page posted a picture of the 51-year-old actor working out at the gym on Saturday, complete with an ankle boot as his leg heals following surgery.

#007 Daniel Craig hitting the gym hard @pinewoodstudios, prepping for shooting next week! #Bond25 @gregwilliamsphotography, the caption read.

He injured his ankle while filming for the newest installment and has been seen using crutches alongside the ankle boot as he recovers.

The injury required surgery, and Craig has been sidelined from filming since then. Despite the injury, Craig is still in the gym, and will be returning to set for filming by next week.

RELATED: Daniel Craig Says Women Should Be Considered for James Bond Role

(Craigs) undergoing minor ankle surgery resulting from an injury sustained during filming in Jamaica, the films official Twitter account released in a statement last month. 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.

Craig took over the role of Bond after Pierce Brosnan retired from playing the character back in 2005, debuting as the secret agent in 2006s Casino Royale.

Daniel Craig | TheImageDirect

RELATED: Daniel Craig Is Having Minor Ankle Surgery After Sustaining an Injury on the Set of Bond 25

This is not the first time the British actor has been injured on set while filming a James Bond movie, having been injured twice during 2008s Quantum of Solace, one of which required surgery on his shoulder.

It wasnt an essential operation but if I dont do it now, I could do something on the next movie and rip it out of its socket, he said at the time. Its just a pain in the ass, really, and itll be a long wait before it heals properly.

Bond 25 hits theaters on April 8, 2020.New poll reveals that one in five people who get procedures like piercings and tattoos end up with bad side effects. [Photo: Getty]

A new poll has revealed that almost one in five people in the UK who have had a tattoo, piercing, acupuncture or electrolysis over the past five years have had negative side effects.

With one in five people in the UK now having at least one tattoo, the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH), who conducted the poll, is calling for stricter rules around them.

The poll looked into the health risks involved in having a procedure which breaks the skins barrier.

Currently there are no legal requirements for businesses to have infection control qualifications in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

READ MORE: Tattoo ideas that might convince you to take the plunge

One in ten of the 2,000 people polled also needed medical attention after their procedure.

With more and more people getting procedures that break the skin, Shirley Cramer CBE, chief executive of RSPH, would like to see the rest of the UK copying Wales.

Wales has introduced a mandatory infection control scheme to limit this type of problem occurring.

This problem is becoming even more pertinent with a 173 per cent rise in tattoo parlours in the UK between 2004-2014.

READ MORE: Air New Zealand ends tattoo ban

The survey also revealed that two fifths of people did not query whether the person carrying out their procedure was licensed to do so.

Currently, anybody can purchase the equipment needed to carry out procedures online. They can do so without any training in how to use them.

Theres also no legislation to say who can provide customers other invasive treatments like dermal fillers.

READ MORE: Ex gets babys ears pierced without Mums permission

The RSPH has responded to the polls findings, suggesting that more legal requirements need to be put in place to protect people having these procedures done.

It is demanding age limits on cosmetic fillers, which will make them illegal for people under 18.

With the surge in demand for tattoos, piercings and a growing variety of cosmetic procedures, such as fillers, we hope this report sparks a wider discussion about the need to provide safeguards and reassure those who seek to undertake body modification in all forms in the UK today. Cramer said.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Style UK:Writer-director Imogen Thomas debut feature Emu Runner has and probably will play in designated family-themed strands of film festivals, and given its story of a 9-year-old Aboriginal girl who deals with grief in the wake of her mothers death by bonding with a lone female representative of Australias largest native bird species, this programming strategy is to be expected. Yet adult audiences who bypass this serene and finely-detailed coming-of-age tale do so at their own risk, as Thomas has made a deep, rich meditation on family, community, country and racial tensions that strides well beyond its girl-meets-bird logline. Flightless the Dromaius novaehollandiae may be, but Emu Runner soars.

In the isolated New South Wales town of Brewarinna, some 500 miles northwest of Sydney, 8-year-old Ngemba girl Gemma (newcomer Rhae-Kye Waites, who gives a remarkable performance of unmannered social realism) lives with her parents Jay Jay (Wayne Blair, director of The Sapphires and the recent Sundance selection Top End Wedding), who hauls trash for a living, and Darlene (Maurial Spearim), as well as older brother Ecka (Rodney McHughes) and middle sister Val (Letisha Boney).

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Shortly after her mother tells her the emu is our animal, thats what connects us to this land, our people, she dies whilst on a bushwalk with her daughters. Jay Jay is a caring and committed father, and with the help of equally dedicated relatives he resolves to keep the family together.

Things appear functional for a time. Yet Gemma seems to feel the loss more acutely than her siblings and father, and soon takes not only to skipping school to visit a female emu shes found but can never catch up with, but also to pilfering food from her neighborhood to feed the animal as well. Soon, Ecka gets himself and Gemma in hot water over his attraction to a white classmate, as the social worker (Georgia Blizzard) and local policeman Stan (Rob Carlton) misread these signs out of naivete and preconceptions, respectively. Without quite knowing what shes doing or why, Gemma remedies the situation by tapping into her natural physical gift and need to reconnect with her departed mother.

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Aboriginal tradition holds the emu as a creator spirit, and the animals outline may be seen in the Southern Cross for those who know where to look. An Australian native and graduate of NYUs Tisch School of the Arts (who has been visiting Brewarinna regularly since 2003, later setting her well-received 2008 short Mixed Bag there), Thomas clearly knows what shes doing and where shes doing it. Theres a quiet, assured strength of vision to the film that has brought the very best out of her largely non-pro cast. Indeed, young Waites preternatural gravitas is among those lightning-in-a-bottle performances that seem more divine inspiration than calculated make-believe.

So, too, the magisterial vastness of the plains surrounding the town is captured to sobering yet beautiful effect by cameraman Michael Gibbs. Most of the emu footage was shot at a farm some four hours away, with Gibbs, editors Jenny Hicks and Nicole Norelli, and Thomas  who is also one of four emu wranglers listed in the credits  seamlessly blending the footage into a moving whole.

I cant stand being away from home, Gemma tells the social worker around a campfire, gesturing at the night sky. Smells are wrong and you cant see none of this. An essential Aboriginal truth in miniature, the sentiment is one of the many felicitous joys of Emu Runner.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Dad to receive kidney from daughter he adopted 27 years ago originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com

A woman from North Carolina has given the gift of life to the man who adopted her when she was an infant.

DeLauren McKnight chose to donate her kidney to her dad, Billy Houze, after tests revealed she was a match for the procedure.

"She told me, 'Daddy, you thought you were saving my life pulling me from foster care but in actuality, you were saving my life so I could save yours later,'" Houze, 64, told "Good Morning America." "I am extremely proud of her."

Houze, a pastor and father of five, said his kidneys began shutting down in 2016 after he underwent gall bladder surgery. Doctors informed him that he wouldn't live past five years if he didn't receive a kidney transplant.

PHOTO: Seen in a family photo is Kenya Houze, DeLauren McKnight, Gloria Belvins, Rick Belvins, Brian Houze and Brandon Houze. (Courtesy DeLauren McKnight)

"And then they told me I would be on the list and it would be seven years before I would possibly get a kidney," Houze said.

Houze's sons were tested but were not matches. But on Feb. 1, McKnight, whom Houze and his wife Karen adopted in 1992, learned that she was a match.

PHOTO: DeLauren McKnight, 27, of North Carolina, is seen in an undated photo with her mother, Karen Houze. (Courtesy DeLauren McKnight)

"I never thought I would be a match because I was adopted," McKnight told "GMA." "I got the call at work and I wanted him to be the first person that knew. I called and I said, 'Daddy, I have to tell you something. I'm a match.'"

PHOTO: DeLauren McKnight will give her father Billy Houze the gift of life since she is a match for his kidney donation. (Courtesy DeLauren McKnight)

She continued, "He said, 'What are you mad for?' I said, 'No, I'm a match!' He stopped talking and he was crying. I was shaking. It was overwhelming."

McKnight and Houze hope to have the surgery in the next few weeks. McKnight said she is thrilled to be saving her father's life.

PHOTO: Billy Houze, 64, of North Carolina, hopes to undergo surgery after learning his adopted daughter, DeLauren McKnight, 27, was a match to donate her kidney to him. (Courtesy DeLauren McKnight)

"I call him my Superman," she said. "Without him and my mom, I wouldn't have known where I'd be. There's nothing in this world I wouldn't give him so he can enjoy life and be right there beside me."

(Editor's note: This article was originally published on March 15, 2019)Daughter signs lyrics to deaf dad at Three Days Grace concert originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com

A video of a teen using American Sign Language to communicate the lyrics of a rock song to her dad has touched millions.

Karri Carberry, 19, signed the Three Days Grace song "Just Like You" to her father, Darrin Carberry, at the band's concert in Canada on Dec. 12. Carberry is hearing, but her dad is deaf, she told "Good Morning America."

PHOTO: Julianne Cragg recorded the video of Karri Carberry, 19, signing the lyrics to 'Just Like You' by the band Three Days Grace for her deaf father at a concert. (Courtesy Julianne Cragg)

"It was our first concert together," said Carberry of Edmonton, Alberta. "I feel absolutely shocked and amazed at all of the views and responses we have been getting! Its an amazing feeling and were both very happy that everyone around the world is enjoying it so much."

PHOTO: Karri Carberry, 19, signed the lyrics to 'Just Like You' by the band Three Days Grace for her deaf father at a concert. (Courtesy Julianne Cragg)

As Carberry and her dad rocked out, fellow concertgoer Julianne Cragg captured the moment.

Cragg shared the video on Facebook, where it's been viewed 17 million times. Cragg told "GMA" that at first, she wasn't intentionally filming the father-daughter duo, but that she was glad she caught it on camera.

PHOTO: Karri Carberry, 19, and her dad Darrin Carberry were rocking out together when a fellow concert goer captured the moment. It's been viewed 17 million times. (Courtesy Karri Carberry)

"I'm thrilled that it's made a few people happy," Cragg said.

Three Days Grace even commented on the video, writing on Facebook, "This is the coolest thing on the internet right now!!! so sweet."

PHOTO: Karri Carberry, 19, used American Sign Language to sign the lyrics at a Three Days Grace concert in Canada. (Courtesy Julianne Cragg)

(Editor's note: This article was originally published on December 18, 2018)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.

%image1

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.Photo credit: Woman's Day

From Woman's Day

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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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Funboy Sweepstakes: Enter beginning 12:01 a.m. (ET) on June 16, 2019, at 12:01 a.m. (ET) through August 16, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. (ET) (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: Six (6) White Swan pool floats. Value: $79. Total value of all prize awarded: $474. 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.

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SPONSOR: The Sponsor of these Sweepstakes is Hearst Magazine Media, Inc., 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019.

('You Might Also Like',)Celebrating a life as large as Karl Lagerfelds requires monumental ingredients.

So on June 20, the vast nave of the Grand Palais in Paris will be wallpapered with 56 towering portraits of Lagerfeld and decked out with three giant LED screens, vast custom carpets, two Steinway pianos, two large bars and a main stage that will welcome a rotating cast of top film and music stars, all with ties to the late designer, who died Feb. 19 after an unprecedented fashion career.

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The tribute, named Karl For Ever, has been organized by the houses of Chanel, Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld and conceived by theater and opera director Robert Carsen.

I wanted to celebrate him in the fullest way possible, Carsen said in an interview Friday, revealing details of the decor and the 90-minute spectacle, which will intersperse video footage with live performances. The cast will include musician Pharrell Williams, dancer Lil Buck, violinist Charlie Siem, and actresses Tilda Swinton, Helen Mirren, Fanny Ardant and Cara Delevingne.

Carsen corralled 60 people to speak on camera in Lagerfelds photo studio tucked behind his 7L bookstore and stacked with his extensive collection of art and literary tomes. This whos who of Lagerfelds life spanning fashion, business and the arts is headlined by Alain Wertheimer  who is as famous for being one of the main owners of Chanel, along with his brother Gerard, as he is for never, ever, ever giving interviews.

I didnt get the first interview. Karl got the first interview, Carsen demurred, alluding to the designer joining Chanel back in 1983. As for Wertheimer opening up on camera, he told Carsen: Im doing this for Karl, for this occasion, for Paris.

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Other speakers in the film include a host of famous designers, such as Nicolas Ghesquiere, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Haider Ackermann, Clare Waight Keller, Jonathan Anderson, Simon Porte Jacquemus and Kris Van Assche. There are also models Gigi Hadid, Claudia Schiffer, Carla Bruni and Natalia Vodianova; actresses Carole Bouquet, Vanessa Paradis and Anna Mouglalis; business figures Bernard Arnault of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Bruno Pavlovsky of Chanel, and a melange of cultural figures including Princess Caroline of Hanover, artist Jeff Koons, filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and industrial designer Marc Newson.

Video: Remembering Karl Lagerfelds Prolific Fashion Career

And yes, Carsen said he interviewed Choupette, Lagerfelds beloved feline  but was mum on her purrings.

It was impossible to have live people speaking. Then we would be in the realm of what Karl didnt want, homilies and that sort of thing, he said.

Nor did Carsen want any master of ceremonies. Instead, he snatched clips from filmed interviews, allowing Lagerfeld himself to narrate the proceedings, just as the audience  some 2,000 invited guests  will be surrounded by images of the German-born designer throughout his life.

This whole thing is all woven and sewn together with Karl in mind, aiming to get the sense of proportion and detail he was so good at, the director said.

The soft-spoken Canadian immersed himself in mountains of books, plus film footage and interviews galore, eager that the celebration reflect the entire scope of Lagerfelds passions, headlined by literature and poetry. According to Carsen, Virginia Woolfs Orlando is Lagerfelds favorite character in fiction, and his first idea for a reader was Tilda Swinton, who portrayed the gender fluid poet in Sally Potters cult 1992 film.

The director discovered that Lagerfeld had photographed Swinton in the film costumes that year, which will feature in his production, while the Scottish actress will read a Woolf excerpt about the meaning of clothes. Swinton accepted without hesitation, he noted.

He also learned of Lagerfelds love of Latin music, and so he conscripted German Cornejos dance company to fly in from Buenos Aires. Eighteen tango dancers are to perform backed by seven musicians.

Ardant is to read the preface Lagerfeld wrote for the late Italian editor Anna Piaggis 1986 book, Journal de Mode. But Carsen clammed up when asked what he had in store for Mirren and Delevingne. Theyre doing stuff, he said with a smile.

Yet his choices are autobiographical. Siem is to perform because Lagerfelds mother famously played the violin  and infamously insisted that Lagerfeld, who always wanted to play the piano, pursue sketching instead because itll make less noise, Carsen related.

There were curious coincidences, too, perhaps not surprising given Lagerfelds famously prescient cultural radar. Carsen located two Steinways Lagerfeld had designed in 2003 to celebrate the piano-makers 150th anniversary, and his chosen performer, Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang, had a Steinway designed for him this year.

The musical instrument, which Lagerfeld decked out with sled-shaped legs and a gleaming red polish inside, dovetails with Carsens color scheme, chairs set alternatively in black and white, Karls signature in red in giant script above the stage.

The stage, along with two huge bars for a toast after the memorial performance, are wrapped in aluminum sheeting, a material the designer loved. (Oh, and the bars will be two interlocked Ls  a wink to the famous double-F logo Lagerfeld dashed off for Fendi in 1965 when he first arrived at the Roman fashion house.)

Carsen was adamant that the spectacle should be steeped in culture yet light and uplifting, just like the great man himself.

I want to surprise the audience the way he always surprised, he said. He was not only modern throughout his career, but slightly ahead of his time, which is almost impossible, but without any sense of effort from him. It was totally natural for him to not only embrace change, but initiate it.

There has been no public ceremony since the designers passing. In keeping with Lagerfelds wish not to have a public funeral, he was cremated during a private ceremony in Nanterre, France.

Invited guests range from representatives of Chanel, Fendi and the Lagerfeld house to a host of designers, including Ralph Lauren and Valentino Garavani, as well as actresses, models, editors, retailers and political figures such as Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo and Brigitte Macron, wife of French president Emmanuel Macron.

Video: Front-Row Stars at Karl Lagerfelds Final Chanel Show Remember the Late Designer

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.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 Yale Hotel is offering free stay for those seeking abortions in the state of Michigan. Dear sisters that live in Alabama, Ohio, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, or any of the other states that follow with similar laws restricting access, the hotel stated on Facebook. We cannot do anything about the way to are being treating in your home-state. But, if you can make it to Michigan, we will support you with several nights lodging, and transportation to and from your appointment. The hotel in Yale, Michigan has designated a Jane Room for anyone that needs to travel to Michigan in order to get an abortion. The hotels room was named after Jane Roe, the pseudonym for the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade. The offer was announced by the hotels manager Shelley OBrien after multiple states increased restrictions on abortions. In recent months, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Ohio passed new laws restricting or banning abortions in their state, leaving many women worried about their ability to get safe abortions. No one has taken the hotel up on the offer yet, but OBrien says the offer is important nonetheless. Women should have the autonomy over their own bodies, she told CNN. If we do not have control over our own bodies, then this is not a free world. This video, "The Yale Hotel Offers Free Stay for Those Seeking Abortions in Michigan", first appeared on nowthisnews.com.NEW YORK (AP)  The Honduran government says that U.S. federal court documents show no incriminating evidence against President Juan Orlando Hernandez, despite listing him as being a target of a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation.

Revelations of the investigation prompted Hernandez's office to issue a statement Thursday saying that drug traffickers who had been caught and extradited to the U.S. by Hernandez in 2015 falsely accused the president and some of his closest advisers of drug trafficking and money laundering activities.

It said the U.S. government was then forced to investigate those allegations but found no evidence of wrongdoing by the president. A court document filed on Tuesday "shows no precedents linking president Hernandez or his officials to drug trafficking, "the Honduran statement said.

Neither U.S. prosecutors nor the DEA have commented on the status of the investigation into Hernandez, which was revealed in documents filed in the Southern District of New York as part of pre-trial motions in the case of one of Hernandez's brothers, Juan Antonio Hernandez. There is no evidence of any charges against the president, however.

The documents mentioned that President Hernandez was among a group of individuals investigated by the DEA since about 2013 for allegedly participating "in large-scale drug-trafficking and money laundering activities relating to the importation of cocaine into the United States".

Hernandez was elected president of Honduras in late 2013.

One of the documents is a July 2015 request for the court to compel Apple, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL to give investigators email header information  though not email content  for a number of accounts. Two of the accounts are believed to belong to President Hernandez, the document says.

The statement released by Honduran officials said that the DEA investigation had concluded and that's why officials were able to make the document public.

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A DEA spokeswoman referred questions from The Associated Press to the Southern District of New York, where a spokesman said the court's response to the application is not public information and declined to comment further.

The Honduran statement said the DEA has a good relationship with Hernandez. It also said the Honduran president is implementing a new strategy to combat drug trafficking in Honduras that has already resulted in shutting down several big drug trafficking rings.

The 2015 document sought email header information on accounts of the president's sister Hilda Hernandez, his adviser Ebal Diaz and his security minister, Julian Pacheco Tinoco.

Hilda Hernandez, who helped manage the finances of the president's political party and his presidential campaign, died in a December 2017 helicopter crash. The request also named four members of the wealthy and politically connected Rosenthal family.

Yani Rosenthal, a former national lawmaker and presidential candidate, pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court in 2017 for money laundering for the Cachiros drug trafficking organization.Jon Talton comments on economic news, issues and trends, with an emphasis on Seattle and the Northwest. Reach him at jtalton@seattletimes.com.The 1957 edition of No-No Boy by John Okada is shown at right, next to the first paperback edition published by the University of Washington Press in the 1970s.Jerusalem Grand Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseinis infamous ties with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy are well-documented, as are his efforts to block Jewish refugees from reaching British Mandatory Palestine during the Second World War.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Less known, however, is the story of the thousands of Palestinian Arabs who disregarded the muftis pro-Axis policies and instead opted to fight against Adolf Hitlers henchmen.

Arab new recruits line up for a British army drill in Mandatory Palestine, December 28, 1940 (Photo: AP)

Prof. Mustafa Abbasi, a historian at Tel-Hai Academic College in northern Israel, has found that some 12,000 Arab Palestinians volunteered to serve in the British army during the Second World War in North Africa and Europe, often fighting side by side with Jews.

Abbasis findings were published in a recent issue of the Cathedra periodical titled Palestinians Fighting the Nazis: The Story of Palestinian Volunteers in World War II.

Many of the (Arab Palestinians) lost their lives, others were wounded and many are still missing, Abbasis research reads. It appears that an important and central portion of the Palestinian public believed that it was necessary to stand on the British side, to postpone nationalist demands, to fight as one against the Germans and their allies, and to demand recompense at the end of the war.

Significant scholarly attention has been devoted to the Jewish volunteers who served in the British army and later formed what was known as the Jewish Brigade from 1944 to 1946, where historians estimate that 30,000 Palestinian Jews served. But there is scant reference to the thousands of Arab Palestinians who did the same.

The Jewish Brigade in the British Army during WWII (Photo: Archive)

They didnt accept the muftis policies, who met with Hitler and tried to get some kind of promise (of a state), Abbasi tells The Media Line. The Arabs and the Jews were in mixed units and fought together.

Abbasis research is based on primary and secondary sources from the British National Archives, Hagana Archives, Central Zionist Archives and local Arab newspapers from the time.

According to him, the mufti lost much of his support among the Palestinian Arab population after 1937. That year, the British police issued a warrant for his arrest owing to his role in the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. To evade arrest, Husseini fled the country and took refuge in French Mandatory Lebanon, the Kingdom of Iraq and later fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.

Abbasi decided to research the matter of Palestinian volunteers after discovering that his own maternal grandfather had volunteered in the British army during the war. He believes this chapter of history has mostly been overlooked due to Palestinian historiography focusing on the opposition to Zionism and the struggle with British rule.

Were talking about a very painful subject matter for many families who lost sons and nobody mentions them, Abbasi says. A large part didnt want to say that their sons were in fact on the British side (during World War II).

Economic incentives

While some Arab Palestinian volunteers were motivated to fight against Nazism for ideological reasons, Abbasi notes that economic motives were the deciding factor for the majority. In fact, many of those who applied to recruitment offices were poor villagers or city dwellers. The British army provided benefits to those who served, including low-priced food, clothing and medical care.

Dr. Esther Webman, a senior research fellow at the Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, says that many Arabs at the time had mixed feelings toward Nazi Germany but that a minority were indeed fascinated by Hitlers ideology.

(The Arabs) thought that Germany was a kind of tool that could bring them independence, since Britain and France werent really showing any signs that they intended to evacuate the region at the time, Webman says.

She added that the Germans were viewed by some as the savior of the Palestinians following the 1917 Balfour Declaration, in which the British government expressed support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.

Arthur Balfour in 1925 (Photo: GPO)

The mufti was among those who held this view, Webman says, and he attempted to pose as the leader of the Palestinians, Muslims and the Arab world.

(Husseini) was recognized by Arab leaders, she says. He attended conferences and meetings and so on and so forth, but he really didnt have the power and after the war, in retrospect, he was seen by many Palestinian intellectuals and others as a person who harmed the Palestinian cause rather than helped it.

Nevertheless, even though he lost some of his influence after 1937, Webman asserts that Husseini continued to have a following and encouraged violence. His followers, she says, would terrorize other Palestinians with different views.

Unlike the mufti, his political adversaries in Palestine  such as the influential Nashashibi clan  were prepared to compromise with the British and allow for the land to be divided into two areas, one Jewish and one Arab.

There were a whole range of attitudes toward Nazi Germany, Webman says. Unfortunately, the image of the mufti and his collaboration with the Nazis kind of paints everything else, which is really unrepresentative of the situation.

Many questions to be answered

So why is the story of Arab Palestinian soldiers fighting the Nazis not more widely known?

The whole topic (in academia) of Nazi Germany and the Middle East or Arab responses to Nazi Germany and to Nazism and fascism started really only in the late 1990s, Webman says. Its not that it was excluded intentionally, but now it is really part of a growing area of research and many questions remain to be answered.

Dr. David Motadel, an associate professor of international history at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), discusses the Palestinian soldiers in his book Islam and Nazi Germanys War (Harvard University Press, 2014).

Meeting between the mufti of Jerusalem Haj Amin al-Husseini and Adolf Hitler in November 1941 (Photo: Heinrich Hoffman) (Photo: Heinrich Hoffmann)

It is correct that there has never been a major public debate about these soldiers, Motadel says. The same is true for other volunteers from the imperial world who fought in the Second World War. The contribution of colonial soldiers to the war effort has been marginalized in our popular narratives of the Second World War.

He describes the number of Palestinian soldiers in the British army as relatively small compared to the numbers of volunteers from other parts of the empire.

The British Indian Army, for example, grew to more than two million men during the war, Motadel says. Still, Arabs played a major role in the Allied war effort. We should not forget the legendary Arab Legion of Transjordan, which fought under British command in different parts of the Middle East.

From French North Africa, he says, 134,000 Algerians, 73,000 Moroccans and 26,000 Tunisians helped the Allied forces liberate Europe.

Like Webman, Motadel argues that the Arab reaction to Nazism is difficult to assess due to the diverse range of opinions and the absence of a dominant narrative.

In Mandate Palestine, parts of the Arab population sided with Nazi Germany  the enemy of their imperial oppressor, he says. We should not underestimate, as in other parts of the imperial world, anti-British resentments. Yet, on the other side there was also much criticism of Europes authoritarian regimes and sympathy for the Allied cause.

Nashashibi family at a 1929 wedding

One of the main divisions that emerged at the time was between the influential Husseini family, which supported the Axis efforts, and its rivals, the Nashashibi clan, which supported the Allied powers.

For Abbasi, one of the goals of his research is to shed light on a lesser-known chapter of 20th century history and expose how Arab Palestinians and Jews once worked together.

In the history of two peoples in this land, there are positive periods filled with cooperation, Abbasi says. If we did this in the past, its possible that we can do the same in the future. It all depends on us.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.

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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.





Norwegian tanker Front Altair (Photo: EPA)

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 Sunday with Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, blamed Iran and called on the international community to take a "decisive stand" against the attacks.





       (Photo: Reuters)

"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.

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.

US video allegedly showing Iranian forces removing evidence of mine from oil tanker

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.

Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Gulf (Photo: Reuters)

"We also need to broaden our support for this international situation," he told reporters on Friday.

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.The Magen David Adom rescue services treats seven people for substance abuse symptoms at an event at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv.

The seven were later taken to the city's Ichilov Hospital.This year marks a century since the orchestral suite The Planets by British composer Gustav Holst premiered in London, and the anniversary was marked in Jerusalem at the beginning of this month with a concert quite unlike any other.

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On the stage, where one might expect to see a large orchestra, were just two grand pianos, surrounded in horseshoe fashion by an array of percussion instruments, ranging from marimbas and xylophones to more standard drums, timpani, and gongs.

Performing The Planets Suite in Jerusalem (Photo: Francine Herzlich)

In fact, although The Planets was scored for a full orchestra, it was to be performed that evening by only nine musicians, representing two distinctive musical ensembles: Multipiano, four hands playing on each of two pianos, and Tremolo, a percussion ensemble comprising five musicians who were in constant motion as they flowed seamlessly from one instrument to another.

The concert began, however, with two pieces that were not on the original program: "Rhapsodie Espagnole" by Maurice Ravel, and Night (of St. Johns Eve) on a Bare Mountain" by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky.

Holst (Photo: Francine Herzlich)

Interestingly enough, it turns out that Ravel himself originally scored his Spanish Rhapsody for two pianos. This was one of the interesting facts revealed during the course of the evening by the concerts MC, pianist Tomer Lev, of the award-winning ensemble Multipiano.

Rhapsodie Espagnole as rendered by Multipiano and Tremolo was entertaining enough, not least because of the novelty of hearing only pianos and percussion together for the first time, but the version of the familiar piece that evening was barely recognizable.

In his introduction to Mussorgskys famous tone poem, Lev disclosed -- in addition to the compositions full, lesser known name, as well as the ritualistic events on the bald mountain -- that they would be playing the original, early version, written in 1867, then lost until it was rediscovered in the 1960's.

The Planets performers (Photo: Francine Herzlich)

The compelling, recurring musical themes of Night on Bald Mountain, nonetheless, were clearly discernible in the resonating interpretation by Multipiano and Tremolo.

Similarly, the centerpiece of the evening, The Planets, was more enjoyable after Levs explanation of the compositions seven movements, representing Earths seven sister planets in our solar system, and the mythical attributes assigned to each heavenly body by Holst.

Multipiano and Tremolo definitely succeeded in riveting the audiences attention throughout most of the piece, although there were admittedly moments when the lack of depth that can be provided only by a full orchestra was felt.A high-ranking Hamas delegation met with Iranian minister for intelligence Mahmoud Alavi to discuss bilateral relations Saturday.

The parties also discussed the dangerous repercussions of the American peace plan.Foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said on Sunday Britain is "almost certain" Iran was behind attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, adding that London did not believe anyone else could have done it.

Asked whether Iran was behind the attacks on the tankers, Hunt told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: "We have done our own intelligence assessment and the phrase we used is almost certain ... We don't believe anyone else could have done this."This is a revolution, no less. If Avigdor Liberman wins enough seats to be the deciding factor, Israel is facing a dramatic upheaval. No more coalition that represents a minority; no more ultra-Orthodox coercion. No more trampling of the majority, but rather a boost to majority rule and democracy.

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During the long weeks in which Benjamin Netanyahu tried to form a coalition government, the political observers and pundits did not take Liberman seriously.

Avigdor Liberman (Photo: Avi Moalem)

"He did not mean it," they said of his demand that Netanyahu pass legislation on drafting the ultra-Orthodox into the army. "It was an exercise in extortion," they all agreed. After all, it's just politics. But he meant it then and we should take him seriously now.

In a background conversation with Liberman not long ago at all, I heard about the direction he believed Israel was travelling in. I was skeptical, refused to believe it as he listed things that most Israelis were sick of.

It seems that he is enjoying his new-found status of a man whose word is his bond.

But what does it matter? If anyone wants to question the purity of Liberman's intentions, they are welcome to do so. But his intentions are less important  what matters is the outcome. And it is a desirable one.

Liberman may have had just five Knesset seats to offer during the coalition negotiations, compared to the 18 held by the ultra-Orthodox parties, but his demands have an absolute majority among the Israel the public  including on the right and in the national-religious camp.

Yaakov Litzman, 2nd left, and other United Torah Judaism leaders

Most of the public is tired of the fact that we live under minority rule and not a democracy. The majority was trampled because the need to include the Haredim in the framework of a coalition became axiomatic. Liberman is trying to prove that there is another way.

This is not about keeping one's election pledges, for Liberman's announcement Saturday evening was a change in tack. There will be no more automatic support for Netanyahu, but rather backing for a unity government led by the party wins the most votes. This change can be only explained by one reason: Liberman feels that the Netanyahu regime is wobbling.

He reads the polls, and he sees that there has been a shift. Now there is disgust with Netanyahu on the right, too. Rightists have also come to the conclusion that a foregone surrender to the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism and Tkuma runs contrary to the national interest. Such a surrender may be good for Netanyahu, but it's bad for Israel.

What Likud bigwigs are saying off the record, other right-wingers are saying on social media: Netanyahu might still be an asset, but his stock is declining.

Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Flash 90)

Make no mistake, Liberman was and still is a right-winger to the bone, and his demands represent the right-wing camp more than most of its MKs. There is a constant gulf between what most Israelis want and the results of the elections.

It is possible for Liberman to narrow this divide, and the prospect of this happening will infuse new energy into the second election campaign of the year. If he manages not to make any mistakes, he could well be the surprise of the elections. More importantly, he represents the national interest and promises to make it a reality.

In the meantime, it is all just words, but he has proven it is worth taking him seriously.The mayor of a West Bank village was expelled from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party after pictures emerged of Israeli ultra-Orthodox settlers attending his son's wedding celebration.

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The group from Modi'in Ilit were at Thursday's celebrations for the son of Radi Nasser, mayor of Deir Qaddis, at the invitation of Palestinians who work with them at a car repair garage near the settlement.

Israeli settlers participating in Palestinian wedding

The mayor denied any knowledge of the Israelis' participation, telling the Jerusalem Post: When I learned about the presence of the settlers, I kicked them out, together with the (Palestinian) men who were with them.

But pictures of the wedding appeared online showing the Jewish men dancing with other wedding guests. The images prompted condemnation on social media from Fatah activists who oppose normalization of ties with Israelis.

Israeli settlers participating in Palestinian wedding

The Jerusalem Post quoted Fatah spokesman Osama Qawassmeh as saying that the participation of terrorist settlers in Palestinian social events is a cowardly, condemnable, despicable and reprehensible act.

The Palestinian Authority - of which Fatah is the largest faction - said it will launch an investigation and may take steps against those who invited the Israelis.Pope Francis calls for restraint and a lowering of tensions in the Middle East following attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman that have raised fears of a broader confrontation in the region.

Francis, during a visit to a city in central Italy that was severely damaged by a string of earthquakes in 2016, says he was worried by the ramifications of the attacks.

"I invite everyone to use the instruments of diplomacy to resolve the complex problems of the conflicts in the Middle East," he says after Mass for several thousand people. "I renew a heartfelt appeal to the international community to make every possible effort to favour dialogue and peace."The two oil tankers crippled in attacks in the Gulf of Oman last week are being assessed off the coast off the United Arab Emirates before their cargos are unloaded, the ships' operators say.

Damage assessment on Japan's Kokuka Courageous and preparation for ship-to-ship transfer of its methanol cargo would start after authorities in Sharjah, one of the UAE's seven emirates, complete security checks, says Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement.

Thursday's attacks, which also hit Norwegian tanker Front Altair, have heightened tensions between Iran and the United States and its Gulf allies after similar blasts in May struck four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the UAE.The Yisrael Beytenu faction in parliament is demanding an emergency Knesset debate on what it called a "serious budget crisis" in the country.

"Israel is in one of the gravest economic crises in its history," says faction chair Oded Forer," and all the data has been hidden from the public and Knesset members."While it is "unmistakable" that Iran was responsible for the attacks on two tankers last week, the United States does not want to go to war with Tehran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.

"The United States is going make sure that we take all the actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise that achieve that outcome," Pompeo said an interview with "Fox News Sunday."Back in the sixties, in small town Israel, a little Moroccan boy was led into his kindergarten by Lt. Col. Ariel Sharon.

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The fact that little Serge was escorted by Sharon cleared the way for him to be accepted into the group.

Ariel Sharon as a young officer with David Ben-Gurion

The kindergarten teacher who had previously rejected the boy was not happy about the immigrant newcomer, and no one else in the town of Kiryat Bialik gave a second thought to the fact that Serge's dad was instrumental in the effort to bring Morocco's Jews to Israel.

Jews in North Africa (Photo: Beit Hatfutsot)

It was thanks to his trucks and his travel permits that Jews were able to leave. Unfortunately, he was killed in an accident when his son was just two years old.

Lt. Col. Sharon heard about the little orphan boy who was barred from joining the kindergarten because he was of Moroccan origin from his old friend Zeev, who was tasked with arranging the exodus of Jews from the North African kingdom and had worked closely with Serge's father.

Zeev had seen discrimination up close before. His sister, the daughter of Labor Zionist "royalty", married a disciple of the right-wing revisionist movement. She was chased out of her parents' village for marrying the enemy.

Serge is doing fine by the way. Today he is the mayor of Kfar Shmaryahu, an affluent suburban community just outside Tel Aviv.

Two Haredi men in Jerusalem's Old City (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

There has always been discrimination in Israel. Some of it is ideological, some is the result of bigotry and both have caused persecution and pain. But when a person is discriminated against because of his country of origin or the color of his skin, the pain is greater.

Jews are discriminated against today in the nation's capital. We are all barred from purchasing property in the Old City of Jerusalem. Anywhere else in the world this would be considered anti-Semitism but here, Greek Orthodox Church officials can refuse to sell buildings to Jews. They even tried but failed to enlist the help of the Supreme Court to block the sale of two houses near the Jaffa Gate to a Jewish NGO.

Greek Patriarch at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Photo: Reuters)

Why can't Jews buy property in the old city of Jerusalem? Judaism is the religion both Christianity and Islam draw their holy connection to the city from.

The Church leaders says Jewish presence is offensive to them. How hypocritical.

Israel is the last remaining country in the Middle East where Christian life is thriving. Look at Iraq and Syria, at the Copts in Egypt or the ancient Christian community of Gaza. Even in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christianity, believers are disappearing.The incendiary balloon terrorism from the Gaza Strip shows no signs of slowing down despite the Qatari aid being transferred to the enclave, with dozens of fires being started in the nearby Israeli communities over the weekend.

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Qatari envoy to Gaza Muhammad al-Emadi was to enter the Hamas-controlled enclave sometime on Sunday to deliver $25 million in aid to the officials in the Strip, said Palestinian sources. The transfer of the funds is apparently one of the key demands put forward by the terror group in order for the quiet along the border to be maintained.

Fire in a wheat field started by incendiary balloons (Photo: Eshkol Regional Council )

At least three fires were started on Sunday in the Eshkol and Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Councils. All the fires had been extinguished and no injuries were reported. The same two communities were subjected to incendiary balloons attacks on Friday as well with at least seven fires breaking out there.

(Photo: Eshkol Regional Council )

In addition, on Thursday an explosive device attached to a balloon was found in Kibbutz Ruhama near the southern city of Sderot and a fire broke out in Simhoni Forest near Kfar Aza.

Over the course of Wednesday and Tuesday more than a dozen blazes broke out in the communities bordering Gaza as a result of incendiaries being launched into Israel by Palestinian factions in the Strip.

Explosive device attached to balloon found in Kibbutz Ruhama on Thursday

Last week it was reported terror groups in Gaza appear to have found a new method of launching incendiary balloons in order to ignite as many fires as possible on Israeli territory, thereby maximizing the damage.

The latest upgrade in what has become an entire arsenal of terror tools for the Palestinian factions in Gaza is to soak a slow-burning fuse in explosive liquids and attach it to an incendiary balloon. The balloon drips fireballs as it flies, creating several ignition points from just one device.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet convened in this hamlet Sunday to announce the inauguration of a new settlement named after President Donald Trump.

The settlement will be known as "Ramat Trump," or Trump Heights. Israel hopes the community, first built in the 1980s, will attract a wave of people to what is currently little more than an isolated outpost with just 10 residents.Israelis will attend a U.S-led conference in Bahrain next week on proposals for the Palestinian economy as part of a coming peace plan, Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday.

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The United States has billed the gathering as a workshop to boost the Palestinian economy as part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump's administration to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A source briefed on the event said Israel would send a business delegation but no government officials to the June 25-26 workshop, which is being boycotted by the Palestinian leadership.

Palestinians hold a poster against the US President Donald Trump, the Bahraini king Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Bethlehem, West Bank

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what level of representation Israel was expected to have at the conference.

U.S. officials have said they are inviting economy and finance ministers, as well as business leaders, to Bahrain to discuss investment in the Palestinian territories.

President Donald Trump and Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa of Bahrain (Photo: Reuters)

Palestinian leaders have spurned the conference, alleging pro-Israeli bias from Washington.

The Palestinians say the still unpublished U.S. peace plan falls short of their goal of statehood. They blame a halt in U.S. aid and Israeli restrictions for an economic crisis in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

A White House official said on Tuesday that Egypt, Jordan and Morocco planned to attend the conference

Egypt and Jordan's participation is considered particularly important because they have historically been major players in Middle East peace efforts and are the only Arab states that have peace treaties with Israel.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Jordans King Abdullah II and King of Morocco Mohammed VI (Photo: AP)

One of the sources said that U.S. and Bahrain had deliberated over whether a non-official Israeli presence was preferable to a government-level delegation, given that Israel currently has a caretaker government in place, pending a September election.

A second source said Israel would be sending a private business delegation.

Trump's plan faces possible delays due to political upheaval in Israel, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a government last month and must fight a second election this year, set for September 17.

Trump's Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt said the unveiling of the peace plan may be delayed until November, when a new Israeli government is expected to be in place.

Trump's Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt (Photo: EPA)

"Had the election not been called again perhaps we would have released it during the summer," Greenblatt said on Sunday.

"If we wanted to wait until a new government is formed we really do have to wait until potentially as late as November 6 but we'll decide that after Bahrain," said Greenblatt.A Palestinian man from a West Bank town of Deir Qaddis was charged on Sunday with a rape of a 7-year-old Jewish girl from one of the Israeli settlements in the area.

The police said the suspect worked at a school where the girl was studying and had groomed her before committing the attack.A Palestinian man from the West Bank is accused of raping a 7-year-old Jewish girl from one of the Israeli settlements in the area, according to the charges filed against him at the Ofer military court on Sunday.

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The police said the suspect, from the town of Deir Qaddis near Ramallah, worked as a janitor at a school which the young victim was attending and had groomed her for a long time before committing the attack.

The suspect allegedly established a relationship with the girl by bringing her gifts and sweets. According to the indictment, one day the suspect forcefully led the 7 year old into one of the houses in the area and sexually assaulted her before letting the victim go.

The man was charged with rape under aggravated circumstances, assault and kidnapping.

The indictment was filed after a months-long investigation, conducted by Shai District Police.

Attorney Haim Bleicher of the right-wing activist group Honenu, who accompanies the family of the victim, called the attack shocking and cruel, and claimed the rape was nationalistically motivated.U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for moving with the plans to name an Israeli community in the Golan Heights after him.

"Thank you PM @Netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor!" Trump tweeted.Qatari envoy to Gaza, Muhammad al-Emadi, entered the Hamas-controlled enclave late Sunday to deliver $15 million in aid to the officials in the Strip.

Another $10 million will be transferred to Israel as a payment for fuel provided to the Strip's sole power plant.Brisbane was named the top-performing city in Australia for luxury residential price growth in the latest Knight Frank research, outperforming cities like Sydney and Melbourne.

Queenslands capital held the 14th spot in the world rankings, with a 3.2% rise in the price of prestige property  defined as the top 5% of the market by value  over the year to March.

Sydney came in at 18th with 2.4%, Melbourne took 22nd place with 1.8%, and Perth was at number 23 with 1.8%

Brisbanes market was performing well, with 16 suburbs in the million-dollar club, particularly at the $5 million-plus end, according to Antonia Mercorella, chief executive officer of the Real Estate Institute of Queensland.

Michelle Ciesielski, Knight Franks head of residential research Australia, said that there are several reasons for the strengthening Brisbane prime market.

Brisbanes millionaire population continues to grow, prime properties continue to attract elevated interest from families migrating from Sydney and Melbourne, and local downsizers, she told Domain.

That idea of a great value consistently pushes the migration of Sydneysiders and Melburnians north, as well as entices overseas buyers and ex-pats looking for a place to live in when they return home, said Judy Goodger, Place New Farm managing director.

The increasing willingness of banks to lend, migration, and lifestyle factors also explain why the Brisbane market is thriving, according to Domain Research Analyst Eliza Owen.

Were seeing in the data that a lot of Sydneysiders are now looking towards south-east Queensland to buy property at the higher end of the market, she said. Brisbane has currently 20% of the inquiries outside Sydney.Melbournes market correction was not as grim as what market watchers thought it would be, according to a report by news.com.au.

Some of the countrys data providers and banks forecast nearly 10% losses to house values in 2018. CoreLogic and National Australia Bank, for instance, predicted losses of about 9.1% to 8%.

However, data from the Valuer-General revealed that the median house values only dropped by 4.9% to $732,500 over the previous year.

Those figures from banks and data firms reflected the indexed values, in which a theoretical figure is applied to all homes in the city regardless of whether they were sold. The Valuer-Generals price-based figures, on the other hand, took into account only those homes that were purchased.

The dreadful expectations did not reflect on the actual market. There were some sellers who did not want to accept losses at the predicted levels in 2018, said Adam Docking, Real Estate Institute of Victoria vice-president.

(Last year) there were people saying Im not going to sell my house for that because it was worth more than that last year, Docking told news.com.au. And thats a good thing. The market generally takes a nosedive when people have to sell.

South Yarra was posted the worst result in the city, with its $1.6 million median house price having declined by 30.4 % from $2.3 million at the end of 2017.

On the flip side of the coin, Cairnlea rose by 12.5% to $807,500, Botanic Ridge climbed by 10.4% to $751,000, Gisborne jumped by 17.9% to $785,000, and Mt. Martha increased by 16.5% to $1.27 million.News

Desmoines, Iowa - An Iowa company that sells software and data services to auto dealers has agreed to take steps to better protect the data it collects, to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the firms poor data security practices led to a breach that exposed the personal information of millions of consumers.

In a complaint, the FTC alleges that LightYear Dealer Technologies, LLC (doing business as DealerBuilt) failed to implement readily available and low-cost measures to protect personal information it obtained from its auto dealer clients.

Todays announcement reflects additional and significant improvements to the FTCs data security orders that will further protect consumers and deter lax security practices, said FTC Chairman Joe Simons. The settlement with DealerBuilt imposes more specific security requirements and requires company executives to take more responsibility for order compliance, while also strengthening the third party assessors accountability and providing the FTC with additional tools for oversight.

DealerBuilt develops and sells dealer-management system software and data processing services to auto dealers across the country. The software collects large quantities of personal information about dealership consumers, including names, addresses, birth dates, and Social Security numbers. Its payroll software collects similar information from dealership employees, along with bank account information. The FTC alleges that the personal data DealerBuilt collected was stored and transmitted in clear text, without any access controls or authentication protections.

According to the FTCs complaint, a DealerBuilt employee connected a storage device to the companys backup network without ensuring that it was securely configured, leaving an insecure connection for 18 months.

The company never performed any vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, or other measures that would have detected the vulnerability, according to the complaint. The FTC alleges that DealerBuilt failed to take other steps to protect personal data stored on its network such as developing, implementing, or maintaining a written information security policy and training for employees; using security measures to monitor its systems and assets; and imposing reasonable data access controls.

The FTC alleges these failures led to a breach of DealerBuilts backup database beginning in late October 2016 over a 10-day period, when a hacker gained access to the unencrypted personal information of about 12.5 million consumers stored by 130 DealerBuilt customers. The hacker downloaded the personal information of more than 69,000 consumers, including their Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers, and birthdates, as well as wage and financial information. DealerBuilt did not detect the breach until it was notified by one of its auto dealer customers, who demanded to know why its customer data was publicly available on the Internet, according to the complaint. The types of personal information stolen from DealerBuiltnames, addresses and Social Security numbersare often used to commit identity theft and fraud, the complaint notes.

The FTC alleges that DealerBuilt violated the FTC Acts prohibition against unfair practices and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Acts Safeguards Rule, which requires financial institutions to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive information security program.

As part of the proposed settlement with the FTC, DealerBuilt is prohibited from transferring, selling, sharing, collecting, maintaining, or storing personal information unless it implements and maintains a comprehensive information security program designed to protect the personal information it collects. Among other things, the order requires DealerBuilt to implement specific safeguards that address the allegations in the FTC complaint.

The proposed settlement also requires the company to obtain third-party assessments of its information security program every two years. Under the order, the assessor must specify the evidence that supports its conclusions and conduct independent sampling, employee interviews, and document review. In addition, the order requires a senior corporate manager responsible for overseeing DealerBuilts information security program to certify compliance with the order every year. Finally, the order grants the Commission the authority to approve the assessor for each two-year assessment period.

The Commission vote to issue the proposed administrative complaint and to accept the consent agreement with DealerBuilt was 5-0. The FTC will publish a description of the consent agreement package in the Federal Register soon. The agreement will be subject to public comment for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, after which the Commission will decide whether to make the proposed consent order final. Once processed, comments will be posted on Regulations.gov.News

Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met Wednesday with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland in Washington, DC. The Secretary and Foreign Minister reiterated their mutual commitment to restoring democracy in Venezuela and Nicaragua. They discussed Cubas destabilizing interference in Venezuela.

The Secretary and the Foreign Minister emphasized their continued concern about the ongoing detention of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in China and Chinas use of exit bans as a form of coercion. They agreed Chinas actions are damaging. Both leaders welcome results-oriented engagement with China that addresses Chinese behaviors of concern to both countries and emphasizes the importance of its respect for rule of law, human rights, and fair and reciprocal trade.News

Washington, DC - The recent release of more than 100 Nicaraguan citizens who were imprisoned for exercising their fundamental freedoms means that these Nicaraguans, who have sacrificed greatly in the struggle for genuine democracy in Nicaragua, will be reunited with their families and loved ones.

However, dozens remain in prison, and the Nicaraguan government has placed legal conditions on those released. We repeat our call for the unconditional release of all who have been arbitrarily detained in Nicaragua. The United States categorically rejects a so-called blanket amnesty that would conditionally absolve those involved in human rights abuses and violations even while still prohibiting the exercise of basic human rights by the Nicaraguan people. Despite the recent actions of the Nicaraguan government and legislature, the United States and the international community will continue to hold accountable those responsible for extrajudicial killings, human rights abuses, and repression.

We stand by the Nicaraguan people in their calls for a restoration of democracy through early, free, and fair elections. Rather than amnesty for human rights abusers, we demand a full accounting of crimes by Nicaraguan forces, including their role in the May 16 prison death of dual U.S.-Nicaraguan citizen and political prisoner Eddy Montes.News

Yuma, Arizona - The National Science Foundation recently awarded a $599,929 grant to the Science Foundation Arizona Center for STEM at Arizona State University (SFAz STEM) to support an Advanced Technological Education Project, entitled: Impact of System-Wide Contextualization of Math in SFAz+8 Rural Arizona Colleges on Producing More Qualified Technicians (SFAz+8 CXM).

Through this project, Arizona Western College Dean of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Reetika Dhawan and Professor of Welding Noberto Alvarado will be working alongside SFAz STEM as well as Math and CTE faculty from seven other rural Arizona community colleges to alleviate challenges students face in technical math that prevent them from completing their technical credentials. Rural colleges participating in the SFAz+8 CXM collaborative include Arizona Western College, Central Arizona College, Cochise College, Coconino Community College, Eastern Arizona College, Mohave Community College, Northland Pioneer College, and Yavapai College.

Administrators and faculty from each participating institution seek to move the needle on CTE completions across multiple technical disciplines, a feat thats difficult for resource-limited institutions to accomplish individually.

We are very pleased to have this opportunity to continue to facilitate this collaboration of rural STEM faculty and administrators with a focus on helping technical students successfully complete their programs with math included, said Caroline VanIngen-Dunn, Director of SFAz STEM, and Principal Investigator for the grant.

Each college will work collaboratively to improve student success and completion in CTE programs by either embedding math knowledge and credits into their courses or contextualizing their technical math courses with modules from their most prominent technical courses. For example, Arizona Western College will explore the processes and content used in Cochise Colleges contextualized Electronics Technology course (they bring in a math instructor to teach math fundamentals that coincide with the instruction of the corresponding electronics principles) and adapt it to their Electrical Solar Program.

Welding has been identified as a single common program area for all the colleges. Arizona Western College will strengthen their Math Applications for Welders course in collaboration with their math department and by exploring Central Arizona Colleges Technical Math course.

As contextualized curriculum modules are developed, adapted, or implemented at each institution, they will be shared in the STEM Network, a resource and repository that can be used by other colleges. The collaborative, and each team formed around a contextualization method, will also meet monthly or as needed to share resources, data, best practices and discuss experiences with each approach.



A research study will be conducted in year three of this program to test whether the contextualized curriculum modules are helping to bridge the gap between technical concepts and the fundamental mathematical skills needed for technical jobs in Arizona. The study will examine the effects of the courses as measured by retention (course completion) and knowledge (end term course grades).



The eight rural community colleges that are part of this consortium serve diverse, underrepresented groups, and the industries they support are as varied as aerospace, defense, mining, manufacturing, automotive, construction, and agriculture. While the colleges may differ in geography and in the populations they serve, they share a common problem of math education as a barrier to completion of CTE credentials. The aim of this project is to change how students overcome these challenges and earn certificates and degrees, providing more rural, Hispanic, and Native American workers with the opportunity to join the technical workforce equipped with the credentials they need for promotion and continued employment in their community, region, and state. Industry across Arizona will benefit from increased math skills in their technician workforce and will also have a larger, regional pool of students from which to draw.Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Americans for Prosperity-Arizona (AFP-AZ) joins a national comprehensive, integrated campaign to create a strong economy by leveling the playing field for all. Called Unrig the Economy, this multi-year, multi-million-dollar effort will harness the power of AFPs grassroots activists, in-house capabilities, community organizations, and partners to drive change at both the state and federal level.

The initial phase launching today will kick off with a robust direct mail and digital effort to stop the Export-Import Banks reauthorization targeting both Arizona Senators and members of the Senate Banking Committee, Martha McSally and Kyrsten Sinema.

AFP-AZ State Director Stephen Shadegg issued the following statement: Today we urge Senators McSally and Sinema to fight for a level playing field for all Arizonans. Our activists are dedicated to eliminating the practice of government favoritism that currently plagues Washington in the form of the exclusive Export-Import Bank. AFPs goal is to unrig our economy for all Arizonans to prosper and to do so we need both of our Senators, of both parties, to bridge these divides.

According to a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, 62% of Americans said they thought the U.S. economic system mainly benefits those in power versus only 34% who said it mainly benefits all people. Belief that the economy is rigged is a longtime, widespread perception.

Americans for Prosperitys national arm announced the effort today: Unrig the Economy Campaign Aims to End Government Favoritism.Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Arizona Science Center is celebrating one of the greatest human achievements in science  the 50th anniversary of humans first steps on the moon! Thats right, July 16, is exactly 50 years after the launch of the Saturn V rocket that carried astronauts Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins on the first manned lunar landing.

All month long, the Science Center will be commemorating the historic mission with events and space-themed programming. All leading to the BIGGEST Apollo 11 50th anniversary celebration in Arizona.

On Saturday, July 20, join us for an out-of-this-world celebration of man's first steps on the moon on that monumental day in 1969 as part of NASA's Apollo 11 lunar mission! From exploring the Sun, Earth, Universe exhibit to engaging in hands-on space and moon-themed activities, well spark curiosity in what's next in innovation and exploration through a fun-filled day for the entire family. What is the next giant leap?

EVENT CALENDAR:

Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Celebration includes the following events and programming:

June 1415, 5 p.m.9 a.m. | Girls in STEM Space-themed Overnight Event (girls in grades 4-8 only)

Sunday, June 16, 10a.m. 5 p.m. | Valentinas Day (themed activities and hands-on demonstrations led by the Blue Crew, our team of science interpreters)

Saturday, July 6, TBD | Special Speaker Series (announcement coming soon)

July 812 | STaR Space Module (educators-only professional development)

Tuesday, July 16 | Global Rocket Launch Day

10 a.m.5 p.m.: Rocket building and launches in CREATE at Arizona Science Center

59 p.m.: Observe the Moon Family Night

Friday, July 19, 10 a.m.5 p.m. | Apollo 11 Anniversary Family Celebration

Friday, July 19, 610 p.m. | Science With A Twist (adult 21+ event)

Saturday, July 20, 10 a.m.5 p.m. | Continuing Apollo 11 Anniversary Family Celebration

Saturday, July 27, 610 p.m. | Teen Night at CREATE

*Events subject to change

The Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Celebration is proudly presented by the Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust.

Arizona Science Center, 600 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004

WEBSITE & TICKETS: azscience.org/apollo11Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - Today, Yuma Police officers responded to the report of an armed robbery call in the 1500 block of West 10th Place in which the suspect brandished a weapon and took an undisclosed amount of money.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 18 to 25 years of age, approximately 59 with a thin build, wearing a red jersey, and a red bandanna to cover his face. The suspect is not in custody.

There were no reported injuries. There is no further information at this time.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at 928-373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.PATNA: The death toll due to the outbreak of viral infection Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has reached 102 in Bihar on Sunday. Muzaffarpur is the worst-hit district in the state with the death toll reaching 88 here. Three more children died in Kejriwal Hospital in Muzaffarpur on Sunday where 14 deaths had been reported so far.

Another 11 children died in Vaishali, two in Motihari and one in Begusarai.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has also arrived in Bihar to review the situation with the state health officials.

He is expected to visit Muzzafarpur, which has been the worst hit by the outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome or also referred to as ''brain fever'' resulting in the death of 8 children here alone.

Speaking to reporters in Gaya, the Health Minister described the death of several people in Bihar due to heatstroke as ''unfortunate.''

Union Health Min Dr Harsh Vardhan in Patna on death of 12 ppl due to heat stroke in Gaya:It's very unfortunate that ppl have died due to heat stroke.I advise ppl to avoid moving out of house till temperature reduces.Intense heat affects brain&leads to various health issues.#Bihar pic.twitter.com/B6AWRiDlNN  ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2019

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During his visit, the Union Health 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 had said on Saturday.

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 Bihar's Health Minister Mangal Pandey on two occasions recently and discussed the reported rise in cases of AES from Muzaffarpur and JE.

''Death toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur has risen to 80,'' Sunil Kumar Shahi, Superintendent at Sri Krishna Medical College & Hospital (SKMCH), told ANI.

Till now, over 130 have been hospitalised in the district.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate of Muzaffarpur had said on Friday 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.Aurangabad: After Acute Encephalitis Syndrome led to the death of 89 children in Bihar, scorching heat has now claimed the lives of at least 47 people in the state.

At least 30 deaths due to heat stroke have been reported in the Aurangabad district of Bihar on Saturday.

In Gaya and Nawada districts 12 and 5 deaths were reported due to heat stroke on Saturday respectively.

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Aurangabad civil surgeon Dr Surendra Prasad Singh confirmed that at least 30 people died due to the heatwave in the district.

Singh warned that the toll could rise as the number of patients being admitted in the hospital with related cases was increasing.

Many people were undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the district.

"All of them (dead) were suffering from high-temperature fever," said Singh.

Aurangabad Sub-division officer Pradeep Kumar and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Anoop Kumar reached the district hospital with the forces to tackle any with untoward incident.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the deaths due to heat and announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased.

He also directed all district magistrates to take precautionary measures in the wake of severe heatwave condition in the state.Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan was on Sunday shown black flags in Patna when he visited Bihar where at least 100 people have been killed due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome and at least 47 others have lost their lives to heatstroke. The protest was reportedly organised by members of the Jan Adhikar Party who claimed there was negligence in how the cases of Encephalitis were being dealt with.

The members of the Jan Adhikar Party had earlier also gathered around state health minister Mangal Pandey's residence to lodge their protest.

Harsh Vardhan, accompanied by Union Minister of State for Health Ashwani Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey, visited the state-owned Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) to review the situation prevailing due to the outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). He also expressed concern over deaths due to heatstroke and asked people to avoid stepping out unless absolutely necessary.

"It's very unfortunate that people have died due to heat stroke. I advise people to avoid moving out of the house till temperature reduces. Intense heat affects brain and leads to various health issues," he said.

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Ministers also held a closed-door review meeting with the doctors and health officials to take stock of the situation. He will also interact with the multi-disciplinary teams deployed in the state.

Vardhan had earlier said that the Centre is extending all support to the state for the containment and management of the recent surge of AES and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases. He added 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 had said.New Delhi: With just a day left for the Budget Session of Parliament to begin, Congress party has yet to appoint its Leader in the Lok Sabha. Earlier there were talks that Rahul Gandhi, who is reluctant to continue as Congress president after the party`s drubbing the polls, will be taking charge of the grand old party`s attack on the government in the lower House.

With the party ruling out his discontinuation from his post, the speculations have died down creating further suspense on who would be the new leader. With the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections of senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge`s, who led Congress in the 16th Lok Sabha, the party is looking for a leader with excellent command over Hindi and English language, besides being loyal to the Gandhi family.

Sources in the party said former Union Ministers Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor, West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary and Kerala unit working president K Suresh are among the front runners for the job. Chances run high for Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram MP), K Suresh (Mavelikkara) and Manish Tewari (Anandpur Sahib) since the Congress has secured most of the seats in Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, the states this leader hail from.

While Tharoor`s impeccable English and a mild command over Hindi goes in his favour, his name in the Sunanda Pushkar case creates a hurdle in his path. K Suresh, another figure from Kerala, is a Dalit and a long-time party loyal but his inability to speak Hindi and poor English speaking skill is somewhere he lacks behind. Manish Tewari is leading the race with his equal authority over Hindi and English and his image as an excellent spokesperson.

"Tewari" title tagged to his name may also help him get the job. Tewari, a product of student politics, was made Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology during the second term of UPA rule. Congress` top leadership was reportedly unhappy for some time after he refused to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections but he made a comeback as a spokesman.

Meanwhile, Chaudhary and K Suresh have been instructed to attend the all-party meet on Sunday. India`s oldest party has to appoint leader and deputy leader of the party, main whip along with two other whips in the Lok Sabha in a period of 24 hours.

Congress has so far maintained that it will appoint the leader with time. The party faces an uphill task of balancing north-south mathematics in these appointments.

SRINAGAR: The Station House Officer (SHO) of Saddar Police Station in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag, Arshad Ahmad Khan, who had got seriously injured in the suicide attack in Anantnag on Wednesday succumbed to his injuries on Sunday. The police inspector passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.

The officer had rushed to the spot after he was informed that terrorists had opened fire at the security forces on KP Road in Anantnag. Khan was shot in the chest during the attack and was taken to Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar. On Sunday, he was referred to the AIIMS via an air ambulance. Arshad Khan is survived by wife and two children.

Five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were martyred in the suicide attack which was carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Al-Umar Mujahideen. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik had said on Thursday that the Anantnag fidayeen attack was carried out on Pakistan's direction. "Yesterday's fidayeen attack was carried out on Pakistan's directions. Whenever there is peace in the Valley, Pakistan tries to deteriorate the situation by resorting to fidayeen attacks," Malik had said while speaking at an event organised by a private varsity at Srinagar's Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC).

Meanwhile, Intelligence agencies suspect that Pakistani terrorist Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar was the mastermind of Anantnag suicide attack. Zargar is the head of Al Umar Mujahideen. It may be recalled that Zargar was released along with Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and another terrorist Umar Saeed Sheikh in exchange for passengers of Indian Airlines flight IC 814, which was hijacked in 1999 by Pakistani terrorists.

Intelligence agencies are of the view that Zargar has planned the attack in with the help of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. A senior intelligence officer said that Al Umar Mujahideen's network in Jammu and Kashmir is very weak and it is possible that Zargar has taken the help of JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen to execute the plan.National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case, on Sunday said that Dukhtaran-e-Millathad chief Asiya Andrabi has confessed during interrogation that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources to organise protests by Muslim women in the state.

"During interrogation, Asiya Andrabi admitted she had been collecting funds & donations from foreign sources, for which her organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millathad had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley," said the NIA.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) on J&K terror funding case: During interrogation, Asiya Andrabi admitted she had been collecting funds & donations from foreign sources, for which her organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millathad had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley pic.twitter.com/YoB0TgPhoO  ANI (@ANI) 16 June 2019

The NIA also added that Andrabi made the confessions after she was confronted with evidence regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onward through foreign remittances made by Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali. It is to be noted that Watali is currently behind bars in connection with a terror funding case.

"Separatist Asiya Andrabi was confronted with evidence regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onward through foreign remittances made by Zahoor Watali," noted the NIA.

National Investigation Agency on J&K terror funding case: Separatist Asiya Andrabi was confronted with evidence regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onward through foreign remittances made by Zahoor Watali (arrested in a terror funding case) https://t.co/Lcr6CQkMkw  ANI (@ANI) 16 June 2019

The NIA has collected evidence that Asiya Andrabi has close links with the Pakistani Army and use to receive funds from its spy agency the Inter-Services Intelligence. According to NIA, Andrabi has close contacts with Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafeez Saeed through a serving Pakistan Army officer, who is also closely related to her.

The NIA said that Masarat Alam, who is also currently in jail in connection with terror funding case, has revealed during interrogation that agents based in Pakistan route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to separatist leaders including veteran Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Shah Gilani. Masarat is the so-called poster boy of stone pelters and violent agitations in Kashmir valley.

NIA on J&K terror funding case: Masarat Alam, so called poster boy of stone pelters&violent agitations in Kashmir, revealed that Pakistan based agents route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to separatist leaders including Syed Shah Gilani Chairman APHC(G) https://t.co/pTOQOA0c6C  ANI (@ANI) 16 June 2019

Sources said that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is personally monitoring the cases against Asiya and Masarat. It is to be noted that Doval spearheads the Central government's strategy in Jammu and Kashmir on the terror front.New Delhi: In a moving gesture, Garud Commandos of the Indian Air Force (IAF) recently came forward to help in the wedding of their martyred friend's sister in Bihar capital Patna.

IAF Garud commando Jyoti Prakash Nirala was martyred during a terrorist encounter in Jammu and Kashmir back in 2017.

Before making the supreme sacrifice for the country, Nirala had gunned down five terrorists in different encounters.

The nation later honoured the braveheart by bestowing the Ashok Chakra on him posthumously during the Republic Day celebrations in 2018.

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When Nirala's friends in the Air Force came to know about his sister's wedding in Patna, they decided to help his family.

Nirala was the sole earning member in the family, which has four daughters.

After his untimely death, his family was facing financial constraints and finding it difficult to arrange enough funds for the marriage.

To honour their martyred brother, Nirala's friends and other Garud commandos contributed Rs 500 each and collected nearly Rs 5 lakhs, which was given to the family to organise the marriage of Nirala's sister.

In some pictures of the wedding that have been widely shared on social media, some of the Garud commandos can be seen making the bride walk on their palms as a mark of respect.

While the moving gesture by the Garud Commandos to help their martyred brother is being hugely appreciated, it also reminds us of the hardship faced by the families of defence personnel after their untimely deaths in the line of duty.The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Vayu which had moved away from the Gujarat coast on 13 June has weakened into a Severe Cyclonic Storm. The system is very likely to gradually recurve thereafter on Sunday and cross north Gujarat coast by Monday midnight as a Depression.

Due to the effect of the cyclone, Saurashtra and Kutch are likely to receive rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places in the coastal districts on Sunday. There are squally winds which are being witnessed in coastal areas. Dwarka in Gujarat reported 10 kmph winds at 6:30 am on Sunda while Porbandar reported 17 kmph winds.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that gale wind speed of the order of 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph is very likely over northeast Arabian Sea and adjoining areas of northwest and central Arabian Sea and is expected to decrease gradually thereafter. Strong wind speed of the order of 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is also very likely along and off Gujarat coast.

The sea condition is very likely to be high to very high from Sunday over northeast Arabian Sea and adjoining areas of northwest and central Arabian Sea. The Sea condition is very likely to be rough to very rough along & off Gujarat coast till Monday.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the north Arabian Sea, the east-central Arabian Sea and along and off Gujarat coast for next few days.

Meanwhile, IMD has also predicted thunderstorm accompanied with hail and lightning (50-60 kmph) at isolated places over Uttarakhand on Monday. Besides, the weather forecasting agency also predicted that some isolated places of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, East Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Bihar are likely to witness lightning accompanied with gusty winds of 40-50 kmph.

The organization has also predicted that states such as West Bengal, Sikkim, and Gujarat (Saurashtra and Kutch) are likely to receive heavy rainfall on Monday."Heavy rainfall at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam & Meghalaya, Konkan & Goa, Coastal Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Uttarakhand," the IMD stated in its bulletin.Kolkata: Despite assurance from the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the junior doctors continue their ongoing strike on Sunday and said that they are ready to meet her but the venue of the meeting would be decided later. With this, the impasse in West Bengal showed signs of easing as agitating doctors apparently softened their stance and agreed to meet the state's Chief Minister even as they continued to press for more security at their workplace.

The state government had on Saturday stated that it wants to end the stalemate situation, adding that all the 'practical' demands of the protesting doctors will be met.

The agitating doctors had on Saturday 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.

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"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.

Junior doctors of #NRSMedicalCollege and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal: This has become an ego fight for the CM but for us it's a fight for survival. We wanted her to meet the assaulted doctor Paribaha Mukhopadhyay. It wasnt a spontaneous attack, it was a planned attack. pic.twitter.com/e4VRIiFyr8  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

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.

Jr doctors of #NRSMedicalCollege : CM invited us for a closed door meeting at Nabanna. The entire state is with us, how can we attend a closed door meeting? We're open to end this stalemate. If a meeting is to be held,we'll discuss venue in general body meeting to be held tonight https://t.co/s5zYvsQTBm  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

"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.

Junior doctors of #NRSMedicalCollege and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal: Our occupational hazard is, being affected by Hepatitis and HIV while treating patients, but we never complained or sat on a dharna for this. This (attack on doctor) can't be termed as an occupational hazard https://t.co/D2T46vdGEj  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

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 KN 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 news 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, Mumbai, Kolkata, and many other cities faced hardships as the protest by doctors, in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Bengal, continued in several government hospitals.

(With Agency inputs)NEW DELHI: In an unprecedented case, a girl attacked her boyfriend with acid after he ended their relationship, in the belief that he would be forced to marry her if he was defaced.

"The couple was in a relationship for over three years, but recently the boy (name not disclosed) had asked to end the relationship. The girl though was adamant on getting married and so hatched the plan to deface the boy," said Monika Bhardwaj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West).

According to Bhardwaj, the police received a complaint of an acid attack on Tuesday, where a couple was allegedly attacked with acid by unknown persons while they were riding on a scooty. In the attack the boy who was driving the scooty received burn injuries on the right side of his face, neck and chest, however the girl received only minor injuries.

During investigation when the police examined the recordings of CCTV cameras installed in the area where the crime was reported, they found no one had thrown anything on the couple. But the boy revealed that just minutes before the attack his girlfriend had asked him to remove the helmet as it was irritating her.

"Moments after he removed his helmet, a chemical was hurled at his face," Bhardwaj added. The statement by the boy gave the police an important lead, which led to interrogation of his girlfriend who after attempting to mislead the police, broke down and revealed that the boy had wanted to end their three-year-long relationship. But the girl was not ready for same and wanted to marry him.

"The girl had concealed a bottle of house cleaning chemical in her purse, but since the boy was wearing a helmet she first asked him to remove the helmet, and moments after he removed the helmet she threw the chemical on his face," Bhardwaj said. During the bid to injure her lover the girl also received minor injuries and created a scene claiming that someone had thrown acid on them.Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday arrived in Bihar on Sunday to hold discussions over the outbreak of viral infection Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) that has claimed the lives of 102 children in the state. Addressing a press conference after meeting Minister of State for Health Aswini Kumar Choubey, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey and the doctors of Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the number of cases of AES have come down considerably in the recent past. The Union Minister expressed sadness over the deaths of children and said that it is painful for everyone.

Dr Harsh Vardhan said that Bihar need state-of-the-art research facility to tackle the outbreak of this disease. He added that other organisations of the country which are involved in finding cure for AES must work together. According to the Union Health Minister, AES affects a child suddenly and it affects a large number of children within no time.

Dr Harsh Vardhan also said that infrastructure has been set-up in Muzaffarpur for the test of AES-causing virus but the government is will set-up 4-5 virology in Bihar very soon. He also said that steps should be taken to eradicate the mosquitoes which cause this viral fever. Ambulance services should be improved so that the patients can reach the hospitals safely. Dr Harsh Varshan assured that Centre would provide all financial and technical help to Bihar government to tackle this disease.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate of Muzaffarpur had said on Friday 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.NEW DELHI: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday announced that it will hold a nationwide protest on Monday, adding that all the non-essential services, including OPDs, will be discontinued from 6 am during the protest. The IMA, however, said that casualty and emergency services will continue to function as usual.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) to hold a 24-hour-long nationwide protest tomorrow; all Non-Essential Services including OPDs will be closed starting from 6 am. IMA will also stage a 'dharna' at IMA headquarters in Delhi starting 10 am tomorrow.  ANI (@ANI) 16 June 2019

IMA will also stage a dharna' in Delhi starting 10 am on Monday to express solidarity with the junior doctors agitating against the assault of their colleague by the relatives of a deceased patient in West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the agitating junior doctors of NRS Medical College in West Bengal on Sunday agreed to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to end the impasse but stressed that the meeting must happen in front of media. "We are keen to end this impasse. We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors," the doctors said. The junior doctors agreed to meet West Bengal chief minister after a two-and-half-hour-long meeting of their governing body,



A spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors said that the Chief Minister can decide the venue of the meeting but it should be held in the open. The spokesperson, however, remarked that the venue should be spacious enough to accommodate representatives from all medical colleges and hospitals in the state. It may be recalled that Mamata had invited the agitating junior doctors for a closed-door meeting on Saturday, but the doctors had refused to meet her.

The doctors said that they were hopeful that the CM will ensure that the issues will be resolved and their demands are met. "We want to join our duties as early as possible in the best interests of the common people once all our demands are met with adequately and logically through a discussion. We are hopeful that the chief minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems," said the spokesperson.Akola: Two brothers were killed and their cousin was injured when a truck hit their motorcycle in Akola district of Maharashtra on Sunday morning, police said.

The mishap took place around 7 am when the three victims were going from Medashi village to a hospital in the nearby Patur town, a police official said.

The victims were speeding on a road which was slippery due to an oil spill sometime back. They suddenly saw a truck coming from the opposite direction but the two-wheeler rider apparently failed to apply brakes in time, he said.

As a result, the truck collided head-on with the motorcycle, killing two riders on the spot, the official said. The deceased were identified as Sunil Chavan (28) and Manik Chavan (25), he said.

Their cousin brother, who was injured in the mishap, was admitted to a government hospital, he added.Kolkata: The logjam over junior doctors' ongoing strike continued on Sunday as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refused to apologise to them  a precondition set by the agitating doctors before talks.

According to reports, the West Bengal CM, while addressing a press conference, said that media can apologise on her behalf in order to end the impasse over doctors' strike.

On doctors' another demand for visiting the NRS Medical College and Hospital, Banerjee said that she will decide where to go and where not to.

Mamata, however, said that her government wants to end the stalemate and ready to meet all the 'practical' demands of the protesting doctors.

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Despite assurance from the West Bengal Chief Minister, the junior doctors continued their ongoing strike on Sunday and said that they are ready to meet her but the venue of the meeting would be decided later.

The agitating doctors had on Saturday 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.

"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," their 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. 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.

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 KN Tripathi also 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 news 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.

On the mass resignation of the doctors across the state, she said it was not legally tenable.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had 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, Mumbai, Kolkata, and many other cities faced hardships as the protest by doctors, in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Bengal, continued in several government hospitals.

(With Agency inputs)NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Budget session which begins on Monday, the government on Sunday convened an all-party meeting where Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all members for cooperation for the session. Opposition members in the meeting demanded that issues such as farm distress, unemployment and drought should be debated upon in Parliament.

The Prime Minister welcomed newly elected MPs and expressed hope that fresh zeal and energy would be infused in the functioning of the Parliament. "We are for the people, we cannot win hearts by disrupting the functioning of the Parliament. All parties must keep political differences aside and commit themselves to tirelessly work in the direction of Nation's progress," he said.

Urging members to work with the government and strive to achieve its vision of making a New India by 2022 and 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas', he said that the government is ready to discuss all issues of national importance on the floor of both Houses of Parliament.

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The meeting that was chaired by the Prime Minister had representatives of all parties, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O'Brien in attendance.

"There should be a discussion on farmers distress, unemployment, and drought. We are not opposed to all those bills which are in the interest of the people," Azad said after the meeting.

Alleging that the Centre wants to run Jammu and Kashmir state through the Governor's administration, he demanded that Assembly elections in the state be held soon.

TMC's O'Brien demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, be brought immediately in the session.

The first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha will be held from June 17 to July 26. There will be 30 sittings spread over 40 days in Lok Sabha and 27 sittings spread over 37 days sittings in the Rajya Sabha. The Session will mainly be devoted to Oath taking, Election of Speaker, the Motion of Thanks on the Presidents Address, Financial Business relating to Union Budget for 2019-20.Monsoon arrived at some parts of North Bengal and Sikkim on Sunday. The Northern limit of monsoon is curently passing through North East Bay of Bengal then Goalpara (Assam), Alipurduar (North Bengal) and Gangtok (Sikkim).

The Indian Meterolgical Department (IMD) said on Sunday that monsoon is expected to advance further up north as Cyclone Vayu loses intensity. It is to be noted that by now, monsoon should have reached some parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, but the onset of monsoon has got delayed and it is yet to hit Maharashtra.

According to IMD, the western coast of the country has been receiving rainfall for the last few days due to Cyclone Vayu and rainfall in coastal Karnataka and Kerala has been due to monsoon. It is expected that Cyclone Vayu would cross the Gujarat coast on Monday evening and after its movement as depression, the monsoon winds would start moving move up towards the Arabian Sea.

Monsoon arrived in Kerala on June 8, after a delay of around a week after its usual onset date. "The progress of monsoon was halted due to Cyclone Vayu. As its intensity decreases, we expect monsoon to progress in the next 2-3 days," said Devendra Pradhan, additional director general, IMD.

The IMD said in its monsoon bulletin, that conditions are becoming favourable for further advance of the southwest monsoon to more parts of central Arabian Sea, Karnataka and remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, PTI reported. The IMD added that monsoon is expected to reach more parts of central, north and south Bay, northeast India, north Bengal and Sikkim in 1-2 days.

It is to be noted that central division of IMD, which covers Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Goa, has recorded a rainfall deficiency of as much 59% so far, while the deficiency in east and northeast India has been recorded at 47 per cent. The overall rainfall deficiency has reached 43% so far.ISLAMABAD: An increasingly isolated Pakistan has warned of a possible terror attack in South Kashmir and shared the details about it with the National Security Advisor (NSA) of India, intelligence sources claimed on Sunday.

According to reports, Pakistan has shared intelligence inputs with the NSA about a possible terror attack on a highway in South Kashmir in the days to come.

Pakistan has warned that terrorist groups, especially Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, are seeking to avenge the killing of their top operatives, including al Qaeda's India affiliate commander Zakir Musa, by the Indian security forces in Kashmir during anti-terror operations.

Musa was an al Qaeda affiliate who was killed by the security forces in an encounter in Kashmir's Avanitipora. Musa had been the outfits head in Kashmir since July 27, 2017. He was earlier heading terror group Hizbul Mujahideen, after the killing of Burhan Wani in 2016.

In the wake of a warning from Pakistan, the security has been tightened in all sensitive areas and near the border.

Surveillance and patrolling have been increased and the security agencies have been asked to remain on high alert mode.

The security arrangements for the annual Amarnath Yatra has also been reviewed.

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On the diplomatic front, Pakistan has said that it 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 Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who was recently 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 here on Friday on the sidelines of the multilateral meeting.

He, however, 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.

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.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan had also made a telephone call to PM Narendra Modi on May 26 and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of people of the two countries.

On his part, PM 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 aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was later handed over to India.

(With Agency inputs)AYODHYA: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday made a strong pitch for the construction of a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and urged the BJP-led NDA government to bring an ordinance if required.

''From tomorrow, Lok Sabha Session will begin so before entering the Parliament all Shiv Sena MPs have come here to take the blessings of Ram Lalla. We strongly believe that temple will be constructed at the earliest,'' Uddhav said while addressing a press briefing here.

He also assured that a Ram temple in Ayodhya will be constructed soon under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

''Ram temple has to be constructed at the earliest. PM Modi has the courage and the Hindus of the whole world are with him,'' Thackeray said.

Sending a strong message to the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre, the Shiv Sena supremo said that the central government should bring an ordinance for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

''The government should bring an ordinance for construction of Ram temple here and we will support it,'' the Shiv Sena chief said.

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The Sena chief said that his party stands firmly with the BJP government at the Centre over the issue.

During the press conference, Thackeray said that coming to Ayodhya was ''a matter of faith'' for him and that he would like to visit the place more often.

Uddhav earlier offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh along with 18 newly-elected MPs of his party.

The Shiv Sena chief arrived here in a chartered plane along with his son Aditya and went to the hotel where he was joined by his party MPs who had arrived earlier.

Thackeray and his MPs were welcomed with flowers and drummers and 'dhol' players.

Maharashtra will be going to polls later this year and the visit is being seen as an attempt by the Shive Sena to put pressure on ally BJP on the Ram temple issue.

However, Shiv Sena has been maintaining that Thackeray's visit should not be seen through the electoral lens.

Party leader Sanjay Raut had said on Saturday that Thackeray is fulfilling the promise he made in November that he would visit the temple again after elections.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had visited Ayodhya a week back to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla (or infant Ram) temple.

His visit, the first after the Lok Sabha election results were declared, was apparently aimed at reiterating support for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.

Meanwhile, Iqbal Ansari, a plaintiff in the Babri title suit, said that Uddhav Thackeray's coming to Ayodhya with his party MPs was not a matter of faith but a matter of politics.

"Coming to Ayodhya and offering prayers at Ram temple and other temples is a matter of faith but coming with party MPs is not faith - it is politics," he said.

The title suit over the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site is being heard by the Supreme Court.MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will expand his cabinet on Sunday amid intense speculations of Shiv Sena getting the Depuy chief minister's post.

According to sources, the swearing-in ceremony will take place around 11 AM at the Raj Bhavan.

CM Fadnavis had announced on Saturday that the state cabinet will be expanded on Sunday.

The Cabinet expansion comes a day before the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislature, the last before Assembly polls later this year, begins.

In the last few days, both Fadnavis and state's Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had given enough indications about the cabinet expansion.

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Ahead of the Cabinet expansion, Fadnavis had met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday and held discussions 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 on Friday.

On Saturday, NDA ally Republican Party of India (Athawale) confirmed that its leader Avinash Mahatekar will be inducted into the Fadnavis government in Sunday's expansion.

Former Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who is tipped to get a ministerial berth in today's cabinet expansion, has said that he would carry out "whatever responsibility" he is given.

Vikhe Patil, former Leader of Opposition of the Maharashtra Assembly, recently quit the Congress after his son Sujay won Lok Sabha election on BJP ticket.

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 ally Shiv Sena has five cabinet ministers and only one MoS.

Smaller allies have one cabinet and MoS post each.

(With Agency inputs)Washington DC: Sisters Kim and Kourtney Kardashian hosted a joint birthday party for their daughters North West and Penelope Disick on Saturday.

According to US Weekly, the theme for the celebrations was a candy land where everything including the decor, the cake, and the dress code was in accordance.

The 38-year-old beauty mogul shared a series of pictures from the birthday celebrations which will tempt you to pop a candy. She even posted videos that showed how her backyard was transformed into a real-life version of the Hasbro board game, complete with a colorful, winding track, gingerbread houses and tons of sugary treats.

"Candy Land is the theme of today for North`s party," said the KUWK star as she strolled past huge gumballs. She also posted a video of huge layers of cake and frosted cupcakes with the words "Happy B-Day Penelope and North."

Kourtney shared a video of her daughter who turned 7 recently where the birthday girl can be seen eyeing the multi-colour layered cake filled with sprinkles and candy.

Last year, the theme for the celebrations was a unicorn, while previous years featured a Moana party and a mermaid-themed celebration.

Extending her sweet wishes for her daughter, Kim earlier wrote on Instagram, "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!"

Kris Jenner shared nine gorgeous pictures of her granddaughter and wrote, "Happy Birthday to my little Angel Northie!!!! What a bright light you are and such a blessing to our family!! Your magic and sunshine light 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."AYODHYA: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray arrived in the holy city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday along with his 18 party MPs and offered prayers at the makeshift Ram temple here.

Shiv Sena chief visited the temple along with his son Aditya Thackeray and 18 newly-elected party MPs.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray leaves after offering prayer at Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya. His son Aditya Thackeray, & Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also present. pic.twitter.com/xxyO7u42zR  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 16, 2019

Shiv Sena chief and his party MLAs had arrived here around 10 AM.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray arrives in Ayodhya. pic.twitter.com/0J5qzvZhHT  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 16, 2019

They had left Mumbai this morning for Ayodhya.

Upon their arrival, the father-son duo was welcomed by Union Minister Arvind Sawant and party spokesperson Sanjay Raut.

He is scheduled to address a press conference later in the day and will then leave for Mumbai.

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Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut confirmed that his party chief and 18 MPs will visit the birthplace of Lord Ram on Sunday and offer prayers at the makeshift Ram temple.

Raut, however, added that Ayodhya and Ram temple are not subjects of politics for his party, but a matter of faith and religion.

''We have never sought votes in the name of the temple and will never do so," he said.

Raut further reminded that Thackeray had promised to visit Ayodhya with his MPs after elections and he was simply fulfilling the promise.

The Shiv Sena MPs will return to Mumbai after offering prayers at the temple.

The Yogi Adityanath government has accorded the state guest status to Thackeray and Sena MPs.

Last November, the Shiv Sena chief and his family had visited Ayodhya, where he coined the slogan, "Pehle mandir, phir sarkar" (First temple, then government).

Ahead of Shiv Sena chief's visit, Raut said that the Ram temple will be constructed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modia and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.Kolkata: In yet another setback to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MLA Sunil Singh on Sunday reached Delhi to join BJP. 12 TMC councillors are also accompanying Sunil Singh.

The TMC MLA and his party councillors are likely to meet top BJP leaders in the national capital following which they will be later inducted into the saffron party.

Last month, Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu along with two Bengal legislators and 50 Trinamool Congress councillors had joined the BJP.

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Addressing a press conference, Mukul Roy and BJP's Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya said that Bijpur TMC MLA Subhrangshu Roy, Bishnupur Congress MLA Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya and CPI(M) MLA from Hemtabad Debendranath Roy joined the saffron party along with 50 councillors.

It may be recalled that PM Narendra Modi had warned the Bengal CM that her MLAs will abandon her after the results of the 2019 general elections are declared.

The PM hinted that nearly 40 TMC MLAs were in touch with BJP top brass.

"When the lotus will bloom all over Bengal after May 23, Didi (Banerjee), you will see that your MLAs will also abandon you and run away. Forty of your MLAs are in touch with me even today," PM Modi had said in an election rally in Hooghly district.

Mukul Roy, once considered to be the second-in-command of the Trinamool Congress, joined the BJP in November 2017 after a fallout with party supremo Mamata Banerjee.OTTAWA/CALGARY: Canada looks set to approve a hotly-debated plan to expand an oil pipeline this week, people familiar with the process told Reuters, but the move is unlikely to help Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rebuild flagging support ahead of an October election. The Liberal government last year took the unprecedented step of buying the Trans Mountain pipeline from Kinder Morgan Canada for C$4.5 billion ($3.4 billion) to ensure the expansion went ahead to help solve crude transportation bottlenecks.

If completed, the expansion would nearly triple capacity on the pipeline that runs from the western crude-rich province of Alberta to British Columbia`s Pacific coast. But it has faced increasing protests from environmental activists and aboriginal groups. Trudeau - who came to power promising to improve Canada`s environmental record - faces a difficult decision. If he approves it, he could anger environmentalists and local residents who fear the impact of the project.

If he rejects it, he risks further alienating an energy lobby that has accused him of wanting to wreck their industry as he has pressed ahead with plans to strengthen the environmental assessments of major new energy projects at a time of low prices. He has said the expansion will proceed if the conditions are right. His cabinet is set to take a final decision on Tuesday and Finance Minister Bill Morneau is due to address a business audience in the Albertan energy capital of Calgary on Wednesday.

Two federal government insiders with knowledge of the situation said there was little doubt Ottawa would give the green light. "I am expecting an approval. Anything else would pose serious questions about what we are doing on the energy file," said one of the sources, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.

A senior Alberta government source also said approval was expected. "It`s the least this government can do to approve this pipeline," said the source.

However, a senior federal government source insisted no decision had yet been taken and noted Ottawa had the power to push back the announcement.

The office of the Prime Minister declined to comment.

The cabinet will need to consider whether the project has done enough to win over aboriginal support. An original expansion plan approved by the Liberals in 2016 was overturned by a court which ruled the government had not adequately consulted indigenous groups. Ottawa says it has ramped up talks with aboriginal communities.

Wood Mackenzie analyst Mark Oberstoetter said it was more than 50% likely that the government would move forward with Trans Mountain, given that a rejection "would be a hard story to tell your taxpayer base."

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has forecast total investment in Canada`s oil and natural gas industry will fall by about 10% to C$37 billion in 2019 from 2018, underscoring how Canada has struggled to recover from the 2014/15 global oil price crash.

But even if it is approved, construction may not start any time soon, given the resistance by environmental and aboriginal groups. And an approval would do little to revive Liberal fortunes in Alberta, where the party looks set to lose all three of its parliamentary seats in October`s vote.

At the same time, it could also enrage voters in British Columbia, where there are greater concerns about the potential impact of expansion and where the Liberals have 17 legislators.

Significantly, many of those seats are in the Lower Mainland and connected to coastline that could be affected by the project, said Kathryn Harrison, political science professor at University of British Columbia. "There are significant risks for the Liberals in British Columbia," she said.MOSCOW: Several hundred protesters gathered in Moscow on Sunday in a small, government-authorised rally supporting investigative journalist Ivan Golunov and decrying abuse of power over his five-day arrest this month on drug charges.

The 36-year-old reporter, known for exposing corruption among Moscow officials, was freed following an outcry by supporters who said he was framed by corrupt police.

Journalists critical of Russian authorities have led a dangerous existence since the 1990s - sometimes threatened, attacked or even murdered over their work - but Golunov`s case triggered an unusually strong backlash.

An unsanctioned rally on June 12, the day after he was released, led to more than 500 detentions, including opposition politician Alexei Navalny. But Sunday`s event was given the go-ahead, raising questions over whether President Vladimir Putin`s government was trying to provide a safety valve for public anger.

The rally, called by the Russian Union of Journalists and named "Justice and Fairness to Everyone", had drawn a few hundred people by early afternoon, a Reuters witness said. State news agency TASS cited police saying around 1,600 were there.

Computer programmer Sergey, 28, said he was attending in the hope the protest would help stop others having drugs planted on them as he believes happened to Golunov. "Someone has to (protest)," he said, noting the small number at the rally.

Other demonstrators drew attention to detentions of regional journalists. "Moscow, Golunov is free. What about the others?" one of the banners read. Putin fired two police generals over the case on Thursday, and other officers involved have been suspended pending an investigation. Golunov was invited to Sunday`s event but did not turn up.ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday appointed a hardliner general as new chief of the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, replacing the agency`s current head, Lieutenant General Asim Munir, after only eight months on the job.

Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, a former senior ISI figure, was appointed director general of the agency, according to a statement by the military`s press wing, which did not explain the re-shuffle.

The army is arguably the most influential institution in Pakistan, with the military having ruled the country for nearly half of its 71-year history since independence from Britain and enjoying extensive powers even under civilian administrations.

By turn, the head of the ISI occupies one of the most important posts in Pakistan. The agency has long been accused of supporting Islamist militants targeting neighbour and arch-foe India as well as sheltering the Afghan Taliban and other militants.

More recently, the ISI has been accused of muzzling the press, trying to skew last year`s elections, and intensifying a crackdown against human rights groups, including the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), an ethnic rights movement that the military accuses of being funded by neighbouring countries.

Activists allege a pattern of growing authoritarianism by the military, which they say has become even more influential since Prime Minister Imran Khan swept to power last year. The military denies harbouring militants, intervening in politics or stifling dissent.

The military`s backers also say Pakistan faces external threats from most of its neighbours, especially India, and is working within the law to defend the country. Hameed was seen to be hugely influential within ISI during his previous stint at the agency, according to analysts.

He was one of the figures who brokered the Faizabad agreement in late 2017, when protesters blocked off roads into capital Islamabad, in an incident that further stoked civilian-military tensions. "He is very hardline," said Ayesha Siddiqa, an analyst who has also written a book about the military`s business empire, and has been a longstanding critic.

"It`s a very hawkish decision. It means the military is not backing down, and it`s going to use more force." The military did not explain why Munir, who was posted out to lead the Gujranwala Corps, was removed as ISI chief so soon into an expected three-year term.HONG KONG: Hundreds of thousands of black-clad protesters in Hong Kong demanded on Sunday that the city`s leader step down over her handling of a bill that would have allowed extradition to China and which sparked one of the most violent protests in decades. Some carried white carnation flowers and others held banners saying, "Do not shoot, we are HongKonger" - an appeal to police who fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters on Wednesday, injuring more than 70 people.

The protesters formed a sea of black along roads, walkways and train stations across Hong Kong`s financial centre to vent their frustration and anger at Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam. "Its much bigger today. Many more people," said one protester who gave her name as Ms Wong. "I came today because of what happened on Wednesday, with the police violence."



Loud cheers rang out when activists called through loud hailers for Lam`s resignation and and the cry "step down" echoed through the streets. Protesters also chanted "pursue the black police", angry at what they feel was an overreaction by police. Beijing-backed Lam on Saturday indefinitely delayed an extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial, expressing "deep sorrow and regret" although she stopped short of apologising.

It was a dramatic retreat by Lam, but for many opponents, a suspension of the bill was not enough and Sunday`s marchers called for it to be scrapped and Lam to go. We want to pressure our government because (they) didnt respond to our first march," said Icy Tang, newly graduated from university in Hong Kong. "So we are coming for the second time - and hope she will listen."

The about-face was one of the most significant political turnarounds by the Hong Kong government since Britain returned the territory to China in 1997, and it threw into question Lam`s ability to continue to lead the city.

"Carrie Lam refused to apologise yesterday. It`s unacceptable," said 16-year-old Catherine Cheung. "She`s a terrible leader who is full of lies ... I think she`s only delaying the bill now to trick us into calming down."

Her classmate, Cindy Yip, said: "That`s why we`re still demanding the bill be scrapped. We don`t trust her anymore. She has to quit."

Critics say the planned extradition law could threaten Hong Kong`s rule of law and its international reputation as an Asian financial hub. Some Hong Kong tycoons have already started moving personal wealth offshore.

Activist investor David Webb, in a newsletter on Sunday, said if Lam was a stock he would recommend shorting her with a target price of zero. "Call it the Carrie trade. She has irrevocably lost the public`s trust," Webb said, adding, "Her minders in Beijing, while expressing public support for now, have clearly lined her up for the chop by distancing themselves from the proposal in recent days."

China`s Communist Party mouthpiece, the People`s Daily, said in a commentary on Sunday that central authorities expressed "firm support" for Lam.

POLITICAL CRISIS

The protests have plunged Hong Kong into political crisis, just as months of pro-democracy "Occupy" demonstrations did in 2014, heaping pressure on Lam`s administration and her official backers in Beijing. The turmoil comes at a difficult time for Beijing, which is already grappling with an escalating U.S. trade war, a faltering economy and tensions in the South China Sea.

Chinese censors have been working hard to erase or block news of the Hong Kong protests, wary that any large public rallies could inspire protests in the mainland. The violent clashes near the heart of the financial centre on Wednesday grabbed global headlines and forced some shops and banks, including HSBC, to shut branches.

In a weekly blog post published on Sunday, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan sounded a reassuring note about the city`s financial position. "Even if the external environment continues to be unclear and the social atmosphere is tense recently, overall Hong Kong`s economic and financial markets are still operating in a stable and orderly manner," he wrote.

At the start of the march, protesters paused for a minute`s silence to remember an activist who died from a fall on Saturday near the site of the recent demonstrations.

In the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own, about 5,000 people rallied outside the parliament building in Taipei with banners saying, "No China extradition law" and "Taiwan supports Hong Kong." Some of the protesters in Hong Kong also waved Taiwan flags.

"EXTENSIVE MEDDLING"

The city`s independent legal system was guaranteed under laws governing Hong Kong`s return from British to Chinese rule 22 years ago, and is seen by business and diplomatic communities as its strongest asset.

Hong Kong has been governed under a "one country, two systems" formula since its return to Beijing, allowing freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China but not a fully democratic vote.

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.

Pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said protests would continue if Lam does not scrap the bill. "If she refuses to scrap this controversial bill altogether, it would mean we wouldn`t retreat. She stays on, we stay on," said pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo.



Asked repeatedly on Saturday if she would step down, Lam avoided answering directly and appealed to the public to "give us another chance." Lam said she had been a civil servant for decades and still had work she wanted to do.

Lam`s reversal was hailed by business groups including the American Chamber of Commerce, which had spoken out strongly against the bill, and overseas governments.

The UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter: "Well done HK Government for heeding concerns of the brave citizens who have stood up for their human rights".

China`s top newspaper on Sunday condemned "anti-China lackeys" of foreign forces in Hong Kong. "Certain people in Hong Kong have been relying on foreigners or relying on young people to build themselves up, serving as the pawns and lackeys of foreign anti-China forces," the ruling People`s Daily said in a commentary.

"This is resolutely opposed by the whole of the Chinese people including the vast majority of Hong Kong compatriots."

The Hong Kong protests have been the largest in the city since crowds came out against the bloody suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations centred around Beijing`s Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.

Lam had argued that the extradition law was necessary to prevent criminals hiding in Hong Kong and that human rights would be protected by the city`s courts which would decide on any extradition on a case-by-case basis.

Critics, including leading lawyers and rights groups, have noted China`s justice system is controlled by the Communist Party, and say it is marked by torture and forced confessions, arbitrary detention and poor access to lawyers.NEW YORK: Tires on a United Airlines jet blew out as it landed at New Jersey`s Newark airport on Saturday, causing flight delays but injuring none of the 166 passengers on board, officials said.

United flight 627 became disabled on the runway after it "experienced multiple flat tires" upon landing at 1 p.m. from Denver, the airline said in a statement. Passengers were safely taken off and paramedics were on the scene as a precaution, it said.

By 6 pm local time, more than 400 flights in and out of Newark had been canceled or delayed, according to flight tracking website Flightaware.com. Officials at Newark Liberty International Airport said the delays would continue and that travelers should check with their carrier.

Preliminary indications are that tires blew out on the left main landing gear of the Boeing 757 as it was landing and the aircraft veered to the left side of the pavement, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

United Airlines said no passengers needed to be taken to the hospital and that those with minor injuries refused medical attention. It said it was assessing the aircraft for damage.

The airline said the plane remained on the runway during the landing. The FAA had earlier said it skidded off the pavement.News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.THE WORLD Bank has reported that growth in Ghanas non-oil sector is expected to remain high at 6.2 percent, as policy interventions in agriculture and industry are expected to revitalize the productive sectors.

The interventions, it said, would be important in diversifying the economy and bringing about a more broadbased sustainable economic growth over the medium to long-term.



But to facilitate the transition toward a more diversified economy, it urged, there was a need to invest Ghanas current natural resource wealth in non- natural resource sectors for sustainable growth in the medium-to-long-term. The Bank further urged that the Government needs to improve on the economys competitiveness for private sector-led investments in the non-oil sector for growth.



Without that, it warned, total factor productivity is projected to remain stagnant or decline marginally over the medium term. The World Bank made this known in its fourth Ghana Economic Update in its June 2019 report. On the macroeconomic outlook and economic policy challenges, it said economic growth is expected to be stronger in 2019; but over the medium term a more diversified economy is an imperative.



Growth is projected to increase to 7.6 percent in 2019, driven by both the oil and non-oil sectors, it reiterated.



Slow Fiscal Consolidation



The World Bank reported that fiscal consolidation was expected to slow in 2019 but the overall stance would likely remain intact over the medium term.



Revenue Mobilization



However, it urged that domestic revenue mobilization is an imperative.



The overall fiscal deficit in 2019, excluding financial sector clean-up cost (expected to be about 1.6 percent of GDP), is expected to be 4.0 percent of GDP, rising to 4.5 percent of GDP in 2021, it revealed. It added that the deficit, inclusive of expected clean-up costs, would reach 5.6 percent in 2019. An effective domestic resource mobilization strategy is an urgent imperative for the Government as the reduction of expenditures, including public investment, in response to revenue underperformances may not be sustainable.



Any new tax measures should be reviewed against their social and economic objectives to allow prioritization of the tax regime, it urged.



Fiscal Sustainability Test



Touching on the usual election year overspending, the World Bank made it clear that the next election cycle in 2020 will be an important test of fiscal sustainability. It said Ghanas fiscal and debt dynamics could be adversely affected by possible fiscal slippages due to: revenue underperformance and higher, election-related spending leading up to the 2020 elections; further negative developments in the already vulnerable financial sector, despite interventions made in 2018; and unfavorable external financing conditions.



On the upside, it revealed, the adoption of the fiscal responsibility law and the establishment of the fiscal Council in December 2018, with the statutory ceiling on the fiscal deficit of 5 percent, provided an opportunity to overcome the legacy of election-cycle-driven fiscal slippages in 2020.



With the next election falling within a boom phase, the economy does not need any additional fiscal stimulus, it said.



Addressing Vulnerabilities



According to the World Bank, addressing the vulnerabilities in the financial sector was urgent and would require additional efforts in 2019, and over the medium term.

Source: Daily Guide









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Featured VideoPresident Nana Akufo-Addo has recently been at the centre of a furore about remarks he made in Canada, regarding the status of equality and the empowerment of Ghanaian women. One of the most trenchant was the reaction of Nana Oye Lithur, a former Gender Minister.



Of course there are many who have voiced support for the Presidents observations. But just what did he say to attract so much anger and biting criticisms from empowerment advocates, gender campaigners and feminists?



His remarks were made during a panel discussion at the Women Deliver 2019 Conference in Vancouver, Canada. President Akufo-Addo said, among other things: We are not seeing enough dynamism and activism on the part of (Ghanaian women).



I am talking about dynamism where it matters  electing people to Parliament, controlling political parties because they are the instruments by which our societies make decisions. The most important thing is power: that you sit at table whereby decisions you make are enforced and become the norms by which the society lives.



We are talking about decisions, not wishes and hopes; we are talking about decisions that are going to make the difference, he added.



The Women Deliver conference, described as the worlds largest gathering on health, rights and well-being of women and girls, takes place every three years. This years, held June 3 - 6, was under the theme, Power, Progress, Change.



Other Heads of State who attended were Canadas Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau; President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and President Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia. What President Akufo-Addos critics seem to be censoring him for is his statement that Ghanaian women are not assertive enough in the equality campaign, notably in the political arena. But was he telling a lie?



If their furious response stems from a belief that as President he could do much more, does it mean that he had no right to say how he views the situation?



Mrs Lithur was Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, 2013 - 2017, during the administration of President John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress. She said memorably on GHOne TV: President Nana Akufo-Addo made me cry. I cried yesterday.



To see my President, the country that has in its Constitution equality before the law, non-discrimination; to have a human rights lawyer speak and address the issue of gender in the way that he addressed it. Very regrettable . Even the data the President provided was wrong, she stated. She continued: The President  is enjoined by the law to adhere to the tenets of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. He has a legal responsibility and obligation under the Constitution of Ghana to ensure that as a woman in Ghana I have equal opportunities.



I do not need to mount a platform! I do not even need to do any advocacy to get President Nana Akufo-Addo to do what he has to do in terms of creating opportunities for me as a woman in Ghana (emphasis added),  she said.



I found Mrs Lithurs biting, scornful comments all the more astonishing because as Gender Minister she made at least two outrageous, anti-empowerment and rights decisions.

The Ministry she headed, has among its objectives: The achievement of gender equality, equity, the empowerment of women and girls .



Yet what did she do when her Ministry was required to nominate somebody to the National Media Commission, as the Ministrys representative? She chose to nominate a man!



The following are excerpts from what I wrote about that decision in this space in 2014:



The irony of the Gender Ministry making this appointment on a body that is already clearly suffering from gender imbalance cant be overlooked .  (The 18-member NMC was thus left with only two women on it.)



Surely we havent got to the stage where the Ministry of Gender should give its only seat on any commission or body to a man just to show that it is gender sensitive or that it represents both men and women. (Issue of March 7, 2014, A curious decision by the Gender Ministry.)



Secondly in 2016, there was the atrocious episode in which Mrs Lithur played a shocking role, the Montie 3 radio case. I wrote:



Not only were there death threats made against the Supreme Court Judges  there was also the scandalous warning that someone was ready to marry the Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina Wood, in the event of turmoil in Ghana.



A clear threat of rape!



Yet, incredibly, there are people who have signed a petition pressurizing President Mahama to pardon them! Gender Minister Nana Oye Lithur is the last person I expected to sign such a petition; but she did. (August 5, 2016, The Montie FM saga and matters arising.)



The trio had threatened the Chief Justice with rape, clearly because she happened to be a woman, to intimidate her from doing her work as Chief Justice. Just because she was a woman.



Would they have threatened a male Chief Justice with rape?



But, Mrs Lithur, womens advocate and human rights lawyer of repute, apparently felt that the four months prison sentence was too harsh for the notorious Montie 3.



And she now condemns President Akufo-Addo for saying he wishes Ghanaian women were much more spirited in fighting for their political space?



It made me wonder whether she spoke as she did out of convenient amnesia, political expediency or playing to the gallery  or all three.



Anyway, going by her words, is it just recently that Mrs Lithur has realised that women dont have to lift even a finger to get the Government to give them their due?



If, as she implies so stridently, women should get their due automatically from the government of the day, why the need for a Gender Ministry, or a Ministry with a Gender component to push for opportunities for women?



Strange that she didnt decline the position. Why didnt she advise President Mahama that the Ministry should be scrapped because the Government should do its duty, per the national Constitution, of creating opportunities for women?



Is it only now that Mrs Lithur has discovered what a government is supposed to do for its female population, even if they dont mount a platform or do any advocacy?



Im still trying to understand her. Perhaps its now the turn of Ghanaian women, too, to weep.







Source: Ajoa Yeboah-Afari ([email protected])









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Featured VideoA row has broken out in Tanzania over the government's decision to impose a tax on wigs and hair extensions.



Many male and some female MPs applauded and thumped their desks in approval when Finance Minister Philip Mpango announced the tax in parliament.



Supporters of the levy say it will help women keep their hair natural.



But there have also been public outrage, with women saying they are being punished for wanting to look good in wigs and hair extensions.



Tanzanians tend to uphold traditional values, but society is changing and many women now wear wigs and extensions, the BBC's Aboubakar Famau reports from the capital, Dodoma.



In his budget speech in parliament on Thursday, Mr Mpango announced a 25% tax on imported wigs and hair extensions and a 10% tax on those made locally as part of a series of measures aimed at increasing government revenue.



The cheapest wigs currently cost around $4 (3.40), but they can sell for up to $130.



Mr Mpango also scrapped the exemption on value-added tax placed on sanitary towels, saying consumers had not benefited as businesses did not reduce prices when it was introduced.



Opposition MP Upendo Peneza said she would campaign against the removal of the exemption, adding that the government should push businesses to lower their prices.



'People love artificial hair'



Well-known wig Tanzania importer Anastasia Sigera condemned the wig tax: "People love artificial hair. Why of all the things that could be taxed did they opt for wigs?"



One woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the BBC that she spends $450 on her hair extensions.



"It's like they're punishing us because women like hair and we like to look good," she said.



Aristotle Mwamtobe, who runs a popular salon in the main city of Dar es Salaam, said the tax could affect people's relationships.



"The 10% tax [for locally made wigs] and the 25% tax [for imported wigs] is too expensive for our sisters," he said.



"They might cut their hair, which could lead to divorces as the men are used to seeing their wives with long hair. Women look so good with wigs."



In other measures, Mr Mpango announced that the tax on chocolates and biscuits would increase from 25% to 35%, and the tax on imported coolers and other equipment that farmers use to store vegetables would be scrapped.



The new budget is expected to come into force next month.

Source: BBC









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Featured VideoA Kenyan MP has been charged with assault after allegedly slapping a female colleague because she did not allocate money to his constituency.



Rashid Kassim is accused of slapping Fatuma Gedi - who sits on the budget committee - in the car park of the parliament building in the capital, Nairobi.



He denied the charge in court on Friday and has been released on bail, according to the Daily Nation news site.



A photo of Ms Gedi crying with blood in her mouth after the alleged assault on Thursday has been shared widely on Twitter



Female MPs subsequently walked out of parliament in protest



AFP news agency quoted Speaker Justin Muturi as saying: "I have received the complaint from [Ms Gedi], and I want to say that that is not acceptable. The matter has been referred to the police. Parliament has no room for criminals."

Source: GNA









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Featured VideoDanquah Institute founder, Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has said Ghana must not be shy in having a national debate about whether or not to cash in on the marijuana economy, which is booming as country after country decriminalises the use of the herb for medicinal purposes.



Using a recent report by Forbes about the Church of Englands investment foray into the marijuana business with its $10.5 billion Fund as a fillip, Mr Otchere-Darko asked: Are we going to have a debate (constructive and mature kind) about Ghana cashing in on the new legitimate cannabis trade for medicinal and cosmetic purposes, etc?



The Marijuana Business Daily, for instance, has projected that the U.S cannabis industry could pump nearly $80 billion on an annual basis into the nations economy by 2022. Also, the daily said estimates published in the newly-released Marijuana Business Factbook show the total economic impact of legal marijuana sales increased from $20 billion  $23 billion in 2017 to $63 billion  $77 billion by 2022  a 223% increase.



By comparison, the $77 billion figure is similar to the 2017 gross domestic product of New Hampshire, which stands at $81 billion, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Marijuana Business Daily reported.

In the view of Mr Asare Otchere-Darko, Ghana must have a clean debate on the merits and demerits of Ghana being part of this economy.



Already a group of Rastafarians have been clamouring for the decriminalisation of Marijuana to bolster the economy.



The group is billed for a demonstration to push that agenda.



Tweets below-

















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Featured VideoGhanas Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has called on Israel and countries that are part of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast Meeting (JPBM) movement, to help build a national cathedral to transform Ghana.



He made the call while addressing Israels parliament, the Knesset, last week, during their annual series of prayer breakfast meetings which is aimed at mobilizing the international community of Churches and government leaders to align themselves in prayer with Gods purpose for Israel and Jerusalem.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has initiated the building of a National Cathedral that takes its inspiration from the Tabernacle, and is aimed at providing the infrastructure to focus the gaze of the Nation and Africa on the Almighty and therefore the peace of Jerusalem! Israel and the Nations of the JPBM should join us to transform Ghana, this first independent African Nation and the first to host a Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast meeting in Africa, to build the National Cathedral as a living monument to mobilize Africa to eternally, look East, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, the minister said.

He said Ghana, which is the first country in Africa to hold the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast in September 2018, is hoping to expand the event to become vibrant and a part of the global Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast Movement.



Ghana-Israel relations

He said Israel has had a good relationship with Ghana since Ghanas pre-independence period and key results of such early cooperation were the setting up of Ghanas Air Force, Ghanas shipping line, Black Star line and the opportunity for Ghanas famed poultry farmer, Rev Kwabena Darko to join Israel agricultural community.



Part of the 70 years of Israels statehood includes a bold policy, initiated by the then Foreign Minister, and later Prime Minister, Golda Meir in the late 1950s, to support the nation building efforts of the newly independent African nations, he said.

Ghana beyond aid



Ken Ofori-Atta said Israel is a shining example of building a state beyond aid as being championed by President Akufo-Addo.



The President of Ghana, His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has recently made a bold declaration of a Ghana Beyond Aid; a vision of an assertive, confident nation that relies on its own resources, especially her people and their spirituality for its transformation and to create prosperity for all. If there is one country that both understands this, and has also demonstrated in 70 years that it is doable, it certainly is Israel.



While lauding the organizers of the annual prayer meeting, he said Ghana was taking a similar decision in doing Gods will, in Christ, and to put God, like all other faiths, at the center of our nation-building efforts, by building a national cathedral which will mobilize Africa to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Source: citinewsroom.com









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Featured VideoMr Dennis Amfo-Sefah, the Tema West Constituency Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on former President John Dramani Mahama to eat a humble pie by saluting Ghanas National Security for their prowess.



We were all in this country, when the former President gathered members of the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana and painted our National Security to them as being made up of unintelligent party rascals. Today, that same National Security that he bastardized is what has brought Ghana positive international headlines for quickly rescuing kidnapped Canadian girls in just a week.



Mr Amfo-Sefah, who is popularly called Nana Boakye in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the former President had come under the obligation to throw salute because the National Security proved him wrong.



Mr. Mahama has no choice but to eat the humble pie and reverse his unfortunate statements against these gallant men and women of our country, Nana Boakye said.



According to him, if the former President, who is also the 2020 Flagbearer for the NDC did not salute National Security over the success, then it means the concerns that he raised about them with the diplomatic community were politically motivated.



Ghanas National Security busted a kidnapping ring in Kumasi, responsible for the abduction of two Canadian women in Ghana for volunteer work.



Lauren Tilley and Bailey Chitty, stepped out of their Silver Spring apartment in Ahodwo last week when they were roughly shoved into a car and driven away by kidnappers.



The incident led to the Canadian Embassy in Ghana, updating travel advice to its citizens to be wary of criminality in Ghana.



However, a week later, the National Security apparatus rescued the victims and busted the kidnapping ring in Kumasi.

The feat is said to be a record in matters of kidnappings across the world.



According to Nana Boakye, National Securitys sterling performance rubbished claims that former President Mahama made earlier in the year that the apparatus was turned into a recruiting hub for NPP vigilantes.



The former President, following the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence, allegedly invited the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana to his office and showed them video footages of the National Security operatives saying they were goons of the NPP.



Today, those same so-called NPP goons that we were made to believe that could not think for themselves are the ones who have brought us all glory; let Mr. Mahama eat humble pie and acknowledge their professionalism now, Nana Boakye said.

Source: GNA









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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Posted by Jeremy on at 03:55 PM CST

All across Canada, stores of Toys "R" Us are hosting a Make & Take on Saturday (June 15th) at 11am for a unique X-Wing Fighter and Death Star trench segment.The event is only open to R Club members and registration (which closes on June 13th) is required so be quick becauseplus free LEGO equals popular!Thanks to Toys N Bricks for sharing the news.NEWCASTLE, Britain, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The once neglected graves of five Chinese sailors who died in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the 1880s have been restored and rededicated at a special ceremony.

The five graves, which had been lying unmarked over the past decades in St John's Cemetery contain the remains of Yuan Peifu, Gu Shizhong, Lian Jinyuan, Chen Shoufu and Chen Chengkui, members of the first two naval delegations that China sent to Europe.

Experts believe the five sailors were part of the entourage that went to the city to bring the Tyne-built cruisers back to China to form Beiyang, the most powerful navy in Asia at that time. They died from unknown diseases.

The project of restoring the graves, half sunken into the ground, started in 2016 when media reports threw them into spotlight.

In 2016, China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation launched its first global crowdfunding campaign and raised money to pay for the restoration work.

Minister Ma Hui from the Chinese Embassy in Britain said at the rededication ceremony held Friday that the Chinese students and the Chinese community in Britain had called for the restoration of the graves.

"This project is of great significance because it is a successful practice in which the Chinese government, enterprises, non-governmental organizations and individuals worked together, and China and the UK worked together to preserve Chinese cultural relics overseas," he said.

"As we honor the memory of the five Beiyang Fleet sailors who have sacrificed their lives for their country, we are reminded of what happened to China more than 100 years ago and the tragic but heroic history of the Beiyang Fleet," Ma said. "We are also reminded of the deep friendship between the Beiyang Fleet officers and sailors and the people of Newcastle, which was established when the Chinese sailors came for the cruisers."

Deputy Lord Lieutenant Ann Clouston of the Tyne and Wear said that in the North East, with its strong maritime and industrial heritage, the records of the first Chinese community go back at least 138 years to 1881 when visiting Chinese sailors were treated like rock stars.

"Today the Chinese community in the North East is around 20,000 strong... it's a bustling and colorful asset to the city," she added.

Newcastle City Councilor Teresa Cairns said she is willing to tell the story of the Chinese sailors to more local people.

Royal Navy Warrant Officer Scott Hill, who was invited to attend the ceremony, said it is universal to respect the heroes and restore their graves.

Wu Shanxiong, president of UK Association for Promotion of Chinese Education, told Xinhua that for the Chinese people, the pursuit of prosperity and strength has never stopped.

"The restoration of the Chinese sailors' graves show that they have not been forgotten," he said. "Long gone are the days when the Chinese were bullied."

Qi Yongqiang, president of the Northern Britain Chinese Entrepreneurs Association who oversees the restoration project, told Xinhua that local archives show that the burial plots for the five sailors had been purchased by the Chinese government.

"They are of great value for the Chinese, a great symbol of the Chinese patriotism," he said. "I hope more people would know the history and understand China's way of development."

The Beiyang Fleet was defeated by Imperial Japan during the first Sino-Japanese War, marking the end of a modernization movement under the Qing Dynasty and the start of Japanese colonialism across northeast Asia.

It is believed that the shipyard under the Armstrong Whitworth company located in Britain's famous Tyneside shipbuilding area, designed and built four military cruisers for the then Chinese navy.China urges all parties concerned to properly resolve differences and conflicts through dialogue, said a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs as tensions in the Middle East rose following an attack on oil tankers.

The remarks of Geng Shuang came after the United States accused Iran of targeting two tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, escalating tensions across the region and sending world oil prices soaring. Tehran "categorically" rejected the accusations.

The incident came a month after four ships carrying oil were damaged in an attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, which Washington also blamed on Iran. Tehran also denied any involvement.

China hopes that relevant parties can jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and development. It serves both the interests of countries in the region and the international community, said Geng.

Regarding cooperation with Gulf countries, Geng stressed that China will continue to uphold its energy security and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises under the framework of international law.

China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has always been firmly opposed to unilateral sanctions and the so-called long-arm jurisdiction, Geng noted, adding that China will continue to work with influential countries to contribute to the peace and stability in the region.A day ahead of the commencement of Budget session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged floor leaders of different political parties in the Parliament to keep political differences aside and not disrupt the functioning of the two Houses.

Addressing political leaders in his concluding remarks after the two-hour long all-party meeting, Modi urged all political parties to work cohesively with the government for the smooth functioning of the House.

The Prime Minister welcomed the newly-elected MPs and expressed hope that fresh zeal and energy would be infused in the functioning of the Parliament.





Modi also urged all the MPs to introspect whether they were able to fulfil people's aspirations as their representatives.



"We are for the people... We cannot win hearts by disrupting the functioning of the Parliament. All parties must keep political differences aside and commit themselves to tirelessly work in the direction of nation's progress."



The Prime Minister said the government was always receptive to the issues raised by the political parties and was ready to discuss all matters of national importance on the floor of both the Houses.



Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that there was consensus across party lines to ensure smooth functioning of the Parliament without disruptions and deadlocks.



Noting that the country would celebrate the 75th anniversary of its Independence in 2022 and the 150 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi this year, Joshi said the Prime Minister urged all parliamentarians to think about the sacrifices they can make for the nation keeping in mind the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters.



Joshi said Modi had invited Presidents of all political parties with representation in Parliament on June 19 and MPs from both the Houses on June 20 to freely interact and exchange views with the government.



"The Prime Minister would like to discuss all the important issues, including one nation, one election, Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary and creating good atmosphere in the Parliament... This novel initiative would go a long way in building team spirit among all the parliamentarians which in turn would ensure smooth functioning of the Parliament in future," Joshi said.



In the Budget session, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha would have 30 and 27 sittings, respectively, between June 17 and July 26.



Giving details, Joshi said the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence on June 17 while the 249th session of the Rajya Sabha will begin on June 20.



The coming session will mainly be devoted to oath taking, election of the Speaker, motion of thanks on the President's address and financial issues related to the Union Budget for 2019-20.



Time will also be provided for the transaction of essential legislative and non-legislative businesses.



The resolution seeking extension of Article 356 in Jammu and Kashmir also needs to be approved by both the Houses by July 2.



The Economic Survey of India will be presented in Parliament on July 4 and the Union Budget for 2019-20 will be presented in the Lok Sabha at 11 a.m. on July 5.



Ten ordinances have been promulgated during the inter-session period which are to be replaced by Acts of Parliament as they shall cease to operate at the expiration of six weeks from the reassembly of Parliament by August 1.



Of the 46 Bills lapsed on the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha, some are likely to be revived and brought before the Parliament.



While the government put forth its legislative agenda, the opposition parties raised other issues, including problems related to farmers and water availability.



After the meeting, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the party told the government to focus on issues related to farmers, drought and water availability and take immediate steps to control unemployment which had increased in the last five years.



"This is a war of ideology and it will continue. The Congress will work for the people, whether it remains in government or not," he said.



Condemning the government for creating pressure on the media, Azad said they raised the issue of "freedom of expression and speech".



"We also raised the issue that the opposition must be allowed to speak on the Bills in Parliament. We will allow passing of those Bills which would benefit the people," Azad said.



On behalf of the Trinamool Congress, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien raised the issues of electoral reforms, including state funding of elections and paper ballots, scrutiny of Bills, Women's Reservation Bill, federalism and ordinances.



The meeting was attended by Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Thawar Chand Gehlot, Arjun Ram Meghwal and V. Muraleedharan as well as other leaders.



Congress' Anand Sharma and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference and Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule were among the other leaders who attended the meeting.The striking doctors in West Bengal on Sunday decided to hold talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to immediately end the impasse but said there should be media coverage of the deliberations to avoid discrepancies.

"The last press interview by our honourable Chief Minister was full of discrepancies which had led to false propagation of the motive behind our protests and the response of the government to it. Hence it needs clarification," a representative of the protesting doctors of the NRS Medical College and Hospital said after a general body meeting on day six of the strike that has badly hit state-run health services.



The meeting was attended by representatives of other hospitals participating in the strike.





"We want immediate end to this impasse through discussions with the CM which, to maintain transparency, shouldn't be behind closed doors. The venue can be chosen by the CM, but that should be able to accommodate representatives of all medical colleges and the national media," he said.



"Doctors want to join duty as early as possible in the best interest of health care delivery to the common people once all our demands are met adequately and logically," the representative said.



"We are hopeful that our honourable Chief Minister will be considerate enough to solve the problems that our entire state is facing currently," he added.



Director of medical education Pradip Mitra, who attended the general body meeting, tried to mediate a middle path for the junior doctors and the government.



"The doctors had demanded two to five representatives from each medical college be present during their meeting with the Chief Minister. Even if a single delegate from each medical college attends the meeting the figure will be around fifteen and the final number will be decided by the CM," Mitra said.



Also, the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Priyank Kanoongo, who arrived in Kolkata on Saturday night, visited the paediatric wards of some state-run hospitals to assess the condition of patients.



"I found that children are not getting treatment and the situation is very pathetic. I will submit a report when I reach Delhi. Children's lives should be everyone's priority and no ego should come in between," Kanoongo said.



According to him, the cease-work and the disruption in the health care system should be solved through discussions without letting children suffer.



According to informed sources, the doctors and the Chief Minister would hold a meeting on Monday at the state secretariat. However, it is not clear if media coverage of the entire meeting will be allowed.Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/13/2019 -- Growing Aging Population is Expected to Drive the Growth of the Therapeutic Catheters Market



New approaches in catheterization techniques have led to the development of numerous therapeutic procedures. Medical catheters consist of tubes that are inserted into the body vessel, cavity or duct to allow the fluids, medications or gases to drain the urine or fluids from the body. There are numerous catheters for various therapeutic areas, such as urology, cardiovascular, neurovascular, ophthalmic and gastrointestinal. Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure performed by using catheters, wires and x-ray to treat and diagnose problems in the blood vessels of the heart. According to a study by the American College of Cardiology, approximately 800,000 deaths due to cardiovascular diseases are reported in the U.S., which indicates increase in the use of pulmonary artery catheters.



Therapeutic Catheters Market: Drivers and Restraints



Growing geriatric population and increase in prevalence of cardiac diseases are factors expected to drive the growth of the cardiac therapeutic catheters market. Moreover, advancement in technology is also projected to fuel the growth of the cardiac therapeutic catheters market. However, lack of skilled and qualified professionals is expected to restrain the growth of the market during the forecast period. Increase in number of research and development activities and investments in the healthcare industry are expected to create immense growth opportunities form the manufacturers operating in the market during the forecast period.



Urinary therapeutic catheters is also anticipate to boost the market due to increase in geriatric population. Increasing obese population is consequently projected to fuel the growth of the global therapeutic catheters market. Likewise, favorable reimbursement policies and increase in number of surgeries are expected to contribute to the growth of the therapeutic catheters market.



Request Free Sample Report@ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=2690



Therapeutic Catheters Market: Segmentation



The global therapeutic catheters market can be segmented on the basis of product type, cardiovascular catheters type, urinary catheters type and end user.



Based on product type, the global therapeutic catheters market is segmented as:



Urology Therapeutic Catheters

Cardiovascular Therapeutic Catheters

Neurovascular Therapeutic Catheters

Ophthalmic Therapeutic Catheters

Gastrointestinal Therapeutic Catheters

Based on cardiovascular therapeutic catheters type, the global therapeutic catheters market is segmented as:



Coronary angiogram or angiography

Fractional flow reserve

Intravascular ultrasound

Optical coherence tomography

Vascular function testing

Endothelial function testing

Index of microcirculatory resistance

Based on urinary therapeutic catheters type, the global therapeutic catheters market is segmented as:



Indwelling catheters

External catheters

Short-term catheters

Based on end user, the global therapeutic catheters market is segmented as:



Hospitals

Clinics

Research Laboratories

Institutes

Diagnostics Laboratories

Homecare settings

Therapeutic Catheters Market: Overview



The global therapeutic catheters market is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. B. Braun has developed Urimed Cath Foley Nelaton, a sterile two-way silicone urinary catheter considered for indwelling catheterization of the urinary bladder.



Moreover, the sale of cardiovascular catheters is expected to increase globally due to the rise in the prevalence of structural heart and chronic heart diseases.



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Therapeutic Catheters Market: Regional Outlook



Geographically, the global therapeutic catheters market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America is projected to be the leading regional market for cardiac therapeutic catheters owing to increase in prevalence of cardiac diseases and growing geriatric population. In addition, growing adoption of advanced technologies, government funding and initiatives for R&D are also expected to propel the growth of the cardiac therapeutic catheters market in the region. Europe is expected to be second prominent market for cardiac therapeutic catheters due to availability of advanced treatment facilities, increasing healthcare expenditure, and initiatives from the governments in various healthcare reforms. Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa region are expected to witness lucrative growth due to increasing incidence of urinary, cardiac diseases and nervous system disorders.



Some of the key players operating in the global therapeutic catheters market are Medtronic, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Boston Scientific Corporation, Medline Industries, Inc, Edwards Lifesciences, Cardinal Health, CathRx Ltd., Abbott, AV Medical, Biosense Webster, Inc, MicroVention Inc., ICU Medical, Inc., Merit Medical Systems, and Poly Medicure Limited.



The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.



The report covers exhaustive analysis on:



Market Segments

Market Dynamics

Market Size

Supply & Demand

Current Trends/Issues/Challenges

Competition & Companies involved

Technology

Value Chain

Regional analysis includes



North America (U.S., Canada)

Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Rest of Latin America)

Europe [EU -4 (Germany, France, Italy, Spain), BENELUX (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg), NORDIC (Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden), Eastern Europe (Poland, Ukraine, Czech Rep. etc.), Rest of Europe

CIS & Russia

Japan

APEJ (Greater China, India, S. Korea, ASEAN Countries and Rest of APEJ)

Middle East & Africa (GCC Countries, Turkey, Iran, Israel, South Africa, Rest of MEA)

Report Highlights:



Detailed overview of parent market

Changing market dynamics in the industry

In-depth market segmentation

Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value

Recent industry trends and developments

Competitive landscape

Strategies of key players and products offered

Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth

A neutral perspective on market performance

Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint.



Report Analysis@ https://www.factmr.com/report/2690/therapeutic-catheters-market



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June 16, 2019 On Father's Day, De Lima honors own father, all hardworking dads In observance of Father's Day today (June 16), Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has paid tribute to all dads here and abroad who unfailingly work hard to provide their children with a better future and ensure that they become productive members of society. De Lima, however, lamented how the supposed "father" of the entire nation failed to set a good example to the Filipino people by promoting violence and abuses and feeding them with lies every day. "Ang paghanga ko sa aking daddy, ang siya ring paghanga ko sa mga tatay at maging sa lahat ng tumatayong ama sa bawat pamilya, na walang pagod na nagsasakripisyo at gumagabay sa kanilang anak para magkaroon ng maginhawang buhay, lumaking may dignidad, malasakit at paggalang sa karapatan ng kapwa," she said. "Kaakibat ng okasyong ito para sa mga ulirang ama, atin ding kinokondena ang mga pinuno, na naturingang ama ng mamamayan, na pasimuno pa ng kasinungalingan, karahasan at araw-araw na patayan," she added. Though Sen. De Lima spends the Father's Day without his dad, she remembered the late Commission on Elections Commissioner Vicente de Lima who taught her not only to be strong but to always fight on the side of truth. "'Always fight for what you believe is right and just.' This is one of the lessons that my late father, former Commission on Elections Commissioner Vicente de Lima, taught me and my siblings. His discipline, dedication and courage served as my inspiration in pursuing the law profession and a career in public service," Sen. De Lima recalled. The former justice secretary said she continues to draw strength from her father amid her ordeal because he trained her to be strong in the face of great challenges. "This is why during special occassions like Father's Day, especially in my current situation, I tend to be engulfed by deep sorrow as I remember our fondest memories. But, during times of hardship, I also remember how my father mentored me to become a strong individual, one who never falters even in the face of greatest adversity," she said. In fact, Sen. De Lima shared that it is for the honor of her father, and the good name of their family, that she chooses to be defiant while relentlessly fighting for her innocence, justice and human rights. "Though he may no longer be with us, I know that he still guides and protects me and our family. I am sure he is up there in heaven rooting for me, as he had always done," said De Lima. A victim of political persecution under the vengeful Duterte regime, De Lima remains detained over the trumped-up charges filed against her by the government that were all based primarily on perjured testimonies of convicted criminals and manufactured evidence.Press Release

June 16, 2019 De Lima bewails continued killings of rights workers Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has denounced the recent killings of two human rights worker from Karapatan who were both reportedly subjected to periodic surveillance by the military and police operatives before their deaths. De Lima, a known human rights defender here and abroad, underscored the need to seriously investigate the incident to ensure justice for the victims and their families and find out the involvement of state agents in the crime. "The deplorable murder of two Karapatan members is nothing but an attack against all fearless warriors who fight for human rights, justice and freedom. Dalawa lamang si Ryan at Nelly sa libu-libong biktima ng karahasan at patayan sa bansa, kung saan madalas na target ang mga nasa laylayan na walang kalaban-laban, at ang mga nagtatanggol sa kanilang karapatan," she said. "Aside from investigating this alarming trend of killings targeting human rights defenders in the country, there is an urgent need to thoroughly investigate why the two victims were subjected to periodic surveillance conducted by uniformed personnel, and if this surveillance has something to do with their deaths," she added. Two members of rights group Karapatan from Sorsogon, Bicol - identified as Ryan Hubilla and Nelly Bagasala - were reportedly gunned down at around 8:20 in the morning last June 15 at a subdivision which is just a kilometer away from the City Police Office in Barangay Cabid-an, Bicol. Based on initial reports, the two were killed by still-unidentified assailants onboard a motorcycle after escorting Atty. Bart Rayco, who visited his clients, all of whom were identified as political prisoners, at PNP Cabid-an. Prior to the killing incident, Karapatan revealed that Hubilla and Bagasala, whose deaths add up to the snowballing record of rights defenders killed under the Duterte administration, were tailed by a gray pick-up vehicle and a black motorcycle that had no license plates last April 21. With human rights defenders still under serious attack, De Lima reiterated the need for the government to stop turning a blind eye to the importance of pushing for the passage into law of a bill protecting HRDs from any forms of abuses. "Don't we find it alarming that the bad guys keep on unleashing bloodbath victimizing the very defenders of human rights without fear for accountability anymore?" she asked, "Ngayon, higit kailanman, kailangan natin ng batas para protektahan ang mga tagapagtanggol ng karapatang pantao, na laging nalalagay sa panganib dahil sa kagustuhan nilang tindigan ang inhustisya sa bansa," she added. Recently, De Lima vowed to refile in the upcoming 18th Congress the human rights defenders' protection bill, the House counterpart measure in the Senate, which was unacted upon by the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon during the previous Congress. Note that last June 3, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill (HB) No. 9199, also referred to as the "Human Rights Defenders Protection Act," but its Senate counterpart filed by De Lima, SB No. 1699, languished at the committee level since February 2018.Press Release

June 16, 2019 Drilon: Sinking of PHL boat part of China's bullying tactic to assert power over WPS The Chinese vessel's sinking of a Filipino boat, endangering the lives of 22 Filipino fishermen, who were left clinging on for their lives for hours, was part of China's bullying tactics to assert its territorial claim in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said on Sunday, as he continued to put pressure on the administration to elevate the issue to international organizations such as the United Nations (UN). "Ito'y hindi lang isang banggaan ng dalawang fishing vessels. Sa akin, ito ay nagpapakita ng nakakabahalang mindset ng China na apihin ang Pilipinas dahil sa ating claims sa West Philippine Sea (This is not just a collision of two fishing vessels. To me, this revealed the alarming mindset of China, which is to bully the Philippines because of our claims in the West Philippine Sea)," Drilon said in an interview by radio station DZBB. "It should be taken in that context. This is not just an isolated incident. I see a clear pattern of bullying and intimidation," Drilon stressed. Drilon said that the incident clearly showed that China is keen on taking full sovereignty over the WPS. "Ang sinasabi nila sa nangyari, babanggain namin kayo para ipakita na bawal kayo rito," Drilon said. "We should hold China responsible for this incident. We can elevate this case to the United Nations and other international forum," Drilon said. Drilon said that the issue involved the country's sovereignty and its pride as a nation and, therefore, the government must be able to speak up and stand up to a bully like China. "It is important that the government is able to assert our sovereignty and point out the indignity they committed against our people. It is something that we must do and sustain," he emphasized. Drilon said that a multi-lateral approach in resolving the WPS issue can be more favorable to the Philippines, agreeing with the observations that the Duterte administration's bilateral approach and policy of appeasement is not effective. "For the stability and peace in the WPS, all claimants, not just the Philippines and China, should the discuss the matter," he said. The Chinese government's statement that the Chinese vessel, Chinese trawler Yuemaobinyu 42212, accidentaly "bumped" into a Filipino fishing boat, FB Gem-Vir 1, did not sit well with Drilon. "Sa lenggawe sa kalsada, masyado naman tayong ginagago ng pamahalaan ng China," Drilon said furiously. Drilon, a former justice secretary, said that is clear from the accounts of the Filipino fishermen and the circumstances by which the Vietnamese vessel found and rescued the Filipino crew, that the Filipinos were abandoned after the Chinese vessel hit their boat. He said that it is evident that China violated the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Drilon said the Chinese government owed the Filipino people an apology. "At the very least, we should demand an apology from them. Whether what happened is deliberate or an accident, they should apologize," he said. The minority leader also hoped that the next Senate will take a more active stand on the issue of the WPS, agreeing with the observations that the issue was not given enough attention in the 17thCongress.Press Release

June 16, 2019 STATEMENT OF SENATOR SHERWIN GATCHALIAN ON THE MARCH FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT REPORT The latest foreign direct investment (FDI) report strengthens our case for the need to reform the country's relatively restrictive and less competitive economic policies. Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show that the FDI net inflows in March 2019 declined 13.9% to $586 million from the $681 million recorded in the same month last year. Meanwhile, the latest United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's (UNCTAD) 2019 World Investment Report on special economic zones shows that while annual FDI flows to Southeast Asia went up 3% to a record $149 billion last year, inflows to the Philippines and Malaysia declined. During the 17th Congress, we championed liberalization reforms that we believe would build an inclusive, efficient, and competitive business environment in the Philippines. We pushed for measures including those amending the Foreign Investments Act of 1991, the Public Service Act, and the Retail Liberalization Act, among others. Unfortunately, we did not have the luxury of time to pass these bills before Congress adjourned sine die. This coming 18th Congress, we will be putting greater focus on implementing legislative reforms that will help break down barriers that foreign investors face in the country. These changes are long overdue - we need laws that are responsive to the needs of the domestic economy and accommodate the dynamics of the regional and global environment.ANZ Banks New Zealand chief executive David Hiscos sick leave has turned into his permanent departure as board concerns about personal expenses surface.

The bank has confirmed Antonia Watson, who previously headed retail and business banking, will continue as acting chief executive.

Mr Hiscos departure follows ongoing health issues as well as board concern about the characterisation of certain transactions following an internal review of personal expenses, the bank says in a statement.

While Mr Hisco does not accept all of the concerns raised by the board, he accepts accountability, given his leadership position and agrees the characterisation of the expenses falls short of the standards required, it says.

NZ chair John Key says that we are disappointed David is leaving ANZ under such circumstances after such a long career.

However, his departure is the right one in these circumstances, given the expectations we have of all our people, no matter how senior or junior.

The announcement comes two weeks since the bank announced Hisco was taking sick leave and that Hiscos doctor has said his prognosis is good.

The bank is fortunate to have an experienced executive in Antonia Watson to step in while we conduct a search for a replacement, Key says.

Hisco will receive his contracted and statutory entitlements to notice and untaken leave but will forfeit all unvested equity.

ANZ says both the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority have been informed.

Hisco had been the New Zealand chief executive since 2010.

ANZ suffered a couple of regulatory blows last month with the Reserve Bank forcing it to hold more capital against housing and farm lending from June 30 and to use the standardised model for calculating its operational risk capital rather than its own internal model.

Thats because it had been using a modified internal model for calculating ORC since December 2014 without first getting RBNZ approval.

The ORC measure was one of about 45 internal models ANZ uses and it can continue to use the other 44.

Only the four major banks, which are all owned by Australias major four banks, are allowed to use their own internal models to calculate capital.

In February, RBNZ revealed that ANZ needed only slightly more than half the capital that the government-owned Kiwibank needs to back each $100 of mortgage lending because of the advantage it gains from using internal models.

Kiwibank, along with all the New Zealand-owned banks, is required to use standardised models.

(BusinessDesk)

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The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy StatementTurkey's Erdogan says S-400s delivery for early July



Ankara, June 16 (AFP) Jun 16, 2019



Turkey expects the delivery of the controversial Russian S-400 missile defence system to begin in July, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying in Turkish media on Sunday.

"I believe (S-400s) will begin to arrive in the first half of July. Colleagues in charge of the schedule are following the issue," Erdogan said according to CNN Turk broadcaster.

Ankara's deal with Moscow has been a major source of tension between Turkey and the United States, with Washington threatening consequences including sanctions against its fellow NATO member.

Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan sent a letter earlier this month warning Turkey it must renounce the S-400 system by July 31 or Turkish pilots currently training on the F-35 fighter jet programme would be expelled from the US.

Turkey plans to buy 100 US F-35s while a number of Turkish manufacturers are making parts and equipment for the warplane.

Ankara has yet formally to respond to Shanahan's letter but Erdogan said that "within a short time, perhaps sometime this week, a letter in response will be sent".

He was adamant the deal with Moscow was not one which Turkey would walk away from.

"The issue of the S-400 is completed. There are no difficulties," Erdogan said, speaking to Turkish journalists on his plane to Turkey after a visit to Tajikistan for a summit.

"If we now swallow our words, this would not comply with the manners of our state, and it would also not suit my statesmanship," Erdogan added.

There had been expectations that the first deliveries could begin this month but Russia's state-owned defence conglomerate Rostec said earlier in June that there were plans to start deliveries in two months.

Washington has urged Ankara to buy US Patriot missiles instead and warned Turkey faces penalties under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

The act bars business with Russia's state and private defence and intelligence sectors.

But Ankara has insisted the country is preparing for any possible US sanctions.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.Viewers Flock To Ionized Airwaves Television can still offer a surprise, rising above the reality shows, talk shows and all the rest that seem to be just like all the rest. Just when TV viewers were in the midst of post-Games of Thrones depression along came an unexpected spring-time reprieve. They had not all exited for Instagram and YouTube. They were ready to pounce. The HBO/Sky mini-series Chernobyl premiered in the US and UK in the first weekend of May, the rest of the world following shortly thereafter. The series is based on Voice of Chernobyl and Chernobyl Prayer by Belarusian Nobel Laureate (2015) Svetlana Alexievich centered on the catastrophic series of events triggered by technical and human failures at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in northeast Ukraine followed by an uncontrolled chain reaction, a nuclear meltdown. Add to that the air around the building was ionized, radioactive contamination spread with the winds. All of this was badly managed both at the facility site and in Moscow, where officials seemed concerned as much with the propaganda disaster. IMDb (International Movie Data Base) declared (June 3) Chernobyl the best TV series of all time, surpassing Breaking Bad. You know its a hit when scores of Gen X influencers streamed into the still-barren town of Pripyat in northeastern Ukraine to take selfies in the real place, near the abandoned buildings, houses and cars, not to forget the rusty ferris wheel in the childrens amusement park. Please remember that a terrible tragedy occurred there, said writer/creator Craig Mazin, quoted by CNN (June 13). Comport yourselves with respect for all those who suffered and sacrificed. The series was filmed in Ukraine and Lithuania, which happens to have a decommissioned Soviet-era nuclear power plant. Swedish TV and music video director Johan Renck called the shots. He had previously directed three episodes of Breaking Bad as well as the video for David Bowies Blackstar. The first episode leaves no doubt that this is not a series for sensitive viewers, wrote Polish news portal Onet.pl (June 13). Millennials born between 1980 and 2000 were largely spared from the real-life drama and horror that began in April 1986 unless they lived in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. The news on state radio kept saying that there had been no significant increase in radiation, that there was no danger, said Euronews Budapest manager Attila Kert (June 15), a teenager in Pecs, Hungary at the time. And yet in subsequent weeks they would talk happily about how the radiation levels were decreasing. I realised it was part of the Communist propaganda. Ukrainian television channel 1+1 will broadcast the entire series - with high-quality Ukrainian dubbing, noted Telekritika (June 14) - over three days next week. As a preview, the channel will broadcast live from the exclusion zone. When a full-day broadcast was proposed we could not but support this idea, said 1+1 morning news producer Julia Zhmakina. Now there is a huge wave of interest. We must not forget about this tragedy. Reviews from Russian media, including State broadcasters, have been reasonably positive. Documentary producer Oleg Voinov called it wonderfully shot, professionally edited, and the special effects are great. But it doesnt come close to reflecting reality. Amedias streaming service Amediateka is offering Chernobyl in Russia and many of the former Soviet States through a distribution agreement with HBO. That included Game of Thrones. Communist Party of Russia, now a mere figment of its own imagination, wants the HBO/Sky production banned in the Russian Federation and public libel charges brought against the producers, reported rambler.ru (June 13). Russian TV broadcaster NTV, owned by Gazprom Media, already has its version of the Chernobyl story in production in Belarus. Predictably, it blames the CIA. The HBO/Sky series is a timely parable for todays consciousness. Craig Mazin intended a parable on the global war on truth and science. The storys martyr - hero is inadequate - is the whistleblower calling the cover-up. Jared Harris character Valery Legasov asks: Can we no long recognize the truth at all? In the post-modern age parable, like irony, is a concept lost on critics, literary and otherwise. Drama rises to meet truth. See also... Hot Topics - Streaming MediaAfter two years of investigation over claims Donald Trump was in cahoots with the Russians to win the presidency over Hillary Clinton, the verdict is clear: No collusion and no obstruction of justice.

As for impeachment, thats up to the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, but would require two-thirds of the Senates support. But that wont happen in the GOP-controlled Senate.

So here we are after two years of liberal Democrats using their witch hunt tactics to attack President Trump and even his family over a fake dossier and bellowing the Russians are coming. One liberal cable news outlet panelist even went as far to assert Trump was a Russian agent.

But Trump never slowed down in his pledge to spur the economy, create jobs, get fair trade deals for America, and curtail the open boundary policy for illegals embraced by the liberal movement. More importantly, he boosted the pride of being an American. Yet ultra-liberal progressive Democrats detest Trump beyond the political trench line and will continue their ugly smear attacks for cheering liberal media outlets.

Sure some of the language coming from Trump might disturb some Americans, but just how much can any human being take even if serving as our president. Would you?

Special Counsel Robert Mueller could not find one needle of collusion evidence with his stacked deck of liberal lawyers, but threw some bones to his congressional allies by claiming though he couldnt prove a crime had been committed. If we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that  .

Sounds more like an ambulance chasing lawyer lecturing to a classroom of law students. Use it as you please.

Rest assured, the Democrats will, especially the 22 who have declared they will seek their partys nomination to take Trump on in the 2020 election.

Democrats are still miffed over Muellers failure to charge Trump with an impeachable crime and are now growling in that direction as a payback when the House controlled GOP impeached Bill Clinton for his lies and cover-up during the sexual episode with intern Monica Lewinsky, but the impeachment failed in the then Democrat U.S. Senate.

Meanwhile under Trump, the nations unemployment rate has reached a record low dating back to 1969 and minority Americans in our core cities are finding jobs to support their families.

But the open border Democrats ignore our immigration laws they pledged to uphold and send messages to Central America migrants to pack your bags and come to America through Mexico. But who organized the thousands of migrants marching through our borders for instant citizenship. Most likely a well noted billionaire Democrat who funds liberal causes. The influx was organized for future votes.

Mexico may still help at stemming the massive migrant throngs crossing our southern border. White House sources claim a tariff deal with Mexican officials may work in a positive tone in trade and the illegal immigrants crisis.

What about African Americans whose ancestors were brought to their new homeland in chains for slave work? Those are the Americans Trump wants to help, while Nancy Pelosi and her crowd express greater concern for illegal migrants who come on their own with no chains for slave work. Just free entitlements.

Like her recent flap that she wants Trump in prison. When liberal mindsets like Pelosi grunt such language, the crowd at CNN and MSNBC dance with joy.

The next two years of presidential campaigning will be recorded as a mockery of American politics with Democrats leading the show.

Getting back to investigations: Im still waiting for one on former President Barack Obama on what he meant when overheard whispering to a Russian translator over an open mic: Tell him (Vladimir Putin) I can be more flexible after the election.

Strange that CNN did not pursue the flexible comment. If Trump had said it, the liberals would have stormed the White House demanding what was meant about being flexible. Was it in reference to the Russian intrusion into Ukraine or the takeover of Crimea?

But the liberal news cable channels reported after the first state dinner at the White House that Trump always gets two scoops of ice cream while guests get only one scoop.

Allen Park resident Mitch Kehetian is a retired editor of The Macomb Daily, a sister publication of The News-Herald, and a former board trustee at Central Michigan University.MBABANE  His Majesty King Mswati III is sure scoring political brownie points and appears to be on a roll. From Cuba to Mauritania to neighbouring SADC countries, leaders from these sovereign states have been coming to the Kingdom of Eswatini to meet with the monarch and their visits raise interest.



What appears to be the icing on the cake was the Kings meeting this week with members of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) as well as international trade unionists in Geneva, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the International Labour Organisations centenary celebrations and 108th Conference.



King Letsie II of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mauritania President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and Cubas First Vice President Salvador Valdes Mesa are some of the leaders who have met the King this year.



Others are former Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete and the duo of former presidents of South Africa; Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma.

This week, the kingdom also welcomed a delegation from Germany, who included investors and parliamentarians from various political parties.

Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku says this is evident of the Kings open door policy, which sees other leaders wanting to engage with him.



He told the Times SUNDAY that His Majesty is Eswatinis chief diplomat, the face of the nation, the custodian of our culture, something that has made emaSwati to stand out as a culture-based nation that has been united for over 400 years.

The arrival of a lot of leaders to meet His Majesty the King follows our foreign policy that was crafted by our legendary King Sobhuza II, which states that as a country we dont have enemies.



This is key because the mix of the people that come here shows that the King is not domestic in his thinking, hes very continental and international. I think these leaders who come here have something to learn and we have something to share, Masuku said.

He stated that he has sat in some of the meetings that the King has held and he marveled at the monarchs knowledge on issues.



SA, Eswatini have history



Masuku said this included the meeting between the King and President Ramaphosa at Hlane Royal Residence where he said it emerged that even the late leader of the African National Congress (ANC) Oliver Robert Tambo used to meet with King Sobhuza II at the same residence during the apartheid struggle.

He said such meetings left history between South Africa and Eswatini, which the two countries will always share and remember.

From Mbeki, Ramaphosa and Zuma, these leaders come here to share views and strengthen relations because South Africa cannot ignore us and we cannot ignore them since our economies are interlinked. South Africa is our biggest trading partner, so we are important to them and they are important to us. We also belong to some common economic and political blocs, which means we have to share ideas, the DPM pointed out.



He said His Majesty was quite an experienced leader because he has been Head of State for 33 years now so he knows a lot and they come to consult on those issues and that should be our pride that we have a leader who can be consulted by others.



He made an example of Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi, who visited the kingdom in mid-March but unfortunately had to cut his visit short because his country was hit hard by Cyclone Idai. If you look at it, Mozambique, even though it had challenges of Cyclone Idai, the head of State came here because there were crucial issues of a development nature that had to be discussed, he said.



Nyusi led a powerful delegation of senior politicians, including the deputy president, and astute business-people to establish economic links with government and private entrepreneurs so as to stimulate economic relations between the two countries.

Even though he had to cut his visit short, his delegation remained behind to continue with the mission.









MBABANE - Pensioners are livid! Their fury stems from the exclusion of government critic and political activist Sibongile Mazibukos name from the list of new members of the Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF) Board that was announced on Thursday.



Mazibukos name was not included in the new Board despite the Swaziland Public Service Pensioners Association having nominated the current president of political party - Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) to represent them in the Board.



It is understood that following the exclusion, the associations national executive committee has been called to an urgent meeting tomorrow (Monday) to discuss this development.



Mazibuko, who is also former president of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), is on record having criticised government for allegedy looting the fund of E2 billion.



She claimed that the money was taken without the knowledge of pensioners.

Dumisile Dlamini, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Pensioners Association, confirmed that they had submitted Mazibukos name as their representative in the Board and were surprised when it did not make the ministers list.



According to the Retirement Funds Act, the management board of a fund shall consist of at least four persons, who shall be referred to as trustees, and of whom at least 50 per cent shall be elected by the members and the balance shall be appointed by the employer.



Members of the fund include, among others, the pensioners association, the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union, the National Public Servants and Allied Workers Union, the Swaziland National Association of Teachers and government as the employer.



It is true that we submitted Mazibukos name and we then learnt through the papers that her name has been excluded and we dont have tangible information as yet as to why this happened, Dlamini said.

She also confirmed knowledge of the urgent meeting, which she said had been called by PSPF to probably give reasons for the exclusion.



how she was excluded



After the meeting, we will have something tangible and not speculate. We will look at the information we will be given because they have promised to serve us with papers to probably explain how she was excluded and the next step to be taken, Dlamini said. She said it was evident that it was their representative that had been left out because the name they submitted was not on the list. There are unconfirmed reports that Mazibuko did not pass the vetting process that all the nominated board members have to go through.



We were indeed shocked by not seeing her name yet we had submitted it and this raised a lot of questions among ourselves, she added.

Dr OV Sukati, who is chairperson of the associations Mbabane branch, said they took it as a joke that Mazibukos name had been omitted from the list because they were steadfast in their resolution to have her as their representative.



She is our only candidate for the position and she was elected by council and there are minutes to confirm this. Whoever has decided to leave her out therefore is merely joking. It is not the minister who makes the choice on our behalf but thats our decision, he said.



He stated that if it was the minister who made the decision to exclude Mazibuko, he should know that they were senior to him. The minister is a government employee and we are senior citizens and we have to call them to order if they go astray. Rest assured that whatever it takes, Sibongile will represent us in the board and I am saying this as a senior citizen, he stated.

On the other hand, another political activist and former union leader, Elliott Mkhatshwa, said the exclusion of Mazibukos name meant government had committed an unforgivable sin.



She was chosen by us and no one else has the powers to remove her. If that has happened, then those who made the decision should correct it. Thered rather be no other person on the board but not the one who has been elected by us as pensioners. Even the money under the fund belongs to us pensioners, said the vice president of the Swaziland Public Service Pensioners Association, Mbabane branch.



Mkhatshwa, who is also known to be a strong government critic and once led the then Swaziland National Association of Civil Servants, said they did not even recognise the politicians who have been appointed into the board by government.By Trend

This visit is actually an indication of the strategic importance we have attributed to Asia, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists accompanying him in a plane during his return from Tajikistan where he attended the 5th Summit of the Heads of State of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), adding that Turkey was working hard to develop good relations in all regions, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

President Erdogan addressed world leaders during the summit and conducted separate bilateral meetings with various heads of states, including the presidents of Tajikistan, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, and Afghanistan.

"The relations we have established with one country or region are never against each other or (out of spite to) third countries," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey will "continue to strengthen these relations in the same way."

"We will try to develop relations in the west, east, north, and south," he said.

Stressing the importance of peace, stability, and cooperation in the world, Erdogan noted that the world cannot ignore the ongoing war in Syria nor some 4 million Syrian refugees.

Erdogan said he also drew attention to the regional and global impacts of the Syrian war and Turkey's political efforts to solve the problem during the summit.

"It is clear that unilateral approaches cannot produce a solution for peace and stability in the world today. I have seen that the leaders of the other countries participating in the summit have expressed this view strongly, like myself," Erdogan said.

The president, commenting on the bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia which have been "at a very good state," noted that Turkey's current highest trade volume was with Russia and had recently surpassed 25 billion dollars.

Erdogan also said the TurkStream pipeline will be inaugurated at the end of this year.

Touching upon the nuclear power plant construction that has been carried out in cooperation with Russia, Erdogan said that a total of 200 engineers have been sent to Russia for training.

Erdogan noted that with Putin they had also discussed the Ankara's S-400 missile deal with Moscow, adding that the issue was an "already closed one."

Regarding Turkey's relations with China, Erdogan said both countries were planning to reach a trade volume of $50 billion as he had previously discussed with his Chinese counterpart.

Touching on the One Belt One Road Project, a modern Silk Road Project initiated by China, Erdogan said that Turkey has been conducting bilateral meetings with relevant countries as Turkey's strategic location was highly important for the project, adding that the subject will also be discussed at the G20 Summit to be held in Japan's Osaka at the end of June.

Saying that the defense industry will also be a matter of discussion in bilateral meetings held with the G20 summit's participant countries, Erdogan said that the recent developments regarding Turkey's defense industry were also a highly interesting subject during the summit in Tajikistan.

Answering a question about Turkey's response to the letter from the U.S. on S-400 missile systems, Erdogan said that the National Defense Ministry will soon respond to it.

"Our decision is clear. We won't compromise on the S-400 issue," Erdo?an asserted, adding that it was the same for the F-35 issue as Turkey did what it had to do.

This issue will also be discussed in full detail with the United States President Donald Trump at the G20 Summit, he added.

Erdogan expressed hope that this issue will soon be resolved as there should be no such problem between two strategic partners, and NATO allies.

Regarding the U.S.-Iran crisis, Erdogan said that they had mainly discussed bilateral economic relations at the summit.

Commenting on French President Emmanuel Macron's recent comments on the East Mediterranean and the arrest warrants issued for the crew of the Turkish drillship Fatih, Erdogan said: "Those who have the right to speak about the Eastern Mediterranean can speak. When did France have the right to speak on the Eastern Mediterranean? Do they have a coast in the Eastern Mediterranean?"Cyber-crime is one of the biggest risks to businesses to date and globally its estimated costs will reach $6 trillion by 2021, said a report highlighting data breaches or personal data theft from large organisations.



ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) teamed up with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, Macquarie University and Optus to launch the report Cyber and the CFO. The global survey, which features views from almost 1600 ACCA and CA ANZ members, finds cyber security is not managed as a risk to businesses and is too often left to IT specialists to handle.



Highlights from the report:



 Fifty-three per cent of CFOs and finance leaders rank cyber security as the most important or top five business risk

 However, 16 per cent of finance professionals in the Middle East say only 32 per cent had a tested remediation plan in place should an attack take place.

 A quarter of finance professionals admitted they had no involvement whatsoever in cyber security within their company.

 And 10 per cent of respondents did not know who in the business was responsible day-to-day for cyber security. And only 18 per cent of those asked had cyber insurance.



Cyber-risk is becoming ever more complex with the integrated nature of supply chains. Only 19 per cent of survey respondents said they regularly audited their supply chains.



ACCAs head of business management, Clive Webb, said: The increasing use of technology within businesses to create commercial advantage comes at a price and that price is cyber risk. The finance community cannot stand by and leave cyber security to others in the business to manage. It is very complex, but it is essential for finance leaders to familiarise themselves with the issue.



The report highlights the changing nature of the cyber threat. It establishes the financial and operational risks that arise and in that regard the finance community needs to keep abreast of the evolving nature of the threat and ensure it is managed appropriately.



ACCAs head of Middle East, Fazeela Gopalani, said: The Middle East is quoted as being the most targeted region in the world for cyber criminals. With increased investment in technology and government initiatives that are driving a digital economy, access to virtual data continues to rise. In turn, this increases the risk and opportunity for cyber criminals.



It is fundamental that finance professionals mitigate this risk at the onset to ensure they are supporting a digitally safeguarded economy which can deliver robust fiscal growth.  TradeArabia News ServiceFine Hygienic Holding, one of the worlds leading manufacturers of hygienic paper products, revealed that since its operation in Saudi Arabia began spearheading efforts to include more women in the workforce in 2012, the rate of female employment there has risen consistently.



Fine Hygienic Holding maintains a committed and exceptional workforce by only hiring the best and brightest, and this system of meritocracy has led to the establishment of a strict policy of diversity and inclusion, said a company statement.



Today, Fine employs over 60 women, and continues its diverse hiring practices to improve the workforce not only in terms of its diversity, but also its effectiveness. To challenge negative perceptions regarding women entering the Saudi workforce, an increasing number of women are being hired in prominent roles, such as sales, marketing, and supply chain, and their success is setting a positive example for other companies in the kingdom, it said.



The beginnings werent easy, but the programmes success coupled with the governments encouragement, and the integration of new facilities to ease the transition have allowed the employees to overcome any issues faced and become part of Fine, it added.



Despite the extensive efforts by the Saudi government to include women in the workforce, the process was not easy: however, these womens perseverance and natural talent are changing perceptions about them throughout the country. Fine has also supported the advancement of women in Saudi society in other ways, such as being among the first companies to encourage women to obtain drivers licenses in accordance with recent legislation.



Fine Hygienic Holdings chief executive officer James Michael Lafferty said: Diversity is more than a moral or ethical imperative for us  its essential for running a successful, global enterprise.



I am humbled by the amazing work our operation in Saudi Arabia has done in integrating these amazing women, and I am proud of the example they have set for other businesses in the region, he said.



We are dedicated to integrating women not only into its workforce, but into senior positions  currently, over 30 per cent of its leadership team are women, and with all of the female talent in the workforce, that number is anticipated to continue rising  women are too valuable and have too much to offer to be overlooked when expanding your workforce, he added.



To complement its diverse hiring practices, Fine has also recently updated its maternity leave policy, now offering more paid time off than the standard set by the International Labor Organization granting them 16 weeks of paid leave, in addition to up to 16 additional unpaid time, and further benefits and features to make re-entering the workforce easier than ever.



Fine sets an extremely high standard for its employees: in terms of their conduct, and attitude but never in terms of their gender, race, religion, or background. It is this focus on what makes a good employee that allows Fine to maintain such an excellent workforce and empower those employees reach their full potential, it stated.  TradeArabia News ServiceA top-class line-up of speakers and panellists have been confirmed to attend The Maritime Standard Tanker Conference, which will take place later this year in Dubai, UAE.



The event will take place on October 22, at The Atlantis, the Palm.



The theme of this years conference is Opening Up New Horizons, reflecting the cautious optimism that now exists within the tanker industry, said a statement from the organisers.



Conference editor Clive Woodbridge said: While there are for sure some significant challenges presented by the volatile politico-economic context, market fundamentals appear more positive than they have for some time.



This is creating opportunities for fleet growth and trade development in the tanker shipping business, which the event aims to explore and highlight, he said.



Proceedings will commence in the morning of October 22 with two keynote speeches, by Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi, chief executive officer of Adnoc Logistics and Services, and Abdulla Bin Damithan, chief operating officer of DP World. These two eminent maritime executives will set the scene, giving their unique perspective on trends and trade patterns in the oil, products and petrochemicals trades in the region, it said.



Adapting to fast moving market conditions will be the theme of Session 1 which will follow that. Speakers confirmed to date include Captain Anoop Kumar Sharma, chairman and managing director of The Shipping Corporation of India; Ali Shehab, acting chief executive officer of Kuwait Oil Tanker Company and Michael Jorgensen chief financial officer, and acting chief executive officer of Oman Shipping Company.



The importance to the tanker shipping sector of the development of support infrastructure and services in the region will be addressed in Session 2 in the afternoon.



Speakers for this session include Captain Mohammed Al Ali, senior vice president, Ship Management, Adnoc L&S; Rajiv Agarwal, chief executive officer and managing director of Essar Ports; Captain Rado Antolovic, chief executive officer and managing director of DP World - Maritime Services Division; Said Al Mawali, chief executive officer of Oman Drydock Company; Anders Ostergard, group chief executive officer, Monjasa and Engineer Waleed Al Tamimi, general manager of Tasneef.



There are a number of notable technical, legal and regulatory challenges that the tanker market has to overcome if it is to achieve sustained growth over the next few years.



The third and final session of the conference will examine such issues, with confirmed speakers to date including Kirsty Cattanach, senior associate at Baker McKenzie Habib Al Mulla; Rashid Isa Rishi Al Heddi, group managing director at Seamaster Marine; Pawan Sahani, business development manager, DNV GL; and Stephenson Harwood partner, Nijoe Joseph.



At the end of this session there will be a special networking drinks reception. This will offer a chance for speakers and attendees to discuss the key issues raised by proceedings in a more informal environment, it stated  TradeArabia News ServiceArcadio Huang (Huang Jialue) was born in Putian County, Fujian Province, on November 15, 1679. He lost his father at the age of seven and was adopted by the French evangelist Li Feili. Li Feili hired a famous local Confucian scholar to teach him traditional Chinese culture. At the same time, Li Feili taught him Latin and Catholic theology.

Three years later, Bishop Liang Hongren took the place of Li Feili and continued to teach Arcadio Huang. In 1695, Huang began to travel throughout Chinas provinces to understand the folk customs and balance his education. At that time, French Roman Catholic missionaries believed that there was an incompatibility between Chinese Catholics who respected Confucius and venerated their ancestors using traditional rituals and rites and the teachings and formalities of the Catholic religion. In 1702, Bishop Hongren was ordered to report to Rome regarding the Chinese Rites controversy, which was an ongoing debate back and forth.

On February 17, traveling as Liang Hongrens private secretary, Huang boarded a British merchant ship from Xiamen to Rome, a journey that lasted for about nine months. In 1706, Liang and Huang returned to Paris from Rome and prepared to leave for China. Unexpectedly, due to Liang Hongrens poor health, the trip to China could not be completed and Huang was left stranded in France.

Fortunately for Huang, his troubles came to the notice of the royal academic director, the Bianon priest who recommended Huang to the royal general manager Peng Xiatelan to teach Chinese. The royal manager was very happy and worked out an annuity for him. In 1711, the royal manager recommended Huang to King Louis XIV.

King Louis XIV appointed Huang as his Chinese translation officer, specializing in translating Chinese letters, classifying Chinese books in the Royal Library and translating them into French, such as works on astronomy and the Chinese classic texts. At the same time, King Louis XIV also ordered Huang to write a Chinese grammar book and a Chinese-French dictionary.

To help Huang achieve the job, the Bianon Priest provided him with two apprentices, then later added a third. Huang became something of a celebrity with the French elite. He wore a hat and a belt with a sword. He made friends with French aristocrats and intellectuals and became a window for the French upper classes to understand Chinese culture. In France, Huang Jialue was known as Arcadio Huang or Mr. Hoange, using a westernized version of his name.

In the spring of 1713, Huang married a young lady named Marie-Claude Regnier in Paris. In August of the same year, Bishop Liang Hongren died of his illness and Huang was grief-stricken for a while. The palace work and his marriage were not as remarkable and romantic as they may seem to the outsider. Although he was a translator at the kings side, his salary was low, so his newly married wife was often angry at their seeming poverty. Influenced by traditional Confucianism and Christian theology, Huang showed the tenderness of the oriental man. He was considerate to his wife and took the initiative to undertake all the housework, cleaning the rooms, cooking, making jam, and washing clothes. He even tailored dresses for his wife and did some needlework.

From then on, his reputation as the Chinese model husband spread rapidly in the sinology circle in Paris. One of Huangs assistants said: Huang is making us Europeans desperate. He is always gentle, humble, and his mood is calmer than the ascetic, which makes me deeply moved I realize that the description in the travel notes about the character of the Chinese is true and credible.

Two years later in 1715, his wife died a few days after giving birth to a daughter, leaving Huang to raise the infant on his own. Arcadio Huang concentrated on his work and spent all his time on sinology research and Sino-French translations before passing away himself soon after. Unfortunately, his daughter did not live much longer after her father died.

Translated by Jean Chen and edited by Helen

Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our weekly emailDr. Fengshi Yang, a well-known composer, conductor, and pianist, has been holding a yearly memorial concert for the past three decades in remembrance of the June 4, 1989 incident in China. This year, she held the 30th Anniversary Memorial Concert in Chicago.

Yang has been holding a memorial concert every year since 1989. She was among the lucky Chinese students in the late 1980s who gained a U.S. residence card for the purpose of asylum as a result of the June 4th incident in China.

Yang is well known for her persistent, dedicated, yet compassionate character, loyal to the eternal cause of her mission.

The Tiananmen June 4th Massacre has left deep cultural wounds in China. This massacre has created irreparable tragedy for thousands of families who have endured events similar to what I have experienced, Yang said.

In essence Dr. Fengshi Yang, for the past 30 years, has tried to sooth those deep wounds by holding the memorial concerts. In memory of the June 4 incident Today, we assemble here to remember the Tiananmen June 4th. I dedicate this piece to all those who sacrificed their lives for a free China and for all who endured crushing personal costs for the sake of justice and liberty. We especially remember the Tiananmen Mothers who lost their precious children and other loved ones 30 years ago. We pray that one day all separated families will reunite in a shining free Eternal Spring, Yang told the audience before opening the concert. According to experts and those who value her work, Yangs concerts have enhanced understanding and appreciation of peoples differences, and won excellent acclamations from local communities throughout Chicagoland. East meets West Yangs mission has always been to build a cultural bridge between East and West and to create an environment where East Meets West.

Those who know her work will attest to their heart-touching, mind-opening, and breathtaking qualities.

Not only is her music heartwarming, but also her entire story. She had to give up her home in China due to the way China dealt with dissidents and Chinese residents who were more in line with Western and universal values than those propagated and instilled in China by the ruling Communist Party.

Sacrifice to the lotus of dedication

Anyone who has ever signed up to something they were dedicated to knows the challenges faced along the way to validate that determination, especially when it is not self-centered but focused on benefiting others.

The pinnacle of endurance for most people is maintaining a steady dedication toward study at school or the few years it takes to graduate from college or university. But imagine taking that path every day and week for the next 30 years. Most of us lack the imagination to really imagine how much will-power, dedication, and sincere passion has to go into such an endeavor.

The tragic price of dedication

When her father passed away in her hometown of Shanghai on Christmas Eve of 2011, she had not seen him for 18 long years. What made his death even more challenging to endure was a request he made to her that Yang declined due to her responsibilities in Chicago and upholding her mission.

Daughter, please just change your political view so you can come back to visit me. I do not have many years left. You are my youngest child. I miss you so much, my father once begged me, she said. In order to visit her father, she would have had to jeopardize her mission in the U.S., a mission dedicated to the people in society and the entire world of classical music. Most other people may have crumbled under the weight of piety in regard to her fathers wish. But Yangs mission is dedicated to more than just herself or her relatives; therefore, she chose to continue and was not able to abide by her dying fathers request. His words were like a sharp knife stuck in my heart. The pain has been excruciating ever since. How could I not miss him? How could I not want to visit him? He is the one who brought me into the world of classical music. He is my very first music teacher. He taught me music theory, composition and piano when I was very little, Yang stated. Refusing her fathers wish did not come easily and the price she has had to forbear has not been a cheap one. But her selfless cause seems to be what makes it worthwhile. Yang told herself over and over again: I am so sorry, father. I cannot change my mind. Because I love the people of China, I love that ancient beautiful land that gave birth to me. And father, I love you so much that if people such as me were to abandon their principles and bow down to the totalitarian killing regime, then China, as a country, will never change. Our children and our grandchildren would forever live without freedom. Two years ago, she received a letter from her fathers brother, who sent her a very short manuscript of music that her father had left behind. From the little treasure that her father left his daughter, who lived across the ocean, a beautiful musical and lyrical piece was born. That has become my only tangible treasure with which I can remember him. His short manuscript inspired me to write Eternal Spring.  Eternal Spring is based on an arch form. You can hear his musical theme far away in the piano in the beginning and at the end. A second musical theme is developed in the middle section by the strings. Eternal Spring is a piece of remembrance, a piece of nostalgia, a piece of hope and faith. The following are the lyrics Yang spoke at the opening of the 30th Anniversary Memorial Concert in Chicago. It is dedicated to the memory of Tiananmen Mothers who lost their precious children and other loved ones 30 years ago. But also to the hope that one day all separated families will reunite in a shining free Eternal Spring. Eternal Spring (Fengshi Yang, music & lyrics): Eyes to heaven, Im searching for you,

Nearing the ocean, Im calling for you.

The clouds in the wind, reflections in the sea,

Only your lonely song left to accompany a broken-hearted me.

Eyes to heaven, Im searching for you,

Nearing the ocean, Im calling for you.

The ruthless winters, torments of parting,

Yet one day well reunite in Eternal Spring.

Watch the video of the Tiananmen June 4 30th Anniversary Memorial Concert in Chicago:

Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our weekly emailKentucky law capping insulin cost for many goes into effectAdvertisement

By Jim Waters

Jun. 16, 2019 | LEXINGTON

By Jim Waters Jun. 16, 2019 | 10:52 AM | LEXINGTON

What's happened to the decisive, conservative and determined leadership we saw that resulted in Republicans taking majority control of the state House in the November 2016 election and then passing monumental legislation during the first week of the 2017 session that brought more positive change to our commonwealth in a week than their mushy entitlement-minded predecessors had done in a century?



I'm scolded whenever I reminisce about that week's success.



"You can't expect us to do that during every session," the scolders claim. "Those are issues we worked on for years; they were teed up and ready to go."



Translated: Those issues were easy; you can't expect such timely results for citizens and taxpayers when it comes to getting the hard stuff done.



Even if that hard stuff  like dealing with a drowning pension system and adding a room onto Kentucky's wobbly education structure that allows opportunities for poor kids to escape failing schools and attend private ones  has set perched on the tee through debates and union-led opposition for years upon years?



Frankfort's current environment is a breeding ground for both true leadership and momentum-killing political atrophy.



Former state Sen. Joe Bowen, a recently retired Owensboro Republican, offers a stark example of seizing opportunities to demonstrate true political courage and leadership amongst the current mire of gridlock.



Bowen while State and Local Government Committee chairman shepherded pension-reform legislation through the Senate with great even-handed resolve, despite not having much of a cavalry behind him.



Then, fulfilling his promise to term-limit himself, announced he wouldn't run again.



Such political courage by Bowen, who soldiered on in spite of the political Left's vicious verbal attacks and demonstrations occurring in his committee room, isn't currently the norm among the GOP in Frankfort  especially in the House  despite the fact that for years the now-majority-then-minority party bosses have promised change if voters handed them the keys.



Not only did voters give them the majority, they gave them the supermajority  twice!



And not only did voters give the GOP the House, they gave them the governorship and strengthened their control of the Senate.



Isn't this the political makeup they claimed for years is needed in order to get the hard stuff done?



In introducing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the 2019 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award recipient, John Schlossberg, the 35th president's grandson, related how she rounded up the votes needed to pass big government's bailout of financial institutions in 2008.



Schlossberg recalled how just before that vote Pelosi told her caucus: "The American people sent us here to do a job for them, and that we must do. We will vote today, and I don't want to hear how you cannot support this bill because you may lose your seat in Congress. That is not why we were sent here."



Despise Pelosi's policies but recognize political leadership that doesn't just sit around and wait on votes but goes and gets them.



This practice gets emulated by leaders, including committee chairmen, in the Kentucky House, who don't just wait on votes for pension reform and school choice; they go and get them.



It also can be emulated by new Republican legislators who aren't committee chairmen but hail from rural areas where bureaucrats running the local school system  often the largest employer  threaten them with political opposition and backlash if they support hard reforms.



The Pelosi approach as employed by conservatives concedes: we came here to do  not keep  a job that public-education bureaucrats and union bosses will never support us in doing.



In the process, maybe House leaders could round up a cavalry and some votes for those newer legislators with the courage to do something in the legislature besides introducing meaningless resolutions.



Jim Waters is president and CEO of the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, Kentucky's free-market think tank. Read previous columns at www.bipps.org. He can be reached at jwaters@freedomkentucky.com and @bipps on Twitter.



China News on Women





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Father's Day is celebrated worldwide to honor fathers and fatherhood and to recognize the contribution that fathers make on their children's lives. The festival falls on June 16 this year.

Many poems have been penned to celebrate fathers and fatherhood since ancient times by poets around the world. Today we will share with you some fantastic ones by, for, and about dads.

Fathers in traditional Chinese culture have been noted as stern disciplinarians, who spur their kids on by enforcing strict rules at home to help them thrive and flourish.

Lu You (11251209), a prolific poet from the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), was one of such fathers. A line from one of his "to my son" poems has become a time-honored precept, which reads "What's learned from books is superficial after all. It's crucial to have it personally tested somehow."

Su Dongpo (1037-1101), is a great romantic poet from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Amid the ups and downs of his political career, the poet wrote a poem titled "On the Birth of His Son".

Here is a translation by the British sinologist and poet Arthur Waley.

Families, when a child is born

Want it to be intelligent.

I, through intelligence,

Having wrecked my whole life,

Only hope the baby will prove

Ignorant and stupid.

Then he will crown a tranquil life

By becoming a Cabinet Minister.

After savoring fathers' love and wisdom in ancient Chinese poems, let's appreciate a western one, written by a child in honor of his father who adjusted the mixture of discipline and freedom when was growing up.

Before I Was Myself, You Made Me, Me

Author unknown

Before I was myself you made me, me

With love and patience, discipline and tears,

Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Allowing me to sail upon my sea,

Though well within the headlands of your fears.

Before I was myself you made me, me

With dreams enough of what I was to be

And hopes that would be sculpted by the years,

Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Relinquishing your powers gradually

To let me shape myself among my peers.

Before I was myself you made me, me,

And being good and wise, you gracefully

As dancers when the last sweet cadence nears

Bit by bit stepped back to set me free.

For love inspires learning naturally:

The mind assents to what the heart reveres.

And so it was through love you made me, me

By slowly stepping back to set me free.

Don't miss it:

Have you been inspired to think of other poetic lines in praise of father after reading these poems? What do you think is the best way to express love to your father on this special day? Share with us in the comment section. We will select up to 5 lucky readers and send each of them a limited edition gift.Volunteers, including mothers and college students from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region participated in a cleanup action on September 15, 2018. [Nanning Evening Post]

A primary school in Lingshan County in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region recently held a parent-child activity to raise awareness of garbage sorting.

Student and mother representatives were granted the flag of volunteers' team for environmental protection, and they initiated a proposal on a low-carbon lifestyle at the event.

The Women's Federation of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the organizer of the event, has made progress in promoting garbage classification with the help of family members.

The federation of the autonomous region initiated a mechanism that features the participation of mothers and children one year ago.

Early in March 2018, Guangxi began a campaign of looking for 10,000 mothers who played a role in environmental protection, aiming to motivate women and families to cultivate the good habit of garbage classification.

A mother and her son participating in the activity of garbage collection on September 15, 2018. [Nanning Evening Post]

The women's federations, at all levels in the region, would continue to organize the activity, hoping to influence children with their mother's love, according to Chen Yinghong, Vice-President of the Women's Federation of Guangxi Autonomous Region.

The women's federation of the region has held more than 30 activities in local schools, residential communities, governmental organs and public institutions to absorb more women and families in the environmental protection campaign.

These mothers, female volunteers and college students participated in a cleanup action outdoors on September 15, 2018, which marks the World Cleanup Day. About 80,000 people participated in the garbage pickup activity, helping increase the public awareness of environmental protection.

In celebration of this year's International Women's Day, the women's federation of the region initiated a proposal of Beautiful Guangxi, Take Action by Myself, which targeted at women and families. The proposal included raising awareness of ecological protection, participating in garbage classification and being pioneers in environmental protection among mothers.

According to the federation, voluntary mothers' teams for environmental protection will be established in 14 places in Guangxi and more than 2,000 mothers have taken part in 50 environmental protection promotion activities since March 2018.

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)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)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.Artist Nandan Sam He, and her work Box inside My Head (2018). [China Daily]

In studio #135, 122CC, East Village, under a spring drizzle, artist Nandan Sam He's solo show "Xanadu Palace", curated by Zi Lin and Dandi Gu, opened to public.

A considerable crowd of viewers has been attracted to the site and found themselves wandering through the canvass maze with blowing wind, evoking a visit to a Mongolian yurt.

Xanadu was the palace in Karakorum burned down by Kublai Khan in 1277 as a gesture of victory in the civil war with his brother. The palace was where Kublai Khan was born and grew up, so the destruction should have been painful for him, but he never said anything about it for the historical record.

Artist Nandan Sam He and curators Zi Lin and Dandi Gu agree that Kublai Kahn's silence is the epitome of everyone's farewell to childhood and its memories.

Nandan Sam He treats her solo show "Xanadu Palace" as a fertile attempt to resurrect what's forever lost from childhood. "Home" leaves us in both dimensions of time and space. No matter where we grown up, it becomes a very different place from the one we were once familiar with. Thus we all become the exiled, the abandoned and the homeless.

For Nandan Sam He, this wandering and inability to return evoke her interest in the way that the Manhattan homeless build their night shelters with cardboard for sleep. She uses cardboard as her primary material and each of her works is a shelter, a physical simulation of our mental state as we wander away from childhood.

A miniature city is built inside another Sam's work Booger City (2018). [China Daily]

Nandan Sam He's art shortens the distance between the viewer and the homeland of their memories. By building miniature urban landscapes, these works transform viewers into giants. This shortening can also be a painful reminder that the viewers have become giants forever, remote towering observers, and no longer the childlike, imaginary inhabitants of the miniature cities.

Nandan Sam He was born in Guang Dong, China, in 1991. She is a multimedia artist whose work mainly shifts between interactive sculpture, and mixed media video/animation installation. By creating tension in a small space, her work gravitates toward an immersive voyage that explores the contemporary self and reveals an irrational order of a hyper-normalized social structure.

She earned an MFA from Mount Royal School of Interdisciplinary Art. Her work has been exhibited in Yui Gallery, New York; Novado Gallery, New Jersey; Elsewhere studio, Colorado; Institute of Contemporary Art, Baltimore; Maryland federation of art, Washington; Walter Otero Contemporary Art Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere. She is the co-founder of Chameleon Gallery and now lives and works in New York.

Curator Zi Lin and Dandi Gu are a curatorial team based in New York under the name of Metropolitan Art Gallery Association, which is a non-profit focusing on curatorial events, art and cultural exchanges.

This article is sponsored by Metropolitan Art Gallery Association www.magany.org

(Source: China Daily)Simonetta Di Pippo (R), Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, visits the Chinese navigation exhibition "From Compass to BeiDou" in Vienna, Austria, on June 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

VIENNA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, has hailed China's accomplishment in space as well as the country's close cooperation with the UN office.

The 62nd session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space is ongoing here in Vienna, from June 12 to 21.

A Chinese navigation exhibition and the announcement of which international scientific experiments would fly with the China Space Station (CSS) took place in close proximity -- in both timing and location -- to the session. And on the sidelines, Di Pippo told Xinhua this week "we are waiting for the Chinese space station to become a reality."

Before the CSS becomes operational, expected around 2022, China has been engaging in a series of space explorations.

"One of the most recent accomplishments for sure is the launch and landing of Chang'e-4 on the far side to the moon just in January this year," Di Pippo said. "But also it's the beginning of a long set of missions exploring moon and the other planets."

China's Chang'e-4 probe, launched on Dec. 8, 2018, made the first-ever soft landing on the Von Karman Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon on Jan. 3.

Also, China's Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is now "a real pillar in this architecture" of global navigation satellite systems, the UN space chief said.

China began to construct the BDS, named after the Chinese term for the Big Dipper constellation, in the 1990s. It started serving China with its BDS-1 system in 2000 and started serving the Asia-Pacific region with its BDS-2 system in 2012. China will complete the BDS global network by 2020.

"Together with Beidou, we bring up the same table the Russian Federation with GLONASS, the Europeans with Galileo and the Americans with GPS, plus others which are preparing...to launch their own systems," she said.

These systems are not in a war with each other, the UN space chief said, as there is a mechanism called ICG (International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems), which is "a sort of a role model in terms of international cooperation, because we put together all the providers and in this way we can increase precision".

"We can add a higher number of satellites and coverage so the signal is more precise and more stable", which she said would allow the signals to be "used by everyone in the world".

As the UN space chief, the trained Italian astrophysicist is big on international cooperation, and appreciates Chinese emphasis in this area.

In cooperating with the China Manned Space Agency in opening the CSS to international scientific experiments from all UN member states, she said it's "the first time that something like that has been done".

"We have other agreements with other space agencies and other entities to do similar things, but not so broad as in the case of the CSS," Di Pippo said.

"In the previous activities we did with other entities including JAXA for example, or the European Space Agency, we were talking about...in any case small experiments. Here in this case obviously the technical implications are far more serious," she said.

"We have also a lot of other agreements and discussions ongoing with different Chinese organizations," she added.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 04:00:24|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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A boy carries a sack of sugar from a shop after a car bomb blast in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, on June 15, 2019. At least 10 people were killed and 26 others injured in two car bomb blasts in Mogadishu, police said on Saturday. (Xinhua/Hassan)

MOGADISHU, June 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed and 26 others injured in two car bomb blasts in the Somali capital Mogadishu, police said on Saturday.

Somali police commissioner Bashir Abdi Mohamed told reporters that "nine people were killed and 25 others sustained injuries after bomb detonated near Sayidka junction. The security forces were chasing the car after they suspected it," he said.

The police chief said that the second car bomb exploded near KM4 junction and resulted in the death of the bomber, adding that the security forces arrested an accomplice who had sustained injuries.

The blasts came as the police tightened the security of the capital blocking the main roads of the city to ward off possible attacks by the militants.

Al-Qaida affiliated group al-Shabab claimed the responsibility for the latest bombings.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 04:20:30|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BUCHAREST, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Moldova's new Prime Minister Maia Sandu on Saturday asked the Constitutional Court judges to submit their resignations immediately, even though the latter annulled all the decisions against the parliament and her cabinet.

The prime minister accused the judges of "continuing their delirium by shaming the institution they represent nationally and internationally."

She stressed that the top court had to "acknowledge that it participated in the desperate attempt of the Democratic Party to remain at power illegally."

"I qualify this approach as inadmissible from the point of view of respect for the Supreme State Law. The Constitutional Court must adopt acts in accordance with the provisions of the letter and the spirit of the Constitution, and not based on the decisions and behavior of the political actors in the country," the new prime minister wrote on her social media account.

Moldova's Constitutional Court announced earlier in the day to annul its recent decisions, among which the one not recognizing the government of Maia Sandu.

According to the court, "at the base of cancellation was the real situation in Moldova, especially the announcement of transfer of power to Government of Prime Minister, Maia Sandu, and of coalition formed in the Parliament of Moldova."

Saturday's judgment "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.

The top court's move was a positive response to the relevant presidential appeal on Friday after the cabinet controlled by the Democratic Party decided to step down.

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| 2019-06-16 04:30:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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SANAA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi rebels said they launched new drone attacks on two separate Saudi airports on Saturday, the group's al-Masirah TV reported.

"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.A Houthi loyalist takes part in a gathering to support the peace talks held in Sweden, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Dec. 13 , 2018. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed)

SANAA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi rebels said they launched new drone attacks on two separate Saudi airports on Saturday, the group's al-Masirah TV reported.

"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.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 07:01:13|Editor: Liangyu

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by Xinhua writers Ma Qian, Chang Yuan, Zhou Saang

NEW YORK, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China enjoys the potential to become the world's largest cruise market, as its cruise tourism industry is expected to boom, driven by international players and government supports, according to industry insiders and market researchers.

China's annual growth for the cruise tourism market has exceeded 40 percent since 2006. It is expected to grow into the world's largest cruise market by 2030, with 8 to 10 million customers per year, according to figures by the Shanghai International Shipping Institute.

ECONOMIC MULTIPLIER WITH GROWTH POTENTIAL

China continued dominating the passenger share of Asia's cruise market, contributing over 70 percent of the region's 4.24 million passengers in 2018, according to data released by Cruise Lines International Association in May.

Cruise travel has become increasingly popular in both metropolitan cities such as Shanghai, Tianjin and Guangzhou, and smaller cities including Chengdu, Qingdao and Xiamen, according to Ctrip.com, China's leading online travel agency.

Riding the wave, international cruise operators have identified China as a valuable source market for growth and begun to gain more footholds in the country, including Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines.

"China has the largest cruise market potential in the world. And it's a great economic multiplier," Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"We felt that we wanted to be a part of that, as the world's largest cruise line (operator), to help China and (the) Chinese experience all the great aspects of cruise," Donald said.

The CEO mentioned that the Chinese government has made great efforts to boost the country's cruise tourism, so as to help prop up its economic growth.

"Cruise is in the five-year plan for China, because of the great economic multiplier effect that it has for the economy. So one cruise ship job creates about five to seven other jobs in the economy. All those things make it positive," the CEO elaborated.

China's 13th five-year development plan has set out that the country should take steady steps to build international cruise terminals during 2016-2020, amid the overall efforts to further propel tourism as one of the pillars of the country's strategic industries.

Overall, the country has planned to raise tourism revenue to 7 trillion yuan (about 1.01 trillion U.S. dollars) by 2020, according to its five-year plan for the tourism industry.

Specifically, China's cruise tourism industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.23 percent during the forecast decade of 2016-2026, according to a report published by global market research firm AllTheResearch in May.

CAGR refers to the growth rate calculated by assuming that profits were reinvested at the end of each year of the investment's lifespan, which is often seen as one of the most accurate ways to calculate returns.

INT'L MARKET PLAYERS TO DRIVE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY

China's cruise tourism is prospering thanks to a growing number of travelers opting for cruise tourism and a stronger presence of international market players, AllTheResearch said in its report.

In this aspect, Donald mentioned that he's been traveling to China for business since 1985, and witnessed "a nation on a path to greater quality of life of every citizen," which is now "a great growing economy filled with talented people."

Italian cruise liner Costa Cruises in March officially took delivery of Costa Venezia, its first ship designed specifically for the Chinese market, in which the company launched business in 2006.

With a gross tonnage of 135,500 tons, 323 meters in length and a capacity for over 5,200 guests, Costa Venezia would be the largest ship introduced by Costa Cruises to the Chinese market, according to a company statement.

Costa Venezia would help the company further develop China's cruise market, which has "a great unexplored potential." Currently, it's estimated that 2.5 million Chinese people choose to go on a cruise vacation every year.

Carnival Corporation also announced its cruise joint venture (JV) with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) under the name CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Limited on Nov. 6, 2018.

The new China-based cruise liner is set to operate its own fleet to serve Chinese guests by the end of 2019.

The new JV signed an agreement to purchase two existing ships from Carnival Corporation's Costa Group, a leading cruise operator in Europe and Asia, with the first to be transferred to the new Chinese cruise line by the end of the year.

It also signed a contract to order two new cruise ships to be built by a ship builder in Shanghai, with the first ship expected to be delivered in 2023.

"We're excited about the first ship in 2023, the second one is already ordered and I'm sure that would be many to follow," said Donald, who saw the JV as "a significant milestone in the strategic development of a strong and sustainable cruise industry in China" in a previous statement.

He also mentioned that the Chinese authorities have been "extremely supportive of us" for the upcoming JV.

"All the ministries have been supportive of developing cruise (industry). They have given CSSC the support it needs, the capital it needs, and they've given us guidance and support as well," he noted.

(Gao Shaohua in Shanghai, and Lou Ye in Beijing contributed to the report.)Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 09:12:00|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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SANAA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi Arabia-led coalition launched airstrikes on Houthi rebels' targets in the Yemeni capital Sanaa early Sunday, local media said.

According to Houthi rebel-run Al-Masirah TV, the airstrikes targeted "al-Daylami air base and Maintenance military camp north of Sanaa, as well as a site west of the capital."

No casualties were reported.

The airstrikes came hours after Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a bomb-laden drone over the sky of Abha city in the southwest of the kingdom.

The Houthis on late Saturday claimed responsibility for the attack on Abha.

In recent weeks, Saudi Arabia had witnessed more drone and missile attacks attempted by the Houthis.

Last week, Houthi drone attacks wounded 26 people at Abha airport. The rebels' drone attacks last month also damaged two oil pump stations of Saudi Aramco, the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, according to local media.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have led a coalition against Houthis for years in support of Yemen's internationally recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 10:02:16|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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TRIPOLI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The air force of Libya's eastern-based army on Saturday targeted a military store of the rival UN-backed government in the eastern part of the capital Tripoli, killing nine people and damaging a nearby hospital, authorities said.

All the nine people killed are civilians, including two women and a child, said the Health Ministry's spokesman Fawzi Wanis.

The army said the airstrike was "accurate and targeted the largest ammunition store belonging to the militias (government forces)."

The army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli, where the UN-backed government is based.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the fighting so far killed 653 and injured 3,547 others.

Libya has been struggling to undergo a transitional period amid chaos since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 10:17:26|Editor: mingmei

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BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- China saw 36 major capital goods monitored by the government post lower prices in early June compared with the previous 10 days, data showed.

Of the 50 major goods monitored by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer and chemicals, 36 saw their prices drop during June 1 to 10, with 10 posting rising prices and four with unchanged prices, according to the NBS.

Specifically, liquefied petroleum gas led the declining trend, while prices of live pigs, cotton and soybean meal saw increases.

The reading, released every 10 days, is based on a survey of nearly 1,700 wholesalers and distributors in 24 provinces and regions.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 10:57:42|Editor: mingmei

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BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Sales for China's major excavator producers declined in May, the first drop in 34 months, industry data showed.

The country's 25 leading excavator makers sold a total of 18,897 excavators last month, down 2.2 percent year on year, data from the China Construction Machinery Association showed.

In breakdown, 16,717 excavators were sold in the domestic market, down 6 percent year on year. Exports of the equipment soared 41.4 percent to 2,153.

Major manufacturers sold a total of 122,086 excavators in the first five months this year, up 15.2-percent year on year.

Sales of digging machines are an indicator of the vitality of an economy as demand is usually backed by growth in mining and infrastructure development.

China sold a total of 203,420 excavators in 2018, surging 45 percent year on year, the association said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 11:27:51|Editor: Liangyu

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Delegates pose for photos during the 11th Straits Forum in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 16, 2019. The 11th Straits Forum kicked off in Xiamen on Sunday. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

XIAMEN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The main conference of the 11th Straits Forum was held Sunday in the port city of Xiamen, Fujian Province, to boost grassroots exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

More than 10,000 people from Taiwan attend the week-long forum, a record high, according to the organizer.

Of all participants from Taiwan, some 40 percent attended the forum for the first time and young people made up half of the participants.

Featuring 67 interactive activities across the province, the forum is also expected to explore new ways of integrated development across the strait.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 12:02:56|Editor: Liangyu

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HAVANA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- In the past five years, the highly invasive African giant snail has become a veritable plague on the island, leading Cuban authorities to begin a campaign to eliminate the pest.

First detected in June 2014 in one of Havana's peripheral municipalities, it can now be found in 12 of Cuba's 15 provinces.

To help with the snail's eradication, the government created the State Group for Snail Control, headed by the national directorate of plant health of the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI). It includes experts from the areas of public health, education, science, technology and environment.

The snail has not only spread in the agricultural area, but also in human settlements, sewage sites, river slopes and humid places, which all provide ideal living conditions for the snail, Ariel Castillo, public health deputy director, told reporters.

Castillo said that as the snail has spread throughout all its municipalities, a comprehensive action plan to control it has been worked out.

Because the damage "is still not considerable and has not affected large agricultural areas," the snail cannot yet be considered an agricultural pest, Castillo said, although he did not rule out the possibility in the near future.

It is presumed that the animal was introduced to the island for the practice of Afro-Cuban religions and then spread thanks to its hermaphrodite characteristics that allow it to lay eggs three months after its birth and then every 60 days. One snail is able to deposit on land over 1,000 eggs in a year.

In Cuba, there are no other species that could be used as natural biological controllers of the snail, which has a life expectancy of about nine years.

The snail is a carrier of parasites, including strongyloides stercoralis, which poses a health threat to humans by transmitting deadly diseases such as meningoencephalitis and strongyloidiasis, among others.

The snail can reach 30 centimeters in length and mainly feeds on plant leaves and organic waste, but it also eats dead animals, including those of its own species.

The Plant Health Research Institute (INISAV) of Havana issued recommendations for the population to contribute to controlling and eliminating the mollusk.

"One of the recommendations is destroying the shell, putting it in a closed bag and burying it," said Michel Matamoros, entomology and agricultural malacology expert at INISAV.

Alternatively, it "can be burned or submerged in a 3 percent salt or lime solution for 24 hours and then bury it," the specialist added.

Matamoros warned that the snail should not be thrown alive into rivers, uncultivated lots, streets, or in the trash destined to be collected by the communal service.

The giant African snail is native to eastern Africa, especially Kenya and Tanzania, although it has spread to Asia and America.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers it among the 100 most destructive and harmful invasive alien species in the world since its physiological and morphological characteristics give it high resistance to different environmental conditions.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 12:12:59|Editor: mingmei

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BANJA LUKA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) promotes global development and builds not only infrastructure but also a good relationship among peoples and countries, Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) Presidency Milorad Dodik has said.

"We saw BRI projects as a serious chance for development," Dodik told Xinhua, adding that Republika Srpska, one of the two entities of BiH, responded quickly to Belt and Road cooperation with official incentives for implementing related projects.

"We will continue to stay dedicated to the initiative and try to mutually create more projects," said Dodik, who served as the president of Republika Srpska between 2010 and 2018.

"The government, without doubt, accepts the initiative and values it," he added.

Dodik also said Balkan countries welcome Chinese investments in the region, to which BiH belongs.

"Chinese investments in the Balkans are welcomed as a good chance for the development of the Balkan region as a whole," said Dodik, adding that he meets with Chinese business partners on a daily basis.

He took as an example the completion and successful operation of the Stanari thermal power station in the region, highlighting the power plant's strict compliance with the European Union's environmental standards.

Dodik also recalled his visit to the Chinese tech company Huawei several years ago, saying Huawei's technological advances are "much higher than those of other technological companies in the world."

"We do not have any negative experience (in cooperating with Huawei)," said Dodik. "Huawei cooperates with our telecom operator and there is not any security threat."

Commenting on the trade dispute between the United States and China, Dodik said that instead of excluding others and imposing its solutions on others, China is dedicated to mutual cooperation and mutual interests.

China's response to the trade dispute gives chance for reaching an agreement and preserving the main elements of the international order, he said.

China's success is not made at the expense of other people's interests, Dodik concluded.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 12:43:07|Editor: Liangyu

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YANGON, June 16 (Xinhua ) -- Myanmar authorities have seized a truck, loaded with illegally harvested timbers, in Yangon's northern district, arresting the driver, police said on Sunday.

The seizure of the six-wheeled truck with smuggled timbers was made following a chase in Hlegu township on Friday and was caught at a toll gate by the police.

The police found 124 pieces of illegal timbers, weighing 7.154 tons in the truck which were confiscated.

The authorities is taking action against the truck driver and those connected with the case under the Forest Law.

Myanmar police seized 10.26 tons of 107 pieces of illegally harvested hardwood timbers on a 10-wheeled truck in Magway region's Saw township in June when a combined team of local administration conducted security measures.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 13:08:11|Editor: mingmei

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LHASA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A high-profile forum in the Tibet Autonomous Region attended by top local officials and international experts concluded Friday with a clear vision and plans for the region to open up and explore opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Forum on the Development of Tibet, the sixth of its kind and the third that was held in Lhasa, the regional capital, demonstrates the plateau region's readiness to hear suggestions from the international society on development and opening up.

The event brought together around 70 overseas government officials, scholars, journalists and top officials in Tibet such as chairman Qizhala and top regional legislator Losang Jamcan.

Also present were local officials from all of the seven cities and prefectures in Tibet -- Lhasa, Xigaze, Shannan, Nyingchi, Chamdo, Nagqu and Ngari and directors of Tibetan regional government bureax.

While delivering a keynote speech at the forum, chairman Qizhala announced a new set of measures to further open up the region and sought international cooperation in infrastructure, trade, culture, finance and technology.

Tibet will actively promote the building of the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, he said.

Each Chinese province or region has different roles to play in the Belt and Road Initiative, and Tibet is an important region to seek cooperation with South Asian countries, said Wang Yanzhong, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

China hosted the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing in April.

"By jumping on the Silk Road bandwagon, Tibet is opening wider to the rest of the world," said Shen Bing, an expert on regional economy at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research.

Xigaze, Tibet's second-largest city on the border, has excellent conditions to become a base for processing trade between China and South Asia, Shen said. It has six ports and 28 spots for border trade.

"Xigaze has over 400,000 members of its workforce with an average of 10 years of education. It should play a stronger role in the opening up of the region," Shen said.

Statistics show that Tibet's import and export trade was 4.8 billion yuan (about 693 million U.S. dollars) in 2018. Enterprises in the region invested about 280 million U.S. dollars in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Rajiv Kumar Jha, chairman of Transhimalayan Friendship Society Nepal, said China and Nepal have witnessed increased trade volume, and Nepal has been the largest trade partner for Tibet in recent years.

"The Nepalis who have been residing in Tibet for generations are the best example of people-to-people exchange," he said, adding that he expects more people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two sides.

Last year, Tibet hosted 30 million tourists, almost 10 times that of the population in the region.

"Tibet should be aware not to develop cheap tourism. It should develop ecological tourism that brings money to locals and conserves the environment," said Albert Ettinger, a Luxembourg scholar at the forum.

Losang Tsering, who owns a beer factory in Lhasa, expects new policies to open up and the Belt and Road development will bring convenience to his business.

"We are cooperating with an American firm to sell our products overseas. A more open Tibet is a very good thing both for companies and the people," he said. "It will be more convenient for us to import materials to make beer and export barley malt in the future."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 14:08:22|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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STOCKHOLM, June 15 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in was in Sweden on Thursday and Friday to talk about innovation, inclusivity and the Korean Peninsula issue, as part of a state visit to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Innovation and industry were the main focus of the meeting between Moon and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, during which the two leaders agreed to increase innovation cooperation, including a decision to set up a start-up center in Stockholm for South Korean businesses, according to a press release issued by the Swedish government on Saturday.

"As two of the world's most innovative countries, Sweden and South Korea have a great deal to learn from each other and many reasons to cooperate on new technology, digitalisation and sustainability issues," said Swedish Minister for Business, Industry and Innovation Ibrahim Baylan in a press release.

The two sides also talked about the Korean Peninsula issue during the meeting and hoped for a successful third summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s top leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump, according to Swedish News SVT.

At a joint press conference on Saturday morning after their talks, Moon mentioned the possibility of a third summit between Kim and Trump, saying that effort should be make to prevent a "fruitless outcome" as in the second Kim-Trump summit in Hanoi in February.

"I hope Sweden will continue to be a partner for peace on the Korean Peninsula," Moon added.

Lofven said at the press conference that "Sweden is ready to contribute to peace as much as we can."

Moon also appreciated Sweden's models of equality and social welfare, saying that South Korea hoped to learn from Sweden's insights on solving social and gender inequality.

Moon's delegation consisted mostly of representatives from South Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

His state visit to Sweden is part of a wider Nordic tour, which had taken him to Finland and will take him to Norway in the coming days.Ills of the Guthi Bill

The biggest blunder is disqualifying indigenous people from their rightful ownership of community structures.

Post File PhotoSource: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 14:28:34|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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CANBERRA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The leader of the Australian Workers Union (AWU) has demanded the resignation of fellow trade union boss John Setka.

Daniel Walton, the national secretary of the AWU, told Sky News Australia on Sunday that the debate around the embattled Setka, the secretary of the Tasmanian and Victorian division of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), was "sucking oxygen" from the union movement.

Setka has been under pressure to resign since Fairfax Media reported that he told a meeting of the union's national executives that the work of anti-domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty has eroded men's rights through her advocacy work.

Walton said that the average trade union member was a female public servant in her mid-40s, saying union leaders had to be held to a higher standard than the average person.

"The simple fact we have to spend as much time as we are now and throughout the entire week speaking about John Setka means the trade union movement is having its oxygen sucked from out of it to be able to talk about the important things that matter for working people," he added.

Setka on Thursday met with Sally McManus, the leader of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), who urged him to step down.

Anthony Albanese, the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), has moved that the party suspend Setka's membership.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 14:33:36|Editor: mingmei

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BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has called on the Guangming Daily to guide intellectuals rallying closely around the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a congratulatory letter on the 70th anniversary of the launch of the newspaper.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 14:38:40|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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AUCKLAND, New Zealand, June 16 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Act Party launched a new campaign on Sunday including a flat tax rate policy aiming to attract more voters in next year's general election.

On the party's annual conference in Auckland, it proposed a flat tax rate of 17.5 percent on personal and company income, which the party believes will benefit the New Zealand tax payers for being simply and fair.

Currently, New Zealand has a progressive tax system where the top personal tax rate is 33 percent for income over 70,000 New Zealand dollars (45,442 U.S. dollars). New Zealand companies pay a flat 28 percent tax rate for their income.

Act Party leader David Seymour believed that New Zealanders deserve a fairer tax system which encourages personal responsibility and hard working.

"We will fund our plan by ending handouts for businesses through the Provincial Growth Fund and for well-off families through the Fees-Free scheme. We will also gradually raise the retirement age to 67, cap Working for Families to only two eligible children and abate the scheme faster for higher income earners, end KiwiSaver contributions, and return the government's surplus to taxpayers," Seymour said.

Act Party has one seat in the New Zealand Parliament and is a political ally of National Party.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 14:53:47|Editor: mingmei

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NANJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A new air route linking Nanjing, the capital city of eastern China's Jiangsu Province, and Japan's Nagoya was launched Saturday.

It is the fifth direct flight to Japan from Nanjing after links to Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa and Sapporo.

The Nanjing-Nagoya flight service, operated by Juneyao Airlines with an Airbus A320 on a daily basis, is scheduled to depart Nanjing at 11:00 a.m. and arrive in Nagoya at 2:40 p.m. local time. The return flight will take off at 3:40 p.m. local time and land in Nanjing at 5:50 p.m., said a source with the Lukou International Airport in Nanjing.

Passengers who take the flights are allowed to carry 2 pieces of checked baggage, each up to 23 kilograms, as well as a carry-on bag weighing up to 10 kilograms, according to the airport source.

The new daily flight service is expected to provide a better travel experience for tourists from the Yangtze River Delta to Japan's Kinki and central regions, said the airport source.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 15:08:52|Editor: Xiang Bo

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NANJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A six-day forum on the transformation of the army and training of army officers concluded Sunday at the Army Engineering University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The forum was attended by representatives from a dozen Chinese army higher education institutions and seven foreign army academies, including those from Brazil, Egypt and South Africa.

The attendees discussed a host of topics and exchanged views on them. They were also given a tour of the teaching facilities of the host university and observed military training exercises of the cadets.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 15:08:54|Editor: mingmei

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by Cristobal Chavez Bravo

VINA DEL MAR, Chile, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese ride-hailing platform Didi Chuxing has dived into Chile's transportation market, launching its services in the Pacific Coast resort of Vina del Mar.

Didi Chuxing rapidly chalked up 60,000 passengers and 16,000 drivers since its operation started on June 3 in the seaside town west of the Chilean capital of Santiago.

Yang Mi, the company's director of expansion in Latin America, told Xinhua that the region, with a large population, has great growth potential, especially in urban areas.

"Chile is a country that can represent Latin America's economic and technological innovation. It has a welcoming and inclusive attitude towards innovation, and hopes to become the leader in scientific innovation in Latin America," said Yang.

As the world's largest market for ride-hailing apps, China has "a lot of technology and experience it hopes to export" in the field, he said.

Meanwhile, the company hopes "to listen and learn from local consumers" to optimize its services, Yang added.

As part of its fundamental corporate strategy, Didi Chuxing is becoming increasingly international with Latin America being a priority market, he said.

Lucrecia Marquez, one of Didi Chuxing's registered drivers in Chile, rated her experience in working with the company as "excellent," saying people had expected to wait for a Didi, but the response of the drivers has been very rapid.

Ana Maria Quevedo, the operation manager of Didi Chuxing in Chile, said that the company did its homework before launching the service, carrying out a study on both local drivers and local geography.

The company identified the needs and shortcomings of existing transportation services, and decided to test the waters in the main port city of Valparaiso because it is "a Chile in miniature," given its geographic conditions, population and transportation demands, said Quevedo.

One of Didi Chuxing's cornerstones "is to focus on the client, provide a great experience, and focus on security," she added.

Valentina Perez, Didi Chuxing's publicist in Chile, said she favors the ride-hailing app because it is easy to use and more economical to boot.

"The application is much friendlier than others in general. And ...it's cheaper than other applications on the market," said Perez.

"I think the company is here to stay," she added.

Chile is one of four Latin American countries where Didi Chuxing is competing against other similar services.

Yang said Didi Chuxing presents "benign competition" as it strives to offer the best quality service at the best prices.

"Didi can learn from the competition to perfect our service," Yang said. "We are researching the local taxi market to find out what consumers and drivers want," he added.

A company built on innovation, Didi Chuxing operates some 400,000 units of electric vehicles worldwide, promoting sustainable electric mobility, said Yang.

"The development of electric mobility in Latin America is still at an initial stage, and we hope Chile, as a country that values innovation and environmental protection, can introduce our electric car services."

"We hope to offer more ecological and more intelligent transport services (in Chile)," he added.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 15:24:01|Editor: Wu Qin

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JAKARTA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers have retrieved three bodies and are continuing search and rescue for four other people after a passenger boat went down in waters off East Nusa Tenggara province of central Indonesia, a senior rescuer said on Sunday.

KM Motor Nusa Kenari 02 boat heading for Kupang district sank in waters off Alor district after leaving a seaport in the district on Saturday, head of the search and rescue office in Kupang district Emi Frizer said.

"We have deployed KN Antareja 238 rescue ship, a RIB boat and a speedboat with 20 personnel," he told Xinhua by phone from Kupang district.

Search and rescue mission also included sailors in coastal areas, anticipating that the victims were swept by the current to waters near the areas, Frizer added.

A total of 54 people survived the incident by swimming, media officer of the national search and rescue office Yusuf Latief told Xinhua a day earlier.

Boat is an effective transport means in the vast-archipelagic nation, however, the crews have often not fully lived up to the safety standard, which endangers the journey at sea.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 15:29:03|Editor: Wu Qin

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LONDON, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Customers in pubs and bars toasted the Britain's national drink Saturday to celebrate the country's National Beer Day.

It comes on the anniversary of one of the most important documents in British history, the Magna Carta, signed in 1215.

The great charter mentions ale in its Article 35, saying: "Let there be throughout our kingdom a single measure for wine and a single measure for ale and a single measure for corn."

Organisers Beer Day Britain said: "Today beer and pubs are still central to British life and 7 out of 10 drinks sold in a pub are beer."

"Britain has a dynamic brewing scene and an unmatched heritage in spreading the love and knowledge of beer around the world."

Beer writer and sommelier Jane Peyton, who came up with the idea of a special day to celebrate the national drink, said: "Beer tastes better when it is consumed with friends down the pub."

Pubs across the country marked the special day hosting special events including beer festivals, beer and food banquets and fancy-dress parties.

Beer has been the national drink of Britain for millennia, before it existed as the UK.

Heather ale is most likely to have been the first beer consumed, first brewed in Scotland from at least 4,000 years ago by a pugnacious warrior tribe known as the Picts.

Tom Stainer, CEO of CAMRA, the campaign for real ale group, said: "Beer Day Britain has been a staple in the CAMRA calendar for many years now, and I'm delighted that we've been able to extend our support this year with the Summer of Pub campaign.

"Both Beer Day Britain and Summer of Pub have the same main objective, to get the people of Britain down to the pub to celebrate their favourite pint."

A poll by personal loan provider, Hitachi Personal Finance, has revealed that despite its high prices London isn't the most expensive place to buy a pint of lager or craft beer.

A pint of standard beer is most expensive in Northern Ireland at 5.22 pounds, followed by London at 5.16 pounds.

The cheapest pint, at 3.41 pounds, is in South West England. But when it comes to craft beer Londoners expect to pay the most at 6.57 a pint, according to the survey.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 15:44:07|Editor: Wu Qin

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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A total of seven insurgents including their group commander were killed during a military operation in Kandahar province, south Afghanistan on Saturday, National Directorate of Security (NDS) or the country's prime intelligence agency said in a statement released on Sunday.

"During a special operation of the personnel of NDS launched in Maiwand district on Saturday, seven rebels including their group commander were killed," the short statement said without providing more details.

The Taliban militants have yet to make comment.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 16:19:13|Editor: Wu Qin

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The wine businesses in the U.S. state of California, accounting for 90 percent of the country's total wine exports, are concerned about the long-term market loss in China as a result of the U.S.-initiated trade war against China.

"It's the future opportunities that we feel we might lose out on," said Michael Parr, vice president of international sales for Wente Family Estates, on Saturday.

The Livermore, California-based Wente Vineyards, is the oldest family-owned winery in the United States. It has been exporting wines to China for 25 years.

Parr said they have significant room for development in China, but the frustration with the tariffs is withholding them from expanding beyond the current market share.

The California wine exports to China have been adversely affected after China imposed 15 percent and 10 percent on U.S. imports in April and September last year in response to an earlier U.S. move to slap steep tariffs on Chinese products.

In an escalation of the trade tensions, Washington on May 10 increased additional tariffs on 200 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent, and has threatened to raise tariffs on more Chinese imports. In response, China raised additional tariffs on a range of U.S. imports on June 1.

"Overall the U.S. wines have seen a very positive perspective in China and the industry has been working hard in the market over the past years. Often times, we are seen as being expensive, but quality driven," he said. "I think Chinese consumers would love to get their hands on more California wines."

However, each additional round of tariff has made it "more and more difficult" for California wines to compete in "the fastest-growing wine market in the world," Robert Koch, president and CEO of Wine Institute, has said.

"It is imperative to resolve this dispute as soon as possible, so that our wineries do not suffer long-term market loss," Koch said.

For every bottle of Wente Wine that has been depleted on the shelf in China, there are dozens of wine producing countries that are competing for that same shelf space, said Parr.

Some of the biggest wine producing countries, including Australia and Chile, now have free trade agreements with China. "Those wines can go into that market duty free, and here we are at a tax rate of 93 percent -- that's no longer a level playing field for U.S. wines," said Parr, adding that the Chinese market will soon be the second only to the United States in terms of the total value of wine sales.

"We will maintain relationships with our importers in China. We are in communication on a regular basis," said Parr. "We haven't lost faith completely. I'm confident that eventually these tariffs will be lifted and we will be back in the market."

California Wine Institute said it would continue with marketing efforts as well as educational and promotional events in China to maintain the market influence of California wines.

Last year, the organization carried out a slate of promotional activities in China, including a new round of "Master Class seminars" and California wine tasting events.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.Nayak Paudel is a crime reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2018, he has also written on health issues.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 16:39:19|Editor: Wu Qin

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RIYADH, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud said on Sunday that his country wants no war in the region but will not hesitate to deal with any threat.

"The kingdom does not want war in the region, but we will not hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, out sovereignty and out vital interests," he said in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

He also urged the international community to take a firm stance on Iran's recent actions in the region.

On the Yemeni crisis, he expressed Saudi Arabia's rejection to the existence of outlawed militias near its borders while reaffirming support to all efforts for a political solution in Yemen.

The Saudi crown prince also highlighted the strategic relations with the United States as a key factor in achieving security and stability in the region.

Referring to the "painful" crime of murdering the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, he said Saudi Arabia seeks "full justice and accountability."

"Any party seeking to exploit the issue politically should stop and provide the court in the kingdom with any evidence which will contribute to achieving justice," he noted.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 17:19:33|Editor: Lu Hui

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by Edna Alcantara

MEXICO CITY, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's pledge to stem immigration to the United States does not guarantee that U.S. President Donald Trump will drop the threat of trade tariffs, according to a prominent Mexican lawmaker.

Deputy Monica Bautista, secretary of the executive committee of the Chamber of Deputies and member of the opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), told Xinhua the threat of tariffs appeared to be a policy tool of the Trump administration.

"We aren't going to resolve the question of tariffs ... by stopping the flow of migrants through our country. It's certain Trump will continue to threaten (tariffs) to keep pressing Mexico and other countries" into concessions, said Bautista.

On May 30, Trump threatened to impose a general 5-percent tariff on Mexican imports and gradually increase the figure to 25 percent unless Mexico effectively reduces the number of undocumented migrants reaching the U.S. border.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard reached an agreement with the White House on June 7 to reduce the number of migrants from Central America, leading to the "indefinite suspension" of tariffs that were set to take effect starting June 10.

Both countries agreed to give the agreement 45 days to show results. However, on Wednesday Trump once again talked about tariffs, saying if the plan does not work, he has a "phase 2" of "very tough" pressure tactics for Mexico.

"I don't see a very good outlook despite these latest agreements. I think the threat is that the immigration issue has to be dealt with as soon as possible. Obviously, it's a time bomb that President Trump wants to leave for our country," Bautista said.

Bautista believes the pressure will "unfortunately" not let up until "President Trump achieves his objective of being re-elected."

The Mexican government committed to deploying 6,000 members of a newly-formed National Guard to its southern border with Guatemala to help contain and process migrants.

In addition, Mexico has agreed to host the mostly Central American asylum seekers awaiting the outcome of their case.

The flow of migrants from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras increased at the end of 2018 with the formation of massive caravans. In May, it reached the highest monthly number in more than a decade.

Bautista reaffirmed the official stance of the Mexican government that more needs to be done on a regional level to address the causes of mass immigration, and the United States is key to that efforts.

But Washington "is shirking its responsibility when it comes to dealing with the immigration issue," said Bautista.

Since January, some 600,000 migrants have arrived at the U.S. border after crossing Mexico. Among those, 10,000 are in Mexico awaiting a decision on their asylum requests, according to data from the Mexican government.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 17:29:36|Editor: Lu Hui

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BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- By launching an investigation into FedEx in accordance with legal procedures, China has demonstrated its adherence to the principle of the rule of law.

China on Friday delivered a notice of inquiry to FedEx China, starting the investigation procedure of a case concerning the company's failure to deliver express packages to designated addresses in China.

According to media reports, FedEx diverted two packages sent from Japan and addressed to Huawei China to the United States without authorization of or notification to its client.

As a country with sound laws and regulations concerning the express delivery sector, China values the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, attaching great importance to their claims for compensation for failed deliveries and their information security.

In China, courier companies are required to deliver mail to addresses or recipients as recorded in the contracts. By failing to do so, the U.S. company is under suspicion of damaging the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese clients, which makes it obliged to accept the inquiry.

The inquiry should not be interpreted as retaliation or regarded as an aggressive move.

China's relevant government department has been handling the case in strict accordance with due process. The inquiry, as a method to collect evidence, is aimed at uncovering the truth, which will certainly be conducted with no inclination or prejudgment.

China will never clamp down on legally operated foreign companies, as the rule of law is among the fundamental principles of China's national governance.

In addition to investigating the case, the inquiry is also aimed at sending a message that any economic entity in China's market should abide by the country's laws and regulations.

China is willing to share the opportunities in its courier market with foreign investors. Undermining Chinese clients' legitimate rights and interests, however, is not acceptable.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 17:34:40|Editor: Lu Hui

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MOGADISHU, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations mission in Somalia on Sunday condemned bombing attacks in Mogadishu and in northeastern Kenya that killed at least 21 people and injured more than 20 others on Saturday.

No political agenda can be served by acts of terrorism, the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia said after the attacks, both claimed by al-Shabab terror group.

Nine people died in two car bomb blasts in Somalia, and 12 Kenyan policemen were killed when a vehicle they were traveling in ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) in Wajir County, along the Kenya-Somalia border.

"UN Somalia strongly condemns yesterday's attacks in Mogadishu and northeastern Kenya by al-Shabab," it said in a tweet on Sunday.

Somali police commander Bashir Abdi Mohamed said on Saturday that nine people were killed and 25 others injured in the first car bomb attack at Sayidka junction.

The second car bomb exploded near KM4 junction and resulted in the death of the bomber, Mohamed said, adding that security forces arrested an accomplice, who was injured.

In the northeastern Kenya IED attack, one police officer sustained serious injuries.

The police officers were on patrol between Khorof-harar and Konton in Wajir county when their vehicle ran over the IED, Police Inspector General Hilary Mutyambai said.

Both Mogadishu and Wajir attacks were claimed by al-Shabab, who on Thursday abducted three Kenyan police reservists from the same area in Wajir region.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 18:04:51|Editor: Lu Hui

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PUL-E-ALAM, Afghanistan, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Up to 13 militants have been killed as government forces launched fresh operations in Mohammad Agha district of Afghanistan's eastern Logar province on Saturday, Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said Sunday.

According to the official, the units of Special Police Force have been targeting the Taliban hideouts in parts of Mohammad Agha district over the past 24 hours and so far have killed 13 insurgent and injuring three others.

The operations would last until the area is cleansed of the insurgents, Rahimi said.

Taliban militants, who are active in parts of Logar province and occasionally conduct terrorist attack in provincial capital Pul-e-Alam, have yet to make comment on the report.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 18:34:57|Editor: Wu Qin

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VIENNA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A leading official of the Austrian right-wing populist Freedom Party (FPOe) hopes his party will poll well in September's federal elections, despite recent turmoil over a corruption scandal.

Speaking to the Austria Press Agency in an interview Sunday, party whip and former Interior Minister Herbert Kickl said his wish is that his party will "surpass the 20 percent mark" in the snap election under new lead candidate Norbert Hofer.

He added that ideally the party would manage a result close to that of the last election in 2017, which saw it gain 26 percent of the vote, just behind the second-place Social Democrats.

A strong result would add weight to the FPOe's bid to once again be part of a governing coalition, he said.

Kickl also confirmed that he will be second on the party's candidates list.

The FPOe had initially formed a coalition government with the center-right People's Party (OeVP) following the 2017 election, before the scandal known as the "Ibiza affair" that centered around party leader and then Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache brought a collapse to the government.

It begun when a secret video emerged in mid-May of Strache speaking to purported representatives of a Russian oligarch, where he appeared to offer government contracts in exchange for political favor.

Strache resigned almost immediately after, though OeVP leader and former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz also called for Kickl's dismissal, which was subsequently seen through.

This triggered a chain of events that led to a complete collapse of the coalition government, and the installation of a current caretaker government set to govern until the September election.

Kickl believes Hofer, who was transport minister in the coalition prior to its collapse as well as a former presidential candidate, will make an excellent lead candidate.

In addition, the party will perform better than expected by many, he said, with some having thought the Ibiza affair would be a "knockout" blow.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 18:55:11|Editor: Wu Qin

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Three winners of a regional qualifying round of overseas Chinese singing contest will represent San Francisco to compete in finals held in Beijing later this year, an organizer said Saturday.

The San Francisco division of the 2019 "Cultures of China Water Cube Cup" Chinese Songs Contest for Overseas Chinese, a global activity to introduce Chinese culture and tell Chinese stories to the world, concluded Saturday in Silicon Valley, with 24 candidates competing for three vacancies for the finals.

Top two winners of the youth group and the first place of the adult group will get the opportunity to travel to Beijing to compete with participants from other parts of the world.

"I'm satisfied with my performance today with the song 'Wait'," said 14-year-old Angelina Chen, one top winner of the youth group. "It's a very difficult song. I've heard from several others and I wanted to choose it because I like to challenge myself, you know, take risks."

The competition is inspiring, because "everybody is unique and special and different in their own way," said Chen, an eight-grade girl from a public high school in Fremont, northern California, adding that she was excited to grab the opportunity to go to Beijing after a fierce competition.

The singing competition is of special significance to overseas Chinese in the Bay Area, because the National Aquatics Center in Beijing, also known as the Water Cube, benefited from financial contributions of overseas Chinese when it was built for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, said Rose He, one leading member of the contest's organizing committee.

The event aims to encourage young overseas Chinese to promote cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world, including the United States, said He, also vice president of Chinese for Peaceful Unification-Northern California, a San Francisco-based organization dedicated to China's full reunification.

"The singing competition is also held to support the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games," she said.

Initiated in 2011, the contest has attracted over 8,000 participants from more than 30 countries and regions around the world.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 19:25:21|Editor: Wu Qin

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TIRIN KOT, Afghanistan, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Afghan army troops seized a militants' container of arms and ammunition in the country's southern Uruzgan province, an official said Sunday.

The container, packed with various types of arms, walkie-talkie, explosive ordnances and hundreds of light arms' bullets, was discovered and confiscated during an overnight operation in Dehyak area outside provincial capital Tirin Kot city, Khawja Yahya Alvi, an army spokesman in the southern region, told Xinhua.

According to the official, the Taliban militants were planning to use the arms and ammunition in high-profile attacks against government forces in the relatively restive province.

Taliban militants have not commented on the report.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 19:40:28|Editor: mingmei

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Sara Netanyahu (C), wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leaves the Jerusalem Magistrate Court, on June 16, 2019. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife Sara on Sunday was convicted of misusing state funds and sentenced to pay 55,000 new shekels (15,275 U.S. dollars). The Jerusalem Magistrate Court accepted a plea bargain signed between Sara Netanyahu and the State Attorney's Office. (Xinhua/JINI)

JERUSALEM, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife Sara on Sunday was convicted of misusing state funds and sentenced to pay 5,5000 new shekels (1,5275 U.S. dollars).

The Jerusalem Magistrate Court accepted a plea bargain signed between Sara Netanyahu and the State Attorney's Office.

Under the deal, Sara admitted lesser charges and was convicted of receiving something by intentionally exploiting another person's mistake.

The 5,5000 new shekels consists of 45,000 new shekels in repayment and a fine of 10,000 new shekels.

Sara Netanyahu, 60, was originally charged with fraud, aggravated fraud and breach of trust.

According to her original charge sheet, she fraudulently obtaining some 100,000 dollars of public funds for hundreds of meals which were supplied by well-known restaurants and chefs to the official prime minister's residency in Jerusalem while falsely stating that there were no cooks at home.

Her lawyers said Sara was unaware of the regulations that forbid her to do so and the meals were ordered by an aide to serve visiting officials.

This case has drawn public attention to the long trail of criminal investigations and scandals involving the Netanyahus.

Long-time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is entangled in a series of criminal corruption investigations while he denies any wrongdoing, saying "the investigations are part of witch-hunt orchestrated by the leftist media and political enemies."A salesman works at a Huawei booth in Manila, the Philippines, May 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

By Ren Ke, Guo Qiuda

MADRID, June 16 (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.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.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 20:20:43|Editor: mingmei

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A student takes final high school exam in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, on June 16, 2019. Yemen's high school students began their final exams on Sunday amid tightened measures taken by the educational authorities to curb rampant cheating among students in the war-torn country. (Xinhua/Murad Abdo)

by Murad Abdo

ADEN, Yemen, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's high school students began their final exams on Sunday amid tightened measures taken by the educational authorities to curb rampant cheating among students in the war-torn country.

Officials told Xinhua that about 90,000 students started their first exam at some 750 examination centers across 13 provinces controlled by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.

In the southern port city of Aden, supervision committees had been deployed with maximum level of preparedness to prevent students from cheating during the exams.

Leaflets distributed through social media networks warned students not to take mobile phones while taking exams and vowed to penalize those who would use technological devices to facilitate cheating.

Nahid Omar, director of e-learning in Yemen, told Xinhua that thousands of high school students began taking their exams in Aden without any disturbances.

"The exams went smoothly during the first day and the education ministry took a number of strict procedures to avoid any leaks of exam questions or cheating in any examination center," said Omar.

"The educational authorities increased the number of supervisors and control committees across the provinces comparing to the previous years," she added.

According to Yemeni Minister of Education Abdullah Lamlas, about 76 officials were deployed for "the supervision process in the government-controlled provinces."

"We also opened four control centers in Aden and elsewhere," Lamlas said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister of Yemen Ahmed Saeed al-Khanbashi visited a number of high schools in Aden and encouraged students to proceed their exams despite the scorching heat in summer.

"We ordered the electricity corporation to cooperate with the education ministry and avoid power outages during the exam periods to help the students overcome heat inside the classrooms," said al-Khanbashi.

However, some Yemeni students were still seen sweating excessively in their classrooms, while others complained that repeated power outages had distracted their attention from revision before taking exams.

"It's true that electricity outages leave a negative impact on students' performance but we tried to use alternatives because this is our future," Ayad Fadaq, a high school student in Aden, told Xinhua.

The ongoing war between the Yemeni government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, and Iran-allied Houthi rebels has left a devastating impact on the education sector, negatively affecting the future of the younger generation.

According to the UNICEF, nearly half a million children have dropped out of school since the Yemeni conflict escalated in 2015, bringing the total number of out-of-school children to 2 million.

More than 2,500 schools are out of use, with two-thirds damaged by attacks, 27 percent closed and 7 percent used for military purposes or as shelters for displaced people, UNICEF said.

The UN organization pointed out in previous reports that at least 2,419 children have been recruited in the fighting in Yemen since March 2015.

Yemen has been locked in a civil war since the Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen's conflict since 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile.

The prolonged military conflict has aggravated the suffering of Yemenis and deepened the world's worst humanitarian crisis.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 20:25:46|Editor: Wu Qin

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SANAA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A woman and her three children were killed when a Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit a house in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah on Sunday, local residents and a medical source said.

The attack that hit the family's house in Jar area in Abs district also injured a girl, they added.

The Saudi Arabia-led military coalition has been fighting Iran-allied Shiite Houthi rebels since March 2015 in support of the Yemeni Internationally-recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Saudi Arabia has witnessed more drone and ballistic missile attacks launched by the Houthis recently, which wounded 26 people at Abha airport last week alone.

The rebels have threatened to target more Saudi airports, demanding an immediate end to the war and lift of all-out blockade imposed by the coalition.

Houthis tribal fighters seized much of Yemen's north, including the capital Sanaa in late 2014, forcing Hadi and his government into exile in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 20:40:51|Editor: Lu Hui

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Chinese 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)

DUSHANBE, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's visits to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan opened a new chapter for building a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday.

During the five-day trip, Xi also attended the 19th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek and the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Dushanbe.

It was a visit of cementing good neighbourliness and friendship, of jointly building the Belt and Road, of promoting the Shanghai Spirit, and of guiding Asian countries' cooperation, Wang said.

CONSOLIDATING RELATIONS

China and Central Asian countries, including Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, are connected by mountains and rivers and have a shared future, Wand said.

Xi's state visits to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, he added, demonstrated the close friendship between the heads of state and the high level of China's ties with the two countries.

As the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, China and Central Asian countries are confronting common development and security challenges, and need to build closer cooperative relations to better safeguard their respective and common interests, Wang added.

He noted that both in Kyrgyzstan and in Tajikistan, the heads of state signed a joint statement on further deepening their countries' comprehensive strategic partnership, drawing a new blueprint for the future development of bilateral ties.

At the SCO summit, Xi called for concerted efforts to build the regional organization into a model mechanism of regional cooperation against the backdrop of the complicated international situation.

Xi's vision drew positive responses from other participating leaders, Wang said, adding that they also agreed to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, promote cooperation in such fields as security, economy and people-to-people exchanges, safeguard the principles of international relations, support the construction of an open world economy, and jointly push for greater development of the SCO at a new starting point.

At the CICA summit, Xi envisioned an Asia featuring mutual respect and trust, security and stability, development and prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, as well as cooperation and innovation.

Xi's idea, said Wang, represented a broad consensus on the future development trend of Asia, enriched the connotation and denotation of the CICA, and provided both philosophical and directional guidance for regional cooperation.

PROMOTING BRI COOPERATION

At the two summits, Xi called on member states to implement the consensus reached at the Second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation and further synergize the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and their respective development strategies.

Central Asia is where the BRI was initiated, Wang said, adding that Xi's visits to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan once again showed that China is taking concrete actions to push forward the Belt and Road construction at a higher starting point.

As the two countries are among the earliest supporters of and participants in Belt and Road cooperation, their cooperation with China has yielded fruitful results, noted the state councilor.

In recent years, China has signed cooperation documents with a vast majority of member and observer states within the frameworks of the SCO and the CICA to jointly build the Belt and Road, Wang said, adding that their development strategies have been gradually aligned, and that the results of the cooperation have continuously emerged.

During his attendance at the SCO and CICA summits, Xi held in-depth exchanges of views with other leaders on how to implement the important achievements of the second BRF, promote regional interconnectivity, and bolster development and cooperation, and they reached extensive consensus, Wang said.

That, he added, has injected new impetus into the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road.

SAFEGUARDING MULTILATERALISM

The SCO and the CICA are both important platforms for China's diplomacy, Wang said.

During his visit, Xi pointed out that as a member of the Asian family and a responsible major country in the international community, China will steadfastly pursue a peaceful development path, and will never seek benefits at the expense of others.

China, added the president, will stick to opening-up and all-win approaches, share development opportunities with other nations, uphold multilateralism and safeguard the international order based on international law.

He reiterated that China will continue to be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order, and push forward the construction of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi's viewpoints gained understanding and support from all other parties, Wang said, adding that it is generally agreed that Xi's ideas are closely related to the current situation, offer answers to key questions, reflect firm self-confidence, and demonstrate China's high sense of responsibility on international affairs.

The Central Asia tour, said Wang, was a major move by China to promote global partnerships, Belt and Road cooperation, and world peace and stability, and achieved expected goals and fruitful results.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 20:45:54|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing Sunday evening after wrapping up visits to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

In Kyrgyzstan, Xi paid a state visit to the country and attended the 19th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek, capital of the country.

After Kyrgyzstan, Xi attended the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe and paid a state visit to the country.

Xi's entourage, including Ding Xuexiang, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee; State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi; and He Lifeng, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the National Development and Reform Commission, also returned to Beijing on the same plane.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon saw Xi off at the airport of Dushanbe on Sunday morning local time.

Xi expressed his appreciation of Rahmon and the Tajik side's hospitality and congratulated Tajikistan for successfully hosting the CICA.

Xi said he enjoyed the visit to Tajikistan, during which he had in-depth discussion with Rahmon on issues of common concern and reached important consensus.

Cooperation between the two countries on the Belt and Road construction has yielded positive outcomes, Xi said, voicing his hope that as a result of joint efforts, bilateral cooperation will reach a new height and benefit people of both sides.

Rahmon congratulated Xi on the success of his visit to Tajikistan and thanked Xi and the Chinese side for contributing to the CICA.

With a deep friendship with president Xi and the Chinese people, the Tajik people cherish Tajikistan-China ties and appreciate China's valuable support, Rahmon said.

Xi's visit to Tajikistan has been fruitful and important, Tajikistan will use it as an opportunity to further strengthen its relations with China, he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 20:45:56|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, addresses the 11th Straits Forum in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

XIAMEN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Top political advisor Wang Yang Sunday called economic exchanges and integration across the Taiwan Strait a general trend that no force can hold back.

Nothing could cut the cultural bond between the people on both sides of the strait that share the same origin, Wang noted. "The times and trends are all in favor of the forces supporting the reunification and national rejuvenation," he said.

He stressed that economic exchanges and integration across the Taiwan Strait not only is the right thing to do but also yields great benefits, saying there is no reason for the exchanges and integration between both sides not to get closer and better and it will surely get closer and better.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks when addressing the 11th Straits Forum held in the port city of Xiamen in Fujian Province.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 20:50:58|Editor: Wu Qin

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OSLO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Water intoxication of around 2,000 people in western Norway was probably due to animal excrements, newspaper VG reported Sunday.

According to Bard Espelid, deputy mayor of Askoy municipality, there is still very high activity of E. coli bacteria in the high-rise pool.

"Our main hypothesis is that we have been polluted by feces that lie on the mountain above the pool and which has been pulled down through cracks in the mountains and come down with precipitation", Espelid told VG.

Earlier during the week, dog and deer excrements were found on the roof of the high-rise pool.

It is not clear, however, which animal the excrements in the water came from, Espelid said.

He added that there is no indication that there is an increase in the number of people who got ill, but that they follow up and focus on the development of the case.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 20:56:02|Editor: Wu Qin

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RAMALLAH, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian political prisoners in the Israeli prison of Asqalan suspended a hunger strike on Sunday after the Israel Prison Service partially accepted their demands for better conditions, Palestinian Prisoners Club (PPC) said.

The PCC said the strike, which started earlier in the day, called for improving the conditions of the prisoners, increasing the time of the daily break, halting night raids by Israeli prison guards, and facilitating family visit.

According to official data, 45 prisoners at Asqalan said earlier that their "mistreatment" has increased significantly since the end of April, with Israeli prison guards conducting night raids and searches of the cells and imposing fines on the prisoners.

Palestinian prisoners repeatedly demanded an end to what they described as "vicious and armed raids of the cells."

They also called for improving medical treatment for ill prisoners and installing fans during the summer.

Palestinian sources said there are currently over 5,000 Palestinians jailed by Israel, including nearly 500 under long administrative detention without charge or trial.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 20:56:04|Editor: Xiang Bo

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XIAMEN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Liu Jieyi, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, met with guests of various sectors from Taiwan in the port city of Xiamen in Fujian Province during the 11th Straits Forum.

Liu had respective meetings with a delegation led by Tseng Yung-chuan, vice chairman and secretary-general of the Chinese Kuomintang party, a delegation led by Yok Mu-ming, chairman of the New Party and a visiting group of the People First Party.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 21:01:06|Editor: Wu Qin

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by Xinhua writer Chen Wenxian

JERUSALEM, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel is showing great confidence in the prospects of its cooperation with China in the sectors such as economy, trade and high technology.

"Let's look at the facts and you can see a lot of companies from both sides have been exploring the cooperation," said Amir Lati, minister counsellor of the Asia and Pacific Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel.

At the end of May, 18 cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed between China's southwestern province of Sichuan and Israel when delegates from Sichuan visited Israel.

The value of the agreements signed in the sectors of economy, trade, and investment surpassed 350 million U.S. dollars.

For Israeli companies, "China is not only a new market but also a huge market, with a lot of potentials for them to extend their operations," Lati said in an interview with Xinhua.

Big potentials in the cooperation between China and Israel are waiting to be dug out in plenty of fields such as economy and trade, investment, health care, agriculture, joint research and development, tourism and education, Lati added.

Also at the end of May, a delegation consisting of more than 100 Israeli start-ups and hi-tech companies attended the GoForIsrael, an Israel-China investment conference which was held in Jinan, capital city of eastern China's Shandong Province.

Currently, 50 percent of Israel's exports to Asia go to China, accounting for 10 percent of the total exports of Israel, Lati said.

The bilateral trade between China and Israel reached about 14 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, according to the figures from the Chinese Embassy in Israel.

Israel has so far signed one agreement with the Ministry of Science and Technology of China on the joint research and development projects, and eight agreements of such kind at the provincial level with Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Guangdong and Sichuan.

Benefits for Israeli companies from the deepening cooperation between China and Israel are enormous, said Yacov Geva, president and CEO of Israeli G. Medical Innovations Ltd.

One of the important benefits is that Israeli companies could enter the Chinese huge growing market and partner with Chinese companies for the long term, Geva noted.

Geva's company is among the thousands of exhibitors from across the world which participated in the first China International Import Expo held in eastern China's Shanghai in November 2018.

"We are developing a long-term relationship with Chinese partners that will help the Israeli companies to penetrate into the largest market in the world with Israeli technologies and solutions that China needs, especially in the health care sector," he said.

Avi Luvton, director of Asia Pacific Operations at the Israeli Innovation Authority, has visited China no fewer than 50 times. He visited China more frequently in recent years as the cooperation between China and Israel gets closer.

The Chinese market means new opportunities for Israel and the cooperation between the two countries not only lies in technology but also in academics, business, tourism and education, Luvton said in an interview with Xinhua.

Chalom Schirman, head of the International MBA at the University of Haifa, said the prospects for continuation of deepening cooperation between Israeli and Chinese firms and institutions in the next decades look "quite good."

China could become Israel's main trade and investment partner before 2049, Schirman told Xinhua.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 21:21:17|Editor: Wu Qin

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TRIPOLI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Sunday proposed holding parliamentary and presidential elections before the end of 2019 in order to end the crisis in the country.

"On the basis of my national responsibility and despite the aggression against us, I present today our political initiative to end the current crisis, and call on the Libyan people to support it," Serraj said in a televised speech.

The initiative includes "holding a Libyan national conference, in coordination with the UN mission in Libya, that gathers all the national powers and the people's representatives from all parts of country," he added.

According to the prime minister, a road map for the upcoming stage and the establishment of a constitutional base to hold the elections will be agreed upon during the conference.

"The conference will also call upon the UN Security Council and the international community to support its outcomes," Serraj added.

The initiative also included establishment of a "higher authority of national reconciliation," Serraj said.

The army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli, where the government is based.

According to the World Health Organization, the fighting so far has killed 653 and injured 3,547 others.

The army is allied with the eastern-based government, as the country is politically divided between eastern and western governments amid chaos and instability.Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets.A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle prepares to receive fuel from a KC-135R Stratotanker at an undisclosed location, in Gulf, June 2, 2019. (Reuters photo)

RIYADH, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday that its Royal Air Force F-15C Eagles flied in formation with United States Air Force F-15C Eagles in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

A statement on Saudi Press Agency highlighted that the operation took place on June 2, in a mission as part of a larger effort to continue building military-to-military relationships.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud told Al Sharq Al Awsat local newspaper in an interview on Sunday about the importance of the Saudi-U.S. ties as a key factor in achieving security and stability in the region.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 22:26:47|Editor: Wu Qin

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by Liu Chuntao, Naim-Ul-karim

DHAKA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a leading project of China to foster economic connectivity, promote industrialization and common development of participating countries and people, said the Deputy Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament Fazle Rabbi Miah.

"We highly appreciate the Belt and Road Initiative," the senior parliamentarian of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Bangladesh Awami League party told Xinhua Sunday.

"We do support (the initiative). It is not only needed for this region but for the whole world," he said, adding the whole Asia including Bangladesh's two next door neighbors India and Myanmar will immensely benefit from this Initiative.

"Bangladesh recognizes the importance of BRI in strengthening connectivity, promoting exchange of commodity, technology, capital and talent to achieve common prosperity," said Miah at the launching ceremony of two new organizations, China-Bangladesh Friends of Silk Road Club and the Silk Road Community Building Initiative in Bangladesh, held in Dhaka on Sunday.

On China-Bangladesh relations, he said both countries maintain extremely warm relationship and have developed strong cooperation in various fields.

He said the BRI will help enhance the alignment of the development strategies of both countries, fully tap the potentials of cooperation in various areas, so as to realize sustainable development and prosperity of the two countries.

In 2016, Relationship between Bangladesh and China was elevated to "strategic partnership of cooperation" and consensus was reached between both sides to expand bilateral cooperation in a number of key areas, he said.

Currently China is financing some infrastructure projects in Bangladesh including bridges, roads, rail link, power, energy, telecommunication, ICT, water treatment, he said.

China has always been a champion for world peace, a contributor to global development and a protector for international order. It (China) insists on dialogue and negotiation as the proper solution to disputes, he said.

"I look forward to working in close cooperation to further enhance our engagements and strengthen the bonds of friendship between our two countries and peoples."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 23:01:56|Editor: Liangyu

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Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, addresses the 11th Straits Forum in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

XIAMEN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Top political advisor Wang Yang Sunday called economic exchanges and integration across the Taiwan Strait a general trend that no force can hold back.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks when addressing the 11th Straits Forum held in the port city of Xiamen in Fujian Province.

Hailing the record number of participants at this year's forum, he noted that nothing could cut the cultural bond between the people on both sides of the Strait that share the same origin. "The times and trends are all in favor of the forces supporting the reunification and national rejuvenation," he said.

CLOSER ECONOMIC TIES

Cross-Strait economic complementarity is strong, and mutually beneficial cooperation between the mainland and Taiwan has advantaged conditions, Wang said, noting that the mainland economy is moving toward a stage of high-quality development and high-level opening up, and its demand for high-quality products and services of various kinds is increasing day by day.

He stressed that economic exchanges and integration across the Taiwan Strait not only is the right thing to do but also yields great benefits.

"There is no reason for the exchanges and integration between both sides not to get closer and better," Wang said, "And it will surely get closer and better."

STICKING TO 1992 CONSENSUS

Peaceful reunification will cost both sides of the Strait the least and bring compatriots the greatest benefits, he said.

On the basis of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," the mainland is willing to engage in extensive and in-depth dialogue and consultation with parties, organizations and individuals from Taiwan to resolve differences, seek common ground and move toward the goal of peaceful reunification step by step, Wang said.

"We are willing to create broad space for peaceful reunification, but will definitely not leave any leeway to 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities at all," he stressed.

He called on compatriots on both sides of the Strait to join hands in firmly rejecting "Taiwan independence" and safeguarding the homeland.

Adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence" is the "ballast stone" of the cross-strait ties, and compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should take an active part in cross-strait exchanges and cooperation and contribute to maintaining stability across the Strait, promoting integrated development, and enhancing the compatriots' well-being, according to Tseng Yung-chuan, vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, and other speakers at the event.

PURSUE DREAM ON MAINLAND

During Wang's stay in Fujian for the forum, he visited Minjiang University, Genius Electronic Optical (Xiamen) Co., Ltd. and other places and held a symposium with representatives of young people from Taiwan who are working or studying on the mainland.

Wang encouraged the young people from Taiwan to use their personal experience to tell more Taiwan compatriots stories about studying and starting businesses on the mainland, about the development and changes on the mainland, and to enhance mutual understanding among people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Wang urged authorities concerned to push for the sound implementation of policies and measures introduced to benefit Taiwan and people from the island, solve difficulties encountered by young people from Taiwan in their schooling, employment, and entrepreneurship on the mainland, and help more young people from Taiwan pursue, build and realize their dreams on the mainland.

Prior to the opening of the forum, Wang met with some of the delegates to the forum from both sides of the Strait and representatives of the event's sponsoring organizations.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 23:22:04|Editor: yan

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TOKYO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A Group of 20 (G20) ministerial meeting on Sunday agreed to create an international framework that aims at establishing voluntary measures to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean.

The two-day G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Transitions and Global Environment for Sustainable Growth was held in the resort town of Karuizawa in central Japan.

"Marine litter...is a matter requiring urgent action given its adverse impacts on marine ecosystems, livelihoods, and industries ...and potentially on human health," said a communique issued after the meeting.

"We will continue to vigorously seek solutions to such global issues," Japanese Environment Minister Yoshiaki Harada said in a press conference, calling the agreement a "major achievement" in the lead-up to the G20 Osaka summit later this month.

Under the framework, each G20 member will need to report progress on its voluntary measures to address the issue of marine plastic waste.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, about 300 million tons of plastic waste are produced every year, of which 8 million tons end up in the world's oceans.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 23:27:08|Editor: yan

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WUHAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- An international crayfish festival kicked off Saturday in the city of Qianjiang, in central China's Hubei Province, attracting more than 200 enterprises from home and abroad.

The event includes investment activities, crayfish-related seminars and meetings on e-commerce of aquatic products.

During the opening ceremony, Qianjiang Crayfish Cook School signed a strategic agreement with the Canada Achieve Group to send Qianjiang talent in areas of crayfish cooking and marketing to Canada.

"Crayfish, as one of the most popular foods in China, will certainly be loved by many local residents in Canada," said Tony Elenis, president of the Ontario Restaurants Hotel and Motel Association.

Native to North America, crayfish were brought to eastern China's Jiangsu Province by a Japanese merchant in the 1920s or 1930s. They appeared on the plain in central China about 30 years ago, and villagers found the shellfish tasty and turned them into big business.

As more people warm to crayfish, the provincial government of Hubei has expressed its support to the development of the Qianjiang crayfish industry.

According to Wu Zuyun, Communist Party chief of Qianjiang, the city exported 150 million U.S. dollars worth of crayfish in 2018. Related industries created 150,000 jobs and helped 20,000 people get rid of poverty.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 23:42:13|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A China-U.S. joint research team announced in Beijing Sunday that they had discovered four nearly 100-million-year old fossilized dinosaur footprints in eastern China's Jiangsu Province.

Found in a scenic spot in Maling Mountain Scenic Area in the city of Xinyi, the tracks can help with the study on the distribution and evolution of China's dinosaur groups during the Lower Cretaceous period, according to the team.

The research was conducted by paleontologists from the China University of Geosciences (Beijing), University of Colorado, Yingliang global stone museum and Dexu Institute of Paleontology.

"The dinosaur footprints had been mistaken for the footprints of Li Cunxiao (858-894), a famous general in the late Tang Dynasty (618-907), and the tiger he fought," said Xing Lida, a researcher with the team.

"Three toes of two Sauropod footprints have been lost over the years, making its outline resemble a human foot," he added.

Researchers are now working with the local authorities to protect the rare tracks.

The findings have been published in the academic journal Geological Bulletin of China.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 23:42:15|Editor: yan

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ISTANBUL, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday slammed his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron over his remarks asking Turkey to stop its drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

"The French president wants us to withdraw from the searches in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea," Erdogan said at a meeting in Istanbul.

"We are a guarantor in Cyprus, Greece is a guarantor, the United Kingdom is a guarantor, but who are you?" he said of Macron.

"If you make such a statement on behalf of the Total company, show your attorney agreement," the Turkish leader remarked, accusing Macron of acting on behalf of the French oil and gas company.

Speaking at a summit of the European Union in Malta last week, Macron voiced solidarity with Cyprus and urged Turkey to "stop its illegal activities in Cyprus's exclusive economic zone."

Ankara argues that some of the gas fields claimed by the Greek Cypriots overlap with the exclusive economic zone of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots living in the northern part of the divided Cyprus island.

According to Erdogan, Turkey has been conducting drilling activities in locations reserved for it.

"Turkey has not chosen to watch what is happening there, but rather to struggle for its own benefits," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 00:02:31|Editor: yan

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WINDHOEK, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Namibian President Hage Geingob on Sunday acknowledged the country's efforts in promoting child security and protection, as Namibia joins the rest of Africa in commemorating the Day of the African Child.

The Day of the African Child has been commemorated every year on June 16 since 1991. This year's theme is "Humanitarian Action in Africa: Children's Rights First."

Geingob, who is also chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), encouraged Namibia and the entire SADC region to scale up their efforts to ensure the future of the African child is made brighter.

"Namibia has done considerable work on protecting the rights of the child, ranking in the top ten child-friendly countries in Africa," he said in a press statement. "The Namibian Constitution provides for the protection of the rights of children and government has social protection mechanisms for orphans and vulnerable children."

Geingob said his government is scaling up interventions and commits to do more to realize a brighter future for the youth and the African child.

He urged SADC member states to work together for the protection of the rights of the African child within the framework of the SADC Minimum Package of Services for Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth, and other regional instruments.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 00:07:35|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Egypt strongly condemned the recent drone attacks launched by Yemen's Houthi group against Saudi Arabia's southern airports of Abha and Jazan, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

"Egypt reiterates its full support for the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against such brutal attacks and attempts to undermine its security and stability," the statement said.

Yemen's Houthi group said that they launched drone attacks on the two Saudi airports on Saturday evening according to the group's media.

The Egyptian statement also stressed Egypt's support for all the measures taken by the kingdom to deter such "terrorist attacks" and ensure the protection of civilians.

The Egyptian leadership under President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi considers Saudi Arabia a key regional ally.

The kingdom has been leading an anti-Houthi military coalition since March 2015 in support of Yemen's internationally-recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi overthrown by the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 00:27:41|Editor: yan

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JOHANNESBURG, June 16 (Xinhua) -- President Cyril Ramaphosa said Sunday that South Africa's youth unemployment has reached crisis levels and needs to be addressed urgently.

"More than half of South Africans aged 15 to 24 are unemployed," the president told an event marking Youth Day.

Ramaphosa call on the private sector to come on board and work with the state to tackle unemployment.

"If we are to urgently address this, we need the active participation of the private sector to create pathways into work for young people who are prepared to learn, work hard and better themselves," he said.

Ramaphosa also promised to "phase in" education for poor students.

"We are determined that no young person in the country should be denied a decent education because of financial circumstances of the family.

"It is for this reason that the budget of the National Students Financial Aid Scheme has grown from 70 million rand (about 20 million U.S. dollars) in 1994 to 1.5 billion rand (about 110 million dollars) in 2018," he added.

Youth Day is marked on every June 16 to commemorate the events of 1976 when thousands of young people rose up against the apartheid government.CPN leaders abrupt decision to quit the party raises eyebrows

It is unclear yet whether they had really quit the party or it was just a strategy to get freed from police custody.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 00:27:44|Editor: Liangyu

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Staff members count ballots after a voting for members of the chief executive election committee of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) at a polling station in south China's Macao, June 16, 2019. A total of 344 members of the chief executive election committee of China's Macao SAR were elected on Sunday, the management committee of Macao chief executive election announced on Sunday night. During Sunday's election which started from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, 5,001 out of 5,735 legitimate voters went to three polling stations to cast their vote, with a turnout rate of more than 87 percent. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)

MACAO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A total of 344 members of the chief executive election committee of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) were elected on Sunday, the management committee of Macao chief executive election announced on Sunday night.

During Sunday's election which started from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, 5,001 out of 5,735 legitimate voters went to three polling stations to cast their vote, with a turnout rate of more than 87 percent.

Song Man Lei, the president of the management committee of Macao SAR chief executive election, said that the voting was going on smoothly and the preliminary result would be audited on Monday by a general audit committee for this election.

The full list of the names of the chief executive election committee will be published in the Macao SAR Gazette, once the electoral process and its subsequent auditing process were completed, she added.

According to the Basic Law of the Macao SAR, the chief executive, with a five-year tenure for each term, shall be elected by a broadly representative election committee in accordance with the law and appointed by the central government.

Among the 400 members of chief executive election committee, 344 were elected on Sunday. Others will come from members of the Legislative Assembly of Macao, Macao deputies to the National People's Congress and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, members of Macao Municipal Council, and representatives from religious sector.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 00:27:46|Editor: Liangyu

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The International Forum of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and New Practices of China-Africa Cooperation is held in Cairo, Egypt, June 16, 2019. The two-day event kicked off Sunday in Cairo. Some 80 people attended the conference including government officials, entrepreneurs, experts, scholars and researchers from Nigeria, Kenya, China and Egypt. (Xinhua/Li Binian)

by Ahmed Shafiq

CAIRO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The International Forum of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and New Practices of China-Africa Cooperation kicked off Sunday in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

The two-day event is hosted by the Belt and Road African Studies Alliance and Egypt's Ain Shams University and is organized by China's Institute for African Studies of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and the Research Center for Belt and Road Initiative of Ain Shams University.

Some 80 people attended the conference including government officials, entrepreneurs, experts, scholars and researchers from Nigeria, Kenya, China and Egypt.

During the conference, experts and scholars will discuss China-Africa industrial promotion, the relation between Egypt's economy and China-Africa cooperation, China-Egypt cooperation under the framework of BRI.

They will also tackle industrialization, vocational career education development in African countries and new journey for cooperation in Belt and Road construction.

Proposed by China in 2013, the BRI refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and beyond along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Han Bing, minister counselor for economic affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Cairo, said the key to the achievements of the BRI is to conform to the trend of peace and development, adhere to the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration.

"Against the background of the current anti-globalization trend and the rise of protectionism, the Belt and Road has issued a strong voice against unilateralism and protectionism," he stressed.

In the past six years, the cooperation under the BRI has been fruitful. The total trade volume of goods between China and the countries involved in the BRI has exceeded 5 trillion U.S. dollars, according to him.

The Chinese diplomat noted that Egypt is a natural partner in the construction of the BRI, pointing out that China-Egypt economic and trade cooperation has been elevated to a new height in recent years.

"The volume of bilateral trade and the quality of bilateral trade have improved. In 2018, the total trade volume exceeded 13.8 billion U.S. dollars, a record high. Egypt's exports to China have grown substantially, and agricultural products such as fresh oranges and grapes have continued to enter the Chinese market," Han added.

He highlighted that the financial cooperation between the two countries has continued to advance, noting that the number of Chinese tourists to Egypt has reached 400,000 in 2018, an increase of more than 30 percent.

"Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi pointed out at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in April this year that the goal of the initiative is consistent with Egypt's efforts to launch a series of large-scale projects with high returns and diversified investment opportunities," Han said.

As the African Union's presiding country in 2019, Egypt has played an important role in promoting China-Africa cooperation within the framework of the initiative, he said.

"We believe that as African Free Trade Zone takes effect this year, the prospects for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation will be even broader," He stressed.

Meanwhile, President of Ain Shams University, Abdel Wahab Ezzat, said his university, together with other universities engaged in Egyptian-Chinese and Afro-Sino cooperation, prepares studies about bilateral relations and areas of cooperation between the two countries.

"University is the home of knowledge and experiences. It is true that trade, politics and business control countries, but we need science to learn all these fields," he said.

He added that his university's Research Center for Belt and Road Initiative conducts economic, commercial and technical studies for projects and cooperation between Egypt and China.

"We may help implement our studies if we are asked to, but we mainly focus on preparing researches for Belt and Road and other mutual projects," he pointed out.

Founded in October 2018, Belt and Road African Studies Alliance is set up to implement the outcomes of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing in September 2018.

Gathering professional researchers and institutes for African studies from all over the world, the alliance aims to serve as an interdisciplinary and cross-border communication platform to share resources, explore knowledge, disseminate technology, enhance understanding and promote applications.

The alliance now has 34 members, including 16 from African countries, 16 from China and two from Europe.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 00:32:48|Editor: yan

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KUNMING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- There is a knife hanging on the wall of Zhe Sao's home. It used to be a hunting tool passed down by his ancestors, but now, it has become a decoration, reminding him of the hard times in the past.

Living in Xiaopuxi Village in southwest China's Yunnan Province, Zhe is a Jino, an ethnic group which is the last minority officially recognized in 1979. With a population of around 23,000, the 56th ethnic group of China mainly live in the township of Jino Mountain in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture.

"My grandpa was born in primitive society, and both my father and I experienced the days of slash-and-burn farming," said Zhe.

The township was located on a tea mountain. Elders told Zhe that there was a severe shortage of commodities before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. "You could only get an embroidery needle in exchange for 50 kg of tea at that time."

Zhe, as well as his minority, have long suffered poverty due to geographical isolation and poor transportation.

"I had my first home when I got married in 2000, which was a tile-roofed house built by bamboo. It was no better than a pen for chickens," said the 46-year-old man, who borrowed 4,000 yuan to hold a wedding ceremony.

A cooking pot, frying pan, kettle and three bowls, "that's all I had," he said.

The rest of the villagers in Xiaopuxi were as poor as Zhe. The 15 households in the township faced food shortages, and children had no access to schools.

Thanks to a series of targeted poverty alleviation policies, Zhe's township and the Jino minority have undergone great changes. More villagers started to accept the commodity economy and walked out of the mountain to integrate into modern society.

As Jino Mountain was one of the six ancient tea mountains where Pu'er tea originated, Zhe cast his eyes over to the tea business.

He cashed in on old tea trees. He built a wooden house in 2005, and two years later, he upgraded the old bamboo house to a brick house of over 100 square meters.

He also helped villagers and encouraged them to join his tea business, teaching them how to make tea and manage tea trees and ultimately increased their incomes.

With the help of the local government, more roads have been built linking the township and the outside world. Tap water and other modern facilities, as well as vocational training, have been introduced to the township over the past few years.

Tea has now become the pillar industry in Xiaopuxi, which is no longer a small and poor place but a renowned tea production base. The tea produced from Jino Mountain Township has been sold to the U.S., Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Residents have become richer, while living standards have also been improved.

Zhe said he is considering installing monitoring equipment on old tea trees so that his clients can monitor the trees in real time.

"I do business through my smartphone," said Zhe, who recently bought Huawei's device, saying the smartphone cost him one kilogram of high-quality tea.

Early in April, the government announced that Jino had been officially lifted out of poverty, together with two other ethnic groups -- the Dulong and Deang.

The total income of Jino Mountain Township increased from 964,000 yuan in 1978 to over 255 million yuan (around 36.8 million U.S. dollars) at the end of 2018. The per capita net income of local residents also grew from 107 yuan to 11,757 yuan, according to Wang Chao, Party chief of the township.

During a recent symposium held in Xishuangbanna to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the recognition of the minority of Jino, the Belt and Road and the China-Laos railway were among hot topics, apart from poverty alleviation and rural vitalization.

"Local residents expect more visitors as a section of the China-Laos railway will open by the end of next year and the station is near the township," said Wang, adding that residents could benefit from the development of tourism in the near future.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 00:42:56|Editor: mingmei

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Israeli workers install a sign reading "Trump Heights" in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, on June 15, 2019. Israel's government on Sunday inaugurated a new settlement in the annexed Golan Heights named after the country's close ally, U.S. President Donald Trump. (Xinhua/JINI/Ayal Margolin)

JERUSALEM, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel's government inaugurated on Sunday a new settlement in the annexed Golan Heights named after the country's close ally, U.S. President Donald Trump.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a sign with the name of the settlement, Ramat Trump, or "Trump Heights," in Hebrew.

The ceremony was held as part of a special cabinet meeting at the site, attended by senior ministers, officials with the Golan Heights regional council, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.

"We are on a historic day," Netanyahu told his audience. "We are going to establish a new settlement in the Golan Heights, a move that hasn't been taken many years... and to honor a great friend of the State of Israel, President Donald Trump."

He added that the move comes after Trump recognized in March Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, an originally-Syrian land.

Friedman said the Golan Heights is "incredibly important territory for Israel."

He praises Trump, saying "it almost never happens anywhere in the world that an entire community is dedicated in the name of a sitting president."

Israel seized the Golan from Syria during the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981, in a move that had never been recognized by any world power until Trump's recent statement.

The U.S. president recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017, another controversial move defying the international standing on the issue. Israel captured East Jerusalem, a predominantly Palestinian area, in the 1967 war.

The move triggered a wave of violence between Israel and the Palestinians.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 00:53:03|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Iran's ambassador to Britain on Sunday rapped the protesters for blocking the entrance of Iran's Embassy in London, Tasnim news agency reported.

Hamid Baeidinejad said that "entrance and pavement are the essential parts of the Iranian embassy building and need to be cleared of persons and media to ensure security and peace of mind for diplomats entering the embassy. Civil protest should be organized at the other side of street under police supervision."

The ambassador's remarks came after the husband of Nazanin Zaghari, a dual Iranian-British citizen jailed in Iran on espionage charges, spent Saturday night in a tent outside the Iranian Embassy in London, in an attempt to secure the release of his wife.

Baeidinejad said that "despite several warnings to the British Police and Foreign Office, a number of people spent yesterday and last night in front of the embassy by blocking the way. Today, in addition to those individuals, the media also gathered in front of the embassy to make reports. The pavement in front of the embassy is still blocked and it is not possible for the diplomats to move."

Iran's intelligence authorities arrested Zaghari at Imam Khomeini International Airport in April 2016 as she was on her way back to London.

She was subsequently put on trial and handed a five-year jail term after being found "guilty of spying and spreading propaganda against the Islamic republic."

In March, London provided diplomatic protection to Zaghari, which was dismissed by Iran.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 01:18:09|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned British Ambassador to Tehran Robert Macaire over the accusations by London against Tehran concerning the recent attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman, Tehran Times daily reported on Sunday.

Tehran has conveyed strong protest to the British government's "unfounded allegations" and "unacceptable" anti-Iran stances, according to the report.

On Friday, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt issued a statement blaming Iran for the attacks on the oil tankers. Hunt claimed that no other state or non-state actor could have been responsible.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the accusations have been levelled without any proof, saying that such remarks by Hunt are in line with Washington's position.

Amidst Tehran-Washington recent tensions in the region, two oil tankers were hit in the Sea of Oman on Thursday morning.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 03:23:41|Editor: yan

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ALGIERS, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Two Algerian former ministers on Sunday were placed under judicial control after they were heard by examining magistrate at the Supreme Court over corruption cases.

Karim Djoudi, former finance minister, and Amar Tou, former transport minister, are suspected of abuse of power, violation of public procurement procedures in a bid to sign contracts illegally, and providing unjustified advantages to others, according to state media outlets.

The charges refer to the case of businessman Mourad Oulmi, CEO of Volkswagen-SOVAC cars assembly plant, who is also tried by the court over charges of getting illegal privileges and squandering public funds.

These two former ministers added to the list of senior officials who have already been placed under judicial control, including former transport and public works minister, Abdelghani Zaalane.

A series of judicial investigations have been launched by the Algerian justice authorities amid popular protests denouncing bad governance, corruption and dirty money, demanding the trial of all those who have been involved in corruption cases.

Several former and current senior officials are targeted, including two former prime ministers, Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal, who are held in custody, together with several other businessmen, who are mainly charged of corruption, abuse of power and squandering public funds.

On May 26, 12 corruption-linked files belonging to former senior politicians, who were in the government of ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, were transferred to the Attorney General at the Supreme Court, pending trials.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 03:33:44|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's support for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in facing attempts to undermine the stability of the Gulf region, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement on Sunday.

Sisi's remarks came during his talks with visiting UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the capital Cairo, according to Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady.

"President Sisi told the UAE's foreign minister that Egypt is following up with great concern the latest developments in the Gulf region," Rady said, referring to the recent attacks on two oil tankers that were left adrift in the Gulf of Oman.

The United States accused Iran of the attacks, which was dismissed by the Islamic Republic.

Last month, four ships were also subjected to sabotage attacks off the UAE coast.

Sisi said that such attacks "threaten navigation in the Gulf region," stressing that the Gulf security is an integral part of Egypt's national security.

For his part, the Emirati top diplomat expressed appreciation to the role and efforts made by Egypt to achieve stability in the region, urging for further inter-Arab cooperation to maintain regional security and stability.

The meeting was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Director of Egypt's General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel and UAE's Minister of State Sultan Al Jaber.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 04:13:51|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, June 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that the United States considers "a full range of options" to respond to the attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

"The United States is considering a full range of options. We've briefed the President a couple of times," Pompeo said in an interview on CBS, adding that the military response was among the options.

Pompeo, at the same time, suggested that Washington seeks to prevent the ongoing tension with Iran from escalating any further.

"President Trump has done everything he can to avoid war. We don't want war," he said in another interview with Fox News on the same day.

The top U.S. diplomat restated that Iran was behind the attacks on two oil tankers.

"These were attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran on commercial shipping ... with the clear intent to deny transit through the strait," Pompeo told Fox News.

Pompeo reaffirmed that the United States would take all measures necessary to guarantee freedom of navigation of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping routes for global energy supply.

Tehran has denied any accusation that Iran was behind the attacks on two oil tankers.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday said on his twitter that the U.S. allegation was a plan to use sabotage diplomacy to cover up its economic terrorism against Iran.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 04:43:58|Editor: mingmei

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (C) heads a meeting with Hana Nasser (L), chairman of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission (PCEC), in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 16, 2019. Abbas said on Sunday that he is fully ready to call for holding the legislative elections and then the presidential elections in the Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem. (Xinhua/Office of the Presidency)

RAMALLAH, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday that he is fully ready to call for holding the legislative elections and then the presidential elections in the Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem.

Abbas' remarks came in a meeting with Hana Nasser, chairman of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission (PCEC), in the city of Ramallah, according to the Palestinian state-run news agency WAFA.

Abbas addressed a letter to Nasser a few days ago, asking for the readiness of the PCEC to hold the parliamentary elections in the Palestinian territories, WAFA said.

Nasser said after meeting with Abbas that his commission is ready to ease all obstacles that might face holding the elections and is ready to make it successful, according to the report.

Abbas has held three meetings with the PCEC since his declaration in Dec. 22 last year that the Palestinian Constitutional Court decided to dissolve the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and called for holding legislative elections within six months.

The PLC has been inoperative since the start of the Palestinian internal division in 2007 when Hamas had violently seized control of the Gaza Strip and routed the security forces of president Abbas.

The last parliamentary elections were held in the Palestinian territories in Jan. 2006, when Hamas ousted Abbas' Fatah party and won a majority in the PLC. However, the world refused to recognize the results of the elections.Farmers hit by fertiliser shortage

Frantic farmers in most of the districts in Province 5 said if nothing is done, food production may drop

A farmer spreads chemical fertiliser at a farm in Morang. Post File PhotoSource: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 04:49:02|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit urged Sudanese parties on Sunday to find solutions to the ongoing crisis "away from foreign interventions or dictations," the Cairo-based pan-Arab body said in a statement.

Aboul-Gheit's remarks came following his visit to Khartoum and his talks with concerned parties in Sudan including General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, head of the temporarily ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) and leaders of the Forces for Freedom and Change.

"The AL will be side by side with all the people of Sudan to overcome the current challenges, urging them to maintain dialogue and return to the table of negotiations to reach vast national consensus," the AL chief reaffirmed during his meetings in the Sudanese capital.

He added that the continuous chaos in Sudan could open the door for foreign interventions, mediations and attempts to affect the course of affairs in the country.

"This requires the AL to be strongly present in the Sudanese scene to help the people of Sudan overcome the current difficulties," Aboul-Gheit pointed out, according to the statement.

Sudan has been going through a state of political stand-off since the military ouster and detention of long-time ex-President Omar al-Bashir in April after four months of street protests.

Talks have failed so far to reach an agreement for sharing power between the TMC and a coalition of protesters and opposition parties demanding a civilian-led administration to pave the way for transition to democracy.

The situation escalated on June 3 after security forces attacked a sit-in of protesters who demanded the TMC to hand over power to civilians, leaving dozens dead.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 04:59:07|Editor: yan

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ATHENS, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras sent a message to Turkey on Sunday, warning that violation of Greece and Cyprus' sovereign rights and international law may result in sanctions.

"Whoever violates Greece's sovereign rights, whoever violates the sovereign rights of the Cyprus Republic which is an EU member state, whoever violates the international law in the region should know that there will be consequences," Tsipras told media outside his office after a meeting of the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA).

The council convened to examine developments in the eastern Mediterranean following Turkey's decision to proceed to drilling for oil and gas exploration within Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Ankara argues that some of the gas fields claimed by the Greek Cypriots overlap with the exclusive economic zone of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots living in the northern part of the divided Cyprus island.

Greece, which is a close ally of Cyprus Republic, rejects the step as illegal and provocative. The two countries have long standing differences with Turkey in the area over sovereignty rights.

Cyprus Island has been divided since 1974 when Turkey intervened militarily following a coup by Athens-backed Greek Cypriots.

"Violation of international law by Turkey is not a sign of power, but weakness. Greece is a strong country and lately has managed to form alliances and has acquired support internationally, stronger than ever," Tsipras said in the statement.

He said that on Sunday evening he also had a telephone contact with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades during the KYSEA meeting to coordinate next steps.

"We agreed to prepare the ground in coming days to pave the way for the EU summit next week to take the necessary decisions, even to impose sanctions against Turkey, if it is confirmed that there has been a drill inside Cyprus' EEZ," Tsipras said.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday that Turkish drillship Fatih had started its drilling in an area approximately 36.6 nautical miles off the coast of Paphos and that a second drillship was being sent in the region.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 05:09:11|Editor: yan

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HELSINKI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A Swiss participant had died in a road racing event on Saturday on motorbikes in Imatra, southeastern Finland, local media reported on Sunday.

The event organizer confirmed Mathias Gnagi, 32, had died. He had lost control of his motorbike and hit a light pole.

The Imatra race takes place on the streets of the town. The organizer said the conditions were rainy "but not so bad that the race should have been interrupted".

Tapio Nevala, the chairman of the Finnish Motor Racing Association, told national broadcaster, Yle that road racing competitions are arranged also under rainy conditions.

The Imatra road race was infamous for its death toll earlier and was suspended for some three decades as a result.

Matias Gnagi was the third driver killed in the Imatra races. The previous victims were British Vernon Cottle in 1964 and Jock Taylor from Scotland in 1982.

In 1986 a young boy was killed in the audience. The event caused the cessation of the tradition until the race returned three years ago, as a part of the IRRC class competition on the streets of the town of Imatra.

Nevala told Yle that he didn't believe the accident on Saturday would impact arranging the Imatra event in the future. Nevala said the route is "much safer than years ago".

The race resumed on Sunday. The light pole was removed. Memorial stones for earlier victims with their names are along the route.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 05:14:14|Editor: yan

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TRIPOLI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Libyan navy on Sunday said it rescued 91 illegal migrants off the country's western coast.

The rescue operation took place 35 miles off the coast of the town of Garrabulli, some 55 km east of capital Tripoli, the navy said.

The rescued migrants included three women and two children, the navy said, adding that the migrants were provided with humanitarian and medical assistance and were taken to a reception center in Tripoli.

Migrant flows from western Libya toward Europe have increased significantly recently, due to improved weather conditions.

Libya is a preferred point of departure for illegal immigrants who want to cross the Mediterranean toward Europe, due to the state of insecurity and chaos in the country.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 05:19:16|Editor: yan

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MUSCAT, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The Omani Royal Army arrived in Italy on Sunday to participate in the Omani-Italian joint exercise "Jebel Shams-2."

The Omani force participating in the exercise, which will be held on Italian territory from June 16 - 28, was part of a force belonging to the Musandam sector of the Omani Royal Army, according to an official statement.

The statement stressed that such exercise came within the framework of the annual training programs carried out by the Royal Army of Oman with friendly countries.

"The aim of these exercises is to share experiences and activate training plans and joint exercises," it added.

It is worth noting that the previous version of the Omani-Italian joint exercise "Jebel Shams-1" was held on Omani territory in the exercise area of the Royal Army of Oman in Jabal Al-Akhdar in 2016.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 05:39:21|Editor: yan

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HELSINKI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Sunday clarified the meaning of the "NATO option" currently discussed in Finland.

Talking to media prior to the start of an annual security policy oriented discussion forum, Niinisto said the option means that Finland wants to maintain the possibility of applying, if it chooses. But the option does not exist beyond maintaining the possibility, he said.

Niinisto was asked to comment on recent speculation by a French top diplomat that it may not be certain that U.S. President Donald Trump would accept a Finnish NATO membership even if Finland applied. Niinisto said he had not heard or seen any new nuances about the attitude of Trump on NATO membership.

The foreign policy discussion forum takes place at the presidential summer residence in Naantali, southwestern Finland. The main foreign guest in the public discussion this year is German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

There has been added interest in the forum as it could give indications of the way foreign policy management would develop under the new Finnish left-center government.

Niinisto said that the formulation in the new Finnish government program that Finland would not allow its territory to be used against another country was "nothing new".

The wording had been seen by some commentators as an indication that Finland takes into account possible fears in Russia.

Niinisto said the wording is in line with the defense statement of the previous government. "It would be odd if there was a wording that our territory could be used for hostile purposes," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 05:54:30|Editor: xuxin

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A man receives medical treatment after a rebel mortar fire in the town of Wudaihi in the southern countryside of Aleppo, Syria, early June 17, 2019. At least 10 civilians were killed on Sunday by fresh rebel mortar fire that targeted Aleppo province in northern Syria, state news agency SANA reported. (Xinhua)

DAMASCUS, June 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 civilians were killed on Sunday by fresh rebel mortar fire that targeted Aleppo province in northern Syria, state news agency SANA reported.

The rebels fired their mortars on the town of Wudaihi in the southern countryside of Aleppo, said the report.

Since being recaptured by the Syrian army in 2016, the provincial capital of Aleppo remained largely safe except from the mortar shelling of the rebels.

The radical rebel groups are located in the western and northern countryside of Aleppo.

Such groups frequently fire mortar shells on Aleppo city and government areas in the countryside of that province.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 05:54:32|Editor: yan

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RAMALLAH, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye on Sunday accused the United States administration of waging a financial and political war against the Palestinian Authority.

Ishtaye said in a statement issued after he met in Ramallah with the German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Niels Annen that the Palestinians basically reject the American initiative to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The U.S. is intending to present a peace initiative, also known as "Deal of the Century," to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian factions announced that they are rejecting it.

"Our rejection to the 'Deal of the Century' came after (U.S. President Donald) Trump administration moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and shut down the offices of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in Washington," said Ishtaye.

He added that the U.S. and Israel "are waging a financial war against the Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority, mainly halting the annual funds it gave to the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)."

Meanwhile, Ishtaye announced that the Palestinians are also rejecting the U.S.-led economic workshop in Bahrain, which is titled "Peace for Prosperity."

"We can't carry on with accepting the current situation because Israel, which is fully backed by the United States, is stealing out lands and money and undermines any opportunity for the establishment of a Palestinian state," he said.

Saeb Erekat, Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee, who also met with Annen, said in a press statement that the Palestinians are committed to the principle of the two-state solution on 1967 border with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Erekat stressed that the Palestinians reject the economic workshop in Bahrain that is scheduled to be held in Manama on June 25 and 26, adding that "the workshop aims to change the principle of land for land to peace for prosperity."

In Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, deputy chief of Islamic Hamas movement, said that his movement called for a general strike in the Palestinian territories on June 26, in protest against holding the economic workshop in Bahrain.

The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank called for rallies and demonstrations on June 25 and 26 also in protest against the U.S.-sponsored economic workshop that will be held in Bahrain.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 06:04:40|Editor: yan

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LOS ANGELES, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Police agencies in Los Angeles and the city of Corona are investigating the circumstance of a shooting at a Costco store Friday night by an off-duty Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer, local media reported on Sunday.

At 7:46 p.m. Friday night, Corona police officers responded to the shooting at Costco Wholesale located at 480 N. McKinley Street in Corona, 75 km east of downtown Los Angeles, according to a release of the Corona Police Department.

The shooting left one man dead and three others injured.

Investigation has confirmed the off-duty LAPD officer was shopping at Costco with his family before the incident, said the release.

"Without provocation, a male unknown to the officer's family assaulted the officer while the officer was holding his young child. This attack resulted in the officer firing his weapon, striking the male and two of the male's family members," said the release.

The male was shot dead by the officer. His two family members are being treated at local hospitals and are in critical condition, according to police.

The off-duty officer was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated and released. His child was not injured during this incident, said the release.

The Riverside County Coroners Office has identified the deceased male as 32 year-old Kenneth French from Riverside.

The officer's gun was the only weapon involved in the incident, contrary to earlier reports, according to authorities.

"The investigation has revealed this was an isolated occurrence within the store and was not an uncontained active shooter incident as the preliminary information had been communicated to initial officers," said the release.

The Corona Police Department is working closely with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office who will be evaluating the facts and circumstances of this incident, said the release.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-17 07:04:49|Editor: Liangyu

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-China tariffs dispute has impacted other parts of California's wine industry -- glass bottles, as the wineries are sourcing glass from new manufacturers to control costs.

"The glass from China has jumped up in price due to tariffs. Our production team is right now sourcing glass from other countries," said Michael Parr, vice president of Wente Family Estates in Livermore, Northern California, over the weekend.

"We are going to walk away from glass manufacturers in China and looking now to other countries or in the Unites States," said Parr, who manages the international business for the oldest family-owned winery in California.

He said the other wineries also are doing the same thing: canceling glass orders from China and trying to find other glass producers locally or from Mexico.

In an escalation of the trade tensions, Washington on May 10 increased additional tariffs on 200 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent, and has threatened to raise tariffs on more Chinese imports. In response, China raised additional tariffs on a range of U.S. imports on June 1.

Most California wineries use bottles made in China, which are subject to tariffs from the United States and end up raising production costs, Stuart Spencer, executive director of Lodi Winegrape Commission, told Capital Public Radio in a recent report.

"The environmental regulations and cost of producing glass in California has shifted in production to China over the last 20 years," he told the media outlet. "And so, I think all wineries, regardless of size, are being affected by this as the cost of the glass continues to rise."

He said it's likely those costs are absorbed by the wineries, which cuts into profits.

Wente Vineyards is expected to release new wines in August or September. "If we want to get our wines onto the shelf, we need glass bottles to put them in," said Parr.

"I was told that the price will go up 18 percent per glass bottle from China. So that's high enough to warrant our reasoning for sourcing out new glass manufacturers," he said.

On the other hand, California's wine industry has lost revenues in the Chinese market because of the retaliatory tariffs from China. The U.S. wines now face a total of 93 percent of tax and tariff rate in the market.

The industry saw a nearly 25 percent decline in exports to China by value last year, which was the largest contributor to the softness of Asian market, compared to the healthy growth rates of the prior two years, according to a recent report by the Wine Institute of California.

The organization has been urging the U.S. administration to resolve the tariff dispute with China as soon as possible so that the wineries do not suffer a long-term market loss.Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.Open source

At least 977 civilians have been killed by mines since the outbreak of hostilities in Donbas. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs.

At least 977 civilians died from mines and 1,528 were injured during the period of the armed conflict, the statement said.

Earlier, the UN reported that the territory of Donbas is one of the most mined regions in the world, and Ukraine ranks first in the world in the death toll due to mine explosions.

At the same time, the Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories Vadym Chernysh argued that it was pointless to take steps to demine the territory until the end of hostilities in Donbas.The United States and Great Britain have accused Iran of attacking the tankers, but Tehran denied that

oil tanker Front Altair vesselfinder

Crew members of Frontlines oil tanker Front Altair, one of two vessels attacked this week in the Gulf of Oman, have landed in Dubai, the Norwegian ships operator said on June 15, as Reuters agency reports.

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.

According to Frontline spokesman, 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.

Frontline said a tugboat reached the Front Altair on Saturday afternoon and a specialist team would inspect its condition and damage. The Front Altair caught fire after the attack but the flames were extinguished later.

The United States and Great Britain have accused Iran of attacking the tankers, but Tehran denied that.

The attacks have driven up oil prices and fueled concerns about a new U.S.-Iranian confrontation.

The other tanker hit, the Kokuka Courageous, was being towed toward the United Arab Emirates port of Kalba, its operator said on Friday.

As it was reported earlier, UK accused Iran of attacking tankers in Gulf of Oman on June 13. British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt stressed that these recent attacks are based on the nature of Irans destabilizing behavior and pose a serious danger to the region.President Volodymyr Zelensky Open source

The date of the meeting of Volodymyr Zelensky with American leader Donald Trump has not yet been agreed. This is reported by UNN with reference to a source in the White House.



"I can confirm that the invitation to the meeting was sent, but the date has not been set, and we are not announcing anything yet," the source said, answering the question of whether the White House is considering the possibility of meeting Zelensky soon.



Adviser to the president of Ukraine Borys Tizengauzen reported that a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump could take place after the G20 summit, scheduled for June 28-29.

Related: Putin takes wait-and-see attitude towards Zelensky, - Peskov

As we reported, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel will meet President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin with military honors as Ukrinform reported citing Spokesperson of German government Ulrike Demmer. June 17, Zelensky will visit Paris, where he will meet with the President of France Emmanuel Macron.The UK, France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands consider the restrictions, such as financial and travel restrictions

Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro Open source

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 reported.

The financial and travel restrictions are being mulled by a core group of five nations  the UK, 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.

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.

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 said.

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.

As it was reported earlier, Trump threatened to impose highest-level sanctions on Cuba for supporting Maduro.

If Cuban Troops and Militia do not immediately CEASE military and other operations for the purpose of causing death and destruction to the Constitution of Venezuela, a full and complete embargo, together with highest-level sanctions, will be placed on the island of Cuba, Trump wrote on Twitter on May 1.Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Russian president, said that the Kremlin took a wait-and-see attitude towards the Ukrainian head of state, Volodymyr Zelensky. The reason is that there is still no understanding of what the new presidents approaches to the main issues on the agenda are. Peskov said this during the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin TV show, as reported by RBK. On the whole, there is a positive approach and there is an expectation of restrained optimism, but unfortunately, no one has a clear vision on what will happen in Kyiv, Peskov said.We note that Putin did not congratulate Zelensky on his victory in the second round of the election. As Peskov explained then, "the Kremlin will congratulate President Zelensky on his first successes in resolving the conflict in south-eastern Ukraine, as well as on his first successes in normalizing Russian-Ukrainian relations."Earlier, the Russian president said he did not refuse from contacting Zelensky.

We reported that

Vladimir Putin hoped that under the new President Volodymyr Zelensky his country will restore relationships with Ukraine, as he said in an interview for Russian TV channel Mir

I think it (the new leadership of the Ukrainian state, - ed.) can act energetically and towards the restoration of the relationships between Ukraine and Russia, towards the solution of the problems inside of the country, Putin said.

He expressed hope that the new authority in Ukraine will not hide behind anti-Russian ideas trying to avoid inner problems of the country, in particular, those in the economy and social sphere.

Putin is sure that the restoration of Russian-Ukrainian relationships is unavoidable.The G20 energy ministers have agreed to work together to stabilize the global oil market in connection with attacks on tankers in the Gulf region. This was announced by Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko, The Voice of America wrote. "The most important thing is that we agreed that we need to work together to cope with recent incidents from an energy point of view," Seko told reporters at a meeting of G20 energy and environment ministers in the Japanese city of Karuizawa.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.The United States and the UK accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of attacking ships.Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman joined their opinion and also accused Iran of attacking tankers in the Gulf of Oman.Explosion on Turgenevska Street in Kyiv Kyiv City State Administration



"The investigators conducted an inspection of the scene and found that the explosion was allegedly caused by a gas leak in one of the garages. Currently, the police are interviewing the owner and specifying the cause of the explosion," the report said.



Law enforcers also confirmed information that as a result of the incident, no one has died, but garages were damaged and three cars were destroyed.



According to this fact, criminal proceedings were initiated under Part 1 of Art. 272 (violation of safety rules when performing work with increased danger) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.



This will allow us to more thoroughly analyze the problems people in the occupied Crimea face and find trends, the Ministry of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs explains

first deputy head of the Ministry of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs Yusuf Kurkchi Open source

The Ministry of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs found that the majority of Crimeans come to Ukraine to solve problems with documents; another reason is to receive medical services, while a certain category of people comes for education.

When the residents of the annexed Crimea will be coming to the mainland Ukraine, the ministry will monitor the travel reasons. First deputy head of the ministry Yusuf Kurkchi said that at a press conference in Kherson, as Krym.Realii agency reports.

This will allow us to more thoroughly analyze the problems people in the occupied Crimea face and find trends, Kurkchi said.

According to the official, his ministry, during the preliminary monitoring, found that the majority of Crimeans applied to solve problems with documents, another reason is to receive medical services, and a certain category of people comes for education.

Very few people cross the administrative border to go further, on vacation or other business.

According to the ministry, a similar monitoring was already conducted last year.

As it was reported earlier, new searches in annexed Crimea were conducted June 14. A Crimean Tatar detained after that. The Russian law enforcers have not commented on the reasons for search and detention.The planned Raytheon-UTC merger could be the push international companies in the defense community need to test new deals at the upcoming Paris Air Show, according to a top analyst.

Some experts think the buzz surrounding the Raytheon-UTC news -- which would create a new defense and aerospace giant that may rank second behind Boeing Co. -- will spur other companies to search for new partnerships.

The biennial air show will take place June 17-20 at France's Paris Airport-Le Bourget.

"The bar for size and critical mass has just gotten higher," Richard Aboulafia, vice president and analyst at the Teal Group, said in a recent phone interview with Military.com. "Anything could be a surprise."

He noted that the Paris Air Show, much like the Farnborough International Airshow in the U.K., focuses on the commercial side, but military negotiations take place behind the scenes.

"I think if you make a surprise announcement at an air show, from a [U.S.] military standpoint, you look like an amateur," Aboulafia said, adding that most military deals aren't publicized as much as commercial sales.

"The commercial side is hit-you-on-the-head obvious," he said. "On the military side, it's [about] positioning, posturing, cooperation. It's not as obvious."

But the proposed merger to create "Raytheon Technologies Corporation" sometime in 2020, pending government approval, will have everyone, including adversaries, watching as another large American defense firm takes shape.

"Let's see what other people are doing and what other alignments may be created" as this gathering happens in Paris, Aboulafia said.

The Europeans are under pressure to make news on the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a potential sixth-generation fighter that could be operational sometime between the 2030s and 2040s.

Last year at the Farnborough show, the United Kingdom unveiled its own breakout, Tempest, the optionally manned, next-generation fighter intended to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon. The proposal -- which experts say looks like a mix between a fifth-and-sixth-gen fighter -- is a joint venture between BAE Systems, Leonardo, Rolls-Royce and MBDA. It's expected to fly by 2035.

But the show isn't just for NATO allies and partners.

"Teaming arrangements of near-peer adversaries is something to watch for," Aboulafia said, referring to Russia and China, which may seek to partner with other countries with similar strategic interests.

Unexpected alliances have happened before.

Aboulafia cited Saudi Arabia and Ukraine joining to create the Antonov/Taqnia An-132 military transport plane. It was seen as an unlikely pairing, given that it could displease neighboring Russia. The project was suspended this year over what experts said was Saudi Arabia's attempt to mend ties with Russia.

Turkey is a wild card this year, Aboulafia said. It could seek new business, given the recent news that it plans to proceed with its purchase of Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile system, straining its ties with the U.S. and NATO and prompting its gradual removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.

The U.S. will continue to open doors to new partnerships, and not just for big programs like the F-35. The Pentagon for years has aimed to better streamline and expedite its foreign military sales -- from drones to missile systems -- and be the lead arms seller in the Middle East to get ahead of Russia and China.

In an era of "great power competition," positioning matters, Aboulafia said. It's about "how people are positioning themselves for future exports," he said.

"The objective of the U.S. is to be the guy with the pitchfork and horns on the shoulder saying, 'You want to buy our systems,'" he continued. "And if that doesn't work, then you say, 'If you want to build your next-generation systems, you want to build them with us.'"

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.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.Blog Archive Jan 2022 (2) Dec 2021 (106) Nov 2021 (84) Oct 2021 (58) Sep 2021 (67) Aug 2021 (62) Jul 2021 (54) Jun 2021 (50) May 2021 (58) Apr 2021 (44) Mar 2021 (57) Feb 2021 (64) Jan 2021 (93) Dec 2020 (82) Nov 2020 (62) Oct 2020 (50) Sep 2020 (45) Aug 2020 (51) Jul 2020 (56) Jun 2020 (53) May 2020 (70) Apr 2020 (66) Mar 2020 (169) Feb 2020 (211) Jan 2020 (184) Dec 2019 (54) Nov 2019 (56) Oct 2019 (55) Sep 2019 (63) Aug 2019 (54) Jul 2019 (69) Jun 2019 (56) May 2019 (65) Apr 2019 (68) Mar 2019 (72) Feb 2019 (76) Jan 2019 (62) Dec 2018 (55) Nov 2018 (69) Oct 2018 (90) Sep 2018 (82) Aug 2018 (58) Jul 2018 (36) Jun 2018 (47) May 2018 (44) Apr 2018 (64) Mar 2018 (63) Feb 2018 (68) Jan 2018 (92) Dec 2017 (85) Nov 2017 (64) Oct 2017 (82) Sep 2017 (54) Aug 2017 (89) Jul 2017 (60) Jun 2017 (86) May 2017 (84) Apr 2017 (62) Mar 2017 (86) Feb 2017 (91) Jan 2017 (113) Dec 2016 (109) Nov 2016 (100) Oct 2016 (82) Sep 2016 (95) Aug 2016 (84) Jul 2016 (84) Jun 2016 (99) May 2016 (93) Apr 2016 (106) Mar 2016 (145) Feb 2016 (125) Jan 2016 (103) Dec 2015 (83) Nov 2015 (80) Oct 2015 (100) Sep 2015 (111) Aug 2015 (94) Jul 2015 (98) Jun 2015 (151) May 2015 (125) Apr 2015 (109) Mar 2015 (122) Feb 2015 (113) Jan 2015 (135) Dec 2014 (131) Nov 2014 (115) Oct 2014 (146) Sep 2014 (112) Aug 2014 (128) Jul 2014 (94) Jun 2014 (104) May 2014 (140) Apr 2014 (132) Mar 2014 (81) Feb 2014 (89) Jan 2014 (141) Dec 2013 (100) Nov 2013 (96) Oct 2013 (99) Sep 2013 (94) Aug 2013 (95) Jul 2013 (95) Jun 2013 (91) May 2013 (139) Apr 2013 (179) Mar 2013 (73) Feb 2013 (76) Jan 2013 (85) Dec 2012 (59) Nov 2012 (71) Oct 2012 (85) Sep 2012 (70) Aug 2012 (71) Jul 2012 (53) Jun 2012 (51) May 2012 (52) Apr 2012 (52) Mar 2012 (69) Feb 2012 (76) Jan 2012 (70) Dec 2011 (60) Nov 2011 (54) Oct 2011 (57) Sep 2011 (75) Aug 2011 (72) Jul 2011 (64) Jun 2011 (76) May 2011 (56) Apr 2011 (73) Mar 2011 (114) Feb 2011 (71) Jan 2011 (80) Dec 2010 (92) Nov 2010 (82) Oct 2010 (73) Sep 2010 (95) Aug 2010 (86) Jul 2010 (81) Jun 2010 (76) May 2010 (71) Apr 2010 (74) Mar 2010 (74) Feb 2010 (82) Jan 2010 (101) Dec 2009 (108) Nov 2009 (182) Oct 2009 (136) Sep 2009 (102) Aug 2009 (120) Jul 2009 (151) Jun 2009 (136) May 2009 (180) Apr 2009 (145) Mar 2009 (113) Feb 2009 (113) Jan 2009 (124) Dec 2008 (108) Nov 2008 (69) Oct 2008 (89) Sep 2008 (76) Aug 2008 (75) Jul 2008 (87) Jun 2008 (80) May 2008 (99) Apr 2008 (93) Mar 2008 (115) Feb 2008 (147) Jan 2008 (162) Dec 2007 (124) Nov 2007 (95) Oct 2007 (67) Sep 2007 (42) Aug 2007 (78) Jul 2007 (75) Jun 2007 (123) May 2007 (110) Apr 2007 (108) Mar 2007 (92) Feb 2007 (136) Jan 2007 (119) Dec 2006 (41) Nov 2006 (34) Oct 2006 (12) Sep 2006 (13) Aug 2006 (13) Jul 2006 (16) Jun 2006 (12) May 2006 (21) Apr 2006 (38) Mar 2006 (27) Feb 2006 (25) Jan 2006 (18)Mahantha of Janaki Temple demands revision to Guthi Bill

Lawmakers of Province 3 also protest against the proposed bill.

Ramtapeshwor Das Baishnab, the Mahantha of Janaki Temple, says the bill intends to exploit ancient Hindu religion and culture. Post File PhotoA group of diverse but like-minded individuals, the members of ARC have come together in their common desire to fight hatred, bigotry, intolerance and violence because of the harm these antisocial behaviors cause to our society. In that effort, we will not use or sanction the use of illegal actions (such as violence or intimidation) in pursuit of our desired aims and if we learn of anyone who does use these unethical methods we will report those individuals to the authorities. Instead, we will use the guarantees found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that ensure freedom of legal speech and expression.Windstorm victims protest after their names went missing from the beneficiary list

Protesters claim peoples representatives removed their names for political reasons as they supported a different political party.

The windstorm victims of Khutawajabdi in Bara rally demanding that their names be put on the beneficiary list. Post Photo: Pawan YadavWith Anzac Day bearing down upon us (PNG Attitude has a number of interesting pieces to offer you during the memorial period), Robin Hide spots an interesting letter in the Post-Courier. Let me reproduce it:

Please readers, I need your help!

I am a Japanese national. Until August 2004, I was in Port Moresby on a 4-year assignment for the United Nations (I was the UNDP resident rep.).

I lived in Toaguba Hill and visited your office from time to time. My research on the Japanese servicemen buried at Bomana is one of the topics I have been pursuing since I returned to Japan.

No one consulted so far knows the location of the Japanese burials except that it was in Bomana. No official record exists that remains were repatriated to Japan. I have decided to seek your assistance after researching the subject for almost two years. Readers who have reliable information can email me at zerosenhs@jcom.home.ne.jp

Harumi Sakaguchi

Taasaki-city, Japan

Robin writes: "Perhaps one of your readers may have more information." Though he adds, It sounds unlikely. And its certainly not mentioned in a recent online paper Return to New Guinea: comparing Australian and Japanese memories ..., which includes the following footnote:

After the war, the Australian war graves units reported it could only identify the remains of only 246 Japanese in New Guinea, while the remains of another 330 Japanese were unidentified. [Cemeteries established by Australian War Graves units, A518, item G016/2/1 Part 1, National Archives of Australia], Canberra, Australia."

OK. The challenge is out there. Can any reader assist?Former first lady Sandra Torres was in the lead after partial results early Monday from Guatemala's presidential election, following a tumultuous campaign that saw two leading candidates barred and the top electoral crimes prosecutor flee the corruption-weary country. With 49 percent of votes counted after Sunday's polls, Torres was on just under 24 percent while her closest rival Alejandro Giammattei was on 15 percent, the Electoral Supreme Court (TSE) said. With a crowded field of 19 candidates, counting has been slow and no one is expected to poll more than the 50 percent required to avoid a runoff on August 11. After casting her ballot, Torres, of the center-left Unity of Hope party (UNE), said she was "optimistic, we've worked hard... I'll be the first woman president." Her closest rival, Giammattei, a doctor from the conservative VAMOS party, denounced an "irregular" electoral process after several candidates were excluded from the race to succeed unpopular outgoing president Jimmy Morales. Morales had called on Guatemalans to turn out in droves to vote, but when he did so he was accosted by a young man who blasted him for being "the worst president in Guatemala's history." Morales, sporting a Guatemala football jersey, kept his calm, replying: "May God bless you, my friend." Voting went smoothly, apart from a few isolated exceptions, the TSE said. In San Jorge, a town in the eastern Zacapa department where drug traffickers are particularly active, voting had to be suspended due to death threats made against electoral authorities, Interior Minister Enrique Degenhart said. Eight million Guatemalans were eligible to vote and some 40,000 police were on duty for the election, with the military deployed to guard "critical points", including prisons. Separately, police arrested former general Luis Mendoza in the town of Salama after he had cast his ballot. He is accused of participating in massacres of indigenous people during Guatemala's civil war from 1960 to 1996. - Gangs, poverty, migrants - Gang violence, poverty and news of the streams of US-bound Guatemalan migrants dominated campaigning. The country's top anti-corruption campaigner, former attorney general Thelma Aldana, is not among the candidates. She was expected to poll strongly, but was barred from running last month over allegations of irregularities dating from when she was a barnstorming public prosecutor. Torres, a 63-year-old businesswoman, led opinion polls but was a polarizing figure from her years as first lady, and analysts believe she would struggle in a second round, given Giammattei's ability to unify the conservative vote against her. Guatemalans also voted in congressional and municipal elections. Torres's UNE is expected to poll strongly but fall short of a majority in the deeply fractured 160-seat Congress. The ex-wife of former president Alvaro Colom, in power from 2008-2012, Torres has pledged health and education reforms as well as jobs to stem the flow of migrants to the US. She has vowed to oppose abortion and same-sex marriage. Giammattei has vowed to bring back the death penalty to help crush violent gangs, fight poverty to stop migration and end "disgusting" corruption. Three other candidates are vying for third place, with indigenous contender Thelma Cabrera building momentum as the campaign came to a close. Monitors from the Organization of American States (OAS) led by former Costa Rican president Luis Guillermo Solis supervised the polls. Whoever succeeds Morales faces a tough challenge tackling gang violence and poverty in Central America's most populous country. Guatemala has one of the world's highest homicide rates: official statistics put it at 22.4 murders per 100,000 people at the end of 2018. Around half the killings are blamed on drug trafficking and extortion operations carried out by powerful gangs. - Presidents and moguls - Morales, a former TV comedian who beat Torres in a 2015 run-off, is obliged to step down under Guatemala's one-term rule. His predecessor Otto Perez is in jail for corruption and he himself faces a graft inquiry into illegal campaign funding. That was instigated by Aldana and the UN-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), which has put former presidents, ministers and business moguls in jail. Aldana -- who fled to the United States after receiving death threats -- told AFP her exclusion was orchestrated by those she put in prison and their allies, who saw her as a "hindrance." Also barred from running was Zury Rios, daughter of late dictator Efrain Rios Montt, under constitutional rules that prevent his relatives from seeking the presidency. And as polling stations were being prepared across the country, Oscar Schaad, the electoral court's top prosecutor, said he had been forced to flee the country, citing threats to him and his family. Former first lady Sandra Torres has pledged health and education reforms as well as jobs to stem the flow of migrants to the US With a crowded field of 19 candidates, no one is expected to poll more than the 50 percent required to avoid a runoff Sandra Torres, who went into the vote as the favorite, was a polarizing figure from her years as first lady Alejandro Giammattei (L) has vowed to bring back the death penalty to help crush violent gangs and fight poverty to stop migration Whoever succeeds Morales as president faces a tough challenge tackling gang violence and poverty in Central America's most populous countryTwo damaged tankers arrived safely Sunday at locations off the Emirati coast after they were rocked by explosions in Gulf waters, in an incident Saudi Arabia blamed on its regional arch-rival Iran. The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday when it came under attack along with the Norwegian-operated Front Altair -- the second assault in a month in the strategic shipping lane. US President Donald Trump has said the operation had Iran "written all over it" -- rejecting Tehran's vehement denial -- and Washington's key Gulf ally Saudi Arabia has also lashed out against Tehran. In his first public comments since the attacks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in remarks published Sunday that he would not hesitate to tackle any threats to the oil-rich kingdom. "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 told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat. He said Iran had responded to a visit to Tehran by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese". Abe had been on an unprecedented visit to the Iranian capital in a bid to defuse tensions between Washington and the Islamic republic when the attacks took place. The US military on Friday released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an "unexploded limpet mine" from the Japanese vessel. On Sunday, it said Iran had unsuccessfully tried to shoot down a US drone on a surveillance mission following the attack on the Kokuka Courageous. The vessel's Singapore-based BSM Ship Management said in a statement Sunday that it had "arrived safely at the designated anchorage" and that its crew were "safe and well". - Vital waterway - The other ship, the Front Altair, was under safe tow by tug boats towards an area off the coast of the eastern Emirati port of Fujairah. "First inspections are under way and no hot spots have been identified following the fire," while all crew members were in Dubai, the vessel's owners said in a statement Sunday. Russia on Sunday warned against making "baseless accusations" over the attacks. "Such incidents can undermine the foundations of the world economy," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov. Thursday's attacks took place southeast of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor connecting the energy-rich states of the Middle East to the global market. Iran, which is struggling with crippling US sanctions, has repeatedly warned in the past that it could block the strait in a relatively low-tech, high-impact countermeasure to any attack by the United States. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday vowed the US would ensure the strait remains open, without detailing what options Washington is considering to protect shipping. "What you should assume is we are going to guarantee freedom of navigation throughout the strait," he said in a Fox News television interview. Earlier Sunday, Iran's parliament speaker said that Washington could have been behind the "suspicious" tanker attacks, the official news agency IRNA reported. The attacks "seem to complement the economic sanctions against Iran, considering that (the US) has not achieved any results from them", he told lawmakers. - 'Iran and its proxies' - The Saudi crown prince also accused "Iran and its proxies" over May 12 attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off the UAE port of Fujairah. Attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels have further fuelled tensions in the region. On Friday, the kingdom intercepted five drones launched by the Huthi rebels, a Riyadh-led coalition said, in a second assault on an airport in the country's southwest in two days. The drones targeted Abha airport, where a rebel missile on Wednesday left 26 civilians wounded, and the nearby city of Khamis Mushait, which houses a major airbase, the coalition said. A Yemeni rebel drone targeting Abha was also intercepted Saturday, but it caused no casualties or damage. The US military said in its statement Sunday that one of its drones was shot down over Yemen by Huthi rebels on June 6. The rebels, who have faced persistent coalition bombing since March 2015 that has exacted a heavy civilian death toll, have stepped up attacks across the border in recent weeks. Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia would "not accept the presence of militias on its borders". Riyadh has repeatedly accused Tehran of arming the rebels with sophisticated weapons, a charge the Islamic republic denies. A file image shows the Kokuka Courageous, which was carrying highly flammable methanol out of the Gulf towards Asia when it was attacked Thursday Oil production and alliances in the Gulf Attacks on tankers in the Gulf have sparked calls for world powers to secure navigation in the strategic GulfMichael Kidd, now 84 years old, fought in the Korean War. His young German shepherd Millie helps calm him down when things start to swirl, usually at night. Harry Stolberg -- a 42-year-old former Marine who served in Bosnia, Liberia and Nigeria -- has a chocolate Labrador named Rocky who wakes him up from his troubled dreams. And 31-year-old Phil Davanzo -- who carried the bodies of fallen comrades during a hostage rescue operation that went wrong off Somalia in 2011 -- hopes his Rottweiler puppy will soon be trained to support him during his panic attacks. The three US veterans, who all live on New York's Long Island, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have sought solace through pet therapy -- namely, a loyal dog to keep them company. The shelter animals are either trained or being trained to help them through difficult times by Paws of War, an association funded entirely by private donations that then provides the service dogs free of charge. The group will also train a veteran's dog if he or she already has one. "The biggest thing is he wakes me up from nightmares," Stolberg says of three-year-old Rocky. "He can open the door, come in my room, turn on the lights, take my blinders off me... and lick my hands so I wake up." Rocky, whose 18 months of training were completed six months ago, also helps Stolberg navigate large crowds, which can be triggering. "If I can't move, he will get me out of that crowd -- he will pick up on that. He will walk around me and look at it and if I don't respond, he will walk away from the crowd with me hooked up to him," he says. Paws of War -- their acronym is a play on POW, used to signify prisoners of war -- has been active since 2014. More than 100 dogs have been trained so far, and the therapeutic results for their masters have been significant. - Off the meds - Kidd, who suffers from severe PTSD, has been able to reduce his intake of medication thanks to Millie. At night when things are tough, "she will come over to me, she will put her paw on my shoulder, on my chest, and just give me a big slobber," says Kidd, whose father was in Normandy on D-Day. "That's just saying, 'I am here for you.'" Stolberg used to need sleeping pills to get through the night, but not anymore, thanks to Rocky. "Sleeping was my biggest problem. (...) Now I only have a nightmare once or twice a month, instead of every day," he explains. "A lot of that is also because I know that when I go to sleep, he is in the room -- he is going to wake me up no matter what." - 'Quite a process' - It takes 18 to 24 months to teach dogs what to do when a troubled veteran sends distress signals, according to Rebecca Stromski, a senior trainer for Paws of War whose husband served in Afghanistan and Kuwait. "It's quite a process actually, creating a mutual respect and a connection between the service dude and the service dog," she says. "Once the foundations are in place and the dog starts feeling if things are going well or not for the veterans, they start to do certain motions when the guys are fidgeting," Stromski explains. "I can start and cue that behavior and use that as an alert." In the face of seemingly interminable wars for US military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq, deployments which began in 2001, veterans are experiencing PTSD symptoms on a regular basis. Paws of War has more requests for service animals than it can fulfill, with 50 veterans on the waiting list, according to the group's co-founder Dori Scofield. - Both ends of the leash - After running an animal shelter for 30 years, Scofield launched Paws of War after being contacted by veterans returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Those soldiers had become attached to dogs they had found in those countries, but were unable to bring them back home. Through word of mouth recommendations, the association quickly became a top meeting place for the 75,000-strong veteran community on Long Island, one of the biggest in the United States. "We get applications every day -- we can't keep up," Scofield says. "I can't train enough dogs fast enough." She has opened satellite offices in Florida and in northern New York state. She has also launched a free mobile veterinary clinic where veterans can bring their companion animals. Dogs who might have ended up put to sleep in shelters now have homes, and veterans are rediscovering "a reason to get up every day, get moving, get out," Scofield says. "It has been just so awesome, helping both ends of the leash." US military veteran Michael Kidd and his companion dog Millie leave after a training session at the Paws of War office in Nesconset, New York -- Millie helps Kidd navigate the difficulties of post-traumatic stress disorder Veteran Harry Stolberg says his dog Rocky helps him wake up from the nightmares that have come after his service overseas in the Marine Corps Michael Kidd's dog Millie, seen here, is being trained at Paws of War to help Kidd when times are tough -- he says her assistance has led to a reduced need for medication Rebecca Stromski, a senior trainer for Paws of War whose husband served in Afghanistan and Kuwait, says it takes 18 to 24 months to teach dogs what to do when a troubled veteran sends distress signals So far, Paws of War has trained more than 100 dogs to help troubled veterans on Long Island, and has more applications than it can currently fulfillThe Group of 20 major economies said they agreed a deal to reduce plastic waste that is choking the seas at a meeting in Japan on Sunday. Under the agreement, G20 member countries committed to reducing plastic waste but gave little detail on how that would be done. They added that the steps would be voluntary and progress would be reported once a year, according to local media. The Japanese government hopes to hold the first meeting in November, said newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun. "It is great that we were able to make rules for all, including emerging and developing countries," Japanese environment minister Yoshiaki Harada said after the two-day meeting of the G20 environment and energy ministers' meeting. Plastic pollution has become a global concern, particularly after bans imposed by China and other countries on the import of plastic waste from overseas. Many countries, including Japan, have seen their waste pile up as a consequence. Microplastics -- tiny pieces of degraded waste -- have attracted particular attention. They absorb harmful chemicals, accumulating inside fish, birds and other animals, and are difficult to collect once in the water. The framework agreed at the meeting in the central mountain resort of Karuizawa would be the first to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean involving not only rich nations but emerging economies as well. - 'Legally binding' rules needed - The deal would be "the first step" to tackling plastic waste, Hiroaki Odachi of Greenpeace Japan said in a statement. "However, it is insufficient to rely on countries' voluntary actions" to resolve the crisis, he said. Only an estimated nine percent of plastics ever produced are recycled and campaigners say the only long-term solution to the plastic waste crisis is for companies to make less and consumers to use less. "G20 countries should clearly announce that they will prioritise reducing generation of single-use plastics" along with recycling and reusing materials, Odachi said. "Legally binding international rules with clear timelines and goals" are needed, similar to those in the Paris Agreement on climate, he added. The 2015 Paris agreement commits signatories to efforts to cap global warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit). Japan will demand businesses charge for plastic shopping bags next year to help reduce waste, said Japanese industry minister Hiroshige Seko on Saturday. Many countries in the world already charge for single-use bags or ban them outright. Campaigners say the only long-term solution to the plastic waste crisis is for companies to make less and consumers to use less Plastic pollution has become an increasing international concernTens of thousands of people rallied in central Hong Kong on Sunday as public anger seethed following unprecedented clashes between protesters and police over an extradition law, despite a climbdown by the city's embattled leader. Protesters chanted "Scrap the evil law!" as they marched through the streets to pile more pressure on chief executive Carrie Lam, who paused work on the hugely divisive bill Saturday after days of mounting pressure, saying she had misjudged the public mood. Crowds of black-clad protesters were marching from a park on the main island to the city's parliament -- a repeat of a massive demonstration a week earlier that organisers said more than a million people attended. Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will tangle-up people in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe business hub. "Carrie Lam's response is very insincere. Knowing that the government won't withdraw the bill, I decided to come out today," said protester Terence Shek, 39, who had brought his children on the march. The city 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. "You're supposed to protect us not shoot at us" read one banner carried on Sunday, addressing the city's police force, while others marching held photos of police breaking up crowds in Wednesday's clashes. Lam stopped short of committing to permanently scrap the proposal Saturday and the concession was swiftly rejected by protest leaders, who called on her to resign, permanently shelve the bill and apologise for police tactics. "The extradition bill being suspended only means it can be revived any time Carrie Lam wants," said activist Lee Cheuk-yan. Nearly 80 people were injured in this week's unrest, including 22 police officers, and one man died late Saturday when he fell from a building where he had been holding an hours-long anti-extradition protest. He had unfurled a banner saying: "Entirely withdraw China extradition bill. We were not rioting. Released students and the injured". Huge queues formed outside the high-end Pacific Place mall with flowers and written tributes piling up as demonstrators paid their respects. Suspending the bill has done little to defuse simmering public anger and protest organisers have called for a city-wide strike Monday as well as Sunday's rally. 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. "Carrie Lam's speech yesterday in no way calmed down public anger," he said. - 'Restore calm to the community' - Lam's decision to press ahead with tabling the bill for debate in the legislature on Wednesday -- ignoring the record-breaking crowds three days earlier -- triggered fresh protests, which brought key parts of the city to a standstill and led to violent clashes with police. Opposition to the bill united an unusually wide cross-section of Hong Kong, from influential legal and business bodies to religious leaders, as well as Western nations. The protest movement has morphed in recent days from one specifically aimed at scrapping the extradition bill to a wider display of anger at Lam and Beijing over years of sliding freedoms. A huge banner hanging from the city's Lion Rock mountain on Sunday read "Defend Hong Kong". Lam had been increasingly isolated in her support for the bill, with even pro-Beijing lawmakers distancing themselves from the extradition proposals in recent days. The Chinese government said suspending the bill was a good decision to "listen more widely to the views of the community and restore calm to the community as soon as possible". - 'Keep the heat on' - Critics were also angry that Lam missed repeated opportunities to apologise for what many saw as heavy-handed police tactics. 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. "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." Protest leaders have called for police to drop charges against anyone arrested for rioting and other offences linked to Wednesday's clashes. Activist Lee said opponents feared reprisals by the government and wanted assurances "that our Hong Kong people, our protesters, are not being harassed and politically prosecuted by this government". 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. Crowds of black-clad protesters were mraching from a park on the main island to the city's parliament -- a repeat of a massive rally a week earlier that organisers said more than a million people attended Protesters chanted 'Scrap the evil law!' as they marched through the streets to pile more pressure on Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam Hong Kong activist Jimmy Sham likened chief executive Carrie Lam's offer to a 'knife' that had been plunged into the city Hong Kong has been rocked by the worst political unrest since its handover to China Mourners place flowers and offer prayers at the site where a protester died The police have faced criticism for heavy handed tactices to disperse protesters People pray outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong on the eve of Sunday's mass rallyIsrael Folau has launched another attack on gay people and also criticised young people being allowed to change gender during a sermon at his Sydney church.

The former rugby union star described homosexuality as a sin and claimed the devil was behind primary school children being allowed to decide if they wanted to change gender.

"This is what the devil is trying to do, to instil into the government, into this world, into society, and it is slowly happening," Folau said in his Sunday sermon at The Truth of Jesus Christ Church in Kenthurst.

"The sad thing is why a lot of people out there that are non-Christians say bad things about the church, is because a lot of the churches allow those things to happen.

"They say that a man and a man should be able to be married and there is nothing wrong with it. This buys into the theme of pleasing man rather than pleasing God and standing up for the truth."

Israel Folau has hit out at homosexuality in a new church sermon. Pic: Twitter/Getty

The 30-year-old's rant was posted on the church's Facebook page.

Folau also criticised modern "westernised" churches and said true believers in Christ "profess him wherever we go".

"Are we too scared because we might be cast out by our workplace or cast out of somewhere because we're not liked or loved by those around us and don't believe the same thing we do?" he asked.

"You might be the only born-again Christian in that workplace, you might feel a bit awkward with your co-workers because they are in the world and you're not. We should feel blessed ... because God has called us."

The former Wallaby's $5 million Rugby Australia contract was torn up last month after he refused to take down an Instagram post which quoted bible scripture and said "hell awaits" homosexuals and other sinners.

Folau has launched legal proceedings with the Fair Work Commission against Rugby Australia and is seeking up to $10 million in damages.

Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle and Israel Folau. Pic: Getty

People cannot choose their sexuality

Folau's latest comments come after openly gay rugby referee Nigel Owens hit out at the sacked player, imploring him to understand that people don't choose their sexuality.

Story continues

Owens, who spoke to AFP last Sunday in Dublin when he refereed at the biennial Union Cup, Europe's largest LGBT+ inclusive tournament, said it was important to understand why Folau and others are so "entrenched in these beliefs".

"He too needs to understand our way of life," said Owens.

"For him to understand pretty much everything listed on that list you can choose and the only thing you could not choose was your sexuality."

Owens said Folau and others who liked his post -- including England star Billy Vunipola -- used antiquated religious beliefs as the reason for their views.

"You have to understand that if the scriptures were written now they would be very different to those written a thousand or so years ago," said Owens.

"If the scriptures were written today knowing that people cannot choose their sexuality then I am pretty sure it would not be on the list."

With AAPThe wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked a Jerusalem court Sunday to approve a plea bargain convicting her of fraudulently using state funds for meals, an AFP reporter said. Under the charges in an amended indictment, Sara Netanyahu would plead guilty to exploiting the mistake of another person and pay a fine along with compensation, but graft charges against her would be dropped. In a small room at the Jerusalem magistrates' court, packed with journalists, Netanyahu told the judge she was aware of the charges. Her lawyer and a prosecutor asked justice Avital Chen to accept the deal. "As in every plea bargain, each side makes concessions, sometimes hard concessions," prosecutor Erez Padan said. "It is right and proper for the public interest to bring this case to an end." The justice ministry said that under the deal, Netanyahu would be fined 10,000 shekels ($2,800) and reimburse the state a further 45,000 shekels. Netanyahu's attorney Yossi Cohen told the court his client had already been heavily punished by the media. "Four years of ugly leaks and denigrations" constituted "inhuman punishment", he said. "No other person could have withstood this, this lady is made of steel," Cohen added. The first lady was initially charged in June 2018 with fraud and breach of trust for allegedly misusing state funds to pay for catered meals costing $100,000, by falsely declaring there were no cooks available at the prime minister's official residence. The 60-year-old has been a high-profile presence at her husband's side throughout his long tenure in office. She has also faced accusations of mistreating staff. In 2016 a court awarded some $47,000 in damages to a former housekeeper who accused the couple of repeated workplace abuse. Separately, Benjamin Netanyahu is facing possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the months ahead. He is reportedly seeking legislation that would result in him being granted immunity. He is up for re-election again in September 17 polls, the second to be held this year after he was unable to form a coalition following an April vote. Sara Netanyahu has asked a judge to accept a plea deal under which she would not face corruption chargesYoung Hong Kongers who marshalled the fight against a police force that was armed with tear gas and rubber bullets have spoken of how they were pushed into embracing more confrontational tactics by the failure of years of peaceful protests. In a series of interviews with AFP, the young men and women -- most of them university students on leafy campuses -- said they had become disillusioned with marches and civil disobedience failing to sway the city's largely unelected pro-Beijing leadership. And with key leaders of earlier pro-democracy movements now languishing in jail, they have switched to small, leaderless cells in a bid to evade capture. Hong Kong witnessed unprecedented scenes on Wednesday as youngsters clashed with riot police outside parliament to stop lawmakers debating a hugely unpopular bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland. One of those on the front lines, 18-year-old student Sharon, said the moment she felt peaceful rallies no longer worked came three days earlier. That day a record crowd -- organisers say more than a million -- marched peacefully through the streets of the international finance hub calling for the bill to be scrapped. But shortly before midnight, Sharon's phone lit up with a statement from the government saying the bill would go ahead. "I suddenly had this realisation that even though one million people marched, there wouldn't be an impact," she said, asking -- like the other students -- not to be identified. "This time people realised peaceful protests don't really work," she added. For people like Sharon, it was time to switch tactics in a city where democracy activists have held huge annual marches since 2003 but made limited progress. - Goggles and sanitary pads - Andrew, 22, said he and a group of seven friends had gone to Wednesday's protests prepared for police tear gas and pepper spray. They brought equipment like goggles, gloves and cling film -- to protect their arms from tear gas burns -- and sanitary pads to staunch any bleeding. But he described their actions as organic and spontaneous, with small groups of trusted friends acting together within a larger mass, without taking directions from any centralised leadership. "No one is going to announce that I must use force or stand on the front line," he said. He said the decision to charge police and try to reach parliament happened without anyone making any order. "It might not be up to you to choose," he explained as he described the crowd dynamic that day. "It could be because of the passion of the crowds or what police officers have done (to make you very angry)." Those tactics contrast with 2014 when similar crowds of young people took over key intersections in Hong Kong for more than two months calling for the right to elect the city's leader. Apart from occasional clashes with police, the so-called "Umbrella Movement" protests were peaceful and orderly and had key leaders. But it failed to win any concessions and many of the movement's figures -- like student leader Joshua Wong and academic Benny Tai -- are currently in jail. "We choose this option because what we've done so far isn't enough to make the government feel the people's anger and discontent towards this bill. That's why we are choosing to charge," Andrew said, admitting it would be easier to coordinate if they had leaders but that few would want to take that risk. - Police on defence - Police have since labelled the protest a riot with a senior superintendent usually involved in organised crime investigations calling those involved "organised, premeditated, prepared, radical and violent people". The city's police chief has defended his officers, saying potentially deadly projectiles like bricks and metal poles were being thrown. He has received the backing of the city's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam, who also called demonstrators rioters and refused to apologise for the clearances, even as she suspended the bill on Saturday saying she had misjudged the public mood. In recent days police and Lam have faced a growing backlash over accusations officers used excessive force against the crowds. Rights activists and influential legal groups have called the response disproportionate, videos of the most violent police beatings have gone viral and parents have rallied holding signs reading: "Don't shoot our kids." Chris, a protester who went into battle on Wednesday with the phone number of a lawyer written on his stomach in case of arrest, said he believes there has been a sea-change among Hong Kong's often conservative public. "Those who had been a bit squeamish or resistant to more radical acts in Hong Kong society are starting to slowly accept them," he said. Andrew, who said he was beaten by police batons, agreed. "People wearing suits and professional types, they would come over to the supply stations set up further back and ask what we needed," he recalled. He believes peaceful and forceful tactics can co-exist, recalling how Christians held hours-long hymn sessions and security guards in upscale malls helped protesters shelter from the tear gas. - 'Feared pain, not arrest'- The possibility of jail and arrest has weighed on the protesters as they study for degrees. But Leung, a student who said she'd been to all previous protests in recent years, said she felt her generation had "nothing to lose" at this point. "I'd cast my worries aside. At the scene, I feared pain more than arrest," she recalled. For Andrew, his fear of arrest or a hit to future job prospects is eclipsed by what the extradition law would mean for Hong Kongers. "Even if I chose comfort and became a banker, when this law is passed, I'd still be under threat," he said. "If you think about it realistically, you're just waiting to be attacked." With key leaders of earlier pro-democracy movements now languishing in jail, young Hong Kongers have switched to small, leaderless cells in a bid to evade capture In a series of interviews with AFP, the young men and women, most of them university students, said they had become disillusioned with marches and civil disobedience failing to sway the city's largely unelected pro-Beijing leadership Hong Kong witnessed unprecedented scenes on Wednesday as youngsters fought riot police outside parliament to stop lawmakers debating a hugely unpopular bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland The protesters brought equipment like goggles, gloves and cling film -- to protect their arms from tear gas burns -- and sanitary pads to staunch any bleeding One young protester, Andrew, 22, described their actions as organic and spontaneous, with small groups of trusted friends acting together within a larger mass The possibility of jail and arrest has weighed on the protesters as they study for degrees For Andrew, his fear of arrest or a hit to future job prospects is eclipsed by what the extradition law would mean for Hong Kongers Leung, a student who said she'd been to all previous protests in recent years, said she felt her generation had 'nothing to lose' at this pointThe NSW government "will hold everybody to account" once the root cause of ongoing and persistent cracking in a Sydney apartment complex is identified, Premier Gladys Berejiklian says.

Mascot Towers was evacuated on Friday night after engineers became increasingly concerned about cracks in the primary support structure and facade masonry of the decade-old building in the inner-south suburb Mascot.

Residents were told to be ready to leave at short notice and a temporary structural support was urgently installed on Thursday after building management noticed the cracks were widening.

Shop owners and residents in 122 units were told to evacuate with less than one hour notice. Source: AAP

All 122 units and all but two ground-level shops were empty on Saturday.

The premier on Sunday told reporters the government wants to "get to the root cause" and find out what has occurred.

"There was some speculation it could have been from things that happened in the near vicinity but we need to find out the cause before we know how to act," she said.

When asked if the NSW government would help displaced residents in the meantime, Ms Berejiklian replied: "We're getting to the bottom of what happened.

All residential units and all but two ground-level shops were evacuated on Saturday. Source: AAP

"The NSW government will hold everybody to account, that's our role.

While the cause of the cracks has not been determined, local MP and former mayor Ron Hoenig noted another apartment tower was recently built next door.

Mr Hoenig said he had been advised there was no chance the evacuated complex would collapse.

He said on Saturday residents had been told to prepare to be out for at least a week.

Renters have been informed their temporary accommodation will not be covered by insurance while owners' alternate housing may also not be covered.

"It's a bit annoying to not really know what is going on and move at short notice but we'll deal with it," Mascot Towers tenant Jade told reporters on Saturday.

Residents were given less than an hour to evacuate, leaving some feeling "homeless". Source: AAP

Another tenant, now living nearby with a friend, said he was effectively homeless after being given 75 minutes to leave on Friday.

Transport for NSW confirmed there was no impact on the airport rail line or Mascot train station, which sits underneath the complex.

Story continues

In December, the Opal Tower apartment complex in Sydney Olympic Park was completely evacuated due to cracking and reports of movement.

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.

The cause of the cracks has still not been determined but another apartment tower was recently built next door. Source: AAP

"It is time to finally implement the changes agreed by Council of Australian Governments in response to its inquiry into regulation of the sector."

Ms Berejiklian on Sunday said she anticipated the government's new Building Commissioner would be announced in the "very near future".

Mascot Towers' building manager and strata company have been contacted for comment.

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.Some two million protesters choked Hong Kong's streets in a powerful rebuke of a reviled extradition law, organisers said Sunday, piling pressure on the city's embattled pro-Beijing leader who apologised for causing "conflict" but refused to step down. The historic show of force saw vast crowds marching for hours in tropical heat, calling for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam, who was forced to suspend the bill as public anger mounted. Throngs of largely black-clad protesters snaked their way for miles through the streets to the city's parliament -- with the organisers' estimate for the crowd size doubling an already record-breaking demonstration last Sunday. Police, who historically give far lower estimates for political protests, said 338,000 people turned out at its "peak". As night fell the huge crowds had once more taken over multiple major thoroughfares, including outside the legislature, with the police seemingly ceding the streets to the jubilant masses. Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe business hub. Lam's office put out a statement late Sunday admitting that shortcomings in how her administration handled the law had "led to a lot of conflict and disputes" and "disappointed and distressed many citizens". It came a day after she announced she would postpone the law indefinitely. But it fell well short of protester demands that she resign, shelve the bill permanently and apologise for police using tear gas and rubber bullets earlier in the week. The Civil Human Rights Front, which is organising the huge rallies, said Hong Kongers would protest and strike on Monday "until their voices are heard". - Anger at police - The international finance hub was rocked Wednesday by the worst political violence in decades as protesters were dispersed by baton-wielding riot police. Many accused the police of using excessive force, and anger was further fanned by authorities calling the largely young protesters "rioters". Nearly 80 people were injured in the unrest -- including 22 police officers -- with both sides showing a willingness to escalate action and reaction to levels unseen in the usually stable business hub. One man died Saturday when he fell from a building where he had been holding an hours-long anti-extradition protest. He had unfurled a banner on scaffolding attached to an upscale mall, but fell when rescuers tried to haul him in. Police said they suspected the 35-year-old was suicidal. Throughout the day, demonstrators queued for hours to leave flowers and tributes where he fell. - 'Restore calm to the community' - The extradition furore is just the latest chapter in what many see as a battle for the soul of Hong Kong. For the last decade the city has been convulsed by political turbulence between pro-Beijing authorities and opponents who fear an increasingly assertive China is stamping on the city's unique freedoms and culture enjoyed since the handover in 1997. Opposition to the extradition bill has united an unusually wide cross-section of Hong Kong, from influential legal and business bodies to religious leaders. Lam's decision to ignore those warnings and press ahead with the bill even after last weekend's massive rally placed her administration under pressure from both opponents and allies. Advisers and pro-establishment lawmakers urged her to delay the bill after Wednesday's violence, while Beijing began to distance itself from her administration. Her climbdown is a rare example of the city's unelected leaders caving-in to demonstrations -- something more recent administrations have been increasingly unwilling to do. Two months of protests in 2014 calling for the right to directly elect Hong Kong's leader won no concessions from Beijing, and key figures from that movement are now in jail. One of that movement's most prominent leaders, 22-year-old activist Joshua Wong, is due to be released from prison on Monday morning, his party said late Sunday. It was not clear whether his early release was a gesture from the authorities or merely typical procedure under provisions for good behaviour. - 'She has lost the public' - Estimates of Sunday's crowd size will not be available until later Sunday, but the last marchers to leave the rally's starting point at a public park left some six hours after it started. "Her response is purely a PR strategy," 20-year-old protester Vivian Liu told AFP after Lam's statement. "And to define our protests as a riot is totally inappropriate." "Personally I think she can no longer govern Hong Kong, she has lost the public," added Dave Wong, a 38-year-old protester who works in finance. In mainland China, the internet was scrubbed clean of references to the massive rally, with entries for Hong Kong on search engines and social media platforms showing no sign of the demonstration. Police said they had no choice but to use force Wednesday to meet violent protesters who besieged their lines outside the city's parliament. But critics -- including legal and rights groups -- say officers used the violent actions of a tiny group of protesters as an excuse to unleash a sweeping crackdown on the predominantly young, peaceful crowd. Organisers estimated about two million Hong Kong people marched through the streets to protest a proposed extradition law Graphic on a week of mass protests in Hong Kong against the extradition bill Organisers' estimate for the crowd size doubled an already record-breaking demonstration the previous Sunday Protesters dressed largely in black take part in a historic show of force, which organisers estimated at about two million, that snaked for miles to Hong Kong's parliamentA 15-year-old girl fell almost 30 metres to her death after posing for a sunset picture on an apartment building near Moscow.

Ekaterina Chernova is the sixth young female to be killed or severely injured while seeking eye-catching smartphone pictures in similar circumstances in two months in Russia.

The schoolgirl, who had only recently graduated from grade nine at her school in the town of Selyatino, loved sunset photos and had asked a friend to take her picture on the roof of a nine-storey residential block.

Ekaterina Chernova had asked a friend to take her picture on the roof of a nine-storey residential block.. Source: east2west news/Australscope

According to another friend of the schoolgirl, while Ekaterina was posing for the picture she lost her balance or stumbled and fell.

The 15-year-old died at the scene.

Police have launched an investigation into why a door to the roof of the apartment block was open.

Ekaterinas friends have remembered her as a ray of sunshine and a keen musician, with one of them posting online: Why does the world take away such happy people?

They have reportedly been fundraising to help her family pay for the funeral.

The high-rise building Ekaterina Chernova fell from. Source: east2west news/Australscope

The five other similar incidents to occur in recent months also involved selfies.

In at least two of them, the deaths occurred after the young girls or women fell from a high-rise building.

Two others were severely injured.

In the fifth instance, a young girl was burned alive after trying to get a selfie in an electricity substation.

 Australscope

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.A 26-year-old woman dubbed Russias most beautiful poker player has been found dead from a suspected massive electric shock in her bathroom.

Liliya Novikova had been alone at home and her body was discovered on the floor of her bathroom in Moscow.

A mathematics whizkid with a first-class degree in engineering from a top Russian university, she shunned offers to work at leading industrial companies and instead became a professional poker star with a lucrative career.

She was famous both as an online and real-life player, and featured in her own poker web channels.

Liliya Novikova was 26-years-old when she died from a suspected electric shock. Source: east2west news/Australscope

She is reported to have had a contract with PokerStars online card room, and ran her own web masterclasses and workshops for beginners.

Russias Channel 5 mourned the death of the countrys sexiest poker player.

Ms Novikovas parents became worried when she did not answer her phone in her apartment in Moscows prestigious Kutuzovsky Prospekt precinct.

They asked a neighbour to check the apartment and her body was found on the bathroom floor.

The Russian Investigative Committee said signs of electric shock were found on her body.

Novikova is believed to have been charging a phone or other device in the bathroom when an accident occurred.

Some reports say the device was "faulty".

Others say she banged her head as a result of the electrical incident.

Ms Novikova was a mathematics whizkid who had a lucrative career as a professional poker player. Source: east2west news/Australscope

A post-mortem is to be held.

Videos showed her teaching poker and congratulating Russian military men on the Day of the Motherland Defender in February.

Novikova was also a keen cyclist, snowboarder, rower and boxer.

She ran her own online shop for poker-themed clothing.

The administrator of her official group on the Russian social media site, Vkontakte, shared the news of her death with much sadness.

I do not know how to present such news, I have been thinking for a while and it

is very hard for me to write this, the post read.

(Liliya) is dead. Yesterday, an accident. She is not here anymore. She has left us.

 Australscope

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.A woman with six children says she has been left homeless after their house was destroyed by a faulty washing machine that caught fire.

Samantha Murphy claimed her Samsung washing machine, which was among a batch recalled in 2013, burst into flames on Saturday morning just minutes after she left her rental in Aberdare, in the NSW Lower Hunter Region.

She switched it on as she walked out, but said she returned home 10 minutes later to find the washer had electrically combusted and totally wrecked her home.

Firefighters responded to her call for help just before 9am and extinguished a small fire in the laundry before leaving within the hour.

The mother warned other people on a Facebook group to check the serial number on their Samsung machines before continuing to use them.

Fire-damaged material could be seen in the destroyed Samsung washing machine's barrel. Source: Facebook

Please check that your Samsung wasnt one of these ones that were recalled, as I was unaware that my one was until the firefighters told me, she wrote in a post.

Photos shared to the group showed walls bordering the machines nook and the entire bathroom completely covered in black smoke stains.

The machine itself appeared to be burnt out and coated in charcoal-covered fabric debris.

I put on a load this morning and left the house for 10 minutes and came back to this, Ms Murphy wrote.

What isnt burnt is severely smoke damaged and our home is ruined.

Speaking with Yahoo News Australia, the mother said she had contacted Samsung for support.

Samantha Murphy, pictured with her 6-month-old Finnley, was left homeless after her washing machine exploded. Source: Samantha Murphy

Australian models SW80SPWIP/XSA, SW65V9WIP/XSA, WA85GWGIP/XSA, SW70SPWIP/XSA, WA85GWWIP/XSA and SW75V9WIP/XSA were recalled.

They were sold between 2010 and 2013, and were responsible for causing more than 200 incidents, including 18 after a Fair Trading NSW approved repair.

Samsung first announced the recall in 2013 and have since been campaigning for customers to return affected machines.

About a third of owners of the 150,000 faulty machines had responded to the warning by July 2017.

A Samsung spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia the company took the safety of its customers extremely seriously and had made contact with customer.

Story continues

The bathroom was blackened by the machine explosion. Source: Facebook

We are deeply concerned to hear about an apparent incident in Aberdare, NSW, allegedly involving a washing machine that is subject to a recall that was announced in April 2013, they said in a statement.

The company said it had now offered Ms Murphy temporary accomodation and emergency funds to assist her and her family following the accident.

Samsung initiated a voluntary recall on six models of top loader washing machines in April 2013. While we have identified and resolved more than 91 per cent of the impacted top loaders, we continue to work to find every possible unit, the spokesperson said.

Customers who have a recall model are eligible to receive a refund or replacement with a new washing machine.

We continue to urge customers who have an older model Samsung top loader washing machine to check the model details to see if their unit is subject to the recall.

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.Sara Netanyahu the wife of Israel's prime minister, who was convicted Sunday of misusing public funds, has long been the target -- with her husband -- of corruption and mismanagement allegations. With her shoulder-length blonde hair and always made-up face, she is widely said to be at the heart of decision-making for everything from who should head the spy agency Mossad to the list of parliamentary candidates in her husband's Likud party. But her supporters -- first and foremost her husband Benjamin Netanyahu -- accuse the media of a witch-hunt, claiming she has no say in public affairs and devotes her energies to helping those in need. Born in a town in northern Israel, her father was a poet author and educator. Sara, now 60, served in the Israeli military before studying psychology. She was married to a member of a kibbutz between 1980-1987, and met Netanyahu while working as an air stewardess for the Israeli flag carrier El Al after her divorce. She married Netanyahu in 1991 and the pair have two sons: Avner, who keeps away from the public eye, and the older and outspoken Yair, who vehemently defends his parents and his father's policies while savaging opponents on social media. While present at many of her husband's public events and overseas trips, Sara also holds a part-time position as an educational psychologist for the Jerusalem municipality. Recordings of her screaming at cleaning staff in the prime minister's official Jerusalem residence reached the press, causing waves of contempt but also concern for her emotional health. Sara Netanyahu is being sued by a former cleaner who claims the premier's wife mistreated her. In 2016 a court awarded some $47,000 in damages to another former housekeeper who had accused Sara of repeated workplace abuse. Sara Netanyahu's conviction on Sunday for using public funds to pay for meals brought an end to a trial that risked further exposing the Netanyahu's lifestyle, which critics say is a combination of luxury wed with pathological stinginess. - 'Punching bag for media' - Benjamin Netanyahu -- a millionaire -- is also facing possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the months ahead. In one case, the premier and his wife are suspected of having received luxury gifts, including cigars and champagne, from wealthy individuals, including Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, in exchange for financial or personal favours. On Saturday Netanyahu -- who is gearing up for September polls after failing to form a coalition following April general elections -- took to Facebook to defend his wife. He denied that Sara was involved in Israeli public affairs, describing her as a "real heroine" who was "a punching bag for the media". "Anyone who is not appointed to a position, or anyone who is dismissed from a position, knows what to do: Attack Sara," he wrote. "The facts and the truth do not matter at all. Sara has long been a punchbag for the media," Netanyahu said. He detailed her work with "children with cancer, bereaved families...Holocaust survivors, and many other people in need". "My beloved wife, you are a real heroine," concluded Netanyahu. Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was convicted of misusing public funds Sara Netanyahu and her lawyer Yossi Cohem wait for the judge to arrive at the Magistrate's Court in Jerusalem on June 16, 2019 Critics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara say the couple's lifestyle is a combination of luxury and pathological stinginess"Promises made, promises kept," goes one of President Donald Trump's main 2020 reelection slogans. Is that true? Here are some of the key policy hits and misses -- comparing his accomplishments to his promises -- from a tumultuous first term. - HITS - Economy: The economy will be Trump's major selling point. GDP grew 3.1 percent in the first quarter of 2019 and the last recession was a decade ago. Unemployment is at a 50-year low of 3.6 percent. Trump's frequent claim that the economy is probably "the best" in US history is an exaggeration, though. Economists see growing dangers, including exploding government debt and growing backlash from Trump's aggressive trade policies, especially with China. Courts: Trump promised to get large numbers of conservative federal judges appointed. He has succeeded. Notably, he used the Republican majority in the Senate to put conservative justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, likely tilting the constitutional decision-making body to the right for decades. Foreign policy: Trump delivered on his promise of a foreign policy shake-up. Whether this has made America "respected" around the world, as he frequently claims, is debatable. The level of disruption is not. Trump pulled the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. He likewise withdrew from an international agreement rewarding Iran for allowing controls over its nuclear program. To the dismay of scientists around the world, he ended US participation in the historic Paris climate agreement meant to mitigate global climate change. He also made good on threats to play hardball with China on trade, demanded more financial help from NATO allies, and renegotiated the NAFTA trade pact with Mexico and Canada. He has tried, unsuccessfully so far, to charm North Korea into abandoning nuclear weapons. With another swing of his diplomatic wrecking ball, Trump ended the decades-old status quo by recognizing the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. - MISSES - Healthcare: At home, Trump failed on one of his biggest To Do items: repealing former president Barack Obama's healthcare law known as Obamacare. The law, which seeks to get millions of uninsured Americans into the US healthcare system, is a bogeyman for right-wingers, but is generally popular among the public. More importantly, Republicans have failed to come up with a credible alternative plan. The wall: Another Trump campaign vow was to wall off the US-Mexico border against what the president calls an immigrant invasion. Mexico was meant to pay the bill. That hasn't happened. Trump resorted to a record-length 35-day shutdown of US government funding in an attempt to pressure Congress into giving him funds for wall construction, finally getting a meager $1.7 billion. This month, he used the threat of another trade war to pressure Mexico into doing more to stop migrants as they cross northward from Central America. Midterm elections: Trump wasn't on the ballot as Americans voted in congressional midterm elections in November. But the vote was still partly a referendum on the divisive president, who campaigned heavily across the nation. His Republican Party got thumped. Although Republicans increased what had been a razor-thin majority in the Senate, they lost the House of Representatives. This means Democrats finally have a meaningful way to oppose Trump, including through the use of investigative committees. President Donald Trump promised to disrupt domestic and foreign policy, but as he seeks a second term, what's his performance been? US President Donald Trump, seen touring the Lima Army Tank Plant at Joint Systems Manufacturing in Lima, Ohio, has focused on getting US manufacturing jobs back -- with some success Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court after an especially bitter fight in Congress over allegations -- never proven -- that he sexually assaulted a woman while at school A cargo ship berths in Qingdao, on China's northeast coast, as US President Donald Trump subjects that country to huge trade tariffs The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge join exercises in the Arabian Sea as President Donald Trump tries to raise pressure on Iran US President Donald Trump has made no ground on healthcare reforms -- one of Washington's most notorious political minefields Building walls on the US-Mexico border is one of President Donald Trump's priorities, but his project has repeatedly run into trouble The midterm elections gave opposition Democrats and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi real teeth in their bid to take on President Donald TrumpTurkey expects the delivery of the controversial Russian S-400 missile defence system to begin in July, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying in Turkish media on Sunday. "I believe (S-400s) will begin to arrive in the first half of July. Colleagues in charge of the schedule are following the issue," Erdogan said according to CNN Turk broadcaster. Ankara's deal with Moscow has been a major source of tension between Turkey and the United States, with Washington threatening consequences including sanctions against its fellow NATO member. Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan sent a letter earlier this month warning Turkey it must renounce the S-400 system by July 31 or Turkish pilots currently training on the F-35 fighter jet programme would be expelled from the US. Turkey plans to buy 100 US F-35s while a number of Turkish manufacturers are making parts and equipment for the warplane. Ankara has yet formally to respond to Shanahan's letter but Erdogan said that "within a short time, perhaps sometime this week, a letter in response will be sent". He was adamant the deal with Moscow was not one which Turkey would walk away from. "The issue of the S-400 is completed. There are no difficulties," Erdogan said, speaking to Turkish journalists on his plane to Turkey after a visit to Tajikistan for a summit. "If we now swallow our words, this would not comply with the manners of our state, and it would also not suit my statesmanship," Erdogan added. There had been expectations that the first deliveries could begin this month but Russia's state-owned defence conglomerate Rostec said earlier in June that there were plans to start deliveries in two months. Washington has urged Ankara to buy US Patriot missiles instead and warned Turkey faces penalties under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The act bars business with Russia's state and private defence and intelligence sectors. But Ankara has insisted the country is preparing for any possible US sanctions. Defying a warning from its US NATO ally that it should renounce the deal, Turkey will soon take delivery of Russian S-400 air defence missile systems, seen at a Red Square military parade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.A woman has been accused of trying to run down a person before crashing her car into an Adelaide home.

Officers were called to an address on Grazing Avenue at Morphett Vale, in the citys south, after reports a driver had collided with a house about 5am on Sunday and then fled the scene, according to South Australia Police.

Before the crash the woman had allegedly tried to hit another person with her car.

The driver crashed into a home on Grazing Avenue at Morphett Vale before running from the scene. Source: Google Maps, file

No injuries have been reported and the pair are believed to be known to each other, with police saying the incident is not believed to be random.

The house was declared stable, with only minor damage.

The driver was later taken into custody after police tracked her to another home in the area.

A Huntfield Heights woman, 36, will appear at Christies Beach Magistrates Court on Monday charged with endangering life, property damage and various traffic offences.

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.OWASCO - The words "quiet" and "damp" were used to describe the Prison City Ramblers' 28th annual Father's Day car show.

Ed Pinckney, who has been president of the club for 25 years, estimated there were about 200 preregistered cars. He said roughly 70 cars turned out for the show, which lasted from about 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Emerson Park on Sunday.

At around 11 a.m. on Sunday, he said the show was slow this year because of the rainy weather conditions. Last year there were about 758 cars, he said.

"It's just the weather. Nothing we can do about the weather," Pinckney said.

Craig Nye, treasurer of the Prison City Ramblers, described this year as damp and quiet. But he said he was grateful for the people who did come out.

The vintage, restored and custom cars were lined up in sections throughout Emerson Park along the edge of Owasco Lake. The event also featured a 50/50 raffle, flea market, kettle corn and ice cream vendors, as well as a bustling food tent.

Proceeds from the car show will go to seven charities, including Matthew House and Calvary Food Pantry, Pinckney said.

"We look forward to helping these people out. This year, they might not be getting as much money as we usually do," he said.

Bob Gleason has been showing cars at the annual event since 2002, he said.

"It's like any other outdoor thing. You're going to have good days and you're going to have bad days," he said. "It's all about having the cars out and meeting the people."

Gleason brought a 1957 Chevy Nomad with a frame-off restoration that he said took two years to complete. He's been showing it for 10 years and said he tries to go to two car shows every weekend during the summer.

"Central New York has really a good cross section of street rods, hot rods, muscle cars," he said.

For the first time, visitors could also attend a church service at the car show. Lakes Church, located on East Genesee Street in Auburn, ran a service from 10 to 11 a.m. that was followed by live music.

"One of the things that I'd always thought about on Father's Day was doing some kind of classic car theme or something and didn't ever want to do it because this great event is always here at the park," said Joshua Czyz, one of the church's lead pastors.

Prison City Ramblers welcomed the idea when Lakes Church approached them about doing a service, he said. One of the reasons they wanted to hold the service there was so people didn't have to chose between going to church or the car show, Czyz said.

Czyz, who has six children himself, said the kids who came were able to stay engaged during the service with activities, music and the 20- to 30-minute preaching portion.

He said they were thankful they didn't rely on the playground to keep the kids occupied.

"It's typically a pretty lively service," he said.

The Father's Day car show is one of the many car shows that Cory Curtis, of Weedsport, tries to attend every year. He came this year with his 10-year-old daughter, Miley, and his girlfriend, Kelly.

They were looking at a small row of cars near the edge of Owasco Lake with Curtis' friend and his son. It was steadily drizzling.

"What're you gonna do  sit at home?" Curtis said. "It's not a torrential downpour, so it's not too bad. It's kind of nice. Peaceful. We get to see a lot of nice old cars."

Staff writer Mary Catalfamo can be reached at (315) 282-2244 or mary.catalfamo@lee.net. Find her on Twitter @mrycatalfamo.

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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.I received my notice from the draft board just before I graduated in June 1972. I was attending Aggies in Farmingdale, Long Island afterwards, as that September 1972, I had just turned 18 years of age.

I received notification to report but I decided to enter into the U.S. Marine Corp rather than be placed in the U.S. Army, as the training is far more intense, for a three-year enlistment, and entered into active military service in May 1973. Vietnam was still going on and the Vietnam Era did not end until 1975.

After serving my three-year enlistment from May 1973 to May 1976, I went to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs. While working for them I again decided to enlist into the reserves. I joined the U.S. Army National Guard (Infantry) and served another six years service. I then joined the U.S. Navy Reserves in Clearwater, Florida, for another three years. I finally retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs in November 1999 with a total of 27 1/2 years service.

Last week Donald Trump during an interview commented on his lack of military service in a country he says "nobody ever heard of" and that he was not very fond of that war. I'm sure that his supporters like this type of trash talk but his words do matter and this country has troops in three different theaters: Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. His comments only serve to demean/demoralize our troops abroad as there is no war that is fond of by anybody but we remain silent and perform our duties. I ask that all veterans write to their congressman, John Katko, and our senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, and denounce this draft dodger Donald Trump and his absolutely ignorant comments and his behavior. Also, I did not serve all of those years in the military for this miserable excuse of a human being to call anybody a "socialist," when the only person colluding with socialists is Donald Trump and his campaign!

It was my honor to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam Era and I am 100% proud of being a part of the greatest military service of all times. I love my country and in my opinion it is the duty of any and all Americans to enlist when called upon to serve and not cry out "bone spurs!" Semper Fi.

Andres Villamarzo

Auburn

Love 3 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Kyle Martinson, 20, can be heard coughing and calling for help from his jail cell as detention facility officers stand in the hallway nearby hours before his death, caused by complications from pneumonia, according to Coconino County Detention Facility jail footage.

Theres nothing wrong with you. Drink some water were the last words a detention facility officer told Martinson before she closed the door to his cell. Martinson would be found unresponsive over two hours later.

The 10 hours of jail video footage obtained by the Arizona Daily Sun show Martinson when he is first placed in his intake cell for closer supervision, and end after his body was taken to the medical examiner. The two cameras provide an almost 360-degree view of the multiple inmate cells and also show a section of hallway across from the cells. At different points, Martinson can be seen standing and heard walking around his cell and talking with detention facility officers from his cell doors small window.

After an article on Martinsons death was published by the Arizona Daily Sun, the Flagstaff City Council requested detention facility medical policies, citing concerns of inmates the city sends to the jail through the Flagstaff Police Department.

The Coconino County Medical Examiner found that Martinson died on January 22 with a gallon and a half of fluid in his lungs from pneumonia, which was caused by strep throat. Sheriff reports from the agency detail how medical staff and detention facility officers heard his health complaints and assessed Martinsons health on multiple occasions. Martinson was first placed in jail on January 4.

Martinsons death has raised questions from his family about whether the detention facility officers did enough to prevent the death of the 20-year-old. Matthew Figueroa, Coconino County Detention Facility Jail Commander, declined to answer questions for this article, citing anticipated litigation.

10 hours video

The footage begins documenting Martinsons placement into the intake facilities at 8:19 p.m. the night before he died. Martinson had requested being placed on medical watch, citing his multiple visits with medical staff and concerns about his health.

The date and time is marked at the top of the footage, passing one second at a time. The footage often shows large sections of time where not much occurs between different inmates being processed, detention officers speaking with each other or making their rounds.

Detention officers are mandated to make regular checks on the people held inside the intake cells. They examine each inmate, write notes if needed and move on to the next cell.

At 9:53 p.m., Martinson checks in with an officer if she knows why he was placed in intake. When the officer reminds him that it was because he asked to be watched, Martinson makes a request for a sleeping mat.

Nope. Welcome to intake, the officer says.

Please? Martinson asks.

No, this is how intake works, the officer says. She then shuts the service hatch through which the two were speaking.

Later, detention officers continue to make their rounds. The same officer speaks with Martinson again. Different inmates are admitted into different cells. People are standing and talking in the hallway.

At 1:10 a.m., Martinson can be seen standing in his cell. He can be heard coughing and yelling for help on multiple occasions.

None of the officers respond to his cries for help.

During the same female officers rounds, Martinson speaks to an officer and asked for assistance. She grabs medical equipment and enters the cell to check on him at 1:32 a.m. Four minutes later, the detention officer completes her check.

Theres nothing wrong with you, the officer says. Drink some water.

Two detention officers peer into Martinsons cell for extended periods of time on their rounds. Later, an officer opens the door to Martinsons cell at 4:13 a.m. He stands, staring at Martinson in the cell, for three minutes before entering.

After looking at Martinson for another minute, he walks away from the cell and makes a call.

The female officer walks into the cell. Wake up, she says while bending over Martinson.

At 4:16 a.m., three officers are standing at the door to Martinsons cell. Three other officers walk toward the cell. It is not clear if any life-saving measures have taken place at this point.

Kyle. Can you hear me? Kyle, an officer with latex gloves says while bending over Martinsons body. The female officer approaches with latex gloves on and appears to do some form of medical procedure at this point.

At 4:22 a.m., two medical personnel show up and pull Martinson out of the cell. (The Coconino County Sheriffs Office redacted the jail footage by placed a black box over Martinsons body.) Six more medical personnel, including some from the Flagstaff Fire Department, show up at 4:25 a.m.

One of the medical personnel details that Martinson was found 15 minutes before the additional medical personnel arrived, and said that chest compressions had been done at an earlier time. Most personnel leave by 4:38 a.m.

City Council report

The policy of the Coconino County Detention Facility is to conduct a formal medical screening 48 hours after an inmate arrives at the facility that includes taking down vital signs, according to the city council report. The responsibility for planning safe and timely transports of inmates falls on a decision of two positions.

The nursing supervisor, in conjunction with the on-duty supervisor or sergeant, will coordinate the safe and timely transport of inmates for medical, mental health, and dental clinic appointments both inside and outside the facility, the city council report said.

Strep throat is highly contagious, but detention facility staff allege they did not deduce that Martinson had either strep throat or pneumonia. According to the facility policy, if they had suspected that Martinson had any contagious disease, he should have been quickly evaluated by medical staff and placed in isolation or in a cell with less airflow in the infirmary.

The policy also states that if a person in intake has an oxygen level of less than 90% and no nurse is on duty, the inmate will be sent to the hospital.

At last check, Martinson had an oxygen level of 91%. A doctor with the American Lung Association said oxygen saturation levels should be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, he said a healthy person of Martinsons age who is physically fit should not expect to see oxygen levels that low.

This article has been updated from its original version.

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.Flagstaff City Council may have voted to allow most kinds of electric bike riders on the Flagstaff Urban Trail System unrestricted access and voted against the criminalization of biking while intoxicated during the June 4 council meeting, but that does not mean the issue is settled.

Council must still vote on the ordinance one more time, scheduled for June 18, at which time Council could again change direction and decide to pass stronger regulations on bikes.

In their decision on June 4, many councilmembers referenced the number of emails from the public they had received in opposition to the original regulations on e-bikes and cyclists that had been proposed.

But after that vote, which allowed class one and two e-bikes on all sections of the urban trail system, the council has again been receiving emails, this time many from members of the public opposed to the devices on trails.

So far, the numbers of these emails have been in far fewer numbers compared to the public outreach the council received in opposition to regulation, according to members of the council, but they could still influence members of the council to again look at stricter regulations.

In addition to this, Mayor Coral Evans was not in attendance at the last meeting and thus could not weigh in on the subject of bike regulation when it was discussed. Evans has voiced strong support for stricter regulations being placed on both e-bikes and traditional cyclists in the past, speaking of the danger they can pose to pedestrians and insisting cyclists often dont follow the rules of the road.

While Evans may be able to weigh in on the subject, those opposed to more regulations could lose an ally in Vice-Mayor Adam Shimoni.

During the last meeting in which council discussed the proposition, Councilmember Regina Salas asked Shimoni to recuse himself from the vote because he owns a bike business.

As a matter of procedure and with so much respect to the vice-mayor, Salas said, addressing Shimoni, it is apparent to me that you have a conflict of interest as you own a bike shop.

Salas is not the only one to call on Shimoni to recuse himself. In two letters addressed to the council addressing the issue of e-bikes on urban trails, the Northern Arizona chapter of the Sierra Club also asked Shimoni to disqualify himself.

Joe Shannon, the chair of the Northern Arizona chapter, has said it is the position of the local Sierra Club chapter that the urban trail should be preserved purely for non-motorized use.

However, according to Arizona law, if there are 10 or more businesses of the same type, the councilmember does not have a conflict of interest. Including Shimoni's business, there are at least 10 that sell bikes in Flagstaff

For his part, Shimoni said he does not believe he has a conflict of interest, adding the vast majority of the bikes he has sold are not e-bikes.

I dont see any issue at all, to be honest, Shimoni said.

Love 7 Funny 3 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 13The City Council will take a final vote on Tuesday, June 18 to allow electric bikes on all FUTS trails, both paved and unpaved. These bikes can attain speeds to 20 mph. If anyone would like to see some trails saved for walkers and non-motorized bikes, please write to the council members or speak at the meeting on June 18.

When this issue was discussed at an earlier meeting, many spoke in support of allowing the bikes, which ultimately influenced some councilmembers to be more supportive. I listened to all speakers and can understand the health and enjoyment reasons given. One who has recognized that due to my own health issues, a day may come when I might be confronted with the recreational need for a battery powered device.

It seems the needs of the health and recreational desires of our biking community have been addressed, except for the children and the walkers. Some trails need to be set aside for this group of people also. I am referring to the parents who want their children to learn to bike in a safe area, and the young moms/dads with jogging strollers and babies. Also, some older folks who prefer walking to biking.

I would like to see Buffalo Park, a destination recreational spot, free of e-bikes. Another suggestion could be the Karen Cooper trail. Even the section of the Arizona Trail that is within Flagstaff should not create a precedent for allowing e-bikes on a trail thats traveled by backpackers and hikers between Mexico and Utah.

I am fully aware that human-powered bikers can attain speeds of 20+ mph, but are all our trails the place for such speed? Speed limits, especially on trails where e-bikes are allowed, would not only be beneficial to prevent accidents, but also serve as an education tool for our youth.

MARGIE GOULDEN

Flagstaff

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Excerpt # 21: Only Too Brief An Academic Association

M. Bakri Musa (www.bakrimusa.com)





It was not with much enthusiasm that I took my hospitals Deputy Directors suggestion to meet with the Dean of UKMs medical school. My lack of enthusiasm was not without foundation. Years earlier while in Canada I had written to the then UKMs Dean of Medicine, thinking that being a new medical school my prospects would be better there. No reply. I had also written to the University of Malaya. Similar results.





The UKM Deans office was at the Malaysian Medical Association building across the street from GHKL. I entered a darkened office, the lights dimmed, and curtains fully drawn. Behind a huge desk that was remarkable for its bareness sat a stocky Malay man with dark glasses.





I am allergic to the sun! he said when I could not help but stare at his wearing sunglasses in a darkened room. I suppressed my laughter with some success, managing only a detached smile. Allergic to the sun, in tropical Malaysia?





He told me that he was called in from retirement to run this place because the inaugural dean had some trouble with corruption. I was surprised.





I introduced myself. He was nonplussed and just continued staring at me. I was expecting some questions about my training and experience, but nothing was forthcoming. Only silence. I was getting uncomfortable.





Then, Why are you here?





I had interrupted the siesta of a slothful monk, and was taken aback. I thought my deputy director had spoken to him about me. More in desperation, I blurted out that I was looking for an academic job.





Was there an ad?





I beg your pardon? not believing what I had just heard.





He repeated his question. I replied no.





Wait for the ad. Then apply!





Only a few months earlier I was told that the country did not need surgeons except in such places as Kuala Lipis. Now I was being told that its new medical school also did not need one.





That was my briefest interview ever, if I could call it that. I should have been disappointed, but I wasnt. It is not a disappointment when you expect it. It was more a relief. I concluded during our very brief encounter that I should not and would not trust my future to this nincompoop.





The man, Dr. Wahab Ariff, was a former public health doctor. The last time he examined a patient was probably when he was an intern. As for academic experience, he had none. His mindset was civil service. His superior had not told him to recruit surgeons, so he did not. He was there only to keep the seat warm.





My surprise was that the authorities had given him the awesome responsibilities of setting up a new medical school. I wondered who was the greater fool, he or the one who appointed him?





That distracting minor detour aside, my routine at the hospital remained unchanged. Take care of patients, teach medical students assigned to my unit from both UKM and UM, and guide the interns as well as medical officers. As for the third leg of the three-legged stool of modern medicine that I was trying to create at GHKL  research  I had introduced the rudiments of clinical inquiry to my trainees by assigning them each some small clinical projects. There was no shortage of clinical materials at GHKL, including the rare birds.





Once I did a stomach biopsy and the results came back as eosinophilic gastritis. I asked one of my senior trainees about the condition and she replied, Oh yes, we see quite a few such cases!





Good, I replied, and then asked her to expound on it. She could not. I told her to look up the literature and report back. To her surprise there was not much written about it either. I assigned her to follow that and similar cases and document in full the clinical history and presentations, as well as perform further necessary diagnostic tests.





That case served many useful lessons for my trainees. Seemingly common cases may not be so, nor have been adequately studied and documented. We must remain inquisitive and not be so ready to accept pat answers or the conventional wisdom.





Every one of my trainees had a little project or two. By the end of the year, three of them had published scientific papers. Freda Meah wrote on traumatic small bowel injuries in blunt trauma; Yusha Wahab on a sub-variety of injuries associated with wearing seat belts, and another series with ventral hernias. Those were case reports rather than true clinical research. Nonetheless they provided a good exercise in reviewing the literature as well as scientific writing.





Zulkifli Laidins clinical research was on the effect of prophylactic (preventive) preoperative topical antibiotic infiltration on surgical wound infections in acute appendicitis. As our unit was a busy one, it did not take us long to acquire a respectable publishable series. Zul showed that the technique did indeed reduce wound infections. This was at the time when the use of prophylactic antibiotics was frowned upon. Today it is standard practice; not to use one would be considered substandard if not negligent.





I too had started on my own research project, on the immunology of parasitic infections, in particular amebiasis. In the short few months I was GHKL, I saw more than a few cases and was intrigued by their myriad manifestations, from self-limiting diarrhea to severe enterocolitis and from self-healing tumors (ameboma) to fulminating liver abscesses. I was also certain that none of the major research centers in the West were engaged in this study. So I had this wide new field open to myself.





The beaming smiles of my trainees when they saw their names in print for the first time made all their hard work worthwhile. I had the same elation with mine and assured them that the joy did not diminish with subsequent papers. Each was an accomplishment in its own unique way.





Next: Excerpt 22: More UKM Matters  Misplaced Expensive Priorities



Ten years ago, the passage of Obamacare vastly increased the federal government's role in our health-care system. The health care overhaul was sold to the American people as a solution for skyrocketing costs and high uninsured rates. While some uninsured gained coverage, the law further complicated America's complex system, which continues to fail so many of our citizens. Despite the glaring shortcomings in our current system, which is riddled with government intervention, many are calling for the next step: a single-payer system. American's should be skeptical.Single-payer, Medicare For All, or a universal health-care system are some of the terms commonly used to describe the pie-in-the-sky system proposed as the new fix for American's health-care problems. Although there are different proposals to thrust the government further into the health-care sector, the most popular plan championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders would grant full control to the government. Fellow Democratic presidential nominees, such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and Cory Booker, are co-sponsors of the legislation. Not everyone on the Left fully endorses this plan, however.Sanders' plan would transition to a single-payer system. A recently released report by the Congressional Budget Office noted a single-payer system has four essential factors. It would rely on the government to operate major functions of the plan such as eligibility, benefits, and payments for services. All eligible enrollees would be required to pay into the system. Receipts and expenditures would be reflected in the government's budget, and private insurance would be outlawed or play a minor role.Medicare For All as envisioned by Sanders would eliminate almost all private insurance and provide all Americans with coverage, including primary care, hospital visits, long-term care, vision, dental and prescription drugs in plan administered by the government.Indeed, most Americans would probably enjoy having such benefits. Polling by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds 71 percent of respondents favored a National Medicare For All plan after hearing it would guarantee health insurance for all. But Americans should be concerned the tremendous costs of such a plan.The most substantial effect on the economy would be the almost complete removal of the private sector in health care. Sanders' program would shift more than half the country into a government plan by removing the market for private insurers. Support for the Medicare For All program fell to 37 percent in the KFF poll when respondents heard private insurance would be eliminated. Through competition and innovation, the American health-care system has produced some brilliant modernizations in medicine. Putting control in the hands of the government would likely stifle that innovative drive.So how would the government, assuming the responsibility for administering the plan, pay for such a large system? Under Sanders' plan, patients would be subject to no out-of-pocket spending. Instead, taxes would rise, particularly on the wealthy, to pay for the program. KFF poll data shows support for the Medicare For All program falls to 37 percent when respondents are told most Americans would be required to pay more in taxes. Moderate estimates put the price tag at about $30 trillion over the first 10 years. The U.S. government is projected to run an $897 billion budget deficit in 2019, adding to our federal debt of $22 trillion. The federal government will have difficulty paying for its growing obligations to Social Security and entitlement programs, let alone the trillions needed to pay for the massive new program.Would everyone get the care they need in a single-payer system? Probably not. Reports from other single-payer countries paint sobering picture. For example, patients in the U.K. and Canada can experience significant wait times for certain medically necessary services. Support for Medicare For All in the KFF poll fell to 26 percent when respondents were told the system might lead to delays in people getting some medical tests and treatments. Research has shown that when patients are responsible for less of the bill, health care consumption increases, much of it unnecessary. In a country where upwards of 327 million people would be crammed into one health-care program, it's not difficult to imagine the effects on wait times.Conservatives believe public policy is most effective when it's administered as close to the intended population as possible. I believe the policy distance between patients and Washington D.C., is a critical problem in our health-care system. Health-care reform needs to focus on shifting the balance of power back to the patient, instead of toward the government. Moving to a single-payer system would be the final blow to patient choice in America's health-care system, not to mention a blow to taxpayers' already thinning wallets.Billings firefighters assisted Iixohgadagiiwia SageGirl Gwin, an 18-year-old woman from the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, after she became stuck in a tree behind the Quality Inn where her family was staying on Saturday.

After climbing up surrounding trees, Gwin became stuck over 30 feet in the air. Family members watched as she struggled to climb down.

I got curious and wandered too far, Gwin said. On my way up I kind of broke the branches so I couldnt get down.

Billings firefighters used a bucket truck to reach the stranded woman and return her safely to the ground. She did not suffer any injuries.

Ive been climbing trees since I could walk, Gwin said.

However, Saturday was the first time that she became stuck.

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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."It is a fight to be won by prayers and the faith of all men," he told the Butte crowd as he prepared to go back to Korea.

The Montana Standard lamented, "Nor did anyone envision ... a hillside in Korea when a Communist firing squad would snuff out the life of the young communicant because the native East Side boy, as a Catholic priest stood for everything to which Communism is opposed."

Just a year after being the guest of honor in Butte, his grave was out back of the little church in Sam Chok, Korea.

His grave there was identified by a fellow priest who had been dispatched from Nebraska, the head of Maginn's home Catholic Columban order, to find the location of the bodies.

"I set to work to dig and soon I uncovered some bones. ... Then, I found a skull and there was no doubt in my mind that we had found Jimmie Maginn. How did I know? By the teeth. Jimmie had some unusual work done on his teeth; two of his lower teeth were capped with silver," wrote Rev. Patrick Burke in his report back to the U.S.

His body was later relocated to Chunchon, Korea, where other Columban priests are buried. The two other priests who were executed with Maginn were also buried there.Adam Weatherby is likely happy he didnt have a larger company to move.

I wouldnt recommend it to anybody I loved, he said. Its a ton of work.

Fifteen 53-foot-long truckloads of equipment were hauled to the new facility. Only 12 of the companys 75-member staff moved, 15 new people came from out of state and the rest were hired locally. New hires were sent to California to learn the business. As much as possible, manufacturing was ramped up to increase inventory to help bridge the month when everything was shut down to move.

Why move to Wyoming? Weatherby took a deep breath to answer that question.

People, first and foremost, he said. To have this sort of turnout is representative that we chose the right area. The culture, the outdoor culture, the work ethic, obviously the business climate, the tax climate and then the pro-Second Amendment is what we were looking for.

He also praised the beauty and access to the nearby Bighorn Mountains and the wildlife the state contains, along with the local college to train graduates that may one day work at Weatherby. Closing out he thanked the state, former governor and local officials for helping to seal the deal.Over the past 15 years, weve made immense progress in the global AIDS fight, but the disease remains a deadly crisis. Every day, the AIDS epidemic claims 2,500 lives.

Earlier this month, the House Appropriations Committee took a big step towards continuing Americas leadership in the AIDS fight by maintaining the United States historic one-third commitment for the Global Fund, one of the most effective and efficient health organizations on the planet.

The Global Fund has helped save 27 million lives over its first 15 years in part because it uses the private sector to not only contribute money, but innovate and streamline. Today, the countries most affected by AIDS are contributing more to the fight than ever before. But there is no supplement for American leadership.

It was a Republican president who proposed PEPFAR, Americas signature bilateral HIV/AIDS program, and was the first contributor to its global counterpart, the Global Fund. And now, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Steve Daines has the opportunity to not only carry on that legacy, but to help us defeat AIDS around the world once and for all.A recent study by nonpartisan experts found that our country has suffered the largest reduction of public lands protections in history under President Donald Trump. To save face, its no surprise then that Vice President Mike Pence and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt booked a photo opportunity in Yellowstone National Park.

Events like these have a clear value in papering over their record of corruption. They both have bent over backward to loosen regulations and undermine public land protections at the behest of lobbyists and special interests in Washington, D.C. But its the Montanans and Americans who visit Yellowstone without a Secret Service detail who will literally pay the price.

Case in point: the presidents signing ceremony for the Land and Water Conservation Fund permanent reauthorization legislation  a vital tool for expanding public access and protections for public lands and parks. Pence and Bernhardt were present for this PR stunt, yet neither of them stood up to the president when, just days later, he proposed a budget that zeroed out funding for the program.A competitive democratic process allows voters a meaningful choice. I filed to run for governor of Montana on June 10 to give voters a choice. A polarizing candidate will divide our state. We need to work together to carry on the good work which has led to successful bipartisan efforts like Medicaid expansion and Hannas Law. Making sure people on both sides of the aisle are treated fairly is important to me. I believe equality is the foundation of our democratic system.

We will need to tackle tough issues of persistent drought, deluges and wildfire and continue to build resiliency in our state systems. We will need science to make wise decisions for Montanas future. From stream flows to crop yields, science is an integral part of a modern economy. We need biology, engineering and physics in order to make wise decisions for Montanas future.

Together we have the ability to build a stronger Montana. When I represented my community in Park County in the Montana House, I learned what a small town our state really is. Were a collection of individuals who more often choose to celebrate what we all have in common rather than dwell on our differences.

Reilly Neill

Livingston

Love 5 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1Greater detail of what has been buried in the ground for centuries came to light in late May and early June when Montana State University professor Mike Neeley and instructor Nancy Mahoney, from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, led an undergraduate field school to excavate portions of the bison kill site.

The instructors and students were invited by the landowner, Bradley, who is also an MSU graduate. Now a missionary in South America for most of the year, he became concerned after other people began digging at the site and contacted the university.

So this whole archaeology thing, the goal behind it is rather than pilfering the site, which is fine, but we dont know the story, Bradley said.

Based on the MSU students and facultys month-long dig, they have provided a first chapter to that story.

Bones, stones

What the dig revealed was that part of the site had been used between 1,000 and 2,000 years ago. A analysis of charcoal found at the site should give the researchers more definitive dates.

There were so many bone fragments, so many big boulders we had to move, said MSU student Amelia McGrath, 21, of Butte.Four hires at KLJ

Chris Caldwell, Jenn Bailey, Derek Bendickson and Erika Stucki have joined the KLJ engineering firm in Bismarck.

Caldwell was hired as a surveyor with 20 years of experience from Washington and Montana.

Bailey is now an administrative assistant at KLJ. She received a bachelor's degree in business management from University of Mary in Bismarck.

Bendickson has been hired as the environmental planner. He has a bachelor's degree from North Dakota State in natural resources management.

Stucki was hired at the CAD technician. She has 13 years of experience and a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Brigham Young University.

New hire at HEI

Houston Engineering, Inc. hired Craig Odenbach as project manager in Bismarck.

Odenbach will be working in the water resources sector. He has a master's and bachelor's degree in civil engineering from North Dakota State. Odenbach also holds a civil engineering technology associate degree from North Dakota State School of Science - Wahpeton. He has 35 years of experience in water resources, from being a previous HEI employee and working as Director of the water development division at North Dakota State Water Commission.

NDSA new hire

Leann Rosencrans started as the office manager for North Dakota Stockmen's Association in May.

She will provide administrative support for staff and volunteers, handle press releases, maintain membership databases, utilize the website and social media, and work as the chief mail clerk and receptionist.

Orignially from Towner, where she owned her own business, Big T Diner, for 10 years, she has many years of office experience. Her most recent experience was as a medical transcriptionist for the Coal Country Community Health Center.

Advanced Certification

Erik Johansen, assistant optical manager at Dakota Eye Institute, passed the board's Advanced Certification Exam, earning him the ABOC-AC designation from the American Board of Opticianry.

This is earned after completing advanced education curriculum, passing the exam and years of experience. He is the only optical professional in North Dakota to become certified at this level.

Monthly Awards

Robbie Montgomery received adviser of the month at Securian Financial Advisors of ND for May. He has worked as a representative of Securian since January 2007 and is being awarded for the production and service he provides his clients.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0By historical standards, its a little early to be talking about the North Dakota governors race.

At this point in the 2016 election cycle, then-Gov. Jack Dalrymple had yet to decline a re-election campaign for two more months. Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem waited until November 2015 before declaring his own bid; Doug Burgum himself didnt jump in until the following January.

So, when faced with questions about a run for re-election, now-Gov. Burgum has demurred.

Id say we have strong interest in continuing the work that were doing, he told the Grand Forks Heralds editorial board, expressing enthusiasm for the job but falling short of a campaign announcement. Last month, he told the Tribune the same thing, though in more colorful terms: I think if we're trying to read the tea leaves, I'd say we're leaning in.

Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford put it more explicitly: "It'd be pretty early for an announcement," he told the Tribune.

But if Burgum does decide to run, hell do so on the results of a term that began with the Dakota Access Pipeline protests and still sees off-peak oil tax revenues. Notably, that first term has also included a successful campaign to fund a Theodore Roosevelt library and museum; a fight with the Legislature over veto power; criminal justice reforms to slow prison growth; and programming plying cities to focus on downtown core growth.

Burgum has enjoyed broad popularity as governor, according to quarterly survey results from Morning Consult, debuting in the middle of the DAPL protests with a 69% approval rating. Thats declined over the past two years, but its yet to dip below 53%, and now sits at 55%  with a 21% disapproval rating.

That result makes him the ninth most popular governor in the country, according to the research data firm, and the third most popular facing re-election by the end of 2020.

Thats not to say he would run unopposed. Democrats are expected to run next year on an economic platform, state party chairwoman Kylie Oversen said  on issues like wages, family leave policy and health care access. On his right flank, Burgum is faced with fiscal conservatives who believe he has failed to rein in spending. Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, said hed be pleased to see a small-government candidate challenge the governor, but it likely wont be him  a decision that leaves the question of a contested GOP primary challenge less clear.

If there was a very strong, viable, third-party candidate who were to be preaching the gospel of conservatism, that person might be able to take enough votes away to hand Heidi (Heitkamp) a victory, Becker said, pointing out the recently-defeated Democratic senators financial war chest left over from the 2016 campaign. (Among Democrats), Heidis got a snowballs chance, but thats about it, in my opinion.

Heidi Heitkamp said in January that she had no plans to run for governor. She did not respond to a request for comment, made through Dem-NPL officials, earlier this week.

Burgum does not appear to have any serious threats from established, longtime Republicans. U.S. Attorney and erstwhile Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley recently told the Heralds editorial board that hes not weighing the governors race and is happy in his current post. Stenehjem, a bitter 2016 primary opponent of Gov. Burgum, said through a party representative that hes not weighing the race, either.

Even though the proper beginning of the race is likely months away, Democrats are weighing their strategy and starting to think of candidates  though none has openly voiced intent to run.

Weve got a few people in mind that we hope to talk to, but no one who has jumped forward and expressed interest, Oversen, the Dem-NPL chairwoman, said of gubernatorial candidates.

Thats borne out in calls made to prominent Democrats. Former Senate Minority Leader Mac Schneider, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2018, said a gubernatorial run from him is highly unlikely. Sen. Erin Oban, D-Bismarck, the minority caucus leader, said shed prefer to spend time with her young son.

State Rep. Josh Boschee, D-Fargo and the House minority leader, left the door open. Hes fresh off a defeat of his own in a bid for secretary of state, but his loss was the closest a statewide Democrat came last year to victory  8 points away.

Im certainly more interested in making sure I represent north Fargo again, he said. (But) at this point Im not ruling anything out.

Oversen gave a preview of some of the opposition Burgum might face next year. She criticized his signature on a bill curtailing a kind of second-trimester abortion procedure this session, as well as for the Legislatures edits to the voters measure to establish a state ethics board.

From my perspective, and I think people of most parties, Burgum campaigned on breaking up the good old boys club, of draining the swamp, whatever  and he has, in my perspective, been the opposite of that, Oversen said. Hes very much become part of that establishment in the Capitol.

Whoever the Dem-NPL nominates for a run at the governors mansion, 2020 comes at the end of decades of party woes, as a slow backward slide in support since at least the 1990s leaves it with far less power. The average statewide Democratic candidate won 37.6% of the vote in the 2018 election, worse than they performed at any point during the Clinton and George W. Bush presidencies.

State Rep. Corey Mock, the former House minority leader, pointed out that Democrats are faced with the challenge of defining themselves in a state where their party doesnt always resemble their national counterparts  no minor feat when many North Dakotans get news from national outlets.

I dont think anybody is fooling themselves about the political makeup of North Dakota, Schneider said. The math is pretty challenging.

Burgum might be widely expected to run, but Mike Schrimpf, his political spokesperson, didnt give any more hints than the governor. In a response to a list of questions about Burgums current term and possible campaign for re-election, he argued that the governor has responsibly managed the state budget, the local economy and relations with tribal leaders.

North Dakotans support Gov. Burgum and Lt. Gov. Sanford because theyve delivered conservative results and the state is thriving, he said. They work closely with President Trump and his Cabinet leaders, and their bold, transformational agenda is reinventing state government to better serve its customers, the hardworking taxpayers.

A question he didnt directly answer was about Burgums current thinking on a re-election campaign  leaving voters waiting to find out what hell do for sure.

But that wont stop speculation.

My guess is Doug is going to wait a long time to formally announce, and when he does, nobody else is going to want to get in, Becker said of the race  the GOP side of it, at least. Because theyll view it as a suicide mission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Joel was born on Sept. 6, 1951, to Clarence and Carol Hasse, of Tappen. He graduated from Tappen High School in 1969 and attended Wahpeton State School of Science where he received a certificate in welding. In October 1970, he entered the US Army and served two years, including a tour in Germany, and attained the rank of E-4. On July 2, 1977, he married Ruth Mahin.

Joel never met a stranger and he made it his mission in life to put others' needs above his own. Joel's great love, second only to his love for Ruth, was to fabricate new equipment and designs. He spent countless hours with his finger in the air thinking up over-engineered designs and equipment parts that ranged from small to large, simple to complex. Then he'd explain them to anyone and everyone that would lend him an ear. Usually these doodads were designed and built for someone else. It was because of his great engineering mind that his daughters knew he could fix anything, much to the chagrin of their husbands.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THOMPSON  Justin Forde believes the viability of wireless broadband service for sparsely populated rural areas is visible from the top of the Farmers Cooperative Elevator that towers over this Red River Valley farming community.

On a recent hazy June afternoon, standing on top of the 190-foot tall grain elevator, Forde showed visitors the gadgetry that enables rural customers up to 8.8 miles away to receive broadband wireless serves with download speeds of 100 megabits per second.

Thats fast enough to allow customers to stream movies at high, 4K resolution or enable multiplayer gaming on three to five devices at the same time.

This is next-generation technology, said Forde, senior director of governmental relations for Midco. High speed.

The telecommunications world is racing to deploy the next generation of wireless technology, called 5G, shorthand for fifth generation. The service is now available in some major cities, including Minneapolis.

The next-generation mobile network will provide dazzlingly fast internet access  with speeds of 300 mps or higher.

But experts say it could be up to five years before customers in smaller cities like Fargo and Bismarck can expect to see 5G wireless, and it likely will be available only in densely populated areas, such as the downtowns, the campus of North Dakota State University or the state capitol complex.

Thats because 5G uses very high-frequency radio waves that travel very short distances, requiring a dense  and very expensive  network of transmitters that are cost-effective only in very urban environments.

Given those costs and limitations, rural customers arent apt to see 5G mobile service anytime soon, if at all, Forde said.

Midco is advocating an alternative it touts as better suited for remote rural areas called fixed wireless. The company has deployed a network using 140 cell towers, water towers and grain elevators as platforms to transmit and relay wireless signals over an area of more than 14,000 square miles.

Were covering every acre of our world-class Red River Valley soil, Forde said.

In Thompson, a north-facing dish mounted at the top of the elevator receives microwave signals from Grand Forks, about 15 miles away. That signal then is relayed to customers by antennae mounted on a steel tower atop the elevator.

As you can see, this is rural America, Forde said, gesturing to the patchwork of farm fields, shelterbelts and farmsteads surrounding the elevator.

Farmsteads often lie outside fiber networks. Its such a great tool to reach out to them, he said.

The Thompson site serves about 400 customers who are in a test area, using radio frequency spectrum Midco is urging federal officials to make more broadly available. Once approval is given, Midco can provide download speeds of 100 mps and upload speeds of 20 mps throughout its fixed-wireless network in the Red River Valley.

At distances longer than about 8.8 miles from a transmitting point like the Thompson elevator, slower speeds apply.

Midco plans to extend its fixed-wireless service to rural areas outside the reach of its broadband fiber network to southeastern South Dakota, including the Mitchell area, as well as central and southern Minnesota over the next several years, Forde said.

Collectively, he added, those areas hold about 200,000 homes. The network can be upgraded in the future.

We have a path to fixed 5G, he said, an option that wouldnt serve mobile customers. Were 5G ready.

Still need wire

Its often overlooked, but the underground fiber broadband network is an essential part of the wireless network. Those cell towers that dot the American landscape are connected to fiber.

You cant have wireless without wire, said Seth Arndorfer, chief executive officer of the Dakota Carrier Network, a high-speed internet network that serves vast areas of North Dakota.

Arndorfer, whose company, like Midco, works closely with wireless partners, predicts that the 5G mobile network will begin to appear in larger markets including Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks and Minot within five years.

Well see limited deployments in higher-population areas, he said.

Examples would include downtowns, university campuses, medical centers, arenas, major traffic thoroughfares  places with enough users to support the investment required to install small-cell towers, often attached to utility poles or street lights.

Although rural areas are apt to be left behind in the emerging 5G era, North Dakota is well-wired; 95% of the states households have broadband fiber access, Arndorfer said.

Dakota Carrier Network, established in 1996 by 14 rural telephone providers, has invested $1 billion to build the broadband network.

Collectively, we have over 40,000 miles of fiber optic cable in the ground in North Dakota, he said.

In Minnesota, 91% of the population has broadband access of 25 megabits per second or faster, with 44.3 mps as the statewide average connection speed, according to BroadbandNow, which advocates for universal broadband access.

Thats a bit faster than North Dakota, where the statewide average is 32.7 mps, according to the advocacy groups figures.

Verizon and AT&T, two major wireless providers, are keeping mum about when they expect to introduce 5G service in Fargo or Bismarck and other urban centers in North Dakota.

While we have not yet announced specific plans for 5G cities in North Dakota, we continue investing in building the network our customers need today and preparing for the future, Mark Giga, a spokesman for AT&T said in a statement.

AT&T announced in February that it will bring 5G service to parts of Minneapolis this year.

Verizon, which started providing 5G in certain areas of Minneapolis in April, has not publicly announced plans for cities in North Dakota or outstate Minnesota.

Beyond the cities we announced, we dont have further information to share at this time regarding other cities, said Heidi Flato, a Verizon spokeswoman.

Sprint didnt respond to The Forums inquiries about its 5G plans for the area.

Duane Schell, chief information officer for the state of North Dakota, expects to see 5G wireless in North Dakota sooner than in five years.

I tend to believe that the 5G rollout will be a bit faster than the 4G rollout across the country, he said.

Actually, Schell believes that there will be different versions of 5G wireless, with some providing lower speeds but covering wider areas. Some of those options might work in rural areas, he said.

But Schell agrees that major urban markets will be the first to gain access to next-generation wireless. Early discussions already are taking place with carriers involving 5G mobile access for the capitol complex in Bismarck, Schell said.

We are already engaged with multiple carriers with their small-cell deployments, he said. Theyre building out their infrastructure to be prepared for 5G.

The same is true in Fargo, Schell and Arndorfer said. If you drive around Fargo today you will see these antennas on light poles, he said. They are already popping up across the state.

5G brings more

The demand for 5G wireless connectivity will mushroom with technological advances including the internet of things, with gadgets linked online, self-driving cars, drones and precision agriculture.

So far, farmers who use precision agriculture methods  sometimes called site-specific crop management  are adequately served by the existing 4G wireless or satellite networks, said Brian Carroll, director of operations for Emerging Prairie and Grand Farm, a fully autonomous farm under development 7 miles south of Fargo.

Right now its good enough for the technology thats here, he said of wireless network speeds available to farmers.

Fixed wireless, he said, is an example of a technology that is currently available. The Red River Valley and North Dakota are probably better positioned than many rural areas for wireless access, given the widespread fiber networks, Carroll said.

You just dont need a solution for Fargo, he said. You want a solution that can scale everywhere.

Given the history of technology adoption, 5G will begin as a premium service, commanding a premium price, Schell said. But as competition increases, he added, prices will go down and service will improve.

I expect 5G to very quickly become the norm, Schell said. I think were going to see 5G everywhere just like you see 4G everywhere, with greater capacity and performance in urban areas.

What is 5G wireless?

5G is shorthand for the next generation of wireless communications. Most current cell phones use the 4G network.

5G, which uses extremely high radio frequencies, will deliver ultra-fast speeds, 10 or even 20 times faster than 4G.

Websites will load faster, videos will start playing faster, multiplayer games won't lag with 5G.

The ultra-high frequencies used by 5G travel very short distances, requiring dense distributions of transmitters that aren't well suited to areas that are remote or sparsely populated.

5G will help usher in an era of self-driving cars and the "internet of things," interconnected devices, as well as virtual reality.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0The Legislature has been challenged on its oversight of the State Auditors Office and the time has come to set the record straight.

This entire debate started when the North Dakota State Auditor requested 11 additional staff members. To better understand why such a large increase was warranted, the legislature gave the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee (LAFRC) the ability to review and approve the Auditors pursuit of performance audits. We did so to better understand the request, how performance audits impact the auditors primary duty of fiscal audits and judge the need for additional funding and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions. Keep in mind, performance audits account for only a small fraction of the audits conducted by the auditors office.

This action by the legislature was wholly appropriate and necessary. The North Dakota State Constitution states that the powers and duties of the State Auditor come from the legislature. Therefore, the legislature has oversight of the auditor and makes decisions on staff requests, length of audits and the quality of all audits including performance audits. The audits are critical to the legislature, because the audits help the legislature make sound policy.

The North Dakota State Constitution and Century Code clearly defines that the auditor works at the discretion of the legislature.

Article V of the North Dakota Constitution Section 2 states: The qualified electors of the state at the times and places of choosing members of the legislative assembly shall choose an auditor along with all the other statewide offices. The powers and duties of all statewide offices including the auditor must be prescribed by law.

Century Code Statue 54-10-01 states: The state auditor shall be vested with the duties, powers and responsibilities involved in performing the post audit of all financial transactions of the state government, detecting and reporting any defaults and determining that expenditures have been made in accordance with law and appropriation acts.

The State Auditor is a fact finder, makes recommendations, and presents the findings to LAFRC. The auditor does not have enforcement powers, because those powers belong to the legislature and the Attorney General.

The legislature needs quality information to make informed decisions when making state policy. Therefore, the legislature is vested in the number of FTEs, length of audits, quality of performance audits and oversight into the auditing process.

The goal of audits is to use the resources of the state of North Dakota to their fullest potential. To accomplish this goal, the legislature and auditor need to work together to make the auditing process effective, efficient and focused on the greatest opportunities and challenges.

Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, is North Dakota Senate majority leader.

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 6U.S. cybersecurity and Russia have been coinciding more frequently these days. Last year we reported the FBI warned U.S. organizations not to use Kaspersky Lab due to government ties.

FBI officials also raise the issue of Russias increasingly expansive surveillance laws and what they charge is a distinct culture wherein powerful Russian intelligence agencies are easily able to reach into private sector firms like Kaspersky with little check on government power.

We warned earlier this year about Russia being a major threat  they have been hacking corporations and more recently, industrial control systems.

President Trumps new cybersecurity strategy was discussed by National Security Advisor, John Bolton with Maria Bartiromo on her Sunday Morning Futures show on Fox News.

Were worried about the private sector. Were worried about government information technology. We think its very important to create structures of deterrence by going on the offensive as well, which were going to do. John Bolton

When asked about the biggest threats, he said Its China, Russa, Iran and North Korea. Weve seen it in multiple hacks. The damage was done in both the private and the public sector.

The New York Times wrote today, the U.S. is escalating its online attacks against Russias power grid.

In interviews over the past three months, the officials described the previously unreported deployment of American computer code inside Russias grid and other targets as a classified companion to more publicly discussed action directed at Moscows disinformation and hacking units around the 2018 midterm elections.

The article continues:

Mr. Trump issued new authorities to Cyber Command last summer, in a still-classified document known as National Security Presidential Memoranda 13, giving General Nakasone far more leeway to conduct offensive online operations without receiving presidential approval.

But the action inside the Russian electric grid appears to have been conducted under little-noticed new legal authorities, slipped into the military authorization bill passed by Congress last summer. The measure approved the routine conduct of clandestine military activity in cyberspace, to deter, safeguard or defend against attacks or malicious cyberactivities against the United States.

Under the law, those actions can now be authorized by the defense secretary without special presidential approval.

The new policy is to impose costs on the enemy, until they get the point. It is unknown exactly how far they need to go for this to happen and whether the response to aggression will be attacks on weaker targets.

Since the Desert Storm Iraq war in 1990, the world realized going up against American military might head-to-head was out of the question. Instead, soft targets were chosen such as buildings and docked ships. Citizens who ended up in the wrong place were also killed  including journalists.

In other words, the enemies went after soft targets.

It remains to be seen if attacks from hostile actors ramp up or slow as a result of this new aggression.

Either way, corporations need to be aware that the playing field is changing and increased threats may be on the way.

For more  read Cybersecurity Essentials for Every Business.Very few texts survive that were written in Britain between the 5th and 7th centuries. We have works by just two named authors from that period. One was a shepherd, who was kidnapped and sold into slavery and became the patron saint of Ireland, none other than St Patrick. The other wrote one of the most influential rants in British history.

A page from the earliest substantial copy of Gildas's The Ruin of Britain, made possibly in Canterbury in the 10th century: Cotton MS Vitellius A VI, f. 14v

The ranter in question was Gildas, a Romano-British deacon and monk. Sometime between the late 5th century and the 6th century, he wrote The Ruin of Britain, which describes a time of dramatic change, when the Roman legions had left Britain and the Romano-British population was under attack from invaders:

I shall try, God willing, to say a little about the situation of Britain; about her obstinacy, subjection, and rebellion ... the destruction of cities; about those who survived: Gildas: The Ruin of Britain and other works, ed. and trans. by Michael Winterbottom (London: Phillimore, 1978), p. 16.

As this quotation suggests, The Ruin of Britain is a moralising polemic that condemned the British lay and ecclesiastical leaders. The text is full of examples and quotations from the Bible. Although Gildas's account is vivid, he was not an eyewitness: most of the events he described occurred before he was born.

A fragment of The Ruin of Britain survives in a late 9th- or early 10th-century continental copy (now in Bibliotheque Carnegie de Reims, MS 414). The oldest substantial copy was made in southern England in the mid-10th century (British Library Cotton MS Vitellius A VI). Sadly, this manuscript was significantly damaged by fire in 1731.

The pages of this manuscript of The Ruin of Britain were damaged by fire in 1731, before being placed in paper mounts in the 19th century: Cotton MS Vitellius A VI, f. 7v

In The Ruin of Britain, Gildas depicted the defeats and natural disasters suffered by the Britons as divine punishment for their sins. He claimed that Romano-British leaders had invited three ship-loads of Saxons to protect them from Pictish invaders, but these Saxons had turned on their hosts and become an even worse enemy. Gildas described vividly how whole settlements were put to the sword, fragments of bodies covered with coagulated clots of red blood, in confusion as if in some kind of horrible wine press (translated by Hugh Williams, Gildas (London, 1899)). Some Britons surrendered to the invaders, others fled into the mountains or deep into forests, others still migrated to the continent. Some resisted, such as Ambrosius Aurelianus, who reputedly defeated the invaders at Mons Badonicus in the year that Gildas was born.

While Gildas praised leaders like Ambrosius, he did not mince his words about the Romano-British kings and churchmen of his own day: Britain has kings, but they are tyrants: she has judges, but they are unrighteous men. Gildas singled out five kings in particular for condemnation: Constantine, king of Dumnonia (the area around modern Cornwall and Devon); Aurelius Caninus; grey-haired Vortipor of the Demetae (in what is now Pembrokeshire); Cuneglas, who probably ruled the area around the Dinarth Rhos peninsula; and Maelgwn of Gwynedd. Gildas accused all these men of murder and adultery. He saved his fiercest criticism for the most powerful British king, Maelgwn:

And you, island dragon  greater than almost all the kings of Britain, but worse in morality ... You are certainly not lacking in warnings, since you were taught by the finest teacher in almost all of Britain.

It is unclear what happened to Gildas after he wrote The Ruin of Britain. Some have suggested that he migrated to Brittany, like many other Britons, since there was a Breton monastery dedicated to St Gildas. But there is no firm evidence for this. Gildas was remembered as a saint by the Anglo-Saxons, and his name is found in eight pre-Conquest calendars of saints' days.

Ironically, Gildass writings survive to this day in part because the Anglo-Saxons that he so despised continued to quote him. For example, Bede (d. 735) used The Ruin of Britain as one of his sources for the history of post-Roman Britain.

The most substantial surviving manuscript of The Ruin of Britain was copied in England in the 10th century: Cotton MS Vitellius A VI, f. 15r

Three centuries years later, Archbishop Wulfstan of York (d. 1023) used Gildas as cautionary tale, to try to galvanise English resistance to the Scandinavian invasions:

There was a historian in the time of the Britons, Gildas, who wrote about their misdeeds, how they exasperated God with their sins so much that He finally allowed the English army to conquer their land  Let us take warning from this: it is true what I say, we know of worse deeds among the English than we have heard of among the Britons.

The Ruin of Britain had long-lasting effects, even they were not what Gildas intended. He may not have swayed the leaders of his own day, and it is clear that the Germanic invaders became dominant in southern Britannia. The Ruin of Britain nonetheless had a major impact on some later writers. It remains the principal (near) contemporary narrative account of the momentous events of the 5th and 6th centuries.

Visit our Medieval England and France website to discover how to make a medieval manuscript, to read beastly tales from the medieval bestiary, and to learn about medieval science, medicine and monastic libraries.

Alison Hudson

Follow us on Twitter @BLMedieval

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by Staff reporter

Zimbabwe's imports for the first four months of the year to April 2019 dropped 31 percent to US$1,5 billion from US$2,2 billion registered in the same period last year, as the country's import bill continues to decline, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Deputy Governor Kupukile Mlambo has said.Exports have, however, remained stagnant at US$1,2 billion the same as recorded in the same period last year. During the period under review the country's trade deficit narrowed 299 percent from US$1 billion in the first five months of 2018 to US$300 million this year.Trade deficit refers to the amount by which the cost of a country's imports exceeds the value of its exports. Simply put, a trade deficit implies that a country is losing most of its currency reserves to its trading partners.Dr Mlambo told industrialists recently that the country's imports had significantly lowered compared to the same period last year." . . . For the balance of payment statistics for the first four months of this year, we have exported goods worth US$1,2 billion and we have imported goods worth US$1,5 billion so our deficit is worth around US$285 million."When you look at that amount, it's much lower than we had last year during the same period, but when you add that and you look at what we call non-proofing (households) institutions they imported from their own retention goods worth US$235 million so again I am puzzled with these kinds of (money) that are available. Why is this market not working so clearly?" said Deputy Governor Mlambo.Zimbabwe has been experiencing trade deficits due to low exports, usually of unprocessed items such as tobacco and minerals, and a ballooning import bill, mainly for consumptive goods.The country is a net importer of fuel and capital goods. The firming United States dollar has also made Zimbabwe's products more expensive and exports to the region uncompetitive.Analysts say the trade deficit experienced last year shows the economy has less competitive exports relative to the region partly as a result of operating with a firm US dollar. However, President Mnangagwa's Government is battling to rebuild the economy by  among others things  improving the domestic investment climate, supporting key production sectors and reintegrating Zimbabwe into the global community.With the economy structurally dislocated and production subdued in many sectors, a narrower trade deficit coming on the back of expanding exports and falling imports will always help breathe new life in the economy.Government has also been making several policy interventions to make sure that it grows its exports. Some of these include drafting of the National Quality Policy to make sure that local industries produce quality goods which meet the conformity standards of international markets as the country seeks to tap into the 1,2 billion people market which is being created through intra-African trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has also submitted that its strategic focus will be based on seeking private sector funding to the tune of US$2 billion to make sure that local industries retool to get production on board and cater for the export markets.News / National

by Staff reporter

Financial statements retrieved from Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries' computers by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) are admissible evidence in the $28 million tax evasion case and the church has to stand trial, a Harare court has ruled.Regional magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya ruled in favour of the State saying the documents can be produced in court as evidence. Magaya's church stands accused of failing to declare tax of more than $28 million revenue accrued from 2013 to 2018.Mr Mujaya said the full reasons for his ruling would be made available on June 14. He dismissed the church lawyers' arguments due to lack of merit and postponed the matter to June 26 for commencement of trial.The church's lawyers Mr Admire Rubaya and Mr Oliver Marwa were objecting to the tendering of the documents as evidence. This culminated in the conduction of a trial within a trial to ascertain the origin of the financial statements.During this trial, the lawyers objected the financial statements saying they were forged and fabricated. Magaya's church is being charged for breaching Value Added Tax (VAT) regulations on over $28 million realised from sale of church wares since 2013.According to the State, the church raises revenue from selling church regalia, anointing oil, holy water and from its guest house. It is alleged that sometime in October last year, ZIMRA conducted tax investigations and recovered financial statements from PHD for the period extending from 2013 to 2017.The court heard that ZIMRA recovered financial statements from the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe which were submitted by PHD for a loan application. The statements showed that the church realised sales amounting to $28 706 040 between 2013 and 2017.News / National

by Staff reporter

THE Tsvangirai family has urged members of political parties not to wear regalia during the burial of Mrs Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java tomorrow. Mrs Tsvangirai-Java died this week at the age of 36 from injuries sustained in a car crash.The family also expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa, recognising the Head of State's assistance to the family.Spokesperson Mr Manasa Tsvangirai said: "The emphasis is that we have invited everyone; this is not a partisan thing and on top of that we expect people to come and bury their friend and relative in their numbers."There is no any other regalia that should be put on at the burial. Today, the Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs Victor Matemadanda was here consoling the family. So everyone is invited for the burial of our dear daughter. We are only waiting for her siblings, Millicent and Rumbi, who are on their way from Australia," said Mr Tsvangirai.Mr Tsvangirai said President Mnangagwa played a critical role in uniting the people of Zimbabwe despite varying political affiliations."The President sent his condolence message to the Tsvangirai family and previously he even sent Vimbai a quick recovery message, which shows that he was concerned over the tragedy," said Mr Tsvangirai.Mrs Tsvangirai-Java, who was the MDC-Alliance lawmaker for Glen View South, succumbed to injuries she sustained in a road traffic accident near Kwekwe, that claimed the lives of two other MDC activists.Mrs Tsvangirai-Java was the eldest daughter of MDC-T founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai. She was recently elected MDC women's assembly secretary-general. Burial will take place at Glen Forest Cemetery at 3pm.News / National

by Staff reporter

Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom have said they are ready to work and mobilise investors to embrace President Mnangagwa's vision to become a middle-income economy by 2030.They said the vision is achievable if Government invests in productive sectors and implements policies that encourage investment, as well as entrepreneurial development.Zanu-PF UK/Europe District secretary for Administration Xavier Zavare said this while addressing party members, supporters and well-wishers at the launch of the Zanu-PF District's new branch in Scotland.''I urge all party members and the new members who have joined Zanu-PF today to feel at home and not to be swayed by exaggerated social media reports which seek to portray the country as broken," he said."We fully understand how current austerity measures are helping to stabilise the economy before it fully propels into an upward trajectory to meet the objective of having a middle income economy by 2030.''In his speech to launch the Scotland branch, Zavare encouraged members to take the battle to the enemy, highlighting the successes and achievements of Zanu-PF since independence."We have achieved a lot of success as a party since independence and we should be proud of our history in Government as a party," he said.Zavare told the members that since independence, the Zanu-PF Government has built universities in every province of the country totalling 15, with the 16th being built in Mashonaland East, compared to a single university at independence."Members and supporters should not believe opposition lies that Zanu-PF has done nothing for the country," he said.During the launch, Lazarus Nyagumbo, the District's secretary for the Commissariat, explained to the members what Zanu-PF stands for and how members are expected to behave, as well as promote the party.Masimba Tawengwa, the Zanu-PF UK/Europe District chairman, said the opening of the Scotland branch was a clear sign that Zimbabweans in the UK were turning to Zanu-PF, abandoning the MDC, which used to be dominant in the region.News / National

by Staff reporter

ZIMBABWE is on course to clear its US$605 million debt to the African Development Bank (AfDB), which will allow the country to start accessing funds from the bank beginning early next year, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said yesterday.In an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing 54th Meeting of the Boards of Governors of the AfDB and the 45th Annual Meeting of the African Development Fund being held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Prof Ncube said the country was complying with requirements that will pave way for it to access funds."We are expecting it (funding) end of January or February next year because the roadmap requires Staff Monitored Programmes from the International Monetary Fund and we signed up to go through test dates and the last test date is in December or January next year and at that moment, if all goes well, we will finally access the monies," said Prof Ncube.Last week, the African Development Bank Board approved the Zimbabwe Country Brief, which provides a programming document for the AfDB to continue its engagement with Harare regarding the arrears situation. Prof Ncube said approval of the Zimbabwe Country Brief "is another milestone towards the debt arrears clearance strategy".Recently, the IMF commended Government for tightening its stance and introducing a softer currency, the RTGS dollar, as part of a raft of reforms under the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP).The IMF conceded that "significant economic reforms", which include a spirited fight against corruption in procurement, State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) reforms and promoting private sector investment through improving the business climate, were in full swing as the country gears to achieve macro-economic stability.Government has since requested an SMP covering the period May 15, 2019 to March 15, 2020, and the IMF has supported the move, which will help authorities to implement key reforms outlined in the TSP, and "help Zimbabwe build a track record of sound economic policies as it seeks to normalise relations with external creditors".Zimbabwe and the AfDB have been in talks over debt clearance. Government is also considering a bridge finance whereby the AfDB, under the Arrears Clearance Window (Pillar II) of the Fragile States Facility or their Transition Stabilisation Facility, gives Harare a grant of about US$500 million to settle the debt.That would mean Zimbabwe's net payment will be around US$120 million. Yesterday, Prof Ncube also said it was time Zimbabwe returned to be a "normal" economy."Zimbabwe does not deserve to be where it is. There are normal countries here (at the AfDB meeting) so why can't we be normal?" he queried. Prof Ncube said guided by the TSP, Zimbabwe will witness economic growth from next year, and implored citizens to be patient."My message to the people of Zimbabwe is that; please be patient. We cannot have a silver bullet with these things, the positive impact of the reforms takes time and we are in the right path and again we should be patient," he said.The AfDB annual meetings bring together about 3 000 delegates and are being held under the theme, "Regional Integration for Africa's Economic Prosperity".The meetings provide a unique forum for representatives of governments, businesses, civil society, think-tanks, academia and the media from across the glove, to dialogue on key issues concerning Africa's development. The theme is one of the Bank's five strategic priorities. The meetings' calendar of events includes a High-Level Presidential Dialogue on, "Boosting Africa's Economic Integration".There will also be a special presentation of the Bank's flagship African Economic Outlook publication for 2019, released in January this year.Prof Ncube said regional integration was a key pillar for achieving prosperity for countries within the region following the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) by 52 countries ahead of its launch next month. He said Zimbabwe was looking for an opportunity to attract funding on regional projects such as the Batoka Gorge hydro-electricity scheme.News / National

by Staff reporter

POLICE in Bulawayo yesterday staged a dramatic raid at a residential flat in the city's Central Business District and arrested seven suspects in an operation that saw drugs and cash being recovered.The flat, situated at the corner of 1st Avenue and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street, was targeted after residents living nearby complained that the area was being turned into a haven of crime.Police units including CID Drugs and the Canine Unit pounced just after midday.As some police officers stormed the flat, heavily armed cops surrounded the premises creating a spectacle for Bulawayo residents that was also witnessed by a news crews.Bulawayo Crime Prevention Officer, Chief Superintendent Manuel Usiku, led the operation. Curious onlookers watch as the suspects are taken away by the police Chief Supt Usiku told The Chronicle that the raid led to the arrest of seven suspects and the recovery of mbanje, broncho and sex enhancing pills."So far we have arrested seven accused persons who we are still processing," he said."We are still quantifying the recoveries and but we recovered quite a lot of broncho, we also recovered substantial quantities of mbanje in the hard drugs."Chief Supt Usiku attributed the success of the raid to the able leadership of the Officer Commanding Bulawayo Province, Commissioner Bernard Dumbura. He said Comm Dumbura was instrumental in their ability to effectively conduct the operation which saw them monitoring the area for several weeks before pouncing. He said drugs have a damaging impact and drug dealers have to be removed from society."Of late we have a lot of people who are being admitted to hospitals suffering from mental problems because of drug abuse. We have quite a number of people especially here in Bulawayo who are admitted at Ingutsheni Central Hospital due to the abuse of these drugs. Through our surveillance, we observed that mainly youths were frequenting this place," Chief Supt Usiku said.Police officers surround Eglesham Flat during a raid to search for drugs in Bulawayo yesterday."We want to urge members of the public to desist from taking drugs because drugs have long term health effects. Besides that, when one is under the influence of such drugs, their mental faculties are also affected. They would not be able to think straight. So they are likely to commit offences and can be victims of crime as well."He said police are grateful for the co-operation they received from members of the public in the fight to eradicate crime in the city. Chief Supt Usiku appealed for continued partnership with the public for effective community policing. Some of the residents who were at the scene applauded police for the operation."This kind of a raid serves as a warning to drug dealers elsewhere that the law will catch up with them. We are tired of these drug dealers who are destroying our children."A lot of people knew about this place and wondered why those involved were not being arrested. Failing to deal with such known drug dealers leads to the sprouting of similar criminals. Therefore, we are happy with this raid and arrest of the suspects," said Mr Sizwe Moyo.News / National

by Staff reporter

A SEVEN-men gang of suspected armed robbers allegedly raided an illegal money changer at his home in Bulawayo before torturing him into revealing where he had hidden cash.The suspects allegedly got away with US$5 930, RTGS $1 500, R33 800, two cell phones and two cars - a Honda Fit and Toyota Hiace.Mkhululi Ndlovu (28) and Shepherd Ndlovu (29), whose five accomplices are still at large, allegedly wore balaclavas and gloves when they robbed Mr Tasara Muzvarigwa (38) from Pelandaba suburb.The two pleaded not guilty to armed robbery when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Trynos Hutawashe, yesterday. They were remanded to June 27 for trial.The prosecutor, Mr Jethro Mada, said sometime in April 2019 at 7.30PM, the gang raided Mr Muzvarigwa whom they suspected to be a foreign currency dealer."The duo in the company of five others got inside Mr Muzvarigwa's yard through the main gate. They gained entry into the house through an unlocked but closed door," said Mr Mada.He said Mr Muzvarigwa was sleeping while his children were watching television in the lounge when the gang stormed into his house and ordered everyone to lie down."The gang tied their hands with cable tiers and curtain cables at the same time threatening to shoot anyone who failed to comply," said Mr Mada.He said the suspects demanded money from Mr Muzvarigwa and indicated that they knew that he had a large sum of money kept in his house. Mr Mada said Mr Muzvarigwa, who feared for his life and safety of his family, immediately showed the robbers a bag where he kept his money. Upon seeing that it had bond notes, they kicked Mr Muzvarigwa demanding US dollars, the court heard.Mr Mada said the gang ransacked the house, turning everything upside down and found a bunch of US dollars which was stashed inside a folded blanket on top of the wardrobe.He said the gang tasered Mr Muzvarigwa with an electric shocker and threatened to harm his family as they demanded more cash."Having ransacked the whole house, the robbers demanded car keys and drove away in Mr Muzvarigwa's two cars, which they later dumped along Masiyephambili Drive at Emakhandeni fly-over," said Mr Mada. He said police investigations led to the arrest of the suspects.News / National

by Staff reporter

ZIMBABWE is set for rapid economic growth following the approval of by Cabinet yesterday of two key policies, the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy (ZNIDP) and the Zimbabwe Local Content Strategy.The policies are expected to result in massive jobs creation, especially in the value addition and beneficiation sectors, while also generating the much-needed foreign currency. Both policies run from this year to 2023.Addressing journalists during yesterday's post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Cabinet approved both the ZNIDP and the Zimbabwe Local Content Strategy."Cabinet considered and approved the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy (ZNIDP) (2019-2023) as presented by the Minister of Industry and Commerce (Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu)," said Minister Mutsvangwa."The Industrial Policy is guided by the principles of value addition and beneficiation; export-led industrialisation; promotion of sustainable industrial development; gender mainstreaming; and modernisation as well as upgrading of industrial equipment and machinery."The policy aims to attain the following: a manufacturing sector annual growth rate of at least 2 percent per annum; a 30 percent contribution to the national gross domestic savings; a manufacturing value added growth of 16 percent per year; a merchandise export growth rate of 10 percent per year; and increased employment in the manufacturing sector to 20 percent by 2023."Minister Mutsvangwa said attainment of the Industrial Policy's goals would be predicated upon facilitation of financing for industrial development; embracing the fourth industrial revolution; establishment of industrial clusters; pursuing the concept of Specific Economic Zones; mainstreaming the devolution agenda into industrialisation; fostering industrial competitiveness; provision of fiscal incentives for the manufacturing sector; and providing industrial skills training.Minister Mutsvangwa also said Cabinet considered and approved the Zimbabwe Local Content Strategy, which was also presented by Minister Ndlovu.She said the Strategy, which is a component of the country's Industrialisation Policy, aims to promote local value addition and linkages through utilisation of domestic resources."The critical strategic actions will include preferential local procurement, capacitation of local suppliers and capacitating research and development institutions; establishment of plants for the transfer of technological know-how."More specifically, the Zimbabwe Local Content Strategy will help to increase local content levels in prioritised sectors from the current levels of approximately 25 percent to around 80 percent by 2023; increase capacity utilisation in prioritised sectors from the current levels of about 40 percent to around 75 percent by 2023; and; increase manufactured exports in prioritised sectors by 5 percent per annum.President Mnangagwa is driving the export and beneficiation agenda to ensure more revenue is generated while decent jobs are also created in live with Vision 2030 of an Upper Middle Income economy.The move is also in line with the Transitional Stabilisation Policy (TSP), the country's economic blueprint that runs from October 2018 to December next year.News / National

by Staff reporter

It is four months since the Zanu-PF Youth League decided to attach the phrase "ED will never walk alone" to its commitment to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration through a solidarity march that was slated for February. How will they walk with him? Can he really not walk alone?"To our enemies we are saying hands off ED, he is our leader. We love him; no one will attack our leader while we are there. As Zanu-PF youths, we will never allow our President to be attacked by the country's detractors, so we will defend him up to the end," they said.It is after such statements that it became clear that they were behind their leader in full force. However, it still remained a mystery how they would "walk with him".The President is faced with a mammoth task of turning around the country's fortunes for the better and everyone is watching with keen interest on how he will do that. With that in mind, having a youth league pledging its support to one individual under such immense pressure required a strategic workplan, besides organising solidarity marches. The President is talking about achieving Vision 2030, the Government's strategy for moving Zimbabwe to a middle income economy by 2030.The process of attaining Vision 2030 is guided by a 5-year development plan, the Transitional Stabilisation Programme as the forerunner of the Economic Transformation Plan that is going to set the country's trajectory towards a middle income economy by 2030. Do the youth understand what they have set themselves up for?Zanu-PF Youth League deputy secretary, Lewis Matutu, stressed the youth wing's solidarity to the President's efforts, saying the youth, with adequate support, access to education, jobs and opportunities to have their voices heard and skills harnessed and nurtured, can easily become a major resource for the realisation of Vision 2030.He said the youths are a tremendous asset. They have the capability to fruitfully and relentlessly contribute significantly to their communities through proposing innovative solutions for sustainable socio-economic development, driving social progress and inspiring political change, in urban as well as rural contexts."The country cannot achieve its mission to attain Vision 2030 without partnering with young people and ensuring they are not only heard but understood, not only engaged but empowered and not only supported but allowed to lead national efforts and processes," he said."In order to successfully combat the economic complexities and head towards a complete economic revolution we need to ensure that we have a crop of industrious, viable, self-sufficient youths that are cultivated for the prosperity of the nation."Matutu said the governing party through its Youth League has sought to take a proactive lead in the facilitation of provincial economic research and activities in line with the concept of the devolution of power which was introduced by President Mnangagwa. The research aims to gather evidence towards the conscientisation of the youth to the many economic transformative initiatives of the Government and vice versa."That is to say the effort seeks to synchronise the youth economic initiatives with government policy directives towards a common aspiration of unlocking the average Zimbabwean youth's economic potential," he said.The youth wing leader outlined what the youths intended to do to fulfil its pledge of commitment to the President and his efforts. He said the Youth League intends to help the Government through the party, to match key policy objectives linked to economic transformation with the strategic initiatives submitted by the study.Matutu added that they will support creative thinking by leading brainstorming sessions with youth-led organisations in a bid to find tailor-suited avenues to accelerating economic transformation."We will ensure ideas are captured and organised into a structured, prioritised and coherent strategy and actioned upon and gather evidence to help policy makers make informed decisions," he said."The Youth League is committed to ensuring that young people are included and actively participate in the success of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP). For instance the TSP seeks to harness the digital economy and digital entrepreneurship has the potential of creating jobs for the youth."The Youth League intends to ensure that effective efforts and strategies are put in place for the realisation of these mechanisms such as Shanda Hub will be key drivers of such an initiative. In line with energies by President Mnangagwa for the empowerment of provinces through devolution, the Youth League will put in place youth development programmes that are fair and balanced and address relevant issues in line with differing communities and needs."Shanda Hub is an online resource centre, collaboration space, idea accelerator and youth skills database for all young Zimbabweans. The hub is an initiative of the Zanu-PF Youth League aimed at developing a platform that will allow the documentation of skills, interests and projects taken on by young Zimbabweans in a bid to influence and solicit effective support for all youths.The system will give young Zimbabweans job placement opportunities in both the Government and the private sector, capacity building, an entrepreneurial ecosystem to grow future employers, networking with other Zimbabwean entrepreneurs (and youth alike), as well as a mentorship programme from leading game changers."No one is born a good citizen, no nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime. Young people must be included from birth. 'A society that cuts itself off from its youth severs its lifeline, it is condemned to bleed to death.' The quote summarises the growing global recognition of the need to engage youth to participate in governance at all levels of societal, political, economic and social development," said Matutu."Our economic solutions will never be found in the streets as is the misconception of many. Such behaviour will only result in chaos and serious setbacks. As young people we must understand that jobs are not created through violence and vandalism of property. We need to support President Mnangagwa's effort and commitment towards a better Zimbabwe for all, our forefathers the likes of Baba Nkomo, J Tongogara, H, Chitepo, Amai OCZ Muchinguri-Kashiri fought the fight against the imperialist. It is our duty now to fight for economic justice."The Youth League is committed to strengthening its capacity to meet new demands and deliver more effectively with and for the young people of Zimbabwe, said Matutu."In order to achieve this, the Youth League will make efforts to strengthen international, regional and national commitments to prioritise, invest in, engage and empower the youth," he said. In summary, ED will never walk alone!News / National

by Staff reporter

THREE men from Kwekwe who allegedly masqueraded as officers from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) sent by President Mnangagwa to take over a mine in Shangani were yesterday granted bail of RTGS$100 each.Gostaff Gomo (37), Isaac Makore (37) and Tichaona Chinosengwa (35) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi facing charges of impersonating a public officer in violation of section 179 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.The trio, which is being represented by Mr Boswell Chideme of Mavhunga and Associates, was remanded out of custody to July 8 for trial.As part of the bail conditions, the three men were ordered to surrender their passports and reside at their given residential addresses until the matter is finalised.They were also ordered to report once a week at Kwekwe Central Police Station and not interfere with State witnesses. Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said on March 5 this year, the accused drove to Tobo Mining Syndicate in Shangani, Matabeleland South province in a Zanu-PF vehicle from Zhombe Constituency.On arrival they confronted the owner of the mine, Ms Priscilla Ncube and introduced themselves as CIO officers purportedly sent by President Mnangagwa to take over the mine."The accused persons threatened the complainant with unspecified action insisting that she must vacate the mine to allow them to take over the operations," said Mr Mageza.Meanwhile, a Zanu-PF youth member in Bulawayo, Blessed Mushando (27), accused of using President Mnangagwa's name to extract US$12 000 from the same woman, was yesterday granted RTGS$300 bail by Mr Mkhwananzi.Mushando, who is facing extortion charges, was ordered to report once a week at Bulawayo Central Police Station as part of the bail conditions. He was also ordered to reside at his given address and not interfere with investigations.Mushando was arrested on Saturday during a dawn raid at his place of residence in the Central Business District in a joint operation by members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) from Harare and Bulawayo.Mushando, who was once arrested on similar charges in 2017, is accused of duping the woman of US$12 000, after he allegedly told her that he was linked to President Mnangagwa and could liaise with his office to secure her mining interests.Mr Mageza said on March 24 this year, Mushando allegedly drove a Zanu-PF branded vehicle to Tobo mining syndicate in Shangani, where he met the complainant, Ms Ncube.It is allegedly that he misrepresented himself, telling Ms Ncube that she should pay US$12 000 to President Mnangagwa for her to secure the mine."Mushando extorted the complainant of US$2 000 after telling her that he had the capacity to assist her in securing the mine. He told her that the mine had been targeted by the President's Office in turning around the economy, as it was rich in gold. Mushando was allegedly given the money by one Dumisani Ndlovu on behalf of Ms Ncube," said the prosecutor.On 26 March Mushando allegedly contacted Ms Ncube while he was in Harare telling her that she needed to pay the balance to conclude the deal. Ms Ncube allegedly paid the US$10 000 with the hope that the mine would indeed be secured.Sometime last week, Ms Ncube, after realising that she had been duped as the mine had been taken over by someone else, made a police report leading to Mushando's arrest. Mushando is being represented by Mr Nkosiyabo Sibanda of Tanaka Law Chambers.News / National

by Staff reporter

ZANU-PF has said it will institute disciplinary proceedings against rogue party members who extort money from members of the public using President Mnangagwa or the party's name.The announcement follows the arrest of four people, three of whom are alleged to have masqueraded as members of the Central Intelligence Organisation and allegedly used the President's name to extort a mine owner.The four have since been arrested and were yesterday granted bail at the Tredgold magistrate's court in Bulawayo.In an interview, Zanu-PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo said the party was following the court case closely. He said the matter borders on corruption which Government is fighting to uproot and the party will not tolerate it.Khaya-Moyo said once legal processes are complete, Zanu-PF will use its constitution to deal with the matter."We want to commend the police for arresting the culprits. We condemn that kind of behaviour and we applaud the police for taking action. We cannot allow criminals to abuse the First Family's name. The law must always take its course," he said."This is why I have been speaking hard on corruption. When you go around soliciting for donations using the First family or the President as it were, that is corruption. It puts the entire name of the party in disrepute. So these are very serious matters that must be dealt with severely. We will wait until the law has taken its course. But after that, the party's constitution is very clear and we shall go with what the constitution says."Zanu-PF Youth League national deputy secretary Lewis Matutu said the party's youth wing was on a transformative trajectory hence it will not tolerate corruption from its members."Indiscipline, extortionist tendencies and unruly behaviour have no place in the Zanu-PF Youth League. We are busy transforming our organisation into a modern political organisation that is acceptable in our generation. We are actively participating in the economic recovery of our country guided by vision 2030 under the leadership of President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa," he said.Matutu said Youth League members should be the party's ambassadors instead of soiling Zanu-PF's name."Corruption and violence are things of the past. We should never allow ourselves to be drawn back into the old way of doing things. We condemn in the strongest terms such behaviour and those involved must stop forthwith. Our responsibility as young people is to promote and participate in production towards economic development because we have the energy," he said.News / National

by Staff repoirter

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has decommissioned one of its main supply dams, Upper Ncema, as the city's water situation continues to deteriorate. However, the 48-hour water shedding schedule will remain unchanged as the local authority continues to assess the situation.In a statement, the local authority's public relations officer, Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya, revealed that the dam was decommissioned on Saturday with the latest statistics revealing that it was just above three percent full."The City of Bulawayo would like to advise members of the public that Upper Ncema Dam has been decommissioned with effect from Saturday 8 June 2019. The City remains with five out of six dams (Lower Ncema, Umzingwane, Insiza, Mtshabezi, and Inyankuni) as available sources of surface water supply."Bulawayo City Council further advises consumers that the current 48-hour water shedding programme remains unchanged and residents are urged to conserve and use water sparingly," said Miss Ngwenya.According to the latest statistics, the city's dams stand at 50,70 percent full, a decline from 52,46 percent which was recorded last month. The decommissioned dam, Upper Ncema, was 5,16 percent full then.It was decommissioned at 3,82 percent. A dam is usually decommissioned after it reaches 10 percent of its capacity to allow it to sustain its underwater life.Mtshabezi Dam, which has a capacity of 51 996 000 cubic metres, has dropped from 78,93 percent full to 75 percent. Inyankuni, which has a carrying capacity of 80 781 000 cubic metres, is 61,4 percent full - a drop from 62,77 percent last month.Insiza Mayfair, with a carrying capacity of 173 491 000 cubic metres, is 56,14 percent full - a drop from 57,48 percent. Lower Ncema, which has a carrying capacity of 18 237 700 cubic metres, is 71,07 percent full, a drop from 76,56 percent two weeks ago.Umzingwane with a carrying capacity of 44 663 500 cubic metres has actually increased marginally to 21,37 percent from 21,29 percent.The city faces perennial water shortages but this year the situation is likely to be further exacerbated by the low rainfall experienced in the region which resulted in very low inflows into the city's supply dams.The city fathers have in the past identified the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project as the long term solution to the city's problems. Other projects identified include the Epping Forest boreholes that will increase the water being pumped from the Nyamandlovu Aquifer and the duplication of the Insiza pipeline to complement the existing pipeline and increase water being pumped from Insiza Mayfair.Bulawayo is also said to be operating with a deficit of four dams as an additional supply dam is supposed to be constructed after every 10 years.News / National

by Staff reporter

FINANCE and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has said the African Development Bank (AfDB) board has endorsed Zimbabwe's reform agenda under the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP).Posting on his Twitter account on Monday, Prof Ncube said the regional financier approved Zimbabwe's country brief.This is a bold endorsement of the TSP reform agenda."The African Development Bank (AfDB) board approved the Zimbabwe Country Brief last week, an endorsement of TSP reform agenda. This is another milestone towards the debt arrears clearance strategy," said Prof Ncube.Zimbabwe's arrears to the AfDB amounts to $610 million, over $1,16 billion to the World Bank and $212 million to the European Investment Bank. Government has to settle external arrears with all the multilateral financial institutions for Zimbabwe to start accessing funds from them.Responding to questions in Parliament recently, Prof Ncube highlighted that the Government had started making token payments to the World Bank, European Investment Bank and African Development Bank. The Minister said the country was on a roadmap to clear external arrears and the process involved coming up with the TSP, which had already been approved by external creditors.Prof Ncube has said the arrears clearance plan was tied to economic reforms, which are key to President Mnangagwa's administration as Government seeks to lead Zimbabwe towards attaining Upper Middle Income status by 2030.Meanwhile, AfDB, with donor partners will this week launch the African Digital Financial Inclusion Facility (ADFI). ADFI is an innovative financing facility designed to accelerate digital financial inclusion across Africa, with a goal of ensuring that 332 million more Africans, 60 percent of them being women, have access to the formal economy."The AfDB, with donor partners, will launch the Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Facility (ADFI) on June 12, 2019 at the bank's Annual Meetings in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea," said the institution in a statement.Digital financial services are emerging as a powerful force for financial inclusion, gender equality and inclusive economic growth. For consumers in low and middle-income countries, digital financial tools such as mobile payment systems, provide a gateway to greater economic security, empowerment and opportunity.Although there is a growing ownership of mobile phones in Africa, the benefits of digital financial inclusion have not been fully harnessed. The Malabo launch will outline the fund's objectives, structure and focus areas.News / National

by Staff reporter

NEWLY appointed Zanu-PF Secretary for Commissariat Victor Matemadanda says top Government officials and party bigwigs implicated in corrupt activities should clear their names first before assuming public office.The firebrand Matemadanda, who is also the deputy minister of Defence and War Veterans' Affairs, said there was need for image building among public office bearers to gain public trust. He said it was critical that leaders shun all forms of corruption."Those implicated in corrupt activities be it a Politburo member or minister should clear their names before the courts before taking public office," said Matemadanda."For those in influential position, they should resign and clear their names, they should not wait for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to nail them in public."They should not wait for the President to force them to resign, they should do the honourable thing. Let them clear their names to retain confidence of the people."Matemadanda added that everyone has an obligation to fight corruption wherever it rears its ugly head, be it in Parliament, party level or Government."We want things to be fair. There is need to increase the push for the fight against corruption. Corruption should never be tolerated. If a leader is said to be corrupt he or she should be given time to clear him or herself."There are means to find out if it is true or not that someone is a corrupt person. You should have moral obligation that what I am doing is wrong and you will be given sometime to clear yourself so that you retain confidence of the people."When we are defending a person, it must be systematic, it must not be like hypothesis, let it be proved factually that this person is not corrupt and that leader will be accepted when people gain confidence in you," he said.Matemadanda said a ruthless fight against corruption was crucial as the new dispensation under President Mnangagwa seeks to rebuild the country's image and attract both local and foreign investment. He added that the President has previously indicated that Government will not consider "friendship or kinship" in its fight against corruption, as no one was above the law.President Mnangagwa has declared zero tolerance to corruption, adding that he will not hesitate to drop any of his officials engaging in corruption.While officially opening the Masvingo High Court in May 2016, President Mnangagwa singled out corruption as the biggest threat to Zimbabwe's drive to achieve its full potential as a prime investment destination.". . . we continue in our endeavour to create jobs, uplift the quality of life of our people and promote the moral regeneration of our communities, we will escalate our determination to attain zero tolerance against crime particularly corruption, which has a corrosive, negative and retrogressive impact on our society as it undermines trust in Government, erodes citizens' ethical standards and gnaws away at society's moral fabric and the potential of our nation as a preferred investment destination,'' said the President.Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo recently opened a specialised Anti-Corruption Court in Masvingo, where she assured the nation of a spirited fight against grand corruption by making sure all cases were thoroughly investigated and brought to court on time.News / National

by Staff reporter

A SINGAPOREAN investor Ramason Bupedra allegedly lost his investment worth US$517 000 after his Zimbabwean business partner fraudulently changed the shareholding structure before selling their mining company's assets using a fake writ of execution.Bupedra through his lawyers, Augustine Borerwe and David Ngwerume yesterday successfully applied for an interdict, stopping his partner Fredrick Utsiwegota, who is allegedly on the run, from further selling assets belonging to Decade Mining (Pvt) Limited.High Court judge Justice Clement Phiri yesterday granted the interdict order, stopping further sale of the assets.The court heard that Utsiwegota had sold several assets which include mining stamp mills valued at US$81 000, generators valued US$25 000, vehicles valued US$102 000, motor bikes, water pumps and electric motors worth thousands of dollars.According to Bupedra, he formed Decade Mining in 2012 together with Utsiwegota and David Barnett Silver, whose whereabouts is unknown. On June 27, 2013, due to differences among the directors, Silver was barred by the High Court from acting as a director.The company went on to acquire several assets that included trucks, mills, generators, compressors and water pumps.In July that same year, Bupedra left Zimbabwe for Singapore to attend to other business interests, leaving Utsiwegota in charge of their gold mill in Shamva.During Bupedra's absence, Utsiwegota would send him messages, urging him not to come back, claiming their mining business was facing political interference and that his life would be in danger.Out of fear, Bupedra stayed away and only returned to the country in February 2018, following a change of government.On his return, Utsiwegota allegedly told him that he had done a share swap deal with Silver and now owned 76%.Bupedra went to teh Registrar of Companies to verify the purported change, but the company file could not be located.Bupedra then went to the company premises and discovered that several assets had been sold. On enquiring, Bupedra was told that a fraudulent company called Utsi Mining Syndicate, purportedly owned by Utsiwegota's brother, Emmanuel obtained an order against Decade Mining Company under a High Court matter which he did not know.The Singaporean then went back to the Registrar of Companies to verify the Utsi Mining Syndicate shareholding and found out that the registration number used at the High Court was for a company called Dual Holdings whose directors are Denford Juru and Monalisa Chipatiso.That is when he discovered that he had been duped by Utsiwegota and his brother Emmanuel using a non-existent company to fraudulently obtain a court order aimed at stripping Decade Mining of its assets.News / National

by Staff reporter

Former Zanu PF youth leader Kudzanai Chipanga has approached the High Court seeking stay of his criminal trial at the Harare Magistrates' Court.Chipanga is being charged together with Innocent Hamandishe and Rodney Dangarembizi for allegedly communicating falsehoods, causing dissatisfaction in the army and undermining public confidence in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces following a Press conference they held at the Zanu PF Headquarters in Harare at the height of the ruling party's factional fights almost two years ago.However, Chipanga and his co-accused have argued that they cannot proffer their defences in the absence of a statement by Chiwenga, which formed the basis of their prosecution.In his court application, Chipanga and his colleagues said the State appeared determined to continue with their trial despite the fact that they made an application for further particulars, which was dismissed after which they filed an application for review at the High Court, which application is still pending."On April 23, 2019, applicants (Chipanga, Hamandishe and Dangarembizi) appeared before the second respondent (Edwin Marecha.NO)  On the same day, applicants applied for an order directing first respondent (State) to supply applicants with certain particulars and on May 22, 2019, the second respondent dismissed the application," Chipanga's lawyers said in their affidavit."The matter was postponed to June 11, 2019 for trial commencement. On June 6, 2019, applicants obtained a copy of the untyped record of proceedings to enable them to file an application for review  as soon as the application for review was issued, applicants filed an urgent chamber application for stay of proceedings."Applicants, thus, seek an order for stay of their prosecution pending finalisation of the review proceedings in the High Court. Should the trial proceed, the application for review will be rendered academic should the application for review succeed."The former Makoni West MP and his co-accused are being represented by Mbizo, Muchadehama and Makoni.News / National

by Staff reporter

Churches and Civil Society Forum chairperson Anglistone Sibanda has blasted MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa for his confrontational attitude and has urged the firebrand opposition chief to make a conscious effort to exchange the pulpit for the battlefield, NewZimbabwe reported.In his comments, Pastor Sibanda had said Chamisa should instead leave for Syria if he was serious with causing violence.Syria has been torn apart by a civil strife since the famous Arab Spring of 2011 which ousted some leaders in Arab countries."It is on record that the MDC president Nelson Chamisa who is also a pastor like me has been threatening that the citizens must rise up and remove the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa."We are saying to him, violence does not build a nation; if he wants war, he should resign from being a pastor and go to Syria," Sibanda told journalists at the time.News / National

by Staff reporter

Economist and former MDC official Mr Eddie Cross says Zimbabwe's economic fundamentals are now sound and there is no need for speculators to continue with their wayward behaviour on the foreign currency parallel market which is affecting the poor.In an interview with The Herald yesterday, Mr Cross urged the Government to take stern measures to contain the forex parallel market that has brought anguish to the majority. The prevailing volatility of the parallel market is blamed on speculators for influencing the exchange rate without economic justification.Mr Cross said if macro-economic fundamentals were constant, as the situation on the ground shows, the rates should not exceed RTGS$4 to US$1."The currency speculators are manipulating the exchange rate and are using the opportunity created by these activities to make millions at the expense of all Zimbabweans."There is no justification for the current open market exchange rates. The economic fundamentals here are now sound and in my view rates should not be above 4 to 1."There have been loud rumblings from the public against deep-pocketed currency manipulators who are making life unbearable for people. Most people are now unable to access basic commodities because their buying power has been eroded.Mr Cross urged Government to intervene and rescue the public from currency speculators."Government has to take action to eliminate this activity and corrective action could correct matters in a few days," he said.News / National

by Staff reporter

THE Attorney-General's Office is in the process of drafting a Bill to reform the Zimbabwe Republic Police whose name will change to the Zimbabwe Police Service in line with its rebranding thrust, as reforms of State institutions under the New Dispensation continue to gather momentum.Government's decision to reform the police force has also seen it implementing recommendations made by the commission of inquiry that was chaired by former South Africa president Kgalema Motlanthe.The seven-member Commission that looked into the 2018 post-election violence recommended equipping the police with the necessary skills and capacity to deal with rioters, further training in order to be professional and non-partisan in the interest of national cohesion, the protection of all citizens, as well as preventing corporal failings in the future.In its First Quarter Treasury Bulletin Highlights, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development said the country has made progress in implementing institutional and political reforms."In February 2019, the Police Act amendments became effective and finally being in line with the Constitution," it said."This will see the country's Police Force  the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) being rebranded to the Zimbabwe Police Service (ZPS) as a professional police responsible to the needs of the society. "The Bill is being drafted by the Attorney-General."ZRP has started retraining its officers so that they conduct their duties in a professional manner.In terms of political reforms, Treasury said Government was committed to national dialogue to resolve challenges facing the country."The objective is to remove deficit of trust, restore public confidence, forge a renewed sense of shared national vision and social cohesion and advance an economy that works for everyone," it said."A National Political Dialogue was launched on February 6, 2019, bringing together at least 21 leaders of different political parties to confront the national socio-political and economic challenges."Going forward, the parties have established thematic committees to look into different issues of interest for deliberations during the planned dialogue meetings."Last month, President Mnangagwa launched the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) attended by several political parties committed to dialogue. During the launch, the President highlighted the need to promote dialogue to address socio-economic challenges."This platform is designed to be a vibrant forum through which we proffer solutions to the challenges that confront us a nation, through peaceful, open and transparent discourse," said President Mnangagwa during the launch."The culture of dialogue we begin today must indeed be synonymous with us as a nation and as a people."News / National

by Staff reporter

Government says national political dialogue recently launched by President Mnangagwa was not a power sharing negotiation or an initiative towards the creation of Government of National Unity (GNU), but a platform to engender a culture of unity and working together in the country.The State is also regretting the actions of certain political actors who seek to project Zimbabwe as beset by "unresolved political questions" when last year's elections and a Constitutional Court ruling on the Presidential put to bed the issue of the country's leadership.Zanu-PF, led by President Mnangagwa won the harmonised elections, beating the opposition MDC-Alliance led by Mr Nelson Chamisa who has, however, continued politicking and electioneering on the basis of what he calls "crisis of legitimacy".In a meeting with local media editors yesterday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa said challenges confronting the country require collective efforts and a unity of purpose at all levels, which was the basis of national dialogue."It is for this noble cause that His Excellency, the President, called for national dialogue across all political parties so we put our minds together to confront our challenges and work as a nation to move the country forward."I want to take this opportunity to clarify that dialogue is not the same thing with power sharing negotiations. Every time we go for elections to elect a government, losers selectively choose components of the election results to accept and reject," said Minister Mutsvangwa.President Mnangagwa has initiated engagements with political parties that participated in last year's harmonised elections. At least 18 political parties are participating in national dialogue.MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa has declined the opportunity to participate in dialogue, but when addressing his party supporters, he never misses an opportunity to suggest that dialogue was the best way forward for the country.Minister Mutsvangwa added: "We have individuals and parties that choose to disrespect the electoral and judicial systems for their selfish ends. Such uncouth behaviour projects our country as a nation with unresolved political questions when deep down their hearts, these entities and personalities know very well that they lost in a fair and credible plebiscite."Politics leads the way in statecraft and if we are not stable as people all other areas in the country will not become stable."Such behaviour is holding us back as a nation as it stifles our re-engagement efforts and will make recovery more painful. We need to get out of the election mode that continues to seize us and work together to build our country. However, dialogue which is underpinned by sharing of ideas to come up with national solutions is plausible and welcome."Turning to yesterday's meeting with editors, Minister Mutsvangwa said the major objective was to share ideas on the main issues affecting the media sector. This was the second time she has met with local editors since her appointment as minister last year.She said it was now more than six months since that meeting and a lot of developments had happened, warranting that they meet again to update each other on gains made thus far, the drawbacks or shortfalls encountered and to hear their concerns and contributions as a way of collectively reflecting and review their progress.Minister Mutsvangwa said this would help in mapping the best way to confront the future for increased efficiency and effectiveness in the discharge of their information mandate. She said Government efforts to create an enabling environment for the media sector puts substantial responsibility of governance into their hands."The media has in modern times been referred to as the Fourth Estate, taking after the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. This was necessitated by the important role the media sector plays in nation building. Allow me to share with you that the issue of nation-building is to a greater extent driven by the notion of national interest.She added, "Whilst we have a role to inform the nation for nation-building, we should also be conscious as media that we have a national duty to play in advancing that national interest which I said should be about promoting viewpoints that guarantee national survival."I implore you to write to unite the nation, write about that which does not harm the nation, write to protect Zimbabwe's competitiveness and that which promotes the interest of the country whilst exposing that which harms us as a people."Minister Mutsvangwa told editors that the Second Republic was committed to creating an enabling media environment.News / National

by Staff reporter

Newly-appointed Zanu-PF secretary for War Veterans Affairs Douglas Mahiya has said the United Nations (UN) should play an integral part in influencing the removal of illegal sanctions in Zimbabwe.In an interview in Harare yesterday, Mahiya said the UN should intervene in the removal of the embargo as it has adversely affected the country's economy."There is need for the UN to be a player in calling for the removal of sanctions in Zimbabwe, which have a detriment to its economy. "As war veterans, we are calling upon the UN to influence the removal of sanctions in Zimbabwe, since it is affecting the generality of the people," he said.He described sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries as a weapon of mass destruction."During my tenure in office, we are going to petition the UN so that they can influence the removal of sanctions in Zimbabwe."As war veterans we are going to call the UN to act in the same manner they have acted on weapons of mass destruction."Weapons of mass destruction have caused havoc in the Western world. The West and the Eastern world used weapons of mass destruction during wars. They are not accepted according to the Charter of the United Nations, hence they should be treated as equal to sanctions," he said.Mahiya denounced the sanctions insisting that it had crippled the entire fabric of the economy."Wherever sanctions were applied they destroyed the initial economic structure, distorted the production system of an economy, destroyed the political governance of a country, they have retarded the socio and economic development of that targeted country.News / National

by Staff reporter

President Mnangagwa has reconfigured Standing Cabinet Committees to give impetus to the implementation of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) and future development plans.This was said by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda in his opening remarks during a meeting with the Presidential Advisory Council to familiarise its members with Government programmes."The TSP is hinged on the following key pillars or clusters namely; the Governance pillar, the inclusive economic growth pillar, the macro-economic stability and financial re-stabilisation pillar, the social development pillar and the infrastructure utilities pillar."From the Cabinet perspective, His Excellency saw it necessary to reconfigure Standing Cabinet Committees in order to give due prominence to the key thrusts of the TSP and its successor development plans," Dr Sibanda said.He said the Cabinet Committees on Financial and Economic Affairs and that on Devolution and Economic Development of Provinces and Local Authorities, would be chaired by President Mnangagwa.Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga is now the chair of the Cabinet Committees on Public Enterprises Reform and Development, Food Security and Nutrition and Honours and Awards. Vice-President Kembo Mohadi chairs the Cabinet Committee on State Occasions, Social Services and Poverty Reduction and National Peace and Reconciliation.Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira was appointed chair of the Cabinet Committees on Innovation, Science, Technology Development and Application and Human Capital Development, Skills Audit and Employment Creation.Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Joel Biggie Matiza, now chairs the Cabinet Committee on Utilities and Infrastructural Development while his Industry and Commerce counterpart, Mangaliso Ndlovu chairs the Industrialisation and Export Development committee.Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, chairs the Cabinet Committee on Legislation with Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo chairing the Cabinet Committee on Environment, Disaster Prevention and Management. Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube chairs the National Development Planning Committee while his Foreign Affairs counterpart Sibusiso Moyo chairs the Trade and International Cooperation Committee."While all along, Standing Committees were only considering issues brought before them at the discretion of line ministries, each Standing Cabinet Committee is now deemed to be a cluster or pillar, which should, therefore, come up with priority development programmes that seek to deliver on the goals of the relevant TSP thematic area under which the cluster or pillar falls," Dr Sibanda said."This ensures the coordinated implementation of all the key components of the TSP and successor programmes. This cluster priority has now started, with the Cabinet Committee on Innovation, Technology Development and Application having met this Monday while the Cabinet Committee on Human Capital Development, Skills Audit and Employment Creation is set to meet by end of this week."He said the recommendations of the two committees would be tabled before the next Cabinet meeting."We shall receive presentations on key Government programmes by the various cluster representatives. The objective is to acquaint our colleagues in the PAC with the major programmes of Government being implemented, so that they may be better positioned to effectively discharge their esteemed role," he added.President Mnangagwa appointed the 26-member PAC early this year to advise him on key economic issues and reforms that will support his vision of making Zimbabwe a middle income economy by 2030.News / National

by Staff reporter

President Mnangagwa has invited Chinese construction firm, Shanghai Construction Group, to establish offices in Zimbabwe in preparation for future infrastructure construction projects, as the country moves to fulfil Vision 2030 aimed at achieving an upper middle-income society.The President was speaking after touring the new Parliament Building under construction in Mt Hampden yesterday, which he said was symbolic of the strategic relationship between Zimbabwe and China.The 650-seater building is being constructed by Shanghai Construction Group using a grant of approximately US$98 million (RMB676,43 million) extended to Zimbabwe by the Chinese government.Zimbabwe is targeting development and modernisation of roads, railways, airports and other related infrastructure to fulfil provisions of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) and enhance the lives of ordinary people."This company (Shanghai Construction Group) which is building this Parliament for us has been on the continent for many years, possibly decades and has repute across the continent for constructing buildings or infrastructure of repute," said the President."Now they are in Zimbabwe and they are building this one for us freely. We are grateful, but I would wish that they continue to remain in Zimbabwe. In the area of infrastructure development, Zimbabwe is still lagging behind and I am informed that this company has multiple skills in the area of construction of infrastructure."Even by the time we complete this project, there are other projects currently being discussed and seeking financing and I have no doubt that we will be able to select you to implement such projects in Zimbabwe."President Mnangagwa said the construction of the Parliament building was as a result of a discussions he held with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, during the FOCAC summit in Beijing last year."There are issues which were discussed under the FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) meeting in September last year and currently there are discussions which should be undertaken this month at ministerial level," said President Mnangagwa."Under that programme, China-Africa programme, there is a $60 billion facility from China to Africa and I have no doubt that Zimbabwe will share part of that cake for infrastructure development."President Mnangagwa said under the new dispensation, business takes precedence over politics, citing that investors must shun corruption and focus on doing business using the correct channels."Now, business takes front seat and politics takes a back seat," he said. "The cost of short-cuts and the disregard of local authority by-laws and architectural requirements have far reaching and dire implications to one's investments "Individuals and corporate property investors must, therefore, make sound and corrupt-free decisions."President Mnangagwa praised Shanghai Construction Group for the work it is doing at the New Parliament Building site, whose ground breaking ceremony was done in November last year."This edifice will be one of the most unique parliaments in our region," he said."Besides being unique, it's demonstrative of our comprehensive, strategic relationship with the People's Republic of China. There are many friends we have, but this is one symbolic stature which generations to come will know it is a demonstration of the cooperation between the people of Zimbabwe and the people of China."President Mnangagwa commended the construction firm for moving with speed, saying the project was likely to be completed before the scheduled three years."I am told that the period of construction is expected to span a period of three years, but I would speculate that with the pace the project is being implemented, there is a possibility that the construction of this parliament will be finished earlier than projected," he said."The Chinese working culture is a culture I believe we should emulate. The Chinese are very hard-working and get focused on the project they would be doing. I have no doubt that our own Zimbabwean people; the craftsmen who are here, the engineers who are here, the architects that are here will benefit not only in terms of skills, but in terms of technology that has been brought here."President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe and China shared a historic relationship and thanked China and Russia for vetoing attempts by Western nations in 2008 to invoke Chapter 7 of the UN Charter and impose sanctions on Zimbabwe."The relationship between China and Zimbabwe is special," he said."We have a very strong history of trade between us. We also have a recent history of liberation where China stood by the oppressed people of this country and supported us through our armed struggle to liberate ourselves."They vetoed that evil scheme which was intended by our detractors to punish us. So, you can see that China is a solid friend of Zimbabwe. President Mnangagwa said he was satisfied with the improving trade between Zimbabwe and China."I am happy because then it speaks of the diversification of our economy unlike in the past our economy was substantively based on the Western structure where whatever we needed we had to go to the West," he said."But now it is necessary that we do not put our eggs in one basket, we should spread them."In his remarks, Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Guo Shaochun said: "The construction of the Parliament building enhances the working conditions of the Zimbabwe parliament as it comes when the Parliament is discussing important issues towards achieving Vision 2030."The new Parliament building represents opportunities brought by the development of China."News / National

by Staff reporter

Police have recovered 350 litres of diesel along the Zimbabwe-Botswana boundary near Ramakwebane Bridge, which was left by unknown people who intended to smuggle it into the country through an illegal crossing point.National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said they had since intensified patrols along borders to curb smuggling."Police on patrol along the Zimbabwe-Botswana boundary recently recovered 10 35 litres of diesel in plastic containers near the Ramakwebane Bridge," he said."The fuel was abandoned by people who were using an illegal crossing point when they came across the police patrol."Fuel is highly flammable and can be hazardous if not handled with care. We urge members of the public to use designated crossing points when leaving or entering the country and to stop engaging in criminal acts which include the smuggling of fuel into the country."Early this month, police arrested five suspects believed to be part of a syndicate involving tanker drivers and criminal elements.Growing plant shoots on coins

Earlier this year I discussed the rate tightening path undergone by the Bank of Canada and other central banks in the developed world. Policymakers in Canada have also moved to apply tighter regulations in the housing market, which has reportedly frozen out over 100,000 new home buyers since a new stress test was implemented in January 2018. Famed short-seller Steve Eisman has warned that Canadas big banks are ill-equipped for credit normalization.

Fortunately for investors, there are secondary lenders that have thrived in this changing environment. An indebted populace is increasingly turning to alternatives in pursuing credit. These companies are in a great position to accumulate greater market share as banks grow cautious.

goeasy

goeasy (TSX:GSY) is a Mississauga-based financial services company that offers merchandise leasing and unsecured installment loans. Shares of Goeasy were up 42.9% in 2019 as of close on June 12. The stock was up 26% from the prior year.

goeasy has rattled off 71 consecutive quarters of positive net income after its most recent first-quarter earnings report, representing the 36th consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth. In the first quarter, goeasy reported 46% growth in its loan portfolio to $879 million as net income jumped 65% to $18 million. The company is forecasting solid growth into the next decade and is well positioned for success due to broader trends we have discussed.

goeasy stock boasts a forward P/E of 9, putting it in nice value territory even after a sharp run up in the first half of the year. The stock also offers a quarterly dividend of $0.31 per share, representing a 1.9% yield. This represents a 2.4% yield, which is very solid given goeasys attractive growth trajectory.

Equitable Group

Equitable Group (TSX:EQB) is a Toronto-based alternative lender. Similar to other housing-dependent lenders, Equitable Group stock fell sharply in the spring of 2017. However, shares have bounced back nicely, and the company has posted impressive earnings in the face of a challenging real estate landscape. The stock had increased 18.3% in 2019 as of close on June 12.

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The company released its first-quarter 2019 results on May 9. Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose 16% from the prior year to $2.72, occurring on the back of 25% growth in its retail loan principle outstanding to $13.4 billion. Equitable Group has posted strong originations even as sales have broadly plummeted in Canadas top housing markets.

The company has credited its branchless customer service approach for invigorating its mortgage portfolio. Equitable Group reported $31 billion in Assets Under Management at the end of the first quarter.

Shares of Equitable Group boasted a forward P/E of 6 as of this writing. It looks like an attractive value play relative to industry, and there is reason for optimism with the Canadian housing market looking more balanced as we look ahead to 2020. The company last announced a quarterly dividend of $0.31 per share, which represents a modest 1.7% yield.

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Fool contributor Ambrose O'Callaghan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

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Community homes

Real estate has made many investors very wealthy over time.

The barriers to entry with owning and managing your own physical property are ridiculously high, though. The costs associated with running your own mini real estate empire with tangible property can add up, not to mention youll need to put in the hours to maintain the properties, the surrounding areas, and address the concerns your tenants may have at any given time. Ask any property manager, and theyll tell probably tell you managing rental properties can be a very stressful full-time job.

While owning and collecting from rental properties may seem easy on the surface, in reality, its a pain in the neck. So, if youre one of the few Canadian investors who dream of owning rental property, do yourself a favour and forget about buying and managing your own physical properties, unless youre a seasoned handyman with the time and patience to deal with the unpleasantness that come with being a landlord.

By being a lazy landlord with a portfolio of REITs, youre not only saving yourself a boat-load of stress; youre likely maximizing your return on investment by letting professional property managers take care of the day-to-day operations in the most efficient way possible. And, best of all, you can use your TFSA funds to finance your REIT portfolio and eliminate your tax burden.

Enter RioCan REIT (TSX:REI.UN), a real estate empire that can be your one-stop-shop real estate play and the second-largest REIT in Canada. Shares offer a bountiful 5.4% yield and exposure to over 44 million square feet of net leasable area.

RioCan is behind many solid retail properties, but, as you may know, the trend in the retail real estate world is diversification, away from retail and towards residential. Brick-and-mortar retailers are under a considerable amount of pressure thanks to the rise of their digital counterparts. While retail REITs will still continue raking in their rents as long as their retail tenants arent going belly up, investors know that vacancy rates could trend up over prolonged periods of time as e-commerce gains more traction.

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With that in mind, management changed its strategy in 2015 to redevelop a chunk of its malls to turn them into mixed-use properties (retail and residential/office) thatll better enable RioCan to command higher rents and avoid a scenario where vacancy rates could begin swelling as e-commerce continues to wreak havoc on brick and mortar.

Im bullish on RioCans long-term redevelopment plan and think it could yield significant distribution hikes and capital gains through the 2020s. If youre looking for a one-stop-shop real estate play, RioCan is a solid bet.

Stay hungry. Stay Foolish.

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Fool contributor Joey Frenette has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

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Jars of marijuana

Cannabis stocks have encountered choppy conditions in the spring, which should come as no surprise after a hot start to the year. The largest cannabis company in Canada by market cap is Canopy Growth (TSX:WEED)(NYSE:CGC). Shares of Canopy Growth had dropped 10.4% month over month as of close on June 12. The stock was still up 55.8% in 2019 so far.

Canopy Growth is set to release its next quarterly report after markets close on June 20. It is perhaps the most eagerly anticipated quarterly report of the top producers, especially after what has been a mixed bag for earnings in the broader industry. Analysts have downgraded expectations for Canopy Growth as sales got off to a slow start in 2019. This came off as a disappointment so soon after recreational legalization.

Investors will need to wait a few more days before getting a look at Canopy Growths earnings. There are some key points that investors will want to keep an eye on. Production capacity is a big one. Like its peers, Canopy has committed to ramping up production to meet domestic and global demand. At full capacity, Canopy is expected to produce upwards of 500,000 kilograms of cannabis per year.

There is good reason to be excited going forward as the spring season winds down. The companys most promising move in 2019 was its push to acquire Acreage Holdings. The deal gives Canopy turnkey access to the U.S. cannabis market upon closing, which will be crucial in the months and years to come. U.S. lawmakers are still battling over cannabis, but for the first time in decades, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Canopy has positioned itself to win big from such a policy.

In a May 2019 report, Grand View Research estimated that the global legal cannabis market size stood at $13.8 billion in 2018. Grand View forecasts that it will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 23.9% through 2025. Unsurprisingly, the push toward legalization will fuel this global expansion. Analysis from market researcher Cannabis Business Plan projects that the cannabis market for legal adult-use and medical sales in North America will reach $24.5 billion by 2021. It forecasts that this number will grow to $47.3 billion by 2027.

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Most U.S. states have already pushed through hemp legalization, but there are still several hurdles for cannabis legalization to accelerate across the country. Investors should expect cannabis to be a sticking point in the 2020 election. Interestingly, recreational cannabis legalization may emerge as one of the few bipartisan issues with both parties now making a strong push to get over the finish line.

Canopy has positioned itself to hit the ground running ahead of major legislation, which should make investors excited, even in the middle of a lukewarm earnings season. The stock boasted an RSI of 45 as of close on June 12, which puts Canopy firmly in neutral territory ahead of its earnings release.

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Fool contributor Ambrose O'Callaghan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

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The Canadian Press

SYDNEY (AP)  New coronavirus infections soared again in Australia on Friday to a record of more than 32,000, just days after surpassing 10,000 for the first time. Experts say the explosion is being driven by the highly contagious omicron variant and a recent relaxation of restrictions in Sydney and other areas. More than 15,000 of the new cases were reported in Sydney. Another 5,000 cases came from elsewhere in New South Wales state, while almost 6,000 were confirmed in Victoria state, home toHundreds of demonstrators sat on a Toronto street Sunday to show their support for protesters in Hong Kong who are opposed to an extradition bill.

The sit-in outside the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office, located at 174 George St., was one of several rallies held in cities around the world.

Dressed mainly in black, the protesters brought banners, posters and place cards.

According to Canada-Hong Kong Link, an non-profit and non-partisan organization that organized the protest, demonstrators were there on Sunday to call for the withdrawal of the extradition bill.

Paul St-Onge/Radio-Canada

World is watching, organizers say

The organization said it also wants to send a message to the Hong Kong government that the world is watching.

"We will fight hard to stop the extradition bill in order to protect the security and interests of the citizens of Hong Kong and 300,000 Canadians living and working there," Canada-Hong Kong Link said in a news release.

The group works to foster community involvement among Canadians who are former residents of Hong Kong or who are interested in the affairs of Hong Kong.

The extradition bill has been criticized as eroding Hong Kong's judicial independence because it would allow some suspects to be sent for trial in mainland China.

Paul St-Onge/Radio-Canada

Hong Kong's China-backed government has apologized over the handling of its controversial extradition legislation and suspended the bill, but activists have rejected the apology, saying a failure to withdraw the bill fully shows government is not listening to the voices of the people.

City councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam attended the protest, and said in a tweet that the legislation is an attempt by the Chinese government to "suppress the democracy movement."Photo credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto - Getty Images

From Cosmopolitan

Irina Shayk has been on a whirlwind travel schedule since she and Bradley Cooper broke up last week.

First, she went to Iceland. Then she went to Florence, Italy, to walk some runways, as one does.

Don't know if you heard, but Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper recently broke up after four years together. As such, they are both on the breakup tour, and Irina is, frankly, killing it.

For starters, the news came out that she was actually the one to end things with him, which is major. Recently, Irina decided enough is enough. She didnt feel she was getting the level of commitment she wanted and the endless fighting made their life unbearable, a source said.

So yeah. Then, she jetted off to Iceland to remind us all that she is a supermodel by posing gracefully on a literal ice chunk and also in front of a waterfall, perfecting the Instagram ass shot and teaching us all a lesson in how to .

Bravo, Irina. Bravo. Then, she headed to Florence, where she walked her first post-split runway. Nothing says "I'm doing fine" quite like walking down a runway in incredible clothes with your famous friends Joan Smalls and Bella Hadid by your side.

Photo credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto - Getty Images

Photo credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto - Getty Images

Like... this is iconic?? FYI, this was for the CR Runway X LuisaViaRoma 90th Anniversary Show. IDK what that means, but I thought I'd include it here for the sake of accuracy. Cool. One last look before we go?



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Photo credit: Estrop - Getty Images

We have no choice but to stan!!

('You Might Also Like',)In the past, Alina Makhmedova taped her eyelids to change the shape of her eyes. About a year ago, the resident of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's capital, signed up for a so-called "Asian blepharoplasty" or double eyelid surgery. After consulting with her friends, she turned to Instagram where many surgeons have personal profiles showcasing their work to find the right specialist for her. The operation is so popular that she will have to wait a year and a half for her first appointment. "There are many surgeons in Bishkek, but those who do their work well always have long queues," she told Euronews. 'I will love myself more' The 29-year-old university professor decided to go ahead with the operation about a year ago. According to her, deep-set eyes  which give the illusion of a prominent brow bone  are considered the "beauty standard" in Kyrgyzstan, where Asian features are more common. "We generally admire the eyes and not other facial features. When someone praises someone in front of me, they say: 'Here, this girl has such expressive deep-set eyes!' Few people in our country admire an Asian eye shape," she said. Her desire for a new eye shape eclipses any fears she has about the risks of going under the scalpel. "I look at the photos and think to myself, why does everyone have such expressive eyes? And mine are the only narrow and unnoticeable ones. I want my features to be more visible in photos. I think it will change my life. I will love myself more, admire myself more," she argued. Eyelash extension specialist Cholpon Adzhibaeva had her first "European eye" surgery in 2006 when she was 16 years old. It was a gift from her mother before the start of high school. "I had small eyelids and my eyelashes always looked down. It really annoyed me to use eyelash curlers," Cholpon recalled. She did not regret her choice. "I came back to school a month after the surgery when my eyes had healed. I was glad. I remember I was sitting in class and my classmates surrounded me, asked me questions." After a few years, the lid on the right eye was almost smooth again, and so she decided to repeat the operation. 'We feel the need for new plastic surgeons every day' Plastic surgery is a fast-growing market in Kyrgyzstan. Surgeon Isken Kachkinbayev estimates that in the Central Asian country with a population of six million, more than 4,000 surgeries are carried out every year. Most of them are Asian blepharoplasty. The operation, which costs between 300 and 700, is carried out under local anaesthesia and lasts around an hour. The surgeon incises the skin of the upper eyelid and forms the lid on the eye muscle. The patient boasts a new look in five or six days. "The number of plastic surgeries grow by the hour. We feel the need for new plastic surgeons every day," Kachkinbayev said. He added the number of patients is growing thanks to the development of social networks, hence why Kyrgyz surgeons use Instagram for advertising. "In the past, people got information [about plastic surgery] on websites. You had to have a computer or read specialised magazines. Now you can simply type 'eyelid surgery in Kyrgyzstan' or 'eyelid surgery in Bishkek' on Instagram or Google and see thousands of examples of our work, the doctor said. He went on that the trend for Asian blepharoplasty came to Kyrgyzstan from neighbouring China and South Korea, although, it was in his country that the first techniques, now used in Europe and the US, were developed. In our practice, more than 10%, maybe even 15% (of patients) are foreigners from neighbouring states. But they also come to us from further afield," the surgeon said. "On the one hand, theyre attracted by a specific doctor. On the other, by our low prices. In our country these surgeries are way cheaper than in their countries," he added. A way out of poverty According to Jyldyz Kuvatova, UN-Women coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, poverty is at the heart of the boom in plastic surgery in the country. A quarter of the population lived under the poverty line in 2017, according to official statistics. For many Kyrgyz women, marriage is the only available way to improve their socio-economic status. Additionally, European features are generally accepted as canons of beauty and considered as a sign of wealth and status. For psychologist Laura Omuralieva, this trend also reveals something more profound: "If we look deeper, these women dont accept themselves." But while plastic surgery is widely accepted and accessible for women in large cities including Bishkek and Osh, in rural areas where the influence of religious groups is increasing the picture is quite different. For these groups, any changes in appearance are considered "haram"  forbidden under Islamic law. "We want to be beautiful and fashionable in cities, but in rural areas, girls are increasingly 'closed' and cover their heads according to Muslim tradition, the UN's Kuvatova highlighted.For more than a week, the town of Amherst, N.S., was sombre. Residents held their breath, hoping their own Bailey Chitty was all right but trying not to talk about it, especially on social media.

The entire town was trying to keep information out of the hands of the people who had kidnapped Chitty and Lauren Tilley in the west African country of Ghana.

"People were very quiet," said Joe van Vulpen, deputy warden of Cumberland County. "People were concerned, extremely concerned and anybody that knew the family, knew Bailey [felt] both shock and sorrow."

The Canadian Press

But after 20-year-old Bailey Chitty, and 19-year-old Lauren Tilley of Rothesay were rescued, Amherst is celebrating the rescue by posting blue hearts and sharing the slogan "Love wins."

"It's been a great roller-coaster of emotions, certainly the emotional understanding that she's alive and well  would be the next thing," said van Vulpen, who said he knows Chitty and her family.

"It's incredibly gratifying to hear."

The University of New Brunswick students were rescued by Ghana's security forces on Wednesday after a raid in the suburbs of Kumasi, the country's second-largest city.

Youth Challenge International, the non-profit group the women were volunteering with, previously said Tilley and Chitty are receiving emotional and psychological support from professionals as they travel home.

First reports said the two are physically unharmed.

The idea of the blue hearts, and the placards in windows that say "Love wins" or "Love won" came from a note Chitty's mother sent to her co-workers, van Vulpen said. Friends from work put the phrase on their bulletin board and it caught on from there.

"At the end of the day, the love hope and prayer that everybody was carrying on, it came to a very successful fruition," he said.

Facebook

Chitty's mother didn't respond to requests for comment but made a post on her Facebook page.

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She wrote: "My chosen family whom I have the honour of working with everyday have been my quiet rock (along with many others)."

She added: "Today we celebrate 'Love Wins."'

Van Vulpen said the blue hearts and the slogan are just an illustration of a town brought together by hardship.

"Amherst, the people, pull together. It's a very open and accepting community. And when one feels pain everybody feels pain."

But he said what the families are going through is likely unfathomable.

"I don't think there's a person around who can truly understand what they went through," he said.

Investigation continues

David Eklu, assistant commissioner of police in Ghana, told CBC News he can't share any new information regarding the investigation.

Ghana's minister of information previously said eight people were arrested in relation to the investigation, including one person who police believe is the head of a gang.

Eklu said police are looking for more suspects because the abduction may be gang-related.

He said the names of the eight people who were arrested won't be made public until the suspects are arraigned in court, most likely on Monday.Few women would say they're ever excited to see their period return for another cycle, and Kim Thompson used to be one of them.

The woman from Portugal Cove-St. Philip's had never been happy using tampons, and the accompanying dry-and-scratchy sensation she felt. But as she started shedding plastic from her lifestyle, her attention turned to those tampons, and the plastic applicators that accompanied each one.

Even if you aren't menstruating, you've probably seen an applicator around, washed up on a shoreline or in a heap of sidewalk garbage. If a woman averages 20 tampons per period, that can pile up to 240 applicators a year.

Menstrual pads are also partly comprised of plastics and polymers, destined to last long after menopause.

With the environment on her mind, Thompson investigated her options. After some online shopping, she joined the ranks of menstrual cup converts last year.

They're not as scary as you think they are. - Kim Thompson

"For me, it was a little bit about my own personal comfort, and keeping myself healthy, but it was also about zero waste, not having to buy stuff to throw stuff out," she said.

Canadians are increasingly turning their backs on plastic bags and takeout cutlery, with the federal government getting on board this week and announcing some single-use plastics will be banned by 2021 at the earliest.

Thompson is one of the many women taking that anti-plastic momentum even further by making their menstrual cycles plastic-free, and urging more people to talk openly about their periods, their products, and their waste.

Lindsay Bird/CBC

Put a cup in it

Menstrual cups are hardly a new product. They've been on the market in one form or another for decades, with DivaCup, a Canadian-made brand, one of the industry leaders.

Usually made of medical-grade silicone, the cup is inserted in a woman's vagina like a tampon. Menstrual fluid collects in the cup, which is then dumped when the cup is taken out, before being washed and re-inserted again.

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If all that insertion sounds too intimidating, "they're not as scary as you think they are," said Thompson. It took about three cycles to fully adjust to her chosen cup, she said.

"They're not hard to use whatsoever. Just make that leap and do it."

Thompson also uses period underwear  panties with a reinforced absorbent padding  that she throws in the wash along with her son's cloth diapers. She bought hers from another plastic-free period Newfoundlander, Mindy Russell, who makes and sells the undies across Canada.

"They're pretty popular," said Russell, who runs Copper Mountain Apparel out of her house in Baie Verte.

Elizabeth McMillan/CBC

Russell has worn the underwear in the name of product testing, but prefers a menstrual cup for her period needs, and happily recommends it to others.

"It does take a little bit of effort to find the right size, but if you find the right size, shape, whatever need for you, then there shouldn't be much of an adjustment period at all."

Breaking the 'period taboo'

Both Russell and Thompson are open and willing to discuss their discharge disposal, but they're in a minority of menstruators.

Enter the menstrual taboo: a global phenomenon that relegates periods to private conversations, if at all.

"The menstrual taboo really prohibits and prevents sensible transmission of information," said Courtney Howard, an emergency room physician in Yellowknife and president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.

Most people get their information just from very, very close people. Family members, mothers, sisters, extremely close friends."

If period taboo doesn't seem like a thing to you, consider that in 2015, period underwear company Thinx ran into trouble trying to get ads onto the New York City subway system, with its campaign, featuring grapefruits, broken eggs and women in turtlenecks deemed possibly too "suggestive."

That same year Instagram star Rupi Kaur posted a picture on the social media site of a fully clothed woman with a period stain on her pants, which Kaur said in a repost was originally removed for going against Instagram's guidelines.

The taboo also manifests in the medical world, where Howard ran into it early on in her career.

As a resident at a family practice, a patient came to Howard's office one day asking about menstrual cups, to which Howard went to do some digging through the existing literature for an answer.

She came up with nothing.

"I was astonished. I thought I had done the lit review wrong, because menstrual cups have been around in various incarnations since the 1960s, but really they had been very poorly studied," Howard said, adding this falls in line with women's health issues generally being less studied then men's.

"No one had ever done a trial comparing menstrual cups to tampons."

Unsurprising satisfaction

With a few other physicians, Howard took that trial on, in what ended up in 2011 becoming the first controlled trial of menstrual cups versus tampons in Canada.

The study involved 110 tampon users in British Columbia between the ages of 19 and 40, with half of them switching to menstrual cups for three months. All the participants were then interviewed at the end of the trial.

The results? Ninety-one per cent of the women who switched to the menstrual cup said they'd continue to use it and would recommend it to others.

There's been a culture of shame around menstruation in general that's prohibited good conversation. - Dr. Courtney Howard

"Most people I have known in my personal life were very satisfied with them, so I wasn't surprised when that was what our study also found," said Howard, who uses a cup herself.

The study wasn't perfect; while it showed no significant difference in problems such as urinary tract infections between the two user groups, Howard said the sample size was too small to conclusively say much about potential health risks, or lack thereof, of menstrual cups.

Since Howard's study, there have been few others done to address that gap, and provide any answers to qualms people might have about reusable menstrual products. Howard would like that to change.

"There's no ethical reason why we can't do it. It's a matter of talking about it, building the desire, getting funding for it and recruiting people," she said.

"There's been a culture of shame around menstruation in general that's prohibited good conversation. There's been just general profit-making motives aimed at getting as much money as possible out of women, and essentially exploiting people's hesitancy to talk about it, that has really prevented us from doing the best problem-solving that we could do around menstrual cups."

Mindy Russell/Submitted

The end of word-of-mouth?

Howard, Russell and Thompson all found out about the cups through word-of-mouth.

When Thompson began broadcasting her newfound love for her plastic-free period, "I was so amazed that I started talking about it to my friends, and then I learned that at least half the women I know are using the cups, are using the cloth pads, already."

In retrospect, she said "it was weird" to realize reusable menstrual products rarely come up in conversation.

That might be changing, slowly, with an emphasis on the cup's economic savings,

An anti-poverty group in Windsor handed out Diva Cups to the homeless in 2016, another group fundraised in Halifax a year later, and earlier this year another event in Regina raised money for reusable products in northern Saskatchewan.

A short film about homemade menstrual pads in rural India even won an Oscar this February, as it tackled the taboo issue in the developing world, where menstruation can be a major barrier even to simply attending school.

In Canada, the cup conversation may best be addressed through the health-care system, said Howard, who audited her family practice and realized doctors weren't discussing menarche with young women at all, let alone exploring the various options.

"We're letting them make this transition in the absence of any kind of real information," she said.

"I think there's real opportunity for this type of conversation, to set our young women up for confidence and success, and just a general healthy view of themselves and their bodies," she said.

Howard noted that in her 2011 study, having a health professional walk women through how to use a menstrual cup was key for getting buy-in.

One-on-one, and in between stitching pairs of period undies, Mindy Russell is happy to talk about menstrual cups in any effort to further the conversation, and the environment.

"I would like to see everybody go plastic-free for their period products," she said.

"It's so much stuff that we're tossing away, or flushing away every month. It's sad. It's sad to think about it all."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador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 jpownall@lufkindailynews.com, or submit a news tip online by visiting lufkindailynews.com/tips.Americans may find themselves with the luck of the Irish if they choose to move to this quiet and beautiful island.

Arranmore, a tiny Island off the northwestern coast of Ireland, is down to less than 500 inhabitants, and its remaining natives are trying to recruit people to travel and live there, permanently.

In an open letter penned by the inhabitants, written out to the people of America, Arranmore residents explain that emigration has been ongoing for years, with most residents looking for opportunities elsewhere and choosing to leave the island life behind them. Now, those remaining are hoping to reverse that trend.

We wanted you to be the first to know that Arranmore Island is now online and officially open for business, the letter says.

The island is also officially up and running with a high-speed Internet broadband, which is as good as any office in America, the letter states.

Arranmore | Arranmore

RELATED: The Worlds Largest Swimming Pool Is So Insanely Huge, You Can Actually Set Sail in It

As noted on the islands website, the breathtaking views give residents a look across the Atlantic Ocean and to the mainland mountains stretching from Glen Head to Tory Island.

The island is three miles from the mainland, with a ferry that heads to the town of Burtonport on a daily basis. An airport in Burtonport offers 45-minute flights to Dublin.

The clear waters of the island allow for many water activities, including divings, sailing, kayaking, and more. The island is also home to multiple freshwater lakes.

Arranmore | Patrick Mangan/Shutterstock

Arranmore | Rob Crandall/Shutterstock

The website adds that Arranmore is famous for traditional music at their exciting pubs. Swell Fest, an annual event on the island, features bands that come from all over Ireland. The festival offers weekend and daily tickets, and has proven over the years to be the most exciting weekend for the Arranmore residents.

Since the people of Arranmore penned their letter to American residents, the island has received hundreds and hundreds of inquiries, Adrian Begley, the chair of the Arranmore Island Community Council, told ABC News.

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Its a beautiful place. One of the best things about the place is its people. Its second to none, said Begley, who has lived on the island for more than 20 years.

Arranmore | Patrick Mangan/Shutterstock

RELATED: Want to Spot a Celeb on Vacation? Heres Where to Book a Room

The island has two elementary schools, and one junior school that runs up until college.

And interested transplants dont need to worry about a language barrier on the island. Everyone speaks English, and most people speak Irish  youd never struggle with it, Begley insisted.

As Begley explained, the overall goal is to bring more people in to work and live on the island, which allows for a much more sustainable community.

Island life is a very unique way of being. Its a very unique experience, Begley added. But because of the connectivity we now have, were in a position to offer the best of both worlds.When Trudeau sought to free 2 Canadians, 'Beijing had no time' for him. Will Trump?

With Justin Trudeau's calls for the release of two detained Canadians in China going unheeded by one superpower, the Canadian prime minister is now seeking help from another. Whether the economic giant to Canada's south is willing to come to its neighbour's aid may depend on a clash of Washington's interests amid its own multi-pronged conflict with Beijing.

The White House will host Trudeau next week, but it's hardly a convenient moment for Trudeau to ask Trump for a favour.

China and the U.S. are locked in a trade war. The Trump administration is dealing with new financial pressures brought on by Chinese economic countermeasures. Meanwhile, the U.S. is ramping up military tensions by floating American warships into the South China Sea and selling high-grade weapons to Taiwan, which China views as a renegade province.

"At that level, it's definitely this sense of great powers rumbling," said Chris Sands, director of the Center for Canadian Studies at Johns Hopkins University. "And that puts Canada in a tough position. Because China typically has not dealt with middle powers very well."

Trudeau attempt to engage Chinese premier failed

Enter Trudeau, bearing his own request for Trump to intervene on behalf of two Canadians detained in China. He is due to arrive to the White House on Thursday, after his personal attempt to arrange a conversation with China's premier failed.

Trudeau's outreach effort was to seek intervention on behalf of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have for months been languishing in a Chinese detention centre. Beijing snubbed that request.

Evan Vucci/The Associated Press

"Canada tried to reach out to Beijing, and Beijing had no time for Canada because Canada has annoyed them," Sands said.

Now, Trudeau is going to the U.S., hoping a traditional ally will at least give Canada the time of day.

Intervention from the U.S. on Canada's behalf would be more influential, as Chinese leaders are less likely to ignore states able to exert great global influence, Sands said.

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"China thinks when it gets respect back from them, it validates China as a great nation."

The president has put Canada in an awful place. His mixing legal and trade policy together is completely unconventional and unfortunate. - Bruce Heyman, former U.S. ambassador to Canada

The Trump administration, as Sands sees it, has been poor at dealing with "middle powers" like Canada, however. Ottawa's strained relations with Beijing may have been collateral damage in an ongoing scuffle between Beijing and Washington.

The detentions of Kovrig and Spavor are suspected of being retaliatory measures against Canada after the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver. This, despite Meng's arrest being made at the behest of American authorities.

The blowback was nevertheless severe for Canada, amid fears Meng's fate is being used as a bargaining chip in the U.S.-China trade war. Meng is awaiting extradition to the U.S.

Fred Dufour/Reuters

"The president has put Canada in an awful place," said former U.S. ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman. "His mixing legal and trade policy together is completely unconventional and unfortunate."

What Trudeau might demand is clarification, the former diplomat said, specifically on whether the extradition battle over Meng is truly a legal matter, "or if this is a trade-negotiation tactic" the U.S. is employing "and putting Canada in a difficult place."

"This gives the prime minister the opportunity to say, 'Hey, I just want to let you know when you bring an extradition issue along with a trade issue, it really puts us in a tough spot,'" Heyman said.

Audience set for Thursday

Although Trudeau is expected on Thursday to have an audience with Trump, it's questionable whether any efforts to persuade the president to speak up for the detained Canadians will succeed.

Trump might be loath, for example, to divulge to the Chinese how important the matter of the Canadian detainees is to the U.S. or to Canada. For the Americans, "asking the Chinese for a favour during a period of confrontation" complicates matters, he said, because it also signals to the Chinese that these kinds of detentions work as negotiating tools. Encouraging more detentions would be a grave setback.

"At the level of the president, he's just trying to keep his decks clear in a complex pressure campaign," Sands said.

Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press

Rather than framing the scenario as one in which Canada is looking to the U.S. like a big brother and asking for help, Trudeau might do well to use its levers of influence to show how the release of the Canadian detainees is in U.S. interest.

The Americans need Canada's support in national security as well as trade, and that fellowship will be crucial for Trump to bear in mind, said Scott Kennedy, a China specialist with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"We're alliance partners," he said. "You do things because of the alliance. Within the context of that partnership and the rule of law, we have to watch other's backs, and that is good for both brothers  regardless of size."

Trudeau's Washington visit is meant to "reaffirm America's deep partnership with Canada," according to a White House release. But Trudeau was likely to encounter Trump in a matter of days anyway at the G20 summit in Japan on June 28. That brings the urgency of Thursday's trip into sharper focus.

If Trudeau is expecting action for Canada's cause from a traditional ally, though, he might leave disappointed.

Transactional nature of Trump deals

"I am not optimistic that Trudeau will be able to get Trump to take our side. Under President Trump, traditional allies have taken on a different meaning," said Lynette Ong, an associate professor of political science and China expert at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.

Ong referenced the transactional nature of Trump's governing style. Given an already fraught relationship between Trump and Trudeau, with the two leaders having exchanged harsh words, the U.S. president might need something more from Canada that would benefit the U.S. before he can be persuaded to take up the Canadian detainees' cause.

"Canada will need to create a supply of service to the U.S. that it needs but can't get from elsewhere  and use that as a leverage against the U.S.," Ong said.

"It's up to Trudeau's political ingenuity or lack thereof to make that happen."Brook Garner grew up feeling isolated.

As one of the only First Nations children in his rural Saskatchewan community, he felt alone.

"I was marked as different. I was bullied a whole bunch. It was not fun," Garner, now 24, said.

"Growing up in a mainly white community was just different because I didn't look a bit like my classmates."

On top of that, he was dealing with confusion about his identity. His assigned gender at birth was female, and he felt he was living in the wrong body.

Garner, a member of the Buffalo River Dene Nation, is a two-spirit transgender man. The term two-spirit emerged in the 1990s to highlight Indigenous LGBTQ experiences.

"Pretty much, from puberty onset, I became depressed," he said. He tried to take his own life at 21.

"I actually developed internalized racism and internalized transphobia," Garner said.

"I had been depressed for so long without knowing why. I had my reason, it's because I was a boy this whole time. I think, I attempted [suicide] because I was afraid of saying that out loud and having to live that."

Three weeks after his attempted suicide, he started transitioning into his correct gender.

"I thought I could avoid being transgender and two-spirit. It turns out I couldn't avoid it. I just had to accept that I was," he said.

Omayra Issa/CBC News

He said ceremony, counselling and learning about the traditional roles of two-spirit people have helped him fight against depression.

Garner has survived to tell his story, but not all two-spirit youth have survived.

Poorer outcomes

Experts say it's common across Canada for two-spirit health outcomes to be poorer than those for the rest of the population and that many two-spirit people are contending with mental health issues.

"Substance misuse, homelessness, and ultimately suicide are three top issues for two-spirit people," Jeffrey McNeil-Seymour, an assistant professor of social work at Ryerson University and a two-spirit person, said.

Story continues

He said racism, transphobia, homophobia and misogyny in Indigenous communities and Canadian society are having adverse effects on two-spirit people.

"We're the most marginalized group in Canada," McNeil-Seymour, a member of the Tk'emlups Indian band of the Secwepemc Nation in British Columbia, said.

Omayra Issa/CBC

McNeil-Seymour said the Christianization of Indigenous societies has destroyed traditional concepts of gender and sexual diversity.

"Two-spirit people were marked as abhorrent by the church," he said.

It hasn't always been like that.

A place in the circle

Two-spirit people historically had an important place in Indigenous societies before contact with Europeans, according to experts.

"A long time ago, we had a place, we had responsibilities, and we had roles that were recognized. It's taking a long time to restore that place," two-spirit Metis elder Marjorie Beaucage said.

Omayra Issa/CBC News

She added that two-spirit people were traditionally considered powerful, recognized as healers and entrusted with taking care of children.

Kyle Shaughnessy, a two-spirit trans man of Dene and Irish descent and part of the Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre at the University of British Columbia, said many of the forms of discrimination that two-spirit people face are modern byproducts of colonization.

"Homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, these are not traditional values," Shaughnessy said.

A silent tragedy

Experts say two-spirit people, particularly youth, are not getting the help they need.

In May 2018, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) released its suicide prevention strategy, calling the Saskatchewan statistics alarming.

It called for a co-ordinated, community-run approach to decreasing suicide rates for the province's Indigenous population.

According to the FSIN, suicide is four times more likely in the Indigenous population than in the province's general population. For men between 20 and 29, the rate is 10 times higher. First Nations girls between 10 and 19 kill themselves almost 30 times more often.

The FSIN report does not, however, address the specific needs of two-spirit youth. FSIN did not respond to several requests for comment on this absence.

The lack of data contributes to a lack of programming and a lack of acknowledgement of the two-spirit youth out there.  Kyle Shaughnessy

Jack Saddleback, cultural and projects co-ordinator at OUT Saskatoon and a two-spirit trans man, said he deplores this.

"When two-spirit people aren't necessarily explicitly addressed in frameworks like that around suicide prevention, I think that just goes to showcase that there's a huge gap or disconnect when looking at the unique needs of two-spirit folks," Saddleback, a member of Samson Cree Nation in Alberta, said.

Omayra Issa/CBC News

Andre Bear, a 23-year-old two-spirit man from Little Pine First Nation in Saskatchewan, has come a long way in his personal journey.

Bear, a first year law student, is a former youth representative at the FSIN. In 2016 he was appointed an adviser to federal Crown-Indigeneous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett.

His youth was split between time in Saskatoon's inner city and his home reserve, where he was bullied.

Bear realized he was two-spirit at age 15.

"That's when I really started turning to drugs, alcohol, partying and violence, unfortunately, to project a lot of the trauma, negativity, and the shame I held for myself," Bear said.

He said traditional medicine and counselling helped him heal and come to terms with his sexual orientation.

"My mom took me to a medicine person when I was really down and out, and feeling suicidal and hopelessness," he said.

No national statistics

There are no national statistics on two-spirit youth mental health. Experts say they should be collected, but in culturally appropriate ways.

Indigenous Services Canada said it doesn't track data related to the mental health of two-spirit people. It referred CBC News to one of its partners, the First Nations Information Governance Centre, which also said it doesn't collect such information.

The people who track suicide are the coroners in each of the provinces and territories, said Elizabeth Saewyc, professor at the school of nursing at the University of British Columbia and executive director of the Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre.

"They're not asking those questions, identifying if someone is LGBTQ in the general population. I'm not sure anybody knows how to ask those questions in culturally appropriate ways."

Saewyc has conducted research alongside Indigenous communities for more than 20 years.

Some say the lack of statistics affects the ability of two-spirit youth to access services targeted to their needs.

The lack of data permeates Indigenous communities, the general LGBTQ population and the Canadian public.

National call for adequate services

Indigenous Services Canada declined a request for an interview, but said in a statement that it "doesn't have specific programming for the LGBTQ2S population." ISC said its mental wellness programming is directed to the general Indigenous population.

There is great resiliency within the two-spirit people, and definitely in our youth communities.  Kyle Shaughnessy

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) says two-spirit mental wellness is a concern across Canada.

"We know that suicide rate among First Nations men and women is five to seven times the national average. In particular, for this [two-spirit people] part of our family, our community, our nation, it's very alarming. It's about becoming aware that this is a growing issue," AFN national chief Perry Bellegarde said.

Two-spirit people say their youth need basic services including housing, education, cultural belonging and safe spaces.

Beaucage said it's about creating a sense of belonging.

"The most important thing in our culture is our relations. If you can't belong, how can you be healthy?" Beaucage said.

While two-spirit youth are vulnerable, there is hope.

"There is great resiliency within the two-spirit people, and definitely in our youth communities," Kyle Shaughnessy said.

Trevor Bothorel/CBC

Researchers, elders and youth say they are at the forefront of the revival of Indigenous practices related to the acceptance of sexual diversity.

They say two-spirit youth need to be connected with the land, their languages and ceremonies, and to reclaim the traditional teachings on the roles of two-spirit individuals.

As for Garner, he is studying nursing at the University of Saskatchewan and was involved with organizing the first two-spirit powwow on a First Nation in Canada's history.

The historic event happened Saturday on the Beardy's & Okemasis' Cree Nation, 85 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.

"Finally, I said my truth, and it turns out that there was space for me as a two-spirit trans person to exist in the world," he said. "Be a success, and live as I need to."

If you need help:

Mental health resources are available across Canada through the HealthLine at 811.

The federal government has a toll-free number for First Nations and Inuit people who are experiencing mental health issues: 1-855-242-3310.

If you're worried someone you know may be at risk of suicide, you should talk to them, says the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.

Here are some of the warning signs:In April this year, I went to Japan for a short-term mission trip. This was not my first time going to Japan but it was my first time on an overseas mission trip. I didnt have a lot of expectations except for hoping to get involved in some way and learning about how the Gospel is presented to the Japanese. I went through a mission organisation and they linked me up with a church based in a city called Hirosaki in the Aomori prefecture.

Here are some of the insights I learned about Japan and Japanese people:

1. Their unique appreciation for beauty

I was so lucky to have gone to Japan during sakura season. Sakura is the Japanese term for cherry-blossoms. They are beautiful with pink and white colours, but sadly, they have a short life cycle. I wasnt aware that Hirosaki has a park filled with sakura trees until I heard the locals talk about it. It was sakuraseason and the topic of conversation is: Have the sakuras started blooming yet? and When will you go hanami? (Hanami  literally flower watch  is a cultural activity where the Japanese spend time with family or friends to enjoy the viewing of sakuras.) Its their highlight of the year and Hirosaki park draws in tens of thousands of tourists every year. At night they light up the sakuras, bringing more vibrancy to these trees.

These locals love and connection for sakuras have changed the way Ive come to appreciate beauty and life. Spring comes after winter, and Hirosaki in winter is covered with snow and freezing temperatures. The advent of Spring is signalled by the melting away of snow and the blooming of sakuras  a magnificent visual representation of the symbolic meaning of Spring. After 3 long wintry months, the locals come out of hibernation and celebrate the new beginnings as sakura buds spring forth. Life is precious and beautiful, but also very short, just like the life of a sakura.

If only we could see that Jesus offers all people eternal life to enjoy the beauty of Him and his creation.

2. Their unique view on spirituality

Whilst over there I had an opportunity to talk to a local Japanese Christian. She said there is a saying that Japanese people are born into Shintoism, marry Christian and die Buddhist. She was talking about the fluidity of their religious views.

Shinto views and beliefs permeatemuch of Japanese culture. Youd often find temples and shrines in many places, especially in rural areas. But many Japanese like the traditional Western Christian wedding so many would follow those traditions.

Their view on life-after-death is heavily influenced by Buddhist belief of karma and reincarnation so they are motivated by doing good and promote harmony in life and community.

Surprisingly, many of the Japanese people I talked to passively accept the inevitability of death. They dont wish to fight against it. Like the sakuras that come and go, they see their life as a short blossoming in this place called earth. They love and care for the environment. They do their part and then quietly leave this world, perhaps returning again as a reincarnated animal.

3. Their unique fear of nonconformity

One of the hardest challenges I saw in sharing about the Gospel to the Japanese in Japan is their fear of delineating from the norm. Christians are a minority in Japan and to renounce their belief and practice of Shintoism to adopt a new religion  not to mention, a Western religion  would mean they would stand out and not be part of the group anymore.

How can we keep preaching the Gospel to Japan?

Going to Japan during Easter has reminded me how much I take Christianity for granted. Whilst Australia was enjoying the public holidays of Good Friday and Easter Monday, it was just another normal weekend for the Japanese. After sharing this with a friend, he made a comment, saying: Isnt it interesting to see how, for the Japanese, the stories of Jesus are so foreign to them, but the challenge in the West is that people think they alreadyknow the story of Jesus.

Theres so much potential to reach the unreached in Japan because people do want to hear about Jesus but they have no one to tell them!

This trip has helped me see how much I take Christianity for granted and that people in Japan also need to hear the message of the Good News, just as much as we do here.

Rachel is the children and youth pastor at Northern Life Baptist Church in Sydney. She loves volleyball, reading and a good TV drama! She has recently finished studying a Master of Divinity at Morling College and shes continuing further studies towards another Masters. You can also find Rachels previous article here: https://christiantoday.com.au/news/how-i-became-the-rich-fool.htmlData Privacy Laws  Getting Secure

Why are hackers after your data? You can only accord something the required security if you know its value. This knowledge will help you get your network security priorities right as you build your cybersecurity defenses. While most organizations put all efforts in safeguarding the most sensitive data in their custody, hackers are also interested in what you may not imagine. A risk analysis helps to identify specifics and using a risk management plan can aid you in accounting for and addressing each ranked threat.

Personal data

Most people or system users are aware that personal data is always under threat. If your organization handles such information, it is crucial to employ stringent cybersecurity measures for data protection. Most people assume that invaders are only after crucial information like pins, passwords, bank details, credit card numbers, social security numbers, among others, to use in financial theft. The fact is that less common information like an individuals favorite pet name, parents full names, place of birth, schools attended, and favorite teams are equally sought after by hackers. Such information may help intruders access peoples accounts.

Personal data in the wrong hands can be used for spam, scams, and data mining, apart from the apparent financial theft.

Healthcare Information

Recent FBI reports indicate healthcare information is a thriving business among criminals as a single record fetches about $50. Though not often thought as of interest to hackers, health information is valuable to intruders just like personal data and trade secrets. It is more lucrative than the selling of social security numbers. If you collect, handle, or keep employee or client healthcare information, ensure the data is secured with the latest security protocols.

Trade secrets

Your business blueprint: business plans, business methods, business markets, marketing plans, marketing analysis, and other operational details are deep secrets and of interest to your competitors. Hackers would love to get the information and make a kill by selling to them. While employing cybersecurity strategies and plans to safeguard threats from external intruders, consider internal enemies. Employees can pose a danger as well if the data falls in the wrong hands. Your security measures should safeguard the company business blueprint from all possible threats.

All Your Data

Ransomware is a common threat to organizations and businesses. Here, hackers hold all your data ransom for exorbitant fees via encryption. Keep your version of encrypted data regularly, both offline and online. Off-site back up are crucial as they offer a seamless way to recover in case of an attack, which is an indication of an effective cybersecurity strategy.

Once aware of what the intruder is after, you can find ways to safeguard it adequately. Data security is a primary concern among organizations across the globe. In 2018, hackers made some of the boldest and most scary attacks in cyberspace history. British Airways hacking affected bookings made on the airplanes app and site. 380,000 users and cards were affected on the two weeks attack. Between Jan 2016 and December 2017, hackers accessed Orbitz travel bookings affecting about 880,000 users. Another major attack on SingHealth affected 1.5 million people, and Marriot Starwood Hotels also fell victim to hackers, where 500 million people were affected.

All these attacks, and many more not mentioned, is any institutions nightmare. Such incidences have shown the need to have data privacy laws. In recent years, states have made remarkable developments in the implementation of data security measures. For example, after a two-year implementation period, the GDPR took effect. Here are some of these significant achievements:

CCPA- California Consumer Privacy Act

In 2018, California passed the CCPA act, which is the first of its kind, to take effect from 1st January 2020.

California Consumer Privacy Act applies to every establishment that collects California residents personal data, whether employees or customers to meet the set threshold. This is regardless of the location. One of the requirements is that the company should collect about 50,000 consumers personal data annually. Considering that the IP address is personal information, the threshold is low. The other requirement is $25 million in annual revenue. A business that operates websites will meet the former threshold with ease, even though they miss the later.

Through this law, residents of California enjoy privacy rights like the right to know how a business collects and handles your personal information, rights to access and deletion, right to opt out of sale of personal data, among others.

GDPR- General Data Protection Regulation

The EU set the pace by effecting GDPR, and most of the member states are introducing laws that protect data at local levels, to supplement the baseline position under GDPR. Germany and Spain took the law further beyond the specific derogation areas.

Other Global Developments

Bosnia, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Malaysia, and Monaco are in the process of passing their data protection laws to align to GDPR. In Hong Kong, the New Ethical Accountability Framework urges establishments within Hong Kong to take privacy impact assessments that are like the requirements under GDPR. Brazils General Data Protection Law is set to take effect in 2020. This law, like the GDPR, applies outside the countrys territory. Though data threats are on the increase, countries are becoming aware and putting to effect data privacy across the globe; which is ultimately a good thing for everyone.









Submit Rating Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 3 No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.Question: Regarding my posts about the terrible perversion of Torah and halacha that Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky has engineered with his prod...

Shemos (23:1) You must not carry false rumors; you shall not join hands with the guilty to act as a malicious witness: Mishneh Torah, (Nega...

  quoted a   but I saw someone wrote that he says  the heter is only to stop damage not punish and not embarras...

Important!! email - yadmoshe@gmail.comPolitical prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging think tanker, aspiring novelist, hanger on of academia, parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, Speedboat, proudly banned from Twitter so officially more dangerous than the Taliban, eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.Chad Cheever pleaded not guilty to charges of murder by abuse and second-degree assault on Tuesday in Linn County Circuit Court.

A 12-member jury trial, estimated to last 10 days, also was scheduled to start on Feb. 3.

Cheever is accused of crimes connected to the death of his relative, Tangent-area farm mechanic Don Whisenhunt.

Whisenhunt, 60, allegedly died because of massive injuries caused by a physical confrontation with Cheever the night of Sept. 20. Cheever allegedly left Whisenhunt outside overnight on Whisenhunts Tangent property, according to court paperwork.

Tami Jean Fulbright, Whisenhunt's daughter, has pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal mistreatment for her role in her fathers death. She withheld necessary and adequate medical treatment from him.

Fulbright was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

In a separate case from May, Cheever is charged with two counts of felony fourth-degree assault and an additional count of attempted fourth-degree assault.

Those charges stem from his conduct at the Linn County Jail, and the victims listed on court paperwork were recently inmates at the facility.

Kyle Odegard can be reached at kyle.odegard@lee.net, 541-812-6077 or via Twitter @KyleOdegard.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2College graduation is a turning point, a time to reflect on the past and prepare to make a leap of faith into an unknown future.

At Oregon State Universitys 150th commencement ceremony Saturday morning, a number of speakers took the opportunity to touch on the institutions past while advising the latest graduating class on how best to approach the future.

President Ed Ray, in a nod to the universitys founding in 1868, began his remarks by acknowledging that the campus was built on the ancestral lands of the Marys River Band of Kalapuya Indians, who were forcibly removed from the area after the signing of an 1855 treaty.

He also called attention to how far the university has come in the century and a half from its first graduating class in 1870, which consisted of three people (two men and a woman), to the Class of 2019, which boasted a record 7,202 graduates.

Nearly 4,200 of those graduates, dressed in their academic regalia, were seated on the field at OSUs Reser Stadium under sunny skies to receive their degrees on Saturday.

The official attendance estimate was 27,500 to 29,000, making it the second-largest crowd ever to attend commencement at Oregon State. (The record, estimated at 33,000, was set when first lady Michelle Obama was the commencement speaker in 2012.)

Rani Borkar, the chair of OSUs Board of Trustees, called the universitys 150th commencement an incredible milestone for this hallowed institution and advised the graduating class to take stock of who theyve become during their time at the university before taking the plunge into the world of work.

It is important to know what you believe in, your self-identity and your value system, she said from the podium.

These are the foundations of a purposeful life and your anchors in a changing world.

OSU distinguished professor Jane Lubchenco, a world-renowned marine ecologist and widely respected expert on climate change and the ocean, gave this years commencement address.

She congratulated the students on earning their degrees and assured them that their OSU educations have prepared them to succeed in life.

As an example, she cited how her own education had readied her for the challenge of taking on high-level roles in the federal government, first as administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and then as the State Departments first science envoy for the ocean.

By the time she arrived in Washington, D.C., she joked, I already knew how to swim with sharks.

The biggest challenge they will face, Lubchenco told the graduates, is their rapidly changing world.

Make no mistake: This means the world is increasingly hard to predict and full of surprises, she said.

Change is upon us. Change has become a defining feature of our world.

With that in mind, Lubchenco offered three guiding principles to make it easier to navigate an unpredictable future: Embrace change. Nurture yourself, your community and nature. And take charge by taking action.

Lubchenco acknowledged that the pace of change can seem overwhelming, but said there is no point in ignoring it or trying to hold it back. Instead, she urged the graduates to take a systems approach to global problems such as climate change and find ways to tackle them head-on.

For inspiration, she cited a quote by John W. Gardner, secretary of health, education and welfare under President Lyndon Johnson, who said, We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.

She asked the students to adopt a nurturing attitude, not only toward themselves and their families but toward their communities and the natural world.

Our planet is out of balance, but its not too late to transition to more sustainable practices and policies, Lubchenco said.

Take heart that there are good and encouraging changes underway.

Finally, she exhorted the students to take charge of their own future.

We often forget that each one of us has the power to do something, she said.

As an example, she pointed to Greta Thunberg, the 15-year-old girl who launched a global wave of teen climate activism with her lonely vigil outside the Swedish Parliament.

This is just the beginning, Lubchenco said. Youth will lead. You will lead.

She asked the graduates to inform themselves about climate change, to talk about the issue with others in their lives, and to express their convictions at the ballot box.

We invite you to take your place in shaping the world. In fact, we are relying on you to do just that, she said.

You have worked hard for your degree, she added. Now go out and use it. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: Be the change you want to see in the world.

Both Lubchenco and Pat Reser, the former chair of the OSU Board of Trustees and, with her late husband, Al, one of the universitys most generous financial supporters, received honorary doctorates during the ceremony.

In addition to earning their academic degrees, 35 graduates who completed the ROTC program also earned their commissions as junior officers in the U.S. armed forces. As they stood to recite their oaths of office, they received a standing ovation from the audience.

There were cheers as well for those receiving masters and doctoral degrees, but the loudest ovation of the day was reserved for the moment when President Ray invited several thousand graduates receiving bachelors degrees to move their tassels to the left side of their mortarboards.

Ray concluded his remarks with what has become his traditional sendoff to each years graduating class: I wish each and every one of you a wonderful life enriched by honorable service.

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.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.Aerial view of melting permafrost near a research site in Arctic Canada. The unprecedented melt rate creates thermokarst, an irregular landscape dotted by lakes, holes, and mounds. Photo: Louise Farquharson

By Jan Wesner Childs

14 June 2019

(The Weather Channel)  Scientists studying climate change expected layers of permafrost in the Canadian Arctic to melt by the year 2090.

Instead, its happening now.

A new study published this week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters revealed that unusually warm summers in the Canadian High Arctic between 2003 and 2016 resulted in permafrost melt up to 240% higher than previous years.

Louise Farquharson, a researcher at the Permafrost Laboratory at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the studys lead author, told weather.com the three areas of melting permafrost studied in remote northern Canada are believed to have been frozen for thousands of years.

This change is unprecedented on this kind of time scale, Farquharson said.

She noted that while scientists had predicted the permafrost wouldnt melt for another 70 years, those forecasts didnt take into account the unusually warm summers that have happened in recent years. While researchers believe all indicators point to warmer temperatures continuing, theres no way to know for sure just how quickly the permafrost will continue to melt.

As permafrost disappears, it creates whats known as thermokarst, a sinking landscape often pockmarked with lakes, holes and mounds. In one area the researchers studied, the ground sank about three feet.

It was very surprising to just see how rapidly the landscape changed, Farquharson said. We started monitoring these sites back in the early 2000s and this landscape surrounding each of our stations was fairly flat. It was fairly easy to walk across the area.

The transformation was startling.

Its pretty amazing, Farquharson said. There are these troughs of up to 90 centimeters (about 35 inches). Its kind of like the elevation of a kitchen countertop. There are small ponds in many of these troughs. Its quite a profound change. [more]

Arctic Permafrost Melting 70 Years Sooner Than Expected, Study Finds

Arctic permafrost is going through a rapid meltdown  70 years early

By Grant Currin

13 June 2019

(Live Science)  In the Canadian Arctic, layers of permafrost that scientists expected to remain frozen for at least 70 years have already begun thawing. The once-frozen surface is now sinking and dotted with melt ponds and from above looks a bit like Swiss cheese, satellite images reveal.

We were astounded that this system responded so quickly to the higher air temperatures, said Louise Farquharson, a co-author of the study and postdoctoral fellow at the Permafrost Laboratory at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. []

The researchers recorded permafrost thawing to depths that were not expected until air temperatures reached levels the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted will occur after 2090, according to one of its moderate climate change models. The IPCC, which is a body of the United Nations, provides scientific information to help guide countries climate policies.

We had this flat terrain when we started monitoring. In 10 or so years, we saw the landscape transform. Louise Farquharson, postdoctoral fellow, University of Alaska Fairbanks

The researchers believe higher summer temperatures, low levels of insulating vegetation and the presence of ground ice near the surface contributed to the exceptionally rapid and deep thawing. []

We had this flat terrain when we started monitoring, Farquharson told Live Science. In 10 or so years, we saw the landscape transform.

Their data allowed the researchers to interpret the topographical changes happening before their eyes.

We were able to tie together air temperature and ground temperature with the formation of this thermokarst terrain, Farquharson said. [more]

Arctic Permafrost Is Going Through a Rapid Meltdown  70 Years Early

Climate change drives widespread and rapid thermokarst development in very cold permafrost in the Canadian High Arctic

ABSTRACT: Climate warming in regions of icerich permafrost can result in widespread thermokarst development, which reconfigures the landscape and damages infrastructure. We present multisite timeseries observations which couple ground temperature measurements with thermokarst development in a region of very cold permafrost. In the Canadian High Arctic between 2003 and 2016, a series of anomalously warm summers caused mean thawing indices to be 150240% above the 19792000 normal resulting in up to 90 cm of subsidence over the 12year observation period. Our data illustrate that despite low mean annual ground temperatures, very cold permafrost (<10C) with massive ground ice close to the surface is highly vulnerable to rapid permafrost degradation and thermokarst development. We suggest that this is due to little thermal buffering from soil organic layers and near surface vegetation, and the presence of near surface ground ice. Observed maximum thaw depths at our sites are already exceeding those projected to occur by 2090 under RCP 4.5.

Observed thermokarst development in very cold permafrost at 3 monitoring sites along a 700 km transect in the Canadian High Arctic.

Rapid landscape response to above average summer warmth is due to limited thermal buffering from overlying ecosystem components and nearsurface ground ice.

Change was greatest at Mould Bay where thawing index values were 240% above historic normals causing ~90 cm of subsidence in 12 years.

Climate change drives widespread and rapid thermokarst development in very cold permafrost in the Canadian High ArcticBut I dont want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.

"Oh, you cant help that," said the Cat: "were all mad here. Im mad. Youre mad."

"How do you know Im mad?" said Alice.

"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldnt have come here.

 Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland





With freedom comes responsibility.

 Eleanor Roosevelt



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.



See? Justin Amash isn't the only Republican standing up to Trump; he's just the only Republican in Congress standing up to Trump. Republicans For The Rule of Rule-- the 501 (c) (4) nonprofit group running that Fox TV ad above-- describes itself as "a group of life-long Republicans dedicated to defending the institutions of our republic and upholding the rule of law. We are fighting to make sure that the laws apply equally to everyone, from the average citizen to the president of the United States. We believe in fidelity to the Constitution, transparency, and the independence of prosecutors from politics."





Wall Street Journal that Trump "has honored his commitments to the faith-based community. He is pro-life, first president really in my lifetime that has been this vocal about life. I certainly appreciate that about him. Hes fulfilled his promise as it relates to conservative judges. Hes put two Supreme Court justices so far on the bench that are conservative. Hes appointed a number at lower courts. I hope that hell be able to do even more in that area, because that will have an impact on my childrens lives. If we have the right judges, it will benefit all of us." Franklin went on to repeat a whole litany of Trumpist lies the pretend "president" will run on: "I think he has done an excellent job getting people back to work, turning the economy around, defeating ISIS as a military power on the battlefield. He has done all of these things, and hes done it very quickly... I think God was behind the last election." But these "constitutionalist" types were never part of the Trump coalition. Trump doesn't give a hoot about them. His coalition are the least educated and least intelligent segment of the population-- the religionists who expect to be told what to do and couldn't begin to function without being told what to do. The evangelical vote is the Trump vote. Just yesterday, one of the top charlatans of that movement, Franklin Graham, told a right-wing website, the Western Journal , which pretends to by related to thethat Trump "has honored his commitments to the faith-based community. He is pro-life, first president really in my lifetime that has been this vocal about life. I certainly appreciate that about him. Hes fulfilled his promise as it relates to conservative judges. Hes put two Supreme Court justices so far on the bench that are conservative. Hes appointed a number at lower courts. I hope that hell be able to do even more in that area, because that will have an impact on my childrens lives. If we have the right judges, it will benefit all of us." Franklin went on to repeat a whole litany of Trumpist lies the pretend "president" will run on: "I think he has done an excellent job getting people back to work, turning the economy around, defeating ISIS as a military power on the battlefield. He has done all of these things, and hes done it very quickly...."





And this brings us to a couple of NY Times-type conservatives, James Kirchick (a a really loathsome-- and self-loathing-- right-wing gay Jew who was a Republican-for-Hillary bigwig) and Peter Wehner, a puffed-up, self-proclaimed "expert" on religion and ethics who tries pretending God loves wars of aggression and who wrote speeches for Bill Bennett and George W. Bush. Among Christians, he's the foremost hater of the Sermon on the Mount, but is accepted by the NY Times crowd because of his disdain for Senor Trumpanzee. Before the last election he said he would never vote for Trump (nor, unlike Kirchick, Hillary) and was reviled by Trumpists for noting that their hero is "Trump is "characterized by indifference to objective truth (there are no facts, only interpretations), the repudiation of Christian concern for the poor and the weak, and disdain for the powerless... it is fair to say that there existed in the Republican Party repulsive elements, people who were attracted to racial and ethnic politics and moved by resentment and intolerance rather than a vision of the good. This group was larger than I ever imagined, and at important moments the Republican Party either overlooked them or played to them. Some may have been hoping to appeal to these elements while also containing and moderating them, to sand off the rough edges, to keep them within the coalition but not allow them to become dominant. But the opposite happened. The party guests took over the party."

The Death of Politics-- How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump that was reviewed yesterday by Kirchick in a column titled The Death of Politics, his lament for the state of our civic discourse, "embodies a Nietzschean morality rather than a Christian one." Wehner has a new book out,that was reviewed yesterday by Kirchick in a column titled A Man of Faith Wonders at How Evangelicals Can Support Trump . Kirchick is positively delighted to begin his review by pointing out that fellow conservative windbag is offended by the Trump presidency. "Wehner," he writes, "is horrified at the way the president uses words 'to murder the very idea of truth.' Trump, Wehner writes in, his lament for the state of our civic discourse, "embodies a Nietzschean morality rather than a Christian one."An aerial view of Ho Chi Minh City is captured from above. The city reported annual growth of 97 percent in terms of the number of accommodations available for rent on Airbnb. Photo acquired by VnExpress

Airbnb and other accommodation-sharing services are booming in Vietnam and many homeowners are cashing in on them.

There were 40,000 active Airbnb listings in Vietnam as of January this year compared to only 1,000 in 2015, according to the Homesharing Vietnam - Insights Report released by Outbox Consulting, a tourism development consulting firm.

There has been explosive growth in major cities such as HCMC, Hanoi and Da Nang where the number of international visitors arrivals has surged in recent years.

HCMC reported annual growth of 97 percent in terms of the number of accommodations available for rent on Airbnb, a U.S. online marketplace and hospitality services brokerage that connects tourists with hosts.

Hanoi and Da Nang have seen 112 percent and 111 percent growth. Famous tourist destinations such as Ha Long Bay and Sa Pa, which are in the midst of a tourism boom, too have embraced the idea.

More than 18,000 Vietnamese landlords have listed on Airbnb, and those with multiple listings make up 69 percent of the number. Nearly 50 percent offer private rooms while 47 percent offer the entire home.

The average rental is around $36 per room per night in Hanoi and $44 in HCMC.

Home sharing is also becoming increasingly common.

According to Outbox Consulting, HCMC-based homeowners earn VND11.5 million ($490) per month during the peak season from November to January, while the monthly income of a host in Hanoi is around VND6.7 million ($290).

During the off-peak travel season in May-June Airbnb hosts earned an average of VND8.3 million ($360) in HCMC and VND5.2 million ($220) in Hanoi.

The increasing number of visitors to Vietnam has created a momentum for this business, according to experts.

Vietnam is enjoying a tourism boom with a record 15.5 million foreign arrivals in 2018, an increase of 20 percent over the previous year. It is on track to meet its target of 18 million this year, according to the General Statistics Office.

The report also revealed that international tourists accounted for 84 percent of Airbnb guests in HCMC and Hanoi.

Lucrative market

The apartment rental market has changed dramatically in recent years with more and more owners moving from traditional leasing to listing on Airbnb or other similar websites, Tran Anh Khoa, a real estate agent in HCMC, said.

The Outbox Consulting report said many people have reportedly bought apartments in cities like Hanoi and HCMC to rent out rooms for short-term stays, which generate 20-50 percent higher incomes than long-term contracts.

Airbnb and other similar services are favored since they offer cheaper rates compared to a hotel room or a serviced apartment, Stephen Wyatt, country head of real estate consultant Jones Lang LaSalle Vietnam, said.The JS Murasame (L) and the JS Izumo docked at the Cam Ranh Port on June 14, 2019. Photo courtesy of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Two Japanese destroyers along with numerous helicopters and soldiers docked at the Cam Ranh Port in the central province of Khanh Hoa Friday in a four-day visit to Vietnam.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) said that the JS Izumo and the JS Murasame with 5 helicopters and 800 soldiers on board are part of a 3-month training session in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea.

They would also visit other Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, the Philippines and Brunei.

"The training session would help to improve the soldiers strategic capabilities, as well as foster cooperation between countries naval forces," said Hiroshi Yamamura, Chief of Staff of the JMSDF.

The JS Izumo is one of Japans biggest destroyers right now. It is 248 meters long, weighs 27,000 tons and can carry 14 helicopters. The destroyer had already docked at the Cam Ranh Port in 2017 for the Pacific Partnership 2017, a multilateral mission to prepare for humanitarian aid and disaster relief in the Indo-Pacific Ocean.

In March, two Japanese training vessels, the JS Setoyuki and the JS Shimayuki also docked at Da Nang Citys Tien Sa Port for cultural exchanges and meet with Da Nang authorities.Ngo Van Giang has been arrested for ordering dozens of gangsters to stalk and menace a group of four men, including two policemen, in Dong Nai Province.

A man ordering dozens of gangsters to stalk and menace a group of four men, including two policemen, in Bien Hoa was arrested Saturday.

Ngo Van Giang, a gang leader in the southern town, was arrested by local police for disrupting public order.

According to a police report, Giang summoned dozens of his gang members Wednesday, to chase down and manace a group of four people in a car, including two serving police officers and one retired colonel.

The officials and a businessman friend were eating at a restaurant in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai Province, when the inebriated friend vomited on the foot of another customer, Nguyen Tan Luong.

The man apologized, but his apology was met with physical assaults by Luong.

Restaurant staff diffused the situation and the officials and their friend were about to leave in a car when Luong called up gangster Giang for help.

The gangster and his minions blocked the car from moving by placing rocks in front of their tires, all the while hurling insults.

The car managed to drive for about 200 meters when some police came to their rescue. But the gang followed the car on 10 bikes and circled the car, demanding that the four get out "to talk."

The group then managed to call a large group of police personnel to the scene, but the gang did not back out. It was only after a top leader of Bien Hoa Police showed up to "negotiate" that the 2-hour hostage situation was resolved.

It is unknown whether the gangsters knew there were policemen in the group of four.

The police is investigating the case further. More information about Nguyen Tan Luong and the gang members was not immediately available.The system to treat waste at Nam Son landfill in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Tat Dinh.

A new technique proposed for the capital citys two biggest landfills could take in more waste without having to expand their land area.

The Hanoi Urban Environment Company (Urenco) said the "green" technique learned from Taiwan will help Nam Son and Xuan Son landfills double their capacities without having to enlarge their space.

The company, also the operator of the two dumps in Hanoi's outskirts, said in its proposal that it will build walls rising 20 meters high around the landfills.

The walls will be made of soil. On the walls surface, which will be covered with nets, plants will be grown and inside those walls will be laid five layers of waterproof fabric and sand.

Built in 1999, the Nam Son landfill in Soc Son District is the biggest in the city, covering more than 157 hectares (390 acres). More than half of it has been filled up with trash.

Spreading 13.32 hectares, the Xuan Son landfill in Son Tay District was put into use in 2007 and over 5 hectares has been filled with trash.

Each day, Nam Son receives 5,000 tons of garbage, while Xuan Son gets 1,200 tons.

With their existing capacities, both landfills will not be able to take in trash by December, 2020, according to Urenco.

The proposed technique will allow them to double the capacity while saving land fund and the cost for site clearance, said Nguyen Huu Tien, Urencos CEO.

"Building mud walls with plants growing on them will prepare the first step to turn the landfills into parks once they are no longer in use, as has been done in Taiwan and several other places," he said.

Hanoi is also building a plant that burns trash to generate electricity.

The project is expected to start operation in 2021 with a designed capacity of 4,000 tons per day, which means it cannot deal with all the trash that is generated in the city.

In this scenario, the new technique will be a solution for handling the rest of the garbage, allowing the two landfills to take in trash for five more years, Urenco said.

The cost of building walls for the two landfills is estimated at VND1.64 trillion ($70.3 million).

Urenco will call for private investment and use its own budget for the project, and then the city will pay service fees depending on the amount of trash the walled landfills will take in.

In January this year, Hanoi decided to spend VND3.4 trillion ($147 million) for relocating households that live within a radius of 500 meters around the Soc Son landfill, following residents protests.

The protest saw residents gathering to block trucks from entering the landfill, saying Hanoi and Soc Son authorities had been slow to compensate and resettle those suffering harmful environmental impacts from the waste treatment complex. As a result, rubbish was uncollected and piled up in many districts.

At a meeting with locals in May, 2016, Hanoi authorities pledged that they would complete the plan to compensate and relocate residents out of the dump by the end of last year.

But as of early this year, nothing had changed, prompting the residents to step up their protests.

Authorities said that the resettlement and compensation process has now been completed.This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 14 years and 30,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going.ELKO  A group that plans to launch a recall petition against Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak will hold a rally Sunday afternoon in Spring Creek.

Fight for Nevada believes Nevadas recently elected Democrat-controlled government is passing laws that infringe on freedoms such as gun rights.

The rally is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. at Empower Fitness on Lamoille Highway.

According to Fight for Nevada President Angela Blass of Elko, speakers will include Sheriff Aitor Narvaiza, Mercedes Mendive, Thelma Homer and herself.

We will have music and will be raffling off an American Flag 9mm Glock donated by Arms-R-Us, she said.

The group held a rally earlier this month in Carson City. They plan to file a recall notice this fall. Under Nevada law, the group will have 90 days to collect 240,000 signatures.

Blass told The Associated Press that firearm-related legislation was a chief concern of the group, including a so-called red flag bill that attempts to keep guns away from people deemed a threat to themselves or others. Sisolak signed the bill on Friday.

More information on the group is available at https://recallgovernorsisolak.com.

Love 17 Funny 8 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 3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.She was speaking at her talks with Vice Chairman of the Czech Parliaments Chamber of Deputies Vojtech Filip in Hanoi on June 10.

Phong said Vietnam always remembers and treasures immense and efficient assistance provided by the Czech Republic for Vietnams national liberation and building.

She said the visit by Vojtech Filip will help boost the Vietnam-Czech relations, and is a political activity to prepare for the 70th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic ties in 2020.

She said the two countries recorded a two-day trade value of US$307 million in 2018, a rise of 16 percent from 2017, however, the figure is yet to meet their potential and expectations.

As such, she suggested the two sides continue working to seek to expand economic, trade and investment cooperation as well as partnership in education, training, environmental protection, health care, and agriculture.

The Vietnamese leader expressed her delight at the Czech Republics re-granting of long-term visa for business and employment activities for Vietnamese this June.

Vojtech Filip said during the visit to the Czech Republic by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in April this year, the two countries agreed on several cooperative contents, including the resumption of visa granting for Vietnamese, and a Czech delegation will visit Vietnam this year to discuss the issue.

He congratulated Vietnam on winning a United Nations Security Council non-permanent seat for 2020-2021, and hoped Vietnam, in her new role, continues joining in tackling international issues.

Regarding health care, he expressed his hope that more working sessions between related agencies will be held to especially talk the issue of sending Vietnamese nurses to work in the Czech Republic.

Nhan wished that both sides would continue promoting information sharing to foster Ho Chi Minh City - Vientiane, and Vietnam - Laos ties, towards the 130th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh, the 100th birth anniversary of President Kaysone Phomvihane and the 60th anniversary of Truong Son Trail.

He believed that Party Committee, authorities and people of Vientiane will continue reaping greater achievements in national development.

The host suggested that the two cities should set clear goals and gear towards more substantial ties, especially in economy.

Ho Chi Minh City will do its best to make practical contributions to traditional friendship and special solidarity between the two nations, he said.

Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, for his part, thanked the citys leaders for creating favourable conditions for Party Committee and authorities of Vientiane to share experience in Party and administration building, and local socio-economic development.

He said Vientiane is facing challenges in development, especially drug evil, fiscal deficit and plots by hostile forces. Therefore, his visit aims to seek collaboration in many fields, thus creating a driving force for the development of the two cities.

Both sides agreed to facilitate all-level visits, step up finance-taxation projects, expand trade and investment promotion, and enhance joint work across agriculture and rural development, including animal husbandry and cow meat processing.

They vowed to direct agencies and firms to share experience in fields of shared concern, and offer all possible support for Ho Chi Minh Citys District 5 and Vientianes Sikhottabong district to partner together.Speaking at the event on June 12, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Ho Minh Tuan lauded Asia Dragon for its contributions to the life of 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 that, 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 funds in support of disaster victims at home, he said, adding that his company also invested in a wind power project worth US$ 200 million 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 will also act as 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 together the Vietnamese communitys associations and organisations such as the Vietnamese associations chapter, women club, war veterans and Buddhists chapters.

The opening ceremony entertained visitors with folk singing genres of Quang Ngai as well as charming melodies praising the land and people of the province through the performances of celebrated artists including Anh Tuyet, Thanh Lam, My Tam, and Ho Trung Dung.

A hive of activities is being staged at the four-day festival, including a painting exhibition, a drawing contest for children, a cuisine festival, folk games, and water sports.

The same day, a photo exhibition on Vietnams sea and island cultural and tourism heritages opened in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa as part of National Tourism Year 2019 themed Nha Trang  Colour of the Sea.

The exhibition displays over 200 photos, artefacts and maps featuring Vietnams Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, Nguyen dynastys royal documents on Vietnams sovereignty over the two archipelagos, which assert the countrys sea and island sovereignty.

Works on display also include literary works, press and music pieces highlighting the beauty of Vietnamese seas and islands.

Local specialties and seafood are also on sale and music performances are being staged to cheer up visitors throughout the five-day exhibition.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 US 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 US 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.

US 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 US 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.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).

Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) and Brunei are among the others.

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.Iran's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hamid Baeidinejad, says the husband of a dual national, British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran has blocked the doorway to the embassy.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband, Richard, spent Saturday night in a tent near the embassy in Kensigton, London in solidarity with her wife who went on hunger strike on the same day at Evin Prison in Tehran.

Nazanin has been in jail in Tehran since April 2016 when Iranian security agents prevented her and her daughter from flying back to London at the end of a visit to Iran.

On Saturday, a small group of human rights activists celebrated Ratcliffes' daughters' fifth birthday in front of the embassy. The emotional scene aired on many TV networks across the globe must have embarrassed the ambassador whose doorway is clear in all the footages aired.

Television news on Sunday morning showed Mr. Ratcliffe, sitting next to a green tent with another man in a safe distance from the doorway, and the embassy did not seem to be busy.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe has denied the charges of espionage brought against her by the Iranian Judiciary. International human rights watchdogs have repeatedly condemned Nazanin's "unfair trial" and criticized Iran for holding her behind bars for no real reason or concrete accusation.On June 13 the U.S. Central Command published a statement alleging that an Iranian boat removed an unexploded limpet mine,  from the M/T Kokuka Courageous. What are limpet mines and does Iran have such devices?

A limpet mine named after the conically shaped sea creature that sticks to rocks is a military device that contains an explosive charge and can be attached to a vessel. Powerful magnets make it possible for the case with the explosives to be attached to the body of a ship or any other vehicle. Limpet mines can be designed to be triggered in various ways either through electronic means with timers or mechanical means where the explosion is triggered after a certain distance.

Limpet mines were extensively used in naval warfare during World War II by special operations commandos. In 1943, during World War II the Royal Australian Navy conducted Operation Jaywick, which relied on the use of limpet mines. Using a confiscated motor sampan, a commando of fourteen Australians sailors disguised as local fisherman were able to enter the port of Singapore, which was then under Japanese control.

Once in the port, the commandos were able to attach limpet mines to the ships by covertly sneaking up to the hull at night. The operation resulted in the damage or sinking of at least six Japanese ships

An article published in October 2015 by Fars new agency covered an exhibition organized by the Iranian Navy. The exhibition, held in northern Tehran on a 130-hectare plot of land, was according to Iranian Navy the largest and most extensive ever. The article detailed various weapons system owned by the Iranian military. Various types of rockets and missiles are displayed, with some bearing banners with ideological slogans aimed at the United States

One item on display is a limpet mine titled Sticking Mine. According to the accompanying posters, the device is produced by the Industrial Research & Self Sufficiency Jihad Organization associated with the Iranian Navy. The device weighs 42 kilos and is made of aluminum and steel.

A 2010 article from ISNA covers the military exercises conducted by Iran with observers from Iraq, Qatar and Oman. One of the points of the exercises which was a in Gulf of Oman was the placing of limpet mines on a predetermined target.

Photos released by the U.S. Military show a triangular shape on the side of M/V Kokuka Courageous. Iran has denied the allegations that it was behind the damaging of two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.Baku, Azerbaijan, June 16

Trend:

It is interesting to work in Azerbaijan, Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov told Trend in "PREZIDENT. Musteqillik. Tehlukesizlik. Rifah" video project.

Many events occur here both from the point of view of the international agenda and in terms of the active Russia-Azerbaijan relations, he added. As for the work, I like to work here because it is interesting to do it from a professional point of view. Azerbaijan is at the center of various international interests, at the center of the international agenda.

Many events occur here, there is a lot of work for a foreign diplomat, Bocharnikov added. On the one hand, this concerns the international agenda, on the other hand, there is extensive bilateral cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan. This does not allow to be lazy, but on the contrary, it makes one work very much and intensively. I like this as a professional. This gives great professional satisfaction. So, I am glad that the first year of my activity and life in Baku greatly impresses me."

The diplomat also spoke about his impressions of the capital of Azerbaijan - Baku.

"Almost a year has passed since I work in Baku, he said. Of course, I have already had impressions. I can say with confidence that I like Baku. It is a very comfortable and warm city. There are friendly people here. It is nice to be here. Unfortunately, I rarely walk in the city because the work takes a lot of time.

But I really love to do it, Bocharnikov said. Baku has special historic buildings or those buildings that are stylized as historical. The role of the revolutionary architects who created this unique look in Baku has been fairly emphasized. The modern buildings of the city are amazing. They are modern, modernistic but they do not spoil the general impression about Baku, on the contrary, they add something fresh and new."

It is pleasant that there are a lot of green areas, a lot of parks in Baku, he added.

"It is especially pleasant to realize when you recall the history of this place, which was distinguished by the oil getting to the surface, Bocharnikov said. The landscaping work conducted during the history of the city, and especially during the period of Azerbaijans independence, is very impressive.

Of course, Baku Boulevard is beautiful, he said. It is pleasant that a lot of people walk there every evening, especially when the weather is hot, and the whole families with children walk even after midnight. This all testifies to favorable atmosphere in the city."Baku, Azerbaijan, June 16

By Nargiz Sadikhova  Trend:

The Baku - Sharm el-Sheikh - Baku direct charter flight will be launched from June 18, Egyptian Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat said at the press conference in Baku, Trend reports.

The flight will be operated regularly every Thursday, she said.

A direct flight will greatly shorten the travel time between Azerbaijan and Egypt and eliminate all inconveniences.

So, the flight time is only three hours compared to current 14 hours with additional transfers.

The flight will be operated by SCAT Airlines via comfortable Boeing 757-200.

The minimum tour price is $399 and more. The price includes insurance, food, transfer and other bonuses.

----

Follow the author on Twitter: @nargiz_sadikhBaku, Azerbaijan, June 16

By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend:

There are plans to produce about 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Umid field in Azerbaijan this year, a source in Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR said, Trend reports.

Three wells operate on the Umid-1 production platform with a total daily flow rate of 2,7 million cubic meters of gas and 430 tons of gas condensate per day.

According to SOCAR, the last well commissioned from the platform not so long ago, allowed to confirm Umids reserves of 200 billion cubic meters of gas and completely unveiled horizon 7, which corresponds to the "Fasila" suite. Previously, this was impossible due to the difficult geological conditions of the work in the lower horizons.

Umid is included in the Umid-Babek block of deposits, which is developed by SOCAR and its minority partner Nobel Upstream. SOCAR has a long-term development program for the Umid-Babek block, thanks to which it will be able to receive annually up to five billion cubic meters of gas from the Umid field only.

The Caspian Oil and Gas conference was held in Azerbaijan from May 29 to June 1. Top-level leaders attended the conference to discuss key oil and gas projects in the Caspian region and energy security.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaSBaku, Azerbaijan, June 16

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 22 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on June 16, Trend reports.

The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns.

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.Baku, Azerbaijan, June 16

Trend:

Azerbaijans main goal is to educate knowledgeable young people with a modern world outlook because the countrys brilliant future will be entrusted to young people, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva said in the statement to the participants of the high school graduation party Towards the Future, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Presidential press-service.

Dear graduates! Please accept my warm greetings and sincere congratulations on the occasion of your graduation! School years are the most memorable period in everyones life, she added.

During the 11 school years starting with mastering the alphabet, you discovered the secrets of science, Aliyeva said. Finally, today you bid farewell to your childhood and carefree school years.

Graduation causes rather conflicting feelings in every person, she stressed. Today you are parting company with the school you went to for many years and with your teachers and classmates. At the same time, starting from today, you are entering an independent life, a new and important stage that will determine your future.

Science is developing fast in the modern world, Aliyeva said. Every day we bear witness to important discoveries. All this opens up ample opportunities for you, young people. In-depth learning of modern science is the requirement of our time. It is now up to you to be active and courageous, to develop the knowledge gained by putting forward new ideas in various fields, and to implement them.

Regardless of the profession you chose, each of you must protect the independence of our state, the noble values inherent in our people, and make effort to further develop and strengthen Azerbaijan, she said. I am sure that from now on every decision and every step you take will be based on good intentions, nobility and justice.

Dear friends! Education forms the basis of progress and bright future of every nation, Aliyeva added. We are well aware of this simple truth, which is why major funds are being invested in the development of education. This represents one of the priorities of our state policy. Our main goal is to educate knowledgeable young people with a modern world outlook because our brilliant future will be entrusted to you.

In recent years, our country has covered a long road of development, she said. Our success is undeniable. However, new objectives still lie ahead. New horizons are opening up before us. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confidently leads us to a great future and on this path he relies on bright, educated, brave and patriotic youth such as yourselves. So let us together support the further prosperity and strengthening of our native Azerbaijan!

Let me once again congratulate you on your graduation day and wish you continued success in your education and activities, Aliyeva said. Let the roads ahead of you be open!Baku, Azerbaijan, June 16

Trend:

The US famous radio program "John Batchelor Show" has interviewed Azerbaijani ambassador to the US Elin Suleymanov, Trend reports.

Journalist John Batchelor said on the eve of his trip to Central Asia that Azerbaijan is a model of development for the countries of this region.

During the interview, Suleymanov stressed that Azerbaijan and the Central Asian countries have a common history and culture.

He also emphasized the importance of cooperation for the general development of the region.

Energy and transport projects in which Azerbaijan has been involved contribute to the development of all regional countries, he said. The beginning of using the experience of the ASAN Service in Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries testifies to its fruitfulness and importance of the exchange of experience in various spheres.

As for the holding of another annual meeting of the Central Asian and South Caucasian Group of the Rumsfeld Foundation (CAMCA) in Uzbekistan, the ambassador stressed the role of this organization in the development of relations between the public and private sectors.

During the interview, Batchelor stressed that Azerbaijan has been suffering for a long time from the conflict with Armenia, adding that on May 31, an Armenian sniper killed major of the Azerbaijani army Adil Omarov.

In turn, Suleymanov said that death is always a tragedy and along with the family of the killed major, the entire Azerbaijani people mourn.

He stressed the need for the Armenian side to stop such provocations, especially amid the current situation within the negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

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.Baku, Azerbaijan, June 16

By Nargiz Sadikhova  Trend:

A new airport will open in the capital of Egypt - Cairo soon, Egyptian Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat said at the press conference in Baku, Trend reports.

The minister stressed that the new airport will be called "Sphinx" and will mainly serve domestic flights.

"The airport will be near the famous pyramids and it will be possible to take a selfie without leaving the airport building," she added.

A museum is planned to be built near the pyramids, the minister said. The collection of the museum is expected to consist of over 1,000 exhibits, most of which belong to the era and life of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

The museum will open in 2021.

Follow the author on Twitter: @nargiz_sadikhCrew members of Frontlines oil tanker Front Altair, one of two vessels attacked this week in the Gulf of Oman, have landed in Dubai, the Norwegian ships operator said on Saturday, Trend reports citing Reuters.

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.

Frontline said a tugboat reached the Front Altair on Saturday afternoon and a specialist team would inspect its condition and damage. The Front Altair caught fire after the attack but the flames were extinguished later.

The United States and Britain have accused Iran of attacking the tankers, but Tehran has denied that.

The attacks have driven up oil prices and fueled concerns about a new U.S.-Iranian confrontation.

The other tanker hit, the Kokuka Courageous, was being towed toward the United Arab Emirates port of Kalba, its operator said on Friday.Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman said the kingdom does not want a war in the region but would not hesitate to deal with any threat to its vital interests, amid heightened tensions with rival Iran, Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reported on Sunday.

Attacks on two oil tankers on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman, which the United States blamed on Iran, have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region. Iran has denied any role in the strikes south of the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit route for oil.London police said Sunday they had arrested 11 people following a string of gun and knife attacks in the capital, which left three people dead over a 24-hour period, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

"Eleven people have been arrested following three murders across London this weekend and detectives investigating a fatal stabbing in Wandsworth have charged two people," the Met Police said.

Two young men were killed within minutes of each other in Wandsworth and Greenwich on Friday, according to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who said he was "sickened" by the news.

A man in his 30s was stabbed to death in Tower Hamlets on Saturday. Media reported two other stabbings near Clapham North metro station, saying the attacks were not related.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matthew Twist said police were following more leads and stepping up visible presence across London this weekend.

Khan tweeted assurances that there was "no higher priority for me than Londoners safety." US President Donald Trump likewise took to Twitter this week to accuse him of being a "disaster" and suggest the city needed a better mayor.India will impose higher retaliatory tariffs on 28 U.S. products including almonds, apples and walnuts from Sunday, following Washingtons withdrawal of key trade privileges for New Delhi, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The new duties take effect from Sunday, a government 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 Modis 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 Washingtons refusal to exempt it from higher steel and aluminum 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.This visit is actually an indication of the strategic importance we have attributed to Asia, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists accompanying him in a plane during his return from Tajikistan where he attended the 5th Summit of the Heads of State of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), adding that Turkey was working hard to develop good relations in all regions, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

President Erdogan addressed world leaders during the summit and conducted separate bilateral meetings with various heads of states, including the presidents of Tajikistan, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, and Afghanistan.

"The relations we have established with one country or region are never against each other or (out of spite to) third countries," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey will "continue to strengthen these relations in the same way."

"We will try to develop relations in the west, east, north, and south," he said.

Stressing the importance of peace, stability, and cooperation in the world, Erdogan noted that the world cannot ignore the ongoing war in Syria nor some 4 million Syrian refugees.

Erdogan said he also drew attention to the regional and global impacts of the Syrian war and Turkey's political efforts to solve the problem during the summit.

"It is clear that unilateral approaches cannot produce a solution for peace and stability in the world today. I have seen that the leaders of the other countries participating in the summit have expressed this view strongly, like myself," Erdogan said.

The president, commenting on the bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia which have been "at a very good state," noted that Turkey's current highest trade volume was with Russia and had recently surpassed 25 billion dollars.

Erdogan also said the TurkStream pipeline will be inaugurated at the end of this year.

Touching upon the nuclear power plant construction that has been carried out in cooperation with Russia, Erdogan said that a total of 200 engineers have been sent to Russia for training.

Erdogan noted that with Putin they had also discussed the Ankara's S-400 missile deal with Moscow, adding that the issue was an "already closed one."

Regarding Turkey's relations with China, Erdogan said both countries were planning to reach a trade volume of $50 billion as he had previously discussed with his Chinese counterpart.

Touching on the One Belt One Road Project, a modern Silk Road Project initiated by China, Erdogan said that Turkey has been conducting bilateral meetings with relevant countries as Turkey's strategic location was highly important for the project, adding that the subject will also be discussed at the G20 Summit to be held in Japan's Osaka at the end of June.

Saying that the defense industry will also be a matter of discussion in bilateral meetings held with the G20 summit's participant countries, Erdogan said that the recent developments regarding Turkey's defense industry were also a highly interesting subject during the summit in Tajikistan.

Answering a question about Turkey's response to the letter from the U.S. on S-400 missile systems, Erdogan said that the National Defense Ministry will soon respond to it.

"Our decision is clear. We won't compromise on the S-400 issue," Erdogan asserted, adding that it was the same for the F-35 issue as Turkey did what it had to do.

This issue will also be discussed in full detail with the United States President Donald Trump at the G20 Summit, he added.

Erdogan expressed hope that this issue will soon be resolved as there should be no such problem between two strategic partners, and NATO allies.

Regarding the U.S.-Iran crisis, Erdogan said that they had mainly discussed bilateral economic relations at the summit.

Commenting on French President Emmanuel Macron's recent comments on the East Mediterranean and the arrest warrants issued for the crew of the Turkish drillship Fatih, Erdogan said: "Those who have the right to speak about the Eastern Mediterranean can speak. When did France have the right to speak on the Eastern Mediterranean? Do they have a coast in the Eastern Mediterranean?"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he expected Russian S-400 missile defense systems to start arriving in Turkey in the first half of July, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The S-400s are not compatible with NATOs systems and have been a growing source of discord between Turkey and the United States in recent months.

We discussed the S-400 subject with Russia. Indeed the S-400 issue is settled, Erdogan was cited as telling reporters on his plane returning from a visit to Tajikistan, where he attended a summit and met Russian President Vladimir Putin.

I think they will start to come in the first half of July, he added, giving a more specific forecast than he has in the past.

U.S. acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan this month outlined how Turkey would be pulled out of the F-35 fighter jet program unless Ankara changed course from its plans to buy the missile systems.

Erdogan said he would discuss the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump when they meet at this months G-20 summit.

When someone lower down says different things, then we immediately make contact with Mr Trump and try to solve issues with telephone diplomacy. Matters dont take long there, he said.A Turkish observation post in Syrias Idlib region was attacked with mortar fire and shelling from an area controlled by Syrian government forces and it was retaliated with heavy weapons, Turkish Defense Ministry said on June 16, Trend reports citing Hurriyet Daily.

The deliberate attack from Idlib regions Tall Bazan area to the Turkish post in Murak area caused damage but no casualties, the ministry said.

Turkey took necessary initiatives with Russia and the situation was being followed closely, according to the statement.US President Donald Trump refuted reports of The New York Times newspaper about the increased number of US cyberattacks on Russia, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

"Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia. This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country ... [and] ALSO, NOT TRUE! Anything goes with our Corrupt News Media today. They will do, or say, whatever it takes, with not even the slightest thought of consequence! These are true cowards and without doubt, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!" Trump wrote on his Twitter page on late Saturday.

On Saturday, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed current and former government officials, that the United States was stepping up online attacks on the Russian power grid, demonstrating Trump's determination to use cyber tools more aggressively.The United States does not want to go to war with Iran but will take every action necessary, including diplomacy, to guarantee safe navigation through vital shipping lanes in the Middle East, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday, Trend reports citing Reuters.

U.S.-Iran tensions are high following accusations by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump that Tehran carried out attacks last Thursday on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, a vital oil shipping route. Iran has denied having any role.

We dont want war. Weve done what we can to deter this, Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News Sunday, adding: The Iranians should understand very clearly that we will continue to take actions that deter Iran from engaging in this kind of behavior.

Pompeo, a former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, also defended the administrations conclusion that Iran was behind the attack, saying there was other evidence beyond video footage released last week. The intelligence community has lots of data, lots of evidence. The world will come to see much of it.

Saudi Arabia on Saturday joined the United States in blaming Iran for the attacks and called for the international community to take swift action to secure Gulf energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz is a major transit route for oil from Saudi Arabia, the worlds biggest crude exporter, and other Gulf producers.

Pompeo said the United States would take all actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise to guarantee safe passage through vital shipping lanes, without providing further details. The secretary of state said the U.S. was discussing a possible international response, saying he had made a number of calls to foreign officials on Saturday regarding the attacks.

He cited China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia as countries that rely heavily on freedom of navigation through the straits. Im confident that when they see the risk, the risk of their own economies and their own people and outrageous behavior of the Islamic Republic of Iran, they will join us in this.By Keiji Hirano, KYODO NEWS - Jun 16, 2019 - 12:23 | Arts, Feature, All

An award-winning photojournalist has shed light on forgotten Japanese women, who married Korean men and moved to North Korea in a 1959-1984 repatriation project.

"They have been in different settings since arriving in North Korea. Some of them have lost contact with their relatives in Japan, while some still wrestle with their conscience as they left their families in Japan behind," said Noriko Hayashi.

"Each of their lives is equally irreplaceable, and as most of them are getting old, we do not have that much time left to hear what they have to say," she added.

Recording their unheard voices and photographing their present-day lives, Hayashi will soon publish a book, "Japanese Wives Who Moved to Korea," on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the launch of the repatriation project.

(Akiko Ota, a Japanese wife in North Korea, looks out a car window in Hamhung in November 2018) [Photo courtesy of Noriko Hayashi]

It brought 93,000 people -- Koreans and their families including 1,830 Japanese wives -- to the North, which was hailed a "paradise on earth," with secure employment and housing.

Hayashi, 35, visited North Korea 11 times from 2013 to 2018 and met with nine Japanese wives. While North Korean guides or interpreters attended each interview, Hayashi said she did not feel too constrained by them.

Mitsuko Minakawa, who lives in North Korea's southeastern port city of Wonsan, was among those interviewed.

Born in Tokyo in 1939, Minakawa was raised mainly in the northeastern city of Sapporo, her father's hometown, and met her Korean husband, Choe Hwa Jae, in 1958, when both were studying fisheries sciences at the prestigious Hokkaido University.

Choe and Minakawa, who were expecting their first child, left the Sea of Japan coastal city of Niigata for North Korea in 1960, despite strong opposition from her family, according to Hayashi's book.

Learning the Korean language and raising four children, Minakawa supported her husband, a researcher at a fisheries research institute, by taking advantage of her fisheries sciences knowledge.

"I believed I would have been able to return home probably in around three years and freely travel back and forth between the two countries," Minakawa said, recalling her early days in the North.

Another Japanese wife, Takiko Ide, born in 1927 in the southwestern prefecture of Miyazaki, became acquainted with a Korean man, who was her co-worker at a local bus operator when she was around 15 or 16 years old.

"I didn't know he was Korean before we started living together," she told Hayashi. "My mother didn't want me to marry a Korean, but I couldn't leave him" as they had already fallen deeply in love with each other, the book notes.

The couple and their children moved to North Korea in 1961 without telling Ide's Japanese family. "I wrote to my mother after arriving here, and I heard later she had collapsed upon reading it."

Ide raised four children, and her husband died in 1996.

On the experiences of Minakawa and Ide, Hayashi said, "They happened to love Korean men at a time when Koreans faced severe discrimination in Japan, and they have never changed their attitude even under such circumstances."

"They have remained fair, and I feel sympathy and respect for them," Hayashi said in a recent interview with Kyodo News.

It took Minakawa and Ide decades before being able to temporarily return home under a "homecoming program" for the Japanese wives, which allowed 43 of them in total to go back in 1997, 1998 and 2000.

On her homecoming, Minakawa told Hayashi, "I told my mother in front of her grave, 'Your daughter has returned, although belated,' and I apologized that I couldn't be present at her death." Her father had died before she left Sapporo.

(Mitsuko Minakawa holds her wedding picture at her apartment in Wonsan, in August 2016) [Photo courtesy of Noriko Hayashi]

Ide's mother, meanwhile, died at the age of 99 in 1998, two years before her daughter's short return home.

Ide, who also lived in Wonsan, passed away at 89 in 2016, less than a month after her last interview with Hayashi, during which she caressed an old picture of her husband, saying, "He is handsome, isn't he?"

While Minakawa and Ide may be lucky in the sense they could at least set foot in their motherland once again, Akiko Ota in Hamhung, a Sea of Japan coastal city of North Korea, has given up her dream of a homecoming, rather than seeking to make it a reality.

After meeting her Korean husband in 1963 at around the age of 20 while working as a nurse, Ota, an Ishikawa Prefecture native, joined the repatriation project in 1967 to "provide education to our daughter."

"I didn't know anything about North Korea, including its language, and I didn't have much money...I just followed my husband," Ota, a mother of four, told Hayashi.

She applied for the homecoming program, but another has yet to come, since the third one in 2000, amid tough bilateral relations.

Asked by Hayashi if she thinks about Japan, Ota said, "Sometimes, but I have been obsessed with living...I have given up on returning home for a half-century."

(Takiko Ide, a Japanese wife in North Korea, draws a breath at her apartment in Wonsan, in August 2016)[Photo courtesy of Noriko Hayashi]

While Japan and North Korea have faced a lot of unresolved problems, including Pyongyang's abduction of Japanese citizens, "I hope the authorities will satisfy the Japanese wives' longing for homecoming from a humanitarian perspective," Hayashi said.

Among nine Japanese wives Hayashi interviewed, three had died as of early June, and it is unknown how many Japanese wives are still alive.

"I have visited and will continue visiting Japanese wives so I can leave proof of their earnest lives," said Hayashi. "If nobody records them, they would be treated as if they have not existed."

Hayashi has also taken pictures of the Japanese wives' hometowns -- neighboring shrines, parks, rivers, and cherry trees -- to publish a photo collection next year that delves into their past lives, along with their current ones.

Hayashi, a freelancer, has photographed people struggling with hardships, including Pakistani women whose faces have been burned by sulfuric acid and the Yazidis ethnoreligious minority in Iraq, who were driven from their home by the Islamic State militant group.

She won the top award, among others, for feature reporting at an international photojournalism festival in France, the Visa d'or Feature Award, in 2013 for her coverage of "bride kidnappings" in Kyrgyzstan, in which men abduct young women for forced marriages.

Tokyo-based Iwanami Shoten Publishers will publish Hayashi's book, which will cost just over 1,000 yen with 32 photos, on June 20.

(Noriko Hayashi)NEW DELHI: The Border Security Forces of India and Bangladesh have decided to make concerted efforts to reduce border fatalities during a meeting on Saturday. In the meantime, the BSF has said that firing on its part is only when the situation becomes "bad" and the lives of its jawans are in jeopardy.

ICC World Cup 2019: Satta Bazaar bids cross Rs 100 cr on India win

A top BSF official said, the 48th biennial talks of Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) were held in Dhaka. It also called for enhanced cooperation to better curb crime, cattle and drug trafficking along the 4,096-km border of the two countries.

VIDEO: Karthik arrived in Amritsar, welcomed by fans in this steamy style

BSF chief Rajinikanth Mishra said during the talks that in the past few months, one soldier was killed in attacks by miscreants and criminals while 39 were "seriously injured". Bangladesh expressed concern over its people being killed by the BSF at the border, while the Indian security forces maintained that its target was to prevent crime and to prevent any civilian casualties as far as possible.BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping celebrated his 66th birthday on Saturday. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was the chief guest on the occasion, also gave a special gift to Xi Jinping. According to Chinese media, describing Xi Jinping as his special friend, Putin gave him ice cream in a gift, which Xi Jinping gladly accepted.

It is worth mentioning here that top leaders in China have very little talk about personal life. The exact date of berth is also not made public. It is kept confidential. Yet the Chinese media as well as the Russian media have aired photographs of the two top leaders. According to the Kremlin's website, Putin has told Xi Jinping, "Happy birthday." My best wishes... I am happy that a person like you is my friend. '

The meeting was held in Dushanbe, capital of Kazakhstan, ahead of the "Building of Dialogue and Confidence in Asia" (CICA). According to reports, Xi Jinping gifted him Chinese tea when he was given ice cream by Putin. Putin, on the other hand, gave him a cake and vase in other gifts along with ice cream. In the photo, Xi Jinping and Putin are holding glasses of champagne to celebrate their birthday. Speaking on the occasion, Xi Jinping told Putin that he (Putin) is very famous in China.Kathmandu: Many schools in Nepal have made it mandatory for students to learn chinese (Mandarin) language. In view of the Chinese government's proposal, many schools in Nepal will now be teaching this language. Headmasters and personnel of 10 renowned private schools have informed the media that it has been made mandatory to learn Mandarin in their institute.

West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee ready to talk to Doctors, will end the strike?

According to Shivraj Pant, founder and chairman of the Committee, many private schools in Pokhara, Dhulikel and other areas of the country have also made it mandatory for students to learn Mandarin. Ganesh Prasad Bhattarai, information officer at the Curriculum Development Centre, who designs school-level academic courses, said, "Schools are allowed to teach foreign languages, but they cannot implement it compulsorily for students.

A devotee offers Gold jewellery at The Tirumala Temple, know the surprising price

Ganesh Prasad Bhattarai has further stated, "It is our job to determine if a subject is to be made compulsory, not to schools. Schools talking to the press are aware of this rule, but given the free Mandarin teachers, they have ignored this rule. Kuldeep Nupen, headmaster of the United School, said, "After the Chinese Embassy agreed to provide free teachers, we started Mandarin as a compulsory subject two years ago."Poonam Dubey showed such courage that actor Gaurav Jha too has become his fan. We're talking about the Bhojpuri film Dare, which is being shot with great loud noises at the picturesque places of Nepal these days. The film's protagonist is Gaurav Jha and the heroine is Poonam Dubey. Which is being produced in this particular film.

Ayan Mukherjee Explains Some Highlights Of Brahmastra!

Their duet is becoming visible during this time. At the same time, any scene, whether it's action or stunts, romance, dance, Poonam performs so efficiently that the whole unit on the set dares them. Rajesh Verma is the producer of the film Dare, which is being produced under the banner of Soham Productions. The director is Manoj Narayan. The film is being made with excellent technology. It is being filmed keeping in mind a lot of nuances. The entire film is to be shot in Nepal's lush green valleys and many historical sites.

Kriti Sanon speaks of items songs and their comparison with the Khans!

For your information, Poonam Dubey is busy shooting films one after another, while many films are on release. She doesn't take the time to connect directly with her fans by performing stage shows abroad. That's why their fan-floating numbers on social sites are also very high.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.Slack, the company behind the workplace chat software that all too often distracts you from working, is set to list its stock directly on the NYSE this Thursday.



Spotify introduced us last year to the direct listing model, at least as it relates to mega VC-backed companies, and how Slack has prepped for its unique debut is one of the 10 things you need to know from the past week:

I was only sidetracked by Slack about 25 times while writing this.

(MicroStockHub/iStock/Getty Images Plus) 1. Don't call it an IPO In theory, Slack's direct listing should be somewhat of a mysteryit's still a fairly unproven IPO alternative, after all.



If there's no roadshow, no lock-up period and no initial pricing, any widely differing views among buyers and sellers could send the stock price all over the place.



In reality, there are a few reasons to think we won't see the volatility often cited as a caveat to this type of exit. Bloomberg reported last week that Slack's public debut will likely value the company at around $16 billion to $17 billion. That's notable because it falls in line with how the company's shares have traded recently in secondary deals. And the continued growth and sophistication of the secondary market means there aren't as many secrets when private companies reach this late a stage.



We also got a fairly good look at Slack's updated financials last week, where we can clearly see a slowdown in revenue growth but also shrinking operating losses. As covered in our analyst note looking ahead to Slack's debut, an EV/revenue multiple range of 22x to 27x seems to be in line with what we've seen from other enterprise-focused SaaS companies like Zoom or PagerDutyeach of which has seen its stock price soar the past two months.



Pop or not, Slack's investors will be sure to cheer Thursday's milestone. The company was valued at $7.1 billion in its last private round, a $427 million Series H in August 2018, meaning a healthy profit is in store for four key investorsAccel (23.8% stake), Andreessen Horowitz (13.2%), Social Capital (10.1%) and SoftBank (7.3%).



The big losers? It could be bankers missing out on future IPO fees. Airbnb is another VC-backed giant rumored to be among those that might eschew a traditional offering, and others could follow if the lower-cost method continues to have proven success.



Direct listings won't be for everyone, especially those in need of cash. And outside of Uber and Lyft, tech IPOs have sizzled of late. But all it takes is a few to start a trend. 2. Huge stock gains The subject line for last week's Weekend Pitch: "Will CrowdStrike be the next IPO star?" The early indication is a big yes, as the cybersecurity unicorn closed its first day of trading up more than 70% from its IPO price. At the end of the week, that grew to 89%. Also recording huge first-day gains as newly public companies: freelancer marketplace Fiverr (up 89%) and pet products site Chewy (up 59%). Those aren't pops. Those are booms. And let's spare a moment for the money left on the table. 3. Huge all-stock deals Salesforce displayed its might with a stunning $15.7 billion all-stock purchase of business intelligence company Tableau Software, marking the largest acquisition ever for Marc Benioff's enterprise software giant. It's been quite a run recently in BI consolidation (see: Google's $2.6 billion deal for Looker). In another striking all-stock move, aerospace giants United Technologies and Raytheon agreed to a $121 billion merger, though United Technologies stakeholder and famed activist investor Bill Ackman is said to strongly oppose the deal. 4. Downsizing pre-20th century companies It's hard to gather how much GE will have left following its years-long sell-off, but news of more divestitures came Thursday with a CNBC report that GE Ventures is seeking a buyer for its portfolio of more than 100 startups. One would think the stakes would come at a fair discount, considering the circumstances. Elsewhere, legacy Canadian retailer Hudson's Bay, whose 17th century history predates even GE by a couple hundred years, is reportedly looking to offload some stores ahead of potentially being bought in a $1 billion-plus take-private. 5. Around the world in $100M These days, $100 million venture deals don't make the waves they used to. But particularly interesting last week was the international flavor to these mega-rounds. Brazilian fitness startup Gympass paved the way with a reported $300 million round led by (who else?) SoftBank. In Berlin, mobile marketing startup Adjust raised $227 million and urban farming business Infarm secured 88 million(about $100 million). Lastly, Korean hotel platform Yanolja raised a reported $180 million at a unicorn valuation and Israel's Innoviz Technologies closed a $170 million Series C. Don't worry, I still see you Bay Area: Betterup, Vectra and especially Brex, with that $2.6 billion valuation.

VCs are spreading the capital love. (iartia/iStock/Getty Images) 6. KKR's wild week Last week, KKR lived up to being one of the most active PE investors of the year. The buyout behemoth made a roughly $7.7 billion play for German publishing company Axel Springer, the owner of outlets like Business Insider, but mega-deals are hardly KKR's only move these days. It also recently made smaller deals with KnowBe4, cementing unicorn status for the cybersecurity startup, and Toorak Capital Partners, an investment company that buys short-term "flip" loans in the real estate market. 7. Big, bigger and biggest Apollo Global Management won out in the PE bidding battle for Shutterfly this week, ultimately capturing the deal for $2.7 billion and setting up a merger with another digital imaging company in Snapfish. The stakes were even bigger in EQT's exit of healthcare survey company Press Ganey to Leonard, Green & Partners and Ares Management, an SBO that could reportedly value the business at over $4 billion. Lastly, tech-focused Vista Equity Partners is quickly ascending into the top tier of PE, having raised more than $14 billion for a flagship fund that could ultimately approach $16 billion, according to the WSJ. 8. "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" It was hard to get Jake Owen's classic country song out of my mind after seeing VC-backed exit news involving computer networking company Barefoot Networks and video conferencing startup BlueJeans Network. The former (privately valued at $380 million in 2016) was acquired by Intel to help serve hyperscale cloud customers. The latter, a business valued around $730 million in 2015 and backed by New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter, is said to be exploring a sale of its own. 9. The saga persists The T-Mobile-Sprint merger continues to face new hurdles, as last week a group of US states and the District of Columbia sued to block the $26 billion deal. The main complaint? Turning a Big Four into a Big Three in the US telecom industry would raise prices for consumers. Even if the new legal actions don't kill the deal, they could postpone the move for several more months. 10. The Abraaj aftermath Investigations into Abraaj Group's alleged misdeeds are widening, and in a new indictment, firm founder Arif Naqvi has been accused of misappropriating more than $250 million of investors' funds, per the WSJ. Also, three former Abraaj executives have reportedly been charged with multiple counts, including fraud and conspiracy: CFO Ashish Dave and managing directors Rafique Lakhani and Waqar Siddique.Its not often you get to witness the opening of a whole new market sector. After last years move by the Canadian Parliament to fully legalize marijuana and cannabis products throughout the country, and the increasing numbers of American states south of the border pursuing similar legalization policies, we are seeing just that. As Giadha Aquirre de Carcer, CEO of New Frontier Data, put it in a report on the worldwide cannabis market, The legal cannabis industry has truly gone global; even in the face of extensive prohibition, cannabis consumption grows, and attitudes and challenging perceptions about the typical cannabis user continue to shift.

Its an exciting time, one that is also opening new pathways for investment. In this article, well dip into the TipRanks database to look at four companies that have generated headlines in recent months. All four are well on the way to establishing themselves as players in the cannabis sector, but each one is following a separate path to success.

Aurora is staking its future on size, positioning itself as the worlds largest supplier of cannabis products to the medical market. And large is definitely the right word  Auroras current production stands at more than 25 metric tons per quarter, and is on track to exceed 600 tons annually by the end of 2020.

The companys scale has brought Aurora both benefits and costs. On the positive side, Aurora gains economies of scale. High-volume production provides a higher revenue stream, and open doors to bulk customers that are unavailable to smaller producers. This was clear in last months quarterly report, which showed a 367% year-over-year gross revenue increase, and a 99% quarter-over-quarter increase in production. The cost to the company was clear, however. Aurora reported a loss of $158.4 million Canadian, coming out to 16 cents per share.

The operating loss, despite the production and revenue increases, stems from the companys heavy investments in increased acreage and growing facilities. Management expects that the benefits of those investment  in higher production and lower costs per unit sold  will outweigh the costs and begin generating positive earnings by Q4.

Story continues

Early last month, five-star analyst Martin Landry (Track Record & Ratings), GMP FirstEnergys expert on the consumer health sector, weighed in on Aurora, saying, Data tracking dried flower inventory availability for online recreational cannabis stores in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, or about 73% of the Canadian population, found that Aurora has been best performer with a more than 25% share of in-stock SKUs since the start of the year. Landry expects that Aurora will become the industry leader, building on that strong presence. He gives the company a price target of $15 Canadian, suggesting an upside of 48%.

Overall, Aurora gets a Strong Buy from the analyst consensus, based on 6 buys and 1 hold given over the past three months. The companys average price target, $14.33 Canadian, and current share price, $10.13 Canadian, give an upside potential of 41%.

Canopy Growth (TSE:WEED)

Like Aurora, Canopy is a giant in the cannabis industry. By market cap, its the largest company in the sector, and has the second highest production  a reversal of Auroras numbers. And while Aurora is positioning itself to supply the medical market, Canopy has put itself squarely in the recreational segment of the cannabis field. In a widely publicized move at the end of last year, Canopy was partially acquired by Constellation Brands (STZ), the alcohol giant that owns two of Mexicos largest beer brands.

Canopy is also investing heavily in future production and the American market; the company is scheduled to approve an acquisition deal with US grower Acreage on June 19. The move, in which Canopy will put down $300 million for rights to finish the purchase if and when the US Federal government legalizes marijuana nationally. The move will give Canopy an in for the US market, when restrictions on interstate trade are lifted.

Looking at the two acquisition plans together, its clear that Canopy is eyeing the American recreational cannabis market. Even if the Federal government does not legalize marijuana any time soon (putting the Acreage deal on hold), Canopys partnership with Constellation Brands gives it a chance to develop cannabis infused beverages with a line on distribution networks in the US and worldwide.

Writing from Alliance Global Partners, Aaron Grey (Track Record & Ratings) points out that Canopys Acreage deal, should it be approved, will position Canopy to take the lead in the US cannabis market, the worlds largest. He also points out the importance of the companys profitable base in Canadas recreational market: [While we do] not foresee Canopy being profitable until FY21, expect the company to be profitable in the Canadian cannabis market as it continues with its international expansion.

Canopys size  in production and market cap  along with its profitable Canadian base business, underlies its "Moderate Buy analyst consensus rating. In the last three months, Canopy has received 6 buy ratings and 4 holds. WEED shares sell in Toronto for $55 Canadian; the average price target of $80 Canadian gives the stock a 45% upside potential.

Charlottes Web Holdings (TSE:CWEB)

The US state of Colorado has been a leader in the cannabis legalization movement, making it a natural home for US cannabis companies. Based in the city of Boulder, Charlottes Web recently up listed to the Toronto Stock Exchange, making it the first American cannabis company to do so. The companys niche  hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) extracts and products  while not fully legal under US Federal law, is more widely accepted at the state level than THC-derived cannabis products and can be sold online in the United States.

CBD products, in both the consumer health and prescription markets, are growing increasing popular in the US. Charlottes Web has capitalized on that, and now has a presence in over 6,000 retail locations around the country, and is seeing increasing business online. In response to increasing demand, the company has ramped up its production capabilities, and is now growing on double its 2018 acreage. Management expects to produce in excess of 500 metric tons of hemp and hemp products this year, and predicts that revenue will double to $145 US.

Charlotte Webs greatest advantage, however, is not the popularity of its product or the increasing demand and production. Rather, its that the company is already profitable. After its IPO in 2018, the company generated earnings of 16 cents per share, and that number is expected to hit 33 cents this year and 75 cents in 2020.

Jason Zandberg (Track Record & Ratings), five-star analyst with PI Financial, notes all of this in his recent review of CWEB stock. He points out, CWEB has now shipped first orders to three national brand supermarket/grocery and drugstore retailers in select states, with shipments to a fourth commencing post-Q1. Also, e-commerce sales, which accounted for 49 per cent of total sales in the quarter, grew by 60 per cent year-over-year

Zandberg sees CWEB generating 2019 revenues of $142.9 million, in line with the companys guidance, and predicts that 2020 revenues will exceed $300 million. Building on these upbeat forecasts, he sets a price target of $30 Canadian for CWEB shares, suggesting an upside of 102%.

His target for the stock is only slightly more optimistic than the conventional wisdom. The average price target on CWEB in Toronto is $29.50 Canadian; with a share price of $14, this gives the stock a 98% potential upside. The analyst consensus, a Moderate Buy, is based on 2 buy ratings.

GW Pharmaceuticals, Plc. GWPH

The last article in todays look at cannabis market leaders is also an early entrant to the field, and the only one to trade on the US markets. GW Pharma formed in the UK, in 1998, to conduct research into medical uses of both CBD and THC, the main active compounds in cannabis. Last year, the company received approval for its cannabis-based epilepsy drug, Epidiolex. Sativex, a treatment for symptoms of MS, has been on the markets since 2010.

GWs niche in the cannabis world is a bit unique. Its not going for the recreational market at all, nor is it interested in the consumer health sector. It is a traditional pharmaceutical company, that saw the potential for cannabis-based prescription medications early on, and is now reaping the benefit of that very early entrance to the field.

In its last quarterly report, GW publicized the results of the Epidiolex launch. Writing from Piper Jaffray, Danielle Brill (Track Record & Ratings) said, GWPH continues to deliver. We think the growth trajectory will continue over the coming quarters given expected EU launch, ongoing dose-titrations, increasing penetration into adult population, transition of remaining expanded access program patients to commercial product, and expansion into new indications. Her $210 price target on the stock (a 13% boost from her previous target), suggests an upside of 22%.

Paul Matteis (Track Record & Ratings), of Stifel, also sees a bright future for the company. Writing of the Epidiolex approval and initial sales, he points out both the forecast-beating profits and managements prudent words of caution: GW reported an extremely strong 1Q with $33.5M in Epidiolex sales, consensus was ~$16MM. While the 600%+ q/q rev growth rate was spectacular, management was careful to remind investors that the quarter benefited from ~5 months of pent-up demand and patient-finding efforts. Matteis gives GWPH a Buy rating with a target of $227, or a32% upside from current levels.

GW Pharmaceuticals has a unanimous analyst consensus of Strong Buy, based on 10 buy ratings. The stock is trading for $170, and the average price target of $219 gives an upside of 28%.

Find out more about these four leading cannabis stocks, and many more, with TipRanks Stock Comparison Tool.PARIS, June 16 (Reuters) - France will declare a state of natural disaster after heavy rain and flash hail storms ravaged crops in southeastern France on Saturday, Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume said on Saturday.

A German tourist was killed by a falling tree in a camping in Haute-Savoie, and 10 people were slightly injured in the Drome and Isere departments, the minister said.

Guillaume made the comments on LCI and BFM TV channels as he rushed to the Drome region, one of the worst hit areas.

He did not specify to which regions the disaster measure would apply.

"Everything will be done to help. The state of natural disaster will be declared," Guillaume said.

"The goal is that no farmers will have to shut down business. We must declare a general mobilisation," he added. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)By Eduardo Simoes

SAO PAULO, June 16 (Reuters) - The head of Brazilian state development bank BNDES has submitted a letter of resignation amid public tensions with President Jair Bolsonaro, reflecting the serious divisions that continue to plague the administration's upper echelons.

In a statement seen by Reuters on Sunday, Joaquim Levy, a University of Chicago-educated economist and former finance minister who was appointed by Bolsonaro shortly after he began his term in January, said he has sent a note of resignation to Economy Minister Paulo Guedes.

"I am grateful for ... the loyalty, dedication and determination of BNDES executives. And I am especially thankful for the countless BNDES workers that have worked with energy and serious to transform the bank," the note read.

BNDES has historically been a significant source of financing for major infrastructure projects in Brazil, and the head of the bank is a high-profile position in a country where public companies still play a major role in a variety of industries.

The relationship between Levy and Bolsonaro had been strained for months over a variety of factors, including the slow pace of asset divestitures by the bank.

Recently, Levy locked horns with other parts of Bolsonaro's administration over the nation's so-called Amazon Fund.

Bolsonaro's government had previously said it would seek to change the management structure of the $1.28 billion fund that was set up a decade ago to counter deforestation in the Amazon and counts on the support of Germany and Norway. Environment Minister Ricardo Salles, a climate change skeptic, last month criticized the fund's management with allegations of irregularities in unspecified awards to non-governmental organizations and suspended all operations pending review.

But in June, Levy told reporters that the governance of the fund was transparent and the processing of new awards had not been halted.

On Saturday, Bolsonaro publicly threatened to fire Levy after the appointment of an official with historical ties to the leftist Workers Party - Bolsonaro's ideological foe - to a position in the bank's capital markets division.

It was not immediately clear who would take Levy's place. (Reporting by Eduardo Simoes Writing by Gram Slattery Editing by Nick Zieminski)PHILADELPHIA and TIRANA, Albania, June 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hill International (HIL), the global leader in managing construction risk, announced today it was selected by the European Union (EU), as the leader of the consortium including Deloitte Albania and LDK Consultants, to provide Technical Assistance to strengthen the capacity for the overall planning, preparation, and implementation of infrastructure projects in Albania. This assignment is part of the IPA 2015 Action Program for Albania.



The overall objective of the program is to strengthen the capacity and accountability of the States administration of the design and implementation of sector programs and major infrastructure projects. This will improve connectivity within the country and the Western Balkan Region in preparation for EU membership.

The project will support the National Investment Committee Secretariat, the Department of Development and Good Governance, all line Ministries, and also regional institutions, agencies, and municipalities responsible for infrastructure projects in key sectors such as Transport, Energy, Environment, Social Infrastructure, and Business Infrastructure.

Specifically, the scope includes assisting the State administration to maintain a standard investment prioritization methodology, including the process of selection, prioritization, assessment of viability and sustainability, and development of infrastructure projects. This includes the National Single Project Pipeline (NSPP) and Sector Single Project Pipelines (SSPP). Furthermore, the program will enhance the States capacity and training staff across Ministries and Agencies involved in feasibility assessments, planning, design, procurement, implementation, and monitoring of infrastructure projects.

We share the vision to support the Republic of Albania to enter into a new era of development and sustainable growth, hence triggering several benefits to the Albanian economy as a whole and promoting regional cooperation, said Manolis Sigalas, Hills Vice President and Managing Director for Southern Europe. We are committed to working hard as a team with all stakeholders involved in this significant program, transferring international know-how, and, importantly, developing the local talent.

Story continues

About Hill International

Hill International, with approximately 2,700 professionals in more than 50 offices worldwide, provides program management, project management, construction management, and other consulting services to clients in a variety of market sectors. Engineering News-Record magazine recently ranked Hill as the eighth-largest construction management firm in the United States. For more information on Hill, please visit our website at www.hillintl.com .

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and it is our intent that any such statements be protected by the safe harbor created thereby. Except for historical information, the matters set forth herein including, but not limited to, any statements of belief or intent, any statements concerning our plans, strategies, and objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Although we believe that the expectations, estimates, and assumptions reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in our forward-looking statements are set forth in the Risk Factors section and elsewhere in the reports we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including that unfavorable global economic conditions may adversely impact our business, our backlog may not be fully realized as revenue, and our expenses may be higher than anticipated. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement.

Hill International, Inc.

Elizabeth J. Zipf, LEED AP BD+C

Senior Vice President

Hill International, Inc.

One Commerce Square

2005 Market Street, 17th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 309-7707

elizabethzipf@hillintl.com

Hill International, Inc.

Todd Weintraub

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(215) 309-7951

toddweintraub@hillintl.com

InvestorCom

John Glenn Grau

President

(203) 295-7841

jgrau@investor-com.com

(HIL-G)By Tom Polansek

DEER GROVE, Ill., June 16 (Reuters) - The Happy Spot was a little depressed.

Dozens of corn farmers and those who sell them seed, chemicals and equipment gathered on Thursday at the restaurant in Deer Grove, Illinois, after heavy rains caused unprecedented delays in planting this year and contributed to record floods across the central United States.

The storms have left millions of acres unseeded in the $51 billion U.S. corn market and put crops that were planted late at a greater risk for damage from severe weather during the growing season. Together, the problems heap more pain on a farm sector that has suffered from years of low crop prices and a U.S.-China trade war that is slowing agricultural exports.

Forecasts for even more rain sent U.S. corn futures to a five-year high on Friday, though fewer farmers will benefit from soaring prices because of the planting disruptions.

James McCune, a farmer from Mineral, Illinois, was unable to plant 85% of his intended corn acres and wanted to commiserate with his fellow farmers by hosting the "Prevent Plant Party" at The Happy Spot. He invited them to swap stories while tucking in to fried chicken and a keg of beer in Deer Grove, a village of about 50 people located 120 miles (193 km) west of Chicago.

"Everybody's so down in the dumps," McCune said.

McCune returned his unused corn seed to a local dealer for Pioneer, a part of Corteva Inc, after planting just 900 acres of corn out of the 6,000 acres he intended to put in the ground.

Bureau County, Illinois, where McCune lives, has the fourth-highest risk of all U.S. counties for corn acres to go unplanted this year because of rains, behind three counties in Nebraska, according to Gro Intelligence.

Nationwide, farmers are expected to harvest the smallest corn crop in four years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency last week reduced its planting estimate by 3.2% from May and its yield estimate by 5.7%.

Farmers think more cuts are likely as the late-planted crop could face damage from hot summer weather and an autumn frost.

Story continues

"An early frost will turn this world upside down," Rock Katschnig, a farmer from Prophetstown, Illinois, said at the party.

PHONE QUITS RINGING

Planting problems mean that growers need less seed and herbicides than expected, which is bad news for salesmen like Greg McKnight of Barman Seed in Woodhull, Illinois.

McKnight, who attended the party, said farmers returned Golden Harvest corn seed, made by ChemChina's Syngenta. They are either seeking refunds on herbicides or asking Barman to hold their chemicals in storage until next year, he said.

McKnight also sells used 18-wheeler trucks to farmers to haul grain. He thinks financial uncertainty linked to the crop problems will slice his sales in half this year.

"Since all this rain began, it's like shutting the light switch off," McKnight said. "My phone has quit ringing on sales."

The U.S. government announced a $16 billion aid package to help farmers hurt by reduced sales to China - but only those who manage to plant a crop are eligible for payments.

U.S. President Donald Trump also recently signed a $19 billion disaster relief bill that included more than $3 billion for expenses related to losses of crops, including those prevented from planting, according to the office of U.S. Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa.

Grassley said he added an amendment in the bill to include grains that are stored on farms in an indemnity program, after bins holding corn burst during floods in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri.

Floods that delayed seed shipments contributed to a 28% slump in quarterly profit for Corteva's former parent company, DowDuPont.

GRAIN ELEVATORS, EQUIPMENT DEALERS

Reduced plantings mean less business for grain elevators like Tettens Grain in Sterling, Illinois. Owner Dan Koster said at the party he may take in 60% to 75% of the 10 million bushels he handles in a typical year.

"We're trying to figure out how to make it a break-even year," Koster said.

Some farmers who were not able to plant as much as they expected took the unusual step of canceling contracts to sell corn to elevators after the harvest.

"It's a desperation move," said Bruce Hartley, who owns Hartley Grain in Tipton County, Indiana, and canceled contracts for customers swamped by rains.

The planting problems are also bad news for equipment dealers like Ryan Raab, a salesman for A.C. McCartney, which sells machinery from AGCO Corp and other manufacturers. Farmers will not need to use their equipment as much because they did not plant as much, he said.

Mike Thacker, a farmer in Walnut, Illinois, planted about 1,600 acres of corn, or 60% of what he planned. He is reluctant to plant more because yields typically decline the later a crop is planted.

Thacker said corn that has started emerging from the ground is shorter than normal. He was not happy with even one field.

"It makes you feel terrible," Thacker said at the party.

"This is our livelihood. We want to do a good job. We have not done a good job." (Reporting by Tom Polansek in Deer Grove, Ill. Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Matthew Lewis)Dove3 satellites made by the satellite company Planet await launch in 2016.

Planet, a leading satellite start-up, photographs the entire landmass of the earth every day with more than 150 satellites. The challenge now is monetizing that information. Last year, the company thought it had a solution with the acquisition of Boundless Spatial, which builds software to manage and analyze geospatial data.

Boundless, it was thought, had strong relationships with the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA). The NGA acts as a kind of geographical library for the military and its intelligence services, and is a sought-after customer for geospatial data providers. Planet executives were excited about utilizing Boundless employees with security clearance in a new subsidiary, Planet Federal, dedicated to making their product more useful to the government.

But weeks after the transaction closed in May 2019, Boundless shareholderswhich include Vancouver-based Vanedge Capital and In-Q-Tel, the CIA-backed venture fundreceived a letter from Planets attorneys. It asserted that executives at Boundless had failed to disclose information concerning material customer contracts and threatened a lawsuit.

According to documents reviewed by Quartz, the two sides agreed in subsequent negotiations that the failed disclosure should reduce the price of the acquisition (and the gains of Boundless investors) by more than half, from $40 million to $16 million. In recent years, the nascent satellite sector and related fields like geospatial data analysis have received hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment, but profitable exits are still few and far between. The re-writing of this deal suggests the search for reliable revenue in satellite data is still on-going.

The mystery, at least from the outside, is what the Boundless executives failed to disclose, or what Planets due diligence missed. One source familiar with the situation and not authorized to discuss it told Quartz they concerned Boundless work or future work for the NGA. Boundless moved its headquarters to St. Louis, Missouri in 2017 in part because the NGA is building a new campus there.

Story continues

The terms of Planets transaction with Boundless are confidential and we cannot comment, a Planet spokesperson told Quartz. Were happy to report that the acquisition has been completed and Boundless is now Planet Federal. Planet Federal will focus on growing Planets U.S. government business, delivering Planets commercial products in support of government requirements as they increasingly look toward commercial products and services.

An image of Pyongyang, North Korea, snapped by a Planet satellite in 2015.

Neither Vanedge nor In-Q-Tel responded to repeated queries from Quartz about the merger. Several former Boundless employees would not comment due to non-disclosure agreements put in place during the transaction.

As an intelligence agency, the NGAs budget is classified and its contracts are not found in the Federal Procurement Data system. But a spokesperson said that all contracts over $7.5 million are announced on its website. Boundless is listed as receiving a $36 million contract in 2017, but no additional contracts have been posted since then. The NGA is now paying Planet about $1 million a month for access to its data, part of a relationship dating back to 2016.

Planet did not retain an investment bank to handle this acquisition, instead doing the deal itself, after two previous successful acquisitions of satellite operators Black Bridge in 2015 and Terra Bella in 2017.

Ive known the Boundless team forever, Planet co-founder Robbie Schingler told Quartz in December 2018. Its a really small industry, people that are in geospatial.

Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news.

More stories from Quartz:By Nate Raymond

June 14 (Reuters) - Lawyers representing county and municipal governments accusing drug manufacturers and distributors of fueling the U.S. opioid epidemic proposed a novel plan on Friday that would allow every community nationally to participate in negotiating 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 seeking to hold companies, including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP, responsible for the opioid abuse crisis.

The plaintiffs' lawyers sought to certify for the purpose of settlement talks a class that would include every U.S. county and municipality in the country, who would then have the right to vote on accepting any deal with a company.

The lawyers say creating the class of 5,000 counties and 19,500 municipalities would fit with calls by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, who presides over the cases, for a comprehensive settlement that addresses the national epidemic.

The companies have resisted settling, worried about how they can settle with some cities when more could later sue, said Joe Rice, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at the law firm Motley Rice.

"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.

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.

Opioids were involved in a record 47,600 overdose deaths in 2017, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention says.

In more than 2,000 lawsuits nationally, state and local governments have alleged 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.

The lawsuits also accuse distributors like McKesson Corp , AmerisourceBergen Corp and Cardinal Health Inc of failing to halt suspicious opioid orders.

Story continues

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.

Most cases are before Polster, while 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.

The first trial before Polster is set for October. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston Editing by Bill Berkrot)Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Attractive stocks have exceptional fundamentals. In the case of HiTech Group Australia Limited (ASX:HIT), there's is a financially-healthy company with a an impressive history of performance, trading at a discount. Below is a brief commentary on these key aspects. If you're interested in understanding beyond my broad commentary, read the full report on HiTech Group Australia here.

Flawless balance sheet and good value

HIT delivered a satisfying double-digit returns of 38% in the most recent year Not surprisingly, HIT outperformed its industry which returned 16%, giving us more conviction of the company's capacity to drive bottom-line growth going forward. HIT's ability to maintain an adequate level of cash to meet upcoming liabilities is a good sign for its financial health. This implies that HIT manages its cash and cost levels well, which is a crucial insight into the health of the company. HIT currently has no debt on its balance sheet. This means it is running its business only on equity capital funding, which is typically normal for a small-cap company. Therefore the company has plenty of headroom to grow, and the ability to raise debt should it need to in the future.

ASX:HIT Income Statement, June 15th 2019

HIT's share price is trading at below its true value, meaning that the market sentiment for the stock is currently bearish. Investors have the opportunity to buy into the stock to reap capital gains, if HIT's projected earnings trajectory does follow analyst consensus growth, which determines my intrinsic value of the company. Compared to the rest of the professional services industry, HIT is also trading below its peers, relative to earnings generated. This supports the theory that HIT is potentially underpriced.

ASX:HIT Intrinsic value, June 16th 2019

Next Steps:

For HiTech Group Australia, I've compiled three essential aspects you should further research:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for HITs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for HITs outlook. Dividend Income vs Capital Gains: Does HIT return gains to shareholders through reinvesting in itself and growing earnings, or redistribute a decent portion of earnings as dividends? Our historical dividend yield visualization quickly tells you what your can expect from HIT as an investment. Other Attractive Alternatives : Are there other well-rounded stocks you could be holding instead of HIT? Explore our interactive list of stocks with large potential to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

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.NEW ORLEANS, June 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (KSF) and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors of pending deadlines in the following securities class action lawsuits:



Revlon, Inc. (REV)

Class Period: 3/12/2015 - 3/28/2019

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: July 15, 2019

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-rev/

PriceSmart, Inc. (PSMT)

Class Period: 10/26/2017 - 10/25/2018

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: July 22, 2019

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-psmt/

Metro Bank, Plc (MBNKF)

Class Period: 3/6/2018 - 5/1/2019

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: July 29, 2019

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/otc-mbnkf/

Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (ASNA)

Class Period: 9/16/2015 - 6/8/2017

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: August 6, 2019

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-asna/

If you purchased shares of the above companies and would like to discuss your legal rights and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner, Lewis Kahn, toll-free at 1-877-515-1850, via email (Lewis.Kahn@KSFcounsel.com), or via the case links above.

If you wish to serve as a Lead Plaintiff in the class action, you must petition the Court on or before the Lead Plaintiff Motion deadline.

About

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC, 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

lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com

1-877-515-1850

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163FILE PHOTO: A logo of Thyssenkrupp AG is pictured at the company's headquarters in Essen

By Christoph Steitz

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's Thyssenkrupp will promote Premal Desai to lead its steel division and restructure the business in the face of dwindling global demand, the elevators-to-submarines group said on Friday.

Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, whose roots go back more than 200 years, has suffered a sharp fall in profits and will bear the brunt of planned job cuts across the group.

Of the 6,000 layoffs Thyssenkrupp is planning, 2,000 will come from Steel Europe, more than 7 percent of the division's workforce. The unit's second-quarter adjusted operating profit plunged 81 percent to 37 million euros ($42 million).

"There's a lot to do," Desai, who has served as Steel Europe's finance chief since 2015, said. "The market environment is not easy, but we are in a strong position and have a lot of potential."

His appointment comes five weeks after a planned deal to combine Thyssenkrupp's steel division with the European unit of Indian peer Tata Steel collapsed, leading to a strategic U-turn that includes the listing of its elevator unit.

Steel producers in Europe have been hit by falling demand and rising supply, partly caused by an escalating Sino-U.S. trade dispute as well as a downturn in the automotive industry.

Sector leader ArcelorMittal last month cut production twice, only days after British Steel, the country's No.2 steel producer, collapsed after failing to secure emergency government funding.

On Friday, China - the world's largest steel market - said 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.

Thyssenkrupp CEO Guido Kerkhoff, in the job since mid-2018, has said the group would continue to explore steel deals after the joint venture fell apart, adding he assumed that the company would keep a majority in the business long-term.

Desai's appointment is the latest in a string of management appointments at the conglomerate, which has suffered three profit warnings, two strategy shifts and the resignation of its CEO and chairman within less than a year.

Story continues

Thyssenkrupp said Andreas Goss will resign from his post as CEO of Steel Europe as of June 15. The group in May said that it was in talks with Goss, who has led the unit since mid-2014, to terminate his contract.

($1 = 0.8881 euros)

(Editing by Tassilo Hummel and Elaine Hardcastle)A former investment advisor at Merrill Lynch has been suspended for engaging in his own crypto mining endeavor. | Source: Shutterstock

By CCN Markets: A former investment banker has been slapped with a fine and a suspension by self-regulatory body Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for mining Bitcoin.

According to the regulator, Kyung Soo Kim pursued outside business activity in December 2017 without giving his former employer a written notice. Kim is an ex-employee of Bank of America-owned broker-dealer Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.

FINRA claims Kims bitcoin mining venture was a violation of its rules. The rules prohibit members from serving as an employee, independent contractor, sole proprietor, officer, director or partner of another person outside of their employer.

FINRA to Members: No Moonlighting [Including Bitcoin Mining] under Any Circumstances

Additionally, members are prohibited from being compensated, or have the reasonable expectation of compensation, from any other person as a result of any business activity outside the scope of the relationship with their employer. Kim was discharged from his duties by Merrill last year in March.

Specifically, Kim is accused of forming a firm known as S Corporation for the purposes of mining Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Kim will serve one-month suspension that will see him barred from associating with any FINRA member firms during that period. He will also pay a fine amounting to $5,000.

Read the full story on CCN.com.This year, the Midsummer Festival at Elim Lutheran Church will have a western flair.

Cowboy poet Jake Riley of Riverdale is bringing his poetry and storytelling to the annual celebration. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. June 21 in the sanctuary of the rural Hooper church.

The event is free and open to the public.

After Rileys performance, attendees are invited to a pie and ice cream social in the church parlors.

This years Midsummer Festival will be extra special, said the Rev. Judy Johnson, pastor, in a prepared statement. Anyone who enjoys cowboy poetry will be in for a treat.

Riley grew up in the Upper Arkansas Valley of the Colorado mountains and graduated from high school in Buena Vista.

He began roping and participating in rodeos as a kid. He was introduced to cowboy poetry as a young teen.

Much of Rileys work involves first-hand ranch and rodeo experiences, often chronicling the contemporary cowboy who may not cowboy for a living, but has ties to cowboy culture.

Riley has released an album of original poetry called Western Errors, which ranges from cowboy wrecks to humor to philosophical observations and reflections on life.

He was a featured performer at the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival in McCook. Riley also has performed at Old West Days and the Nebraska Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Valentine.

Riley got his start at his church and has since gone on to perform at events from Iowa to Nevada. He took part in the 2018 and 2019 National Cowboy Poetry Gatherings.

Riley enjoys performing his own work and also reciting classic poetry.

He lives near Kearney with his wife and four young children.

This will be 112th annual Midsummer Festival at Elim, Johnson told the Tribune. Its a celebration that was brought over by ancestors from Sweden, where it is one of the oldest festivals and is still observed today.

Were pleased that Jake Riley will be able to share his cowboy poetry with us, and Ill warm up the crowd for him with some Sven and Ole jokes. Its a fun evening that will be topped off with pie and ice cream  what more could we ask for?

The Midsummer Festival is one of many that founders of Elim Lutheran Church brought with them from Sweden when they started the church in 1871.

Midsummer has been celebrated in Sweden since the sixth century, A.D., states the publication, Celebrating the Swedish Way.

Since then, Midsummer bonfires have been lighted around Europe. Young people also enjoyed visiting holy springs, where they drank the healing water, played games and danced. These were a reminder of how John the Baptist baptized Christ in the Jordan River.

Throughout most of the world today, Midsummer Eve takes place between June 19 and 25.

Johnson has enjoyed the festival throughout the years.

Its a lovely tradition and reminder of the Scandinavian roots  both Swedish and Danish  of Elim families, she said, adding, Elims Midsummer Festival is so much fun. It reminds me of growing up in a time when people seemed to have more time to sit and visit and enjoy each others company.

She notes something else.

This will a fun evening for the whole family, Johnson said. We encourage everyone to attend.

Elim is located at 2312 Swaburg Road, Hooper, two miles south of Uehling on U.S. Highway 77 and one mile east on County Road D.

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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.She's the new face and voice of the Colorado Petroleum Council  a fresh recruit on the front line in the battle over oil and gas development  but Lynn Granger is hardly a newcomer to the war of words that drives every policy debate. She is in fact a veteran in more ways than one, having served as a press officer in the U.S. Army both in uniform and as a civilian.IRAN - The Next American War

The hand on the trigger: How an American president wantonly prepares the next war

The great world powers slipped into World War I without really wanting it. But they had been arming themselves for years, so all that was needed was but a spark  such as the assassination of the Austrian heir to the throne  to detonate a powder keg filled to the rim.

A lot of explosives had accumulated

not only in the arsenals of the military, but in the hearts of the people. In the first moment of the declaration of war, many people throughout Europe were seen to be overwhelmed by enthusiasm.  the war of 1914 was still serving a delusion, the dream of a better world, a world that would be just and peaceful That was why the victims went to the slaughter drunk and rejoicing, crowned with flowers and wearing oak leaves on their helmets, while the streets echoed with cheering and blazed with light, as if it were a festival(Stefan Zweig).

Quite a few military men and politicians at the head of states did, of course, suspect the calamity that the war would bring all of them, but there was no turning back for anyone without losing face. The politicians more or less willingly let themselves be driven and they in their turn were the ones that drove their peoples into annihilation.

Today the world is being driven again,

but nowhere in the world is the impending war greeted with enthusiasm, neither by the United States nor by its rivals. Not even by the American President. It is difficult to believe Donald Trump, because he mixes truth and falsehood at his own discretion, but we may trust that he does not want to start a war with Iran, because until now he has largely kept his promises to his electorate  and one of these promises was the reduction of US-military presence outside its borders. So why is the current American President showing the world such an unpleasant face? Why has the US since George W. Bush ceased to be what it has been for so long, namely a shield for Europe, to which it owed its freedom and prosperity during the second half of the past century?

After completing his ten-volume history

of human civilizations in 1961, Arnold Toynbee remarked that the American Empire had two characteristics that distinguished it from its predecessor the British Empire at that time already extinct for about two decades: abundant military bases and an emphasis on generous economic aid for its allies. In a policy unprecedented in the history of empires, America was making her imperial position felt by giving economic aid to the peoples under her ascendancy, instead of exploiting them economically. Yes, the USA was by and large a milder hegemon than all previous great powers.

The Pax Americana created at the end of the Second World War was soon to prove an advantage for most of its satellites in the first three to four post-war decades. US-historian Alfred McCoy notes that at the end of World War II, the United States invested all its prestige and power in forming nothing less than a new world order through permanent international institutions  the United Nations (1945), the International Monetary Fund (1945), and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1947), predecessor to the World Trade Organization.

We should emphasize the role

of the United States as a force for peace and order before we talk about its current president and the danger that he so massively and so wantonly conjures  doing away with the reputation of a great nation in the eyes of world opinion. Immediately after taking office, the new lord of the White House committed the unforgivable stupidity of counteracting almost all of his predecessors rulings. Obama had gone to great lengths, with the help of the Allies, to negotiate a treaty obliging Iran to use nuclear power exclusively for civilian purposes and to submit to monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Trump tore the treaty apart and, in this way, frivolously gambled away the prestige of the United States as a contracting partner that could be relied upon. How can we believe a state where each president cancels the commitments of his predecessor?

And still worse the incredible naivety

of transferring business practices to international politics! The predominant criterion when concluding commercial deals is the benefit each party derives from it. No competitor, even if seeing a pistol aimed at his chest, will risk his life for a few dollars less.So, the real estate agent Trump believed he could transfer this insight to politics. They will give in as soon as I scare them to death  and then well make a deal, that is the simple philosophy of the currently most powerful man on earth.

The pistol, in this case,

does not just consist in measures to make the Iranian economy collapse. The export of oil, to which the country owes its modest standard of living, is by now largely curtailed, and any embargo breakers must expect heavy penalties. That is why Europe is no longer fulfilling its obligations towards Iran, and has largely broken off its business relations in order not to risk the US boycotting its own companies.

But now, Trump has still gone

one step further. It was not enough for him to choke the economy of Iran. Since the beginning of this year, he uses the military in order to ensure that his message is understood correctly. Two aircraft carriers have recently been stationed off the coast of Iran, plus strategic bombers B-52, together with stealth bombers F-35 and a rapidly growing number of US soldiers. They are currently being relocated to the Persian Gulf.

Only a politically blind, highly egocentric

businessman like Trump could seriously believe that it would be enough to play with aircraft carriers and bombers off the enemys coast to make him aware that he was no match for a man like Donald Trump. Militarily, Iran has become the strongest state in the Near East. According to experts, it is quite capable of eliminating in a first strike all American military bases in the Gulf with highly efficient missiles from its own production. The country cannot be compared to Iraq, Libya or Syria. The mullahs are now well aware of their strength, especially since Trumps approach is once again driving the population into their arms, after having almost lost them. As several previous uprisings have shown, the regime has by no means enjoyed undivided support among its own people. On the contrary, it was only able to maintain its rule with the help of police-state repression.

But just as Donald Trump knew

how to drive once again the people of Venezuela into the arms of their incompetent autocrat Maduro, he now unites the people of Iran behind their leadership  even though the country and its inhabitants have never been as badly off as they are today. Trump is a master at not making America the number one country, as is his avowed intent, but at making enemies all around. Abe Shinzo, the Japanese prime minister, is still a rare exception. On June 13, he tried to putty the broken porcelain, but he had no more success than Heiko Maas, the German exterior minister. Ayatollah Khamenei expressly declined to negotiate with the American President as long as the latter continues economic sanctions and threatens his country with military deployment.

Now the enemies are facing each other

with loaded pistols. No one can retreat without losing face. How is Trump going to recall his aircraft carriers without being ridiculed by the world as a paper tiger? And how can the regime of the Ayatollahs give in without losing the support of the population and being laughed at as a weakling? Unlike business, it is about honor and national prestige that nations are driven to war. These notions have never gone out of fashion between them  neither in the US nor in Iran. Trump steered his country into this stalemate not because he wanted this war, but because he makes rash decisions and is therefore unfit as a responsible leader of the worlds greatest power.

I think that war is inevitable, but that is of course no more than a personal opinion  fortunately history has never allowed prophecies to become true with absolute certainty.

For the time being, each of the two opponents

is still waiting for the stupidity of the other, i.e. for the first act of aggression, so as to have a pretext for striking with unmitigated power: the Iranians with simultaneous rocket attacks on all American bases and ships; the Americans with immediate strikes by their stealth bombers on all Iranian military positions and radar stations. As of now, acts of provocation are already occurring. Today, on 13 June, several ships were fired upon in the Gulf of Oman. We may assume that there are quite a lot of war mongering groups that long for a conflagration and even want to bring it about at any price. After all, we should not forget that many people in countries like Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya, which for years were exposed to terrible devastation, have nothing to lose. If war is inevitable let it be transferred to the rest of the world.

Americas military will, of course,

win the war against Iran in a few weeks, but Donald Trump will not be able to win peace. Up to the present day, peace has neither been won in the Near East nor in Libya. Iran has left no doubt as to what will be its first measure after the outbreak of war. It will immediately block the Strait of Hormuz, which could be barred for years afterwards due to permanent terror in the region. In this case, the main artery for oil supplies to Western countries will be severed indefinitely. We should have no illusions about what is really at stake: nothing less than the current prosperity of Europe, Japan and many other countries. But lets not dwell on our losses only. Iran  like Syria and Iraq another country famous for some of the greatest testimonies of human civilization  will sink into rubble as has already happened in large areas of the Middle East. And this happens for no other reason than that an ill-advised American president is frivolously experimenting in big politics with business practices that may succeed among brokers.

Trump has issued the slogan America First

We may find it hard to blame him for that. Every statesman is obliged by his oath to benefit above all his own country. True statesmen, however, always refrained from shouting this intention from the rooftops but wisely conceal it. This is not the current presidents way; in fact, he could do more harm to his country and the world at large than any previous one. Only a miracle may still prevent the fire of war from flaring up in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz from being mined, and Europe from plunging into chaos due to severed oil supplies.

Miracles are not at all impossible,

a kind of miracle is visible even at this very moment as hardly anyone seems to suspect the demons that are ready to pounce on us. Indeed, many will reject these lines as pure scaremongering. Hopefully, they are right!

By Gero Jenner

http://www.gerojenner.com

 2019 Gero Jenner - All Rights Reserved

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.



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:The long walk from Schaller Memorial Chapel through the Victory Arch and into Siebens Fieldhouse for the 128th commencement ceremony at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake culminated a journey tens of thousands of miles and decades in the making for Be Dao, a native of Vietnam.

I came to the United States when I was 26 years old, she says. I wanted a better life.

Daos father worked with the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, an allegiance that cost his children in later years. Dao says the opportunities for college in Vietnam werent presented to her or her siblings.

We could finish high school and return to the farm, she says. We did not get the chance to go to college.

In 1995, Daos dad led five of his children, Be included, out of Vietnam and into the United States. The siblings were all single at the time. Three other siblings, who were married, stayed in Vietnam, as did Bes mother.

After residing for months in Rochester, Minnesota, Dao moved to Iowa, and wed Sonny Pham.

When I came the US, I didnt know English, she says. I went to ESL (English as a Second Language) class and earned my GED. I went to NIACC (North Iowa Area Community College) in Mason City and graduated in 2015.

Dao smiles and talks about giving the commencement speech when she and a group of graduates earned their GEDs. She remembers crying when she finally had an associate of arts degree in her hands.

When teachers and peers talked about the benefits of a bachelors degree, Dao listened. She wanted to move up in her career field, accounting.

Be Daos husband and their three children, sons ages 22, 18, and 13, joined her on BVUs graduation day in Storm Lake in May. One son attends the University of Northern Iowa, while another is enrolled at NIACC. The baby of the family is a middle-schooler. Two of her sisters, one from Maryland, and one from Texas, were at her side, as were a brother-in-law and two nieces.

Dao beamed with pride moments before receiving her diploma, a single reward representing a group effort.

My counselor at BVU and the people in the office at Mason City, they all helped me, she says. They supported me in my commitment to earn my degree.

Before the ceremony, Be Dao placed a phone call overseas, to her father, who has since moved back to Vietnam.

I told my dad I was graduating, she says with a mix of pride and awe. My father cant believe it!

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Embracing the outlook of a student for life is the best way to adapt to the inevitable changes, challenges and opportunities ahead, Stanford Provost Persis Drell, PhD, told School of Medicine graduates on June 15.

The goal of your training was not to fill you up with knowledge and send you out into the world. The goal of your training at Stanford was to help you learn and embrace being a student for a lifetime, she said. My advice to you: In a world that encourages increasing specialization, hold on to that sense of being a student.

A lifelong student herself, Drell is also the James and Anna Marie Spilker Professor in the School of Engineering and a professor of materials science and engineering and of physics. She is the former dean of the Stanford School of Engineering and the former director of the U.S. Department of Energys SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford.

Drell spoke at the medical schools 111thdiploma ceremony, which was held on campus at the newly reopened Li Ka Shing Alumni Lawn. She was introduced by Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the School of Medicine, who also spoke to faculty and graduating students and their families and loved ones.

The provost emphasized the importance of being able to adapt to uncertainty and change, and also stressed the graduates role in advocating for and restoring trust in science. Trust must be earned every day, in every interaction, with every person we come in contact with, she said. In the coming years, you will have many opportunities to engender public trust and focus attention on the many ways science has improved and will continue to improve our lives.

Another chapter

The ceremony began with a performance by Dane Johansen, a cellist in the Cleveland Orchestra and sibling of Sara Johansen, a member of the 2019 graduating class. Johansen played the first movement of Bachs Suite in D Major for unaccompanied cello.The American Mathematical Society is having their Fall Western meeting here at U. C. Riverside during the weekend of November 9th and 10th, 2019. Joe Moeller and I are organizing a session on Applied Category Theory!

We already have some great speakers lined up:

Tai-Danae Bradley

Vin de Silva

Brendan Fong

Nina Otter

Evan Patterson

Blake Pollard

Prakash Panangaden

David Spivak

Brad Theilman

Dmitry Vagner

Zhenghan Wang

Alas, we have no funds for travel and lodging. If youre interested in giving a talk, please submit an abstract here:

General information about abstracts, American Mathematical Society.

More precisely, please read the information there and then click on the link on that page to submit an abstract. It should then magically fly through the aether to me! Abstracts are due September 3rd, but the sooner you submit one, the greater the chance that well have space.

For the program of the whole conference, go here:

Fall Western Sectional Meeting, U. C. Riverside, Riverside, California, 910 November 2019.

I will also be running a special meeting on diversity and excellence in mathematics on Friday November 8th. There will be a banquet that evening, and at some point Ill figure out how tickets for that will work.

We had a special session like this in 2017, and its fun to think about how things have evolved since then.

David Spivak had already written Category Theory for the Sciences, but more recently hes written another book on applied category theory, Seven Sketches, with Brendan Fong. He already had a company, but now hes helping run Conexus, which plans to award grants of up to $1.5 million to startups that use category theory (in exchange for equity). Proposals are due June 30th, by the way!

I guess Brendan Fong was already working with David Spivak at MIT in the fall of 2017, but since then theyve written Seven Sketches and developed a graphical calculus for logic in regular categories. Hes also worked on a functorial approach to machine learningand now hes using category theory to unify learners and lenses.

Blake Pollard had just finished his Ph.D. work at U.C. Riverside back in 2018. He will now talk about his work with Spencer Breiner and Eswaran Subrahmanian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, using category theory to help develop the smart gridthe decentralized power grid we need now. Above hes talking to Brendan Fong at the Centre for Quantum Technologies, in Singapore. I think thats where they first met.

Nina Otter was a grad student at Oxford in 2017, but now shes at UCLA and the University of Leipzig. She worked with Ulrike Tillmann and Heather Harrington on stratifying multiparameter persistent homology, and is now working on a categorical formulation of positional and role analysis in social networks. Like Brendan, shes on the executive board of the applied category theory journal Compositionality.

I first met Tai-Danae Bradley at ACT2018. Now she will talk about her work at Tunnel Technologies, a startup run by her advisor John Terilla. They model sequencesof letters from an alphabet, for instanceusing quantum states and tensor networks.

Vin de Silva works on topological data analysis using persistent cohomology so hell probably talk about that. Hes studied the interleaving distance between persistence modules, using category theory to treat it and the Gromov-Hausdorff metric in the same setting. He came to the last meeting and it will be good to have him back.

Evan Patterson is a statistics grad student at Stanford. Hes worked on knowledge representation in bicategories of relations, and on teaching machines to understand data science code by the semantic enrichment of dataflow graphs. He too came to the last meeting.

Dmitry Vagner was also at the last meeting, where he spoke about his work with Spivak on open dynamical systems and the operad of wiring diagrams. Now is implementing wiring diagrams and a type-safe linear algebra library in Idris. The idea is to avoid problems that people currently run into a lot in TensorFlow (ugh I have a 3  1  2 tensor but I need a 3  2 tensor).

Prakash Panangaden has long been a leader in applied category theory, focused on semantics and logic for probabilistic systems and languages, machine learning, and quantum information theory.

Brad Theilman is a grad student in computational neuroscience at U.C. San Diego. I first met him at ACT2018. Hes using algebraic topology to design new techniques for quantifying the spatiotemporal structure of neural activity in the auditory regions of the brain of the European starling. (I bet you didnt see those last two words coming!)

Last but not least, Zhenghan Wang works on condensed matter physics and modular tensor categories at U.C. Santa Barbara. At Microsofts Station Q, he is using this research to help design topological quantum computers.

In short: a lot has been happening in applied category theory, so it will be good to get together and talk about it!America is the revisionist power on trade



Meanwhile China wants to preserve the model of globalisation that has served it well



Gideon Rachman







Both China and America are dissatisfied with the current world order. The nature of their unhappiness is very different. But the two countries rival ambitions have produced a trade war that now threatens globalisation.



The problem as conceived by Donald Trump is that the world economic system is operating hugely to Americas disadvantage. The US president complains that globalism has helped China to rise at Americas expense  undermining US prosperity and global pre-eminence. It is that view that underpins Mr Trumps dramatic decision last week to raise tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese exports to America, from 10 per cent to 25 per cent.



For Xi Jinping, the problem with the current world order is Americas political and strategic dominance. The Chinese president has made it clear that he wants his country to displace the US as the dominant power in the Asia-Pacific region. Many Xi-supporting nationalists go further, speaking openly of their hope that China will become the dominant global power. Mr Xi is well aware that globalisation has been critical to Chinas rise over the past 40 years. So he is determined to preserve the current trade model.



The two presidents complaints about the world system are thus mirror images of each other. Mr Xi wants to change the worlds strategic order, and to do that he needs to maintain its economic order. Mr Trump wants to preserve the strategic order, and to do that he needs to change the economic order.



America and China are therefore both revisionist powers. And they are also both status quo powers. America is the status quo power on geopolitics, so it has become the revisionist power on economics. China is the revisionist power on geopolitics, so it has become the status quo power on trade.



But the mirror-image positions of Beijing and Washington also imply a convergence of view on globalisation. The actions of both countries suggest that they basically agree that the current system works better for China than for the US. While many economists would dissent from that view, it now seems to be the consensus political position in America. Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Democrats in the US Senate, has tweeted his support for the Trump administrations confrontational policies on trade with China.



In both Washington and Beijing, however, there are divisions between moderates who want the current trade row to end with a deal and radicals who would welcome a lasting breakdown in trading relations.



Protectionist radicals in the Trump administration believe that the Chinese political and economic model is fundamentally hostile to the interests of the US. And they want to rebuild the American economy behind high-tariff walls. For those who hold this view, a compromise deal that preserves the essence of the current globalised world trading system would be a defeat.



On the Chinese side, the hawks see the trade dispute as a chance to make China less dependent on foreign technology. Ardent nationalists also interpret the Trump administrations position on trade as evidence of American weakness. The correct response, they believe, would be for Beijing to forge ahead with efforts to create a China-centred world order.



The increasingly bellicose attitudes of nationalists in both the US and China look like an illustration of the Thucydidess trap made famous by Graham Allison, a Harvard professor. Prof Allison has pointed out that, throughout history, rising powers such as China have often gone to war with established powers such as the US.



But the current US-China conflict is a trade war, not a shooting war. And when it comes to trade, it is the US that is seeking to overturn the current system. That presents Mr Xi with a difficult tactical choice. Should China make concessions that are painful, and even humbling, in the interests of preserving the essence of the economic system that has facilitated its rise?



The Chinese are very mindful of the precedent of the Plaza Accord of 1985, in which, under intense US pressure, Japan agreed to revalue its currency. Many in China believe that, in retrospect, the Plaza Accord represented a successful American attempt to thwart the rise of Japan.



The Trump administration faces a variant of the same dilemma. Should America aim to exert maximum pressure, with the aim of eventually reaching a great deal that fixes flaws in the current system? Or would a partial victory in the trade war actually amount to a defeat if it failed to halt the rise of China?



By temperament and political interest, Mr Trump is probably still on the side of the dealmakers. He also continues to set great store by his friendship with Mr Xi, recently praising a beautiful letter he had received from the Chinese president.



Yet a close relationship between leaders is no guarantee that conflict can be avoided. In the July crisis that preceded the outbreak of the first world war in 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and Tsar Nicholas of Russia exchanged numerous friendly notes and telegrams. But it did not prevent their two countries sliding into conflict. In a similar way, the US-China trade war now risks escalating to a point where it escapes the control of the two countries leaders.Several hundred anti-Trump protesters converged on Foley Square in Lower Manhattan on Saturday as part of a nationwide day of action calling for the president's impeachment.

Demonstrators brought placards and homemade signs with messages ranging from TRAITOR IN CHIEF! IMPEACH! to ALL PURPOSE PISSED OFF PROTEST SIGN FUCK 45. One protester displayed a large American flag declaring Impeachment Is Patriotic, while a Trump impersonator wandered through the crowd dressed in a grey and white prison uniform.

Thais Marques, a 24-year old campaign manager with CREDO Action, spoke about the fear that immigrant families live with under the Trump administration. Marques recounted how in all her years as a previously undocumented immigrant, she has felt more threatened than ever since Trump's election.

Every day I wake up with a deadline looming over my head, for when my DACA expires, Marques said.

The protest was organized by a coalition of advocacy groups including Empire State Indivisible, Black Lives Matter Greater New York, and CREDO Action, among others. Speakers included Rep. Carolyn Maloney, whose district encompasses Manhattans east side, Greenpoint, and Queens.

Ive been thinking about impeachment for a long time, Maloney said. Its is not something that Congress, or our country, can undertake lightlyits a terrible, weighty thing. After carefully reviewing evidence laid out in the Mueller Report...it is my inescapable conclusion that the House of Representatives must open an impeachment inquiry against the President of the United States.



Former NY Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman was also in attendance. Holtzman, who was a Judiciary Committee member in 1974 and recommended Nixon be impeached, said this was not an issue between Democrats, or Republicans, but an issue of democracy.

There are other grounds for potential impeachment against Donald Trump. He kidnapped children from their parents, Holtzman said. No ones been punished.

A small contingent of Trump supporters staged a counterprotest, as did a group of Revolutionary Communist Party (Revcom) members. The Trump supporters largely stayed in one spot throughout the two-hour rally, while the Revcom members attempted to hijack proceedings using a portable loudspeaker.

People are still caught up thinking like Americans, when they should be thinking about reality," said Davis Parker, a Revcom member. "This country has 800 military bases all over the world, is the number one consumer of the worlds oil, and theyre talking about a non binding agreement."

Jim MacDonald, an actuary and Trump supporter from Flushing, said the Mueller report was conclusive proof that there was no collusion with Russia, and he found those rallying pitiful, and pathetic, for demanding an impeachment inquiry.

Meanwhile, another Trump supporter wandered the crowd lifting up her shirt off to reveal her breasts while waving a rainbow flag that read "LGBT FOR TRUMP.

Shannon Stagman, a Park Slope resident and the afternoons organizer, said she sees this rally as a wake up call to politicians, especially Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler.

Were really just hoping to send a message to the government that people are ready to see action on this issue, Stagman said.

At least 60 members of Congress now support an impeachment inquiry, and a recent national poll shows support for impeachment growing among votersmostly with Democratsbut in an interview on Sunday, Pelosi continued to resist calls for impeachment, saying, "I don't think there's anything more divisive we can do than to impeach a President of the United States, and so you have to handle it with great care.""Few public men in the United States since the Civil War have combined skill in diplomacy, constructive statesmanship, talent for political organization, oratorical ability and broad culture to such a degree as Senator Davis."

Grand Old Partisan salutes Cushman Davis, born this day of 1838. He grew up in Waukesha and studied law after graduating from the University of Michigan. During the Civil War, he served in the 28th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. His regiment battled through Arkansas.

Peace restored, Davis set up a law practice at St. Paul with his former commander. The young Republican soon won election to the state house. His next career move was U.S. district attorney.

In 1873, Davis was elected Governor. In 1887, a grateful legislature elected him to the U.S. Senate, where he served until death thirteen years later. President William McKinley named him a commissioner to negotiate peace after the Spanish-American War. He was delegate to the 1900 Republican National Convention.

Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube:

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"1. Fill in your name or an alias. Do not leave blank or use the name 'guest' or 'anonymous'.

2. No Nivul Peh. Profanity will be deleted.Nominations are open for the Better Business Bureau Northwest + Pacific's 2019 Business of the Year and Charity of the Year Torch Awards. This is BBBs most prestigious award that we give to businesses that demonstrate excellence in the marketplace. If you know a business or charity that should be recognized, nominate them! We also accept self-nominations. All nominees will be contacted to complete the application form after the nomination period. BBB is accepting nominations at bbb-businesses.org until July 21, 2019. BBB Accreditation is not a requirement to win a Torch Award.

The BBB Torch Awards program honors businesses and charities that exemplify BBBs standards of trust, transparency and integrity. We are looking for businesses and charities that instill trust among their staff, customers and communities. More information about the Torch Awards is available at bbb-businesses.org

 Business of the Year Tier 1: Honors businesses between 1-10 full-time employees that demonstrate a commitment to ethics, integrity and building trust in the marketplace.

 Business of the Year Tier 2: Honors businesses with 11 or more full-time employees that demonstrate a commitment to ethics, integrity and building trust in the marketplace.

 Spark Awards for New Business: Spark Award for New Businesses, a new Torch Award offered by BBB Northwest and Pacific, recognizes early-stage businesses that generate authentic culture about their mission and embed social impact into their business model to support their community. Businesses may select this option if your business has been in operation for more than 6 months but less than 5 years by Sunday, July 21, 2019.

 Charity of the Year: Honors a 501c (3) organization that demonstrates its effectiveness in impacting positive change in its community ethically and responsibly.

A Business of the Year in both tiers, along with a Spark Award and a Charity of the Year will be named in each region in the Northwest + Pacific. We serve consumers and businesses in Alaska, Idaho/W. Wyoming, Montana, Oregon, Hawaii, Eastern Washington and Western Washington. Entries are evaluated by independent, voluntary panels of judges comprised of business and community leaders.

So, whether its a plumber, baker, decorator, architect, daycare operator, mechanic, tech whiz, or any other fabulous business you love and trust, nominate them today. After all, these hardworking, ethical business owners deserve an extra pat on the back.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Meryl Noonan was one of the kindest, most gentle, people that one could ever hope to meet. She never encountered a child she didnt cherish or a needy person she didnt help. Usually quiet and reserved, she could also speak truth to power when the occasion required. She was a force for good and our world was rocked when we lost this beautiful person far too soon. She was a wife, mother, and grandmother and she is missed terribly by all who knew her.

Meryl was born in the Bronx to Benjamin and Gloria Share at a time when her parents were struggling to rise from poverty and put her father through law school. As time went on, she was blessed with two younger sisters, Linda and Susan. The little family followed her father through several moves as his career progressed. During her childhood, they lived in New York and New Jersey before reaching their final destination of Harrisburg, PA. They arrived in Harrisburg just in time to take shelter as the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster unfolded around them.

Meryl went on to graduate from Temple University in 1978 with a Degree in Social Work and Paralegal Certification. She immediately went to work in the Philadelphia District Attorneys office, representing indigent elderly people with landlord-tenant disputes. She worked in these, and related areas, for many years before moving to Montana where she became a Child Protection Investigator for the state.

In 1983 Meryl began a three-year courtship with Jeff Noonan, a single father with two daughters, Michelle and Suzanne. Meryl and Jeff married in 1986 and, after another three years, welcomed two more children, Phillip and Danielle, into their lives. Over the next few years, the family moved several times, living in Rose Valley PA, Helena MT, Pinehurst NC, and St. Regis MT, before retiring and moving back to Helena in 2008.

Meryl is survived by her loving husband Jeff, sister Susan Block (Ernie) of Orlando FL, son Phillip Noonan (Miranda) of NAS Lemoore CA, daughter Danielle Noonan (Dan) of Helena, stepdaughters Michelle Noonan of Leesburg VA and Suzanne Davis (Roy) of Lakeside, MT, as well as eight loving Grandchildren. She is also survived by a lifelong friend (her sister-from-another-mother), Donna Diamond (Roger) of Melville, Long Island, NY.

Meryl passed away last December, two weeks before her 33rd wedding anniversary. Memorial Services were delayed to allow her son to return from military deployment. The Services will be held at Helenas Fort Harrison Veterans Cemetery at 2:00 PM on 20 June 2019. All who knew her are invited to attend. Instead of flowers, please make any desired donations to Meryls favorite charity, the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.Economy Minister: Georgia and US have the same position about Anaklia Port

By Tea Mariamidze

Natia Turunava, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, stated on June 13 that Georgia and the United States have the same position about the strategic importance Anaklia Deep Sea Port.Turnava made the statement in response to the comment made by the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo two days ago at the joint press conference with the Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze in Washington.Pompeo said he hopes Georgia completes the project, adding it will enhance Georgia's relationship with free economies and prevent Georgia from falling prey to Russian or Chinese economic influence. Those pretended friends do not have Georgia's best interests at heart."Anaklia is adjacent to occupied territories of Abkhazia, and this fact further increases its importance in terms of increased attractiveness of Georgia by improving human contacts and development of territories along the administrative border.The project of Anaklia port focuses exactly on the increase of Georgia's maritime-transportation potential. Anaklia Development Consortium obtained a right to implement this project through the process of tender. TBC Holding (Georgia), Conti International (USA), SSA Marine (USA), British Wondernet Express (Central Asia) and G-Star LTD (Bulgaria) are members of the consortium.Anaklia will be the first deep-sea port in Georgia. The first phase of the port is supposed to be completed in 2021. The port will be able to host ships from 2022. Anaklia port will be developed in 9 phases, and total investments will amount to USD 2.5 billion. Therefore, this is the largest project ever implemented in Georgia. The port will be 16 meters deep, which will allow hosting 10 000 TEU ships. The port can transmit 100 million tons of cargo annually.Natia Turunava said it is natural that the strategic partner of Georgia raised the issue of this important project."The US government and our vision on this issue are identical, in principle. The Anaklia project is economically and politically important for Georgia, and that is why the Georgian government is so supportive of this project. We will actively support the negotiation process, and I think we will be able to move to the next phase of the project in the nearest period," Turnava said.The Minister also underlined that Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze once again extended the deadline for Anaklia Consortium to bring the issue of project funding to an end.The decision of the PM was welcomed by the Anaklia Development Consortium too. According to the statement, the step is very important for the successful completion of negotiations with international banks to achieve a final agreement regarding the 8-point list between the government and international financial institutions."The Anaklia Development Consortium declares with full responsibility that it has fully mobilized the capital necessary for the project and an official announcement about this will be made after the Government of Georgia, and international financial institutions reach an agreement," reads the statement.Dr. Vern G. Tolstedt, 87 Helena, MT

After a short illness Vern passed away on June 13th 2019. He is preceded in death by parents Glen and Elvina Tolstedt, Son Brett and Niece Molly.

Vern shared a beautiful love story with his beloved wife of 65 years Leona. His wonderful storytelling and playful good humor will be missed by Family: son Brian Tolstedt and wife Judy Doerr. Daughter Julie and fiance Jeffrey Allan. Grandson Nicholas Tolstedt. Brother Grandon Tolstedt and his wife Kay. Betsy Tolstedt, Mark Tolstedt, Ross Tolstedt, Kilmer McCully , Marilyn McCully, Terry Edwards, Clark Edwards and Lexia Doerr.

Vern was born in Columbus, Nebraska, The Glen Tolstedt family moved to Herried, SD in the early 1935 where the family took over farming the Litwenenco homestead. He attended South Dakota State University and graduated from Northwestern University Medical School. Internship and Residency in his specialty of Urology followed in Chicago and Seattle. During this time Vern served our country in the United States Air Force as a Surgeon.

In 1964 he moved his family with Leona to Helena, MT and became the first Urologist in the community of Helena, MT. During his time in Helena Vern served as Chief of Staff and Board member of St Peters Hospital, Shodair Childrens Hospital, St Johns Hospital, Lewis and Clark Medical society, Deacon at Plymouth Congregational Church, and Boy Scout Leader. He cared greatly for the Helena community donating time to the arts. Vern cared for Helena in less public way as his office door was open to many in crisis and his wisdom and warmth were sought by many over the years when loving guidance was the needed prescription.

Life with Vern was intense and vivid. Verns life was blessed with remarkable outdoor adventure including backcountry hiking trips and offshore sailing the Pacific and Atlantic oceans nearly from Artic Circle to Equator with his wife Lee on his beloved sailboat Shaman. He embraced many hobbies and was remarkably creative. His original action adventure movie The Mothball Caper (1975) produced in super 8 is still an often requested showing by friends from the era. He was a determined and gifted athlete pitching for a Farm club in college; he was determined to maintain his fitness riding over 2K miles on a touring bike every year into his 80s. He studied under Sam Maloof learning to build museum quality furniture. Best of all for those that love him, Vern was a craftsman storyteller and time spent with him was always a chance to see the world through the eyes of an artist who cared deeply for people and wanted them to experience the beauty he saw in the world.

Verns family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. in Helena. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Verns name are suggested to the Helena Symphony, 2 N Last Chance Gulch Suite 1 Helena, MT 59601. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or share a memory of Vern.SIOUX CITY, Iowa  In a low-ceilinged and even lower-lit bar and pizza joint on a humid early summer night, the governor of Montana last week introduced himself to some of the Iowans who will play a part in deciding what the rest of his life looks like.

Standing in front of checkerboard blue-and-white "Bullock 2020" signs taped to a sneeze guard and backlit by a neon beer sign, Democratic presidential hopeful Steve Bullock engaged in the most direct sell of retail politics.

This is the environment, the small-scale meet-and-greet, where the head of a state with just over a million residents has always done his best. On this particular Monday night, 40 people came out to drink an after-work beer, eat an order of breadsticks and hear Bullock tell them why he's the one out of two dozen options to pick in Iowa's presidential caucuses a mere 238 days away.

Not that anyones counting, Bullock quipped to the room.

That one-liner was one of several from a pitch Bullock had already delivered twice that day and would make one more time before calling it a night. Such is the pace a candidate who entered the race last (for now) and missed qualifying for the partys first debates needs to keep if hes going to emerge from the crowded field seeking the nomination.

Bullock isnt leaving it up to Iowans to suss out his strengths as a candidate. He gets to the main point fast and frequently in his stump speech: He won reelection by 4 points in a state Republican President Donald Trump took by 20, and navigated a state Legislature thats more Republican than yours, he told the Iowans.

On his third trip to the state as a candidate, Bullock was strategic in the locations he barnstormed  hitting GOP strongholds and counties that turned red in 2016 after reliably supporting former President Barack Obama in his first two elections.

That pendulum can swing back, Bullock argues.

It can be done. I believe it because I've seen it been done, he said. The message worked, on at least some of his audience.

I am a Steve Bullock fan. I like the fact that he was elected in a red state, said Kathleen Gannon, who saw Bullock at a shotgun coffee shop on the main drag in the small town of Jefferson, where Bullock started last Monday.

Tim Bottaro is a Democratic operative in Woodbury County, where Bullock ended that day after four campaign stops. Bottaro has been doing the Iowa caucus dance since he was 17 and ran Obamas campaigns in Sioux City and western Iowa. He said Democrats in his neck of the woods want to hear about a path to victory in places where Trump has done well.

I think Bullock should really hammer home the issue of how a Democrat wins in a state like Montana and what do you do and how do you do it without selling your soul on some of the big issues to Democrats? How do you walk that line? Bottaro said.

Bullock over and over offered up his answer to that question as he marched through Iowa coffee shops and cafes.

Your county is not unlike counties that I have to travel in Montana when I run for reelection," Bullock told Democrats in one solidly GOP region. "Its interesting when you go to a county and its like, You can't win this county. I dont need you to win this county. I need you to get every single vote out, and I need you to talk to your friends and neighbors. Thats how I win in Montana. I cant just go to pockets of blue. Theres not enough of them.

The nuances of Montana politics dont get full exploration from national press that frames a rural state through stereotypes. In a New York Times story on Thursday, Bullock's scuffed-up cowboy boots made the lead photo, the assumed image of a Western state writ large even though the governor's hometown of Helena sometimes looks like it might solely fund the Patagonia and Chaco companies.

There's no question Montana is bright red at the presidential level. The last time a Democrat took the state was in 1992, when Ross Perot peeled off enough votes from former President George H.W. Bush that former President Bill Clinton slid in for a 2-point victory.

It gets less easy to paint in broad strokes for races below that, however.

"When it comes to electing people statewide to the governor's office or even to represent the state at the federal level, it's a lot more driven by the person and less by the party," said Lee Banville, a political analyst and professor at the University of Montana.

A Democrat has held the governor's office for what will be 16 straight years by the time Bullock departs. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, won election to his third term last year. But in 2016, in addition to the Trump victory, Republicans swept all the statewide offices except governor, and the last time the GOP didn't hold the majority in the state Legislature was a decade ago.

So primed is Bullock to talk about state-level politics that a question about why hell miss the first Democratic National Committee debates this month turns into an answer about how Montanas Legislature is 60% Republican.

But like so many things in a national campaign, the state-level subtleties get lost. For the last several legislative sessions, GOP infighting in Montana hamstrung the party and created space for a group of Republicans called the Solutions Caucus to find a better partner in Bullock than members of their own party.

"My Legislature is actually more Republican than yours," Bullock told Democrats in Sioux City. "(But) even in this divided time we've been able to get things done."

In an interview on the way to a campaign event last week, Bullock said in his view he didn't so much step into a statehouse primed to facilitate working across the aisle as much as he crafted the setting.

I would like to think that I built an environment where there are at least some Republicans, and I dont consider these folks moderate, I consider these folks business-based Republicans, that they knew I would work with them to try to find a solution, Bullock said. And (theyd) trust that Id work with them, I wouldnt try to burn them down every day, that Id try to get something beyond partisan wins.

Montana State Rep. Nancy Ballance, a Republican from Hamilton and leader in the Solutions Caucus, said her group was able to find common ground with the governor.

You get to a position of trust with someone where you may not agree and philosophically you may not agree, but you know if they say theyre going to do something that they wont go back on their word, Ballance said. I think thats worth an awful lot. To the extent that we had a partner who will work with us on some things, that we can trust, I think thats important. Thats the way we learned to work with one another. I think thats what the people of Montana expect of us.

But not all Montana Republicans agree with how Bullock assesses his relationship with their party in the Legislature.

"I'd give him a D on working with us," said Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas, a Republican from Stevensville. "You can't just talk to (members of the Solutions Caucus) and think you've talked to the Legislature."

But Iowans haven't heard of Ballance, Thomas or the Solutions Caucus, and they likely never will. What they'll take away from Montana's Legislature are things like some Republicans joining with Democrats to pass and then continue Medicaid expansion.

Bullock told each group of Iowans he met with last week the same story about going up to Choteau, a Republican stronghold, in 2015 to attend a meeting about the viability of the local hospital. He attributed his visit to giving the local GOP legislator enough cover to help pass Medicaid expansion that year.

"How I win and how I govern are much the same," Bullock said. "I don't have the luxury in my state of just talking to people that would come out to a Democratic thing on a Monday night."

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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.SPRINGFIELD  Trent Lawrence had a rude awakening earlier this week. Overnight, mice had gotten into the greenhouse on his farm and eaten several dozen trays of seedlings he was planning to transplant into a field.

Lawrence and his wife, Jami, work a 26-acre farm outside of Delavan, about 30 miles south of Peoria, in Tazewell County. For the past several years, theyve been growing organic peppers, tomatoes and a variety of other specialty crops. But this year, theyre starting a new crop that became legal in Illinois only earlier this year, industrial hemp, and thats what the mice found especially tasty.

At a cost ranging from 25 cents to $1 per seed, rodents in the greenhouse are just one of many risks that Illinois hemp farmers face.

Its very risky, very risky, Lawrence said during an interview on his farm.

Fortunately for Lawrence, the damage was minimal. He has hundreds more seedlings growing in that same greenhouse, and hundreds more on top of that germinating under lights in an upstairs room of the house that sits on the property.

With luck, each of those plants will grow to produce one to two pounds of flower rich in a compound called cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, which when extracted can be used to control a wide range of medical conditions including seizure disorders. And with market prices ranging from $80 to $100 a pound, depending on its CBD content, that makes each one of those seedlings extremely valuable.

That industry, however, became possible only in recent years. Since the 1930s, industrial hemp had been illegal in the United States, with a brief exception during World War II, because it was classified as a narcotic in the same category as marijuana. It was only in 2014 that Congress began allowing states to authorize limited production for research purposes, and it was finally legalized completely in the 2018 Farm Bill, which Congress passed in December.

Six months ago, this would have been the mother of all felonies, Lawrence said as he looked around his greenhouse. Its no joke. Until the 2018 Farm Bill was signed, it was still under controlled substance territory. This would have been a Schedule I drug, but since they deregulated CBD  they removed CBD out of the Schedule I drug category.

Lawrence said the plants classify as industrial hemp as long as they test below 0.3 percent Tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

So, we can grow a CBD crop now, as long as we dont go above 0.3 percent delta-9-THC, he said.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture began accepting applications for licenses to grow industrial hemp on April 30, and as of June 10, according to agency figures, the state had issued licenses to 474 growers covering just over 12,103 acres.

Thats actually quite small compared to the 11 million acres of corn the state produced in 2017, or the 10 million acres of soybeans farmers grew that same year.

In terms of income potential, however, there is little comparison. In 2017, according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, corn production in Illinois averaged 201 bushels per acre, and it sold for $3.35 a bushel, or $673.35 per acre. Soybeans yielded roughly $556.80 per acre.

But some in the industry believe a quality hemp crop thats geared toward CBD production could generate as much $90,000 to $160,000 an acre, depending on how much flower the plants yield and how much CBD they contain.

Its just that the CBD craze thats going on right now has produced some pretty tremendous stories of farmers and what they can earn on an acre of hemp flower, said Kevin Pilarski, chief commercial officer of Revolution Cannabis in Elmhurst.

Different varieties of hemp can be grown for its fiber, or to produce seeds. But for now, Pilarski said, Illinois farmers are focusing exclusively on CBD production.

But for farmers hoping to cash in on that market, there are also substantial risks.

Ginger Duer, president and founder of Delta Valley Logistics, a company that grows industrial hemp in Illinois, California and Ontario, said the first of those is upfront capital investment.

I tell our farmers to anticipate spending  from before they purchase seeds to when they have a salable biomass at the end of the product cycle, they have a product that is dried, packaged and ready to sell to a processor  $15,000 to $20,000 an acre, Duer said. Now, that is making an assumption that the farmer does not have a lot of equipment that theyre going to have to obtain. However, for the vast majority of farmers, you do have that equipment.

Both Duer and Lawrence acknowledged another risk about the hemp industry: the fact that there is no accredited crop insurance for it yet.

Every farmer out there whos currently growing hemp is running naked, Duer said. But thats causing other problems within the hemp markets because its making it more difficult to pre-sell their crop because theres no crop insurance.

In addition, she said, there are no certified industrial hemp seeds available yet, which makes shopping for seeds a risky venture of its own because of what she described as rampant fraud in the hemp seed market.

Were talking about people selling seed stock that is two to three years old as fresh seed stock, so the germination rates are 50 to 60 percent instead of above 95, she said. You have people selling seeds that were pollinated by high-THC drift in certain states and areas of the country, leading to farmers planting plants that they believe are going to be industrial hemp but are legally marijuana and have up to 6 to 7 percent THC by harvest.

Lawrence, who said he purchased seeds from hemp farmers in Colorado and Oregon, where production has been legal for some time, said he experienced the uncertainty of the seed market as soon as he decided to go into production.

Imagine doing a wire transfer for $10,000 or $20,000 with somebody in another state that youve never met for something that was, six months ago, a felony, he said.

In addition, he said, even though the seeds came from plants that met the standards for industrial hemp in another state, that does not necessarily predict how they will grow in the fertile soils and hot summers of Illinois. There is always a danger, he said, that the plants will end up producing too much THC.

Before we harvest, the state will come in and take samples, send those in and get our levels, and if it tests over a certain percent, we have to burn the crop, he said.

Duer said she believes the hemp industry in the United States will never fully stabilize until there is crop insurance available and there are controlled, certified seeds available to farmers.

Lawrence, however, remains optimistic that will eventually happen.

Im thinking in another four or five years, this is going to be just like any other commodity, he said. Once more farmers start doing this, especially with grain and fiber, once the infrastructure for those crops is in place for processing grain and fiber, I think this will go mainstream. Well have corn, beans and hemp growing everywhere.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0DECATUR  When Sydney Walker realized in middle school that she wants to work as a nurse anesthetist, she also found out that it takes several years of post-secondary schooling.

Then she found out that Cerro Gordo High School offers dual-credit courses through Richland Community College, and that it was possible for her to graduate high school with an associate's degree from Richland at the same time.

I knew that some of the older high school kids had been doing this Richland thing, said Sydney, who graduated in May. I looked into it and knew some kids were able to graduate with an associate's, so I decided I was going to try to do that starting my junior year. I wanted to get two years done and just have four or five (years) left.

She's going to enter Missouri Baptist University in the fall as a junior. Her advice, she said, is for high school students who want to pursue this path to check with their college of choice to make sure the school will accept the credits earned. She hadn't considered Missouri Baptist, even though her brother is a student there, until she realized they would accept the credits.

Cerro Gordo has been offering the dual-credit option since the 2012-13 school year, said Superintendent Brett Robinson. Thanks to a $10,000 grant from ADM Cares, and the support of the school board and district voters, students pay only a $250 fee and buy their own books for a semester's classes in dual credit. Transportation is provided to Richland, and students who are interested in trades or in earning college credit in academic areas spend half their day at high school and half at college. Some of the teachers at Cerro Gordo hold master's degrees and can teach classes such as English 101 and 102 and college math at the high school.

School board President Todd Henricks' son, Noah, is studying aerospace engineering and began as a junior thanks to his two years of dual credit courses in high school.

Mom and Dad don't have to pay for (those two years), Henricks said.

Levi Neaveill, 20, is attending the University of Illinois studying finance and economics and has already completed requirements for one bachelor's degree. He's in an internship in finance in Chicago this summer. He competed for the internship against much older students who weren't coming to college with a two-year degree already under their belts, and his mother, Jodi, laughingly said, Nobody knew what to do with him.

One problem was that he had to travel and spend the night, at 18, when that's too young to rent a hotel room. The other students were 21 and older. Levi was chosen for the internship, however.

It's unheard of to be 20 years old and in the position he's in, Robinson said.

Levi's classmate, Mason McNamara, is a pre-med student at Baylor University. They were the first two Cerro Gordo students to earn an associate's degree in high school. They were followed by Cora Hyde and Michael Barnes, who graduated in 2018. Cora is studying drama and theater in New York City and Michael is at Eastern Illinois University.

And in May, Sydney and her classmates Josh Stump and Vanessa Gower all graduated with their associate's degrees. Vanessa is pursuing a degree in special education at Eastern.

Cody Evans walked through Richland's graduation ceremony in 2016 prior to his Cerro Gordo graduation, and completed his Richland credits during that summer semester. Richland doesn't hold a summer ceremony, but included him in the spring because he was so close to completing his requirements. He is a controls technician for Environmental Control Solutions Inc. and serves in the United States Marine Corps Reserves as well as a volunteer firefighter with the Cerro Gordo Fire Department.

These are driven young people, Robinson said.

"This educational opportunity is something that the Cerro Gordo community and especially our school board and district administration are very proud to offer our students and their families," said Henricks.

"We are extremely proud to be a school district that partners with Richland Community College to offer the ability to not only graduate from high school but also graduate from Richland at the same time, to all of our students and their families in the Cerro Gordo School District."

Editor's note: Cody Evans was inadvertently omitted from the original version of this story. The newspaper received incomplete information.

Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter

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Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly 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.Years of finger-pointing by Illinois hospitals and managed-care organizations about what the hospitals said were high denial rates for Medicaid claims ended last month with legislation that both sides hope will reduce friction between the two and benefit low-income patients.

"This is a really good step forward," said Jay Roszhart, president of Memorial Health System's ambulatory group. "I'm fairly optimistic that the intent of the bill will resolve these issues."

Samantha Olds Frey, executive director of the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans, said Senate Bill 1321, if signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker as expected, would lead to hospitals sharing more information with companies hired by the state to carry out the state's Medicaid managed-care program, HealthChoice Illinois.

The legislation, Olds Frey said, would make sure hospitals and the managed-care organizations, or MCOs, "are talking to one another instead of at one another ... to ensure cohesive care-coordination and discharge planning with a focus on the Medicaid members."

Illinois' managed-care system covers 2.1 million Medicaid beneficiaries, or more than two-thirds of the state's 3.1 million population in Medicaid.

Medicaid is a public health-insurance program funded by the state and federal governments. With federal funds covering about half of all Medicaid expenses in Illinois, the program covers one out of every four state residents and is expected to cost $24.5 billion in the fiscal year that begins July 1.

After operating only in certain parts of the state since 2012, the managed-care program was rebooted on Jan. 1, 2018, and named HealthChoice Illinois by former Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The rebooted system was expanded to all 102 counties, including the Springfield area, in April 2018, and is designed to help the state save money and better serve Medicaid patients.

The system operates with six MCOs, two of which serve only Cook County. The for-profit health plans operating statewide are BlueCross, IlliniCare, Meridian and Molina Healthcare.

Hospitals said they were suffering financially because MCOs were denying more than one-fourth of all bills for the care of Medicaid patients.

This situation forced hospitals to spend time and money bickering with MCOs and the state for months over the often-complicated reasons for payment denials in hopes of being paid someday.

MCOs, on the other hand, said the denial rate was less than 11 percent.

The two sides disagreed over how to compute the denial rate.

Memorial Medical Center in Springfield is owed millions of dollars in disputed claims, many of which the 500-bed hospital continues to pursue in negotiations with MCOs and the state, Roszhart said.

Among the disputed bills, he said, are inpatient charges for the care of a drug-overdose patient in an intensive-care unit, and inpatient charges for a patient with sepsis, or a life-threatening infection.

Those patients' MCOs decided that the hospital deserved lower reimbursement rates and the patients needed only outpatient care, Roszhart said.

HB 1321 was supported by both the Association of Medicaid Health Plans and the Illinois Health and Hospital Association and passed unanimously by the Illinois House and Senate in late May.

The legislation would take effect immediately after being signed and calls for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services to work with a private vendor to established a computerized "clearinghouse" through which all Medicaid managed-care claims would be submitted.

The clearinghouse would, for the first time, allow HFS to track claims and determine true denial rates and factors behind denials that could be addressed by the state and everyone else involved, said Patrick Gallagher, senior vice president of health policy and finance for the hospital association.

"It shines a light on MCOs as well as accurate billing by hospitals," he said.

Added Dan Hoodin, vice president of managed care for Hospital Sisters Health System: "This is a good first step because it will standardize the language on the reason for the denial. It's the first step to bringing down the denial rate."

The legislation would set up a clear dispute-resolution process by Jan. 1, 2020, for denied claims and designate Healthcare and Family Services as the final arbiter of disputes.

MCOs would have to comply with a standard policy that determines when a Medicaid-enrolled doctor or other provider becomes eligible for payment. This provision in the bill, along with others requiring more standard practices among MCOs, would reduce claim denials in the current "chaotic" system, Hoodin said.

HFS also would set up a fee system to potentially pay hospitals for inpatient stays beyond "medical necessity" when hospitals and MCOs are unable to arrange for the discharge of patients to lower-level care settings such as nursing homes and private homes.

This provision would give MCOs financial incentives to work more aggressively with hospitals "to place the patients where they will get the best care," Hoodin said.

The current situation, he said, results in certain patients remaining in acute-care hospitals for weeks and months, even though they might recover better in a different setting, while the hospitals receive no additional pay from Medicaid.

The additional reimbursements to hospitals that are called for under the bill could reduce MCOs' profits but could lead to better coordination of care, Hoodin said.

There should be more scrutiny of care-coordination services that the state is paying MCOs to provide, he said. He hasn't seen evidence of MCOs providing those services.

Hoodin said he hopes that reducing disputes over denied claims will free up everyone's time to improve care coordination.

The greater oversight role that the bill designates for Healthcare and Family Services could go a long way to resolve problems, Gallagher said.

"We'll see how it's implemented," he said. "It creates the framework for really great strides, but it will take vigilance. ... It's going to require working with HFS and working with the managed-care plans.

"The billing process is so complex, and the plans do hold the money. They have a lot of power."

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